Parliament that all Ministers in his Dominions made contrarie to the Romane vse approued in his Territories should be Traitors the pulpits of England would not be silent to reproue it of great absurdity We â—ope therefore that the rare example of one Queene wil not ouer ballance so many your holy and wise Progenitors and all Princes of the world in this point And if one against so many hundreds coulde carrie against so manie reasons equiuolent motiue of imitation yet wee trust as you doe not inheritte by Queene Elizabeth or King Edward the sixt or King Henrie the eight whose next line and life rather suspended your Title then gaue you the Diademe of these vnited dominions but by Queene Margaret and Queene Marie of Scotland Catholike pâ—inces and King Henrie the seauenth of England of the same Religion with all their and your common Auncestors so you rather will inheriâ—te the steppes of them so many and holy in this path which left you so great a Title both to heauen and earth then followe the lone example of one woman or the father and son a child from whom no such preeminens is or can be deriued It is the honor of our King in Heauen most mightie Soueraigne for which we continew in combatte that Religion which the whole Catholique world in all generall Councelles Popes Doctors and learned men hath euer professed wherein this Nation as our Protestants acknowledge one thousand yeares since Ioh. Bal. l. de Script Angl. in August monach Will. Tetrastyl was conuerted all our Christian auncestry embraced and which all Princes in the schoole of Christ of whome your Maiestie is descended maintained in themselues and subiects That which is so generall cannot be surrendred by a small number of one kingdome It is not in the power of Man to resigne the honor of God Protestants and Puritans which haue turnes and changes for all occasions which communicate in spirituall things with so many different in profession which can subscribe and sweare to Parliament articles and yet renownce them take oth of Princes supreamacy yet speake preach and print against it communicate in Churches seruice and sacraments with them which they say be infidells and that none going to their Churches can be saued submit their faith and religion to stand or be changed as pleaseth Princes which had not any Church Chappell Prince or subiect of their religion vntill the daies of Luther and now is the same no further then in one time or Country may without great losse to themselues damage to others or new dishonour to God change as the winde serueth their spirit suggesteth or appetite desireth Such men may easily and onely condiscend to change their right and relinquish their interest being such as the Apostle thus describeth Alwaies learning and neuer attaining to the knowledge 2. Timoth. 3 v. 7 of truth Yet neuerthelesse dread Liege if it will please your Maiesty to vouchsafe vs licence to request and grace to obtaine that your owne princely sentence and censure may stand that we ought not to depart further from the Roman Church our mother Church by your iudgement than she hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her best and flourishing state And that the time of Constantine was incorrupted in religion we humbly againe offer triall before your Highnesse with equall câ—nditions of Schooles agenst the most selected chosen Protestant Bishops doctors of your dominions to proue or defend any or euery substantiall article which we now professe to be agreeable vnto and not discenting the knowne publike Catholike doctrine of that mother Church in those your mentioned incorrupâ—ed daies of Christianity And seeing the disfauour and penalties against lay Catholikes are grounded vpon their Recusancy to be present at your protestant Seruice wee humbly beseech it may be called to memory how they haue protested in seuerall supplications one to your Maiesty before the end of the last Parliament and the other to Queene Elizabeth in the seuen and twenty yeare of her raigne to be builded onely vpon feare of offending God To which their so long and manilold disgraces losses imprisonments and sufferings are sufficient witnesse and for further triall thereof haue offered to repaire to your Protestant Churches and Seruice without further exception if the learned of your religion can and doe proue to the learned of their profession that it may be performed without offence to God which is so much in the opinion of all diuines as any christian