proud spirite condemning vs of choler impatience and heate if wee speake but plainely and yet swallowing vp in your selues the greatest sharpnesse and filth of speeche that may bee and namely againste suche whose shoe latchettes you are vnworthie to loose For what speeche is this to bee vsed to a reuerende learned man in deed to call him a pearte and cockishe merchaunt who in comparison of gifts trauaile and labour in the ministerie of the Gospel hath done more then any one or all the pack of them euer did for the maintenance of their own abhominable popery Againe hee playeth vpon another worde vsed by master Charke when hee saith and that truly that they haue nothing to vpholde theyr popishe religion and to defende it but lying tyrannie hypocrisie and rebellion Heere hee leaueth the very cause and looketh backe to his owne ayme and asketh where those 〈◊〉 and hypocrisie are As for tyrannie that hee returneth vpon vs because that iustice is executed vpon suche rebels and traytours as Campion and his companions were His parte had beene to haue cleared Poperie from this iust charge and to haue cast it vpon the Gospell As for that iustice whiche vndutifully and like himselfe hee calleth tyrannie because traytours are racked and quartered hee myght haue remembred that as well theyr executions against the like transgressours myght haue been called tyrannie But what their tyrannicall dealing hath beene in deede 〈◊〉 for and in regarde of religion while in so fewe monethes they not onely burned quicke but hanged drowned and killed more then haue beene executed amongest vs these many yeeres Let 〈◊〉 tyrannie witnesse in the Inquisition of Spayne in the murthers of Fraunce the blooddie slaughters procured by their meanes in Flaunders and all the dominions and kingdomes els where in the worlde where Antichriste their Pope hath had any dominion As for his gentle admonitiō to vs whō in contempt he calleth Ministers wherein hee doth so friendly aduise vs for our good to confesse our fcare in plaine wordes wee will consider of that at further leasure In the meane time if hee finde vs 〈◊〉 away and leaue our places emptie let him hardly possesse them keepe thē if hee can and if he and all the rest of thē as many as shal write dispute or contend for their Maozim and false religion shall finde vs too fewe to match them or too weake to answere them yet let them not fat their heartes in their sinne crie out a victorie against God and against his truth who is Almightie and which standeth fast and shall in the ende preuaile against all their cursed treacherie Another thing he 〈◊〉 at is master Charkes modest honest defence of master Hanmer hee hauing charged them that nothing could bee had either from the one or the other but words and why forsooth Because the disputation cannot bee procured and perfourmed by them being priuate men vpon whose warrant yet if they would like to come it is like they woulde bee readie to encounter them and perfourme the disputation in deede But because master Charke will defende master Hanmer whō by a Rethoricall diminution hee laboureth to abase with some praise of the one and disgrace of the other hee hath raked together and laide out of an heape as hee saith of his fooleries and falsehoode patched for sooth after the fashion of our 〈◊〉 some fewe thinges But surely if a man woulde but take a little paines to rake in their dounge I meane not onely in the foolish writings of many their worshipfull writers that haue written in controuersies against the religion of Christe but much more in their patched confuse sermons he shoulde finde nothing els but ridiculous absurdities blasphemous opinions and fooleries such as woulde make a mans eares to glowe and to tingle either in heating or reading them I referre the Reader for controuersies but to Eckius Blyndasinus Aloysius Lypomanus Topiarius Grenewith Frier Perine Tefflerus Marshall and all the rest of that sort not reckoned amongst the best learned and as for their sermons they are well worse Hee may bee ashamed to 〈◊〉 that wee patch our Sermons For his patches vse nothing but patcherie whilest their preachings are nothing but pratings toyes fancies of their owne denising as farre from the taste of Gods spirite and the knowledge of the woorde of God as them selues are from all spirituall feeling and taste of godlinesse demne it vnlesse it be done warilie Sometime they say if the Pope bee founde negligent of his own saluation and of his brethrens if he be foūd vnprofitable and remisse in his businesse and altogether without anie goodnes so that he hurt himselfe and others lead thē by whole heapes into hel to the diuel yet it is not lawful for any mortal man to reprooue him or to say sir why doe you so the reason is because he is to iudge all men and to be iudged of no man c. And yet their Rubricke gainsayeth that same blasphemous Canon as also the Canon admonendi Causa 2. quest 7. It were infinite and tedious to followal but as they are one against another so they are against themselues and against their other general doctrine in many things confirming that which they so persecute with fire faggotin vs as for example Clement the Pope saith that the holy scripture is to be interpreted by it self The canōs of the Apostles are reiected out of Isiodore because they were made by heretikes It is saide nothing is to be forbidden that the scriptures forbid not They teach that finnes are forgiuen through faith only the promise of pardon may be obtayned Againe they affirme that we being the sonnes of wrath cānot be saued but through faith in Christ the mediator And they allowe the Sacrament to be ministred to the lay people in both kinds and the glosse is not against it Against their counterfeit supremacie also Cyprian the pope saith that the other apostles were of the same authority that Peter was The supremacie of the pope is reiected in the Church neither hath the Pope al things in the closet of his breast They 〈◊〉 also the right of choosing the pope and appoynting the apostolical See vnto the Emperor 〈◊〉 they take away the pluralitie of benefices and ordeine that one priest shal not haue many churches committed to his charge They teach as we doe that al the dutie of priests as they cal them consisteth in preaching and that this duetie also belongeth to Bishops They forbid their Clarkes to be present at marriage feastes or to haunte ale houses or ta uernes they must haue no cōuersation with women the masse of a priest which keepeth a whore may not be heard Their 〈◊〉 that haue not the gift of chastitie may marrie Their mōkes according to their names
