princes and say that for one of ours they haue an hundred but they shew themselues shame lesse to speake vntruth without any shew of proofe For if they looke into all histories they shall not finde eyther parliament or prince within this realme that allowed the wicked decrees of the conuenticle of Trent Neither did the clergy or the vniuersityes of England euer approue thē Here againe they they tell vs of a child King and woman Queene as if they had Queens that were no women or disallowed of the succession of children to their fathers So their fift reason is very childish Their sixth reasō had been more allowable if they could haue proued theire antecedent For if their faith had been that which Saint Paule so highly commendeth and which was first taught the English by Gregorie then should wee not much contend with them about matters of fayth But helas poret soules these laypapistes read not S. Paules Epistles nor canne they tell what he taught and as for their Masters they shall proue themselues desperate fellowes if thèy take vpon them to proue their transubstantiation and massing sacrifice and other poynts of popery out of S. Paule they should also but abuse their readers if they should vndertake to proue that popery is Catholike doctrine as hath been often shewed Finally if Gregorie the firste were iudge yet should they neither proue the popish worship of images nor the vniuersall headship of the pope nor the inuisibility and impalpability of Christes body in the sacrament the contrary rather out of Gregoryes doctrine may be concluded The 7. reason is nothing els but a repetition of matters formerly denyed They say we haue receiued our Bible our gospell and the canons from the Church of Rome The truth is that all true Christians haue receiued both the Bible the Gospell from Christ and his Apostles-likewise we haue receiued auncient canons from auncient general councels from the same the Church of Rome hath receiued both lawes and canons But the doctrine of the modern churche of Rome concerning the 7. sacramentes halfe communions the carnall eating of Christes body with the mouth and such like Mysteries of the masse they are contrary both to scriptures and actes of councels and were neuer knowne to the auncient church of Rome In theire 8. reason they affirme that the Romish Church is our Mother Church But then is she a cruell mother that persecuteth and murthreth her children Of the old Roman Church diuers nations receiued the faith and therefore to them she might be reputed the Mother church and so his maiesty meant when he spoke of the old church of Rome But this later Romish church is rather a stepmother then a mother and rather the mother of fornications as Saint John calleth her or the mother of errors as Francis Petrarch calleth her then the mother of Christians nay we haueby diuers reasons demonstrated that she is neither the mother church nor Christs church but the whore of Babylon and Synagogue of Antichriste Their ninth reason is drawne from the maner of the firstē arising and condemnation of heresyes For if there neuer yet arose any heresy but both the names of the authors and of the councells that condemned them were well known then if neither the authors of the masse or of Purgatory or of prayers to saints can be named nor any councell found out that condemned them then they suppose that these poyntes came from Christ and the apostles But by the same reason hee mighte prooue that the heresie of the Angelikes Collyridians Messalians Nudipedalls Nazarites Apostolikes and diuers of that sorte came from Christ and the Apostles For neither is Coleton able to name the first authors of these heresyes nor excepte it bee the Angelikes condemned in the councell of Laodicea can hee shew that any of these hereticks were condemned by councels Further wee shew who were the first deuisers of the masse and these lay papists confesse that the author of euery little ceremony and the time thereof is known we knowalso that purgatory for satisfaction for tēporal pains after that the guilt of sin is remitted praiers to saynts was first deuised by schoolmen among christians by idolaters among Heathen men Their last reason is deriued from the fruites of true religion which as they say are loue vnity concord piety acts of charitie and deuotion as fasting praier almes building of monasteryes erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals conuerting of Nations and such like But first the erection of monasteries and such like dennes of superstitious persons and Sodomites is neither a worke of Charity nor deuotion Secondly these fruites of religion that are heere mentioned neuer proceeded from the modern superstition of Rome And that is most apparent not only by common experience but also by the testimony and confession of papists themselues In Jtaly other countries where popery moste reigneth there is little true loue no vnitie nor concord either among the teachers or among their followers no steppe of christian piety no acts of Christian charity nor signe of sincere and internall deuotion their prayers are directed to saynts angels for the most part and little vnderstood of the vulgar sort being in strange lāguages Their fasts ar superstitious their alms ar pharisaical for the most part euil bestowed The popes their cōplices massacre murdre true christians with deadly hatred prosequute on another Their enemies they empoysō murdre such as they cannot kill they curse and hate They make banks of vsury set vp bordell houses for maintenance of whoredom baudry they haue empouerished christians occasioned the progresse and successe of Turkes and as for new Rome it hath confuted no heresyes nor called any lawfull councels nor erected any vniuersityes nor taught any obedience to princes nay contrariwise the popes of Rome haue dissolued the bands of obedience and with preferring men vnworthy fostering Iebusites haue ouerthrowne vniuersities Finally teaching that the pope is aboue councels they haue taken away al authority frō councels teaching the idolatrous worship of saynts images and the sacrament and setting for ward their traditions they haue destroyed all religion and this in the abridgement or suruey of popery is proued both by testimonyes and examples agaynst vs certes they shall neuer be able to prooue any such matters They charge Master Caluin Knox Luther Godmā with teaching cōtēpt of power authority and neglect of laws obedience that vnder the colour of liberty of the gospel But this is a cōmō practise of papists when they are at a stoppe to father lies vpon Luther Caluin and other godly men How sincerely they deale it is apparent when they alledge such authors as lay papists vnder payne of excōmu nication may not read affirme that to bee taughte by them which those godly teachers vtterly dislike and condemne Absurdly also wher they vndertake to defend themselues they run out
