offered what neeneth or what auaileth any resistance of ours or any conflict to the contrary sinne it is though we resist neuer so much and but sinne it is if we yeelde And seeing that by another principle of this new doctrine all sinnes are equally mortall what is gained by striuing or what is lost by yeelding And to what end are all those large Treatises of ancient Fathers about fighting against this concupiscence and mortification of her appetites and motions What doe auaile all their exhortations to this purpose as also those of the Scriptures to continencie chastitie virginitie abstinence sobrietie and other like vertues for so much as euery first motion of our concupiscence to the contrary which first motion wee cannot auoid is sin in it selfe to what purpose I say are wo perswaded and animated to fight and striue against this enemie seeing there is no hope of victorie but that at euery blow shee conquereth and ouerthroweth vs as the Protestants teach Wherefore to proceed no further in this comparison you may easily by this that is said consider the differences betweene these two people and in particular you may with griefe and teares contemplate among other points fiue generall inundations of loosenesse and wicked liberty brought into Christian conuersation by the foresaid fiue principles of these mens doctrine to wit First in taking away wholly all concurrance and good endeauors of mans will to any vertuous action whatsoeuer though neuer so much preuented or assisted by the helpe of Gods grace Secondly in ascribing all justificatiō to onely Faith and thereby moouing the concurrance of Hope Charitie Piety Deuotion and other vertues Thirdly in disgracing and denying the necessity of the exercise of externall good workes proceeding from those internall vertues and commended vnto vs to walke therein Fourthly in debasing the force dignity and number of Sacraments appointed for instruments and conduites of Gods holy grace vnto all sorts of men And lastly in attributing a kingdome of sinne irresistable to our concupiscence in fauour of temptations and sensuall motions and discomforting thereby all people from fighting against the same Which fiue principles being well weighed considered together with the practise and successe that haue ensued vpon them throughout Christendome where this new doctrine hath preuailed no indifferent man can bee so simple but that he will easily discouer the true difference betweene these two people and their Religions as also betweene Fox his lying fond Definition of a Catholike and this our Description of Catholikes Protestants containing the most substantiall points of Faith and life both of the one and the other AN ADDITION MADE by the Collecter NOW because I haue mentioned IOHN FOX I would desire thee good Reader to reade that learned Treatise of Three Conuersions especially the third part wherein IOHN FOX his booke of Martyrs so called is particularly examined and confuted where thou mayest clearely descrie the erroneous and false spirit of the Protestants for so much as they make choice of any sort of people whatsoeuer bearing the name of Christians to be of their Church and fraternitie notwithstanding that they held and beleeued many most damnable errors and herefies but howsoeuer if they spake freely against the Pope or floutly denied but one article of the Catholike Faith for which they haue been condemned for Heretikes by our Church they were presently accounted for right good Protestants and fit for IOHN FOX to Canonize and make Martyrs Of this that worthy Author in the foresaid Treatise sheweth briefely in a Consideration which hee maketh what sort of people be put by IOHN FOX into his Kalendar It is then to be noted saith hee that in the Kalendar and story thereof to wit FOX his Actes and Monuments are comprised all the heads of Factions and Sects that haue been different from the knowne Catholike Religion and among themselues for these three or foure last hundred yeares as Waldo of Lyons and his Waldensians the Earle of Tholosa and his Albigensians Iohn Wickliffe of England and his Wickliffians Iohn Husse of Bemeland and his Hussites Iohn Zisca of the same Nation and his Thaborites Walter Lollard in Germanie and his Lolardians and in our daies Martin Luther and his Lutherans both sects Molles and Rigidi Vldericus Zuinglius and his Zuinglians Iohn Caluin and his Caluinists both mingled and Puritans and other the like All which are allowed and commended by Fox eyther in his Kalendar or Historie thongh they did not a little disagree as well among themselues as with the Catholike Church both in words and actions manner of life preachings and writings as before hath been shewed And whereas we that follow Catholike doctrine are so exact for holding vnitie therein as we reiect and hold for wicked according to the Creed of Saint Athanasius and first Councell of Nice whosoeuer doth not beleeue inuiolably the said Catholike Faith and intirely in euery point and doe sometimes condeme euen to death and burne some for dissenting in one only point of Faith as Iohn Fox himselfe hath diuers times complained how can it be that he and his Church can gather vp and