First he saith There hath not bene so many exactions in time past as since the yeare 1530. and for proofe he referreth vs vnto the exchequer bookes But both his exceptions and his proofes are ridiculous For albeit much hath bene paid to the king yet it doth not therefore follow that we are to pay much to the Pope Againe it is ridiculous to séeke proofes of the Popes exactions in the Exchequer bookes being so many that they can hardly be registred in any bookes Beside this it is false that the people of England hath paid more to the king then to the Pope as may appeare by the conference of particulars But suppose we should pay more to the king then to the pope yet these two contributions are euill compared together For to the King we owe dutie and tribute to the Pope we owe nothing but many bitter execrations for all our charges and troubles For his malice is the root of all our troubles and the cause of all our payments He saith further that notwithstanding the exactions of the Pope the Clergie in time past did farre excell our Clergie in ease and wealth But that is no great commendation if ours excell them in vertue and pietie Beside that Matthew of Paris in Henry the third doth in diuers places expresse the miserable estate of the prelacie in those times by reason of the Popes gréedinesse As for the common sort of priests that liued vpon sale of Masses and the begging Fryers that liued vpō almes Robert Parsons hath no reason to extol thē for wealth lesse certes for other qualities But were our Clergy burthened more thē in times past yet hath this louzie companion no reason at all to mention the same séeing the blame ariseth from the Sodomitical priesthood of the popish synagogue that in king Henry the eight his dayes sold and intangled their liuings and haue since bene occasion of many troubles which without charge could not be ouerpassed He saith our Clergie may sing Beati pauperes spiritu and so might the Romish Clergie too if they were Christians Robert Parsons certes himselfe abusing this place to sport as the Pope abuseth scriptures to profite sheweth himselfe to be an Atheist and talking of his Clergie he proueth himself a sot For in the world there is not a more beggerly I might also say bougerly Clergie then in Italy especially those which liue vpon the sound of bels by their rustie voices as Grashoppers liue vpon dew and sing swéetly oft times when they haue little to eate saue sallades and pottage of coleworts and such like suppes and Italian Minestraes Afterward turning his spéech from others he runneth very rudely vpon me and giueth out that I haue complained secretly of heauy payments to prince and patron But either he lyeth wilfully and wittingly against all truth and reason or els some secret lying companion hath gulled him Certes if he knew my estate and how willing I haue bene and am to spend more then ordinarie for resistance both of common enemies and such Caniball traitors as himselfe he would not impute this vnto me Let him therefore bring forth the man that told him this lie or else he must be charged with deuising the lie himselfe Finally he endeuoreth to excuse Innocentius the fourth and to lay the fault of the extreame exactions of his time rather vpon his collectors and officers then vpon the Pope himselfe He pretendeth also that Innocentius required a collection in a generall Councell But who is so simple to thinke that the whole state would complaine of the court and Pope of Rome if the fault were onely in a few vsurers and caterpilling collectors Againe why should Matth. Paris so often complaine of this and other Popes for their couetousnesse if the fault were onely in the collectors and why why did not the Pope sometime punish his collectors abusing their commission Thirdly it appeareth that this cogging pope abused the world pretending the recouery of the holy land gathering great summes of money vnder that pretence where it appeareth by the historie of Matthew Paris and others that he spent the money in warres to enrich his cousins and bastards and employed the aduenturers that crossed themselues for the holy land against the Emperor and other Christian states Finally it is a méere abuse to call a rabble of idle Monkes and busie Fryers and swinish Masse-priestes combined with Antichrist a generall Councel or to say that the Pope euer meant to recouer the holy land or to enlarge Christian Religion séeing by his aspires and contentions the Turkes haue enlarged and Christians haue lost their Empire being abandoned oft times and betrayed by the Pope CHAP. IX Of the deliuerance of the Realme and Church of England from the yoke of the Popes lawes and vniust censures ALbeit the Cardinals of Rome and the priests of Baal and their adherents do not willingly complaine of the Pope being diuers of them his creatures and the rest his sworne seruants and marked slaues yet such is the grieuance and wrong that many haue sustained by his lawes and censures that diuers of them haue bene forced to open their mouths and to talke against their holy Father Petrus de Alliace in his Treatise de reformat Ecclesiae saith that the multitude