wealthes And therefore if Christ be God and the Holie Bible true the religion of the Papists must needes be that religion which he ordayned and lefte to all generations and consequentlye the onelie true and right religion THE II. REASON The name of Catholikes NO man can iustlie deny but that they who euer haue holden the name of Catholikes and haue beene knowne thereby were vndoubtedlie of true religion for that they had euer on their side the Scriptures Miracles Fathers Councells and Martyrs and for that euery one which was against them was euer accounted reputed for an Heretike And the same Catholikes were euer taken as the trounke or as the bodye of the tree and all others bearing the name of Christians as braunches or boughs cutte off the same tree Nowe all the worlde knoweth that whosoeuer in any age was a member of the Romane Church vnder the obedience of the high Bishoppe thereof hee was euer taken for a Catholike and so termed although in these our daies it hath pleased the protestāts to cal such by the name of Papists which indeed is all one with the name Catholikes for that it signifieth such as followe imbrace the Doctrine of that Church which hath for her head vnder Christ the Pope And it is not amisse as Saint Chrysostome saith Hom. 33. in acta to be named of them who gouerne the Church in Christes steede so that they take not their name of any particular man as Heretikes doe But yet the Catholikes are not called Papists but only of a fewe Lutheranes in Germany and of some others their adherents in other countries neere about for in Greece Asia Affrike in the Indies as in Italy Spain Sicily and in other countries of Europe the name of Papistes is vtterly vnknowne The name therefore of Papists is no name commonly vsed but only of a fewe and neuer heard of before Luther inuented it for that hee coulde not call them after the proper name of any one man because there was neuer anye such in the Church which either brought vp anye newe Doctrine or chainged the Religion of his Predecessours whereas contrariwise heretikes haue euer taken their names of some one who began that heresie as the Nestorians of Nestorius the Pelagians of Pelagius Lutherans of Luther Caluinists of Caluin c. And although Luther tearmed them Papists yet knewe he so well in his conscience that they euer had beene and ought to be called Catholikes as that he caused his folowers to chainge their Creede in saying Brist Mo. 1 I beleeue the Christian Church and not ☜ I beleeue the Catholike Church for feare least they should bee thought to confesse that they beleeued in the Church of Rome which euer was called Catholike And it seemeth that the Protestants knowe in their owne consciences the name of heretikes to bee so proper to themselues as that in their translations of the Bible where the name Heretike occurreth they put in place of it a mā that is the author of sects assuring themselues that the Reader finding the worde Heretike or Heresie woulde presently iudge it to be meant of them As for their own name whereby they tearme themselues protestants which name they take from certaine Lutheranes in Germany who first named them selues so differing and disagreeing altogether from these Protestants in Doctrine it is newe and neuer heard of before in the world and of the same quality and condition that the name Zwinglians is of And therefore I conclude with the saying of Saint Hierome Aduers Lucif Chrysost in act hom 33. Iust in Tryph. If any where thou heare them which are sayed to be of Christ to be tearmed not of our Lord Iesus Christ but of some other as Marcionites Valentinians Hil-brethren or Fielde-breethren be thou sure that they are not the Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Anti-christ THE THIRD REASON Vnity and Consent THE Catholike Romane Religion beeing receiued by so manie Nations in Affrica Asia Europa in this last age in both the Indies hath notwithstanding such varietie of wits such diuersity of manners such multitude of tongues and languages such distance of places such numbers of matters to be beleeued yet euer kept Vnity Concord in such peaceable and consonant manner as neuer anie one in England or Ireland which are the vttermost parts of the west-world dissented or disagreed in anye point of Doctrine concerning Faith from him which liued in the vtmost parts of the East But whosoeuer they be or in what place or region soeuer they remain in al the world if they be catholikes or papists if you will call thē so they all haue one Faith one Beleefe one Seruice one number of Sacramentes one Obedience one Iudgement in all with other like pointes of Vnion and Vnitie which maketh a generall vniformitie also in the peace of mens mindes and to be briefe they haue all one heart and one soule But on the other side Act. 4. if you look into the doinges of Protestantes you shall see such discentions such diuisions such schismes such contrariety of opinions as the like was neuer among the Arrians among the Eutychians among the Donatists among the Nestorians among the Valentinians no nor yet amongest the most iarring Heretikes that euer were So as you may plainely beholde in Luther his seed the selfe-same thing that the Poets faine of Cadmus his sowing you may see the Madianytes Amalekites in one tent against the people of God Ouid. Metam lib. 3. Iudic. 7. builders of the tower Babell accusars of chaste Susanna for they are not only different and deuided from the generall body of Catholickes in Christendome with whom they were vnited heretofore but amongst them selues they haue implacable warres I would you did but see what I haue seene in these Countries as concerning the deadly hatreds contentions and discentions of Luther his ofspring as of the Muntzerans Anabaptists Adamites Steblerians Sabbataries Clancularians or Gartenbrijder Manifestarians Daemonians Commonholders Byslipers Howling Anabaptists Dauidgeorgians Memnonites Polygamistes Signifiers Figurers Valewers Pledgers Presentaries Metamorphists Iudaists Neutersacramentaries Image breakers Zelous Lutherans Soft Lutherans or Interimistes New-Arrians Trinitaries Hell-maisters Hell-tormentors Antidaemonians Amsdorfians Antadiaphoristes Antosiandrians Anti-Swenckefeldians Anti Caluinists Hand-impositors Bisacramentarians Sacerdotales Inuisibilists Scripturians Adiaphoristes Trisacramentarians Quadrisacramentarians Luthero Caluinists Semiosiandrians Maiorists Penitentiarians Noui-Pelagians Politicke-Lutheranes Swenckefeldians Osiandrians Stancarians Antistancarians New-Manichees Sternbergers and of such like all which haue sucked their errors out of the dregges of Luthers Doctrine and yet forsooth will be sound Protestantes all And what diuisions you haue there in England you may in some sort know who doe as I thinke now and then heare preachers of different doctrine What combats your Bishops Councellours moderate sort of Protestants haue to defende their Parlimentarie Religion and the QVEENES Proceedinges as they tearme it against Puritans brownists other
hath yet a far greater sway in the world then any other religion euer had or hath And worthie it is to be noted that in no land nor countrie vnder Heauen euer was or is any persecution of any moment against Papists as you terme them or against the Priests of that religion in regard that they be Papists or Priests made by authoritie from the Sea of Rome but only in England And in verie deede the vvhole world doth wonder that little England dare and is not ashamed to doe that which neuer was seene in the world before for let a Seminary priest as they cal him keepe him out of England and hee is safe enough in any region vnder heauen This I say by the way for that it greeueth me at the very hart to heare that my deare country doth persecute that religion which all the world hath ioifully embraced or at the least doth willingly tolerate as though she were wiser then all the world besides is or euer hath beene or then al her Elders Or as though Englishe Protestantes knewe and sawe more than all the whole Learned men of Christendome haue done for so many ages together And I pray you tell me if an hearbe should be presented to you to eat that al learned Physitions for a thowsand yeeres together haue iudged to bee rācke poison only some one or two of later yeeres haue begun to teache the contrary without actuall experience whether it be so or no but onlie by discourse and newe arguments of their owne braine would you abstaine to eate it or no Or if an action should be offered you there in England which by all old Lawyers iudgement of former times hath beene taken for high-treason Ipso facto consequently losse of life and lands though some newer lawyers were of contrary opinion that nowe it is not woulde you not looke twise before you would leape except you were out of your wittes But in this other case although all auncient Diuines and Doctours for aboue a thowsand yeres together haue taught the Catholike Romane Religion to be true indeede and only Friar Luther a loose Apostata and Sir Iohn Caluin a seare-backt Priest for Sodomy haue begun in our daies to teache the contrary for feare of beeing punished by the Magistrates of the said Catholike Religion for wicked and badde life yet will they Protestants rushe out cast at all and will hazarde Hell and all Eternity of tormentes thereon depending Who will denie this to bee headlong and hare-braine dealing Surely this vniuersal consent of Christendome against two or three so contemptible authors of nouelties are more than sufficient to induce anye man of reason to looke about him and to consider what hee doth and whether he may aduenture his soule vpon such inequality of testimonies as this is betweene two or three Nouellants and twenty millions of holy graue auncientes and no doubt in Westminster hall this difference of witnesses woulde preuaile with anye equall and discreet iudge or iurie Neither may the Protestantes nowe at length glory in their great number as some of them haue donne for that their Religion is there in England in Scotlande and some thereof in Irelande Apol. Eccles Ang. and in the Lowe-countries in some parts of Germany and a fewe of them in Fraunce for they neuer yet passed into Asia nor into Affrica nor into Greece nor into many places of Europe much lesse into the Indies But indeed if you rightly scanne their Doctrine you shall finde that your Religion Protestantine of Englande is no where in the worlde else that Englishe seruice contained in your boke of Common praier is vnknowen condemned of all other Nations and people vnder the cope of Heauen So that in very deed the doctrine of your Protestantes is taught or receaued no where but in Englande and the Puritane Doctrine of Scotlande the contrarietie thereof duelye considered is no where but in Scotlande the Lutherane Doctrine taught in Denmarke is no where but in Denmarke and in a fewe places of Germany the libertine Doctrine taught in the Low-countries is no where but in the Low-countries and the like may be said of other sectes Lastly I doe heere consider with my selfe if I should refuse the Catholike Romane Religion so vniuersallie taught receaued professed through out all the worlde so many ages together and embrace any of these newe silly sectes aduenturing my soul therupon what all my progenitours ancestours if they were here againe and sawe me doe so would say vnto me I gesse they would vse such speeches as these what doest thou condemne all our iudgementes and doings Doest thou maligne that Religion which we so highly esteemed and sought to aduaunce Doest thou sende vs al to hel and damnation Wilt thou iudge thy selfe wiser and more in Gods fauour than any of vs were And many such like speeches I thinke they would vse THE SIXT REASON Miracles True miracles were neuer wrought but by them who were of true religion for that they are donne only by the power of God Now it is so manifest that there hath beene almost an infinite number of myracles wrought by those who were of the Catholike Romane Religion and neuer any by them who were not of that Church since Christes time as he who shal deny it may be proued no lesse impudent and shamelesse than he who shal denie that euer there was any Masse saide in times past in England or that euer there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that ther be any such countries as the East West Indies Which things if a man should deny would he not of all men be deemed not only impudent but madde drunken or a foole And surely the one is no lesse knowne by al approued writers and eie witnesses than the other For as in the Gospell and in the Actes the holy Scriptures witnesse that miracles were wrought by Christ and his Apostles so doe most approued authors of euery age vntil this day testifie and recorde the continuance of the working thereof in the Catholike Romane Church the which Authors for the most part were eie-witnesses of the saide miracles as for exāple In the second age were wrought those wonderful miracles by the Christian Souldiers in the armie of M. Antonius Tert. in lib ad Scap. in apol c. 5 Euseb lib. 5. hist c. 5. Oros lib. 7. hist c. 15 which Tertullian Eusebius Orosius the Emperoor himselfe haue recorded In the third age were the miracles of Gregorius Thaumaturgus witnesses S. Basil lib. de spiritu sancto Cap. 29. Gregory Nyssen in vita eius Hierom de viris illustrib Ruffinus lib. 7. hist cap. 25. In the fourth of S. Anthony Hilarion Martine Nicolas and of others In the fifte those which S. Augustine setteth downe lib. 22. de ciuit Cap. 8. In the sixt those which S. Gregory maketh mention of lib. 3. dial Cap. 2. 3. In the seauenth those
