behauiour against King Henry his father who finding his sonne Iohn to be numbred amongst his enemies in a certaine schedule exhibited to him thereupon sickned with griefe and gaue his sonnes Gods curse and his which he would neuer release till his dying day 7. King Henry the third was not punished with ciuill warres for opposing himselfe against the Pope but rather for being too much ruled by him for after that in a Parliament held at Oxford in the 42. yeare of his raigne he had condescended to certaine auncient lawes and ordinances whereunto he had before refused to yeeld and for conseruation whereof those douzen peeres which hee speaketh of were ordained the King Ann. 44. procured an absolution of his oath from Rome whereby he had before obliged himselfe to maintaine the said auncient lawes whereupon followed those intestine warres betweene the King and his Nobles in the which the King and his sonnes were taken This contention then was caused not for the Kings disobedience to the Pope but his too great confidence in the Popes authoritie to absolue him from his oath to abrogate the lawes enacted 8. True it is that many miseries and calamities as ciuill warre famine strange diseases happened vnder the raigne of Edward the second and he himselfe at the last lost first his Crowne and then his life but as vntrue it is that these troubles fell vpon him for medling too farre against the See of Rome It is most euident in histories that he was deposed for misgouernment following the counsell of couetous cruell and wicked persons Pierce Gaueston and the two Spencers in whose quarell he in a short space put to death 22. of the greatest men in the realme 9. The like cause is shewed in histories of the great troubles that happened betweene Richard the second and his Nobles and of the great miserie he fell into namely his negligent administration of the commonwealth the intolerable exactions of his officers his crueltie in causing his owne Vncle Thomas of Woodstock and other Nobles to be cruellie put to death for these and the like causes he was deposed and depriued of his Crowne and regall dignitie It was not then his medling in ecclesiasticall iurisdiction as this wisard calculateth but his loose vniust and carelesse gouernment that wrought him this wo. And if it were enacted in this Kings time that Vrbane the Pope should be acknowledged for head of the Church as is here affirmed small reason there was in this discourser to exemplifie this King for his disobedience to the See of Rome which is the scope of all this senselesse section 10. King Henry prospered well in all his affaires after he tooke vpon him to be the supreme gouernor in Ecclesiasticall matters so did his sonne vertuous King Edward the 6. so did not Queene Mary nothing had good successe almost that she enterprised whose raigne was shortest of all her predecessors vnlesse it were vsurping Richard He therefore speaketh vntrulie and vncharitablie that King Edward was not vniustlie punished in his fathers fault for neither had his father of famous memorie faulted herein nor himselfe punished for the same but blessed of God with a godlie raigne and an happie end And thus hath this fabulous chronicler held vs with a long tale feeding the reader with his owne fansies for among all these examples by him produced he hath not verified his coniecture in any one of them that they were punished of God for resisting the papall iurisdiction But the contrarie may easily be shewed that no Kings had worse successe then they which were deuoted to the papall vsurped authoritie and none better then they which impugned the same and for the proofe hereof I will not go farre from home And first concerning the euill hap of Princes made slaues to the Pope other countries yeeld plentifull choice of examples as of Ladislaus King of Bohemia a great enemie to the doctrine of Iohn Husse who died sodainely of the Pestilence Another Ladislaus much about that time King of Polonia at the incitement of Eugenius the 4 brake truce made with Amurathes the great Turke was miserablie slaine Rodolphus rebelled against the Emperour Henry the 4 being set vp against him by Gregory the seauenth and was slaine in battaile The strange ends and bloudie deaths of Henry the second Charles the ninth Henry the third Kings of Fraunce great patrones of popish religion are very well known the first slaine with a shiuer of a speare as he iusted against Montgomery the second dyed of bleeding at the eares and nose and diuers other parts the third was murdered by a Frier But leauing to make mention of forraine stories this one Island of Britannie doth afford sufficient supplie who was more deuoted vnto the Pope and Popes religion before the Conquest then Offa and Edgar and yet none were more punished in their posteritie King Offa first gaue the Peter-pence to Rome he founded the Abbey of Bath and of S. Albons and was himselfe at the length shorne a Monke he most vniustly caused Ethelbert King of East-Angles who gentlie came vnto him mistrusting nothing to be beheaded But what befell the posteritie of this Offa not one of them prospered Eg fredus raigned but foure moneths the rest that succeeded were either slaine or expulsed Kenulphus Kenelmus Ceolwulphus Bernulphus Ludecanus Withlacus of the which Ceolwolfus was banished all the rest were slaine the last two Kings of Offa his race were Berthulfus and Burdredus which were expulsed of the Danes and so the Kingdome of Mercia was extinguished This Offa had a daughter called Ethelburga which was maried to Brithicus King of West-Saxons which first poisoned her husband then she fled into France and became Abbesse of a certaine Monasterie from whence for committing adulterie with a Monke she was expelled and ended her dayes in pouertie and miserie And such successe had Offa his posteritie Edgar was a great friend to the Pope and one of the greatest Patrones of Monkerie he restored and new founded 47. Monasteries but it fared full euill with his posteritie his base sonne Edward was slaine by the counsaile of his step-mother Queene Alfrede his other sonne Ethelred was expelled his Kingdome by Swanus the Dane and constrained to liue in exile in Normandie his sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside was forced to deuide his Kingdome with Canutus the Dane Since the Conquest Richard the first was much addicted to the Church of Rome and the Ministers thereof he tooke his scrip and staffe at Canturburie to go in pilgrimage to Ierusalem to recouer the holie land as they called it from the Infidels and he betooke the regiment of his Kingdome to William Longshamp Bishop of Ely the Popes Legate In Palestina he fought many battailes prosperouslie yet returning home he was taken captiue by the Duke of Austria and sent to the Emperour paying for his raunsome an hundred thousand
diuers of those auncient Kings became Monks yet neither was the Monasticall life so farre out of square as now it is they made it not a cloake of idlenes and filthie liuing a nurserie of idolatrie and grosse superstitions but they desired that life as fittest for contemplation and free frō the encumbrances of the world Diuers of the heathen Emperors left the Imperiall administration and betooke thēselues to priuate contemplation as Dioclesian Maximinian Lanquet ann Christ. 307. Neither doth this one opinion of the excellencie of Monasticall life shew them to be resolute Papists for it followeth not because they were Monks that consequentlie they held transubstantiation worship of images and the more grosse points of the Romish Catechisme 3 He shall not be able to proue the tenth part of that great number of 180. Kings either to haue themselues professed the now Romane religion or by lawes to haue prescribed the same to others some instances I will produce In King Lucius dayes not the Pope but the King was Gods vicar in his kingdome and it was his part to gather the people together to the law of Christ as Eleutherius Bishop of Rome testifieth in his epistle Cedde and Colman dissented from the Church of Rome about the celebration of Easter Wilfride about the same time confesseth that Images were inuented of the Deuill which all men that beleeue in Christ sayth he ought of necessitie to forsake and detest King Alfred or Alured translated the Psalter into English and he was instructed by Ioannes Scotus who writ a booke de corpore sanguine Christi which was condemned by the Pope in the Synod Vercellens being of Bertrams opinion against the corporall presence which fansie was not as yet receiued in the Church as is apparant by the sermon of Elfricus against transubstantiation In King Edward Athelstane and King Edmunds time the Prince had power to constitute ecclesiasticall lawes and to prescribe rules and orders for ecclesiasticall persons as may appeare by diuers of their lawes In King Edgars time Priests mariage was lawfull which began then to be restrayned Many lawes and acts haue passed since in open Parliament to restraine the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome to inhibite the purchasing of prouisoes frō thence arrests processes excommunications vnder paine of exile imprisonment forfeiture of goods and that not without expresse consent of the Clergie See Richard 2. ann 16. cap. 5. These then which