constantiae magnitudine oriuntur tibi repudiandas existimas Peter Bizarus by chance mentioning her in his storie of the state of Genua doth c Lib. histor Genuens 23. call her Lectissimam Heroinam nusquam satis amplis laudibus celebrandam and doubteth not for her rare indowments both of the body and the minde and for her clement and wise gouernment to compare her to a bright starre excelling the splendour of other princes of her time And that these praises proceeded not of flatterie not onely their country the men being strangers to her but her noble actions do declare All this notwithstanding the papists albeit tied to her by diuers obligations both of subiection and extraordinarie fauor yet cannot endure to heare her praised The Noddie our aduersarie although he plead for her fauour yet could not vouchsafe her one good worde His consorts they haue loaded her with many lend and slanderous words Nicholas Sanders and Harpsfield of whom she deserued better began to collect slandrous accusations against her Edward Rishton whom she deliuered out of prison and set at libertie loosed his toong to raile against her by whom hée receiued life From thâ—se fountaines Bâ—zius Ribadineira and diuers other railing friers haue borowed matter and published diuers libels to her dishonor Neither may it séeme marueilous if malicious men haue spoken maliciously or if her enimies haue declared their ingraffed hatred against her a Prouerb 29. The wicked do abhorre those that walke aright or as the old Latine interpreter hath Abominantur impij eos qui in recta sunt via King Dauid b Psal 72. saith That he was accounted a woonderment or as a monster of manie Prodigium saith hée factus sum multis Shée hath beene a nursing mother to Gods church and therefore the enimies of Gods church hate her and speake euill of her Nay they speake euill of her and persecute her without a cause Clement the seuenth began the persecution against her in the person of her parents declaring the mariage of her father and mother vnlawfull Paule the third when shée was yet an infant did séeke her destruction as did Herode the destruction of the innocent children in Bethlehem Harke how he thundreth out his sentence against her declaring her vnable to succéede her father in the crowne of England Omnem Henrici ex praedicta Anna Bollena subolem saith he c In Bullae Pauli 3. Cont. Henr. 8. fautorumque suorum liberos iam natos aut nascituros vsque ad eum gradum ad quem iura huiusmodi poenas extendunt omnibus possessionibus dominijs libertatibus priuilegijs honoribus officijs bonis mobilibus ac immobilibus quouismodo obtentis priuamus ac infames esse decernimus Sée he persecuteth the king and his children and all that fauour them although they were not yet borne into the worlde Oh what mischiefe woulde hée haue done if hée had had power and authoritie that thus without all authoritie and meanes to wreake his malice sheweth the bitternesse of his choler the popes adherents neuer ceased vntill they had brought her most innocent mother to her end which was the greatest gréefe that tormented the king lying on his death bedde and sore repenting himselfe for the wroâ—gfull shedding of that innocent Quéenes bloud as many then present did testifie and Theuet a frier a man not suspect doth leaue recorded in his a Lib. 16. Cosmogr vniuers Historie of which we shall report the testimonie héereafter Neither did they onely murder the innocent mother but also sought by act of Parliament to disable and from the succession to exclude the daughter In Quéene Maries time by diuers practises they sought to kill her When their malice tooke no effect pope Pius Gregorie the 13. Sixtus quintus and diuers other popes by warres and rebellions haue attempted to depriue her of her kingdome It may also bée probably suspected that they suborned diuers to kill her or poison her Howsoeuer they were acquainted with these practises certaine it is that diuers of the popish faction haue conspired either by sworde or poison or other meanes to destroy her And now when they are not able to do her other hurt they persecute her with their toong So wicked men Do scorne the simplicitie of the iust as the holy b Iob. 12. Scripture teacheth vs. They publish infamous libels against her person This our aduersarie doth slander her gouernment as if this land had receiued no benefite by that reformation of religion which God wrought by her meanes But the testimonie of enimies and traitours by all lawes is repelled That God hath by her meaâ—es greatly blessed this land it doth appeere first by testimonie either of her aduersaries as of Osorius or of straÌ„gers as of Petrus Bizarus Quid magis obstupenduÌ„ saith c In praefat ante lib. de relig Osorius quam mollem delicatam mulieris naturaÌ„ tantis esse virtutibus ornatam instructam vt totuÌ„ regni pondus sustineat in eóque munere maxima cum lande versetur quod vix multorum hominum excellentium consilio virtute fide authoritate conficitur Bizarus preferreth the happinesse of England vnder her gouernment before all happinesse of former kings and ages Illud duntaxat saith hee a Lib. hist Genuens 23. obiter adiecero Britanniae regnum nunquam ab vllo pace aliorum dixero vel retroactis seculis vel patrum nostraque memoria maiori cum prudeÌ„tia nec minori foelicitate fuisse administratum This he saith of her Maiesties gouernment writing about the 21. yéere of her raigne But what should testimonies of men néede when her noble and famous actions do sufficiently commend and set foorth the praises of her gouernment First as it pleased God by the hand of b Iudges 4. Deborah to deliuer his people from the tyrannie of Iabin the Cananites that some yéeres had oppressed them so it pleased him likewise by this our Deborah to breake the yoke of the pope and to deliuer the people of England from the tyrannie of the Cananites the papists that had diuers yéeres oppressed vs and tyrannized ouer vs. c Psal 123. Anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium laqueus contritus est nos liberati sumus Our soule that wée may vse the prophets words like a sparrow is deliuered from the power of hunters the snare is broken and we are escaped Now how great this blessing is to be estéemed wée may easily iudge by these particulars First wée were deliuered from the heauie burthen of the popes decretales of his excommunications and his taxes and exactions of which the very papists themselues haue long complained and yet finde themselues therewith much agréeued but that they dare not complaine Frier d Petrus de Alliac de reform eccles Humbert affirmeth that the exactions excommunications and constitutions of popes were the cause of the schismes of the eastern and western churches Dicit
claiming somewhat that the Spaniard was vnwilling to yéeld coulde by no terror of excommunication hinder a Historia Adriani king Philips armie but it entred vpon the popes countrey and prosecuted his holinesse with great rigour So likewise in Iuliers and Italy the Spaniard hath iniambed vpon others right notwithstanding consent in Religion Further hée doubteth not to affirme That the warres and tumults in kingdomes rounde about vs haue principally proceeded from alteration of religion in England Which is but a ridiculous conceite and a vaine imagination For when as yet England continued in popish superstition the pope and his agents stirred vp Charles the fift to persecute the princes of Germanie Francis the first his officers to murder the poore inhabitants of Cabriers and Merindol And when her Maiestie came to the crowne all the worlde knoweth that her studie was rather peace then warre as her agents can yet testifie that often mooued both the Spaniard to cease his warres in the Low Countries and the French to desist to persecute his subiects that except in matters of their conscience promised al obedience Beside that it is a fond imaginatō to thinke that her Maiestie or her agents had that credite in other countries that shée coulde make them take armes at her pleasure No no the worlde is witnesse that it is the pope that is the firebrand of the warres throughout all Christendome Hée stirred vp Charles the fift against the Germaines as appéereth both by his letters and negotiation with him and by the aide hée sent to him against them Hée enflamed the warres in France and neuer woulde let matters settle as appéereth by the negotiation of his legates and by infinite testimonies When as yet her Maiestie did not so much as procéed against any papist for religion then did Pius the fift that furious frier publish his shamelesse and railing bull against her and sent Nicholas Morton to perswade the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and their followers to rebell against her And so hée declareth himselfe to be Antichrist that shall cause all to bée slaine that will not admit his religion and that is figured in the second beast Apocal. 13. This companion therefore that doth impute the cause of warres vnto vs is like that good fellow that saide the cause why hée robbed and spoiled was because men carried money with them vpon the high way Wée cannot hinder the malice and ambition of the pope and Spaniard that prosecuteth warres against innocents But they are to be blamed that offer violence to the peaceable and defende open wrong and not they that mainteine their right Lastly hée telleth vs and that in a lamentable voice That if this alteration had not hapned wee had not seene the depriuation of all the sacred order of bishops in one day togither with their perpetuall imprisonment nor so many noble houses ouerthrowne nor so many troubled for persisting in their fathers faith and not consenting to this change nor the torturing hanging and quartering of a hundred priests most of them gentlemen and youthes of rare witte Percase he is hired to shedde some few teares Assuredly hée wéepeth without iust cause For neither were all the popish prelates depriued in one day nor were they cōmitted to perpetuall imprisonment Nor was any papist héere directly troubled for persisting in his fathers faith nor haue any noble houses bin ouerthrowne by religion but rather by rebellion Neither were those simple vnlearned youthes whom the popes agents haue sent into England to prepare the way to rebellion hanged and quartered for religion but for treason Further we say for answer that those prelates whom he talketh of were no bishops nor teachers but woluish murderers of Gods saints and hirelings of Antichrist whosemarke they bore and yet diuers of them were suffred to runne away Some of them were neuer imprisoned others were onely restrained that either to their owne houses or to places where they had all things in abundance Nay albeit they refused to consecrate her Maiestie and denied her right yet shée did not as shée might lawfully vse force against them But if any shoulde denie to consecrate the pope albeit no prince yet shoulde it cost them their liues Further the worlde knoweth how much her Maiestie hath fauoured her nobilitie Shée coulde not doe more honour to any then to the duke of Norfolke Yet coulde shée not mollifie his hart toward her She neuer thought euill of the earle of Westmerland and Northumberland yet did they séeke her destruction at the solicitation of a wicked priest called Nicholas Morton Henrie Earle of Northumberland albeit farre engaged in practises of rebellion yet was he suffred to enioy his honour and liuing And diuers that were farre interessed in that action were not called in questiō If then any perished in those practises the fault was wholy their owne Her Maiestie was sorrowfull for their wilfulnesse rather then cause of their ouerthrowe As for wilfull Recusants they were not once called in question before that the pope vsed their obstinacie as a meanes to worke the ouerthrow of the state And now notwithstanding they do adhere to the pope her Maiesties enimie and will not disauow his authoritie in depriuing her of her right which is a matter of great consideration yet all their punishment is onely a mulct for not comming to church and restreint that they doe not easily ioine with forraine enemies They enioy their landes their goods and most of them too great libertie albeit euill affected to the state and wholy addicted to a most abominable and damnable religion Our brethren in other places onely for professing the truth without other cause loose not onely goods landes and country but libertie and life also Wherefore if they be wise let them acknowledge that they liue vnder a gratious Princesse and see that such leud proctors as this leaue prating in their cause least they heare that which shall make them séeme vnworthy all fauour in all indifferent mens iudgment Against the poore yoong men that haue died for their practising for the pope I wil not say much I do rather lament that they should be so abused as to be drawne out of their countrey to forreine enemies and to be emploied in their seruice either to their owne destruction or to the hurt of their countrey but most of all that they shoulde to the finall losse of their soules yéeld themselues thrall to Antichrist and embrace his damnable doctrine and heresies Onely thus much being vrged by this Noddies importunitie I could not choose but say in defence of our religion and the present gouernment that they were executed for treason and not for their heresies or false doctrine Which appéereth notoriously by their enditements by the euidence by the iudgement and manner of execution That the sentence is most iust it is euident both by the ancient lawes of this lande and by the lawes of all nations By the a 25. Ed. 3.2
obey the magistrate commanding them to go to church And so gladly woulde hée finde a knot in a rush and as if hée had founde out great matters hée despiseth his aduersarie and calleth him Seely man and simple soule and bible-clerke knight and guilt-spurre doctor rayling at his pleasure and according to his fashion yea and without iust cause For first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is better translated Humane ordinance then Humane creature For properly men neither create nor are created by men Moreouer if wee shoulde translate humane creature then shoulde this subiection be not to magistrates ordeined by man but generally to all men And therefore the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying both creature and ordinance or election wée are to choose the fittest signification Secondly it is no part of sir Francis his meaning to teach an absolute obedience to bée due to temporall princes Nay hée thinketh it neither due to temporall nor ecclesiastical magistrates saue onely in things lawfull But this the papists denie to princes in ecclesiasticall externall gouernment simplie and in temporall causes too if the pope do excommunicate them or depose them Thirdly sir Francis did not alleage this place to prooue that papists were to go to church vpon the princes commandement but rather to shewe that they ought not to rebell against princes vpon the popes warrant as they do very often And thus all this matter about which the Noddy maketh so great exclamations is easily cléered and all his calumniations and cauillations at his aduersaries person and writings answered It resteth therefore nowe that we consider a little of his braue speake made in the latter end of this chapter to the Recusants Perhaps he is better able to teach them what they are to do héereafter then to defend that is done already First hée telleth vs That hee can say no more to cacolike Recusants then that which followeth Which sheweth that hée hath little to say in their defence and lesse for their instruction Then hée pronounceth in his graue voice That the course which they haue taken is most honorable and pious before God and man and that forsooth in three points first in shewing their dutie towards God by standing constantly and suffering for their conscience Secondly in offring all loyal obedience in temporall causes to their liege prince and lastly in edifying their neighbors by their good life and behauiour But what if they haue neither shewed their dutie to God nor suffered for their conscience nor offered loyall obedience to their prince nor haue so taken her nor haue either by their beléefe or life edified their neighbors May we not then conclude that their course is neither pious nor honorable and that albeit they escape the censures of men yet assuredly they shall answere before God Nay what if for religion they maintaine superstition for loyaltie nourish in their bosomes trecherie and disloialtie and ruinate their neighbours by their euill example doth it not hence follow that their course is impious and disloiall and odious both in the sight of God and of man and that not in thrée points but in many points resulting partly of their impieties and errors in religion and partly of their malcontent humours in ciuill actions It is most apparent For this Warder their good friend hath laide those grounds whereof this conclusion ariseth First then I say that no papist since her Maiesties raigne hath suffred death or losse of landes or liberty méerely for his conscience vnlesse he make it conscience not to commit treason Let the recordes be sought and their causes be examined and this will easily appeare And albeit some haue béene imprisoned yet was the same not directly for not comming to church but for refusing to pay the mulct Secondly compare their penalties and sufferinges with the sufferings of true Christians whome they imprison spoile torture and murder and that onely for matters of faith and