you and flinging your abhominations in your faces they speake 〈◊〉 Gods enemies against perlecutors and tyrants for Christ and for his church against the corrupters and betrayers of all Churches and kingdomes His bytter speech therefore iustly bestowed in waight and measure vpon you was bestowed where it should be and is no warrande for you to bestowe it where you ought not and yet it is all that which you can say where with you gorge your bookes and fil vp not your lines but your leaues and great volumes to But howsoeuer you beare it amongest men a day shall come when you shall answere it to the Lorde whom you strike then you shall knowe what it is to haue opened your mouth against the Almightie and against his blessed holy truth But heere you will not passe ouer this heape whiche like a dounge farmer you haue laide together out of the writings of the Protestants which you set downe as a token to knowe their heartes and their spirits by abusing that place of our Sauiour and comparing them with Simō Magus as fitly and as truely as you are wont to alleadge the Scriptures But if you had turned it on the other side to your selues those scourilous railers of your sort you had fitted it better For in deede that 〈◊〉 and furious backbiting and slaundering spirite agreeth with all popish heretikes and suche as not beeing able to preuaile against Gods euerlasting truth flye alwayes to that diuelish and serpentine kinde of dealing But I wonder at your folly in interpreting that place of the Actes concerning Simon Magus against vs seeing your late young masters of Rhemes acquite Simon Magus in respect of vs that blasphemed not but prayed the Apostles to pray for him That same gaule of bitternesse and budde of vnrighteousness which Peter sawe in that Patrone and forefather of yours Simon Magus was that same roote of bitternesse that budded foorth gaule and wormewood a Metaphore declaring that the fountaine was corrupt and the very heart teynted with malice and venome But what maketh this againste bytter speeche and sharpe dealing againste hypocrites suche as your selfe is and against the enemies of God and seeing also in the same place Peter vseth asgreat sharpnesse againste Simon Magus as might be Of like fitnesse is that allegation out of the eight of the Romanes He that hath not the spirite of Christe is none of his Seeing it standeth well with the spirite of Christe which came vppon the Apostles in 〈◊〉 tongues to reproue the worlde of sinne to reproue errours and falshoods in mē with the zeale and heate of God And as for Papistes they cannot challendge this texte to them seeing they make a mocke of vs when being Christes wee assure our selues to haue the spirite of Christe whiche they are wont to blaspheme and accounte it an haynous presumption that any man shoulde so thinke I graunt that as the holy ghoste appeared in firie tongues so also hee had the for me of a Doue which settethe foorth the simplicitie and softuesse wherewith the children of God are indued But as God hath softe ones so hee hath sharpe ones and both necessarie for the building vp of his Saintes And you your selfe giue vs a plaister together with the wounde whilest you allowe heate in respect of the matter and you say that it is not the question seeing Christe and his Apostles and after them many holy fathers amongest whome you name S. Anthonie haue vsed very hoat and sharp speech Wee answere you if there bee any heate in our writinges that becommeth not Christes Gospell it is meete as comming from mans corruption that it fall to the grounde but if there be heate sharpnesse and biting Corziues that gnawe vpon your proude fleshe and is as a searing Iron to your festered botches and soares in respect of the matter of truth not of any hatred to your Parsons whom for the most part wee knowe not You must bee content to abyde it If Christ come with his whip and will chase you out of his house as he did the Iewes if hee will driue you out headlonge and ouerthrowe your Tressels and Tables making his house that is the house of prayer a denne of theeues whilest you make it a markette and a place of sale who canne resist him Herode may bee called Foxe and the Scribes and Pharisees generation of Vipers the Princes of Iudah Princes of Sodome and Gomorhe theeues and compapanions of theeues and yet this no spirite of errour but the spirite of Christe Nowe then for M. Charkes woordes against the Iesuites whom hee calleth Scorpions and poysoned Spiders they are Metaphors in respect of the matter liuely setting out their cursed practises and 〈◊〉 and are rightly giuen them I will not stande vpon the application It is apparant to all the worlde that they are such in truth as those noisome venemous beasts do set them out to be in nature and condition And also in regarde of their pettigree and of spring taking their beginning of a late obscure souldier master Hanmer might well enough in suche a case to set out the madnes of such monsters vse those excessiue speeches and that with more warrant a great deale then you might call him shamelesse slouen whom I knowe to haue dealte a great deal more clenly then your selfe or any those filthie sottes of your side in many their writings And as for master Fulke they that knowe him better then you knowe him to haue no ruffianlike spirit although when he is prouoked by your vnlearned and doltish dealing hee hath that courage that becommeth a professour and Preacher of the Gospell to giue you fit names and to prouoke you again according to your dealing And albeit these speeches seuered from circumstances that went before and after and from the occasions that made him to set such wordes downe seeme odious Yet they that are wise can consider that they are much mitigated when they are considered as I haue saide And surely I am perswaded there is no man that carieth flesh vpon his backe and liueth as a man amongst men that can bee so patient especially with papistes Gods sworne enemies whose religion as it is grosse and altogether built vpon superstition and folly so when they will confirme it by grosse abusing the scriptures by palpable ignorance and wresting the holy scriptures of malice whiche they peruert to their owne destruction as they doe in most of their writings though Gregorie Martin vniustly chargeth vs with it then must needes fall out of our pennes and mouthes some such names as agree best vnto them whether wee will or no when wee thinke least of them I write not this to the ende to defende euery worde that is vttered by vs. Wee are men and because the Lorde buildeth by vs and mainteineth his worke it is our speciall comforte that wee builde vpon the foundation That which is ours wee desire not
