as may witnesse that bloodie massacre of France and the continuall ciuill warres for many yeeres together wherein not so few Christian people as 100. thousand haue perished England thankes be to God hath no such flowers growing in her garden neither I trust euer shall Neither doe wee desire nay wee would not for all the kingdomes of the world chaunge our state with any of those flower countries Italie France Spaine which in deede are flowers and leaues without true fruite Though the Popes iurisdiction hath been large yet can hee not compare with the pontifices maximi among the Romans which was an office of such high authoritie and great commaund that the title was afterward annexed to the Empire and the Emperours tooke vpon them to be called the high Priests The other Patriarchall Seas also did equalize Rome in largenes of iurisdiction especially Alexandria to the which was subiect al Egypt Libya Pentapolis with all the Christian Churches of Africa The Pope hath no great cause to brag of his greatnes for his wings are well clipped and I doubt not but to see yet more of this proud birds feathers pulled Neither is largenes of dominion a good argument for religion for then Pagane idolatrie which was more vniuersally receiued at once in the 〈◊〉 then Christianitie should thrust out the Gospell of 〈◊〉 And as for the King of Spaine◠〈◊〉 he may thanke the poore Indians for it whose throates the Spaniards haue cut for their gold neither is it such but that hee knoweth how to spend it and for all his great treasure his coffers are often emptie enough But let it be remembred how these popelings measure religion by riches and outward glorie which if it were a good rule the rich Chaldeans Assyrians Persians should rather haue bin the people of God thē the poore Israelites the rich Scribes and Pharisies should be preferred before the Apostles 2. Popish religion denieth dutie to God making other Mediatours beside Christ teaching inuocation of Saints adoration of images which are peculiar to God neither doth it giue honour to Magistrates abridging them of their lawfull authoritie in matters ecclesiasticall and giuing the Pope authoritie to excommunicate and depose Princes and to absolue their subiects of their oath Concerning the particulars of Popish profession what little comfort is in them how derogatorie to God contrarie to Scriptures I haue shewed before in the answere to the 5. section 3. The Pope so well appeased the quarrels betweene Henry the 2. and his Nobles that after the King had reconciled himselfe to the Pope for the death of Thomas Becket and yeelded to doe penance his troubles began afresh betweene him and his sonnes Richard and Iohn that he died for griefe And the Pope by his Legates and factors in England and other countries hath been a mouer not a compounder of strife a raiser rather then layer of warre Did not Gregorie the 7. set vp Rodolphus against Henry the 4. the Emperour betweene whom many bloodie battels were fought Did not Pope Paschalis incite Henrie the sonne against the Emperor Henrie the father and dispossessed him of the Empire Vrban the 2. did put downe Hugo Earle of Italie discharging his subiects of their oth and obedience Gregorie the 9. did excommunicate Fredericke the 2. and raised vp the Venetians against him And in England Pope Innocent the 3. commaunded vnder paine of his great curse that no man should obey King Iohn he gaue definitiue sentence in his consistorie that he should be deposed from his Crowne and appointed Philip King of France to execute this sentence promising him full remission of his sins to kill or expell King Iohn Vrban the 4. set Henrie the 3. and his Nobles together by the eares absoluing the king of his oth made to performe certaine articles agreed vpon at Oxford whereupon the Barons warres were renewed Pope Boniface set variance betweene England and Scotland in the raigne of Edward the 1. challenging Scotland as proper to the Sea of Rome But in steed of easing the people of rigorous exactions imposed by Princes the Pope himself hath vsed vnreasonable extortions Rigandus de Asteri◠the Popes Legate in England in Edward the 2. his raigne demaunded of the Clergie 8. pence in the marke toward the Legates charges but they graunted only 4. pence in the marke He also laboured to bring in a new manner of collection of Peter pence but was resisted by the King The like did Henricus the 3. Repressit impetum Legati propter violentiam denariorum He restrained the attempts of the Popes Legate touching his violent exactions of money The Bishops of England after great and forcible intreatie agreed to pay to the Pope 11000. markes The King of England saith the same author made payment to Pope Alexander the 4. vpon a very friuolous and fond matter 950000. markes Bonner himselfe witnesseth that the Popes pray in England came almost to as much as the reuenewes of the Crowne The Pope had the first fruites of all the Bishopricks in England which came to a great summe Canterburie paied 10000. Florences and 5000. for his pall Yorke as much Winchester 12000. Elie 7000. The whole summe of all the first fruites in Europe which came to the Popes coffers amounted to 2460843. Florences which maketh well nie 6. hundred 15. thousand two hundred and ten pound starling Iudge by this now Christian Reader what an impudent man this is to make the Pope a mitigator of great exactions whereas he hath been the most cruell extortor and exactor in the world As is his credit in this so let him be beleeued in the rest 4. Popish confession is so farre from keeping subiects from deuising against their Prince as that it hath been the speciall engine and instrument to contriue treacherie against the state Simon the Monke was confessed and absolued of his Abbot when he enterprised to poyson King Iohn Frier Forrest in secret confession declared to diuers subiects that King Henry the 8. was not supreame head of the Church and so abused confession to sedition Peter Barriere was confessed in the Colledge of the Iesuites in Paris and tooke the Sacrament whē he intended to murder the french King that now is Iohn Chaestell also that conspired the like had been often schooled in the Iesuites chamber of meditations These are the fruites of popish confession deuising of treasons reuealing of secrets seeking occasion to do euill for by this opportunitie diuers lewd Priests sollicited the parties that came to be confessed vnto euill As mention is made in the papall rescripts of one qui cum alterius coniuge frequenter in ecclesia dormiuit which oftentimes in the Church slept with another mans wife And this should seeme to be so vsuall a practise that for restraint thereof they decreed against it non debet episcopus vel presbyter commisceri
pag. 11. lin 16. his meaning is that he is halfe a subiect as he is English to the Prince as he is Catholike to the Pope for if hee be a Iesuite that thus writeth how can they bee faithfull subiects which call these positions wicked pernicious erronious hereticall trayterous that the Pope hath no authoritie to restraine punish or force by way of armes either by himselfe or others any temporall prince for heresie Apostasie c. that if the Pope attempt any such matter he may bee resisted by Catholike subiects that if they should know of any designement or treatise of the Pope by way of force in England they would reueale the same Thus these popish Iudasites count those heretikes and traytors that are not traytors to their Prince From this ground haue proceeded these diabolicall not theologicall conclusions resolued vpon at Salamanca 7. of March 1602. concerning the inuading of Ireland 1. That the Catholikes in Ireland may fauour the Earle of Tyrone in his warres and that with great merite and hope of euerlasting reward 2. All Catholikes sinne mortallie that take part with the English against Tyrone 3. They are in the same case that helpe the English with any victuals 4. The Catholikes of Ireland that fight against the Queene are by no construction Rebels To these Articles subscribed the Popish Diuines and preachers Iohn de Sequenza Emmanuel de Royas Iasper de Mena Peter Osorio Loe these are the Iesuited Catholike subiects of England If he be a secular Priest that thus professeth himselfe a Catholike subiect he shall giue vs leaue also to doubt of his obedience and loyaltie for what profession soeuer they make of their faithfull seruice and subiection to the Princes Maiestie I feare me their hearts are not sound For whereas the Priests are charged by Parsons to say that the Pope hath no authoritie by way of force or armes immediatly or by others to restraine punish or represse any temporall prince for heresie c. they vtterly renounce this position and call it a spitefull collection They say further that the Popes indirect authoritie in temporalibus in temporall things is not called in question neither is the power of deposing of princes examined And whereas Parsons laboureth to proue that although the Pope directly haue no temporall dominion or iurisdiction ouer Christian temporall princes c. yet indirectly for conseruation and defence of religion c. he may also vse the sword or helpe of temporall forces either immediatly from himselfe or by other princes at his direction c. The Priests to this answere that they labour about a matter not in controuersie So then it is their opinion that although the Pope not as a Bishop or Ecclesiasticall person yet as a temporall Prince may depose Kings and inuade kingdomes Then it is to be vehemently feared least that this should be their euasion that if the Pope should make an inuasion they would obey him though not as a spirituall Prelate yet as a temporall Prince I may therefore here say with Hierome Non bonae suspicionis est cum in eodem sensu verba dissentiunt It is no good suspition when as in the same sense the words differ For this cunning circumlocution of words bewrayeth a diuers sense May we not now thinke that these Catholike subiects are like vnto the Popish Bishops in King Henry the 8. his time that professed themselues good subiects to the king and yet were obliged by oath to the Pope swearing in this manner Their counsell to me credited by them their messengers or letters I shall not willingly discouer to any person the Popedome of Rome the regalities of S. Peter I shall helpe and retaine and defend against all men the rights honours priuiledges authorities of the Church of Rome of the Pope and his successors I shall cause to be conserued c. I shall not be in councell treatie or any act in the which any thing shall be imagined against him or the Church of Rome their rites states honours c. if I know any such to be moued I shall resist it to my power c. Let any man now iudge whether any taking this oath to the Pope could be good subiects to their Prince no more can they that stand for the regalities priuiledges and iurisdiction of the Church of Rome as both Priests and Iesuites doe for ought I can see 2. He calleth this the decaying and withering age of the Protestants pag. 11. lin 18. It is strange to see how bold and confident these vaine people are that notwithstanding God hath hitherto subuerted all their trayterous deuices and made frustrate their vaine hope yet they doe flatter themselues in their purposes and doe expect an encrease of their kingdome and a decay and extirpation of the Gospell The Priest he dreameth that Priests may be raised vp out of our owne Vniuersities and from among the Ministers themselues But Parsons himselfe saith that this is a reason to be laughed at But the Iesuite is yet more bold God will at his time appointed most certainly restore the realme of England to the Catholike he meaneth Popish faith And againe We shall not finde that difficultie and resistance by the grace of God in England which good men doe finde in other countries for bringing in of any reformation that is attempted Yea he taketh vpon him to prescribe what his Catholike Prince shall doe when he hath him and how he shall demeane himselfe toward his Nobilitie Indeede we will goe thus farre with Frier Robert that God at the time appointed may restore c. But wee verely trust that no such time is appointed or shall euer come and by the grace of God as they haue found I thinke more difficultie hitherto to plant Popish religion in England then in any other countrie so shall they finde still And concerning his Catholike Prince whom Parsons stil meaneth to be the Catholike King of Spaine or some to bee brought in by him I will answere him with their owne Priests words God forbid that time should euer come neither doe I trust in God it euer shall And that it may yet further appeare what a vaine hope is hatched in their breasts first during her Maiesties daies they had small reason to looke for reiuing of superstition whose constant resolution and setled iudgement against al mixture or toleration of contrarie religion we al were perswaded of while she liued they needed not to doubt her Maiestie her selfe had professed in the late Proclamation not long before her peaceable departure to the comfort of all her subiects And the Iesuite himselfe further confesseth that there is no hope that the King of Scotland now our Soueraigne Lord King of England Scotland France and Ireland will be a Catholike which the whole Church of England beleeued before and now to their great comfort seeth and with thankes to Iesus Christ acknowledgeth