then they will appeare nothing in comparison But were they much greater then they are yet it is the cause and not the suffering that maketh their patience commendable Haue they a See the conclusion of the 4. encountres following thâ—â— treatise suffered for their impieties idolatries treasons and felonies and for adhering to Antichrist Then is their shame great and their reward nothing Thirdly I deny that they haue shewed their duty towards God Nay in refusing to heare his word and to receiue the sacraments ordeined and instituted by Christ Iesus and administred according to his holy institution and embracing a fond and false religion standing partly on traditions and popish decretalles and partly vpon leud customes and lying legendes and partly vpon wicked heresies and false positions they haue declared themselues impious towardes God and aliens from Christ his church And that they shall well perceiue by a speciall encounter concerning that point Fourthly it is méere impudence to affirme that the recusantes haue offered to her Maiestie all loyall obedience in temporall causes or that they haue acknowledged her to be their liege prince For who knoweth not that the rebellions both in the north parts of England and also in Ireland were raysed by recusants and papists The same men haue diuers times attempted the destruction of her Maiestie and the alteration of gouernment as appeareth by the practises of Parry Somerfield Throgmorton Ch. Paget and others These are the men that Cardinall Allen hoped would ioyne with the Spanyard and helpe to depose her Maiestie And although now they stir not yet it appeareth that their a Those be the words of Campians facultie obedience must onely continue Rebus sic stantibus And call you this yéelding of loyall obedience Beside that the b Bulla Pij Quinti pope curseth all that will obey her or repute her as lawfull Quéene Whether is it then more likely that they will obey the popes sentences whom they take to be their soueraigne iudge in these cases or her Maiesties commaund which they respect not But suppose they would yéelde loyall obedience in temporall causes yet that is not sufficient to make the recusantes seeme loyall subiectes For the princes authority in commaunding for true faith and abolishing errors and abuses for establishing externall orders remoouing disorders both in the time of the law and in the auncient Christian church hath alwayes béene estéemed great Lastly I would aduise these cacolike malecontentes or recusantes or what you will haue them called not to bragge too much of their good works least they giue others iust occasion to make their vncharitable dealing and dishonest liuing knowne Now I will onely say this that he that fauoureth forraine enemies and entertaineth eyther practise or intelligence with them or receiueth markes of faction from them whatsoeuer his pretenses are cannot séeme much to edifie his neighbors Surely he leaueth for himselfe no place in the state that loueth not the state Let them therefore if they will néedes boast of their workes giue
what might be done if the chiefe teachers of our side were vpon good conditions to dispute before indifferent iudges auditors All this by Gods grace we meane to iustifie in this briefe discourse ensuing Therein also for thy further satisfaction we purpose both to examine his relation and to answer his obseruations and petitions and to remoue this reproch as a 1. Reg. c. 17. Dauid offering to go against the Philistim said from Gods people For what is this incircumcised Philistim that he should dare to speake euill of the army of the liuing God or of his Church If Parsons meane to reply let him pul off his visor and come barefaced into the field and he shall not want those that will encounter him This small Treatise together with the rest that go before I commend to thy reading to let thee vnderstand the great pouertie of the aduersarie a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch lib. de auscultando that vpon so small causes maketh so great brags and triumphs and with braue words b setteth out his musty mustard pots The principal points haue beene sufficiently handled both in French English before yet shall it not be amisse to remoue all their cauils and to encounter such winding serpents in al their turning deuises If the matter answere not thy expectation thou must impute it to the basenesse of the subiect and the vanitie of the relators narration The discourse will not bee long and therefore much labour it cannot cost thee to reade it Reade therefore and iudge who they are that are to be charged with false and fraudulent allegations which is now the different betwixt Parsons and vs. A briefe refutation of a certaine calumnious relation of the triall betwixt the Lord PLESSIS MARLI and the pretended bishop of Eureux the 4. of May last with an answere to the relators obseruations and petitions CHAP. I. That the popish faction hath no reason to charge others with falsification IT is an old custome among our aduersaries when they cannot answere directly to our arguments to cauill at our allegations as if all were vntrue or defectiue bicause some errors are pretended in some authorities or quotations This course did Harding and his consortes take against bishop Iewell of reuerend memorie others against that painfull and zealous seruant of God master Iohn Foxe and diuers others eluding with scorne that which in earnest they are not able to answere Now Iames Peron calling himselfe the bishop of Eureux in France and this relator by his scornefull letters sent into England attempt the same waie against the painfull labours of the Lorde of Plessis in his most learned treatise against the idolatrous masse most ridiculously supposing if hée haue mistaken Scotus or Durandus or Bernard or some homily of Chrysostome or some other author that all his other allegations and arguments wherein no error can be founde or iustly pretended are weake and of no moment But while they charge others they séeme vtterly to forget themselues and their owne notorious corruptions and falsifications They put them all into that part of Aesops wallet that hangeth at their backes and remooue both faultes and wallet out of their sight a Catull. in Scazonte Non vident manticae quod in tergo est They as the hypocrites of whom our b Matth. 7. Sauiour speaketh Espie a mote in their brothers eie and see not the beame in their owne eies Nay being blinde themselues they are much offended and exclaime at euerie blemish which they espie in other mens eies For neuer did any sect either of heretikes or philosophers vse such fraude and falsification in maintaining their errors as the papists haue done to make good their most abominable doctrine and practise To relate all were a matter of great time and labour Wée will therefore onely touch so much as may serue to prooue them to be most culpable in that whereof they accuse others First then wée say and against Parsons and the whole route of Iebusites and Cananites God willing shall prooue that they haue falsified and corrupted the most holie worde of God and his holy Testament For if those which haue hidden or kept away the Testament or last will of a mortall man or haue taken away the same by force or abolished it or torne it or made a newe or written a false Testament or vsed it signed it or procured it to bée done then much more the papists that haue falsified Gods eternall worde are to bée condemned as guiltie of falshood But that is confirmed by the words of the lawe Committitur falsum saith the c ff de falsis Hostiens de crim fals §. qualiter committatur ad l. Cor. de fals law si quis testamentum celauerit amouerit rapuerit deleuerit interleuerit subiecerit vel falsum testamentum scripserit signauerit recitauerit dolóue malo ea fieri procurauerit The consequent is prooued by the practise of the papists For first they haue of a long time hidden Gods worde as it were a candle vnder a bushell and couered it ouer with the plaster of their traditions and popish interpretations Secondly they haue remooued the scriptures from the eies of the multitude and kept the same from them in a toong vnknowne not suffring any to read them but such as they are assured will not profite by them Thirdly such as by any meanes haue gotten them they haue taken and punished seuerely taking the testament of God violently out of their handes Fourthly they haue d Index librorum prohibit abolished not onely all vulgar but also all Latine translations except such as they made themselues Fiftly they haue burnt and torne and abused Gods holy Testament Sixtly for Gods worde they haue giuen vnto vs a most corrupt translation and made that more authenticall then the originall Seuenthly they haue made a false testament conteined in their vnwritten traditions Eightly they will haue no other testament exhibited or vsed or alleaged in schooles but their old Latine vulgar translation Lastly they haue taken away that Sacrament from the people wherein the newe testament is established and made frustrate Christ his institution and last will omitting no meanes that coulde bée deuised for the corrupting falsifying and abolishing of Gods eternall testament and the seales thereof Nay certaine f Matth. Paris Carmelites about 300. yéeres agone hauing made a testament of their owne deuise were not afeard to teach that Christes Gospell shoulde cease and that their Gospell shoulde for euer after be receiued Bonauenture likewise falsifying the Psalmes of Dauid turned the praises of God to the praises of our Ladie Secondly they haue falsified the canons of the Apostles g In epistola ad Siculos Zepherinus alloweth 60. h Contra epist. Nicet Abbatis Leo the ninth receiueth onely fiftie others 85. i C. Sancta c. canones dist 15. others condemne them as apocryphall writings forged by heretikes They haue also
as seeke her destruction and the desolation of this countrey for our selues that professe true religion and abhorre Romish idolatry superstition and heresie With Sir Francis you haue no reason to be offended if you be as you pretend a friend to her maiestie and the countrey Hee speaketh against the Spaniard and why should he not the Spanish king without all iust cause professing himselfe our enimie He weigheth little the popes authoritie And hath he not reason the pope in his tyrannie shewing himselfe not onely to be our enimie but also the enimie of Christian religion of Christs church He toucheth also the practises and treasons of g Gifford Worthington c. priestes and h Parsons oâ— Delman Hâ—it Walpooiâ— c. Iesuites and their adherents but not without iust cause seeing they haue shewed themselues not catholikes as you terme them for catholikes neuer held either any such religion as theirs is nor sought by violence to murder lawfull Princes and ruinate their natiue countrey but dangerous traytors and most malicious i Testified by Sixtus Qâ—intus declaratorie sentence against the Queene enimies of their countrey Likewise he commendeth her Maiesties clemencie and you haue no cause to dislike the same least percase it may please God to turne her hart through your vngratefulnesse and hatefull practises from her entended course of clemencie which is not well fitting for your sharpe humors into a course of iustice which your treacherous and most wicked practises doe drawe vpon you This is his course against enimies this is his dealing with his soueraigne He neither iniustly chargeth his enimies nor doth he basely or seruilely flatter his friends and superiors But admit your aduersarie had not vsed either that moderation in his stile or sinceritie in his dealing which might passe the iust censure of seuere iudges yet no man hath lesse cause to finde fault with these courses then your selfe and your consorts For in railing and calumniation no man may compare with you It is not one only biting libell and iniurious pamphlet which you haue set out but very many and diuers I will deale plainly with you for that I am well acquainted with your stile and know your lewde packing and practising and can conuince you if you haue your steele vizor on and shame not to denie so plaine matters I say then that you Robert Parsons falsly abusing the name of Iesus to ouerthowe the truth of Iesus haue published first certaine chartels against your friends in Oxford secondly one famous or rather infamous libell against the Earle of k Leicesters coÌ„mon-wealth Leicester thirdly another single l Entitled a confutation of pretended feares libell against the late Lord Treasurer fourthly another infamous m The words by no loyall subiect may be spoken libel against her Maiestie against all her chiefe counsellers vnder the name of Andreas Philopater Neither can you excuse your selfe that n A Iesuite residing in the court of Spaine and Parsons disciple and Agent Creswell was the man that made the Latine which you cannot doe when as you either made it first in English or else gaue him all his argument Fiftly you holpe Allen in his libell against the Queene and state anno 1588. and published diuers copies Sixtly you set out Dolmans treacherous discourse to shew your selfe not onely a libeller but a notorious traitor and sworne enemie to your countrie Albeit o The discouery of a countersect conference one of your friends doth only terme it a chartell or libell This wardword shal make vp the seuenth libell and the patched relation of the conference betwixt M. Plessis and Eureux sent vs lately from Rome the eight Beside these you haue published diuers base and paltrie pamphlets not woorthie to be mentioned and these be the flowers or rather furies of your writings and the fruites of your inuectiâ—e veine Neuer did any vse more lying forging false dealing scornfull gibing odious bragging then your selfe in all your writings Your owne p The priestes banded in England against the Iesuites friends accuse you of Machiuilian and Turkish practises and well doe your writings and doings deserue these titles The like also may be verified of Sanders Rishton Ribadineira Allen that hungrie cardinall other your friends Tisiphone and the furies of hell spoke with their toongs wrote with their pennes and wrought in their malicious harts It is your selfe therefore and your treacherous consorts vpon whom all the reproofes wherewith you load your aduersarie do light fitly and lye heauily And that you shall perceiue by this discourse ensuing Wherein if I reforme your error in many things whereof before you were ignorant you are to thanke me If you fee the hostile dealings of your friends the pope and Spaniard declared and auowed and your owne and your consorts treasons and a great masse of your hidden villenies discouered take it grieuously you may thank your selfe that gaue the occasion If any Papist finde himselfe agrieued with my plainenesse let him impute the fault to you also that first began to stir these coales and to the mysteries of popish religion that contain such deepe matters of rebellion and treason and not to me that being thus prouoked haue so plainely reuealed them Because vpon small aduantages you haue made great triumphes and called your aduersary forth to answere you as it were in eight encounters vanting and facing as if you were to play your maisters prises I haue taken vpon me to ioyne with you vpon your owne ground and to try with you at your owne weapons hoping to prooue you ignorant both of state matters wherein you pretend to know such secrets and also of sound diuinitie and other learning of which your friends and your selfe make such vants For matters concerning Sir Francis Hastings his owne person I refer you to his owne answere that may sufficiently satisfie you For the rest I thought it not amisse to discourse with you more at large And because you goe about to carie away matters with faire pretenses as if you papists the popes children were the only catholikes and did professe the ancient faith of the catholike church and as if all others were heretikes and wrong beleeuers I doe also vpon your lend glosses draw you out into fiue new encounters wherein if you ward not the better it shall be prooued First that you are no catholikes nor hold the catholike faith secondly that your religion is a new deuise and not the auncient religion of Christs church Thirdly that you are heretikes Fourthly that the Romish Church is the harlot of Babylon and not the true church of Christ And lastly that your consorts haue beene executed for treason most iustly and not for religion Which being prooued I trust your selfe will confesse that wee haue iust cause to maintaine that religion that we professe and to withstand antichrist the Spaniard and all their adherents that goe about both by force and treason to
