from saint Peter to saint Damalus saint Cyprian from saint Peter to Cornelius saint Bernard from saint Peter to Eugenius saint August from saint Peter vnto Anastatius who was Pope in his time lib. contra epistolam fundamenti cap. â— Tenet me in Ecclesia c. The successioÌ„ of priestes from saint Peter the Apostle vnto whome Christe comended the feedinge of his sheepe vnto this present Bishop holdes me in the church the same alsoe doth saint Hierom proue For wee must note that such are true Bishopps in the churche who descende from the Apostles aswell by succession as by ordination but the sectes of Lutherans and Caluinistes haue neither succession from any lawfull Bishopps or lawfull ordination therfore they haue not succeeded in any Apostolique order or succession And for this cause as saint Cyprian said Nouatianus is not in the church Cyp. lib. â— epist 6. ad magnum nor oughte to be called a Bishoppe who despisinge apostolique tradition succeded noe Bishoppe and himselfe tooke that order vppon himselfe 8. The 6. 6. Note note is the vniuersall consent of the Catholique church in euerie point of doctrine of faith as it is said in the Actes Muâ—titudo credentium erat cor vnum anima â—na and contrariwise the errors alterations and dissentions of these sectes in euerie article of their faith as you may see in the first Chapters and 9. Lib. 9. c. 1. Lib. 2 c. 1. bookeâ— also in the 2. booke cap. 1. 7. Note 9. The 7. note is the sanctifie of this Catholique doctrine for the Catholique church is holie in her doctrine and profession as the councell of Constantinople saith which profession containes noe falshoode touchinge faith nor any iniustice touchinge good manners but these sectaries hould soe many absurdities against faith good manners The 9. book caâ— Aug. lib. 2. de ciuitate Dei as in the 1. li. Chapter 9. you may reade But the Catholique church containes noe error absurditie or turpitude nor doth it teach any thing against reason although it teacheth many things aboue reason and therfore saint Augustine saith Nihil in Christianis ecclesijs turpe flagitiosum there is nothinge in Christian churches that is either filthie or obhominable either wheÌ„ godes precepts be insinuated or miracles declared or giftes praised or benefitts asked 8. Note 10. The 8. note is the efficacie of the catholique doctrine in conuertinge the whole worlde vnto the standert of Christe and that by poore weake and sillle persons without armour or munition withoute feare of tormente or punishment only by praiers fastinge charitable woorks miracles and all good examples of hollines of life By these meanes all nations were conuerted to the catholique church from impietie and all wickednes vnto pietie and religion from beastlie pleasures vnto angelicall coÌ„tinency from the fleshe to the spirite from beinge loâ—ers of the worlde to despise contemne and forsake the same and to followe Christ their spouse But these sectaries subuerted many nations not by sounde doctrine or good examples of life but by terror and feare they caused many to forsake Christe and followe the worlde I am sure these holie Saincts that conuerted the world neuer drewe foorth any sworde when they preached I am sure when Sainct Vincent conuerted soe many when saint Aug. conuerted Englande to the faith beinge sent by saint Greg. or when saint Killian an Irishe saincte conuerted the Francks beinge sent from Conon Pope or when saint Patricke conuerted Ireland beinge sent by saint Celestine Pope they neuer killed or murthered burned or spoiled nor made the subiectes to reuolte against their princes or the princes to make tirannicall lawes against their subiects But Caluine and Luther did sowe their pestilent heresie by burninge and spoilinge kingdomes robbinge and ransakinge cittâ—es killinge and murtheringe manny millions of people castinge downe and razinge to the earth manny churches and monasteries rauishinge and deflouringe many Nunnes and Virgins and by bringinge euerie kingdome where the same was nourished to a pittifull confusion 9. Note 11. The 9. note is the hollines and sanctitie of life of such as founded our religion for the holie Patriarches Apostles Doctors Pastors and such as conuerted any countrie to the faith of Christ were mirrours and spectacles of all sanctitie and religion as saint August wittnesseth of the Mouncks of his tyme. Isti sunt Episcopi pastores docti graues sancti Aug. lib. demorib Eccl. c. 31. lib. 2. in Iulian. c. these were learned Bishopps and graue wise and holly pastors most earnest defenders of the trueth by whose planting settinge wateringe and buildinge the holy catholique church did increase but the sectaries of these times as in their doctrine they were most irreligious soe in their liues and manners moste wicked and abhominable In responsione ad libr. quem inscripsâ—rat Lutherus contra Zuing disputatione habita lipsie contra Eck. Luther in postilla super euaÌ„ super euaÌ„ Dominic Aduentus as the protestant authors themselues doe auerre The ministers of Tigur doe write that Luther sought nothing but his owne priuate gaine that he was insolent and stubborne and Luther himselfe confessed that his pretence was not for the loue of God In an other place he said that such as followed this newe gospell were farr woorse then when they were Papists more couetous and more giuen to reuenge Smidelinus in Coment 4. super caput 21. lucae said Lutherans doe peruerte all thinges that they turned fastinge into feastinge surfeâ—inge prayers into swearinge and blasphemies adding that Christe is not soe much blasphemed of the verie Turcks Erasmus also saith thaâ— this gospell neuer reformed any vice in these newe gospellers none that was an epiâ—ure became sober by it norâ— none that was cruell became meeke or gentle by it 12. The like censure the ministers of Madelâ—urge doe giue of them saying Madebur Centuria 11. cap. 11 Cen. 10. When these people were Papistes they were religiouslie addicted they were giuen to much praâ—ers deuotion and sanctifienge the saboâ—th daie they shewed great reuerence towardes churchmen parents were carefull in the education of their childrenn they were liberall and mercifull towardes the poore and there was great obedience in the subiectes The same Caluine wittnesseth Calu. inst lib. 4. cap. 10. scanâ— pag. 118. and in bis booke of scandalls he saith when soe many thousandes doe pretend the gosâ—pell fewe of them euer were refourmed of their wicked liues and hauinge lett the raynes loose to all wickednes Musc in cap. de decalogo de ministris verbis Luth. tâ— 5. Erasm ad fratres inferiores Germanicae they are not woorthy they should become Papists Musculus doth confirme the same Luther the first founder of this vnfortunate gospell said that such as followed the same were odibile genus hominum A hatefull kind of people and althoughe they speake of the gospel in their woorcks they are
The 3. was of Traian in whose time 3. holly Bishoppes suffred vid. Saint Clement the disciple of saint Peter saint Ignatius disciple to saint Iohn the Euangelist and saint Polycarpe The 4. was of Antoninus Verus The 5. of Seuerus The 6. of Maximinus The 7. of Decius who did put saint Laurence to death The 8. of Valerian The 9. of Aurelian The 10. was the crwelest of Dioclesian of Maximinus These persecutions were before Constantius the great who was a Christian 3. Vnto these saint August added the persecution of Iulian the Apostata which was most pernitious for he depriued the Christians of offices and places in the common wealth as also of all their goodes and studies of learning Another was of Valens all these were Romane Emperors Another was of Sapor king of Persia who caused his people to adore the sunne wherin 16000. thousand suffred amoungest whome were many Bishoppes priests and many holly virgins dedicated to Christ Before all these saint August sets downe the first persecutioÌ„ of all which was of Iudea vnder Herod wherin the Apostle Saint Iames the greater suffred Wee doe nott speake here of the persecutions of the Vandals in Affricke or of other heretiques or infidels but only of the Romane Emperors whose persecution was nott only in one kingdome or prouince but in all places especially at Rome at Alexandria where S. Cathrin suffred at Antioch Nicomedia Cesarea of Capadocia Cesarea of Palestin in Ponto in Helesponto in Africa in Aegipt at Saragosa at Parris where saint Denys of Areopagita with his followers were putt to death at Syracusa where S. Lucia at Catanea where saint Agatha in Bithinia in Achaia at Smirna at Thebes and in all other places subiect to the Romans 4. Were all these persecuting princes lawfull heads of Christes church or some of them If some all should be for the one ought to haue asmuch authoritie in that head-shipp as the other if that stile or dignitie should rightly belong to the Emperiall scepter or should be annexed to the Royall authoritie as a power or iurisdiction comprised and comprehended within the maiestie of a regall dignitie as some protestants do hold Yf this be trew all these blessed martyrs wherof some of them were the blessed Apostles as saint Peter and saint Paule who suffred vnder Nero were damned is arrogant and dissobedient subiects for not conforming themselues to their princes wills and humors in causes ecclesiasticall and consequently none that was put to death by them was a holy martyr but an obstinat and wilfull subiect which is most foolish and absurd If yow say that a king to be head of the church ought to be a Christian as some other English protestants do say I aske of them who was head of the church the space of the first 300 yeers after Christ when all kings were infidels and persecutors thereof as I haue declared For either the church all that while was without a head or els some other that was not a king must be a iudge and haue this authoritie and supreame iurisdiction of the king therin and such ought to haue no les iurisdiction ouer the Christians in causes of their consciences and ecclesiasticall matters now then at that time 5. Nowe the Christians are no les nor no better then they were in that golden age of the primitiue church Epiph. heresi Optat. lib. 2. contra Parmen S. Aug. Epist ad generosum quae est 105. Hiero. Prosper in continuatione chronici Eusebij and consequentlie the same ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ought to continew still in the church of Christ which he builded setled and founded vppon saint Peter and his successors as vppon a firme Rocke whose foundation shall neuer faile against whome the gats of hell with all the plottes and pollicies of Sathan and the cunninge deuises and attempts of Matche-villian protestantes shall not preuaile And so in vaine they striue to build the same vppon any other fundation then that which was alreddy laid downe by Christ himselfe being the Corner and head stone of this foundation vppon saint Peter the Apostles and prophetts and their successors for euer I meane the Bishopps and priests vnto whome he committed the authoritie and regiment ouer his flocke to feed and defend them from the woulues to saue them from the violent excursions of infidels and heretiques vnto whome it is sad in the Actes or the Apostles Attendite vobis vniuerso gregâ— in quo c. Loocke well to your selues Act. 20. Matt. 10. Matt. vlt. Mar. vlt. Iohn 20. Iohn 21. and to the vniuersall flocke in which the holy ghost placed you Bishoppes and pastoures to gouerne and rule the church of God And as this church is the mysticall body of Christ and a spirituall Common wealth so it should be gouerned and managed by spirituall parsons and pastours that should haue spirituall orders and consequentlie ought to haue spirituall authoritie and iurisdiction ouer her rebellious and obstinat children to chastice their rebellions disobedience to correct their offences and to extend the rodd of discipline vppon them when they will nott obey her otherwise it should be a poore distressed common wealth when none hath power or iurisdiction therin to chastice the transgressor of her lawes and so all her subiects may with libertie and impunitie keepe or breake them 6. But no article or inunction of the protestant religion is of greater force amongest the protestants specially of England then that the king is supreame head of the church and that euery one whether he be a catholique or protestant must not only encur the imputation of high treason but also the pennalties and disgrace of traitoures that wilâ— not sweare solemly and publickly that he thinckes in his conscience this to be trew which is nothing els then to enthrall and enforce a catholique perhapps some proâ—estants to a damnable and wilfull preiury against his owne conscience that knoweth or at least thincketh the contrary Was not this new fundation and grownd of the English protestant church newly coyned the 26. yeer of king Henry 8. when the oath of supremacy was inuented by the instigation of his fatall and filthy passion of lust and concupiscence and by the industry and suggestion of certaine cogging mates as Thomas Cromwell and Robert Barnes an apostat frier the one beheaded the other I meane the frier burned rather of malice then of any conscience or honesty without which there can be no good religion not warranted by scripture but deuised in the court not by the best but by the worst quorum Deus venter est quorum finis interitus gloria in confusione c. not perswaded by reason but violentlie constrained not ordained for the edification of the church but for the destruction and confusion of innoceÌ„t christiaÌ„s not resolued of by the schooles and learned diuines but first determined by the king and enforced in the parleament against the definition of all former parleaments
THE THEATRE OF CATHOLIQVE AND PROTESTANT RELIGION DIVIDED into Twelue Bookes Wherein The zealous Catholike may plainelie see the manifest truth perspicuitie euident foundations and demonstrations of the Catholique Religion Together with the motiues and causes why he should perseuer therin The Protestant also may easilie see the falsitie and absurditie of his irreligious and negatiue Religion Together with many strong and conuincing reasons why he is bound to embrace the Catholique faith and to returne againe to the true Church from whence he departed WRITTEN By I. C. Student in diuinitie With permission Anno 1620. MAgni periculi res est c. It is a thinge of great danger it after the oracles of the Prophets after the testimonies of the Apostles after the woundes of the Martyrs thou presume to discusse our ould faith as if it were new if after such expert guides thou neuertheles wilt remaine in error if after the combatts of such as did strugle vnto death for the defence thereof thou wilt yet oppugne it with idle disputation let vs therfore reuerneÌ„ce our faith in the glory of the Saintes S. Ambrosius in sermone de SS Nazario Celso TO THE BLESSED and vnspotted Virgin Marie Mother of God and Queene of heauen by whom saluation and redemption came to the worlde 1. BOOKES of greatest estimation and noblest subiect most gratious Virgin ought to be dedicated and offred to the noblest and eminentste personages and that for two causes th' one to be protected and patronized by them against malignant and malitious people to whome the obiect or matter might be offensiue the other to gratifie them for the benefites receaued of theÌ„ the obiecte of this booke which is the theater and true representation both of the Catholique and protestant religion being so eminent that it excelleth and exceedeth all obiects whatsoeuer ought to be dedicated and consecrated vnto thee most sacred Virgin being the worthiest creature amongest all meere Creatures that euer were Contraria se posita magis ilucessit 2. The opposition of two extremities can neuer be better declared or knowen theÌ„ to oppose the one to the other as things positiue and thinges priuatiue light and darknesse thinges contrarie as heate and cold thinges contradictory or thinges affirmatiue and negatiue as a man and noe man nothinge is soe repugnant or hurtfull to the Catholique religion as heresie and especially that of the sectaires of our vnfortunate daies nothinge soe contrary to Christe as Antechriste nothinge soe offensiue to the Catholique Church as the malignant Congregation of Caluinistes Anabaptistes So as the trueth of the one caÌ„not be made more apparant more euident and more cleere then by the falshoode of the other nor the goodnesse of the one be better made knoweÌ„ then by the mischeefe euill of the other 3. Vouchsafe therfore ô gratious virgin and mother of the Sauiour of the worlde that the trueth and goodnesse of the one beinge made knowen and the falshoode and wickednesse of the other being detected with thy most precious intercession to thy Sonne Iesus to lighten and illuminate the hartes vnderstaÌ„dings of such as are ouerwhelmed and ingulfed in the dangerous abisme of darcknesse and are gone astraye in the intricat labernith of heresies Deliuer theÌ„ ô blessed mediatrixe that doe walke awry in the darcknes and shadowe of death Protecte and defend the Catholique Church for the saftie of which Christe Iesus tooke flesh of thee and for the establishing whereof he suffered his bitter passion yealded himselfe to death and triumphed ouer the powers of darcknesse from the malice and dangerous purposes of all such as bend all their plotts and pollices to destroy her 4. By whom should the religion of virgins vowes and votaries be protected and vpholden but by her that made the first solemne vowe and profession thereof To whoÌ„ should the religion of Christ be dedicated but to the mother of Christ Or the law of grace be addressed but vnto her that is ful of grace What better aduocate can the Church haue then shee who is placed betwixt the sunne and the moone