of matters Ecclesiasticall and afterward of ciuill and worldly affaires In Ecclesiasticall affaires which by her meanes grew to a better settlement we are to consider first what grace it is to haue a certaintie in religion and next what fauour God shewed to vs reducing vs to the vnitie of the true Catholicke Church Thirdly we will reason of true faith fourthly of the sincere administration of the Sacraments fiftly of the true worship of God sixthly of the Scriptures and publicke prayers in our mother tongue seuenthly of freedome we enioyed by her from persecution from the Popes exactions frō his wicked lawes and vniust censures from al heretical and false doctrine eightly of deliuerance from schisme superstition and idolatrie and finally of good workes and the happinesse of those that not onely are able to 〈◊〉 which are good workes but also do walke in them according to their Christian profession auoiding pretended Popish good-workes that are either impious or else superstitious and vnprofitable Al which graces this land hath long enioyed by her 〈◊〉 reformation of religion In matters politicall we purpose to consider first the happie deliuerance of this land out of the hands of the Spaniard from all feare of forreine enemies Next her famous victories both against 〈◊〉 and traitors at home and open enemies abroade and her glorie and reputation with forreine nations Thirdly the restitution of all royall authoritie and preheminence to the Crowne of which the Pope before that had vsurped a great part Fourthly the peaceable estate of this kingdome in the tumults of other nations round about vs and lastly the wealth and multitude of her subiects CHAP. I. Of certaintie in Faith and Religion and of the 〈◊〉 we haue with the true auncient Catholike and Apostolike Church FAith as saith the Apostle Heb. 11. is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene If then we haue true faith we are assured of things hoped for although not séene When two of the disciples of Christ doubted of his resurrection he said vnto them O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken Ideo fideles vocati 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom Hom. 1. in 1. Tim 4. vt his quae dicuntur sine 〈◊〉 haesitatione credamus Therefore we are called faithfull that we may beleeue without doubting those things which are spoken So then all Christians that 〈◊〉 do certainly beléeue and are perswaded and he that doubteth beléeueth not Further the obiect of faith is most certaine Heauen and earth shall passe but my words shall not passe saith our Sauiour Matth. 24. Saint Augustine doth attributs that onely to the writers of canonical Scriptures that they could not erre Neither 〈◊〉 I to stand long vpon this point séeing our 〈◊〉 also confesse that nothing that is false can be the obiect of faith But our aduersaries take away from Christians all certaintie of faith and religion For first they teach that no Christian is to beleeue that he shall be saued and secondly they make mans faith vncertaine concerning the obiect That is taught by the conuenticle of Trent sess 6. cap. 16. where it saith Neque seipsum aliquis etiamsi nihil sibi conscius sit iudicare debet that is neither ought any to iudge himselfe although he be not conscious to himselfe of any thing And in the same session chap. 9. it determineth that no man by the certaincie of faith ought to assure himself that he shal be saued The second point doth follow of the diuers doctrines of the Papists Eckius holdeth that the Scriptures are not authentical without the authority of the Church And although Bellarmine dare not allow this forme of 〈◊〉 yet where he defendeth the determination of the conuenticle of Trent concerning the old Latine translation in effect he granteth it For if the Church onely can make Scriptures authenticall then without the Churches authoritie they are not authentical In his booke De not is Eccles. c. 2. he saith the Scriptures depend vpon the Church 〈◊〉 saith he pendent ab Ecclesia Stapleton lib. 9. de princip doctrinal cap. 4. saith that it is necessary that the Churches authoritie should consigne and declare which bookes are to be receiued for canonicall Scripture Necessarium est saith he vt Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 as Scripturarum canonem consignet And his meaning is that no man is to receiue any 〈◊〉 for canonicall but such as the Church from time to time shall determine to be canonical and those vpon the Churches determination he will haue necessarily receiued Secondly the 〈◊〉 of Trent maketh Scriptures and vnwritten traditions of equall value Bellarmine in his fourth book De verbo Dei speaketh no otherwise of traditions then as of the infallible writtē word of God Stapleton saith The rule of faith doth signifie all that doctrine which is deliuered and receiued in the Church and that very absurdly as I thinke no reasonable man can well denie For that being granted the rule and 〈◊〉 ruled should be all one But of that we shall speake otherwhere Thirdly they teach that the determinations of the Church are no lesse firmely to be beleeued and reuerently to be holden then if they were expressed in Scriptures Id quod sancta mater Ecclesia definit vel acceptat saith Eckius Enchir. cap. de Eccles. non est minore firmitate credendum ac veneratione tenendum quà m si in diuinis literis sit expressum And all our aduersaries do beléeue that the Popes determinations concerning matters of faith are infallible and so to be accounted of Finally in the canon law c. in canonicis dist 19. they place the decretals of Popes in equall ranke with canonicall Scriptures Of these positions it followeth that as long as men beléeue the Komish Church they neither beleeue truth nor haue any certaine faith or religion And that is proued by these arguments First he that beleeueth not Gods promises concerning his own saluation is an infidel and hath no true faith But this 〈◊〉 the case of all Papists For not one of them beléeueth that 〈◊〉 all be saued nor imagineth that God hath said or promised any thing concerning his owne saluation Secondly if the Scriptures depend vpon the Church and the Church is a societie of mē then the Papists beléeue Scriptures with humane faith and depend vpon men But that they do plainely teach Thirdly if the Church ought to consigne canonicall Scriptures and the Pope ought to rule the Church 〈◊〉 if the Pope either determine against canonical Scriptures or make fabulous scriptures equall with canonicall Scriptures the Papists are to beléeue either doctrine contrarie or diuers from Scriptures at the least they are vncertaine what they shall beléeue But the Pope may both erre in denying Scriptures and adding to Scriptures To answer this the Papists are driuen to affirm that the Pope cannot erre in these determinations But this sheweth the 〈◊〉 of their faith
brutishnesse and base people in seruitude and superstitious people in vanities and superstitions CHAP. VI. Of the contradictions of popish Doctors in principall points of Religion OF the dissentions of popish Doctors in matters of religion I haue said somewhat before Yet because Papists make vnitie in matters of faith to be a marke of the Church and confidently deny that their Doctors dissent in any point of any moment I haue thought good to insist yet more vpon this point that the world may see not only their miserie that as men not resolued in most points of religion wauer betwixt contrarie opinions but also their notorious impudencie that deny it Therein also doth appeare some Papists wonderfull simplicitie that séeing the contention of their Doctors do not vnderstand their differences and séeeing their differences and vncertaintie of popish Religion do notwithstanding sticke fast in the filthy dregs and abhominable corruptions thereof Pighius lib. 1. Eccles. hierarch cap. 2. saith That Scriptures are not aboue our faith but subiect vnto it Stapleton Princip doctrin lib. 12. cap. 15. holdeth that the Church and Scriptures are of equall authoritie Eckius in enchirid loc com cap. de Eccles. saith That the Scriptures are not authenticall without the authoritie of the church Bellarmine thought best not to dispute this question Nicholas Lyra Hugo Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas de Vio and Sixtus Senensis lib. 1. Biblioth sanctae reiect the last seuen Chapters of the booke of Hester as not canonicall Scripture The Conuenticle of Trent Bellarmine and most popish Doctors of late time hold them to be canonicall and thinke hardly of those which teach contrarie Iohn Driedo lib. 1. de Scripturis dogmat Eccles. denyeth the booke of Baruch to be canonicall Scripture Bellarmine lib. 1. de verb. Dei and most of his fellowes be of a contrarie opinion Caietan and Erasmus in their Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes of Iames Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn do dissent from the rest of their fellowes partly concerning the authors and partly concerning the authoritie of those Epistles Iames bishop of Christopolis in Praefat. in Psalm And Canus lib. 2. cap. 13. de locis theologicis affirme That the Iewes haue depraued and corrupted the Scriptures An opinion false and blasphemous and therefore contradicted by Bellarmine lib. 2. de verb. Dei and diuers others Sainctes Pagninus in Praefat. interpretationis suae Biblior And Paulus bishop of Foro-sempronij lib. 2. cap. 1. de die passionis Domini deny that the vulgar Latine translation was made by Hierome Augustine of Eugubium and Iohn Picus of Mirandula hold contrarie Bellarmine and Driedo say that it is part his and part others Alexander Hales and Durand hold that the diuine attributes are not distinguished but in respect vnto creatures Henricus and Albertus Magnus in 1. Sent. dist 2. hold contrarie Richardus in dist 3. lib. 1. sent holdeth that the most holy Trinitie may be demonstrated by naturall reasons Scotus and Francis Maronis and Thomas affirme contrarie About the faculties of the soule called potentiae the schoolmen are deuided into three sects Some hold that they are al one with the substance of the soule others that they are accidents the third that they are betwéene substances and accidents Abbas Ioachim and Richardus de sancto victore taught diuinam essentiam generare gigni The contrary is taught by Peter Lombard and his followers Peter Lombard lib. sent 1. dist 17. taught that charitie wherewith we loue God and our neighbor is the holy Ghost and that it is not any thing created But now most of his followers haue in this point forsaken him and hold contrarie In the 24. distinct of his first booke the same Peter Lombard saith that words of number spoken of God are spoken onely relatiuely and that the word Trinitie implieth nothing 〈◊〉 but onely priuatiuely Which because it contrarieth the mysterie of the holy Trinitie is denied almost by all his followers In the 44. distinction of the same booke he saith that God can alwayes doe whatsoeuer he could euer do and willeth whatsoeuer he would at any time and knoweth whatsoeuer he he knew at any time But his disciples hold direct contrarie Thomas p. 1. q. 46. art 2. holdeth that the world or at the least some creature might haue bene from euerlasting So likewise holdeth Bonauenture and some others Richardus doeth maintaine the opposite opinion The Maister of Sentences in 4. dist 1. and Gabriel and Vega lib. 7. in concil Trident. c. 13. hold that not onely substances but accidents are also created Alexander Hales q. 9. m. 6. q. 10. m. 1. and Thomas p. 1. q. 45. art 4. affirme that only substances are created About this question An omnium aeuiternorum sit vnum aeuum vel 〈◊〉 there are fiue Different opinions the first of Scotus the second of Thomas the third of Durand the fourth of Henricus the fift of Bonauenture Likewise about this question Quae sit ratio formalis cur Angelus sit in loco there are fiue 〈◊〉 opinions all repugnant one to another Thomas and Richardus do affirme that 〈◊〉 Angels cannot be in one place together Scotus Occham and Gabriel hold the contrary Thomas teacheth that Angels haue not intellectum agentem possibilem Scotus doth directly contradict him Scotus and Gabriel teach that diuels and good Angels do vnderstand naturally both our thoughts and the thoughts one of another but to Thomas p. 1. q. 57. art 4. this seemeth absurd Antisiodorensis lib. 2. sum teacheth that Christ had Angelum custodem other schoole-men denie it Scotus sayth that the will is the onely subiect of sinne Thomas denieth it Concerning the place of paradise there are thrée different opinions Some hold that it 〈◊〉 to the circle of the Moone Thom. in 2. dist 17. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place it vpon a high mountaine The rest place it in the East Concerning the nature of free wil 〈◊〉 are diuersities of opinions among schoolemen and others as Iosephus Angles sheweth in lib. 2. sent dist 24. 25. Richardus holdeth that frée will cannot be chaunged by God Others for the most part hold the contrary Thomas Bonauenture and Sotus hold that grace is not a qualitie infused but a qualitie inherent in the soule Alexander Hales and Scotus hold that it is a qualitie infused Iosephus Angles in lib. 2. sent dist 26. rehearseth thrée seuerall opinions of schoole doctors about the diuision of grace in gratiam operantem cooperantem whereby it may appeare that in talking of grace they do endeuor to shut out grace Certaine schollers of Thomas beléeue and teach that no man being of yeares of discretion can be iustified by the absolute power of God without the act and concurrence of free will Scotus Vega and Caietane say quite contrary Both their opinions are touched by Iosephus Angles in 2. sent dist 27. Richardus in 2. dist 27. art 2. q. 1. Scotus in