subiects can offer in this cause In which minde as I doubt not but they still continue so I am assured that the Priests of England will giue like consent This if your Protestant Cleargy doe refuse or doe not satisfie so Christian a request we hope your Maiesty being wise learned iudicious and gratious will perceiue that the seuerity of the lawes against them for that cause is not to be put in practise These things in most humble manner we commend to your highest and mercifull consideration And so desiring of the Almighty to grant all happinesse and prosperity to your Maiesty and posterity we conclude in all dutifull subiection with that antient Father We will faithfully serue you in your Pallace we will accompanie other your subiects in the market wee will ioyne with them in the field against your enemies onely to you we leaue the Churches FINIS Fauls escaped In the Epâ—ste or are tam cum Chap. 1. Rogesr Rogers Chap. 2. Haereticus Haereticis manimenta munimenta not aboue foure or fine not many the Prophets and Priests of Iuda deposed vnder the Prophets and Priests of Iuda were deposed not now and are not now Chap. 4. Philopatre Philopater which which is Chap. 5. and it was and that it was if it Chap. 6. natum nutum violatore violatorem approue reproue Chap. 9. vermia Austrae vienna Austriae Canickname a nickname 100000 1000000. Inns Irons Chap. 10. vindice iuridieé mentire mentiri naturall consciences internall consciences a semiplea a semiplene statish Protestants Scottish Protestants Caluinianum caluinianam Chap. 11. punished promised
imagined by any learned Catholike he warreth not against the Roman church and schooles his aymed obiect but against poetically or childishlie feigned Prosopopeis and Chimeres of his owne creation for against only such his Arguments haue their force against such as we esteeme them they are too foolish Secondly to giue life to his feeble or dead obiections we must Râ—â— 1. pag. 1. 2 3. 4 5. 6. 7. condiscend at his high will and pleasure not only that all Protestants of England are formall heretickes sentenced against and censured all which we absolutely denie But that all penall decrees in the Canon and Papall lawe cited in his Treatise are due and belonging vnto them which the whole Christian world will witnesse against And that in no Kingdome where Protestants be planted England Scotland Ireland Fraunce Sâ—â—â—eland Heluetia Lorraine Denmarâ—e any part of Germanie Bohemia Poland or any other they be practized as in force or put in execution Thirdly we must giue consent against all Catholike schooles Rat. 2. pag. 9. 10. 11. that there is no difference betweene the chief spirituall power and preeminence which we giue to Popes and mere ciuill soueraine Authority ouer Princes and all temporall things when we only attribute the first and not the second to the Roman See Fourthly we must not denie to this Discouerer but if the Pope Rat. 4. pag 14. 15 16. 17. 18 19. 22 23. 24. 25 c. commandeth Armes against our Prince a metaphisicall needlesse feare to be put in practise we would formally be conformed to such precept yet when we giue a true reall present and actuall instance that the same Papall Authoritie now commandeth all Catholicks to performe all dutifull loyaltie and obedience to his Majestie more then the protestant Cleargie of England can justifie for themselues and quia Papa siciubet et prohibet the contrary it will be no satisfaction for good behauiour to this obiector These and more such absurdities must be yeelded vnto if any one of his Arguments is to be respected But I must needs All Protestants agree in diâ—obedience to Princes of a contrary Religion put him in minde that he hath behelde his visage too much in the glasse of Wickliffe Husse Waldo Luther Munster Swinglius Caluin Beza Knoxe Cranmer Ridley Latimer Sands Rogesr and all Protestants of all places as I will demonstrate hereafter howsoeuer they varied in other questions yet all jumping togither in this that Kinges and Magistrates of a different Religion are not to be obeyed but contemned contradicted deposed and not worthy to be accounted eyther Princes or men And this coloured bloudie and stained spectacle or speculum hath so deluded his eyes that he can see nothing but rebellions seditions and disobedience in professors of Religion though neuer so holy and approued But as we dâ—ffer from him his adherents in so many chiefest articles of Religion so we vtterlie renounce both their doctrine