heauenlie kingdome and the bedfellow Thalamus or marrying chamber of the king of glorie 〈◊〉 art the refuge 〈◊〉 a sinner the mother of 〈◊〉 Sauiour Saue vs thy people thou Lady of thy seruauntes that wee may be partakers of thine inheritance vouchsafe O sweete Marie nowe and alwayes to keepe vs without sinne O Godlie Marie haue mercie vpon vs haue mercy vpon vs let thy great mercie be alwayes with vs because O Marie we trust in thee In thee O sweete Marie wee hope that thou shouldest defende vs for euer What shoulde I blotte paper with the blasphemies contayned in the Rosaries what shoulde I rehearse the praier that Laurence B. of Asses made graunted 40 daies of pardon to them that saide it in the worship of our Lady and that which S. Edmond Archb. of Canterburie made and sayde of the which manie miracles be shewed What should I speake of that prayer made concerning Thomas Becket that traitour of S. Erkenwalde of S. 〈◊〉 the virgin that had a beard sodainly growen vppon her face to keepe her from marrying the king of Cicilia of S. Katherin S. Syth S. Dunston S. Elphege S. Brigit with her 15. Oos to be saide before the holie 〈◊〉 in S. Powles at Rome and being said thorow out the yeere there deliuereth 15. soules out of Purgatorie of the next of kinne and conuerteth 15. sinners to good life and maketh that the 15. righteous men of his kinne shal continue in goodlife and he that saith S. Gregories prayer before the Image of pitie with 5. Pater nosters 5. Auies and a Credo piteously beholding those armes of Christes bitter passion there are graunted 32. thousand 700. and 55. yeeres of pardon And Sixtus the 4. hath made the fourth and fifth prayer and hath doubled his foresaid pardon I had almost forgotten that goodlie Epistle of our Sauiour which Leo sent to Carolus magnus which whosoeuer doeth beare about him and saith it once a day shal obtaine 40. yeeres of pardon and fourescore lenttidge and hee shall not perishe with sodayne death and that prayer also whiche muste bee saide before the eleuation and the three Agnus deis for which Bonifacius the 6. holie Pope granted ten thousande yeeres of pardon So there was pardons graunted by Iohn 22. and Innocentius for prayers sayde at the Eleuation All haile true bodie borne of Marie the Virgin c. All haile light of the worlde The worde of the Father the true Sacrifice liuing flesh the whole Godhead very man All haile the beginning of our creation the price of our redemption c. This Idolatrie they committed to their Maozim their breaden God of Abhomination But singuler aboue all others is that which beeing sayde immediatlie after the eleuation of the hoste bringeth cleane remission of all their sinnes that saye it perpetuallie enduring Graunted forsooth by Sixtus the 4 and by Iohn the third Popes of Rome which being say de before the image of our Lord 〈◊〉 doth bring as many dayes of pardon as there were woundes in the body of our Lord in the time of his bitter passion the whiche were fiue thousande 400. 65. as iust as can bee but yet they misse of their reckoning For in another place they make them lesse Sainte Augustines prayer also is a goodlye prayer which whosoeuer doeth but say heare or beare about him he shal not perishe by fire nor water in battell or in iudgement For though he deserue to be hanged yet he shall scape hee shall not dye any sodaine death no venom shal poyson him in that day and when hee dyeth his soule shall not enter into hell Saint Gregories fiue petitions also are of goodly vertue and so are the three praiers written in the chappell of the holy crosse at Rome whiche for the saying of them haue allotted tenne hundred thousande yeeres of pardon for deadly sinnes and this that liberall Gentleman Pope Iohn the 22. of his large liberalitie graunted but you must remember to say also a Pater noster an Aue and a Creede If you liue any longer you may take it for aduauntage And I pray you forget not to praye to the sweete visage or vernackle of our Lorde for you shall obteine euen by that tenne thousande dayes of pardon And if you cannot say this prayer you may put in steede thereof fiue Pater nosters fiue Aues and fiue Credoes in Deum As Campion saide aboue all remember to ioyne in Credo with mee when hee was in his prayers at his death And if you do but deuoutly behold the armes of an image of Christ you shall haue sixe thousande yeeres of pardon three thousand for deadly sinnes and three thousand for veniall sinnes and I warrant you for the rest And because you shall not doubt of this as if it had but a seale of Butter I tell you as sure as Saint Peter was first Pope of Rome so hee graunted it and thirtie other Popes that were successours after him and therefore doubt not of it and Iohn the 22. hath confirmed it After all these many other odde things there are to be had which would not be lost For al help which is the prayer that is to be said in the worship of our Lords wound in his side bringeth foure thousand dayes of pardon and S. Barnards prayer in the worship of the holy name Iesus which is written in a table at S. Peters Church in Rome deliuereth frō the state of eternall damnation changeth eternall paine into the temporal paine of purgatory the paine of purgatory into free 〈◊〉 on And there be prayers for women with child euen the first Psalm as well applied as the twentie two for her deliuerie against thundering and lightning against the pestilence to our Ladie for newe maried 〈◊〉 for all diseases and sortes of people and one containing certaine verses of the Psalter whiche Saint Bernard learned of the Diuell For when on a certaine time hee was in his prayers the Diuel tolde him that hee knewe certaine verses in the Psalter which whosoeuer said them daylie shoulde not perishe but hee should haue knowledge of the day wherein hee shoulde die But the feend would not shew them to Saint Bernard then Saint Bernard saide hee woulde say euery day the whole Psalter which when the Diuell perceiued hee tolde Saint Bernarde which they weres you shall finde the verses in Fol. 125. You may see howe Bernarde learned to pray of the Diuell as they say Luther learned to knowe that the Masse was euill by the Diuell Surely it is like that the one shoulde bee as true as the other I will but tell you one more and so get out yf I can of this foule quakemyre and that is to be saide as you goe thorowe the Churche yarde for saying of which Pope Iohn the twelfth graunted as many yeeres of pardon as there were bodies buried from the time that it was first
concupiscence But if Christ be the author patrone of your sect which yet were 〈◊〉 to make him a sectmaister why shoulde you not follow him in al things If you leaue some things vndone that he did do some things that he did not are you not your own choosers to take and to leaue It is not indeed denied but Christ is an example of perfection not to bee followed of any sect that they should counterfeit him in all his doings but that they should follow him in those thinges which he specially plainly commanded And where doth he cōmand 〈◊〉 any shold be called after the name of his office a part by themselues to take vpon thē to doe whatsoeuer he did in al things being the sonne of God as an exempt person whom none might follow sent of God for the execution of that ministery of mediation saluation whiche rested in himselfe and in no other And vnlesse you had the giftes that he had how cā you do the works that he did Haue you the gift of continencie to liue chaste as he liued Can you fast without either eating or drinking as hee did for 40 daies together or can you do the miracles that hee did for the confirmation of your doctrine And if hee liued as other men was founde as a man in al things sin only except wherby he was only separated frō others what extraordinary thing was there in Christ set before vs to be followed in him what ordinary thing not to be followed in him His great long fasting for so many daies without any sustenaunce was extraordinary so was also his praying in respect of his person his volūtary refusing of al who was Lorde of all to make vs riche and his vsing of all to teache vs that all the creatures of God were good his own blessinges not to bee refused as vncleane worldely or vile as you Wretches would teach and insinuate to the children of God And in these thinges that are to be followed other where commaunded in the worde of God We trust that we the ministers of God shal by his assistāce sollow him in true mortification whē we shal feele that powerful killing of the corruption of the flesh which you papists pamper reare vp to the ful that you may commit all iniquitie howsoeuer you