among themselues Nay the contention betwéene Caluin and Luther is not so great but that popish doctors haue greater As for our selues all of vs professe the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to that rule that was established by common consent of the church of England from which if any digresse he is no more to be accounted of our societie then the papists that are of the popes retinue Lastly where he calleth our religion Parliament religion hée speaketh like himselfe that is falsely and slanderously For albeit the same be receiued by authoritie of the prince and state yet is it Christs religion and not the princes The a Lâ—unctos Cod. de summ Trin. sid Cath. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius decréed That all people of their gouernment should hold the doctrine of Peter the apostle taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria and that they should beleeue one God three persons and yet I hope this Noddie will not call the faith of the Trinitie An imperiall faith And thus much in answere of his obiection of parliameÌ„t faith and of supposed diuisions amongst vs. But if hée had considered how that all the authoritie of their Romish faith as it differeth from ours standeth vpon the authoritie of late popes and of the late conuenticle of Trent and that both the grounds and positions of it are either nouelties or old condemned heresies and was in Quéene Maries times established more by parliament then by authoritie of the apostles and how many and diuers sectes they haue among their monkes and friers and b About the matter of the sacrament of the Lords supper they haue not so few as 200. diuers opinions diuers opinions among their schoolemen and how their late writers dissent both from fathers and schoolemen and among themselues I thinke hée woulde haue spared either to haue obiected vnto vs our dissensions or to haue talked of the authoritie of our religion To discredite the report of spirituall blessings bestowed on vs he a P. 5.6 saith further That before this change we beleeued the catholike faith of Christendome deliuered by the vniuersal church grounded vpon that rocke that cannot faile now beleeue onely either other mens opinioÌ„s or our owne fancies which choice is properly called heresie and héere hée thinketh to haue argued like a great doctor But first as his doctrine is strange so his stile is new and fantasticall For although hée sweate hard in séeking yet shall hee not finde that any one doctor saith That the vniuersall church doth deliuer to euerie priuate man the catholike faith for as schoolemen might teach him Actiones sunt suppositorum and it is not the whole kind but some one or other that doth this or that action Secondly most vntrue it is That either poperie is the catholike faith of Christendome or that the apostles or their catholike successors taught those errors of poperie which wee condemne Thirdly he doth vs wrong where he saith That our doctrine is diuers from the catholike faith of Christendome For whatsoeuer Christ or his apostles taught or is deliuered in the confessions of faith or créedes generally receiued of Christs Catholike church that wée beléeue and receiue refusing no point of catholike doctrine and all priuate fancies opinions heresies whether of popes or other heretikes and false teachers we renounce condemne and anathematize Héereof it followeth that the doctrine and faith of the church of England is most catholike and certaine being grounded vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone which is a firme rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Grounded it is I say vpon the writings of the apostles and prophets endited by Gods holie spirite and thereunto not onely Councels and fathers but also the aduersaries themselues for the most part giue testimonie But the blinde papists haue deuised and receiued both new grounds of their religion and new doctrine which standeth onely vpon the authoritie of this pope and that pope whose fancie and opinion is all the certeintie they haue This is that rocke or rather banke of sand whereon the miserable papists faith is built For what the pope determineth that they hold to be the determination of the vniuersal church vpon his credite they receiue the scriptures Nay without his determination a Stapletonde author eccles they denie the scriptures to be authenticall b Princip doct lib. 9. c. 12. Stapleton teacheth that the church that is the pope at all times hath power to approue and taxe and consigne the bookes of holy scriptures In another place he c Ibidem lib. 11. c. 4. holdeth that vniuersall tradition is the most certaine interpreter of scriptures Generallie they hold that the pope is supreme iudge in all controuersies of faith and manners and that he is the iudge that cannot erre Hereof that followeth which this noddie obiecteth to vs That the faith of papists is built vpon the popes fancie and opinion which altering from time to time the faith of the Romish church is variable like the moone and vnstable as the sea Trusting to the popes determination from the Angelickes they haue receiued the worship of angels from the Collyridians the worship of the holy virgin Marie from the Carpocratians and Simon Magus and their disciples the worship of images from the Manichées and other heretikes prohibition of meates and dislike of mariage of priests and from other heretikes other damnable opinions So that their faith is not the catholike faith of Christendome but méere heresie grounded vpon the fancie and opinion of most wicked and vnlearned popes But d P. 6. saith this Noddie Why should you beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluin concerning the Queenes supremacie Luther concerning the reall presence and Beza in the church gouernment I answere first that these mens priuate opinions concerne not fundamentall points of faith And therefore that they are not to bée brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talke of the foundations reasons of Christian faith Secondly I deny that Caluin did deny the Quéenes supremacie in ecclesiasticall matters as we hold it For neither did he subiect princes to popes or priests in matter of their royall gouernment nor did hee denie princes power to establish ecclesiasticall lawes nor to command for Gods truth or to prouide for the setting foorth of true religion or redressing of disorders in churches or priests which are the principall points of supreme gouernment of princes in their realmes and dominions Neither do I thinke that any ancient father of the church did euer denie this power to princes Sure I am that many haue allowed it The reason why Caluin did once mislike the title of king Henry the eight was because hée was perswaded that hee had challenged all that power which the pope arrogateth to himselfe as head of the church wherein after that he was better informed he changed his stile and
retracted his opinion Thirdly I say we suspend our opinion and giue no approbation to Luthers opinion concerning the carnall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament for that we sée that doctrine to be new not taught by the apostolike church Nay we finde it to be repugnant to the apostles doctrine deliuered in Scriptures to the doctrine of the ancient catholike church and to the analogie of faith Lastly I say that in external gouernment it is not necessarie that all churches should concur and agrée séeing not onely the east churches differed from the west but the western churches also from themselues The churches of Afrike had diuers customes differing froÌ„ the churches of Italy a I ibâ—d sa 〈◊〉 Ambrose in his church at Milan thought it not necessary in al things to follow the church of Rome Further I say that it is not to be doubted but that it is better in matter of externall gouernment to folow the consent of antiquitie and succéeding ages rather then any mans priuate humour and opinion and therefore I doubt not but our cause is better and our grounde more certaine which in searching out the doctrine of Christian faith do build our selues vpon Christ and his apostles and vpon holy Scriptures approoued by consent of times descent of holy fathers bishops testimony of the most ancient church which all appéereth in ancient symboles of faith then that of the papists which in doubts and controuersies runne to this pope or that pope which for the most part is but a blocke or a sot and a man ignorant not onely in the controuersies but often in the grounds principles of Christian religion Now what assurance the papists can haue of their faith that haue no ground but in the determination of the pope I report me euen to the papists themselues that condemne priuate opinions and singuler mens fancies and in externall termes yéeld all not to this man or that man but to the iudgement of Christ his vniuersall church Another spirituall blessing a P. 6. and 7. saith our aduersarie is when good works follow faith as meeknes penance mortification of the flesh continencie virginitie fasting praying almes voluntarie pouertie renouncing of the world And that mens sauage natures should be altered by Christs doctrine he prooueth out of Isay the 11. where it is saide That the woolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the Pard lie with the goate And the calfe lyon and sheepe abide togither Lastly hée asketh Whether our doctrine hath wrought these effects of peace and meekenesse of penance and mortification and the rest I answer that the doctrine of the Gospell hath wrought good effects in all true Christians And that all such do good workes and liue according to their profession And albeit euerie one do not so square their liues according to Gods law as they should do yet compare our people with the papists nay with the priests and popes themselues whom they call most holy and I make no question but they do farre excell them In Quéene Maries time this land flowed with bloud of innocents Vpon her Maiesties entrance these cruell executions ceased Such was her clemencie that shée would not shed the blood of those woolues that had shed the most innocent blood of many others Nay albeit during the time of her sisters reigne shée had receiued many wrongs yet did shée forget al. So rare was her clemencie that euen strangers commend it Tanta eius animi extitit moderatio saith b Histor Gâ—nuens lib. 23. Peter Bizarus atque inuata clementia vt non immeritò de illa dici possit quod veteres de Seuero Alexandro Mammea matre genito posteris tradidere nempe anaematon hoc est citra sanguinem gessisse imperium cum suapte natura semper à caedibus crudelitate abhorrens nunquam adduci potuerit vt aliquem nisi publico iudicio damnatum ad supplicium rapi pateretur Her people likewise did folow her steps and neuer sought the blood of papists though the world knoweth they séeke ours In France and Flanders our side neuer tooke armes but in defence of their liues against those that sought to murder them In our victories likewise great clemencie hath béene vsed The king of Nauarre now king of France was euer admired for his great clemencie The English entring perforce into Caliz and other places shewed great moderation in their victorie In diuers places where religion is professed adulterie is punished with death fornication with corporall punishments other vnnaturall filthinesse is not named No where are stewes accompted lawfull Neither do we accompt any man a true professor that doth not moderate his affections and absteine from swearing drunkennesse pride and deale mercifully with the poore and conscionably with all If any man do otherwise he may liue among vs but he is not of vs. But the whoorish synagogue of Rome she is redde with the blood of saintes No tigre was euer more fierce or cruell This farre surpasseth the bloody city whereof the prophet a Nahum 3. speaketh the gouernours of this synagogue like wolues haue deuoured the lambes of Christ and not spared his flocke they imprison the true professors they spoile them torment them and kill them Innocent the third caused many thousands to be slaine in France Iohn the two and twentieth did b Io. Villan hist. fiorent 11. persecute the poore Christians of Armenia and hired the Saracens to war vpon them and all because they would not acknowledge his authoritie Martin the fift and his successors with fire and sword sought to ruinate the Bohemians onely for séeking reformation of abuses and redresse for the cruell execution of Iohn Husse murdred at Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct To forbeare to speake of former times the world knoweth that the warres of Germanie against the protestants as they are called were stirred vp by Paul the third and prosecuted with great rigour By the instigation of bloody priestes of the Romish synagogue the innocent christians of Cabriers Merindole and the villages néere adioyning were most cruellie slaine without respect of age sexe or qualitie These be the wolues that in the time of Quéene Mary made such hauock of Christs flocke in England that haue caused millions of christians in France Flanders and other places to be slaughtered Lib. hist 24. Natalis a popish writer saith that thréescore thousand were murdred in the massacre of France anno 1572. Cum amirante saith he Lutetiae Parisiorum in omnibus propè Gallicis ciuitatibus caesa fuisse dicuntur plura sexaginta millibus hominum factionis Vgonoticae nouae religionis And therefore he doubteth not to cal this execution Cruell and bitter The numbers of those that haue béene secretly murdred by the bloodie Inquisitors in Rome Italie Spaine is excéeding great the crueltie of the persecutors strange the patience of saints admirable Neither doe they onely practise crueltie against such as they accompt
absurd positions and principles in their religion TO recount and declare all the absurdities and heresies of the popish faction woulde require both time and labour they are so many and so intricate In number they passe the sande they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith a I'iad 1. Homer And no maruell séeing they are builte on the pope which albeit he be b Sanders rocke reputed as a rocke yet is nothing but a banke of sande whereon the papists haue wracked their faith But of the rest I shall haue time to speake héereafter Now I will onely mention those which sir Francis Hastings doth obiect and which his aduersarie goeth about to remooue I say therefore that it is most true which he doth obiect diz That the papists hould ignorance to be the mother of deuotion D. Cole a man of no obscure note among the papists in a certaine disputation at Westminster did openly affirme it I tell you saith he ignorance is the mother of deuotion neither is he singular in this point a Aduers proleg Brent l. 2. f. 71. Hosius saith that ignorance is not onely woorthy pardon but reward also The same b Ibidem l. 3. fol. 146. man also commendeth the Coliars faith which vnderstanding nothing said he beleeued as the catholicke church and being further demaunded what the church beleeued said as he beleeued and so persisted in that circle And in another c Confess Petricou de fid symb f. 17. place he affirmeth that Nihil scire est omnia scire and that it is sufficient for a man to beleeue that which the catholicke church beleeueth albeit he be not able to shew what it beléeueth And that the synagogue of Rome holdeth this opinion albeit not in plaine termes it appeareth by their practise For they do not willingly suffer the scriptures to be translated into vulgar toongs nor permit lay men to read them without licence which is not easily obteined Further their publike praiers and liturgies are all set foorth in vnknowne toonges The people vnderstandeth neither what they pray nor what they beléeue The priests for the most part are blind and so is the people and so the blind is set to leade the blinde Paule the second did so hate knowledge that he pronounced them heretikes which should once mention the word Academie Paulus haereticos eos pronuntiauit saith d In Paulo 2. Platina qui nomen academiae vel seriò vel ioco deinceps commemorarent Likewise they hold that princes are not to meddle with the externall gouernment of the church nor to make lawes for the establishment of faith and manners e Lib. 5. de pont Rom. cap. 7. Bellarmine doth distinguish ecclesiastical gouernment from ciuill gouernment whereby it may appéere that he woulde not haue the temporall magistrate to meddle with the church And in another place he directly f Lib. 1. de pont Rom. c. 7. saith That the gouernment of the church was committed to bishops and priests and not to princes and that princes ought not to determine a cause of the church Generally they all holde that the prince is not to reforme abuses in doctrine but the councell of priests which is a position very absurd For first wée sée that vnder the law kings reformed abuses and established orders in the church as appeareth by the example of Hezekiah Iosia Dauid and others Likewise among christians Constantine Valentinian Gratianus Theodosius and other princes did not onely reform abuses and condemne heresies but a Cod. de sum Trin. fide cath titulis sequentib establish orders and promulge the articles of christian faith Nay some there are that thinke it a matter vndecent and vnnecessary either to vnderstand or to argue of matters of religion Charles the fift as Meteranus in his story testifieth commaunded that no lay man should dispute of religion and many were executed for that cause onely The Italians say that it is matter for fryers to reason of religion E cósa da frati c. They hold and teach further that the pope determining matters of faith is to be beléeued vnder paine of damnation and this is that which Sir Francis meant and which both Bellarmine and all the popish crew writeth and beléeueth And yet we find that he approoueth many damnable heresies as that of the Angelickes Collyridians Staurolatrians Manichées in ministring the communion vnder one kinde the Pelagians in extolling the merits and force of works and diuers others Boniface the eight holdeth that none can be saued but such as be subiect to the pope And Bellarmine b Lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. c. 12. coÌ„cludeth that it is a point of faith to hold that the bishop of Rome hath succeeded Peter in the vniuersall regiment of the church So that whatsoeuer he commandeth that must bée beléeued Neither may priuate men dispute of the popes power For that they say is sacriledge and no lesse then To open a mans mouth against heauen And yet his determinations wée finde to be hereticall and his commandements wicked and vnlawfull Lastly they teach that the pope hath power to pardon all sinnes And that is so true that it cannot bée denied For they giue him all Christes power in earth And in the taxe of penances there is set downe a taxe for indulgences for all sinne yea for Iudaisme apostasie Turcisme Maranie Paricide Sodomie and whatsoeuer heinous sinne else And albeit the more learned distinguish betwéene mortall and veniall sinne betwéene culpam and poenam yet if â—he pope can forgiue all the punishment then sure can he forgiue any sinne and the rude papists vnderstand no such subtilties If then sir Francis hath auouched any such matter against the papists hée hath done them no wrong Neither hath this Noddy any sufficient skill to shift off the matter Much be braggeth and faceth but what shoulde wée respect wordes when we sée no truth in his meaning To acknowledge Gods fauour towards vs in deliuering vs both out of the spirituall thraldome of Antichrist and the temporall slauerie of strangers and accumulating vpon the people of this land diuers other both spirituall and temporall blessings hée estéemeth to bée but flatterie and faire glosing and to charge the papists with ignorance and strange opinions hée counteth no better then cogging and lying mixing a number of wordes borrowed partly of cheating companions with whom it should séeme hée hath much conuersed and partly of railing sophisters among whom hée hath long triumphed But as I haue wiped away the accusation of flatterie so I doubt not but I shall easily answer this cogging mates brabling about lying and cogging Hée taketh in great scorne that it shoulde bée saide That a darke and mistie cloud of ignorance did couer the lande in Queene Maries time and saith That it was as wise and learned as Italy or Spaine is at this day where our teachers if they shoulde appeere dare not open their mouthes
