running in a maze and not knowing where he is he speaketh contraries affirming vnawares what he before vntruely denied that the Magistrates chiefe care and sollicitude must be in taking order for such causes he meaneth of religion pag. 49. lin 13. And thus as Augustine fayth Impij in circuitu ambulant qui in gyrum it nunquaÌ„ finit c. The vngodlie walke in a maze as he that goeth in a compasse neuer is at an end And thus this obliuious discourser runneth himselfe out of breath saying and vnsaying for if the Magistrates chiefe care must be in taking order for causes of religion how do they not properly belong to the iudgement and redresse of those which rule in the common-wealth Much like he is to the roape-maker in Purgatorie who as fast as he twisteth the roape an asse behind deuoureth it So his wrested speeches as the ouer-runnings of his mouth are licked vp by a contrary breath Now right honorable this Popes-creature at the first discouereth himselfe he is his grand-masters factor to engrosse all ecclesiasticall causes to his vnholines and would cut your honors short both of iudgement and power in matters of religion And thus full well like a wise Orator he doth wisely at the first exasperate them to whom he would insinuate himselfe But go on my Lords in your honorable course to whom I do not only wish all excellent knowledge and iudgement in religion as S. Paule said vnto King Agrippa I would to God that not only thou but all that heare me to day were both almost and altogether such as I am c. but prosperous successe also in the defense thereof And I say with Hierome to euery one of your honors Cur qui in seculo primus es non in Christi familia primus sis Why should ye not that are chiefe in the world be chiefe also in Christs familie 2. Motiue Because you are sworne Councellers to assist our Princesse whose chiefe stile and title is graunted to her father King Henry the 8. by Pope Leo the 10. defender of the faith for defending the Catholike Romane religion against Luther c. The remooue 1. This title to be defender of the Church or faith was due vnto the Prince and giuen to the Kings of England long before King Henry in Edward the Confessors time Illos decet vocare reges qui vigilanter defendunt regunt ecclesiam Dei It is meete to call them Kings that vigilantly defend and gouerne the Church of God 2 Her Maiestie according to her princely stile hath shewed her selfe in deede while she liued a most constant Defender of the faith and to none of her predecessors was this stile more truely giuen for it is not conteyned in her Maiesties stile to be defender of the Romane or Papall but simplie of the faith 3 What if it were bestowed vpon King Henry for writing against Luther c. that famous King did not receiue it in that sense or at the least reteined it not neyther is it now annexed to the imperiall Crowne in that regard for writing c. which concerned the King only then being not his succession nor yet as a gift from the Pope but as a right due to all Christian Princes to defend the faith What the occasion first was of this title it skilleth not neither by whom nor for what it was taken vp so long as it is not a vaine title but the Princes proceedings are answereable to the stile 4 The heathen Emperors of Rome first vsed in their stile to be called Pontifices maximi High Priests as it may appeare by the Epistle of Antoninus Pius to the people of Asia yet the Christian Emperors continuing that stile to be named Pontifices maximi as Flauianus Valentinianus pontifex Inclytus Flauius Marcianus pontifex Inclytus c. yet were not bound by their stile to maintaine the idolatrous religion of the Pagane Emperors from whom it was descended but they in another sense did call themselues high priests as hauing the chiefest care of the Christian faith as the other had before of idolatrie So the Queenes highnes then and the Kings Maiestie is now called a Defender of the right Christian faith howsoeuer their predecessors might be defenders of another religion And as Pilate did write Christ King of the Iewes ignorantlie confessing the truth so did the Pope name the King of England Defender of the faith prophecying as Caiphas against himselfe and foretelling vnawares that the Princes of this land should become true defenders of the faith indeede 5 This title of Defender of the faith is more truly annexed to the Crowne of England then the stile of Holines to the Popes chaire and of Catholike to the King of Spayne who I could wish indeede were that which they are called But I feare me these titles do agree vnto them euen as the titles of benefactors and of Sauiours were vsurped of Antiochus and the Ptolomies which were cruell tyrants And as Dionysius the yonger called his daughters by the names of vertue chastitie iustice being an enemie to them all Who herein are like vnto those qui titulos potentiorum praedijs suis affigunt who the better to hold their lands do entitle great men with them against which fraude Arcadius made a lawe And as Augustine sayth Haeretici ad defensionem possessionis suae Christi titulos ponunt sicut nonnulli faciunt in domo sua c. Heretikes to defend their possession pretend the title of Christ as many vse to do in their houses entitling some great men with them to keepe them from wrong Ipse vult possessor domus frontem domus suae de titulo alieno vult muniri He will be the owner of the house himselfe yet will haue another beare the name So the Pope will be the master of faith himselfe yet pretendeth the name of Christ of holines of Catholike religion So are not our late Queene and now soueraigne Lord defenders of the faith but their Christian proceedings thankes be giuen vnto God are answerable to their honourable titles The third motiue Our vniust persecution vnder your predecessors requireth amends and I hope at the least shall receiue a toleration The Remoue 1. The punishment which hath been inflicted vpon treacherous Iudasites is no more persecution then for felons and murderers to be executed at Tiburne they suffer worthily for their traiterous conspiracies and practises shamelesse men they are that complaine of persecution when as they hold most traiterous positions against the Prince and state as whereas the secular Masse-Priests professe if it bee in truth that if the Pope should attempt by force of armes to inuade the land they would resist him in person and that if they knew of any designements by the Pope to enter by force c. to reforme religion they would reueale it to the State Disloyall Pâ—rsons in the name of that
Priests do rightlie conclude to be false and vnchristian Ibid. 4 Parsons affirmeth that the consideration of Catholike religion is the principall point in the succession to the Crowne Manifest fol. 63. a. And he seemeth to conclude that succession by birth and bloud is neither of the lawe of God or nature Quodlib p. 30. The Priests hold the contrarie that Catholikes are not bound to stand for a Catholike competitor vnlesse there concurre the right of succession Reply f. 76. a. 5 The Priests affirme We are most confident not onely in the excellencie of our Priesthood but also in the assurance that we in the execution haue a sufficient direction of Gods spirit 6 Parsons calleth this high presumption of heretikes and denieth both that by their character only Priests were made secure from erring and so consequently the sacrament of orders not to conferre grace which is a popish ground as also that they cannot haue such assurance of Gods spirit Manifest fol. 87. a. b. 7 Parsons saith that in Gods high prouidence we find the necessitie and ineuitabilitie of many accidents Manifest fol. 100.1 The Priests say these words taste vnsauourie if not hereticallie to put absolute necessitie and ineuitabilitie in those actions which are subiect to mans wil and reason Replie fol. 98. a. 8 Parsons saith that this position that the life and estate of secular Priests is more perfect then the state of religious men which the Priests maintaine is refuted and condemned not onely by Thomas Aquinas but by S. Chrysostome and other writers of that time Manifest fol. 104. b. 9 The Priests call Parsons interpretation of that place of S. Iohn Trie the spirit c. false and hereticall thereby leading his Reader into a presumptuous error of iudging all both men and matters Replie fol. 101. b. 10 The Priests hold that the Pope as an Ecclesiasticall Magistrate hath no power to moue warre for religion against any tēporal Prince or for whatsoeuer cause or pretence c. and that they would oppose themselues against him if he should come in person in any such attempt and that they will reueale whatsoeuer they shall know therein Imp. consyd p. 38. Parsons full like himselfe calleth these positions pernicious erronious hereticall Manifest f. 13. b. 11. The Priests doubt not to say that the Pope was not endued with the worthie gift of the holy Ghost tearmed discretio spirituum discerning of spirits and that he was deceiued in setting vp the Archpriest Relat. p. 57. Imp. consyd p. 11. Parsons stifly maintaineth the Pope not to haue erred herein Manifest 76. b. In diuers other points these two Popish sects doe differ as may bee gathered out of their late polemicall writings and inuectiues set foorth by one against the other And three hundred more of these contradictions and diuersities of opinion in matters of faith and doctrine which haue been and are in the Romane Church might be brought foorth but that it were needlesse these fewe examples being sufficient to conuince the aduersarie of error and superfluous this being elsewhere in another worke performed whither I pray the Reader to haue recourse Is not this then a shamelesse man that hath told vs so many lies together and blusheth not to abuse such honourable persons with his Frierly glosses if his necke were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an yron sinew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his face brasse as the Prophet saith he would neuer haue faced out such manifest vntruths But he may be very well compared to raging and running brooks which as Basile saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they runne carrie euerie thing along which they meete with So doth this bragger huddle vp together whatsoeuer is in his way be it true or false And they thinke it a good piece of seruice if they may with straining and ouerreaching bolster out a bad cause much like to some that Hierome speaketh of who thought they might make bold with their disciples Nos qui necdum initiati sumus audire debere mendacium ne parnuli lactentes solidioris cibi edulio suffocemur And that we which are hardly yet entred must heare lyes least being yet but little ones and sucklings wee might be choaked with stronger meate But though their disciples are credulous and will beleeue them vpon their word they haue small reason to thinke that wise and graue persons will be so easily deceiued The third Probation IN the third place the Epistler seemeth to reason thus that if a man may doubt to giue assent to any religion where there is such diuersitie this being but a speculatiue consent of faith onely exacting an agreement of the vnderstanding how much more doubt and difficultie wil be made c. for the obtaining of heauen c. His reason if it be any standeth thus It is an hard matter among Protestants to make choice of the right faith which consisteth onely in the vnderstanding Ergo it is an harder matter among them to obtaine heauen The Solution 1. IT is no hard matter among Protestants to discerne of the true religion seeing they make the Scriptures the rule of their faith but among Papists it is doubtfull seeing they refuse to bee tried onely by the Scriptures which they blasphemously affirme not to containe all things necessarie to saluation but they runne vnto vncertaine and doubtfull traditions and so as the Apostle saith they measure themselues by themselues where then the rule is crooked such as are their humane traditions how can that be straight which is measured by it But we say with Augustine Regula est illa Our rule is the will of God contained in the Scriptures stet regula quod prauum est corrgatur ad regulam Let the rule stand the word of God and let that which is amisse be corrected according to that rule 2. Neither is there such diuersitie of opinion or multitude of diuisions among Protestants and thereupon such manifest and apparant daunger of a false election as is shewed before And it is an absurd and grosse thing in a disputer still to begge the thing in question He may take himselfe by the nose and his fellow Friers that make among them aboue an hundred sects one holdeth of Francis another of Benedict another of Austine another of Ignatius the founder of the Iesuites like as among the Corinthians some held of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas So that that saying of Hierome fitteth the Popish professors Nunc quoque mysterium iniquitatis operatur garrit vnusquisque quod sentit Now the mysterie of iniquitie worketh and euery man pratleth his owne fansie 3. Neither is faith onely an act of the vnderstanding and a speculatiue consent If your Popish faith bee nothing els the diuell may well be one of your Catholikes for hee in his knowledge and vnderstanding beleeueth there is a God and consenteth that the Scriptures are true and the historie of
Pope himselfe for proofe he bringeth none We know what the Lawe saith Solam testationem prolatam c. nec causam probatam nulliu◠esse momenti That a witnesse produced and no cause or matter proued is of no force 3 A religion that hath publikely by the word of God and godlie lawes with full consent of Parliament abrogated and condemned all grosse papisticall errors as of iustification by works art 11. of works of supererogation art 14. of freewill art 10. of purgatorie art 22. of speaking in the congregation in an vnknowne toong art 24. of the fiue popish sacraments art 25. of the bodilie presence of Christ in the sacrament art 28. of receiuing in one kinde art 30. of the blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse art 31. of the vnlawfulnesse of Priests mariage art 32. of worshipping of images inuocation of Saints art 22. that the Pope hath no iurisdiction in England art 37. What will not this impudēt man now dare to say who boldly affirmeth that Poperie is not by publike authoritie condemned in England Now then because their Lawe saith Qui crimen quod obiecit non probauerit similem poenam sustineat He that proueth not the crime obiected shall endure the like punishment so this thing obiected redoundeth vpon his owne head For true it is that the faith of Protestants is not condemned by the auncient Canons and Decrees of the Romane Church but receiueth plentifull witnesse frō thence as is alreadie shewed in diuers hundred questions 4 A religion which hath continued these 1600. yeares in the true Church of Christ not as Poperie which for most of their opinions must come short of this computation by 800. yeares which is full of errors and contradictions in the Decrees of Popes and Councels For errors the Councell of Neocesarea ca. 7. decreeth that the Priest should neither giue consent to second mariage nor be present at the mariage feast but rather enioyne penance for it and so in effect condemneth second mariage Toletan 1. ca. 17. He that in steed of a wife hath a concubine is not to be repelled from the Communion This Councell is approued by Leo 4. as it may appeare Can. 21. and the other also Distinc. 20. ca. 1. In the sixt generall Synod Can. 2. the Councell vnder Cypriane that approued the rebaptizing of such as were baptized by heretikes is confirmed c. 72. Mariages betweene Catholikes and heretikes irritas existimari are iudged to be void contrarie to S. Paule 1. Cor. 7.13 Yet this sixt Synod cum omnib canonib with all the canons is receiued and approued by Adriane Distinc. 16. c. 5. Nicen. 2. act 5. it was concluded that Angels haue bodies of their owne and are circumscriptible multoties in corpore suo visi and haue been often seene in their own bodies which is a manifest error for Angels of themselues are inuisible spirits Nicolaus 1. de baptis decret 1. alloweth baptisme only made in the name of Christ without expresse mention of the Trinitie contrary to the scriptures Math. 28.19 Nicolaus 2. in a Councell at Rome where Berengarius recanted resolued vpon this conclusion Christi corpus sensualiter manib sacerdotis tractari frangi fidelium dentib atteri That the true bodie of Christ was handled sensiblie by the Priests hands broken and chawed by the teeth of the faithfull de consecr dist 2. c. 42. which grosse opinion the moderne Papists are ashamed of For contradictions Concil Carthag 3. c. 47. the Apocryphal bookes of Tobie Iudith Ecclesiasticus Macchabees with the rest are made Canonicall Laodicen can vltim these bookes are reiected out of the Canon and yet both these Synodes are confirmed by Leo 4. Distinct 20. c. 1. In a Councell at Rome vnder Stephen 7. all the acts and decrees of Pope Formosus are repealed in a Councell of Rauenna vnder Iohn 9. they were againe reuiued Gregor 3. epist. ad Bonifac. determineth virum vxore infirmitate correpta c. that the husband the wife being weake and not able to do her dutie may marrie an other Nicholas 1. decreeth the contrarie that the mariage of such ought not to be dissolued Alexander 3. forbiddeth mariage to be made with the sister of her that was betrothed and is deceased Benedict doth determine the contrarie Pope Alexander iudgeth matrimonie contracted with per verba de praesenti by words of the present tence and consummate with another to be voide Benedict determineth the contrarie that the mariage consummate though a contract made before in that forme with an other is not to be violated Nicolaus 3. Abdicationem proprietatis rerum c. That Christ did by his example abandon the verie propertie of things Ioannes 22. defineth the contrarie that the opinion of them that say Christ and his Apostles had nothing is erronea haeretica is erroneous and hereticall The Councell of Constance sess 13. doth excommunicate all those that receiue the Communion vnder both kinds The Councell of Basile graunteth to the Bohemians the vse of both kinds The Councels of Constance and Basile determined that a generall Councell hath authoritie aboue the Pope The contrarie was concluded Lateranens sub Leon. 10. c. 11. Many such contradictions in matters of faith and doctrine may be found in the Romane corporation which otherwhere are set downe more at large to the number of 250. and in another worke 300. more of their differences and repugnances are expressed Therefore this petifogger for poperie is detected of great vntruth that no error or contradiction was euer admitted in their religion Wherefore he being thus notoriouslie conuinced of a false testimonie is worthie to passe vnder the censure of the Epaunens Synode reus capitalis criminis censeatur c. to be held guiltie of a capitall crime And concerning this spirit of contradiction among the Romanists we may say with Ambrose Diuersa distantia prompserunt non locorum separati sed mendaciorum diuortio They haue vttered diuers and contrarie things not separated in place but differing in lying And as Melanthius said that the Citie of Athens was saued by the disagreement of the Orators so I doubt not but that this diuision among them shall tend to the further establishing of the truth For as Plutarke sayth of the contradictions of Poets that they will not suffer them to haue any great strength to do hurt so the manifold diuisions in Poperie shall haue no force to seduce such as are wise The eight Perswasion 1 I Defend not a religion c. which separateth man from his God and creator by so many sinnes and iniquities and yet hath no grace no sacrament for men of reason and actuall offences no meanes or preseruatiue to preuēt them c. for that instrument of iustifying faith which be no benefite vnto them which by their owne grounds haue no faith at all
their soules with God and the resurrection of their bodies to come 4 It is Poperie rather that consisteth of negatiues as it is euident by their manifold oppositions to the doctrines before rehearsed as that the scriptures conteyne not all things necessarie to saluation that the Church can not erre that the scriptures are not fit to be read in the vulgar toong that the Pope is not Antichrist that faith onely iustifieth not that there be not two onely sacraments that Christ onely as one mediator is not to be inuocated These negatiues with a number more the Romane separation maintayneth And where they affirme and set downe any thing positiuely they affirme their owne fantasies the doctrine of the Trinitie onely and some few other points excepted and oppose themselues therein to the scriptures 5 First what if many Churches haue bene erected in poperie Were not many Temples also built in the time of Paganisme as at Rome to Diana to Honor. q. 13. to Matuta q. 16. to Bona. q. 20. to Saturne q. 42. to Horta q. 46. to Vulcane without the citie q. 47. to Carmenta q. 56. to Hercules q. 59. to Fortuna Parua q. 74. to Aesculapius without the citie q. 94. to Apollo at Delphos q. 12. to Ocridion at Rhodes q. 27. to Tenes at Tenedos q. 29. to Vlysses at Lacedaemon q. 48. with many other Not the building therefore of Churches Temples and other Monuments but the end whereto they were first founded maketh them commendable Secondly let it be considered to what intent these Monuments were erected in the popish time and so many Monasteries builded not for the most part of any true deuotion or to the honor of God but pro remedio animae pro remissione peccatorum in honorem gloriosae virginis for the remedie of their soule for the remission and expiation of their sinnes to the honor of the glorious Virgin As King Ethelstane after the death of his brother which he had procured builded in satisfaction two Monasteries of Midleton and Michelenes Elfrida for the death of Ethelwold her husband builded a Monasterie of Nunnes in remission of sinnes Queene Alfrith in repentance of her fact for causing her sonne King Edward to be murdered founded two Nunries one at Amesburie by Salisburie the other at Werewell let any man now iudge what good beginning those Monasticall foundations had Thirdly it will be an hard matter for them to proue that all the founders of Churches Colledges and other Monuments were of the Romane opinion 〈◊〉 â—eligion as now it is professed For Charles surnamed the Great who is said to haue builded so many Monasteries as be letters in the A B C held a Councell at Frankeford where was condemned the 2. Nicene Councell with Irene the Empresse that approued the adoration of Images which is now maintayned by the papall corporation In King Ethelstanes time the Prince was acknowledged to haue the chiefe stroke in all causes whether spirituall or temporall as it may appeare by diuers constitutions by him made for the direction of the Cleargie In this Kings raigne diuers Monasteries were builded as the Abbey of Midleton and Michelenes In King Edmunds time the opinion of transubstantiation was not generallie receiued but then newly hatched by certaine miraculous fictions imputed to Odo Vnder this King the order of the Monks of Bennets order increased and the Abbey of S. Edmundsburie with great reuenues indowed In King Edward the Martyrs raigne Priests were suffered to haue their wiues and were restored to their Colledges and Monks thrust out by Alpherus Duke of Mercia In this Kings time were founded the Nunries at Amesburie and Werewell I trust then that in these times when neither images were adored nor the Princes authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes abridged nor transubstantiation beleeued nor the mariage of Ministers inhibited all went not currant for Poperie as it is now receiued Fourthly this age of Protestancie for this 40. yeare in England vnder the happie regimeÌ„t of our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth hath beene more fruitfull of pious works in building of Hospitals Almes-houses free Schooles Colledges in the Vniuersities speciallie in Cambridge founding of fellowships schollarships erecting of Libraries speciallie the Vniuersitie Librarie at Oxford by the liberall charge christian care of Maister Bodlie a religious and well disposed Gentleman then any like space of time which can be named vnder the regiment of the papall Hierarchie See more of this elsewhere And concerning the godlie care of the foresaid vertuous and liberall Gentleman he deserueth to be compared either to Pamphilus which erected or Acacius and Euzonius which enlarged and amended the famous Librarie of Caesarea in whom that sentence of Hierome vttered of Pamphilus is now verified Beatus Pamphilus cum Demetrium Phalereum Pisistratum in sacrae bibliothecae studio voluit â—quare imagines ingeniorum quae vera sunt aeterna monumenta toto orbe perquireret Blessed Pamphilus equalizing Demetrius Phalereus and Pisistratus in taking care for Libraries he sought for the images of mens wits the only true and eternall monuments through the whole world 6 I suppose rather that all things requisite to true religion are wanting in Poperie where the people are nusled vp in ignorance no edifying in their Churches where all the seruice is muttered in an vnknowne toong no reading of scripture which should make them wise to saluation no comfort in prayer to saluation which they vnderstand not seldome receiuing of the sacrament and that but in one kind and so it is maymed and defectiue in the sacramentall effects where then there is no knowledge in themselues no edifying toward others no true prayer to God no comfort in meditation of scripture no strength in the celebration of the sacraments where men are taught not to relie only by faith vpon Christ but to trust in their merites not to rest in Christs mediation but to seeke for the intercession of Angels and Saincts not to be content with a spirituall worship of God but to prostitute themselues to dumbe Idols not to cleaue only to the scriptures in matters of faith but to runne vnto traditions How then doth this religion obserue all things nay rather how are not all things there wanting that are requisite to true religion And as the liuing haue small comfort so as little hope is there of the dead whose soules after they haue passed the troubles of this life they send to Purgatorie flames there to suffer more then euer they endured before like as a Ship hauing escaped the dangerous surges of the Sea should suffer wracke and be lost in the hauen Of such comfortlesse doctrine that saying of Plutarke is verified Death to all men is the end of life but to superstition it is not so for it extendeth feare beyond a mans life then hell gates are set open fierie streames and infernall riuers are let go and horrible darkenes
