and groues of Baal to root out idelatry and superstition and to restore Gods true worship In the beginning of her reigne the holy scriptures were restored to the people in their mother tongue and Gods true worship established in the Church according to that rule God was serued in spirit and truth and the seruice of the Church brought back to the auncient forme of Christs primitiue Church CHAP. V. Of the translations of Scriptures into vulgar tongues and reading them publikely in tongues vnderstood HE that doth euill hateth the light No maruel then if the Pope his crue of Masse-priests shun the scriptures their workes and doctrine being euill and the scriptures being compared to light Psalm 119. and to a candle shining in a darke place 2. Pet. 1. they would if they durst plainely prohibite scriptures as appéereth by the practise of the begging Fryers in the time of William de sanct amore who hauing brought all their fancies and traditions into one volume and calling the same the eternal Gospel preached that the Gospel of Christ should cease and that their eternal Gospel should be preached and receiued to the end of the world The Pope also could hardly be enduced to condemne this blasphemous booke of the Fryers In the end I confesse he was forced for shame to abolish it yet he conceiucd infinite displeasure against the Doctors of Paris and fauored the Fryers as much as he could And now albeit he hath not simply prohibited the translation of scriptures and reading them in vulgar tongues yet he hath so limited the same as in effect they are as good as prohibited For first he will not permit that scriptures translated into vulgar tongues shall be read publikely in the Church as both the Trent conuenticle and the practise of the Romish Church declareth Secondly Pope Pius the fourth doth simply forbid all translations of scriptures into vulgar tongues such onely except as are made by his adherents and followers which are not onely false and absurd in diuers points but also corrupted with diuers false and wicked annotations as the Rhemish annetations vpon the new testament being examined do manifestly declare Thirdly we do not find that the Papists are hastie in setting forth translations of scriptures in vulgar tongues nor can I learne that the Bible is hitherto translated into the Spanish Italian and Dutch tongue by them Fourthly they will haue no Booke-sellers sel Bibles though translated into vulgar tongues by them selues without leaue Fiftly they wil not permit any man to read Bibles so translated by themselues without leaue Sixtly they graunt leaue to none to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues albeit allowed by themselues but to such onely as they suppose to be resolued or rather drowned in the dregges of Popish errors and to lay men seldome or neuer do they grant the same I do not beleeue that Robert Parsons albeit well acquainted in Spaine and Italie can name a doosen lay men of either nation that haue licence to reade Scriptures in vulgar tongues or that had licence in England in Queene Maries time to reade Scriptures translated into their mother tongue If he know any such he may do well to name them If he name them not his silence wil bréed suspition if it be not taken for a plaine confession Finally if any among the Papists be taken with other translations then such as themselues allow or not hauing himselfe obtained licence according to the foresaid rule he is presently taken for suspect of heresie and seuersly punished if he acquite not himselfe the better So we sée that among them it is lawfull to reade all prophane bookes if they fall not within the compasse of their prohibition and to tumble ouer the lying legends of Saints and the fabulous booke of Conformities of Saint Francis with Christ and that without leaue But Scriptures translated into vulgar tongues no man may reade without leaue Now how contrarie this course is to the word of God to the practise of Gods Church and to all reason we may easily perceiue by these particulars God would haue the words of the law not onely a continuall subiect of our talke and meditations but also to be written at the entrances and doores of our houses Our Sauiour Christ preaching to the Iewes willed them to search the Scriptures But how can this be done if Scriptures be not translated into tongs which we vnderstand and if no man may reade them without leaue In the primitiue Church they were publikely read in the Syrian Egyptian Punicke other vulgar tongues By the testimonte of Bede hist. Angl. lib. 1. it appeareth they were translated into the British tongue and into other vulgar tongues the mysteries of religion being made common to diuers nations by the meditation of Scriptures Irenaeus speaking of all the Scriptures saith They may be heard alike of all Hierome in an Epistle to Laeta and in another to Celantia exhorteth them to reade Scriptures But how can they be heard alike if they may not be translated nor read publikely in vulgar toungs And why should it be more lawfull for Laeta and Celantia to reade Scriptures then for other men and women In his Commentaries likewise vpon the 86. Psalme he saith that Scriptures are read to all that all may vnderstand Scriptura populis omnibus legitur vt omnes intelligant But how can the common people vnderstand a strange toung Chrysostome homil 9. in Epist ad Coloss. teacheth that the Apostle commandeth lay men to reade scriptures and that with great diligence The Apostle teacheth vs that the word of God is the sword of the spirit And before I haue shewed that it is light Our Sauiour saith that the word of God is food to our soule Basil. homil 29. saith That the old and new Testament are the treasure of the Church Vetus nokum Testamentum saith he the saurus Ecclesiae In his Commentaries vpon the first Psalme he sheweth that the holy Scriptures are a storehouse for all medicines for mans soule Chrysostome Homil. in Psalm 147. saith the Scriptures are our armes and munitions in the spirituall warfare which we haue against the diuell Arma comeatus eius belli quod est inter nos diabolum sunt Scripturarum auditio Doth it not then appeare that the Papists are enemies to Christians and séeke to murther their soules that by all meanes séeke to expose them naked vnto their enemies weapons and wold willingly depriue them of medicines munitions armes and foode and leaue them in darknesse without the comfort of Scriptures For how can they vse Scriptures that vnderstand them not And how can they vnderstand them when they are read in toungs vnknowne And how can they come to reade them when there are so many difficulties in obtaining licence to haue them Séeing then at her Maiesties first entrance into her gouernement we were fréed from the thraldome and slauery of Antichrist and had the Scriptures in
they are vncertaine what they shall beleeue But the Pope may both erre in denying Scriptures and adding to Scriptures To answer this the Papists are driuen to affirm that the Pope cannot erre in these determinations But this sheweth the vncertaintie of their faith that dependeth vpon one little rotten goutie Pope whose learning is not worth two chips and whose pietie is lesse then his learning Fourthly if the Popes consignation be necessary to make Papists beleeue Scriptures then is their faith most vncertaine and rather humane then diuine Especially considering that of this Popes consignation of Scriptures there is not one word in Scriptures But that is their doctrine Fiftly the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome being the rule of faith the Romish faith must néeds proue vncertaine and variable The consequence of this proposttion is proued for that both schoole-men differ from schoole-men and late writers from the auncient and also Popes from Popes as I haue shewed in my bookes De pontif Rom. That the rule of faith is as I haue said it may be auerred by Stapletons words Sixthly if saith be grounded vpon traditions as well as vpon Scriptures then haue the Papists no certaine faith The consequence is plaine for that diuers ancient traditions are new ceased and neither Caesar Baronius nor any man is able to set downe which are authentical traditions which not Finally if the faith of Papists rest vpon the Popes determinations or else vpon the supposed Catholicke Churches decrees then is their faith a goutie fraile and rotten faith or rather a most doubtfull opinion For neither are they certaine who is lawfull Pope nor that his determinations are vnfallible nor is it an easie matter to know which are the Catholicke Churche's determinations the Papists themselues contending and varying continually about them These arguments do shew that the Papists haue either a vaine faith or else no faith at all And this Robert Parsons notwithstanding his obstinacie and peruersenesse must needs confesse For simple Papists haue only these meanes whereby to direct themselues viz. Scriptures Fathers or their owne Priests Scriptures they neither heare read in a tongue knowne nor do they much regard them The Fathers they vnderstand not The priests do often tel lies and too farre they dwell from the Pope to know of him the truth To omit to talke of ruder persons and to talke of spruce Robert Parsons gladly would I know of him how he is assured that the religion he teacheth is true Scriptures he denieth to be the rule of faith and will not beléeue them to be authenticall without the Popes determination The Pope is but one man If then he rely wholy on the Popes determination his faith is nothing but a foolish fancie grounded vpon one man If vpon the Church yet he knoweth not the Church but by his owne reason and sence as I thinke he will confesse Rule of faith he acknowledgeth none but the vniuersall Church which is not onely absurd but maketh much against him Absurd it is for that the Church is ruled and is not the rule no more then the Carpenter is his rule It maketh against him for that it is more difficult to know the Catholicke Church of all times and places then Scriptures or any proofe of faith else For to know that it is necessary to be well seene in the historie of all times Churches and countries And if he refer himselfe to others and beléeue humane histories his faith is still grounded on men This being the case of Papists and of their agent Robert Parsons we may estéeme our selues happie that are deliuered from this great vncertaintie and taught to build our faith vpon Christ Iesus and the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid that is Christ Iesus saith the Apostle And Eph. 2. Ye are built saith he vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone We know that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God We beléeue that the Scriptures are a perfect rule and therefore rightly called canonicall The Apostle speaking of the rule of faith 2. Cor. 10. Gal. 6. and Phil. 3. meaneth no other rule but that which was to be found in holy Scriptures The Fathers also procéeded by the rule of Scriptures both where they sought direction for themselues and also where they brought arguments against Heretikes Ireney lib. ◠aduers. Haeres cap. 1. calleth the Gospell deliuered in Scriptures the foundation and pillar of our faith Tertul. writing against Hermogenes saith He abode not in the rule of faith And why Inter Scriptur as enim Dei colores suos inuenire nö potuerat He could not find hi◠colours or fancies in Scriptures Athan. saith Orat. 2. contr Arian that Heretikes are to be stoned with arguments out of Scriptures Out of Scriptures that Arians in the Councell of Nice other Heretikes in other Synods were confuted And generally antiquitie doth call Scriptures the canon or rule of faith Agréeably therefore to Scriptures and Fathers the Church of England in the beginning of Quéene Elizabeths raigne acknowledged the canon of Scriptures and thence tooke the articles of our Christian faith And therefore I call Scriptures and that which is necessarily deduced out of Scriptures the rule of faith not separating the rule from scriptures as Parsons 1. Encontr cap. 15. of his warn-Warn-word doth cauill but in the rule comprehending whatsoeuer is either expressed in termes or by necessarie consequence deduced out of scriptures And this I did to auoide the causls of the aduersary which inferre because this word Trinitie or consubstantiall or baptisme of children is not found in Scriptures that scriptures are not a solide and entire rule of faith Against this Parsons in his warn-Warn-word 1. Encontr c. 15. alleageth first certaine names of Fathers then certaine words out of Ignatius his Epistle ad Phil. Irenaeus lib. 3. 4. aduersus Haeres Tertullian de Praescript aduersus Haeretic and Uincentius Lirinensis But he spendeth his labour in vaine and abuseth his Reader For none of these Fathers speake of other matters then such as are to be proued out of Scriptures as the places themselues shew Ireney by Tradition proueth God to be the Creator and the mysterie of Christ his incarnation But Parsons will not deny this to be contained in Scriptures Tertullian de Praescript aduers. Haeret. disputeth against the heresies of the Valentinians and Marcionites drawing arguments from the Apostles preaching and tradition But that was because they denyed and corrupted Scriptures For no man can deny but that their heresies are clearely conuinced by Scriptures Quod sumus hoc sunt That we are that they are saith Tertullian speaking of Scriptures That is likewise the meaning of Vincentius Lirinensis de Haeres cap. 27. for that depost of which he talketh is nothing but the Christian faith contained in scriptures But if
Parsons will prooue his rule of faith he must shew a faith grounded vpon tradition that is not deduced out of Scriptures Nay if he will not be contrarie to himselfe he must shew that not the Apostles tradition as he saith in his warn-Warn-word 1. Encoun cap. 15. but the Catholike church is the rule of faith as he holdeth Ward-word Encontr pag. 6. He doth also obiect against vs diuers alterations of religion in England in king Henry the eight his raigne and in king Edwards dayes and then asketh by what authoritie our rule of faith was established But first he might as well haue spoken of that alteration made in Q. Maries dayes when the impieties of Popish religiō were established by act of Parliament Secondly the alterations in religion made in England of late time make no variation in the rule of faith that is alwayes one but in the application and vse of it Thirdly albeit by act of Parliament the articles of religion were confirmed wherein the canon of scriptures and the substance of our confession is set downe yet was that rather a declaration of our acceptance then a confirmation of the rule of faith that in it selfe is alwayes immoueable Our rule of faith therefore is certaine albeit not alwaies in one sort approued or receiued by men But that rule of Popish faith neither in it self nor in the approbatiō of Parliaments or Churches is certaine or immoueable Finally he asketh a question of Sir Francis in his Ward-word p. 5. how he knoweth his religion to be true And saith he hath only two meanes to guide himselfe in this case and that is either Scriptures or the preaching of our Ministers But this question as I haue shewed toucheth himselfe that buildeth his faith vpon the Pope nearer then Sir Francis who groundeth himselfe his faith only vpon the holy Scriptures and is assured of his faith not by these two meanes onely but by diuers others For beside Scriptures he hath the help of the Sacraments of the Church of Gods spirit working within him of miracles recorded in scriptures of auncient Fathers of the practise of the Church of the consent of nations of the confession of the aduersaries of the suffering of Martyrs and testimonies of learned men and such like arguments In this question therefore Robert Parsons shewed himselfe to be a silly Frier and to haue had more malice then might In time past also we were as shéepe going astray and out of the vnion of the Catholike and Apostolike Church Diuers of our auncestors worshipped the crosse and the images of the Trinitie with diuine worship Some like bruite beasts fell downe before Idols crept to the crosse and kissed wood and stone Others worshipped Angels the blessed Uirgin and Saints praying vnto them in all their necessities trusting in them saying Masses in their honour and offering incense and prayers to their pictures and images For so they were taught or rather mistaught by popish Priests The Komish synagogue in the very foundations of religion was departed from the Apostolike and Catholike Church The schoolemen brought their proofes out of the Popes Decretals and Aristotles Metaphysickes Est Petr's sedes saith Bellarmine in Praefat ante lib. de Pont. Rom. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus The See of Peter is an approued corner stone precious and laid in the foundation The same man lib. 2. de Pont. Rom. cap. 31. calleth the Pope the foundation of the Church Sanders calleth him the Rocke Alij nunc à Christo saith Stapleton relect princip doctr in Praef. eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locū habebūt That is Others now beside Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall be esteemed of me as a foundation This he saith where he talketh of the foundation of religion and the Church But the catholike Churth had no foundation beside Christ Iesus and his holy word and Gospell taught by the Prophets and Apostles The Apostle Gal. 1. denounced him accursed that taught any other Gospell then that which he had preached The holy Fathers proued the faith by holy Scriptures and not by popish Decretals and philosophicall Principles Concerning Christs bodie the Komanists taught that the same is both in heauen and in the Sacrament albeit we neither could see it there nor feele it But the scriptures teach vs that his bodie is both palpable and visible and is now taken vp into heauen So likewise teach the Fathers Vigilius in his fourth booke against Eutyches speaking of Christs bodie When it was on earth saith he surely it was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainely it is not on earth They haue also brought in new doctrine concerning Purgatorie and indulgences and which is no more like to the auncient catholike faith then heresie and noueltie to Christian religion They teach that whosoeuer doth not satisfie in this life for the temporall punishment of mortall sinnes committed after baptisme and remitted concerning the guiltinesse must satisfie for the same in Purgatorie vnlesse it please the Pope by his indulgences to release him Of the tormentors of soules in Purgatorie and of the nature qualitie and effect of indulgences they talke idlely and vnlike to the schollers of Catholikes The Catholicke doctrine concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper they haue quite changed in Baptisme adding salt spittle hallowed water exorcismes blowings annointings light and other strange ceremonies In the Lords supper taking away the cup from the communicants and not deliuering but hanging vp or carying about the Sacrament and worshipping it as God and finally beleeuing holding transubstantiation They haue also deuised other sacraments and taught that they containe grace and iustisse They were wont to kisse the Popes toe and to receiue his dunghill decrētals worshipping Antichrist and intitling him Christs Uicar All which nouelties superstitions and heresies by her Maiesties godly reformation are abolished who hath restored the auncient Cathalike and Apostolike faith which the Popes of Rome for the most part had altered suppressed She hath also by her authoritie brought vs to the vnitie of the Catholike faith and by good lawes confirmed true Christian religion Before our times there was no settlement in matters of Religion Durand denieth Diuinitie to be Scientia Thomas and Richard Middleton hold that it is Writing vpon the master of Sentences the school-mē striue about the words vti and frui dissenting not only from their master but also from one another They differ also much about the distination of diuine attributes Vtrum sit realis formalis an rationis tantùm This saith Dionysius a Charterhouse Monke is one of the chiefe difficulties of Diuines and about it betweene famous Doctors is great dissention and contention AEgidius doth lance Thomas and others runne vpon both AEgidius in lib. 1. sent dist 2. would haue the persons of the Trinitie to be distinguished by a certaine thing