that it is repugnāt to the practise of the Primitiue church the authority of fathers and lawes of christian Emperours and finally that it prouoketh the wrath of God againste the Authors of it Neither neede we to make any question of the practise of Papistes in this behalfe if wee looke anto the actions of the pope and his bloody Jnquisitories In Italy they tolerate no religion contrary to Popery in Spaine they persecute such christians with fire and sword as are contrary to theire faction Jn the Low countries the cause of troubles proceeded principally from hence for that the people would not admitte the bloody inquisition of Spaine that was thoughte to be the fittest meanes to rooote out all religions but one Although then papists now think it no inconuenience in England to tolerate diuers Religions and to admit another religion then that which is alreadie receiued and stick not in plain termes to saye so yet it is apparant that they speake againste their conscience and that they contradicte their owne docttrine and practise Chapter 6. That Poperie is a false and erroneous religion I Might if J list enlarge the former discourse with diuers other reasons against toleration of diuers religions but what should further demonstrations neede to proue that which no papist will as I thinke deny let vs therefore shewe because these apologeticall petitioners stand much vpon the trueth and honesty of their religion that beside the former generall reasons there are diuers other particular matters to be obiected against popish religion euery one sufficient to crosse their desires For first it is a false and erroneous religion Next the same is superstitious and idolatrous Thirdly it is composed of diuers hereticall positions Fourthly it is a pack of nouelties Fiftlie it conteyneth diuers doctrines full of Blasphemies Sixtly it is enemie to kings and greeuous to their subiects Lastly it cōteyneth many pointes of doctrine condemned by the aduersaryes themselues and alloweth diuers practises disliked by all nations That Popery is a religion false and erroneous we prooue firste by the falshood of the groundes thereof and next by the erroneous positions and doctrines whereof it is composed Stapleton in his book entitled principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs. 7. grounds or principles of popish religion The first is the church of Rome the second is The Pope the third the meanes vsed by the Pope in iudgement the 4. the Popes infallible indgement in causes of controuersy the fist his power in taxing or consiguing the canon of holy scriptures the sixt his certain interpretation when he expoundeth scriptures the seauenth the churches or popes power in deliuering doctrine not written The which grounds as they are defectiue not mētioning the canō of scripturs as a ground of fayth nor reputing the decrees of councels and writings of Fathers to be any matter of momēt deseruing to be placed among the principles of our aduersaries fayth so they are most absurde and false For first howe can the church of Rome be a principle or foundation to it self and againe why shoulde the Church of Rome where Peter taught be more a foundation or principle then the Churche of Hierusalem where our sauiour Christ himselfe taughte and suffered the apostle Rom. 11. doth threaten the Romanes and signifie that the Roman church was a branch that mighte bee cut of And Saint John Appocalyps 17. sheweth that the whore of Babilon which was a figure of Antichrist should haue her seate in Rome Secondly the Popes doctrine is notoriously declared to be erroneous and that in many materiall pointes as for example in the questions aboute the lawe the sacramentes transubstantiation the gouernement of the Church and diuers other important points But were it not a matter already knowne and resolued that the Pope cannot be supreme iudge in matters of religion yet the papists haue no reason to thinke that a blind man can iudge of colors or an ignorant man of Artes. Furthermore the pope hath no greater priuiledge then the high priest of the law Yet he erred in condemning Christ and his doctrine Lastly both the fathers shew that diuers bishops of Rome haue bene Herreticks as Liberius and Honorius and Adrian the. 6. in his booke de sacrament c. de confirmat cōfesseth that the pope may determine falselie by his decretall Thirdly it is ridiculous to trust to the popes meanes in iudgement when he vnderstandeth neither councels nor vseth any good meanes to know the truth Nay wee knowe whatsoeuer means are pretended that the pope either rūneth vpon his own head or followeth a few carnall cardinals or contentious friars Fourthly it is a blockish thing to distinguish the Pope from his iudgement For so the pope should be found to be without iudgement iudgmēt without the pope That this iudgmente is not infallible we gather infallibly out of his manifold erroneous doctrine iudgmēt The same appeareth also by his false decretalls and the variation of the popes iudgement Fiftly the scriptures being consigned by god and deliuered to the church by the prophets and Apostles need no new consignation nor taxation of the pope Nay very absurd it were if lawes receiuing their strength from the gouernors the scriptures shold not be authenticall without the approbation of the pope who for the moste part vnderstandeth no scriptures nor hath skill to reade them in theire originall tongs Sixtly the Pope is for the moste parte ignorante both of the sence of scriptures of the principal poynts of religiō hauing studied neither And very ridiculous it is after plain words of scriptures and exposition of counsels and fathers to runne to the pope for resolution Finally the resolution of matters of fayth dependeth not vpon the determination of the pope or his adherentes who are departed from the fayth but vpon the word of god that in matters of saluation is plaine and better expounded by the learned and by auncient fathers then by partiall Popes and their adherentes Stapletones groundes therfore are false and erroneous Neither are the principles deliuered by others more certaine The conuenticle of Trent sess 4. dooth seeme to found the faith of the Church partly vpon scriptures and partly vpon vnwritten traditions But first the same alloweth no scriptures authenticall but such as are found in the old latine of the bible which in many pointes digresseth from the originall bookes and is much inferiour vnto them Secondly they allow no interpretations of scriptures but such as are consonante to the doctrine of the church of Rome which in matters of controuersy are most peruerse erroneous and absurd as may appeare by diuers particulers in the suruey of popery Thirdly they make the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiastieus Wisedome and Machabies together with certaine fragments not found in the original books of the old testamēt equal to other scriptures alwaies reputed canonicall the which is reproued by the common consent of auncient fathers and seemeth repugnant to reason Fourthly vnder
