that he committed Idolatrie when he called the Bishop of Rome God for the meaning was playne that he did it only in honour of Christ his Maister which was true God and had lefte his place and power vpon earth to this his seruant as the Bishop explayneth in the rest of the wordes following which the deceytful minister left out of purpose and corrupted also those fewe wordes he alleadgeth by shutting out the wordes à Constantino therby to make it seeme that Steuchus spake this of himselfe and so to make way to his lying calumnâ—ation saying as he doth Augustin Steuchus doth honour him as a God by this yow may see in what case men are that beleeue these lying lippes of conscieÌ„celes Ministers vpon their words in matters of their saluation which are commonlie at this day without controlment in England seing they dare aduenture to falsifie so openlie in points which they may probably doubt to be called to reckning for by their aduersaries as we do O.E. in this other maters wherin we are to charge him hereafter Diuers other places he alleadgeth and heapeth togither taken out of Ministers note books to proue the flatterie of later Catholiques Canonistes to the Pope but they are such as eyther make nothing to the purpose or are corrupted or peruerted by him or may haue a very true and pious sense in respect of the Popes authoritie and place giuen him by Christ if they be wel and truelie vnderstood and as much or more was vsed by the ancient Fathers which these compagnions do auoid to recite of purpose for their credit sake alleaging only later wryters as â—or example the very first place cyted by this fellow out of Cardâ—nal Cusanus is this Cusan epist. ad Eohem Mutato iudicio Ecclesiae mutatum est Dei iudicium The iudgment of the Church being changed about any matter the iudgment of God changeth also and heere the ministers mouth ouerruÌ„neth exceedingly saying these good fellowes for their bellies sake speake rayle Ouerlashing of the minister hold their peace wryte faune flatter and vnto the Popes pleasure tuâ—ne their style But ho Sir swash-buckler harken to others that had lâ—sse care of their belly then yow and yours this of the change of Gods iudgment after the iudgment of the Church and of the supreeme Pastor in particular is a common saying of all the Ancient Fathers vpon those wordes of Christ VVhose sinnes yow loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen and whose ye retayne shal be retaâ—ned Matth. 16. And S. Chrisostome goeth so farre therin who yet was neyther belly God nor flatterer as he attributeth this of drawing Gods iudgment after theirs not to the whole Churche and cheife Pastor onlie but to all euery lawful Priest also in absoluing from sinne whose power and dignitie he preferreth before Emperors Angels and whatsoeuer els but the only sonne of God which may answere also the ydle cauillations of S. F. among his other allegations of flatterie in the former chapter where he complayneth that some canonists preferre the Popes Authoritie before Emperors and Angels let him heare S. Chrysostome Qui terram incolunt saith he in his 3. book de sacerdotio A discourse of S. Chrisost. of Priests author tie l. â— de sacerdotiâ— To Priests that dwel and conuerse vpon earth is it committed to dispence matters that be in heauen an authoritie that God hath geuen neyther to Angels nor Archangels tyme in the Churche of God what are yow I say Yow are the great Priest the highest Bishop yow are Prince of Bishops and heire of the Apostles yow are in Primacy Abel in gouernment Noë in Patriarkship AbrahaÌ„ in order Melchisedech in dignity Aaron in authority Moyses in iudicature Samuel in power The iudgmeÌ„t of S Bernard about the Popes tytles of honour Peter in vnction Christ to yow are geuen the keyes and the sheepe are committed to your trust there are other porters of heauen other feeders also of flockes besydes your selfe but yow are so much more glorious then they by how much more different your tytle is which yow haue inherited aboue them all They haue their flockes assigned seuerally to them in seueral but to yow all vniuersally are committed that is one general flocke to one general Pastor neyther only are yow the Pastor of all sheepe but of all Pastors also do yow aske me how I can proue it I answere out of the word of God Thus farre S. Bernard and then goeth he on to shew diuers playne places of Scripture for his profe and those especially which S. Chrysostome and S. Hilary before mentyoned and now I feare me our minister Oedipus wil say heere that S. Bernard is become a flatterer of Popes also as wel as Card. Cusanus Bellarmin D. Stapleton and other like whose sentences he cyteth but eyther vnderstandeth them not or wilfully peruerteth their meaning to deceaue his reader therby to seeme to haue somewhat euer to say though he say nothing or worse then nothing And heere I would leaue now O.E. with his arte of cogging to him selfe but that he passeth on to a contumelious calumniation or two more against a freÌ„d of