came within his reache Besides the destruction and desolation he caused in many places of Germanie In Norriberge he burned a hundred villages Townes and Castles and shutt vp in them men and women with children and olde people which the firy flame consumed Surius An. 1553. viz. at Alterfum and Laufum Againe did not Christiernus kinge of Denmarke execute the like crueltie vpon those of Stocholum the cheefe Cittie of Suethlande after that he inuited all the nobilitie with the two Archbishopps viz. Sarcen and Stringeron and then murthered them euerie one and afterwards all the rest of the Cittizens notwithstandinge he had giuen his royall worde to the contrarie in the execution of which murther Surius An. 1517. he continued for many dayes That heresies are the cause of Reuolution of Countries and destruction of state CHAPTER IV. 1. SAincte Gregorie sayeth that the conseruation of the Common wealth doth depende of the peace of the Church and that for two reason for that the lawe of God commaundes vs that wee should obey our kinges and princes in thinges that are not contrarie to the said lawe of God soe that he that obeyes God he muste needes obey his lawfull Soueraigne because God almightie soe commaunded for that obedience wee owe to the kinge is parte of that wee owe to God But when men doth cast away this bridle by heresie or by anny other occasion of their vnbridled and incorrigible humors as they haue no feare of God soe bear they noe dutie to their Prince or Soueraigne Euseb de vit Const lib. 1. c. 11. Zozo lib. 1. cap. 16. Wherfore Constantius Clorus father to Constantyne the greate a most prudente and valiante Prince intendinge to assay and proue the loyaltie of some Christian souldiers he said vnto them that if they would renounce their faith and sacrifice to the Idolls Carol. Sig. lib. 2. de occiden imperio they should abide with him and possesse such honors and promotions as they had receaued of him otherwise such as would refuse soe to doe they should departe from him Some there were who for to gaine the Princes fauor did as he comaunded and renounced their religion others refused soe to doe But Constantius putt awaie such as did sacrifice to the Idolls and kepte with him such as refused soe to doe saying that they were his best subiectes for quoth he he that is a Traytor vnto God will alsoe be a Traytor vnto his Prince 2. Carol Sig. lib. 16. de occid imp Theodor. histor l. 5. cap. 36. The like alsoe did Theodoricke being an Arrian hereticke killing a Courtier of his owne whome he loued intirlie for that from a Catholicke he became an Arrian only to please the kinges humor sayinge that he could neuer keepe touch with man that was not faithfull vnto God Also the most valiant Martyr S. Hornusta said vnto the kinge of Persia who comaunded him to denye his religion and become an infidel that if he should denie Christe that was Lord and Redeemer of the worlde he shoulde more easilie denye him that was a mortall man Through want of faith therefore and good religion rebellions are stirred vpp against their Princes and Soueraignes as alsoe insurrections of subiectes spoyles and garboyles of Traitors combustion and confusion of Common wealthes and all other enormities and trespasses are committed And as Aristotele saith Cuius vsus est optimus eius abusus est pessimus the more excellent and eminent a thing is if it be well vsed soe the more mischeefe it ingenders and the more ruine it bringeth with it if it be abused For as nothinge in this world is comparable in goodnesse to the Christian Catholick faith so when the same is abused by sectes and diuisions nothinge did euer more trouble the Christian Comon wealth for that discordes in matters of faith doe procure and ingender discordes and differences in the hartes and mindes of them that professe the same from which discords and variances proceedes soe manny mischeefes and reuolutions of Countries and kingdomes and kingdomes deuided as our Sauior saith cannot longe endure Therfore Theodosius the yonger beinge at Constinople and seinge his Empire deuided into sectes by the heresie of Nestorius he wrote an Epistle to that most vertuous and holy man Symon Stylites which at that tyme did florish with most rare example of sanctitie Act. Conc. Ephes edi tom 5. Ces Baro. tomo 5. An. 43â— by which epistle he requested him verie earnestly that hee should aske of God peace and vnion for the Church and added these wordes Because that its diuision doth soe afflict vs that it is the roote and fountayne of all our euills and calamities Wherefore whosoeuer will read the Chronicles of kingdomes and the ecclesiasticall histories of the sainctes he shall finde this to be true by the warres that the Catholicks had in the Easte with the Arrians and in Africke with the Donatists and the Gentiles and Iewes against the Christians in all places 3. And neither Iewe nor Gentile are soe infestuous and pernitious againste the Churche and Christian Comon wealth as hereticks and especially those of our vnhappie times and of all sects the Caluinistes which are flames of sedition and destruction of Church and Comon wealthe an infernall fire-brand that burnes wheresoeuer it takes place which consumes to ashes all states and Citties where it is nourished not vnlike the Cancker that eates and gnawes the body that feedes it thus much you shall knowe by readinge a booke called Incerdium Caluinisticum printed 1584. Hollensen hist Angl. Anno 1554. idem in histo Scot. Anno 1567. Also the histories of the troubles of France lib. 1. Anno 1565. The historie of Flanders Anno 1555. in the additions of Surius 1585. Stanislaus Rescius Ambassadors and Treasure for the kinge of Poland in Naples did write a booke 1596. De Atheismis Phallerismis Euangelicorum nostri temporis videl of Atheismes and Phallerismes I meane cruelties of the Euangelistes of our tyme neither onlie doe they destroie kingdomes but alsoe seeke to depriue Princes of theyr liues that oppose themselues againste their doctrine for some of them conspired to kill Queene Marie and one of them confessed the same at his death which was at Tiborn the 18. of May 1554. Norman Lesby Iames Meluine and other Caluinists in Scotland murthered the Cardinall of S. Andrewes in his owne howse and chamber the yeare 1546. Stowe 1554. and this by approbation of Iohn Knockes Buchanan and others of the Geneuian Consistorie Doctor Hancraft in his booke of dangerous positions Lib. 4. c. 14. in historia Ioh. Lesley ep Rosâ—e 4. Buchanan in his most wicked and vngodly declamation made at London against his dread soueraigne the last Queene of Scottes incensed both English and Scottes against her to depriue her of her life and of her kingdome whose wicked desires and desigmentes was putt in execution by the English in the moneth of Ianuarie 1587. which
companie and not one slaine but he whose head was carried into england and standes disgracefullie vppon London bridge for a traitors head His brother Sr. Iohn was found vppon the highe way by Sr. Iohn Souch and hauinge notice that the englishmen were marchinge towardes him he was not able hauinge a principall good horsse to moue hand or foote vntill the english souldiors came vppon him and kild him This is the iuste iudgment of God executed vppon them that made the world beleue their quarrell was for religion and yet their first exploite and cruelest acte was putt in execution vppon poore catholicks churches sanctuaries consecrated vessells which they polluted prophaned Nothinge doth displease God more then hipocrisie for as a holy man saith Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas fained holines is double iniquitie for noe vice is more often reprehended of our Sauiour then this vice and wickednes and although he pardoned all manner of sinnes yet vnto hipocrites he cried out woe Matt. 23. and course and that many times 10. Sr. Iohn Norrice in his Portingall voiage with the bastard don Antony going to take Lisbone and to make him kinge thereof of his great armie which consisted of 18. thowsand able men he brought not men enough to bringe home his shippes the first enterprice that he attempted was vppon a monasterie by the Grine which his soldiors destroied and cast downe The Earle of Esex that was the only Phenix of England the cheefe fauoritt of the Queene and the only man that all the contrie flatterd and followed and all the English nation applauded was arraigned and condemned of high treason and beheaded in the tower of London who when he tooke Cales in Spaine an exploite both terrible to the Spaniardes ioyfull and honnorable vnto England the churches and sanctuaries of that cittie felt the greatest smarte which he prophaned burned and cast downe whose sacred vessells his souldiors tooke away and turned them into prophane and filthy vses for the which fewe or none that assisted in that exploite escaped an ominous and fatall end as manny doe obserue and note In the Machabees Macha 2. Cap. 3. Heliodorus doth testifie thus much who counselled his kinge if he had an enemie that he should send him to robb the Temple of Hierusalem and he should find the smarte thereof because there is in that place the power of God which doth destroie and confound such as come to annoy that place 11. S. Ambrose speakinge with Valentine the yonger vsed these wordes Epist 33. If you haue â—oe right to doe anny iniurie to any mans priuate howse much lesse can you take away from Gods howse which neuer suffred sacrilegious persons vnpunished and robbers of churches and sacred thinges as by the precedent examples appeares as also by the griuous punishment of Cardinall Wolsy is euident who for erectinge his new college at Oxford and at Ipswiche as Stow writteth obtayned licence of Clement the seauenth to dissolue to the number of fortie monasteries of good fame and bountifull hospitalitie wherin the kinge bearinge with all his doinges none durst controll him In the executinge of which busines fiue persons were his cheefe instruments which were sore punished by God two of them fel at discord amoungest themselues and the one flue the other and the surminor was hanged for his labour the 3. drowned himselfe in a well the 4. being wealthie enoughe before begged his bread to his dyinge day and the 5. was Doctor Allen. The cheefe instrument amoungest them was murthered by Thomas fitz-Gerrald The Cardinall fallinge afterwards into the kings greuous displeasure was deposed and died miserably and the colleges which he meant to haue made soe glorious a buildinge came neuer to good effecte For this irreligious robberie was done of noe conscience but to patch vpp pride which priuate wealth could not furnishe Whether the kinge may take away church liuinges at his pleasure And whether as he is absolute kinge of the temporall goodes of his subiectes he be so also of the Church and of Churche liuinges CHAPTER IV. 1. THe only argument Protestants vse to proue this doctrine is that of the Prophett Samuell who said to the children of Israell that if they would needes haue a kinge he would take away their vineyardes their landes and liuinges and would bestowe them vppon his seruants c. Testado in lib Reg. cap. 19. The holie doctors doe expound this place to be ment of Tyrannicall kinges who followinge their passion or proper will and not lawe or reason would performe this towardes those stiffnecked people And soe to diuert and disswade them from the vehement desire they had to gett them a kinge he vsed those wordes not that of right or iustice a good kinge ought soe to doe And soe S. Gregorie doth expound the same sayinge Lib. 4. c. 2. in Reg. cap. 8. that Tyrantes and not good kinges will doe this for saith he in that historie of kinges wee read that God was highly displeased with Achab for takinge away the vineyarde from Naboth for which the said Achab with his Queene Iezabell was sore punished by God for the same therfore S. Gregorie saith this was not godes comaundement And therfore Dauid beinge sollicited at the request of Orna Iebuseus to take a platt of grounde for to edifie an alter for our Lord he would neuer take or accept it vntill he made payment thereof Soe as whatsoeuer is sett downe by the prophett Samuell is to giue warninge to good kinges what they should obserue and what they should forbeare to doe thus farr S. Gregorie 2. S. Iohn Chrisostome did reprehend the empresse Eudoxia the wife of Arcadius the Emperor for takinge away from a certaine widdowe her vineyarde and seinge that he could doe nothinge with her by faire meanes he caused the church gates to be shutt against her For Emperors and kinges are not absolut Lordes of the landes and goodes of their subiectes neither can they take them away accordinge to their pleasures vnles it be for great offences although many protestant courtiers doe say the contrarie only to flatter their Princes for if Kinges and Princes had the proprietie and dominion of their subiectes goodes then there should be noe neede of anny parleament or courtes to treate with the subiects for the kinges necessitie but they may take from the subiects all they haue at theire owne pleasure But the kinge for beinge head and Lord of the kingdome and for his paines taken in the gouernment thereof hath his owne patrimonie rents and seruices with such like or if this be not sufficient for the defense of the weale publique christiaÌ„ religioÌ„ the subiects ought to supplie his waÌ„ts rather by request then by violence But these newe gospellers say with the matchevillians Plutar. in Apo. that kinges by their prerogatiues may take all their subiects goods to their pleasure as a flatterer said to the kinge Antigonus that all thinges
was a wonderfull president and a miserable spectacle to the whole worlde Knocks and one Lindesay another reprobate assistinge him by their secrett combination with the Earle of Morton others set vpp the Bastard of Scotlande who after he was promoted to the Earldome of Moraye and Regencye of that kingdome Knox in the Scotish historie said that if princes be tyrants against God subiectes be freed from their obedience Cal. in ep Daniell ver 22. alleadged by kellys d. Replie to Sutcliffe the hugonots of France in their congregation ar 34 Luther also at Sleydan hath l. 8. ChroÌ„ Zuing. lib. 4. Epist he went about to aduaunce himselfe vnto the Royall Scepter of the kingdome boasting himselfe to be borne in lawfull weadlocke and therfore that he was the only legittimate sonne of his Father Iames the fift These impudent mates write in their bookes that by godes lawes women shoulde not be admitted to the gouernmente of kingdomes that the people of the ghospell should not be tied vnto the lawes of kinred that kingdomes should not be giuen vnto the nexte degree of fleshe and bloode and that it stoode in the power of the people to create kinges to depose or punish them at their pleasure if they giue cause of offense and this to be not onlye lawfull for all the people but for euerie one that he is prayse worthie whatsoeuer priuate person he be that shoulde kill any kinge that misgouernes himselfe that the supreame authoritie consisteth in the people and not in the kinge and this they did write only to take awaye the last Queene and her issue as it is related by Adame Blackwoode who beinge big with childe was pittifully amazed and terrified at the bloodye cruell and most horrible murther of her Secretarie Dauid Rice a man of an innocente life and a most deuoute Catholicke without lawe Blacuodaeus Apolo pro regibus cap. 2.3 4. Buchan reason or any iustice which was practised by these mens procurmente and sinister deuises in her owne sight and Chamber of presence callinge for her helpe who was not able to releeue him her selfe beinge in the like danger as being straite conueide to close prison and there taxed with an infamous reporte and imputation of her honestie shee beinge most innocent therof which was diuulged and spread abroade by their calumnious practise of slaunderous libells reportes and letters to all Princes 5. Did not these lewed mates as soone as they reuolted from the Catholicke Church rebelle alsoe against their Princes and at one instant become enemies of priests Princes soe Stephen Bosgaie the Hungarian and the Emperor Rodolphe his page noe sooner became a Caluiniste The rebellion of the low countries is knowen by their owne edic printed at Francfort 1583. then he made all Hungarie for the most parte to ioyne with the Turcke and to rebell against the said Emperor Geneua noe sooner opened the gates for Pharell and Caluine but they shutt them againste their lawfull Princes The Princes of Germany reuolted from Charles the 5. Emperor as soone as they forsooke their faith and became Lutherans Flanders hath done the like especially such as embraced these newe sects who rebelled against their lawfull kinge and against all his gouernors as againste Margaret Duches of Parma and gouernesse of the same who was threatned to be murthered if shee should in any thinge gainsay them In the same danger was her sonne the Duke of Parma by gunnpouder vilde fire which was prepared for him in a vaute to destroy him and all his traine at Antuerpe and before him Dom Iohn de Austria by the treacherie of one Boniuetius a frenchman Surius hist who was suborned by the Prince of Aurenge to murther him and missinge of their purpose they deuised his death by many other miscreantes Alsoe 1560 at Geneua Caluine and Beza conspired and combined together to murther the kinge and to ransake and destroye all the Courte of France Surius 24 and persuaded Spifamius to be the Architecte of this detestable practise beinge backt and entised therin by Otoman the Turque the cheefe instrumeÌ„tes compassers of which plotte were punished the 24. of March of that yeare Lodowick the 13. Surius 1567. They set vpp and crowned alsoe Lodouicke the Prince of Conde kinge and called him by the name of Lodouicke 13. the firste Christian kinge of the Franckes against the trewe kinge thereof this is proued by Peter Carpenters booke a hugonot who writeth that to noe other purpose were intended all the deuises and machinations of the Causaries soe he calles the hugonotts adiâ—cted to this cause then to abolishe and destroye the Queene mother with all her whelpes and therfore said he Beza chargeth and accuseth the lompishnes and slowe indeuors of the causaries through their quiett rest and peaceable disposition relented in their rancor and malice againste the papistes and the kinge and that he accused he Hugonott princes for not destroyinge and killinge the Princes of France and that in all their assemblies and meetinges they neuer once make any motion of peace of God or his religion but rather of warres troubles tumultes and sedition they alsoe complotted the kinges death at Amboise before the edict of pacification which was anno 1561. 6. The like is read of that vnluckie Luther who wrote and wished the Cittizens of Hall Sur. hist and the subiectes of the Bishopp of Mongontia to putt away or murther their Archbishoppe And called Caesar and all Christian Princes Traitors Tirantts and reprobatts Idem ibid he exhorted all those princes to wash their handes in the bloode of the people and Cardinalls Sur. hist 1568. Did not Farnar the kinges gouernor at Rochell betraie that towne assone as he was infected with Caluinisme and made the same to rebell againste their kinge by the instigation of North Beza commended deceite and that it is good to embrace it sometimes videlicet to faine one thinge and to doe another Also they soughte to murther Herrestus Archbishop of Coline and the Prince Ferdinand his brother What shall I speake of the two kinges of France Francis and Charles the 9. how often haue they rebelled against them and how often haue they soughte to murther them as they haue don Frances Duke of Guise by the instigation of Beza and by the treacherie of Poltrot for they neuer spare to plott the like tragedie when they can bringe the same to passe by whatsoeuer meanes of dissimulation deceite and hipocrisie as they write in their owne Bookes Were not the Ministers of Scotland in the fielde with the Earles of Anguish and Marre and others against his maiestie that nowe is was not their detestable plott of betraying their Countrie and Prince detected by the Earle of Gory before his death For that conspiracy did not Patricke Galoway minister of S. Iohns on Andrew Pollard subdeane of Glasco Iames Carnibel minister of Haddington Andrew Hea person of Panfroe Andrew Meluin professor of