the churches interpretation then by séeing the same confirmed by scriptures For which cause the Bereans red the Scriptures and are therefore commended Secondly if the men that went to a Luc. 24. Emaus and the Ethiopian b Act. 8. red the Scriptures albeit they vnderstood them not at the first why shoulde Christians bée barred from reading such scriptures as they vnderstand What more simple argument can be deuised then this because an interpreter is necessarie that we may not read what hée interpreteth in a toong which we vnderstand Thirdly Philip that taught the eunuch was not the apostle Philip as the Noddy our aduersary supposeth shewing by example of himselfe that scriptures are not much to be red but Philip the deacon Lastly it is a matter most ridiculous because some places are hard to be vnderstood to debarre the people from the whole body of scriptures especially séeing many thinges are plaine and easie Nay this reason may better be retorted vpon our aduersary because diuers places are hard to be vnderstood that wée should diligently read them and heare them expounded that we may both by these and other places reape profit And thus it may appéere that euen simple women whome this scoffing mate calleth proud protestant people and scorneth at them for reading holy scriptures would be much ashamed if they could not reason better of these matters then this great popish Rabbin that taketh on him so boldly to determine matters Hauing thus fondly reasoned of reading of scriptures he cōcludeth forsooth very wisely that falsehood heresie is engendred of reading of scriptures And goeth about to prooue it first by the example of William Hacket William Ieffrey and Ioan Burcher thē by experience for that as he beléeueth more heresies are sprung vp within these 50. or 60. yeeres since scriptures began to be red in vulgar toongs thē in many ages before But his conclusion is nothing but a wicked calumniation of gods holy scriptures and his proofes consiste of a packe of lies both declare him to be a sclanderous lying enymy of Gods truth For it is not reading of scriptures which he stileth rash reading béeing vsed by lay people but neglect of scriptures that bringeth foorth error and heresie Philosophers therefore that contemned scriptures were called patriarkes of heretikes and heretikes by a De resur carn Tertullian are called Lucifugae scripturarum for that they fly from the light of scriptures And that is proued euen by the examples produced by the aduersary For those blasphemous heretikes did not fall into their impieties and heresies by reading scriptures but by gyuing héede to fond reuelations and renouncing scriptures experience also teacheth the same for while the light of Gods word was couered and scriptures neglected and héede giuen to popish decretalles and Mahomets reuelations all the heresies of papists and impieties of Mahomet and many other errors haue béene receiued by people ignorant of scriptures And that reading of scriptures is not cause of heresies it appeareth first for that not simple people reading scriptures but great clerkes reading philosophie and popish Decretalles and schoole Doctors haue béene authors of heresies Secondly in the Apostles times when all might reade scriptures then fewest heresies sprung vp That Ioan Burcher conueied bibles into the court or had any acquaintance with Anne Askeugh which this fellow reporteth is a lie deuised by himselfe Let him shew his author if he can that which he talketh of Anne Askeugh is impertinent But such is his blindenesse hée will needes haue all the world sée the cruelty of papists that burnt that innocent woman for denying their transubstantiation which if hée were wise he would haue either denyed or dissembled albeit some other should haue spoken of it And so it appeareth that Sir Francis Hastings had reason to charge the papists with hiding the scriptures from the peoples eyes and kéeping them as it were couered in toonges vnknowne contrary to Christs doctrine precedentes of antiquitie And no lesse reason haue christians to detest the boldnesse of this frapling frier that calleth preaching reading and reasoning of scriptures clouting of scriptures And thus much may serue to shew that the papists deale iniuriously in taking away translations of scriptures out of the hands of the multitude It is also most apparent that they rather perswade ignorance as fit for their blind deuotion then knowledge neither is this Rabbin able to shew the cōtrary He alledgeth Thomas of Aquine for his warrant and saith that he disputing of deuotion maketh ignorance neither to be mother nor daughter nor sister of deuotion But what if Thomas of Aquine doth not so teach doth it therefore follow that no other teacheth ignorance to be mother of deuotion who would reason so simply and ignorantly but he beside this albeit his master Thomas doth not directly teach it yet in effect he teacheth as much For first he sheweth a 2.2 q. 82. art 3. that deuotion doth most abound in simple people and in women And secondly he b 2. 2. q. 2. aut 6. teacheth that it is inough for the simpler sort to haue fidem implicitam and to beléeue as the church or as their superiors beléeue which is a meanes to bring in ignorance Finally I haue shewed that diuers others haue gone further in commending ignorance He saith further that all hold what Thomas holdeth and so beginneth to make a long speake of the nature cause and effectes of deuotion But first albeit we graunted that all held that which Thomas holdeth yet it doth not hereof follow that the papists hold no more nor otherwise then he holdeth For then what néeded so many later bookes and therefore this answere is not to purpose Beside that it is false For the Scotistes in most points dissent from him and in many points of schoole Diuinitie later doctors do contradict him as namely in his opinions of the procéeding of the holy Ghost principally from the father of the conception in originall sinne of the virgine Marie of the tormenting of soules in purgatorie by diuels of Christs locall being in the sacrament and infinite other matters Hée alleageth also a saying of Saint Augustine concerning deuotion and To make the wilfull malice of these good fellowes appeere saith hée Thomas of Aquine maketh this obiection to himselfe As if either Thomas of Aquines obiections to himselfe or else saint Augustines wordes could ascertaine vs what these fellowes hold or hold not séeing they dissent from Saint Augustine in many things and in all things doe not iumpe with Thomas and haue infinite nouelties more then either of these Wherefore vnlesse this fellow can shew that doctors Cole neuer vttered any such saying and that the practise of papists is not to nouzell their people in blindenesse and ignorance hée doth but trifle and sheweth himselfe fitter to sit in the alehouse among the goodfellowes he speaketh of then to dispute in schooles Lastly hée braggeth much of the learning
reasons As in a great and noble house saith he Iarres and breaches falling out betwixt the goodman and the goodwife their eldest children may declare what they thinke with reuerence to both parts so in the church her Maiestie beeing our mother and the pope the spirituall father to all cacolikes Cardinall Allen Sanders Bristow Stapleton and such like as elder children may speake their mindes as well of the causes of the breaches betweene them as of the right of both parties This is the summe of his defence but how vnsufficient you shall easily iudge by the sequele First it standeth on false groundes Secondly it conteineth ridiculous matter Thirdly it maketh against him that made it For first we denie the pope to be any christians spirituall father For hée begetteth none by preaching but destroieth infinite soules by maintaining false doctrine and ruinateth christendome by warres murders and trecherous practises We deny also that Allen Sanders or any such trecherous companion hath any prerogatiue of birthright either in church or common-wealth Nay they haue declared themselues to be traitors and strange children enimies to their prince countrey We say further that no lawfull bishop much lesse the pope that is onely a bishop in name and title hath power to depriue a prince of his state We say finally it is a malepert part for a childe to determine that the father may put awaie his mother and such a one with a little helpe will declare his father a cruell husband his mother a dishonest woman and himselfe a bastardly sonne Secondly it is ridiculous to compare the pope to the goodman and princes to the good wife of the house séeing these two do neuer kéepe house togither and considering that the pope doth in his owne order vtterly condemne lawfull mariage Againe what more fonde then to compare the popes hostile procéedings to iarres that fall out betwixt man and wife in a priuate house Doth the goodman vpon euery iarre damne and curse his wife Doth he seeke to cut her throte as this good fellow doth the Quéenes Lastly how ridiculous is it to compare Allen Sanders Bristow Stapleton and such like to children when they haue declared themselues old knaues ouergrowne in all trecherie and villanie and run out of their natiue countrey Do children runne from their mother and forsake her house to follow a reputed father I knowe not where Is not this the part of bastardes and not of children Thirdly if children ought with reuerence to respect their mother then is this Allen a most vnnaturall sonne that hath with all villanous and reprochfull termes railed against his mother Then are the rinegued priests Iesuites and their consorts murdring parricides that by all meanes haue sought the destruction of their mother nay of the most kinde mother that euer this people of England had Againe if shée be as the good wife and the pope as the good man yet must not he take vpon him to be iudge in his owne cause Nor ought any woman to be dispossessed of her right but by lawfull iudges and orderly procéeding It is a strange kind of diuorce that is made by force of armes But what eyther Parsons the Iesuite talketh of the affection of parents that neuer knew his right father or bastardly traytors talke of the right of princes of which they are ignorant it greatly skilleth not Wherefore seeing nothing is more apparent then that Cardinall Allen conspired with the pope and Spaniardes to worke the destruction of his prince and countrey and came with them anno 1588. ready with fire and sworde to destroie this lande and when hée coulde do no woorse barked out a multitude of hellish slanders against the prince the state and all goodmen among all the traitors and enimies of this countrey he deserueth to be in the first ranke The same accompt also we are to make of N. D. and all his consorts that allow his villanies and treasons And thus much may suffice to answere our aduersaries in wordes The rest I referre to those that carry the sworde which no doubt will prouide as in such time of danger the magistrates of Rome were woont Ne quid resp detrimenti ab istis capiat CHAP. V. Of Iesuites and their disciples and consorts against N. D. his fift encounter THe dispute and controuersie betwixt our aduersarie vs béeing héere about Iesuites their leud and bloudie practises I woulde gladly knowe the reason why he runneth out into so large and ample a discourse of his father the pope in this chapter and the rather for that he hath reserued for him a proper and a peculiar tract and a place of great dignitie in that part that foloweth héereafter Was it not thinke you to let vs vnderstand howe nobly the Iesuites are descended hauing Antichrist for their father and the whoore of Babylon for their mother If this were not the cause then let Parsons the Iesuite the author of the Wardeword I trow and one that for want of a father is constreined to runne to the pope that is now the father of all ribaldes traytors murderers empoisoners and enimies to this state let him I saie shewe me what is the true cause He may do well also to shew vs in what bordell he left the honest woman his mother and to set downe his whole petigrée that hée may cléere himselfe of irregularitie and let his friendes vnderstand his descent and high nobilitie In the meane while let vs sée what he hath to say first for his holy father and next for himselfe and his consorts First he is much offended that the popes doctrine is called Dregs poison and superstition but assuredly without iust cause For who séeth not that the principall ground of poperieis tradition Themselues say that traditions are of equall dignitie to the Scriptures If then it be drawne out of cisterns of traditions and not out of the pure streames of gods word it is no maruell if in these cisterns there be found much dregs corruption Now adde vnto traditions all the popes decretals and scholasticall fancies and subtilties of friers and their followers and then the filth of popish doctrine must néedes séeme much greater Againe séeing they haue drawne into their synagogue many customes whereof some are Iewish other prophane and heathenish they haue no wrong to bee charged with superstition From the Iewes they draw their Leuiticall priesthood the formes of their sacrifice and all the furniture of the masse their paschall lambe their Iubiley and popedome From the heathen they borrow their sacrifices and praiers for the dead their purgatorie the parts thereof their stationarie obambulations about the limits of parishes the canonizing and worship of saints departed their holy water and many such like ceremonies Lastly they haue translated many points of old condemned heresies into their cacolike religion With the Simonians they buy and sell freely not onely benefices and things annexed to spirituall things but also sacraments not
