which were done in England in the coÌ„uersioÌ„ therof writteÌ„ by the same Greg. li. 9. ep 58. And by venerable Bede l. 1. hist Ca. 31. In the eight the miracles of S. Cutbert S. Iohn in England also Bede lib. 4. hist 5. In the ninth the miracles of Tharasius writteÌ„ by Ignat. Nicen. of others In the tenth the miracles of S. Romuald recorded by S. Pet. Damian of S. Wenceslaus of others which Surius writeth In the eleueÌ„th the miracles of S. Edward k. vir of S. Ans of others In the twelfth the miracles of S. Mal. S Barn of others In the thirteenth the miracles of S. Fran. S. Dom. S. Bonauent S. S. Celest of others In the fourteenth the miracles of S. Bernardine S. Kather. of Sieuna of others In the fifteenth the miracles of S. Vinc. S. Ant. of others And last of al in this our sixteenth age are the miracles of the glorious S. Fran. de Paula of the holy Iesuit Zauer Aug. de vtil cred cap. 17. lib. cont ep fund cap. 4. in the Indies of many moe And therfore I say vnto you out of S. Ang. I am bound tied in the Catholike Church by the band or chaine of myracles And I am bolde considering and moste steedefastlye beleuing these infinite glorious myracles of all times and ages in the Catholike Romane Church to crye out to Almighty God with Richard de S. Victore lib. 1. de trin cap. 2. Lord if it be not true which we beleeue thou hast deceaued vs for these haue beene confirmed in vs by such signes and woonders as could not bee wrought but by thee But on the contrary part neuer any Protestant coulde worke any myracle at all but assaying to make some shewe thereof to make their Doctrine the more probable to their followers felt the iust reuengement of God who turned all to their shame and confusion as hee did by Simon Magus Egesippus lib. 3. de excid hierosol ca. 2. by Cyrola the patriarke of the Arrians as witnesseth Grego Turones lib. 2. hist Franc. cap. 3. by the Donatists Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen And in our daies by Luther endeuoring to dispossesse a wenche and by Caluin going about to delude his disciples as you may reade in Hierom Bolsec in vit Caluin cap. 13. Vid. Staph in abs resp And therefore they are most foolishe and miserably inconsiderate who beleeue these newe fellowes not beeing able to quicken a flea leaue the doctrine of the Catholike Church coÌ„firmed with innumerable miracles THE VII REASON Visions and the gifte of Prophecie AS TRVE Miracles neuer were wrought but by them who were of the true Church so heauenly Visions and the gifte of Prophecie were neuer founde to bee but in the same And therefore the holye Apostle amongest other thinges which he vseth to commend his Doctrine himselfe to the Corinthians against Heretickes 2. Cor. 12. and false Apostles he bringeth in this as one saying Now will I come to Visions and Reuelations of our Lord c. 2. Pet. 1. And S. Peter alleageth for confirmation of his preaching the traÌ„sfiguratioÌ„ of our lord in the mount which he sawe Mat. 17. Act. 10. 11. calleth it a Vision he had a Vision of a sheet with al kind of beasts in it wheÌ„ he was to deale with the Gentiles And for the trueth of Religion and confirmation of that which they did Act. 2. he alleageth the prophecie of Ioell Ioel. cap. 2 who sayeth amongst other thinges Your young men shall see Visions and to bee briefe of this sort is the whole boke of the Apocalyps So that to see these kind of heauenly Visions and thereby to foretel things most certainly is only amongst them who are of the true Church For although there haue beene prophecies amongest the Heathens yet were they not vndoubtedly true as the Oracles of Apollo such like illusions except they were for the confirmatioÌ„ of right Religion as the prophecies of the Sybills Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 16. 18. and of Balaam And the same may be saide of heretikes as of Montanus of Luther of Muncer and of such like who loke vpon them to prophecie some to their vtter shame some to their own destruction But the Catho Romane Church hath had in it in all ages those which had true Visions Cochlaeus in actis Lutheri and the gifte of true prophecie as Agabus Act. 11. Gregory Thaumaturge so Basil li. de spiritu sancto Cap. 29. S. Anthony the Abbote Iohn of whom see S. Aug. lib. 5. de ciuit Cap. 26. S. Monica see Aug. lib. 3. Confes Cap. 11. S. Benedicte see Gregor lib. 2. dial Cap. 15. S. Bernard see in eius vita lib. 4. Cap. 3. S. Frauncis see in eius vita Bonauentura with many others for seldome was ther any who had the gifte of miracles but the same had this