which is properly due vnto God vnto creatures Superstitiosum est saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de doctr Christ cap. 20. quicquid institutum est ab hominibus ad facienda colenda idols pertinens vel ad colendum sicut Deum creaturam partémue illam creaturae vel ad consultationes pacta quaedam significationum cum daemonibus placita foederata He saith it is superstitious whatsoeuer is ordained of men for making and worshipping idols pertaining either to the worship of creatures or any part of a creature as God or else to magicall consultations or couenants agreed vpon with diuels for reuealing of matters Thomas Aquinas 2.2 q. 94. art 1. confesseth that idolatrie is nothing else but the worshipping of creatures either in visible formes or otherwise with diuine honour And this is partly prooued out of the law of God against Idolatrie which not only prohibiteth the hauing of strange Gods but also the making of grauen images with an intent to bow vnto them and to worship them But the superstitious Papists do worship the Sacrament as God and call it their Lord and God They do also giue Gods honour to the images of the Trinitie of the Crucifixe and crosse and teach that what worship is due to the originall is due to the image or picture as Alexander Hales p. 3. q. 3. art vlt. Aquinas part 3. q. 25. art 3. and Caietan in his Commentaries vpon him do testifie They do also make vowes to our Ladie and to Saints and trust very much in them They do further call vpon Angels and Saints in all places and offer sacrifices in their honour Finally they bow vnto the images of Angels and Saints pray before them kisse them and burne incense vnto them All which be points of that adoration that is due to God Secondly they commit those faults which the holy scriptures do note and condemne in idolaters of old time They worship creatures for the Creator as the Apostle Rom. 1 â—aith the Gentiles did They make similitudes of things â—oth in heauen and earth bow downe to them and worship them although the same be prohibited in the second commaundement Exod. 20. They erect monuments and titles and stones for signes to be worshipped contrary to the law Leuit. 26. They make euery day new gods affirming that the priest maketh his maker Now this making of new gods is noted as a propertie of idolaters Psal 81. They reioyce in the works of their owne hands and worship the images which themselues haue made as did the idolaters whereof S. Stephen maketh mention Act. 7. They serue the hoast of heaueÌ„ as the old idolatrous Iews spokeÌ„ of Amos 5. Act. 7. seruing diuers saints and as they call them Militiam curiam coelestem that is the soldiory and court of heauen As the statues of the Gentiles were siluer and gold the worke of mens hands and had mouthes and spoke not eies and saw not as sayth the Prophet Psal 114. so is it with the images of Papists that albeit of costly matter and curious workemanship yet neither speake with their mouthes nor sée with their eyes As idolaters burnt incense to their statues as we reade 2. Paral. 30. so do Papists burne incense to their images Thirdly they fall into those abuses which the Fathers of the Church thought worthy to be reprehended of old time as sauoring of idolatry The Gentiles thought they could represent God in a materiall image And so do the Papists making the image of God the Father and God the holy Ghost The Fathers therefore reprehend them both alike Quis tam amens erit saith Eusebius praeparat Euangel c. 3. vt Dei formam imagu◠〈◊〉 statua viro simili referri perhibeat Who wil be so mad to think that the forme and image of God may be expressed by an image like vnto a man Hierome likewise writing vpon the fortith of Isay What image saith he wil you make for him which is a spirit and is in all places Ambrose in his oration of the death of Theodosius sayth It is aâ— errour of the Gentiles to worship the crosse Inuenit Helena saith he crucem Domini regem adorauit non lignum vtique quia hic Gentilis est error sed adorauit illum qui pependit in cruce The councell of Laodicea condemneth the worship of Angels as idolatrous So likewise saith Tertullian de praescrij aduers haeret that the heresie of the Simonians in seruing 〈◊〉 Angels was reputed among idolatries Simonianae magiae disciplina Angelis seruieÌ„s vtique ipsa inter idololatrias deputabatio Hierome in an Epistle of his to Riparius saith that Christians neither adore nor worship Martyrs nor Sun nor Moone nor Angels least they should therein rather serue creatures then the Creator De praescript aduers Haeret. Tertullian doth also say that euery lie oâ— God is after a sort a variation of the kind of idolatrie Omnis mendacium de Deo variatio quodammodo sexus est idololatrie Both he and diuers others say that heresie is a kind of idolatrie How then can they cleare themselues from the blemish of idolatrie that worship the crosse serue and worship Angels and are authors of so many sorts of heresies Fourthly they must néedes deny the crosse and the images of the Trinitie and the crucifixe to be creatures and works of their owne hands or else in worshipping of them they must needes confesse and yéeld themselues to be idolaters But that they cannot do Finally the testimonie of their owne conscience doth proue them to be idolaters in that they leaue out the second commandement or as they make it a péece of the first commandement that is direct against the adoration and worship of grauen images and the making of them to that end in most of their Catechismes Manuals Psalters and rituall bookes where they rehearse the ten commandements as their Ladies psalters short Catechismes and diuers of their bookes do testifie But since it pleased God to restore religion in the church of England the leuen of popish doctrine and heresie is purged out the breach of schisme and diuision from the Catholike Church is repaired and all superstitious and idolatrous worships are quite abolished and remoued out of the Church CHAP. XI Of good workes and good life THe Ministers of God as they are guides to their people and teachers of the law so ought they to go before their flockes shewing them examples to prouoke them to do good workes and to coÌ„forme their liues according to the lawes of God Shew thy selfe an example of good workes T it 2. sayth Paul to Titus Ibid. Ephes 2. All true Christians also should shew themselues zealous of good workes For we are Gods workmanship created in Christ to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them This is our doctrine and the practise of all that professe our religion If any hypocrites be found among vs that walke not according to their
Praescript aduers Haeret. disputeth against the heresies of the Valentinians and Marcionites drawing arguments from the Apostles preaching and tradition But that was because they denyed and corrupted Scriptures For no man can deny but that their heresies are clearely conuinced by Scriptures Quod sumus hoc sunt That we are that they are saith Tertullian speaking of Scriptures That is likewise the meaning of Vincentius Lirinensis de Haeres cap. 27. for that depost of which he talketh is nothing but the Christian faith contained in scriptures But if Parsons will prooue his rule of faith he must shew a faith grounded vpon tradition that is not deduced out of Scriptures Nay if he will not be contrarie to himselfe he must shew that not the Apostles tradition as he saith in his Warn-word 1. Encoun cap. 15. but the Catholike church is the rule of faith as he holdeth Ward-word Encontr pag. 6. He doth also obiect against vs diuers alterations of religion in England in king Henry the eight his raigne Warn-word Encontr c. 16. and in king Edwards dayes and then asketh by what authoritie our rule of faith was established But first he might as well haue spoken of the alteration made in Q. Maries dayes when the impieties of Popish religiō were established by act of Parliament Secondly the alterations in religion made in England of late time make no variation in the rule of faith that is alwayes one but in the application and vse of it Thirdly albeit by act of Parliament the articles of religion were confirmed wherein the canon of scriptures and the substance of our confession is set downe yet was that rather a declaration of our acceptance then a confirmation of the rule of faith that in it selfe is alwayes immoueable Our rule of faith therefore is certaine albeit not alwaies in one sort approued or receiued by men But the rule of Popish faith neither in it self nor in the approbatiō of Parliaments or Churches is certaine or immoueable Finally he asketh a question of Sir Francis in his Ward-word p. 5. how he knoweth his religion to be true And saith he hath only two meanes to guide himselfe in this case and that is either Scriptures or the preaching of our Ministers But this question as I haue shewed toucheth himselfe that busideth his faith vpon the Pope nearer then Sir Francis who groundeth himselfe his faith only vpon the holy Scriptures and is assured of his faith not by these two meanes onely but by diuers others For beside Scriptures he hath the help of the Sacraments of the Church of Gods spirit working within him of miracles recorded in scriptures of auncient Fathers of the practise of the Church of the consent of nations of the confession of the aduersaries of the suffering of Martyrs and testimonies of learned men and such like arguments In this question therefore Robert Parsons shewed himselfe to be a silly Frier and to haue had more malice then might In time past also we were as shéepe going astray and out of the vnion of the Catholike and Apostolike Church Diuers of our auncestors worshipped the crosse and the images of the Trinitie with diuine worship Some like bruite beasts fell downe before Idols crept to the crosse and kissed wood and stone Others worshipped Angels the blessed Virgin and Saints praying vnto them in all their necessities trusting in them saying Masses in their honour and offering incense and prayers to their pictures and images For so they were taught or rather mistaught by popish Priests The Romish synagogue in the very foundations of religion was departed from the Apostolike and Catholike Church The schoolemen brought their proofes out of the Popes Decretals and Aristotles Metaphysickes Est Petri sedes saith Bellarmine in Praefat. ante lib. de Pont. Rom. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus The See of Peter is an approued corner stone precious and laid in the foundation The same man lib. 2. de Pont. Rom. cap. 31. calleth the Pope the foundation of the Church Sanders calleth him the Rocke Alij nunc à Christo saith Stapleton relect princip doctr in Praef. eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locū habebūt That is Others now beside Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall be esteemed of me as a foundation This he saith where he talketh of the foundation of religion and the Church But the catholike Church had no foundation beside Christ Iesus and his holy word and Gospell taught by the Prophets and Apostles The Apostle Gal. 1. denounced him accursed that taught any other Gospell then that which he had preached The holy Fathers proued the faith by holy Scriptures and not by popish Decretals and philosophicall Principles Concerning Christs bodie the Romanists taught that the same is both in heauen and in the Sacrament albeit we neither could see it there nor féele it But the scriptures teach vs that his bodie is both palpable and visible Luk. 24. Mar. vlt. and is now taken vp into heauen So likewise teach the Fathers Vigilius in his fourth booke against Eutyches speaking of Christs bodie When it was on earth saith he surely it was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainely it is not on earth They haue also brought in new doctrine concerning Purgatorie and indulgences and which is no more like to the auncient catholike faith then heresie and noueltie to Christian religion They teach that whosoeuer doth not satisfie in this life for the temporall punishment of mortall sinnes committed after baptisme and remitted concerning the guiltinesse must satisfie for the same in Purgatorie vnlesse it please the Pope by his indulgences to release him Of the tormentors of soules in Purgatorie and of the nature qualitie and effect of indulgences they talke idlely and vnlike to the schollers of Catholikes The Catholicke doctrine concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper they haue quite changed in Baptisme adding salt spittle hallowed water exorcismes blowings annointings light and other strange ceremonies In the Lords supper taking away the cup from the communicants and not deliuering but hanging vp or carying about the Sacrament and worshipping it as God and finally beléeuing holding transubstantiation They haue also deuised other sacraments and taught that they containe grace and iustifie They were wont to kisse the Popes toe and to receiue his dunghill decretals worshipping Antichrist and intitling him Christs Vicar All which nouelties superstitions and heresies by her Maiesties godly reformation are abolished who hath restored the auncient Catholike and Apostolike faith which the Popes of Rome for the most part had altered suppressed She hath also by her authoritie brought vs to the vnitie of the Catholike faith and by good lawes confirmed true Christian religion Before our times there was no settlement in matters of Religion Durand denieth Diuinitie to be Scientia Thomas and Richard Middleton hold that it is Writing vpon the
profession we renounce them we weed them out we punish them If worldlings and fleshly Papists that liue in the Realme do giue occasion of offence this ought not to be imputed to our Religion nor the true professors thereof that desire nothing more then that such may be weeded out and expulsed both out of the Church and Common-wealth But if we looke backe to former times we shall find that the Papists haue not onely erred in the practise but also in the doctrine of good workes For first they denie that the law of God is a perfect rule of life And therefore haue inuented other rules whereby they hope to attaine to a further perfection Secondly they hold that by the law of God we haue not knowledge of all sinnes teaching that it is as well mortall sinne to transgresse the Popes lawes as to transgresse Gods lawes as Nauarrus teacheth vs in his Manuall by many particulars Thirdly they giue absolution to euery haynous sinner confessing his sins before he hath repented Fourthly they suppose that euery man is able to satisfie for the temporall penaltie of sinnes and that the Pope hath power by his indulgences to remit sinnes concerning the penaltie without satisfaction Fiftly they teach that no man néedeth to repent for veniall sinnes and that such sinnes exclude vs not out of the kingdome of heauen Sixthly they teach that man is able perfectly to fulfill the law and by a good consequent to abstaine from all sinne which S. Hierome declareth to be Pelagianisme Seuenthly they hold contrary to the Apostle that man is to be iustified by the workes of the law and that eternall life is to be purchased by our owne workes and merites Many other false points of doctrin they haue beside these But their practise is farre worse then their doctrine For omitting the weightier points of the law like their ancesters the Pharisees they stand much on tithing Mint and Commin and washings such like ceremonies Their principall works are forswearing of mariage begging like vagabond fellowes eating muscles cockles and salt fish and such like on fasting dayes and saints vigiles taking ashes on Ash-wednesday confessing in a priests eare at Shroftide shauing of crownes going to Masse sprinkling of holy-water lighting of candles at noone day crouching to images créeping to the crosse kissing of the Popes toe praying for soules in purgatorie gaining of pardons going on pilgrimage ringing and singing for the dead aneling and greasing of men and women desperately sicke and such like The Popes Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes Friers care neither much for these ceremonies nor for other good workes If any of them or their adherents haue a shew of godlinesse yet they haue denied the power thereof If they do build schooles or hospitals or giue largely it is for the maintenance of their state and to winne glorie and praise of men The liues and actions of most of them are most abhominable The old Romaine formularie prescribeth this common forme of confession to Romish penitents Confiteor quia peccaui nimis in superbia inani gloria in extollentia tam oculorum quam vestium omnium actuum meorum in inuidia in odio in auaritia tam honoris quà m pecuniae in ira in tristitia in â—cedia in ventris ingluuie in luxuria Sodomitica c. I confesse saith the Romish penitent that I haue offended too much in pride vaine glorie lifting vp my eyes setting out my selfe in apparell and other gestures enuie hatred desire of money and honors anger dulnesse slouth gluttonie Sodomiticall luxurie in sacriledge periurie adulterie thefts rapines and all manner of fornication in most beastly turpitude in drunkennesse and banquetting And afterward there followeth such a Catalogue of all manner of impieties and villanies that a blind man may discerne the Romanistes to be a rabble of damnable and indiabolated rakehels deseruing Tiburnes suspension rather then the Priests absolution Publikely they allow stewes both in Spaine and Italie The Pope maketh a great reuenue of the hire of whores The harlots of Rome saith Cornelius Agrippa lib. de vanit scient cap. de Lenocinio pay euery weeke a peece of money called à Iulio it is about sixe pence of English money to the Pope and this rent yearely passeth twentie thousand duckats He telleth also how Priests let out whores to hire The glosse vpon a certaine prouinciall constitution of Otho de concubin Cleric remouend saith that it seemeth reason that the Church should winke at the sinne of lecherie Nam Mareschallus Papae de facto exigit tributum à meretricibus For de facto the Marshall of the Pope doth exact a tribute froÌ„ whores This is also confirmed by the testimonie of Io. Andreas in c. inter opera extr de spons matrim and is well knowne to Robert Parsons a great practiser among boyes whores and to all that are acquainted with Rome Italie and Spain The Cardinals that about the time of the councell pretended in Pope Paule the third his time were to consider what things stood in greatest néede of reformation speaking of Rome In hac etiam vrbe meretrices say they vt matronae incedunt per vrbem That is In this citie also whoores go like matrons through the streetes Pius the fifth that pretended more zeale then his predecessors went about to reforme this abuse but could not Such was the desire the Priests and people of Rome had to kéepe this ornament of the citie with them still which as the Iebusiticall faction in Wisbich affirmed were in Rome with approbation and with as good right as any citizen of Rome or as the Pope himselfe All that Pius the fift could do In vita Pij 5. was to draw them into certaine stréetes and there to confine them as well as such manner of people could be The sinnes of Sodome are so rife in Rome and all Italie that no colours can couer them no lawes remedie them Boccace in his second nouel testifieth That the Pope Cardinals Prelates and others did liue dishonestly and offend not onely in naturall but also Sodomiticall luxurie Egli trouo dal maggiore insino al minore tutti dishonestissimamente peccare in lussuria non solo nella naturale ma anchora nella Sodomitica senza freno alcuno di rimordimento ô di vergogna in tanto che la potenza delle meretrici de garzoni ad impetrare qualunque gran cosa non era di picciol potere Oltre à questo vniuersalmente golosi beuitori ebbriachi piu al ventre seruenti a guisa d'animali bruti appresso alla lussuria che ad altro In Epist ad Nicolaum gli conobbe apertamente Huldericus of Augusta sheweth that while by false shew of continencie the Church of Rome refused mariage in their Cleargie diuers committed incest and abhominable Sodomiticall villanies with men and beastes Sub falsa continentiae specie placere volentes grauiora vides committere saith he patrum