not only of England but of all the world against the decree of all the generall counsells therof against all sacred doctors against common sense and honestie against all lawes both ciuill and cannon not only against catholiques but against protestants in all other countries yea against the puritans of England against these constant confessors and blessed martyrs aboue recited which acknowledged no such supremacy in spirituall or ecclesiasticall matters to any king or prince whatsoeuer that did putt them to death whose blessed blood was patiently shed for the defence of Catholique religion and lastly against the practise of all former ages and antiquitie For from Donaldus the first Christian king of the Scots according to saint Victor Anno 197. there were 84. Christian kinges from Ethelbert being made Christian according to saint Aug. an 600. vnto Edward the confessor 1006. there were 80. kings Christian in EnglaÌ„d after the coÌ„quest ther were 20. vnto king Henry the 8. so as none were euer called head of the church before king Henry after him Edward Elizabeth and king Iames. What shall I say of other holy and valiant martyrs that suffered in these later persecutions raysed vpp by Luther and Caluins heresie and by the Princes that embraced the same How many thousandes suffred confiscation of their goodes and landes effusion of their blood confusion of the world desolation and destruction of their wiues children woe and wreake and dissolution of all things such a masse of miserie and callamitie wherin their miserable and forlorne life was plunged withall as no man can rehearse without greefe nor none can see without teares How many thousand did rotâ— in vgly prisons die in banishments suffred patiently the crewelest tormentes and yrcâ—somest death that could be imagined rather then they would preferr the vaine fauor of man before the fauor of God antiquitie before noueltie to forgoe their auncient Catholique religion to become of the new to forgoe the firme Rocke of Christs church to build their faith vpon them that haue neither grownd or foundation of any supernaturall or theologicall faith at al no certitude in their doctrine no deuotion in their religion no honestie in the profession therof no vertue in their liues no pietie in their schooles or synagoges no charitie in their woorckes no mortification in their members or passions and consequentlie no conscience in their doings THE CONCLVSION 1. I Haue gentle reader exposed to thy vew the Theater of catholique and protestant religion where thou maist plainly behould and see the of-spring beginning growndes foundation practise mischeefe and inconuenience of the one and the excellency of the other Liu. 13. Math. 13. by which thou maist perceaue that the catholique religion ought to be compared to the wise husbandman which did sow the good side in his grownd or farme the protestant to resemble the enimie which sowed the badd cockle and darnell the one ought to be called positiue the other negatiue the one ecclesia malignantium the other militantium the one plantation of religion and deuotion the other supplantation or rooting vp of the same 2. The first subiect of corruptible and materiall things which the philosophers doe call Materia prima which neuer holdeth her selfe setled or contented in any certaine course of any forme or composition but is eueâ— more mutable and changeable by a certaine naturall reuolution from one forme and fashion to another for that shee being disgusted with the one euer more seeketh another is not so vncertaine and vnconstant as protestancy which by a certaine fatall reuolution and babilonicall confusion groweth from one errour to another from one mischeefe to another from one sect to another as appeareth by so many sectes forged and coined by this new religion within these 80. yeers which are 240. in number all in differrence and variance amongest themseluees not in ceremonies or things indifferent but in the cheefest articles and substance of their religion as many of themselues do auerre the one detesting condemning and pronouncing their cursed sentence of Anathema against the other as you may read aboue in the â—â— booke cap. 1. The same may be confirmed by a certaine Prince of Germany who being demaunded of what religion his bordering neighbours were he answered he could describe of what religion they were the last yeere but this yeere he could not well tell their religion in respect of the mutabilitie and in constancy therof see the preface and cap 1. lib 2. 3. But the catholique religion is alwaies one and the selfe same alwaise retaineth and holdeth the same continwance and vigour of trueth not in diuersitie of sectes but in simplicitie and vnitie of beleefe and profession without duplicitie or disparitie or contradiction of doctrine or without absurditie or dishonestie in her maners and customes because she hath the holy ghoast to assist and direct her in all trueth and to protect and to defend her from all errors misbeleefe and infidelitie For not only this new religion is changeable and variable in profession and doctrine but also in condition custome and behauiour for alteration in faith and religion procureth also a great alteration and inconstancy in mindes and affections in life and maners as wee may knowe by such nations who when they were catholiques were mercifull chast sober liberall temperat children were obedient to their parentes and people faithfull of their promisse But when they were turned protestantes as they selues do affirme they became most crwell bloody insolent lecherous riotuous couetuous barbarous luxurious and intemperat 4. For when protestancy laboreth to stoope and intercept all the channells and fountaines of Gods grace the enfluence of Christs passion all the inspiration of the holy ghoast from the soules of christians by which they should be inwardly and formally iustified to whome ought to be applied that which was spoken of the Iewes that they resisted the holy ghoast when it an â—ulleth all the excellencies vertues operations effectes of the blessed Sacramentes all the applications of the merites of Christes passion the vallour and vertue of his blood which the eternall and euerlasting father would haue to be religiously and deuoutly applied by religious meanes and our owne proper endeuours to our owne sanctificatioÌ„ when it destroieth reiecteth all the woorkes and merites of the iust as proceeding and hauing their force worth and valloure from that blessed passion and death of Christ and all the blessed rewardes correspondent and proportionable vnto those merites by vertue of the foresaid passion and blood which they deny to be of that force to abolish and blot out our sinnes wickednesse and punishmentes due vnto the same and so reiecting the force and vertue of Christs passion and transferring and building the same vppon another fundation which they call imputatiue iustice of Christ saying that Christ imputeth not vnto vs our offences and as it were couers them by that iustice by which he is iust himselfe nott by which he maketh vs iust when vppon a kind of an arrogant faith and presumptuous predestination without any relation or referrence to his owne endeuoures so as he beleue that Christ suffred for him or that he is predestinated to be saued he must be such When I say protestancy is blinded and nusled in this peruerse doctrine it being the only and cheefe article of their beleefe which is against scripture good life comon reason sense the definition of the catholique church honestie of a christian and the pietie of a catholique yea against operation of grace or instinct of nature it must run headlong vnto all desperat blasphemies and damnable mischeefe their vnbrideled concupiscence and crwell dispositions impelling them therunto For when the transgression of no lawe or the attempt and consummation of no acte though neuer so exorbitant or so abhominable is punished nor the good woorkes or merites or any execution or exercise of vertue or mortification of any their passions is not regarded for that as they say the merites of Christ his passion doe abrogat them nay such worckes or mortifications are iniurious to the same and doe as they say derogat from them Wee must thincke them to be no otherwise then they are taxeâ— with the imputation of all those cruell and vnchristian like Epithethes by their owne gospellers and when their religion is nothinge els then a path way to all dissolute libertie and licentiousnesse their liues and maners must be such for the corruption of the one engendreth the dissolution of the other 5. Finallie this is the cause that wee see many lawes decrees and dishonest plottes daylie deuised with their rigorous and cruell executions nott against transgressors of godes lawes the lawe of nature but against honest and vertuous people so as the reputation of an honest conscionable and well disposed person cannot be without the imputation of a dangerous traitour whose life goodes and landes must waite and lye open as a pray and bootie for euerie miscreant who as he exceedeth others in villanie and wickednesse must excell them also in promotion and authoritie cuius maledictione os plenum est amaritudine dolo sub lingua eius labor dolor Psal 9. whose tonge is full of malediction bitternesse and deceit Idem so as the decay and downefall of the good must be the raising vpp and aduancement of the badde Exurge Domine non confortetur homo Psal 9. iudicentur gentes in conspectu tuo Constitue Domine legislatorem super eos vt sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt Arise Lord let not man be strengthned let the Gentiles be iudged in thy sight Appoint Lord a law-giuer ouer them that the Gentiles may know that they be men FINIS
both a sacrifice and a Sacrament fol. 286 CHAP. III. Whether the Catholique Church commit offence in leaning to the litterall sense of Christs wordes in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar fol. 318 Lib. VI. CHAP. I. That there is a purgatory which is proued aswell by Scriptures and auncient Fathers as also euen by testimonies of Protestants themselues fol. 350 CHAP. II. Touching the Popes Authority in releasinge of soules out of purgatory fol. 359 CHAP. III. Whether it be against the lawe of God to forbid Priestes to marry and whether vowes and votaries are rather the inuentiōs of men then the ordinance of God fol. 363 CHAP. IV. Whether we ought to confesse our sinnes to priests and whether that priests cannot remitt or forgiue them fol. 372 CHAP. V. Whether fasting from one sorte of meate more then from another or for to vse any obseruation therein be superstitious according as protestants doe affirme fol. 377 Lib. VII CHAP. I. Whether the Protestant assertion be true which affirmeth that generall councells can erre fol. 386 CHAP. II. That the catholique church in those things shee doth propound to the christians to beleeue whether they be contained in the Scriptures or not cannot erre fol 395 CHAP. III. Whether Catholiques are to be charged with arrogancie for thinking that their church cannot faile fol. 396 CHAP. IV. That this Church which shall neuer be hid but remaine visible is manifest by the parable of Christ our Lord. fol. 402 CHAP. I. Li. VIII Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes so riche and ecclesiasticall possessions so great the poore wanting the same fol. 407 CHAP. II. Of the vnhappy endes and other punishments by which God doth chastice those that presume to robb Churches or otherwise to prophane and abuse sacred things fol. 416 CHAP. III. A prosecution of the last chapter fol. 426 CHAP. IV. Whether the kinge may take away church liuinges at his pleasure And whether as he is absolute kinge of the temporall goodes of his subiects he be so also of the Churche churche liuinges fol. 440 Lib. IX CHAP. I. That the protestant religion whose principall foundation and groundes are these articles aforesaid is nothing else then a denyinge of all Religion and piety and a renewinge of all heresies fol. 447 CHAP. II. That no iot or sillable of Christian religion ought to be counted a thinge indifferent or of smale moment and that whosoeuer doth not agree with the Catholique church in all pointes of beleefe cannot be saued fol. 459 CHAP. III. That the new Religion for that it takes away all religion is worse then that of the Turckes and Gentiles fol. 452 Lib. X. CHAP. I. An answer vnto Protestants barking against the religious institutions of holy Orders saying that religious vocations were not instituted by our Sauiour fol. 467 CHAP. II. That the Apostles and their followers in the primitiue church followed this estate of perfection fol. 473 CHAP. III. Of the increase of religious orders and how the same continued from time to time vntill our dayes fol. 476 CHAP. IV. That preestes in the primitiue churh euen from the Apostles time were religiouse and obserued religious order of life fol. 486 CHAP. V. Of the multitude of religious persons fol. 491 CHAP. VI. Of many great and eminent men who forsooke and contemned the world to become religious fol. 499 CHAP. VII Of Emperors Kinges and Princes who forsooke the world to become religious fol. 504 CHAP. VIII Of Empresses Queenes and Princes who likewise forsooke the world to become religious fol. 518 CHAP. IX How greatly religious people fructify vnto God and to his Church and that they are the best labourers which are therein fol. 525 Lib. XI CHAP. I. The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called fol. 534 CHAP. II. Certaine cruell and bloody factes committed in Fraūce against the Catholikes by those that the vulgar sorte doe cal Hugonotes from the tyme that they stirred rebellion against the kinge Anno 1562 fol. 544. A Catalogue of those that suffered death as wel vnder king Henry as Queene Elizabeth and king Iames from the yeare of our Lord 1535. and 27. of king Henryes raigne vnto the yeere 1620. fol. 555 CHAP. III. A Compendiū of the martyrs and confessors of Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth fol. 569 Lib. XII CHAP. I. Euery sect of heresies challinging vnto thēselues the trewe and Catholique church there is here set downe the true notes and markes by which the same may be discerned fol. 587 CHAP. II. That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euery one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many inconueniences and blasphemies which the new religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencies fol. 609 CHAP. III. The 2. excellency is the pure and hollie doctrine which it professeth fol. 610 CHAP. IV. The 3. Excellencie is most diuine Sacraments which confer grace fol. 613. CHAP. V. The 4. Excellencie is to fauor the good and to punish the wicked fol. 616. CHAP. VI. The 5. Excellencie is the conuersion of all nations vnto Christe and driuing Idolatrie out of the world ibid. CHAP. VII The 6. Excellencie of the catholique Religion is that the same is proued and auerred by so many good witnesses as sacred and learned doctors blessed saincts martyrs and generall counsells fol. 617. APPROBATIO Hic Liber cui Titulus The Theater of Catholicke and Protestant Religion nihil continet quod fidei vel moribus aduersatur quin potius multa quae tam ad fidem Catholicam stabiliendam quam ad haereses huius temporis impugnandas optimè inseruiunt Matthaeus Kellisonus S. Theol. Doct. WHETHER THE RELIGION WHlCH Protestants professe be a new Religion or whether the Romish Religion be new and that of the Protestant be ancient and ould CHAPTER I. 1. IF Protestants were of sound iudgment or nott distracted of their wittes they would neuer suppose much lesse auerre so manifest an vntruth as that the religion of the church of Rome is a new religion or defend an absurditie so egregious as Protestant religion to be the more auncient Wherfore this first assertion being so euident and knowen an vntruth such as doe follow are the lesse to be beleeued 2. It is well knowen that before these 80. or 100. yeares all Christendome did imbrace the catholike Roman religion so that it was terra vnius labii Gen. 11. Act. 4. as it is written in Genesis a countrie of one language and one speeche and as we reade of the christians in the Actes of the Apostles that first beleeued in Christ that they were of one hart and of one accord and as one God was honored and worshipped of all soe one faith was embraced of all they obserued one order of administration of the Sacraments they vsed and kepte one obseruation of ceremonies all were called Christians