alleadgeth the Doctours most is most praysed of the audience as you vvell know which is a pittifull thing in thē and ridiculous in the Preacher vvho cannot but know if he haue read any of them himselfe that the Fathers detest vtterly that Doctrine which hee wresteth them to confirme and in the meane time the pore audience thinketh that they were of this new Religion vvhose simplicitie therein is most pittifullie abused by the Preacher THE XI REASON Triall of Trueth IT is manifest by the Holye Scriptures that it appertaineth to the Church to try to discerne spirits as also to determine to decide doubts And agreeably therunto shee hath in all ages mastered ouer-ruled captiuated the vnderstanding of euerye one were hee neuer so wise neuer so learned or had he neuer so extraordinary giftes except he obstinatly defended an errour which if he did hee was condemned for an heretike so came to nothing The Chatholike Church I saye directed by the Holye Ghost hath euer separated from the trueth all moales all singular opinions al errours and corruptions in euerie mans workes and writings in such sorte as that easilie and securelye euerie one maie knowe the trueth And certainelie the Protestantes although they saye that they giue no credite to the CHVRCH but so farre forth as they finde in their Scriptures doe can not otherwise but receaue the same Scriptures vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit also the three Creedes of the Apostles of Athanasius and of Nice and some Articles of beleefe as the Holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father the Sonne yet as from one beginning and many tearmes as Person Trinitie Consubstantiall Sacraments c. which none coulde euer haue inuented but onely the Catholike Church Neyther is it possible for any man to know whether this Bible which is vsed amongest Christians be the true word of God indeede or some fained thing but onely vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit And Saint Augustine confesseth plainely that he would not beleeue the Ghospell but that the authoritie of the Catholike Church moued him thereunto Con. Epist Manich. c. 5. lib. 2. de doct Chr. cap. 8. And by the same Churches authoritie hee was mooued to beleeue the bookes of Tobie Iudith Canticles Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabees c. as he himself sincerelie affirmeth And surely it is wōderfull to see how the Church of God receauing the Olde Testament from the Iewes and manifesting to the world the Canon of the Holy bookes of the new Testamēt hath in al times in so many alterations and chaunges kept from the destruction corruption of Heretikes Iewes and Panims the whole authenticall corps of Holy Scripture in such maner as no Heretike in the world can charge her with adding or diminishing the least iote thereof Iudge you here whether the madnes of these new fellowes be worthie to be wondred at or no who doe credit and beleeue the Church in this point and will not doe the same in others Why should they rather trust the Church in this thē in other things And I would euery man would here consider the wonderfull integritie of the Catholike Romane Church in keeping the Holy Bible so entire and vncorrupted these fifteene hundred yeares together at the least and the atheisticall treacherie of these of the the new Religion who occupying no Bible nor hauing to doe with the holy scriptures for a thousand yeares togeather as they themselues confesse haue after the vniust vvresting it out of the handes of the iust possessors thereof robbed the Church of so many whole bookes besides of so manie partes and particles of the same What these fellowes would bring the Holy Bible vnto in time if they shuld hold on they may easily gesse vvho know their manifold corruption therof in so few yeares And yet forsooth they vvill haue all controuersies to be tried by only scriptures which if they were not by them corrupted falselie translated yet could theye neuer finde out any secure truth by them only for that none of them alloweth anie other mans exposition but his owne and in so dealing they can but haue a gesse or an opinion or fantasie but no faith at all Which thing to declare more plainely I aske the Protestant how he relying vpon only scripture can shew mee certainely vvhich bookes be Scripture and which not And if hee be vnlearned how knoweth hee that the translation which hee vseth is truely made out of Hebrew Greeke Latine And then how is hee sure of the sence exposition And if he be neuer so learned haue neuer so many helps all that hee can search and finde out is but a priuate mans opinion and consequentlie his Faith which hee seemeth to haue is grounded vpon his owne particular iudgement and so indeed is no faith at all but an opinion onely as I said before for faith must haue Gods expresse authoritie for her foundation Here you may consider the miserable state and condition of your newe Ghospellers in that forsaking the Catholike and vniuersall faith of Christendome deliuered to thē by the vniuersal Church as founded vppon Scripture vvhich Church Christ and his Apostles gaue thē expresse Commission to beleeue which was properly Faith founded vpon a rocke which could not faile in that forsaking I say that fortres they cast themselues into the waues of new opinions whereby they haue no certaintie at all but euery one chuseth vvhat hee liketh to himselfe vvhich choise is properly called Heresie and so the word signifieth And let anie Protestant in our Countrie of England tell mee why he doth rather beleeue his owne iudgement in points of Religion then the iudgement of Luther Caluin and Beza whome he thinketh were so excellent men for euery one that hath any learning knoweth that they taught otherwise then now is taught in England This you may plainely see the only touchstone of truth to be the Catholike Church which cannot faile and that they who cleaue to her iudgement haue most vndoubtedly the truth whereas on the other side they who ground only vpon Scriptures expounding them according to their owne fantasie and braine playing the Maisters and Pilots and Boat-swaines themselues admitting no iudge no interpreter no antiquitie nor any other manner of tryall which is the greatest madnesse and malediction that can be must needes be destitute of all certaintie and of all Religion and of all stay and of all foundation and of all rule and of all order and must needes wrangle and iangle without end and without meanes to make an end and must needes cause Nouelties without number and libertie of life without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to restraine them and to conclude they haue no meanes to rest vntill the end in Atheisme THE XII REASON The vse and custome of the Church THE vse custome and practise of the Church hath as it vvas in the prime thereof beene alvvaies an infallible rule to
direct and order thinges by This the Apostle after manie arguments to prooue that women should not be beareheaded in Churches applyed as a Fort most stronge and inuincible to beare downe the gain-sayers thereof If any man saith hee notwithstanding mine argumentes doe seeme to be contentious 1. Cor. 11. we haue no such custome as women to pray vncouered nor the Church of God And agreeablie vnto this Saint Augustine saith If the whole Church throughout the world doe vse any thing Epist 118. cap. 5. onely to call in question wheather that thing should be so done is a point of most proude or most straunge madnesse And for this cause against the Pelagians hee argueth ordinarilie out of the Churches custome proouing Children to be borne in sinne Epist 105. because the Church doth Baptize them for Remission of sinnes And because the Church vseth to Exorcise them and to blowe vpon them therefore the Diuell hath power ouer them and that by sinne And to this saith hee the Pelagians with all theyr crafte coulde not answere for they durst not say as the Protestants say wee care not for the Churches custome wee weigh not thereof De bono perseu ca. 23. Manie such like argumentes hath the same Saint Augustne else vvhere But in few vvordes the custome of the church was a thing so vndoubted as neuer any Heretike before this our age durst aduenture to stand against the same altogether But Heresies euer consisted only in some matter of erronious iudgement and false opinion but the teachers thereof neuer went about to chaunge the face of Religion as to take away the Sacrifice of the Church as the Protestants are bold to doe And surelie in this point the malepeartnesse and desperate boldnesse of the new Ghospellers is wonderfull who durst not onely attempt to chaunge diuers pointes of the Churches vse practise which in all ages of all men was accounted so heinous an offence to doe but also made no bones to take all quite away Customes Ceremonies Orders yea and the Holie Masse it selfe placing insteede thereof in some places Chapters and Psalmes ill translated into the Vulgar tongue in some other places Ballades made of Psalmes commonlie called Geneua Psalmes vvith rayling Sermons and in other places other stuffe as best pleased the humors of the deuisers thereof And to these new inuentions forsooth must the common people be compelled to come and to forsake renounce the Seruice and Sacrifice of the Catholike Church left by God Almightie and continued euer through out all Generations as it must doe manger all Protestants heades euen vnto the worlds end THE XIII REASON Doctrine THAT Church vvhose Doctrine tendeth to Mortification and Holinesse of life must needes be the true Church and consequentlie directed by Gods holie Spirit and contrariwise that Sect or Congregation which teacheth the contrarie is most vndoubtedly false and consequentlie guided by an euill spirit This is so manifest as it needeth no proofe for euery man knoweth that the Catholike Church is called Holy because it professeth or teacheth nothing but that which is Holie Now if a man consider duelie the Doctrine of the Romane Church he shall finde it to be of the former sort and easilie he may perceaue the Doctrine of this new religion to be of the latter But I vvill not heere speake of the fruites of CATHOLIKES and Protestants although indeede there be no comparison in life for that euery one seeth and easilie confesseth the Catholikes to liue most vprightlie Saint-like but I speake of that which their religion teacheth them to doe for of that especially our Lord meant vvhen he said Math. 7. You shall know them by theyr fruites First therefore to declare this pointe if you compare the clergie of the Romane Religion vvith these new Clergie men you may see the Orders and Institutions of the one sorte to mooue them to mortification to the contempt of earthly things and the institution of the other to prick them forward to all vanitie to carnall libertie for a Priest of the Catholike Church receaueth in a most solemne manner seauen Orders whereof three are called Holie because they are about Sacred and holie thinges as the Body Blood of our Sauiour holy vessels c And euery thing which the said priest must vse is holy and therefore there is required in him the greatest puritie possiblie to be had so as he must haue and thoughts free from all carnallitie and worldly thinges and for such like causes he is restrained from marriage although it be in it selfe honorable instituted by God himselfe but yet who so is yoaked therein must needes apply himselfe to worldly affaires and so is diuided as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7. And because he is restrained from marriage bound to liue Chaste or continent hee may not vse anye trimming or tricking vp of himselfe in amorous attyre nor vse any dalliance or fondnes with weomen but euer remembring that he is as a dead man in regarde of such thinges he must be far from such lightnesse but on the other side the Protestant Minister hauing receiued no Orders but a certaine kinde of Deaconshippe and Ministershippe of their owne inuention and hauing no Holy or Sacred thinges to deale withal but left to all liberty of winning rewinning which he cannot ordinarily doe without woing woe he cannot handsomely without hee something tricke trimme vp himselfe to allure please the eie of his sweet hart must needes goe trickly with faire starched ruffes fine mousaches trimme tuscalonians vse amorous glaunces yea that sometimes when they are reading their Chapters in the Church with a thowsand such-like fonde foolishe inconueniences which ensue thereupon Furthermore the Romane Religion teacheth Restitution of goods wrongfully taken and of all wronges whatsoeuer which brideleth and restraineth people from bribery extortion theft vsury symony from such like But the Protestants medling litle with such doctrine leaueth al at large to his folowers without restraint of any such crime The Catholike religion teacheth obseruatiō of vowes promises which must needes cause great trust fidelity in the professors therof the Protestant teacheth that they bind not in cōscience which openeth the doare to distrust and maketh the people that one wil not trust another but must haue him in bandes with suerties with all fastnes possible to be deuised The Catholike religiō teacheth abstinēce fasting which mortifieth our bodies enricheth our coūtry the Protestāt teacheth to eat flesh al kinds of meats euery day as often as the belly desireth which causeth plenty of lust in the carcase dearth scarcity in the cōmon-wealth The Catholike Religion forbiddeth Land-Lords to raise their rents except vrgēt occasion driue thē so to doe by which prohibition infinite nūbers of people be benefited holpe the Protestant teaching the Land-Lord to doe what he list with his owne ruyneth and vtterly beggereth
