learne or to teach Dispute you as men to bee tryed or rather as these that are 〈◊〉 and woulde subuert both Church and common wealth You may prate what you list and write as long as you will but wise men see well enough where at you shoote as hath been saide before And whereas you attribute their obstinacie which you call constancie to the mercie and grace of God you abuse both the name and grace of God contrarie to the commaundement of God Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine Besides you charge God with their treason and superstition the cause neither being his not depending vpon any worde of his And therefore it was not for him but against him and in his iuste indgemente hee found them out as I doubt not but in time it shall likewise fall out with all those that are so redie of whom you speake that carry so treasonable and traiterous mindes whereto if according to your confession they be still so bent and shall pursue that which others left I beseech the Lorde to appoint the time quickly that you may receiue a iust recompence and peace may bee vpon all Gods Israel amongest vs. The rest you say in master Charkes Preface is not worth answer neither surely is that which is answered alreadie which yet you haue accounted moste worthie of answere For your bare affirmation and wordes is no more proufe and reason then a 〈◊〉 is a milstone no more is your disabling of our cause in comparison of yours Not ours but Christes as yours is not yours but Antichristes And wee easily yeelde you that in respect of the worlde surely our cause is somewhat more beggerly then yours For Satan by Antichriste the Pope doth enable furnish and decke it with all possible pompe efficacie deceite lying signes and wonders that can bee Rome is a rose coloured whoore and your Rochettes and Crochets your Hattes and crownes are not decked with studdes of Iron but all to beedawbed with iewels and precious stones Her cup in her hand is of fine golde Shee is a whore not for euery man but kinges and princes commit fornication with her And for vniuersalitie it is cleare that all the inhabitants of the earth shal worship the beast whose names are not written in the booke of life they are not written in the booke of the lambe that is slaine Hee shall rule and giue them a marke in their handes and no man shall by nor sell without the marke of the beaste In deede in this respect Christe is a beggar true religion is beggerie and your cause is honourable and you are the Lordes of the worlde But heere I must warne you that whilest you talke of your wealth and your honour yet you forgate not to begge very beggerly the matter in question If you had wonne the cause then you might charge vs with pride and take the name of humilitie But if you bee so good a Phisition to knowe the disease of an heretike I wonder you coulde not finde your owne sicknesse to the death heretikes in deede and therefore pride such a disease in you as meane Phisitions may see and handle knowen to all that knowe but little seene to them that are halfe blind and apparant to the whole worlde without measure But Christ howe base and beggerly soeuer you make him yet is hee the high riches and very treasurie of God And as Augustine with the testimonie and consent of those sounde witnesses standing in mainteinance of the truth had an honourable cause and the other though Iulianistes Arrians Donatists and all the rabble of earth and hell set against him in the strength of flesh blood had a weake and beggerly cause euen so haue you that haue neither sentence of Scripture nor sounde Doctor for the space of the first 600. yeeres to take your parte your pith is so poore of these almost 1200 yeeres that we can neither see nor feele it and therefore it is a vaine popish bragge As for Luther whō you raue so much against it is a lie that our religion began with him For our religiō is the wisedome of God before al beginning Al the Saints of God that euer were in al the times ages of the worlde haue euer both opened their mouths spoken against Antichrist you his members All the Patriarches Prophets Christ himselfe and his Apostles Yea when Antichrist grew and occupied that holie place boasting himselfe as God in the greatest times of darknes yet God euermore stirred vp lōg before Luther was borne sundry excellent spirites to controll his abhominatōs and to stand for his blessed truth which as it hath gained against him made the towers of his pride to bowe towards destruction so beeing the breath of Christe it shall not cease til it haue vtterly ouerthrowne him But it is to be marked how your popish heate carried you here into a disdayneful reproch against one of your own names when you cal him a Rūnegate Frier If his order were holy then you doe amisse because of his heresie to disdayne his profession But a man may see what reuerence and conscience you beare to your owne titles And yet me thinks this should not so much gaule you in respect of vs cause you so to raue against vs seing he is one of your owne and hauing so farre proceeded amongst you brought out such is the streight of truth so harde batterie against you But blessed be God that euen out of your own bowels hath bred so sundry notable instruments to bewray your falshood to vindicate the truth As for his impugning of vs take you no care for that It wilbe best for you to keepe your own heads as hath bin said We easily pardon that which may be pardoned euery man seeth not al things and some differences may wel stand with the vnity of faith You papistes bee not al of a coate nor all of a religion your deuision is indeede in the bowels in matters of substance and weight and therefore I trust it is a true Prognostication of your vtter destruction when God shal appeare in glory You are deuided into infinite orders professions at warre contrary one to another Nay your opinions are so contradictorie as by no meanes they canne bee reconciled and so are your popes your Popes Canons At the death of your popes you are wont to publish that they are departed out of this life to euerlasting happines and rest and yet you commaunde herses to bee set vp and prayers to bee saide for them that they may be receiued to happines and rest Yee glorie of your consent and agreement in expounding the scriptures and yet your doctours teach that the scriptures are fitted and diuerslye vnderstoode for the time so as they maye bee expounded at one time according to the curraunte vniuersall ryte of the Churche but that ryte beeyng chaunged that also
therfore true 〈◊〉 trine wee receiue him and admit him As for that which like a Spider hee hath sucked out of that booke hee wrote against K. Henrie and vrgeth that hee might bring him and the doctrine which he taught which was not his but Christes into hatred with some great personages of authoritie I answere generally vnto it that wheresoeuer hee hath not kept that modestie that became one that was carefull for the saluation of them with whom he dealt wee do not nor will not defende him But I cannot thinke but that Luther knewe well enough that king Henrie was not authour of that booke hee was wise enough to consider that though the booke did carrie the kinges name yet some pelting popish Proctor was the authour whom hee repayeth in the same name wherein it was published It is plaine that not long before that hee had written verie gently vnto him And if hee being misseled by such as he gaue credite vnto did ouer 〈◊〉 set himselfe against the truth in which wee ought to respect no mans person Luther coulde doe no lesse but looking vpp to God set himselfe againste him Neither is this gathered by Parsons or obiected by the rest of the Papistes for that hee or they haue any regarde to the Matestie of a 〈◊〉 or for any loue they did beare to that famous king but to bring this excellent man and the truth whiche is far worse into hatred for all stories are full howe their Pope and they togeather haue offered violence from time to time against Princes Noblemen and Gentlemen of all sortes and degrees They haue not onely defaced them with euill woordes bearing Gods person bearing his swoorde as beeing his Ministers when they haue stoode for Gods truth and in their lawfull right and libertie but they haue plucked their crownes from their heads stamped vpon their neckes and hunted them to death This pelting Parsons keeping his olde nature is still vppon the soares and the offalles and reuedge pleaseth him best The matter beeing sounde and good hee passeth ouer hee considereth no circumstances but like a malicious wretch as farre from duetifull regard of 〈◊〉 and authoritie as anye might bee yet hee will 〈◊〉 a regarde in him and those of his sorte And yet they loued king Henrie not so well as the 〈◊〉 their holy water for beeing his owne inuention and deuised for the better furnishing of Idolatrie hee coulde not but loue it too well but as well as the wicked are wont to loue God which is neuer a deal For of all the Princes that euer were in Englande king Henrie was hee that gaue the Pope the wounde And no doubt had hee liued but till these times wherein the light of the knowledge of God doth so abounde and breake foorth hee would haue seene all their treacherie and as he abandoned the popes authoritie opened a passage vnto the holy scriptures ouerthrewe their shrines and grosse Idolatries brought downe their Abbeys and dennes of filthinesse and knauerie so woulde he haue chased out all the reste of their abhominations But if in a modest spirite this heate of Luther had beene founde fault with with no disfauour of the truth I would not for my part haue founde great faulte with it But considering Luther wrote for the truth and not against it considering also that this 〈◊〉 and those of his fether neither honour the name of that nobleking nor his memorie for the causes aforesaide I truste I shall finde fauour of those that are in authoritie to speake the more plainely in it and 〈◊〉 report what their speeches also haue beene of him In all their bookes and writings where they mention his name they account of him as of an 〈◊〉 fallen from their church They had it once in deliberation whether