as S. Bernard saieth which is mary betwixt Christ his Church What better defense can there be against heretiques then shee as S. Bonauenture saith that destroyeth all heresies and according to S. Bernard omnis haeresunt inâ—eremptrix that killeth all heresies Therfore ô blessed Virgin Dignare me laudare te Virgo c. Vouchsafe me to praise thee ô sacred virgin fortifie me against thine enemies and the enemies of the Church of Iesus Christ which being his only comoÌ„wealth kingdom patrimony vineyarde and mysticall body euery member thereof ought to defend yea is more bound thervnto then to the defense of any earthly comon wealth 5. As for thyne incpmparable and vnspeakeable merittes and benefites towardes me and towards the whole world all true Christian hartes doe acknowledge them with Aristotle I confesse Qui beneficium accipit De coÌ„gruo uon de coÌ„digno libertateÌ„ perdidit He that receueth a benefit loseth his liberty becometh a slaue to his benefactors How then should not I the whole world confesse our selues to be obliged vnto thee for soe generall and soe worthy a benefit as we haue receaued at thy handes Iesus Christ taking that flesh of thee in which he would dye for our offeÌ„ces Therfor ô blessed virgin I offer my self with this my labour as a poore slaue vnto thee I prostrate my selfe like a poore wretched sinfull creature before thee confounded and oppressed with many imperfections and defects voide of merits destitut of grace ouercharged with the dreadfull assaultes machinations of powerfull enemies they to stronge to offend and I to weake without thy helpe to defend my selfe against them We therfore Sub tuum praesidium confugimus sancta Dei genitrix c. flie vnder thy sauegard ô mother of God for none that euer relyed vpon thee was frustrated of his expectation none was euer deceaued of his hope none was euer coÌ„founded or discomforted who hath at any time fled to thy intercession as holy Church in all ages by experience hath proued and all holy sainctes that euer were haue solemnly auouched 6. Thou therfore ô only a Aug. ser 2. de Annunc hope of sinners Thou ô b S. EphreÌ„ de laud. B. Mariae ioy saluation and peace of the worlde Thou ô c Damasc orat 2. de Assump ocean gulfe of grace Thou ô d Damasc orat 2. dormit Virg. liuing arke of the liuing God Thou e Epiph. l. 3. Hier. 78 the mother of all liuing and the cause of life who broughtest forth life vnto the world Thou f Cyril Alex hom 10. the pretious marguerit of the worlde the inextinguible light thereof the crowne of virginitie the scepter of the Catholique faith and the indissoluble temple containing him who can be no where contained Thou ô g Ierem. adu Iouiu East gate euer shut
so other doctors doe speake to this effect 7. Caluine your cheefe prophet when he oppugneth our religioÌ„ he saith plainly Calu. l. 2. instit 2. parag 2. se toti â—ntiquitati repugnaturum That he opposeth himselfe against all antiquitie saith that he will admitt no auncient Father but S. Augustine And in another place he reprehendes S. Augustine himselfe for sainge that our willes doe cooperate with the grace of God For God made all thinges perfecte Lib. 2. c. 3. in coÌ„plete order but innouatioÌ„ came by the diuell Wee read in the ghospell that after the good seede was sowen by God Matt. 13. the diueâ—l did sowe darnell cockle euen so after the trewe christian religion was sowen by the Apostolicall and catholicke Pastors in euery place of the worlde the enemy of mankinde by Martyn Luther an Augustine Frier did sowe and teach the darnell of absurde daungerous and damnable heresies anno 1517. beinge the first author of the protestant religion So wee knowe the author of the Arrian heresie to be one Arrius a Priest of AlexaÌ„dria in Egypte anno 324. Of the Nestorian heresie to be Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople who taught his heresie in Thrasia anno 431. as the other also haue taughte the one in Egypte first the other in Saxonie afterwardes Wee knowe the author of the catholicke religion to be Christe from whence wee are called christians in all ages before Luther first inuented the name of Papistes for that wee obey and embrace Christs vicar generall our holy Father the Pope the successor of S. Peter vnto whom Christ committed the regimente of his church feedinge of our soules and the charge of his flocke Matt. 16. This christian religion was first preached in Iurie the 15. Ioan. vlt. yeare of Tyberius Cesar as alsoe wee knowe that the same was oppugned and gainsaid first by the Scribes and Pharises afterwardes by the Gentyles and with all penall statutes of forcible lawes made by the Romaine Emperours other potentates of the worlde which were practised and put in execution for the space of 300. yeares to supplant and deface the same This christian religion was vpholden and defended by all the Popes and confirmed by all the generall approued councells that euer were But the protestant religion was disproued and condemned for heresie by Leo the tenth and by the generall Councell of Trent and by all Catholick vniuersities of the worlde as the Arrian heresie was contradicted and condemned by Syluester then Pope and by the generall Councell of Nice by S. Athanasius and Hillarius and other holye Doctors as the Nestorian heresie alsoe was reiected by Pope Celestinus and the Councell of Ephesus S. Cyrill others So that though wee haue shewed your authors or ofspringe the time place when it began and where it began yet the like you cannot once nominate of vs since Christe and his Apostles who are the only authors of our beleefe and religion 6. You affirme that the protestant religion was since Christe and his Apostles in the world but it was hidden I answere that seeinge the Church and religion of Christe ought to be a cittie placed vppon a mountaine or hill to be seene of euerie one as in many places the holye scripture doth proue it ought not to be hidden but manifest to the whole worlde otherwyse it shoulde not be the religion of Christ Matt. 5. Isa 2. Psal 71. Daniel 2. soe that I must coÌ„clude with S. Hierom saying Breâ—em tibi apertamque animi mei sententiam proseram in illa Ecclesia esse permanendum quae ab Apostolis fundata vsque ad diem hunc durat Dial. lucifer in fine I must be plaine and declare my mynde sincerely that wee must abide in that Church which was founded by the Apostles and continewed vnto this verie daye If you shall heare such as be christians to be nominated rather of some other head then of Christe Marcianistes Valentinians Montanistes know then they oughte not to be called the church of Christe but the synagoge of Antechriste euen so such as are nominated Gospellers Caluinistes and Lutherans c. which are the founders of your religion and the inuentors of strange newe and deuised opinions contrarie to the vniuersall catholicke church and to the auncient Doctours thereof ar rather as S. Hierom saith members of that synagoge then of the church of Christe and as they were most peruerse obstinate in their doctrine soe they were most shameles and licentious in their liues and as the tree beareth in his braunches the corrupte humours that they drawe from the roote as the vertue of the cause is knowen by the effecte and the nature of the springe doth shewe it selfe in the brooke and as the springe beinge vncleane the brooke cannot be cleere and the roote beinge withered the braunches can beare noe fruite so Luther Caluine beinge your roote and of-springe and beinge vncleane filthie leacherous and altogether wedded to carnalitie and licentiousnes beinge rebellious apostates noe doubte of such as shall followe or embrace them no better fruite can be expected of them hence Zuinglius himselfe did coÌ„fesse Zuing. c. 2. Resp ad Luth. that as soone as he did embrace this ghospell of Luther he was attached with the raginge flames of fleshly concupiscence and sensualitie The occasion of Luthers fall and of other heâ—tikes from the Catholike Churche CHAPTER II. 1. WEE may applie S. Augustine his senteÌ„ce vnto this subiect Ang. serm de tempo 44. that there are two rootes plaÌ„ted in two fieldes by two tillers or husbadmen the one Christ doth plant in the hartes of the good the other the deuill planteth in the hartes of the wicked And as this is Couetousnes which is the roote of euill 1. Tim. 6. Ephes 3. soe tho other is charitie beinge the roote and of-springe of all goodnes accordinge to the saying of the Apostle that wee should be planted and rooted in charitie for as no euill can springe from charitie so no goodnes can come from couetousnes soe that you may perceaue from which of these rootes Luthers cause proceeded and which of these husbandmen did plante the same For not obtayninge the promulgating of certaine indulgences whereby he hoped to gett money first he rayled against them who denied him the same then he was infected with a desire of vaine-glory thirdly with a desire of reuenge for that he had a repulse from the Pope called Leo the tenth afterwardes pricked forward with a most filthie appetite of fleashlye concupiscence beinge a professed frier fifteene yeares he came out of his monasterie and tooke with him a professed Nunne wherby he might satisfye his filthie luste withall so that he committed such sinne sacriledge by breakinge and violatinge his vowes that all the world were scandalized therat And so far did he defend his riotousnes and beastlie debauchednesse therin as to teach that a woman was as necessarie
not thincke that euer his doctrine was of God for in his disputation against Eckius he fell into such rage and furie that being admonished Hosius lib. 1. de heresi Zurius hist Anno 1519. forasmuch as the cause of God was handled he should not transgresse the boundes of modestie he answered that this matter as it was not begunne for godes sake soe it should not be ended for his sake for that truly not charitie but enuye and malice was the motiue and cause of Luthers doctrine against the Pope and Churche of Christ The malediction of Luther Theod. co 4. operum Lutheri in Ioel. For when he euen departed from his disciples he was wont to saye Benedicat vos pater caelestis omni benedictione odio Papae The celestiall Father blesse you with all benedictâ—on and with the hatred of the Pope soe as you may perceaue of what spirit he was For I am sure you would not thinke that spiritt to be of God which dissolueth the vnion of the bodie of IESVS Christ but of Antechriste for whosoeuer endeuors to disioyne the Church from Christe or to dismember himselfe from the said Churche Aug. trac in epist. Iohn Ephes 5. or goeth aboute to deuide and seperate the Church in herselfe as S. Aug. saith he dissolueth diuides IESVS and his Church which Christe boughte with his pretious bloode who declared in his death how displeasant diuision and dissention should be vnto him soe as without any other scripture as Theodoretus saith Impia execranda dogmata per se sufficiunt ad suum patrem ostendendum wicked and execrable opinions are sufficient of themselues to declare vnto the world their father and patrone 4. In the last of these lameÌ„table examples I ought not to lett slippe that of Constance the vncle of Michaell Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople who puttinge away his married wife married his daughter in in lawe for which he was excomunicated by Ignatius the Patriarch of that Cittie of Constantinople and the Emperor and his vncle beinge offended therwith Photius was inuested in that Sea and soe to maintayne himselfe in that dignitie he said that the Pope was an hereticke and that the whole latine Church erred soe as you see lust and enuie brought in heresie heresie other mischeefes and wickednes into the world By what deceite hypocrisie and dissimulation this heresie crept into other Countries by what periurie and forgerie they were deluded by it and what destruction and desolation it brought with it CHAPTER III. 1. AS in the tyme of the Romaine Emperor Heraclius Gusp in mahometo one Mahomett a souldior did combine with others against the said Emperor by the craftie deuises of which companion many Prouinces banded themselues againste him That league was renewed first betwixt the lantgraue and other princes 22 of DeceÌ„b. 1530. and afterwardes the 29 of March 1531. against Charles the 5. Sleyd l. 18 where vpon ensued a suddaine decaye both in the ecclesiasticall ciuill gouernment of the Easte euen so Luther no sooner had hatched his heresie but that he procured by his deceite and hipocrisie the Princes of Germanie to enter into the like combination or conspiracye againste Charles the fift at Smacalde notwithstandinge they swoare allegeance vnto the said Emperor which Luther said was not lawfull to be obserued or performed So Sleydan a protestant writer saies that because Cesar went aboute to hinder the religion which they lately brought in he gaue them cause in conscience to oppugne him where vppon there followed a cruell and bloody warre betwixt Cesar and the Protestants Surius An. 1525. Michell ab Iselt in sua hist 1525. which brought many prouinces to ruyne and destruction besides the miserable thraldome and slauerie of the Turcks vnder whose dreadfull yoke Hungarie and other Prouinces adioininge therunto doe lye grouelinge at this daye 2. At that tyme also Thomas Monzer priest by Luthers instigation did stirr vpp a weake and slenderrable of Peasantes against the nobilitie and Cleargie soe as there were slaine of them more then an hundreth thowsand in Germanie that yeare He burned 200. Castells and monasteries murthered the Earle Heluesten with manny other nobles soe as Germanie suffred more calamities that present yeare of the Lutheranes then they receaued of the Spaniardes and French men the space of 10. Surius An. 1525 yeares before Alsoe the Duke of Lorrayne slewe in one Daye 27. thowsand Peasantes that made insurrection against him by the said Luthers procurement in Franconia 200. Castles and and Monasteries were burned by those rebells The like hauoke they made at Francfort Mongontia and Collen The like garboiles combustion and bloody tragedies surpassinge the other in horrour and detestation in all other Countries where this Hydria and infernall heresie once got footinge was stirred vpp and enkendled as in Sauoy Scotland France Flanders and in other borderinge Countries and by what falshoode periurie and dissimulation yt infected Flanders you shall imediatly see 3. First this heresie was neuer knowen in Flanders before Anna Saxonia Michell ab Iselt in hist Surius historia Florentius vander Haer de initijs tumuâ—tuum BelgioruÌ„ a woman of Saxonie who was infected with Luthers heresie was married to the Prince of Aurenge as other noblemen in Flanders vnhappily were married to other weomen heretikes as Herman was married with Count Hermans sister Florentius Pallentius the Counte of Cullenburge and William Counte of Herenberge all which were married to women of Germanie Idem in sua hictoria By these women the wicked people called the Geuses of Flanders made their insurrection againste Margarett de Austria Duches of Parma and gouernesse of Flanders who was faine to flye from them as being ouer stronge for hir But yet to putt her in some comfort one of her nobilitie said vnto her Non non Madame ne craigne pas les Geux that is to say do not feare these wicked people from which tyme the hereticks of Flanders were called Geuses that is to say a sorte of ragamuffines or miscreantes The prince of Aurenge the enginer of all the troubles of FlaÌ„ders whom the said Prince of Aurenge made his instruments to make a stronge rebellion in Flanders against Philipp the 2. king of Spaine by whome he was made Gouernor and deputie of Hollande by whose father the Emperor Charles the fifte he was made soe great as he was 4. This rebellious prince of Aurenge vnder pretence of deliueringe Flanders from the bondage of Spaine as he alleadged broughte this heresie into that Countrie which was the cause of all the troubles of Flanders for the space of 60. yeares but by what dissimulation periurie and deceite the said Prince of Aurenge did infect Flanders with this heresie the Chanceler of Lone doth witnesse Epistola Michaell Baysane Loua de vnione statuum An. 1578. I was present saith he when the Prince of Aurenge the cause of all the troubles of