in Augustine de haeres c. 39. Epiphanius haeres 38. doth condēn the Casās for inuocating both good and bad angels Tertullian also in his book de prascript aduers haeret condemneth them that serue angelt doe the papists then think it catholike religion to worship and serue Angels and to call vpon them 19 As the papists doe proue their religion by forged miracles and lyes so did the Seuerians which therfore were ranged among heretickes by Saiut Augustine de haeresib c. 24. 20 The Papists c. proposuists dist 82. call mariage fleshlie pollutions and say that maried folkes liue in the flesh and and cannot please god But for the like doctrine the Tatians and Encratites were adiudged hereticks 21 As the Manicheys cōdēned mariage in their priests caled electi absteined frō the cup in the Eucharist gaue to christ a body extended to diuers places and not solide so do papists 22 Montanus first broughte in lawes of fasting and extolled vnwritten traditions and was author of oblations for the dead The firste is prooued by the testimony of Apollonius in Eusebius his history The last two poynts are made euident by Tertullian following Montanus his heresy and deriuing them from his Paracletus in his booke de corona militis Why then shoulde not papists offending in the same poynts be reputed Montanists 23 Further I haue shewed in my late suruey of Popery chap. 8. that as the pepuzians honored Pepuza so the Papists honor Rome that with the Catharists they hold that a man may performe the law perfectly and bragge of their purity perfection that with the I acobites and Armeniās they make the images of God the father and the holy ghost that with the Staurolatrians Chazinzarians they worship the crosse that with the Collyridians they worship the virgin Mary and offer consecrated hostes in her honor that with the Circumcellions they murder such as are opposite to their faction that which the Priscillianists they periure themselues and teach aequiuocating periurie that with the Eutychianistes they giue Christ a body without iust dimensions or circumscription that with the Pelagians they extol the force of free will and diminish the praise of gods grace that with the here ticks mentioned by Jrenaeus they accuse scriptures and to make short that they haue embraced many other old condemned herefies As for the master of Sētences Innocent the third Thomas Aquinas Scotus Albert Durand Steuchus Harding Stapleton Allē Bellarmine Baronius and other particuler agents of the Romish Church we are able to charge them with infinite hereticall opinions But because our's duersaries doe not take themselues bounde to defend euery priuate mans doctrines and opinions J will reserue the proofe hereof to some other place Finally if all doctrins brought into the church since the Apostles tymes sauor of heresies as Tertullian affirmeth thē we need not to doubt but that al those popish doctrins cōcerning vnwritten traditions apocryphall scriptures the reading of scriptures in tongus not vnderstood the being of Christs body within the accidents of bread and wine in the Eucharist trāsubstantiatiō the sacrifice of the masse half cōmunions the adoration of the sacrament the popes vniuersall monarchy the popish worship of saintes reliques and images the 7. sacramentes the merits of workes and such like nouelties as are broughte into the Church by the pope and his complices are mere heresyes Chapter 9. That popish religion is new and not as the Papists call it the old religion ANtiquity in matter of religion cartieth no small weight with it in the reputation of Christiās Saint Iohn 1. epist 1. saith he declareth vnto vs that which was from the beginning and Ephes 2. we reade that the church is founded vpon the prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Jf then popish religion was not frō the beginning nor can be iustified to haue proceeded from christ or his apostles or the holy prophets then is it for the noueltie thereof to bee reiected But that is so apparant as hee that will deny it muste needes speake againste his owne conscience and knowledge if he haue either conscience or learning 1. The masse is a principall matter which papists contend for Yet is the same a playne corruption of Christs institution of the Eucharist and wholy repugnant to the apostles doctrine Christ taking bread said this is my body but the masse priests deny that any breade remaineth in the sacrament after the words of the institution spoken He said take and eat The Massepriests say to the people gape and gaze and in the mean while eat and drinke all themselues He said do this in remembrance of me they offer vp Christ in honour of saints He commanded all to drinke that receiued the other kind They exclude all but the Priest from the cup. He ordeined the sacrament to be receiued of the communicātes they receiue it not but oftentimes hang it vp cary it about and adore it The Apostle 1. Cor. 11. sheweth that the sacrament was instituted to declare the Lords death but these celebrate the masse in tongues not vnderstood insomuch that few papists vnderstand what is doon in the celebration of the masse 2. Christ certes neuer instituted the Popes monarchie Nay where the Apostle Ephes 4. speaketh of the ministers of the church this great monarch is not once named True it is that Christ said to Peter feede mysheepe and promised that to him he would giue the keys But what is that to the Pope that is no Apostle nor in any thing like to Peter further Peter had no monarchicall power giuen by these words For equally were the Apostles called and authorized Much lesse therefore are we to imagin that any bishop had this vniuersal monarchy bestowed on him 3. Further it is mere madnesse to affirme that either Christ or his Apostles taught the worship of the Crosse or of images or of Saints or their reliques or that they deliuered to their disciples and folowers the popish doctrine of the 7. sacramentes or of Purgatory and indulgences or of the merites of congruitie or of the foundations and other pointes of Popishe Religion 4. In our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that those poynts of popery which the Church of England refuseth are repugnant both to auncient councells and the auncient fathers of the Church The auncient fathers of the Church and Bishoppes of Rome neuer thought that any one bishop had authority aboue a generall councell The sift canon of Nice forbiddeth to receiue any that were excommunicated by other Bishops The 6. Canon of that councel equalleth other Bishops to the bishop of Rome in that councell it was decreed that Priests should not be separated from their wiues The councell of Eliberis condemneth the superstitious lighting of candles in churchyards and pictures in churches The councell of Gangra taxeth such as disprayse mariage or despise the oblation of maried priests or refuse to eate flesh or condemn such as weare common