myne my selfe Pag 11 Gifford sayth he calleth Philip the second the K. of Spayne the greatest Monarch vnder the sunne to shew himselfe to be one of the gressest flatterers vnder the moone About D. Gifford Deane of Lile and I say yow shew yow selfe on of the veryest fooles vnder the 7. starres to print this for so grosse a flatterie which no man of knowledge iudgment in matters of story and cosmography can deny to be truth if he consider the multitude and greatnes of countryes vnder him and your selfe that haue byn a rouing theuing about the Indyes other his dominions how large and wyde they ly cannot speake this but of wilful insolency against your conscience And as for M. Doct. and deane Gifford who hath his deanery by true adoption and not by intrusion as some frend of yours and hath his learning by studie and not by borowing wandering he I say being often iniured by yow in this book wil answere for himselfe I doubt not for that yow brag much that yow haue set foorth if I mistake yow not a booke in Latyn intituled Turco-papismus which is nothing els but an apish imitatioÌ„ of M. Raynolds Caluino-Tâ—rcimus printed by M. D. Gifford after the Authors death and that yow require so earnestly to haue it answered I hold him obliged to satisfiâ— your demand so I make accompte that he wil take the payne to looke ouer your said worthy worke and geue both it and the Author the colours which both deserue And thus much â—or my frend now for my selfe I may be briefer It followeth this Noddy to shewe himseâ—fe a nâ—ble parasâ—e Pag. Ibid. vpoÌ„ whome the 〈◊〉 of his whole inuectiue against flatterers doth moâ—â— fâ—â—lâ— fal 〈…〉
the reader so may I not altogether pretermit this preface of O. E. which is somwhat more spised with poyson and venome then the other teÌ„ding wholy to bloodshed and cruelty against Catholikes the man I haue somwhat dismasked before in my answere to his opprobrious letter to N. D. whom he enterpreteth Noddy heer we shal haÌ„dle the proiect and purpose of this his writing which indeed is nothing els O. E. his plot and proiect but to irrite and styrre vp her Maiestie and her honorable counsel with the rest that sâ—and at the sterne of gouernment to ingulf themselues in Catholikes blood and spoyle of their goods wherby hee and his hungry crue standing by and for desyre therof licking their lips might hope to come to haue some share in the deuidend O. E. vvatcheth for scrappes and yet for auoyding publike hatred notorious shame he desyreth to entertayne himselfe in some darkenes for a tyme and to expect his pray vnder the shroud of a cyphred * O. E. name for as he said which knoweth wel such compagnions qui malè agit Io. 3. vers 10. odit lucem non venit ad lucem vt non arguantur opera eius he that doth naughtely hateth the light and wil not come to it least his workes may be conuicted but yet we must drawe this Owle to light and see what he sayth vnder the vizard of O. E. His drift in this Epistle and in his whole writing is to styr vp the state to set vpon some new affliction of Catholykes reioysing clapping his hands where any rigour is in vre already and to this barbarous purpose he deuiseth diuers impertinent and ridiculous meanes of persuasion which I shal runne ouer with as much breuitie as they are voyd of substance wit reason or honestie His first meane of persuasion is by extolling exceedingly the extraordinarie clemency vsed hitherto in England towards Catholykes Rare clemeÌ„cy tovvards Catholykes which clemency he sayth hath byn most singuler and admirable and to proue this leauing all home testimonyes he runneth into Italy to seek a witnes bringing foorth one Petrus Bizartus in his story of Genua Pet Biz lib. Hist. Gen. 33. Pres. pag. 1. who sayth that for the first 20 yeares of her Maiesties reigne no blood vvas shed nor any suffered to be punished but by lavvful tryal and sentence of Iudges c. But what need was there to go so farre to fetch so slender à testimony this fellow wrote a 1000. myle of and telleth vs only that there vvas no bloudshed nor punishment vvithout some sentence of Iudges or lavvful tryal for the first 20 yeares And what then for the second twenty shal we inferre as it seemeth we must that for these later twenty yeares bloudshed hath byn vsed without lawful tryal or sentence of Iudges and doth not our minister shew himself more then * Bizarro in ItaliaÌ„ a light phantastical head Bizarro I speak to him as vnderstanding the Italian tongue for bringing in Bizarus to so fond a purpose so that by this yow may take a scantling of the mannes discretion at the very first entrance yow shal see it more in the next and other poyntes that do ensue For as in this first poynt he would make Catholikes to seeme vngrateful for that hauing receyued so singuler clemency they complayne of rigour therby deserue to be punished more so in the second poynt he beginnes to treat of their moouings against the stare wherby he would haue them much more to deserue punishment and his entrance to this treatise is