mariage they permit no tapers nor lights in their churches they speak against worshiping of Saints and despise holie reliques of blessed Martyrs with Vigilantiu they take away the oblatioÌ„ of the sacrifice the hallowing of Chrisme with Eutyches Leo Epist 75. Aug. here 's 88. de pec merit lib. 3. cap. 5. loa Shutâ— lib. 50. causarum cap. 18. they teach that childreÌ„ may be saued without baptisme therefore that it is not of necessitie with the Pelagians they bragge with the Donatistes that all the world hath swarued from the right faith and they onely are the true Church And all the rest of theyr doctrine in a maner is borrowed thus of old heretiks which here particularly to set downe my breuity will not permit The like cobaerence agreement they haue with the old heretikes in deeds maners for I haue found by experience that the Protestant preachers expect Euseb l. 7. Hist c. 26. and desire great applause of their hearers as Paulus Samosatenus did of his followers they ouerthrow Aultars Opt. lib. 6 contr Do. abuse the blessed Sacrament handle despitefullie Holie Chrisme as the Donatistes did they faigne causes and come excuses why they will not goe to Generall Councels Aug. lib. 3. con Crescon Gram mat ca. 45. hist trip lib. 5. c. 34. as the saide Donatistes Macedonius and Dioscorus did The Donatistes also fained that diuers Bishops vvho were absent and that one who was dead did take theyr part against Catholickes therby to make theyr nuÌ„ber to seeme greater and there in England vvhen not somuch as one Catholicke Bishop could be induced by any perswations promises gifts or honours to consent to their Protestancy yet were not the Protestantes ashamed to abuse the Queenes Highnesse vvith this fained Supplication Anno. 1. Reginae Elizabethae Most humblie beseech your most excellent Maiestie your faithfull and obedient Subiects the Lordes spirituall and temporall c. The same Donatistes did torment moste cruellie Catholicke Priests plucking out the eyes of some Aug. Pon. com Epist 50. and of one Bishoppe they cut out the tongue and hand and murdered manie And the Protestantes of late in Fraunce did the like to Catholicke Priests and besides tying haulters about their neckes they drewe them dispiteouslie after theyr horses that done they cut off theyr eares noses priuie partes they ware their eares in their hats insteed of brooches and finally they either hanged vp their carcasses Claud. de Sanctis in lib. du SacrameÌ„t des eglyses or else shot them through with Pistolles of others they hackled and mangled their faces of othersome to trie force strength they did cleaue in two at one stroke their heades and of an old Religious man at Mans they first cut off his priuie parts then they fried them after they forced him to swallow them downe and last of all they did rip his stomake being yet aliue and see what was become thereof At S. Macharius they buried the Catholikes quicke they cut Infants in two they ripped the bellies of Priests and drew out their intrals by little little winding them about a sticke or tree At Patte a village some 6. leages from Orleaunce they burned Catholiks threw infants into the fire there to perish with the rest And manie other like outrages and barbarous cruelties they coÌ„mittd which who so desireth to know Victor de persec vaÌ„ l. 1. cap. 3. l 1. cap. de offic praef praetor lib. 3 Episc Egipti Epist ad Marcum Papaem may find them set downe by Claudius de Saintes in his booke noted before iâ— the margent The ArriaÌ„ heretikes troadeth B. Sacrament vnder their feet they ouerthrew the churches in Africa made of theÌ„ stables for their horses of Altars clothes vestments they made shirts and breeches they burned the bookes and carried the ornaments of the Churches away And how the Protestants haue abused the B. Sacrament spoiled churches burned bookes and haue not onlie made breeches shirts cushions but euen coats for players dizzardes of holy vestments Aultar clothes you cannot but know Theod. lib 1. cap. 6 Iulian that wicked Aapostata robbed Churches spoiled the Cleargy of their priuiledges banished the Priestes ouerthrew Aultars caused the sacrifice to cease reproued the Christians for doing reuerence to the Crosse Cyrill lib. 6. contra Iulian. l. 10 coa eundem and for making the signe thereof in their foreheades for painting it vpon the dores of theyr houses and for worshipping the Reliques of Mattyrs for visiting their tombes for praying to them at theyr graues Zozom li. 5. cap 12. and Sepulchres and termed them deadmeÌ„ hee ouerthrew destroyed the images pictures of Christ he brake open the shâ—ne wherein the bones of S. Iohn Baptist vvere religiouslie kept Theod. lib 5. cap. 6. burned them dispersed abroad the ashes Now whether the Protestants haue iumped iust into the steps of this wicked Apostata in doing the like or no I leaue to your iudgement knowledge consideration Zozom li. 5. cap 21 Athan. lib. de passion imag Chr. The Panims or heatheÌ„ men brake the image of christ the Iewes crucified it as theyr Elders had done Christ himselfe the Iew in in whose house it was fouÌ„d was troubled for it brought before the high priest for that he seemed by keeping that picture that hee was a Christian And doe not the Protestants euen as the Heathens and Iewes did The Iew was thought to be a fauourer of Christ because he kept his picture in his house and why should not Catholikes by the like reason be iudged fauourers and louers of Christ for hauing his Image in theyr Churches houses and chambers Or why should not Protestantes be deemed aduersaries and enimies to Christ as the Iews and Heathens were seeing they can no more endure his Picture or Crosse then they could The old Heretikes as Nestorius Socrat. lib. 7. hist cap. 23. Eus lib 6. cap. 55. lib. 7. c. 24. Nicephor lib. 6 cap. 30. Theodor. lib. 1. cap. 4 Nouatus Paulus Samosatenus the Arrians others were out of measure proud arrogant and wonderfullie conceited of themselues contemning the Doctours of the Church which had writttn before them and preferring them-selues before all others whatsoeuer the verie same doe the Protestants in a most proude and arrogant manner and the ringleader and Father of them all is not ashamed to breake out into these speeches Lutherus col mens I haue Excommunicated Origine long agoe there is nothing singuler in Athanasius fol. 474. 460. 932. 476 477. 17. Tertullian is very superstitious I make no count of Chrisostome for he is but a pratler Basil plainely is nothing worth hee is altogether a Monke Cyprian the Martyr is a weake Diuiner Hierome ought not to be numbred amongst the Doctours of the Church for he was an Heretike amongst all the
