authenticall and preferred before the originall bookes of the old testament in Hebrew and of the new testament in Gréeke a matter very new and most vnreasonable and plainely contradictory to the ancient fathers In the same a Sess 4. councell because they would be sure of their groundes the doctors of the Romish Babylon decréed first that none should interpret Scriptures against that sence that the church of Rome holdeth and secondly that vnwritten traditions kept in the church by succession shoulde bee of equall value with canonicall Scriptures After this diuers friers and priests taking vpon them to plead the popes cause haue determined vnwritten traditions and customes of the church and the popes determinations and decretalles to be the foundations and principles of their popish faith b Loc. Theolog. Melchior Canus speaking of theologicall argumentes and Thomas Stapleton taking vpon him to declare which be vndoubted principles of popish doctrine do both principally relie vpoÌ„ these two They talke also of the church of councels fathers the latin translation and of rules of faith But when it commeth to the triall then whatsoeuer is not consonant to the popes doctrine and decretales that is reiected as of no value Now gladly would I haue any Iesuite that taketh himselfe to be learned for our aduersary is but a babler to prooue these groundes to be ancient Let him shew what those traditions are that are with equall reuerence to the canonicall scriptures to be receiued Let him iustifie by testimony of antiquitie that the popes decretalles are infallible rules of faith The apostle saith that the church is well and strongly built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ béeing the corner stone and this foundation do all ancient fathers allow The testimony of Irenei and Athanasius I haue before alleadged Saluianus saith the church is best founded on scripture Videtur nostra ecclesia saith he c Lib. de prouid Dei 5. ex vna scriptura felicius instituta Aliae habent illam aut debilem aut conuulneratam Habent veterem magistrorum traditionem corruptam per hoc traditionem potius quà m scripturam habent Let him shew the like if he can of his decretals and traditions vnlesse he will haue his grounds to be condemned for new and naught Thirdly scriptures were neuer generally forbidden to be publikely read in vulgar toongs before the councell of Trent neither was it euer thought vnlawfull before that time for lay men to talke of matters of faith or to read scriptures priuately without the ordinaries licence Chrysostome and other ancient fathers were wont to exhort Christians to read scriptures and Christ our sauiour willed his hearers to search them and the apostle doth declare them to be very profitable which sheweth the practise of the Romish church in fraying men from scriptures to be of a late humour and inuention Fourthly the definition of the Romish church is new and of force made new to fit their new popish fancies a De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine defineth the church to be A company of men conioyned in one profession of faith and communion of sacraments vnder the gouernement of lawfull pastors and especially of the pope of Rome Which is neither to be shewed nor prooued out of any ancient authenticall writer For the easterne and Africane churches did neuer acknowledge this souereine authority of the pope Nor did our sauiour or his apostles teach vs any such obedience Nay they shew rather that the bishops of Rome are not to be obeyed For suppose Peter had béene bishop of Rome and the bishops of Rome his successors which will neuer be prooued in that sence as the aduersaries take it yet Paul resisted Peter and receiued no b Ibid. c. 9. authority nor grace from him which sheweth that other bishops haue no dependance or authority from the bishop of Rome albeit this proportion were granted Fiftly they make not the catholike church A communion of saintes as we professe in our créede but hâ—ld that all wicked men and c Ibid. c. 10. heretickes so they outwardly communicate with the church of Rome in faith and sacraments are true meÌ„bers of the church d Ibid. c. 2. Bellarmine saith That to make a man a part of the true church neither faith nor charitie nor any inward vertue is required Which is a méere new fancie and therefore receiued least they shoulde grant that the church in some respect shoulde be inuisible Sixtly the coÌ„fession of faith made by Pius quartus wherin al that take degrees in schoole professe a Confâ—t 28. That they firmely admit all ecclesiasticall traditions and constitutions and the Scriptures according to the Romish sence and beleeue that there are seuen sacraments and receiue the doctrine of the councell of Trent concerning originall sinne and beleeue the sacrifice of the masse and transubstantiation and the popes soueraine authority and other pointes of doctrine therein conteined is new and absurd This we shal other where declare that appeareth for that the papistes cannot produce any precedent of this confession or prooue the seuerall points of it by good argument 7. Where in our creede we beléeue the catholike church of late time the papistes haue added a word made it b Confess â—urdegaâ—ens The catholike Romaine church and in Canisius catechisme translated into Spanish by Hieronymo Campos they define him to be no catholike that beléeueth any thing beside that which the church of Rome beléeueth 8. They confesse their sinnes not to God almighty as do the ancient fathers but to the a Virgine Mary c Hortulus animae and to angels and saints 9. They haue of late b put out that commandement d Officium beatae Maria in catech that concerneth the making of grauen images like to God and worshipping them wherein they haue the worde of God and all antiquitie against them 10. In the doctrine of the law all those points wherein they shew theÌ„selues no catholikes of which wée haue spoken in the former chap. are meere nouelties as namely That all that is repugnant to the law of God is not sinne that it is mortall sinne to breake the popes lawes or commandements either concerning rites of the church or other matter which he doth vnder his curse will men to obserue that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne and yet that it is sinne not to faste the ember daies that the regenerate may be without sinne and that Christians may be iustified by the lawe of Moyses that the popes lawes binde in conscience and that he hath authoritie to make lawes and lastly that the law of God is not perfect but that wée are to obserue all the traditions of the church and the popes decretals 11. It is not long since they began to teach that othes do not so binde men but that the pope can dispence with them and that he is able to discharge children from
quod causa dispositiua schismatis Graecorum inter alias vna fuit propter grauamina Romanae ecclesiae in exactionibus excommunicationibus statutis saith Peter de Alliaco who doth shew many particulars of these gréeuances The Princes of Germany in a certaine diet at Nuremberg e 100. grauan Germ. in Fascic rer expet fugiend did complaine that the popes did offer thē A hundred greeuances and wrongs not sufferable which they declared by the particulars And yet none of those concerned corruptions of doctrine By her Maiestie we became frée from all the popes pillages exactions from the iniustice of his censures from the bondage of his decretals farre more gréeuous then the ceremoniall lawes of Moses whose yoke notwithstanding as the a Act. 15. apostle testifieth was so heauy that neither the people then nor their fathers were able to beare it Secondly where in Quéene Maries time the people had the Scriptures taken from them in their mother toong and liued in great ignorance of matters of saluation as seldome being instructed in matters of religion not onely the word of God began againe to be publikely read in Churches but also more sincerely expounded then before neither were any excluded from the knowledge of the same Thirdly the true administration of Christs Sacraments which by the abominable masse had beene abolished was restored and Gods people made partakers both of the Sacrament of his body and of the cup also and withall the true doctrine of Sacraments was publikely deliuered vnto the people of God Fourthly Gods true worship was againe restored according to his most holy worde and the practise of the Catholike church of Christ which before that had beene most shamefully corrupted with popish traditions and humane inuentions Fiftly the rodde of the oppressor by her peaceable gouernment was broken and the fires quenched that had burned so many innocents and true martyrs and the tortures remooued wherewith many honest men had beene greeuously afflicted and peace was giuen to the church so that all true Christians might without feare make profession of their faith and publikely meete to celebrate the name of God Those that were exiled returned and such true Christians as kept themselues secret did manifestly shew themselues Finally shée did not onely restore true religion and the right administration of Sacraments and Gods true worship but also abolished the manifold heresies and corruptions of popish doctrine Shee shut the mouthes of priests and friers preachers not of peace nor sent from God but sent by the pope and his adherents to maintaine heresie and faction whose preaching notwithstanding as saith Stapleton c In praefat ante relict princip doctrin Is the foundation of b Viz. according to the pope◠definition Christian religion Is it not a braue religion thinke you that is built vpon impious popes frier fraparts and massing priests mouthes Quomodo Christus saith hee ciúsque doctrina Christianae religionis fundamentum est sic alij nunc à Christo missi eorúmque doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt And a Ibidem againe In hac docentis hominis authoritate in qua Deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni cernimus Note I pray you how he saith most blasphemously that God speaketh by the popes mouth and by the mouthes of such friers and priests as he sendeth for of them he speaketh and how vpon their preaching he buildeth his Romish religion Well this abusiue foundation is nowe discouered and we are taught to builde not on pope nor on friers nor on legends nor lies nor vncertaine traditions but vpon the word of God Now also by her Maiesties authoritie the most blasphemous and idolatrous sacrifice and seruice of the masse and the priests of Baal with their Balaamiticall friers are remooued out of the church The same is also purged of idols and idolatrie and men from worshipping of stockes and stones and rotten ragges and bones and from adoration of angels and men departed this life are brought to worship the true and euerliuing God Finally where héeretofore men were taught to séeke remission of sinnes by masses indulgences iubileies holy water and other humane deuises and beléeued that if they had not remission héere they shoulde at the least finde it in purgatorie nowe these abuses were quite remooued and men taught that Christ Iesus without these ceremonies was the onely way to heauen and that Christians obteined remission of sinnes by faith in him and that no workes pleased God but such as he commanded This then is the first and principall blessing which by her Maiesties most happie gouernment this land enioieth a blessing I saie farre excelling all others as farre as spirituall and eternall happinesse excelleth temporall commodities And yet as appéereth by the confession of strangers that woondred at the happinesse and tranquillitie of this state in the troubles and turmoiles of