of statutes canons and decretals especially those that bind to mortal sinne are grieuous and burdensome Budaeus in his annotations vpon the Pandects saith that the Popes lawes serue not so well for correcting of manners as making of money His words are these Sanctiones pontificiae non moribus regendis vsui sunt sed propemodum dixerim argentariae faciendae authoritatem videntur accommodare In France as Duarenus saith In Praefat. in lib. de Eccles minist it was wont to be a common prouerbe that all things went euill since the decrées had ales adioyned to them that is since the decretals were published Malè cum rebus humanis actum dicebant ex que decretis alae accesserunt The Princes of Germanie complaine Grauam 20. that the rules of the Popes Chancerie were nothing but snares laid to bring benefices to the Popes collation and deuised for matter of gaine They say also Ibid. 8. that the Popes constitutions were nothing but clogges for mens consciences Neither may we thinke but that they had great reason thus to speake considering both the iniquitie of most of these constitutions and the strictnesse of the obligation by which men are bound to obserue them For what reason haue they either to prohibite mariage to any order or state of men not prohibited by the law of God to marrie or else to restraine the libertie graunted by the lawe of God or to forbid flesh egges or milke vpon certain daies Againe why haue they brought in not onely their carnall presence of Christs bodie in the Sacrament transsubstantiation the idolatrous sacrifice of the Masse but their purgatorie their indulgences and infinite such trash Why haue they
master of Sentences Dist 1. lib. 1. the school-mē striue about the words vti and frui dissenting not only from their master but also from one another They differ also much about the distinction of diuine attributes Vtrum sit realis formalis an rationis tantùm This saith Dionysius a Charterhouse Monke is one of the chiefe difficulties of Diuines In dist 2. lib. 1 sent and about it betweene famous Doctors is great dissention and contention Aegidius doth lance Thomas and others runne vpon both Aegidius in lib. 1. sent dist 2. would haue the persons of the Trinitie to be distinguished by a certaine thing in one that is not in another but others condemne him for that opinion Writing vpon the 3. dist lib. 1. sent they denie their masters examples and one condemneth another Bonauenture saith that men may attaine to the knowledge of the holy Trinitie by naturall reason others say contrarie The Scotists lib. 1. sent dist 5. inuey against Henricus de Gandauo for his opinion about the eternall generation of the Sonne of God Aegidius holdeth that the son of God hath power to beget another son which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange doctrine Thomas Aquinas part 1. q. 32. art 4. saith that Doctors may hold contrary opinions Circa notiones in diuinis He teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the Father then from the Sonne which others mislike If then they agrée not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie it is not like that in matters wherein they haue libertie to dissent they will better agrée Scotus holdeth In 2. sent dist 1. that the soule and an Angell do not differ as two diuers kinds Others teach contrary Some Doctors hold that Angels consist of forme onely In 2. sent dist 3. others hold contrary They dissent also about the sin of our first parents Pighius in the doctrine of original sin dissenteth from his fellowes Innocentius in c. maiores de bapt eius effect misliketh the opinion of the master of the Sentences that held it to be pronitas ad peccandum that is a pronenesse to sinne The Thomists to this day could neuer be reconciled to the Scotists about the conception of our Ladie these denying she was conceiued in sin the others affirming it Gropper in his exposition of the Créed confesseth that among the Papists there are two diuers opinions about Christs descending into hell Bellarmine in his bookes of controuersies doth not more violently run vpon vs then vpon his owne consorts In euery article almost he bringeth contrary expositions of Scriptures and contrary opinions In the sacrament of the Lords supper which is a pledge of loue there are infinite contradictions among them as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against Bellarmine The like contentions I haue shewed in my Treatises de Indulgentijs de Purgatorio and shall haue occasion more at large to speake of them hereafter We are therefore to thanke God that the doctrine of faith in the Church of England is setled and that refusing all nouelties we agrée therein with the auncient catholike Church We acknowledge one Lord one faith one baptisme one head of the Church one canon of Scriptures with the auncient fathers The rules of all auncient and lawfull generall Councels concerning the faith we admit We haue one vniforme order for publike prayers administration of Sacraments and Gods seruice Neither do we onely agrée among our selues but also with the reformed Churches of France and Germany and other nations especially in