Quéene dealt iustly defending her selfe against publike enemies that sought her destruction and the ouerthrow of her people To proue that the land hath not increased in wealth in the late Quéenes time he obiecteth 1. Encountr cap. 11. that the Nobilitie and Gentrie keepe not so great houses nor families as in times past But the witlesse fellow speaketh against himselfe For the lesse is spent the more remaineth But that many are able to keepe as great houses as in time past it cannot be denyed Further if he knew the state of the countrie he might know that many houses are built and kept where in time past there was neither house-kéeping nor house He telleth vs further of tributes and other duties But his talking and dealing therein is but friuolous For compare all that is paid in subsidies and other duties with former payments yet is it not halfe of that which was exacted by the Pope and spent in superstition and vaine deuises But were our subsidies greater yet being bestowed vpon our owne souldiers and people the land is neuer a whit the poorer but rather poore men employed by those that can well spare all which they giue and more Finally he would insinuate that increase of people is no blessing séeing the Turkes by multitude of wiues haue many children and holy Eunuches are commended that haue no children He doth also vnder hand glaunce at the mariage of Ministers But first he denyeth that which the spirit of God doth directly teach viz. that children are the blessing of God and that God did promise the multiplication of his séede to Abraham as a great blessing Secondly albeit particular men that kéepe themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen are commended yet that concerneth the lecherous and bougerly Masse-priests and Monkes nothing that rather forsweare mariage then kéep themselues chast Neither is that a commendation to a whole State or kingdome if some liue chastly Thirdly albeit Turkes haue many wiues yet God doth not so blesse them with children but that they are compelled to vse the children of Christians and to exact a tribute of them To conclude this bastardly fellow sheweth himselfe to be past shame to talke against mariage when himselfe was begotten by a filthie priest and his consorts wallow in all beastly abhominations Wherefore let the aduersaries storme and rage as much as they list yet will we say and may say it most truly that both the Church of God and the State hath receiued great blessings by Quéene Elizabeths late happie gouernment And if nothing else yet the vaine opposition of enemies and traitors may perswade vs that it is so For not onely their mislikings do shew that both the Church and State was well ordered for otherwise they would haue bene better pleased but also their vaine ianglings and contradictions they being not able to obiect any thing which soundeth not to her Maiesties honour and high commendations confirme the same CHAP. XIII Parsons his cursed talke of cursings of England by chaunge of Religion and gouernment vnder Queene Elizabeth examined Psal 14. THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the foolish and wicked men of his time saith that their throate is an open sepulchre and afterward that their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse The which we sée verified in the Pope and his impious sect For their throates are wide as the graue and swallow the wealth of Europe They also degorge out of them all the wickednesse and villanie they can deuise against the godly Pius Quintus and Sixtus Quintus accurse the Quéene Robert Parsons following their steppes raileth vpon her in diuers libels In his Warn-word that is a complement of his foolery he sayth We receiued no blessings by her but rather cursings Here therefore we are to answer the barking of this cursed hel-hound and of his accursed companions In the first encounter of his Wardword p. 4. he saith We are deuided from the general body of catholickes in Christendome But this should haue bene proued if he would haue any man to giue him credit For we alleage that the Papists from whom we are deuided are no Catholikes beleeuing the new doctrines of the late conuenticles of Lateran Constance Florence Trent other Friers priests which neither were receiued of all men nor in all times nor in all places which is the true propertie of Catholicke doctrine Next we offer to proue that we are true Catholikes séeing the doctrine of our faith is Apostolicall and vniuersally approued of all true Christians and for the most part confessed by the Papists vntil of late time If then this be a principall curse to be deuided from Catholickes then doth the same fall on Parsons his own head and vpon his trecherous consorts and not vpon vs. Secondly he saith that we of England are deuided from Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists abroad and from Puritanes Brownists and other like good fellowes at home But this common Iergon of Papists is already answered For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists nor can he shew that the Church of England is deuided from the Churches of France Germanie or Suizzerland or that one Church oppugneth another If any priuate man do maintaine priuat opinions in doctrine as diuers Germaines French and English do or else if there be any difference among vs concerning ceremonies and gouernment that doth no more make a schisme in our church then the diuers rites of Spanish French and Italians and diuers opinions in al points of religion betwéen old and new Romish Doctors maketh a schisme in the Romish Church For generally we all agrée in substance of faith in rites ceremonies refer euery Church to their libertie In England publikely there is more vniformitie in doctrine prayers ceremonies then in the Romish Church albeit some priuat men whom Parsons vseth to call Puritanes dissent in some points As among the Papists there are diuers that allow not all which they hold commonly But saith he in his Warne-word Encont 1. c. 15. the French Germaines and Scottish do not agrée with the English in the rule of faith as is proued in the foure fiue and sixe and sequent chapters But if he had found any differences he would not haue spared to set them down In the chapters mentioned he sheweth not that we differ in any article of faith or substantiall point of religion but rather in rites ceremonies and some diuers interpretations of some words of Scripture Thirdly he would make his reader beléeue that we haue no certaintie in religion and that as he foole-wisely imagineth because we haue no certaine rule whereby to direct our consciences And this he handleth both in his Wardword 1. Encontr and Warnw. 1. enc c. 15. 16. and other places skipping like an ape vp an downe without rule order or reason But while he talketh of the rule of faith he is direct contrary to himselfe For in his Wardw. p. 6.
the hand of God vpon them when they heare scriptures read and prayers said publikely in a language which they vnderstand not and a thing to be wondred at that they chuse rather to liue in this blindnesse then to haue the word of God read in a toung which they are able to vnderstand and whereby they may learne to feare God Seuenthly the very heathen haue oft times chosen to die rather then to sée themselues oppressed by tyrants Yet such is the stupiditie of Papists that they suffer the Pope and his Priests to tyrannize ouer them loading their consciences with intolerable lawes and false doctrine and spoiling their goods by diuers kinds of exactions and endangering their liues by their Inquisitors and massacrers and such like executioners of their bloudie decrées 8. Most dangerous is euery diuision among those of one societie but most miserable it is when they which professe themselues to be of Gods Church are deuided one frō another For the Church is a house of vnitie and not of dissention But among Papists one holdeth of Benet another of Francis another of Dominicke another of Clare and in no point of doctrine do all their Doctors agree together Superstitiously also they obserue dayes times and distinction of meates and consecrate salt water bread candles and paschal Lambes Finally they leaue the Creator and serue our Ladie Angels and Saints and other creatures Nay for reliques of Saints they worship oft times the ashes relikes and bones of wicked men and reprobates nay of bruite beasts 9. It is an vnséemely thing for those that professe holinesse to shew themselues examples of all beastlinesse as the Popes and holiest men of the papists are wont to do Therefore séeing the dogs sorcerers whore-mongers murtherers idolaters and lyars shall be shut out of the kingdome of heauen they are not to looke to be admitted without spéedie reformation 10. No Prince liuing vnder the Pope can assure himselfe of his state nor can any subiect that liueth vnder such a prince assure himselfe either of his life or goods For if the Pope haue power to take away kingdomes and to bestow them vpon others how can any King or prince assure himselfe he will not attempt the same when occasion serueth considering his violent procéeding against Emperours and kings in time past and against our late noble Queene against Henry the third and fourth of Fraunce and diuers others And if euery one by him and his Inquisitors declared Hereticke is to lose life and goods who can assure himselfe of either if he acknowledge not his authoritie and refuse his religion 11. No man certes shall prosper that shall follow Antichrists sect or religion If any man worship the beast and his image saith the Angel Apocalyps 14. and receiue his marke in his forehead and in his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God of the pure wine that is powred into the cuppe of his wrath But that new Rome and the Popes gouernment is the image of the old Romaine Empire and that the Pope is Antichrist it plainely appeareth by diuers arguments which I haue declared in my fifth booke De pontif Rom. 12 Those Kings that liue vnder the Pope are but halfe kings For first their Cleargie in diuers cases is exempt from them and next they haue not to do with the rest of their subiects in ecclesiasticall causes O miserable kings that haue fallen downe to worship the beast and haue suffered such base bougerly Italians to take away more then halfe of their royall authoritie 13 We find that no kingdome can long liue in peace which is subiect to the Popes controlment For if the Pope do find himselfe aggréeued then doth he trouble the peace of the State if the same offend him not but pay what he requireth yet if he fall out with others then must that kingdome make warres at the Popes pleasure By the Popes solicitation both England France Flaunders Spaine and all Christian countries haue endured great troubles The Turkes liue farre more quietly vnder their Sultans then Papists vnder the Pope Finally considering the intolerable exactions of the Pope and his furious inclination to warre and bloudshed and the tyrannie both of the Pope and his adherents it is no maruell if the papisticall people be poore and much wasted Whether then we respect things of this life or of the life to come there is no creature more miserable then a Papist Do you not then wonder that any should like the popish gouernment It were certainely much to be wondred but that experience doth teach vs that the Cimmerians that dwell in darknesse care not for the light and that brutish beasts delight in brutishnesse and base people in seruitude and superstitious people in vanities and superstitions CHAP. VI. Of the contradictions of Popish Doctors in principall points of Religion OF the dissentions of popish Doctors in matters of religion I haue said somewhat before Yet because Papists make vnitie in matters of faith to be a marke of the Church and confidently deny that their Doctors dissent in any point of any moment I haue thought good to insist yet more vpon this point that the world may see not only their miserie that as men not resolued in most points of religion wauer betwixt contrarie opinions but also their notorious impudencie that deny it Therein also doth appeare some Papists wonderfull simplicitie that séeing the contention of their Doctors do not vnderstand their differences and séeeing their differences and vncertaintie of popish Religion do notwithstanding sticke fast in the filthy dregs and abhominable corruptions thereof Pighius lib. 1. Eccles hierarch cap. 2. saith That Scriptures are not aboue our faith but subiect vnto it Stapleton Princip doctrin lib. 12. cap. 15. holdeth that the Church and Scriptures are of equall authoritie Eckius in enchirid loc com cap. de Eccles saith That the Scriptures are not authenticall without the authoritie of the church Bellarmine thought best not to dispute this question Nicholas Lyra Hugo Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas de Vio and Sixtus Senensis lib. 1. Biblioth sanctae reiect the last seuen Chapters of the booke of Hester as not canonicall Scripture The Conuenticle of Trent Bellarmine and most popish Doctors of late time hold them to be canonicall and thinke hardly of those which teach contrarie Iohn Driedo lib. 1. de Scripturis dogmat Eccles denyeth the booke of Baruch to be canonicall Scripture Bellarmine lib. 1. de verb. Dei and most of his fellowes be of a contrarie opinion Caietan and Erasmus in their Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes of Iames Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn do dissent from the rest of their fellowes partly concerning the authors and partly concerning the authoritie of those Epistles Iames bishop of Christopolis in Praefat. in Psalm And Canus lib. 2. cap. 13. de locis theologicis affirme That the Iewes haue depraued and corrupted
and Moregate Finally fol. 88. b. he doth againe inculcate the same matters and pretendeth that he was set on by certaine puritanes and hungrie protestants But if he knew any of vs guilty of such a crime I doubt not but he would haue reuealed their names vsing to kéepe nothing secret that might hurt vs. We haue rather great cause to suspect Papists who were the principall men about him and some percase suborned by the Spanish Infantaes faction that feared him and by all meanes sought his destruction And thus euery man may see that no man euer pleaded the Popes cause with worse grace then Parsons who obiecteth nothing to his aduersaries but that which falleth beside them and reboundeth backe on himselfe and his friends In the places aboue mentioned he endeuoreth also to sprinkle some suspition vpon sir Francis and me as if we had bene priuy to the Earles intentions But we were too farre off to be partakers of his counsels and too far different from sir Chr. Blunt and other Papists to consort with them and I may boldly say not so simple as to allow of such an action Parsons therefore may do well either to forbeare such foolish toyes or to take better information of matters He calleth the Earle my master but therein he is no lesse abused then in the rest For albeit I haue in diuers actions serued vnder him yet so did diuers others Knights Lords that neuer called him master Fol. 20. he giueth out foolish words as if some of our religion which he calleth Puritanes should intend to take some port or towne in England But that as it is a matter far from our doctrine and practise so it is common with the Papists as may be proued by the example of such as came with the Spaniards an 1597. 98. for Falmouth and of the traiterous leaguers the Popes blessed souldiers in France Was not then sir Robert a woodden discourser that hath no fault to obiect against vs which he can proue and yet specifieth diuers things whereof his owne consorts are most guilty Fol. 25. a. Taxing me for diuers faults this masked O. E sayth he shewing himselfe no lesse full of malice and poisoned hatred against Catholikes then furious in heresie falleth from flattering her Maiestie to bloodie sycophancie and calumniation of Catholikes as though they hated her Maiesties person Whereto that I may answer according to Parsons owne vaine I say that this masked N.D. sheweth himselfe an egregious Noddy that chargeth men with malice poysoned hatred against Catholikes fury heresie calumniation and sycophancy and yet neither nameth who these Catholikes are nor bringeth one letter to iustifie his furious accusatiō I say further that he is neither Catholike nor honest man but a furious sycophant hired for crusts of bread to calumniate honest men and an irreligious apostate and heretike and yet not more wicked for religion then damnable for his odious conuersation And where I say that Papists as many as were linked to Parsons and his packing consorts were enemies to her Maiesties person their manifold plots and attempts against her Maiesty their continuall adhearing to her enemies do proue my saying true Parsons also hath by diuers libels and namely by Philopater which he denieth to be his and by the printing and publishing of Sanders booke de Schismate and the libell which was partly made by him and partly by Allen and by diuers practises against her life and state proued himselfe to be a dogge in barking and a poysoned enemie in conspiring against her We will onely alledge a few lines out of Allens libell printed by Parsons against the Queene She is sayth he a most vniust vsurper an open iniurer of all nations an infamous depriued accursed excommunicate hereticke the very shame of her sexe and princely name the chiefe spectacle of sinne and abhomination in this our age and the onely poyson calamity and destruction of our noble Church and countrey Now would I gladly know whether those that allow this forme of writing did not both hate and séeke to hurt her Maiesty Next whether such as do allow such malicious railing and libelling do not concurre with them in hatred and deserue to be hated and expulsed out of all kingdomes well gouerned as leud libellers venimous serpents and damnable traitors Let any man reade the first page of the Wardword sayth Parsons and then tell me whether this minister haue any forhead at al though his head be great inough who saith I do not so much as go about to proue any such matter that he flattered the state And this saith he forgetting his owne brazen face and forehead and the blacksmiths his mothers husbands forked head and his mothers litle honestie recorded in so many bookes of the secular priests and spoken of commonly in the country Beside that it is most apparent that he doth not once mentiō sir Francis in the first page of his book saue in the title much lesse proue him a flatterer And if as he saith that was the but of his discourse then like a blind archer he missed the but shot wide and far off It appeareth also that he was not in his wits when he began thus to exclaim and cry alarme Fol 35. he imputeth vnto me idle babling and calumniation whereas all his wast Warne-word is nothing but a fardle of idle words and méere babling and foolery except where he addeth some additions of knauery that not only in calumniation and lying but also in diuers kinds of villany and trechery Fol. 36. he sayth I flatter to get a bigger benefice But if a man should aske him how he knoweth my mind he wil like a restie iade be at a stop Onely he imagineth me to be like himselfe who caused a solemne supplication to be presented to the King of Spaine subscribed with the hands of diuers base knaues and whores for want of more worthy witnesses declaring that to vphold the cacolike cause it was necessary that Robert Parsons should be made forsooth no lesse then a Cardinall He made meanes also for the Kings letters to the Pope to the same effect And no doubt they had taken effect but that he had iugled too much aboue the boord and was knowne to be a bastardly base refuse ribaldicall rascall fellow Fol. 72. speaking of sir Francis like Scogan he scorneth and like an impudent companion accuseth him as not abounding in good workes whereas himself aboundeth in all euil workes as for example impietie heresie trechery filchery lying cogging lechery beastly filthinesse and all knauery As for sir Francis his pietie charitable dealing the same is sufficiently knowne and greatly should I wrong him if I shold compare him with any of Parsons his consorts which was begotten on the backside of a smiths forge in that cuntry where sir Francis hath an honorable charge In his second Encounter ca. 13. such ruffianlike and rauenous companions saith he do possesse buy and sell Catholike