gifte also And in these daies I knowe diuerse and sundry Papists as you cal them who haue seen vndoubtedly wonderful Visions which perhaps you maye see recorded hereafter with sufficient and irrefragable testimony THE VIII REASON Scriptures NEither may here the Protestant reply and say that the Papistes builde vpon Miracles Visions Prophecies and vpon such like but not vpon the WORDE for al that they alleadge are most agreeable to the worde of God Neither doe they teach any Doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible for the maintaining thereof they are not compelled to denye certaine partes of Gods holy Booke as the Protestantes and their predecessours heretiks haue bin inforced to do The Manichees for that their heresies were so manifestly confuted by the Gospel of Saint Mathewe Aug. l 28. con Faust cap. 2. de vtil cred cap 3. and by the Actes of the Apostles as they coulde coine no aunswere nor other shifte they denyed them to bee Scripture The Ebinites because the Epistles of Saint Paul disproued most plainelye Cyrcumcision which they maintained denied them to be Scripture Luther reiected the Epistle of S. Iames because it was so plaine against the doctrine of onely Faith His ofspring refused the bookes of Tobias of Ecclesiasticus of the Machabees and of some others because in them is plainly taught the Doctrine of the custody of Aungells of Free-will of Praier for the Faithfull Soules departed and of Prayer to Saints al whâ—ch they deny and therefore must they needes denie those parts of the holy Bible For heretikes euer framed the Bible to their opinions chainging wresting paring sometimes flatly reiecting al which made ouerplainely against such Doctrine as they deuised and so doe most impudentlye the Protestantes nowe Whereas the Catholikes euer squared their Doctrine by the line and the leuell of the Worde of her Spouse and therefore neuer had cause to reiecte the least â—otte of the holy Bible and at one worde the Catholikes followe the Bible
alleadgeth the Doctours most is most praysed of the audience as you vvell know which is a pittifull thing in thē and ridiculous in the Preacher vvho cannot but know if he haue read any of them himselfe that the Fathers detest vtterly that Doctrine which hee wresteth them to confirme and in the meane time the pore audience thinketh that they were of this new Religion vvhose simplicitie therein is most pittifullie abused by the Preacher THE XI REASON Triall of Trueth IT is manifest by the Holye Scriptures that it appertaineth to the Church to try to discerne spirits as also to determine to decide doubts And agreeably therunto shee hath in all ages mastered ouer-ruled captiuated the vnderstanding of euerye one were hee neuer so wise neuer so learned or had he neuer so extraordinary giftes except he obstinatly defended an errour which if he did hee was condemned for an heretike so came to nothing The Chatholike Church I saye directed by the Holye Ghost hath euer separated from the trueth all moales all singular opinions al errours and corruptions in euerie mans workes and writings in such sorte as that easilie and securelye euerie one maie knowe the trueth And certainelie the Protestantes although they saye that they giue no credite to the CHVRCH but so farre forth as they finde in their Scriptures doe can not otherwise but receaue the same Scriptures vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit also the three Creedes of the Apostles of Athanasius and of Nice and some Articles of beleefe as the Holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father the Sonne yet as from one beginning and many tearmes as Person Trinitie Consubstantiall Sacraments c. which none coulde euer haue inuented but onely the Catholike Church Neyther is it possible for any man to know whether this Bible which is vsed amongest Christians be the true word of God indeede or some fained thing but onely vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit And Saint Augustine confesseth plainely that he would not beleeue the Ghospell but that the authoritie of the Catholike Church moued him thereunto Con. Epist Manich. c. 5. lib. 2. de doct Chr. cap. 8. And by the same Churches authoritie hee was mooued to beleeue the bookes of Tobie Iudith Canticles Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabees c. as he himself sincerelie affirmeth And surely it is wōderfull to see how the Church of God receauing the Olde Testament from the Iewes and manifesting to the world the Canon of the Holy bookes of the new Testamēt hath