you say you haue not gained much by it For neither our Prince then nor Church did ascribe any vertue to the signe it selfe or adore and worship it as Papists do The signe of the crosse may be vsed in banners and streamers and set into the Diademe of Princes as a ciuill signe of honour as Ambrose if that oration be his writeth of Helena Sapienter Helena egit quae crucem in capite regum leuauit Helena did wisely in rearing vp the crosse in the head of Kings And though this signe is not any waies to be adored neither yet doe we thinke it ought to be contemned As that law of Honorius was commendable wherein the Iewes are prohibited speciem crucis incendere to burne the fashion of the crosse And that of Theodosius which decreeth a great punishment to him qui in solo vel scilice crucem depinxerit which painteth the crosse in the ground or pauement to trample and tread vpon it Or if any should vse the signe of the crosse which notwithstanding wee allow not as in Basils time not with a superstitious opinion of it or confidence in it but as an outward testimonie of their inward faith as Basile saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they which trusted in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ were marked with the signe of the crosse Whosoeuer shall vse the signe of the crosse in any of these manners is yet farre off from Popish superstition And I am verily perswaded that if his Maiestie or the Church of England did thinke that the ciuill reuerent significant vsing of the crosse without a superstitious opinion of it were in deede or could iustly be taken as a badge or cognisance of Poperie as it hath bin an offence to many good Christians it should bee more sparingly vsed and may in time if it seeme so good to his Maiestie without preiudice of the truâ—h or religion be wholy remoued that there might not be the least exception taken against our Church But this quarrell picker according to the saying will play at small game before he will sit out and so doth he here by fastning his hold of so small an occasion Her Highnes then and his Maiestie now and the Church of England holdeth a reall and true presence of Christs bodie to the faith of the worthy receiuer in the Sacrament but her Highnes was not perswaded of any grosse carnall presence as is euident by her royall assent to the articles of religion therefore herein her Maiestie was much abused and slaundered 4. Lastly whereas the Romane profession is altogether repugnant to Princes prerogatiues as in that it alloweth the Pope to excommunicate Princes to depose them to transferre their Crownes appeales to bee made to the Pope from the Prince that the Pope may absolue subiects from their oath of fealtie that the Pope not the Prince in his owne kingdome is supreame in all Ecclesiasticall causes that the Pope inuading a kingdome by force vnder pretence to reforme religion is to be assisted against the Prince all which positions the Iesuites the Popes parasites doe hold as it may appeare in their seditious bookes and answeres to the Secular Masse-priests And these all being directly repugnant to the prerogatiue royall of the Crowne as it hath been adiudged by by publike acts of Parliament not of late onely since the reuiuing of the Gospell but euen while Poperie raigned and that by the expresse consent of the Popish Clergie How is not this man to be thought to be past all shame that perswading to Poperie saith hee will teach nothing contrarie to the Princely dignitie c. Wee may say truly to him which Petilian the Donatist vntruly obiected to Augustine that he had ingenium Carneadis Academici Carneades the Academikes wit who disputed Nigras niues esse cum albae sint nigrum argentum c. That snow was blacke and siluer blacke whereas they are both white so he goeth about to perswade things that are quite contrarie We need not here follow the counsell of Seneca Quaedam falsa veri speciem ferunt dandum semper est tempus veritatem dies aperit Some false things make a shew of true wee must giue some space for time trieth the truth But the falsenes of these improbable speeches appeareth at the first we neede no time to descrie them The second Apologie FRom pag. 55. to pag. 66. the Apologist runneth as it were in a maze now in and now out as though he had lost himselfe in a wood I will doe my best to trace him and finde him out I shall not neede to follow him in all his wandrings and turnings nor to answere all his tautologies and vaine repetitions but I will gainecope him and crosse him the next way and reduce his idle and superfluous speeches into some order and forme All these leaues containe but one argument which may be collected thus Her Maiestie and the state are bound to maintaine the religion of her famous noble Christian progenitors Kings and Queenes of this land But they were all knowne to be of the Romane religion and as he himselfe saith Papists pag. 59. lin 7. Ergo. First let vs see how he proueth the proposition or first part of this argument and then how the second 1. Many of them were holy Saints and miraculously witnessed of God to be in heauen euen by Protestants testimonie c. whom the Protestant Ministers must needes condemne to hell and damnation if they will leaue any little hope for themselues to be saued for one heauen cannot possesse them both The Antilogie 1. IF this were a good argument then Christians borne at their first conuersion of idolatrous parents in many ages succeeding together should neuer haue changed their religion but continued in Pagane idolatrie still for feare of condemning all their progenitors to hell neither Constantine the great in the Romane Empire nor Lucius in England should haue become Christened Kings If Idolatrous parents be in state of damnation shall the children tread in their steps to goe the same way The scripture teacheth otherwise that though the father dye in his iniquitie yet if he beget a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done c. he hath not lift vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel nor defiled his neighbors wife c. he shall not dye in the iniquitie of his father but shall surely liue 2 If the sonne be bound to his fathers false religion as idolatrie superstition wherein he erred least he should thinke him to be condemned he were likewise obliged to imitate his auncesters vices and corruptions of life as adulterie oppression violence whereby they were polluted should a man certainely condemne himselfe to belieue that his predecessors are vncertainely saued Their sinnes being of ignorance might be pardoned whereas the sonnes seeing his fathers sinnes and not amending are more surely sealed 3 That
shall not haue the custodie of the heire that holdeth of the king by free soccage of another by Knights seruice Hen. 3. an 9. Mag. chart c. 27. Ward 13.14 15. The King shall haue the ward and mariage of all that hold of him in chiefe Ed. 2. ann 17. praerogatiu reg c. 1.2.6 11 Women 2. That widowes of them that hold of the King in chiefe shall not marrie without the Kings licence praerogat reg c. 4. ann 17. Ed. 2. 12 Wreck 2. The King shall haue the wrecke of the sea throughout the realme praerogat reg c. 11. ann 17. Edward 2. Thus it is euident that these lawes by this pettifogger alleaged do not serue his turne at all neither is there to be found so much as one syllable sounding that way that these priuileges and graunts were for that reason and intent giuen vnto the Kings of England as he saith for the defence of the Popish faith so that he is euidētlie conuinced of so many vntruths as he hath here quoted lawes And beside let it be considered that all these prerogatiues were graunted in the raignes of Hen. 3. and Edw. 2. who impugned the iurisdiction of the Romane Bishop and therefore are reckned vp in the number of Kings of vnhappie successe by this Popes Register p. 77. How then is it like that these priuiledges were graunted them for defence of the papall seignorie to the which they so much opposed themselues 3 But concerning the dignities of the Church of England founded as he saith by their Catholike Kings we do possesse them with better right then the Popish Clergie did For 1. whereas they erected them to the honor of God which was the principall end of their deuotion though they fayled in the meanes we doubt not but that these erections are now better employed to Gods glorie then euer they were in time of Poperie and that they not we vsed those franke gifts contra formam collationis against the forme of collation and mind of the founder employing them to superstitious and idolatrous and riotous vses not pious and religious and therefore did forfeit their state according to the equitie of the lawe 2 Beside this is consonant to the lawes Imperiall that edificies abused to heresie and superstition should be added vnto the true Church and the reason of the lawe is yeelded Certum est quicquid à fide Christianorū discrepat legi Christianae esse contrarium It is certaine what soeuer differeth from the Christian faith is contrarie to the Christian lawe Such things then as were abused against true religion were out of the lawes protection 3 These ecclesiasticall dignities were first erected for the preaching of the word as the Apostle saith If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things Therefore an vnpreaching Clergie such as the Popish Hierarchie is hath no right vnto them they were but vsurpers no true owners Therefore ye Popish Masse-priests and Baals shauelings are the miserable people spoken of worthie with Elie his posteritie to beg a morsell of bread and a piece of siluer rather then to beare the Priests office To whom that saying of Ambrose may fitlie be applied Nomen inane crimen immane honor sublimis vita deformis ne sit religiosus amictus irreligiosus profectus Let not your name be vaine your crimes certaine your honor hie your life awrie your habit holie but your hearts and works vnholie Such as Alexander said Antipater was He did weare white garments without and was all purple within Such is the Popish Clergie outwardlie clothed with sanctitie inwardlie full of hypocrisie The Apologie 1 NO place of error was left for those Kings pa. 66. li. 7. Ergo their religion is to be receiued that it is not likely that those auncient Catholike Kings could erre he would proue 1. by the confession of the Protestants That it doth appertaine to the title and iurisdiction of Christian Kings to determine matters and questions of religion pag. 64. lin 10. 2 Because of the zeale and deuotion of those Kings c. there is no comparison but rather Protestant Princes should erre then they pag. 64. lin 32. 3 Because of the number learning and pietie of them by whom they were counsayled pag 64. lin 30. as Cedde Anselme Dunstane Thomas Becket Lanfranke pa. 65. li. 30. 4 There was no place of error left for those Kings c. because no decree of faith without generall consent of the whole Christian word generall Councels c. except God would permit the whole world to be deluded c. pag. 66. lin 6.10 c. The Antilogie 1 TO proue the former Catholike Kings not to haue erred he beginneth himselfe with an error and fiction of his owne that Protestants referre the deciding and determination of questions of religion vnto Princes as though the resolution of all such doubts were layd vp and locked in the Princes breast We do attribute vnto our Christian Princes no absolute power to determine what they will nor priuiledge them from error as they do their Pope The allegations in the margent affixed are friuolous for neither did the Conuocation ann 1562. referre the deciding the questions of religion to her Maiestie but they were first agreed vpon by the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the Clergie by the word of God whereunto her Maiestie afterward gaue her royall assent Neither can any such thing be shewed out of any acte of Parliament ann 1. ann 5. ann 13. Elizab. as he cunninglie according to his fraudulent manner foisteth into the margent only the chiefe gouernment of all estates and in all causes is giuen to her Maiestie and that they ought not to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction artic 37. The author of Synopsis is also in this behalfe sclaundered for he speaketh not where that question is handled of deciding of questions of religion but of the constituting of Ecclesiasticall lawes the authoritie whereof is shewed to belong to the Prince with three limitations 1. The Prince is not to prescribe any lawes but such as require the true worship of God 2. He is to consult in these cases with the learned and godlie of his realme 3. Such canons and ordinances the execution whereof properlie belong vnto the Ministers of the Church are excepted and so it is concluded that no lawes ought to be made without the authoritie of the Prince which the Prince is bound to execute Now sir doth it follow hereupon that Christian Princes are absolutely to be obeyed in all ecclesiasticall lawes whatsoeuer vnlesse you could shew this by the confession of Protestants which you shall neuer do your reason is not worth a rush 2 Neither doth it follow because some of them were men of great sanctimonie as instance is giuen in King Alured of his deuout prayers godlie exercises charitable works pa. 64. whose singular vertues
farre more faire then Helene of the Grecians We ought therefore more to striue for it then they did for the other Beside I haue not held vp my shield at a shadow no man striking me or made answer where no man called me or run forward no man thrusting me for in three seuerall places it hath pleased this Popes champion to challenge me and so hath to my thinking bid me the base and cast downe his gauntlet for me to take it vp I considered that it was not fit in this case to do as children that being stricken do lay their hands vpon the sore place and crie but to requite him with the like that first gaue the aduēture to returne the smart of the blow vpon his face that first bent his fist I say therefore with Hierome Si superbum sit respondisse multò sit superbius accusasse If it be thought an insolent part to answer it is much more to accuse and he is iudged contentious not which preuenteth a further mischiefe but first prouoketh thereunto Neither can I conceale that to this enterprise I was incited and stirred vp by the reuerend Lord Bishop of London by whose aduise and counsell I addressed my selfe thereunto saying with Augustine Ad compellendum non potest esse molestus exactor quando ad reddendum deuotus est debitor The exactor is not troublesome in requiring when the debtor is willing in rendring I haue hitherto shewed the motiues that induced me to this worke now also I will briefly declare what I haue done I haue discouered in this treatise aboue two hundred vntruths and slaunders by this libeller without al conscience forged without all modestie vttered I haue answered all the politicke obiections by him cunningly against the Protestants faith deuised I haue his owne engines wherewith he would haue battered ours vpon his owne forts returned The businesse I thanke God was not great which I found in the vnfolding of this Alogicall I should say Apologicall Epistle But as Caesar said of a certaine citie which at the very first view he ouercame Veni vidi vici I came to it I saw it I tooke it so may I say with Hierome Sententias eius prodidisse superasse est The very laying open of his sayings is a sufficient confutation His obiections required no long time to answer to refell his arguments it was sufficient to see them and to ouerthrow his cause it was enough to open his book And as Lueullus said of his enemies that came against him in compleat harnesse That it would be more labour to spoyle them then to foyle them so had I as much a do to collect his reasons as to confute thē The gaining of diuerse peeces of this book which were negligently lost was more trouble to me thē the first framing of that which I had carefully writtē Now I haue also the more willingly thrust my selfe into this businesse to make knowne to the people of God the Lords vnspeakeable goodnesse towards vs who hath giuen vs a Prince resolued to professe in himselfe and protect in vs the same faith of the Gospell which was by Q. Elizabeth maintained that still we may exercise our pens against the common aduersarie Of his Maiesties raigne we may truly pronounce as the Prophet of Salomons In his dayes shall the righteous flourish Psal. 72.7 All those shall be sure we verily trust to liue in peace and enioy his fauour that loue the truth and follow righteousnes God hath sent vs another Theodosius of whō Ambrose saith Cùm omnes homines vobis militent tum ipsi vos omnipotenti Deo sacrae fidei militatis As al men do war fight for you so you for Almightie God and the sacred Faith Phocion being asked of the Orators what benefit he had bestowed vpon the city None but this saith he that while I was gouernor none of you had cause to make a funeral Oratiō So I trust that Religion hath gotten such an honourable patron that Preachers the Orators of Christians shall haue no cause to mourne for the persecution trouble and imprisonment of such as professe the Gospell as in former times of persecution vnder Popish tyranny but to reioyce in the peaceable fruition of the Gospel And how much are we to ioy in so Christian a Prince who doth not onely publickely professe himselfe to be no Papist but hath declared so sound a iudgement in some questions controuersed among Protestants that we may all frō his princely mouth take out a new lesson and learne to reforme our erroneous conceits Our kingly Ecclesiastes saith That all that is necessarie to saluation is contained in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 19 otherwise then some haue affirmed that the light of nature and the light of Scripture ioyntly not seuerally are compleat to saluation for hence it followeth that the Scripture seuerally and alone is not compleate to saluation We are taught to vse onely Scripture for interpretation of Scripture if we would neuer swarue from the analogie of faith in expounding as Scripture is interpreted by Scripture so the Scripture is drawne by Scripture not by the authoritie of the Church Beware to beleeue with the Papists the Churches authoritie better then your owne knowledge How say some then that the word cannot possibly assure vs that we do well to thinke that it is the word of God No man is able to keepe the law or any part thereof as the Apostle saith That which was impossible to the law inasmuch as it was weake because of the flesh c. how then is it not impossible in any sense to be preserued frō all sin in this life How can a man do more and God approue more then is commaunded as some haue taught if we come farre short of that which is commaunded If Faith onely iustifieth as Protestants hold and since we could not be saued by doing we might at the least be saued by beleeuing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 8. how then can our workes be any meanes to blot out sinne or to procure pardon If it be the property of faith to apply the promises for faith is a sure perswasion and apprehension of the promises of God applying them to our soule p. 11. as the Apostle saith By grace are ye saued through faith Eph. 2.8 how can the Sacraments giue grace and be causes of Iustification and as necessarie in their place as beliefe it selfe If whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. how can naturall workes be acceptable to God If we cānot think any thing as of our selues and if al that do good are inspired of God therto how is mās wil apt naturally to take or refuse any particular obiect whatsoeuer If the Pope be Antichrist and the head of a false hypocritical Church how then cā the Church of Rome be the family of
Christ I hope Antichrist the head of that false Church is no member of the Church of Christ or belonging to his family Thus in these and diuers other such questions wherein we haue bin distracted our princely Ecclesiastes as another Constantine that decided the controuersies betweene the Christian Bishops hath taken vp the strife like as Archidamus being chosen an vmpire betweene two brought them to the temple charging them not to depart till they were agreed If there yet be remaining any question or controuersie in our Church let his Maiestie iudge betweene vs his Catholicke and Christian iudgement may reduce vs to vnitie and consent in religion I say then with S. Paul Let vs therefore as many as are perfect be thus minded and if we be otherwise minded God shal reueale the same vnto vs. Augustine saith wel to Hierome Quiescamus ab his cōtētionib nostre vitae salutique parcamus minus certè assequatur illa quae inflat dum nō offendatur illa quae aedificat Let vs cease from these contentions and fauour our life and health let that which puffeth vp be amended while that which edifieth be not offended Now to such as haue a long time stood out and refused to cōmunicate with the Church of England I would exhort them now at the length to be wiser and not to suffer themselues any longer to be abused by that Romish generation of whom that saying of the Prophet is true Qui ducunt seducunt vos They that guide you beguile you Isay. 3.12 The variance and enmity that hath bin of late between your false teachers the ignatian Friers and Seminary priests doth shew that they seeke not you but themselues you may say of them as Tully of Pompey and Caesar that were fallen out Nosse se quem fugere ignorare quem sequi debeat That he knew whom to shun but not whom to follow I would they did embrace Hieromes counsel In mentem tibi veniat tunicam Saluatoris non à militibus fuisse conscissam fratrum inter se cernis iurgia laetaris imitari Ionam dicito Si propter me ista est tēpestas tollite me c. Remember that our Sauiours coate was not rent of the souldiers but you see the falling out of brethrē reioyce at it imitate Ionas say If this tēpest be because of me take me and cast me into the sea I do not wish these seditious sect-masters of Rome to be cast into the sea but I wold haue them cast out of the land and sent ouer the sea that our Church be no more troubled with them England would do full well without them it hath no neede of their Phisicke as Pausanias answered a certaine Phisitian that sayd he ayled nothing Because sayth he I vse not you for my Phisitian Come then Gentlemen and louing countrimen let vs go vp to Gods house together beware hereafter of the Pharisies leauen Let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind Mat. 13.14 Why should you pin your faith vpon the Popes sleeue hath not the Apostle said Ye are bought with a price be not the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7.23 See you not how that Caiphas of Rome seeketh his owne glorie and dignitie and would make kings and Princes his vassails and subiects Hierome said well Si pacem habere non potest cum fratre nisi cum subdito ostendit se non tam pacem cupere quà m sub pacis conditione vindictam If he wil no peace with his brother but as with a subiect he sheweth that he desireth not peace but vnder the colour of peace reuenge this may better be pronounced of the proud Pope of Rome then of the ambitious Patriarke of Ierusalem of whom it was first vttered Thanke God which hath sent a Prince that wil reforme your error not nourish you in your superstitiō stil God be blessed that hath raised vs vp so Christian a king that is as able by reason to perswade to the truth as by law to enforce for his constant resolution for religion we can neuer sufficiently be thankeful He shall neuer need with Constantius that fauored the Arrians to repent fidem à se immutatā that he had changed his predecessors faith but as Ambrose saith of Valentinian A fratre nollet se pietate superari he would not be exceeded of his brother Gratian in pietie so his Maiesty is not inferior for care of religion to his late renoumed sister Q. Elizabeth God giue vnto his Christian Maiesty long continuance and strength to proceed in his happy course and constancy to hold out his godly purpose to the end that he may still come downe like the raine vpon the mowē grasse as the showers that water the earth to be a comfort to his subiects a refreshing to the Church that as we find him a carefull Gouernor a godly Prince a louing father an example of all vertue and goodnesse better then the rest as Leonidas king of Sparta said I had not bene your King if I had not bin better then you so we again may shew our selues obedient and dutiful subiects to pray for him continually and dayly blesse him Psal. 72.15 That we neuer be vnthankful to God or vndutiful to him nor vnmindful of these great blessings of peace continuance of religion administration of iustice nor weary of so happy a gouernment as is expected as the inconstant Athenians were of Themistocles to whom he well said Are you wearied in receiuing of so many benefits frō one man but that it may truly be said of vs and all the faithfull subiects of the land They shall feare thee as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth from generation to generation Pal. 72.5 That his Maiestie now and his royall posteritie ouer vs may raigne in all happinesse godlinesse and peace from generation to generation which God graunt THE ANSWERE TO THE FIRST SECTION OF the Apological Epistle Sect. 1. The frailtie and pronenes of man to sinne after the fall of Adam WE see here verified the saying of S. Paul That false Apostles are deceitfull workers and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ 2. Cor. 11.14 and as Sathan doth transforme himselfe into an Angel of light so his ministers can transforme themselues as though they were the ministers of righteousnes so playeth this cunning epistler who deuoting himselfe in this Libell to the seruice of Sathan in defacing the truth and disgracing the true Church of Christ which professeth it yet maketh a colourable entrance and plausible beginning setting in the forefront of this beadrole of lies an euident knowne and confessed truth of the fall of Adam and the generall corruption and deprauation of nature from thence issuing But as Hierome saith Venenum sub melle latet There lieth poyson hid vnder hony and as Ambrose Quia sub nomine suo culturam suadere non potest sub alterius nomine
