wealthes And therefore if Christ be God and the Holie Bible true the religion of the Papists must needes be that religion which he ordayned and lefte to all generations and consequentlye the onelie true and right religion THE II. REASON The name of Catholikes NO man can iustlie deny but that they who euer haue holden the name of Catholikes and haue beene knowne thereby were vndoubtedlie of true religion for that they had euer on their side the Scriptures Miracles Fathers Councells and Martyrs and for that euery one which was against them was euer accounted reputed for an Heretike And the same Catholikes were euer taken as the trounke or as the bodye of the tree and all others bearing the name of Christians as braunches or boughs cutte off the same tree Nowe all the worlde knoweth that whosoeuer in any age was a member of the Romane Church vnder the obedience of the high Bishoppe thereof hee was euer taken for a Catholike and so termed although in these our daies it hath pleased the protestāts to cal such by the name of Papists which indeed is all one with the name Catholikes for that it signifieth such as followe imbrace the Doctrine of that Church which hath for her head vnder Christ the Pope And it is not amisse as Saint Chrysostome saith Hom. 33. in acta to be named of them who gouerne the Church in Christes steede so that they take not their name of any particular man as Heretikes doe But yet the Catholikes are not called Papists but only of a fewe Lutheranes in Germany and of some others their adherents in other countries neere about for in Greece Asia Affrike in the Indies as in Italy Spain Sicily and in other countries of Europe the name of Papistes is vtterly vnknowne The name therefore of Papists is no name commonly vsed but only of a fewe and neuer heard of before Luther inuented it for that hee coulde not call them after the proper name of any one man because there was neuer anye such in the Church which either brought vp anye newe Doctrine or chainged the Religion of his Predecessours whereas contrariwise heretikes haue euer taken their names of some one who began that heresie as the Nestorians of Nestorius the Pelagians of Pelagius Lutherans of Luther Caluinists of Caluin c. And although Luther tearmed them Papists yet knewe he so well in his conscience that they euer had beene and ought to be called Catholikes as that he caused his folowers to chainge their Creede in saying Brist Mo. 1 I beleeue the Christian Church and not ☜ I beleeue the Catholike Church for feare least they should bee thought to confesse that they beleeued in the Church of Rome which euer was called Catholike And it seemeth that the Protestants knowe in their owne consciences the name of heretikes to bee so proper to themselues as that in their translations of the Bible where the name Heretike occurreth they put in place of it a mā that is the author of sects assuring themselues that the Reader finding the worde Heretike or Heresie woulde presently iudge it to be meant of them As for their own name whereby they tearme themselues protestants which name they take from certaine Lutheranes in Germany who first named them selues so differing and disagreeing altogether from these Protestants in Doctrine it is newe and neuer heard of before in the world and of the same quality and condition that the name Zwinglians is of And therefore I conclude with the saying of Saint Hierome Aduers Lucif Chrysost in act hom 33. Iust in Tryph. If any where thou heare them which are sayed to be of Christ to be tearmed not of our Lord Iesus Christ but of some other as Marcionites Valentinians Hil-brethren or Fielde-breethren be thou sure that they are not the Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Anti-christ THE THIRD REASON Vnity and Consent THE Catholike Romane Religion beeing receiued by so manie Nations in Affrica Asia Europa in this last age in both the Indies hath notwithstanding such varietie of wits such diuersity of manners such multitude of tongues and languages such distance of places such numbers of matters to be beleeued yet euer kept Vnity Concord in such peaceable and consonant manner as neuer anie one in England or Ireland which are the vttermost parts of the west-world dissented or disagreed in anye point of Doctrine concerning Faith from him which liued in the vtmost parts of the East But whosoeuer they be or in what place or region soeuer they remain in al the world if they be catholikes or papists if you will call thē so they all haue one Faith one Beleefe one Seruice one number of Sacramentes one Obedience one Iudgement in all with other like pointes of Vnion and Vnitie which maketh a generall vniformitie also in the peace of mens mindes and to be briefe they haue all one heart and one soule But on the other side Act. 4. if you look into the doinges of Protestantes you shall see such discentions such diuisions such schismes such contrariety of opinions as the like was neuer among the Arrians among the Eutychians among the Donatists among the Nestorians among the Valentinians no nor yet amongest the most iarring Heretikes that euer were So as you may plainely beholde in Luther his seed the selfe-same thing that the Poets faine of Cadmus his sowing you may see the Madianytes Amalekites in one tent against the people of God Ouid. Metam lib. 3. Iudic. 