in al times in so many alterations and chaunges kept from the destruction corruption of Heretikes Iewes and Panims the whole authenticall corps of Holy Scripture in such maner as no Heretike in the world can charge her with adding or diminishing the least iote thereof Iudge you here whether the madnes of these new fellowes be worthie to be wondred at or no who doe credit and beleeue the Church in this point and will not doe the same in others Why should they rather trust the Church in this thē in other things And I would euery man would here consider the wonderfull integritie of the Catholike Romane Church in keeping the Holy Bible so entire and vncorrupted these fifteene hundred yeares together at the least and the atheisticall treacherie of these of the the new Religion who occupying no Bible nor hauing to doe with the holy scriptures for a thousand yeares togeather as they themselues confesse haue after the vniust vvresting it out of the handes of the iust possessors thereof robbed the Church of so many whole bookes besides of so manie partes and particles of the same What these fellowes would bring the Holy Bible vnto in time if they shuld hold on they may easily gesse vvho know their manifold corruption therof in so few yeares And yet forsooth they vvill haue all controuersies to be tried by only scriptures which if they were not by them corrupted falselie translated yet could theye neuer finde out any secure truth by them only for that none of them alloweth anie other mans exposition but his owne and in so dealing they can but haue a gesse or an opinion or fantasie but no faith at all Which thing to declare more plainely I aske the Protestant how he relying vpon only scripture can shew mee certainely vvhich bookes be Scripture and which not And if hee be vnlearned how knoweth hee that the translation which hee vseth is truely made out of Hebrew Greeke Latine And then how is hee sure of the sence exposition And if he be neuer so learned haue neuer so many helps all that hee can search and finde out is but a priuate mans opinion and consequentlie his Faith which hee seemeth to haue is grounded vpon his owne particular iudgement and so indeed is no faith at all but an opinion onely as I said before for faith must haue Gods expresse authoritie for her foundation Here you may consider the miserable state and condition of your newe Ghospellers in that forsaking the Catholike and vniuersall faith of Christendome deliuered to thē by the vniuersal Church as founded vppon Scripture vvhich Church Christ and his Apostles gaue thē expresse Commission to beleeue which was properly Faith founded vpon a rocke which could not faile in that forsaking I say that fortres they cast themselues into the waues of new opinions whereby they haue no certaintie at all but euery one chuseth vvhat hee liketh to himselfe vvhich choise is properly called Heresie and so the word signifieth And let anie Protestant in our Countrie of England tell mee why he doth rather beleeue his owne iudgement in points of Religion then the iudgement of Luther Caluin and Beza whome he thinketh were so excellent men for euery one that hath any learning knoweth that they taught otherwise then now is taught in England This you may plainely see the only touchstone of truth to be the Catholike Church which cannot faile and that they who cleaue to her iudgement haue most vndoubtedly the truth whereas on the other side they who ground only vpon Scriptures expounding them according to their owne fantasie and braine playing the Maisters and Pilots and Boat-swaines themselues admitting no iudge no interpreter no antiquitie nor any other manner of tryall which is the greatest madnesse and malediction that can be must needes be destitute of all certaintie and of all Religion and of all stay and of all foundation and of all rule and of all order and must needes wrangle and iangle without end and without meanes to make an end and must needes cause Nouelties without number and libertie of life without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to restraine them and to conclude they haue no meanes to rest vntill the end in Atheisme THE XII REASON The vse and custome of the Church THE vse custome and practise of the Church hath as it vvas in the prime thereof beene alvvaies an infallible rule to