all our neighbors round about vs God hath accumulated vpon this people of England by the meanes of her gouernment diuers temporall blessings also Wée are therefore secondly to consider what temporall graces we haue obteined by meanes of her happy attaining to the crowne and by her gouernment albeit I make no doubt but that all these latter graces do flow from the first as from a fountaine For God saith a 1. Sam. 2. expresly That he will honor those that honour him and experience teacheth vs that God blesseth those nations which giue harbor to his church and with a true hart receiue his worde and serue him duly according to the same First then we may remember that by her meanes we were deliuered from the thraldome of the Spaniard and the feare of forraine lords into which dangerous state Quéene Marie with her poperie had brought this lande Now how great a blessing this is we may easily vnderstand if we do but looke either into the miserable bondage of our neighbours of the low Countries or else of the Spaniards themselues And better then these we coulde not hope for but many reasons might mooue vs to feare woorse of which we shall haue occasion to speake héereafter In the low Countries during the time of Charles the fift it is b Hist Belgi◠Meterani lib. 2. reported and prooued by record That aboue fiftie thousand were done to death about the cause of religion onely and yet then neither was there any inquisition established nor did the Spaniard command so absolutely as sithence he hath Since that time all the priuileges of the countrey haue béene broken and such intollerable wrongs offered and impositions and taxes laide vpon them that the most aboundant countrey in Europe is now consumed and brought to nothing In Spaine the people liueth in excéeding feare of the Inquisition and paieth the tenth of all things bought and sold in the market and beside that diuers customes and whatsoeuer burthens or impositions else the Princes can with any
contrary in diuers maine points to the doctrine of the apostles Seuenthly they do neither retaine vnion with Christ Iesus nor with the ancient Church nor among themselues Eightly their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy nor hath any efficacie in it nor hath other fountain then the popes fancie Ninthly their legendary miracles and prophecies whereupon a great part of the credit of the Romish faith dependeth are nothing but lies and forgerie and those ofttimes very ridiculous Tenthly their strange nouelties and heresies haue béene by many both olde late writers reproued and condemned Lastly as the authours of it haue liued vnhappily and died miserably for the most part so those that haue gone about to restore true religion and to roote out Romish idolatrie and heresie haue for this onely cause felt Gods great fauour towardes them both in their liues and ends 44 The Church of Rome is also conuicted not to be the true Church by the confession of a Relect. doct princip cont 1. q. 5. Stapleton For if the true Church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed and hath continued in all ages and hath a true succession of bishops from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and which hath planted christian religion preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intire and which also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound and pure frō corruption and finally which holdeth the decrees of all generall councels as blundering Stapleton not only confesseth but after his most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to proue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of christ Iesus For to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirm that Rome now is like to old Rome Our aduersarie should do vs great fauour to shew that the glorie and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth together with his cardinals dumbe bishops masse-priests idle monks lying fryars and all the popes decretals and ceremonies are come from Hierusalem He may doe also well to proue that the latter scholasticall and decretaline doctrine was vniuersally receiued throughout the world either in the apostles times or in the times of the ancient Fathers of the Church The rocke of succession vpon which they build so huge conclusions we haue shewed to be nothing but a banke of sand We haue shewed also that their doctrine is not only diuers but contrarie to the doctrine of Christ the head of the Church and of his apostles And how great contentions haue béene in the Romish church not onely the schismes and warres betwixt popes and princes but also the differences about all points of religion which is apparant both in the disputes of schoolmen and also in the writings of Bellarmine and his consorts do declare That the Romanists haue corrupted the faith not onely with nouelties but also with diuers heresies and haue changed both the ancient forme of apostolike gouernement and also the principles and grounds of faith established both by Fathers and councels and by the apostles themselues and haue yéelded to heresies and béene ouercome of the gates of hell I thinke no man can doubt that readeth this discourse and compareth the late procéedings of the Romish church to the rule deliuered vnto vs by Christ Iesus 45 Finally the testimony of a In his motiues Bristow doth vtterly ouerthrow the Church of Rome and declareth it not to be the true church For he commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties and heresies and idolatrie and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certaine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and hath infallible iudges and is sure to continue But the Romish church is neither catholike nor apostolike neither doth it abhorre either heresie or idolatrie nor shun profane nouelties The doctrine of that church hath neither ground of scripture ancient councels nor fathers neither can the Romish doctors bring any certaine proofe of their traditions It teacheth a broad way and maketh rebellious subiects In iudgemēt it hath no other certaintie then the popes determination Finally already that tower of Babel which is built so high doth begin to totter and as we trust cānot long stand Further he saith that euerie church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from the apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saintes nor euer visible and lastly that is not the teacher of all diuine truth and the vndoubted mother of Christs children is not the true church of Christ But the Church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals and officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monkes friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and went out of the catholike apostolike church and hath for the popes quarrell opposed it selfe against Christ and his true doctrine The same is also departed from the ancient faith and is no more to bée tearmed Christs Church which is a communion of saints linked together in the profession of Christs true faith but rather the combination of antichrist and the synagogue of Satan Such a church as is now to be séene at Rome and in the prouinces adhering to it was not visible many ages after Christ neither was any such church for a long time extant in the world neither when the same began to shew her selfe in great ruffe did she either teach all truth or refuse all heresie false doctrine or beare or bring forth children to Christ but to antichrist And therfore we may safely conclude that the Romish church of these times is the synagogue of Satan and not the true church of Christ Iesus The nature and propertie of the true and vnspotted spouse of Christ the inseparable qualities of true faith and such as truly professe the same and finally the confession and doctrine of the aduersaries themselues when they speake of the true church and true faith and true professours and matters incident vnto them in generall do declare it to be so CHAP. V. That no papists haue beene executed in England since her Maiesties comming to the crowne for meere matter of religion but for their treasons or other capitall offences HItherto wée haue spoken in the defence of our religion and Christian profession It resteth therefore nowe séeing our aduersary doth not onely calumniate our religion but our lawes also and gouernment that wée speake somwhat in defence of iustice especially so farre foorth as it
among themselues Nay the contention betwéene Caluin and Luther is not so great but that popish doctors haue greater As for our selues all of vs professe the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to that rule that was established by common consent of the church of England from which if any digresse he is no more to be accounted of our societie then the papists that are of the popes retinue Lastly where he calleth our religion Parliament religion hée speaketh like himselfe that is falsely and slanderously For albeit the same be receiued by authoritie of the prince and state yet is it Christs religion and not the princes The a Lâ—unctos Cod. de summ Trin. sid Cath. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius decréed That all people of their gouernment should hold the doctrine of Peter the apostle taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria and that they should beleeue one God three persons and yet I hope this Noddie will not call the faith of the Trinitie An imperiall faith And thus much in answere of his obiection of parliameÌ„t faith and of supposed diuisions amongst vs. But if hée had considered how that all the authoritie of their Romish faith as it differeth from ours standeth vpon the authoritie of late popes and of the late conuenticle of Trent and that both the grounds and positions of it are either nouelties or old condemned heresies and was in Quéene Maries times established more by parliament then by authoritie of the apostles and how many and diuers sectes they haue among their monkes and friers and b About the matter of the sacrament of the Lords supper they haue not so few as 200. diuers opinions diuers opinions among their schoolemen and how their late writers dissent both from fathers and schoolemen and among themselues I thinke hée woulde haue spared either to haue obiected vnto vs our dissensions or to haue talked of the authoritie of our religion To discredite the report of spirituall blessings bestowed on vs he a P. 5.6 saith further That before this change we beleeued the catholike faith of Christendome deliuered by the vniuersal church grounded vpon that rocke that cannot faile now beleeue onely either other mens opinioÌ„s or our owne fancies which choice is properly called heresie and héere hée thinketh to haue argued like a great doctor But first as his doctrine is strange so his stile is new and fantasticall For although hée sweate hard in séeking yet shall hee not finde that any one doctor saith That the vniuersall church doth deliuer to euerie priuate man the catholike faith for as schoolemen might teach him Actiones sunt suppositorum and it is not the whole kind but some one or other that doth this or that action Secondly most vntrue it is That either poperie is the catholike faith of Christendome or that the apostles or their catholike successors taught those errors of poperie which wee condemne Thirdly he doth vs wrong where he saith That our doctrine is diuers from the catholike faith of Christendome For whatsoeuer Christ or his apostles taught or is deliuered in the confessions of faith or créedes generally receiued of Christs Catholike church that wée beléeue and receiue refusing no point of catholike doctrine and all priuate fancies