against them First for Sybils Oracles they do euidently describe the Pope of Rome calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that should haue a manifold that is a triple crowne and his name should come neere to Ponti so is he called Pontifex that all the world should visit his foote that he should gather together huge heapes of gold and siluer be skilfull in Magick arte And afterward in the same booke Sybill speaketh of the vtter ruine and desolation of Rome Concerning the Rabbines neither do they witnes for the Romanes but did rather by the scriptures gather that they should be enemies to the Church for so they vnderstand that prophesie of Balaam that Cittim shall afflict Heber of the power of Italy and Rome so Onkelos Iarchi Ezra Sadaiah Isaac Bochai as they are cited by that learned man in his Concent whose name as I haue heard this opponent beareth but neither his wit nor learning Is not this now a braue lad that would make vs belieue that these speake for him that are vtterlie against him But whereas he challengeth beside that Mahometanes Iewes Paganes Infidels Heretikes Schismatikes Deuils damned soules soules in Purgatorie do witnesse with them We willinglie yeeld them all these they are fit Iurie men to bring in such a verdite onely I take exception against two of this empanelled enquest the soules in Purgatorie which is no where and therfore it is a vaine proofe and the damned soules who if they might vtter their complaint from hell they would cry out against their popish instructors which by their idolatrie doctrine of freewill merits pilgrimages inuocation of Saints blind traditions and by many other grosse errors and blind ignorance condemned them to hell 8 He saith further That the Queene by her new taken prerogatiue proceedeth in spirituall causes without Parliament Here are two vntruths couched together 1 Her Maiestie did while she liued exercise no authoritie in those causes which the statutes of this realme haue not yeelded vnto her and therefore without Parliament she proceeded not that authoritie in spirituall matters being restored to the Crowne by acte of Parliament 2 False also it is that this prerogatiue is new taken vp that the Prince should be the supreme gouernor ouer all persons and in all causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall for her Maiestie did not challenge any authoritie and power of ministerie of deuine offices in the Church as the Papists do falsely slaunder the state but only she was acknowledged during her princely life and raigne to be supreame gouernor of the Church in her realme to prescribe lawes for the same by the word of God and to see them executed and no otherwise This prerogatiue is auncient neuer denied to Christian Princes Dauid Solomon Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosias reformed religion deposed idolatrous priests made ecclesiasticall orders and lawes Eleutherius calleth King Lucius Gods vicar in his kingdome and saith it is his dutie to call his people to the faith and law of Christ. Pope Leo thus decreed Res humanae c. Humane matters can not otherwise be safe nisi quae ad diuinam confessionē pertinent regia sacerdotalis defendat dignitas vnlesse those things which belong to the deuine profession both the kinglie and priestlie authoritie defend And among other offices of the Kings of England this is one Vt regat ecclesiam That he gouerne the Church Yea the popish Clergie were the first that recognized King Henry the 8. to be the supreame head of the Church of England 9 Where he saith The definition of the Pope in such cases is impossible to be false by all morall iudgement You should haue said moriall or a fooles iudgement for it is notoriouslie knowne that diuers Popes haue been heretikes Marcellinus was a Montanist Liberius an Arrian Honorius was condemned for an Heretike Anastasius and Celestinus were Nestorians Yea it is also manifest that the Bishops of Rome haue erred in their definitions and decrees Nicolaus 1. alloweth baptisme made onely in the name of Christ Decret 1. de baptis Platina saith Post Stephanum c. After Stephen this custome was obserued Vt acta priorū pontificum sequentes aut infringerent aut omnino tollerent That the Popes which succeeded did infringe the acts of their predecessors or cleane take them away The former then or the latter must needs erre in their decrees Erasmus saith Ioannes 22. Nicolaus totis decretis intra se pugnant idque in his quae videntur ad fidei negotium pertinere Iohn 22. and Nicolas in all their decrees do fight one with another and in such things as belong vnto faith But if you waigh not the credit of this testimonie heare one of your Popes confession Quid si criminosus papa contraria fidei praedicet haereticisque dogmatib imbuat subditos What if a bad Pope do preach contrarie to the faith and corrupt his subiects with hereticall opinions It is possible then for a Pope not only to erre himselfe but to preach publish and enioyne it to others What an heape of lyes hath this fabulous Frier told vs and all within the compasse of one page I may say to him as Diogenes to Plato who requesting of him three rootes out of his garden sent him a bushell euen so saith he when you are asked you answere many things But this vnskilfull gardener vnasked hath cast vs out of his garden stinking weeds by lumps serued vs with a bushell of lyes Cyprianes saying may very well be applied to such ouer-reaching Romanists Romani cum sua mendaciorum merce nauigant quasi veritas post eos nauigare non posset The Romanists hoise vp saile to carrie their merchandise of lyes as though the truth could not saile after them so this nimble Cursitor trips away with his false footing as though no man could trace his wide footsteps and ouertake him The fourth Perswasion 1 I Defend a religion which hath confuted all aduersaries Atheists Epicures Iewes Paganes Mahumetanes Magicians Philosophers 2 Which hath conquered aboue 400. sects of internall and domesticall heretikes subdued all nations 3 Not a religion builded vpon vaine coniecture c. wherein so many heads so many religions deniers of scriptures deceitfull false translators corrupters and forgers of holie euidence deuisers of doctrines for pleasure sake c. 4 But a religion founded vpon the most certaine and infallible word of God c. The Disswasion 1 HOw well popish religion confuteth Atheists Epicures Iewes Pagans Mahometanes I haue shewed before that poperie boroweth from all these that diuers of their Popes haue been Atheists Gregor 7. Siluester 2. Paulus 3. Benedict 9. Ioann 13. Leo. 10. Alexander 6. with other Iewes and Turkes are tolerated vnder the Popes nose onely the Protestants are persecuted vnto death And for Magicians Platina sheweth that