matters of faith and saluation And as for ceremonies and rites it cannot be denied but that all Churches therein haue their libertie as the diuersities of auncient Churches and testimonies of Fathers do teach vs. Most vaine therefore and contumelious is that discourse of N.D. in his Warne-word 1. encontr ca. 4 5 6. where he talketh of the difference of soft and rigide Lutherans among themselues of them from Anabaptists and from Zwinglians of all from the followers of Seruetus and Valentine Gentilis For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Caluinians or Zuinglians but onely call our selues Christians nor haue we to do with the Arians or Anabaptists or Seruetus or Gentilis or any heretikes Nay by our Doctors these fellowes haue bene diligently confuted and by our gouernors the principall of them haue bene punished But these may Parsons reply haue bin among vs. Admit it were so yet do not our aduersaries take themselues to be guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme because there are diuers guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme among them We say further that the Churches of Germany France and England agree albeit priuate men hold priuate opinions Finally where we talk of the Church of England what a ridiculous sot was this to bring an instance of the Churches of Germany or Suizzerland nay not of the Churches but of priuat persons and that in matters not very substantiall if we admit their owne interpretations Hauing therefore talked his pleasure of Lutherans and Zuinglians he descendeth to speak of rigid and soft Caluinists as he calleth them in England He calleth them also Protestants and Puritanes But neither do we admit these names of faction nor is he able to shew that publikely any Christian is tolerated to dissent either in matters of faith or rites from the Church of England But if any there be that mislike our rites yet is not that contention about matters of faith nor can the disorder of priuate persons hinder the publike vnion of the Church Finally I do not know any man now but he is reasonably well satisfied concerning matters of discipline albeit the same be with the great griefe of Papists who go about to stirre vp the coles of contention as much as they can that heretofore haue bene couered CHAP. II. Of the restoring of Christian Religion and the reduction of the Church of England to the true faith TRue faith in time of Poperie was a great stranger in England most men being ignorant of all points of christian Religion the rest holding diuers erronious points and heresies Their ignorance we shall proue by diuers testimonies hereafter Their errors and heresies are very apparent and at large proued in my late challenge That which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. that they imbrace for doctrine of faith For they forbid their Priests Monkes Friers and Nuns to marrie and commaund the Benedictines and their Charterhouse Monkes at all times to abstaine from flesh They also forbid men to eate flesh vpon all fasting dayes fridayes and saterdayes and in Lent dissoluing the commandements of God by their owne traditions The Manicheyes abstained from egges as Saint Augustine sheweth lib. de haeres cap. 46. Nec oua saltem sumunt quasi ipsa cùm franguntur expirent nec oporteat vllis corporibus mortuis vesci Cap. plurimi dist 82. So likewise did Papists at certain
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
conformed according to the prime institution Many godly Emperors and Kings haue deserued praise in going about to reforme abuses crept into the administration of sacraments before their time but none more then our late most gracious Quéene that from extreme abuses brought all to a most excellent order CHAP. IIII. Of the true worship of God established in the Church of England HOw the worship of God was corrupted among the Papists before the late reformation wrought by her Maiesties authoritie in the Church of England it wil hardly be of posteritie beléeued but that there are monuments of like corruptions yet remaining in diuers other countries and good records and memorials yet remaining of their notorious abuses in this countrie The faithfull Ministers that were yet remaining vpon the comming in of Quéene Marie wept to sée the desolation of the Church Psal 137. as the people of God caried into captiuitie when they sate by the waters of Babylon and remembred Sion They that now liue wonder at the grossenesse of popish errors For first they erred in the rule of Gods worship In vaine sayth our Sauiour Mat. 15. do they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men The Apostle Colos 2. doth condemne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is voluntarie or new deuised religion or as the old Latine interpreter hath translated that word superstition For so indéede humane deuises for the seruice of God without warrant of Gods word are for the most part to be called and estéemed God in expresse tearms refuseth such deuised seruices saying Who hath required these things at your hands But the founders of popish Religion as if God had appointed vs no certaine