which blessed name none disdayned none were called Gospellers Lutherans Caluinists Zuinglians Protestantes or Puritans Anabaptistes Trinitarians or any other sect with innumerable others which the Protestant religion hath sett abroach and inuented men were simple and honest in their dealinges faithfull of their promisses charitable in their workes zealous in their beleefe obediente vnto their Prelates and Pastors This is soe euident a trueth as that all bookes recordes generall and prouinciall councells all parleamentes of kingdomes all vnctions and inuestinge of Emperours and Kinges all consecration of Bishoppes all holy orders of Priestes all churches monasteries and chappels in the worlde all the gates of townes and cyttyes all monuments and recordes both spirituall and temporall all vniuersities and doctours of Christendome both comon and ciuill lawes of all countries yea Protestantes themselues doe plainly witnesse 3. But that Protestant religion is new is a thing most certeine for there are men yet liuinge at this day more auncient then it and can remember when it first came into England and Irelande Wee can shewe you the first inuentours and authors therof The place the time and the occasion by which it crepte in and infected these miserable nor then countries Who haue opposed themselues against it What garboyles callamities came into those countryes that nourished the same What rebellion and insurrectiō of subiects against their princes for defending the same What were the motiues of such as inuented yt and occasions of others that imbraced it The successe of the one and the other and by whome and how the same was condemned I pray you what can be more euident signes and tokens of noueltie for noueltie in all common wealthes but especially in matters of religion as S. Nazianzenus saith is to be auoided yea the Emperour of the Turckes did aduise the Queene of Transiluania to beware of the noueltie of hereticall sectes and that shee should neuer suffer the same to creepe into her countrie It is well knowen also that the name of protestāt religion was neuer heard of before the yeare of our Lord 1529. in the towne of Spira in Germany where the Lutheranes beinge as it were combined against the Emperour Charles the 5. did vse a kinde of protestation wherupon afterwardes they were called Protestantes 4. If thou say that it lay lurkinge and hidden in the worlde I aske where or in what place of the world in what kingdomes and townes or who were the defenders therof Truly no writer or historiographer did or could euer make mētion of any such nor euer before that time any mention was made of them nor was it euer heard that any hereticall secte was so closelie hidden in the worlde but it might be knowen at least when Luther himselfe taught the same they should then haue manifested themselues and yet we can finde none such for such as followed Luther they were before Catholickes Ex nobis prodierunt saith Saint Iohn sed non erant ex nobis Ioan. 2. They went foorth frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they had remayned with vs it is cleare therfore they were not good Christians who forsakinge the narrowe way of saluation runne headlonge into the broade way of perdition and licentious doctrine of newe sectaries Whereas the religion of Christ is a religion moste auncient sacred immutable impregnable inuiolable alwaies the selfe same holdinge and continuinge his vigor and force vnto the worldes ende it is the soule and life of the Church For euen as by the soule fleash is vnited vnto the liuinge man soe by religion mākinde is ioyned vnto the church of Christe beinge his spirituall kingdome and all that euer were saued either before Iustinus mart orat ad Anto. Aug. l 10 confess ca. 43. or after Christe oughte to be called Christians as Iustinus martyr and other holy Doctors doe say for that they embraced Christian religion and as saint Augustine saith Ipse vnigenitus Dei silius homo propter nos factus est c. The only begotten Sonne of God became man for vs that he should become the head of his whole Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile Matt. 16. vnto whome Christe promised to remaine withall vnto the consumation of the worlde Matt. vlt. So that the religion by which this church is vpheld and Christe professed did and shall allwaies continue 5. It is well knowen that the name of hugonots began in France an 1562. as themselues of their assēblies made in the nighte at a gate in Tours in France called Hugon confesse to haue taken their denomination went out of the Catholique churche and did embrace the impiety of Caluine In Scotland they fell alsoe from the Catholique Church into Caluinisme anno Domini 1560. In Flanders the Geuses reuolted from the said church ouerwhelmed in the pit of soe manny heresies anno 1566. In England they chaunged religion anno 1535. and first fell vnto Lutheranisme afterwardes to Zuinglianisme afterwardes the bodye of the realme fell from Zuinglianisme to puritanisme the next degree vnto Anabaptisme and since what numbers are fallen to the familie of loue And what swarmes of Athistes are sprunge vpp in euerie shire as Whittguifte noteth against Cartwrith 6. Are not the first Authours of the protestancy also knowen as Luther Carolastadius Oecolampadius in Germanie Pharell in France Thomas Crammer in England Iohn knox and Paule Methen a baker in Scotland George Browne in Irlād In the Apologie of the church of England pag. 142 it is said that Luther and Zuinglius came first to the knowledge of the truth Luth. tom 7. f. 307. and preaching of the ghospell Luther said that God reuealed vnto him the knowledge of his Sōne that he at lenghte might euangelize it to others and that the Gospell was first preached by him D Kellyson reply to Surcliffe fol. 149. But we knowe that they cannot alleadge the author of our religion neither can they nominate vs from any particuler man nor can they chardge the Catholique church with any priuate opinion or faith that is not vniuersally allowed embraced of all Catholiques neither can they nominate the time that shee fayled of her faith Neither can they obiect that our church hath separated herselfe from the greater church or that such as did adhere to the Pope were in number lesse then any Church For it is written in S. Gregories Epistles to the Bishoppes of the Easte that Affrique Spaine France Italie and all the worlde did communicat with him This verie argument other Doctours did vse against other heretiques as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de praescrip Qui estis vos inquit c. What are yee saith he from whence and when came you where did you lie hidden all this while alsoe Optatus mileuita lib. 2. contra Parmenand Vestrae inquit Cathedrae originem ostendite c. Shew the beginninge of your Chaire you who challenge vnto your selues the churche
so other doctors doe speake to this effect 7. Caluine your cheefe prophet when he oppugneth our religioÌ„ he saith plainly Calu. l. 2. instit 2. parag 2. se toti â—ntiquitati repugnaturum That he opposeth himselfe against all antiquitie saith that he will admitt no auncient Father but S. Augustine And in another place he reprehendes S. Augustine himselfe for sainge that our willes doe cooperate with the grace of God For God made all thinges perfecte Lib. 2. c. 3. in coÌ„plete order but innouatioÌ„ came by the diuell Wee read in the ghospell that after the good seede was sowen by God Matt. 13. the diueâ—l did sowe darnell cockle euen so after the trewe christian religion was sowen by the Apostolicall and catholicke Pastors in euery place of the worlde the enemy of mankinde by Martyn Luther an Augustine Frier did sowe and teach the darnell of absurde daungerous and damnable heresies anno 1517. beinge the first author of the protestant religion So wee knowe the author of the Arrian heresie to be one Arrius a Priest of AlexaÌ„dria in Egypte anno 324. Of the Nestorian heresie to be Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople who taught his heresie in Thrasia anno 431. as the other also haue taughte the one in Egypte first the other in Saxonie afterwardes Wee knowe the author of the catholicke religion to be Christe from whence wee are called christians in all ages before Luther first inuented the name of Papistes for that wee obey and embrace Christs vicar generall our holy Father the Pope the successor of S. Peter vnto whom Christ committed the regimente of his church feedinge of our soules and the charge of his flocke Matt. 16. This christian religion was first preached in Iurie the 15. Ioan. vlt. yeare of Tyberius Cesar as alsoe wee knowe that the same was oppugned and gainsaid first by the Scribes and Pharises afterwardes by the Gentyles and with all penall statutes of forcible lawes made by the Romaine Emperours other potentates of the worlde which were practised and put in execution for the space of 300. yeares to supplant and deface the same This christian religion was vpholden and defended by all the Popes and confirmed by all the generall approued councells that euer were But the protestant religion was disproued and condemned for heresie by Leo the tenth and by the generall Councell of Trent and by all Catholick vniuersities of the worlde as the Arrian heresie was contradicted and condemned by Syluester then Pope and by the generall Councell of Nice by S. Athanasius and Hillarius and other holye Doctors as the Nestorian heresie alsoe was reiected by Pope Celestinus and the Councell of Ephesus S. Cyrill others So that though wee haue shewed your authors or ofspringe the time place when it began and where it began yet the like you cannot once nominate of vs since Christe and his Apostles who are the only authors of our beleefe and religion 6. You affirme that the protestant religion was since Christe and his Apostles in the world but it was hidden I answere that seeinge the Church and religion of Christe ought to be a cittie placed vppon a mountaine or hill to be seene of euerie one as in many places the holye scripture doth proue it ought not to be hidden but manifest to the whole worlde otherwyse it shoulde not be the religion of Christ Matt. 5. Isa 2. Psal 71. Daniel 2. soe that I must coÌ„clude with S. Hierom saying Breâ—em tibi apertamque animi mei sententiam proseram in illa Ecclesia esse permanendum quae ab Apostolis fundata vsque ad diem hunc durat Dial. lucifer in fine I must be plaine and declare my mynde sincerely that wee must abide in that Church which was founded by the Apostles and continewed vnto this verie daye If you shall heare such as be christians to be nominated rather of some other head then of Christe Marcianistes Valentinians Montanistes know then they oughte not to be called the church of Christe but the synagoge of Antechriste euen so such as are nominated Gospellers Caluinistes and Lutherans c. which are the founders of your religion and the inuentors of strange newe and deuised opinions contrarie to the vniuersall catholicke church and to the auncient Doctours thereof ar rather as S. Hierom saith members of that synagoge then of the church of Christe and as they were most peruerse obstinate in their doctrine soe they were most shameles and licentious in their liues and as the tree beareth in his braunches the corrupte humours that they drawe from the roote as the vertue of the cause is knowen by the effecte and the nature of the springe doth shewe it selfe in the brooke and as the springe beinge vncleane the brooke cannot be cleere and the roote beinge withered the braunches can beare noe fruite so Luther Caluine beinge your roote and of-springe and beinge vncleane filthie leacherous and altogether wedded to carnalitie and licentiousnes beinge rebellious apostates noe doubte of such as shall followe or embrace them no better fruite can be expected of them hence Zuinglius himselfe did coÌ„fesse Zuing. c. 2. Resp ad Luth. that as soone as he did embrace this ghospell of Luther he was attached with the raginge flames of fleshly concupiscence and sensualitie The occasion of Luthers fall and of other heâ—tikes from the Catholike Churche CHAPTER II. 1. WEE may applie S. Augustine his senteÌ„ce vnto this subiect Ang. serm de tempo 44. that there are two rootes plaÌ„ted in two fieldes by two tillers or husbadmen the one Christ doth plant in the hartes of the good the other the deuill planteth in the hartes of the wicked And as this is Couetousnes which is the roote of euill 1. Tim. 6. Ephes 3. soe tho other is charitie beinge the roote and of-springe of all goodnes accordinge to the saying of the Apostle that wee should be planted and rooted in charitie for as no euill can springe from charitie so no goodnes can come from couetousnes soe that you may perceaue from which of these rootes Luthers cause proceeded and which of these husbandmen did plante the same For not obtayninge the promulgating of certaine indulgences whereby he hoped to gett money first he rayled against them who denied him the same then he was infected with a desire of vaine-glory thirdly with a desire of reuenge for that he had a repulse from the Pope called Leo the tenth afterwardes pricked forward with a most filthie appetite of fleashlye concupiscence beinge a professed frier fifteene yeares he came out of his monasterie and tooke with him a professed Nunne wherby he might satisfye his filthie luste withall so that he committed such sinne sacriledge by breakinge and violatinge his vowes that all the world were scandalized therat And so far did he defend his riotousnes and beastlie debauchednesse therin as to teach that a woman was as necessarie
Flanders made a protestatation at Mons that his drifte was not to disturbe or vexe any priest or religious person or to offend the Catholicke Church in any thing but to deliuer Flanders from the slauerie of the Spaniardes This verie oathe he made before Mathias Arch-Ducke of Austria vnto whome he was made lieutenante generall but this lewed companion neuer kepte his worde as the histories of Flanders doe relate but became a most cruell persecutor of all ecclesiasticall and religious persons spoiled Churches violated and abused sacred virgins destroyed Alters troad vnderfoote the holy sacrament of the alter tooke away all the ornamentes which he prophaned robbed all Churches and Monasteries of their Challices and other sacred implements dedicated to the seruice of almightie God embrewed his filthie murtheringe handes with the inocent blood of most vertuous priestes and religious men not sparinge any order of personnes though neuer soe holy whervpon many of the nobility beinge offended thereat with many Citties as Mastrick Mōs Douay Arras others forsooke him and yealded themselues to the Prince of Parma 5. Of the like falshoode deceite and periurie was the bastard of Scotland called Iames detected base brother to the last Queene of Scottes by whome also he was made Regent of Scotland and aduanced by her meanes to the greatest dignitie and wealth that Scotlād could yealde Notwithstanding for all these kindnes and obligations aswell by nature as by such singuler promotions benefittes and desertes yea his vowe and promise soe often iterated and solemlye confirmed with wicked oathes yet beinge infected by Iohn Knocks an Apostate Friar and afterwards a minister instrument of Caluine to enkendle the flames of that most wicked and damnable Heresie in that Countrie the Author and instrument of all the rebellion of Scotland he conspired againste that sacred soueraigne murthered her husbande and appeached her with the ymputation of that murther who beinge most innocent thereof plotted and stirred vp such stronge rebellions by her subiectes himselfe beinge the cheefe Captaine of this combustiō as she was taken and cast into a most filthie prison where her death was threatned vnles shee would resigne the gouernment of her kingdome vnto that ouglie monster And beinge deliuered out of that prison shee was faine to flye into England where by the procuremente of that bastard shee was cast into prison which shee suffred the space of xx yeares and at lenghte beinge Queene of France and Scotland notwithstanding was putt to death Hollens in hist scholast pag. 500. 6. This bastard and the rest of his Caluinian Confederates sought nothinge at the beginninge as they pretended but libertie of their conscience which beinge graunted they protested and swoare all dutifull allegance to the Queene and state Lib. 16. pag. 590. But after they obtained what they soughte for they tooke perforce the whole ciuil gouernment into their owne handes and by their faction and combination sodainlie grewe soe stronge and insolente that they denied the same libertie of conscience vnto her her husband And as Buchanan in his Scotish historie sayeth when vpon all sainctes day the Queene would in her Chapple haue had Masse after a solemne manner the ministers of the Ghospell saith this auctor encensed the nobility against her that by force and violence they should compell her to leaue off so that she was enforced to obey a crewe of Caluinian ministers which could doe more in Scotland at that time by their newe heresies neuer in any requeste in that Countrie before then their aunciente and Catholicke religion by which they were conuerted from gentyles to be Christians which they professed soe many hundreth yeares before or the dutie of subiectes to their Prince or the power of the Prince her selfe or any feare of God or respect of his lawes diuine naturall or any humaine honestie or Ciuill modestie Where yow may perceaue what libertie this wicked and licentious heresie giues how turbulente it is what garboyles it bringeth with it vnto which dissolute and wanton youthes are most enclined wherof a number of that Countrie being in France to trye their wittes or to raise their fortunes they brought with them from Caluine this poysoned doctrine that infected all that Countrie 7. Not vnlike vnto this hypocriticall pretence of Conscience Caluine Beza and his ministers vsed to gett footinge in France although not with the like successe After they had most solemly protested that they intended nothing but onlie libertie of their conscience And soe in the assembly of Poyse they did sweare obedience to Charles the nynth and his successors and vttered these wordes Wee sweare before God and your maiestie who are our soueraigne that if any of vs hereafter shall misbehaue himselfe in kindlinge any sturr in France that wee will ourselues persecute him with fire and sworde This protestation was made by Beza which not withstanding was the only author and fire-brand of all the miserie and calamities of France as Iohn Knockes and Buchanan in Scotland by whose plottes and pollices all France was in an vprore al the nobilitie deuided by faxions the ciuill gouernment and politicall lawes of the kingdom vtterly despised the ecclesiasticall lawes and Censures of the Church quite reiected all sacred thinges prophaned Churches and monasteries burned sacred Virgins defloured many preistes and religious persons with most vnusuall torments murthered and massacred the nobilitie destroied their howses ransaked by whose cruell handes most of the blood Royall of France was extinguished as the kinge of Nauare at the siege of Roane the Duke Monepenser Rosorgomus The Prince Dellphine The Duke Memorose the Duke of Longauile The Dukes Niuer the father the sonne and the sonne in lawe the Constable of France And manny Marshalls thereof Saincta Derane Mount Moransius Mattugon Dauillan Brisarus Touanus Byron Francis Duke of Ioys besides manny thowsandes in the battells of Drintts Saint Dennys Iernan and Mount Counter and at many other townes as Roane Rochell Saincte Angell soe as in one yeare more then a hundred thousande Frenchmen were slaine Beza in praefat noui testa menti ad Reginam Angliae An. 1564. yea Beza who made the said speach before the kinge said that such as were killed in these Battells beinge rebells were blessed Martyres because saith he they were the first that shedd their blood for the restoringe of the ghospell in France And yet he with his fellow ministers gaue a solemne oath as before is recited to be true to the King Crowne and Countrie How many thousand were also killed at other tymes in France in other Ciuill warres soe often renewed by these fellowes 8. Luther alsoe saith Luther tomo in ser f. 270 An. 1553. that in seauen weekes betwixt Easter and Whittsontyde were killed of the Peasants of Germanye more then one hundred thousand besides many millions of people in other warres of that Countrie especially when Albert the Marques of Bramdeburge did destroy with fire and sworde all thinges that
