idolatries and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certeine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and is sure to continue but neither is the church of Rome catholike nor apostolike which embraceth vncerteine traditions and apocryphall scriptures with equall affection to canonicall scriptures and which receiueth all the popes decretales concerning matters of faith albeit they conteine doctrine neither apostolicall nor general secondly it will be an easie matter to shew that the Romish church abhorreth neither heresie nor idolatrie nor noueltie thirdly in diuerse discourses against Bellarmine I haue shewed that popish doctrine hath neither ground of scriptures councels nor fathers thereby also it may appeare that popish traditions are most vaine vncerteine and superstitious fourthly the way which that church teacheth is broad and easie for what is more easie than to heare masses and to eat fish and to confesse sinnes and to obserue diuers externall ceremonies and yet by these small things papists hope to be saued fiftly we finde that all the rebellions of England Ireland and France haue wholly procéeded from the church of Rome and the doctrine of the seditious Iebusites and Cananites and masse priests neither will euer rebellion be rooted out vnlesse the tyrannicall vsurpation of popes be repressed and their parasites taught to submit themselues to their liege princes sixthly what certeinty in iudgement can the papists haue that depend vpon the resolutions of blinde vnlearned and wicked popes finally we sée Antichrist to be reuealed and the city of Babylon to fall to confusion who then doth not expect and beléeue the vtter ruine and desolation of Antichrists state Further Bristow telleth vs that euery church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saints nor euer visible and which is not the teacher of all diuine trueth and the vndoubted mother of Christes children is not the true church But the church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals in the officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monks friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents whose faith is built on popish decretals and mincing scholasticall distinctions as fine wouen as any spider webbe rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and first planting of religion and that the Romish church crept out by little and little out of the catholike and apostolike church for apostolicall doctrine embracing apostaticall and light fancies and traditions and for the maintenance of mens bellies and the popes authoritie is departed from Christ and hath made war vpon the saints in the same also whores are openly mainteined cutthrotes by rewards incited to kill and poison princes and a way to all periuries and vices by the popes indulgences opened how then can any call this a communion of saints finally he that expecteth trueth at the popes hands shal be gulled with fables and he that calleth Rome a mother can be content for gaine to call the whore of Babylon and mother of errours his mother argument 70 The church of Christ neuer allowed the decretals of popes or the extrauagants or rules of Chancery concerning the popes authoritie and procéeding but in these lawes the church of Rome hath diuers rules of the Romish faith and thereby gouerneth her procéedings argument 71 In the church of Christ clerks were not exempt from the subiection of princes The apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to higher powers But in the church of Rome all clerks are quited and exempted from the princes power as Bellarmine in his booke of that argument by the popes canons and all his wit endeuoureth to proue argument 72 The true church neuer baptized belles nor held monkes coules to be equall to baptisme but the popish church as the l Grauam 51. Germanes in their grieuances declare baptizeth belles and compareth the entrance into monkish profession with baptisme argument 73 Finally neuer was Christes church or any part of Christes church within any kingdome gouerned by an archpriest and certeine seditious Iebusites masse priests and such like vermine Howsoeuer then they deny it in others yet can they not deny but that the papists of England are not members of Christes church but rather of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. II. That the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are mere nouelties and late deuised fancies IF when the papists doe recommend vnto vs their old religion they meant nothing els but the religion of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which the apostolicall and most ancient Christians receiued and deliuered to posterity we should not much contend with thim for that is the religion which we professe not varying in any thing from the apostles créed and other créeds either set out by Athanasius or the most ancient generall councels of the church nor denying any thing that is expressed or proued out of the holy canonicall scriptures But when they talke of old religion they meane the religion of the church of Rome which was either established by later popes or taken vp by lewd custome and vncerteine tradition the which though it séeme to some ancient yet in very truth is new and no way to be compared to the religion that was first deliuered by Christ and his apostles neither doth it deserue the name of old religion for as Ignatius said a Epist ad Philadelph sometime antiquitas mea Christus est so we may say that Christ is the top of our ancestry that the apostles doctrine is both ancient most true id verius quod prius saith b Lib. 4. contra Marcion Tertullian id prius quod ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis if thē the papists as they bragge could prooue their religion to be deriued from the apostles then would we indéed confesse it were ancient if they cannot then we must say to them as c Epist 65. ad Pammach Ocean Hierome said to one in his time cur profers in medium saith he quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why doe they produce articles of faith vnknowen to the apostles nay why doe they teach vs points of religion which in times of the ancient fathers of the church were vnheard of will they haue that accounted old which the fathers of the church which were long after the apostles neuer knew nor the ancient church euer receiued they would so d Contra. haeres c. 35. but Vincentius Lirinensis doeth call him a true catholike that doeth onely beléeue and hold whatsoeuer the ancient catholike church did vniuersally beléeue quicquid saith he vniuersaliter antiquitus ecclesiam catholicam tenuisse cognouerit id solum sibi tenendum credendumque decernit if then the papists will hold all the religion which now they professe their religion will neuer prooue ancient nor catholike not ancient for that diuers doctrines and traditions which they hold are new and vnheard of in the ancient catholike church argument 1 First they teach vs that the holy canonicall scriptures are no perfect canon of our faith for
immunitat in 6. nos iustitiam nostram saith he ecclesiae sponsae nostrae nolentes negligere argument 90 The ancient fathers neuer called the pope vniuersall bishop for n Lib. 4. ep 32. Gregory the first doeth much mislike that title and calleth it sacrilegious and profane and a certeine councell of Africa cited by Gratiam dist 99. c. primaesedis importeth that the bishop of Rome should not be called vniuersall but now euery lousie frier made pope will be called vniuersall bishop and the papists dare not deny him this title argument 91 Ancient Christians neuer called the pope god nor supremum numen in terris but the canonistes doe not sticke to call him and honor him as God as appeareth by the chapter satis dist 96. and by Augustine Steuchus in lib. de donat Constantini and Stapleton in his epistle dedicatory before his booke intituled doctrinalia principia calleth him supremum numen in terris that is the soueraigne god of the world argument 92 In ancient time the church was gouerned by the lawes of councels and Christian emperors as appeareth by the acts of councels and lawes of Iustinians Code it appeareth also that in the time of Charles the great and his sonnes the church was gouerned for externall matters by lawes of princes but now the popes exclude both emperors kings and princes and take on them the sole gouernment of the vniuersall church argument 93 In the councell of Constance it was holden that the councell was aboue the pope the same also appeareth for that diuers popes haue answered and some haue béene deposed by councels but now the papists holde contrary and say that the pope is aboue the councell neither doe they allow any councels to be authenticall but such as are called and confirmed by the pope argument 94 The apostles their successors were subiect to emperors princes and paid tribute vnto them the apostle S. Paul taught all bishops and priests to be subiect to higher powers but now they hold that the pope is aboue all princes and kings whatsoeuer Papa est dominus dominantium saith o In c. ecclesia vt lite pendente Baldus ius regis regum habet in suos subditos and p De pontific Rom. lib. 5. Bellarmine holdeth that the pope hath power to depose kings and to take their crownes from them argument 95 The apostles and their successors in ancient time exhorted subiects to obedience now the popes of late haue exhorted subiects to rebellion as appeareth by their execrable bulles against Henry the 8. king of England and his daughter Elizabeth now reigning against Henry the 3. of France and against diuers emperors argument 96 In ancient time bishops spoke reuerently of kings and princes and in the q C. 83. canons of the apostles the censure of deposition is inflicted vpon such of the clergy as vtter words of reproch against princes but now the popes raile against princes as is euident by their wicked bulles and when railing will not serue by assassins and murdrers hired and aposted they séeke to cut their throates as appeareth by the fact of Iames Clement that murdred Henry the 3. Chastell that assaulted Henry the 4. of France and diuers assassins hired to kill our noble Quéene argument 97 Before Gregory the firsts time the popes made no bishops either in England or France or Germany or Afrike or Asia but al nations and prouinces were frée from his vsurpations neither did any bishops sweare fealty to the pope but now all this is quite changed and the pope claimeth a generall power to ordeine bishops ouer the world and maketh them r C. ego N. de iurtiurando sweare fealty vnto him as to their souereigne argument 98 In S. Cyprians and Augustines time the bishops of Afrike would suffer no appeales to be made to Rome now Bellar. disputeth that it is a point of the popes right to heare appeales out of all the world argument 99 Now also the papists make the pope supreme iudge in all causes and controuersies of faith but the ancient church nâ—uer imagined that such matters could be decided without a councell argument 100 The pope now Å¿ C. vnam extr de maior obed challengeth both swords but our Sauior Christ taught that his kingdome was not of this world and the apostle Paul said that the weapons of his warfare were not carnall The ancient bishops of Rome certes neuer vsed swords nor souldiers but sincerely taught the Gospel argument 101 Vntill Boniface the ninth his time the city of Rome was either vnder the emperors or vnder her owne magistrates as Å¿ Lib. 2. de schism Theodoric à Niem testifieth is it not then strange that the emperor will suffer his imperiall state and empire to be holden from him which is so lately vsurped and by fraud intercepted by the pope argument 102 It is not long since the pope began to weare a triple crown and to be borne on mens shoulders and to tread on princes necks and to make others to kisse his pantofle Let Robert Parsons shew that this was done before Gregory the seuenth and Celestine the third argument 103 Neither is it many hundred yéeres since the pope challenged annates and tooke money of archbishops for their palles argument 104 The popes prouisions reseruations translations and other extraordinary dispensations were vnheard of in the ancient church argument 105 Finally whether we respect the foundations of popish religion or the doctrine of the Law and Gospel or the doctrine and ceremonies concerning sacraments praiers and the worship of God or the gouernment and lawes of the popes chamber chancery and consistory we may boldly say that so much as we reiect in this church is nothing els but a packe of nouelties CHAP. III. That the papists are no true catholikes nor holde the catholike faith if they beleeue the popes decretals and his schoole diuinitie IF false teachers as they secretly broch erronious doctrine so would openly manifest their malicious and wicked natures we should not néed so watchfully to looke to their procéedings nor so earnestly to exhort all Christians to beware of their deceits and entisements but séeing like wolues in shéeps clothing they come abroad with the names of catholiks and catholike religion and abuse simple people I thinke it very necessary to take this maske from their false visages and to shew that they are woluish papists and not Christes shéepe or true catholiks the which that we may with all plainnesse and sincerity performe we will first declare what is meant by the catholike church which we professe in our Creed and next what is the catholike faith which euery Christian is to embrace and with all constancy to mainteine The catholike church therefore is the vniuersall societie of Gods saints and it comprehendeth all the faithfull from the beginning vnto the end of the world This catholike church saith S. a In Psal 56. Augustine is
spred thorowout the world and conteineth not only those that now liue but those also that are past and are yet to come The catholike faith is the faith of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which all true Christians both haue holden and do holde and shall holde to the worlds end In this catholike church saith b De haeres c. 3. Vincentius Lirinensis we are to hold that which alwaies hath beene beleeued of all Christians for that is truely and properly catholike he c De haeres c. 34. teacheth vs also that the property of catholiks is to keepe the doctrine committed to them and left with them by the ancient fathers and to auoid profane nouelties finally he determineth that those onely are truely and rightly called catholikes which onely beleeue and holde that which the catholike church in olde time did vniuersally holde Saint d De vera relig c. 5. Augustine doth take catholikes to be nothing els but Christians and true beleeuers which mainteine the sincere faith and follow that which is right Apud eos solos saith he quaerenda est religio qui Christiani catholici vel orthodoxi nominantur he doth also oppose catholikes against heretikes e Epist 81. ad monach palaest epist 95. Leo saith also that there is one true only perfect and inuiolable faith whereto nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken If then the papists be hereticks and no true beléeuers then are they no catholikes if they holde a faith grounded vpon priuate opinions of men and not alwaies nor vniuersally holden then doe they not holde the catholike faith but that they holde diuers heresies and false opinions shall be shewed in the chapter following that they hold many new points altogether vnknowen in ancient time and when the Gospel began first to be preached we haue alreadie proued and demonstrated in the last discourse f That papists hold points of doctrine not catholike It resteth then now that I héere declare that the papists mainteine diuers points of doctrine neuer generally holden of all Christians nor vniuersally taught in the church of Christ and that may appeare first by the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning the foundations of Christian religion next by the doctrine of that church that cōcerneth both the law and the Gospell thirdly by the faith of the Romish church concerning the sacraments fourthly by their faith concerning praier and the whole seruice of God fiftly by their doctrine concerning repentance ordination of ministers marriage almes and fasting and finally by their doctrine concerning the church and the gouernment of it argument 1 Concerning the foundations of religion they teach first that scriptures are an g Bellar. lib. 4. de ver◠Dei c. 12. vnperfect rule of faith as hath béene declared in the chapter going before and h Bish of Eureux some of them haue not feared to write books of the insufficiency of scriptures but the i 2. Tim. 3. apostle saith they are able to make the man of God perfect and wise to saluation and true catholikes alwaies held the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule both for faith and maners Saint k Lib. 2. de doct Chr. c. 9. Augustine saith that all things necessarily belonging to faith or maners are conteined in plaine places of scriptures argument 2 The papists will not allow the scriptures to conteine all that word of God which we are now to follow for albeit they do not in expresse termes say so much yet it is necessarily inferred of their doctrine where they l Bellar. de verb. Dei teach that we haue one word of God written and another vnwritten and m Sess 4. concil Trid. determine that we are with equall affection to embrace vnwritten traditions and the holy scriptures but the catholike church neuer taught that after the writings of the prophets and apostles once perfected and published we had a word of God vnwritten which is to be placed in equall ranke with the holy scriptures n Aduers gent. Athanasius saith that the holy and diuine scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in all trueth S. o In Mich. 1. Hierome calleth the scriptures the limits or bounds of the catholike church Non est egressa de finibus suis saith he id est de scripturis sanctis What saith p Regul 80. Basil is the propertie of a faithfull man forsooth to beleeue with certine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in scriptures and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any new thing vnto them Saint q Lib. de paradis c. 13. Ambrose saith we may no more adde to Gods commandements than take from them and S. r In Ioan. tractat Augustine electa sunt quae scriberentur quae saluti credentium sufficere videbantur that is those things are chosen out and thought fit to be written which séemed to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithful and albeit the fathers mention traditions which were sometime vnwritten yet if they were necessary they signifie that now they are written Si aut in euangelio praecipitur saith * In epist ad Pompeium Cyprian aut in apostolorum epistolis aut actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio he signifieth that no tradition is to be admitted vnlesse it be conteined in scriptures argument 3 The papists also teach that the pope and his Sée is the foundation of the church est Petri sedes saith ſ In praefat ante lib. de pontif Rom. Bellarmine lapis probatus angularis preciosus in fundamento fundatus these words also he applieth to the pope whom he calleth Christes vicar in another t Lib. 2. depont Rom. c. 31. place he calleth the Pope the foundation of the church and Sanders in his Rocke of the church disputeth that the pope is that rocke is not then the Romish church a weake building that in euery vacation is without foundation and relieth wholly vpon one man true Catholikes certes neuer applied the words of Isay ch 8 28. to the pope nor thought him to be an approoued stone or corner stone or a precious stone laid in the foundation of the church the u 1. Cor. 3. apostle teacheth vs that no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laid that is Christ Iesus and in another place he x Ephes 2. saith that the church and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone with him also consenteth all the company of true catholikes argument 4 Stapleton in plaine tearmes denieth the scriptures to be the foundation of his religion aliud hodie saith he y In praefat ante relect princip doctrin Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus and afterward ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud the same z In analysi ante