that number is vsuall here in this Countrie signifying the fourth part or quarter of an hundred for when they will name any number as we vsually doe when we say a dozen a scoare c. they say vnquartron and by that number they commoÌ„ly buy buttons lace c. as we doe by dozens in England Take them in good part my deare friendes and assure your selues that wheresoeuer I liue I will still carrie a true English hart with mee by euer bearing a sacred reuerent respect towards my Soueraigne Princesse and my deare countrie as also a dutifull and obedient minde to my louing Parents and a friendlie affection towardes you for I would not haue you to thinke that liuing out of my Countrie for my conscience doth any way hinder the duties aforesaid for I call God to witnesse who is the searcher of all hearts that my Religion reserued I be are all loyaltie affection fidelitie which a poore Subiect ought to doe towards our Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth whom I pray God bountifully to blesse and allaue affection towardes my natiue Countrie with duty to Parents and loue to kindred as is aforesaid And thus desiring my father mothers blessing with many humble commendations to them and no fewer to you I leaue you to our Lord who send vs all of his heauenly grace From my Chamber at Phalempyne this 16. of Februarie Anno 1600. Your very louing friend T. H. THE I. REASON If the Prophecies of the Holy Bible be true as they be most true then must the Religion of the Protestants needes be false BEFORE the comming of the MESSIAS there was not any people or nation which did serue the true and liuing God but only the Iewes all others whatsoeuer being ouerwhelmed in a Sea of blindnes worshipping false Gods which indeede were Diuels and therevpon the Maister Diuell LVCIFER vvas tearmed Princeps huius mundi that is Ioan. 12. Prince of this world for that hee was honored and worshipped in all Lands Kingdomes Iewrie and that in part only excepted which miserable state condition God of his infinite mercie greatlie pittying promised in time to send a Sauiour vvhich should Redeeme all nations people free them from that pittiful seruitude and blindnesse and bring them to the knowledge of true and right Religion by suffering death and consequently by planting a Church to the which al nations should repaire This he did foretell by diuerse sundry Prophets as by Esay Cap. 2. who saide the Church should be as a mountaine to the which All Nations should flowe And many people shall goe and say Come and let vs ascende to the mountaine of our Lorde and after Idolles shall vtterly be brused and to be briefe all this Chapter yea all the rest in a manner fore-shewe the same matter declaring most plainely the conuersion of all Nations to the Church of the Messias Cap. 49. 60. Dan. 2. 7. Iâ—sal 47. Mich. 4. and how Kings and Queenes should come and doe homage vnto it that it should euer continue without interruption and that it should be most ample large the Prophet Dauid most manifestly foretelleth Luc. 1. Psal 71. saying that it should extend From Sea to Sea and from the riuer to the endes of the world and howe the Aethiopians shoulde fall downe Before the Messias with the kings of Tharsis Arabia and Saba and to be short all kings and people should acknowledge this Church as innumerable propesies of the olde Testament doe plainely foreshewe Heereupon it was that good men thirsted longed so greatlye for the comming of the Messias knowing that by him all people which sate in darckenesse and in the shadowe of death should be lightened deliuered and set in the right way to Heauen And so our Sauiour himselfe beeing now in the way to Ierusalem to suffer saide Nowe the Prince of this world shall be cast out Ioh. 12. and If I shall be exalted from the earth I will drawe all to to my selfe meaning by his Passion to drawe al people from heathenish Idolatry to serue him Nowe if the Religion of the Papists as these new men tearme them be false and erroneous then is it against the Messias and consequently it is a Religion of the diuels owne inuention and he the master inspirer thereof and so by it he is serued and worshiped and then must it needs followe that the Prophets were false yea Christ himselfe said not truelye in telling his Disciples That the Prince of this worlde that is the diuell should then be cast out and that hee woulde drawe all to himselfe for that since his Passion the diuell hath had a more large and ample dominion than he had before For before the comming of the Messias the people of the Iewes and Gentiles and almost all Nations Trybes and Kingdomes haue beene euer in Lucifer his thraldome vntil this our age in which Luther came to expell Lucifer and to ridde all the worlde out of his captiuity And so the Passion of our ReÌ„deemer auailed little or nothing at all for the space of these fifteene hundred yeres for a thowsand yeeres together he was not so far from drawing all vnto him as he saide he woulde doe Ioh. 12. that he drewe not so much as one person that any man can name And in our owne Countrey there of England it is most manifest that all were Papists without exception from the first Christening thereof vntill this age of King HENRY the eight Luther in postil Ger 1537. part 2. fol. 141. And so the Protestantes affirme of other Countries