suam conatur implere voluntatem Because Sathan cannot perswade his religion vnder his owne name by another colour he worketh his will So doth this Sophister vnder this cloake of vttering some trueth seeke to shrowde and hide an heape of lies and vntruths that follow and seeketh to winne credit and insinuate himself by speaking the truth that he may be beleeued when hee telleth a lie So well hath he learned Democritus lesson that it behooueth a man either to be good or to dissemble In this first section I finde some contradictions betweene this popish champion and other writers of that side I note also some errors Contrad 1. He affirmeth that by Adams fall humane nature is left to it selfe naked and disabled among so many enemies Herein he speaketh truly yet otherwise then some of his fellowes for Bellarmine saith that man is of freewill now si fuit ante lapsum if he were before his fall He thinketh that man hath freewill in good things as well since his fall as before He also affirmeth that mans freewill with the helpe of grace and without it if it be not vrged by some tentation Suis viribus bonum aliquod morale ita perficere c. by it owne power can make perfect some morall good thing that no sinne therein be admitted If mans will can bring foorth of it selfe without the helpe of grace a vertuous and good action without sinne as Bellarmine saith then is not mans nature left naked and disabled as our countrieman here saith these speeches agree not Contrad 2. Touching sinne and iniquitie he saith no spirituall law promulged by Adam Noe Lot Iob Moses could weede it out p. 3. and Christ Iesus c. that had beene both able and worthie to haue washed away not only the malice and venome of sinne c. yet it pleased the diuine wisedome to leaue them as a penitentiall memoriall of our former demerite c. p. 4. Here the Apologist affirmeth that sinne by no law is weeded out no not by the law of Grace vnder Christ but that the venome and malice of sinne still remaineth Wherein he thwarteth the Rhemish Doctors who teach that good men keepe all Gods commandements Luk. 1. sect 6. and that the commaundement of louing God with all our heart may be kept and fulfilled as farre as is requisite in this life Luk. 10. sect 5. They seeme also to be of opinion that some in this life may be so iust that they neede no repentance for they vnderstand that place Luk. 15. ver 7. of iust men in deede not of those which are so in their owne iudgement such as the Pharisies were if some men neede no repentance then it followeth they haue no sin for where sinne is repentance is needfull and if all the commaundements are kept of good men then none are transgressed and where no transgression of the law is there is no sinne for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgression of the law 1. Ioh. 3.4 But their euasion here will be this that though euery sinne be a transgression of the law yet è conuerso the contrarie is not true that euery transgression of the law is sin and though the Apostle say euery iniquitie is sin 1. Ioh. 5. vers 17. yet there the Greeke word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as before but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which he meaneth mans actuall and proper transgression Rhemist annot 1. Ioh. 3. v. 4. Ans. 1. Your Latine text translateth both these Greek words iniquitie shewing thereby that in effect they signifie the same thing so that euery iniquitie or transgression of the law is sinne And let it here be noted that they refuse in this place their owne Latine text 2. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniustice is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquitie or transgression of the law it may bee prooued by S. Paul Rom. 7.12 where he saith the commandement is iust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer then is against the law is vniust if euery keeping of the law be a point of iustice euery breach of the law is a point of iniustice 3. Where the Apostle defineth sinne to be a transgression of the law and according to the rule of schooles definitio definitum the definition and thing defined are conuertible it followeth that euery transgression of the law is sinne And if it should be doubted whether the Apostle doe here set downe a definition of sinne both Augustine and Ambrose doe follow the same definition the first defineth sinne to be Omne dictum factum vel concupitum contra legem Dei Sinne is euery word worke or thought against the law of God Ambrose saith Quid est peccatum nisi diuinae legis praeuaricatio What is sinne but the preuarication of the diuine law ex citation Pet. Lombard lib. 2. distinct 35. a. Contrad 3. He calleth sinne and other infirmities remaining the penitentiall memoriall of our first demerite p. 4. The Rhemists affirme that the motions of the flesh in a iust man doe not any whit defile the operations of the spirit but often make them more meritorious for the continuall combat that he hath with them Rom. chap. 7. sect 10. If they be the occasion of greater merite how are they a penitentiall memoriall they are rather to be reioyced in then repented for as occasioning and furthering meritorious works Thus well doth this regular Frier and those seculars of Rhemes agree in their doctrine As he runneth into contradictions so hee lasheth foorth at the first into diuers errors Err. 1. He seemeth to thinke that originall sinne was onely deriued from Adam in these words The transgression of the first law-breaker was so venemous a seede to bring foorth wickednes pag. 3. Whereas it is certaine that originall sinne taketh beginning from the transgression of both our first parents Adam and Eue for as the Apostle saith The woman was in the transgression 1. Tim. 2. vers 14. therefore the man onely transgressed not and so consequently was not the author onely of sinne and transgression to his posteritie Thus Ambrose witnesseth Adam Eua primi illi vt generis ita erroris parentes Adam and Eua the first parents as of our generation so of our error in Luc. 13. And whereas it is said By one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5.12 that is so spoken because man is the principall in the carnall generation as Origen saith Non enim ex muliere posteritas sed ex viro nominatur non enim est vir ex muliere sed mulier ex viro For the posteritie is not named of the woman but of the man for the man is not of the woman but the woman of the man Origen lib. 5. in epist. ad Roman Err. 2. The least drop of his immaculate and vnualuable blood or the meanest of his so many infinitely meritorious operations
hath rooted out all other heresies beside Who haue now impugned the heresies of the Tritheists Anabaptists Familie of loue of Seruetus Valentinus Gentilis with others then Protestant writers witnesse the learned workes of Caluin Beza Bullinger Peter Martyr Iunius with the rest He hath therefore here made a good argument for the Protestants whose faith is therefore worthie to be of all receiued because thereby all heresie and impietie is subdued as Hierome saith Fides pura moram non patitur vt apparuerit scorpius illico conterendus Pure faith seeketh no delaies as soone as the scorpion appeareth it nippeth it on the head The second perswasion I Meane not the religion of Martin Luther so often recanted altered chaunged c. nor of licentious Caluin and a few artificers of Geneua or of Knox that galley-slaue of Scotland or of Edward Seimer or of King Edward a child of nine yeere old c. The Disswasion HEre many shamelesse vntruths are powred out together 1. It is vntrue that Luther at any time recanted his iudgement in religion in departing from the Church of Rome and forsaking her trumperie you would threap kindnes vpon Luther as you haue done of late in a lying pamphlet of reuerend Beza that he died one of your Catholikes If Luther altered in some priuate opinions it is nothing to vs who depend not vpon Luther Caluin or any other for our faith And if he did so it is no maruaile seeing it was hard for one man all at once to finde out the truth in euery point seeing the Apostle saith to the Philippians If ye be otherwise minded God shall reueale euen the same vnto you Faith is not perfected at once and as in other things the inuention of a thing and the perfection come not together as the Greeke Poet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God at the first all things doth not shew But in processe of time they better doe grow So is it in religion But howsoeuer Luther might varie from himselfe what is that to vs the Protestants of England who are the greatest eye sore to these bleare-eyed Popelings It is well you cannot vpbraide the Church of England with any innouation of doctrine for these three score yeeres well nie since the first thorough reformation of religion in blessed King Edwards raigne 2. As for licentious Caluin and galley-slaue Knox the one is a malicious slaunder the other a scurrilous terme These men were both famous for their learning and reuerenced of all that knew them for their godly life I doe not a whit maruaile that the memorie of these men is odious to all Papists for Caluin hath so decalued made bare and bald their naked religion and Knox hath giuen it such a knocke and deadly blow in Scotland that I trust in God it shall neuer there rise vp againe 3. That King Edward a child of nine yeere old without any assent or assemblie of Parliament or other as Fox himselfe is witnes did reforme religion is a fiction of your owne First Master Fox witnesseth no such thing for although the King by the aduice of his Councell appointed a generall visitation ouer all the land for the redressing of certaine disorders yet was not the Masse abolished nor religion wholy altred till the Parliament held ann 1. Edward Nouemb. 4. Secondly indeed true it is that in Queene Maries time the Papists came before the law Preachers were prohibited Bishops depriued and diuers imprisoned as Bishop Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper Rogers Masse publikely solemnized Thirdly you had forgotten that the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome which you make the chiefest ground of your Cacolike religion throughout your whole dispute was with common consent of Parliament consisting of the three estates of the land the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons abrogated by King Henry the eight of famous memorie so that no new acte was requisite in that behalfe in the entring of King Edwards raigne Fourthly King Edward a King of nine yeares of age by the aduice of the Parliament repealeth diuers Statutes and among the rest one made against Lollards ann 1. Richard 2. who was then but eleuen yeeres old I pray you what great ods in their ages might not the one build vp true religion at those yeeres when as the other pulled it downe or will you take exception against Iosias because being yet but a child he began to seeke the Lord and to purge religion or is the authoritie soueraigntie of the Prince the lesse because he is young or is the spirit of God tied to age and limited to yeares Doth not the Scripture say Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength And hereunto agreeth that saying of Cypriane Impletur apud nos spiritu sancto puerorum innocens aetas c. The innocent age of children with vs is filled with the holie spirit And so was it in this princely child the Iosias of this age of whom we may say with Ambrose Non moueat aetas imperatoris perfecta aetas est Est enim perfecta aetas vbi perfecta virtus Honorius iam pulsat adolescentiae fores prouectior aetate quā Iosias We should not respect his yeares the Emperours age is perfect age is perfect where vertue is perfect Honorius is now growing to be a young man elder then Iosias 4 Further it is a great vntruth which followeth the will and testament of King Henry being violated and his Bishops and Clergie committed to prison or depriued For neither doth he shew wherein the testament of the King was violated in the entrance of King Edwards raigne and therefore may be iustly suspected to be a falsarie neither doth he cite any author for it no such thing either by Maister Fox or Stowe to whom in these matters he appealeth being affirmed so that it seemeth his own phantasticall braine hath forged this fansie True it is indeede that the Protestant Bishops were depriued and excluded both from the Parliament and their Bishoprickes as Doctor Taylor Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Harley Bishop of Hereford with others in the entrance of Queene Maryes raigne But vntrue also it is that the Popish Bishops were depriued or committed to prison during the time of the Parliament when the act passed for reformation of religion which was in Nouember ann 1547. the Bishop of Winchester was not sent to the Tower til the morrow after S. Peters day the yeare following ann 1548. nor depriued before ann 1551. And Bonner was not commaunded to keepe his house till the 11. of August ann 1549. in the third yeare of King Edwards raigne This shamelesse man we see dare aduenture to vtter any thing 5 Of the like truth is that which followeth That the Protestants of this time without any disputation or aduice of any learned or Parliamentall
more then twentie of the Popes haue been giuen to that diuelish studie How Papists are confuters of Philosophers I leaue it to their owne report of one Maldonat an Ignatian sectarie that in a great auditorie in one lecture laboured to proue by naturall reasons that there is a God in an other that there is none and that the Iesuites do mainetaine at this day by the penne of Rene de la Fon that the Godhead must be proued by naturall reason 2 Vntrue also it is that Poperie hath conquered so many heresies retayning still a great number of them as is before sufficientlie declared neither haue they cause to brag of their vniuersalitie in subduing all nations for poperie was neuer so generall as pagane Idolatrie neither had the Pope euer commaund of all nations the Greeke Church hauing euer been deuided from him and I trust euery day his iurisdiction will be lesse and his account of nations come short as thanks be to God his nailes are well pared and his armes shortned in many famous cities and kingdomes in Christendome 3 Of the Papists it may be more truly said that they haue as many heads so many religions of the diuers sects and schismes in poperie and differences among their writers which rise to the computation of many hundreds relation hath been made before They are the deniers of scripture not Protestants that haue not blushed to say that the Pope may change the forme of words in baptisme that the Pope may dispense against the new testament that the Pope may dispense against all the precepts of the old and new testament that the scripture taketh authoritie from the Church of Rome that no man may lawfullie beleeue any thing by the authoritie of scripture against the determination of the Church Another saith the authoritie of the scriptures is founded in the allowance of the Church Another Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non vt praessent c. the Apostles writ certaine things not that they should rule faith and religion sed subessent but should be vnder Let any man now iudge if these men be not deniers of scripture which do derogate from the authoritie thereof that take vpon thē to chop change it to annihilate the precepts thereof and dispense against it So they not Protestants are the false translators of scripture who allow the vulgar Latine onely to be authenticall which in many hundred places altereth and corrupteth the Hebrue text As Genes 2.8 God planted a garden from the beginning for toward the East Genes 15. she shall breake thy head for he Gen. 4.13 they reade my sinne is greater then I can deserue pardon for then I can beare Gen. 6.5 their cogitation intent to euill for onely euill continuallie Gen. 12.15 and the princes told Pharao for the princes of Pharao saw her Gen. 26.9 why didst thou lye for why saidst thou v. 19. they digged in torrente in the brooke for in the vallie Gen. 35.16 he came in the spring time to the ground which bringeth to Ephratha for there was a little space of ground to come to Ephrah Genes 36.24 found out hoate waters in the wildernes for Mules Gen. 40.13 shall remember thy seruice for shall lift vp thy head Psal. 68.4 exalt him that ascendeth super occasum vpon the west or sunne-set for vpon the heauens v. 6. deliuereth prisoners in strength for in fetters v. 13. though ye sleepe betweene the lots for lien among the pots v. 17. tenne thousand for twentie thousand and a thousand such places might be alleaged wherein they haue corrupted the scriptures The Papists also are the men that forge scripture and other euidences for they thrust vpon the Church diuers Apocryphall bookes of Tobie Iudith Macchabees with the rest which the auncient Church of the Iewes to whom all the bookes of the old Testament and oracles of God were committed neuer receiued nor allowed So haue they forged and deuised diuers other writings as the Decretall epistles of the auncient Bishops of Rome which were Martyrs as of Zepherinus Calixtus Pontianus Vrbanus Fabianus with the rest which are all counterfeit stuffe as are also the leiturgie of S. Iames the writings that passe vnder the name of S. Martialis Abdias Hippolytus Dionysius and many such as is elsewhere declared more at large 4 Neither is it true that popish religion is founded vpon the infallible word of God conteyned in the scriptures but most of it vpon blind fallible and vncertaine traditions and many opinions the Church of Rome holdeth directlie opposite and contrarie to scripture as elsewhere hath been shewed Thus this friuolous aduersarie passeth on along heaping vp sclaunders and vntruths not remembring what the wise man sayth Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deale trulie are his delight But we neede not maruaile at it for this is familiar with thē with great boldnes to face out their owne forgeries and they may well say in Hieromes phrase domi nobis ista nascuntur we haue plentie of such stuffe at home But as the Lacedemonian magistrates said to Cephisophon the Orator when they expelled him that it was a good Orators part to make his speech answereable to his matter so should this sophister haue done and not to professe truth in his speech where none is in his matter The fift Perswasion 1 I Defend a religion where so much vertue is practised such obedience chastitie pouertie c. 2 Which brought the professors thereof to heauen as religious Heremites Monks Friers Priests Bishops Popes c. 3 Not that religion which made those which before were good chast obedient and contemners of the world to be wicked and giuen to impietie The Disswasion 1 WHat obedience poperie teacheth to their princes the late practises both in England and Fraunce do proclayme to all the world as the treacherous conspiracie of Parry incited by Cardinall Coomes letters of Somerfield and Arden sollicited by Hall a popish priest of Babington with other stirred vp by Ballard Lopez by Parsons Sauage and Yorke by Gifford Squire by Walpoole a Iebusite In Fraunce Iames Clement a Iacobine murdered Henry the third Barriere and Chastell attempted the like against the now King of Fraunce at the instigation of the Iesuites The Prince of Orange was by the like treacherie murdered and the death of the Chancelor of Scotland intended This may suffice to shew their obedience For their chastitie I appeale to the stories written of their vnholie fathers the Popes What place in the Christian world can afford more filthie spectacles of adulterers incestuous persons Sodomites then that Sea and citie of Rome I appeale to the inquisition made in King Henry the eights raigne at the suppression of the Abbeys when in some places the Priests and Monks were descried to haue kept some two some three some sixe some more one among the rest twentie concubines
such also is their chastitie Much agreeable also is their pouertie for Abbeys and Monasteries grew to be so poore that they had gathered a third part of the land and more into their hands in so much that the Kings of this land were forced to make prouision by statutes of Mortmaine that no more lands should be giuen to religious houses without the Kings licence The annuitie which the fiue orders of Friers gathered amounted to an hundred thousand pounds yearely for they had fiue pence a quarter of euery house twentie pence by the yeare which will arise counting but tenne housholds in euery parish and parishes tenne thousand to little lesse summe then is named The new vpstart Ignatian fathers haue also entred the vow of pouertie with the rest And what poore soules they are contemning all worldly riches and pleasures their owne fellowes the secular priests can very well certifie vs. They tell vs that Frier Hawood did ride vp and downe in his Coach and that his pomp and trayne was such that where he came it seemed to be a little Court by his presence Frier Garnets pomp and expences could not be gessed at lesse then fiue hundred by the yeare his apparell very costlie with his two geldings of thirtie pound a peece Frier Oldcorne was able to keepe at once eight good geldings his apparell worth thirty or fortie pound Frier Gerard got by one two hundred pound by another seauen hundred pound of another 160. pound of another 500. pound beside the disposition of 100. pound by the yeare Another Iesuite is reported to haue worne a girdle hangers and rapier worth tenne pounds and a ierken that cost no lesse his apparell with his horse and furniture was valued at one hundred pound He was thought to dispend foure hundred by the yeare and yet had no patrimonie And such is their vowe of pouertie and contempt of the world which this punie Ignatian on his fellowes behalfe and his owne boasteth of 2 As I denye not but that diuers aunciēt Monks Heremites Bishops some Popes of Rome might be and are saued yet that by the popish faith as it is now professed they were saued I much doubt nay I assuredly beleeue they were not it will be an hard matter for him to proue that all these of whom there is hope that they are in heauen were idolaters worshippers of images artolaters adorers of bread inuocaters and worshippers of angels freewill men reposing themselues vpon their merits maintayners of traditions against the scriptures followers of Iewish rites and ceremonies such as the moderne Papists are Nay we are sure they were none such for the auncient Bishops of Rome the Monks and Heremites of former time were of a diuers faith and iudgement in religion then now the Poperie and Monkerie of the Romish Church is for otherwise the Apostle telleth vs directlie that no idolaters shall inherit the kingdome of God And if it be so likely a matter that your Popes are saued why did one of your great Rabbines so peremptorilie giue his sentence of Sixtus 5. none of your worst Popes that he was gone to hell I make no question but welnie an hundred Popes might be named in all probabilitie more like then he to goe to that Limbus whereof some were necromancers some murderers some atheists some adulterers some theeues and robbers some blasphemers all which sinnes by the Apostles sentence exclude from the kingdome of heauen 3 It is a sclaunder that the Gospell hath made those which were before chast obedient c. licentious wicked the contrarie is manifest that they which were in poperie irreligious lewd prophane being conuerted to the Gospell became vertuous holie deuout persons witnesse George Tankerfield Maister Greene Iulius Palmer Mistresse Lewes Roger Holland who of blind and licentious Papists were wrought by the Gospell to be godlie Christians zealous Protestants and constant Martyrs the contrarie hath appeared in Protestants reuolting from the Gospell to poperie who after their apostasie waxed worse and worse This is exemplified in Gardiner Bonner Harding with others the first two of halfe Protestants hauing taken the oath in King Henries raigne against the Pope afterward did violate their oath and a good conscience and beside their licentious life fell to be deadlie enemies to the truth The other of an earnest and modest Protestant was turned to be an intemperate and rayling Papist as his hastie writings do declare We see then what little conscience this man hath thus to charge the glorious profession of the Gospell he shall not be able to shew one example of any that being truly conuerted to Protestancie from Poperie thereby was made worse for the contrarie experiment many instances may be exemplified and that common by word doth shew as much An Englishman Italianate is a deuill incarnate which phrase is not onely vsed of Protestants but it is currant among the Romanists as the secular priests do giue out of one that was a fauorite to the Ignatian friers that he was an Italianated companion and a deuill incarnate Now then against this accuser of the brethren that saying of the Prophet may be well applied he hath conceiued mischiefe and bringeth forth a lye Psal. 7.14 We see the fruites of his long trauaile such as the conception is such is the birth mischiefe in his heart and a lye in his lips Cypriane telleth vs from whence this commeth Scias hoc opus esse diaboli vt seruos dei mendacio laceret vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rumorib sordidentur this is the diuels worke to belye the seruants of God that they which in their cōscience are vnspotted by others reports should be taynted Democritus said well that enuie was as the truths vlcer so the enuie of our aduersaries would make the truth vlcerous by their malitious reports But our true defense shall be as a salue to this sore and where they would fester with biting corrasies we doubt not to cure with wholesome cordials and against their vaine sclaunders to vse the defensatiue of true dealing that all this roauing shooters darts shall be I trust but as bulrushes and his endeuour as of one that worketh against the streame who while he laboureth to disgrace the Gospell shall gaine shame to himselfe to whome that saying of Hierome may be returned Frustra niti neque aliud fatigando nisi odium quaerere extremae dementiae est to striue in vaine and to purchase hatred with wearines is extreame madnes The sixt Perswasion I Defend a religion approued by infallible signes by thousands of supernaturall wonders which by no meanes could be counterfeit or falslie reported so many naturallie blind restored to sight deafe to hearing dead to life c. which no naturall cause or art of deuils themselues could bring to passe I defend that religion which made them so holie that it