more then twentie of the Popes haue been giuen to that diuelish studie How Papists are confuters of Philosophers I leaue it to their owne report of one Maldonat an Ignatian sectarie that in a great auditorie in one lecture laboured to proue by naturall reasons that there is a God in an other that there is none and that the Iesuites do mainetaine at this day by the penne of Rene de la Fon that the Godhead must be proued by naturall reason 2 Vntrue also it is that Poperie hath conquered so many heresies retayning still a great number of them as is before sufficientlie declared neither haue they cause to brag of their vniuersalitie in subduing all nations for poperie was neuer so generall as pagane Idolatrie neither had the Pope euer commaund of all nations the Greeke Church hauing euer been deuided from him and I trust euery day his iurisdiction will be lesse and his account of nations come short as thanks be to God his nailes are well pared and his armes shortned in many famous cities and kingdomes in Christendome 3 Of the Papists it may be more truly said that they haue as many heads so many religions of the diuers sects and schismes in poperie and differences among their writers which rise to the computation of many hundreds relation hath been made before They are the deniers of scripture not Protestants that haue not blushed to say that the Pope may change the forme of words in baptisme that the Pope may dispense against the new testament that the Pope may dispense against all the precepts of the old and new testament that the scripture taketh authoritie from the Church of Rome that no man may lawfullie beleeue any thing by the authoritie of scripture against the determination of the Church Another saith the authoritie of the scriptures is founded in the allowance of the Church Another Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non vt praessent c. the Apostles writ certaine things not that they should rule faith and religion sed subessent but should be vnder Let any man now iudge if these men be not deniers of scripture which do derogate from the authoritie thereof that take vpon thē to chop change it to annihilate the precepts thereof and dispense against it So they not Protestants are the false translators of scripture who allow the vulgar Latine onely to be authenticall which in many hundred places altereth and corrupteth the Hebrue text As Genes 2.8 God planted a garden from the beginning for toward the East Genes 15. she shall breake thy head for he Gen. 4.13 they reade my sinne is greater then I can deserue pardon for then I can beare Gen. 6.5 their cogitation intent to euill for onely euill continuallie Gen. 12.15 and the princes told Pharao for the princes of Pharao saw her Gen. 26.9 why didst thou lye for why saidst thou v. 19. they digged in torrente in the brooke for in the vallie Gen. 35.16 he came in the spring time to the ground which bringeth to Ephratha for there was a little space of ground to come to Ephrah Genes 36.24 found out hoate waters in the wildernes for Mules Gen. 40.13 shall remember thy seruice for shall lift vp thy head Psal. 68.4 exalt him that ascendeth super occasum vpon the west or sunne-set for vpon the heauens v. 6. deliuereth prisoners in strength for in fetters v. 13. though ye sleepe betweene the lots for lien among the pots v. 17. tenne thousand for twentie thousand and a thousand such places might be alleaged wherein they haue corrupted the scriptures The Papists also are the men that forge scripture and other euidences for they thrust vpon the Church diuers Apocryphall bookes of Tobie Iudith Macchabees with the rest which the auncient Church of the Iewes to whom all the bookes of the old Testament and oracles of God were committed neuer receiued nor allowed So haue they forged and deuised diuers other writings as the Decretall epistles of the auncient Bishops of Rome which were Martyrs as of Zepherinus Calixtus Pontianus Vrbanus Fabianus with the rest which are all counterfeit stuffe as are also the leiturgie of S. Iames the writings that passe vnder the name of S. Martialis Abdias Hippolytus Dionysius and many such as is elsewhere declared more at large 4 Neither is it true that popish religion is founded vpon the infallible word of God conteyned in the scriptures but most of it vpon blind fallible and vncertaine traditions and many opinions the Church of Rome holdeth directlie opposite and contrarie to scripture as elsewhere hath been shewed Thus this friuolous aduersarie passeth on along heaping vp sclaunders and vntruths not remembring what the wise man sayth Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deale trulie are his delight But we neede not maruaile at it for this is familiar with thē with great boldnes to face out their owne forgeries and they may well say in Hieromes phrase domi nobis ista nascuntur we haue plentie of such stuffe at home But as the Lacedemonian magistrates said to Cephisophon the Orator when they expelled him that it was a good Orators part to make his speech answereable to his