the thing ruled with the rule In the Warneword fol. 100. he saith the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles preachings of the Apostles is the rule of faith Which is contrary to the Popes profit For if this be true then vnlesse the Popes determinations and traditions ecclesiastical were preached by the Apostles and confirmed by mracles they are to be excluded from being the rule of faith Psal 7. Parsons therefore is like to those which dig pits for others but fall into them themselues He hath prepared weapons for vs but like a mad sot hath hurt himselfe with the same Finally Captaine Cowbucke like a noble woodcocke is caught in his owne springes CHAP. IX A catalogue of certaine principall lies vttered by Robert Parsons in his late Warne-word 1. Tim. 4. THe Spirit of God as the Apostle sayth speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hote yron Which prophecy as in other heretikes so especially in the Papists we may sée most plainely and euidently to be fulfilled For they departing from the auncient and Catholike faith taught by the holy Apostles and Prophets and recorded in holy Scriptures haue giuen héed to spirits of error and beléeued the trash of vnwritten traditions and lying legends and therupon haue founded their prohibitions of certaine meates and mariages and such like doctrines of diuels confirming their opinions with grosse lies vttered with seared consciences and brazen faces contrary to all shew of truth They take to themselues the name of doctors and fathers but are false teachers and vnkind traitors In 1. Tim. 4. And as Theodoret saith of certaine heretikes Christianorum sibi appellatione imposita apertè docent contraria Calling themselues Christians or Catholikes they openly teach contrary I could specifie it by Caesar Baronius and Bellarmine by Sanders Stapleton and diuers other principall authors of the popish sect But I will not match any man of note with so notorious a dolt and so base a swad as Robert Parsons is of whom we are now to speake though not much to his commendation The onely example of Parsons and that in one of his fardles of lies which we are now to rip vp shall shew them to be notorious and bold lyers The diuellish and erronious doctrine of friars we haue touched before and shall haue often occasion to mention In the front of his booke he promiseth the issue of three former treatises and in the second page talketh of eight encounters But he falsifieth his promise and lieth grossely For of the thrée former treatises he toucheth onely two chapters and of eight encounters entreth onely vpon two Further he declineth the true issue of matters and runneth bias like a warped bowle of dudgeon into impertinent idle questions Doth he not therfore as Hierom saith of one Hierō epist 6◠make shipwwracke in the port In his Epistle to the Reader taking vpon him to deliuer the summe of the controuersie betwixt him and vs he wracketh himselfe likewise thinking to wreake his malice vpon vs and beginneth with a grosse lie There hapned saith he some few yeares past he noteth 1599. in the margent as often also before a certaine false alarme of a Spanish inuasion then said to be vpon the seas towards England Where I néed not to note the idiotisme of Parsons speech that talketh of a Spanish inuasion vpon the sea towards England being elsewhere noted but only I wil touch his impudencie in lying and denying that about this time the Spaniards were ready with forces at the Groyne for the inuasion of England And the rather for that this was the occasion that moued Sir Francis Hastings to giue warning to his countrey and also because the same sheweth that Parsons is very sorie that any man is acquainted with the desseines of the Spanish King and that he could not take vs sléeping and so closely and priuiliy cut his countrimens throtes I say then it is a lie most notorious to affirme that the alarme giuen vpon occasion of the Spanish preparations anno 1598. for an inuasion of some part of England was false And proue it first by the words of the King who recouering out of a trance and comming to himself asked if the Adelantado were gone for England Secondly by the prouisions of ships and men made at the Groyne and Lisbone and which coming thence shaped their course for England albeit they were by wether beaten back Thirdly by the testimony of one Leake a Masse priest that was dealt withall to come for England Fourthly by the testimonie of the Secular priests in their reply to Parsons his libell fol. 65. sequent who directly charge Parsons to be a solicitor of these pretended attempts anno 1598. Fiftly by Parsons his letters from Rome to Fitzherbert wherein he desireth to vnderstand the successe of the fleete that anno 1598. was to go for England Finally by the Adelantadoes proclamation made at the Groyne and whereof diuers printed copies were to be dispersed in England vpon his arriuall here The which for that it discouereth the pride of the Spaniard and the malice of the English traitors I haue thought it not amisse to set downe the whole tenour of the proclamation with some animaduersions in the margent This seemeth to be Parsons his stile Considering saith the Adelantado the obligation which his catholike Maiestie my Lord and master hath receiued of God almightie to defend and protect his holy faith and the Apostolicall Romane church he hath procured by the best meanes he could for to reduce to the (a) Popish religiō is neither auncient nor true auncient and true religion the kingdomes of England and Ireland as much as possibly hath bin in his power And all hath not bene sufficient to take away the (b) Goodly pretences of leud ambitiō offence done against God in dommage of the selfesame kingdoms with scandale of whole christianity yea rather abusing the clemency and benignity of his (c) The Popes vassall Catholike Maiestie the heads and chiefe of the (d) True teachers heretikes which litle feare God haue taken courage to extend their euill doctrine with the oppressing of (e) These cacolikes were traitors Catholikes martyring them and by diuers wayes and meanes taking from them their liues and goods forcing them by (f) A manifest vntruth and calumniation against the truth violence to follow their damnable sects and errours which they haue hardly done to the losse of many soules Which considered his Catholike Maiesty is determined to fauour and protect these Catholikes which couragiously haue defended the Catholike faith and not onely those but (g) Lurking and dissembling Papists such also as by pusillanimity and humane respects haue consented vnto them forced thereunto through the hard
and cruell dealing of the said Catholikes heretical enemies And for the execution of his holy zeale he hath commaunded me that with (h) Are not Spaniards thē publike enemies force by sea and land which be and shall be at my charge to procure al meanes necessary for the reduction of the said kingdomes vnto the (i) S. Peter and Paul did not by armes conuert men to the faith obedience of the Catholike Romane church In complement of the which I declare and protest that these forces shall be employed for to execute this holy (k) What holines can be in cutting Christian mens throtes intent of his Catholike Maiestie directed onely to the common good of the true religion and Catholikes of those kingdomes as wel those which be already declared catholikes as (l) Note that all papists are to ioyne with forreine enemies others who wil declare themselues for such For all shall be receiued and admitted by me in his royall name which shall separate and apart themselues from the heretikes And furthermore they shall be restored to the honour dignity and possessions which heretofore they haue bene depriued of Moreouer euery one shall be rewarded according to the demonstrations and feates which shal be shewne in this godly enterprise And who shall proceed with most valour the more largely and amply shall be remunerated with the goods of obstinate (m) Honest men destined to spoile and slaughter heretikes Wherfore seeing almightie God doth present to his elect so good an occasion therfore I for the more security ordaine and command the captaines generall of horse and artilerie the master generall of the field generall captaines of squadrons as all other masters of the field the captaines of companies of horse and foote and all other officers greater and lesser and men of war the Admirall generall and the rest of the captaines and officers of the armie that as well at land as sea they (n) They shall be vsed as traitors vse well and receiue the Catholikes of those kingdomes who shall come to defend the Catholike (o) The Infantaes title cause with armes or without them For I commaund the Generall of the artilerie that he prouide them of (p) To fight against their countrey weapons which shall bring none Also I ordaine and streitly commaund that they haue particular respect vnto the houses and families of the sayd Catholikes not touching as much as may be any thing of theirs but onely of those that will obstinately follow the part of (q) Wo be to them that call good euill euill good heretikes in doing of which they be altogether vnworthy of those fauours which be here granted vnto the good who will declare them selues for true Catholikes and such as shall take (r) To cutte their princes throate armes in hand or at least separate themselues from the heretikes against whom and their fauourers all this (s) Note war warre is directed in (t) Good words foule purposes defence of the honor of God and good of those kingdomes trusting in Gods diuine mercy that they shall recouer againe the Catholike relgion so long agone lost and make them returne to their auncient quietnesse and felicitie and to the due obeience of the holy Primitiue church Moreouer these kingdomes shall (u) At the hands of enemies enioy former immunities and priuiledges with encrease of many others for the time to come in great friendship confederacie and trafficke with the kingdome of his Catholike Maiestie which in times past they were wont to haue for the publike good of all Christianity And that this be put in executiō speedily I exhort al the faithful to the fulfilling of that which is here contained warranting them vpon my (w) A goodly assurance word which I giue in the name of the Catholike King my Lord and master that all shall be obserued which here is promised And thus I discharge my self of the losses and damages which (x) God hath appointed it otherwise shall fall vpon those which will follow the contrary way with the ruine of their owne soules the hurt of their owne country and that which is more the honor and glory of God And he which cannot take presently armes in hand nor declare himselfe by reason of the tyrannie of the heretikes shall be (y) He would make the English traitors admitted from the enemies camp and shall passe to the catholike part in some skirmish or battell or if he cannot he shall flie before we come to the (z) This Bragadocio neuer came in England that here talketh of the last encounter last encounter In testimonie of all which I haue commanded to dispatch these presents confirmed with my hand sealed with the seale of mine armes and refirmed by the secretary vnder written This being the Adelantadoes proclamation anno 1598. let the world iudge of the impudencie of Parsons that lyeth wittingly and saith the alarme was false Thereby it may appeare also what maner of man Parsons is that bringeth forreine enemies vpon his countrey and is consorted with them and yet faceth all downe that shall say the contrarie In his Epistle likewise he saith that the Wardword comming abroade the newes was in most mens mouthes that the Knight disauowed the Watchword attributing the same to certaine Ministers Where me thinkes I heare Thraso say Metuebant omnes me All stood in dread of me But that is not the fault that I meane here to touch For it is his egregious lying that we are here to talke of Let him therefore either name these most men that he mentioneth or at the least some honest man that gaue out this report as from sir Francis his mouth or else we must say that this lie came out of his owne foule mouth that is now become a fountaine of lies He must shew also how Sir Francis could disanow a treatise subscribed and published by himselfe or else it will be said that this report of Parsons is a lie without shew or probabilitie Afterward he affirmeth that a certaine Minister wrote in supply of the Knights defence And againe fol. 1. he telleth how I perusing the reply of Sir Francis thought in mine owne opinion to make a better defence But how can he proue that I perused the Knights answere or once saw it And whence doth he gather what opinion I had of mine owne doings If he proue nothing then will it be an easie matter to gather that he hath made two improbable lies The same is proued also for that my reply was made before the Knights Apologie was published or seene of me For if I had seene it first my labour might well haue bin spared the same being more then sufficient for the refutation of such a banglers babling discourse In his obseruations vpon my preface fol. 11. b. he sayth My proiect and purpose of writing is to irritate and stir vp her Maiesty and the Councel to ingulfe
sée Christs true body lurking vnder the accidents of the Masse-cake his bloud by a necessary concomitance as they say being not farre off This fellow as a Masse-priest was thought a fit person to speake for the Masse and as a spie and renegate Englishmā to speake shame of his country and to defend traitors And yet the poore man is as fit to dispute of the massing religion and popish subtilties as an asse to play an antheme vpon a paire of organs The true author of the booke as his stile declareth and the dealers in the edition must néeds witnes is Robert Parsons an old hackster in missifical quarels and a great dealer in matter of conuersion of England and one that vseth at his pleasure to borrow other mens names now calling himselfe Captaine Cowbucke now Dolman now Iohn Houlet now N.D. or Noddy now T.F. or Tom Fop now Robert Parsons Vnder the name of Dolman he set out his traitorous seditious booke of succession in disgrace of the Kings title Vnder the name of Iohn Houlet he published certaine idle reasons of refusall himselfe neuer refusing to attempt any mischiefe against the State Vnder the title of N. D. he set out his VVardword and VVarneword stigmatizing his manship with the perpetual note of a Noddy implied by those two letters N. D. And this course he tooke in T.F. his Apologie The second is entitled A treatise of three conuersions of England and was set out by Robert Parsons also vnder the old stampe of N. D. whose signification euery child now knoweth to be Noddy But why he should write of the conuersion of his countrey to religion we can sée no reason séeing we haue knowne him alwaies more studious of the subuersion then of the conuersion of England and his consorts the Masse priests do testifie that he is a Machiauelian packing fellow voyd of religion and honesty The turnings of the Masse or turning of iackets had bene a more fit subiect for him to handle seeing he turneth skippeth so oft about the altar like an ape dauncing about a maypole and hath turned his coate so often from English to Romish from Scottish to Spanish from all to French that some of his friends feare vnlesse he turne Cardinall that he will turne Turke The third is called A Suruey of the new religion and was deuised by a renegued fugitiue Englishman who hath surueyed diuers other countries and yet neuer found any settlement in his braine or habitation Like Caine he hath bin long a vagrant fugitiue fellow Vagus profugus in terra and séeketh if not to kill yet to slander his countrimen and friends imputing vnto them most horrible opinions and crimes It resteth then that we set vpon him a mark as vpō Caine that euery man may know him for a suppost of Satan although herein we néed not much to trauell seeing the first letter of Kellisons name who fathereth this monstrous moonecalfe is K. and the man is noted among his companions for a great quareller about his commons The poore fellow is but a kettle doctor or rather a Tinker of broken schoole distinctions and a professor rather then a performer of any diuine learning The fellow talketh idly of new religion but neither doeth he know what is new nor what is old nor what belongeth to religion that taketh popery for religion and estéemeth the masse and decretaliue doctrine which this Church of England refuseth to be auncient and the apostolike faith which we professe to be new The fourth is termed A briefe and cleare confutation of a new vaine and vanting challenge and is directed against a treatise set out some two or thrée yeares agone by mee wherein is proued that the Masse-priests and their adherents are neither Catholikes nor good Christians But so learnedly and wisely hath the author of this braggard confutation handled the matter that his good friends are sory to sée so worthy a worke misnamed For if he had done me right he should haue called his pamphlet A confirmation of my challenge for so in truth it is the author answering nothing to the purpose and rather by silence consenting then by good answering contradicting our arguments The most of his discourse standeth vpon bitter railing vaine talking and childish trifling about serious matters If any man doubted whether popery were heresie before I doubt not but that this weake discourse that yéeldeth no satisfaction to any indifferent Reader may resolue him The author of this deuise as we are credibly informed is VValpoole the ruler of the kitchin or porredge pot of the colledge of yong English popish traitors in Rome In Italian they call him Padre ministro or padre de minestra or Lord chiefe steward of the schollers porredge The same man is that Walpoole that gaue poyson to Squire and corrupted him by promises of great rewards both in this life and the life to come if he would vndertake to empoyson Quéene Elizabeth the late Earle of Essex and hauing gained a promise at his hands swore him vpon the sacrament to performe the same The fellow is recorded in publike act bookes for these infamous stratagems and knowne to be a notorious traitor and an atheist We are not therfore much to maruell if this wicked Iebusites libel be ful of bitternes atheisme and poison procéeding from so impious an atheist and so cunning a master in the art of empoisoning If any thing wanted in Walpool whose wits are grosse muddy like a standing poole or sink of villany yet was the same bountifully supplied by Robert Parsons the Rector of the quire of Romish conspirators You may then imagine what a loade of leasings calumniations and fooleries such two coach horses were able to draw out of their miry inuentions Much are the simple papists to be pitied that listē to such wicked traitors and suffer themselues to be abused by such notorious and infamous impostors Vnto all these libels there are seueral answers in making If they be not presently answered maruel not They are of too large a blocke to be read ouer hastily My countrimen thinke if the whole impressions of these foure books might be had that they would wel serue to paue Shaftsbury causy There would onely be this difference that for cobble stones and rough slates we should haue cobbled bookes and rough hewne libels as fit to be troden vpon as read ouer Others think because they are in forme octagonall and for the most part as thick as long made like brick-bats that they would finely serue séeing the holy father is said to be the foundatiō of the Pope holy church to lay vpon him for the rearing vp of the wals of some Romish synagogue so it wold be like foundatiō like wals As soone as such huge thick volumes may be run ouer they shall God willing receiue an answer fitting such indiabolated authors and such wicked railing stuffe In the meane while receiue this censure of them al. First they
