non comminus videndae pictures are faire a farre off but if the eye draw neare them there is no shew of them Before I come to the matter I will examine the title of his booke in which he hath placed a peece of holy Scripture taken out of S. Peter 1. Peâ— 3. who willeth all men to be readie to giue an answer of that hope which is in them what then is become of the vnfolden faith of Papists who will haue simple men to answer that they beleeue as the Church beleeueth S. Peter speaketh of the hope that is in them not out of them in themselues not in another In a word to say they beleeue as the Church beleeueth is an answer fit for all heretikes Furthermore out of this place of S. Peter we gather that Christian men haue a hope in them yet Pope Iohn the 23. denied the immortalitie of the soule Bellarmine had rather discredit the Councill of Constance in which this is reported then confesse an errour There is one thing yet to be touched in his answer vnto the coppie of a letter in which he protesteth his loyaltie to our late gracious Queene Elizabeth May we trust him If I should demaund of him whether he alloweth the Bull of Pius Quintus or no it may be I should pose him The Papists teach that the Pope may depose Princes and yet they will be good subiects If he answereth that he is not a Papist in this point where is his Vnitie of which he vaunteth in one of his reasons Parrie confessed that euery word in Doctor Allens booke was a warrant to a prepared minde Doâ—t Bill 704. It taught that Kings may be excommunicated depriued and violently handled it prooueth that all warre vndertaken for Religion is honourable Thus M. Doctor you see we haue cause to doubt of your loyaltie but I leaue that to God Almightie who searcheth the hearts of all men and come to your Reasons In answering your arguments I purpose to draw them to syllogismes your first argument hath in it this syllogisme They which make the prophesies of Christ to be false hold a false religion But the Protestants make the prophesies of Christ to be false Ergo they hold a false religion I denie the assumption which you prooue out of the 12. of Iohn where Christ foretelleth that he will draw all men vnto him but by the Protestants doctrine Christ hath not done so Ergo. I denie the assumption againe for exposition of which place of holy writ in hunc locum I produce Augustine who writeth thus Quae omnia nisi ex quibus Ille eijcitur foras non autem dixit omnes sed omnia non enim omnium est sides What all but those out of which Sathan is cast he said not all men but all things for all men haue not faith Againe Augustine writeth thus Aut si omnia ipsi homines intelligendi sunt omnia praedestinata ad salutem possumus dicere If by all things all men are meant we may vnderstand all the predestinate vnto saluation Your other Scriptures foretell the calling of the Gentiles which we confesse To proceede in this argument was not Christ true in his promise when as Act. 1.15 the Church was but about a hundred and twentie soules here is no great number and yet this small number was in a chamber In the 13. of the Reuel v. 3. the whole earth wondered at the beast yet is Christ true in his promise In your Apologie of English fugitiues thus you shall finde it written The whole world did runne from Christ after Iulian to plaine Paganisme after Valens to Arrianisme The Rhemists vpon the second of the Thessalonians acknowledge a reuolt from the Church Nazianzen in his oration of Cyprian saith that Cyprianus in temporibus Decij solus è Christianis est relictus S. Cyprian in Decius his time was the onely Christian Thâ—oph lib. 1. cap. 16. Read Aug. in 128 psal and Teâ—tul eâ—hor ad Caâ—i Paciâ—nus in part ad poâ—ni The Arrian Emperour speaketh thus vnto Liberius Quota pars tu es orbis terrarum qui solus facis cum homine scelerato orbis terrarum mundi â—otius pacem dissoluis What part of the world art thou that onely takest part with the wicked man and dissoluest the peace of the whole earth Liberius answereth Non diminuitur solitudine mea verbum sidei nam olim tres soli fuere qui edicto resisterent In that I am left alone the word of faith is not diminished for in times past there were three onely which resisted the kings edict Thus euery man may see Christ true in his promise though the church be not alwaies glorious in outward appearance I will now retort the argument vpon the Papists themselues They which hold that the faith of Christ may be wholly extinguished make the promises of Christ vntrue But the Papist holdeth that the faith of Christ may be wholly extinguished Ergo. The assumption is auouched by Dominicus Asote who saith Lib. 3. dâ— Papâ— cap. 17. as testifieth Bellarmine himselfe that extinct a fide per discessionem ab Apostolica sede totus mundus vanus erit the faith beeing extinguished by a departure from the Apostolicall See the whole world shall be vaine I may speake therefore of this Doctor as Tullie doth to one Ea in alterum ne dicas quae cum tibi responsa sunt erubescas vtter not these things against another which when they are answered will make thee ashamed Now I come to vntruths which are auouched in this chapter First he chargeth vs that we affirme that almost all nations haue beene in Lucifer his thraldome vntill this our age in which Luther came to expell Lucifer Secondly he affirmeth that in our countrey of England it is most manifest that all were Papists without exception froÌ„ the first christening thereof vntill this age of king Henrie the eight M. Doctor haue you lost your forehead was Iohn Wickliff a Papist I perswade my selfe you dare not affirme it Againe this land receiued the faith in the Apostles time as witnesseth Tertullian in his book against the Iewes But the Apostles preached not Poperie Did the Apostles teach the halfe communion who but blind would affirme it Againe in Pope Gregories time this land differed in ceremonies in celebration of the Masse from Rome as b 2. 