that it can be performed And accordingly hereto I know a man witty inough but dissolute in manners and partly suspected of Atheisme but in externall show a Protestant who is accustomed to say that he would gladly see the diuell because he would gladly see something aboue the ordinary course of nature I beseech God that his desire in the end of his life be not accomplished Now how forward our Precisians are in denying all Miracles since the Apostles tymes may appeare from the liberall Confessions in this point of D. Fulke who thus acknowledgeth (r) Against the Rhem. Testamēt in Apocalyps p. 13. It is knowne that Caluin and the rest whom the Papists call Arch-Heretikes worke no miracles And of D. Sutcliffe (s) In his Exam. of D Kellisons Suruey printed 1606. pag. 8. We do not practise miracles nor do we teach that the doctrine of truth is to be confirmed with miracles Thus we see that these men are in their Iudgements so strongly persuaded that all Miracles by the which God suspendeth stupendiously the working of nature are so fully ceased since the dayes of the Apostles as that they freely confesse all want of working Miracles to haue beene in the plantation of their owne Religion directly impugning that course of working Miracles granted by our Sauiour to his Apostles at the first preaching of the Gospell (t) Math. 10. As you go preach heale the sicke cleanse the leprous raise vp the dead cast out the Diuels c. 18. Our former Aduersaries do in great riot of splenefull acclamations cry out in their Pulpits and writings against Holy-dayes the Sabaoth day only excepted with great auersion dislike of them This their so much affected doctrine wholly introduceth a forgetfulnes of the Misteries of Christian faith for those daies were instituted by the Church of Christ in her Primitiue tymes to put vs in mind of the misteries of our Fayth As for example Christmas day in remembrāce of Christs birth and Natiuity Innocents day or Childermas day as it is vulgarly called in remembrance of the slaughter of the Infants at the tyme of our Sauiours birth New yeares day in remembrance of our Sauiours Circumcision Epiphany or Twelft day in remembrance of the Comming of the three Kings with presents to our Sauiour The Annunciation day in remembrance of the Angels salutation of our Blessed Lady bringing her that most ioyfull message that she shall bring forth the Sauiour of the world Good Friday in remembrance of our Sauiour Christ his death passion on that day Easter day in remembrance of our Lords resurrection from the graue Ascension day in remembrance of his ascending in Soule and body into Heauen Pentecost or Whitsuntide in remembrāce of the descending of the Holy Ghost Trinity Sunnay in honour and remembrance of the most Blessed Trinity finally Corpus Christi day in remembrance of our Sauiours Institution of the most blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist Now most of these great festiuall dayes are much neglected and vilifyed by our Aduersaries nor for the most part do the Puritane Ministers instruct their Proselites and followers why those Feasts and vpon what occasion they were first instituted which want of care in the Maisters and ignorance in the Schollers do beget a great forgetfulnes of our Christian Mysteries And this my Assertion is warranted with all experience The like we may proportionably conclude of our Aduersaries small respect they beare to the Feast dayes of the Apostles or of diuers other great Saints For example the ignorant Protestant knowes when Midsomer day as they call it commeth but that that day was instituted in the honour of S. Iohn Baptist as being the Precursor of our Sauiours comming few of them know In like sort our Aduersaries reiect with full mouth all Ceremonies in Fayth styling them superstitious and Idolatrous though the said Ceremonies were first instituted and are still vsed the better to recall to the mind of the ignorant the Mysteries of Christian Religion And vpon the same ground they mainely vociferate and cry out against the true vse of Pictures which serue only to put vs in mind of the vertues and liues of the Saints of which they are the Pictures Neither can they endure the sight of the Crosse though it be only to put vs in mind of our Sauiours death and passion suffered vpon the Crosse so willing they are to extinguish and wholy blot out all remembrances prints and cognizances of Christian fayth Thus we see that our Aduersaries proceeding herein finally tends to the obliterating cancelling of most of the chiefe Mysteries of our Christian fayth and Religion and of the most godly Professors of it 19. The Aduersaries acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church hath induced many to forsake the Christian Religion and in lieu thereof to become Arians Iewes or Turkes For first seeing the Old Testament is most full in its authorities for a (u) Esay 60. Dan. 2. Psal 28. Continuall splendour and visibility of Christs true Church and further seeing that this exacted visibility hath bene wanting in the Protestant Church