Heathen persecutors Iewes Turkes and Heretikes in perpetuall tormentes for persecuting and striuing against the Catholicke ROMAN CHVRCH To this Constantine the great brought peace and quietnesse In this Church there hath beene continuall succession of Bishops without any interruption All Bishopps and Pastours of particular Churches in what land or country soeuer they were in vnder the cope of heauen were mēbers of this Church As for example S. Ignatius at Antioch Peter Alexander Athanasius Theophilus at Alexandria Macharius and Cyrillus at Ierusalem Proclus at Constantinople Gregory and Basil in Cappadocia Thaumaturgus in Pontus Polycarpas at Smyrna Iustinus at Athens Dyonisius at Corinth Gregory at Nysa Methodius at Tyrus Ephreem in Syria Cyprian Optatus Austin in Africke Epiphanius in Cyprus Ambrose Paulinus Gaudentius Prosper Faustus Vigilius in Italy Irenaeus Martine Hylarius Eucherius Gregory Saluianus in Fraunce Vincentius Orotius Hildefonsus Leander Isidorus in Spayne Fugatius Damianus Iustus Melytus Beda in England were Bishoppes and Pastours of this Church In briefe whatsoeuer deedes or works signes or monuments fragments or reliques remaine yet in anie land or countrie of them who planted the Christian Faith there doe testifie the Catholike Roman Religion All Princes Kings Emperors all States and commonweales which euer were christened the Theodosians in the east the Charles in the west the Edwards in Englande the Lewesses in Fraunce the Hermigildes in Spaine the Henries in Saxony the Wenceslaes in Boeme-Lande the Leopoldes in Austria the Steeuens in Hungary the Iosophates in India professed and protected the Roman Religion they builded Churches founded religious houses erected many other Monuments of pietie not for Protestants Iwis but for the professours of the Catholike Roman Religion which Faith and Religion S. Pattricke brought first into Ireland Palladius into Scotland S. Augustine into England and other Apostles into other countries witnesses of this Religion are al Vniuersities Colledges Hospitals Monasteries Churches Chappels and innumerable other monumentes Witnesses their foundations their ordinances yea and the very buildings themselues witnesses all Reuestryes Chauncels with steppes vp Aultars Rood lofts Cross-buildings al Crosses in Church and Church-yeardes Market-places and High-waies witnesses all Bishoprickes Deaneries Arch-deaconries Prebendes Parsonages Vicariages such like ordained trow you for women children to make them gentles Witnesses all tithes and other liuely-hoods so religiously lotted out not for ministers wenches their brats but for Sacred anoynted Priests Good Lord what would the founders of all these premisses say if they might come but to see how their lands and goods which they so religiouslie bestowed to honor God withall are by Protestants employed Witnesses spirituall Courtes Visitations Conuocations Excommunications Suspensions witnesses probations of dead mens wils witnesses bidding and forbidding of banes witnesses partitions of Diocese parishes all ordeyned and instituted by Papists Witnesses auncient lawes and customes witnesses the vulgar manners of people the Election and Inauguration of Emperours the rites of annoynting crowning of kings the dubbing of knights c. witnesses coynes windows towne-gates town-houses all rules and to conclude all things in the world witnes the Catholike Roman Religion Thus haue I briefelie my deare frendes set downe some plaine reasons of the religion which I professe for the enioying of which I am content to forgoe my natiue soyle my deare Parents you my dearest friends with all the rest and all those commodities and pleasures which you account in your letter I wish you not to thinke euill of mee for so doing for it is the religion wherein I was borne baptized and confirmed it is the religion which from time to time hath bin vniuersallie receaued throughout all Christēdome it is the religion which there in our own countrie of al others is the first the auncientest the moste benificiall of all the rest the mother and begetter of the others the religion of all our Christian Predecessours and therefore beare with me I pray you in that I will not yeelde vp my title and interest of that which I haue receaued from myne Elders by lineall and lawful discent no man for these thousand yeares at the least seeking to put mee or any of my predecessors out of it Yet if any Protestant or other whatsoeuer can shew me any good euidence why I should not possesse the same I am readie to giue it vp but hitherto they promising and vaunting to shew good euidence haue brought forth nothing but words and forgerie And therefore by Gods grace I purpose to hold the same euen vntill my dying day except such euidence come against my title as is not to be shewed no not by an Angell if he should come from heauen God blesse you in the aboundance of his mercie who sende vs ioyfull meeting eyther in this world or in the next or in both A COPIE OF ANOTHER LETTER WHICH THE TWO Cittizens of London wrote to theyr friende beyond the Seas shortlie after that the other was sent DEARE AND WEL-beloued friend after that we had sent the last Letter dated the 13. of September Anno. 1599. wee consulting and weighing the contents thereof with some what more deepe considerations then before wee had done it was thought good to write vnto you this second Letter to let you vnderstand that wee will not receaue nor medle with any grounds or reasons of your faith and religion therfore you neede not to trouble your selfe with writing any for wee assure our selues that you can bring forth none but such as Papistes vse to alleadge which are now growne verie stale out of request Onlie this is the desire of vs al that you would returne without delay but yet so as you may shew your selfe obedient to her Ma. lawes in comming to the Church as other good dutiful subiects doe for surelie what Religion soeuer you professe we thinke you may with safe conscience come to heare Diuine Seruice or a Sermon beeing no further vrged but that you may thinke and pray as you list And what Scripture authority or reason can you shew or pretend for refusing so to doe For we knowe the cōmon answere which women such sillie soules are accustomed to make in saying It is against my conscience I may not with a safe conscience so doe is too foolish for you who seeme to haue more knowledge Wee supposed at the first that your refusall proceeded of a timerous ouer scrupulous conscience but now wee beginne to suspect that because you haue gone so far in that course you thinke it would be some discredite as to be deemed vnconstant and a turne-coate if you should in any sort relent and come to conformitie and therefore you minde still to be obstinate but wee friendly aduise you to beware of such peeuishnes proceeding indeede from the roote of pride we wish you to submit your selfe to your gracious Princesse her honourable Coūcell to the lawes of your natiue Country and weigh with your selfe what you are to
suchlike good fellowes that by shew of Scriptures impugne it you can not but know see vvith your eyes Neyther can it be aunswered that the Sectes heere rehearsed differ one from another onlie in matters of small moment for they differ and disagree in vveightie pointes of our Saluation as might heere easilie be declared but that it vvould not benifit this mine intended breuitie so to doe This Vnitie of CATHOLICKES and discorde of PROTESTANTES most manifestlie sheweth that as the Apostles vvere they for whome our SAVIOVR prayed to his FATHER and vvas heard of him Holie Father keepe them in thy name whome thou haste giuen mee that they may be one as wee also be one Iohn seauenteene so they of the CATHOLIKE ROMAN Religion be they for vvhome in the vvordes following hee prayed and vvas heard Not for them doe I aske onely but also for them which shall beleeue by theyr preaching in mee that all may be one as thou Father in mee and I in thee that also they in vs may be one and hereof it necessarilie followeth that they be of the true CHVRCH for that none but they obserue and keepe the Vnitie vvhich hee obtained for them of his Heauenlie FATHER Aug. l. 18. de ciuit dei C. 41. And surelie it can not proceede but from the HOLIE GHOST that all Sacred vvriters of the CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH although being men of diuers Nations Times and Languages yet haue so vvonderfullie consented and agreed amongest themselues as wee see they haue done And lastlie it is wonderfull to behold how all decrees of lawfull Councels and of Popes doe agree in all points of Doctrine one with another although they were made by diuers men in diuers places at sundrie times vpon diuers occasions against Heresies not only most different but oftentimes contrarie one to another This no doubt is the finger of God THE IIII. REASON Conuersion of Countries IT is most plaine and manifest that all Countries which euer beleeued in Christ were first conuerted to his faith by such as eyther were precisely sent or at the least-wise had their authoritie from the Pope which liued in the time in which they were conuerted This thing is so openly set downe in the Historie of the first conuersion of euery Countrie as no Protestant were he neuer so impudent can without blushing denie it True it is that Heretiks haue corrupted such as were Catholikes before but that they euer conuerted any Heathen Nation to Christianitie can neuer be shewed I know very well that Iohn Caluin to get glorie sent certaine of his Ministers into new-found landes but I neuer could heare that any of them euer cōuerted so much as one sillie woman to their Ghospell in those partes The truth is their agreement in doctrine was so great that one destroying anothers buildings they became laughing stocks to the Heathens so were glad to depart with shame But who knoweth not that the Catholikes as they haue conuerted all to Christianitie that euer were Christians so in this age they haue brought infinite numbers to the Christian faith in the East and West Indies by the meanes and labours of the most happie holy Fathers of the holy Order of S. Frauncis of S. Dominick of the blessed Society of IESVS which blessed Religious men in our owne Countrie there of England onlie in regard of theyr Sacred function are executed as Traitors And haue not these I pray you theyr authoritie from ROME I will not here speake of the infinite number of Miracles vvrought by Catholikes in the conuersion of countries namely of those which are now done in both the Indies by the Holie Fathers aforesaid for that I reserue that matter for his proper place but I vvould aduise you here diligentlie to weigh the sequele of the Assertion of the Protestants how that if Papistes be not true Christians of the right religion then doth it necessarilie follow that neither Spaniards nor Portingales nor Sardinians nor Sicilians nor Italians nor Germanes nor Trāsyluanians nor Hungarians nor Polonians nor Danes nor Flemminges nor Scots nor Irish nor English no nor any Nation vnder Heauen had euer true Religion before Fryar Luther married Nonne Bore before Iohn Caluine runne away to Geneua before Peeter Martyr vvith his Fustelugges came to teach at Oxford and before a number of such like good companions ledde only by sensualitie carnall zeale dishodded themselues and became such spectacles to the worlde as euerie man knoweth Which thing to affirme is flatlie to denie Christ all Christianity as I shewed in my first Reason And surely I am greatly cōfirmed in the Catholike Religion beholding the Heauenly maner vsed by the professors thereof in gayning soules to Almightie GOD for that I see them neyther to spare goodes nor labours no nor theyr owne liues so that they may vvinne people to Heauen GREGORYE the thirteenth Pope of that name in these our dayes spent all the renennewes of the Popedome in founding SEMINARIES COLLEDGES in diuers Landes and Prouinces thereby to restore the Catholike religion Manie Holie and Religious Priests doe goe dayly into Germany into Hungary into Greece into Palestina into Aegypt into Syria into Aethiopia into Africa into Moscouia into Ireland into Scotland into England and into other heretical heathen countries yeelding themselues to all daungers by sea and land and to all worldly miseries hauing mortified all theyr carnall affections renounced all riches honors and kindred and hauing made themselues most ready for their graue and consequently for another world moued only by the zeale of sauing soules And it mooueth mee not a little to see vvhat patience mildnesse and quietnesse these men vse in all theyr dooinges And I see also on the other side that no protestant euer had so great zeale of his Religion as that he would for spreading abroade the same forgoe any worldly commodity either by founding Seminaries or Colleges in Countries or by going or sending where any difficulty or daunger was but as one wholly respecting this worlde he walloweth in wealth pleasures at home or if by any accident he be compelled to flie into forraine Countries hee may not trauaile except his preatie parnell goe vvith him but such a one to goe simplie as they say bona fide to conuert others was yet neuer seene And if by anie occasion offered vnto such they goe about to plant theyr Ghospell anie vvhere they doe it in such a turbulent and mutinous maner and not by Epistles after Saint Paules vse but by Pistols as Beza did as euerie one may see what spirit pricketh them forward Neyther doe they take anie other course in theyr proceedinges but to destroy States and Kingdomes to displace lawfull Monarchies and Magistrates as the Low-Countries Germany and Scotland can sufficientlie witnesse and euer theyr beginning is of Pride and Enuie as Luthers vvas or by abusing them-selues in theyr former estate as Sir Iohn Caluin did or by yeelding
