put to death by them for their religion were damned in not obeying and conforming themselues vnto those Princes in matters of faith and in the doctrine of saluation The puritanes which are called the reformed and seuere Caluinistes doe grounde themselues vpon the election of the people and that the common and vulgar sorte should make appointe and elect cleargie or pastors to feede and gouerne them and alleadge the first and 6. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. where it is said that it pleased the people to make choice of saint Mathias insteede of Iudas and saint Stephen Philipp Procherus 4. others to supplie the offices of Deacons and afterwardes in the primitiue church wee finde that the people did choose or nominate their Bishoppes But to this puritanticall foundations both the Catholiques and protestantes doe aunswere that those elections or nominations were permitted to the people by the Apostles for their comfort and that the parties so chosen receaued authoritie and spiritual iurisdiction from the Apostles and not from the people as wee see this daie that in manny places the people are permitted to make choice of their encombents but are inuested and consecrated of the Bishoppes of euerie diocesse where the parishioners are permitted to haue this priuilege That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euerie one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many enconueniences and blasphemies which the newe religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencie CHAPTER II. 1. THe first and cheefest excellency is to beleeue that God is the first trueth and first cause from whome proceedeth all trueth and by whom all causes haue their operation and their influence The first goodnesse and sanctitie of whom all goodnesse and sanctitie doth depend And as it is the proprietie of the sunne to giue light of the fire to giue heate of the water to make colde so it is the nature essence and proprietie of God with farr greater excellency to do good and to communicat and impart the same vnto his creatures And so saint Augustin saith O God thow art perfect without deformitie great without quantitie good without qualitie eternall without time strong without infirmitie trew without fastshood thow art present euerie where with out ocupieng any place and thow art inward and intimat to euery thing being tyed or fastened to nothing 2. Butt the new religion maketh God crwell without mercy in that he doth encomber his people with lawes and preceptes which they cannott keep wicked without goodnesse in that they make him the cause of all the euill and wickednesse which the wicked doe comitt and for the which they are so seuerely punished The 2. excellencye is the pure and holly doctrine which it professeth CHAPTER III. 1. SVch is the perfection of catholique doctrine that it nether admitteth nor alloweth any thing against the light of reason godes glory or the good of our neghbors it teatcheth the law it comandeth vnder paine of damnation the perfourmance therof and the morall precepts of the tenn commaundeth which are certaine conclusions deriued from the same But Luther saith they pertaine nott to them and all the schoole of protestantes do teach that wee cannott keep or obserue them that God respecteth them nott and that the good woorckes of a christian do preiudice and derrogat from the merites of Christs passion And so they take away all the meritorious woorckes of the iust and all the force and industrie of mās proper merites and consequently al graces and inherent iustice of a sanctified soule by the extrinsicall and imputatiue iustice of Christ and saith that so they haue faith God regardeth nott their woorkes which is a wide gappe and dangerous gulfe to all wickednesse dishonestie loosnesse of life and dissolute behauiour a quite defacing dissanulling and abrogating nott only of the law of nature butt of all other lawes whatsoeuer and therfore most pernitious and dangerous doctrine 2. Besides these holy precepts it perswadeth though not commandeth the Euangelicall counselles of our Sauiour the cheefest wherof is perpetuall chastitie which is a celestiall vertue by which a man forgoeth many encombrances of worldly cares troubles and perturbations of minde 1. Cor. and affliction of his spirit as saint Paule saith The 2. counsell which our Sauiour gaue was to a certaine yong man sayeng vnto him if thou wil be perfect go and sell all that thow hast giue the same to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen follow me By this counsell a christian doth eschew many tentations and snarres of the diuill into which such as be rich do fall hedlong and ar deliuered from troubles vexations and anxietis of minde and of many contentious and litigious strifes and debates with his negboures which for the most part is incident to worldly people which blessed counsell was obserued of the christians at Hierusalem Acto 2. at Alexandria in Aegipt and at the lake Marian as Philo the Iew reporteth Matt. 5. The 3. counsell is to render good for euill and to pray for our persecutors The 4. counsell is to giue almesse and to pittie the poore to be mercifull to releeue the distressed no vertue is so often inculcated as this no vice so often discommended or with greater punishmentes threatned thē inhumanitie and crweltie The 5. counsell is to exercise our selues in continuall praiers Matt. 25. 