chaire Neither doeth he doubt but to proue his triple conuersion and that in honor of the Popes triple crowne But if we do well examine his grounds and allegations we shall find that vnder the title of S. Peters chaire and apostolical doctrine the man doth séek nothing else but to recommend vnto vs the Popes close stoole with a decoction of his decretaliue doctrine and most beastly abominations The grounds of the whole discourse are false and the inference made out of them most weake and euil concluding First most false it is that Britannie or as Parsons sayth England was thrise conuerted by preachers sent from Rome Of Peters preaching in Britaine whereupon the first supposed conuersion standeth the obliuious fellow is but lately aduised For in his Wardword wherein he maketh the best ward for Rome that he can he could not find any more then two conuersions and those he rather fancieth then proueth His proofes for S. Peters preaching in England stand wholy vpon the testimony of Simeon Metaphrastes a lying pedant full of fabulous narrations whereto the aduersaries themselues make conscience to giue credit of Surius a Carthusian Monke and a great eater of stockfish and a codshead parasite hired to speak for the Pope and vpon a forged lying decretal set out vnder the name of Innocent the first wherein notwithstanding we reade nothing specially of Britaines conuersion Those that were sent from Eleutherus bishop of Rome to the Christian King Lucius of Britannie séeme rather to haue bin Britans then Romanes as the names of them set downe by Galfridus by Caius and other writers of British histories do report Lucius certes had no reasō to craue baptisme at the hands of Eleutherus his mandataries vnlesse he had bin well instructed in Christian religion before Beside that the Romanes in these times ruling in most part of Britaine it may be a question how far the kingdome of Lucius did extend it selfe Suppose then that this historie is authentical which may well be doubted the same being onely found in legends and fabulous writers all the glory of this conuersion must néedes stand vpon weake surmises and fabulous legends As for the Monke Austine he could not speake one Saxon or British word but was faine to bring interpreters with him out of France then called Gallia How then could he conuert them which vnderstood not one word spoken by him We do not reade that he preached to the Saxons or Britans but only that he baptized And very likely it is that he holp onely to baptize those whom either the Britans alwayes remaining among the Saxons and submitting thē selues vnto them or the interpreters which Austin brought with him from Gallia which then had a tongue common to both Gaules and Britons had before conuerted But suppose that either himselfe speaking British or Saxon or by some interpreter should haue conuerted some few yet all that amounteth to nothing and is scarce worth the speaking of it Secondly suppose some Britans or Saxons had bene conuerted to Christian Religion by preachers sent from Rome in auncient time when religion was pure and sincere yet Parsons hath no reason to make any great clamor vpon so small aduantage For first all those that are conuerted to religion are not to subiect themselues to those churches frō whence those came that did conuert thē or else to the bishops that sent them The church of Rome acknowledgeth no subiection to the Church of Ierusalem or to the Bishop thereof Neither doth Friseland or Germany that was conuerted by Saxons that came out of England acknowledge our Church or Bishops to be their superiors But were Rome beholding to Ierusalem from whence her first preachers came yet do not the Romanists now turne Turkes because Turkes preside at Ierusalem Suppose then we were beholding to Christian Romanes yet what is that to Antichristian Romanes that haue declined almost into as grosse impieties as Turks and worship idols or as they call them images so grossely that the Turkes do condemne them and may iustly rise vp too against them in iudgement Againe suppose we had bene beholding to the auncient Romanes yet this maketh nothing for the moderne inhabitants of Rome that either are a race of Gothes and Lombards that were enemies to the Romanes or else a collection and Ramasse of other nations nothing like to the Romanes Finally if we ought to embrace that religion that was either taught by S. Peter Eleutherus Austin or by other Christian Bishops in their times then are we to renounce the decretaliue doctrine of Popes together with the philosophicall mixtures of schoole diuines both which haue bin brought into the Church long after the ages wherein they liued Furthermore the idolalatrous worship of the crosse with latria of the saints with dulia of the blessed virgine with hyperdulia the doctrine of Papists concerning the carnall eating of Christs bodie transsubstantion halfe Communions priuate Masses reseruation of the Sacrament purgatorie for temporall paines after the guilt remitted popish indulgences and other popish trash might be packing It would also be time for the Pope with his triple crowne two swords guard of Suizzers Cardinals Monkes Masse-priests and Friers to trusse vppe his trinkets and to make himselfe readie for his iourney into some farre countrey beyond all Christianitie For neuer shall Robert Parsons proue albeit he could conuert him selfe into all shapes that Britaine was conuerted to any such religion as this or that the Church then had such a forme as now wée see in Rome Page 103. hée alleageth two proofes whereof the first he calleth negatiue the second affirmatiue and thereby hopeth to shew that the moderne Romish Religion is all one with the auncient Christian Religion But his negatiue ridiculous proofe is denied His affirmatiue is rather a bare affirmation then a proofe For first against his negatiue we offer to proue that not onely the points of Romish doctrine which the Church of England refuseth are brought in long after the Apostles time but also that they are contrary to the Apostles doctrine But suppose we knew no originall of some of the Romish heresies are they therefore no heresies Is idolatry no idolatry because the first beginning thereof is not knowne Or are the Angelikes Archontikes Crosse-worpers Nudipedals Monothelites and diuers other heretikes true Catholikes because the Papists cannot shew who first broached these heresies Secondly albeit the Magdeburgians and some other learned men find fault with some termes vsed by the fathers as of sacrifice altar priest purgatorie free-will and some other yet that sheweth not either that all the fathers vsed these termes or that any of those that vsed them consented with the Papists which from new termes are growne to new and strange doctrine Beside that Parsons disputeth ridiculously which ascribeth the particular and priuate opinions or some one or few among vs to the whole Church He himselfe albeit he affirme many things desperately will not yéeld vs this point against his
A FVL AND ROVND ANSWER TO N. D. alias Robert Parsons the Noddie his foolish and rude Warne-word Comprised in three Bookes Whereof the first containeth a defence of Queene Elizabeths most pious and happie gouernment by him maliciously slaundered The second discouereth the miserable estate of Papists vnder the Popes irreligious and vnhappy tyrannie by him weakely defended The third toucheth him for his vnciuill termes and behauior and diuers other exorbitant faults and abuses both here and elsewhere by him committed and cleareth his vaine obiections and cauils PHILIP 3. Beware of dogs beware of euill workers LONDON Printed for GEORGE BISHOP 1604. TO THE MOST RELIGIOVS AND VERTVOVS PRINCE KING IAMES by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Jreland Defender of the true auncient and Catholike faith AS Kings receiue their kingdomes and authoritie from God so most gracious and dread Soueraigne they prosper and flourish most when they empoloy their royall authoritie for the aduancement of the true seruice and honour of God 2. King 18. Of Hezekiah the holy Scriptures giue testimonie That he did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that Dauid his father had done and that he tooke away the high places and brake the grauen images and cut downe the groues and brake in peeces the brazen serpent that Moses had made And againe that he claue to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his commandements Therefore it followeth So the Lord was with him and he prospered in all things that he took in hand The same we likewise find verified in your Maiesties predecessor Queene Elizabeth of glorious memorie At her first coming to the Crowne she brake downe grauen and molten Images she tooke downe high altars and remoued away all monuments of superstition out of the Church she feared not the malignitie of men but claue to the Lord resoluing to keepe his holy commaundements and to see God worshipped according to the prescript rule of his sacred word She was all her life long a harbor to the distressed children of God a refuge to the oppressed a protector of the persecuted for the testimonie of Christ Iesus a nursing mother of Gods Church Therefore God maruellously protected her both against the force of forreine enemies and also against the conspiracies of domesticall traitors and caused her to prosper in all her affaires She liued raigned long and happily and dying left behind her a sweet memory of many blessings by her meanes bestowed vpon her people Contrariwise such as either know not or did not remember from whence they receiued their kingly honor but either neglected the worship of God or else for Gods worship established superstition and idolatrie in the Church haue seldome long raigned or prospered in their kingdomes Ieroboam forgetting what great fauor God had done him aduancing him from low estate to the kingdome and renting it from the house of Dauid to giue it vnto him receiued a threatning message from the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Ahijah 1. King 14. The same also was shortly after accomplished For God brought euill vpon the house of Ieroboam and cut off his posteritie because he did euill in the sight of the Lord and erected idolatrie at Bethel Likewise Queene Mary who brought this land not onely vnder the commaund of Spaniards and Italians but also vnder the heauie yoke of Antichrist burdensome both to mens ciuill estates and also to their consciences erected superstition and idolatrie which before had bene banished and persecuted the Saints of God that would not bow their knees to Baal had a short troublesome and vnhappie raigne and left behind her nothing but hatred for her crueltie and infamy for her vnnaturall dealing with her subiects and misgouernement In both we find that accomplished which the Lord speaketh by the Prophet 1. Sam. 2. Them saith he that honor me I will honor and they that despise me shall be despised For neither will the Lord faile his inheritance Psal 94. nor hath the throne of iniquitie fellowship with God Dagon could not stand before the Arke of God 1. Sam. 15. nor shall the worshippers of Dagon preuaile against the seruants of God The which although both particularly in the diuers gouernement of Queene Elizabeth and Queene Mary and also generally by the examples of all that either fauoured or disfauoured true religion it appeareth most euidently yet because Robert Parsons an Apostate somtime from religion and now an vtter enemie to the state and a renegate Englishman for hatred to the truth and loue to Poperie in a large discourse doth endeuour to disgrace the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth in reformation of religion especially and to commend the State of the realme vnder Queen Mary and of all Papists vnder the Romish gouernement I haue thought good particularly to demonstrat I haue also wiped away both his malicious imputations encountred him in his railing inuectiues defending the honor of our dread Soueraigne whose memorie shall neuer die in the minds of her louing subiects and answering for true religion calumniated by the slanderous tongues of the supposts and slaues of Antichrist This discourse although not of that perfection that it may seeme worthy to be presented to so great a King yet for that it containeth a defence of your Maiesties predecessor which you honour and of that religion which you professe I am bold to consecrate to your Maiestie as the first fruites of my loyall affection towards you Therin also your Maiestie may see not only a precedent to follow but also a reward proposed to those that studiously and couragiously seeke to aduance pietie and true religion The aduersarie by all meanes seeketh to suppresse truth and to aduance idolatrie and popish errors misconstruing things well done imputing crimes to innocents excusing offenders denying things manifest forging and deuising matters neuer done nor imagined But while he hath sought to bring disgrace not onely vpon true religion but also vpon the restorers and defenders thereof he hath giuen vs iust occasion to shew that the doctrine religion and practise of Papists is not only repugnant to truth but also enemie to Princes and States grieuous to Christians and profitable to none but to the slaues and adherents of Antichrist Further I haue made it apparant that the state of popish Religion is no way to be maintained but by trecherie and massacres by lying railing and forgerie being hatefull both to God and man and the cause of many miseries and calamities Vouchsafe therefore most worthy and noble King to reade this discourse ensuing It shal declare vnto your Maiestie plainely by what meanes you may establish your estate Queene Elizabeth in her latter dayes was made beleeue that remisse dealing in matters of religion would assure her life often sought for by Papists and her State that they by all meanes haue sought to ouerthrow But this her remisnesse gaue her enemies oportunitie to
in publike gouernement All this notwithstanding sir Francis considering the obligation that Christians haue to maintaine sincere religion that bindeth true harted subiects to defend their country hath published an Apologie both in defence of the common cause and of his owne reputation against the scurrilous and railing libell which Parsons calleth A warde-word expecting no doubt reward at the hands of God rather then mā and respecting rather his own dutie then the praise of others But before either the booke came forth or that I knew the Knights resolution the impudencie of the man so boldly extolling traitors and forreine enemies together with his singular arrogancy despising his own nation and his foolish speakes for the Popes cause stollen out of others and put forth as his wont is in his owne name had extorted from me a reply to his Wardword Which certes might haue bin wel spared considering the sufficiencie of the Knights apologie if I had seene it before I had ended my reply For what is there in the Wardword worthy of answer seeing the same consisteth wholy of lies and patches and old ends stollen from others often refuted before And what answer can be deuised so slender that counteruaileth not such a hochpotch of words To these replies published by vs after long silence we see that Robert Parsons hath purposed to set forth a reioynder For we haue already receiued two parts of nine but so fraught with calumniations and lies malicious and scornful termes odious and filthy reproches that it seemeth he hath spent all his store of poison and despaireth to perfect the rest This booke albeit most contemptible containing nothing but disgracefull matter against her Maiesties proceedings that is lately deceased and childish disputes for some few points of poperie yet haue I thought good to handle not for any worth that can be in any such packe of pedlary stuffe set to sale by this petit merchant but for that iust occasion is thereby giuen vnto me to insist vpon the cōmendatiō of our late Queene for her heroical vertues and happy gouernment by this wicked traitor and vnworthy swad wickedly disgraced and especially for her singular pietie and Zeale in restoring religion and abolishing Poperie O that she had bene so happy to keepe out the Ministers of Antichrist once expulsed as at the first to expulse them and put them out of her kingdome but what by yeelding to intreatie of some about her by this generation foully abused and what by tolerating of such as were sent in by forreine enemies to practise against her life and kingdome and what drawne backe by those that entertained intelligēce with publike enemies shew as perswaded to slacke execution of lawes if not to suspend them to her owne great trouble and to the hazard of Religion and the State but that God by his prouidence supplied the defects of mē By the aduersaries Warne-word I haue also bene warned to discourse of the miserable and dangerous estate both of kings and their subiects that liue vnder the thraldom of the Pope and that both in regard of matters of State and of Religion Finally albeit Robert Parsons hitherto hath vsed scurrilous railing for his warrant protection against those that haue dealt with him and like as a foxe pursued with hounds with the filthy stench of his stile endeuoureth to make them giue ouer the chase yet I shall so touch him for his impietie making a iest at Scriptures and Religion for his scurrilitie railing without wit or modestie for his doltish ignorance committing most grosse and childish errors for his lies and forgerie vsing neither respect of truth nor common honestie that I hope I shall turne his laughing into another note If I speak roundly to him and his consorts yet I do not as he doth speake falsly Sharpnes he ought not to mislike hauing begun this course Neither can others iustly reproue me considering my aduersaries audacious impudencie Si falsa dicimus saith Hilarie infamis sit sermo maledicus Contra Constant Si verò vniuersa haec manifesta esse ostendimus nō sumus extra Apostolicā libertatem modestiā If we tell matters false then let our sharpe speech be infamous If all we report be manifestly proued then are we not out of the limites of Apostolical libertie and modestie Howbeit what measure is to be required in him that is to incounter a man of such vnmeasurable and outragious behauiour In the first booke the honor of her Maiestie late deceassed and her proceedings in the alteration of religion is defended In the second the grieuances of Christians vnder the Popes gouernement both in matters of conscience and their temporal estate are plainely discouered In the last we are to incounter with the ridiculous manner of Parsons behauior and writing lest he might percase thinke himselfe wise therein God turne all to his glorie to the manifestation of truth the detection of errors and the shame of the shamelesse patrons thereof The first Booke containing a defence of Queene Elizabeths most pious and happie gouernement impugned in a scurrilous libell intitled A warne-word The Preface to the first Booke I Need not I trust make any large discourse in calling to remembrance the noble and heroicall acts of our late Queene and most gracious Soueraigne Ladie Elizabeth of famous and godly memory For as Iesus the sonne of Syrach * Eccles 44. said of famous men of auncient time so we may say of her that her name will liue from generation to generation Her kind loue to her subiects and gracious fauours done both to English and other nations will neuer be forgotten His * Ibidem words likewise concerning his famous ancesters may be well applied vnto her She was renowned for her power and was wise in counsel She ruled her people by counsel by the knowledge of learning fit for them She was rich and mightie in power and liued peaceably at home Her remembrance therefore is as the composition of sweete perfume Ibid. cap. 49. that is made by the art of the Apothecary and is sweete as hony in all mouthes as it is said of Iosias In his steps she insisted and behaued her self vprightly in the reformatiō of the people took away al abominatiōs of iniquity She reformed the abuses and corruptions of popish religion which through the working of the mystery of iniquitie had now won credit in the world and ouerthrew the idoll of the Masse and banished all idolatrie out of the Church She directed her heart to the Lord and in the time of the vngodly she established Religion She put her trust in the Lord and after that wicked and vngodly men had brought vs back into Aegyptian seruitude she deliuered vs from the bondage of the wicked Aegyptians and restored Religion according to the rules of Apostolicall doctrine But because as in the time of Iosias the Priests of Baal so in our times their of-spring the Masse-priests cannot