by their owne Confessions whereof I will heere for breuity alledge the acknowledgment of Sebastianus Francus a learned Protestant who thus confesseth (x) In epist de abrogandis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis For certaine through the worke of Antichrist the externall Church together with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church hath not bene externall and visible To whose iudgment D. Fulke subscribeth in these wordes (y) In his answer to a Counterfeyt Catholike p. 1◠The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles And lastly seeing such Protestants as acknowledge the want of the visibility of their owne Church will not acknowledge the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church of God though they do acknowledg that that Church hath beene euer visible for these fourteene hundred yeares Therfore diuers of the said eminēt Protestants through the want of fulfilling of the Prophecies touching the Churches visibility in their owne Protestant Church haue therevpon Apostated from Christianity some of them imbracing the doctrine of the Iewes others of the Turkes and therupō haue employed all their dayes after with infecting other Christians with their new imbraced doctrines wherby they haue secretly instilled into their followers minds and wills the poyson both for doctrine impious conuersation of life which Iudaisme or Turcisme do teach and warrant Many examples of diuers learned Protestants forsaking their Christian Religion through the acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestants Church may be alledged As of (z) So witnesseth Beza in epist 65. p. 308. Alamannus a great Protestant who became a Iew. Of (a) In historia Dauidis Georgij printed at Antwerpe 1568. Dauid George once Professour at Basill who became a blasphemous Apostata Of Ochinus who
Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God Now to requite the Puritanes Charity herein we find them thus charged by other English Protestants In the Suruey of the pretended discipline c. 5. c. 24. cap. 35. The Puritanes peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scripture and Fathers to serue their owne turne And agayne in this sort The word of God is troubled with such choppers and changers of it M. Parks is no lesse sparing in his reprehension thus writing In his epist. dedicatory p. 3. The Puritanes seeke to vndermine the foundation of fayth And finally M. Powel thus doth recriminate the Puritanes In his Considerations The Puritanes are notorious and manifest Schismatikes cut off from the Church of God Neither do the Protestants thus inueigh one against another in short sentences or Periods of speach but they haue written seuerall hundred whole Treatises in reproofe of ech others doctrines and haue printed them in Protestant townes and Vniuersities as appeareth from the Catalogues heretofore yearely returned from Frankefort mentioned by Hospinian the ProtestaÌ„t in his Historia Sacramentaria part altera and by Coccius his Thesaurus tom 2. The very Titles wherof sufficiently discouer that the Protestants do hould one another for Heretikes and therfore not capable of saluation see here the viperous brood issuing from the loynes of one Luther Apostata Fryar For greater expedition I will here content my selfe with setting downe the Titles only of Ten of their Bookes of which not any of them touch the sole Doctrine of the Eucharist because perhaps it may be replied that the one syde speakâ— therin rather like Papists then Protestants And out of these ten you may easily coniecture with what spirit of Contention and diuision the rest of the Bookes are written The ten Bookes are these following 1. Conradi Schlussenburgi Theologiae Caluinisticae libri tres in quibus seu in tabula quadam quasi ad oculum plusquam ex ducentis viginti tribus Sacramentariorum publicis scriptis pagellis verbis proprijs Authorum nominibus indicatis demonstratur eos de nullo ferè Christianae fidei articulo rectè sentire Printed Francofurti 1594. 2. Oratio de Incarnatione filij Dei contra impios blasphemos errores Swinglianorum Caluinistarum Printed Tubingae Anno Domini 1586. 3. Alberti Graueri Bellum Ioannis Caluini Iesu Christi Braptae 1598. 4. Gulielmi Zepperi Dillinburgensis Ecclesiae Pastoris Institutio de tribus Religionis summis Capitibus quae inter Euangelicos in Controuersiam vocantur Hannouiae 1596. 5. Aegidij Hunnij Caluinus Iudaizans Hoc est Iudaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca testiâ—onia de gloriosâ Trinitate Deitate Christi Spiritus Sancti cum primis autem vaticinia Prophetarum de aduentu Messiae Natiuitate eius Passione Resurrectione Ascensione ad caelos Sessione ad dextram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpere non abhorruit Wittembergae 1593. 6. Pia defensio aduersus Iohannis Caluini Petri Boquini Theodori Bezae Gulielmi Ctebitij c. similium calumnias Item Refutatio Pelagiani seu Anabaptistici Caluinistarum erroris de Baptismo peccato Originali Adduntur Collectaneae plurimorum Caluini contra Deum eius Prouidentiam Praedestinationem Erfordiae 1583. 