God caried into captiuitie when they sate by the waters of Babylon and remembred Sion They that now liue wonder at the grossenesse of popish errors For first they erred in the rule of Gods worship In vaine sayth our Sauiour Mat. 15. do they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men The Apostle Colos. 2. doth condemne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is voluntarie or new deuised religion or as the old Latine interpreter hath translated that word superstition For so indéede humane deutles for the seruice of God without warrant of Gods word are for the most part to be called and estéemed God in expresse tearms refuseth such deuised seruices saying Who hath required these things at your hands But the founders of popish Religion as if God had appointed vs no certaine rule for these matters haue placed the perfection of their religion in voluntarie vowes of abstinence from mariage of pretended beggerie and of other Monkish and Friarlike obseruances and such like humane traditions Bellarmine de Monachis cap. 2. saith that Monkish religion is a state of men tending to Christian perfection by the vowes of pouertie continencie and obedience But if a man should aske him who taught men to aspire to perfection in this race he will be to seeke for an answer That God requireth or approueth such seruice it will neuer be proued They do also estéeme it a high peece of Gods seruice to kéep holidayes in honor of Saints created by the Pope in fasting vpon Saints vigils in eating stock-fish coleworts toabestooles and such like toyes in praying vpon beades in often repeating Aue Maria in worshipping of stones bones and rotten ragges they know not of whom in humbling themselues before Angels and Saints and the Sacrament of the altar in saying our Ladies Psalter in ringing bels in going barefoote and woolward and whipping themselues By saying ouer the Rosarie of our Ladie onely they report that diuers miracles haue bene wrought Diuers thousands of yeares of indulgences also are graunted to the company of the Rosarie or beades of our Ladie as is recorded in a booke intitled Miracolidella santissima vergine Maria printed at Venice by Bernard Giunti anno 1587. Matters which no man would admit but fellowes made of wood coleworts and stockfish Secondly they are deceiued in the manner of Gods worship and that in thrée sorts For first their worship is almost wholy externall consisting in outward ceremonies as namely in often rehearsall of Credo or Pater noster or Aue Maria or being present at the Masse albeit they vnderstand nothing or sprinkling themselues with holy water or often crossing themselues or going to Rome or Hierusalem or lighting of candles or ringing knocking or greasing or such like But our Sauiour reprehendeth thē that come neare to God with their lippes and haue their hearts farre from him and sheweth that true worshippers shall worship him in spirit and truth Next they offend grieuously in giuing too great honor to Angels Saints storks stones and rotten bones Hierome in his Epistle to Riparius teacheth vs otherwise Nos non dico Martyrum reliquias c. We saith he worship not or adore either reliques of Martyrs or Sunne or Moone or Angels or Archangels or Cherubim or Scraphim or any name that is named either in this world or in the world to come lest we should serue the creature rather then the Creator which is blessed for euer Saint Augustine likewise lib. deverarelig cap. 55. speaking of Angels Honoramus eos saith he charitate non seruitute nec eis templa construimus We honor them with loue and not with seruice and build no temples vnto them Epiphanius haeres 79. speaking of Angels saith directly that he would not haue Angels worshipped But Papists kisse dumbe images pray before them burne incense vnto them They teach also that seruice is due to Saints and that we are to giue latriam or diuine honour to the crosse to the crucifire to the sacrament of the altar and the images of the persons of the holy Trinitie which they indeuour to fashion in wood mettal and colours They offend thirdly in the forme of their prayers which are found in their Missals Breuiaries and rituall bookes and which cannot be denied to be both false and blasphemous Gaude Maria virgo say they cunctas haereses sola interemisti in vniuerso mundo that is reioyce virgin Marie thou alone hast killed al haeresies in al the world What then I pray you did Christ in the meane while and what did all other Saints And againe O Maria admitte preces nostras intrasacrarium tuae exauditionis reporta nobis antidotum reconciliationis c. O Marie admit our prayers within the holy place of your hearing and bring vnto vs the triacle of reconciliation And yet they say Saints departed do not see nor know things below but by seeing them represented in the face of God as it were in a glasse On S. Andrewes day they pray in this forme Sanctifie ô Lord these gifts dedicated vnto thee and the blessed Martyr Saturninus interceding for vs by the selfe same being pleased intend vs by our Lord c. As if the Lords bodie which is the thing meant by those gifts needed sanctification or else as if it were conuenient that God being reconciled to vs by Christ should no otherwise intend our prayers then by the intercession of Saturninus On S. Nicholas his day they say thus Deus qui B. Nicolaum innumeris decorasti miraculis tribue quaesumus vt eius meritis precibus à Gehennae incendijs liberemur That is O God which hast adorned S. Nicholas with innumerable miracles grant we beseech thee that by his merits and prayers we may be deliuered from hell fire Which implyeth that not onely the miracles reported in S. Nicholas his legend are true but also that by his mediation we are deliuered and saued from hell In the Portesse they pray thus Tu per Thomae sanguinem c. That is Thou ô Christ by the bloud of Thomas which for thee he did spend make vs to climbe whither Thomas did ascend And againe Opem nobis ô Thoma porrige c. That is yeeld vs your help ô Thomas gouerne them that stand raise them vp that lie our manners actions and life correct and direct vs into the way of peace Which argueth that Thomas Becket had power not onely to intercede for vs but to gouerne and rule our actions Sixtus the fourth granted great indulgences to those that sayd this prayer Haile Marie full of grace the Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Iesus Christ and blessed is Annae thy mother of whom thy virgins flesh is proceeded without blot of originall sinne And yet it containeth a plaine corruption of the words of scripture and a contradiction to some of his owne decrees But the greatest fault is this that it is repugnant to plaine words
a tongue vnderstood restored vnto vs and read publikely and priuately without limitation or danger we are to accompt the same as a singular benefit bestowed vpon the people of England For what can be deenied more beneficiall then for the hungrie to obtaine food for naked souldiers to obtaine armes and prouisions for poore people in want to be enriched with such a treasure But saith N. D. Wardw. pag. 14. If the translator do not put downe the words of Scriptures sincerely in his vulgar translation then the simple reader that cannot discerne will take mans word for Gods word Secondly he saith that if a false sence should be gathered out of Scripture then the reader should sucke poison in stead of wholesome meate But these reasons make no more against reading Scriptures in vulgar tongues and translating them into those tongues then against reading Scriptures in the Latin and translating them into Latine For as well may the Latine Interpreter erre as he that translateth scriptures into vulgar tongues and aswell may a man draw a peruerse sence out of the Latine as out of the English If then these reasons conclude not against that Latin translation they are too weak to conclude against vulgar translations Againe if it be hurtfull to follow a corrupt translation and to gather a contrarie sence out of scriptures we are not therefore to cast away scriptures but rather to séeke for the most sincere translations and the most true sence and meaning of the holy Ghost reuealed in holy Scriptures Thirdly he alleageth these words out of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3. The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth against reading of scriptures in vulgar tongues But these words do no lesse touch them that follow the letter in the Hebrew Gréek theÌ„ in the vulgar tongs And yet Robert Parsons wil not deny but that it is lawfull to reade scriptures in Hebrew and Gréeke albeit he if it were vnlawfull would neuer be guiltie of this fault being most ignorant of these tongs Fourthly he asketh how vnlearned readers will discerne things without a guide As if lay-men because they haue teachers might not also reade the books from whence the principles of Christian doctrine are deriued This therefore séemeth to be all one as if Geometricians and other teachers of arts should debarre their schollers from reading Euclide and other authors that haue written of arts Furthermore albeit somethings without teachers cannot of rude learners be vnderstood yet all things that pertaine to faith and manners are plainely set downe in scriptures In ijs quae apertè in scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 9. Quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Fiftly he alleageth that the vnderstanding of Scriptures is a particular gift of God But that notwithstanding no man is forbidden to reade scriptures in Hebrew Greeke or Latine And yet if Robert Parsons vnderstand them at all he vnderstandeth them better in the vulgar English then in these tongues Furthermore albeit to vnderstand Scriptures be a peculiar gift of God yet no man is therefore to refraine from reading of scriptures but rather to reade theÌ„ diligently and to conferre with the learned and to beséech God to giue him grace to vnderstand them The which is proued by the example of the Eunuch Act. 8. who read the scriptures and threw them not away albeit he could not vnderstand all without the help of a teacher Sirthly he vseth the examples of Ioane Burcher a pudding wife as some suppose and qualified like his mother the Blacke-smiths wife and of Hacket William Geffrey and other heretickes In his Warne-word Encontr 1. cap. 8. he addeth George Paris Iohn More certaine Anabaptists and other heretikes and insinuateth that all these fell into heresies by reading of scriptures in vulgar languages But his collectioÌ„ is false and shamelesse and derogatorie to scriptures and contrary both to them and to fathers Our Sauior speaking of the Sadduceis Mat. 22. saith they erred for that they knew not the scriptures Erratis nescientes scriptur as The Apostle talking of reading of scriptures saith they are profitable to instruct men vnto saluation and not hurtfull or the cause of any mans destruction The ignorance of scriptures saith Chrysostome ho. de Lazaro hath brought forth heresies Scripturarum ignoratio haereses peperit And againe Barathrum est scripturarum ignoratio that is the ignorance of scriptures is a bottomlesse gulfe Finally to obscure the glorie of this benefite of reading scriptures in vulgar tongues in his out-worne warne-Warne-word Encont 1. c. 8. he saith that such as vnderstand Latin or haue licence of the Ordinary to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues haue no benefit by this generall permission of reading scriptures as if euery one that vnderstandeth Latin durst reade vulgar translations without licence or as if the Church receiued no benefite vnlesse euery particular member were partaker of that benefite This therefore is a most ridiculeus conceit and likely to procéed from such an idle head Further the same might be alleaged against Latine translations And yet Robert Parsons will not deny but the Church receiueth benefite by Latine translations albeit the Greekes and such as vnderstand Hebrew and not Latin receiue no benefite by the Latine translation If then Robert Parsons meane hereafter to barke against the reading of scriptures that are commended vnto vs as light medicine food armes and things most necessary he must alleage vs better reasons then these lest he be taken for an hereticall or rather lunaticall fellow that spendeth his wit in the defence of fond senselesse and impious positions CHAP. VI. Of publike Prayers and administration of Sacraments and other parts of the Church liturgie and seruice in vulgar tongues LIke wise the Papists to take from Christians the effect and fruite of their prayers set out most of their prayer bookes in Latine and closely forbid the common seruice and liturgie of the Church to be said in vulgar languages In the â—2 session of the Conuenticle of Trent where they anathematise them that hold that the Masse should be celebrated in vulgar tongues their meaning is to establish the rites of the Romish Church and the Latine seruice and to prohibit the vse of vulgar tongues in publike liturgies And this is also proued by the practise of the synagogue of Rome that alloweth the prayers of such as pray in Latine albeit like Parrots they vnderstand not what they prattle and by the testimonie of Hosius Bellarmine and others writing vpon that argument But this practise is most barbarous fruitlesse and contrary to the custome of Christ his Church in auncient time Sinesciero virtutemvocis saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. ero ci cui loquor barbarus qui loquitur mihi barbarus that is If I vnderstand not the meaning of the words I vtter I shall be to him to whom I speake barbarous and he that speaketh shal be barbarous vnto me And againe If I
without communion and the externall propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse and the hanging vp the Sacrament in the Pire and the diuine adoration giuen to it vpon tradition But all these obseruations are impious and contrary to Scriptures Some traditions are now abolished as the prohibition of Saterdayes fast the rite of standing when we pray betweene Easter and Whitsontide the formes of prayer in old time vsed in celebration of the sacrament of the Lords supper and diuers others whereof some are mentioned by Basil lib. de Spir. san c. 27. Bellarmine also lib. 4. de verbo Dei c. 2. confesseth that some traditions were temporarie But it is impious to say that the holy Scriptures are temporary or at any time to be abolished Diuers traditiōs are no where found but in the Legends Missals and Portesses and such books of smal account and credit as for example the ceremonies rites of the Masse the prayers of the canon the formall adoration of Saints and Angels the incredible narrations of S. Clement S. Nicholas S. Christopher S. George S. Catherine S. Dominicke S. Francis and infinite other Saints which no man may receiue with like affection as he receiueth holy Scriptures but he shall infinitly disgrace the Scriptures and shew him selfe to be no Catholike Furthermore if the Papists build their faith vpon traditions then is their faith humane as hauing no ground but the testimonie of this man and that man that speaketh of traditions Their faith is also most weake and fantasticall as being built vpon the lies reported in Legends and the fantasticall ceremonies contained in the Missall and Breuiary The holy Scriptures are called the old and new testament and the Apostle Ephes. 6. calleth the word of God the sword of the Spirit Writing to Timothy he saith holy scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and absolute and wise vnto saluation But howsoeuer the blind Papists fauor their traditions yet I hope they will be ashamed to cal their fardle of traditions Gods eternal testament or the sword of the spirit or to say that traditions are able to make the man of God perfect or wise to saluation Finally no holy father did euer make Ecclesiastical traditions not written nor contained in Scriptures but only commended by the Church of Rome or kept by custome or taken vp by fancie and recorded only in humane writings of equall authoritie with canonicall scriptures Infidelitatis argumentum est c. saith Basil It is an argument of infidelity and a most certaine signe of pride if a man wil reiect any thing that is written or bring in any thing not written The like sayint he hath Moral 72. c. 1. 86. 22. Neither is it like that he should speake of traditions repugnant to scriptures as some do answer For euery Christian man knoweth that nothing is to be receiued contrarie to Scriptures and to admonish men of that had bene superfluous Si quid dicatur absque scriptura saith Chrysostome hom in Psal. 95. auditorum cogitatio claudicat nunc annuens nunc hasitans If any thing be spoken without proofe of scripture the mind of the hearers resteth in suspence now yeelding now denying Neither doth he speake onely of a mans owne inuention but also of all other mens reports or deuises without ground of scripture In his thirteenth homily vpon the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians he calleth Scriptures a most exact rule What néed then haue we of the additions of traditions not written if scriptures be a most exact rule Diabolici spiritus est saith Theophilus lib. 2. paschal aliquid extra scripturarum sacrarum authoritatem putare diuinum It is a signe of a diuellish spirit to thinke that any thing is diuine which is without the authoritie of holy scriptures What reason then hath Bellarmine to call traditions the word of God not written Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 23. of Mathew speaking of a certaine tradition Quod de scripturis authoritatem non habet eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur That which is not confirmed by authoritie of scriptures is with the same facilitie contemned that it is proued And writing vpon the first chap. of the prophet Aggey he saith That the sword of God doth strike all those things which men of their owne accord do find out and feine as it were Apostolicall traditions without the authoritie and testimony of scriptures Ubi de re obscurissima disputatur sayth Augustine lib. 2. de peccatorum merit remiss c. 36. non adiuuantibus diuinarum scripturarum certis clarisque documentis cohibere se debet humana praesumptio nihil faciens in alteram partem declinando Where we contend about some most obscure question there mans presumption ought to stay it selfe declining to neither side if the certaine and cleare documents of scripture helpe vs not The next ground of the late Romish faith is layd vpon the old latine vulgar translation For whosoeuer receiueth not the scriptures as they are contained in the old vulgar latine translation is pronounced accursed by the conuenticle of Trent Againe the same conuenticle purposing to declare what Latine edition or translation of scriptures is authenticall determineth that the old latin vulgar translation shall be authenticall so that no man vpon any pretence dare or may reiect it Vt nemo illam reijcere quouis praetextu audeat vel praesumat Canus in his theologicall common places as he calleth them doubteth not to affirme that the Iewes haue corrupted the Hebrew text of the old testament and this diuers other papisticall writers haue also supposed The glosse vpon the chapter vt veterum dist 9. affirmeth plainely that both Iewes and Greekes haue corrupted the copies of scriptures in those tongues But the old vulgar Latine translation most Papists now bold to be sincere incorrupt and pure and allow as authenticall Bellarmine in his second booke De verbo Dei cap. 2. saith that albeit the scriptures in Hebrew be not altogether corrupted yet they are not sound and pure but haue certaine errors Likewise lib. 2. ca. 7. speaking of the Greeke text of the new Testament he sayth that the same is not sound nor without errors and that it is not safe alwayes to correct the Latine by the Greeke But in the same booke cha 10. with all his force he endeuoreth to defend the old Latine translation as authenticall The which is not onely a plaine declaration of the weaknesse of the Romish faith that is built vpon so corrupt grounds but also of the absurd and vnreasonable procéeding of our aduersaries The prophet cryeth out against the Iewes that forsooke God the fountaine of liuing water and digged to themselues pits or cisternes that could hold no water Is it not then admirable that any should be so blind as to forsake the originall textes of Scripture and to flie to the corrupt cisternes of the Latine vulgar translation Hilary vpon the 118.