both in them selues and others yet they are pardoned and blotted out in them which is a most comfortable doctrine in deede farre of another nature then your desperate doctrine of iustification by workes The repetition therefore of Luthers woordes whiche you might haue spared together with the rest you haue stoln out of Staphilus and others The second concerning the ten commandements whether they appertaine to vs or no howe they appertaine to vs and howe they doe not is sufficiently declared by M. Charke how and in what sense Luther spake it but what wil satisfie a wrangling Iesuite who hath sworn to gainsay whatsoeuer is saide by vs be it neuer so truely saide For I appeale to all the Papistes and Iesuites in the world Did not Luther Doe not wee teache the commaundementes of GOD Doe wee not expounde them in our churches and schooles and set them as rules of our obedience But what will not suche 〈◊〉 instrumentes doe that theye maye deface the trueth and bring the teachers of it into hatred O blinde malice Wee neuer blotted out one of them as it is plain they haue done in al their Breuiaries Masse books Catechismes The like is that of the foure Gospels wheras in truth the gospell is one contayned in those prophetical Promises before the cōming of Christ as in those Euāgelists that were the 4. notaries therof as also in Paules Epistles And if he haue any such wordes of S. Iohns Gospel hee speaketh it onely by way of comparison not to discredite the other as this Sycophant woulde employ but to declare how diuinely S. Iohn wrote of the Diuinitie of Christ and other profound matters of our religion As for that he cauilleth because M. Charke cannot finde euery thing cited by him The truth is that himself as should appeare neuer read Luthers works but hath stoln these accusatiōs frō Staphilus others that wrote before them and onelye hath a little smoothed them as though they were some fresh merchandize neuer offered to the sale before True it is that Luthers workes haue been often published and some I thinke that he wrote wer yet neuer published but what maketh this for his excuse in not setting down places out of known books quoted directed in their seueral editions for the better triall of the truth and ease of the Reader Is there anie booke extant of Luthers that we who are more conuersant in thē then they should not find out if they would but direct vs to them But I ghesse and I suppose truelie that Luther wrote more as lecherous and godlesse a man as they would make him then the most of thē haue read those that are extant may be founde and had so that if there were any sincerity in them they should not lye by tradition or sende vs at aduenture to finde them we cannot tell where which is a token of their ignorance and taking things at the second hand not seeing them themselues The like is to be said of their cauil for the diuersitie of editions betweene the soft and the rough Lutherans Wee denie not but Luthers woorkes may be subiect to mens affections as other of the auncient Fathers haue beene and he may be made father of many children that are most vnlike him as was Augustine and other of the Doctours but what helpeth this their cause when he and his workes both are no farther allowed of vs then they agree with the woorde of God Wee knowe that euen as there is difference in fruites and mettals of wines in the first and latter vintage so we know that Luthers workes are to be considered according to the times wherein he wrote He writ many thinges being 〈◊〉 in his cowle soone after he had cast it of which 〈◊〉 somwhat 〈◊〉 it and GOD gaue him grothe according to that measure of grace in knowledge vnderstanding according as he saw meete for his church for the bulding of it He saw not al at once neither had he that sinceritie in the beginning whilest he would scarse come frō among you 〈◊〉 afterwards by the grace of God he attained vnto If therfore his works wer filed by himself or by others with his cōsent during his life or after I know not why he should not inioy this priuiledg as wel as al other authours writers who are woont as they grow in knowledge either to adde or detract inlarge or abridge their own works as they haue seene good yet ought not hereby to be therfore esteemed inconstāt or not like thē selues As for the cōplaynt of Iohn Alusco cōcerning the confessiō of Auspurge perhaps too toghly too much vrged stood vpō by Luthers schollers afterwardes in respect of the matter of the Sacramēt as it was first set out it helpeth not your cause For besides that it was found faulte with by some of our side the oftē setting of it forth was to better it being but written for a interim for the according of both sides which although it seemed a thing altogether impossible yet for the greatest matters and substāce of Doctrin it was in a maner brought to passe had not some intemperat spirits by the mallice of Sathan fought too too egarly and bitterly against it standing vpon tearmes and tautologies that haue in them no edification at al. That which he addeth out of that place alledged by M. Charke to proue that he spake in detraction of the Euāgelistes because he saith Paules Epistles may bee called more rightly the Gospel which he would make vs beleeue to be done of some tooth against the other is altogether friuolous and foolish which shewes that he hath a tooth against whatsoeuer Luther vttereth As though there were no Gospel in Paules Epistles or as though al were not the gospel of equal authority hauing bin indited by one the same spirit It appeareth y t this man measureth the Gospel by the titles set ouer those stories written by these principal notaries making so many Gospels as there were writers Authours who cannot forsooth abide y t Paules Epist. should be the Gospel or that the Gospel should be one And yet Paule doubteth not to call it his Gospel Here you cry out against M. Charke for not finding out that which you neuer found out your self but as you receyued it by tradition one from an other as often answered as euer it was obiected which I suppose you sawe not with your owne eyes and that made you to refer vs to Coclaens from whom you tooke it at the second hand thē taking an hold of our hemme by all edging Gesner that maketh mention of such a preface wherin by way of comparison onely he speaketh so off I am Epistle not denying the authority therof which you Campion falsely say both he we haue cut off from the body of the scripture yet Luther commendeth that Epistle in his Preface vpon it
AN Answeare for the time vnto that foule and wicked Defence of the Censure that was giuen vpon M. Charkes Booke and Meredith Hanmers Contayning a maintenance of the credite and persons of all those woorthie men namely of M. Luther Caluin Bucer Beza and the rest of those Godlie 〈◊〉 of Gods worde whom he with a shamelesse 〈◊〉 most slanderously hath sought to deface finished sometime sithence And now published for the stay of the Christian Reader till Maister Charkes Booke come foorth Exod. 20. 16. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Receiue not an accusation against an Elder but vnder two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5. 19. ⧠Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson and Tobie Smith 1583. ⧠To the Christian Reader Grace and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ by the holie Ghost sealed in thy heart for euer Amen MAruel not good Christiā Reader that I haue taken vpon me before the publishing of M. Charkes fuller answere to say somewhat vnto that same shameles impudent defender of his proud vngodly Censure For first I cōsider the great hurte that may come by reason that the common sort lacke iudgement when such outragious vniust slāders are spewed foorth the common sort being giuen rather to measure the truth by mens persons then their persons by the truth which is a very absurd vnequal trial to trye the trueth by For why should the naughtines of men preiudice the truth of God Why should Iudas a 〈◊〉 tor deface the doctrine of Iesus Christ or discountenance any of the rest of the Apostles Why shold Peters inconstancie feare in denying his Maister disaduantage the constant truth for which he afterwards suffred al the rest of the Apostles so constantly aduouched Marke therfore good Reader that this wretch against