forgery endeuoring by notorious vntruthes to set the crowne of england vpon the Infantaes head yet is it a fault also worthy to be censured to father his bastard writinges vpon others that this is forgery it is apparent by the testimony of the doctors in L. Cornel. de falsis and their iudgement is grounded vpon great reason For if it be forgery to adde one clause to a testament or other writing then it is a mayne forgery to publishe a false testament a false booke or other false writing vnder other meÌ„s names falsification 2 D. Bagsh in his answere to his late apology chargeth him with 8. sundrie libels Secondly he hath published vnder the name of Sanders and Rishton diuers enormous and wicked slanders against King Henry the 8. of famous memory against her maiesty and the principall persons of this church and realme of Enland setting out his owne vilanous lyes vnder the name of Sanders long before dead and of Rishton a man no way likely to commit any such wickednesse against his Prince and country of Howlet Dolman and others As for Rishton it is now well knowne he had small intelligence of state matters Neither did he vse to meddle or practise in them Further those that know him doe testifie that the stile of Sanders his booke is farre vnlike his Thirdly his credit was not such as that he was able to get his bookes printed especially being of that nature Finally we doe not beléeue that Rishton hauing receiued grace at her Maiesties hands and being deliuered from death which he had deserued by her great fauour would thus requite her or that being a man of milde disposition he would rayle so maliciously and falsely against his prince and contry And therefore I beleeue if the man be aliue and were examined vpon his oth that he would deny that booke to be his and declare it to be Robert Parsons his worke And though he doe it not yet diuers others doe playnly declare so much we haue great reason to beléeue their declaration to be true For he is a great stickeler in matters of state and he hath writen such like libels before Furthermore at his request Ribadineira his fellow Iebusite seemeth to haue set forth the same booke translated into spanish Finally I doe not thinke that Parsons will vpon his oth and without all equiuocation affirme that he had noe finger in the making and publishing of that most wicked and slaunderous booke falsification 3 In those bookes which goe vnder the name of Sanders and Rishton Robert Parsons hath committed diuers particuler falsities and namely in publishing diuers letters in the name of Frier Forest and others which neuer were made by the authors whose name they carry For first we doe not finde them in the first edition of that booke anno 1585. Secondly it is absurde to thinke that either Forest or simple women did write as is reported Finally they doe rather sauor of Parsons his veine who is able to make to speake and to write whome he pleaseth and what himselfe listeth So plentifull and impudent he is in forging false writings falsification 4 Fourthly vnder the name of Iohn Houlet whome nowe all the seculer masse préestes in England doe wonder at like an Owlet he hath set forth an impudent discourse concerning reasons why papistes goe not to the Church He will not I thinke deny it to be his how then can he deny himselfe to be a falsary To come to particuler falsifications albeit in his booke of resolution he hath noe reason to falsifie any place alleadged winning no aduantage by it yet hath he so dealt therein and so hath he enured his fingers in this practise that he cannot forget to forge and falsifie falsification 5 In the margent of his preface fol. 8. he saith it is an old tricke of heretikes to abuse simple people with obscure places of the scriptures and for this he quoteth Epiphanius contra haereses and Augustine ad quod vult deum as if they should say so He would also inferre that it is a matter very dangerous to alledge scriptures But if he doe not exhibit their testimonies it will be an easie matter to proue that this is an old tricke of Parsons to father his owne bastardly fancies both vpon the fathers and vpon others Is not this then bastardly dealing falsification 6 In the same preface fol. 10 he ascribeth this sentence to Luther in epist ad Iohan. Herâ—agium Typographum Argentinensem their opinion of the sacrament they beganne with lyes and with lyes they doe defende the same And they doe broch it abroade with wicked fraud of corrupting others mens bookes Likewise he affirmeth of Zuinglius that in his booke de sacrament fol. 412. he should call Luther a fowle corrupter and horrible falsifier of Gods word and one that followed the Marcionistes and Arians that razed out such places out of holy writte as were against them He maketh also Carolus Molinaeus in translat testam noui part 11. to accuse Caluin that he made the text of the gospell to leape vp and downe at his pleasure and that he vsed violence to the same and added of his owne to the very letter for drawing it to his purpose But who so list to peruse the writings of Luther Zuinglius and Molineus shall plainly perceiue that like a falsary he changeth and altereth their wordes at his pleasure neither can he excuse himselfe vnlesse he be able to shewe these wordes out of the authors which he mentioneth He chargeth Beza also for that in the preface to his new testament set out anno 1556. he accuseth Oecolampadius with all his brethren the diuines of Basil for great impietie in abusing the sacred scriptures translated by them But he abuseth his reader in laying that to Bezaes charge that was neuer vttered by him nor is to be found in his preface falsification 7 Fol. 11. of his preface he quoteth Saint Augustine lib. 8. confess c. 12. as if he should say that Saint Anthony had reuealed to his mother a religious rule of life which he should followe And fol. 12. he saith that Saint Augustine did so reuerence Anthonies doings that he made the same a principall motiue to his owne conuersion But Saint Augustine doth not so much as in one word mention any rule of religious life nor did he follow Saint Anthony in other matter then in reading the scriptures Nor doth he say that Saint Anthony reuealed any religious rule to Monica S. Augustines mother In this therefore Rob. Parsons followeth his olde rule or rather vnruly course of forgery falsification 8 Pag. 64 of his bookes printed at Louan he alleadgeth for his ground the counterfeit writings of Aristaeas which he calleth Aristeus and vpon his credit telleth diuers histories But such false grounds are more likely to peruert then to confirme men in the faith falsification 9 Pag. 259. he corrupteth Saint Augustines wordes de fid operibus c. 14. and peruerteth
by solemne decretals although we doubt not but to make the vanitie of them appeare partly in this discourse but farre more at large hereafter finally the same admitteth most lying legends and now and then permitteth them to be read publikely in the church as for example the legends of Catherine Clement Gregory called also Thaumaturgus Peter Martyr a dominican S. Catharine of Siena S. Christopher and diuers others in the legend of S. Catherine y In breuiaer Ro. in festâ— Catharinae they write that she was a maiden of Alexandria and so well learned that at the age of eighteene yeeres she passed the most learned and in dispute ouercame fiftie Philosophers and that also she conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of the emperors to the faith they say also that she broke the tormenting wheele with her praiers that after her death her body was buried in mount Sinah by angels in the feast of S. Clement in the Romish breuiary we read that Clement Peters successor was by Traian sent into the wildernesse of z Let Parsons tell vs where this is Cersona and that there he saw a lambe make a well to sally out of the top of the mountaine and that he being cast into the sea with a millstone about his necke the sea fled three miles from the shore and that in the very same place a little chappell was found in the sea where his body was bestowed On the festiuall day of Gregory of Neocesaria the church of Rome a In breuiar Rom. appointeth his legend to be read where it is said that he caused the riuer of Lycus to keepe within the chanell by planting his staffe on the banke and that his staffe grew presently into a great tree in the rituall books of Sarum we read that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hell which if it were true why is it now crossed out of the new bookes if false how hapeneth it that the church of Rome so long beléeued that tale b I'n breuiar Rom. in fest Petr. Mart. Peter Martyr one of Dominickes order as they write I thinke beléeue did keepe his virginity both in body and minde and in that sort that he neuer felt himselfe defiled with any mortall sinne they tell vs also that he did fast so long that he could scarce open his mouth to eat They tell vs further many wonders of Saint Nicolas Valerian and Tiburtius Lucia Christopher and other saints in the c Historia Louâ—bard del volto santo italic legend of Ieames of the colepit for else I cannot tell how to English Iacobus de Voragne we read that a certaine picture of our sauiour did lift vp his foot and cast off his slipper to a certaine pilgrime that deuoutly stood before it and would haue offred somewhat having nothing to offer Of Saint Catherine of Siena they say that she was betrothed to our sauiour Christ all which points are very incredible and not to be found in any authenticall writing If then the church of Rome publish and teach these fables and lies then is she no mistresse of trueth but of lies if Robert Parsons will say they are no lies I would pray him to declare vs the trueth out of authenticall histories argument 13 The faith of Gods true church cannot be built vpon any vncertainty or vntrueth for faith is an argument certaine or an euidence of things not seene est fides saith the d Hebr. 11. apostle sperandarum rerum substantia argumentum non apparentium and it is built on Christ Iesus that is trueth and on a rocke that is unmouable neither neede we long profes for this point for the aduersaries themselues confesse this to be true Nihil saith Thomas Aquinas cadere potest sub fide nisi inquantum stat sub veritate prima sub qua nullum falsum stare potest and afterward he saith quod fidei non potest subesse aliquod falsum if then the faith of the church of Rome be grounded on falshood then is it no true faith and if that churches faith be no faith then is not that church the true church but that the faith of the church of Rome is built vpon diuers false positions it may easily be proued for first the same beleeueth that the traditions of the church of Rome are either descended from Christ or the apostles for the most part and namely such as concerne the canon and ceremonies of the masse fastes praiexs for the dead