vpon the Church and the Church is a societie of mē then the Papists beléeue Scriptures with humane faith and depend vpon men But that they do plainely teach Thirdly if the Church ought to consigne canonicall Scriptures and the Pope ought to rule the Church then if the Pope either determine against canonicall Scriptures or make fabulous scriptures equall with canonicall Scriptures the Papists are to beléeue either doctrine contrarie or diuers from Scriptures at the least they are vncertaine what they shall beléeue But the Pope may both erre in denying Scriptures and adding to Scriptures To answer this the Papists are driuen to affirm that the Pope cannot erre in these determinations But this sheweth the vncertaintie of their faith that dependeth vpon one little rotten goutie Pope whose learning is not worth two chips and whose pietie is lesse then his learning Fourthly if the Popes consignation be necessary to make Papists beleeue Scriptures then is their faith most vncertaine and rather humane then diuine Especially considering that of this Popes consignation of Scriptures there is not one word in Scriptures But that is their doctrine Fiftly the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome being the rule of faith the Romish faith must néeds proue vncertaine and variable The consequence of this proposition is proued for that both schoole-men differ from schoolemen and late writers from the auncient and also Popes from Popes as I haue shewed in my bookes De pontif Rom. That the rule of faith is as I haue said it may be auerred by Stapletons words Sixthly if faith be grounded vpon traditions as well as vpon Scriptures then haue the Papists no certaine faith The consequence is plaine for that diuers ancient traditions are new ceased and neither Caesar Baronius nor any man is able to set downe which are authentical traditions which not Finally if the faith of Papists rest vpon the Popes determinations or else vpon the supposed Catholicke Churches decrees then is their faith a goutie fraile and rotten faith or rather a most doubtfull opinion For neither are they certaine who is lawfull Pope nor that his determinations are vnfallible nor is it an easie matter to know which are the Catholicke Churches determinations the Papists themselues contending and varying continually about them These arguments do shew that the Papists haue either a vaine faith or else no faith at all And this Robert Parsons notwithstanding his obstinacie and peruersenesse must needs confesse For simple Papists haue only these meanes whereby to direct themselues viz. Scriptures Fathers or their owne Priests Scriptures they neither heare read in a tongue knowne nor do they much regard them The Fathers they vnderstand not The priests do often tel lies and too farre they dwell from the Pope to know of him the truth To omit to talke of ruder persons and to talke of spruce Robert Parsons gladly would I know of him how he is assured that the religion he teacheth is true Scriptures he denieth to be the rule of faith and will not beléeue them to be authenticall without the Popes determination The Pope is but one man If then he rely wholy on the Popes determination his faith is nothing but a foolish fancie grounded vpon one man If vpon the Church yet he knoweth not the Church but by his owne reason and sence as I thinke he will confesse Ward-word pag. 6. Rule of faith he acknowledgeth none but the vniuersall Church which is not onely absurd but maketh much against him Absurd it is for that the Church is ruled and is not the rule no more then the Carpenter is his rule It maketh against him for that it is more difficult to know the Catholicke Church of all times and places then Scriptures or any proofe of faith else For to know that it is necessary to be well seene in the historie of all times Churches and countries And if he refer himselfe to others and beléeue humane histories his faith is still grounded on men This being the case of Papists and of their agent Robert Parsons we may estéeme our selues happie that are deliuered from this great vncertaintie and taught to build our faith vpon Christ Iesus and the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets 1. Cor. 3. Other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid that is Christ Iesus saith the Apostle And Eph. 2. Ye are built saith he vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone We know that faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. and hearing by the word of God We beléeue that the Scriptures are a perfect rule and therefore rightly called canonicall The Apostle speaking of the rule of faith 2. Cor. 10. Gal. 6. and Phil. 3. meaneth no other rule but that which was to be found in holy Scriptures The Fathers also procéeded by the rule of Scriptures both where they sought direction for themselues and also where they brought arguments against Heretikes Ireney lib. aduers Haeres cap. 1. calleth the Gospell deliuered in Scriptures the foundation and pillar of our faith Tertul. writing against Hermogenes saith He abode not in the rule of faith And why Inter Scripturas enim Dei colores suos inuenire nō potuerat He could not find his colours or fancies in Scriptures Athan. saith Orat. 2. contr Arian that Heretikes are to be stoned with arguments out of Scriptures Out of Scriptures the Arians in the Councell of Nice other Heretikes in other Synods were confuted And generally antiquitie doth call Scriptures the canon or rule of faith Agréeably therefore to Scriptures and Fathers the Church of England in the beginning of Quéene Elizabeths raigne acknowledged the canon of Scriptures and thence tooke the articles of our Christian faith And therefore I call Scriptures and that which is necessarily deduced out of Scriptures the rule of faith not separating the rule from scriptures as Parsons 1. Encontr cap. 15. of his Warn-word doth cauill but in the rule comprehending whatsoeuer is either expressed in termes or by necessarie consequence deduced out of scriptures And this I did to auoide the cauils of the aduersary which inferre because this word Trinitie or consubstantiall or baptisme of children is not found in Scriptures that scriptures are not a solide and entire rule of faith Against this Parsons in his Warn-word 1. Encontr c. 15. alleageth first certaine names of Fathers then certaine words out of Ignatius his Epistle ad Phil. Irenaeus lib. 3. 4. aduersus Haeres Tertullian de Praescript aduersus Haeretic and Vincentius Lirinensis But he spendeth his labour in vaine and abuseth his Reader Lib. 3. aduers Haerel cap. 4. For none of these Fathers speake of other matters then such as are to be proued out of Scriptures as the places themselues shew Ireney by Tradition proueth God to be the Creator and the mysterie of Christ his incarnation But Parsons will not deny this to be contained in Scriptures Tertullian de
abrogated Christs institution in the celebration of the Lords supper not onely taking away the cuppe from the communicants but making a priuate action of that which should be a communion Is not this as much as the Pharisies did Mat 15. that transgressed Gods commaundement for their owne tradition And do not the Papists ordaine that vnwritten traditions should be receiued with equall affection to the holy Scriptures Againe what reason haue they to curse and anathematise Iam. 4. nay to put to cruell death such as obey not their ordinances and vniust decrees S. Iames saith We haue but one Law-giuer that is able to saue and destroy And no where do we reade that the Church of Christ did persecute Christians and put them death for matters of their conscience and religion much lesse for matter of ceremonies or such obseruances Neither can the aduersarie shew that bishops excommunicated Christians that would not rebell and take armes against their Liege Soueraignes Which of vs saith Optatus lib. 2. contra Parmenian did persecute any man The Apostle he commaundeth euery soule to be subiect to higher powers and not to rebell How vntolerable then are the Romish decretals and rescripts that not onely bind mens consciences in things frée otherwise but also in things that may not be done without impietie Likewise haue diuers complained of the abuse of popish excommunications That which our Sauior Christ saith If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as a heathen man or Publican that the popish faction translateth to the ridiculous censure of the Pope And therefore excommunicateth al that place not the Churches vnwritten traditions in equall rancke with diuine Scriptures or that beléeue not that Christians can performe the lawe perfectly and are iustified before God by the workes of the law or that hold not the doctrine of the Romish Church concerning their seuen Sacraments or that do not worship Images or that receiue not their doctrine of indulgences and purgatorie and all the heresies and abhominations of the Pope or that submit not themselues to his tyrannie or that refuse to pay his annates or taxes or whatsoeuer he and his suppostes require Nay they excommunicate the subiects that rebell not against their lawfull Kings After that Pius the fifth that wicked and cruell hypocrite had commanded that neither the Lords nor people of England should obey Quéene Elizabeths commandements or lawes it followeth In Bulla contra Elizabetham Qui secus egerint eos anathematis sententia innodamus That is Those which shall do otherwise we pronounce accursed or anathema Neither did the Pope onely in time past thunder out those curses but also gaue leaue to euery base companion and for euery small trifling cause to inflict most grieuous censures Petrus de Alliaco speaking of the Pope and his excommunications complaineth that he gaue leaue to his Collectors to thunder out excommunications to the offence of many and that other Prelates for debts and light causes did cruelly excommunicate poore men De reform Eccles Saepè saith he per suos Collectores in multorum scandalum fulminauit alij Praelati leuiter pro leuibus causis vt pro debitis huiusmodi pauperes excommunicatione crudeliter percutiunt The Germaines complaine Grauam 34. that many Christians were excommunicated at Rome for prophane causes and for gaine to the trouble of diuers mens consciences Romae say they caeterisque in locis per Archiepiscopos ac Episcopos aut saltem eorum ecclesiasticos iudices multi Christianorum ob causas prophanas ob pecuniae denique ac turpis quaestus amorem excommunicantur multorumque sed eorum in fide infirmorum conscientiae per hoc aggrauantur in desperationem pertrahuntur Scotus in 4. sent dist 19. complaineth De reform Eccles that the Church did too often strike with this sword and Petrus de Alliaco saith that by this abuse the sword of the Church was in his time growne into great contempt Of late time the Popes of Rome haue excommunicated Emperours and kings if they would not depart with their townes countries and crownes and yeeld to their legats what they demaunded How intolerable this abuse was we may perceiue if we consider the heauinesse of this censure being rightly inflicted by the true Church Our Sauiour sheweth that the partie excommunicate is to be holden for a heathen man and a Publican Tertullian Apolo 39. doth call it the highest fore-iudgement of the future iudgement Lib 1. Epist 11. ad Pomp. Summum futuri iudicij praeiudicium Cyprian doth esteeme them as killed with the spirituall sword Superbi contumaces saith he spirituali gladio necantur dum de Ecclesia eijciuntur Commonly excommunication is called Anathema and Chrysostome homil 70. ad populum Antioch calleth it the bond of the Church We are therefore no lesse to be thankfull for our deliuerance from the Popes vniust lawes then the auncient Christians for their exemption from the yoke of the Pharisies and from humane traditions from which by the preaching of the Gospell they were freed Neither may we think it a simple fauour that we are made to vnderstand that the crackes of the Popes thundring excommunications are no more to be feared then the ratling of Salmoneus that impious fellow that with certaine engines went about to counterfeit the noise of thunder We knew alwaies that a man vniustly excommunicated and by a Iudge vnlawfull was no way preiudiced Origen in Leuit. homil 48. speaking of a person excommunicate saith that he is not hurt at all being by wrongfull iudgement expelled out of the congregation Nihil laeditur in eo quod non recto iudicio ab hominibus videtur expulsus And the aduersaries confesse that excommunication pronounced vniustly and by him that is not our Iudge bindeth not C. nullus 9. q. 2. and C. nullus primus 9. q. 2. and C. sententia 11. q. 3. But few vnderstood the iniustice and nullitie of the Popes lawes and that he neither was nor is a competent iudge vntill such time as by true preaching of the Gospell which by Queene Elizabeth was restored vnto vs the man of sinne beganne to be reuealed CHAP. X. Of our deliuerance from heresie schisme superstition and Idolatrie THese things therefore considered it cannot be denied but that her Maiesties godly reformation brought great profite to the Church of England Yet if we please to looke backe to the heresies of the Papists and to remember how they liued in heresie schisme superstition and idolatry we shall the rather praise God for that great deliuerance of his Church which he wrought by the meanes of our late Quéene For heresie and false doctrine is the bane and canker of the Church The Apostle Paul If an Angel from heauen should teach vs any other Gospel or doctrine beside that whith himselfe had taught the Galathians Gal. 1. doth pronounce him accursed S. Iohn in his second Epistle forbiddeth vs
to receiue into our houses Gal. 5. or to salute such as bring not his doctrine Heresie schisme and idolatrie are reckoned among the workes of the flesh the workers whereof shall not inherit the kingdome of God Flie saith Ignatius those that cause heresie and schisme Epist ad Smyrnens as the principall cause of mischiefe Quod maius potest esse delictū saith Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 11. aut quae macula deformior quà m aduersus Christum stetisse quà m Ecclesiam eius quà m ille sanguine suo parauit dissipasse What offence can be greater or what blot more vgly then to haue stood against Christ then to haue scattered his church which he hath purchased with his blood Those which do perseuere in discord of schisme saith S. Augustine lib. 1. de bapt contra Donatist c. 15. do pertaine to the lot of Ismael Superstition is the corruption of true Religion and although coloured with a shew of wisedom yet is condemned by the Apostle Lib. 1. Instit diuin c. 21. Col. 2. Lactantius speaking of the superstition of the Gentiles doth call it An incurable madnesse Dementiam incurabilem and afterward vanitie Ibid. c. 22 Iustine in ser exhort ad Gentes sayth that idolatry is not only iniurious vnto God but also voide of reason Principale crimen generis humani saith Tertullian Lib. de idolol summus seculi reatus tota causa iudicij idololatria That is Idolatrie is the principall crime of mankind the chiefe guiltines of the world and the whole cause of iudgement 1. Ioh. 5. No maruell then if Iohn the Apostle exhort all men To keepe themselues from idols this sinne being direct against the honor of God and nothing else but spirituall fornication Let vs therfore see whether the Papists may not be touched with the aforesaid crimes of teaching hereticall and false doctrine and of long continuance in schisme superstition and idolatry That the Papists teach false doctrine and heresie the acts of the conuenticle of Trent of Florence and Constance compared with the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and faith of the auncient fathers will plainely declare For as Tertullian said of old heretikes so may we say of them That their doctrine compared with the Apostolicke doctrine doth by the diuersitie and contrarietie thereof declare that it proceedeth from no Apostle or Apostolicke man Ipsa doctrina eorum cum Apostolica comparata ex diuersitate contrarietate sua pronunciabit neque Apostoli alicuius autoris esse neque Apostolici De praescrip aduers haeret 2. Tim. 3. saith he The Apostle teacheth vs That the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect They say that the Scriptures are but a péece of the rule of faith and very imperfect without traditions S. Peter 2. Pet. 1. compareth the scriptures of the Prophets to a candle shining in a dark place they teach that scriptures are darke and obscure God commaundeth vs to heare his beloued Sonne Mat. 3. they commaund vs not to heare Christ speaking in scriptures to vs but to heare the Pope and his cacolike crue which they endue with the name of the Church 1. Cor. 3. The Apostle saith That no other foundation could be laid beside that which is alreadie layd which is Christ Iesus These fellowes say the Church is built vpon the Pope and that he is the foundation of the Church although we find plainely that there was no such Pope for many ages in the Church Christ said Reade the Scriptures these say directly to the vulgar sort reade not Scriptures in vulgar tongs without licence S. Iohn teacheth vs that sinne is whatsoeuer is contrary to the law these teach that many sins there are not repugnant to Gods law viz. such things as are contrary to the Popes law The Apostle Paul saith that concupiscence is sinne these affirme the contrary He saith originall sinne passed ouer al they deny it He saith no man is iustified by the workes of the law they teach flat contrary The law directly prohibiteth the making of grauen images to the end to bow down to them and to worship them These notwithstanding make the images of the holy Trinitie bow downe to them and worship them The Apostle Coloss 2. speaketh against the worship of Angels They regard him not but in humblenesse of mind inuocate and worship Angels notwithstanding Our Sauior instituting the holy Sacrament of his body and bloud sayd Accipite manducate take and eate and drink ye all of this They say sacrifice and worship and drink not all of this To rehearse all their contradictions to the word of God and to the Apostles doctrine were too long for this short discourse let these therefore serue for an introduction Of their heresies I haue before spoken Pius the fourth hath set forth a new forme of faith of which that may be said which Hilarie speaketh to Constantius Contra Constantium Quicquid apud te praeter fidem vnā est perfidia non fides est Whatsoeuer this wicked Pope hath set forth beside the faith of Christ the same is perfidiousnes and not faith Of this qualitie is his doctrine of Romish tradictions of superstitious ceremonies of the blasphemous Masse of purgatorie of indulgences of the fiue new deuised sacraments and such like doctrines That the Papists are by schisme rent from the Catholike and vniuersal Church of Christ it may be proued by diuers particulars First Christs Church hath but one head that is Christ Iesus But the Romish Church hath as many heads as Popes and heads that teach doctrine both diuers and contrary to Christ our sole head Secondly Christ his Church hath no other spouse but Christ Iesus But the adulterous Romish synagogue acknowledgeth the Pope to be her spouse and therefore must needes haue as many spouses as Popes and be not Virgo but Polygama that is one that hath many husbands or spouses Thirdly the Catholike Church is built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the corner stone and hath beside this no other foundation But the Romish Church acknowledgeth the Pope to be her foundation Whereupon it followeth that she is sometime without foundation at least during the vacancie of the popedome and hath as many diuers foundations as Popes Fourthly the synagogue of Rome doth acknowledge the Pope to be her law-giuer and iudge that he hath power not onely to bind mens consciences but also to saue and destroy which doth shew that she deuideth her selfe from Christes Catholicke Church which for many ages after Christs time had no such conceit Fifthly the same doth rely no lesse vpon traditions not written and vpon the Popes determinations in matters of faith then vpon the written word of God which the Catholike Church doeth not Sixthly this synagogue consisteth of a Pope and his Cardinals together with a rabble of Monkes Fryers and sacrificing priests But in the prime Catholicke Church there was no such