all for at Wittenberge he was a Lutheran at Colone halfe a Catholike in England a Zwinglian euerie where of euerie Sect. I could easily shew the like dealing against theyr consciences and knowledge in diuers other principall Protestants namelie in your countriman I well who in citing and coating Scriptures Doctors Councels and other Authors doth so rent and teare in peeces the text inuert the sense chaunge and alter the words and pull out of the sentence by peece meale some little parcell which is forced to sound for his purpose whē as he cannot but see plainelie that the Author speaketh cleane contrarie as any man may wonder to see a man so desperatly and damnably shamelesse as openly in the view of the whole world to shew himselfe without God or conscience but mine intended breuitie will not admit any moe allegations in this place When I had found out the Premisses to bee moste true and had duelie weighed with my selfe the dealinges of these new Gospellers I thought it better to aduenture my soule vvith all the vvhole Christian world of all ages who had their consciences most quiet caulme and ioyfull then with a few desperate fellows who thus deale against their owne knowledge and consciences and so shewe themselues most impudent shamelesse to the whole world THE XXII REASON Vnreuerent dealing THE Catholike Romane Church hath euer both in doing speaking and euery manner of way borne great repect and reuerence towardes Gods holy Saints and towards all holy things in regard of him from whom proceedeth all holines as in reuerent entring into the Church in reuerent taking of holie-water in reuerent behauiour towards the holy Aultars towards pictures images of the saints of God in reuerent and meeke kneeling in reuerent deuout praying in all reuerence and attention at the holie Masse and in euery action and iest which Catholikes vse in the Church you may see great reuerence humble veneration But contrariwise amongst the Protestants as all thinges are prophane so are they moste prophanely vsed They enter into theyr Churches with no greater reuerence thē they enter into tauerns they bow or make reuerence to nothing therin for that they haue made all Sacred things away if any of them kneele it is but vpon thornes for full soone are they vp againe thē with their hats vpon their heads they eyther iangle or talke or walke or sitte staring about them as if they waited to see when the players would come foorth vppon the stage or else the good fellowes go to the ale-house where now thē they find their minister drinking his morning draught before he go to his seruice to drink a pot or two of nappy ale that thereby they may the better hold out the seruice time during which space they stand gazing staring vpō their Minister as a Countrie clowne which neuer was in London before doth gaze when he goeth downe Cheap-side at the Gold-smithes stauls or els they stare one vpon another like as theeues do when they are taken in a robery or els some of them walke without in the warme sonne make theyr bargaines and generallie you doe see no more deuotion there then you doe in a Faire or Market no man nor womā saying one praier but all waiting for that which they cā neuer haue in that state the peace of God The which being hastely chopped vp they rush and gush out of the Church as water doth out of a mill pole when the flood yeates are sodainely plucked vp no man moouing lip or legge but striuing vvho shall be soonest at his pottage Neither doe they vse any reuerence to their Minister no nor yet to his wife but account of thē as they are indeed most abiect persons And no meruaile when as their superintendents whom they tearme Bishops are little esteemed of among their Diocesanes especially among Gentlemen are least accounted of among Barrons and other Noble men vvho disdaine their companie contemne their presence whereas amongst Catholikes Priests haue euer bin greatlie reuerenced Bishoppes and Prelats highly honoured all Cleargie men much esteemed and theyr companie presence of all sorts desired reuerently accepted of The same reuerent respect haue Catholikes euer obserued in speaking in making mention of Gods Books Angels Saints or of such like holy things for speaking of such they vsually say The holie Bible or the holie Scriptures the holie Ghospell the blessed Sacrament the holie Sacraments c. And of Angels Saints the holy Angels S. Michael S Gabriel c. And the French more reuerentlie vse to say Mounsieur S. Michael Mounsieur S. Pierre c. Our blessed Lady or the holie virgin S. Marie or the mother of God S. Peeter S. Paul S. Amb. S. August S. Greg. S Hierome S. Bernard c. and generally in speaking of Holie thinges they vse Holie tearmes But the Protestants shew as little reuerence deuotion in speaking as they doe in