7. builders of the tower Babell accusars of chaste Susanna for they are not only different and deuided from the generall body of Catholickes in Christendome with whom they were vnited heretofore but amongst them selues they haue implacable warres I would you did but see what I haue seene in these Countries as concerning the deadly hatreds contentions and discentions of Luther his ofspring as of the Muntzerans Anabaptists Adamites Steblerians Sabbataries Clancularians or Gartenbrijder Manifestarians Daemonians Commonholders Byslipers Howling Anabaptists Dauidgeorgians Memnonites Polygamistes Signifiers Figurers Valewers Pledgers Presentaries Metamorphists Iudaists Neutersacramentaries Image breakers Zelous Lutherans Soft Lutherans or Interimistes New-Arrians Trinitaries Hell-maisters Hell-tormentors Antidaemonians Amsdorfians Antadiaphoristes Antosiandrians Anti-Swenckefeldians Anti Caluinists Hand-impositors Bisacramentarians Sacerdotales Inuisibilists Scripturians Adiaphoristes Trisacramentarians Quadrisacramentarians Luthero Caluinists Semiosiandrians Maiorists Penitentiarians Noui-Pelagians Politicke-Lutheranes Swenckefeldians Osiandrians Stancarians Antistancarians New-Manichees Sternbergers and of such like all which haue sucked their errors out of the dregges of Luthers Doctrine and yet forsooth will be sound Protestantes all And what diuisions you haue there in England you may in some sort know who doe as I thinke now and then heare preachers of different doctrine What combats your Bishops Councellours moderate sort of Protestants haue to defende their Parlimentarie Religion and the QVEENES Proceedinges as they tearme it against Puritans brownists other
alleadgeth the Doctours most is most praysed of the audience as you vvell know which is a pittifull thing in thē and ridiculous in the Preacher vvho cannot but know if he haue read any of them himselfe that the Fathers detest vtterly that Doctrine which hee wresteth them to confirme and in the meane time the pore audience thinketh that they were of this new Religion vvhose simplicitie therein is most pittifullie abused by the Preacher THE XI REASON Triall of Trueth IT is manifest by the Holye Scriptures that it appertaineth to the Church to try to discerne spirits as also to determine to decide doubts And agreeably therunto shee hath in all ages mastered ouer-ruled captiuated the vnderstanding of euerye one were hee neuer so wise neuer so learned or had he neuer so extraordinary giftes except he obstinatly defended an errour which if he did hee was condemned for an heretike so came to nothing The Chatholike Church I saye directed by the Holye Ghost hath euer separated from the trueth all moales all singular opinions al errours and corruptions in euerie mans workes and writings in such sorte as that easilie and securelye euerie one maie knowe the trueth And certainelie the Protestantes although they saye that they giue no credite to the CHVRCH but so farre forth as they finde in their Scriptures doe can not otherwise but receaue the same Scriptures vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit also the three Creedes of the Apostles of Athanasius and of Nice and some Articles of beleefe as the Holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father the Sonne yet as from one beginning and many tearmes as Person Trinitie Consubstantiall Sacraments c. which none coulde euer haue inuented but onely the Catholike Church Neyther is it possible for any man to know whether this Bible which is vsed amongest Christians be the true word of God indeede or some fained thing but onely vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit And Saint Augustine confesseth plainely that he would not beleeue the Ghospell but that the authoritie of the Catholike Church moued him thereunto Con. Epist Manich. c. 5. lib. 2. de doct Chr. cap. 8. And by the same Churches authoritie hee was mooued to beleeue the bookes of Tobie Iudith Canticles Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabees c. as he himself sincerelie affirmeth And surely it is wōderfull to see how the Church of God receauing the Olde Testament from the Iewes and manifesting to the world the Canon of the Holy bookes of the new Testamēt hath in al times in so many alterations and chaunges kept from the destruction corruption of Heretikes Iewes and Panims the whole authenticall corps of Holy Scripture in such maner as no Heretike in the world can charge her with adding or diminishing the least iote thereof Iudge you here whether the madnes of these new fellowes be worthie to be wondred at or no who doe credit and beleeue the Church in this point and will not doe the same in others Why should they rather trust the Church in this thē in other things And I would euery man would here consider the wonderfull integritie of the Catholike Romane Church in keeping the Holy Bible so entire and vncorrupted these fifteene hundred yeares together at the least and the atheisticall treacherie of these of the the new Religion who occupying no Bible nor hauing to doe with the holy scriptures for a thousand yeares togeather as they themselues confesse haue after the vniust vvresting it out of the handes of the iust possessors thereof robbed the Church of so many whole bookes besides of so manie partes and particles of the same What these fellowes would bring the Holy Bible vnto in time if they shuld hold on they may easily gesse vvho know their manifold corruption therof in so few yeares And yet forsooth they vvill haue all controuersies to be tried by only scriptures which if they were not by them corrupted falselie translated yet could theye neuer finde out any secure truth by them only for that none of them alloweth anie other mans exposition but his owne and in so dealing they can but haue a gesse or an opinion or fantasie but no faith at all Which thing to declare more plainely I aske the Protestant how he relying vpon only scripture can shew mee certainely vvhich bookes be Scripture and which not And if hee be vnlearned how knoweth hee that the translation which hee vseth is truely made out of Hebrew Greeke Latine And then how is hee sure of the sence exposition And if he be neuer so learned haue neuer so many helps all that hee can search and finde out is but a priuate mans opinion and consequentlie his Faith which hee seemeth to haue is grounded vpon his owne