he sayth that the vniuersal Church was the direct rule and squire which we ought to follow and in the Warnw. Enc. 1. c. 15. nu 10. he teacheth that it is the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles and preachings of the Apostles Where I omit to tell Robert Parsons that it is absurd to make the same thing to be a rule and a squire the rule being direct and the squire being square It is also ridiculous though I do not tell him of it to say that Christs doctrine was deliuered by miracles for it was deliuered by writing and preaching and confirmed by miracles But I cannot forbeare to tell him that there is great difference betwéene the Catholike Church and the Catholike doctrine How then can these two make one rule Next he taketh exception to my words where I say that the Church of England hath a certaine rule to follow in matters of faith as if the canon of scriptures and those conclusions which are to be drawne out of them were no certaine rule or else as if traditions that are no where certainly described or set downe were a more certaine and authenticall rule then scriptures and necessary deductions out of them Fourthly he giueth out Warnw. 1. encont cap. 17. that we despaire of all certaine rule or meane to trie the truth which is a most desperate and impudent kind of dealing For directly I told him before and now I tell him againe that our rule is most certaine being nothing else but the canonicall Scriptures and the conclusions necessary drawne out of them Nay this rule may in part be confirmed by Parsons his owne confession For if the corps of Christian doctrine preached by the Apostles be the rule of faith as he saith VVarnw 1. encont c. 15. where are we to find it but in holy Scriptures He holdeth percase that it is to be found in the Popes bosome But if he say so in schooles he shal not want a greater plaudit then he had when hauing ended his comicall dealings in Bayliol colledge he was rung and hissed out of the house For who knoweth not that scabs and villany are rather to be found in the Popes bosome then any corpes of Apostolicall doctrine for that is very rife with them With the corpes of Apostolicall doctrine the Italian atheisticall Popes are litle acquainted We tel him further that for trial of any point of doctrine we are not to run to the Popes sea which is as much able to resolue vs as his close stoole but to the word of God reuealed in Scriptures and if there be any difference about a place of Scriptures we are then to compare the same with other places to search the resolutions of Councels of auncient and later Fathers of the Church of England and learned men Prouided alwayes that nothing be receiued as a ground of faith which is not to be deduced out of the word of God Whether then S. Augustine or Hierome or Ambrose or Luther or Caluin or any preacher among vs bring vs the word of God it is to be receiued But if they teach without that we are not necessarily to credit them nor to beléeue them in grounds of faith Out of the Scriptures we learne that Christ hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors and teachers albeit all particular matters are not precisely set downe So likewise we are taught that these words this is my body are most true that the sacramēt is Christs body in a mysterie or sacramentally albeit how the Sacrament is called Christs body there may be some differences Likewise out of Scripture we are taught that the King is the most principall man in his Realme and not to be subiect to any other in externall gouernement albeit euery one percase vnderstandeth not the seuerall points of his supreme authority These differences therefore notwithstanding our rule of faith is most certaine Fiftly he would insinuate that as vertue houskéeping true dealing is much decayed since her Maiesty came to the crowne so pride in apparel gluttony drunkennes lechery swearing and other vices are much increased But the man should shew that these vertues are decayed and vices increased in men that are truly of our Religion If he say so then let him name the men that are guiltie of these faults If the men that are guilty be Papists that for the most part are knowne to be carnall and cruel and most vitious he striketh himselfe and not vs. If they be Atheists or hypocrites then his allegation maketh not to purpose This I will speake to his téeth that if our Ministery be no more honest and vertuous then the Popes Cardinals Friers and Masse-priests and our true professors then zelous Papists it were pitie they should liue on the face of the earth Some proofes I haue brought before and more I shall alleage herafter Let Parsons do the like against vs and leaue his hypocriticall ostentation and generall declamation that maketh men rather to wonder at his impudency then to beléeue that he dealeth truly or sincerely Wardw. p. 3. Warnw. 1. encoutr cap. 18. Sixthly he very impudently imputeth all the troubles wars and calamities that haue happened in Scotland Ireland Flanders France to alteration in Religion and wold lay the blame wholy vpon vs. But if he looke into their immediate causes he shall find that the mint of this money was the Popes consistorie and that he and his agents are the onely firebrands of all mischiefe In Ireland Gregorie the thirtéenth stirred vp rebellion by the traitor Saunders his legate in England Pius Quintus by his agent Ridolphi and by Morton his messenger moued the two Earles to rise in the North Anno 1569. The same Pope animated the Spanish King to make warres against the Quéene of England and against them of the Low countries The same Pope sent not onely his agents to stirre the French but ayded them both with men and mony Gregorie the thirtéenth likewise sent ayde to Irish rebels The wars of Germanie were enflamed by that butcherly Pope Paule the third To make short all massacres trecheries warres and troubles haue wholy procéeded from their malice against the truth If the Pope and his adherents therfore haue bene troubled so was Herode and all Ierusalem with him at the birth of Christ If they blame vs for their troubles so did the Pagans impute all their troubles to Christians and their religion But the true cause was not religion but the hatred of impious Papists against religion Finally he saith that if her Maiestie had not altered religion then her kingdome had bene flourishing and secure and that she would haue had issue and her succession certaine and continued in friendship with the Pope and auncient confederates and neither had wars abroad nor treason at home and insinuateth that by reason of alteration of religion al is fallen out contrarie But if Wil Sommer had
if the people pray in Latine Which as it is blasphemous making Saints present in all places so it is an argument that he requireth litle vnderstanding in the people Hosius commendeth the Coliars faith In confess Petrik that could not tell one article of his beléefe but onely answered that he beleeued as the Church beleeueth which is an argument first of the commendation of ignorance among the Papists next of Hosius his blasphemie that would haue a man saued beléeuing as doth the Catholike church albeit he beléeued or knew nothing of Christ Iesus Seeing then the Papists require so litle knowledge in the people and will not suffer them either to pray or to haue Scriptures read publikely in vulgar tongues and preach so seldome and so leudly is it likely that they should prooue great clearkes Furthermore the Priests in England were commaunded to teach the people the worship of the crosse of images of reliques and how farre the same reacheth as appeareth by B. Arundels prouinciall constitution beginning nullus de haereticis They were also taught what manner of men were S. Austin of Canterburie S. Bernac S. Dunstane and such good fellowes And were wont to heare many good tales of the miracles of S. Audrey and S. Cuthburge and other she Saints But all this tended litle to instruction in faith or reformation in manners Finally in stead of true doctrine they were taught the traditions of men concerning worship of Saints crosses images reliques fasting on Saints Vigils pilgrimages indulgences purgatorie and such like Petrus de Alliac lib. de reform Ecclesiae wisheth That Apocryphall Scriptures and new hymnes and prayers and other voluntarie nouelties should not be read in churches Quòd in huiusmodi festis Scripturae Apocryphae aut hymni noui vel orationes seu aliae voluntariae nouitates non legerentur but he preuailed not Nay further they do not onely teach false doctrines and Apocryphall nouelties but also most wickedly rehearsing the commaundements they haue left out the second commaundement that concerneth worship of images albeit S. Augustine quaest ex vet test 7. do set it downe for a distinct commandement from the first Being then taught very litle truth and much falshood it must néeds follow that the Papists were in time past very ignorant and that Iohn Billet in prolog de diuin off plainely confesseth Experience also teacheth the same and manifestly sheweth that they scarce vnderstood any article of the Créed A certaine Italian being asked not many yeares since by his confessor in Rome whether he beléeued the holy Trinitie answered yea Being further demaunded what the Trinitie was VVhat said he but our Lord God and our Lady and you our masters the priests and Friers They are so brutish that they verily beléeue that images walke and talke Poggio and haue life Certaine parishioners of a village not farre from Florence coming to the citie to bespeake a Crucifixe the caruer séeing the simplicitie of the men asked them whether they would haue one aliue or dead The parties after some deliberation answered they wold haue a crucifixe aliue For said they if the parish like him not we will kill him and so ridde our hands of him Most of them beléeue the lyes and fables that Priests tell them out of their legends And those are the best part of their knowledge A poore countrie man of ours beleeued that S. Tinnoc of Portlemouth in Deuon was a good guardian of shéepe and therefore offered euery yeare a fléece On a time passing ouer the water at Salcomb with his offering and being in danger vowed if he escaped to offer his horse which he did and the Saint with good glée and a becke accepted him But not being able well to returne on foote he prayed he might buy his horse of the Saint The priest was the broker and made the bargaine but it was so hard that the poore man said he was a good kéeper of sheepe but a cut-throate Saint to deale withall in buying and selling Commonly they neither vnderstood what they prayed nor what was said in the Church neither do they now vnderstand much more albeit the Priests in their new and false Catechismes endeuour to teach them somewhat If men will not beléeue experience yet let them reade what Friars themselues in their Sermons and what others say in their writings Vincentius in his treatise De fine mundi speaking of the people of his time saith Praedicationes non audiunt articulos fidei nesciunt They heare not sermons they know not the articles of the faith Robertus Gallus in his 32. vision saith that all children except a few shall depart from their fathers leauing the examples and admonitions of their elders and that worldly minds shall remaine vnder counterfeit religion Apostatabunt filij omnes exceptis paucis à patribus suis relinquentesque vitas monita maiorum suorum sub palliata religione seculares animi permanebunt Brigit in her reuelations saith 3. Brigit 15. That the works and words of Christ were so neglected that few thought of them or remembred them Opera verba Christi sunt adeò neglecta vt iam pauci ea recolant De authorit Eccles Hosius disputing against Brentius telleth vs of a Coliar that could answer nothing of his faith but that he beléeued as the Church beléeued We may therefore assure our selues that the apostacie spoken of by the Apostle 1. Tim. 4. is plainely séene in the Romish church and that the smoke that ascended out of the bottomelesse pit like the smoke of a fornace and darkened the Sunne and the ayre as we may reade Apocalypse 9. was nothing else but the errors and ignorance of Papists that couered Christian religion and obscured the face of the Church Of this defection and darknesse Robertus Gallus doth speake in his visions ca. 3. shewing that the church should be ouerwhelmed with this darknesse and that the same should arise out of the Church Egressa est saith he caligo illa ab Ecclesia Onus Eccles cap. 19. Sol saith another qui est spiritualis potentatus factus est niger quia non serenum coelum sed tetrum infernum aperit Propterea peruersus Pontifex nuncupatur Angelus abyssi The Sunne which is the spirituall power was made blacke because he the Pope openeth not the cleare heauen but blacke hell Therefore a peruerse Pope is called the Angell of the bottomlesse pit And againe the seate of the beast that is the malignant Church is in the court of Rome whose kingdome is darke Francis Petrarch in his seuentéenth Epistle describing the court of Rome Nulla ibi lux saith he nullus dux nullus index anfractuum sed caligo vndique vbique confusio ne parum vera sit Babylon ac perplexitas mira vtque Lucani verbis vtar nox ingens scelerum tenebrosa inquam aeterna nox expers syderum aurorae nescia tum profunda iugis actuum opacitas
him then his confessors incouragement who vnderstanding his resolution did not only confirme him in his purpose but also giue him absolution and minister the Sacrament vnto him For that is the fashion of these helhounds to giue the Sacrament to such wicked assassins to confirme them in their wicked purposes Confession of Gerard. That which Iauregui attempted Balthasar Gerard did afterward performe most trecherously and villanously And so by the hand of a base rascall a noble prince was murthered and a lyon trecherously slaine by a curre The attempt was grounded partly vpon the old king of Spains promises and partly vpon the encouragements giuen him by one D. Geryon a Minorite of Tornay and a Iebusite of Trier to whom he confessed himselfe and which promised that he should be a martyr if he died in the execution of that enterprise Meteran hist Belg. lib. 17. Diuers desperate assassins likewise haue attempted to murther that valiant and noble prince Maurice which hath so long maintained his countries libertie against the tyrannie of the Spaniards Michael Reinichon a Masse priest and curate of a village called Bossier was executed for that attempt He was apprehended first vpon suspition but afterward he went about to hang himselfe his owne conscience accusing him But being stopped of his course he did afterward confesse his malicious purpose his abettors Peter du Four confessed that he was set on to kill prince Maurice by the promises of Duke Ernest who speaking to him in Italian vttered these words Facete quel che m'auete promesso amassate quel tyranno that is performe your promise made to me and kill that tyrant He confessed also that by vertue of a Masse which he heard in a certaine chappell at Brussels he was made beléeue that he should go inuisible Peter Panne voluntarily confessed that certaine Iebusites perswaded him to kill the Count Maurice and that by their meanes he was furnished with a knife for the purpose He persisted in his confession at his execution and so was done to death A matter so plaine and manifest that Coster and Parsons denying it do rather confound themselues then conuince the mans confession For suppose the poore man was mistaken in some names which might well be considering that the Iebusites do vse to change their names yet it is absurd to thinke that any would confesse a matter against himselfe and set it downe with so many circumstances if there neuer had bene any such matter Peter Barriere was executed not many yeares since at Melun for that he was conuinced by diuers witnesses and afterward confessed that he came to the court of France with a full resolution to kill the French King Henry the 4. He confessed also that he was animated thereto by a Carmelite a Iacobin a Capuchin and a Iebusite at Lyon and that he had conferred with the Curate of S. Andrew at Paris who told him that he should for this fact be translated into paradise and obtaine great glorie He talked also with the Rector of the colledge of Iebusites where he receiued the sacrament and with another preaching Iebusite who as he sayd assured him that his resolution viz. for killing the king was most holy and meritorious Wherefore being conuinced by diuers witnesses and presumptions and by his owne confession wherein he persisted vnto the death he was by an ordinary course of iustice condemned and executed The Iebusites and their followers I confesse say that he was a light headed fellow But his answers and the whole proceeding against him which is particularly set downe by a Papist in the Iebusites Catechisme lib. 3. cap. 6. doth declare the quite contrary and proue manifestly that he came to the place with a ful resolution to do that wicked act being encouraged thereunto by the Iebusites and other pillers of the Romish Church that without such execrable murthers cannot stand The same also proueth that he answered in all that cause like a man well aduised Iohn Chastel wounded the French king Henry the fourth with a knife and purposed to haue cut his throte Registers of the Parliamēt of Paris After the act being examined he confessed that he had learned by philosophy which he had studied in the colledge of Iebusites at Paris that it was lawful for to kil the King and that he hath often heard the Iebusites say that it was lawfull to kill the King being out of the Church In the end persisting in his confessiō he was put to death His master also which taught him this philosophie was banished the Realme of France Finally the parliament of Paris considering the sequele of this damnable doctrine pronounced the Iebusites to be enemies of the king and kingdome and banished them out of France and caused a piller to be crected in the place where Chastels fathers house did stand testifying that the Iebusites are a pernicious sect and enemies to kings Gladly would the Iebusits put away this disgrace but it is engrauē in stone and their instances and answers are such as rather further blot them then reléeue them Crighton accused one Robert Bruis before the Count de Fuentes for that he had not murdred a certaine Noble man of Scotland nor would disburse fiftéene hundred crownes to thrée that at his solicitation had vndertaken that murder Such is the violent humor of the Iebusites and so are they transported in their passions and rage to kill princes But nothing I suppose doth better discouer the execrable intentions of the wicked Iebusites and Masse-priests against Kings then their trecherous practises at diuers times attempted against Quéene Elizabeth Pius Quintus dealt with the King of Spaine by force to ouerthrow her and stirred vp her subiects secretly to rebell against her Sixtus Quintus an 1588. left not off to solicite the Spanish king against her vntill the Spaniards were ouerthrowne at the sea and had their land forces scattered But when warres and open force wrought no good effect they and their fellowes and adherents set murderers and empoysoners on worke Anno 1584. William Parry vndertooke to kill her the which resolution so well pleased Pope Gregorie the 13. that Cardinall Como in the Popes name promised him pardon of all his sins and a great reward besides for his endeuour Monsignor saith he his Holinesse hath seene your letters with the credentiall note included and cannot but commend the good disposition which as you write you hold for the seruice and benefite of the publike weale wherein he exhorteth you to continue vntill you haue brought it to effect And that you may be holpen by that good spirit that hath moued you he granteth you his blessing and plenary indulgence and remission of all your sinnes assuring you beside the merite you shall haue in heauen that his Holinesse will make himselfe your debtor to acknowledge your deserts in the best sort he can c. Where note I pray you that the Pope promiseth heauen and not only reward in
