reconciliation at length euerlasting life an this you call the mercy of 〈◊〉 that God hath promised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that worke well that is to them that fulfill the law of God So that you make all our life and saluation to consist in the commandement of the lawe the fulnesse whereof is loue And yet the scriptures proue quite contrary that our whole health and saluation consisteth in the merite of Christe and Paule teacheth that men are iusufied freely without the workes of the lawe whose righteousnesse perfourmed and paide to the lawe is imputed to euery beleeuer and hee addeth to proue this the example of Abraham of whome it is saide Hee beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse Nowe to him that worketh rewarde is not imputed according to grace or 〈◊〉 but according to debt But to him which worketh not but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly his faith is reputed to righteousnesse according to the purpose of Gods grace To this ende is that saying alleadged out of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered that is are not imputed And hee writeth els where of himselfe that hee woulde bee found in Christe not hauing his owne righteousnes but that which was of the faith of Christe and of God c. So that wee see heere a plaine exchange our vnrighteousnesse is the debt that Christ hath paide of his meere goodnesse and this paiment is accounted ours by imputation And on the otherside all our sinnes are laide againe vpon Christe and that righteousnesse of Christe wherby he satisfied the lawe and pacified the wrath of his father is become ours through faith and is translated vnto vs. What shoulde I speake of your other heresies most blasphemous in iustifiyng concupiscence to bee no sinne and this lawe of concupiscence Thou shalt not lust you affirme not to belong to vs that it doth not forbid vs to haue euill desires that this euill that dwelleth in our fleshe is forbidden by no lawe when as the scriptures teache that sinne is simply called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Paule proueth that by the lawe wee knowe sinne and that if the lawe had not saide Thou shalte not luste hee had not knowen that to luste had beene sinne and yet sorsooth this is one of the greatest matters of Diuinitie handeled in this your rayling defence of the Censure against the whole course of the Scripture and all sounde writers that euer wrote who not onlie condemne that consent to luste but euen that titling of our corrupt nature which according to the newe man is hated whiche sinne dwelling in vs not only begetteth but also nourisheth bringeth forth Your other heresies I wil not speake of in this place which albeit you wil not confesse to be heresies yet as long as they are so proued by the word of God and are stil defended by your church they put an ende to al controuersie about it As for your two conditions to make it a lawful trial to be obserued of his part that will obiect an heresie to another one that the accused partie doe holde such an heresie indeede and not the likelihood of it The other that the heresie be indeede an heresie so accounted and condemned in the primatiue church although you might haue brought both into one yet we easily admit them For we in truth charge you not with anie thing where of you are not guiltie Neither doe we say because suche an heretike and such an heretike held this or that therefore it is an heresie we reason not so that is your wonted manner of reasoning But we saie such an heresie contrary to the word of God was holden by such such an heretike which you hold in like sort against the word therfore in those thinges you iumpe with them and are Heretikes Concerning the heresie of Pelagius it is certaine as may appeare out of infinite your writinges that as hee with his disciples and followers were enimies to the grace of God so are you as they mainteined those natural powers by which they had as they said an election to doe or leaue vndone that which was good or euill so say you And in your opinion set downe you iumble together mans wil and the grace of God teaching that the wil of man holpen with the grace of God may not onely doe well but may fulfill the law of God expuris naturalibus and so be saued whiche is so much the more monstrous because you ioy ne thinges contrarie in one subiect talking of the grace of God and of those pure naturals together wherat the Apostle saith If of grace then not of works If of pure naturals then what needeth grace There is no grace where there is desert Neither did the Pelagians vtterly denye grace when in disputation they were pressed but confessed more of it then you doe as may appeare by Augustine his booke ad Innocentium But this is your religion and alwaies hath beene that it hath neuer beene at a stay You boast of 〈◊〉 and consent but looke howe many heads there are amongest you so manie monstrous opinions also you holde euen in the greatest weightiest matter of iustification Some times you attribute to one thing sometime to another and yee are not at one with your selues You and we both 〈◊〉 that good woorkes are necessarie and wee agree that what 〈◊〉 we doe which is good wee doe it by the grace of GOD whereby we are strengthened through faith to testifie a sincere an holy profession but wee saye that our woorkes are imperfect wee saye that the fullest and best that wee canne doe are too weake to iustifie vs in the fight of God that they deserue nothing but death and euerlasting destruction you contratiwise affirme that good workes serue to clense your sinnes to pacifie Gods wrath and to attaine euerlasting life yea you say that there are three thinges that must be obtained by merite that is euerlasting life the increase of grace and the forgiuenes of the punishment of sinne And yet that these woorkes commaunded of God are not the woorkes that onelie please God but also there are freewill workes done at the choyse of man and that without Faith as Andradius fayneth But we knowe by the Scriptures that these works of mans choyce can stand vs in no steed S. Paule condēneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whatsoeuer saith he is not of faith it is sinne and it cannot please God Good fruites must needes haue a good tree The branches are worth nothing that are not engrafted into Christe neither haue they anielife 〈◊〉 Christ their life And therefore if you wil magnifie the grace of God as you ought you must confesse that we are saued by grace throughly not of workes least anie shoulde boast You must goe farther of
in the worlde They are therefore in deede those theeues of the Scriptures that Origene mentioneth that haue not right vnto them being not the Churche of God because they renounce obedience to the will of God and heare not his voice And thus much for this point The third thing you charge him with is that in his eleuenth Assertion hee should charge the Iesuites to holde that there bee many things more greeuous and more damnable then those that repugne the lawe of God and yet the lawe condemneth them not namely traditions mans lawes and precepts of the Church Here also you play with a fethar and woulde catche the winde in a net For you say the Iesuites doe teache the quite contrarie to wit that what souer is sin is condemned by the law of God which none but wicked men past shame can denie but you dare not say that whatsoeuer is contrary to the lawe of God is sinne least concupiscence which you defend and some haue not beene ashamed to maintaine as a vertue 〈◊〉 assuming that if God shoulde commaund the 〈◊〉 not to lust it were as if he should commaunde the Sun and Moone not to shine the fire not to 〈◊〉 muche like as Campion in the disputations at the Towre 〈◊〉 that it was a speciall vertue that beeing in the Queenes Iewell house and being suggested to steale did yet abstaine from it abusing that place of Saint Iames Blessed is hee that is tempted But say you whatsoeuer offendeth the lawe of God if it bee done wittingly and with consent of hearte for otherwise it offendeth not the lawe it is sinne whereby you establishe that whatsoeuer sinne is committed if he that committeth it knoweth it not to bee sinne or if hee doe not approue it by 〈◊〉 his seale of consent vnto it it is no sinne And heere also you shut out originall sinne in infants who are notwithstanding sinners by reason of their corrupt nature that is in them and subiect to condemnation without Christe But if Gods lawe bee a perfect lawe that reacheth not only to the outwarde man but to the inwarde and to the very thoughts of man and therefore your venial sinnes whereof you make no accounte and teach that in respect of themselues we need not to repent of them but as they make way to daunger if those I say bee called sinnes for that they are against the lawe of God it must needes bee that they which are committed against the first table though they bee onely conceaued by lust though the hearte and will haue not subscribed yet they are to bee condemned This is but a ciuill righteousnesse before men but cannot stande before God whose lawe is plaine Cursed is 〈◊〉 one that abideth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them Whatsoeuer therefore resisteth the lawe of God in it selfe and by nature it deserueth the curse of God But sinne in it selfe and in it owne nature kindleth the wrath of God in him that transgresseth in one there is giltinesse in all and the 〈◊〉 of the least iote of Gods lawe setteth a man giltie before God in all And what a beastly shame is this in all your Iebusiticall sort that dare to lessen the breach of the lawe of God and will aggrauate the transgression of such traditions as your selues deuise vnto your selues vnder the name of the traditions of Christe and his Apostles But how shall wee knowe them so to be either they muste bee written or vn written If they be written shew vs the word if they be vn written and haue been deliuered from hand to hand let vs see howe they agree with the written tradition which is called the doctrine of the Apostles But if we can shew you when they were hatched who were the deuisers of them that they are against the puritie of Christs doctrine seruing neither for comelinesse nor edification being besides impious in them selues because you aduaunce them in equalitie with 〈◊〉 commaundements of God 〈◊〉 aboue them then M. Hanmer hath iustly collected both in this and other poyntes noted also by other learned 〈◊〉 before him that you make those sinnes which the law of God hath made no sinnes and whiche the lawe hath condemned for sinnes those you make vertues But say you if they be traditions or precepts of the church then the breach thereof as also of our superiors commaundementes are offences against men but yet consequently also against God for he hath commaunded men to obey their superiors which rule them and foole wisely that they must doe it of conscience as Saynt Paule proueth Rom. 13. But here first we denie that they are preceptes