and boldly say that vntil this age the Gospel lay in the dust and was hidden vnder the benche CHRIST was vnknowen Which to say as the protestants must needes say blush not so to say indeed is meer madnesse flat infidelity and a plaine denying of Christ no small establishement of Mahomets religion For the Protestants Mahometanes agree in this that the Church which Christ founded fell some fiue or sixe hundred yeeres after his Ascension into most horrible errours and then say the Turkes the Angell Gabriell was sent from God to Mahomet to teach him how he should reforme the saide Church because it woulde not stande with the wisedome and goodnesse of Almightye God to suffer his Church to vanishe away through errous superstitions without sending in time to reforme it And in this out of doubte the Turkes haue far greater reason than the Protestantes haue which Protestantes by their Doctrine make Christ the most simple and most improuident Lawegiuer that euer was in the world For neither Plato Solon Lyeurgus nor any other Lawe-maker whosoeuer was so simple and improuident as to fashion and plant a common wealth which before it were well setled should vanishe away and come to nothing hauing no sufficient meanes to preuent errours and such abuses as would ouerthrowe their Lawes and destroie their common
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
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
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
but the Protestantes force the Bible to followe them THE IX REASON Councells THe Church of God hath euer bin accustomed when any heresie did spring vp therein to gather a Councell of Bishoppes Prelates and of other Learned Men in which the trueth was approued and the heresie condemned And whosoeuer were condemned by such Councells confirmed by the See Apostolike were euer deemed and in very deede were heretiks for such at length were taken of all men in the end vanished away So were the Arrians condemned in the Nyceene Counsel the Macedonians in the Councel of Constantinople the Nestorians in the Ephesyne the Eutychians in the Chalcedonian others in other Councels Al which heretiks although they flourished for a time and drewe manye people yea Emperours Kings States Countries after them yet in time they came to nothing the councels which condemned thē were vniuersally embraced And no doubt the late famouse councel of Trent which by the same autority order hath cōdemned the Protestants other sectaries for heretiks will in time be euery where receiued and these newe fellowes by it anathematized will vtterlye vanishe away For indeed if a man consider the matter throughly he shal plainly perceiue that these sects haue no likelihoode of continuance by reason they haue no meanes to gather a Councel much lesse to decide matters therein if it were gathered being without an head as they are euery one cleauing only to his own priuate opinion therfore can neuer all meete together or if by anye power they were compelled therunto they haue no means to agre in one for that they wil not yeeld to any iudgement but what is framed of their own braine therefore it must needs be amongst them as we see it to be Quot homines tot sententiae So many men so many opinions Lastly I would haue you here to marke the dealing of heretiks who play by generall Councels euē as they play by the scriptures for they take leaue as they luste as best serueth their turne There haue bin in all general Councels 18. Al gathered allowed confirmed by one the selfesame autority of which the Greeks receiue only 7. the Lutherans Concil Florent sess 5. 6. Magdebur cent 8. cap 9. cent 9. cap. 9. the first 6. the Eutychians which are in Asia onely the first 3. the Nestorians which are yet in the East onely the first 2. the Trinitaries which are in Hungary and Poleland receiue none at all Beholde the libertie of your Gospell THE X. REASON Fathers THE Catholike Romane Religion is most plainely taught by all the auncient Fathers of the first second third fourth fift and sixt hundred yeares after Christ and hath bin euer without al controuersie taught of the Fathers of euerie age since vntill this day That religion did Dyonysius Areopagita Saint Paule his Scholler so manifestly teach Causaeus dialogue 5 11. as Causaeus a french Protestant called him for his labour a doating old man much like as his Father Luther had said before him that Areopagita his vvorkes vvere like to dreames In Capt. Babilonica and most pernicious The same faith was taught of saint Ignatius Clemens Iustinus Tertullian Cyprian Irenaeus and in one word all the auncient Fathers not one excepted This is very plaine in that the Catholikes are put compelled by the Protestants to defend maintaine and vpholde the credit and authoritie of the saide Fathers for the Protestants rayle at thē the Catholiks defend them the Protestants refuse theyr authoritie the Catholikes hold it for good the Protestants will not be tried by them the Catholikes appeale to theyr iudgement and to be briefe the Protestāts make no more account of them longer then they can wrest them to serue their turne then thy doe of Beuis of Southampton or of Adam Bell. And in naming the Protestants I include all the Puritanes for I am not ignorant how the saide Protestants are driuen by the said Puritanes to defende the Fathers and also are called papists for theyr labour And hereby it is manifest that the Fathers are with the Catholikes and neyther with the Protestants nor Puritanes And whether all those auncients being men of excellent wittes of continuall studie of wonderfull learning feruent in prayer holie in conuersation greatlie in Gods fauour mightie in vvorking of miracles adorned with many such like giftes were more like to vnderstand the Scriptures freshly deliuered vnto them from the Apostles themselues who also no doubt taught their schollers the true sense thereof and they theirs from one age to another or these late foolish vnstudied vnlearned prophane and arrogant fellowes be iudges your selues But indeed it is no maruaile though the protestants doe contemne yea reuile the Fathers Luther in Capt. Bab. Causaeus vbi supra Centuriat centur 2. cap. 10. Caluin instit cap. 13 num 29. Centur. 