matter so should this sophister haue done and not to professe truth in his speech where none is in his matter The fift Perswasion 1 I Defend a religion where so much vertue is practised such obedience chastitie pouertie c. 2 Which brought the professors thereof to heauen as religious Heremites Monks Friers Priests Bishops Popes c. 3 Not that religion which made those which before were good chast obedient and contemners of the world to be wicked and giuen to impietie The Disswasion 1 WHat obedience poperie teacheth to their princes the late practises both in England and Fraunce do proclayme to all the world as the treacherous conspiracie of Parry incited by Cardinall Coomes letters of Somerfield and Arden sollicited by Hall a popish priest of Babington with other stirred vp by Ballard Lopez by Parsons Sauage and Yorke by Gifford Squire by Walpoole a Iebusite In Fraunce Iames Clement a Iacobine murdered Henry the third Barriere and Chastell attempted the like against the now King of Fraunce at the instigation of the Iesuites The Prince of Orange was by the like treacherie murdered and the death of the Chancelor of Scotland intended This may suffice to shew their obedience For their chastitie I appeale to the stories written of their vnholie fathers the Popes What place in the Christian world can afford more filthie spectacles of adulterers incestuous persons Sodomites then that Sea and citie of Rome I appeale to the inquisition made in King Henry the eights raigne at the suppression of the Abbeys when in some places the Priests and Monks were descried to haue kept some two some three some sixe some more one among the rest twentie concubines
so confusedlie hudled together that the paines are greater to marshall them into any good order then to answere them The same part he playeth here heaping vp many things disorderly and carying all along before him as with a violent streame of words Like as Theocritus was wont to say of Anaximenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now beginneth the flood of words and but a drop of wit first I will examine his accusation of errors and bring it into some order vsing still his owne words That is no true Church or Religion wherein many heresies and infidelities raigning are condemned and disclosed P. 6. lin 17.24 But among the Protestants many heresies and infidelities haue beene condemned and disclosed which raigned among them Ergo c. First if the proposition were true then should not the Church of the Corinthians haue beene the Church of Christ among whom there were diuers heresies according as S. Paule said vnto them There must be heresies among you that they which are approued may be knowne 2 By the same reason the Pagane Idolaters might haue condemned the Christians because there did spring vp among them farre more sects diuisions and heresies then among the Gentiles whereof Augustine sheweth the reason Non praeferant nobis quasi concordiam suam hostem quippe quem patimur illi non patiuntur Let them not tell vs of their concord for they feele not that enemie whom we suffer Quid illi lucri est quia litigant aut quid damni quod non litigant What should it profite Sathan if they were at strife or what hindrance were it if they contend not eos vnum licet sentientes possidet he possesseth them though in vnitie de vtilitat ieiun tom 9. In like sort it were not to bee maruelled at though Papists were not deuided for Sathan seeing them to agree together in a false religion hath no neede by other meanes and engines to winne them But where he seeth the true faith and doctrine to be receiued there he bestirreth himself by sects schismes and diuisions to hinder the growth thereof 3. I pray you which is more like to be the true Church that which condemneth heresies that they do not raigne among them as the Protestants haue done or that which suffereth and endureth them as the Popish Church tolerateth Iewes Paganes Mahometanes Maranes The Popish Church doth not onely suffer but practise Iudaisme for euery yeere their vse is to consecrate a Paschall lambe in Missal Roman in fine Vnder Adrian the 6. Demetrius an idolatrous Grecian when the pestilence raged in Rome was permitted vnder the Popes nose Pestilentiae placando numini taurum immolare to sacrifice a bull to appease the Goddesse pestilence Paul Iouius lib. 21. in fine And as for the Marani being driuen out of Spaine they were receiued in Rome by Pope Alexander 6. much against the minde of King Ferdinandus Onuphr in eius vita And at this day in Spaine that abominable sect aboundeth That Church then is rather to be reprooued which tolerateth such prophane enormities then that which condemneth and restraineth them As the Church of Ephesus is commended for hating the workes of the Nicolaitanes Reuel 2.8 but the Church of Thyatira is rebuked for suffering the woman Iezabel that named her selfe a Prophetisse Reuel 2. vers 20. 4. These are contradictorie and repugnant speeches for heresies at the same time to raigne and to be condemned for in that they are condemned and disclosed it is euident that they raigne not for where heresie raigneth it is approoued not condemned Thus much of the proposition Secondly let vs see the probations of the assumption 1. This vnhappie age saith he hath hatched more errors he meaneth among the Protestants then euer any age or generation did in the schoole and regiment of Christ c. p. 5. lin 26.27 Ans. 1. Though he could shew more errors to haue risen in this age yet shall hee neuer prooue them to haue been hatched fostred or nourished by the Gospell or the doctrine thereof 2. Neither can it be iustified that more errors and heresies haue been inuented in this age then in any before for within the space of two hundred yeers after Christ more then an hundred grosse errors were broched In these latter times the heresies that are be neither in number so many setting some diuersities in opinion aside which are no heresies nor yet of so great weight and the most of them are but the old heresies reuiued 2. He bringeth his second proofe from our historians from the Records and Registers of London Norwich from the first protestant Synode c. wherin so many heresies are condemned c. pag. 6. Ans. 1. Our historians make mention that ann Edward 6.4 1551. that Ione Butcher was brent for heresie that Christ tooke no flesh of the Virgine Marie and ann Elizab 3. 