7. Christiani Kittelmanni decem graues perniciost errores Swinglianorum in doctrinâ de peccatis baptismo ex proprijs ipsorum libris collecti refutati Magdeburgi 1562. 8. De gaudijs aeternae vitae quomodo Sacramentarij nobis illa gaudia imminuant Erfordiae 1585. 9. Ioannis Mosellani Praeseruatiuae contra venenum Swinglianorum Tubingae 1586. 10. Denominatio Imposturarum fraudum quibus Aegidius Hunnius Ecclesiae Orthodoxae doctrinam petulanter corrumpere pergit Bremae 1592. Thus we see My worthy Friend in what inueterate intestine and irreconciable simulties dissensions and Booke-warres the Protestants of all kinds and sorts doe liue among themselues from the true consideration of which point it may euidently be inferred that the Protestants by such their disagreements cannot nor do affoard the hope of saluation to other Protestants dying in a contrary faction to themselues except the said Protestants should graunt contrary to the Scriptures to all Antiquity and to the force of all reason that men who are Heretikes and Aliens from the Church of God who vrge only a shadow of the word of God but not the word it selfe who are Heretikes maintayning two Gods whose Religion is erroneous Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God who peruert the Scriptures to serue their owne turnes who vndermyne the foundation of fayth as being manifest schismatikes are cut of from the Church finally who are charged by other Protestants their owne Brethren and this in set Treatises not to belieue aright almost any one Article of Christian fayth but to maintayne blasphemous and impious errrours as to wage war against Iesus-Christ to defend Pelagianisme and Anabaptisticall errours and lastly to corrupt the most illustrious passages of Scripture vrged by all antiquity in proofe of the most glorious Trinity of the Diuinity of Christ and of the holy Ghost except I say that such men as these dying in this state irrepentantly can be saued But now if we will turne the leafe ouer and obserue what the most learned Protestants do confesse and teach in behalfe of the Papists dying Papists we shall fynd that both by necessary Inferences resulting out of their owne graunted Premises as also in expresse tearmes they maintayne that the Papists dying in their owne Religion may be saued This shall be proued seuerall wayes therby to iustify Doctour Pryce his election and choyce in dying a Catholike member of the Roman Church and not a member of the Protestants late erected Conuenticle And first this Verity takes its probation from that other acknowledged Verity of the Protestants who confesse that the Roman Church is the true Church of God and that in the same Church Saluation is to be obtained To this purpose we may alleadge D. Field in his owne wordes In his booke of the Church lib. 3. c. 46. We doubt not but that the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more then a Luciferian pryde exalted himselfe was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ M. Hooker thus worthily honoureth the Church of Rome In his booke of Ecclesiast policy agâ— 88. The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the Visible Church of Christ we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ. D. Barrows In his Sermons and two questions disputed ad Clerum pag. 448. I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God M. Morton In his treatise of the Kingdome of Israel and of the Church pag
here in England certaine Fayth-skirmishes as I may terme them both of vs labouring to maintayne our owne Station I grant you are learned but therein perhaps more hardly to be drawne to acknowledge the truth since it oftentimes falleth out that that eye which seeth nothing at all is more easily cured then that which is of an imperfect sight But to redresse this fault imitate the Iron which we see moueth not to the iron more like but to the load stone lesse like so suffer not your iudgement to be enthralled to those Positions or Placita which are best sorting to your owne Priuate Spirit or Conceite but force it to be drawne in matters of fayth with the Magneticall and attractiue tuch of the Authority of Gods Vniuersall Church how strange otherwise this Authority may seeme to you to be But now to renew this our former Duellisme by Pen in a friendly well-wishing manner for the aduancement of your soule in her chiefest good I haue thought it expedient to referre to your iudgment at this time two forcing reasons such as well may draw you to make an intense introuersion vpon your owne dangerous state in matters of Religion Well then The first shall consist in displaying from head to head of proofes the graduall Euasions of the Protestants made to the seuerall kinds of the said proofes produced by the Catholiks in defence of their Religion by which course the Protestants discouer themselues to be most fugitiue fleeting in their grounds of fayth since they will not staÌ„d vnappealably to any kind of proofes whatsoeuer produced against them and accordingly hereto by this Paragraph