be saide that they doe as the firste Christians did which denyed and destroyed the false and superstitious religion of the Heathens for that the Christians did that by manifest Commission from God himselfe by working of Miracles by planting Christian religion in place thereof but the Protestantes neither doe that which they do by any authoritie from God nor euer could work any one miracle as is afore-saide and insteede of that which they reiect pull downe they place iust nothing THE XV. REASON Diuinitie IF you looke into the Vniuersities of the Catholiks of Protestants you shal see in the one the whole corps of Diuinitie and of Christian trueth most pythelie and profoundly taught but in the other nothing but a number of pelting obiections taken out of Caluins Institutions or out of the Magdeburgenses or out of some Hereticall Pamphlet together with wrested interpretations of the new Testament which they haue learned of Beza or of some such like fellow in some they trouble themselues with nothing but onely with the Controuersies of this time that is all the Diuinity which they haue or meddle withall But the Catholike Diuines studie and teache in theyr Schooles most exactlie all thinges vvhich man may in this life know of God ALMIGHTIE of his Simplicitie Perfection Goodnesse Infinitie of his being in his creatures of his immutabilitie Eternitie Vnitie knowledge and seeing of him of his names Science Idees Life Will Loue Iustice and Mercie Prouidence Power Felicitie of the Blessed Trinitie of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost of theyr Equalitie Vnitie Consubstantialitie in one GOD-HEADE of the Creation of thinges of Angels of theyr substance Incorporcitie locall motion Knowledge Will Loue Production Goodnesse and Badnesse of mans Creation of his Bodie Soule of all the powers and parts thereof of his Propagation of the end whereunto hee is created of Vertue and Vice in generall and in particular of the Incarnation of Gods Sonne ioyning two most different natures of God and Man both entire both complete without cōmixtion or confusion into the vnitie of one person of the perfections defects assumpted by him of the Resurrection Iudgemēt and of many other profound pointes vvhich the Protestantes neuer beate their braines about and indeede they cannot possiblie studie these thinges throughlie beeing somuch occupied about wooing vvenching and wiueing taking vppon them to be Doctours of Diuinitie and Husbandes also And therefore if the learnedst amongst them should appeare in Catholicke Schooles or Vniuersities abroade hee would not once dare to open his mouth in matters of Learning among the great nūber of most excellent learned men which there are founde as wee haue vvell proued by such of your Protestants as nowe and then goe abroade to forraine VNIVERSITIES and are very quicklie brought to Confesse theyr inequalitie in this kinde for that they scarce vnderstand the verie ordinarie tearmes of the learned sciences which the others doe fullie possesse And I pray you what a learned Clargie was there in Queene Maryes time in our Countrie of England in respect of these pore creatures that occupy now theyr Prebends and sit in the sunne-shine of theyr new pretended Ghospell with theyr Wiues and Children rounde about them Were not one Tonstall one Watson one Christopherson for learning one Fecknā one Gardener one White for wisdome learning togeather able to set to Schoole all your ruffed Cleargie at this day for tearme of life and after as by their workes writings yet extant doth wel appeare This grosse ignorance of these newe Ghospellers is the cause that the people doe remaine vtterly voide of the knowledge of mysteries which they are bound to beleeue vppon paine of damnation and they cannot otherwise be when as their Leaders Doctours are altogether vnskilfull of the points afore-named But if they can speake a litle Greeke and a few words in Hebrew and vse some Inke horne Eloquence with rayling against Pope and Papistes then are they forsooth deepe Diuines Take the most learned Doctour of them all and set him to reason with an Heathen or with an Atheist and you shall see what goodly arguments hee will make nay you shall see him betray the truth for lack of learning for that he is vtterly ignorant as they are all of Schoole Diuinitie And hereupon it is that theyr Preachers comming to reason vvith the Turkish Priestes haue beene driuen to yeelde and haue become Mahometans for indeed one who taketh vpon him to be Doctor of Diuinitie ought to be so instructed furnished with Philosophie Morall Physicall and Metaphysicall with Logicke and with all humane helps with Councels Fathers Histories and such like and not only with the bare text of the Bible as that he may be able to defend the faith of Christ in all points against Iewes Turkes Heathens Atheistes not only against heretiks And here I cānot but admire the prouidēce goodnes of God towards his Church in furnishing it with all kinds of learning sciences whereby it may defend and maintaine