vāts seing lay mē are little skilled in tōgs stānd prohibited to reade them in vulgar tongs with out licēce furthermore these felowes art not so far trauelled as to know what is cōteined in scriptures fathers coūcels aūcient writers concerning matters in cōtrouersy if they resolue thēselues by relatiō of the massepreests friars thēar they most simple ideots to beleeue matters vpon heresay and to found themselues vpon the reports of such lying compagnions Lastly they seeme to haue theire braynes distempred that are made to beleeue that the popish sacrifice of the masse for quick and deade their carnall eating of Christs flesh with the mouths of men nay with the mouth of bruit beasts their transubstantiation halfe communions and idolatrous worship of the sacrament the popes vniuersall and plenary power conteined in decretales their 7. sacraments and doctrine of iustification by orders mariage and extreame vnction theyr worship of saints reliques and images and all the rest of their abhominable doctrine may be proued by authority of scriptures fathers saints doctors councels Parliamentes and that the same is confirmed dy vnitie vniuersality succession and. antiquity beside the testimony of virgins and Martyrs This we may affirme of the Apostles creed and the Catholike fayth taught and published in auncient Councels but by no meanes of the fayth of the moderne sinagogue of Rome Nay in our abridgemente or suruey of Poperie we haue plainely demonstrated that the same is contrary to scriptures fathers councels auncient writers and is deuoyde of the testimonies of martyres virgins and decrees of Parliaments and all other authenticall proofes Secondly they alledge that neuer any vniversall innouation in matters of religion hath been made but that the commission and vocation of the messengers hath beene authorised by signes and wonders But this allegation as it concearneth vs nothing so it vtterly ouerthroweth the petitioners cause For we haue made no vniuersal innonatiō Nay we do not alter or abrogate-any one article of the Christian faith but as in Spaine true teachers in former tymes caused Arianisme to cease and true religion to bee receiued and as the Christians in the land of Palestine some 400. yeares sence for a time caused the impieties of Mahomet to be suppressed Christian religion to be taught and practised so do we onely abolish the corruptions false doctrines heresies and impieties of popery and reteine euery article of the Auncient christian fayth But the massepreests friars and monkes adhering to the Pope haue made an vniuersall alteration in the worship of God bringing in the idolatrous worship of saints of images of the sacrament and receiuing many old condemned heresies and new deuised schoole doctrines and decretaline deuises and yet neither shew signes nor wonders vnlesse a man list to beleeue the wondrous lyes of their legends and breuiaries Thirdly they take it as a matter most euident and that cānot be denied that the first apostles and conuerters of Englād Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome and deliuered vs the same fayth which the Papists now professe But they take boldly and affirme impudently that which no man either giueth them or yeeldeth to bee true Parsons hath spent much idle talke in this argument and proueth nothing Coleton is as mute as if hee were turned into a Codfish and replieth nothing to that which is answered to the petition of Masseprecstes the last session of parliament and their discourse touching this poynt As for these petitioners they shewe themselues ignorant of learning that beleeue that the doctrine of Romish traditions of the Popes authority of the masse of the 7. sacramentes of Purgatory and indulgences and such like matters was known to the anciēt Bishops of Rome but suppose old Rome had sent true preachers abroade to conuert nations to the Christian fayth what is that to new Rome that sendeth out false apostles to corrupt the true fayth and assassins Cut-throates to murder such as fauour the truth this false doctrine and cut throate practise certes was neuer confirmed with true signes and wonders Fourthlie they require vs to shew a Commission from God if we meane to conuince the papists that they haue not true scriptures or interpret them not right or that they are idolaters or hereticks a deuise likely to proceed from such idle heades For neither did those fathers that conuinced the Marcionists Arrians Manichees Angelicks and other hereticks either of corrupting or misconstruing the scriptures or any other poynt of false doctrine shew a commission immediatly from god neither doe the masse preests that dispute nowe against Turks Arrians and Anabaptists shewe forth any such commission All Christians and not onelie publike teachers haue commission sufficient to descry to take heed of false Prophets that come vnto them in sheeps clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues What needeth then this extraordinary authority Fiftly they tellvs that we had our scriptures from Rome and had been scripturelesse if we had not receiued them from thence He sayth also that the same bible which Angustine brought into England is yet reserued by gods especiall prouidence But firste it is not materiall from whence Christians receiue holy scriptures The Romaines receiued them from the Iewes and yet I trow Parsons and Coletou as they are turned Romanists will not turne Iewes Secondly that the Britous receiued the scriptures from the Romanes it is not likely they being as the common report goeth conuerted by Ioseph of Arimathaea Neither doe these petitioners shew where the Bible is to be foud that was brought in by Austen the Monk nor doe they make proofe that this which they shew is the the same Bible which Austen brought in Jf it bee the old vulgar translation it is not likely that Gregory sent it For he doth not alwayes follow that translation Heere also they tell vs that we haue reiected and discanonized diuers bookes of scripture because they be expresse testimonyes againste our religion which it pleaseth them to cal new and negatiue But neither doe we reiect any booke of canonicall scripture nor can any argument be drawne from the bookes apocryphall added in the vulgarlatin translation to the old testamēt that doeth hurt vs. Furthermore if we do onely deny the heresies of the papists then doe we not frame any new religion vnto ourselues and if the papists affirme matters not known to fathers then is theire religion new positiue if not wicked in the superlatiue For the sence of scripture they tell vs that we haue onely the warrant of our priuate spirit and they the assistance of gods holy spirit promised to his Church But absurdly they talke of the interpretation of scriptures following therein the priuate sence of a sencelesse pope and neither the interpretation consonant to the meaning of gods holy spirit speaking in scriptures nor to the iudgement of fathers vpon whome they bragge most fondly Lastly they tell vs againe of parliaments and