rule for these matters haue placed the perfection of their religion in voluntarie vowes of abstinence from mariage of pretended beggerie and of other Monkish and Friarlike obseruances and such like humane traditions Bellarmine de Monachis cap. 2. saith that Monkish religion is a state of men tending to Christian perfection by the vowes of pouertie continencie and obedience But if a man should aske him who taught men to aspire to perfection in this race he will be to séeke for an answer That God requireth or approueth such seruice it will neuer be proued They do also estéeme it a high peece of Gods seruice to kéep holidayes in honor of Saints created by the Pope in fasting vpon Saints vigils in eating stock-fish coleworts to adestooles and such like toyes in praying vpon beades in often repeating Aue Maria in worshipping of stones bones and rotten ragges they know not of whom in humbling themselues before Angels and Saints and the Sacrament of the altar in saying our Ladies Psalter in ringing bels in going barefoote and woolward and whipping themselues By saying ouer the Rosarie of our Ladie onely they report that diuers miracles haue bene wrought Diuers thousands of yeares of indulgences also are graunted to the company of the Rosarie or beades of our Ladie as is recorded in a booke intitled Miracoli della santissima vergine Maria printed at Venice by Bernard Giunti anno 1587. Matters which no man would admit but fellowes made of wood coleworts and stockfish Secondly they are deceiued in the manner of Gods worship and that in thrée sorts For first their worship is almost wholy externall consisting in outward ceremonies as namely in often rehearsall of Credo or Pater noster or Aue Maria or being present at the Masse albeit they vnderstand nothing or sprinkling themselues with holy water or often crossing themselues or going to Rome or Hierusalem or lighting of candles or ringing knocking or greasing or such like But our Sauiour reprehendeth thē that come neare to God with their lippes and haue their hearts farre from him and sheweth that true worshippers shall worship him in spirit and truth Next they offend grieuously in giuing too great honor to Angels Saints stocks stones and rotten bones Hierome in his Epistle to Riparius teacheth vs otherwise Nos non dico Martyrum reliquias c. We saith he worship not or adore either reliques of Martyrs or Sunne or Moone or Angels or Archangels or Cherubim or Seraphim or any name that is named either in this world or in the world to come lest we should serue the creature rather then the Creator which is blessed for euer Saint Augustine likewise lib. de vera relig cap. 55. speaking of Angels Honoramus eos saith he charitate non seruitute nec eis templa construimus We honor them with loue and not with seruice and build no temples vnto them Epiphanius haeres 79. speaking of Angels saith directly that he would not haue Angels worshipped But Papists kisse dumbe images pray before them burne incense vnto them They teach also that seruice is due to Saints and that we are to giue latriam or diuine honour to the crosse to the crucifixe to the sacrament of the altar and the images of the persons of the holy Trinitie which they indeuour to fashion in wood mettal and colours They offend thirdly in the forme of their prayers which are found in their Missals Breuiaries and rituall bookes and which cannot be denied to be both false and blasphemous Gaude Maria virgo say they cunctas haereses sola interemisti in vniuerso mundo that is reioyce virgin Marie thou alone hast killed al haeresies in al the world What then I pray you did Christ in the meane while and what did all other Saints And againe O Maria admitte preces nostras intra sacrarium tuae exauditionis reporta nobis antidotum reconciliationis c. O Marie admit our prayers within the holy place of your hearing and bring vnto vs the triacle of reconciliation And yet they say Saints departed do not sée nor know things below but by séeing them represented in the face of God as it were in a glasse In Missall Rom. On S. Andrewes day they pray in this forme Sanctifie ô Lord these gifts dedicated vnto thee and the blessed Martyr Saturninus interceding for vs by the selfe same being pleased intend vs by our Lord c. As if the Lords bodie which is the thing meant by those gifts néeded sanctification or else as if it were conuenient that God being reconciled to vs by Christ should no otherwise intend our prayers then by the intercession of Saturninus On S. Nicholas his day they say thus Deus qui B. Nicolaum innumeris decorasti miraculis tribue quaesumus vt eius meritis precibus a Gehennae incendijs liberemur That is O God which hast adorned S. Nicholas with innumerable miracles grant we beseech thee that by his merits and prayers we may be deliuered from hell fire Which implyeth that not onely the miracles reported in S. Nicholas his legend are true but also that by his mediation we are deliuered and saued from hell In the Portesse they pray thus Tu per Thomae sanguinem c. That is Thou ô Christ by the bloud of Thomas which
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