1561. as hee noteth in the margin one Iohn Moore was whipped for making himselfe Christ and one William Geffrey for saying he was the Disciple of Christ till they both confessed that Christ was in heauen Will you from hence conclude that the Church of England is no true Church because it punisheth heretikes and phantasticall spirits S. Paul may as well fall vnder your reproofe for excommunicating Alexander and Hymenaeus which had made shipwracke of the faith 1. Timoth. 1.20 and for condemning the heresie of Philetus and Hymenaeus 2. Timoth. 2.17 But this obiection of Ione Butcher condemned for heresie among Protestants might well haue been spared by this Ignatian Frier if he had remembred the like practise or course of one William Postell in France a brother of his owne order with an old superstitious beldame called Mother Iane concerning whom he writ a booke called The victorie of women wherein he maintained that as Christ died for man so his mother Iane was sent of God to saue women and that the soule of Iohn Baptist was transfused into her This wicked woman for these impieties was burned aliue by the sentence of the Parliament of Tolosa But her diuellish instructer escaped which had been more worthie of that punishment Now whereas we are referred to our Chronicles anno 1554. which was the 2. of Queene Mary if his meaning be to impute all errors and heresies that spring vp to the Church where they begin this instance toucheth the popish Church then flourishing it tendeth not to Protestants disgrace If hee send vs to the storie of one Elizabeth Croft there mentioned by Stow which counterfeited a spirit speaking in a wall and vttered diuers words against the Queene the Masse and confession c we can requite this narration with a like storie of another Elizabeth sirnamed Barton a Nunne called the holie maide of Kent in King Henry the 8. his raigne which faining her selfe to be in a traunce as though she had been inspired of the holie Ghost spake diuers things against the King and his proceedings inueighing
and hatchers of heresies are thereby giuen ouer to greater vngodlines as the Apostle againe saith But the euill men and deceiuers shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued 3. For if the Church of God were then at the worst when heresies and schismes are raised then should the state of the Primitiue Church bee condemned when so many wicked doctrines of Ebionites Basilidians Valentinians Marcionites Arrians Sabellians with the rest were stirred vp by the diuell 4. The reason of this difference is euident because that where the truth is professed the opposition of errors doth giue occasion that the same be more throughly sifted as the wheate is by winnowing made more pure and the light shineth brighter in darknes But where there is no truth or sound knowledge at all there diuisions doe but harden them the more in their error like as chaffe being winnowed is scattered and dispersed and as they which walke in darknes without light the further they goe the more they wander This is the very case of the vnbeleeuing Turkes and of the misbeleeuing Iewes Pharisies Sadduces Herodians they were all out of the way This point is well touched by Augustine Non ad diabolum pertinet quis isto vel illo modo erret omnes errantes vult quibuslibet erroribus It is nothing to the diuell whether a man erre this way or that way all that bee in error are his what error soeuer they hold No marueile then if both Iewes and Gentiles by their diuisions waxed worse and worse because they still were vnder the kingdome of Sathan howsoeuer diuided Secondly if this argument be admitted it would conclude strongly against the Papists whose diuisions are notoriously knowne both to haue been and at this present to be such betweene the Secular Priests and irregular Ignatians both at Rome in France and in England which were happy if it were rid of them both and so hotly pursued on both sides with all reprochfull termes of knaues heretikes diabolicall Machiauels diuels incarnate and such like as they are not able to shew euer to haue been among Protestants And these diuisions not onely to consist in verball differences or repugnance in externall rites and liberties but in materiall points of doctrine as hath been before shewed Therefore among Papists where neither sect holdeth the truth this argument may well hold by this their erronious dissentions and diuersities to conuince them of monstrous and grosse iniquities Thirdly against English Protestants whom this Libeller chiefly impugneth this engine of his hath no force for to Gods glorie be it spoken fewer diuisions haue not been seene in the Church of England excepting some few nouelties of certaine new fangled teachers who in time I doubt not but will waxe wiser then at this present And I trust our domesticall heates shal euery day abate and slake and our contentions at home decrease that wee may with one ioynt force oppose our selues to the common aduersarie like as Abraham rescued Lot from the Gentiles though some priuate iarres betweene their families had broken out before The Grecians are said that when their enemies approched though they had been at ciuill discord before would compound their quarrels to resist their forraine foes And it is written of Themistocles and Aristides two famous Captaines of the Athenians that when they went on embassage together or to conduct an armie Inimicitiam in