it self against all sorts of enimies be they Iewes Turks Heathens Atheists or Heretikes vvhatsoeuer for in the Vniuersities thereof you may see most learnedly substantially orderly and vniuersallie taught all Christian truth and that in short space for in 4. or 5. yeares the whole course of Diuinity is taught vnder two or three readers in the same time the Controuersies by another reader by another all the new Testament is learnedlie foundly expounded besides an 100. publike Disputations euerie yeare of some whole matter as of Baptisme of the Eucharist of the Trinitie of the Incarnation of Angels of the Supremacie c. and withall the whole Bible read ouer at Table euery yeare alwaies after Dinner and Supper two Chapters of it one of the new and another of the old testament diligentlie examined vvith familiar conference betweene the learned and the younger sort And besides all this there are taught Cases of Conscience in which is set downe what is sinne and vvhat not the differences of sinnes which great which lesser c. which is a most fruitfull a most profitable kind of knowledge and therefore is much studied and practised by Catholike Priests Diuines who teach the people thereby to rule and to order their liues and actions Neyther doth the Protestant meddle with these matters of Conscience but fraighteth his ship only with Faith and neuer beateth his braine about sinnes for that he thinketh none to be imputed to such Predestinated as they all weene them-selues to be vvhich causeth the people theyr followers to be vtterly ignorant of the nature differences and quality of sins and consequently nothing fearefull or stayed by any conscience to committ the same THE XVI REASON Holinesse of Life ALthough vpon externall outwarde holinesse vve may not infallibly inferre true Religion for that among Iewes Turkes and other Infidelles some make great shewe of piety and deuotion yet we may truelie argue that
alleadgeth the Doctours most is most praysed of the audience as you vvell know which is a pittifull thing in thē and ridiculous in the Preacher vvho cannot but know if he haue read any of them himselfe that the Fathers detest vtterly that Doctrine which hee wresteth them to confirme and in the meane time the pore audience thinketh that they were of this new Religion vvhose simplicitie therein is most pittifullie abused by the Preacher THE XI REASON Triall of Trueth IT is manifest by the Holye Scriptures that it appertaineth to the Church to try to discerne spirits as also to determine to decide doubts And agreeably therunto shee hath in all ages mastered ouer-ruled captiuated the vnderstanding of euerye one were hee neuer so wise neuer so learned or had he neuer so extraordinary giftes except he obstinatly defended an errour which if he did hee was condemned for an heretike so came to nothing The Chatholike Church I saye directed by the Holye Ghost hath euer separated from the trueth all moales all singular opinions al errours and corruptions in euerie mans workes and writings in such sorte as that easilie and securelye euerie one maie knowe the trueth And certainelie the Protestantes although they saye that they giue no credite to the CHVRCH but so farre forth as they finde in their Scriptures doe can not otherwise but receaue the same Scriptures vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit also the three Creedes of the Apostles of Athanasius and of Nice and some Articles of beleefe as the Holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father the Sonne yet as from one beginning and many tearmes as Person Trinitie Consubstantiall Sacraments c. which none coulde euer haue inuented but onely the Catholike Church Neyther is it possible for any man to know whether this Bible which is vsed amongest Christians be the true word of God indeede or some fained thing but onely vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit And Saint Augustine confesseth plainely that he would not beleeue the Ghospell but that the authoritie of the Catholike Church moued him thereunto Con. Epist Manich. c. 5. lib. 2. de doct Chr. cap. 8. And by the same Churches authoritie hee was mooued to beleeue the bookes of Tobie Iudith Canticles Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabees c. as he himself sincerelie affirmeth And surely it is wōderfull to see how the Church of God receauing the Olde Testament from the Iewes and manifesting to the world the Canon of the Holy bookes of the new Testamēt hath in al times in so many alterations and chaunges kept from the destruction corruption of Heretikes Iewes and Panims the whole authenticall corps of Holy Scripture in such maner as no Heretike in the world can charge her with adding or diminishing the least iote thereof Iudge you here whether the madnes of these new fellowes be worthie to be wondred at or no who doe credit and beleeue the Church in this point and will not doe the same in others Why should they rather trust the Church in this thē in other things And I would euery man would here consider