following you shall discouer that though the chayne as I may say of our Catholike Proofes is made of many linkes yet that the Aduersary will not suffer himselfe to be tyed to any of them but through the violence of his owne Priuate Spirit breakes them all 1. As first let vs draw our Proofes from many congruentiall Arguments taken from the force of Reason being Gods peculiar Character impressed by himselfe in mans soule The ProtestaÌ„ts answere that besides this is but an humane inducement they can produce as many Counter-reasons to the contrary ouerballancing in their iudgments the weight of ours 2. Let vs repayre to most authenticall Histories recording matter of fact which matter of fact is touching the Visibility of the Church the Administration of the word and Sacraments Vocation and Ordination of Ministers The Conuersion of Nations to the Roman fayth and some others necessarily to be enquired after D. Whitakers repels all this by making a subtill transition from History to Scripture in this sort Contra Duraeum l. 7. p. 478. To vs it is sufficient by comparing the Popish opinions with the Scriptures to discouer the disparity of fayth betweene them and vs. And as for Historiographers we giue them liberty to write what they will In like sort touching the supposed change of Rome in fayth the sayd Doctour disclaimeth from the authority of all Histories saying Contr. Duraeum p. 277. It is not needfull to vs to search out in Histories the beginning of this change Thus he And yet all experience sheweth that Truth or falshood of Matter of fact many ages since sayd to be performed is eyther to be discouered by History or not to be discouered at all 3. Let vs go on forward rest for the proofe of our fayth in the particuler authorityes of Austine Ierome Basill Cyprian Tertullian Origen and the rest of the Doctours of the Primitiue Church we being instructed to this Methode by those wordes Deuteronom 4. Interroga de diebus antiquis Luther answereth heerto auerring That In Colloq mensal câ— de Paâ— Eccles l. de seruo arbitrio The Apology of Philip Melancthon doth farre exceede all the Doctours of the Church and excell euen Austin himselfe Luther further thus inueighing Luth. vbi supra In the writings of Ierome there is not one word of the fayth of Christ and perfect Religion Basil is of no worth He is wholy a Monke Cyprian is a weake Diuine Origen is long since accursed Tertullian is superstitious See you not my good friend with what a bould forehead Apostasy rayles at the true auncient Religion of Christ But to proceed Another great Arch of the Protestant Church is not afrayd to aduance the Protestant fayth in respect of those times in this manner The Archbishop of Canterbury in his Defence of the Answere to the Admonition p. 472. 473. The Doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this daey is more perfect and sounder then it commonly was in any age since the Apostles 4. Let vs vrge whole Generall Concells of firster tymes to which our Math. â—â— Sauiour himselfe hath promised his assistance Luther basely casts them of by auouching That the decrees of the Nicene Councell are Luth. lib de Concil foenum stramen lignum stipulae And Beza thus censureth all the ancient Councels In his preface of â—â—e 〈◊〉 Testament anno 1â—87 The ambition ignorance and lewdnes of Bishops was such as that the blind may easily perceaue that Satan was President in their assemblies and Councels And if we appeale to more moderne yet Generall Councels Peter Martyr replyes thus confessing Li. de votis pag. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councells so long vs shall continue in the Papists errours 5. Let vs call to mind the vn-interrupted practise of Gods Church euen froÌ„ Christs tyme to these dayes the answerable Apostolicall Traditions deriued to vs by a long hand of time both being the securest Scholia or Paraphraze of the true Christian fayth Beza bloweth all this away in two wordes saying See hereof Doctour Bancroftâ— Suruey p. 219. Ad verbum Dei prouoco 6. Let vs according to Beza his prouocation anchour our selues vpon Gods Word as vpon Ecclesiasticus Toby the Machabees and some other parcells of the Old Testament In his answere to M. Reynoldâ— refutation pag. 21. 231. D. Whitakers and the rest of his syde reiect all such Bookes as Apochryphall In like manner if we insist in the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Epistle of S. Iames in the second third Epistle of S. Iohn or in the Apocalyps do we not fynd the Epistle to the Hebrews to be reiected by Exam. Concil Tridentâ— Sess 4. Kempnitius Confess VVittenberg de sacra scrip Brentius and the Cent. l. 2. c. 4. Col. 55. Magdeburgenses As also who knoweth not but that the Epistle of S. Iames is vtterly discanoned by In Prolog huius epistolae Luther and that the foresayd Kempnitius Brentius and the Magdeburgenses in the place aboue alledged rest doubtfull whether the second and third Epistle of S. Iohn be Scripture or no And lastly doth not Luther in most vnworthy termes discard the Luth in prolog huius libri Apocalyps as holding it neither Propheticall nor Apostolicall to whose iudgment Brentius Kempnit locis supra citatis Brentius Kempnitius do subscribe 7. Let vs
