brought for we wil ever do grant so much as any man can in truth wish to bee collected out of them But what is all this to the purpose since neither then nor since they do agree with the polluted doctrine of your Sinagoge and the faith which olde Rome spreade or mainetained is no more consonant to this infidelity which our new Rome maintaineth then an apple is like an oyster Which one answere although it cut of al your cavils which you fetch from antiquity in praise of Rome and we frequētly inculcate it vnto you yet because it so biteth you will in no sort remember It is a tricke in Rhetorike but it is withall but a base shift to slippe by that or to seeme to forget that which woundeth to the hart and vtterly destroyeth T. HILL BUt the Protestants per adventure will grant that the true Church flourished in those dayes but not afterwardes vntill this age in which they haue reformed the same yet is it most manifest that it flourished afterwardes even vntill this our time no lesse then it and before if not more for in Saint Gregory his daies it was spreade all over the worlde as appeareth by his Epistles to the Bishops of the East of Afrike Spaine France England Sicily And by Saint Bede in cap. 6. Cantic as also by Saint Bernard who disputing before Rogerim King of Sicily avouched that in those daies the East all the West Fraunce Germany Englande Spaniardes and many barbarous nations obeyed the Bishoppe of Rome G. ABBOT 8. The Protestāts not fearing that you shal gaine any thing by that which is truth wil refuse to yeeld you nothing that is true In the first Church that is while the Apostles lived the spouse of Christ for doctrine was most glorious for some hundreds of yeares afterwards her honor flourished not a little yet so that some pety superstitions began to creepe in heere and there But about six hundred years after Christ shee for the outward face did more more droupe in doctrine f 1. Ioh. 2. 18 Antichrists began to peepe vp in the Apostles time but then they coulde not properly be called the great Antichrist And that which was thē was not so eminently as that the followers of the Apostles did much obserue it being then more troubled with persecution or heretiks then with superstition In processe of time matters grew to a worse state evil opiniōs creeping in at last the maine g 2. Thes. 2. 3 Apostasie followed But in this Apostasie very great declining there were who yeelded not to the time but kept thēselues vnspotted of the world especially for mainest points of salvation And it being thus whē things were at the worst God in this later age hath suffred that truth which was more hidden to illustrate the Christian world again Yea but you wil proue that since the Primitiue Church faith florished more thē before or at the least it was not diminished vntill our time You can do wonders Sir or els your own reason would informe you that nothing beene added til these lare navigations of the Portingales Spaniards Christianity must needs be exceedingly diminished when the Saracens Turks for so long space haue devored so much of Asia Europa Africa as is or hath bin vnder thē You are but a simple man for story weaker for Cosmography or els you would not so improbably talke at randon But any thing serveth your turne Well the faith was in Gregories times over all the worlde How proue you this Forsooth he wrote Epistles to Bishops of Spaine France England Sicely yea of the East of Afrike Ergo the faith was over all the world A young man of the age of sixteene yeares hath by his diligence learned without booke the Epistle to Philemō that to the Colossians yea the book of Ruth and the Prophecy of Aggeus therefore he can say all the Bible by hart This is Logike for the Seminaries but not currant elsewhere VVhat wrote he into Tartaria or India or Manicongo what to Finland or Iseland or a thousand places more And what saith Bede h In Cantic 6. The summe of the citisens of that celestiall countrey doth exceede the measure of our estimation But this is spoken of all the faithfull that are were or ever shall bee in the world As also that following vpon the texte Adole scentularum non est numerus There are saith hee young maidens vvhereof there is no number because there are sound innumerable cōpantes of Christiā people Which within seaven lines after he maketh most evident The vniversall Church which in the same her faithfull members from the beginning even vnto the ending of the vvorld from the rising of the Sunne vnto the setting from the North and the Sea doe praise the name of the Lorde Doth this shew any extraordinary thing in the time of Beda or any flourishing of the Church or more thē that there were faithfull toward al parts of the world Such is that which was brought touching S. i In vita Bernard L◅ 217 Bernard who vpō a great schisme in the Church of Rome betweene Innocentius and the Antipape Petrus Leonis being sent for to compose this strife and to see whether he could winne over to Innocētius Robert the King of Sicely who stood for Peter in his Oration saith that if Peters side were good they who acknowledged Innocentius for Pope should bee in very ill case And these hee nameth Then the Easterne Church shall perish vvhich at that time coulde comprehend no more but those fewe Christians vvhich were vvarring in or about Palestina for the Greeke Churches did not then acknowledge the Popes Iurisdiction the whole West shall perish Fraunce shallperish Germany shall perish the Spanish and English and the Barbarian kingdomes shall be drowned in the bottome of the Sea Where he doth not adde these special countries over and aboue the VVest but signifieth vvhat was meant by that generall name that is to saye Fraunce Germany Spaine and England vvith some inferiour Kingdomes So that now if S. Bernard doe say any thing heere your all the worlde is vvonderfully shrunke in the vvetting So you strive against the streame and the farther you goe the worse you goe T. HILL AND in these daies it is all over Italie all over Spaine and in Fraunce in most partes of Germany in Poleland Boheme besides England Hungary Greece Syria Aethiopia Aegypt in vvhich Landes are many Catholikes and in the newe world it flourisheth mightily in all the foure partes of the world Eastward in the Indies VVestward in America Northward in Iaponia Southward in Brasilia in the vttermost partes of Afrike G. ABBOT 9 AS many as be disposed to knowe the Popes strength harken now to his muster-maister Al Italie commeth first as being neerest the Popes nose then all Spaine is the second legion But how would it be in these lands if your Inquisitours did
your inculcating of Al d Fol. 2. Nations having afterwards subioyned vnto it ever continue without interruption e Fol. 3. all Kinges people should acknowledge this Church againe all people which sate in darkenes in the shadow of death should be lightened delivered and set in the right way to Heaven If you take it thus you are pitifully out for our Saviour hath fore-told that into the f Math. 7. 13 wide gate broad way that leadeth to destruction many there be which enter but the straight gate and narrow way that leadeth vnto life few there be that finde And it was reveiled vnto Iohn that with the whore of Babylon the g Apoc. 17. 2. Kings of the earth committed fornication the inhabitours of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication And experience hath confirmed that not only the Saracene doctrin hath for almost these thousād yeeres possessed the shew face of many great countries but time out of mind very Gentilisme Heathenisme have raigned in the East West Indies in the Ilands neere adioyning in diverse parts of Africa in Lappia and many other countries the name of Iesus our Redeemer for ought that of certainty can be found till of late yeeres being scant ever heard of among them Or doe you rather vnderstand those speeches of all Nations cōming vnto him of all being drawne vnto Christ to carry this sence that the Gentiles nowe as well as formerly the Iewes should bee admitted and moreover that the word should bee spreade to the East and to the VVest and to the North and to the Southe so that before the day of iudgment God should have some faithfull in everie quarter and sometimes when his Church did flourish many thousands in diverse places and alwaies some servants some-where In this meaning if you take it we willingly ioyne with you the rather induced thervnto by the nature of the word All in the Scriptures and by the manner of the fulfilling of those Prophecies in the Church in such a sort as with reason cannot be gaine-saide For as All in holy writte doth evermore at least signifie many so it doth not cōtinually importe a generality without any sort of exception When it is saide that to Iohn the Baptist h Math. 3. 5. vvent out Hierusalem and all Iewry and all the region round about Iordan it is not meant that no individuall person did stay at home but many of all sortes rich and poore young and olde men and women such a company as if almost all the country had come in were partakers of his Baptisme So i T it 2. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace of God hath appeared which bringeth salvation to all men saith Saint Paule to Titus Like to which is that to Timothy k 1. Tim. 2. 4. God our Saviour who will that all men shall be saved where All intendeth many or diverse of diverse sorts not vniversally every one He will have all to be saved saith Gregory l In 1. Reg. 14. because out of every sort of men hee chooseth those whome hee draweth to the ioye of everlasting salvation And Aquinas himselfe among other interpretations of that later place hath this m Part 1. q. 19. a. 6. It may bee vnderstood that the distribution must be made pro generibus singulorum and not pro singulis generum according to this sence God vvill have of every state of men to be saved males and females Iewes and Gentiles smal and great but not all of every severall state And who will say that in every particular countrie of Asia or the continent toward the South pole or many other quarters of the world the Church of Christ hath alwaies apparantly bin The Romanists of al other must not say so if they will have the cōgregation of Gods faithful to extēd it selfe no further thē their doctrine the Popes vsurpatiō doth goe For they cannot prove that ever those regions heard of the name of the Romane Bishop vntill this last age if now they doe or have lately done This thē we grant vnto you that Christ Iesus hath evermore a Church that variously dispersed vnder the cope of heavē not boūded within narrow precincts as that of the Iewes was The goodly titles also which in the word are givē vnto it are ever true in respect of the purity of religiō but especially for the fundamental points which finally cōcerne salvation And they are also as true for the visible glory of the church in time of peace the free course of the Gospel but are not perpetually without interruption to be vnderstood for the patent extent of the same that gloriously apparātly to be in any one countrey of the world as the defenders of the Romane Hierarchy would chalenge to themselves T. HILL FOR before the comming of the Messias the people of the Iewes many others also in other Lands which were of the Iewish Religion vvere in some sorte farre from the bondage of the Devill but since his comming both Iewes and Gentiles and almost all Nations Tribes and Kingdomes have bin ever in Lucifers thraldome vntill this our age in which Luther came to expell Lucifer and to ridde all the world out of his captivity And so the passion of our Redeemer availed little or nothing at all for the space of these fifteene hundred yeeres for a thousand yeeres together hee was so farre from drawing all vnto him as hee said hee would do that he drew not so much as one person that any mā can name And in Ioh. 12. our Country there of England it is most manifest that all were Papistes without exception from the first Christening thereof vntill this age of King Henry the eight G. ABBOT 9 YOV labour to proove that if you bee not the Church the Devils dominion since Christes time hath bin larger then ever it was before And your reason is that before the comming of Christ the Iewes and other of the Iewish profession in other lands were in some sort free from the bondage of the Devil which is true in all those who by the eies of faith did foresee the birth life death of the Messias did beleeve on him reputing him their Redeemer as 〈◊〉 Iob did call him but since his manifestation say you Iewes Gentiles almost all Nations Tribes Kingdomes 〈◊〉 Iob. 19. 25. have bin ever in Lucifers thraldome vntill this our age in which Luther came to expell Lucifer c. I wōder that you can suffer the name of Luther to passe so quietly without some egregious contumely but keeping it for him you only stay it a while anon he shall have it But being heere in the heigth of that argument which above all other pleaseth your side and the very rehearsing whereof as you woulde make your doating followers beleeve doth make vs all o Campian Ration