brooke her reformation but looke backe to the abominations of Aegypt and Babylon I haue thought it conuenient not only to declare at large what benefites the people of England now fiue and fortie yeares almost enioyed by her gracious and happie gouernement but also to iustifie the same against the slaunderous calumniations and cauils of Robert Parsons her borne subiect but now a renegate Iebusite and professed enemie who in diuers wicked libels and paltrie pamphlets hath endeuoured to obscure her great glorie and to deface her worthie actions Wherein that I may proceed with more perspicuitie I think it fit to reason first of matters Ecclesiasticall and afterward of ciuill and worldly affaires In Ecclesiasticall affaires which by her meanes grew to a better settlement we are to consider first what grace it is to haue a certaintie in religion and next what fauour God shewed to vs reducing vs to the vnitie of the true Catholicke Church Thirdly we will reason of true faith fourthly of the sincere administration of the Sacraments fiftly of the true worship of God sixthly of the Scriptures and publicke prayers in our mother tongue seuenthly of freedome we enioyed by her from persecution from the Popes exactions froÌ„ his wicked lawes and vniust censures from al heretical and false doctrine eightly of deliuerance from schisme superstition and idolatrie and finally of good workes and the happinesse of those that not onely are able to discerne which are good workes but also do walke in them according to their Christian profession auoiding pretended Popish good-workes that are either impious or else superstitious and vnprofitable Al which graces this land hath long enioyed by her Maiesties reformation of religion In matters politicall we purpose to consider first the happie deliuerance of this land out of the hands of the Spaniard from all feare of forreine enemies Next her famous victories both against rebels and traitors at home and open enemies abroade and her glorie and reputation with forreine nations Thirdly the restitution of all royall authoritie and preheminence to the Crowne of which the Pope before that had vsurped a great part Fourthly the peaceable estate of this kingdome in the tumults of other nations round about vs and lastly the wealth and multitude of her subiects CHAP. I. Of certaintie in Faith and Religion and of the vnion we haue with the true auncient Catholike and Apostolike Church FAith as saith the Apostle Heb. 11. is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene If then we haue true faith we are assured of things hoped for although not séene Luke 24. When two of the disciples of Christ doubted of his resurrection he said vnto them O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken Ideo fideles vocati sumus saith Chrysostom Hom. 1. in 1. Tim 4. vt his quae dicuntur sine vlla haesitatione credamus Therefore we are called faithfull that we may beleeue without doubting those things which are spoken So then all Christians that beléeue do certainly beléeue and are perswaded and he that doubteth beléeueth not Further the obiect of faith is most certaine Heauen and earth shall passe but my words shall not passe saith our Sauiour Matth. 24. Saint Augustine doth attribute that onely to the writers of canonical Scriptures that they could not erre Neither need I to stand long vpon this point séeing our aduersaries also confesse that nothing that is false can be the obiect of faith But our aduersaries take away from Christians all certaintie of faith and religion For first they teach that no Christian is to beleeue that he shall be saued and secondly they make mans faith vncertaine concerning the obiect That is taught by the conuenticle of Trent sess 6. cap. 16. where it saith Ne que seipsum aliquis etiamsi nihil sibi conscius sit iudicare debet that is neither ought any to iudge himselfe although he be not conscious to himselfe of any thing And in the same session chap. 9. it determineth that no man by the certaintie of faith ought to assure himself that he shal be saued The second point doth follow of the diuers doctrines of the Papists Enchâ—ridâ—e de Ecclesia Eckius holdeth that the Scriptures are not authentical without the authority of the Church And although Bellarmine dare not allow this forme of spéech yet where he defendeth the determination of the conuenticle of Trent concerning the old Latine translation in effect he granteth it For if the Church onely can make Scriptures authenticall without the Churches authoritie they are not authenticall In his booke De not is Eccles c. 2. he saith the Scriptures depend vpon the Church Scriptura saith he pendent ab Ecclesia Stapleton lib. 9. de princip doctrinal cap. 4. saith that it is necessary that the Churches authoritie should consigne and declare which bookes are to be receiued for canonicall Scripture Necessarium est saith he vt Ecclesiae aeuthoritas Scripturarum canonem consignet And his meaning is that no man is to receiue any bookes for canonicall but such as the Church from time to time shall determine to be canonical and those vpon the Churches determination he will haue necessarily receiued Sess 4. Secondly the conuenticle of Trent maketh Scriptures and vnwritten traditions of equall value Bellarmine in his fourth book De verbo Dei speaketh no otherwise of traditions then as of the infallible writteÌ„ word of God Stapleton saith Lib. 7 princ doct c. 1. The rule of faith doth signifie all that doctrine which is deliuered and receiued in the Church and that very absurdly as I thinke no reasonable man can well denie For that being granted the rule and doctrine ruled should be all one But of that we shall speake otherwhere Thirdly they teach that the determinations of the Church are no lesse firmely to be beleeued and reuerently to be holden then if they were expressed in Scriptures Id quod sancta mater Ecclesiae definit vel acceptat saith Eckius Enchir. cap. de Eccles non est minore firmitate credendum ac veneratione tenendum quam si in diuinis literis sit expressum And all our aduersaries do beléeue that the Popes determinations concerning matters of faith are infallible and so to be accounted of Finally in the canon law c. in canonicis dist 19. they place the decretals of Popes in equall ranke with canonicall Scriptures Of these positions it followeth that as long as men beléeue the Romish Church they neither beleeue truth nor haue any certaine faith or religion And that is proued by these arguments First he that beleeueth not Gods promises concerning his own saluation is an infidel and hath no true faith But this is the case of all Papists For not one of them beléeueth that he shall be saued nor imagineth that God hath said or promised any thing concerning his owne saluation Secondly if the Scriptures depend
Praescript aduers Haeret. disputeth against the heresies of the Valentinians and Marcionites drawing arguments from the Apostles preaching and tradition But that was because they denyed and corrupted Scriptures For no man can deny but that their heresies are clearely conuinced by Scriptures Quod sumus hoc sunt That we are that they are saith Tertullian speaking of Scriptures That is likewise the meaning of Vincentius Lirinensis de Haeres cap. 27. for that depost of which he talketh is nothing but the Christian faith contained in scriptures But if Parsons will prooue his rule of faith he must shew a faith grounded vpon tradition that is not deduced out of Scriptures Nay if he will not be contrarie to himselfe he must shew that not the Apostles tradition as he saith in his Warn-word 1. Encoun cap. 15. but the Catholike church is the rule of faith as he holdeth Ward-word Encontr pag. 6. He doth also obiect against vs diuers alterations of religion in England in king Henry the eight his raigne Warn-word Encontr c. 16. and in king Edwards dayes and then asketh by what authoritie our rule of faith was established But first he might as well haue spoken of the alteration made in Q. Maries dayes when the impieties of Popish religiō were established by act of Parliament Secondly the alterations in religion made in England of late time make no variation in the rule of faith that is alwayes one but in the application and vse of it Thirdly albeit by act of Parliament the articles of religion were confirmed wherein the canon of scriptures and the substance of our confession is set downe yet was that rather a declaration of our acceptance then a confirmation of the rule of faith that in it selfe is alwayes immoueable Our rule of faith therefore is certaine albeit not alwaies in one sort approued or receiued by men But the rule of Popish faith neither in it self nor in the approbatiō of Parliaments or Churches is certaine or immoueable Finally he asketh a question of Sir Francis in his Ward-word p. 5. how he knoweth his religion to be true And saith he hath only two meanes to guide himselfe in this case and that is either Scriptures or the preaching of our Ministers But this question as I haue shewed toucheth himselfe that busideth his faith vpon the Pope nearer then Sir Francis who groundeth himselfe his faith only vpon the holy Scriptures and is assured of his faith not by these two meanes onely but by diuers others For beside Scriptures he hath the help of the Sacraments of the Church of Gods spirit working within him of miracles recorded in scriptures of auncient Fathers of the practise of the Church of the consent of nations of the confession of the aduersaries of the suffering of Martyrs and testimonies of learned men and such like arguments In this question therefore Robert Parsons shewed himselfe to be a silly Frier and to haue had more malice then might In time past also we were as shéepe going astray and out of the vnion of the Catholike and Apostolike Church Diuers of our auncestors worshipped the crosse and the images of the Trinitie with diuine worship Some like bruite beasts fell downe before Idols crept to the crosse and kissed wood and stone Others worshipped Angels the blessed Virgin and Saints praying vnto them in all their necessities trusting in them saying Masses in their honour and offering incense and prayers to their pictures and images For so they were taught or rather mistaught by popish Priests The Romish synagogue in the very foundations of religion was departed from the Apostolike and Catholike Church The schoolemen brought their proofes out of the Popes Decretals and Aristotles Metaphysickes Est Petri sedes saith Bellarmine in Praefat. ante lib. de Pont. Rom. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus The See of Peter is an approued corner stone precious and laid in the foundation The same man lib. 2. de Pont. Rom. cap. 31. calleth the Pope the foundation of the Church Sanders calleth him the Rocke Alij nunc à Christo saith Stapleton relect princip doctr in Praef. eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locū habebūt That is Others now beside Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall be esteemed of me as a foundation This he saith where he talketh of the foundation of religion and the Church But the catholike Church had no foundation beside Christ Iesus and his holy word and Gospell taught by the Prophets and Apostles The Apostle Gal. 1. denounced him accursed that taught any other Gospell then that which he had preached The holy Fathers proued the faith by holy Scriptures and not by popish Decretals and philosophicall Principles Concerning Christs bodie the Romanists taught that the same is both in heauen and in the Sacrament albeit we neither could see it there nor féele it But the scriptures teach vs that his bodie is both palpable and visible Luk. 24. Mar. vlt. and is now taken vp into heauen So likewise teach the Fathers Vigilius in his fourth booke against Eutyches speaking of Christs bodie When it was on earth saith he surely it was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainely it is not on earth They haue also brought in new doctrine concerning Purgatorie and indulgences and which is no more like to the auncient catholike faith then heresie and noueltie to Christian religion They teach that whosoeuer doth not satisfie in this life for the temporall punishment of mortall sinnes committed after baptisme and remitted concerning the guiltinesse must satisfie for the same in Purgatorie vnlesse it please the Pope by his indulgences to release him Of the tormentors of soules in Purgatorie and of the nature qualitie and effect of indulgences they talke idlely and vnlike to the schollers of Catholikes The Catholicke doctrine concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper they haue quite changed in Baptisme adding salt spittle hallowed water exorcismes blowings annointings light and other strange ceremonies In the Lords supper taking away the cup from the communicants and not deliuering but hanging vp or carying about the Sacrament and worshipping it as God and finally beléeuing holding transubstantiation They haue also deuised other sacraments and taught that they containe grace and iustifie They were wont to kisse the Popes toe and to receiue his dunghill decretals worshipping Antichrist and intitling him Christs Vicar All which nouelties superstitions and heresies by her Maiesties godly reformation are abolished who hath restored the auncient Catholike and Apostolike faith which the Popes of Rome for the most part had altered suppressed She hath also by her authoritie brought vs to the vnitie of the Catholike faith and by good lawes confirmed true Christian religion Before our times there was no settlement in matters of Religion Durand denieth Diuinitie to be Scientia Thomas and Richard Middleton hold that it is Writing vpon the
times they cal such as allow the mariage of priests sectatores libidinum praeceptores vitiorum that is followers of lusts and teachers of vices albeit the Apostle affirmeth mariage to be honorable in all sorts of men They dissolue such mariages albeit Christ teach that man is not to separate them whom God hath ioyned together Their Fastes they place in eating of fish and not in abstinence from all sustenance as the auncient Fathers by their doctrine and practise taught Some count it as mortall sinne to eate flesh on fridayes as to kill a man and that a Priest doth sinne lesse in committing fornication then in matching himselfe in honest mariage and yet they confesse that fornication is against the law of God and not the mariages of priests They tolerated common whores as did Simon Magus and other heretickes and now in Rome the Pope notwithstanding his pretended holinesse receiueth a tribute from them They do also sell Masses imposition of hands benefices and make money of their god of the altar and their religion which sauoureth of the heresie of Simon Magus Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale Deusque That is churches priests altars sacraments crownes fire incense prayers yea heauen and God himselfe are set to sale among vs. Brigit in her reuelations cap. 232. saith Priestes are worse then Iudas for that he sold Christ for mony but they barter him for all commodities Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers haeres cap. 23. As the Basilidians worshipped images vsed enchantments and superstitious adiurations so do they worshipping not onely materiall images but also their fantasticall imaginations They also exorcise water and salt saying Exorcizo te creatura aquae againe exorcizo te creatura salis With the Heretickes called Staurolatrae they worship the crosse with the Angelikes they serue and worship Angels with the Armenians they make the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost As the Nazarites mingled Iewish ceremonies with christian Religion so do Papists borrowing from them their paschal lambe their Iubileys their priestly apparell their altars their Leuiticall rites and diuers other Iewish ceremonies Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers haeres cap. 30. saith that Marcion and Saturninus first taught abstinence from liuing creatures from whom the Papists séeme to haue borrowed their abstinence frō certaine meates as lesse holy then others Our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles as S. Augustine saith Epist 86. ad Casulanum neuer appointed what dayes we ought to fast and what not The Papists therefore haue their fasts from others then from Christ or his Apostles From the Manicheys they borrow their communions vnder one kind as may be proued by the Chapt. relatum and comperimus dist 2. de consecrat and by Leo his fourth Sermon de quadrages The Helcesaites make Christ in heauen to differ from Christ on earth as saith Theodoret haeret fabul lib. 3. cap. de Helcesaeis his words are these Christum non vnum dicunt sed hunc quidem infernè illum verò supernè So likewise the Papists teach that Christs bodie in heauen is visible and palpable but not as it is in the Sacrament With the Pelagians they concurre in many points as I haue at large declared in my late challenge Hoc Pelagiani laudent dicere saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de bono perseuerantiae c. 5. hominem iustum in hac vita nullum habere peccatum Now how can they cleare themselues from this that hold that a man is able to performe the law of God perfectly The Apostle Paul denyeth that we are iustified before God by the workes of the law The Papists haue taught quite contrarie He teacheth vs not to glorie in our works They say quite contrarie that men may glorie in their workes He sheweth that as many as receiue the sacrament of the Lords bodie are also to receiue the sacrament of his bloud They denie the cuppe to all the communicants beside the priest Our Sauiour instituting the Sacrament of his last supper said Accipite manducate that is take and eate These imagine that he offered his bodie and bloud really and corporally at his last supper and that he appointed his bodie and bloud actually to be offered in the Masse and not alwaies to be sacramentally and spiritually receiued of the communicants The Papists teach that wicked men reprobates and diuels may haue true faith But the Apostle teacheth that true faith iustifieth that they which haue it liue by faith Commonly they hold that charitie is the forme of faith Which if it were true then could not faith subsist without charitie But the Apostle teacheth vs that faith as faith doth make the iust to liue and auncient Christians were alwayes ignorant of these philosophicall fancies They hold that diuers sinnes are committed which are not forbidden by Gods law But this sheweth that the law of God as they suppose is not perfect and that the lawes of man hauing nothing in them of Gods law bind the conscience as well as the law of God Finally the very foundations of popish religion are erronious the same being founded partly vpon the decretals of Popes partly vpon the traditions of men contained partly in their Missals breuiaries ond other rituall books partly in their fabulous legends and partly in the chest of the Popes brest and partly vpon the old Latin translation of the Bible which the Romanists hold to be authenticall and partly vpō the interpretations of the Romish Church But since it pleased God to put into her Maiesties royall heart a resolution to reforme the church that was so much deformed by the pharisaicall and superstitious additions of the Papists to restore religion according to the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets not only all former heresies errors were abolished but also the true doctrine of faith was restored The which is apparent not onely by the articles of Religion which we professe but also by our publike confessions and apologies which we haue published at diuers times And in part it may be proued by the secret confession of our aduersaries For albeit they would gladly cauill against our confessions yet they take their grounds commonly out of Luther Zuinglius Caluin Melancthon and others not often medling with our confessions Diuers of them also are wont to call vs negatiue Diuines Which argueth that so much as we hold positiuely is for the most part confessed by the aduersaries themselues and that we bring in no new faith but that which alwayes hath bene holden and maintained in the Church of Christ desiring onely that the positiue errors heresies and superstitions of Papists may be abolished Wherefore as Christians in time past extolled Constantine the great Euseb hist li. 10. cap. 5. Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. c. 23. that gaue libertie to al his subiects to professe the Christian religion that assembled synods of Bishops and confirmed their decrees so
ought we to celebrate the memory of our gracious Quéene that gaue libertie to all Christians to professe the truth that caused diuers assemblies of learned men and ratified the Christian faith by her authoritie CHAP. III. Of the true and sincere administration of the Sacraments of the Church restored in England OF the holy rites and sacraments of Christian religion we cannot speake without griefe of heart when we consider how shamefully they were abused mangled and corrupted by the synagogue of Antichrist Where Christ ordained onely two Sacraments to wit Baptisme where he said Teach all nations Matth. 28. baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost and the sacrament of his body and blood where he said Take eate this is my body and drinke ye all of this for this is the blood of the new testament and do this in remembrance of me that synagogue hath added fiue other sacraments giuing the same vertue to their extreme vnction and to mariage and orders concerning iustification that they giue to Baptisme the Lords supper Lib. sent 4. dist 2. The master of the Sentences rehearsing the seuē sacraments for the Lords supper putteth Panis benedictionem that is the blessing of the bread excluding the cup either from the Lords supper or from the number of sacraments He doth also differ from the rest in describing the vertue of the sacraments Ibidem Alia remedium contra peccatum praebent saith he gratiam adiutricem conferunt vt baptismus alia in remedium tantùm sunt vt coniugium aliae gratia virtute nos fulciunt vt eucharistia ordo That is some of the sacraments yeeld vs a remedy against sin and withall bestow on vs helpfull grace others are onely for remedy as mariage others do strengthen vs with grace and vertue as the eucharist and holy orders But Bellarmine lib. 2. de sacrament c. 12. doth shew that the common currant opinion now is otherwise and that all these sacraments do iustifie ex opere operato that is by vertue of the worke wrought As if all maried men and priests of Baal were iustified or as if iustification and grace came by greasing scraping crossing and such other ceremonies But neither are they able to iustifie this doctrine nor to shew either institution or promise of confirmation or extreme vnction or certaine signe of mariage or repentance or order or the other two new deuised sacraments Furthermore mariage repentance and priesthood were as well vsed in the time of the law as in the Gospell How then can these be sacraments of the Gospell They haue also altered corrupted and mangled Christ his institution concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper In baptime they salt and coniure the water in which the party baptized is to be dipped They put salt into his mouth and touch his eares and nosthrils with spittle which is oft times very noisom They annoint him also on the head and giue him a candle in his hand and embroyle Christ his institution with diuers other ceremonies Finally to make water more effectuall they poure oyle into the font In the sacrament of the Lords supper instituted in bread and wine they leaue neither the substance of bread nor wine but say that the same is transsubstantiated into Christs body and blood and that either his body and blood or the accidents of bread and wine subsisting without their substance make the sacrament Secondly they hold that Christs body and bloud are conioyned without any distance to the accidents of bread and wine albeit they are not there either felt or seene Thirdly they haue turned the sacrament of our communion with Christ and of our mutuall coniunction one with another into a priuate action of one Priest that eateth and drinketh all alone vncharitably and very directly contrary to Christ his institution who ioyntly said Accipite manducate hoc est corpus meum and bibite ex hoc omnes Take eate this is my body and drinke ye all of this contrary to the practise of the auncient Church that neuer solemnized this action without distribution of the sacrament and contrary to the vse and reason of the sacrament For why should not the faithfull be made partakers of that sacrament which is a signe of their vnion both with Christ and among themselues Fourthly Christ and his Apostles administred the cup to as many as receiued the holy eucharist But they by a solemne decrée of priests at Constance take away the cup from all saue the priests that say Masse Fiftly Christ ordained that the sacrament of his body and bloud should be distributed and receiued in that action these fellowes kéepe the sacrament in a boxe and cary it about in solemne processions Sixthly they worship the sacrament and call it their Lord and God contrary to all rules of Christianity Seuenthly Christ appointed a holy sacrament and gaue not his body and bloud to be offered continually in the Masse as a sacrifice auaileable for quicke and dead as these good fellowes do beléeue Finally the Apostle sheweth that as oft as we celebrate this holy action we shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming againe But the Papists forbid this action to be celebrated in a vulgar tong which is commonly vnderstood of the people as much as in them lyeth hindring them from shewing forth the Lords death they hold also that he is already come and present in the sacrament But the Church of England doth religiously obserue Christ his institution and that doctrine which the Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs. The same admitteth no sacramēts but two that is Baptisme and the Lords supper In Baptisme we refuse the idle and superstitious ceremonies brought in lately by Papists That which the Apostle had receiued of Christ Iesus and deliuered to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. that we diligently obserue renouncing their nouelties heresies and blasphemies concerning the grosse carnal and corporall presence and eating and drinking of Christs body and bloud in the sacrament the late deuised transsubstantiation the blasphemous idole of the Masse the diuine worship of consecrated hostes the mangled communion vnder the forme of bread their celebration in a tongue not vnderstood of the communicants and all the rest of their abuses which without either authoritie of scriptures or allowance of the most auncient and sincere fathers they haue brought into the Church The sacraments therefore of the new Testament being pledges of Gods loue and seales of Gods graces whereby he worketh in vs we are not lightly to prize the true and sincere administration of them according to Christs holy institution nor to esteeme this a small benefite that the doctrine concerning the holy sacraments being reformed according to the canon of Gods word both the superstitious ceremonies in Baptisme and the idolatrous Masse with al abuses depending thereon were abrogated and remoued out of the Church and the celebration of Christs holy sacraments