in England is nothing but a packe of impostures lies fables and superstitious toyes I shall haue occasion to declare at full in some other treatise But least any might thinke that I wronged the sée of Rome from whom all these abuses are deriued I would pray euerie man that hath skill and leysure with indifferencie to reade the Legends of the Romish Church the Rubtikes of the masse their rituall and ceremoniall bookes their treatises of the Popes authoritie the fabulous lies of Caesar Baronius that filthy lying Cardinall and such like testimonials as they prooue their religion by Now we will onely talke of the definition of a Romish Catholike that euery man may sée what a bare fellowe he is and how little religion and honesty he hath I say that Bellarmine teacheth that he is a good Romish Catholike and a true member of the Romish church that professeth the Romish faith and communicateth with the Romanistes in their sacraments and is obedient to the Pope yea although he haue neither inward faith nor charitie nor other inward vertue And thereupon I conclude that the Papists are like to the Eunomians that taught that so a man were of their religion it skilled not what sinnes he committed That Bellarmine so teacheth it is apparant by his words in his second chapter de ecclesia militanti Nostra sententia est saith he ecclesiam vnam esse non duas illam vnam veram coetum hominum eiusdem christianae fidei professione eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum sub regimine legitimorum pastorum ac praecipuè vnius Christi in terris vicarij Romani pontificis And afterward he saith Non putamus requiri vllam internam virtutem sed tantum externam professionem fidei sacramentorum communionem scilicet vt aliquis aliquo modo dici possit pars verae ecclesiae de qua scripturae loquuntur If then he be a good Romane catholike of whom the true definition of a Romane catholike may be affirmed then may all wicked and damnable heretikes be true Romish catholikes if they professe the Romish faith and communicate with the Romanists in sacraments and submit themselues to the Pope But saith Owlyglasse Bellarmine saith not that such as want inward verrues are good Catholikes but onely that they are true members of the Church As if the true members of Christs church were not good catholikes or as if he were not a good citizen of whom the definition of a citizen may truly be affirmed and as if he could not be a good and true pope that is no good man Of which point our aduersarie must beware least he touch too rudely the sores of his holy father and of a pope make no pope He saith further that this obiection of Eunomianisme is rather to be charged vpon Lutherans and Caluinists for so this papal swad doth call Christians and vpon M. Willet they giuing excessiue prerogatiues to faith and such as teach that a true faith cannot be lost But albeit he take his pleasure to rayle vpon me yet should he forbeare to wrong those that are either at rest or at the least neuer wronged him And in this place hauing his hands so full of me he might well haue spared to contend with others being no match for any To his charge I answere that Eunomius his heresies touch vs nothing For neither doe we déeme them good Christians as Eunomius did that haue no inward faith nor workes nor did Eunomius talke of the faith of Christ Iesus as we doe when we say the iust shall liue by faith but of his owne new deuised faith Owlyglasse therefore hath no reason for any thing done by me to crie out that Bellarmine is abused and his words falsified nor to charge vs with Eunomius his heresie But his consorts will and iustly may thinke him an idle fellow if he can no better either cleare himselfe or conuince others especially taking vpon him to doe both Sect. XIII Of second mariages and whether the Papists dislike them or no. THe last place out of which our aduersarie goeth about to fasten an imputation of falsification vpon me is for that I say that the Papists like to the Montanists dislike second mariages and denie to blesse them accounting these mariages not so holy a sacrament as the first And this he saith is a slander for that Papists doe not mislike second mariages But here as before oftentimes he forgetteth the subiect of his discourse for he should haue conuinced me of falsifications if he had remembred what he had in hand And yet in this place he doth not so much as touch any place by me alleadged or supposed to be falsified Onely to conuince himselfe of notorious ignorance he hath quoted a marginall note belonging not to this but to the next place as he might haue perceiued by the direction if hee had not béene blinde and hath set the same ouer against my words in this place as if I had proued my sayings of the Montanistes by Damascens chapter beginning Christianocategori in his booke de haeresibus such a learned aduersarie haue we to deale withall I answere further that I doe not slander the Papists as my aduersarie chargeth me when I say that they sauour of Montanisme in disliking second mariages for their counterfeit canons doe pronounce them punishable by excommunication that marie more then once De his qui frequenter vxores ducunt say they de his quae saepius nubunt 31. q 1. de hi◠tempus quidem poenitentiae his manifestum constitutum est And afterward Cum praecipiatur say they Ibidem secundis nuptijs poenitentiam tribuere quis erit presbyter qui propter conuiuium illis consentiat nuptijs It appeareth therefore that they enioyned penance for second mariages as for a grieuous crime and forbad the priest to be present at the feast of such maried folkes Beside that they doe not allow that a Priest shall blesse the second mariage nor doe they accompt the second mariage to be so holy a sacrament as the first Finally Syricius calleth maried folkes C. Plurimos dist 82. and defenders of priests mariages followers of lustes and teachers of vices sectatores libidinum C. proposuisti Ibidem praeceptores vitiorum And Innocentius as if they were vnholy and could not please God and were in the flesh excludeth maried folkes from the ministerie of the altar Which sheweth that they sauour of Montanisme if not worse But saith Owlyglasse if it be Montanisme to denie second mariages to be so holy a sacrament as the first what then be they that denie first and second mariages to be any sacrament at all But this is a balde kinde of disputing to propose a mans argument otherwise then he frameth it We doe not say they be Montanists in denying the second mariages to be a sacrament but that they sauour of Montanisme in disliking second mariages and preferring the first before the second Of which that is
obseruation againe desire me to procure him a free conference but what shall that néede when I yéeld him more then is desired Notwithstanding if he thinke to winne any thing at my hands by conference let him procure me first a frée conference at Paris and Salamanca and I doe promise to procure him a frée conference at Cambridge and Oxford In the meane while I pray him I prouoke him I by all means vrge him to answere in writing such lies as I auerre his consorts to haue made and to cleare the Church of Rome and her principall proctors of such notorious falsifications as I say they haue committed If he be not able as indéede I take him to be altogither vnsufficient let Robert Parsons Frier Garnet or the Archpriest answere and maintaine the quarrell which this idle compagnion hath begun And let them set their names to their writings and come foorth with bare faces that wee may know what they are we deale with and not as hitherto fight with N.D.E.O. and such like hollowe fellowes and meere shadowes If not let them assure themselues I wil by publike writing discouer such a packe of impostures lies falsifications villanies and treasons committed by Rob. Parsons and his consorts that they shall wish Owlyglasse hanged that first prouoked me and beganne this quarrell I will also make it knowne that they are so guiltie that they cannot answere His second obseruation is that no credit is to bee giuen vnto me concerning matter of fact because in matters of faith and learning as he saith I make no scruple to corrupt and vse broad falsification But his collection is so childish and foppish that his owne clients if they list may sée that he knoweth not what concerneth fact and what concerneth faith and learning that distingusheth learning from matter of fact as if no learning were required of Ro. Parsons to discusse matters of fact and would make fâ—ith and learning both one as if his consorts that take themselues to be learned were also faithfull christians and teacheth that the controuersie concerning falsifications and vntruthes obiected by him toucheth faith and not fact as if we did not as well contend about matter of fact as faith in this idle quarell begonne by our aduersarie and wherein the state of the mayne controuersie is whether I haue spoken vntruth or not and whether I haue falsified any authors alledged by me or not Secondly if no credit be giuen to those that tell lyes and falsifie authors as Owlyglasse affirmeth then by his sentence we are not to beléeue either the pope of RoÌ„e or his agents the most notorius lyers falsifirrs that euer the world sustained Againe if no credit be to be giueÌ„ vnto my discourse concerning the packing trechery of his consorts why doth he not answere me and conuince mee of vntruth And what reason hath he to desire his readers not to beleeue that which himselfe is not able to controule Is not such a bald compagnion ashamed to take to him as much authority as the Pope that all the generation of antichriste is to beleeue vpon his owne bare word Thirdly if all his idle obiectioÌ„s concerning pretended corruptions and falsifications he so cleared as that I looke for no more answere of so nastie a disputer as this Owlyglasse is then it can be no credit for him to cry so loud or to vse these odious and slaundrous termes of corruptions and falsificatioÌ„s but he ought rather to looke downe vpon his owne and his consorts filthy factes then to pinche at others meÌ„s faultes Fourthly if the papistes his clients be so cleare as he maketh them why doth he not answere for them playnly and honestly refuting euery point of my charge If they be guiltie why doth he not rayle a spirt at Rob. Parsons that so foolishly brought them forth to this triall and there left them to speake for themselues Fifthly if he list not to excuse any Papist for the cariage of his life as he confesseth what reason hath he to blame me if I vpon so iust occasions giuen me by that rinegat and false traytor Rob Parsons haue toulde them some parte of their faultes Sixtly if he will not haue my verdict admitted against his clients though conuinced by playne euidence witnesse he hath no reason to require that the verdict of Robert Parsons a most notorious and infamous libeller and a knowne and professed traytor and an infamous person conuicted by his owne wicked and treasonable writings and by the testimony of his owne consorts or the accusations of such libellers as Owlyglasse and such worthlesse and namelesse fellowes should be admitted or receiued Againe if he wil haue nothing to be affirmed without authenticall testimony proofe then must he and his malicious mates forbeare to send forth so many vaine and fabulous pamphlets 7. Further if hee charge me hereafter with wilfull and witting falsification as he sticketh not very boldly and often to doe then must he proue first falsification then this quality of wilfull knowledge wherof hytherto he hath done neither againe if I obiect that to him which he cannot deny then modesty would require that he should confesse shame force him not to defend any more matters knowne notoriously to be false 8. If hee take to himselfe and his consorts the name of Catholike Church and will néedes charge me with a setled malice and desperat resolution against the Catholike Church he must proue two thinges First that Popish religion is the ancient catholike religion and next that I oppugne the catholike faith Vnles he doe this his reader will take him for a lewd begging compagnion that taketh that for granted that is in controuersie and we must accompt him for a paltry fellowe that is not able to answere our arguments whereby we proue that Popish religion which we refuse is neither catholike nor ancient 9. If boldly and falsely he will denie that our faith hath had continuance and succession from Christs time and challeng both to himselfe he must then deny that the faith taught in the Apostles créede and established in the fowre first general counsels and contained and grounded vpon the holy canonicall scriptures hath alwayes continued since Christs time and hath had continuall succession vntill our dayes And to prooue the Popish faith he must shew that the Apostles taught and that the holy fathers beléeued First that Christ had a body inuisible and impalpable and that might be in heauen and earth and many distant places all at one time secondly that Christs body did not fill the place wherein it was 3. That accidentes may subsist without foundation or subiect 4 that préestes may celebrate masse without communion 5 that the préestes may take away the cuppe of the newe testament from Gods people 6 that christians are to worship the crosse and the sacrament with Latria or diuine worship 7 that the préest doth offer vp the true body and bloud of Christ to God the
committing a fault in the verse and marring the sence His reprochfull termes omitted and his small errors pardoned there is nothing in his pamphlet which I haue not answered and I hope in that sort that he shall not be able to take iust exception against any thing I haue said or done it may be that he will be offended for that not being able to speake by letters and finding his name to be E. O. I doe name the baby somtime detector or detractor somtime ectaticall owliglasse I haue great reason to doe it for I doe perceiue that he is a desciple of Robert Parsons who in his pamphlet of reasons for not going to church calleth himselfe Iohn Howlet what then can be more consonant then that his disciple that goeth about to imitate him in his pride railing and phrase of speech though very vnhandsomly should be called Owliglasse alias Howlyglasse and ectaticall that is leapt out of his wit into a little fit of foolery if he like not this name then let him set downe his owne name and for my part he shall not heare worse then his name vnlesse his faults deserue it Both this challenge and the answere to the detractors exceptions presuming vpon thy indifferency I recommend to thy reading much I will not request at thy hands and small fauours are easily granted Examine I pray thee both my answere and my aduersaries obiections and yeeld to neither side more then is prooued compare his great brags with his poore talent of writing and his scornefull termes with his slender matters and thou shalt easily perceiue that short answeres may serue such simple arguments it may be that thou and I differ in opinion yet neuer refuse to yeeld to trueth nor resolue to defend disloialty or errour I haue as thou maiest see dealt plainly and professe openly that I will not mainteine any error whereof I can be conuinced if the aduersarie would take the same course there might be an end of this contention Rob. Parsons beganne this quarrell albeit he hath first giuen it ouer the ground of his pleading standing principally vpon the title of ancient and catholike religion and the innocency of massing priests and friers and their consorts I gaue him a short issue in my former chalenge and offered to proue that popish religion established in the conuenticle of Trent and now receiued by the church of Rome is neither ancient catholicke nor true if they cannot proue themselues to be catholicks why doe they entitle themselues catholickes if their relsgion be new why doe they bragge of antiquity if they be haeretickes why are they not ashamed to take to themselues the praerogatiues of the true church if the Iebusites and rheir consorts be combined with forrein enimies what reason haue they to challenge the fauour due to subiects Vpon occasion of an ecstaticall fellowes importunity I doe renew the same challenge againe and by all meanes prouoke Robert Parsons to answere and because percase he is busie comploting of matters against his country at Rome I addresse it also to Frier Garnet and the archpriest Blackewell that are neerer at hand and not vnaquainted with the worthy volume of exceptions lately published against me If Parsons haue not laisure let one of them answere it is a shame to begin a quarrell and to giue it ouer first for one bout they haue no reason to refuse me if they pretend want of books and laisure they know Doway is not farre off They haue begon to crie out of falsifications and untruthes let them therefore make triall how they can answere for themselues Parsons was woont to be ready to plead for others now therefore he hath no reason but to plead for himselfe In time past he and that false traitor Allen filled mens eares with their clamours contra persequutores Anglos let them therefore defend their consorts that are preditores Angliae enimies to their country no man hath greater cause to defend traitors then traitors If they refuse to answere for themselues or to satisfie others I hope for modesty sake hereafter they will neither arrogate to themselues the title of the church nor the shelter of catholicke religion neither can they with honestie vant of antiquity or accuse true men of heresie whereof themselues are most guilty finally if shame restraine not their tongues yet feare of punnishment may keepe them in temper being declared to be professed enimies to their prince and country a packe of rinegned english cōspiring with the enimies of this state combined together for the ouerthrow of religion the realme If my aduersary and his consorts shall no way be able though otherwise willing inough to cleare themselues of most malitious libelling lying and forging I trust they wil hereafter spare me a plaine fellow and one that no way standeth in need of such poore shifts for the iustification of my cause And I doubt not but with shame inough they will for euer hereafter cease to make any challenge concerning lies and falsifications hauing so euill successe in this first incounter If I haue cleared this state from all imputation of iniustice in the proceeding against Iesuites seminary priests popish rebels and their adherents neither haue the magistrates reason to suffer Robert Parsons his libels to flie abroad to the slander of the state nor any good subiect to allow of his calumniations and most wicked libels If it doe clearely appeare that Robert Parsons and his trecherous consorts are linked and combined with foraine enemies and by no meanes will submit themselues to her Maiesties lawes and authoritie those that haue the custodie and execution of her lawes committed vnto them I doubt not will haue a watchfull eie ouer the proceedings of such slippery companions and with great constancie and resolution mainteine hir Maiesties authority and execute her lawes against such as wilfully impugne it the late edict published against this vermine doth shew that the state is not onely well acquainted with their leud practises but also resolute to punish such wicked practisers and plotters as hitherto haue abused her Maiesties great clemency toward them If it appere that the Iebusites and priests teach haeresie and lies it behooveth all true christians to auoid them Saint Iohn in his second epistle doth giue vs warning not to haue any familiaritie with them or so much as once to bidde them God speed the church c Apocal. 2. of Thyatira is reprooued for permitting a wicked false prophet to teach and seduce Gods people and our sauiour d Matth. 7. Christ giueth vs warning of false prophets that come vnto vs in sheepes clothing and inwardly are rauening woolues these false masse-priests deuoure many widdowes houses and abuse the simplicity of many yoong youthes to their vtter ruine and destruction and yet that is not the woorst for they do not onely ouerthrow their worldly states but also destroy their soules and lead them headlong into hell If the popes agents vnder