finibus patriae deposuerunt They laid downe their enmitie in the borders of their countrie It should be a shame for Christians not to be so wise for the defence of the common cause as the Heathen were That saying of Augustine to Hierome is to be embraced Fieri potest vt tibi videatur aliud quam veritas habet dum aliud à te non fiat quam charitas habet You may so long think otherwise then the veritie so that you doe nothing beside charitie If men will needes retaine some priuate opinions yet let them refraine publike dissensions And here an end also of this section THE FOVRTH SECTION THAT THE Authors intent and scope is nothing lesse then to teach a most vndoubted certaintie and vnitie in Popish religion THis section hath nothing worth the answering neither containeth any thing beside slaunders bragges facings and bold assertions 1. He impudently saith and with a brasen face that Protestants may be had in iust suspition that many doubters or deniers at least in affection of all worship are entred in among them Whereas it is out of all doubt that many such Atheists are fostered in Rome Italie Spaine where the name Christian is vsed as a word of derision as is rehearsed before 2. He telleth vs of an ample confutation which he hath written against all Atheists and enemies to religion which he calleth a Resolution of Religion wherein hee hath resolued all doubts that may bee imagined This sure is a worke indeede that can meete with mens thoughts and imaginations This booke we would gladly see which he so often maketh mention of some such thing I haue heard intended but it should seeme the author like to the Beare hath not yet licked this deformed lumpe to perfection If it were ripe it would be a good present for their mother of fornications and her children at Rome to perswade them from Atheisme and Epicurisme And yet considering this yonkers spirituall father graund prouinciall Frier Robert Parsons hath written of this argument before in his Resolution this punie father might haue spared this labour and confessed modestly with Hierome Supersedendum huic labori sentio ne mihi dicatur illud Horatij In syluam ne ligna feras c. I thinke to giue ouer this labour least that of Horace be said vnto me Carrie not sticks into the wood video enim ◠clarissimo ingenio occupata esse meliora For I see a riper head hath brought better stuffe 3. Where he saith that their religion which hee calleth most holie and approued most vnholie and reproued rather is resolued to the most assured and infallible word and reuelation of God This speech it is hard to say whether it hath more subtiltie or lesse honestie For if by the word and reuelation of God he vnderstand not the word written onely but their blind traditions which they vsually call Verbum Dei non scriptum The word of God vnwritten he speaketh craftily for this their Anabaptistical reuelation is not assured or infallible but most vncertaine and deceitfull If hee meane hereby onely the Scriptures of God it is an vnhonest bragge of him for Poperie differeth as much from the word written as darknes from light if it were not so why doe they not stand to their tackle and cleaue onely to the Scriptures why doe they make their traditions vnwritten of equall authoritie with the word written what need had they to denie the scriptures to containe all things necessarie to saluation These grosse positions
Pope himselfe for proofe he bringeth none We know what the Lawe saith Solam testationem prolatam c. nec causam probatam nulliu◠esse momenti That a witnesse produced and no cause or matter proued is of no force 3 A religion that hath publikely by the word of God and godlie lawes with full consent of Parliament abrogated and condemned all grosse papisticall errors as of iustification by works art 11. of works of supererogation art 14. of freewill art 10. of purgatorie art 22. of speaking in the congregation in an vnknowne toong art 24. of the fiue popish sacraments art 25. of the bodilie presence of Christ in the sacrament art 28. of receiuing in one kinde art 30. of the blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse art 31. of the vnlawfulnesse of Priests mariage art 32. of worshipping of images inuocation of Saints art 22. that the Pope hath no iurisdiction in England art 37. What will not this impudēt man now dare to say who boldly affirmeth that Poperie is not by publike authoritie condemned in England Now then because their Lawe saith Qui crimen quod obiecit non probauerit similem poenam sustineat He that proueth not the crime obiected shall endure the like punishment so this thing obiected redoundeth vpon his owne head For true it is that the faith of Protestants is not condemned by the auncient Canons and Decrees of the Romane Church but receiueth plentifull witnesse frō thence as is alreadie shewed in diuers hundred questions 4 A religion which hath continued these 1600. yeares in the true Church of Christ not as Poperie which for most of their opinions must come short of this computation by 800. yeares which is full of errors and contradictions in the Decrees of Popes and Councels For errors the Councell of Neocesarea ca. 7. decreeth that the Priest should neither giue consent to second mariage nor be present at the mariage feast but rather enioyne penance for it and so in effect condemneth second mariage Toletan 1. ca. 17. He that in steed of a wife hath a concubine is not to be repelled from the Communion This Councell is approued by Leo 4. as it may appeare Can. 21. and the other also Distinc. 20. ca. 1. In the sixt generall Synod Can. 2. the Councell vnder Cypriane that approued the rebaptizing of such as were baptized by heretikes is confirmed c. 72. Mariages betweene Catholikes and heretikes irritas existimari are iudged to be void contrarie to S. Paule 1. Cor. 7.13 Yet this sixt Synod cum omnib canonib with all the canons is receiued and approued by Adriane Distinc. 