3. looke pale you amplifie your former proposition that if this be yeelded vnto Christs passion availed little or nothing at all for fifteene hundred yeeres but for a thousand yeeres hee vvas so farre from drawing all vnto him that he drewe not so much as one person that any man can name This is spoken like a man of some mettal indeede by this shal your disciples know how to trust you hereafter But as if yet you had deserved but one end of a sharpingstone and meant to have the rest with you before that you depart you tel vs that in our own couÌ„try there of England which whether you speake with some contept or no your selfe can best discover it is most manifest that all were Papists without exception from the first Christening therof vntill this age of King Henry the eight You are a blessed companion a man may beleeve much vpon your word Doubtlesse you perswade your selfe that all who should reade your booke would be madde or drunke or senselesse or else you must thinke that they would admitte and admire you for a singular lyar Besides that of Antiquitie the vvritings and testimony of your owne men will convince you in this to have neither wit nor shame VVe make it good against you that the thousands and ten thousands of the servants of God in the Primitive Church knew at the first nothing and afterwards but little of your blasphemous Popery and that not in the mainest points And albeit in processe of time superstitioÌ„ as it was p 2. Thes. 2. 3. 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. Pet. 2. 1. foretold did by little and little creepe in yet in all ages God had his Church of such as did not spotte their soules with your horrible contammations And we maintaine it that in our owne lande there were testimonies most luculent of such as detested the AntichristiaÌ„ pride other loose behaviour of the Romane Clergy both in doctrin manners served the Lord after the prescript of his owne word as now we do endevor to do If you know not this M r. Doctor you have reade but little so in some sort we question your scholarship or else you have reade it and so wee question your conscience But vvee vvill hope the best that it is your ignorance although these present propositions and many other in your booke doe give vs great occasion to suspect your honest conscience Your owne men will be ashamed that you talke in this fashion as anon you shall perceive But I follow you a while T. HILL AND so the Protestants affirme of other Countries boldly say Luther in postil Ger. 1537 part 2. fol. 141. that vntill this age the Gospell lay in the dust was hiddeÌ„ vnder the bench and Christ was vnknowne Which to say as the Protestants must needes say and blush not to say indeede is meere madnes and flat infidelitie and a plaine denying of Christ and no small establishment of Mahomets Religion For the Protestantes and Mahumetanes agree in this that the Church which Christ founded fell some five or sixe hundred yeeres after his ascension into most horrible errours and then say the Turkes the Angell Gabriel was sent from God to Mahomet to teach him hovve hee shoulde reforme the saide Church because it would not stande with the wisedome and goodnesse of Almightâ—… God to suffer his Church to vanish avvaie through errours and superstitions vvithout sending in time to reforme it And in this out of doubte the Turkes have farre greater reason then the Protestantes have vvhich Protestants by their doctrin make Christ the most simple most improvident Lavve-giver that ever was in the vvorld For neither Plato Solon Lycurgus nor any other Lavv-maker vvhosoever was so simple and improvident as to fashion and plant a Common-wealth which before it were vvell setled should vanish away and come to nothing having no sufficient meanes to prevent errours and such abuses as would ever throvve their Lawes destroy their CmÌ„on wealths And therfore if Christ bee God the holy Bible true the Religion of the Papists must needes be that Religion which he ordained and left to all generations and consequently the onely true and right Religion G. ABBOT 10 SInce by your last fore-going wordes it hath appeared to bee your profession in your owne person to speake largely it is most probable that to the vttermost you will racke and pervert the speeches of other There is neither Luther nor any other ProtestaÌ„t so absurd as to say according to that which you would intimate heere that there was no Church till of late that the Gospell was absolutely hidden or Christ simplie vnknowne vntill their daies For we well vnderstand teach coÌ„trary-wise that in the Primitive Church plentifully afterward alwaies more or lesse in some parts of the world or other there were the Elect of God who groning to behould the common errours of their age did strive to beleeve and live after the rule of the Scriptures But the speech of Luther of vs in that behalfe is comparative that in comparison of that which it should bee or that which had bin not long after the Apostles or in respect of that which the Lord hath of late reveiled or of that which by the faithfull might have bin wished the Gospel had not for some later ages so free a course and Christ was not so ordinarlly vnpollutedly taught but the Bible lay much neglected and was cast aside in comparison of other bookes And while we acknowledge this we need not to blush neither is it madnesse in vs but q Act. 26. 25 the words of truth and sobernes as Saint Paule said in a like vniust accusation nor yet infidelity or denying of Christ or the establishing of Mahomets Religion Heere you heape vp many wordes but are not able to prove the least part of your owne Propositions wee must therefore give you leave to say much conclude nothing Your vniust imputatioÌ„ that not only in this but in diverse other matters we ioyne with the Turkes you borrow of Doctor Gefford who no lesse slaunderously then crakingly preteÌ„deth to do great things in his Calvino-Turcismus The maliciousnes wherof is already displayed and the crime returned by a learned r D. Sutliv in Turco Papismo man vpon the Papists themselves It is to be hoped that the Authour thereof will either in time repent him and turne to grace or receive the reward of his blasphemous speeches against Christs Religion his venimous revilings against his naturall Prince country In the meane while he may looke to the clearing of his credit from the accusations of father Parsons s Parsons manifestation cap. 1. 7. who describeth him to be very ill qualified no better theÌ„ a fire-braÌ„d in kindling dissension eveÌ„ among the English fugitives of the Romane Colledge But for our parts know you ô the whole rable of the Romish generatioÌ„ that vvee
vvriting against u Contra 18 articul Wiolif VViclif maketh y In articulo 11. 12. tvvise mention of a booke of his ovvne sent to the Bishoppe of Hereford Dâ—…num Ersordenseâ—… he calleth him in confutation of the booke of VValter Britte 27 While I wrâ—…e these thinges I cannot but thinke vpon the audacious absurdnesse of my ignorant Doctour who blusheth not to vtter that is is y Ration 1. most manifest that all in England vvere Papistes vvithout exception from the first Christening thereof vntill this age of King Henry the eight Hee is doubtlesse an honest man and worthy to be trusted on his word It is not only manifest but most manifest not that the greatest part but all yea beâ—… shal not be scanted all wâ—…ut â—…ption were â—…apistes c. Were Iohn Wiclifâ—… bones burnt because he was a Papist were the Bulâ—… of the Pope against him for that cause and were the Archbishop Arondelâ—… Costâ—… against his followers so severe because they were Papists The man is hâ—… to be pittied for his simplicity A man may know by the lawes ProclamatioÌ„s letters proceedings by the State against some as against Heretickes As also by the Records of Bishops yet extant by the manifold executions burnings afterward that even in that deepe time of ignorance England did give most noble testimony of Christs truth against Popery eveÌ„ so farre as to the fiery trial If the Christian Reader peruse the Ecclesiastical History of M r. Foxe he shal find how z 〈◊〉 An. 1400. sub K. Henrie 4. before the Coâ—… William Saâ—… a Priest was burnt after him Iohn Baâ—…y and that because they were Wiclevists oâ—… Lâ—… as they the â—…ed them and not because they were Papists There are the reasons also and asseveratioÌ„s of Pâ—…y and Thorpe against Popery with diverse other matters And is it â—…ot to bee thought that the Heretikes increased when a â—…ynode a 〈◊〉 Sub Reg. Henric. 5. was assembled in Sâ—… Pâ—… Church at London into the vvhich â—…me 〈◊〉 Inquisitoâ—… who in a former Synode were appointed to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the vvâ—…gs of VVâ—… vvherein they found 24â—… Conclusions an vvhich they supposed to bee Iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 â—…eere of K. Henry the 〈◊〉 dâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ward the L. 〈◊〉 was â—…ge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 had beene a â—…de of Traiâ—… but hee was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed Hâ—… So was oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his 〈◊〉 consumed to 〈◊〉 Not longâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besideâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion 〈◊〉 and VVâ—… tvvo 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 followed afterwardâ—… Neither â—…d â—…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of King 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 escape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sundrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRISTâ—… 〈◊〉 sake 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 profession of the â—…hy the particular stories of vvhome may bâ—…â—…ounde in the Authour abouâ—… 〈◊〉 The Clergy of these times did beare much sway with their Princes and lefte no meanes vâ—…ught no stone vnâ—…ned to keepe vp the dignitie and preheminence of their Romish Hierarchy and the superstitions Idolatry vvhich then vvas in vse Novve â—…in the raignes of all these Princes so many were slaughtered for the testimonie of a good conscience hovve manie weake brethren vvere there vvho did not make open profession of their faith and hovve many did there lie hid diverse of them in probabilitie having confederates and some of them being Priestes and therefore not vnlikely to have learning both to confirme themselves in the truth and such other as hearde them Thus have I both in England and else-vvhere brought vp the doctrine of the Gospell vntill the time of Iohn VViclef who flourished in the yeere 1371. 28 Heere it may please the Reader to remember that the iudgment before cited of â—…vo c Gregor 11. Gregor 12. Popes vvas that VViclef taught the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua and of Iohn of 〈◊〉 Of the later of these there yet appeareth no monument vvritten But hee ioyned in d Catalog test verle lib. 18. opinion vvith the former But as for Marsilius Patavinus our Adversties cannot but acknovvledge him to bee a verie learned man after the measure of the age vvherein hee lived vvhich vvas in the yeere 1324. Hee vvrote a e Defensor pacis booke against the vsurped power of the Bishope of Rome vvhich argument hee entred into in behalfe of the Emperour Levvis of Bavâ—…e vvho vvas mightily laide at by three Popes successiuelie There the Authour avovveth as right and iust the supreme authoritie of the Emperour displaying the iniquitie of the Popes vsurpation over Christian Princes and Generall Councels The booke is vvoorth the reading to see vvhether all in times past did allowe of the Popes doctrine and proceedinges or not His opinions are these That the Pope is not superiour to other Bishoppes and much lâ—… the Emperour and civill Magistraâ—… That thing as are to bee decided by the â—…ure Thâ—… 〈◊〉 men of the laiâ—… 〈◊〉 in Councels That the Clergy and Pope himselfe are to bee subiect to Magistrates That the Church is the 〈◊〉 companie of the faithfull That CHRIST is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church and appointed 〈◊〉 to bee 〈◊〉 Uiâ—… That Priestes may bee â—…ryed That Saint Peter was 〈◊〉 at Rome That the Popish Synagoge 〈◊〉 a dâ—… of theeves That the doctrine of the Pâ—… not to bee follovved because it leadeth to everlasting destructâ—… In the time of this Marsilius lived that noble Poet Danie vvho vvrote also a booke against the Pope f Petrus Messias in Ludovico Câ—… the Monarchie of the Emperour but for taking part vvith Lewes of Bavâ—…ere hee vvas condemned for an heretike and his booke â—…hereticall Then also vvrote g Catal. test verit lib. 18. Occam directly to the same purpose but for his labour therein and his large reproofe of the Papâ—…cie in other pointes hee was excommunicated by the romane Bishop vvhich he so much contemned that hee not vnwillingly dyed vnder that sentence Aboute that time vvere here and there dispersed sundry godly men who sawe more then the common sorte touching Religion As h Ibid. ex Hen. de Erford Hayâ—… a Minorite vvho frequently saide in his Sermons that the Church of Rome vvat the vvhere of Babylon and that the Pope and Cardinals vvere meere Aâ—… vvhich propositions were helde somevvhat before also by i Ibidem Gerâ—… and Dulcinus tvvo learned men This Duâ—… may be thought to haue had many followers since k Hist. Hussit lib. 2. Cochleus coulde say that Iohn Hus committed spirituall fornication with the Wâ—…sts and with the Dulâ—…nists The same opinions concerning the Pope and Rome did that rare man l Epist. 20. in Poesi Italica Franciscus Petrarche seeme fully to embrace as may appeare to any who will reade his vvorkes hovvsoever Cardinall