master of Sentences Dist 1. lib. 1. the school-mē striue about the words vti and frui dissenting not only from their master but also from one another They differ also much about the distinction of diuine attributes Vtrum sit realis formalis an rationis tantùm This saith Dionysius a Charterhouse Monke is one of the chiefe difficulties of Diuines In dist 2. lib. 1 sent and about it betweene famous Doctors is great dissention and contention Aegidius doth lance Thomas and others runne vpon both Aegidius in lib. 1. sent dist 2. would haue the persons of the Trinitie to be distinguished by a certaine thing in one that is not in another but others condemne him for that opinion Writing vpon the 3. dist lib. 1. sent they denie their masters examples and one condemneth another Bonauenture saith that men may attaine to the knowledge of the holy Trinitie by naturall reason others say contrarie The Scotists lib. 1. sent dist 5. inuey against Henricus de Gandauo for his opinion about the eternall generation of the Sonne of God Aegidius holdeth that the son of God hath power to beget another son which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange doctrine Thomas Aquinas part 1. q. 32. art 4. saith that Doctors may hold contrary opinions Circa notiones in diuinis He teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the Father then from the Sonne which others mislike If then they agrée not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie it is not like that in matters wherein they haue libertie to dissent they will better agrée Scotus holdeth In 2. sent dist 1. that the soule and an Angell do not differ as two diuers kinds Others teach contrary Some Doctors hold that Angels consist of forme onely In 2. sent dist 3. others hold contrary They dissent also about the sin of our first parents Pighius in the doctrine of original sin dissenteth from his fellowes Innocentius in c. maiores de bapt eius effect misliketh the opinion of the master of the Sentences that held it to be pronitas ad peccandum that is a pronenesse to sinne The Thomists to this day could neuer be reconciled to the Scotists about the conception of our Ladie these denying she was conceiued in sin the others affirming it Gropper in his exposition of the Créed confesseth that among the Papists there are two diuers opinions about Christs descending into hell Bellarmine in his bookes of controuersies doth not more violently run vpon vs then vpon his owne consorts In euery article almost he bringeth contrary expositions of Scriptures and contrary opinions In the sacrament of the Lords supper which is a pledge of loue there are infinite contradictions among them as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against Bellarmine The like contentions I haue shewed in my Treatises de Indulgentijs de Purgatorio and shall haue occasion more at large to speake of them hereafter We are therefore to thanke God that the doctrine of faith in the Church of England is setled and that refusing all nouelties we agrée therein with the auncient catholike Church We acknowledge one Lord one faith one baptisme one head of the Church one canon of Scriptures with the auncient fathers The rules of all auncient and lawfull generall Councels concerning the faith we admit We haue one vniforme order for publike prayers administration of Sacraments and Gods seruice Neither do we onely agrée among our selues but also with the reformed Churches of France and Germany and other nations especially in matters of faith and saluation And as for ceremonies and rites it cannot be denied but that all Churches therein haue their libertie as the diuersities of auncient Churches and testimonies of Fathers do teach vs. Most vaine therefore and contumelious is that discourse of N.D. in his Warne-word 1. encontr ca. 4 5 6. where he talketh of the difference of soft and rigide Lutherans among themselues of them from Anabaptists and from Zwinglians of all from the followers of Seruetus and Valentine Gentilis For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Caluinians or Zuinglians but onely call our selues Christians nor haue we to do with the Arians or Anabaptists or Seruetus or Gentilis or any heretikes Nay by our Doctors these fellowes haue bene diligently confuted and by our gouernors the principall of them haue bene punished But these may Parsons reply haue bin among vs. Admit it were so yet do not our aduersaries take themselues to be guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme because there are diuers guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme among them We say further that the Churches of Germany France and England agree albeit priuate men hold priuate opinions Finally where we talk of the Church of England what a ridiculous sot was this to bring an instance of the Churches of Germany or Suizzerland nay not of the Churches but of priuat persons and that in matters not very substantiall if we admit their owne interpretations Hauing therefore talked his pleasure of Lutherans and Zuinglians he descendeth to speak of rigid and soft Caluinists as he calleth them in England He calleth them also Protestants and Puritanes But neither do we admit these names of faction nor is he able to shew that publikely any Christian is tolerated to dissent either in matters of faith or rites from the Church of England But if any there be that mislike our rites yet is not that contention about matters of faith nor can the disorder of priuate persons hinder the publike vnion of the Church Finally I do not know any man now but he is reasonably well satisfied concerning matters of discipline albeit the same be with the great griefe of Papists who go about to stirre vp the coles of contention as much as they can that heretofore haue bene couered CHAP. II. Of the restoring of Christian Religion and the reduction of the Church of England to the true faith TRue faith in time of Poperie was a great stranger in England most men being ignorant of all points of christian Religion the rest holding diuers erronious points and heresies Their ignorance we shall proue by diuers testimonies hereafter Their errors and heresies are very apparent and at large proued in my late challenge That which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. that they imbrace for doctrine of faith For they forbid their Priests Monkes Friers and Nuns to marrie and commaund the Benedictines and their Charterhouse Monkes at all times to abstaine from flesh They also forbid men to eate flesh vpon all fasting dayes fridayes and saterdayes and in Lent dissoluing the commandements of God by their owne traditions The Manicheyes abstained from egges as Saint Augustine sheweth lib. de haeres cap. 46. Nec oua saltem sumunt quasi ipsa cùm franguntur expirent nec oporteat vllis corporibus mortuis vesci Cap. plurimi dist 82. So likewise did Papists at certain
times they cal such as allow the mariage of priests sectatores libidinum praeceptores vitiorum that is followers of lusts and teachers of vices albeit the Apostle affirmeth mariage to be honorable in all sorts of men They dissolue such mariages albeit Christ teach that man is not to separate them whom God hath ioyned together Their Fastes they place in eating of fish and not in abstinence from all sustenance as the auncient Fathers by their doctrine and practise taught Some count it as mortall sinne to eate flesh on fridayes as to kill a man and that a Priest doth sinne lesse in committing fornication then in matching himselfe in honest mariage and yet they confesse that fornication is against the law of God and not the mariages of priests They tolerated common whores as did Simon Magus and other heretickes and now in Rome the Pope notwithstanding his pretended holinesse receiueth a tribute from them They do also sell Masses imposition of hands benefices and make money of their god of the altar and their religion which sauoureth of the heresie of Simon Magus Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale Deusque That is churches priests altars sacraments crownes fire incense prayers yea heauen and God himselfe are set to sale among vs. Brigit in her reuelations cap. 232. saith Priestes are worse then Iudas for that he sold Christ for mony but they barter him for all commodities Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers haeres cap. 23. As the Basilidians worshipped images vsed enchantments and superstitious adiurations so do they worshipping not onely materiall images but also their fantasticall imaginations They also exorcise water and salt saying Exorcizo te creatura aquae againe exorcizo te creatura salis With the Heretickes called Staurolatrae they worship the crosse with the Angelikes they serue and worship Angels with the Armenians they make the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost As the Nazarites mingled Iewish ceremonies with christian Religion so do Papists borrowing from them their paschal lambe their Iubileys their priestly apparell their altars their Leuiticall rites and diuers other Iewish ceremonies Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers haeres cap. 30. saith that Marcion and Saturninus first taught abstinence from liuing creatures from whom the Papists séeme to haue borrowed their abstinence frō certaine meates as lesse holy then others Our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles as S. Augustine saith Epist 86. ad Casulanum neuer appointed what dayes we ought to fast and what not The Papists therefore haue their fasts from others then from Christ or his Apostles From the Manicheys they borrow their communions vnder one kind as may be proued by the Chapt. relatum and comperimus dist 2. de consecrat and by Leo his fourth Sermon de quadrages The Helcesaites make Christ in heauen to differ from Christ on earth as saith Theodoret haeret fabul lib. 3. cap. de Helcesaeis his words are these Christum non vnum dicunt sed hunc quidem infernè illum verò supernè So likewise the Papists teach that Christs bodie in heauen is visible and palpable but not as it is in the Sacrament With the Pelagians they concurre in many points as I haue at large declared in my late challenge Hoc Pelagiani laudent dicere saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de bono perseuerantiae c. 5. hominem iustum in hac vita nullum habere peccatum Now how can they cleare themselues from this that hold that a man is able to performe the law of God perfectly The Apostle Paul denyeth that we are iustified before God by the workes of the law The Papists haue taught quite contrarie He teacheth vs not to glorie in our works They say quite contrarie that men may glorie in their workes He sheweth that as many as receiue the sacrament of the Lords bodie are also to receiue the sacrament of his bloud They denie the cuppe to all the communicants beside the priest Our Sauiour instituting the Sacrament of his last supper said Accipite manducate that is take and eate These imagine that he offered his bodie and bloud really and corporally at his last supper and that he appointed his bodie and bloud actually to be offered in the Masse and not alwaies to be sacramentally and spiritually receiued of the communicants The Papists teach that wicked men reprobates and diuels may haue true faith But the Apostle teacheth that true faith iustifieth that they which haue it liue by faith Commonly they hold that charitie is the forme of faith Which if it were true then could not faith subsist without charitie But the Apostle teacheth vs that faith as faith doth make the iust to liue and auncient Christians were alwayes ignorant of these philosophicall fancies They hold that diuers sinnes are committed which are not forbidden by Gods law But this sheweth that the law of God as they suppose is not perfect and that the lawes of man hauing nothing in them of Gods law bind the conscience as well as the law of God Finally the very foundations of popish religion are erronious the same being founded partly vpon the decretals of Popes partly vpon the traditions of men contained partly in their Missals breuiaries ond other rituall books partly in their fabulous legends and partly in the chest of the Popes brest and partly vpon the old Latin translation of the Bible which the Romanists hold to be authenticall and partly vpō the interpretations of the Romish Church But since it pleased God to put into her Maiesties royall heart a resolution to reforme the church that was so much deformed by the pharisaicall and superstitious additions of the Papists to restore religion according to the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets not only all former heresies errors were abolished but also the true doctrine of faith was restored The which is apparent not onely by the articles of Religion which we professe but also by our publike confessions and apologies which we haue published at diuers times And in part it may be proued by the secret confession of our aduersaries For albeit they would gladly cauill against our confessions yet they take their grounds commonly out of Luther Zuinglius Caluin Melancthon and others not often medling with our confessions Diuers of them also are wont to call vs negatiue Diuines Which argueth that so much as we hold positiuely is for the most part confessed by the aduersaries themselues and that we bring in no new faith but that which alwayes hath bene holden and maintained in the Church of Christ desiring onely that the positiue errors heresies and superstitions of Papists may be abolished Wherefore as Christians in time past extolled Constantine the great Euseb hist li. 10. cap. 5. Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. c. 23. that gaue libertie to al his subiects to professe the Christian religion that assembled synods of Bishops and confirmed their decrees so
regnat per munera quaeque reguntur sayth one in hist citiz Pauli Langij Theodoric à Niem lib. 2. de schism c. 7. Vsura saith he tantum inualuit vt foenus non putaretur peccatum that is Vsurie did so preuaile that it was accounted no fault Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth set vp shops of vsury as their acts testifie and Onuphrius recordeth Neither the Popes nor their adherents obserue oath or promise as their acts do at large shew and many poore Christians brought into snare by their perfidiousnesse haue felt Theodoric à Niem lib. 3. de schism speaking of Pope Gregorie the twelfth saith that with his vowes and othes he deceiued the world Votis iuramentis suis decepit mundum Gregorie the seuenth contrary to his oath tooke vpon him the papacie as is recorded in the life of Henrie the fourth He did also absolue all the Emperors subiects frō their othes of allegiance to their soueraigne Prince The like practise did Pius the fift vse in discharging the subiects from their othes to the late Quéene The articles of the pacification of Gant anno 1578. were confirmed by solemne oath of the old King of Spaine and yet presently and wilfully broken Neither had the Popes faction in France any better colour to intrap poore Christians then othes For whiles the Admirall and diuers of the religion in France trusted solemne othes they were brought within danger and most cruelly and perfidiously massacred Neither need we to maruell if this sect obserueth no othes seeing in the conuenticle of Constance the same determined that faith was not to be kept with heretikes in which number they reckon all that yéeld not to the Popes will The Doctors of this sect hold that the Pope can dispence with othes and absolue men that are periured Finally those that haue trauelled France Italy and Spaine do know that the common sort of Papistes can scarce vtter thrée words without swearing and blaspheming The Popes and their faction haue caused all the warres and troubles in Christendome as histories do recount If a man do but look in the life of Sixtus the fourth Iulius the 2. he may easily sée what seditious and turbulent spirits they cary But what néed we looke so high seeing the flames of ciuil discension in Germanie France Flanders England and Ireland burning so bright by the solicitation of Paul the third Pius the fifth Gregorie thirtéenth and fourteenth and this Clement that now possesseth the throne of Antichrist do so plainely declare them to be firebrands of warre and trouble Well therefore said Petrarke that in Rome all those mischiefes were hatched that are now spread through the world and neuer shall Christian Princes haue loyall subiects as long as seditious Masse-priests are suffered to lurk within their kingdomes In countries subiect to the Pope they count it a little fault to murder mē now frō thence are come certaine assassins which for hire and by perswasions are induced to kill men There also impoysonments are most common The Popes themselues vse to drinke of poysoned cups and that by the iust iudgement of God séeing by the cup of their poysoned doctrine according to the prophecy Apoc. 17. they haue empoysoned many Christian nations To conclude this large discourse there is no state of men vnder the Popes iurisdiction but it is growne to great dissolution and corruption of manners and may be conuinced of diuers sinnes and abominations by infinite witnesses and confessions if we would stand vpon it but I will content my selfe with two or three Breidenbach in the historie of his peregrination speaketh generally and sayth Recessit lex à sacerdotibus c. that is the law is departed from priests iustice from princes counsell from elders good dealing from the people loue from parents reuerence from subiects charitie from prelates religion from Monkes honestie from yong men discipline from clerkes learning from masters study from schollers equitie from Iudges concord from citizens feare from seruants good fellowship from husbandmen truth from merchants valor from Noblemen chastitie from virgins humility from widowes loue from maried folks patience from poore men O time ô manners And Walter Mapes that liued in the time of Henry the second King of England Virtutes cunctae saith he en iacent defunctae All vertues lie now dead Charitie is no where to be found And againe In truth I find that the whole Cleargy doth studie wickednesse and impietie enuie raigneth truth is exiled The prelates are Lucifers heires They being now aduaunced tread downe others blinde guides they are and blinded with idolatrie of earthly things Robert Bishop of Aquila in his Sermons of which Sixtus Senensis maketh mention in the third booke of his Biblioth sanct speaketh thus to his countrie of Italie O Italia plange ô Italia time ô Italia caue ne propter obstinationem tuam in te desaeuiat ira Dei c. Tu in dies durior efficeris in peccatis malitia perseuerando Fiunt iam vbique vsurae publicae omnia foedata sunt spurcissimis vitijs carnis ignominiosae Sodomiae superbia pomparum iam occupauit omnes ciuitates terras blasphemia Dei periuria mendacia iniustitiae violentiae oppressiones pauperum similia superabundant O Italie saith he lament ô Italie feare ô Italie beware lest for thy obstinacie the wrath of God waxe not cruell against thee c. Thou euery day art more and more hardened perseuering in thy sinnes and maliciousnesse Euery where men set vp bankes of vsurie all things are defiled with most foule vices of the flesh and most shamefull sodomie Pride in pompous shewes haue now filled cities and countries blasphemies against God periuries lies iniustice violence orpression of the poore and such like vices do superabound I would further insist vpon this argument but that I referre diuers matters ouer to the second booke where I shall haue occasion more particularly to examine the good workes of Papists But the Church of England neither alloweth publike shewes nor bankes of vsurie nor dispenseth with oathes of subiects to Princes or alloweth periurie nor shall Robert Parsons find such filthines and abhominations among the professors of our religion as are commonly practised by the Popes Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes Friars and Nuns and their followers All corruptions in doctrine concerning good workes are reformed and diuers abuses concerning manners among the Papists taken away The which séeing it procéeded wholly of that reformation of religion which Quéen Elizabeth of pious memorie wrought by her regall authoritie among vs we are most gratefully to accept that worke and by exercises of pietie and charity to indeuour to shew our selues not vnworthie either of our profession or of so great a blessing Against this discourse Robert Parsons talketh very scornfully and saith first that the experience of the whole world will deny that good workes are fruites of our religion But if he had bene well aduised he would haue forborne to