whole disordred crue calleth those assertions hereticall and traiterous yea those wicked Popish Iudasâ—â—ed Diuines at Salamanca in Spaine resolued vpon these diuellish conclusions That they sinned mortally which aided the English in Ireland that it was a meritorious act to assist Tyrone that the Catholikes in Ireland which did fight against the Queene were by no construction Rebels Beside these villanous positions which no estate in the world could endure the Iebusites and Masse Priests practises haue been most odious against the life of our Soueraigne the treasons are confessed by the secular Priests themselues Therefore if the state of France vpon one attempt of Iohn Chastel against the King of France suborned by the Iesuites expelled the whole order greater cause hath the state of England hauing experience of many wicked plots deuised and practised both by the secular and irregular Masse Priests to exile the whole societie of both to make their returne into the land of treason Haue not these miscreants now great cause to complaine of persecution and to glorie of such filthie martyrdome I say vnto them with Augustine against the Donatists Recte haec à vobis dicerentur quaerentibus martyrum gloriam si haberetis martyrum causam These things were well alleaged of you that seeke the glorie of Martyrs if you had the cause of Martyrs 2. Nay rather these vngodly and seditious practisers by their impietie obstinacie idolatrie doe persecute the state then are persecuted of the state as Augustine saith Grauius Saram ancilla per superbiam persecuta est quam eam Sara per debitam disciplinam The bondmaid did more persecute Sara by her obstinacie then Sara did her by due discipline and seueritie 3. Yea these froward persons that haue been so often by proclamation forewarned to be packing whereas the law is a sufficient monition it selfe and diuers of them whereas they had deserued death by the law were but exiled and banished as 21. at one time and 31. at another aduenturing notwithstanding to enter the land whether more of a superstitious minde to peruert soules or of an ambitious desire to gaine a kingdome to the Popes seignorie it is hard to say or which is more like of a treacherous resolution to destroy both and so rushing vpon the pikes are accessary to their owne death and cause of their trouble themselues Protestants in the late daies of persecution could not obtaine that fauour to be banished neither were they suffered to depart but Ports and Hauens were laid to keepe them in But this Seminarie broode may be gone if they will the passages are open for them and yet they will remaine among vs to their owne perill Wherefore we may here say againe vnto them as Augustine to the Donatists Patent â—ortae exire non vultis quam persecutionem paâ—â—â—ini nisi à vobis diligit vos persecutor vester persequitur vos furor vester ille vt fugiatis petit iste vt pereatis impellit The gates are wide open and ye will not goe out what persecution suffer you but from your selues your persecutor loueth you your owne furie persecuteth you he desireth you would be packing this forceth you to your owne perishing Wherefore it is euident that these clamorous mates suffer no persecution but punishment for their euill demerits and they suffer most iustly that no amends is requisite in this case vnlesse it be by the like But if they would be exempted from the daunger of the Princes lawes let them follow the Apostles counsell Wilt thou be without feare of the Prince doe well Rom. 13.3 And let them doe as Ambrose saith to the Emperour Ego in consistoria nisi pro te stare non didici extra palatium certare non possum qui palatij secreta nec quaero nec noui I haue learned not to stand in the imperiall consistorie but for thee neither can I striue in the Princes palace which neither know the secrets thereof nor desire So let them neither striue against the authoritie of Princes nor presse to know and knowing to bewray their secrets We desire not their companie neither haue neede of their phisicke And as Pausanias answered a Physition that said all was well with him Because saith he I vse not you for my Physition So I make no doubt but all would be well with vs if such Italianated Physitions would be packing The fourth motiue 1. You vowed it in Baptisme your promise to God to his Church to your countrie is to be performed 2. Many or most of you being of age and discretion in the time of Queene Mary haue practised and professed it 3. So many of your noble companie as are admitted to the honourable order of the Garter haue sworne it 4. You are all sworne Councellors to our Queene which by title of inheritance and at her coronation by the oath and fidelitie of a Christian Prince hath obliged her selfe to maintaine it c. The Remoue 1. They which were baptized vnder the Popish religion were baptized in the name of the Trinitie not into the name of the Pope they were entred into the profession of the Christian faith not of the Popish religion for then by this reason hee that is baptized by an heretike were bound to maintaine his heresie if baptisme in Poperie were a bond to professe that superstitious phantasie Wee denie not but that true Baptisme in substance is giuen in the Romane synagogue but that neither proueth it to be the true Church nor those baptized among them to be obliged to their religion For though we confesse with the Apostle that there is one Lord one faith one Baptisme yet are not these onely professed and had in the Church but onely fruitfully and truly professed in the Church In the which alone as Augustine saith God is not worshipped but in the which alone God is truly worshipped in the which alone faith is not kept but in the which alone faith with charitie is kept Nec in qua sola vnus baptismus habetur sed in qua sola vnus baptismus salubriter habetur Neither in the which alone is this one baptisme had but in which alone baptisme is holesomely had And this is the cause why we iterate not Baptisme giuen in Poperie because it was ministred in the name of Christ and so bindeth to the true Christian profession not to the Romane separation And therefore we say not to vse Augustines words Vt cum ad nos veneritis alterum accipiatis sed vt eum qui apud vos iam erat vtiliter accipiatis That when ye come to vs you should receiue another baptisme but that which they had with you they should hold it with profit He seemeth then erroniously to thinke that Baptisme and the Church cannot be separated that because wee renounce not Baptisme ministred in the Popish Church wee are bound together with their
many therefore of the renowned Kings and Queenes of this land are Saints in heauen is not by any Protestants denyed as he sayth by some it is confessed for they might be caryed away with some errors of the time then not reuealed yet holding the foundation thorough Gods mercie they might be saued It is a diuers case when a man sinneth of infirmitie or simplicitie and when he offendeth willinglie of obstinacie to stumble in the darke craueth pitie to grope at noone dayes is great follie I say therefore in this case as our Sauiour to the Pharisees If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remayneth And as S. Paule sayth The time of ignorance God regarded not Act. 17.30 God therefore might shew mercie to them that erred of simplicitie which is no warrant for them that should now be seduced willinglie Cypriane to this purpose thus sayth as he is rehearsed by Augustine Ignosci potest simpliciter erranti c. He that erreth simplie may be pardoned as the Apostle Paule sayth of himselfe I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantlie Then it followeth Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat But he which after the inspiration and reuelation of the truth should perseuere in error doth sinne wittinglie not ignorantlie and therefore must looke for no pardon or pitie This is then the different case betweene the parents erring in time of darknes and the sonnes stumbling in the day light Their saluation doth magnifie Gods mercie in pardoning their imperfections it doth not iustifie their religion in commending their superstitions Our parents errings are our learnings their wants are not our warrants We must not imitate and follow them as Plato his schollers his crookednes Aristoteles his stammering Alexanders courtiers his stouping The Apologie 1 THe 2. proofe Because all states that liue in England are indebted to those Princes Clergie men for learning the Noble for nobilitie men of armes for heroicall acts c. her Maiestie hath receiued life being Crowne Kingdome and Diademe won and conuerted c. augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards c. They builded Churches Monasteries common Schooles c. What donations and free gifts were graunted to the English Clergie c. 2 For the defence of this religion all those princely prerogatiues were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessors which she still enioyeth by that title as alienations aduousions citations corporations escheates fooles forfeitures franchises deodands c. 3 The nobilitie possesse their lands castles c. titles of honor by their ordinance And that miserable people of England that vntrulie challengeth the name of the Clergie among Protestants Bishoprickes Deaneries degrees and titles of Schooles Vniuersities Colledges c. was deriued from our Catholike Kings c. The Antilogie 1 IS not here now great adoe about nothing and is not this a goodlie argument The auncient Kings and Princes haue been great benefactors to all degrees and states in England Ergo we are bound to receiue their faith and religion Who denieth but that all sorts of men and degrees of callings amongst vs are to giue great thanks vnto God for such worthie instruments of our outward peace and prosperitie and yet who taketh himselfe in religion to be tied by this bond to the same conformitie thankfulnes for benefites temporall ought not to abridge vs of things spirituall neither ought our dutie to men make vs forget our seruice to God If this perswasion were sound Constantine and other Christian Emperors must not haue forsaken the idolatrie of their predecessors by whom the Empire had been much enlarged and the Citie of Rome with many costlie Temples and buildings other goodlie foundations beautified many excellent lawes also for administration of iustice published and to whom for the outward state of the common-wealth the Empire was as much bound as any Christian Kingdome at this day to their auncient Catholike Kings and founders That saying of Pericles that wheÌ„ his friend would haue had him take a false oath for him said he was a friend only so farre as the altare might easily haue dissolued this doubt our worthie founders haue an interest in vs for our houses Colledges lands c. but not for Gods altare or matters of religion 2 First all those priuiledges and immunities were granted to the King as belonging to his princely prerogatiue not for the defence of the Popish religion as it may appeare by those seuerall statutes which the Apologist citeth in the margin which shal be examined in their order 1 Forfeyture 4.5 ann Edward 2.17 c. 16. the escheates of felons lands are giuen to the King 2 Franchise 20. The auncient prerogatiues and authorities of iustice which had been seuered by the gifts of sundrie Kings are restored as the pardoning of treasons murders man-slaughters making and appointing of Iustices c. ann Henr. 8.27 c. 24. 3 Intrusion 1. The heire of him that holdeth of the King in chiefe if he enter before he haue receiued seisin of the King shall gaine no freehold thereby Edward 2. ann 17. c. 13. here is no mention made of any such regard for maintenance of Poperie 4 Mortdauncester 1. The King shall haue the seisin of their lands that hold of him in chiefe ann 52. Hen. 3. c. 16. 5 Partition 1. If lands holden of the King in chiefe descend to many partners all the heires shall do homage to the King Prerogatiu regis 5 Ed. 2. 6 Patents 1. Aduowsions of Churches and dowers do not passe in the Kings graunts vnlesse expresse mention be made Ed. 2. ann 17. prerogatiu regis c. 15. 7 Primer seyson 1. The King shall haue primer seisin after the death of them that held of him in chiefe Ed. 2. an 17. prerogatiu reg c. 3. here as in all the rest there is no consideration pretended for defence of religion 8 Prouision 21. All the Statutes made against prouisions purchased from Rome in the time of Ed. 3. Ric. 2. are confirmed And it is further enacted that elections of Archbishops Bishops Priors Deanes be not in any wise interrupted by the Pope Hen. 4. an 9. c. 8. This acte ouerthroweth the iurisdiction of the Pope so farre is it from graunting any thing to the King for the defence thereof Thus like an vnskilfull Apothecarie taking quid pro quo he hath tempered a contrarie drugge which as a dramme of collâ—quintida marreth the whole potion though it had bene otherwise medecinable 9 Tenure 2. They that hold of lands escheated to the King shall do the same seruice to the King which they did before Mag. chart c. 31. 10 Ward 3. The King
pound at the last after he had raigned not many yeares nine and nine moneths he died of the stroke of a poysoned quarrell shot at him at the besieging of the Castle of Chalne Richard the 2. was a great factor for Pope Vrban whom he decreed by act of Parliament to be obeyed as head of the Church yet was he an vnhappie Prince in all his proceedings and at length was deposed and cruelly murdered in Pumfret Castle Henrie the 4. was a great agent for the Pope in persecuting of Christs members in the second yeere of whose raigne was made the statute ex officio wherein they are adiudged to be burned that should hold any thing contrarie to the determination of the Church by vertue of which statute many good men were put to death vnder the raigne of the three Henries one succeeding another But what followed the father and the sonne raigned not long not making much aboue 23. yeeres betweene them and Henrie the 6. holding on the same course against Christs members was deposed from his Crowne Richard the 3. much affecting and affected of the Popes ministers for whose sake the Archbishop of Yorke being Cardinall vndertooke to perswade the Queene to deliuer Richard Duke of Yorke to his vncle as a lambe into the lions mouth and preuailed therein his butcherly end is well knowne how his dead carcasse was caried naked behind a Pursiuant of Armes all be sprinkled with blood and mire and homely buried Queene Mary had both a short and an vnprosperous raigne she lost Calice deceiued in her childbirth left desolate and forsaken of King Phillip her husband before she died and ended her daies in griefe and sorrow But contrariwise as these Princes which yeelded themselues to be directed by the Pope were of all other most infortunate so those magnanimous Kings which maintained the libertie of the Crowne against the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome were prosperous in all their affaires Edward the 1. first made the statute of Mortmaine that no lands and possessions should be giuen to any religious house without the Kings licence the statute also of Premunire made against prouisions of Bishoprickes and other Benefices to bee purchased from Rome was then ordained King Edward the 3. also abridged and cut short the Popes iurisdiction prohibiting vnder great penalties that none should procure any such prouisions at Rome or prosecute any suites in the Popes Court the cognisance whereof appertained to the Kings Courts King Henrie the 7. would admit of no more Cardinals in England after he was rid of one King Henry the 8. abolished the Popes authoritie King Edward the 6. expelled the Masse and other Popish trumperie yet were all these victorious Kings Edward the 1. against the Welsh Edward the 3. against the French Henrie the 7. against that tyrant and vsurper Richard the 3. Henrie the 8. for his valiant battailes famous Edward the 6. in suppressing of Rebels and other enemies prosperous And concerning the raigne of our late noble Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth whom God in his mercie appointed to be a reformer of religion and a nourisher of his Church what Prince in the world I speake not of this age onely but of many hundred yeeres before can compare with her Maiesties time in any kind of outward blessing first in the yeeres of her life she went beyond al her progenitors Secondly in the length of her raigne she exceeded all but onely two Henrie the 3. and Edward the 3. Thirdly in peaceable gouernment for so many euen 44. yeeres none came neere her Fourthly in loue of the subiects at home Fiftly in honour and reputation among forraine Princes Sixtly