reason others say contrarie The Scotists lib. 1. sent dist 5. inuey against Henricus de Gandauo for his opinion about the eternall generation of the Sonne of God Aegidius holdeth that the son of God hath power to beget another son which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange doctrine Thomas Aquinas part 1. q. 32. art 4. saith that Doctors may hold contrary opinions Circa notiones in diuinis He teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the Father then from the Sonne which others mislike If then they agrée not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie it is not like that in matters wherein they haue libertie to dissent they will better agrée Scotus holdeth that the soule and an Angell do not differ as two diuers kinds Others teach contrary Some Doctors hold that Angels consist of forme onely others hold contrary They dissent also about the sin of our first parents Pighius in the doctrine of original sin dissenteth from his fellowes Innocentius in c. maiores de bapt eius effect misliketh the opinion of the master of the Sentences that held it to be pronitas ad peccandum that is a pronenesse to sinne The Thomists to this day could neuer be reconciled to the Scotists about the conception of our Ladie these denying she was conceiued in sin the others affirming it Gropper in his exposition of the Créed confesseth that among the Papists there are two diuers opinions about Christs descending into hell Bellarmine in his bookes of controuersies doth not more violently run vpon vs then vpon his owne consorts In euery article almost he bringeth contrary expositions of Scriptures and contrary opinions In the sacrament of the Lords supper which is a pledge of loue there are infinite contradictions among them as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against Bellarmine The like contentions I haue shewed in my Treatises de Indulgentijs de Purgatorio and shall haue occasion more at large to speake of them hereafter We are therefore to thanke God that the doctrine of faith in the Church of England is setled and that refusing all nouelties we agrée therein with the auncient catholike Church We acknowledge one Lord one faith one baptisme one head of the Church one canon of Scriptures with the auncient fathers The rules of all auncient and lawfull generall Councels concerning the faith we admit We haue one vniforme order for publike prayers administration of Sacraments and Gods seruice Neither do we onely agrée among our selues but also with the reformed Churches of France and Germany and other nations especially in matters of faith and saluation And as for ceremonies and rites it cannot be denied but that all Churches therein haue their libertie as the diuersities of auncient Churches and testimonies of Fathers do teach vs. Most vaine therefore and contumelious is that discourse of N. D. in his Warne-word 1. encontr ca. 4 5 6. where he talketh of the difference of soft and rigide Lutherans among themselues of them from Anabaptists and from Zwinglians of all from the followers of Seruetus and Valentine Gentilis For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Caluinians or Zuinglians but onely call our selues Christians nor haue we to do with the Arians or Anabaptists or Seruetus or Gentilis or any heretikes Nay by our Doctors these fellowes haue bene diligently confuted and by our gouernors the principall of them haue bene punished But these may Parsons reply haue bin among vs. Admit it 〈◊〉 so yet do not our aduersaries take themselues to be guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme because there are diuers guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme among them We say further that the Churches of Germany France and England agree albeit priuate men hold priuate opinions Finally where we talk of the Church of England what a ridiculous sot was this to bring an instance of the Churches of Germany or Suizzerland nay not of the Churches but of priuat persons and that in matters not very substantiall if we admit their owne interpretations Hauing therefore talked his pleasure of Lutherans and Zuinglians he descendeth to speak of rigid and soft Caluinists as he calleth them in England He calleth them also Protestants and Puritanes But neither do we admit these names of faction nor is he able to shew that publikely any Christian is tolerated to 〈◊〉 either in matters of faith or rites from the Church of England But if any there be that mislike our rites yet is not that contention about matters of faith nor can the disorder of priuate persons hinder the publike vnion of the Church Finally I do not know any man now but he is reasonably well satisfied concerning matters of discipline albeit the same be with the great griefe of Papists who go about to stirre vp the coles of contention as much as they can that heretofore haue bene couered CHAP. II. Of the restoring of Christian Religion and the reduction of the Church of England to the true faith TRue faith in time of Poperie was a great stranger in England most men being ignorant of all points of christian Religion the rest holding diuers erronious points and heresies Their ignorance we shall proue by diuers testimonies hereafter Their errors and heresies are very apparent and at large proued in my late challenge That which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. that they imbrace for doctrine of faith For they forbid their Priests Monkes Friers and Nuns to marrie and commaund the Benedictines and their Charterhouse Monkes at all times to abstaine from flesh They also forbid men to eate flesh vpon all fasting dayes fridayes and saterdayes and in Lent dissoluing the commandements of God by their owne traditions The Manicheyes abstained from egges as Saint Augustine sheweth lib. de haeres cap. 46. Nec 〈◊〉 saltem sumunt quasi ipsacùm franguntur expirent nec oporteat vllis corporibus mortuis vesci So likewise did Papists at certain times they cal such as allow y e mariage of priests sectatores libidinum praeceptores vitiorum that is followers of lusts and teachers of vices albeit the Apostle affirmeth mariage 〈◊〉 be honorable in all sorts of men They dissolue such mariages albeit Christ teach that man is not to separate them whom God hath ioyned together Their Fastes they place in eating of fish and not in abstinence from all sustenance as the auncient Fathers by their doctrine and practise taught Some count it as mortall sinne to eate flesh on fridayes as to kill a man and that a Priest doth sinne lesse in committing fornication then in matching himselfe in honest mariage and yet they confesse that fornication is against the law of God and not the mariages of priests They tolerated common whores as did Simon Magus and other heretickes and now in Rome the Pope notwithstanding his pretended holinesse receiueth a tribute from them They do also sell Masses imposition of hands
benefices and make money of their god of the altar and their religion which sauoureth of the heresie of Simon Magus Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale 〈◊〉 That is churches priests altars sacraments crownes fire incense prayers yea heauen and God himselfe are set to sale among vs. Brigit in her reuelations cap. 232. saith Priestes are worse then Iudas for that he sold Christ for mony but they barter him for all commodities As the Basilidians worshipped images vsed enchantments and superstitious adiurations so do they worshipping not onely materiall images but also their fantasticall imaginations They also exorcise water and salt saying Exorcizo te creatura aquae againe exorcizo te creatura salis With the Heretickes called Staurolatrae they worship the crosse with the Angelikes they serue and worship Angels with the Armenians they make the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost As the Nazarites mingled Iewish ceremonies with christian Religion so do Papists borrowing from them their paschal lambe their Iubileys their priestly apparell their altars their Leuiticall rites and diuers other Iewish ceremonies Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers. 〈◊〉 cap. 30. saith that Marcion and Saturninus first taught abstinence from liuing creatures from whom the Papists séeme to haue borrowed their abstinence frō certaine meates as lesse holy then others Our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles as S. Augustine saith Epist. 86. ad Casulanum neuer appointed what dayes we ought to fast and what not The Papists therefore haue their fasts from others then from Christ or his Apostles From the Manicheys they borrow their communions vnder one kind as may be proued by the Chapt. relatum and comperimus dist 2. de consecrat and by Leo his fourth Sermon de quadrages The Helcesaites make Christ in heauen to differ from Christ on earth as saith Theodoret haeret fabul lib. 2. cap. de Helcesaeis his words are these Christum non vnum dicunt sed hunc quidem infernè illum verò supernè So likewise the Papists teach that Christs bodie in heauen is visible and palpable but not as it is in the Sacrament With the Pelagians they concurre in many points as I haue at large declared in my late challenge Hoc Pelagiani audent dicere saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de bono perseuerantiae c. 5. hominem iustum in hac vita nullum habere peccatum Now how can they cleare themselues from this that hold that a man is able to performe the law of God perfectly The Apostle Paul denyeth that we are iustified before God by the workes of the law The Papists haue taught quite contrarie He teacheth vs not to glorie in our works They say quite contrarie that men may glorie in their workes He sheweth that as many as receiue the sacrament of the Lords bodie are also to receiue the sacrament of his bloud They denie the cuppe to all the communicants beside the priest Our Sauiour instituting the Sacrament of his last supper said Accipite manducate that is take and eate These imagine that he offered his bodie and bloud really and corporally at his last supper and that he appointed his bodie and bloud actually to be offered in the Masse and not alwaies to be sacramentally and spiritually receiued of the communicants The Papists teach that wicked men reprobates and diuels may haue true faith But the Apostle teacheth that true faith iustifieth that they which haue it liue by faith Commonly they hold that charitie is the forme of faith Which if it were true then could not faith subsist without charitie But the Apostle teacheth vs that faith as faith doth make the iust to liue and auncient Christians were alwayes ignorant of these philosophicall fancies They hold that diuers sinnes are committed which are not forbidden by Gods law But this sheweth that the law of God as they suppose is not perfect and that the lawes of man hauing nothing in them of Gods law bind the conscience as well as the law of God Finally the very foundations of popish religion are erronious the same being founded partly vpon the decretals of Popes partly vpon the traditions of men contained partly in their Missals breuiaries 〈◊〉 other rituall books partly in their fabulous legends and partly in the chest of the Popes brest and partly vpon the old Latin translation of the Bible which the Romanists hold to be authenticall and partly vpō the interpretations of the Romish Church But since it pleased God to put into her Maiesties royall heart a resolution to reforme the church that was so much deformed by the pharisaicall and superstitious additions of y e Papists to restore religion according to y e doctrine of y e Apostles Prophets not only all former heresies errors were abolished but also the true doctrine of faith was restored The which is apparent not onely by the articles of Religion which we professe but also by our publike confessions and apologies which we haue published at diuers times And in part it may be proued by the secret confession of our aduersaries For albeit they would gladly cauill against our confessions yet they take their grounds commonly out of Luther Zuinglius Caluin Melancthon and others not often medling with our confessions Diuers of them also are wont to call vs negatiue Diuines Which argueth that so much as we hold positiuely is for the most part confessed by the aduersaries themselues and that we bring in no new faith but that which alwayes hath bene holden and maintained in the Church of Christ desiring onely that the positiue errors heresies and superstitions of Papists may be abolished Wherefore as Christians in time past extolled Constantine the great that gaue libertie to al his subiects to professe the Christian religion that assembled synods of Bishops and confirmed their decrees so ought we to celebrate the memory of our gracious 〈◊〉 that gaue libertie to all Christians to professe the truth that caused diuers assemblies of learned men and ratified the Christian faith by her authoritie CHAP. III. Of the true and sincere administration of the Sacraments of the Church restored in England OF the holy rites and sacraments of Christian religion we cannot speake without griefe of heart when we consider how shamefully they were abused mangled and corrupted by the synagogue of Antichrist Where Christ ordained onely two Sacraments to wit Baptisme where he said Teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost and the sacrament of his body and blood where he said Take eate this is my body and drinke ye all of this for this is the blood of the new testament and do this in remembrance of me that synagogue hath added fiue other sacraments giuing the same vertue to their extreme vnction and to mariage and orders concerning iustification that they giue to Baptisme the Lords supper The master