particular iudgement and so indeed is no faith at all but an opinion onely as I said before for faith must haue Gods expresse authoritie for her foundation Here you may consider the miserable state and condition of your newe Ghospellers in that forsaking the Catholike and vniuersall faith of Christendome deliuered to thē by the vniuersal Church as founded vppon Scripture vvhich Church Christ and his Apostles gaue thē expresse Commission to beleeue which was properly Faith founded vpon a rocke which could not faile in that forsaking I say that fortres they cast themselues into the waues of new opinions whereby they haue no certaintie at all but euery one chuseth vvhat hee liketh to himselfe vvhich choise is properly called Heresie and so the word signifieth And let anie Protestant in our Countrie of England tell mee why he doth rather beleeue his owne iudgement in points of Religion then the iudgement of Luther Caluin and Beza whome he thinketh were so excellent men for euery one that hath any learning knoweth that they taught otherwise then now is taught in England This you may plainely see the only touchstone of truth to be the Catholike Church which cannot faile and that they who cleaue to her iudgement haue most vndoubtedly the truth whereas on the other side they who ground only vpon Scriptures expounding them according to their owne fantasie and braine playing the Maisters and Pilots and Boat-swaines themselues admitting no iudge no interpreter no antiquitie nor any other manner of tryall which is the greatest madnesse and malediction that can be must needes be destitute of all certaintie and of all Religion and of all stay and of all foundation and of all rule and of all order and must needes wrangle and iangle without end and without meanes to make an end and must needes cause Nouelties without number and libertie of life without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to restraine them and to conclude they haue no meanes to rest vntill the end in Atheisme THE XII REASON The vse and custome of the Church THE vse custome and practise of the Church hath as it vvas in the prime thereof beene alvvaies an infallible rule to
which were done in England in the coÌ„uersioÌ„ therof writteÌ„ by the same Greg. li. 9. ep 58. And by venerable Bede l. 1. hist Ca. 31. In the eight the miracles of S. Cutbert S. Iohn in England also Bede lib. 4. hist 5. In the ninth the miracles of Tharasius writteÌ„ by Ignat. Nicen. of others In the tenth the miracles of S. Romuald recorded by S. Pet. Damian of S. Wenceslaus of others which Surius writeth In the eleueÌ„th the miracles of S. Edward k. vir of S. Ans of others In the twelfth the miracles of S. Mal. S Barn of others In the thirteenth the miracles of S. Fran. S. Dom. S. Bonauent S. S. Celest of others In the fourteenth the miracles of S. Bernardine S. Kather. of Sieuna of others In the fifteenth the miracles of S. Vinc. S. Ant. of others And last of al in this our sixteenth age are the miracles of the glorious S. Fran. de Paula of the holy Iesuit Zauer Aug. de vtil cred cap. 17. lib. cont ep fund cap. 4. in the Indies of many moe And therfore I say vnto you out of S. Ang. I am bound tied in the Catholike Church by the band or chaine of myracles And I am bolde considering and moste steedefastlye beleuing these infinite glorious myracles of all times and ages in the Catholike Romane Church to crye out to Almighty God with Richard de S. Victore lib. 1. de trin cap. 2. Lord if it be not true which we beleeue thou hast deceaued vs for these haue beene confirmed in vs by such signes and woonders as could not bee wrought but by thee But on the contrary part neuer any Protestant coulde worke any myracle at all but assaying to make some shewe thereof to make their Doctrine the more probable to their followers felt the iust reuengement of God who turned all to their shame and confusion as hee did by Simon Magus Egesippus lib. 3. de excid hierosol ca. 2. by Cyrola the patriarke of the Arrians as witnesseth Grego Turones lib. 2. hist Franc. cap. 3. by the Donatists Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen And in our daies by Luther endeuoring to dispossesse a wenche and by Caluin going about to delude his disciples as you may reade in Hierom Bolsec in vit Caluin cap. 13. Vid. Staph in abs resp And therefore they are most foolishe and miserably inconsiderate who beleeue these newe fellowes not beeing able to quicken a flea leaue the doctrine of the Catholike Church coÌ„firmed with innumerable miracles THE VII REASON Visions and the gifte of Prophecie AS TRVE Miracles neuer were wrought but by them who were of the true Church so heauenly Visions and the gifte of Prophecie were neuer founde to bee but in the same And therefore the holye Apostle amongest other thinges which he vseth to commend his Doctrine himselfe to the Corinthians against Heretickes 2. Cor. 12. and false Apostles he bringeth in this as one saying Now will I come to Visions and Reuelations of our Lord c. 2. Pet. 1. And S. Peter alleageth for confirmation of his preaching the traÌ„sfiguratioÌ„ of our lord in the mount which he sawe Mat. 17. Act. 10. 11. calleth it a Vision he had a Vision of a sheet with al kind of beasts in it wheÌ„ he was to deale with the Gentiles And for the trueth of Religion and confirmation of that which they did Act. 2. he alleageth the prophecie of Ioell Ioel. cap. 2 who sayeth amongst other thinges Your young men shall see Visions and to bee briefe of this sort is the whole boke of the Apocalyps So that to see these kind of heauenly Visions and thereby to foretel things most certainly is only amongst them who are of the true Church For although there haue beene prophecies amongest the Heathens yet were they not vndoubtedly true as the Oracles of Apollo such like illusions except they were for the confirmatioÌ„ of right Religion as the prophecies of the Sybills Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 16. 