1. Tim 2 Luc. 18. Luc 11. and so the Apostle wisheth vs alwaise to pray and our Sauiour also counselleth the same by 3. examples The first of a carnall father in respect of his sonne which yeldeth to his sonnes demande The 2. of a frind that was vrged at the earnest inintreatie of another frind to rise out of his bedd at night to giue vnto him what so earnestly he sought for The 3. of an inflexible iudge that neuer yelded to any mans desire yett at the earnest and importunat suite of a poore woman he was perswadeed to take comisseration of her 3. The religion of protestantes not only barketh all the obseruations of the precepts of the lawe but also forbiddeth and reiecteth all euangelicall counselles sayeng that no man ought to accomplish them As for virginitie they say it is impossible As for the poore they may starue for them for any relefe or comfort they receaue of them For they pull from them all that they haue As for mercy of all people none are so blouddy or so crwell yea the very first preachers of this new religion as you may read As for praiers they cannot abide any order of time or deuotion for performing them for they do nott only barcke as another Vigilantius against euensongs Masse and mattens and against any obseruation of times as att midnight morning and euening but also against the English comon praier booke as you see The 3. Excellencie most diuine Sacraments which confer grace CHAPTER IV. 1. THe 3. Excellencie be the sacramentes
For although the written law lightneth our vnderstanding with many instructions and fownd doctrine directing our vnderstanding to follow and embrace vertue and to discerne the good from the euill yet it disposeth nor prepareth not our hartes with the loue of the one nor our affection with the hatred of the other it giueth light to the vnderstanding but it healeth not the infirmitie and disease of our appetites The lawe teatcheth the way to heauen but giueth no force to our weake soules to trauaile thither which saint Iohn auerreth The law was giuen by Moyses but grace and trueth was giuen by Christ which is conferred by the sacramentes and which are instrumentes to conuay the same vnto vs. 2. As there are many maladies disseases and necessities so there ar also many sacramentes which are as it were conduits that do deriue manny remedies and receipts to ech of them And as the Humane body is first borne and so encreaseth is fedd and receaueth diuers alterations Ephe. 5. Mar. 16. in Clemen ex summa trinitate fidei Cath. ca. 1 Ezech. 36 Clemens epist 4. Vrba ep ad omnes fideles Melch ad epis Hisp Ioh. 6. 1. Cor. 11. Iohn 2. so there are many such varietie of alterations of the soule which is borne and regenerated by water and the holy ghoast which is baptisme and the grace and vertues which are giuen in baptisme are againe confirmed by the Sacrament of confirmation which maketh the soule stoute and constant in the profession of his faith which faith and grace hath neeede to be nourished and augmented which is don by the holie Sacrament of the Eucharist which is the body of Christ which is the foode of our languished soule which through many infirmities and diseases incident therunto hath great need of a spirituall phisition to heale the same by contrition confession and satisfaction And for that after long and prolix sicknesse and disseases there are many dregges of the old sicknesse stil left Ia. 5. cont Flore for the healing and curing wherof the Sacrament of extreame vnction is ordained as also that a christian in his cheefest agony of his spirituall extremitâ—e should be releued and refreshed 3. The other 2. Sacramentes are inioyned for the 2. states of people Matt. 19. Ephes 5. the one for such as be married the other for such as be ecclesiasticall and seruing in godes church But the new religion hath no Sacrament althoughe for some shew of litle deuotion they do not reiect the Sacramentes of Baptisme and Eucharist yett they handle them without any deuotion or reuerence at all as for Baptisme some or most of them doe holde that it is not necessarie to our saluation for they thincke that the childe is saued by the faith of his parents As for the Eucharist with they call the Lords supper they make no more accompt of it then of anny common bread whose effect is nothinge els ten to remember Christ his death which may be don aswell by the one as by the other The 4. Excellencie is to fauor the good and to punish the wicked CHAPTER V. 1. WHen the end of euery lawe is to take away vice and wickednesse and the occasions therof and to make meÌ„ sober honest and vertuous it is meete that the good should haue many priuiledges fauors and rewards and the wicked should be punished Deut. 28. Ezech. 