to giue dumbe images the same honor that is due to the originals Dr else as if they committed no fault because they say not O stocke or O stone This exception therfore declareth that the moule of this old hacksters cap was blockish and senslesse like as if it were made of stone Secondly he saith that S. Bafil homil 20. in 40. martyres prayeth to the same martyrs that Nazianzen in laudem Cypriani martyris maketh his prayer to the said Cyprian and in his oration in praise of Athanasius to Athanasius in his oration in praise of Basil to S. Basil that Chrysostome prayed to S. Peter in a certaine sermon of Peters chaine and that S. Ambrose called on the same Apostle comment in cap. 22. Luc. and S. Ierome on S. Paula in epitaph Paulae And that S. 〈◊〉 prayed to S. Cyprian and other Saints lib. 7. de baptis contr Donatist cap. 1. But first there is an infinit difference between the words of the Fathers and the blasphemous formes of popish prayers They by a figure called Prosopopoeia did speake to saints as 〈◊〉 do to heauen or earth or cities or other things that heare nothing These pray to them as if they heard them saw them and could helpe them Secondly neither Ambrose prayeth to Peter nor Augustine to Cyprian and other saints in the places mentioned Thirdly neither can he proue that the sermon made vpon the adoration of S. Peters chaine is authentical nor that the oratiōs of Basil Nazianzene and other fathers are cleere of all corruptions which differ so much in diuers editions Finally we liue by lawes and not by the examples of three or foure fathers disagreeing from the rest if so be it were granted that they called vpon saints Thirdly he alleageth that in the first prayer to Thomas Becket there is no more blasphemy contained then when the holy prophets did mention the name faith and merits of Abraham Isac and Iacob and other their holy fathers But what if the holy Prophets do not mention the merites of Abraham Isac and Iacob but rather desire God to remember his promise made vnto them Doth it not appeare that in speaking of holy Prophets he lyeth most shamefully and like a false prophet and teacher Againe he sheweth himselfe both shamelesse and senselesse that perceiueth no difference betwéene the Papists that pray they may attaine heauen by the bloud of Thomas Becket and the Prophets that neuer prayed in that fashion nor hoped to attaine heauen by the bloud of any but of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus Finally he answereth That where Thomas Becket is prayed vnto to lend his hand for our helpe it is meant he shal do it by his prayer and intercession But this answer is as foolish as the prayer is blasphemous For there is great difference betweene the word helpe and this prayer Be a meanes that we may be holpen Againe albeit the meaning of the word were so yet it is a ridiculous thing to pray to any to gouerne direct and helpe vs that cannot gouerne direct nor helpe vs and farre from the meaning of Papists who in their Legends tell vs that Saints haue appeared holpen and healed such as haue called vpon them This excuse therefore will by no meanes reléeue the aduersaries whose prayers in their Missals and other rituall bookes are repugnant to Christian religion and the formes and practise of the auncient Church Finally they erred in the obiect of their worship adoring creatures in stead of the Creator or at the least aduancing creatures vnto honor not due vnto them The law expresly forbiddeth vs to worship strange Gods or to haue them But the Papists do worship the Sacrament newly made by the priest and call it their Lord and God which is a very strange God and neuer knowne to Christians for a god Neither can they pretend that they giue honor to the Sacrament as to the bodie of our 〈◊〉 while he liued vpon earth For this honor was due by reason of the hypostaticall vnion of the two natures in one Christ. But there is no personall vnion betwixt Christ and the sacrament That they call the Sacrament their Lord and their Maker it is apparent by the common spéech vsed by the Papistes Further in the canon of the Masse the priest looking vpon the Sacrament saith Domine non sum dignus Lord I am not worthie Innocentius lib. 4. de'Missa cap. 19. speaking of Transsubstantiatiō by the priests words saith that so daily a creature is made the Creator Ita ergo quotidiè creatura fit Creator The author of the booke called Stella Clericorum saith that the priest is the creator of his Creator Sacerdos saith he est creator sui Creatoris Qui creauit vos dedit creare se. Qui creauit vos absque vobis creatur à vobis mediantibus vobis The like words are found in the worthy book called Sermones discipuli ser. 111. Secondly the law forbiddeth vs to make any similitude or image of things in heauen earth or vnder the earth to bow downe to it or to worship it But they make the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost and the crucifix bow downe to them and worship them and that according to the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas with the same worship that is due vnto God They do also make the images of Angels and Saints burne incense vnto them pray before them and kisse them Thirdly they confesse their sins to Angels and Saints saying Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti beatae Mariae semper virgini c. that is I confesse to God Almightie to the blessed and alwayes a virgin Mary to S. Michael the Archangell to S. Iohn Baptist and as it followeth in the common confessiō But if they did not beléeue that Angels and Saints can forgiue sinnes they would not so pray vnto them Fourthly they make their vowes to saints as appeareth by the common formes of vowes of such as enter into Religion Bellarmine also lib. 3. de cult sanctor c. 9. confesseth that vowes may be well made to saints But the scriptures teach vs that this is an honor due vnto God Pay thy vows to the most high saith the prophet Psalm 50. and Deuter. 23. when thou shalt vow a vow to the Lord thy God Finally they pray to the crosse saying 〈◊〉 pijs iustitiam 〈◊〉 dona veniam that is increase iustice in the godly and graunt pardon to sinners as if a stocke could encrease iustice or pardon sinners We are therefore herein to acknowledge Gods fauour and continually to praise him for his goodnes who gaue vs such a Queen as with al her heart sought to pul downe the altars and groues of Baal to root out idolatry and superstition and to restore Gods true worship In the beginning of her reigne the holy scriptures were restored to the people in their mother tongue and Gods true worship established in the Church according to that rule God was serued in spirit and truth
and the seruice of the Church brought back to the auncient forme of Christs primitiue Church CHAP. V. Of the translations of Scriptures into vulgar tongues and reading them publikely in tongues vnderstood HE that doth euill hateth the light No maruel then if the Pope his crue of Masse-priests shun the scriptures their workes and doctrine being euill and the scriptures being compared to light Psalm 119. and to a candle shining in a darke place 2. Pet. 1. they would if they durst plainely prohibite scriptures as appéereth by the practise of the begging Fryers in the time of William de sanct amore who hauing brought all their fancies and traditions into one volume and calling the same the eternal Gospel preached that the Gospel of Christ should cease and that their eternal Gospel should be preached and receiued to the end of the world The Pope also could hardly be enduced to condemne this blasphemous booke of the Fryers In the end I confesse he was forced for shame to abolish it yet he conceiued infinite displeasure against the Doctors of Paris and fauored the Fryers as much as he could And now albeit he hath not simply prohibited the translation of scriptures and reading them in vulgar tongues yet he hath so limited the same as in effect they are as good as prohibited For first he will not permit that scriptures translated into vulgar tongues shall be read publikely in the Church as both the Trent conuenticle and the practise of the Romish Church declareth Secondly Pope Pius the fourth doth simply forbid all translations of scriptures into vulgar tongues such onely except as are made by his adherents and followers which are not onely false and absurd in diuers points but also corrupted with diuers false and wicked annotations as the Rhemish annotations vpon the new testament being examined do manifestly declare Thirdly we do not find that the Papists are hastie in setting forth translations of scriptures in vulgar tongues nor can I learne that the Bible is 〈◊〉 translated into the Spanish Italian and Dutch tongue by them Fourthly they will haue no Booke-sellers sel Bibles though translated into vulgar tongues by them selues without leaue Fiftly they wil not permit any man to read Bibles so translated by 〈◊〉 without leaue Sixtly they graunt leaue to none to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues albeit allowed by themselues but to such onely as they suppose to be resolued or rather drowned in the dregges of Popish errors and to lay men seldome or neuer do they grant the same I do not beleeue that Robert Parsons albeit well acquainted in Spaine and Italie can name a doosen lay men of either nation that haue licence to reade Scriptures in vulgar tongues or that had licence in England in Quéene Maries time to reade Scriptures translated into their mother tongue If he know any suth he may do well to name them If he name them not his silence wil bréed suspition if it be not taken for a plaine confession Finally if any among the Papists be taken with other translations then such as themselues allow or not hauing himselfe obtained licence according to the foresaid rule he is presently taken for suspect of heresie and seuerely punished if he acquite not himselfe the better So we sée that among them it is lawfull to reade all prophane bookes if they fall not within the compasse of their prohibition and to tumble ouer the lying legends of Saints and the fabulous booke of Conformities of Saint Francis with Christ and that without leaue But Scriptures translated into vulgar tongues no man may reade without leaue Now how centrarie this course is to the word of God to the practise of Gods Church and to all reason we may easily perceiue by these particulars God would haue the words of the law not onely a continuall subiect of our talke and meditations but also to be written at the entrances and doores of our houses Our Sauiour Christ preaching to the Jewes willed them to search the Scriptures But how can this be done if Scriptures be not translated into tongs which we vnderstand and if no man may reade them without leaue In the primitiue Church they were publikely read in the Syrian Egyptian Punicke other vulgar tongues By the testimonie of Bede hist. Angl. lib. 1. it appeareth they were translated into the British tongue and into other vulgar tongues the mysteries of religion being made common to diuers nations by the meditation of Scriptures Irenaeus speaking of all the Scriptures saith They may be heard alike of all Hierome in an 〈◊〉 to Laeta and in another to Celantia exhorteth them to reade Scriptures But how can they be heard alike if they may not be translated nor read publikely in vulgar 〈◊〉 And why should it be more lawfull for Laeta and Celantia to reade Scriptures then for other men and women In his Commentaries likewise vpon the 86. Psalme he saith that Scriptures are read to all that all may vnderstand Scriptura populis 〈◊〉 legitur vt omnes intelligant But how can the common people vnderstand a strange toung Chrysostome homil 9. in Epist ad Coloss. teacheth that the Apostle commandeth lay men to reade scriptures and that with great diligence The Apostle teacheth vs that the word of God is the sword of the spirit And before I haue shewed that it is light Our Sauiour saith that the word of God is food to our soule Basil. homil 29. saith That the old and new Testament are the treasure of the Church Vetus nouum Testamentum saith he the saurus Ecclesiae In his Commentaries vpon the first Psalme he sheweth that the holy Scriptures are a storehouse for all 〈◊〉 for mans soule Chrysostome Homil. in Psalm 147. saith the Scriptures are our armes and munitions in the spirituall warfare which we haue against the diuell Arma comeatus eius belli quod est inter nos diabolum 〈◊〉 Scripturarum auditio Doth it not then appeare that the Papists are enemies to Christians and séeke to murther their soules that by all meanes séeke to expose them naked vnto their enemies weapons and wold willingly depriue them of medicines munitions armes and foode and leaue them in darknesse without the comfort of Scriptures For how can they vse Scriptures that vnderstand them not And how can they vnderstand them when they are read in toungs vnknowne And how can they come to reade them when there are so many difficulties in obtaining licence to haue them Séeing then at her Maiesties first entrance into her gouernement we were fréed from the thraldome and flauery of Antichrist and had the Scriptures in a tongue vnderstood restored vnto vs and read publikely and priuatel y without limitation or danger we are to accompt the same as a singular benefit bestowed vpon the people of England For what can be deemed more beneficiall then for the hungrie to obtaine food for naked souldiers to obtaine armes and prouisions for
poore people in want to be enriched with such a treasure But saith N. D. Wardw. pag. 14. If the translator do not put downe the words of Scriptures sincerely in his vulgar translation then the simple reader that cannot discerne will take mans word for Gods word Secondly he saith that if a false sence should be gathered out of Scripture then the reader should sucke poison in stead of wholesome meate But these reasons make no more against reading Scriptures in vulgar tongues and translating them into those tongues then against reading Scriptures in the Latin and translating them into Latine For as well may the Latine Interpreter erre as he that translateth scriptures into vulgar tongues and aswell may a man draw a peruerse sence out of the Latine as out of the English If then these reasons conclude not against y t Latin translation they are too weak to conclude against vulgar translations Againe if it be hurtfull to follow a corrupt translation and to gather a contrarie sence out of scriptures we are not therefore to cast away scriptures but rather to séeke for the most sincere translations and the most true sence and meaning of the holy Ghost reuealed in holy Scriptures Thirdly he alleageth these words out of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3. The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth against reading of scriptures in vulgar tongues But these words do no lesse touch them that follow the letter in the Hebrew Gréek thē in the vulgar tongs And yet Robert Parsons wil not deny but y t it is lawfull to reade scriptures in Hebrew and Gréeke albeit he if it were vnlawfull would neuer be guiltie of this fault being most ignorant of these tongs Fourthly he asketh how vnlearned readers will discerne things without a guide As if lay-men because they haue teachers might not also reade the books from whence the principles of Christian doctrine are deriued This therefore seemeth to be all one as if Geometricians and other teachers of arts should debarre their schollers from reading Euclide and other authors that haue written of arts Furthermore albeit somethings without teachers cannot of rude learners be vnderstood yet all things that pertaine to faith and manners are plainely set downe in scriptures In ijs quae apertè in scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 9. Quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Fiftly