of the Churche for though you boast the church of Rome to be the Churche of Christe 〈◊〉 that is the question and we haue and doe still for good causes denie it But to giue you somewhat to plaie withall admitte it were yet wee saye that the church may commaund nothing either contrarie or besides the worde of God If it doe we are not to obey it The place of the Apostle is euen vnderstood of you as all the rest of the scriptures are which you 〈◊〉 to your owne destruction and yet your new Maisters of Rhemes tell vs that this place is to be vnderstood of remporall rulers which you wil haue to be vnderstoode of the Churche And though Chrisostome and others shew you that whether hee bee a Bishoppe or of any other calling yet he must be subiect you wil not be subiect to your naturall princes no not in thinges concerning God that are commanded according to his worde but to mainteine a forreigne 〈◊〉 tyrannie in a countrey and church where he hath nothing to doe You care not what treasons you committe that you may yet haue the name of Martyres and may be chronacled in his Chronicles and haue your names in his Kalenders Of the traditions commaundements of the churche whiche without the promise commandement of God you faine to be necessarie to saluation reade before The fourth falshood you charge him with is that hee saith That the Iesuites say that there is no other iustification then the seeking or searching of righteousnesse or to speake philosophically a motion vnto righteousnesse This you say is follie besides malice shewing that hee knoweth not what he speaketh himselfe and therefore out of Canisius you set downe another description as though the other had bin sucked out of his owne fingers But it is playne what soeuer Canisius say that Censura Celoniensis hath the same words Dialogo 〈◊〉 in the very beginning sol 141. and this they say is the Catholike doctrine that is the doctrine of the papists of whom I coulde aduouch a number besides if I studied not to be short The 〈◊〉 charge is gathered out of the 19. and twentieth assertions first that the Iesuites holde a twofold iustification whiche you confesse to be true and therfore needed
is to denie all Fathers Doctours Councelles histories examples Presidents customes 〈◊〉 and prescriptions and to make our selues Iudges ouer them Yea it is to denie the Bookes of Scripture them selues and the sense reseruing all interpretation to our selues But what is this els but to begge that which is in question To charge vs with that whiche your selues vsurpe and put in continual practise And howe is this to denye the bookes of Scripture when wee staye onelie vppon the Scripture And howe is this to denie the sense of the Scripture when wee staye vppon that interpretation of the scripture whiche is by scripture whiche is not priuate of or by any man but from the holye Ghost And is this to denie Councelles Fathers Doctours Hystories and Examples c When wee reade them consider of them thanke GOD for the lighte and helpes they yeelde to vs by these giftes God hath giuen them yet alwayes trying them and all things by the onely touchstone which is the scripture Is this that Iesuiticall Logicke that will make vp the mouth of Poperie against whiche no man shall dare to wagge Surelie it is peeuishe it is foolishe Yea but Catholikes though they giue soueraigntie in all thinges to it yet they bynde them selues also to other thinges besides Verie well that is to saye though the scriptures be chiefe yet they set other thinges equall with them And what other thinges bee they If they bee of men Why then it must followe that you matche the thinges of men with GOD you make earth equal with heauen the wisedome of the 〈◊〉 you couple to the wisedome of the spirite And this is one of your chiefest Abhominations your wittes are vnhappie enough to abuse the truth But 〈◊〉 whether they haue more libertie to roaue abroade that haue the wyde worlde to wander in or they that are sh ut vp in a parlar Whether are they looser to choppe and chaunge affirme and denie allowe and mislike that rest in the Scriptures or they that wil wander in euerye wildernesse of mens deuises customes prescriptions and I cannot tell what Indeede I know that the word of God is larger then al the world and he is at greater libertie that is bound vnto it then he that wandreth after men and yet we acknowledge Gods giftes in men and when the fathers speake as the worde we acknowledge the worde in them and reuerence them for the wordes sake But if they speake as Chrisostome sayth With the voyce of a stranger then we cannot hearken vnto them We know the voyce of Christ but not the voyce of a stranger And al that are Christes doe alwayes speake in Christes voyce and if this exception be to be taken of them that are Christes How should we except against them that haue plainely prooued themselues to be none of Christes You may therefore put vp your pipes concerning those whom by supposition you cal Heretikes but yet could neuer proue them so to be for standing only to the Scripture As for the interpretation of the Scripture it is from the Authour of the Scripture not from mens writings but from the Scriptures themselues which are not of any priuate interpretation as the Apostle saith Maister Charke chanteth therefore worthilie as a good Musition vpon this special point treading the path of al faithful Christians before him in keeping himselfe fast to the Scriptures and you like a rouing Heretike followe the pathes of your forefathers that dare not be tried by that rule of righteousnesse but followe your owne sinneful deuise and as you are a corrupt flesh flie so you feede vpon the corruptions and soares of men because you loue that which is moste agreeable to your corrupt nature That Spirites must be tried you confesse but that full and 〈◊〉 rule out of the Apostle vexeth you to the heart and howsoeuer you raue at it bringing in a diuersity of interpretations to set them at oddes with M. Charkes as that the auncient fathers interpreted it of the Iewes and against Ebion and Cerinthus that denied the Godhead of Christ and 〈◊〉 his comming in the flesh and rather against M. Charke and his fellowes yet it wil sit neerer your skirts then that you can so easily remoue it For albeit it be nothing to the purpose if you shoulde bring twenty diuers interpretations of sundry to preiudice the true meaning gathered naturally out of the circumstances of the text yet what letteth that interpretation of the Doctors that it should not bee also applyed to you For Christe is resisted by some one way and by some another As the Iewes therefore Ebion and Cerinthus denied Christe dissolued Iesus that I may vse your owne worde so doe you in truth though you confesse him with your mouthes For of him with the Iewes you denie him to bee a sole sufficient and onely Sauiour You destroy his true humanitie and crucifie him continually as they did You stand vpon former priuiledges pretend a personall succession and fathers euen as they did when yet they crucified the Lord of glory for which act you praise them and teache they had sinned deadly if they had not done it Euen as the Ebionites also taught that faith was not only sufficient to saluation but that the keeping of the lawe must bee ioyned with it so doe you Againe you holde with them that Christe was not before the Virgin Mary What heresie is there in the worlde that you doe not communicate withall in one poynt or other I haue shewed it largely in another place and therefore meane not no we to stand vpon it With the Valentinians you haue deuised an infinite number of Goddes As the Collyridians sacrificed to the virgin Mary and worshipped her so doe you As the Angelists gaue diuine honour to the angels so doe you As Montanus deuisyd lawes for fasting and dissolued Matrimonie so do you As the Tatians Eucratians and Manichees cryed out that mariage was a carnall kinde of life and forbade it to those that woulde bee perfect so doe you As the Pellagians denied concupiscence of it selfe without consent to bee sinne and ascribed to the naturall powers strength to doe spirituall thinges and affirmed that a man is saued by keepyng the lawe so doe you and it is the greatest matter handeled in this booke Master Charkes good grace therefore in interpreting that place of Iohn cannot bee so easily wyped away For if Christ must bee confessed as hee must in deede then the controuersie is not of the confession of his name in bare wordes and with the mouth only but of his power of his offices that is to say of his prophetship of his kingdome and of his priesthood acknowledged also from the hearte And though all the papists in the worlde sweare that they allowe these in Christe and answeare the matter with a 〈◊〉 flam that they allowe Prophetes teache kinges to raigne vnder
from Pelagius and ioyne with Christians who holde that a man is not iustified by workes of the lawe neither before or after grace but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. We saith he hauo beleeued in Iesus that wee might bee iustified by the Faith of Christ and not of the workes of the lawe by whiche no flesh shalbe iustified And because you take it in suche skorne to bee charged with Pelagius heresie I pray you yet consider further your 〈◊〉 doctrine which is that mans free will moued of God doeth by consent worke together with the grace of God so as both doe concurre in the conuersion of a man or in bringing foorth spirituall actions to witte the grace of God the natural strength of mans free wil your own Andradius a chief piller of yours saith that the libertie of our free wil is the efficient cause of the applying of our 〈◊〉 to grace but so as it is confirmed by diuine helpes and I beseeche you howe farre differeth this from playne Pelagianisme And yet the Scriptures are playne No man commeth vnto mee vnlesse my Father drawe him And Saynte Paule sayeth GOD woorketh both to will and to performe in all spirituall actions for the naturall man is enimie to God neyther are wee fitte as of our selues to thinke anie good thought muche lesse to doe it Therefore this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in spirituall thinges is to be regarded wher with the powers of men are so diseased that knowledge wanting they can muche lesse haue anye libertie of election And therefore horrible is that doctrine of yours also concerning the fulfilling of the lawe that it may not onelie bee satisfied of vs in entionaliter constantionaliter and integraliter For these are their owne wordes but also that the fulfilling of it is in a mans own power to do these things not only which the law cōmandeth but ouer aboue the law these are their workes of Supererogation and these by dispensations and Bulles may be applied vnto others and vnto their vse serue as their own to their iustification Surely I fayne nothing their owne bookes haue reserued this dung which now I fling in their owne faces And yet who knoweth not that the 〈◊〉 of God is spititual and that it requireth a