seruice by a bargaine to receaue denarium diurnum the daylie hire which is life euerlasting accordinge the exposition of the Doctors vpon S. Mathewe Matt. 20. therfore almightie God ought to giue vnto iust people accordinge to his promise and accordinge to their desertes which deserts are called Merita de condigno condigne meritts as S. Paule saith 2. Timoth. I haue fought a good fight c. there is layde vp for me a crowne of iustice c. Glorie is called a crowne of iustice because it is giuen as the debt of iustice and because it is giuen by the iust iudge in the daie of iuste iudgment And in another place God is not iniust that he should forget your workes â—ep 6. Psal 17. Apoc. 3. Thes 1. Luc. 10. Luc c. 10. Sap. 3. God will retribute vnto me accordinge to my iustice They did walke with me in white because they were worthie That you may be made worthie of the kingdome of God for the which you suffer The workman is worthie of his wages They shal be worthie of that world and the resurrection from the dead And in another place God did assay them and found them worthie of himselfe For life euerlastinge is giuen to iust persons as the reward of theire workes accordinge to the 20. ghospell of S. Mathewe where denarius diurnus is the daylie pennie or wages that is giuen vnto euerie one for his worke but it is certaine that those labourers did deserue by iustice the daylie pennye as it is manifest that the husband man said in that gospel to one of the laborers frind I doe you noe wronge did not you bargaine with me for a penny take your owne and depart in peace that is to say so much must I giue you as I promised and bargained and vnto that and to nothinge else you haue right and if I should denie you that I should doe you great wronge Aug. li. de nat grat ca. 2. lib 4. aduers â—ul cap. 3. 6. S. Augustine saith Non est iniustus Deus God is not iniust that he should deceaue the iust of the reward of iustice In another place he saith God should be vniuste if he should not admitte iust people into his kingdome And S. Bernard saith Bern. de grat lib. arb Promissum quidem ex misericordia that which was promised by his mercie must be perfourmed by his iustice Vnto this agreeth S. Basil sayinge Basil in oratione super prouerbia Salomonis All wee that frame our life accordinge to Christs ghospel wee are as marchants by the woorks of the comandements we purchase vnto our selues celestiall possessions Therfore it is lawfull to labour for to purchase the kingdome of heauen as the prophett saith Psal 18. Inclinaui cor meum c. I enclined my hart to keepe these comaundements for retribution or recompence It is lawfull also to repose hope and confidence in our proper meritts secundarilie although principallie and cheeflie wee must repose our hope in God as in the cheefest cause who gaue vs grace and vertue to worke well as S. Thomas saith D. Tho. 2. 2 q. 17. Ad Gal. 6. For if our workes done by godes grace had not bene meritorious why should the Apostle saie in doinge good lett vs not faile for in due tyme wee shall reape not faylinge And therfore saith he whiles wee haue tyme lett vs worke good to all but speciall to the houshould of faith these be the workeâ— that are done of a man that is in godes fauour Qui seminat in Spiritu c. he that soweth in the spiritt he shall reape life euerlastinge I beseech you brethren Coloss c. 1. Rom. 10. saith he that you will walke worthilie pleasing God fructifyinge in all good workes For these blessed workes done of the good doe not only redounde to the saluation of man but also to the glorie of God as it is said in the ghospell Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus vt videntes opera bona vestra glorificent c. Let your light soe shine before men that seing your good worckes they may glorifie your father which is in heauen So heretiques condemning the woorks of good men take away godes glorie the good example that wee are bound to giue vnto our neighbors and Gods promise to giue life euerlastinge for them and consequentlie take awaie mans endeuour and labour in the exercise of them which is against S. Peter sayinge Petr. 1. Fratres magis satague vt per bona opera c. Wherfore brethren endeuor the more that by good woorks you make sure your vocation and election And finally take away all christian religion which is nothinge else then precepts admonitions and councells to imploie our life and our lymmes in the exercise of them Luc. 16. Vnto the riche people Christ biddeth them to make vnto themselues freindes of the Mammon of iniquity that when they faile they may receaue them into the eternall tabernacles Vnto all sortes of christians he proclaimeth and diuulgeth Matt. 5. that vnlesse their iustice abound more then that of the Scribes and Pharisies they shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen 7. Wherfore the puritie and sanctitie of life in the professors of this christian catholique religion which not onlie with subtile arguments and craftie deuises rather suggested by the diuil then inuented by man heretiques impugne but also with al the straungest lawes the seuerest policies and the cruellest persecutions that euer were or could be inuented or imagined or apprehended by any creature they goe about to ouerthrowe and confound the reformation of their manners the mortification of their passions their angellicall conuersation in in their behauiour their blessed and heroicall resolutions in suffringe all exquisite torments in the defence testimonie and confirmation thereof their morall life adorned and replenished with all morall and supernaturall vertues their eminent learninge and science tempered with all humilitie of spiritt voide of pride or ambition their admirable and incomparable workes of charitie pietie and deuotion which is the life and fruictes of true and vnblemished religion haue bene motiues vnto the gentiles pagans yea and to the stiff-necked Iewes themselues to abandon their idolatrie and to imbrace this christian religion 8. That these blessed endeuours and works of charitie are the badge and distinctiue token of the true religion of christian Catholiques by which their conuersation should be acceptable vnto God gratefull vnto their neighbors admirable to pagans terrible to the diuills and offensiue hurtfull or scandalous to none S. Paule auoucheth the same Ephes 4. I prisoner saith he in our Lord beseech you that you walke worthie of the vocation in which you are called with all humilitie and midlnesse with patience supportinge one another in charitie carefull to keepe the vnitie of the spiritt in the bonde of peace And in the same chapter he saith I testifie in our Lord that nowe you
walke not as the Gentiles walke â—n the vanitie of their sinne 1. Pet. 4.3 Rom. 1.21 hauinge their vnderstandinge obscured with darcknes alienated from the life of God by the ignorance that is in them who dispayringe haue giuen vpp themselues to impudicitie vnto the operation of all vncleannesse vnto auarice but you haue not soe learned Christ Lay you awaie accordinge to the old conuersation the old man which is corrupted accordinge to the desires of errour For before the catholique christian religion came into the world it was nothinge else then a dungeon full of all filth a denne of theeues and most wicked liuers a fayre or markett where there was nothing to be bought but all kind of crafte deceite diuilish inuentions a schoole where there was nothinge else to be learned but to lett loose the raynes to all voluptuous pleasures beastlie appetites and inhumane concupiscence of vnspeakeable and shamles impudicitie of beastiality and Sodomiticall riotousnes not only of the gentiles but also of the Iewes themselues Isa 35. who had the knowledge of God Therfore Isayas the prophett did compare the people of those ages with dragons serpents woolues lyons beares and Basilisks and for that cause he called the world at that tyme the land of wast dried sterrill without tyllage which was nothinge else then the denn of wilde beasts the caue of serpents the brothell howle and stewes of all filthie liuers but the christian religion and preachinge of Christs gospell not only by miracles but by the sanctitie and holines of the liues of the prechars did conuerte wolues into sheepe lyons into lambes serpents into doues and wilde fruitles trees into most florishinge braunches bearinge euerlastinge fruicte as the said prophett said that there should be a tyme that the desert should be translated into a pleasant orchard and the drie withered soyle voyde of trees or hearbes into a place of pleasure which doe signifie by this comparison the pulchritude and the beautie of the sanctitie of such as should florish in the world by the christian catholique religion and the true preachinge of his religious ghospell and soe the sonne of God did appeare that he should dissolue the the works of the diuill Iob. 1. Ioh. 3. which he hath done by his owne passion and death as also by the preachinge and vertuous life of his seruaunts 9. If any man will knowe further of this matter lett him reade ecclesiasticall historis which doe treate of the same relating the liues of the holie Sainctes and fathers which liued in the wildernes and the Chronicles of the holy orders of religion where he shall haue aboundante stoare of holy Bishoppes Confessors and Virgins which haue crucified their flesh with the vice and concupiscence thereof innumerable store of blessed Moncks whereof some liued in their conuents some other segregated and estranged from humanie societie where they liued rather like angells then like men whosoeuer I say shall reade ouer the liues of these people written by the best wyttnesses that euer were he shal there behold howe they haue spent whole nightes in deuoute prayers aswell vocall as mentall without sleepe hauinge noe other bedd then the earthe He shall see that the Cells of these fathers were soe narrowe that they should seeme rather sepulchers then Cells In vita S. Paul Eremitae He shall vnderstand that many of them had noe other meate then bread and salt with water and with Rootes of hearbes that as Saint Hierom writes to tast of any thinge boiled vpon the fire was counted riotuousnes he shall perceaue such pouertie in their attire that it cannot be more such was their recollection and retired life wherein they were estranged from all inordinat affection and passion in which they vsed such wonderfull mortification as they would not suffer their neerest in blood to approach vnto theÌ„ What should I declare their constant abidinge and perseuerance in continuall prayers without wearines their spiritual exercise without loathsomnes their discomfortable sollitarines without gruding hauinge noe other company then that of wilde beasts vglie serpents and fierce lyons which with a confident hope fixed in God they tamed and ouercame This life was so admirable and soe supernaturall as they without supernaturall helpe and grace of God could not endure it What should I speake of their constant sufferinge of all kinde of exquisitt and cruell torments how many battells they fought howe gloriouslie they haue triumphed ouer the world and the diuill and all their wicked instruments and ministers 10. When our Sauiour gaue vs a caueat of false prophetts Matt. 7. he gaue vs noe other token to discerne them then by their fruicts and woorks Doe men saith he gather grapes of thornes or figgs of thistles euen so euerie good tree yeldeth good fruicts and the euill tree yeldeth euill fruicte Are not you those false prophetts whose religion is most false in asmuch as noe good fruicte came euer into the world by it noe reformation of our manners noe amendment of our liues noe mortification of our passions noe restraint of our filthie appetites noe motiue or impulsiue meaÌ„es that should stirr vs vpp vnto any deuotion but rather giuinge vs all libertie to dissolution and to all wanton exercise Haue you not taken awaie all the Euangelicall Councells of our Sauiour in his ghospell Haue you not forbidden all vowes and votaries all Sacraments and sacrifice Haue you not quite abolished confession of our sinnes inward contrition in our harte and externall satisfaction and restitution outwardlie charitie from our harte and mercie from our workes pietie from our soules and humilitie from our spiritt and consequentlie all consolatioÌ„ from our aflicted consciences with the damnable libertie of your wanton and lasciuious ghospell as is auouched by the cheefest professors thereof For after this manner doth Smidline speake Vt totus mundus cognoscat eos non esse papistas nec bonis operibus quidquam fidere c. That all the world may knowe that they be not papists neither that they care for good works they exercise none at all And hauinge reckened infinite wickednesse of them this kinde of life they say the ghospell hath taught theÌ„ thus he Erasmus in his epistle ad Neocomum saith Profer mihi c. Episto Eras ad NeocomuÌ„ 1529. Tell me I pray thee what man was euer made any thinge the bettter by that ghospell was there any epicure or gurmandizer made sober or temperate or any vnchast or shamlesse fellowe become chast or honest or cruell made gentle or extortioner persuaded to become liberall or the cursed to become blessed but I car shewe you many made worse then themselues 11. Luther the roote of all these Rugamuffines hath these wordes Luth. in postilla sâ—per 1. Dominic aduentus mundus indies fit deterior c. The world saith he is euerie daye worse and worse now men are more greedie of reuenge more couetous more remote from all mercie more immodest
more indisciplinable then they were in poperie These be Luthers owne wordes As touching their learninge or knowledge in diuinitie Stanc lib. de trinitate mediatore Francis Stancarus witnesseth one of their prophetts one Petrus Lombardus is more worthie then one hundreth Luthers two hundred Melancthons three hundred Bullingers foure hundreth Martyrs fiue hundreth Caluines Who all if they were pounded in one morter there could not be beaten out of them one ounce of true diuinitie especiallie in the articles of the trinitie incarnation mediator and sacraments 12. You see what testimonie your owne prophett doth beare against you looke to all those countries where they haue stirred vpp their tragedies was there any countrie the better for this ghospell or was the wicked life of any one reformed by it or were the professors themselues amended any thinge in their wicked liues by it Compare the wicked life of the professors of this newe religion with the vertuous life of the holie fathers that haue planted the religion that wee professe No kingdome gained vnto thirst by the woord Haue they not shined in all holines of life in all heauenly conuersation by which they haue allured the hearts of faithles and stiffnecked gentiles did they conuerte any kingdome vnto Christe by the sword haue they euer surprised citties or ouerthrowen kingdomes or euer brought with them armies into the fielde no not by the sword but by godes word and humilitie of spiritte haue they ouercome the deuill Was not Luther a professed Fryar many yeares who beinge giuen to loosenes of life did transgresse the lawe of God in breakinge his vowe by which he consecrated himselfe to serue God in holines of life and continencie of body all the dayes of his life whoe rann awaie and tooke a Nunne with him out of her Cloister Was not Iohn Caluine the fire braÌ„d of France and Scotland and other countries alsoe he being a priest for Sodomitticall wickednesse burned in the backe and continewinge his wicked life stil in that filthie sinne surprised Geneua Was not Beza his next successor giuen to that wicked and abhominable sinne with a boy called Andebertus and that manifestlie And to defend their wicked lines and filthie sensualitie they cast forth poisoned doctrine as that vowes and votaries are not made by the lawe of God that wee are not iustified by works done by Gods grace and that the same be not meritorious before God but that wee are iustified by faith only that all our woorkes though neuer soe good are sinfull before God that to bridle or restraine our filthie desires is to resist Gods ordinaunces that God is the cause of all euill and that from him all mischeefe comes Therfore they take away free will from man saying that man doth not concurre to his owne iustification with many such damntble heresies which were to long to relate and whether these be false prophetts who bringe into the world such poisoned doctrine lett euerie man iudge at least lett him take heede that his soule be not poisoned therwith in followinge their liues or imbracinge their cursed heresies out of which as our Sauiour wittnesseth noe good fruicte can bud forthe and consequentlie noe meritorious works of religion or charitie can wee euer expect at their handes The absurditie of this doctrin that euery one should assure him selfe that he is predestinated vnto life euerlastinge and that wee ought to be soe certayne therof as wee should not once feare the contrarie or to misdoubt the same is discussed CHAPTER V. 1. THis doctrine is most false wicked and hereticall sith the holie scriptures saie Cogitationes mortalium timidae incertae prouidentiae nostrae Sap. 9. The thoughtes of men are fearfull and their prouidence is vncertaine by reason that the bodie which is corrupted doth aggrauate the soule beinge in great danger by reason of the inclinations of the flesh occasions of the world and tentations of the deuill and wee being in the countrie of our enemies wherevpon S. Bernard saith faciles sumus ad seducendum debiles ad operandum sragiles ad resistendum wee are easilie to be seduced weake to worke and labour well and fraile to resist manfullie and couragiouslie And soe our Sauiour said to the Apostle Luc. 10. Neminem per viam salutaueritis You shall salute none by the waie as S. Vincentius expoundeth Ser. 11. post trinit Saluum dixeritis viatorem to him that is a poore pilgrimeâ— or stranger you cannot assure his saftie without danger nor securitie without feare for the shipp is not safe without feare in dangerous seas otherwise wee should not be admonished Lauda post mortem magnifica post consumationem prayse none before his deathe nor magnifie any before his end The scripture confirminge the same Eccle. 9. Nemo scit vtrum â—dio vel amore dignus sit sed omnia in futurum seruantur incerta None knoweth whether he be worthie of hatred or loue when all thinges are reserued in tyme to come And therfore the Apostle which was one of the greatest Saintes that was saith Nihil mihi conscius sum 1. Cor. 4. sed tamenin hoc non iustificatus sum I am not guiltie in conscience of any thinge but I am not iustified herein The Apostle durst not assure himselfe that he was iustified neither would he iudge whether this thoughtes were pure or noe but the trial thereof he left to Gods iudgment And for this cause wee are wild to worke our saluation with feare and tremblinge 2. As for predestination which is almightie God his election foresight purpose and decree of his deare children as alsoe his other actes touchinge their vocation inspiration illustration and illumination of them and consequentlie their iustification and last of all their glorification wee doe not denie but it ought to be reuerenced and embraced of all men with tremblinge feare dreadfull humilitie but that wee should not cast our selues with headlonge fall into any precipitat madnes and presumptuous malipartnes for this hath bene the gulfe wherein manie proude persons aswell at this tyme as before haue by godes iust iudgment perished groundinge thereon most execrable heresies and damnable blasphemies against godes mercie good life free will humble behauiour and religious christian modestie Rom. 8. S. Paule hath these wordes of predestination whome he hath forknowen he hath also predestinated to be made conformable to the Image of his sonne that he might be the first borne in many brethren and whome he hath predestinated them also he hath called and whome he hath called them also he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified them alsoe he hath glorified S. Augustine answereth those that are curious of Gods fore-knowledge and decree who saith Si quaeras c. If any man will aske wherfore God doth make choise more of this man then of that man lett him search godes inscrutable and vnsearcheable iudgment and in that search lett him take