he alleageth that the vnderstanding of Scriptures is a particular gift of God But that notwithstanding no man is forbidden to reade scriptures in Hebrew Greeke or Latine And yet if Robert Parsons vnderstand them at all he vnderstandeth them better in the vulgar English then in these tongues Furthermore albeit to vnderstand Scriptures be a peculiar gift of God yet no man is therefore to refraine from reading of scriptures but rather to reade thē diligently and to conferre with the learned and to beséech God to giue him grace to vnderstand them The which is proued by the example of the Eunuch Act. 8. who read the scriptures and threw them not away albeit he could not vnderstand all without the help of a teacher Sixthly he vseth the examples of Ioane Burcher a pudding wife as some suppose and qualified like his mother the Blacke-smiths wife and of Hacket William Geffrey and other heretickes In his Warne-word Encontr 1. cap. 8. he addeth George Paris Iohn More certaine Anabaptists and other heretikes and insinuateth that all these fell into heresies by reading of scriptures in vulgar languages But his collectiō is false and shamelesse and derogatorie to scriptures and contrary both to them and to fathers Our Sauior speaking of the Sadduceis Mat. 22. saith they erred for that they knew not the scriptures Erratis nescientes scripturas The Apostle talking of reading of scriptures saith they are profitable to instruct men vnto saluation and not hurtfull or the cause of any mans destruction The ignorance of scriptures saith Chrysostome ho. de Lazaro hath brought forth heresies Scripturarum ignoratio haereses 〈◊〉 And againe Barathrum est scripturarum ignoratio that is the ignorance of scriptures is a bottomlesse gulfe Finally to obscure the glorie of this benefite of reading scriptures in vulgar tongues in his out-wortie Warne-word Encont 1. c. 8. he saith that such as vnderstand Latin or haue licence of the Ordinary to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues haue no benefit by this generall permission of reading scriptures as if euery one that vnderstandeth Latin durst reade vulgar translations without licence or as if the Church receiued no benefite vnlesse euery particular member were partaker of that benefite This therefore is a most ridiculous conceit and likely to procéed from such an idle head Further the same might be alleaged against Latine translations And yet Robert Parsons will not deny but the Church receiueth benefite by Latine translations albeit the Gréekes and such as vnderstand Hebrew and not Latin receiue no benefite by the Latine translation If then Robert Parsons meane hereafter to barke against the reading of scriptures that are commended vnto vs as light medicine food armes and things most necessary he must alleage vs better reasons then these lest he be taken for an hereticall or rather lunaticall fellow that spendeth his wit in the defence of fond senselesse and impious positions CHAP. VI. Of publike Prayers and administration of Sacraments and other parts of the Church liturgie and seruice in vulgar tongues LIke wise the Papists to take from Christians the effect and fruite of their prayers set cut most of their prayer bookes in Latine and closely forbid the common seruice and liturgie of the Church to be said in vulgar languages In the 22. session of the Conuenticle of 〈◊〉 where they anathematise them that hold that the Masse should be celebrated in vulgar tongues their meaning is to establish the rites of the Romish Church and the Latine seruice and to prohibit the vse of vulgar tongues in publike liturgies And this is also proued by the practise of the synagogue of Rome that alloweth the prayers of such as pray in Latine albeit like Parrots they vnderstand not what they prattle and by the testimonie of 〈◊〉 Bellarmine and others writing vpon that argument But this practise is most barbarous fruitlesse and contrary to the custome of Christ his Church in auncient time Sinesciero virtutem vocis saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. ero ei cui loquor barbarus quiloquitur mihi barbarus that is If I vnderstand not the meaning of the words I vtter I shall be to him to whom I speake barbarous and he that speaketh shal be barbarous vnto me And againe If I pray in a strange tongue my spirit prayeth but mine vnderstanding is without fruite And a little after I will pray with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I wil sing with the spirit but I wil sing with the vnderstanding also Else when thou blessest with the spirit how shall he
in singing Psalmes and giuing thankes to God in the open congregation And therefore the Psalme 95. Come let vs sing vnto the Lord is commonly vsed in the beginning of Gods seruice and the people in auncient Liturgies were wont oftentimes to answer the Priest Againe it is false that publike seruice was appointed to be said and sung onely by ecclesiassicall officers and that the people did not as well pray for things necessaris as praise God for benefites receiued But how could they do this not knowing what they sayd or prayed If a man should present himselfe besore the Pope and speake ghibrish or a language not vnderstood by the partie would he not thinke himselfe mocked He addeth further that it is not needfull for the people to be alwaies present at publike seruice but onely in spirit and consent of heart But the fellow doth plainely contradict himselfe For how can a man be present in spirit and consent of heart when he is absent with his vnderstanding and knoweth not what is done or said Beside that he ouerthroweth that which he would proue For if consent of spirit and heart be requisite in publike seruice then is it requisite the people should vnderstand what is said without which vnderstanding he cannot consent Lastly if it be profitable that the people be present in the congregation where God is serued that is sufficient for vs to proue our assertion For why should not the people meete to celebrate the praises of God being commaunded to kéepe his Sabboths And why should they rather be enioyned to heare Masse which is a profanation of Gods seruice then to come to the Church to praise God and to pray vnto him and to heare his holy word And if the people ought to do this then is it not sufficient that in time of seruice they should gape on the Priest or patter their Pater nosters or Aue Mariaes or rattle their beades as the ignorant Papistes vse to do Thirdly he supposeth he can proue seruice in an vnknowne tongue out of the ceremoniall law of Moyses For because it is said Luk. 1. That all the multitude of the people was praying without at the houre of incense while Zacharie offered incense within he would inferre very willingly that it is not necessarie the people should pray with the Priest in a tongue vnderstood But if this might be applyed to the Masse then would it also follow that the Priest might offer the 〈◊〉 of the Masse without a Clerke and the people attend without in the church yard It would also follow that the people might not heare nor sée Masse For that the people might not enter within nor sée what was done in the sanctuarie Against vs this example fitteth not For neither can any strong argument be drawne from the ceremonies of the law that are now abrogated nor can Frier Robert shew that the Priests of the law prayed in a tongue not vnderstood or that they vsed any publike prayer which the people heard not Fourthly he alleageth that the three learned languages of Hebrew Greeke and Latine were sanctified by Christ in the title of his crosse But neither is he able to shew why these three languages should be called learned rather then others nor doth it follow that in publike seruice we should vse only these three languages because they were vsed in y e title of the crosse vnlesse our aduersarie will graunt that it also followeth because Christ rode vpon an asse that he and his consorts are onely to ride vpon asses 〈◊〉 he telleth vs that auncient Fathers testifie that it is not conuenient that all things that are handled in Church seruice praesertim in sacris mysterijs should be vnderstood by all vnlearned people in their owne vulgar languages And to prooue this he citeth Dionysius Origen S. Basil Chrysostome and Gregorie But herein he sheweth himselfe a shamelesse fellow albeit all men knew it before For none of these speaketh one word against vulgar languages Nay all of them shew that the people vnderstood the language of publike Liturgies Againe they deny not that it is conuenient that the people should vnderstand the mysteries of Christian religion but rather shew the difficultie of it But what is that to vulgar languages when the Priests themselues vnderstand not the mysteries of Christian religion 〈◊〉 A sixth argument he draweth from the practise of the Iewes supposing that in Iurie and Ierusalem the publike seruice was in Hebrew and that Hebrew was not vnderstood of the common people But neither was publike seruice in all Syria in Hebrew as appeareth by the songs and prayers of Ephrem in the Syrian tongue nor is it likely that the Iewes did not vnderstand Hebrew in Christs time séeing now all the Iewes as it is said teach their children Hebrew In Esdras lib. 2. cap. 8. it appeareth they vnderstood Hebrew Intellexerunt verba quae docuerat eos They vnderstood the words which he taught them That therefore which is spoken of interpretation is meant of the meaning and not of the words as very simply our aduersaries suppose His seuenth argument is taken from the example of the Apostles that as he saith appointed the order of seruice But this ouerthroweth our aduersaries cause For if the Apostles neuer appointed the Masse or the canon or that seruice should be said in a tongue not vnderstood but rather ordained another forme of celebration of Sacraments as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against Bellarmine and if it be a matter cleare that all should be done decently in the Church and to edification then is it not likely that they would allow or did appoint the seruice of 〈◊〉 to be said in a tongue not vnderstood of the people and very hardly vnderstood of most Priests Here also he denyeth That it can be shewed out of any author of antiquitie whatsoeuer that any christian Catholike countrie since the Apostles time had publike seruice in any language but in one of these three viz. Hebrew Gréeke or Latine except by some speciall dispensation from the Pope and vpon some speciall confideration for some limited time But first it maketh nothing for him or against vs if any nation had their seruice in Greek Latine or Hebrew if the same vnderstood the language of the publike Liturgie For we onely say that seruice ought not to be said in a language not vnderstood Secondly where he denyeth the vse of all other tongues beside these thrée he sheweth himselfe either very ignorant or very impudent If he haue not read auncient Fathers and histories concerning the languages of publike Liturgies he is but an ignorant nouice in this cause If he know the practise of the Church and denie it he wanteth shame That other tongues haue bene vsed in publike Liturgies beside the thrée mentioned it may be proued by diuers testimonies Hierome in the funerall Sermon of Paula saith that Psalmes were sung not onely in Hebrew Gréeke and Latine but also in
worship them although the same be prohibited in the second commaundement Exod. 20. They erect monuments and titles and stones for signes to be worshipped contrary to the law Leuit. 26. They make euery day new gods affirming that the priest maketh his maker Now this making of new gods is noted as a propertie of idolaters Psal. 81. They reioyce in the works of their owne hands and worship the images which themselues haue made as did the idolaters whereof S. Stephen maketh mention Act. 7. They serue the hoast of heauē as the old idolatrous Iews spokē of Amos 5. Act. 7. seruing diuers saints and as they call them Militiam curiam coelestem that is the soldiory and court of heauen As the statues of the Gentiles were siluer and gold the worke of mens hands and had mouthes and spoke not eies and saw not as sayth the Prophet Psal. 1 14. so is it with the images of Papists that albeit of costly matter and curious workemanship yet neither speake with their mouthes nor sée with their eyes As idolaters burnt incense to their statues as we reade 2. Paral. 