Iohn Baptist and as it followeth in the common confessiō But if they did not beléeue that Angels and Saints can forgiue sinnes they would not so pray vnto them Fourthly they make their vowes to saints as appeareth by the common formes of vowes of such as enter into Religion Bellarmine also lib. 3. de cult sanctor c. 9. confesseth that vowes may be well made to saints But the scriptures teach vs that this is an honor due vnto God Pay thy vows to the most high saith the prophet Psalm 50. and Deuter. 23. when thou shalt vow a vow to the Lord thy God Finally they pray to the crosse saying Auge pijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam that is increase iustice in the godly and graunt pardon to sinners as if a stocke could encrease iustice or pardon sinners We are therefore herein to acknowledge Gods fauour and continually to praise him for his goodnes who gaue vs such a Queen as with al her heart sought to pul downe the altars and groues of Baal to root out idolatry and superstition and to restore Gods true worship In the beginning of her reigne the holy scriptures were restored to the people in their mother tongue and Gods true worship established in the Church according to that rule God was serued in spirit and truth and the seruice of the Church brought back to the auncient forme of Christs primitiue Church CHAP. V. Of the translations of Scriptures into vulgar tongues and reading them publikely in tongues vnderstood HE that doth euill hateth the light No maruel then Ioh. 3. if the Pope his crue of Masse-priests shun the scriptures their workes and doctrine being euill and the scriptures being compared to light Psalm 119. and to a candle shining in a darke place 2. Pet. 1. they would if they durst plainely prohibite scriptures as appéereth by the practise of the begging Fryers in the time of William de sanct amore who hauing brought all their fancies and traditions into one volume Doctores Paris de penc nouis temp and calling the same the eternal Gospel preached that the Gospel of Christ should cease and that their eternal Gospel should be preached and receiued to the end of the world The Pope also could hardly be enduced to condemne this blasphemous booke of the Fryers In the end I confesse he was forced for shame to abolish it yet he conceiued infinite displeasure against the Doctors of Paris and fauored the Fryers as much as he could And now albeit he hath not simply prohibited the translation of scriptures and reading them in vulgar tongues yet he hath so limited the same as in effect they are as good as prohibited For first he will not permit that scriptures translated into vulgar tongues shall be read publikely in the Church as both the Trent conuenticle and the practise of the Romish Church declareth Secondly Regulae Ind. lib. prohib Pope Pius the fourth doth simply forbid all translations of scriptures into vulgar tongues such onely except as are made by his adherents and followers which are not onely false and absurd in diuers points but also corrupted with diuers false and wicked annotations as the Rhemish annotations vpon the new testament being examined do manifestly declare Thirdly we do not find that the Papists are hastie in setting forth translations of scriptures in vulgar tongues nor can I learne that the Bible is hitherto translated into the Spanish Italian and Dutch tongue by them Fourthly they will haue no Booke-sellers sel Bibles though translated into vulgar tongues by them selues without leaue Fiftly they wil not permit any man to read Bibles so translated by themselues without leaue Sixtly they graunt leaue to none to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues albeit allowed by themselues but to such onely as they suppose to be resolued or rather drowned in the dregges of Popish errors and to lay men seldome or neuer do they grant the same I do not beleeue that Robert Parsons albeit well acquainted in Spaine and Italie can name a doosen lay men of either nation that haue licence to reade Scriptures in vulgar tongues or that had licence in England in Quéene Maries time to reade Scriptures translated into their mother tongue If he know any such he may do well to name them If he name them not his silence wil bréed suspition if it be not taken for a plaine confession Finally if any among the Papists be taken with other translations then such as themselues allow or not hauing himselfe obtained licence according to the foresaid rule he is presently taken for suspect of heresie and seuerely punished if he acquite not himselfe the better So we sée that among them it is lawfull to reade all prophane bookes if they fall not within the compasse of their prohibition and to tumble ouer the lying legends of Saints and the fabulous booke of Conformities of Saint Francis with Christ and that without leaue But Scriptures translated into vulgar tongues no man may reade without leaue Now how contrarie this course is to the word of God to the practise of Gods Church and to all reason we may easily perceiue by these particulars God would haue the words of the law not onely a continuall subiect of our talke and meditations Deut. 6. but also to be written at the entrances and doores of our houses Our Sauiour Christ preaching to the Iewes willed them to search the Scriptures But how can this be done if Scriptures be not translated into tongs which we vnderstand and if no man may reade them without leaue In the primitiue Church they were publikely read in the Syrian Egyptian Punicke other vulgar tongues By the testimonie of Bede hist Angl. lib. 1. it appeareth they were translated into the British tongue and into other vulgar tongues the mysteries of religion being made common to diuers nations by the meditation of Scriptures Lib. 2. aduers haeres cap. 46 Irenaeus speaking of all the Scriptures saith They may be heard alike of all Hierome in an Epistle to Laeta and in another to Celantia exhorteth them to reade Scriptures But how can they be heard alike if they may not be translated nor read publikely in vulgar toungs And why should it be more lawfull for Laeta and Celantia to reade Scriptures then for other men and women In his Commentaries likewise vpon the 86. Psalme he saith that Scriptures are read to all that all may vnderstand Scriptura populis omnibus legitur vt omnes intelligant But how can the common people vnderstand a strange toung Chrysostome homil 9. in Epist ad Coloss teacheth that the Apostle commandeth lay men to reade scriptures and that with great diligence The Apostle teacheth vs that the word of God is the sword of the spirit And before I haue shewed that it is light Our Sauiour saith that the word of God is food to our soule Basil homil 29. saith That the old and new Testament are the treasure of the Church
Vetus nouum Testamentum saith he thesaurus Ecclesiae In his Commentaries vpon the first Psalme he sheweth that the holy Scriptures are a storehouse for all medicines for mans soule Chrysostome Homil. in Psalm 147. saith the Scriptures are our armes and munitions in the spirituall warfare which we haue against the diuell Armae comeatus eius belli quod est inter nos diabolum sunt Scripturarum auditio Doth it not then appeare that the Papists are enemies to Christians and séeke to murther their soules that by all meanes séeke to expose them naked vnto their enemies weapons and wold willingly depriue them of medicines munitions armes and foode and leaue them in darknesse without the comfort of Scriptures For how can they vse Scriptures that vnderstand them not And how can they vnderstand them when they are read in toungs vnknowne And how can they come to reade them when there are so many difficulties in obtaining licence to haue them Séeing then at her Maiesties first entrance into her gouernement we were fréed from the thraldome and slauery of Antichrist and had the Scriptures in a tongue vnderstood restored vnto vs and read publikely and priuately without limitation or danger we are to accompt the same as a singular benefit bestowed vpon the people of England For what can be deemed more beneficiall then for the hungrie to obtaine food for naked souldiers to obtaine armes and prouisions for poore people in want to be enriched with such a treasure But saith N. D. Wardw. pag. 14. If the translator do not put downe the words of Scriptures sincerely in his vulgar translation then the simple reader that cannot discerne will take mans word for Gods word Secondly he saith that if a false sence should be gathered out of Scripture then the reader should sucke poison in stead of wholesome meate But these reasons make no more against reading Scriptures in vulgar tongues and translating them into those tongues then against reading Scriptures in the Latin and translating them into Latine For as well may the Latine Interpreter erre as he that translateth scriptures into vulgar tongues and aswell may a man draw a peruerse sence out of the Latine as out of the English If then these reasons conclude not against the Latin translation they are too weak to conclude against vulgar translations Againe if it be hurtfull to follow a corrupt translation and to gather a contrarie sence out of scriptures we are not therefore to cast away scriptures but rather to séeke for the most sincere translations and the most true sence and meaning of the holy Ghost reuealed in holy Scriptures Thirdly he alleageth these words out of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3. The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth against reading of scriptures in vulgar tongues But these words do no lesse touch them that follow the letter in the Hebrew Gréek thē in the vulgar tongs And yet Robert Parsons wil not deny but that it is lawfull to reade scriptures in Hebrew and Gréeke albeit he if it were vnlawfull would neuer be guiltie of this fault being most ignorant of these tongs Fourthly he asketh how vnlearned readers will discerne things without a guide As if lay-men because they haue teachers might not also reade the books from whence the principles of Christian doctrine are deriued This therefore séemeth to be all one as if Geometricians and other teachers of arts should debarre their schollers from reading Euclide and other authors that haue written of arts Furthermore albeit somethings without teachers cannot of rude learners be vnderstood yet all things that pertaine to faith and manners are plainely set downe in scriptures In ijs quae apertè in scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 9. Quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Fiftly he alleageth that the vnderstanding of Scriptures is a particular gift of God But that notwithstanding no man is forbidden to reade scriptures in Hebrew Greeke or Latine And yet if Robert Parsons vnderstand them at all he vnderstandeth them better in the vulgar English then in these tongues Furthermore albeit to vnderstand Scriptures be a peculiar gift of God yet no man is therefore to refraine from reading of scriptures but rather to reade thē diligently and to conferre with the learned and to beséech God to giue him grace to vnderstand them The which is proued by the example of the Eunuch Act. 8. who read the scriptures and threw them not away albeit he could not vnderstand all without the help of a teacher Wardw. p. 6. Sixthly he vseth the examples of Ioane Burcher a pudding wife as some suppose and qualified like his mother the Blacke-smiths wife and of Hacket William Geffrey and other heretickes In his Warne-word Encontr 1. cap. 8. he addeth George Paris Iohn More certaine Anabaptists and other heretikes and insinuateth that all these fell into heresies by reading of scriptures in vulgar languages But his collectiō is false and shamelesse and derogatorie to scriptures and contrary both to them and to fathers Our Sauior speaking of the Sadduceis Mat. 22. saith they cried for that they knew not the scriptures Erratis nescientes scripturas The Apostle talking of reading of scriptures saith they are profitable to instruct men vnto saluation and not hurtfull or the cause of any mans destruction The ignorance of scriptures saith Chrysostome ho. de Lazaro hath brought forth heresies Scripturarum ignoratio haereses poperit And againe Barathrum est scripturarum ignoratio that is the ignorance of scriptures is a bottomlesse gulfe Finally to obscure the glorie of this benefite of reading scriptures in vulgar tongues in his out-worne Warne-word Encont 1. c. 8. he saith that such as vnderstand Latin or haue licence of the Ordinary to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues haue no benefit by this generall permission of reading scriptures as if euery one that vnderstandeth Latin durst reade vulgar translations without licence or as if the Church receiued no benefite vnlesse euery particular member were partaker of that benefite This therefore is a most ridiculous conceit and likely to procéed from such an idle head Further the same might be alleaged against Latine translations And yet Robert Parsons will not deny but the Church receiueth benefite by Latine translations albeit the Greekes and such as vnderstand Hebrew and not Latin receiue no benefite by the Latine translation If then Robert Parsons meane hereafter to barke against the reading of scriptures that are commended vnto vs as light medicine food armes and things most necessary he must alleage vs better reasons then these lest he be taken for an hereticall or rather lunaticall fellow that spendeth his wit in the defence of fond senselesse and impious positions CHAP. VI. Of publike Prayers and administration of Sacraments and other parts of the Church liturgie and seruice in vulgar tongues LIkewise the Papists to take from Christians the effect and fruite of their prayers set
state nor orders of men to be found Finally the members of the Romish synagogue are not onely deuided from the Catholike Church in doctrine sacraments externall gouernement and fellowship but also one frō another the Thomists differing from the Scotists the Monkes from begging Friars the regular orders from secular Priests one Doctor from another and one Pope oft-times from another If then Schismatickes be no true members of the Church as their Doctors teach then are not the Romanists of the Church Againe if they differ from the Catholike Church and among themselues then haue they long continued in Schisme The nature and propertie of superstition doth shew the Papists to be also most superstitious For if it be the nature and propertie of superstition either to giue religious honor and worship to such things as are not capable of it or else to worship God after humane deuises and otherwise then he hath commanded then do they grossely offend in superstitiō But it is most notorious the they grosly offend in both those points For first they inuocate Angels On the feast of Michael the Archangell they say Holy S. Michael defend vs in battell that we perish not in the fearefull iudgement In Missal Rom. They pray also to the Angell that kéepeth them whom they know not and this adoration of Angels in the Romane Catechisme is allowed if not commaunded Secondly they worship the Virgin Marie In Mariali and call her the mother of grace and port of saluation Bernardin doth call her the mediatrix betwixt God and vs and the helper of our iustification and saluation They pray vnto her for helpe per amorem vnigeniti filij cui as if Christ were a Mediator betwixt vs and our Ladie In Psalterio Bonauent Bonauenture transforming the Psalmes which are made to be sung in praise of God to our Ladie saith Cantate Dominae canticum nouum and laudate dominam in sanctis eius that is Sing to our Ladie a new song and praise our Ladie in her Saints Thirdly they worship and call vpon other Saints beside the holy Virgin and attribute diuers Saints to diuers cities and countries as thrée kings to Colleine S. Ambrose to Millane George to Germanie and England Andrew to Scotland Iames to Spaine They do suppose also that Nicholas doth helpe Mariners Luke painters Crispine shoomakers that S. Anthonie cureth pigges S. Gal géese and S. Sebastian the plague In the Romane Missall blasphemously they translate the honour of our Sauiour to Leo bishop of Rome saying to Leo Thou art a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Fourthly they pray to things that cannot heare not helpe saying O holy crosse helpe me and to the holy napkin Sancte Sudari or a pro nobis O holy napkin pray for vs. And againe Sudarium Christi liberet nos à peste morte tristi So the Papists of Cahors in France pray and saluting the picture of Christs face called Veronica they say Haile holy face printed in a cloth as if a good part of their religion were printed in linnen cloth Fiftly they worship diuers men departed of whose saluation or percase being they haue no certaintie as for example S. Catherine S. Christopher S. George that fought with the dragon S. Dominicke S. Francis and a multitude of other Monkes and Friars liker to be in hell then in heauen Whereof the common prouerbe ariseth That many are called vpon as Saints in heauen whose soules are farre more likely to be tormented in hell Finally they giue diuine worship to the crosse and to the images of the holy Trinitie worshipping creatures for their Creator They do also worship rotten bones not knowing whether they be the relickes of Saints or wicked men They kisse them bow and burne incense vnto them They worship swords whippes nailes the asses taile whereon Christ rode as they say the bréeches of Ioseph and diuers ragges which God knoweth from whence they came They practise also diuers false formes of worship of which we may say who hath required these things at their hands The Ladies psalter is a forme that God neuer commaunded Many of their prayers are most blasphemous In hortulo animae printed anno 1565. at Paris by one Merlin they pray thus O veneranda Trinitas Iesus Ioseph Maria quam coniunxit diuinitas charitatis concordia that is O venerable Trinitie Iesus Ioseph and Marie which God hath conioyned with the concord of charitie Neuer certes did the Prophets and Apostles teach vs so to pray as is contained in the Breuiaries Secondly they say Masses in honor of Saints and of our Ladie and make vowes vnto them But our Sauiour Christ neuer taught vs to celebrate the Eucharist in honor of Saints or to offer his bodie in honor of S. Francis Saint Cuthbert S. Andrew and other he and she Saints Thirdly the holy Prophets and Apostles neuer taught vs that men are saued by eating saltfish and cockles and forswearing mariage and such like obseruances in which the Romanists put great holinesse Fourthly God neuer commaunded any to whip themselues and to weare rings of iron or woollen next our skinne nor signified that these things pleased him Nay the Apostle Colos 2. condemneth such obseruations albeit hauing a shew of wisedome in superstition humilitie and not sparing the bodie Finally our Sauiour neuer taught his disciples to exorcise salt and water to driue away diuels Missal Rom. in fine nor to consecrate paschall Lambes and candles and such like as the Papistes do prescribing certaine formes thereof in their Missals and saying ouer salt Exorcizo te creatura salis per Deum viuum per Deum verum That is I exorcise thee thou creature of salt by the liuing God by the true God and afterward Vt efficiaris sal exorcizatum in salutem credentium that thou maist be made coniured salt for the saluation of the faithfull Ouer the water they say Exorcizo te creatura aquae c. vt fias aqua exorcizata ad effugandum omnem potestatem inimici That is I exorcise thee thou creature of water c. that thou maist be made exorcised water to driue away all the power of the enemie In blessing of the paschall lambe they pray that God would blesse and sanctifie the creature of flesh which they desire to receiue to the praise of God Al which be tricks of notorious superstition I forbeare to speake of the superstitious toyes of the Masse in crossing turning knocking washing formes of habits and such like ceremonies for that they require a whole discourse by themselues It resteth onely now that I declare the Papists to offend in idolatrie because notwithstanding their manifold abuses in Gods worship they obstinately deny themselues to be guiltie therein But whatsouer pretences they bring they shall neuer be able to excuse themselues For first it is notorious and the aduersaries will not denie but that all those are superstitious Idolaters that giue the honour