18. and of Balaam And the same may be saide of heretikes as of Montanus of Luther of Muncer and of such like who loke vpon them to prophecie some to their vtter shame some to their own destruction But the Catho Romane Church hath had in it in all ages those which had true Visions Cochlaeus in actis Lutheri and the gifte of true prophecie as Agabus Act. 11. Gregory Thaumaturge so Basil li. de spiritu sancto Cap. 29. S. Anthony the Abbote Iohn of whom see S. Aug. lib. 5. de ciuit Cap. 26. S. Monica see Aug. lib. 3. Confes Cap. 11. S. Benedicte see Gregor lib. 2. dial Cap. 15. S. Bernard see in eius vita lib. 4. Cap. 3. S. Frauncis see in eius vita Bonauentura with many others for seldome was ther any who had the gifte of miracles but the same had this gifte also And in these daies I knowe diuerse and sundry Papists as you cal them who haue seen vndoubtedly wonderful Visions which perhaps you maye see recorded hereafter with sufficient and irrefragable testimony THE VIII REASON Scriptures NEither may here the Protestant reply and say that the Papistes builde vpon Miracles Visions Prophecies and vpon such like but not vpon the WORDE for al that they alleadge are most agreeable to the worde of God Neither doe they teach any Doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible for the maintaining thereof they are not compelled to denye certaine partes of Gods holy Booke as the Protestantes and their predecessours heretiks haue bin inforced to do The Manichees for that their heresies were so manifestly confuted by the Gospel of Saint Mathewe Aug. l 28. con Faust cap. 2. de vtil cred cap 3. and by the Actes of the Apostles as they coulde coine no aunswere nor other shifte they denyed them to bee Scripture The Ebinites because the Epistles of Saint Paul disproued most plainelye Cyrcumcision which they maintained denied them to be Scripture Luther reiected the Epistle of S. Iames because it was so plaine against the doctrine of onely Faith His ofspring refused the bookes of Tobias of Ecclesiasticus of the Machabees and of some others because in them is plainly taught the Doctrine of the custody of Aungells of Free-will of Praier for the Faithfull Soules departed and of Prayer to Saints al whâ—ch they deny and therefore must they needes denie those parts of the holy Bible For heretikes euer framed the Bible to their opinions chainging wresting paring sometimes flatly reiecting al which made ouerplainely against such Doctrine as they deuised and so doe most impudentlye the Protestantes nowe Whereas the Catholikes euer squared their Doctrine by the line and the leuell of the Worde of her Spouse and therefore neuer had cause to reiecte the least â—otte of the holy Bible and at one worde the Catholikes followe the Bible
consciences In colloq mens Ger. fol. 458. b. 369. b. I Know that no man can see into another mans hart or conscience although Luther and his followers bragged that they could so doe and therfore we cannot iudge thereof by suspition only but yet wee may be bold to giue our censure of them by the plaine wordes and manifest deedes of the parties Wee dare not be so rash in this matter as the Protestantes are who by onely coniectures iudge the harts of one another and sticke not to write Tom. 1. IeÌ„ Ger. fol. 4. coll mens fol. 244. a. Tom. 2. Ger. Ien. fol. 9. b. that they speake and write against their coÌ„sciences knowledge whereby we may gather that they vse so to do for otherwise how could they suspect such a detestable fault in others for commonlie a man thinketh others to be as himselfe is Col. mens fol. 10. b. Luther confesseth that hee began this Tragedie against his conscience therfore he thought others to doe the like Zwinglius saith that he beleeued not the Reall Presence for manie yeares together before hee brake off from the Catholike Church but yet hee vvarilie dissembled his mind outwardly shewing himselfe a Papist Collo mens fol. 53. and in his opinion others doe the like Nenno openly telleth that before he was an Anabaptist hee sought after nothing but his bellie In admâ—nition ad do the desires of the flesh and therefore hee thought that all Catholicke Priestes did the like but you may aske me if Luther who first began the protestants Religion had at his entry such repugnance of conscience why did hee not leaue off that course returne to his Cloyster againe I answere for that he had proceeded so farre as he himselfe thought that by desperate necessitie hee must goe on howsoeuer the matter would fal out Euen as Iu. Caesar Suetonius in vita Caesaris who doubted much and had diuers CoÌ„bats with himself whether he shuld march forward with his army against the Romanes or no but at the length when he had proceeded so farre as that hee had passed ouer the riuer Rubicon hee burst out into these words Now is the chaunce throwne Col. mens fol. 241. now must we needs proceed wheather we will or no. In like manner Luther after he had gone further then his conscience woulde haue suffered him to haue done hee vtterly dispairing the recouery of his credit much like as one Thomas Bell who yet liueth in England hath done iustified his actions Col. mens fol. 158. b. 273. b. and so began his hell in this life hauing his conscience euer after vnquiet and still reproouing him causing him to repent as Iudas did for that he had proceeded so farre and to wish all his Bookes buried in the earth In praefat in tom 1. Germ. Ien. and was so troubled in disputations that as one ready to die he would goe out into the next chamber and there throw himselfe vpon a bed And yet for all this Melanct. in vita Luth. pag. 13. the Diuell at the last grew so big with him as that hee made him in all desperation to breake out into all malice against the Catholicke Church without