30. so do Papists burne incense to their images Thirdly they fall into those abuses which the Fathers of y t Church thought worthy to be reprehended of old time as sauoring of idolatry The Gentiles thought they could represent God in a materiall image And so do the Papists making the image of God the Father and God the holy Ghost The Fathers therefore reprehend them both alike Quis tam amens erit saith Eusebius praeparat Euangel c. 3. vt Dei formam imaginem statua viro simili referri perhibeat Who wil be so mad to think that the forme and image of God may be expressed by an image like vnto a man Hierome likewise writing vpon the fortith of Isay What image saith he wil you make for him which is a spirit and is in all places Ambrose in his oration of the death of Theodosius sayth It is an errour of the Gentiles to worship the crosse Inuenit Helena saith he crucem Domini regem adorauit non lignum vtique quia hic Gentilis est error sed adorauit illum qui pependit in cruce The councell of Laodicea condemneth the worship of Angels as idolatrous So like wise saith Tertullian de praescrip aduers. haeret that the heresie of the Simonians in seruing of Angels was reputed among idolatries Simonianae magiae disciplina Angelis seruiēs vtique ipsa inter idololatrias deputabatur Hierome in an Epistle of his to Riparius saith that Christians neither adore nor worship Martyrs nor Sun nor Moone nor Angels least they should therein rather serue creatures then the Creator Tertullian doth also say that euery lie of God is after a sort a variation of the kind of idolatrie Omne mendacium de Deo variatio quodammodo sexus est idololatriae Both he and diuers others say that heresie is a kind of idolatrie How then can they cleare themselues from the blemish of idolatrie that worship the crosse serue and worship Angels and are authors of so many sorts of heresies Fourthly they must néedes deny the crosse and the images of the Trinitie and the crucifixe to be creatures and works of their owne hands or else in worshipping of them they must néedes confesse and yéeld themselues to be idolaters But that they cannot do Finally the testimonie of their owne conscience doth proue them to be idolaters in that they leaue out the second commandement or as they make it a péece of the first commandement that is direct against the adoration and worship of grauen images and the making of them to that end in most of their Catechismes Manuals Psalters and rituall bookes where they rehearse the ten commandements as their Ladies psalters short Catechismes and diuers of their bookes do testifie But since it pleased God to restore religion in the church of England the leuen of popish doctrine and heresie is purged out the breach of schisme and diuision from the Catholike Church is repaired and all superstitious and idolatrous worships are quite abolished and remoued out of the Church CHAP. XI Of good workes and good life THe Ministers of God as they are guides to their people and teachers of the law so ought they to go before their flockes shewing them examples to prouoke them to do good workes and to cōforme their liues according to the lawes of God Shew thy selfe an example of good workes sayth Paul to Titus All true Christians also should shew themselues zealous of good workes For we are Gods workmanship created in Christ to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them This is our doctrine and the practise of all that professe our religion If any hypocrites be found among vs that walke not according to their profession we renounce them we weed them out we punish them If worldings and fleshly Papists that liue in the Realme do giue occasion of offence this ought not to be imputed to our Religion nor the true professors thereof that desire nothing more then that such may be weeded out and expulsed both out of the Church and Common-wealth But if we looke backe to former times we shall find that the Papists haue not onely erred in the practise but also in the doctrine of good workes For first they denie that the law of God is a perfect rule of life And therefore haue inuented other rules whereby they hope to attaine to a further perfection Secondly they hold that by the law of God we haue not knowledge of all sinnes teaching that it is as well mortall sinne to transgresse the Popes lawes as to transgresse Gods lawes as Nauarrus teacheth vs in his Manuall by many particulars Thirdly they giue absolution to euery haynous sinner confessing his sins before he hath repented Fourthly they suppose that euery man is able to satisfie for the temporall penaltie of 〈◊〉 and that the Pope hath power by his indulgences to remit 〈◊〉 concerning the penaltie without satisfaction 〈◊〉 they teach that no man néedeth to repent for veniall sinnes and that such sinnes exclude vs not out of the kingdome of heauen Sixthly they teach that man is able perfectly to 〈◊〉 the law and by a good consequent to abstaine from all sinne which S. Hierome declareth to be Pelagianisme Seuenthly they hold contrary to the Apostle that man is to be iustified by the workes of the law and that eternall life is to be purchased by our owne workes and merites Many other 〈◊〉 points of doctrin they haue beside these But their practise is farre worse then their doctrine For omitting the weightier points of the law like their ancesters the Pharisees they stand much on fithing Mint and Commin and washings such like ceremonies Their principall works are forswearing of mariage begging like vagabond fellowes eating muscles cockles and salt fish and such like on fasting dayes and saints vigiles taking ashes
England and Ireland burning so bright by the solicitation of Paul the third Pius the fifth Gregorie thirtéenth and fourteenth and this Clement that now possesseth the throne of Antichrist do so plainely declare them to be firebrands of warre and trouble Well therefore said Petrarke that in Rome all those mischiefes were hatched that are now spread through the world and neuer shall Christian Princes haue loyall subiects as long as seditious Masse-priests are suffered to lurk within their kingdomes In countries subiect to y t Pope they count it a little fault to murder mē now frō thence are come certaine assassins which for hire and by perswasions are induced to kill men There also impoysonments are most common The Popes themselues vse to drinke of poysoned cups and that by the iust iudgement of God séeing by the cup of their poysoned doctrine according to the prophecy Apoc. 17. they haue empoysoned many Christian nations To conclude this large discourse there is no state of men vnder the Popes iurisdiction but it is growne to great dissolution and corruption of manners and may be conuinced of diuers sinnes and abominations by infinite witnesses and confessions if we would stand vpon it but I will content my selfe with two or three Breidenbach in the historie of his peregrination speaketh generally and sayth Recessit lex à sacerdotibus c. that is the law is departed from priests iustice from princes counsell from elders good dealing from the people loue from parents reuerence from subiects charitie from prelates religion from Monkes honestie from yong men discipline from clerkes learning from masters study from schollers equitie from Iudges concord from citizens feare from seruants good fellowship from husbandmen truth from merchants valor from Noblemen chastitie from virgins humility from widowes loue from maried folks patience from poore men O time ô manners And Walter Mapes that liued in the time of Henry the second King of England Virtutes cunctae saith he en iacent defunctae All vertues lie now dead Charitie is no where to be found And againe In truth I find that the whole Cleargy doth studie wickednesse and impietie enuie raigneth truth is exiled The prelates are Lucifers heires They being now aduanced tread downe others blinde guides they are and blinded with idolatrie of earthly things Robert Bishop of Aquila in his Sermons of which Sixtus Senensis maketh mention in the third booke of his Biblioth sanct speaketh thus to his countrie of Italie O Italia plange ô Italia time ô Italia caue ne propter obstinationem tuam in te desaeuiat ira Dei c. Tu in dies 〈◊〉 efficeris in peccatis malitia perseuerando Fiunt iam 〈◊〉 vsur ae publicae omnia foedata sunt spurcissimis vitijs carnis ignominiosae Sodomiae superbia pomparum iam occupauit omnes ciuitates terras 〈◊〉 Dei periuria mendacia iniustitiae violentiae oppressiones pauperum similia superabundant O Italie saith he lament ô Italie feare ô Italie beware lest for thy obstinacie the wrath of God waxe not cruell against thee c. Thou euery day art more and more hardened perseuering in thy sinnes and maliciousnesse Euery where men set vp bankes of vsurie all things are defiled with most foule vices of the flesh and most shamefull sodomie Pride in pompous shewes haue now filled cities and countries blasphemies against God periuries lies iniustice violence orpression of the poore and such like vices do superabound I would further insist vpon this argument but that I referre diuers matters ouer to the second booke where I shall haue occasion more particularly to examine the good workes of Papists But the Church of England neither alloweth publike shewes nor bankes of vsurie nor dispenseth with oathes of subiects to Princes or alloweth periurie nor shall Robert Parsons find such filthines and abhominations among the professors of our religion as are commonly practised by y t Popes Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes Friars and Nuns and their followers All corruptions in doctrine concerning good workes are reformed and diuers abuses concerning manners among the Papists taken away The which séeing it procéeded wholly of that reformation of religion which Quéen Elizabeth of pious memorie wrought by her regall authoritie among vs we are most gratefully to accept that worke and by exercises of 〈◊〉 and charity to indeuour to shew our selues not vnworthie either of our profession or of so great a blessing Against this discourse Robert Parsons talketh very scornfully and saith first that the experience of the whole world will deny that good workes are fruites of our religion But if he had bene well aduised he would haue forborne to talke of experience For whosoeuer hath liued among those that are of our religion and among Papists also must néedes say that the liues of Romanists are abhominable offending in whosedome Sodomie periurie vsurie and all impieties and discharge vs deterring and abhorring those vices and punishing them seuerely Beside that if he meant to winne credit he would not talke of the whole world being not able to name one honest man that will iustifie that which he talketh Secondly he saith our best friends renounce our workes And then alleageth an Epistle of Erasmus mentioned by Surius a Postil of Luther and a testimonie out of Aurifaber But first Erasmus is none of our best friends being in most points an 〈◊〉 and a professed Masse-priest And if he were our friend yet haue we no reason to beléeue Surius a malicious enemie and a base Monke hired to speake lyes Secondly it is a ridiculous foolerie where we dispute of the fruites of the Gospell in England in Queene Elizabeths dayes to bring testimonies of Luther and Aurifaber that were dead before her time and speake of some of their countrie people Thirdly they speake not of the whole 〈◊〉 Church in Germanie but rather of some that albeit they disliked Poperie yet did not sincerely embrace the truth Finally neither Luther nor Aurifaber doth charge his countrie people with such faults as raigne among Papists He must therfore seek some witnesses that speake more to purpose and leaue his owne treasons filthinesse periurie lying gluttonie and drunkennesse before he talke of good workes Finally he pratleth much concerning the merit of workes But if he had bene vsed according to his merits then had the crowes long ere this eaten his carion flesh He 〈◊〉 also that we should giue a caueat to auoide hypocriticall oftentation albeit any man shold do good works But this caueat concerneth him but a litle whose workes are most wicked and odious his writings being nothing but either lying and rayling libels or fond and trifling discourses of points of Poperie and his practises tending all to murdering empoysoning sedition warre and 〈◊〉 CHAP. XII Of temporall benefites enioyed by Queene Elizabeths most happie gouernment BEside great successe in affaires of the Church God hath also blessed the people of England in ciuil matters in regard that his name is truly
stone that is placed in the foundations of Sion Stapleton like wise in his Preface before the 〈◊〉 of his doctrinall principles affirmeth desperately that God speaketh in the Pope and that the foundation of Christian religion is necessarily placed in his authoritie teaching vs. It was much to say that he was any way the foundation of religion But to make him a necessarie foundation was a greater presumption then I find in his fellows His words are these In hac docentis hominis authoritate in qua Deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni cernimus Neither can any of them well deny but that the Pope is the rocks vpon which the Church is built and against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile séeing generally they proue the Popes authoritie out of Christs words to Peter Mat. 16. For if these words be not meant of the Pope but of Christ whom Peter confessed then are they fondly alleaged for iustification of the Popes authoritie In summe all their practise sheweth that the Pope to them is summa summarum and the corner stone and chiefe foundation of the popish Church For alleage Scriptures they quarrell about the interpretation and admit no sence but that which the Pope alloweth although his glosses and interpretations be neuer so contrarie to the text Againe alleage Councels they enquire if the Pope haue allowed them Alleage Fathers speaking against the Pope they reiect them But alleage the Popes determination there they stop like restie iades and will not be 〈◊〉 further So the Pope and his resolutions are the foundations nay they are all in all with Papists But this is not onely contrarie to the words of Scripture Isay 8. and 28. Mat. 16. and 1. Cor. 3. and Ephes. 2. where Christ is made the corner stone and sole foundation of the Church but also contrarie to all Fathers and good interpreters of Scriptures The same is also most absurd and contrarie to reason For first if the Pope were the foundation of the Church then should there be as many foundations as Popes Secondly the Church should be built vpon foundations diuers from Christ. Thirdly the foundations of the Church should differ one from another one Pope contradicting and crossing another Fourthly the Popes being sometimes reprobates and damned hell should preuaile against the foundation of the Church which is most absurd Fiftly the Church during the vacation should be without foundatiō and a woman being Pope the Church should be built vpon a woman Finally the Church should be built vpon men subiect to infirmities errors and mutations and not vpon Christ Iesus the vnmoueable rocke The Conuenticle of Trent talking of the bookes of the old and new Testament and of traditions as well concerning faith as manners doth receiue both with equall affection and reuerence as it were either deliuered vnto vs either by the mouth of Christ or by the holy Ghost and kept by continual succession in the Catholike church Omnes libros tam veteris quà m nouitestamenti 〈◊〉 vnus Deus sit author nec non traditiones 〈◊〉 tum ad 〈◊〉 tum ad mores pertìnentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Christo 〈◊〉 à Spiritu Sancto dictà tas 〈◊〉 successione in Ecclesia 〈◊〉 conseruatus pari pietatis 〈◊〉 ac reuerentia 〈◊〉 ac veneratur Those likewise among the Papists that procéede Doctors or take any degrée in schooles do professe that they most firmely admit and embrace the traditions of the Apostles and the Church and other ecclesiasticall obscruances and constitutions Apostolicas ecclesiasticas traditiones reliquasque eiusdem Ecclesie obseruationes constitutiones firmissimè admitto saith euery one of them Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 1. beginning to 〈◊〉 of traditions hitherto saith he we haue disputed of the written word of God now we will begin to speake briefly of the word of God not written accompting traditions to be the word of God as