praiers to saints and such like secondly it beleeueth all the determinations of popes concerning faith and manners to be true and infallible as for example that it is necessary for euery christian to be subiect to the Pope that he hath power to depose kings to giue power to cutthrotes to kill kings to dispense with the vncle to marry his neece with the brother to marry his brothers wife and such like thirdly that church beléeueth what is contained in the breuiary and missale as for example the stories or rather legends of Saint Christopher Saint George Saint Catherine and such like finally the same must beléeue whatsoeuer the Pope shall determine to be de fide But among such traditions determinations and legendes there are diuers both false and ridiculous fables neither can it be denied but that the Pope hath determined and may also determine falsely and contrary to the faith and this is shewed in my bookes de Pontifice Rom. at large e Lib. 4. de pontif Rom. and cannot be denied unlesse Robert Parsons can prooue vnto vs that all the Popes decretales concerning matters of faith and maners and all the traditions of that church and all legendes are true which to him will be a matter of some difficulty argument 14 The church of Christ is bounded within the limits of the holy canonicall scriptures habet vrbes legis prophetarum euangelii saith Saint f In Mich. lib. 1. c. 1. Hierome and againe non est egressa de finibus suis id est de scripturis sanctis he g Ibidem c. 7. saith also that it is the property of heretickes to flie to mens commandements and the leauen of the pharisees S. h Lib. 19. de ciuit Dei c. 18. Augustine also concureth with him and saith that the city of God beleeueth the holy scriptures that are called canonicall but of other reports he saith she doubteth but the church of Rome will not be bounded within the limites of holy scriptures neither will she acknowledge the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith the same also from scriptures flieth to vnwritten traditions and is much soured with the leauen of the pharisées and mixture of Popish and Iewish ceremonies deuised and established by men finally the same doth rather or at the least as soone beleeue the determination of the Pope as the letter of holy scriptures for in the Pope Stapleton placeth the chiefe authority of the church
immunitat in 6. nos iustitiam nostram saith he ecclesiae sponsae nostrae nolentes negligere argument 90 The ancient fathers neuer called the pope vniuersall bishop for n Lib. 4. ep 32. Gregory the first doeth much mislike that title and calleth it sacrilegious and profane and a certeine councell of Africa cited by Gratiam dist 99. c. primaesedis importeth that the bishop of Rome should not be called vniuersall but now euery lousie frier made pope will be called vniuersall bishop and the papists dare not deny him this title argument 91 Ancient Christians neuer called the pope god nor supremum numen in terris but the canonistes doe not sticke to call him and honor him as God as appeareth by the chapter satis dist 96. and by Augustine Steuchus in lib. de donat Constantini and Stapleton in his epistle dedicatory before his booke intituled doctrinalia principia calleth him supremum numen in terris that is the soueraigne god of the world argument 92 In ancient time the church was gouerned by the lawes of councels and Christian emperors as appeareth by the acts of councels and lawes of Iustinians Code it appeareth also that in the time of Charles the great and his sonnes the church was gouerned for externall matters by lawes of princes but now the popes exclude both emperors kings and princes and take on them the sole gouernment of the vniuersall church argument 93 In the councell of Constance it was holden that the councell was aboue the pope the same also appeareth for that diuers popes haue answered and some haue béene deposed by councels but now the papists holde contrary and say that the pope is aboue the councell neither doe they allow any councels to be authenticall but such as are called and confirmed by the pope argument 94 The apostles their successors were subiect to emperors princes and paid tribute vnto them the apostle S. Paul taught all bishops and priests to be subiect to higher powers but now they hold that the pope is aboue all princes and kings whatsoeuer Papa est dominus dominantium saith o In c. ecclesia vt lite pendente Baldus ius regis regum habet in suos subditos and p De pontific Rom. lib. 5. Bellarmine holdeth that the pope hath power to depose kings and to take their crownes from them argument 95 The apostles and their successors in ancient time exhorted subiects to obedience now the popes of late haue exhorted subiects to rebellion as appeareth by their execrable bulles against Henry the 8. king of England and his daughter Elizabeth now reigning against Henry the 3. of France and against diuers emperors argument 96 In ancient time bishops spoke reuerently of kings and princes and in the q C. 83. canons of the apostles the censure of deposition is inflicted vpon such of the clergy as vtter words of reproch against princes but now the popes raile against princes as is euident by their wicked bulles and when railing will not serue by assassins and murdrers hired and aposted they séeke to cut their throates as appeareth by the fact of Iames Clement that murdred Henry the 3. Chastell that assaulted Henry the 4. of France and diuers assassins hired to kill our noble Quéene argument 97 Before Gregory the firsts time the popes made no bishops either in England or France or Germany or Afrike or Asia but al nations and prouinces were frée from his vsurpations neither did any bishops sweare fealty to the pope but now all this is quite changed and the pope claimeth a generall power to ordeine bishops ouer the world and maketh them r C. ego N. de iurtiurando sweare fealty vnto him as to their souereigne argument 98 In S. Cyprians and Augustines time the bishops of Afrike would suffer no appeales to be made to Rome now Bellar. disputeth that it is a point of the popes right to heare appeales out of all the world argument 99 Now also the papists make the pope supreme iudge in all causes and controuersies of faith but the ancient church nâ—uer imagined that such matters could be decided without a councell argument 100 The pope now Å¿ C. vnam extr de maior obed challengeth both swords but our Sauior Christ taught that his kingdome was not of this world and the apostle Paul said that the weapons of his warfare were not carnall The ancient bishops of Rome certes neuer vsed swords nor souldiers but sincerely taught the Gospel argument 101 Vntill Boniface the ninth his time the city of Rome was either vnder the emperors or vnder her owne magistrates as Å¿ Lib. 2. de schism Theodoric à Niem testifieth is it not then strange that the emperor will suffer his imperiall state and empire to be holden from him which is so lately vsurped and by fraud intercepted by the pope argument 102 It is not long since the pope began to weare a triple crown and to be borne on mens shoulders and to tread on princes necks and to make others to kisse his pantofle Let Robert Parsons shew that this was done before Gregory the seuenth and Celestine the third argument 103 Neither is it many hundred yéeres since the pope challenged annates and tooke money of archbishops for their palles argument 104 The popes prouisions reseruations translations and other extraordinary dispensations were vnheard of in the ancient church argument 105 Finally whether we respect the foundations of popish religion or the doctrine of the Law and Gospel or the doctrine and ceremonies concerning sacraments praiers and the worship of God or the gouernment and lawes of the popes chamber chancery and consistory we may boldly say that so much as we reiect in this church is nothing els but a packe of nouelties CHAP. III. That the papists are no true catholikes nor holde the catholike faith if they beleeue the popes decretals and his schoole diuinitie IF false teachers as they secretly broch erronious doctrine so would openly manifest their malicious and wicked natures we should not néed so watchfully to looke to their procéedings nor so earnestly to exhort all Christians to beware of their deceits and entisements but séeing like wolues in shéeps clothing they come abroad with the names of catholiks and catholike religion and abuse simple people I thinke it very necessary to take this maske from their false visages and to shew that they are woluish papists and not Christes shéepe or true catholiks the which that we may with all plainnesse and sincerity performe we will first declare what is meant by the catholike church which we professe in our Creed and next what is the catholike faith which euery Christian is to embrace and with all constancy to mainteine The catholike church therefore is the vniuersall societie of Gods saints and it comprehendeth all the faithfull from the beginning vnto the end of the world This catholike church saith S. a In Psal 56. Augustine is
relect princip doctrin man intreating of the sure grounds and principles of Christian religion doeth leaue the scriptures quite out of the reckoning but Athanasius in Synopsi doth call the canonicall Scriptures the anchor and stay of our faith a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith that the apostles first preached and afterward deliuered the Gospell in Scriptures that they might be a foundation and pillar of our faith the church saith b Homil. 6. in Matth. Chrysostome is Hierusalem whose foundations are placed vpon the mountaines of the scriptures and with them doe consent all true catholikes condemning the error of the papists falsely called catholikes argument 5 The papists call the scriptures a killing letter as appeareth by the Remish annotations vpon the 3. chap. of the 2. epistle to the Corinthians as if God had deliuered his will in writing to the entent to kill them that read them they c Annot. Rhemens in Ioan. c. 5. slander them also as if they were darke and hard to be vnderstood finally they disgrace them d Ibidem in c. 4. Matth. saying that the diuell and heretikes alledge scriptures others call them a nose of waxe Inken diuinitie and matter of strife and contention and condemne the reading of scriptures as pernicious and hurtfull but true catholikes had alwaies a reuerent regard of holy scriptures as the grounds of faith and directions of holy life e Lib. 3. aduers hares c 2. Irenaeus saith that it is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them the papists therefore in this point are rather heretikes then catholikes argument 6 The papists among canonicall scriptures reckon the decretales of popes inter canonicas scripturas decretales epistòlae connumerantur saith the rubrike dist 19. c. in canonicis and this Gratian goeth about to prooue by a place of saint Augustine which he there falsifieth this also séemeth by Gregory the 13. to be approoued in his edition of the canon law neither doe I thinke that any papist will deny that the popes decretales in matters of faith are to be receiued of all men but ancient catholikes neuer had the decretals in this estimation nor thought them to be canonicall scriptures or grounds of faith or infallible as the papists call them nay Thomas Aquinas albeit no catholike f 2. 