allowed not the worship of images beleeued not transubstantiation gaue the Prince authoritie in spirituall causes approued the mariage of Ministers and the translation of the scriptures into the vulgar tongue restrayned the authoritie of the Romane Bishop may worthilie doubted of whether they were Papists 4 King Henry was so farre from repenting his proceedings against the vsurped Romane iurisdiction that if God had spared him life he intended a thorough reformation of Religion as was easilie to be seene both by his resolution for religion vttered not long before his death to Monsieur de Annebault the French Embassador and his answere made nearer to his death to Bruno Embassador to the Duke of Saxonie that he would take his part against the Emperour if the quarell were for religion 5 More vntrue it is that our late Soueraigne in the late dayes of persecution professed that religion with such deuotion The cruell and vnnaturall dealing toward her highnes then is a sufficient argument to conuince this large reporter of a great vntruth how she was sent for by commission in great extremitie of sicknes to be brought aliue or dead committed without cause to the Tower her seruants remoued from her straitlie examined her owne seruants restrayned to bring her diet denied the libertie of the Tower a strait watch kept round about her in danger to be murdered in continuall feare of her life her death by Winchesters platforme intended which by Gods prouidence she escaped Adde hereunto Stories desperate speech vttered in the Parliament house that he was not a little grieued with his fellow Papists for that they laboured onely about the young and little sprigs and twigs while they should haue striken at the roote c. All this euidentlie bewrayeth what opinion they had of her Maiesties resolution in religion and what she had of theirs In the meane time their cruell proceedings are laid open who if it were as this Coniecturer sayth would so persecute an innocent Ladie whom they commend for her deuotion 6.1 That euidence which he alleadgeth from M. Fox his mouth out of the Register booke of the Guildhall in London conteineth not the precise forme of the Princes oath to be taken at the Coronation which before I haue recited out of Magna charta but certaine monitions and instructions concerning the dutie of the King 2. He vseth great fraud in setting downe the words both inuerting the order and leauing out what he thinketh good as that the King ought to loue and obserue Gods commaundements then must he be an enemie to idolatrie and to the doctrines and commaundements of men such as many be obserued in the Romane Church Beside he sayth to maintaine holie Church whereas the words are to maintaine and gouerne the holie Church c. but they can not endure that Kings should rule and gouerne the Church 3. For the King to take his oath vpon the Euangelists and blessed reliques of Saints it sheweth not that the King did worship those reliques or sweare by them though he lay his hand vpon them no more then he doth sweare by the booke that putteth his hand vpon it or Abrahams seruant by his maisters thigh when he sware vnto him or Iacob by the heape of stones ouer the which he tooke his oath But as Ambrose well sayth Christianus imperator aram solius Christi didicit honorare A Christian Emperour hath onely learned to honor Christs altare And so Christian Princes haue learned to giue all religious honor to Christ and not to impart it to his seruants to make them sharers with their Maister Thus hath this sophisticall dialogist fayled as well in the probation of the assumption as in his enlarging of the proposition But whatsoeuer her Maiesties predecessors were she was not bound where they wandred out of the way to erre in their steps Iosias of idolatrous parents both father and grandfather was himselfe a religious Prince and a true worshipper of God Heathen stories will tell vs that noble Pericles came of an euill race Pompeius the great of despised Strabo Vlysses Aesculapius famous men of lewd parents The graue Poet also doth insinuate as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sonne excels in vertues fame the parent euill of whome he came As of euill parents vertuous children may descend so out of superstitious antiquitie religious posteritie may issue and florish And as Ambrose well answered the obiection of Symmachus the Pagane Maiorum ritus
tell leasings and would haue his owne word goe for pay But the law saith Vox vnius vox nullius licet honoratae personae The voyce of one is the voyce of none though hee were an honourable person and as Hierome saith Testimonium pro se nec Catoni creditum No not Cato was credited in his owne cause Were this Ignatian sectarie of a more worthie order and an honester man then he seemeth to be he must not thinke his owne surmises can surprise the the truth nor his bold assertions shall be taken for good euidence It had been more commendable in him to be bashfull to speake the truth then shamelesse to vtter any thing as Cato said well he liked better of young men that were giuen to blushing then of pale and wanne The second Obiection 1. IT is a common opinion with this people that the lawes of Magistrates doe not binde in conscience and in secret but onely in publike and open shew for auoiding of scandale What treason may not priuately be plotted and put in practise by this doctrine pag. 86. 2. VVhat other thing doth their approued doctrine of sole faith portend to the world but a desolation of all order c. if a man be onely iustified by faith c. all offences against a commonwealth euen to take away the scepter and Crowne of the Prince may securely be put in action c. pag. 86. 3. That law enacted by Parliament of King Henrie the 8. that all contracts of mariage whatsoeuer were voide by a second mariage consummate was reuoked by K. Edward the 6. yet by the first Parliament of Queene Elizabeth is reuiued from which opinion and the doctrine of remarrying for incontinencie c. what diuorcements dissensions breaches of wedlocke c. haue ensued pag. 89. The Reiection 1. THe Protestants denie not but that the lawes of Magistrates as touching external rites and obseruations doe binde in conscience but not in regard of the things commaunded which are of themselues indifferent and touch not the conscience as the prohibiting of eating of flesh wearing of apparell but in regard onely of our obedience due vnto the Magistrate in lawfull things But concerning Princes lawes of things necessarily appertaining to Gods seruice and the keeping of the commaundements such doe simply binde in conscience enioyning the same and none other things which God commaundeth in his word And this is that which is affirmed in Synopsis which doctrine the aduersarie shall neuer bee able to disproue and therefore he seeketh to obscure this truth by lying being not ashamed to vtter here two great vntruths as though it were affirmed that Magistrates lawes doe not at all binde in conscience and secret and as though the question were of all lawes and not onely of externall rites and vsages which are in their owne nature indifferent for treasons and treacheries are directly contrarie to the law of God and doe pollute the conscience and such lawes doe binde absolutely in conscience both in respect of the particular thing commanded and of the generall rule of obedience 2. Though Protestants teach that onely faith doth iustifie yet they affirme not onely faith to be necessarie And our opinion is that iustifying faith cannot be without fruites that whereas there are no good workes there is no faith neither was that euer a right faith which neuer brought foorth good workes It is therefore a foolish consequent brought in by him Protestants are iustified onely by faith Ergo felons murthers treasons may be safely practised among them for where these things are maintained there is no faith perceiued Good fruits make not a tree good but onely declare it to be good doth it therefore follow that it is no matter whether a good tree bring foorth fruite or not nay if it doe not it is found to be no good tree We say therefore with S. Paul that they which haue beleeued should be carefull to shew forth good workes these things are good and profitable to men But this shall cleere our doctrine of iustification by faith onely from all suspition of treasons treacheries that these cursed attempts are not to be found among the solifidian Protestants but among the nullifidian Papists who standing vpon the merite of their workes make no conscience a great sort of them to practise against their Prince and countrie as it hath been more then twentie times in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth attempted by Romish Priests and Iudasites and their sectaries and by Gods great mercie and watchfull prouidence discouered 3. That law of reuersing precontracts by mariage consummate was made in the Popish Church and as yet the whole bodie of Popish religion remained in England onely the Popes supremacie excepted anno 32. Henric. 