do euery where vse this word Minister of Christ or minister of the Gospell in good part as for example in these words Rom. 15. That I should be the Minister of Iesus Christ towards the Gentiles And 1. Cor. 3. VVho is Paul then and who is Apollo but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued And 2. Cor. 11. They are the Ministers of Christ. And Col. 1. He is a faithfull Minister of Christ. Is he not then an impious fellow doth he not declare himself the slaue of Satan that euery where vseth this word in scorne and contempt saying sir minister the minister insolent minister and giuing out that a true minister and false minister is all one to him In his answer to my Epistle speaking of my request to haue Creswell to answer he alludeth to Christs words Mat. 20. Mar. 10. where answering the sonnes of Zebedey he sayth Nescitis quid petatis For making himselfe Christ and me one of the sons of Zebedey he sayth Nescis quid petis So shamelesse he is in taking vpon him the person of Christ abusing Christs words to his scornefull purpose He should therfore rather haue made himself a beare ward his seditious schollers beare-whelpes Creswel the crier of the game In the end of his wild obseruations vpon my Preface he obiecteth preaching vnto me where in great reproch he calleth me preaching Deane Yet the Apestle Rom. 16. and 1. Cor. 1. teacheth vs that preaching is the meanes to reueale the Gospell and to bring men to Christ. It is no maruell therefore if this limbe of Antichrist do hate preaching by which men are brought from Antichrist to Christ desiring nothing more then to kéepe his countrimen in darknes and to reduce them backe into Egypt Fol. 22. he iesteth at Sir Francis Hastings saith He doth imitate the spirit of some hidden prophet But what is more impious then to vse the name of a prophet of Gods holy spirit to make vp a iest He professeth that he handleth controuersies of religion and yet fol. 33. b. he calleth his dispute an Enterlude Do you then thinke that this man deserueth credit that of a Masse-priest and Iebusite is now become a Comedian séemeth to make a iest of religion Eusebius liked not the Gentiles that in their Theaters made sport with matters of Christian religion What then may we think of this counterfet Christian but that he is worse then the Gentiles Fol. 29. he defendeth Panormitan and Hostiensis that affirme that Christ and the Pope haue but one consistory and that the Pope can as it were do all things that Christ can do except sinne But therein he professeth his owne impietie rather thē excuseth theirs For who doth not acknowledge it to be a matter impious to compare a man to Christ in all things except one and to make Christ the author of the Popes sentences and iudgements Likewise it is impious to defend the Glosse that sayth Dominus Deus noster Papa c. cum inter extr Io. 2◠de verb. signif as doth Parsons Nay he goeth about to face down Sir Francis that doth reprehend it Neither is it materiall that the name of God is giuen sometime to creatures For that is by a similitude and not absolutely nor properly Fol. 38. he defendeth Steuchus and Pope Nicholas that say that Constantine called the Pope God and held him for God which was neuer vttered by Constantine nor can be spoken without blasphemie Fol. 40. he maintaineth the words of Cusanus that sayd that the iudgement of God changed But S. Iames saith Apud Deum non est transmutatio there is no change with God This was also an opinion of the Arrians Dei verbum posse mutari that the sonne of God which is the eternall word may be changed as Athanasius testifieth decret Nicen. synod contr Arrian Furthermore it is blasphemous as hée holdeth with Cusanus to say that Gods institution in the sacrament may be changed Fol. 42. he saith Sir Francis cometh out with a decalogue of blessings answering perhaps to the ten Commaundements for whose obseruation the Iewes haue many blessings promised founding a scurrilous iest vpon the ten Commaundements and emplying that among Christians there is no such reward for performance of the law as among the Iewes Fol. 45. he placeth Trinitarians among heretikes as if it were heresie to beléeue in the holy Trinity Fol. 60. and 61. he beareth his reader in hand that reading of scriptures in tongues vnderstood is cause that men fall into heresies direct contrary to the doctrine of our Sauior Search the scripture saith he for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life Thus he blasphemeth the sacred word of God with his impure mouth Fol. 79. he maketh a iest of the words of our Sauiour Matth. 5. where he saith Our clergy may sing beati pauperes spiritu This I say is mere impiety For so should he sing too if he were of an Atheist and had forgotten that these are Christs words Fol. 81. he maketh sport with words of Scripture comparing Cadburie to the ruines of Hierusalem and yet this fellow is estéemed a worthy patron of poperie such a patron such a cause Fol. 101. he denyeth scriptures to be the rule of faith which is as much as if he meant either impiously to ouerthrow the canon of scriptures or else to preferre vncertaine traditions before them 2. enconter c. 5. fol. 32. 6. he compareth reading of scriptures to excesse of apparrell spending much and playing at dice like a cheating companion drawing similitudes from his owne practise to disgrace the word of God Chap. 6. encontr 2. he will not confesse his errour that sayd before Wardw. p. 14. that the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. make against reading of scriptures Who can denie saith he but Saint Paul talking of scriptures as they were in the learned tongues saith of them litera occidit But to accuse men for reading of scriptures is impious and sauoreth of the error of the Origenists and Swenchfeldians errour that condemne the letter of the Scriptures Neither can he excuse himselfe saying that he meant rash reading For the Apostle where he saith that the letter killeth talketh not of reading but of the effect that the scriptures worke in mens harts shewing that the letter condemneth those which by grace are not moued effectually to embrace the word Chap. 11. encontr 2. most blasphemously he compareth Christs miracles to the miracles of Thomas Becket and his lying legend to the scriptures For which he deserueth to be marked as a miraculous blasphemer In the same place he saith that materiall honour in worshipping saints hurteth not the deuout nor diminisheth their merit Which is as much as if he should say that those that worship theeues and malefactors as saints offend not but rather merit with God And that men may worship they know not whom nor what Fol. 99. he maintaineth a blasphemous prayer wherein papists desire
would not haue touched any matter of noueltie or absurditie For therein he giueth his aduersaries iust occasion not onely to iustifie their religion to be most ancient and consonant to holy scriptures but also to declare his popish religion refused by vs to be a packe of nouelties and a masse of grosse absurdities For who knoweth not that the Romish Church consisting of a triple-crowned and crosse-slippard Pope with his guard of Suizzers a consistory of purple Cardinals that hath neare affinitie to the purple whore of Babylon a rabble of rakehellike masse-priests filthy monkes friars and nunnes with a people worshipping idols and beléeuing the decretaliue doctrine of Popes and the decrées of Trent is new and neuer séene before vntill of late Who doeth not vnderstand that both the grounds of popery the doctrine thereon built is new For neither can K. shew that the auncient Church was founded vpon the Pope and his decretals or vpon traditions allowed by the Church of Rome or that the Church was tied to such senses of scriptures as the Romish Church alloweth or bound to follow the old Latine translation of the Bible Neither can he proue either out of fathers or ancient writers that Christs true body is both in heauen and earth and in euery pixe at one and the same time or that his body is inuisible or impalpable or that there are iust seuen sacraments and neither more nor lesse and that Christians receiue Christs flesh with their téeth and mouth or that the Pope is the head and spouse of the Church or that he hath two swords or that any images are to be worshipped with latria or that diuels torment soules in purgatory or that the Popes indulgences deliuer soules frō those torments or such like points of popery Now what I pray you is more absurd then to beléeue that a man can eate himself as the Massė-priests say Christ did at his last Supper nay that a dogge or a hogge can eate Christs body or that a spider can be drowned in his bloud which saueth all destroyeth none that can receiue it Againe what is more senselesse then to adore crosses and dumbe images which neither see nor heare nor moue and whose honor is not séene or knowne of those saints to whō they belong for ought we know Thirdly what is more inconuenient then to make a blind Pope that is ignorant of all matters of religion for the most part supreme iudge of controuersies of religion Can blind men iudge of colours or ignorant atheists of religion Fourthly what is more blasphemous then to teach that the Scriptures to vs are not authenticall vnlesse the Pope consigne them vnto vs Shall not truth be truth vnlesse it please the Pope to say it Finally seeing faith ought to be most certaine and built vpon grounds most certaine the popish religion must néedes be an absurd faith and a false religion that is built vpon traditions as well as Scriptures of which traditions the papists can yéeld no certaine proofe but are driuen to alleage either lying legends or old motheaten missals or vncertain customes It were an easie thing to alleage infinite such like absurdities of which this surueying K. hath very foolishly offered vs occasion to discourse at large He doeth also very simply talke of the sacrifice of the Masse Suruey li. 4. c. 2. For if Papists say truly that Christs body and blood is really offered in the Masse and that euery externall sacrifice requireth a reall destruction then it followeth that these masse-mongers do really destroy Christs body and blood Bellarmine lib. 1. de missa c. 2. sayth that an externall sacrifice doth require a reall destruction Requirit realem destructionem Was then this fellow wise trow you to talke of this braue sacrifice Further do we thinke him wise that in a booke offered to the king doth rayle on the kings religion saying That it leadeth vnto atheisme Finally it is a note of desperate folly to affirme That our religion leadeth to Atheisme for want of a Pope or for want of the Popish masse or sacrifice The contrary hereof rather is to be gathered against the Popish religion wherein as we may collect out of the aduersaries owne confession in c. si Papa dist 40. the Pope may lead with him thousands of soules into hell The masse also is a masse and sinke of superstition and idolatry Neither is any thing more repugnant to Christs only sacrifice then the priesthood and sacrifice of the masse Modesty he sheweth none with a face as hard as a lopster affirming That we teach that God is the author of sin That we despoyle Christ of his diuinitie That we wrong him in his office of redemption and bereaue him of his title of lawgiuer and priest And doubt not to say that Christ dispaired Now what greater impudency can be imagined then to ascribe that to vs which we vtterly deny and disclaime Nay we pronounce him accursed whosoeuer shall hold any of these points But the Papists in some things rub very néere vpō these rocks namely where they giue to euery man power to satisfie for the temporall paine of his sins and yéeld that others beside Christ may be called redéemers and make the Pope a law-giuer able to bind mens consciences and giue power to the priest to intercede for Christs body and blood that God would be pleased to accept it as he accepted the sacrifice of Melchisedech Impudently also he belieth vs raileth vpon vs saying that we make euery priuate mans spirit supreme iudge of controuersies and that we reiect Fathers auncient Councels and ouerthrow all religion and worship of God Neither doth he onely raile vpon vs but also vpon scriptures where he sayth that founding our selues only on scriptures we open a gate to all heretikes and heresies As if the Fathers and auncient Councels which founded their faith vpon holy scriptures only opened a gap to all heresies Or as if this could be spoken without disgrace to holy scriptures that he that relieth vpon the word of God deliuered in scriptures doth open a gate to all heresies Finally he taketh vpon him the title of the legate of the great monark of heauen being but a base fugitiue renegued companion set on by Antichrist and his supposts to raile at religion and the professors thereof and lying without rule or order His want of learning doeth euery where appeare throughout his whole Suruey The Scriptures he citeth very rarely The Fathers he mistaketh and misalleageth In Ecclesiasticall histories he is but a nouice Nay albeit he talketh much of our Religion yet he vnderstandeth not what we professe what we reiect Finally although the fellow be but a poore translator and collector of other mens slanders yet could he not well relate that which is translated out of others His principal witnesses are Staphilus Cochleus Bolser Nicol Borne Stapleton Surius and such like railing and base authors Was it then likely that he should shew
and professed enemie who in diuers wicked libels and paltrie pamphlets hath endeuoured to obscure her great glorie and to deface her worthie actions Wherein that I may proceed with more perspicuitie I think it fit to reason first of matters Ecclesiasticall and afterward of ciuill and worldly affaires In Ecclesiasticall affaires which by her meanes grew to a better settlement we are to consider first what grace it is to haue a certaintie in religion and next what fauour God shewed to vs reducing vs to the vnitie of the true Catholicke Church Thirdly we will reason of true faith fourthly of the sincere administration of the Sacraments fiftly of the true worship of God sixthly of the Scriptures and publicke prayers in our mother tongue seuenthly of freedome we enioyed by her from persecution from the Popes exactions frō his wicked lawes and vniust censures from al heretical and false doctrine eightly of deliuerance from schisme superstition and idolatrie and finally of good workes and the happinesse of those that not onely are able to discerne which are good workes but also do walke in them according to their Christian profession auoiding pretended Popish good-workes that are either impious or else superstitious and vnprofitable Al which graces this land hath long enioyed by her Maiesties reformation of religion In matters politicall we purpose to consider first the happie deliuerance of this land out of the hands of the Spaniard from all feare of forreine enemies Next her famous victories both against rebels and traitors at home and open enemies abroade and her glorie and reputation with forreine nations Thirdly the restitution of all royall authoritie and preheminence to the Crowne of which the Pope before that had vsurped a great part Fourthly the peaceable estate of this kingdome in the tumults of other nations round about vs and lastly the wealth and multitude of her subiects CHAP. I. Of certaintie in Faith and Religion and of the vnion we haue with the true auncient Catholike and Apostolike Church FAith as saith the Apostle Heb. II. is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene If then we haue true saith we are assured of things hoped for although not séene When two of the disciples of Christ doubted of his resurrection he said vnto them O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken Ideo fideles vocati sumus saith Chrysostom Hom. 1. in 1. Tim 4. vt his quae dicuntur sine vlla haesitatione credamus Therefore we are called faithfull that we may beleeue without doubting those thing which are spoken So then all Christians that beleeue do certainly beléeue and are perswaded and he that doubteth beleeueth not Further the obiect of faith is most certaine Heauen and earth shall passe but my words shall not passe saith our Sauiour Matth. 24. Saint Augustine doth attribute that onely to the writers of canonical Scriptures that they could not erre Neither need I to stand long vpon this point séeing our adusrsaries also confesse that nothing that is false can be the obiect of faith But our aduersaries take away from Christians all certaintie of faith and religion For first they teach that no Christian is to beleeue that he shall be saued and secondly they make mans faith vncertaine concerning the obiect That is taught by the conuenticle of Trent sess 6. cap. 16. where it saith Neque seipsum aliquis etiamsi nihil sibi conscius sit iudicare debet that is neither ought any to iudge himselfe although he be not conscious to himselfe of any thing And in the same session chap. 9. it determineth that no man by the certaintie of faith ought to assure himself that he shal be saued The second point doth follow of the diuers doctrines of the Papists Eckius holdeth that the Scriptures are not authentical without the authority of the Church And although Bellarmine dare not allow this forme of speech yet where he defendeth the determination of the conuenticle of Trent concerning the old Latine translation in effect he granteth it For if the Church onely can make Scriptures authenticall then without the Churches authoritie they are not authentical In his booke De notis Eccles. c. 2. he saith the Scriptures depend vpon the Church Scriptura saith he pendent ab Ecclesia Stapleton lib. 9. de princip doctrinal cap. 4. saith that it is necessary that the Churches authoritie should consigne and declare which bookes are to be receiued for canonicall Scripture Necessarium est saith he vt Ecclesiae authoritas Scripturarum canonem consignet And his meaning is that no man is to receiue any bookes for canonicall but such as the Church from time to time shall determine to be canonical and those vpon the Churches determination he will haue necessarily receiued Secondly the conuenticle of Trent maketh Scriptures and vnwritten traditions of equall value Bellarmine in his fourth book De verbo Dei speaketh no otherwise of traditions then as of the infallible writtē word of God Stapleton saith The rule of faith doth signifie all that doctrine which is deliuered and receiued in the Church and that very absurdly as I thinke no reasonable man can well denie For that being granted the rule and doctrine ruled should be all one But of that we shall speake otherwhere Thirdly they teach that the determinations of the Church are no lesse firmely to be beleeued and reuerently to be holden then if they were expressed in Scriptures Id quod sancta mater Ecclesia definit vel acceptat saith Eckius Enchir. cap. de Eccles. non est minore firmitate credendum ac veneratione tenendum quam si in diuinis literis sit expressum And all our aduersaries do beleeue that the Popes determinations concerning matters of faith are infallible and so to be accounted of Finally in the canon law c. in canonicis dist 19. they place the decretals of Popes in equall ranke with canonicall Scriptures Of these positions it followeth that as long as men beleeue the Romish Church they neither beleeue truth nor haue any certaine faith or religion And that is proued by these arguments First he that beleeueth not Gods promises concerning his own saluation is an infidel and hath no true faith But this is the case of all Papists For not one of them beleeueth that he shall be saued nor imagineth that God hath said or promised any thing concerning his owne saluation Secondly if the Scriptures depend vpon the Church and the Church is a societie of mē then the Papists beleeue Scriptures with humane faith and depend vpon men But that they do planely teach Thirdly if the Church ought to consigne canonicall Scriptures and the Pope ought to rule the Church then if the Pope either determine against canonical Scriptures or make fabulous scriptures equall with canonicall Scriptures the Papists are to beleeue either doctrine contrarie or diuers from Scriptures at the least