opinions heresies whether of popes or other heretikes and false teachers we renounce condemne and anathematize Héereof it followeth that the doctrine and faith of the church of England is most catholike and certaine being grounded vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone which is a firme rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Grounded it is I say vpon the writings of the apostles and prophets endited by Gods holie spirite and thereunto not onely Councels and fathers but also the aduersaries themselues for the most part giue testimonie But the blinde papists haue deuised and receiued both new grounds of their religion and new doctrine which standeth onely vpon the authoritie of this pope and that pope whose fancie and opinion is all the certeintie they haue This is that rocke or rather banke of sand whereon the miserable papists faith is built For what the pope determineth that they hold to be the determination of the vniuersal church vpon his credite they receiue the scriptures Nay without his determination a Stapletonde author eccles they denie the scriptures to be authenticall b Princip doct lib. 9. c. 12. Stapleton teacheth that the church that is the pope at all times hath power to approue and taxe and consigne the bookes of holy scriptures In another place he c Ibidem lib. 11. c. 4. holdeth that vniuersall tradition is the most certaine interpreter of scriptures Generallie they hold that the pope is supreme iudge in all controuersies of faith and manners and that he is the iudge that cannot erre Hereof that followeth which this noddie obiecteth to vs That the faith of papists is built vpon the popes fancie and opinion which altering from time to time the faith of the Romish church is variable like the moone and vnstable as the sea Trusting to the popes determination from the Angelickes they haue receiued the worship of angels from the Collyridians the worship of the holy virgin Marie from the Carpocratians and Simon Magus and their disciples the worship of images from the Manichées and other heretikes prohibition of meates and dislike of mariage of priests and from other heretikes other damnable opinions So that their faith is not the catholike faith of Christendome but méere heresie grounded vpon the fancie and opinion of most wicked and vnlearned popes But d P. 6. saith this Noddie Why should you beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluin concerning the Queenes supremacie Luther concerning the reall presence and Beza in the church gouernment I answere first that these mens priuate opinions concerne not fundamentall points of faith And therefore that they are not to bée brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talke of the foundations reasons of Christian faith Secondly I deny that Caluin did deny the Quéenes supremacie in ecclesiasticall matters as we hold it For neither did he subiect princes to popes or priests in matter of their royall gouernment nor did hee denie princes power to establish ecclesiasticall lawes nor to command for Gods truth or to prouide for the setting foorth of true religion or redressing of disorders in churches or priests which are the principall points of supreme gouernment of princes in their realmes and dominions Neither do I thinke that any ancient father of the church did euer denie this power to princes Sure I am that many haue allowed it The reason why Caluin did once mislike the title of king Henry the eight was because hée was perswaded that hee had challenged all that power which the pope arrogateth to himselfe as head of the church wherein after that he was better informed he changed his stile and
certaintie of faith For if traditions bée not certainly knowne of the aduersaries and if diuers ancient traditions be now growne out of vse how can the faith that is built on traditions be certaine Further the ancient fathers do not onely testifie the Scriptures to bée sufficient but also condemne vnwritten and vncertaine traditions Electa sunt quae scriberentur saith Saint a Tractat. 49. in Ioan. Augustine quae saluti credentium sufficere vide bantur b Aduer gentes Athanasius saith That the holy and diuine Scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in al truth And diuers others testifie the same What saith c Regul 80. Basill is the propertie of a faithfull man Forsooth to beleeue with certaine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in Scripture and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any newe thing vnto them Saint d Lib. de parad c. 12. Ambrose saith Wee may no more adde to Gods commandements then take from them And although the fathers talke ofttimes in commendation of traditions yet either they meane such things as are now conteined in Scriptures and from them to bée deriued and deduced by firme conclusions or else such matters as concerne order and decencie and yet do they not account of these as of diuine precepts Si aut in euangelio praecipitur aut in apostolorum epistolis saith e In Epist. ad Pompeâ—um Cyprian aut in actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio Whereby it appéereth that other traditions which were not written were not had in like reuence and that the faith of papists that resteth on these vncertainties is most vncertaine Further the papists do builde their faith vpon most fabulâ—us martyrologies and lying legendes For vpon these narrations doth stande the holinesse of those saints whom they canonize and worship In these legends wee read of the moouing yea and speaking of stockes stones of restoring not onely dead men but also dead beastes to life of apparitions of Christ of the blessed virgine and of saints and infinite more miracles and prophecies then are conteined in holie Scriptures All which notwithstanding any absurditie ensuing our masters of Romish traditions must néedes receiue if they beléeue either traditions to bée the worde of God or else giue credence to f C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius for hée saith That the histories of martyrs and their suffrings are to be receiued Gesta sanctorum martyrum saith Gelasius recipimus Let it therefore bée considered whether this faith can bée catholike that is builte vpon such fabulous vanities which not onely the strangenesse maketh suspected of vs but also euen of papists themselues g Ibid. Gelasius condemneth the legend of George of Cyricus and Iulitta of Abgarus of the inuention of the crosse and of Saint Iohn Baptistes head a Contra donat Constant Laurentius Valla laugheth at the follie of these legendes b Canto 29. Dante calleth them fooleries and vaine fables c In his historie to Clement the 7. Machiauel saith That these new myracles are repugnant to old christian religion The Germaines among other gréeuances account the vanitie of these fabulous legendes They do also take themselues bound to beléeue the doctrine of the church of Rome For this to d In praefat analys ante relect princip doctrin Thomas Stapleton séemeth a very firme foundation of his popish faith And as he supposeâ—h the voyce and testimony of this church is most certaine and infallible This sure we find by experience that they e C. ad abolendam de haereticis condemne for heretickes and most cruellie murder all that dissent from the church of Rome in matter of sacraments Nay they do ground their religion vpon the popes decretalles Decretales epistolae saith f C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius quas beatissimi papae diuersis temporibus ab vrbe Romana pro diuersorum patrum consultatione dederunt venerabiliter recipiendae sunt The popes they honor as their supreme iudges and say they cannot erre Vnto them they haue recourse in all difficulties as vnto a rocke immooueable Stapleton doth g Princip doctrin lib. 6. teach That the pope is the principall subiect of ecclesiasticall authority and is not ashamed to write that his authority is the foundation of religion In hac docentis hominis authoritate saith h In praefat ante relâ—ct princip doctâ— he in qua deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni cernimus O noble religion that is founded vpon so firme and holy a foundation as is the popes holy authority But sure catholike it cannot be For neither the ancient church in times past nor the easterne and Africane churches did euer acknowledge any such foundation Neither do they account the popes authority onely to be the foundation of their faith but also for Christ the corner stone substitute the pope and make him the rocke of the church and of their faith For at his handes they receiue the scriptures and all the principles and pointes of their faith and account his determination more certaine then the letter of Scriptures Bellarmine calleth the pope The foundation and corner stone of the church i In praes ante lib. de Pontif. Rom. and commonly by the rocke Matth. 16. they vnderstand not Peter onely but the popes of Rome which they imagine to be his successors Matters strange new absurd and most contrary to catholike faith To the vulgar latin translation they giue more authority then to the originall bookes of the ould testament in Hebrew and of the new testament in Greeke For that translation they make authenticall and do not giue like authority to the originall bookes That translation they will not haue any to reiect but the originall bookes themselues calumniate and reiect Which course is neither catholike nor reasonable Saint a In epist ad Sâ—niam Fretel ad Damasum Hierome saith That in the old testament in matters of doubt concerning the translation we must haue recourse to the Hebrew as to the fountein in the new to the Greeke Ad exemplaria Hebraea Graeca à latinis recurratur b Lib. 2. de doctr Christ c. 10. saith Augustin Hilary writing vpon the 118. psalme confâ—sseth That the latin translation cannot satiâ—fie the reader They holde also The doctrine and determination of priestes and Iesuites and others sent by the pope to be no lesse the foundation of Christian religion then Christ and his doctrine For so doth c In praef ante relect princip doctr Stapleton in expresse termes determine and generally they d C. ad abolendam de haeret condemne such for heretickes As the prelates and bishops do adiudge to be such Which is nothing else but to make the determination of popish prelates the foundation of the popish church But Christ sending foorth his disciples to preach commaunded them to teach all nations and withall