prate of the matter in the ceremony not comming neere the thing required in deede As for that exāple of Christs going being bidden to feasts which with a yea marrie you twite M. Chark with as thogh he spake for good cheere and loued it better then you which you say was more pleasant then the doctrine of the whip howsoeuer you talke of the whip which you would seeme to loue better then cheere it is wel enough knowen by your praceise that good cheere carrieth a better tast with you then the whip you were are the veriest belligods that euer liued in this world And what sharpe strength soeuer your whips had in outward shew beeing sensible mē as you say they were either not laid on to the purpose but some foxe tailes as it were put in their places or beeing laide on in some hipocritical maske procession you were so gorged crāmed before that the whip could not greatly annoy you Indeed your religious locusts biddē to associate princes peeres might goe by S. Francis order to such feastes but otherwise when both Franciscans and Dominicans Benedicts Augustines got once vnder pretence of religion teaching that filthy doctrine of satisfaction by works the good deeds they did for other meriting heauen by your hipocritical prayers wherof they 〈◊〉 made partakers I say then you were wont to keepe the warmest kitchins of al others whosoeuer were prouided for your prouision must not be neglected If it were not had before the kings yet it was next al other noble men must giue place to you And if fulnes of bread pride idlenes not reaching their hands vnto the poore were euer occasions of those sins that were found in Sodome and Gomer it was no maruell though the same sinnes were founde lodged within your Walles and Cloysters where you had al cōmodities pleasures and ease where your fare was excessiue your idlenes famous your pride without measure and your mercilesnes intollerable How soeuer you would seemeto haue been the mainteiners of the poore vnder your prerenced vowed pouertie you were possessed as hath bin noted euen of the land of Goshan in Egypt the fattest moste plenteous that might be affoorded in euery natiō countrey Your exemptiōs immunities priuiledges were wonderful so that vnder the colour of forsaking the worlde you possessed it wholly vnder the name of pouertie you were the onely wealthy who robbed the poore indeede of that comfort which should haue bin yeelded them We deny not but euen those that 〈◊〉 most religious may frequent feasts but we denie that you are religious We cal none Belligods that sometimes vpō occasion haue greater plentie then at other times but we cal them bellygods who haue no other care but to pamper cramme the flesh The Stile therfore is not changed but malice is blind frantike in you who wil make the world beleeue vnder the visard of some litle ceremonie that you leade the austerest liues in the world when if euer there were a wallowing in al the pleasures of this life both in the one sexe and the other it was founde in your Abbeies and Nunneries Concerning the estate of Christ whiche hee tooke vppon him abandoning those thinges whereof he was Lorde which hee vsed and sometimes refused according to his owne will it maketh nothing for following any such vowe as you would establish Neither did he by that con̄cel of selling al and giuing to the poore counsaile men to cast of and 〈◊〉 their iust possessions and vocations which might wel stand with the prosession of his truth but that they shold cast off the loue of those temporal thinges so as they did not in regard of keeping them forsake his Gospel no more then hee meante by forsaking father or mother that they shoulde withdrawe anie duetie whiche his law had layde vpon any or by forsaking the worlde wherunto we are so often exhorted meane that men shoulde therefore shorten their liues or lay violent handes vppon them selues to rydde them selues out of it Neyther doeth that example of the Apostles in time of Persecution as hath beene often noted take awaye anye mans proprietie and therefore in that your order will haue all thinges to be common and no propriety pleaded you iumpe with the Anabaptistes wherewith you haue often charged vs not vnderstāding the power of the holy ghost that being done in time of persecution whē the whole bodie was to be cherished mainteyned You dream therfore of the example of Ananias Saphira making that 〈◊〉 resigning of their owne which they might haue kept
other a Popishe startvppe bored through the eare whose writinges you may iudge not onely by this monstrouslye but also by many others receyued by tradition fom his predecessours Hosius Staphilus Lyndane and the rest as impudente and sclaunderous wretches And as true is this reporte as the rest wherewith their predecessours the Scribes and the Pharisees haue charged not onelye Christe and his Apostles but also these seruaunts of Christe that followed him long after They charged Christ that hee had the Deuill that he wrought his myracles by Beelzebub the chiefe of the Deuilles They charged his Apostles with the like and after them the Christians in the primatiue Church with many enormities and detestable factes whereof yet they were neuer guiltie and so yet they cease not to spue out their venim without all colour and grounde of trueth against those excellent seruauntes of God whose shooe 〈◊〉 they are not woorthy to loose and al because their crowne is reached at and theyr belly is pynched which yet must downe tugge they neuer so harde for it And hence come all these deuises of Satan being lewde and lowde lyes without all colour of probabilitie or coniecture Hence it is that 〈◊〉 must needes beethe sonne of the deuill that he must dye drunke that 〈◊〉 must needes eyther be killed by him or by his owne handes that Peter Martyr must haue a familyar Martin Bucer must consulte with his Cowe and his Calfe Iewel must haue all his knowledge from his Cat or from a Wesel and muste dye recanting his opinions imbracing a popishe Crosse with protestation that hee sinned against his owne conscience and knowledge with a thousand such other deuises and fictions And he that can be the firste to deuisesuch a ground for thē to worke vpō that they may deface god his truth these mē thogh they be the 〈◊〉 rascals landlopers y t are amōgst men though they be so branded y t they deserue no credit amōgst honest men especially amōgst godly mē yet these they receiue 〈◊〉 aboue the skies And suche a one is this Pontacus whome hee woulde boarde in steede of Iustus Ionas Such a one is Bolsecke of whome hee speaketh afterwarde an impure Apostata and a trouble coast an enuious and malicious wretch as afterwards shall more plainely bee proued And for the credite of this reporte concerning Luthers death I referre the Reader to that story written by Iustus Ionas and testified by Selius and others that Martyn Luther died in a good age with great peace and excellent 〈◊〉 of great personages and godly men who being sicke not vpon the sodaine but as he was in his iourney towardes Islib at the instant request of the noble Earles of Mansfielde departed from Wittenberge the 23. of Ianuarie in the yeere 1546. The first night going to Bitterfielde the next day comming to Haulis about eleuen of the clocke hee remained there that day and three dayes after in the house of this Iustus Ionas being a Doctor in Diuinitie whom this sorte and the rest woulde make to bee his cooke On the twentie eight day after he departed from Haulis with his good hoast and his three sonnes 〈◊〉 him and 〈◊〉 ouer a dangerous flood in a small 〈◊〉 by and by afterwardes hee fell so sore ficke y t euerie man thought him in great danger and thereupon not only tooke