But being as it is we doe not doubt but they both are Gods servants if they liue according to the Christian rules of their professioÌ„ since they both doe rightly hold the p 1. Cor. 3. 11 foundation that is to say Faith in Iesus Christ and Iustification by his bloud only We read of one called q Sozom. Eccl. Histor. lib. 1. 14. Eutychianus who wenâ—… astray being in opinion a Novatian yet he was much esteemed by the good Emperour Constantine and there were very pregnant testimonies that he was the childe of God r Euse. Eccl. Hist. l. 3. 33. Ireneus held the errour of the Chiliasts And Iustine s Dialog câ—… Tryph. lud Martyr embraced the same conceit and yet who dare seclude them froÌ„ the fellowship of the faithful So we doubt not but the maintainers of the doctrine both of Zwinglius of Luther are as wel iointly members of the Catholike Church and Communion of Saints as t Concil Carthag in Cyprian Cyprian was on the one side with his African Bishops and Cornelius was on the other side with his Bishops of Europe albeit these had much contention each with other and dyed in difference of opinion concerning rebaptising theÌ„ who were baptised by Heretikes So that the Lords name be praysed howsoever we could wish that neither formerly nor now there were any such examples yet this contention is not the first and it is but one and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as yâ—… the Pamphâ—… would haveâ—… We wil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T. HILL I I would you did but see what I have seene in these Countrâ—… as 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—…ds 〈◊〉 diâ—… of Luther his of-springâ—… aâ—… of the Muntzerans Anabaptists Adamâ—… Steblerians sabbataries Clanâ—… 〈◊〉 Gartâ—…der Manifestarians Dâ—…monians CoÌ„mon holders â—…pers Howling Anabaptists Davidge or giâ—… Memnoâ—… Polygamists Signifiers Figurers Valewers Pledgers Presentaries â—…tamorphists Iudâ—…sts Neutersacramentaries Image-breakers Zealons Lutheranes Soft Lutheranes or Interimiâ—… New Arrians Trinitaries Hell-maisters Hell-tormentors Antidâ—…monians Amidorfians Antadiaphorists Antosiandâ—…lans Anti-Swanck â—…dians Anti-Calvinists Hâ—…d-impositors 〈◊〉 Sâ—…s Invisibilists Sâ—…turians Adiaphorists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lutherâ—…-Calvinists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Penâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…drians Staâ—… Antistanâ—… New-Manâ—…chees Stâ—…bergers of such likâ—… 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 out of the dregges of Luthers doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…e 〈◊〉 Protestants all G. ABBOT 6 IN what country you have heeretofore lived it is harde for we to tell In England you were when you published this 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 else-where with you wheÌ„ you penned this worke if else where you did pâ—… 〈◊〉 hee should scâ—… have 〈◊〉 two or three persons in 〈◊〉 of those sectes which 〈◊〉 you â—…cite But hâ—…m â—…th hee 〈◊〉 what you â—…we hee 〈◊〉 have â—…lying before you a â—…de booke of thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoâ—… Stâ—… vvhich vvas thirtie yeeres since Apology of Frideâ—… â—…taphyl 〈◊〉 into Engâ—… by our Countrey-man Stapleton This Sraphyâ—… you follovve in these vntrue reportes of yours and from his booke Englishâ—… you shamefully â—…ke all these 〈◊〉 vvorde for vvorde VVhile I reade them as also the 〈◊〉 and Cities vvhich else-vvhere you 〈◊〉 Ration 〈◊〉 I thinke vpon a Câ—… booke which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ped toâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit In Latine letters thâ—… it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 El Adâ—…i 〈◊〉 Mâ—…ssias Sâ—…er Eâ—…nel 〈◊〉 Aâ—…ha Paracleâ—… Propheta Sâ—…des Kâ—…s Pantâ—…r all vvhich shoulde enforce the spiâ—… to doe as the Coniureâ—…â—…oulde have hâ—… Such a â—…umble and bugge-beare you propoâ—…de vnto vs heere and the Heresies vvâ—…h you 〈◊〉 are so much the liker to these vvoordes vsed in Coniuration because 〈◊〉 these for the most parte doe signifie one thing even that immaculate essence and omnipotent beeing GOD howâ—… it they be wickedly applied so for these good fellowes whom you muster heere many of them differ little in their opinions although you to make a â—…ourish do name them severally like a bâ—…dde Captaine who keeping in his liste the names of souldiers who are slaine or gone knoweth how to make vse of deade pâ—…y for his owne benefite But this is the custâ—… of you 〈◊〉 to make a shewe with names 〈◊〉 â—…en 〈◊〉 a Câ—…loge anâ—… to the same purpose hath x In Epistol apologâ—…t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In 〈◊〉 base answere for 〈◊〉 vnto D. 〈◊〉 And may it not bee that diverse of these vvhome you both name may bee good Christians as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Scriâ—…s if they hoâ—… no vvoâ—… doâ—… 〈◊〉 their titles may importe As Sâ—…nt 〈◊〉 y De haereâ—… ad Quod vulâ—… Deum remembreth that 〈◊〉 in rehearsing of Heresies did differ from Philastrâ—… and 〈◊〉 from him because that seemed to one of them to be an Heresie which did not so seeme to another so certainâ—… if some wise man either of 〈◊〉 your sidâ—… should scaâ—… the trâ—… opinions of all whom 〈◊〉 yoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would prove 〈◊〉 many to be no Heresie whâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do condemne But wee praise the everlasting Lordâ—… that whâ—…as in 〈◊〉 there is as flourishing a Church as in any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world we heere knâ—… the names of 〈◊〉 of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the pâ—…sons of none of them who hold such 〈◊〉 â—…tions And wee verâ—…ly beleeve that you lurking in our owne coâ—…ey have to do 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 of them But when yoâ—… haâ—… done 〈◊〉 that favour 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—…se good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 holde you shall vnderstand our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the mâ—…ne time knâ—… you that 〈◊〉 taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrine neither doe the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chalenge to them if they hould ought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…emne them and writâ—… against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bin dâ—…red 7 But â—…o allow you so much as in any probability you can pretend thâ—… since Lutherâ—… time so many several opinioÌ„s have sprâ—…g vp as five fifty for of so many you would make shew yea that the most of thâ—… would willingly shrowde themselves vnder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet doth this with vnderstaÌ„ding PersoÌ„s â—…ke any 〈◊〉 against that truth which either we or Luther did professe For might not the same have bin obiected before his death to Sâ—… 〈◊〉 the EvaÌ„gelist which you here obiect against vs 〈◊〉 of the remainder of the malicious Iewes might thus hâ—… said We al agreed vpoÌ„ the law of Moses til you came inâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnity for our sacrifices concord about our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 harmony of coÌ„sent was every way to be found amonge vs. But now while you talke of Iesus this new Saviour yoâ—… caÌ„not agree among your selves what he is or how to be served You 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many â—…cts those iarring â—…h with other the scholers of 〈◊〉 Magâ—… of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherof some deny the â—…-hood some deny the 〈◊〉 of your Christ and some vary in other mattâ—… And you have 〈◊〉 z Apoc. 〈◊〉 â—…5
do that is put vp your pipes make no more noise Yet I cannot so leave you but put you in mind coÌ„cerning Protestants Puritanes that it is probable that the Controversies which then were by your slie secret coÌ„veiances were the more forwarded at the least you Romanistes did your best by hypocrites and other your naughty instruments to coÌ„tinue them For the practise of your religion being of late nothing else but mischievous policie your Emissaries were instructed at their comming into England to sooth both sides and to commend them that so they might persist in their opinions And heere I shall open to the vvorlde some thing of your cunning vvhich is not knowne to every body There g At Rhemes Anno 1579. are certaine instructions vvhich Doctour Allen in a longe continuated speech vvhich hee dictated to his auditours and they in vvriting tooke it from his mouth did bestovve on such Priests as vvere then to bee sent from the Seminarie in Fraunce into England And these vvere to informe them hovve they should deale vvith all sortes of people to pervert them from their faith Thus therefore hee advertiseth them If you chaunce to deale vvith a Puritane you must say vnto him Truely brother for you there is more hope then of these that be Protestants because they for feare of the Prince and the lawe are ready to say and beleeve any thing and therfore me thinketh they be Atheistes but for you there is more hope being either hote or colde If you deale vvith a Protestant tell him there is more hope of him then of such rash brained Puritanes because they with Religion have put of all humanitie and civilitie vvith all other good maÌ„ners Who would not thinke that for mischievous devises this head of Allens was soone after worthy to be covered with a Cardinals hat But by the leave of our Seculars who strive to magnifie him he did not learne this of Saint Peter but rather of Sir Nicholas Machiavel a man of their good acquaintance Heere with our Seminarie Preests both Protestants and Puritanes were for a purpose honest men I would that we had cause so to repute of thâ—…se Romanists 9 Now whereas you call the faith which we professe our Parliamentary Religion you are for that tearme behoulding to diverse of your good maisters For yoâ—… chiefe schoole-master Bristow longe since bestowed that phrase on vs intituling one of his Chapters h Brist Motiv 42. The Parliament Church and Parsons vvho coulde ever readilie enlarge an vntruth i Wardword ca. 4. saith that Peter Martyr and Maister Bucer at their comming into England in King Edvvardes daies vvere conditioned vvith to teach that Religion vvhich should bee established by the Parliament approaching It is vvell confessed by him that our Realme in that Kinges enteraunce was not so weake in the knowledge of Divinity that they needed to be guided by any from beyond the seas but they themselves could search the k Ioh. 5. 3. 