be regarded we denie not M. Doctor The heathen haue condemned ingratitude for a heynous sinne Beneficii memoriam qui recipit habere debet he that receiueth a benefit ought to remember it The Athenians made a lawe that the vnthankefull person might be sued as well as a debter this is so cleere as that no man can denie it and I would it were as easie to perswade vnto thankefulnesse as it is to speake of it But I feare me it happeneth to the papist as it doth to the vsurer who speaketh against vsurie that he may practise it without suspition for the papist inueyeth against ingratitude and vnthankefulnesse least he should be argued of it For this is to forget God to breake his lawes The Iewes in the 32. of Deut. are charged to haue forgotten God and Dauid in the 106. psalme saith they made a calfe in Horeb worshipped the goldeÌ„ image they forgat God their Sauiour which had done great things in Egypt Yet did the Iewes make an image vnto God Exod. 32. and worshipped God in the Image for Aaron proclaimed an holy day vnto the Lord and can any man imagine that Aaron should think an idol to be that God which brought the people out of Egypt He that was to be high Priest would he thinke the worke of his hands to be God Thus you with the Iewes in the very things which you say put you in remeÌ„brance of God forget God Nowe I reduce your argument into a syllogisme They that keepe feasts and Images to put them in remembrance of God are most mindfull of him But so doe the Papists and not Protestants ergo I denie the proposition and say that this outward pompe is fit for the Whore of Babylon We can remember god without these externall rites The preaching of the Gospel crucifieth Christ before our eies the Sacraments ordained of God himselfe doe liuely set forth Christ and the blessings of God within and without vs and of euery side of vs are so many that men can hardly forget him vnlesse they forget the earth that beareth them the heauens that couer them the day that guideth them and the night that giueth them rest But that M. Doctor you may see howe well in this obiection you agree with the heathen remember that Celsus obiecting to the Church the want of feasts is answered by Origen Festum est facere officium a feast is to doe a dutie Origen numbreth the feasts of Christians to be the Lords day Easter and Pentecost Hereby men may see what cause we haue to renounce poperie which taketh part with the heathens in their obiections Socrates in his 5. booke and 22. chapter dischargeth festiuall daies of the Apostles institution Apostolis propositum fuit non vt leges de festis diebus sancirent sed vt rectè viuendi rationis pietatis nobis authores essent The Apostles purpose was not to make lawes of feasts but to be authors of pietie and of godly life Erasmus vpon the 10. of Math. writeth thus Aetas Hieronimi praeter diem dominicum paucissima nouerat festa nunc feriarum neque finis neque modus quae cum primitus ad pietatis vacationem pauca essent institutae nunc ad scelerum exclusionem tolli debebant nisi sacerdotum auaritia suis rebus consuleret potius quam verae religioni Hieromes age besides the Lords day knewe fewe feasts nowe there is no ende nor measure of holidaies which were first instituted but fewe for pietie but now to exclude vice they ought to be taken away but that the couetous priestes doe rather prouide for themselues then for true religion The originall of your feasts may be read in Fascicul Temp. and others But I haue spoken of these feasts in another booke and therefore I will not make any longer discourse of them By these testimonies euery one may see what moment the obiection of feasts hath Touching Organs they were instituted 600. Lib. 1. de yeares after Christ as Bellarmine confesseth shall we thinke that Gods Church forgot him so long a time because it had no Organs But if we will see whence this outward pompe had her beginning let Bellarmine speake lib. 4. de Eu. cap. 4. Creuit honor sanctissimi sacramenti deuotione interna decrescente The honour of the Sacrament grewe when inward deuotion ceased If people then haue inward pietie and godlinesse these outward ornaments are needlesse Thus Bellarmine dischargeth vs of vnthankefulnesse to God and in fewe wordes giueth the reason of popish pompe As for breaking of popish images in Churches and Crosses in high waies we hold it lawefull to destroy Idolatrie Epiphannius when he sawe a picture in the Church brake it and saith it is an horrible wickednesse and a sinne not to be suffered It is