2. cap. 5. Causaeus dialog 8. 11. 6 beza in act Apost ca. 23. in saying they taught thinges most like to dreames they were doating oldmen they had foule blemishes and tolde trifling tales they had weedes and dregges blasphemyes and monsters they were childish dull and destitute of God babled they knew not what they were bewitched of the Diuell as damned as the Diuell blasphemers naughty wicked for they who cannot endure certaine set times to fast in no meruaile though they reuile S. Basil S. Gregory Nazianzene S. Leo S. Chrisostome which wrote such notable Sermons of Lent and of other fasting dayes then vsed as they are now in the Catholike Church And they who be giuen to Lust to Gluttonie to Ambition to Couetousnes and doe teach such doctrine as necessarilie bringeth foorth such fruites must needes contemne S. Basil S. Chrisostome S. Hierome and S. Augustine who haue written so excellently of the Order Rule Vertues of Monkes And generally whereas the Doctrine of the auncient Fathers is cleane contrarie to the Doctrine of Protestants no meruaile though they be reiected by thē as they euer haue bin of Heretikes And although Iwell in his Sermon at Paules Crosse most impudently challenged the Catholiks to bring any thing for certaine points of theyr Religion out of the Doctours of the first sixe hundred yeares yet Laurence Humfrey his pue fellowe Humfridus in vita Iwelli confessed that hee gaue and graunted to the papists more than was meete and vvas to himselfe iniurious c. and so hee confessed against his companion that the FATHERS of the Primitiue Church were on the Papists side and consequently not on theirs And yet because they haue founde by experience that to teach Doctrine contrary to the auncient Fathers soundeth but badlie in the peoples eares in theyr Sermons they gladlie now then alleadge the authoritie of some Doctor or Father vvhen they can by anie meanes wring or wrest any peece of a sentence so as it may seeme to make for them And indeede hee vvho
direct and order thinges by This the Apostle after manie arguments to prooue that women should not be beareheaded in Churches applyed as a Fort most stronge and inuincible to beare downe the gain-sayers thereof If any man saith hee notwithstanding mine argumentes doe seeme to be contentious 1. Cor. 11. we haue no such custome as women to pray vncouered nor the Church of God And agreeablie vnto this Saint Augustine saith If the whole Church throughout the world doe vse any thing Epist 118. cap. 5. onely to call in question wheather that thing should be so done is a point of most proude or most straunge madnesse And for this cause against the Pelagians hee argueth ordinarilie out of the Churches custome proouing Children to be borne in sinne Epist 105. because the Church doth Baptize them for Remission of sinnes And because the Church vseth to Exorcise them and to blowe vpon them therefore the Diuell hath power ouer them and that by sinne And to this saith hee the Pelagians with all theyr crafte coulde not answere for they durst not say as the Protestants say wee care not for the Churches custome wee weigh not thereof De bono perseu ca. 23. Manie such like argumentes hath the same Saint Augustne else vvhere But in few vvordes the custome of the church was a thing so vndoubted as neuer any Heretike before this our age durst aduenture to stand against the same altogether But Heresies euer consisted only in some matter of erronious iudgement and false opinion but the teachers thereof neuer went about to chaunge the face of Religion as to take away the Sacrifice of the Church as the Protestants are bold to doe And surelie in this point the malepeartnesse and desperate boldnesse of the new Ghospellers is wonderfull who durst not onely attempt to chaunge diuers pointes of the Churches vse practise which in all ages of all men was accounted so heinous an offence to doe but also made no bones to take all quite away Customes Ceremonies Orders yea and the Holie Masse it selfe placing insteede thereof in some places Chapters and Psalmes ill translated into the Vulgar tongue in some other places Ballades made of Psalmes commonlie called Geneua Psalmes vvith rayling Sermons and in other places other stuffe as best pleased the humors of the deuisers thereof And to these new inuentions forsooth must the common people be compelled to come and to forsake renounce the Seruice and Sacrifice of the Catholike Church left by God Almightie and continued euer through out all Generations as it must doe manger all Protestants heades euen vnto the worlds end THE XIII REASON Doctrine THAT Church vvhose Doctrine tendeth to Mortification and Holinesse of life must needes be the true Church and consequentlie directed by Gods holie Spirit and contrariwise that Sect or Congregation which teacheth the contrarie is most vndoubtedly false and consequentlie guided by an euill spirit This is so manifest as it needeth no proofe for euery man knoweth that the Catholike Church is called Holy because it professeth or teacheth nothing but that which is Holie Now if a man consider duelie the Doctrine of the Romane Church he shall finde it to be of the former sort and easilie he may perceaue the Doctrine of this new religion to be of the latter But I vvill not heere speake of the fruites of CATHOLIKES and Protestants although indeede there be no comparison in life for that euery one seeth and easilie confesseth the Catholikes to liue most vprightlie Saint-like but I speake of that which their religion teacheth them to doe for of that especially our Lord meant vvhen he said Math. 7. You shall know them by theyr fruites First therefore to declare this pointe if you compare the clergie of the Romane Religion vvith these new Clergie