5. 6. as we may read in Deutrono wher god almightie threatneth death and destruction against the transgressors of his lawes and comandementes The like also we may read in Ezech. But the new religion taketh away both merits and rewards from the iust and paine and punishmentes from the wicked saying the more wicked you are the neerer you are to Gods fauor and grace as Luther affirmeth The 5. Excellencie is the conuersion of all nations vnto Christe and driuing Idolatrie out of the world CHAPTER VI. THe more that princes persecuted christian religion the more the same encreased as Pliny the 2. being a Pagan withnesseth For when he saw such a multitude of christians to be put to death he wrott to the emperor Traian aduertizing him that there were thowsands of christians executed by exquisitt tormentes for no kind of offence but for being Christians and the more they were tormented and afflicted the more they encreased and florished and the more the reuerence of the Idols decreased But the new religion neuer conuerted the gentles from Idolatrie to Christian religion whose only imployment and drift is to corrupt and confound the faithfull and neuer to reforme themselues charging the church with Idolatrie as old heretiques haue done Athanasius witnessing the same The 6. Excellencie of the Catholique Religion is that the same is proued and auerred by so many good witnesses as sacred and learned doctors blessed saincts martyrs and generall counsells CAPTER VII 1. ARistotle saith that a man is beleeued for three causes and ought to be presupposed that he telles the trueth 1. If he be wise 2. If he be vertuous 3. If he be oure frind For wee thincke that a wise man should not be deceaued a good man should not lie a frind should not deceaue his frind Such therfore as did beare witnesse of our catholique religion were wisemen eminent and exquisitt in all sciences and faculties most holy and religious in their liues as Dionisius Areopagita disciple to S. Paule saint Ignatius Policarpus Origines saint Basill the great and his brother saint Gregorie Nissenus saint Iohn Chrisostom Theodoretus saint Nazianzenus saint Gregorie saint Aug. saint Hierom saint Ambrosse saint Hillarius saint Cyprian Lactantius Firmianus S. Vincentius Lirinensis Arnobius saint Bernard saint Bonauenture Scotus Alexander de Halles with diuers others for they had no cause but to tell the trueth being honest vertuous free from all inordinat affection that should otherwise restraine theÌ„ to declare the trueth therof being people that were altogether addicted to the seruice of God and most zealous of his glory and honor which they preferred before all worldly designements and promotions 2. Vnto these are annexed for confirmation of the trueth all generall counsells of the world which were 20. with the aprobation of Christs viccar generall in earth together with all the blessed martyrs that euer were in all the persecutions and tempestuous stormes and agonies of the church which she suffred vnder 14. Kinge and Emperors according to S. Aug. accompt lib. 18. de ciuitate Dei The first was of Nero who was so infestuous to the Christians that he caused Rome to be sett on fire in diuers places and laid the imputation of that infamie vppon them wherby the Romanes should insult vppon them and should destroy and massacre them euerie one the Tirant himselfe commanding the same The 2. was of Domitian who caused S. Iohn the Euangelist to be cast into a Tunn of hoat burnâ—nge oyle which caused also by his edict published that all the bookes of Christians should be burned
Spaine the cheefe reason he moued was it not that the kinge of Spaine was the Cheefe defender of the Romish Idolatrie An. 1567. Pet. Saxonius lib. inscriptio admonitio ad fideles Germanos caueant a Caluinistis infestiue and of ensiue to both of their religions I meane the Protesant and Turkishe religion And the said Ambassadour concluded that if those Idolaters were ouerthrowen all nations would become Turckes and so both they and themselues would reuerence one God De Elemosina eroganda Sacerdotibus Whether Papist Priestes do amisse in taking any thinge for their Masses CHAPTER III. 1. S Paule did receaue offeringes as the Church doth for their iust liuelyhood from the Phillippians bene fecistis inquit you haue done well communicating to my tribulation and you also knowe O Phillippians that in the beginninge