call Rome vnder the popes false and wicked Babylon Gia Roma saith he hor ' Babylonia fals'eria his opinion is likewise confirmed by the bishop of Salzburg Auentin lib. 7. Michael Cesenas Petrus Blesensis and others and so guilty are the Romanists in their owne conscience that either they can not endure the interpretation of the Reuelation of S. Iohn or els they giue out such vaine constructions of it as neither satisfie themselues nor others argument 63 The true church of Christ did neuer worship S. Peter nor the ancient bishops of Rome nor did S. Peter suffer himselfe to be worshipped or carried on mens shoulders or to haue his pantofle kissed but the Romish church doth worship the pope and call him a god on the earth and Christes vicar and the foundation and spouse and head of the church the bishop of Modrusa in the councell of Lateran cried out to Leo the tenth te beatissime Leo saluatorem expectauimus others beare him on their shoulders others crie out to the pope to haue mercy on them others leade his palfrey others kisse his féet argument 64 The true church did alwaies reuerently thinke of the holy mysteries of Christian religion and accordingly did she vse them it is a common saying that holy things are respectiuely and reuerently to be vsed But the Romish church neither thinketh nor beléeueth reuerently nor vseth the mysteries of Christian religion so respectiuely as the holinesse and grauity of such things require one pope cast the eucharist into the fire Hildebrandus saith x In vita Gragor 7. Beno sacramentum corporis Domini responsa diuina contra imperatorem quaerens iniecit igni Pius Quintus cast one Agnus Dei into the water of Tybre y In vita de Pio 5. and another into the fire Cresciuto il Teuere saith Hierome Catena Pio vi gittò vn ' agnus Dei il fuoco appreso in vna casa piena di fieno vi si gitto vn altero All papists for the most part affirme that if a dogge or hogge or mouse eat a consecrate host he eateth the body of Christ really and properly the conspirators that were suborned by Sixtus Quartus to kill Laurence and Iulian de Medici were commanded to do it in the church and at the instant of the eleuation of the sacrament Dato signo saith z Lib. Geograph 5. Volateran cum eucharistia tolleretur When the pope rideth abroad he sendeth his corpus Domini before with the baggage and with the basest seruants of his house as Mouluc in a treatise directed to the Quéene mother of France declareth finally albeit the papists teach that the crosse is to be worshipped with latria or diuine worship yet doe the popes make crosses on their slippers to shew what base reckoning they make of their religion argument 65 The church of Christ is a society of beléeuing and faithfull people and a communion of saints this is an article of our faith that is proued by the definition and nature of the church but the Romish church requireth in her followers no more to make them her true members but that they professe the Romish faith outwardly and communicate with the church in sacraments and be subiect to the pope vt aliquis aliquo modo dici possit pars verae ecclesiae de qua scripturae loquuntur non putamus requiri vllam internam virtutem saith a De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine so by his account the church may consist of hereticks and most wicked persons so they make an externall profession of Christianitie and holde with the pope but such can not be parts or members of Christes church without true faith and charity argument 66 b Matth. 18. Whosoeuer heareth not the church is to be accounted as a heathen man or publican but he that heareth not the church of Rome that excommunicateth Christian princes and stirreth vp subiects to rebellion and debaseth holy scriptures and setteth vp vncerteine and false traditions and mainteineth false doctrine idolatry and heresie is neither to be accounted a publican nor a heathen man but a true Christian and follower of Christ Iesus the papists will denie perhaps the church of Rome to be guilty of this crime but the wicked excommunications of Paul the third denounced against Henry the 8. K. of England of Pius 5. Sixtus Quintus against her Maiesty and of other popes against other princes and the stirres that haue ensued of them doe prooue them to be authors of rebellion the rest we haue already touched and shall more at large proue hereafter argument 67 c Lib. de notis ecclesiae Bellarmine confesseth and all papists agree with him first that the true church of Christ is the catholicke church and maintaineth catholicke doctrine 2. that the same is most ancient sine dubio saith he vera ecclesia antiquior est qùam falsa 3. that the same shall alwaies continue ecclesia dicitur catholica non solum quia semper fuit sed etiam quia semper erit saith Bellarmine 4. that it shall be enlarged to the endes of the earth ecclesia catholica saith he non solum debet amplecti omnia tempora sed etiam omnia loca omnes nationes omnia hominum genera 5. that it hath a succession of bishops certaine and continuall 6. that it consenteth with the apostolicke church in the doctrine of faith sexta nota saith Bellar. est conspiratio in doctrina cum ecclesia antiqua 7. that it be vnited to Christ Iesus and haue the partes vnited among themselues septima nota saith he est vnio mēbrorum inter se cum capite 8. they confesse also that the doctrine of the church is holy 9. that it is effectuall 10. that the authors of the docttrine of the church are holy ecclesia enim saith Bellar. habet doctores sanctos 11. that the same is adorned with miracles prophecie 12. that the aduersaries of the church confesse the doctrine thereof to be true and finally that such as haue fauored the church haue prosperous successe and such as disfauour it euill successe and vnhappie endes but the Romish church is neither called catholicke of all nor is it catholicke in respect of place or doctrine nor is the same ancient the doctrine of popery being not established but since the councell of Lateran vnder Innocent the third the first father of transubstantiation enacted for the most part by the conuenticles of Constance Florence Trent nor hath the Romish church any assurance that it shall alwaies continue seing the same dependeth on the Pope and his determinations in neither of which is there any certainty for the pope may be taken away as saith d De auserribilit papae Gerson and his decrées doe oftentimes alter e Epist 2. ad Bohemos Nicholas of Cusia saith that the scriptures are to be fitted to the time and that they are diuersly to be vnderstood and that God doth
alter his iudgement according to the iudgement of the church we sée also that the popes are still publishing decretales of faith and that one destroieth that which another buildeth and contrariwise 4. it were plaine impudency to affirme that the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning frée will and works sacraments and the popes authority and such like points was alwaies taught and receiued of all nations and in all places and that shall appeare by diuers perticulars where wée declare that the papists are no catholickes 5. that church hath no certaine nor continuall succession of bishops for neither doe the aduersaries know who succeded Peter nor what bishops from time to time succeded one another nor haue the popes bene true bishops a long time wanting due election and ordination and relinquishing vtterly the office of bishops to rule the temporall state of Rome nor can they deny but that the succession of that sée hath bene often interrupted by long vacations distraction by schisme intrusion of Dame Ioane into the popedome 6 we shall easily proue that the doctrine of that church agréeth not with the apostles doctrine for I doe not thinke that Bellar. can shew the decretales to consent with Paules epistles or to haue bene written with the same spirit 7. the papists haue not onely ouerthrowne Christs propheticall office in teaching new doctrine but also his regall and priestly function appointing a new gouernment neuer established by him and erecting a new priesthood and sacrifice contrary to Christes doctrine furthermore that church not onely hath bene oftentimes distracted by schisme but also is much distracted by contrary opinions of schoolemen monks and friers in euery point of doctrine as to goe no further appeareth both by Dionysus Carthusianus vpon the master of sentences Iosephus Angles his Flores doctorum and Bellarmines disputations wherein he alledgeth in euery point diuers opinions 8. their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy standing more on temporall iurisdiction then pointes of faith and establishing the blasphemies of the masse the idolatrous worship of saints departed and of images and the tyranny of the pope 9. the same doctrine is without effect being vpholden with lies fables fraud fire and sword and not being otherwise able to stand 10. Gregory the 9. was a most wicked ambitious man of Boniface the 8. it is said that he sought rather to rule by force then religion Clement the 5. was a notorious adulterer as f Villani Vrsperg stories write Iohn the 22. was an hereticke an ambitious man yet were these the principall authors of Romish doctrine for as for friers and monkes they might prate their pleasure but the chiefe authority to allow or disallow was in the pope 11. the reportes of Romish miracles and prophecies are nothing but lies and fables and stand onely vpon the report of their legendes 12. Bellarmine shall neuer prooue that any of vs haue confessed the doctrine of popery to be true finally it appeareth that the popes of Rome and their agents in most of their attempts haue had no good successe Charles the fift and his sonne Philip the greatest protectors of the popish cause died discontent to say no more Henry the third the principall agent in the massacre of France was killed by a frier The duke of Guise and other massacrers came to violent ends contrariwise it hath pleased God to maintaine true Christians against all the forces and ambuscadaes of their enimies by small meanes if then Bellarmine say true the Romish church will prooue no true church argument 68 The church of Rome is also conuinced not to be the true church by the confession of g Relect. doct princip contron 1. q. 5. Stapleton for if the true church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed ouer the whole earth and hath continued in all ages and hath a true and certeine succession continued from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and hath planted christian religion and preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intiere and also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound pure from corruption and finally holdeth the decrees of general councels as blundring h Princip doctrinal relectis Stapleton not onely confesseth but after his rude and most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to prooue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of Christ Iesus for to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirme that Rome now is like to old Rome Robert Parsous should do vs a speciall fauour to shew vnto vs that the glory and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth with his glorious cardinals masse priests mitred prelats idle monks lying friers and all the popes doctrine concerning the law faith sacraments ceremonies and other matters came from Hierusalem he may do well also to prooue that the latter scholastical decretaline doctrine which the church of Rome mainteineth was vniuersally receiued throughout the world nay that it was receiued in any part of the world during the apostles times or the times of the ancient fathers of the church as for the rocke of succession of popes vpon which our aduersaries build so large conclusions i Lib. de pontif Rom. de notis ecclesiae we haue shewed it to be nothing but a banke of sand for neuer shall the popes agents be able to shew the same to haue beene certeine or continued without interruptiō it is also apparent that popish doctrine is not onely diuers from Christs doctrine but also contrarie to the same and that there are infinit contradictions and contrarieties in the opinions of the chiefe patrons of popery albeit all dissent from Christ the head of the church the church of Rome hath also béene torne in pieces by diuers schismes further we shall héereafter shew that the later popes haue not planted but rather rooted out Christian religion out of diuers places and in the rest haue corrupted it with diuers nouelties and heresies finally the church of Rome hath not onely abrogated ancient canons and changed the ancient forme of church gouernment but also corrupted the rule of faith by adding of vnwritten traditions determinations of popes and their fancies to the canonicall scriptures the gates of hell therefore preuailing against the church and popes of Rome it is easily to be inferred that the same is not the true church argument 69 Héere we will also adde the testimony of Bristow a man as the aduersaries imagine well séene in motiues and markes of the church He k Bristowes motiues commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties heresies and
Onus eccles c. 22. bishop doeth compare to locustes issuing out of the bottomlesse pit of hell for that they corrupt religion as the other deuoured euery gréene thing illi mendicantes peruersi saith he designantur per locustas de puteo abyssi exeuntes quia ipsi sunt scurriles leues volatiles rodentes sacras literas virides paganicae philosophiae sequaces quasi equi currentes sic illi in vanam disputationem argument 89 True catholikes neuer thought that the pope had two swords knowing that Peters successors had keyes and not swords deliuered vnto them and well vnderstanding that their commission was to teach and administer sacraments and not to cut Christian mens throats but c C. vnam de maior ebed Boniface the 8. vpon pretence of these words ecce duo gladij hîc imagineth that the pope is to vse both the temporall and spirituall sword and the Iebusites stoutly defend his authoritie and with their two handed swords and gentle receits of their sophisticated drugs kill more honest men than honest men can easily conuert from superstition and impietie to Christ Iesus argument 90 Among Gregory the seuenths d Ioseph Vestan de oscul ped pontif dictates the 12. is that the pope hath power to depose the emperour the 8. that he may lawfully vse the ensignes of the emperour the 27. that he hath power to absolue subiects from their allegiance but S. Peter that was a farre better catholike than this Gregory called otherwise Hildebrand or rather Helfirebrand teacheth contrary doctrine and e 1. Petr. 2. willeth Christians to honor the king so likewise S. Paul exhorteth all sorts of men to be subiect to the higher powers finally the law of God bindeth so fast f Rom. 13. that no deuice of man can vntwist the bond of an oth taken to his prince as true catholikes euer beléeued argument 91 g Concil Nicen c. 5. Catholikes in time past did not permit one bishop to absolue him that was excommunicate by another but the pope of Rome absolueth now all at his pleasure by whomsoeuer they be excommunicated argument 92 The councell of h Can. 22. Mileuis in Afrike excommunicated all priests that appealed to Rome Ad transmarina qui putauerit appellandum say the fathers of that councel a nullo intra Africam in communionem suscipiatur but the pope and his adherents adiudge him worthy to be excommunicate that shall denie that it is lawfull to appeale to Rome let it then be iudged whether therein they deale as catholikes argument 93 Gregory the first doubted not to censure him as the forerunner of Antichrist that should call himselfe vniuersall bishop and this title he accounteth prophane and sacrilegious yet doth not the pope refuse this title neither doth i Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine mislike it argument 94 In the catholike church no man might be ordeined without a charge as appeareth by the acts of the councell of Chalcedon but now the popes without charge ordeine infinite monks and friers which are the moths that fret and consume Christian religion argument 95 Catholikes neuer vsed to kisse the popes pantofle nor to fall downe before him and to crie Miserere nostri are then the papists catholikes trow you or flanes and base fellowes that kisse the slipper of Antichrist and fall downe before him crying out Miserere to a most miserable mortall man argument 96 Ancient catholikes were not acquainted with the popes prouisions reseruations expectatiue fauors indulgencies iubileyes and such like tricks and hooks to ouerthrow order and enrich the pope neither would they haue liked any such Babylonish traffike if they had knowen it shamelesse therefore are they which take to themselues the titles of catholikes and yet either commit or allow these abuses argument 97 Ancient catholikes neuer knew the rates of the popes chancery for writs of iustice of benefices of pardons nor did they beléeue that the pope could pardon incests murders sacrilege Sodomy blasphemy and such horrible crimes those therefore that allow this sinfull traffike of popes and their courts they are neither good catholikes nor ciuill honest men argument 98 No catholike euer adhered to Antichrist or embraced his damnable doctrine but we haue k Lib. 5. de pontif Rom. shewed that the pope is Antichrist and that popery is nothing els but Antichristianisme and that by such arguments as for any thing yet answered séeme inuincible if then papists adhere to the pope they must leaue the name of catholikes which without all reason they haue vsurped and taken to themselues argument 99 Finally no catholike euer embraced any heresie or false doctrine for as S. l De vera relig c. 6. 7. Augustine teacheth vs catholikes are true Christians and embrace the right faith but the papists haue embraced and yet holde many both olde and new heresies and thereof popery séemeth to consist the which to be very true it shall appeare by the particulars discoursed in the chapter following CHAP. IIII. That papists doe mainteine many both olde and new heresies and erroneous points of doctrine contrary to the catholike faith LIttle reason haue the papists to charge others with heresie if they would narrowly looke into their owne opinions and heresies which are so many and so vgly we may therefore well say vnto them Pull out the beames out of your owne eies you hypocrites and then you shall more clearly see the motes that are in other mens eies so grosse are your errors and so foule that beames in mens eies séeme not more deformed argument 1 For first as the a Rom. 2. 3. Iewes and especially the scribes and Pharises rested in the law and gloried in their works b Luc. 18. and as the apostle declareth Rom. 2. and Galat. 3. sought to be instified by their works and by the law so the papists rest and relie much vpon the law not doubting but by obseruance thereof to enter into life and thereto they apply these words hoc fac viues they glory also in their works and if they said true that by the works of the law they were iustified they had reason so to doe for to him that worketh the reward is imputed not according to grace but according to debt as the c Rom. 4. apostle saith finally they séeke to be iustified formally by their works and by the law which they say is fulfilled by charity for that is the end of Bellarmines dispute of iustice of works and habituall iustice and so much doe they rely vpon their owne iustice that they d Concil Trid. sess 6. can 10. 11. exclude the iustice of Christ out of our iustification argument 2 Secondly the sect of the pharises was condemned for that they made void the law of God by there owne traditions reprobastis mandatum dei per seniorum vestrorum traditionem saith our e Marc. 7. sauiour speaking to the pharises they were likewise