perfecte obedience 〈◊〉 the whole hearte soule and minde As Christe himselfe hath expounded in the 5. of Mat. concerning the exposition of the 5. commandement c. Seeing no man hath euer bin able to fulfil the law it must needs follow that no man can be iustified by it He hath shut all vnder 〈◊〉 that he might haue mercie on all and he hath sent his onelye begotten Sonne that hee fulfilling the Lawe it might bee to the iustification of euerie one that belecueth Now if we must needs confesse that we are not cleare neither from the sinnes of the first table nor of the seconde and the lawe of God requireth not onelie an outwarde obedience but also an inwarde and that perfect from the hearte and not for a while but thorow out a mans whole life it must needes proceede from a proude spirite not onelie to boast of the fulfilling of the lawe but to doe more then the lawe requireth suche as are your vowed chastitie and pouertie whereby you mocke both GOD and men But howesoeuer you 〈◊〉 the matter withmen GOD will not bee 〈◊〉 A tyme will come when you shall aunsweare it to him In meane time you shal answere it also to his Churche sor hudling and confounding the Lawe and the Gospell so together For you Iesuites saye that this is the doctrine of the Gospell that if wee will enter into lyfe wee must keepe the 〈◊〉 and yet Saynt Paule sheweth a plaine difference For Moses describing the righteousnes which is of the 〈◊〉 saith Is a man shal doc these thinges hee shall liue in them but the righteousnesse whiche is of Faith is If thou shalte confesse the Lorde Iesus and beleeue in thine hearte that God hath raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued Now concerning the other iniurie you say we offer you in ioyning you with those heretikes who were named Colliridians that woorshipped the Virgin Marie you say they sacrificed to her and so doe not you and therfore you haue wrong but you must remember that herein they were saide to worship her because it was the maner of their worshipping to sacrifice But if there be a sacrifice of praise and of prayer due onlie to God and yet you yeeld this without al reason and ground of the worde vnto that blessed Virgin What doe you els but as these heretikes did sacrifice vnto her This is but a meere cauil whereby you woulde auoyde the point charging vs with an iniurie that doe you but right not 〈◊〉 in this but in al the rest wherwith you are iustly charged because as they were charged for these thinges done against the truth of God so are you The Anthropomorphites ascribed to God the members and lineamentes of a man so doe you in making an image of GOD the father of Iesus Christ of the holy Ghost The Valentinians had their crosse and woorshipped it so doe you The Eutichians denied the truth of Christs bodie so doe you The Apostolikes against the warrant of Gods word vowed and yet kept not continencie and pouertie so doe your Iesuites and all the rest of your Popes holie orders The Marcionists also were exceeding in praysing virginitie in superstitious fasting suffering women to baptise and so are you what heresie euer was there or is there with whiche you doe not communicate with one point or another with those I saie that are set downe and condemned for heresies You are Carpocratians for Images Hemerobaptistes for holy water Ossenes and Mercosians for deuised Reliques and praiers in a strange language Heracleans in annointing them that were at the point of death Eucralites in abstaining from flesh and what not And what sacrifice could you yeeld greater vnto the Virgin Marie then that you haue giuen her when in a manner you haue preferred and laboured to preferre a seruice vnto her before theseruice of God as may apyeare in your offices both old and new authorized euen by your chiefest fathers and holiest Popes wherein you abuse moste shamefully the Scriptures of God applying sundrie Psalms to the Virgin Marie that were neuer meant of her as namely the 8. Psalme the 18. the 23. the 44. the 45. and al the rest as fitlye to the purpose as all the rest of your interpretations are I speake not of your blasphemous Hymnes O gloriosa 〈◊〉 excelsa super sidera c. Aue regina coelorum 〈◊〉 Dominae Angelorum salue radix sancta c. But this is most blasphemous and intollerable amongest the rest Salue Regina mater misericordiae vita dulcedo spes nostra salue Adte clamamus Exules Euae Adte
is to be changed They forbidde a man to heare the Masse of an adulterer and yet the whole life of manie of their Priestes is nothing else These Iesuites and Friers commende voluntarie pouertie as an acceptable seruice to GOD and yet they perswade menne continually that the more money they giue and bestowe the greater shall their pardon bee and what doe they refuse They had suche store long agoe of the woodde of the verie crosse that Christe died on in sundrie places that as Erasmus wryteth woulde loade a shippe and yet it is playne by the Scriptures that Symon Cyreneus did carrie it They celebrate and stande greately vppon the praise of their Relikes whiche they aduouche to bee the same that they woulde make the people beleeue they are and yet it is playne the nayles of the crosse are increased without number The bodies and bones of sundrye Sayntes are in infinite places Susannaes bodye is at Tolous at Rome and in other places they saye wee must 〈◊〉 of our saluation whiche is not onelie against the Article I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes but they also stand vpon absolution vpon the vse of the Sacramentes to conferre grace vppon their Bishoppes Bulles and pardons whiche were needelesse if they spake truelie In the canon of the Masse they vse this prayer for the dead O Lorde remember those whiche haue gone before vs with the signe of Faith and 〈◊〉 in the sleepe of peace We beseeche thee graunt vnto them and vnto all that rest in Christ a place of refreshing a place of light and peace Nowe if they slepte in faith and rested in Christe what needed I pray you this prayer Is not this a pretie mockerye So they recite in their Masse the woordes of the institution out of the eleuenth of the firste Epistle to the Corinthians Take yee eate yee drinke yee and yet they giue them nothing that stande by but once in a yeere vnlesse it bee an emptye blessinge of an emptie cuppe for lyke Sacriledgers they robbe them of the cuppe Marriage they make a Sacramente contrarie to the woorde of GOD and yet their smeared priestes must none of it When they pray vppon their holie dayes and call vppon other Sayntes whereof GOD neuer gaue them commaundement they saye the Lordes prayer in a sette number and euer adde their salutation whiche agreeth as well to Saintes as Dixit Dominus Dominae meae sede a dextris meis The Lorde sayde to my Ladie Sitte at my right hande For what can bee more foolishe that betrayeth their blockishe 〈◊〉 then to make the salutation of the Virgin to an Apostle and to call the Virgine Marie their father They teache that a manne maye satisfie the lawe in respecte of the commaundement but not in respecte of the intent of the commaunder and yet who knoweth not that the substaunce of the lawe is nothing els but the expresse intente and meaning of GOD the Lawe giuer Of like concorde is that also that they say the Pope is seruaunte of seruauntes and yet will haue him also Lorde of Lordes and to beare both the swordes They glorie that they are Christes Vicars and yet meane nothinge lesse then to execure his will expressed in his written woorde They teache wee muste looke for forgiuenesse of sinnes from GOD and yet they contende that wee muste satisfie for our sinnes by our good woorkes They denie that grace is imputed to beleeuers by the righteousnesse of Christ fulfilling the lawe and yet they glorie of the righteousnesse and merites of Sayntes whiche is to bee imputed to others and which is greater they esteeme the woorkes of supererogation so highlie as taking money by giuing their Bulles and patentes to others they both sell them and impute them they saie that Christe suffered for our sinnes but not for the punishement of sinne and yet the strength of the punishment is in the faulte and Christe suffered those paynes of death both in bodie and soule to take away those euerlasting paynes and tormentes 〈◊〉 teache that a man may bee saued through grace and good woorkes when as the rigour of the lawe and grace are moste diuers as Paule witnesseth Their fasting is not broken though they gorge them selues full of the costliest fishe iunkettes and sweete meates that canne bee gotten they sweare by the Gospell they singe continually like Parrattes without vnderstanding out of the Psalmes they sense the booke of Gospelles and vncouer their heade before it and yet they giue the Scriptures the vilest reproches that can be calling it a dead letter a beggerly element a matter of strife 〈◊〉 the way to heresie c. By their monastical life they pretende a forsaking of the worlde an holie 〈◊〉 and cutting themselues off from the pleasures commodities of this life and yet in all countreyes they haue the chiefest places dwell in the moste notable Cities in the pleasauntest and richest soyles for fruites and all commodities hauing their tenauntes to doe them al kind of homage and seruice and superfluously to bring vnto thē al delicious things so that they are rich without labour poore without want and lowe without contempt Are not these thinke you like the Monks of old time that betooke themselues to suche solitary places to auoyd the sword of persecutors that laboured with their hands to supply their necessities and yet liued in holy exercises that they might by conferēce mutual helpe one towards another be made more fit for the seruice of the gospel Euen as like as an apple is like an oyster This is the pith they haue had so many hundred yeeres this is the agreement in greate matters of their doctrine which they make a very Chymaer ful of moste monstrous variable opinions What should I speake of their popes dashing and flashing one against another Parsons the Censurer or some other Fauorite that lieth in a corner for him now after Campiō chief chalenger defender wil say these are not in the bowelles Surely if the head be against the head principal mēber against principal member euery part one against another here is smal vnitie this is the vnitie of poperie that is not at one with it selfe nor neuer was since it brake from Christ and from that vnitie of the spirit Who can be ignorant that is but meanely read in stories how one pope hath thundred lightned against another one disanulling that which his predecessor had established and when they could not be auenged one of another whilest they were aliue did it when they were dead cursing them to hell and cutting of the noses of their faces the fingers of their hands casting their dead carcases vpon the face of the earth either to be deuoured of birdes or into the water to be eaten of fishes I will but name the men they are so notorious Formosus Stephanus the 3. and Sergius the 3.