any regarde of conscience Tom. 3. IeÌ„ Ger. f. 274 or honestie as you may see by that hee flatlie sayeth that if the Councell of Trent would allow Communion vnder both kindes which he theÌ„ taught to be instituted by Christ and therefore of necessitie must so be done yet he and his followers would in despite of the Councel either vse but one only or none at all and would plainelie account them accursed which should vse both kinds by the authority of the Councell And in like maner he saith that if the Catholicke Church should by any Councell decree that Priestes and Ecclesiasticall persons might lawfullie marrie which Doctrine he him selfe not only taught Tom. 2. Ger. f. 214. but euen practised the same by marrying a Nunne he would rather dissemble beleeue that that man was more in Gods fauor who all his life long should keepe one or two yea or three whoores then he who after the decree of the Councell should marrie yea he would coÌ„maund vnder paine of damnation that no maÌ„ by permition of the Councell should marry but either liue chaste or if he cannot so doe by keeping a who are he should not despaire So plaied he about the Eucharist for although he taught that the Eleuation of the Blessed Sacrament was wicked and horrible Idolatry and therfore would haue it abrogated Tom. 3. Ien. Germ yet after that he had vnderstoode that his aduersary Carolastadius did teach the same he to contradict to oppose himselfe against him retained kept the Eleuation in Wittenberge whole twenty yeeres togeather mauger the head of his said emulator Carolastadius Yea he openly protested that rather than hee woulde yeelde an haires breadth to him he would goe and be a Friar againe and obserue all orders in his Monastery as duely as euer he had done before The like course he toke about other things and namely about Transubstantiation Because the Papists saith he doe vrge Transubstantiation Tom. 2. Germ. fol. 225. we onely that we may be contrary to them insulte against them will beleeue that true Breade true Wine doe there remaine together with the Body Bloode of Christ Yet saide he of Transubstantiation against the Sacramentaries that he woulde rather beleeue it with the Papistes than he would denie the Reall Presence with them This maye you plainly see that this your first Apostle and generall Captaine of all you Protestantes had no conscience nor Religion at all but ledde by a spirite of contradiction he sought to be singular in himselfe and contrary to all others Neither did hee onely in this manner against his conscience but his companions and Schollers were also in the same predicament and had the same repugnance in themselues For Melancthon in the diet at Aspurge was so troubled in conscience Chytraeus in hist Aug. conf that he was altogeather sadde pusillanimous and doubtfull in minde and gaue him selfe so to weeping as that no comfortes nor encouragementes coulde preuaile or doe him any good And Carolastadius openly confessed that what hee did was cleane against his conscience Col. mâ—…ger f. 1 517. The like repugning conscience had Zwinglius in expounding the words of our Sauiour of the B. Sacrament Lib. de cae na page 216. a. as witnesseth Kemnitius and the Lutherans write that hee openlie shewed and declared in his manners gests and in all things that his conscience accused him of errours Ioannes Shutz in serp antiq fol. 19. but yet he had leifer forsake the truth then to loose his honour in yeelding to Luther The like write the same Lutherans of Oecolampadius And as for Bucer it is wel knowne that hee had no conscience nor religion at
stand against a whole Realme and wee see no reason but that you may as well come to Church as you did once if wee be not deceaued eate vpon some occasion flesh vpon a friday a thing so opposite to your religion If you can maister your minde so as you may come home in this sort we shall be all most glad of you for if you do neyther Parents nor frends will entertaine you nor speake one worde in your cause for if they should it were but in vaine besides might bring them into some suspitiō discredit God giue you grace to be wise in time for if you holde on in this your wilfull follie wee feare much that you who shuld haue bin most cōfort to your friends wil become their greatest greefe giue thē occasion to wish that you neuer had bin borne whereas being tractable in this our request you may salue all sores past benefit your self pleasure many do great good in your coūtrie comfort your kinsfolkes proue your selfe wise in deed gaine credit amongst the best and liue pleasantly manie an yeare Which thing your Parents and wee most earnestlie desire to see And thus they with paternall blessinges and wee all ioyntlie with millions of commendations commit you to the Almightie London this 2. of October an 1599. Your most kinde and louing friendes R. and G.H. AN AVNSWERE TO THE LETTER AFORE GOING MOST louing frindes I had writtē the reasons of Religion before I receiued the countermaunde in your last letter which came to my handes very late for being dated the 2. of October Anno 1599. it came not to me vntill the 20. of December of the same yeere Perusing the same weighing the contents thereof I find that you little care what religion I reteine in my minde and conscience so that I be conformable to the Lawes of our Country in hearing Seruice as it is nowe set forth or a peece of a Sermon as it is nowe there preached Manye circumstances and surmises you vse but all driue to the finall scope by you intended which is to driue me to your Church And indeede as worldly friends for an especiall kinde of such loue towardes me you labour very much for the which I hartely thanke you but alasle your counsell and desire is no other than S. Peters was to our Lord Christ Mat. 16. or those pittifull frinds was to Eleazarus 1. Mac. 6. for you builde all vpon our present