whom I write that he may deface the Gospel of thy redēption laboureth for nothing more then to deface their persons that haue bin some of the most singuler instruments that euer God raised vp in his church since the Apostles times With what truth grounds he chargeth thē vpon what testimony we shal see afterwards when we come to it In the meane time I doubt not but the whole Church specially M. Charke will take it well that I keepe his hands from raking in their filth ease him of this foule work wherunto though I be drawn by the aduersary against my wil yet it shal appeare that we haue athousad for one to charge them with in the persons not only of their late restorers of Romish religion but in their very fathers founders wherin also if they haue made me to rake deeper 〈◊〉 was meete to the raysing vp of such a filthy sauour that al the world may be annoyed with let thē thāk thēselues If they say it be against charitie let them remember that it stādeth with charity to mainteine innocēcie against their cursed teeth and if it be against charity in vs why was it not so in themselues who yet are most guilty in giuing the first example let thē learne the 〈◊〉 betwixt the truth error betwixt the light the darknes In very deed we do not measure Gods trueth by men nor religion simplye by mēs liues as they do We know that al mē are liars in the professiō of the Gospel there are haue been shalbe many Hypocrites such as cause the euerlasting truth of God to be euil spoken of amongest such as are without and such as they are 〈◊〉 to whō they are stones of offence set vp in Gods iust iudgement that they may stūble at them forsake the truth and be confirmed in error cōfounded to their vtter destruction But why should this withdraw from truth Why should the darknes of mē put out the cleere light of the gospel seeing it shineth not only to discouer the vnrighteousnes of the world but also 〈◊〉 chase away errors euē in the best Why shold we be charged with the faults of mē priuate mē which our profession doe not allowe neither in our selues nor others Nay rather we teach according to the doctrine ofregeneratiō mortificatiō sanctification that holines of life which is not in our selues yet we wish in others We teach the killing of the corruption of old Adā newnes of life which these men neuer vnderstood to whō if the professors of the gospel be 〈◊〉 if conuersation be layd with cōuer satiō in theirs ours in their seueral professiōs ours their holines with ours we shalbe Angels they diuels we may as we are 〈◊〉 shew our infirmities but they as they are men al their abhominations not of men but of Antichrist that both in life doctrine set thēselues against Iesus Christ the 〈◊〉 of God that same blessed spirit of 〈◊〉 We in professing the truth acknowledge our errors find them out and iudge them by the truth condemne them in our selues and in others yea we condēne the very motions and should or doe punish according to Gods worde both priuate and publike offenders to the vttermost of our powers these in professing falshood and false religion doe mainteine euery cursed abhomination and though they say they haue free wil cā fulfil al the cōmandeméts of God yet boldly impudently they breake thē al they make no accoūt of concupiscéce vnlesse they cōsent vnto it and though the fome breake foorth into cursed attemptes into idolatry swearing and blasphemy into prophaning the 〈◊〉 Sabaoths with their deuised religiō contrary to his word though they dishonour them to whom honor belongeth commit adultery buggerie sodomitrie al kinde of filthines thogh they kill steale lie and slaunder beare false witnes and suffer euery affectiō to roue at his pleasure yet these with them are either no sinnes or very light sinnes which they wil satisfie for with a litle bodily punishment which they hypocritically and voluntarily deuise and lay vpon thēselues Wherefore good Christian Reader I be seech thee in the bowels of Iesus Christe beware of these pestilēt hissing adders whose poyson is not only in their cursed doctrine manifestly against gods euerlasting word but also in their sinful shamefull abhominable liues their head beeing that mā of sin childe of perdition And albeit in vs our sinnes ought not to weigh against the truth which the truth condēneth punisheth we condemne in our selues neither to discredit it nor shake thy faith because we measure it not by mens liues which were to measure light by darknes yet in them it ought in whom both are ioyned together false doctrine euill life and of these thou oughtest to be warned y t thou maiest learne to iudge thē to know thē by their fruites For as their professiō is wicked so their liues are accursed as they are Idolaters so they
this booke but of all the rest that you or your traiterous coadiutors haue foysted foorth with such speede amongest vs. But where you say that we refuse it your slander is impudent Indeed we thinke vnmeete after the establishment of the trueth not that anie such boasting challenger as Campion was or your selfe is or may be should drawe vs to such an action as though we doubted of the truth as thogh now it were to be disputed of We know heretikes of al times haue vsed y e like prouocatiōs y t with as great cōfidēce of their cause euē such as Goliah did against Dauid but you say we persecute imprisō tormēt slaughter thē which offer the same wher in you declare the modesty of your spirit not accusing vs but our whole state begging that which is in questiō as thogh you were true professors we heretiks bicause you say so therfore that you are persecuted wheras indeed you are iustly imprisoned executed for your dangerous treasōs rebellions as were your cōplices that were in actual rebellion against her highnes But in so often vsing this hot charge you might haue cooled it with remēbrāce of your sauage cruelty that all the worlde hath wondred at in racking roasting the true professors of Christes Gospel indeed for only matter cause of religion you might haue remēbred the trials you vse the argumēts you bring against mē of our sort whē you roast vs aliue deuise new vnwonted tormēts worse thē euer did Phalaris or the wickedest tirāt that euer liued without any knowledge or remorse of god let your spanish inquisitiō your murthers in Frāce at Rome in other places testify the truth hereof As for your largesse out of the superabūdāt treasury of your possession seeming in your iudgement to be the best surest easiest meanes that cā be deuised or euer were vsed for trial in the church because you dwel by il neighbors haue a good opinion of your selues they are indeed nothing For first for the books of 〈◊〉 scripture you know not which they are you bring in euery riff raff book yea the beggerly constitutions of your popes make thē equal with the scripturs thogh you boast of thē you wil not be ruled by thē neither for that which is set down expresly or for that which is set down by implication Neither doth y or literal acknowledgmēt stād you in steed no more thē the scribes pharisies that had the letter the literal vnderstāding to their owne hurt dānation but no whit of the spirite or spiritual meaning therof to their saluation But is not this a fine argumēt trow you Christ saith plainly vpon this rock wil I build my church Mat. 16. But Peters name signifieth a rocke therfore the church is builded vpō Peter so vpon al the popes Peters successors the most of thē as like Peter in doctrine holines as an apple is like an oyster