which were done in England in the coÌ„uersioÌ„ therof writteÌ„ by the same Greg. li. 9. ep 58. And by venerable Bede l. 1. hist Ca. 31. In the eight the miracles of S. Cutbert S. Iohn in England also Bede lib. 4. hist 5. In the ninth the miracles of Tharasius writteÌ„ by Ignat. Nicen. of others In the tenth the miracles of S. Romuald recorded by S. Pet. Damian of S. Wenceslaus of others which Surius writeth In the eleueÌ„th the miracles of S. Edward k. vir of S. Ans of others In the twelfth the miracles of S. Mal. S Barn of others In the thirteenth the miracles of S. Fran. S. Dom. S. Bonauent S. S. Celest of others In the fourteenth the miracles of S. Bernardine S. Kather. of Sieuna of others In the fifteenth the miracles of S. Vinc. S. Ant. of others And last of al in this our sixteenth age are the miracles of the glorious S. Fran. de Paula of the holy Iesuit Zauer Aug. de vtil cred cap. 17. lib. cont ep fund cap. 4. in the Indies of many moe And therfore I say vnto you out of S. Ang. I am bound tied in the Catholike Church by the band or chaine of myracles And I am bolde considering and moste steedefastlye beleuing these infinite glorious myracles of all times and ages in the Catholike Romane Church to crye out to Almighty God with Richard de S. Victore lib. 1. de trin cap. 2. Lord if it be not true which we beleeue thou hast deceaued vs for these haue beene confirmed in vs by such signes and woonders as could not bee wrought but by thee But on the contrary part neuer any Protestant coulde worke any myracle at all but assaying to make some shewe thereof to make their Doctrine the more probable to their followers felt the iust reuengement of God who turned all to their shame and confusion as hee did by Simon Magus Egesippus lib. 3. de excid hierosol ca. 2. by Cyrola the patriarke of the Arrians as witnesseth Grego Turones lib. 2. hist Franc. cap. 3. by the Donatists Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen And in our daies by Luther endeuoring to dispossesse a wenche and by Caluin going about to delude his disciples as you may reade in Hierom Bolsec in vit Caluin cap. 13. Vid. Staph in abs resp And therefore they are most foolishe and miserably inconsiderate who beleeue these newe fellowes not beeing able to quicken a flea leaue the doctrine of the Catholike Church coÌ„firmed with innumerable miracles THE VII REASON Visions and the gifte of Prophecie AS TRVE Miracles neuer were wrought but by them who were of the true Church so heauenly Visions and the gifte of Prophecie were neuer founde to bee but in the same And therefore the holye Apostle amongest other thinges which he vseth to commend his Doctrine himselfe to the Corinthians against Heretickes 2. Cor. 12. and false Apostles he bringeth in this as one saying Now will I come to Visions and Reuelations of our Lord c. 2. Pet. 1. And S. Peter alleageth for confirmation of his preaching the traÌ„sfiguratioÌ„ of our lord in the mount which he sawe Mat. 17. Act. 10. 11. calleth it a Vision he had a Vision of a sheet with al kind of beasts in it wheÌ„ he was to deale with the Gentiles And for the trueth of Religion and confirmation of that which they did Act. 2. he alleageth the prophecie of Ioell Ioel. cap. 2 who sayeth amongst other thinges Your young men shall see Visions and to bee briefe of this sort is the whole boke of the Apocalyps So that to see these kind of heauenly Visions and thereby to foretel things most certainly is only amongst them who are of the true Church For although there haue beene prophecies amongest the Heathens yet were they not vndoubtedly true as the Oracles of Apollo such like illusions except they were for the confirmatioÌ„ of right Religion as the prophecies of the Sybills Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 16. 18. and of Balaam And the same may be saide of heretikes as of Montanus of Luther of Muncer and of such like who loke vpon them to prophecie some to their vtter shame some to their own destruction But the Catho Romane Church hath had in it in all ages those which had true Visions Cochlaeus in actis Lutheri and the gifte of true prophecie as Agabus Act. 11. Gregory Thaumaturge so Basil li. de spiritu sancto Cap. 29. S. Anthony the Abbote Iohn of whom see S. Aug. lib. 5. de ciuit Cap. 26. S. Monica see Aug. lib. 3. Confes Cap. 11. S. Benedicte see Gregor lib. 2. dial Cap. 15. S. Bernard see in eius vita lib. 4. Cap. 3. S. Frauncis see in eius vita Bonauentura with many others for seldome was ther any who had the gifte of miracles but the same had this gifte also And in these daies I knowe diuerse and sundry Papists as you cal them who haue seen vndoubtedly wonderful Visions which perhaps you maye see recorded hereafter with sufficient and irrefragable testimony THE VIII REASON Scriptures NEither may here the Protestant reply and say that the Papistes builde vpon Miracles Visions Prophecies and vpon such like but not vpon the WORDE for al that they alleadge are most agreeable to the worde of God Neither doe they teach any Doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible for the maintaining thereof they are not compelled to denye certaine partes of Gods holy Booke as the Protestantes and their predecessours heretiks haue bin inforced to do The Manichees for that their heresies were so manifestly confuted by the Gospel of Saint Mathewe Aug. l 28. con Faust cap. 2. de vtil cred cap 3. and by the Actes of the Apostles as they coulde coine no aunswere nor other shifte they denyed them to bee Scripture The Ebinites because the Epistles of Saint Paul disproued most plainelye Cyrcumcision which they maintained denied them to be Scripture Luther reiected the Epistle of S. Iames because it was so plaine against the doctrine of onely Faith His ofspring refused the bookes of Tobias of Ecclesiasticus of the Machabees and of some others because in them is plainly taught the Doctrine of the custody of Aungells of Free-will of Praier for the Faithfull Soules departed and of Prayer to Saints al whâ—ch they deny and therefore must they needes denie those parts of the holy Bible For heretikes euer framed the Bible to their opinions chainging wresting paring sometimes flatly reiecting al which made ouerplainely against such Doctrine as they deuised and so doe most impudentlye the Protestantes nowe Whereas the Catholikes euer squared their Doctrine by the line and the leuell of the Worde of her Spouse and therefore neuer had cause to reiecte the least â—otte of the holy Bible and at one worde the Catholikes followe the Bible
and to follow it who neuer fast seldome or neuer praie to obtaine the same neuer punish theyr bodies neuer mortifie theyr earthlie members c. rather then to a number of quiet modest harmeles men who by prayer by fasting by almes deedes by workes of mercie by all vertuous meanes labour to attaine the knowledge of the truth And who is he that can deny but that in our auncestors dayes when Catholike Religion flourished brauerie in apparrell was vnknowne and insteede thereof innocent plainenesse vvas to be seene that there was no chaūge no new deuises litle lawing for when anie strife fell out the Priest theyr Ghostlie Father decided the matter and made them friends seldome any single woman miscarried in any parrish no Simony no Vsury litle fraude or deceit each one trusted other without bill or bond and to be briefe that euery where raigned simplicity innocency Oh how many thousandes then left the world before it left thē dedicating themselues whollie to the seruice of God and that of all Estates many Kings and Queenes not only of other Countries but diuers euen of England gaue ouer their Kingdomes and became Religious men and women And the like did innumerable of inferiour degrees whereas the Protestants prouide by wast desolation destruction and as it were by law that no such orders of holie men and women be amongst them they will haue no Maides but such as can get no matches no man is poore amongst them but vvith grudge and much against his wil no vow is made to God but if it should be it must not be kept fasters with them are Pharises Monks mad men those which mortifie thēselues they account Hypocrites in in one word they are in theyr liues as they be in doctrine Libertines And in nothing more doth the difference of the efficacy of their doctrine the Catholikes appeare then in this that if for feare of troubles or for any other cause one who was a Cath. is become in outward show a Protestant for in his conscience such a one seldome or neuer thinketh the Protestants religion to be true the same is so far from bettering his former life thereby according to Erasmus his saying before alleaged as that you may see him wallowe in al kind of sins Set before your eies any one ther in England who hath left the Catholike Religion is become a Protestant marke whether he be not as a yoūg calfe let out of his crew or as a colt leapt out of his inclosure How manie may you see there amongst you of such good fellowes which shew plainely that they haue Conscientiam cauteriatam a seared Conscience If you turne any Seminary Priest to your side doth he liue more vnspottedly with you then hee liued before in his own professiō or doth he not rather then drinke vp any kind of sinne as easilie as a Dogge lapeth water But on the other side if anie doe leaue the Protestants become a Catholike doth he not forthwith leaue al his vices I wish you would but consider a litle the wonderfull chaunge of such a one whom I may more easilie leaue to your consideration then describe him but surely if you did see into it you would say Digitus Dei est hic this is the finger or power of God THE XVII REASON Constancie in Doctrine THE Doctrine of the Romaine Church hath euer remained setled and stated without chaunge or innouation howsoeuer time euer fleeting altereth many thinges to disaduantage and no man will denie but that it had the truth when the Apostles said to the Romanes Rom. ca. 1. I giue thanks to my God through Iesus Christ for you all because your faith is reported in the vniuersall world Therefore vntil it be shewed that it hath swarued from that Faith vvhich the Apostle then spoke of I cannot but iudge it to haue the true Religion And I thinke that no man can proue that euer anie Pope or Bishoppe in anye See did at anye time chaunge in any point the Religion of his predecessour For example sake if you looke but into the See of Canterbury in your owne Countrye rekon from him who was Arch-bishop therof in King Henry the eight his daies before he chaunged Religion you shal find that that Arch-bishop taught the same Religion in all pointes which his next predecessor had dōe before him and he the same that his next predecessour and so from one to another euen vntil the first that sate in that See The very same may you see in other Bishops Sees and especially in the Apostolike See the See of Rome for neuer was any mā able to proue that the successor at any time changed the doctrine of his predecessour so it must needes be al one the same that was immediately before this new religion and at the first beginning or in the Apostles time For I aske the protestants for examples sake whē Italy Fraunce or Spaine chaunged their Religion I am sure they neuer changed but kept still the same which was deliuered to thē by their first Apostles But cōtrariwise the Protestantes beginning but some fiftie or threescore yeares agoe haue in this small time so chopped chaunged so altered and transformed theyr Religion as you may well saye Proteus in regard of them to be constant in shape wherin they shew thēselues like theyr Fathers the old Heretikes Greg. lib. 3 mor. expo sit in Iob. cap. 19. who also in inconstancy of doctrine were very notable and no meruaile for when they be once foorth of the right waie they take euerie pathe which offereth it selfe vnto them but neuer can happen vpon the right way againe except they goe backe from whence they came but runne stil further 2. tim 3. and further out of the vvay euer learning but neuer comming to the knowledge of the Trueth This inconstancy chaunge in Doctrine was so great in Luther his followers Riuander in lupo excoriato fol 73. as that they themselues complained therof And heereupon it is that the Lutheranes are so easilie chaunged into Zwinglians or Caluinistes Caluinistes into Anabaptistes or Arrians Anabaptists into Libertines Frākistes or into the Family of Loue. And this lenity they haue as they haue all their other Capricches frō their grandsire Luther whose inconstancy in Doctrine is most notable For at his first beginning hee protested that he only misliked the abuse of Indulgences and in no wise the Indulgences themselues A litle after he plainly despised the Indulgences themselues Vlemberg causa 12. pag. 391. Then he began to call in question the authoritye of the Pope afterwardes Ceremonies and by little and little going forwarde at the length he denied Free-will rowling vp and downe as it were a snowe-ball of heresie made the same bigger and bigger in such sorte as he came to that audacitye that he burned openly at Wittenberge the bookes of the Canon Lawe affirming the Pope