and their hereticall adherents that abuse Gods seruauntes with their hereticall docttrines The scriptures also teache vs that as god prospered their endeuours which with seruent zeale sought to remooue all monuments and reliques of idolatry so nothing succeeded to those that shewed themselues either fauourers of false religion or negligent and cold in maintaining the purity of his seruice The angel of the lord Iudges 2 threatned the Jsraelits that they shoulde not preuaile because they had made a league with the Cananites and doe we thinke that contractes made with seditious hereticks can be either successefull or of long continuance Salomons seate was established so long as hee soughte the lord with his whole hart but giuing him selfe to women and suffering by their meanes idolatrous worshippes to creepe into his kingdom his glorye began to decline and his troubles to encrease Asah prospered so long as he put away the Sodomites and his fathers idols but when he sought to the Assyrians for help gods help and fauour began to faile him Hezekiah was highly fauorued of god because he tooke away the high places and brake downe the images and Iosiah as hee was greatly loued of god so was he much commended by men for that he put away the idoles and killed the idolatrous priests that were the maintainers of false Religion Contrarywise Ierobvam Rehoboam Abiah Amaziah Manasseh and other kings of Iudah and Israel for permitting idolatry were forsaken of god and continually vexed by their enemies Jt is a dangerous thing to fauour such as deuide themselues from gods Church to company with idolaters and impious perions Hardly shal a man touch pitch not be defiled Therfore Moyses Numbers 16. speaking of Corah Dathan Abiram and theire company exhorteth gods people to depart from the tents of those wicked men least they shoulde perish in all their fiunes Josuah Chapter 23. threatneth the Israelites if they shall cleaue vnto the nations and make mariages with them that they shall be a snare and destruction vnto them and a whippe on theire sides and thornes in theire eyes Such are the scandales that arise of tolerating and consorting with wicked compagnions Jehosophat hardly escaped with his life ioyning in societye and giuing aide to the wicked King Ahab and was sharpelie reprooued for it The 2. Corinthians 6. teacheth Christians not to company with idolaters or profane persons what communion saith he hath lighte with darknesse and what concorde hath Christ with Belial and what part hath the beleeuer with the infidell and what agreemente hath the temple of god with idoles Sainte John in his second Epistle forbiddeth vs to communicate with such as bring not Apostolike doctrine or to salute them and his reson is very important He that biddeth such a one god speede saith hee is partaker of his euill deedes Seeing then holy scriptures are the canon of fayth we may not thinke that toleration of false religion can well stand with the rules of faith and religion being so repugnant to holy scriptures Chapter 3. That conniuence and toleration of false religion and heresy and of the professors thereof is reproued by the authority both of the Fathers of the Church and of ancient Christian Emperors WITH the doctrine of scriptures both the Canons of councells and writings of the fathers of the Church do also well agree And with them all the lawes of godly Christian emperors doe concur the Canons of the Apostles c. 11. doe pronounce him excommunicate that prayeth or talketh with an excommunicate person c. 45. they forbid cleargie men to communicate with heretikes The councel of Laodicea c. 31.32 and 33. dooth directlye condemne communion with heretiques either in mariage or prayer The fourth councel of Carthage c. 70. forbiddeth cleargy men all feasting and felowshippe with heretikes and schismatikes So zealous likewise haue the fathers shewed themselues against false teachers that they haue bothe shunned theyr companie and disallowed all participation with them and their followers Tertullian in Scorpiaco wold haue such compelled and not praied to do their dutie Athanasius de Synodis writing of heretiks spreading theyr erroneous doctrine How I pray you saith hee are they not woorthye of all punishmentes when they write such things When impietie beginneth to shewe it selfe openlie sayeth Gregorie Nazianzen in orat pro pace wee oughte to resist it as much as we may by sword fire or by any other meanes least we be partakers of euill leuen or consent vnto such as he infected with pernicious doctrin And againe in homil in dict euangel Cut off sayeth he the Arian impietie cut off the pernicious error of Sabellius This I speake to lay men this I speake to the cleargie and this I speake to the Magistrates My wordes fighting for the holy trinitye shall not haue so much efficacye as thy edict shall if thou wilte represse such as are infected with pernitious opinions Hierome in cap. 5. epist. ad Galat. sheweth that as soon as the sparkes of heresie appeare they must presently be extinguished and that Arrius in Alexandria was but one little sparke yet because he was not presently oppressed that the flame arising thereof consumed the whole world Saint Augustine epist 48. ad Vincentium proueth that Christiā men are to be forced to embrace truth both by the example of Paul that by violent compulsion was conuerted to Christe and by these words of the Gospell compell all that you find to come in The same father Epist 50 ad Bonifacium sayth that Kings then serue god when they forbid and punish with religious seuerity those things which are done against the commandements of god The like sayings and arguments he hath lib. 2. contra Gaudentij epist c. 17. and lib. 4. contr Crescon grammatic c. 2. contr lit Petil. lib. 2. c. 83. To these fathers we may also adde the testimonies of Ambrose epist 32. ad Valentin imperat and in orat ad Auxentium de Basilicis non tradendis in Luc. c. 10. of Chrysostome homil de auaritia and of Optate of Mileuis contra Parmenian lib. 3. and of diuers others But what need many proofs in matters so apparant Irenaeus aduers haeres lib. 3. c. 3. sheweth how Saint Iohn the Euangelist fled out of the bath wherein the heretike Cerinthus was least it should fall vpon him There he sheweth also howe the ancient fathers refused to communicate so much as in speeche with such as adulterated the truth Eusebius lib. 7. hist. c. 6. by the authority of Dionysius and Heraclas proueth that such as conuerse with hereticks are excommunicate The pious Christian Emperors did likewise establish that by law which the fathers by their doctrine and practise taughte Constantin the great was no soner setled in his state but he forbad idolatrous sacrifices caused idoles to be defaced and demolished as is testified by Eusebius in diuers places of his books de vita Constantini Augustine lib 1. contr Parmen c. 7. and contra Petil.