of scripture To excuse this great deformitie Robert Parsons endeuoreth to bring the best defence he can First saith he let this whipster tell vs where we were taught to say O stocke or O stone help vs. As if it were not absurd to pray before stockes and stones and to giue dumbe images the same honor that is due to the originals Or else as if they committed no fault because they say not O stocke or O stone This exception therfore declareth that the moule of this old hacksters cap was blockish and senslesse like as if it were made of stone Secondly he saith that S. Basil homil 20. in 40. martyres prayeth to the same martyrs that Nazianzen in laudem Cypriani martyris maketh his prayer to the said Cyprian and in his oration in praise of Athanasius to Athanasius in his oration in praise of Basil to S. Basil that Chrysostome prayed to S. Peter in a certaine sermon of Peters chaine and that S. Ambrose called on the same Apostle comment in cap. 22. Luc. and S. Ierome on S. Paula in epitaph Paulae And that S. Augustine prayed to S. Cyprian and other Saints lib. 7. de baptis contr Donatist cap. 1. But first there is an infinit difference betwéen the words of the Fathers and the blasphemous formes of popish prayers They by a figure called Prosopopoeia did speake to saints as Orators do to heauen or earth or cities or other things that heare nothing These pray to them as if they heard them saw them and could helpe them Secondly neither Ambrose prayeth to Peter nor Augustine to Cyprian and other saints in the places mentioned Thirdly neither can be proue that the sermon made vpon the adoration of S. Peters chaine is authentical nor that the oratiōs of Basil Nazianzene and other fathers are cléere of all corruptions which differ so much in diuers editions Finally we liue by lawes and not by the examples of three or foure fathers disagréeing from the rest if so be it were granted that they called vpon saints Thirdly he alleageth that in the first prayer to Thomas Becket there is no more blasphemy contained then when the holy prophets did mention the name faith and merits of Abraham Isac and Iacob and other their holy fathers But what if the holy Prophets do not mention the merites of Abraham Isac and Iacob but rather desire God to remember his promise made vnto them Doth it not appeare that in speaking of holy Prophets he lyeth most shamefully and like a false prophet and teacher Againe he sheweth himselfe both shamelesse and senselesse that perceiueth no difference betwéene the Papists that pray they may attaine heauen by the bloud of Thomas Becket and the Prophets that neuer prayed in that fashion nor hoped to attaine heauen by the bloud of any but of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus Finally he answereth That where Thomas Becket is prayed vnto to lend his hand for our helpe it is meant he shal do it by his prayer and intercession But this answer is as foolish as the prayer is blasphemous For there is great difference betwéen the word helpe and this prayer Be a meanes that we may be holpen Againe albeit the meaning of the word were so yet it is a ridiculous thing to pray to any to gouerne direct and helpe vs that cannot gouerne direct nor helpe vs and farre from the meaning of Papists who in their Legends tell vs that Saints haue appeared holpen and healed such as haue called vpon them This excuse therefore will by no meanes reléeue the aduersaries whose prayers in their Missals and other rituall bookes are repugnant to Christian religion and the formes and practise of the auncient Church Finally they erred in the obiect of their worship adoring creatures in stead of the Creator or at the least aduancing creatures vnto honor not due vnto them The law expresly forbiddeth vs to worship strange Gods or to haue them But the Papists do worship the Sacrament newly made by the priest and call it their Lord and God which is a very strange God and neuer knowne to Christians for a god Neither can they pretend that they giue honor to the Sacrament as to the bodie of our Sauiour while he liued vpon earth For this honor was due by reason of the hypostaticall vnion of the two natures in one Christ. But there is no personall vnion betwixt Christ and the sacrament That they call the Sacrament their Lord and their Maker it is apparent by the common spéech vsed by the Papistes Further in the canon of the Masse the priest looking vpon the Sacrament saith Domine non sum dignus Lord I am not worthie Innocentius lib. 4. de Missa cap. 19. speaking of Transsubstantiatiō by the priests words saith that so daily a creature is made the Creator Ita ergo quotidiè creatura fit Creator The author of the booke called Stella Clericorum saith that the priest is the creator of his Creator Sacerdos saith he est creator sui Creatoris Qui creauit vos dedit creare se. Qui creauit vos absque vobis creatur à vobis mediantibus vobis The like words are found in the worthy book called Sermones discipuli ser. III. Secondly the law forbiddeth vs to make any similitude or image of things in heauen earth or vnder the earth to bow downe to it or to worship it But they make the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost and the crucifix bow downe to them and worship them and that according to the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas with the same worship that is due vnto God They do also make the images of Angels and Saints burne incense vnto them pray before them and kisse them Thirdly they confesse their sins to Angels and Saints saying Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti beatae Mariae semper virgini c. that is I confesse to God Almightie to the blessed and alwayes a virgin Mary to S. Michael the Archangell to S. Iohn Baptist and as it followeth in the common confessiō But if they did not beléeue that Angels and Saints can forgiue sinnes they would not so pray vnto them Fourthly they make their vowes to saints as appeareth by the common formes of vowes of such as enter into Religion Bellarmine also lib. 3. de cult sanctor c. 9. confesseth that vowes may be well made to saints But the scriptures teach vs that this is an honor due vnto God Pay thy vows to the most high saith the prophet Psalm 50. and Deuter. 23. when thou shalt vow a vow to the Lord thy God Finally they pray to the crosse saying Ange pijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam that is increase iustice in the godly and graunt pardon to sinners as if a stocke could encrease iustice or pardon sinners We are therefore herein to acknowledge Gods fauour and continually to praise him for his goodnes who gaue vs such a Queen as with al her heart sought to pul downe the altars
exhort all men To keepe themselues from idols this sinne being direct against the honor of God and nothing else but spirituall fornication Let vs therefore see whether the Papists may not be touched with the aforesaid crimes of teaching hereticall and false doctrine and of long continuance in schisme superstition and idolatry That the Papists teach false doctrine and heresie the acts of the conuenticle of Trent of Florence and Constance compared with the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and faith of the auncient fathers will plainely declare For as Tertullian said of old heretikes so may we say of them That their doctrine compared with the Apostolicke doctrine doth by the diuersitie and contrarietie thereof declare that it proceedeth from no Apostle or Apostolicke man Ipsa doctrina eorum cum Apostolica compar at a ex diuersitate contrarietate sua pronunciabit neque Apostoli alicuius autoris esse neque Apostolici saith he The Apostle teackech vs That the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect They say that the Scriptures are but a péece of the rule of faith and very imperfect without traditions S. Peter 2. Pet. 1. compareth the scriptures of the Prophets to a candle shining in a dark place they teach that scriptures are darke and obscure God commaundeth vs to heare his beloued Sonne Mat. 3. they commaund vs not to heare Christ speaking in scriptures to vs but to heare the Pope and his carolike crue which they endue with the name of the Church The Apostle saith That no other foundation could be laid beside that which is alreadie layd which is Christ Iesus These fellowes say the Church is built vpon the Pope and that he is the foundation of the Church although we find plainely that there was no such Pope for many ages in the Church Christ said Reade the Scriptures these say directly to the vulgar sort reade not Scriptures in vulgar tongs without licence S. Iohn teacheth vs that sinne is whatsoeuer is contrary to the law these teach that many sins there are not repugnant to Gods law viz. such things as are contrary to the Popes law The Apostle Paul saith that concupiscence is sinne these affirme the contrary He saith originall sinne passed ouer al they deny it He saith no man is iustified by the workes of the law they teach flat contrary The law directly prohibiteth the making of grauen images to the end to bow down to them and to worship them These notwithstanding make the images of the holy Trinitie bow downe to them and worship them The Apostle Coloss. 2. speaketh against the worship of Angels They regard him not but in humblenesse of mind inuocate and worship Angels notwithstanding Our Sauior instituting the holy Sacrament of his body and bloud sayd Accipite manducate take and eate and drink ye all of this They say sacrifice and worship and drink not all of this To rehearse all their contradictions to the word of God and to the Apostles doctrine were too long for this short discourse let these therefore serue for an introduction Of their heresies I haue before spoken Pius the fourth hath set forth a new forme of faith of which that may be said which Hilarie speaketh to Constantius Quicquid apud te praeter fidem vnā est perfidia non fides est Whatsoeuer this wicked Pope hath set forth beside the faith of Christ the same is perfidiousnes and not faith Of this qualitie is his doctrine of Romish traditions of superstitious ceremonies of the blasphemous Hasse of purgatorie of indulgences of the fiue new deuised sacraments and such like doctrines That the Papists are by schisme rent from the Catholike and vniuersal Church of Christ it may be proued by diuers particulars First Christs Church hath but one head that is Christ Iesus But the Romish Church hath as many heads as Popes and heads that teach doctrine both diuers and contrary to Christ our sole head Secondly Christ his Church hath no other spouse but Christ Iesus But the adulterous Romish synagogue acknowledgeth the Pope to be her spouse and therefore must needes haue as many spouses as Popes and be not Virgo but Polygama that is one that hath many husbands or spouses Thirdly the Catholike Church is built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the corner stone and hath beside this no other foundation But the Romish Church acknowledgeth the Pope to be her foundation Whereupon it followeth that she is sometime without foundation at least during the vacancie of the popedome and hath as many diuers foundations as Popes Fourthly the synagogue of Rome doth acknowledge the Pope to be her law-giuer and iudge that he hath power not onely to bind mens consciences but also to saue and destroy which doth shew that she deuideth her selfe from Christes Catholicke Church which for many ages after Christs time had no such conceit Fifthly the same doth rely no lesse vpon traditions not written and vpon the Popes determinations in matters of faith then vpon the written word of God which the Catholike Church doeth not Sixthly this synagogue consisteth of a Pope and his Cardinals together with a rabble of Monkes Fryers and sacrificing priests But in the prime Catholicke Church there was no such state nor orders of men to be found Finally the members of the Romish synagogue are not onely deuided from the Catholike Church in doctrine sacraments externall gouernement and fellowship but also one frō another the Thomists differing from the Scotists the Monkes from begging Friars the regular orders from secular Priests one Doctor from another and one Pope oft-times from another If then Schismatickes be no true members of the Church as their Doctors teach then are not the Romanists of the Church Againe if they differ from the Catholike Church and among themselues then haue they long continued in Schisme The nature and propertie of superstition doth shew the Papists to be also most superstitious For if it be the nature and propertie of superstition either to giue religious honor and worship to such things as are not capable of it or else to worship God after humane deuises and otherwise then he hath commanded then do they grossely offend in superstitiō But it is most notorious that they grosly offend in both those points For first they inuocate Angels On the feast of Michael the Archangell they say Holy S. Michael defend vs in battell that we perish not in the fearefull iudgement They pray also to the Angell that kéepeth them whom they know not and this adoration of Angels in the Romane Catechisme is allowed if not commaunded Secondly they worship the Virgin Marie and call her the mother of grace and port of saluation Bernardin doth call her the mediatrix betwixt God and vs and the helper of our iustification and saluation They pray vnto her for helpe per amorem vnigeniti filij tui as if Christ were a
sheweth himselfe to be past shame to talke against mariage when himselfe was begotten by a filthie priest and his consorts wallow in all beastly abhominations Wherefore let the aduersaries storme and rage as much as they list yet will we say and may say it most truly that both the Church of God and the State hath receiued great blessings by Quéene Elizabeths late happie gouernment And if nothing else yet the vaine opposition of enemies and traitors may perswade vs that it is so For not onely their mislikings do fhew that both the Church and State was well ordered for otherwise they would haue bene better pleased but also their vaine ianglings and contradictions they being not able to obiect any thing which soundeth not to her Maiesties honeur and high commendations confirme the same CHAP. XIII Parsons his cursed talke of cursings of England by chaunge of Religion and gouernment vnder Queene Elizabeth examined THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the foolish and wicked men of his time saith that their throate is an open sepulchre and afterward that their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse The which we sée verified in the Pope and his impious sect For their throates are wide as the graue and swallow the wealth of Europe They also degorge out of them all the wickednesse and villanie they can deuise against the godly Pius Quintus and Sixtus Quintus accurse the Quéene Robert Parsons following their steppes raileth vpon her in diuers libels In his Warn-word that is a complement of his foolery he sayth We receiued no blessings by her but rather cursings Here therefore we are to answer the barking of this cursed hel-hound and of his accursed companions In the first encounter of his Wardword p. 4. he saith We are deuided from the general body of catholickes in Christendome But this should haue bene proued if he would haue any man to giue him credit For we alleage that the Papists from whom we are deuided are no Catholikes beleeuing the new doctrines of the late conuenticles of Lateran Constance Florence Trent other Friers priests which neither were receiued of all men nor in all times nor in all places which is the true propertie of Catholicke doctrine Next we offer to proue that we are true Catholikes séeing the doctrine of our faith is Apostolicall and vniuersally approued of all true Christians and for the most part confessed by the Papists vntil of late time If then this be a principall curse to be deuided from Catholickes then doth the same fall on Parsons his own head and vpon his trecherous consorts and not vpon vs. Secondly he saith that we of England are deuided from Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists abroad and from Puritanes Brownists and other like good fellowes at home But this common Iergon of Papists is already answered For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists nor can he shew that the Church of England is deuided from the Churches of France Germanie or Suizzerland or that one Church oppugneth another If any priuate man do maintaine priuat opinions in doctrine as diuers Germaines French and English do or else if there be any difference among vs concerning ceremonies and gouernment that doth no more make a schisme in our church then the diuers rites of Spanish French and Italians and diuers opinions in al points of religion betwéen old and new Romish Doctors maketh a schisme in the Romish Church For generally we all agree in substance of faith in rites ceremonies refer euery Church to their libertie In England publikely there is more vniformitie in doctrine prayers ceremonies then in the Romish Church albeit some priuat men whom Parsons vseth to call Puritanes dissent in some points As among the Papists there are diuers that allow not all which they hold commonly But saith he in his Warne-word Encont 1. c. 15. the French Germaines and Scottish do not agrée with the English in the rule of faith as is proued in the foure fiue and sixe and sequent chapters But if he had found any differences he would not haue spared to set them down In the chapters mentioned he sheweth not that we differ in any article of faith or substantiall point of religion but rather in rites ceremonies and some diuers interpretations of some words of Scripture Thirdly he would make his reader beléeue that we haue no certaintie in religion and that as he foole-wisely imagineth because we haue no certaine rule whereby to direct our consciences And this he handleth both in his Wardword 1. Encontr and Warnw. 1. enc c. 15. 16. and other places skipping like an ape vp an downe without rule order or reason But while he talketh of the rule of faith he is direct contrary to himselfe For in his Wardw. p. 6. he sayth that the vniuersal Church was the direct rule and squire which we ought to follow and in the Warnw. Enc. 1. c. 15. nu 10. he teacheth that it is the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles and preachings of the Apostles Where I omit to tell Robert Parsons that it is absurd to make the same thing to be a rule and a squire the rule being direct and the squire being square It is also ridiculous though I do not tell him of it to say that Christs doctrine was deliuered by miracles for it was deliuered by writing and preaching and confirmed by miracles But I cannot forbeare to tell him that there is great difference betwéene the Catholike Church and the Catholike doctrine How then can these two make one rule Next he taketh exception to my words where I say that the Church of England hath a certaine rule to follow in matters of faith as if the canon of scriptures and those conclusions which are to be drawne out of them were no certaine rule or else as if traditions that are no where certainly described or set downe were a more certaine and authenticall rule then scriptures and necessary deductions out of them Fourthly he giueth out that we despaire of all certaine rule or meane to trie the truth which is a most desperate and impudent kind of dealing For directly I told him before and now I tell him againe that our rule is most certaine being nothing else but the canonicall Scriptures and the conclusions necessary drawne out of them Nay this rule may in part be confirmed by Parsons his owne confession For if the corps of Christian doctrine preached by the Apostles be the rule of faith as he saith VVarnw 1. encont c. 15. where are we to find it but in holy Scriptures He holdeth percase that it is to be found in the Popes bosome But if he say so in schooles he shal not want a greater plaudit then he had when hauing ended his comicall dealings in Bayliol colledge he was rung and hissed out of the house For who knoweth not that scabs and villany are