Pannes confession But what reason had hée to confesse it if the matter were not true These fellowes haue reason to denie it for their owne credite Hée denieth also That the Iesuites had any seruant called Melchior du Val. But that is not materiall séeing there are fewe Iesuites but they haue two or thrée names and it may bée that this Melchior also going about so wicked a purpose changed his name Further hée saith That there was neuer any speech had with Peter Pannes wife in Ipres about this matter and denieth that euer shee had any acquaintance with any Iesuite But hée must bée very well acquainted with her that knew both what shée did and what shée saide and what not This Noddy if hée had béene wise woulde haue alleaged some reason of his saying His companion a Sica tragica Costerus for proofe alleageth her examination But how shoulde wée beleeue that euer shee was duely examined or that shée saide as is alleaged Againe if béeing induced by Iesuites shée shoulde speake any such thing yet who woulde not rather beléeue her husband vttring matter against himselfe then such a light huswife speaking vntruth without danger or controlement and percase béeing hired Lastly whereas Peter Panne cōfessed That in the rogation weeke next before he talked with the prouinciall others of the colledge of Iesuites at Doway and told that they promised him reward in earth blisse in heauen for executing that act this discourser telleth vs That the Prouinciall that weeke was 60. miles from Doway and that there passed no such conference with Peter Panne And this hée saith Is prooued by witnesses and certified by cacolike magistrates But hée shoulde haue vnderstood that witnesses examined in the absence of parties and percase neither sworne nor duely examined prooue nothing Beside that wée haue good cause to except against such iudges and such witnesses as our professed enimies do choose and produce But suppose all their relation were true yet such certificates prooue nothing but that Peter Panne either mistooke the names or qualities of some persons named in his examinations and it may be that the Iesuites made him beléeue he was brought to the prouinciall and chéefe of the colledge when hée was onely before some other base companion of that societie That hée shoulde charge the Iesuites wrongfully being to die presently it cannot bée presumed Neither is it strange for Iesuites to worke cunningly and vnderhand in these cases that whē they come to light may prooue so odious This Noddie therefore was not wise to say What hath beene found against the Iesuites or to wish that it may bee laide open to the worlde which wordes a Apologet. c. 8. Tertullian vsed in the defence of Christians in his time For wée haue founde matter sufficient against them and little hath hée alleaged in their defence which wée haue not auoided Moreouer wée doe not read that Christians in Tertullians time taught this omnipotent power of the pope which the Iesuites defende nor beléeued that all that woulde not submit themselues to his iurisdiction shoulde bée slaine Among them certes there were no assassinors and murderers of kings nor practisers against princes states nor such proude and cruell sectaries as are the Iesuites And albeit Iesuites eate no children which crime was imputed to ancient Christians yet they haue occasioned the death of millions of men women and children that in the stirres and tumults raised by them haue perished and daily more and more matter we finde against them Further hée woulde haue such As haue abandoned the societie of Iesuites to be examined what they haue heard and seene during the time when they abode among them Which to gratifie him wée haue done and in one b Histor Iesuit Hazenmyller and Paule Floren c Colloq Iesuit and Simon Lith we find that they are the corrupters of religion the firebrands of sedition perturbers of Christian common-wealthes and the ruine of Christendome In outward semblant they are shéepe but inwardly they are goates or rather woolues They professe pouertie and chastitie but abound in wealth and liue licenciously and wantonly They take to themselues the name of Iesuites but are the onely vpholders of antichrists kingdome And if they will not beléeue them which haue left them and their societie let them listen a little what some of their owne friends report of them One Iohn Cecil a popish priest in his Discouerie of errors committed by William Criton Iesuite a Fol. 14. saith That his practises made many widowes and orphans in Scotland b Fol. 16. and that hee was taken with plats for the inuasion of England Hée chargeth him with c Fol. 10. Machiuilian practises d Fol. 4. making satirs and pasquinadoes e Fol. 27. and irreligious and vnconscionable calumnies And finally hée calleth the Iesuites f Fol. 18. turbulent spirits and saith they hinder the popes cause with their Libels schismes sedition and plots of inuasion Another priest In his discouerie of Dolmans conference g P. 6. chargeth Parsons directly with A practise and confederacie against the bloud royall and saith h P. 12. That his drift is to disinherite true heires to alter the common lawes and to bring in strangers into England i P. 19. yea to bring in mischiefes on mischiefes and k P. 33. ciuill warre Finally he l P. 70. chargeth him with monstrous absurdities and blasphemies against kings and m P. 43. saith That he calleth her Maiesties title in question and that the Iesuites haue made diuers practises against her Thus while traitors fall out true men come to vnderstande the truth This discourser telleth vs That the chastitie of Iesuites must imitate the puritie of angels But vnlesse by angels hée vnderstand wicked angels and diuels the Iesuites will come farre short of their example which they propose to themselues to imitate The angels of God certes neither burne in lust nor abandon themselues to the delites of the worlde He saith further That they shoulde abhorre all those things which the world doth loue and esteeme But that is nothing else but a sentence of condemnation against the whole societie of Iesuites that so much loueth the worlde and delighteth in honors pleasures large pallaces goodly gardens pleasant fountaines good furniture of housholde aboundance of daintie viandes rich clothes and such like worldly vanities After this hée runneth into a large discourse of the martyrdomes and voluntarie suffringes of the Iesuites in the Indies purposing percase if any entend to trace him in his lying to make him trauell a great iorney But suppose they shoulde suffer death tortures yet that is a matter common to them and to rebels traitors malefactors yea to such as fall into the hand of barbarous people that respect not whom they massacre Ghineard in France and Campian and other Iesuites in England haue suffred but a See the conclusion of the 4. encounters
extr de Maior Obed. Boniface the eight teacheth That it is a point necessarie to saluation to bee vnder the pope b De ecclesia militante c. 2. Bellarmine holdeth him out of the church that is not vnder the popes obedience Nostra sententia est saith he ecclesiam vnam veram esse caetum hominum eiusdem christianae fidei professione eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum sub regimine legitimorum pastorum ac praecipuè vnius Christi in terris vicarij Romani Pontificis This is likewise Turrians and Stapletons opinion If then a papist or cacolik must néedes obey the pope then must he necessarilie both allow his sentence of excommunication against the Queene and ioine with him in deposing her or else they are no partes of the Romish church But if they shall either so thinke or do they can bée no true subiects Secondly a Lib 2. de Pontif. Rom. Bellarmine teacheth that it is a matter of faith To beleeue that the pope by Christs ordinance hath succeeded Peter in the vniuersall gouernment of the church But hée that beléeueth so much as all papists are bounde to do cannot acknowledge the princes royall authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes nor exclude the pope from it and per consequent must néedes bée but a sorie subiect to her Maiestie Thirdly all papists are b Bellar. lib 4. de Pontif. Rom. bound to beléeue That the popes sentence in matters of faith is infallible and that what hée iudgeth is done by Christes authority in whose tribunall seate hée pretendeth to sit Necessarie it is therefore that all papists allow the popes sentence of deposition against her Maiestie If they denie it they are not of the right touch of papists if they grant it they are euill qualified subiects But what shall wée néede arguments to prooue this when as experience doth euidently prooue it vnto vs Is it not apparent how little reason her Maiestie hath to trust them In the beginning of her reigne the popish prelates refused to crowne her one onely excepted Afterward the popish clergie for the most part fledde out of the lande and left her By their solicitation the pope began to stirre against her Presently vpon his excommunication the rebellion began in the north These kinde of men stirred vp diuers rebellions in Ireland Neither haue they ceased at any time to enterprise either one deuise or other to hurt vs here in England Sir Francis therefore doth greatly diminish their deserts and spare them where hée saith onely They haue deceitfull harts And most fauorablie doth the state deale with them for refusing to come to church to serue God séeing their consorts do burne and murder godly men for not comming to their idolatrous seruice and abominable masse He calleth those that refuse to go to our churches The better and more religious sort of catholickes But he is not of God that refuseth to heare his word Neither are they to be tearmed catholickes that haue a priuate religion to themselues deuised by the pope nor are they truely religious that vnderstand not the principles of Christian faith nor will receiue true holesome and apostolike doctrine Now if any desire to know what they are by the markes of Antichrist in their whole life and profession he may vnderstand it Where it is said that some papistes Shew foorth a good outward ciuill cariage this Noddy wisely concludeth That sir Francis maketh light of good life and thereupon taketh occasion to runne out into a common place of good workes But héere was no place for him to trie his skill For sir Francis doth neither condemne good workes nor good life but rather the hypocriticall shewe of both where indeede neither is to bée founde Nay poore soules the papists do not so much as vnderstande what workes are good what not They say their Oraisons and Credo Aue Maria in Latin and vnderstand not what they say They créepe to the crosse and kisse it On fridaies they eate fish and absteine from white meates in lent They crosse themselues confesse their faults in the priestes eare put on haire cloth and follow such like fancies refusing to heare true doctrine and Gods truth And a Matth. 15. 23. So they make frustrate Gods commandements by their owne traditions Nay sometime they rebell against their lawfull princes and murder Gods saints and blaspheme his truth and yet thinke they do God good seruice when most plainely they transgresse his lawes As for our selues albeit wée do not attribute merite or iustification to works yet wée exhort all men to shew foorth their faith by their workes and to lead a holy life according to their holy profession Neither are we so barren of good workes but that we dare compare either with the glorious Iesuites or with the most perfect men of the popish faction or with their most holy popes As for Recusantes I know no works they do but such as if they were wise they would be ashamed of them Sir Francis Hastings as a true and honest patriote and like a religious gentleman noteth thrée pointes in Recusantes worthy consideration The first is The hurt they do the second is The hurt they would do if they were not restrained the third is Their deepe dissimulatioÌ„ He might also haue noted the hurts which already they haue doone and ioine their leud opinions with their wicked actioÌ„s And vary euery seueral point with manifold arguments examples But this which he hath alreadie brought is more then our aduersarie doth well answere Nay hée answereth almost nothing vnlesse wée take gibes and scornefull reproches for paiment Where sir Francis saith That the yoonger steere learneth of the elder oxe He saith It is a verse drawne from his plow and stall of oxen As if it were not lawfull and vsuall by naturall similitudes to expresse things morall or as if his holy S. Thomas did not sometimes draw similitudes from oxen and asses It is written in a Iâ—b 1. Iob That the oxen were plowing and the asses feeding by them That is as he b 2. 2. q. 2. art 6. Gregor moral 2. supposeth The ruder and inferior sort of people which are represented by asses must beleeue as their prelates do which are signified by oxen The similitude vsed by sir Francis is very fit For commonly Recusants are as rude as oxen and stéeres and as the Psalmist saith Vnderstand no more then doth horse or mule Nay as it is in the first of Esaie The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters cribbe but these ignorant Recusants know not their God but for their gods adore angels and saints yea stockes and stones vnderstanding no more what they pray then do oxen and calues Beside that the confessors and yoong priests are so familiar with their wiues that they are made liker oxen then lyons But this idle vagabond frier that liueth idly vpon the sweate of other mens browes and disdeineth to labour
scorneth al husbandry and honest trauaile So strange is their doctrine that they woulde alter not onely Christes religion but also rules of state and houshold Where sir Francis telleth vs That he knoweth by experience what hurt womens perswasions haue done in hardening their husbands harts in matters of religion and saith That the night crowes perswasion preuaileth much Hée gibeth at the terme of Night crowes and chargeth the knight with Playing the part either of Iudas to betray Recusants or of Pilate to condemne them or afflict them But first there is great oddes betwixt the recusants that haue nothing either of Christ or of good christians but the bare name Christ Iesus our sauior Hée refused not to come into the temple though abused nor sought to betray his nation into the hands of high priests and forreine enimies These refuse to come to Gods church and are the high priests of Romes seruants and many of them haue too great affection to forreine enimies Secondlie euill do our Iustices deserue these reprochfull termes of Iudas and Pilate for dealing against euill affected subiects a Iustices and other her Maiesties officers stirred vp to do their duties against priestes and recusants by the reproches of the aduersarie and woorse affected Christians and may learne to execute the lawes more exactly séeing for their remissenesse they are called carpet knights and for dooing nothing railed at as if they were as euill as Iudas or Pilate In the meane while wée giue this Noddy to vnderstand that his consorts may much better bée termed Pilates that murder Christ in his members and condemne infinite innocent Christians and therefore in the end they are to looke for the end of Pilate The Recusants likewise may rightly bée resembled to Iudas that woulde so willingly betraie their masters brethren and their owne friendes and countrimen And it is no new thing for sacrificing priests that continually betray kill or immolate Christ as they say to be called Iudasses b 4. Brig 133. onus eccles c. 23. Bridget saith they are woorse then Iudas Corpus meum saith Christ in Brigits prophesies speaking of priests amarius crucifigunt quam Iudaei And againe Maledicti sacerdotes ad me simulatoriè accedunt quafi proditores Thirdly most true it is that simple men are often misledde by the subtile perswasions of péeuish women And therefore may they wel be resembled to black night crowes that are still croking in their husbands eares and entising them both to opinions and workes of darknesse Beside this these nightcrowes are too familiar oftentimes with night walking priests Iesuites that teach them new fashions of shrift and draw them into euill opinions and dangerous practises In Venice they encroched so farre vpon the womens fauour that their husbands forbad them to come any more néere the Iesuites Like fauour haue the Iesuites obtained at the handes of the goodwiues of Milan By meanes of the wiues of Friburge the Iesuites attempted to set dissension betwixt the Cantons of Suizzerland We may not therefore thinke it strange if trecherous priestes worke their feates by the meanes of women Where it is saide that by the leud perswasions of Recusant women many fall away our aduersarie asketh Whether they fall to enormitie of sinne or wickednesse of life As if the Recusants were such saints that they coulde not fall to sinne or wickednesse Certes the common opinion is otherwise For commonly Recusants make lechery and ribaldrie to bée no great sinne And their women make it more nice to go to Gods church then to go to strangers beds It is well knowne that papists allow of bordels and a C. at si clerici De iudi ijs account adulterie and fornication small faults and easilie they dispence with them Heerein England the priests corrupted the Gailors daughter of Wisbich and another priest ranne away with one of Bellamies maides Nay there is a priest in England that confessed how hee shriued fewe women but hee lay with them And yet the simple Recusants neither feele their owne shame nor prouide remedie against these priests of Baal Beside that Recusants are often drawne into strange and disloial practises as appeereth by the examples of Arden Someruil Babington Tichborne and many others But to omit filthinesse of life and trecherie it is fall great inough that simple men oft by leud perswasions fall into the errors and heresies of poperie so many and so gréeuous that popery as it conteineth nouelties aboue the doctrine which wee professe is nothing but a packe of heresies as wee shall particularly shewe héereafter But saith the discourser They are catholikes and haue a scruple to go to the Protestants churches because they thinke their religion is naught And thereupon hée concludeth That religion and conscience is cause of their refusall and not euill will or rebellion But the poore idiots are much abused where they are perswaded that either their owne religion is catholike or that ours is not catholike This is a common song which the popish priests sing in their eares but the note is iarring and the dittie can neuer bée prooued Catholike religion was that which the apostles taught generally throughout the worlde and that is the religion which wée professe in our Créede and finde written in holy scriptures All which we holde and refuse all doctrine contrarie to the same But the papists in their schoolemens commentaries and popish decretals and wicked missals and portuises and such like bookes of Romish deuotion haue brought in not onely a faith diuers from the apostolike and catholike faith but also contrarie to the same Much therefore do we pittie the blindnesse of Recusants that not onely shut their eies against the light and condemne that for heresie which indéede is truely catholike but also embrace falshood and heresies for true religion worshipping angels saints and the virgine Marie yea stockes rotten bones and rags in stead of one true God and embracing antichrist in stead of Christ And all this they do building themselues and their religion either vpon lying legends or popish decretals or vncertaine customes neuer vsed in the catholike church So that heerein there is neither one scrpule of true religion nor any dramme of conscience but onelie blindnesse and wilfulnesse of which afterward ensueth vnnaturall vnkindnesse towards their prince and countrie and wicked practises hurtfull to themselues their déerest friends and countrimen Neither can it excuse them That they are so perswaded in their conscience For all conscience ought to bée grounded on right reason and not vpon this or that fancy Therefore the a Thomas aq 1. p. q. 79. art 12. Siluest in verb. conscientia schoolemen say Quod conscientia est actus synteresis But this synteresis is nothing but a facultie of the minde wherein are principles naturally knowne preserued Saint b Lib. 2. de lib. arb c. 10. Augustine saith Quod in naturali iudicatorio adsunt quaedam regulae