came within his reache Besides the destruction and desolation he caused in many places of Germanie In Norriberge he burned a hundred villages Townes and Castles and shutt vp in them men and women with children and olde people which the firy flame consumed Surius An. 1553. viz. at Alterfum and Laufum Againe did not Christiernus kinge of Denmarke execute the like crueltie vpon those of Stocholum the cheefe Cittie of Suethlande after that he inuited all the nobilitie with the two Archbishopps viz. Sarcen and Stringeron and then murthered them euerie one and afterwards all the rest of the Cittizens notwithstandinge he had giuen his royall worde to the contrarie in the execution of which murther Surius An. 1517. he continued for many dayes That heresies are the cause of Reuolution of Countries and destruction of state CHAPTER IV. 1. SAincte Gregorie sayeth that the conseruation of the Common wealth doth depende of the peace of the Church and that for two reason for that the lawe of God commaundes vs that wee should obey our kinges and princes in thinges that are not contrarie to the said lawe of God soe that he that obeyes God he muste needes obey his lawfull Soueraigne because God almightie soe commaunded for that obedience wee owe to the kinge is parte of that wee owe to God But when men doth cast away this bridle by heresie or by anny other occasion of their vnbridled and incorrigible humors as they haue no feare of God soe bear they noe dutie to their Prince or Soueraigne Euseb de vit Const lib. 1. c. 11. Zozo lib. 1. cap. 16. Wherfore Constantius Clorus father to Constantyne the greate a most prudente and valiante Prince intendinge to assay and proue the loyaltie of some Christian souldiers he said vnto them that if they would renounce their faith and sacrifice to the Idolls Carol. Sig. lib. 2. de occiden imperio they should abide with him and possesse such honors and promotions as they had receaued of him otherwise such as would refuse soe to doe they should departe from him Some there were who for to gaine the Princes fauor did as he comaunded and renounced their religion others refused soe to doe But Constantius putt awaie such as did sacrifice to the Idolls and kepte with him such as refused soe to doe saying that they were his best subiectes for quoth he he that is a Traytor vnto God will alsoe be a Traytor vnto his Prince 2. Carol Sig. lib. 16. de occid imp Theodor. histor l. 5. cap. 36. The like alsoe did Theodoricke being an Arrian hereticke killing a Courtier of his owne whome he loued intirlie for that from a Catholicke he became an Arrian only to please the kinges humor sayinge that he could neuer keepe touch with man that was not faithfull vnto God Also the most valiant Martyr S. Hornusta said vnto the kinge of Persia who comaunded him to denye his religion and become an infidel that if he should denie Christe that was Lord and Redeemer of the worlde he shoulde more easilie denye him that was a mortall man Through want of faith therefore and good religion rebellions are stirred vpp against their Princes and Soueraignes as alsoe insurrections of subiectes spoyles and garboyles of Traitors combustion and confusion of Common wealthes and all other enormities and trespasses are committed And as Aristotele saith Cuius vsus est optimus eius abusus est pessimus the more excellent and eminent a thing is if it be well vsed soe the more mischeefe it ingenders and the more ruine it bringeth with it if it be abused For as nothinge in this world is comparable in goodnesse to the Christian Catholick faith so when the same is abused by sectes and diuisions nothinge did euer more trouble the Christian Comon wealth for that discordes in matters of faith doe procure and ingender discordes and differences in the hartes and mindes of them that professe the same from which discords and variances proceedes soe manny mischeefes and reuolutions of Countries and kingdomes and kingdomes deuided as our Sauior saith cannot longe endure Therfore Theodosius the yonger beinge at Constinople and seinge his Empire deuided into sectes by the heresie of Nestorius he wrote an Epistle to that most vertuous and holy man Symon Stylites which at that tyme did florish with most rare example of sanctitie Act. Conc. Ephes edi tom 5. Ces Baro. tomo 5. An. 43â— by which epistle he requested him verie earnestly that hee should aske of God peace and vnion for the Church and added these wordes Because that its diuision doth soe afflict vs that it is the roote and fountayne of all our euills and calamities Wherefore whosoeuer will read the Chronicles of kingdomes and the ecclesiasticall histories of the sainctes he shall finde this to be true by the warres that the Catholicks had in the Easte with the Arrians and in Africke with the Donatists and the Gentiles and Iewes against the Christians in all places 3. And neither Iewe nor Gentile are soe infestuous and pernitious againste the Churche and Christian Comon wealth as hereticks and especially those of our vnhappie times and of all sects the Caluinistes which are flames of sedition and destruction of Church and Comon wealthe an infernall fire-brand that burnes wheresoeuer it takes place which consumes to ashes all states and Citties where it is nourished not vnlike the Cancker that eates and gnawes the body that feedes it thus much you shall knowe by readinge a booke called Incerdium Caluinisticum printed 1584. Hollensen hist Angl. Anno 1554. idem in histo Scot. Anno 1567. Also the histories of the troubles of France lib. 1. Anno 1565. The historie of Flanders Anno 1555. in the additions of Surius 1585. Stanislaus Rescius Ambassadors and Treasure for the kinge of Poland in Naples did write a booke 1596. De Atheismis Phallerismis Euangelicorum nostri temporis videl of Atheismes and Phallerismes I meane cruelties of the Euangelistes of our tyme neither onlie doe they destroie kingdomes but alsoe seeke to depriue Princes of theyr liues that oppose themselues againste their doctrine for some of them conspired to kill Queene Marie and one of them confessed the same at his death which was at Tiborn the 18. of May 1554. Norman Lesby Iames Meluine and other Caluinists in Scotland murthered the Cardinall of S. Andrewes in his owne howse and chamber the yeare 1546. Stowe 1554. and this by approbation of Iohn Knockes Buchanan and others of the Geneuian Consistorie Doctor Hancraft in his booke of dangerous positions Lib. 4. c. 14. in historia Ioh. Lesley ep Rosâ—e 4. Buchanan in his most wicked and vngodly declamation made at London against his dread soueraigne the last Queene of Scottes incensed both English and Scottes against her to depriue her of her life and of her kingdome whose wicked desires and desigmentes was putt in execution by the English in the moneth of Ianuarie 1587. which
diuinity in S. Andrewes and diuers others cheefe ministers of that Contry flye into England and for this traitrous fact were there receaued and cherished Did nott Robert Pont and walter Baquanquell minister by the instigatiō of Iames Lanson cheefe preachers oppose themselues against his maiesties edict that now is publickly at Edenborough Did not these ministers demaund of his maiestie also to be admitted in parleamēt aboue their bishopps Is it not one of their cheefe articles that it is heresie for any kinge to call himselfe head of the Church within his realme A prosecution of the laste Chapter that heresies are the causes of troubles and disquiettnes CHAPTER V. THe other reason of these reuolutions is the fauor that kinges Princes doe giue vnto heretickes when they doe not in time punish them or at leaste ridde their Countries of them because that kinges or Princes growinge forgettfull of God haue a more respecte to their temporall commoditie then vnto the will of God or the good of his Church thinkinge by their owne industrie and reason of estate themselues and their estate be sure and secure yet God almightie doth often suffer them to fall into great miseries and calamities and their kingdomes to be ouerthrowen and ruynated Tripert hist. lib 8 cap. 13. Theod. l. 4 Valent. an Arrian Emperor did send against the Goathes his great Captayne and a deuout Catholicke who was called Traian and was ouercome by them when he retourned he reprehended him called him Couard he answered it is you and not I that haue lost the victory for that you haue forsakē God he gaue the victory to the Barbarians against thee Also the said Emperor in his iourney against those Goathes was mette by the holy Monk called Isacius who said vnto him whether doe you goe hauing God against you Theod. l. 4 cap. 30. Metas in vita Isacij for against him thou makest this warre c. giue ouer thy warres against God and he will giue ouer his warres against thee 2. Valentinian the younger who being deceaued of his mother Iustine Theod lib. cap. 14. did fauor the Arrians was put to flight by Maximus the Tyrante who made himselfe Emperor and soe Theodosius the great did write vnto him that is was goods iust iudgment Carol. Sig. lib. 9. that he should suffer that infamy for that he forsooke the trewe Christian catholicke religion and fauored the enemyes thereof So Winceslaus the 12. Eneas Syl. hist Bohemia c. 35. kinge of Bohemia by his false reason of estate giuing tolleration vnto the hereticks was both by them depriued of his life and kingdome 3. Boleslaus Prince of Polland In Chron. lib. 6. hist. Polo did suffer the people of Prusia to renounce their Christianitie and liue in Idolatrie for which they sent him a verie riche present but was after ouerthrowen by them with the ruyne of all the kinges and the nobilitie of Polande Sabel Aeneas 8 c. 6 Carol. Sig. de regu Genebr in Chron. An. 607. 4. Nicephorus Cōstant for that he fauored secrettly the Manichees was ouerthrowen slaine by the Bulgares The like example wee haue of Gessulfe Duke of the Lombardes who for fauoringe the Arrians his armie beinge ouerthrowen was slaine himselfe by the Auoros whose wyfe betraied the Cittie wherin shee and her husband liued to the captaine generall of them thinkinge to marry him after but shee first was dishonored in her bodie and then hanged a liue vppon a Gibbett Num. 16. 5. Not without cause did God say vnto Moyses departe from the Tabernacles and tentes of wicked people and touch nothinge that belonges vnto them 4. Reg. 17. God sent liōs amoungst the people of Samaria for hauinge Idolls Geneb in Chron. both to kill and destroy them wherfore the Cittie of Parris hath this for a monumente engrauen vppon her gates one God one kinge one faith one lawe 6. Hence it is written by the holy Ghoste in these woordes All the kinges besides Dauid Ezechias Iosias sinned and that the kings of Iuda forsakinge God and his lawes were with all their kingdomes deliuered vnto others and their glorie to strangers and although Dauid did committ adulterie and soe Ezechias alsoe offended by his ostentation 2. Reg. 11. Isa 39. yet because they forsooke not their faith and religion nor made shippwracke thereof it is not counted that they sinnned for that to forsake our faith is the greatest sinne that is That God doth extende the rodde of his wrath vppon Princes and Common welthes infected with heresies CHAPTER VI. 1. THe sore punishmente and affliction by which almightie God doth prosecute this wickednes many authors doe treate therof esepcially the ecclesiasticall histories Designis Eccl. lib. 5 cap 11. signo 16. and of late Thomas Bozius For none are more prone to wantones riotous misdeameanors which euerie Heresie bringes with it then Princes because commonly they are brought vpp without due chastisment and correction and because each man soothes them to flater and misreporte the truth As also because they are loath to submitt themselues to the ecclesiasticall discipline and censure of the Church or to acknowledge anny spirituall power in the Church of Christe to constraine them as it doth heretickes of whom it is said by the prophet and proued by experience that the nation and people that serueth her not shall perish whosoeuer obeieth her not must be accounted as Ethniques yet to mantaine their absurde heresies they doe labour to deface and infringe her authoritie as wee see in all ages yea onlye the disobeinge the authoritie of the Church and the censure of S. Peter and his successors is the cause of all the heresies that euer were and the Princes that hearken vnto them and forsooke the Church by defendinge them were vtterly destroyed with their states For what punishment doth he deserue that vnder the pretence of Christianitie makes warre against Christ and he that shall call himselfe the childe of the Church destroies and rayses a flame therein all which examples it were to long for me to repeate for I will not alleadge here the dolfull and ruynous example of Constans and Valens Emperors who were enemyes of the Church neither of Hunericus kinge of the Vandals neither of Basiliscus the capitall enemie of the Councell of Chalcedon who was depriued of the Empire by Zenon neither of Zenon himselfe which was buried aliue by the comaundement of Ariadne his wife nether of Heraclius which in the beginning was a catholicke and a valiant Prince but after became an heretick Ionas 1.3 ibi Ion Paulus Diaconus lib. 7. c. 1. Carol. Sig. lib. 7. de occid imp and lost soe many noble Prouinces in the Easte and dyed of a most shamfull disease nor of Anastasius vnto whom a vision did appeare of a terrible and dreadfull man with a booke in his hande who opened the booke in the which the name of the said Anastasius was
was he who threw downe the Image of Christ and permitted his owne Image to be reuerenced and worne about mens neckes And when a certaine familiar frind of his owne tould him that the people did so ymbrace his Image he answered him scoffingly and said If any man be offended therwith ether let him not behold the same or lett him pull out his eyes or goe hange himselfe 2. Wee for our parts do not reuerence the Crosse of Christ in respect of the torments of Christ and of his paynes but as those torments and passion were a remedie for mankind and a sacrifice gratefull vnto God as also an euident argument of his affection loue and charitie towardes mankinde and as the Crosse was the standarte of our redemption by which he destroyed him qui mortis habuit imperium that had the comand of death pacificans omnia sanguine crucis appeasinge godes wrathe by his death vppon the Crosse which he conceaued against mankinde Caluine herein doth imitate Iulian the Apostate who obiected vnto the Christians the adoration of the Crosse sayinge Crucis lignum adoratis imaginem illius in fronte ante domos pingentes Yow adore the crosse of Christ you make his Image in your fore-head you paint his picture before your howses who therfore may not whorthilie hate your wisest men or pittie your ignorant and silly sorte who at lenght are sallen into that callamitie that hauing forsaken the eternall God you passe vnto a dead Iewe thus far the said Apostate against the Christians Apud Cyrill Alex. lib. 6. in Iulianum 3. As for the catholick doctrine it doth teach that not only the crosse in qua Christus mortuus sed quaecumque crucis figura c. in which Christ suffred but any other figure of the crosse is to be honored reuereÌ„ced this is proued by the seuenth generall councell the 2. of Nice act 7. where the councell defined honor reuerence to be giuen to the tipe and forme of the holie Crosse much more to the Crosse it selfe for both of them are the signe of Christ crucified 2. Coloss This is proued by S. Paule sainge Christ wyped out the hand writinge of decree that was against vs and the same he hath taken awaie fastning it to the Crosse and spoilinge the principalities and potestates And in the first epistle he saith 1. Epist Coloss he reconciled all thinges by himselfe pacifyinge by the blood of his Crosse I meane his death which he suffred vpon the Crosse 1. Pet. 2. And as S. Peter saith Christ himselfe did beare our sinnes in his bodie vpon the tree Why should not then that blessed Crosse be reuerenced as the sacred Altar of that sacrifice the instrument of so great a triumph and redeÌ„ption And as Leontius said any thinge that belonges to our father or freind whome wee desire to behold wee reuerence and esteeme and wee kisse the same yea somtimes with weepinge eyes why then should not wee also with reuerence kisse the tree and Crosse which was the instrument of our redemption and approach vnto it with weepinge eyes If a captayne had frought a combate for the common wealth the ensigne or standart by which he had ouerthrowen his enemies would be houlden for a great monument and why should not the standart of Iesus Christ be highlie reuereÌ„ced by which he hath owerthrowen that enemie of mankind and obtained victorie against the power of Sathan Triumphans eos palam in ligno c. as hath bene written in the old greeke translation bringinge the Princes of darknes in a triumphinge manner vnder the standart of the Crosse Cyrill Epist ad Const Augustâ— Amb. de obitâ— Theodo Chris ho. 84 in cap. â—9 Ioh. s Ruf. li 12. hist c. 7. Euir l. 11 Paul Epi. 11. ad Seuer Sulp. l. 2 sacrae hist c. 18. Theod l 1 hist c 18. Sozom. l. 2 cap. 1 Damasc 4 de fid c. 12 Cyrill 10. 13 Nyse in vita Marcinâ— soror Paul Ep. 11. Hiero. Aug. l. 22. de ciui c. 8 Amb. in orat de â—bitu Theo. Euseb l. â— vita Cösl cap. 15. 4. This reuerence belonginge to the holie Crosse is proued by the inuention thereof by S. Helena as S. Cyrill of Hierusalem S. Ambrose Chrisost Rufinus Paulinus Sulpitius Socrates lib. 1. cap. 17. 1. Iustinianus imperator in nouella coÌ„stit 28. do write Truly had not that holie Crosse bene worthie of reuerence and honor neither Helena should haue bin moued with diuine inspiration to search for it neither by godes diuine prouidence should shee haue found it neither yet in the findinge of it those miracles should euer haue byn wrought as also since in all ages as the holie doctors doe auouche Damascenus Cyrillus Hierosolimitaenus Nyscenâ—s Paulinus Chrisostome Homilia quod Christus sit Deus in 5. Homil. Hierom epist 17. which not only made mention of the Crosse but of other relicks of Christ S. Gregorie in the 7. booke epist 126. did send a parcell of the Crosse vnto Recaredus kinge of Spaine S. Augustine doth testifie that a parte of the earth of the holie land beinge brought into Affricke did great miracles S. Ambrose doth declare that one of the Nayles of Christ his Crosse was fixed in the helmett of Constantine the great the same is testified by Eusebius 5. The veneration of this Crosse is proued by the wonderfull victorie gotten by Heraclius the Emperor in recoueringe the holy Crosse from the Persians which wheÌ„ it was restored to its former place many miracles were wrought therby as Paulus Diaconus In vita Heraclij Zonaras Cedrenus make mention and Sigibertus in Chronica for which cause the feast of the exaltation of the Crosse was instituted by the Church Mat. 24. Cyrill Aug. ser 130. de tempore Damasc l. 4 ca. 12. Cypr li. 2 ad Quir. cap. 1. Againe the signe of the Crosse is proued by S. Mathewe in the daie of Iudgment the signe of the Sonne of man shall appeare as Origines Chrisostome Theophilactus Euthymius Hillarius Beda Cyrill Hieroso S. Aug. doe declare and all the rest doe testifie the same S. Cyprian doth teach that the signe of the Crosse is so expedient as in old tyme the signe Tau Ezec. 9. which place S. HieroÌ„ expoundinge saith that in the beginninge the letter Tau was like a Crosse Origines Tertulian and Cyprian holde that such as were liuinge in any battayle were sett downe by this letter T. and such as were dead were described by this letter O. The reuerence of the Crosse is proued also by the reuerence that Constantine the great and other Christian Emperors did exhibite towardes the same as stamping it in their monies and gould puttinge it in their ensignes carryinge it before them and as holie Doctors doe say that in thinges naturall it is of great vertue Amb. ser 56. Ruf. li. 12. hist. 2. cap. 29. as Iustinus Apologia 2. Ambr. ser 56. for the signe