rather to be found in the Popes bosome then any corpes of Apostolicall doctrine for that is very rife with them With the corpes of Apostolicall doctrine the Italian atheisticall Popes are litle acquainted We tel him further that for trial of any point of doctrine we are not to run to the Popes sea which is as much able to resolue vs as his close stoole but to the word of God reuealed in Scriptures and if there be any difference about a place of Scriptures we are then to compare the same with other places to search the resolutions of Councels of auncient and later Fathers of the Church of England and learned men Prouided alwayes that nothing be receiued as a ground of faith which is not to be deduced out of the word of God Whether then S. Augustine or Hierome or Ambrose or Luther or Caluin or any preacher among vs bring vs the word of God it is to be receiued But if they teach without that we are not necessarily to credit them nor to beléeue them in grounds of faith Out of the Scriptures we learne that Christ hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors and teachers albeit all particular matters are not precisely set downe So likewise we are taught that these words this is my body are most true that the sacrameÌ„t is Christs body in a mysterie or sacramentally albeit how the Sacrament is called Christs body there may be some differences Likewise out of Scripture we are taught that the King is the most principall man in his Realme and not to be subiect to any other in externall gouernement albeit euery one percase vnderstandeth not the seuerall points of his supreme authority These differences therefore notwithstanding our rule of faith is most certaine Fiftly he would insinuate that as vertue houskéeping true dealing is much decayed since her Maiesty came to the crowne so pride in apparel gluttony drunkennes lechery swearing and other vices are much increased But the man should shew that these vertues are decayed and vices increased in men that are truly of our Religion If he say so then let him name the men that are guiltie of these faults If the men that are guilty be Papists that for the most part are knowne to be carnall and cruel and most vitious he striketh himselfe and not vs. If they be Atheists or hypocrites then his allegation maketh not to purpose This I will speake to his teeth that if our Ministery be no more honest and vertâ—ous then the Popes Cardinals Friers and Masse-priests and our true professors then zelous Papists it were pitie they should liue on the face of the earth Some proofes I haue brought before and more I shall alleage herafter Let Parsons do the like against vs and leaue his hypocriticall ostentation and generall declamation that maketh men rather to wonder at his impudency then to beleeue that he dealeth truly or sincerely Sixthly he very impudently imputeth all the troubles wars and calamities that haue happened in Scotland Ireland Flanders France to alteration in Religion and wold lay the blame wholy vpon vs. But if he looke into their immediate causes he shall find that the mint of this money was the Popes consistorie and that he and his agents are the onely firebrands of all mischiefe In Ireland Gregorie the thirtéenth stirred vp rebellion by the traitor Saunders his legate in England Pius Quintus by his agent Ridolphi and by Morton his messenger moued the two Earles to rise in the North Anno 1569. The same Pope animated the Spanish King to make warres against the Quéene of England and against them of the Low countries The same Pope sent not onely his agents to stirre the French but ayded them both with men and mony Gregorie the thirtéenth likewise sent ayde to Irish rebels The wars of Germanie were enflamed by that butcherly Pope Paule the third To make short all massacres trecheries warres and troubles haue wholy procéeded from their malice against the truth If the Pope and his adherents therfore haue bene troubled so was Herode and all Ierusalem with him at the birth of Christ. If they blame vs for their troubles so did the Pagans impute all their troubles to Christians and their religion But the true cause was not religion but the hatred of impious Papists against religion Finally he saith that if her Maiestie had not altered religion then her kingdome had bene flourishing and secure and that she would haue had issue and her succession certaine and continued in friendship with the Pope and auncient confederates and neither had wars abroad nor treason at home and insinuateth that by reason of alteration of religion al is fallen out contrarie But if Wil Sommer had written this discourse he could neuer haue spoken more foolishly nor impertinently For first I haue shewed that the state of the kingdome for diuers respects was neuer more flourishing Secondly if any danger hanged ouer our heads the same might easily be auoyded if lawes had bene executed against traitors Thirdly it is now apparant to the world that want of issue in her Maiestie hath not hurt vs God sending vs so gracious and magnanimous a king Fourthly his royall Maiestie succéeding in her throne hath declared that she wanted no succession The same act also sheweth that Parsons and all his consorts are a packe of false Prophets Parsons his booke of succession doth also declare him to be a false traitor Fiftly it is a ridiculous thing to tell vs of vnion with the Pope and his mediation of peace For there ought to be no agréement betweene Christians and Antichrist Here the Noddie will storme that his holy Father should be called Antichrist But let him answer my reasons in my fifth booke De Pont. Rom. against Bellarmine and then let him storme while his heart break Sixtly we haue so litle losse by breaking with the Spanish king that all men of knowledge pray that either he may chaunge his former courses or that the warrcs may still continue Finally this land hath no reason either to feare forraine warres or domesticall treasons vnlesse we will vncouple the Popes hounds that come hither to teare the kings Maiestie and State in péeces which I hope he and his Councell of state will looke vnto Whether then we looke into the Church or the State we must needes say that Quéene Elizabeths raigne was most happie And that so much the rather for that all her aduersaries wit and malice doth not affoord any one sound argument that doth any way sound to her disgrace Robert Parsons hath long barked in vaine against her procéedings But he should remember that the end of mad barking curres is beating if not hanging The second Booke shewing the miserable estate of Papists both in England vnder Q. Mary and elsewhere vnder the Popes irreligious tyrrannie weakely defended by N. D. in a leud Libel intitled the WARNE-WORD The Preface to the second Booke THE nature of
the Bishops knew neither old nor new testament In ore Episcoporum saith he that wrote the treatise titled Onus Ecclesiae est lex vanitatis pro lege veritatis The law of vanitie is in the mouth of Bishops in stead of the law of truth They should build the Church of God but as Brigit saith they build the diuel two cities Catherine of Siena cap. 129. saith that vnprofitable pastors do not driue the woolues from the sheepe for that they want the dog of conscience and staffe of iustice She saith also that they feed not their sheepe in the pastures of saluation nor leade them the way of truth Quid hodiè erant Episcopi saith the Cardinall of Arles in the méeting at Basil nisi vmbrae quaedā Quid plus eis restabat quà m baculus mitra What are Bishops of our time but shadowes What remaineth to them more then a staffe and a miter If any be more studieus then other yet it is not in Scriptures but in laws and matters of state and storie The Masse priests in time past vsed not to studie Scriptures nor to preach It was sufficient for them either by themselues or by others to expound in English the Créed Law and some few things more and that onely at foure times in the yeare as appeareth by the chapter Ignorantia sacerdotum de officio Archipresbyteri in our prouinciall constitutions Now to do this litle learning was required and lesse vnderstanding Clerkes saith Math. Paris in the life of VVilliam the Conqueror were then so vnlearned that those that vnderstood grammer were a wonderment to their fellows Adeo literatura carebant vt caeteris esset stupori qui grammaticam didicisset The Friers were then the onely preachers vpon whose teaching the edification of the popish Church wholy relied vnlesse percase some will suppose that faith may come by gazing on the priest at Masse or on the crucifixe and dumb images which as the prophet saith are teachers of vanity But these Friers were for the most part vnlearned as the sermons of Menot Maillard Bromeyard others wil teftify Secondly they preached onely in Aduent and Lent some few extraordinary times And thirdly the ground of their sermons were either fables or else philosophicall positions or idle questions litle tending to edification or matters for their owne profit And finally they came without lawful mission to teach lies rather then the truth to destroy rather then to build to make a schisme and diuision rather then to reduce men to loue vnitie and concord Dante sheweth that the Friers of his time wrested scriptures and litle regarded them Quando e posposta la diuina scrittura quando e torta Againe he sayth they desired their owne glorie and preached their owne inuentions hiding the Gospell in silence Per apparer ciascun s'ingegna face Sue inuentioni quelle son trascorse Da predicanti e'luangelio si tace He telleth vs that they tel fables and feede ignorant and simple people with wind No ha in Fiorenza tanti Lupi Bindi Quante si fatte fauole per anno In pergamo si gridan quinci quindi Si che le pecorelle che non sanno Tornan dal pasco pasciute di vento Agnellus generall of the Minorites hearing the Doctors dispute whether this proposition there is a God be true exclaimed against this maner of dealing and detested such questioning Cornelius Agrippa speaking of schoole doctors sayth that for the Gospel and the word of God they preach meere toyes and humane words preaching a new gospel and adulterating the word of God Pro Euangelijs pro verbo Dei meras nugas humana verba crepant praedicantes euangelium adulterantes verbum Dei Likewise doth Orthuinus Gratius in Praefat. ante lib. Petri de Alliac de reform Eccles. speake against scholasticall Diuinitie saying that the same is ingenious to lay burthens on mens soules and againe cunning in deuising excuses for sinne Est ingeniosa cura ad aggrauandas conscientias tum rursus adinueniendas excusationes in peccatis multo solertissima Robertus Gallus vis 34. saith that the Friers preaching idle and curious questions were designed by a vision wherin a man appeared loaden with bread but gnawing a long stone with a snakes head appearing at either end Which resemblance is not altogether vnfit séeing those that leaue the instructions of Scripture to scanne such endlesse questions leaue bread to gnaw a stone being in the end stung with their owne curiositie Seeing then that the preaching of popish Doctors is so mixed with idle tales endlesse questions and philosophicall discourses what profit can thereof redound to the people of God Quid Athenis Hierosolymis saith Tertullian de praescript aduers. haeret quid Academiae Ecclesiae What concord is there betweene Athens and Hierusalem betweene Philosophers schooles and the Church Cardinall Prat Archbishop as he calleth himselfe of Sens in Fraunce in his visitation made a law against such preachers as like vile buffons rehearsed ridiculous old wiues tales to moue their auditorie to laughter which sheweth that this was wont to be a common fault Their preaching was also very contentious and full of quarrels one calling another hereticke schismaticke sacrilegious false Prophet and rauening wolfe and endeuouring to proue the same by Scriptures and arguments as appeareth by the testimonie of the Waldenses in their confession to Ladislaus Vbertinus affirmeth that the locustes mentioned in the Apocalypse of S. Iohn do signifie the begging Friars because they are scurrilous and light skip-iackes liue carnally and gnaw the Scriptures Quia scurriles leues volatiles carnales rodentes sacras literas Commission for their preaching these Friars can shew none The Apostle where he talketh of pastors and teachers and other Ministers of the Gospell leaueth no roome for such vermine The Doctors of Paris say that Friars come without canonicall mission that they preach against the truth of Scripture that they bragge of their knowledge and preach for gaine How then is it like that such fellowes can build the Church of God Can we looke for truth at the hands of false Prophets or edification by them that come without calling In the prophesie of Hildegardis we reade that the principall studie and indeuour of these false teachers shall be to resist true teachers and to bring them to the slaughter by their intelligence with great men Séeing then the Papists haue no other teachers then these false Apostles or rather seducers and heare nothing but tales and idle questions it is not possible they should profit by such Sermons Much lesse therefore is it likely they should grow in knowledge séeing neither their leaders are desirous to teach them nor they to learne of their teachers Linwood speaking of the articles of the Créede saith It is sufficient for lay and simple men to beleeue them with an implicit faith that is to beleeue as the
and the rocke vpon which the Church is built Bellarmine lib. 2. de pontif Rom. cap. 31. talking of the Popes titles saith that he is called a foundation and that he is fundamentum aedificij Ecclesiae the foundation of the building of the Church In his Preface before his bookes de Pontif. Rom. speaking of these words of Isay Ecce ponam in fundamentis Sion lapidem lapidem probatum angularem saith that these words not vnfitly may be applyed to the Pope as if he were that corner stone that is placed in the foundations of Sion Stapleton likewise in his Preface before the relection of his doctrinall principles affirmeth desperately that God speaketh in the Pope and that the foundation of Christian religion is necessarily placed in his authoritie teaching vs. It was much to say that he was any way the foundation of religion But to make him a necessarie foundation was a greater presumption then I find in his fellows His words are these In hac docentis hominis authoritate in qua Deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni cernimus Neither can any of them well deny but that the Pope is the rocke vpon which the Church is built and against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile séeing generally they proue the Popes authoritie out of Christs words to Peter Mat. 16. For if these words be not meant of the Pope but of Christ whom Peter confessed then are they fondly alleaged for iustification of the Popes authoritie In summe all their practise sheweth that the Pope to them is summa summarum and the corner stone and chiefe foundation of the popish Church For alleage Scriptures they quarrell about the interpretation and admit no sence but that which the Pope alloweth although his glosses and interpretations be neuer so contrarie to the text Againe alleage Councels they enquire if the Pope haue allowed them Alleage Fathers speaking against the Pope they reiect them But alleage the Popes determination there they stop like restie iades and will not be drawne further So the Pope and his resolutions are the foundations nay they are all in all with Papists But this is not onely contrarie to the words of Scripture Isay 8. and 28. Mat. 16. and 1. Cor. 3. and Ephes. 