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
talke of experience For whosoeuer hath liued among those that are of our religion and among Papists also must néedes say that the liues of Romanists are abhominable offending in whoredome Sodomie periurie vsurie and all impieties and discharge vs deterring and abhorring those vices and punishing them seuerely Beside that if he meant to winne credit he would not talke of the whole world being not able to name one honest man that will iustifie that which he talketh Secondly he saith our best friends renounce our workes And then alleageth an Epistle of Erasmus mentioned by Surius a Postil of Luther and a testimonie out of Aurifaber But first Erasmus is none of our best friends being in most points an aduersarie and a professed Masse-priest And if he were our friend yet haue we no reason to beléeue Surius a malicious enemie and a base Monke hired to speake lyes Secondly it is a ridiculous foolerie where we dispute of the fruites of the Gospell in England in Queene Elizabeths dayes to bring testimonies of Luther and Aurifaber that were dead before her time and speake of some of their countrie people Thirdly they speake not of the whole reformed Church in Germanie but rather of some that albeit they disliked Poperie yet did not sincerely embrace the truth Finally neither Luther nor Aurifaber doth charge his countrie people with such faults as raigne among Papists He must therfore séek some witnesses that speake more to purpose and leaue his owne treasons filthinesse periurie lying gluttonie and drunkennesse before he talke of good workes Finally he pratleth much concerning the merit of workes But if he had bene vsed according to his merits then had the crowes long ere this eaten his carion flesh He misliketh also that we should giue a caueat to auoide hypocriticall ostentation albeit any man shold do good works But this caueat concerneth him but a litle whose workes are most wicked and odious his writings being nothing but either lying and rayling libels or fond and trifling discourses of points of Poperie and his practises tending all to murdering empoysoning sedition warre and bloudshed CHAP. XII Of temporall benefites enioyed by Queene Elizabeths most happie gouernment BEside great successe in affaires of the Church God hath also blessed the people of England in ciuil matters in regard that his name is truly called vpon by vs fulfilling that in England which he promised to the kéepers of his lawe by Moises Deut. 28. Benedictus eris saith Moises ingrediens egrediens Thou shalt be blessed in thy comming in and going out And againe Emittet Dominus benedictionem super cellaria tua super omnia opera manuum tuarum benedicetque tibi in terra quam acceperis That is the Lord shall send his blessings vpon thy store houses and vpon all the workes of thy hands and shall blesse thee in the land which thou shalt possesse First by her happie entrance we were deliuered from the yoke of the Spaniards and from subiection to forraine nations A blessing very great and which is promised to the obseruers of Gods holy lawes Deut. 28. The Lord saith Moyses shall appoint thee for the head and not for the taile and thou shalt be aboue and not vnder if so be thou wilt hearken to the commandements of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day That is God shall make thée commaund others and not to be commaunded by others Libertie is a gift litle estéemed because frée men know not the miseries of people subiect to forraine Lords But if men would consider the difference of men frée and subiect to strangers and tyrants Philippic 10. they would preferre nothing before it Pro libertate saith Tully vitae periculo decertandum est For libertie we are to contend Ibid. albeit we should hazard our liues And again Ita praeclara est recuperatio libertatis vt ne mors quidem sit in libertate repetenda fugienda So excellent is the recouerie of libertie that we are not to doubt to lose our liues for the regaining thereof Contrariwise it is an indignitie not to be suffered by any Englishman honorably minded the Spaniards should raigne ouer vs. The Spanish gouernment is very rigorous in Spaine but in Flanders Millan Naples and the Indiaes the same is most tyrannicall and intolerable Seing then that by the happie entrance of Quéene Elizabeth the Spaniards lost their footing in England which they had alreadie deuoured in their imagination and both perfidious Marans and the Popes bougerly Italians were turned out to séeke new countries wherein to practise their fraud and crueltie why do we not continually renew our thankesgiuing for so great deliuerance Her Maiestie was alwaies desirous of peace and neuer made warres against any but being prouoked and forced thereunto for the defence of her estate and people Yet neuer did she take armes in hand but she returned with victorie The French entring into Scotland and by that meanes intending to trouble England were forced to surrender Lieth and with scorne to returne from whence they came Vpon which great securitie ensued to both the countries When the Nobilitie and people of Fraunce were oppressed by