to be Antichrist the catholike church to be the Synagogue and stewes of Sathan yet stayed he himselfe not so but stil plaied the Proteus euen vnto his end for at Wormes before the Emperour although he professed himself an enimy to the Church yet he maintained the sacrifice of the Masse said it stil himselfe as also prayer to Saintes for the dead Purgatory Communion vnder one kind many such like Catholike points all which 9. yeares after before the same Emperour he vtterly denied The same inconstancy was in his Disciples Melanchton Caluin Bucer and in them of Wittenberge in the Anabaptistes and in such like as also in your Protestantes there in England And I pray you vvhat a chaunging and turning in and out was there of your COMMVNION Booke For first the deuisers thereof highly commended it and affirmed it to be agreeable to Christs institution to the seruice of the Primitiue Church and a while after they vtterly misliked it and disauthorising it they set foorth another in principall pointes quite contrary to the former yet they affirmed that also to be according to Christs institution iump as the vse was in the Primitiue Church And yet how this is approued liked of your Preachers ministers you cānot but know who see behold such carping and finding fault thereat and such contempt therof as that the Minister who doth obserue duely the order thereof is accounted a temporizer or a cold Protestant I might say an Atheist for his labour And he who can most contemne it and can wed burie baptize minister the Communion and doe such like after some other new fashion of his owne inuenting is accounted a iollie fellow a man of zeale What stirre is there I pray you in euerie sheire yea almost in euerie parish about the Ministers obseruing the order of this theyr booke of COMMON PRAYER What holde and tye is there betweene the Parishioners and theyr Curate What a doe is there and hath beene from the beginning about the Communion One vvhile it must be done in cōmon leauened Bread by and by not so but in vnleauened Bread after in loafe Bread althogh your cup euer had wine in it till now of late that som do begin to take insteed therof good nappy ale the like inconstancie you might see in placing the cōmunion table for first it must be placed in the middle of the quire then in the bodie of the church after in the chācel again as the altar was one while the minister must turne his face towards the south another while towards the north and another while towards the east wherby al wise men may see that thē your religion first began and neuer was in the vvorld before for if euer it had bin before you might surely haue had some president by which you might haue ordered these things And to speake plainelie what I obserue I finde a great cause of your inconstancie in Doctrine to be aduantage and disaduantage for your religion is framed only to serue turnes times for when they were but few in number by wresting the Scriptures they taught that Christes flocke vvas but little Iewell in Apol. and therefore they gloried much in theyr small number but after that their opinions were spreade through Germanie Fraunce Englande Scotland and in other Countries they vaunted much and argued that theyr Doctrine must needs be true because it was spread so largely When it serued their turne they stoutly defended with tooth and nayle Goodman Knoxe that a woman might not lawfully gouerne a realme no not in ciuill or temporall matters but within a while after when it fitted their purpose they taught as they yet doe that a woman may rule a realme not only in temporall thinges but the Church also in spiritual causes Whē it serued their turne Luth. tom 3. Ger. Iē fol. 115. they taught that it was a horible thing to put me to death for Religion and expresly against the word of god but when they had gotten the sword they cried out in sermōs on the contrary side neuer left off vntil it was decred by publike authority that those who wer not of their religiō shuld suffer death therfore Whē it fitted their purpose Tom. 5. I◠Ger. f. 157. a f. 444. 159. 491. Tom. 1. Germ. fol. 537. Colloq Mens f 4. in fine lib. ses 3. b they taught that none ought to preach but he who was allowed and licensed by the Magistrate afterwarde vpon other occasion they wrote that a Christian man may without leaue of any person take vpō him that function One while they taught that the BIBLE was the plainest and the most easiest booke in the worlde to bee vnderstoode anotherwhile they wrote vpō aduantage that it was vnpossible for any man to vnderstande throughly any one worde in the Bible for that it was so obscure profound One while they taught that no Commentaries of SCRIPTVRES written by men Melancth in Loc. cō ann 1524. must be receiued yea that they must be shunned as a plague or pestilence anotherwhile they themselues set forth Commentaries and Postilles and obtruded them to the people To. 2. Ger. fol. 255. a f. 404. a One while they teache that all men ought to be iudges of doctrine religion another-while they teache that no man no not an Angel must iudge thereof And a thowsand such like contradictions proofes of vnconstancy and chaunge maye you find in their doctrine which here further to account would be ouer tedious I vvill therefore end with the saying of Gregorie Duke of Saxonie We doe know what these fellowes doe teach this yeare but what they will teach the next yeare we cannot gesse THE XVIII REASON False Prophets and Teachers THe Prophets Apostles Christ himselfe fore-tolde that in the latter dayes there should come false Prophets and to the end wee should take heed of them they painted them foorth in their colours whereby they might easilie be knowne Now it can not be denyed but that wee be in the latter dayes and therefore we must be verie vigilant and watchfull to discerne to know these seducers when they come And conferring the Preachers afore-saide with the manners of these Protestants we doe plainly se◠that they be the verie same vvhich were foretold and as it were pointed at by the finger of God for first they come vnsent Ierm 13. as Ieremie fore-tolde in these wordes I did not sende them and they did runne for certaine it is that they neyther haue orders as they ought to haue nor any Consecration or right calling for they were not sent by the Catholike Church as is manifest but vtterly condemned for Heretikes and when any of them is conuerted to the Romane Religion they plainely see that they haue no more to doe with any spirituall function thē other laymen haue But on the contrarie side if any Priest of
the Catholike Church become an Apostata by forsaking his religion if he professe himselfe a Protestant they account and esteeme such a one very fitt for theyr Ministry yea and more worthie then one of theyr owne making for that they assure themselues so confesse that the Catholiks haue ordinary calling most lawfull but they neyther haue ordinary calling as is most plain nor extraordinarie for that they can worke no miracle to proue the same Ergo no calling at all but they come of thēselues vnsent for Then are they as it was Prophicied of them like their Fathers smooth tongued fellowes Rom. 6. which with sweet speeches pleasant clawings deceiue the harts of innocēts and haue a show of godlines 2. Tim. but denie the vertue thereof for they crie out The word of the Lord the light of the Gospel the only Passion of our Sauiour 3. Reg. 22. no sin to the Elect Ier. 5.14.23 27. Isay cap. 3 al are cleane which beleeue their Doctrine vvith a thousand such like plausible speeches as the false Prophets did in times past But consider them well you shall finde them to be lying maisters and deceauers 2. Pet. 2. 3. who doe not only them-selues walke after the flesh in concupiscence of vncleannesse but doe also draw others in the desire of lust and leacherie promising libertie whereas they themselues are slaues of corruption Math. 7. and in few words they lead the people the broad vvaie to perdition This you may plainelie see by that which hath beene said before therfore I would haue you to iudge wheather it be like that the Protestants be those false teachers which were foretolde or no. Surely in mine opinion there are al things in them which were fore shewed to be in the false prophets and seducers of the latter dayes Ier. 29.23 They come vnsent they teache plausible thinges to flesh and blood they teach theyr own fansies and say they be the words of the Lord Ezech. 13. wresting wreathing the Scriptures as they list they colour and set out theyr cause in such braue tearmes and with such fraunde and deceit as if it were possible the verie Elect might be drawne into errour Math. 24. they make a show as they vvere the Apostles of Christ 2. Cor. 11. and thereby they seduce the innocent they know not that God vseth them as a scourge Rom. 16. and that hee tempteth his people by them Deut. 13. they make an outward show of humanitie of peace and concord and of such like putting vpon them the cloathing of sheepe Mat. 7. but they are indeede according to the Flemmish Protestants prouerbe Bares in wolues places THE XIX REASON Lyars slaunderers reuylers IT seemeth that the Protestantes haue eyther no conscience at all or els that it is seared with an hoate iron for that they make no boanes to beare so manifestlie false witnes against their neighbours in charging the Catholikes all theyr Elders with so plaine vntruthes and in slaundering and reuiling they care not whome in a most iniurious and opprobrious manner And a most pittifull thing it is to see the simple people drawne away from the true Religion of theyr Elders by such shamefull meanes for euery man of vnderstanding may easily see howe they make lying theyr helpe Esay 28. and defende themselues thereby And yet doe theyr miserable adhaerentes beleeue euerie thing to be gospel which they say neuer going about to trie out the trueth therof To this shameful shift are they driuen as they be to many others for that they cānot otherwise excuse their departure frō the ancient Church for if they had litle or nothing to say against it euery simple mā might meruaile why they left it They faine therfore make vpon their owne fingers many horrible things concerning the doctrine ceremonies condition of the said Church And this they doe in places where they dominier raigne where they know no mā dare shew his face to defend the cause of the christiā world And no meruaile though they deale thus with the Catholik Church when as they slaūder tel lyes of ech other as the Luherans beare witnes against the Sacramentaries the Maiorists against the Flacians Vlenbergius causa 10. and both these against the Lutherans other Sectaries one against another And to giue you a litle taste of their dealings I wil put down a few of their sayings but brieflie for that I doubt I be ouer tedious 1 They say that Christ was vnknown before their cōming In postilla Germ. An. 1537. part 2. fol. 141. that the Gospel lay in the dust was hiddē vnder the bēch Luther doubteth whether Germany euer heard the word of God before he preached it Which thing if it were true then vndoubtedlie infinite people yea al Christēdome was deceiued vnder the name of Christ for 1500. yeres togeather and consequentlie were all damned And how impudent a lie is it that Christ vvas not knowne before their comming wheras al churches throughout Christendōe did by pictures and externall ceremonies set before the eies of people the Death blood Crosse Passiō of our Sauiour was there not in euery rode loft the picture of Christ crucified And did not the very stones wals sumptuous buildings declare that the erectors therof were mē not only beleeuing in Christ but also most zelous forward to set forth his honor by furthering his religiō 10000 manifest proofes might here be brought forth against this shācles lie of theyrs 2. They inculcate and euen dull the eares of the people with often telling them of the Idolatry of their elders affirme it to be more abominable thā the Idolatry of the Iewes or Heathens And although they be so deuided among themselues as that they accuse one another of that crime yet in this they all agree as Pilate Herod did in putting Christ to death but otherwise being mortall enimies the one to the other But vntill they proue this Idolatry which they neuer could nor neuer wil be able to doe I cannot but deeme it an intolerable lye and cauill the which is more thā sufficiently proued by almost innumerable argumēts which are to be seene in many learned writers Aug. conf in artic de Missa 3. They say that the Catholikes holde that Christ satisfied onely for Originall sinne and that he ordained the Masse for other sinnes which to be a most manifest lie all the bokes written of this matter by Catholike Diuines doe plainely testifie Aug. conf tit de delectu ciborum 4 They affirme that the Catholikes doe teach that by choice of meates and by other humane constitutions remissiō of sins saluation is obtained that thereby the doers are iustified Which is a lye so manifest as it needeth no confutation 5. They say howe the Papistes holde that if a man be Contrite Confessed and haue
done Satisfaction for his sinnes In artic Smalcal dic in artic 3. fal paenit papist that he is therby iust before God without Christ or faith which is a lye no lesse shamefull than the other For the Catholikes teache that no Iustice is had no sinne forgiuen no good thing obtained but by the Passion of our Sauiour Christ 6. They affirme that the Papists doe worship Saints in steed of Christ doe honour them as Gods which is a grose impudent lye as euery maÌ„ knoweth Hadd cont Osorium 7. They are not ashamed to write that Religion was not changed in England but by the coÌ„sent of the Bishops that the landes goods of Abbies Religious houses were distributed to Godly vses as to Schooles Vniuersities Hospitals And that the Pope for an ordinary tribute to him yeerely paide giueth free leaue vnder his great seale to Priestes to keepe concubines openly without controlement And the like lies they lay vpon the auncient Fathers as Melancthon said of S. Austen In Apol. tit de pec orig that he taught Originall sinne to be taken awaye in Baptisme not that it was not any more but that it was not imputed Whereas S. Austen spoke not there of Originall sin but of concpiscence So they say S. Bernard recaÌ„ted monachisme at his later ende Luth. tom 5. Ien. ger fol. 457. Teleman Heshus l. 1. de vera ec p. 60. that most of auncient writers Fathers retracted reuoked before they died the Doctrine which they had written or else that they thought otherwise than they wrote spoke By this meanes to defend their newe doctrine to shift off the auncient Fathers which are altogether plainly against it they are constrained to lay two notable lies vpoÌ„ the said fathers the one that they recalled their doctrine before their death the other that they wrote spoke one thing but thought another And no maruell though they slaunder wrong in this Atheistical manner the Holy Fathers when as some of them spare not the Apostles themselues If the three Apostles Peter Paul Barnabas Tom. 3. Ien. Ger. fol. 261. saith Luther had not held their tackle about Faith without works al the multitude had failed therin Iames stuÌ„bled in it But of this kind of stuffe I wil not here alleadge any more he who desireth to hear moe of their lies slauÌ„ders may find theÌ„ aboundantly set down by diuerse sundry authors at this day but yet take with you this saying of your M. Luther He who once lieth Tom. 1. Germ. fol. 423. saith he certainly is not of God is worthily suspected in all things And as for reuiling railing I thinke that Lucifer himselfe coulde little haue exceeded the Protestants therein especially their first Apostle the saide Martine Luther who with filthy beastly scuruy opprobrious speeches so be daubeth the Catholike church the magistrats therof as euery one may see what spirite possessed his heart the same out of all doubt which delighteth in filthinesse scurrility And to the end you may haue some aime what kinde of fellowe this Arche-apostle of your protestantisme was I wil here brieflie set downe a few words of his filthie mouth Hee calleth the Archbiship of Ments being a Prince Elector descended of the Princely Electorall familie of Brandeburge Tom 3. Germ. fol. 533. a. b. f. 326. 