2. q. 1. art 1. confesseth that the ground of Christian faith is the first trueth or God himselfe and not onely Cyprian tooke exceptions against Cornelius Ireney against Victor the councell of Carthage against Sozimus but also diuers catholikes against the decretales of diuers popes argument 7 The conuenticle of g Sess 4. Trent vnto the canon of scriptures of the olde testament hath added not onely the books of Tobias Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and of the Machabeies but also such additions as are found in the olde latine translation albeit they be not found in the originall text and these they place in equall ranke and degrée with the books of the prophets and apostles which is contrary to the faith of the catholicke church as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in his preface to the prouerbs of Salomon in his epistle to Paulinus and in his generall prologue before the bible which he calleth prologum galeatum of Athanasius in synopsi of Epiphanius in his booke of waightes and measures of Melito of the councell of Laodicea can 59. of the canons of the apostles can 84. and diuers others neither is it materiall that Augustine lib. 2. de doctr christ c. 8. and a certaine councell of Carthage doe reckon the books of Tobias Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabeies among the canonicall scriptures for by canonicall scriptures they vnderstand such books as by order of the church were read publickely and commonly ioined together in one booke and were rather for some part a canon and rule of maners then of faith for that may be gathered out of the words of Saint Augustine and the councell that speake rather of the books as they were read then as they were authenticall Ruffine speaking of these books saith legi voluerunt in ecclesiis non tamen proferri ad authoritatem fidei ex his confirmandam Augustine also lib. de ciuit dei 18. c. 36. speaking properly of canonicall scriptures excludeth the books of the Machabeies though some churches receiue them for canonicall Athanasius in Synopsi accounteth the 3. and 4. of Esdras as canonicall as these books and Sixtus senensis doth not accounpt them equall to the rest of canonicall scriptures finally no one catholicke writer can be produced that alloweth the fragments and additions that in the olde latine interpreter are added to the originall text to be canonicall scripture are the papists then catholicks that haue no catholicke grounds of their faith argument 8 Papists allow no interpretations of scriptures against that sense which the church of Rome holdeth contra eum sensum h Concil Trid. sess 4. quem tenuit tenet sancta mater ecclesia but true catholicks neuer allowed such senses and interpretations as the church of Rome doth make as for example the church of Rome beléeueth that Christ when he said to Peter pasce oues meas gaue power to the pope to depose princes Againe where God saith to Hieremy chap. 1. ecce constitui te hodie super gentes regna Boniface the 8. concludeth that the pope hath power to iudge all earthly princes and these words ecce duo gladij hic he k C. vnam sanctam de maior obed expoundeth so as if the pope had two swords giuen to him the words deus fecit duo magna luminaria the pope interpreteth so as if the pope were meant by thy sonne and the emperor by the moone and as if the pope did so farre excell the emperor as the sonne is greater then the moone bibite ex hoc omnes they expound thus drinke not all of this and these words scrutamini scripturas they interpret as if lay men might not search the scriptures without license of the inquisitors infinit such like interpretations the church of Rome hath deuised but all contrary to the expositions of the fathers and the catholicke church argument 9 The conuenticle of Trent doth adiudge the old vulgar latin translation of the bible to be authenticall and preferreth it before the originall text but catholicks haue alwaies preferred the originall text before the latin translation Saint l In Epist ad Suniam Fretel ad Damasum Hierome saith that in the olde testament in matters of doubt concerning the translation we must haue recourse to the Hebrew as to the fountaine and in the new to the Greeke ad exemplaria Hebrea Graeca à latinis recurratur saith m Lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 10. Augustine Hilary also writing vpon the 118. psalme confesseth that the latin translation cannot satisfie the reader
fathers how downe to grauen images or worship them the i Exod. 20. commandement of God is direct against such images thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. thou shalt not bow downe vnto it nor worship it k Lib. 2. institut c. 19. Lactantius saith that there is no religion where grauen images are religio nulla est vbîcunque simulachrum est The papists therefore that make the images of God and worship them are no catholicks nor haue any good religion neither can it auaile them that they say they worship not the matter of the image for so did the gentils answere in excuse of their idolatry as testifieth l Institut lib. 2. c. 2. Lactantius argument 22 True catholicks beléeue that by the law we know sinne and that m 1. Iohn 5. all vnrighteousnesse is sinne and thirdly that n Deut. 27. Galat. 3. he is accursed that abideth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them if then the papists teach that all is not sinne that is repugnant to Gods law as the Iebusits doe in the censure of Coleine fol. 26. and as others doe that it is not sinne in this world not to loue God withall our heart and all our soule which is commanded by the law of God then are they no catholicks argument 23 Catholicks holde that we haue but one lawgiuer and iudge that is able to destroy and to saue vnus est legislator index saith Saint o Iacob 4. Iames qui potest perdere liberare that the transgression of the popes lawes is sufficient to condemn vs and the obseruance of them to iustifie vs as papists holde was neuer generally taught or holden argument 24 Catholicks holde that Gods law is perfect and that nothing is sinne but that which is repugnant to the law of God but papists beléeue that it is sinne not onely to neglect the precepts of the church as they are called but also the lawes and decretales of popes as appeareth by the enchiridion of Nauarrus and other books of cases of conscience argument 25 The law of God p Exod. 20. saith directly Thou shalt not couet and catholikes doe expound this law so that it bindeth the regenerat aswel as the vnregenerat as appeareth by the words of the apostle Rom. 7. I should not haue knowen sinne saith he but by the law for I knew not concupiscence but because the law said Thou shalt not couet and this sinne he confesseth to be mortall Who saith he shall deliuer me from the body of this death S. q Lib. 2. contr Faustum Manich c. 27. Augustine also teacheth that whatsoeuer is desired or coueted against the law is sinne and very absurd it is to surmise that baptisme should sanctifie concupiscence and of sinne in the vnregenerate to make no sinne The conuenticle of Trent therefore that r Sess 5. determineth that concupiscence in the regenerate is not sinne and all adherents vnto it are no catholikes argument 26 The scriptures teach vs that euen the iust man falleth seuen times a day and as the apostle saint Iames saith that we offend all in many things our Sauiour Christ taught his apostles to pray for remission of sinnes and to confesse when they had done all they could that they were notwithstanding vnprofitable seruants so likewise teach catholike fathers Saint ſ Lib. 1. aduers Pelag. Hierome saith that then we are iust when we confesse our sinnes and saint t De spirit lit Augustine signifieth that in the frailtie of this life we can not perfectly performe Gods law we shall then saith he performe the law of God with all our soule and all our heart and loue our neighbour as our selfe when we shal see God face to face the papists therefore that teach first that the regenerate are able to performe the law of God perfectly and secondly that they are also able to performe more then is commanded and to doe works of supererogation are no catholikes nor shall they euer be able to prooue that this doctrine of theirs was generally holden by the fathers and by all Christians or by any man of note argument 27 The apostle teacheth vs that the law is the minister of death and u Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 20. Irenaeus affirmeth that the law being spirituall doth onely manifest sinne and not kill it the papists therefore that hold that all our life and saluation doeth consist in the law as appeareth by the censure of Coleyn are no catholikes argument 28 The councell of x Sess 6. c. 10. Trent condemneth those that say they are iustified formally by Christes iustice and their meaning is that we are formally iustified by charity and by the works of the law but the catholike church teacheth vs farre otherwise no flesh faith the y Galat. 2. apostle is iustified by the works of the law he denieth also that z Rom. 4. Abraham was iustified by the works of the law and saint a Lib. 1. aduers Pelag. Hierome saith that our iustice doeth not consist in our merits but in the mercy of God this also is prooued by an inuincible reason for that none are iustified by the law but such as performe the law and are not to be accused of sinne by the law but if our aduersaries will say that all that shall be saued are such they will bring the number of them into a small compasse for as b De inter pellat Dauid Ambrose saith Dauid doeth acknowledge his sinne and Paule doeth acknowledge himselfe guiltie who is then innocent argument 29 The apostle c Rom. 5. teacheth vs that through the offence of one all men were subiect to condemnation and that is the doctrine of all catholikes but the d Bellar. lib. 4. de amissi grat c. 15. papists exempt the holy virgine Mary from originall sinne as appeareth by the determination of Sixtus 4. and conuenticles of Trent doctrine sess 5. some of them also hold that the prophet Heremy and saint Iohn Baptist were sanctified from this sinne and so borne without originall sinne at the least argument 30 Catholikes hold that original sinne is a great sinne as infecting all by ordinary course descending from Adam excluding them out of the kingdome of heauen and which could not be purged but by Christes passion but the papists hold that it is the least of all sinnes as hauing the least force of our fréewill and that it deserueth not sensible paines in hell which in effect is as much as if they should deny that all men sinned originally in Adam or néeded to be saued from sensible paines by Christ argument 31 The e Th. Aquin. dd in 2. sent dist 33. Bellar de amis grat lib. 6. c. 4. papists also teach that children departing without baptisme and with originall sinne onely shall not be punished with hell fire nor with sensible