the ignorance of Papists in matters of Religion the falshood and absurdities of their doctrine the burthensome and grieuous tyrannie of the Pope and then iudge without partialitie whether the same be not like the captiuitie of Babylon and darknesse of Aegypt out of which all true Christians ought to desire to be deliuered God graunt all men grace to see it and auoyde it CHAP. I. Of the ignorance both of the Clergie and Laitie of England in matters of Religion in Q. Maries time and generally of Masse priests and their followers at all times and in all places BEfore I enter to discourse of Religion first I am to shew the misery of Papists that for the most part liued in time past and yet liue without the knowledge of Religion Nay diuers of the Masse-priests and common people were ignorant and deuoyd of all good learning and knowledge The ignorance of priests and people in the dayes of Iohn Peccham Archbishop of Canterbury may appeare in that he beginneth his prouinciall constitution with ignorantia Sacerdotum C. ignorantia de sum Trin. and teacheth them the articles of the Créed and how to handle the sacrament of the altar shewing them that the wine giuen to the communicants in lesser churches was not consecrate and that they were not too much to break the sacrament with their teeth percase for hurtiing of it but to sup it vp Instruant eosdem saith he c. altissimus constit de sum trinit sumptum ore sacramentum non nimis dentibus comminuere sed tritum â—adicè sorbere perfectè O miserable men that were taught to sup the sacrament like an oyster And why might they not aswell be taught to eate wine as to sup bread Note that this is a common text among the Papists The same man in the chapter Ignorantia sacerdotum de officio Archipresbyteri thinketh it sufficient for priests to teach by themselues or by others and that once euery quarter the articles of the Creed the ten commaundements the two commaundements of the Gospell for this fellow scarce beléeued that the loue of God or his neighbor was commaunded in the morall law the seuen workes of mercie the seuen deadly sinnes the seuen principall vertues and seuen sacraments And what was this quarter teaching forsooth nothing else but the construing or expounding of these things in English as the text saith Absque cuiuslibet subtilitatis textura fantastica without any fantasticall patcherie of scholasticall subtilties For â—hat ordinarily these fellowes were wont to talke of logicall and philosophicall questions tending rather to the subuersion then the edification of the hearers Now what learning I pray you was required to turne the Créed and ten commaundements into English Bishop Walter also in his prouinciall constitutions teacheth his priests what to beléeue of confirmation and extreame vnction which argueth great rudenesse in his disciples In Quéene Maries dayes it was thought sufficient for priests to reade Latine not one among twentie vnderstood Latine Bonner in the first conuocation in Quéene Maries dayes in his oration in praise of priesthood told the priests that they were creators of their Maker yet few of them could construe the canon and few of them vnderstood it Their grosse ignorance is yet fresh in memorie The Germaines complaine Grauam 47. that Bishops aduanced vnlearned idiots vnfit vile and ridiculous fellowes to the function of priesthood Episcopi say they saepenumero indoctos idiotas inhabiles vilesque ac ludicras personas ad sacerdotij functionem ordinant Neither may we thinke they spoke this of malice Onus Eccles cap. 23. The Bishop of Chems saith the people is seduced by blind guides which are ignorant idiots presumptuous couetous hypocrits symoniacall and luxurious persons Againe he saith Ibidem that Bishops admit men vnworthy to charges without all choise or due examination Indignos beneficiatos admittunt absque omni delectu debita examinatione instituunt Venalitate curiae Romanae saith one inaniter praeficiuntur lenones coqui stabularij aequorum pueri AureuÌ„ speculuÌ„ in Antilog Through the briberie of the court of Rome bawdes cookes horsekeepers and children are preferred to gouernement in the Church Aluarus Pelagius lib. 2. de planct eccles art 20. sheweth that the Bishops of Spaine deale no better then others ordaining men vnlearned and vnworthy and indiscreetly committing charge of soules to men vnsufficient Episcopi alicui nepotulo suo saith he committunt multa millia animarum cui non committerent duo pira Bishops commit many thousand soules to some litle nephew or bastard of theirs to whom if they did right they would not commit two peares Hew learned the priests were we may imagine when few of them could well say their Masse and few vnderstand it We may sée in the cap. retulerunt dist 4. de consecrat that some could not rehearse the words of baptisme but said In nomine patria filia spirita sancta Platina wondreth at the ignorance of the priests in matters of Religion Speaking of priests in Marcellino Quanta ignoratio saith he cum snijpsius tum doctrine Christianae Neither may we maruell at the ignorance of meane priests when the Popes themselues are vtterly vnlearned Laziardus writing of Gregory the sixth Epit. cap. 183. hath these words Vt dictum est alium cum esset rudis literarum secum consecrari fecit He made another to be consecrated with him being himselfe voide of learning Constat plures Papas saith Alphonsus à castro lib. 1. aduer haeres adeo illiteratos esse vt grammaticam penitus ignorent He confesseth that some Popes are so vnlearned that they are vtterly ignorant of grammar And that may be exemplified by Iulius the second that for fiat said fiatur and by other Popes Paul the second and Iulius the third and diuers others are by their owne friends reported to haue bin but simple clerks Felin in c. si quando de rescriptis saith that the Pope cannot be deposed for want of learning Papa propter defectum literaturae non potest deponi But were they learned yet vnlesse they be learned in holy Scriptures and teach their flockes committed vnto them their learning is to the people vnprofitable For like idole shepheards they do nothing but possesse the roome and places of shepheards The Popes albeit they claime the title of vniuersall Bishops teach none hauing contrary to the example of Peter and other Bishops of Rome giuen ouer the office of féeding and teaching and now onely famishing and destroying the Lambes of Christ Rapis depraedaris à me innumerabiles animas saith Christ to the Pope in Brigits reuelations nam quasi omnes qui veniunt ad curiam tuam mittis in gehennam ignis ex eo quod non diligenter attendis ea quae pertinent ad curiam meam Quia tu es Praelatus Pastor ouium mearum ideo culpa tua est quod non discretè consideras ea quae ad
quae se non traderet 2. Reg. 16.1 Clement hath vtre vtra Sixtus readeth duobus vtribus Ioan. 6.65 Clement readeth qui essent non credentes Sixtus qui essent credentes And so it may appeare by diligent collation that there are notable differences throughout the whole Bible Lastly if the Latine text were more authenticall then the Hebrew or Greeke why do not our aduersaries shew that the auncient Fathers or some learned men of late time at the least haue corrected the Hebrew and Greeke according to the Latine and not rather contrariwise The fourth foundation of Romish religion is the determination of the Pope in matters of faith Sess 4. The Conuenticle of Trent teacheth that it belongeth to the holy mother the Church to iudge of the true meaning of Scriptures Now for as much as no man knoweth more certainely what is the holy mother Churches meaning then the Papists holy Father the Pope therefore they do hereof conclude that the Pope is to determine principally of the true sence and meaning of Scriptures In the Rubrike of the decrées cap. in canonicis dist 19. we find that the Popes decretals are to be reckened among canonicall Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 3. saith that the Spirit of God he should say of the diuell is in the Pope and that he together with a Councell is chiefe Iudge in matters of controuersie of religion And in the same booke cap. 4. he holdeth that no man may recede from his iudgement or determination Stapleton in his booke of doctrinall Principles or grounds of his religion goeth about to prooue that the Popes sentence and determination is infallible And so much do these good fellowes rely vpon their holy Mothers and holy Fathers interpretation that they receiue the same without any long inquisition though neuer so foolish and contrarie to Scriptures Our Sauiour in the institution of the holy Eucharist said Take eate but they beléeue the Pope that saith Gape and gaze but take not nor eate but rather hang vp the Sacrament He said Bibite ex hoc omnes that is Drinke ye all of this but the Pope saith Drinke not all of this and they beleeue the Pope The Apostle saith It is better to marrie then to burne and that mariage is honorable among all men But the Pope doth interpret these words so as if he had said It is better to burne then to marrie and that mariage is reprochfull and vnlawfull to Priests and Papists beléeue the Pope So do they likewise in infinit false interpretations But that the Popes interpretations and sentences shold be the foundation of religion is a matter contrarie to religion and reason The Apostle Ephes 2. saith that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the corner stone And therefore it is said to be built vpon them because both of them preach Christ Apostolos habemus authores c. we haue the Apostles for authors of our doctrine saith Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haeret He saith also It lyeth not in mans power to determine any thing in matters of faith of his owne head Quamuis sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos c. Howsoeuer holy or eloquent a man be saith Hierome in Psalm 86. yet comming after the Apostles he deserueth no authenticall credit The Lord declareth in Scriptures Augustine in his second Epistle to Hierome sheweth that no mans writings are comparable to holy Scriptures And this the Canonists themselues confesse in their glosses vpon the Chapter Noli meis and Ego solis dist 9. Are not the Papists then most miserable that build their faith vpon the Popes Decretals that are contrarie to Scriptures to Fathers one to another and oftentimes void of truth wit learning religion or honestie The last foundation of Romish faith is the preaching of Masse-priests and Friars Quomodo Christus eiusque doctrina saith Stapleton Christianae religionis fundamentum est Praetat ante relect princip doctrin sic alij nunc à Christo missi eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me vim locum habebunt As Christ and his doctrine is the foundation of Christian religion so others now sent of Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall in my opinion haue the force and place of a foundation saith he And afterward he declareth that those whom the Pope sendeth are sent by Christ and the men which he meaneth But if this be the foundation of their religion then is the same built vpon old wiues fables forged traditions lying legends philosophicall subtilties scholasticall disputes popish Decretals humane inuentions and such like principles For of thē consisteth the greatest part of these fellowes sermons as both experience diuers Friars idle Homilies which euery man may sée do plainely testifie Furthermore if these be the foundations of popish Religion then is the same built vpon man and not vpon God vpon humane deuises and not vpon the infallible word of God vpon sand and not vpon a rocke Such also as these foundations are such is the building that is weake false and erronious such is the Romish religion which the Pope and his adherents by force of armes treasons murthers empoysonments lyes glozing flatterie and all meanes possible would thrust vpon vs and such are the conclusions that are built on these foundations Finally séeing no man can be saued that buildeth his faith vpon men vpon vnwritten traditions vpon vncertaine grounds and lying reports let the Papists consider with themselues in what miserable state they stand and returne to the true faith in time lest like the foolish man in the Gospell Mat. 7. they build their house on sand and be ouerwhelmed with the fall thereof CHAP. IIII. Of diuers other blasphemous ridiculous and absurd points of popish Religion TRue Religion is most true venerable and respectiue of Gods true seruice If then popish Religion containe any vntrue or ridiculous vaine and blasphemous doctrine then is it not true or Apostolicall or Christian nor can it stand with Christian Religion séeing no man can serue God and Baal nor Dagon could stand before the arke of God But notorious it is that popish Religion containeth many blasphemous ridiculous and absurd points First concerning the flesh of our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesus they teach falsly and blasphemously and say that a mouse or dog or hog may eate the body of Christ Nay they are not ashamed to affirme that his most holy body may be cast out vpon a dunghill or into any vncleane place Prima opinio saith Alexander Hales part 4. sum q. 53. m. 2. quae dicit quod corpus Christi defertur quocunque species deferunt vt in ventrem canis vel suis vel in alia lo ca immunda videtur vera And again p. 4. sum q. 45. m. 1. si canis aut porcus deglutiat hostiam consecratam non video quare corpus Christi non
be true then may Christians be saued by their workes without the help of Gods grace working with thē which is méere Pelagianisme For if charitie as it is in vs habitually make vs beloued then it is our loue towards God and not Gods grace or loue towards vs or his grace helping vs and remitting our sins through Christ that saueth vs properly They denie that a man is certainly to perswade himself of his owne saluation or to beléeue the same and all their confidence they put in their owne workes and merites hoping to be saued by pilgrimages indulgences eating of fumadaes créeping to the crosse kissing of the Popes toe praying to saints to stockes to stones giuing of money to lazie Monkes and Friers and such like humane deuises Are they not then most wretched that neither vnderstand what is grace nor what is faith nor what is charitie nor what belongeth to good works He that beleeueth not saith our Sauior Marke 16 shall be damned The Apostle also sheweth Tit. 3. Ibidem that none is iustified but by the grace of Christ Nay he sayth that Christ saued vs not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost By eating holy bread they hope to attaine health of body and soule as it is in the Romish Missall they doubt not also but that their eating of their paschall lambe tendeth to the praise of God By holy water they teach that not onely diuels are driuen away but also veniall sinnes remitted Finally there remaine but few points of religion which the Papists with their leuen partly of Iudaical and heathenish superstition and partly of hereticall doctrine haue not corrupted What then resteth but that we deplore their blindnesse which admit such erronious absurd and blasphemous points of doctrine and wilfully resist those that offer vnto them the truth out of Gods word CHAP. V. The miserable state of Papists in matters of Religion is proued further for that they are depriued of those blessings which we haue receiued by the abrogation of popish heresies and superstition I Do not thinke but that our aduersaries albeit they differ from vs in other points yet in this will ioyne with vs and confesse that it is a miserable thing to wander without any certaintie in religion Parsons in the first encounter of his Wardword doth in effect say so much and albeit they should denie it yet it is a matter very euident For as the Apostle sayth Rom. 2. Those that sinne without the law shall perish also without the law If they know the law and do it not the law will accuse them and condemne them If they regard not to know the law yet shall Gods iustice lay hold vpon them for offending the law which they ought to haue knowne The Apostle Ephes 2. when he would put them in mind of their miserable estate before their conuersion saith they liued without Christ and without God in the world As if nothing can be deuised more damnable then to liue with out certaine knowledge of God and of Christ Iesus The Gentiles as the Apostle saith Ephes 4. walke in the vanitie of their mind hauing their vnderstanding darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart which argueth the miserable state of Christians that liue like Gentils without the true knowledge of Christ Iesus God hath also appointed a certaine ministerie in the Church giuing some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and teachers and among the rest one end was that henceforth we should be no more children wauering and carried about with euery wind of doctrine But the Papists for the most part as is shewed liue without the knowledge of God and the rest are caried about with the blast of euery blundering Pope wauering as the wind of his blustring bulles and decretals do carie them Vpon the Scriptures they ground not themselues but must take both such scriptures and such doctrine as he shall deliuer them Secondly it is a miserable thing to be deuided from the vnitie of Christ his Church For as out of the arke of Noe all perished in the old world so all that are without the Church of Christ shall vndoubtedly perish Those sheepe that are without Christ his fold are exposed to the mercie of the wolfe and without hope of saluation How then can the Papists looke for saluation that in faith and sacraments are deuided from the Catholicke and Apostolicke Church Further by many properties they shew themselues to haue no affinitie with the true Church as before I haue declared Thirdly without true faith it is impossible to please God The same is the doore by which we enter into the kingdome of heauen But we haue shewed that in many points the Papists haue declined from the true faith What hope then can they haue either to enter into the kingdom of heauen or to please God How hapneth it they see not their wretched state Absque notitia sui Creatoris omnis homo pecus est Without the knowledge of God a man is no better then a beast saith Hierome epist 3. Fourthly the Sacraments are the seales of the new Testament betwixt God and vs. Our Sauior taking the cup at his last supper called it The new Testament in his bloud If then the Papists haue violated Christ his institution in their doctrine and ministration of sacraments as by diuers arguments we haue declared then haue they declared themselues vnworthy to be partakers of his couenant Fiftly Those which despise the Lord shall themselues be despised saith the Lord 1. Sam. 2. And as he promiseth blessings to those that worship him and kéepe his commandemēts so he threatneth cursings to those that refuse to heare the voice of the Lord and to kéepe his commaundents and ceremonies prescribed for his worship Quod si audire nolueris vocem Domini Dei tui vt custodias facias omnia mandata eius caeremonias quas ego praecipio tibi hodiè venient super te omnes maledictiones apprehendent te saith Moyses Deut. 28. Let the Papists then consider well with themselues what they haue done in transforming the worship of God into the worship of creatures and seruing him not as he hath appointed but according to their owne deuises and fancies and let them beware that these plagues curses ouertake them not séeing they haue wholy neglected the true worship of God Sixthly Strange tongues are for a signe as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 14. not to them that beleeue but to them that beleeue not The Prophet also threatneth as a plague that God wil speake to his people by men of other tongues and in strange languages Isay 28. In loquela labij lingua altera loquetur ad populum istum It is therefore strange that the Papists féele not