they should haue taken vp his bodye from the place where it was interred to haue burned it to ashes as they did Wickliefes long after his death and that in the time of the reigne of his owne daughter In his life the Pope excommunicated him and sought all the meane she coulde to set all the Princes of the worlde vppon his 〈◊〉 It was his practise and the practise of his shauelinges and prelates to make that breach betwixt him and the Emperour that had beene at such concord Cardinall Poole was the instrument to stirre vp the French king against him They are wont to alleadge that place vpon Amos out of M. Caluin against him against others for taking the name of supreme head of the Church But is it because they would giue it And yet themselues gaue it king Henry and subscribed to it and wrote bookes in defence of it when not wihstanding those good men that professed the Gospel were deceiued not knowing in what meaning it was either giuen or taken And those kinges that tooke it neuer chalenged it as the Papistes gaue it neyther was it euer giuen by Protestantes to the ende that they shoulde bee heades of the Church by any absolute authoritie to giue it newe lawes against the worde or gouernment as some home Pope to 〈◊〉 it according to their owne willes against the trueth of God but as was meet being Gods Lieuetenauntes they were acknowledged to bee the chiefe and that the care both of the Churche and common wealth did belong vnto them that it was their duetie as did good Ezechias Iehosap hat other kinges aboue all thinges to care that the religion of God 〈◊〉 be established and floorishe according to his written worde And if the Papistes made king Henrie head of the Churche in their sense or if hee tooke it otherwise they neyther gaue him that title aright neither did he take it as he ought and in truth it was themselues I meane the papists that gaue it as I haue saide before But our Soueraigne nowe Princesse doth neither receiue it nor take it in that meaning for this were to make the Churche a monster not subiect vnto her head Iesus Christ but subiecte to a mortall man whiche were indeede to erect a newe Popedome But if any thing were so amisse then they shoulde not muche maruell at it seeing those that were reformers then were suche as were but newelie called from Poperie and therfore could not but smell of that corruption Againe the trueth was not discouered at the first dash King Henry was not a Prince of a yeres standing Many thinges fel out in his 〈◊〉 and vppon manie occasions that brought him from the worse to the better and made him see and know also much more then he could put in practise for feare as his owne prouerbe was of bringing an old wal vpon his head No doubt he had a singuler courage yet these monstars were then so big so were they harnessed with power such poysō had they in their 〈◊〉 that they must be vanquished by the grouth of truth in time season not vppon the sodaine And which of
the Kings and sixteenth Chapter hee wrote onely vpon two bookes and the last was ended by Wolphius But as in this so in all the rest you bring vs very little of your owne reading but that which others haue scraped together for you As for our Eatons and Hinshawes if suche were aswell punished among you as they are amongst vs you woulde haue as few such loose liuers as wee haue and if both you and they were punished vppon iuste conuiction so as we desire the law of God hath appointed you should neuer trouble and pester the worlde The more wee haue the more is our sorowe and yet you haue no cause to hit them in our teethes since they are punished amongst vs and therefore not iustified by vs. You tell vs of one or two but wee coulde tell you of thousandes and those not punished but maintained because forsoth they were anoynted by that priuiledge exempted from the hande of the Magistrate Your other prophane and filthie speech woulde rather bee corrected by the rodde of correction as in an impure malicious 〈◊〉 then bee confuted by wryting as in a ciuill and honest aduersarie Your conclusion in deed maketh vp all and shall stande that the Iesuites whatsoeuer they prate of chastising and whipping themselues yet they are no fooles who haue not bodyes of yron but sensible as ours are and therefore will lay on soft enough for hurting them selues Your answere to the last reason hath no reason nor truth in it for neither is their order grounded vpon the holy scriptures nor vpon the practise of any auncient fathers no more then these superiors whom you name are superiours of the Church or haue any ordenance from God therefore the Iesuites order is a sect separated from Christe hath no part of that communion of Saints Whether the Iesuits vowed or no after the example of those heretiks that whipped themselues I leaue to M. Chark further to discusse but I take it howsoeuer you denie it that in such hard works they would be loth to adde that vnlesse they were bound by the vowe of their profession And herein you cannot denie but they whip themselues as those heretikes did thinking to attaine thereby a greater perfection then others But you laugh at M. Charke and I say you may laugh at your own follie and your laughter is madnesse for there were heretikes longe before these were bredd in your boweles that whipped themselues long before prating Prateolus or Alphonsus were borne and you learned to whippe your selues long before euen of them Baals Priestes not onely whipped thēselues but launced thēselues For the name of Iesuites you stumble at your owne straw graunting that which is in controuersie yet wrangling as though some wrong were offered you And it appeareth plainly in M. Chark by the places quoted in his booke 〈◊〉 in those Chapters that he vseth the same word And yet you say he is to impudent to attribute it to Turrian because he iustly calleth it a blasphemie for drawing to thēselues the name of his office yee call him 〈◊〉 gentleman and communicate that name vnto him which is none of his but yours For none haue Syrs added to their christen names alone but either knaues or popish Priestes and yet you tell him hee may haue his part in that comfortable name of Iesus if he exclude not himselfe wherein as you doe but tell vs that we knew before ouerthrow your rule of perfection so also you witnes som freewil with the Pelagiās to be in vs of your liberalitie graunt more thē in truth you mean for I suppose your meaning is not that all that haue part of saluation in the name of Iesus should enter by by into your new deuised order of Iesuits howsoeuer otherwise they be christians which yet maketh them not a distinct order frō other Christiās as Iesuites of y t name of Iesus do But you say this is no iniurie to others that you shew by fumblet exāples of seruing y t Q. onely with more deuotion then others whereby you insinuate that Iesuits are more deuout forsooth then others And that the Iesuites taking this name properly vnto themselues doe no more but testifio that they are deuouter seruants of his then others euen like as they that serue the Prince leauing all other things wherein the comparison is vnequall the one beeing lawfull when one is lawfully called for els none can bee a Pentioner or of the guard without iniurie to thē that are of that office the other being vtterly vnlawfull from the essentiall name of Iesus to drawe into an order and howsoeuer you iest at ryming Elderton whiche is one of your common places both in N. Discouerie and in other bookes as also in this yet you cannot so easilie auoid it For if you that will bee Iesuits ought to doe as Iesus did in all thinges to followe him to preach freely to worke myracles which you hold stil to be necessary in your Church and if in any your deuised orders then ought it to be most especially in that principall and high order for I thinke you will not suffer S. Francis to goe before him howsoeuer you beare with the virgin Marie for your new Annuncianists Why then you must like wise walk vpon the waters raise vp the dead cure the lame giue sight to the blinde c. as Iesus did Neither can that bee alike that Christians must doe the like too if they wil be called christians For the name Christian is a name common to all that are baptised into the common name of Christe and no name of any sect or order as is your proude name of Iesuites For so your order shold haue been 〈◊〉 in vpon and you would not be contented that euerie one shoulde haue parte in your hypocritical sect become fathers For if euerie one that is a christian were also a Iesuite why then the children borne and baptized within the couenant both young and olde that are Christians should be Frierly brothers and fathers both at once Concerning your religious orders so much hath been saide by many learned men as I neede not to stand vpon it A great difference hath bin shewed betwixt those auncient religious men as you call them that liued in times past and yours They sorted themselues into priuate places into Woods Deserts for the sauegarde of their liues where after wardes as it were in 〈◊〉 they might take oportunitie not onelie the better to serue God and to bee from the hauing of those common corruptions that were amongest men but followed their lobours labouring for their maintenance with their hands so farre off from being any secte or challenging any ministerie in the Gospel that they neither bear any mans name or tooke any mans office vpon them nowe what likenesse is there betwixt them and your vermin In deede afterwardes the worlde growing from worse to worse that which they did in