more indisciplinable then they were in poperie These be Luthers owne wordes As touching their learninge or knowledge in diuinitie Stanc lib. de trinitate mediatore Francis Stancarus witnesseth one of their prophetts one Petrus Lombardus is more worthie then one hundreth Luthers two hundred Melancthons three hundred Bullingers foure hundreth Martyrs fiue hundreth Caluines Who all if they were pounded in one morter there could not be beaten out of them one ounce of true diuinitie especiallie in the articles of the trinitie incarnation mediator and sacraments 12. You see what testimonie your owne prophett doth beare against you looke to all those countries where they haue stirred vpp their tragedies was there any countrie the better for this ghospell or was the wicked life of any one reformed by it or were the professors themselues amended any thinge in their wicked liues by it Compare the wicked life of the professors of this newe religion with the vertuous life of the holie fathers that haue planted the religion that wee professe No kingdome gained vnto thirst by the woord Haue they not shined in all holines of life in all heauenly conuersation by which they haue allured the hearts of faithles and stiffnecked gentiles did they conuerte any kingdome vnto Christe by the sword haue they euer surprised citties or ouerthrowen kingdomes or euer brought with them armies into the fielde no not by the sword but by godes word and humilitie of spiritte haue they ouercome the deuill Was not Luther a professed Fryar many yeares who beinge giuen to loosenes of life did transgresse the lawe of God in breakinge his vowe by which he consecrated himselfe to serue God in holines of life and continencie of body all the dayes of his life whoe rann awaie and tooke a Nunne with him out of her Cloister Was not Iohn Caluine the fire braÌ„d of France and Scotland and other countries alsoe he being a priest for Sodomitticall wickednesse burned in the backe and continewinge his wicked life stil in that filthie sinne surprised Geneua Was not Beza his next successor giuen to that wicked and abhominable sinne with a boy called Andebertus and that manifestlie And to defend their wicked lines and filthie sensualitie they cast forth poisoned doctrine as that vowes and votaries are not made by the lawe of God that wee are not iustified by works done by Gods grace and that the same be not meritorious before God but that wee are iustified by faith only that all our woorkes though neuer soe good are sinfull before God that to bridle or restraine our filthie desires is to resist Gods ordinaunces that God is the cause of all euill and that from him all mischeefe comes Therfore they take away free will from man saying that man doth not concurre to his owne iustification with many such damntble heresies which were to long to relate and whether these be false prophetts who bringe into the world such poisoned doctrine lett euerie man iudge at least lett him take heede that his soule be not poisoned therwith in followinge their liues or imbracinge their cursed heresies out of which as our Sauiour wittnesseth noe good fruicte can bud forthe and consequentlie noe meritorious works of religion or charitie can wee euer expect at their handes The absurditie of this doctrin that euery one should assure him selfe that he is predestinated vnto life euerlastinge and that wee ought to be soe certayne therof as wee should not once feare the contrarie or to misdoubt the same is discussed CHAPTER V. 1. THis doctrine is most false wicked and hereticall sith the holie scriptures saie Cogitationes mortalium timidae incertae prouidentiae nostrae Sap. 9. The thoughtes of men are fearfull and their prouidence is vncertaine by reason that the bodie which is corrupted doth aggrauate the soule beinge in great danger by reason of the inclinations of the flesh occasions of the world and tentations of the deuill and wee being in the countrie of our enemies wherevpon S. Bernard saith faciles sumus ad seducendum debiles ad operandum sragiles ad resistendum wee are easilie to be seduced weake to worke and labour well and fraile to resist manfullie and couragiouslie And soe our Sauiour said to the Apostle Luc. 10. Neminem per viam salutaueritis You shall salute none by the waie as S. Vincentius expoundeth Ser. 11. post trinit Saluum dixeritis viatorem to him that is a poore pilgrimeâ— or stranger you cannot assure his saftie without danger nor securitie without feare for the shipp is not safe without feare in dangerous seas otherwise wee should not be admonished Lauda post mortem magnifica post consumationem prayse none before his deathe nor magnifie any before his end The scripture confirminge the same Eccle. 9. Nemo scit vtrum â—dio vel amore dignus sit sed omnia in futurum seruantur incerta None knoweth whether he be worthie of hatred or loue when all thinges are reserued in tyme to come And therfore the Apostle which was one of the greatest Saintes that was saith Nihil mihi conscius sum 1. Cor. 4. sed tamenin hoc non iustificatus sum I am not guiltie in conscience of any thinge but I am not iustified herein The Apostle durst not assure himselfe that he was iustified neither would he iudge whether this thoughtes were pure or noe but the trial thereof he left to Gods iudgment And for this cause wee are wild to worke our saluation with feare and tremblinge 2. As for predestination which is almightie God his election foresight purpose and decree of his deare children as alsoe his other actes touchinge their vocation inspiration illustration and illumination of them and consequentlie their iustification and last of all their glorification wee doe not denie but it ought to be reuerenced and embraced of all men with tremblinge feare dreadfull humilitie but that wee should not cast our selues with headlonge fall into any precipitat madnes and presumptuous malipartnes for this hath bene the gulfe wherein manie proude persons aswell at this tyme as before haue by godes iust iudgment perished groundinge thereon most execrable heresies and damnable blasphemies against godes mercie good life free will humble behauiour and religious christian modestie Rom. 8. S. Paule hath these wordes of predestination whome he hath forknowen he hath also predestinated to be made conformable to the Image of his sonne that he might be the first borne in many brethren and whome he hath predestinated them also he hath called and whome he hath called them also he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified them alsoe he hath glorified S. Augustine answereth those that are curious of Gods fore-knowledge and decree who saith Si quaeras c. If any man will aske wherfore God doth make choise more of this man then of that man lett him search godes inscrutable and vnsearcheable iudgment and in that search lett him take
respecte that kingdomes and nations are subiecte to conquestes and inuasion of strange nations which alwayes for the most parte bringe with them their languadge vtterly defacinge the languadge of the country conquered soe also in these countries there muste be alterations of trāslations of scriptures which cannot be done without great danger of the corruption thereof either in respect of the ignorance or malice of the trāslators especiallie if they be heretiques which neuer translated the scriptures trulie being carried away by their passsionat affection of their heresie And therfore S. Hierom founde great faulte Hier epist ad Paulinum that the scripture should be soe common and in contempte for saith he talkatiue ould women and doting ould men the cauelinge Sophiste all men doe presume to speake of scripture they rent the scriptures in peeces they teach it before they learne it When S. Basil heard the cheefe cooke of the Emperor in his presence to speake of scriptures he reprehended him sayinge Tuum est de pulmentis cogitare non dogmata diuina decoquere it is thy office to thincke vppon thy cooquerie not to play the Cooke in diuine misteries I am sure if these fathers were liuinge in this wicked age to see the Cobler the Tailor the Tapster speake and dispute of scriptures and alsoe to preach in the pulpitt they would sharplie reprehend them Whether we forbid the ignorante to pray in a languadge which they vnderstand CHAPTER V. 1. Cor 14. 1. THe heretiques obiect vnto vs the wordes of S. Paul saying he that speaketh with the tongue let him pray that he may interprete for if I pray with the tonge my spirite prayeth but my vnderstandinge is without fruite I answere that although it be not fruitfull for his vnderstandinge yet it is fruitefull for his deuotion for here is noe mention made of any other tonges but of such as men did speake in the primitiue churche by miracle as of spirituall collations and exhortations which the christians were wont to make to praise God and not of those lāguadges which were then common to all the world as Hebrewe greeke and latine in which the scriptures both olde and newe were written For it is a palpable and grosse deceit and cogginge of the heretiques to say that the vertue and efficacie or the Sacramentes and sacrifice oblations prayers and religion dependeth vppon the peoples vnderstandinge hearing or knowledge the principall operation and force therof and of the whole misterie of the Church consistinge especially in the verie vertue of the worcke and the publicke office of the priestes who are appointed by Christe to dispose the misteries to our saluation The infant innocente idiott and vnlearned takinge noe lesse fruite by baptisme and all other diuine offices then the learnedest clearcke yea more if they be more humble charitable deuoute and obedient and perhappes wee see more often the simple to be more deuoute and the learned more rechles and more colde for deuotion doth not consiste in the vnderstandinge vnles the will be well affected 2. S. Augustine said of the common people non intellgendi vluacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutissimum facit It is not quicknes of vnderstanding but simplicitie of beleefe that shall saue vs And in another place he saith Si propter solos eos Christus mortuus est sui certa intelligentia possunt quae ad fidem pertinent discernere penè frustra in Ecclesia laboranus If Christe had died onlie for such as can vnderstand well the misteries of our faith in vaine well should labour in godes church for God doth rather respect your simple beleefe then your deepe vnderstandinge the affection of the will concerning your faith then the hawtie knowledge of your loftie minde Charitas aedificat scientia inflat as the Apostle saith charitie doth fruictifie to edification when science serueth for the moste parte to ostentation soe as our Sauiour did speake vnto the common people in parables whose simplicitie and godly affection did proffitt more therby then the wordlie wisdome and proud knowledge of the arrogant and swellinge Scribes and Pharesies 3. Doe you thincke that the children of the Hebrewes did vnderstande when they cried in the Temple Osanna filio Dauid Or that our Sauiour was displeased therby for that they vnderstoode it not but the priests and scribes were much confounded therby saying Audis quid isti dicunt truly our Sauiour was not discontented at the prayses of those littles ones for then the prophesie was fulfilled ex ore infantium lactentium c. thou makest an instrument of the tender infante and suckinge babe to magnifie and praise thy name to the confusion and ouerthrowe of thine enemies seinge the ende of all the scriptures and of the lawe of God and man and of the science and knowledge thereof is true and perfecte charitie inflaminge and inkendlinge our hartes with the firie loue both of God and our neighbors flowinge and florishing abondantlie with all fruitfull exercises and worckes of mercie pietie and religion as the Apostle saith plenitudo legis est dilectio the fulnes of the lawe is charitie 4. The experience of the catholique flocke in agreeing and submittinge themselues to the seruice of the church in the vniuersall and common languadge thereof and of their great increase and charitie pietie deuotion religion therby as their shinning resplendent vertues of their godly conuersation and their externall worckes of mercie may wittnesse and confirme the same and the example of the contrarie practise in fewe yeares paste of these new euangelistes or pretended reformers as in disagreeing from the common vse and custome of the whole churche and reuoltinge from the obedience thereof auoucheth no lesse as also the smale or noe fruite at all that their vulgar and confused translations haue brought both vnto themselues and to their miserable and scabbed flocke which like giddy heades and itchinge braines were not contented nor setled therein but conceaued great loathsomnes thereof like the children of Israell who hauinge soe earnestlie sought vnto themselues a kinge yet when he did raigne ouer them nothinge was more toilsome vnto them Puritants cares nott for prayers soe as nothinge is more troublesom vnto your carnal appetites then any sett prayers or seruice in your vulgar translations which the puritantes doe protest to be collected out of the Popes portuis Masse Admonitio parleamenti and consequentlie verie distastfull vnto them Admonition parl pag. 45. and for this cause by the protestants of englande are censured as scismatickes Was euer their stinge more venemous or their bookes more exasperatinge or more vehement against the seruice of the church in the latine tounge then it i◠this day against the booke of comon prayer set forth in the englishe tonge and set seruice in your owne churches I haue reade the slanderous and bitinge booke of Thomas Cartwrithe oppugninge the same against doctor White-guifte Bishopp of Canterburie for defending it
there-you may see with what inuectiue stiles redoublinge withall oprobrious tearmes they doe entertaine one another and what a generall reuolte wee see nowe a dayes from this vulgar translation of sett prayers order sett downe in that booke and comaunded to be putt in continuall practise into Caluinisme and Puritanisme yea and at last vnto plaine athisme who will haue noe set prayers or common seruice at all sauinge some lasciuious and wanton psalmes of Geneua rather for fashion sake or some carnall delight then for any spirituall deuotion I haue seene a pamphlett in printe which was exhibited to the parlament that it was not lawfull for christians to say our pater noster or the creede yea not in our vulgar tongue 8. God doth knowe and wee ought not to be ignorant that your vulgar and false translation of scriptures or set prayers is not for edification but rather for cauillation though you inculcate the same soe ofteÌ„ your selues not restinge therein but slidinge from it againe In the kingdome of Ireland you comaund the englishe Bible and the english common prayer booke to be obserued in all the churches of that poore kingdome coÌ„pellinge the prisoners to buy those bookes which themselues coulde not vnderstande yea not one person amoungest 40. when that comauÌ„d was giuen forthe could speake or vnderstande the english tonge And now in the kinges raigne you cause those bookes to be set forth in the Irishe tonge compellinge euerie parish church to pay 10. shil for an Irishe Bible when one amoungest a 100. cannott read them or vnderstand them and therfore an Irish protestant Bishopp did laugh at this strange kinde of alteration and said to some of his frindes in Queene Elizabeth her time wee had englishe Bibles and Irish ministers but nowe said he wee haue ministers come out of england vnto vs and Irish Bibles with them 6. Are not for the most parte all the benefices and church liuinges of that kingdome bestowed vpoÌ„ English Scotish ministers not one of them hauinge three wordes of the Irish tonge and although in the English pale and in porte townes the inhabitants especially the best sorte caÌ„ speake Englishe yet fewe of the common sorte except it be betwixt Dublin and Drodach and in 3. barronies in the country of Wexforde can speake any worde of Englishe and truly I thinke that the Irish Bibles haue as many faultes errors in theÌ„ as the translation Martine Luther made of the Bible in which Hieronimus Enser found more then 1000. errors which he set downe in the translation that he made 1522. And not only catholiques haue charged him with those errors but also Zuinglius who made another kind of translation disagreeing from that of Luther The same is also witnessed by your variable traÌ„slations of your English Bible the first not agreeing with the last nor With the seconde In the conference had at Hampton courte the English Bible was censured to be ill translated and containing very partiall vntrue and seditious notes and too much sauoringe of dangerous and traiterous conceites and soe order was taken to make a newe translation How can the true sense and meaninge of the oracles of God be imbraced if they be tossed and corrupted with euerie vulgar tongue which oughte to be a sufficient