8. But it was reuersed vnder a Protestant Prince King Edward the 6. This exception tendeth rather to the disgrace of Poperie then Protestancie It is further a most impudent forgerie that the statute against precontracts was reuiued anno 1. Elizabeth onely so much is reuiued as was repealed by Queene Marie as touching other prohibitions of mariage not that which was reuoked by King Edward The practise also of the Church sheweth the same where a sound and lawfull precontract is admitted against an vsurped mariage though consummate As for mariage after diuorce for fornication where Christ hath giuen a libertie againe to marrie it ought not to be restrained for feare of any ensuing inconuenience least man should seeme to be wiser then God And yet greater daunger is feared and more mischiefe like to be intended where mariage vpon diuorce is denied then where it is admitted for there one partie being a continuall offence to another they shall be constrained to liue vnchastly and incontinently or tempted to practise one against the life of another that the yoke may be loosed whereas when a second mariage where the iustnes of the cause to the Magistrate is approued is graunted the foresaid daungers are the one helped the other preuented Augustine thus resolueth Potius vxore viuente aliam ducat quis quam humanum sanguinem fundat It were better for a man to marrie another his first wife liuing then to shed blood And Ambrose concludeth peremptorily Viro licet vxorem ducere si dimiserit vxorem peccantem It is lawfull for the man to marrie a wife hauing dismissed the first for her offence against mariage Thus it is apparant with what weapons our aduersaries fight with slaunders wrestings misreports But as the law is Testi non iurato non credendum A man is not to be credited not speaking vpon his oth So this fellow is not to be trusted who I am sure would hardly sweare vnlesse his conscience bee cauterised these things to bee true which here he hath obiected I remember Augustine writing to Hierome commendeth the faithfulnes of one Ciprianus that caried his letters Non illi diligentia deerit
therefore as a stone that is rolled shall returne vpon themselues and as Hierome sayth sicut sagitta si in lapidem mittatur nonnunquam in mittentem reuertitur as an arrow shot against a stone recoyleth vpon the shooter and like as the smoake as Plutarke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it rise much at the beginning yet when the fire burneth cleare vanisheth so the truth shining forth shall chase away this smoakie calumniation Secondly he prooueth the intolerable vices of this age by the publike acts statutes of Parliament since the reuolt of King Henry 8. wherein more vnsufferable abuses c. both for number and strangenesse haue beene recorded and condemned then were in all the Parliaments of her Maiesties christian predecessors p. 8. Ans. 1. If this were a good argument against the Protestants Church because they haue by publike lawes condemned more vices then the age wherein Moses liued should be conuinced to be worse then any before because he brought in a number of lawes not knowne or heard of in the ages preceding then shall the raigne of the Christian Emperours from Constantine giue place to the regiment of the heathenish idolatrous Emperours who brought in more lawes twentie to one then were vnder Pagane Gouernors decreed Examine the Code who please he shall finde more lawes promulgated in the space of one hundred yeares vnder the christian Emperours Constantinus Constantius Iouinian Theodosius Valentinian Arcadius Honorius and others then in three hundred yeares before vnder all the Pagane Emperours 2 The reason is euident why the times of reformation haue brought forth more lawes because diuers enormities which were tolerated before by the light of truth being discouered began also by wholesome lawes to be restrained Hereunto do beare witnes the lawes and statutes enacted against the incontinencie of Priests against the vnreasonable exaction of Mortuaries concerning the probate of testaments against the non-residence of Ministers to restraine pluralities and heaping together many spirituall promotions against vnlawfull games and playes against vsurie against periurie These and twentie more abuses either in poperie neglected or else but slenderlie corrected by the care of good magistrates thereunto by the word of God incited and stirred haue bene by wise and godly lawes prohibited and prouided against So that this tendeth rather to the commendation of Christian Princes professing the Gospell to stay the course of vngodlines by their christian care and prudence then to suffer them to increase as their predecessors did by carelesse conniuence 3 This obiection also may be retorted vpon themselues for the constitutions and canons can not easily be numbred which haue bene made in the Romane Church against the monstrous abuses in those times both in the Clergie and lay sort As to giue an instance of some That Prelates should not sell their offices for money Synod Coloniens sub Adulph med 3. cap. 3. That they should be content with one Archdeaconrie Lateran part 24. c. 5. That Clergie-men should not sell Ale by measure or keepe an Inne or house of lodging Synod Hildeshem c. 14. That they should not beate or wound one an other Synod Maguntin c. 100. That they haunt not Tauernes or play at dice Senonens decret 25. That they should not weare gilded spurres or golden buttons Lateran sub Innocent 3.16 That stage playes be not brought into the Church Coloniens par 3. c. 26. Against Clergie-men that forsweare themselues Lateranens 17.4 Against such as blaspheme and curse God Reformat Ratisp c. 29. That Clerks sing not filthie songs Senonens decret mor. 25. That they play not the Iesters at rich mens tables Colon. part 2. cap. 32. That they vse not drinkings ad aequales haustus by stinted draughts Coloniens par 5. c. 6. Against those that exercising iurisdiction take pensions of Clergie-men keeping concubines Lateran sub Leon. 10. sess 11. An hundred such decrees may be found in the late Synodes of the Papall Church which do bewray the vncleane and corrupt liues of the Romane Clergie so that we may say of them as the Apostle of some it is a shame to speake of the things which are done of them in secret And as Hierome sayth magis vitam tuam ordinare disce quam alienam carpere learne rather to order your owne life then to carp at an others So our aduersaries should learne first to amend their owne errors before they complaine of Protestants disorders This multitude indeede of Popish prouisions is an argument of their manifold corruptions as Arcesilaus said as where many Phisicians are many diseases raigne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so where many lawes are much iniustice also is found 3 The third proofe is from the testimonie of some Protestant writers of Luther Caluine Musculus Iacobus Andreas Iohn Riuiu◠which complaine of Epicures knaues dissolute persons men of a beastlie life of outragious wickednes that it appeareth that Atheisme and Epicurisme hath inuaded the life of man Deuils rather incarnate then reformed and all these in the cities and places where the Gospell is professed Apolog. p. 9.10 Answ. 1. Is not this now a goodlie argument there are Epicures Atheists Deuils incarnate in the places where the Gospell is receiued therefore no Church among them nor true Religion Was there not among the Apostles Iudas a Deuill incarnate and among the Corinthians some Epicures that said Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye Some Atheists that had not the knowledge of God and doubted of the resurrection There were also vncleane persons and fornicators will you therefore inferre that all the Corinthians were cut off from the Church of God Euen Cyprian complained in his time in a lamentable oration of the corrupt manners of Christians being then vnder persecution There is no deuout religion in Priests no sound faith in Ministers no charitie shewed in good works no forme of godlines in their conditions men are become effeminate and womens beautie is counterfeit If Christians were such exercised with persecution it is no maruell that some among Protestants enuying peace become carnall and secure And though we iustlie complaine of the profanenes of these times and of the ouerflowing of iniquitie euen where religion is most purely professed yet are we neither Catharists nor Donatists to thinke that the Church of God is perfect in this life and consisteth of all Saints without the medley of hypocrites worldly and carnall persons We mourne for such with the Apostle Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are enemies of the crosse of Christ. And we say with Augustine Si mali sunt in ecclesia profecto eos aut ignorant boni aut suis iudicijs manifestatos ecclesiasticis legib damnant aut si eos nouerint nec damnare possunt pro ecclesiae pace tolerant If there be euill men in the Church either the good know them not or