vp the next harborow but made such necessarie prouisiō as was fit till hee was som what better relieued recouered Afterwhich though he were not fully cōfirmed yet he folowed y t matter about which he wēt he oftentimes preached was euermore occupied about the affaires of y t Church And for the aduācement of the kingdō of Christ his exercises in study in expoūding the Scriptures in writing in prayer were wonderful All done with wōderfull zeale singuler 〈◊〉 But all this 〈◊〉 hee was as a crased man and thereupon was desired by those princes and many others to take vp his chamber aforehande that his health might bee the better prouided for but hee woulde not but thought it a great dutie still to be occupied in thinges appertaining to his function And therefore as a prediction of his ende hee made a worthie Sermon of death and of the ioyes of the life to come of the great tentations that euerie Christian indureth and when afterwardes hee waxed sicker and sicker hee was often founde in prayer hee was visited by the Earle Albeis and receiued medicines such as were appointed for him beeing had to his bed hee vttered these wordes The euerlasting God bee my comfort for now I goe to my bedde Into thy handas O Lorde I commende my spirite And whereas this wretch reporteth that hee should will thē to pray to God for our Lord God for his Gospell it is a foule lye fit for the mouth of a Papist For the storie is thus that whē his clothes were done off he was layd in his naked bed he gaue each of thē his hand and said Farewell to you all sweete brethren in the Lord pray for the congregation and holy Gospell of God that they may haue prosperous successe for that wicked councell of Trident and that abhominable Pope hath sought and yet seeketh to do them both great harme What villanie therefore is this not onely to lye vppon a man that is dead but that the lye may bee credited to father it vpon Iustus Ionas beeing reported by Pontacus Howe woulde this impudent Friar haue triumphed against M. Charke that hauing but a little holde in a matter of diuorce for that M. Charke sawe not the latter ende of Luthers wordes as hee did the beginning and maketh yet such styrre about it if hee had had the like aduantage as heere hee hath yeelded But God and his holy angels heauen and earth men and all creatures must needes beare witnesse against such a false witnesse If hee will say still that these Reporters are partiall what are his If these that were present coulde not tell the truth because they imbraced true religion can Papists tell it that are absent imbracing superstition Can this Harlots forehead say that any Papist did heare it howesoeuer they haue shamelesly reported it Or is there any publike seale of the states present that euer did confirme it No no for the storie saith that afterwards hee fell a sleepe and beeing awaked when 〈◊〉 was asked howe hee did hee aunswered not like a drunken man but thus O my Lord God how sicke am I this houre Oh M. Ionaes I make no other account but here in Izlibe where I was both borne baptised to lay my mortall bones And afterwardes beeing desirous to bee carried into a stoue when they began to comfort him hee still cryed out O Lorde into thy handes I commende my soule as before c Then going to his bed againe beeing visited with Phisitions Noble men and Ladies and others of all sortes
AN Answeare for the time vnto that foule and wicked Defence of the Censure that was giuen vpon M. Charkes Booke and Meredith Hanmers Contayning a maintenance of the credite and persons of all those woorthie men namely of M. Luther Caluin Bucer Beza and the rest of those Godlie 〈◊〉 of Gods worde whom he with a shamelesse 〈◊〉 most slanderously hath sought to deface finished sometime sithence And now published for the stay of the Christian Reader till Maister Charkes Booke come foorth Exod. 20. 16. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Receiue not an accusation against an Elder but vnder two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5. 19. ⧠Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson and Tobie Smith 1583. ⧠To the Christian Reader Grace and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ by the holie Ghost sealed in thy heart for euer Amen MAruel not good Christiā Reader that I haue taken vpon me before the publishing of M. Charkes fuller answere to say somewhat vnto that same shameles impudent defender of his proud vngodly Censure For first I cōsider the great hurte that may come by reason that the common sort lacke iudgement when such outragious vniust slāders are spewed foorth the common sort being giuen rather to measure the truth by mens persons then their persons by the truth which is a very absurd vnequal trial to trye the trueth by For why should the naughtines of men preiudice the truth of God Why should Iudas a 〈◊〉 tor deface the doctrine of Iesus Christ or discountenance any of the rest of the Apostles Why shold Peters inconstancie feare in denying his Maister disaduantage the constant truth for which he afterwards suffred al the rest of the Apostles so constantly aduouched Marke therfore good Reader that this wretch against whom I write that he may deface the Gospel of thy redēption laboureth for nothing more then to deface their persons that haue bin some of the most singuler instruments that euer God raised vp in his church since the Apostles times With what truth grounds he chargeth thē vpon what testimony we shal see afterwards when we come to it In the meane time I doubt not but the whole Church specially M. Charke will take it well that I keepe his hands from raking in their filth ease him of this foule work wherunto though I be drawn by the aduersary against my wil yet it shal appeare that we haue athousad for one to charge them with in the persons not only of their late restorers of Romish religion but in their very fathers founders wherin also if they haue made me to rake deeper 〈◊〉 was meete to the raysing vp of such a filthy sauour that al the world may be annoyed with let thē thāk thēselues If they say it be against charitie let them remember that it stādeth with charity to mainteine innocēcie against their cursed teeth and if it be against charity in vs why was it not so in themselues who yet are most guilty in giuing the first example let thē learne the 〈◊〉 betwixt the truth error betwixt the light the darknes In very deed we do not measure Gods trueth by men nor religion simplye by mēs liues as they do We know that al mē are liars in the professiō of the Gospel there are haue been shalbe many Hypocrites such as cause the euerlasting truth of God to be euil spoken of amongest such as are without and such as they are 〈◊〉 to whō they are stones of offence set vp in Gods iust iudgement that they may stūble at them forsake the truth and be confirmed in error cōfounded to their vtter destruction But why should this withdraw from truth Why should the darknes of mē put out the cleere light of the gospel seeing it shineth not only to discouer the vnrighteousnes of the world but also 〈◊〉 chase away errors euē in the best Why shold we be charged with the faults of mē priuate mē which our profession doe not allowe neither in our selues nor others Nay rather we teach according to the doctrine ofregeneratiō mortificatiō sanctification that holines of life which is not in our selues yet we wish in others We teach the killing of the corruption of old Adā newnes of life which these men neuer vnderstood to whō if the professors of the gospel be 〈◊〉 if conuersation be layd with cōuer satiō in theirs ours in their seueral professiōs ours their holines with ours we shalbe Angels they diuels we may as we