in prosperous successe abroad in deliuerance from more then twentie conspiracies at home Queene Elizabeth had no peere Seuenthly adde hereunto the wealth of the kingdome Eightly the purenes of the coyne Ninthly but most of all the purenes of religion Tenthly the abundance of learned men such as no nation vnder heauen hath the like of graue Counsellers and Martiall Commaunders who can but confesse that in all these kindes the Gospell hath brought a rich blessing to this land And as Queene Elizabeth loued and liued in peace so she ended her daies in a good old age full of yeeres and which of all other may worthily be accounted the greatest blessing hath left the kingdom to a most worthie and noble successor a professor and protector of the same faith and religion our renowned King that now is by whose hands we doubt not but that the Lord will accomplish whatsoeuer he seeth needfull for his Church But because this Romish southsayer taketh vpon him to play the blind prophet What is like saith he to be the euent thereof hereafter I had rather others should write and shew their coniecture which I for reuerence to my Soueraigne will here omit And hereupon he hopeth that his prudent Princesse will imitate the examples of her noble predecessors Henrie the 1. and Henrie the 2. in recalling that which they did in their inconsiderate times c. pag. 79. Hereunto I briefly answere that his prognostication and exhortation are both alike they both shew a dreaming and phantasticall spirit His foolish hope we see is vaine and frustrate for her Maiestie left her happie raigne in the same faith wherein she began it and as she did nothing inconsiderately at her entrance but with great aduice so had she no cause to repent her in the end If her Maiesties predecessors were inconstant in pulling downe what before they had set vp she being appointed of God to be a wise builder was not therein to follow so simple a plot As is his hope and expectation such is his lying spirit of prophecying Indeed the Papists did promise themselues a great day at the next chaunge they did not mutter it in corners but clatter it in their vaine pāphlets Parsons made a booke of reformation against that time but blessed be God which hath disappointed their hope I nothing doubt but that righteous Abel shall offer still acceptable sacrifices vnto God in the Church of England when all hypocrites and Popish sacrificers shall hang downe their heads with Caine. Yea and I hold this to be no small miracle that God where such trouble was feared hath with such peace consent of harts and minds approbation of all good subiects acclamation and reioycing of the whole Church of God set the imperiall diademe vpon so godlie christian and vertuous a Prince his head such grace from God few expected all good men desired England I am sure hath not deserued yet God in his mercie hath granted So that we haue iust cause to say with the Prophet Dauid This is the Lords doing and it is maruailous in our eyes It is written of Sylla that after Italy was deliuered from the ciuill warres comming to Rome the first night hee could not sleepe for ioy But wee the Church and
for men in their sicknes to be troubled with illusions of Deuils and terrible visions seeing it is so vsuall a thing in Poperie and often happening to popish professors Did he thinke so to blind the world and possesse men with his strange reports that they could not call to minde the fearefull examples of Pope Siluester the second of Innocentius the fourth of Cardinall Crescentius whereof the first gaue his soule to the Deuill to obtaine the Papacie the second in the night was striken on the side by a certaine Bishop that appeared to him in vision and was left for halfe dead and not long after dyed the third being vicegerent for the Pope in the late Tridentine chapter sitting vp late to write letters to his vnholie Fatherhood was so frighted with the sight of a great black dog which appeared with flaming eyes and long eares that he fell by conceit thereof into a grieuous sicknes whereof he not long after dyed 5 Sir Frauncis Walsingham neyther dyed miserablie nor in despaire as he was in his life faithfull to his Prince a louer of his countrie a great patrone of schollers and martiall men sound in religion so we doubt not but he ended his dayes in comfort and peace of conscience This worthie Counsellers memorie honorable among Protestants and all that loue their countrie is odious to Papists because by his industrie and vigilant eye many dangerous conspiracies against Queene Elizabeth were discouered and by name that most horrible treason of Babington and Ballard with their accomplices in the 28. yeare of her Maiesties raigne wherein those trayterous Papists intended the vtter ouerthrow both of their countrie and religion to such indeede that excellent man was an aduersarie and for this cause this vile raker in dead mens ashes spitteth his venome at him Where he obiecteth the filthie stinke of his bodie c. as herein the testimonie of an aduersarie is little worth speaking vpon his owne bare word so he might haue remembred what is truely reported of Cardinall Wolsey that his bodie being dead was black as pitch and so heauie that sixe could scarse beare it and that it did so stinke aboue the ground that they were constrained to burie it in the night season The like end had Stephen Gardiner that great patrone of Poperie whose tongue before he died hung out of his mouth all swolne and blacke And I pray you what a sweete coâ—se was Bonners faâ— bellied carcasse that was buried full honourably as hee deserued betweene two theeues in S. Georges Churchyard in Southwarke As for the wanting of funerall pompe it is no disgrace to the dead but it was rather an honour to him whose liberall expences in the seruice of his countrie and beautifull reliefe to the liuing could leaue very little to be bestowed vpon himselfe when hee was dead Lazarus had but an homely buriall in the world yet was his soule attended vpon by Angels Augustine well saith Si aliquid prodest impio sepultura pretiosa obâ—rit pio vilis aut nulla If the wicked be profited by their sumptuous sepulture the godly is hindred by his meane buriall furniture We may say in this case of this honourable man as noble Agesilaus who forbad that any picture or monument should be made of him when he was dead giuing this reason If I haue done any thing well that shall be my monument if not no tombes or pictures are any thing worth So this mans worthie acts while he liued shall be his monument now he is dead which doe more commend him then the sumptuous pillers of some that lie not farre from him of farre vnlike desert The third Defence 1. HE taketh vpon him to proue that the Popish religion hath made the professors thereof honourable and glorious It was neuer yet saith he accounted dishonourable to any to be a professor of that religion which made him glorious pag. 82. 2. The children of the greatest Princes and Nobles were Priests and Bishops in England pag. 84. as S. Guitlacke S. Suitbert Thomas of Hereford sonne of the noble Cantilupus c. Cedda Dunstane c. pag. 83. 3. The onely order of S. Benedict hath had twentie Kings aboue 100. great Princes many Popes 1600. Archbishops 400. Bishops 15000. famous men 4. He rehearseth diuers Archbishops of Canterburie most honourable in their time Baldwine Hubert Kilwarbie Peccham Stratford Offord Braidwarden Islip Langhton with others pag. 84. The Answere 1. THe Popish religion is a dishonour to such Princes and Nobles that professe it vnlesse any man be so simple to thinke it was an honour for the Emperour Henrie the 4. to waite vpon the Pope Gregorie the 7. three daies and three nights in winter at the gates of Canossus or for Fredericke the 1. to yeeld his necke to be troad vpon by Alexander the 3. and to be rebuked for holding Pope Adrians stirrup on the wrong side or for Henriricus the 6. to suffer Pope Celestine to set the crowne on his head with his feete and to cast it off againe or for King Iohn to kneele downe at the feete of Pandolphus the Popes Legate and to surrender his Crowne to the Pope Doth not now this Popish profession adde great honour to Princes submitting themselues vnto it 2. That the sonnes of Princes haue become Priests and Bishops in the time of Poperie is not denied and so haue Priests and Bishops been made Kings and Princes as Adelualphus sonne of Egbrichus being Bishop of Winchester was made King of England anno 829. Daniel a Priest was elected King of France anno 719. It was not deuotion but ambition that made Bishops pricke forward to be Lord Chancellors Lord Treasurers chiefe Iustices of England as we finde in former ages neither was it the sanctitie of Poperie but the riches of the Clergie and their brauerie that allured vnto them the Nobilitie 3. If Bennets order haue brought foorth so many of all degrees it is more like that their fat offerings great reuenewes and idle bellies procured it then any deuotion of that sect wrought it neither is it a good argument to preferre those colours because so many haue worne them The Epicures sect had more schollers and disciples then any of the rest The Scribes and Pharisies had more followers then Christ and Diana of Ephesus was worshipped of all Asia and the whole world Act. 19.27 He hath said yet no more for the Benedictines then the Epicureans Pharisies Dianas worshippers can alleage for themselues that many Kings Philosophers Priests and many famous men were of their sects Lastly if these Iudasites haue indeed such a good opinion of Bennets rule what ailed Frier Parsons to bee so fierce against poore Barkworth a Masse-priest of the Colledge of Valledolid to cause him to be expulsed to be buffeted vpon the face and drawne by the heeles vpon the pauement because he was a
hath rooted out all other heresies beside Who haue now impugned the heresies of the Tritheists Anabaptists Familie of loue of Seruetus Valentinus Gentilis with others then Protestant writers witnesse the learned workes of Caluin Beza Bullinger Peter Martyr Iunius with the rest He hath therefore here made a good argument for the Protestants whose faith is therefore worthie to be of all receiued because thereby all heresie and impietie is subdued as Hierome saith Fides pura moram non patitur vt apparuerit scorpius illico conterendus Pure faith seeketh no delaies as soone as the scorpion appeareth it nippeth it on the head The second perswasion I Meane not the religion of Martin Luther so often recanted altered chaunged c. nor of licentious Caluin and a few artificers of Geneua or of Knox that galley-slaue of Scotland or of Edward Seimer or of King Edward a child of nine yeere old c. The Disswasion HEre many shamelesse vntruths are powred out together 1. It is vntrue that Luther at any time recanted his iudgement in religion in departing from the Church of Rome and forsaking her trumperie you would threap kindnes vpon Luther as you haue done of late in a lying pamphlet of reuerend Beza that he died one of your Catholikes If Luther altered in some priuate opinions it is nothing to vs who depend not vpon Luther Caluin or any other for our faith And if he did so it is no maruaile seeing it was hard for one man all at once to finde out the truth in euery point seeing the Apostle saith to the Philippians If ye be otherwise minded God shall reueale euen the same vnto you Faith is not perfected at once and as in other things the inuention of a thing and the perfection come not together as the Greeke Poet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God at the first all things doth not shew But in processe of time they better doe grow So is it in religion But howsoeuer Luther might varie from himselfe what is that to vs the Protestants of England who are the greatest eye sore to these bleare-eyed Popelings It is well you cannot vpbraide the Church of England with any innouation of doctrine for these three score yeeres well nie since the first thorough reformation of religion in blessed King Edwards raigne 2. As for licentious Caluin and galley-slaue Knox the one is a malicious slaunder the other a scurrilous terme These men were both famous for their learning and reuerenced of all that knew them for their godly life I doe not a whit maruaile that the memorie of these men is odious to all Papists for Caluin hath so decalued made bare and bald their naked religion and Knox hath giuen it such a knocke and deadly blow in Scotland that I trust in God it shall neuer there rise vp againe 3. That King Edward a child of nine yeere old without any assent or assemblie of Parliament or other as Fox himselfe is witnes did reforme religion is a fiction of your owne First Master Fox witnesseth no such thing for although the King by the aduice of his Councell appointed a generall visitation ouer all the land for the redressing of certaine disorders yet was not the Masse abolished nor religion wholy altred till the Parliament held ann 1. Edward Nouemb. 4. Secondly indeed true it is that in Queene Maries time the Papists came before the law Preachers were prohibited Bishops depriued and diuers imprisoned as Bishop Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper Rogers Masse publikely solemnized Thirdly you had forgotten that the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome which you make the chiefest ground of your Cacolike religion throughout your whole dispute was with common consent of Parliament consisting of the three estates of the land the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons abrogated by King Henry the eight of famous memorie so that no new acte was requisite in that behalfe in the entring of King Edwards raigne Fourthly King Edward a King of nine yeares of age by the aduice of the Parliament repealeth diuers Statutes and among the rest one made against Lollards ann 1. Richard 2. who was then but eleuen yeeres old I pray you what great ods in their ages might not the one build vp true religion at those yeeres when as the other pulled it downe or will you take exception against Iosias because being yet but a child he began to seeke the Lord and to purge religion or is the authoritie soueraigntie of the Prince the lesse because he is young or is the spirit of God tied to age and limited to yeares Doth not the Scripture say Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength And hereunto agreeth that saying of Cypriane Impletur apud nos spiritu sancto puerorum innocens aetas c. The innocent age of children with vs is filled with the holie spirit And so was it in this princely child the Iosias of this age of whom we may say with Ambrose Non moueat aetas imperatoris perfecta aetas est Est enim perfecta aetas vbi perfecta virtus Honorius iam pulsat adolescentiae fores prouectior aetate quā Iosias We should not respect his yeares the Emperours age is perfect age is perfect where vertue is perfect Honorius is now growing to be a young man elder then Iosias 4 Further it is a great vntruth which followeth the will and testament of King Henry being violated and his Bishops and Clergie committed to prison or depriued For neither doth he shew wherein the testament of the King was violated in the entrance of King Edwards raigne and therefore may be iustly suspected to be a falsarie neither doth he cite any author for it no such thing either by Maister Fox or Stowe to whom in these matters he appealeth being affirmed so that it seemeth his own phantasticall braine hath forged this fansie True it is indeede that the Protestant Bishops were depriued and excluded both from the Parliament and their Bishoprickes as Doctor Taylor Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Harley Bishop of Hereford with others in the entrance of Queene Maryes raigne But vntrue also it is that the Popish Bishops were depriued or committed to prison during the time of the Parliament when the act passed for reformation of religion which was in Nouember ann 1547. the Bishop of Winchester was not sent to the Tower til the morrow after S. Peters day the yeare following ann 1548. nor depriued before ann 1551. And Bonner was not commaunded to keepe his house till the 11. of August ann 1549. in the third yeare of King Edwards raigne This shamelesse man we see dare aduenture to vtter any thing 5 Of the like truth is that which followeth That the Protestants of this time without any disputation or aduice of any learned or Parliamentall