And again he that 〈◊〉 great among you let him be as the younger Loe is not this a playne place that one was greater then others and we haue no plaine place that there is none greater Surely if you lay so hardly to our charge how shall we do This is plaine geare indeed for your supremacy so is al the rest first for your real presēce absolutiō vowes which you bringyet again traditiōs cōmandemēts works penāce retribution or reward prayer for the dead sacrifices for the dead volūtary afflictiōs almes praiers of saints such like groūded stuff as naturally ingēdred from your alledged texts as a lambe frō a woolf And surely if these be your plaine textes what are your crooked ones Surely if you deale thus with vs after so many aunswers we shal haue nothing to reply any further For these are so playn as you quite confoūd vs none of our shifts cā serue As plaine as this is put you on the whole armour of God that you may stād against y e sleights of the diuel This armour are the priestly garmentes signifiyng the 7. fold vertues that were represēted by the 7. garments that Christ put on in the time of his passion the first garment was the couering of his head signifiyng the saluation which is attributed by faith This the apostle calleth the 〈◊〉 of saluatiō wherby is meant also the couering wherwith y e Iewes couered the face of Christ when they strook him vpon the face and said areed who strook thee The 2. garmēt was that wherwith he was couered a sursū deorsū I thinke you meane frō top to toe which was a white garmēt this signifieth the hope which commeth by grace from aboue by the merits of the church from below of this Paule speaketh For you are saued through hope This also is represented by the garmēt that Herode put vpon christ The 3 garment that the priest putteth on is the girdle whiche signifieth righteousnes whose 2. armes clasping one another is to decline from euil and to work good Of this Esay muste needes speake cap. 11. And righteousnes shalbe for the girdle of his loynes And this pelte was represented by the whippe wherewith Christe was scourged by Pilate Ioh. 19. The fourth garment that the Priest put vpon was a maniple put on the right arme wherby is signified the strength wherwith we fight against aduersities and of this the Apostle saith Fortitude is a vertue restrayning the assaultes of aduersitie But where this is written I cannot tell but this is signified by the corde wherewith Christe was bound when he was taken by the Iewes as itis sayde They tooke him and bound him The fifth garment is the stoale of the Priest or the orarium of the Deacon whiche hath two hanging armes that signifie prudence and temperaunce And therupon the apostle saith to Tit. 2. Let vs liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world This stole representeth the corde wherewith he was bound when he was tyed to the piller and whipped The sixth garment is the aulbe whereby is signified charitie For euen as that couereth the other garmentes so charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes And this doeth that purple garment represent which the Souldiers put vpon Christ. Ioh. 19. They compassed him about with a purple garment Howe say you Sir is not heere plaine Scripture necessary collections vpon Scriptures Surely we might haue beatē our braines these 7 yeeres ere we could haue found out the mistical signification of this profound geare but we may thank good Gabriel Biel. Rationale diuinorum speculū Ecclesiae not only for this profoūd stuffe but for a thousād such other goodly interpretations I am weary of wading so far into your follies For as it is in these that I haue set downe so is it in al the rest which for breuities sake because I make conscience stil to blotte paper with one and
must be solitarie they may not buyld their monasteries in cities they must not be vagrauntes but get their liuing by the labour of their handes their Nunnes must not cut their haire they must deuise no more newe orders but rather keepe one of the best approued Their auricular confession is not necessary to saluation but rather an ordinance of man And as their canons are so also are their councels their interpretations one against another as hath beene shewed before The councel of Basil condemneth Eugenius the pope and hee againe condemneth the whole councel The contentions brawles of Monkes and Friers they are infinite and known their schismes long horrible during many yeres the mendicāts against the vniuersitie of Paris al other orders nowe the lesuires 〈◊〉 the bel a way ourgoe al others The Sententionarists and schoolmen they also agree like cattes and dogges the writings of Catharin the Archbish are against de Soto Caietane is against others Tapper both a gainst Pighius Catharine Durand al the rest Sometimes they teach concerning iustification that by only faith in the passion of Christ our sinnes are forgiuen and the promise of pardon to be laide holde of by this onely meane Another time they teach that Christ hath satisfied for original sins actual sins going before baptisme but that we must satisfie for the rest afterwards Againe Christ hath satisfied through sufficiencie but not by efficiency and participation of fruit Christ hath satisfied for the fault but not for the 〈◊〉 for wee must satisfie for that Faith doth iustifie initiatiuè but not consummatiuè that is it begins to iustifie but it doth not performe it Also precedent workes prepare to iustification but workes consequent make it perfect These are their dissentions and horrible disagreements which they cannot discerne in themselues not begun yesterday but such as haue bin continual amōgst them as touching their greatest matters and yet they can see into our differēces in smal matters to make vs at the greater oddes they can matche vs with such here tikes indeed as we no more allow of then themselues nor so much neither no party protestāts or rather christians with vs but with them against Christ and his truth But the maiestie of Christendome in comparison of our poore faction as he calleth it doth much cōfort him Thankes be to God though the least that yet are best cannot compare for multitude with the worst that are most yet he may remember that wee are not such a poore companie as he would haue vs. For God hath caused his people to grow and increase not from Paganisme to popisme the mother of al here sies as they boast to haue done in the Indies but from paganisme and false religion indeed to true christianitie in 〈◊〉 Flaurders Germanie Spaine England Scotland some whole countries hauing vtterly abandoned their idolatries and corruptions And this not 〈◊〉 Maister Charke whom he dreameth to sit by the fire in his personage wherein as in great matters so in this also he is taken with a foule lie may see but al other christians whose eies God hath not shut vp in 〈◊〉 to their owne destruction Nowe being growen to some conclusion he setteth downe what order he wil keepe And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will set downe his owne censure wholly againe For the man 〈◊〉 to heare himselfe speake But hee pretendeth to doe that bicause M. Charke is obscure But the truth is hee prouideth to haue that which he setteth down red fullie of his Catholike broode but as for M. Charks answere he knoweth that none of his confederates must once touch it vpon paine of the blacke curse vnlesse he be licensed and authorized thereunto This is the way that they take when all the