9 Scriptures to sifte out what vvas the truth It vvas not so happie vvith that Conventicle at Trente whereas it seemeth all the learned men were so simple that they did nothing but almost verbis concepâ—…is from Rome which gave occasion to that meriment that the holie Ghost who should have bin President of the Councel was brought from Rome in a boxe But the Religion which was then and is now established in England is drawne out of the fountaines of the word of God from the purest orders of the Primitive church which for the ordinarie exercise therof wheÌ„ it had bin collected into the booke of common Praier by the paines and labour of many learned men and of mature iudgment it was afterward confirmed by the vpper and lower house yet not so but that the most materiall points were disputed and debated in the Convocation house by men of both parties and might farther have bin discussed so long as any Popish Divine had ought reasonably to say l Holinshed An. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne the Antichristian Bishops to their everlasting infamie to the perpetuall preiudice of their cause refused the disputation or conference and crying creake for sooke their cause in the plaine field knowing right well that when Popery must bee brought to the touch-stone of Gods word it will proove base and counterfeite And then it being intended to adde to Ecclesiasticall decision the corroboration of secular governemeÌ„t according to the auncient custome of this kingdome as appeareth by m An 20. 25 38. Râ—…gis Edvard 3 Record froÌ„ the time of K. Edward the 3. the Parliament which is the most honorable Court of Christendome did ratify the same That so all of all orders and degrees might be bound to serve the Lord of heaven not after their owne fancies but as himselfe had prescribed And that this heretofore hath bin the custome of good Princes to cal their Nobles and their people to ioyne with them for the establishing of Gods service every man may know who will but looke into the stories of the Bible For there it will appeere that n Iosuah 〈◊〉 2. Iojuah being olde minding as farre as in him lay to perpetuate the sincere service of the Lord to all succeeding generatioÌ„s did assemble all Israel their Elders their Heads their Iudges their Officers to give consent therto So did o 〈◊〉 Chron. 28. 1. David not onely minding to commend to all his subiects the succeeding of Salomon in the crowne after him but aboue all things pure Religion And was not this the course which Asa did take for the reforming p 2. Chron. 15 9. of those errours wherwith Gods service was intaÌ„gled when assembling all Iudah and Beniamin to Ierusalem hee did cause them by an othe of association and as in way of a stronge covenant to binde themselves to God yea and that vnder the paine of death to flie Idolatrie and to embrace true piety and devotioÌ„ The like might be saide of other Princes who were god ly And these meetings no doubt being such assemblies as our Parliament is or rather being some more generall matter hee who should have termed their conclusions a Parliamentary Religion might have bin reputed no better theÌ„ a scoffing enimy And so may you Doctor Hill be accounted and Bristow in like sorte but Persons over and aboue that may have the name of a slaunderer who can glose and invent any thing which may serve for his purpose as that is that P. Martyr and M. Bucer were indented with all to teach as the Parliament should decree implying that whatsoever it had bin they must have condescended vnto it This lying Iesuite can shew no letter no Acte of Record no testimony of semblaunce of truth to averre this his calumniation But the matter indeed was that the reformers of Religion heere intending to level all by the line of Gods word knew that those two
crosse the Adriatike sea step into Grecia or Morea why traveile you not farther to Constantinople Tripoly or Aleppo to winne men from Mahomet which is so much the easier because all these Turkes Saracens admit of some Positions beloÌ„ging to the ChristiaÌ„ faith but the Indians accept of none Truth it is that vnto these places other nations of Christendome for trafficke do resort and therefore if you should report any vntruth coÌ„cerning these you would quickly be disproved But far traveilers may say more then ordinary men and for that cause you tell vs a tale of the Indies and some of your men say that there they cast out Devils also They do wel to lay it in places so distantâ—… for although they egregiously faine yet we shal hardly take them tripping it is no ready worke to convince them But wee imagine that your attemptes for conversion may have the same successe in the East and VVest Indies as the offer of your u Maff Hist. Lib. 1. Portingale Priestes and Friers had in Congo where adventuring vpon verie small acquaintance to baptize the king and the inhabitantes the most part as your Historiographer saith but it is to be feared that all quickly renounced Christianity returned to their heathenish wallowing in the mire They disliked not the first principles of the faith neither the Ceremonies therein but when they were called vpon to leave their grosse vices as adultery and witchcrafte and seeking to Devils to remitte iniuries to restore thinges vniustly taken each from other they would not endure these exhortations but like reneging Apostatas they became as before And of likely-hood so it fell out frequently with the Spanyards in America where they x Petr. Martyr Decad. 3. 10. were exceeding nimble in administring baptisme to those who knewe very little Had it not beene fit that before the Sacrament had beene imparted the Infidels should out of Gods booke largely haue heard of many thinges which course Iohn the Baptist did take preaching repentaunce y Math. 3. 2 and that woulde well have tryed them before hande and so Gods name might not haue beene dishonoured nor Baptisme abused nor the people made the worse nor the Priest never the better Doth not the true Church of Christ gaine much by such titulary bargaines and is not Gods kingdome much increased through it And yet doubtlesse such good matches your Friers also make in the Indies but especially in those of the East where the inhabitants have more witte and your messengers have lesser power And if it bee so and no otherwise yet with vs heere in Europe all these must goe for good Christians and if there bee a score of such Nuâ—…s Christians wee shall heare of fiue hundred So much may a talâ—… growe in coâ—… so 〈◊〉 And the reporters speake for their owne reputation and therefore without questioning you must beleeue them 6 But I cannot chuse but heere smile at the vertuous titles vvhich you bestovve vppon the Iesuites vvhen you call them the blessed Societie of Iesâ—… and thâ—… blessed religious men Hovve gladlye vvoulde you clavve them vvho perhaps lately at z Apolog. of the Archpriestâ—…c a. 5. Rome did clapper-clavve you And albeit you be now got to bee a Doctour of Divinitye yet since it vvas certainelye against their a Answere to the Manifestat c. 1 vvilles you are vvith them but in nature of a Probationer and an eye is câ—…rryed over you so that if once againe you exorbitate from the rule of your superiours haue at you for an olde grudge Since your comming into Englande to the ende that you maye deserue better of your good Lordes the Iesuites you haue set out this present Pamphlet yet the colde commendation vvhich vvas vpon you continueth still leaving an imputation of vveake iudgemente in you by your credulitye and of heate and rashnesse in your apprehensions and contentions Yet novve standing vpon your triall there is some hope that the tongue which formerlye you exercised vpon these iollye Iesuites in the Colledge at Rome shall bee turned against your King and Countrey that in time you also may bee if not a Iesuite yet one of those blessed men vvho having their authoritye from Rome and not from heaven from Antichrist and not from God maye bee entertained as a Tâ—…ytour You beginne pretty vvell and if you holde on but a vvhile and increase as you desire you may deserue such a prefermente The Iesuites as you tell vs haue their authoritie from Rome not from Iesus and vvhat a forge of mischiefe that Rome hath beene against Englande he is blind who doeth not see b Sand. de Schismat Thence came the sentence against King Henry the eight Thence was continuall hatred derived against our late Soveraigne from the day of her birth vntill her dissolution from this mortalitie Thence came the excommunication by Pius the fift the declaration of the same by Sixtus the fift the ratification of it by Clement the eight if the Spanish Generall in c An. 1601 Ireland did vvitnesse a truth Hence came the Conspiracy of one Noble man nowe acknowledged by d Catena in vita pij 5. him who vvrote the life of Pope Pius the fift the insurrection of other Nobles the attempts on Ireland in the Lord Grayes time the incouraging and ayding of the vincible fleete in the yeere 1588. the late tumults in Ireland besides such infinite proiects by Ballarde Parrhy Lopez Squire and such infamous varlets to destroy her vvho vvas the most famous and renoumed Prince of Christendome These thinges vvere sufficient to cause the honourable Councel and chiefe Magistrats not to sleepe but as with eies opened towarde you And if vvisedome vvill say e Virgil. Aen. 2. ab vno disce omnes or ex vnguibus leonem pretende you as long as you wil that the Iesuits are heere executed for their sacred Function vvee haue reason not to doubt but somevvhat more there is in it He who wrote the Iesuites Catechisme in French as he hath many memorable matters touching the sweete and sacred vices of these vnblessed and irreligious Fathers so hee hath some thing touching Englande as that f Lib. 3. 3. Parrhyes attempt in the yeere 1584 And g Cap. 4. Squires in the yeere 1597 was plotted incouraged and abetted by the Iesuites as hee sheweth by the whole processe of it These devises can bee the execution of no function which is holy vnlesse you will take it to bee holy after the Devils fashion And may it not vvell bee supposed that they vvho vvere so vvickedly affected tovvarde our last Soveraigne vvill carrye the same minde tovvarde our present King the mirrour of all Princely vertues vnlesse the everlasting blessing of God and prudent fore-fight otherwise do restraine them VVhat loue this Iesuiticall crewe doeth beare to his Highnesse let that one thing in steede of all testifie that they combined abroad and to their best plotted at home to
accident hee bee compelled to flye into forraine Countreyes hee maye not travaile excepte his prettye parâ—…ll goeth vvith him but such a one to goe simplye and as they saye bona fide to convert others vvas yet never 〈◊〉 G. ABROT 13 You wil tell vs anone that the children of this y Luk. 16 18 world are wiser in their generatioÌ„ then the childreÌ„ of light And this wee knew before as also that you are more diligent to doe evill then many of vs are to doe good But the Protestants haue a vocation and keepe themselues in their watches where God hath placed every one of them and doe not stirre from it but when as by the godly Magistrate they are imployed They are not assured that to leaue their owne charge and leade a Circumcellian life without speciall appointment is acceptable vnto God Antiochus indeede being striken by Gods hande is reported to professe that he z 2. Maâ—…hab 9. 17. would become a â—…ew himselfe goe through all the worlde that was inhabited and preach the power of God But wee propose not to our selues the example of Antiochus But the Apostles did so And had they not a a Matth. 28. 19. commission so to doeâ—… Yet might they not goe till they had that Commission and sometimes they were restrained by the spirit of the Lorde from b Act. 16. 6. 7 such and such places Yea and the calling of the Apostles is ceased Doe you read that Saint Ambrose or Saint Austen or the old fathers in the Primitiue Church did take any such course And whereas Gregory sent some into England it was vpon a speciall occasion c Eccle. hist. lib 1. 