great many of other diseases Christ and his Apostles were but bunglers in working miracles to these if they may haue their saying Origen to Celsus who counted it as a fable that Christ raised some from the dead maketh this answere Si fabulosa haec essent multos resurrexisse finxisset If these things were fabulous they would haue fained more to haue risen whereas now three onely are said to haue been raised We may therefore worthily doubt of these straunge reports of miracles wherein they haue no measure bringing foorth such a beadrole of them Thirdly we haue the aduersaries owne confession who themselues suspect the credit of these tales therefore Alexander the 3. forbiddeth a certaine Popish saint to bee worshipped although miracles were done by him without the authoritie of the Church of Rome Innocentius 3. also decreeth that Prelates should not suffer those which come to their Churches to be deceiued varijs figmentis aut falsis documentis with diuers figments and cousening trickes The Abbot of Clumack testifieth that he noted foure and twentie lies in the song of Benedict as he sung it in the Church Espencaeus a learned Papist holdeth that to be but a fable reported by Christianus Massaeus lib. 8. Chronic. of Trophimus that hauing buried his wife in a rocke dying in trauell with the childe sucking at her breasts two yeere after sailing that way found her aliue and the childe sucking Many fables are current among the Ignatian Fathers of the straunge visions which their founder Ignatius Layola had As how he was rapt into heauen where hee saw the Trinitie in three persons and one essence how the tooles and paterne were shewed vnto him whereby God made the world how at the eleuation of the hoast he saw Iesus Christ in it in bodie and flesh iust as he was vpon the earth c. The like stuffe they haue vented of Xauiere one of the Ignatian sect who wrought great wonders among the Indians how he raised sixe dead men to life how sending a little child with a crosse to one possessed with diuels they went out fretting at this most of all quod per puerū pellebantur because they were cast out by a child as saith the fabulous author How a diuell being cast foorth scratched him by the back and bellie as he prayed to the Virgine Mary that he was constrained to keepe his bed till the skin was healed How when he was dead a blind man by rubbing his hand vpon his eies receiued his sight how with his whip wherewith he vsed to beate himselfe and a piece of his girdle an infinite number of diseases were cured All these tales though magnified by Bellarmine who is readie to take any occasion to grace his own order yet by other Papists not so light of credit are reiected as meere fables and old wiues tales as they well deserue Fourthly many of these Monkish miracles and Frierlie fables are ridiculous and not beseeming the grauitie of right holie men such is that of Dunstanes holding the diuell by the nose with a paire of tongs and of the diuell scratching Xauiere by the backe Are not these very worthie matters thinke you to bee registred Such tooles Hierome calleth Prandiorum coenarumque fabulas table talke and mimum Philistionis vel Marilli stropham he compareth them to Philistions iests who made verses to moue laughter and died of laughing or Marillus toyes Fiftly the end of these Popish miracles is to be considered which is not to perswade faith in Iesus Christ or to stirre vp to godlines of life which was intended by our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles in their miracles But this was the drift of them to confirme their owne superstitious deuises in the adoration of Images inuocation of Saints visiting the tombes of the dead worshipping their reliques and such like This difference Origen well obserued betweene the miracles of the Christians and the Pagans Magorum nemo per ea quae facit sicut Iesus ex rebus quas factitârit mirandis ad morū imitationem inuitat None of the Magicians by their miraculous workes as Christ did by his doe moue men to amendment of their manners May we not now iustly wonder that any are so simple to giue credit to such grosse fables but that it is a iust iudgement of God vpon those that will not receiue the truth to beleeue lies These false teachers as Ambrose saith Per ea quae placida sunt suadent foeda By pleasing tales perswade beastly stuffe And their blind schollers as Hierome sayth sub martyris nomine bibunt de aureo calice Babylonis vnder the colour of martyrs and of their miracles do drinke of the whore of Babylons golden cup but like as Satyrus the Sauian his friends are said to haue stopped his eare with waxe that he should not heare the rayling speech of his aduersaries so men had more neede to stop their eares against these flattering and pleasing tales as against the Syrene songs But I haue stayed too long in raking in this channell and stirring in this dunghill of popish legends The seauenth Perswasion 1 I Defend not a religion tossed and tennised vp and downe with so many bounds and rebounds both in head and members contayning so many falsities by their owne proceedings 2 So many contradictions in essentiall things as there be essentiall questions 3 Neither do what it could hauing the temporall sword hath hitherto condemned vs. 4 But a religion which in the space almost of 1600. yeares neuer changed one point of doctrine neuer admitted error in faith or the least contradiction therein either in decree of Pope or confirmed Councell The Disswasion 1 ANd I defend that religion which hath not beene tossed vp and downe chopped or changed in head or members as this alogisticall discourser sclandereth the Gospell but hath continued one and the same for these 60. yeares since the first abolishing of the Masse in England all which time the profession of the Protestants in England in the substantiall points of faith hath not altered hitherto neyther I trust shall hereafter The Communion booke hath been but once altered among vs all this while whereas the forme of the Masse in the Romane profession hath beene often chopped and changed patched and pieced by adding to it and taking from it which was for the space of 700. yeares in fining and refining before it came to that deformed perfection which now it hath Reade Platina and Polidore Virgil there shall you finde how and by whome and in what processe of time euery part of the Masse was deuised 2 Which conteyneth neither falsities nor contradictions in any essentiall points as poperie doth neither shall this trifler be able to shew any such falsitie or cōtrarietie who herein and euery where almost would haue vs take his owne word as though he were the
2 But a religion that hath in euery state a remedie for those that haue offended for the state of all till they come to such discretion and iudgement as may be cause of sinne the sacrament of baptisme both taking originall offence away and arming the soule against new and actuall infections 3 To confirme the former grace c. the sacrament of confirmation 4 To feede and foster all estates the sacrament of the most holie bodie and bloud of Christ. 5 The sacrament of penance for the cure and comfort of all offenders 6 The sacrament of extreame vnction to auoide the relikes of sinne and giue strength in that extremitie 7 For particular helpes and assistance to particular states particular sacraments the sacrament of Orders and of Matrimonie c. The disswasion 1. ANd wee defend a religion which doth not separate man from God as this Libeller belieth it but teacheth faith in Christ whereby wee are reconciled vnto God and are at peace with him Rom. 5.1 Not that religion which separateth from God in destroying faith which ioyneth vs to God in teaching iustification by workes whereby faith is euacuated as the Apostle saith Ye are euacuated from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law Galath 5.4 But that religion which preacheth faith in Iesus Christ which is both a remedie for sinnes past in the remission of them We are sanctified and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 6.11 And a preseruatiue also from further offending for the grace of God teacheth vs to denie vngodlines and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 Which faith for the remission of sinnes is sealed and confirmed in the most holie Communion which the Popish sort denieth properly to be ordained for remission of sinnes contrarie to the words of our Sauiour who in the institution of this Sacrament saith directly this is the bloud of the new Testament that is shed for many for remission of sinnes Mat. 26.28 This faith is both preached and practised in this religion which they vndoubtedly haue attained vnto which haue beleeued and are carefull to shew good workes Titus 3.8 But this iustifying faith by the grounds of Popish religion cannot be had seeing they teach that for a man to be sure of his saluation by faith is a faithlesse perswasion and the faith of diuels and yet such was S. Pauls faith whereby he was perswaded that nothing could separate him from the loue of God in Christ. 2. I maintaine a religion which leaueth not infants dying before baptisme without remedie and condemneth them to hell for the want thereof without their fault as the Church of Rome doth but euen comprehendeth such infants being the seede of the faithfull vnder the couenant of Gods grace who hath promised I will be thy God and the God of thy seede which maketh not Baptisme vnperfect onely to serue for sinnes going before Baptisme but extendeth the efficacie thereof as well to sins following after as past before For as Circumcision was a seale of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4.11 so likewise is Baptisme by which through faith in the bloud of Christ both our sinnes before and after Baptisme are forgiuen Which doth not allow women lay men Turkes Iewes and Infidels to baptize as the Romanists doe whereas Christ gaue this power onely to Ministers and teachers Goe teach all nations c. baptizing them c. Which doth not prophane this Sacrament in baptizing of Bels as they doe neither doth contaminate it with the humane additions of spittle salt oyle Can any man forbid water saith S. Peter that these should not be baptized then they onely vsed water 3. Which doth not bring in new Sacraments not instituted by Christ and his Apostles as are those of Confirmation Penance extreame Vnction Orders Matrimonie but onely contenteth it selfe with two Sacraments of Christs ordaining Baptisme and the Lords Supper because we finde no more of Christs institution which doth not adde more strength against the diuell to their deuised sacrament of Confirmation then to Baptisme a Sacrament of Christs institution neither giueth vertue to Chrisme tempered of oyle and balme with the signe of the crosse which are but terrene and externall things against spirituall tentations as they doe for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall 2. Corinth 10.4 but exhorteth Christians to put on the whole armour of God the shield of faith the sword of the spirit the word of God with the rest whereby they may bee able to resist in the euill day By this meanes is a faithfull man armed and confirmed against spirituall tentations 4. That religion which mangleth not the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ robbing the faithfull communicants of the cup the one part thereof nor yet teacheth that wicked men doe eate the bodie of Christ neither forceth the glorious bodie of Christ from heauen into the forme of a piece of bread neither saith that this sacrament was not ordained properly for remission of sinnes neither that it is auaileable without the faith of the receiuer by the action and worke it selfe done all which positions the profession of the Romane sect maintaineth But which according to Christs institution exhibiteth the holie Sacrament in both kindes of bread and wine according to the first institution Matth. 26.28 and teacheth onely the faithfull to be partakers by faith of Christs bodie and bloud as our Sauiour saith He that eateth me shall liue by me Ioh. 6.57 which affirmeth that Christs bodie is not in earth but in heauen Act. 3.21 And that the speciall vse of this Sacrament is to confirme our faith in Christ for the remission of sinnes Matth. 26.28 and that least men should be secure it profiteth no man vnlesse hee examine himselfe whether he be in the faith 1. Cor. 11.28 5. That religion which doth not enioyne men of necessitie to make confession of all their secret sinnes into the eares of the Priest with an opinion to merit by it nor yet imposeth vpon them penall workes thereby to satisfie the iustice of God for the punishment due vnto their sinne But which teacheth men to confesse vnto God I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee c. and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Psal. 32.5 to challenge Gods mercie not our merits According to the multitude of thy mercies put away mine offences Psal. 51.1 and to hope for satisfaction to Godward onely in the death of Christ He was wounded for our transgression c. with his stripes are we healed Isay. 53.5 6. Which doth not imitate without ground the Apostles annoynting of the sick with oyle which was a signe for that time of the miraculous gift of healing for whom they anoynted they healed Mark 6.13 Neither thinketh to cure spirituall maladies with bodily bathings as though the suppling of the bodie were a supplie to the soule neither doth it leaue the sicke remedilesse
black and euill conditions So I trust we are sufficientlie taught to beware of these crouching friers lewd and vngodlie practises The 11. Perswasion I Defend a religion c. where there is no festiuitie no office or part of diuine seruice c. but representeth vnto vs one benefite or other no ceremonie is vsed in the holie sacrifice of the Masse no action of the Priest no ornament or attire he weareth no benediction he giueth no signe of the crosse he maketh but hath his religious signification and preacheth vnto vs his introite to the Altare his actions there his returne from thence the verie vestments wherewith he is adorned his putting of them on his putting them off his Amice Albe Girdle Maniple Stole Vestment speake nothing but Christ crucified c. The Disswasion 1 INdeede such Church such preaching this superstitious insinuation by crossings turnings comming going putting off putting on copes vestments is fit instruction for such blind worshippers But Christ is otherwise preached in his true Church then by dumbe ceremonies Moses was read and preached in the synagogues Act. 15.21 Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 not by shewing shadowing or signifying What hypocrites are these to thrust out of the Church the plaine reading of scripture to the peoples vnderstanding and to supplie it with mute and maymed shewes and ceremonies in which respect the Prophets words may be vsed against them who required these things at your hands Isay 1.12 2 But that it may better appeare what a goodlie kind of preaching this is by signes and circumstances I will brieflie bring in view some of their pope-edifying significations which by great ouersight the Frier belike ashamed thereof hath omitted and to begin with his owne trumperie First the shauing of Monks and Friers is very rich in sense and signification 1. It betokeneth the reuelation of the mysteries of our redemption by Christ. 2. It expresseth the similitude of Christs crowne of thornes 3. It insinuateth the amputation and cutting away of carnall desires 4. The circle of haire which is left representeth the fashion of a crowne because to be deuoted to Gods seruice is to raigne 5. The baring and making naked of the head implieth an apert and naked life and an open and free heart for celestiall meditations Likewise they vse diuers Magicall enchantments in the dedication of Churches 1. They make 12. crosses vpon the walles and set twelue burning lamps ouer against them signifying thereby that the 12. Apostles by their preaching brought light to the world 2. They burne incense set vp taper-light annoynt the altar and vessels with oyle to shew that the place is consecrate to holie vses 3. They sprinkle ashes ouer all the Church therein writing the Greeke and Latine Alphabet thereby setting forth the preaching of the faith which was first taught in those toongs 4. They beate vpon the Church dore with an hammer to driue Sathan from thence In Baptisme they vse many interpretatiue toyes 1. They touch the eares and nostrels with spittle that the eares may be ready to heare and the nostrels to discerne betweene the smell of good and euill 2. All the senses are signed with the crosse thereby to be defended 3. Salt is put into their mouth that they may be kept from putrifying in sinne 4. They are annoynted with oyle in the breast to be safe frō suggestions 5. They are annoynted with chrisme in the top of the head and thereby become Christians 6. A white garment is put vpon them that are baptized to betoken their regeneration 7. A vaile is put vpon their head in signe that they are now crowned with a royall diademe 8. A burning taper is put into their hand to fulfill that saying in the Gospell Let your light so shine before men c. Math. 5. In Matrimonie the like toyes are obserued as to couer the parties with a vaile to ioyne them together with a partie-coloured scarfe of white and purple to mutter certaine words ouer the ring to hallow it Thus haue they pestered the Church with a multitude of idle vnprofitable and vnedifying ceremonies which the Apostle calleth a yoke of bondage Galath 5.1 And as Augustine sayth Ipsam religionem quam Deus paucissimis sacramentis liberam esse voluit onerib premunt vt tolerabilior sit conditio Iudaeorum c. They cumber or oppresse religion with burdenous ceremonies which God would haue free with few sacraments And these friuolous obseruations and superstitious types do tend to instruction and bring religious lessons as this expounder of riddles telleth vs like as the Pharisees phylacteries and fringes of their garments tended to keeping of the lawe They writ the lawe in parchments and scroules and tied them to their frontlets and bound them vpon their armes whereas they should haue kept them in their harts Thus the Papists keepe the memorie of Christs death in crosses vestures pictures and such like which should be reuiued by the preaching of the word whereby Christ is described in our sight and among vs crucified as S. Paule to the Galathians and graft in mens hearts by a liuely faith 3 Now further as these papall Romanes do boast of their preaching and significant rites and ceremonies so the Pagane Romanes can pretend the like for their religion whose hieroglyphicall toyes are very consonant and suteable to these new histrionicall tricks of Christned Romanists 1. They sacrificed to Saturne bareheaded because all things are naked and open to God for the which cause also popish Priests were shauen to betoken their open and free harts c. 2. Their women in mourning vsed white garments to betoken innocencie and simplicitie so doth the white garment vsed in popish baptizing as we haue seene before 3. It was a great offence to vtter the name of their Deus tutelaris their God of defense so the Masse-priest mumbleth his mysticall enchaunting words in secret 4. When they tooke vp the table they alwayes left somewhat remayning because no holie thing such as they counted the table should be left emptie so the Masse-priests do reserue some part of the sacrament vpon the altare and hang it vp in the pixe 4 They did burne lamps in their temples and at the graues of the dead and consecrate wax candles to their Gods to signifie the euerlasting light so do the Papists 5 The auncient Romanes married not in May because it was an holie time vsed for solemne expiations so the Church of Rome inhibiteth mariage at certaine seasons for the holines of the time 6 They vsed not to marrie their Cosins that by mariage they might increase kinred In the Papall seignorie for the same cause mariage is forbidden betweene Godfathers and Godmothers and their Godchildren as they are called because they are alreadie of a spirituall kinred 7 The Paganes vsed a kind of shauing which betokened a crowne and thereof
was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such is the shauing of Monks and for the like signification of a crowne as hath bene shewed before 8 The Priest of the Sunne among the Phenicians did weare a vestment of purple wrought with gold to shew the dignitie and excellencie of that priesthoode for the same cause haue Masse-priests their rich and costlie copes of diuers colours 9 In Boeotia they vsed to couer the Bride with a vaile and crowne her with flowers which vse is yet retayned in Poperie 10 The heathen vsed to cleanse themselues with sprinkling of water thinking thereby to be purified Thus in Poperie they thinke to purifie their houses the people with casting of holie-water vpon them Is not this now a goodlie religion that retaineth still the idolatrous and superstitious vsages of the heathen that instructeth the people by signes and figures euen as the Paganes preached to theirs May we not iustly returne vpon them the rebuke of the Apostle to the Galathians Seeing you know God how turne yee againe vnto impotent and beggerlie rudiments whereunto as from the beginning you will be in bondage againe Hierome sayth Ego libera voce reclamante mundo pronuntio ceremonias Iudaeorum perniciosas esse mortiferas Christianis quicunque eas obseruauerit in barathrum diaboli deuolutum I do freelie pronounce though the world say nay that the ceremonies of the Iewes are pernicious and deadlie to Christians and whosoeuer obserueth them to be throwne downe to hell much more are they in danger which obserue Pagane ceremonies and inuentions Therefore we take no great care to answere them for this matter resting vpon the words of our Sauiour Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind Their owne blindnes and grossenes in their superstitious corruptions doth sufficiently bewray the badnes of their cause and madnes of their religion to whom that saying of Plutarch may fitlie be applied You neede not draw a superstitious man out of the temple for there is his punishment and torment So that which this figurecaster hath taken for an argument of their profession is found to be but a torment to their conscience and a punishment of their superstition The twelfth Perswasion 1 I Defend not that religion which denieth all things c. as their opinions all negatiue do witnesse 2 That hath taken away and conuerted from spirituall religious vses to priuate and temporall pleasures and preferments all monuments and foundations of deuotion c. 3 Vsing nothing necessarie to saluation 4 But that religion whose opinions are all affirmatiue 5 That hath founded Churches Schooles Colledges Monasteries 6 That obserueth all things that wanteth or omitteth nothing belonging or that can be required to true religion The Disswasion 1 NEither doth that religion which I defend denie any thing much lesse all things as it is falselie sclaundered that are found to be agreeable to the scriptures neither doth it consist of all negatiues affirming the scriptures to be sufficient and to conteyne all things necessarie to saluation that the Church and generall Councels may erre that the Pope is Antichrist that the scriptures ought to be read in the vulgar toong that Magistrates haue authoritie in spirituall causes that all sinnes in their owne nature are mortall that faith only iustifieth that Christ onely is our alone sufficient mediator that there are onely two sacraments of the new testament an hundred more opinions it holdeth affirmatiuely and the negatiues to these doctrines it refuseth And if our religion should be condemned because it holdeth some negatiues exception likewise might be taken against the Decalogue wherein of ten two commaundements only are affirmatiue the fourth in the first table and the first in the second all the rest are negatiuely propounded 2 An impudent sclaunder it is that the religion of Protestants hath taken away all foundations of deuotion 1. Seeing that Bishoprickes Cathedrall Churches all Colledges in the Vniuersities Hospitals parish Churches erected for maintenance of learning reliefe of the poore for the edifying of the people are yet standing and flourishing among vs. 2. Only those vncleane Cels of Monks the seminaries both of spirituall and corporall fornication are remoued though I denie not but they might better haue beene disposed of as was intended by example and warrant of vertuous Princes As Iosias ouerthrew the foundation of the Chemarims an idolatrous order of Priests erected by his superstitious predecessors Iehu destroyed the house of Baal and made a draught-house of it And things abused to idolatrie are iustlie confiscate to the Prince as Ambrose defendeth the taking away of the lands which were giuen to the maintenance of Pagane idolatrie Sublata sunt praedia quia non religiose vtebantur ijs quae religionis iure defenderent Their lands and manors were taken away because they did not religiouslie vse them which they defended vnder colour of religion 3. Neither were all Abbey-lands conuerted to temporall pleasures and preferments though we graunt too many were but diuers were giuen to Hospitals and Colledges and to other good vses And this is warranted by the imperiall lawes that things abused by false worshippers should be giuen to the vse of the Orthodoxall Church as may appeare by that lawe of the Emperours Valentinian and Martian Domum vel possessionem c. That house or possession which belongeth to heretikes Orthodoxae ecclesiae addici iubemus We will to be annexed to the orthodoxall Church 4. These lands and possessions were surrendred into the Kings hands by the voluntarie act of the owners thereof thereto not forced or constrained as is extant in the publike acts of Parliament and at such a time wherein the popish religion was not altered sauing in the Popes supremacie and therefore this is a false imputation to the Gospell And yet as is before shewed possessions abused by men of false religion by the Imperiall lawes are confiscate to the Prince as it was decreed by Anastasius Praedia possessiones quae in haereticas personas quocunque modo collata vel translata fuerunt fisci nostri iurib decernimus vendicari Lands and manors howsoeuer conferred or translated vpon hereticall parsons we decree to be forfeited to vs. 3 A foule slaunder is vttered of our Religion in the next place for nothing necessarie to saluation is wanting in the profession of the Gospell There is Baptisme for infants catechising for children preaching to beget faith the law to perswade repentance the Gospell for comfort the reading of scripture to increase knowledge the Sacraments to confirme it prayer prescribed if any be afflicted singing of Psalmes for those that are merrie in the Lord godly visitation for the sicke with assurance of remission of sinnes vpon their repentance comfort ouer the dead in the hope of the present rest of