cause that it should be preserued in those languadges in which it was first set forth by the Apostles and fathers of the primitiue church Cor. 14 7. S. Paule did forbid a womaÌ„ to speake in the church but nowe euerie woman amoungest the protestants is a mistris of scripture are all men Apostles all Euangelists all doctors saith the Apostle but nowe this vulgar translation or rather corruption or prophanation all Shoomakers Coblers Tailors Tauernors yea and lasciuious wanton women yea the most ignorant of all are Apostles prophetts euangelists and doctors so as they take away all order and forme of discipline from godes church and in the place of Hierusalem which ought to be a cittie well ordered withall vnformitie both of doctrine and discipline there is a Babilon builded where there is nothinge but a sauadge and barbarous confusion Soe as wee may perceaue that this inordinate desire of knowinge the hidden and secrett misteries of God which he woulde not haue to be abused by these contemptuous spirittes brought such fruite vnto the worlde as that disordered greedines of our first parentes touching the knowledge of good and euill therfore wee are warned not to knowe to much but rather to feare least wee should abuse our knowledg and therfore the holly ghoast doth aduise vs Eccle c. 3. not to be curious in searching things aboue our capacitie and beyond our reache 8. The beginninge and end of Ezechiel as S. Hierom wittnesseth was read by noe man before he was 30. yeares of age Hier. in proemiâ— Ezech. Baptisme was vealed in the read sea the Eucharist in the paschall lambe in manna and in Melchisedeks bread and wine the trinitie was not knowen to any but to the prophetts and the highe priestes S. Paule calleth the incarnation misterium absconditum à saeculis A misterie hidden from ages for the word misterium is not to be made knowen or diuulged to euerie one Dion lib Eccles Hier. c 1. Orig. hom 5. in cant Hier. ep 81. ad Pamachum as Dyonisius and Origenes doe counsel Did not the Apostles forbide to write the creede that noe man might learne it but by word of mouth of the Christians S. Ambrose alsoe saith lib. de ijs qui initiantur cap. 9. lib. 6. de Sacra c. 4. that ineffable misteries must be kept silent And therfore in the latine translation of the scripture wee retaine many Hebrew wordes and not without great cause are they reserued in the very hebrew it selfe which cannot be soe well translated into the latine much lesse to any other languadge as Alleluia Osanna Amen Emanuell Rabbi Abba as also greeke wordes Kyrie eleison Psalmum Christum Baptismum Episcopum Diaconum Eucharistiam Euangelium which are greeke voyces and when the Pope doth celebrate the Ghospell and the Epistle are read in greeke before the latine in the churche of Constantinople those were read first by the grecians in latine and afterwardes in greeke and soe the latine was interpreted by the greeke and this as Remigius declareth was done to shew the vnitie of faith in those two churches and that greeke in which the priests in Grecia doe celebrate or say Masse is not the same which the vulgaâ—e people doe vse but farr different from it which only the learned sorte of people doe vnderstande euen as the latine tonge is not the vulgare tonge of the latines but the Italian tonge for the latine is only knoweÌ„ to the learned For as S. Basil saith Basil lib. de Spiritu sancto Num. 5. it is not a misterie if it be commoÌ„ to the vulgar sorte for in the olde lawe all the vessells of the tabernacle were couered
wee must not iudge by examples but by lawes As for the priestes representinge the person of Christe vnto whome the precepte is giuen Doe this c. they receaue Christ vnder both kindes and yet the greekes doe not vse the Chalice in lent and the latines vpon good fridaye doe receaue Christ vnder one kinde 6. I aunswere further that many thinges are instituted by Christ which doe not bind vs to accomplishe them as matrimonie holie orders vowes and votaries to say masse virginitie and euangelicall councells are instituted by Christe and yet wee are not obliged therunto for it is in euerie mans owne election to marrie to receaue holie orders to vowe to be a virgin it was also instituted of God that wyne should be vsed for drinke and yet wee are not comaunded to drinke it it was also appointed by God that the first fruictes of wyne should be offred vnto the priests for their drinke yet they were not comaunded to drinke it Trulie you should followe Christ and imitate him had yow bene obedient to his church accordinge to the example of himselfe who did submitt himselfe to his mother the Sinagoge and her preceptes For wee must vnderstand that such thinges as our Lord hath ordained by himselfe cannot be altered in his Church nor be dispensed withall as the morall preceptes and the articles of our faith which are immutable and such as pertaine to the substance of the sacraments but such as are positiue precepts as the rites of the sacraments not essentiallie pertaininge to the same which Christe himselfe hath not instituted by occasion of time and place and other circumstancies the churche beinge directed by the spiritt of God may alter them because herselfe hath instituted them as this obseruation of communicatinge either vnder one or both kindes and therfore it may be changed by the churche 7. The holy doctors haue diuided the church into three states of times as Nicolaus de Lussa Cardinall Salmeron tractatis 34. related by Alfonso Salmeron hath obserued The first state of the church was feruent for the Christians in that golden world were inflamed with an ardent loue and feruent charitie to shedd their blood for Christ and in this state Christe was deliuered vnto those faithfull christians vnder both kindes that drincking the blood of our Lorde they should most cheerfully shedd their blood for him as S. Cyprian teacheth in his Epistle to Cornelius S. Cypri epist. ad Cornel. and his Epistle to the Thybaritans Neither did he altogether wish it should be giuen to euerie one of the laytie but in time of persecution to shedd their blood for Christ In the second state the church was zealous though not soe feruente and soe Christ was giuen vnto the christians vnder one kinde that is to say of bread which was dipped in blood as may be gathered out of manny fathers and councells In the third state the church was colde and luke warme and so was Christ giuen vnto the laytie vnder one kinde without dipping it into the blood This the church hath done for good cause beinge taught herein by the holly ghoaste which euer followeth the churche whose authoritie is of the same force nowe as it was then 8. You vrge the wordes of Christ saying Matt. 26. Bibite ex hoc omnes drinke yee all of this I aunswere that these words were spoken and directed to the disciples that were present and vnto the priestes their successors when they shoulde celebrate vnto whome also was said doe this in remembrance of me and therfore that glorious Martyr said Roffensii quotiescunque c. whēsoeuer yee shall drinke thereof c. because that the precepte of drinckinge is not soe absolute as the precepte of eatinge his bodie vnto which noe condition is added therfore it is a precepte deliuered vnto them with condition as when they will drinke of the Chalice they shoulde doe it and offer it in remembrance of him for the wordes of the imparatiue moode doe not alwayes include in them an intente of bindinge as vnder paine of sinne for by them wee pray Miserere mei Deus haue mercy on vs. Patientiam habe in me haue patience with me Sell all that thow haste and giue it to the poore yett wee are not bounde to perfourme this precepte Euen soe in these wordes Drincke yee all of this c. wee are not bounde to perfourme it but such as are priestes when they cōsecrate and therfore the three Euangelists doe declare that our Lord did sit with the twelue Apostles and not with other disciples and therfore none excepte the Apostles and such as lawfullie doe succeede them haue power to blesse or to consecrate the Euchariste as Clemens Chrysostome Ambrose S. Bernarde doe affirme 9. Likewise when he gaue power to remitte sinne Iohn 20. only the Apostles were assembled for as it is not the charge of euerie one to preach to baptise or to feede so it is not the office of euerie one to forgiue sinnes or to consecrate the Euchariste which only belonges to lawful priests vnto whom by those wordes he gaue power to consecrate offer dispense the Eucharist For the laytie by those wordes doe this in remembrance of me haue no other authoritie then that from the priests they shoulde receaue godlie and deuoutlie the Euchariste after whatsoeuer forme◠it should please the churche to giue them eyther vnder one kinde or two kindes Doe this whensoeuer yow shall drincke in my remembrance by which words it is not absolutly commaunded to drinke but whensoeuer yow drinke that it should be done in his remembrance as it was done in times paste In eatinge of the lambe it was simplie commaunded that euerie one should eate thereof but to drincke wine euerie one was not bounde it the supper of the lambe Otherwise the abstainer which did abstaine altogether frō wine should grieuouslie sinne and should not be so highlie commended of God for abstaininge from wine And in like manner the Nazarits should alsoe offend for abstaininge from wine as they did For although man can liue without wine yet he cannot liue without bread euen soe without the chalice a man may liue spiritually Hier. 35. but without the blessed bread he cannot liue spiritually and soe wee say alwayes in the Pater noster panem nostrum quotidianum giue vs this daye our daylie bread 10. Adrianus the 4. did dispense with those of Norwaye to consecrate vnder one kinde by reason of the scarcitie of wyne in that countrie for soe they should performe the obligation of receauing this blessed Sacramente This is also confirmed vnto vs by the three famous and generall councells and assemblies of the flower of all the best and learnedst men in the worlde Conc. Cōst sess 13. Basil ss 30 Trid. ss 21 videlicet the councell of Constance Basill and Trente with in the harte of Germanie where this article of receauinge vnder one kinde of the laitie was defined and
giuen also to others but Christ did not forbidd those to whome he comitted the gouernment of his church to denie it also to other some as it is said in the scripture Genes 9. that God hath giuen all cattle and beastes to the vse of man yet by that graunte or donation he hath not forbidden the superiors for disciplines sake to forbid their subiects in certaine tymes the vse of certaine meattes as God in his lawe by speciall commaundemente did forbidd the children of Israell all vncleane beastes and such that were strangled which neuerthelesse the church nowe doth teach and preach not that herein shee doth against Gods lawe or his precepte but that beinge taught by the holy ghoast shee doth interprete godes meaninge in the lawe For the positiue lawe of the church is nothing else then a certaine prescription of godes lawe and a certaine determination of that which is giuen in common God almightie commaunded vs in generall to praie to doe pennaunce to receaue the Eucharist but the church according to her wisdome and discretion respectinge rather the intente of the lawe-giuer then the lawe it selfe did prescribe both the tyme manner wherein and by which wee ought both to receaue the blessed Sacrament and to doe pennance and praie for the vulgar sorte yea and men of great learninge and science vnlesse they had bene endued with great charitie without these particuler determinations and comaundements of the Church would not keepe these generall comaundements Luther saith Luth. in lib. de formula missa lib. de Cōfessione parte 3. para 14. that the had noe other cause or any sufficient motiue to giue the Chalice to the laytie but that the church and the fathers did comaund the contrarie And in another place he dissuaded Christians from confession and from the Euchariste in time of easter because that the Pope commaunded it I will not obey his commaundemente saith he I will doe it saith he another tyme accordinge to myne owne pleasure but not accordinge to his precepte But Luther and all his malitious and turbulent followers ought to embrace the counsell that the Angell gaue to Agar the woman seruante Genes 16. Reuertere ad domum tuam humiliare suv◠manu illius retourne to thy house and humble thie selfe vnder her power This was spoken litterallie of Agar that shee should obey Sara and returne to her house which is allegorically spoken of the church vnderstoode by Sara and of the congregation of heretiques meante by Agar as S. Augustine doth teach vs. Whether the Catholicke Church doth add to this Sacramente in makinge it both a sacrifice and a Sacramente CHAPTER II. Cypr. epist 66. Chrysost hom 11. Damasc serm de cana 1. I ' Answere that the Catholique church doth add nothinge nor inuente any sacrifice but that which Christe instituted for a Sacramente which is our spirituall foode and may be said to be our daylie bread as also the great sacrifice of the newe testamente and soe Christ is said to be offered for vs two manner of wayes videlicet bloodilie and vnbloodilie In the first manner he offered himselfe for vs in ara crucis vpon the alter of the crosse which oblation the paschall lābe without spott which was offered by the Iewes did signifie In the second Cyrill ad Hebr. 9. Hier. cap. 9. ad Titum he offred himselfe in his last supper and nowe his priests doe offer him vpon the alter for the quicke and for the dead that accordinge to S. Cyrill the oblation of Melchisedech who did offer bread and wyne should be accomplished and that he should remayne a true priest accordinge the order of Melchisedech and that his priest hoode which is according to his humanitie and not accordinge to his diuinitie might endure for euer Soe as the Eucharist amongest other Sacraments of the old testamente hath this priuiledge How the Eucharist is a sacrifice and a Sacramēt and prerogatiue that it is a Sacramente when it is receaued by the faithfull and a sacrifice in asmuch as it is dailie offred for our offences to the eternall father And although euerie sacrifice be a Sacrament because it is a sacred thinge religiously instituted to sanctifie our soules notwithstādinge euerie Sacrament is not a sacrifice because it is not offred vnto God vnto whome sacrifice is offred and a Sacramente is ordained for men Soe as the Eucharist is of greater value and vertue as it is a sacrifice then as it is a Sacramente as Ioannes Roffensis saith in his articles against Luther and vpon this place related by Alfonso Salmeron Salmer tracta 16. in Ioannē That the Eucharist is a sacrifice of the newe lawe it is proued most aboūdantlie both by scriptures fathers and by councells 2. The first is by Malachias the prophett who did prophesie of this sacrifice after this manner Mal. c. 1. Psal 112. Non est mihi voluntas in vobis c. I haue noe likinge of yow and I will not receaue a gifte from your hand ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum c. from the risinge of the sunne vnto the goinge downe thereof magnum est nomen meum in gentibus in omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio mūda quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus my name is great amoungest the gentiles and in all places they doe sacrifice and offer vnto my name a cleane oblation This said the Lorde of hoasts he said that his name should be great amoungest the gentiles of whome this oblation should be offred for before the ghospell of Christe was preached vnto them noe oblation of theirs was lawfull neither the oblatiō of the Iewes was cleane it selfe but accordinge to the faith and deuotion of him that did offer the same besides they could not offer but at Hierusalem onlie and consequentlie it was not in all places of the worlde as it is mente heere from the easte to the weaste Neither can it be meant of a spirituall sacrifice either of prayers faith mercie or a contrite harte which in scriptures are called sacrifice as the Augustane Apologie doth interprete for manie reasons because that all these be not one sacrifice but many sacrifices as also because they doe not scceede the old sacrifices for in the old testament there was vse of those kinde of sacrifices as with vs and moreouer because they were not properlie called sacrifices but metaphoricallie neither are they offered in all places because they be spirituall thinges which needes noe place And much lesse are they vnderstoode of the preachinge of the ghospell as Bucerus writinge to Latonius doth interprete because preachinge is not properly called a sacrifice neither succeedeth it the olde sacrifices Neither the conuersion of the gentiles by the preachinge of the ghospell is this sacrifice as Aecolampadius doth expounde vnto the Senate of Basil for this is called an improper sacrifice neither one sacrifice but many