well as holy scriptures Aliud hodie religionis Christiane fundament 〈◊〉 saith Stapleton habemus non quidem à Christo aliud sed ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euangelicis Apostolicis aliud That is we haue now another foundation of Christian religion not diuers from Christ but diuers from the Euangelicall and Apostolical scriptures So either he excludeth scriptures from being the ground of Christian religion or else maketh vnwritten traditions equall vnto them Afterward in his Analysis prefixed before his Doctrinall principles deliuering to his disciples the grounds of Christian religion he vouchsafeth the scriptures no place among them But 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 the books of the old testament they vnderstand all the bookes contained in the old latine vulgar translation of the Bible then they admit the third and fourth bookes of Esdras and all additions to the originall text to be canoniall scriptures which 〈◊〉 their owne decrées concerning the canon of Scriptures Secondly it is absurd to make vnwritten traditions equall with the holy Scriptures For these are certainly knowne to procéed from God But of vnwritten traditions the aduersaries can bring no proofe but from men Now who is so presumptuous as to match the 〈◊〉 of men with the word of God Augustine in his 48 〈◊〉 to Vincentius speaking of the fathers writings saith they are to be distinguished from the authoritie of the canon And in his eight epistle which is to 〈◊〉 he saith that vnto the Scriptures alone this prerogatiue is to be giuen that none of them containeth any errors All other authors he wold haue censured and examined by them being not 〈◊〉 from errours The holy Scriptures are alwayes consonant and agréeable to themselues But traditions do not onely contradict one another but also are repugnant to holy Scriptures Polycrates as Eusebius lib. 5. Eccles. hist. c. 23. reyorteth maintained the obseruance of the feast of Easter according to the practise of the Churches of Asia to be according to the Apostles traditions Victor and the Church of Rome thought contrary Some maintained the fast vpon the Sabbath others denied it and both held by tradition Siue hodiè Christus natus est c. whether Christ was borne or baptized as this day saith 〈◊〉 serm de nat to 3. there is a diuers opinion in the world and according to the diuersitie of traditions there are diuers iudgements The Romanists do found their communion vnder one kind and their Masses without communion and the externall propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse and the hanging vp the Sacrament in the Pixe and the diuine adoration giuen to it vpon tradition But all these obseruations are impious and contrary to Scriptures Some traditions are now abolished as the prohibition of Saterdayes fast the rite of standing when we pray betweene Easter and Whitsontide the formes of prayer in old time vsed in celebration of the sacrament of the Lords supper and diuers others whereof some are mentioned by Basil lib. de Spir. san c. 27. Bellarmine also lib. 4. de verbo
Sunia sayth that in the old testament we are to haue recourse to the Hebrew text In his 〈◊〉 in 4. Euang. he sheweth that there is great variety of Latine bookes and that in correcting of errors and finding the truth we are to returne to the 〈◊〉 originals Si veritas est quaerenda saith he cur non ad Graecam originem reuertentes ea quae 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 reddita vel addita vel mutata corrigimus Augustine also in his second booke De doctr Christ. cap. 10. saith That to correct Latine copies we are to haue recourse to the Hebrew and Greeke bookes of Scripture Ad exemplaria Hebraea Graeca saith he à Latinis recurratur And in the same booke chap. 15. Latinis emendandis Graeci adhibeantur codices Latine bookes of Scripture are to be mended by the Greeke originals The aduersaries also themselues are ashamed sometimes to say that either the old Latine vulgar translation is to be preferred before the originall Text of Scripture or that the same is authenticall The 〈◊〉 glossing vpon the 〈◊〉 vt veterum dist 9. affirme that where the Copies varie the originall is to be exhibited and that the Latine of the old Testament is to be corrected by the Hebrew and the Latine of the new Testament by the Greeke bookes Isidore Clarius Caietane Pagninus Forerius Oleastrius Erasmus and diuers others haue noted diuers faults in the old Latine vulgar translation Sixtus Senensis lib. 8. Biblioth sanct confesseth that diuers faults barbarismes solecismes and transpositions are found in the Latine translation And saith that the Church was moued by diuers iust causes to dissemble them Finally reason teacheth vs that the determination of the Romish Church that preferreth the Latin vulgar 〈◊〉 before the Hebrew and 〈◊〉 text is most absurd For if the Latine bookes were to be preferred before the Hebrew and Greeke text or else to be 〈◊〉 authenticall then were we either to preferre or to giue like credit to Hierome and other authors that translated the old vulgar Latine bookes and to the holy Prophets and Apostles Againe transumpts and copies might by like reason be preferred before the originall instruments Thirdly the old Latine translation is proued false by diuers witnesses by comparing of places for that one edition of y e old vulgar translation doth differ from another Non potest verum esse quod dissonat that cannot be true that is repugnant and contrarie to it selfe as Hierome saith in Praefat. in Iosuam in Praefat. in 4. Euang. But the edition of the vulgar translation set out by Clement the eighth doth much differ from that which Sixtus Quintus set out before Iosue 11. 19. Clement readeth quae se traderet Sixtus readeth quite contrarie quae se non traderet 2. Reg. 16. 1. Clement hath vtre vini Sixtus readeth duobus vtribus Ioan. 6. 65. Clement readeth qui essent non credentes Sixtus qui essent credentes And so it may appeare by diligent collation that there are notable differences throughout the whole Bible Lastly if the Latine text were more authenticall then the Hebrew or Greeke why do not our aduersaries shew that the auncient Fathers or some learned men of late time at the least haue corrected the Hebrew and Greeke according to the Latine and not rather contrariwise The fourth foundation of Romish religion is the determination of the Pope in matters of faith The Conuenticle of Trent teacheth that it belongeth to the holy mother the Church to iudge of the true meaning of Scriptures Now for as much as no man knoweth more certainely what is the holy mother Churches meaning then the Papists holy Father the Pope therefore they do hereof conclude that the Pope is to determine principally of the true sence and meaning of Scriptures In the Rubrike of the decrées cap. in canonicis dist 19. we find that the Popes decretals are to be reckened among canonicall Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 3. saith that the Spirit of God he should say of the diuell is in the Pope and that he together with a Councell is chiefe Iudge in matters of controuersie of religion And in the same booke cap. 4. he holdeth that no man may recede from his iudgement or determination Stapleton in his booke of doctrinall Principles or 〈◊〉 of his religion goeth about to prooue that the Popes sentence and determination is infallible And so much do these good fellowes rely vpon their holy Mothers and holy Fathers interpretation that they receiue the same without any long inquisition though neuer so foolish and contrarie to Scriptures Our Sauiour in the institution of the holy Eucharist said Take eate but they 〈◊〉 the Pope that saith 〈◊〉 and gaze but take not nor eate but rather hang vp the Sacrament He said Bibite ex hoc omnes that is 〈◊〉 all of this but the Pope saith Drinke not all of this and they 〈◊〉 the Pope The Apostle saith It is better to marrie then to burne and that mariage is honorable among all men But the Pope doth interpret these words so as if he had said It is better to burne then to marrie and that mariage is reprochfull and vnlawfull to Priests and Papists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pope So do they likewise in 〈◊〉 false interpretations But that the Popes interpretations and sentences shold be the foundation of religion is a matter contrarie to religion and reason The Apostle Ephes. 2. saith that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the corner stone And therefore it is said to be built vpon them because both of them preach Christ. Apostolos habemus authores c. we haue the Apostles for authors of our doctrine saith Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers. haeret He saith also It lyeth not in mans power to determine any thing in matters of faith of his owne head Quamuis sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos c. Howsoeuer holy or eloquent a man be saith Hierome in Psalm 86. yet comming after the Apostles he deserueth no authenticall credit The Lord declareth in Scriptures Augustine in his second Epistle to Hierome sheweth that no mans writings are comparable to holy Scriptures And this the Canonists themselues confesse in their glosses vpon the Chapter Nolimeis and Ego solis dist 9. Are not the 〈◊〉 then most miserable that build their 〈◊〉 vpon the Popes Decretals that are contrarie to Scriptures to Fathers one to another and oftentimes void of truth wit learning religion or honestie The last foundation of Romish faith is the preaching of Masse-priests and Friars Quomodo Christus eiusque doctrina saith Stapleton Christianae 〈◊〉 fundamentum est sic 〈◊〉 nunc à Christo missi eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamentii apud me 〈◊〉 locum habehunt As Christ and his doctrine is the foundation of Christian religion so others now sent of Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall in my
France in their booke entitled La veritè defendue a booke as true as Celsus his book written against Christian religion entitled by him Veraoratio or a true discourse do defēd the authoritie of the Pope which he chalengeth in iudging and deposing temporall princes Nay which is more strange they blush not to affirme that this great soueraignety in the Pope is profitable for princes that stand in more doubt of loosing their tēporall kingdoms then of any other losse But howsoeuer it is if princes stand vpon loosing their crownes at the Popes pleasure then are they in poore estate and without any assurance of their kingdomes 〈◊〉 especially the malice of the Pope against such as professe the truth and his ambition in encroching vpon his neighbors dominions Ghineard a Iebusite was hanged in Paris anno 1594. for writing and holding diuers seditious positions wherof one was that the crowne of France might and ought to be translated into another family then that of Bourbon Neither néed any man make question by 〈◊〉 he meant that this feat should be wrought séeing the Pope is the man whose authoritie the Iebusites and Cananites 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings Finally Robert Parsons in his Warnword part 2. f. 117. 6 alleageth a booke entitled De iusta Henrici tertij abdicatione that is of the iust deposing of the French King Henry the third whereby it is apparent that he also holdeth that the Pope may 〈◊〉 depose Kings Neither is it likely that he would so busily haue sought to stirre vp rebels in England and to suborne cut-throtes to kill the Quéene or that he would haue desired that Pius the 〈◊〉 his bull against her might be suspended for a time 〈◊〉 Papists if he had not taken her to be deposed by the Pope But because this 〈◊〉 of the Popes authority that of it selfe is litle worth would auaile nothing vnlesse the people also can be drawne to fauour the Popes faction therefore the Pope and his schollers giue also a power to the people to depose Kings and princes especially if once they proue tyrants that is as 〈◊〉 teach if they be excommunicate by the Pope or else séeke to maintaine their state or the truth against the violence and practises of the popish 〈◊〉 Gregory the seuenth tooke away all regall power from Henry the fourth and gaue the same vnto Rodulph of Saxonie commaunding all Christians to receiue Rodulph for their King and not to obey the Emperour Henry in any thing as being absolued from their othes which they were wont to giue vnto Kings Regiam ei potestatem adimo saith Gregory the seuenth interdicoque Christianis omnibus illo 〈◊〉 absolutis quo fides regibus 〈◊〉 ne Henrico vllain re obtemperent Rodulphum in regem suscipiant But this could not be executed vnlesse the people had some power giuen them to put by the one and to receiue the other Nor can princes stand firme if seditious Popes can giue the people this power Innocent the fourth likewise deposed Friderick the second forbidding his subiects to obey him and commanding them to whom it appertained to chuse another King As if it lay in the power of the people to do the one or the other or as if the princes authoritie 〈◊〉 in this case vpon the peoples pleasure Pius the 〈◊〉 declared Quéene Elizabeths subiects to be fréed from their obedience and not onely commaunded them not to obey her but by all perswasions moued them to depose her Is not this then a plaine and euident argument that the Pope doth giue power to the people contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle Rom. 13. and Tit. 3. to rebell against princes and to depose them William Raynolds a renegate Englishman in a treatise set out vnder the 〈◊〉 name of William Rosse and entitled De iusta reip Christianae supra reges impios haereticos authoritate iustissimaque Catholicorum he should say cacolicorū ad Henricum Nauarraeū quemcunque haereticum à regno Galliae repellendum confederatione doth in expresse termes giue the people power to depose Kings and maintaineth impudently the wicked league of the French rebels against their King In the 2. chap. of that booke he affirmeth that the right of al the Kings kingdoms of Europe is laid vpō this foundation that common wealths or people may depose thir kings His words are Quod ius omnium Europae regum regnorum hoc fundamento nititur quod resp possint suos reges deponere But therein he sheweth himselfe and his consorts to be the most notorious traitors of all Europe Likewise Robert Parsons our aduersary if such a base companion may deserue that name and a notorious 〈◊〉 of sedition in his booke of succession to the crowne of England made against the iust title of King Iames and in fauour of the infanta of Spaine in his first booke chap. 1. 〈◊〉 to proue that succession to gouernement by nearenesse of blood is by positiue lawes of the commonwealth and may vpon iust causes be altered by the same His intention is to shew that they which made that law may also alter it In the third chapter he striueth with himselfe to shew that not onely vnworthy pretenders may be put backe but that Kings in possession may be chastised and deposed The first part of which proposition is directed against our most worthy and rightfull King before his comming to the crowne the second aymeth at him now that by Gods grace he is attained to the Crowne In the fourth chapter he sayth that othes in diuers cases bind not subiects and that sometimes they may lawfully proceed against Princes Matters so seditious and odious that it séemeth to me admirable that such a leud companion should be suffered so impudently to barke against the authority of Kings or that the Archpriest or the 〈◊〉 or Masse priests that depend vpon him and allow this doctrine and percase yet stand for the infantaes title together with their cōsorts shold be suffered to liue by the lawes of that king whom by their wicked doctrine they haue sought to dispossesse of his right and to depose from his royall throne Neither is this the doctrine of these base companions only but also of other more famous Doctors and of the most illustrious ring-leaders of the Iebusites Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. saith It is not lawful for Christians to tolerate a King that is an infidel or an hereticke if he go about to draw his subiects to his heresie or infidelitie His words are these Non licet Christianis tolerare regem infidelem aut haereticum si ille pertrahere conetur subditos ad suam haeresim aut infidelitatem Now it is well knowne that such as receiue not the superstition and heretical doctrine of the Romish synagogue are by the sect of Papists accompted heretikes and litle better then infidels Emanuel Sa a Iebusite also in a booke called Aphorismi confessariorum holdeth these aphorismes