hath rooted out all other heresies beside Who haue now impugned the heresies of the Tritheists Anabaptists Familie of loue of Seruetus Valentinus Gentilis with others then Protestant writers witnesse the learned workes of Caluin Beza Bullinger Peter Martyr Iunius with the rest He hath therefore here made a good argument for the Protestants whose faith is therefore worthie to be of all receiued because thereby all heresie and impietie is subdued as Hierome saith Fides pura moram non patitur vt apparuerit scorpius illico conterendus Pure faith seeketh no delaies as soone as the scorpion appeareth it nippeth it on the head The second perswasion I Meane not the religion of Martin Luther so often recanted altered chaunged c. nor of licentious Caluin and a few artificers of Geneua or of Knox that galley-slaue of Scotland or of Edward Seimer or of King Edward a child of nine yeere old c. The Disswasion HEre many shamelesse vntruths are powred out together 1. It is vntrue that Luther at any time recanted his iudgement in religion in departing from the Church of Rome and forsaking her trumperie you would threap kindnes vpon Luther as you haue done of late in a lying pamphlet of reuerend Beza that he died one of your Catholikes If Luther altered in some priuate opinions it is nothing to vs who depend not vpon Luther Caluin or any other for our faith And if he did so it is no maruaile seeing it was hard for one man all at once to finde out the truth in euery point seeing the Apostle saith to the Philippians If ye be otherwise minded God shall reueale euen the same vnto you Faith is not perfected at once and as in other things the inuention of a thing and the perfection come not together as the Greeke Poet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God at the first all things doth not shew But in processe of time they better doe grow So is it in religion But howsoeuer Luther might varie from himselfe what is that to vs the Protestants of England who are the greatest eye sore to these bleare-eyed Popelings It is well you cannot vpbraide the Church of England with any innouation of doctrine for these three score yeeres well nie since the first thorough reformation of religion in blessed King Edwards raigne 2. As for licentious Caluin and galley-slaue Knox the one is a malicious slaunder the other a scurrilous terme These men were both famous for their learning and reuerenced of all that knew them for their godly life I doe not a whit maruaile that the memorie of these men is odious to all Papists for Caluin hath so decalued made bare and bald their naked religion and Knox hath giuen it such a knocke and deadly blow in Scotland that I trust in God it shall neuer there rise vp againe 3. That King Edward a child of nine yeere old without any assent or assemblie of Parliament or other as Fox himselfe is witnes did reforme religion is a fiction of your owne First Master Fox witnesseth no such thing for although the King by the aduice of his Councell appointed a generall visitation ouer all the land for the redressing of certaine disorders yet was not the Masse abolished nor religion wholy altred till the Parliament held ann 1. Edward Nouemb. 4. Secondly indeed true it is that in Queene Maries time the Papists came before the law Preachers were prohibited Bishops depriued and diuers imprisoned as Bishop Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper Rogers Masse publikely solemnized Thirdly you had forgotten that the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome which you make the chiefest ground of your Cacolike religion throughout your whole dispute was with common consent of Parliament consisting of the three estates of the land the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons abrogated by King Henry the eight of famous memorie so that no new acte was requisite in that behalfe in the entring of King Edwards raigne Fourthly King Edward a King of nine yeares of age by the aduice of the Parliament repealeth diuers Statutes and among the rest one made against Lollards ann 1. Richard 2. who was then but eleuen yeeres old I pray you what great ods in their ages might not the one build vp true religion at those yeeres when as the other pulled it downe or will you take exception against Iosias because being yet but a child he began to seeke the Lord and to purge religion or is the authoritie soueraigntie of the Prince the lesse because he is young or is the spirit of God tied to age and limited to yeares Doth not the Scripture say Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength And hereunto agreeth that saying of Cypriane Impletur apud nos spiritu sancto puerorum innocens aetas c. The innocent age of children with vs is filled with the holie spirit And so was it in this princely child the Iosias of this age of whom we may say with Ambrose Non moueat aetas imperatoris perfecta aetas est Est enim perfecta aetas vbi perfecta virtus Honorius iam pulsat adolescentiae fores prouectior aetate quā Iosias We should not respect his yeares the Emperours age is perfect age is perfect where vertue is perfect Honorius is now growing to be a young man elder then Iosias 4 Further it is a great vntruth which followeth the will and testament of King Henry being violated and his Bishops and Clergie committed to prison or depriued For neither doth he shew wherein the testament of the King was violated in the entrance of King Edwards raigne and therefore may be iustly suspected to be a falsarie neither doth he cite any author for it no such thing either by Maister Fox or Stowe to whom in these matters he appealeth being affirmed so that it seemeth his own phantasticall braine hath forged this fansie True it is indeede that the Protestant Bishops were depriued and excluded both from the Parliament and their Bishoprickes as Doctor Taylor Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Harley Bishop of Hereford with others in the entrance of Queene Maryes raigne But vntrue also it is that the Popish Bishops were depriued or committed to prison during the time of the Parliament when the act passed for reformation of religion which was in Nouember ann 1547. the Bishop of Winchester was not sent to the Tower til the morrow after S. Peters day the yeare following ann 1548. nor depriued before ann 1551. And Bonner was not commaunded to keepe his house till the 11. of August ann 1549. in the third yeare of King Edwards raigne This shamelesse man we see dare aduenture to vtter any thing 5 Of the like truth is that which followeth That the Protestants of this time without any disputation or aduice of any learned or Parliamentall
edifie the Church and to labour in the Ministerie then are these Popish degrees vnnecessarie and not giuen of Christ neither belonging to the ministerie of the Gospell And if they will needes bring in Doorekeepers to bee an order of the Clergie why not Sextins also Belringers graue-makers Church-sweepers Waxe-chandlers water-bearers whip-dogs and what you will for all these there is vse of in the Church and so for seuen orders wee shall haue twice so many This is the goodly Hierarchie which this Ignatian Nouice boasteth of 6. I doubt not but the meanest office of the Gospell is more honorable before God then the greatest Antichristian dignity which are plants not of the Lords planting and therefore shall be rooted out The indeleble character which they say is by their Popish orders imprinted in the soule of the receiuer whereby they are made partakers of Christs priestly power and really distinguished from others is indeede nothing but an Idol of the minde and an imaginarie phantasie for spiritually in the soule and before God there is no difference betweene the Priest and the people Christ hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his father and all Christians are a chosen generation a royall Pristhood And as for your ens rationis it is the very opinion of some Papists that the character of Priesthood is no reall qualitie of the minde but onely rationalis respectus a relation or rationall respect Durand Scotus holdeth that it cannot be prooued by any manifest testimonie of Scripture Gabriel doubteth whether the Church haue defined it They are your owne Church-seruitors Sextins Doore-keepers Church-sweepers that are made no otherwise then Purseuants Apparitors c. The Ministers of the Gospell though they are not really distinguished from the people by any inherent qualitie of greater holines and more merit yet are diuers in the ecclesiasticall Oeconomie and dispensation of the Church in their different functions and offices whereunto they are set apart first by the probation and examination of their gifts Secondly by the imposition of hands with prayer of the Elders and pastors Thirdly by their endowment and abilitie of gifts for the execution of their Ministrie all which the Popish priesthood wanteth 7 A manifest vntruth it is that the Pope hath had more ample iurisdiction then any Prince Christian or Infidell for the halfe of those countries neuer submitted themselues to the Popes deuotion which were vnder the Emperours obedience Constantine the great had commaund ouer all Europe Africa all Asia minor Arabia Armenia Phrygia as it may appeare by the assemblie of Bishops called by the Emperours authoritie out of all these countries to the generall Nicen Councel And at this time both the great Turke in Europe and Asia and Prester Iohn in Africa haue larger dominions and greater authoritie then euer the Romane Bishops haue had That iurisdiction which now the Pope hath is thankes to God brought into a narrower compasse though it bee too much and I trust shall euery day bee more confined And whatsoeuer power hee hath or euer had ouer other Churches is but vsurped for Peter from whom he claimeth was but the Apostle of the Circumcision S. Pauls lot was ouer the vncircumcision 