the wonderfull integritie of the Catholike Romane Church in keeping the Holy Bible so entire and vncorrupted these fifteene hundred yeares together at the least and the atheisticall treacherie of these of the the new Religion who occupying no Bible nor hauing to doe with the holy scriptures for a thousand yeares togeather as they themselues confesse haue after the vniust vvresting it out of the handes of the iust possessors thereof robbed the Church of so many whole bookes besides of so manie partes and particles of the same What these fellowes would bring the Holy Bible vnto in time if they shuld hold on they may easily gesse vvho know their manifold corruption therof in so few yeares And yet forsooth they vvill haue all controuersies to be tried by only scriptures which if they were not by them corrupted falselie translated yet could theye neuer finde out any secure truth by them only for that none of them alloweth anie other mans exposition but his owne and in so dealing they can but haue a gesse or an opinion or fantasie but no faith at all Which thing to declare more plainely I aske the Protestant how he relying vpon only scripture can shew mee certainely vvhich bookes be Scripture and which not And if hee be vnlearned how knoweth hee that the translation which hee vseth is truely made out of Hebrew Greeke Latine And then how is hee sure of the sence exposition And if he be neuer so learned haue neuer so many helps all that hee can search and finde out is but a priuate mans opinion and consequentlie his Faith which hee seemeth to haue is grounded vpon his owne particular iudgement and so indeed is no faith at all but an opinion onely as I said before for faith must haue Gods expresse authoritie for her foundation Here you may consider the miserable state and condition of your newe Ghospellers in that forsaking the Catholike and vniuersall faith of Christendome deliuered to thē by the vniuersal Church as founded vppon Scripture vvhich Church Christ and his Apostles gaue thē expresse Commission to beleeue which was properly Faith founded vpon a rocke which could not faile in that forsaking I say that fortres they cast themselues into the waues of new opinions whereby they haue no certaintie at all but euery one chuseth vvhat hee liketh to himselfe vvhich choise is properly called Heresie and so the word signifieth And let anie Protestant in our Countrie of England tell mee why he doth rather beleeue his owne iudgement in points of Religion then the iudgement of Luther Caluin and Beza whome he thinketh were so excellent men for euery one that hath any learning knoweth that they taught otherwise then now is taught in England This you may plainely see the only touchstone of truth to be the Catholike Church which cannot faile and that they who cleaue to her iudgement haue most vndoubtedly the truth whereas on the other side they who ground only vpon Scriptures expounding them according to their owne fantasie and braine playing the Maisters and Pilots and Boat-swaines themselues admitting no iudge no interpreter no antiquitie nor any other manner of tryall which is the greatest madnesse and malediction that can be must needes be destitute of all certaintie and of all Religion and of all stay and of all foundation and of all rule and of all order and must needes wrangle and iangle without end and without meanes to make an end and must needes cause Nouelties without number and libertie of life without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to restraine them and to conclude they haue no meanes to rest vntill the end in Atheisme THE XII REASON The vse and custome of the Church THE vse custome and practise of the Church hath as it vvas in the prime thereof beene alvvaies an infallible rule to
suchlike good fellowes that by shew of Scriptures impugne it you can not but know see vvith your eyes Neyther can it be aunswered that the Sectes heere rehearsed differ one from another onlie in matters of small moment for they differ and disagree in vveightie pointes of our Saluation as might heere easilie be declared but that it vvould not benifit this mine intended breuitie so to doe This Vnitie of CATHOLICKES and discorde of PROTESTANTES most manifestlie sheweth that as the Apostles vvere they for whome our SAVIOVR prayed to his FATHER and vvas heard of him Holie Father keepe them in thy name whome thou haste giuen mee that they may be one as wee also be one Iohn seauenteene so they of the CATHOLIKE ROMAN Religion be they for vvhome in the vvordes following hee prayed and vvas heard Not for them doe I aske onely but also for them which shall beleeue by theyr preaching in mee that all may be one as thou Father in mee and I in thee that also they in vs may be one and hereof it necessarilie followeth that they be of the true CHVRCH for that none but they obserue and keepe the Vnitie vvhich hee obtained for them of his Heauenlie FATHER Aug. l. 18. de ciuit dei C. 41. And surelie it can not proceede but from the HOLIE GHOST that all Sacred vvriters