be imperfectly and analogically argument 25 Saint Ambrose teacheth vs that to worship the crosse or crucifix is plaine idolatry and paganisme Inuenit Helena crucem domini saith h De qbitu Theodosi ◠he regem adorauit non lignum vtique quia hic Gentilis est error sed adorauit illum qui pependit in cruce he saith that Helene finding the crosse did adore her king that is Christ Iesus and not the wood because this is the error of the heathen idolaters he addeth also that she worshipped him that hung on the crosse i In epist ad Ioan. Hierosolym apud Hieron Epiphanius also sheweth that the image of Christ is not to be worshipped nor hung vp in churches for that he tore a vaile wherein such an image was figured and that contrary to scriptures as he saith inueni velum pendens in foribus eiusdem ecclesiae tinctum atque depictum habens imaginem quasi Christi saith Epiphanius and afterward cum hoc vidissem in ecclesia Christi contra authoritatem scripturarum hominis pendere imaginem scidi illud the papists therefore by the iudgement of Epiphanius place Christ his image in the church contrary to scriptures and like to the heathen idolaters worship the crosse giuing to it latria as to Christ Iesus himselfe argument 26 The worship also of angels which the papists practise is idolatrous for they pray vnto them k In litanijc saying sancte Michael sancte Gabriel sancte Raphael omnes angeli archangeli orate pro nobis they l In itinerario ad finem Breuiarij pray likewise to vnknowen angels they confesse their sinnes to them saying confite or beato Michaeli archangelo they set them out in imagery and bow to them and burne incense to them and kisse them finally they erect churches and altars and say masses in honour of angels all which to be idolatrous not onely the scriptures but also the fathers teach vs. non oportet Christianos say the fathers of the m Can. 35. councell of Laodicea derelicta ecclesia abire adangelos idolatriae abominandae congregationes facere Christians say they ought not to leaue the church of God and to assemble themselues idolatrously to worship angels they do also excommunicate such as worship angels as idolaters n In summa concil Laod. c. 35. ◠Carranza to wipe away this blot from the papists turneth angelos into angulos but Chrysostome and Theodoret in their commentaries and homilies vpon the epistle to the Colloss c. 2. 3. doe plainly shew that the councell condemned the worship of angels which they also condemne synodus quae conuenit Laodiceae saith Theodoret in epist ad Coloss c. 3. lege prohibuit ne precarentur angelos Nos non dico martyrum reliquias saith o In epist ad Riparium Hierome sed ne solem quidem Iunam non angelos non archangelos non cherubim non seraphim omne nomen quod nominatur in praesenti seculo in futuro colimus adoramus ne seruiamus creaturae potius quam creatori qui est benedictus in secula he saith p Haeres 79. that Christians do not worship or adore angels and signifieth that such worship is idolatrous as sauoring of seruice of creatures honoramus eos charitate saith saint Augustine lib. de ver relig c. 55. speaking of angels non seruitute nec eis templa construimus angelos adorari non vult that is God will not haue vs saith l Epiphanius to adore angels and againe angeli non capiunt talem glorificationem Augustine doeth therefore condemne the Angelikes as heretikes for that they worshipped angels Angelici saith he de haeres c. 39. in angelorum cultu inclinati argument 27 The papists worship the sacrament of the altar in the rubrike of the Romish misial after the words of consecration the priest is enioined to worship the sacrament hostiam consecratam genu flexo adorat likewise calicem genu flexo adorat the people also knocke their brests and adore it neither doe the papists deny but that the sacrament is to be adored latriae cultu that is with such worship as is due to God but the sacrament is a creature therefore they are plaine idolaters that worship it and this is prooued by the testimony of Epiphanius stultum est saith q Haeres 69. Epiphanius creaturam deificare reprobat autem primum praeceptum quod dicit dominum deum tuum adorabis ipsi soli cultum praestabis he saith it is a foolish thing to worship a creature as God and therefore prooueth that Christ is God and no creature because he is worshipped and for that the church doeth not worship a creature vnlesse therefore Christ be hypostatically and personally vnited to the sacrament those that worship the sacrament are idolaters as for those that worship vnconsecrated hostes the papists themselues deny not to be idolaters argument 28 They are also idolaters that worship the images and pictures of the virgine Mary of angels and saints departed this life the councell of Eliberis to auoid this idolatry r Can. 36. decréed picturas in ecclesijs esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur that is that pictures should not be in the church least any thing that is worshipped or adored should be painted on walles Non est dubium saith ſ Lib. 2. instit diuin c. 18. Lactantius quin religio nulla sit vbicunque simulachrum est nam si religio ex diuinis rebus est diuini autem nihil est nisi in caelestibus rebus carent ergo religione simulachra quia nihil potest esse coeleste in ea re quae fit ex terra he teacheth vs that there is no religion where images are worshipped as being earth and not sauoring of any heauenly or diuine quality or substance Inueni velum pendens in foribus eiusdem ecclesiae tinctum atque depictum saith t Ad Ioan. Hierosolym apud Hieronymous Epiphanius habens imaginem quasi Christi vel sancti non enim satis memini cuius imago fuerit cum ergo hoc vidissem in ecclesia Christi contra authoritatem scripturarum hominis pendere imaginem scidi illud and afterward Precor vt iubeas presbyteros eiusdem loci suscipere velum à latore quod à nobis missum est deinceps praecipere in ecclesia Christi istiusmodi vela quae contra religionem nostram veniunt non appendi he doth plainly shew that to place pictures images in churches is contrary to scriptures religion neither doth he only condemne heathen idoles but images in churches also Vnto this place our aduersaries answer that these words were not written by Epiphanius but soisted in by some other but in his booke against heresies he sheweth himselfe to be of the same opinion and doth strongly confirme that which is héere said Writing against the Collyridians haeres 79.
papist which he falsly calleth catholike ought to send his children into seminaries abroad and his reason is good for that their heads be filled with trecheries and aequiuocations dissimulation hypocrisie and all falshood sufficient witnesses and confessions of diuers that haue forsaken those nestes of treason declare that the youthes there are mainteined for no other end then to mooue sedition in England and we may well thinke that neither the pope nor Spaniard would be at the cost they are for their maintenance vnlesse they hoped by their agencie to be recompenced againe ten fold whatsoeuer their intent was certeine it is that in the seminaries nothing is more commonly talked of then how to set vp a partie against the state how to trouble her Maiestie or some such like matter and albeit the gouernours doe not acquaint the schollars with particulars yet when any mischiefe is intended against vs then the schollars are willed to say Pater noster or aue Maria for furthering of some good intention as they call it of the Rector of the colledge finally whatsoeuer the priests say or sweare concerning practises of rebellion yet vnlesse they will forsweare the pope they must néeds be rebels and stirre vp rebellion as oft as he listeth for the h Pius the fift his Bull. pope doth excommunicate al those that will not rise vp in armes against her Maiestie and who knoweth not that they will rather venture to breake their necks then loose their soules that they suppose to depend on the popes curses this argument therfore followeth necessarily if a true papist then is he a false hearted subiect for otherwise the pope by his bull hath excommunicated him as well as all other subiects and the same shall vndoubtedly be in force ere it belong if these good fellowes be not tied shorter or if the calues of such bulles be not surely kept vp argument 3 Thirdly it is treason to attempt against the life and person of the prince and euer hath béene so accounted by lawes of all nations among the Romanes it was so hainous that the offender being dead yet the offence was enquired of and punished by confiscation of his goods meminisse oportebit saith i Cod. ad legem Iuliā maiestatis l. meminisse Paulus the lawier si quid contra imperatoris maiestatem commissum dicatur etiam post rei mortem id crimen instaurari solere by the ancient lawes of England it hath alwaies béene adiudged high treason to compasse or imagine the death of the kings or Queenes of this realme as appeareth by the old statute of the 25. of Edward the third c. 2. it is likewise so iudged by the lawes of Spaine reported in a booke called Fuero real tit de la guarda del rey in France it is déemed the highest and chiefest point of high treason to attempt against the life of the prince Bodin in his second booke de la republique c. 5. reporteth how a certeine gentleman in his confession to a priest declaring that once he had an intention to kill the king albeit he neuer did attempt to doe it and was then most sorie that euer he did thinke vpon such a matter was notwithstanding executed to death for his very imagination Peter Barriere was likewise executed at Melun for that being perswaded by one Varade a Iesuite and others that it was an act meritorious to kill the king that now reigneth he did conceiue in his minde a resolution to doe it neither did any papist thinke that he had any wrong in it Ghineard likewise a Iesuite was hanged in Paris for declaring by writing that it was lawfull to kill kings excommunicate by the pope and for oppugning their title for the same cause also and for that they sauored of this trecherous doctrine and were not vnacquainted with the assassinate of Chastell that ment to haue murdred k. Henry the fourth that now reigneth in France all the Iesuits were expulsed by an arrest of parliament out of France albeit the same is not so throughly executed as were to be wished Vrbane the 6. with exquisite torments killed all that were