safety welfare in this world And if I thought that I might followe your counsell neuerthelesse saue my soule surelye then I were the most miserable foole that euer was in the worlde if I would not so doe For to speake of my fellow Catholikes in England as well as of my selfe can there I pray you anye man be more madde than to suffer losse of goods and liuing to bee discredited contemned and troden vnder euery mans foote that listeth to spoile them to lie in prison in dungeons to be racked reracked hanged bowelled aliue and boyled and after all this to goe to hell there to bee tormented eternallye with Fire and Brimstone and all for Religion when-as beeing conformable to the Lawes of their country in going to Church they may enioy liuings liberties liues feede at large and liue gallantly alofte in all delicacy mirth pastime pleasure in this world after all this in the ende to be sure of ioy in the next If you coulde proue this to me then I saye you might condemne mee for the wretchedst miscreant that euer liued if I did not yeelde to your aduice and desire But vntil you can proue it I hope you will conster my course in charitable maner and iudge better of me thā that I do it of obstinacy or for feare of discredit or for anye worldly respecte for I cal God Almighty before whome we are sure to meete one daye and to receiue according to our thoughts words deeds to witnesse that I doe refraine refuse to goe to your seruice only for conscience sake that is because I thinke it not laweful for in so doing I should offende God Almightie greatly which I must not doe for a million of worldes But because you write that you suppose me to haue more knowledge then to answere with sillie women it is against my conscience c. and aske vvhat Scripture authoritie or reason I haue for my refusing I thought it good conuenient to shew you briefly some arguments reasons which I know not how to answere if I should follow your counsaile But I will not amplifie or explane them at large for so I should be long and ouer tedious for you who if I be not deceaued can hardly endure to reade through anie prolixe discourse but I wil only point as it were at them with my finger for I know your wits to be ready enough to conceaue the vvhole by a part or parcell To begin therefore I tell you plainely that the reasons why I being a Catholike and most stedfastly beleeuing the Catholike Religion to be most true and consequently all other Sects and religions false and damnable will not goe to heare your seruice or a sermon of your religion are these which follow 1 In so doing I should furnish the Campe of the enimies of the Cathotholike Church with my visible presence which may not be done without offence for Prouer. 14 In the multitude of his people is the Kinges dignitie and in the small number of his folke the ignominy of the Prince I lessen therby the number of Catholikes and encrease the number of Protestantes at the least in open show 2 I should yeeld to an act of a contrary religion exacted of me as a denyall of mine which may not be done without great offence for although you inculcate and ingeminate obedience and dutifulnes to our Prince that it is but an act of obedience sure lie I cannot see but that it is an act of religion for albeit the Statute beare this title An act to retaine her Maiesties subiects in theyr due obedience yet is not meere obedience the marke intended in the Satute for the ordinary way to exact obedience is by othes of fidelitie and homage And why should this law be made for odedience and none els or why shuld obedience be rather shewed in the Church then in other places or why by ioyning with protestants in their seruice rather thē by other maner of waies And I pray you is not obediēce included in euery law as well as in this for it is verie plaine that euery precept or law besides obedience to it selfe intendeth some acte of some other vertue And in this law none can be intended but about religion and so in going to your seruice I shuld make outward professiō of your religion which in my conscience I iudge to be false 3 I should deny my Faith by so doing for before the law of going to the Church was made
suchlike good fellowes that by shew of Scriptures impugne it you can not but know see vvith your eyes Neyther can it be aunswered that the Sectes heere rehearsed differ one from another onlie in matters of small moment for they differ and disagree in vveightie pointes of our Saluation as might heere easilie be declared but that it vvould not benifit this mine intended breuitie so to doe This Vnitie of CATHOLICKES and discorde of PROTESTANTES most manifestlie sheweth that as the Apostles vvere they for whome our SAVIOVR prayed to his FATHER and vvas heard of him Holie Father keepe them in thy name whome thou haste giuen mee that they may be one as wee also be one Iohn seauenteene so they of the CATHOLIKE ROMAN Religion be they for vvhome in the vvordes following hee prayed and vvas heard Not for them doe I aske onely but also for them which shall beleeue by theyr preaching in mee that all may be one as thou Father in mee and I in thee that also they in vs may be one and hereof it necessarilie followeth that they be of the true CHVRCH for that none but they obserue and keepe the Vnitie vvhich hee obtained for them of his Heauenlie FATHER Aug. l. 18. de ciuit dei C. 41. And surelie it can not proceede but from the HOLIE GHOST that all Sacred vvriters of the CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH although being men of diuers Nations Times and Languages yet haue so vvonderfullie consented and agreed amongest themselues as wee see they haue done And lastlie it is wonderfull to behold how all decrees of lawfull Councels and of Popes doe agree in all points of Doctrine one with another although they were made by diuers men in diuers places at sundrie times