in these wordes Ibid. pag. 1. In the meane vvhile Thomas Harding obteyned a Bul from the Pope to exercise Episcopal iurisdiction in EnglaÌ„d to dispence vvith irregularities and to receyue all that vvould be reconciled to the Pope And then he noteth in the margent anno Domini B567 by which entrance also we may be much confirmed in our former coÌ„iecture of our mannes deep wit seing that at the very beginning he would bring in such impertinent stuffe for the foreshew of his wares for first it was neuer hard of before I think that D. Harding after his departure out of England to Louayne in the beginning of her maiesties raigne VVhether D. Harding returned into England came home to liue in England agayne or to exercise Episcopal iurisdiction therin but rather about the tyme this man assigneth he was busy wryting in Flanders against his aduersary M. Iewel Secondlie what need was there to geue him Episcopal Iurisdiction in England at that tyme who abyding as I haue said in Flanders there were diuers Bishops yet liuing in England and other learned men to haue exercised that Episcopal iurisdiction if need had byn But this is more ridiculous which ensueth that he had a Bul to dispence vvith irregularities and to receaue all that vvould be reconciled to the Pope for what needed either Bul or Episcopal iurisdiction for this seing euery ordinarie Priest may haue authoritie to do it without Bul or Episcopal iurisdiction or what special need was there at that tyme to dispence with irregularityes or to reconcile men more then before Doth O.E. know what irregularitie meaneth or wil he tell his reader trewly what is vnderstood by reconcilling to Catholike religion which he calleth to the Pope no I trow not it is not their fashion to deale sincerely in any poynt for proof wherof heare his exposition All that vvere reconciled sayth he to the Pope renounced their obedience to the Prince Spiritual obedience may stand vvith temporal and is it so in deed Sir minister wo then to the Emperor to the kings of Spayne France Polonia and Princes of Italy and other places whose subiects are eyther all or the most parte reconciled to the Pope in the sense that we talk of Catholyke religion and yet haue they not I trow renounced therby all obedience to their temporal princes So that reconciliation to the Pope may stand with due obedience to their naturel princes also if O.E. his seditious mates wil be content to vnderstand matters a right and not to cauil wilfully against their owne consciences As for D. Mortons sending into the north by Pius Quintus for declaration of his sentence geuen in Rome which is the next poynt that followeth in this ministers tale it being so long agoe and but a particuler English mannes act cannot by any reason preiudice any more the residue of Catholykes now in England The Earle of Effex his attempt then the late attempt of the Earle of Essex did or may do all English puritanes and protestaÌ„ts that were of his religion or shal be hereafter though not priuie to his attempt nor any thing so much as the said late attempt may touch perhaps this hungry minister if matters were wel examined who being of his retinue and of more need then his maister is likly inough to haue byn of his councel
her Ma tie wil needs be pratlyng of these affayres not content with this goeth further to renew worse sores and to accuse both K. Henry himselfe and all the State and Parlament of that tyme with wilful murder and tyranny towards that lady and Queene saying Odious matter brought in by this hungry parasite 1. Pag. 3. The Popes adhaerâ—ntes in England neuer ceased vntil they haâ— brought her Ma ties most innocent Mother to her end which was the greatest griefe that tormented the King lying on his death bed sore repenting himselfe for the wrongful shedding of the innocent Queenes blood neyther did they onlie murder the innocent Mother but also sought by act of Parlament to disable and from the succession to exclude the daughter All this how true or vntrue it is the storie and actes of Parlaments of K. Henries lyfe do testifie Lib. Statute cap. 7. an Hen. 2â— especiallie that of the 28. yeare of his raigne and whether matters passed so long agoe with such publike authoritie deliberation and coÌ„sent as these did may be called now into question againe to the infamy both of the said K. her Maiesties Father and of his state counsel and nobilitie by such a pettie compagnion as this is only to flatter and to get himself a bigger benefice and without all ground or former testimony therof in storie or other authentical register let all the world iudge as also how neare O. E. resembleth heere Oedipus who killed his owne Father to marry his mother which mysterie I leaue to the curious reader to apply in this place One thing is certayne that howsoeuer the matter passed at that tyme for iustice or iniustice the cheife doers therof next to the king himselfe were proteâ—â—ants namelie Cromwel Cranmer that could do most with him at that tyme The dealing of Cromvvel