16. c. 5. Nicen. 2. act 5. it was concluded that Angels haue bodies of their owne and are circumscriptible multoties in corpore suo visi and haue been often seene in their own bodies which is a manifest error for Angels of themselues are inuisible spirits Nicolaus 1. de baptis decret 1. alloweth baptisme only made in the name of Christ without expresse mention of the Trinitie contrary to the scriptures Math. 28.19 Nicolaus 2. in a Councell at Rome where Berengarius recanted resolued vpon this conclusion Christi corpus sensualiter manib sacerdotis tractari frangi fidelium dentib atteri That the true bodie of Christ was handled sensiblie by the Priests hands broken and chawed by the teeth of the faithfull de consecr dist 2. c. 42. which grosse opinion the moderne Papists are ashamed of For contradictions Concil Carthag 3. c. 47. the Apocryphal bookes of Tobie Iudith Ecclesiasticus Macchabees with the rest are made Canonicall Laodicen can vltim these bookes are reiected out of the Canon and yet both these Synodes are confirmed by Leo 4. Distinct 20. c. 1. In a Councell at Rome vnder Stephen 7. all the acts and decrees of Pope Formosus are repealed in a Councell of Rauenna vnder Iohn 9. they were againe reuiued Gregor 3. epist. ad Bonifac. determineth virum vxore infirmitate correpta c. that the husband the wife being weake and not able to do her dutie may marrie an other Nicholas 1. decreeth the contrarie that the mariage of such ought not to be dissolued Alexander 3. forbiddeth mariage to be made with the sister of her that was betrothed and is deceased Benedict doth determine the contrarie Pope Alexander iudgeth matrimonie contracted with per verba de praesenti by words of the present tence and consummate with another to be voide Benedict determineth the contrarie that the mariage consummate though a contract made before in that forme with an other is not to be violated Nicolaus 3. Abdicationem proprietatis rerum c. That Christ did by his example abandon the verie propertie of things Ioannes 22. defineth the contrarie that the opinion of them that say Christ and his Apostles had nothing is erronea haeretica is erroneous and hereticall The Councell of Constance sess 13. doth excommunicate all those that receiue the Communion vnder both kinds The Councell of Basile graunteth to the Bohemians the vse of both kinds The Councels of Constance and Basile determined that a generall Councell hath authoritie aboue the Pope The contrarie was concluded Lateranens sub Leon. 10. c. 11. Many such contradictions in matters of faith and doctrine may be found in the Romane corporation which otherwhere are set downe more at large to the number of 250. and in another worke 300. more of their differences and repugnances are expressed Therefore this petifogger for poperie is detected of great vntruth that no error or contradiction was euer admitted in their religion Wherefore he being thus notoriouslie conuinced of a false testimonie is worthie to passe vnder the censure of the Epaunens Synode reus capitalis criminis censeatur c. to be held guiltie of a capitall crime And concerning this spirit of contradiction among the Romanists we may say with Ambrose Diuersa distantia prompserunt non locorum separati sed mendaciorum diuortio They haue vttered diuers and contrarie things not separated in place but differing in lying And as Melanthius said that the Citie of Athens was saued by the disagreement of the Orators so I doubt not but that this diuision among them shall tend to the further establishing of the truth For as Plutarke sayth of the contradictions of Poets that they will not suffer them to haue any great strength to do hurt so the manifold diuisions in Poperie shall haue no force to seduce such as are wise The eight Perswasion 1 I Defend not a religion c. which separateth man from his God and creator by so many sinnes and iniquities and yet hath no grace no sacrament for men of reason and actuall offences no meanes or preseruatiue to preuēt them c. for that instrument of iustifying faith which be no benefite vnto them which by their owne grounds haue no faith at all
champion died in contempt and ignominie being in his old age become ridiculous vnto children 3. The P. of Condie Oranges death are monuments of Popish treacherie not argumēts of Gods seueritie he might be ashamed thus to blaze and boast of the perfidious conspiracies of Papists against Protestant Princes and it is not farre from blasphemie to make that Gods act which the diuell wrought by his wicked ministers As though Iudas also betrayed not his master and brought him to his end note this also I pray you as a iudgement of God vpon Christ. 4. As for that godly Admirall of France he was as innocent Naboth suspecting nothing cruelly murdered but as Naboths blood was reuenged in Ahab and Iezabels blood so all the wicked instruments of this horrible and almost inexpiable massacre were iudged of God the bloodie end of Charles the 9. then King of Henrie the 3. then Duke of Aniow and of the Guises great doers in that bloodie enterprise are well knowne to the world I neede make no rehearsall of them Who seeth not how this blind fencer is beaten with his owne weapon and confounded with his owne examples 5. Whatsoeuer happened to Iames the bastard was not for any resistance against Rome but his owne misdemeanour was his ruine This Iames Hamelton the bastard if it be he whō he meaneth was condemned and beheaded and his bodie quartered for treason Quod certo die cubiculo effracto regem trucidare constituisset Because he had appointed vpon a certaine day to breake into the Kings chamber and kill him This was his offence But otherwise he was no enemie but a friend to the Church of Rome for in the same storie it followeth that few grieued at his death but his kinred and the Popish priests Qui in eius incolumitate omnium suarum prope fortunarum spem