with other authors Fol. 14. b. The old Romane lawes sayth Parsons do giue generall authoritie to the body of the common wealth to punish particular offenders non è contra as Cicero signifieth in his booke De Legibus But he belyeth impudently the old Romane lawes and Cicero De Legibus For both of them do authorize particular Magistrates and officers and not the whole commonwealth to punish offenders Magistratus sayth Tully nec obedientem noxium ciuem multa vinculis 〈◊〉 coercento So likewise do old lawes as in the titles de poenis and de publicis criminibus in the Pandects we may sée Further common wealths or states do make lawes and receiue not authoritie from lawes Finally it is an absurd thing to make the common wealth iudge or executioner of lawes For if that were so then should the hangman be y e common wealth and contrariwise And by a good consequent if Parsons should play the hangman the commonwealth might ride vpon the gallowes The which is so great an inconuenience that rather then it should be granted it were better that the Iebusite were hanged vpon the gallowes 〈◊〉 Fol. 15. a. citing Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 51. and Cyprian lib. de vnit Eccles. and Hieron in c. 8. Ezechielis in c. 11. Oseae in c. 11. Zachariae in c. 8. Danielis And Augustin enarrat in Psal. 80. part 29. super lib. Iosuae cap. 27. he sayth that they out of the 13. of Deuteronomy proue that heretikes may and ought to be put to death which are the proper idolaters of the new Testament But in citing of these authors the man séemeth neither to haue eyes nor iudgement nor honestie For Augustine lib. 18. de ciuitate Dei c. 51. doth neither mention the 13. of Deuteronomie nor proue that heretikes are to be put to death The like may be answered to the testimonie of Augustine in Psal. 80. of which ridiculously he citeth the 29. part Further we find no commentaries of Augustine vpon the booke of Iosue Cyprian in his book De vnitate Ecclesiae hath no such matter as Parsons supposeth Most falsly also doth he cite the places out of Hierome In the same place he citeth Augustine super lib. Iosuae ca. 27. and de vtilitate ieiunij cap. 8. Whereas he neither wrote commentaries vpon Iosue nor any 27. chapter is to be found in that booke Beside that the booke de vtilitate ieiunij is a bastard and of the qualitie of Parsons and none of saint Augustines Fol. 17. translating the law Cunctos populos Cod. de sum Trin. fid Cath. he cutteth out the words that containe the forme of faith professed by the Emperour and that part that sheweth that the iudgement and punishment of heretikes belonged to the ciuill Magistrate The first because it giueth power to ciuill Magistrates to publish formes of Christian faith The next because he imagineth that the iudgment and condemnation of heretikes belongeth onely to the popish hereticall Clergie Fol. 25. b. he affirmeth that Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haeret sayth That it is impossible for two heretikes to agree in all points Let him therefore quote these words or else in this point we will note him for a falsarie Mentior sayth Tertullian speaking of certaine heretikes si non etiam à regulis suis 〈◊〉 inter se dum vnusquisque proinde suo arbitrio modulatur quae accepit quemadmodum de suo arbitrio ea composuit ille qui tradidit He sayth they vary among themselues from their owne rules and that euery one at his pleasure doth modulate and temper the things he receiued as he that deliuered them composed them at his pleasure But this wanteth much of Parsons words and meaning as he wanted much of sincere dealing Fol. 29 he affirmeth desperatly that the great commission for the Popes iurisdiction is contained in the 16. of Matthew in these words I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. forging notoriously the Popes letters patents For neither is there any mention of the Pope or Bishop of Rome in these words nor doth our Sauiour speake of any keyes or power of binding and loosing that is not common to all Bishops which are the Apostles successors Furthermore general words wil not serue to cary halfe the Popes power Finally if we will beléeue Bellarmine lib. 〈◊〉 de Pont. Rom. c. 10. here is nothing giuen to Peter but only promised to him Fol. 38. he alledgeth Pope Nicholas his Epistle and Constantines donation both notoriously and impudently being forged and by the forgeron or blackesmiths putatiue sonne erroniously interpreted Fol. 39. speaking of certaine words of Cusanus This sayth he of the change of Gods iudgement after the iudgement of the Church of the supreme Pastor is a commō saying of the auncient fathers vpon those words of Christ Whose sinnes you loose on earth c. Anotorious lie For albeit he alleage thrée yet no one speaketh of the change of Gods iudgement or of the Pope ór affirmeth that Gods iudgement changeth with the Church Beside that it is one thing to talke of binding and loosing and another to say that as the Church altereth the institution of the sacraments so God altereth his iudgement Would not this fellow then haue a garland of peacockes feathers for his notorious cogging and for his presumption in falsly alleaging and belying the Fathers Fol. 40. in the margent he sayth that Hilary in Math. 16. hath a worthy place for the Popes authoritie Yet can he not proue that Hilary in that place speaketh one word either for the Pope or of the Pope for he speaketh onely of Peter and his authority But what is that to the Pope that neither in doctrine nor life is like to Peter For this worthy place therefore thus falsly alleaged this worthlesse fellow is worthy to haue a paper clapped to his head for a falsary Fol. 62. b. he shameth not to affirme that Augustine lib. 17. de ciuitate 〈◊〉 c. 20. sayth that Christ hath appointed his sacrifice of the Masse among Christians in place of the Iewish sacrifices whereas that father speaketh of Christs sacrifice vpon the crosse and not once mentioneth the Masse And so his words must needs be vnderstood For indeed his sacrifice vpon the crosse and not the Masse is the 〈◊〉 of the Leuiticall sacrifices as the Apostle declareth in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Fol. 63. a. he sayth that Dionysius de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. orig hom 5. in Num. Basilius lib. de Spiritu sancto c. 27. Chrysostome hom 24. in Matth. and Gregory lib. 4. dialog c. 56. and other fathers do teach that it is not conuenient that al things which are handled in Church seruice praesertim in sacris mysterijs shold be vnderstood by all vnlearned people in their owne vulgar tongue A shamelesse lie most impudently auouched vpon the fathers credit by this bastardly frier For neither
summum pontificem sayth he à Constantino ' Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo that is Thou mayst heare the Pope called of Constantine God accompted a God Baldus in l. fin Cod. sent rescind and Decius in c. 1. de constitut and Card. Paris Cons. 5. nu 75. say The Pope is a God in earth That is also the saying of Felin in c. ego N. in 1. col in text ibi canonicè de iureiurand Others teach That the Pope is Gods Vicegerent in earth c. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 3. de transl 〈◊〉 de re iudicat c. ad apostolicae Clem. 1. ibi Card. Papa sayth the Glosse in 〈◊〉 Clem. id est admirabilis dicitur à Papè quod est interiectio admirantis verè admirabilis So it appeareth he deriueth the Popes title of wonderment Others call the Pope Christs Vicar as if Christ had left him to rule the Church in his stead Bonauenture in 〈◊〉 calleth the Pope the onely spouse of the Church and Christs vicar generall Panorinitan in c. licet and c. venerabilem de electione sayth That Christ and the Pope haue but one consistory and that the Pope can do as it were whatsoeuer Christ can do except sinne Likewise holdeth 〈◊〉 c. quanto de translat episcop Papa Christus say they 〈◊〉 vnum consistorium it a quod excepto peccato potest Papa quasiomnia facere quae potest 〈◊〉 Nay Panormitan in the chap. venerabilem without qualification sayth Quòd possit facere quicquid Deus potest And he alleageth this for a reason aliâs Christus non fuit diligens paterfamiliâs si non dimisisset in terra aliquem loco sui Gomesius writing vpon the rules of the Popes Chancery sayth That the Pope is a certaine diuine power and sheweth himselfe as a visible God Papa est quoddam numen quasi visibilem quendam Deum praese ferens Stapleton in his dedicatory Epistle to Gregory the thirtéenth before his Doctrinal principles doeth adore him and call him Supremum numen in terris that is His soueraigne God vpon the earth Hoping percase that his supreme God would looke downe vpon a terrestriall base creature and bestow vpon him some great preferment Bellarmine doth bestow Christs titles vpon the Pope calling him the corner stone of the church and a stone most precious and approued In his second booke De Pontif. Rom. he titleth him the foundation the head and spouse of the church Caesar Baronius his huge volumes containe most huge and many flatteries of the Popes of Rome the man contrary to all law of story setting forth their praises and concealing their errors and faults It would require a great volume to comprehend all and where so many examples are contained I should diminish his fault if I should set downe but few Simon Begnius a great doer in the conuenticle of Lateran directing his spéech to Leo the tenth Ecce sayth he venit Leo de tribu Iudah And againe Te Leo heatissime saluatorem 〈◊〉 He calleth Pope Leo a lion of the tribe of Iuda and his sauiour Certaine rimes in the Glosse vpon the proeme of the Clementines call him the wonderment of the world Papa stupor mundi And againe say that he is neither God nor man but as it were neuter betweene both Nec Deus es nec homo quasi neuter es inter vtrumque Innocentius the third in cap. solitae de 〈◊〉 obed sayth the Pope as farre excelleth the Emperor as the Sunne excelleth the Moone That is as the Glosse doeth there calculate seuentie seauen times He compareth also the Pope to the soule and the Emperour to the bodie Tantū sacerdos praestat regi quantū homo praestat bestiae Quantum Deus praestat sacerdoti tantū sacerdos praestat regi Qui regē anteponit sacerdoti is anteponit creaturam creatori sayth Stanislaus Orichouius in Chimaera That is A priest doth so much excell a king as a man doth excell a beast As much as God is better then a priest so much is a priest better then a king He that preferreth a king before a priest doth preferre a creature before his creator Ioannes de 〈◊〉 calleth the Pope King of kings and Lord of lords And Herueus will haue him to be a king The glosse and Canonists in c. ad apostolicae de sent re iudicat in 6. hold That the Pope hath power to depose princes and Emperours and this is now a comon conclusion of the Iebusites Clement the fift in the chapter Romani Clement de iureiurando doeth determine That the Emperour sweareth 〈◊〉 to the Pope Boniface the eight affirmeth That it is a matter of saluation for all men to subiect themselues to the Pope c. vnam sanct ext de maior obed The Canonists teach That the Pope is not tyed to law in c. proposuit de concess praebendae Baldus in c. 1. in vlt. col de confess affirmeth That the Pope by reason of his authoritie is doctour of both the lawes And commonly his flatterers affirme That he hath al lawes within the chest of his brest Ioannes Andreas and Panormitane in cap. per venerabilem Qui filij sint legit say that the Pope hath power to dispense in mariages within the degrees prohibited by Gods law Petrus Ancharanus Cons. 373. saith That the Pope hath power to licence the nephew to mary his vncles wife Panormitan in c. fin de diuort writeth that the Pope for a speciall great cause may dispence against the new Testament Papa potest permittere vsuras populis Iudaeis eas tolerare that is The Pope hath power to permit and tolerate vsury to Iewes and other people as sayth Alexander de Imola in Consil. 1. part 2. and Card. in Clem. 1. § fin 27. quest de vsuris And experience sheweth that he permitteth vsury to the Iewes of Rome and Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth set vp publike bankes of vsury called falsely monti di pieta The Popes they are also made to beleeue that they may permit publike stewes in Rome and of that permission they make no small reuenue Likewise it is the custome of papists to flatter Princes hoping thereby to allure them to defend their sect Some they call most Christian some Catholike some great Dukes Baronius in his Epistle dedicatory before his third tome of Annales calleth King Philip the second of Spaine regum maximum the 〈◊〉 of kings and Christianorum regum maximum decus ornamentum The glory and ornament of Christian Kings He sayth also that greater things may be spoken of him then Xenophon wrote of Cyrus and seemeth to compare him or preferre him before Constantine Likewise doeth he grossely flatter the French king in his Preface before his ninth tome of Annales Thomas Stapleton hath giuen immoderate prayses to Thomas Becket and Thomas More perhaps for name sake rather then for vertue Sanders Rishton and Bozius albeit they professe to write histories yet do they intend nothing