that did their best to comfort him with such thinges as they thought meete hee cried out O my Lorde God howe greeuous anguish suffer I nowe about my heart I shall now die Lorde I thanke thee highly I shall nowe lay my bones in Izlibe mine owne natiue Citie And when some went about to comfort him againe hauing nowe sweat c. Yea saith hee but the sweate it colde and full of death I giue ouer this life for my paines increase more and more And further to prooue that hee was no drunken man hee made this notable prayer O my euerlasting father the God and father of our Lorde Iesus Christe yea the Lorde of all Ghostly comfort I render vnto thee most high thanks this houre that it hath pleased thine inestimable goodnesse to make open vnto me a sinner thy moste dearely beloued sonne my Lorde Iesus Christe whome I haue nowe I thanke thee in ful and perfect beliefe him haue I preached him haue I confessed him haue I loued and glorified whome the most wicked Pope with his cursed cormorants doe still yet darken disdayne mocke persecute and blaspheme I beeseeche thee most deare Lorde Iesus Christe mercifully to receiue my soule O my heauenlie father though I nowe leaue this mortall bodie and am taken away from this life yet doe I certainelie knowe that I shall euermore dwell with thee and that none shall bee able to withholde mee from thy gracious handes Then hee rehearsed sundrie comfortable sentences taken out of the scriptures to confirme himselfe in the hope of that glory And then receiuing the quantitie of a sponefull of a medecine that was ministred vnto him hauing 〈◊〉 againe repeated those wordes Lorde and father into thy handes 〈◊〉 commende my spirite c. Hee lay still and quiet and after a good pause beeing asked whether hee woulde perseuere in that doctrine whiche hee had taught hee aunswered with great courage and stomacke yea and so turning vpon his right side after that spake not Thus slept this sweete Luther in the Lorde whome these monsters did persecute a liue and now like mad dogs doe bite vpon being dead As for that which he addeth further concerning Protestants dissentions I haue touched it afore and will not enter into it againe It is confessed there are some differences amongest vs because wee are not all of equall birth growth iudgement and knowledge But our differences are not in matters of substāce or such as do break the foūdatiō vpon which if any man stande not hee is not with vs but against vs. And though Luthers schollers haue growne to greater heate and lesse modestie then was in that singuler instrument of God yea and to som opinions of more fearefull consequence yet we hope if they be Christes the Lorde shall reueile vnto them also his glorious truth in her excellent perfection and beautie And as for Papists dissentions contrarieties they are so many so waightie all besides the foundation as they may be ashamed once to obiect any such thing against vs but of this enough Nowe concerning the life of that notable and excellent man of God M. Iohn Caluine whose laborious and painefull workes ful of sinceritie and wonderfull iudgement beeing so many and so well written mighte not onely seeme to haue taken vp a whole man but euen to haue beene done by many men although I say not onely these workes but also his other painefull labours in his ministerie might giue a sufficient resemblance to all posterities to his friendes and veriest enemies what maner of man hee was yet not withstanding doth this Cerberus for hatred of the truth barke also at the credite of this most reuerent and excellent man And although as I haue noted afore they that are truely taught of God are not wont to measure the truth by men because the best men haue their faultes and imperfections yea the holiest and best that euer were that the truth might stande alone and not bee regarded in respect of mens persons yet this doggishe generation whose liues and very vertues not withstanding are the very sinckes and infections of the worlde that they may deface the Gospell they runne to mens persons and like flesh flies they lye still vpon their soares Wherein yet their stinging biting should nothing so much greeue vs if they did not first also wound vs themselues that they might haue matter and corruption to suck vpon though not from vs yet from their owne filthe to fat themselues withall Thus whereas they shoulde bee 〈◊〉 to God for the wonderful graces that hee giueth vnto his Saints for the edifiyng of his Church they enuie them they barke at the light because they loue darknesse more then light For if this were not so what cause haue they thus to raue against a very Gods man the most singuler and rare instrument that God hath raised vp in our time Wherein yet their fault were the lesse if they had any colour or probabilitie by any reasonable coniecture or warrāted testimonie against him For of all others who is this Bolsecke whom Parsons thus highly commendeth Whom as if hee had knowne hee affirmeth to haue liued with Iohn Caluine both in Geneua Berna and Lausanna thirtie yeeres agone whom hee dubbeth a Doctor of Phisicke and calleth him by a reuerent name as if hee were some greate personage skilfull and of experience such a one as shoulde haue professed and practised Phisicke euen in Caluines time whose booke of Caluines life was written in the yeere of our Lorde 1577. and dedicated to Monsieur Epynack Archbishop forsorth and Earle To conclude this is graunted and standeth fast fixed betwixt vs that it is not lawfull to make God a companion of the faulte or blame in mēs sinnes neither that the name of sinne dooth by anye meanes agree to him And yet this letteth not that that exercifing the power of his hande by a certaine wonderful incomprehensible iudgement thorugh Sathan and the reprobate as it were the organes of his wrath he should sometimes instruct the faythfull to patience and sometimes inflicte such punishments vpon the wicked as they deserue But this prophane 〈◊〉 cryeth out that God is wrapped in this guiltines when we make his prouidence the arbitrer of all thinges To conclude taking away al dif ference betwixte the secreete remoued cause and those neere causes hee suffreth not those aduersities that were layde vpon Iob to bee counted the worke of GOD vnlesse he also bee made guiltie together with the Deuill and those theeuish Chaldeans and Sabeans Wherefore as our brotherly coniunction requireth we beseech you thinke not muche to maintaine and vnburden by your subscription the doctrine of Christe laden and oppressed with the sacriledges of a vile naughty man which because we hope you will willingly doe and of your owne accorde it is in vaine with any carefull and diligent praires to intreate you Wee againe as
Surelye the reason is because it was deuised that beeing the further off and nowe brought in cunninglye to bee auenged vppon a dead man it might bee currande amongest Papistes amongest whome nothinge is so vsuall as lying and sclaundering As for Bolsecke his learning credite wisedome and honestie Parsons in praysing them sheweth his partial iudgement one Mule dooth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another in it For for the proofe of the firste to witte of learning there is no other proofe but this onely booke of Caluins life whiche beeing a barne of so longe a byrth and a woorke of so many yeeres vttered so out of season it carryeth nothing in the forheade but barbarous ignoraunce and scurrilitie And if hee bee of credite wisdome or honestie let Parsons also bee wise and honest As for the place of his lyuing I suppose Parsons knoweth not where Bolsecke lyueth whether in heauen or in hell I haue hearde credibly reported that for the time hee lyued 〈◊〉 nowe I heare hee is deade hee lyued like a fugitiue neyther in credite nor estimation eyther with Protestant or Papiste although I cannot thinke but the Papistes had cause to make some accounte of him that hauing grounde forth such a deale of stuffe for them against Caluine and Beza and beeing then of a Friar become a prieste amongst them as they saye hee was they should for his good seruicehaue set some greater price vppon him and rewarded him eyther to haue made him a Cardinal or at the least some Iesuite Thus much concerning Bolseckes and his protestation till we come afterwardes to speake of M. Beza Where hee saieth that Iohn Caluine was borne at Noion in 〈◊〉 the yeere 1509. hee saieth true beecause hee learned it of them that sette it downe beefore him that better knewe it then hee coulde tell them but in that hee saieth that hee was in his youth a horrible blasphemer of GOD we aske him how he knew it The place of his byrth hee knewe by information but Caluines 〈◊〉 hee coulde not knowe because it was not set downe in anye storie nor giuen him to vnderstande by any sincere information And although it had not beene much to the purpose nor ought not to waye against the trueth if 〈◊〉 youth ignoraunce and blindenesse hee had shewed him selfe suche a one yet they that knewe his parentage his friendes and the course of his youth beeing not partiall haue testified that hee was towardly his lyberal bringing vp in knowledge and his profiting in it that made him a man of so worthy gifts plainely confirming it And if hee had beene suche an execrable blasphemer in his youth is it likelye that hee eyther did or coulde so applye his booke as to come to such perfection euen in his youth at the age of 24. yeeres somewhat vnder to haue written those notable commentaries vpon 〈◊〉 de Clementia Againe when hee saieth that he became at length a Prieste by shiftes and had the cure of a certaine Chappel in Noton It is true that by his fathers procurement being a man of good reputation hee had a prebende in the Cathedrall Church of Noion but that hee euer came by it by anye shfting meanes it is the sclaunder of an impudent Fryar And if hee had come vnto it by any after that sorte yet this ought not muche to preiudice the trueth which then hee neyther knewe nor professed seeing the Popishe Church maketh no conscience of simony and shifting meanes to gette fatte By shopprickes and benefices the most of their Popes buying and selling their Popedomes and benefices as in a common market But yet that he was a priest though hee had a cure and preached certaine Sermons to the people it is vncertaine both because his yeeres had not fitted him to that highest place in their Antichristian kingdome by their owne Canons whoe might not bee a prieste vnder the age of xxx and also because he continued not longe in it his father chaunging his minde in 〈◊〉 to sette him to the studie of the Lawe and M. Caluine 〈◊〉 hauing receyued some light of the trueth by meanes of his 〈◊〉 M. Peter Oliuentanus that made him to withdraw from that