which is properly due vnto God vnto creatures Superstitiosum est saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de doctr Christ cap. 20. quicquid institutum est ab hominibus ad facienda colenda idols pertinens vel ad colendum sicut Deum creaturam partémue illam creaturae vel ad consultationes pacta quaedam significationum cum daemonibus placita foederata He saith it is superstitious whatsoeuer is ordained of men for making and worshipping idols pertaining either to the worship of creatures or any part of a creature as God or else to magicall consultations or couenants agreed vpon with diuels for reuealing of matters Thomas Aquinas 2.2 q. 94. art 1. confesseth that idolatrie is nothing else but the worshipping of creatures either in visible formes or otherwise with diuine honour And this is partly prooued out of the law of God against Idolatrie which not only prohibiteth the hauing of strange Gods but also the making of grauen images with an intent to bow vnto them and to worship them But the superstitious Papists do worship the Sacrament as God and call it their Lord and God They do also giue Gods honour to the images of the Trinitie of the Crucifixe and crosse and teach that what worship is due to the originall is due to the image or picture as Alexander Hales p. 3. q. 3. art vlt. Aquinas part 3. q. 25. art 3. and Caietan in his Commentaries vpon him do testifie They do also make vowes to our Ladie and to Saints and trust very much in them They do further call vpon Angels and Saints in all places and offer sacrifices in their honour Finally they bow vnto the images of Angels and Saints pray before them kisse them and burne incense vnto them All which be points of that adoration that is due to God Secondly they commit those faults which the holy scriptures do note and condemne in idolaters of old time They worship creatures for the Creator as the Apostle Rom. 1 â—aith the Gentiles did They make similitudes of things â—oth in heauen and earth bow downe to them and worship them although the same be prohibited in the second commaundement Exod. 20. They erect monuments and titles and stones for signes to be worshipped contrary to the law Leuit. 26. They make euery day new gods affirming that the priest maketh his maker Now this making of new gods is noted as a propertie of idolaters Psal 81. They reioyce in the works of their owne hands and worship the images which themselues haue made as did the idolaters whereof S. Stephen maketh mention Act. 7. They serue the hoast of heaueÌ„ as the old idolatrous Iews spokeÌ„ of Amos 5. Act. 7. seruing diuers saints and as they call them Militiam curiam coelestem that is the soldiory and court of heauen As the statues of the Gentiles were siluer and gold the worke of mens hands and had mouthes and spoke not eies and saw not as sayth the Prophet Psal 114. so is it with the images of Papists that albeit of costly matter and curious workemanship yet neither speake with their mouthes nor sée with their eyes As idolaters burnt incense to their statues as we reade 2. Paral. 30. so do Papists burne incense to their images Thirdly they fall into those abuses which the Fathers of the Church thought worthy to be reprehended of old time as sauoring of idolatry The Gentiles thought they could represent God in a materiall image And so do the Papists making the image of God the Father and God the holy Ghost The Fathers therefore reprehend them both alike Quis tam amens erit saith Eusebius praeparat Euangel c. 3. vt Dei formam imagu◠〈◊〉 statua viro simili referri perhibeat Who wil be so mad to think that the forme and image of God may be expressed by an image like vnto a man Hierome likewise writing vpon the fortith of Isay What image saith he wil you make for him which is a spirit and is in all places Ambrose in his oration of the death of Theodosius sayth It is aâ— errour of the Gentiles to worship the crosse Inuenit Helena saith he crucem Domini regem adorauit non lignum vtique quia hic Gentilis est error sed adorauit illum qui pependit in cruce The councell of Laodicea condemneth the worship of Angels as idolatrous So likewise saith Tertullian de praescrij aduers haeret that the heresie of the Simonians in seruing 〈◊〉 Angels was reputed among idolatries Simonianae magiae disciplina Angelis seruieÌ„s vtique ipsa inter idololatrias deputabatio Hierome in an Epistle of his to Riparius saith that Christians neither adore nor worship Martyrs nor Sun nor Moone nor Angels least they should therein rather serue creatures then the Creator De praescript aduers Haeret. Tertullian doth also say that euery lie oâ— God is after a sort a variation of the kind of idolatrie Omnis mendacium de Deo variatio quodammodo sexus est idololatrie Both he and diuers others say that heresie is a kind of idolatrie How then can they cleare themselues from the blemish of idolatrie that worship the crosse serue and worship Angels and are authors of so many sorts of heresies Fourthly they must néedes deny the crosse and the images of the Trinitie and the crucifixe to be creatures and works of their owne hands or else in worshipping of them they must needes confesse and yéeld themselues to be idolaters But that they cannot do Finally the testimonie of their owne conscience doth proue them to be idolaters in that they leaue out the second commandement or as they make it a péece of the first commandement that is direct against the adoration and worship of grauen images and the making of them to that end in most of their Catechismes Manuals Psalters and rituall bookes where they rehearse the ten commandements as their Ladies psalters short Catechismes and diuers of their bookes do testifie But since it pleased God to restore religion in the church of England the leuen of popish doctrine and heresie is purged out the breach of schisme and diuision from the Catholike Church is repaired and all superstitious and idolatrous worships are quite abolished and remoued out of the Church CHAP. XI Of good workes and good life THe Ministers of God as they are guides to their people and teachers of the law so ought they to go before their flockes shewing them examples to prouoke them to do good workes and to coÌ„forme their liues according to the lawes of God Shew thy selfe an example of good workes T it 2. sayth Paul to Titus Ibid. Ephes 2. All true Christians also should shew themselues zealous of good workes For we are Gods workmanship created in Christ to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them This is our doctrine and the practise of all that professe our religion If any hypocrites be found among vs that walke not according to their
profession we renounce them we weed them out we punish them If worldlings and fleshly Papists that liue in the Realme do giue occasion of offence this ought not to be imputed to our Religion nor the true professors thereof that desire nothing more then that such may be weeded out and expulsed both out of the Church and Common-wealth But if we looke backe to former times we shall find that the Papists haue not onely erred in the practise but also in the doctrine of good workes For first they denie that the law of God is a perfect rule of life And therefore haue inuented other rules whereby they hope to attaine to a further perfection Secondly they hold that by the law of God we haue not knowledge of all sinnes teaching that it is as well mortall sinne to transgresse the Popes lawes as to transgresse Gods lawes as Nauarrus teacheth vs in his Manuall by many particulars Thirdly they giue absolution to euery haynous sinner confessing his sins before he hath repented Fourthly they suppose that euery man is able to satisfie for the temporall penaltie of sinnes and that the Pope hath power by his indulgences to remit sinnes concerning the penaltie without satisfaction Fiftly they teach that no man néedeth to repent for veniall sinnes and that such sinnes exclude vs not out of the kingdome of heauen Sixthly they teach that man is able perfectly to fulfill the law and by a good consequent to abstaine from all sinne which S. Hierome declareth to be Pelagianisme Seuenthly they hold contrary to the Apostle that man is to be iustified by the workes of the law and that eternall life is to be purchased by our owne workes and merites Many other false points of doctrin they haue beside these But their practise is farre worse then their doctrine For omitting the weightier points of the law like their ancesters the Pharisees they stand much on tithing Mint and Commin and washings such like ceremonies Their principall works are forswearing of mariage begging like vagabond fellowes eating muscles cockles and salt fish and such like on fasting dayes and saints vigiles taking ashes on Ash-wednesday confessing in a priests eare at Shroftide shauing of crownes going to Masse sprinkling of holy-water lighting of candles at noone day crouching to images créeping to the crosse kissing of the Popes toe praying for soules in purgatorie gaining of pardons going on pilgrimage ringing and singing for the dead aneling and greasing of men and women desperately sicke and such like The Popes Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes Friers care neither much for these ceremonies nor for other good workes If any of them or their adherents haue a shew of godlinesse yet they haue denied the power thereof If they do build schooles or hospitals or giue largely it is for the maintenance of their state and to winne glorie and praise of men The liues and actions of most of them are most abhominable The old Romaine formularie prescribeth this common forme of confession to Romish penitents Confiteor quia peccaui nimis in superbia inani gloria in extollentia tam oculorum quam vestium omnium actuum meorum in inuidia in odio in auaritia tam honoris quà m pecuniae in ira in tristitia in â—cedia in ventris ingluuie in luxuria Sodomitica c. I confesse saith the Romish penitent that I haue offended too much in pride vaine glorie lifting vp my eyes setting out my selfe in apparell and other gestures enuie hatred desire of money and honors anger dulnesse slouth gluttonie Sodomiticall luxurie in sacriledge periurie adulterie thefts rapines and all manner of fornication in most beastly turpitude in drunkennesse and banquetting And afterward there followeth such a Catalogue of all manner of impieties and villanies that a blind man may discerne the Romanistes to be a rabble of damnable and indiabolated rakehels deseruing Tiburnes suspension rather then the Priests absolution Publikely they allow stewes both in Spaine and Italie The Pope maketh a great reuenue of the hire of whores The harlots of Rome saith Cornelius Agrippa lib. de vanit scient cap. de Lenocinio pay euery weeke a peece of money called à Iulio it is about sixe pence of English money to the Pope and this rent yearely passeth twentie thousand duckats He telleth also how Priests let out whores to hire The glosse vpon a certaine prouinciall constitution of Otho de concubin Cleric remouend saith that it seemeth reason that the Church should winke at the sinne of lecherie Nam Mareschallus Papae de facto exigit tributum à meretricibus For de facto the Marshall of the Pope doth exact a tribute froÌ„ whores This is also confirmed by the testimonie of Io. Andreas in c. inter opera extr de spons matrim and is well knowne to Robert Parsons a great practiser among boyes whores and to all that are acquainted with Rome Italie and Spain The Cardinals that about the time of the councell pretended in Pope Paule the third his time were to consider what things stood in greatest néede of reformation speaking of Rome In hac etiam vrbe meretrices say they vt matronae incedunt per vrbem That is In this citie also whoores go like matrons through the streetes Pius the fifth that pretended more zeale then his predecessors went about to reforme this abuse but could not Such was the desire the Priests and people of Rome had to kéepe this ornament of the citie with them still which as the Iebusiticall faction in Wisbich affirmed were in Rome with approbation and with as good right as any citizen of Rome or as the Pope himselfe All that Pius the fift could do In vita Pij 5. was to draw them into certaine stréetes and there to confine them as well as such manner of people could be The sinnes of Sodome are so rife in Rome and all Italie that no colours can couer them no lawes remedie them Boccace in his second nouel testifieth That the Pope Cardinals Prelates and others did liue dishonestly and offend not onely in naturall but also Sodomiticall luxurie Egli trouo dal maggiore insino al minore tutti dishonestissimamente peccare in lussuria non solo nella naturale ma anchora nella Sodomitica senza freno alcuno di rimordimento ô di vergogna in tanto che la potenza delle meretrici de garzoni ad impetrare qualunque gran cosa non era di picciol potere Oltre à questo vniuersalmente golosi beuitori ebbriachi piu al ventre seruenti a guisa d'animali bruti appresso alla lussuria che ad altro In Epist ad Nicolaum gli conobbe apertamente Huldericus of Augusta sheweth that while by false shew of continencie the Church of Rome refused mariage in their Cleargie diuers committed incest and abhominable Sodomiticall villanies with men and beastes Sub falsa continentiae specie placere volentes grauiora vides committere saith he patrum
Quéene dealt iustly defending her selfe against publike enemies that sought her destruction and the ouerthrow of her people To proue that the land hath not increased in wealth in the late Quéenes time he obiecteth 1. Encountr cap. 11. that the Nobilitie and Gentrie keepe not so great houses nor families as in times past But the witlesse fellow speaketh against himselfe For the lesse is spent the more remaineth But that many are able to keepe as great houses as in time past it cannot be denyed Further if he knew the state of the countrie he might know that many houses are built and kept where in time past there was neither house-kéeping nor house He telleth vs further of tributes and other duties But his talking and dealing therein is but friuolous For compare all that is paid in subsidies and other duties with former payments yet is it not halfe of that which was exacted by the Pope and spent in superstition and vaine deuises But were our subsidies greater yet being bestowed vpon our owne souldiers and people the land is neuer a whit the poorer but rather poore men employed by those that can well spare all which they giue and more Finally he would insinuate that increase of people is no blessing séeing the Turkes by multitude of wiues haue many children and holy Eunuches are commended that haue no children He doth also vnder hand glaunce at the mariage of Ministers But first he denyeth that which the spirit of God doth directly teach viz. that children are the blessing of God and that God did promise the multiplication of his séede to Abraham as a great blessing Secondly albeit particular men that kéepe themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen are commended yet that concerneth the lecherous and bougerly Masse-priests and Monkes nothing that rather forsweare mariage then kéep themselues chast Neither is that a commendation to a whole State or kingdome if some liue chastly Thirdly albeit Turkes haue many wiues yet God doth not so blesse them with children but that they are compelled to vse the children of Christians and to exact a tribute of them To conclude this bastardly fellow sheweth himselfe to be past shame to talke against mariage when himselfe was begotten by a filthie priest and his consorts wallow in all beastly abhominations Wherefore let the aduersaries storme and rage as much as they list yet will we say and may say it most truly that both the Church of God and the State hath receiued great blessings by Quéene Elizabeths late happie gouernment And if nothing else yet the vaine opposition of enemies and traitors may perswade vs that it is so For not onely their mislikings do shew that both the Church and State was well ordered for otherwise they would haue bene better pleased but also their vaine ianglings and contradictions they being not able to obiect any thing which soundeth not to her Maiesties honour and high commendations confirme the same CHAP. XIII Parsons his cursed talke of cursings of England by chaunge of Religion and gouernment vnder Queene Elizabeth examined Psal 14. THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the foolish and wicked men of his time saith that their throate is an open sepulchre and afterward that their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse The which we sée verified in the Pope and his impious sect For their throates are wide as the graue and swallow the wealth of Europe They also degorge out of them all the wickednesse and villanie they can deuise against the godly Pius Quintus and Sixtus Quintus accurse the Quéene Robert Parsons following their steppes raileth vpon her in diuers libels In his Warn-word that is a complement of his foolery he sayth We receiued no blessings by her but rather cursings Here therefore we are to answer the barking of this cursed hel-hound and of his accursed companions In the first encounter of his Wardword p. 4. he saith We are deuided from the general body of catholickes in Christendome But this should haue bene proued if he would haue any man to giue him credit For we alleage that the Papists from whom we are deuided are no Catholikes beleeuing the new doctrines of the late conuenticles of Lateran Constance Florence Trent other Friers priests which neither were receiued of all men nor in all times nor in all places which is the true propertie of Catholicke doctrine Next we offer to proue that we are true Catholikes séeing the doctrine of our faith is Apostolicall and vniuersally approued of all true Christians and for the most part confessed by the Papists vntil of late time If then this be a principall curse to be deuided from Catholickes then doth the same fall on Parsons his own head and vpon his trecherous consorts and not vpon vs. Secondly he saith that we of England are deuided from Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists abroad and from Puritanes Brownists and other like good fellowes at home But this common Iergon of Papists is already answered For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists nor can he shew that the Church of England is deuided from the Churches of France Germanie or Suizzerland or that one Church oppugneth another If any priuate man do maintaine priuat opinions in doctrine as diuers Germaines French and English do or else if there be any difference among vs concerning ceremonies and gouernment that doth no more make a schisme in our church then the diuers rites of Spanish French and Italians and diuers opinions in al points of religion betwéen old and new Romish Doctors maketh a schisme in the Romish Church For generally we all agrée in substance of faith in rites ceremonies refer euery Church to their libertie In England publikely there is more vniformitie in doctrine prayers ceremonies then in the Romish Church albeit some priuat men whom Parsons vseth to call Puritanes dissent in some points As among the Papists there are diuers that allow not all which they hold commonly But saith he in his Warne-word Encont 1. c. 15. the French Germaines and Scottish do not agrée with the English in the rule of faith as is proued in the foure fiue and sixe and sequent chapters But if he had found any differences he would not haue spared to set them down In the chapters mentioned he sheweth not that we differ in any article of faith or substantiall point of religion but rather in rites ceremonies and some diuers interpretations of some words of Scripture Thirdly he would make his reader beléeue that we haue no certaintie in religion and that as he foole-wisely imagineth because we haue no certaine rule whereby to direct our consciences And this he handleth both in his Wardword 1. Encontr and Warnw. 1. enc c. 15. 16. and other places skipping like an ape vp an downe without rule order or reason But while he talketh of the rule of faith he is direct contrary to himselfe For in his Wardw. p. 6.