and Cranmer about Q. Anne BolleÌ„ and in effect all and the first of them was principally imployed in the said Queenes condemnation and death as appeareth yet by publike recordes and the second was vsed for her defamacion after her death as is extant at this day in the foresaid statute it selfe where Cranmers sentence is recorded iudâ—ciallie giuen by him An Henry 2â— cap. 7. as Archbishop of Canterburie affirming of his owne accord and knowledge such â—hings as no wyse or modest man I thinke wil beleeue and I â—or thâ— same cause and for dewtiful respect to her Maiestie do forbear to repeat the same heere though it be vnder his hand and seale but such a good fellow was Cranmer the first piller of protestant religion in England Sand. lib. 1. de Schis that for gayne of liuing or fauour and for enioying quietly his woman which he caried about with him in a truÌ„ke at those dayes he would say or sweare or vnsay any thing the sentence may be seene by him that wil for it is extant in print in the English booke of Statutes Neyther can this Sycophantes caluÌ„niatioÌ„ affirming the said Queens death to be procured by the Popes adhereÌ„ts in EnglaÌ„d haue any probabilitie at al seing that no adherent to the Pope was in credit or authoritie in that tyme but rather in all disgrace and daunger and so much of this After the foresaid Sycophancie and foolish calumniations vsed against Catholikes for wishing euel to her Maiestie our Minister turneth agayne to his worke of flatterie and telleth more prayses of her Maiesties gouernment as though our businesse and controuersy stoode in this and not rather in the euel euents which haue succeeded by change of religion And to helpe S r. F. out from the charge of flatterie layd vnto him after much ydle babling Sup cap. 1. about particular blessings wherin notwithstanding he agreeth not with the K. as before hath byn and after shal be shewed he runneth to the same common place before mentyoned of flatterie vsed by courtiers and canonists to the Pope the force of which shifte and refuge how vayne it is yow haue heard before discussed Cap â— and it neadeth not to be repeated heere and the examples and instances which he bringeth are the same for the most part which S r. F. touched before and are before answered as that of Panormitan and other canonists affirming Panorm in c. licet de election idem esse Christi Papae Consistorium Christ and the Pope as his substitute to haue one and the selfe same Consistorie or Tribunal Ioan. in c. Quanto de translat Epis. whereof we haue treated in the former Chapter There is that other also how the Pope is or may be called God in the sense before meÌ„tyoned this man alleadgeth it thus Augustin Steuâ—hus doth honour him as a God Audis sayth he Pontificem Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo Doest thow heare the Pope called God and held for God and then noteth in the margent contra donationem Constantini Steuchus saith it in his booke against the Donation of Constantyne in which fewe wordes there are so many cousenages or rather knaueries vsed as no man would beleeue but in such a cogging Mâ—nister as comming latelie from Irish warres hath not learned yet to haue any conscience or honestie For first of all that most learned man Augustinus Steuchus Eugubinus bishop of Kysam wrote no booke against the Donation of Constantyne as heere is imposed vpon him Diuers falshoodes ofâ— the coÌ„scieÌ„celes minister but rather for it prouing the same most learnedlie out of all antiquitie against Laurentius Valla the grammarian that fondlie had impugned the same Secondlie the words heere alleadged out of Steuchus though they be in his booke yet are they alleadged by him not in his owne name but as comming from Constantyne the great by the testimony of Nicolaus primus Pope of Rome about 800. yeare agoe who cyteth out of the said Donation of Constantine Cap. 2. that amongst other honorable tytles he calleth him also God in that sense no doubt which before is shewed by scripture that both Moses and other holie men were called Gods and herevpon Bishop Steuchus addeth those wordes before mentyoned Audâ—s summum Pontificem à Constantino Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo Aug Steuchus in Lauren Vall. de donat Constant fol. 230. hoc videlicet factum est cùm eum praeclaro illo Edicto decorauit adorâ—uit vti Deum vti Christi Petri successorem velut viuam Christi imaginem veneratus est Do yow heare how the Pope is heere called God by Constantine and held for God this was done when he did honour him so highlie with that excellent edict in his fauour adoring him as God and as the successor of Christ and Peter and reuerencing him as the liuelie image of Christ himselfe Heere now we see how Pope Siluester was honored by our famous Britane Emperour Constantine the great and yet no man would cry out then The great honor donne by Constant. the great to Pope Siluester