any way to be suspected for conspiring against him Iohn the 22. caused the bishop of Cahors to be skinned aliue and to be slaine with great torments vpon suspicion of a conspiracy made against him omnibus cruciatibus saith k In Iohn 23. Platina coegit vitam cum morte commutare quod in Pontificem coniurasset l In Alexandro 6. Alexander the sixth vsed to put men to death most cruelly for euery word spoken against him as Onuphrius testifieth and this is the resolution of all lawiers they commit treason saith Socinus the yoonger lib. 3. consil 105. which make a practise against the person of their lord and prince and with him agréeth Alciat consil 456. they are also guilty of the same crime which doe consult or practise against the state of the prince or common-wealth as saith Baldus consil 58. seq lib. 1. and Alexander consil 13. lib. 6. and Iason consil 86. lib. 3. Let vs then sée whether those Iesuits and priests that either haue béene executed for treason or else are yet aliue and to be executed if they repent not and flie to the Quéenes mercy be not guilty of this point of treason also and whether their adherents and supporters may not iustly be touched for supporting them first it is apparent that Pius the fift in his execrable bull against her Maiestie doeth excommunicate all such as will not take armes for the execution of his sentence and the actuall deposing of the Quéene but neither can any such thing be executed without violence offered to her person nor may we imagine that the masse priests and their consorts were sent for any other purpose into England then for the execution of the bull m Lib. de schism Theodorike a Niem speaking of a like sentence of a pope denounced against a king of his time doeth signifie that such sentences are not executed without many calamities and great troubles secondly the earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and their adherents the rebels anno 1569. did not entend other matter than the destruction of her Maiesties person as many therefore as either were actors in that rebellion or els approoued the same as did Sanders in his booke of his pretended visible monarchy and all Iesuits and Iesuited papists doe very boldely are guilty in this point of treason Bristow in his Motiues doth no otherwise account of those that were executed for this rebellion then of holy martyrs neither can any priest or papist notwithstanding all their pretenses mislike that rebellion vnlesse in opinion they contradict Bellarmine and other Romish doctors and absolutely condemne the popes sentence that hath so oftentimes bene published which I doubt whether any will doe or no. In Ireland certes we doe not finde any priest that is not consorted with the rebells and that publickely doth not defend their
flocke by teaching and that he doth administer the sacraments of the Lords supper and baptisme orderly and ordinarily as other bishops doe wherein I beléeue he will faile Fourthly I haue proued that the pope is Antichrist aduanced aboue all that is called God and the principall Patriarke of Antichrists kingdome But light and darkenesse shall as soone concurre as the tyrannie of Antichrist and the office of a bishop in one person I haue prooued that he is Antichrist in my fift booke de Pontifice Rom. against Bellar. which because he so aboundeth in learning and I haue none I would pray him to answere with his great learning and especially séeing it maketh so much for the credit of his father the pope that begot him on a strumpet the hore of Babylon his maships mother A braue fellow he is no doubt that is so well borne of father and mother And if his stomack wil brooke no latin let him refute my answere to Parsons wardword if not all yet so much as toucheth the Pope Finally the Pope is an heretike an apostata and a most notorious simoniacal person entring by brigues and faction and composition with the Spanish king and cardinals as is notorious to the world and appeareth in euery coÌ„claue and is not dissembled by popish writers but such by canoÌ„s albeit otherwise bishops are suspended froÌ„ ordaining bishops or coÌ„ferring orders That they are heretikes it cannot be denyed vnlesse Owlyglasse can shew that the points we haue handled in the 4. chapter of our former discourse are no heresies which if he be able to shew I doubt not but the pope for his paynes will make him cardinall That the Pops are apostatates it apeareth for that they haue declined from the ancient faith as I haue likewise declared in my former challenge That they are simoniacal creatures their buying and selling of the papacy and of all ecclesiasticall liuings of masses of sacraments of faculties doth manifestly declare and that this is a common fault of Popes it appeareth by their rules of chancerie by the Penitentiaries taxe Vid. regul Cancellar paenitent by the glosses of their canons by Albericus de Rosate in verbo Roma by Theodorica Niems treatise of schisme by baptist of Mantua and all stories that write any truth Neither is this a faulte of late crept into that see queÌ„ dabis mihi de tota maxima vrbe saith Bernard lib. 4 de consid ad Eugenium quite in papam receperit pretio seu spe pretij non interueniente He signifieth that the Pope was chosen by simony without simony certes no cardinall can sée to finde the Popes chayre By this it may also appeare that the Romish church hath no true bishops or priestes for first they are ordained by the Pope that is no bishop Secondly the Bishops neither preach nor administer the sacraments nor accompt that any parte of their episcopall function Thirdly Pope Ioane had noe power to ordeine Bishops or priestes being a woman But all that haue liued in the Church of Rome along time haue béene ordeined by none but such as were ordeined by her or by bishops that were made by her Fourthly all préests are ordeined to sacrifice for quicke dead As appeareth by Machabeus in lib. de missis episcoporum pro ordinibus conferen dis Bellarmine also saith that preistes are made by these words accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificlum that is receiue power to offer sacrifice Which is no sufficient ordination nor giueth préestes power either to preach or administer sacraments but rather a power in ancient time neuer belonging to préests as I haue proued against Bellarmine in my booke de sacrificio missae Fiftly no simoniacall persons or heretikes haue power to order others and if they doe it their ordination by canons is declared voyd they are pronounced irreguler and this I thinke Owlyglasse will not deny but he will answere percase that the Popish bishops are neither heretikes nor simonicall persons let him therefore if he will make his answere good make answere to my obiections concerning the heresies and simonyes of the Church of Rome Sixtly the popish bishops are all slaues of Antichrist as appeareth by their slauish oth c. ego N. de iureiurando If then the pope be proued Antichrist and the aduersary of Christ and his Church his adherents caÌ„not be déemed true bishops Finally albeit the Popish Church had a certaine forme of ordination and bishops and préestes so called yet nether can the ordination be accouÌ„ted lawful being contrary to canons nor can they be déemed true bishops and priests that neither preach that which Christ commanded nor obserue his commission nor administer the sacrameÌ„ts according to Christs institution Oftentimes also the Pope hath ordeined boyes ignorant persons vtterly vncapable of episcopall function bishops and preests And such being so ordeined neuer did any part of ministeriall function if then the Romish Church be like her bishops then as she hath false and defectiue bisshops so is shee a false and defectiue Church But saith Owlyglasse Pag â—2 the councell of Trent hath made such holsome decrees concerning the diligent and often teaching and preaching of bishops and preests as Master Sutcliffe can finde no iust cause of complainte But if he had let downe these wholsome decrées he would haue béene much ashamed of the decrées themselues and more of the slender exequution of them For Concil Trid. Sess 5 c. 2. they decrée that bishops shall teach by theÌ„selues or others so that by this rule women may be préests for they may teach by others this may be fulfilled if bishops neuer teach at all Beside that we doe not reade that the first bishops of Rome did preach by others or set vp louzy fryers to prate in pulpits as now is the fashion of the Romish Church Our Sauiour Christ bad his Disciples preach themselues or els he would not haue sent them And S. Peter preacheth himselfe and vsed no deputation for the matter as now the Romanistes doe furthermore now the execution of this lawe is so neglected that I doe not beléeue that Owlyglasse albeit he hath well frequented all corners of Rome hath heard the pope preach And when the old Cardinall of Lorrein offerd to preach he was derided for his labor of all his compagnioÌ„s so vnséemly a thing it séemeth for a Cardinal bishop to preach He answereth further That I would be loth that our church should continue no longer then bishops doe their duties in preaching and feeding But he doth wrong our bishops to compare them to Romish prelats that neither preach nor thinke that preaching belongeth to them and for the most parte vnlesse it be some frier or foxe inroabed with bishops apparell preach not nor speake more then stockes and images in Churches He doth also mistake me much if he thinke that I conclude that any congregation is not the true church where bishops doe not their duties For that is