of the CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH although being men of diuers Nations Times and Languages yet haue so vvonderfullie consented and agreed amongest themselues as wee see they haue done And lastlie it is wonderfull to behold how all decrees of lawfull Councels and of Popes doe agree in all points of Doctrine one with another although they were made by diuers men in diuers places at sundrie times vpon diuers occasions against Heresies not only most different but oftentimes contrarie one to another This no doubt is the finger of God THE IIII. REASON Conuersion of Countries IT is most plaine and manifest that all Countries which euer beleeued in Christ were first conuerted to his faith by such as eyther were precisely sent or at the least-wise had their authoritie from the Pope which liued in the time in which they were conuerted This thing is so openly set downe in the Historie of the first conuersion of euery Countrie as no Protestant were he neuer so impudent can without blushing denie it True it is that Heretiks haue corrupted such as were Catholikes before but that they euer conuerted any Heathen Nation to Christianitie can neuer be shewed I know very well that Iohn Caluin to get glorie sent certaine of his Ministers into new-found landes but I neuer could heare that any of them euer cōuerted so much as one sillie woman to their Ghospell in those partes The truth is their agreement in doctrine was so great that one destroying anothers buildings they became laughing stocks to the Heathens so were glad to depart with shame But who knoweth not that the Catholikes as they haue conuerted all to Christianitie that euer were Christians so in this age they haue brought infinite numbers to the Christian faith in the East and West Indies by the meanes and labours of the most happie holy Fathers of the holy Order of S. Frauncis of S. Dominick of the blessed Society of IESVS which blessed Religious men in our owne Countrie there of England onlie in regard of theyr Sacred function are executed as Traitors And haue not these I pray you theyr authoritie from ROME I will not here speake of the infinite number of Miracles vvrought by Catholikes in the conuersion of countries namely of those which are now done in both the Indies by the Holie Fathers aforesaid for that I reserue that matter for his proper place but I vvould aduise you here diligentlie to weigh the sequele of the Assertion of the Protestants how that if Papistes be not true Christians of the right religion then doth it necessarilie follow that neither Spaniards nor Portingales nor Sardinians nor Sicilians nor Italians nor Germanes nor Trāsyluanians nor Hungarians nor Polonians nor Danes nor Flemminges nor Scots nor Irish nor English no nor any Nation vnder Heauen had euer true Religion before Fryar Luther married Nonne Bore before Iohn Caluine runne away to Geneua before Peeter Martyr vvith his Fustelugges came to teach at Oxford and before a number of such like good companions ledde only by sensualitie carnall zeale dishodded themselues and became such spectacles to the worlde as euerie man knoweth Which thing to affirme is flatlie to denie Christ all Christianity as I shewed in my first Reason And surely I am greatly cōfirmed in the Catholike Religion beholding the Heauenly maner vsed by the professors thereof in gayning soules to Almightie GOD for that I see them neyther to spare goodes nor labours no nor theyr owne liues so that they may vvinne people to Heauen GREGORYE the thirteenth Pope of that name in these our dayes spent all the renennewes of the Popedome in founding SEMINARIES COLLEDGES in diuers Landes and Prouinces thereby to restore the Catholike religion Manie Holie and Religious Priests doe goe dayly into Germany into Hungary into Greece into Palestina into Aegypt into Syria into Aethiopia into Africa into Moscouia into Ireland into Scotland into England and into other heretical heathen countries yeelding themselues to all daungers by sea and land and to all worldly miseries hauing mortified all theyr carnall affections renounced all riches honors and kindred and hauing made themselues most ready for their graue and consequently for another world moued only by the zeale of sauing soules And it mooueth mee not a little to see vvhat patience mildnesse and quietnesse these men vse in all theyr dooinges And I see also on the other side that no protestant euer had so great zeale of his Religion as that he would for spreading abroade the same forgoe any worldly commodity either by founding Seminaries or Colleges in Countries or by going or sending where any difficulty or daunger was but as one wholly respecting this worlde he walloweth in wealth pleasures at home or if by any accident he be compelled to flie into forraine Countries hee may not trauaile except his preatie parnell goe vvith him but such a one to goe simplie as they say bona fide to conuert others was yet neuer seene And if by anie occasion offered vnto such they goe about to plant theyr Ghospell anie vvhere they doe it in such a turbulent and mutinous maner and not by Epistles after Saint Paules vse but by Pistols as Beza did as euerie one may see what spirit pricketh them forward Neyther doe they take anie other course in theyr proceedinges but to destroy States and Kingdomes to displace lawfull Monarchies and Magistrates as the Low-Countries Germany and Scotland can sufficientlie witnesse and euer theyr beginning is of Pride and Enuie as Luthers vvas or by abusing them-selues in theyr former estate as Sir Iohn Caluin did or by yeelding