abhomination As for beeing taken and conuicted in that horrible sinne of Sodomie if there were any such thing it was a fruite not of the Gospell but of Poperye amongst whome holye Matrimonie beeing detested and shunned as vncleaene and filthy in their Popishe vnction what other fruites coulde it yeeld but Sodometrie Buggerie Whoredome and all other kinde of filthinesse but that it was vnlikely that Caluine was euer teynted with anye such cryme Fyrst wee must thinke that if there had beene any such conuiction or condemnation it would haue 〈◊〉 set downe vppon recorde Besides who euer heard that the Papistes retayned any such law in Fraunce for that sinne hauing so many Abbeyes Nunneries and religious houses as they call them but most irreligious where they made no account of that sinne but alwayes accounted it as a sporte their Popes hauing dispensed with it in some Countries and some of their Cardinalles hauing written bookes in the prayse of it And if hee had beene condemned to haue beene burnte alyue why did not this villaine and wretched lyer set downe the manner of processe the fourme of pardon that was graunted and she we the like practise of anye burnte in the shoulder for the like offence The like is to be said of chaunging his name to make him agree with Luther which impudentlye hee saieth the whole Citie did testifie to Bertilier Secretarie of the councell of Geneua vnder the hande of a publique and sworne Notarie the same beeing extaunt and to bee seene c. For I aske what man of credite did euer see anye such testimony If it were a publique instrument it was not so easily concealed Againe who was this Bertilier Surely a knaue one of Bolsecks companions and of Seruetus faction that troubled the Church that hauing stoode excommunicate of the Church a longe time striued against the discipline of the Churche to bee admitted to the Lordes Supper which Caluine dutifullye resisting hee hated him for it to the death Nowe if Bertilier firste a secretarie and afterwardes a deuiser and vnderminer of the Church haue faigned some such thing what credit can it deserue amongest the godly M. Caluine witnesseth of him in an Epistle to M. Bullinger that beeing thrust from the Lordes Table for his vnbridled lustes and manifolde wickednesses till he should shewe amendemente hee despising the iudgemente of the Church woulde needes notwithstandinge bee admitted and when openlye through his contumacie hee woulde haue ouerthrowen the right of the Consistorie he had obtained of the Senate that which was necessarie for me to denye Furthermore because the brasen forhead of the man was known vnto me the wicked of purpose had set him against me that either he might ouercome me with his wayward stubbornnesse or
answere And surely I would wishe that I might bestow the rest of the time that I haue to liue in more profitable matter Notwithstanding I would haue this to bee wayed both of you and the other brethren whome I know to haue a care of the glory of God and of my credite and estimation that what you shall aduise to bee requisite for the good of the Churche I may imbrace and performe in deed to the vttermost of my power Farewell most worthie man and my dearely beloued brother The Lorde Iesus graunt that ouercomming all lets and hinderances wee may manfully and constantly enioying his power runne foorth our race euen vnto the goale Pray likewise for this Citie the Churche and ministerie euen as I pray with all my hearte the most good and mightie God that hee woulde blesse you and your labours From 〈◊〉 the 10. of October 1582. Yours wholie Theodore Beza I beseeche you that you will pardon the bad writing and letters of a trembling and shaking hande hasting by reason of the speedie departure of the carrier The like is to bee saide concerning the begetting of his seruant with childe and also murdering the same Peter Viret beeing a notable man being as he saith of counsell with him al set abroade forsooth by Bolsecke and dubbed vpon the report of a barber O shamelesse iniquitie at which euen the very heauens doe sweate and were it not that God in his long patience did suffer such wretches to trie the faith of his children and also to vtter their owne shame that all creatures myghte witnesse against them the earth woulde not beare them but euen cleaue that they might be swallowed vp quicke to hell and so come to a iust and full damnation Concerning that hee addeth that it shoulde proceede from 〈◊〉 that the young king of Fraunce shoulde haue beene taken at Amboys that Lions Orleans Poyters and other Cities shoulde haue beene surprised that hee shoulde contriue the death of the Duke of Guise and commit the execution thereof to Poultrot that hee shoulde bee the authour of those bookes which hee calleth seditious to wit of the booke intituled the Furies of Fraunce another the truth another the watch another the waking Bell and the last the life of the Queene mother they are to bee credited as all the rest are For first whether wee looke vpon the reporters or vpon the circumstances to proue these reportes they are both vnsufficient to proue any such thing againste so rare and notable a man For if that matter at Amboys had beene contriued from Geneua the stories beeing set downe so many so variable as well by Papists as by those of the reformed religion either one or the other woulde haue touched it they woulde haue set downe the guilties examinations and haue published thē to the world with the most sufficient proofes to haue brought that place into hatred And if so many Cities should haue beene surprised by their deuise the treason woulde haue beene further discouered their seuerall confessions that were racked tortured and executed for and about it should haue been published And concerning the Duke of Guises death the noble Admirall that was so cruelly murdered beeing charged with the same fact should not haue beene so cleared by all their histories one and other that haue written of it nor all the rest of the Protestants as they were as appeareth by sundrie the Frenche kinges Edicts and Proclamations that haue acquited them from it And touching the last concerning those bookes howe shoulde Bolsecke know that Beza was the authour was hee present with him Hath hee yet confirmed it by any sufficient testimonie Or did hee knowe it by any speciall reuelation Can no man write bookes but Beza Was Beza there that hee coulde so set downe their particuler dealinges Is it not rather likely that it was some from amongest themselues that being conuerted and escaping those 〈◊〉 in the detestation of such proceedinges wrote them that was of more intelligence and acquainted beter with matters of state then Beza either was or coulde bee But any man may feele these lyes they bee so grosse and shamelesse That whiche followeth deserueth no answere concerning Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For all men knowe that knowe the state of a reformed Church that howesoeuer the Pope like a Tyrant rageth and raueth at Rome yet Beza cannot doe so at Geneua where albeit great price bee set vppon him in respect of his rare and notable giftes whome they honour loue as a singuler minister of Iesus Christe yet hee doth nothing alone but all is done by common consent of the Churche and of the states And therefore if any such Merline as you name were deposed from his ministerie I warrand you it was not for his goodnesse or for his sinceritie The like is to bee thought of Gaigne and the Lord of 〈◊〉 belike it was for some treason or conspiracie seeing the punishment was so capitall and deadly And as for such as you name to bee the furnishers and furniture of Geneua which you make an harborow of male factours and wicked liuers of banckrupts and suche as runne away from their husbandes and from their wiues though a thousand such Varlets as your selfe conspiring it against it shoulde sweare it yet they that haue dwelt there and knowe it knowe that it is most vniust and lewde that you report of it For no man can dwell and continue there no not a fewe daies without examination from whence he came whither he woulde but they must knowe of his life religion and honestie Seruetus may confute this sclaunder that beeing an heretike coulde not escape there how soeuer hee had escaped in Fraunce and in other Cities neither can any others if they haue beene any notorious offendours they will quickly bee founde out they can neither be there receiued nor find any such maintenance In deed in your Cities and Popes kingdome where lust beareth the sway and iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hande there vncleane birdes do nestle themselues as in an vncleane cage there wicked men that runne from their wiues and wicked women that leaue their husbands may haue protection and mainteinaunce enough for they tooke their beginning from suche good foundations and so did Rome it selfe which afterwards became that same rose coloured whoore that was the most glorious strumpet in the worlde whither for refuge of 〈◊〉 haue 〈◊〉 all the sinckes and chanels in the world Geneua yet 〈◊〉 graunted such dispensations for diuorses in cases against the worde of God as Rome hath done Geneua neuer maintained the stewes such witcheries and sorceries idolatries and blasphemies as Rome hath done And whereas you say that M. Charke vpon occasion giuen by himselfe hath hearde somewhat of the first beginners or restorers of our Gospell c. Wee 〈◊〉 that M. Charke hath giuen no suche occasion and you haue but testified and set out to the worlde the villanous spirite that dwelleth