6. wondreth that he should be of that opinion Franciscus Victoria relect 2. de potestate Ecclesiae q. 2. and Alphonsus à Castro lib. 2. de haret iust punit sayth that as well Bishops as Apostles did immediatly receiue iurisdiction from God Turrecremata lib. 2. sum de Eccles c. 54. and Iacobatius de concilijs hold that the Apostles receiued their iurisdiction from Peter and other Bishops from Peters successor Caietane in tract de author Papae Dominicus à Soto in 4. dist 20. and Heruaeus de potestate Papae teach that the Apostles receiued their power from God and all other Bishops from the Pope And this is also the opinion of Bellarmine Hostiensis in c. nouit de iudicijs and Augustine Triumphus in summa de potestate Ecclesiae q. 1. art 1. and others very triumphantly affirme that the Pope by the law of God hath full power ouer the whole world as well in ciuill as Ecclesiasticall affaires Driedo Turrecremata Sotus Sanders and others reckoned vp by Bellarmine lib. 5. de Pontif. Rom. c. 1. are content to abate somewhat and to say that directly the Pope hath not power ouer all the kingdomes of the whole world The Doctors of Paris hold that a generall councell cannot erre Caietane in apolog p. 2. c. 21. and Turrecremata lib. 3. sum c. 32. hold contrary Petrus de Alliaco Ioannes Gerson Iacobus Almain and others in their treatises De potestate Ecclesiae hold that a generall Councell is aboue the Pope Others hold that the Pope is aboue the Councell as Iacobatius de concilijs Sanders de visib monarchia and Bellarmine lib. de concilijs Others wéene that although the Pope be aboue the Councell yet it lyeth in his power to make the Councel aboue the Pope as is euident by the glosse non si 2. q. 7. and c. in synod dist 63. The Romane Catechisme in the exposition of the Creed Waldensis fol. 1. lib. 2. c. 9. Turrecremata lib. 1. c. 3. and others do shut out excommunicate persons from being members of the Church but this is misliked by others as Bellarmine confesseth lib. de Eccles militant c. 6. Alexander Hales 3. part q. vlt. art 2. and Turrecrem lib. 1. de Ecclesia cap. 30. affirme That in the passion of Christ the holy virgin onely had true faith Bellarmine lib. de Eccles milit cap. 17. maruelleth at them and condemneth their opinion Ioan. Maior in 4. dist 24. q. 2. saith that by Gods lawe Priestes are forbidden to marrie The same opinion doth Clichtouey hold lib. de continentia Sacerdot cap. 4. But Thomas in 2. 2. q. 88. art 11. saith that the vow of continencie is annexed to priesthood by the lawes of the Church onely And many follow his opinion and among the rest Bellarmine Marsilius de Padua writeth that Clearkes are subiect to secular Princes The Canonists in c. tributum 23. q. 8. in c. quamuis de censibus in 6. hold that both their persons and goods are exempted from temporall princes iurisdiction Franciscus victoria relect 1. q. vlt. de potest Eccles and diuers others cut the controuersie in the midst and hold that they are free for their persons and goods partly by the law of God and partly by priuiledges of Princes and partly by neither How the soules of holy men departed do know what we say or do Bellarmine bringeth in three diuers opinions lib. de sanct Beat. cap. 20. Caietan in Exod. cap. 20. taketh an image and an idoll for one thing Bellarmine lib. de cult sanct cap. 7. reproueth him for it Likewise he misliketh Ambrose Catharine who in a tract of images saith That God prohibited images simply but that this prohibition was positiue and temporall Occham Maior and Richardus are of opinion that a Sacrament cannot be defined Scotus in 4. dist 1. q. 2. holdeth that it may be defined imperfectly Ledesma in tract de Sacrament in genere q. 1. art 2. holdeth that it may properly be defined Bellarmine lib. 1. de Sacramentis cap. 18. bringeth in diuers opinions concerning the forme and matter of Sacraments no one agréeing with others Finally I haue alreadie rehearsed infinite contradictions of the Romanists concerning the Masse in my booke de Missa contra Bellarm. concerning purgatorie and indulgences in my bookes against Bellarmine of that argument I haue also in the first booke touched diuers contradictions and cōtrarieties in the doctrine of our aduersaries And to be breefe I say and offer to proue that there is no article of Christian faith wherein the aduersaries do not varie and disagree one from another God grant they may once sée it and leauing their idle bangling about vaine questions of mixt diuinitie returne to the Catholike faith which is a doctrine of agreement and vnitie CHAP. VII Of the seruile and wretched state of the English nation vnder the raigne of Queene Mary and generally of all people liuing vnder the Popes lawes and religion HAuing at full discoursed concerning matters Ecclesiasticall it followeth now that I speake of matters touching the state politike beginning first with our owne nation vnder the vnhappie raigne of Quéene Marie sometime Quéene of England and then touching other Princes and States that are subiect to the thraldome of the Pope and his Babylonish religion First then it is apparent that she brought her selfe and her people into danger by reason of her match with king Philip and no question but she had brought this kingdome into subiection if not into seruile bondage if God had not crossed the deseignes of man and dealt mercifully with vs both taking away the Quéene in the strength of her age and preuenting the wicked counsels of bloudie traitours and persecutours In Orat. ad Eliz. who as Iohn Hales saith meant to haue brought this land vnder strangers and altering the State before the Spaniards had taken any firme footing in England How great danger this land stood in those that then liued may well remember and we cannot chuse but acknowledge if we looke backe and consider the working of Quéen Marie of the popish prelates and of the Spaniards The Quéene sought by all meanes to put the kingdome into the hands of king Philip. The popish prelates sought to suppresse religion which could not be without the oppression of our libertie The Spaniards ruled insolently and went about to make themselues strong aduancing those which were of their faction and thrusting backe all that were studious of their countries libertie The bulwarkes or blocusses that were made for defence of the land against strangers they suffered to fall they brought in strangers they put the commaund of the kingdome into the hands of such as were best affectioned to themselues and least carefull of their countries libertie What would haue ensued of this it is an easie matter to coniecture by the deportment of Spaniards in other countries that are subiect to their gouernment In the Indiaes they rule not like men but rather like barbarous tyrants
warres let him otherwise be killed I would therfore haue indifferent men to iudge whether this be not spiritual doctrine Our owne country Masse-priests also do not differ from their fellows in this point One of them setting downe certaine resolutions for the instruction and consolation of the English as he saith asketh this question Whether a Catholike he should say a trayterous papist is not bound by vertue of the Bull of Pius Quintus to take armes against Elizabeth and to depose her imprison her and kill her if occasion should serue and if he haue hope to obtaine victorie To this he answereth Ex vi Bullae putamus eum non teneri ad ea quae proponuntur nisi omnia ita comparata essent vt certa parataque spes esset victoriae quo casu propter bonum commune fidei religionis ij tenerentur qui aliquid possent praestare That is by force of the Bull we do not thinke that he is bound to do those things that are proposed vnlesse all things were so ordered that the hope of victorie were certaine and readie in which case for the common good of the faith and religion those should be bound that are able to do any thing So it appeareth that nothing held the Papists from laying violent hands vpon the Queene our most gracious soueraigne Ladie but that they had not all things readie nor were in hope of certaine victorie And this no doubt is the resolution they haue against all princes that resist either the Pope or their cacolike religion The tenth question is this An stante Bulla in virtute c. Whether the Bull of Pius Quintus standing in force a priuate man might not kill Elizabeth our late Quéene and the reason is because she is a tyrant and had no iust title to the Crowne and whether the Pope cannot dispence that this may be done so it were likely that by her death catholike they should say popish religion should be restored To this question answer is made As touching this matter if any by her death could certainely deliuer the realme from oppression without all doubt it should be lawfull for him to kill her but as matters do now stand it is best not to speake of that matter Hereby we may plainely sée that this generation doth continually talk of killing Christian kings and desire nothing more then to murther thē and to destroy them that they may make way for the Pope These questions are found in the acts of the councell of Yorke and were found in a search for Dauid Ingleby a Masse-priest and no doubt were allowed and brought into England either by him or by some of his consorts According to this damnable doctrine the Popes and their adherents haue from time to time endeuoured partly by cut-throates and assassins and partly by diabolicall practisers and empoysoners to destroy princes that stopped the course of their ambition Vita gesta Hildebrandi Beno the Cardinall saith that Gregorie the seuenth watching the Emperor that was wont to pray much in the church of S. Marie hired a fellow to place great stones vpon the beames or vault of the church right ouer the place where he prayed which being throwne downe might kill the Emperour The words are these Imperator solitus erat frequenter ire ad orationem ad Ecclesiam S. Mariae quae est in monte Auentino Hidelbrandus autem cùm per exploratores omnia eius opera solicitè inquireret locum in quo frequentiùs Imperator vel stans vel prostratus orabat notari fecit quendam promissa pecunia ad hoc induxit vt supra trabes Ecclesiae occultè lapides magnos collocaret ita aptaret vt de alto super caput Imperatoris demitteret ipsum contereret About the same time also Ibid. he sought saith Beno to destroy the Emperour by secret traitors but God preserued him And then there were some that thought Hildebrand to be conscious and the setter of the treason because a litle before the treason like a false Prophet he presumed to foretell the kings death The words of Beno are these Eisdem diebus parauit Imperatorem perdere per occultos proditores Deus autem eum custodiuit Et eodem tempore fuerunt nonnulli qui existimauerunt ipsum Hildebrandum conscium extitisse ordinatorem proditionis quia eisdem diebus paulo ante proditionem de morte regis falsò prophetata praesumpsit Neither are we to doubt but they will empoyson princes if they can séeing Popes as Beno and diuers authenticall authors testifie vse to empoyson one another Matt. Paris in Henric. 3. Innocent the fourth by Peter de vinea a speciall fauorite of Fridericke the 2 caused poyson to be offered vnto him Ecclesiae inimici dixerunt saith Mat. Paris speaking of Pope Innocent quod ad hoc facinus cor Petri eneruando muneribus pollicitis maximis inclinarat The enemies of the Church or of the Pope rather say that with great rewards and promises the Pope had induced Peter de vineis to vndertake this foule fact And afterward absorduit Domini Papae fama per hoc non mediocriter That is The fame of the Pope by this fact was not a litle stayned Furthermore saith Matth. Paris the Emperour returned into Apulia hauing drunke poyson as it is sayd Redijt in Apuliam vt dicitur potionatus Henrie of Lucemburge the Emperour was poysoned by a Dominican Friar that being hired by the contrarie faction conueyed poyson into the Sacrament Anno 1313. Quidam religiosus saith Vrspergensis porrexit Imperatori intoxicatam Eucharistiam A certaine Friar gaue poyson to the Emperour in the Eucharist The same is also testified by Baptista Ignatius supplementum Cronicorum Textor in officina cap. veneno extincti and diuers others Auentinus sayth the Friar was moued thereto by Clement the fifth That it was so the great execution done by the Emperors souldiers vpon diuers conuents of the Dominican Friars doth declare But what néede we séeke forraine histories Caxtons historie when histories report that king Iohn of England was poysoned by a Monke of Swinsted Abbey for that he was supposed to be aduerse to the popish faction We may also remember that of late the French king Henry the third was most shamefully murthered by a Dominican Friar called Iames Clement set on by the popish Leaguers and perswaded thereto by the Iebusites of Paris The Pope also that then was did highly commend the mans zeale in a solemne oration made in the consistorie of Cardinals vpon the first intelligence of this fact Neither do I thinke that any of the popish faction will condemne the man although his déed was most execrable Iohn Iauregui a desperate Spaniard anno 1582. Acta Ioan. Iaureg and Metecani hist Belg. lib. 11. discharged a pistole vpon the prince of Orenge with a full purpose to kill him His master perswaded him vnto it but nothing did worke more with
holy nor so learned as S. Ambrose by many degrees Where he is charged to haue threatned vs with broken heads and Bastonadoes a logike very familiar with papists he answereth fol. 73. That he speaketh figuratiuely But experience teacheth vs that where they can do it they do it literally It were therefore good to beware of the woodden daggers of these woodden fellowes Fol. 110. b. he affirmeth that by indulgences are distributed the treasures of the Church A matter of méere foolery of which may be said thesaurus carbones that is our treasures proue coles For poore people hoping to receiue a treasure receiue méere cole dust Fl. doct c. de indulg and yet for that trash wast great treasures Iosephus Angles signifieth that the Pope now and then receiueth an hundred millions of duckets for an indulgence which is no small matter for such small wares In the same place he telleth vs of the Popes doctrine of indulgences which is nothing else but a fardle of foolery as in my discourse against Bellarmine I haue shewed at large This Patch if he had remembred himselfe would haue proued somewhat and not haue told vs a tale of the Popes tub full of mustie indulgences more nastie then an old mustard pot 2. encontr c. 15. fol. 117. I shall alleage sayth he most authenticall testimonies to wit foure bookes for the negatiue written and printed at Lyon presently vpon the fact it selfe intituled De iusta Henrici tertij ab dicatione But this allegatiō serueth vs better then him and is a most authenticall testimony of Parsons foolery and of the Popes trechery For what is more repugnant to law conscience and reason thē to beléeue a notorious rebel and traitor declaiming against his liege soueraigne most trecherously and wickedly murdred by a louzie frier And what is more intollerable then that the Popes of Rome and their adherents being aduanced by Christian princes should now be praised for deposing of princes and cutting their throtes This authenticall testimony therfore might well haue bin spared wherein Parsons a traitor produceth his fellow traitor for a witnesse in discharge of his owne and his fellowes treasons and villanies Fol. 123. he talketh most foolishly of penance repeating what he hath sayd before in his Wardword But whatsoeuer he bableth of penance and satisfaction and passing through a néedles eye yet if a man can gaine a plenary indulgence which for mony is easie to be had then al penance inioyned and satisfaction ceaseth and God is plainely mocked If he had bene wise therefore he would haue forborne to talke of penance the doctrine whereof by the Papists is wholly corrupted and ouerthrowne Finally albeit he talketh much of law and of Catholike Religion yet he sheweth himself to be like those of whō the Apostle speaketh which would be doctors of the law 1. Tim. 1. and yet vnderstand not what they speake nor wherof they affirme And like old heretikes which as Hilary lib. 8. de Trinit saith although they lie foolishly yet they defend their lies farre more foolishly Cum stultè mentiantur sayth he stultiùs tamen in mendacij sui defensione sapiunt Compare their doings with Parsons his foolish Warneword and you shall sée he farre passeth them all in foolery CHAP. VII Containing diuers false allegations and falsifications of Fathers and others committed by Parsons THere are diuers kinds of falsifications as we may learne by the Romane lawes ff ad l. Corn. de falsis by the cannon law de crimine falsi and by those Doctors that haue written Commentaries and glosses vpon these titles But to know the diuersitie and nature of them we shall not néed curiously to looke either into the lawes or commentaries of learned lawyers séeing Robert Parsons in his Warn-word which like a warning péece may serue all true men to beware of his falshood and trechery doth furnish vs with particular instances and examples of most sorts of them First he maketh no conscience either to curtal his aduersaries words or to adde somewhat vnto them of which they neuer had so much as a thought Fol. 6. he sayth that Sir Francis obiecteth vnto him the seeking of the ruine of the church and common wealth by his exhortation to peace and mitigation in religion whereas the Knight obiecteth no such matter nor hath any such words He doth also séeme to charge him as enemy of peace whereas the honorable Knight neuer misliked peace or any motion tending thereto but rather discouered the false practises of Papists that anno 1588. talked of peace when their fléete was at the sea to cut our throtes being vnprouided and 1598. made an ouerture of a treaty when the Adelantado had great forces readie at the Groyne and other ports of Spaine to come for England Where Sir Francis prayeth for the prolonging of her Maiesties dayes to the holding out stil of the Popes vsurped authoritie Fol. 8. Parsons in his VVarneword doth so expound him as if he prayed that her life might hold out still And this to the intent he might runne vpon the Earle of Essex barking like a Tinkers curre at a dead Lyon In my Preface I say that obstinate recusants for the most part are secretly reconciled to the Pope and in time past adhered to her maiesties enemies But Parsons to make the matter more hainous Fol. 13. a. turneth obstinate recusants into recusant Catholikes and falsly leaueth out these words for the most part As if I had called them Catholikes which I neuer thought or as if I knew not that there is great difference betweene the factious reconciled papists and those that of simplicitie and ignorance fauour papisticall heresie and superstition Againe where I say that extraordinary fauour or rather remisnesse of lawes and iustice towards disloyall Papists hath caused diuers rebellions both in England and Ireland and made them bold to attempt against her Maiesties life and gouernement and giuen some of them courage to conspire with forreine enemies c. and that by suffering of malcontents to practise the sinewes of gouernement haue bene dissolued and that many thinke that against persons that are so euill disposed and so firmely linked to forreine enemies good iustice is most necessary Robert Parsons iumbleth many words together and cutteth off that which I sayd of conspiring with forreine enemies and the attempting against her Maiesty knowing that many of his friends are the Spanish kings pensioners and haue diuersly attempted against her Maiestie Further he cutteth out these words many do thinke and by a strange metamorphosis changeth disloyal papists into catholike recusants making me to say that too much extraordinary fauour and remisnesse towards Catholikes hath caused diuers rebellions both in England and Ireland and that it hath dissolued the sinewes of gouernment and that it is more profitable to execute lawes then to pardon offenders as if I had spoken generally against all papists not singled those that conspire with publike enemies and attempt