coloure of traditions they thrust vpon the Church not onelie diuers Fables and superstitious toyes but also a greate part of the errors of the church of Rome Finally they talke of Apostolicall and Ecclesiastical traditions and yet can not certainely deriue them eyther from the Apostles or from the Ancient catholike Church These foundations therefore are ruinous and rather serue to prooue the erroncous doctrine of Antichrist then the faith of Christe Iesus Canus in his booke de locis theolog among his principall groundes and proofes of christian religion reckoneth not only the acts of Councels and writings of the fathers but also the authority of schoolemen and canonists of profane writers and of humane reason yea of the popes and moderne church of Rome Now what I beseech you is more vncertaine then to rely vpon the vncertaine actes of councels and connterfact writings set out vnder the name of fathers Againe what is is more vnreasonable then to bring forth the pope his complices for witnesses or iudges in their owne cause Lex dei saith Athanasius Apolog 2. inimicum ne que testē ne que iudicem esse vult the lawe of God admitteth not our enemies to bee either iudges or witnesses Finally naturall reason is blind in the cause of true religion profane men write profanely These groundes therfore as they are faultie cannot serue for immoueable groundes of the christian fayth Cōmonly all papists doe build their faith not so much vpon holie scriptures as vpon vnwritten traditions popish decretals lying miracles feyned visions the Romish churches Practise But theire miracles and reuelations haue for the moste parte no better authoritie then from the forged and lying legendes of saintes the falshhood of their Decretalls and traditions is declared by the writings of auncient fathers the practise of the moderne Church is contrary to the apostolike and catholike church of old time For in that Church we neither finde any vniuersal pope with triple crown guard of Swizzars nor any Romish masse nor popish indulgences or purgatory or such like trash Vpon these false and erroneous grounds it is no maruell if they haue framed to themselues a most false and erroneous religion as may appeare by these particulars Concerning scriptures they teache that they are no perfect canon of our fayth and next that they are not authenticall to vs vnlesse they be consigned and deliuered to vs by the Pope and his adherents Thirdly they say that the Latin translation is authenticall which they doo not affirme of the originall books Fourthly they say they are obscure and hurtfull Lastlie they permit them not to bee read publikely in tongues vnderstood of the multitude But the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sayth They are able to make the man of God perfite and none but heretikes as we may read in Ireneus euer accused them of insufficiency Secondly as lawes so scriptures haue receiued theyr strength from the author of them that is from the holy ghost And those are very absurd that do beleeue the Pope speaking in his decretalls and will not beleeue God speaking in holy scriptures Thirdly all the fathers prefer the originall books of scripture before the translations Fourthly the word of god in scriptures is called light and the food of the soule Who then that is not led by the spirit of Satan can repute them obscure or hurtfull Lastly neuer was it taught or hearde in auncient times that scriptures were publikely red in tongues not vnderstood Secondly they giue to Christ in the sacrament a body neither felt nor seen nor any way like to our bodies For what man J beseech you euer had a body that was in many places at once and yet filleth no place they holde also that being in his mothers womb he was vir perfectus that is a grown man and that as man he was omniscient and knew all things His office of mediatorship they communicate vnto the virgin Marie and other saints and to Angells and somtime stick not to call saints their redeemers as Bellarmine in his first book de iudulgentijs confesseth To make a treasure of indulgences they mix the merits of Christ and his saints together as if Christs merits were insufficient Their Massepriests as they say are after the order of Melchisedech Finally they make them mediators for Christs body as these words of the Masse declare suscipe hanc oblationem c. and again supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris That is receiue this oblation viz. of Christs body and blood And again Looke vpon it with a fanourable and serene countenance Of which doctrines no one is true and diuers are blasphemous and impious Thirdly they say the Pope is saint Peters successour and Christs Vicar albeit he neither teach the gospell nor administer the Sacraments nor resemble them almost in any thing Him also they make the heade spouse and foundation of the vniuersall church albeit he can shew graunte for none of these prerogatiues They teach further that he is aboue general councels and hath power to depose kings and that his lawes bind mens consciences but such doctrines are not only erroneous but also absurd Fourthly they cast out of the catholike church all that professe not their faith although elect to life and contrarywise make reprobate persons hereticks and wiched men professing the Romish faith and communicating with the Romishe church true members of christs body they hold also that the catholike church is alwayes so visible that euery man may see it and discerne it Finally they shut the catholike church within the limits of the Romish church Matters repugnaunte to holy scriptures and no way agreeing with the nature of the true catholike and apostolike church nor very well with reason Fiftly most falsly they teache that the Pope onely hath power to confirme generall councells and that no man els ought to summon them and praeside in them They hold also that the conuenticles of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent are comparable to the fowre firste generall councells Sixtly they make their followers belieue that the moderne church of Rome differeth not from the aunciente Romane Church and that the same is guided by gods spirit and cannot erre But their erroneous doctrine different from that which S. Paul taught the Romans declareth the contrary 7. Commonly they take to themselues the name of Catholikes yet their doctrine of the masse of their half communions adoration of the sacrament merites of congruity and condignity of Popish indulgences worshippe of images and such like was neuer receiued of the Christians of all times and places 8. Parsons in his booke of 3. conuersions giueth out that Saint Peter and Eleutherus did teache the moderne Romane faith to the aunciente Britones and Austen the monke to aunciente Saxons But hee faileth in his proofes and with a harde and bare face telleth nothinge but bare and improbable lies 9. They teache their followers to worship saintes and to say