and practise in this poynt The first Reason against Catholiques confuted and returned vpon Protestaats CHAP. II. I Will come to his particular Reasons The first whereupon as a most certaine ground and foundation hee frameth the rest of his building is registred in these wordes Their generall Assumption wherevpon all their rebellious Positious are founded is this that all Protestants are hereticks and excommunicate Whereby it appeareth by his owne judiciall decree that if Catholicks doe not teach that all Protestants are hereticks and excomunicate that then no positions which we maintaine are rebellious because he telleth vs all such are builded vpon that Assumption Wherefore to purge vs of all these crimes by the first sentence of this Accuser I answere this position all Protestants are hereticks and excommunicate is neyther a generall Assumption in Catholike Religion neither doe I suppose that any one particular learned Catholicke in this kingdome yet such can best judge of their country case doth or will defend this opinion which he calleth our generall Assumpsion For first there is not at this present one Protestant absolutelie then not all Protestantes esteemed with vs to be in that caâ—e within the Dominions of our Soueraigne of what condition soeuer to my knowledge neyther is there daunger thereof hereafter except such wicked and slaunderous writinges as this Disconerie be made incitemenâ— and citations for such censures For although many or most of the opinions defended by the Protestants of England were condemâ—â—d for heresies both in the primatiue and later dayes of the Church of Christ in Iouinian Vigilantius Aerius Berengarius Waldo Wickliffe Husse and others yet it doth not presently followe that all which imitate those doctrines should be termed Hereticks as the first obstinate Inuentors and pertinatious defendors of those nouelties were For according to the sentence of S. Thomas Halensis Siluester Durandus D. Th. 2. 2. q. 11. ar 2. Hâ—ll 1. p. q. 181. m. 1. §. 1. Durand 4. dist 13. â— 5. art 6 Syl. v. Haeres n. 5. August l. de vtilit Creâ— in princip and the common opinion of Schooles ignorance euen vincible excuseth from heresie And this is the doctrine of S. Augustine who in his booke de vtilâ—tate credendi writeth thus He is an Hereticke who for temporall Commodity or Vayne-glory or Principallitie eyther begetteth or followeth false Opinyon but he who beleeueth Hereticks the case of the major part of english Protestants is a man illuded with a certayne Imagination of pyetie and truth And he affirmeth that the first wherof I hope England is not so plentifull is an Hereticke and not the other And against the Donatists he telleth vs tbat he which holdeth that of Christ which Photinus the hereticke did thinking it to be the Catholike faith as August l. 4 câ—â— Donaust c. 1â— hundreds of thousands of ignorantly seduced Protestants doe which heare no other doctrine but ministers Sermons is not yet an Hereticke except when the truth of the Catholike doctrine is made manifest he will resist it And Cardin all Allane himselfe Cardin. Al lib. â—â—persecâ—â— Anâ—â— so often obiected â—n â—his discouery thus writeth of that holy father and this question Beatus Augustinus aâ—monuit decipi ab Haereticus quis diâ—itur Haeretu is credere nec tamen propriè est Haereticus He is not properly an Hereticke which is deceaued of Hereticks and beleeueth Herâ—tâ—cks Sâ—condly by common consent of Catholike Doctors both Adrian quandlâ—â— 3. art 1. Sylu. v. Haeâ—â—s q. 2. Gaâ—r 4 dist 1â— q. 2. Alph. de Cast Io. de tuâ—r Clement 1. exâ—r Ioh. 22. Bull. Martin 5. â—etit 1000 minis Answ of Oxford by Admâ—nit 1 2. parliam Câ—â—â— against â— W. c. sufficient â—nowlâ—dge of the truth proposed and obstinate pertinacie in not embâ—â—ceing it wiâ—h such defence of the contrary is required to Heresie in which case the principall preachers themselues in England which haue so often chaunged their opinions and didde volunâ—aâ—ily submitte thei Religion both Pâ—â—â—tâ—nâ—s in their millinary