men you may see the Orders and Institutions of the one sorte to mooue them to mortification to the contempt of earthly things and the institution of the other to prick them forward to all vanitie to carnall libertie for a Priest of the Catholike Church receaueth in a most solemne manner seauen Orders whereof three are called Holie because they are about Sacred and holie thinges as the Body Blood of our Sauiour holy vessels c And euery thing which the said priest must vse is holy and therefore there is required in him the greatest puritie possiblie to be had so as he must haue and thoughts free from all carnallitie and worldly thinges and for such like causes he is restrained from marriage although it be in it selfe honorable instituted by God himselfe but yet who so is yoaked therein must needes apply himselfe to worldly affaires and so is diuided as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7. And because he is restrained from marriage bound to liue Chaste or continent hee may not vse anye trimming or tricking vp of himselfe in amorous attyre nor vse any dalliance or fondnes with weomen but euer remembring that he is as a dead man in regarde of such thinges he must be far from such lightnesse but on the other side the Protestant Minister hauing receiued no Orders but a certaine kinde of Deaconshippe and Ministershippe of their owne inuention and hauing no Holy or Sacred thinges to deale withal but left to all liberty of winning rewinning which he cannot ordinarily doe without woing woe he cannot handsomely without hee something tricke trimme vp himselfe to allure please the eie of his sweet hart must needes goe trickly with faire starched ruffes fine mousaches trimme tuscalonians vse amorous glaunces yea that sometimes when they are reading their Chapters in the Church with a thowsand such-like fonde foolishe inconueniences which ensue thereupon Furthermore the Romane Religion teacheth Restitution of goods wrongfully taken and of all wronges whatsoeuer which brideleth and restraineth people from bribery extortion theft vsury symony from such like But the Protestants medling litle with such doctrine leaueth al at large to his folowers without restraint of any such crime The Catholike religion teacheth obseruatiō of vowes promises which must needes cause great trust fidelity in the professors therof the Protestant teacheth that they bind not in cōscience which openeth the doare to distrust and maketh the people that one wil not trust another but must haue him in bandes with suerties with all fastnes possible to be deuised The Catholike religiō teacheth abstinēce fasting which mortifieth our bodies enricheth our coūtry the Protestāt teacheth to eat flesh al kinds of meats euery day as often as the belly desireth which causeth plenty of lust in the carcase dearth scarcity in the cōmon-wealth The Catholike Religion forbiddeth Land-Lords to raise their rents except vrgēt occasion driue thē so to doe by which prohibition infinite nūbers of people be benefited holpe the Protestant teaching the Land-Lord to doe what he list with his owne ruyneth and vtterly beggereth
thowsandes of poore people The Catholike religion teacheth Marriage to bee indissoluble so as they who be once lawefully Married can neuer be so diuorsed as either partye maie euer Marry againe whilest the other liueth which causeeth Man and Wife to beare much one with the other knowing there is noe hope of chaunging but the Protestant teaching that they may Marry again yeeldeth them occasion one easilie to dislike of the other beeing both in hope to marry againe and to chainge as ofte as they liste The Catholike religion teacheth that al Laws of magistrates which bee not expreslye against the word of God doe bind the subiects in conscience to obay them not onely openly but also in secret whereupon doe followe peace quietnesse and obedience to Superiours but the Protestant teaching the contrary bringeth Magistrates into contempte and causeth al disorder in the Common-wealth The Catholike religion teacheth differences of sinnes some to be more grieuous than others some Mortall some Veniall and that Concupiscence or naturall inclination to lust of it selfe is no sinne whereupon Catholikes are taught to striue against this motion knowing it to be no offence except they yeelde vnto it and also they manfully fight against greater sinnes although they cannot easily auoide lesser or Veniall offences but the Protestant teaching that euery sinne be it neuer so small doth deserue damnation and Concupiscence to be sinne which no man can auoid maketh people to leaue all to God his mercy but neuer to resiste sin nor motion thereunto for that in his opinion it is but lost labour so to do The Catholike Religion teaceth rewarde of good and bad life in the worlde to come which causeth people to endeuour to doe al good workes and to auoide all euill as farre forth as possibly they can but the Protestant teachching the contrary giueth the people occasion to be negligent in dooing of good and little or nothing fearfull to doe euill The Catholike Religion teacheth Confession to a Priest of all deadly sins which we can remember vnder paine of damnation which restraineth people from sinne causeth them particularly to be wel instructed and counseled but the Protestant taking that away setteth open a doare to all wickednesse and to losenesse of life as also to ignorance The Catholike Religion teacheth Satisfaction to be donne either in this life or in Purgatory in the next which causeth people to vndertake willingly penal works as fasting praier almese-deeds c. vpoÌ„ the consideration of this of rewarde in Heauen they builded so many goodly Churches Colledges Monasteries Hospitalles Schooles c. they gaue such large Almes they punished their bodies with Fasting and wearing of hair-cloath they watched they praied they Married pore fatherlesse children did a thowsande kinds of such like good works but the Protestant denying Satisfaction and