dooing for they speake no more reuerentlie of such then they do of the prophanest things they haue They tearme all as if they vvere in puris natalibus The Bible the Word the Testament the Communion book Baptisme Bread the Supper Angels Michel Gabriel Peter Paul Marie or Marie the virgin Ambrose Austen Gregorie the Pope Hierome the monke Bernard the Abot c. with as great inciuilitie irreuerence and want of good manners as if rude Countriemen in talking of her Maiesties Nobles should say the Keeper the Treasurer the Admirall Essex Southampton Monioy c. or insteede of naming men of worshippe by their Christian names shuld say Tom Dick Wil Robin Iacke Hodge c. Which diuersitie of dealing when I considered it with my selfe I could not but think deeme the Protestants profession voide of all impression of pietie and deuotion contrariwise in the Catholike Church to be all sincere affection and celestiall humilitie towards almightie God and towards al things appropriated to his seruice as also towards those who are the greatest partakers of his heauenlie fauour THE XXIII REASON Resembling in Doctrine and deedes old Heretikes Irenaeus l. 1. cap. 20. Theo lib. 1. Haeretic fab Aug. here 's 54. Hist trip l. 8. cap. 9. I HAVE conferred the Doctrine deedes manners of Protestants with those of the old Heretikes long since condemned by the Catholicke Church I find thē little or nothing at all to differ for as touching Doctrine the protestants hold with Simon Magus that good workes are not meritorious they renounce the Pope with Nouatus they refuse to faste on such dayes as the Church hath prescribed Hierom in prae in dia. aduer Pelag Aug. de her cap 45. Epiph. l 3 her 75 Hier. lib. 1. cō Iouin idem coa vigilant ad Exuperium and denie free-wil with the Manichees they denie sacrifice and praier for the dead with Aeriu with Iouiniā they put no differences of sins nor make virginity any better thē
thowsandes of poore people The Catholike religion teacheth Marriage to bee indissoluble so as they who be once lawefully Married can neuer be so diuorsed as either partye maie euer Marry againe whilest the other liueth which causeeth Man and Wife to beare much one with the other knowing there is noe hope of chaunging but the Protestant teaching that they may Marry again yeeldeth them occasion one easilie to dislike of the other beeing both in hope to marry againe and to chainge as ofte as they liste The Catholike religion teacheth that al Laws of magistrates which bee not expreslye against the word of God doe bind the subiects in conscience to obay them not onely openly but also in secret whereupon doe followe peace quietnesse and obedience to Superiours but the Protestant teaching the contrary bringeth Magistrates into contempte and causeth al disorder in the Common-wealth The Catholike religion teacheth differences of sinnes some to be more grieuous than others some Mortall some Veniall and that Concupiscence or naturall inclination to lust of it selfe is no sinne whereupon Catholikes are taught to striue against this motion knowing it to be no offence except they yeelde vnto it and also they manfully fight against greater sinnes although they cannot easily auoide lesser or Veniall offences but the Protestant teaching that euery sinne be it neuer so small doth deserue damnation and Concupiscence to be sinne which no man can auoid maketh people to leaue all to God his mercy but neuer to resiste sin nor motion thereunto for that in his opinion it is but lost labour so to do The Catholike Religion teaceth rewarde of good and bad life in the worlde to come which causeth people to endeuour to doe al good workes and to auoide all euill as farre forth as possibly they can but the Protestant teachching the contrary giueth the people occasion to be negligent in dooing of good and little or nothing fearfull to doe euill The Catholike Religion teacheth Confession to a Priest of all deadly sins which we can remember vnder paine of damnation which restraineth people from sinne causeth them particularly to be wel instructed and counseled but the Protestant taking that away setteth open a doare to all wickednesse and to losenesse of life as also to ignorance The Catholike Religion teacheth Satisfaction to be donne either in this life or in Purgatory in the next which causeth people to vndertake willingly penal works as fasting praier almese-deeds c. vpoÌ„ the consideration of this of rewarde in Heauen they builded so many goodly Churches Colledges Monasteries Hospitalles Schooles c. they gaue such large Almes