pretty that the Doctor compares temples without images to â—arnes withouâ— haâ— as hay is fit for beasts so are Images fit for beastly men by his comparison for any man to set vp any picture in the Church of Christians yet the Papists store all their temples each corner of them with painted and carued images as though without them religion were nothing worth But M. D. I desire to knowe how the christians remembred Christ when they had noe temples at all you say that our Churches are like barnes which men knowe to be a vntruth yet the auncient christians had noe temple at all as Bellarmine confesseth lib 3. de Rom. Pont. cap. 13. Did they forget Christ when they praied in priuate families take heed least you disgrace not the auncient christians as well as the Protestants Acams when he was accused for selling of holy vessells to the vse of the poore answered that Deus noster nec disscis nec calicibus eget quia non comedit nec bibit our God needeth not cuppes because he neither eateth nor drinketh soe say I our God needeth not your goulden Images and ornaments which indeede distract mens mindes praying doe not increase deuotion Lactantius in his 2. booke and 4. chap. speaketh against the heathen after this manner In vaine doe men adorne Gods with gould and pearles as if they could take any pleasure in these things after he sheweth out of Persius that God delighteth in Iustice and in holy soules so say I to the Papists God requireth not Images and festiuall daies at your handes but he desireth inward holines Now Christian reader marke the Doctors follies in this chapter The first is this God commanded the Iewes many feastes all which were obserued to himselfe ergo Christians may haue feastes dedicate vnto Saints What a pitifull conclusion is this as though the Church might doe whatsoeuer God doth Yea what a consequent is this God ordained feastes vnto himselfe therefore the Romane Church may ordeyne feasts vnto Saints These arguments hange together like ropes of sande Secondly he coÌ„fesseth that parrish churches were dedicated to saints which is flat Idolatrie for onely God must haue a
A QVARTRON OF REAsons composed by Doctor HILL vnquartered and prooued a quartron of follies by Francis Dillingham Bachelour of Diuinitie August in Senten Inimici Ecclesiae si tantummodo adversantur male sentienda exercent eius sapientiam The Churches enemies if they be onely her aduersaries by false opinions doe exercise her wisdome HINC · LVCEM · ET · POCVLA · SACRA Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1603. And are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT HOnourable and my very good Lord OLIVER Lord S. Iohn Baron of Blettenshoe Grace and peace THe paines of Papists Right Honourable in propagating the Romish religion should mooue sincere Protestants to be painefull in defending the truth of the eternall God who in hiâ— rich mercie amongst other innumerable benefits bestowed vpon this land hath giuen vs the benefit of his holy word not in a strange tongue as it was in the daies of Poperie but in our mother tongue that it may be a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our paths This light the Papists haue laboured to extinguish by treasons by writings and all meanes that they could vse but blessed be God frustra illis est they are deceiued Now least it should seeme strange to any that heretikes should be so laborious in auouching heresie may it please him to consider that Idolaters haue bin studious in maintaining their idolatrie Ieroboam made two calues 1 King 12. the one of them he placed at Bethel and so made it Bethauen the other at Dan and so made it a denne of Idolaters The Israelites offered their children to Moloc behold the rage of idolatrie If men could be content that their children should be sacrificed vnto idols shall we thinke it strange that some should write bookes to subuert the truth of religion Wherefore to leaue this point and to returne to that which I said in the beginning that the labours of Papiâ—ts should be a spurre to Protestants to defend the Gospel now publikely authorized in England Why should not we be as carefull for Gods glorie as they are for the glorie of their purple whore But I feare some are like the beete which is good both in winter and sommer others haue bought farmes or it may be haue married wiues that is they are so addicted to the world and to their pleasures that they haue no leisure to write I would these men would consider of Christ his commandement Negotiamini donec venero