there hath béene some difference betwéene priuat persons about ceremonies and gouernment and that without disagréement in religion yet now all that quarrell to the great griefe of Owlyglasse and his consorts is ended and all godly christians iointly concurre to the repressing of the seditious massepriests and their adherents that by faction and heresie seeke to vndermine both the Church and state In this obseruation he goeth about also to prooue that I doe not séeme to allow the doctrine established in this church of England But as in the rest so in this Owlyglasse doth but trifle I doe holde I confesse that baptisme is not so necessarie but that diuers may and haue beene saued without it especially where there is no contempt committed in procuring it Further I doe beléeue that it is vnlawfull for women to take vpon them to administer baptisme and doe aduise in case of extremitie all christians to procure the ministers presence Thirdly I doe vtterly condemne the doctrine of the papistes concerning their limbus patrum Fourthly I doe much mislike their superstitious stationary obambulations about the limits of parishes for the blessing of new corne and their superstitious letanies and ceremonies vsed in the fame Fiftly I deny that euer the catholike church had any precepts or canons to forbid mariages on such daies and in such sort and for such respects as the Romish Church doth practise Sixtly I doe beléeue that Luthers opinion absolutely considered in it selfe is not a fundamentall point of religion especially if we giue his wordes a fauourable construction Finally I accompt none to be true christians and professours that make no conscience of sinne and liue not according to their profession But what of all this doe I therefore teach contrarie to any point of doctrine maintained by the church of England so Owlyglasse my good friend would insinuate But his proofes are simple and his assertions most false He saith Page 111. that the Church of England teacheth that baptisme is necessarie to saluation But the booke which he alleadgeth out of which he cannot bring one word to prooue his saying doth conuince him both of lying and impudencie Secondly he affirmeth that to deny womens baptisme is contrarie to religion established But it is not contrarie to his religion to lie and face out lies most impudently Thirdly to prooue that our church beléeueth limbus patrum he should haue alleadged our confession and not a certaine verset of the créede in méeter Beside that in that verset nothing is said but that Christ illuminated those that sate in darknesse which is nothing to limbus patrum a place that cannot be illuminated as papistes holde Further that verset may be rather an exposition of the words of the song of Zacharie Luke 2. of the illumination of the ignorant and of the like wordes of the Prophet Esay chap. 9. then an assertion of limbus pactum Fourthly the papists in their perambulations of parishes vse to blesse or rather to exorcise corne and to say most wicked litanyes They vse also diuers superstitious ceremonies which vnlesse Owlyglasse prooue to be allowed by our Church he will prooue himselfe a cogging compagnion Fifthly he talketh of prohibitions of the solemnizations of mariages at certaine times but he alleadgeth neither lawe nor record to prooue that our Church alloweth either the doctrine or the ceremonies of the Romish congregation in this point And there whither he sendeth vs we finde nothing but the testimonie of an Almanacke Sixtly albeit the church of England doth not holde Luthers real presence of Christes body in the sacrament yet cannot the detractor shewe but that his opinion may be reconciled with the Christian faith if a man will not vrge those points that follow of that doctrine too seuerely and further percase then at the first Luther himselfe allowed them If a man doe gather what doth followe of it then is the doctrine dangerous as I and others confesse Finally he doth not so much as go about to shewe that I haue deliuered any thing contrary to the doctrine of our Church where I affirme that good life is as well required in a true professour as true faith Why then is this point touched in this place Doth it grieue him that I touch the filthy Sodomiticall priests and friers and shut that abhominable generation out of Gods church It séemeth so and therefore to requite me he saith that this doctrine may touch me for that I haue falsified and maliciously corrupted the fathers But if I haue cleared my selfe of all those matters that he hath laide to my charge I hope the vanitie of his collection will manifestly appeare to all indifferent men But hee poore ideot appeareth not but séeing the Romish Church and diuers of her principall pillers to be charged with notorious lies and falsifications passeth away in silence and is not able to answere one worde Nay hee leaueth his clients in the briers and signifieth for ought he can doe they must pleade for themselues Wherefore to leaue off further to vrge this distressed followe that is able to say nothing for the defence of them whom he doth principally fauour I may well conclude séeing the arguments which I brought in my Challenge stand immooueable and the detectors exceptions are prooued to be vaine and friuolous first that the Romish church is not the true Church of Christ Iesus Secondly that the religion of Papists is neither auncient nor catholike Thirdly that all papists maintaining the doctrine of the Pope and his adherents are heretikes Fourthly that such as embrace popish religion are idolaters Fifthly that all the Popes adherents and agents that haue suffered for his cause in England are to be reputed no better then disloyall traytors and not as some would haue it Martyres Finally that my aduersary by his friuolous obiections hath much confirmed and strengthened our cause against which he was not able to obiect any one thing of moment and iustified my allegations being not able to take any iust exception against any thing said by me nor to obiect any thing which is not fully answered CHAP. IIII. Of diuers falsities committed by the Popes and Church of Rome IF our aduersarie had well remembred his promise he ought not onely to haue conuinced me of vntruthes corruptions contradictions and falsifications according to the title of his pamphlet but also of maliciousnesse and wilfulnesse for so he vaunteth he will I challenge the challenger saith he of many malicious vntruthes Cap. 1. pag. 8. and many palpable and wilfull falsifications But when it commeth to performance of corruptions he saith nothing contradictions he toucheth slenderly vntruthes and falsifications he can by no meanes fasten vpon me The qualitie of maliciousnes and wilfulnesse being a matter purposed and fully promised he vtterly forgot In the rest how poorely he hath demeaned himselfe by my answere to his whole dispute it will appeare But suppose I had either mistaken a report misalleadged a place yet
if he had not wilfully shut his eies that the case is not like and the reasons he might have vnderstood if he had not bene sencelesse they being so plainly laid downe in my refutation of his father Robert parsons his calumnious relation sent vs from Rome very wisely of matters done in France Further he might well haue remembred if he had not bene forgetfull that I offred the papists more then was demanded for I did not onely promise to deale with Parsons or any of his consortes in any priuate conference but also in publicke writing which might not onely be viewed of all men but also remaine to posterity as a testimony against those that should be conuinced either of vntrueth or forgery and which being extant in print neither we nor our aduersaries should be able to alter or deny or misreport any thing that is written as is the ordinary course of Popish Parasits in such conferences and to shew that I meant to performe as much as I promised I began to obiect certain epistles and canons forged not by such base thred-bare companions as himselfe but by the popes and church of Rome I shewed also that they had falsified the scriptures and published infinit and montrous lies in their legends read publickly in the church finally I put Robert Parsons in minde of the notorious clipping and corrupting of fathers of late practised by the papists by their rubarbatif and expurgatorie indexes but he like a wise fellow kept himselfe close and would no more heare of the matter thinking it was better as the old prouerbe teacheth in this Carian to make triall of this hard aduenture and to c The proverbe In care periculum facito teacheth that in base fellowes it is best to trie dangerous experiments thrust this asse downe headlong from the rockes knowing well that if we should ouercome him or come to the taking of him up we should finde nothing but the carcase of a dead asse wherefore then is our adversary so desirous of a conference that doubteth to trie his manhood in iustifying his friends falshood and forgery concerning matters already laid to their charge d Protrusit asinum in rupes Horat. ep againe when he seeth our readines to answer why is he so slow to obiect Finally where he thinketh to triumpth most gloriously and to leade my brother Willet and me both captiues and fast chained at the taile of his chariot there he doth most pitifully disgrace himselfe and free vs and marre all that he medleth withall For first speaking of falsifications he compareth them to Christ and such mens incredulity as will not beleeue him he compareth to the incredulity of Thomas that would not beleeue Christes resurrection before he saw and felt manifest signes of it the sentences alledged out of fathers and other authors saith c Praes fol. 5. he be so mangled and maimed c. as no protestant I am sure will beleeue vntill feeling and seeing with Saint Thomas convince his incredulity is not this a braue gallant then trow you that compareth trueth to falshood the feeling of Christ to the feeling of falsifications Secondly where the maine controuersy betwixt me and Robert Parsons in my challenge is concerning the church of Rome and where this blinde baiard might see that I haue alledged diuers strong reasons to prooue that the congregation of Romanistes under the pope and cardinalls is not the true church of Christ there all this notwithstanding my adversarie smoothly dissembleth the matter and taketh that as granted which he poore fellow can neuer prooue and saith that my brother Willet d Fol. 1. praef and I imploy our forces in assaulting the impregnable sort of gods church and battring that rocke against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile as if the congregation of the malignant and wicked rable of antichrist could be the true church of Christ or as if the gates of hell had not long since prevailed against the pope and church of Rome our aduersary therefore taking this for granted that is the controuersy if without controversy I haue not demonstrated that the church of Rome is not the true church sheweth that he is pregnant with folly of which he will not be deliuered before he die that his face is as hard as the rocke of which he talketh Thirdly he calleth popish religion Catholicke and affirmeth f Fol. 2. praef it was planted here by Gregory the great who by succession receiued it from Peter c and that it was alwaies visible since Christ bearing still saile in the tempests of all persecutions but he should doe well to shew how true religion can be visible for our saviour Christ saith g Iohn 4. that true worshipers worship God in spirit and truth but spirituall worship and true internall deuotion is not so easily seene unlesse therefore our adversary suppose popish religion to consist in the popes mitre and in coules of monkes and such like externall matters he shal hardly proue religion to be visible Againe he doth greatly wrong the popish cause if he affirme popish religion to have bene planted here in England by Gregory and be not able to answer my challenge and to demonstrate those novelties and late receiued fancies which I have mentioned either to haue beene taught by Gregory or at the least by his disciples to haue beene planted here in England Furthermore seeing in my challenge I doe prooue that popish religion is not catholike and giue for iustification of that point notable instances such as our aduersary shall not be able to answer is it not notorious impudency to take this as a matter either prooued or confessed and slily to call haeresie catholike religion finally I must entreat some plaine dealing papist to admonish this detector or rather detractor of ours not to say that Gregory receiued the popish religion that now is mainteined by the pope of Rome and was first established in the conuenticle of Trent from Peter or that all that is taught in Gregories dialogues or epistles came from Peter or that the Romish church that now is visible in the pope cardinals monkes and swarmes of friers and in Romish ceremonies hath borne saile in the tempests of all persecutions for it is the pope and his bloody inquisitors that do persecute others and are not persecuted and if this be a quâ—…ty of the church to beare saile in tempests of persecutions certes the pope and his retinue cannot be the true church that for many hundred yeeres have lived in all pompe iolitie and pleasure but if the Romish church be so well able to beare saile in tempests it were much to be wished that the pope and his cardinals would saile to the Indiaes where we might heare no more of them and that they would take our aduersary with them who percase would prooue a better swabber then a disputer Fourthly In the beginning of his Praeface he saith he will present to his
laieth 7. principles or grounds of Christian doctrine ſ Lib. 1. doct◠princip c. 1. whereof the first concerneth the church of Rome the second concerneth the pope the third the meanes that the pope vseth in iudgement the fourth the popes infallible iudgement the fift his power in taxing the canon the sixt his certaine interpretation of scriptures the seuenth his power in deliuering doctrine not written Which principles are not onely new but the most rascall deuises that euer procéeded out of the mouth of a diuine or man of learning for among all these principles neither the scriptures nor ancient rules of faith are numbred nay in plaine termes he doubteth not to affirme that Christian religion is built vpon the popes authority in hac docentis hominis authoritate saith t In praefat ante relect princip doctrinal he in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentū necessario poni credimus but if this be the foundation of popish religion then before Stapletons time that religion had no foundation for no man euer heard of either such principles or such a foundation so laid argument 8 We finde that the religion of papists concerning the masse and transubstantiation and diuers other points of faith is founded vpon the decretales of popes but these decretales were not collected into forme nor established for law before Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. by whose authority as appeareth by the seuerall prefaces of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. and Iohn bishop of Rome that published the Clementines secondly it appeareth for that in all these bookes there is but very few constitutions of ancient bishops of Rome thirdly for that by the lawes of the Code and canons of councels it appeareth that the church for aboue a thousand yeares was gouerned by the lawes of Emperors and generall councels fourthly for that Aeneas Syluius confesseth that before the councell of Nice the church of Rome was not respected and finally for that he that maketh the collection of the Popes lawes and Bulles that were authenticall u In Bullari◠beginneth with Gregory the 7. that was a thousand yeares after Christ which he would not haue done if he could haue found any lawes more ancient than his Indéed I confesse that now and then our aduersaries produce the decretales of Clement Anacletus Euaristus and others but the matters conteined in those epistles and the stile doth so much differ from those times that euery modest and learned papist is ashamed to say these epistles were those whose names they cary argument 9 The power and authoritie likewise of popes in receiuing appeales granting rescripts aswell of fauor or iustice dispensing in cases reserued electing and translating of prelates and all other matters dependeth vpon the decretals of late popes and this appeareth not only by the decretals of Gregory the 9. Boniface the 8. Clement the 5. and Iohn the 22. but also by the rapsody of decrées which Surius collecteth in his first tome of councels for albeit he alledgeth the names of Anacletus Zepherinus Calixtus Fabianus and others yet they speake onely great words and vse generall termes for the particulars of the popes authoritie he can not alledge them albeit such counterfeit and rifferaffe stuffe would aduantage him nothing if they were truly alledged argument 10 The foundation of the ancient church is strong being built vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles our Sauiour Christ being the chiefe corner