althoughe that poore priests that serue at the Alter accordinge to the scripture must liue by the alter S. Thomas saith that indulgence may proffit one two manner of wayes D. Thom. Supple 3. p. q. 61. artic 10. scip q. ar 1. q. 16. ar 3. First principally and directly it proffits him that receaues the indulgence vid. when he doth that for the which indulgences are graunted as when he visitts the sepulcher of some Saincts Secondarilie and indirectly the indulgences doe proffitt one when for his sake one performed that which was the cause of grauntinge the indulgence But if the forme of the indulgeÌ„ce be such as whosoeuer that will perfourme this or that he that accomplisheth the same shall haue the indulgence he cannot transfer the fruit of the indulgence vnto another because he cannot applie the vniuersall intention of the church by which all comon and vniuersall suffrages are comunicated and applied but if the indulgence be of that fourme that whosoeuer doth this or that 〈◊〉 for his father or any other that he thinckes good that is detained in purgatorie shall haue so much indulgence such an indulgence is not onlie available for the liuinge but also for the dead for the church hath asmuch power to conferr and bestowe the fruict of her comon suffrage vnto which the indulgence doth relie vppon the dead as vpoÌ„ the liuing thus far S. Thomas as aforsaid And soe saint Augustine saith that the suffrages doe proffit those that are in a meane betwixt good badd but such as S. Thom. saith are in purgatorie for the paines of purgatorie are to supplie the satisfaction which was not fully accomplished in this life and soe the worke of one may satisfie for another whether he be dead or aliue Greg. lib. moralium c. 23. for as S. Gregorie saith God doth change his sentence but not his councell as may appeare of the Niniuites Achab and Ezechias against whome Godes sentence beinge giuen was changed and reuoked by his mercie Whether it be against the lawe of God to forbid Priestes to marrie and whether vowes and votaries are rather the inuention of men then the ordinance of God CHAPTER III. IOuinian aboue 1000. yeares a goe 1. Tim. 4. alleadged S. Paule as protestants doe now saying that time should come when men erringe in faith should prohibit marriadge by which doctrine many Nunnes at Rome as S. Hierom against Iouinian and S. Aug. Aug. lib. de haeresib in his booke affirmeth were mislead and brake their vowes and rann headlonge vnto all turpitude of sensualitie But this text of holie scripture Tertul. li. Praescrip Chrys 12. in 1. Tim. Irene lib. Aug. heres 25. 40 Hiero c. 1. conâ—ra Iouini Epha 5. Ele. 1. ep 17. Ber. serm 60. in caÌ„t is expounded aswell by those fathers as by others that he meant of such as should say that mariadge in his owne nature should be euill as the old hereticks said Tatian Marcian Manicheus with their disciples Eucratites Patricians Eubionites Priscilianists and others Yea the Church doth reuerence matrimonie beinge one of her 7. SacrameÌ„ts more then protestantes for they make noe Sacrament thereof and shee doth only forbidd breach of profession and violatinge of a vowe made once to Christe 2. Another place they alleadge against the vowe of Chastitie 1. Cor. 7. which is that of S. Paule Melius est nubere quam vri it is better to marrie then to burne but this is spoken of such as are free persons and not of professed persons as all writers doe expound Soe Saint Gregorie saith if they cannot suffer the tempestuous waues of tentation without wreake of their saluation let them betake them to the porte of marriadge for it is written Melius est nubere quam vri it is better to marry then to burne S. Ambrose vpon this place hath these woordes Vri est desiderijs agi vinci ne vincamur autem in nostra potestate est per Dei gratiam to burne is to be vexed with concupiscence but that wee may not be ouercomme is in our owne power by Godes grace But this is noe new practise of malignaÌ„t heretiques to mantaine detestable luxurie vnder the coller of lawfull matrimonie For as Eusebius saith of the heretick Cerinthus because he was giuen to the bellye and sensualitie he framed and coined scripture accordinge to his vitious fancie The said Iouinian saith Raro â—eâ—unate crebrius nubite fast seldome marrie often He and Vigilantius said that there was noe difference betwixt virginitie and marriadge Iulian the Apostate setteth downe by lawe as our Apostates set forth by preachinge the rauishing of virgins the deflouringe of sacred Nunnes the breaking of vowes made vnto God the compellinge of votaries dedicated to his sacred seruice to forsake and leaue of what they haue solemly promised and firmlie purposed 3. But S. Mathewe saith that the Apostles forsooke all and followed Christ yet our newe ghospellers forsooke Christ and tooke the word only vppon these wordes Melius est nubere quam vri better it is to marrie then to burne I would they would vse S. Paule his medecine against their burninge concupiscence 1. Cor. 9. Castigo corpus meum c. I chastice my bodie and I reduce my fâ—esh in the seruitude of the spiritt least that preachinge pennaunce vnto others I should become reprobate my selfe Dauid also did vse the same when he said Psal 68. Operiam in ieiunio animam meam posui vestimentum meum â—ilicium I couer my soule with fastinge and my bodie with a heare cloathe doe you but so and yow shall haue godes grace to resiste all the occasions of the world temptatioÌ„s of the deuill and asurementes of the flesh as S. Paule had vnto whome God said Sufficit tibi gratia mea 2. Cor. 12. it sufficeth to haue my grace God is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strenght for as Christ saith the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and none can gett it but by force nemo coronabitur c. none shal be crowned vnlesse he shall fight lawfully Therfore S. Gregorie saith Fortitudo iustorum est carnem vincere c. The fortitude of the iust is to master his fleshe to resiste the appetites of his proper will to extinguish and despise the delightes of this life I would they had taken example by the serpent who to cast off her old skin fasteth three dayes and then doth wreast her bodie through a narrowe hoale and soe doth cast away the old rugged and withered skinne and a newe presentlie doth growe and so S. Paule bids vs to doe the like when he saith Induite nouum hominem put on the new man which was created accodinge to Godes Image in iustice and sanctitie of life for he said in another place that our sanctification is the will of God that we should abstaine from fornication and that by the narrowe way of pennaunce wee must enter into
life And then might you saie with the said Apostle Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat I can doe all thinges in him that doth strenghten me whosoeuer destroieth the temple of our Lord God will destroie him Moiâ—es spake vnto the Leuiticall priests be you holy because your Lord God is holy be you cleane that carrie the vessells of our Lorde 4. Now the continencie of priestes is plainlie proued by the lawe of God Cor. 7. Qui sine oxore est sollicitus quomodo placeat Deo he that is with aâ—â— a wife is carefull how to please â—er and soe he is deuided S. Paule saith It is good for a man not to touch a woman Our Sauiour saith 1. Cor. 8. there are Eunuches which gelde themselues for the kingdome of heauen Wherfore it is good to be sole and single wherby one may with greater libertie pray vnto God administer the Sacraments and be more liberall to the poore 1. Cor. 7. For S. Paule willeth a Priest to keepe hospitalitie but his wife and children would not suffer him that is weded to performe the same 1. Timoth. 4. S. Paule biddeth Timothy to keepe himselfe chast but the wife will saie Redde debitum render coniugall debt Saint Paule forbiddeth widdowes to marrie 1. Cor. 7. that haue vowed chastitie Vouete reddite Psal 75. vowe vnto God and performe the same saith the prophett The priestes of the old lawe notwithstandinge that for speciall causes they might marrie for that priesthoode went then by succession and not by election 1. Para. 24. as ours doth yet duringe the tyme of their office in the temple they were separated both from wife and all their familie Luc. 1. Exod. 11. It is written that it was not lawfull for the Iewes to eate anny parte of the Pascall lambe vnlesse they had their Ioynes girded vid. vnlesse they liued chastlye 1. Reg. 21 Abimelech would not giue the bread of proposition to Dauid before he tould him that both he and his companie did not latelie touch their wiues saying If they be cleane from woomen lett them eate wherupon S. Hierom vppon the first Chapter of saint Paule to Titus did alleadge that place sayinge Tantum interest c. There is so much difference betwene the loaues of proposition and the bodie of Christe as betwixt the shaddowe and the bodie Aug. ser 37 ad fratres 5. Who knoweth not that S. Paule counseled euen the married men of the riotous Towne of Corinthe to abstaine from the vse of marriadge a certaine tyme for prayer sake much more the priests should allwayes abstaine because they are bound allwayes to praie for the people as S. Ambrose saith And S. Ierom saith if the laytie ought not to praie vnlesse he abstaine from the dutie of wedlocke the priest that must allwayes offer sacrifice and praie must allwayes also abstaine c. And S. Basil saith that the chaste and sole life is like to God himselfe 5. But the Protestant Apostates do colour the satisfaction of their carnall lusts with S. Paules wordes sayinge That a Bishopp must be the husband of one wife Wherto I aunswere that when the Apostle would haue all priestes chast as was S. Timotheus Titus Euodius and saint Clement and although in those dayes the profession of virginitie chastitie begon soe as there were but fewe Virgins yet the Apostle would haue that such as should be chosen Bishopps should be either of those that were but once married or who after his wiues death was at libertie or by consent of both man and wife both of them liued chaste as I haue knowen many laymen to haue don the like And this was the mynd of the Apostle as the protestants themselues cannot denye And so S. Hierom saith Hier. ad Ioui CoÌ„fâ—â—eris non posse esse Episcopum qui episcopatu â—iliâ—s facit you confesse saith he that he cannot be a Bishopp which begettes children in his bishopricke otherwise he shall not be accounted a married man but an aduouterer soe the Apostle did teach and all antiquitie thus farr S. Hierom and S. Epiph. 17. ad perago The said S. Hierom writeth that the Apostles were single S. Hieron epist â—0 or els vsed not there wiues which they before married Sanctum sacerdotium Hier. contra â—oui lib. 1 c. 19 Conc. â—art 2. cap. 2. saith saint Hierom the holie priest-hoode proceeded of Virgins if not of virgines yet of such as lead a solitarie life if virgines could not be had yet such should refraine from their wiues or ells those that were widdowes beinge neuer married but once and soe it was obserued in Affricke Italie Fance Spaine Greece Asia in Egipt in al the east as may appeare by Concilium Eliberti ca. 33. Epiph. in canpen in heres 59. contra Catharos Hiero. contra vigil cap. 1. Bibliander in pref EpistolaruÌ„ Zuingl Oecolamp Caluine also hath these woordes Cal. lib. 4. instiâ— c. 13 Fateor ab vltima memoria hoc fuisse obseruatum I confesse that was obserued from the beginninge that they tied themselues by a vowe of contineÌ„cie Martyr de votis pag. 490. who dedicated themselues to godes seruice and this was obserued in the old tyme. Peter martyr another protestaÌ„t saith that in the tyme of S. Clement of Alexandria which was next vnto the tymes of the Apostles Magdeb. hist Cent. 5 cap. 4. that people professed chastitie and vowed continencie Madeburgenses and Beza in prefatione noui testamenti principi codensi do wittnesse thus much 6. Lastlie the only cause why the protestantes would haue priests to marry is because they thincke that it is impossible for them to liue chaste and that wedlocke should be a remedie against luste but filthie raginge concupiscence is not taken awaie or anny thinge abated by the operation and execution thereof but rather by his contrarie vertue as may appeare by a certaine apostate Priest who fallinge vnto Lutheranisme obtained the encombencie of a parish church in Germanie and married a wyfe whom within a litle after he murthered for that his filthie luste was not satisfied therby and that soe he might be more free to purchase another Suriut but the murther being knoweÌ„ and beinge demaunded what was the reason that he comitted such a wicked acte he answered that the disordered appetites of luste amoungest the ghospellers are not restrained by one wooman as yow may see by experience that one vice is not taken away or restrained by another vice but rather by his contrarie vertue I would these ministers had vsed those meanes to bridle their filthie luste and ouercome the furious passion of fleashly pleasures as S. Paule and other holy Saincts did sayinge Castigo corpus meum in seruitutem redigo carnem meam I chastice my bodie and I reduce my flesh into the seruitude of the spirite or as Christe couÌ„selled to geilde themselues for the kingdome of heauen
Lucif c. 6. prouinge against them that they make God subiect to the diuill a poore miserable Christ that imagine that the church may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the worlde 4. And although the Sacraments ceremonies Matt. 11. and the legall obseruations of the Iewes did faile because it is said the lawe and the prophetts were vnto Iohn yet notwithstandinge the church of Christ did not faile which was collected and composed of both the nations I meane Iewes and Gentiles as S. Paule doth wittnesse in many places that the first fruictes of the holie ghoaste and the first christians were the Apostles which were Iewes therfore the churche of the Iewes did not faile so as that none of them did remaine therin as the said Apostle proues Rom. 11. Hath God saith he reiected his people God forbid for I am an Israelite and of the seede of Abraham and of the tribe Beniamine for God did not cast of his people The glosse vpon this place faith that the Iewes are not infidels altogether and soe God did repell theÌ„ in parte but not in whole because he hath not reiected me and others that are predestinated thus farr the glosse For he reiected the howse of Saule but not of Dauid vnto whome in reward of the ardent desire and feruent deuotion that he had to builde a temple for godes glorie he promised that he would build for Dauid an euerlasting kingdome and a perpetuall howse from whome he should neuer take away his mercie for which he made the 88. psalme wherin he confirmed this promise Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes soe riche and ecclesiasticall possessions soe great the poore wanting the same CHAPTER I. 1. WHatsoeuer is giuen to Christs church is giuen in his honor that suffred for the said church beinge his spouse his portion c. for as our Sauiour saith Beatius est dare quam accipere It is better to giue then to take and noe maruaile that christians should giue vnto God some parte of his owne as the prophett saith what shall I giue vnto him that giues vnto me all thinges I pray you tell me whether it be a greater offence to robb and ouerthrowe the kinges howse and to spoile his subiects of their goodes depriue them of their liues and to comitt all other outragious facts vpoÌ„ them then to build the same maintaine and enriche the same to bestowe lardglâ—e vpon his seruaunts to defend and protect them c Tell me I praie you whether Salomon that built the temple of Ierusalem soe sumptuously and which by the riches thereof was most famous through out the world was more offensiue vnto God for soe doing then Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and Antiochus Epiphanes which were not contented to ransacke and spoile that worthie temple cast downe the pillers take away the golden alter and candlesticks and all other sacred vessells or religious ornamentes but also defiled the same and prohibited any oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice to be offered therin For this cause these two tirants doe represent the diuill and Salomon is a figure of Christe And if Salomon was soe comended in holie scriptures for buildinge the said Temple for the sinagoge how much more christiaÌ„ princes for buildinge churches for Iesus Christe 2. I praie you tell me also whether Constantine the great merited more before God the world for buildinge soe many churches vppon his owne charges and for augmentinge and enrichinge the patrimony of Christe then kinge Henrie the 8. that did cast and pull downe soe many churches monasteries and chapples and did disolue soe manny Religious howses robbed them of all their sacred ornaments and by soe doinge spoyled God of his patrimonie Yow saie that whatsoeuer kinge Henrie the 8. did was donn for the reliefe of the poore and the ease of his subiects to be freed from subsidies and impositions as was related in that verie parleameÌ„t wherin monasteries churches were surprised and religion prophaned And therfore it was added in the said parleament that the truly poore of the kingdome perished and that Abbey Lubbers for soe they called religious persons did possesse their liuinges To this effect there was a supplicatioÌ„ exhibited to the kinge against Bishoppes Abottes Priores Deacons Archdeacons suffragans priestes in forme following c. What tyraÌ„t euer oppressed the people like this cruel veÌ„geable generation Before these came there were but fewe theues yea thefte was at that tyme soe rare that Caesar was not compelled to make penaltie of death vpon felonie as your grace may wel perceaue in his institutes ther was also at that time but fewe poore people and yet they did not begge but there was giueÌ„ them enoughe vnasked Wherfore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall faile to reliue vs all your poore beads men take from them al these thinges set these sturdy boubies abroad in the world to get theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get their liuinge with their labour in the swette of their browes accordinge to Gene. 1. Tie all idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euerie markett towne that they by their importunat begginge take not away the allmesse that the good christian people do giue then shall aswell the number of our foresaid mounsterous sorte as of the baudes hoores theeues and idle people decrease then shal these great yearly exactions cease then shall all your people encrease in wealthe c. these are sett downe in Iohn Fox his Chronicles Iudas in like manner when the deuout wooman Marie MagdaleÌ„ anointed Christs feete with a moste pretious ointment did saie vt quid perditio haec what destruction is this had it not bene better said he that this had bene sold and giuen vnto the poore our Sauiour aunswered let her alone and added moreouer that in what place so euer of the world his gospell should be read her deuotion should be comended And as Iudas herin did not care for the poore as the scripture reporteth but hopinge it should retourne to himselfe soe parleament protestants did not care for the poore but all their drifte was to haue the liuinges and treasures of the churches themselues as itt fell out 3. I praie you tell me whether the poore were better and more reliued or the subiects more eased of subsidies and impositioÌ„s before the suppression of the church or after Doctor Sanders writes that England was neuer troubled with greater impositioÌ„s subsidies then it was in the later daies of kinge Henry the 8. nor any kinge in england had lesse treasure in his cofers then he at his deathe And as for the poore people it is manifest that they haue lesse releefe now then euer they had I am sure there are not 300. persons reliued by all the churche liuinges of England and Ireland beinge in those mens handes which haue as little charitie towardes God and