scriptures to our auncestors to aske knowledge of them Interroga patres tuos Deut. 32. Eccles 8. dicent tibi c. aske thy Fathers and they shall declare vnto thee and thy auncestors Eccles 8. and they will tell thee Non te praetereat narratio seniorum ipsi enim c. Omitt not to heare thine elders for they haue learned of their parents that of them you may learne vnderstandinge Prou. 2â— Non transgrediaris terminos antiquos quos posuerunt parentes Doe not you transgresse the old limittes which your pareÌ„ts haue prescribed Are not the Rechabites praised for followinge the tradition and preceptes of Ionadab Haec dicit Deus exercituuÌ„ Hier. 35.18 pro eo quod obedistis praecepto Ionadab patris vestri c. Thus saith the Lord of hoastes because that you haue obeyed the precepte of Ionadab your father and haue kepte all his commaundements therfore the Lord of hoastes the God of Israell saith there shall not faile one of the stirpe of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab that shall stande in my presence 7. In the dolfull and damnable debate and discorde that Martyne Luther Caluine and others haue raised vp by which they plunged themselues and the worlde into such an intricat laberinth of errors and heresies where shall the poore silly sheepe haue resolution of their doubts but of their parentes and pastors which God hath placed in his churche to gouerne and directe his flocke from all errors shall not the children beleeue their fathers and the sheepe their pastors Wee must not only flie vnto the scriptures as S. Vincentius Lyrinensis saith Vincent 9 â—eres c. 1. but vnto traditioÌ„ of the catholique church notwithstandinge saith he in that place that the scriptures are of themselues sufficient yet saith he because all men doe not conceaue the loftines of the scripture a like but accordinge to euery mans phantasticall censure and humorous passion as soe many heades soe many mindes for men as they be deuided in sects or factions soe they deuide the sense of the scriptures Nouatianus Photinus Sabellius Donatus Arrius Eunomius Macedonius Apollinaris Priscilianus Iouianus and Pellagius haue eche of them grounded their proper heresies vpon the scripture Nan videas eos volare per singula quaeque sanctae legis volumina sacrae scripturae You may see them flie ouer all the bookes of the holie lawe both in publique and priuate in their sermons in their bookes in their banquettes in tauernes in the streate nothinge did they euer produce which was not shadowed by the scriptures for they knewe verie well that their errors coulde neuer be pleasing vnto the people without the scriptures with which as with sweete water they sprinckle the same euen as soure drincke is teÌ„pered with sweet honny so as when children drincke therof hauinge once felte the sweetnes they haue noe loathsomnes of it though neuer soe bitter But the more scripture they bring the more wee ought to feare them saith S. Vincentius and to shunne them Magnopere curandum est in ipsa Ecclesia Catholica vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est For in the catholique church wee must alwayes beware that wee keepe that which is beleeued alwayes euerie where and of euerie body haec est verè propriè Catholica which is properlie and trulie catholique And in the 9. chapter he saith Quo quisque religiosior est eò promptius nouellis adinuentionibus contrariatur the more vertuous that a man is the more prompte ready he opposeth himselfe against newe inuentions and soe he saith our maister S. Stephen in his epistles to the Bishoppes of Affricke touching rebaptisinge of infants that were baptized by heretiques nihil innouandum est nisi quod traditum est Apud Cypri li. 2. cap. 7. the good and religious man would haue vs children to inuente noe religion but what wee haue receaued of our fathers and whose steppes he would haue vs to followe in all thinges 8. This said author expoundinge 1. Timoth. depositum custodi keepe in depositum what I haue left in your custodie the religion and the obseruation thereof that I deliuered vnto you shunninge prophane noueltie of voices he doth not saye shunn antiquitie or ancientie or continuance but noueltie and innouation of thinges nam si vitanda est nouitas tenenda est antiquitas c. For if wee oughte to auoide noueltie wee shoulde imbrace antiquitie if noueltie be a prophane thinge antiquitie is a sacred thinge keepe the depositum saith he which is giuen vnto thee and to the whole church to be kepte from theeues and enemies least they should sowe cockell or darnell amouÌ„gest the cleane wheate The depositum which you haue receaued not which you haue inuented The deposituÌ„ which is not coyned by thy witt but deliuered by my doctrine Not any mans priuate vsurpation but the common and vniuersall tradition in which you are not the author but the keeper not the instituâ—or but the follower not the mayster but the disciple The depositum saith he Catholicae fidei talentum keepe the talent of the catholique religion vnspotted Exod. 36. inuiolable and vndefiled by you saith he the rosarie of the spirituall tabernacle Pretiosas diuini dogmatis geÌ„mas exculpe fideliter comptè VinceÌ„tius cap. 27. adoâ—â—a sapienter adijce splendorem gratiam venustatem do you garnish turne faithfully and adorne with the pretious Iewell of the diuine decree doe you add therunto splendor grace and beautie 6. All this I haue alleadged out of Vincentius Lyrinensis word by word for his whole booke against heresies hath noe other obiecte but the tradition of our auncestors by which he confuteth and conuinceth the prophane noueltie of heretiques and their arrogant insolent ostentation of scriptures vpon which they grounde all their hereticall cauillation which as all our forfathers before vs soe wee after them doe finde by experience that the interpretation and meaninge thereof as they doe produce them is of greater difficultie then the controuersie it selfe the fathers did vrge them with a shorter way by askinge Hil. 2. ad Const Aug. lib. â— de trinitate cap. 3. quid prius posterius what is first and laste for that heresie is grounded in noueltie and euer cometh after the Catholique trueth first planted And for that euerie heresie pretendeth his heresie to be auncient and from the Apostles the fathers doe alleadge that this trueth muste not onlye be eldeste but also must haue continewed from tyme to tyme at the leaste with the greatest parte of Christians Tertul. li. aduers prax c. 20 And therfore Tertulian saith lib. De praescriptione quod apud multos vnum inuenitur non est erratum sed traditum that wherin moste men doe agree vppon it is not an erronious opinion but a common tradition For the Church of God is a most liuely ghospell for with the Apostles there was the Church of
prayers soe shee ordained certaine dayes and certaine tymes of fastinge not without significant misteries correspondent to euerie time 4. Also she hath made a prohibition of certaine meates to tame the wantones and exorbitāt luste of our fleashly inclinations disposinge and impellinge the spiritt to yeld vnto her consent aswell by the suggestion of Sathan as her owne delectation and so to make our poore soule which otherwise ought to be the harbenger to intertaine the inspiration of the holy ghost to receaue the suggestion of the diuil her filthy delectation she I say hath prohibited certaine meates therby to deliuer the spiritt from the stinge of the filthie motions of concupiscence and sensualitie and to humble the same vnto the lawe of God and rule of reason Aug. cont Faust Manich. Psal 34. S. Augustine saith the church doth with great reason abstaine from certaine meates certaine tymes as Dauid cum mihi molesti essent c. when those carnall motions did vexe me I did weare haire cloathe and did humble my soule with fastinge S. Paule when he was attatched with these carnall motions he praied vnto God three tymes 2. Cor. 6. Gal. 5. he chastised his bodie and yet he was the elected vessell of God And in another place he said let vs exhibit ourselues as the ministers of God in watchinges fastinges and chasticements for such saith he as are the members of Christ they crucifie the flesh with the vices and concupiscence thereof Matt. 9. Luc 5. Act. 13. our Sauiour also said that notwithstanding the Apostles should be replenished with the holie ghoaste yet they should fast He said also that certaine diuills are so terrible to offend Matt. 7. and soe dreadfull to tempte vs that they cannot be ouercome but by fastinge and praier and therfore the Angell said vnto Tobias Daniel 9 that praier with fastinge is good and Daniell by fastinge did prophesie soe many things to come of the militant churche 5. He is a bad patiēt that doth not abstaine from certaine meates certaine times accordinge to the rule and prescripte order of his corporall phisition concerninge his bodilie disease and is not he a bad christian that doth not obey the comaundemēt of the church his ghostlie phisition touchinge the spirituall sicknesse of the soule and yet such is the protestant who is soe fleashlie giuen that he would not abstaine his carnall appetites from fleash vpon good friday A certaine Irishman beinge sent ouer by the Lord deputie of Ireland to a great noble man in England with grehounds the said noble man hauinge asked of him what meate those grehounds were wont to eate and the man hauing told him certaine distinctions of meate the noble man said that by that obseruarion of diett they were papists doggs the Irishman said they were as good protestants doggs as any were in all Ingland for said he they will not refraine from any flesh vppon good fridaie Amb. lib. de Helici iciun Cyp. de iciun tentat Hier. li. 1. Wherein these heretiques imitate Aerius who would not haue the christians to obserue any time of fastinge as S. Epiphanus said and therfore by him and others condemned for an heretique as also Iouinian for that occasion was condemned for an heretique by S. Hierome 6. But wee ought not to transgresse the the bondes and decrees of our auncestors and elders therfore wee ought not to followe Luther who said he would not faste because as he said the Pope biddeth the same But it is the discipline and custome of the vniuersall church to fast the lent Hieron Epip de consecrat dub 5. Can. 68.19 Mogunt cap. 35. Tollet 8. cap. 9. the aduents the eues of the Apostles and fridaies and Saterdaies and this from the begining So the Canons of the Apostles doe teach and holie councells as Gangrense Mogunt and the councell of Tollet which excommunicated all such as would despise the ecclesiasticall constitutions touchinge fasting or that without ineuitable necessitie should eate flesh in lent time the prophett confirminge the same Ioel. 2. solemnize and institute a faste wherin the christians ought to obey beleue the church according to the saying of S. Athanasius who hath thies wordes If anny will come and say vnto yow S. Athan. lib ad Virgines post initiū doe not fast often least yow should be more feble and weake doe not beleeue them nor harcken vnto them for the enemie of mankinde doth make an instrument of them to whisper and suggest thies thinges remēber that which is written when the 3. children Daniell and other were brought in captiuity by Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon it was comaunded that they should eate of the meate that was prepared for the kinges bord and that they should drincke of his wyne Daniell and the other 3. boies would not be polluted or defiled with the kinges table but they said vnto the euenuche who had charge of them giue vnto vs of the rootes of the earth vnto whome the euenuch said I feare the king which ordained and appointed meate for yow least that your countenāce should appeare and seeme more leane and pale then that of the other boies which are fedd at the kings boord and soe should punish me vnto whome they did saie trie your seruants tenn dayes and giue vnto vs of the rootes of the earth and he gaue vnto them pulse to eate and water to drinke and brought them before the kinge and they seemed more beautifull then the other boyes which were nourished by that kings royall meate Doe yow see what fastinge doth it heales diseases and drieth distillations of the bodie it chaseth awaie diuills expelleth wicked thoughts makes the mind clearer it purifies the hart it sanctifies the bodie it bringes a man into the throne of God and least that yow should thincke that this is rashlie spoken you haue testimonies of this in the ghospell pronounced by our Sauiour when the disciples did aske how vncleane spiritts should be cast forth our Lord did answere this kind is not cast forth but by praiers and fasting therfore fasting is the food of Angells and whosoeuer vseth the same he is thought to be of an angelicall order thus farr S. Athanasius Whether the Protestant assertion be true which affirmeth that generall councells can erre CHAPTER I. 1. WHen anie controuersie either of state or the publike weale doth rise in any comōwelth the princes with all the state thereof assemble together and whatsoeuer is ennacted and decreede by them the rest of the subiectes must obserue and obey the same Soe in any controuersie of religion when the cheefe pastors and prelates of the church who haue more power and authoritie of God then all the princes of other common wealthes beinge assisted by his blessed spiritt whatsoeuer they haue decreede for the good of the churche and the weale publike of Christendome their subiectes if they be of Christe his flocke ought to submitt
manny godes Instit de monarchia Dei lib. 3. cap. 1. yet they affirme Iupiter to be the father of all the reste and saie that they did worshipp but one God and the reste of the godes as the ministers of one God as Iustinus martyr said and Plato saith Plato de repub dialogo 2. in fine Deus qui bonus est malorum causa nonest God which is good is not the cause of euills and in another place he saith God is not vniust but most iust But the new religion doth say in the chapter aboue recited that God is the cause of all mischeefe and wickednes by which wicked assertion they make him a deuill 2. All philosophers did referre all the inferior motions to a certaine supreame motiue by the consideration whereof they found a certaine supreame mouer and a certaine euerlastinge cause which is the center of begininge and principle of all thinges vnto whome all thinges are subordinated The Turcks saie that God is immutable mercifull pittifull one onlie who giues euerie man according to his worckes reward to the good and tormentes to the badde and soe they call God la Ila Mahomet resulaÌ„ God God aboue and Mahomet his prophet But the new religion doth say he giues noe reward to the good nor tormentes to the badd soe that he hath any iott of faith with him and the more wicked a man is Lutherus the neerer he is to Gods fauour The Turcks doe beleue that it is possible to keepe godes lawes but the newe religion doth say it is impossible and that heauen is giuen to those that haue any faith without anny respect to works or mans endeuour The Turcks also affirme that Christe ascended vnto heauen in his fleashe and sitteth in the presence of God The Turckes Alcoran saies that Iesus Christe was the sonne of the Virgin Marie was inspired by God that he was the worde the spiritte the wisdome and the minde of God the father and that he was the Messias and the Prince that was promised vnto the Iewes Thene l. 6. cap. 4. Alcoran Azoar 2.20 Azoar 31. Also they say that the spiritt of God did enter into Marie and that Iesus was begotten of her shee beinge a moste pure Virgine That God did indue her soule with greater grace and vertue then the soule of anny that was and that of all men and women shee was the best the purest and the godliest and that of all the children of Adam none was vnspotted and vndefiled by Sathan but Marie and her child Azoar 3.76 The new religion beleeues of her noe such matter and compares her with their owne mothers and some of them calle her a saffron bagg 3. Vnder the dominion of the Turcks the christians are permitted without anny restraint to exercise all the rites and exercises of christian religion not soe vnder princes of the new religion who are greater persecutors of the catholique christian religion then anny Turcks Iewes Gentiles or pagans that euer were In Constantinople there are many monasteries standing and replenished with religious people in Grecia and other of the Turcks Dominions are at this day many degrees orders and ecclesiasticall dignities of the church and christian pastors as Patriarches Metropilitans Archbishoppes Bishopps and Priests vnto all which it is lawfull to consecrate to say Masse and Mouncks Deacons and Subdeacons doe minister at the Alter There are all also other officers which they call Agnests which doe read vppon sondayes the epistles There are also Archimancritae that is to say the Fathers of Moncks These Patriarches are chosen by Metropolitans Archbishopps and Bishopps and are confirmed by the cheefe Bassa the kinges â—iccar the next vnto these are the Metropolitans the cheefest of them is the Metropolitan of Thessalonica which hath vnder him 10. Bishopps the Metropolitan of Athens hath vnder him 6. Bishopps In that cittie of Athens were seene in a publique profession together 250. priests there is a Metropolitan of Mitelin but he hath no Bishopps vnder him The Metropolitan of Chalcedon hath vnder him 60. priests There is a Metropolitan of Nyce but he hath noe Bishoppe The Metropolitan of Ephesus hath hnder him 50. churches The Metropolitan of Philipen hath 150. Antioch 40. Churches Smyrnensis 150. and Corinth with other Metropolitans 6. 4. All doe agree with the Catholique religion in euerie pointe exceptinge 3. or 4. errors of the Greeks This is knowen by the censure that Ieremie the Patriarche hath giuen of the protestant religion which was sent by him theÌ„ into Germanie who sought an vnion betwixt them and the Greeke church seeinge they forsooke the Latine church or rather God and the Latine haue forsaken them but the said Patriarche did abhor and refuse an vnion with them and said there was asmuch difference betwixt them as betwixt heauen and hell You may read more of this matter in Michell ab Iselt Anno 1580. Surius hist. ibid. Also the Patriarch of Philadelpha called Gabriell did write vnto Martinus Crusius a Lutheran of this matter requestinge him neuer to trouble him touchinge either vnion or confirmation of his doctrine 5. To coÌ„clud this matter if Turkes Iewes and Gentiles thincke more reuerently of God the Father D. Tho. 2.2 q. 10. art 6. Tit. 4. of Christ Iesus his sonne and of his blessed mother yea and do shew more fauor to christians then those of the new religion doe I must thincke and conceaue a better opinion of Turckes then of these new vpstarts for S. Thomas saith that heresie is a greater sinne theÌ„ paganisme and Iudaisme for althoughe infidels denye more articles of faith then heretiques yet because heretiques do persecute the church with greater malice then the other and the greater malice argueth the greater sinne therfore heretiques are the greater sinners For as saint Paule saith an hereticall man is damned by his owne proper iudgment therfore I leaue the conclusion to the consideration of the reader An answer vnto Protestants barkinge against the religious institutions of holy Orders saying that religious vocations were not instituted by our Sauiour CHAPTER I. 1. IF humane nature had continued in that blessed perfection of originall integrity in which it was created there would not be required that grace excepted which in the beginning was infused and superadded vnto it so many other graces and helpes preuenieÌ„t subsequent exciting her slacknes and brackwardnes and expelling her corrupt inclination and propension to sensuality to corruptible base and vile creatures Wherfore the creator and protector of man whose nature is goodnes whose proper worke is mercy as S. Leo saith doth neuer cease or desiste from giuinge of all helpes and meanes to repaire and redresse this humane imbecillitie by proposing and intimating all such sufficient motiues to worke our saluation withall conuincing our negligence and vnprouident carelesnes if wee will imbrace and put the same in due execution so as for curing and healing the contagious maladies and restles diseases