and discretion wil be of my opinion that whatsoeuer good effectes haue come to our common wealth by her Maiesties gouernment or rare partes of Princelie commendations A note to be diligently obserued and which truelie may be termed blessings might haue byn as great as all these or farre greater vnder Catholike religion and especiallie in her Maiestie if it had pleased almightie God to haue blessed her and the realme with the continuance therof and contrariwyse whatsoeuer cursings and calamities on the contrarie syde haue ensued or may ensue herafter by the change of religion these are proper effectes and necessary consequeÌ„ts of the new ghospel and not of any defect in her Maiesties gouernment and this foundatioÌ„ being presupposed in all that I shal say let vs passe on to examine in a word or two the most ridiculous vanitie of these fiue blessings folowing which he calleth corporal accompting his former spiritual For the first of them which is deliueraÌ„ce from intolerable exactions â— Blessing deliuerance from exactions if he meane it of the realme in general as his marginal note may seeme to importe which often yet disagreeth in sense from his text let the Escheker books be compared of the tributes payments contributions and exactions that were vsed in EnglaÌ„d in former dayes before this new ghospel came in and since I meane of the summes that were payd in old tymes when Catholike religion bare rule and protestants were not knowne those that later Princes by reason of troubles warres suspicions and other like occasions rysing especially by difference in religion haue byn forced to take of their subiects since the yeare of Christ 1530. or there about at what tyme K. Henrie began vpon the aduise incitation of Cranmer Cromwel and other Protestants to breake with the Pope and churche of Rome let these summes I say be coÌ„ferred and then our knight if he be a good Auditor or Eschequer man wil for very shame stryke out this blessing and mentyon it no more But yf he meane this blessing especiallie or principallie of our Clergie men this day in England for that they pay nothing now to the Pope as in the texte and prosecution of this blessing is set downe then let the wealth and ease of the old and new Clergie be compared togither or rather the pouertie and beggerie of the one with the honor and splendor of the other and so this controuersie wil quicklie be decyded and S.F. beaten from this first corporal blessing of his new Cleargie to a Spiritual which is Matth. â— Beati pauperes spiritu blessed are the poore in spirit for in body and purse they are already miserable as them-selues euery where complayne The pouertie and myserie of the protestaÌ„t cleargie none more grieuously or more spitefullie in secret as before hath byn touched then his champion O.E. alleaging these reasons that the most of them hauing much to pay both to Prince Patron in steed of the Pope and litle to receyue the gleebe lands of their benefices being commonlie swept to their hands and their charge of women and children so great as the parishes do commonlie feele when they dy their beggerie must needs be intollerable wheras on the other syde in Catholyke Countryes yf they contribute any thing to the Pope as to their head for better maintenance of his state and gouerment of the whole Churche it is neyther so great a matter and commonlie â—â—t out of the greater benefices that caÌ„ better beare it and in recompence of that agayne he defendeth them against the intrusion or vsurpation of seculer men vpoÌ„ their liuings which importeth them much more as by experience of Catholyke Countryes and Kyngdomes is seene then is the contribution they make to Rome though it were so great and greuous as our K. maketh it in K. Henrie the 3. his â—yme alleaging a certayne complaynt of our English Churche to Pope Innocentius 4. in a general Councel at Lions an 1245. against his collectors officers in England which being taken out of Iohn Fox whom this man yet wil not name maketh no more against the Popes Authoritie A calumniation of Ihon Fox act â—on Pag. 241.242 c. nor yet conuinceth him of abuse that way then yf at this day the same complaynt should be made by the Churche of Spayne as diuers tymes it is against the lyke collectors or officers there or when any complaint is made in England of any of her Ma ties officers that abuse themselues in their collections for couetousnes vpon the Clergie at this day wherof I presuppose there would not want complaints if all Ministers should be willed to vtter their greifes therin And what then doth Syr F. and Fox vrge so much against the Pope the complaynt of some in England against his officers at that tyme VVhy Pope Innocentius required a collection of mony for recouering the holy land when the publike necessitie of christendome oppressed by Turkes and Saracens inforced Pope Innocentius as general Father of all to lay some contribution vpon the cleargie of England and other countryes for defence therof to which effect also in the very same councel of Lions he had appoynted and declared king Lewes of France for Supreme general