Basil Ierome for their commending defending of Monachisme and austerity of life I will omit all other Controuersyes between the Catholikes and the Protestants in all which Caluin opposeth himselfe to the ioint consent of all the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church and I will conclude with his reprehension of Chrysostome Austin Epiphanius and others concerning the doctrine of praying and offering vp Sacrifice for the dead his wordes for close of all are these (k) In Tract Theolog. de ver Eccles reform pag. â—94 Fateor eiusmodi preces c. I confesse that the custome of these prayers was ancient and that such prayers were allowed by Austin Chrysostome and Epiphanius as receaued by succession from their Ancestours the vsage wherof the aforenamed Fathers followed without reason c. Thus we see that Caluin doth fully parallell and equall Beza in contempt of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church such a fastidious Magistrality pride in the highest degree do their former doctrines of their Reuealing Spirit and extraordinary Vocation beget in the mindes of the belieuers thereof But to conclude with relating of Caluins death which was most sutable to his life for (l) Psal 33. Mors peccatorum pessima Conradus Schlussenburg the foresaid Protestant deliuereth it in these wordes (m) â—n Theolog. Caluin printed 1594 lib. 2. fol. 72. Deus manu sua potenti c. God in the rod of his fury visiting Caluin did punish him before the houre of his death with his mighty haÌ„d for he being in despayre and calling vpon the Diuel gaue vp his wicked soule swearing cursing and blaspheming He dyed of the disease of lyce and wormes increasing in a most loathsome vlcer about his priuy parts so as none present could endure the stench These things are obiected against Caluin by Publike writings in which also horrible things are declared concerning his lasciuiousnes his sundry abhominable vices and Sodomiticall lusts for which last he was burned by the Magistrate at Noyon where he liued being branded vpon the shoulder with a hoat burning Iron Thus far the foresaid Slussenburg an earnest Protestant and as great an Enemy to the Pope as Caluin euer was and therfore his Testimony is to be reputed lesse partiall and more indifferent The foresaid miserable death of Caluin is confirmed with the vnanswerable Testimony of Herennius a Caluinist Preacher and therefore the rather heerin to be credited His words are these (n) In libello de vita Caluini Caluinus in desperatione siniens vitam c. Caluin ending his life in despaire dyed being consumed of a most filthy and loathsome disease and such as God is accustomed to threaten to the wicked and such as be rebellious against him This of Caluin I dare testify to be most true because I my selfe being there present did behould that calamitous tragical end of his euen with these mine owne eyes Thus the said Herennius and thus far of Caluin though most briefly This one obseruation touching his death I will add to wit that it is the lesse to be wondered that Caluin should dye despayring of his Saluation seeing it may wel be thought that Christ by way of speciall punishment in withdrawing his grace from Caluin did inflict this particuler kind of death vpon him because Caluin taught that Christ himselfe was for the time * Caluins words in Latin are these in Math. 27. Sed absurdum videtur Christo elapsam esse desperationis vocem Solucio facilis est c. and in the same place thus more Sic videmus Christum omni ex parte vexatum vt desperatione obrutus ab inuocando Deo absi steret in despayre and as being ouerwhelmed in desperation gaue ouer prayer O monstrous and neuer afore heard of Blasphemy The next shall be Ochinus This man with the helpe of Peter Martyr first broached Protestancy heer in EnglaÌ„d in K. Edwards the sixth reigne as * Osiander Cent. 16. l. 2. c. 67. Osiander witnesseth and the whole world knoweth Ochinus was first a Religious maÌ„ of the Catholike Romane Church but being weary of seruing God in that austerity of lyfe left his (o) So sayth Sleydan l. 9 at anno 1547. fol. 297. Monstery with breach of all his former vowes of Religion This Ochinus did write a booke (p) Lauather in histor Sacrament fol. 50. against the Masse and him Caluin thus exalteth in these words (q) Lib de scandalis extat in hâ— Tract Theolog. printed 1597. p. 111. Whome can Italy oppose for they were both Italians against Peter Martyr and Bernardine Ochine There is not written against Ochinus so much touching his extraordinary licentiousnes of lyfe as touching his doctrines for first he began to defend by wryting of certayne Dialogues the doctrine of Polygamy or hauing many wyues at one and the same tyme of which Dialogues (r) Beza in lib. de Polygamia p. 4. Beza maketh mention But Ochinus did not content himselfe with this but proceeded to the height of all Impiety For he confessing the doctrine of the