vse trafficke vntill I come But to leaue these loyterers in the Lords vineyard vpon the forenamed consideration I haue endeauoured my selfe to answer a booke called a Quartron of Reasons for the Catholike religion which booke as I dedicate to your Honour so I humbly desire you to accept the same as a token of my dutifull minde towardes you The author of this pestilent pamphlet commendeth the Romish religion for peace dâ— privil 〈◊〉 yet Theodoricus de Niem saith that vnum patet one thing is manifest after the suppression of the Imperiall power nothing but factions did spring vp in the Catholike Church especially in Italie And as he is not ashamed to lie in this point so doth he also in saying that in England all were Papists without exception from the first christening thereof vntill this age of king Henrie the eight yet Ministers were married many hundred yeares in England as M. Camden sheweth in his Britannia in many places In the 129. page of the third edition he prooueth that ante annum 1102. sacerdotibus vxores in Anglia non fuerunt interdictae Ministers were not restrained from marriage before the yeare of our Lord a 1102. And as Ministers were married so Transubstantiation was not acknowledged likewise a long time as may be seene by Aelfricus his epistle against the bodily presence Moreouer the author as he laboureth to disgrace all Protestants in generall so especially he inueyeth against Luther wherefore to stoppe the mouthes of Papists I will set downe the testimonie of Langius a Papist concerning Luther First he saith that he was vir venerandus profundissimus Theologus a reuerend man and most profound Diuine Afterward he writeth thus Martinus ille theologorum nostrae tempestatis omnium facile princeps doctrinam suam Evangelicis testimoniis divi Apostoli Pauli necnon priscorum orthodoxorum patrum originalibus dictis roborans comprobans perstitit invictus The same Martin the most wise ringleader of the diuines of our age confirming and strengthening his doctrine with testimonies out of the Gospel and out of S. Paul the Apostle and also with the originall sayings of the ancient orthodoxall fathers perfisted invincible This testimonie may suffice to cleare Luther from the friuolous quarrels that this slanderer hath written against him Bellarmine maketh the confession of the aduerse part to be a note of the Church Hence then are we prooued the Church by this confession of Langius The same author exceedingly commendeth Hierome of Prage saying that he was orator eloquentissimus atque acerrimus dialecticus adeo quod nullus doctissimorum virorum in Concilio disputando eum superare poterat He was the most eloquent Orator and fine Logician that the learnedest man in the Councell could not ouercome him in disputation Mutius his testimonie of the same man is worthie to be heard Erat saith he Hieronymus vir eloquentissimus insignis cum in omni philosophiae genere tum praecipue in sacris literis Hierome was a most eloquent and famous man in all philosophie but especially in the holy Scriptures Now what cause this proud Papist hath to vaunt of their owne learning and to disgrace the Protestants let euery man iudge seeing Protestants by the Papists owne confession haue beene such famous men Lastly not to be long the author of this booke extolleth the holinesse of their religion touching which point let that ancieÌ„t writer Aronobius speak who in his seuenth booke hath this sentence Crescit multitudo peccantium cum redimendi peccati spes datur facile itur ad culpas vbi est vaenalis ignoscentium gratia Sinners doe much encrease when there is hope giuen to redeeme their sinnes and men easily commit faults where pardons are sold Then is the Romish religion dissolute which selleth pardons Not to proceede any further the Lord multiplie his graces vpon you and your vertuous Ladie to your soules good and the benefit of his Church Your Honours euer to command Francis Dillingham THE FIRST REASON Of Prophesies IF M. Doctor had contended pondere argumentorum and not multitudine with sound arguments and not with a multitude he might happily haue perswaded some to his religion whereas now by reason of the weaknes of his reasons he hath rather hindred many from the same then moooued any vnto it That which is commonly said of pictures hath a fit place in this worke of doctor Hill Picturae eminus