collocarunt Who in his safetie placed the hope of all their happie state But I marueile that this great trauailer making mention of the affaires of Scotland could forget the notable example of Gods iudgement shewed vpon Dauid Beaton Cardinall of S. Andrewes a cruell persecutor who was slaine in his bed and lay vnburied 7. moneths being at last raked vp in a dunghill this happened not I thinke for any disloyaltie to the triple crowned beast 6. Christierne King of Denmarke was deposed not for his gainesaying of the Papall iurisdiction but for his crueltie and misgouernment and in open Parliament was for his tyrannie depriued of his kingdome and his vncle Fredericke Duke of Holsatia chosen in his place 7. Penda Redwaldus Osricus Eaufridus were not punished for resisting the iurisdiction of Rome but for impugning the faith of Christ being Pagane Idolaters of the two latter Beda thus writeth Vterque sacramenta regni coelestis quibus initiatus erat anathematizando perdidit c. Both of them standing accursed lost the sacraments of the heauenly kingdome which they had receiued and yeelded themselues againe to be defiled idololatriae sordibus with the filth of Idols and they were both slaine of Cedualla King of Britons First then they were punished for their apostasie from the faith of Christ not from the fealtie of Rome Secondly they were rather iudged for holding the faith of the now Church of Rome in worshipping of Idols Thirdly yet if it were directly proued which he intendeth these arguments drawne from outward calamities which are cōmon both to good bad are but vncertaine for the same Beda also maketh mention of Edwine Oswaldus Sigebertus Egericus all Christian Kings the first slaine of Carduella King of Britons the other three by Penda a Pagan Prince 8. He saith further that eleuen thousand Monkes of Bangor were slaine of the Pagane souldiers for their disobedience in dissenting from the Sea of Rome only in the paschall obseruation and manner of shauing pag. 72. 1. Who seeth not this Popelings vncharitable iudgement who would haue them slaine as rebels which were in trueth put to death as Martyrs for preaching and praying for good successe against Ethelbertus a Pagane King of Northumberland 2. And is he not ashamed to sit in Gods place of iudgement to award so heauie a punishmēt for so smal a matter as dissenting about shauing of crownes c 3. But God suffered not this pitifull slaughter to go vnreuenged for cruel Ethelbert was slaine in the field by Christian Edwine ◠succeeded him 4. And because he talketh of shauing of crownes we reade also that Suanus the Dane tooke the citie of Canterburie and put to death 900. Monkes by tithing of them that is sauing euery tenth man aliue and 8000. of other persons were put to the sword likewise We may as well say that these religious persons had their crownes thus pared because they were shauen after the Romane fashion as that the other were slaine for not being so shaued 9. King Edwine was not deposed from his kingdome and Edgar substituted in his place for banishing of Dunstane as this Dunstanist supposeth but for his licentious life who in the same day of his coronation vsed the vnlawfull companie of a certaine woman whose husband he had slaine before Thus this trifler maketh euery thing serue his turne and would make vs beleeue that all iudgements and calamities which befell those Princes were inflicted for the Popes cause He is herein much like Colotes the Epicure who in a certaine booke taketh vpon him to proue that a man could not liue according to other Philosophers rules that there was no life but among the Epicures and so this Romane Epicure thinketh that there is no life nor safetie without the Epicurean fellowship of Rome But the law telleth vs In re propria nemo idoneus iudex No man is a fit iudge in his owne cause no more is he in this And so I proceede The fift Demonstration WIlliam the Conquerour William Rufus Henrie the 2. King Iohn Henrie the 3. Edward the 2. Richard the 2. are brought in as impugners of the Papall iurisdiction and for the same strangely punished of God from pag. 73. to pag. 79. These examples shall be examined in order The Remonstration 1. IT appeareth not in storie that William Conquerour did oppose himselfe to the Popes seignorie for hee caused Stigandus Archbishop of Canturburie to be depriued and Lanfranke a great champion for the Pope to be set in his place Indeede at his first conquest he dealt hardly with some Monasteries spoyling them of their gold and siluer but for that hee made amends For hee founded Battaile Abbey in Sussex and Selbie Abbey in Yorkshire the Priorie of S. Nicholas at Excester the Abbey of S. Stephen at Cane in Normandie He caused the Ladie Church at Meux in France to be burnt and two Anachoretes but the first was repayred againe at his charge the other were wilfully burnt because they perswaded themselues they ought not to leaue their Cell
but before his comming there were in England other Bishops who depended not vpon the Romane Bishops neither did acknowledge Augustines authoritie and refused to yeeld obedience vnto him 4. In the very receiuing of popish priesthood the Masse-priests bind themselues to be subiects to the Romane Bishop in spirituall things and so denie the lawfull authoritie of the Prince in causes Ecclesiasticall The Iudasites beside do enter into a vow of obedience to execute whatsoeuer their superior shall command them to do by vertue of which vow many treacherous conspiracies haue been contriued yea they haue a speciall vow of mission whereby they bind themselues to go whither soeuer the Pope shall send them Who seeth not how fit an engine this is to draw them on to practise against both King and Countrie as hath been seene in England but to their owne cost hitherto thanks be to God and I trust shall be so still 5. Popish priests and Deacons are not deemed traytors for their