in 〈◊〉 and seeketh if not to kill yet to 〈◊〉 his countriment and friends imputing vnto them most horrible opinions and crimes It resteth then that we set vpon him a mark as vpō Caine that euery man may know him for a suppost of Satan although herein we néed not much to 〈◊〉 seeing the first letter of Kellisons name who fathereth this monstrous 〈◊〉 is K. and the man is noted among his companions for a great quareller about his commons The poore fellow is but a kettle doctor or rather a Tinker of broken schoole distinctions and a professor rather then a performer of any 〈◊〉 learning The fellow talketh idly of new religion but neither doeth he know what is new nor what is old nor what belongeth to religion that taketh popery for religion and estéemeth the masse and decretaliue doctrine which this Church of England refuseth to be auncient and the apostolike faith which we professe to be new The fourth is termed A briefe and cleare confutation of a new vaine and vanting challenge and is directed against a treatise set out some two or thrée yeares agone by mee wherein is proued that the Masse-priests and their adherents are neither Catholikes nor good Christians But so learnedly and wisely hath the author of this braggard 〈◊〉 handled the matter that his good friends are sory to sée so worthy a worke misnamed For if he had done me right he should haue called his pamphlet A confirmation of my challenge for so in truth it is the author answering nothing to the purpose and rather by silence consenting then by good answering contradicting our arguments The most of his discourse standeth vpon bitter railing vaine talking and childish 〈◊〉 about serious matters If any man doubted whether popery were heresie before I doubt not but that this weake discourse that yéeldeth no satisfaction to any indifferent Reader may resolue him The author of this deuise as we are credibly informed is VValpoole the ruler of the kitchin or porredge pot of the colledge of yong English popish traitors in Rome In Italian they call him Padre ministro or padre de minestra or Lord chiefe steward of the schollers porredge The same man is that Walpoole that gaue poyson to Squire and corrupted him by promises of great rewards both in this life and the life to come if he would vndertake to empoyson Quéene Elizabeth the late Earle of Essex and hauing gained a promise at his hands swore him vpon the sacrament to performe the same The fellow is recorded in publike act bookes for these infamous 〈◊〉 and knowne to be a notorious traitor and an atheist We are not therfore much to maruell if this wicked Iebusites libel be ful of bitternes atheisme and poison procéeding from so impious an atheist and so cunning a master in the art of empoisoning If any thing wanted in Walpool whose wits are grosse muddy like a standing poole or sink of villany yet was the same bountifully supplied by Robert Parsons the Rector of the quire of Romish conspirators You may then imagine what a loade of leasings calumniations and fooleries such two coach horses were able to draw out of their miry inuentions Much are the simple papists to be pitied that listē to such wicked traitors and suffer themselues to be abused by such notorious and infamous impostors Unto all these libels there are seueral answers in making If they be not presently answered maruel not They are of too large a blocke to be read ouer hastily My countrimen thinke if the whole impressions of these foure books might be had that they would wel serue to paue Shaftsbury causy There would onely be this difference that for cobble stones and rough slates we should haue cobbled bookes and rough hewne libels as fit to be troden vpon as read ouer Others think because they are in forme octagonall and for the most part as thick as long made like brick-bats that they would finely serue séeing the holy father is said to be the foundatiō of the Pope-holy church to lay vpon him for the rearing vp of the wals of some Romish synagogue so it wold be like foundatiō like wals As soone as such huge thick volumes may be run ouer they shall God willing receiue an answer 〈◊〉 such indiabolated authors and such wicked railing stuffe In the meane while receiue this censure of them al. First they are such as need no long coargutiō It is a sufficient course of conuiction of them to declare their perfidious falshood So writeth Hierome in an epistle to Marcella of like stuffe Haec sunt quae coargutione non indigent perfidiam eorum exposuisse superasse est Big they looke if we respect the bulk but nothing is more friuolous if we respect the matter Out of great heapes of chaffe there is no corne to be gathered neither can we expect better substance out of these fardles of wast paper which like chaffe may be blowne away with any litle blast of reason and discussion All of them are of like argument and for the most part repeate the same things Parsons he playeth the part of that friuolous pleader of whom Augustine speaketh in his 86. epistle Eadem atque eadem saepe dicit non aliud inueniendo quod dicat nisi quod inaniter adrem non pertinens dicit He inculcateth the same things often finding nothing else to say but that he repeateth matters vainely and which are not to the purpose The authors spread abroade shamefull rumors against most honest and innocent men and that which procéeded first from themselues they pretend to haue heard of others being themselues both the authors and amplifiers of those rumors Such fellowes Hierome in his Epistle to Furia de vid. seruand doth rightly describe Hirumores turpissimos serunt sayth he quod ab ipsis egressum est id ab alijs se audisse simulant ijdem 〈◊〉 exaggeratores The Papists giue out most shameful reports of Luther Caluin Beza nay of kings and princes Afterward they cause such sycophants as Bolsecus Staphilus Cochleus Sanders Ribadineira and such lunatical barking helhounds to write them and so euery odde companion taketh hint from them in time the rest shame not to diuulge and increase these leud reports themselues The most of the witnesses alleaged by these fellowes are men suborned by thēselues Such are those which already I mentioned Such is Surius and such is that cogging and lying writer of legends and lyes Caesar Baronius and his felfellowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Euripides sayth in Andromacha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Emperors and Caesars for lies and rare enginers to deuise mischiefe But as Hierome sayth ad 〈◊〉 That is an authenticall testimony that had no cause to shift matters by vntruths 〈◊〉 est testimonium quod causas non habet mentiendi But the Papists without lies and forgeries cannot long maintaine their 〈◊〉 cause The authors striue against the truth as much
Dei c. 2. confesseth that some traditions were temporarie But it is impious to say that the holy Scriptures are temporary or at any time to be abolished Diuers traditiōs are no where found but in the Legends Missals and Portesses and such books of smal account and credit as for example the ceremonies rites of the Masse the prayers of the canon the formall adoration of Saints and Angels the incredible narrations of S. Clement S. Nicholas S. Christopher S. George S. Catherine S. Dominicke S. Francis and infinite other Saints which no man may receiue with like affection as he receiueth holy Scriptures but he shall infinitly disgrace the Scriptures and shew him selfe to be no Catholike Furthermore if the Papists build their 〈◊〉 vpon traditions then is their 〈◊〉 humane as hauing no ground but the testimonie of this man and that man that speaketh of traditions Their faith is also most weake and 〈◊〉 as being built vpon the lies reported in Legends and the fantasticall ceremonies contained in the Missall and Breuiary The holy 〈◊〉 are called the old and new testament and the Apostle Ephes. 6. calleth the word of God the sword of the Spirit Writing to Timothy he saith holy scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and absolute and wise vnto saluation But howsoeuer the blind Papists fauor their traditions yet I hope they will be ashamed to cal their fardle of traditions Gods eternal testament or the sword of the spirit or to say that traditions are able to make the man of God perfect or wise to saluation Finally no holy father did euer make Ecclesiastical traditions not written nor contained in Scriptures but only commended by the Church of Rome or kept by custome or taken vp by fancie and recorded only in humane writings of equall authoritie with canonicall scriptures Infidelitatis argumentum est c. saith Basil It is an argument of infidelity and a most certaine signe of pride if a man wil reiect any thing that is written or bring in any thing not written The like saying he hath Moral 72. c. 1. 86. 22. Neither is it like that he should speake of traditions repugnant to scriptures as some do answer For euery Christian man knoweth that nothing is to be receiued contrarie to Scriptures and to admonish men of that had bene superfluous Si quid dicatur absque scriptura saith Chrysostome hom in Psal. 95. auditorum 〈◊〉 claudicat nunc annuens nunc 〈◊〉 If any thing be spoken without proofe of scripture the mind of the hearers resteth in suspence now yeelding now denying Neither doth he speake onely of a mans owne inuention but also of all other mens reports or deuises without ground of scripture In his thirteenth homily vpon the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians he calleth Scriptures a most exact rule What néed then haue we of the additions of traditions not written if scriptures be a most exact rule Diabolici spiritus est saith Theophilus lib. 2. paschal aliquid 〈◊〉 scripturarum sacrarum authoritatem putare diuinum It is a signe of a diuellish spirit to thinke that any thing is diuine which is without the authoritie of holy scriptures What reason then hath Bellarmine to call traditions the word of God not written Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 23. of Ma thew speaking of a certaine tradition Quod de scripturis authoritatem non habet eadem facilitate 〈◊〉 qua probatur That which is not confirmed by authoritie of scriptures is with the same facilitie contemned that it is proued And writing vpon the first chap. of the prophet Aggey he saith That the sword of God doth strike all those things which men of their owne accord do find out and feine as it were Apostolicall traditions without the authoritie and testimony of scriptures Ubi de re 〈◊〉 disputatur sayth Augustine lib. 2. de peccatorum merit remiss c. 36. non adiuuantibus diuinarum scripturarum certis clarisque documentis cohibere se debet humana praesumptio nihil faciens in alteram partem declinando Where we contend about some most obscure question there mans presumption ought to stay it selfe declining to neither side if the certaine and cleare documents of scripture helpe vs not The next ground of the late Romish faith is layd vpon the old latine vulgar translation For whosoeuer receiueth not the scriptures as they are contained in the old vulgar latine translation is pronounced accursed by the conuenticle of Trent Againe the same conuenticle purposing to declare what Latine edition or translation of scriptures is authenticall determineth that the old latin vulgar translation shall be authenticall so that no man vpon any 〈◊〉 dare or may reiect it Vt nemo illam reijcere quouis praetextu audeat vel 〈◊〉 Canus in his theologicall common places as he calleth them doubteth not to affirme that the Iewes haue corrupted the Hebrew text of the old testament and this diuers other papisticall writers haue also supposed The glosse vpon the chapter vt veterum dist 9. affirmeth plainely that both Iewes and Greekes haue corrupted the copies of scriptures in those tongues But the old vulgar Latine translation most Papists now hold to be sincere incorrupt and pure and allow as authenticall Bellarmine in his second booke De verbo Dei cap. 2. saith that albeit the scriptures in Hebrew be not altogether corrupted yet they are not sound and pure but haue certaine errors Likewise lib. 2. ca. 7. speaking of the Greeke text of the new Testament he sayth that the same is not sound nor without errors and that it is not safe alwayes to correct the Latine by the Greeke But in the same booke cha 10. with all his force he endeuoreth to defend the old Latine translation as authenticall The which is not onely a plaine declaration 〈◊〉 the weaknesse of the Romish faith that is built vpon so corrupt grounds but also of the absurd and vnreasonable 〈◊〉 of our aduersaries The prophet cryeth 〈◊〉 against the 〈◊〉 that forsooke God the fountaine of liuing water and digged to themselues pits or cisternes that could hold no water Is it not then admirable that any should be so blind as to forsake the originall textes of Scripture and to flie to the corrupt cisternes of the Latine vulgar translation Hilary vpon the 118. psalme sayth That he hath often admonished his hearers that the Latin translatiō could not yeeld satisfaction for their vnderstanding Frequenter admonuimus saith he non posse satisfactionem 〈◊〉 ex latinitatis 〈◊〉 praestari Ambrose teacheth vs that where there is contention about the variation of Latine translations there the Greeke bookes are to be looked vpon Si quis de Latinorum codicum varietate contendit sayth he quorum aliquos perfidi falsauerunt Graecos inspiciat codices And in his booke De incarnat 〈◊〉 8. So haue we found sayth he in the Greeke text whose authoritie is greater Hierome in an 〈◊〉 to