360. col mens f. 342. 343. a fraudulent a most shamefull lyar a shifting Bishop a filthie shitten Priest an hellish Cardinall a great a notable Epicure an impudent and euill worme a damned and lost man a craftie scoffer the greatest knaue that euer was except Nero Caligula c. Hee reuileth the Princes of the Empire Tom. 5. Germ. in glossa super edictuÌ„ imperat which did meete at the Diet at Angusta Anno. 1530. calling them traitours wicked men the diuels seruantes knaues madde hogges great and grosse asses Hee calleth the Princes of Germanie fooles Tom. 3. fol. 195. b. fol. 200 190. Tom. 2. scales and bubles of the Pope Gods Isbeers and hangemen Germane beasts the diuels puppies c. Hee braggeth that he esteemed the King of England and other Catholike Princes as miserable beggers dizzards and fooles vvhich make him pastime and as new nâ—ttes which he would haue to glorie and to sing in this manner Here wee nits doe sit vpon the head of the noblest beast in the earth in his haire wee are of a base lynage lice are our Parents those great Giants which killed euen Scilla the Romane Emperour Tom. 3. IeÌ„ Ger. f. 331. f. 334 a. and many others What haue wee to doe with Luther a begger it is true you are nits but yet you are not lice And in his infamous libell against the said King of England hee hath great store of oprobrious titles and names as Henrie by the inclemencie of God King of England King of lyes c. So dealt hee vvith that moste famous Prince George Duke of Saxonie Tom. 2. Ger. fol. 206. a. Tom. 6. f. 6. calling him a Tyrant freneticall mad possessed corporally of the diuell the diuels Apostle c. And in his infamous libell entituled Wider hans worst hee calleth Henry Duke of Brunswicke a grosse asse a stocke a tronke an impudent liar a mad man lunatike damned the theefe on the left hand asse of all asses in Wolfenbutell a pudding a sausage an house-firer who stuffeth him-selfe not by drinking wine but by deuouring and drinking Diuelles a fearefull fugitiue knaue a doting eunuch Prince of cut throats a broudy dogge by a thousand such like names But against the Catholike diuines yea and against his own of-spring the SacrameÌ„taries Iesu what terms vseth he where he hath so often that malepert interiection Trotz Swinglius setting forth the said Luther in his colours bringeth him in this maner reuiling In resp a. v. a. Sweâ—mer a knaue a diuell a theefe an hypocrite Trotz Botz Plotz Plitz tonitru po pu pa plump c. And when he had put the word Sola of his own braine into the text Rom. 3. beeing admonished by some of it he braied out said Tom. 5. Germ. fol. 141. fol. 144. Doctor Martine Luther will so affirmeth that a Papist and an asse are all one I wil haue it so I commaund it so againe Luther will so saith that he is a doctor aboue all the doctors in the Papacy Yea afterward it repented him that he had not corrupted the text of the Apostle worse in putting in more of his owne head and that he had not made the Apostle to say We suppose a man to be iustified by faith only without all works of al Lawes And many moe such like outrages I could here set down of his but I hope these maye suffice to make you to knowe what a milde and modest man this reformer of the christian worlde
stand against a whole Realme and wee see no reason but that you may as well come to Church as you did once if wee be not deceaued eate vpon some occasion flesh vpon a friday a thing so opposite to your religion If you can maister your minde so as you may come home in this sort we shall be all most glad of you for if you do neyther Parents nor frends will entertaine you nor speake one worde in your cause for if they should it were but in vaine besides might bring them into some suspitiō discredit God giue you grace to be wise in time for if you holde on in this your wilfull follie wee feare much that you who shuld haue bin most cōfort to your friends wil become their greatest greefe giue thē occasion to wish that you neuer had bin borne whereas being tractable in this our request you may salue all sores past benefit your self pleasure many do great good in your coūtrie comfort your kinsfolkes proue your selfe wise in deed gaine credit amongst the best and liue pleasantly manie an yeare Which thing your Parents and wee most earnestlie desire to see And thus they with paternall blessinges and wee all ioyntlie with millions of commendations commit you to the Almightie London this 2. of October an 1599. Your most kinde and louing friendes R. and G.H. AN AVNSWERE TO THE LETTER AFORE GOING MOST louing frindes I had writtē the reasons of Religion before I receiued the countermaunde in your last letter which came to my handes very late for being dated the 2. of October Anno 1599. it came not to me vntill the 20. of December of the same yeere Perusing the same weighing the contents thereof I find that you little care what religion I reteine in my minde and conscience so that I be conformable to the Lawes of our Country in hearing Seruice as it is nowe set forth or a peece of a Sermon as it is nowe there preached Manye circumstances and surmises you vse but all driue to the finall scope by you intended which is to driue me to your Church And indeede as worldly friends for an especiall kinde of such loue towardes me you labour very much for the which I hartely thanke you but alasle your counsell and desire is no other than S. Peters was to our Lord Christ Mat. 16. or those pittifull frinds was to Eleazarus 1. Mac. 6. for you builde all vpon our present safety welfare in this world And if I thought that I might followe your counsell neuerthelesse saue my soule surelye then I were the most miserable foole that euer was in the worlde if I would not so doe For to speake of my fellow Catholikes in England as well as of my selfe can there I pray you anye man be more madde than to suffer losse of goods and liuing to bee discredited contemned and troden vnder euery mans foote that listeth to spoile them to lie in prison in dungeons to be racked reracked hanged bowelled aliue and boyled and after all this to goe to hell there to bee tormented eternallye with Fire and Brimstone and all for Religion when-as beeing conformable to the Lawes of their country in going to Church they may enioy liuings liberties liues feede at large and liue gallantly alofte in all delicacy mirth pastime pleasure in this world after all this in the ende to be sure of ioy in the next If you coulde proue this to me then I saye you might condemne mee for the wretchedst miscreant that euer liued if I did not yeelde to your aduice and desire But vntil you can proue it I hope you will conster my course in charitable maner and iudge better of me thā that I do it of obstinacy or for feare of discredit or for anye worldly respecte for I cal God Almighty before whome we are sure to meete one daye and to receiue according to our thoughts words deeds to witnesse that I doe refraine refuse to goe to your seruice only for conscience sake that is because I thinke it not laweful for in so doing I should offende God Almightie greatly which I must not doe for a million of worldes But because you write that you suppose me to haue more knowledge then to answere with sillie women it is against my conscience c. and aske vvhat Scripture authoritie or reason I haue for my refusing I thought it good conuenient to shew you briefly some arguments reasons which I know not how to answere if I should follow your counsaile But I will not amplifie or explane them at large for so I should be long and ouer tedious for you who if I be not deceaued can hardly endure to reade through anie prolixe discourse but I wil only point as it were at them with my finger for I know your wits to be ready enough to conceaue the vvhole by a part or parcell To begin therefore I tell you plainely that the reasons why I being a Catholike and most stedfastly beleeuing the Catholike Religion to be most true and consequently all other Sects and religions false and damnable will not goe to heare your seruice or a sermon of your religion are these which follow 1 In so doing I should furnish the Campe of the enimies of the Cathotholike Church with my visible presence which may not be done without offence for Prouer. 14 In the multitude of his people is the Kinges dignitie and in the small number of his folke the ignominy of the Prince I lessen therby the number of Catholikes and encrease the number of Protestantes at the least in open show 2 I should yeeld to an act of a contrary religion exacted of me as a denyall of mine which may not be done without great offence for although you inculcate and ingeminate obedience and dutifulnes to our Prince that it is but an act of obedience sure lie I cannot see but that it is an act of religion for albeit the Statute beare this title An act to retaine her Maiesties subiects in theyr due obedience yet is not meere obedience the marke intended in the Satute for the ordinary way to exact obedience is by othes of fidelitie and homage And why should this law be made for odedience and none els or why shuld obedience be rather shewed in the Church then in other places or why by ioyning with protestants in their seruice rather thē by other maner of waies And I pray you is not obediēce included in euery law as well as in this for it is verie plaine that euery precept or law besides obedience to it selfe intendeth some acte of some other vertue And in this law none can be intended but about religion and so in going to your seruice I shuld make outward professiō of your religion which in my conscience I iudge to be false 3 I should deny my Faith by so doing for before the law of going to the Church was made
there was no such bond for Catholikes to professe their faith in refusing the Church as after there was although I doe not denie but that it was vnlawfull euen before the Satute as being a thing euill in it owne nature to goe formally to their Seruice but now euery Catholike is bound to professe his faith in refusing to go to the protestants Seruice when it is exacted of him according to the Satute which intendeth to draw him from Catholike Religion And wee see by experience that what Catholike soeuer goeth to theyr Seruice be hee neuer so zealous in minde in Catholike Religion yet is hee of euerie man reckoned in the number of Protestantes and of all Catholickes vtterlie disclaimed And such a one is in very deed a flatte partaker of Protestantisme and is incorporated ipso facto with the members of the same vtterly excluded from the participation of the Misticall Body of Christ our Sauiour 4 You might by the same reason vrge me to receiue your Communion by which you mooue mee to go to your Seruice which I hope you will not do knowing it to be so opposite to my faith religion for I may shewe my obedience to my Princes lawes as wel in the one as in the other And I knowe vvell enough that the Communion is but a peece of bread and a suppe of wine which are things no lesse indifferent of themselues thē my presence at your seruice is And as I know that your minister vvould giue me that bread and wine insteede of a farre better thing so woulde hee buzze and sound in mine eares your seruice I am sure in liew of a far more holy thing And as I little esteeme your seruice so make I small account of your bread and wine But indeede the true cause why I will doe neither the one nor the other is because they be both a like acts of religion vsed in things which I deeme moste vntrue yet might obedience excuse thē both in your opinion 5 I should ipso facto be Excommunicated Calet 2.2 ◠12. ar 1. q. 94. ar 1. and cut off from the Catholike Church of Christ for she excommunicating generallie all heretikes comprehendeth me in the number of thē because in exteriour court or show I am an heretike by going to any other seruice then that of the saide Catholike Church shee not knowing the mind or affection iudgeth according to the outward show and so reputeth me for an absolute heretike although keeping my Faith inuiolable I be not so inwardly and in very deed By this meanes I should be vsed as an excommunicat person altogether cut off frō Gods visible church barred from holie seruice sacraments for no Catholike Priest could lawfullie admitt me to any such so long as I would cōtinue in that miserable state 6 I should be contrary to my conscience a fauourer and a furtherer of Protestantes Religion for I by my presence encreasing your number as I said before must needes somewhat augment the credit of your congregation and so make your sect to flourish the more and encourage others by mine example to help forward the same 7 I should loose that peace vvhich coupleth vs to God and maketh vs of one hart soule amongst our selues Act. 4. and which was so much sought for by the penitent lapsed Christians of the Primitiue Church Their admission or reconciling againe to the Church after theyr fall was tearmed giuing of peace Cyp. lib. 1. Epist 2. for GOD knoweth how little peace rest or quietnesse of minde a Catholike going to your seruice hath And no meruail whē as his body goeth one way his mind another yea he a member rent off from the whole bodie 8 I