8. This last article containeth nothing but vntruth For neither haue these Ignatian fathers which cal themselues proudly of the societie of Iesus conuerted by their preachings many kingdomes to the regiment of Christ but rather subuerted and corrupted them in faith The Spaniards tyrannie hath subdued the poore Indians not the Iebusites hypocrisie though they tell vs of many fabulous and lying miracles wrought by Xauiere and other of that order in those coasts as hath been shewed before Indeed it is well knowne how they haue attempted to reduce diuers kingdomes to the temporall gouernment of the Pope-catholike King of Spaine by their treacherous conspiracies and wicked deuices to take away the liues of Princes Such were the accursed attempts of Commolet a seditious Iebusite in France and Varade another false brother of that order cōfederate with Barriere to take away the life of the now King of France and of Guignard and Guerret Iebusite Priests conuicted of treason and Iohn Chastel brought vp in that societie who was worthily executed for attempting the Kings death In England such haue been the practises of Saunders Allen Campion Parsons Walpoole with diuers other of that ranke who by their traiterous plots haue practised against the life of our late Soueraigne to bring this famous Countrie into slauish seruitude to Spaine which I assuredly trust shall neuer be And these are the fruites of the preaching and paines of this irreuerent order Vntrue also it is that they are honoured of the greatest and richest princes in the world for the renowmed King of France who in riches puissance and greatnes is not inferiour to any Christian Prince neither honoureth or fauoureth them but the whole order for working against the peace of that state was by decree of the Parliament of Paris anno 1594. exiled and expelled that nation Let it also be noted by the way that this Ignatian and Iebusited brother much like the rest of his order counted the Queene of England his then Soueraigne none of the great puissant rich or Catholike Princes for I thinke he is not so blinded to imagine that either her Highnes then or his Maiestie now and the state fauoureth them or hath any cause so to doe That Iesuites are so familiar with some Princes that haue giuen their power to the beast I do not maruell seeing this hath bene prophecied of before for they are the frogs that come out of the Dragons mouth that goe vnto the kings of the earth Reuel 16.13.14 But if such Princes were not blinded or had but like experience of their cloaked holines and mysticall impietie as their neighbour Princes haue they would soone find thē to be vnfit Courtiers but more vnwholesome Counsellors And me thinks these Polypragmon friers ietting in Princes Courts and intermedling in State-affaires are much-what like to limping Vulcane in Homere that taking vpon him to be a skinker to the Gods a great laughter sodainely was taken vp among them But it were happie that such Princes would take counsell of thēselues and not endure to be caried away with these seditious frierlie humors Hieromes counsell were good to such Verba ei de alieno stomacho non fluant faciat quod vult non quod velle compellitur Let not their words and sentence depend of anothers will but let them do as their owne mind moueth them not as an others humor forceth them As for the noble kingdomes of England Scotland Fraunce they haue sufficient experience of this kind of vermin no more to be bitten by them But as Pythagoras gaue this precept to his schollers not to tast of such things as had blacke tayles that is not to conuerse with men of
was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such is the shauing of Monks and for the like signification of a crowne as hath bene shewed before 8 The Priest of the Sunne among the Phenicians did weare a vestment of purple wrought with gold to shew the dignitie and excellencie of that priesthoode for the same cause haue Masse-priests their rich and costlie copes of diuers colours 9 In Boeotia they vsed to couer the Bride with a vaile and crowne her with flowers which vse is yet retayned in Poperie 10 The heathen vsed to cleanse themselues with sprinkling of water thinking thereby to be purified Thus in Poperie they thinke to purifie their houses the people with casting of holie-water vpon them Is not this now a goodlie religion that retaineth still the idolatrous and superstitious vsages of the heathen that instructeth the people by signes and figures euen as the Paganes preached to theirs May we not iustly returne vpon them the rebuke of the Apostle to the Galathians Seeing you know God how turne yee againe vnto impotent and beggerlie rudiments whereunto as from the beginning you will be in bondage againe Hierome sayth Ego libera voce reclamante mundo pronuntio ceremonias Iudaeorum perniciosas esse mortiferas Christianis quicunque eas obseruauerit in barathrum diaboli deuolutum I do freelie pronounce though the world say nay that the ceremonies of the Iewes are pernicious and deadlie to Christians and whosoeuer obserueth them to be throwne downe to hell much more are they in danger which obserue Pagane ceremonies and inuentions Therefore we take no great care to answere them for this matter resting vpon the words of our Sauiour Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind Their owne blindnes and grossenes in their superstitious corruptions doth sufficiently bewray the badnes of their cause and madnes of their religion to whom that saying of Plutarch may fitlie be applied You neede not draw a superstitious man out of the temple for there is his punishment and torment So that which this figurecaster hath taken for an argument of their profession is found to be but a torment to their conscience and a punishment of their superstition The twelfth Perswasion 1 I Defend not that religion which denieth all things c. as their opinions all negatiue do witnesse 2 That hath taken away and conuerted from spirituall religious vses to priuate and temporall pleasures and preferments all monuments and foundations of deuotion c. 3 Vsing nothing necessarie to saluation 4 But that religion whose opinions are all affirmatiue 5 That hath founded Churches Schooles Colledges Monasteries 6 That obserueth all things that wanteth or omitteth nothing belonging or that can be required to true religion The Disswasion 1 NEither doth that religion which I defend denie any thing much lesse all things as it is falselie sclaundered that are found to be agreeable to the scriptures neither doth it consist of all negatiues affirming the scriptures to be sufficient and to conteyne all things necessarie to saluation that the Church and generall Councels may erre that the Pope is Antichrist that the scriptures ought to be read in the vulgar toong that Magistrates haue authoritie in spirituall causes that all sinnes in their owne nature are mortall that faith only iustifieth that Christ onely is our alone sufficient mediator that there are onely two sacraments of the new testament an hundred more opinions it holdeth affirmatiuely and the negatiues to these doctrines it refuseth And if our religion should be condemned because it holdeth some negatiues exception likewise might be taken against the Decalogue wherein of ten two commaundements only are affirmatiue the fourth in the first table and the first in the second all the rest are negatiuely propounded 2 An impudent sclaunder it is that the religion of Protestants hath taken away all foundations of deuotion 1. Seeing that Bishoprickes Cathedrall Churches all Colledges in the Vniuersities Hospitals parish Churches erected for maintenance of learning reliefe of the poore for the edifying of the people are yet standing and flourishing among vs. 2. Only those vncleane Cels of Monks the seminaries both of spirituall and corporall fornication are remoued though I denie not but they might better haue beene disposed of as was intended by example and warrant of vertuous Princes As Iosias ouerthrew the foundation of the Chemarims an idolatrous order of Priests erected by his superstitious predecessors Iehu destroyed the house of Baal and made a draught-house of it And things abused to idolatrie are iustlie confiscate to the Prince as Ambrose defendeth the taking away of the lands which were giuen to the maintenance of Pagane idolatrie Sublata sunt praedia quia non religiose vtebantur ijs quae religionis iure defenderent Their lands and manors were taken away because they did not religiouslie vse them which they defended vnder colour of religion 3. Neither were all Abbey-lands conuerted to temporall pleasures and preferments though we graunt too many were but diuers were giuen to Hospitals and Colledges and to other good vses And this is warranted by the imperiall lawes that things abused by false worshippers should be giuen to the vse of the Orthodoxall Church as may appeare by that lawe of the Emperours Valentinian and Martian Domum vel possessionem c. That house or possession which belongeth to heretikes Orthodoxae ecclesiae addici iubemus We will to be annexed to the orthodoxall Church 4. These lands and possessions were surrendred into the Kings hands by the voluntarie act of the owners thereof thereto not forced or constrained as is extant in the publike acts of Parliament and at such a time wherein the popish religion was not altered sauing in the Popes supremacie and therefore this is a false imputation to the Gospell And yet as is before shewed possessions abused by men of false religion by the Imperiall lawes are confiscate to the Prince as it was decreed by Anastasius Praedia possessiones quae in haereticas personas quocunque modo collata vel translata fuerunt fisci nostri iurib decernimus vendicari Lands and manors howsoeuer conferred or translated vpon hereticall parsons we decree to be forfeited to vs. 3 A foule slaunder is vttered of our Religion in the next place for nothing necessarie to saluation is wanting in the profession of the Gospell There is Baptisme for infants catechising for children preaching to beget faith the law to perswade repentance the Gospell for comfort the reading of scripture to increase knowledge the Sacraments to confirme it prayer prescribed if any be afflicted singing of Psalmes for those that are merrie in the Lord godly visitation for the sicke with assurance of remission of sinnes vpon their repentance comfort ouer the dead in the hope of the present rest of