you say it is such a 〈◊〉 as hee made in the Tower surely both this and that in the Tower thankes bee to God were so twisted as your greatest Gordian could not otherwise vndoe them but by a plaine hacking them asunder as also you doe now As for Campions conclusion at Tyburne it followed rightly of those premises where into hee was entred For beeing a traytour hee receiued the rewarde of a Traitour and so did the rest that suffered and I beseeche God that such conclusions may followe to all the sort of you that shall enter into the like practizes For it is meeter that they dispute with the gallowes then with their pretended disputations to bring the truth into doubt to disquiet the state and to practise the ouerthrowe and destruction both of the Churche and common wealth But you aske what there is in this illation that can prooue the Iesuites a secte if all were graunted That they vow to preache heerein you say they doe but as the Apostles did that they did it of free coast why hee may bee ashamed to finde faulte with that seeing Christ commanded it As for whipping and tormenting themselues why Paule chastized his owne bodie hee carried the brands of Christe in his flesh and there is much talk in the scriptures of mortifiyng the flesh Surely all these doe proue them no table sectaries as like the Circumcelions as can bee and shewe most liuely vnto vs howe wickedly you peruert the scriptures to your owne damnation For will you make that commandement giuē to the Apostles stretch to the maintenance of a gadding ministerie in al places for al posteries in your order of Iesuits which yet is not reckoned amongest any the Ministers of Christe Was the office of the Apostles temporall their extraordinarie giftes ceasing their office of Apostleship also ceasing because they must bee called immediately of God bee conuersant with Christe and seehim in the fleshe whose ministerie was the wide worlde without all limitation as appeareth by the same commandement that you alleadge What bussarde but a Papist or an 〈◊〉 woulde euer alledge the scriptures so The Apostles forsooth vowed to preache Therfore Iesuites that are no Apostles haue no office place or calling in the Church they must vowe to preach The Apostles were commaunded to preach euerie where and of free coast as you say therefore the Iesuites will become newe Apostles and they will preache euery where and gad vp and downe of free cost And yet further as these argumentes are false so these scriptures whereupon they are grounded are wrested For where can they proue that the Apostles vowed to preache seeing preaching was layde vpon them of necessitie and was not voluntarie as they 〈◊〉 Againe how can they out of these proue that they must preach begging seeing they make nothing against the taking possessing of those things that are necessarie for Christe in the same places teacheth that the labourer is worthie his rewarde and themselues expound it that preachers may not carefully seeke after the superfluities of this life or any thing which may bee an impediment to their function But for necessaries they deserue them at their hands for whom they labour spiritually yea the Iesuites thēselues vnder this colour of free cost receiue double the value of the stipends of painful godly pastours whereas in deed they haue no right so to doe hauing no ordinarie calling in the Church of God As for the chastising that Paul vsed it was such as was inioyned and is necessarie for all Christians Mortification of the corruption of olde Adam is taught ought to be put in practise to the humbling of all to bring that vnder the obedience of Christ. This maketh nothing against that cherishing maintenānce of our 〈◊〉 which is meet to be done in sobrietie Paul speaketh therfore of taming the corruption of the fleshe would not haue men to hate their flesh It is written in the law of nature that no mā hateth his owne flesh but rather cherisheth nourisheth it For this is the reason of the commandement That hushands should loue their own wiues because they are one flesh with thē He meneth 〈◊〉 not that outward exercise of the body which bringeth little profit but the inwarde Moreouer the markes of Christ that S. Paule carried in his body were the 〈◊〉 of his stripes laid vpon him by persecutors and tyrants and such you were wont to lay vpon vs. But what maketh all these to proue whipping of your selues The examples of Iohn and of those holy men mentioned in the 11. to the Hebrewes proue no such matter the example of Baals Priestes that launced themselues would haue proued it better The one was extraordinarie in Iohn the greatest though the last amōgst the Prophets the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy men indured laid vpon them not by themselues but by others whē either they must haue forsaken God or els haue lost their liues As for Marcus Marulus whē wee get his booke and reade it wee will then tell you more of it but 〈◊〉 it bee of your religion wee perswade our selues that there is no greate 〈◊〉 or foundnesse in it But if whipping cheere be such a good cooling to your flesh eyther your Popish Votaries vse it not or els it hath not that effecte For in truth all the worlde 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wicked 〈◊〉 belike they lay not on harde enough If it bee so good a remedie why doe you not vse it oftener Why do you not suffer others to lay you on that wil pay you more surely then your own partiall hands Certainely if you had done it in good earnest your kingdō wold not for shame haue stood so for the stewes as it hath done nor for the maintenāce of simple fornication to bee no sin neither woulde your monsters haue written in the praise of Sodomitree and haue been found so filthie in all their wayes as they haue beene Concerning Hieroms practise and others punishing their owne bodies so immoderately wee giue them no farther credite therein to folow their example then wee finde them warranted by the word of God Our liues are not our owne no more then our bodies are and therefore wee must cherishe them by those meanes that God hath appointed No man hath hated his owne fleshe but cherisheth it This is written in the lawe of nature which is the lawe of God Mortification respecteth the killing of the corruption of the olde manne it teacheth vs not to kill our bodies yee may aswell say you will pine your selues hang and draw your selues cut and slash your selues as whip your selues As for your 〈◊〉 and ruffianlike speech calling him runnagate Fryer as also you do Luther whiche I maruell considering it is an abasing of your owne order it is a fit couer for such a cuppe And yet I thinke you faile in your quotation For Peter Martyr neuer wrote vpon the thirde booke of
worde of God That hee vsed no such practises of strengthening his side or brought in any straunger but that such straungers as from other places were harboured there had nothing a doe in that businesse If there were any great personages by the goodnes of God conuerted from Poperie that fauoured so notable and singuler an instrument and set forwarde so worthie a worke as to recall him backe whose feete were beautiful vnto them bringing the gospel of peace they did but their duetie And the Lorde multiplie many suche amongest his people that aboue all thinges they may haue care to seeke the meanes of their saluation As for that hee alleadgeth concerning Caluines behauionr against his enemies this was not his least prayse that alwayes such were his enemies as were not friendes to God impure men teynted with heresies suche as hee reckoneth vp heere Castalio Caroly Bernardyn Ochine and Peter Morell euery one abandoned and banished by the Censure of the Churche not in respect of any quarrell betwixt him and them but because they walked not with an vpright foote in the trueth of the Gospell but were founde to bee obstinate and runnagate heretiks And as for Perinus Petrus Wandalus the Balthasars and others that he speaketh of as hath been noted before God found out these in their sinnes after M. Caluine was banished the towne and their Acts remain in publike recorde that they were practisers of treason and receiued their iuste rewarde all or the most of them notorious and wicked men fauourers and boulsterers of wickednesse and wicked men such as could not digest the discipline of Christe nor endure that sweete yoke And therfore all that hee addeth of forged letters and other inuentions to bring these men in suspition of betraying the Citie they are forged lyes suche as whereof hee can bring no testimonie from that Courcel of Berna and though hee coulde yet were that no acquiting of them seeing for the time they might bee abused And if they had not beene abused why is not the subornation of M. Caluine set downe Why doth hee not set downe the deniall of his accusation and proue vnder the seale of that Courte this mans 〈◊〉 and what price was paide in his purse who was his paymaster and into what apparrell hee was disguised ' Where is that publike testimonie of the Lordes of Berna 〈◊〉 their common Notaries hande And whie is it not set downe to cleare them if it can of that notable crime whiche by all likelyhoode if it coulde 〈◊〉 beene shewed Caluines faction was not so strong hee beeing but one man and the fauourers of the truth but an handefull in respect of the multitude they might haue been wel restored againe As for those other examples that hee bringeth in to proue Caluins tyrannie against suche as offended hym and namely againste Mountofet a Lutheran Almer to the Queene of Nauarre whome 〈◊〉 sayth hee made to flee Geneua for speaking a worde or two against his partiall distributyng of the Queenes almes sente in greate quantitie to the poore Protestantes of that Citie and as he saith 〈◊〉 and deuoured by Caluine him selfe it is oflike credite as all the rest for who knoweth not that Caluine beeing subiect to the order of the Churche where hee liued coulde not of hymselfe do any thing against the determination of the whole Churche And if he woulde haue doone it yet Montoset beeing Almer to the Queene and therefore hauing in his owne power the distribution thereof and also beeing a Lutheran and therefore coulde not fauour Caluine how coulde it bee that Caluine coulde bee auenged of him and dryue hym out of Geneua for speaking a 〈◊〉 or-two againste his partiall distribution For eyther hee muste bee an Almer absolute to dispose of the queenes almes or els hee must bee none but hee was one as this man affirmeth therefore Caluine coulde haue nothing to do to deale in it Againe if hee parted his right with him or were onelie a messenger to bryng the queenes 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 infected and corrupted woulde haue