2. 93 quaest art 1. arg 3. Aquinas teacheth who list to read more of this point may be referred vnto D. Fulks ouerthrow of Stapletons fortresse Thus I haue answered this first cauill of the Doctor against our religion for I passe by the title that he giueth to Lucifer calling him the master deuill The difference of deuills I leaue to Papists to set forth who are sometimes too familiar with them Tasc temp as Silvester who was made Pope by the helpe of the deuill Luther his speach concerning the restoring of the Gospel must be
A QVARTRON OF REAsons composed by Doctor HILL vnquartered and prooued a quartron of follies by Francis Dillingham Bachelour of Diuinitie August in Senten Inimici Ecclesiae si tantummodo adversantur male sentienda exercent eius sapientiam The Churches enemies if they be onely her aduersaries by false opinions doe exercise her wisdome HINC · LVCEM · ET · POCVLA · SACRA Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1603. And are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT HOnourable and my very good Lord OLIVER Lord S. Iohn Baron of Blettenshoe Grace and peace THe paines of Papists Right Honourable in propagating the Romish religion should mooue sincere Protestants to be painefull in defending the truth of the eternall God who in hiâ— rich mercie amongst other innumerable benefits bestowed vpon this land hath giuen vs the benefit of his holy word not in a strange tongue as it was in the daies of Poperie but in our mother tongue that it may be a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our paths This light the Papists haue laboured to extinguish by treasons by writings and all meanes that they could vse but blessed be God frustra illis est they are deceiued Now least it should seeme strange to any that heretikes should be so laborious in auouching heresie may it please him to consider that Idolaters haue bin studious in maintaining their idolatrie Ieroboam made two calues 1 King 12. the one of them he placed at Bethel and so made it Bethauen the other at Dan and so made it a denne of Idolaters The Israelites offered their children to Moloc behold the rage of idolatrie If men could be content that their children should be sacrificed vnto idols shall we thinke it strange that some should write bookes to subuert the truth of religion Wherefore to leaue this point and to returne to that which I said in the beginning that the labours of Papiâ—ts should be a spurre to Protestants to defend the Gospel now publikely authorized in England Why should not we be as carefull for Gods glorie as they are for the glorie of their purple whore But I feare some are like the beete which is good both in winter and sommer others haue bought farmes or it may be haue married wiues that is they are so addicted to the world and to their pleasures that they haue no leisure to write I would these men would consider of Christ his commandement Negotiamini donec venero vse trafficke vntill I come But to leaue these loyterers in the Lords vineyard vpon the forenamed consideration I haue endeauoured my selfe to answer a booke called a Quartron of Reasons for the Catholike religion which booke as I dedicate to your Honour so I humbly desire you to accept the same as a token of my dutifull minde towardes you The author of this pestilent pamphlet commendeth the Romish religion for peace dâ— privil 〈◊〉 yet Theodoricus de Niem saith that vnum patet one thing is manifest after the suppression of the Imperiall power nothing but factions did spring vp in the Catholike Church especially in Italie And as he is not ashamed to lie in this point so doth he also in saying that in England all were Papists without exception from the first christening thereof vntill this age of king Henrie the eight yet Ministers were married many hundred yeares in England as M. Camden sheweth in his Britannia in many places In the 129. page of the third edition he prooueth that ante annum 1102. sacerdotibus vxores in Anglia non fuerunt interdictae Ministers were not restrained from marriage before the yeare of our Lord a 1102. And as Ministers were married so Transubstantiation was not acknowledged likewise a long time as may be seene by Aelfricus his epistle against the bodily presence Moreouer the author as he laboureth to disgrace all Protestants in generall so especially he inueyeth against Luther wherefore to stoppe the mouthes of Papists I will set downe the testimonie of Langius a Papist concerning Luther First he saith that he was vir venerandus profundissimus Theologus a reuerend man and most profound Diuine Afterward he writeth thus Martinus ille theologorum nostrae tempestatis omnium facile princeps doctrinam suam Evangelicis testimoniis divi Apostoli Pauli necnon priscorum orthodoxorum patrum originalibus dictis roborans comprobans perstitit invictus