champion died in contempt and ignominie being in his old age become ridiculous vnto children 3. The P. of Condie Oranges death are monuments of Popish treacherie not argumēts of Gods seueritie he might be ashamed thus to blaze and boast of the perfidious conspiracies of Papists against Protestant Princes and it is not farre from blasphemie to make that Gods act which the diuell wrought by his wicked ministers As though Iudas also betrayed not his master and brought him to his end note this also I pray you as a iudgement of God vpon Christ. 4. As for that godly Admirall of France he was as innocent Naboth suspecting nothing cruelly murdered but as Naboths blood was reuenged in Ahab and Iezabels blood so all the wicked instruments of this horrible and almost inexpiable massacre were iudged of God the bloodie end of Charles the 9. then King of Henrie the 3. then Duke of Aniow and of the Guises great doers in that bloodie enterprise are well knowne to the world I neede make no rehearsall of them Who seeth not how this blind fencer is beaten with his owne weapon and confounded with his owne examples 5. Whatsoeuer happened to Iames the bastard was not for any resistance against Rome but his owne misdemeanour was his ruine This Iames Hamelton the bastard if it be he whō he meaneth was condemned and beheaded and his bodie quartered for treason Quod certo die cubiculo effracto regem trucidare constituisset Because he had appointed vpon a certaine day to breake into the Kings chamber and kill him This was his offence But otherwise he was no enemie but a friend to the Church of Rome for in the same storie it followeth that few grieued at his death but his kinred and the Popish priests Qui in eius incolumitate omnium suarum prope fortunarum spem collocarunt Who in his safetie placed the hope of all their happie state But I marueile that this great trauailer making mention of the affaires of Scotland could forget the notable example of Gods iudgement shewed vpon Dauid Beaton Cardinall of S. Andrewes a cruell persecutor who was slaine in his bed and lay vnburied 7. moneths being at last raked vp in a dunghill this happened not I thinke for any disloyaltie to the triple crowned beast 6. Christierne King of Denmarke was deposed not for his gainesaying of the Papall iurisdiction but for his crueltie and misgouernment and in open Parliament was for his tyrannie depriued of his kingdome and his vncle Fredericke Duke of Holsatia chosen in his place 7. Penda Redwaldus Osricus Eaufridus were not punished for resisting the iurisdiction of Rome but for impugning the faith of Christ being Pagane Idolaters of the two latter Beda thus writeth Vterque sacramenta regni coelestis quibus initiatus erat anathematizando perdidit c. Both of them standing accursed lost the sacraments of the heauenly kingdome which they had receiued and yeelded themselues againe to be defiled idololatriae sordibus with the filth of Idols and they were both slaine of Cedualla King of Britons First then they were punished for their apostasie from the faith of Christ not from the fealtie of Rome Secondly they were rather iudged for holding the faith of the now Church of Rome in worshipping of Idols Thirdly yet if it were directly proued which he intendeth these arguments drawne from outward calamities which are cōmon both to good bad are but vncertaine for the same Beda also maketh mention of Edwine Oswaldus Sigebertus Egericus all Christian Kings the first slaine of Carduella King of Britons the other three by Penda a Pagan Prince 8. He saith further that eleuen thousand Monkes of Bangor were slaine of the Pagane souldiers for their disobedience in dissenting from the Sea of Rome only in the paschall obseruation and manner of shauing pag. 72. 1. Who seeth not this Popelings vncharitable iudgement who would haue them slaine as rebels which were in trueth put to death as Martyrs for preaching and praying for good successe against Ethelbertus a Pagane King of Northumberland 2. And is he not ashamed to sit in Gods place of iudgement to award so heauie a punishmēt for so smal a matter as dissenting about shauing of crownes c 3. But God suffered not this pitifull slaughter to go vnreuenged for cruel Ethelbert was slaine in the field by Christian Edwine ◠succeeded him 4. And because he talketh of shauing of crownes we reade also that Suanus the Dane tooke the citie of Canterburie and put to death 900. Monkes by tithing of them that is sauing euery tenth man aliue and 8000. of other persons were put to the sword likewise We may as well say that these religious persons had their crownes thus pared because they were shauen after the Romane fashion as that the other were slaine for not being so shaued 9. King Edwine was not deposed from his kingdome and Edgar substituted in his place for banishing of Dunstane as this Dunstanist supposeth but for his licentious life who in the same day of his coronation vsed the vnlawfull companie of a certaine woman whose husband he had slaine before Thus this trifler maketh euery thing serue his turne and would make vs beleeue that all iudgements and calamities which befell those Princes were inflicted for the Popes cause He is herein much like Colotes the Epicure who in a certaine booke taketh vpon him to proue that a man could not liue according to other Philosophers rules that there was no life but among the Epicures and so this Romane Epicure thinketh that there is no life nor safetie without the Epicurean fellowship of Rome But the law telleth vs In re propria nemo idoneus iudex No man is a fit iudge in his owne cause no more is he in this And so I proceede The fift Demonstration WIlliam the Conquerour William Rufus Henrie the 2. King Iohn Henrie the 3. Edward the 2. Richard the 2. are brought in as impugners of the Papall iurisdiction and for the same strangely punished of God from pag. 73. to pag. 79. These examples shall be examined in order The Remonstration 1. IT appeareth not in storie that William Conquerour did oppose himselfe to the Popes seignorie for hee caused Stigandus Archbishop of Canturburie to be depriued and Lanfranke a great champion for the Pope to be set in his place Indeede at his first conquest he dealt hardly with some Monasteries spoyling them of their gold and siluer but for that hee made amends For hee founded Battaile Abbey in Sussex and Selbie Abbey in Yorkshire the Priorie of S. Nicholas at Excester the Abbey of S. Stephen at Cane in Normandie He caused the Ladie Church at Meux in France to be burnt and two Anachoretes but the first was repayred againe at his charge the other were wilfully burnt because they perswaded themselues they ought not to leaue their Cell
furtherer of certaine youthes that entred into the order of Benedict The storie is reported by their owne Masse-priests in their replie to Parsons Manifestation pag. 69. I would thinke that his fellow Friers should giue him little thanks for speaking so honourably of the Monkes of Maledictes I would say Benedictes order 4. Concerning the Bishops of Canterburie which hee hath rehearsed to haue bin so honourable in their time it is but his owne fansie The most of them haue left no notable memorie behind them vnlesse it be of their ambition contention rebellion against their Prince crueltie against the members of Christ. Baldwine is famous for his contention with the Monks of Canterburie he suspended the Prior from his Priorship and 22. Monkes from seruice And Kilwarbie for contending with Walter Archbishop of Yorke for bearing vp his crosse thorough the middle of Kent ann 1272. So Peccham excommunicated Thomas Bishop of Hereford who appealed to Rome he contended also with William of Yorke for bearing vp his Crosse thorough Kent and at another time with the Prior and Monkes of Canterburie Iohn Stratford being refused and not suffered to visite in Norwich diocesse excommunicated the Bishop suspended the Prior interdicted the Couent anno 1343. Offord and Braidwarden sate each of them but ten moneths and therefore could leaue no great memorie behind them of their doings Some of them are noted for their disloyaltie to their Prince as Thomas