absolutions or any other priestly function but because they do receiue priesthood by authoritie of a forrain Potentate claiming iurisdiction in England and who as a temporall aduersarie hath displayed his banner in the field against the Prince the maintenance of whose authoritie is iudged trayterous 6. To receiue orders in forraine countries simplie is not made treason for the Church of England receiueth such Ministers as were ordained in other countries professing the same religion as at Basile Geneua in Germany But eyther in the realme or without the realme to be ordained by any authoritie deriued or pretended from the See of Rome is by the law decreed to be treason because therein they which are so ordered acknowledge and receiue the Popes vsurped power and authoritie in England who is an enemie both to Prince and countrie wherein they are guiltie of treason 7. Though in some free cities in Germany in Greece vnder the Turke Seminarie Priests be tolerated that is no president for England neither can it stand with the policie of this kingdome to admit any such mixture And in that they are not there taken for traytors the case is not like for if they had practised there against the life of the Prince and state of the countrie as in England there is no question but they would haue taken the like order with them Neither in England for more then twentie yeares was it made treasonable to be made a Popish Priest till such time as the state perceiued that their entring into the land seducing of subiects conspiring together tended to the subuersion and ouerthrow both of Prince and countrie And it can not be but that the Pope should haue an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment whatsoeuer he intendeth in other countries seeing both the Iudasites and Priests acknowledge that the Pope hath indirectam potestatem in temporalib hath an indirect power euen in temporals by force of armes to restraine Princes and to reforme them and to dispose of Kingdomes 8. This article is wholie vntrue for neither are the Lecturâ—s read in the Iesuites Colledges very commendable when one Maldonat a Iudasite in one publike Lecture proued there was a God by naturall reason and in another that there was none And Parsons would haue had his traiterous booke of titles publikely read in the Colledge at Rome to the Students as his fellow priests report What the professors of the Iesuites Colledge are and how affected to the Ciuill gouernment may appeare by their treacherous attempts Varade a Iudasite in France approoued the wicked treason of Barriere against the King so did Commolet who openly in his Sermons sayd they wanted but an Ehud Walpoole a Iesuite deliuered a poisonfull confection to Squire ann 1597. to destroy the Queene Parsons before that with other of the Spanish faction practised with Lopez to the same deede As is their practise so is their doctrine Parsons maintaineth as a principle that necessitie of true he meaneth his Cacolike religion is required in all pretenders to the Crowne whereby he meaneth that no title should be admitted though neerest by bloud and lawfull succession vnlesse the profession of the Romane faith were coincident to it Guignard made a booke wherein he maintained that to kill offenders he meaneth Princes that stood not for them was meritorious Chastell one of their schollers that was executed for attempting the Kings death maintained before the Iudge that in some cases it was lawfull to kill his King At Salamanca in Spaine these conclusions were resolued vpon by the Diuines of the Iesuites Colledge that all Catholikes did sinne mortally that tooke part with the English against Tyrone in Ireland that they which did fight against the Queene were by no coÌ„struction rebels c. These and such other positions were subscribed by Iohn de Sequenza Emmanuel de Royas Iasper de Mena professors of Diuinitie in the Colledge of Iesuites there and by Peter Osorio preacher there What a brasen face now hath this fellow that sayth there is no professor lecture doctrine in their Colledges contrarie to the English gouernment and what manner of prayers they vsed to make for Queene Elizabeth we may iudge by these their practises and opinions And if it were not so that these Schooles and Seminaries are corrupters of youth the Court of Parliament of Paris vpon the apprehension of Iohn Chastel who stroke the King with a knife in the face who was a student of the Iesuites Colledge of Clairemont would not haue decreed the whole companie of priests students there as corrupters of youth disturbers of the common quiet enemies of the King and state to auoid within three dayes out of Paris and within 15. dayes out of the Realme 9. We grant that when the Pope was in his ruffe many Kings made slaues vnto the beast yeelded vnto his vsurped iurisdiction in affaires ecclesiasticall but of auncient time it was not so for the good Kings of Iuda Dauid Iehosophat Hezekiah Iosias had the chiefe stroke in religious causes So had the Christian Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus Theodosius Martianus that made lawes concerning the faith Likewise the Christian Kings of the Gothes in Spaine decreed ratified and confirmed ecclesiasticall lawes as Reccaredus Guntranus Sisenandus Reccesinuthus Eryngius as is extant in these Synodes Prouinciall heere alleaged 10. To haue free accesse to Rome only to see the Citie and the behauiour of the people may by Princes in their discretion to their subiects be permitted though I thinke it be hard for any with a good conscience in regard of the publike offences there occurrent so to do but to bring from thence a crucifixe or a picture as a marke of the beast can not be but dangerous which although it be not treason in England though a disobedience yet Adam Damlip for a lesse matter by Winchesters procurement was condemned of treason for receiuing a French crowne of Cardinall