a Papist The Doctor further to amplifie our vnlearnednes speaketh thus Take the most learned Doctor of them all and set him to reason with an heathen or with an Atheist and you shall see what goodly arguments he will make Are you not once abashed thus to proceed in vntruths Philip Morney lord of Plessis hath written so learnedly against Atheists that I thinke fewe Papists can doe the like Yet I would not haue you to thinke that it is necessarie to prooue the faith of the blessed Trinitie and other points of diuinitie with naturall reasons Read Aquinas in his first part and 32. quest where you shall finde that Sufficit defendere non esse impossibile quod praedicat fides it sufficeth to defend that that is not impossible which faith teacheth I admire with you the prouidence and goodnes of God towards his Church in furnishing it with all kinds of learning and sciences whereby it may maintaine it selfe against all sorts of enemies be they Iewes Turkes or heretikes whatsoeuer and I also doe not denie your disputations and resolutions of cases of conscience but I denie that the Protestant doth not meddle with these things but fraughteth his shippe onely with faith and neuer beateth his braine about sinnes These odious vntruths the world can controll and for your schoole diuinitie might not the heathen Philosophers haue made the same argument against Christs Apostles they might haue cried loe a few rude ignorant men deceiue the world so the Papists not vnlike the heathen crie a fewe ignorant Lutherans seduce the people The Apostles wanted your schoole tearmes M. Doctor yet it was the truth which they taught But now I draw your reason into a syllogisme Where there is greatest learning there is truth But with the Papists not with the Protestants there is greatest learning Ergo. I answer both propositions are false Heretikes may be well learned Erasm and yet the truth resteth not in their breasts Valentius was vir pollens doctrina iâ—xta eloquentia Valentius was both excellently learned and wonderfull eloquent Laicus simplex a simple lay-man ouercame a Logician and an vnlearned man openeth Christian religion vnto a Philosopher Lib. 2. hist saith the Tripartite historie But that you may see M. Doctor how in this obiection you resemble the old heretikes heare Ireneus Qui relinquunt praeconium Ecclesiae Lib. 5. saith he imperitiam sanctorum praesbyterorum arguunt non contemplantes quanti pluris sit idiota religiosus à blasphemo impudenti Sophista Such as forsake the preaching of the Church argue the vnskilfulnes of holy Elders not considering how farre more worth a religious idiot is then a blasphemous and impudent sophister Thus Christian Reader I haue made comparison of learning beeing thereunto forced De lau sui ipsius The heathen man Plutarch alloweth this for saith he laudare seipsum potest criminis depellendi causa a man may praise himselfe to driue away crimes Paul maintained his dignitie against false Apostles so I haue maintained the Protestants learning against this slanderous and venemous mouthed Doctor My purpose is not to disgrace the learned Papists I know some of them to be skilfull men in tongues and arts and I feare many are so learned that they offend against their consciences Howsoeuer it be let the Protestants be counted ignorant and the Papists learned the Protestants mauger the Pope himselfe will by Gods assistance maintaine their cause And seeing M. Doctor you are so learned I pray you answer M. Doctor Whitakers and other mens workes which haue beene written against poperie Neuer bragge of learning vntill our mens workes against your religion be answered And if you doe this yet I would wish you to marke Augustines speach Melior est in malis factis humilis confessio quà m in bonis superba gloriatio better is an humble confession in doing euill then a proud vaunt in doing well and take heede least as Seneca speaketh you teach men disputare non vivere to dispute and not to liue Learning and religion meete not alwaies in one subiect they lodge not alwaies in one brest To ende this point a man may be learned and yet an heretike The 16. reason Holinesse of life As in the former reason I haue beene compelled to make comparison of learning so here I am enforced to conferre liues Although I would not haue religion measured by the life of any yet to answer this mans vanitie least he should be too proud of popish holinesse I will out of good records set downe the liues of Papists Before I doe this Christian reader I must giue thee to vnderstand that thou maiest not measure religion by externall holinesse as the Doctor himselfe confesseth and therefore in the beginning of the chapter he ouerthroweth the