of the Ghospell when I departed from Macedonia noe Church commmunicated vnto me in accompt of guift and receipt but you onlie for vnto Thessalonica also once Phil. 4. and twice yow sent to my vse not that I seeke the guifte but I seeke the fruicte aboundinge in your accompt He counteth it not meere almesse or a free guift that the people bestoweth on theire Pastors or preachers but a certaine mutuall trafficke as it were an enterchange the one giuinge spirituall thinges the other rendringe temporall thinges in lieu thereof for so it putteth one the condition of an oblation or sacrifice offred vnto God and is most acceptable sweete in his sight 2. Behould the Apostle receaued of them godlie and charitable helpes and meanes and â—east he should only preach or pray for them in lue of those corruptible guiftes he avouched non quia requiro datum not that I ayme at any temporall guift or reward but that I may perceaue the fruitt of your deuotion Priestes are worthie of a double honnor especially such as do labour in woord and doctrine and by this comandement wee are bid vt boui trituranti os non claudamus aâ— alligemus that wee should not stopp or moosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne for according to the counseâ— of our Sauiour the workman is worthy of his wages D. Hiero Homilia lib. 2. Comentar in cap. 15. Math. and as Waldensis saith against Witcliffe he did not comaunde to sell spirituall thinges sed bouem edere de tritura but that the ox or cowe should eaâ— of his thressinge and labour 1. Cor. 9. Hee doth not seeke herein the proffit of him that receiues but of him that giues as S. Paule saith yf wee giue vnto you spirituall foode it is not much if you giue vs corporal St. Paule sought helpes for the Sainctes at Hierusalem sainge Now I go to Hierusalem to minister vnto the Sainctes and as S. Hierom saith Si spiritualium c. why should not the Gentiles ymparte theire corruptible goodes for theire releefe by whose dispensation they are made partakers of spirituall graces and therfore the aboundance of the one ought to supplie the want of the other And as the Apostle S. Paule saith 2. Corinth ca. 8. Exod. 16. 28. Let in in this present tyme your aboundance supplie theire want and their aboundance also may supplie your want that there may be an equalitie as it is written he that had much abounded not and he that had little wanted not his meaninge herein is that such as abound in worldly riches should communicate for supplie of other their bretherens necessities whatsoeuer they may that on the other side those whome they helpe in temporall may ympart vnto them againe some of their spirituall riches as praiers and some other holly woorckes graces which is a happy change for wealthie people 3. In the ix Chapter of this Epistle he exhorted the CorinthiaÌ„s verie earnestly to giue their Almes for the releife of the Sainctes saying he that soweth sparinglie sparinglie also shall reape and he that soweth in blessinges of blessinges also shall reape as it is written he distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remaineth foreuer Almes is compared to seede for as the seede throwen into the grounde though it seeme to be cast away yet it is not lost but is laide vp in certaine hope of great increase Reade the x. Chapter of S. Math. the x. and 16. of S. Luke S. Ambrose vppon the second epistle 8. chapter saith that the Corinthians had no more priuiledges then other Churches auouchinge that the laborer was worthie of his wages Where behould that it is neuer granted to any nation to haue the Ghospell freelie preached vnto them without giuinge reliefe to the preachers thereof our Sauiour confirminge the same dignus est operarius mercede sua the laborer is worthie of his hyre 4. But the heretiques of this time do imitate the Donatistes to preach pouertie to others when they gather riches to themselues faininge pouertie but most falslie as S. August writes lib 2. against Petilian who saith Nos spiritu pauperes c. Wee saith Petilian beinge poore in spiritt and careles of wealth wee abhorr riches Iohn Witcleffe as Thomas Waldensis writtes of him did obiect to the religious priestes and preachers that they did administer the Sacraments and preach for gaine Waldensis de Scrament â—libus cap. 99. 