stone but the church of Romes foundation being laied on the pope and his decretales is weake and not durable Videtur nostra ecclesia saith x Lib. 5. de prouident Dei Saluianus ex vna scriptura foelicius-instituta aliae habent illam aut debilem aut conuulneratam habent veterem magistrorum traditionem corruptam per hoc traditionem potius quà m scripturam habent the foundation therefore of papisticall religion is both new and weake being grounded vpon men both subiect to errors and other grosse sinnes argument 11 Scriptures in the apostles times and long after were neuer forbidden to be translated into tongues that could not be vnderstood of the vulgar sort but now the papists suffer them not to be so translated y Index libr. prohib reg 4. that euery man may vse them Cum experimento manifestum sit z Ibidem say they si sacra biblia vulgari lingua passim sine discrimine permittantur plus inde ob hominum temeritatem detrimenti quam vtilitatis oriri they punish also both the bookesellers and the readers that haue vulgar bibles without licence albeit translated by themselues argument 12 In ancient time the gouernors of the church exhorted Christians to reade the scriptures our Sauior a Ioan. 5. Christ speaking to the people exhorted them to search the scriptures and the Beraeans were b Act. 17. commended for searching the scriptures S. Paul writing to the Colossians c Coloss 3. wished that the word of God might dwell in them plentifully in all wisdome the fathers also teach that the reading of Scriptures belonged also to lay men S. Hierome writing vpon the third chapter to the Colossians Hic ostenditur saith he verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter etiam laicos habere debere docere se inuicem monere and Chrysostome homil 9. in epist ad Coloss Attend saith he as many of you as are secular persons and gouerne wife and children how the apostle doth command you also to reade the scriptures aboue all and that not lightly and carelesly but with great diligence d In Isai homil 2. Origen finally wisheth that all Christians performed that which is written of searching the scriptures but the papists haue a contrary spirit speaking of the vulgar bibles translated by their owne side they say thus Qui absque tali facultate ea legere e Index libr. prohib reg 4. seu habere praesumpserit they punish also the booksellers f Ibidem that haue such books without licence argument 13 In the times of the ancient fathers we do not reade that any holy bishop condemned bibles translated into vulgar tongues or burnt them albeit some errors were conteined in the translations neither did they repute lay men to be heretikes and burne them because they read the scriptures in their mother tongue but now the papists burne the holy scriptures vpon pretence of errors which notwithstanding they are not able to proue to be errors they haue also burned Christians for reading scriptures as appeareth by the register of Bishop Longland in king Henry the 8. his daies g Index libr. prohib reg 4. and now they punish both such as reade bibles and such as sell them argument 14 The ancient fathers of the church beléeued the church to be catholike but our papists now beléeue no church but the Romane church and without the Romane church they will not
relect princip doctrin man intreating of the sure grounds and principles of Christian religion doeth leaue the scriptures quite out of the reckoning but Athanasius in Synopsi doth call the canonicall Scriptures the anchor and stay of our faith a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith that the apostles first preached and afterward deliuered the Gospell in Scriptures that they might be a foundation and pillar of our faith the church saith b Homil. 6. in Matth. Chrysostome is Hierusalem whose foundations are placed vpon the mountaines of the scriptures and with them doe consent all true catholikes condemning the error of the papists falsely called catholikes argument 5 The papists call the scriptures a killing letter as appeareth by the Remish annotations vpon the 3. chap. of the 2. epistle to the Corinthians as if God had deliuered his will in writing to the entent to kill them that read them they c Annot. Rhemens in Ioan. c. 5. slander them also as if they were darke and hard to be vnderstood finally they disgrace them d Ibidem in c. 4. Matth. saying that the diuell and heretikes alledge scriptures others call them a nose of waxe Inken diuinitie and matter of strife and contention and condemne the reading of scriptures as pernicious and hurtfull but true catholikes had alwaies a reuerent regard of holy scriptures as the grounds of faith and directions of holy life e Lib. 3. aduers hares c 2. Irenaeus saith that it is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them the papists therefore in this point are rather heretikes then catholikes argument 6 The papists among canonicall scriptures reckon the decretales of popes inter canonicas scripturas decretales epistòlae connumerantur saith the rubrike dist 19. c. in canonicis and this Gratian goeth about to prooue by a place of saint Augustine which he there falsifieth this also séemeth by Gregory the 13. to be approoued in his edition of the canon law neither doe I thinke that any papist will deny that the popes decretales in matters of faith are to be receiued of all men but ancient catholikes neuer had the decretals in this estimation nor thought them to be canonicall scriptures or grounds of faith or infallible as the papists call them nay Thomas Aquinas albeit no catholike f 2. 2. q. 1. art 1. confesseth that the ground of Christian faith is the first trueth or God himselfe and not onely Cyprian tooke exceptions against Cornelius Ireney against Victor the councell of Carthage against Sozimus but also diuers catholikes against the decretales of diuers popes argument 7 The conuenticle of g Sess 4. Trent vnto the canon of scriptures of the olde testament hath added not onely the books of Tobias Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and of the Machabeies but also such additions as are found in the olde latine translation albeit they be not found in the originall text and these they place in equall ranke and degrée with the books of the prophets and apostles which is contrary to the faith of the catholicke church as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in his preface to the prouerbs of Salomon in his epistle to Paulinus and in his generall prologue before the bible which he calleth prologum galeatum of Athanasius in synopsi of Epiphanius in his booke of waightes and measures of Melito of the councell of Laodicea can 59. of the canons of the apostles can 84. and diuers others neither is it materiall that Augustine lib. 2. de doctr christ c. 8. and a certaine councell of Carthage doe reckon the books of Tobias Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabeies among the canonicall scriptures for by canonicall scriptures they vnderstand such books as by order of the church were read publickely and commonly ioined together in one booke and were rather for some part a canon and rule of maners then of faith for that may be gathered out of the words of Saint Augustine and the councell that speake rather of the books as they were read then as they were authenticall Ruffine speaking of these books saith legi voluerunt in ecclesiis non tamen proferri ad authoritatem fidei ex his confirmandam Augustine also lib. de ciuit dei 18. c. 36. speaking properly of canonicall scriptures excludeth the books of the Machabeies though some churches receiue them for canonicall Athanasius in Synopsi accounteth the 3. and 4. of Esdras as canonicall as these books and Sixtus senensis doth not accounpt them equall to the rest of canonicall scriptures finally no one catholicke writer can be produced that alloweth the fragments and additions that in the olde latine interpreter are added to the originall text to be canonicall scripture are the papists then catholicks that haue no catholicke grounds of their faith argument 8 Papists allow no interpretations of scriptures against that sense which the church of Rome holdeth contra eum sensum h Concil Trid. sess 4. quem tenuit tenet sancta mater ecclesia but true catholicks neuer allowed such senses and interpretations as the church of Rome doth make as for example the church of Rome beléeueth that Christ when he said to Peter pasce oues meas gaue power to the pope to depose princes Againe where God saith to Hieremy chap. 1. ecce constitui te hodie super gentes regna Boniface the 8. concludeth that the pope hath power to iudge all earthly princes and these words ecce duo gladij hic he k C. vnam sanctam de maior obed expoundeth so as if the pope had two swords giuen to him the words deus fecit duo magna luminaria the pope interpreteth so as if the pope were meant by thy sonne and the emperor by the moone and as if the pope did so farre excell the emperor as the sonne is greater then the moone bibite ex hoc omnes they expound thus drinke not all of this and these words scrutamini scripturas they interpret as if lay men might not search the scriptures without license of the inquisitors infinit such like interpretations the church of Rome hath deuised but all contrary to the expositions of the fathers and the catholicke church argument 9 The conuenticle of Trent doth adiudge the old vulgar latin translation of the bible to be authenticall and preferreth it before the originall text but catholicks haue alwaies preferred the originall text before the latin translation Saint l In Epist ad Suniam Fretel ad Damasum Hierome saith that in the olde testament in matters of doubt concerning the translation we must haue recourse to the Hebrew as to the fountaine and in the new to the Greeke ad exemplaria Hebrea Graeca à latinis recurratur saith m Lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 10. Augustine Hilary also writing vpon the 118. psalme confesseth that the latin translation cannot satisfie the reader
the law the prophet also doeth shew that our righteousnesse is like a defiled cloth of an vncleane woman neither can this distinction of first and second iustice or that wicked doctrine that followeth of it be found in all the fathers argument 41 In the sacraments also most fouly they haue digressed from the catholicke saith y Apolog. ad Antonin Iustin Martyr where he hath occasion to describe the sacraments and rites of the first church doth onely mention two sacraments this number also may be prooued by the testimony of Ireney Dionysius Tertullian lib. 1. 4. contr Marcionem Ambroses books of sacraments Cyrilles catechisticall instructions and all the fathers that in no place mention 7. sacraments nor compare any rite or sacrament to baptisme and the Lords supper Pauca pro multis saith z Lib. 3. de doctr Christ c. 9. Augustine eademque factu facillima intellectu augustissima conseruatione castissima ipse dominus apostolica tradidit disciplina sicut est baptismi sacramentum celebratio corporis sanguinis domini and this may be proued also by the weake dispute of Bellarmine for his 7. sacraments who is not able to bring either good argument or testimony for his opinion argument 42 The councell of a Sess 6. c. 1. Trent doth anathematize all that hold that the 7. sacraments of the Romish church were not all instituted by Christ Iesus or that there are either more or lesse then iust 7 which doctrine if Robert Parsons can proue to be catholicke let him take a cardinals hat which he hath so long desired for his labour his friends doe much doubt of his good successe in this matter for they finde that matrimony was instituted in paradise and that repentance hath alwaies béene in the church priesthood was either established by the law of Moyses or else then by lawes and rites adorned confirmation and extreme vnction were neither instituted by Christ nor déemed necessary or ordinany rites by the church as the silence of fathers that speake of the sacraments of the church may teach vs. argument 43 In the sacrament of baptisme the papists vse exorcismes blowings salt spitle hallowed water anointings light and diuers ceremonies neither vsed by the apostles nor practised by the ancient church now in the b C. Benedict fontis missales they pray that the font may be sanctified and made fruitfull with the oile of saluation to those that shall be regenerate by it to life then the priest powreth in oile and chrisme in forme of the crosse they also sprincle all the assistants with holy water out of the font and none of all these ceremonies they c Sess 7. c. 13. concil Trid. say may be omitted without sinne if then Robert Parsons cannot proue these ceremonies to haue bene either ancient or generally vsed he cannot deny but the papists are no catholicks argument 44 They denounce them acursed that shall not hold baptisme to be necessary to saluation which curse and doctrine cannot be sound in ancient catholicke fathers nay we read in ancient writers that not the want but the contempt of baptisme condemneth and the d Bellar. lib. 1. de baptis c. 6. papists to mollifie this hard sentence haue found diuers meanes to supply baptisme argument 45 They dissolue mariage contracted by entring into monkish religion although both the parties consent not and after mariage consummated they holde that maried couples may depart asunder and that it shall not be lawfull for them afterward as man and wife to company together which doctrine is neither catholicke nor true for e Matth. 19. what man can seperate them whom God hath ioined together againe what reason haue maried couples kéeping asunder for exercise of deuotion not to come together againe séeing the apostle commandeth such to returne and cohabite together least Satan should tempt them Iterum f 1. Cor. 7. saith he reuertimini in idipsum ne tentet vos Satanas argument 46 They seperate also mariages for spirituall kinred and force priests monks and friers to forsweare mariage yet can they not shew that catholicke religion forbiddeth spirituall gossips to entermary nor that monkish vowes and abiurations of mariages haue bene allowed in the ancient church and by catholicke doctors nay where God g Leuit. 18. appointeth limits and degrées within which it is not lawfull to marry there is no signification that spirituall gossips are forbidden to entermarry and the apostle signifieth that mariage is honorable among all sorts of men and the bed of maried folks vndefiled happie were popish priests and votaries if they were able to say that their beds and bodies were vndefiled argument 47 They beléeue that penance standeth vpon contrition confession and satisfaction and that these thrée are the parts of it and yet themselues say that absolution is the forme of penance and that confession is not alwaies necessary the catholicke church certes did neuer thinke either auricular confession or publicke satisfaction inioined by priests to be required necessarily in repentance argument 48 They h Sess 14. concil Trid. pronounce him anathema that beléeueth not that penance is properly a sacrament of the new law or that denieth auricular confession in the priests eares to haue béene instituted by Christ in the new testament and yet are they not able to shew that any catholike father saith that our Sauiour Christ in the new testament did institute the act of repentance nor can they denie that the people of God vnder the law vsed to repent themselues of their sinnes nor can they shew any place where Christians were commanded to confesse their sinnes to the priest and were otherwise excluded from all hope of pardon nay they cannot shew that any was tied to confession in the Romish church before Innocents decretale beginning omnis vtriusque sexus de poenit remiss and in the Gréeke church there was neuer any such course established as for the power which monkes and friers claim in hearing of confessions that dependeth wholly vpon the popes grant beneuolence and authority argument 49 They i Concil Trid. sess 13. c. 1. teach that our Sauiour Christes body that was borne of the virgine Mary and crucified on the crosse is properly and substantially present vnder the accidents of bread and likewise that his blood is conteined really and properly vnder the accidents of wine as may be séene in the acts of the conuenticle of Trent but true catholikes beléeue that his body is k Mâ—… vlt. act 1. taken vp into heauen and that concerning his bodily presence he hath left the earth and that his blood is in the veines of his body and not properly shedde foorth in the chalice further they know that when we are commanded to eat Christes flesh and to drinke his blood we are to vnderstand it and to doe it spiritually and not carnally as doe the Canibales and that Christ when he said this is my
coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale detisque Benedict the 9. sold his popedome for a great summe of mony and al the world knoweth that without simoniacall compacts no man can enter into that seat they sell mens sinnes and for money they offer to sell heauen the priests sell masses as deare as they can albeit such marchandise be now decried and of little woorth for which cause Brigit inueigheth bitterly against them and saith they are woorse then Iudas deteriores sunt Iuda saith u Brigit 132. onus ecclesae 23. Christ in Brigits reuelations qui pro solis denariis me vendidit illi autem pro omni mercimonio so it séemeth that these are the merchants of which mention is made Apocalyps 18. which sell mens soules beside that the canonists dispute that it is lawfull for the pope to buy and sell benefices palles and mitres and Bellarmine with all his skill mainteineth the sale of Iubileies and other indulgences of Simon Magus also x De haeres c. 1. Augustine affirmeth quod docebat detestandam turpitudinem indifferenter vtendi foeminis quod imagines suam Helenes praebebat discipulis suis adorandas that is he taught it was no sinne to vse women without making difference betwixt wife concubine and whoore for that is the signification of the word indifferenter and gaue his owne image the image of his leman Selena to be worshipped of his disciples finally he carried a concubine about with him called Selena let it therefore be iudged with indifferency whether the papists haue not some touch of these hereticall tricks who in Rome and all great cities almost mainteine common bordels and y They put adultery and fornication in the ranke of lesser crimes c. at siclerici de iudicijs account lechery a small sinne whose priests commonly kéepe concubines and finally which worship the images of diuers lecherous priests and their whoores canonised by the pope for saints as Dunstane and Alfgina Bernac and his leman and many others and albeit we are not able to say much for the honesty of Francis and Clare yet it is apparent that the papists worship their images so it appeareth that the first foundation of the worship of images was laied either by Simon Magus or by Carpocrates and Marcellina and other heretikes of Simon Magus also it may be they borrow their exorcisations for they are rather magicall than Christian like as appeareth by them as they are set downe in Hierome Menghus a disciple as it séemeth of Simon Magus argument 7 The Basilidians were reputed heretikes for that they worshipped images and vsed enchantments and superstitious adiurations for that is prooued by the testimony of z Lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 23. Irenaeus how then can the papists wipe away the blot of heresie that not onely priuately worship images but also fill euery corner of their churches full of them and like the statues of Mercury set them vp in high waies they doe also coniure and enchant water saying exorcizo te creatura aquae and salt saying exorcizo te creatura salis as if the creatures were possessed or corrupted by diuels likewise they coniure and enchant candles hearbes and make exorcistes and coniurers a holie order and that order a sacrament of the church argument 8 a Irenâ—y lib. 1. c. 24. Carpocrates vsed to worship images and Marcellina one of his followers adored the images of Iesu and Paule and burnt incense vnto them Colebat saith b De bares c. 7. Augustine imagines Iesu Pauli Homeri Pythagorae adorando incensumque ponendo if then this were heresie in them why should it not be heresie in papists to worship the image of Iesu with diuine worship and to burne incense not onely before the images of Iesu and Paule but also before other petie saints and percase no saints if the image of Christ Iesu and Paule might not be adored how come the images of Christopher and saint Catherine that neuer were in the world of George that was an heretike and Thomas Becket and Campian that were traitors to be adored and honored with light and incense argument 9 The Carpocratians and Basilidians did conceale and hide the mysteries of their religion least holy things should be cast to dogges as may appeare partly by the testimony of Irenaeus aduersus haeres lib. 1. c. 23. and Epiphanius intreating of the 24. and 27. heresie and what doe the papists doe not they reherse the words of the canon so that no man can heare and doe they not keepe the mysteries of their religion secret when they c Nauarri enthirid Alagona teach that it is mortall sinne for lay men to dispute of matters of faith and reade scriptures and the publike liturgy in tongues not vnderstood of the hearers finally haue not diuers of them alledged that the reason why scriptures are not translated into vulgar tongues nor in that tongue read publikly is because holy things are not to be cast to dogs argument 10 The Marcosians did baptise in an vnknowen language and anoint those whom they baptised with chrisme or opobalsamum that is testified by Epiphanius haeres 34. this by Irenaeus aduers haeres lib. 1. c. 18. they did also anoint their dead and giue them extreme vnction Marcus their founder went about to make his followers beleeue that he did transubstantiate wine into blood in the sacrament In that which he calleth the eucharist saith d Haeres 34. Epiphanius they say that the rednesse viz. of the wine is changed straightwaies into blood The followers of Marcus accounted themselues perfect but as e Lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 15. Irenaeus saith perfectus nemo nisi qui maxima mendacia apud eos fructificauerit Finally they alledge a multitude of apocryphall writings forged by themselues as Ireney testifieth of them lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 18. all which points of heresie the papists séeme to haue translated into their religion for first they baptize in a language not vnderstood of the multitude next they vse greasing and anointing in baptisme and confirmation thirdly they grease their disciples when they lie on dying fourthly they beléeue that wine in the Lords cup by certeine words of consecration is transubstantiate into blood fitly their orders of religion doe account themselues to be in state of perfection but the most perfect of them which are emploied by the pope in defence of the popish faction and religion do fructifie plenteously in telling of greatest lies as we shall in his place exemplifie by Bellarmine a cardinall and Robert Parsons in hope and desire a cardinall and a most famous forger of lies his putatiue father father Coobucke they say could not with more art forge a horseshoo than he can forge a lie Finally for proofe of their traditions and doctrine they haue forged diuers decretale epistles and counterfeit canons and haue written diuers lying legends Parsons to trouble
the state vnder the name of Dolman hath forged a booke of forged titles to the crowne and Baronius for a cardinals hat hath béene hired with apocryphall trash raked out of euery blinde corner and oft times most impudently forged to corrupt the history of the church argument 11 The Nazarites were condemned for hereticks first for that they mingled Iewish ceremonies with Christian religion and next for that they boasted much of their reuelations and miracles as is testified by Augustine de haeres c. 9. and partly by Epiphanius in haeres 29. The like sentence therefore is to be pronounced against the papists which f Missal Rom. consecrate euery yéere a Paschal lambe after a Iewish fashion and obserue a certeine forme of Iubiley and haue translated the priests apparel and diuers ceremonies from the Iewes as appeareth by Durand and those that write of their ceremonies Innocentius the third by a solemne decretale determineth that what is conteined in Deuteronomy is now to be obserued in the new testament cum Deuteronomium saith g C. per venerabilem qui filij sint legitimi he secunda lex interpretetur ex vi vocabuli comprobatur vt quod ibi decernitur in nouo testamento debeat obseruari but Deuteronomy conteineth an epitome of Moyses his law finally they bragge much of their reuelations and miracles and h Bellar. de notis eccles make them a marke of the church argument 12 The Heracleonites did anoint their followers departing out of this life and gaue them a kinde of extreme vnction Feruntur saith S. i De haeresib c. 16. Epiph. haeres 36. Augustine suos morientes nouo modo quasi redimere id est per oleum balsamum aquam inuocationes quas Hebraicis verbis dicunt super capita eorum and these their anointings and praiers they thought to be grounded vpon the place out of the fift of S. Iames commonly alledged to this purpose all which notwithstanding they are numbred among hereticks it séemeth therefore that the papists haue borowed their extreme vnction their dirges and masses for the dead from hereticks and I am the rather confirmed in this opinion for that the praier for the dead that is now in the canon is not found in the olde ordinall of the church of Rome neither did ancient Christians anoint those parts and senses that the papists do finally they did anoint the sicke while the gifts of healing continued in the church and to the intent that the parties grieued might recouer their health which circumstances do now faile in our aduersaries cause argument 13 The followers of Helzai and hereticks called Osseni as k Haeres 19. ante Christ Epiphanius reporteth did vse to swere by salt and bread and other creatures they worshipped also the spittle and reliques of two of their saints l Ibidem thirdly Helzai taught his disciples to pray in a tongue not vnderstood by them nemo quaerat interpretationem saith he sed solùm haec dicat then he added a praier in a strange tongue Do we then thinke that it is catholike religion in papists to sweare by bread and salt and by creatures and are they good Christians that worship the reliques of saints and reserue their ashes and reliques in their altars pray in a tongue not vnderstood of them which pray and say it is not materiall although a man vnderstand not the interpretation of the words argument 14 m Damascen de haeresib Marcion gaue women power to baptize and albeit he had corrupted and abused a maiden yet was he not ashamed to extoll virginitie à Marcione saith Epiphanius n Haeres 42. virginitas praedicatur Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 30. saith that he and Saturninus began to teach abstinence from liuing creatures he did also o Epiphan haeres 42. teach that by Christes descending into hell diuers mens soules were thence deliuered and separated mariages vnder pretence of religion of which heresies p Tertull. aduers Marcion the papists sauour very strongly for first they authorize women to q C. adijcimus 16. q. 1. c. mulier de consecrat dist 4. baptize as did the Marcionistes secondly they extoll virginitie and fasting highly and make both a meanes of great merit and yet obserue neither virginitie nor fasting for their priests kéepe commonly harlots if no woorse the nunnes albeit mured vp yet prooue oftentimes very frutefull thirdly they imagine that flesh is not so holy meat as fish and beléeue that he that filleth himselfe with fish and other dainties doeth fast where he that eateth a bit of flesh fasteth not fourthly they separate mariages vpon pretence of monkish religion and hold that parties so separated may not againe cohabite together without sinne and that contrary to the apostles commandement 1. Cor. 7. lastly they teach that the patriarks before Christs time were deliuered by Christs descension into hell out of that place which they call limbum patrum or receptacle of the fathers soules argument 15 The Messalians beléeued that baptisme was onely auaileable to cut away former sinnes so likewise the papists beléeue that baptisme doeth onely purge and respect sinnes past and that sinnes committed after baptisme are to be done away by penance against them both Theodoret r De diuin decret c. de baptism teacheth that baptisme is the earnest of future graces and the communication of Christ his passion againe he saith non vt dicunt amentes Messaliani baptismus nouaculam imitatur quae praecesserunt peccata auferens hoc enim ex superabundanti largitur likewise the Messalians did mumble ouer their praiers with their lips hauing their heart otherwhere and beléeued they were heard for their much babling which custome blinde papists doe so well like that they rehearse infinit auemariaes pater nostres and creedes liking that babling religion which mumbleth vp her praiers on a string of beades ſ Mantuan Alph. lib. 4. Quae filo insertis numerat sua murmura baccis and pattreth praiers like an ape clattring with his chappes the pope also giueth great indulgences to those that say the ladies Rosary and pray vpon their beads albeit the poore soules vnderstande nothing of that they praie or rather pratle argument 16 The Caians were reputed heretikes for worshipping angels and praying to them vnusquisque eorum saith t Heres 38. Epiphanius vniuscuiusque angeli nomen inuocat for the same cause also the u Epiphan de angelicis Augustin de haeres c. 39. Isid lib. 8. orig Angelickes were condemned both by the writings of fathers and acts of councels non oportet Christianos say the * C. 35. fathers assembled in the councell of Laodicea derelicta ecclesia abire ad angelos idololatriae abominandae congregationes facere what then are we to thinke of papists that pray to angels and say masses in honour of them and serue them deuoutly as their protectors to auoid this blemish
monkes and nunnes among heretikes that méeting together vsed to skip and dance also together as they thought to the praise of God yet doe not the popish sort leaue their piping and dancing processions nor doe priests monkes and nunnes cease to celebrate their comedicall dancing masses skipping and hopping about the alter like apes that are taught to skippe and to leape for their masters best aduantage argument 45 Gnosimachi were certaine heretiks that held an opinioÌ„ that vulgar Christians were not to study the scriptures omni Christianorum congnitioni ac scientiae ita aduersantur z Ibidem c. gnosimachi saith Damascene vt vanum minus necessarium laborem esse dicant eorum qui in diuinis scripturis aliquam exquÃrunt scientiam neque enim deum aliud à Christiano postulare quam bonas praeclarasque actiones Itaque aliquem simplici rudique animo institutum suum persequi melius est vt aiunt quam multam curam in cognoscendis decretis sententijs ponere and like to these hereticks are the papists for they holde it to be mortall sinne for lay men to dispute vpon matters of faith as Nauarrns in his enchiridion declareth they suppose also that the coliars faith is sufficient albeit he knoweth nothing but being demanded a reason of his faith answereth that he beleeueth as the church beleeueth a De legit iudicibus lib. 1. Hosius writing against Brentius doth greatly commend ignorance and doth greatly allow this saying thy faith hath saued thee and not the exercise of scriptures b Lib. 3. de authorit scripturae he saith also that nothing is more pernitious then with scriptures to enter into a combat with Satan generally they allow an implicit faith in the rude sort and dehort them from knowledge of scriptures which is the flat heresie of the Gnosimachians argument 46 The c Damascene de haeres 6. Ethnophronians were by the church condemned for obseruing diuers heathenish customes holidaies which notwithstanding pope Boniface the 8. instituted the Iubiley euery hundred yeares in imitation of certaine plaies or games called Ludi seculares the papists also haue their expiations and lustrations with holy water like to the gentles they kéepe their carneual as the Romans kept their lupercalia running disguised vp and downe the stréets they canonize saints as the heathen did canonize their benefactors for gods and like as they burned incense to their idols so papists burne incense to their idols neither doe they regard that such as offered incense to dumbe idols in the primitiue church were condemned as idolaters as appeareth by diuers censures of Cyprian and others contra thurificantes that is against those that burned incense before idols they doe likewise offer sacrifices or inferias for the soules of the departed as did the Gentiles finally they vse lots and coniurations and lash themselues before their images and haue diuers other tricks of gentilisme argument 47 As the Montanists so likewise doe papists mislike second mariages denying to blesse them and not accounting those mariages so holy a sacrament as the first nay they séeme to goe yet farther to enioine pennance for 2. mariages d 31. q. 1. de his qui. concil Neocaesar they decrée presbyteruÌ„ conuiuio secundarum nuptiarum interesse non debere maximè cum praecipiatur secundis nuptijs poenitentiam tribuere quis ergo erit presbiter qui propter conuiuium illis consentiat nuptijs it appeareth therefore that they would not haue priests to allow second mariages or to blesse them or to be present at them argument 48 e De haeres c. Christiano-categori Damascene also accounteth them hereticks that worshipped the images of our sauiour of the blessed virgine and the saints as the gentiles did their gods which is iust the case of papists for both of them bow vnto them pray before them burne incense to them offer sacrifice in honor of them and yet both of them deny that they worship stocks or stones and say that they worship only the things represented by them as f Lib. 2. diuin instit c. 2. Lactantius testifieth of the Gentiles and is very often repeated by papists argument 49 The papists doe likewise in diuers conditions and qualities resemble the olde hereticks and false teachers of which the apostles and ancient fathers make mention the g Rom. 16. apostle when he had warned the Romans to beware of those that caused diuisions and scandals he addeth also against that doctrine which they had receiued In the first epistle to Timothy chap. 6. he sheweth that hereticks had a fashion to teach other doctrine and not to rest in the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ The apostle h 2. Pet. 2. Peter saith that there shall rise vp false teachers which shall priuily bring in heresies and damnable sects i De praescript aduers haeret Tertullian doth oppose hereticks to the apostles and their doctrine to apostolicall doctrine vnde extranei inimici apostolis haeretici saith he nisi ex diuersitate doctrinae quam vnusquisque de suo arbitrio aduersus apostolos aut protulit aut recepit If then the schoolemen and doctors of the popish synagogue haue caused a great diuision from the apostolicke and ancient church and haue taught doctrine diuers from that of Iesus Christ and if they rest not in the holsome words of Christ Iesus but make humane traditions equall to the word of God if they haue troubled and corrupted the déepest and highest mysteries of Christian religion by their late inuentions and haue digressed from the doctrine of the apostles and refuse to be tried by the writings of the prophets and apostles then are they cléerely prooued to be false teachers and heretikes that they are departed from the doctrine of the apostles and haue brought in diuers heresies and sects and new doctrines which by no meanes are to be reputed catholike it may be proued by this whole discourse It is made euident also by the grounds of popish religion by the popes decretales by the schoole diuinitie by the lying and fabulous legends of the Romish church by the doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent by the manifold corruptions of the masse by the idolatrous worship not onely of saints but also of stocks stones rotten bones and ragges by their rebellion against princes and by the tyranny of the pope and finally by the Iebusites new doctrine concerning these points nay if they teach doctrine contrary to scriptures and to the apostles by their owne confession they will be proued heretikes Haeresis saith k Lib. 2. part 1. Occham est dogma falsum fidei contrarium orthodoxae l Apud Matt. Paris in Henric 3. Robert Grosthed saith that heresie is an opinion chosen of humane vnderstanding contrary to scripture and either openly taught or defended m Apud Dionys Carthus in 3. sent dist 31. Durand signifieth that heresie is onely an opinion contrary