The same Martin the most wise ringleader of the diuines of our age confirming and strengthening his doctrine with testimonies out of the Gospel and out of S. Paul the Apostle and also with the originall sayings of the ancient orthodoxall fathers perfisted invincible This testimonie may suffice to cleare Luther from the friuolous quarrels that this slanderer hath written against him Bellarmine maketh the confession of the aduerse part to be a note of the Church Hence then are we prooued the Church by this confession of Langius The same author exceedingly commendeth Hierome of Prage saying that he was orator eloquentissimus atque acerrimus dialecticus adeo quod nullus doctissimorum virorum in Concilio disputando eum superare poterat He was the most eloquent Orator and fine Logician that the learnedest man in the Councell could not ouercome him in disputation Mutius his testimonie of the same man is worthie to be heard Erat saith he Hieronymus vir eloquentissimus insignis cum in omni philosophiae genere tum praecipue in sacris literis Hierome was a most eloquent and famous man in all philosophie but especially in the holy Scriptures Now what cause this proud Papist hath to vaunt of their owne learning and to disgrace the Protestants let euery man iudge seeing Protestants by the Papists owne confession haue beene such famous men Lastly not to be long the author of this booke extolleth the holinesse of their religion touching which point let that ancieÌ„t writer Aronobius speak who in his seuenth booke hath this sentence Crescit multitudo peccantium cum redimendi peccati spes datur facile itur ad culpas vbi est vaenalis ignoscentium gratia Sinners doe much encrease when there is hope giuen to redeeme their sinnes and men easily commit faults where pardons are sold Then is the Romish religion dissolute which selleth pardons Not to proceede any further the Lord multiplie his graces vpon you and your vertuous Ladie to your soules good and the benefit of his Church Your Honours euer to command Francis Dillingham THE FIRST REASON Of Prophesies IF M. Doctor had contended pondere argumentorum and not multitudine with sound arguments and not with a multitude he might happily haue perswaded some to his religion whereas now by reason of the weaknes of his reasons he hath rather hindred many from the same then moooued any vnto it That which is commonly said of pictures hath a fit place in this worke of doctor Hill Picturae eminus
epist 1. ad Cor. cap. 7. But let Erasmus speake concerning this matter Qui sit how commeth it to passe saith he that the decrees of this Pope fight with the decrees of that Pope That I say nothing of Formosus doe not the decrees of Iohn the 22. and Nicholas fight one against another what should I speake of Innocentius and Coelestinus Pelagius and Gregories decrees one contrarie to another By these examples appeareth the Doctors vanitie The fourth reason conuersion of countries In this fourth reason the framer of it according to his custome beginneth with an vntruth saying that all countries which euer beleeued in Christ were first conuerted to his faith by such as either were precisely sent or at least wise had their authoritie from the Pope The Apostles which receiued authoritie from Christ himselfe not from Peter conuerted many countries That the Apostles receiued authoritie from Christ himselfe the scriptures are plaine in the 20. of Iohn our Sauiour saith As the father hath sent me so send I you what can be more plaine Paul saith of himselfe that he was an Apostle neither of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ How many countries did Paul conuert Concerning this land I spake something before Read Theodoret his 4. booke and 3. chap. where he reckneth England amongst the Christian lands Chrysostome as the same writer testifieth comparavit viros aemulatores Apostolicorum laborum eosque ad Scythias misit prouided men followers of the Apostles labours and sent them to the Scythians The Indians were conuerted by Frumentinus whome Athanasius ordained Bishop as the same author testifieth in his 1. booke and 12. chap. The people of Iberia were conuerted per captivam mulierem by a woman that was a captiue Ruff. lib. 1. cap. 10. by all which cleare and pregnant proofes euery man may see the boldnes of the authors assertion But now I come to reduce his reason into a syllogisme They which take paines in conuersion of countries hold the true religion But the Papists take paines in conuersion of countries ergo I denie the proposition and say to the Papists as our blessed Sauiour spake to the Pharisies Math. 23. woe be to you Papists for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell Heretikes haue laboured to conuert or rather to peruert men Paul in the 2. Tim. 3.13 affirmeth that euill men shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and beeing deceiued The Arrians peruerted many kingdomes Read Sigebert in his chap. de regno Gothorum as witnes Theodoret and others writers As touching the conuersion of the west Indians if things be true that are reported Sadeel con are pos in novo illo orbe amplius decies centena millia barbarorum aut fame aut gladio perierunt in the new found world aboue tenne hundred thousand haue perished either by famine or by sword If our Sauiour Christ had saide Goe kill all nations when he saide Goe teach all nations he had fitted