23. Bede saith that Gregory was warned there-vnto by an instinct from God Indeede it is probable that d Cap 26. Berta wife to King Edilbert then of Kent had secretly a finger in that busines for shee being of the French nation was a Christian woman before and would not condescend to be marryed to Edilbert but on condition that shee might without impeachment retaine her religion and a Bishop which shee brought with her for that purpose It may wel be supposed that her French friends being nere to Italy or her selfe might sollicite that affaire But whereas you say that never any of our faith did leaue his pleasures at home adventure abroade the Proverbe Mâ—…dacom opâ—…rtet esse memorem Alyar had neede of a good memorie hath seized vpon you for in this very Chapter you mention the sending of Ministers abroade by the advise of Iohn Calvine which was amonge the e Lerij Navigat in Brasil Tâ—…pinambaliij in Brasilia such a iourney every way considered as never Frier or Iesuite vndertooke a more dangerous as is evident by the extreme famine endured in their returne besides the vexation and perils sustained there And if French-men had beene planted in f Expeditio in FloridaÌ„ Florida there had of likely-hood gone many more But there the purpose of many FreÌ„ch was to have resided had not the murtherours and massacring cruelty of the Spanyards hindered it they contrary to their owne word and honor cutting the throats of all whoÌ„ they could lay hould vpoÌ„ Yea if it had pleased God to have prospered our English g See Hacluits viages Colonies in Virginia there would not haue bin waÌ„ting meÌ„ of the Ministery to have adveÌ„tured speÌ„t their lives there so it may be said for any other place where God shall dispose the heartes of our Prince couÌ„try to thinke fit that they probablie may honour the Almighty And wheras you speake of charges to advauÌ„ce true ReligioÌ„ you needed to have gone no farther then to your owne late Soveraigne who with the assistaÌ„ce of her peoples purses did for the true plaÌ„ting of the service of God spend more treasure in IrelaÌ„d alone that without any assuraÌ„ce or likly-hood of recoÌ„peÌ„ce againe which the SpaÌ„yard ever stood vpoÌ„ in his Indies theÌ„ al your late Popes Popish Princes haue done in seÌ„ding abroad their AgeÌ„s And had it not bin Gods glory alone the honorable mind of a ChristiaÌ„ Queene who desired to blesse not to spill that which was coÌ„mitted vnto her her Highnes might with lesse charge daunger and trouble have desolated the country of the auncient inhabitants and peopled it with English beginning with the Sea-coastes and going forward into the In-land wherof your Catholike Kinges of Spaine would peradventure have made no bones as is evident by their proceedings in America but a true regard of Christianity and a minde to deale regally in that as in all other matters induced her Maiestie to waste an inestimable deale of goulde and silver besides the losse of men and all this to bring that rough and vntractable people into the sheepefolde of Christ Iesus if possibly that might be And albeit the times and present occasions were such that by necessitie the expence of her Highnesse was rather imployed vpon Souldiours theÌ„ on Seminaries Colledges yet the resolutioÌ„ of her as of a most ChristiaÌ„ Princesse was illustrious that way wheÌ„ beyond the consultations and advises of all her Graces most noble Progenitours yea beyond the opinion of Stephen Gardiner himselfe as L. Chancellour and a Privy councellour howsoever as a Bishop he was otherwise minded shee was pleased to graunt vnto that nation that at Dubline they should have an Vniversity where one Colledge long since was erected before this time more might have beene but for the warres And if all this had bin done by her Maiesties charge yet howe small would that have beene in comparison of those masses of treasure which in warlike service have beene within these fewe yeares expended 14 Your scoffe of Prety Parnel and many such more we must beare But if it bee true that never any Protestant went about such a worke as the planting of the faith how do you knowe that they would not goe without their wives in their company your tale is tyed togither with points But is it such a sinne that men going from their countrey even about the Lords busines should take those with theÌ„ whoÌ„ God hath ioined as their perpetual yokfelowes to coÌ„fort each other in sicknes in health It was wont to be that h Marc. 10. 9 what God had coupled togither no maÌ„ sâ—… seperate Wold you have vsed this speech against i 1. Cor. 9. 5. S t. Peter the brethreÌ„ of the Lord the rest of the Apostles that they could not goe vp and downe to preach the word spread the faith without their prety Parnels And yet you know or may know if you be not grossely ignoraÌ„t that these led women about with them in their ordinary ministratioÌ„ And is it not more probable that these were wives of their own theÌ„ any other wemeÌ„ k Libr. de Monogamia TertulliaÌ„ indeede is of opinion that they were not their wives but ministra other
Admirall with a Pistole at the cruell Battlemewtide in Paris And when that wounde proved not to be mortall did not he in person come to his lodging at midnight send vp cut-throates to murther him VVas it not the Popish crewe wherein by greate probability King Philip himselfe and the Duke of Parma also had a finger who first procured x Dinoth de bel civil Belgie li. 5. lauregny to shoote the Prince of Orenge with a Dagge and some yeares afterward Balthazar with the like weapon to kill him If ought could be saide for these things yet what can be answered for the death of K. y Meterran Hist lib. 5. Henry the 3. of France one of your own religion who was stabbed by the Frier And this fact was not only liked of by infinite numbers of Papists in France yea and as it should seeme z See the Franc. discourse defended also by publike preaching and writing but it was allowed of by the Pope and his Cardinals bone-fires and processions vvere made for it at Rome yea Sixtus Quintus made a solemne publike Oration in gratulatioÌ„ of the good event a De interdicto Regn Franciae edit Francosurti Anno. 1591 pronouÌ„cing that Clement the Iacobine who perpetrated that vilany was worthy not only to be reputed a Martyr but to be reckoned a Saint All the Papists in the world name the example of such a deede atteÌ„pted or atchieved by the ProtestaÌ„ts yea or that which may come nere it by 1000. degrees And was there not in like sort an intendmeÌ„t of b Iesuit Catech li. 3. 6. Barriere for the slaughtering of the present K. Henry the 4. which was a second time put in practise by c Cap. 8. Chastel a scholer of the Iesuits who assaulted somewhat hurt the same King For this cause by an Arrest of the Parliament of Paris there was made a decree against the Iesuits banishing theÌ„ out of Fraunce as also before the pallace in that Imperial City a d Cap. 20. Pyramis was erected which containeth a narratioÌ„ of the same This Edict was ratified by the highest court of France which yet notwithstanding consisteth most of Papists the force of the Edict standeth yet vpright albeit besides infinite other meanes e La Saincte Messe declar In praefat ad Regem Richeome the Iesuit hath made such a flattering clawing petitioÌ„ to the king in behalfe of his Society hath to win her favor also f Tableaux Sacrez des figures mystiques preseÌ„ted dedicated a braue baby book of the Masse to the Q. Mary de Medices now Regnant that her Highnes withal honorable favour would secoÌ„d their request CaÌ„ English meÌ„ forget that which in the name of his holines was by the g Differ between christiaÌ„ subiect D. Bilson part 3 Cardinal of Como signified to D. Parry by letter that to kil our late Soveraign a womaÌ„ a Princes was not only lawful but had his merit in heaveÌ„ caÌ„ it be out of memory that h Meterran lib. 13. BabingtoÌ„ the rest of the resolute GeÌ„tlemeÌ„ should violeÌ„tly haue slain her but that god did divert it her Honorab CouÌ„sel did discover it who was the chief leader here but i Answer to the Manifestat cap. 3. Ballard a Priest RecusaÌ„ts must be the Actors You know we could tell you of more English thus Italionated and so growne according to the Proverbe Divels incarnated who haue atteÌ„pted other such lewdenesses All this while then you have great reason to talke of Beza his Pistoles a matter wherein is no ground of truth when as some of your k La verite defend vide 〈◊〉 disc bookes do directly tende that way and many of the vndoubted actions of diverse of your side doe testifie that you and not we are the onely Prince-murtherers and traiterous King-assaulters that bee or ever were in the world which I would have vnderstood of the Jesuited factioÌ„ The Lord deliver our present Soveraigne from you as frequently in miraculous manner hee preserved his late gracious hand-maiden Elizabeth T. HILL NEither doe they take any other course in their proceedings but to destroy States kingdomes to displace lawfull Monarchies and Magistrates as the lowe-Countries Germany and Scotland can sufficiently witnes and ever then beginning is of pride and envy as Luthers was or by abusing themselves in their former estate as Sir Iohn Calvine did or by yeelding themselves slaues to ambition as they did in Scotland or by following Lust and Lechery or of some such like brutish occasion and never indeede vpon any ground vsing their religion onely as a serveturne wheÌ„ other meanes faile to atcheeve their vnlawfull desires G. ABBOT 17 IN this Chapter you continue so like your selfe that a maÌ„ should bee behoulding to you if you would speake but one true word The Reader perhaps will wonder that I take such paines with you to lay you so plainely open but if I could tell howe I would purge you of that l Ps. 140 3. poison of Adders which is vnder your lippes At least I would let both your frieÌ„ds strangers see what a maÌ„ of your word you are But it is fit that Papistes should be such as write they care not what Good Sir I pray you what State or kingdome hath bin overthrowen by vs you may see if you please that Fraunce hath bin kepte vp by the aide of England the Germane Princes and Switzers that when King m MeterraÌ„ Histor l 14 Henry the 3. was like to be beateÌ„ out of his king â—…ome by the Guizes Barricadoes at Paris by the vile coÌ„bination of the vnholy League the King theÌ„ of Navarre the ProtestaÌ„ts were the only men to whoÌ„ safely he might fly for succour And if the King that now is would declare his own mind he must acknowledge that the safety of his Realme Person doth not least of all depend on the fidelity circumspection vigilancy of hâ—…s Hugvenots The kingdome of Denmarke was never so potent nor so orderly governed as it is at this day since religion there flourished Since the Gospell hath had free course heere England may truly be said for felicity all humane happines to be the peerelesse paragone of the whole world At the moderation of superiours at the obedience of inferiours that the people every way are fouÌ„d so n Iud. 5. 〈◊〉 9. willing stand amazed al you fugitiues ill-willers to your countrie And especially that when you though that at the death of your late Prince you should have had your long ex pected lubilee all this â—…and should haue beene as the field 〈◊〉 bloud stand agast to heare how with vniformity of hart 〈◊〉 all the good subiects of this land did conioyne to exprâ—… 〈◊〉 ioy that they might have such a Lord Governoâ—…r as now by cods mercy they enioy They were not glad that they weâ—… quâ—…t
of one that so they might live in an Anarchy or tumultuous cōfused State but it was their vnspeakeable comfort that since the blessed God had takē vnto him her who was their most gracious Lady he had another in store whō they might serve in peace follow in warre frō the bottome of their harts pray for in both So hath the word of God seasoned the harts of old yong amōg v◅ with true subiectiō Christian obsequiousnes to the higher power Now for Germany when was it in the Electours other Princes more flourishing thē of late Whē were the governmēts of the Pals-grave Duke of Saxony Laurgrave of Hasse others of the religiō more in riches or setled trāquillity thē now And if the Empire it selfe be weakened the strength therof be pulled on the knees that is not the fault of the Gospell there professed for that errour was longe since runne into by o Ha◅lan Histo◅ l. 15. Charles King of Bohemia and Emperour who to get the Empire to his sonne released to the Electours and Princes the tributes other revenewes Imperiall And when they had once tasted the sweetnes therof they would never part with it againe Scotland was never more prosperous in deeper peace surer trafficke thē it is at this day And if heretofore there have bin any tumultuous it was the fault of some humorous persons and not of Religion as may appeare by the cōparing of that time with this when neverthelesse now the same doctrine is there professed The Cantons of Suitzerland the Protestants about thē do all well maintaine their States governments And the Vnited Provinces doe make a prety shift to keepe that which they had it wholy seemeth to be in such a cōplete order that the King of Spaine knoweth not wel what to make of it Then certainly al States and kingdomes be not quite destroyed by vs but those countries which harbour the Gospell live in as good reputatiō as other their poore neighbours do by them 18 But somewhat els there is in it The low Coūtries have shoken of the yoke of the Spanyards service Some of them indeede have but so many of their p Apolog. Prin◅p Aur◅ Vid◅◅ter lib 1 Dino◅h lib. 1. Apologies and other Defences published