5. S. Paule in the 6. to the Galathians saith He that is catechized in the word doth communicate to him that catechised him in all goodes addinge for what thinges a man shall sowe those alsoe shall he reape The woorcks of mercy be the seede of life euerlastinge and the proper cause thereof Loe here S. Paule shewes the great dutie and respect that wee ought to haue to such as preach or teach vs the Catholique faith and not in regarde onlie of their paines taken with vs but that wee may be partakers of their merittes wee ought especially to do good to such or as the Apostle saith communicate with them in all our temporall goodes 1. Cor. 9. that wee may be partakers of their spirituall Wherevpon S. Aug. lib. 2. Euangel 48. Knowe you not saith he that they which worcke in the holy place eate the thinges that are of the holy place and they that serue the alter participate of the alter So also our Lord ordeined for them that preach the ghospell and such as labour at the alter whose sacrifice and oblations redoundes to the comfort of the Christian flocke as also as are dedicated to serue God in recollection praiers and contemplations or any other spirituall and godly functions which also is beneficiall to the Church and the faithfull ought to be releeued and mantained by the liberalitie and deuotion of them Hiero. lib. 5. vig. Cap. 5. 6. S. Hierom vpon that place of S. Luc. 16. saith Make vnto your selues frindes of the mammon of iniquitie that when they shall fayle they may receaue you into the heauenly tabernacles Which cannot be ment of the comon vulgar sorte of poore Num isti c.
endes because Pharao against godes mercie did oppose his free will Nabuchodonosor beinge touched with godes discipline bewailed his owne impietie And in another place he saith that if two persons had equall graces and equall temperature both of bodie and soule one of them may behaue himselfe well by his free will another by the same free will may behaue himselfe ill 2. That a man must dispose himselfe to receaue godes grace S. Thomas proues it by naturall reason D. Tho. q. 1. 2. q. 11 T for the forme can neuer be receaued into the subiect without aswell the disposition of the forme as of the subiect especially when the subiect hath alreadie a disposition repugnant to the forme but a miserable sinner is loaden with sinne then the which nothinge is more repugnant to godes grace by which wee be gratefull vnto him therfore that this may be introduced there must be a conuenient disposition which ought to be correspondent vnto man This is proued for as sinne was voluntarilie comitted therfore a man must haue a voluntarie disposition to forgoe sinne almightie God would haue al men to be saued therfore man is in faulte and not God that he is not saued Otherwise if this doctrine had not bene true in vaine did the Prophetts Apostles and preachers in their sermons admonitioÌ„s and exhortations crie vnto the people that they should turne them vnto God and prepare themselues with due pennance and other blessed workes to reforme themselues and to dispose themselues to serue God to obtaine his grace and remission of their sinnes by meanes of those vertues which are giuen vnto man to saue him It is proued likewise by the holie councelles Aurant â—â—lest epistola 1. and namlie by the councell of Auransican of which Celestine pope makes mention to the Bishoppes of France It is defined saith he that wee ought to cooperate with the helpe of godes grace in these thinges that appertayne vnto our saluation that by the meanes of our cooperation and disposition wee may be saued before God 3. This is also proued for that wee haue alreadie proued that sinners are iustified by a certaine forme or grace inherent in man therfore there must be some disposition in respect of the free will to receaue that forme or grace For accordinge to the ordinance of God noe subiecte receaues any forme without a disposition in the subiect accordinge to the naturall inclination of the subiect but naturall subiects are disposed naturallie therfore free subiects are to be disposed freelie accordinge to the exigence and condition of their nature 4. Heretiques doe obiect against this doctrine that of the Romaines Non volentis neque currentis c. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Ad Titum 3. but of godes mercie Not of the workes of iustice that wee haue done but accordinge to his mercie he saueth vs. Isa 64. Hier. 18. Rom. 9. Man in respect of his owne iustification is as it were a masse of claye in the handes of the potter or els a deade instrument without any proper motion as Isayas saith Isa 10. shall the axe glorie or boast against him that cuttes with the same or shall the sawe lyft it selfe vpp against him that draweth the same otherwise it should not be said that man is iustified freelie but for his good woorks and rather that he should iustifie himselfe 5. Wee answere that the whole worke of our iustification is attributed vnto God because he is the principall doer and agent thereof not onlie by powringe his grace vpon vs but also in disposinge our wills to receaue the same by a speciall motion of his diuine grace NotwithstaÌ„dinge it is ascribed vnto man also in that wee cooperate and that wee doe somthinge in the worke of our iustification as I haue allreadie alleadged out of scripture otherwise they should not be praysed that with all their harts