cultu sanctorum c. 23. aloweth these speches of friars speaking to a woodē crucifix thou hast redeemed vs thou hast recōciled vs to thy father he confesseth also in his 1. booke de iudulgentijs that saints may be called redeemers Thomas Waldensis in his prologue ad Martinum quintum applieth these wordes of the Apostle Lord saue vs wee perish to the pope 14. Bonauenture or rather some falsary vnder his name applieth those diuine prayses which the prophet in the Psalmes giueth to god to the virgin Mary 15. Of the scriptures most commonly they speak most blasphemously sometime calling them a nose of waxe sometime a deade letter sometime a killing letter sometime comparing them to Aesops fables Kellison in his suruey p. 158. saith the deuill doth wrap himselfe from top to toe in scriptures as if the word of god were the habit of the diuell He that list to see diuers other blasphemous doctrines sayinges of the pope and his complices let him reade the two bookes de antichristo et eius ecclesia latelie set out by Master Powel a young man learned zealous and paineful that hath at large handled this argument in the meane while we may see that such as professe christian religion and true piety haue noe reason to like that religion in which Christ is notoriously blasphemed and so many impieties conteined Chap. 11. That toleration of popery is contrary to reasons of state FVrthermore with small labor it may be shewed that popery is a religion full of contradictions absurdities and fooleries and so contrary to holy scriptures and the catholike faith of christians as darknesse to lighte falsehood to truth and black to white But this short answere will not admitte any such large discourse beside that all these poyntes are at large prooued in the suruey of popery published in answere to Kellisons inuectiue Suruey Now therefore it shall bee sufficient to shew that as popery is contrary to the rules of Christian religion so it si no lesse repugnant to reasons of state and derogatory both to the Authority of Kinges and to the libertie of Christians That popish religion is contrary to reasons of state and politicke gouerne ment it apeareth firste for that the same is idolatrous wicked false and contrary to gods true seruice nowe what state can long continue that either receiueth such a wicked religion or else is carelesse for the establishment of gods seruice Them that honoure me saith the Lord. 1. Samuel 2. I will honor and they that despise me shall bee despised The Apostle also Rom. 1. sheweth that the wrath of god is reueiled frō heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnesse of men which withold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Secondly it is alwaies dangerous to change lawes and to reuerse matters heretofore orderly passed But if popish religion were tolerated then shoulde all those lawes cease that concerne the articles of religion the book of common prayer the forme of administration of sacramentes the kinges royall authority in ecclesiasticall causes the ministers of gods worde and sacramentes and the postessions of the church Finally many things now well ordered would then bee called in question if then lawes be the bands that conteine the common welth in order who seeth not that a greate dislolution of state woulde followe if Popish religion were tolerated Thirdly the pope claimeth power to dispose of kingdomes and to depose kings and all his true disciples doe maintain his Claime Js it then possible that any state should ether liue vnder such a tyranny or tolerate such professed enemies of state Fourthly the same man pretendeth right to giue lawes to the state especially in ecclesiasticall causes and to dispose of the liuings of the church But I thinke noe state will giue this power to straungers and enemies that hath liberty to refuse it Fiftly we reade that pope Paule the third in his bulle of excommunication against King Henry the eighte King of Englānd commanded his subiects to take armes againste him gaue away his true subiects as slaues to those that coulde take them dissolued all bondes wherein any stood bound to him or his subiects as is euidently aparent in the words of his bulle recorded in Sanders de schismate the collector of his Bulles and this authority all pops claime and al papists must defend But it is strange that any state should endure such indignities offered to princes and theire subiects Sixtly no man can serue the pope and his prince and countrye especially beeing in opposition with the pope howe then can the state admit such as depend vpon the pope and are ready to exequute his commandementes and take them selues bound to do it vpon paiue of damnation Nay Percie and other papists of late without his commaundement as they say were in a fayre way to ouerthrow the state 7. To restore banished men to acquite condemned persons to let prisoners loose that are in custody by order of law is the moste extreme condition that lost common wealths may be drawn vnto as Tully saith lib. 5. in Verrem perditae ciuitates saith he desperatis omnibus rebus hos solent exitus exitiales habere vt damnati in integrum restituantur vinctisoluantur exules redusātur But toleration of popery doth bring all these incommodities with it shold we then basely subiect our selues to enemies and traitoures take that course which no state euer yeelded vnto vnlessethe same were brought to extreme and desperate termes 8. No state can admitte such as depend vpon forreine enemyes and intertaine intelligence with them For that were to imbrace within our bosomes the enemies of state But that is the case of the archpreest of the Iebusites Massepreests gunpouder traytors and all their adherents 9. No state can be well gouerned by two gouernors and two diuers lawes For as there is but one principall gouernemente In a state so ought there to be but one authority and one law but if papists bee tolerated then the pope must aswell be obeyed as the king and the popes laws be ioyned with the kings lawes furthermore the common wealthe will prooue a monster not onelie with two heades but also with two soules and two diuers kindes of proceedings 10. The bonds of state are lawes the bonds that tye subiects to their princes are othes of allegeance and loyall affection towardes them But papists being dispensed with all by the pope respect neither lawes of state nor othes of allegeance nor loue due to princes Howe then can any state tolerate such fellowes as respect nether bonds of state nor duty nor obligation toward their lawfull princes 11. Lawes punish such as contriue the murther of priuate persons and much more such as are ready vpon euery occasion to stirre sedition should then then the state tolerate such as vpon the Popes commandement and warrant nay vpon the word of a seditious Massepriest shall thinke it lawfull meritorious to murther empoyson any that shal be opposite