with fearefull sights and terrible scritches c. A right description of popish Purgatorie grounded vpon a faithlesse superstitious feare And such is popish doctrine neither affoording comfort to the liuing nor ioy to the dead that a man can not say of them as a certaine Thessalian being asked who are at most ease answered they which haue made an end of warfare But these which dye in poperie after they haue made an end of the warfare of this life by their doctrine enter into their greatest labours and paines Thus haue we heard with how many cunning sleights this glozing Frier hath endeuoured to perswade vnto his profession he hath wrapped vp together in this one section no lesse then halfe an hundred vntruths and as he began so he endeth with a lye that they were all vnius labij of one language before the Gospell was reuiued for it is certaine that the Greekes alwayes vsed the Greeke toong the Sclauonians the Sclauonian the Aethiopians the Aethiopian language And how vntrue this is their owne canons shall testifie for Innocentius decreed that in great Cities where people resort of diuers languages that the Bishops should prouide fit men qui secundum diuersitates rituum linguarum diuina illis officia celebrent which according to the diuersitie of their rites and languages should celebrate diuine seruice Lastly he telleth vs that he will proue by aboue an hundred arguments that their religion is only true lawfull c. in a certaine booke which he calleth a Resolution pag. 47. li. 32. which pamphlet when he hath hatched it to his perfection and sent it out of the owlelight into the sunne-shine which as yet so farre as I can learne is not come from vnder the brooders wings it may be either I or some of my brethren will plucke a feather with it And thus is this Section ended and with such successe as all lyers and sclaunderers must looke for And though this false accuser might be thrust vnder the old canon which decreeth Vt qui primum obiectum non probarunt ad caetera non admittantur That they which proue not the first thing obiected should not be admitted to the rest yet I will examine whatsoeuer he can say and cast his light stuffe into the balance and lay his counterfeit coyne to the touch that the vanitie of the one and deceit of the other may appeare THE SIXT SECTION WHAT MOVED the Author to dedicate his worke to the Counsell The Answere THis Section comming out of the same forge bewrayeth the same author it is so patched together with vntruths falshoods like the former He abuseth those honorable persons and deceiueth himselfe to thinke to win grace with wise men by telling of fables Simonides being asked why of all other he deceiued not the Thessalians answered because they were more simple and vnlearned then could be deceiued by me sayth he But their honors are too wise and prudent then to be deluded with such a fablers fictions His seuerall motiues confusedlie shuffled together I will bring into some order if I can 1. Motiue As this cause which I handle is most honorable of all so I am bold to offer the defence thereof to your honors the most honorable and noble consistorie of our nation c. Yet he limiteth this honorable authoritie before saying that the ends and offices of a religious and spirituall common-wealth are diuers from those of a temporall and ciuill gouernment and in that respect matters handled in the one do not so properlie appertaine to the redresse and iudgement of those which rule in the other but are to be decided and reformed by the gouernors of that profession to which they are belonging c. The remooue 1. I had thought that the generall end both of the ciuill and ecclesiasticall bodie had beene one and the same though the offices and functions be diuers namely preseruation not onely of peace but the maintenance of true religion to bring the people vnto God I am sure S. Paule so teacheth that prayer be made for Kings and all that are in authoritie not only that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life but in all godlines and honestie It belongeth then not onely to the ciuill state to prouide for peace that the people may liue quietlie but for true religion that they may liue also godlie honestlie In these two points Eleutherius sometime Bishop of Rome sheweth the office of a King to consist thus writing to Lucius King of Britaine The people and folke of the Realme of Britaine be yours whome if they be deuided you ought to gather together in concord and peace to call them to the faith and lawe of Christ and to the holie Church c. 2. It is an absurd speech that reformation of religion belongeth not properlie to the iudgement and redresse of the Prince her noble Counsellors Thus these pragmaticall Friers would both pull out their right eye of iudgement that they should not be able to discerne and cut off their right hand of power that they should not reforme what is amisse in religion for if the most soueraigne care of pietie and religion do properlie belong to the Prince then the Counsellers of state the most honorable Ministers vnder the Prince can not be excluded And therefore the Apostle in the place recited maketh not mention only of Kings but also of all that are in authoritie vnder them This also hath beene the auncient practise of this land Eleutherius aduiseth King Lucius with the Councell of his realme out of the scriptures to take a lawe to rule his people by The Statute of Praemunire made against prouisions and presentments of Bishoprickes and other benefices from the Pope was enacted by King Edward the third by the assent only of the great men of his Councell and Nobilitie and of the comminaltie without the Spirituall Lords The like Act was made vnder Richard 2. that all they which procured such presentations from Rome or any excommunications from thence in those causes should be banished to the which acte the great men only of the temporaltie without the Cleargie gaue their assent Yea of late in Queene Maries raigne the greatest friend to the Pope that euer he had in England the Prince aduised most like by her Counsell did of her owne authoritie send certaine articles concerning religious matters as reteining of ceremonies vsing of processions manner of baptizing admitting to orders and such like to the Bishop of London presently to be put in execution Yea this discourser soone forgetting what he had said confesseth whose chiefe care speaking of the honorable Counsell must be in taking order for such causes meaning of religion p. 49. l. 14. then as they may receiue direction from the spirituall state which we denie not so the correction and administration belongeth vnto them Thus as a man
The greatest crakers are not the best fighters nor the lowdest noyse sheweth not the best cause And as they haue sped hitherto the like successe let them looke for hereafter The sixt Motiue I will prooue the religion I defend to be conformable to the present forcible lawes of England established by our Queene Elizabeth c. I vndertake to prooue directly by the Parliament lawes and proceedings of Queene Elizabeth that their religion is false that we defend true c. The Remoue If this man were not past all shame hee would neuer haue been so audacious as to haue vttered this vntruth for it is a fiction without all colour he might as well haue told vs of the man in the Moone and the Sunneshine at midnight and as soone might he haue proued it as that which here he saith He goeth on and telleth vs he will proue by the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth that Christ is reallie present in the Sacrament of the altar As though the Church of England and all Protestants doe not hold Christs bodie to be reallie that is verilie and truly present to the faith of the worthy receiuer but if by reallie he vnderstand carnally present it is directly contrarie to the 28. article of religion which in direct words saith that transubstantiation is repugnant to the plaine words of Scripture and further addeth that the body of Christ is onely eaten after a spirituall and heauenly manner and the meane whereby it is eaten is faith He will proue that Saints and Angels are to be reuerenced and prayed vnto A reuerence who denieth but to pray vnto them is contrarie to the 22. article Inuocation of Saints is a fond thing That there is a Purgatorie which is contrarie to the 22. article the Romish doctrine concerning purgatory is vainly inuented That prayer almes and other good deedes are auaileable for the faithfull soules departed contrarie to article 31. that the sacrifices of Masses c. for the quicke and dead are blasphemous fables that onely faith iustifieth not contrarie to article 11. that wee are iustified by faith onely is a most holesome doctrine He will prooue that good workes are meritorious before God contrarie to article 12. good workes cannot put away sinnes and endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement That there is an externall Priesthood and sacrifice in the Church of Christ contrarie to article 31. the sacrifices of the Masse wherein it was commonly said that the Priests did offer Christ c. were blasphemous fables and daungerous deceits that wee are not iustified by an imputatiue iustice but grace and iustice are inherent and internall things contrary to article 11. we are accounted righteous before God onely for the merite of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deseruings That there be seuen Sacraments in number Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance extreame Vnction Orders and Matrimonie contrarie to article 25. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospell that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord those fiue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie and extreame Vnction are not to be accounted for Sacraments of the Gospell These articles were first agreed vpon by the whole Conuocation of the Clergie of this land and put foorth by the Queenes authoritie anno 1562. and againe approued and allowed by the assent and consent of her Maiestie and subscribed vnto by the whole Clergie assembled in the Conuocation anno 1571. and established by act of Parliament anno 13. Elizab. c. 12. as may appeare by diuers branches of that act whereby they are punishable which refuse to giue assent to the said articles or doe teach any thing repugnant or contrarie vnto them Notwithstanding all this this shamelesse man blusheth not to tell vs that these his erroneous opinions directlie contrarie to the very expresse words of the said articles are conformable to the present forceable lawes and the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth Thus these fellowes would make vs beleeue that the blacke crow is white and that the Moone is made of greene cheese as the saying is or they might as well tell vs with Democritus that the Moone hath hils and dales with Metrodorus that the Sunne is made of stone with Philolaus of glasse with Epicurus of the earth with Heraclides that the earth moueth round as the wheele vpon the axletree with Philolaus that it is whirled about as the Sunne and Moone or what else he may tell vs that is most fabulous and incredible as well as this that the Romish religion is agreeable to the lawes in force in the Church of England As he is found tripping here so I trust his credit shall be in the rest Ambrose sayth Nerui sunt quidam artus sapientiae non temere credere It is as the sinewes and ioynts of wisdome not rashlie to giue credit And as Demosthenes was wont to say that the best preseruatiue against Tyrants was not to trust them so is it against liers not to beleeue them The 7. Motiue What reason should mooue me then very yong in yeares borne of parents conformable to the time in and vnder the Protestant Regiment of Queene Elizabeth brought vp in that Vniuersitie and other places which were alwayes least fauouring of that beleefe c. to be of a different and contrarie opinion when if I would haue bene of the same profession I might haue bene regarded as others of my condition The remooue The reason here vsed may be thus framed That is likely to be the right faith which a man leauing all possibilitie of preferment cleaueth vnto But so hath this man done in embracing the popish profession Ergo c. First if the proposition were true this argument might be retorted vpon them for in the late dayes of persecution in England many zealous Protestants did not onely forsake all expectation of worldly preferment but did willinglie forgoe their life for the truth sake and endured more for their conscience only then euer did any Papist therefore if he haue reasoned well for Poperie he hath reasoned better for Protestancie that it is in the right beliefe 2 Other reasons may be alleaged why many depart from the truth euen where they may liue with good conditions beside a conscience of religion As an ambitious desire of prefermēt caused some to start aside as is euidēt in the examples of Theobutes Valentinus Nouatus Marcion Montanus who for the thirstie desire to be made Bishops which they could not obtayne fell into heresie Some of a couetous greedie mind haue become singular thinking thereby to grow rich Such an one was Paulus Samosatenus Ex sacrilegijs ad summas diuitias peruenit By sacrilege he came to great riches So Cypriane testifieth of Nouatus Spoliati ab eo pupilli fraudatae viduae c. He robbed