Becket who set himselfe against Henrie the 2. Winchelsey was banished the Realme by Edward the 1. because he was a disturber thereof and tooke part with Rebels Langhton suffered King Iohn his liege Lord to kisse his feete Arundel was adiudged by act of Parliament to be a traytor and condemned to banishment and his goods confiscate As for Courtney and Chichley they are detected in stories for their cruell hatred against the Church of Christ the first a great enemie to Wicklâ—ffe and his followers the other a most butcherly persecutor of Gods Saints and a contriuer of the vertuous and valiant Lord Cobhams cruel and vniust death against whom Arundel his predecessor gaue sentence and he executed the same Sudburie is pitied in Chronicles for his miserie being most cruelly beheaded of the Rebels not for religion but because he simply counselled the King not to goe to satisfie the tumultuous peoples demaunds and complaints which afterward he did before they could be appeased Islip is famous for nothing more but that he prohibited vpon paine of excommunication the people to abstaine from labour vpon certaine Saints daies Murton is commended not as a Bishop for true deuotion but as a wise and politike man for his sage aduice for conioyning the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster We see then what small honour Poperie giueth to the sectmasters thereof true religion would haue made them shine whereas their superstition hath buried them in obliuion according to the saying of the Wiseman The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Prou. 10.7 Ambrose well saith of Valentinian Non ego floribus tumulum eius aspergam sed spirâ—tum eius Christi odore persundam hoc eius reliquias sacrabo hoc gratiam eius commendabo I will not sprinkle his graue with flowers but perfume his spirit with the sweete sauour of Christ with this will I honor his reliques and commend his gracious memorie So had those Princes and Prelates by true religion purchased an eternall memorie whereas by their idolatrie and superstition they haue gayned rather shame and ignominie Thus hath this brrgger faced vs out with a glittering shew of honor which is turned to dishonor rather and disgrace and so as Seneca sayth quae decipiunt nihil habent solidi tenue est mendacium perlucet si diligenter inspexeris deceitfull things haue no soundnes a lye is but a thinne mettall if you marke it well you shall soone see thorough it Now this cauiller turneth himselfe from defending of his religion to pick quarrels with ours and to lay open the infirmities and offences of it and to obiect against it The first obiection 1 HE obiecteth out of Luther that he should write it is the nature of the Gospell to cause warres that there is no Magistrate no superior c. it is to be intreated by many prayers that the countriemen obey not their Princes c. no lawe nor any syllable of lawe can be opposed vpon Christians more then themselues will pag. 86. 2 Caluine Beza with others decreed in their conuenticles that all lawfull policie and ciuill gouernment must be taken away they kept a councell to destroy the King of Fraunce his children and wife the Queene mother c. a Taylor and Cobler at Frankeford instituted new courts pag. 86. 3 Tyndall taught and Fox maintaineth these propositions following that it is impossible for vs to consent to the law of God the law requireth things impossible the law maketh vs hate God euery man is Lord of other mens goods the children of faith are vnder no lawe pag. 87. 4 The Protestants did write a booke against the temporall regiment of women pag. 87. 5 The Lord Cromwell Iohn Duke of Northumberland Cranmer were put to death for treason pag. 87. 6 The Councell of King Henry the eight onely the Lord Chauncelor Wriotheslie excepted did violate the Kings will and testament pag. 87. 7 The Protestant Councell of King Edward would haue disinherited her Maiestie and Queene Mary pag. 88. The Reiection 1. FIrst concerning Luther my answere is 1. that in those bookes which are quoted in the margen and cited by the aduersarie Luther hath no such words in the edition of his works at Wittemberge at the least not in any such sense that I by diligent search could find 2. for if he could haue bene detected of such grosse and erroneous sayings it is not like that Leo the 10. in his Bull against Luther wherein his errors are condemned would haue omitted them 3. in which Bull artic 34. these words are fathered vpon Luther that he should say Praeliari aduersus Turcas est aduersari Deo c. To warre against the Turks is to resist God visiting our iniquities which words Luther in his answere denyeth not thus expounding himselfe that he simplie condemned not the warre against the Turks but the Popes subtiltie that vnder that colour sought to enrich himselfe Hoc praeliari contra Turcas saepe pontificib magno fuit lucro This warring against the Turks hath brought great aduantage to the Bishops 4. For otherwise Luther taught obedience to the Magistrate and misliked all tumultuous and disordered courses as it may appeare by his misliking of Carolostadius violent proceedings who stirred vp the people by violence without the Magistrate to cast downe images at Wittemberge which Luther did not disproue as though he maintained Images but that this ought to be
done by the Magistrate and not by force vpon euery priuate mans head without order and authoritie 5. But they are the Papists not Protestants that incourage the people to rebellion as Innocent the 3. did discharge the subiects of their oath and fealtie to King Iohn So did Pius 5. and Gregory the 13. incite the subiects against Queene Elizabeth proclayming in their wicked Buls that all Catholikes might lawfullie withdraw their obedience from her They were your popish Diuines of Salamanca no Protestants that hatched these traiterous conclusions as Cockatrice egs that it was a meritorious worke to assist Tyrone against the Queene that the Catholikes of Ireland that did fight against the Queene were by no construction Rebels c. This shamelesse Iudasite might haue blushed to obiect this vntruly against Luther that which his owne faithlesse crue and generation of vipers is guiltie of 6. Lastly if Luther had so said or writ we defend him not neither take vpon vs to iustifie all his hastie sentences and rash speeches We are no Lutheranes neither haue we receiued our faith from Luther or yet depend vpon him Why may not Protestants take the like libertie against their writers which Papists vse against theirs When Harding was pressed with the absurd sayings of Syluester Prierias and Pighius he maketh this answere We bind our selues neither to the words of Syluester nor of Pighius if they erre what is that to vs let them beare their owne burthen 2 Secondly it is a most vncharitable sclaunder of Caluine and Beza and other Protestants that they should conspire the death of Princes It is vsuall with Papists not Protestants so to do as witnesseth the treasons of Morton Saunders Allen Ballard Hall Gifford Reynolds Parsons Walpole with others who all haue been detected to be practisers against the life of our late Soueraigne and the state of this land The Taylor and Cobler at Frankfort were Anabaptists as was Iohn Leyden the begger at Munster who came neerer Papists then Protestants for they said of the two namely the Pope and Luther Luther was the worse Against these Anabaptists did write Melancthon Vrbanus Rhegius with other Protestants while the Papists let them alone 3 Tyndals opinions are sound and good doctrine as he propounded them and Maister Fox maintaineth them not as the Papists wrested them 1. He saith that it is impossible for a man to fulfill the law of his owne strength and of our selues to consent to the will of God saith not the Apostle as much That which was impossible to the law in as much as it was weake c. the wisedome of the flesh is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Rom. 8. 2 7. 2. He saith not that the law maketh vs to hate God but in the law we are proued to be enemies to God and that we hate him so the Apostle saith I knew not sinne but by the law Rom. 77. and the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 3. When he saith euery man is Lord of an others goods he speaketh not of a communitie in possession but of the Christian and charitable vse which in pitie is to be extended to our poore brethren If thou shewest not mercie to the poore c. thou robbest him of his owne Doth not the wise man say as much Withhold not the good from the owners thereof Pro. 4.27 meaning the poore who before God are owners in respect of their necessitie of that which the rich haue in abundance and superfluitie 4. Where he saith the children of faith are not vnder the law he expoundeth himselfe that they are not compelled for feare of the law to doe their dutie but for the loue of Christ for the spirit of God worketh in them a willing obedience which proceedeth of loue He saith herein none other thing then S. Paul before him Against such there is no law Galath 5.23 The law is not giuen to a righteous man 1. Timoth. 