world knoweth that we reade their bookes and answeare thē thorowly and they like butchers curres 〈◊〉 at the worst morsels of ours and neuer marke the whole drift of the matter as Sit Parsons or what parson soeuer els be the defender hath done thorow this defence of his censure ageinst M. Charks replie and in al the rest of his bookes Thus I haue answeared these prefaces minding not to deale so particularly with the booke only I wil hereafter deale with those thinges that are personal which this runnegate prodigal Parsons as he is commonly taken if he be not a parson of another parrish as some thinke as a heape of filth hath raked together to discredite those excellent instrumentes of God which the Lord hath reared vp in his church for the edifiyng of his Sayntes And although it could no whit preiudice the truth as their own writers witnesse though men had their notorious faults yet because the holy ghost wil haue the ministers of God to be blameles I will mainteyn their innocencie by examining his reasons and witnesses in order of ech as they haue liued in their seuerall times and as occasion serueth I will lay out of their owne stories the liues of some of their chiefest popes the heades and pillers of their owne popish church and this also I wil doe as briefly as possibly I can 〈◊〉 An Aunsweare for the time vnto that foule and wicked defence of the Censure IN that you set downe your whole Censure and doe but croppe heere and there out of Maister Charkes replye without either replye or aunsweare to Maister Charkes reasons and arguments you deale with suche equitie as a man maye looke for at a Papistes handes that vse neyther Fayth nor sinceritye in any theyr dealinges But you haue done it for good causes as I haue noted before to witte that you may bee sure to broche out to the worlde your falshood and conceale the trueth of God If there had beene anye purpose of playne dealing you woulde as well haue set downe full and wholly your aduersaries replye as your Censure and defence And if you had made as shorte woorke of your owne as you haue done of his we shoulde not haue had after so long time but a first parte in steed of both firste and seconde nor in so manye sheets that might haue beene comprehended in a fewe But you neyther make conscience what you write nor howe you write howe often nor howe weakelie so you may seeme to your deceyued followers and superstitious Idiottes still to haue somewhat to saie And in verie trueth you set down nothing newe All is of that worme eaten store that was longe 〈◊〉 spent and haue receyued as often aunsweares as they haue beene obiected vnto vs. Of all M. Charkes replye to that prowde challenge of a Runnegate Iesuite ye take only a word or two for your entrance What is Campion or who are the rest of these Seedemen that they should auow popishe religion c. Heere you exclaime euen beeynge out of breath your selfe that Maister Charke entred in choller and if his beginning or entrie were so hotte
what would the ending bee Belyke you 〈◊〉 haue men to speake to you as Angels when you are diuels In our answeares you are watching to catche euery sharpe woorde that yet is ouermilde considering who you are that sette your selues linesse true religion Let paretts sermons de tempore al the rest of their legendes and festiuals their scholasticall and Lombardicall histories which are more then a good manie testifie which are so full of lyes toyes and inuentions that a man can finde no truth in them And albeit these late pedling Iesuites seeme to come with a greater florishe in this last encounter against the truth yet they are voide of all truth and sinceritie Among these may bee reckoned also Syr Sonius Hermannus 〈◊〉 Quintius Poligranus and a thousand suche like pedling proctors And no maruell for they were neuer acquainted with the holy scriptures to preache for the glory of Christe and to edifie his people Alas they neuer came where it grew neither know they what it meanes but they patch in deede together other mens sayinges kicking and flinging here and there without all good method and order neuer looking to the sense of the scriptures neuer caring what the scriptures of God teach but they can tell vs some Canturburies tales and lyes of Robin hoode and many goodly myracles wrought by reliques of our Ladies milke of Saint Hubertes key of Saint Loyes horse of Saint Gabriels fethers of Saint Georges speare Reade their Gesta Romanorum Vitas patrū their Speculum bistoriale and you shall finde such stuffe enough That I say nothing of Saint Frances conformities of S. Bridgets reuelations of these goodly things set out by Lypomanus Sophronius and such coū terfet Doctors who are as full of such holy fraudes to helpe the peoples deuotion as their golden Legende is full of Leaden nay lowde lyes But heere Master Charke hath drawen vppon himselfe a needelesse charge to answere for Master Hanmer who is olde enough to answere for himselfe and if hee finde it harde hee must thanke himselfe for medling with matters whiche hee might haue auoided But good master Parson let mee be bolde to call you so though perhaps you looke for an higher title what are the fewe things of many you haue obserued to declare master Hanmers constitution The first is his ignorance who hath alleaged out of Lyra Ab Ecclesia Romana iam diu est quod recessit gratia whiche hee interpreteth It is long sithence that the grace of God is departed from Rome whereas the worde is Graecia not Gratia Greece and not Grace as the whole circumstance of that which went before and followeth after doth declare But heerein Syr Defender you doe not so much strike master Hanmer for ignorance as your owne Dunces and Dorbels through his sides that not onely haue printed it so in all the copies that yet I haue seene and I am sure I haue seene aboue twentie but also your owne fellowes that so haue taken it and haue beene in as great rage with Lyra about this as for his opinion 〈◊〉 the sacramente Quarrell not therefore with vs aboute your owne slippes but laye the faulte where it is vppon your owne backes bay at those whose ignorance in time tofore hath passed all others among whom knowledge learning iudgement hath had small account and entertainement howesoeuer now Satan furnisheth you his instruments with som more knowledge or rather 〈◊〉 that you may doe the greater mischiefe But let this by the way be marked by the Reader that the supremacie of your pope by Lyra his confession out of your owne interpretation hath been greatly ecclipsed seeing Graecia as hee saith was long agoe departed from the Church of Rome whereas he might rather haue said that Rome was departed from Graecia The second thing you charge M. Hanmer with is as you speake in your foule mouth a foule lye that hee shoulde say that the Iesuits helde that all euery the things conteyned in holy 〈◊〉 are so wrapped in 〈◊〉 that the best learned can gather thence no certaine knowledge This you 〈◊〉 is impudent for they haue the plaine contrary and specially And radius in the very selfe same 〈◊〉 by him alleadged I knowe not whether M. Hanmer referred you to Andradius or no but I am sure that euen in the 〈◊〉 article of the Censure of 〈◊〉 there is a speciall tracte to proue generally that the scripture is ful of 〈◊〉 and therefore not to bee read of the common people and to that purpose are al those same authorities out of the Doctors set down by them as also by Bellarminus to deterre the people frō medling with