These are known almost to al writers and as these heads are out of order and vnitie so are their Canons and their decrees sometime as hereticall as they cal it as any of our propositions and sometimes as ouerthwart direct against the Gospel For that which they graunt in one Canon they foribid in another that which they build vp to day they throwe downe to morrow As for example in some Canons their popish Bishoplike authoritie is mittigated and all the rest are made equall vnto them But in others it is so extolled that all men what state or calling soeuer they bee of what giftes soeuer God hath blessed them withall yet they must be subiect vnto thē and contrary to that order which God hath appoynted they muste ryde men and vse them at their pleasures Somtime they say it is lawful for a Christian that is vnmarried to haue a Concubine and in others they cōdemne against Gods truth But your owne bookes as full as they are of leaues or rather lines so full they are of outragious and malicious lyes slaunders reproches reuilinges and raylings And let all the Papistes bring forth their whole packe of pelting and lewd writings inuectiues let them lay them to this learned godly and milde reply of M. Charkes who as 〈◊〉 of purpose laboured but too much considering with whom he had to deale to cut off that sharpnesse which had ben meet he had more vsed against such enemies of God as you are thē they shall see the differēce and therfore this lie in the entrāce cōcernig his entrāce sheweth y t before you begin you are a mā 〈◊〉 spēt of al truth mo 〈◊〉 such is that you say he begā so hotly with Cāpion But that his quiet behauiour cooled him with shame alacke there while They that knewe Campion as well as euer Parsons did knewe his milde spirite well enough And it is euident that both in the first second and third dayes disputation generally in all howesoeuer there were som difference he behaued him selfe more like a man of defiance that had beene at libertie in grace fauor both of God Prince then like a prisoner in the tower of London that in the testimonie of his owne conscience had to answer at another barre and felt the gilte of his own treasons which if any thing might haue cooled him no doubt that might haue done it And whatsoeuer you speak of humilitie it was not humilitie nor the assistance and confidence of a good cause sealed with that comfortable spirite of gladnesse aboue the rest that made him either gentle or soft but his owne naughtie cause and conscience that made him to counterfaite sometimes as I haue alreadie alleadged As for that note of the conference with those of Wisbitch which by your magisteriall authoritie you call a vaine pamphlet charging that reuerende man who hath taken such notable paines in the Church of god against your heresies It was not set foorth for any such cause as your malice pretendeth nor by him it was writen to a priuate friende as a report of it procured to be published before master Fulke knew of it was also sufficient to witnes how distrustfull they were of their cause or at least that they are not at concorde with you in the opinion concerning disputing with vs whom they deeme as you doe heretikes I haue saide of this before and therefore nowe speake the lesse of it againe But in your wise Censure those reuerend and learned fathers as you call them did very wisely in contemning his pride comraing thither vpon vanitie without warrant and yet it is euident by good testimony that hee went by commission from the Bishop of Eley and had better warrand for that his so dealing then you who for ought that wee know haue no warrand thus to prouoke vs. And if you say that Campion had a commaundement from his superiours we answere that the acknowledging of those forraigne superiours and powers contrary to the prerogatiue of our prince and lawes of our countrie brought him to the gallowes and so it will you if you come not with better priuiledge But you say the falshood of that scroule hath beene discouered to you since by letters from the parties themselues and that there is nothing in it that maketh not to our discredite that it is confessed therein that after wee had depriued them of all bookes yea of their very note bookes whiche to learned men are the store house of memorie then we asked whe ther they woulde come to Cambridge to dispute if leaue might be procured And because they contemned so pearte and cockish a 〈◊〉 c. Therefore wee say they refused disputation c. For the firste I woulde haue it marked that where you are wont so to complaine of streight and hard dealing by your owne confession heere there is entercourse of writing betwixt which because your lauish penne hath not spared to vtter it may bee a meane in good pollicie to cause them to bee streightlier looked vnto heereafter and your selfe to be sought out seeing their letters can finde you out But if it bee false why is it not confuted and the truth from themselues declared Perhaps you will say they haue written in deede so I haue heard they haue but as much to the purpose and according to the 〈◊〉 in deede as it was as men that had neuer heard of it And though their followers that hang vpon mens persons without looking to the veritie may be carried with suche poore deuises yet you must consider that wee are not to beleeue them in 〈◊〉 owne cause As for taking away their bookes wherof they and you so often complaine it is answered that they were suche as had beene lately written by those of your heresie The bookes of the holy scriptures and auncient Doctours were neuer denied you and though they made a shewe of readinesse to disputation yet they added such conditions as were not in any subiect to perfourme For they woulde bee all set at libertie they woulde haue all their scattered armie gathered together and then they woulde pitche the fielde the rather that they might get that by strength perforce and with multitude that they coulde neuer winne by truthe knowledge and learning And yet these men of whose readinesse and suite nowe to dispute you make so much vaunte at the first they would none of it and your greatest forefathers as I haue saide haue vtterly shewed themselues against it Master Fulke therefore neither went of his owne head nor for any such matter as you dreame of This you and those of your sort haue alwayes hunted after as men pusfed vp that make more reckoning like hypocrites of a little prayse and vaine glorie before men then of being approued vnto God And therefore you carry all men their persons and learning with the tempest of a
not to be set down in vayne but what more And that our works are necessarily required for the first and doe merite the amplification of the second this you say is clearely false and here being blind your selfe you account him without reason besides himselfe and marueile what he meaneth by this shamelesse behauiour surely your charitie is ouermuch inflamed that thus rage when you are as iustly charged with the one as the other Yea but they teach the quite contrarie and yet that is no reason that they which are not at one with them selues almost in any poynt should agree in this For M. 〈◊〉 hath truely gathered and so haue others gathered before him that woorkes are necessary to iustification Therefore to the first as wel as to the later Thereupon their owne annotation is plaine vpon the tenth of the Acts concerning Cornelius that he did certaine worke before iustification which though they suffised not to saluation yet they were acceptable preparatiues to the grace of iustification such as moued God to mercy The like example they setdown of the Eunuch So also they say vpon the 3. to the Rom. that faith works proceeding of grace be dispositions preparatiōs therunto They say iustification is reconciliatiō this cannot be without charitie which is the gift of the holy ghost powred into our hearts God they say foreseeth good things in vs so augmenteth them till charitie be ful to make vs the friendes and sonnes of God And that is Gods righteousnesse which giueth to euery man according to their worthines yet when we alledge that place of the Apostle that Abrahams faith was imputed to him for righteousnes they say in deed that that same infusion of 〈◊〉 righteousnes cānot be merited of any by works but that is giuen vndeseruedly by the merite of Christ but thē 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 is imputed to righteousnes when God admitteth it beyng found in men and estemeth it worthie to haue the gift of inherent righteousnesse bestowed vpon it This is their desperate 〈◊〉 This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they shoulde bee indued with charitie and other vertues whiche is the firste iustification and hauing receyued these newe qualities nowe man himselfe shoulde merite a greater and fuller righteousnesse and so euerlasting life So that they say and vnsay they affirme whereof they vnderstand not as men that grope at the wall in the broade day But if God pronounced of Abraham when hee had nowe walked according to Gods commaundementes a good space and was adorned with excellent vertues that he was not iustified by his woorkes but that his faith was imputed for righteousnes because hee beleeued in him that iustifieth the wicked how shal your blasphemous abhominable doctrine stand This therefore is but a slie sentence of Canisius