with fearefull sights and terrible scritches c. A right description of popish Purgatorie grounded vpon a faithlesse superstitious feare And such is popish doctrine neither affoording comfort to the liuing nor ioy to the dead that a man can not say of them as a certaine Thessalian being asked who are at most ease answered they which haue made an end of warfare But these which dye in poperie after they haue made an end of the warfare of this life by their doctrine enter into their greatest labours and paines Thus haue we heard with how many cunning sleights this glozing Frier hath endeuoured to perswade vnto his profession he hath wrapped vp together in this one section no lesse then halfe an hundred vntruths and as he began so he endeth with a lye that they were all vnius labij of one language before the Gospell was reuiued for it is certaine that the Greekes alwayes vsed the Greeke toong the Sclauonians the Sclauonian the Aethiopians the Aethiopian language And how vntrue this is their owne canons shall testifie for Innocentius decreed that in great Cities where people resort of diuers languages that the Bishops should prouide fit men qui secundum diuersitates rituum linguarum diuina illis officia celebrent which according to the diuersitie of their rites and languages should celebrate diuine seruice Lastly he telleth vs that he will proue by aboue an hundred arguments that their religion is only true lawfull c. in a certaine booke which he calleth a Resolution pag. 47. li. 32. which pamphlet when he hath hatched it to his perfection and sent it out of the owlelight into the sunne-shine which as yet so farre as I can learne is not come from vnder the brooders wings it may be either I or some of my brethren will plucke a feather with it And thus is this Section ended and with such successe as all lyers and sclaunderers must looke for And though this false accuser might be thrust vnder the old canon which decreeth Vt qui primum obiectum non probarunt ad caetera non admittantur That they which proue not the first thing obiected should not be admitted to the rest yet I will examine whatsoeuer he can say and cast his light stuffe into the balance and lay his counterfeit coyne to the touch that the vanitie of the one and deceit of the other may appeare THE SIXT SECTION WHAT MOVED the Author to dedicate his worke to the Counsell The Answere THis Section comming out of the same forge bewrayeth the same author it is so patched together with vntruths falshoods like the former He abuseth those honorable persons and deceiueth himselfe to thinke to win grace with wise men by telling of fables Simonides being asked why of all other he deceiued not the Thessalians answered because they were more simple and vnlearned then could be deceiued by me sayth he But their honors are too wise and prudent then to be deluded with such a fablers fictions His seuerall motiues confusedlie shuffled together I will bring into some order if I can 1. Motiue As this cause which I handle is most honorable of all so I am bold to offer the defence thereof to your honors the most honorable and noble consistorie of our nation c. Yet he limiteth this honorable authoritie before saying that the ends and offices of a religious and spirituall common-wealth are diuers from those of a temporall and ciuill gouernment and in that respect matters handled in the one do not so properlie appertaine to the redresse and iudgement of those which rule in the other but are to be decided and reformed by the gouernors of that profession to which they are belonging c. The remooue 1. I had thought that the generall end both of the ciuill and ecclesiasticall bodie had beene one and the same though the offices and functions be diuers namely preseruation not onely of peace but the maintenance of true religion to bring the people vnto God I am sure S. Paule so teacheth that prayer be made for Kings and all that are in authoritie not only that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life but in all godlines and honestie It belongeth then not onely to the ciuill state to prouide for peace that the people may liue quietlie but for true religion that they may liue also godlie honestlie In these two points Eleutherius sometime Bishop of Rome sheweth the office of a King to consist thus writing to Lucius King of Britaine The people and folke of the Realme of Britaine be yours whome if they be deuided you ought to gather together in concord and peace to call them to the faith and lawe of Christ and to the holie Church c. 2. It is an absurd speech that reformation of religion belongeth not properlie to the iudgement and redresse of the Prince her noble Counsellors Thus these pragmaticall Friers would both pull out their right eye of iudgement that they should not be able to discerne and cut off their right hand of power that they should not reforme what is amisse in religion for if the most soueraigne care of pietie and religion do properlie belong to the Prince then the Counsellers of state the most honorable Ministers vnder the Prince can not be excluded And therefore the Apostle in the place recited maketh not mention only of Kings but also of all that are in authoritie vnder them This also hath beene the auncient practise of this land Eleutherius aduiseth King Lucius with the Councell of his realme out of the scriptures to take a lawe to rule his people by The Statute of Praemunire made against prouisions and presentments of Bishoprickes and other benefices from the Pope was enacted by King Edward the third by the assent only of the great men of his Councell and Nobilitie and of the comminaltie without the Spirituall Lords The like Act was made vnder Richard 2. that all they which procured such presentations from Rome or any excommunications from thence in those causes should be banished to the which acte the great men only of the temporaltie without the Cleargie gaue their assent Yea of late in Queene Maries raigne the greatest friend to the Pope that euer he had in England the Prince aduised most like by her Counsell did of her owne authoritie send certaine articles concerning religious matters as reteining of ceremonies vsing of processions manner of baptizing admitting to orders and such like to the Bishop of London presently to be put in execution Yea this discourser soone forgetting what he had said confesseth whose chiefe care speaking of the honorable Counsell must be in taking order for such causes meaning of religion p. 49. l. 14. then as they may receiue direction from the spirituall state which we denie not so the correction and administration belongeth vnto them Thus as a man
whole disordred crue calleth those assertions hereticall and traiterous yea those wicked Popish Iudasâ—â—ed Diuines at Salamanca in Spaine resolued vpon these diuellish conclusions That they sinned mortally which aided the English in Ireland that it was a meritorious act to assist Tyrone that the Catholikes in Ireland which did fight against the Queene were by no construction Rebels Beside these villanous positions which no estate in the world could endure the Iebusites and Masse Priests practises haue been most odious against the life of our Soueraigne the treasons are confessed by the secular Priests themselues Therefore if the state of France vpon one attempt of Iohn Chastel against the King of France suborned by the Iesuites expelled the whole order greater cause hath the state of England hauing experience of many wicked plots deuised and practised both by the secular and irregular Masse Priests to exile the whole societie of both to make their returne into the land of treason Haue not these miscreants now great cause to complaine of persecution and to glorie of such filthie martyrdome I say vnto them with Augustine against the Donatists Recte haec à vobis dicerentur quaerentibus martyrum gloriam si haberetis martyrum causam These things were well alleaged of you that seeke the glorie of Martyrs if you had the cause of Martyrs 2. Nay rather these vngodly and seditious practisers by their impietie obstinacie idolatrie doe persecute the state then are persecuted of the state as Augustine saith Grauius Saram ancilla per superbiam persecuta est quam eam Sara per debitam disciplinam The bondmaid did more persecute Sara by her obstinacie then Sara did her by due discipline and seueritie 3. Yea these froward persons that haue been so often by proclamation forewarned to be packing whereas the law is a sufficient monition it selfe and diuers of them whereas they had deserued death by the law were but exiled and banished as 21. at one time and 31. at another aduenturing notwithstanding to enter the land whether more of a superstitious minde to peruert soules or of an ambitious desire to gaine a kingdome to the Popes seignorie it is hard to say or which is more like of a treacherous resolution to destroy both and so rushing vpon the pikes are accessary to their owne death and cause of their trouble themselues Protestants in the late daies of persecution could not obtaine that fauour to be banished neither were they suffered to depart but Ports and Hauens were laid to keepe them in But this Seminarie broode may be gone if they will the passages are open for them and yet they will remaine among vs to their owne perill Wherefore we may here say againe vnto them as Augustine to the Donatists Patent â—ortae exire non vultis quam persecutionem paâ—â—â—ini nisi à vobis diligit vos persecutor vester persequitur vos furor vester ille vt fugiatis petit iste vt pereatis impellit The gates are wide open and ye will not goe out what persecution suffer you but from your selues your persecutor loueth you your owne furie persecuteth you he desireth you would be packing this forceth you to your owne perishing Wherefore it is euident that these clamorous mates suffer no persecution but punishment for their euill demerits and they suffer most iustly that no amends is requisite in this case vnlesse it be by the like But if they would be exempted from the daunger of the Princes lawes let them follow the Apostles counsell Wilt thou be without feare of the Prince doe well Rom. 13.3 And let them doe as Ambrose saith to the Emperour Ego in consistoria nisi pro te stare non didici extra palatium certare non possum qui palatij secreta nec quaero nec noui I haue learned not to stand in the imperiall consistorie but for thee neither can I striue in the Princes palace which neither know the secrets thereof nor desire So let them neither striue against the authoritie of Princes nor presse to know and knowing to bewray their secrets We desire not their companie neither haue neede of their phisicke And as Pausanias answered a Physition that said all was well with him Because saith he I vse not you for my Physition So I make no doubt but all would be well with vs if such Italianated Physitions would be packing The fourth motiue 1. You vowed it in Baptisme your promise to God to his Church to your countrie is to be performed 2. Many or most of you being of age and discretion in the time of Queene Mary haue practised and professed it 3. So many of your noble companie as are admitted to the honourable order of the Garter haue sworne it 4. You are all sworne Councellors to our Queene which by title of inheritance and at her coronation by the oath and fidelitie of a Christian Prince hath obliged her selfe to maintaine it c. The Remoue 1. They which were baptized vnder the Popish religion were baptized in the name of the Trinitie not into the name of the Pope they were entred into the profession of the Christian faith not of the Popish religion for then by this reason hee that is baptized by an heretike were bound to maintaine his heresie if baptisme in Poperie were a bond to professe that superstitious phantasie Wee denie not but that true Baptisme in substance is giuen in the Romane synagogue but that neither proueth it to be the true Church nor those baptized among them to be obliged to their religion For though we confesse with the Apostle that there is one Lord one faith one Baptisme yet are not these onely professed and had in the Church but onely fruitfully and truly professed in the Church In the which alone as Augustine saith God is not worshipped but in the which alone God is truly worshipped in the which alone faith is not kept but in the which alone faith with charitie is kept Nec in qua sola vnus baptismus habetur sed in qua sola vnus baptismus salubriter habetur Neither in the which alone is this one baptisme had but in which alone baptisme is holesomely had And this is the cause why we iterate not Baptisme giuen in Poperie because it was ministred in the name of Christ and so bindeth to the true Christian profession not to the Romane separation And therefore we say not to vse Augustines words Vt cum ad nos veneritis alterum accipiatis sed vt eum qui apud vos iam erat vtiliter accipiatis That when ye come to vs you should receiue another baptisme but that which they had with you they should hold it with profit He seemeth then erroniously to thinke that Baptisme and the Church cannot be separated that because wee renounce not Baptisme ministred in the Popish Church wee are bound together with their
The greatest crakers are not the best fighters nor the lowdest noyse sheweth not the best cause And as they haue sped hitherto the like successe let them looke for hereafter The sixt Motiue I will prooue the religion I defend to be conformable to the present forcible lawes of England established by our Queene Elizabeth c. I vndertake to prooue directly by the Parliament lawes and proceedings of Queene Elizabeth that their religion is false that we defend true c. The Remoue If this man were not past all shame hee would neuer haue been so audacious as to haue vttered this vntruth for it is a fiction without all colour he might as well haue told vs of the man in the Moone and the Sunneshine at midnight and as soone might he haue proued it as that which here he saith He goeth on and telleth vs he will proue by the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth that Christ is reallie present in the Sacrament of the altar As though the Church of England and all Protestants doe not hold Christs bodie to be reallie that is verilie and truly present to the faith of the worthy receiuer but if by reallie he vnderstand carnally present it is directly contrarie to the 28. article of religion which in direct words saith that transubstantiation is repugnant to the plaine words of Scripture and further addeth that the body of Christ is onely eaten after a spirituall and heauenly manner and the meane whereby it is eaten is faith He will proue that Saints and Angels are to be reuerenced and prayed vnto A reuerence who denieth but to pray vnto them is contrarie to the 22. article Inuocation of Saints is a fond thing That there is a Purgatorie which is contrarie to the 22. article the Romish doctrine concerning purgatory is vainly inuented That prayer almes and other good deedes are auaileable for the faithfull soules departed contrarie to article 31. that the sacrifices of Masses c. for the quicke and dead are blasphemous fables that onely faith iustifieth not contrarie to article 11. that wee are iustified by faith onely is a most holesome doctrine He will prooue that good workes are meritorious before God contrarie to article 12. good workes cannot put away sinnes and endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement That there is an externall Priesthood and sacrifice in the Church of Christ contrarie to article 31. the sacrifices of the Masse wherein it was commonly said that the Priests did offer Christ c. were blasphemous fables and daungerous deceits that wee are not iustified by an imputatiue iustice but grace and iustice are inherent and internall things contrary to article 11. we are accounted righteous before God onely for the merite of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deseruings That there be seuen Sacraments in number Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance extreame Vnction Orders and Matrimonie contrarie to article 25. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospell that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord those fiue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie and extreame Vnction are not to be accounted for Sacraments of the Gospell These articles were first agreed vpon by the whole Conuocation of the Clergie of this land and put foorth by the Queenes authoritie anno 1562. and againe approued and allowed by the assent and consent of her Maiestie and subscribed vnto by the whole Clergie assembled in the Conuocation anno 1571. and established by act of Parliament anno 13. Elizab. c. 12. as may appeare by diuers branches of that act whereby they are punishable which refuse to giue assent to the said articles or doe teach any thing repugnant or contrarie vnto them Notwithstanding all this this shamelesse man blusheth not to tell vs that these his erroneous opinions directlie contrarie to the very expresse words of the said articles are conformable to the present forceable lawes and the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth Thus these fellowes would make vs beleeue that the blacke crow is white and that the Moone is made of greene cheese as the saying is or they might as well tell vs with Democritus that the Moone hath hils and dales with Metrodorus that the Sunne is made of stone with Philolaus of glasse with Epicurus of the earth with Heraclides that the earth moueth round as the wheele vpon the axletree with Philolaus that it is whirled about as the Sunne and Moone or what else he may tell vs that is most fabulous and incredible as well as this that the Romish religion is agreeable to the lawes in force in the Church of England As he is found tripping here so I trust his credit shall be in the rest Ambrose sayth Nerui sunt quidam artus sapientiae non temere credere It is as the sinewes and ioynts of wisdome not rashlie to giue credit And as Demosthenes was wont to say that the best preseruatiue against Tyrants was not to trust them so is it against liers not to beleeue them The 7. Motiue What reason should mooue me then very yong in yeares borne of parents conformable to the time in and vnder the Protestant Regiment of Queene Elizabeth brought vp in that Vniuersitie and other places which were alwayes least fauouring of that beleefe c. to be of a different and contrarie opinion when if I would haue bene of the same profession I might haue bene regarded as others of my condition The remooue The reason here vsed may be thus framed That is likely to be the right faith which a man leauing all possibilitie of preferment cleaueth vnto But so hath this man done in embracing the popish profession Ergo c. First if the proposition were true this argument might be retorted vpon them for in the late dayes of persecution in England many zealous Protestants did not onely forsake all expectation of worldly preferment but did willinglie forgoe their life for the truth sake and endured more for their conscience only then euer did any Papist therefore if he haue reasoned well for Poperie he hath reasoned better for Protestancie that it is in the right beliefe 2 Other reasons may be alleaged why many depart from the truth euen where they may liue with good conditions beside a conscience of religion As an ambitious desire of prefermēt caused some to start aside as is euidēt in the examples of Theobutes Valentinus Nouatus Marcion Montanus who for the thirstie desire to be made Bishops which they could not obtayne fell into heresie Some of a couetous greedie mind haue become singular thinking thereby to grow rich Such an one was Paulus Samosatenus Ex sacrilegijs ad summas diuitias peruenit By sacrilege he came to great riches So Cypriane testifieth of Nouatus Spoliati ab eo pupilli fraudatae viduae c. He robbed
orphanes and defrauded widowes as the Gospell witnesseth of the Pharisees that they deuoured widowes houses vnder colour of long prayer Some are possessed with a spirit of phrenzie and deluded of Sathan as the Iewes perswaded by one Moyses did cast themselues headlong into the Sea The Donatists did throw themselues headlong into the fire and water and from the tops of hils Augustine sayth of them Diabolus vobis istum furorem inspirat Who els but the Deuill doth inspire this furious mind into you And hence it commeth that many are bewitched of Sathan and iustlie giuen ouer of God to be deceiued by him to beleeue lies because they receiued not the loue of the truth Secondly for the assumption 1. seeing this Ignatian brother confesseth he was very yong when first he forsooke the faith of the Gospell he had greater cause to suspect the rashnes of his shalow youth in receiuing then commend his stedfastnes in retayning his first error Hee should rather say with S. Paule When I was a child I spake as a child I vnderstood as a child I thought as a child Otherwise his stiffnes in continuing as he was may be rather imputed to an obstinate resolution then to a tender perswasion of his conscience Youth is soone infected and tender yeares easily tainted It seemeth to be true in him which Hierome sayth Difficulter eraditur quod rudes animi perbiberunt It is hardly recouered which simple minds haue once receiued And seeing he telleth vs he was borne of Protestant parents I would not haue him more wilfull then the heretike Eutyches who sayd Sicut accepi à progenitorib ita credidi in hac fide genitus sum c. in hac opto mori As I haue receiued of my progenitors so haue I beleeued in this faith I was borne in this faith I desire to die for seeing he was borne of right beleeuing parents and in the faith of the Gospell he can not pretend like cause of his persisting as obstinate Eutyches did I know not who his parents were but by his confession they were better resolued in religion then their sonne let him take heed then least Eudoxius speech inuerted be verified vpon him pater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a godlie father a godlesse sonne 2 But if it might be lawfull for me a little to sound this yong fathers mind I could gesse at an other cause of his reuolt then his pretended conscience for it is well knowne that the Ignatian fatherhood whose cognisance as I am informed this sect-maister beareth is an order peramount in the Romish corporation and a passing gainfull trade These new vpstart friers are notable catchpoles and cosening by their owne Masse-priests report cunni-catchers and such as angle with long rods and fish for their owne aduantage They can tell vs of Frier Gerards golden web who could weaue or rather waue to himselfe from diuers persons aboue sixe thousand pound of Frier Hawoods pomp in riding in a coach and of his lordlike traine of Frier Garnets expenses after fiue hundred pounds by the yeare of Frier Oldcornes stable of eight geldings all at one time of Frier Holts large offer of pensions of Frier Walpoles crownes of Frier Gerards Church-stuffe valued at two hundred marks of a vestment giuen him of needleworke esteemed at an hundred marks May we not now say vnto them as Apollonius of Priscilla and Maximilla Dic mihi prophetae vestib gemmis ornantur propheta tabula ludit tesseris Do prophets glitter in rich vestures and pretious stones Do prophets play at tables and dice But such are these iollie fellowes ietting vp and downe in silks and veluets with iewels rings and chaines of gold and it is very like they do sport themselues also both aboue and vnder booâ—d at their pleasure And as they are nimble fingred gentlemen to tell money so they haue a speciall facultie in bestowing of Legacies Frier Gerard being put in trust for the disposing of 3000. pound and more could very handsomely coÌ„uey it into his owne purse An other lay brother of that order got from a rich man lying sicke at Valledolid in Spaine a great summe of gold which he had purposed to haue giuen to the poore Englishmen which liued there And herein they do well reuiue the memorie of the heretike Dioscorus of whom Ischyrion complayned that whereas the Emperor had decreed to send corne for the reliefe of the parts of Lybia he would not suffer it to be transported but sold it in time of dearth at great prices and how Peristeriae testamentum violauit he violated the testament of Peristeria and the legacies giuen to the Monasteries he bestowed vpon bawdes and harlots This great wealth pomp and credit of the Ignatians considered who are regarded as we were told before of the most rich and puissant princes of the world might it not be a great allurement to this aspiring springall to associate himselfe vnto that companie and to thrust his sickle into their haruest for if they that gleane after them which are but their factors and dispensators can fill their hands that they sticke not to hazard twentie nobles at once at play the reapers that go before them must needs make a better match they come to the golden haruest as Stratocles and Democlidas profanely called the iudgemeÌ„t seate And thus much also of this Section THE SEVENTH SECTION OF THE Authors particular defence to her Maiestie I Do not purpose to examine all the Libellers idle speeches vaine repetitions and vnsauerie words if I should make answere to euerie thing and spend time to note euery foolish pranke he playeth I should as the wise man sayth be like him I will therefore make choice of his principall stuffe and leaue the rest Not as Hierome sayth Quia difficile sit eum vincere sed ne respondendo dignus fieret qui vinceretur as though it were an hard matter for him euery where to be vanquished but least he should be thought worthie to be answered The first Apologie or defence 1 BEginning with my Catholike Christened annoynted and crowned Queene Elizabeth to whom I wish as much spirituall benediction and terrene honor as any subiect may to his temporall Soueraigne c. 2 Whereof she hath vowed defence by the vow of a Christian in baptisme c. by the oath and fidelitie of a Christian Catholike annointed at her coronation c. for defence whereof the glorie of the stile of her title was first graunted c. 3 Whereof she reteyneth in princely person some reuerent notes as the vsing of the signe of the crosse vpon sodaine and strange accidents c. not preuaricating in the maine point of the reall presence c. 4 I will teach nothing contrarie to her princely dignitie and prerogatiues nothing repugnant to her owne trulie interpreted proceedings The