taking away Purgatorye robbeth the pore of their Almes children of their education the sicke of their releefe maketh meÌ„ vnwilling to doe any good worke at all The Catholike Religion teacheth Free-wil which causeth people to endeuour to doe good to flie froÌ„ euil the Protestant taking it away discourageth men vtterly from doing good workes for who will goe about a thing which is not in his power or for the which if he did it he shall haue no recompence The Catholike Religion teacheth the holy Masse to be a Sacrifice in which the very Body and Bloode of our Sauiour is offered vp which maketh people so deuout reuerent at the seruice thereof as that they kneele altogether pray continually giue atteÌ„dance to no other thing for that time therupon it commeth that they beare such respecte reuerence to Priestes but the Protestant allowing nothing but certaine chapters psalmes and collects to be read in the vulgar toung giueth the people occasioÌ„ to be vndeuout irreligious vnreuerent for that they see nothing worthie of reuerence Heereupon you may see the people at the Protestants seruice some staring about them with out Boke or Bead in their hands some walking some talking some â—angling but none kneeling or praying or vsing any reuerence at al either to seruice or to minister no maruel when euery one of theÌ„ if he can but read can play the minister at home as wel as the best curate of theÌ„ al. Many such differences of doctrine might be set down â—â— are the publishers and maintainers Heretikes Protestants the destroyers and denyers thereof for the Catholike affirmeth Baptisme of childreÌ„ to be necessarie the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth men to be iustified by inherent iustice the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth certaine preparations to be necessarie to iustification on the behalfe of maÌ„ the protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth good works to be necessarie and to haue theyr reward the Protestant denieth it The Catholike affirmeth that we haue free vvill the Protestant denieth it The Catholike affirmeth that vvee may keepe the Commaundementes the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth humane Lawes agreeable to GODS WORD to bynde in conscience the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth seauen SACRAMENTS the Protestant denyeth fiue if not all The Catholike affirmeth Priest-hoode the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth single life of the Cleargie the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth Pennance the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth Contrition the Protestant denyeth it The Catholicke affirmeth Confession Satisfaction Indulgences Prayer for the deade Exequyes Anniuersaries the Protestant denyeth them all The Catholicke affirmeth the Reall Presence the Sacrifice of the holie Masse Aultars and all thinges belonging thereunto the Protestant denyeth them all The Catholicke affirmeth vvorshipping of Saintes prayer vnto them feastes of them adoration of theyr Riliques and Images the Protestant denyeth all The Catholicke affirmeth trimming vpp of Churches Ceremonies Singing Pilgrimages Supremacie of Saint Peeter Monasticall vowes choyce of meats and fasting the Protestant denyeth all The Catholicke affirmeth all the Bible to be Canonicall Scripture the Protestant denyeth diuers partes thereof The Catholike affirmeth the perpetuall virginitie of our blessed Lady the Protestant denyeth it The Catholike affirmeth the Church to be visible the Protestant denyeth it And many moe such like pointes of Christian Doctrine the Catholik Church deliuereth to her Children as she hath receaued them from her Spouse Christ which the Protestant vtterlie denieth and indeede affirmeth or putteth downe nothing more then he found before in the said Catholike Church wherby you may see their Doctrine to be altogeather nothing but meere negations flatt denyals and so I see plainely that by their Negatiue Doctrine they haue profited the Christian world nothing at all but haue taken away from it much of that which it had and in this manner as they are any horse or asse if he could but speake as Balaams Asse did so it were but one worde that is Nego might be as good a Protestant as the best of them all Neyther can it
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
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
all for at Wittenberge he was a Lutheran at Colone halfe a Catholike in England a Zwinglian euerie where of euerie Sect. I could easily shew the like dealing against theyr consciences and knowledge in diuers other principall Protestants namelie in your countriman I well who in citing and coating Scriptures Doctors Councels and other Authors doth so rent and teare in peeces the text inuert the sense chaunge and alter the words and pull out of the sentence by peece meale some little parcell which is forced to sound for his purpose whē as he cannot but see plainelie that the Author speaketh cleane contrarie as any man may wonder to see a man so desperatly and damnably shamelesse as openly in the view of the whole world to shew himselfe without God or conscience but mine intended breuitie will not admit any moe allegations in this place When I had found out the Premisses to bee moste true and had duelie weighed with my selfe the dealinges of these new Gospellers I thought it better to aduenture my soule vvith all the vvhole Christian world of all ages who had their consciences most quiet caulme and ioyfull then with a few desperate fellows who thus deale against their owne knowledge and consciences and so shewe themselues most impudent shamelesse to the whole world THE XXII REASON Vnreuerent dealing THE Catholike Romane Church hath euer both in doing speaking and euery manner of way borne great repect and reuerence towardes Gods holy Saints and towards all holy things in regard of him from whom proceedeth all holines as in reuerent entring into the