to the Christian world shew that it was not hastely vnadvisedly done They have let it be vnderstood that the Duke of Burgūdies government over them was not so absolute as the power of other cōfining Princes is over their Subiects That there is a very great reciprocal duty of his parte toward them even by the Positive Orders of their coūtry That their first submission of themselues to their Dukes then being French and afterward to the house of Austria was ever on that cōdition sworne vnto that the◅ Privileges should be kept Among them those which are the liberties of Brabant are the cheefe Now as these Hollanders say for thēselves whē King Philip the 2. tooke that harsh coūsaile to govern thē by Strāgers to over-rūne thē by his Spaniards to brīg in the Inquisitiō to behead their Nobles burn vp their people to erect new Bishopricks for a bloudy purpose in a word without ◅bling or cōsul◅g the Stats to alter by the sword the whol face of those Provinces they sēt oft to the Court in Spaine they vsed ◅nfinite supplications which would not be heard intercessions of neighbour Princes many pawses and sta◅es hopes at last being driven by extreme necessitie they proceeded farther even proclaiming that he had lost the Interest which formerly he had over them Nothing made them so averse as their vnderstanding by a q Meterr lib 2 letter intercepted that there was a proiect in the King to vse diverse of their Nobles well at first and afterward to destroy thē This letter was writen from Fran◅cus Alava Embassadour for the K. in Fraunce to the Lady Governes the Duchesse of Parma But when all this is said your Papists were every way Actours in this as farre as any other they did ioyne with the rest and were most forward for the maintenance of their Privileges And this so farre appeared that they iointly would have submitted all to r Meter l 12 Henry the 3. of Fraūce a Prince of the Romish religiō which in very deede formerly they had done to s Lib 10 Mounsieur the Duke of Alansō choosing him to be their Duke of Brabāt when he gave no other signification but in his faith to be Popish Yea the case of these Low-coūtry-mē seemed to mē of al sortes so iust reasonable that first s Lib 8 Mathias and afterward t Libr 17 Ernestus Archdukes both of Austria both kins-mē of bloud to King Philip both of the Romane faith did come personally into those parts and were Governours of the forces of those vnited Provinces which in the eies of every indifferēt mā doth leaue a strōg impressiō that the dealing of the Spanyard was more discōmēdable toward thē thē theirs was toward hī And I do verily beleeve that if matters were now fresh to begin the King Catholike who now is his very wise sage councel would be wel advised before that they would vndertake any courses so apparātly offensiue to the whol body of that people Notwithstādīg I do leave this whol questiō of the Low-coūtries to the vnderstāding cōsideration of the wise to that which time shal farther discover The rising of the u Sleidan Comment Lib 4 5 Cōmōs in Germany was not caused by Religiō for those of greatest fame who professed the religiō as Luther namely did disswade them from it and wrote against them but it was such a mutiny as sometimes Subiectes make in other Nations and the like whereof of late the olde u Peda de historias King of Spaine had in Arragon and so had England in the daies of Kinge Richard the second by Iacke Stravve VVat Tiler and other such noble companions and another such in the raigne of King Edward the sixt Of such insurrections vvhat opinion vvee have may partely bee seene by that treatise of Sir Iohn Cheeke The true subiect to the Rebell partly by our preachings writings since We dislike it we detest it we condemne it we pronounce it to be Rebelliō In the stirres which were in Scotland there is no doubt but there were many errour◅ on both sides If the ambition of some whither in Parliamēt or otherwise or the disorderly tumult of some multitudes did sway to farre let thē be are their owne blame But this did not overthrow the kingdom no we know that it stādeth to this day in great glory albeit perhaps that be not wholy to be ascribed vnto thē who in their chāges did as much looke to seeming ciuil pollicy as to the veritable approovable rules of religiō We doe not hold it to be the power or pleasure of
s Lib. 10. Macazar Not far from thence is s Lib. 10. Cetigano you terme it Cerignano one of the Ilands called Celebes Siligan is a town Butuan Piâ—…iliran and Camigu three things called kingdomes but all these t Ibidem foure within the Ile Mindanaus u Lib. 12. Supa is a small place nere 〈◊〉 Sian and that is an Iland towne beyond the Promontory of Malaca turning vp farre to the North. u Lib. 8. Bacian is one of the Moluccos Solar or rather x Lib. 16. Solor is an I le about 300. leagues froÌ„ Malaca being 8. degrees distant from the Aequator toward the South y Lib. 1. Malacca is a citty in that Promontory of India which was wont to be called Aurea Chersonesus is now tearmed Malaca of the city Selebi or rather z Lib. 8. Celebes is principally one Iland nere the Equinoctial but other adioining haue that name coÌ„municated to theÌ„ Thus haue we ended all that be nere to the East Indies The Iland of S. a Osor. Hist. li 3. Thomazo or S. Thomas lyeth directly vnder the Aequinoctial line over against that part of Africa which is tearmed Manicongo or rather a little higher theÌ„ it That which you name S. Domingo is it which in Latin is called b Pet. Mart. Decad. 1. 2. Dominica having that appellation given to it because it was discovered on a Sunday which in Latin is named Dies Dominicus It lieth toward America but much neerer vs then Hispaniola doth and it was one of the Ilands where the Caribes or Canibals did dwell before the comming of ColuÌ„bus toward the West Indies c â—…d Decad. 1. l. 6. Madera is one of the fortunat or Canary IlaÌ„ds lying some few daies iourny South-west ward froÌ„ Spaine You might if it had pleased you haue added the rest of the Canaries and the Azores as also all that lie neere America as Cuba and Hispaniola and many about them also the Philippinas and I cannot tell what But my conceite is that you went no farther because the Author or Copy which you followed weÌ„t no farther For I deale plainly with you I do not hold you gilty of the knowing where al these places be And yet it were no huge labor in the reading over of such an Authour as the d Hist. India aut select Epistol Iesuit Maffeus is to take the wordes heere and there as hee relateth the comming in of the Portingales or the pretended labours of his felowes But I smell it to be borrowed from some other man as your e RatioÌ„ 3. enumeratioÌ„ of Heretikes was from Staphilus In which respect I call to minde howe once on a New-yeares day in the morning a Parish-Clarke in Oxford brought to the Minister of that Parish certaine Latin verses as a token for the Newe yeare The Minister seeing them before he reade them said that hee thaÌ„ked him for his paines but added that he did not thinke that he could haue made a Latin verse The Clarke with an humble smile looking on did no way deny but that the verses were his owne But when the other had reade them he altered his opinion and tolde him that they were taken out of a Printed booke It is true indeede saith the Clarke but Sir I tooke the paines to write them out for you Even so much paines have you taken ignorantly from some ignorant fellowes collections to write these names out for vs. 16. I am induced to think so not only because you have played such pageants before but much rather because a sober man may wel thinke that if you had known what you did or had had any true vnderstaÌ„ding of the matter you wold never have made such a clatter to so small a purpose For it may well be supposed that there be no such places as some are named by you some other of them are so meane as that to this day they never could finde place in any mappe whatsoever published to the worlde Onely they are mentioned by one Iesuite who cannot lye and he maketh every meane man a King if he once parled with a Iesuite he shall want no title You have reckoned vs vp heere one and forty names many of them in themselves small base and inferiour things if diverse of them be ordinarily tearmed Kingdoms yet the whol couÌ„try is not so great as a prety shire in England some of the Ilands are as meane as the I le of Wight is If you will stand on it that these be kingdomes yet wee can make you answere that very many of the Kings of the East couÌ„try are Lordes but as over moale-hils and so it was some thousands of yeeres agone f Gen. 14. 2. You may reade of the King of Sodome and of the Kinge of Gomorah as also of the Kinge of Admah and of the Kinge of Zeboim and yet all these lived vvithin a small compasse of ground For the one and forty names which you note vnto vs you may reade of g Iosu. 12. 9. one and thirty Kinges indeede with whom Iosuah had to deale and yet all their dominion was so within Canaan that the territories of all their regiment was not so much as England alone without Scotland ioyned to it And yet if an ignorant man shoulde heare the names of all those Kinges as they are set downe by Iosua he would looke as much about him as one of your silie Papists doth at those heere in your booke To let them therefore know how you egregiously abuse them you haue said as much as if I should speake in this sort His Maiesty of England hath a great many good subiects I begin to give the instance in Suffex because I heare that this Pamphlet is much in request among backward people there as in the great city of Chichester in Arundel in Rye and in many other good places there about Also in Sandwich with all the Cinque portes and the liberties of the same yea in the Iles of Shepy and Tenet with other lying at the landes end fast by Essex yea adde herevnto Hul New-castle vpon Tine the strong towne of Barwike And if a man should tel this to some vnlettered Italian who lyeth a great way hence he might be made to wonder but the truth were no very high matter Thus it is with these places named which are onely cities townes or angles standing along the sea coast vpon the shore of the Indies and interrupted or intersorted with heathenish dominions or else they are Ilands in the selfe same quality And in many of these if there were some said to be baptised 20. or 40. yeares agone or if there be now but 5. Portingales or Spanyards which keepe a shop or ware-house yet there is the Romish faith Which our Author who never vseth but to cast at All as it seemeth doth acknowledg wheÌ„ coÌ„trary to his custome he hath an extenuation It is happilie received of
Catholikes ever sought the death of their Soveraigne though of a different religion from thē the conquest of their natiue land the subversion of the state the depopulation of the weale publike the alteration and change of all lawes customes and orders and in few the vtter devastation desolation and destruction of all the ancient inhabitants of their land c. Now if this may be saide of the laity of the English Papists what censure may bee given of the Priests the vrgers and instigatours of all these things He speaketh elsewhere more particularly of the Seminary Priests y Quod. 9. 4 Howe can they expect any favor when they are taken none can deny that their comming over is to increase the number of Catholikes and that Fa. Persons raigneth and hath the whole direction at this day for all the missions that are for England How then alas how may her Maiestie and the state conclude against them What lawes can bee too extreame to keepe them out of the land Or if they will needes come in what severity for the execution of lawes against them can bee more then sufficient Into what gulfe are we plunged Nay into what an obloquy are we plunged Nay into what an obliquie must the Catholike Church of Rome grow in that the execution of Priesthood and treason are now so linked together by the Iesuits in England as we cannot exhort any to the Catholike faith but dogmatizando in so doing we draw him in effect to rebellion You see that this writer doth not sumble nor doubly budgen but delivereth his opiniō roundly And if any one should except that these be the assertions of private and single men hee may see a treatise put out by ioint consent of divers Seculars and written of purpose to cleere the proceedings of the State in England from bloudy cruelty or vn-advised rigorousnes in cutting of such rotten members You may iudge the contentes thereof by the Title which is this z Edit An. 1601. Important considerations which ought to mooue all true and sounde Catholikes who are not wholy Iesuited to acknowledge without all equivocations ambiguities or shiftings that the proceedings of her Maiestie and of the State with them since the beginning of her Highnesse raigne haue beene both milde and mercifull By this time if there bee any wit or sence left in you you may put vp your pipes for complaining of the hard vsage of Priests sent hither from the Seminaries I haue beene the more large in this argument partly to stop your clamorous mouth and partelye to satisfie weake persons either on our or your side and not least of all to free the honorable Parliamentes and Magistrates taking order against such venimous vermine from the forged imputations and scandalous defamations in this particular laid against them by name of him a Supposed to bee D. Worthington who falsly reporteth the suffering of sixteene pretended martyrs in one yeere that is the yeere of Iubily 1600. Now I follow your steps againe where I left 21. When you fall to daring you shewe your selfe but a simple man There is one by whose helpe David did dare leape b Psa. 18. 