tye together in one vnion of Faith and communion of Saints all these different and opposite heads together with their members and followers Truely no other way but onely as Samson tyed his Foxes together by the tayles though their heads and faces were opposite and contrarie one to another which serued him not to plow nor sow plant nor tyll but only to set a fire waste and destroy the corne which others haue sowed before which is the only office and peculiar worke that these wrangling opposit hereticall heads do bring forth in the Church of God to wit pull downe digge vp destroy discredit and disgrace that which was sowen planted and established before them and thereby to bring all to misdoubt vnbeleefe and atheisme So F. PARSONS And because peraduenture euery one desirous to know more of this matter cannot so easily procure to see or reade that discussion or examination of Iohn Fox his Saints and of their different spirits from the Catholike I will let you see the summe of both Kalendars as it is set downe by the forenamed Author in the end of the Kalendar both in the first and last sixe Moneths of that his Examen The summe of all Saints named in both Kalendars In the Catholike Kalendar The number of all mentioned 1704. whereof are Popes Martyrs 27. Popes Confessors 8. Bishops Martyrs 37. Bishops Confessors 63. Virgins Martyrs 76. besides the 11000. slaine with Saint Vrsula Virgins Confessors 11. Kings and Queenes Martyrs 3. Kings and Queenes Confessors 8. other holy men and women 3429. other men and women Confessors 42. All these were of one Faith and Religion agreeable to the Roman at this day In the Foxian Kalendar The number of all mentioned 456. Bishops Pseudomartyrs 5. Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs 000. May d Martyrs 2. Kings Queenes Martyrs
and Confessors 1. other men women Martyrs 393. other men and women Confessors 53. These were of diuers sects and opinions and contrary in many points the one to the other as for example Waldensians and Albegensians 13. Lollards and Wickliffians 36. Hussites and Lutherans 78. Zuinglians and Caluinifts 268. Anabaptists Puritans and doubtfull of what sect 59. Againe of those were Husbandmen Weauers Sawyers Shoo-makers Curriers Smithes and other such like occupations 282. Poore women and Spinsters 64. Apostata Monks and Friers 25. Apostata Priests 38. Ministers 10. Publike Malefactors and condemned by the Lawes for such 19. The greatest Disputers of this ranke against the Catholike Bishops and learned men were George Tankerfield a Cooke August 13. Iohn Mandrell a Cowheard March 27. Richard Chrashfield a yong Artificer March 28. Raph Allerton a Tayler September 19. Iohn Fortunea Black-smith September 30. Richard Woodman an Iron maker Iune 23. Ellen Erwing a Millers wife August 23. loane Lashford a maried maide Ianuary 18. Isabell Foster a Cutlers wife Ianuary 17. Anne Alebright a poore woman of Canterbury Ianuary 19. Alice Potkins Spinster Nouember 15. Alice driuer a famous Doctrice Nouember 22. And to giue you some particular taste of this roauing spirit which raigned in some of Master Fox his principall Protestant Martyrs Master Iohn Bradford whom Fox most highly extolleth in many leaues and stileth him Preacher-Martyr was accustomed much to bragge of his singuler assurance that he had of the right course hee was in which he said was so cleare and euident to him that there could be no more doubt thereof then whether the Sunne did shine vpon a faire day and when the Bishops asked him How he came to so great a certainty he answered I am certaine of my saluation and religion by the Scriptures but when they posed him further how hee could bee sure of Scriptures themselues and of their true meaning without the testimony of the Church hee had no other shift but to runne to the assurance of his owne spirit telling them that albeit he receiued the knowledge of the Scriptures by the testimonie of the Church as those of the Citie of Sychar did the notice of Christ by the woman from the Well yet that when he once had them then could he vse them well enough for vnderstanding them and for shew hereof when a little after hee had occasion to interpret some peeces of Scriptures he did it so absurdly as a man might well see how much might be builded vpon the assurance of that his particular and priuate spirit as for example among other places hee tooke vpon him to proue by Scripture that the Pope was Antichrist and cited for it onely those words of the Apostle to the Thessalonians That Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God c. which though it proue nothing as you see for that wee deny not but that Antichrist when hee commeth shall sit in the Temple of God yea and pretend to be God himselfe which no Popes euer did or shal doe yet to Bradford the allegation of this place seemed much to the purpose and to Iohn Fox that admireth all which the other vttered it appeareth so full a proofe as he maketh this note in the margent The Pope proued to bee Antichrist by Scriptures But this proofe as you see standeth only vpon Bradfords interpretation which interpretation is not onely not conforme to any ancient Fathers exposition whatsoeuer