themselues in Catholikes bloud and to spoile their goods that I and my crew might come to haue a share But first it is most false that Papists are Catholikes Secondly no one word can he alleage out of my whole book wherby it may be gathered that I would haue any rigour vsed against such simple Papists that are not factious nor mutinous For all the harme I wish them is that they were wel instructed Thirdly if he meane those traitors that either came or meant to ioyne with the Adelantado against their prince and countrey then are they no Catholikes nor true subiects The same may be said also of Parsons his consorts Finally it is a shamelesse vntruth to say we desire either blood or spoile all our actions tending onely to resist forrein enemies and wicked traitors which séeke to shed their countrimens blood like water and to sacrifice it to the Pope and to giue the spoile of their country to the Spaniards as the factious Masse-priests and the Papists their consorts haue done diuers times and namely an 1588. and 1598. and since In his obseruations vpon Sir Francis his Epistle fol. 6. He obiecteth saith Parsons that I seeke the ruine both of church and common wealth by my exhortation to peace attonement and mitigation in religion A notorious lie refuted by reading of Sir Francis his Apology where there is no one word sounding that way Neither do we blame any honest man that talketh of peace but scorne that traitors that haue warre in their hearts should talke of peace and that idolaters and heretikes should prate and talke of religion when they meane nothing but to erect idolatrie and to establish popish errors and superstition Fol. 16. speaking of me He blusheth not saith he to affirme that which all his fellowes haue denied And what is this trow you Forsooth that blasphemous and scandalous dogmatizing heretikes may be put to death But where he saith that all my fellows haue denied this he sheweth him selfe a shamelesse lying companion and the diuels fellow in forging lies For none of my fellowes euer denied that which I affirme but only wold not haue ignorant peaceable and simple heretikes that neither blaspheme nor dogmatise nor are offensiue to the State punished with death Likewise they condemne the cruell and bloody Papists that burne massacre men women and children for denying or contradicting any one point of their filthy abominable and erronious doctrine Fol. 18. he saith The Emperour in a certaine edict beginning reddentes Cod. de sum Trin. fid Cath. professeth his due subiection and of all his empire to the church of Rome which is a notorious and an impudently For in that law there is no one word to be found that importeth subiection either of the Emperour or of the Empire to the Church of Rome much lesse to the Pope of Rome Nay at that time the citie of Rome belonged to the Emperour which lately the Pope hath vsurped excluding the Emperour from thence But were there any thing contained in that law which may seeme spoken in fauour of the Romane Bishop yet is the same proued counterfet in my late treatise concerning falsities of the Romish synagogue Fol. 19. a. speaking of the Emperors They professed saith he the Bishops of Rome to be the heads and chiefe leaders of this vniuersall and visible Catholicke Church as before hath bene shewed by the examples of Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius to Pope Damasus and of Arcadius Honorius and Theodosius the second and of Saint Augustine to Pope Innocentius primus and of Iustinian to Pope Iohn the first This he saith boldly But in these few words a cluster of lies is packed vp close together For neither do Gratian Valentinian and Theodsius write to Damasus as the title of the law cunctos populos Cod. de sum trinit doth shew nor do they say that Damasus was head and leader of the vniuersall visible Church Nor do Arcadius Honorius and Theodosus the second talke of any such matter to be due to Innocentius the first Nor can it be proued out of Augustine or Iustinians decrée inter claras Cod. de sum trinit that this title was giuen to Innocentius the first or Iohn the first or second For beside that the law inter claras is counterfeit the interpreter doth corruptly translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the head of all priests the head of all Churches Nay hardly will Parsons be able to shew that any of these did speake of the vniuersall visible Church where they speake of the bishops of Romes authoritie These therefore are palpable if not visible lies And that which he saith of Iohn the first is a ridiculous lye For he was dead as Chronicles teach before Iustinians reigne He thinketh it lawfull to lie all manner of lies of Caluin And therefore boldly saith Fol. 20. a. He was a priest and that he sayd masse Both which are denyed by those which wrote his life which say he departed out of France before he receiued any orders The same may be proued for that his name is found in no bishops records and for that he begunne to write his Institutions before 24. yeares of age Of which we gather that he hated the popish priesthood before he was of yeares to be made priest Fol. 22. b. he maketh Sir Francis to say that we haue changed old religion into Protestancy not changing therein his old fashion of cogging and lying For neither doth he nor any of vs acknowledge popish religion to be auncient nor do we call our religion protestancy although his dealing giueth vs oft occasion to protest against his wicked and false dealing Fol. 23. a. he affirmeth that Sir Francis talketh of nothing but feares frights and terrors But he might doe well to cease talking if he tell nothing but lies In the place mentioned Sir Francis talketh neither of feares frights nor terrors Nor doth it follow because Parsons and his consorts are still packing vnderhand and dealing with the Spaniards that we are terrified For we haue neither cause to feare treason nor publike force vnlesse we will trust traytors and wilfully throw away our armes Neither haue Papists cause to begin to stirre vnlesse they be weary of their liues of peace of ease and of their natiue countrey Fol. 25. a. he boldly auoucheth that I count it a blessing to haue Catholike rites and seruice abolished whereas in truth I desire nothing more then that Catholike religion may be restored and speake onely against the filthy abominations of popish masse the idolatrous worship of saints and idols the tyranny of the Pope and such like which none but the slaues of Antichrist can endure and wil affirme to be Catholike That Iouinian and Vigilantius held some errors we will not deny But that Hierome called them heretikes for the same points that wee hold concerning virginitie prayers to saints and lights at martyrs tombes as Parsons fol. 27. affirmeth most falsly will
Col. 12 in l. fin Col. 1. in extr cod sent rescind Iason consil 145. c. 2. v. 2. Aemil. Mar. Nanoless and cap. ad Apostolatus de concess praebend extr Ioann 22. Gloss in verbo continetur Fol. 106. he sayth That many of vs and other our friends do make princes so absolute in temporal and spiritual affaires as they may not be iudged by any mortall man And to this purpose he citeth Bellay But first Bellay is none of our friends And next he cannot shew any of vs that teacheth this doctrine Let him name the parties or else we wil name him and all will take him for a cogging companion For neither do we make Kings aboue generall Councels nor exempt them from all censures although not to that effect as the Romanists teach Fol. 113. 2. encount c. 14. he affirmeth boldly and blindly that the grieuances of the Germain nation was a complaint of princes called protestants and that it was endited by Luther and exhibited against the Popes pardons at a Councell at Noremberg But therein he lappeth vp diuers foule lies First the matter of the Popes pardons was but one matter of many and therefore not the sole subiect of their complaints as Parsons pretendeth Secondly if they had not bene Papists they would neuer haue fled to the Pope for reformation nor giuē him such reuerent termes as they do Thirdly it was neuer heard of till now that Luther was the enditer of these grieuances exhibited to the Popes legat anno 1522. Finally this méeting at Noremberg an 1522. was no Councell but a diet wherein the princes desired reformation rather of abuses then the dissolution of the Popes authoritie He denieth also Fol. 116. 2. encountr that any pardon is sold for murder of children fornication adultery incest and such abominations But let him looke once more vpon the penitentiary taxe printed at Paris wherein the price of the pardon for euery one of these offences is set downe If he find not these matters in the penitentiaries taxe let him looke the fées for the Popes buls for euery of these points in the Popes Chancery He shal also find in my treatise against Bellarmine proofe for the sale of pardons Let him therfore either search more diligently or lie lesse confidently or heare himself taxed patiently Fol. 117. ◠encount c. 15. he affirmeth that Iames Clement conferred with no man liuing before he killed the French king Henry the third and that he had no absolution before he committed the fact Two lies most desperately auouched whereof the second concerning his absolution is confuted by the confession of Iaques Bourgoin his confessor executed for absoluing him and by the common practise of Iebusites that absolue such as go about such murders as is proued in the fact of Walpoole that absolued Squire that promised to empoyson Quéene Elizabeth and of Holt that did the like to Yorke and Williams that vndertooke to murder her and by diuers like facts of others The second is refuted by the memorials of the league by the author of the Iebusits Cathechisme and by Iohn de Serres in his Inuentorie In the memorials of the league we find that the yong friar was induced by the Iesuites perswasions Ne furent ils complices saith the author of the Iebusites Catechisme page 203. d'auec le Iacobin de l assassinat du feu roy Were not they saith he speaking of the Iebusites complices to the Dominican frier that murdred the late King He saith also that the murder was suborned by the Iebusites and leaguers and that he was drawne to it by promises of paradise and that he was assoyled for it and almost sainted beforehand Iohn de Serres in his Inuentorie sayth That Iames Clement communicated his resolution with Doctour Bourgoin prior of his conuent to Commolet and other Iebusites and the heads of the league to the principall of the sixteene and fortie of Paris and that all encouraged him to this happie aduenture promising him rewards in earth and in paradise if he should be martyred in the execution of his purpose a place aboue the Apostles Ainsi resolu sayth Iohn de Serres il communique son affaire au doctour Bourgoin prieur de son conuent au pere Commolet autres Iesuites aux chefs de la ligue aux principaux de seize de quarante de Paris Tous l'encouragent à cest hereux dessein On luy promet abbayes eueschez s'il auient qu'il soit martyrisè rien moyns qu'vne place en paradis au dessus des Apostres May we not then rightly conclude that Parsons is a notorious and most impudent lyar and that the Iebusites are King-killers and notorious traitors No question And I doubt not but they shall be so reckened of all posteritie notwithstanding the barking of such dogges against such reports I do therefore maruell as Athanasius sayth of the Arrians That without abomination and horrour of lying they could vtter such lies seeing the deuill is father of lyes and lyars are strangers to him that calleth himselfe truth Miror eos sine vlla abominatione horrore mendacij ita falsa c. potuisse dicere cùm mendacia patrem diabolum habeant ijque qui mentiuntur alieni sint ab eo qui dicit ego sum veritas And well may I conclude That if all lyes ought to be farre remoued from religion and those positions which for religion are taught and learned as Saint Augustine sayth lib. de Mendacio ad Consentium cap. 10. That then it is not religion that Parsons doeth maintaine with so many lyes nor can his lies stand with the grounds of religion Finally I say to the deceiued Papists Eusebius vita Constant lib. 3 cap. 62. as Constantine sayd to heretikes of his time Cognoscite quibus mendacijs vestrae doctrinae inanitas teneatur Behold by what lyes the vanitie of your doctrine is maintained And if they beléeue not me let them hearken to Parsons himselfe that in his answere to my Epistle affirmeth That he that lyeth is not to be trusted in any thing he saith or writeth CHAP. X. An answere to Parsons his immodest rayling and behauiour throughout his whole Warne-word HArd it will be for me to recount all the scurrilous and rayling termes which Robert Parsons of his cholerick liberality bestoweth vpon Sir Francis Hastings and my selfe It appeareth he is of the race of those wicked men of which the Prophet Psal 14. speaketh Quorum os maledictione amaritudine plenum est Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse And well may I apply to him that which Hierome sayd to Ruffin Tanta confingis tanta non diceret de latrone homicida de scorto meretrix scurra de Mimo Apolog. aduers Ruffinum You deuise so many villanies as a cutthrote would not vtter against a robber or a comon whore against a harlot or a scurrilous Scoganlike mate against a Vize Which I doe the lesse wonder
because they take his iudgement to be infallible albeit the Neapolitans will not follow their Viceroy in his rebellions Likewise doeth he absurdly shift off the obiection concerning the absolute obedience required of Christians by Boniface the 8. He sayth also that it standeth with Gods prouidence to preserue the Church from error As if the Pope were the Church and not rather Antichrist and the enemy of Christ and his Church or as if the church could not stand if the Pope were dead and Parsons hanged by him to beare him company and to leade him through purgatory being not able to walke of himselfe being troubled with the gout Fol. 113. 2. encont c. 14. he saith That Parry in his letter to Gregory the thirteenth discouered no intentiō at all of any particular enterprise he had in hand and thereby would shift off our obiection concerning the intelligence the Pope had of his purpose to kill the Quéene But his shift is very simple For albeit he said nothing yet the letters of credit included frō some great man to whō he imparted the secret disclosed all Now it is euident by Cardinall Comoes letter that the Pope receiued Parries letter together with the letters of credit included La santitá di N.S. sayth Cardinall Como ha vedute le lettere di V.S. con la fede inclusa By this then it appeareth that the Pope granting a plenary indulgence to a murderer that went to kill an innocent Queene was also a most execrable murderer and no shepheard a limb of Satan that was a murderer from the begining and not the head of the Church a wolfe and no Christian Bishop Yea but saith Parsons this indulgence tooke effect if Parry were contrite and confessed of his sinnes As if these wicked murderers did not account it an act meritorious to kill a Prince excommunicated by the Pope So it appeareth that in this respect rather he obtained this indulgence Nay if Ch. P. say true Robert Parsons was also acquainted with Parries particular treason so that this will not onely remaine as a perpetuall blot of indulgences but also of the barbarous trechery both of the Pope and of his bastardly proctor that set on this cutthrote to murder an innocent Lady Doeth it not then plainly appeare howsoeuer closely Parsons wold séeme to cary matters that he doth confesse more in shifting and concealing then he doth deny disputing Ita opertus ac tectus incedis sayth Hierom to one epist 6. vt plus confitearis tacendo quà m renuas disputando This we may truly say of Parsons that his shifts and answers which he bringeth to couer the wounds of his cause do make the matter far more suspicious then before What then are we to think of such a shifting and iugling fellow Will you heare Parsons giue sentence in his owne cause If he do I hope you will say we do produce no witnesse that wil deale partially in fauor of our cause But he in his 2. encon c. 9. fol. 62. saith that he which vseth a trick of legierdemain but once of known and set malice to deceiue is neuer to be trusted againe What then remaineth now but that such a shifting trecherous companion be rather trussed then trusted haltred then harbored baffulled then beléeued CHAP. XIII Parsons his patcherie in begging things in controuersie discouered THe very name of an aduersary and often mention of controuersies if nothing else me thinkes might haue moued Robert Parsons to looke better to his proofes and to haue presumed lesse of his begging For albeit he be of the Ignatian sect and by profession a mendicant friar yet hath he no reason to beg of his aduersaries nor to take as granted things that hang in controuersie Nor haue we cause to maintaine of almes such vagarant sturdy roging beggars as the laws iudge worthy of hanging It may be he wil stand vpon termes and sweare like a hackster that he is no beggar Testified by the secular priests in diuers of their treatises bestowing many thousands of crownes vpon spies and cutthrotes But the truth will appeare by the sequele of his doings Fol. 1. b. he accuseth me of deportment against all kind of Catholike men though neuer so learned vertuous worshipful or honorable But he shold haue proued himself his traitorous consorts which are the men that I do meane to be both Catholikes and learned vertuous worshipfull and honorable We of the plainer and simpler sort could yet neuer learne that it was a thing either honorable or commendable to betray his prince or countrey or to take part with Italians or Spaniards against his owne nation Fol. 7. talking of priests put to death in England he calleth them and others seruants of Christ and sayth they suffered for auncient religion But we looked for proofes and not for bare and beggarly affirmations For the seruants of Christ came neuer to depose Princes from their thrones Nay our Sauior Christ saith plainely that his kingdome is not of this world But these Massepriests as appeareth by records and by their confessions and the Popes faculties granted to them came for that purpose Secondly we haue proued in our challenge that their religion as it differeth from the faith which we professe in England is neither Catholike nor anciēt Lastly we haue there also declared them to be culpable of treason and to haue died for that not for their religion though otherwise very louzy and beggarly vellacos and as beggarly defended by this begging and cousining companion In the same leafe also he affirmeth that Christ is the Masse-priests captaine and master and that he assureth them on his honour and power that no one haire of their head shall perish In the end he doubteth not to call thē martyrs But to proue his matters he alleageth neither testimony of scripture nor sentence of fathers Nay where the Romish Church teacheth that no man can be certaine of his saluation without speciall reuelation yet this disciple of Antichrist affirmeth that Christ vpon his honor hath assured Campian Ballard Babington and I thinke Lopez too that they shall not perish For of these I thinke he speaketh To shew them to be no martyrs I haue alleaged diuers reasons Reason then would that if he would haue wonne credit he should haue either answered our reasons or proued his owne cause by argument In his obseruations vpon my Preface and in diuers places of his book he giueth the name of Catholikes to papists And yet he knoweth that this is a maine controuersie betwixt vs. What punishment then doth he deserue that wittingly and wilfully wil beg or rather steale that which belongeth not vnto him Fol. 14. most impudently he giueth the title of the Catholike Christian church and the vniuersall body of Christs commonwealth vnto papists that are neither the whole church nor part of the Church Vnto vs he giueth the title of Protestants Puritanes and Lutherans which we renounce professing onely the faith of Christ