Church in reuerent taking of holie-water in reuerent behauiour towards the holy Aultars towards pictures images of the saints of God in reuerent and meeke kneeling in reuerent deuout praying in all reuerence and attention at the holie Masse and in euery action and iest which Catholikes vse in the Church you may see great reuerence humble veneration But contrariwise amongst the Protestants as all thinges are prophane so are they moste prophanely vsed They enter into theyr Churches with no greater reuerence thē they enter into tauerns they bow or make reuerence to nothing therin for that they haue made all Sacred things away if any of them kneele it is but vpon thornes for full soone are they vp againe thē with their hats vpon their heads they eyther iangle or talke or walke or sitte staring about them as if they waited to see when the players would come foorth vppon the stage or else the good fellowes go to the ale-house where now thē they find their minister drinking his morning draught before he go to his seruice to drink a pot or two of nappy ale that thereby they may the better hold out the seruice time during which space they stand gazing staring vpō their Minister as a Countrie clowne which neuer was in London before doth gaze when he goeth downe Cheap-side at the Gold-smithes stauls or els they stare one vpon another like as theeues do when they are taken in a robery or els some of them walke without in the warme sonne make theyr bargaines and generallie you doe see no more deuotion there then you doe in a Faire or Market no man nor womā saying one praier but all waiting for that which they cā neuer haue in that state the peace of God The which being hastely chopped vp they rush and gush out of the Church as water doth out of a mill pole when the flood yeates are sodainely plucked vp no man moouing lip or legge but striuing vvho shall be soonest at his pottage Neither doe they vse any reuerence to their Minister no nor yet to his wife but account of thē as they are indeed most abiect persons And no meruaile when as their superintendents whom they tearme Bishops are little esteemed of among their Diocesanes especially among Gentlemen are least accounted of among Barrons and other Noble men vvho disdaine their companie contemne their presence whereas amongst Catholikes Priests haue euer bin greatlie reuerenced Bishoppes and Prelats highly honoured all Cleargie men much esteemed and theyr companie presence of all sorts desired reuerently accepted of The same reuerent respect haue Catholikes euer obserued in speaking in making mention of Gods Books Angels Saints or of such like holy things for speaking of such they vsually say The holie Bible or the holie Scriptures the holie Ghospell the blessed Sacrament the holie Sacraments c. And of Angels Saints the holy Angels S. Michael S Gabriel c. And the French more reuerentlie vse to say Mounsieur S. Michael Mounsieur S. Pierre c. Our blessed Lady or the holie virgin S. Marie or the mother of God S. Peeter S. Paul S. Amb. S. August S. Greg. S Hierome S. Bernard c. and generally in speaking of Holie thinges they vse Holie tearmes But the Protestants shew as little reuerence deuotion in speaking as they doe in dooing for they speake no more reuerentlie of such then they do of the prophanest things they haue They tearme all as if they vvere in puris natalibus The Bible the Word the Testament the Communion book Baptisme Bread the Supper Angels Michel Gabriel Peter Paul Marie or Marie the virgin Ambrose Austen Gregorie the Pope Hierome the monke Bernard the Abot c. with as great inciuilitie irreuerence and want of good manners as if rude Countriemen in talking of her Maiesties Nobles should say the Keeper the Treasurer the Admirall Essex Southampton Monioy c. or insteede of naming men of worshippe by their Christian names shuld say Tom Dick Wil Robin Iacke Hodge c. Which diuersitie of dealing when I considered it with my selfe I could not but think deeme the Protestants profession voide of all impression of pietie and deuotion contrariwise in the Catholike Church to be all sincere affection and celestiall humilitie towards almightie God and towards al things appropriated to his seruice as also towards those who are the greatest partakers of his heauenlie fauour THE XXIII REASON Resembling in Doctrine and deedes old Heretikes Irenaeus l. 1. cap. 20. Theo lib. 1. Haeretic fab Aug. here 's 54. Hist trip l. 8. cap. 9. I HAVE conferred the Doctrine deedes manners of Protestants with those of the old Heretikes long since condemned by the Catholicke Church I find thē little or nothing at all to differ for as touching Doctrine the protestants hold with Simon Magus that good workes are not meritorious they renounce the Pope with Nouatus they refuse to faste on such dayes as the Church hath prescribed Hierom in prae in dia. aduer Pelag Aug. de her cap 45. Epiph. l 3 her 75 Hier. lib. 1. cō Iouin idem coa vigilant ad Exuperium and denie free-wil with the Manichees they denie sacrifice and praier for the dead with Aeriu with Iouiniā they put no differences of sins nor make virginity any better thē