earnest of future graces and the communication of Christ his passion Againe hée saith Non vt dicunt amentes Messaliani baptismus nouaculam imitatur quae praecesserunt peccata auferens hoc enim ex superabundanti largitur Likewise the Messalians did mumble ouer their praiers with their lips hauing their hart otherwhere and beléeued that they were heard for their much babling Which custome the papists do so well like that they rehearse infinite Aue Mariaes Pater nosters and Creedes and the popes giue great indulgences to those that say the Ladies rosary and pray vpon blessed beades albeit the poore soules vnderstand nothing what they pray or rather prattle The Caians were reputed heretikes for worshipping angels and praying to them Vnusquisque eorum saith h Epiph. haeres 38. Epiphanius vniuscuiusque angeli nomen inuocat For the same cause the Angelickes were condemned both by the a Epiph. de angelic Augustine de haeres c. 39. Isid lib. 8. Orig. fathers and by councels Non oportet Christianos say the b Can. 35. fathers of the councell of c In 3. ◠epist. ad Coloss Laodicea derelicta ecclesia abire ad angelos idololatriae abominandae congregationes facere What then are wée to thinke of papists that pray to angels and say masses in honour of angels To auoide this blemish in that canon of the councell they haue turned Angelos into Angulos But d Theodoret doth plainly conuince them both of heresie and falsehood Synodus saith he quae conuênit Laodiceae lege prohibuit ne precarentur angelos That this worship of angels is superstitious Chrysostome commenting vpon the Epistle to the Colossians declareth and especially in his ninth homilie vpon that Epistle The Seuerians were noted as heretikes for their myracles either vainly forged a Augustine de haeres c. 24. or by the diuels helpe effected Their prophetesse e Philumena through a narrow mouthed glasse would put in a pretie bigge lofe and draw it out againe without breaking the glasse The Mirabiliaries were likewise condemned for that by myracles and prophecies they sought to confirme their religion And what do the papists Do not they likewise confirme all their superstition idolatry and false religion with counterfeit miracles It cannot be denied and if it were yet are the lying legends of the Romish church sufficient to conuince them The Tatians and other heretikes f Epiph. hares 46. absteined from mariage as a state of life impure and imperfect Which heresie the popish monkes haue embraced estéeming wedlocke contrary to perfection g C. proposuisti dist 82. Syricius calleth mariage Fleshly pollutions In Capgraues legend Romish saints no otherwise talke of mariage then as if it were vncleannesse sinne and abomination Diuers of our aduersaries haue written that it is lesse sinne for priestes to commit fornication then to marry Nay as if mariage were contrarie to the cleannesse and holinesse of priesthoode they admit none to priesthood but such as abiure mariage The papists also agrée with the Manichées in diuers points of heresies For as the h Augustin epist. 74. Manichées condemned mariage in their priestes which for their excellency they called Electos so likewise do the papists in their monkes and greater orders of the clergie The Manichées in the sacrament of the Lords supper a Leo serm 4. de quadrag c. relatum c. comperimus dist 2. de consecrat vsed to minister in one kinde as do the papists Both of them destroy Christes humanitie the Manichées giuing him no true flesh nor solide body and the papists giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor endued with the dimensions and qualities of a body Nay they say that his one body may bée in infinite places at once The b Augustin de morib eccles Manich. lib. 2. c. 31. de morib Manich. c. 13. Manichées in their fastes albeit they abstained from flesh yet vsed diuers other exquisite and daintie meates And this also is the rigorous faste of most papists which the rest also allow Montanus did first establish lawes of fasting as is recorded in the historie of c Hist eccles lib. 5. c. 17. Eusebius and appéereth also by the practise of the church that had no law concerning that matter in his time The same man began first to giue credite to vnwritten traditions to d Epiphan in haeres 48. dispute that the scriptures were not perfect and that they were to bée supplied by his new Paracletus that as he said was to teach all things necessarie His e Augustin de haeres c. 26. followers had the prophecies of Prisca and Maximilla in great reuerence Both hée and his disciples did beléeue Limbum Patrum to bée in hell and that sinnes were to bée purged after this life They also first ordeined that the birth daies or suffring daies of Martyrs should bée kept holy and that offrings should be made for men departed and all this f Lib. de corona milit de anima Tertullian now pleading for Montanus his heresies doth prooue by the testimonie of his Paracletus and of vnwritten traditions So likewise hath the synagogue of Rome of late established many new fastes and new lawes of fasting The g Synod Trid. sess 4. same doth also place traditions in equall ranke with Scriptures and say that Scriptures teach not all thinges necessary for saluation The doctors of that schoole affirme likewise that Limbus of the fathers is in hell and that sinnes may bée remitted after this life for this cause offer for the dead Both papists and Montanistes boast much of the sufferings of their martyrs and no lesse do they estéeme the prophecies of Brigit Hildegardis and Mechtildis then do the Montanistes of their Prisca and Maximilla As the h Pepuzians did honour their towne Pepuza a Augustin de haeres c. 27. as the mother church of all Christendome so do the papistes honor Rome Both papistes and Pepuzians suffer women to minister baptisme Should not then the papists haue wrong if they were not made equall to the Pepuzians Herein they also far surpasse them for that among the papists a a Martin Polon Plat. chronic chronicor Marian. Scotus in Ioan. 8. woman was once pope and chiefe president of their church which I doubt whether the Pepuzians can shew in their sect The Catharistes do boast much of their merites Mundiores se caeteris praedicant saith b C. de haeres lib. Orig. 8. Isidorus They do also deny absolution in some cases to the repentant and rebaptize those that are already baptized Which is also the case of papistes For among them the monkes and friers count themselues more perfect and cleane then others and all of them do hope to be saued by their merites The inquisitors punish with death all that relapse into heresie as they call it without remission and in France and Flanders our aduersaries haue baptized many most
heresie therefore concerning the purgation of sinnes after this life and the satisfaction for the penaltie of mortall sinnes the papists sauour of Origens heresie They fauour his heresie also in this that they do say there is fower sences of Scriptures and draw the same by their allegoricall interpretations to their owne most peruerse purposes Eunomius taught that so a man were of his religion it skilled not greatly what sinnes he committed Asseuerebat saith a Augustin de haeres c. 54. Augustine quod nihil cuiquam obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset Vnto which heresie the papists come very néere For so a man professe the Romish faith and communicate with the Romanists in their sacraments and bée obedient to the pope they b Bellar. de eccles milit c. 2. say he is a good catholike and a true member of the church although he haue no inward vertue And so facile they are in this pointe that they absolue murderers and incestuous persons and most wicked rebels yea Marans and apostataes so they will professe their Romish religion In Ireland the White knight and Piers Lacy haue had children by their owne daughters and others that I coulde name by their sisters and néere kinsewomen And infinite outrages haue they committed not oneâ—â— against their lawfull prince but also against their owne people and kinred and so continue liuing almost without law yet do the priests and friers and popes agents absolue them and count them good catholiks Nay these are the pillers of the Romish church and the chéefe maintainers of the popish sect there The papists also where they by their lawes forbid priests and monkes to marry and to absteine from certaine meates do plainely embrace the heresie of the Tatians Seuerians and Manichées and are of the number of a 1. Tim. 4. those That teach the doctrine of diuels forbidding to marry and willing men to absteine from meates which God hath created Rectè posuit illud saith d In 1. Tim. 4. Theodoret prohibentium contrahere matrimonium Neque enim caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt He noteth those saith Theodoret that by their lawes compell men to absteine from marriage and certaine meates So that by his censure the papists are within the compasse of these false teachers of whome the apostle speaketh The heretikes called Anoâ—ni either corrupted or contemned the law of God which heresie is also by right of enheritance descended to the papists For first they deny the law of God to be perfect and therefore adde vnto it their owne traditions and the customes and precepts of the Romish church Secondly they haue c In offic beat Mariae Manual de Geronymo Campos cut out the commaundement of worshipping of images as directly opposite to their idolatry Thirdly they deny concupiscence after baptisme to be sinne contrary to the tenth commaundement Lastly they haue chosen to themselues a new a C. translato de constitutionibus lawgiuer that taketh on him to giue law to mens consciences and receiued a new decretaline law wherein they walke more curiously then in the law of God Nay for the true and euer liuing God they worship this their Terrestriall God as b In epist dedic ante princip doctrin Stapleton doth call him and diligently harken to the popes statutes and commandements Irenaeus and Tertullian doth range those among heretikes that flye from the scriptures and accuse them and affirme that the apostles did not commit all thinges necessary to writing Cum ex scripturis arguuntur saith c Aduers haeres lib. 3. c. 2. Irenaeus in accusationem coÌ„uertuntur scripturarum quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia variè sunt dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem Non enim per literas traditam illam sed per vâ—uam vocem ob quam causam Paulum dixisse sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos He d Aduers haeres lib. 3. c. 1. saith also That the apostles first preached the gospell and afterward by the will of God brought the same into writing that it might be a piller and foundation of our faith Alius manu scripturas saith e De praescrip aduers haerec Tertullian alius sensu expositiones interuertit That is some heretikes plainely blot and corrupt the scriptures others peruert them by false expositions But he maketh the catholike to say thus Ego sum haeres apostoloruÌ„ sicut cauerunt testamento sicut fidei commiserunt sicut adiurauerunt ita teneo He saith they are true catholikes and successors of the apostles that continue in the doctrine deliuered in their testament And afterward speaking of scriptures he f Ibidem saith Quod sumus hoc sunt That is that we beléeue and teach that is there to be found But speaking of heretikes he g De resurrect carnis saith Aufer haereticis quaecunque ethnici sapiunt vt de scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt That is bring heretikes from that opinion that is common to them with ethnikes and cause them to be iudged in these questions by scriptures and they cannot stand In describing the qualities of these heretikes these two ancient fathers séeme to haue prophesied of the conditions of the papists For they will not allow as saith Irenaeus that the apostles haue comprehended all their doctrine necessary to saluation in the scriptures Neither will they confesse that out of holy writ we can learne the truth without tradition But contrariwise being conuinced by Scriptures they accuse the Scriptures and speake euill of them and say that they in respect of vs receiue authoritie from the pope they affirme that they Are subiect to diuers vnderstandings a Aduers Sadeel lib. 1. p. 99. Turrian calleth them Delphicum gladium others A nose of waxe they stande vpon the liuely teaching of their priests and friers and b Censur Colon. say That the wisedome of the church is apparent in vnwritten traditions They peruert the Scriptures by their wicked interpretations c Concil Trid. Sess 4. allowing no sence but that which the pope and church of Rome giueth They flie from the iudgement of apostolicall writings and will not haue the Scriptures to bée the rule whereby all controuersies are to bée ended and therefore plainly declare themselues to bée descended from heretikes and to bée very well like their parents d Lib. 8. Orig. c. de haeresibus Isidore doth declare them to bée heretikes that do otherwise vnderstande the Scriptures then the meaning of the holy Ghost requireth Quicunque saith hée aliter Scripturam sacram intelligit quà m sensus Spiritus sancti flagitat à quo conscripta est licèt de ecclesia non recesserit