the Popes faction that meant after they had atchieued their purpose there to assaile vs in England as in diuers Treatises they haue declared by her armes and mediation the Christians there obtained good conditions of peace if the aduersaries perfidiously had not broken them Both with forces in New-hauen and by other meanes she was alwaies willing to succour that distressed people By her support for the most part the states of the lowe countries being in danger to be depriued of their libertie priuiledges and lawes and to be tyrannized by the Spaniards haue long subsisted and maintained themselues against most cruell enemies Anno Dom. 1588. that fléete of Spaniards which proudly they called the inuincible Armada by her shippes through Gods fauour was chased dispersed and vanquished and all the bragges of Spaniards and their assistants brought to nothing Not long after when she saw that to resist the enemies malice it was necessarie for her to follow the warres she sent some forces to sea which albeit not great nor competently prouided yet did they possesse the harbor of Coronna take the base towne and defeat all the forces that were gathered against them at the bridge of Burgos The same also entred Portugal and had possessed it if there had bene good correspondence Sir Francis Drake with no great forces took S. Iago S. Domingo S. Augustine and Carthagena and laid a plot to take a great part of the Indiaes from the Spaniard but that he defended himselfe with bribes better then with shippes or armes corrupting some that alwaies ouerthrew most traiterously all attempts against him At Caliz her Maiesties souldiers burnt the kings fléete tooke the towne and had entred farther into the countrie had not the Spaniard some as good friends in our armie as the Quéene Not long since
the English together with the States souldiers ouerthrew the Cardinals armie betwéene Newport and Ostend to the vtter ouerthrow of the Cardinall and the Spaniards in that countrie if the victorie had bene pursued And now albeit coldly pursued yet hath it so broken his forces that he hath lien idlely euer since before Ostend hoping rather by treatie then by force to preuaile In Ireland the Lord Gray ouerthrew the Earle of Desmond and cut the Italians and Spaniards that kept the fort at Smerwike in péeces About the time also died Sanders the Popes Legate and other traitors stirred vp to rebellion by the Pope and his agents Neither could D. Iuan d'Aquila kéepe his footing in Kinsale albeit he had with him many good souldiers and great aduantages Diuers times hath the Pope troubled her both in England and Ireland stirring vp first the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and then certaine rebels in Norfolke and afterward procuring diuers seditious fellowes in Ireland in hope of his blessing to rebel But his blessings haue bene turned into cursings and all his trecherous deuises haue come to nothing Finally we find Gods promise to his people by Moyses Deut. 28. verified in her For where he sayth That God would make all his peoples enemies to fall down before them we sée that all the Quéenes enemies fel before her and that the more they maligned her the more God aduanced her Such reputation she wan both with Christians and with Infidels that al men had great respect vnto her except such as maliciously oppugned her The King of Poland and the Transiluanian haue receiued fauour of the Turk for her sake and her friends great comfort in all their distresses Before the Quéenes time the Pope claimed a great part in the gouernement of England challenging power to make Ecclesiastical lawes to send hither Legates to ordaine and appoint Bishops in diuers cases to dispose of Ecclesiasticall liuings and those that possessed them He did also leuis tenths and first fruites and by procurations licences and dispensations drew great summes of money out of the realme In some cases he tooke vpon him to iudge the king and to dispose of the crown of England Hereof it followeth first that the Kings of this land for some ages before King Henry the eight were but halfe Kings neither medling with the externall gouernement of the Church nor being authorized to rule their Cleargie or to dispose of their liuings Secondly that they held that poore halfe of their kingdome which remained at the Popes pleasure and no further as appeared by the insolent dealing of the Pope with King Henry the second and King Iohn out of whose hands the Pope had almost wrested the scepter of their royall authoritie But her Maiestie abolishing the vsurped power of the Pope fréed her selfe and her successors from his tyrannie and restored that power and iurisdiction to the Crown that was by his craft and fraudulent dealing long vsurped She found that it belonged to godly kings to make lawes for religion to rule their subiects to dispose of the affaires and goods of the Church according to right So did Constantine the great and other godly Emperors So did Charles the great and Lewes kings of France So did Alfred and S. Edward Kings of England as the lawes of the Code and Nouell constitutions the constitutions of Charles and