are 〈◊〉 shew our infirmities but they as they are men al their abhominations not of men but of Antichrist that both in life doctrine set thēselues against Iesus Christ the 〈◊〉 of God that same blessed spirit of 〈◊〉 We in professing the truth acknowledge our errors find them out and iudge them by the truth condemne them in our selues and in others yea we condēne the very motions and should or doe punish according to Gods worde both priuate and publike offenders to the vttermost of our powers these in professing falshood and false religion doe mainteine euery cursed abhomination and though they say they haue free wil cā fulfil al the cōmandeméts of God yet boldly impudently they breake thē al they make no accoūt of concupiscéce vnlesse they cōsent vnto it and though the fome breake foorth into cursed attemptes into idolatry swearing and blasphemy into prophaning the 〈◊〉 Sabaoths with their deuised religiō contrary to his word though they dishonour them to whom honor belongeth commit adultery buggerie sodomitrie al kinde of filthines thogh they kill steale lie and slaunder beare false witnes and suffer euery affectiō to roue at his pleasure yet these with them are either no sinnes or very light sinnes which they wil satisfie for with a litle bodily punishment which they hypocritically and voluntarily deuise and lay vpon thēselues Wherefore good Christian Reader I be seech thee in the bowels of Iesus Christe beware of these pestilēt hissing adders whose poyson is not only in their cursed doctrine manifestly against gods euerlasting word but also in their sinful shamefull abhominable liues their head beeing that mā of sin childe of perdition And albeit in vs our sinnes ought not to weigh against the truth which the truth condēneth punisheth we condemne in our selues neither to discredit it nor shake thy faith because we measure it not by mens liues which were to measure light by darknes yet in them it ought in whom both are ioyned together false doctrine euill life and of these thou oughtest to be warned y t thou maiest learne to iudge thē to know thē by their fruites For as their professiō is wicked so their liues are accursed as they are Idolaters so they
and obedience both towardes him and his Soueraigne then had he not come to that shameful and deserued end he came to Concerning our handling him when wee had him before and after our conference in the Tower of his making away by death without any shew or shadowe of crime and of M. Charkes following him to the place of Execution with bigge lookes sterne countenance proude words mercilesse behauiour which caused M. Defender to resume his defence for the honour of Christes martyr forsooth and to shewe his valure in reasoning and learning These accusations best become an impudent shamelesse and lying defender For he chargeth vs with that which the magistrate and lawe layed 〈◊〉 vpon a wicked runnegate and traytor whereby in nipping vs he doth not only belye vs but reacheth at those whom God hath set in authoritie ouer vs and at the seate of iustice And as for our handling of him we appeale to all that heard the dealing betwixt vs whether in any respect any 〈◊〉 was offered him by vs. But the kingdome of Antichrist must stande by lying If nowe and then a sharpe word was giuen for repressing his pride and insolencie it was all I am sure he receiued no other blowes from vs. But what a shamelesse and trayterous defender is this when Campion vpon recorde is cōdemned for high Treason according to our publike lawes that he dare say in print that we made him away that there was no shadow nor shew of particular crime cōmitted by him eyther against Prince or coūtrie If his onely Religion which yet is high Treason against God and deserueth death an hundreth times more then Treason against a Prince or countrey had beene the cause of his death why is not the same proceeding with Watson Fecknam Metham and the rest at Wisbitch Why are Bosgraue and others that now vpon better aduise acknowledge her Maiesties foueraignty and dominion whether the Pope confesse it or no though the law I say haue passed vpon them why are they spared But they care not whom they strike and this is the account they make of authoritie to charge them with crueltie that they may mainteyne their whelpes For the other part of this accusation concerning M. Charke it needeth no confutation they that know the man know him to be no cruell man and if he followed Campion to the deserued place of his execution he did 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 as other men did desirous to winne him to saluation His lookes and countenance were neither bigge nor sterne his wordes were neither proude nor mercilesse but humble and ful of mercie to haue drawen Campion to repentance if it had beene the good will of God These properties are inseparable to blood thirstie Papistes who in Queene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in other times since haue 〈◊〉 nothing but crueltie pride ioyning with their wordes swordes and alwaies concluding with faggot and fire when they were not able to doe anie thing with other argument As for his reason and learning let that appeare as it is I hope he hath so learned the truth that he shalbe able to mainteyne it agaynst al your falshood and if he had not yet why should the credite of the trueth of God depend vpon any mans learning lesse boast more roste would make vs better like your prouision That you haue bin so good vnto vs amiddest so many disturbaunces when you could not giue vs the whole yet to send vs a part we haue in some sort to thanke you for your 〈◊〉 And specially you M. Publisher that are so forwarde but seeing maister defender taking this matter in hand after the death of good Campion as you trayterously cal him your new dubbed 〈◊〉 but indeede a traitour for such commonly are your martyrs now a daies was so disturbed with our spies Searchers other persecutors I wold wish you to take heed least you gleane not that which Cāpion hath scattered For certainly if once they catch you though you should be a Lords fellow they wil hinder your occupatiō giue you the reward of a traitor that thus defēd traitors scatter your seditious dāgerous pamphlets libels against true religion the state of the lād You are not like then to deale brokenly but wholly The hempe wil be strong enough And though in our Princes fauour wee haue gotten the start before you yet surely you wil get the start before vs in another respect wherein I trust we shal neuer ouertake you We wil alwayes giue you leaue to haue that aduantage But wheras you speake of our following the matter with such 〈◊〉 that we allow you no one iot either of curtesy or humanity or of reasonable indifferēcy it is but a Rhetorical lie We haue 〈◊〉 neither so earnest nor egar as we ought to haue been with such obstinate heretikes as you are we haue talked conferred writtē printed too much with you For there is no hope in you we ought after 2. or 3. admonitiōs by the counsel of the holy ghost to auoid you But woulde you in good sadnes so faine 〈◊〉 with vs Would you so faine write conferre dispute in this last gaspe of your Romish religiō contrary to the direction of al your holy fathers founders Why who hath giuen you this commission Are we absolued man that you may deale with vs Is not the popes blacke 〈◊〉 yet vpō vs If it be wil you haue entercourse with vs Wel I know your meaning you would confer with vs if you might get vs in your mouthes as the wolfe doth with the sheepe or as the Foxe doth with the lambes set you vp againe in your chaires and put the Sword in your hand let you alone you wil be good enough for vs. But it is a wonder to heare how diligēt you make vs indeed you teach vs what to do by your selues that were so egar against vs for doing good you teach vs what to doe against your euil For if we had vtterly secluded 〈◊〉 frō speech conference writing printing disputing and stopped the course of your bookes as you haue done ours c You had not beene so wilful as now you are If we had attached driuē away put in prisō rent on racke put to death such traitors as you are stil shew your selues to be both religion for the church peace for the cōmon wealth had bin more assured If we had left no Innes Tauerns fieldes stables barnes 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 vnsearched for such vermin where yet belike you your cōpanions haue had your haunts this garboile had bin long agoe euded our rebelliōs in the North in Irelād had bin preuēted 〈◊〉 your seditious bookes like wild fire would not haue come tūbling foorth so fast nor you had such means of your inuasiō against the truth so many yong gētlemen silly soules in the lād had not bin so corrupted yet notwithstanding al seuerity you stil threaten that we