they punished their bodies with Fasting and wearing of hair-cloath they watched they praied they Married pore fatherlesse children did a thowsande kinds of such like good works but the Protestant denying Satisfaction and taking away Purgatorye robbeth the pore of their Almes children of their education the sicke of their releefe maketh meÌ„ vnwilling to doe any good worke at all The Catholike Religion teacheth Free-wil which causeth people to endeuour to doe good to flie froÌ„ euil the Protestant taking it away discourageth men vtterly from doing good workes for who will goe about a thing which is not in his power or for the which if he did it he shall haue no recompence The Catholike Religion teacheth the holy Masse to be a Sacrifice in which the very Body and Bloode of our Sauiour is offered vp which maketh people so deuout reuerent at the seruice thereof as that they kneele altogether pray continually giue atteÌ„dance to no other thing for that time therupon it commeth that they beare such respecte reuerence to Priestes but the Protestant allowing nothing but certaine chapters psalmes and collects to be read in the vulgar toung giueth the people occasioÌ„ to be vndeuout irreligious vnreuerent for that they see nothing worthie of reuerence Heereupon you may see the people at the Protestants seruice some staring about them with out Boke or Bead in their hands some walking some talking some â—angling but none kneeling or praying or vsing any reuerence at al either to seruice or to minister no maruel when euery one of theÌ„ if he can but read can play the minister at home as wel as the best curate of theÌ„ al. Many such differences of doctrine might be set down â—â— are the publishers and maintainers Heretikes Protestants the destroyers and denyers thereof for the Catholike affirmeth Baptisme of childreÌ„ to be necessarie the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth men to be iustified by inherent iustice the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth certaine preparations to be necessarie to iustification on the behalfe of maÌ„ the protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth good works to be necessarie and to haue theyr reward the Protestant denieth it The Catholike affirmeth that we haue free vvill the Protestant denieth it The Catholike affirmeth that vvee may keepe the Commaundementes the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth humane Lawes agreeable to GODS WORD to bynde in conscience the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth seauen SACRAMENTS the Protestant denyeth fiue if not all The Catholike affirmeth Priest-hoode the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth single life of the Cleargie the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth Pennance the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth Contrition the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth Confession Satisfaction Indulgences Prayer for the deade Exequyes Anniuersaries the Protestant denyeth them all The Catholicke affirmeth the Reall Presence the Sacrifice of the holie Masse Aultars and all thinges belonging thereunto the Protestant denyeth them all The Catholicke affirmeth vvorshipping of Saintes prayer vnto them feastes of them adoration of theyr Riliques and Images the Protestant denyeth all The Catholicke affirmeth trimming vpp of Churches Ceremonies Singing Pilgrimages Supremacie of Saint Peeter Monasticall vowes choyce of meats and fasting the Protestant denyeth all The Catholicke affirmeth all the Bible to be Canonicall Scripture the Protestant denyeth diuers partes thereof The Catholike affirmeth the perpetuall virginitie of our blessed Lady the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth the Church to be visible the Protestant denyeth it And many moe such like pointes of Christian Doctrine the Catholik Church deliuereth to her Children as she hath receaued them from her Spouse Christ which the Protestant vtterlie denieth and indeede affirmeth or putteth downe nothing more then he found before in the said Catholike Church wherby you may see their Doctrine to be altogeather nothing but meere negations flatt denyals and so I see plainely that by their Negatiue Doctrine they haue profited the Christian world nothing at all but haue taken away from it much of that which it had and in this manner as they are any horse or asse if he could but speake as Balaams Asse did so it were but one worde that is Nego might be as good a Protestant as the best of them all Neyther can it