them whereas in deed the ancient fathers haue no such meaning but rather teach men to be more diligent in reading them to pray more hartely earnestly that God will giue them vnderstanding and how hard soeuer they may seeme to be what difficulties soeuer are in them in regarde of the wicked such as are separated in his iuste iudgement from the know ledge of them yet God doth vouchsafe to 〈◊〉 his secretes to his chosen that hearing they shoulde heare and vnderstanding they should vnderstande and so attaine to 〈◊〉 and be saued Therefore Paule magnifieth his office being the Apostle of the 〈◊〉 to prouoke the Iewes his own 〈◊〉 that if it were possible by any meanes his miuisterie might be effect 〈◊〉 also to them he might saue some from amongest them as also he 〈◊〉 Timothie to attende vnto reading that hee might saue himselfe those that heatde him The fathers therefore when they speake of the hardnesse of the scriptures do it not to feare the children of God at all from reading hearing the worde of God For they exhort them here unto continually thorow out their whole writinges of what calling condition or sexe soeuer they be we haue not therfore to regarde what the Censure of Colen their Antididagma their coun cell their Colledge at Rhemes haue patched together to disuade from the reading of holy scriptures we know that the Ministerie of the Gospell is the only ordinarie way perpetually appointed of God to continue in his church from whence must flow the instruction of euery sort and building vp of euery member thereof vnto godlinesse righteousnesse And though to the blinde beetles spiders of the worlde light be darknes the sweetest most fragrant flowers yeeld matter of poyson to swine Acornes are fitter then pearles which that newe Testament set out of late doth therefore insinuate that the common people should feare to reade them yet his will being his last Testament is commended as the pledge and euidence of their inheritance in the same word whosoeuer shall goe about to keepe his Church from it consisting of all sortes they doe but hood wincke them and so leade them whether they list as they haue done all the princes and nations
morselles whiche commonlie fall to Ministers lottes in Englande will I am afrayde vnlesse GOD turne your hearte bring you to the same ende Indeede in regarde of God it is a sweete thing to liue in his feare for auoyding fornication euerye man to haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husbande and to haue a charge whereunto they are appointed of God wherein they maye walke dutifullie and liue fruitefully to the edifiyng and buylding vp of manie though they haue their cares and difficulties so annexed to them as are sufficient to make them looke vp to heauen but the sweete morselles you speake in regarde of the fleshe is to liue at libertie without all lystes as your irreligious rable doe that thinke it sweeter to haue manie whoores then one honest wife to haue no one charge but manie that like the Caterpillers deuoure and eate vp all the sweete morselles of the earth followe all the Lecherye and lustes that sinneful flesh leadeth vnto and vnder the name of an austere life without trauell care or labour enioye all which commonlie are the lottes of that proude and wicked generation thorowe out the 〈◊〉 worlde to which the whole earth hath beene lay de vp and so wasted as kinges and Princes haue become their vassalles and tenants to depend vpon them and to be ordred by them As for Maister Hanmers beeing none of the Disputers in your coniecture and verified now because there hath beene as you call it a 〈◊〉 it can no more preiudice him then anie others that haue beene fitter to dispute then either your Champion was to aunsweare or any of the rest shalbe able Concerning his notes where whencesoeuer they were gathered it maketh no greate matter you yourselfe if you were cut off from the furniture that you haue spoyled others of out of Canisius Belarminus Melchior Canus and such like you would be but a poore and naked Parsons that say nothing as I haue said that hath not beene often said and which declareth your beggery you scarsly geue it the new burnishing or trimming ouer and as for speaking to the purpose you fight with more framed aduersaries then M. Hanmer doth who saith iustly against your Pope and against you papists that the place maketh not a man holy that vnder your pope holy garmentes and sowre counte nāces there is shrowded many a deepe hypocrite And besides he had greate neede against your greased generation to prooue the authority of the ciuil magistrate seeing they cast of that lawful yoke and cannot abide at any hande to be subiect vnto them but would aduaunce a false and trayterous vsurper that false priest of Rome to intrude vpon their authority not onely to depriue them of the chiefest part of their office for dueties concerning God and Gods seruice but for meere ciuill affayres and therefore they giue him that which Christ neuer did to wit two swordes Lastlie seeing he had suche a benefite by entertayning Campions Lybell vnder the colour of that booke me thinkes he might in silence haue passed that if it had beene such a benefite but of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh For the Papistes are suche fleshe flies that alwayes they light vpon the corruptest and worst thinges Indeede I suppose it be their propertie when they haue foysted out their villanies then they looke that we should by priuiledge publish their draffe which like swine they alwayes like to welter in but the sweete waters they will neuer come neere but this warning is woorth the taking that wee maye learne to prouide for them against another time Nowe hee hath done with Maister Hanmer and runneth with all his mighte vppon Maister Charke First hee defendeth his owne methode whiche hee feigneth to bee doone for Maister Charkes ease the Readers commodity although in very deede hee onelie nippeth and catcheth here and there for his purpose and leaueth the waight of the matter altogether vntouched in a Popish pollicie cropping at words ouergoing the matter neither setting it downe as yet hee hath set his owne wholy againe and againe But heere to discredit the whole reply hee layeth about him like a mad man laying out the onely pith and bringing that into order which was dissolute inuironed with long and bitter inuectiues embrewed with spitefull and contumelious speeche and euery way cast about with odious accusations light suspicions insufficient collections and vaine surmises of treasons rebellious dissimulations practises and what soeuer a fonde malicious head coulde obiect besides Is not heere rouling Rhethorick to discredite his whole booke vpon a bare asseueration The order beeing kept according to Campions disordered occasion no bitter inuectiues beeing vsed but where they were wel bestowed against poperie treason and rebellion without odious and vniust accusation light suspition or insufficient collection the issues answering the coniectures and both agreeing with their desperate and wicked practises vsuall in their popish profession and godlesse religion And nowe Syr Robert Parsons with a great vaine in his forehead hee must sit as a Censurer vpon all mens doings and discerne betweene wise and foolish hee must iudge euery man and be iudged of none as if he were in the Popes chaire alreadie when howesoeuer hee knoweth not himselfe all men knowe him sufficiently to bee such a one as the Papistes