institution he also determined a tyme of triall which being expired euery one was bound to accomplish his vowe Of whom NaziazeÌ„ saith he was the first not only for his owne good but for the good and spirituall consolation of other that founded monasteries and reduced the old obseruation and ceremonies of the old monkes into a certaine forme and order more agreable to religion 3. S. Augustine writeth that he saw at Millan a monastery mainteined by S. Ambrose August 8. conf cap. 6 and saint Augustine himselfe as Possidonius declareth founded monasteries for men and weomen in Africke the same also writeth S. Antoninus Antonin 3. tit 24. c. 14. that before saint Augustine was annointed Bishop he erected a monastery in a wood neere Hippo which as well in his life tyme as also after his death was much increased by whose blessed propagation and budding ofspringe out of the conâ—erminat citties others retired themselues vnto that deuout and safe sanctuary but certaine yeares after saint Augustines death by the irruption of the Barbarians they were cast downe and dispersed some came to Italy some to other places which before liued in the wildernes as Ermits and were reduced afterwardes to liue in monasteries and conuentes in citties by Innocentius the 4. Pope of that name 1243. that by their religious examples their neighbours might be edified and instructed 4. S. Benedict who flying the world and liuing in the wildernes instituted his ordre in MouÌ„t Cassin anno 520. in ashort tyme made 12. monasteries and brought colonies into France by Maurus into Cicilia by Placidus into other places by others more of him is related by saint Gregory the great Greg. 2. dia. cap. 3. 36. FroÌ„ this religious order many other families sproÌ„ge the first was that of Cluny which about anno 923. tooke his name of OdoÌ„ Abot of Clunie who being a moste learned religious man reformed this order being through antiquity and other causes slackned was by him reduced to his former sanctity whose religiouse example was imbraced and followed by other Abotes in Italy Spaine Germany and England euery one casting and laying downe a certaine proiect for this reformation and vsing all possible meanes crauing herein the authority of the Popes which they obteined for the renuinge and obseruinge the said auncient discipline 5. Next him followed Romualdus who laboured and accomplished this reformation in the yeare of our Lord God 1000. whose family are called those of Camulduensis which florished in all examples of sanctity and perfection of life and so mooued all places of the world where they were to follow their blessed and rare institution 6. Next him succeded those of Valle Vmbrosia by one Gualbertus this man was so infestuous and offensiue to a certaine person for murthering his brother that he neuer omitted the pursute of him vntill he tooke him who neuertheles for that he prostrated himselfe at his feete and asked pardon and mercy of him for the passion of Christe whose feast at that very season was solemnized by the christians did remitt vnto him that trespas and did him no harme in so much that former malice and rancor was turned to loue and charity Whereupon the said Gualbertus went to the next church and praied before the Image of the crucifixe which bowed its head vnto him as if the said Image would imbrace him after which tyme he was so inflamed and enkindled with the loue of that religious and contemplatiue life that in that very place of the Vale of Vmbrosia he determined to put â—is religious purpose in due execution which afterwardes increased by many that followed him 7. And What family in the world more famous for the like sanctity then those of Cister which in the yeare of our Lord 1098 â—ad their beginninge and ofspringe in the tyme of Henry the 4. Emperor and Philip the first king of France by one Robert which was prefect of the abbie of MollissmeÌ„ who for that he saw the Monckes through great riches and other worldly allurementes degenerate from their first rule and institution departed witht wentie one of such as were more perfect then the rest into Burgundy where in a certaine desert called Cister he fixed his aboad and so sequestred â—e liued most religiously but the Monkes being mooued with pennaunce requested his returning againe vnto them promised vnto him to be reformed and reclaimed he therefore hauing placed in his rome one Stephen returned to his former monastery But Cisters was 15. yeres afterwardes confirmed in sanctity and increased with monasteries by saint Bernard who entred into the same with 30. fellowes and 3. of his brethren who increased in estimation credit both with God men wherupon in a shorte time was builded for him 160. monasteries and all this familie sprunge out of the institution of S. Benedict 8. About that time also being 16. yeares before the institution of saint Bernard begaÌ„ne the order of the CarthusiaÌ„s through the strange and dolefull example of a great doctor of Parris who being by the common opinion of all men counted a verie good and honest man yet after his death at his exequie and funerall in the open assemblie he said the first time that he was accused the second time he said he was iudged and laste of all that he was condemned at which dreadfull voice one Bruno an eminent and learned Doctor of Parris being present was so amazed and terrified that turning himselfe to some that were with him he said who can be saued vnles he doe forsake the whole world Wherfore he fled presently into the desertes neere to the cittie of Gratianople in Fraunce and there liued solitarie And that his said purpose was acceptable vnto God it was reuealed in sleepe to one Hugo Bishoppe of that diocese that God descended into those desertes that he made a worthy pallace to himselfe that 7. starres lifted vpp themselues being of wonderfull splendor like a crowne aboue the earth the one different from the other 9. After this the order of Carmelites was reuiued by Albert Patriarche of Hierusalem VVald de sacrament tit 9. c. 84 which as Thomas Waldensis writeth beganne in Mount Carmele in the first church that was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary in the Apostles tyme but discontinued by the inuasion of the Sarazins into Palestine wher before their comming this order florished with multitude of saintes and holy people After this time followed the holie orders of saint Frauncis saint Dominique and saint Celestine the former I meane saint Frauncis was confirmed by Innocentius the 3. 1202. S. Dominique who was first a cannon regular in the churche of Oxman in Biscaia hauing imployed his learning and his trauelles for the space of 20. yeares at Tolosa in Fraunce against the heretiques by the consent of certaine of his fellow laborers instituted his order stiled the order of preachers which was approued and allowed by the said Innocentius the 3. in the
with the darcknesse of infidelitie were by him reduced vnto the faith of Iesus Christ What should I say of all other nations were not they all conuerted by the Apostles and religious people was not Irelande conuerted by saint Patricke a reguler cannon of S. Augustins order Bishopp of Hippo Thuringian Frisland and Huss conuerted by Bonifacius an English Mouncke who afterwardes beinge Archbishopp of Moguntia was martyred The rest were to prolix to set downe I referr yow to the Chronicles of holly orders only I will content my selfe with the conuersion of America and of the east weast Indies which was brought to passe by religious people 3. The first that euer went thither for that purpose were the fathers of S. Frauncis order for when Christopher Columba was suiter to Ferdinando kinge of Castile and Arragon to send vnto him some shippes to discouer that land and he making great difficultie to be at anny chardges in soe vncertaine an exploite two Franciscan fathers intreated the kinge to further that proiect and when the said Columba returned againe into Spaine some of the Fathers of that order accompanied him in the iourny Anno 1303. A little afterwardes when other partes of the weast Indies were discouered by Vasta Gama anno 1500. there went with him by the procurement and intreatie of Emanuell kinge of Portingall 8. fathers of that family both learned and holie Not longe afterwardes other fathers of saint Dominique saint Augustines order followed them Last of al by the request of Iohn kinge of Portugal F. Francis Zauier of the societie of Iesus went into the East Indies by whose blessed industrie those spatious kingdomes and barbarous nations Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Our Lord concurringe withall confirminge their words with signes that followed were conuerted 4. This religious institution is at this daie to be seene in those countries of the east yea amoungest the Barbarians themselues which thorough Gods speciall assistance was neuer extinguished in those places where it once began For when the kinge of Portingalls fleete arriued at the gulfe of Arabia an ould mounke the Father of 3000. mounckes who saw the signe of the crosse in the vpper part of the mast of their shippes presently thought them to be Christians and made signes vnto them that they would speake with them who when they spoke one with another they did weepe for ioye to see the Christians and they deliuered a booke of praiers as a token which was sent vnto the Pope by the handes of Michaell de Silua theire ambassador for the kingdome of Portingall which booke Lewis de Granada handled and saw Granadâ— Symb. fid l 4. c. 12. who relateth thus much as I haue sett downe 5. By this you may perceaue that protestantes are greater enemies to religion Christian pietie then all the Heathens Barbarous nations and Turques and all the reprobates in the world are who doe permitt religious persons and monasteries amoungest them as the Arrabians Turckes and Iewes doe yea many monasteries are permitted in Grecia Constantinople Hierusalem Argell and amoungest the Tartarians themselues But when protestancie began first to start vp it made hauocke of all religion and like a most raginge swifte streame destroied ransaked and spoiled all churches monasteries and sacred howles cast downe Alters and prophaned Sanctuaries hanged Christes picture vppon the gallones defloured sacred virgines cast the blessed Eucharist vnto dogges and imbreued their murtheringe handes with the blood of innocent and religious persons against whome they practized their vildest and bloodiest factes extended their greatest furie and rage against whome alsoe they make newe and neuer harde of lawes and decrees with most rigorous execution to punish them to death as traytors and to execute all tormentes vpon them as the vildest malefactors of the worlde 6. Was there euer seene anny heathen contrie cittie towne or villadge conuerted vnto Christ by them Was there any parte of the east or weast restored vnto their former sanctitie and religion by them Nay was there euer seene anny man sanctified in his life or reformed in his manners by them Manny countries of the north haue bin subuerted by them manny florishinge prouinces and wealthie citties ransaked and brought to vtter desolation and turned into ashes by them Such as were religiouslie giuen honestlie disposed temperatt in their diett mortified in then members humors and passions chast and continent in their bodies and mindes when they were catholiques as soone as once they came to be protestants they lett the reines loose to all irreligious misdeamenor intemperate behauior and wanton dissolution and to all kinde of riotousnes Seing therefore that all Catholique religion and religious discipline came from Christe it must followe that Luthers doctrine and his sectes came from the deuill and as it impossible that two repugnant contraieties can proceed from one principle as extreame heate and extreame colde cannot come from one subiect so neither can Catholique religion and Luthers opinion both flowe from one fountaine 7. This will plainly appeare by what ensweth Lib. de Missa Aug. to 6. For Luther himselfe confesseth he had a longe disputation with the diuill at midnight who fiersly impugned catholique priesthoode orders and priuate masse In another place he affirmeth that the diuill passed through his mouth tom 5. Gen. ep â—delect far Kellyson ibid. Replie of Kellison 91. When I am in company saith he he hurteth me not when he findeth me alone then he teacheth me manners Kellyson ibid. I haue saith he one or two diuills of the greatest sorte which I take saith he to be doctors of diuinitie amoungest diuills He confessed also that he had eaten a bushell of salte with him Frequentus proprius mihi condormit quam mea Catherina and that he slept oftener and neerer vnto him then did his Catherine Zuing. in subs Euchar Vnto Zuinglius also appeared a goblin or spiritt white or blacke when he was intoxicated touchinge his opinion against Christs reale presence and suggested vnto him the 12. of Exodus Phase hoc est transitus Domini against the reale presence 8. Contrariwise the catholique religion was founded in all countries with many glorious miracles and the preachers thereof were most holie men not detected with any notorious vice yea were lanternes and lightes of all vertue and sanctitie but the founders of the protestant religion and the pillers thereof of all men were most abhominable in their liues and coÌ„uersation and neuer wrought miracles The founders of catholique religion were moste charitable and humble but the other most proude and cruell The one were the Architects and plotters of all treasons ouer-throwes bloodie imbruments and detestable tragedies in all countries where they begunn but it was neuer known nor read that either S. Patricke that brought the Catholique religion to Irland or Paladius that brought it for Scotland or Damianus or S. Augustine that brought the same to England or