many therefore of the renowned Kings and Queenes of this land are Saints in heauen is not by any Protestants denyed as he sayth by some it is confessed for they might be caryed away with some errors of the time then not reuealed yet holding the foundation thorough Gods mercie they might be saued It is a diuers case when a man sinneth of infirmitie or simplicitie and when he offendeth willinglie of obstinacie to stumble in the darke craueth pitie to grope at noone dayes is great follie I say therefore in this case as our Sauiour to the Pharisees If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remayneth And as S. Paule sayth The time of ignorance God regarded not Act. 17.30 God therefore might shew mercie to them that erred of simplicitie which is no warrant for them that should now be seduced willinglie Cypriane to this purpose thus sayth as he is rehearsed by Augustine Ignosci potest simpliciter erranti c. He that erreth simplie may be pardoned as the Apostle Paule sayth of himselfe I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantlie Then it followeth Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat But he which after the inspiration and reuelation of the truth should perseuere in error doth sinne wittinglie not ignorantlie and therefore must looke for no pardon or pitie This is then the different case betweene the parents erring in time of darknes and the sonnes stumbling in the day light Their saluation doth magnifie Gods mercie in pardoning their imperfections it doth not iustifie their religion in commending their superstitions Our parents errings are our learnings their wants are not our warrants We must not imitate and follow them as Plato his schollers his crookednes Aristoteles his stammering Alexanders courtiers his stouping The Apologie 1 THe 2. proofe Because all states that liue in England are indebted to those Princes Clergie men for learning the Noble for nobilitie men of armes for heroicall acts c. her Maiestie hath receiued life being Crowne Kingdome and Diademe won and conuerted c. augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards c. They builded Churches Monasteries common Schooles c. What donations and free gifts were graunted to the English Clergie c. 2 For the defence of this religion all those princely prerogatiues were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessors which she still enioyeth by that title as alienations aduousions citations corporations escheates fooles forfeitures franchises deodands c. 3 The nobilitie possesse their lands castles c. titles of honor by their ordinance And that miserable people of England that vntrulie challengeth the name of the Clergie among Protestants Bishoprickes Deaneries degrees and titles of Schooles Vniuersities Colledges c. was deriued from our Catholike Kings c. The Antilogie 1 IS not here now great adoe about nothing and is not this a goodlie argument The auncient Kings and Princes haue been great benefactors to all degrees and states in England Ergo we are bound to receiue their faith and religion Who denieth but that all sorts of men and degrees of callings amongst vs are to giue great thanks vnto God for such worthie instruments of our outward peace and prosperitie and yet who taketh himselfe in religion to be tied by this bond to the same conformitie thankfulnes for benefites temporall ought not to abridge vs of things spirituall neither ought our dutie to men make vs forget our seruice to God If this perswasion were sound Constantine and other Christian Emperors must not haue forsaken the idolatrie of their predecessors by whom the Empire had been much enlarged and the Citie of Rome with many costlie Temples and buildings other goodlie foundations beautified many excellent lawes also for administration of iustice published and to whom for the outward state of the common-wealth the Empire was as much bound as any Christian Kingdome at this day to their auncient Catholike Kings and founders That saying of Pericles that wheÌ„ his friend would haue had him take a false oath for him said he was a friend only so farre as the altare might easily haue dissolued this doubt our worthie founders haue an interest in vs for our houses Colledges lands c. but not for Gods altare or matters of religion 2 First all those priuiledges and immunities were granted to the King as belonging to his princely prerogatiue not for the defence of the Popish religion as it may appeare by those seuerall statutes which the Apologist citeth in the margin which shal be examined in their order 1 Forfeyture 4.5 ann Edward 2.17 c. 16. the escheates of felons lands are giuen to the King 2 Franchise 20. The auncient prerogatiues and authorities of iustice which had been seuered by the gifts of sundrie Kings are restored as the pardoning of treasons murders man-slaughters making and appointing of Iustices c. ann Henr. 8.27 c. 24. 3 Intrusion 1. The heire of him that holdeth of the King in chiefe if he enter before he haue receiued seisin of the King shall gaine no freehold thereby Edward 2. ann 17. c. 13. here is no mention made of any such regard for maintenance of Poperie 4 Mortdauncester 1. The King shall haue the seisin of their lands that hold of him in chiefe ann 52. Hen. 3. c. 16. 5 Partition 1. If lands holden of the King in chiefe descend to many partners all the heires shall do homage to the King Prerogatiu regis 5 Ed. 2. 6 Patents 1. Aduowsions of Churches and dowers do not passe in the Kings graunts vnlesse expresse mention be made Ed. 2. ann 17. prerogatiu regis c. 15. 7 Primer seyson 1. The King shall haue primer seisin after the death of them that held of him in chiefe Ed. 2. an 17. prerogatiu reg c. 3. here as in all the rest there is no consideration pretended for defence of religion 8 Prouision 21. All the Statutes made against prouisions purchased from Rome in the time of Ed. 3. Ric. 2. are confirmed And it is further enacted that elections of Archbishops Bishops Priors Deanes be not in any wise interrupted by the Pope Hen. 4. an 9. c. 8. This acte ouerthroweth the iurisdiction of the Pope so farre is it from graunting any thing to the King for the defence thereof Thus like an vnskilfull Apothecarie taking quid pro quo he hath tempered a contrarie drugge which as a dramme of collâ—quintida marreth the whole potion though it had bene otherwise medecinable 9 Tenure 2. They that hold of lands escheated to the King shall do the same seruice to the King which they did before Mag. chart c. 31. 10 Ward 3. The King
pound at the last after he had raigned not many yeares nine and nine moneths he died of the stroke of a poysoned quarrell shot at him at the besieging of the Castle of Chalne Richard the 2. was a great factor for Pope Vrban whom he decreed by act of Parliament to be obeyed as head of the Church yet was he an vnhappie Prince in all his proceedings and at length was deposed and cruelly murdered in Pumfret Castle Henrie the 4. was a great agent for the Pope in persecuting of Christs members in the second yeere of whose raigne was made the statute ex officio wherein they are adiudged to be burned that should hold any thing contrarie to the determination of the Church by vertue of which statute many good men were put to death vnder the raigne of the three Henries one succeeding another But what followed the father and the sonne raigned not long not making much aboue 23. yeeres betweene them and Henrie the 6. holding on the same course against Christs members was deposed from his Crowne Richard the 3. much affecting and affected of the Popes ministers for whose sake the Archbishop of Yorke being Cardinall vndertooke to perswade the Queene to deliuer Richard Duke of Yorke to his vncle as a lambe into the lions mouth and preuailed therein his butcherly end is well knowne how his dead carcasse was caried naked behind a Pursiuant of Armes all be sprinkled with blood and mire and homely buried Queene Mary had both a short and an vnprosperous raigne she lost Calice deceiued in her childbirth left desolate and forsaken of King Phillip her husband before she died and ended her daies in griefe and sorrow But contrariwise as these Princes which yeelded themselues to be directed by the Pope were of all other most infortunate so those magnanimous Kings which maintained the libertie of the Crowne against the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome were prosperous in all their affaires Edward the 1. first made the statute of Mortmaine that no lands and possessions should be giuen to any religious house without the Kings licence the statute also of Premunire made against prouisions of Bishoprickes and other Benefices to bee purchased from Rome was then ordained King Edward the 3. also abridged and cut short the Popes iurisdiction prohibiting vnder great penalties that none should procure any such prouisions at Rome or prosecute any suites in the Popes Court the cognisance whereof appertained to the Kings Courts King Henrie the 7. would admit of no more Cardinals in England after he was rid of one King Henry the 8. abolished the Popes authoritie King Edward the 6. expelled the Masse and other Popish trumperie yet were all these victorious Kings Edward the 1. against the Welsh Edward the 3. against the French Henrie the 7. against that tyrant and vsurper Richard the 3. Henrie the 8. for his valiant battailes famous Edward the 6. in suppressing of Rebels and other enemies prosperous And concerning the raigne of our late noble Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth whom God in his mercie appointed to be a reformer of religion and a nourisher of his Church what Prince in the world I speake not of this age onely but of many hundred yeeres before can compare with her Maiesties time in any kind of outward blessing first in the yeeres of her life she went beyond al her progenitors Secondly in the length of her raigne she exceeded all but onely two Henrie the 3. and Edward the 3. Thirdly in peaceable gouernment for so many euen 44. yeeres none came neere her Fourthly in loue of the subiects at home Fiftly in honour and reputation among forraine Princes Sixtly in prosperous successe abroad in deliuerance from more then twentie conspiracies at home Queene Elizabeth had no peere Seuenthly adde hereunto the wealth of the kingdome Eightly the purenes of the coyne Ninthly but most of all the purenes of religion Tenthly the abundance of learned men such as no nation vnder heauen hath the like of graue Counsellers and Martiall Commaunders who can but confesse that in all these kindes the Gospell hath brought a rich blessing to this land And as Queene Elizabeth loued and liued in peace so she ended her daies in a good old age full of yeeres and which of all other may worthily be accounted the greatest blessing hath left the kingdom to a most worthie and noble successor a professor and protector of the same faith and religion our renowned King that now is by whose hands we doubt not but that the Lord will accomplish whatsoeuer he seeth needfull for his Church But because this Romish southsayer taketh vpon him to play the blind prophet What is like saith he to be the euent thereof hereafter I had rather others should write and shew their coniecture which I for reuerence to my Soueraigne will here omit And hereupon he hopeth that his prudent Princesse will imitate the examples of her noble predecessors Henrie the 1. and Henrie the 2. in recalling that which they did in their inconsiderate times c. pag. 79. Hereunto I briefly answere that his prognostication and exhortation are both alike they both shew a dreaming and phantasticall spirit His foolish hope we see is vaine and frustrate for her Maiestie left her happie raigne in the same faith wherein she began it and as she did nothing inconsiderately at her entrance but with great aduice so had she no cause to repent her in the end If her Maiesties predecessors were inconstant in pulling downe what before they had set vp she being appointed of God to be a wise builder was not therein to follow so simple a plot As is his hope and expectation such is his lying spirit of prophecying Indeed the Papists did promise themselues a great day at the next chaunge they did not mutter it in corners but clatter it in their vaine pāphlets Parsons made a booke of reformation against that time but blessed be God which hath disappointed their hope I nothing doubt but that righteous Abel shall offer still acceptable sacrifices vnto God in the Church of England when all hypocrites and Popish sacrificers shall hang downe their heads with Caine. Yea and I hold this to be no small miracle that God where such trouble was feared hath with such peace consent of harts and minds approbation of all good subiects acclamation and reioycing of the whole Church of God set the imperiall diademe vpon so godlie christian and vertuous a Prince his head such grace from God few expected all good men desired England I am sure hath not deserued yet God in his mercie hath granted So that we haue iust cause to say with the Prophet Dauid This is the Lords doing and it is maruailous in our eyes It is written of Sylla that after Italy was deliuered from the ciuill warres comming to Rome the first night hee could not sleepe for ioy But wee the Church and
people of England haue greater cause not one but many both nights and dayes to awake to giue thanks vnto God for our deliuerance from troubles not so much felt as feared And thus also I haue at length dispatched that tedious and friuolous section THE EIGHT SECTION HIS DEfense to the honorable Councell and all other men of Nobilitie THis Section being as the rest confusedlie shuffled vp and as a rude chaos tumbled together I will if I can bring it to some forme not vouchsafing an answere to all his idle words and vaine repetitions which are not to be regarded as Aristotle well answered a certaine brabler who sayd O Philosopher I am troublesome vnto you with my speech no sayth he for I marked thee not The first Defence SVppose ye might contend in politike gouernment with many c. let it be some might be admitted fellowes in armes c. yet to that which is most or onely materiall in this question and controuersie of learning religion c. are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison to balance your selues with so many Saints most holie learned professed Diuines and Bishops c. pag. 80. lin 12. The Answere 1 THeir honors are much beholding to this cunning Caruer that he will allow them in matters of policie and of martiall affaires to equalize those in the popish times employed in both but in learning and religion they must come farre short of popish Bishops c. 2 But herein also I doubt not for true religion and knowledge of God that our honorable Lords Nobles farre exceed most of that shauen crue for who knoweth not that in a popish Bishop learning and diuinitie is not of the greatest regard Was not the Bishop of Cauaillon a profound Clerke that said to the Merindolians that Iâ— was not requisite to saluation to vnderstand or expound the articles of faith for there were many Bishops Curates yea and Doctors of Diuinitie whom it would trouble to expound the Paternoster and the Creede Such another learned Prelate was the Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland that said to Thomas Forret Martyr that it was too much to preach euery Sonday for in so doing you make the people thinke that we should preach likewise He said further I thanke God I neuer knew what the old and new Testament was whereof rose a prouerb in Scotland You are like the Bishop of Dunkelden that knew neither old nor new lawe Such religious and deuout Bishops were some other in Scotland much about that time which held that the Paternoster should be said to Saints whereupon it was vsed as a byword in Scotland To whom say you your Paternoster I appeale now to the indifferent Reader whether our learned Nobles of England may not be compared in true learning and sound diuinitie with such vnlearned popish Bishops But I pitie this poore mans case that could play the Orator no better then at the first dash to alienate their minds into whose bosome he sought to insinuate himselfe forgetting that rule of Ambrose Qui tractaet debet andientium considerare personas ne irrideatur prius quam audâ—atur He that treateth of any thing must consider to whom he speaketh least he be laughed at before he be harkned to for Like as they that drinke bitter potions do loath the very cups so they which accuse at the first win no grace with their heaâ—ers The second Defence NExt this bold lad braueth it out producing certaine examples of the hard haps of some Nobles among the Protestants as of the Lord Cromwell condemned by the law which he had prouided for others the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland basely disgraced and put to death Robert Earle of Leicester miserablie died terrified with monstrous visions of Deuils Sir Frauncis Walsingham his miserable death despairing words filthie stinke of bodie basely buried in the night will be an eternall infamie against him The Answere 1 THe end of the Lord Cromwell was neither vnfortunate nor miserable making a vertuous and a godly end with confession of his sinnes and confidence in God and faithfull inuocation of his name he was attainted by Parliament misled and misinformed not condemned by any lawe of his owne making whome King Henry afterward wished to be aliue againe which he would not haue desired had he bene perswaded he was a traytor Thus wise Princes are sometime swayed with false reports and ouercome with flatterers and repent when it is too late But miserable indeede was the end of Bishop Fisher who was attainted by Parliament for practising with Elizabeth Barton called the holie mayd of Kent against the King who died in a bad cause giuing his life for the vsurped authoritie of the Pope against the lawfull calling of the King Such was the death of Sir Thomas Moore who dyed scoffingly and prophanely suffering for the like obstinacie and superstition How could he omit or forget these two notable examples of deserued miserie and obiect the much lamented case of that honorable Lord Cromwell dying in his innocencie 2 Concerning the death of the good Duke of Somerset it was no iudgement vpon him for his religion which as he had zealouslie maintained while he liued so therein he constantlie died But herein it might be that God chastised the ouersight of the Duke in condescending to the death of his brother the Lord Thomas Seymer wherein secretlie his owne ouerthrow was intended though he simply perceiued it not And again this is rather to be supposed a iudgement against that ambitious Duke of Northumberland who by his Machiauilian deuises cut off these two brothers the Kings Vncles to make a way for some of his to the Crowne as the euent of matters afterward shewed but he was ouertaken in his owne plots and suffered iustlie in the same place where the other good Duke by his meanes not two yeare before innocently ended his dayes 3 As for the Duke of Northumberland take him to your selfe for at his death he denyed the Gospell and in hope of fauour consented to the Popish religion and exhorted others to do the like whose recantation was presentlie published to the world Therefore let that Church challenge him in whose faith and communion he dyed his end full well declared that his religion was more for his owne aduantage then in conscience 4 That which is reported of the Earle of Leicester the credite thereof relying vpon this braggers bare word alleadging no author for it may with as great reason be by vs denyed as it is by him affirmed Yet admit it was so that he was in his sicknes troubled with fearefull visions that is not to be imputed to his religious profession but to his licentious conuersation wherein it is like enough he committed some things not beseeming a professor of the Gospell But he needed not to haue noted this if it were true as he saith for so strange a thing
Ethelburga wife to Edwine King of the Northumbers was not the daughter of Anna King of Eastangles but of Ethelbert King of Kent neither doe I finde that she became a Nunne so here are two vntruths couched together It may be he meaneth another Ethelburga the daughter of Offa which poisoned her husband Brighthricus K. of Westsaxons and fled into France where she was thrust into a Monastery from whence for playing the harlot with a Monke she was expulsed This belike is one of his sacred Nunnes Etheldred being maried to king Egfride refused to companie with him and hauing beene 12. yeares maried she forsooke her Lord and tooke the habit of a Nunne at the hands of Bishop Wilfride with whom she is thought to haue beene too familiar whom her husband had before deposed Was this one of your sacred Nunnes that contrarie to the Apostle the wife hath not power of her owne body but her husband 1. Cor. 7.4 refused to performe the duties of mariage and chose rather to be a Bishops virgin then a Kings wife Alfritha wife to K. Edgar was she that caused Edward the bastard sonne of Edgar being King to be murthered for which fact she built two Nunries and became herselfe a Nun This is another of his sacred Nunnes He telleth vs beside of one Kineswida or Kineswina one of that name there was wife to K. Offa by whose counsell and perswasion he caused Ethelbert K. of East-angles a learned and vertuous Prince to be slain Let her go also for another of his sacred Nunnes Are not our Ladies of England now much beholding to this Nunnes-Nouice to propound vnto them such examples to follow and I am out of doubt sayth he no Protestant Lady of England will or dareth to compare her self with the meanest c. What not to compare themselues with whores and murtherers such as some of these were you are like soone to perswade with such sweete motions 4. But more fearefull examples of the principall popish Ladies of England might be shewed then any can be produced of Protestant Ladies for the further euidence hereof I referre the reader to the 33. yeare of Henry the 8. And yet this is a simple argument to condemne the religion of Protestants because of afflictions for by this reason neither Moses law in the desert nor Christs Gospell in the time of Herod when nothing but tentations troubles and afflictions waited vpon Gods Church should find allowance 5 But it is yet a more absurd argumēt to moue our Protestant Ladies to embrace the Italian or Spanish religion because they follow their guise in apparell Is it not enough for them to trip but you would haue thē stumble and fall If a man chance to drinke a cup too much shall he not giue ouer till he be starke drunke because he is ouer the shoes must he be needes ouer the bootes They are not to be cōmended for the one but they might well be condemned for the other Indeede the Israelites first followed the East maners Isay. 2.6 and then also receiued their errors The land was full of Idols v. 8. But I trust that English religion shall sooner deuour Roman and Italian manners then these shall corrupt the other And it ought much to moue our English Ladies that they should not disguise themselues in the outward man after their fashions whom they are vnlike in their inward conditions not to imitate their conuersation seeing they abhor their religion as Hierome well saith Aut loquendum nobis est vt vestiti sumus aut vestiendum vt loquimur quid aliud pollicemur aliud ostendimus Let vs professe as our apparell is or be apparelled as our profession is why do we promise one thing and practise another with Italian and Romish religion let vs shake and cast off all other Italian toyes and fashions 6 And what if many honors and dignities haue bin confirmed by Popes Emperours c. doth that bind vs to be of their faith them must we also be Paganes for many Castles Cities townes honors priuiledges were founded and erected by them which Christians now inioy If from whom we receiue temporall benefites we should imitate in things spirituall neither should Iosias haue reformed religion comming of idolatrous parents both father and grandfather nor yet the Apostles haue embraced Christs doctrine being borne of parents obediēt to the Pharisaicall traditions nor yet K. Lucius in England descended of so many Pagane predecessors would haue receiued the Christian faith nor yet Constantine succeeding in the Empire so many vnchristned Emperours 7 Though Protestants make not Matrimonie a sacrament yet it is more honorable among Protestants then Papists Some of them call Mariage a profanation of orders they forbid mariage to be solemnized at certaine festiuall times in the yeare as not fit for such holie seasons they hold Mariage betweene Infidels not to be firme but that the mariage knot is dissolued if either of the parties become a Christian in these and diuers other such points they shew that they haue no great reuerent opinion of Mariage It is also a sclaunder that among Protestants Matrimonie is at the pleasure of the husband or diuorcements at their wils We only allow diuorce for fornication according to Christs rule not as the Church of Rome that allow separation between man and wife for the loue of Monasticall life sometime with consent sometime without as Etheldred did forsake her husbands companie and became a Nunne as was touched before They allow also separation of mariage for other causes as for infidelitie heresie the Protestants then allowing but one exception of fornication are freer from this accusation then the Papists are As for concubines and bastards though all Protestants in outward profession can not be excused yet they were both more vsuall in the popish Church Many of the Kings had their concubines Ethelbald his Iudith Edgar had his Elfleda Henry the 2. his Rosamund Edward the 3. his Alicia Edward the 4. Iane Shore And he might with shame enough haue concealed bastardie so much magnified in Poperie The Papall Bishops set vp Edward Edgars base sonne and for that time put by Egelredus the lawfull heire How many of their vnholie fathers the Popes haue been infamous for their concubines and bastards Sergius the 3. had a concubine called Marozia Iohn the 10. Theodora Gregor 7. Matilda Alexander the 6. had Iulia Farnesia Leo 10. Magdalena Paulus 3. Laura Sixtus the 4. did erect stewes for both sexes Paulus the third had 30. thousand harlots in Rome in a catalogue of whome was gathered to their ghostlie fathers vse a monthlie rent And as for bastards they abounded in that holie See Iohn the 10. was bastard sonne to Pope Landus Iohn the 11. the son of Sergius the 3. by the famous strumpet Marozia Innocentius the 8. had 16. bastards whom he openly acknowledged for his children whereas