themselues may be ashamed to auowe for a common honest man But such Carpenter such chippes Further hee raueth against master Charke for labouring to discredite those bottomelesse Locustes the Iesuites and here hee snatcheth at him for accusing the papistes propertie which is to discredite the men for the doctrines sake hee woulde haue saide the doctrine for the mens sake for that hee confesseth that hee laboured to bring them into discredite and acknowlegeth those speeches in all hatred of popish practises vttered hee collecteth that hatred was the cause against their persons As though many of their owne side haue not detested that newe deuised order who yet neuer hated the men and as though a man might not vtter sharpe speeches in detestation of false doctrine and yet his charitie bee saued towardes their persons But heere no learned or common honest man and much lesse a pretended Preacher of Gods worde can iustifie such vnciuile and outragious tearmes against his brother Alacke good man and why so what waste of suche speech can there bee against such scome and reuedge of Antichriste No pretended preacher but a Preacher in deede as master Charke is hath good warrand out of the worde of God to call those sowers of sedition and 〈◊〉 of all religion that nowe are thruste foorth in this laste rage of Antichriste by their right names Neither is the comparison a like no more then the cause is that you shoulde giue one for another For you in opening your mouthes in an ill cause you speak with the mouth of the Dragon against Christe against heauen against the Saints and children of God but they speaking against
that it shoulde stande like stuble it shall perishe but wee shall bee saued If I should to requite him gather all that dung and filth together of raylinge and scurrilitie which is in their bookes I should euen choke the worlde and infect the uery ayre with their filthe As the cause is so are their wordes and therefore the comparison that hee maketh betwixt D. Fulk Allen Stapleton and Martiall is very vnequall and whatsoeuer such lewde lossels and spende thriftes as Parsons is with the rest of that popish crewe thinke of suche cubbes yet wee knowe howe to esteeme of them wee by the grace of God can discerne of them and what credite soeuer they haue with the worlde with men that are blinded and partial that are wont to praise them in those thinges that are most vnworthie of praise and haue their Parsons in admiration wonder at their giftes and extoll them aboue the Moone as if they were dropped out of heauen yet wee knowe that this is a plaine argument of their corruption and of their shame wherein they so much glory Neyther is it of any credite with vs though like Mules thty rub one another and dub one anothers sayinges though they haue some good giftes seeing they are abused by them and their illusions made the stronger to deceiue others And in deede the Gentiles of whom this Parson Parsons prateth had a greater measure then euer they had but all were nothing without Christe As for that hee calleth vs good fellowes wee desire no fellowship with suche and as for calling M. Fulke Minister in derision whome also from the Censure of one of his owne haire hee calleth the poste horse of the Protestants agreeing to that popish rayling spirite whereby he is lead shall receiue no other answere but this that M. Fulke may reioice to bee so reuiled for the defence of Gods glorious truth This deserueth no shame but prayse amongest all Gods people if in the zeale of God he bee carried with a swift course to answere their peeuish and pelting writings neither doth he it as poste alone For God be thanked hee knoweth and you shall find that there are a great number his inferiours both in yeeres and in the labour of the Gospel and after him in Christe that yet may bee your masters and can answere you well enough Hee doth it not therefore of penurie as a man beeing left alone and woulde carry the burden himselfe but of a readie and forwarde minde to serue the Lorde and his Churche And if hee alone and so swiftly doe it belike if all the Lordes armie shoulde come vpon you and with preparation and furniture where then woulde bee your glorie I knowe your prowde Philistinians heart and the contempt wherewith you reproche the glory of the Israel of God but bee assured this reaching to God hee will bee auenged of it The name of Minister beeing the name of his office hee thinketh no reproche to beare it but the name of a Popish Prieste instituted by Anticriste that hath no ground in the worde of God but hath written in the forehead of it the name of shame blasphemie this name if they were not past blushing might make them ashamed As for Martiall the laste of the three the argument was so grosse and the defence so blockishe that hee tooke in hande as might not only prouoke M. Fulk to call him by those names but they might blushe that I may vse their owne woordes of suche worshipfull writers The other contumelie of attributing this to the pot is iustly returned vpon his owne head For their Doctors are commonlie fitter for the pot then for the pulpit and for an ale benche or a stage then for the Church of God with whome when rayling is done they are mumme and the tragidie is ended Now hauing done as hee saith with the schollers he letteth driue also at the Masters and heere Caluine is set in the first ranke and yet hee might knowe that how soeuer wee esteeme of Caluine as of an excellent and notable personage yet wee haue but one master neyther dyd hee in regarde of those excellent giftes God had bestowed vppon him euer challenge any such prerogatiue or authoritie That is only common to popery and what are his sharpe wordes forsooth his ordinarie tearme against the Papistes is knaues Surely as fitte a name for them in the highest signification as can bee and specially if a fitte Epitheton bee ioyned to it and yet who knoweth not that hath anye skylll either in the Latine Englishe Frenche or Scottishe tongues that it carryeth no suche odious contumelie with it If malice had not blinded this mans hearte hee woulde haue looked vpon his godly and great labours set foorth with so notable profite of the whole Church of God he would haue looked vpon his zeale for the glory and maintenance of the truth of God against such enemies and resisters as himselfe and the Papistes are And what Bishops forsooth are his Superiours Still this Parsons will bee a beggar as though M. Caluine shoulde confesse that the Pope and his Cardinalles are the Churche and suche as hee hath proudly aduaunced and appointed were his Superiours which for his heart he cannot proue eyther by the law of God or man As for Staphilus when hee will forsooth dubbe a counsailour and dare sausily compare with some of ours beeing men of honour all the worlde knoweth what an Apostatate and runnagate hee was first falling from the truth of God and then afterwardes for the glorye of men embracing false religion and following this present euill worlde What his spirite of rayling was hee that shall reade his workes especially his booke against Andreas his Hyppodromus and suche like see at large hee was one of the first deuisers of those notable lyes against Luther after whom followed Cochcteus Eccius and the rest such another as that wretch Bolsecke is of whom we shall speake afterwards Nowe as though hee had taken his leaue of Caluine hee passeth foorth to see what hee may finde in Luther whome they call the Dutch Beare This man he calleth our father as hee did Caluine before our Master and wee are newe ympes who haue receaued from our father the first fruites of his spirite as the Apostles had of the holy spirite Thus doth this prophane wretch with an impure mouth and an vnholy spirite abuse the most comfortable and holy woorde of God But as wee answered euen nowe for hauing anye man to bee our Master in matters of God so wee acknowledge but one father And though Papistes haue manye fathers of whom they receiue religion by imitation and tradition and depend vpon them being men they are newe fathers and new imps 〈◊〉 of that old father of ours which was before all times in whom we were beloued chosen called regenerated and sanctified euen bofore the foundation of the worlde was layde And so farre forth as Luther taught this old and first and