Lewes and of the auncient Kings of England declare Neither before Pope Heldebrand or rather that firebrand of hell did any Pope take vpon him to giue out lawes or decretals for the gouernement either of the whole Church or the Churches of other kingdoms For this matter therfore Quéene Elizabeths name deserueth to be had in perpetuall remembrance for that she fréed her selfe and her subiects from the Popes wicked lawes and vsurpations and restored the auncient priuiledges and dignities to the Crowne The which had bene much in a man but in a woman was much more glorious With her also peace which by the practises of the Spaniards had bene exiled to our losse and shame returned again into this land For finding this land at variance with France and forsaken of Spaine she found meanes to compound with France and begā to settle matters at home According to the Prophets admonition Psal 34. she sought peace and followed it And such successe hath it pleased God to giue her that although the Pope by diuers practises hath sought to raise discord and rebellion within England yet maugre his head we haue enioyed peace this fiue and fortie yeares to the great contentment of her subiects and the wonderment of the world For who wondreth not that France and Flanders and other our neighbor countries being in a flame and the Pope desiring nothing more then to set our country on fire that the moderation of a woman should maintaine her State in peace when great Kings could not kéepe their state from being consumed with warres How great this benefite is both the commodities of peace and the miseries of warres may teach vs. Et nomen pacis dulce est saith Tully ipsa res salutaris Philippic 2. The name of peace is sweete and the thing it selfe safe and commodious De leg Agrar contra Rull Neither doth a people more desire any thing then peace as he saith in another place and in peace not onely those to whom nature hath giuen sence but also houses and fields seeme to reioyce Quid est tam populare ac pax qua non modo ij quibus natura sensum dedit sed etiam tecta atque agri laetari videntur Contrariwise warres worke destruction of men cities countries and as Tully saith Philippic 2. haue vncertaine euents and nothing is more execrable then ciuill warres Tully estéemeth him vnworthy to liue among men Philippic 3. that delighteth in ciuill discord and warre By meanes of long peace this land is also growne to great wealth The country is better cultiuated trade is much increased all arts and occupations growne to greater perfection then in time past Noblemen and Gentlemen haue doubled their reuenues Yeomen and Merchants aspire to the degrée of Gentlemen and diuers men of occupation do exceed men of their sort in former times Whosoeuer compareth the common people of England with men of their qualitie in Spaine Portugal and Italy must néedes confesse that in wealth and meanes our country men do farre excéed them Finally neuer was England so populous and strong in men as in our late Quéenes dayes Spaine and most places of Italy séeme desolate in comparison That these are great blessings it cannot be denied For God promiseth increase of substance and men to his people as a blessing Deut. 28. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body saith Moyses to the people of God and the fruite of thy land the fruite of thy cattell the flockes of kine and sheepe And the multiplication of Abrahams posteritie Gen. 17. and in diuers other places was
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.
direct against the Dominicans Franciscans Benedictines and Ignatians And proueth Ignatian Parsons a lying person Fol. 66. b. he saith That in S. Hieromes time the Romaine faith was accompted the generall Catholike faith And that this Island hath had twise participation of the Romaine faith Both manifest lyes For as well might the city of Rome be called the world as the Romaine faith the generall Catholike saith Againe it is false that in old time we receiued the Romaine faith that now is professed and declared in the conuenticle of Trent For we receiued the Christian faith which not these Romaines that are a collection of the scumme of the world but the old generouse Romaines professed Fol. 69. he denyeth that the Apostle teacheth that publike prayers should be in a knowne language where boldly he giueth the lye to Ambrose Chrysostome Theophylact and other fathers that shew that the Apostle speaketh of publike prayers in a knowne tongue To iustifie the vse of the Latin tongue in reading of scriptures he maketh two loud lyes as I must néedes tell him in English First he saith That Ioan Bourcher by reading scriptures in English learned that Christ had not taken flesh of his mother and that a tanner of Colchester learned that Baptisme was worth nothing and that others fell into heresies by reading scriptures And secondly That euery man lightly vnderstandeth somewhat of the Latin tongue Both vtterly vntrue For neither do the vulgar people among the French or Italians vnderstand Latin nor do Christians rather now fall into error by reading vulgar scriptures then the old Gréekes and Romaines that