but is manifestly also contrary to the text it selfe where immediatly before the words alledged That he shall sit in the Temple of God are these words Extolletur supra omne quod dicitur Deus aut qued colitur That Antichrist when he commeth shall bee extolled aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped for God so as he shall not call him Gods seruant as the Pope doth nor the seruant of his seruants but chiefe God himselfe which no Pope as is said euer did or will and consequently these words cannot possibly agree to the Pope and yet forsooth the spirit of Bradford that cannot erre or be deceiued doth expound it so and thereby you see the certaintie of his spirit After this againe he went about to perswade the two Bishops who examined him that he agreed with them and with their Church in substance of Faith and beleefe and consequently might bee saued with them notwithstanding this deniall of two articles for which only he said he was condemned to wit Transubstantiation and that the euill men doe not receiue the body of Christ when they communicate which two articles Bradford affirmed not to appertaine to the substance of faith or foundation of Christ and consequently that he was vnjustly cast our of the Church for them for so much as hee firmely beleeued all the articles of the Creede with them whereunto when the Bishops smiling replied saying Yen Is this your Diuinitie BRADFORD answered Noe it is PAVLS which saith That if men hold the foundation Christ though they build vpon him straw and stubble yet they shall be saued So he whereby you see that this great learned Cleake would proue by Saint Paul that both Protestants and all other Sectaries that in words doe professe to beleeue all the Articles of the Creede though each one in seuerall sense to himselfe shall be saued together with Catholikes and that all these our contentions with them and other Sectaries are but straw and stubble and touch not the foundation of Christ at all This was his spirit and doe you thinke that this spirit could be deceiued or will our English Protestants at this day allow this spirit or joyne with Bradford in this paradox I know they will not and would bee ashamed to interpret the place of Saint Paul in that sense for so much as it is euident that he meaneth of the straw and stubble of workes and not doctrine or at least such principall points of doctrine as those are which Bradford did professe contrary to the Catholique truth Notwithstanding there bee some principall Protestant Doctors who howsoeuer they interpret the foresaid place of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 3. and vpon what other place soeuer of Scripture they pretend to builde yet doe they holde and maintaine the same Paradox in Christian Religion as I may call it and the same exorbitant grosse errour which the phanaticall spirit of Iohn Bradford suggested vnto him for an assured truth to wit that all euen Heretikes as well as Catholikes may bee saued so long as they hold the foundation Christ. For so Master Doctor Morton now called a Bishop saith Wheresoeuer a company of men doe ioyntly and publikely by worshipping the true God in Christ professe the substance of Christian Religion which is Faith in lesus Christ the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world that there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer And giuing this title to one section in his booke That Heretikes are members of the
Councell or any one thereof or of their adherents of whatsoeuer condition or state or dignitie they be shal in any point or cause violate which neuerthelesse wee beseech God forbid the forme and manner of the aboue written assecuration and Safe Conduct and that sufficient amendment be not presently made yea and such as in the judgements of those of the Cōfession of Augusta shall rightly be approued and well liked of let them account and it shall be lawful for them to account the Councell it selfe to haue incurred al the penalties which either of the Law of the Law of God and man or custome the violators of such Safe-conducts can incurre this without all excuse or any gain-saying in this behalfe The extenting of the former Safe-conduct vnto all other Nations THe same most sacred Synod being most lawfully gathered together in the holy Ghost the said Legates delatere so called of the Sea Apostolike presiding doth grant the publike fidelity or Safe-conduct vnder the same forme and with the same words wherwith it is granted vnto the Germans vnto all and euery one who doe not participate with vs in matters belonging to Faith of whatsoeuer Kingdom Nation Prouince Citie or place where is publikely freely preached or taught or beleeued contrary vnto that which the holy Church of Rome doth teach A SPEECH OF CARDInall BARONIVS placed in the beginning of the second Tome of his Annals I thinke it fitte to adioyne in this place a Speech of that worthily renowned and learned Cardinal Baronius directed vnto all Heretikes shewing how assured the faithfull children of Gods Church are and euer haue been concerning the vndoubted truth of their holy Catholike and Apostolike Roman Religion how prompt and ready they