29 34. over a wall and to attempt with his armes to breake a bow of brasse by whose protection in a righteous cause that England which by a diminution you call litle doth dare to stand against the strongest enemy that it hath What should hinder it good Sir to cut of lewde persons wherewithall God is well pleased when the late Queene thereof at her entrance to the Crowne did not feare all the Potentates in the world nor the backwardnesse of many of her owne subiectes nor the combining almost of all her owne Cleargy but that in the name of God and in the vndanted confidence of his maintaining of his owne truth shee did spread the banner of the Gospell and without discouragement did persist in that resolution till the day of her death the English fugitiues and the Irish Male-contents yea the Pope and Spaniard contriving to the vttermost to impeach it Why shoulde not this our country dare to doe well when by the singular favour of God blessing his true religion in it it hath beene able to repel that invincible Navy to sacke many of the kings townes in the West Indies to batter his Groine in Galitia to march with ensigne displayed almost an hundred miles in the heart of his countrey to knocke at his gates of Lisbone to sinke his fleete at Cales and to burne that towne at pleasure the Spanyards looking on scant offering to strike one blow The time hath beene that this England which is such a little more in your eie hath sent c Holinshed in Rich. 1 Edw. 3. Hen. 5. 6. a mightie army as farre as to Palestina hath had two kings prisoners in it at once and two of her owne Kinges crowned in Paris And hee is blind who seeth not that at this time it hath decayed no part of her ancient valure or worth Then do you never feare but it may dare to execute such companions of yours as will heere disturbe the peace of the Church Common-wealth Now that it grieveth your pretty heart that you haue not your will among vs I doe verily beleeue and do not you thinke that wolues beares doe much grieue that they cannot come at the sheep-folds but the shepheards will meets with them As our d Luk. 23. 28 Saviour somtime said to the women of Hierusalem that they should not weep for him but for themselues and their children so wee may bid you not to grieue for the evil case of England but to be sory weep for your sinnes and most malicious blindnesse that God without his more future mercy should giue you over to a reprobate sence so as to fly truth and to hate it to barke against the light to cary vndutifull thoughts to your Superiours and vn-natural to your countrey where the Lord be praised for it there is nothing vnhappy vnlesse it bee that it hath hatched into the world such vipers such monsters who care not what become of her so that Sathā may be king Antichrist may be general How your brethrē are persecuted with plenty ease aboūdance not lōg since I told you The wiser sort of thē cannot but acknowledge as evē now you heard that no Prince vnder the heavē being so zealous in Gods cause having sustained such indignities at the hands of many of that factiō as our late most Christiā Queen had done would haue proceeded with that mildnes For the māner of your speech you are now returned to your old custome again Here is nothing but all'all How al the world hath embraced your profession I haue shewed you before The ancienter part of the Primitiue Church knew almost nothing of it the latter part of the first 600. years had some weeds cōming vp in it but the good corn over-topped
little colour vpon it your Seminary students woulde svveare it Other men vvho know your tricket will pitty you or laugh at you and so let you goe 11 Your conclusiō is like your premisses they are foolish who beleeue these new fellows who can doe nothing indeede you might haue said who make profession to doe nothing of miraculous actions leaue Popery so bolstred vp with miracles Your Maister Bristow from whose fifth and sixth Motiue yet much shrunke and contracted you borrowe your sixth Reason to shewe the straungenesse of Miracles doeth playe the good fellovve vvith vs and giveth vs an instaunce of one in our owne age that a q Bristowe Motiv 5. woman called Margaret Iesope was contracted to a Dutch man in London and by him begotten with childe before they were marryed His friendes hearing of the intended match sende for him to Bruxelles there mary him to another wife Margaret followeth him thither is denyed by him and being brought a bed there falleth wōderfully lame so continueth three yeares and more In the meane while shee sueth him in law both for the contract and for the maime But the ende vvas that by the vertue of the miraculous Sacramente◅ or hostes in the Church of S. Gudila at Bruxelles shee was cured having vsed before much fasting and going oft to Confession In remembrance of this wonder her staffe or Crouch was hanged vp neere the place of the Blessed Sacrament of Miracle and her healing was proclaimed every where in the pulpit Can any man chuse but beleeue that Popery is truth when hee heareth this tale the grace whereof is so excellent that he spendeth eight whole leaues in delivering it making it vp so much as will serue a Popish womā to read in an after◅noone allowing her a little liberty to thinke how shee may say it without booke to tell it to her friends or sisters And some oddes may bee laide that it will cost her a dry droppe or two of some trickling teares also It may be here noted that the subiect of the miracle this gentle Iesope was an honest woman being with childe before that shee vvas marryed Also that M. Bristow talking in his grosse ignorance of her suing the Dutch man for a maime which is a iesting phrase in England but no action for that particular being liable in the Civill or Common Law is a fit man to determine of Kings and Queenes of the excommunication of Pius the 5. of the good cause of the Rebels in the North Ann. 1569. where he proclaimeth them to be Martyrs Thirdly it is no newes to heare that Motiv 15 a harlot being put to her shifts should be a counterfeit cranke to cover her other baggage like tricks should be willing to bee talked of as one vpon whom a miracle was shewed In the time of the olde pilgrimages there were a thousande of these prankes played And I could name where a woman lately dwelt vvho as her honest neighbours reported by her vertuous life came to that state that to say no worse of it the French overcame the English Shee laboured to conceale it but being forced by infirmity to go with a paire of crowches shee gaue out that she knew not how shee was taken in her limmes Afterward vnder a colour of going to the Bathe or some other such place shee with-drew her selfe till by some surgeon like skil shee was reformed againe Yet comming home she would not leaue her crowches but professed that her weakenes grew on her more and more At length when the time was come which best fitted her purpose on a Sūday or holy-day when the street had many people in it who beheld her going along shee goeth with her Crowches to a brook running on one side of the towne and there for an howre and more shee sitteth washing her feete telling such of her acquaintance as passed by that she felt her strength more and more increasing according to a dreame vvhich shee had dreamed the night before But the issue was shee left her crowches and came home as well as shee desired Being asked of it shee hath not feared to sweare that so strangly shee was cured as I haue reported and some wise folkes beleeue it You may be one of these if you will and you may recorde this woman for her straunge vision This may well fit Bristowes Narration concerning Margaret Iesope Touching which relation so reported so magnified so beleeved to the great praise of the miracles done at Bruxelles because I do desire that my much-abused country men should take notice how they are bobbed by the fraude of their Priests and what the iuggling of such good fellowes is I thinke it not amisse to let them vnderstād that within s Ann 1581 fevē years after this fore-named wonder the Senate of Bruxelles did discover the whole legerdemaine of the miracles said and blazed abroad to be ordinary with them and after due examination did put foorth to the view of the world an Edict or Proclamation therevpon s Meter hist Belgi◅ l. 10 Wherin they declare that the Sacrament of Miracle among them was nothing but a bare peece of bread both lately falsly reported to doe wonders and that the covetous greedinesse of the Romane Clergy there had also obtruded to the people rotten peeces of wood to be worshipped as if they had been partes of the Crosse whereon Christ was crucified and in steed of the reliques of Saints they kept the bones of Apes and other beastes pretending moreover that they had some part of the Sepulchre of our Lady and the skull of S. Michaell which things they permitted the people to adore Yea they testifie that in the faces of diverse of their images they found little holes wherein oile was put to make them seeme sometimes as if they sweated And that there were devises whereby other Images had some parts of them made to moue and sti◅re by wires and other instruments The Proclamation at large is worth the reading wherein it may bee seene that God in his good time discovereth the verletry of couseners and beguilers and giveth leave to such as will not close their owne eies to behould what is truth and what is falshood For some scores of yeeres togither this place was famous for Popish miracles and so many strange things were heere saide to be done that of all the places in Europe Bristow chose this to fetch his wonder from for the confirmation of Popish doctrine and now you see by a most authentical Record what it prooveth to be You Seminary Priests that can blush blush at this and at the ill fortune of Margaret Iesopes miracle 12 HEere to turne vnto the Christian Reader if our Romanistes had not resolved to say any thing which might make a shew flourish without al substance who would in our age bring this Reason of miracles to decide or determine which is the true faith It is certaine that whē our