quae se non traderet 2. Reg. 16.1 Clement hath vtre vtra Sixtus readeth duobus vtribus Ioan. 6.65 Clement readeth qui essent non credentes Sixtus qui essent credentes And so it may appeare by diligent collation that there are notable differences throughout the whole Bible Lastly if the Latine text were more authenticall then the Hebrew or Greeke why do not our aduersaries shew that the auncient Fathers or some learned men of late time at the least haue corrected the Hebrew and Greeke according to the Latine and not rather contrariwise The fourth foundation of Romish religion is the determination of the Pope in matters of faith Sess 4. The Conuenticle of Trent teacheth that it belongeth to the holy mother the Church to iudge of the true meaning of Scriptures Now for as much as no man knoweth more certainely what is the holy mother Churches meaning then the Papists holy Father the Pope therefore they do hereof conclude that the Pope is to determine principally of the true sence and meaning of Scriptures In the Rubrike of the decrées cap. in canonicis dist 19. we find that the Popes decretals are to be reckened among canonicall Scriptures Bellarmine lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 3. saith that the Spirit of God he should say of the diuell is in the Pope and that he together with a Councell is chiefe Iudge in matters of controuersie of religion And in the same booke cap. 4. he holdeth that no man may recede from his iudgement or determination Stapleton in his booke of doctrinall Principles or grounds of his religion goeth about to prooue that the Popes sentence and determination is infallible And so much do these good fellowes rely vpon their holy Mothers and holy Fathers interpretation that they receiue the same without any long inquisition though neuer so foolish and contrarie to Scriptures Our Sauiour in the institution of the holy Eucharist said Take eate but they beléeue the Pope that saith Gape and gaze but take not nor eate but rather hang vp the Sacrament He said Bibite ex hoc omnes that is Drinke ye all of this but the Pope saith Drinke not all of this and they beleeue the Pope The Apostle saith It is better to marrie then to burne and that mariage is honorable among all men But the Pope doth interpret these words so as if he had said It is better to burne then to marrie and that mariage is reprochfull and vnlawfull to Priests and Papists beléeue the Pope So do they likewise in infinit false interpretations But that the Popes interpretations and sentences shold be the foundation of religion is a matter contrarie to religion and reason The Apostle Ephes 2. saith that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the corner stone And therefore it is said to be built vpon them because both of them preach Christ Apostolos habemus authores c. we haue the Apostles for authors of our doctrine saith Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haeret He saith also It lyeth not in mans power to determine any thing in matters of faith of his owne head Quamuis sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos c. Howsoeuer holy or eloquent a man be saith Hierome in Psalm 86. yet comming after the Apostles he deserueth no authenticall credit The Lord declareth in Scriptures Augustine in his second Epistle to Hierome sheweth that no mans writings are comparable to holy Scriptures And this the Canonists themselues confesse in their glosses vpon the Chapter Noli meis and Ego solis dist 9. Are not the Papists then most miserable that build their faith vpon the Popes Decretals that are contrarie to Scriptures to Fathers one to another and oftentimes void of truth wit learning religion or honestie The last foundation of Romish faith is the preaching of Masse-priests and Friars Quomodo Christus eiusque doctrina saith Stapleton Christianae religionis fundamentum est Praetat ante relect princip doctrin sic alij nunc à Christo missi eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me vim locum habebunt As Christ and his doctrine is the foundation of Christian religion so others now sent of Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall in my opinion haue the force and place of a foundation saith he And afterward he declareth that those whom the Pope sendeth are sent by Christ and the men which he meaneth But if this be the foundation of their religion then is the same built vpon old wiues fables forged traditions lying legends philosophicall subtilties scholasticall disputes popish Decretals humane inuentions and such like principles For of thē consisteth the greatest part of these fellowes sermons as both experience diuers Friars idle Homilies which euery man may sée do plainely testifie Furthermore if these be the foundations of popish Religion then is the same built vpon man and not vpon God vpon humane deuises and not vpon the infallible word of God vpon sand and not vpon a rocke Such also as these foundations are such is the building that is weake false and erronious such is the Romish religion which the Pope and his adherents by force of armes treasons murthers empoysonments lyes glozing flatterie and all meanes possible would thrust vpon vs and such are the conclusions that are built on these foundations Finally séeing no man can be saued that buildeth his faith vpon men vpon vnwritten traditions vpon vncertaine grounds and lying reports let the Papists consider with themselues in what miserable state they stand and returne to the true faith in time lest like the foolish man in the Gospell Mat. 7. they build their house on sand and be ouerwhelmed with the fall thereof CHAP. IIII. Of diuers other blasphemous ridiculous and absurd points of popish Religion TRue Religion is most true venerable and respectiue of Gods true seruice If then popish Religion containe any vntrue or ridiculous vaine and blasphemous doctrine then is it not true or Apostolicall or Christian nor can it stand with Christian Religion séeing no man can serue God and Baal nor Dagon could stand before the arke of God But notorious it is that popish Religion containeth many blasphemous ridiculous and absurd points First concerning the flesh of our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesus they teach falsly and blasphemously and say that a mouse or dog or hog may eate the body of Christ Nay they are not ashamed to affirme that his most holy body may be cast out vpon a dunghill or into any vncleane place Prima opinio saith Alexander Hales part 4. sum q. 53. m. 2. quae dicit quod corpus Christi defertur quocunque species deferunt vt in ventrem canis vel suis vel in alia lo ca immunda videtur vera And again p. 4. sum q. 45. m. 1. si canis aut porcus deglutiat hostiam consecratam non video quare corpus Christi non
be true then may Christians be saued by their workes without the help of Gods grace working with thē which is méere Pelagianisme For if charitie as it is in vs habitually make vs beloued then it is our loue towards God and not Gods grace or loue towards vs or his grace helping vs and remitting our sins through Christ that saueth vs properly They denie that a man is certainly to perswade himself of his owne saluation or to beléeue the same and all their confidence they put in their owne workes and merites hoping to be saued by pilgrimages indulgences eating of fumadaes créeping to the crosse kissing of the Popes toe praying to saints to stockes to stones giuing of money to lazie Monkes and Friers and such like humane deuises Are they not then most wretched that neither vnderstand what is grace nor what is faith nor what is charitie nor what belongeth to good works He that beleeueth not saith our Sauior Marke 16 shall be damned The Apostle also sheweth Tit. 3. Ibidem that none is iustified but by the grace of Christ Nay he sayth that Christ saued vs not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost By eating holy bread they hope to attaine health of body and soule as it is in the Romish Missall they doubt not also but that their eating of their paschall lambe tendeth to the praise of God By holy water they teach that not onely diuels are driuen away but also veniall sinnes remitted Finally there remaine but few points of religion which the Papists with their leuen partly of Iudaical and heathenish superstition and partly of hereticall doctrine haue not corrupted What then resteth but that we deplore their blindnesse which admit such erronious absurd and blasphemous points of doctrine and wilfully resist those that offer vnto them the truth out of Gods word CHAP. V. The miserable state of Papists in matters of Religion is proued further for that they are depriued of those blessings which we haue receiued by the abrogation of popish heresies and superstition I Do not thinke but that our aduersaries albeit they differ from vs in other points yet in this will ioyne with vs and confesse that it is a miserable thing to wander without any certaintie in religion Parsons in the first encounter of his Wardword doth in effect say so much and albeit they should denie it yet it is a matter very euident For as the Apostle sayth Rom. 2. Those that sinne without the law shall perish also without the law If they know the law and do it not the law will accuse them and condemne them If they regard not to know the law yet shall Gods iustice lay hold vpon them for offending the law which they ought to haue knowne The Apostle Ephes 2. when he would put them in mind of their miserable estate before their conuersion saith they liued without Christ and without God in the world As if nothing can be deuised more damnable then to liue with out certaine knowledge of God and of Christ Iesus The Gentiles as the Apostle saith Ephes 4. walke in the vanitie of their mind hauing their vnderstanding darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart which argueth the miserable state of Christians that liue like Gentils without the true knowledge of Christ Iesus God hath also appointed a certaine ministerie in the Church giuing some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and teachers and among the rest one end was that henceforth we should be no more children wauering and carried about with euery wind of doctrine But the Papists for the most part as is shewed liue without the knowledge of God and the rest are caried about with the blast of euery blundering Pope wauering as the wind of his blustring bulles and decretals do carie them Vpon the Scriptures they ground not themselues but must take both such scriptures and such doctrine as he shall deliuer them Secondly it is a miserable thing to be deuided from the vnitie of Christ his Church For as out of the arke of Noe all perished in the old world so all that are without the Church of Christ shall vndoubtedly perish Those sheepe that are without Christ his fold are exposed to the mercie of the wolfe and without hope of saluation How then can the Papists looke for saluation that in faith and sacraments are deuided from the Catholicke and Apostolicke Church Further by many properties they shew themselues to haue no affinitie with the true Church as before I haue declared Thirdly without true faith it is impossible to please God The same is the doore by which we enter into the kingdome of heauen But we haue shewed that in many points the Papists haue declined from the true faith What hope then can they haue either to enter into the kingdom of heauen or to please God How hapneth it they see not their wretched state Absque notitia sui Creatoris omnis homo pecus est Without the knowledge of God a man is no better then a beast saith Hierome epist 3. Fourthly the Sacraments are the seales of the new Testament betwixt God and vs. Our Sauior taking the cup at his last supper called it The new Testament in his bloud If then the Papists haue violated Christ his institution in their doctrine and ministration of sacraments as by diuers arguments we haue declared then haue they declared themselues vnworthy to be partakers of his couenant Fiftly Those which despise the Lord shall themselues be despised saith the Lord 1. Sam. 2. And as he promiseth blessings to those that worship him and kéepe his commandemēts so he threatneth cursings to those that refuse to heare the voice of the Lord and to kéepe his commaundents and ceremonies prescribed for his worship Quod si audire nolueris vocem Domini Dei tui vt custodias facias omnia mandata eius caeremonias quas ego praecipio tibi hodiè venient super te omnes maledictiones apprehendent te saith Moyses Deut. 28. Let the Papists then consider well with themselues what they haue done in transforming the worship of God into the worship of creatures and seruing him not as he hath appointed but according to their owne deuises and fancies and let them beware that these plagues curses ouertake them not séeing they haue wholy neglected the true worship of God Sixthly Strange tongues are for a signe as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 14. not to them that beleeue but to them that beleeue not The Prophet also threatneth as a plague that God wil speake to his people by men of other tongues and in strange languages Isay 28. In loquela labij lingua altera loquetur ad populum istum It is therefore strange that the Papists féele not
the hand of God vpon them when they heare scriptures read and prayers said publikely in a language which they vnderstand not and a thing to be wondred at that they chuse rather to liue in this blindnesse then to haue the word of God read in a toung which they are able to vnderstand and whereby they may learne to feare God Seuenthly the very heathen haue oft times chosen to die rather then to sée themselues oppressed by tyrants Yet such is the stupiditie of Papists that they suffer the Pope and his Priests to tyrannize ouer them loading their consciences with intolerable lawes and false doctrine and spoiling their goods by diuers kinds of exactions and endangering their liues by their Inquisitors and massacrers and such like executioners of their bloudie decrées 8. Most dangerous is euery diuision among those of one societie but most miserable it is when they which professe themselues to be of Gods Church are deuided one frō another For the Church is a house of vnitie and not of dissention But among Papists one holdeth of Benet another of Francis another of Dominicke another of Clare and in no point of doctrine do all their Doctors agree together Superstitiously also they obserue dayes times and distinction of meates and consecrate salt water bread candles and paschal Lambes Finally they leaue the Creator and serue our Ladie Angels and Saints and other creatures Nay for reliques of Saints they worship oft times the ashes relikes and bones of wicked men and reprobates nay of bruite beasts 9. It is an vnséemely thing for those that professe holinesse to shew themselues examples of all beastlinesse as the Popes and holiest men of the papists are wont to do Therefore séeing the dogs sorcerers whore-mongers murtherers idolaters and lyars shall be shut out of the kingdome of heauen they are not to looke to be admitted without spéedie reformation 10. No Prince liuing vnder the Pope can assure himselfe of his state nor can any subiect that liueth vnder such a prince assure himselfe either of his life or goods For if the Pope haue power to take away kingdomes and to bestow them vpon others how can any King or prince assure himselfe he will not attempt the same when occasion serueth considering his violent procéeding against Emperours and kings in time past and against our late noble Queene against Henry the third and fourth of Fraunce and diuers others And if euery one by him and his Inquisitors declared Hereticke is to lose life and goods who can assure himselfe of either if he acknowledge not his authoritie and refuse his religion 11. No man certes shall prosper that shall follow Antichrists sect or religion If any man worship the beast and his image saith the Angel Apocalyps 14. and receiue his marke in his forehead and in his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God of the pure wine that is powred into the cuppe of his wrath But that new Rome and the Popes gouernment is the image of the old Romaine Empire and that the Pope is Antichrist it plainely appeareth by diuers arguments which I haue declared in my fifth booke De pontif Rom. 12 Those Kings that liue vnder the Pope are but halfe kings For first their Cleargie in diuers cases is exempt from them and next they haue not to do with the rest of their subiects in ecclesiasticall causes O miserable kings that haue fallen downe to worship the beast and haue suffered such base bougerly Italians to take away more then halfe of their royall authoritie 13 We find that no kingdome can long liue in peace which is subiect to the Popes controlment For if the Pope do find himselfe aggréeued then doth he trouble the peace of the State if the same offend him not but pay what he requireth yet if he fall out with others then must that kingdome make warres at the Popes pleasure By the Popes solicitation both England France Flaunders Spaine and all Christian countries haue endured great troubles The Turkes liue farre more quietly vnder their Sultans then Papists vnder the Pope Finally considering the intolerable exactions of the Pope and his furious inclination to warre and bloudshed and the tyrannie both of the Pope and his adherents it is no maruell if the papisticall people be poore and much wasted Whether then we respect things of this life or of the life to come there is no creature more miserable then a Papist Do you not then wonder that any should like the popish gouernment It were certainely much to be wondred but that experience doth teach vs that the Cimmerians that dwell in darknesse care not for the light and that brutish beasts delight in brutishnesse and base people in seruitude and superstitious people in vanities and superstitions CHAP. VI. Of the contradictions of Popish Doctors in principall points of Religion OF the dissentions of popish Doctors in matters of religion I haue said somewhat before Yet because Papists make vnitie in matters of faith to be a marke of the Church and confidently deny that their Doctors dissent in any point of any moment I haue thought good to insist yet more vpon this point that the world may see not only their miserie that as men not resolued in most points of religion wauer betwixt contrarie opinions but also their notorious impudencie that deny it Therein also doth appeare some Papists wonderfull simplicitie that séeing the contention of their Doctors do not vnderstand their differences and séeeing their differences and vncertaintie of popish Religion do notwithstanding sticke fast in the filthy dregs and abhominable corruptions thereof Pighius lib. 1. Eccles hierarch cap. 2. saith That Scriptures are not aboue our faith but subiect vnto it Stapleton Princip doctrin lib. 12. cap. 15. holdeth that the Church and Scriptures are of equall authoritie Eckius in enchirid loc com cap. de Eccles saith That the Scriptures are not authenticall without the authoritie of the church Bellarmine thought best not to dispute this question Nicholas Lyra Hugo Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas de Vio and Sixtus Senensis lib. 1. Biblioth sanctae reiect the last seuen Chapters of the booke of Hester as not canonicall Scripture The Conuenticle of Trent Bellarmine and most popish Doctors of late time hold them to be canonicall and thinke hardly of those which teach contrarie Iohn Driedo lib. 1. de Scripturis dogmat Eccles denyeth the booke of Baruch to be canonicall Scripture Bellarmine lib. 1. de verb. Dei and most of his fellowes be of a contrarie opinion Caietan and Erasmus in their Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes of Iames Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn do dissent from the rest of their fellowes partly concerning the authors and partly concerning the authoritie of those Epistles Iames bishop of Christopolis in Praefat. in Psalm And Canus lib. 2. cap. 13. de locis theologicis affirme That the Iewes haue depraued and corrupted