euer necessary Visibility of Christs true Church grounding himselfe and but truly vpon the predictions thereof in the Old Testament and on the one syde not acknowledging the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church though in it he could not deny but that it euer enioyed a continuall visibility and on the other syde seeing the predictions of the Churchs vninterrupted Visibility were not accomplished in the Protestant Church did heerupoÌ„ wholy forsake Christ and Christian Religion and betooke himselfe to the imbracing of Iudaisme That Ochinus became an Apostata is witnessed by Beza who calleth him thus (s) L. de Polygam p. 4. Ochinus impurus Apostata And further Beza more fully enlargeth himselfe thus writing (t) Beza in epist 1. pa. 11. Ochinus Arianorum clandestinus fautor Polygamiae defensor omnium Christianae Religionis dogmatum irrisor Ochinus is a secret fauourer of the Arians a defender of Polygamy and a scoffer of all the doctrines of Christian Religion The Apostasy of Ochinus is further witnessed by (u) In his booke de â—ribus Elohim printed 1594. l. 5. c. 9. Zanchius the Protestant by Conradus Slussenburg the afore meÌ„tioned ProtestaÌ„t writing heerin agaynst Ochinus most particularly the title of which passage in this Protestants booke is (x) In Theolog. Caluinist l. 1. fol. 19. Responsio ad Ochini blasphemiam Thus farre touching Ochinus his Apostasy of his imbracing Iudaisme and finally dying therein One thing chiefly I referre to the iudgment of any indifferent Reader seeing this Ochinus was one of the two Apostles who first planted Protestancy in England to wit whether it sorteth with the accustomed proceeding of God who euer vseth meanes proportionable and sutable to their ends to vse as his Instruments for the planting of true Christian Religion suppose Protestancy be such a man who should afterward turne his pen to the absolute denyall of the Redeemer of
the soules to vs committed we desire marriage least that the soules committed to our charge by example of our sensuality diutius offendantur should be any longer offended And yet more Quare * Swinglius vbi supra cùm carnis nostrae infirmitatem c. We haue proued that the weaknes of our flesh hath beene proh delor O for griefe cause of our often falling Thus far in the petition of Swinglius and the rest to that State Now in another epistle to the Bishop of Constance written and subscribed vnto by Swinglius and twelue more Ministers there named Swinglius thus confesseth and sayth (o) Tom. 1. fol. 121. 122. 123. Hactenus experti quòd c. Hitherto we haue tryed that this gift of Chastity hath bene denied vs c. We haue burned O for shame so greatly that we haue committed many things vnseemely To speake freely without boasting We are not otherwise of such vnciuill manners that we should be euill spoken off among the people to vs committed for any wickednes hoc vno excepto this one point excepted Thus far Swinglius with his Complices By this now we may coniecture of the extraordinary sensuality of Swinglius and of his incredible thirst after a woman For heere we see how himselfe with the rest are not ashamed to confesse themselues to haue liued till that day most incontinently dissolutely a course little sorting to those who vndertake the first planting of the true Religion and fayth of Christ which Religion vtterly forbiddeth all vnchast and lustfull actions (p) Galat 5. The workes of the flesh are adultery fornication c. Who do these shall not inherite the Kingdome of God I here passe ouer Swinglius his temporizing liberty in writing of matters of Religion For speaking after of certaine of his writings some yeares afore penned he thus blusheth not to say That when he did such and such thinges before (q) Swing tom 2. de vera Religione fol. 202. Tempori potiùs scripsimus quà m rei sic iubente Domino c. We rather fitted our writings to the tyme then to the truth of the matter God himselfe so commanding vs c. A most irreligious and heathenish saying and so disliked that at the Alphabeticall table there vnder the letter z. it is said Swinglius docendo seruiuit tempori Swinglius in his teaching serued the tymes The death and end of Swinglius was so calamitous that diuers most markable Protestants do write that he was infallibly damned For first Luther thus censureth thereof by the testimony of Hospinian Hospinians wordes are these (1) In histo Sacrament part 2. at anno 1544. fol. 187. Lutherus dicit Swinglium miserrime in praelio à Papistis interfectum ideò in peccatis suis mortuum esse Luther sayth that Swinglius was miserabâ—y killed by the Papists in warres and that he dyed in sinne And agayne the said Hospinian thus further writeth (2) Vbi supra Lutherus se c. Luther sayth that he wholly despayreth of the saluation of Swinglius soule And Gualterus speaking of the iudgmeÌ„t of diuers Protestants herein thus writeth (3) In Apolog fol. 30. 