suspiramus gementes flentes in hac lachrimarum valle 〈◊〉 ergo aduocatrix nostra illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos conuerte c. Al hayle Queene mother of mercy Al haile our life our sweetnes our hope To thee we crie the exiles of Eue to thee weegrone weeping and mourning in this vale of teares O therfore our aduocate turne those 〈◊〉 merciful eyes towards vs. It were too tedious and would require an whole volume by it selfe to set downe al their horrible prayers in their Breuiaries Portifories Portuises that they make to the Virgin and other Sayntes and that with setting such prices vpon them that they that say such and such a prayer with so manie Pater nosters Aue maries a Credo shal haue so manie yeeres and daies of pardon totiēs quotiēs for that is their Latine As for example whosoeuer shall say this prayer following before our blessed Ladie of pitie they beeing in the state of grace She will shewe them her blessed visage and warne them of the day and houre of death and in their last ende the Angels of God shall yeeld their soules to heauen and he shall obtaine 500. yeeres and so manie Lentes of pardon graunted by fiue holie fathers Popes of Rome The prayer is blasphemous and beginneth thus Obsecro te sancta Domina c. I beseech you holy Lady S. Marie mother of God most ful of godlines the daughter of the high king a most glorious mother a mother of Orphans consolation of the desolate the way of those that erre the saluation and hope of those that trust in thee A Virgin before her byrth a 〈◊〉 in her birth a virgin after her birth the fountayne of mercie the fountaine of saluation and grace the fountaine of 〈◊〉 and gladnes the fountain of consolation and forgiuenes c. The like is Aue Rosa sine spinis Al haile rose without thornes written for sooth with letters of gold in her breast and that which was shewed to S. 〈◊〉 by an Angel of her and that Aue Maria alta stirps lilij castitatis Al hayle Mary the high stocke of the Lilie of chastity For the saying of which Bonifacius the Pope graunted an 100. dayes of pardon that Aue wherein she is called the Queene of heauen the gate of Paradise the Ladie of the worlde for whiche Pope Sixtus graunted eleuen thousande yeeres of pardon for saying this before the Image of our Ladye Also another to her for whiche Celestinus the Pope graunted three hundred daies of pardon Another Aue for which Pope Sixtus graunted at the instance of the high and most excellent Princesse Elizabeth late Queene of England and wife to our Soueraigne Lorde King Henrie the seuenth God haue mercie on her sweete soule 〈◊〉 al Christen soules that euery day in the morning after 3. toulings of the Aue bel 3. times the whole salutation of our Lady Aue Maria gratiaplena that is to say at 6. a in the morning 3. Aue Maries at 12. at noone other 3 at 6 at euen other 3 for euery time so doing is graunted of the spirituall treasure of holie Churche 3. hundred daies of pardon totiens quotiens And also our holy father the 〈◊〉 of Canterbury York with other niene Bishops of this Realme haue graunted 3. times in the day 40. dayes of pardon to all them that be in the state of grace able to receyue pardon And this beganne the 26. day of Marche in anno 1482. anno Henrici 7. And the summe of the indulgence and pardon for euery Aue marie is eight hundred and sixtie dayes totiens quotiens It muste bee say de at the towling of the Aue bell Suscipe verbum Virgo Maria c. O Virgin Marie 〈◊〉 the worde whiche by the Angell was sent vnto thee from GOD c. This forsooth is the penaunce they speake of and their absolutions when they had committed all their knaueries and wickednesses to robbe Princes and to cousin them of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Then we must haue suche 〈◊〉 deuised shiftes to occupie superstitious people withall and one thinge euermore marke that there was neuer anie suche price set vppon anye seruice done to Christ as vpon that whiche was done to the Virgin or to some other Saynt The Virgin had the most they were so 〈◊〉 vppon the mother that in a manner they forgotte both Father and Sonne I am wearie in stirring this filthie Quakemyre of their cursed abhomination but that I see it verie necessarie seeing these fine witted Iesuites that will restore all and dispute the matter agaynst all that can bee brought defending euerie absurditie doe so greatly prouoke mee There is another prayer that whosoeuer sayeth deuoutely hee hath by the graunt of Bonifacius seuen yeeres of pardon and fortie Lentes and by the graunt of Pope Iohn the twentye two three hundred dayes of pardon But what spende I breath about beggerlye thinges There is one prayer not verye longe whiche yet if a man saye deuoutlie in the woorshippe of Saint Anna and our Ladie and her Sonne Iesus hee hath graunted by Alexander the sixth tenne thousande yeeres of pardon for deadlie sinnes and twentye yeeres for veniall sinnes totiens quotiens And because it is so shorte and yet the gayne so greate not to depriue thee of suche a commoditie to bringe thee out of Purgatorie For Iam sure the Pope is a manne of his woorde and thou needest not to feare but it is true seeyng it is printed and sette downe I will shewe it thee Aue Marye full of grace our Lorde is with thee Blessed arte thou amongest women and blessed is Saynte Anne thy Mother of whome thou Uirgin Marie cammest foorth without blotte and sinne and of thee was borne Iesus Christe the Sonne of the liuing GOD Amen Pater noster Aue Aue Maria. Is not heere an easie pennaunce to leade a wicked life in deadlie sinne tenne thousande yeeres And then marke howe manye times this may bee sayde in a daye and then what a summe this woulde mount too Indeede euen on the other side of the leafe there is another prayer as long though not so profitable but that is but to bee sayde before the Image of Saynt Anne of Marie and of Iesus for whiche Raymundus the Cardinall and Legate beeing somewhat more charie wold not lash out of the Spiritual Treasure of the Church so much as the Pope his Maister did but onelie graunted an hundred dayes of pardon totiens quotiens But is not this trimme stuffe that you translate Te Deum laudamus into Te matrem laudamus where you call her the wife of the eternall Father whom all the earth doeth woorshippe Whom all the glorious companie all Confessours doe call the Temple of the whole trinitie whome the whole Courte of Heauen doeth honour as the Queene of Heauen Thou arte the Ladye of Angelles the gate of Paradise the Lader of the
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.