any other taught the same in any other countrie did euer conspire in treason or murther or deuised anny mischeefe against kinge potentate or countrie or that euer anny man lost his life landes or goodes for not receauinge either themselues or their doctrine or that euer any kinge was expelled out of his kingdome for not receauinge the catholique religion into his countrie or was forced to imbrace the same as the founders of protestancie haue done But it is wel knowen that Luther and Zuinglius were the first that euer preached the protestant religion as it is proued in the Apologie of the protestant Church of England and that they were the causes of all the mischeefe warres and troubles insurrection of subiectes against their princes ouerthrowinge and banishment of Princes by their owne subiects out of all their kingdomes and states 9. Lastlie it is knowen also that our first founders and apostles came in simplicitie of spiritt without troupes of horsemen or bandes of soldiors hauinge noe other standert but the crosse of Christ nor noe other poulder but the dust of their feete but the protestant founders came with wilde-fire gâ—n-poulder and cannot-shott with their cruell armies in all places to bringe all to confusion an desolation that would not imbrace their sect yea many holie martyres haue suffred death for not forsakinge their old religioÌ„ to accept these new deuised opinions of these sectaries wherof I haue thought good to sett downe the names wherby you may perceaue the constancie of Catholiques and the cruelties of protestants Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos For yow shall knowe them by their fruicte I will first speake of Flanders then of France afterwardes of England and last of all of Irelande The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called CHAPTER I. 1. THe Reuerend Father Nicholaus Picus guardian of a monasterie of S. Francis in Holland together with ten of his brethren Ierom Werdan viccar Will. Hadne Nicase Hez Theodorique Emden Anthony Hornarien Anthony Werden Godfrey Meruellan Frauncis Rod of Bruxells Peter Astun a lay brother Cornell Wican a lay man who after much torment and affliction were sent to the towne of Bill where they were beaten with clubbes hanged on the topp of the common stoare howse of the towne in the night time the 14. of August 1575. they cutt of their eares and their noses they ripped vp their bellies and pulled ouâ— all the fatt they could gett and sold the same in all places of the prouince They alsoe put to cruel death Leonard Veichle pastor of Barcomia Nicholas Poppell another pastor of that place Godfrey Dimens somtime rector of the vniuersitie of Parris but then Pastor Gorcomiensis Iohn Oster Wâ—canus cannon regular of saint Augustines order and ouerseer of the Nunnes Adrian Becan of the order of Premonstrensis Iames Lacopins a monke of the same order Iohannes On s of the order of saint Dominique Andrewe Walter Pastor Hairnâ—tensis besides many other related by doctor Estius chauncelor of Douaie In this cittie of Brill were put to cruell death 180. religious persones at seuerall tymes And the Crucifix which stood in the church of Gorcomend for the consolation of the Christians they pulled downe and hanged the same vppon the gallowes they snatched also the Eucharist out of a Priests handes nailed it vnto a gibbet 2. When the Prince of Orenge tooke the cittie of Ruremunde in Gerderlande his soldiors rushinge into the monasterie of the Carthusians murthered three lay brethren vid. Albert Winda Iohn Sittart and Stewart Ruâ—emund And entringe into the church of that monasterie they found the Prior thereof called Ioachinus with the rest of the religious people prayinge vnto God all which they murthered in which cittie 29. priestes and religious persons were martired When the Gewes had gotte by deceit Adernard in Flaunders after spoilinge and robbinge all the churches and monasteries therof they apprehended all the priests and religious persons and brought them bound with the gentlemen of that cittie vnto the castle there amoungest whom master Peter licentiate of diuinitie and pastor of that cittie a worshippfull aged man was put to great tormentes and at the last beinge tied hande and foote was cast from the toppe of the tower headlonge into the riuer of Scaldis After him also they cast headlonge down into the riuer Paulus Couis pastor of that cittie Iohn Brackett Batcheler of diuinitie Iames Deckerie Iohn Opstall and Iohn Anuanne a noble man al priests They tooke also that vertuous man Iohn Machusius of saint Frauncis order somtimes Bishopp of Dauentrie who beinge sore wounded of them they left his poore carcasse like a dead carrion vpoÌ„ the streetes other priests they tooke by the cittie of Ipris and buried them quicke in the earth with their face aboue the grounde which insteed of a marck they shott at with bulletts 3. When Delps a cittie of Holland was taken by the Prince of Aurenge who seemed to shewe great fauor vnto a most reuerend and learned man called Cornellius Musius confessor to the Nunnes of saint Agatha of that cittie yet was he with vnusuall and exquisitt torments put to the cruelest death that could be inuented the 10. of December 1575. The same crueltie they shewed vppon Egelbert of Burges a Franciscan friar in the cittie of Alcmaria for they did ripp his belly and cutt off his intralles with their kniues With noe lesse crueltie did they putt to death two Mouncks of the order of saint Hierome at Ganda a cittie in Holland their names were Iohn Rixtell and Adrian Textor whome the Generall of the Gewses caused to be stripe of their cloathes and with their swordes forced them to runn vppon thicke hedges of quicksett and to die thereon The like crueltie he executed vppon William Gandan a Franciscan Friar Iames Gandan Theodorick Gandan Cornelius Sconhewe and Iasper cannone regular Mr. Iohn Ierome natiue of Edome in Holland who beinge taken with other Catholiques by Hornan were brought vnto Sâ—age in the north parte of that prouince where after many horrible and abhominable interrogatorious some of them died in that miserable captiuitie such as were left a liue were bound hand and feete vpon their backes with their naked bellies vpwardes and vppon euerie mans bellie was set a panne or caldron whelmed downwards full of dormise and frogges in great quantitie and vpon the said pannes or caldrons were put fiery coales which burning heate of the fire when those frogges felt and had noe other place to gett out they turned all vppon the poore peoples Bellies and did gnaw and teare there vntill they made hoales through their backes or at least some place to defend themselues from the rage of the fire 4. Vrsula Tales a religious Nunne of the Begginage after that her father an ould man and magistrate of that place with other catholiques were hanged by these rebells she also was brought vnto a gibbett and being asked
from saint Peter to saint Damalus saint Cyprian from saint Peter to Cornelius saint Bernard from saint Peter to Eugenius saint August from saint Peter vnto Anastatius who was Pope in his time lib. contra epistolam fundamenti cap. â— Tenet me in Ecclesia c. The successioÌ„ of priestes from saint Peter the Apostle vnto whome Christe comended the feedinge of his sheepe vnto this present Bishop holdes me in the church the same alsoe doth saint Hierom proue For wee must note that such are true Bishopps in the churche who descende from the Apostles aswell by succession as by ordination but the sectes of Lutherans and Caluinistes haue neither succession from any lawfull Bishopps or lawfull ordination therfore they haue not succeeded in any Apostolique order or succession And for this cause as saint Cyprian said Nouatianus is not in the church Cyp. lib. â— epist 6. ad magnum nor oughte to be called a Bishoppe who despisinge apostolique tradition succeded noe Bishoppe and himselfe tooke that order vppon himselfe 8. The 6. 6. Note note is the vniuersall consent of the Catholique church in euerie point of doctrine of faith as it is said in the Actes Muâ—titudo credentium erat cor vnum anima â—na and contrariwise the errors alterations and dissentions of these sectes in euerie article of their faith as you may see in the first Chapters and 9. Lib. 9. c. 1. Lib. 2 c. 1. bookeâ— also in the 2. booke cap. 1. 7. Note 9. The 7. note is the sanctifie of this Catholique doctrine for the Catholique church is holie in her doctrine and profession as the councell of Constantinople saith which profession containes noe falshoode touchinge faith nor any iniustice touchinge good manners but these sectaries hould soe many absurdities against faith good manners The 9. book caâ— Aug. lib. 2. de ciuitate Dei as in the 1. li. Chapter 9. you may reade But the Catholique church containes noe error absurditie or turpitude nor doth it teach any thing against reason although it teacheth many things aboue reason and therfore saint Augustine saith Nihil in Christianis ecclesijs turpe flagitiosum there is nothinge in Christian churches that is either filthie or obhominable either wheÌ„ godes precepts be insinuated or miracles declared or giftes praised or benefitts asked 8. Note 10. The 8. note is the efficacie of the catholique doctrine in conuertinge the whole worlde vnto the standert of Christe and that by poore weake and sillle persons without armour or munition withoute feare of tormente or punishment only by praiers fastinge charitable woorks miracles and all good examples of hollines of life By these meanes all nations were conuerted to the catholique church from impietie and all wickednes vnto pietie and religion from beastlie pleasures vnto angelicall coÌ„tinency from the fleshe to the spirite from beinge loâ—ers of the worlde to despise contemne and forsake the same and to followe Christ their spouse But these sectaries subuerted many nations not by sounde doctrine or good examples of life but by terror and feare they caused many to forsake Christe and followe the worlde I am sure these holie Saincts that conuerted the world neuer drewe foorth any sworde when they preached I am sure when Sainct Vincent conuerted soe many when saint Aug. conuerted Englande to the faith beinge sent by saint Greg. or when saint Killian an Irishe saincte conuerted the Francks beinge sent from Conon Pope or when saint Patricke conuerted Ireland beinge sent by saint Celestine Pope they neuer killed or murthered burned or spoiled nor made the subiectes to reuolte against their princes or the princes to make tirannicall lawes against their subiects But Caluine and Luther did sowe their pestilent heresie by burninge and spoilinge kingdomes robbinge and ransakinge cittâ—es killinge and murtheringe manny millions of people castinge downe and razinge to the earth manny churches and monasteries rauishinge and deflouringe many Nunnes and Virgins and by bringinge euerie kingdome where the same was nourished to a pittifull confusion 9. Note 11. The 9. note is the hollines and sanctitie of life of such as founded our religion for the holie Patriarches Apostles Doctors Pastors and such as conuerted any countrie to the faith of Christ were mirrours and spectacles of all sanctitie and religion as saint August wittnesseth of the Mouncks of his tyme. Isti sunt Episcopi pastores docti graues sancti Aug. lib. demorib Eccl. c. 31. lib. 2. in Iulian. c. these were learned Bishopps and graue wise and holly pastors most earnest defenders of the trueth by whose planting settinge wateringe and buildinge the holy catholique church did increase but the sectaries of these times as in their doctrine they were most irreligious soe in their liues and manners moste wicked and abhominable In responsione ad libr. quem inscripsâ—rat Lutherus contra Zuing disputatione habita lipsie contra Eck. Luther in postilla super euaÌ„ super euaÌ„ Dominic Aduentus as the protestant authors themselues doe auerre The ministers of Tigur doe write that Luther sought nothing but his owne priuate gaine that he was insolent and stubborne and Luther himselfe confessed that his pretence was not for the loue of God In an other place he said that such as followed this newe gospell were farr woorse then when they were Papists more couetous and more giuen to reuenge Smidelinus in Coment 4. super caput 21. lucae said Lutherans doe peruerte all thinges that they turned fastinge into feastinge surfeâ—inge prayers into swearinge and blasphemies adding that Christe is not soe much blasphemed of the verie Turcks Erasmus also saith thaâ— this gospell neuer reformed any vice in these newe gospellers none that was an epiâ—ure became sober by it norâ— none that was cruell became meeke or gentle by it 12. The like censure the ministers of Madelâ—urge doe giue of them saying Madebur Centuria 11. cap. 11 Cen. 10. When these people were Papistes they were religiouslie addicted they were giuen to much praâ—ers deuotion and sanctifienge the saboâ—th daie they shewed great reuerence towardes churchmen parents were carefull in the education of their childrenn they were liberall and mercifull towardes the poore and there was great obedience in the subiectes The same Caluine wittnesseth Calu. inst lib. 4. cap. 10. scanâ— pag. 118. and in bis booke of scandalls he saith when soe many thousandes doe pretend the gosâ—pell fewe of them euer were refourmed of their wicked liues and hauinge lett the raynes loose to all wickednes Musc in cap. de decalogo de ministris verbis Luth. tâ— 5. Erasm ad fratres inferiores Germanicae they are not woorthy they should become Papists Musculus doth confirme the same Luther the first founder of this vnfortunate gospell said that such as followed the same were odibile genus hominum A hatefull kind of people and althoughe they speake of the gospel in their woorcks they are
vs all feare of God or of hell and soe giueth a scope to all mischeefe That the comaundements pertaines not to the christians That there is noe sinne but incredulitie and that all are deceaued if they thincke to be saued by good woorcks with many such vild and absurde doctrines which make a man careles of his saluation rechles of his behauior and nothinge willinge to doe anny good when neither he that doth them is not recompensed or rewarded or God offended or displeased by the saide doings For as by the catholique religion Christ reformed the wicked inclination of man gaue hoalsome precepts and councells to amend his desolute misdeamenor instituted also SacrameÌ„ts to cure all diseases of our soules and to purge our conscience from all filth of sinne now by these carnall and wicked doctrine all ragged conuersation and discomposed misbehauiour is reuiued and as Ouid saieth Iâ— quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique Metamorphose Insidiaeque vis aâ—â—â— sceleratus habendi In place of simple dealinges and honestie Were brought into the world by heresie â—eceite couetousnes and leacherie 18. The 12. note is the perfecte rule that the Catholique church Io. 20. Luc. 10. Matt. 23. Matt. 19. Iacob 4. and Catholiqueâ— haue to direct them in their faith for the church of Christe hath the holy ghoaste to instruct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors Iohn 14.16 and wee Catholiques beleeuinge the church as wee are taughte in the Creede when wee saye I beleeue in the holy Catholique church obeyinge her in all thinges as wee be comaunded by our Sauiour wee cannot be deceaued by her nor is it possible we can offend God in submittinge our selues to her doctrine Matt. 18.3 Reg. 4. Actor 15 beinge comaunded by God to hearcken to her and as Rebeca vnder tooke for Iacob to rid him of his fathers malediction if he should followe her aduise soe the Catholique church which Rebecca figured shall deliuer vs from the enormitie of godes malediction if wee shall obey her But the protestants haue noe rule of their faith for they doe not beleeue the churche neither the traditions and generall councells thereof neither the auncient holye doctors of the same The onlie rule they as themselues saie is the scripture But this is noe certaine rule for that wee are bounde to beleeue manny thinges which be not in the scripture Matt. 13. Hebr. 13. yea that which the scripture doth teach the contrarie as the obseruation of the saboath daye and thinges strangled Againe in many places the holy scripture doth wante explication of manny thinges 2. Petr. 3. for saint Peter saith that the epistles of saint Paule are verie hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as alsoe the reste of the scriptures to their owne perdition Alsoe all heretiques doe alleadge the scriptures for themselues as saint Augustine sayes Aug. li. 1. de Trin. Hier. aduersus Lucifer for as saint Hierom saith the scripture doth not consiste in readinge but in the sense and vnderstandinge thereof and as for the vnderstandinge and sence of the same there may be a thowsand controuersies as for the trewe sense of these woordes Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodie I am sure Luther and Caluine are against one another touchinge the sense a and meaninge of those woords Therfore S. Augustine saith he would not beleeue the ghospell had he not bene moued therunto by the auctoritie of the churche 19. Soe as these protestants forsakinge the church they haue noe rule of their faith as may appeare by the deadly contention and debate which is daily betwixt them as betwixt Lutherans Caluinists and Anabaptistes for they charge on an other with heresies soe as each of these sectes is diuided into manny sectes for there are 13. sects of Lutherans differinge in opinions one from the other Also amoungest the Caluinists there are many as the world can tell for some of them would haue the kinge to be supreame head of the church others doe repine against it as the puritans doe The Anabaptistes are diuided vnto 14. sects and eche of them haue seuerall and contrarie opinions touchinge the principall pointes of their faith how can two lawiers pleadinge one against the other and ech of them alleadginge lawe for himselfe determine the righte of the cause and the sincere meaninge of the lawe without there were some iudge vnto whome they should referr the controuersie to be decided and debated And because these sectaries will haue noe other iudge but the scripture ech one alleadginge and interpretinge the sense thereof accordinge to his priuate opinion and corrupt affection their controuersie can neuer be decided nor their faith can neuer be setled or made certaine 20. The 13. note is the lawfull authoritie and mission of catholique pastors and preachers whereof the Protestants are wholie destitute no heretique being euer able to shew his next predecessor For as the holie doctors affirme There is no accesse to God but by Iesus Christ No accesse to Iesus Christ but by the church No accesse to the church but by the Sacraments No accesse to the Sacraments but by a Priest None can be a Priest vnles he be ordained by a Bishopp Neuer was there lawfull Bishopp ordained out of the catholique roman church Wherfore as saint Ierom said vnto his aduersarie you are out of the communion of the church of Iesus Christ because you haue not a priest of the order of the Mediator This marke of the vocation and perpetuall succession of pastors in the church of Christ hath euer ben most terrible vnto all heretiques for euen as Baptisme is the only doore to enter into all other Sacraments a Sacrament not reiterable and whose character is indellible euen so this Sacrament of holie Orders and of entring into steward-ship ouer the flock of Iesus Christ was ordayned by our Sauiour as necessarie for distinguishing and discerning such as be vsurpers and robbers from true and lawfull pastors then the other of Baptisme to knowe and discerne sheepe from Wolues and Christs flock from the troupes of infidels 21. This argument doth so gaule and pinche the Protestants that they are forced to fetch all the authoritie they haue for their vocation only from the temporall prince alledging the wordes of saint Paul that all authoritie is from God then saint Matth. that wee must giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars then saint Peter that wee should be subiect to euerie humaine creature for godes sake all which places aswell the puritantes as the Catholiques doe interprete and vnderstand of temporall authoritie only for gouerning the common weaâ—th and not of spirituall direction and instruction of our soules in articles of our faith and saluation for that all Princes and kinges were then and 300. yeares after Christs passion infidels and especially the Romaine Emperor of whome this was principally intended Otherwise saint Peter and the Apostles who were