to dazel the eyes of such as God hath reserued to such iudgements for neither without grace nor with grace can we deserue any thing either to the beginning or ending of iustificatiō For before whatsoeuer our moral works may seeme to bee yet beeing not of faith they cannot please God and when they are offaith they please not God for themselues but in respect of him who is our propitiation satisfaction righteousnes sanctification and all in all As for the Lordes prayer which you say vnto your Saintes naye I 〈◊〉 mee to Diuelles because you haue no certayne testimonie of their beeing sancted to God as also that their reliques may be woorshipped with the worshippe that is due vnto God which they call cultus 〈◊〉 I neede not to stand vpon it For the first it is more cleere then the noone day that whensoeuer they pray vnto any Saynt as they call them or to anie image of a Saint they are woont euer to conclude with so many Auees Paternosters and so many Credoes or a Credo at the least Looke in their 〈◊〉 offices howres and pies and you shal find this so true that you may 〈◊〉 maruell at the impudencie of this 〈◊〉 that hath taught both tongue to vtter and penne to set down nothing but shamelesse and palpable 〈◊〉 and for the other it is cleere that they bestowe nothing so much cost vpon God as they did vpon their Sayntes and specially vppon the Virgin Marye and as for S. Francis and 〈◊〉 they had more orders rytes and ceremonies then euer had Christe or anye of his apostles Cōcerning that he chargeth M Hanmer with 〈◊〉 the councel of Trent by 〈◊〉 to their words seing it is their doctrine hee needed not to haue byn so 〈◊〉 neither is that to be accounted a peruerting by addition that is added for explication sake their doctrine beeing as M. Hanmer hath 〈◊〉 gathered and set downe As for that he addeth concerning voluntary sin and triumpheth against him for condemning that opinion of the Iesuites because he 〈◊〉 the like sentence in S. Augustine and that twise 〈◊〉 in two seueral bookes the answeare is that M Hanmer iustly condemneth it in the Iesuites and yet iustifieth it in S. Augustine whose vnderstauding and meaning are as farre at oddes as their religion is disagreeing from Augustine For Augustine helde rightly that actual sinne is voluntary that is is done with the will willingly according as man is corrupted not onely out wardly but in wardly euen in those most principall faculties that do consist in the minde of man But hee 〈◊〉 wil heere of conclude as these Iesuites doe that there is no siane committed but where there is a will and consent ioyned thereunto they conclude against the word of God For there are many sinnes of omission committed through ignorance for which also the lawe of God hath prouided Yea manie times we offende when we thinke we doe wel and we haue our secrete sinnes Before we haue strength or any wil to wil there is in vs that poison and corruption that sets vs in our selues guilty and condemned before God so that from the wombe we carrie in vs that wooluish nature that prepares vs to the spoyle although we neuer yet worried anie sheepe The Scorpion hath his sting within him though alwaies he strike not and a serpent though he may be handled whilest the colde hath benummed him yet when he is warmed he can hisse out his venom and this is verified of vs though alwayes the vices that are in vs appeare not till we haue grouth and strength to bring them foorth And if you will call this voluntarie it must either be spoken in respect of our first parentes or else in respect of that pronenesse that yet is hidde in vs and not otherwise And therefore you might haue spared Maister Hanmer in this seeing also that this hath not onelie beene noted by him and is not denyed by you but also by others as appeareth in your Censure of Colen Fol. 44. 46. The like we aunsweare for that saying of S. Hierome and Augustine concerning the fulfilling of the lawe that you and S. Hierome and Augustine agree
therfore true 〈◊〉 trine wee receiue him and admit him As for that which like a Spider hee hath sucked out of that booke hee wrote against K. Henrie and vrgeth that hee might bring him and the doctrine which he taught which was not his but Christes into hatred with some great personages of authoritie I answere generally vnto it that wheresoeuer hee hath not kept that modestie that became one that was carefull for the saluation of them with whom he dealt wee do not nor will not defende him But I cannot thinke but that Luther knewe well enough that king Henrie was not authour of that booke hee was wise enough to consider that though the booke did carrie the kinges name yet some pelting popish Proctor was the authour whom hee repayeth in the same name wherein it was published It is plaine that not long before that hee had written verie gently vnto him And if hee being misseled by such as he gaue credite vnto did ouer 〈◊〉 set himselfe against the truth in which wee ought to respect no mans person Luther coulde doe no lesse but looking vpp to God set himselfe againste him Neither is this gathered by Parsons or obiected by the rest of the Papistes for that hee or they haue any regarde to the Matestie of a 〈◊〉 or for any loue they did beare to that famous king but to bring this excellent man and the truth whiche is far worse into hatred for all stories are full howe their Pope and they togeather haue offered violence from time to time against Princes Noblemen and Gentlemen of all sortes and degrees They haue not onely defaced them with euill woordes bearing Gods person bearing his swoorde as beeing his Ministers when they haue stoode for Gods truth and in their lawfull right and libertie but they haue plucked their crownes from their heads stamped vpon their neckes and hunted them to death This pelting Parsons keeping his olde nature is still vppon the soares and the offalles and reuedge pleaseth him best The matter beeing sounde and good hee passeth ouer hee considereth no circumstances but like a malicious wretch as farre from duetifull regard of 〈◊〉 and authoritie as anye might bee yet hee will 〈◊〉 a regarde in him and those of his sorte And yet they loued king Henrie not so well as the 〈◊〉 their holy water for beeing his owne inuention and deuised for the better furnishing of Idolatrie hee coulde not but loue it too well but as well as the wicked are wont to loue God which is neuer a deal For of all the Princes that euer were in Englande king Henrie was hee that gaue the Pope the wounde And no doubt had hee liued but till these times wherein the light of the knowledge of God doth so abounde and breake foorth hee would haue seene all their treacherie and as he abandoned the popes authoritie opened a passage vnto the holy scriptures ouerthrewe their shrines and grosse Idolatries brought downe their Abbeys and dennes of filthinesse and knauerie so woulde he haue chased out all the reste of their abhominations But if in a modest spirite this heate of Luther had beene founde fault with with no disfauour of the truth I would not for my part haue founde great faulte with it But considering Luther wrote for the truth and not against it considering also that this 〈◊〉 and those of his fether neither honour the name of that nobleking nor his memorie for the causes aforesaide I truste I shall finde fauour of those that are in authoritie to speake the more plainely in it and 〈◊〉 report what their speeches also haue beene of him In all their bookes and writings where they mention his name they account of him as of an 〈◊〉 fallen from their church They had it once in deliberation whether they should haue taken vp his bodye from the place where it was interred to haue burned it to ashes as they did Wickliefes long after his death and that in the time of the reigne of his owne daughter In his life the Pope excommunicated him and sought all the meane she coulde to set all the Princes of the worlde vppon his 〈◊〉 It was his practise and the practise of his shauelinges and prelates to make that breach betwixt him and the Emperour that had beene at such concord Cardinall Poole was the instrument to stirre vp the French king against him They are wont to alleadge that place vpon Amos out of M. Caluin against him against others for taking the name of supreme head of the Church But is it because they would giue it And yet themselues gaue it king Henry and subscribed to it and wrote bookes in defence of it when not wihstanding those good men that professed the Gospel were deceiued not knowing in what meaning it was either giuen or taken And those kinges that tooke it neuer chalenged it as the Papistes gaue it neyther was it euer giuen by Protestantes to the ende that they shoulde bee heades of the Church by any absolute authoritie to giue it newe lawes against the worde or gouernment as some home Pope to 〈◊〉 it according to their owne willes against the trueth of God but as was meet being Gods Lieuetenauntes they were acknowledged to bee the chiefe and that the care both of the Churche and common wealth did belong vnto them that it was their duetie as did good Ezechias Iehosap hat other kinges aboue all thinges to care that the religion of God 〈◊〉 be established and floorishe according to his written worde And if the Papistes made king Henrie head of the Churche in their sense or if hee tooke it otherwise they neyther gaue him that title aright neither did he take it as he ought and in truth it was themselues I meane the papists that gaue it as I haue saide before But our Soueraigne nowe Princesse doth neither receiue it nor take it in that meaning for this were to make the Churche a monster not subiect vnto her head Iesus Christ but subiecte to a mortall man whiche were indeede to erect a newe Popedome But if any thing were so amisse then they shoulde not muche maruell at it seeing those that were reformers then were suche as were but newelie called from Poperie and therfore could not but smell of that corruption Againe the trueth was not discouered at the first dash King Henry was not a Prince of a yeres standing Many thinges fel out in his 〈◊〉 and vppon manie occasions that brought him from the worse to the better and made him see and know also much more then he could put in practise for feare as his owne prouerbe was of bringing an old wal vpon his head No doubt he had a singuler courage yet these monstars were then so big so were they harnessed with power such poysō had they in their 〈◊〉 that they must be vanquished by the grouth of truth in time season not vppon the sodaine And which of