the images of our lady of Loreto of the crosse and such like If they say that the image of Christ is to be worshipped with the honour due to Christ improperly as Bellarmine teacheth lib. 2. de imaginib c. 23. It may be replied that the Gentiles were neuer so stupid as to say that properly as much honor is due to the image as to the originall Finally if you méet with any of Bellarmines opinion lib. de imaginibus c. 6. that thought Xenaias to be the first that found fault with the worship of images you may boldely reproue him by the testimony of Lactantius Hierome Epiphanius Augustine and other fathers before cited Vnlesse therefore Robert Parsons and his consorts can well answere our arguments and fortifie their owne simple excuses shifts and distinctions it will appeare both by testimony of scriptures and fathers and also by diuers good arguments that the papists are idolaters nay it will appeare they can no better answere for themselues then the heathen idolaters in ancient time is it not then maruell that such grosse idolatry should créepe in among Christians it is so certes but much more is it to be maruelled that so grosse an abuse being detected should either be defended or tolerated CHAP. VI. That such papists as within the compasse of her maiesties reigne haue bene executed to death haue died for treason and other capitall crimes and not for religion and therefore are to be detested as malefactors and not honored as martyrs HItherto we haue discoursed of matters of religion and I hope so as it may appeare to euery man not altogether either irreligious or possessed with preiudice that the papists are neither true catholicks nor good Christians I haue therein also discouered not only the vanity of Parsons his pleading in his Ward-word that taketh that as granted which is the principall question but also the simplicity of this wooden Oulyglasses dealing that not daring to answere our arguments doth notwithstanding still in his exceptions vsurpe the name of Catholicks Catholicke religion as due to himselfe and his consorts being nothing lesse then either catholicke or Christian now therefore to fill vp this discourse it followeth that we consider a litle the ouâ—ward ciuill cariage of this faction and what we are to thinke either of those that heretofore haue broken their necks in the Popes seruice or else yet continue well affected toward his cause and generally what all true subiects are to looke for either at their hands or the hands of their partakers and adherents and this for that Robert Parsons in the first chapter or incounter of his Ward-word doubteth not most impudently to affirme that many honorable and worshipfull gentlemen haue indured continuall and intolerable affliction for perseuering in their fathers faith and that aboue a hundred priests haue bene tortured hanged and quartered for the same cause the same man also in the conclusion of his encounters doth insinuat that albeit they were charged with treason yet they died as martyrs Allen likewise that perfidious traitor to his prince and country in his a Ad pâ—rsequutores Anglos treatise against the execution of iustice doone vpon diuers priests and friers and their adherents taken in notorious treasons doth exclaime against the state and charge our gouernors with persecution iniustice tyranny and extreme cruelty as for his clients he beareth vs in hand that they were cleare of treason and without all iust cause died for matter of religion and conscience onely and not for treason or practises against the state and concludeth that therefore they are to be esteemed as holy martyrs and not as leud traitors the detector also in his disiointed exceptions is talking of crosses and persecutions where he and most of his consorts liue at ease and in all security in good houses and haue laisure to write and opportunity to print such pamphlets and idle toies as that which he hath of late published argument 1 First then I say that albeit late lawes gaue occasion to detect the Popes agents that of late haue bene executed to death in England yet they deserued death as offending in cases of treason both so adiudged by the ancient lawes of this land and also for the most part by the lawes of all nations for first it is treason to stirre vp forrain enemies against the prince or state the statute of 25. Edward the 3. c. 2. doth so account it condemning all of treason that shall goe about to leuy warre against the kings and queenes of this land Likewise it was adiudged by the Romane lawes Maiestatis crimine tenetur saith Vlpian ad legem Iuliam maiest l. 1. cujus opera consilio dolo malo consilium initum fuerit c. quo quis contra remp arma ferat The same course is now taken in Spaine with such as attempt to leuie warre against the king either within or without the realme as is apparent by the booke called El fuero real Tit. de la guarda del rey those also that counsell or abet such as attempt any such matter are by that law condemned as traitors Neither is the practise of France diuers from other nations in this point Finally no Romane may so much as once attempt to raise warre against the pope albeit he hold nothing but by vsurpation but the popes sergeants and officers seize vpon him as a traitor neither will any pretence or allegation of conscience serue to excuse his treason or to exempt him from punishment But such agents of the pope as haue beene executed hitherto in England for his cause either haue themselues béene persuaders of the pope and Spanish king and others to make warre vpon her Maiesty and their countrey or els haue ioined with Englefield Allen Parsons Holt Owen Morgan and other principall moouers and stirrers for an inuasion and were directed by them and sent into England and other places for that purpose and this may be proued first by the Bull of Pius Quintus procured at the instance of diuers English fugitiues and by them sent abroad into England and sent into the king of Spaines countrey as a motiue for him to inuade England and as it were a trumpet that sounded fire and sword against vs. secondly all the practises and exercises of the seditious seminaries in the Low-countreys Spaine and Rome haue tended to the stirring vp of forren nations against vs as is confessed by diuers priests and testified by scholars and may be prooued by some notes of their exercises which we haue to shew Thirdly Sixtus Quintus anno 1588. in his sentence declaratory or rather declamatory against the Quéene doeth say that at the earnest solicitation of certeine principall English men which he calleth catholikes he had proceeded against her Maiesty and had enioyned the Spanish king to execute his Bull of excommunication and deposition against her and to come with great forces against England fourthly Allen in his traitorous letters to the nobility
sinne our aduersarie therefore hath no reason in this place to call me a notable falsifier But euery indifferent man may sée that it standeth him vpon to cleare himselfe of Pelagianisme he must also vnderstand Saint Augustine better before he dispute of his doctrine of freewill which is so repugnant to schoole diuinity as nothing more Thomas Brandwardine doubted not to charge the schoolemen with flat Pelagianisme In lib. de gratia libero arbitrio Sect. X. Of the subiection of sinne to our will IN my challenge pag. 59 I alleadge these words of the Pelagians that we haue freewill strong and firme not to sinne And this I confirme by Saint Augustine who ascribeth these words to the Pelagians But my aduersarie being but a nouice in Saint Augustines writings was not able to find them and finding them not or not well discerning them sée I pray you how rudely hée commeth vpon me False it is saith he that Saint Augustine holdeth it to be Pelagianisme to say that we haue freewill or that sinne is subiect to our will He addeth of his owne these words that we haue freewill as if I had simply denied all fréedome of will or as if that were here the question betwixte vs. And afterward he saith the place which he quoteth find I cannot and therefore doe confidently challenge him of playing false vnder borde But sée I pray you the blindnesse and impudence of this paltrie companion the words which I cite are found in Saint Augustines first booke de gratia christi contra Pelagium Celestium c. 28. Cum tam forte inquit scilicet Pelagius tam firmum ad non peccandum liberum in nobis habeamus arbitrium quod generaliter naturae humanae creator inseruit rursus pro eius inaestimabili benignitate quotidiano munimur auxilio Seeing wee haue so strong and firme freewill in vs not to sinne which God the creatour generally hath inserted into mans nature againe of his inestimable bounty we are strengthened by his dayly helpe Hereby it appeareth that Pelagius taught that sinne was so subiect to our will as that thereby we were able to auoyde sinne And that this is oppugned by Saint Augustine it appeareth in the words following quid opus est saith he hoc auxilio si tam forte ac firmum est ad non peccandum liberum arbitrium I hope therefore the Papists will be ashamed of their champion the ground of whose bragges is ignorance But saith Owlyglasse Saint Augustine neuer denied free-will As if I had sayd that he did or else because wée haue fréewill after a sort that therefore we haue fréewil and power not to sinne This the poore ideot imagineth and therefore he produceth diuers places out of S. Augustine But I do not speake one word against fréewill but of the strength of fréewill to hold sinne in subiection and to abstaine from sinne and that this is playne Pelagianisme it appeareth both by Saint Augustine in the place already quoted and by S. Ierome lib. 3. contra Pelagianos Nay our aduersary denying that my words are to be found in Saint Augustine himselfe afterward vnawares pag. 73. doth cite them out of S. Augugustine shewing himselfe therein a vaine and ignorant brabler Finally Owlyglasse by producing diuers places out of S. Augustine where freewill is mentioned imagineth that in the controuersie of fréewill he ioyneth with the Papists and is contrary to vs. But that he shall neuer be able to proue nay he denieth that man hath such a strength of fréewill that he is able to abstaine from sin which notwithstanding both Pelagians and Papists hold we also deny not but God by his grace is able of vnwilling to make vs willing and willingly to walke in the wayes of his commaÌ„dements and that by his owne fréewill man doth commit sinne which is the sum of S. Augustines doctrine of fréewill of which I may say fréely that Owlyglasse is ignorant But what néede I to stand longer vpon this point séeing the question is not here of fréewill or the power thereof but whether I alledged Saint Augustine truely or not what néede I then to make any longe discourse of that which I haue already sufficienly cleared Sect. XI Of the representing of God by images IN this section Owlyglasse doth charge me with no lesse fault then iniurious slaunder Pag. 75. 76. malicious falsification And why forsooth because I say that the men of Trent do permit the diuinitie to be figured and affirme that this doth sauor of the heresie of the Anthropomorphites Let vs therefore consider the words of the assembly of Trent and the practise of papists in this point If it shall happen sometime Sess 25. concil Trident. say the men of Trent that the histories of scripture for the profit of the people be expressed in imagery or pictures let the people bee taught that the diuinitie is not therefore figured as if it might be seene with the eyes of the body or expressed with figures the words in latin are quod si aliquando historias naâ—rationes sacrae scripturae cum id indoctae plebi expediet figurari contigerit doceatur populus non propterea diuinitatem figurari quasi oculis conspici aut figuris exprimi possit So it is apparent that they forbid not God the father and the holy ghost also to be expressed in imagery or painted when any history or narration of scripture requireth the same but the people must be taught what to vnderstand by these images and pictures In expâ—icat 1. praecepti The Romane catechisme likewise teacheth that the diuine maiestie is iniuried if any shall endeuour by art to expresse the forme of the diuinitie as if that might with eyes be seene or colours and images expressed Which sheweth that the papists forbid not men to make the image of God the Father in the forme of an olde man or the holy Ghost in the similitude of a doue but to beléeue that the diuinitie it selfe may be figured with colours or séene Likewise the coÌ„mon practise of the church of Rome is to figure the person of the Father in the image of an olde man and the holy Ghost in the likenesse of a doue If then God the Father be like an olde man or the holy ghost like a doue then doe the Papists sauour of the heresie of the Anthropomorphites If these images doe not resemble God the Father and God the holy Ghost why are they permitted Finally why doe papists paint and graue the holy trinitie and to the image thereof set vp lightes and giue the worship that is due to God himselfe The rehearsall therefore of the act of the assembly of Trent and the doctrine of the Romish Catechisme doth rather intricate Owlyglasse then acquit him The same certes doth clearly discharge me from my aduersaries clamorous accusation Sect. XII Of the definition of a Romish Catholike THat the Romish religion as it differeth from that religion which we professe
act of the conuenticle of Trent and so receiued of as many as liked that conuenticle So I may say likewise that the paradoxe of the Romish church concerning the subsistence of accidents in the sacrament without subiect was prated of and debated in schooles before the conuenticle of Constance but yet I may say also that it was not receiued generally nor by solemne act confirmed before the coÌ„uenticle of Constance where Pope Iohn the 23. was deposed for Sodomitrie Atheisme and other grieuous and enormous crimâ—s in the actes of that assembly recorded Secondly he would gladly finde some contradiction in my wordes for that pag. 21. I say as he setteth it downe that the opinion of Luther concerning the real presence concerneth not any fundamentall point of faith and yet pag. 54. of my Challenge affirme that the Papists holding transubstantiation doe bring in Eutychianisme teaching that Christs body is in the sacrament without visible shape or true dimension or circumscription which as Leo teacheth serm 6. de ieiunio 7. mensis is flat Eutychianisme But he striueth in vaine to force contradiction out of these wordes for papists may wel be Eutychianists and yet not Luther as I beléeue they teaching that the substance of bread is abolished in the sacrament of which followeth Eutyches his errour and Luther holding the contrarie For if the bread be abolished and the sacrament is like to the person of Christ consisting of two natures then it followeth that as bread remaineth not in the sacrament after consecration so Christs humanitie is abolished after the vnion of the two natures which is flatte Eutychianisme Further he was a simple fellow to leaue a charge of Eutychianisme vpon the Papists vpon a smal hope of taking me in contradiction Indéede I confesse he denyeth it in termes and saith that Christs body in the sacrament is not without shape and true dimensions He should also haue said circumscription if he would haue auoided the note of Eutychianisme but if that be so he dischargeth me of contradiction But in the meane while he sheweth himselfe to be ignorant of the state of his owne cause and very impudent to say that Christ his body hath all his true dimensions and shape in the sacrament which at large is disprooued in my treatise de missa against Bellar. Finally going about to take me in contradiction like a falsarie hee doth alter my wordes and peruert my meaning For I say onely Reply pag. 21. that Luthers and Caluins priuat opinions concerning either princes soueraigne authoritie or the real presence concerne not fundamentall points of faith And my reason is first for that our faith is not built on priuat mens opinions as the faith of the papists that are bound to beléeue all the determinations of euery Pope that doe concerne the faith And secondly for that Luthers opinion is not hereticall in it selfe and as it may be expounded but by inference of such conclusions as follow of it His thirde supposed contradiction is forced out of my wordes where I say that the Fathers make against Bellarmine and yet séeme to make Gelasius and Gregorie Papists that liued aboue a thousand yeares agone But herein is neither contradiction nor repugnance For first it will not be proued that either Gregorie or Gelasius maketh for Bellarmine in their authenticall writings Secondly these two are not for antiquity or learning to be compared to Hierome or Augustine or the Fathers that liued in their time and before Finally albeit the dialogues that go vnder the name of Gregorie or the decrée of Gelasius C. sancta dist 15. did sauour of the pumpe of Poperie and fopperie yet that maketh nothing for the papists For it shall neuer be proued that Gregorie did write so foppish fables and lies as are contained in his dialogues nor that Gelasius did indéede set downe all that decree that is reported C. sancta dist 15. especially that of lying and fabulous legends Neither if in any one point or ceremony Gregorie or Gelasius doth differ from vs is he therefore to be reputed to speake wholy for the papists But saith Owlyglasse we may as truely inferre that seeing the protestants doe with great applause admit the actes of their holy Martyres written by M. Foxe they receiue fabulous martyrologies and lying legends as it is inferred that Papists receiue fabulous martyrologies and lying legends but the case is so vnlike as Owlyglasse though a ridiculous fellow is vnlike to Gelasius for neither doe we reade our martyrologies in churches as the papists doe their legends nor doe we beléeue them as grounds of faith as the papists doe their legendicall traditions nor doth M. Foxe report any such abominable and ridiculous fables as are contained in the Romish legends But all this notwithstanding if Owlyglasse will impudently still compare our martyrologies with the lying legends let him shew if he can where M. Foxe telleth tales of men walking without heads talking without tongues passing the sea without shippes going inuisible restoring of birdes to life of a cowe bellowing being boyling in a cauldron of remoouing mountaines and such like as are in the legends very common and must be beléeued as ecclesiastical traditions His fourth obseruation is that it were a point of some cunning to guesse by my writings of what religion I am But it is a point of small cunning to guesse that Owlyglasse is a man of no religion making no conscience to snatch at any thing that may serue his turne though neuer so false to lie to falsifie to rayle at all that are not of his damned humor If any religion he haue it is some reliques of poperie which he notwithstanding is neither well able to vnderstand nor any way to defend A religion if we may call faction a religion most fond foppish absurd vaine superstitious false and impious as partly in this treatise is declared and shall God willing more at large be declared other-where As for my selfe I doe him to wit that I am a Christian and a true Catholike beleeuing the Apostolike faith and professing the same as it is set downe in the Apostles créede in the confessions of faith published in the foure first generall councels and in the créede of Athanasius I doe also beléeue whatsoeuer is expressed in holy canonicall scriptures or may be deduced out of them and I doe detest all popish superstition blasphemy hereticall abhominations and all other heresies and this Owlyglasse might well haue vnderstood by all the course of my writings if he had read them or would or could vnderstand them But saith Owlyglasse Page 110. on the one side reason there is to thinke him a conformable protestant c. Afterward he talketh his pleasure of new Geneua Iigs and of harmony puritanicall Which course of rayling if he doe continue there is good hope that to accorde with this Iigge he may ere it be long sing a base de profundis at Tiburne To the matter I answere that in England albeit