excommunicate before his Election neither is hee now but is both elected and setled in his throne both without any contradiction of the Pope and with his Iubet of all obedience and prohibet of deniall thereof All the Catholikes of this Kingedome applauded it as much as Protestants And his vnion and league with Catholike Princes and people abroad is sufficient answer that this is a malicious slaunder of holy Priesthood and proveth Catholikes innocent Protestants guilty and this man an vniust accuser The Argument retuâ—ned vpon Protestants with a recitaâ—l of their seditious doctrinâ— But for breuitie to passe ouer forraigne Protestants in this place I will put this disputer in minde of his brethrens dogmaticall principles and positions in this vnited Kingdome The Protestant Writers and Preachers of England defended that Wyat was no Traytor to Queene Mary And thus they wrote expresly It is lawfull to kill Kings and both by Gods law and mans law Queene Goodm pag 103 obed pa. 99. 113. Goodm pa. 99. Mary ought to be put to death what Priest of England did ever so write speake or thinke of any Protestant his Soueraigne she was a tyrant a monster a cruell beast And yet the purer sort of Protestants affirmd of Queene Elizabeth as his Lordship of Canterbury Hay an pag. 13 15. 23. Dâ—ing poliâ— pâ—g 133. 134. sup wiâ—nesseth That she was worse then her sister Many and they more suppressed by her then by the other They did write That she was not to be obeyed being against their proceedings and openly moued the greatest Subâ—egents in England to take armes against her affirming if they Suppliâ—aâ— to the gouer of Wales pa. 16. 36 37 38 39 Dâ—ng posâ—t lib 4 e. 3 4 Goodm p. 144. 145. Obed. pag 110. Knos hist pag. 37 â— Obed pag 99. 103. 104. Goodm pa. 99. Buchan iâ—â— â—â—g pag. 40. 58 Obed. pa. 111 refused it they ceased to be Magistrates These also insuing be more of their holy dogmaticall principles Euill Princes ought by the law of God to be deposed and inferior Magistrates ought to doe it cheefely It is lawfull to kill wicked Kings It were good that rewards were appointed by the people for such as kill tyrants as commonly there are for those that haue killed eyther woolues or beares or taken their whelpes The people haue the same power ouer their King that the King hath ouer any one person Iudges ought by the law of God to sommon Princes before them and to proceede against them as against all other offenders the people may arraigne the Prince the Ministers may Buchan pa. 62 Cartwr replic 2. pag. 65. Obed. pag. 115. 116. Bucha p. 70. excommunicate him any Minister may excommunicate the greatest Prince he that is excommunicate is not worthy to enioy any life vpon earth Whereby is euident the monstrous dissimulation of this people which sometimes for their aduantage will not be scrupulous to denie that with other articles of their religion and the cheefest and to say that they onely claime power to excommunicate not to depose and kill Princes And to testifie how easily Suru pretend holy Dâ—â—cipl pag. 283. 284. Buchan pag. 6 13. Obed. pag. 25 and for what ordinary offences Princes may be thus intreated the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury is witnesse that fornication drunkennesse swearing cursing fighting chiding brawling breaking of the Sabbath wanton and vaine words and the like be sufficient incitements and causes of such proceedings with them And they tell vs further That the people are better then the King and of greater authority the people haue right to bestow the Crowne at their pleasure the authority which Princes haue is giuen them from the people and the people may take it away againe as men may reuoke their Proxies and letters of Attorney Now I would demand of this obiector whether they be members of the Roman Catholike Church or the pillars of his Protestant Congregation that congregateth and gathereth together such monsters as holy children which teacheth a double prerogatiue ouer Princes one in the people when inferior Magistrates and not Magistrates may and must by their doctrine depose Kings and Soueraignes and likewise their ministery as before hath as ample or a more preeminent authority Which also concluded from these English Protestant principles If Magistrates transgresse Gods lawes themselues and commaund others to doe Goodm pa. 119. 139. the like then haue they lost that honour and obedience which otherwise their subiects did owe vnto them and ought no more to be taken for Magistrates but to be examined condemned and punished as priuate transgressors When Magistrates doe cease to doe their duties the people are as it were without officers and then God giueth the sword into their Pa. 185. 180. 