principall rocke doth wholy rely vpon the popes of Rome men neither like to Christ nor like to Peter nor like to a rocke Vnlesse it be in that they deny Christ and are as hard harted against Christians as if they were rockes Secondly the faith of the true catholike church is built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets and their canonicall doctrine The apostle c Ephes 2. saith That the houshold of God and citizens of saintes are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets S. d Apocal. 25. Iohn sheweth That the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles The church is built not vpon Peter onely as saint e Lib. aduers â—â—in Hierome saith but vpon all the apostles At dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur The church of God saith f In Ephes 2. Theophylact is built vpon the apostles and prophets And all this is therefore affirmed of them because they preached not themselues but Christ Iesus and wrote the canonicall scriptures that they might be as g Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith The foundation of our faith Vnto this foundation the ancient fathers do all giue testimony But the faith of the Romish synagogue is built vpon the determinations decretals of popes They count their determinations to be infallible and make them souereine iudges of all controuersies in Christes stead Alij nunc à Christo missi saith h In praefat in relect in prinâ—ip doct Stapleton eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt He plainely i Ibidem confesseth that the papists haue another foundation of their faith besides the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud And k Lib. 4. de verb. Dei c. 4. Bellarmine disputing of traditions calleth them the word of God not written and saith That the scriptures are neither necessary nor sufficient without them Demonstrare conabimur saith hée scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes Nowe if they cannot shewe that the church of God in times past did builde their faith vpon the popes decretals and traditions they must néeds confesse that they are not the true church Thirdly neuer did the church of Christ speake euill of Scriptures a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the propertie of heretikes when they are conuinced by Scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them The children of God certes cannot calumniate their heauenly fathers testament or refuse to heare his voice My sheepe saith our b Iâ—hn 10. Sauiour heare my voice But the papists say they are neither necessary nor sufficient as doth Bellarmine or no sufficient foundation of the church as doth Stapleton in the places aboue mentioned and speake euill of them as if they were c Annot. Rhem. in 2. Cor. 3. A killing letter and most pernicious or as if they were a nose of ware d Ceâ—sur Colon. or a matter of contention and will not suffer them to be publikely read in a toong that is vnderstood of the vulgar fort 4. The church of God doth keepe the doctrine of the apostles without addition and alteration auoiding all prophane nouelties The Gal. 1. apostle pronounceth him accursed That teacheth any other Gospell then that which he taught So f Aduers haeres c. 34. Vincentius Lâ—rinensis saith Catholicorum hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare But the synagogue of Rome hath added vnto the doctrine of the apostles infinite nouelties as hath béene declared aboue in the second chapter Their doctrine concerning the grounds of faith concerning the law the Gospell and diuers points of Christian faith their worship of God their massing seruice and popish gouernment is newe as their newe decretals and late Tridentine doctrine the decrées of other late councels whereupon all their popish faith dependeth do plainly testifie 5. The true church cannot abide heretikes that teach doctrine contrary to that of the apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe g Iohn 10 saith They will not follow a stranger but flye from him for that they know not the voice of strangers that the apostles gaue the faithfull Christians in charge If there come any vnto you saith a 2. Iohn saint Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith b Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith c Lib. 1. ep 3. Cyprian as far from them as they separate themselues from the church Neither can the true church embrace erroneous doctrine For true Christians will not heare the voice of strangers Si haeretici sunt saith Tertullian d De praescrip aduers haeret Christiani esse non possunt But it is apparent that the popes of Rome are heretikes which are the great maisters and Rabbines of the Romish synagogue as may appeare by the examples of Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius thâ— first Iohn the two twentith Eugenius the 4. and diuers others We haue also shewed that the synagogue of Rome hath embraced diuers heresies and doth wholy addict her selfe to embrace heretikes and to persecute true teachers 6. The church of God is the mistresse and teacher of truth and admitteth no falsehood nor vntruth The e 1. Tim. 3. apostle doth call her The piller and ground of truth Est fons veritatis faith f Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius hoc est domicilium fidei She is the fontaine of truth that is to say The house where true faith dwelleth but the synagogue of Rome is not onely a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lyes and vanities She not onely receiueth false traditions but also teacheth them She embraceth lying legends and old wiues fables and apocryphall deuises And this is the word of God not written which they so much commend and make equall to holy scriptures That church g In breuiar in festo Cathar beléeueth That saint Catharine was a maiden of Alexandria so well learned that at eighteene yeeres of age she passed the most learned and ouercame fiftie philosophers conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of his to the faith and broke the tormenting wheele with her oraysons They say also that her body was buried by angels
in mount Sinah Matters incredible and no where to be found h In festo Clementis They beléeue also That Clement the successor of Peter was by Traian sent into the wildernesse of Cersona we know not where and that there he saw a lambe making a well to sally out of the top of the mountaine and that beeing cast into the sea with a mill-stone about his necke the sea fled three miles from the shore and there was found a little chappel built in the sea where his body was bestowed They tell how a In festo Gregor Thaumaturg Gregory of Neocesaria caused the riuer of Lycus to kéepe within his boundes by planting his staffe on the banke And that his staffe grew presently into a great tree Peter Martyr one of Dominickes order as they b In festo Petr. Martyr beléeue did keepe his virginity both in body and mind in that sort That he neuer felt himselfe defiled with any mortall sin and did so long fast that scarce he could open his mouth to eat as they tell They tell vs also like wonders of Nicolas Valerian Tiburtius Cecilia and diuers others In the legend of c Del volto santo Iacobus de voragine translated into Italian and commâ—nly read to the women and vulgar people we read How an image representing our Sauiour did lift vp his foote and cast off his siluer slipper to a certaine pilgrime that deuoutly stood before it would haue offered somewhat and had nothing d Di santa Catharina Catharine of Siâ—na is there reported to be betrothed to our Sauiour Christ and to haue doone strange thinges They generally say that Christ imprinted in Saint Francis his fiue woundes and therefore they call him Iâ—sum Typicum and diuers popes do by their decretals confirme the same to bée true To abridge this point they haue infinite such like fabulous narrations in their breuiaries and legendaries Now gladly would I haue our aduersary to shew vs whether these histories and legends are not receiued of the church of Rome and estéemed as holy traditions nay as the word of God reuealed by the church or by the pope and how these that builde their faith on such lies can be the church of God 7. The faith of Gods true church cannot bée builte vpon any vntruth as Thomas Aquinas himselfe confesseth Nihil e 2. 2. q. 1 art 3 saith hée cadere potest sub fide nisi inquantum stat sub vâ—ritate prima sub qua nullum falsum stare potest And afterward hée saith Fidei non potest subesse aliquod falsum Christ Iesus hée is truth it selfe How then can the church that is built on this rocke admitte any falshoode But the synagogue of Rome beléeueth all the traditions of the church wherein infinite lies are conteined They as well beléeue the woundes of Saint Francis as Christes woundes They beléeue that stockes haue walked that dumbe images haue spoken that saints and angels haue appéered and spoken and done as is conteined in the legends of the church Nay they are bound to beléeue the tales of Tecla Christopher George Cyric and Iulitta and such other apocryphall legends or else they must denie their traditions to be the worde of God not written The church of Christ is bounded within the limits of the Scriptures Habet vrbes legis prophetarum euangelij as Saint a In Mich. lib. 1. c. 1. Hierome saith non est egressa de finibus suis id est de scripturis sanctis Hee b Ibidâ—m c. 7. saith also That it is the propertie of heretikes to flie to mens commandements and the leauen of Pharisees Saint c Lib. 19. de ciuit Dei c. 18. Augustine saith That the citie of God beleeueth the holy Scriptures that are called canonicall but of other reportes doubteth But the church of Rome doth not kéepe within these boundes nor beléeueth onely thinges conteined in holy Scriptures For The same receiueth the d Trid. conc sess 4. traditions of the church with equall reuerence to the scriptures and mingleth much of the leauen of pharisées and other heretikes with their doctrine It beléeueth also all that is deliuered in the missales and breuiaries whatsoeuer the popes of Rome either haue determined or shall héereafter determine to bee a matter of faith 9. The church of Christ doth worship but one God and serueth him onely according to this e Exod. 20. commandement Thou shalt haue no other gods but me Our Sauiour Christ also sheweth f Matth. 4. That God onely is to bee worshipped and serued The catholike church onely saith g Institut lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius doth retaine the true worship of God But the synagogue of Rome hath vtterly corrupted Gods true worship and giueth diuine worship to stockes and stones Cum Christus saith h P. 3. q. 25. art 3. Thomas Aquinas adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quod eius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda i In lib. 3. sent dist 9. q. 2. Bonauenture prooueth that images are to bée retained in churches and worshipped with a verse of Horace de arte Poetica Segniùs irritant animos demissa per aures saith he Quam quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator They worship and serue saints they offer sacrifices in their honor they burne incense to their images they light candels before them they carie them about which the catholike church neuer did nor allowed 10. The church of God neuer burned the Scriptures No albeit there were errors in the old vulgar Latine translation and in the translation of Theodotion Symachus and the 70. interpreters yet did not the church therefore burne them Neither did euer the true church prohibite the Scriptures to be publikely read in the vulgar toongs or burne those for heretikes that read theÌ„ priuately without licence Nay rather they searched their heauenly fathers will in his most holy testament and exhorted men to search the Scriptures according to our Sauiour Christs commandement Saint a In Psal 86. Hierome saith that these scriptures are not belonging onely to priests but to the people Non scripserunt saith he speaking of the apostles paucis sed vniuerso populo but the church of Rome not vnlike to the barbarous heathen persecutors hath diuers times caused the scriptures to bée burnt and hath burnt diuers for reading of them as appéereth by the Registers of London and Lincolne In the councell of Trent they forbad them to bee read publikely And priuately they will not haue them read without licence Larâ—us saith b In Manual cap. 11. in 1. praecept Nauarrus disputans de fide peccat mortaliter They cannot abide them no more then those that do euill can abide the light 11. The true church doth acknowledge no head of the vniuersall church but Christ onely which is also the Sauiour of his body Christ saith the c