you say you haue not gained much by it For neither our Prince then nor Church did ascribe any vertue to the signe it selfe or adore and worship it as Papists do The signe of the crosse may be vsed in banners and streamers and set into the Diademe of Princes as a ciuill signe of honour as Ambrose if that oration be his writeth of Helena Sapienter Helena egit quae crucem in capite regum leuauit Helena did wisely in rearing vp the crosse in the head of Kings And though this signe is not any waies to be adored neither yet doe we thinke it ought to be contemned As that law of Honorius was commendable wherein the Iewes are prohibited speciem crucis incendere to burne the fashion of the crosse And that of Theodosius which decreeth a great punishment to him qui in solo vel scilice crucem depinxerit which painteth the crosse in the ground or pauement to trample and tread vpon it Or if any should vse the signe of the crosse which notwithstanding wee allow not as in Basils time not with a superstitious opinion of it or confidence in it but as an outward testimonie of their inward faith as Basile saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they which trusted in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ were marked with the signe of the crosse Whosoeuer shall vse the signe of the crosse in any of these manners is yet farre off from Popish superstition And I am verily perswaded that if his Maiestie or the Church of England did thinke that the ciuill reuerent significant vsing of the crosse without a superstitious opinion of it were in deede or could iustly be taken as a badge or cognisance of Poperie as it hath bin an offence to many good Christians it should bee more sparingly vsed and may in time if it seeme so good to his Maiestie without preiudice of the truâ—h or religion be wholy remoued that there might not be the least exception taken against our Church But this quarrell picker according to the saying will play at small game before he will sit out and so doth he here by fastning his hold of so small an occasion Her Highnes then and his Maiestie now and the Church of England holdeth a reall and true presence of Christs bodie to the faith of the worthy receiuer in the Sacrament but her Highnes was not perswaded of any grosse carnall presence as is euident by her royall assent to the articles of religion therefore herein her Maiestie was much abused and slaundered 4. Lastly whereas the Romane profession is altogether repugnant to Princes prerogatiues as in that it alloweth the Pope to excommunicate Princes to depose them to transferre their Crownes appeales to bee made to the Pope from the Prince that the Pope may absolue subiects from their oath of fealtie that the Pope not the Prince in his owne kingdome is supreame in all Ecclesiasticall causes that the Pope inuading a kingdome by force vnder pretence to reforme religion is to be assisted against the Prince all which positions the Iesuites the Popes parasites doe hold as it may appeare in their seditious bookes and answeres to the Secular Masse-priests And these all being directly repugnant to the prerogatiue royall of the Crowne as it hath been adiudged by by publike acts of Parliament not of late onely since the reuiuing of the Gospell but euen while Poperie raigned and that by the expresse consent of the Popish Clergie How is not this man to be thought to be past all shame that perswading to Poperie saith hee will teach nothing contrarie to the Princely dignitie c. Wee may say truly to him which Petilian the Donatist vntruly obiected to Augustine that he had ingenium Carneadis Academici Carneades the Academikes wit who disputed Nigras niues esse cum albae sint nigrum argentum c. That snow was blacke and siluer blacke whereas they are both white so he goeth about to perswade things that are quite contrarie We need not here follow the counsell of Seneca Quaedam falsa veri speciem ferunt dandum semper est tempus veritatem dies aperit Some false things make a shew of true wee must giue some space for time trieth the truth But the falsenes of these improbable speeches appeareth at the first we neede no time to descrie them The second Apologie FRom pag. 55. to pag. 66. the Apologist runneth as it were in a maze now in and now out as though he had lost himselfe in a wood I will doe my best to trace him and finde him out I shall not neede to follow him in all his wandrings and turnings nor to answere all his tautologies and vaine repetitions but I will gainecope him and crosse him the next way and reduce his idle and superfluous speeches into some order and forme All these leaues containe but one argument which may be collected thus Her Maiestie and the state are bound to maintaine the religion of her famous noble Christian progenitors Kings and Queenes of this land But they were all knowne to be of the Romane religion and as he himselfe saith Papists pag. 59. lin 7. Ergo. First let vs see how he proueth the proposition or first part of this argument and then how the second 1. Many of them were holy Saints and miraculously witnessed of God to be in heauen euen by Protestants testimonie c. whom the Protestant Ministers must needes condemne to hell and damnation if they will leaue any little hope for themselues to be saued for one heauen cannot possesse them both The Antilogie 1. IF this were a good argument then Christians borne at their first conuersion of idolatrous parents in many ages succeeding together should neuer haue changed their religion but continued in Pagane idolatrie still for feare of condemning all their progenitors to hell neither Constantine the great in the Romane Empire nor Lucius in England should haue become Christened Kings If Idolatrous parents be in state of damnation shall the children tread in their steps to goe the same way The scripture teacheth otherwise that though the father dye in his iniquitie yet if he beget a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done c. he hath not lift vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel nor defiled his neighbors wife c. he shall not dye in the iniquitie of his father but shall surely liue 2 If the sonne be bound to his fathers false religion as idolatrie superstition wherein he erred least he should thinke him to be condemned he were likewise obliged to imitate his auncesters vices and corruptions of life as adulterie oppression violence whereby they were polluted should a man certainely condemne himselfe to belieue that his predecessors are vncertainely saued Their sinnes being of ignorance might be pardoned whereas the sonnes seeing his fathers sinnes and not amending are more surely sealed 3 That
tell leasings and would haue his owne word goe for pay But the law saith Vox vnius vox nullius licet honoratae personae The voyce of one is the voyce of none though hee were an honourable person and as Hierome saith Testimonium pro se nec Catoni creditum No not Cato was credited in his owne cause Were this Ignatian sectarie of a more worthie order and an honester man then he seemeth to be he must not thinke his owne surmises can surprise the the truth nor his bold assertions shall be taken for good euidence It had been more commendable in him to be bashfull to speake the truth then shamelesse to vtter any thing as Cato said well he liked better of young men that were giuen to blushing then of pale and wanne The second Obiection 1. IT is a common opinion with this people that the lawes of Magistrates doe not binde in conscience and in secret but onely in publike and open shew for auoiding of scandale What treason may not priuately be plotted and put in practise by this doctrine pag. 86. 2. VVhat other thing doth their approued doctrine of sole faith portend to the world but a desolation of all order c. if a man be onely iustified by faith c. all offences against a commonwealth euen to take away the scepter and Crowne of the Prince may securely be put in action c. pag. 86. 3. That law enacted by Parliament of King Henrie the 8. that all contracts of mariage whatsoeuer were voide by a second mariage consummate was reuoked by K. Edward the 6. yet by the first Parliament of Queene Elizabeth is reuiued from which opinion and the doctrine of remarrying for incontinencie c. what diuorcements dissensions breaches of wedlocke c. haue ensued pag. 89. The Reiection 1. THe Protestants denie not but that the lawes of Magistrates as touching external rites and obseruations doe binde in conscience but not in regard of the things commaunded which are of themselues indifferent and touch not the conscience as the prohibiting of eating of flesh wearing of apparell but in regard onely of our obedience due vnto the Magistrate in lawfull things But concerning Princes lawes of things necessarily appertaining to Gods seruice and the keeping of the commaundements such doe simply binde in conscience enioyning the same and none other things which God commaundeth in his word And this is that which is affirmed in Synopsis which doctrine the aduersarie shall neuer bee able to disproue and therefore he seeketh to obscure this truth by lying being not ashamed to vtter here two great vntruths as though it were affirmed that Magistrates lawes doe not at all binde in conscience and secret and as though the question were of all lawes and not onely of externall rites and vsages which are in their owne nature indifferent for treasons and treacheries are directly contrarie to the law of God and doe pollute the conscience and such lawes doe binde absolutely in conscience both in respect of the particular thing commanded and of the generall rule of obedience 2. Though Protestants teach that onely faith doth iustifie yet they affirme not onely faith to be necessarie And our opinion is that iustifying faith cannot be without fruites that whereas there are no good workes there is no faith neither was that euer a right faith which neuer brought foorth good workes It is therefore a foolish consequent brought in by him Protestants are iustified onely by faith Ergo felons murthers treasons may be safely practised among them for where these things are maintained there is no faith perceiued Good fruits make not a tree good but onely declare it to be good doth it therefore follow that it is no matter whether a good tree bring foorth fruite or not nay if it doe not it is found to be no good tree We say therefore with S. Paul that they which haue beleeued should be carefull to shew forth good workes these things are good and profitable to men But this shall cleere our doctrine of iustification by faith onely from all suspition of treasons treacheries that these cursed attempts are not to be found among the solifidian Protestants but among the nullifidian Papists who standing vpon the merite of their workes make no conscience a great sort of them to practise against their Prince and countrie as it hath been more then twentie times in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth attempted by Romish Priests and Iudasites and their sectaries and by Gods great mercie and watchfull prouidence discouered 3. That law of reuersing precontracts by mariage consummate was made in the Popish Church and as yet the whole bodie of Popish religion remained in England onely the Popes supremacie excepted anno 32. Henric. 8. But it was reuersed vnder a Protestant Prince King Edward the 6. This exception tendeth rather to the disgrace of Poperie then Protestancie It is further a most impudent forgerie that the statute against precontracts was reuiued anno 1. Elizabeth onely so much is reuiued as was repealed by Queene Marie as touching other prohibitions of mariage not that which was reuoked by King Edward The practise also of the Church sheweth the same where a sound and lawfull precontract is admitted against an vsurped mariage though consummate As for mariage after diuorce for fornication where Christ hath giuen a libertie againe to marrie it ought not to be restrained for feare of any ensuing inconuenience least man should seeme to be wiser then God And yet greater daunger is feared and more mischiefe like to be intended where mariage vpon diuorce is denied then where it is admitted for there one partie being a continuall offence to another they shall be constrained to liue vnchastly and incontinently or tempted to practise one against the life of another that the yoke may be loosed whereas when a second mariage where the iustnes of the cause to the Magistrate is approued is graunted the foresaid daungers are the one helped the other preuented Augustine thus resolueth Potius vxore viuente aliam ducat quis quam humanum sanguinem fundat It were better for a man to marrie another his first wife liuing then to shed blood And Ambrose concludeth peremptorily Viro licet vxorem ducere si dimiserit vxorem peccantem It is lawfull for the man to marrie a wife hauing dismissed the first for her offence against mariage Thus it is apparant with what weapons our aduersaries fight with slaunders wrestings misreports But as the law is Testi non iurato non credendum A man is not to be credited not speaking vpon his oth So this fellow is not to be trusted who I am sure would hardly sweare vnlesse his conscience bee cauterised these things to bee true which here he hath obiected I remember Augustine writing to Hierome commendeth the faithfulnes of one Ciprianus that caried his letters Non illi diligentia deerit