2. where Christ is made the corner stone and sole foundation of the Church but also contrarie to all Fathers and good interpreters of Scriptures The same is also most absurd and contrarie to reason For first if the Pope were the foundation of the Church then should there be as many foundations as Popes Secondly the Church should be built vpon foundations diuers from Christ. Thirdly the foundations of the Church should differ one from another one Pope centradicting and crossing another Fourthly the Popes being sometimes reprobates and damned hell should preuaile against the foundation of the Church which is most absurd Fiftly the Church during the vacation should be without foundatiō and a woman being Pope the Church should be built vpon a woman Finally the Church should be built vpon men subiect to infirmities errors and mutations and not vpon Christ Iesus the vnmoueable rocke The Conuenticle of Trent talking of the bookes of the old and new Testament and of traditions as well concerning faith as manners doth receiue both with equall affection and reuerence as it were either deliuered vnto vs either by the mouth of Christ or by the holy Ghost and kept by continual succession in the Catholike church Omnes libros tam veteris quà m noui testamenti cùm vtriusque vnus Deus sit author nec non traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel ore tenus à Christo vel à Spiritu Sancto dictatas continua successione in Ecclesia catholica conseruatus pari pietatis affectis ac reuerentia suscipit ac veneratur Those likewise among the Papists that procéede Doctors or take any degrée in schooles do professe that they most firmely admit and embrace the traditions of the Apostles and the Church and other ecclesiasticall obseruances and constitutions Apostolicas ecclesiasticas traditiones reliquasque eiusdem Ecclesiae obseruationes constitutiones firmissimè admitto saith euery one of them Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 1. beginning to speake of traditions hitherto saith he we haue disputed of the written word of God now we will begin to speake briefly of the word of God not written accompting traditions to be the word of God as well as holy scriptures Aliud hodie religionis Christianae fundamentum saith Stapleton habemus non quidem à Christo aliud sed ab ipsis literis Euangelicis Apostolicis aliud That is we haue now another foundation of Christian religion not diuers from Christ but diuers from the Euangelicall and Apostolical scriptures So either he excludeth scriptures from being the ground of Christian religion or else maketh vnwritten traditions equall vnto them Afterward in his Analysis prefixed before his Doctrinall principles deliuering to his disciples the grounds of Christian religion he vouchsafeth the scriptures no place among them But first if by the books of the old testament they vnderstand all the bookes contained in the old latine vulgar translation of the Bible then they admit the third and fourth bookes of Esdras and all additions to the originall text to be canoniall scriptures which contradicteth their owne decrées concerning the canon of Scriptures Secondly it is absurd to make vnwritten traditions equall with the holy Scriptures For these are certainly knowne to procéed from God But of vnwritten traditions the aduersaries can bring no proofe but from men Now who is so presumptuous as to match the testimonies of men with the word of God Augustine in his 48. epistle to Vincentius speaking of the fathers writings saith they are to be distinguished from the authoritie of the canon And in his eight epistle which is to Hierome he saith that vnto the Scriptures alone this prerogatiue is to be giuen that none of them containeth any errors All other authors he wold haue censured and examined by them being not free from errours The holy Scriptures are alwayes consonant and agréeable to themselues But traditions do not onely contradict one another but also are repugnant to holy Scriptures Polycrates as Eusebius lib. 5. Eccles. hist. c. 23. reporteth maintained the obseruance of the feast of Easter according to the practise of the Churches of Asia to be according to the Apostles traditions Victor and the Church of Rome thought contrary Some maintained the fast vpon the Sabbath others denied it and both held by tradition Siue hodiè Christus natus est c. whether Christ was borne or baptized as this day saith Hicrome serm de nat to 3. there is a diuers opinion in the world and according to the diuersitie of traditions there are diuers iudgements The Romanists do found their communion vnder one kind and their Masses
psalme sayth That he hath often admonished his hearers that the Latin translatiō could not yeeld satisfaction for their vnderstanding Frequenter admonuimus saith he non posse satisfactionem intciligentiae ex latinitatis translatiene prestari Ambrose teacheth vs that where there is contention about the variation of Latine translations there the Greeke bookes are to be looked vpon Si quis de Latinorum codicum varietate contendit sayth he quorum aliquos perfidi falsauerunt Gracos inspiciat codices And in his booke De incarnat c. 8. So haue we found sayth he in the Greeke text whose authoritie is greater Hierome in an Epistle to Sunia sayth that in the old testament we are to haue recourse to the Hebrew text In his preface in 4. Euang. he sheweth that there is great variety of Latine bookes and that in correcting of errors and finding the truth we are to returne to the Gréeke originals Si veritas est quaerenda saith he cur non ad Gracam originem reuertentes ea quae malè ab interpretibus reddita vel addita vel mutata corrigimus Augustine also in his second booke De doctr Christ. cap. 10. saith That to correct Latine copies we are to haue recourse to the Hebrew and Greeke bookes of Scripture Ad exemplaria Hebraea Graeca saith he à Latinis recurratur And in the same booke chap. 15. Latinis emendandis Graeci adhibeantur codices Latine bookes of Scripture are to be mended by the Greeke originals The aduersaries also themselues are ashamed sometimes to say that either the old Latine vulgar translation is to be preferred before the originall Text of Scripture or that the same is authenticall The Canonists glossing vpon the Chap. vt veterum dist 9. affirme that where the Copies varie the originall is to be exhibited and that the Latine of the old Testament is to be corrected by the Hebrew and the Latine of the new Testament by the Greeke bookes Isidore Clarius Caietane Pagninus Forerius Oleastrius Erasmus and diuers others haue noted diuers faults in the old Latine vulgar translation Sixtus Senensis lib. 8. Biblioth sanct confesseth that diuers faults barbarismes solecismes and transpositions are found in the Latine translation And saith that the Church was moued by diuers iust causes to dissemble them Finally reason teacheth vs that the determination of the Romish Church that preferreth the Latin vulgar translation before the Hebrew and Gréeke text is most absurd For if the Latine bookes were to be preferred before the Hebrew and Greeke text or else to be estéemed authenticall then were we either to preferre or to giue like credit to Hierome and other authors that translated the old vulgar Latine bookes and to the holy Prophets and Apostles Againe transumpts and copies might by like reason be preferred before the originall instruments Thirdly the old Latine translation is proned false by diuers witnesses by comparing of places for that one edition of the old vulgar translation doth differ from another Non potest verum esse quod dissonat that cannot be true that is repugnant and contrarie to it selfe as Hierome saith in Praefat. in Iosuam in Praefat. in 4. Euang. But the edition of the vulgar translation set out by Clement the eighth doth much differ from that which Sixtus Quintus set out before Iosue 11. 19. Clement readeth quae se traderet Sixtus readeth quite contrarie quae se non traderet 2. Reg. 16. 1. Clement hath vtre vini Sixtus readeth duobus vtribus Ioan. 6. 65. Clement readeth qui essent non credentes Sixtus qui essent credentes And so it may appeare by diligent collation that there are notable differences throughout the whole Bible Lastly if the Latine text were more authenticall then the Hebrew or Greeke why do not our aduersaries shew that the auncient Fathers or some learned men of late time at the least haue corrected the Hebrew and Greeke according to the Latine and not rather contrariwise The fourth foundation of Romish religion is the determination of the Pope in matters of faith The Conuenticle of Trent teacheth that it belongeth to the holy mother the Church to iudge of the true meaning of Scriptures Now for as much as no man knoweth more certainely what is the holy mother Churches meaning then the Papists holy Father the Pope therefore they do hereof conclude that the Pope is to determine principally of the true sence and meaning of Scriptures In the Rubrike of the decrées cap. in canonicis dist 19. we find that the Popes decretals are to be reckened among canonicall Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 3. saith that the Spirit of God he should say of the diuell is in the Pope and that he together with a Councell is chiefe Iudge in matters of controuersie of religion And in the same booke cap. 4. he holdeth that no man may recede from his iudgement or determination Stapleton in his booke of doctrinall Principles or grounds of his religion goeth about to prooue that the Popes sentence and determination is infallible And so much do these good fellowes rely vpon their holy Mothers and holy Fathers interpretation that they receiue the same without any long inquisition though neuer so foolish and contrarie to Scriptures Our Sauiour in the institution of the holy Eucharist said Take eate but they beléeue the Pope that saith Gape and gaze but take not nor eate but rather hang vp the Sacrament He said Bibite ex hoc omnes that is Drinke ye all of this but the Pope saith Drinke not all of this and they beléeue the Pope The Apostle saith It is better to marrie then to burne and that mariage is honorable among all men But the Pope doth interpret these words so as if he had said It is better to burne then to marrie and that mariage is reprochfull and vnlawfull to Priests and Papists beléeue the Pope So do they likewise in infinit false interpretations But that the Popes interpretations and sentences shold be the foundation of religion is a matter contrarie to religion and reason The Apostle Ephes. 2. saith that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the corner stone And therefore it is said to be built vpon them because both of them preach Christ. Apostolos habemus authores c. we haue the Apostles for authors of our doctrine saith Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers. baeret He saith also It lyeth not in mans power to determine any thing in matters of faith of his owne head Quamuis sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos c. Howsoeuer holy or eloquent a man be saith Hierome in Psalm 86. yet comming after the Apostles he deserueth no authenticall credit The Lord declareth in Scriptures Augustine in his second Epistle to Hierome sheweth that no mans writings are comparable to holy Scriptures And this the Canonists themselues confesse in their glosses vpon the Chapter Noli meis and Ego
after the order of Melchisedech as we may reade in the 110. psalme in the fift and seuenth chapter to the Hebrewes The Lord hath sworne and it shall not repent him saith God by his Prophet thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech The same also is proued for that he onely continueth for euer He was without father concerning his humane nature without mother concerning his diuine nature and hath neither beginning nor ending But the Masse-priests continue not for euer nor are they without father or mother nor are they without beginning or ending Are they not then presumptuous fellowes to enter vpon Christs office and to arrogate to themselues priesthood after the order of Melchisedech But were they priests after the order of Melchisedech yet did Melchisedech neuer offer the body and blood of any man nor do we reade that either he or Christ did offer for the quicke and dead at his last supper Are they not then flagitious fellowes that imagine themselues able to offer the son of God Are they not presumptuous priests that without warrant haue deuised such a sacrifice Our Sauiour Christ sayth that such do worship God in vaine which teach doctrines which are the commaundements of men But these fellowes deuise a worship of God contrary to his word crucifying Christ againe and laying violent hands vpon him according to their owne imaginations Christ hath taught vs to pray vnto the Father in his name saying Our father which art in heauen He hath also promised we shall obtaine our prayers which we shall so make If you shall aske my father any thing in my name sayth he he will giue it vnto you The Apostle doth also teach vs that as there is but one God so there is but one Mediator betwixt God man the man Christ Iesus In the Epistle to the Hebrewes we reade that it behoued vs to haue an high Priest holy innocenr vndefiled separated from sinners and higher then the heauens For such a one onely was able to reconcile vs and to make intercession for vs. As for Angels Saints or saints relikes the auncient fathers did neuer vse as mediators or intercessors or spokesmen to God Ambrose in his treatise of Isac saith that Christ is our mouth by which we speake to the Father and our eye by which we see the Father and our right hand by which we offer to our Father S. Augustine writing vpon the 108. Psalme affirmeth that the prayer which is not offered by Christ is not onely not able to put away sinne but also is sinne it selfe But the blind Papists teach vs a farre different forme of prayer and flie to the mediation of our Ladie of Saints of Angels of the crosse as if these were our intercessors and mediators and as if the priesthood of Christ had bene translated to saints They say Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae Mary mother of grace mother of mercie turning our father which art in heauē into our mother which art in heauen They say Haile Mary full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruite of thy wōb Iesus holy Mary mother of God pray for vs sinners now in the houre of death taking vpon them presumptuously to speake those words which the Angell spoke by Gods direction to the holy virgine and corrupting the words of scripture by their additions and by iumbling the words of the Angell and of Elizabeth together In their Mattins in honor of our Ladie betwéene euery verse of the Psalme Venite exultemus they put either Aue Maria or Dominus tecum corrupting and falsifying the words of scripture Bonauenture also most blasphemously hath corrupted and transformed the Psalmes into the praises of our Ladie beginning thus Beat us vir qui diligit nomen tuum virgo Maria gratia tua animam illius confortabit That is Blessed is the man that loueth thy name holy virgine Marie thy grace shall comfort his soule And Psal. 7. O Lady in thee haue I put my trust And Psal. 11. Saue me O mother of faire loue Wherein plainly he giueth the honor of God to the virgine Mary which I thinke no man can deny to be idolatrous In a booke called Hortulus animae printed at Paris anno 1565. by William Merlin in the 107. leafe she is called Laus sanctarum animarum vera saluatrix carum mediatrix Dei hominum The praise of holy soules and true sauiour of them and the mediatrix betwixt God and man And fol. 224. we reade O vener anda trinitas Iesus Ioseph Maria O holy trinitie Iesus Ioseph and Marie Now what is blasphemie if this be not In the Rosary she is called the repairer and saluior of a desperate soule the distiller and giuer of spirituall grace Goodric a certaine holy hermit that liued in Henrie the second king of England his dayes prayed thus O holy Mary Christs mariage chamber virginall puritie flower of thy mother put away my sinnes raigne in me leade me vnto happinesse with God In the feast of S. Catherin they pray thus Deus qui dedisti legem Moysi in summitate montis Sinai c. O God which hast giuen thy law vnto Moyses on the top of the mountain Sinai and in the same place hast by thy holy Angels placed the body of blessed Catherine a virgine and martyr grant we beseech thee that by her merites and intercession we may come to the mountaine that is Christ. And on S. Nicholas day they pray thus O God which hast adorned Nicholas thy Bishop with innumerable miracles grant we beseech thee that through his merits and prayers we may be deliuered from the flames of hell But if prayers be fruitlesse if not sinfull if they procéed not from true faith and if faith be grounded vpon vndoubted and prime truth how can these prayers auaile vs that are grounded vpon S. Catherines and S. Nicholas his legends Againe if Christ be the mediator of saluation onely as the Papists hold how can they hope to be saued by the merites of S. Catherine and S. Nicholas And how can they deny them to be mediators of saluation by whose merits they suppose to be saued I will not ask them what Catherine and Nicholas haue to do with them but yet they may do wel to proue that there was euer any such virgin in the world being the daughter of king Costus as they giue out Upon S. Francis his day they vse this prayer O God which by the merites of blessed S. Francis doest amplifie thy Church with the birth of new children graunt that by his imitation we may despise earthly things and alwayes reioyce being made partakers of heauenly gifts through Christ our Lord. But the Apostle exhorteth vs to be followers of Christ Iesus and of others so far as they be followers of Christ and iustly we may doubt whether Francis followed Christ or no being the author of a rule diuers