vpon diuers occasions against Heresies not only most different but oftentimes contrarie one to another This no doubt is the finger of God THE IIII. REASON Conuersion of Countries IT is most plaine and manifest that all Countries which euer beleeued in Christ were first conuerted to his faith by such as eyther were precisely sent or at the least-wise had their authoritie from the Pope which liued in the time in which they were conuerted This thing is so openly set downe in the Historie of the first conuersion of euery Countrie as no Protestant were he neuer so impudent can without blushing denie it True it is that Heretiks haue corrupted such as were Catholikes before but that they euer conuerted any Heathen Nation to Christianitie can neuer be shewed I know very well that Iohn Caluin to get glorie sent certaine of his Ministers into new-found landes but I neuer could heare that any of them euer cōuerted so much as one sillie woman to their Ghospell in those partes The truth is their agreement in doctrine was so great that one destroying anothers buildings they became laughing stocks to the Heathens so were glad to depart with shame But who knoweth not that the Catholikes as they haue conuerted all to Christianitie that euer were Christians so in this age they haue brought infinite numbers to the Christian faith in the East and West Indies by the meanes and labours of the most happie holy Fathers of the holy Order of S. Frauncis of S. Dominick of the blessed Society of IESVS which blessed Religious men in our owne Countrie there of England onlie in regard of theyr Sacred function are executed as Traitors And haue not these I pray you theyr authoritie from ROME I will not here speake of the infinite number of Miracles vvrought by Catholikes in the conuersion of countries namely of those which are now done in both the Indies by the Holie Fathers aforesaid for that I reserue that matter for his proper place but I vvould aduise you here diligentlie to weigh the sequele of the Assertion of the Protestants how that if Papistes be not true Christians of the right religion then doth it necessarilie follow that neither Spaniards nor Portingales nor Sardinians nor Sicilians nor Italians nor Germanes nor Trāsyluanians nor Hungarians nor Polonians nor Danes nor Flemminges nor Scots nor Irish nor English no nor any Nation vnder Heauen had euer true Religion before Fryar Luther married Nonne Bore before Iohn Caluine runne away to Geneua before Peeter Martyr vvith his Fustelugges came to teach at Oxford and before a number of such like good companions ledde only by sensualitie carnall zeale dishodded themselues and became such spectacles to the worlde as euerie man knoweth Which thing to affirme is flatlie to denie Christ all Christianity as I shewed in my first Reason And surely I am greatly cōfirmed in the Catholike Religion beholding the Heauenly maner vsed by the professors thereof in gayning soules to Almightie GOD for that I see them neyther to spare goodes nor labours no nor theyr owne liues so that they may vvinne people to Heauen GREGORYE the thirteenth Pope of that name in these our dayes spent all the renennewes of the Popedome in founding SEMINARIES COLLEDGES in diuers Landes and Prouinces thereby to restore the Catholike religion Manie Holie and Religious Priests doe goe dayly into Germany into Hungary into Greece into Palestina into Aegypt into Syria into Aethiopia into Africa into Moscouia into Ireland into Scotland into England and into other heretical heathen countries yeelding themselues to all daungers by sea and land and to all worldly miseries hauing mortified all theyr carnall affections renounced all riches honors and kindred and hauing made themselues most ready for their graue and consequently for another world moued only by the zeale of sauing soules And it mooueth mee not a little to see vvhat patience mildnesse and quietnesse these men vse in all theyr dooinges And I see also on the other side that no protestant euer had so great zeale of his Religion as that he would for spreading abroade the same forgoe any worldly commodity either by founding Seminaries or Colleges in Countries or by going or sending where any difficulty or daunger was but as one wholly respecting this worlde he walloweth in wealth pleasures at home or if by any accident he be compelled to flie into forraine Countries hee may not trauaile except his preatie parnell goe vvith him but such a one to goe simplie as they say bona fide to conuert others was yet neuer seene And if by anie occasion offered vnto such they goe about to plant theyr Ghospell anie vvhere they doe it in such a turbulent and mutinous maner and not by Epistles after Saint Paules vse but by Pistols as Beza did as euerie one may see what spirit pricketh them forward Neyther doe they take anie other course in theyr proceedinges but to destroy States and Kingdomes to displace lawfull Monarchies and Magistrates as the Low-Countries Germany and Scotland can sufficientlie witnesse and euer theyr beginning is of Pride and Enuie as Luthers vvas or by abusing them-selues in theyr former estate as Sir Iohn Caluin did or by yeelding