popes vsurped supremacy for which his grosse head fit to beleeue all fond fables was neuer framed falsification 44 Out of Abdias which he confesseth to be an apocryphall author he telleth that Iohn the Euangelist by Christs perswasion did neuer desire mariage as if Christ were an enemy to mariage falsification 45 He saith that it was Simon Zelotes that was maried when Christ was present in Cana of Galiley Tom annal 1. p. 122. Antwerp and turned water into wine and declareth how the memory of that miracle being celebrated in the Church the vi day of Ianuary diuers riuers and fountaines that day ranne wine Matters méerely fabulous and which bring christian religion into question if not into contempt being auouched without any good ground falsification 46 Pag. 132. he alloweth the epistle of Abagarus to Iesus Christ and his epistle also to Abagarus which by the testimony of Gelasius c. sancta Rom. dist 15. are testified to be apocryphal and by the letters themselues appeare to be forged falsification 47 In the same place also he reporteth that our Sauiour Christ printed his image in a cloke and sent it to Abgarus The painter should haue taken the portrait but saith Baronius for the beames that came from his countenance he could not doe it He sheweth also that by this image diuers miracles were done and all this to confirme the worship of images falsification 48 Pag. 157. he telleth vs that by diuine and humane lawes one chiefe bishop both in time past did and ought to decide all ecclesiasticall controuersies But the place Deut. 17. and diuers places of the new testament doe shew this to be a notorious vntruth as I haue shewed in my bookes de Pontifice Rom. falsification 49 Pag. 167. he telleth out of Euthymius that the rich man Luc. 16. was called Nynensis and doubteth not to affirme that this was a story and not a parable because diuers churches are erected in the honour of Lazarus but the fathers thinke otherwise And the naming of tongues fingers and other things which are corporal where our Sauiour talketh of soules doth shew this discourse to be parabolicall and the papists to be idolaters that worship their owne fancies and imaginations In the meane while it is no hard matter to discerne Baronius to be a fabler falsification 50 Pag. 176. he would make his reader beléeue that our Sauiour did celebrate his passeouer in S. Iohn the euangelists house But Simeon Metaphrastes denieth it which is often alleadged by Baronius as a graue witnesse and the words of the gospell séeme to speake of the owner of that house as of a stranger falsification 51 Pag. 191. he saith Missa is deriued from the Hebrew or Chaldey word but Bellarmine his fellow telleth him Lib. 1. de missa he is deceiued In the same page he alleadgeth the counterfeit epistles of Pius ad Iustum and Cornelius ad Lupicinum and other forged writings and all to shew that the word Missa was vsed in their times falsification 52 Out of Gregory of Tours he reporteth this fable that diuers making thonges put them about the piller whereto Christ was tyed when he was scourged and that the same heale diuers diseases He would haue tolde vs als◠if he could haue brought any proofe for it that the same piller is to be shewed in Saint Peters Church at Rome for that is a Romish tradition but he perceiued that he had tolde a lye sufficient alreadie And thus we may sée albeit I tell not all how many lies are contained in the beginning of his first booke of Annales being by iudgement of all men the best and most frée from lyes and yet I neither touch his errors in Chronology nor much meddle with his forged and false writings After this he telleth things most incredible and yet without good testimony of any man of credit Of S. Paul he writeth that his head being stricken off there issued out milke in steade of bloud He telleth also that Peters chaines being kept by Plautilla worke great wonders and saith that when Iohn the Euangelist wrote the gospell it thundered and lightened as when the lawe was giuen in mount Sinah Infinit such strange tales are contained in his huge legends If then we would doe him right we should rather call them Aniles fabulas then Annales CHAP. IX A sampler of Robert Parsons alias Coobucke his manifold falsities and lies taken out of diuers libels and pamphlets published by him NOw I come to Robert Parsons alias Coobuck a man I confesse vnworthy to bee ioyned with Bellarmine and Baronius being farre inferiour to them in learning yet in regard of his falsehood and treacherous dealing comparable with the most wicked and shamelesse Iebusite of the whole order and with the most false packer of all the popish faction His scholers beléeue that he is learned but if his trecherous complots and packings were not more to be feared then his learning he were not to be reputed halfe so dangerous as we finde him The which albeit I meant not here to dispute being without the reatch of my purpose yet because I would not haue euery such woodden fellow as Philip Woodward alias Owlyglasse for so men call the author of the detectiō to take exceptions vnto my sayings as destitute of proofe I will briefly verifie in this place and that by two of his bookes which his followers for learning workmanship beléeue to be singular If any man néede any further trial he may if he please read my reply to his wardword where I haue sounded his learning to be very shallow The first of the two is entituled a briefe discourse containing certaine reasons why papists whom falsely he termeth Catholikes refuse to go to Church and this booke Parsons vnder the maske of Iohn Howlet a fit name for such a night-bird doth presume most impudently to offer to her Maiesty The next is called a christian directory and commonly knowne by the name of Parsons his resolution His former discourse is wholy grounded vpon this rotten foundation that the popish religion which the Iebusiticall faction and their followers by all their witte learning and other meanes séeke to promote is the true Catholike religion This being the foundation of the worke if he had béene a wise builder he would haue confirmed and proued so strongly that her Maiesty before whom he pleadeth might haue conceiued well of his cause and allowed of his reasons but alleadging no one word to prooue this the whole worke doth not onely fall to the ground but also ministreth matter that may be turned backe vpon himselfe and employed to the hurt and preiudice of his clients For as it is a good reason if the popish religion be the true christian religion to mooue men to refuse all religions opposite vnto it so if the same be false odious trecherous damnable then neither haue papists any reason to professe it nor others to beare with those that obstinately defend it but
I haue shewed that it is not onely new and false but also superstitious and hereticall Againe if Parsons can say nothing why the religion professed in England is not Catholike and apostolical then all his reasons fall to the ground and all his pretenses of feare of infection of scandale of schisme of casting away the marke of distinction of participation with vs of dissimulation of naughty seruice of the benefit of popish religion may be retorted against himselfe and his clients For neither are Christians to suffer the practise of the idolatrous masse nor the faction and packing of wicked dissembling papists nor may any magistrate or other good christian with good conscience suffer Gods true religion by schismatickes and heretickes to be scorned And these reasons are so effectuall that I doubt not but those that haue the managing of these causes will both take vp such Howlets and deliuer Christian religion from contempt of such impostors and Atheistes Secondly purposing and promising three things whereof the first was a demonstration of reasons why Papists should not goe to the Church the next contained a declaration of meanes how papists should remedy or ease themselues of their afflictions the third was an instruction how with patience to endure affliction the first he handleth most lewdly and loosely the other two parts he was not able to make out abusing both his friends and his aduersaries with his false promises Further it may be that his remedies were nothing but practises of treason and rebellion and that he meant nothing lesse then to exhort men to patience and that therefore he omitted to speake of these two points But why then did he promise doth he promise that which hee purposeth not to performe and doth he meane to kéepe no touch in any thing His directory also is a most idle and vaine discourse It should consist of thrée partes whereof the first as he saith appertaineth to resolution the second treateth of entrance the third of perseuerance but as his fashion is of thrée partes promised he kéepeth backe two and performeth the third most simply For first that which he hath written concerning resolution is very impertinent for it is a very euil signe of resolution in matters of christian religion for a man to dispute whether there be a God or no and whether christian religion be true or no as Parsons doth Againe despaire of Gods mercy temptations feare of persecution and such like impediments as Parsons alleadgeth doe rather hinder a man to leade a christian life then helpe to resolue him to doe it Secondly the greatest part of his discourse is either stollen out of Gaspar Loarti or Granatensis or Stella or such like frier like and idle discourses Thirdly it argueth that he hath a bad conceit of popish cacolikes in England for if he tooke them to be christians he would neither go about to teach them that there is a God nor that christian religion is true nor that there are rewards offered to those that doe well both in the life to come and in this life and punishments likewise for euill doers both in this life and after this life for euery childe among christians knoweth all this without his teaching Fourthly we doe not finde that this directory hath made any one christian or directed him the way to life But I doe heare many complaine that diuers simple young men haue béen directed by him to the gallowes Fifthly it should séeme that this booke hath wrought little good effect in Parsons himselfe that hauing so long stood vpon resolution is not yet come to the entrance of religion Sixthly as lawes are made to restraine common abuses so likewise divines should discourse of such matters as may make most for reformation of christian mens manners This discourse therefore of his wherein he endeuoureth to prooue that there is a God that there is one true religion that there is a heauen and a hell among christians already well perswaded is impertinent and woulde better haue béene bestowed vpon Italians and Spaniardes that scarce beleeue in God or know any of the principall points of christian religion Furthermore intreating of resolution which as himselfe declareth goeth before entrance and perseuerance yet doth he very wisely diuide the treatise of resolution into speculation and practise The first part saith he shall containe matter of discourse speculation consideration the second shall handle things appertaining to exercise vse and practise As if a man could practise that is not entered into the exercise of religion or as if resolution were not farre different from practise Finally the booke is so full fraught with idle discourses and the principall points so weakely proued that it will rather make Christians to doubt of religion then Atheistes to beleeue It doth also containe so much poyson that no physicke can make it holesome I would therefore aduise all Christians to beware of his booke of resolution by him intituled a directorie containing little truth but much superstition and hereticall poyson The same is also a disgrace to all papistes whome he presumeth as yet not to be resolued that there is a God or that christian religion is true To christians it can yeelde no instruction being a packe of stollen and bad stuffe euill trussed together Neither is the same good although it hath béene purged the whole substance being leud and full of poyson Much I wonder that any christian would sette it forth in this Church and more that christians should beleeue that any good was like to come of such a wicked writing And I doubt not but that such as are in authority will remoue both that and other such venemous treatises out of all true Christian mens handes being rather fit for Italian atheistes then the English nation To leaue the rest of his treacheries heresies and other faults which are rather to be corrected by the publike exequutioner then noted by the stile of a writer I will only in this discourse set downe certaine notorious falsifications committed by him in sundry pamphlets set out vnder diuers counterfect names and giue you a tast of his vnsauory lies of which in Parsons writinges there is great store And this so much the rather for that in his relation sent vs from Rōe concerning the conference some two yeares agone passed in France betwéene Monsieur de plessis and the pretended bishop of Eureux he séemeth earnestly to desire a triall concerning these points The man also in his preface before his reasons of refusall of going to the Church vnder the name of Iohn Houlet desireth that some indifferent triall may be had either by disputation or otherwise wherein I desire he should be satisfied falsification 1 First then I challenge the man as a notorious falsificator in that he hath set forth his owne booke concerning titles vnder the name of another preist called Dolman who was neuer acquanted with the matter Wherein albeit he hath cōmitted far more haynous faults then
owne sinnes much lesse for the sinnes of others n Bellar. lib. 1. de indulgent papists beléeue that a mans sufferings may be so great as they may serue for his own and other mens sinnes and are laid vp in a treasury whereof the pope hath the dispensation argument 74 Catholicks neuer beleeued that there are 7. orders and euery one of these a sacrament and yet all but one sacrament for that is as much as if a man should deny one and one to make two yet papists beléeue this o Sess 23. concil Trid. and accurse them that shall say contrary argument 75 Catholikes doe not beléeue that Christ ordeined seuen orders in the church or that exorcistes doore-kéepers and subdeacons were instituted by him or that they are a holy sacrament the papists notwithstanding doe hold contrary or at the least the contrary may be gathered out of their doctrine argument 76 Catholikes doe not deny but that second mariages are as well to be blessed as first mariages why then doe papists obserue and teach the contrary if they will be accounted catholikes argument 77 Catholikes doe not beléeue that by almes and fasting they are either iustified or able to satisfie for their sinnes but papistes as appeareth by Bellarmines disputes holde contrarie argument 78 Catholikes did neuer tie themselues to beléeue whatsoeuer the church of Rome or the pope determined for not onely the Asian churches dissented from Victor and the African churches from Sozimus but long since all haue left the popes that would not be oppressed by them Saint p Lib. de sacrament Ambrose sheweth that he was not bound to follow the church of Romes direction in all ceremonies but papists are tied to Peters chaire as they séeme to confesse by Pius 4. his constitution are bound to beleeue all things conteined in the Creed which the church of Rome vseth seruilly also they submit themselues for the most part to the decrées of the counsell of Trent argument 79 Catholikes doe not condemne all for heretikes that either teach or thinke otherwise of the sacrament of the altar or of confession of sinnes or other Romish sacraments then the church of Rome for concerning the Lords supper I haue q Lib. de missa papist cont Bellar. shewed that al antiquity is against the Romanistes and the rest shall be prooued as occasion serueth but papists condemne all that dissent from the church of Rome in the points aboue mentioned argument 80 Catholiks beléeue the catholike church but the papists only beléeue the catholike Romane church that is so much of the Catholike church as agréeth with the Romanists for so the Iebusites of Bordeaux in their confession doe signifie and the same is prooued by Bristowes 12. motiue the 5. epistle of cardinall Cusanus to the Bohemians and Sanders in his fift booke of his visible monarchy r Lib. 2 de eccles milit Bellarmine also admitteth none to be of the church but such as are subiect to the pope and that is Boniface the eight his determination c. vnam sanctam extr de maior obedientia argument 81 Catholikes are the shéepe of Christ and therefore kill none especially none of Christs shéepe but papists like woolues murder all that like not of the popes gouernment and doctrine argument 82 Catholikes are a society of saints and true beléeuers as S. Augustine sheweth lib. de ver relig c. 6. 7. but to be a true member of the popish church neither faith nor holinesse nor inward vertue is required as saith Bellarmine lib. de eccles milit c. 2. but onely an outward profession and obedience argument 83 Catholikes neuer beléeued that the pope of Rome was by Christ made his vicar generall or the spouse or the monarke or head of the church ſ De pontif Rom. lib. 2. c. 31. Bellarmine albeit he searcheth all corners yet cannot finde that any catholike writer had any such conceit is it not then apparent that the pope is a plaine intruder into ecclesiasticall gouernment and that the papists holding with him haue forsaken the catholike doctrine of the church argument 84 In ancient time the bishops of Rome were subiect to councels and at their entrance into their bishopricks professed and acknowledged their canons as appeareth by the chapters sancta Romana ecclesia and sicut sancti dist 15. but now papists will haue them to be aboue councels argument 85 In times past the bishops of Rome were subiect to emperors as appeareth by the lawes of Iustinian and diuers other emperors before him which are to be séene in the code vnder the titles de summa trinit fid cath de episc audient authent de ordinat episcop but now contrary to the old forme of gouernment of the church papists exclude the emperour and giue all authority to the pope t Sic omne dist 19. Agatho determines that all the decrees of the apostolike see are to be receiued as if they had beene established by the voice of Peter argument 86 Saint Cyprian teacheth that the apostles had all equall power and that is prooued for that they had like calling and u Luk. 9. Matth. 28. Iohn 20. like commission and for that the church was equally founded vpon them all but papists beleeue that Peter was head and monarke of the church x Summa de ecclesia and that the rest of the apostles were to him as the cardinals are to the pope for so Turrecremata a cardinall séemeth to holde argument 87 Among catholiks Christian emperors were alwaies wont to assemble generall councels as appeareth by the first foure generall councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus the 1. Chalcedon and diuers others and that the cardinall of Cusa and Anastasius the popes principall agent in his library confesse ex superioribus habetur saith y De Concord Cath. li. 3. c. 13. Cusanus imperatores sanctos congregationes synodales vniuersalium conciliorum semper fecisse ita ego perlustrans gesta omnium vniuersalium conciliorum vsque ad octauum inclusiuè Basilij tempore celebratum verum esse reperi z Ibid. Anastasius also affirmeth vniuersales synodos de omni terra imperatores colligere solitos fuisse but to the papists this catholike forme of assembling councels is much displeasing argument 88 Our Sauiour Christ committed the gouernment of the church to his apostles and a Ephes 4. ascending vp on hie gaue some apostles some prophets some euangelists some pastors and teachers and these he thought to be sufficient for the gouernment and building vp of the church and gathering together the saints and worke of the ministery and he is no catholike that thinketh contrary the hierarchy therefore of the church of Rome where we sée a triple crowned pope a multitude of carnall cardinals a heard of fat abbots and generals of orders of friers and whole swarmes of monkes and friers is not catholike these friers a certeine popish b