we openly protest that we receaue it as the word of God Concerning that which Duraey the Scot hath farther obiected cōcerning this matter I refer the Reader to M. Whittakers answere which I hope shal shortlye come forth But this you say you haue added to shew the impudencie of M Charke and his fellowes in the Tower against Campion because he could not presently shew it out of our bookes and especialy of M. Whittakers who to the admiration and laughter of al other nations hath set forth that Luther neuer called that Epistle so c. Surely first for Campion it must needes be a great impudencie to aduouch such a thing charging our whole Church of England also with it that for his life he knew not where to finde in the Aucthour which he had neuer read himself but as your maner is had by a lying traditiō receaued it frō others He y t was so impudent to chaleng a whole Church was able to say no more whē he should haue auouched his places must needes be suspected as you are Again what hath M. Whitaker set forth that is not true For if those words be to be found in Luther yet are they not spoken simply but as hath bene sayd by way of comparison therfore that resolute desperatnes to defend error is to be turned ouer to your selues that are wont to defend whatsoeuer your Romish Church holdeth be it neuer so 〈◊〉 or contrary to the word of God As for not hauing read it but measuring M. Whitakers by him self it is liker that he had read them 〈◊〉 then they who indeede although they haue often alleadged it yet they haue done it vpon no other ground then hath beene shewed and it is a very lye becōming Frier Parsons or his aduocat y t he vtterly denieth it but he saith that they reporte absolutely 〈◊〉 hath no such wordes As for the Dutch Testament it was also there offred to Campyon and if hee had taken it from thence it is lyke that hee woulde haue remembred it which if he had done there were there that vnderstoode it and could haue interpreted it vnto him Concerning that he saith to auowe his exercise and iudgement in Scripture twiting M. Chark with pride and ignorance alleadging three or foure places farre from the purpose in steed of stopping that hole he hath made it wyder and slylie passing by Maister Charks reason yet in the ende he graunteth that which was in question For if Iohns Gospel was written by the same spirite that the rest were and S. Iohn hath largely intreated of loue which is the fulfilling of the lawe it must needes follow that he hath also intreated with as great specialtie of good woorks And therfore it is a slaunderous surmise that Luther shoulde praise S. Iohns Gospel and beare a tooth as he speaketh against the other either in respect that S. Iohn speaketh lesse of workes or the other more But what will not Papistes surmise As though forsooth we thought more basely of good works then they who teach the doctrin of the more truly then they and yet giue that glory to God that they cannot saue vs but that is onely from his meere mercie freely offered and apprehended by faith in Christ. Concerning the fourth charge of Luthers doctrine whiche he likewise hath taken word for word out of Staphilus and whiche he citeth out of the answeare of George the Duke of Saxonie triumphing ouer M. Charkes ouersight in not reading that which followeth calling it extreame impudency of a lying minister and wilful and shamelesse dishonestie and I cannot tel what as if the man were in the moone I aunswear that euery opinion of euery man is not to be defended by vs. Why should Luthers opinion in some one point or other not of so great importance be laide to our charge to the discredite of the mightie trueth of God I haue saide before that men had their errours and as it pleased God to blesse them with a measure of faith so they executed their ministery And though Luther were now by the grace of God returned from Babylon and from your whoorish church of Abhomination yet he might both in this poynt of Diuorse and in others be to seeke what councell to giue you hauing not onely taught a diuorse to be lawfull for that thing but also for many others contrary to the doctrine of Christe so that that poyson was sucked from your owne breastes and therefore you haue no cause so much to triumph against Luther for that poynt or agaynst M. Chark who is ready I am sure wherein he hath fayled to be louingly admonished But this is your propertie to leape at gnattes and to catche 〈◊〉 in other men but Elephantes in your selues are motes and your fight is so dimme you cannot see them If your eye had beene cleare you might haue seene set downe in redde and great Letters in your owne popish decrees that for impotencie of body marriage is to bee dissolued yea for many lesser causes a great deale when our Sauiour hath set downe the onely cause to be fornication yet by the Popes lawe your Gossips might not marrie nor the women that had beene once marryed might not marry againe Neither doth that helpe that you will permitte them not to marry after suche diuorse but rather it doubleth and encreaseth your sinne that first you dissolue where you ought not and hauing dissolued them you suffer them not to enioye that remedie which Christe hath left them as it were leading them by the hande into the stewes to leade a filthy and loose life euer afterwardes This is that you might blushe at if there were any mite of shamefastnes in you You that haue therefore such gaps in your selues and such fowle botches you might haue pardoned this scarre and warte in Martin Luther who was otherwise so sincere sounde and painefull in the substaunce of Gods trueth and religion at whose honour though you swell and burst your selues for anger to deface it and bring it out of credite yet it shall stand and remaine till it receaue that ful fyning that shall cleare it from all humaine corruption That which followeth you borrowed not beecause you concealed the Lender but you stole it out of Staphilus and it is confessed to bee Luthers errour and meete to fall without maintenaunce beecause it hath no foundation in the worde of GOD. As for your knauishe coniecture that Luther belike had some kinsmen in whose wiues he would haue had interest it fitteth rather a popishe Iesuite and a vowed Votarie that hath not the gifte of continencie and therefore needeth such filthy shiftes Luther was knowne where hee lyued after GOD called him to that holy state of matrymonie to lyue chastly in the feare of God what soeuer your Romish Priestes Friars and Moonkes doe who were woont to bee the common Bulles of all the countrey whereabout they
Surelye the reason is because it was deuised that beeing the further off and nowe brought in cunninglye to bee auenged vppon a dead man it might bee currande amongest Papistes amongest whome nothinge is so vsuall as lying and sclaundering As for Bolsecke his learning credite wisedome and honestie Parsons in praysing them sheweth his partial iudgement one Mule dooth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another in it For for the proofe of the firste to witte of learning there is no other proofe but this onely booke of Caluins life whiche beeing a barne of so longe a byrth and a woorke of so many yeeres vttered so out of season it carryeth nothing in the forheade but barbarous ignoraunce and scurrilitie And if hee bee of credite wisdome or honestie let Parsons also bee wise and honest As for the place of his lyuing I suppose Parsons knoweth not where Bolsecke lyueth whether in heauen or in hell I haue hearde credibly reported that for the time hee lyued 〈◊〉 nowe I heare hee is deade hee lyued like a fugitiue neyther in credite nor estimation eyther with Protestant or Papiste although I cannot thinke but the Papistes had cause to make some accounte of him that hauing grounde forth such a deale of stuffe for them against Caluine and Beza and beeing then of a Friar become a prieste amongst them as they saye hee was they should for his good seruicehaue set some greater price vppon him and rewarded him eyther to haue made him a Cardinal or at the least some Iesuite Thus much concerning Bolseckes and his protestation till we come afterwardes to speake of