disposed 〈◊〉 of it 〈◊〉 he ought yet Caluine did but his duetie in 〈◊〉 it there where was most 〈◊〉 And as for deuouring of it himselfe his sober diet life and death 〈◊〉 knowne and his 〈◊〉 amounting 〈◊〉 to so small a summe it muste needes bee a shamelesse sclaunder wherewith hee is charged hauing no greater grounde then the impudent asseueration of a shamelesse Friar And concerning Peter Ameau whome hee saith hee shoulde make to walke thorowe the Citie naked in his shirt with a torche in his hand and to aske him openly forgiuenes for that hee had spoken at a supper in his dishonour c. It is too shamelesse for this man was knowen to be a wicked euill man aduer sarie to Gods 〈◊〉 trueth againste whome if any sentence were pronounced it was neither pronounced nor procured by M. Caluin hym self but by that solemne assemblie whiche by indgemente both coulde and did discerne and discusse of euery faulte as it deserued These Curres therefore that barked so againste M. Caluine for hatred of the truthe were iustly musseled by those to whome God had committed authoritie whose duetie it was to defende the innocencie of their Pastours and Doctours against their rauening mouthes and cursed teethe As for that same wretche Seruetus otherwise called Michaell vella 〈◊〉 Doctour of Phisicke in Uienna of Dolphin c. Whome hee him selfe calleth an heretike and yet for all that bryngeth him in as a witnesse againste Caluine what shoulde a man blotte paper about suche a monster who was not enuious of Caluines glorie but of the glorie of him whome Caluine serued one of the moste monstrous and moste blasphemous heretikes that euer sawe light in this world compounded of al the auncient and newe 〈◊〉 and an execrable blasphemer againste the blessed Trinitie and namely against the eternitie of the sonne of GOD whiche heresies hee had nowe maintained for the space of aboue thirtie yeeres and more vomiting them out both by mouthe and writing And doe you not thinke nowe that this is a fit man to bee brought in as witnesse by Bolsecke and Parsons two cowpled companions in the same mischiefe against M. 〈◊〉 of blessed memorie But so they may haue some what and some bodie against him they care not whome they ioyne with them whether it bee the Diuell himselfe or any of the vilest heretikes that 〈◊〉 liued in the worlde Is it therefore like or probable that hee shoulde write thirtie Epistles directed to Caluine together with a little booke in written hande in the yeere of our Lorde 1546. comming all at once as a Captaine with his troupe vpon M. Caluine to finde so many faultes escaped in his Institutions I suppose a man of a meane sense may smell this or euer hee come at it For was not hee like to bee a good Corrector and to finde faulte to the purpose that was so notable an
established there the Magistrats cast down being rightly instructed those instruments of 〈◊〉 adored and worshipped in euery place contrary to the wholsome doctrine of saluation but that Caluine did it himselfe or by anye extraordinarie course or caused his owne to bee put in place it is shamelesse and where is the proofe His picture might be drawen and was it cannot bee denyed hee being an excellent 〈◊〉 of rare and singular giftes but that it was procured to be doone by him selfe or set vp in places of the Citie or in the Church where the pycture of Christ as hee calleth it stoode to be adored and worshipped or that it was giuen or taken by him or of others to bee worne 〈◊〉 their neckes is moste sclaunderous Indeede the Papists lying Lindan a deadlye enemie Staphilus that rayler and others do charge him with such a thing But we may see from whence all these charges spring euen from that same father of theyrs that hath beene a lyar from the beeginning who hath no other postes nor pillars to vpholde his kingdome in credit with his lying and viperous generatiō The like is to be thought of that answere that he should say that he that cannot abide it let him burst for enuie As for that Legend that he should be a miracle worker especialy v. pon one Brul whom he should raise from death to life and the seruant of a Citizē of Geneua out of whom he should cast the deuil it deserueth no 〈◊〉 as hauing beene deuised by shamelesse and wicked Friars whereas there appeareth no colour of probabilitie of any such thing euer to haue beene done by M. Caluin Besides it is plaine and euident that M. Caluins doctrine is flat against both the one and the other For Caluin teacheth according to the scriptures that we are now not to look for 〈◊〉 that gyft being an extraordinary 〈◊〉 and onely found in the Prophets in Christ and in the Apostles And as for casting out 〈◊〉 though Papistes would make both that and the other a special 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 their religion yet they are indeede as farre from 〈◊〉 able to worke true myracles as we or any other Neither is it a marke of true relygion seeing that Antichrist shal come 〈◊〉 with a ful and powerful spirit of his 〈◊〉 the deuil to deceaue if it were possible euen the elect with lying signes and wonders Indeede the like 〈◊〉 wherof he speaketh here of raysing one from death was sette foorth long agoe to 〈◊〉 beene doone by a Iesuite who take vpon them the work of such miracles as one hath reported vnder the name of Cope an Englisheman yet was not the authour but another as hath 〈◊〉 founde since they cannot onely rayse the dead to 〈◊〉 but also they can make holye water to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rattes to make barren women 〈◊〉 with childe and to doe manye suche feates beesides but also to coniure out Deuilles and to chase them awaye with the signe of the crosse and we may read in their new legends written of their doinges in the Indies and in other such places where they say they haue conuerted whole kingdomes and countries and brought them from Paganisme to their cursed religion And indeede these Iesuites that haue such exercise in working miracles and not onely imitate Christ in thinges that are supernaturell but in all thinges wil doe as much and more then euer hee did to whome the Pope who can doe what he liste for that purpose hath communicated of his power these are likely to take vpon them to worke such miracles as that storie mentioned beefore written in the Dutch tongue testifieth they did For the 〈◊〉 whereof I referre you to Harrie Steuens booke written in the French tongue intituled his Apologie vpon Herodotus where there is testified a number of examples of their vile and wretched dealinges I referre the Reader to the 333. 337. 379. and 380. pages of the same book As for casting out deuilles where with he chargeth M. Caluine and Parsons also vpon the credit of Staphilus in his marginall note moste falsely chargeth Luther vsing such counterfeite wordes drawen frō 〈◊〉 as doe liuely set out a counterfeit knaue who knoweth not that the Papistes were the greatest Coniurers in the world If M. Luther or Caluine through fayth and the earnest prayers of the Churche haue brought reliefe to any that haue beene either possessed or assaulted they did it not as miracle workers but through Gods assistance without taking vpon them any such power Contrariwise Papistes haue had more dealing with the deuill then they Erasmus in his booke of Epistles sheweth how a night Ghoast was coniured For there was saith he a certaine prieste that kept his own neice who because she was well monied lapped him self in a sheete and towardes midnight entred her chamber counterfeiting as if hee had beene a spirite the woman perceauing the misterie because she would shift of the purpose of this bug desired the helpe of a kinsman of hers who lying the next night in her chamber to defende her in steede of a conturing booke brought a good cogill who so bebasted the deuill that if he had not discouered him selfe to be a priest and so a knaue he had vtterly spoyled him In the yeere 1569. there was a Gentleman of Auspurgh in Germanye who hauing certaine men that made no account of that new found ' secte of the Iesuites a Iesuite him self to plant the greater estimation of ' their coate in their hearts hee disguised himselfe into the habite of his first founder the Deuil and after hiding him in a corner of the house hee so feared one of the maide 〈◊〉 as she had like presently to haue runne out of her wittes and telling this to one of her maisters men hee willinge also to make tryall of the matter founde it to bee true and beinge assaulted in the horryblest manner that this Iesuiticall Deuill could deuise the younge man drewe out his dagger and wrought a miracle for hee killed the Deuill So wee reade also else where howe familiar alwayes the Deuill hath beene with these cloister men Aenaeas 〈◊〉 that afterwardes was Pius secundus reporteth how familiar the Deuil was in a couent of Monkes to whome S. Bennet resorted So also in the Legend which they call golden but indeede 〈◊〉 or leaden in which there are stuffed many such tales of friar Iuniper that made a hoch poch of all thinges together whom Saint Frauncis so highly esteemed for a Saint who also berayed his bed and hath both these pranckes 〈◊〉 forth for his singular prayse in the book of Conformities of Sainte 〈◊〉 in the 62. and 63. leaues What should I speake of Friar Ruffian or Friar Rushe that would besiege the douill and threatned to vntrusse a poynte into his throate and so chased the deuill awaye Or of Saint Frauncis who to proue his virginitie stripped him selfe