amongst what company or congregation soeuer there is not generally any piety deuotion mortification or holinesse of life but contrary-wise impiety irreligiosity carnallity and losenesse of life vniuersally to be seene and that necessarily issuing out of the bowelles of their doctrine that there possibly can be no true Religion For that the spirit of God who guideth directeth and as it were informeth true Religion will not suffer it to be vniuersally fruitlesse and of no efficasie For otherwise it should be frustrated of it end which is to make the embracers thereof Holy good And besides it was foretolde by the Prophet Esa cap. 11 that CHRIST his Doctrine should alter mens conditions and natures so as such as were most fierce sauage and wicked before should by it become most humble kind gentle which can no way be applied to the Protestants as their bloody tragedies raised in Fraunce Flaunders Scotland Switzerland and in other partes of Germany sufficiently doe witnesse where were slaine aboue an hundred thowsande people within one yeere by the rebellion and wars of the countriemē against their Lords for the controuersie of Religion such humility Sledan obedience and meekenesse of hart this new Doctrine imprinted presentlye as it came And albeit externall holinesse doth not as is aforesaide necessarilie inferre true religion yet doth it giue a great presumption thereof especially if there be inwarde zeale and aboue all Charity Nowe it cannot be but most plaine to euery one who knoweth both that the liues of Catholikes in all landes and that in all ages and namely of our auncestours and predecessours there in Englande were are of those who now be for the most part most Holy most Innocent most Religious and most Godly and the liues of the Protestantes ordinarilye most lewde loose and voide of piety And first if you take a viewe of the Cleargie of the Religious-men weomen of the Catholike church you shal finde infinit numbers to haue lead Celestiall and Angelicall liues heere on earth free from all worldly carnall earthly desires with contempt of all humane transitory things as S. Paul the first Eremite S. Anthony S. Hilarion S. Greg. S. Ier. S. Aug. S. Bern. S. Fraun S. Dom. S Bened. S. Thom. Aquinas S. Bonauenture with innumerable others such-like whose liues were most heauenly togeather with millions of professed Virgins vowed Widdowes poore by wil and promise persons of both sexes dedicated to God by renouncing the vvorlde with the delightes thereof some liuing in Deserts or Caues of the earth some in Cloysters in communitie vnder obedience with infinite numbers of secular Priestes most godlie and deuoute And although I will not denie but that some there were among the Cleargie and Religious people in this latter age which liued not according to theyr Orders Rules but scandalized the Church of God yet may I truelie say that they who did so vvere not the hundreth part so many as the Protestantes most falsely make them But the trueth is that among a great number for there were of Priestes and Religious men at the least fiue times so many as there be now ministers a few were bad and now the ministers being but fewe in respect of them are all naught And no meruaile for the Catholike Cleargie and Religious persons were by theyr Orders bound to sundrie diuers houres of prayer as to seauen in the day night the religious to rise euery night at midnight to pray sing laudes to God when others sleep two or three houres togeather besides other Exercises Contemplations and Meditations in the day time and neuer to haue so much as one vvhole houre voyde of some godlie employmentes I would you did but see the manner of the liues of the blessed Capucynes which here to recount would be so long and hardlie could I reckon vp all theyr holy Exercises of mortifications or of the happie Fathers of the Societie of Iesus or of others such like Oh what Fasting what Prayer vvhat Meditation what Contemplation what wearing of Haire-cloth what whiping of themselues what watching what visiting of the sicke what teaching of the ignoraunt vvhat rebuking of Sinners vvhat comforting of the afflicted shoulde you beholde These pray whilest your ministers playe These taste whilest they feaste These meditate the Contempt of the World whilest they beat their braines to compasse worldly commodities These Watche sing Praises to God in the Night whilest they in a warme bedde hugge their Sweete heart in their armes Who is he amongest you which seeth