and yet was not the summe exacted such nor so great but that more money in these our dayes hath byn sent out of the realme in one yeare by these meÌ„nes liking and good approbation for defence of heresie and rebellion in France Flanders Scotland and other countryes theÌ„ was in this many other tymes in those dayes for maintenance of the whole Churche and Christianitie and yet coÌ„playneth not our knight of this which subiects now feele for that it is present but of the other past and gone which they feele not wherby is seene his indifferencie that they seek nothing but matter of complayâ—â— and cauilling against the Pope and hâ—â— doings As for long peace which is an other blessing of his both sweet profitable as he termeth it â— blessing long peace I know not what or why I should answere seing Aristotle teacheth that to go about to proue or improue by reasonâ— that which is open and manifest to our senses is to wearie reason and offer iniurie to sense who seeth not therfore what hath passed in England since protestant religion first entred in K. Henryes dayes for if we talke oâ— domestical styrres and tumultes among our people we haue had more within these 70. yeares to wit from the one or two and twentith of K. Henryes raigne downwards vnder him and his three children respecting religioÌ„ only then in a thousand before his dayes and more then in many ages for any cause whatsoeuer setting a syde the contention for the crowne betweene the two houses oâ— Yorke and Lancaster which cannot go by reason in this accompt for that it was a particular quarrel of certayne Princes of the bloud royal not rysing of
looked for at Hieroms hands as from others that went before him T. Cartvv lib 1. Pag 103. Clement Anacletus Epiphanius Anicetus Zozemenus Volutianus Ambrose and Augustine are cyted by Protestants against them Contempt of old Doctors Surv. Pag. 337 wherto they answere the bringing of those authorities against vs by protestants is the moouing and summoning of hel the tymes wherin these men liued were not pure and vyrgynlyke Clement Anacletus Anâ—cetus are discharged for rogues and men branded in the forhead Epiphanius wrote according to the tyme he liued in Ambroâ—e holdeth other things corruptlie Zozemenus Volutianus wrote not according to that which was but according to the custome and manner of the age wherin they wrote Augustines sentence say they yf it should be admitted would make a wyndow to bring in all popery Loe these mennes spirit Doctor Whitgift vrgeth them with testimonies out of Pope Sixtus the Martyr D. vviâ—g pag. 344. Pope Damasus S. Hierome Zozemenus and Socrates they answere two of them are counterfets Damasus spoke in the Dragons voice the best ground among men beareth thistles those tymes were corrupt Twelue other Doctors are alleaged together against them but they answere what then yf they were for one a hundred Surv. Ibid. they cannot counteruaile truth must not be measured by the crooked yeard of men Iosephus Iudaeus is cyted with great commendation of Eusebius Beza answereth he is ridiculous and foolish The exposition of 7. greeke and latyn doctors is alleadged vpon certayne words in the Epistle to the Romanes Cap. 12. vers â— qui distribuit c. T. Cartvv li. 3. Pag. 8. 9. Cartwright contemneth it and sayth that by strayning the text in steed of mylke they drawe out blood And generally this surueing protestant sheweth that the puritanes do conteÌ„ne condeÌ„ne both Fathers councels within the first 500. yeares charging them with corruptioÌ„ fauouring Antichrist the Pope of Rome alleaging for this their owne wordes and senteÌ„ces as this for example of Beza The fathers sayth he in the first councel of Nice vnderlayd the seat of the harlâ—t Pag â—43 And T. Cartwright Beza his scholler The fathers imagined fondly of Antichrist they dealt like ignorant men they were ouer-maistred of their owne affections And then further of the Apostles tyme it selfe Surv. Ibid. Although sayth he the tower of this Antichristian buylding was not then set vp yet the foundation therof was secretlie layd in the Apostles tyme c. I might passe further in raking this chanel of desperate contemptuous speaches of these new fantastical brethren against antiquitie but what do these protestant writers that gather these things against puritans ameÌ„d the matters themselues No trulie but rather do worse then they or as bad whensoeuer occasion is offred and that they are so pressed with the fathers Authorities as they cannot shift them of with any sleight or subtile interpretatioÌ„ wherof let the writings of Fulke against D. Bristow D. Allen and others be witnesses as Whitakers also against D. Sanders who hath this general caueat VVhitâ—k cont sand Pag. 92. if yow argue sayth he from the witnesses of men be they neuer so learned and auncient we yeild no more to their words in cause of fayth and religion VVe perceaue then we perceyue to be agreable to Scripture neyther thinke your selfe to haue proued any thing though yow bring against vs