compared these two editions throughout And if in the edition of Sixtus Quintus his bible at Antwerpe Anno 1599. thou doe not finde these lections mentioned thou maiest thereby further vnderstand that some of late since Sixtus his death haue taken paines to falsifie his edition and to make him to speake contrary to himselfe If then Hierome say true In praefat in Iosue in praefat in 4. cuangel non posse verum esse quod dissonat that is that what doth differ cannot be true then is it notorious that one of these two popes hath falsified not onely the scriptures but also the authenticall latin translation as they call it And if they make no scruple to falsifie the holy scriptures of God it is no maruell if impudently they falsifie the writings of men The Popes also and their consorts haue committed notorious falsifications in publishing couÌ„terfeit canons and constitutions partly vnder the name of the Apostles and partly vnder the name of diuers auncient bishops of Rome and lastly of diuers councels and fathers falsification 8 For first they haue set vs out 84. C. sextam synodum dist 16. Ibidem canons vnder the names of the Apostles Hadrian the Pope alloweth and receiueth the vi Synode and all her canons in one of which the canons of the Apostles were confirmed and thereupon Gratiâ—n concludeth that they were authenticall And commonly the church of Rome alleadgeth these canons whensoeuer she hopeth to winne any aduantage by them But many reasons declare them to bee counterfeit As first for that contrary to the doctrine of the Church the baptisme of heretikes is condemned can 45. Secondly can 65. saterdaies fast is forbidden Thirdly once dipping in baptisme is déemed vnsufuÌ„cient can 49. contrary to the orders of the Church Fourthly the catalogue of scriptures rehearsed can 84. is by none allowed for neither wil the Church of Rome allow of the third booke of Machabeyes nor of the Epistles of Clement Fifthly the Apostles as is said in those canons confirme the Gospell of S. Iohn yet stories report that the same was not written before the rest of the Apostles were dead Sixthly these counterfeit canons mention diuers orders of ministers of fastes of bestowing of ecclesiasticall liuings and such like not vsed in the Apostles times Finally not only Isidore c. canones dist 16. and Leo c. Clementis dist 16. but also Gelasius c. sancta Romana dist 15. doth number these canons among apocryphal writings But in nothing doth the impudencie of the Romish Synagogue and her agents appeare more then in the falsisâ—…ation of the actes of councels For they haue not onely falsified diuers particuler actes and canons and foisted them in among the actes of councels but also deuised whole procéedings as passed in auncient councels which notwithstanding are méerely forged falsification 9 The actes of the councell of Sinuessa reported by Peter Crabbe and Surius seeme to be much falsified For first of the thrée copies that are in Surius not one agréeth with another Secondly séeing as 318. bishops could hardly be drawne to the great councell of Nice in the peace of the church albeit Constantine called them out of all parts of the world if is not like that in time of persecution 300. bishops could bee drawne to Sinuess about Marcellinus according as it is reported in the actâ—s of the councell Thirdly the spéeches of Marcellinus and the rest are so simple and the stile so much differing from those times that he must be of a very dull vnderstanding that perceiueth not the falshood of the author of those actes Fourthly the actes of that pretended councel are contrary to themselues For in the latter ende they say prima sedes non iudicabitur a quoquam and yet a little before it is said that the bishoppes did condemne Marcellinus damnauerunt cum say they extra ciuitatem Finally the procéeding in Mâ—rcellinus his sacrificing to Idoles and in his triall by 72. witnesses is most ridiculous and no way to be iustified by authenticall records falsification 10 Likewise seeme the actes of the councell of Neocaesarea and Ancyra to be counterfeit For in times of persecution it was not like that many biâ—hops could assemble or had any care of commaund and superioritie or any credit to make lawes concerning gouernment Besides that histories authentical make no mention of law-making councels before the generall councell of Nice Finally the actes are so simple and so euill agrée with those times in which they are said to passe that we must either haue authenticall proofe for them or els must haue leaue to beléeue them to be forged falsification 11 The actes of the councell of Rome vnder Siluester doe so plainly appeare to be forged that I doe wonder that our aduersaries are not much ashamed of them The number of bishops is said to be greater then in the councell of Nice The names of them are méere One is called Squiro another Cleopatris another Vultibus and the rest also seeme names of coniuration barbarous and One is called Simplex another Exitiosus the 3. speâ— in deo the 4. quod vult deus Gréeke bishops comming to that councell commonly haue latine names The fable of cleansing of Constantine from his leprosie is there reported 57. bishops of I would gladly know where this is Rinocoruris are said to be present yet did they not subscribe The councell was said to be assembled by the aduise of Constantine or of his mother they séeme not to know whether The actes are most disagréeing from those times and some of them very ridiculous as for example that Nonnes should not professe virginitie vntill the age of 72. yeares when such profession is néedlesse Finally the words are so barbarous that they sauor of gothicall and lombardicall monkerie and the actes so beneficiall to the sea of Rome that euery man may sée that later Popes vnder the title of this councell meant to couer their owne ambitious decrées and humors falsification 12 Most shamefully also haue the agentes of the Romish church corrupted the actes of the councell of Nice Ruffin and all authenticall writers mention no more but onely 20. canons C. viginri dist 16. Pope Stephen also confesseth that there are but only 20. canons receiued of the Romish church viginti tantum capitula Nicenae synodi in sancta Romana ecclesia habentur saith he C. septuaginta dist 16. Summa concil apud Horatium Cardon excus anno 1601. But Gratian vnder colour of an Epistle of Athanasius affirmeth that there are seuenty canons made in that councell and now of late one Alphonsus of Pisa a Iebusite hath set out 80. canons of that councell translated as he saith out of Arabicke He might haue done well to haue said translated out of the language of China for then rather would diuers haue beléeued them then gone to China to search or examine the truth of Alphonsus his report falsification 13 In the sixt councel of Carthage Sozimus bishop of Rome was manifestly
S. Christopher or Saint Catherine in the worlde falsification 29 Likewise doth Capgraue tell strange matters which of English papists were beléeued in time past Capgraue in Bernaco Saint Bernacus saith he killed a mortiferous beast at Rome that before had killed and deuoured much people and cattell but it is not like that Bernac coulde doe more then his holy father the Pope A certaine fellow that stroke S. Bernac was punished with swarmes of flying lice toto corpore pediculis saith Capgraue alatis obsessus He spoke with Angels sayled ouer the sea vpon a broade stone turned oke leaues into loaues viz. by changing one letter stones into fishes water into wine his cow being cut in pieces he restored notwithstanding to life and committed her to be kept by a wolfe Finally ke yoaked Harts and made them draw in a cart which Owlyglasse will hardly defend to be nâ— lies falsification 30 He saith that Christ appeared to Augustine the monke and talked familiarly with him Capgraue in Augustino and telleth also how hee plagued the men of Dorset with fire But the Saints of God in time past did rather pray for poore men then call for fire downe from heauen vpon them Saint Peter also a man of as good credit as Capgraue saith the heauens must containe Christ that is thither ascended vntill the time of the restoring of all things falsification 31 When Bartilmew a monke came to Durrham and saluted the crucifixe the same wodden crucifixe bowing downe himselfe saith Capgraue resaluted him againe He saith also that he sawe the diuell sometime in the forme of a mouse sometime of a cat and that he imprisoned a Hawke two daies and made her to fast for killing him a little bird and many such lies telleth Capgraue of Bartilmew the monke falsification 32 Scripsit ex ore angeli sanctus Brendanus sanctam regulam saith Capgraue In Brendano quae vsque hodie manet that is he wrote his rule as he receiued it of an Angel When as a poore fellow being followed by his enemies that meant to kill him fledde to Brendan desiring succour he willed him to get vp vpon a stone hard by and not to mooue this done his enemies that followed stroke the stone for the man and beleeued the man to bee the stone He caused a fountain also to rise out of a drie ground and was carried into paradise as for dead men hee raised them to life without any difficulty Which things no man can passe for truth vnlesse he be as sencelesse as the stone that Capgraue talketh of falsification 33 Of Edith Capgraue writeth that when she died Angels were heard to sing harmoniously In Editha and seene carying her soule to heauen that she appeared to Dunstane being dead that her body remained without corruption especially her thumbe with which she made the signe of the crosse That she did quiet the seas and deliuered Aldred Archbishop of Yorke being in danger in the Adriaticke sea when he called vpon her All which lies if Owlyglasse will beléeue he must be very credulous and one of those that are giuen ouer to beléeue lies But to make others beléeue that these are no lies he néedeth more eloquence then he hath now ignorance In the 8. session of the councell of Constance as it is called the popish church affirmeth that Wickleffe taught quod deus debet obedire diabolo That is that God must obey the diuell also that Princes being in mortall sinne are not to bee obeyed And diuers other matters neuer taught by Wickleffe which may appeare first by his bookes and neâ—t by the articles collected against him and recorded by Thomas Walsingham Neither haue our aduersaries any arguments to proue the contrary vnlesse a man wil beléeue those infamous articles which were by his aduersaries obiected against him after his death which neither law nor reason will admit to passe for proofe falsification 35 Likewise did the papists deale with Iohn Husse in that wicked assembly condemning him for holding articles which he in open audience denied One reported Sess 15. that he should affirme that there was a fourth person in the trinitie others that he should call Gregory the first rimer matters which hee vtterly disclaymed Yet these and many more lies that conuenticle beléeued of him and condemned him for them and these lies of that holy man the synagogue of Rome now commonly beléeueth falsification 36 Now the church of Rome not being able to ouerthrow our doctrine goeth about to calumniate our principal teachers as Luther Caluin Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bucer Beza and others the principall agents either in shaking of the popes tyranny or the establishing of religion and namely her Maiesties most noble father her mother her brother her selfe her counsellors and principall agens the prince of Condey and his father the Admirall of France Henry the 4. nowe reigning and diuers others in Scotland Germany and otherwhere Vnto Luther Leo the tenth imputeth calumnious assertions which he neuer held Commonly the papists giue out that he taught that if the wife would not yeeld to her husband that the husband might go vnto his maide that he died sodainly that his body did stincke and many such like slanders stincking in the nostrils of all honest men Of Bucer they report that he turned Iewe and died blaspheming a matter refuted by the testimony of his enemies that were present at his death and not onely by his friends Of late they published a lying pamphlet of the reuolt of Beza and of his death which he yet liuing refuted The slanders of Sanders and ribaldry of that ribald Ribadineira which the papists receiue with such applause shall shortly godwilling be made manifest to the world Now it may appeare that they are false being deuised by Sanders and Rishton two lewde lozels vnacquainted with state matters and as it is thought published and much encreased by Rob. Parsons the most notorious traytor and infamous libeller that the congregation of Iesuites euer did affoord vs. falsification 37 Pius the fift in his letters to the Emperor most impudently affirmeth In vita Pij quinti. that the councell of Nice made the Pope which he termeth the successour of Peter Lord and gouernour of all Princes christened and also of all prouinces and nations whatsoeuer and that the same councell did anathematise all that should contradict that authority A matter proued to be a notorious lye by the actes of the councell for therein no such matter is found The same also is refuted by this argument for that councels haue not to doe with the disposing of temporall states falsification 38 Sixtus Quintus in his rayling bull against the king of Nauarre now raigning and swaying the scepter of France and the Prince of Condey publisheth most notorious lies He saith they polluted and spoyled Churches and with torments killed Priests monkes and friers and did compell men to religion with threates and bastonadaes minis verberibusque No one point being to be