church neuer taught nor thought so basely of the most holy body of our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesus that they imagined that a mouse a dogge a hogge or other brute beast did eate it and presse it with teeth and swallow it downe For they beléeued as wée beléeue that Christ is in heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God and is farre from those pressures and contumelies But the synagogue of Rome beléeueth that a brute beast may eate Christs body If a dogge or hogge saith a Part. 4. q. 45. Alexander Hales shoulde eate the whole consecrated host I see no cause but the Lords body shoulde go therewithall into that dogs or hogs bellie Some haue said as it is in b Part. 3. q. 8. art 3. Thomas Aquinas his summe that Assoone as the sacrament is taken of a mouse or a dogge straightway the body and bloud of Christ cease to bee there but this is a derogation to the truth of this sacrament And where the master of c Lib. 4. dist 13. sentences abhorreth from this position saying that it may bée well saide that the body of Christ is not receiued of brute beastes the masters of Paris put this in the margent that d Hîc Magister non tenetur Heere the master is not beleeued 22. The true catholike church did neuer sell the holy sacrament nor beleeue that it was a meanes to satisfie for sinnes both of quicke and dead Nor did the same promise health to the sicke sigâ—t to the blinde gaine to merchants husbands to maidens being present at the sacrament But the Romish synagogue doth sell Christ Deteriores sunt Iuda e C. 23. saith the author that made Onus ecclesiae alleaging the authoritie of saint Bâ—git Qui pro solis denarijs me vendidit illi autem pro omni mercimonio And no traffike is more coÌ„mon in the Romish church then the traffike for masses They make men beléeue that this sacrifice of the masse is expiatorie both for the sins of quicke and dead Hoc sacrificium saith f De valore missae parad 12. Guernerus est expâ—atiuum debitae poenae tam hîc quam in futuro exoluendae Hée g Ibid. parad 9. sheweth also that It hath miraculous effects against thunder danger of enimies and all other dangers and that he that frequenteth the masse shall bee directed in all thinges Neither can any man desire any thing that priestes by their masses will not promise to obtaine for him 23. The true catholike church did neuer vse to make holy water nor to consecrate paschal lambes nor oyle nor candles nor such like thinges Nor did the same beléeue that by holy water veniall sinnes were remitted or that it was good to driue away mise or make barren women conceiue or that the other hallowed thinges haue such effectes as the schoolemen teach But the Romish church doth h Missal Rom. in fin consecrate holy water and paschall lambes oyle candels and other creatures and hath a great opinion of these consecrate thinges Non mane institutâ—â—â—n est saith i In lib. Numer c. 19. Augustin Steâ—chus quod aquas sale orationibus sanctificamus vt ad â—orum aspersum delicta nostra deleantur a In dialog Alane Copus telleth vs that holy water is good to driue away mise and to make barreine women to conceiue 25. The true church standeth not much vpon externall ceremonies as in the time of Moyses law The b Coloss 2. apostle writing to the Colossians would not haue men condemned In respect of meate or drinke or of holy dayes Nor would haue them burdened with traditions As touch not tast not handle not And c Iohn 4. Christ saith that in his church True worshippers should worship God in spirit and truth But the seruice of the Romish church for the most part consisteth in externall obseruances as for example in absteining from certaine meates and drinkes and widowhoode and abstinence from mariage in singing ringing going on pilgrimage painting knocking greasing kéeping feastes and holy daies and worshipping the sacrament and externall signes 26. The true church of God neither made the image of the godhead nor set vp images in churches to be worshipped knowing that the same is directly contrary to the commaundement of God d Aduers Gentes lib. 8. Arnobius saith That the first Christians had no altars nor temples nor images worshipped in open shew Ne simulachra quidem veneramur saith e Contra. Celsum lib. 7. Origen quippe qui dei vt inuisibilis ita incorporei formam nullam effigiamus f Lib. 2. Diuin instit c. 19. Lactantius saith There is no religion where there is an image The councell of g C. 36. Eliberis forbad pictures in churches Arnobius saith that Christians do not worship the crosse Cruces saith he nec colimus nec optamus lib. 8. aduers gentes h Lib. 9. ep 9. Gregory himselfe would not haue images worshipped albeit he would not haue them broken downe De cultu imag lib. 1. Ionas Aurelianensis writing for images condemneth the popish manner of worshipping them Creaturam adorari eÃque aliquid diuinae seruitutis impendi proh nefas ducimus huiusque sceleris patratorem detestandum anathematizandum libera voce proclamamus But the popish church doth make the images of God the father and the holie Ghost and worshippeth them with diuine worship Likewise do the papists worship the crucifixe and crosse and with seruice kissing and crouching do they worship the images of Saints 27. The ancient church did alwaies serue God in a toong vnderstood of the people The Gréekes had their Liturgie in the Gréeke toong the Italians in the Italian toong the Syrians in the Syriake the Armenians in the Armenian language the Slauonians in the Slauon toong a Lib. 8. contr Celsum Origen saith That God that is Lord of all toongs heareth those that praie in any toong and that euery one praieth in his natiue and mother toong b In Epitaph Paulae ad Eustochium Hierome saith that Psalmes were song at the buriall of Paula not onely in Hebrew Gréeke and Latine But in the Syrian toong In an other Epistle of his written to c Epist 17. Marcella he sheweth That euery nation that came to Bethlehem had their seuerall languages in their church seruice For as the apostle saith d 1. Cor. 14. Hee that praieth in a toong not vnderstood profiteth nothing But the papists and church of Rome will haue no other toong vsed in the common Liturgie of the Westerne churches but the Latine of which the vulgar people scarce vnderstand one word 28. The true church is the kingdome of Christ and there hée onely raigneth by the scepter of his worde Transtulit nos saith the e Coloss 2. apostle in regnum filij Dei The apostle Saint Iames saith that hée alone is our law-giuer and our iudge There is one law-giuer
securitie to those that séeke the destruction of her people and the aduancement of strangers nor to defend them by law that oppugne her lawes and woulde bring in Spanish and Italian lawes Her Maiesties chéefe officers and the nobilitie haue no reason to beare with them that séeke by alteration of state to depriue them of their honors and to dispose of their landes and substance at their pleasure Nor to suffer themselues to be disgraced and commanded by strangers that were woont to command others All those that loue true religion haue no reason to suffer such to liue without controlment that woulde ouerthrow religion and erect a false worship and grosse idolatrie and that also by all fraud and violence All true English men are to oppose themselues against such as séeke to bring in strangers to set a fire in the midst of their countrey to destroy their wiues children friendes country-men and most déere countrey The reuerend Iudges and learned lawyers haue no reason to beare with such as séeke the subuersion of lawes and iustice putting armes in the handes of strangers and malcontents to rule all by violence and according to the popes and Spaniardes pleasure Nay the papists that haue any thing albeit they desire an alteration of religion yet haue no reason to worke their feates by violence They may sée by Ireland that warres bring with them most lamentable calamities to both parties and that many that thought to winne by the false shuffling of cardes haue lost both the wager and their liuing and liues also Finally treason is a most execrable and odious thing and therefore for this most gréeuous offence the law hath ordeined extraordinary punishments In hoc atrocistimo delicto saith a Sentent lib. 5. §. laesae maiest Iulius Clarus lex non nulla specialia introduxit And all true patriotes ought to haue the same in excéeding detestation No enimie is more dangerous then a traytor Omnium communis est hostis saith b Lib. 1. accusat in Verrem Tully qui hostis est suorum To hate traitors saith c In Prometheo in fine Aeschylus I haue learned neither is any villanie more hatefull to me then treason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So much more dangerous saith d Rerum Gracar lib. 2. Xenophon is treason by how much it is more difficult to take heed of traitors then enemies With our enemies we may be reconciled but traitors are neuer to be trusted Nay by lawes and all lawfull means they are to be discouered punished and auoyded séeing they séeke to bring this land into subiection of the pope and Spaniard to ouerthrow the lawes to destroy her Maiestie and her people and to make this land a spectacle to all the world of extreme miseries Neither do I thinke that the papists will denie this to be true or that Parsons the common proctour for traitors dare auouch the contrarie Nay cardinall Allen in his Treatise against the iustice of England in executing of certaine priests their consorts doth dissemble his clients treasons coloureth their practises as much as he can And N.D. sticketh not to auow that papists are good subiects And I doubt not but all papists will denie themselues to be either idolaters or heretikes or enemies to her Maiestie or their countrie or that they haue committed treason or transgressed any ancient law made against treason I know also that they will plead that they haue not attempted against her Maiesties life or the state or sought to stirre rebellion or bring in strangers or to do any thing but that which belongeth to a good conscience either in priestly function or otherwise In sum they sticke not to affirme that they are apostolicall men and seeke onely by teaching and saying of masses to win mens soules and not to meddel with state matters Let vs therefore particularly consider whether all that hath béene spoken in generall may not properly be charged vpon the popes agents and adherents that either haue béene executed as traitors or els wander vp and downe disguised as false teachers I say it may and that therfore they are guilty of those crimes that I haue named and haue diuersly transgressed all those lawes which haue béene mentioned and deserue to be reputed as wicked enemies of religion and disloyall traytors to their prince and countrie That they are idolaters it is too too apparant For idolatrie is nothing but false worship that attributeth that which is due to God to creatures as a 2. 