pittie towardes the poore as they haue remorse of conscience to keepe them or morall honestie to bestowe them And as for other ecclesiasticall dignities and spirituall benefices out of which the greatest liuely hoode should be deducted they saie Non sufficit nobis vobis wee haue not inoughe our selues much lesse will wee imparte any thinge vnto others hauinge such a diluge of chitts and childrē with which the countries of this ghospell doe aboūd that S. Paule should not bragge nor glorie more for begettinge children per euangelium by the gospell of Christe then they by their voluptuous gospell And soe eche of them maie saie Genui vos per euangelium I haue begotten yow by the gospel but I would to God they had gotten them spiritually as S. Paule did and not carnallie as they doe whose voluptuous gospell is Crescere multiplicare ex sanguinibus aut ex voluntate carnis sed non ex Deo nati sunt By filthie concupiscence accordinge to the will of the fleash but are not borne of God whose vnhappy and wofull of springe did robb Christ of his patrimony and did not onlie destroie the ecclesiasticall state of his church but also haue almost brought to ruine the ciuill and temporall state hauing made their inundation with which all England and Irelād are so ouerwhelmed into their neighbours possessions and territories that the boundes and banckes of these countries are not able to resiste their violent irruptions neither yet a meane contment is not able to conteine the confused and disordered multitude of their issue soe as if England either by conquest or some other course doe not appoint their habitation and dwellinge place in some other countrie as Virginia or Guiana or elce where the kingdome of great Brittanie and poore Ireland shall feele the smarte and especially the nobilitie and cheefest into whome they prie daylie seekinge by all dishonest courses to intrude into their landes and liuinges as they haue donn alreadie by suppressinge them in all those countries where this gospel tooke footing for I dare say and boldely affirme that these gospellers haue putt downe and surprised as many howses of noble men and gentlemen as monasteries and churches but it is the iust iudgment of God that these potentats and great people should feele their greatest smarte by whom they were sollicited defended and protected in this their newe gospell And that for two causes vid. libertie to liue dissolutelie without controllment of their spirituall pastors and couetousnes with greedie desire to possesse and enioye the churche liuinges which sorte of people for that they contemne all spirituall power or iurisdiction which the church ought to haue ouer them as the spiritt ouer the fleash did easilie yeald to any heretique impugninge and resistinge this spirituall power and takinge away all ecclesiasticall discipline and spirituall correction and soe they gaue them full scope to all abhominable riotousnes and wanton dissolution 4. But to retourne to my purpose that God is not displeased nor good Christians offended for buildinge churches and monasteries or other religious howses for his seruice nor the poore hindered of their releefe for anny charitable oblations or donations that the deuout christians doe bestow on the church but rather God much pleased therby and the poore releeued First 2 Reg. 7. Genes Dauid for hauinge a desire to build a temple for Godes honor was rewarded with and euerlastinge howse and a perpetuall kingdome Iacob but only for consecrating a stone to godes glorie it was said vnto him I will cause thee to encrease and multiplie The englishmen vppon their first cominge to Irelande vnder kinge henrie the 2. dedicated to the seruice of God the first land they tooke which was in the countie of Wexford and made two famous monasteries as Donbrody and Tentarom of the order of S. Bernard and haue endued thē with great and ample possessions as also many churches in that countie and in euery place where they came which was noe smale cause they had such good successe in their enterprise Henry the 5. before he tooke the warres of Fraunce in hand builded two famous monasteries by Richmounde one of the order of Carthusians and the other of Sion Nunes of the order of S. Bride eche monasterie standes one againste the other and the riuer of Themes betwixt them which he dedicated to the seruice of God whom they praised with celestiall alleluias as diuine praises which were neuer omitted either by day or by night soe that when th one would make an end the other would beginn the bells giuinge them notice therof Therfore God did prosper him soe well in those warres that he brought almost all France to his subiection and his sonne kinge Henry the 6. was crowned kinge of Fraunce at Paris beinge but xi yeares of age Yea I could recken more then a thowsand examples of the like subiecte 5. And for the releefe of the poore as the pretious ointment that Marie Magdalen bought for our Sauiours feete was not a hinderance for the poore soe whatsoeuer is giuen to further his seruice doth rather further then hinder them Is there anie countrie in Europe more charitable to the poore and more liberall to godes seruants and all other ecclesiasticall persons then Spaine and yet noe countrie more sumptuous and costlie in their churches and more deuoute and lesse sparing of any thinge they haue for the settinge foorth of godes glorie for adorninge churches and monasteries with all ornaments and implements pertaininge therunto Is there anie country in the world that can shewe such hospitales in all citties townes villadges and hamletts for the cure of the sicke and for the releefe of pilgrimes and strangers such colledges for poore virgins that be depriued of parents and frindes where they be kept and brought vpp in all honest and godly education befittinge gentle women vntill they be married vppon the cost and chardges of the colledge in euerie cittie or great towne in Spaine such confraternities being erected for all workes of mercie by which meanes all sortes of distressed persōs are reliued soe many hospitalities for cast children for whome they haue nurses to giue them sucke vpon the hospitalles charges which also giues releefe vnto them vntill they be able to helpe themselues Soe manny colledges for orphanes soe manny vniuersities for schollers as noe countrie can shewe soe manny hauinge 24. vniuersities and so manny howses of mercie that I dare saye that the howse of mercy of Lisborne doth more workes of charitie and sustaines more poore people and marryes more virgins for godes sake then all the protestante countries in Europe 6. To conclude England and Ireland cannot denie but there was better prouision for the poore before the church was destroyed then after and that the most parte of all colleges and hospitalles were builded by church men themselues Did not the faithfull bringe all their goodes vnto the Apostles Act. c. 5. to be disposed accordinge to their
the takinge of them into his handes he determined with himselfe not to make any more vse of them God would not haue thinges dedicated to his honor to be transferred to any prophane vse vppon anny pretence whatsoeuer And for that Nicephorus Phocas Emperor made a lawe by which he reuoked and called backe all lawes that were made in fauor of churchmeÌ„ for that they had such ample patrimonie and that the poore as he alleadged was not releeued nor the soldiors had wherwith to eate Lib. 1. in in Constit 69. orient The Emperor Basilius did repeale that statute by another lawe by these wordes Vnderstandinge that the lawe of Nicephorus made after that he vsurped the empire against the church and church liuinges was the only cause and ofspringe of all our mischeefe and present callamities for that lawe was not only don in preiudice of the church but also it was plainly against the honnor of God and seinge wee finde by experience to our great greefe that nothing succeeded well with vs neither did wee want continuall callamities after the makinge thereof therfore wee comaunde that it shall cease and be of noe force nor anny other lawe against the church 6. In like manner Alexis Comnenus Emperor of Constaninople besides that he made streight lawes against those that vsuâ—ped anny thinge consecrated vnto God to declare his greater deuotion he in the golden bull added these wordes If euer hereafter ô Lord God anny shal be soe maliparte or soe presumptuous as to take anny thinge that is alreadie consecrated to God or hereafter shal be dedicated to his holie church let such an one neuer enioye the cleere lighte of thy vision neither the light of the sonne that giues lighte in the morninge neither thy aide or protexion but euermore let him be dispised and forsaken of thee The same malediction in substance the Queene Theodolenda did giue vnto all those that would vsurpe the goodes and landes which shee did giue and bestow vppon the church of S. Iohn Baptiste in the cittie of Moucia Lib. 4. c. 7. de gest Longobardorum as Paulus Diaconus doth write The like malediction other Princes haue cast foorth vppon those that would frustrate their godly endeuours for that they feared that one time or another the greedy desire and couetuousnes of wicked people would breake all bondes of godes lawes and religion 7. Allas how manny maledictions were cast vppon the protestants for comittinge sacriledge and for robbinge of churches as that of Corronell Randale and 500. English soldiors withall their munition and victualls which were blowen vpp into the ayre by their owne pouder by an extraordinarie accident of a Woulfe who rann with a firie taile into the church of Derrie in Vulster which by the said Randall was polluted all which in a moment did perishe with a shipp that was at â—anker by the said church Anno Domini 1565. Also of one Sentleger beinge master of the mint that was at Rosse in Ireland in the monasterie of S. Francis in kinge Edwardes dayes who for that the workmen told him that they were beaten by S. Francis euerie night went himselfe of meere presumption vnto the said monasterie to lodge the verie first night he went thither he was soe assaulted that he rann madd and rann headlounge that verie nighte into the riuer and drowned himselfe and his carcase was found dead vppon the sand that morninge In the warres of Garret Earle of Desmond the English garrisoÌ„ that was at Yonghull a port towne in the prouince of Mounster in their sally foorth vppon the enemies went to a certaine monasterie called Melanie which is scituated in an Iland and in the riuer of that towne called the broade water one captaine Peers beinge the leader of that garrison caused a fire to be made and one of his companie called Bluett an Irishman and natiue of Yonghull making fire of the image of that Sainct called Melanye vppon the suddaine fell madd and died within 3. dayes after And the said captaine for that he comaunded him soe to doe was depriued of the vse of his limmes and falling into a dead palsie was neuer founde vntil he died and his companie were all killed by the said Earle his Sensciall this happened 1580. 8. Alsoe one Poet an Englishman breakinge downe a monasterie of S. Dominiques in the North part of Yonghull fell dead downe from the toppe of the church all his limmes beinge broken Anno Domini 1587. Also three souldiors of that towne which did cast downe and burne the holye roode of that monasterie died within one seanight after they hade done it An. 1580 The firste fell madd and died within 3. dayes after The second was eaten with life and died within 5. daies And the third was kild by the said Earles Sensciall within 7. daies after all which manny of that towne now â—iuinge can wittnesse An. 1608 The Lord Crowmell that cast downe the steeple of S. Patriques Church in Vlster dyed within one seanight after some said he fell madd and died therof Also an English carpenter that went vp vpon the vesterie of S. Patriques church of Dublin fell downe his bones were brokeÌ„ and died frantique within 2. dayes after An English captaine that pulled downe the holie roode of Cahir An. 1609 rann madd and cast himselfe from the toppe of the castle of the said Cahir headlonge into the riuer and drowned himselfe 9. Garrett Earle of Desmounde after beinge proclaimed traitour accompanied with his brother Sr. Iohn of Desmound and 800. more in their company for their first exploite inuaded the towne of Yonghull which they spoyled ransacked burnt and destroyed the howses tooke away all the poore inhabitants goodes stript them most cruelly of all their cloathes and left them both man and wooman naked not permittinge them to hide or couer their secreat pertes which nature it selfe would faine couer rauishinge married woomen with manny other wicked actes which they perpetrated not sparinge church or sanctuarie nor any thinge whatsoeuer that was sacred which they polluted defiled and brought euery thinge to vtter confusion and desolation makinge hauocke aswell of sacred vestimentes and chalices as of any other chattle Certaine Spaniardes which were with them at that wicked exploite perceauinge by the furniture and ornamentes of the churches that the townes men were all catholiques and containinge their handes from spoiling were reproued by some of that wicked companie for that they tooke not parte of the spoile as others did but they aunswered that they ought not to robbe or spoile better christians then themselues And one of the said Spaniardes cut his cloake as S. Martine did in fiue partes and distributed the same vppon fiue children which were stript of their cloathes and lefte naked by some of the kearnes But very fewe or none of them escaped a miserable end For the Earle himselfe was beheaded by a poore souldior beinge â—ound in a woode with a verie smale