M. Beza Where hee saieth that Iohn Caluine was borne at Noion in 〈◊〉 the yeere 1509. hee saieth true beecause hee learned it of them that sette it downe beefore him that better knewe it then hee coulde tell them but in that hee saieth that hee was in his youth a horrible blasphemer of GOD we aske him how he knew it The place of his byrth hee knewe by information but Caluines 〈◊〉 hee coulde not knowe because it was not set downe in anye storie nor giuen him to vnderstande by any sincere information And although it had not beene much to the purpose nor ought not to waye against the trueth if 〈◊〉 youth ignoraunce and blindenesse hee had shewed him selfe suche a one yet they that knewe his parentage his friendes and the course of his youth beeing not partiall haue testified that hee was towardly his lyberal bringing vp in knowledge and his profiting in it that made him a man of so worthy gifts plainely confirming it And if hee had beene suche an execrable blasphemer in his youth is it likelye that hee eyther did or coulde so applye his booke as to come to such perfection euen in his youth at the age of 24. yeeres somewhat vnder to haue written those notable commentaries vpon 〈◊〉 de Clementia Againe when hee saieth that he became at length a Prieste by shiftes and had the cure of a certaine Chappel in Noton It is true that by his fathers procurement being a man of good reputation hee had a prebende in the Cathedrall Church of Noion but that hee euer came by it by anye shfting meanes it is the sclaunder of an impudent Fryar And if hee had come vnto it by any after that sorte yet this ought not muche to preiudice the trueth which then hee neyther knewe nor professed seeing the Popishe Church maketh no conscience of simony and shifting meanes to gette fatte By shopprickes and benefices the most of their Popes buying and selling their Popedomes and benefices as in a common market But yet that he was a priest though hee had a cure and preached certaine Sermons to the people it is vncertaine both because his yeeres had not fitted him to that highest place in their Antichristian kingdome by their owne Canons whoe might not bee a prieste vnder the age of xxx and also because he continued not longe in it his father chaunging his minde in 〈◊〉 to sette him to the studie of the Lawe and M. Caluine 〈◊〉 hauing receyued some light of the trueth by meanes of his 〈◊〉 M. Peter Oliuentanus that made him to withdraw from that abhomination As for beeing taken and conuicted in that horrible sinne of Sodomie if there were any such thing it was a fruite not of the Gospell but of Poperye amongst whome holye Matrimonie beeing detested and shunned as vncleaene and filthy in their Popishe vnction what other fruites coulde it yeeld but Sodometrie Buggerie Whoredome and all other kinde of filthinesse but that it was vnlikely that Caluine was euer teynted with anye such cryme Fyrst wee must thinke that if there had beene any such conuiction or condemnation it would haue 〈◊〉 set downe vppon recorde Besides who euer heard that the Papistes retayned any such law in Fraunce for that sinne hauing so many Abbeyes Nunneries and religious houses as they call them but most irreligious where they made no account of that sinne but alwayes accounted it as a sporte their Popes hauing dispensed with it in some Countries and some of their Cardinalles hauing written bookes in the prayse of it And if hee had beene condemned to haue beene burnte alyue why did not this villaine and wretched lyer set downe the manner of processe the fourme of pardon that was graunted and she we the like practise of anye burnte in the shoulder for the like offence The like is to be said of chaunging his name to make him agree with Luther which impudentlye hee saieth the whole Citie did testifie to Bertilier Secretarie of the councell of Geneua vnder the hande of a publique and sworne Notarie the same beeing extaunt and to bee seene c. For I aske what man of credite did euer see anye such testimony If it were a publique instrument it was not so easily concealed Againe who was this Bertilier Surely a knaue one of Bolsecks companions and of Seruetus faction that troubled the Church that hauing stoode excommunicate of the Church a longe time striued against the discipline of the Churche to bee admitted to the Lordes Supper which Caluine dutifullye resisting hee hated him for it to the death Nowe if Bertilier firste a secretarie and afterwardes a deuiser and vnderminer of the Church haue faigned some such thing what credit can it deserue amongest the godly M. Caluine witnesseth of him in an Epistle to M. Bullinger that beeing thrust from the Lordes Table for his vnbridled lustes and manifolde wickednesses till he should shewe amendemente hee despising the iudgemente of the Church woulde needes notwithstandinge bee admitted and when openlye through his contumacie hee woulde haue ouerthrowen the right of the Consistorie he had obtained of the Senate that which was necessarie for me to denye Furthermore because the brasen forhead of the man was known vnto me the wicked of purpose had set him against me that either he might ouercome me with his wayward stubbornnesse or
if they had beene true all the safe conductes that the kinge of Fraunce coulde haue made him coulde not haue saued him from the shame of such outragious iniquitie or at least if any such challendge had bin made eyther by the fermers or by the Tailer 〈◊〉 that Launoy had giuen the one of them a hundred crownes to stoppe his mouth coulde haue stopped the blaste of this infamie especiallye beeinge in suche a place where they woulde haue beene gladde for to haue hadde some suche matter agaynst him to haue defaced him Where both hee and wee shoulde haue hadde it hotte in our noses sette out to the vttermoste and with the fullest testimonies whereas nowe forsooth onely Bolsecke an heretike an enemie and 〈◊〉 a slidebacke an Apostata are brought in in a dumb shew to witnesse the matter But heere for the better satisfiyng of the godly for I suppose nothing can satisfie the papists that are 〈◊〉 sonable men in regard of these accusations I will set down a letter from M. Beza him selfe 〈◊〉 euen very lately to a learned and godly father of this Realme that had written vnto him a litle before concerning these matters wherein they shall heare what M. Beza answereth which I haue faithfully thus translated Master Beza his Letter to the reuerend and godly learned man M. Tho. S. I Reioyce that it was and is vntrue that lately was shewed vnto mee to wit that you were gone before me vnto that same most quiet hauē to which we haue hitherto striued through so many stormes Blessed bee the Lorde our God euen for this and hee graunt that you may long liue for the benefite of his Church If I had knowen that the matter had beene so you shoulde not haue beene so 〈◊〉 of mee when euē very lately not passing three dayes since y e messenger of our Senate comming thither I wrote letters directed to many concerning our affaires as also vnlesse it were troublesome vnto you I woulde haue you to learn of M. 〈◊〉 or of our M. Fountaine or of those 〈◊〉 Bishops themselues and that you woulde not thinke it much also to lend vs your helping hand in that businesse But as concerning those infamous libels of 〈◊〉 written against Caluine beeing dead and me yet a liue and alleadged 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 besides that I haue long since waxed harde with suffering such reproches yet hee hath deuised nothing of Caluin or vomited out against me vnto which I haue not answered before to wit in Caluins Interim and in my other answere to Claudius then a Monk and now a popish Bishop which concludeth the second volume of my workes For this same Verlet writeth nothing which hee hath not taken from others especially out of a libell of a certaine couled Franciscan published at Lyons twentie yeere agoe in which that wicked wretche beeing expulsed from Lausanna with his harlot when I was Rector or Gouernor of the schoole there sparing none of y e ministers or professors of Lausanna feigned also that same tale of my wife whom I should carry from her husband Vnto whiche libell Caluine also thought good somewhat to answere which if you will looke you shal finde amongst his small bookes published heere together in the yeere 1576. in the 531. Pag. I my selfe doe therefore answere nothing because when hee had spread those sclaunders at Lausanna the authour according to the maior his iudgement had asked mee forgiuesse for his lying acknowledged his faulte vnto mee by writing vnder the common seale of the Towne Afterwardes I vnderstoode that y e wretch with his harlot was for other wickednesses cast into prison at Paris a little before the beginning of the first ciuile warres and at the length as I thinke ended his life in an halter But Bolsecke is also more detestable enterprising by circumstāces of names and times partly true and partly false to put vpon these deuises some colour of truth to deceiue the ignorant being infamous by a threefold banishment and at the length falling into open defection of Papistrie hath now so durst to lye being in the desperate estate of pouertie y t he might win some fauour with the Archbishop of Lions a mā not much more godly then himselfe at that time when as in a 〈◊〉 Towne of the Countrie of Subaudia six