is now an infant or that he hath communicated his gouerment with his mother Thirdly neither doth Peter nor any other Disciple of Christ teach or maintaine the Romish doctrine concerning the worshippe of our Lady and the Popes authority All these figures therefore are lying and false figures falsification 7 Sixtus quintus in his decretall epistle profired before Baronious his bookes saith that he hath faithfully and diligentlye reported the stories of the Church and deliuered the true fountaines of apostolicall traditions speaking of his booke he calleth it opus fideliter scriptuÌ„ and not only reporteth so of his bookes that already were published but of those that yet he had not séene prophesiyng belike of Caesar Baronius his future workes perfections and exploytes speaking of his diligence in describing of Romish traditions he saith that in his bookes of Annales apostolicarum traditionum purissimi fontes aperiuntur But this is a notorious and large vntruth for not only his traditioÌ„s are fabulous but his discourse most vaine and false being grounded for the most part vpon lying legendes counterfect sermons and orations set out vnder the names of fathers lewd authors and such as Simeon Metaphrastes Anastasius Gratian Iuo Theodorus Studites certein bookes that neuer yet sawe light and Baronius allowing this Epistle of Sixtus must néedes proue himselfe a lyar falsification 8 The yeare and precise time of Christs natiuity being the ground of all his worke it must néedes follow that if he faile in that then that his whole booke is nothing but a packe of lies That the whole worke is layed vpon that point himselfe confesseth haec basis quaedam ac fundamentum annalium esto saith he Apparaâ—us ad annales eclesiast But that he hath erred in that point it is very probable Epiphanius in panario haeres 51. saith that our Sauiour was borne Augustus and Siluanus being consuls Seuerus hist lib. 2. saith hee was borne when Sabinus and Ruffinus were consuls why then should we rather beléeue Cassiodorus whoÌ„e Baronius followeth then the other two But if this were not erroneous yet in the supputation of yeares continually he erreth reducing matters rather to the false tradition of the Romish Breuiaries and other rituall bookes then to the truth falsification 9 This sentence which he placeth in the front of his booke in petra exaltauit me nunc exaltauit caput meum super inimi cos meos he doth falsely apply to the Romish church contrary to the meaning of the Prophet Psal 26. For he speaketh of himselfe Beside that he saith abscondit me in tabernaculo suoâ— in die malorum protexit me in abscondito tabernaculi sui that is he hath hidden me in his tabernacle and in the dayes of my trouble hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle But the Romanistes will not graunt that the Church of Rome is a congregation hidden or that God doth place the same in the secret place of his tabernacle Furthermore that which the prophet speaketh of himselfe cannot by any meanes be applyed to the Pope or Romish Church for it is not God that hath aduanced the Pope to this height of pride nor doe those heresies which the Church of Rome maynteineth nor those massacres and impostures which shée worketh proceede from god Finally God shall destroy antichrist with the breath of his mouth and shall not exalt him nor suffer him long to be thus exalted falsification 10 In his epistle to Sixtus quintus he giueth the title of Vniuersal or Catholike to the Romish Church and doubteth not to affirme the traditions of the Romish Church to be holy and auncient pro sacrarum traditionum antiquitate saith he ac saÌ„ctae Romanae catholicae ecclesiae potestate but of the prophanenesse and nouelty of the Romish traditions I haue spoken already both in my challenge and in my bookes de missa and other treatises against Bellarmine and I doubt not but thereby euery man may conuince him of lying both concerning the holinesse and also the antiquitie of Romish traditions To affirme that the Romish church is catholike concerning faith vniuersally taught I haue declared in my challenge to be most false to affirme that the Romish Church is the vniuersall and catholike Church in regard of time and place is not only most false but also most absurd for were the Church of Rome the true church as it was sometime yet as wel may we call London all england as the Romish Church the catholike Church falsification 11 In the same epistle most impudently he applyeth these words of Iacob Genes 27. surge sede comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua to himselfe as if he had béene a hunting about Rome and brought Sixtus quintus a goate or some like venaison and as if Sixtus quintus were a prophet like to Iacob And to fitte the words to his purpose he addeth to the text the word Pater and taketh away the word sede and saith surge pater comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua Which is a false and leud kinde of abusing of scriptures falsification 12 Concerning the visible monarchy of the Pope he telleth if not a visible yet a very palpable lye In praefat Catholicae ecclesiae visibilem monarchiam saith he à Christo domino institutam super Petrum fundatam ac eius legitimos verosque successores romanos nimirum pontifices inuiolatè conseruatam c. demonstrabimus But if Christ had apointed any such visible monarchy it is strange that neither the Apostles nor first church of christians could euer sée it Againe it is absurd to thinke that generall councels would haue made lawes if there had béene a generall monarke apoynted ouer them Thirdly if Peter had béene a monarke yet it is absurde to say that the visible monarchy is founded vpon him For no man saith that the kingdoÌ„e is founded vpon the King neither is it probable the foundation being inuisible that the building should bée visible Finally this being a ground of his legendicall fables that the bishops of Rome succeeded Peter in the visible monarchy of the church it must néedes follow if this ground faile him the cardinall lyeth in euery page of his annales and as often as he talketh of this matter But that neither Peter was constituted monarke of the church nor the bishops of Rome haue succeeded in any such phantasticall monarchy I haue at large proued in my booke de pontifice Rom. set out against Bellarmine some fowre or or fiue yeares sence falsification 13 Out of Clement lib. strom 6. most simply and falsely he affirmeth Apparat. p. 17. Cod. Antuerp that as the Iewes knew God by the prophets so God did separat from the commoÌ„ multitude of the Gentiles the most excellent of the philosophers and made them capable of Gods beneficence He alledgeth also an apocryphal text out of Paule and seemeth to affirme that some Gentiles did knowe Christ
popes vsurped supremacy for which his grosse head fit to beleeue all fond fables was neuer framed falsification 44 Out of Abdias which he confesseth to be an apocryphall author he telleth that Iohn the Euangelist by Christs perswasion did neuer desire mariage as if Christ were an enemy to mariage falsification 45 He saith that it was Simon Zelotes that was maried when Christ was present in Cana of Galiley Tom annal 1. p. 122. Antwerp and turned water into wine and declareth how the memory of that miracle being celebrated in the Church the vi day of Ianuary diuers riuers and fountaines that day ranne wine Matters méerely fabulous and which bring christian religion into question if not into contempt being auouched without any good ground falsification 46 Pag. 132. he alloweth the epistle of Abagarus to Iesus Christ and his epistle also to Abagarus which by the testimony of Gelasius c. sancta Rom. dist 15. are testified to be apocryphal and by the letters themselues appeare to be forged falsification 47 In the same place also he reporteth that our Sauiour Christ printed his image in a cloke and sent it to Abgarus The painter should haue taken the portrait but saith Baronius for the beames that came from his countenance he could not doe it He sheweth also that by this image diuers miracles were done and all this to confirme the worship of images falsification 48 Pag. 157. he telleth vs that by diuine and humane lawes one chiefe bishop both in time past did and ought to decide all ecclesiasticall controuersies But the place Deut. 17. and diuers places of the new testament doe shew this to be a notorious vntruth as I haue shewed in my bookes de Pontifice Rom. falsification 49 Pag. 167. he telleth out of Euthymius that the rich man Luc. 16. was called Nynensis and doubteth not to affirme that this was a story and not a parable because diuers churches are erected in the honour of Lazarus but the fathers thinke otherwise And the naming of tongues fingers and other things which are corporal where our Sauiour talketh of soules doth shew this discourse to be parabolicall and the papists to be idolaters that worship their owne fancies and imaginations In the meane while it is no hard matter to discerne Baronius to be a fabler falsification 50 Pag. 176. he would make his reader beléeue that our Sauiour did celebrate his passeouer in S. Iohn the euangelists house But Simeon Metaphrastes denieth it which is often alleadged by Baronius as a graue witnesse and the words of the gospell séeme to speake of the owner of that house as of a stranger falsification 51 Pag. 191. he saith Missa