2. q. 93. Thomas Aquinas and other schoolemen confesse And it cannot be denied to be true For séeing idolatrie is contrarie to Gods true worship that worship must néeds be idolatry that ascribeth Gods honour to creatures contrarie to the first second commandement But all papists giue the worship of God to creatures turning their prayers and spirituall sacrifices to our Lady to angels saints and mortall creatures They haue also masses made not only in honour of angels but in honour of Dominicke Francis and other pety saints of late standing They burne incense kisse and fall downe before saints idols They giue that which they call Latriam and which is confessed of all hands to be a kind of worship due to God only to the crosse and to the images of Christ and of the Trinitie Cùm Christus saith b Part. 3. q. 25. art 3. Thomas Aquinas adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quòd eius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda Their owne conscience also testifieth against them that they are idolaters which maketh them to suppresse the second commandement against grauen images in all their Summes of diuinitie positiue to say little or nothing against idolatrie It may be proued also by the proprietie of the word Idolum that is nothing els but parua imago or a diminutiue of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also by the word simulachrum For séeing they worship images simulachra which is forbidden as idolatry they must néeds be idolaters And so the Gréeke Church taketh them which albeit it reteineth painted images yet it condemneth the worship of grauen images or sculptilia Secondly that popish priests and friers are false prophets false teachers and damnable heretiks I haue demonstrated by authority of the ancient Church that condemned long since diuers of their doctrines for heresies a Suprà c. 3. It is proued also by diuers nouelties which they hold contrarie to the form of words and doctrine deliuered by Christs apostles of which I haue brought diuers particulars in the second chapter of this Treatise It appeareth also by Bellarmines and his fellowes disputations wherein they teach diuers pointes contrarie to scriptures and not long since heard of in the catholike church as is iustified by the writings of our teachers against them the same may also be verified by their counterfeit traditions and lying legends of which the first they make equall to scriptures the second
they beléeue as deliuered by the Romish church Yet are their traditions most false their legends most fabulous If frier Parsons will maintaine the contrary let him prooue to vs the ceremonies and parts of the masse to haue come from Christ Iesus that the legends of Dominike and Francis are true That b Legenda de Catharina di Siena Italic Catharine of Siena had her face transformed like to Christes face and that she was lifted vp into the aire and maried to Christ that Saint Francis was likewise made conformable to Christ and had his fiue woundes printed in his bodie and that all those miracles reported in the legendes are true Likewise hée must prooue that all the shamelesse writings which the popes and their agents haue published of late time are true or else all the world will condemne them for false teachers and wicked heretikes Thirdly their whole course of life and all their actions haue sufficiently declared them to be a faction opposite both to true religion now professed in England and also to her Maiestie and the estate And that they are opposite to our religion themselues professe albeit they deny it true which notwithstanding in diuers treatises wée haue iustified and shall alwaies bée ready to iustifie the same both in publike disputation and writing as oft as occasion shall serue The rest wée shall now declare I haue héeretofore brought proofes that the papists opposed themselues to her Maiestie both since and before her entrance into the kingdome This moreouer you shall vnderstand of Sanders or Rishton or both men hired to speake villany of their prince coūtry Saepe conata est Maria say c Sanders de schism lib. 3. they illam nempe Elizabetham ab omni successionis sorte c. excludere And no doubt whatsoeuer Quéene Maries meaning was it is certaine the popish faction had that intention And when it pleased God to frustrate their purposes and intentions yet woulde they not yeelde her any hartie obedience The popish prelates refused to consecrate her and hardly coulde one bée got amongst many to accomplish that ceremonie but rather they incited the French king Henry the second to proclaime Marie Quéene of Scots Quéene An impudent companion a L. Innocence de la Roine d'escoss doth I confesse impudently denie it But Sanders his owne consort doth conuince him of lying Mortua Maria b Lib. 3. de schism saith hée Henricus Galliarum rex c. nurum suam Scotorum reginam Henrici octaui proneptim Parisijs pro concione Angliae Hiberniae Reginam declarandam curauit Neither did this claime cease vntill the French by force being cōstrained to depart Scotland in the capitulation betwixt them and vs at Léeth it was agréed that the Scottish Quéene shoulde no more entitle herselfe Quéene of England nor beare the armes of England That this trouble was procured by papists it is no question They also c Ibidem determined to excommunicate the Quéene and when that séemed daungerous they complained to the pope and stirred vp forreine princes against the Quéene and state all which bée pointes of high treason for which if they had béene called in question law woulde haue adiudged them traytors That they were not so cléere as is pretended it appéereth for that their conscience accusing them some fledde beyond the seas others began to plot a rebellion which afterwarde broke out anno 1569. And to make the side the stronger Thomas Harding about the yéere 1567 was sent with faculties into England to reconcile the people to the pope and to draw them from the prince Not long after pope Pius the fift at the solicitation of diuers of them published his excommunication against her Maiestie depriuing her of her kingdome assoiling her subiectes from their obedience and by the meanes of Nicholas Morton a factious priest causing the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and diuers other papists to take armes against her Being ouerthrowne in that rebellion and considering that all was for want of number and force they erect one Seminarie at Doway ann 1569. and another at Rome ann 1579. which by the yéere 1584. did f Sanders de schism lib. 3. sende some 300. priestes into England anno 1579. they sent Sanders and diuers priestes into Ireland where finding the people readie they presently enflamed a rebellion the which though suppressed for a time yet by the perswasions of Archer and other Iesuites and Owen Mac Teag and other seditious priests hath since flamed very bright brought all that countrey into trouble combustion Anno 1580. Parsons and Campian and their consorts came into England with large authoritie to make way for the execution of the popes bull Of which company Campian refused directly to acknowledge her Maiestie to bée his lawfull Quéene and woulde not disallow the trecherous writings of Sanders and Bristow as appéereth vnder his owne hande writing The rest applied their businesse in working discontentment in the common sort and setting on Somerfield Parry and diuers others to kill the Quéene Ballard a seditious priest was set on to drawe Babington Tichborne and their consorts to attempt that which other coulde not performe And that hath béene the continuall labour of Parsons Holt Creswell Walpoole Worthington Gifford and other Iebusites and priests Anno 1588. they brought vpon their countrey the Spanish nauy Neither haue they ceased at any time either to attempt against her Maiesties life or by rebellion or warres to oppugne the state But it cannot bée denied but such attempts by all lawes are treason And if they say they were neither priuy nor consenting vnto them they declare themselues to bée verie shamelesse For it is notorious to the world that Nicholas Morton Woodhouse and Plumtree and diuers other priestes were actors in the Northren rebellion So likewise Sanders diuers other priests were actors in the Irish rebellions Cardinall Allen diuers English priests came in person with the Spanish forces intended against their countrey Parsons and diuers other his consorts were also ready to come with the Spanish forces anno 1588. and to loose no time while matters were in preparing he holpe to make and print a trecherous and damnable libell against the Quéene and state Ballard was the principall in Babingtons conspiracie Againe those that were not actors either in the execution of the popes bull or in the rebellions and conspiracies dressed by their consorts in England and Ireland did notwithstanding allow them None of them dare open their mouthes once to mislike pope Pius his bull that vtterly disableth her Maiestie and depriueth her of her crowne They all do well like of Morton Sanders Allen Bristow and such like trumpets of sedition and allowe their writings and that to go no further appéereth by the seditious Ward-word Nay albeit diuers of thē might haue had fauor if they woulde haue condemned them and their writings yet coulde they not be induced thereunto as appéereth
now there is but one faith as there is but one baptisme and one God as the c Ephes 4. apostle teacheth vs. And this is the faith which the apostles and prophets haue taught and which wée in the church of England do professe Remember I say that true faith is Christes faith and apostolike faith It is not the popes faith nor his determinations nor vncertaine traditions It hath no other foundation but the doctrine of Christ and his apostles and holy prophets Beware therefore of the pretended cacolike Romish faith that hath no grounde but in the popes determinations nor support but lies fraude and violence If the doctrine and traditions of popish priests come not from Christ Iesus which is the foundation of our religion but is drawne out of vncertaine legendes and resteth on the popes determination remember what the apostle teacheth in this point If any man saith a Galat. 