not and is not ashamed of the liues of your ministers Are not some of them almost in euery circuite hanged for robberies for rapes imprisoned for Zodomie for hauing diuers wiues at once for debt and for other knaueries The law bindeth them to haue but one Wife at once and shee must bee vewed by two Iustices of Peace to see that shee be a maide for sooth But doe they not now then take their wiues from Colmans hedge Frō thence had the vicar of wearam his trul by his own confession and some other common strumpets and doe not theyr wiues proue thereafter An hundred examples I could here alleadge to prooue these thinges but I will not pollute my paper at this time with such filthie matter Looke into the Laitie of the Protestants and tell mee weather there euer was such Pride especially in apparell Did not all these new-fashioned attyres come in with your new religion Your loose Gownes your Traines your Verdingales your Borders your Peringles your Coronets your Wyres your Ruffes starched white blew c. your Shew me whome this Ghospell hath made of a rauenous glutton a sober abstainer of cruell gentle of couetous liberall of a slaunderer a good reporter of an vnchaste sinner a vertuous liuer I will shew thee many that haue bin made worse then them-selues Thus far Erasmus And no meruaile though the followers be such when as theyr verie first Apostle Ringleader and Reformer of all who first broake the ice was indeed the Authour and founder of theyr Religion led a most brutishe life for was he not a leacherous Friar tooke he not a Nunne to Wife if so I may tearme it An act not onlie forbidden by holie writ but by the Ciuil Lawes L. Si quis non dicā cap. de Epist Cop. cleric and by Iouinian the Emperour aboue a thousand yeres agoe and that vnder the paine of death Surpassed he not all other in Pride Confesseth hee not that hee had conference with the diuell about the Masse Was not Enuie and Couetousnes the causes of his reuolt Read his life and see whether hee was a man fit to Reforme the Christian Worlde or rather sent to shame all his followers Good Lord that men can be so blinde and so bewitched as to thinke that the trueth from Heauen should be reuealed to such a one or that such should haue grace to know the trueth
done Satisfaction for his sinnes In artic Smalcal dic in artic 3. fal paenit papist that he is therby iust before God without Christ or faith which is a lye no lesse shamefull than the other For the Catholikes teache that no Iustice is had no sinne forgiuen no good thing obtained but by the Passion of our Sauiour Christ 6. They affirme that the Papists doe worship Saints in steed of Christ doe honour them as Gods which is a grose impudent lye as euery maÌ„ knoweth Hadd cont Osorium 7. They are not ashamed to write that Religion was not changed in England but by the coÌ„sent of the Bishops that the landes goods of Abbies Religious houses were distributed to Godly vses as to Schooles Vniuersities Hospitals And that the Pope for an ordinary tribute to him yeerely paide giueth free leaue vnder his great seale to Priestes to keepe concubines openly without controlement And the like lies they lay vpon the auncient Fathers as Melancthon said of S. Austen In Apol. tit de pec orig that he taught Originall sinne to be taken awaye in Baptisme not that it was not any more but that it was not imputed Whereas S. Austen spoke not there of Originall sin but of concpiscence So they say S. Bernard recaÌ„ted monachisme at his later ende Luth. tom 5. Ien. ger fol. 457. Teleman Heshus l. 1. de vera ec p. 60. that most of auncient writers Fathers retracted reuoked before they died the Doctrine which they had written or else that they thought otherwise than they wrote spoke By this meanes to defend their newe doctrine to shift off the auncient Fathers which are altogether plainly against it they are constrained to lay two notable lies vpoÌ„ the said fathers the one that they recalled their doctrine before their death the other that they wrote spoke one thing but thought another And no maruell though they slaunder wrong in this Atheistical manner the Holy Fathers when as some of them spare not the Apostles themselues If the three Apostles Peter Paul Barnabas Tom. 3. Ien. Ger. fol. 261. saith Luther had not held their tackle about Faith without works al the multitude had failed therin Iames stuÌ„bled in it But of this kind of stuffe I wil not here alleadge any more he who desireth to hear moe of their lies slauÌ„ders may find theÌ„ aboundantly set down by diuerse sundry authors at this day but yet take with you this saying of your M. Luther He who once lieth Tom. 1. Germ. fol. 423. saith he certainly is not of God is worthily suspected in all things And as for reuiling railing I thinke that Lucifer himselfe coulde little haue exceeded the Protestants therein especially their first Apostle the saide Martine Luther who with filthy beastly scuruy opprobrious speeches so be daubeth the Catholike church the magistrats therof as euery one may see what spirite possessed his heart the same out of all doubt which delighteth in filthinesse scurrility And to the end you may haue some aime what kinde of fellowe this Arche-apostle of your protestantisme was I wil here brieflie set downe a few words of his filthie mouth Hee calleth the Archbiship of Ments being a Prince Elector descended of the Princely Electorall familie of Brandeburge Tom 3. Germ. fol. 533. a. b. f. 326. 