residue of the same for to grant him his externall holinesse which he saith to be in the Catholikes and not to denie their fastings and their praiers all these things may be in hypocrites as it is plaine Math. 6. The Pharisies fasted and praied and did other workes yet was their doctrine erroneous and so is the Papists The Doctor confessed before that they did vndertake fasting to satisfie which ouerthroweth the fasting for Christ hath perfectly answered Gods iustice for vs. Tertullian writeth excellently to this purpose De prâ— Ex personis probamus fidem an ex fide personas doe we prooue the faith by men or men by the faith The Rhemists vpon the 7. of Math confesse that there may be extraordinarie zeale and holinesse in some heretickes which saying is sufficient to ouerthrowe this whole chapter of the Doctor By these proofes it is manifest that we must not measure true religion by externall holinesse and not to stay any longer in this point Iudas betrayed our Sauiour Christ yet he was a Preacher of the Gospel But that the Papists may see their holinesse I will begin with their Popes Fasciculus temporum saith of eight Popes togither Non nisi scandolosa de his repperi I find nothing but scandalous matter of them Stephanus the 6. cut off two of Formosus his fingers and cast his hands into Tiberis Boniface the 8. entred into the Popedome as a Foxe raigned like a lyon died like a dogge Of Boniface the 9. his time saith Largius ItaliaÌ„ totam maxime autem Romam vitiorum vorago c. A gulfe of sin had almost swallowed vp all Italie especially Rome Nowe M. Doctor you haue an vniuersalitie of your holinesse all Italy and specially Rome drowned in sin And because you speake of Simonie Simonaica pestis lethaliter omnia insererat Simonie had inserted all things most deadly saith the same Langius Your Cardinalls were so proud that Caelestine the 5. decreed Quòd nec Papa nec Cardinales cum tanta pompa equis vterentur sed asinis veherentur taÌ„tùm That neither the Pope nor Cardinals should vse horse with such a pompe but they should be carried vpon asses I
confirme their opinions and to be reade for proofe of them as I haue shewed Yea they fly to traditions which the heretickes before named might also haue iustified if the Canonicall scriptures had not beene sufficient Tenthly the Manichees vsed but one part of the Communion for they would not haue wine so doe the Papists as it is notorious to all men I might mention many other heresies held by Papists but I haue handled them in another worke therefore I will not recite them here Touching the manners of heretickes if crueltie be a badge of heretickes then are Papists rightly mustered amongest heretickes for they haue most barbarously murdered many men as I will shewe God willing in the next reason The 24. reason Peace and tranquilitie It is a heathen Principle that Legem sibi ipsis indicunt innocentiae continentiae virtutumque omnium qui ab altero rationem vitae reposcunt They which require a reason of another mans life make to themselues a law of innocencie continencie of all vertues To accuse men of tumults when they are themselues tumultuous is intollerable Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes who can beare it that Gracchus should complaine of sedition that Verres should speake against theft and Milo against murther who could thinke that Papists should speake against warres cruelties and outragious tragedies when they haue spilt exceeding much innocent blood The Spanish inquisitions and French Massacres haue murdered men women and children by thousands Phocas murdered Mauritius the Emperour by whose meanes Boniface the Pope obtained that roome and should be called the head of all Churches as Gotfridus testifieth Here Christian Reader thou maiest see that the Pope cam vp by murder Pope Vrban the fixt bound fiue Cardinalls in a sacke and drowned them in the sea He tooke the kingdome of Sicile from the Queene and gaue it to others Symachus and Laurentius did striue for the Popedome which contention lasted yeares cum effusione sanguinis multorum tam clericorum quà m laicorum With the shedding of many mens blood both of the cleargie laietie Alexander 2. Codulus contended for the Popedome which contention vsque ad homicidia prorupit brake forth into murther as witnesseth Sigebert The histories are full of such examples yet saith the Doctor the Catholike Romane religion began with meekenesse mildenesse and with all quiet and peaceable meanes Whereas the Protestants both haue begun and hold