the whole consent and swarme of Fathers except that which they say be iustified not by the voice of men but by God himself Loe heere good reader ponder this with they self and let vs make an end consider what vnitie or way to vnitie what certaintie or meane of certainty haue these men who disagree not only in poynts and articles of beleef but euen in the very principles and first grounds how to be tryed who shal be witnesses who iudges who moderators who interpreters and lastly who shal determine the matter in such sort as other ther-vpon may be bound to obey all talk of Scriptures and all appeale to Scriptures but they agree not nor euer wil who shal geue the meaning of Scriptures antiquitie they infame by obiecting corruptions old Fathers and councels they disdayne new Doctors of their owne they contemne when they dissent from them ours they hate flye and detest all parties do vrge the words of S. Paul to the Romaynes Rom. 12. that Scriptures must be expounded according to the analogy proportion and rule of fayth wherby they confesse yf yow marke that Scriptures must be ruled by fayth and not all fayth by Scriptures but what fayth this is which must be the rule for interpreting Scriptures this is not so easy to be agreed vpon and for that each part hath a different fayth and consequentlie also a different rule of fayth which in heretykes sectaries is their owne brayne in Catholykes the vniforme coÌ„sent of antiquitie hervpon foloweth that the selfe same Scriptures are differentlie expounded by them and different collections made vpon them each man according to his fayth and beleef and so this rule with heretykes is nothing els but an endles laborinth them-selues do confesse it and proue it also by experience as may appeare by that which is said before in the 4. and 5. chapters of this encounter about the eueÌ„t of their Councels Synodes and other meetings and by other testimonies of their owne Authors But for vpshot of this Chapter I meane to alleage then one only that hath written of late Rob Robertson Anabaptist his meanes for tryal printed his booke in HollaÌ„d his name is Robert Robertson a teacher as it seemeth among Anabaptists of that country who complayning much that his people and other of the same new ghospel who agree as he sayth in one against the Pope and Papists and all of them professe to follow only Scriptures can neuer notwithstanding agree about the meaning therof wher-vpon considering the great inconuenience and hurt that of this doth ensue he hath thought vpon another meane of agreement which is to make sute vnto the States to grant them leaue in some field or towne to assemble themselues seuerally and to pray to God first the one syde and then the other to obtayne some euident myracle for decision of their controuersies and to know which syde should yeild to the other And to the end that the diuel may not enter in or deceyue them with a false miracle this man fayth that he hath thought of one allowed and testified in Scripture it selfe and such as the diuel cannot woorke which is to make the Sunne to staÌ„d stil for a while therfore would haue both sâ—des seuerally to pray for this myracle and therby end their controuersie nothing doubting but that God they being so special seruants of his wil of his great goodnes condescend vnto their petition in so iust and necessarie a demand Heere loe is this mannes opinion for the meane to
substantially he must â—â—mayn conuinced of two great calumâ—â—tions For proof then of the first he alleadgeth â—â—ree reasons which are these First that Caâ—holyks do forbid vulgar translations not only of Protestants but also of their owne men 3. Reasons â—or S. F. his ansvvere and neuer a one concluding except the Bishop or Inquisitor giue special licence ergò we hold it for heresy Secondly that yt was obiected to Iohn Lambert for anâ— heretical opinion which he alleageth out of Fox though he name him not that he held Pag. 41. Fox act and monu Pag. 1006. col 1. num 65. That all heads and rulers are bound by necessitie of Saluation to giue the holy Scriptures to their people in theiâ— mother language His third argument is for thaâ— our Rhemists in their preface of the traÌ„slation of the new Testament say They do not publisâ— the Testament in English vpon any erronious opinioâ— of necessitie that the Scripture should alwayes be iâ— our mother tongue or that they ought or were ordaâ—neâ— by God to be read indifferently of all By which threâ— Reasons he thinketh it sufficiently proued that we hold the reading of Scriptures for heresy But who seeth not that no one of these reaâ—sons nor all together do conclude any thing to that effect The 3. reasons of S. F. examined For to the first though Catholyke do forbid men to vse their owne vulgar translations but with liceÌ„se yet do they not forbiâ— yt as heresy for then as I sayd they woulâ— graunt yt to none but they forbid it as a thinâ— wherof being abused heresy may follow as a Father should forbid his children that aâ—â— weak or