before they vsed to call theÌ„ their nephews Alexander the 6. had also diuers basely begotteÌ„ as Caesar Borgia another Duke of Candie and Iuffredus Paulus the 3. had a wicked sonne like the father Petrus Aloisius Bloudie Bonner here in England had diuers base children to whom he gaue in farme diuers of the lands belonging to his See An hundred such examples might be shewed of popish Prelates that kept their concubines and filled the Church with bastardie But would any man thinke that this Ignatian Frier so much misliking concubines would not therein cleare his owne order and discharge themselues of that crime whereof they accuse others yet let vs heare what one of their fellow Masse-priests reporteth Haue you not beard I pray you how not long since a Iesuite here in London erected a kind of familie of loue lecturing by night three or foure nights together to his auditors all of women and those faire ones for the most part Haue you not heard of the night meeting for feare at leastwise I am sure you haue heard of many do know some who missing their wiues the while haue scratched their heads where it itched not and bit their lips Therefore this obiection I returne and cast it as his owne dirt vpoÌ„ the libellers face We may say vnto him as S. Paul to the Iewes Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe And that old saying is verified vpon him He taketh vpon him to be a phisician of others and is diseased himselfe Hierome well said Perdit authoritatem docendi cuius sermo opere destruitur He loseth the authoritie of teaching whose speech is ouerthrowne by his owne doing And Menander could haue told him That not the words but the manners of the speaker perswade THE ANSWERE TO THE TENTH Section of the Authors defence to all inferior subiects The Apologie THe summe of the Epistlers defence here is this to perswade the inferior sort to embrace Poperie Because all their auncestors were of the same religion they liued by pensions farmes annuities almes of religious houses no fines or enhanced rents c. no forfeitures turning out of farmes destruction of woods c. no wife to prouide for ioynture no daughter to endowe c. no elder sonne to enrich with new inheritance not so many iarres and quarels in lawe The Antilogie THis Popes Pedler openeth his pack to euery one and is odious in obtruding the same wares for like a tired hackney he keepeth his old tract and still treadeth in the same steps He hath said nothing in this Section which is not alleadged before he broacheth the same stale stuffe wearying his reader with his vaine repetitions and long periodes that I may say to him as Hierome against Iouinian Quotiescum que â—um legero vbicunque me defecerat spiritus ibi est distinctio totum incipit totum peâ—det ex altero totus sermo omni materiae conuenit quia nulli conuenit As often as I reade him I finde no distinction till I want breath euery sentence begins and yet hangs vpon another whatsoeuer he saith is fit for euery matter because it fitteth indeede none But to answere this babler and Battist although not all yet most of our Auncestors were popish what then So were their Auncestors Paganes Few of the Apostles Auncestors were of their faith If this Achitophels counsell had taken place neither the Apostles should haue receiued Christ and refused the Elders traditions nor England haue embraced the Christian faith at their first conuersion from Paganisme Indeede Stephens obstinate hearers did well follow this popish counsell Ye haue alwayes resisted the holie ghost as your fathers did so do you Act. 7.51 Thus this Popeling would perswade the people of England to resist the truth because their forefathers did so 2. They had pensions farmes froÌ„ Abbeies without fines or forfeitures a great matter whereas they were before farmers and pensioners now they are owners and possessors of Abbey lands They gaue almes to maintaine idle vagabond and lewd persons and made a great rabble of impudeÌ„t beggers besides their mendicant friers And was it so great a matter for Abbeies to do all this when they possessed the third part of this land Concerning raising of fines enhauncing of rents destruction of woods these are no fruites of the Gospell they which professe it in sinceritie are as far off from these oppressions as any Papist and is it so charitable a worke to preserue woods and destroy and dispeople townes as some of your friends in Northamptonshire and other places haue done Is more coÌ„passion to be shewed to trees then men to woods then townes And it is no maruaile if many tooke no great care to prouide iointures for their wiues dowers for their daughters inheritance for their children for the Monks had inough to aduance their owne kinred and because they were so kind louing to mens wiues daughters it had been an vnnaturall part to neglect their children 3. What hath he alleaged here for Poperie which the Pagane Idolaters might not pretend for themselues thus the superstitious women reasoned in Ieremies time When we burnt incense to the Queene of heauen c. then had we plentie of victuals and were well and felt none euill But since we left off to burne incence c. we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue been consumed with the sword and famine Ieremy 44.17.18 Thus Symmachus reasoned for the Paganes Secuta est factum fames publica quando in vsum hominum concussae quercus quando vulsae herbarum radices Publike famine followed the fact when the Idols were destroyed wheÌ„ was it heard of before that men did shake downe acornes and pull vp rootes for foode Thus many simple people were wont to say it was a merry world wheÌ„ we might haue 20. egs for a penie a bushell of corne for six pence All this while they coÌ„sidered not that while they had abundaÌ„ce of earthlie things they were pined for waÌ„t of spirituall though they sate by their flesh-pots had bread their bellies full as the vnthankefull Israelites murmured Exod. 16.3 yet they considered not that all this time they were held in the spirituall bondage of Egypt Therefore we frankelie professe though the Gospell should bring scarcitie trouble warre penurie with it and yet it hath florished with all temporall blessings with peace abundance plentie yet had we rather with Moses suffer affliction with Gods people then to inioy the pleasures of sinne to possesse all the pleasures and riches of the world with an euill conscience and corrupt religion And we say with the Prophet Dauid Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then when their wheate and wine increased Psal. 4.7 We reioyce more in the truth of religion then all prosperitie abundance whatsoeuer and as Hierome well sayth Nudam crucem nudus sequar nec lucra seculi in Christi quaeras militia I will follow
Christs naked crosse my selfe naked the worlds gaine must not be sought in Christs seruice It is memorable which is reported of Agesilaus who when the Thasians as he passed by with his armie brought him meale fat geese fine cakes with other iunkets he refused them all the meale onely excepted giuing this answere That those things which delighted seruile minds free men abhorred So these things whereby Papists measured religion as riches prosperitie externall glorie Protestants whom the Gospell of Christ hath freed frō popish superstition do hold them too light waights to waigh against the truth THE ANSWERE TO THE ELEVENTH Section of his defence to the Ministerie of England The first Inuectiue 1 LAstly to come to the Protestant Ministrie of England whose displeasure as I esteeme it least so I name them last pag. 113. 2 I defend the doctrine of all godlie and learned professors of Diuinitie of all Popes Fathers Doctors Councels Vniuersities Colledges c. since the time of Christ to Martin Luther where so many millions of miraculouslie approued Saints haue liued and died pag. 113. 3 I impugne a new poore lewd licentious and vnlearned companie of Ministers c. ignorant wicked deceitfull hereticall heretikes seducers reprobate persons that learned their religion of the Deuill c. those that died without repentance condemned in hell 4 I impugne a priuate religion of one nation in one onely time c. pag. 114. The Defensatiue 1 THis Iudasite Frier is now become the Popes Martiall to place euery man in his ranke and order But his authoritie reacheth onely to martiall his fellow friers And if the worst are alwayes in the last place how commeth it to passe that the Ignatian friers if they haue their right haue the last place in publike processions as being the yongest order of the rest I thinke this frierlie companion would hold great scorne that his order should be thought therefore to be worst as it is in deede but not for that cause Well it hath pleased his Mastship to talke with Ministers in the last place that is no disgrace to them but to him that gaue them not their due place And here Agesilaus answere may serue who being yet a child in the beholding of certaine playes being set in the meanest place sayd It is well I must shew that the place doth not commend the man but the man the place 2 Most of the auncient professors of Diuinitie Doctors Councels generall particular Vniuersities Colledges which were liued and florished in the purer ages of the Church do condemne popish religion as it is now professed and practised as hath been declared before These are but facing words and bragging speeches As though Bish. Iewell that reuerent father hath not long since made this challenge that he will proue the principall articles of the Protestants faith by the testimonies of the auncient Fathers and Doctors of the Church that liued within 500. yeare after Christ. Bish. Cranmer also auoucheth that the real presence as the Church of Rome holdeth cannot be proued by any Doctor aboue 1000. yeares after Christ. If this benchwhistler be ignorant of these challenges let him vnderstand it now and put vp his pipes if he knew it before it is great impudencie in him to make these brags till they be answered But as for your millions of Saints I haue told you often that those Saints whom you challenge if they be right Saints they were not yours as being ignorant of the grossest points of poperie If they were wholie yours they were no Saints for I am sure that heretikes and Idolaters make but course Saints vnlesse you will haue the Deuill to beare the crosse And seeing Saints do abound in the popish Church and it is so easie a thing to be Sainted there their Saintships may be worthilier doubted of that grow to so many millions whereas Christs flock is but a litle flocke Luk. 12.32 and fewe there are which finde the narrow way that leadeth vnto life Math. 7.14 That saying therefore of Agesilaus may fit them who when as the confederates murmured that they supplied more souldiers then the Lacedemonians commanded the crier to bid all the artificers as potters brasiers smiths carpenters to depart and there were few left but the Lacedemonians who are not permitted by their law to follow any base handicraft then he smiling said see how many more souldiers we haue sent out then you As there is great difference betweene coblers tinkers potters and other base artisanes and right souldiers so popish Saints differ from true Saints and though they haue more in muster and number yet the Protestants I doubt not haue more in right account and true value 3. But who are the licentious vnlearned company wicked ignorant deceitfull hereticall their fellow Priests shal testifie who thus witnesse of the Iudasites whō they cal proud Nemrods boystrous hunters Iesuiticall humorists Macheuillian practisers furious spirits men without conscience cousining and conspiring companions ambitious hypocrites the more knaue the better lucke and one of them they terme an Italianated companion a Diuell incarnate an other a diuellish polititian the whole order they name the society of the Diuell the schoole of Macheuilisme an other they call a most diabolicall vnnaturall and wicked fellow the rest they affirme to be led with the spirite of Sathan damned for heretikes Bathamans blasphemous wretches proud Pharises the infernall Consistorie They obiect vnto them their night lectures and their auditours of women and those faire ones for the most part whiles their husbands missing their wiues scratched their heads Now sir take your Popish liuerie of deceiptfull hereticall taught of the Diuell and such like to your selfe which your fellow Masse priests haue shaped you being best acquainted with your manners As for vs the Ministers of the Gospell we esteeme of these blasphemous words as of Rabsakeh his railing who though he vttered many shamefull words against the city of God yet they were not able to cast one stone against it to hurt it no more shall this railing Rabsakeh notwithstanding his wicked termes fasten one true word vpon Christs Ministers 4. Our Religion the faith of the Protestants the Gospell of Christ neither is in England onely professed but in Scotland the Low countries Heluetia Geneua in many cities and kingdomes beside in some peaceably in some with trouble and persecution Neither hath the Gospell onely flourished in these times but euery age hath had some witnesses of it as learned Illyricus hath sufficiently proued in a large Treatise of that argument Therefore we cannot iudge this pratler otherwise then a vaine fellow that till he be answered is bold vntruly to affirme that the Religion of Protestants should be in one onely nation and in one onely time Indeed they which die among Protestants without repentance toward God for their sinnes cannot be saued but their faith and calling are not to be
repented of It is to be feared rather that they which die in the popish communion without repentance of their idolatrie cannot be saued For no idolaters can inherite the kingdome of God and he that is vnder the kingdome of Antichrist cannot be vnder the kingdome of Christ. Ye promise saluation to your Disciples as the Pharises did to their proselites making them twofold more the children of hell and your Masses affoord like helpe to the commers to it as the Priests Corban did to the suiters to the Altar We know that out of Gods Church there is no saluation Duae portae sunt porta paradisi porta Ecclesiae per portam Ecclesiae intramus portam paradisi There are two gates one of paradise another of the Church by the gate of the Church we enter the gate of Paradise this gate of the Church the Gospell only openeth which teacheth iustification by faith alone in Christ who is the doore and the way Neither is it like that the Ignatian seducers can promise saluation to others wherein they faile themselues as their owne fellowes haue censured them All Iesuites except they amend their manners and reforme their order are damned for heretickes and thrust out of Gods Church as Apostataes Atheists c. to whom their credulous simple schollers might say as Agesilaus to the Thasians that offered to make him of the number of the Gods First saith he make your selues Gods and then I will beleeue ye can make me one too The second Inuectiue HE would shew that it is more reasonable to giue credite to so many preceding Archbishops of Canterbury then to the three protestant Archbishops Cranmer Parker Grindall these he doth first extenuate and then extoll and magnifie the other 1. For the first he sayth they were of three diuerse religions in substantiall points yea of seuen or eight diuerse religions 2. None of them burned for protestancy quartered for denying the supremacie a Saint for life renowmed for learning 3. Cranmer condemned of high treason proued publikely periured and to haue counterfeit the hands and consents of fifty Clergie men recanted his errour was in the case for relapse for ignorance was hissed out of the common schooles of Oxford p. 215. 4. The Archbishops their prodecessors S. Augustine S. Laurence Mellitus Iustus Honorius c. others 68 in number many most holy and learned men miraculously approued of God p. 126. Therefore it is more equall to credite these then the other The Defensatiue 1. WE depend not for our faith vpon any Archbishops whether Papall or Protestants we receiue not our faith of men neither are pinned vpon their sleeues for our iudgement in Religion the Apostle hath taught vs that we should not haue the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Iam. 2.1 Yet the three Protestant Bishops rehearsed prouing their faith by the Scriptures are more to be credited then all their predecessors grounding their beleefe vpon humane traditions Neither did they vary as is surmised in the substantiall and fundamental points of religion or were therein of three diuerse much lesse of seuen or eight sundry religions 2. Though to be quartered for denying the supremacy and maintaining the forraine iurisdiction of the Pope be a condigne punishment for trayterous Papists and proper vnto such rebellious and disloyall persons as the Iudasites and Baals Priests haue bene found to be yet it is certaine that blessed Cranmer was burned for Protestancie as were learned Ridley godly Latimer zealous Hooper constant Ferrar all Protestant Bishops Cranmers godly life and Episcopall vertues his sobernesse gentlenesse charitie humilitie soundnesse of doctrine diligence in his calling are at large set forth by the graue pen of that faithfull seruant of God maister Fox such as in few of his predecessors are to be found neither his aduersaries are euer able to confound His learning also was well knowne as appeareth by his learned bookes as that of the Sacrament which as he himselfe testified was set foorth seuen yeares agoe then and no man hath brought any authors against it 3. He was acquited and pardoned of high treason and not thereof condemned as he vntruly reporteth stood onely in the case of doctrine he was not periured hauing taken an oath to the Pope onely vnder protestation as he himselfe confesseth And if he had sworne obedience simply to the Pope it was an vniust oath like vnto Herods and not to be kept The law saith Illicitum iuramentum non valet an vnlawfull oath is of no force And their owne Canons say Iuramentum contra bonos more 's non ligat an oath against good manners bindeth not So is the oath made to the Pope it is vniust to Princes to whom due obedience is denied and against good manners in that disloyaltie to the Prince is thereby maintained The Popish Bishops rather were periured that being sworne to the King first tooke afterwards a contrarie oath to the Pope as Bishop Cranmer obiecteth to Bishop Brooke whereas their first oath was lawfull and iust and therefore firmely to be holden Those fifty Clergie mens hands were not counterfeited by Cranmer but subscribed by themselues for the abrogation of the Papall iurisdiction Indeed Fisher charged Archbishop Warrham with counterfeiting of his hand in the sitting at Blacke-friers about the businesse of the kings mariage He recanted his errour and executed iust reuenge vppon his right hand that was the instrument of his rash subscription first consuming the same in the flames of the fire This is no more disgrace vnto him then Peters teares and repentance for denying of his Maister neither was he by their law in case of relapse when he was adiudged to the fire hauing not as yet shewed his remorse of conscience and repentance for his vnaduised act of subscription He was hissed indeed of the young headie schollers but that argueth their temerity not that reuerend fathers simplicity The Donatists serued the Catholike Bishops after the same maner making such a noise that they could not go on in their defence say also that Augustine the other Catholikes were therfore disgraced and put to silence 4. Cōcerning the Popish Archbishops 1. if nūber might preuaile the high priests by a greater proportion exceeded our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles and the pagan sacrificers the Christian Bishops and preachers 2. Many of them were not very holy men whereof some were disloyall to their princes as Thomas Becket to Henry the second Robert Winchelsey to Edward the first Thomas Arundell to Richard the second who was by Parliament adiudged a traytor Diuerse of them were busie malitious vncharitable contentious as Baldwine Stephen Laughton Richardus Magnus had great strife with the Monkes of Canterbury Boniface Kilwaruy with the Archbishops of Yorke for bearing vp of their Masse in London and Kent Iohn Peccham with Thomas Bishop of Hereford such
was the holinesse and meeknesse of these proud papal Archbishops 3. For their miracles they were meere forgeries such as are reported of Dunstane that he caused an Harpe to sing and play alone hanging on the wall how he held the diuel by the nose with a paire of tonges tempting him with women such were the fained miracles of Thomas Becket which were condemned by the great men of the land as fables Magnates interdixerunt ne quis martyrem Thomā nominaret ne quis miracula eius praedicaret the great men forbad that no man should call Thomas a martyr or speake of his miracles 4. Neither were many of them such learned Clarkes though some of them I confesse had more learning then true pietie or honestie as Lanfranke Anselme yet for the rest what were they Was not Augustine the founder of that Sea a great Diuine that must needs send to Gregory for resolution in these profound questions Whether a woman great with child may be baptized after how many dayes the infant ought to be receiued to baptizme and such like And it should seeme that learning in their Archbishops was not greatly requisite when Robert Burnell Bishop of Bath and Thomas Cobham two reuerend and learned men being elected were refused and Peccham a gray Frier and Reinald Bishop of Winchester an ambitious man better acquainted with suites of law being Chancellor then questions of Diuinity were appointed in their stead 5. But as I hold Bishop Cranmer in true learning and sound Diuinity to be equall to any his prodecessours so in godly constancie to go before them for he was the first and onely Martyr of that Sea that died for the truth Elphegus the 26. Archbishop was stoned to death for denying tribute to the Danes Simon Sudbury was beheaded of the rebels because he gaue counsell that the king should not come at them to heare their complaints But neither of these died in the cause of religion 6. Neither did the truth want witnesses from among these auncient Archbishops Cuthbertus the 11. Archbishop forbad all funerall exequies to be made for him after he was dead Elfricus the 26. did write certaine Sermons against transubstantiation the authenticals thereof are yet extant in the libraries of Exceter and Worcester Simon Islip forbad vpon paine of excommunication that no man should abstaine from bodily labours vpon certaine Saints dayes Therefore euen amongst them the Lord left not himselfe altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without witnesse as the Apostle sayth Wherefore he hath gained nothing by this mustering of his Popish Archbishops of whō we may say as our Sauiour of the Pharises They are blind leaders of the blind Math. 13.14 Hierome sayth well of such Quòd me damnant episcopi nō est ratio sed conspiratio quorum authoritas me opprimere potest docere non potest In that the Bishops condemne vs it is no reason but treason their authority may impeach me but not teach me Metellus because he was blind was forbidden among the Romaines to exercise his Priesthood and they had a law that no Augurs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing any soare or disease should execute their office As litle regard is to be had to these blind prelates lame and diseased in iudgement as in the same place it is expounded that it is not fit for them that are corrupted and diseased in their soules to handle Diuine things The third Inuectiue 1. IN the lawes of Henry the 8. Edward the 6. and Queene Elizabeth I will ouerthrow them 2. If they alleadge Vniuersities they are ouer-matched Oxford hath had in Catholike times thirty thousand students all euer of the same mind with vs. 3. For other Clergie men we haue had an hundred thousand more Synodes two to one in number two hundred to one p. 116. 4. If they vrge Scriptures by resorting to the Originall tongues the Greeke and Hebrew c. the victory is ours We vse more Scriptures for numbers of bookes more for diuersitie of tongues Our expositors of Scripture professed students in Diuinity c. excellent linguists many naturall borne Greekes and Hebrewes Their expositors of Scripture neuer were to be compared to those In the Parliament where their religion was decreed there was no person present that vnderstood either Greeke or Hebrew p. 117. The Defensatiue 1. THis is as like to be so as if I should say that by the Popes lawes now in force at Rome the faith of Protestants is maintained and yet I will shew twenty Canons amongst them that giue testimonie to our faith to one decree that he can alleadge amongst vs making for them this I haue already performed in Synopsis throughout Wherefore in this so shamelesse and vnreasonable assertion I will vouchsafe him no other answer but say with Augustine Non inuenio quomodo te refellerem nisi vt aut iocantem irriderem aut insanientem dolerem I know not how else to answer you then either as a iester to scorne you or as a mad man to pity you 2. The most famous Vniuersities in the world as of Herdelberge Magdobing Wittenberge Basile Geneua Vtricke Lepden Cambridge Oxford with manie more are with the Protestants King Henry for his diuorce had the consent of the most famous vniuersities in Europe Oxford was not wholly yours no not in the grossest times of popery for they cleared vnder their common seale Iohn Wickliffe and his doctrine of the suspition of heresie 3. We confesse Papists haue bene and yet are more in number so did the Pagans in multitude exceed the Christians but the Scripture hath taught vs not to follow a multitude to do euill Eccles. 23.2 Synodes both generall and prouinciall Protestants haue more on their side then Papists I referre the Reader for the truth hereof to Synopsis 4. If you would as ye say be tried by the originall Scriptures the controuersie would soone be at end but your sayings and doings agree not Why should ye be afraid to preferre the Hebrew and Greeke text before the vulgar Latine making this onely authentike in Sermons readings disputations as it was concluded in the Tridentine Chapter why did they not amend their vulgar Latine according to the originall reading still Genes 3.15 She shall breake thine head for he or it Genes 8.4 for seuenteene seuen and twenty Psal. 68.13 for liue among the pots sleepe betweene the lots and in diuerse hundred such places they swarue from the originall Ye vse indeed more Scriptures for number as all the Apocryphall workes which were neuer recorded of the Church of God vnder the law neither written by Prophets or approued by Christ and his Apostles but not for diuersitie of tongues For the Canonicall Scriptures are extant in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine the Apocripha some in the Greeke and Latine some in the Latine only You haue litle cause to brag of your popish expositors such as