from him and from that popishe broode and infection the clearer and sincerer was his doctrine Luthers writings therefore generally for all seeing we are so ofte drawen in to speake of them are not all as I haue saide before of one byrth nor of like iudgemét But this appeareth plainelie that after God discouered vnto him that the Pope was Antichrist he euermore set him selfe against him And if the writinges of their side be layd with his and measured by the woorde of GOD which ought to be the touchstone of all mens writinges there shalbe no comparison of absurdities rybauldries scurrilities shamelesse sclaunders and impudent lyes The thinges of impietie that he noteth which he saieth are condemned by the Church whiche yet is a shamefull begging of the question as though their Church were the true Church which he saith cutteth the very sinewes of all vertue which he hath stolen out of others hauing neuer read the places themselues nor considered the circumstances they are nothing so as he setteth them done For some of the assertions they are catholike and sounde others are so wrested that they are made to speake that which Luther neuer purposed As for example When he holdeth that the very iust man in euery good work doth sinne as he saith mortally This article is both collected and also condemned by his aduersaryes who haue wrested it vnto their purpose Luther indeede teacheth that the very righteous man doth sinne in euery good woorkebecause that in euerye good worke that hee dooth there is imperfection and though this doctrine bee contrary to the Popes doctrine who in the Tridentine councel accurseth al them that holde it yet neyther hee nor his adherents nor sir Robert Parsons with all his power shall be able to mayntaine it Neyther is it a cutting of the sinews of vertue to drawe men so from good woorkes but an establishing of them in the righteousnesse of Christ. We are no right measurers what is well done and what is euill done because there is in vs a certaine selfe loue as long as wee liue here in this worlde which is woont to make great mountaines but molehilles and molehilles mountaines that is to saye accounteth great vices to bee but small thinges if a man may so speake and small faultes it maketh many times vertues yea Sathan abuseth this to shrowde vices vnder the names of vertues and vertues vnder the names of vices But the eye of God is as a flame of fire as wee reade in the Apocalipes from which no imperfection can lye hidde Besides God dwelleth in a light that is inaccessible so that we cannot come neere vnto him Furder al our actions proceede from our will and our appetite now these were corrupted and altogether depraued in Adam therefore also in vs so that what soeuer floweth out of these corrupt fountaynes as it commeth from them they must needes be corrupted Againe if our actions were simplie pure and good in them selues they shoulde bee for themselues acceptable to God But there is nothing that wee doe but it needeth the patronage of Christe and for Christe it is to bee accepted therefore euen in our best workes there is sinne Also if our weakenes bee such as wee cannot indure the light of Angels whiche is lesse then that same inaccessible light of God howe can it bee that our workes in themselues should abyde that tryall Esay saith that our righteousnesse is as a filthie cloute and the Apostle addeth That wee cannot thinke a good thought lesse desire it and least of al performe it beeing by nature the children of darkenesse and of wrath howe therefore shoulde it so be that in our good workes there shoulde not bee sinne and imperfection And if Parsons will except that wee were sometimes darkenesse but nowe wee are light in the Lorde and that therefore there can bee no sinne in our good woorkes Againe that God woorketh those good actions in vs and therefore if there be any fault in them it is to bee imputed vnto God as they blasphemously gather the aunsweare is at hande For the firste that we are in deede light in Christ but yet as long as we remaine in this vale of miserie we are not such light as hath shaken off all darkenesse those same remnauntes of sinne beeing still left in vs. For the second concerning euery good action in it selfe there is no fault in it as it proceedeth from God and is ordered and gouerned by the spirit of God but as it is ordered and gouerned of vs so that euery good action although it be the gifte of God yet because our will and our powers haue a hand in it in that respect it is vitious And thus much concerning this xxxiiii and xxxvi article Wherein yet if this Momus that hath receiued this at the second hande from others his predecessors as malitious as him selfe would but haue looked backe into Luthers aunswere hee might haue beene satisfied if the trueth coulde haue satisfied him Concerning the second where he chargeth Luther to say that man hath not in his owne power to doe euill hee wresteth the place contrary to Luthers meaning who prooueth that it is not in mans power to do good And yet this is the comfort of al Christians that neither in men nor deuils there is not any such freedome to doe euil but they are moderated and gouerned by the power of God For he hath the Deuil in a chain al wicked men so that they can goe no further then hee shal slacken it and loose it vnto them Against free wil therfore he alleadged not onely the scriptures but also the Doctours first prouing out of the scriptures and then out of the Doctours that there is no free will in man especially to doe good Without me ye can do nothing He that saieth 〈◊〉 thing shutteth out al preparatiue works and moral vertues to make way to grace He that abydeth not in me as a brauneh wythereth and is cast out c. S. Augustine saith free wil without grace auayleth to nothing but to sinne Now what libertie saith Luther is this which can do nothing but in the contrary parte and the worser Is this to be free not to be able to do any thing but to sin Now how agree these wordes with Parsons accusation I leaue this to the consideration not onelye of al that feare God imbracing religion but euen to the Papists themselues that haue any conscience what a shamelesse notable impudencie this is in a lying Iesuite Concerning the fourth where heechargeth Luther to teach that to fight against the Turke is to resist God him self he dealeth in this as in al the rest hauing borowed it frō his own brothels that like flies corrupt the sweetest ointments For Luther addeth that it is to fight against God visiting our iniquities by them which haue brought vpon vs the hande of the Turke and al other infidels