indiscreet to drink strong wyne without water least they be dronckeÌ„ or catâ—â— an ague he sayth not that the drinking it seâ—â— is drunkennes or an ague but that being abuâ—sed it may cause the same And so to the second the reading of Scriâ—ptures was not obiected to Lambert as heresie but for that he was charged to hold it necessarie vnder payne of damnation to giue the said Scriptures in vulgar languages to all people which was an heretical and false assertion The Rhemists also which is the third obiection do cal the said opinion of Lambert about the necessitie of reading Scriptures in vulgar tongues by all sortes erronious and not the reading of Scriptures yt self Now then let vs heare and examine S. F. argument made vpon the words of our Rhemists before recited Pag. 47. The absurd vulearned manner of reasoning vsed by the Knight Now sayth he yf to think the Scriptures may be read indifferently of all he in your iudgement an heretical opinion then for men to read them is in your iudâ—ement an heretical action Mark good Reader â— F. manner of argument first he peruerteth the words alleaged by himself our of our Rhemists For they say It is erronious to put necessâ—tie for all to read But he sayth they affirme it heretical that all may read Now betweene must may erronious heretical there is much difference Then doth not this second proposition follow of his first for though it be erronious or heretical to hold necessitie of publishing the Scriptures in English to all as Lambert did hold yet followeth it not that â—he reading it self is heretical for a man may haue leaue to read and so auoyd all fault and â— Catholyke man vpon curiositie may chauÌ„ce â—o read without leaue and yet not beleeue heâ—etically that it is necessarie to permit them â—o be read of all And to the end good reader thou maist see the vanitie of his former consequeÌ„ce consider the same in an other exaÌ„ple It is an erronious and heretical opinion to say that all men and women may or must preach teach and administer Sacraments without ordination or licence ergo it is heresy or at least wayes an heretical action to teach preach administer SacrameÌ„ts who seeth not the folly of this consequence But now where-as the warder vpon this occasion entreth into the verie substance of the matter The cheefe substance of the matter omitted by Syr F. shewing at large how and in what sense reading of Scriptures in vulgar tongues is forbidden in the Catholyke Churche and vpon what causes and how farre and to what persons and to what end and with what limitations and how falsely heretykes do cauil and slaunder them in this behalf and confirmeth the same by many authorities arguments and euident reasons as also that the right vnderstanding of Scriptures is a peculiar gift of God and not common to all and that experience both of our and old tymes haue taught vs the great euils and daungers which had ensued by schismes heresies and varieties of opinions gathered out of Scriptures by euil interpretation alleaging also diuers examples for the same To all this I say being the pith and substance of the whole matter S. F. answereth not one word according to his shift of omission before mentioned when he hath nothing to answere and therfore vsing silence in this he passeth ouer to the second vntruth obiected that men are brandled to the slaughter for only reading vpon Gods book leauing the first sticking on his sleaue as yow see and much more confirmed then remoued by his answere For seing he affirmed it so stoutlie before that we held it heresy euen to think or desyre to read Scriptures in English why had he not alleaged some one playne text some Canon some one sentence some one Author of ours some book scrip or scrolle where we say so and where we do pronounce that first for heresie why runneth he to so blynd weake arguments and coniectures as yow haue heard Heerby yow may see what men of their wordâ— conscience and veritie they be and I may say of this K t. as Tertullian said of Marcion the heretyke Tertul. lib. 5. ad Marc. cap. 14â— num 231. quantas foueas fecit aufeâ—endo quae voluit how many great gappes hath he made in my book leauing out what he would or could not answer But now to the second vntruth whether men were put to death in deed for only reading scriptures About the second vntruth vvhether men vvere put to death for only reading scriptures VVastvvord Pag. 43. this dependeth of the first For yf it be euident that we hold not that the only reading of Scriptures is heresie as he affirmeth and we haue shewed the contrarie then followeth yt not to be likely that we brandle men to death with fyer for this fact which is a punishment due to heresie Let vs see then what the K â— sayth heere First of all he picketh a quarrel as though I had added somewhat to his wordes saying Pag. 43. Before I proced to the iustifying of my speach Pag. 43. geue me leaue to tel yow that this word onely by yow thrust into my words is one ly of your coyning though not the only one lye Heere