read scriptures in Greeke and Latin But rather therefore did they erre for that they did not reade them diligently or reuerently Fol. 71. he saith we teach that good workes are perilous Let him therefore name those which haue committed this fault or else acknowledge himselfe to be a perilous lyer Fol. 79. he cannot be content to lie where he talketh of matter of charge but will néeds haue me testifie matters which I neuer thought I might as well make him speake all villany against the Pope but I wilt not now vse the testimonie of so bad a fellow That which he telleth of the Popes exactions out of great benefices onely Encon 1. c. 11 and of his employments of mony against the Turkes are méere leasings For he taketh by one meanes or other both of great and litle and rather destroyeth Christians then Turkes Fol. 89. he exclaimeth and sayth What will you say to this man that maketh all his auncestors for so many hundred yeares together and the auncestors of her Maiestie her father and grandfather and the rest meere infidels I answer in his owne forme What will you say to this beast that lieth as fast as a dog can trot My words that he setteth downe refute him For I speake not of all but of the most part of Christians of former times and of their ignorance I haue brought sufficient proofe If then those that lie deserue cudgelling as he saith it is not halfe a loade of wood that will serue for the bastonading of this brutish and senselesse beast Fol. 99. By which words it is euident saith Parsons that his rule consisteth of the consent and establishment of certain men in England what to beleeue which is a different matter from scriptures But whatsoeuer he thinketh of the rule of faith he kéepeth no rule in speaking vntruth For albeit the rule of faith which euery priuate man in England is to follow was established by consent of the synode of the Clergy of England yet I say not nor doth it follow of these words that the consent of men is our rule of faith For the canon of scriptures is the generall rule that all the Church ought to follow and because euery priuate man vnderstandeth not all points of himselfe therefore the Church to helpe the weaknesse of the ignorant hath gathered the summe of faith out of scriptures and proposed the same as conclusions thence deduced for priuate men to follow Fol. 105. like a shamelesse beast he sayth The Emperours in the l. cunctos Cod. de sum Trin. fid Cath. remit themselues to the Romane religion and to Damasus the Popes beleefe and that they determine nothing of religion both which assertions are matters vtterly false For first they remit men not to the Romane faith or to Damasus his beléefe but to the faith of Peter Next they determine that men shall follow that faith and declare what the faith is Cunctos populos say they quos clementiae nostrae regit imperium in tali volumus religione versari quam diuum Petrum Apostolum tradidisse Romanis religio vsque adhuc ab ipso insinuata declarat quamque pontificem Damasum sequi claret Petrum Alexandriae Episcopum virum Apostolicae sanctitatis hoc est vt secundùm Apostolicam disciplinam Euangelicamque doctrinam Patris Filij Spiritus sancti vnam deitatem sub pari maiestate sub pia Trinitate credamus But were any to follow Damasus his beléefe what is that to later Popes that scarce beléeued in God and are more like to the grand Turke then to Damasus In the same leafe he telleth also many other grosse lies as for example That the Romane religion was receiued by Peter whereas the Emperours in the former law say that Peter deliuered Christian religion to the Romanes Secondly that the Emperors law declareth the Pope of Rome to be the chiefe gouernor of Christian religion and that the Emperours accompted him for their head And thirdly that Siluester confirmed the decrees of the Councel of Nice Matters most sottish and bluntly and falsly affirmed For in that law there is nothing of the Popes generall headship Neither néeded the acts of the Nicene Councell any confirmation of Siluester In his second encounter chap. 2. it séemeth he hath put on his vizour of impudency telling lies vpon reports without all shame or proofe In King Henry the eight his dayes he saith that a certaine Catholike man in Louth in Lincolnshire was put to death being baited in a beares skin and that the same thereof is yet fresh in Louth Matters very false as all the old men in Louth wil testifie vpon their othes Further the same is so improbable as nothing more For neither can the partie that was so put to death nor the iudges or executioners or parties present be named Nay it cannot be proued that any was put to death at Louth at that time albeit some of Louth were in danger for the rebellion as is yet remembred Parsons also must tell how any durst put men to death contrary to law who they were knowing that the very rebels were not executed without trial Another like lie he fathereth vpō Sir Edw. Carew brother to the Lord Chamberlaine who is said to haue reported That certaine Nobles or Gentlemen baited a certaine cacolike man with spaniels But what if the Lord
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