of the whole Realme for vertue learning were put to death with great numbers of others both spiritual tēporall many noble families were quite ouerthrowne King Edward being crowned King new Lordes new Earles new Marquises and new Dukes tooke the places of the old new fellowes were called out of Germany to witte Peter Martyr and Martin Bucer two Apostataes Fryars waited on by two Fustelugge vvenches vvhich had beene Nunnes vvho came to teache a new religion but with expresse condition to be indifferent to teach vvhat sect or opinions eyther of LVTHER ZVVINGLIVS or CALVINE or of anye other vvhatsoeuer vvhich the Parliament then in gathering shoulde agree vpon The poore irreligious Apostataes with their sacrilegious lasses were content so to doe and vpon that condition they were sent the one to Oxforde with his wench at his taile and the other to Cambridge accompanied with his lasse Then might you haue seene iolly holding drawing about Religion placing and displacing prisoning and setting at liberty all men forced to sweare to a forme of seruice drawen out in hast by certaine of the L. Protectours chaplaines which seruice was neuer heard of in the worlde before but the Cleargie refused so to doe and therefore were depriued and imprisoned The Duke of Somerset was head and ruler of the newe deuised Church for the Childe-King was a playing him could not once thinke of any such thing and attended to his owne aduauncement by purchasing good olde land whilest the two sillye Apostataes kept the people occupied with newe doctrine and with not trobling of him And then began such reuell and hold and tye in the lande as that the Protector first of all cut off the head of his brother the Admirall the Earle of Warwicke beheaded the Protector and diuers others of his friendes making him-selfe Duke of Northumberland and complotting with the Duke of Suffolke to cut off all king Henries children to bring in Suffolkes daughter and Northumberlands sonne as they did for the which both theyr heades were afterwardes cutt off by Queene Marie And in her Maiesties time that nowe is all the Sacred Bishops were depriued in one day al or the most of them imprisoned during theyr liues Manie noble houses abused disgraced and diuers ouerthrowne manie both of honour and worshipp intollerably afflicted manie thousands of inferiour sort greiuously persecuted aboue an hundred Priests tortured hanged and quartered the moste of them beeing Gentlemen of worshipfull discent of rare witt learning and of other parts incomperable The Realme is deuided and shiuered into a thousand peeces the old friends and allies thereof made enimies to it new friends few and weake the naturall inhabitants most pittifullie deuided amongst themselues at home tossed and turmoiled abroade euerie man of what state conditon or religion soeuer he be of hath felt the smart of this new Ghospell eyther in himselfe in his friendes children seruants kinsfolkes goodes honoures most of all the Realme and Common-weale in it selfe vvith ten thousand other troubles and afflictions vvhich the Protestantes Religion carrieth vvith it wheather soeuer it goeth Euer expelling driuing away Peace and Tranquilitie vvhich finde harbour and entertainement only in Catholike realmes and common-weales When I weighed and considered these things diligently with my selfe I could not but dislike your new Religion euer accompanied vvith Tumults Insurrections Ruines Desolations and vvith all manner of Tragicall miseries as is afore-saide and cleaue vnto the olde Catholike Religion euer bringing with it peace quietnesse loue friendshipp plentie and all kinde of happinesse as wee see in Lands Countries which euer haue kept the same THE XXV REASON All kind of witnesses against one and that onely in show or in very deed none at all EVERIE man knoweth that the Protestants can bring foorth nothing to witnesse theyr religion but onely the Scriptures and how they make for them I haue partlie shewed before for in euerie deed they being rightly examined truely interpreted beare witnesse moste of all other thinges against them for out of all doubt Gods word is not contrarie but most consonant to all thinges before aleaged practised through the whole christiā world for so many ages together And wheras they wil admit no expositors of holie Scriptures but the Scriptures themselues for that as they say one place expoundeth another I aske thē then how their chiefe maister M. Luther when as hee would moste gladlie haue denyed the Reall Presence thinking thereby to wreake his teene the more on the Pope confessed that he could not do it because the words were so manifest for it And why hath that text beene so tossed wrested in this age as that sundry sectaries haue wringed out of it aboue foure-score different opinions or expositions and yet euerie one defendeth with tooth and naile his interpretation to be sound and right So that in fine they haue no witnesse at all of their new inuented doctrine but euery one his priuate fancie or conceite whereas the Catholike Religion besides all the reasons before alleadged hath all thinges in the world witnesses of it for if you looke vpp to Heauen you may there see amongst innumerable Martyrs vvhich all gaue theyr liues for the saide Religion three and thirtie which were Popes of Rome And to speake some what in particular In Epist ad Smyr the zealous Martyr S. Ignatius who in Ecclesiasticall affaires would haue no man no not the King equall to a Bishop and who wrote Apostolicall traditions which hee him-selfe had seene sealed his religiō with his blood Lib. 3. c. 3. Irenaeus who declared the true Faith by succession in the See of Rome was of this religion S. Victor Euseb 5. hist 24 Euseb 4. hist 14. who by his pōtificall power kept in subiection all Africke was of this religion S. Polycarpe who went to Rome about the question of Easter was of this religion S. Cyprian S. Sixtus S. Laurence vvith infinite others both Doctours and Saintes doe witnesse the Roman Religion Thousandes of Virgins which defended their virginitie against diuels men Euseb 8. hist 17. Aug l. 9. conf cap. 7. vs ad 3. were of this religion Saint Helen who went to Ierusalem to finde out the Crosse of our Sauiour was of this religion The mother of S. Austin S. Monica who at her death requested that she might haue Masse said for her to be prayed for was out of all doubt a Papist So were S. Paul the Eremite S. Hilarion S. Anthonie S. Nicolas S. Martine S. Benet with millions of such like who were fed with fasting cloathed with sacke-cloath and enriched vvith all maner of vertues And to be short were there I pray you any Saintes in heauen before this our age vvhich were not Papist I am sure that either heauen was empty vntil Luth. shooke of his hood or if there were any there they were Papists Now if you looke downe into hell you may behold the