miles from this Citie he moste impudently and also vnskilfully professed Phisicke to his small profite Afterwards his libell also being inlarged by another impure Apostata Lan zus whom I heare not to bee there vnknowne vnto you wonderfull things being promised vnto him of which promises when the miserable felow saw that 〈◊〉 were both frustrate he went vnto his place shortly after departed 〈◊〉 life But doe you thinke my good Sampson that I ought so to stay at the barkings of these Curres that by bestowing labour in confuting these thinges againe which haue beene so often confuted I might stirre vp others to followe being more impudent hauing no conscience in deuising any thing Or rather to leane vpon mine own conscience and their testimonie who haue beene beholders of my lyfe these 34. yeeres and by a flat and constant despising the outragious barkings of these dogges which at length of their owne accord will vanishe away as much as I can approoue my faith and integritie to the Churche and to all good men They reprehend my Poemes which fell from 〈◊〉 when I was a young man among the Papistes for which very thing I obteined great praise euen with the Italians The which not withstanding were printed first of all by the permission of the Senate of Paris which Poemes I my selfe first condemned which yet may seeme very chaste in comparison of many of their sorte of writinges and which they themselues doe suffer and woulde haue them printed againe and againe if I forsooth had been giuen to accompanie 〈◊〉 or to haue committed any thing more filthie woulde I haue be taken my selfe into this church or not rather haue abidden still amongest themselues where I may be bolde to say so large a way was opened and by many means vnto great riches and to no small dignities neither was I altogether so senslesse but that I sweat long time and laboured much in ouercomming this ten tation If I went out of my Countrie for debt howe commeth it 〈◊〉 passe that no man for these 34 〈◊〉 hath sued mee in this Citie where it is knowne that the lawe is executed most seuerely If being guiltie of that crime I forsooke Fraunce howe is it that in so long time there appeared no accuser especially seeing I haue so many enemies willingly and of their owne accorde without any fee conspiring againste my life But I knowe that I neede not these excuses neither with you my Sampson or with any vpright Iudges The brethren which are heere neither they of Paris where Lanzus the 〈◊〉 got these thingse to bee printed doe thinke meete that I shoulde once thinke of writing any newe
charged to imbrace that which both he and we do set our selues against more then euer did the Papistes vnlesse they call that Puritanisme when menne doe studie 〈◊〉 seperate them selues from Popish corruptions which indeed because Papistes doe not as they cal vs in spite Puritans we may iustly cal them filthy Porkelins Last of al concerning that worthy man M. Bucer whom this wretch seeking to deface as he hath done all the rest by the authoritie of lying Lindane he auouching it vpon the reporte of certaine Merchants as he saith of Colen and by the reporte of Pontacus afore rehearsed a popishe and therefore a lying Historiographer of our time who forsooth as some of his owne Disciples should reporte should die a Iewe denying Christ to be come it is so foule and false a sclaunder as M. Charke hath already prooued and the storie both of his life and death set forth to all the worlde doth testifie as I will not any longer stand vpon it As for the inconstancie altering and chaunging that they charge him with wherby they would gather y t he so often altered chaunged his fayth that he might die a Iewe as Parsons saith welinough It is a reporte worthy such reporters For for his inconstancie it was no other then it bcommeth al Christians who must and doe grow from worsse to better wee beginne first with principles as it were with milke but afterwardes by the grace of God we are confirmed and can receiue stronger meate Both Phillip Melancthon and Martin Bucer were woorthye men and yet by the meanes of Luther and Zwinglius in that point of the Scrament they were diuersly distracted till their iudgemente was better confirmed And what reproch Parsons was this vnto the Must Bucer therfore needs so often alter change his faith as he was found to alter change his opinion in this point Is there no differēce betwixt a mans faith that is that whiche comprehendeth the whole doctrine of faith and a little point whiche onely consisteth in a matter of circumstance Againe haue the Papistes alwayes beene one of one growth alwayes like themselues Did not Priest Bristow dissemble a greate while come to our Churche communicate with our Sacraments be present at our exercises and disputations long time after her Maiestie came to her Crowne Did not Friar Campion so liuing in S. Iohns Colledge beating office in the Vniuersitie beeing the Grocers scholler and proceeding so farre that hee shoulde haue preached before them And good Syr Robert if you be the authour of this booke for your selfe howe liued you in your colledge before you were expelled your house for your prodigalitie and wickednes before you went beyond the Seas When there was a greater likelicood that you woulde prooue some notable royster or 〈◊〉 whom the gallowes would take vp by the way rather then a Iesuite who for popish treason excepte the Lord turne your hart wil bring you I feare to a iust and a deserued end As for that which follo weth hauing beene long in this seeing it is matter of doctrine and containeth but such things as hath beene already obiected and was long ago answered wherin also I suppose M. Chark as God shal giue him strength leasure and time either presently or when the whol shal come out wil shap some answer I leaue it for my part estee ming it vnworthy any beseeching al good readers euen for Christes sake and as they tender their own saluation to beware of those enemies whō we doe see to be distressed in the maintenaunce of their cause that they are driuen from the matter to the manner from the trueth to mens persons from the word of God to mens traditions seeking nothing but to inueigle vs by odious and false accusations Now the Lord Iesus open thy heart giue thee wisdome and strength that thou maist discerne trueth from errour and light from darknes and discerning it maist so fast cleaue vnto it as thou maist stand against Satan against hell against Antichrist and against al his Adherentes to liue and die in it Amen FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Uintree by Thomas Dawson and Toby Smith 1583. To trie the trueth by mens persons absurd and vnequall Mat. 26. Mat. 26. 70. Act. 2. 22. 12. 4. c. Truth not to be measured by 〈◊〉 Rom. 3 4. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 10. Luke 12. 1. Rom. 2. 24. Isay 52. 5. Mat. 18. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 5. de 〈◊〉 Christiana Greg. Martin cap 10. pag. 163. Discouerie Canisius cap. 5. dist 4. Hosius de sacra Baptis cap. 33. See the defēce 〈◊〉 the Censure pag. 〈◊〉 Antichriste the head of the papists 1. Thes. 2. Math. 7. Sir Thomas Moore in his di alogues 〈◊〉 3. ca. 11. Cam the father of al the papists accursed together with thē sor their shame lesse 〈◊〉 of the wantes priuities of the Churche 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 theologia fol. 130. Sathās instruments furnished to mainteine euill causes 2. Thess. 2. Mat. 24. Luke 21. No helpes are to be allowed to the wicked A popish nest discouered in Oxford shire where theyr presse printe was taken and their workes 〈◊〉 Iames 1. 8. * Of this also he complaineth in the last diuision of the last preface which made him forsooth to set down his own censure againe at large But hee knewe well enough by M. 〈◊〉 answere that such disputatiō was dangerous inconueniēt Disputation The 〈◊〉 blood 〈◊〉 men That Campion was a traitour and iustly executed by the lawes of this Realme Witnesse that little Booke set forth of their answeres to those interrogatories vnder the handes of those worshipful Commissioners that dealt with thē * You imagine euery man to 〈◊〉 like your popes popes 〈◊〉 such as Pandolphus August were of whose pride and big lookes euery story is full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. All the sort of them haue lōg agoe testified that there is no disputing with vs 〈◊〉 they might haue liberty and vse their old arguments reade their note in the Testament of Rhemes vpō the forenamed place Harding Apolo fol. 20. 25. 115. Staphilus translated by Stapletō pag. 22. infinite others Defence fol. 3. Either papistes must shew better euidence or 〈◊〉 they must be the intruders Bristow motiue 6. fol. 37. motiue 12. fol. 58. motiue 15. fol. 40. Saunders de visib monar Eccle lib. 2. pag. 78 lib. 7. pag. 130. 734. Excommunication of Pius Quintus set vp by Felton confirmed also by Gregorie the 13. So Saunders saith that Mor ton was sent ouer so was Campiō Sherwin and the rest of Seminarie Priestes for that purpose It is the dutie of al the Lords watchmen to giue warning against imminent danger The Papistes patience is 〈◊〉 perforce * New Test. of Rhemes Annor in Io. 15. ver 4. Rom. 5. ver 1. Reade that whole discourse of R. Parsons in that hipocriticall booke of his 〈◊〉 Christian exercise cap. 4. VVherein he laboureth altogether to draw men