should turne vnto God neither should they be dispraised that doe resiste godes vocation otherwise they should contradict the prophett Expandi manus meas tota die ad populum incredulum contradicentem mihi I haue stretched my handes all the whole day to an incredulous people and contradictinge me And also it should not be said Vos durae ceruicis resistitis Spiritu sancto You stif-necked people you resiste the holie ghoaste Sess 9. c. 5 6. Therfore the Councell of Trentt hath damned those heretiques that said that wee haue noe free will in the worke of our iustification and that wee are dead without life in those actions For though a man beinge lefte to his owne naturall forces and strenghte hath noe actiue force to obtaine the grace of God or yet any disposition therevnto notwithstandinge as a man is holpen and moued of God and eleuated aboue his owne nature by Godes helpe he doth cooperate actiuelie freelie disposinge himselfe to receaue the same And therfore S. Paule saith Non ego sed gratia Dei mecum not I in respecte of myne owne nature and force but in respect of the grace of God with me And to that which you obiect ouâ— of S. Paule videlicet wee should not be said to be iustified gratis or freelie I answere it is not soe taken but in respect of meritts which is called meritum decondigno that is to say that a man hath done woorks before Gods grace worthie of Godes grace which catholiques doe not say and that gratis takes not away the freedome of man neither doth it followe that a man can iustifie himselfe yet may it be said that a man maie dispose himselfe to receaue Gods grace as 2. Eccl. In conspectu illius sanctificabunt animas suas And Ezech in his sight they shall sanctifie their soules and he hath quickned his owne soule 7. This is proued by naturall reason as also in all supernaturall actions for the meanes by which man doth turne vnto God is by the acts of faith hope and charitie and a penitent harte but it should be an implication against all reason that a man should beleeue in God hope and loue God and be penitent for offendinge God and that he should doe nothinge therein or that when a man doth pennaunce or loueth God it should be said he loues not God or doth noe pennaunce in which wee see two contradictories true which cannot be for one must be false when the other is true for if it be true that a man hath faith or beleefe in God therfore the contradictorie is false that man hath no faith nor doth not beleeue in God euen as it is false that the fire doth burne and the sunne giue light and yet that none of them doth any thinge For to beleeue or to hope or to loue in man are called vitall and immanent actions which cannot be supplied by any other cause then by such principles out of which they be produced but to beleeue or to loue are produced out of the two principles of man I
1 lib. 10. cap. 23. that the diuill did possesse him and so he died miserably S. Isidor writeth that Agila kinge of the Goathes did prophane the temple of S. Acisclo martyr where his bodie was and that he made of the church a stable for his horsses wherupon his armie was ouerthrowen by those of Cordima and that he fled himselfe to Merida and was slaine by his owne seruauntes Suriu◠tomo 3. In the life of the S. Astregisill Bishopp of Burgis in Fraunce wee read strange punishmentes vpon those that robbed godes churche and prophaned his monasterie Zurita annali◠l. 4. c. 69. 5. When Philipp kinge of Fraunce in his warres againste Peter kinge of Aragon tooke the cittie of Giron and his soldiors prophaned the churches thereof and robbed the sepulcher of S. Narciscus patrone of that cittie out of that sepulcher there did issue such swarmes of flees and froggs of wonderfull greatnes which so flew vppon the souldiors and vppon their horsses that that there died within fewe dayes after 40000. French men and more And the said kinge Peter in a letter written to Sanchius kinge of Castile did certifie that there died 40000. horsses and the kinge himselfe died shortlie after in Perpinian soe as the prouerbe grewe in that countrie 18. Mart. of the flies of S. Narcisus as Caesar Baronius notes vpon the Martirologe of Rome 6. In the yeare of our Lord 1414. when the French armie tooke the cittie of Suesson which belonged vnto Iohn Duke of Burgundie and earle of Flanders and prophaned the church of S. Chrispine and Chrispinian whose bodies are reuerenced in that cittie the next yeare after beinge the verie daie of those Sainctes the selfe same armie which was both puisant and great in which all the nobilitie of Fraunce were was vanquished torne and altogether destroied by the english armie which was but as it were a handfull in respect of the great multitude of the French which the daie before refused to graunt any reasonable composition vnto the said english and this was the iuste