is deriued from the Hebrew or Chaldey word but Bellarmine his fellow telleth him Lib. 1. de missa he is deceiued In the same page he alleadgeth the counterfeit epistles of Pius ad Iustum and Cornelius ad Lupicinum and other forged writings and all to shew that the word Missa was vsed in their times falsification 52 Out of Gregory of Tours he reporteth this fable that diuers making thonges put them about the piller whereto Christ was tyed when he was scourged and that the same heale diuers diseases He would haue tolde vs als◠if he could haue brought any proofe for it that the same piller is to be shewed in Saint Peters Church at Rome for that is a Romish tradition but he perceiued that he had tolde a lye sufficient alreadie And thus we may sée albeit I tell not all how many lies are contained in the beginning of his first booke of Annales being by iudgement of all men the best and most frée from lyes and yet I neither touch his errors in Chronology nor much meddle with his forged and false writings After this he telleth things most incredible and yet without good testimony of any man of credit Of S. Paul he writeth that his head being stricken off there issued out milke in steade of bloud He telleth also that Peters chaines being kept by Plautilla worke great wonders and saith that when Iohn the Euangelist wrote the gospell it thundered and lightened as when the lawe was giuen in mount Sinah Infinit such strange tales are contained in his huge legends If then we would doe him right we should rather call them Aniles fabulas then Annales CHAP. IX A sampler of Robert Parsons alias Coobucke his manifold falsities and lies taken out of diuers libels and pamphlets published by him NOw I come to Robert Parsons alias Coobuck a man I confesse vnworthy to bee ioyned with Bellarmine and Baronius being farre inferiour to them in learning yet in regard of his falsehood and treacherous dealing comparable with the most wicked and shamelesse Iebusite of the whole order and with the most false packer of all the popish faction His scholers beléeue that he is learned but if his trecherous complots and packings were not more to be feared then his learning he were not to be reputed halfe so dangerous as we finde him The which albeit I meant not here to dispute being without the reatch of my purpose yet because I would not haue euery such woodden fellow as Philip Woodward alias Owlyglasse for so men call the author of the detectiō to take exceptions vnto my sayings as destitute of proofe I will briefly verifie in this place and that by two of his bookes which his followers for learning workmanship beléeue to be singular If any man néede any further trial he may if he please read my reply to his wardword where I haue sounded his learning to be very shallow The first of the two is entituled a briefe discourse containing certaine reasons why papists whom falsely he termeth Catholikes refuse to go to Church and this booke Parsons vnder the maske of Iohn Howlet a fit name for such a night-bird doth presume most impudently to offer to her Maiesty The next is called a christian directory and commonly knowne by the name of Parsons his resolution His former discourse is wholy grounded vpon this rotten foundation that the popish religion which the Iebusiticall faction and their followers by all their witte learning and other meanes séeke to promote is the true Catholike religion This being the foundation of the worke if he had béene a wise builder he would haue confirmed and proued so strongly that her Maiesty before whom he pleadeth might haue conceiued well of his cause and allowed of his reasons but alleadging no one word to prooue this the whole worke doth not onely fall to the ground but also ministreth matter that may be turned backe vpon himselfe and employed to the hurt and preiudice of his clients For as it is a good reason if the popish religion be the true christian religion to mooue men to refuse all religions opposite vnto it so if the same be false odious trecherous damnable then neither haue papists any reason to professe it nor others to beare with those that obstinately defend it but
saith Moyses or the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend whom thou louest as thy soule would perswade thee saying let vs go and serue other gods which thou knowest not nor thy fathers thou shalt not yeeld vnto him nor heare him nor shall thy eye spare him nor shalt thou pity him or conceale him but shall cause him to be slaine for it is not sufficient for a Christian man to know and follow the trueth but he must also auoid false doctrine and the seruice of Baal Christes sheepe as Iohn 10. he saith they follow the true sheperd and a stranger they will not follow neither may we regard their faire pretences of reconciling men to the catholicke Romish church as they call it for euen wolfes though rauenous yet now and then come vnto vs in shéepes clothing but our sauiour Christ giueth vs a caueat to beware of them Beware saith Matth. 7. he of false prophets which shall come vnto you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues these will smoothly tell you that they come to saue your soules and pretend to come from Christes vicar but they are the ministers of antichrist and the idolatrous priests of Baal and come to destroy your soules by their fruits you shal know them their study is sedition alteration of state their religion heresie and superstition their life full of filthinesse and abomination neither doe we read of any that haue harkened vnto the Iesuites of late yéeres but they haue béene vtterly ruined by them examples hereof we haue diuers and the truth which I affirme appeareth by the Scottish Catechism de Iesuitis Queene ruined by the wicked counsell of Sammier that came disguised vnto her all in yelow satin by the duke of Guise and the leaguers of France brought to destruction by Claude Matthiew by king Phillip the 2. of Spaine intricated by the most wicked counsels of Parsons by the king of Poland that standeth in danger to loose his kingdome of Suethland by the death and ouerthrow of Sebastian king of Portugall in Barbary by the prince of Transiluania that is now by their means dispossessed of Transiluania Ferdinande of Croatia who together with his armie was ouerthrowen by a few Turks listening to these presumptuous fellowes consultations by the emperor that is weakened by their seditious practises losing the aid of diuers princes of religion by the importunity of these trouble-states as for inferior lords and gentlemen that haue béene drawen into practises by Iesuites and so haue ouerthrowen themselues and their houses the number of them is infinit observation 2 Secondly if masse priests be idolaters then no man that is zealous for the honour of God and his true religion may endure them for the law of God that so rigorously pursueth a false prophet doeth therefore adiudge him worthy of death because he went about to draw men from the true worship of God quia voluit abstrahere te saith Deut. 13. Moyses speaking to the people à domino deo tuo and because he sought to perswade men to serue idoles and false gods saying eamus sequamur deos alienos let vs goe and follow other gods the 2. Cor. 6. apostle doeth teach vs that there is no consent betwixt the church of God and idoles qui-consensus saith he templo dei cum idolis if it be the church of God then it admitteth no idoles if idoles be erected in any place then that is not the church of God 1. Cor. 10. he saith also that Christians cannot both drinke the Lords cup and the cup of diuels and by the cup of diuels he vnderstandeth the cup consecrated in honour of idoles The prophet Dauid therefore speaking of idolaters professeth like a good king that Psal 16. he would not offer their offrings of blood nor make mention of their names within his lips 2. King 18. Hezekias ouerthrow the high places brake downe the images out downe the groues and remooued away all monuments of idolatry Iosias did likewise and executed to death such as had burned incense to Baal 1. King 18. Helias enflamed with zeale would not suffer one of Baals prophets to escape contrariwise God doth shew himselfe highly displeased with such as winke at idolaters the spirit of God speaking to the bishop of Pergamus Apoc. 2. habeo saith he aduersus te pauca quia habes illic tenentes doctrinam Balaam qui docebat Balac mittere scandalum coram filijs Israel edere fornicari likewise he reprooueth the bishop of Thyatira sharpely for permitting idolaters and false seducing teachers I haue against thee Apoc. 2. saith he some few things because thou doest permit the woman Iezabel to teach and to seduce my seruants to commit fornication and to eat of things sacrificed to idoles finally no man can call himselfe a Christian that can be content to sée either Gods commandement openly broken in worshipping of idoles or else secretly frustrated by secret practises and subtile euasions of Baals priests and as idolaters shall be punished in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone so shall they not escape grieuous punishments that either mainteine them or winke at them let no man therefore blame her Maiestie and the State that cannot endure these idolatrous slaues of antichrist and wicked masse priests of Baals order observation 3 If the papists be heretikes then are not either the popes priests to be suffred to broch their hereticall doctrine in secret corners nor their adherents openly to maintaine their peruerse opinions the emperors Gratian Valentinian Theodosius L. omnes Cod. de haeret put all heretikes to silence omnes vetitae legibus diuinis imperialibus constitutionibus say they perpetuò quiescant Valentinian and Martian L. quicunque ibidem decréed that false teachers should be put to death Vltimo supplicio afficiantur say they qui illicita docere tentauerint Constantine did gréeuously punish such as kept or concealed any books of heretikes as is testified by Sozomen lib. 1. hist cap. 20. Saint Augustine doeth greatly commend the emperors lawes made against the Donatistes and Hierom writing vpon the fift to the Galathians séemeth much to mislike the remissenesse of diuers in their procéedings against the heretike Arius as for priuate men they are to follow the apostles counsell 2. Tim. 4. and to auoid these heretikes saint Epist 2. Iohn would not haue Christians so much as once to bid them God spéed nolite iugum ducere saith the apostle 2. Corinth 6. cum infidelibus be not yoked with infidels for what coniunction is there betwixt iustice and iniquitie it is a hard matter to touch pitch and not to be defiled and hereticall bookes and companions seduce simple soules that are not able to iudge finally if reason persuade not blinde papists yet the iudgements of God denounced against idolaters may persuade euery man that is studious of his saluation to beware of their entisements and