1. hée preach vnto you otherwise then that you haue receiued let him bee accursed Beléeue not euery spirite For many deceiuers are gone out into the worlde If any bring any doctrine not deduced out of holy Scripture suspect him and examine him and thou shalt finde him faultie And aboue all thinges beware of new doctrines For wée haue but one faith which hath his originall from Christ the fountaine of truth life Profanas vocum nouitates saith the b 1. Tim. 6. apostle deuita And if wée may not vse new termes or words in matters of faith then may we not receiue any newe articles of religion It is the part of true catholikes to adhere to holy fathers and to auoide nouelties as saith c Aduers haeres c. 36. Vincentius Lirinensis Nowe what fathers more holy then the prophets and apostles that are the fathers of fathers and the foundation of the church If the doctrine of poperie be for the most part a packe of old and newe heresies as hath bin shewed thée why shouldst thou bée abused by false teachers Why shouldst thou bée desirous as distempered stomackes are to feed vpon vnholesome doctrine Graues sunt haereticorum morsus saith Saint d In Euangel Luc. lib. 7. c. 10. Ambrose qui ipsis grauiores rapaciores bestijs nullum abaritiae finem impietatÃsque nouerunt They looke faire vpon thée but bite déepely They promise true religion and catholike faith but teach heresies and damnable opinions They come vnto thée with shéepes clothing and pretend sauing of soules but inwardly they are rauening woolues and séeke to destroie both thy body soule They giue thée honie but it is deliuered thée vpon a swordes point that when thou thinkest to licke honie thy hart may bée pearced with a sharpe pointed sword If the synagogue of Romanistes bée not the true church why takest thou delight to heare her teachers or to embrace her erronious doctrine Why doest thou not come out of Babylon Wilt thou remaine in her confusion and be partaker of her plagues Why shouldest thou go vp to Bethauen or delight in the congregation of wicked idolaters e Hoseae 4. Go not vp I say to Bethauen f 1. Cor. 10. flie Idolatrie g Apocal. 18. Come out of Babylon It is not I onely but Christ Iesus that calleth thée out of this confusion If thou wilt not heare him nor know him bée assured hée will not knowe thée nor heare thée It is not the pope that can saue thée nor his decretals that can warrant thee Leaue therefore the synagogue of satan and resort to Gods true church Forsake antichrist and adhere to Christ Quisquis saith Saint h Epist 152. Augustine ab ecclesia catholica abfuerit quantumuis laudabiliter se viuere existimet hoc solo scelere quòd à Christi vnitate disiunctus est non habebit vitam sed ira Dei manet super eum As without Noes arke in time past all flesh was drowned so there is no safetie out of Christes church And bée not lightly deceiued with the name of the church For antichrist as the i 2. Thes 2. apostle telleth vs shall sit in Christes church And with his followers as Saint Augustine teacheth vs shall bée accounted to bée the true church viz. by such as are abused The synagogue of satan in time past did take on them the name of Iewes and falshood is often set out with a faire lustre and shew of truth All Christians haue an interest in true religion Why then shoulde any suffer the damnable doctrine of poperie that is so full of heresies and erronious opinions Why shoulde any suffer the Scriptures to bée taken from the people of God so that they shall no more bée suffered to read them and in lieu thereof receiue the popes determinations and the synagogues of Romes traditions Can any true Christian indure the abominable idole of the masse where the bread and cup is adored for God or the idolatrous worship of Romish Babylon Those that honour God those hée will honour and such as are luke-warme and care not what religion they haue those God will cast out of his mouth as a lothsome race of atheistes and wicked men If religion mooue not euerie man yet if hée remember the slauerie of popish gouernment and how preiudiciall it is to princes to the nobilitie to the commons and all sortes of people hée will not much bée enamored of it The magistrate may not suffer either his authoritie to bée disputed of or doubted of or denied And yet the Iesuites and priestes and their adherents are suffred to teach and to do all this as appéereth by their answeres to the sixe Interrogatories by their cases of conscience and by their doctrine and actions Nay most boldly albeit secretly they practise against the life and state of her Maiestie as many particulars do shewe Happie are they that they haue encountred with such a prince and yet let them beware they abuse not her clemencie too farre For no state can stande where such contumacious and rebellious mates liue in open contempt of authoritie and lawes It behooueth also all them that carrie the sworde to looke that not onely Christ his shéepe bée defended from woolues but also that the state bée defended and maintained against professed traytors and rebels that lurke in all corners They haue not a sworde committed to them for naught But to the ende they may defende the quiet and peaceable subiect and roote out the wicked rebellious traytor Treason and notorious coÌ„tumacie against lawes cannot long be endured in any common-wealth Neither can magistrates in this case bée too watchfull God hath detected many secret conspiracies and attempts against her Maiestie and the state yet let vs not presume too farre vpon his goodnesse The way to settle peace to confirme the state to preuent all such trecherous attempts is to stop the head of rebellion and treason and to roote out all seditious priestes and Iebusites from whence all our troubles for this 43. yéeres
Parsons the Iebusite their trumpet to blow out their victory throughout England as they haue alreadie done it at Rome and in other places For what victory can be pretended when as yet not one corruption or falsification coulde bée iustified against Monsieur Plessis and when wée are able to charge not onely Bellarmine Caesar Baronius Gregorie de Valentia Sanders Harding Stapleton and their consorts whose forgeries and falsifications are innumerable but also their holy fathers whose determinations they hold to bée infallible with infinite wilfull falsifications And least anie thinke wée fable of many wée haue begun to note some fewe The vanitie of their triumph may also appéere by diuers other arguments First our cause dependeth not vpon the testimonie of Scotus nor Durand nor Petrus Crinitus No nor vpon two or thrée testimonies of this or that father But vpon the euidence of Canonicall Scriptures testimony of the catholike church of all times which wée doubt not to prooue both by the scriptures themselues and also by the interpretation consent of the most ancient and sounde fathers As for the writings of other fathers wée examine them by the rule of Gods worde and receiue them as farre as they agrée with the rule and foundation of faith The testimonie of later writers and schoolemen wée produce as a confession of our aduersaries against themselues and not as a foundation or necessarie defence of the truth which they in so many pointes oppugne They are therefore put in to fill vp the rankes of our squadrons rather then to do vs any great seruice and rather because our aduersaries estéeme them then because we thinke them woorthie to bée estéemed If then these authorities had béene ouerthrowne which is not granted yet all our other squadrons standing firme the aduersaries cannot think they haue woonne the field Secondly admit one learned man of our societie and communion had mistaken some fewe places yet is not euery mistaking a falsification vnlesse it be wilfull and fraudulent nor is euery particular mans errour to be ascribed to the whole church Nay albeit Bellarmine and Baronius be now Cardinals and men of note among the papistes yet will not Parsons I trow take on him to defende whatsoeuer they haue written And albeit such a shamelesse mate shoulde not doubt to vndertake any impossibilitie yet the popes of Rome will not abide by all they haue written Why then shoulde they vrge vs to that which thēselues mislike in their owne cause Thirdly the place and forme of triall and procéeding was all in fauour of the aduersarie and disfauour of the Lorde of Plessis For neither had hée sufficient time to consider of matters obiected and to prouide himselfe of bookes to iustifie his assertions nor so indifferent iudges as was to be desired the king stil interrupting him and disputing against him and leading the iudges which way it pleased himselfe Nor was the auditorie indifferent being for the most part of contrary opinion Nor coulde he by any humble request obtaine that either his aduersarie might precisely be tied to his challenge or that his booke might be examined orderly or any thing else that is requisite in an indifferent triall Fourthly if a gentleman and no professed diuine vpon such vnequall termes was able to make head against his aduersaries much better I hope shoulde we be able to resist if professed Diuines might procure an indifferent triall allowed by both sides and more hardly woulde the aduersaries bée able to make good their challenges against vs. Certes if Eureux coulde not so well acquite himselfe before iudges determined to iudge for him he woulde neuer be able to appéere in a frée generall councell or before equall iudges Fiftly it is most ridiculous to thinke that this Thrasonicall challenger was able to make good that cause which neither with lying forging facing nor any wit or policie the greatest clerkes of that faction are able to maintaine Finally the very wordes of Eureux his challenge do plainly conuict him to haue performed nothing I do binde my selfe a In his answere and offer made to Monsieur Plessis saith hée to shewe that neither in this booke of his against the masse nor in his treatise of the church nor in his common wealth of traditions is there to be founde so much as one place among them all which is not either falsely cited or impertinent to the matter or vnprofitably alleaged Againe He protesteth and bindeth himselfe to shewe fiue hundred enormous and open falsifications without any amplification or exaggeration and all these conteined in M. Plessis his onely late booke against the masse And this hée saide hée woulde prooue by Gréeke and Latine copies But hée spoke these wordes as it shoulde seeme more of brauerie then out of iudgement for in the first part hee hath vtterly failed and I thinke meaneth neuer to performe it If hée would bée pleased we would be glad to sée his Latine and Gréeke allegations and all that performed which he promised in writing But many doubt of his abilitie and himselfe too no lesse then others For being desired To examine M. Plessis his booke leafe by leafe and in order he vtterly refused that course The second part he began to handle but hath no way accomplished his promise For promising to shew 500. enormous falsifications he onely quoted 60. places whereof onely nine were examined and yet no falsification prooued but onely in Eureux his challenge If then the defendant is to bée acquited where the plaintife prooueth nothing or not so much as hée affirmeth then is Eureux to bée condemned that in his challenge braggeth much alleageth little and prooueth nothing In the meane while our relator may do well to cease his vaine facing and vanting For vnlesse hée triumph to couer his owne shame and losse there will bée no cause of triumph for him founde in this triall It is not the vaine boasting nor the false report of this relator that can turne truth into falsehood and falshood into truth When Eureux or any other of his consorts shall go about to performe his challenge in writing which wel cannot be denied nor altered he shall finde that the Lord of Plessis will bee both able and most readie to defende himselfe against all the calumniations of his aduersaries and for the truth of his cause hée shall neuer want assistance as long as God shall enable vs to speake or write The Kinges pleasure in censuring M. Plessis we will not examine Neither do I thinke the aduersaries will allow him to be iudge in their cause The papistes therefore must deuise some better matter to grace their Romish cause then this For neither the triall of matters at Fontainebleau nor this relation can helpe them any thing CHAP. IIII. That Peter Martyr bishop Ridley bishop Iewell master Iohn Foxe master D. Fulke and other famous men of our communion are vniustly charged with falsifications and wilfull corruptions by the relator WE will not