Vigilius that because Peter is called Cephas which signifieth a stone inferreth that he was Cephas that is caput the head of the Church deriuing one from another because of the similitude of the letters such a proper interpreter was Pope Innocent that applyed that saying of Saint Paule They that are in the flesh cannot please God against marying Your best Linguists and most learned Interpreters as Paguinus Arius Montanus approue not the vulgar Latine and do differ in iudgement therin from the Church of Rome Protestants are not inferiour for the knowledge of tongues excellent linguists and learned interpreters but do farre exceed the Romish Church Witnesse hereunto Tremellius a borne Hebrew Iunius Mercerus Caluin Beza Stephanus with others whose fit translations apt expositions and most learned Commentaries do obscure all their popish scholasticall Tractates silly allegories and sophisticall disputes What knowledge in the Hebrew and Greeke the parliament men had as it is vncertaine to guesse so neither is it necessarie to know sure I am that they receiued direction from most learned men Whitehead Elmer Horne Iewell with others with whom none of the contrarie side in the knowledge of the tongues and studie of Diuinitie were to be compared Thus we see what are the chiefe grounds of popish religion The multitude of professors generall consent of Vniuersities schooles synodes these are but weak grounds a few professing the truth should be heard before a multitude in error Iosua doth not so reason though all the people beside shold haue forsakeÌ„ God yet I my house which were but a small company to the rest will serue the Lord Epiphanius writing to Hierome saith quasi multitudo peccantium scelus minuit non numerositate lignoruÌ„ maior gehennae ignis succrescat as though the number of sinners doth lessen the sinne the more the wood is the greater is the fire of hell Seneca well saith Ne pecorum ritu antecedentium sequamur gregem Let vs not be like to sheepe still to follow those which go before Argumentum pessimi turba est quaeramus quid optimè factum non quid vsitatissimum The multitude is an argument of the worst part let vs enquire what is best done not what is most in vse Titus Flaminius said well to Philopoemenes the Captaine of the Achaians that was furnished with a great number of souldiers but wanted money That he had armes and legs but no belly So our aduersaries contending with multitude but bringing no truth do shew vs legges and armes enough but the substance of truth which is as the belly and bowels of religion they haue not He breaketh off here his bitter inuectiues and cometh after his Ignatian humour by cunning perswasions to insinuate himselfe The fourth Article his Insinuation HEre the Epistler seemeth thus to reason If Catholikes be in error then either they wilfully or ignorantly erre 1. But neither the first seeing we vndergo many penalties and punishments for our profession p. 218. We follow a profession so austere and rigorous p. 220. Their Religion is pleasant and by professing it they liue in honors and delights which haue enticed Protestants to be Mahometanes c. 2. Not the second We haue all authorities times and places for our defence c. we haue trauelled all countries studied in all Vniuersities we want wiues riches honors the impediments of true Diuinitie and studie If Religion can be found in this world we haue sought and found out all meanes they none p. 218. The Repulse 1. THey suffer not punishment for their profession but for their practising not for religioÌ„ but their rebellion Which of them hath bene put to death for his opinion in holding transubstantiation adoration of images inuocation of Saints Purgatorie or any such like popish error but because they submit themselues to the papall iurisdiction and are sent hither by his authoritie to corrupt and seduce the subiects We may say then vnto them as Augustine to the Donatists Tribunus noÌ„ est persecutor vester sed persecutor persecutoris vestri id est erroris vestri The magistrate doth not persecute you but that which persecuteth you which is your error 2. Neither is poperie such an austere and rigorous life nor their imprisonment so hard as they complaine seeing their leisure suffered them in Wisbich prison to contend for superioritie and highest placeâ— at the table they one accused another of dicing carding drunkennesse fornication euen in prison these are not the fruites of an austere and rigorous life The Priestes tell Frier Parsons that if laughing will serue their turne they can laugh as fast as he They haue reported of the Ignatians that some of them ride in coaches haue their stables of chaunge of geldings do spend after fiue hundred pounds a yeare go richly apparelled this seemeth to be no such rigorous and penitentiall life 3. The honours and riches of protestants are not to be compared to the glory of the Cardinals in Rome Bishops of Spaine Abbots in Fraunce but for the most part of the Protestant Ministery I thinke they in their imprisonment and affliction as they call it haue liued in greater fulnesse and plentie and more at hearts ease That some Papists are turned Protestants for honor and pleasure sake I do easily beleeue but that Protestants haue become Mahometanes he cannot shew vnlesse they be such temporizers and corrupt conuerts as he speaketh of Poperie is a fitter stocke to graffe an Atheist and Mahometane in then protestancie according to the common by-word An English Italianate a diuell incarnate 4. Neither is austeritie of life a sufficient argument of the truth The Pharises were more giuen to fasting then Christs disciples among the Mahometanes there are Hermites and bare-footed Friers the Donatistes were very desperate and would cast themselues downe from the hils and rockes and breake their neckes As Augustine saith I would know who first of your side did cast himselfe downe headlong Valdè illud granum fertile fuit vnde tanta seges praecipitatorum cadauerum pullulavit sure it was a very fruitfull graine from whence haue budded foorth so many precipitated carkases Wherefore notwithstanding any thing yet said they may be guiltie of wilfull error although they did which may be done with an obstinate and peruerse mind suffer and endure much for their profession 5 And this lastly â—erueth if it proue any thing to cleare the Protestants from suspition of wilfulnesse who haue endured more by imprisonment famishment whipping racking tormenting burning and many more torments by an hundred fold at Papistes hands onely for their conscience then the other haue felt for their offence against the State 1. Wiues being chosen in the feare of God are no impediment to studie they are helpers rather and a means to ease the mind of Ministers from worldly busines that they may be more fit for meditation There was no place more apt for heauenly meditation then Paradise
yet God thought good to make woman there No persons more giuen to meditation then the Apostles yet they had their wiues following of them to minister to their necessities 1. Cor. 9.5 Nay rather vagrant and vnsetled lust such as raigneth in poperie is a distracting of the mind And they are like to be good Diuinitie Lectures which the Iudasites vse to reade in the nights to the auditories of faire women while their husbands missing of them scratch their heades where it itcheth not as the Masse-priestes report 2 It is not the trauelling abroad or studying beyond the sea and seeking meanes a farre off that can bring a man certainely to true knowledge Which of the Christian professours can compare with Solon Lycurgus Thales Plato Pythagoras for long trauaile visiting of strange countries seeing the behauiour of many nations yet this could not bring them to the knowledge of Christ. The Pharises did compasse sea and land they were greater trauellers then Christ or his Apostles were at the first it did nothing helpe them to the finding out of the truth Euery Church and countrie hauing the word of God may find at home which is the truth aswell as by searching abroad as Moses saith Neither is it yet beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go ouer the sea for vs and bring it vs but the word is neare vnto thee Hierome saith Desâ—â—t notus tantùm in Iudaea esse Deus in omnem terram exiuit sonus Apostolorum God hath left to be knowne onely in Iudea the sound of the Apostles is gone foorth into all the earth Diuinitie is as well studied at Cambridge as at Rome at Oxford as at Paris and for soundnesse of iudgement and integritie of truth much better without comparison Seneca saith Proprium agri est nihil diâ— pati mutationibus vt remedijs vti It is the propertie of sicke persons to endure nothing long and to vse often chaunges as remedies So this shifting of places and chaunging of countries argueth the sicknesse of the mind Plutarch very well compareth such to hennes that when they haue heapes of corne before them yet do seeke in corners and picke out of the dirt and scrape with their feet So the sicke-braind students hauing much better doctrine at home and more plentie of true knowledge do go further and speed worse Now in the last place this Epistler belike failing of other proofes betaketh himselfe to his protestation The fift point his Protestation IF they wil appeale to the Scriptures I the poore author herof haue studied them all and more then Protestants vse Then after the profession of his reading of the Fathers of the Church historians Councels schoolemen he concludeth with this protestation I take God and the whole Court of heauen to witnesse before whom I must render an account of this protestatioÌ„ c. that the same faith religion which I defend is taught and confirmed by those holy Hebrewe and Greek Scriptures Historians Popeâ— Decrees Scholies Expositions Councels Schooles and Fathers and the profession of Protestants condemned p. 221. That I should not be able to iudge what maketh for vs what against vs I hope no man wil challenge me of so great ignorance That I would willingly erre to follow a profession so austere c. I hope no Reader can be so partiall to iudge c. p. 222. The Concertation THis Ignatian professor as it seemeth dwelled by euill neighbours when he is forced to commend himselfe he boasteth much of his reading and knowledge as though he onely were conuersant in authors I doubt not but that there may be found some hundreds of ministers and this poore author among the rest that can truly say as much of themselues as this bragger professeth At this time therefore I shall need to make no further answer theÌ„ to set a modest contestation against his proud protestation At this time I shall haue vse of that saying of the wise man Answer a foole according to his foolishnesse lest he be wise in his owne conceipt Prou. 26.5 And though I feare as Hierome saith Vereor ne officium putetur ambitio lest that which is but officious should be held to be ambitious that wherunto I am driuen of necessitie should be deemed vanitie yet I say with the Apostle Wherein any man is bold I speake as a foole I am bold also 2. Cor. 11.21 Like as Pericles being depressed and depraued of his enemies was vrged modestly to commend himselfe Are ye angrie saith he with me which thinke my selfe inferiour to none neither in the vnderstanding of things nor in vttering what I vnderstand So to make answer to this vaine challenger in his owne wordes I hope it may be excused because he hath first thereunto by his importunitie prouoked If he will appeale to the Scriptures I haue studied them all and more then Papistes vse if they contend to credit the Hebrew text in the old Testament and the Greeke in the new I haue studied them in those languages and the ancient glosses and scholiaes Latine and some Greeke for their exposition if they will stand to the report of the auncient historians Eusebius Ruffinus Socrates Sozomen S. Hierome S. Bernard and others I haue perused them if they will be iudged by the decrees of the first Popes I haue often with diligence considered the decrees both all that were before the Councell of Nice and after If they will be arbitrated by the present schooles and scholasticall reasons I haue read some of them If they admâ—t the first foure generall Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chelcedone I haue seene and read them all from the first of Nice to the last of Trent as all approued particular and prouinciall Councels which be extant and ordinarily vsed If they thinke there were euer true religioÌ„ among Christians and that it was exercised in the first sixe hundred yeares I haue carefully read ouer all the works of Origene Cyprian Ambrose Hierome â—ugustine Chrysostom Damascene Pamphilus Eusebius Theodoret Ruffinus Socrates Sozomenus Euagrius Bernard the Imperiall constitutions with other authors old and new and with greater diligence then Ignatian Friers commonly vse to do hauing I thanke God of mine owne writing and collations out of the foresaid Fathers and Writers not much lesse then two reames of paper Yet I take God to witnesse before whome I must render an account of this my protestation that the same faith and religion which I defend is taught and confirmed by those holy Hebrewes and Greeke Scriptures and in the more substantiall points by those Historians Councels Fathers that liued within 5. or 6. hundred yeares after Christ and in many points by them that followed after and the profession of Papists by the same condemned I haue examined and with diligent aduise read ouer many bookes and writings of the best learned Protestants and not any that euer came to my hands containeth any argument
but say with Hierome Non consueui eorum insultare erroribus quorum miror ingenia Whose wit I commend their errors will I not defend 2. What if Luther be vntruly alleaged whereof there is iust suspition because the Citer followeth not the addition at Wittemberge of Luthers workes but another at Ieane wherein it is like the aduersary hath played the part of a corrector and made Luther speake according to their owne sense For some of those bookes which he citeth as colloquium mensal I do not find extant in the addition at Wittemberge where it is most like the authentike copies of Luthers workes are kept Therefore it is not vnlike but they haue vsed Luther as Gregory complained in his time Alij tractatus nostros calumniantes ea sentire nos criminantur quae nunquam sensisse nos nouimus Others cauilling at our tractates do accuse vs to thinke that which we know we neuer thought 3. Those speeches wherein Luther is traduced if they be interpreted with fauour though the sound seeme to be somewhat harsh the sense is not hard In the two first he sheweth what temptations he had how he was troubled with many doubtfull cogitations and sometime euen with griefe as it were plunged in hell that he wished in his heart that he had neuer begun that trouble in the Church and that his workes were burned As though such tentations are not incident to the faithfull seruants of God Dauid was sometime so perplexed that he doubted of Gods promises and thought that all men were lyers Psal. 116 11. that euen the Prophets of God deceiued him Saint Paule also had fightings without and terrours within 2. Cor. 7.5 It should seeme then to be a rare thing for popish professors to feele such conflicts in their soule seeing this fresh-water souldier that neuer entred into the lists of these spirituall combats findeth fault with Luther herein In the third sentence obiected Luther doth nothing else but shew his constant resolution of the truth which shall stand in despite of Emperour Turke Pope Cardinals and all aduersaries His peremptory profession thereof might haue bene better qualified in termes which I will not euery where iustifie But his meaning is good that the truth shall preuaile and haue the vpper hand for as Hierome well saith Veritas laborare potest vinci non potest The truth may be blamed but not shamed But as for your gracelesse terme of Gracelesse Luther I doubt not but that he hath least grace that goeth about to disgrace him whom God with many excellent gifts had graced These railing speeches are but like vnto Shemei his casting of stones at Dauid wherewith in the end he hurt himselfe And as Seneca well sayth Ignominias probra velut clamorem hostium ferat saxa sine vulnere circa galeas trepidantia These opprobrious words are like the crie of the enemie a farre off and as stones that do fall downe about our eares without anie hurt So while this railing Rabsakeh vseth no better weapons we are well inough we heare him but feele him not he woundeth his owne credite he hurteth not our cause And we say to him as a certaine Rhodian to an vnshamefast man that made great outcries I regard not what you say but that another keepeth silence We more respect other mens reuerent silence of Luther then his rash loquacitie The second Inducement 1. PRide wine and women are the originals of Apostacie so was it in Luther If pride had not bene they had kept their vow of obedience if wine and riches had not bene they had kept the vow of pouertie if women and wantonnesse had not bene they had kept the vow of chastity But truth is stronger then all c. p. 126. 2. The whole Christian world twenty times gathered together in generall Councell hath giuen sentence with vs many thousands of prouinciall Councels all Kings c. all Popes Fathers Schooles Vniuersities c. all former heretikes haue approued it 3. We haue offered them all trials as great security and safe conduct as Popes Emperours and Kings could giue to come to disputation p. 127. 4. Their owne schollers condemned them Cranmer and Latimer exploded with hissing and clapping of hands in Oxford We neuer had so much as a peece of promise for equality of disputation c. The disputation in the first Parliament to their litle glory that in the Tower no man is ignorant how much it did disgrace them p. 127. The Aduertisement 1. THese three indeed are the pillars of popery If pride were not the Pope would not haue sought to lift vp himselfe aboue Emperours and Kings to tread vpon their neckes cause them to hold their stirrope to kisse his foote the papall hierarchie would not refuse to submit it selfe to the ciuill authoritie If the desire of riches were not the Pope would not so haue pilled and polled all Christian nations with intollerable taxes of First fruits annates tenthes prouisions Archbishops palles Peter pence and such like The first fruits of Bishoprikes in England amounted to the sum of 80000. florenes that is almost 20000. pounds and the value of the first fruits through Europe did arise to the summe of 2460843. florenes that is 553189. pounds or there about If the loue of women and carnall desires had not bin the popish crue would neuer haue condemned lawfull mariage to liue in adulterie incest fornicatiō openly to maintaine courtesans and strumpets as is notoriously euident and practised in Rome their Masse priests would not haue corrupted virgines detained wiues and daughters from their husbands and fathers as the States of Germany complained in the Councell of Norimberge These three then are the pillars of poperie indeed with the which Luther and the Protestants are vntruly slaundered yet hath the truth preuailed according the posie of Darius nobles And whereas he would haue this conclusion put vnder the pillow of the Prince and be awaked out of her dreame lest she should sleepe too long c. the truth is that Queene Elizabeth both awake and asleepe while she liued was resolued of this conclusion for the truth and well perceiued Poperie to be grounded vpon a sandie foundation that outward glorie commoditie pleasure and vanitie were the chiefe pillars of that religion In this faith she liued in this faith she now sleepeth and resteth in the Lord and shall be awaked in the last resurrection to receiue the endlesse reward of the same And though Queene Elizabeth now sleepeth yet God hath raised vp and awaked our gratious Soueraigne to stand vp in her place and to maintaine the same truth You may well put your conclusions vnder his pillow when he sleepeth but when he awaketh he will soone descrie that your Popish instructers are but night birds your best reasons dreames and your religion darknesse and with Darius giue sentence with the truth But of all other this
very marrow of Poperie continued and the whole bodie of the Romane doctrine the opinion of the supremacie excepted And ye had beside a breathing time in Queene Maries raigne such as that of Saul who breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Act. 10.1 such a breathing as I trust ye shall neuer haue againe in England I hope this was no time of your captiuitie And againe you are somewhat too forward to looke for the reuiuing of the papall kingdome so soone after 70. years stay till you be equal to the captiuitie of protestants that 7. times 70. yeares endured the tyrannie of your terrene god the Pope as long as Israel soiourned in Canaan and AEgypt 430. yeares Exod. 12.40 and much longer and then after that time expired lift vp your heads if you can But because you plead prescription of 70. years you shall haue your mind yet they shall not be the seuenty yeares determined for Iudaes deliuerance but the 65. years which want not many of seuentie which were limited for Ephraims destruction Within fiue and threescore yeares Ephraim shall be destroyed from being a people Isa. 7.8 And we trust in God that the proud idolatrous Ephramites of Rome according to this time taking beginning from the first reformation in England shall haue Ephraims portion and their kingdome come to desolation Concerning your Popes Iubile enioy you the benefite thereof get you packing to Rome and solace your selues there England careth not for Iubile pardons nor for such paltrie pardoners as ye are Protestants haue enioyed through Gods mercie a full Iubile vnder the Gospell in King Edward and Queene Elizabeths happie raignes and now we trust beginneth another ioyfull Iubile vnder our noble King and so our hope is that the Church of God vnder his M. his royall posteritie shall enioy the profession of the truth frō Iubile to Iubile till we all come to celebrate an euerlasting Iubile in heauen The Pope hath lately solemnized his Iubile like as the Iewes kept their Iubile when Christ was put to death who brought deliuerance to his Church but destruction to the Iewes before the next Iubile came So this Popes Iubile wherein they haue confederate to persecute Christ and his members is like to be ominous to that blodie generatiō prosperous we hope to the church of God This Romish Iubile lately celebrated in new Babylon may fall out to be like Balthasars feast which he made in old Babylon the destruction of the citie followed the same night to whō fitly agreeth that verse of the Poet Namque vt supremam falsa inter gaudia noctem Egerimus nosti It was our last and onely night That we thus spent in false delight So may this happily be the last popish Iubile and this great solemnitie may end with a Sardonian laughter according to the saying of the wise man Pride goeth before destruction and an high mind before the fall Prou. 16.18 2. If religion be the bond of peace then can there be no sound peace betweene the Church of God and the synagogue of Rome which is declined and fallen away from the true religion and seruice of God The Popes peace we desire not as we feare not his curse if he loue quietnesse protestants will not offend him if he seeke trouble they can requite him But if Scotland be comprehended in this league and amitie as among other nations this Popes muster-maister hath numbred it I hope England shall haue a share that is now one with Scotland It is vntrue that England can agree with none in religiō it accordeth with Scotland Geneua Heluetia Belgia with the protestants of Fraunce some diuersitie in external right maketh no difference in religion And as vntrue it is that no two protestant Princes can haue this peace together seeing it is most manifest that for 45. yeares there was a firme peace betweene England and Scotland being vnited in religion such as for so long a time was not knowne for fiue hundred yeares while both these kingdomes professed poperie And indeed it is a rare thing to see one protestant Prince offend another with warre but it is very cōmon for Princes and States addicted to the popish profession to wage battel one with another France Spain Naples Millaine the Venetians Geanes Florentines Romaines haue often one with fierce war assaulted another As we shall reade among the Paganes how in Graecia the Spartans Athenians Corinthians Thebanes Argiues Megarensians with other cities did with cruell warre one afflict another so that as the Scripture saith In that time there was no peace to him that did go out and go in but great troubles were to all the inhabitants of the earth Such is the peace among the Romanists neither sound and in truth nor of any long continuance but like vnto Iudas kisse so is the Popes peace and amitie as Ambrose saith Amoris pignore scelus implet pacis instrumento odia serit By a token of loue he worketh mischiefe and by an instrument of peace soweth hatred So his vnholy Fatherhood faineth peace if it be for his aduantage and breaketh it at his pleasure if it may serue his turne better as Eugenius the fourth caused Ladislaus to breake the truce made with Amurathes the great Turke to the great losse and disaduantage of all Christendome Wherein the Pope very well resembleth Cleomenes the Spartane King who hauing made truce with the Argiues for certaine dayes set vpon them the third night after and slue them alleadging for himselfe that he had made truce for dayes not for nights 3. Popish religion can neither make vs at peace with God whom it robbeth of his due honour making other Mediators inuocating Saints worshipping idols nor with Angels who refuse to be worshipped Reu. 22.8 nor with Saints who while they liued refused that adoration which is now ascribed vnto them in poperie as Peter wold not suffer Cornelius to worship him Act. 10.26 To the soules imagined to be in purgatorie it offereth wrong keeping them in torment that by the Scriptures are to rest from their labours Reu. 14.13 Neither can popish professors haue peace in themselues seeing they deny iustification onely by faith by which we are at peace with God Rom. 5.1 That religion agreeth with none but diuels for it maintaineth lying wonders which are by the working of Sathan 2. Thess. 2.9 It forbiddeth to marie and to abstaine from meates which are the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4.1.3 It persecuteth casteth into prison the seruants of Christ which is the worke of Sathan Reu. 2.10 Poperie therefore which derogateth so much from God cannot reconcile vs or make vs agree with God superstition doth not draw vs nearer to God but maketh vs further off Hierome well saith hoc nobis praestat Dei timor vt omnes alios contemnamus timores The feare of God doth make vs to cōtemne all other