must be solitarie they may not buyld their monasteries in cities they must not be vagrauntes but get their liuing by the labour of their handes their Nunnes must not cut their haire they must deuise no more newe orders but rather keepe one of the best approued Their auricular confession is not necessary to saluation but rather an ordinance of man And as their canons are so also are their councels their interpretations one against another as hath beene shewed before The councel of Basil condemneth Eugenius the pope and hee againe condemneth the whole councel The contentions brawles of Monkes and Friers they are infinite and known their schismes long horrible during many yeres the mendicāts against the vniuersitie of Paris al other orders nowe the lesuires 〈◊〉 the bel a way ourgoe al others The Sententionarists and schoolmen they also agree like cattes and dogges the writings of Catharin the Archbish are against de Soto Caietane is against others Tapper both a gainst Pighius Catharine Durand al the rest Sometimes they teach concerning iustification that by only faith in the passion of Christ our sinnes are forgiuen and the promise of pardon to be laide holde of by this onely meane Another time they teach that Christ hath satisfied for original sins actual sins going before baptisme but that we must satisfie for the rest afterwards Againe Christ hath satisfied through sufficiencie but not by efficiency and participation of fruit Christ hath satisfied for the fault but not for the 〈◊〉 for wee must satisfie for that Faith doth iustifie initiatiuè but not consummatiuè that is it begins to iustifie but it doth not performe it Also precedent workes prepare to iustification but workes consequent make it perfect These are their dissentions and horrible disagreements which they cannot discerne in themselues not begun yesterday but such as haue bin continual amōgst them as touching their greatest matters and yet they can see into our differēces in smal matters to make vs at the greater oddes they can matche vs with such here tikes indeed as we no more allow of then themselues nor so much neither no party protestāts or rather christians with vs but with them against Christ and his truth But the maiestie of Christendome in comparison of our poore faction as he calleth it doth much cōfort him Thankes be to God though the least that yet are best cannot compare for multitude with the worst that are most yet he may remember that wee are not such a poore companie as he would haue vs. For God hath caused his people to grow and increase not from Paganisme to popisme the mother of al here sies as they boast to haue done in the Indies but from paganisme and false religion indeed to true christianitie in 〈◊〉 Flaurders Germanie Spaine England Scotland some whole countries hauing vtterly abandoned their idolatries and corruptions And this not 〈◊〉 Maister Charke whom he dreameth to sit by the fire in his personage wherein as in great matters so in this also he is taken with a foule lie may see but al other christians whose eies God hath not shut vp in 〈◊〉 to their owne destruction Nowe being growen to some conclusion he setteth downe what order he wil keepe And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will set downe his owne censure wholly againe For the man 〈◊〉 to heare himselfe speake But hee pretendeth to doe that bicause M. Charke is obscure But the truth is hee prouideth to haue that which he setteth down red fullie of his Catholike broode but as for M. Charks answere he knoweth that none of his confederates must once touch it vpon paine of the blacke curse vnlesse he be licensed and authorized thereunto This is the way that they take when all the world knoweth that we reade their bookes and answeare thē thorowly and they like butchers curres 〈◊〉 at the worst morsels of ours and neuer marke the whole drift of the matter as Sit Parsons or what parson soeuer els be the defender hath done thorow this defence of his censure ageinst M. Charks replie and in al the rest of his bookes Thus I haue answeared these prefaces minding not to deale so particularly with the booke only I wil hereafter deale with those thinges that are personal which this runnegate prodigal Parsons as he is commonly taken if he be not a parson of another parrish as some thinke as a heape of filth hath raked together to discredite those excellent instrumentes of God which the Lord hath reared vp in his church for the edifiyng of his Sayntes And although it could no whit preiudice the truth as their own writers witnesse though men had their notorious faults yet because the holy ghost wil haue the ministers of God to be blameles I will mainteyn their innocencie by examining his reasons and witnesses in order of ech as they haue liued in their seuerall times and as occasion serueth I will lay out of their owne stories the liues of some of their chiefest popes the heades and pillers of their owne popish church and this also I wil doe as briefly as possibly I can 〈◊〉 An Aunsweare for the time vnto that foule and wicked defence of the Censure IN that you set downe your whole Censure and doe but croppe heere and there out of Maister Charkes replye without either replye or aunsweare to Maister Charkes reasons and arguments you deale with suche equitie as a man maye looke for at a Papistes handes that vse neyther Fayth nor sinceritye in any theyr dealinges But you haue done it for good causes as I haue noted before to witte that you may bee sure to broche out to the worlde your falshood and conceale the trueth of God If there had beene anye purpose of playne dealing you woulde as well haue set downe full and wholly your aduersaries replye as your Censure and defence And if you had made as shorte woorke of your owne as you haue done of his we shoulde not haue had after so long time but a first parte in steed of both firste and seconde nor in so manye sheets that might haue beene comprehended in a fewe But you neyther make conscience what you write nor howe you write howe often nor howe weakelie so you may seeme to your deceyued followers and superstitious Idiottes still to haue somewhat to saie And in verie trueth you set down nothing newe All is of that worme eaten store that was longe 〈◊〉 spent and haue receyued as often aunsweares as they haue beene obiected vnto vs. Of all M. Charkes replye to that prowde challenge of a Runnegate Iesuite ye take only a word or two for your entrance What is Campion or who are the rest of these Seedemen that they should auow popishe religion c. Heere you exclaime euen beeynge out of breath your selfe that Maister Charke entred in choller and if his beginning or entrie were so hotte