in custodiendis rescriptis alacritas in perferendis nec fides in reddendis He wanteth not neither diligence in keeping my rescripts nor cheerefulnes in carying them nor trust in deliuering them But this talebearer in reporting of Protestants opinions wanteth all these he is neither diligent in vnderstanding them nor willing to remember them nor faithfull in rehearsing them Where he would foyle others he sheweth his owne follie where he would blame vs he shameth himselfe he pretendeth to accuse others and had more neede himselfe to be excused much like to the souldier that Cato so much misliketh which in walking vseth his hands and in fighting his feete when he should in walking stirre his feete he vseth his hands and when in fighting he should exercise his hands he runneth away with his feete So playeth this freshwater souldier when he should lay on sound stroakes in telling the truth he runneth on with fables thinking so to carrie all before him The third Obiection NOw this quarrell-picker proceedeth and taketh exception to the mariage of Ministers which he would proue to be preiudiciall to the Common-wealth I will abridge his discourse being confused and follow his sense though it be needlesse to rehearse all his words There haue been accounted 40. thousand parish Churches in England admit the least suruey of thirteene fifteene or sixteene thousand There being so many maried Ministers for among all those it is a dishonour at this day to be vnmaried if 75. persons of the Israelites descending into Egypt in the space of 400. hundred yeers multiplied to 603550. people there being for euery maried Israelite a thousand maried Ministers in the like space of time they will amount to 603550000. a greater number then many Englands are able to maintaine vnlesse they should be sent out to the warres to be slaine But to permit multiplication of men to such ends to vtter them by slaughter is wholy Turkish c. pag. 90. to pag. 92. The Satisfaction 1. TO let passe his vncharitable slaunder that it is a dishonour among Protestant Ministers to be vnmaried whereas we honour the gift of true chastitie and reuerence them that haue it and there are diuers among the Protestant Ministers both Bishops and others which haue imbraced single life likewise not to touch his false account of the number of Parish Churches which neither maketh 40. nor yet 13. or 15. thousand The whole summe vpon a diligent suruey taken in the 44. yeere of Edward the 3. not exceeding beside London 8600. Parish Churches and London containeth 108. Parishes In the whole they are not aboue 8700. or at the most 9000. Parish Churches But to let this matter passe 2. If mariage by the word of God be free for all men as the Apostle saith For auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his wife 1. Cor. 7.2 And Mariage is honourable among all men Hebr. 13.3 then how absurdly doth this fellowe inferre that for feare of some inconuenience Gods ordinance should be restrained and some forbidden to marrie shall men presume to controule Gods workes or to infringe his ordinance or to seeme to be wiser then he as the Prophet saith Who hath instructed the spirit of the Lord or was his counseller or taught him 3. By as good and much better reason may the mariage of the poorer sort and common people be forbidden who are tenne to one for euery Minister and haue lesse prouision for their maintenance This Pope polititian belike would giue aduice that least people should multiplie too fast there might be a law that a certaine number onely should attend vpon the duties of mariage and bee set apart for procreation that as it is among horse and other cattell that the goodliest beast is kept for a stale so it might bee among men such seeme his prophane conceits to be And with as good right may any other order be restrained from mariage as Ministers in respect of the Common-wealth seeing that they haue the best meanes of education for their children And wee see by experience that from their families haue issued foorth many worthie men both for Church and Common-wealth whom the world should haue been depriued of if this wizards conceit might take place 4. And if the mariage of Ministers were like to be so burdensome to the Common-wealth how came it to passe that Moses that wise lawgiuer could not foresee it in the mariage of the Leuites who were the 13. part of the Israelites and all liued vpon the tithes and offrings of their brethren whereas the Ministers now are not the 200. part of the people What intolerable presumption is it in this shallow braine to sound a depth beyond his plumme and as another Hobab to take vpon him to teach Moses but without either wit or honestie both which Moses father in law had and the direction of the spirit withall 5 The scripture sayth The multitude of the people is the honor of a King Prou. 14.28 Among the heathen Lycurgus and Solon depriued those of certaine honors which liued single or had no children Among the Romanes they had great priuileges that were increased with many children A certaine Spartane yong man doing no reuerence to the Captaine Dercyllidas as he passed by among whom it was ignominious not to reuerence old age gaue this reason because you haue begotten none to rise vp vnto me when I am old which saying was misliked of none If the heathen then did count it such a benefit to haue procreation of children shall Christians skoffe at the fruites of generation and despaire of prouision for such a multitude As though God which feedeth the foules of the aire and vpon whom all creatures depend could not prouide for his people otherwise vnlesse they should be sent to the warres that the sword might deuour them For thus this seraphicall Apologist concludeth if warres had not bene to preuent so many mariages and kill so many thousands of men how could this nation haue prouided for so many pag. 92. What could sensuall Epicures prophane Diagoras or skoffing Lucian haue said more to the derogation of Gods prouidence What is it to limit Gods prouidence if this be not as though God seeth not an hundred wayes to prouide for his without this bloudie stratageme in appointing them to the sword 6 But whatsoeuer he ridiculouslie hath obiected against Ministers mariage that it is against a common-wealth is truely verified vpon popish monasticall single life what horrible pollutions whoredomes fornication incest sodomitrie bastardie secret murders of infants then raigned by reason of forced and dissembled virginitie it would offend Christian eares to heare In Gregory the first his time there were found sixe thousand infants heads in a Moate or Fish-pond which he perceiuing to haue been caused by forced single life reuoked his decree made before for the same It was one of the greeuances of the Germanes exhibited by the Princes
in the Councell of Noremberge against the Romish Cleargie That whereas Priests were by the canons forbidden to marrie they went about night and day to attempt and try the chastitie of matrones virgines wiues daughters and sisters of lay men and it hath been found by experience that partly with gifts and flattering words partly by secret confessions many virgins and matrones haue beene mooued to sinne and wickednes c. And it happeneth oftentimes that they do detaine and keepe away wiues and daughters from their husbands and fathers c. They complained further that they suffered the Clergie for a yearely stipend to dwell with concubines and harlots and to beget children by them they compelled also chast Priests to pay tribute for concubines and so it should be lawfull for them either to liue chast or to keepe concubines The chastitie and single life of the Monks and Clergie of England was according to the same patterne whose dissembled sanctitie and pharisaicall hypocrisie was layd open at the suppression of those houses and their filthie abhominations and vncleanenes of life discouered All which abuses had no other beginning then from that forced virginitie and diuelish prohibition of mariage as Bernard well perceiued in his time Tolle de ecclesia honorabile coniugium c. Take from the Church honorable Matrimonie shall you not fill it with incestuous persons concubinaries Sodomites c. Thales is brought in thus aduising Periander when his heardman had brought in a foale which in the foreparts resembled a man but behind an horse I would wish thee to set none to keepe Mares vnlesse you giue them wiues or women whereby he insinuated that where the naturall remedie is denyed vnnaturall lusts and desires rage Now let any good common-wealths man iudge whether honest mariage or vnhonest and vnchast life be fitter for humane societie This brabler condemning the first must incline to approue the second as indeede one of their Popes Nicholas 1. is reported to haue said Honestius esse plurib occultè implicari quam apertè cum vna ligari That it was more honest secretlie to vse many women then openlie to be tyed to one And herein they are right Platonists whose opinion was that it was profitable for wiues and children to be common Neither is it any other like but that then many simple foster-fathers kept other mens children at their fiers and that frierlie companions presumed too farre of Platoes communitie Thus this sclaunder I trust is answered though it be not much to be regarded for as the Emperour sayth In re propria nemo idoneus iudex No man is a fit iudge in his owne cause no more is this coapesmate in the defence of his Ignatian carnall communitie and accusation of matrimoniall chastitie The fourth obiection HIs next exception against Protestants is for the omission of fasting dayes whereas if there be but twelue thousand parishes supposed and in euery parish an hundred persons if they should fast but an hundreth dayes in the yeare and spare euery of those dayes one meale estimated but at a penie euery man should spare an hundred pence which is tenne shillings euery parish fiftie pound in the whole land the summe would arise to sixe hundred thousand pounds yea making accompt of thirtie hundred thousand men according to the muster bookes and so many women put to them the summe would amount to thirtie hundred thousand pounds He further calculateth the charge of the progenie of Ministers reckoning them at an hundred thousand and their dyet at threepence a day which would come to 547500. pounds which would serue for the maintenance of warres that so many taxes might be spared raised vpon better subiects pag. 93.94 Thus much he pratleth in effect The Reiection 1 TO omit his simple and sillie calculations and vaine suppositions as that an hundred pence make tenne shillings euery child could haue told him that fiuescore pence make but eight shillings four pence and that the ofspring of the Ministers within these fortie yeares riseth to an hundred thousand he can not finde halfe that number and that threepence a day for so many amounteth to fiue hundred thousand 47. thousand and fiue hundred of pounds which in true account commeth but to 456250. for threepence a day in the yeare consisting of 365. dayes maketh but foure pound eleuen shillings threepence which for an hundred thousand reacheth to the foresaid summe and no more But it is lost labour to trace him in all his triflings as is his diuinitie such is his arithmetike 2 Concerning dayes of abstinence for maintenance of fishers and preseruation of flesh he can not be ignorant but that they are obserued among Protestants though not for any superstiâ—ious opinion of religion therein as among Papists Likewise the forbearing of one meale once or twice in a weeke is a thing in practise in England and was enioyned by publike order in the late yeares of scarsitie and is still obserued vpon friday at night in the houses of great men and of the abler sort As for the rest for poore artificers and labourers I feare me in most townes of England their meale more then twice or thrice in a weeke costeth them not aboue a penie And is his meaning such to rake out so many pence out of the hungrie bellies of the poore whereas poore soules their emptie stomacks had neede be better filled for I dare say that the third man in this land especiallie in the countrie is of this number that doth either fast of necessitie or fareth often very meanely and courselie he then is like to come short of his reckoning But I know why he is so eager for these pence either to help his holie father with his Peter-pence againe or his fellow Friers with their begging pence 2 But as Protestants mislike not abstinence and fasting for maintenance of the common-wealth and reliefe of the poore but wish that the abler sort would spare of their superfluities from their tables to feede poore Lazarus so I am assured that true fasting is better exercised among Protestants then among Papists For what is their fast forsooth they will eate no flesh but marmelade sucket iellies spiced cakes wine all manner of conserued and preserued dainties they will feede of on fasting-nights and licke their sweet fingers Such was the fasting of some in Hieromes time that would eate no oyle but they would seeke for figs pepper nuts dates cakes c. some would eate no bread nor drinke water sed sorbitiunculas delicatas contrita olera betarumque succum c. but seeke for delicate suppings and herbs shred together and the iuice of beetes c. This is the right patterne of popish fasting And least I might be thought to do them wrong the Masse-priests and Iudasites herein do one accuse another these lay to the others charge their drunkennes playing at dice the finding of a
maid in one of their chambers and these things were done in prison where it is most like if in any place their fasting and chastitie should be best performed I trow drunkennes commeth not by fasting and abstinence nor yet dallying with maides in corners 3 Concerning the great charge of Ministers progenie admit it come to so much in 40. yeare space as this Popes auditor hath layd his counters to fiue hundred thousand pound and odd as in deed it doth not as is before touched neither the number of them being so great nor the charge rising to such a summe but be it granted 1. may not the same obiection be vrged against any other order or calling of lawyers artificers labourers or such like might not euery parish in England spare an artisane or labourer some one or other whereas one Minister is necessarie for euery parish will not the progenie of any one either Tailor Shoomaker Weauer Husbandman through the land accounting for euery parish but one arise in like time to the like multitude And in his prophane and popish conceit are Ministers that draw the people to God no more necessary then botchers coblers hedgers c 2. If the ofspring of Ministers should all be of the same calling as the sonnes of the Leuites and Priests were and all be maintained of tithes and offrings as the other were they might with greater shew of reason be thought to be burdenous and yet the other were not but seeing they are dispersed into other callings and so diuerslie employed some in trades some in merchandise some in profession of learning some for the seas some for the warres and other seruices of the King the same exception might be taken as well against any other of the Kings subiects as against them 3. Who seeth not what a foolish reckoning he hath made he maketh account of an 100. thousand now after 40. yeares continuance and of 500. thousand pound now by the yeare increasing which he holdeth sufficient for the maintenance of warre and supplie of taxes c. But let him be asked what the number of the one was and the summe of the other 10.20.30 yeares since he must come short by so many parts and degrees of his account and yet so many yeares since the English warres began and subsidies were thought needfull to be leuied when as yet the increase of Ministers and of their charges came not to the fift part after that rate when as notwithstanding the yearely expences of the warres in Ireland and other places did rise to 200. thousand pound by the yeare 4. But what is this counter-casters meaning would he haue this summe of 500. thousand leuied yerely of the Clergie all their reuenues and liuings to a groat will not reach it wherefore would he haue it collected to maintaine warres and spare subsidies I trust they shall cease our greatest warres are like to be against the Pope and his adherents Let it be noted then that this popeling giueth counsell how warres might be maintained against the Pope his vnholie father who is the greatest enemie to this nation And for the sparing of subsidies and taxes raised vpon better subiects I answere first that both the occasion thereof the necessitie of warres being remoued and the Kings princely disposition so standing that he would haue subsidies rarely lifted vp I make no doubt but hereafter they will more sparingly be required that there neede no such supplie Againe the Clergie toward the raising of these subsidies were always most forward payed more for their number by fiue parts at the least then any of the Laitie for whereas they make