360. col mens f. 342. 343. a fraudulent a most shamefull lyar a shifting Bishop a filthie shitten Priest an hellish Cardinall a great a notable Epicure an impudent and euill worme a damned and lost man a craftie scoffer the greatest knaue that euer was except Nero Caligula c. Hee reuileth the Princes of the Empire Tom. 5. Germ. in glossa super edictuÌ„ imperat which did meete at the Diet at Angusta Anno. 1530. calling them traitours wicked men the diuels seruantes knaues madde hogges great and grosse asses Hee calleth the Princes of Germanie fooles Tom. 3. fol. 195. b. fol. 200 190. Tom. 2. scales and bubles of the Pope Gods Isbeers and hangemen Germane beasts the diuels puppies c. Hee braggeth that he esteemed the King of England and other Catholike Princes as miserable beggers dizzards and fooles vvhich make him pastime and as new nâ—ttes which he would haue to glorie and to sing in this manner Here wee nits doe sit vpon the head of the noblest beast in the earth in his haire wee are of a base lynage lice are our Parents those great Giants which killed euen Scilla the Romane Emperour Tom. 3. IeÌ„ Ger. f. 331. f. 334 a. and many others What haue wee to doe with Luther a begger it is true you are nits but yet you are not lice And in his infamous libell against the said King of England hee hath great store of oprobrious titles and names as Henrie by the inclemencie of God King of England King of lyes c. So dealt hee vvith that moste famous Prince George Duke of Saxonie Tom. 2. Ger. fol. 206. a. Tom. 6. f. 6. calling him a Tyrant freneticall mad possessed corporally of the diuell the diuels Apostle c. And in his infamous libell entituled Wider hans worst hee calleth Henry Duke of Brunswicke a grosse asse a stocke a tronke an impudent liar a mad man lunatike damned the theefe on the left hand asse of all asses in Wolfenbutell a pudding a sausage an house-firer who stuffeth him-selfe not by drinking wine but by deuouring and drinking Diuelles a fearefull fugitiue knaue a doting eunuch Prince of cut throats a broudy dogge by a thousand such like names But against the Catholike diuines yea and against his own of-spring the SacrameÌ„taries Iesu what terms vseth he where he hath so often that malepert interiection Trotz Swinglius setting forth the said Luther in his colours bringeth him in this maner reuiling In resp a. v. a. Sweâ—mer a knaue a diuell a theefe an hypocrite Trotz Botz Plotz Plitz tonitru po pu pa plump c. And when he had put the word Sola of his own braine into the text Rom. 3. beeing admonished by some of it he braied out said Tom. 5. Germ. fol. 141. fol. 144. Doctor Martine Luther will so affirmeth that a Papist and an asse are all one I wil haue it so I commaund it so againe Luther will so saith that he is a doctor aboue all the doctors in the Papacy Yea afterward it repented him that he had not corrupted the text of the Apostle worse in putting in more of his owne head and that he had not made the Apostle to say We suppose a man to be iustified by faith only without all works of al Lawes And many moe such like outrages I could here set down of his but I hope these maye suffice to make you to knowe what a milde and modest man this reformer of the christian worlde
Cirinth for the Apostles Lib. 3. c. 30 and their schollers as witnesseth Nicephorus vvere so warie in this case that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them that endeuoured by their leasinges to corrupt the truth And holy Ignatius boldly affirmeth that Epist 6. ad Philadelphenses vvho so flieth not from a false preacher shal be damned into Hell 13 I should be partaker of all their wickednes consequently in daunger of al the punishment mischiefe which may befal them especially being present with them at the deede wherein principally they offend God from vvhich thing I am discouraged by the terrible death of all thē which were in company with the Schismatikes Chore Num 16. Dathan and Abiron which example as saith Saint Cyprian ought to mooue vs not to assiste or further Hereticall oblations Cyp. Epist 76. praiers sermons and errours 14 I should contrary to the iudgements of the learned of all Religions for the Gentiles thought it not lawfull to enter into the Iewes Synagogues Lact lib. 4. 5. diuin instit cur Senec de hist mahom chronic Wolsang Drisl Eus lib. 3. 