some good affection in daunger and not vtterly vnlawfull the other that followed without any grounde of the worde did institute as a vocation whiche was the cause that as many of the auncient fathers wrote highly in the commendation of thē so som wrote against thē and through a blind 〈◊〉 growing to great superstition they tooke on so with those that salling from that good beginning as they thought liued after wardes either licentiously or els coulde not continue in it without that lawful remedie that God had appointed for them Your hypocrits that ensued these grewe so from worse to worse till there was no more likenesse betwixte the first and yours then there is betwixt a man a monkie then betwixt light and darknesse As for that you bring in tending to perfection by the counsaile of Christe it is a counsaile generall not onely belonging vnto sectes and sectaries but to all Christiās that they should renounce the world striue to perfection bee holy euen as Christe is holy whereunto if all Christians doe not striue forsaking the world and all that is in it to take vp the Crosse of Christe to follow him they do not as they ought to doe But whereas you dreame that this cannot be done but by abandoning our possessions by forsaking wife and children by casting off those seueral duties wherein God hath all sortes of Christians you are farre deceiued And otherwise seeing the best is best the head of the churche whiche you blasphemously make your Pope to be is the highest mee thinkes hee should cast off his goldē coape renoūce his triple crowne his liuelode large possessiō become a Iesuit so should al your popish kings dukes Earles Barons knights al that fauour loue your religiō amongst the people If your order be the order of perfectiō wherin appeareth such strength of chastitie that you cāliue purely such contēpt of the world worldly things that you chuse to be in a volūtarie pouerty alwaies are chastising those carkasses of yours that your soules may be saued why should not al the rest of your beggarly orders imbrace this order as the highest perfectest But I see whither you go so may all the rest that wil not be blind In boasting of perfefectō you maintain all corruption in steed of voluntarie vowing of chastity hauing not that gift one of you amongest a thousand because our Sauiour noteth it as a rare and extraor dinarie gift you follow all kind of whoredome fil thinesse other vnspeakable abhominatiōs all the world stinketh of your chastitie as for voluntarie pouertie vnder the colour of that as al the rest of your prededecessors did you possesse great riches where you haue all thinges richly prouided for you the goods of your fauourits at cōmandement whatsoeuer in a maner they possess Yea you haue so handled the matter through your deepe hypocrisie dissimulation that wheresoeuer you haue become you haue marred the marker of all the rest as y t curmuggians cormorants of the world you haue gotten into your handes all that where with the rest were wont to be maintained How beggerly so euer you com at the first yet within a while al others of these bottomles Locusts Dominicans Franciscans Augustinians the rest may goe shoe the gosling if once you get in a foot This hath bin seen in Parise in other Cities and is iustifiable by the complaints and whinings of them selues so that the Lord maketh you as vipers to gnawe out your owne mothers belly and as Tygers one of you to deuour another such volūtarie pouertie I thinke any man would be glad to vndergoe if they might doe it with a good conscience to handle no money and yet to lack none to haue nothing yet to possesse all things yet this is not that that the Apostle speaketh of though you shame ignorantly and wickedly els where to abuse that place to your purpose And so also he abuseth that place of Peter concerning those which are called the lot inheritance of God For albeit the first councel of Nice Origene Hierome others haue specially attributed it to those that haue bin as it were the Lordes peculier being consecrated to his seruice honor as those first fruits that were offered other sacrifices that were set before him being seperated as it were to his seruice yet what maketh this to ground that foolish distinctiō vpō of Clergie Laitie making the one holy and the other prophane the one as gods portion the other as diuels whē the people are no lesse the Lords thē they nay when they are none of the Lordes because they yeeld him not that homage that doth belong vnto him nor obediēce according to his wil. We know that the ministery of the gospel with all the maintenāces prouisiōs therof is the lords but it is so his as it is for his people appointed as a means to bring thē to him to testifie euē as the first fruits did that he hath interest in al they belong vnto him they whō he vouchsafed of that excellēt honor should be partakers with him of y t euerlasting inheritāce M. Chark not like a wrāgler but as one y t mainteineth the euerlasting truth of God taketh not exceptiō against thē in this point without cause As for reproching him with a title of their priestes calling M. Charke Sir William he sheweth what estimation he hath of his owne priesthood being a proude Iesuite ywisse against that popish deuotion if he bee the author of this booke as I take him to bee which he would seem to haue in the first part of his resolutiō set forth of late vpon false groundes to bewitche men to drawe them from faith in Christ to workes in them selues wherby to be iustified that when by the law of God they shal find how far they are off frō that perfect obedience they may be swallowed vp vtterly despayre That of the Apostles is far 〈◊〉 serueth nothing to his purpose For though they were sent and their sending letteth not others also to be sent that are distinct mēbers of the church of Christ being mēbers vnder him in him drawing life from him as from their head hauing a distinct office such as Apostles pastors elders deacōs haue yet al that are sent are not apostles nor al are not pastors eldérs deacons no more then al that are sent from the Pope which is the head of the Antichristian church are Iesuites because they are sent Agayn being sent from the pope that proueth not that they are sent of Christ but rather the contrary that they come from the Diuell whose minister the Pope is Concerning these that are good and euil religions and that M. Chark saith he speaketh not against the good but the euill as Augustine other of the fathers doth he aunsweareth so doe they