31. Nostri illi c. Those our men are not afrayd to pronounce that Swinglius died in Sinne the sonne of Hell Thus much of Swinglius Now to conclude this Scene with that Prodromus of Antichrist I meane Luther who first layed most of the chiefe corner stones of Puritanisme Luther was first a Catholike (r) Luth. in his Epist. to his Father extat tom 2. VVittenberg fol. â—69 Priest Monke during which his state of life he thus writeth of himselfe (s) See Luthers words hereof in in his CommeÌ„t vpon the epistle to the Galathians englished in cap. 1. fol. 35. I then honoured the Pope of meere conscience kept chastity pouerty and obedience and whatsoeuer I did I did it with a single hart of good Zeale and for the glory of God fearing grieuously the last day and desirous to be saued from the bottome of my heart Of whose pure and sincere intention at that tyme (t) In epist ad Thomam Cardinalem Eboracens Erasmus speaketh fully Simon Voyon more particularly thus dilateth thereof (u) Vpon the Catalogue of the Doctors of the Church â—nglished pag. 180. Luther in his Monastery punished his body with watching fasting and prayer But after he had once apostated from the Church of Rome and cast of his Catholike Religion then he began to speake in another Dialect and thus writeth of himselfe marke here good Reader the difference of one and the same man when at one tyme he is Catholike at another ProtestaÌ„t (x) Luth. tom 1. epi. Latin fol. 334. ad Philippum I am burned with the great flame of my vntamed flesh I who ought to be feruent in the Spirit am feruent in the flesh in lust sloth c. Eight dayes are now past wherein I neither did write pray nor study being vexed partly with temptations of the flesh partly with other troubles Agayne the same Luther thus acknowledgeth further of himselfe I am almost mad through the rage of lust desire of women And yet more (y) Luth. tom 5. VVittenberg serm de Matrimonio fol. 119. As it is not in my power that I should be no man so it is not in my power that I should be without a woman c. It is not in our power that it should be stayed or omitted but it is as necessary as that I should be a man and more necessary then to eate drinke purge make cleane the nose And yet he ceaseth not but further sayth (z) Luth. in Prouerb 31. addeth these words in Ducth which are englished as are here set downe Nothing is more sweet then is the loue of a woman if a man can obtaine it and finally (a) Luth. tom 7. VVittenberg epist ad VVolphangum fol. 505. He that resolueth to be without a woman let him lay asyde from him the name of a man making himselfe a playne Angell or spirit And according to these his speaches he hauing cast of all his former Religion tooke Catherine Bore out of a Monastery and maryed her Behold here good Protestant Reader and blush at the Primitiae of that Spirit which in this age first sowed Protestancy or our new reformed Religion For where are now those former wordes of Luthers keeping his chastity pouerty and obedience and what he did he did with a single hart to the glory of God and desirous to be saued from the bottome of his heart c. So iust reason had euen Caluin himselfe to say of Luther (b) These words of Caluin are alleaged by Schlussenburg in Theolog. Calu. l. 2. fol. 126. magnis vitijs abundat As also so fully is warranted from Luthers sensuality that phraze vsed among many of his followers who when they would giue assent to the prouocation of nature by accompanying lewd women were accustomed
dissemble his Religion through the temporall Motiues of Wyfe Children Riches honour and the lyke And why should not I be thus perwaded seeing it is most certayne that all Authorities both diuine and humane if they be truly weighed make wholy for the Catholike Religion and against the Protestants The Bishop seeing him in feruour of speach began to take leaue with him The Doctour in most humble words did prostrate his loyalty seruice to his Maiesty with all gratefull acknowledgment of this so high a fauour And thus good friend you haue the Relation of this Protestant Catholike Doctors happy departure out of this vale of misery In discoursing whereof if I erre in any Circumstance for I will not iustify the certainty of each of them though of the mayne point of his dying Catholike no man doubteth I am to be pardoned seeing I deliuer it as neere as I can in that manner in which I did heare it But now my friend to reflect vpon the death of this learned Doctour Whether he was euer in his hart or but onely for some short tyme before his death Catholikely affected I know not neither do I know what were the Motiues first inducing him to make this Catholike end Neuertheles I did heare it frō the mouth of one of his inward acquaintance who at one tyme being in the Doctours company did heare Doctour Price much commend a Book lately written by a Priest of the Society of IESVS styled The conuerted Iew and did say that the Doctour himselfe had read it and finally giuing his iudgement of it in these wordes If the Protestants authorities alledged in that Booke be truly and faithfully alledged as he had no reason to thinke the contrary and the rather considering sayth he the Booke is with great confidence dedicated to both our Vniuersities who