184 hands And such was the vniuersall practise of all protestants especially Caluenists in all places of their holy preaching Germany Heluetia Denmarke France England and Scotland with others in foâ—mer times and at this present the Protestants in Hungary Transiluania Sweueland and the Low Countries in actuall sedition and rebellion against their Soueraignes Emperour King and Princes are instance Concerning that spirituall supremacy which the lawes of England The Kings supremacy denyed by all Puritans and eâ—ther denâ—ed or doubted of by al english protestant writers atrribute to his Maiestie it can be no question but all Puritans doe deny it which not onely teach a superior power both in people and Ministers to which the rest of the Protestants of the same congregation as before must needes consent But also in this regard that the gouernment of their Eldership or Bresbitery incomposible with Princes Supremacy is the cheefest article of their religion and distinctiue note of their reformed Church Then to come to the present Protestant writers anâ— their designements the Archbishop of Canterbury is the man which maketh Suru of preâ— Diâ—cipl relation that this was a common proposition Princes haue no more to doe with matters of the Church then the Ministers haue with the affaires of the Common-wealth And there it is alleaged that such gouernment by Princes is worse then by the Pope for diuers reasons Pa. 25â— 253. 254 255 â—â—6 c. sup there recited and not confuted by any Protestant I will recite the sentences of the principall Protestants of this time Doctor Fulke in plaine termes acknowledgeth D Fulke hâ—br c 13 â—ect 9. 1. peâ—r 2. v. 13. â—â—ct 5. Ioh. c. 21. 1. petr 5. Mat. c. 16. Bell. moâ—iu lib. 2. fol. 78 79. 80. 81 Suru part 3. c. 10 pa. 426. 1. part pag 34. Whitâ—ker contra Bellar controu 1. q 8. D. 〈◊〉 li. de concil that Emperours and Kings owe obedience to the Clergy and cannot prescribe laweâ— of Religion to Bishopâ— by their iudgements Maister Bell writeth the Ecclesiasticall affaires to be in the Cleâ—rgy as to decide controuersies and that the King hath only charge and authority to command the
be the opinion of Bannes he speaketh ignorantly in this case For the Pope himselfe Gregory the thirteenth had declared for the instruction of the vnlâ—aâ—ned that wee might performe all duties of obedience notwithstanding any censure And this we may proue by the next obiection it selfe of this accuser acknowledging how the Pope dispensed as he termeth his declaration That the Catholikes in England might professe a large obedience his owne words notwithstanding the excommunication of the Queene But where he addeth this restraint rebus sic stantibus and that it was recalled by Xistus the fift in the yeare 1588. when the Spaniards pretended inuasion I answer in the first case That Cardinall Allane better acquainted in these affaires than any protestant Writer so long after in England relateth the Popes declaration for Cardin. All. ad persâ—cut Angl. Catholikes obedience to Qâ—eene Elizabeth without any restraint or limitation neither doth this man discouer where hee findeth such restricting clause And as for Pope Xâ—stus Reuocation if any such was which he rather imagineth then prooueth it is not in force in any opinion not being published The case of the Earle of Tyrone whatsoeuer it was is not now imputed against him as his libertie and fauour in England since then be witnesse Therefore it might better be suppressed than vrged by this discouerer Hitherto I haue answered to all the obiections of this disputer against Catholike religion shewing the innocency thereof in the offences obiected and that Protestants be guilty in all and euery of the pretended crimes And in that order I haue made returne of euery Argument vpon the discouerer and his owne profession But seeing his confusion and repâ—tition of the same or eqâ—iuolent reasons was such as I haue noted before that I could not giue him so ample allowance in that kinde as his curtesie deserued except I would fall into the like repeating error I haue reserued some paiment to this place Before performance whereof I desire my Reader to remember the substance of his maior propositions in all his syllogismes that the lessâ—r and minors with their consequence may be better considered Then thus he writeth Reason 2. supr Whosoeuer professe any ciuill power soueraigne ouer Kings directly or indirectly deny necessary right of election or of succession of Princes e. shall manacle the hands of subiects detracting all obedienee suggest a doctrine of forcible deposing Princes from their thrones intend designe or practise