if they had beene true all the safe conductes that the kinge of Fraunce coulde haue made him coulde not haue saued him from the shame of such outragious iniquitie or at least if any such challendge had bin made eyther by the fermers or by the Tailer 〈◊〉 that Launoy had giuen the one of them a hundred crownes to stoppe his mouth coulde haue stopped the blaste of this infamie especiallye beeinge in suche a place where they woulde haue beene gladde for to haue hadde some suche matter agaynst him to haue defaced him Where both hee and wee shoulde haue hadde it hotte in our noses sette out to the vttermoste and with the fullest testimonies whereas nowe forsooth onely Bolsecke an heretike an enemie and 〈◊〉 a slidebacke an Apostata are brought in in a dumb shew to witnesse the matter But heere for the better satisfiyng of the godly for I suppose nothing can satisfie the papists that are 〈◊〉 sonable men in regard of these accusations I will set down a letter from M. Beza him selfe 〈◊〉 euen very lately to a learned and godly father of this Realme that had written vnto him a litle before concerning these matters wherein they shall heare what M. Beza answereth which I haue faithfully thus translated Master Beza his Letter to the reuerend and godly learned man M. Tho. S. I Reioyce that it was and is vntrue that lately was shewed vnto mee to wit that you were gone before me vnto that same most quiet hauē to which we haue hitherto striued through so many stormes Blessed bee the Lorde our God euen for this and hee graunt that you may long liue for the benefite of his Church If I had knowen that the matter had beene so you shoulde not haue beene so 〈◊〉 of mee when euē very lately not passing three dayes since y e messenger of our Senate comming thither I wrote letters directed to many concerning our affaires as also vnlesse it were troublesome vnto you I woulde haue you to learn of M. 〈◊〉 or of our M. Fountaine or of those 〈◊〉 Bishops themselues and that you woulde not thinke it much also to lend vs your helping hand in that businesse But as concerning those infamous libels of 〈◊〉 written against Caluine beeing dead and me yet a liue and alleadged 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 besides that I haue long since waxed harde with suffering such reproches yet hee hath deuised nothing of Caluin or vomited out against me vnto which I haue not answered before to wit in Caluins Interim and in my other answere to Claudius then a Monk and now a popish Bishop which concludeth the second volume of my workes For this same Verlet writeth nothing which hee hath not taken from others especially out of a libell of a certaine couled Franciscan published at Lyons twentie yeere agoe in which that wicked wretche beeing expulsed from Lausanna with his harlot when I was Rector or Gouernor of the schoole there sparing none of y e ministers or professors of Lausanna feigned also that same tale of my wife whom I should carry from her husband Vnto whiche libell Caluine also thought good somewhat to answere which if you will looke you shal finde amongst his small bookes published heere together in the yeere 1576. in the 531. Pag. I my selfe doe therefore answere nothing because when hee had spread those sclaunders at Lausanna the authour according to the maior his iudgement had asked mee forgiuesse for his lying acknowledged his faulte vnto mee by writing vnder the common seale of the Towne Afterwardes I vnderstoode that y e wretch with his harlot was for other wickednesses cast into prison at Paris a little before the beginning of the first ciuile warres and at the length as I thinke ended his life in an halter But Bolsecke is also more detestable enterprising by circumstāces of names and times partly true and partly false to put vpon these deuises some colour of truth to deceiue the ignorant being infamous by a threefold banishment and at the length falling into open defection of Papistrie hath now so durst to lye being in the desperate estate of pouertie y t he might win some fauour with the Archbishop of Lions a mā not much more godly then himselfe at that time when as in a 〈◊〉 Towne of the Countrie of Subaudia six miles from this Citie he moste impudently and also vnskilfully professed Phisicke to his small profite Afterwards his libell also being inlarged by another impure Apostata Lan zus whom I heare not to bee there vnknowne vnto you wonderfull things being promised vnto him of which promises when the miserable felow saw that 〈◊〉 were both frustrate he went vnto his place shortly after departed 〈◊〉 life But doe you thinke my good Sampson that I ought so to stay at the barkings of these Curres that by bestowing labour in confuting these thinges againe which haue beene so often confuted I might stirre vp others to followe being more impudent hauing no conscience in deuising any thing Or rather to leane vpon mine own conscience and their testimonie who haue beene beholders of my lyfe these 34. yeeres and by a flat and constant despising the outragious barkings of these dogges which at length of their owne accord will vanishe away as much as I can approoue my faith and integritie to the Churche and to all good men They reprehend my Poemes which fell from 〈◊〉 when I was a young man among the Papistes for which very thing I obteined great praise euen with the Italians The which not withstanding were printed first of all by the permission of the Senate of Paris which Poemes I my selfe first condemned which yet may seeme very chaste in comparison of many of their sorte of writinges and which they themselues doe suffer and woulde haue them printed againe and againe if I forsooth had been giuen to accompanie 〈◊〉 or to haue committed any thing more filthie woulde I haue be taken my selfe into this church or not rather haue abidden still amongest themselues where I may be bolde to say so large a way was opened and by many means vnto great riches and to no small dignities neither was I altogether so senslesse but that I sweat long time and laboured much in ouercomming this ten tation If I went out of my Countrie for debt howe commeth it 〈◊〉 passe that no man for these 34 〈◊〉 hath sued mee in this Citie where it is knowne that the lawe is executed most seuerely If being guiltie of that crime I forsooke Fraunce howe is it that in so long time there appeared no accuser especially seeing I haue so many enemies willingly and of their owne accorde without any fee conspiring againste my life But I knowe that I neede not these excuses neither with you my Sampson or with any vpright Iudges The brethren which are heere neither they of Paris where Lanzus the 〈◊〉 got these thingse to bee printed doe thinke meete that I shoulde once thinke of writing any newe
frō faith to works making them the cause of iustification breathing out his poysō with a sweet breath with sweete words couering his deadly venome Leuit. 20. Gen. 4. 1. Re. 22. 38. 3. Reg. 2. 37. Rom. 13. Iugdes 14. Mark this frūper at the phrase of the scripture As though if twenty had alledged one thing hee that alledged but ten or two had concealed the 〈◊〉 Reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. Censura Fol. 17 117. 220. Pet. a Soto contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 119 1. Pet. 2. Iohn 15. Luke 15. 1. Tim. 3. Collos. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mulus 〈◊〉 seabit * In the disputations the last day when it was agreed that both sides should stay tyll their 〈◊〉 were set down In the preface to the dispu The 〈◊〉 which the Papists at 〈◊〉 require before they 〈◊〉 dispute What cause they had may appear by their own stories by the cruell death they were put to So doth Staphi Ius Ficklerus the rest to bring those that were sound godly into 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 14. 32 〈◊〉 a Soto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVittenb cap. de concilijs Alfonsus a Castro aduersus Heres lib. 1. cap. 8. Verractus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 24. c. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 15. August 〈◊〉 de correctione 〈◊〉 cap. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epi. cap. 3. Where knowledge and trial is to be sought August lib. 1. de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 1. ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our doctrine the same that the Prophets Christ and his Apostles haue taught Papists 〈◊〉 all things for the praise of men Mat. 6. Read all the Fathers this shalbe found true Councels against Councels Fathers against fathers Lib. 〈◊〉 Reade their workes who shal and they shal find in thē iudging thē by the Scriptures 〈◊〉 Illirie lib. de 〈◊〉 Papist Traditions infinite variable vnnecessary hurtful offensiue See their Pontificall their masse booke and such other good stuffe 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Catechisme See the harmonie of the confessions of the Churches that cleare vs from this slaunder VVhē Luthers booke De captiuitate Babilonica was written King Henrie not the head of the Church as the Papistes vnderstand by head in their Antichrist Heretikes are to be cut off not such as they cal Heretikes but suche as they are thēselues who are proued to be Heretikes by Gods word This also he handleth afterwardes Concerning Luthers heat 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the Papists The papistes account that a fault in vs which they challenge them selues VVho vse grea ter libertie the Papists or we we that onelie keep our selues to the scripture or they that roue vp and downe are boūded within no lists or boundes Chrisost. in Ioh. bomil 16. 〈◊〉 3. in opere imperfecto Ioh. 10. 2. Pet. 1. 20. 2. Tim 3. 17. 〈◊〉 Ioh. 4. Testamente 〈◊〉 in the annotat vpon 1. Tim. cap. 2. Lut. Cortez in li. 3. distin 3. 〈◊〉 Aquin. Iohn de 〈◊〉 Cremata Iren aus lib. 1. Epiphanius August Read Tapperus Ficklerus the whole broode of them This may appeare through out S. August in many places They that denie the offices of Christ his kingdome priesthood prophetshippe they denie Christe Ephe. 4. For he meneth by Puritās not the Anabaptists spiritual illuminates but those that dutiefully seek the reformation of the Church 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 11. c. Authoritie of the Pope vsurped The Masse an Idoll of the Popes making patched togeather by many long after Christes ascention 〈◊〉 7. 9 See there how trimly they alleadged interpreted the 〈◊〉 in defence of 〈◊〉 images Syricius The place 〈◊〉 of the 19. of 1. Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 Sozomenus So 〈◊〉 onius Tutelares dei Camp in Epist. set out by 〈◊〉 us In Paris a great 〈◊〉 against Iesuits and wheresoeuer they come where other such vermine are like vipers they gnaw out the bellies one of another Hier. in Epist. ad Eustochiū ad Rusticum Concil 〈◊〉 Concil 〈◊〉 Quest. 16. sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guliel de sancto amore Nicolaus de Cle. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Real presence An. bros hb. 〈◊〉 Sacra cap. 〈◊〉 And. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. Lib. de Sacra Lib. in Iob. 4. cap. 14. In 〈◊〉 22. This also he mētioneth afterward where looke for further answeare Vowes Psal. 76 Perfection in selling all Things spokē to singuler persons in respect not simply The place of Iames concerning Iustification 2. Cor. 9. Fathers Our owne writers Who is Caietane or Conturene against the whole Church Disputation Peter Martir first Latimer Ridley Cranmer at Oxeford in Queen Maries dayes Maister Philpot M. Elmer Haddon Cheney and the rest that disputed in the Cōuocatiō house 1553. Octob. 18. Reade M. Foxes booke of Acts and Monuments printed in 1570. fol. 1571. fol. 1579 in manie places Conference at VVestminster anno primo Regni Eliza. 〈◊〉 King 17. 4 Reade the spanish Inquisitiō Acts monuments of M. Foxe M. Cryspius historie in French of their martyrs and the last French history of the beginning grouth of the churches in Fraunce Popish writers 〈◊〉 agreed yet about the Canonical scriptures whiche are the bookes and matching their constitutions with Gods word 〈◊〉 20. cap. de libellis dist 19. cap. in Canonicis Agath dist 19. cap. Sic omnes Read August vpō this place and Hierome vpon 38. of Esay Ephe. 6. Gathered out of their 〈◊〉 Bibles Mat. 26. Luke 22. Luke 23. Rom. 8. Reed Rationale Diuinorū Gab. Biel Vaux his Catechism and there you shall see suche misteries fetched out of the scriptures as are pitifull to heare VVhy salte creame spitle are vsed why they haue lights at noone dayes why bels ringe not on good Friday but they vse wodden clappers and suche 〈◊〉 stuffe General 〈◊〉 Reade Onuphrius ioyned with Platina in his Epitom Doctors Consent in the truth allowed by vs. Vniuersalitie antiquitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholique what it meaneth Howe wee are departed because they are gone from the truth 〈◊〉 Tim. 4. 1. Aug. con Epist. 〈◊〉 cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 worst great consent in 〈◊〉 In their 〈◊〉 Testament set out by the scho lers of 〈◊〉 ful of ridiculous 〈◊〉 1. Thes. 2. Ioh. 10. In his 〈◊〉 before his booke of images Diui. 17. 76. c. * Belarmi quest 5. in dicta scriptis Cocleus Hosius Pet. a 〈◊〉 Stapletonus 〈◊〉 7. lib. 2. cap. 12. saith that faith is not learned out of the scriptures Again that the holy ghost teacheth the church many things without thescripture Censu Colonien fol. 2 20. Andradi lib. 2 Concil Trident. Andradius in defen Conc. Tri. priest of Potiers of Later an in conc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Papae Eccius Verractus Pighius de Hierarch The impietie of the papistes in interpreting the holy scriptures In antididagmate Colo. sol 17. The doctors corrupted and many bastarde writings vnder their names thrust vpon vs. Euseb. li. 3. 〈◊〉 38 Nicepb lib. 3. cap 18. Epipha 〈◊〉 1. to 2. beresis 38. 〈◊〉 in vita Clem 〈◊〉 Gennadi in catal
vir illustrium Epist Clemen 4. 〈◊〉 li. 3. ca. 4. lib. 4. cap. 23. Auctho in vita Dioni Theodo Gaza in prefa in problem Alexa. Aprodise Epist. Ignatii ad Smir. Reade Buchingerus in his eccl fol. 66. 67. 68. The popish 〈◊〉 cession 〈◊〉 brokē a lame succes sion wherein they are not agreed thēselues Cens. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26. 〈…〉 Ro. 4. 3. 4 5. Psal. 32. 1 Philip. 3. 9. Cens. Col. fol. 46 Conc ' Trid. ses 5. in decrat de orig peccat Caniz de sacra bapti Lind. lib. 3. cap. 19. Tupperus arti 2. de peccar originis In iudi 〈◊〉 vni Coloni 〈◊〉 Pellic. fol. 42. 〈◊〉 44. I. Ioh. 3. Rom. 3. 7. Mat. 5. 28. Ioan. 1. 4. I. Cor. 12. Gal 〈◊〉 Chrysost. homi in Ma. 57. Hierony in 18 Ezecb. Reade that whole treatise of iustification in the Censure of Colen pag. 141. c. Antidi the consent of Colyne Lib. 99. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholic 〈◊〉 Perio in Topicis Theolog. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serm 21. Compend Theo. de grā Andrad lib. 3. pag. 281. 279. Rom. 14. 23. Ephe. 2. 5. 8. Galat. 2. 21. Concil Trident. 〈◊〉 lib. 4. Io. 6. 44. Phil. 1. 13. 1. Cor. 2. 14. Anton. Flor. 〈◊〉 1. part Tit. 11. ca 2 Trident. 〈◊〉 Pet. a So to in asser Cathar de lege Andradius The lawe of God spiritual The proude spirites of the Papists Censur 〈◊〉 Fol. 284. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mariae nuper 〈◊〉 Pu 〈◊〉 Gregorij 17. 〈◊〉 editum 1578 Reade that in 16. fol. 49. 51. thorowout the whole Booke Fol. 50. 51. 52. in 〈◊〉 de beata 〈◊〉 printed at Paris in anno 1534. 〈◊〉 54. 〈◊〉 56. It is called the contemplation of our blessed Lady weeping vnder the crosse 〈◊〉 mater dolorosa Fol. 85. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 In Breuiario Romano fol. 252. Fol. 45. Fol. 47. 〈◊〉 59. 32000. seuen hundred and 55. yeeres of pardon Fol. 63. Crux Christi sit mecum Crux est quam semper adoro c. The Crosse of Christe be with me The Crosse which alwayes I wor shipe 〈◊〉 66. fol. 72. Ten 〈◊〉 thousand 〈◊〉 of pardon Fol. 73. Campion would haue a Credo for a prayer at the time of his death Fol. 75. Fol. 79. Saint 〈◊〉 prayer 〈◊〉 he learned of the Diuel Fol. 144. It beginneth 〈◊〉 omnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All haile all soules of the faithful whose bodies rest here or els where in the dust c. Euery thing is not an errour which hath bin reckoned for an errour 〈◊〉 they reade the name of Catholike Church forsooth it muste needs be ment of Rome But there is no such word in lib. 2. cont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He meaneth such as were alleadged by Donatus to proue that the vniuer sal church was faln that his particuler church was the church August lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 12. That place out of the 3. booke against the letters of Petilian cap. 4. is set down also for a shewe seeing we leane not to mē but look to the vnitie of the spirite in the truth The like is that out of the secōd book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Constantinopl 6. Act. 4. Tertul. de 〈◊〉 aduersus 〈◊〉 Basil de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thes. 2. 2. Victor 〈◊〉 This was done in the space of 140. yeeres Hard. answere diuis 28. Volateran 〈◊〉 Origen cont 〈◊〉 sum lib. 4. Arnobius in 〈◊〉 lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 5. Gerson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 F. 4. ad 〈◊〉 Epist. 50. Reade August de verbis domini secund 〈◊〉 ser. 24. Concil Constant 5. Act. 1. Euseb. lib. 10. ca. 4. ex or at 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 The Papistes 〈◊〉 vs with Donatists Arrians other heretikes 〈◊〉 Exod. 20. The glory of Rome Christe his truth beggarly in comparison of the pope his false religion Apoc 13. In their 〈◊〉 after the death of any Pope Epist. 〈◊〉 2. 7. Distinct. 8. Popish 〈◊〉 A prayer in their masse They haue turned the whole Psalter to the Virgin Marie Reade Bonauentures Psalter turned wholly to the Virgin Popishe contrarieties Rom. 4. Alensis 〈◊〉 The places are quoted 〈◊〉 Our Iesuits Monks howe 〈◊〉 the olde Monks that were Lay men great Studentes in diuinitie Labouring with their handes from whose superstition yet hauing no commandement frō God hath proceeded all those eerours abuses that wee finde in Monkes and Friers at this day Praemonstratensis Martin Polon platins Sigebertus Benno Cardinalis invita Hilde 〈◊〉 No stay in Popery No vnitie in Poperie Distinc. 93. cap. legimus Distin. 99. cap. 1. Distinct. 4. cap. multi Distinct. 34. The chief 〈◊〉 ter of popish bookes 〈◊〉 spirite and behauiour Howe and by what meanes the 〈◊〉 at VVisbitch was published Conferēce betwixt D. Fulke and the papists at 〈◊〉 Vpon what cō ditions the papistes in VVisbitch woulde haue disputed Conference at VVestminster as is alleadged before VVhat the papists speciallye 〈◊〉 by disputations Reade the stories of France Spaine Flaunders 〈◊〉 Inquisitiō c. The worshipfull writers of Papists 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 4. 7. Papa De concess pr abendae tit 4. cap. 2. ad Apost Dist. 37. cap. relatum Dist. 16. Causa 27. q. 2. Ca. ter di Dist. 2. de poenit Cap Cbaritas Dist. 5. de Cōse cap. 〈◊〉 De consec distin 2. cap. Quid sit sanguis Also ca. Comperimus Cap. 22. q. Dist. 99. cap. 1. Also dist 4. cap. multi Glossa dist 23. cap. prae terea Dist. 93. Ca. Hadrianus Dist. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ca. 21. q. 1. 〈◊〉 cap. 10. 〈◊〉 3. Vnio Dist. 43. cap. Si rector Dist. 38. cap. Ignoran Dist. 〈◊〉 cap. Presbit Dist. 44. cap. Non 〈◊〉 Dist. 81. cap. Non 〈◊〉 Dist. 32. cap. Nullus Ca. Cap. 33. 9. 2. 〈◊〉 Dist. 28. cap. 〈◊〉 Syracus Dist. 〈◊〉 cap. 〈◊〉 c. Dist. 30. Causa 27. quaest 2. Dist. 31. cap. Quoniam Hieron cap. Si cupis De consec Dist. 5. 〈◊〉 30 cap. 〈◊〉 Sub Innocentio 3. 12. 15. Greg. in decretis lib. 3. dist 1. de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. q. 2. 〈◊〉 2. de 〈◊〉 ca. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super 4. 〈◊〉 dist 15. Ambr. Catharin de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tapper art 6. So he chargeth him with taking tythes which he 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 doe not wherein appeareth vpō what 〈◊〉 he neither hauing personage nor 〈◊〉 whiche yet were lawfull enough for him pag. 2. Why the aduersaries publish their own works so oftē and conceale ours The popish 〈◊〉 ner of preaching Reade him in 1. Cor. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 12. VVhat the sathers meane when they 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. * Origen in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hom 9. bo 4. In 12. cap. Epist. ad Ro. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hom in 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 bom 9. in 〈◊〉 ad Col. ho. 14. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 ad Threnos Hiero. in Epist. ad Cor. 2. cap. 13. Ad Furiam ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 riam Viduas 〈◊〉 Marcellam 〈◊〉 c. Virgines The ministerie of of the word the ordinary meanes that God hath