vnto him the kingdome of heauen and that through our faith though neuer soe little notwithstandinge anie wickednes wee should be secure of heauen that there is no sinne before God but incredulitie That the tenn comaundements pertaine not to ChristiaÌ„s That accordinge to Caluine it is impossible to the Sainctes to obserue the comaundements Also that there is noe paines of damnation for man but to thincke that God is aduersarie to him Petrus Rycherus said who was it were the Idoll of Beza and who was sente by Caluine vnto the weaste Indies that Christe should not be prayde vnto Wherfore he tooke Gloria Patri Filio c. out of the Psalmes of Dauid Cart. in â— repl pa. 191. 13. Did not Cartwrith say I cannot be persuaded that saint Peter and saint Paule were soe foolish as to thincke that a pooâ— miserable man which they saw with theâ— eyes Beza in respoÌ„ ad arg BreÌ„tiâ— Epist 6. Fox in his Carelesti pag. 1534. Calu. in Hermo in Euange Calu. insti l. 1. c. 18. Peter martyr in 1. Sam. 2. Melancthon in c. Rom. 8. Calu. li. de eterna Dei praedest pag. 101. Zuin glius li. de prouidentia was their God Beza alsoe holdes the same and many others of that stampe yâ— some of them that were burnt in Queene Maries dayes and related by Fox for Martyrs houlde That Christ was in desperatioâ— when he was vppon the crosse accordingâ— to Caluine That God is the author and cause of sinne the procurer and intiser comaunder and worker and that the adulterie of Dauid and the treason of Iudas was as well the worke of God as the conuersion of saint Paule And that man hath noe free will with manny such horrible blasphemies to tedious for me to repeate and irksome for anny Christian to heare Soe as by these wicked paradoxes it must followe that God is turned to be a diuill and that he is most vniuste to condemne men for the offenses which they cannot shunne hauinge noe free will to auoide them nor noe force to resiste God the worker counceller and intiser to sinne That noe iott or sillable of Christian religion ought to be counted a thinge indifferent or of smale moment and that whosoeuer doth not agree with the Catholique Church in all pointes of beleefe cannot be saued CHAPTER III. 1. S Thomas saith that whosoeuer doth err in one article S. Thom. 2 2. q. 5.3 he hath noe faith of the rest for as saint Vincentius Ferar. saith vertue hath noe more fondations then one and the same is indiuisible which is the diuine trueth which cannot be deceaued nor deceaue and soe whosoeuer doubteth in one hath noe foundation of the reste For if a rocke should fall vppon which there should be 12. chambers all those chambers would fall also euen soe the protestants in the beginninge fell from the church which is the rocke vppon which Christe builded these 12. chambers I meane the twelue articles of our beleefe soe once they fallinge from the church they fell from these 12. articles and came vnto vs in spiritu erroris mendacij in the spirite of error and lienge This Martin Luther said of the Zuinglians Luth. dialog 6. c. 11 In vaine saith he they beleeue in God the father the sonne and the holie ghoast and all the rest because they denie this one article Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodiâ— 2. For this cause Iconoclasters or Imageâ— breakers are auncient heretiques becausâ— they denie that article of the catholique church of the reuerencinge of sacred images How many of al estates prelates nobles and common people suffred eyther death or banishmente in the time of the Emperors that were image breakers for they considered that whosoeuer obserueth all the lawe and offendeth in one is guilty of all the reste The trewe mother of the child would haue noe diuision thereof Nonne isti saith saint Augustine quos vâ—catis haeretici doe not these which you call heretiques confesse the same trinitie beleue also in Christe and yet they were called auncient heretiques whose heresies were knowen and nowe altogether extinguished through their absurdities Aug. lib. 2 de trinit cap. 17. Hoc qui credunt saith he lib. 2. nectu in catholica fide sed in schismate aliquo aut haeresi credunt whosoeuer beleeueth all articles of the creede and otherwise remaininge in any scisme and heresie cannot be in the catholique faith The Arrians denied but one letter in the creede Zozo li. 3. cap. 17. Theod. l. 2 cap. 18. 21. and yet saint Ierom saith that if the church had not resisted the Emperor Valenâ— which did fauour the Arrians touchinge that letter which was Omusion in steed of Omision Christendome saith he would haue bene in great danger 3. When the prefect of the Arrian Emperor Valens In vit Basil Naz. orat 20. in laudem Basilij dealt with saint Basil that he should not be soe obstinate or wilfull in his opinions but that he should conforme himselfe to the Emperor and liue in his fauour he answered that such as are fedd with the daintie feastes of holy scriptures they would suffer all kinde of tormentes rather then any iott sillable or letter should be chaunged And as for the Emperors frindshipp he did esteeme it well soe that it were not against pietie and religion Rom. 12. S. Chrisostome vppon that place of saint Paule Hauinge peace with euerie bodie Wee ought not to preferr saith he peace before godes trueth when the same is in danger but rather to offer our liues for the defence thereof Soe as yow see that the Arrians were condemned for heretiques for one letter beinge in all other pointes catholiques but the protestantes haue raised from hell all the heresies that euer were for noe heretiques almoste that euer were but kept ecclesiastical seruice and ceremonies like the catholiques but the protestants haue taken away all therfore they should not bragge that their religion is agreable to the word of God or the Romish church or that the Romish church or anny member thereof should ioyne with them therein That the newe Religion for that it takes away all religion is worse then that of the Turckes and Gentiles CHAPTER IV. Stur de rat concordiae inâ—undâ— 1. STurmius a protestant wryter sayeth that Lutherans and Caluinistes do destroye and take away the cheefeste articles of Christian religion and the fondation of our faith Which thus is proued to be true That religion is beste which thinckes of God most reuerentlie and of their neighbours most charitably but the Turcks and Gentiles doe farr excel the new religion in worshippinge God and helpinge their neighbors therfore it must needes be better then the new Cicero sayeth Cicero lib. 2. de diuinitate that God is a certaine excellent and eternall nature and that the order of ecclesiasticall thinges is the beawtie of the world who although they did speake of
redeemed with a submission paimeÌ„t of a hundreth thowsand pounds for that they acknowledged Cardinall Campeignes and Cardinall Wolsey as legats from Rome notwitstanding that the king himselfe by his Ambassadors procured their coming In the 24. yeeres of his raigne also he prohibited all appeales in causes ecclesiasticall reducing all spirituall authoritie of determining the same to the English Cleargie He forbid all license or dispensations and faculties from the church of Rome and seemed to establish them in Thomas Cranmer Archbishopp of Canterburie that he should grant the same to the king againe the 26. of his raigne Other his bloody factes and furious behauiour yow may well perceaue by the Catalogue following A Catalogue of those that suffred death as well vnder king Henry as Queene Ellzabeth king Iames from the yeare of our Lord 1535. 27. of king Henryes raigne vnto the yeere 1618. IN the first rancke of these blessed martyrs I ought not to forgett that blessed martyr S. Thomas of Canterburie alias Becket who for defending the immunities of the Church was murthered in king Henry the 2. his raigne now againe was by king Henrie the 8. by act of parleament attainted of high treason his ashes and holy bones and reliques were burned and of all churches dedicated to God in his honor it was decreed by parleament that they should not be named after him any more to which purpose comissioners were appointed in all places of England and Ireland and in the towne of Rathode in Meath the church wherof is dedicated to God in S. Thomas his honor the parishioners being commaunded to name their church after saint Peter they answered that the king may aswell by parleament proclaime saint Peter a traitor as saint Thomas and to preuent that they nominated their church after the blessed Trinity Vnder King Henry the VIII Anno Christi 1535. Henrici 8. anno 27. These were put to death at Tyburne the 29. of Aprill for denying the Kings Supremacy IOhn Houghton Prior of the Carthusianus at London Nic. SaÌ„d lib. 1. de Schism Ang. pag. 128. 129. 130. Augustine Webster Prior of the Carthusians at Exham Robert Laurence Prior of the Carthusians at Beuall Richard Reynolds Mounke of S. Brigitts order of Syon Iohn Hayle Priest Vicar of Thistleworth Charter house Monkes of London suffered at Tyburne 18. Iune Humfrey Mildemore William Exmew Sebastian Newdigate Carthusians at Yorke 11. May. Iohn Rochester Iames Warnet Charter house Mounkes died in prison in Iune Iuly Richard Bere Thomas Greene Iohn Dauis Thomas Iohson William Greenwod Thomas Scriuan Robert Salt Walter Persons Thomas Reading William Horne Carterhouse Monke 4. Aug. Iohn Fisher Card. of S. Vitalis Ric. Hal. in eius vita Staples de tribus Thom. Bishopp of Rochester at Tower-Hill 22. Iune Syr Thomas More Knight at the Tower-hill 6. Iuly Anno Christi 1536. Henr. 8. 28. Iohn Pasley Abbot of Whalley at Lancaster 10. March Sand. ibi l 1. pag. 176. 177. Iohn Castegate Monke at Lancaster 10. March William Haddocke Monke at Whaley 13. March N. N. Abbot of Sauley at Lancaster in March N. Ast be Monke of Geruaux at Lancaster in March Robert Hobbes Abbot of Woborne togeather with the Prior of the same Monasterie and a. Priest suffered at Woborne in Bedfordshire in March Doctor Maccarell with 4. other Priests at Tyburne 29. March William Thrust Abbot of Fontaines at Tyburne in Iune Adam Sodbury Abbot of Geruaux at Tyburne in Iune William Would Prior of Birlington at Tyburne in Iune N. N. Abbot of Riuers at Tyburne in Iune Anno 1537. Henr. 29. Antony Brorby of the Order of S. Francis Sand. ibi pag. 183. Boucher de pass Fratr Fransc pag. 8. 13. 17. strangled with his owne girdle at London 19. Iuly Thomas Cort Franciscan famished to death in prison 27. Iuly Thomas Belcham of the same Order died in Newgate 3. August Anno 1538. Henr. 30. Iohn Forest Frier obseruant Boucher ibid. pag. 26. Sand. ibid. Confessour to queene Katherine in Smithfield 23. May. Iohn Stone an Augustine friar at Canterbury this yeare Two and thirty Religious men of the Order of S. Francis being cast into prison for denying the K. Supremacy died there through cold steÌ„ch and famine in Aug. Sept. and October Sand. l. 1. pag 973. N. Croft Priest at Tyburne N. Collins Priest at Tyburne N. Holland Layman at Tyburne Anno 1539. Henr. 31. Knights of S. Iohns of Ierusalem at Towerhill 8. Iul. Sand. pa. 181. 194. 197. Adrian Fortescue Thomas Dingley Griffith Clarke Priest At S. Thomas Wateringes 8. N. Mayre Monke At S. Thomas Wateringes 8. Iohn Tauers Doctor of diunity 30. Iulij Iohn Harris Priest 30. Iulij Priests at Reading 14. Nouemb. Iohn Rugge William Onion Hugh Faringdon Abbot of Rehding at Rehding 22. Nouem Richard Whiting Abbot of GlasteÌ„bury at Glastend 22. Nouem Monks of GlasteÌ„bury at Glastend Iohn Thorne 22. Nouem Roger Iames Monks of GlasteÌ„bury 22. Nouem Iohn Beck Abbot of Colchester at Colchester 1. Decemb. Anno 1540. Henr. 32. Priests at Galais 10. April Sand. ibi pag. 216. 217. William Peterson Wiliam Richardson Priestes in Smithfield 30. Iuly Thomas Abell Edward Powell Rich. Fetherstone LaureÌ„câ— Cocke Prior of Dancaster At Tyburne 4. August Williame Horne Monke At Tyburne 4. August Edmund Bromelie Priest At Tyburne 4. August Giles Horne Gentleman At Tyburne 4. August Clement Philpot Gentleman At Tyburne 4. August Darby Genninges Layman At Tyburne 4. August Robert Bird Layman At Tyburne 4. August Anno 1541. Henr. 33. Dauid Genson Knight of the Rhodes 1. Iuly Sand. pag. 180. Anno 1543. Henr. 35. German Gardener Priest at Tyburne 7. March Sand. pag. 227. Iohn Lâ—arke Priest at Tyburne 7. March Iohn Ireland Priest at Tyburne 7. March Thomas Ashbey Layman at Tyburne 7. March Iohn Risby at Tyburne 7. March Thomas Rike at Tyburne 7. March Vnder Queene Elizabeth Anno 1570. Elizabethae 12. Iohn Felton Gentleman Nicol. Sander l. 7. de visib Monarc pag. 734. 736. in S. Paules Church-yard 8. August Anno 1571. Elizabeth 13. Iohn Story Doctor of the Canon-law at Tyburne 1. Iune Anno 1573. Elizabeth 15. Thomas Woodhouse Priest Concert Eccles Aug. at Tyburne 19. Iune Anno 1577. Elizabeth 19. Concert Eccles Aug. Cuthbert Mayne the first Priest of the Seminaries at Launston in Cornwall 29. Nou. Anno 1578. Elizab. 20. Concert ibid. Iohn Nelson Priest at Tyburne 3. February Thomas Sherwood Gentleman 7. Febr. Anno 1581. Elizab. 23. Concert Eccles Aug. Sand. l. 3. de schism Angl. Euerard Hanse Priest at Tyburne 31. Iuly Edmund Campian Priest of the Societie of Iesus at Tyburne 1. Dec. Alexander Briant Priest of the same Society of Iesus at Tyburne 1. Dec. Raphe Sherwyn Priest at Tyburne 1. Dec. Anno 1582. Elizab. 24. Iohn Payne Priest at Chelemsford in Essex 2. April Concert Eccles Angl. Sand. vbi supra Thomas Ford Priest at Tyburne 28. May. Iohn Shert
Flanders made a protestatation at Mons that his drifte was not to disturbe or vexe any priest or religious person or to offend the Catholicke Church in any thing but to deliuer Flanders from the slauerie of the Spaniardes This verie oathe he made before Mathias Arch-Ducke of Austria vnto whome he was made lieutenante generall but this lewed companion neuer kepte his worde as the histories of Flanders doe relate but became a most cruell persecutor of all ecclesiasticall and religious persons spoiled Churches violated and abused sacred virgins destroyed Alters troad vnderfoote the holy sacrament of the alter tooke away all the ornamentes which he prophaned robbed all Churches and Monasteries of their Challices and other sacred implements dedicated to the seruice of almightie God embrewed his filthie murtheringe handes with the inocent blood of most vertuous priestes and religious men not sparinge any order of personnes though neuer soe holy whervpon many of the nobility beinge offended thereat with many Citties as Mastrick Mōs Douay Arras others forsooke him and yealded themselues to the Prince of Parma 5. Of the like falshoode deceite and periurie was the bastard of Scotland called Iames detected base brother to the last Queene of Scottes by whome also he was made Regent of Scotland and aduanced by her meanes to the greatest dignitie and wealth that Scotlād could yealde Notwithstanding for all these kindnes and obligations aswell by nature as by such singuler promotions benefittes and desertes yea his vowe and promise soe often iterated and solemlye confirmed with wicked oathes yet beinge infected by Iohn Knocks an Apostate Friar and afterwards a minister instrument of Caluine to enkendle the flames of that most wicked and damnable Heresie in that Countrie the Author and instrument of all the rebellion of Scotland he conspired againste that sacred soueraigne murthered her husbande and appeached her with the ymputation of that murther who beinge most innocent thereof plotted and stirred vp such stronge rebellions by her subiectes himselfe beinge the cheefe Captaine of this combustiō as she was taken and cast into a most filthie prison where her death was threatned vnles shee would resigne the gouernment of her kingdome vnto that ouglie monster And beinge deliuered out of that prison shee was faine to flye into England where by the procuremente of that bastard shee was cast into prison which shee suffred the space of xx yeares and at lenghte beinge Queene of France and Scotland notwithstanding was putt to death Hollens in hist scholast pag. 500. 6. This bastard and the rest of his Caluinian Confederates sought nothinge at the beginninge as they pretended but libertie of their conscience which beinge graunted they protested and swoare all dutifull allegance to the Queene and state Lib. 16. pag. 590. But after they obtained what they soughte for they tooke perforce the whole ciuil gouernment into their owne handes and by their faction and combination sodainlie grewe soe stronge and insolente that they denied the same libertie of conscience vnto her her husband And as Buchanan in his Scotish historie sayeth when vpon all sainctes day the Queene would in her Chapple haue had Masse after a solemne manner the ministers of the Ghospell saith this auctor encensed the nobility against her that by force and violence they should compell her to leaue off so that she was enforced to obey a crewe of Caluinian ministers which could doe more in Scotland at that time by their newe heresies neuer in any requeste in that Countrie before then their aunciente and Catholicke religion by which they were conuerted from gentyles to be Christians which they professed soe many hundreth yeares before or the dutie of subiectes to their Prince or the power of the Prince her selfe or any feare of God or respect of his lawes diuine naturall or any humaine honestie or Ciuill modestie Where yow may perceaue what libertie this wicked and licentious heresie giues how turbulente it is what garboyles it bringeth with it vnto which dissolute and wanton youthes are most enclined wherof a number of that Countrie being in France to trye their wittes or to raise their fortunes they brought with them from Caluine this poysoned doctrine that infected all that Countrie 7. Not vnlike vnto this hypocriticall pretence of Conscience Caluine Beza and his ministers vsed to gett footinge in France although not with the like successe After they had most solemly protested that they intended nothing but onlie libertie of their conscience And soe in the assembly of Poyse they did sweare obedience to Charles the nynth and his successors and vttered these wordes Wee sweare before God and your maiestie who are our soueraigne that if any of vs hereafter shall misbehaue himselfe in kindlinge any sturr in France that wee will ourselues persecute him with fire and sworde This protestation was made by Beza which not withstanding was the only author and fire-brand of all the miserie and calamities of France as Iohn Knockes and Buchanan in Scotland by whose plottes and pollices all France was in an vprore al the nobilitie deuided by faxions the ciuill gouernment and politicall lawes of the kingdom vtterly despised the ecclesiasticall lawes and Censures of the Church quite reiected all sacred thinges prophaned Churches and monasteries burned sacred Virgins defloured many preistes and religious persons with most vnusuall torments murthered and massacred the nobilitie destroied their howses ransaked by whose cruell handes most of the blood Royall of France was extinguished as the kinge of Nauare at the siege of Roane the Duke Monepenser Rosorgomus The Prince Dellphine The Duke Memorose the Duke of Longauile The Dukes Niuer the father the sonne and the sonne in lawe the Constable of France And manny Marshalls thereof Saincta Derane Mount Moransius Mattugon Dauillan Brisarus Touanus Byron Francis Duke of Ioys besides manny thowsandes in the battells of Drintts Saint Dennys Iernan and Mount Counter and at many other townes as Roane Rochell Saincte Angell soe as in one yeare more then a hundred thousande Frenchmen were slaine Beza in praefat noui testa menti ad Reginam Angliae An. 1564. yea Beza who made the said speach before the kinge said that such as were killed in these Battells beinge rebells were blessed Martyres because saith he they were the first that shedd their blood for the restoringe of the ghospell in France And yet he with his fellow ministers gaue a solemne oath as before is recited to be true to the King Crowne and Countrie How many thousand were also killed at other tymes in France in other Ciuill warres soe often renewed by these fellowes 8. Luther alsoe saith Luther tomo in ser f. 270 An. 1553. that in seauen weekes betwixt Easter and Whittsontyde were killed of the Peasants of Germanye more then one hundred thousand besides many millions of people in other warres of that Countrie especially when Albert the Marques of Bramdeburge did destroy with fire and sworde all thinges that