put to death by them for their religion were damned in not obeying and conforming themselues vnto those Princes in matters of faith and in the doctrine of saluation The puritanes which are called the reformed and seuere Caluinistes doe grounde themselues vpon the election of the people and that the common and vulgar sorte should make appointe and elect cleargie or pastors to feede and gouerne them and alleadge the first and 6. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. where it is said that it pleased the people to make choice of saint Mathias insteede of Iudas and saint Stephen Philipp Procherus 4. others to supplie the offices of Deacons and afterwardes in the primitiue church wee finde that the people did choose or nominate their Bishoppes But to this puritanticall foundations both the Catholiques and protestantes doe aunswere that those elections or nominations were permitted to the people by the Apostles for their comfort and that the parties so chosen receaued authoritie and spiritual iurisdiction from the Apostles and not from the people as wee see this daie that in manny places the people are permitted to make choice of their encombents but are inuested and consecrated of the Bishoppes of euerie diocesse where the parishioners are permitted to haue this priuilege That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euerie one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many enconueniences and blasphemies which the newe religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencie CHAPTER II. 1. THe first and cheefest excellency is to beleeue that God is the first trueth and first cause from whome proceedeth all trueth and by whom all causes haue their operation and their influence The first goodnesse and sanctitie of whom all goodnesse and sanctitie doth depend And as it is the proprietie of the sunne to giue light of the fire to giue heate of the water to make colde so it is the nature essence and proprietie of God with farr greater excellency to do good and to communicat and impart the same vnto his creatures And so saint Augustin saith O God thow art perfect without deformitie great without quantitie good without qualitie eternall without time strong without infirmitie trew without fastshood thow art present euerie where with out ocupieng any place and thow art inward and intimat to euery thing being tyed or fastened to nothing 2. Butt the new religion maketh God crwell without mercy in that he doth encomber his people with lawes and preceptes which they cannott keep wicked without goodnesse in that they make him the cause of all the euill and wickednesse which the wicked doe comitt and for the which they are so seuerely punished The 2. excellencye is the pure and holly doctrine which it professeth CHAPTER III. 1. SVch is the perfection of catholique doctrine that it nether admitteth nor alloweth any thing against the light of reason godes glory or the good of our neghbors it teatcheth the law it comandeth vnder paine of damnation the perfourmance therof and the morall precepts of the tenn commaundeth which are certaine conclusions deriued from the same But Luther saith they pertaine nott to them and all the schoole of protestantes do teach that wee cannott keep or obserue them that God respecteth them nott and that the good woorckes of a christian do preiudice and derrogat from the merites of Christs passion And so they take away all the meritorious woorckes of the iust and all the force and industrie of mās proper merites and consequently al graces and inherent iustice of a sanctified soule by the extrinsicall and imputatiue iustice of Christ and saith that so they haue faith God regardeth nott their woorkes which is a wide gappe and dangerous gulfe to all wickednesse dishonestie loosnesse of life and dissolute behauiour a quite defacing dissanulling and abrogating nott only of the law of nature butt of all other lawes whatsoeuer and therfore most pernitious and dangerous doctrine 2. Besides these holy precepts it perswadeth though not commandeth the Euangelicall counselles of our Sauiour the cheefest wherof is perpetuall chastitie which is a celestiall vertue by which a man forgoeth many encombrances of worldly cares troubles and perturbations of minde 1. Cor. and affliction of his spirit as saint Paule saith The 2. counsell which our Sauiour gaue was to a certaine yong man sayeng vnto him if thou wil be perfect go and sell all that thow hast giue the same to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen follow me By this counsell a christian doth eschew many tentations and snarres of the diuill into which such as be rich do fall hedlong and ar deliuered from troubles vexations and anxietis of minde and of many contentious and litigious strifes and debates with his negboures which for the most part is incident to worldly people which blessed counsell was obserued of the christians at Hierusalem Acto 2. at Alexandria in Aegipt and at the lake Marian as Philo the Iew reporteth Matt. 5. The 3. counsell is to render good for euill and to pray for our persecutors The 4. counsell is to giue almesse and to pittie the poore to be mercifull to releeue the distressed no vertue is so often inculcated as this no vice so often discommended or with greater punishmentes threatned thē inhumanitie and crweltie The 5. counsell is to exercise our selues in continuall praiers Matt. 25. 1. Tim 2 Luc. 18. Luc 11. and so the Apostle wisheth vs alwaise to pray and our Sauiour also counselleth the same by 3. examples The first of a carnall father in respect of his sonne which yeldeth to his sonnes demande The 2. of a frind that was vrged at the earnest inintreatie of another frind to rise out of his bedd at night to giue vnto him what so earnestly he sought for The 3. of an inflexible iudge that neuer yelded to any mans desire yett at the earnest and importunat suite of a poore woman he was perswadeed to take comisseration of her 3. The religion of protestantes not only barketh all the obseruations of the precepts of the lawe but also forbiddeth and reiecteth all euangelicall counselles sayeng that no man ought to accomplish them As for virginitie they say it is impossible As for the poore they may starue for them for any relefe or comfort they receaue of them For they pull from them all that they haue As for mercy of all people none are so blouddy or so crwell yea the very first preachers of this new religion as you may read As for praiers they cannot abide any order of time or deuotion for performing them for they do nott only barcke as another Vigilantius against euensongs Masse and mattens and against any obseruation of times as att midnight morning and euening but also against the English comon praier booke as you see The 3. Excellencie most diuine Sacraments which confer grace CHAPTER IV. 1. THe 3. Excellencie be the sacramentes
For although the written law lightneth our vnderstanding with many instructions and fownd doctrine directing our vnderstanding to follow and embrace vertue and to discerne the good from the euill yet it disposeth nor prepareth not our hartes with the loue of the one nor our affection with the hatred of the other it giueth light to the vnderstanding but it healeth not the infirmitie and disease of our appetites The lawe teatcheth the way to heauen but giueth no force to our weake soules to trauaile thither which saint Iohn auerreth The law was giuen by Moyses but grace and trueth was giuen by Christ which is conferred by the sacramentes and which are instrumentes to conuay the same vnto vs. 2. As there are many maladies disseases and necessities so there ar also many sacramentes which are as it were conduits that do deriue manny remedies and receipts to ech of them And as the Humane body is first borne and so encreaseth is fedd and receaueth diuers alterations Ephe. 5. Mar. 16. in Clemen ex summa trinitate fidei Cath. ca. 1 Ezech. 36 Clemens epist 4. Vrba ep ad omnes fideles Melch ad epis Hisp Ioh. 6. 1. Cor. 11. Iohn 2. so there are many such varietie of alterations of the soule which is borne and regenerated by water and the holy ghoast which is baptisme and the grace and vertues which are giuen in baptisme are againe confirmed by the Sacrament of confirmation which maketh the soule stoute and constant in the profession of his faith which faith and grace hath neeede to be nourished and augmented which is don by the holie Sacrament of the Eucharist which is the body of Christ which is the foode of our languished soule which through many infirmities and diseases incident therunto hath great need of a spirituall phisition to heale the same by contrition confession and satisfaction And for that after long and prolix sicknesse and disseases there are many dregges of the old sicknesse stil left Ia. 5. cont Flore for the healing and curing wherof the Sacrament of extreame vnction is ordained as also that a christian in his cheefest agony of his spirituall extremitâ—e should be releued and refreshed 3. The other 2. Sacramentes are inioyned for the 2. states of people Matt. 19. Ephes 5. the one for such as be married the other for such as be ecclesiasticall and seruing in godes church But the new religion hath no Sacrament althoughe for some shew of litle deuotion they do not reiect the Sacramentes of Baptisme and Eucharist yett they handle them without any deuotion or reuerence at all as for Baptisme some or most of them doe holde that it is not necessarie to our saluation for they thincke that the childe is saued by the faith of his parents As for the Eucharist with they call the Lords supper they make no more accompt of it then of anny common bread whose effect is nothinge els ten to remember Christ his death which may be don aswell by the one as by the other The 4. Excellencie is to fauor the good and to punish the wicked CHAPTER V. 1. WHen the end of euery lawe is to take away vice and wickednesse and the occasions therof and to make meÌ„ sober honest and vertuous it is meete that the good should haue many priuiledges fauors and rewards and the wicked should be punished Deut. 28. Ezech. 5. 6. as we may read in Deutrono wher god almightie threatneth death and destruction against the transgressors of his lawes and comandementes The like also we may read in Ezech. But the new religion taketh away both merits and rewards from the iust and paine and punishmentes from the wicked saying the more wicked you are the neerer you are to Gods fauor and grace as Luther affirmeth The 5. Excellencie is the conuersion of all nations vnto Christe and driuing Idolatrie out of the world CHAPTER VI. THe more that princes persecuted christian religion the more the same encreased as Pliny the 2. being a Pagan withnesseth For when he saw such a multitude of christians to be put to death he wrott to the emperor Traian aduertizing him that there were thowsands of christians executed by exquisitt tormentes for no kind of offence but for being Christians and the more they were tormented and afflicted the more they encreased and florished and the more the reuerence of the Idols decreased But the new religion neuer conuerted the gentles from Idolatrie to Christian religion whose only imployment and drift is to corrupt and confound the faithfull and neuer to reforme themselues charging the church with Idolatrie as old heretiques haue done Athanasius witnessing the same The 6. Excellencie of the Catholique Religion is that the same is proued and auerred by so many good witnesses as sacred and learned doctors blessed saincts martyrs and generall counsells CAPTER VII 1. ARistotle saith that a man is beleeued for three causes and ought to be presupposed that he telles the trueth 1. If he be wise 2. If he be vertuous 3. If he be oure frind For wee thincke that a wise man should not be deceaued a good man should not lie a frind should not deceaue his frind Such therfore as did beare witnesse of our catholique religion were wisemen eminent and exquisitt in all sciences and faculties most holy and religious in their liues as Dionisius Areopagita disciple to S. Paule saint Ignatius Policarpus Origines saint Basill the great and his brother saint Gregorie Nissenus saint Iohn Chrisostom Theodoretus saint Nazianzenus saint Gregorie saint Aug. saint Hierom saint Ambrosse saint Hillarius saint Cyprian Lactantius Firmianus S. Vincentius Lirinensis Arnobius saint Bernard saint Bonauenture Scotus Alexander de Halles with diuers others for they had no cause but to tell the trueth being honest vertuous free from all inordinat affection that should otherwise restraine theÌ„ to declare the trueth therof being people that were altogether addicted to the seruice of God and most zealous of his glory and honor which they preferred before all worldly designements and promotions 2. Vnto these are annexed for confirmation of the trueth all generall counsells of the world which were 20. with the aprobation of Christs viccar generall in earth together with all the blessed martyrs that euer were in all the persecutions and tempestuous stormes and agonies of the church which she suffred vnder 14. Kinge and Emperors according to S. Aug. accompt lib. 18. de ciuitate Dei The first was of Nero who was so infestuous to the Christians that he caused Rome to be sett on fire in diuers places and laid the imputation of that infamie vppon them wherby the Romanes should insult vppon them and should destroy and massacre them euerie one the Tirant himselfe commanding the same The 2. was of Domitian who caused S. Iohn the Euangelist to be cast into a Tunn of hoat burnâ—nge oyle which caused also by his edict published that all the bookes of Christians should be burned
The 3. was of Traian in whose time 3. holly Bishoppes suffred vid. Saint Clement the disciple of saint Peter saint Ignatius disciple to saint Iohn the Euangelist and saint Polycarpe The 4. was of Antoninus Verus The 5. of Seuerus The 6. of Maximinus The 7. of Decius who did put saint Laurence to death The 8. of Valerian The 9. of Aurelian The 10. was the crwelest of Dioclesian of Maximinus These persecutions were before Constantius the great who was a Christian 3. Vnto these saint August added the persecution of Iulian the Apostata which was most pernitious for he depriued the Christians of offices and places in the common wealth as also of all their goodes and studies of learning Another was of Valens all these were Romane Emperors Another was of Sapor king of Persia who caused his people to adore the sunne wherin 16000. thousand suffred amoungest whome were many Bishoppes priests and many holly virgins dedicated to Christ Before all these saint August sets downe the first persecutioÌ„ of all which was of Iudea vnder Herod wherin the Apostle Saint Iames the greater suffred Wee doe nott speake here of the persecutions of the Vandals in Affricke or of other heretiques or infidels but only of the Romane Emperors whose persecution was nott only in one kingdome or prouince but in all places especially at Rome at Alexandria where S. Cathrin suffred at Antioch Nicomedia Cesarea of Capadocia Cesarea of Palestin in Ponto in Helesponto in Africa in Aegipt at Saragosa at Parris where saint Denys of Areopagita with his followers were putt to death at Syracusa where S. Lucia at Catanea where saint Agatha in Bithinia in Achaia at Smirna at Thebes and in all other places subiect to the Romans 4. Were all these persecuting princes lawfull heads of Christes church or some of them If some all should be for the one ought to haue asmuch authoritie in that head-shipp as the other if that stile or dignitie should rightly belong to the Emperiall scepter or should be annexed to the Royall authoritie as a power or iurisdiction comprised and comprehended within the maiestie of a regall dignitie as some protestants do hold Yf this be trew all these blessed martyrs wherof some of them were the blessed Apostles as saint Peter and saint Paule who suffred vnder Nero were damned is arrogant and dissobedient subiects for not conforming themselues to their princes wills and humors in causes ecclesiasticall and consequently none that was put to death by them was a holy martyr but an obstinat and wilfull subiect which is most foolish and absurd If yow say that a king to be head of the church ought to be a Christian as some other English protestants do say I aske of them who was head of the church the space of the first 300 yeers after Christ when all kings were infidels and persecutors thereof as I haue declared For either the church all that while was without a head or els some other that was not a king must be a iudge and haue this authoritie and supreame iurisdiction of the king therin and such ought to haue no les iurisdiction ouer the Christians in causes of their consciences and ecclesiasticall matters now then at that time 5. Nowe the Christians are no les nor no better then they were in that golden age of the primitiue church Epiph. heresi Optat. lib. 2. contra Parmen S. Aug. Epist ad generosum quae est 105. Hiero. Prosper in continuatione chronici Eusebij and consequentlie the same ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ought to continew still in the church of Christ which he builded setled and founded vppon saint Peter and his successors as vppon a firme Rocke whose foundation shall neuer faile against whome the gats of hell with all the plottes and pollicies of Sathan and the cunninge deuises and attempts of Matche-villian protestantes shall not preuaile And so in vaine they striue to build the same vppon any other fundation then that which was alreddy laid downe by Christ himselfe being the Corner and head stone of this foundation vppon saint Peter the Apostles and prophetts and their successors for euer I meane the Bishopps and priests vnto whome he committed the authoritie and regiment ouer his flocke to feed and defend them from the woulues to saue them from the violent excursions of infidels and heretiques vnto whome it is sad in the Actes or the Apostles Attendite vobis vniuerso gregâ— in quo c. Loocke well to your selues Act. 20. Matt. 10. Matt. vlt. Mar. vlt. Iohn 20. Iohn 21. and to the vniuersall flocke in which the holy ghost placed you Bishoppes and pastoures to gouerne and rule the church of God And as this church is the mysticall body of Christ and a spirituall Common wealth so it should be gouerned and managed by spirituall parsons and pastours that should haue spirituall orders and consequentlie ought to haue spirituall authoritie and iurisdiction ouer her rebellious and obstinat children to chastice their rebellions disobedience to correct their offences and to extend the rodd of discipline vppon them when they will nott obey her otherwise it should be a poore distressed common wealth when none hath power or iurisdiction therin to chastice the transgressor of her lawes and so all her subiects may with libertie and impunitie keepe or breake them 6. But no article or inunction of the protestant religion is of greater force amongest the protestants specially of England then that the king is supreame head of the church and that euery one whether he be a catholique or protestant must not only encur the imputation of high treason but also the pennalties and disgrace of traitoures that wilâ— not sweare solemly and publickly that he thinckes in his conscience this to be trew which is nothing els then to enthrall and enforce a catholique perhapps some proâ—estants to a damnable and wilfull preiury against his owne conscience that knoweth or at least thincketh the contrary Was not this new fundation and grownd of the English protestant church newly coyned the 26. yeer of king Henry 8. when the oath of supremacy was inuented by the instigation of his fatall and filthy passion of lust and concupiscence and by the industry and suggestion of certaine cogging mates as Thomas Cromwell and Robert Barnes an apostat frier the one beheaded the other I meane the frier burned rather of malice then of any conscience or honesty without which there can be no good religion not warranted by scripture but deuised in the court not by the best but by the worst quorum Deus venter est quorum finis interitus gloria in confusione c. not perswaded by reason but violentlie constrained not ordained for the edification of the church but for the destruction and confusion of innoceÌ„t christiaÌ„s not resolued of by the schooles and learned diuines but first determined by the king and enforced in the parleament against the definition of all former parleaments