to be partakers of his couenant Fiftly Those which despise the Lord shall themselues be despised saith the Lord 1. Sam. 2. And as he promiseth blessings to those that worship him and kéepe his commandemēts so he threatneth cursings to those that refuse to heare the voice of the Lord and to kéepe his commaundents and ceremonies prescribed for his worship Quod siaudire nolueris vocem Domini Dei tui vt custodias facias omnia mandata eius caeremonias quas ego praecipio tibi hodiè venient super te omnes maledictiones apprehendent te saith Moyses Deut. 28. Let the Papists then consider well with themselues what they haue done in transforming the worship of God into the worship of creatures and seruing him not as he hath appointed but according to their owne deuises and fancies and let them beware that these plagues curses ouertake them not séeing they haue wholy neglected the true worship of God Sixthly Strange tongues are for a signe as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 14. not to them that beleeue but to them that beleeue not The Prophet also threatneth as a plague that God wil speake to his people by men of other tongues and in strange languages In loquela labij lingua altera loquetur ad populum istum It is therefore strange that the Papists féele not the hand of God vpon them when they heare scriptures read and prayers said publikely in a language which they vnderstand not and a thing to be wondred at that they chuse rather to liue in this blindnesse then to haue the word of God read in a toung which they are able to vnderstand and whereby they may learne to feare God Seuenthly the very heathen haue oft times chosen to die rather then to sée themselues oppressed by tyrants Yet such is the stupiditie of Papists that they suffer the Pope and his Priests to tyrannize ouer them loading their consciences with intolerable lawes and false doctrine and spoiling their goods by diuers kinds of exactions and endangering their liues by their Inquisitors and massacrers and such like executioners of their bloudie decrées 8. Most dangerous is euery diuision among those of one societie but most miserable it is when they which protesse themselues to be of Gods Church are deuided one frō another For the Church is a house of vnitie and not of dissention But among Papists one holdeth of Benet another of Francis another of Dominicke another of Clare and in no point of doctrine do all their Doctors agree together Superstitiously also they obserue dayes times and distinction of meates and consecrate salt water bread candles and paschal Lambes Finally they leaue the Creator and serue our Ladie Angels and Saints and other creatures Nay for reliques of Saints they worship oft times the ashes relikes and bones of wicked men and reprobates nay of bruite beasts 9. It is an vnseemely thing for those that professe hollnesse to shew themselues examples of all beastlinesse as the Popes and holiest men of the papists are wont to do Therefore séeing the dogs sorcerers whore-mongers murtherers idolaters and lyars shall be shut out of the kingdome of heauen they are not to looke to be admitted without spéedie reformation 10. No Prince liuing vnder the Pope can assure himselfe of his state nor can any subiect that liueth vnder such a prince assure himselfe either of his life or goods For if the Pope haue power to take away kingdomes and to bestow them vpon others how can any King or prince assure himselfe he will not attempt the same when occasion serueth considering his violent procéeding against Emperours and kings in time past and against our late noble Queene against Henry the third and fourth of Fraunce and diuers others And if euery one by him and his Inquisitors declared Hereticke is to lose life and goods who can assure himselfe of either if he acknowledge not his authoritie and refuse his religion 11. No man certes shall prosper that shall follow Antichrists sect or religion If any man worship the beast and his image saith the Angel Apocalyps 14. and receiue his marke in his forehead and in his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God of the pure wine that is powred into the cuppe of his wrath But that new Rome and the Popes gouernment is the image of the old Romaine Empire and that the Pope is Antichrist it plainely appeareth by diuers arguments which I haue declared in my fifth booke De pontif Rom. 12 Those Kings that liue vnder the Pope are but halfe kings For first their Cleargie in diuers cases is exempt from them and next they haue not to do with the rest of their subiects in ecclesiasticall causes O miserable kings that haue fallen downe to worship the beast and haue suffered such base bougerly Italians to take away more then halfe of their royall authoritie 13 We find that no kingdome can long liue in peace which is subiect to the Popes controlment For if the Pope do find himselfe aggréened then both he trouble the peace of the State if the same offend him not but pay what he requireth yet if he fall out with others then must that kingdome make warres at the Popes pleasure By the Popes solicitation both England France Flaunders Spaine and all Christian countries haue endured great troubles The Turkes liue farre more quietly vnder their Sultans then Papists vnder the Pope Finally considering the intolerable exactions of the Pope and his furious inclination to warre and bloudshed and the tyrannie both of the Pope and his adherents it is no maruell if the papisticall people be poore and much wasted Whether then we respect things of this life or of the life to come there is no creature more miserable then a Papist Do you not then wonder that any should like the popist gouernment It were certainely much to be wondred but that experience doth teach vs that the Cimmerians that dwell in darknesse care not for the light and that brutish beasts delight in brutishnesse and base people in seruitude and superstitious people in vanities and superstitions CHAP. VI. Of the contradictions of Popish Doctors in principall points of Religion Of the dissentions of popish Doctors in matters of religion I haue said somewhat before Yet because Papists make vnitie in matters of saith to be a marke of the Church and confidently deny that their Doctors dissent in any point of any moment I haue thought good to insist yet more vpon this point that the world may see not only their miserie that as men not resolued in most points of religion wauer betwirt contrarie opinions but also their notorious impudencie that deny it Therein also both appeare some Papists wonderfull simplicitie that séeing the contention of their Doctors do not vnderstand their differences and séeeing their differences and vncertaintie of popish Religion do notwithstanding sticke fast in the filthy dregs and abhominable corruptions thereof
certaintie of faith by his owne reading or by the credite of some others we may aske his friarship likewise or because he is but a doogeon dunce of the Pope who is as it were an oracle of Papists the same question And if he answer that he hath it by his owne reading then we shall much wonder at his impudencie For Parsons knoweth that Popes reade litle or nothing and for the most part are ignorant of schoole diuinitie If he say his Popeship hath it by the vertue of his close stool then is the same but filthy learning especially the Pope being laxatine as was Gregory the fourteenth If he say he haue it from his Masse-priests and friars then are they more certaine oracles then he and this learning must come from the tayles of friars and not from the head of the church Parsons therefore to cleare this doubt fol. 110. saith That they do not depend on the Pope as a priuate man but as he is head and chiefe pastor of Christs vniuersal Church He saith also That his rudenesse is turned into wisedome But that the Pope is the head of Christs vniuersall Church is the thing in question That a man should be a sot as he is a priuate man and wise as he is a publike person is ridiculous That he is made wise and learned being made Pope is most false So it appeareth Parsons is ensnared in his owne question and must confesse that the faith of papists is nothing else but the Popes priuate fancie and grounded on the Popes chaire and most absurd and sottish which can not be obiected to vs séeing we ground our selues vpon the Apostles and Prophets who in matters of faith saluation speake plainely and alwayes the same things most constantly In his first encounter chap 15. he spendeth much talke about the rule of faith But most of his words are direct contrary both to himselfe and to his holy fathers profite For in the Wardword page 6. he said the vniuersal Church was the squire and pole-star which euery one was to follow confounding like an ideot the thing ruled with the rule In the Warneword fol. 100. he saith the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles preachings of the Apostles is the rule of faith Which is contrary to the Popes profit For if this be true then vnlesse the Popes determinations and traditions ecclesiastical were preached by the Apostles and confirmed by mracles they are to be excluded from being the rule of faith Parsons therefore is like to those which dig pits for others but fall into them themselues He hath prepared weapons for vs but like a mad sot hath hurt himselfe with the same Finally Captaine Cowbucke like a noble woodcocke is caught in his owne springes CHAP. IX A catalogue of certaine principall lies vttered by Robert Parsons in his late Warne-word THe Spirit of God as the Apostle sayth speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hote yron Which prophecy as in other heretikes so especially in the Papists we may sée most plainely and euidently to be fulfilled For they departing from the auncient and Catholike faith taught by the holy Apostles and Prophets and recorded in holy Scriptures haue giuen héed to spirits of error and beléeued the trash of vnwritten traditions and lying legends and therupon haue founded their prohibitions of certaine meates and mariages and such like doctrines of diuels confirming their opinions with grosse lies vttered with seared consciences and brazen faces contrary to all shew of truth They take to themselues the name of doctors and fathers but are false teachers and vnkind traitors And as Theodoret saith of certaine heretikes Christianorum sibi appellatione imposita apertè docent contraria Calling themselues Christians or Catholikes they openly teach contrary I could specifie it by Caesar Baronius and Bellarmine by Sanders Stapleton and diuers other principall authors of the popish sect But I will not match any man of note with so notorious a dolt and so base a swad as Robert Parsons is of whom we are now to speake though not much to his commendation The onely example of Parsons and that in one of his fardles of lies which we are now to rip vp shall shew them to be notorious and bold lyers The diuellish and erronious doctrine of friars we haue touched before and shall haue often occasion to mention In the front of his booke he promiseth the issue of three former treatises and in the second page talketh of eight encounters But he falsifieth his promise and lieth grossely For of the thrée former treatises he toucheth onely two chapters and of eight encounters entreth onely vpon two Further he declineth the true issue of matters and runneth bias like a warped bowle of dudgeon into impertinent idle questions Doth he not therfore as Hierom saith of one make shipwwracke in the port In his Epistle to the Reader taking vpon him to deliuer the summe of the controuersie betwixt him and vs he wracketh himselfe likewise thinking to wreake his malice vpon vs and beginneth with a grosse lie There hapned saith he some few yeares past he noteth 1599. in the margent as often also before a certaine false alarme of a Spanish inuasion then said to be vpon the seas towards England Where I néed not to note the idiotisme of Parsons speech that talketh of a Spanish inuasion vpon the sea towards England being ellewhere noted but only I wil touch his impudencie in lying and dcnying that about this time the Spaniards were ready with forces at the Groyne for the inuasion of England And the rather for that this was the occasion that moued Sir Francis Hastings to giue warning to his countrey and also because the same sheweth that Parsons is very sorie that any man is acquainted with the desscines of the Spanish Ring and that he could not take vs sleeping and so closcly and priuiliy cut his countrimens throtes I say then it is a lie most notorious to affirme that the alarme giuen vpon occasion of the Spanish preparations anno 1598. for an inuasion of some part of England was false And proue it first by the words of the Ring who recouering out of a trance and comming to himself asked if the Adelantado were gone for England Secondly by the prouisions of ships and men made at the Groync and Lisbone and which coming thence shaped their course for England albeit they were by wether beaten back Thirdly by the testimony of one Leake a Masse priest that was dealt with all to come for England Fourthly by the testimonie of the Secular priests in their reply to Parsons his libell fol. 65. sequent who direaly charge Parsons to be a solicitor of these pretended attempts anno 1598. Fiftly by Parsons his
the vniuersall Church then of one Realme Againe we call the King supreme gouernour for no other cause then for that he is the chiefe man of his Realme and chiefe disposer of externall matters But they giue one consistory to Christ and the Pope Furthermore in matters of faith we say all princes ought to submit themselues to the Apostles and their docrine The Pope will be equall to them if not aboue them and determine matters of faith as absolutely as Christ Iesus Finally he sayth Difference of habites or particular manner of life breaketh not vnitie of religion But the Apostle repzoueth those that sayd I hold of permitteth he forbiddeth all exposition of it vntill it be examined Let Parsons then shew where he appointed or permitted vulgar translations of scriptures if he wil not shew himselfe a lyar In the same encounter in setting downe the state of the controuersie in reporting the acts against Husse the procéedings of Luther Grinaeus and Bezaes disputations he doth nothing but cog and lie And for his witnesses he citeth AEneas Syluius Dubrauius Cochleus Genebrard Surius Claudius de Sainctes and a rabble of other lying rascals not worth a cockle shell What then doth he deserue but a crowne of foxe tailes counterpointed with whetstones for his labour Popelliniere in is seuenth booke of the historie of France sheweth that the Papists could neuer be brought to ioyne issue do they of the religion what they could which is quite contrary to his shamelesse narration 2. encounter fol. 39. he saith The Councell of Trent gaue libertie to all protestants so he calleth our Doctors to dispute their fill A most notorious vntruth For two onely going thither escaped hardly with their liues and were peremptorily denied licence to dispute publikely albeit they desired to be heard 2. encount c. 9. he denieth that the Papists meant to kéep their Indexes expurgatorie secret and sayth that they were deuised to purge bookes corrupted by heretikes But experience doth proue both to be lies For vnder this colour they haue corrupted the fathers and this deccit was not found vntill by Gods prouidence one copie came to Iunius his hands And this God willing shal be proued by particulars if God grant vs life Fol. 93. he telleth a storie as he saith or rather diuers lies of Monkes making hatchets to swim taising dead men to life multiplying milke and talking of monkes muies and doing other strange miracles Which if Parsons do compare with the miracles of the prophets and Apostles he blasphemeth if he beléeue as well as the miracles of the Bible he addeth no credit to monkish miracles but most wickedly maketh legends and fables comparable to holy scripture Fol. 101. he sayth Sixtus 4. did leaue it free for euery one to thinke what he would viz. in the article of the conception of our Lady in originall sinne But that this is false it appeareth first in that he did excommunicate all those that spoke against the feast of our Ladies conception And secondly for that he gaue indulgences to such as prayed to her as borne of Anna without originall sinne Fol. 103. he denieth that Sixtus Quintus compared the execrable murder of the French king Henry the third to the mysteries of Christ his incarnation and resurrection But the Cardinals that were in the Consistory when first the newes were brought to Rome can conuince him of lying and impudencie Likewise a French Papist that wrote a discourse against Sixtus Quintus called La Fulminante will testifie against him Speaking in an apostrophe to Pope Sixtus Tuappelles saith he ceste trahison vn oeuure grand de Dieu vn pur exploit de sa prouidence la compares aux plus excellens mysteres de son incarnation de sa resurrection He chargeth him further That he accounted this murder as a miracle and honored Iames Clement as a martyr Dieu quelle pieté qu'un suiect qui tue son Roy est à Rome vn martyr son assassinat vn miracle Parsons séemeth also to denie that Henry the third was excommunicate and will not acknowledge that the same was cause of his death both which points are testified in the discourse entitled La Fulminante which Parsons not séeing roueth he knoweth not at what Tu as proclamé saith he speaking to Sixtus Quintus vn ban sur la vie conuié tous les parricides à sa mort How then can these words vttered by a papist inueying against Sixtus Quintus with any probabilitie be denied Fol. 104. he chargeth vs with setting forward the Gospell which he calleth New with forcible attempts But if he shew not where we haue taken armes for this purpose these words will testifie against him that he setteth forth lies and is a lying companion whose mouth is full of slander In France poore men haue bene forced to take armes for defence of their liues against the Popes ministers but they neuer sought the life or hurt of their King as the rebellious leaguers did who trecherously murdred their soueraine Lord and King Fol. 105. 2. encount c. 12. he denieth that papists hold it sacrilege to dispute of the Popes doings And fol. 107. That albeit the Pope leade innumerable soules to hell yet no man may say to him Sir why do you so The first lie is confuted by Baldus in l. sacrilegij Cod. de crimine sacrilegij where in plain termes he affrmeth that it is sacrilege to dispute of the Popes power The second is conuinced by the words of the chapter si Papa dist 40. where it is said That although the Pope cary with him innumerable soules to hell yet no man may reproue him for his faults The words are plaine Huius culpas istic redarguere praesumit mortalium nemo The same words also which Parsons denieth are found in diuers Canonists and that not vnderstood in beneficiary causes onely as he would insinuate but absolutely Per omnia potest facere dicere quicquid placet saith Durand auferendo etiam ius suum cui vult quia non est qui ei dicat cur ita facis There also citing his author he saith Vicem non puri hominis sed veri Deigerit in terris Likewise dist 3. de poenit c. quamuis where the text sayth Quis audeat dicere Deo quare c. parcis The Glosse sayth Vel Deo vel Papae The like sayings are found in Baldus in praelud fend Col. 12 in l. fin Col. 1. in extr cod sent rescind Iason consil 145. c. 2. v. 2. AEmil Mar. Nanoless and cap. ad Apcstolatus de concess praebend extr Ioann 22. Gloss. in verbo continetur Fol. 106. he sayth That many of vs and other our friends do make princes so absolute in temporal and spiritual affaires as they may not be iudged by any mortall man And to this purpose he citeth Bellay But first Bellay is none of our friends And next he cannot shew any of vs that teacheth