speaketh of the first our question is of the second kind of conscience as is euident by our aduersaries wordes who teacheth that if our consciences perswade vs to do any thing that we are bound to do it although our reason lead vs wrong Which is contrary not onely to the apostle but also to the schoolemen The apostle saith Whatsoeuer is not of faith or a good conscience is sinne And the schoolemen teach as I haue shewed that an erroneous conscience is not to be folowed but rather forsaken So that if we folow the apostles rule then those that vpon false perswasions abstaine from hearing Gods eternall word and coÌ„municating with vs in the sacraments and that go to idole seruice and eat bread that is made an idole do offend gréeuously for that this cannot procéede of conscience but rather is against good conscience Fourthly he assureth vs That the conscience of papistes that refuse to go to the church is grounded vpon so sure and euident groundes as any demonstration in the world can lay downe And his ground is this That the religion professed by papistes is true and that therefore they may not seeme to professe any other And here he thinketh he standeth firme immooueable But if this be his ground his building is founded vpon sand and vpon a cleare vntruth For neither shall he euer be able to disprooue that truth which we professe nor to iustifie those pointes of popish religion which we condemne If he will promise to do it I will giue him what tearme he pleaseth And to the entent all deceiued papists may sée his vanitie I will shewe him b See the 4. encounâ—â— following this treatise héereafter what the points are that hée cannot prooue In this place it is sufficient to shewe that his popish positions are contradicted in the greatest part of christendome But no firme demoÌ„stration can be grounded vpon vntrue or doubtfull propositions Aristotle c Analyt post 1. telleth vs that demonstrations are syllogismes That worke certaine knowledge But this demonstration of his is nothing but a mist or rather darknesse to deceiue ignorant people Wherefore let all papisticall Recusants beware what they beleeue vpon others credite The Iesuites teach them lies for truth heresie for faith antichrist for Christ superstition and falsehood for true religion and draw from them all meanes of their saluation Fiftly hée telleth vs That wee do greatly discredite our doctrine which wee were woont to teach viz. That no man shoulde be forced in matters of his conscience But the discredite is rather his that either vnderstandeth not our doctrine through his dulnesse or else cauilleth about this matter of forcing the conscience without iust cause then ours that teach as wee did euer and vary not from our doctrine in our practise Wée say as wée did euer that the conscience neither ought to bée forced with tortures and terrors of death neither can be forced For faith founded vpon sure groundes surmounteth all violence of tyrants and crueltie of persecutors which terrifieth and discourageth none taught rightlie in Christs schoole As for the sauage and barbarous crueltie of the popish synagogue that purple whoore of Rome Whose a Apocal. 17. vesture is red with the blood of Saints and which without difference of age sexe or qualitie tortureth hangeth burneth and killeth true Christians it is odious not onely to those that vnderstand the truth but also to the milder sort of the aduersaries Further albeit no man can bée forced to religion yet all gentle courses are to bée vsed to draw men to religion For this cause wée exhort the weake and ignorant and with pecuniarie mulctes wée represse those that are wilfull and obstinate And this is all the punishment that her Maiestie vseth against recusants too little certes if wee respect either their deserts or the malice of our enimies neither do we thinke it either vnlawfull to procéed further against hereticall teachers that corrupt Christs doctrine with their leuen or sufferable that notorious blasphemers and railers at religion shoulde escape vnpunished So then wee beléeue that religion is to be taught and not by terrors thrust vpon the people and yet denie not but that such as bee wilfull disturbers of the state of the church or common-welth ought to bée punished Neither is there any repugnance betwixt these two courses Onelie let papists absteine from practises and for the rest they are secured both of life libertie lands and goods We seeke them and not theirs and onely proceede against such as shew open contempt against our religion and yet vse all câ—emencie vnlesse their vntollerable abuses against church and state vrge vs to extremitie Finally he doth preferre the orders of the popish synagogue that burneth not onely those that forsake their religion a The papists cannot dissemble their bloody crueltie but such also as will not come vnto their religion The popes religion he calleth The faith of all Christendome and saith That such as thinke hardly thereof ought rather to be barred from comming to the church then drawne thither Wherein he sheweth first his cruelty and bloudy humor that seemeth to reioyce in slaughter and commendeth the woluish nature of the Romish synagogue Secondly his folly and treacherie that betraying his clients cause would haue them punished with death For if all that forsake the faith of Christ and his apostles be to suffer death then will it go hard with his clients the recusantes who pretending catholicke faith indeede do embrace the priuate doctrine and faction of popes Thirdly his impudency that dare auouch the popish religion to be the faith of all Christendome which notwithstanding is contradicted by the easterne churches and forsaken of a great part of the west church and is onely maintained by fire and sword and cruelty Lastly his ignorance in teaching religion that would haue such as do not like all points of faith to bée barred out of the church Which course neither by our Sauiour nor by his apostles nor by any true teachers of Christianitie was euer practised Nay our Sauiour inuiteth all to come to him when hée had made readie to feast his friends woulde haue guestes compelled to come in Likewise the apostles taught all that came and opened their armes to embrace all that were desirous to learne The ancient fathers by all meanes sought to draw people to the church and shut the doores against none that was willing to come in What then shoulde we thinke of the aduersaries but as of enimies of Christ true religion that seeke to murder and famish Christs flocke In the meane while let vs holde on our course and with our Sauiour call al men and refuse none that are willing to heare And thus an ende of the first consideration that concerneth the hurt that popish Recusants do Next we are to consider What hurt they would do that briefly Now that is apparent First by their hatred against religion
no more eare to these hispaniolized English combined with traytors for the destruction of the country For he canne hardly séeme honest whome such rinegued traytors so highly do praise In the end of this chapter he goeth about to teach his disciples the recusantes how farre they are to yéelde obedience to their prince But if his teaching be no better in schooles then in these encounters I doubt he will make but few good schollers First he doth not shew vs whome he taketh for a lawfull prince which for determination of this controuersie would certainly be knowne For if he do not beléeue that a prince excommunicate by the pope and by him deposed is to be reputed lawfull and to be obeyed notwithstanding the popes spite then whatsoeuer he talketh here of obedience to princes concerneth her Maiestie nothing a P. 88. Secondly he would haue recusantes to serue their prince With body goods and life Where we are to note that he neither mentioneth the heart nor the inward affection Do we not then thinke that the recusantes will do her Maiestie good seruice that are deliuered vnto her without soule hart or harty affection Thirdly least vpon his promise they might perhaps be too forward in seruice he draweth them backe with a limitation and teacheth that their seruice and obedience is to stretch no further Then to iust causes of which he maketh eyther the recusantes themselues or the pope their holy father to be iudge So that her Maiestie if the pope procéede against her is to looke for no seruice at the recusantes handes Nay Allen in his traytorous exhortation to the nobility and people of England and Ireland hopeth to draw them to assiste forreine enemies against her Behould I pray you this goodly doctrine Fourthly he teacheth That Christian princes haue no more commaund nor authority in ecclesiasticall causes then heathen magistrates for that Christ altered nothing at all in temporall gouernement But that is a position contrary to the law of God to the practise of Gods church and most absurd sencelesse The law of God referreth ambiguous matters aswell to the iudge or prince as to the priests or leuites For in the Sanedrin of which that law is the foundation the soueraine magistrate was chiefe b Deut. 17. and the king was commanded To read in the law that he might kéepe it by his authority restraining offendors In auncient time vnder the law the kinges and soueraigne magistrates gaue lawes to priests leuites and not contrarywise In the church of Christ for a thousand yéeres or more there were no lawes obserued but those of princes Bellarmine would fetch it higher but his proofes faile him In their Bullary which containeth a summe of the popes lawes they begin with Gregorie the seuenth but in truth Gregorie the ninth was the first that gaue authoritie of lawe to the popes constitutions and gathered them into the booke of decretals Before this time bishops priests deacons and the whole church was a Cod. de sum trin fid â—ath tit sequentib gouerned by the lawes of Christian princes as appéereth by the lawes of Constantinus Magnus ValentiniaÌ„ Gratian Theodosius Arcadius b Ansegisus de leg ib. Caroli Ludouic Charles the great Ludouicus Pius and diuers others And certes very absurd it were if heathen princes that are strangers from Gods church shoulde haue as much authoritie as Christian magistrates that are principall parts thereof and to whom the execution of Gods law is committed Neither is it materiall that Christ altered nothing in the office of magistrates for it did alwaies belong to the magistrate that was of the church to gouerne the church in externall matters and to sée true doctrine published and the sacraments sincerely administred by those to whose office it appertained So we sée that by this false position he would exclude her Maiestie from all gouernement in ecclesiasticall causes and that notwithstanding his pretence of teaching obedience he teacheth flat disobedience to princes ecclesiasticall lawes and their commaundements Fiftly he c P. 88. teacheth That ecclesiasticall and temporall gouernment is so distinguished that he that ruleth in the one ought not to rule in the other The which doth vtterly ouerthrow the popes temporall kingdome which our aduersary would so willingly maintaine For why should he gouerne a kingdome pretending to be a bishop rather then a king gouerne a particular church of one nation in externall causes especially Secondly we do deny this distinction of authority vpon which our aduersaries fancies are founded And our reason is for that in Christian common wealthes where the same persons are members both of the church and common-welth there the chéefe gouernours ought to haue care both of church and common-welth and most absurd it were if the prince which is a principall member of Gods church shoulde haue no gouernment therein and that inferior persons shoulde haue supreme command ouer the prince Sixtly hée doth insinuate that the pope is Christs vicar the apostles successor in supreme gouernment of the church And this hée teacheth is Recusant schollers least percase they shoulde faile to obey him But this is nothing else but to draw her Maiesties subiects from their due allegiance and to perswade them to listen to the pope as pretending to bée Christs vicar and the apostles successor and supreme gouernour and head of the vniuersall church of Christ which is quite contrarie to his faire pretenses and purpose in this place where hee shoulde perswade the Recusants to obedience towarde their prince Beside that it is so false as nothing more Let this Noddy if he canne shew foorth the popes commission eyther for his vicegerentship or for his pretended apostolicke office and supreme gouernement let him prooue it vnto vs or else forbeare impudently to assume it and to affirme it wée doe shew that bishops are the apostles successors and yet that is no preiudice to the princes supreme authority nor neuer was What then is that which hée bableth of the pope that is neither bishop nor the apostles successor Finally hée affirmeth That ecclesiasticall gouernment stood distinct from ciuill 300. yeeres after Christ and that euery emperour and mortall prince conuerted to the faith and entring into the church submitted themselues to this ecclesiasticall gouernment and so continued vntill certaine heretikes confounded all And so still cunningly hée speaketh for the popes authoritie and secretly disableth not onely her Maiesties power in ecclesiasticall matters but her title also to the crowne standing as shée doth excommunicate by the pope He doth also abuse his reader with the ambiguitie of ecclesiasticall gouernment For if by ecclesiasticall gouernment he meaneth the power of the keies consisting in the censures of the church and power of priestly function which is properly ecclesiastical we grant that such ecclesiastical gouernment belongeth not to princes so that they are to execute the same in their owne persons But if by