should be adiudged by the Catholike Church both a Schismatike and an Heretike in so doing A Schismatike because I goe to a Congregation separated frō the church of God an Heretike in that I couple my selfe to them who teach heresie for being by that deed as I said before an exterior Heretike I am consequently a schismatike because that euery heretike is withall a schismatike but euery schismatike is not an heretike for a schismatike only is hee who holding the same opinions Lib. 20 cō Faust c. 3. con Crescon and vsing the same ceremonies of worshipping God with others yet only is pleased with a seuerall congregation 9 I should in so doing make a greatlie in professiō of my faith which must needs be a great sin for a lie is as well committed in deed by dissimulation Ambr. ser de Abra. as in speech And my presence at protestants seruice telleth that I am a protestant whereas in my hart conscience I am a Catholike This kinde of lying as saith S. Augustine ought most chieflie to be auoyded for that it is made in the most noblest of all morall vertues I meane Religion 10 I should giue great scandale occasion of fall to others for that they seeing me doe against my conscience in this may thinke that I will as easlie doe any thing els which I know to be naught vpon hope of repentance and so by mine example may be mooued to doe the like for hee who knoweth or thinketh in his conscience your Seruice to be vnlawfull and yet will be present at it vvhy will hee not as easilie doe anie other thing which hee knoweth to be euill Besides others vvoulde by this myne example bee Confirmed in Schisme and Heresie thinking the seruice either to be good and godly indeed or at the least-wise that it may begone vnto without any scruple As those who saw others eate Idolothytes 1. Cor. 8. were confirmed and encouraged to doe the like 11 I should endaunger my selfe to be infected with that doctrine which I iudge to be damnable And I am told that Eccl. 13. he who loueth daunger shall perrish therein And if I will not be bitten with a Snake I must not sleep nigh an hedge neyther ought I to touch pitch least I be defiled by the same And if Dauid had not aduentured to gaze vpon Bethsabee he had not fallen into so great liking of her as to commit such horrible sinnes as you know And if no Catholicke would haue heard Luth. to haue preached whē he began this new doctrin there had beene at this day neyther Lutheran Zwinglian Protestant Puritane nor any such late sprung vp fellowes to trouble and molest the Catholicke Church Rom. 6. 12 I should disobey S. Paule his cōmaundement bidding mee auoyde an Hereticall man Tit. 3 2. Tim. 4 And farre should I be from the minde of the holy Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn who durst not so much as stay in the bathe to vvash in the companie of Cerinthus the Heretike Euseb li. 3 cap. 22 What would the same Holie Saint haue said thinke you if hee had bin requested by his deare vvorldlie friēds to haue bin present at the praiers seruice sermōs of
Cirinth for the Apostles Lib. 3. c. 30 and their schollers as witnesseth Nicephorus vvere so warie in this case that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them that endeuoured by their leasinges to corrupt the truth And holy Ignatius boldly affirmeth that Epist 6. ad Philadelphenses vvho so flieth not from a false preacher shal be damned into Hell 13 I should be partaker of all their wickednes consequently in daunger of al the punishment mischiefe which may befal them especially being present with them at the deede wherein principally they offend God from vvhich thing I am discouraged by the terrible death of all thē which were in company with the Schismatikes Chore Num 16. Dathan and Abiron which example as saith Saint Cyprian ought to mooue vs not to assiste or further Hereticall oblations Cyp. Epist 76. praiers sermons and errours 14 I should contrary to the iudgements of the learned of all Religions for the Gentiles thought it not lawfull to enter into the Iewes Synagogues Lact lib. 4. 5. diuin instit cur Senec de hist mahom chronic Wolsang Drisl Eus lib. 3. 4. Aug. li. de vnit Ecl. lib. 2. coa Petilian Ioh. Gard. in his Cat. art 86. or into Christiā Churches The Turks at this day refuse to doe the same the Arrians Donatists and such like would not one goe to anothers conuenticles nor to the Catholikes seruice nor the Catholikes to any of theirs The Anabaptistes will not goe to the Lutherans Churches nor the Lutheranes to the Trinitaries The Puritanes vvill hardlie be drawen to Protestantes seruice neither will the Protestantes in Catholike Countreis come to Catholike Seruice And the Iewes will not go to any Seruice but their own Those Protestantes which in Queene Maries dayes had anie conscience refused to go to Masse And therefore in reason you shoulde not mooue me much lesse vrge me to doe the thing vvhich the learned on your side in theyr owne case would not doe because they iudge it vnlawfull 15 I should doe euil to goe to your Seruice because I cannot but in mine own conscience iudge it to be dishonourable to God and consequentlie naught For to omit to speake how it is deuised by your selues and how your fellovv PVRITANES doe vtterlie condemne it I knowe your Translations of Holie Scriptures to be false shameles so as if my scholler should translate one of Tullyes Epistles in such corrupt maner I would soundlie breeche him for his labour Then your Ministers are no Priestes but meere Lay-men consequently haue no authoritie to deale in such things Besides you haue in your Seruice diuerse false and blasphemous things put them to the people for Scripture as in a Geneua Psal you pray to be defended frō Pope Turke Papistry c. And to speake what I thinke you haue left out all good thinges haue chosen to your selues iuste nothing of Catholike seruice although the people were made to beleeue that it was the old Seruice put into English 16 I shoulde goe to that Seruice which neuer was heard of in the world before these dayes nor yet is in anie place els in all the world but onelie there in England 17 I shoulde goe to that Seruice which you amongst your selues cannot agree vpō or decree to continue And it had by all likelihoode beene chaunged againe before this day if the grauer sorte had not made some stay for feare of incurring the note of inconstancy for how many bils I pray you haue there bin put vp in Parliaments about the chaunging of your Seruice Agree therefore amongest your selues first what seruice you will haue to continue and then I will aunswere you reasonablie to your demaund 18 In so doing my soule should goe one way and my body another which ought not to be for if they should goe two waies in this worlde they could not be ioyned togeather after the resurrection in the next life but the one should goe to heauen the other to hell which cannot be for if the bodie serue not God together with the soule in this life why should it enioy heauē in the next And if it be with Protestantes at their Seruice in this worlde why should it not be where the Protestants be in the next 19 I should loofe all the benefit of Catholike religion so either leaue off all conscience or els liue in continuall torment of mind and if I should die in that state I should be vtterlie cast away for euer Besides I shoulde loose the merite of all the good works that I euer did in all my life because I giue ouer working before euening so loose my pennie wages which otherwise would be truely paide mee Mat. 20 20 If I should so doe either to gratifie you other of my friends or by commaūdement of any power vnder her Maiestie neyther you nor they could take it well or account of mee better then of a trayterous caitiue for that you must needs think that I who will violate my faith to God almighty in doing contrarie to my cōscience iudgment for any worldly respect will easily breake my faith promise with man according to the iudgment of Constantius the Emperour Eus de vit canstant l. 1. cap. 11. for how can he be true vnto man that is conuicted of periurie to God verily such must needs be deemed of the wise to be flatterers turne-coates and great hypocrits 21 And now to come to the aunswere which you say women such sillie soules are accustomed to make I should do contrary to my conscience which thing in no case is lawfull to be done Yea if your seruice were good godly indeed the very true Seruice of God yet so long as I thinke otherwise of it I may in no case yeeld to go to it because an erroneous conscience bindeth a man to follow it neuer to doe any thing against it according to iudgement of all learned men of what sect or religion soeuer they be And therefore you may not request me much-lesse vrge me to go to your seruice before I be perswaded in my conscience that it is lawful so to doe Greatly therfore doe you offend God there in England in forcing people to goe to the Church contrary to their consciences and in imprisoning those who refuse so to do for no man is able to maister his own conscience knowledge and to doe against it he ought not therefore it is not in his power or will to goe to your Seruice without offence 22 I should do contrary to the Cānons custome of the Catholik church and against the examples of all Holie Saints learned Fathers Contrarie to the 63. Canon of the Apostles and against Concil Carth. 4. cap. 71. 72. Cōcil Antioch cap. 2. 5. Con. Laodicen c. 9. 32. 33. 37. Con. Mag. Later cap. 70. and against diuers
other Councels as also against the late Councell of Trent where the matter was put English Catholikes making suite that it might be couertly discussed decided to 12. learned Fathers whose iudgement in this matter is yet extant and it had bin superfluous to haue in any publike CanoÌ„ there condemned the same which by so many Councels before that was plainly forbidden Against the examples of Saints learned Fathers as of S. I. Euang. which I recited before of S. Polycarpe of S. Denis Bishop of Alexandria of S. Anth of Origen of Beniolus S. Amb. S. Athan. S. Chrisost and of many moe 23 I should in so doing shew my self a Neuter that is such a one as is not affected to either religion consequeÌ„tly of no religion Apoc. 3. but an Atheist or neither hote nor cold but luke warme therfore to be spued out of the mouth of God 3. Reg. 18. for hee who haulteth on both sides is on neither side but a traitour to bothe And from the one and the same fouÌ„tain there runneth not sweet sower water Iacob 3. neyther can any man serue two contrary masters as he can not plow with an Oxe an Asse Mat 6. Deut. 22. nor weare garments of linnin wolleÌ„ nor sow his field with two maner of seeds 24 I should in so doing be as is said before one of your congregation and yet I should be but the verie excrements or chippings of your Church for receauing no life froÌ„ Catholike religion in the corps of Protestantisme I should serue for no necessarie vse because I could not be ther but for some worldly respect so in body only by that meanes but as the haires of a mans body or nailes or euill humors which althogh they be within the body yet are they not animated by the soul but void of sense lost without paine by nature not fit to be quickned for froÌ„ the Protestant spirit I hope I should sucke no zeale of that sect from the soule of the Catholike Church I could receaue no life because I cutt my selfe off froÌ„ it by yeelding to your seruice and so I should remaine void of sense life and soule and should be nothing but Caluins excrements 25 I should shewe my selfe a colde Catholike indeed to haue no zeale at all for that deeming you to bee Gods enemies yet I can finde in my hart not only to be in companye with you in ciuill affaires but also in your seruice far from the spirit of the Prophet Dauid Psal 16. who hated the congregation of such and was euen eaten with the zeale of Gods Church and greatly loued the beutye thereof Yea I shoulde doe quite contrary for when I see a theefe I should run with him take part with the adulterers And to conclude with answering your demaund why I will not as well goe to your seruice as eate fleshe vpon a fryday when vrgent occasions driue me thereunto I say that Religion being a vertue which giueth honour reuerence to God doth sometimes coÌ„mand other vertues directeth their actions to Gods honor Theod. 22. q. 85. art 3 As fasting is a vertue that subdueth mans body and may be commaunded by religion to serue God withall Other actes there are which only belong to religion not to other vertues which haue no other praise but that they are done for the reuerence of God of vvhich sort are sacrifies kneeling knocking on the brest such like And of this sort is the ceremonie of going to such a place more then to another Herevpon it is that one may eate flesh vpon a friday or other fasting in diuers cases and yet in no case goe to seruice with those who are of a false religion for to abstaine vpon certaine dayes is not a proper or immediate act of religion but commaunded by religion being indeed an act of temperance so intended by holy Church although it may be vsed to honor God with all And because none vse to fast on such daies but Catholikes it doth oftentimes betoken a Catholike distinguisheth him from Protestants yet because the immediate end of the law is temperance the act of eating of flesh or of other forbidden meats hath other naturall ends besides religion therefore it doth not necessarily containe anie signification of religion but the act of going to the Church doth of it own nature by common acceptation of all betoken deuotion and religion Thus haue I brieflie yeelded you some reasons and authorities why I may not satisfie your request condiscende to your desires in going to your seruice I coulde haue yeelded many moe but I thought these might suffice you and cause you to surcease from your worldly carnall perswations for hereafter I meane not to aunswere you any more such letters but only to say vnto you goe behinde me Satans for you are scandales to me And so desiring our Parents blessing with humble commendations to theÌ„ and harty to you and to all the reste of our kinsfolkes and friendes I leaue you all to our Lord and Sauiour who send vs his grace in this world and his glory in the next From my Chamber at Palempyne this 18. of Februarie 1600. FINIS ✚ A bryef short declaracyon made wherbye eâ—… chrysten man maye knowe what is a sacrament Of what partes a sacraments consysteth and is made for what intent sacramentes were instituted and what is the pryncypall effect of sacramentes finally of the abuse of the sacrament of chrysten body and bloud Imprinted At London by Robert Stoughton Dwellynge wythin Ludgate at the sygne of the Bysshoppes Myter