the Catholike Church become an Apostata by forsaking his religion if he professe himselfe a Protestant they account and esteeme such a one very fitt for theyr Ministry yea and more worthie then one of theyr owne making for that they assure themselues so confesse that the Catholiks haue ordinary calling most lawfull but they neyther haue ordinary calling as is most plain nor extraordinarie for that they can worke no miracle to proue the same Ergo no calling at all but they come of thēselues vnsent for Then are they as it was Prophicied of them like their Fathers smooth tongued fellowes Rom. 6. which with sweet speeches pleasant clawings deceiue the harts of innocēts and haue a show of godlines 2. Tim. but denie the vertue thereof for they crie out The word of the Lord the light of the Gospel the only Passion of our Sauiour 3. Reg. 22. no sin to the Elect Ier. 5.14.23 27. Isay cap. 3 al are cleane which beleeue their Doctrine vvith a thousand such like plausible speeches as the false Prophets did in times past But consider them well you shall finde them to be lying maisters and deceauers 2. Pet. 2. 3. who doe not only them-selues walke after the flesh in concupiscence of vncleannesse but doe also draw others in the desire of lust and leacherie promising libertie whereas they themselues are slaues of corruption Math. 7. and in few words they lead the people the broad vvaie to perdition This you may plainelie see by that which hath beene said before therfore I would haue you to iudge wheather it be like that the Protestants be those false teachers which were foretolde or no. Surely in mine opinion there are al things in them which were fore shewed to be in the false prophets and seducers of the latter dayes Ier. 29.23 They come vnsent they teache plausible thinges to flesh and blood they teach theyr own fansies and say they be the words of the Lord Ezech. 13. wresting wreathing the Scriptures as they list they colour and set out theyr cause in such braue tearmes and with such fraunde and deceit as if it were possible the verie Elect might be drawne into errour Math. 24. they make a show as they vvere the Apostles of Christ 2. Cor. 11. and thereby they seduce the innocent they know not that God vseth them as a scourge Rom. 16. and that hee tempteth his people by them Deut. 13. they make an outward show of humanitie of peace and concord and of such like putting vpon them the cloathing of sheepe Mat. 7. but they are indeede according to the Flemmish Protestants prouerbe Bares in wolues places THE XIX REASON Lyars slaunderers reuylers IT seemeth that the Protestantes haue eyther no conscience at all or els that it is seared with an hoate iron for that they make no boanes to beare so manifestlie false witnes against their neighbours in charging the Catholikes all theyr Elders with so plaine vntruthes and in slaundering and reuiling they care not whome in a most iniurious and opprobrious manner And a most pittifull thing it is to see the simple people drawne away from the true Religion of theyr Elders by such shamefull meanes for euery man of vnderstanding may easily see howe they make lying theyr helpe Esay 28. and defende themselues thereby And yet doe theyr miserable adhaerentes beleeue euerie thing to be gospel which they say neuer going about to trie out the trueth therof To this shameful shift are they driuen as they be to many others for that they cānot otherwise excuse their departure frō the ancient Church for if they had litle or nothing to say against it euery simple mā might meruaile why they left it They faine therfore make vpon their owne fingers many horrible things concerning the doctrine ceremonies condition of the said Church And this they doe in places where they dominier raigne where they know no mā dare shew his face to defend the cause of the christiā world And no meruaile though they deale thus with the Catholik Church when as they slaūder tel lyes of ech other as the Luherans beare witnes against the Sacramentaries the Maiorists against the Flacians Vlenbergius causa 10. and both these against the Lutherans other Sectaries one against another And to giue you a litle taste of their dealings I wil put down a few of their sayings but brieflie for that I doubt I be ouer tedious 1 They say that Christ was vnknown before their cōming In postilla Germ. An. 1537. part 2. fol. 141. that the Gospel lay in the dust was hiddē vnder the bēch Luther doubteth whether Germany euer heard the word of God before he preached it Which thing if it were true then vndoubtedlie infinite people yea al Christēdome was deceiued vnder the name of Christ for 1500. yeres togeather and consequentlie were all damned And how impudent a lie is it that Christ vvas not knowne before their comming wheras al churches throughout Christendōe did by pictures and externall ceremonies set before the eies of people the Death blood Crosse Passiō of our Sauiour was there not in euery rode loft the picture of Christ crucified And did not the very stones wals sumptuous buildings declare that the erectors therof were mē not only beleeuing in Christ but also most zelous forward to set forth his honor by furthering his religiō 10000 manifest proofes might here be brought forth against this shācles lie of theyrs 2. They inculcate and euen dull the eares of the people with often telling them of the Idolatry of their elders affirme it to be more abominable thā the Idolatry of the Iewes or Heathens And although they be so deuided among themselues as that they accuse one another of that crime yet in this they all agree as Pilate Herod did in putting Christ to death but otherwise being mortall enimies the one to the other But vntill they proue this Idolatry which they neuer could nor neuer wil be able to doe I cannot but deeme it an intolerable lye and cauill the which is more thā sufficiently proued by almost innumerable argumēts which are to be seene in many learned writers Aug. conf in artic de Missa 3. They say that the Catholikes holde that Christ satisfied onely for Originall sinne and that he ordained the Masse for other sinnes which to be a most manifest lie all the bokes written of this matter by Catholike Diuines doe plainely testifie Aug. conf tit de delectu ciborum 4 They affirme that the Catholikes doe teach that by choice of meates and by other humane constitutions remissiō of sins saluation is obtained that thereby the doers are iustified Which is a lye so manifest as it needeth no confutation 5. They say howe the Papistes holde that if a man be Contrite Confessed and haue