on their course with seditious tumults That you may knowe your peaceable proceedings heare what Wicellensis writeth concerning Hildebrande Miscuit se plurimorum mortibus Christianorum succendent vbique incendia bellorum per totum pene Romanum imperium He thrust himselfe into the deaths of many Christians kindling warres almost throughout the whole Romane Empire Iohn Hus was burned although he had safe conduct promised him Certain men called cruciatores whē they should haue gone against the Turke hauing the Popes indulgences defloured women and murthered men to the number of three score and ten thousand Yea saith Landgius Scribi non potest quanta crudelitate vsi sunt It can not be vttered what crueltie they vsed Concerning the troubles in Germanie my purpose is not to speake of them neither will I meddle with the warres in Fraunce or Scotland Diuers countres haue diuers gouernments the tumults of any subiects against their soueraignes as we doe not allow so we may not condemne the poore afflicted Christians our neighbours before we heare what they can say for themselues I am a scholler not a souldier a diuine not a lawier The circumstances of forraine warres fewe knowe besides themselues as also we know not the lawes of those lands we will not therefore enter those acts which haue so many parts precedents causes concurrents From forraine common warres you come to England and are very busie with king Henrie the 8. king Edward the 6. princes of famous memorie It were best for you M. Doctor to leaue kingdoms and studie diuinitie you are so drownd in pollicie that you forget diuinity yet you can without teares recount summarily the troubles of this land So you may doe in regard of Queene Maries times when not onely Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Payne◠Bishop of Winchester Barloe of Bath Tailor of Lincolne with diuers other both Archdeacons and Deacons were put from their liuings and wonderfull store of blood shed these are the times that you should lament Yet it is to be lamented that any should be so obstinate on popery as to die in the same As for Queene Elizabeths gratious gouernment you are not ashamed also to controll it Yet Papists themselues teach that it was both milde and mercifull and had not her Maiestie cause to deale with Papists as shee did when the Pope excommunicated her and stirred vp the Northen rebels her owne subiects to rebell against her Doctor Saunders did thrust himselfe into the Irish warres against her Maiestie If the Pope had so dealt with the king of Spaine as he hath dealt with our late most renowmed Queene would the king of Spaine haue taken it When I weighed and considered these things with my selfe I could not but dislike the Romish religion accompanied with tumults insurrections ruines desolations and with all manner of tragicall miseries and cleaue vnto this religion in England which euer teacheth peace as our writings shewe But it may be M. Doctor your owne men will beare some credit with you Cardinall Poole in his imagined oration to Charles the Emperour calling backe his Maiestie from the Turke to leaue all other affaires and to bend his banners against England and encouraging the subiects of this realme boldly to rebell against their Prince speaketh after this manner English men are a people that oftentimes haue deposed their kings for lighter causes This book as reuered Iuell testifieth was abroad and might be seene wherefore if peace wil preuaile with you call to minde that you haue bin the firebrands fo sedition the trueth is you would force to religion but you would not be forced The 25. reason All kinds of witnesses Euery man knoweth or may knowe M. Doctor that your tonge ouerreacheth when you say we can bring nothing to witnes our religiō but only the scriptures We haue produced the fathers of the primitiue Church to confirme the same but if we haue the scriptures on our side it is sufficient though all men were against vs that Gods word is not contrarie it is most true but that your practises are consonant to the same it is most false as likewise that we will admitte noe expositors of holy scriptures but the scriptures themselues that the scriptures expound themselues in matters necessary to saluation I thinke you will not denie your selfe Master Doctor neither will you alwaies take the fathers expositions Caietan confesseth that the sense of the scriptures is not tied to the Fathers exposition as I can shew but you demaund why Luther confesseth that he could not denie the reall