to take away the crowne nor the life from a prince that beléeueth his lawes and yéeldeth to the Pope all that authoritie which he claimeth yet doth he lose halfe his reuenues authoritie and regall soueraigntie For first the Pope shareth the Kings reuenues claiming tenths first fruites subsidies confirmation and disposition of Ecclesiasticall liuings and infinite summes of money for pardons licences dispensations and all maner of rescripts Those which are acquainted with the Popes faculties and incrochments in former Kings dayes within this land and now in Spaine Italy and other popish countries know they are intelerable and no way inferior to the Kings reuenues Nay if a King néed a dispensation for an Ecclesiasticall matter he is forced to bargaine with the Pope and to buy it deare The absolution of King Iohn had like to haue cost him the Crowne of England Secondly not the King but the Pope is King of priests and ecclesiasticall persons Boniface the 8. in the chap. Clericis de immunit eccles in 6. doth excommunicate both Kings and others that impose taxes and subsidies vpon the Clergie He doth also lay the same censure vpon those clergie men that pay any subsidies to ciuill Magistrates which sheweth that he kept them for his owne selfe Alexander the fourth in the chap. Quia nonnulli de immunit ecclesian 6. exempteth the possessions and goods of clergy men from toll and custome Bellarmine in his treatise De exemptione clericorum cap. 1. setteth downe these propositions In causis Ecclesiasticis liberi sunt clerici iure diuino à secularium principum potestate That is In Ecclesiastical causes clerkes are free from the commaund of secular princes by the law of God And by ecclesiasticall causes he vnderstādeth all matters which concerne the church and which by hooke or crooke the Popes haue drawne to their owne cognition Againe he sayth Non possunt Clerici à Iudice seculari iudicari etiamsi leges ciuiles non seruent That is Clerks are not to be iudged of secular Iudges albeit they keep not his temporall lawes His third proposition is this Bona clericorum tam ecclesiastica quà m secularia libera sunt ac meritò esse debent à tributis principum secularium That is The goods of clerkes whether they belong to the Church or be temporal are free from tributes of princes and so ought to be He sayth also that secular princes in respect of clerkes are not soueraigne princes and that therefore clerkes are not bound to obey them Now how is the King absolute in his kingdome if he haue neither power ouer the persons of the clerks nor their goods Emanuel Sa in his aphorismes In verbo Clericus in his book first printed and alleaged by him that wrote the Franc discourse hath these words Clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesae maiestatis quia non est subditus regi The rebellion of a clerk against the King is no treason because he is not the kings subiect This is plaine dealing and sheweth that the king is no king of the Clergie where the Popes lawes beare sway But because these words be somewhat too plaine therefore in a later edition of these aphorismes set out at Venice they haue for their owne ease cut out the words albeit in effect Bellarmine and others teach so much Their practise also declareth that this is their meaning for Thomas Becket stoutly resisted Henry the second Mat Paris in Hen. 2. and his parliament enacting that clerkes offending against the kings lawes should answer before the kings Iustices Further he would not agree that clerkes lay-fée should come in trial before them Sixtus quartus did enterdite the state of Florence for that they had executed the Archbishop of Pisa notoriously taken in a conspiracie against the State Xistus quòd sacrato viro Archiepiscopo ita foede interfecto Cardinalem quoque captiuum fecissent Hieronymo instigante grauissimum Florentinis sacris omnibus interdictis bellū intulit saith Onuphrius That is Sixtus warred vpon the Florentines and enterdited them for that they had killed the Archbishop of Pisa being a priest and layd hands on a cardinall And yet he declareth they were actors in the conspiracie against Iulian and Laurence de Medicis that then ruled the State This was also the greatest quarrell of the Pope against Henry the third of France for that he caused the Cardinal of Guise to be killed being culpable of most enormous treasons against him Now what can Kings do against their subiects if they may not punish them offending in treason Thirdly the Popes do draw many temporall matters from the cognition of the King to themselues and their adherents Boniface the 8. c. quoniam de Immunitat Eccles in 6. doth excommunicate all those that do hinder matters to be brought frō triall of temporall iudges to Ecclesiasticall courts and namely those that will not suffer all contracts confirmed by oathes to be tried before Ecclesiasticall iudges By which meanes almost all causes were brought before them and the Kings iurisdiction almost stopped and suspended The Kings of England therfore to restraine these incrochmēts made the law of Praemunire putting them out of his protection that wold not be tried by his lawes Is it not strange then that Christian princes should suffer such companions to vsurpe their authoritie and not onely in causes Ecclesiasticall but also in temporall to beare them selues as iudges Finally they deny that Christian Princes haue power either to make Ecclesiasticall lawes or to reforme abuses in the Church or to gouerne the Church concerning externall matters All papists do so distinguish betwixt Ecclesiastical and politicke gouernement that they exclude temporall Princes from the gouernement of the Church and make them subiect to the Pope Bellarmine lib. 1. de Pontif. Rom. c. 7. determineth that temporall Princes are no gouernours of the Church If then Christian Princes loose part of their reuenues and part of their iurisdiction and are quite excluded both from the gouernement of the Church and also disposing of the persons and goods of Ecclesiasticall persons most apparent it is that such Princes as admit the Popes authoritie are either but halfe kings or else not so much loosing more then halfe their authoritie by the Popes incrochments How contrarie this is to the doctrine of the Apostles and ancient fathers we néede not here dispute S. Peter teacheth Christians to honour the King and Paule exhorteth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Now what greater dishonour can be offered to a King then to take away his authoritie And how are they subiect that pay the King nothing and claime exemption from his gouernement Our Sauiour willeth all to giue to Caesar that which is due to Caesar and Peter payed tribute to Caesar But his false successors pay no tribute to Caesar but take tribute of Caesar and challenge it as due to them selues Nay they haue against all right vsurped his imperiall citie of Rome
And out of Tertullian de praescr contra haeret That lies hardly stand one with another Both which do excéedingly wel fit Rob. Parsons For neither hath the man shame nor honestie nor do his lies hang together as appeareth by this whole discourse Fol. 52. out of M. Knoxe he alledgeth as a dangerous position and so it is That princes may be deposed by the people And yet that is his owne traiterous assertion in his booke of Titles set out vnder the name of Dolman The title of the third chapter part 1. is of Kings lawfully chastised by their common wealths That is likewise his and Allens drift in their trecherous libell directed to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland where they perswade them to take armes against the Quéene of England Fol. 53. he condemneth in Buchanan that which he and Bellarmine and their crew of rebellious consorts hold viz. that if Christians deposed not Princes in the Apostles times it was for want of temporal forces and for that S. Paul wrote in the infancie of the church That is also in termes holden by Bellarmine lib. 5. de Pont. Rom. c. 7. In his first encounter chap. 10. he goeth about to proue that S. Bernard and S. Augustine iumpe with Papists in the doctrine of merits of good workes But vnlesse he shew out of them that workes are meritorious not by reason of couenant or promise or mercy but for the workes sake as Bellarm. lib. 5. de Iustif c. 17. holdeth and that there is a proportion or equality betweene the worke and reward merited and that workes are meritorious ex condigno and that charity differeth not really from grace as Bellarmine teacheth lib. 1. de libero arbit c. 6. and that men are able to prepare themselues to receiue grace and finally proue the distinction de congruo and condigno Parsons laboureth but in vaine But this is contrary both to scriptures and fathers He first loued vs sayth Ioh. 1. Ioh. 4. And the Apostle sayth We are saued by grace and not of workes Nullus saith Augustine in Psal 142. vnquam bonū opus fecit tanta charitate quanta potuit debuit No man did euer performe a good worke with so much loue as he could and ought And 1. Confess chap. 4. Qui reddis debita nulli debens Thou which restorest debt yet owest to no man Bernard lib. de grat lib. arb promissum quidem ex misericordia sed iam ex iustitia persoluendum Promised of mercy but to be payd according to iustice And in his first sermon de annunt Thou canst not sayth he merite eternall life by any workes vnlesse the same be also giuen freely or gratis And againe Mens merits are not such that eternall life should be due for them of right or that God should do wrong if he did not giue them eternall life Fol. 75. he saith theeues the worst sort of mē do not suffer persecution one of another which is verified by the example of Parsons and his consorts For albeit like wolues they teare and like théeues they steale and spoile Christs lambs yet they do not alway teare and spoyle one another Neither would the kingdome of Satan stand if it were diuided in it selfe The words of S. Augustine contra Iulian. lib. 1. c. 7. alleaged by Parsons fol. 77. b. fall right vpon his head For both his ignorance and boldnesse is intollerable Fol. 80. b. he saith Calis was lost by heretical treason which cannot be true vnlesse Quéen Mary and the Papists were heretikes For none but they did lose that towne Fol. 83. he talketh of the chastitie of Friers Monkes and priests which as he signifieth haue ghelt themselues for the kingdome of heauen And yet the Monk Heywood his true father was not very chast when he begot him Nor was Parsons ghelt for the kingdome of heauen when he begot children on his owne sister as A.C. sayth or when he got his hurts in Italy and Spaine which yet sticke to his rotten shins nor are the Popes and Cardinals and Massepriests that commonly kéepe concubines if not worse very holy eunuches Of D. Giffard and Weston I shall haue occasion to speake otherwhere Furthermore he is often talking of great heads alwayes forgetting the branched head of the blacke smith his putatiue father Fol. 84. and 85. he is not ashamed to talke of ciuil wars murders and other calamities in France Flanders and other countries when he cannot denie but that the Popes bloody buls and the Iebusites the firebrands of sedition and their agents haue bene the beginners of all these troubles and the principall massacrers of innocent men Was he then wel in his wits trow you to talk of his owne deare fathers cruelties and to accuse Christs sheepe as cause of the woluish Papists notorious murders and cruell executions Whereas Parsons asketh Sir Francis whether he hath certaintie of faith by his owne reading or by the credite of some others we may aske his friarship likewise or because he is but a doogeon dunce of the Pope who is as it were an oracle of Papists the same question And if he answer that he hath it by his owne reading then we shall much wonder at his impudencie For Parsons knoweth that Popes reade litle or nothing and for the most part are ignorant of schoole diuinitie If he say his Popeship hath it by the vertue of his close stool then is the same but filthy learning especially the Pope being laxatiue as was Gregory the fourteenth If he say he haue it from his Masse-priests and friars then are they more certaine oracles then he and this learning must come from the tayles of friars and not from the head of the church Parsons therefore to cleare this doubt fol. 110. saith That they do not depend on the Pope as a priuate man but as he is head and chiefe pastor of Christs vniuersal Church He saith also That his rudenesse is turned into wisedome But that the Pope is the head of Christs vniuersall Church is the thing in question That a man should be a sot as he is a priuate man and wise as he is a publike person is ridiculous That he is made wise and learned being made Pope is most false So it appeareth Parsons is ensnared in his owne question and must confesse that the faith of papists is nothing else but the Popes priuate fancie and grounded on the Popes chaire and most absurd and sottish which can not be obiected to vs séeing we ground our selues vpon the Apostles and Prophets who in matters of faith saluation speake plainely and alwayes the same things most constantly In his first encounter chap 15. he spendeth much talke about the rule of faith But most of his words are direct contrary both to himselfe and to his holy fathers profite For in the Wardword page 6. he said the vniuersal Church was the squire and pole-star which euery one was to follow confounding like an ideot
the thing ruled with the rule In the Warneword fol. 100. he saith the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles preachings of the Apostles is the rule of faith Which is contrary to the Popes profit For if this be true then vnlesse the Popes determinations and traditions ecclesiastical were preached by the Apostles and confirmed by mracles they are to be excluded from being the rule of faith Psal 7. Parsons therefore is like to those which dig pits for others but fall into them themselues He hath prepared weapons for vs but like a mad sot hath hurt himselfe with the same Finally Captaine Cowbucke like a noble woodcocke is caught in his owne springes CHAP. IX A catalogue of certaine principall lies vttered by Robert Parsons in his late Warne-word 1. Tim. 4. THe Spirit of God as the Apostle sayth speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hote yron Which prophecy as in other heretikes so especially in the Papists we may sée most plainely and euidently to be fulfilled For they departing from the auncient and Catholike faith taught by the holy Apostles and Prophets and recorded in holy Scriptures haue giuen héed to spirits of error and beléeued the trash of vnwritten traditions and lying legends and therupon haue founded their prohibitions of certaine meates and mariages and such like doctrines of diuels confirming their opinions with grosse lies vttered with seared consciences and brazen faces contrary to all shew of truth They take to themselues the name of doctors and fathers but are false teachers and vnkind traitors In 1. Tim. 4. And as Theodoret saith of certaine heretikes Christianorum sibi appellatione imposita apertè docent contraria Calling themselues Christians or Catholikes they openly teach contrary I could specifie it by Caesar Baronius and Bellarmine by Sanders Stapleton and diuers other principall authors of the popish sect But I will not match any man of note with so notorious a dolt and so base a swad as Robert Parsons is of whom we are now to speake though not much to his commendation The onely example of Parsons and that in one of his fardles of lies which we are now to rip vp shall shew them to be notorious and bold lyers The diuellish and erronious doctrine of friars we haue touched before and shall haue often occasion to mention In the front of his booke he promiseth the issue of three former treatises and in the second page talketh of eight encounters But he falsifieth his promise and lieth grossely For of the thrée former treatises he toucheth onely two chapters and of eight encounters entreth onely vpon two Further he declineth the true issue of matters and runneth bias like a warped bowle of dudgeon into impertinent idle questions Doth he not therfore as Hierom saith of one Hierō epist 6◠make shipwwracke in the port In his Epistle to the Reader taking vpon him to deliuer the summe of the controuersie betwixt him and vs he wracketh himselfe likewise thinking to wreake his malice vpon vs and beginneth with a grosse lie There hapned saith he some few yeares past he noteth 1599. in the margent as often also before a certaine false alarme of a Spanish inuasion then said to be vpon the seas towards England Where I néed not to note the idiotisme of Parsons speech that talketh of a Spanish inuasion vpon the sea towards England being elsewhere noted but only I wil touch his impudencie in lying and denying that about this time the Spaniards were ready with forces at the Groyne for the inuasion of England And the rather for that this was the occasion that moued Sir Francis Hastings to giue warning to his countrey and also because the same sheweth that Parsons is very sorie that any man is acquainted with the desseines of the Spanish King and that he could not take vs sléeping and so closely and priuiliy cut his countrimens throtes I say then it is a lie most notorious to affirme that the alarme giuen vpon occasion of the Spanish preparations anno 1598. for an inuasion of some part of England was false And proue it first by the words of the King who recouering out of a trance and comming to himself asked if the Adelantado were gone for England Secondly by the prouisions of ships and men made at the Groyne and Lisbone and which coming thence shaped their course for England albeit they were by wether beaten back Thirdly by the testimony of one Leake a Masse priest that was dealt withall to come for England Fourthly by the testimonie of the Secular priests in their reply to Parsons his libell fol. 65. sequent who directly charge Parsons to be a solicitor of these pretended attempts anno 1598. Fiftly by Parsons his letters from Rome to Fitzherbert wherein he desireth to vnderstand the successe of the fleete that anno 1598. was to go for England Finally by the Adelantadoes proclamation made at the Groyne and whereof diuers printed copies were to be dispersed in England vpon his arriuall here The which for that it discouereth the pride of the Spaniard and the malice of the English traitors I haue thought it not amisse to set downe the whole tenour of the proclamation with some animaduersions in the margent This seemeth to be Parsons his stile Considering saith the Adelantado the obligation which his catholike Maiestie my Lord and master hath receiued of God almightie to defend and protect his holy faith and the Apostolicall Romane church he hath procured by the best meanes he could for to reduce to the (a) Popish religiō is neither auncient nor true auncient and true religion the kingdomes of England and Ireland as much as possibly hath bin in his power And all hath not bene sufficient to take away the (b) Goodly pretences of leud ambitiō offence done against God in dommage of the selfesame kingdoms with scandale of whole christianity yea rather abusing the clemency and benignity of his (c) The Popes vassall Catholike Maiestie the heads and chiefe of the (d) True teachers heretikes which litle feare God haue taken courage to extend their euill doctrine with the oppressing of (e) These cacolikes were traitors Catholikes martyring them and by diuers wayes and meanes taking from them their liues and goods forcing them by (f) A manifest vntruth and calumniation against the truth violence to follow their damnable sects and errours which they haue hardly done to the losse of many soules Which considered his Catholike Maiesty is determined to fauour and protect these Catholikes which couragiously haue defended the Catholike faith and not onely those but (g) Lurking and dissembling Papists such also as by pusillanimity and humane respects haue consented vnto them forced thereunto through the hard
puritanicall presbytery and byting like a mad dog or at least barking against all honest men that come in his walke But compare them with his rakehell Iebusites and Romish priests nay with the consistoriall Cardinals and we shall see that he that alloweth the consort and combination of Cardinals hath no reason to speake against those vertuous and learned men Neither are the names and conditions of Romish priests such as that this euill fauored companion may despise the names of these men in respect of the other that deserue no fauour either for their titles or qualities Fol. 11. b. in his obseruations vpon my preface he saith It is spiced with poyson and venome But all honest men are to like it the better being misliked of Parsons and his viperous consorts who as they poyson mens soules with false doctrine so do they by poyson and practise séeke to murder all that are opposite to their wicked purposes spicing the cup so as Cardinal Allen the bishop of Cassana Obiected by the secular priests Sixtus Quintus Throkmorton diuers others neuer throue after they had tasted it Parsons also hath so spiced his bookes with calumniations that he may well be master of the diuels spicery Fol. 12. Doth not our Minister saith he shew himselfe more then Bizarro that is as he expoundeth it light and fantasticall headed And yet the heauy and beetleheaded block sheweth no sufficient reason of his spéech Will it then please him to take this word and to bestow it vpon the head of the Romish Church who claiming to be Peters successor and being most vnlike to Peter séemeth to be if not Beatissimo yet Bizarrissimo padre and to want both wit and braine The 13. leafe is all farsed with reproches but hath no more tast then his Italian porredge made of coleworts Let him therefore take them himselfe and bestow them at his pleasure being a hungry mastif curre a cunning companion and a cosiner of such as trust him a notorious firebrand that hath long sought to set his owne country in cōbustion a sycophant ready to detract basely from honest men by words and libels and a shop or rather to speake of his putatiue fathers occupation a forge of trechery and knauery For this he voluntarily giueth to vs but we giue it him vpon credit and warrant of his owne consorts And to requite him for his courtesie let him take from vs the choise of the best titles that are to be found in the hang-mans budget Fol. 14. He shall haue a K sayth he for the first letter of his title which is a fauour more then I desire Notwithstanding because he is so liberall I wold be loth to be vnthankfull let him therfore take both the K. and the rest of the word and an addition of p.p. in honor of the Pope and so all will make a pild po k. Fol. 17. Let vs sayth he learne the subtill shifting of this shuffling Minister And yet himselfe presently falsifieth the law Cunctos populos Cod. de sum Trin. fid Cath. leauing out that forme of faith which the Emperors commend in their law It appeareth therefore that Parsons and his consorts be a packe of cards that neither shuffled nor vnshuffled are worth any thing but to make sulferous matches to light candles to the diuell Fol. 2. he talketh of my companions and calleth them A rude rabble of pyraticall companions railing at men of honour and seruice that haue both by sea and land serued their countrey against all forreine enemies set on by a packe of renegate traitors and which shall alwayes be able to withstand the practises of all bougerly Popes and Cardinals and all their adherents Fol. 26. he termeth me pedling merchant but without all reason For I haue with all my force withstood the Masse priests who like pedlars come from the Pope with a packe of hallowed graines beades Agnus deis pictures and such trash being sory they cannot sell their Masses and make trafficke of mens soules as they were wont But percase he despiseth all pettie pedlars himselfe like a montbanke offering to sell the crowne of England Fol. 39. But ho sir swashbuckler sayth he forgetting his swashing when he plaid captaine Cowbucke and when an 1588. he was swashing and swaggering among the Spaniards that he meant to bring to cut his own countrimens throates Fol. 41. he raileth like a lunatike friar and fol. 58. and in other places calleth me Oedipus himselfe playing Dauus and like a daw cackling at euery one that commeth in his way Fol. 97. b. where I say that the Church of England professeth the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to the rule that was established by common consent and that they that digresse from this rule are not to be accounted of our societie Marke sayth Parsons the giddy head of this gagling goose But what aileth this frantike felow thus to raile Forsooth because he imagineth that I ioyne them of France Germany and Suizzerland which he in his drunken fits calleth Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists with vs in vnitie of faith and as he beléeueth cut them off presently againe But the congerheaded Noddey deceiueth himselfe if he thinke I cut them off For in matters of faith I doubt not but to shew that we al agree as touching the substance And that is proued in the harmonie of our confessions Fol. 115. What atheisme doth this martiall Minister and this diuels Deane bring in saith Parsons And why Because I deny that the Churches of France or Germany differ from vs in matters of substance Yet shall this be iustified alwayes against this diuels agent Neither doth it therefore follow that we haue no lawfull ministery as this swaggering friar newly dropt out of the hangmans budget supposeth and as this wicked atheist and sworne slaue to Satan inferreth Fol. 116. Oh saith he that Luther were aliue again to canuas this arrogant barking bastardly whelpe of his But if he wish him aliue once the Pope and the rest if he were aliue wold wish him often dead both aliue and dead being a dreadfull enemy to the tyrannie of Antichrist the false doctrine of friars and a scourge to all those hungrie curres that are now barking against him and casting forth al maner of villanie against the truth As for me I speake of Luthers opinion as some grossely vnderstand it and not as it may be vnderstood his words being fauorably construed Parsons therfore for this cause had no reason to raile and scold in his mothers language But if he would haue railed yet it sitteth not well for bastards and barking hel-hounds and proud peacockes to obiect either bastardy or barking or arrogancy to others Fol. 116. he sayth a Minister and a minstrel a preacher and a pirate a Bishop and a bitesheepe a Deane and a diuell are all one To answer him I say they are as like as a Pope and a puppet a friar and a frying pan a companie of Cardinals and a