the Papists humour What Gregorie spent in founding Seminaries to restore Catholike religion I know not but this I am sure of that Papists haue taken paines in contriuing of treasons here in England But to returne to the Indies The people there liued not onely without all manner of knowledge of God but also wilde and naked without any ciuill gouernement Iuel 42. pag. beeing in this miserable estate some worshipped the sunne some familiar deuills what maruell then if they were easily ledde into any religion especially carrying such a shew of apparrell and other ceremonies But doe not the Protestants take paines in winning of soules vnto God Calvine not to speake of others read almost two hundred lectures euery yeare and preached aboue two hundred sermons Who conuerted England Scotland Ireland and other countries from Antichrist to Christ from the Masse to the Messias from Images to the seruice of the liuing God did not poore Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius and other Protestants the ministers of England labour in their owne charges preaching in season and out of season God is as well glorified in the conuersion of a soule here as in other countries But doe the Papists now labour in conuerting of soules in times past it was not so hodie proh dolor saith Aeneas Sylvius Lib. 1. de geâ—â— con Basil now alas he is a rare Prelate which doth not preferre temporall things before spirituall things Againe Nos ignavia nostra nimia vitae cupiditate Christianam religionem ex toto orbe in angulum redegimus we by our lasinesse and great desire of life haue drawne religion out of the world into a corner of the same Clemangis in his booke which he wrote of the corrupt state of the Church speaketh thus Multò aequanimiùs ferunt decem millium animarum iacturam quà m decem solidorum Pontifices suas traditiones divinis longè mandatis anteponunt they had rather loose ten thousand soules then tenne shillings the Popes preferre their traditions farre before Gods commandements Thus then I returne the argument They which esteeme money more then the soules of men are not the true Church But the Papists esteeme money more then the soules of men Ergo. Whether M. Calvin sent ministers or no into new found lands I know not neither am I priuie to the successe they had Ezekiel was sent to the Iewes that they might know that there had beene a Prophet amongst them the fault is not in the doctrine but in the men who resist the same I will not dispute whether a wicked man may be a meanes to winne soules as a good master bestoweth a good almes by the ministerie of an euill seruant so also the mercifull Lord may call one to repentance by the meanes of another though he be an vnpenitent person The Doctors rayling vpon Luther Calvin and Peter Martyr calling his wife fustilugges fitteth the spirit of a Papist If Peter Martyrs lawfull wife deserueth the name of fustilugges what name doe the popish priests concubines deserue In that our Ministers trauell not without their wiues 1. Cor. â— I answer with Paul Haue we not power to lead about a sister a wife Beza his epistles and pistols are but words to fill vp pages and to wast paper But haue not the Protestants for-gone any worldly wealth to spread abroad religion why are they then exiles and haue witnessed their religion with their blood In a word Poperie gaineth more by wealth and armes then by conscience and if it gaineth any soundly it is by some reliques of truth which remaineth with them The fifth reason largenes of dominion through multitude of beleeuers That the Church which the Messias was to plant must be dispersed throughout all nations and kingdomes as the holy Prophets most plainly foreshewed we acknowledge neither needed the Doctor to haue produced so many testimonies I may well say of the Doctor as did
confirme their opinions and to be reade for proofe of them as I haue shewed Yea they fly to traditions which the heretickes before named might also haue iustified if the Canonicall scriptures had not beene sufficient Tenthly the Manichees vsed but one part of the Communion for they would not haue wine so doe the Papists as it is notorious to all men I might mention many other heresies held by Papists but I haue handled them in another worke therefore I will not recite them here Touching the manners of heretickes if crueltie be a badge of heretickes then are Papists rightly mustered amongest heretickes for they haue most barbarously murdered many men as I will shewe God willing in the next reason The 24. reason Peace and tranquilitie It is a heathen Principle that Legem sibi ipsis indicunt innocentiae continentiae virtutumque omnium qui ab altero rationem vitae reposcunt They which require a reason of another mans life make to themselues a law of innocencie continencie of all vertues To accuse men of tumults when they are themselues tumultuous is intollerable Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes who can beare it that Gracchus should complaine of sedition that Verres should speake against theft and Milo against murther who could thinke that Papists should speake against warres cruelties and outragious tragedies when they haue spilt exceeding much innocent blood The Spanish inquisitions and French Massacres haue murdered men women and children by thousands Phocas murdered Mauritius the Emperour by whose meanes Boniface the Pope obtained