haue euer been to admitte of any indifferent triall of the same The Speech or Admonition he entituleth thus An Appendix or Addition vnto the Reader who is out of the catholike church AT nec te dispiscimus c. We contemne not thee I speake to the Reader much auerted from the Catholike Faith nor set vpon thee with rebukes prouoke thee with reproaches loade thee with contumelies because we are not moued with any perturbation of mind against the persons when we reprehend mens errours wee deale most kindly with thee to the end thou mayest vnderstand that the Truth it selfe rather then the Patron thereof fighteth against thee yea we will bee most liberall to thee so farre forth as that we will not feare with all lenitie and submission of minde to allow thy selfe perusing diligently these our workes and desiring to finde forth the truth as a just arbitrator We hauing a confidence in the goodnesse of our cause will yeeld so much vnto thee as not to disdaine to vndergoe thy judgement concerning the truth of those things we speake of prouided that thy reason as it were equally ballanced be placed betweene but aboue both parties that is supposing thee to be of a sound and sincere judgement voyd of all perturbation wanting particular affections and so inclining to neither partie If thou bee ready to shew thy selfe such a judge I appeale from thy selfe when at other times thou haddest thy minde troubled vnto thine owne selfe now examining things more exactly with the cleared eye of thy vnderstanding the which power of mans soule is most vigorous if being vnchained and free it bee suffered freely to discourse This consideration enforced our Auncestors relying vpon the truth of their doctrine when they had occasion to deale with most obstinate Heretikes refusing and contemning the Church her judgement to condescend so much vnto them as to permit their cause to the arbitrement of Heathens and demand their sentence in the same These being Iudges the Iews after much contention ouercame the Samaritans In like manner Origen choosing by consent of his aduersaries a Gentile for Vmpire ouerthrew fiue most peruerse Heretikes and conuerted him who sate as Vmpire in their dispute Likewise the holy Mesopotanian Bishop Archelaus confuted the most impious Arch-heretike Manes by the arbitrement of Gentiles chosen to decide by common consent of both disputants There are many other like examples by which it appears the professors of the truth to haue refused no mans judgement or sentence no not so much as of those who seeme to be condemned by our Lord himselfe saying Hee that beleeueth not is alreadie iudged All these we seeme to ouer go in our maner of free dealing with thee because wee seeke no other arbitrator then thy selfe if thou follow the rules of reason most certainly assuring our selues that thou wilt giue sentence for and agree with vs if thy reason of it owne nature most affecting equitie do willingly heare the truth One thing wee expect as the sole reward for our labours that is to see thee at length so condemned by thy selfe judging most justly as that thou mayest be quitte of thy errours God grant we may once joyfully meete thee rectified in judgement embrace and kisse thee as our brother sucking the brests of our Mother at this present although it be vnlawful for vs because of the prohibition of the Apostle we speake it not without a most hearty sorrow to salute thee or to say so much as all haile vnto thee notwithstanding there is none that will forbid vs to beg of almightie God by earnest prayer thy saluation which wee most earnestly desire By this it appeareth how much the Catholike Spirit loueth light wisheth to haue a full and free triall of the truth Contrariwise the Protestants Spirit sheweth it selfe to hate light first in that ordinarily their professors write confusedly of Controuersies seldome setting downe sincerely and clearely the state of the question but often peruerting it making that seeme to be the question which is not also ordinarily wronging the Catholike sentence in making it seeme to say what it sayeth not also vsually concealing or not fully vrging the arguments of Scriptures Fathers Councels Reasons brought by Catholikes in their publike writings Their owne sentence and opinion also they set downe so darkely and obscurely as that often times they scarse vnderstand themselues and much lesse is it vnderstood by others what they hold or would say The arguments also which they bring for confirmation of their opinion as likewise their answers to our objections are so light and vnsound yea sometimes so farre fetched and ill framed as it is wonder that men of witte and learning can suffer such stuffe to passe from them I omit to speake of their falsification and corruption of Scriptures and Fathers where of a taste may be taken by that which is set downe in M. Walsingham his Search into matters of Religion I omit also their flying the judgement of ancient Fathers and Councels and their retiring themselues into the mist of their owne priuat fantasies couered with the spacious titles of onely Scripture and Gods Spirit That which chiefly sheweth Protestants Spirit to loue darknes is that by