consciences In colloq mens Ger. fol. 458. b. 369. b. I Know that no man can see into another mans hart or conscience although Luther and his followers bragged that they could so doe and therfore we cannot iudge thereof by suspition only but yet wee may be bold to giue our censure of them by the plaine wordes and manifest deedes of the parties Wee dare not be so rash in this matter as the Protestantes are who by onely coniectures iudge the harts of one another and sticke not to write Tom. 1. IeÌ„ Ger. fol. 4. coll mens fol. 244. a. Tom. 2. Ger. Ien. fol. 9. b. that they speake and write against their coÌ„sciences knowledge whereby we may gather that they vse so to do for otherwise how could they suspect such a detestable fault in others for commonlie a man thinketh others to be as himselfe is Col. mens fol. 10. b. Luther confesseth that hee began this Tragedie against his conscience therfore he thought others to doe the like Zwinglius saith that he beleeued not the Reall Presence for manie yeares together before hee brake off from the Catholike Church but yet hee vvarilie dissembled his mind outwardly shewing himselfe a Papist Collo mens fol. 53. and in his opinion others doe the like Nenno openly telleth that before he was an Anabaptist hee sought after nothing but his bellie In admâ—nition ad do the desires of the flesh and therefore hee thought that all Catholicke Priestes did the like but you may aske me if Luther who first began the protestants Religion had at his entry such repugnance of conscience why did hee not leaue off that course returne to his Cloyster againe I answere for that he had proceeded so farre as he himselfe thought that by desperate necessitie hee must goe on howsoeuer the matter would fal out Euen as Iu. Caesar Suetonius in vita Caesaris who doubted much and had diuers CoÌ„bats with himself whether he shuld march forward with his army against the Romanes or no but at the length when he had proceeded so farre as that hee had passed ouer the riuer Rubicon hee burst out into these words Now is the chaunce throwne Col. mens fol. 241. now must we needs proceed wheather we will or no. In like manner Luther after he had gone further then his conscience woulde haue suffered him to haue done hee vtterly dispairing the recouery of his credit much like as one Thomas Bell who yet liueth in England hath done iustified his actions Col. mens fol. 158. b. 273. b. and so began his hell in this life hauing his conscience euer after vnquiet and still reproouing him causing him to repent as Iudas did for that he had proceeded so farre and to wish all his Bookes buried in the earth In praefat in tom 1. Germ. Ien. and was so troubled in disputations that as one ready to die he would goe out into the next chamber and there throw himselfe vpon a bed And yet for all this Melanct. in vita Luth. pag. 13. the Diuell at the last grew so big with him as that hee made him in all desperation to breake out into all malice against the Catholicke Church without any regarde of conscience Tom. 3. IeÌ„ Ger. f. 274 or honestie as you may see by that hee flatlie sayeth that if the Councell of Trent would allow Communion vnder both kindes which he theÌ„ taught to be instituted by Christ and therefore of necessitie must so be done yet he and his followers would in despite of the Councel either vse but one only or none at all and would plainelie account them accursed which should vse both kinds by the authority of the Councell And in like maner he saith that if the Catholicke Church should by any Councell decree that Priestes and Ecclesiasticall persons might lawfullie marrie which Doctrine he him selfe not only taught Tom. 2. Ger. f. 214. but euen practised the same by marrying a Nunne he would rather dissemble beleeue that that man was more in Gods fauor who all his life long should keepe one or two yea or three whoores then he who after the decree of the Councell should marrie yea he would coÌ„maund vnder paine of damnation that no maÌ„ by permition of the Councell should marry but either liue chaste or if he cannot so doe by keeping a who are he should not despaire So plaied he about the Eucharist for although he taught that the Eleuation of the Blessed Sacrament was wicked and horrible Idolatry and therfore would haue it abrogated Tom. 3. Ien. Germ yet after that he had vnderstoode that his aduersary Carolastadius did teach the same he to contradict to oppose himselfe against him retained kept the Eleuation in Wittenberge whole twenty yeeres togeather mauger the head of his said emulator Carolastadius Yea he openly protested that rather than hee woulde yeelde an haires breadth to him he would goe and be a Friar againe and obserue all orders in his Monastery as duely as euer he had done before The like course he toke about other things and namely about Transubstantiation Because the Papists saith he doe vrge Transubstantiation Tom. 2. Germ. fol. 225. we onely that we may be contrary to them insulte against them will beleeue that true Breade true Wine doe there remaine together with the Body Bloode of Christ Yet saide he of Transubstantiation against the Sacramentaries that he woulde rather beleeue it with the Papistes than he would denie the Reall Presence with them This maye you plainly see that this your first Apostle and generall Captaine of all you Protestantes had no conscience nor Religion at all but ledde by a spirite of contradiction he sought to be singular in himselfe and contrary to all others Neither did hee onely in this manner against his conscience but his companions and Schollers were also in the same predicament and had the same repugnance in themselues For Melancthon in the diet at Aspurge was so troubled in conscience Chytraeus in hist Aug. conf that he was altogeather sadde pusillanimous and doubtfull in minde and gaue him selfe so to weeping as that no comfortes nor encouragementes coulde preuaile or doe him any good And Carolastadius openly confessed that what hee did was cleane against his conscience Col. mâ—…ger f. 1 517. The like repugning conscience had Zwinglius in expounding the words of our Sauiour of the B. Sacrament Lib. de cae na page 216. a. as witnesseth Kemnitius and the Lutherans write that hee openlie shewed and declared in his manners gests and in all things that his conscience accused him of errours Ioannes Shutz in serp antiq fol. 19. but yet he had leifer forsake the truth then to loose his honour in yeelding to Luther The like write the same Lutherans of Oecolampadius And as for Bucer it is wel knowne that hee had no conscience nor religion at
all for at Wittenberge he was a Lutheran at Colone halfe a Catholike in England a Zwinglian euerie where of euerie Sect. I could easily shew the like dealing against theyr consciences and knowledge in diuers other principall Protestants namelie in your countriman I well who in citing and coating Scriptures Doctors Councels and other Authors doth so rent and teare in peeces the text inuert the sense chaunge and alter the words and pull out of the sentence by peece meale some little parcell which is forced to sound for his purpose whē as he cannot but see plainelie that the Author speaketh cleane contrarie as any man may wonder to see a man so desperatly and damnably shamelesse as openly in the view of the whole world to shew himselfe without God or conscience but mine intended breuitie will not admit any moe allegations in this place When I had found out the Premisses to bee moste true and had duelie weighed with my selfe the dealinges of these new Gospellers I thought it better to aduenture my soule vvith all the vvhole Christian world of all ages who had their consciences most quiet caulme and ioyfull then with a few desperate fellows who thus deale against their owne knowledge and consciences and so shewe themselues most impudent shamelesse to the whole world THE XXII REASON Vnreuerent dealing THE Catholike Romane Church hath euer both in doing speaking and euery manner of way borne great repect and reuerence towardes Gods holy Saints and towards all holy things in regard of him from whom proceedeth all holines as in reuerent entring into the Church in reuerent taking of holie-water in reuerent behauiour towards the holy Aultars towards pictures images of the saints of God in reuerent and meeke kneeling in reuerent deuout praying in all reuerence and attention at the holie Masse and in euery action and iest which Catholikes vse in the Church you may see great reuerence humble veneration But contrariwise amongst the Protestants as all thinges are prophane so are they moste prophanely vsed They enter into theyr Churches with no greater reuerence thē they enter into tauerns they bow or make reuerence to nothing therin for that they haue made all Sacred things away if any of them kneele it is but vpon thornes for full soone are they vp againe thē with their hats vpon their heads they eyther iangle or talke or walke or sitte staring about them as if they waited to see when the players would come foorth vppon the stage or else the good fellowes go to the ale-house where now thē they find their minister drinking his morning draught before he go to his seruice to drink a pot or two of nappy ale that thereby they may the better hold out the seruice time during which space they stand gazing staring vpō their Minister as a Countrie clowne which neuer was in London before doth gaze when he goeth downe Cheap-side at the Gold-smithes stauls or els they stare one vpon another like as theeues do when they are taken in a robery or els some of them walke without in the warme sonne make theyr bargaines and generallie you doe see no more deuotion there then you doe in a Faire or Market no man nor womā saying one praier but all waiting for that which they cā neuer haue in that state the peace of God The which being hastely chopped vp they rush and gush out of the Church as water doth out of a mill pole when the flood yeates are sodainely plucked vp no man moouing lip or legge but striuing vvho shall be soonest at his pottage Neither doe they vse any reuerence to their Minister no nor yet to his wife but account of thē as they are indeed most abiect persons And no meruaile when as their superintendents whom they tearme Bishops are little esteemed of among their Diocesanes especially among Gentlemen are least accounted of among Barrons and other Noble men vvho disdaine their companie contemne their presence whereas amongst Catholikes Priests haue euer bin greatlie reuerenced Bishoppes and Prelats highly honoured all Cleargie men much esteemed and theyr companie presence of all sorts desired reuerently accepted of The same reuerent respect haue Catholikes euer obserued in speaking in making mention of Gods Books Angels Saints or of such like holy things for speaking of such they vsually say The holie Bible or the holie Scriptures the holie Ghospell the blessed Sacrament the holie Sacraments c. And of Angels Saints the holy Angels S. Michael S Gabriel c. And the French more reuerentlie vse to say Mounsieur S. Michael Mounsieur S. Pierre c. Our blessed Lady or the holie virgin S. Marie or the mother of God S. Peeter S. Paul S. Amb. S. August S. Greg. S Hierome S. Bernard c. and generally in speaking of Holie thinges they vse Holie tearmes But the Protestants shew as little reuerence deuotion in speaking as they doe in dooing for they speake no more reuerentlie of such then they do of the prophanest things they haue They tearme all as if they vvere in puris natalibus The Bible the Word the Testament the Communion book Baptisme Bread the Supper Angels Michel Gabriel Peter Paul Marie or Marie the virgin Ambrose Austen Gregorie the Pope Hierome the monke Bernard the Abot c. with as great inciuilitie irreuerence and want of good manners as if rude Countriemen in talking of her Maiesties Nobles should say the Keeper the Treasurer the Admirall Essex Southampton Monioy c. or insteede of naming men of worshippe by their Christian names shuld say Tom Dick Wil Robin Iacke Hodge c. Which diuersitie of dealing when I considered it with my selfe I could not but think deeme the Protestants profession voide of all impression of pietie and deuotion contrariwise in the Catholike Church to be all sincere affection and celestiall humilitie towards almightie God and towards al things appropriated to his seruice as also towards those who are the greatest partakers of his heauenlie fauour THE XXIII REASON Resembling in Doctrine and deedes old Heretikes Irenaeus l. 1. cap. 20. Theo lib. 1. Haeretic fab Aug. here 's 54. Hist trip l. 8. cap. 9. I HAVE conferred the Doctrine deedes manners of Protestants with those of the old Heretikes long since condemned by the Catholicke Church I find thē little or nothing at all to differ for as touching Doctrine the protestants hold with Simon Magus that good workes are not meritorious they renounce the Pope with Nouatus they refuse to faste on such dayes as the Church hath prescribed Hierom in prae in dia. aduer Pelag Aug. de her cap 45. Epiph. l 3 her 75 Hier. lib. 1. cō Iouin idem coa vigilant ad Exuperium and denie free-wil with the Manichees they denie sacrifice and praier for the dead with Aeriu with Iouiniā they put no differences of sins nor make virginity any better thē