the king and stirreth vp both his subiects and forreine enimies against him but also curseth and banneth all his friends subiectes and partakers Their goods hée giueth away for a spoile their persons hée will haue solde for slaues and the waste of the whole lande hée woulde haue remaine as a monument of his holinesses great displeasure Neither did it content him to prosecute the liuing onely vnlesse the dead also were throwne out into the fieldes as vnwoorthy of christian buriall Such is the charitie of his holinesse towards christians and his louing affection toward the English nation Neither was Paule the thirdes fact singular For in our times Pius quintus and Sixtus quintus haue published no lesse odious and scandalous excommunications against her most gracious Maiestie most bitterly cursing her and all her louing subiects then their predecessor did against Henry the eight and his people Further they haue not onely gone about to trouble this state by rebellions but also to subuert it by forreine b The plots were taken vpon Criton a Iesuite Throgmorton and others inuasions Haue wee not then great cause to honor and loue the popes holinesse that hath shewed himselfe so friendly to our princes and nation Wée may do well also to entertaine such priestes and friers as come from him séeing they wish vs no more harme then the destruction of the prince the ouerthrow of religion and the state the slaughter of our people Neither haue they any thing in their vowes but that all our throtes were cut by the Spaniard Nay when neither by open hostilitie nor secret treasons and practise they could preuaile against vs they haue encouraged certaine railing and scurrilous companions by infamous libels to defame her Maiestie to raile on her chéefe Counsellors and to dishonor all our nation and those especially that haue shewed themselues most forward in dooing God and their countrey seruice This prating companion sheweth himselfe verie spitefull albeit hée woulde dissemble it Sanders Rishton Allen Ribadineira and others haue published cart-lodes of slanders and lies against the Prince the Nobilitie and diuers other honest men Finally beside these wrongs and disgraces which concerne matters temporall the popes of Rome haue gone about to wrong vs in matters spirituall which concerne the saluation of our soules For they haue not onely sought to depriue vs of the worde of God in our mothers language of true faith and doctrine of the sincere administration of the Sacraments and of a true ministerie according to Christ his institution but also in lieu thereof to establish the idolatrous worship to stocke and stones of angels of saints departed and to bring into the church the abomination of the masse togither with manifold superstitions impieties and heresies And for this cause they haue secretly sent into this lande diuers a It is thought that aboue 400. of them are dispersed in diuers corners in England troopes of massing priestes and friers all marked with antichristes brand to seduce simple people and to draw them to superstition idolatrie and heresie Wherefore let all true christians and true harted Englishmen open their eies and beware that they be not oppressed both with spirituall and temporall bondage and slauerie This is it which the popes of Rome entend and haue by so many practises laboured this is also the drift of this glauering parasites discourse This the merchants of Babylon and slaues of antichrist which secretly lurke in diuers corners of this lande watching their oportunitie do wholie purpose But remember that you haue faire warning CHAP. VIII Of the Spanish nation and king Philip the second and his practises against England wherein also the eight encountre of our aduersarie N. D. is examined LOth I am and very vnwilling where the different betwixt vs and the Spaniard hath béene so long in deciding by blowes to begin any long contention about words termes It is a cōmon saying words are light as winde and men of action in wordes commonly vse least ostentation Beside that I holde it no good course to set out inuectiues against princes and especially such as are now departed this life and haue receiued their guerdon whether they haue done good or euill The popes and their parasites take to themselues libertie in infinite slanderous pamphlets to disgrace all men opposite to their faction neither sparing prince nor priuate person liuing nor dead but all honest men detest this frierlike fashion I thinke it also a vaine thing to recount matters formerly past that concerne vs little or nothing But yet seeing this pratling and busie felow our aduersarie will néedes haue the Spanyards and their late king the subiect of this encounter and like a fugitiue traytor sticketh not to aduance them aboue his owne nation and to pleade their cause against his owne prince and country I am content thus farre to reason of them as that men may learne how farre to trust them and vnderstand that we haue no reason either to feare their force or to yéelde them any superiority or to thinke better of the Spanyard then of our owne nation Lastly least any might suppose our aduersary to haue spoken wisely and learnedly I will briefely runne ouer his discourse and note the leudnesse and vnsufficiency of his pleading His vnnaturall and vnkind dealing against his prince and nation before which he taketh on him to preferre the Spaniard I néede not to note for it is too too apparent and sufficientlie knowne to any that will take paines to read ouer his idle discourse The time hath béene when the English and Spaniardes did well agrée as appeared not onely by mutuall trade and conuersation of both nations one with another but also by diuers publike contractes and leagues made betwixt them Sometime the kinges of England matched with the house of Spaine and sometime the Spanish kings haue had their wiues out of England and both of them estéemed much of the amity eache of other albeit the Spaniard hath béene more happy to receiue more profit of this coniunction with England then our nation by our matches and linking with the house of Spaine For by the aide of our archery the Spaniardes diuers times haue obteined victory against the Mores and Don Pedro king of Castile béeing expulsed by his subiects by the blacke prince and the English forces was restored to his kingdome Neither could Ferdinand king of Spaine so easily haue possessed the kingdome of Nauarre had not the forces of English sent for his aide by king Henry the seuenth distracted the French so that they could not come in time to succor their friends distressed Contrarywise king Edward the first matching with the house of Castile receiued smal aduancement as is declared in the chronicle of a In Henric. 3. Matthew of Paris and king Henry the seuenth matching with Catherine of Spaine presently lost his sonne and heire The same woman also béeing maried afterward to king Henry the eight was like to
consort of malicious traytors and an abbettor and nourisher of men euill affected in their malcontentment Nay albeit his colour were better cast yet were his pleading vnsufficient seeing true religion cannot stande with rebellion or disloyaltie nor may true catholikes be suffered to oppugne their prince and countrey to practise trecherie against the state and to nourish malcontent humours among subiects But if it appeere that the Romanistes are not the true church and that their religion is neither catholike nor ancient nor true then must it needes be granted that N. D. and his consorts are not onely malicious traytors but also impious heretikes It is also very plaine that all his wrangling encounters are built vpon fancies and supposals without grounde and foundation and are no better then malicious inuectiues degorged against good men and idle pretenses to colour the practises of enimies traytors and heretikes For euery traytor can pretend that he is a true patriot and Catiline and his consorts and all rebels vse to set a glosse of common good vpon their priuate wicked deseignements and treasons All societies also of heretikes will take vpon them as true Christians as saith a Lib. 4. institut cap. vlt. Lactantius and suppose themselues to be the catholike church Tertullian saith b Lib. 4. contr Marcion That as waspes make honycombes so the Marcionites pretend to make churches albeit indeed they were no true churches Nouatian like apes that counterfeit men saith c Epist 73. Cyprian woulde challenge to himselfe the authoritie and truth of the church albeit he be not of the church but a rebell and enimie set vp against the church Which fitteth our aduersary very well who if he had his yellow ierkin were a very ape or an apish Iebusite entitling himselfe and his companions with the name of the church But if he had beene a foxe as well as an ape and had but had a foxes wiles he would haue made bâ—tter proofe of his maine groundes which not being 〈◊〉 is a maine maime of his whole cause Now to the intent that thou maiest perceiue that all his building is either without foundation or vpon a marrish ground that will beare no such great worke I haue thought good for thy satisfaction to challenge him once more into the fielde and to make triall of his manhood in fiue new encounters which do much concerne his cause and credite For as before I haue shewed him and his consorts to be perfect traytors and Recusants and malcontent papists to be verie sorie and defectiue subiects so nowe God willing I purpose to shew first That papists are no true catholikes secondly That their religion as it differeth from that which we professe is a packe of nouelties thirdly That it is patched vp of many old heresies fourthly That the Romish church is not the true church and lastly that N. D. his consorts whether they were Iesuites or priests or their adhaerentes that haue beene executed to death according to the lawes of England are to be esteemed traytors and not martyrs And this in defence of her Maiesties iustice or rather clemencie For if she woulde do them iustice then woulde not she suffer them to liue as subiects that will not directly acknowledge her to be their Queene and lawfull souereigne especially where the pope saith contrarie If she did her-selfe right she woulde not tolerate a faction notoriously opposite to her gouernment If she did iustice she woulde not suffer such to enioy wealth and honors life that adhere to forreine enimies that seeke the destruction of the common-wealth the dishonour of this state the ruine and bloud of all that stande well affected to religion and the state And that Parsons and the priests that come out of Spaine and are sworne to maintaine the Infantaes title and are reconciled or adhering to the pope are all culpable of these treasons it is so cleered by the former discourse and by the last chapter of this that I thinke it may be felt of blinde men and not onelie discerned by those that haue eies to looke into the state The rest maketh for defence of our religion which no mâ—n can reprooue but such as haue drunke deepe of the cup of the purple harlot spoken of Apocalyp 17. and are sworne slaues to the pope and professed enimies not onely of religion and the state but also of their owne good in this worlde and of their eternall saluation in the worlde to come Beware therefore my good countryman for so I must account thee vntill I see thee declare thy selfe open friend to popish traytors and enimie to thy counrrey that harkening to the Sirens songs of Iebusites and priestes enimies to gods true religion not onely to their prince countrey thou be not swallowed vp in the gulfe of their heresies and treasons They lead thee not to the rocke Christ Iesus vpon which the church is built but to the a Bellar. praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. rocke the pope and the bankes of his sandie inuentions vpon which thou must needs wracke thy selfe if thou shun them not quickly True religion is grounded vpon Christs word reuealed to vs in the holy canonicall Scriptures all which we professe according to the rule of the true catholike church And for this truth we doubt not to giue our liues so assured we are of our profession where as thou as long as thou continuest a papist hast no warrant but the popes worde which to say no woorse is ignorant of true religion and apostolike faith and subiect to many errors and infirmities Read therefore indifferently and iudge syncerely and vprightly and the God of truth guide thee into the way of iustice and truth CHAP. I. That papists are no true Catholikes FRuitelesse it is and almost endlesse to contend much about names and titles but especially in causes of religion For as a In Apolog. Iustin Martyr saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true religion Consisteth in good workes rather then good termes and the c Ad Tit. 3. apostle exhorteth Titus and all true teachers to auoide contentions and quarrels about words of the lawe Yet forasmuch as manie simple people are abused by false teachers taking vpon them glorious names and titles and looke onely vpon the shéepes clothing that is outward and not on the wooluish nature of priestes and friers that is inward I thought it not amisse to shew what this name Catholike importeth and to whom the same truely belongeth and how dangerous it is to trust euery one that taketh to himselfe the name of a Catholike The Iewes d Ioan. 8. called themselues The children of Abraham and bragged much of the e Hierem. 7. Temple of God and of f Rom. 2. the lawe But the apostle teacheth vs that not euerie one that in name and outward shew was a Iew deserued so to be estéemed and taken g Epist 83. Leo speaking to certaine monkes saith Ecclesiae
e Matth. 28. gaue them in charge To teach what he had commaunded them The f Gal. 1. apostle pronounceth him Accursed that should teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued By the law of Moses the Sanedrin or chiefe tribunal in Hierusalem had soueraigne authority in iudgement yet might not those iudges pronounce sentence g Deut. 17. But according to the law of God The which doth argue that popish religion is built vpon groundes most absurd and contrarie to religion Finally some do stand much vpon ancient fathers and councelles and the first churches practise and haue not doubted to attribute much vnto them But now finding by experience that these do not much make for them and that the fathers themselues do wholy relie vpon the scriptures they flie wholie to the authority of the pope and to the late church of Rome and perceiue that vnlesse they may sit iudges in their owne cause the same cannot stand But héerein it may plainly appeare that they are no catholikes For ancient catholikes attributed most to scriptures and vsed the testimony of fathers and of the ancient church to declare the true sence and meaning of scriptures But a Sâ—ss 4. conciâ— Trâ—d these admit no sence But that of holy church as they call it which is nothing but the priuate fancy of soâ—e foolish pope Fourthly as in the foundations of Christian religion so likewise in diuers points of faith the papists do plainly declare themselues to bée no catholikes For first in the obiect of faith they mainly differ true catholikes beléeue in God onely Faith saith the b Rom. 10. apostle is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God c De diuin nomin c. 7. Dionyse saith That faith hath for his obiect the most pure and alwaies being truth that is God And euery Christian rehearsing his faith confesseth That he beleeueth in God the father the sonne and the holy ghost and in no creature But the papists beléeue in angels and in saints and call vpon them For as the d Rom. 10. apostle saith How shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued To them also they make confession of their sinnes and from them they looke for helpe and all things necessary as may bée shewed by infinite particulars Further they beléeue the determinations of the pope to be true and trust in him as in the rocke of the church e In opusc contra error Graecor Thomas Aquinas saith that it is a matter of faith to beleeue the determination of the pope Ad fidem pertinet saith he inhaerere determinationi pontificis summi in his quae sunt fidei imò in his quae spectant ad bonos more 's And this is also the opinion of f Summa Siluest in verb. fides Siluester Prierius They beléeue also whatsoeuer is taught by the church of Rome Ad fidem pertinent omnia quae sunt in doctrina ecclesiae saith g Ibidem Siluester Prierius and hée gathereth the same out of h 2.2 q. 5. art 3. Thomas Aquinas and that is their common opinion holding the traditions of the church in equal estimation with the worde of God all which can neuer bée prooued to haue béene beléeued by true catholikes For neither can it bée shewed that in publike liturgies they haue called on saints and on angels as the church of Rome teacheth or confessed their sinnes to them or beléeued in the pope or church of Rome Againe true catholikes beléeue that Christ Iesus was true man and had a body like to ours in height bredth thicknesse and that he filled the place where hée was as do our bodies We must beleeue saith a De essentia diuinitatis Augustine that the sonne of God according to his deitie is inuisible incorporeall and incircumscriptible but according to his humane nature that he is visible corporeall and locall b Contra Eutych lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith That Christ is contained in a place according to his humane nature and that this is the catholike faith Illud corpus saith c Dialog 2. Theodoret habet priorem formaÌ„ figuram circumscriptioneÌ„ vt semel dicam corporis substantiam So likewise saith d Ad Thrasimund li. 2. c. 5. Fulgentius SiveruÌ„ est corpus Christi loco potest vtique contineri But the papists do assigne him a body inuisible impalpable and such a one as is incircum scriptible and without the dimensions of height bredth depth A bodie that may be conteined in infinite places at once yet not continued to it selfe as is the nature of Continua quantitas Finally a mans whole body that is without all qualities of a body may be contained in euery little part of a consecrate hoste increasing and diminishing at the priestes pleasure Further euery catholike Christian beléeueth that our Sauiour Christes true body is ascended into heauen and there remaineth e Ioan. 16. Hée tolde his disciples before his passion That he must leaue the worlde and go to the father And in another place f Iohn 12. That they should not alwaies haue him with theÌ„ In the first of the Acts we learne That hee is taken vp from vs into heauen And the apostle S. g Act. 3. Peter doth plainely declare That the heauens must conteine him vntill the time that all things be restored And this also the fathers plainely teach vs According to his diuine nature saith h In Matth. tractat 33. Origen he is not absent froÌ„ vs but he is absent according to the dispensatioÌ„ of his body which he tooke i Lib. 10. super Luc. 24. S. Ambrose saith That neither on the earth nor in the earth nor after the flesh we ought to seeke Christ if we will finde him Saint Augustine saith k Tractat. 50. in Ioan. Hee hath caried his bodie into heauen although he hath not withdawne his maiestie from the worlde l Homil. 21. in euangel Gregory the first doth plainly affirme That Christ is not heere by the presence of his flesh The flesh of Christ saith Vigilius writing against Eutyches lib. 4. c. 4. when it was in earth surely was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainly it is not in earth Neither did euer any ancient father teach otherwise But the papists do teach that Christes true body and flesh is both in heauen and earth and vpon euery altar at one time and that hee is touched and receiued not of men onely but also of mise and dogs and other beasts which to true catholikes séemeth not onely absurd but also abominable All true catholikes firmely beléeue that thâ—â—r sinnes are forgiuen them for Christ his sake and that they shall atteine eternall life according to these two articles of the créed which euery one professeth saying Credo remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam God he Hath promised and sworne as the a Heb. 6.