he crieth out of two apparant abuses calumniation and flattery And why Forsooth because Parsons is accused to reioyce that her Maiesties yeares grow on so fast and because Sir Francis doth pray for the prolongation of her daies to the holding out still of the Popes authoritie As if it were flattery to pray for her Maiesties long life and not lawfull so to do Or else as if all the world knew not that Parsons by publishing Sanders de schismate and diuers libels hath sought her disgrace and both by warres and treasons to the vttermost of his power procured her destruction But saith Parsons it may be presumed that the Essexian assault would haue abbreuiated this still Where I pray you note that besides the slaunder of this noble Earle he confesseth that if that action had taken effect the Popes authoritie would not haue bene still holden out By which it may appeare that by the trechery of some hollow hearted Papists this noble Earle was brought to destruction Fol. 9. most impudently he affirmeth that nothing is answered to his discourse of Emoluments of tolleration of popish religion and of the hurts that haue come of alteration of religion As if popish religion being proued false idolatrous and disastrous to all kingdomes all his discourse did not fal to the ground But this is the fashion of such combatants to crie victorie when they are beaten out of the field Likewise he crieth out manifest vntruths because Sir Francis saith he was first called into the field by Parsons But as wel may the théefe say that the peaceable traueller that giueth warning to all to beware of théeues prouoked the théefe to set vpon him The Spaniards were ready to come for England Sir Francis giueth the alarme Out commeth captain Cowbucke like a cutthrote and setteth vpon him in his Wardword Is it not he then that beginneth this braul And doth not he in fauour of publike enemies make himselfe ready to cut our throtes Fol. 11. he saith my Preface tendeth wholy to bloodshed But this grieuous accusation required some more proofe then he bringeth Notwithstanding let vs heare what he alleageth His first perswasion saith he is by extolling exceedingly her Maiesties extraordinary clemencie As if the praising of a Princes clemencie were a perswasion to crueltie Or as if Parsons commending Pope Clements clemencie perswaded him to rigour Who euer heard such a witlesse speake Another reason he imagineth me to haue drawne from the meanings of papists But like an vnskilful archer he neither hitteth my reason nor intentiō He is therfore to learne that my purpose was to arme her Maiesty against Parsons and his consorts treasons and rather to secure the State then to vse violence to any but such as by all means oppugned the State and sought by trechery to vndermine the State Where I shew that heretikes Fol. 14. idolaters traitors are to be punished therfore factious papists he saith thus to reason at randō is much like to boies argumēting in sophistry And yet he with all his logick shal neuer answer this argument considering that I haue proued Robert Parsons and his consorts to be heretikes idolaters and traitors Ibidem Nay W. R. in his cleere Confutation confesseth so much not answering any of my arguments But saith he shew me one example from the beginning of Christendom that euer man or woman in any age was punished as an heretike by the Christian common wealth for sticking to the religion of the Pope of Rome As if I had not shewed that Angelikes Carpocratians In my Challenge Marcionists Manicheys Prince-killing circumcellions and Assassins Pelagians Collyridians crosse-worshippers and diuers others holding the same points which now the Pope professeth haue bene condemned and punished for heretikes Fol. 15. he crieth out folly and impudency in prouing that idolaters and heretikes are by lawes to be repressed But he dissembleth cunningly whatsoeuer is otherwise brought by me to proue Papists to be idolaters and heretikes He passeth by also two Gréeke sentences taken out of Euripides and Aeschines for to him Gréeke is of hard digestion Finally whatsoeuer is said of the Papists for railing against the Quéene in the booke De schismate Anglicano set out vnder Sanders his name and in other libels Parsons doeth wholly omit and yet he maketh a shew as if he would answer all writhing his face like an old ape swallowing pilles In the same place he noteth as he sayth a contradiction betwixt Sir Francis and me But the contradiction was in his vnderstanding and not betwéen vs. For neither would I nor he haue simple Papists punished with death which is the opinion of S. Augustine concerning simple heretikes Nor doth Sir Francis denie but that factious dogmatizing and obstinate heretiks ought to be put to death which both S. Augustine and I my selfe affirme Fol. 16. b. he giueth out that the words of Paul Rom. 16. where he would haue such marked diligently as caused diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which the Romanes had receiued make directly against vs and not against the Papists But then he must shew that we haue forsaken the doctrine preached to the Romanes and they not He must I say shew that S. Paul taught that Clement the eight is the spouse and rock of the Church that there are seuen sacraments that Christs body is corporally vnder the accidents of bread and wine and in as many places as is the sacrament that the accidents of bread and wine subsist without their substance that a Christian may liue without sinne that latria is due to the crosse that we are to pray to saints after the fashion of the Romish church and such like points of popish doctrine Or else he shall make a direct lie where he saith these words make directly against vs. Fol. 17. Hauing rehearsed the law Cunctos populos Cod. de summ Trin. fid Cath. he crieth out and willeth vs to tell him whether the same touch not vs. But if we tell him true it will make little for his comfort For we neither refuse to communicate with the Church of Rome nor the Church of Alexandria that was in Damasus his time Nor do we digresse from the faith mentioned in that law which Parsons like a falsary cut out seeing it made not for his purpose But séeing true Christians do not communicate with the Church and Bishop of Alexandria that now is why should Christians communicate with the Pope and his sect séeing they haue embraced a number of nouelties and heresies and published them in the Conuenticle of Trent which were vnknowne to Damasus and to the Church of Rome long after his time Fol. 20. he complaineth of iniuries offered by the Watch-word as a famous libell as well to great forreine princes and nations as to honourable worshipfull and honest subiects whereas whosoeuer readeth the book shal find that Sir Francis speaketh onely against forreine enemies and notorious traitors If then
chaire Neither doeth he doubt but to proue his triple conuersion and that in honor of the Popes triple crowne But if we do well examine his grounds and allegations we shall find that vnder the title of S. Peters chaire and apostolical doctrine the man doth séek nothing else but to recommend vnto vs the Popes close stoole with a decoction of his decretaliue doctrine and most beastly abominations The grounds of the whole discourse are false and the inference made out of them most weake and euil concluding First most false it is that Britannie or as Parsons sayth England was thrise conuerted by preachers sent from Rome Of Peters preaching in Britaine whereupon the first supposed conuersion standeth the obliuious fellow is but lately aduised For in his Wardword wherein he maketh the best ward for Rome that he can he could not find any more then two conuersions and those he rather fancieth then proueth His proofes for S. Peters preaching in England stand wholy vpon the testimony of Simeon Metaphrastes a lying pedant full of fabulous narrations whereto the aduersaries themselues make conscience to giue credit of Surius a Carthusian Monke and a great eater of stockfish and a codshead parasite hired to speak for the Pope and vpon a forged lying decretal set out vnder the name of Innocent the first wherein notwithstanding we reade nothing specially of Britaines conuersion Those that were sent from Eleutherus bishop of Rome to the Christian King Lucius of Britannie séeme rather to haue bin Britans then Romanes as the names of them set downe by Galfridus by Caius and other writers of British histories do report Lucius certes had no reasō to craue baptisme at the hands of Eleutherus his mandataries vnlesse he had bin well instructed in Christian religion before Beside that the Romanes in these times ruling in most part of Britaine it may be a question how far the kingdome of Lucius did extend it selfe Suppose then that this historie is authentical which may well be doubted the same being onely found in legends and fabulous writers all the glory of this conuersion must néedes stand vpon weake surmises and fabulous legends As for the Monke Austine he could not speake one Saxon or British word but was faine to bring interpreters with him out of France then called Gallia How then could he conuert them which vnderstood not one word spoken by him We do not reade that he preached to the Saxons or Britans but only that he baptized And very likely it is that he holp onely to baptize those whom either the Britans alwayes remaining among the Saxons and submitting thē selues vnto them or the interpreters which Austin brought with him from Gallia which then had a tongue common to both Gaules and Britons had before conuerted But suppose that either himselfe speaking British or Saxon or by some interpreter should haue conuerted some few yet all that amounteth to nothing and is scarce worth the speaking of it Secondly suppose some Britans or Saxons had bene conuerted to Christian Religion by preachers sent from Rome in auncient time when religion was pure and sincere yet Parsons hath no reason to make any great clamor vpon so small aduantage For first all those that are conuerted to religion are not to subiect themselues to those churches frō whence those came that did conuert thē or else to the bishops that sent them The church of Rome acknowledgeth no subiection to the Church of Ierusalem or to the Bishop thereof Neither doth Friseland or Germany that was conuerted by Saxons that came out of England acknowledge our Church or Bishops to be their superiors But were Rome beholding to Ierusalem from whence her first preachers came yet do not the Romanists now turne Turkes because Turkes preside at Ierusalem Suppose then we were beholding to Christian Romanes yet what is that to Antichristian Romanes that haue declined almost into as grosse impieties as Turks and worship idols or as they call them images so grossely that the Turkes do condemne them and may iustly rise vp too against them in iudgement Againe suppose we had bene beholding to the auncient Romanes yet this maketh nothing for the moderne inhabitants of Rome that either are a race of Gothes and Lombards that were enemies to the Romanes or else a collection and Ramasse of other nations nothing like to the Romanes Finally if we ought to embrace that religion that was either taught by S. Peter Eleutherus Austin or by other Christian Bishops in their times then are we to renounce the decretaliue doctrine of Popes together with the philosophicall mixtures of schoole diuines both which haue bin brought into the Church long after the ages wherein they liued Furthermore the idolalatrous worship of the crosse with latria of the saints with dulia of the blessed virgine with hyperdulia the doctrine of Papists concerning the carnall eating of Christs bodie transsubstantion halfe Communions priuate Masses reseruation of the Sacrament purgatorie for temporall paines after the guilt remitted popish indulgences and other popish trash might be packing It would also be time for the Pope with his triple crowne two swords guard of Suizzers Cardinals Monkes Masse-priests and Friers to trusse vppe his trinkets and to make himselfe readie for his iourney into some farre countrey beyond all Christianitie For neuer shall Robert Parsons proue albeit he could conuert him selfe into all shapes that Britaine was conuerted to any such religion as this or that the Church then had such a forme as now wée see in Rome Page 103. hée alleageth two proofes whereof the first he calleth negatiue the second affirmatiue and thereby hopeth to shew that the moderne Romish Religion is all one with the auncient Christian Religion But his negatiue ridiculous proofe is denied His affirmatiue is rather a bare affirmation then a proofe For first against his negatiue we offer to proue that not onely the points of Romish doctrine which the Church of England refuseth are brought in long after the Apostles time but also that they are contrary to the Apostles doctrine But suppose we knew no originall of some of the Romish heresies are they therefore no heresies Is idolatry no idolatry because the first beginning thereof is not knowne Or are the Angelikes Archontikes Crosse-worpers Nudipedals Monothelites and diuers other heretikes true Catholikes because the Papists cannot shew who first broached these heresies Secondly albeit the Magdeburgians and some other learned men find fault with some termes vsed by the fathers as of sacrifice altar priest purgatorie free-will and some other yet that sheweth not either that all the fathers vsed these termes or that any of those that vsed them consented with the Papists which from new termes are growne to new and strange doctrine Beside that Parsons disputeth ridiculously which ascribeth the particular and priuate opinions or some one or few among vs to the whole Church He himselfe albeit he affirme many things desperately will not yéeld vs this point against his
owne consorts So we sée Parsons his whole treatise of three conuersions easily subuerted in thrée words and with the turning of a hand The second part of Parsons his treatise wherein he pretendeth to make search for the religion professed in England is wholly without the compasse of his title of thrée conuersions So simple was he in his choise that he could not choose a title to fit his fantasticall worke Beside that he seemeth to be blind that could not find our Religion in the auncient Church of Christ for a thousand yeares after Christ and long after For there is no point or article of faith taught by the Apostles receiued by the consent of the whole Church in any auncient and lawfull Councell but we receiue it and embrace it Nor do we professe any thing in the Creed of the Apostles or of the Nicene and other auncient Councels which the auncient fathers did not also together with vs receiue and professe While therefore the light-headed frier ranne poasting through all ages and pretended to enquire for newes of our Church which he might sée if he would in all places he resembleth much that wise fellow that could not see wood for trées Neither is it material that in auncient time he findeth no opposition made against the Popes primacy or vniuersall power or to the Masse or to the doctrine of transsubstantiation the carnall presence in the Eucharist the sacrifice of the masse the 7. sacraments purgatory indulgences such like For who seeth not that it is most ridiculous to make search for opposition against popish doctrine heresie before the same was extant in the world But as soone as any began to chalenge the name of Oecumenical or vniuersal Bishop Gregory the first challenged him for it as the fore-runner of Antichrist The worship of images allowed after a sort in the second Councell of Nice though not in such grosse maner as now was oppugned in the Councell of Francford in the time of Charlemaine The carnall presence of Christs body in the sacrament was not beleeued by Gregory the 7. as Beno reporteth and was both thē and afterward disliked by many Transsubstantiatiō was disputed against by the schoolmen All the Easterne Church spurned against the Popes headship his purgatory and indulgences Neither since the time of the first beginning of these corruptions did the Albigenses Valdenses Wiclephians and Bohemians as they are called together with diuers others cease to exclaime against these popish abuses But saith Parsons these did not in all things agrée with vs. Yet if he speake of matters of faith he wrongeth them and vs. If of ceremonies it is not necessary that al churches shold agrée in all points Furthermore if the aduersaries had not calmniously layed diuers imputations of heresies vpon them which they neuer held the variation wold not haue séemed so great as they pretend Wherfore if Robert Parsons séeke no better it is not like that he wil find a Cardinals hat which as his friends charge him he hath long sought This is the summe of that which is materiall in Robert Parsons his treatise of thrée conuersions The rest is nothing else but froth of the mans fury and foolery and containeth only certaine idle inuectiues against M. Fox that good man against M. Bale other honest Christians together with certaine fond tales of king Alphreds dreames S. Cutberts apparitions such like woodden popish stuffe drawne out of lying legends He forgot not also to raile against our noble Quéene lately deceased and to call her old persecutor and to lay an aspersion of slaunder vpon the State as if the same did persecute Papists for religion a matter of which the secular Masse-priests are ashamed and sticke not to cleare those whom this conuertible Proteus most vniustly chargeth Finally his fardle of wast papers containeth diuers corruptions and deprauations of holy Scriptures miss-allegations of Fathers weake collections grosse errors rebellious positions notorious lies and calumiations which in a large treatise herafter are to be discouered K. Kellisons Suruey if any man list to suruey and peruse a certaine slaunderous and railing companions libell entituled Caluinoturcismus and with hatred more then Turkish to christian religiō set out by Gifford of Lile wil be found to be wholy stolne out frō thence albeit he yéeldeth no thanks to those from whence he borowed or rather stole his inuention This Plagiary therefore néedeth no other answer then that which is already made to Giffords Turky worke called Caluinoturcismus It séemeth the man is at a stand For albeit Gifford hate religion like a Turk yet he answereth no more then if by vertue of Parsons his thrée conuersions he were turned into a mute Turbot This K. also of his owne hath added a glozing and flattering Epistle to the King a certaine preface concerning inanimate and vnreasonable creatures percase like the Arcadian beasts of Doway and certaine fragments old ends of diuers stale declamations made as it seemeth at the drinking out of a pot of Renish wine His schollers I heare gape and wonder at his horrible eloquence But yet the wisest of thē see that they haue no affinitie with his purpose and onely serue to fringe his chapters like as mustie ends of mockado serue to stitch his iacket of perpetuana All the whole amounteth to nothing saue to declare the man to be a perpetuall railer and a most sottish declaimer The idle fellow in all his scuruy collection which he like a surueyor without commission hath made to litle purpose doth neither shew wisedome nor modestie nor learning If the fellow had bene wise he would not haue touched any matter of noueltie or absurditie For therein he giueth his aduersaries iust occasion not onely to iustifie their religion to be most ancient and consonant to holy scriptures but also to declare his popish religion refused by vs to be a packe of nouelties and a masse of grosse absurdities For who knoweth not that the Romish Church consisting of a triple-crowned and crosse-slippard Pope with his guard of Suizzers a consistory of purple Cardinals that hath neare affinitie to the purple whore of Babylon a rabble of rakehellike masse-priests filthy monkes friars and nunnes with a people worshipping idols and beléeuing the decretaliue doctrine of Popes and the decrées of Trent is new and neuer séene before vntill of late Who doeth not vnderstand that both the grounds of popery the doctrine thereon built is new For neither can K. shew that the auncient Church was founded vpon the Pope and his decretals or vpon traditions allowed by the Church of Rome or that the Church was tied to such senses of scriptures as the Romish Church alloweth or bound to follow the old Latine translation of the Bible Neither can he proue either out of fathers or ancient writers that Christs true body is both in heauen and earth and in euery pixe at one and the same time or that his body