4. Aug. li. de vnit Ecl. lib. 2. coa Petilian Ioh. Gard. in his Cat. art 86. or into Christiā Churches The Turks at this day refuse to doe the same the Arrians Donatists and such like would not one goe to anothers conuenticles nor to the Catholikes seruice nor the Catholikes to any of theirs The Anabaptistes will not goe to the Lutherans Churches nor the Lutheranes to the Trinitaries The Puritanes vvill hardlie be drawen to Protestantes seruice neither will the Protestantes in Catholike Countreis come to Catholike Seruice And the Iewes will not go to any Seruice but their own Those Protestantes which in Queene Maries dayes had anie conscience refused to go to Masse And therefore in reason you shoulde not mooue me much lesse vrge me to doe the thing vvhich the learned on your side in theyr owne case would not doe because they iudge it vnlawfull 15 I should doe euil to goe to your Seruice because I cannot but in mine own conscience iudge it to be dishonourable to God and consequentlie naught For to omit to speake how it is deuised by your selues and how your fellovv PVRITANES doe vtterlie condemne it I knowe your Translations of Holie Scriptures to be false shameles so as if my scholler should translate one of Tullyes Epistles in such corrupt maner I would soundlie breeche him for his labour Then your Ministers are no Priestes but meere Lay-men consequently haue no authoritie to deale in such things Besides you haue in your Seruice diuerse false and blasphemous things put them to the people for Scripture as in a Geneua Psal you pray to be defended frō Pope Turke Papistry c. And to speake what I thinke you haue left out all good thinges haue chosen to your selues iuste nothing of Catholike seruice although the people were made to beleeue that it was the old Seruice put into English 16 I shoulde goe to that Seruice which neuer was heard of in the world before these dayes nor yet is in anie place els in all the world but onelie there in England 17 I shoulde goe to that Seruice which you amongst your selues cannot agree vpō or decree to continue And it had by all likelihoode beene chaunged againe before this day if the grauer sorte had not made some stay for feare of incurring the note of inconstancy for how many bils I pray you haue there bin put vp in Parliaments about the chaunging of your Seruice Agree therefore amongest your selues first what seruice you will haue to continue and then I will aunswere you reasonablie to your demaund 18 In so doing my soule should goe one way and my body another which ought not to be for if they should goe two waies in this worlde they could not be ioyned togeather after the resurrection in the next life but the one should goe to heauen the other to hell which cannot be for if the bodie serue not God together with the soule in this life why should it enioy heauē in the next And if it be with Protestantes at their Seruice in this worlde why should it not be where the Protestants be in the next 19 I should loofe all the benefit of Catholike religion so either leaue off all conscience or els liue in continuall torment of mind and if I should die in that state I should be vtterlie cast away for euer Besides I shoulde loose the merite of all the good works that I euer did in all my life because I giue ouer working before euening so loose my pennie wages which otherwise would be truely paide mee Mat. 20 20 If I should so doe either to gratifie you other of my friends or by commaūdement of any power vnder her Maiestie neyther you nor they could take it well or account of mee better then of a trayterous caitiue for that you must needs think that I who will violate my faith to God almighty in doing contrarie to my cōscience iudgment for any worldly respect will easily breake my faith promise with man according to the iudgment of Constantius the Emperour Eus de vit canstant l. 1. cap. 11. for how can he be true vnto man that is conuicted of periurie to God verily such must needs be deemed of the wise to be flatterers turne-coates and great hypocrits 21 And now to come to the aunswere which you say women such sillie soules are accustomed to make I should do contrary to my conscience which thing in no case is lawfull to be done Yea if your seruice were good godly indeed the very true Seruice of God yet so long as I thinke otherwise of it I may in no case yeeld to go to it because an erroneous conscience bindeth a man to follow it neuer to doe any thing against it according to iudgement of all learned men of what sect or religion soeuer they be And therefore you may not request me much-lesse vrge me to go to your seruice before I be perswaded in my conscience that it is lawful so to doe Greatly therfore doe you offend God there in England in forcing people to goe to the Church contrary to their consciences and in imprisoning those who refuse so to do for no man is able to maister his own conscience knowledge and to doe against it he ought not therefore it is not in his power or will to goe to your Seruice without offence 22 I should do contrary to the Cānons custome of the Catholik church and against the examples of all Holie Saints learned Fathers Contrarie to the 63. Canon of the Apostles and against Concil Carth. 4. cap. 71. 72. Cōcil Antioch cap. 2. 5. Con. Laodicen c. 9. 32. 33. 37. Con. Mag. Later cap. 70. and against diuers