authenticall and preferred before the originall bookes of the old testament in Hebrew and of the new testament in Gréeke a matter very new and most vnreasonable and plainely contradictory to the ancient fathers In the same a Sess 4. councell because they would be sure of their groundes the doctors of the Romish Babylon decréed first that none should interpret Scriptures against that sence that the church of Rome holdeth and secondly that vnwritten traditions kept in the church by succession shoulde bee of equall value with canonicall Scriptures After this diuers friers and priests taking vpon them to plead the popes cause haue determined vnwritten traditions and customes of the church and the popes determinations and decretalles to be the foundations and principles of their popish faith b Loc. Theolog. Melchior Canus speaking of theologicall argumentes and Thomas Stapleton taking vpon him to declare which be vndoubted principles of popish doctrine do both principally relie vpoÌ„ these two They talke also of the church of councels fathers the latin translation and of rules of faith But when it commeth to the triall then whatsoeuer is not consonant to the popes doctrine and decretales that is reiected as of no value Now gladly would I haue any Iesuite that taketh himselfe to be learned for our aduersary is but a babler to prooue these groundes to be ancient Let him shew what those traditions are that are with equall reuerence to the canonicall scriptures to be receiued Let him iustifie by testimony of antiquitie that the popes decretalles are infallible rules of faith The apostle saith that the church is well and strongly built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ béeing the corner stone and this foundation do all ancient fathers allow The testimony of Irenei and Athanasius I haue before alleadged Saluianus saith the church is best founded on scripture Videtur nostra ecclesia saith he c Lib. de prouid Dei 5. ex vna scriptura felicius instituta Aliae habent illam aut debilem aut conuulneratam Habent veterem magistrorum traditionem corruptam per hoc traditionem potius quà m scripturam habent Let him shew the like if he can of his decretals and traditions vnlesse he will haue his grounds to be condemned for new and naught Thirdly scriptures were neuer generally forbidden to be publikely read in vulgar toongs before the councell of Trent neither was it euer thought vnlawfull before that time for lay men to talke of matters of faith or to read scriptures priuately without the ordinaries licence Chrysostome and other ancient fathers were wont to exhort Christians to read scriptures and Christ our sauiour willed his hearers to search them and the apostle doth declare them to be very profitable which sheweth the practise of the Romish church in fraying men from scriptures to be of a late humour and inuention Fourthly the definition of the Romish church is new and of force made new to fit their new popish fancies a De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine defineth the church to be A company of men conioyned in one profession of faith and communion of sacraments vnder the gouernement of lawfull pastors and especially of the pope of Rome Which is neither to be shewed nor prooued out of any ancient authenticall writer For the easterne and Africane churches did neuer acknowledge this souereine authority of the pope Nor did our sauiour or his apostles teach vs any such obedience Nay they shew rather that the bishops of Rome are not to be obeyed For suppose Peter had béene bishop of Rome and the bishops of Rome his successors which will neuer be prooued in that sence as the aduersaries take it yet Paul resisted Peter and receiued no b Ibid. c. 9. authority nor grace from him which sheweth that other bishops haue no dependance or authority from the bishop of Rome albeit this proportion were granted Fiftly they make not the catholike church A communion of saintes as we professe in our créede but hâ—ld that all wicked men and c Ibid. c. 10. heretickes so they outwardly communicate with the church of Rome in faith and sacraments are true meÌ„bers of the church d Ibid. c. 2. Bellarmine saith That to make a man a part of the true church neither faith nor charitie nor any inward vertue is required Which is a méere new fancie and therefore receiued least they shoulde grant that the church in some respect shoulde be inuisible Sixtly the coÌ„fession of faith made by Pius quartus wherin al that take degrees in schoole professe a Confâ—t 28. That they firmely admit all ecclesiasticall traditions and constitutions and the Scriptures according to the Romish sence and beleeue that there are seuen sacraments and receiue the doctrine of the councell of Trent concerning originall sinne and beleeue the sacrifice of the masse and transubstantiation and the popes soueraine authority and other pointes of doctrine therein conteined is new and absurd This we shal other where declare that appeareth for that the papistes cannot produce any precedent of this confession or prooue the seuerall points of it by good argument 7. Where in our creede we beléeue the catholike church of late time the papistes haue added a word made it b Confess â—urdegaâ—ens The catholike Romaine church and in Canisius catechisme translated into Spanish by Hieronymo Campos they define him to be no catholike that beléeueth any thing beside that which the church of Rome beléeueth 8. They confesse their sinnes not to God almighty as do the ancient fathers but to the a Virgine Mary c Hortulus animae and to angels and saints 9. They haue of late b put out that commandement d Officium beatae Maria in catech that concerneth the making of grauen images like to God and worshipping them wherein they haue the worde of God and all antiquitie against them 10. In the doctrine of the law all those points wherein they shew theÌ„selues no catholikes of which wée haue spoken in the former chap. are meere nouelties as namely That all that is repugnant to the law of God is not sinne that it is mortall sinne to breake the popes lawes or commandements either concerning rites of the church or other matter which he doth vnder his curse will men to obserue that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne and yet that it is sinne not to faste the ember daies that the regenerate may be without sinne and that Christians may be iustified by the lawe of Moyses that the popes lawes binde in conscience and that he hath authoritie to make lawes and lastly that the law of God is not perfect but that wée are to obserue all the traditions of the church and the popes decretals 11. It is not long since they began to teach that othes do not so binde men but that the pope can dispence with them and that he is able to discharge children from
three learned languages wherein they were written to wit Hebrew Greeke or Latin Secondly hée declareth vnto vs That the restreint of vulgar translations was made onely to this end that no translations shoulde be vsed except it were first examined by learned men by order of the bishop and ordinanarie and then he saith That such lay men were permitted by the ordinary to vse the saide translation as were thought fit and able to profite by it And this hée beareth vs in hande to bée the ordinance of the catholike church But first hée shoulde haue done well to haue shewed vs what catholike church did so ordeine For if hée meane the conuenticle of Trent hée is an absurd fellow to thinke that scum and sinke of priestes and friers which there gathered a councell against Christ and against his church to betray the same to Antichrist to be the catholike church Beside that their determinations were not onely contrarie to Christs doctrine but to the authoritie and practise of the church and namely in this that they limited the reading of Scriptures in vulgar toongs Secondly it is most ridiculous to permit lay men or women to read the Bible in Hebrew Gréeke or Latin when so few of them among the papists vnderstand those toongs and this permission is nothing but an excluding of vulgar translations and barring the people from reading scriptures Thirdly it is great ignorance to say the scriptures were first written in Latin and vnreasonable to permit the Latin vulgar translation more then others and ridiculous to call these thrée toonges learned séeing in times past vnlearned men vnderstood them and now diuers learned do not well vnderstand them Neither is it materiall that some hold that Saint Markes gospell was written first in Latine For their proofes are weake and that is but one part of scripture But here wée talke of reading all the scriptures Fourthly it is most plaine while they allow no translations but such as themselues make and either seldome make any or making any do most shamefully corrupt the text as the Rhemistes haue done in the translation of the new testament the Iesuites in their translation of the bible into French and lately printed at Lyons that they séeke either to exclude the people from reading scriptures or else to giue them poison for Scripture That is apparant for that hitherto they haue not translated the Bible into Italian Spanish or Dutch nor greatly allow the French This is most euident by the wicked peruersion of the text and that both by wrong translations and also by peruerse annotations as shal be shewed fully if God send me life and in the Rhemish Testament hath béene already shewed by doctor Fulke To prooue that the order of the Romish church in prohibiting reading of vulgar translations is good hée alleageth further that forasmuch as many translations are false it is fit to examine them Least for Gods word the simple might embrace mans worde Againe hée saith That albeit the translation bee true yet vnlesse the reader can gather out of it a true sense it is not fit hee shoulde be permitted to read that translation of Scripture And this hée beléeueth to bée meant by saint a 2. Cor. 3. Paul who saith That the letter killeth and the spirite quickneth But if translations bée false why are not some true translations published that the vulgar sort may haue benefit by them Againe if onely translations for their falshood bée condemned why doth the wicked synagogue of Rome b In indice libror. prohib condemne most true translations Do they not shew that they hate the light of the Scriptures Thirdly if none may read vulgar translations but such as are able to drawe true sense out of them why are all suffred to read the Latin being not able to drawe true sence out of it This assuredly is a course to debarre all men from reading of Scriptures and the Romish synagogue especially for that the same draweth most peruerse interpretations out of Scripture and vnder the name of wholesome Scriptures giueth to the people most poisoned doctrine contrarie to Scriptures Besides it is a course contrarie to the exhortation of our Sauiour that speaking to the people saide Scrutamini Scripturas and contrarie to antiquitie that exhorted the people to read the Scriptures Finally hée doth shamefully abuse the wordes of S. Paul 2. Cor. 3. to the condemning of reading of Scriptures For if because the letter killeth the lay people are not to read the scriptures then none is to read them seeing reading and not vnderstanding killeth which is most absurd Secondly if the apostle did meane the outward letter without sence yet woulde it make nothing against reading of Scriptures For if the bare letter without the sense killeth then ought euery man to read diligently that he may vnderstand the sense Thirdly this interpretation condemneth the practise of the papists in reading the Scriptures in an vnknowne toong in the church For if the letter kill without the meaning then do the papists kill Gods people that read Scriptures in Latin to the people which vnderstand nothing of the sense Fourthly the apostle cannot probably by the letter that killeth vnderstand the scriptures for then shoulde they bée verie vnprofitable contrarie to the saying of the apostle that saith a 2. Tim. 3. The Scripture is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse Lastly b Li. 1. de verb. dei c. 3. Bellarmine his companion may instruct him that none but the Zuencfeldians Drigenistes by the letter that killeth vnderstand Scriptures as this Noddie doth shewing himselfe therein a plaine heretike and enimie to Scriptures The true meaning therefore of Paules wordes is that the outward preaching of the worde being destitute of Gods spirite working internally doth kill to the profite or disprofite of reading Scriptures they make nothing He telleth vs further That the vnderstanding of Scriptures is a particular gift of God reserued to Christ especially and by him bestowed on the church which he prooueth by this place Tunc aperuit illis sensum vt intelligerent Scripturas and by the example of the Eunuch That without Philip the apostles helpe could not vnderstand the prophecie of Isaie Beside all this hée telleth vs That dim sighted people cannot discerne things without a guide All which reasons do shewe that notwithstanding his faire shewes hée hath but a dimme sight in diuine matters and is but a blinde guide that woulde drawe Gods people from reading of Scriptures and percase leade them to the reading of lying legends and such like fantasticall writings of the Romish synagogue Against the reading of holy Scriptures his fond reasons conclude nothing For if Christ bée the best interpreter where shoulde wée better vnderstand what his interpretations are then in holy Scriptures And if hée haue bestowed the gift of interpreting scriptures on the church how shoulde the people be better assured of the excellencie of