iudgment of God inflicted vpon them by the intercession of those blessed Martyres whose church they had defiled 7. The Earle of Tirons soldiors did robbe and spoile the monasterie of Timnlage and Kilcrea and prophaned other churches cominge to releeue the Spaniardes that were compassed about they being within Kinsale by the english armie consistinge for the moste parte of Irish catholique souldiors the english beinge altogether sauinge a verie fewe consumed through famine and cold beinge not able to indure the toile and labour of so vnseasonable a winter campe Yet Tirons cōpany exceeding the other in multitude of people and euer before that time terrible to the english by reason of soe many great ouerthrowes giuen vnto them were brocken and put to flight by a fewe horssmen that issued out of the englishe campe beinge therunto sollicited and procured by the earle of Clenricard an Irishe earle then in the english campe Wherfore the said earle of Tiron retourninge from that ouerthrowe said that it was the vengeance of the mightie hand of God and his most iust iudgment which ought to be executed vppon such wicked and sacrilegious soldiors that perpetrated and comitted such outrage vpon sacred places 8. Doctor Owen Hegan that permitted or rather willed certaine soldiors of the Clencarties beinge then in open hostilitie in the weaste parte of Mounster against Queene Elizabeth to robbe a certaine Church into which the poore people of the counteie sent their goodes hopinge to find a safe sanctuarie therin and within a seanight afterwardes his owne brother who was one of the Queenes subiects was slaine by the verie same people vnto whome he gaue leaue to spoile the said Church and alsoe within one moneth himselfe was slaine and another priest with him not by the English but by Irish subiectes soe as there is noe acception of persons with God who beinge an indiffrent and iust iudge doth giue to euerie one according to his workes whether they be good or badd let noe man therfore say he is a priest or a catholique to collour and cloake therby his scandalous actions who of all men ought to shunn scandall and the occasion thereof Truly I haue found by certaine relation that the Irishmen neuer spared noe church monasterie or anny sanctuarie in their last commotions and insurrections and that therfore such as haue bene noted to defile and spoile such places did not escape a miserable end shorthly after the sacrilegious acts was comitted 9. Wee knowe that spirituall benefices and other ecclesiasticall dignities were not bestowed vpō the worthieste for learning or more vertuous of life but vpon those that were vpholden and defended by the strongest faction of the nobilitie there soe as fewe came in at the right doore like trewe pastors but like theeues in at the backe doore soe as that kingdome was subiect to this abuse confusion in S. Malachias his time as S. Bernard sayes who beinge made Bishopp of Downe Conor in Vlster by the sea apostolique beinge soe holie and learned as the said S. Bernard was sayes he was banished from Vlster by the Neales to haue that dignitie for one of their owne familie and who did entermiddle more in this busines then the Geraldines of Mounster who by the sword defended and vsurped the ecclesiasticall supremacie noe otherwise then kinge Henry the 8. did and two of his children although they haue not don it by parleament as the other did yet by the sword they haue done it soe as the ouerthrowe of that howse of other great howses may be ascribed vnto the couetous desire they had of the liuinges of the Church and the little regard they had to churchmen and churches or any other place though neuer soe sacred Yea sometymes they would not spare their competitors at the verie alter which in manny places they polluted with their blood Geneb in Chro. Anno 988. Anno iuris 10. The french histories doe write that this was the cause also that tooke away the crowne of Fraunce from the linage of Clodoueus which was the firste Christian king of Fraunce beinge conuerted vnto the faith of Christe by the praiers and deuotion of his most vertuous Queene Clothilda which was passed ouer vnto Charles the great and also after the line of Charles the great were careles of their dutie to God and his church God tooke the crowne from them also gaue it vnto Hue Capè and to those of his howse A prosecution of the last Chapter CHAPTER III. 1. WEe should neuer make an end if wee should register soe manny examples as doe daily occurre in this matter De mirabilibut 2. cap. 1. Petrus Cluniacensis who liued liued in the same time with S. Bernard a most holie man and therfore called in his life time Peter the venerable said that there was a certaine Earle in Macon a cittie in Fraunce not far from Leon who vsurped the liuinges
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