learning that is wholly conuersant in these trifling authors deuoyd either of learning or else of all religion and honestie And all this God willing shall by many particulars be verified by those who already haue vndertaken to controle his Suruey and to examine euery article of this leud libell Not that such an asses head deserueth any curious washing but because such a barking cur dog would be silenced with a sharpe censure It resteth now that I speak a word or two more of Walpool his cōfutatiō The man is a special friend of mine albeit vpō very sinal acquaintance a cunning triacle seller also a mōtbank a master empoisoner as before is declared This onely I forgot to tell you that his braine is full of quicksiluer his memory like an old leather budget his crowne like the posterior parts of an ape and his head like the knop of the handle of a gittern with two strings If you méete any such fellow in the kitchin of the Romish colledge of English boyes commend vs to him and tell him that we haue at leisure perused his Mirificall confutation and therfore now he may bestow it vpon the cook to stop his bottels The stile biteth like pepper and therfore may do some good seruice there Onely thus much I must tel him that his words are too high for such a low subiect as he handleth Euery where he raileth like a man beside himselfe and calleth me mad man sycophant franticke fellow lunatike satanicall iugling minister dolt foole noddy foolman irreligious atheist ideot asse drowsie heretike and such like names and these are the common flowers of his dogged eloquence Yet I assure him that I am not offended with his rough stile For although he giue me very hard words and raileth like a tal fellow of his tongue yet I thanke him he is well content to passe by all my arguments in sober silence to confirme as much as I affirme by his cold deniall Now what greater argument I pray you can we bring to proue that Walpoole and his consorts are neither Catholikes nor members of the true church nor hold the ancient religiō of Christ Iesus but rather are a pack of heretikes idolaters and traitors then that our aduersary that taketh vpon him their defence hath nothing to answer in their behalfe It was not modesty certes that made him silent but méere imbecillity of his cause and want of iust defence Will it please you to take a tast of his insufficiency before we broach the whole barrell of his foolery In the preface of his booke he vanteth that he hath spent his time in exact studie of Diuinitie and with particular care read the Scriptures Councels and Fathers O happy youths that heare so exact a spender of his time in study of Diuinity O hard aduenture for vs that are to encounter this giant that hath deuoured so many Councels and Fathers But in the meane while Parsons was much too blame that put him to it thus impudently to praise himselfe We for our parts do admire his singular folly and arrogance who praiseth himselfe with such impudency His great reading to vs is inuisible his great ignorance in all maner of learning and not onely in theology is euery where apparant Fol. 2. he telleth vs how Heraclitus affirmed that the snow was blacke But vnlesse he produce his author his friends with Heraclitus may wéepe to sée his pittifull ignorance We haue heard such a thing of Anaxagoras but this of Heraclitus is ridiculously forged In the same place he writeth also how Zeno taught That it was impossible for any thing to moue A matter very stupendious But this he findeth that hath read exactly the fathers Would he name his author he will make a Stoicke to laugh Fol. 8. he sayth that Christs body hath a being in the sacrament like to a soule But our Sauiour Luke 24. sheweth a notorious difference betwixt a body and a spirit Out of his reading of the fathers he neuer learned that Christ had a body vnlike to ours Fol. 16. he compareth Christs body to God that is in diuers places A matter that tendeth to the destruction of the article of Christs incarnatiō and much repugnant to scriptures and fathers Unto these words of Hilary lib. 8. de Trin. Of the truth of the flesh and blood of Christ there is no place of doubting left he addeth diuers words falsifying them in this sort Of the true presence of the flesh and bloud of Christ in the blessed sacrament there is no place of doubting left Belike his great and exact study of diuinity and particular care in reading will beare him out in it Yet Hilary talketh of Christs true incarnatiō and not of the presence of Christs body and bloud in the sacrament Fol. 31. he sayth That our bodies are nourished with the body and blood of Christ. But the holy fathers teach vs that Christs body and blood is food for the soule and not for the body Cyprian De Coena Domini sayth We sharpe not our teeth to bite And Augustine tractat 26. in Ioan. sayth We are not to prepare our teeth viz. when we receiue this holy sacrament Here therefore this fellow followed his fathers the Capernaites and not the fathers of the Church Fol. 174. he distinguisheth Peter Martyr from Vermilio whereas this is Peter Martyrs surname He telleth vs also that Flauianus taught that God was the author of all sinne But if he produce not his author it will be an easie matter to shew that he belyeth Flauianus and mistaketh one for another through pitifull ignorance To bely falsify the fathers with this bastardly Iebusit is but a peccadillio Fol. 18. he auoucheth boldly that Gregory speaketh not of satisfying for the guilt but for temporal paine But the words of Gregory do plainly cōuince him of this falshood For in him these termes subtilties are not to be foūd Fol. 23. he is very bold with Lactantius maketh him to assigne three notes by which heretikes may be discerned from true Christians But this is more then euer Lactantius spoke or thought He doth also giue suspition by his corrupt translation as if Lactantius had spoken of popish auricular confession and penance theron enioyned which was neuer the authors meaning Fol. 25. he writeth the Cyprian demonstrated Peter to be the head root of the church Which if Walpool had had a true tong in his head he wold neuer haue affirmed Beside that what a ridiculous toy is it to trāslate Peters prerogatiue to the Pope that is liker to the Calipha of Babylon then to Peter Fol. 27. 31. 34. he corrupteth Irenaeus most grosly making him in the first place to speak of those traditions of which he neuer thought in the 2. to maintaine the vniuersal power of the Pope which he neuer knew In the third place where Irenaeus hath imaginibus he blotteth out that word putteth in the word magia least he
might seeme to speak against images Neither doth he onely bely the fathers but his aduersaries also Fol. 114. he sayth that Aurifaber Snepfius Heshufius Vergerius Beza Musculus Socinus and other minifters in this agree that the auncient fathers are against them and for the Papists A matter neither agreed vppon by all nor in these termes confessed by any As for Socinus he was an Italian heretike cast out and condemned by our church Why then is he ranked with honest men Doth this ranke fellow in this multiforme lie think it reason to range together men of such disformitie In another place he affirmeth boldly that Luther Caluine Peter Martyr and Melancthon make God the author of sinne not considering as it séemeth what a sinfull act it is to calumniate and bely honest men That they are desperatly belied their words and writings where they profefse and declare the contrary of this which Walpoole affirmeth do manifestly demonstrate But this monster hath filed his tongue to speake vntruth Fol. 157. speaking of popish purgatorie and limbus patrum he sayth they were taught by all antiquitie A lie most notorious and which shal make him famous to all posteritie For neither is this word Limbus patrum nor the popish distinction of the parts of hell nor the popish doctrine concerning Limbus patrum and purgatory held by any one much lesse by all the ancient fathers And thereon I ioyne issue with this disioynted companion requiring him to answer that which I haue written De Purgatorio and contra limbum patrum papisticum to this purpose Of his great skil in Latin his words fol. 57. b. wil giue testimony For there he hath Vnae ecclesiae sole for Vno ecclesiae sole as Hierome hath or at least Vnius ecclesiae sole if hee would haue spoken in any congruity Of his skil in the Gréeke we find good proofe fol. 54. b. where in two words he maketh thrée faults First he denideth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and maketh it two words Next he writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thirdly he putteth an accent of aspiration in the midst of a word If he had bene put to vse much Greeke we should haue had good stuffe that find him so faulty in this only one Gréeke word To conclude with our partie for this time neither in obiecting against his aduersary nor in defending himselfe his consorts his cause doth he acquite himself in any tolerable sort Unto me he obiecteth that I vnderstād not the state of the question A matter ridiculous For he himself cannot deny but I report the aduersaries meaning and words truly He chargeth me also with vntruths Yet is it no vntruth that I say that Stapleton denieth the scriptures to be the foundatiō of religion For I cite his words truly And euery man that readeth his booke entitled Principia doctrinalia shal find that scriptures are excluded out of the number of Principia doctrinalia With the like facility I shal cleare all the rest of his foolish obiections Wherest bring many arguments all concluding that papists are no true Catholikes as maintaining rather particular then catholike doctrine this wise confuter or rather confounder of himself slieth out like a wild goose into a long discourse of the name of Catholike and the causes of the amplitude of the Church matters scarcely questioned betwixt vs. He doth also lode vs with sacks of authorities of the Fathers concerning the vniuersality of the Church which are not to the purpose But in all this discourse he doth not once attempt to answer any thing said by vs. Likewise in the Challenge wherein Papists are declared not to be the true Church he flieth al encounter like a foolish combatant fighting with his owne shadow And this we do not dcubt but to declare shortly in a larger answer most fully In the meane while thou maist easily perceiue the vanity falshood forgery and insufficient dealing of our aduersaries Parsons in his booke set out vnder the name of T. F. doth most grosly and impudently praise himselfe In his booke of thrée conuersions he citeth Ado Treuirensis for Ado Viennensis and often mistaketh one for another Both his and their other faults I haue before briefly noted The rest if thou wilt haue patience with vs God willing thou shalt receiue shortly Now I could bestow no more time in polling these Arcadian fellowes The Lord if it be his holy will discouer all the impestures of hereticall Papists and grant that the rayes of his most glorious Gospell may shine in all mens hearts to the vtter confusion of the seate of Antichrist and the full establishment of the kingdome of Christ Iesus Laus Deo FINIS 2. King 18. Psal. 94. 1. Sam. 15. Prouerb 20. Ibidem Contra Constant * Eccles. 44. * Ibidem Ibid. cap. 49. Luke 24. Enchirid. c. de Ecclesia Sess 4. Lib. 7 princ doct c. 1. Ward-word pag. 6. 1. Cor. 3. Rom. 10. Lib. 3. aduers. Haeres cap. 4. Warn-word Encontr c. 16. Luk. 24. Mar. vlc Dist. 1. lib. 1. In dist 2. lib. 1 sent In 2. sēnt dist 1. In 2. sent dist 3. Cap. plurùnt dist 82. Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers. haeres cap. 23. Euseb. hist. li. 10. cap. 5. Euseb de vita Constant. lib. 3. c. 23. Matth. 18. Lib. sent 4. dist 2. Ibidem Psal. 137. In Missali Rom. 2. Entont c. 6. num 8. 2. Encont ca. 12. num 9. Ibid. num 10 Ioh. 3. Doctores Paris de peric nouis temp Regulae Ind. lib prohib Deut. 6. Lib. 2. aduers. haeres cap. 46 Wardw. p. 6. 1. Cor. 14. Warn-word Encontr 1. cap. 8. Eccles. hist. 10. cap. 1. In pragmat sanct In Conclu grauam In Praefat. in lib. de Eccles. minist Grauam 20. Ibid. 8. Mat 15. Iam. 4. In Bulla contra Elizabetham De reform Eccles. Grauam 34. De reform Eccles. Lib. 1. Epist. 11. ad Pomp. Gal. 1. Gal. 5. Epist. ad Smyrnens Lib 1. Instit. diuin c. 21. Ibid. c. 22. Lib. de idolol 1. Ioh. 5. Depraescrip aduers. haeret 2. Tim. 3. 1. Cor. 3. Contra Constantium In Missal Rom. In Mariali In Psalterio Bonauent Missal Rom. in fine De praescript aduers. Haeret. T it 2. Ibid. Ephes. 2. In vita Pij 5. In Epist. ad Nicolaum Sonnetto 106 4. Brig 49. 2. Brig 10. In vita Greg. 6 Deut. 28. Deut. 28. Philippie 10. Ibid. Psal. 34. Philippic 2. De leg Agrar contra Rull Philippic 2. Philippic 3. 1. Encountr cap. 11. nu 7. 1. Encont c 11. nu 5. 1. Encountr cap. 11. Psal. 14. Warnw. 1. encont cap. 17. Wardw. p. 3. Warnw. 1. encoutr cap. 18. Gal. 5. Philip. In Capt. Lib. 1. contra Celsum C. ignorantia de sum Trin. Note that this is a common text among the Papists Grauam 47. Onus Eccles. cap. 23. Ibidem Aureū speculā in Antilog 6. Brig 96. Lib. I. de consid 2 Brig 10. Syluius de gestis concil Basil. lib. 1. Ca. 29. parad
most beastly and swinish fellowes He shameth not also to affirme that I was forced to retire out of Ireland for certaine iniurious speeches against the Earle of Ormond and the Irish nation But what if the Earle of Ormond and the Irish nation will cleare me Is not he a busie fellow to meddle with their matters without fée Againe what if I came away with the leaue and liking both of the generall and others Wil it not appeare that he lieth like a shamelesse fellow without leaue or liking of any but himself who like a monky liketh best his own deformitics But he may learne both if he list to informe himselfe either by English or Irish that knew those matters how they passed As for those whom he stileth witnesses Omni exceptione maiores they neuer receiued any greater disgrace then in medling with me and haue since declared themselues to be men rather to be lamented for their folly then credited for their dignitie But nothing is more ridiculous then that Robert Parsons should find fault with my intemperancy of spéech séeing I do but answer his intemperate and exorbitant inuectiues that in scurrility and rayling are superlatiue But if he will néeds find fault let him bring reason least his writing séeme to want both wit and reason His last charge against me in his answer to my Epistle concerneth discontentment and complaints against the State But it is like the rest that is fond false and friuolous For neither is it likely that I should be discontent with the present state or grieued with any ordinary charge when both in most honorable actions and in my publike writings I haue to the vttermost of my power defended the State and haue willingly put my self to extraordinary charge in all seruices for my countrey This resolution also is both in my selfe and others not onely to spend our goods but our liues also in defence of our country and of the truth against all malignant firebrands of sedition and miserable slaues of Antichrist that shall dare to assayle the Realme Finally if in any thing I haue shewed discontent it is in of writing did not both hate and séeke to hurt her Maiesty Next whether such as do allow such malicious railing and livelling do not concurre with them in hatred and deserue to be hated and expulsed out of all kingdomes well gouerned as leud libellers benimous serpents and damnable traitors Let any man reade the first page of the Wardword sayth Parsons and then tell me whether this minister haue any forhead at al though his head be great inough who saith I do not so much as go about to proue any such matter that he flattered the state And this saith he forgetting his owne brazen face and forehead and the blacksmiths his mothers husbands forked head and his mothers litle honestie recorded in so many bookes of the secular priests and spoken of commonly in the country Beside that it is most apparent that he doth not once mentiō sir Francis in the first page of his book saue in the title much lesse proue him a flatterer And if as he saith that was the but of his discourse then like a blind archer he missed the but shot wide and far off It appeareth also that he was not in his wits when he began thus to exclaim and cry alarme Fol 35. he imputeth vnto me idle babling and calumniation whereas all his wast Warne-word is nothing but a fardle of idle words and méere babling and foolery except where he addeth some additions of knauery that not only in calumniation and lying but also in diuers kinds of villany and trechery Fol. 36. he sayth I flatter to get a bigger benefice But if a man should aske him how he knoweth my mind he wil like a restie iade be at a stop Onely he imagineth me to be like himselfe who caused a solemne supplication to be presented to the King of Spaine subscribed with the hands of diuers base knaues and whores for want of more worthy witnesses declaring that to vphold the cacolike cause it was necessary that Robert Parsons should be made forsooth no lesse then a Cardinall He made meanes also for the Kings letters to the Pope to the same effect And no doubt they had taken effect but that he had iugled too much aboue the boord and was knowne to be a bastardly base resuse ribaldicall rascall fellow Fol. 72. speaking of sir Francis like Scogan he scorneth and like an impudent companion accuseth him as not abounding in good workes whereas himself aboundeth in all euil workes as for example impietie heresie trechery filchery lying cogging lechery beastly filthinesse and all knauery As for sir Francis his pietie charitable dealing the same is sufficiently knowne and greatly should I wrong him if I shold compare him with any of Parsons his consorts which was begotten on the backside of a smiths forge in that cuntry where sir Francis hath an honorable charge In his second Encounter ca. 13. such ruffianlike and rauenous companions saith he do possesse buy and sell Catholike benefices forgetting that himself wandred long vp down England and France sometime in the habite of a souldier sometime like a ruffianlike Leno sometime like a knitter of thrummed caps and that himselfe liued long by rapine cosinage and knauery He forgot also how the Popes Cardinals and Masse-priests buy and sell benefices masses indulgences and such Babylonical wares as I haue heretofore shewed As for Ecclesiasticall liuings they belong to true Catholikes indéed and not the priests of Baal nor the limbes of Antichrist nor to idolatrons Monks Friers and such vermine vpon which kind of dogs we do not vse to cast away the childrens bread The rest of his charges accusations being like to these I should greatly wrong the Reader if I should stand longer about them Now then that we haue answered for our selues listen I pray you what we haue out of this foolish Warneword to obiect against Parsons And first because religion is a point among Christians of speciall consideratiō we will see how atheistical and irreligious he hath declared himselfe to be like Prometheus sacrificing bare bones couered with shew of fat and himselfe taking the best for himselfe and making a profession of the name of Iesus and hauing a shew of godlinesse but not with standing denying the power thereof CHAP. IIII. Containing notes of certaine speeches arguing Robert Parsons his impietie and atheisme I Néed not to insist much vpon this point the man being already conuinced by the testimony of the secular Masse-priests his consorts that haue often holpen him to heaue at the end of a Masse to be a méere Machiauelian an irreligious person and an Atheist VVilliam VVatson a famous fellow Quodl 8. art 5. calleth him a beast a diuell and a monopoly of mischiefe But if any doubt of it these testimonies out of his VVarne-word against which we dispute may assure him The holy Scriptures