not for their number the hundred part of the land and for their reuenew receiue nothing neere the tenth part so many impropriations being deducted yet their share in the subsidie was very neere the fift part of the whole if not more And therefore in this regard there were no better subiects then they as also in respect of their loyaltie in themselues and seruice to the Prince in retaining the people in due obedience But if they were no better subiects then trayterous Iesuites and Seminaries I say not it were no great matter if they were one hanged against another but if they were all shipped to the Sea and sent to the Indians and Cannibals or whither else so they were not in England I thinke the whole land would be in greater quiet and safetie 5. Lastly this cruell wretch sheweth himselfe another Haman who to haue the Iewes destroyed offered to bring in 10. thousand talents into the Kings cofers Esther 3.9 So this fellow offereth fiue hundred thousand pound to haue the Ministers and their ofspring rooted out like another Caligula that as he wished all the Romane citizens had but one neck that he might strike it off at once the same in his hart he desireth in the Ministerie of England But I doubt not but I shall sooner see the Frogs of Egypt that crauled in euery place with an East wind to be cast into the Sea then the Doues of the Church to be driuen to forsake their holes But whereas he addeth That the behauiour and disobedience of Protestants in common-wealths is worse then among Iewes Turks Paganes c. neither can it be imagined how amendment should be had except a reformation of Protestants disobedient doctrine be made pag. 94. His owne cauterized conscience knoweth that this is an abominable slaunder or fiction of Protestants but a true narration of Masse-priests and Iesuites for if Mortons rebellion in the North Saunders commotion to warre in Ireland Allen Parsons inuasion by the Spaniards Babingtons conspiracie Lopez poysoning Parries murdering be laid together with many other trayterous attempts both against Prince and countrie it will euidently appeare as cleere as noone day that neuer any such villanie was attempted against any Turke or Heathen Prince as hath been practised by those Papists And concerning doctrine Protestants teach obedience to Princes euen in Ecclesiasticall causes Papists denie it yea they maintaine monstrous positions that the Pope may excommunicate and depose Princes may absolue the subiects of their oth and fealtie that the Pope inuading a countrie for religion ought to be assisted by the subiects against the Prince that the Popes designement to inuade a countrie by force to the same end ought not to be reuealed to the state these are Parsons positions Adde vnto these the Iesuites conclusions at Salamanca that it was meritorious to assist the rebels in Ireland against the Queene that they which tooke part with the Catholikes against the Queene were by no construction rebels c. Wherefore seeing there can be no amendement or redresse of Popish trayterous practises till both they and their doctrine be auoyded the land we are to wish and hope in time that as Popish doctrine is already sent backe to Rome the mother thereof so the trayterous Iesuites and Priests and all their
factious crue and adulterous seede of that strumpet may in good time also bee dispatched thither to sucke their owne mothers breasts that both the bondwoman and her sonnes may be cast foorth and not be heires with Isaac And if they will with Iudas depart from the Ministers of Christ to the Pharisies we may wish vnto them Iudas end as one saith Iudas iuit ad Pharisaeos non iuit ad Apostolos iuit ad diâ—isoâ— diuisus perijt Iudas went to the Pharisies not to the Apostles he went to those which were diuided and being diuided in the midst perished And happie were it with the Church of England if it were honestly rid of such make bate companions that wee might dwell by none but good neighbours as it is said of Themistocles when hee offered his ground to sell caused it to be proclaimed that he had a good neighbour Now this aduersarie breaking off here his vncharitable accusations returneth to his former defence which how sillie and weake it is shall in the discouerie thereof appeare The fift Defence 1. WHat disloyaltie of behauiour to Commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion doe wee not teach all dutie vnto Princes and superiours pag. 94. 2. What is there in that sacred function of Priesthood now treason by the proceedings of England that can be guiltie of so great a crime in the statute of treason in Edward 3. nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of King or countrie pag. 95. 3. What is in Priesthood now that was not in former times which euer in Parliament hath been reputed the most honourable calling c. the same Priesthood which was giuen to S. Peter and his Apostles the same which S. Augustine and his associates had that conuerted England pag. 96. 4. There is in that sacrament of Priesthood no renouncing or deniall of any authoritie in England no conspiracie to Prince no betraying of kingdome c. pag. 96. 5. That Priests do absolue from sinnes c. the cause is no temporall thing and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason for Deacons which haue no such authoritie are traytors by the same statute pag. 96. 6. That our Priests are consecrated in forraine countries is not the cause for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergie to be consecrated in those forraine countries and to be ordered in France to which we be friends and in England is equally treason pag. 97. 7. The Grecians and Germanes diuers in doctrine to the Church of Rome haue their Seminaries of Priests maintained by the Pope and yet they condemne not their Priests for traytors and it is as improbable that the Pope hath an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment as it is vnprobable in those countries 8. How can those religious Schooles be such aduersaries c. where there is no Reader no professor no Lecture no doctrine against our English gouernment where prayer is continually made for her Maiestie The rules and gouernment there consent with the ancient foundations of Cambridge and Oxford pag. 98. 9. What disobedience can it be to denie to any temporall Prince supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall a preeminence distinct c. which our Kings themselues euer approued in the Roman See which neuer any Turke or Goth or Vandale or Infidell challenged c. nor any temporall Prince vnlesse it be in England pag. 98. 10. The enemies to this See do not condemne it as a disobedience to appeale to Rome in spirituall cases to goe on pilgrimage to Rome to fetch any Crucifixe or picture from thence all Catholikes and Christians of the world without prohibition of their Princes haue accesse thither pag. 99. 11. Our most triumphant Kings haue performed those offices in visiting of Rome in their owne persons pag. 99. The Answere 1. DOe ye aske what disloyaltie there is in your Cacolike religion when by Popish doctrine Princes are not chiefe in their owne kingdoms ouer Ecclesiasticall causes and persons and the Pope hath authoritie by the same to excommunicate and depose Princes and absolue subiects from their oth of obedience And doe ye teach all dutie to Princes when the pestilent vipers the Iudasites doe hold that subiects ought to assist the Pope inuading a countrie by force for religion against their Prince and that they are bound to keepe secret the Popes designements to that end that they were no rebels which aided the Popes Cacolikes in Ireland against the Queene I would not so often alleage these matters but that this brablers confused tautologies can not otherwise be answered 2. There be other points in that statute beside betraying of King or countrie that are made treason as to violate the Kings wife or his eldest daughter or the wife of his eldest sonne but these matters are impertinent they serue only to shew the vntruth of his speech And euen by this statute popish Priests and Iudasites that maintaine a forren Potentate a knowne enemie to Prince and countrie are found to be traytors for they which are adherent to the Kings enemies in his realme giuing them ayde and comfort within the realme or elsewhere are by that statute iudged traytors 3. In popish Priesthood there are many things now which were not in former times as to haue power to make Christs bodie that it is a sacrament and hath an indeleble character their shauing greazing to haue dependance vpon the Bishop of Rome the vow of single life annexed to orders these things in the honorable calling of the Ministers of the Church the auncient and pure age of the Church did not acknowledge And though the popish priesthood for some hundred yeares past hath beene in great credite yet was it another manner of Ministerie which was honoured of the auncient Christian Emperors As the Bishops of the Nicene Councell whom Constantine so reuerenced that he would not sit downe till they had beckoned to him Meletius whose eyes lips and breast Theodosius kissed embraced Chrysostome whom Goinas the Goth did reuerence and caused his children to fall downe at his knees all these were Bishops of another order then the Popes creatures now are It is also a vaine boast that S. Peter had the same priesthood S. Peters presbyters were not Lords ouer Christs flocke as the Popes Clergie is 1. Pet. 5.3 Peter doth make himselfe a sympresbyter with the rest not lord ouer theÌ„ nor they to depend of him and confesseth Christ to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4 he dare not arrogate that title to himselfe as the Pope doth In some respects they may haue the same priesthoode which Augustine the Monke had though as yet the sacrifice of Christs bodie was not annexed to the priesthood nor many yeares after for he came from Rome and sought the preeminence of that See
Poole in Rome only for his reliefe But to make appeales to Rome as to a higher Court and to the Pope as to a superior Iudge is a great derogation to the imperiall dignitie and no well reformed common-wealth can endure it Neyther is England here alone as he vntruely saith but other reformed Churches of Scotland Geneua the Heluetians haue cut off such vnnecessarie and vnnaturall appeales 11. What Kings and Princes haue done in times past in visiting Rome and going in Pilgrimage in their owne persons when they were led with blind deuotion it maketh nothing to vs Of auncient time Princes were wiser and I trust God will open their eyes at the last to acknowledge their error and shake off the yoake of Antichrist according to the prophesie of the Reuelation that they shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked c. Reuel 18.16 Thus with all his subtilties and shifts of descant this Masse-priests proctor hath endeuoured to free that order from suspicion of treason But as the Prophet Ezechiel sayth He hath daubed vp a wall with vntempered morter Ezech. 13.10 with like workemanship hath he made a bulwarke for his order But as it is in the lawe Particeps criminis non idoneus testis He that is partner in the crime is no sufficient witnes So is he an vnfit aduocate for the Ignatian order being himselfe of that treacherous brotherhoode I could aduise them if they had grace to receiue good counsell that they would not suffer themselues to be any longer abused by their vnholie father to runne vpon the pikes at his pleasure and hazard both their bodilie life and the saluation of their soules not to be so desperate as Scipio his souldiers of whom he boasted that at his bidding they would cast themselues headlong into the Sea What though you would reduce your countrie to your opinion and the obedience of the Pope your purpose is not good your counsels prosper not you are deceiued in the disease which you would cure at the least with perill of bodie and soule you vse too costlie a remedie as Marius to the Phisician that came to cut him of a certaine disease made this answere that the remedie was not worthie of so much griefe The sixt defense 1. FIrst he standeth vpon the glorie of the popish kingdome Consider sayth he the glorie of King Henry the 8. and this kingdome before his fall and their infamie after the short or turbulent season of King Edward and for this present what it is and what like to be c. I leaue to the lamentable consideration of all men now and the pitifull experience of those which shall proue it afterward France Spaine Italy may be named the floures of the world the power and iurisdiction of the Pope more glorious then was euer any Regiment of any spiritual superior the kingdome riches reuenues of the K. Catholike are the greatest of any Monarch p. 100.101 2. Their religion consisteth of all affirmatiue positions teaching dutie to God honor to Magistrates equalitie to all oppression to none c. pag. 101. 3. Quarels and contentions betweene King and subiects Nobles and Nobles as in the time of Henry the 2. haue beene comprimitted by the spirituall Romane authoritie c. rigorous onerations imposed by Princes eased vnappeasable wars with France and other nations brought to an end pag. 101. 4. The Protestants deniall of restitution and confession what wrongs and abuses hath it wrought c. who can now keepe subiects from deuising against Soueraignes c. for want whereof so many suites and actions of law such a multitude of Lawyers what dilatorie pleas non suites c. practised and vncontrolled by Protestants doctrine c. pag. 102.103 5. The Religious Clergie enioyed the third part of the substance of our nation c. which was employed toward the necessaries of their poore chast and single life they did furnish armies more then all the Ministers and Abbey gentlemen the poore were relieued c. were they not better bestowed then in hunting hawking carding courting c. pag. 103.104 6. Catholike Religion left and kept England in amitie and league with the Popedome Empire Spaine c. whereas no historie maketh relation of so chargeable and prolonged wars of this kingdome with other nations as our late and now present Spanish Irish Flemish pag. 104. 7. Lastly he sheweth that by separation from the Roman religion Noblemen and Gentlemen haue lost much learning and knowledge in seeing other Princes Courts and countries Souldiers the skill and honor in armes Schollers the benefite of studie in other Vniuersities Merchants their trade and traffique c. and so he concludeth to this effect that these things considered it were better to be in such condition as England was in in the 22. yeare of Henry the 8. when this reformation began then euer it was by Protestancie since now is or by probabilitie will grow to be in time to come pag. 106. The Answere 1. KIng Henrie his gouernment was as glorious his battailes as victorious his successe as prosperous after the reformation of religion as before if not much more As in appeasing the commotions in Yorkshire and Lincolneshire anno 28. Againe another in Yorkshire suppressed anno 3â— Notable victories obtained against the Scots anno 34. And againe anno 36. And in the same yeere he preuailed against the French when Boloigne was yeelded to him King Edwards raigne was neither so short nor troublesome as Queene Maries was which both at home was plagued with mortalitie and famine and abroad dishonoured with the losse of Calice that had been English well neere 300. yeeres This is too vnshamefast dealing to obiect the one and conceale the other Queene Elizabeths raigne hath been most flourishing with loue of subiects at home and honour of other nations abroad and as his Maiestie truly witnesseth She did so long with such wisedome and felicitie gouerne her kingdomes as I must in true sinceritie confesse the like hath not been read nor heard of either in our time or since the daies of the Romane Emperour Augustus As for your lamentable consideration and pitifull experience what England is like to be you shew your selfe herein but one of Baals false Prophets that prophecied good successe to Ahab as you promised to your selues at the next chaunge of the kingdome a glorious day in England and an vtter subuersion of the Gospell As his brother Frier or father Parsons vttereth with the like boldnes God will most certainly at his time appointed restore the realme of England to the Catholike faith againe But the Lord be blessed that hath disappointed their vaine hope and frustrate their wicked desires I trust thorough Gods mercie that England still vnder the Gospell shall see as flourishing daies as euer before As for those flowers of the world c. some of those haue brought foorth but simple flowers