that we haue not so many books of Scriptures 6 We discanonise no book of canonicall scriptures but papists place apocriphall scriptures among the canonicall books discanonised and reiected because they be expresse Testimonies against their new and negatiue Religion If they stand vpon the sence and true interpretation we stand on that point more confidently then they they hauing no further warrant then their 7 The papists properly stand vpon the priuat iudgment of the pope vve folovv no mans priuat spirit priuate spirit and we relying on the assistance of the holy Ghost therein promised to his 8 But not to the Pope or his adhaerents Church for the instruction of all truth which is Columna firmamentum veritatis the piller and foundation of truth If they fly to the Fathers for one place euill vnderstood and somtime falsified somtime mutilated somtime wholy corrupted we produce a thousand not by patches nor mammocks as they do but whole pages whole chapters whole books the vniforme consent of all the ancient fathers and Catholike Church If they presse vs with their passed Parliaments and Princes for one of theirs we haue an hundred and for a Childe King and a 1 Better a vvoman Queen then a vvoman Pope Woman Queene wee haue for vs so many so Wise so learned so religious so Victorious Princes as our Histories without theÌ„ would be very barren our Names obscure our clergy miserable our Bishops beggarly our Parliaments confused our Lawes intricated our Vniuersities without Colledges our Colledges without Schollers our Schollers without maintenance Reason then the life of the law requireth to our vnderstanding more ample and 2 These suppose the Popes decretalls more authenticall then scriptures authenticall euidence before wee bee cendemned by lawe as superstitious or irreligious The faith we professe is that 3 It is no more like it then false doctrine to faith fayth religion which Saint Paul to the Romanes so highly commendeth The 6 reason Rom. chap. 1. which therefore is called Catholike and Romane because (a) The church of Rome euer was and is the Mother Church all the Churches in the world either did in their beginnings or doe for the present agree vniformely with the sea of Rome in vnion and communion of faith doctrine and fellowship hauing recourse thereto as to the 4 The old church of Rome vvas the Mother Church But vvhat is this to nevv Rome Mother Church From the Pastors and Prelates of this Church to witte from (b) S. Gregory the Pope S. Auhustine the Monke S. 5 That vvill hardly be proued further vvhat maketh this for such as subuert the state peruert Christians conuert none Gregory the Pope and S. Augustin the Monke we receiued the benefit of our conuersion and regeneration from them we receiued the 6 This selfe same vntruth vve haue refuted at large in our ansvver to Parsons his treatise concerning 3. supposed conuersions of England selfe same Doctrine Discipline Seruice Sacraments Feasts and laudable Ceremonies which are by vs held practised professed and defended with the 7 Note hovv they say they defend holidays greasings holivvater and such ceremonies vvith their bloud effusion of our bloudes at this very day and this we finde 8 You corrupt histories as much as you can and yet they shevv hovv much you are degenerated from true Christians verified by the Histories of (c) S. Bead Cambden Stowe Hollenshed and Sauell S. Bead Cambden Hollenshed Stovve and that Tripartite History set out by Master Sauell From this Curch of Rome we receiued our Bible our Gospell our Creed our Canons The 7 reason which are the same through the whole Christian worlde among Catholikes both for the translation sence and interpretation This Church is by your Maiesty and by the learned sorte of the Protestants 10 Not this later Rome that is figured by the vvhore of Babylon but the ancient Church of Rome that vvas praysed by S. Paul The 8. reason acknowledged to be the Mother Church we hope then we are excuseable 9 So the Gospell of Papists dependeth on the pope that reuerence and loue our dearest Mother from whose breast our forefathers and we haue receiued the sweet milk of our soules There was ueuer yet since the Incarnation of christ anie heresie that crept into the Church of God The 9. reason but we find the names of the 1 Name the authors of the Angelicks Nudipedals Colâ—yridians Messelians authors of such heresies we find by the Church of Rome Councells called to condemne them and Doctors imploied to confute them there is not the least Ceremonie or circumstance that hath been added for the greater 2 For meere scorn foolery Further you haue deuised nevv doctrines and nevv vvorships of god not only nevv ceremonies Maiesty and solemnity in Gods deuine seruice but the yeare is knowne when and the Pope by whome it was ordained If matters then of so small moment passe not without recording reason would that the lawes that must condemne our Mother church of Idolatrie and superstitions should tell vs the authors that first corrupted her integritie but if the first inuentors and institutors of the Masse of Purgatory of prayer to Saints and the like supposed errors cannot be produced doubtlesse we must attribute them as we doe indeed to Christ and his Apostles and as deriued from such infallible authoritie we are bound in all equitie to follow them But if by the fruits your Maiestie will giue iudgement of the tree The 10. reasoÌ„ the fruits of our 3 Or rather seditioÌ„ vvars massacres empoysoÌ„ments stevvs ribaldry heresy Religion at Loue Vnitie Concord Pietie acts of Charitie and Deuotion as Fasting Praier Almes building of Monasteries erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals coÌ„uerting of NatioÌ„s calling of Councels confuting of Heresies obedience to our Princes though they be Pagans and Infidells and that for conscience sake (a) Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 4. lib. 4. cap. 10.6.5 Whereas both practisers and professors of the Religion which we are so pressed to embrace do far differ from vs in those points 4 These fellovvs teache their tongues to speak vntruth teaching vnder colour of the libertie of the Gospell (b) Knox in his exhortation to EnglaÌ„d printed at Geneua 1559. contempt of power and authoritie (c) Luther in his book de potestate seculari in his comment vppon the 1. of S. Peter cap. 2 neglect of lawes (d) GoodmaÌ„ in his book of obedience all which teache contempt of authority neglect of lawes in the places cited and obedience The examples are to late and lamentable in your Maiesties Realme of Scotland and in the persons of your gratious Mother and Grand-Mother Father and Grandfather to passe with silence the tragedies by such like plaied in sundry other 5 Can these meÌ„ iustly blame our brethren that