the murther of Princes iustifie acts of treasons and parricides And snâ—kes that doe naturally sting so soone as they get warmth are sedâ—â—ious intollerable may be challenged and condemned for disordered and rebellious are manifestly rebellious desperate traitors not to be harbored in the bosome of the Common-wealth This is the general Maior proposition in all his eight recited Arguments being one and the same for the most part in substance and effect but vaâ—ied and repeated so often with this mans protracted malice Therefore ioyning all these together in one for my first proposition granted by my aduersary for most certaine I make this my second generall proposition But the Cleâ—rgy Protestant professors and patrons in all times and places as opportunitie hath beene ministred were in this case described which besides my former probations thus I demonstrate from their most dogmâ—â—ticaâ—l Protest 〈…〉 Gerâ—any principle and publike professors positions and practâ—â—es First Martin Luther the first knowne Protestant was accounted so dogmaticall principle and publike both for doctrine and practise that the prime Protestants of that time Amsdorsius Sarcerâ—â—s Mâ—â—â—hesius Michael Neander and others honoured him Amâ—â—orf praefat 〈…〉 16. 〈…〉 Carolost Aâ—dr Musc â—raes â—â—germ dâ— dâ—abol Luther to 1. â—â—nt germ fol. 522. 79 to 3. fo 334. to 4. to 5. fol. â—98 Colloq mensal foâ— 488 l. conâ—â— Henrie 8. in Psa 71 c. â—â— 3. fol 533. 326. 360. Colloq mensal fol 342 343. â—up edict Imp. with â—â—ese preeminent titles an other Saint Iohn Baptist the third and 〈◊〉 Eâ—ias the last tiumpet of God an Angelâ— of God a great Prophet mightie in word and worke a man according to the heart of God the mouth of Christ a God of Diuines the only Diuine of Diuines supreame Father of the Church c. And himselfe giueth himselfe no inferior stile a faithfull Prophet an Apostle Euangelist a liuing Saint receiuing his Gospel from God Isaias c. such a Maister aboue all Doctors Popes and Councells may be termed a publike man and his positions publike Then he saith that he careth not for Kings and so carelesse he is in this case that he censured king Henry the eight of England the Marquesse of Brandenburge the Princes of the imperiall orders the Princes of Germany the Duke of Bâ—unswicke to be vnworthy eyther of obediâ—nce from subiects or life in themselues And giuing the same doome of his owne naturall Soueraigne George Duke of Saxonie nameth him the calamitie of his Country a Tyrant passing all Tyrants Pilat Herod Iudas So he scorned To. 6. germ fol. 6. Georg. Wicell deretect Luth. Luther epist ad 〈◊〉 inst germ â—â— potest â—ecul li. cont 2. Edict Imper. the Emperour and wrote directly against his Edicts hee taught that Protestants hands must be imbrued with blood teaching that he had warrant from God to battaile against Princes Hee telleth vs it is the nature of the Gospel to raise warres and seditions that among christians there is no magistrate no superior that it is to be intreated by many prayers so holy a thing is rebellion in his sight that it must be bought with prayers that the countrymen obey not their Princes no law or fillable of law can be imposed vpon christians more then themselues will neither by men nor Angells there is no hope of remedy except all humane lawes be taken away Munster was of the same opinion and practise and called rebellion Cacl in act Luth. Ann. 1525. for his religion the warre of God affirming that hee had receiued especiall commaundement from God to warre against Kings and had promise of victorie from heauen And thereupon such rebellions ensued that of his owne adherents and traiterous protestants were slaine within the space of three monâ—ths one hundred and thirty thousands The rebellions murthers and destructions which they performed and publikely practised by words and Armes cannot be recounted And not onely Luther l. captiuit Babyl l. de bell cont Turc Munster in chro pantal chronol fol. 121 c. these miseries by their owne rebellions but by Luthers doctrine that Christians might not fight against the Turke in short time Belgrade Rhodes were taken Hungary was entered King Lodowicke slaine Buda conquered Verima Austrae besieged with two hundred fifty thousand Turkish souldiers And the Protestants of that Nation were not content with these publike opinions and practises of rebellion in themselues against their Emperours Ferdinande and Charles whom they persecuted and besieged