that roome and should be called the head of all Churches as Gotfridus testifieth Here Christian Reader thou maiest see that the Pope cam vp by murder Pope Vrban the fixt bound fiue Cardinalls in a sacke and drowned them in the sea He tooke the kingdome of Sicile from the Queene and gaue it to others Symachus and Laurentius did striue for the Popedome which contention lasted yeares cum effusione sanguinis multorum tam clericorum quà m laicorum With the shedding of many mens blood both of the cleargie laietie Alexander 2. Codulus contended for the Popedome which contention vsque ad homicidia prorupit brake forth into murther as witnesseth Sigebert The histories are full of such examples yet saith the Doctor the Catholike Romane religion began with meekenesse mildenesse and with all quiet and peaceable meanes Whereas the Protestants both haue begun and hold on their course with seditious tumults That you may knowe your peaceable proceedings heare what Wicellensis writeth concerning Hildebrande Miscuit se plurimorum mortibus Christianorum succendent vbique incendia bellorum per totum pene Romanum imperium He thrust himselfe into the deaths of many Christians kindling warres almost throughout the whole Romane Empire Iohn Hus was burned although he had safe conduct promised him Certain men called cruciatores whē they should haue gone against the Turke hauing the Popes indulgences defloured women and murthered men to the number of three score and ten thousand Yea saith Landgius Scribi non potest quanta crudelitate vsi sunt It can not be vttered what crueltie they vsed Concerning the troubles in Germanie my purpose is not to speake of them neither will I meddle with the warres in Fraunce or Scotland Diuers countres haue diuers gouernments the tumults of any subiects against their soueraignes as we doe not allow so we may not condemne the poore afflicted Christians our neighbours before we heare what they can say for themselues I am a scholler not a souldier a diuine not a lawier The circumstances of forraine warres fewe knowe besides themselues as also we know not the lawes of those lands we will not therefore enter those acts which haue so many parts precedents causes concurrents From forraine common warres you come to England and are very busie with king Henrie the 8. king Edward the 6. princes of famous memorie It were best for you M. Doctor to leaue kingdoms and studie diuinitie you are so drownd in pollicie that you forget diuinity yet you can without teares recount summarily the troubles of this land So you may doe in regard of Queene Maries times when not onely Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Payne◠Bishop of Winchester Barloe of Bath Tailor of Lincolne with diuers other both Archdeacons and Deacons were put from their liuings and wonderfull store of blood shed these are the times that you should lament Yet it is to be lamented that any should be so obstinate on popery as to die in the same As for Queene Elizabeths gratious gouernment you are not ashamed also to controll it Yet Papists themselues teach that it was both milde and mercifull and had not her Maiestie cause to deale with Papists as shee did when the Pope excommunicated her and stirred vp the Northen rebels her owne subiects to rebell against her Doctor Saunders did thrust himselfe into the Irish warres against her Maiestie If the Pope had so dealt with the king of Spaine as he hath dealt with our late most renowmed Queene would the king of Spaine haue taken it When I weighed and considered these things with my selfe I could not but dislike the Romish religion accompanied with tumults insurrections ruines desolations and with all manner of tragicall miseries and cleaue vnto this religion in England which euer teacheth peace as our writings shewe But it may be M. Doctor your owne men will beare some credit with you Cardinall Poole in his imagined oration to Charles the Emperour calling backe his Maiestie from the Turke to leaue all other affaires and to bend his banners against England and encouraging the subiects of this realme boldly to rebell against their Prince speaketh after this manner English men are a people that oftentimes haue deposed their kings for lighter causes This book as reuered Iuell testifieth was abroad and might be seene wherefore if peace wil preuaile with you call to minde that you haue bin the firebrands fo sedition the trueth is you would force to religion but you would not be forced The 25. reason All kinds of witnesses Euery man knoweth or may knowe M. Doctor that your tonge ouerreacheth when you say we can bring nothing to witnes our religiō but only the scriptures We haue produced the fathers of the primitiue Church to confirme the same but if we haue the scriptures on our side it is sufficient though all men were against vs that Gods word is not contrarie it is most true but that your practises are consonant to the same it is most false as likewise that we will admitte noe expositors of holy scriptures but the scriptures themselues that the scriptures expound themselues in matters necessary to saluation I thinke you will not denie your selfe Master Doctor neither will you alwaies take the fathers expositions Caietan confesseth that the sense of the scriptures is not tied to the Fathers exposition as I can shew but you demaund why Luther confesseth that he could not denie the reall