would instantly discouer and diuulge any impostures if such were vsed that of necessity it must then follow that eyther the Papists Theoremes and Tenets for that was the Doctours phrase are most true or that all the chiefe and most eminent Protestants without exception of any euen from Luthers dayes downe to vs were most simple indiscreete and wholy vnlearned but this said he I haue no reason to think for their voluntary Confessions and acknowledgmēts some in on point some in another are cleere in behalfe of the Papists Religion to which acknowledgments supposing the matter of them to be false they had no reason so vnaduisedly to yield Now whether his perusing of that Booke might alter his iudgment or it was altered afore I know not But whatsoeuer the Motiues of his dying Catholike were among other of his inducements thereto this following perhaps though I in no sort do absolutely affirme it might be one His owne Reading could not but tell him that as on the one syde the Protestants among themselues maintayne such irreconciliable disagreements in matters of fayth that therefore they account one another for Heretikes ech one depriuing another of all hope of Saluation so on the other part many of the most iudicious and learned Protestants do freely teach that Papists as they are called dying Papists may be saued But it is not to be found that the Papists do so teach of Protestants dying Protestants This then being thus the Doctour might well thus reason with himselfe though as afore I euer graunt I do not knowe articulately any one of his particular motiues The Protestants do deny to one another all hope of Saluation dying without recalling their presumed Protestanticall Errours The Catholikes in like sort will not grant that Protestants dying Protestants can be saued But both the Protestants and the Papists teach that Papists dying in state of Papistry may be saued Therefore it is a more secure course for me now lying vpon my death-bed to dye in that Religion which by the acknowledgment of all sydes promiseth hope of Saluation then to dye in that fayth to which but only some few Professours thereof affoard a sauing expectation That the Protestants do nourish among themselues such disagreements in fayth as that they consequently deny their Protestant Aduersaries dying in that state can be saued I will here briefly proue from their owne reciprocall and mutuall recriminations and from the very Titles of their Bookes written in great acerbity of style against other Protestants their discording Brethren Now in the discouery hereof I am content my pen shall for the time pertinently digresse withall transgresse the bounds of an ordinary Letter chiefly deare friend to the end that my words might gayne some ground vpon your iudgement for I grieue to obserue with what a strong bent of dislike you are violently carried against our Catholike fayth and glad I should be to see that as you are learned so you would employ your learning as a Hand-mayde to your soules saluation Well then to come vnto the point and to omit for breuity most of what might be alleaged to this purpose and but to gather here and there some few Testimonies out of such great store aboundance Do we not fynd Luther thus to conuitiate the Sacramentaries Luther thes 21. contra Louaniens We seriously iudge the Swinglians and Sacramentaries to be Heretikes and Aliens from the Church of God But Oecolampadius the Swinglian retaliates Luthers kindnes in these wordes Dialog contra Melancth The Lutheranes only bring forth a colour and shadow of the word of God as Heretikes commonly are accustomed to do They bring not the word of God and yet they will seeme to build vpon the word of God It is certayne that the Lutheranes cannot agree among themselues And according hereto we fynd In catal haeret nostri temporis Conradus Schlussenburge a Lutherane to place sixe sorts of his owne Lutheranes in the Catalogue of Heretiks The Caluinists do thus charge one another Castalio a learned Sacramentary thus writeth of Caluin for his teaching God to be the Authour of Sinne In his medit vpon 112. Psalm By this meanes not the Diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes But that God which the holy Scripture teacheth is contrary to this God of Caluin And then after The true God came to destroy the works of the Caluinian God And these two Gods as they are by nature contrary one to another so they beget and bring forth Children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin children without mercy proud c. Now touching our English Protestants forbearing to shew their disagreements about the Communion Booke and the Translation of the Scripture we find the Puritanes thus to anathematize the Bishops All this is related as spoken by the Puritanes in the Booke of Constit and Canons Eccles printed anno 1604. The worship in the Church of England is corrupt superstitious vnlawful the Articles of the Bishops Religion are erroneous their rytes Antichristian c. And more The gouernment of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is