1.9 which places are not to be vnderstood of the precept and substance of the law but of the effect and terror of the law which worketh not vpon the faithfull Tyndals doctrine is herein all one with Saint Pauls and this cauiller doth but bewray his ignorance herein mixed with malice 4. Fourthly what if some one Protestant haue of a singular opinion prouoked by the cruell gouernment in Queene Maries time written against the regiment of women let the author answere it himselfe Protestants are not to bee charged with mens priuate conceits We doe blesse God for the gouernment of Infants and women God hath vsed these weake meanes for the good of his Church in the happie raignes of King Edward and Queene Elizabeth yet we hold it a greater blessing when Kings not Queenes men not children are left to succeed in the kingdome as to the praise of God wee see this day 5. Whether the Lord Cromwell were guiltie of treason howsoeuer the Parliament being misinformed and misled by the malice of his enemies might iudge of him by this it is cleered because the King not long after wished that his Cromwell were aliue againe The Duke of Northumberland did suffer worthily for treason against the Crowne and died a Papist whatsoeuer shew he made before of the contrarie therefore the Church of Rome hath best right to him he is no disparagement to the Gospell It is vtterly false that Cranmer was put to death for treason for he was thereof acquited at his arraignement in the Guildhall at London neither are traytors in England adiudged to the fire as Cranmer was but otherwise punished 6. He sheweth not wherein King Henries testament was presently violated and therefore we may suspect the reporter of vntruth His bodie was interred at Winsore his legacies to the poore of 1000. markes and of the gift of twelue pence by the day to twelue poore Knights were performed his sonne succeeded in the Crowne and all this was done according to the Kings last will and testament But if it had been in some point violated as it is not like that the Chauncellor who had racked most cruelly Anne Askew an innocent woman with his owne hands was a man of such conscience onely to refuse so there were diuers of the Kings executors resolued Papists as Cutbert Tonstal Southwell Peckam with others so that the blame hereof wil be vpon the Papists shoulders especially seeing most of them then counted Protestants afterward in Queene Maries time turned Papists 7. That ambitious practise of the Duke of Northumberland to disinherite both the Queenes Mary and Elizabeth as it is confessed by vs so it toucheth not the credit of the Gospell seeing as is before shewed the contriuer of this disinheriting of the right heire ended his daies in the profession of the Popish faith to the which he exhorted the people to returne Thus this agent for the Pope goeth on still to
factious crue and adulterous seede of that strumpet may in good time also bee dispatched thither to sucke their owne mothers breasts that both the bondwoman and her sonnes may be cast foorth and not be heires with Isaac And if they will with Iudas depart from the Ministers of Christ to the Pharisies we may wish vnto them Iudas end as one saith Iudas iuit ad Pharisaeos non iuit ad Apostolos iuit ad diâ—isoâ— diuisus perijt Iudas went to the Pharisies not to the Apostles he went to those which were diuided and being diuided in the midst perished And happie were it with the Church of England if it were honestly rid of such make bate companions that wee might dwell by none but good neighbours as it is said of Themistocles when hee offered his ground to sell caused it to be proclaimed that he had a good neighbour Now this aduersarie breaking off here his vncharitable accusations returneth to his former defence which how sillie and weake it is shall in the discouerie thereof appeare The fift Defence 1. WHat disloyaltie of behauiour to Commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion doe wee not teach all dutie vnto Princes and superiours pag. 94. 2. What is there in that sacred function of Priesthood now treason by the proceedings of England that can be guiltie of so great a crime in the statute of treason in Edward 3. nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of King or countrie pag. 95. 3. What is in Priesthood now that was not in former times which euer in Parliament hath been reputed the most honourable calling c. the same Priesthood which was giuen to S. Peter and his Apostles the same which S. Augustine and his associates had that conuerted England pag. 96. 4. There is in that sacrament of Priesthood no renouncing or deniall of any authoritie in England no conspiracie to Prince no betraying of kingdome c. pag. 96. 5. That Priests do absolue from sinnes c. the cause is no temporall thing and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason for Deacons which haue no such authoritie are traytors by the same statute pag. 96. 6. That our Priests are consecrated in forraine countries is not the cause for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergie to be consecrated in those forraine countries and to be ordered in France to which we be friends and in England is equally treason pag. 97. 7. The Grecians and Germanes diuers in doctrine to the Church of Rome haue their Seminaries of Priests maintained by the Pope and yet they condemne not their Priests for traytors and it is as improbable that the Pope hath an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment as it is vnprobable in those countries 8. How can those religious Schooles be such aduersaries c. where there is no Reader no professor no Lecture no doctrine against our English gouernment where prayer is continually made for her Maiestie The rules and gouernment there consent with the ancient foundations of Cambridge and Oxford pag. 98. 9. What disobedience can it be to denie to any temporall Prince supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall a preeminence distinct c. which our Kings themselues euer approued in the Roman See which neuer any Turke or Goth or Vandale or Infidell challenged c. nor any temporall Prince vnlesse it be in England pag. 98. 10. The enemies to this See do not condemne it as a disobedience to appeale to Rome in spirituall cases to goe on pilgrimage to Rome to fetch any Crucifixe or picture from thence all Catholikes and Christians of the world without prohibition of their Princes haue accesse thither pag. 99. 11. Our most triumphant Kings haue performed those offices in visiting of Rome in their owne persons pag. 99. The Answere 1. DOe ye aske what disloyaltie there is in your Cacolike religion when by Popish doctrine Princes are not chiefe in their owne kingdoms ouer Ecclesiasticall causes and persons and the Pope hath authoritie by the same to excommunicate and depose Princes and absolue subiects from their oth of obedience And doe ye teach all dutie to Princes when the pestilent vipers the Iudasites doe hold that subiects ought to assist the Pope inuading a countrie by force for religion against their Prince and that they are bound to keepe secret the Popes designements to that end that they were no rebels which aided the Popes Cacolikes in Ireland against the Queene I would not so often alleage these matters but that this brablers confused tautologies can not otherwise be answered 2. There be other points in that statute beside betraying of King or countrie that are made treason as to violate the Kings wife or his eldest daughter or the wife of his eldest sonne but these matters are impertinent they serue only to shew the vntruth of his speech And euen by this statute popish Priests and Iudasites that maintaine a forren Potentate a knowne enemie to Prince and countrie are found to be traytors for they which are adherent to the Kings enemies in his realme giuing them ayde and comfort within the realme or elsewhere are by that statute iudged traytors 3. In popish Priesthood there are many things now which were not in former times as to haue power to make Christs bodie that it is a sacrament and hath an indeleble character their shauing greazing to haue dependance vpon the Bishop of Rome the vow of single life annexed to orders these things in the honorable calling of the Ministers of the Church the auncient and pure age of the Church did not acknowledge And though the popish priesthood for some hundred yeares past hath beene in great credite yet was it another manner of Ministerie which was honoured of the auncient Christian Emperors As the Bishops of the Nicene Councell whom Constantine so reuerenced that he would not sit downe till they had beckoned to him Meletius whose eyes lips and breast Theodosius kissed embraced Chrysostome whom Goinas the Goth did reuerence and caused his children to fall downe at his knees all these were Bishops of another order then the Popes creatures now are It is also a vaine boast that S. Peter had the same priesthood S. Peters presbyters were not Lords ouer Christs flocke as the Popes Clergie is 1. Pet. 5.3 Peter doth make himselfe a sympresbyter with the rest not lord ouer theÌ„ nor they to depend of him and confesseth Christ to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4 he dare not arrogate that title to himselfe as the Pope doth In some respects they may haue the same priesthoode which Augustine the Monke had though as yet the sacrifice of Christs bodie was not annexed to the priesthood nor many yeares after for he came from Rome and sought the preeminence of that See