cum mulierib c. the Bishop or Priest ought not to lye with the women that come to be confessed Wherefore seeing auricular confession gaue occasion and opportunitie to such euill they shall not easily perswade that for want of such confession such abuses and iniuries haue growne Concerning restitution Protestants allow it and require it to be made approuing of that sentence non tollitur peccatum â—isi restituatur ablatum that of sinne there is no remission where there wanteth restitution But we affirme and teach that satisfaction to God by vs can not be wrought we must let that alone for euer that worke Christ only hath performed Multitude of suites dilatorie pleas corrupt iudgements are not vncontrouled by Protestants doctrine but we mislike and condemne them and trust by our prudent Prince in time conuenient to see many of those disorders redressed Neyther were the popish times free of such vnnecessarie suites and contentions betweene Bishop and Bishop Bishop and Prior Prior and Couent among the Friers and Monks as I haue shewed before at large in my answere to the second section pag. 8. Yet these quarrels and suites of law notwithstanding our Church Religion is not for that abuse to be condemned no more then the Church of Corinth ceased to be of Christs familie because they went to lawe one with another that before heathen Iudges 1. Cor. 6. But sure it is that these abuses haue not sprung because auricular confession is intermitted which was as a heauie yoke and burthen vpon Christians shoulders and did rather terrifie then certifie the conscience which superstitious vse the wiser heathen condemned as Antalcidas being asked of the Priest what great sinne he had committed in his life made this answere if I haue done any such thing the Gods know it he thought it superfluous to declare it to men 5. And was it not thinke you a very poore life that had the third part of the substance of the land as is confessed to maintaine it Neither is it true that the Abbeies furnished more armies then all the Ministers and Abbey-gentlemen for I thinke not but the Clergie in England alone hath contributed more in subsidies tenths beneuolences yearely toward the maintenance of the Princes warres then all the Abbeies in England yeelded to the Crowne for they stood vpon their priuiledges and immunities and gaue but what they list themselues The poore you say were relieued so many statutes against them and to burthen the countrie were not knowne True it is that the Abbeies maintained the idle vagrant life of rogues beggers and it is verily thought that the frie of theÌ„ which was bred then hath so spawned forth into the whole land that vnto this day this nation could not be disburdened of them You seeme to mislike the statute of late made for the restraint of vagrants and vagabonds then the which a more wholesome lawe could not be made in that kind if it were well executed neither is the countrie more but lesse burthened in relieuing their home-borne poore being eased of other coÌ„mon walkers But it is no maruaile that this Frier holdeth with beggers for he is cosen-germane himselfe to the begging friers no thanks then to Abbeies and Frieries in relieuing of lay beggers when they sent out such a number of irreligious beggers of their owne they should haue done better to haue kept their owne begging mates at home that the lay people being rid of such vnshamefast beggers might haue beene better able to maintaine their owne But concerning this relieuing of common beggers wherein he giueth such praise to Abbeies their own canons haue vtterly misliked it sint autem mendicantib validis non solum hospitalia clausa c. To valiant beggers let not only the hospitals be shut but let it be vtterly forbidden them to beg froÌ„ house to house for better it were to take bread from the hungrie least being prouided of his bread he should neglect equitie and iustice that is liue idlie Coloniens part 11. ca. 5. You aske if they were not better bestowed then in hunting hawking carding courting c. I answere 1. that although we wish that Abbey-lands had beene conuerted to better vses yet they were abused as much before as now and much more 2. for beside that it is not to be otherwise thought but that the lord Abbots and fat Monks disported themselues with hunting of wild game abroad and tame at home in carding and courting of Nunnes and pretie pewling cloyster virgines more then I thinke Abbey gentlemen now vse to do those lands then serued to maintaine idle and vnprofitable persons whereof there was no vse in the common-wealth whereas now many seruiceable gentlemen are thereby brought vp and sustained fit for the dispensing of iustice in peace and to stand for the defense of the land in time of warre 6. It is a great vntruth here vttered for neuer did this land enioy greater peace and of longer continuance with other countries Spaine only excepted then it hath done for the space of these 40. yeares vnder the Gospell What bloudie and cruell warres haue been in time past between England and France in Henry the 2. King Iohn Edward the 3. Henry the 5. with Scotland in Edward 1. Edward 2. Henry the 8. But vnder the Gospell peace with these countries hath been firmely established and we trust is like to continue still 7. As for knowledge and experience gotten by trauaile our Gentlemen and Noblemen of England are not therein vnfurnished Rome and Spaine are not so safe and free for trauailers that would preserue a good conscience but there is little lost by that for few are there that visit those countries but are made worse thereby according to those auncient prouerbs The neerer Rome the further froÌ„ Christ He that goeth once to Rome seeth a wicked man he that goeth twice learneth to know him he that goeth thrice bringeth him home with him But there are other Countries more safe to trauaile vnto and more profitable to be conuersant in then either Rome or Spaine Neither are all martiall feates there learned England since this diuision from Rome and Spaine hath sent forth as valiant Captaines and commaunders both by sea and land as euer it did nay former ages therein can not compare with these times What Captaines are more famous in our histories then Generall Norris Captaine Williams Morgane the noble Earle of Essex and others in land affaires who more renowned then Captaine Drake Furbisher Hawkins Candish with the rest in Sea trauailes Our Merchants indeede haue been somewhat hindred of their traffique and entercourse in the King of Spaines dominions but that hath been as much losse to them as to English Merchants neither hath England wanted any necessarie merchandize notwithstanding this restraint And we doubt not but religion and the Gospell standing and florishing still in England that passage hereafter may be more open and free for
The Priests also thus write That there is no competitor vnto the Crowne of England that is a Catholike in whom any probabilitie in the world of enioying the Crowne can be imagined as al men know Thus the Masse-priests were bold to write not long since but simplie and suspiciouslie as though England would afford any competitor to stand vp against the lawfull title of his Maiestie who onely by his royall descent had enterest to succeede in the Crowne which God be thanked we see to all our comforts without any contradiction or opposition to be peaceablie deriued vnto his Maiestie which long may he possesse with honor to Gods glorie We trust then that God which in his mercie hath sanctified this land to professe his Gospell will consecrate it as his Temple to be the piller of truth and candlesticke to hold out the light of his word to the worlds end and that he wil put into the heart of our gratious Soueraigne and honorable Counsellers so to prouide that true Religion may be transmitted vnto posteritie and so blesse the Kings royall posteritie and especiallie his Maiesties dearest sonne and heire apparant Prince Henry that Religion may be so planted in his princely youth that it may grow vp and increase with him It ioyeth me here to remember that couragious farewell which that renowned King Henry the 8. gaue to the Pope England hath taken her leaue of popish crafts for euer neuer to be deluded with them hereafter Romane Bishops haue nothing to do with English people the one doth not traffike with the other at the least though they will haue to do with vs we will none of their merchandice none of their stuffe we will receiue them of our councell no more This Prophesie rather then Proclamation of that magnanimous King we gladlie accept and with all ioyfull acclamation say Amen vnto it Adde vnto this the propheticall exclamation of Roger Clearke Martyr at his condemnation an 1546. at Ipswich fight for your God for he hath not long to continue But most of all are we secured by the prophesie of the Reuelation that Babylon is fallen which we see in part alreadie fulfilled for the tenth part of the citie is fallen alreadie that is the tenth part of that politike bodie of Antichrist which consisted of Monks Friers Nunnes with their Abbeyes Priories Celles Chauntries is ouerthrowne as by a mightie earthquake in the kingdomes of England Scotland Ireland And we further are most sure that after Babylon beginneth to fall it shall not rise againe nor be found no more And howsoeuer God may in iustice deale with some nation in particular for their vnthankfull receiuing of the Gospell to suffer them to be misled againe yet we make no doubt but the generall bodie of Antichrist is decaying and hath receiued a wound irrecouerable Wherefore be it knowne vnto you ye Papists that your kingdome is withering and decaying and ye are they that wax worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued 1. Tim. 3.12 but the Gospell of Christ shall flourish and they that loue him shall be as the sunne that riseth in his strength Only let vs that professe the Gospell be of good courage let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering let vs lift vp our hands that hung downe and our weake knees Let vs not be like as Hierome sayth to those that slacke their rowing Quomodo qui aduerso flumine lembum trahit si remiserit manus retro labitur fluentib aquis quo non vult ducitur Like as he which haleth a boate against the streame if he let go his hands falleth backe and is caried whither he would not so he that is remisse in religion is in danger to fall backe to superstition but the worst I hope is past the beginning of reformation is harder then the perfection as Lampis said of the getting of riches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he got great wealth easily and small hardlie So we hope in God that true religion may more easily be continued then it was at the first founded 3 This Iesuited or rather Iudasited Frier for of that rebellious and exorbitant order he is supposed to be proceedeth on in his frierlie vaine of lying he bringeth in Iohn Riuius to say that they meaning all Protestants be Atheists Epicures deniers of the soules immortalitie p. 11. l. 21. Whereas neither he speaketh of all Protestants but only of certaine dissolute liuers among them neither yet affirmeth them to be deniers c. but that they do runne headlong into sinne as though they did thinke c. that the foule perisheth with the bodie There is great difference betweene him that openlie denieth the immortalitie of the soule and him that by his licentious life may be thought not to beleeue the soule to be immortall Indeede we reade that in the Councell of Constance it was obiected to one of your Popes whom ye hold can not erre namely Iohn 23. Quinimo dixit pertinaciter credidit animam hominis cum corpore humano mori c. Moreouer he said and obstinately beleeued that the soule of man dieth together with the bodie and is extinguished as the soule of brute beasts But from among the Protestants you shall not be able to shew one that euer so affirmed or beleeued 4 Where he saith their owne generall and approued doctrine especiallie in England that true faith and good works are inseparable conâ—oc Londâ—n 1562. art 12. condemneth such men for infidels and misbeleeuers p. 12. l. 7. First it is vntrue that those words are found in that article though we admit and receiue the doctrine that article faith indeede that good works spring out necessarily of a true and liuely faith but it condemneth them not straight for infidels that haue not this working and liuely faith for there is great difference betweene him that hath the right knowledge of God though not effectual or working and him that hath no knowledge or the same erroneous And if it be admitted that some infidels or misbeleeuers might be found among Protestants and where the Gospell is professed is that any derogation maister Frier to the Church of God or profession of the Gospell which condemneth such Did the Church of Corinth cease to be a Church because some among them had not the knowledge of God and denied the resurrection Or is the popish Church free from infidels and misbeleeuers I would Atheisme and prophanenes had not inuaded the Popes chaire I thinke that Pope was little better then an infidell and misbeleeuer that said to one of his Cardinals quantum nobis profuit fabula ista dâ— Christo how much hath this fable of Christ aduantaged vs 5 Of the like credit and truth are these words that follow that the Protestants haue beene the onely cause of so many Infidelities Atheismes Epicurismes Iudaismes p. 12. l. 20. that euery man among vs is left