Priest of his order and he who was his Confessour that he very often had asked of God that he would do no miracles by him And that was because he wold not haue the people think too well of him And in as much as mention is heere made of Caesar Baronius I vvill adde one thing more which the said l Lib. 1. An. 1550 Cardinall delivered vpon his othe concerning the same Philip his founder for the said Baronius was one of his company and society In the yeere 1550 now more then fiftie yeeres agone Philip who in the darke of the night vvhen all men are even buried in sleepe so that the lefte hande coulde not knovve vvhat the the right hande did did vse to visite needy persons vvent in the nighte time to cary breade to a poore gentle-man Heere by the Devils meanes vvhile hee sought to avoide a carte comming hastily vppon him hee fell into a verie deepe ditch but Gods helpe beeing at hande in his falling he vvas presently caught of an Angell by the heare of the heade miraculouslye and beeing nothing hurte hee vvas returned out safe by the Angell This did Baronius who vvas not there and coulde haue it but by the reporte of Nerius svveare absolutely to bee true vvhereby vvee may easilie gesse that the same Cardinall in his vvritinges maketh no greate conscience to saye thinges true or false vvhen hee maketh no bones to svveare matters so vnlikely Hee who list to see more of the venerable miracles in Popery let him reade Henrie Stephanus in his French m Cap 39 Apologie of Herodotus and there hee shall finde diverse particulars sette dovvne Are not our Country-men and Country-women blessed when after so long light of the Gospell they chuse to feede themselues fat with legions of such wonders and holde it a high part of their profession to beleeve such things as these are We reade of some whom God doth so giue over to the spirit of delusion that they doe n 2 Thes 〈◊〉 11. beleeuelyes 17 If any heere do aske mee howe came it ever about that such foolishe and ridiculous multitudes of miracles came to bee reported and inserted into their bookes I must first ascribe it to the permission of God who had fore-tolde that so it shoulde bee Secondlye to the pollicy of Sathan vvhose kingdome by this us by a speciall meanes was inlarged Thirdly to the cunning of the Cleargy in those daies vvho made themselues great by the keeping vp of such reportes concerning the sanctitie of any of their confederacy or of such whose reliques they pretended to haue and gained infinitely by the offeringes done in places of these wonders And fourthly to the credulity of the people who would beleeve any thing once set abroach by some suborned for the purpose or by idle companions Gulielmus Neubringensis was a writer very learned and iudicious for that time wherein hee lived And in his storie hee did more then once relate the abuse of that age for spreading abroade the fames of miracles o Neubringens l 3 7. Henry the eldest sonne of King Henry the second of England vvho was in his fathers life time crowned King but dyed before his father was every where by the people reported to have wrought great miracles after his death vvhereas in truth he was an vnadvised and rebellious younge Prince This shevveth hovve apte the people were to intertaine a conceite of any mans doing miracles yea so farre that if they might haue their willes they shoulde soone have beene shrined for Saints Aftervvard p Lib 4 9 there vvas a greate robber vvho beeing slaine it vvas given out of many olde vvomen that hee frequentlye did miracles as if hee had beene some holye person and this rumour grewe so stronge and was so generally spredde that the Bishop was enforced to come to Hampton there display the falshood of the whole narration so that then the superstition was ended Hee q Lib 5 19 mentioneth also a third matter of this kinde that a traiterous fellow of London called VVilliam with the longe bearde vvas also reputed a Saint and a maine doâ—… of of miracles Can vvee have any plainer certificate then this that by the superstition and credulousnesse of the vulgar sort many vvonders were saide to bee done vvhen in truth there vvas no such matter And if for their commodities sake any of the Cleargie would ioyne and giue countenance to the matter the party so grovvne to be a Saint and the fame of his vvonders shoulde never bee extinguished The reader may by these fewe take a tast of the rest of their Saintes and miracles for thousandes vvere done no othervvise then in this sorte and everie man had not the vvitte to see the fraude nor that couragâ—… to reporte it as Neubringensis had And vvhat levvdenesse may wee imagine vvas practised amonge simple people in those darke dayes of Popery vvhen in so glorious a sunne-shine of the Gospell any Seminarians shoulde dare in England to attempte such a practise as Father VVeston the lesuite and Declâ—…ration of Popish impostures practâ—…sed by Edm. no lesse then a vvhole douzen of Priestes conspiring vvith him did of late for some yeeres togither put themselues into They persvvaded some men and three maydens that they vvere possessed vvith the Devill and that they by their Priest-exorcizing faculties could fetch him in out vp and downe at their pleasure They had a holy chaire to set their abused Disciples in and a holy potion to administer to them both matters pretended to be formidable to the foule spirits but indeed trickes to cast their patients into straunge fits that so they might seeme as wel to themselues as others standing by to be possessed in most hideous manner And this was so artificially carried by the Iesuit and his fellowe Iuglers that diverse hundreds of vnstable and vnadvised people being cousened and cunny-catched by their impostures were contented to bee reconciled to the Church of Rome being wonne there vnto by their stupendious miracles A booke also or two was penned to be spread abroade beyond the seas of the admirable dominering of these Priests over the possessing spirits and of the wonders which they had done vppon them Notwithstanding now by the confessions of three of the females one man al which then were the pretended possessed persons of another theÌ„ a Priest a personal actour in this exploit all these five being sworne speaking vpon oth it is manifestly and vndoubtedly discovered to be most egregious insignious illustrious both varletry vilainy that among meÌ„ professing religion devotioÌ„ was ever heard A man may wel suppose that the casting out of Devils and doing of other wonders in India farre countries by the Iesuites and Priestes is a true honest holy matter when such vnspeakeable vndescribable hypocrites do dare before such multitudes of theselues conscious of their own fraud before such troupes of staÌ„ders by
assured that we haue none but those which are right in the whole and in the parts For Actes of Councels haue bin much falsified as it is alleadged in the sixt Generall Councell holden at Constantinople t Action 14 that some had falsified the Actes of the fifth Generall Councel holden in the same place as was apparantly deprehended How those in Afrike did cōplaine of the Popes forsting in somewhat to the first Nicene Synode I haue shewed before and how the Councell sent to Nice it selfe to see the Originall But in the same manner hath the Pope complained that other haue also falsified the Actes of the same Councell For Felix Bishop of Rome himselfe hath made this Decree u In Decretis felicis Papae In Concilijs Let the persons of the accusers be without all suspicion because by reason of the molestations offered by evill men this was defined in the Nicene Councell by all although by the falshoode of lewde persons these and many other things are blotted out We then had neede to take heede that wee do not beleeue those things as certaine which of themselues are so vncertaine Let Papists doe it if they wil. Lastly before I shut vp this Chapter it is not amisse to know that it is not for the ancient Synods that the Romanists doe striue but for those which lately were helde wherein their Pope bore much sway and their Popery was established by fragments For out of the old Councels both Provinciall and Vniversall there are many matters contrary to their definitions As in the thirde Councel at Carthage there is much spoken concerning the children of Priests which sheweth that Priests then were ordinarily marryed And there it is that the Pope should not be called the Prince of Priests or chiefe Priest In the Elibertine Councell is a flat decree against Images in Churches It u Canon 36 pleaseth vs that pictures should not be in the Churches least that which is worshipped or adored should be painted on wals In the fifth x In epistol felicis Councell at Constantinople by an Epistle of Pope Felix to Zeno it is shewed that the Church is built on the confession of Peter not on his person or place In the ninth Councel of y Canon 1. Toledo if a Metropolitane defraude the Church complaint thereof is to be made to the king which sheweth that Princes then had to do with persons and causes Ecclesiasticall Very many more such instances may be brought how the old Councels knew nothing of that hart of Popery which since hath growne vp by the connivence of some Princes the weaknes of other and the notable cunning of Antichrist And for times now long agone the extravagancie and transcendencie of the Roman Bishops power is no where knowne For in the Nicene z Canon 6 Councell the Bishop of Alexandria in his Province and the Patriarke of Antioch in his haue as much iurisdiction as the Pope hath in his In the a Isidor in praefat Cōcil Ephesin Ephesine Synode Cyrill of Alexandria was president and not the Bishoppe of Rome and there it is saide that b In epistol ad Nestoriū Peter and Iohn were each to other of equall dignitie because they were Apostles and holie disciples which overthroweth the Primacie of the Romane Bishoppe deriving his prerogatiue only from Peters preeminence And in the Councell of c Canon 1. Chalcedon all is confirmed which was decreed before in other Synodes Thus the Pope and Papists should gaine much by sending vs to looke into the most ancient Councels THE TENTH REASON Fathers T. HILL THE Catholike Romane religion is most plainely taught by all the ancient Fathers of the first second thirde fourth fift and sixt hundred yeares after Christ and hath beene ever vvithout all controversie taught of the Fathers of everie age since vntill this day That religion did Diony sius Areopagita S. Paule his scholer so manifestly teach as Causaeus a French Protestant called him for his labour a doating old Causaeus Dial. 5. 11. In capt Babilonica man much like as his father Luther had said before him that Areopagita his workes were like to dreames and most pernicious The same faith vvas taught of Saint Ignatius Clemens Iustinus Tertullian Cyprian Irenaeus and in one vvord all the anncient Fathers not one excepted G. ABBOT WHen Thomas Pilcher sometimes an vnworthy fellow of a Colledge in Oxford but afterward an vnlearned Priest of the Seminary after pardon once given him for his life and beeing exiled from his Countrey returned againe into Englande to pervert the subiectes of her late Maiestie he vvas by arrest of lawe to be brought to execution vvhere as I haue heard being remembred by an intelligent person that he should bee well advised what the right or wronge of the cause was for which hee did suffer his reply was that if hee were in an errour then Irenaeus and Iustine Martyr Tertullian and Origene Lactantius Hilary Chrysostome Ambrose Hierome Austen Gregorie Bearnarde and all other the olde Fathers of the Primitiue Church vvere mightily deceived for what he held they taught The silye man had much adoe to learne the names of all these but for reading any of them or for knowing what they vvrote there bee many yet living who dare safely giue their word that he good man was never troubled with it This is the very case of the greatest part of you Papists you wil speak without the book and make good little of that which you say but yet for lacke of chalenging facing it out you will loose nothing of antiquity And among al your copes-mates as one that knoweth least and therfore dareth to say most you lay about you here for al al againe You are now come to your selfe revested with your olde spirite and therefore wee will looke for a legion of Vniversals at your handes The vn-Catholike Romane Religion it is Papistry which you meane is not onely taught or plainly taught but most plainelie taughte not by some but by all the ancient Fathers of the first sixe ages after Christ and hath beene not sometimes but ever not doubtingly but without all controversie taught of the Fathers of each age vntill this day If you had a fore-heade lefte and knevve vvhat you did saye vvhich I thinke you doe not but onely take vp this speech on the word of other men you would blush a whole yeare togither at this your owne absurdity and by that time woulde this rubour bee so setled in your face that it would never out For that I may plucke you a little backe by the sleeue doth Saint Augustine and Orosius Fulgentius and Bernard where they of purpose handle the argument teach as you do teach cōcerning the freenesse of Gods grace every way and touching free will a In pref 1. 5 Bibli Sāct Sixtus Senensis shall condemne you who reiecteth Saint Augustines doctrine in that behalfe Doe Lactantius and
bedde-stuffe vvere of a moderate and competent quality neither to neate nor too verie abiect bicause in these for the most parte men doe either vse insoleutlie to boast themselves or to abiecte themselves by both not seeking those thinges vvhich are Iesus CHRISTES but their ovvne But this blessed man as I saye kepte the meane neither declining to the right hand nor to the lefts Thus saith Possidonius wherevpon Erasmus fitly asketh this question n Observat. in margine UUhere was thou the letherne girdle and the blacke coule But besides this they haue forged certaine o Ad fratres in eremo books in the name of S. Augustine as if he the Bishoppe of Hippon had given orders and instructions to his Friers vnder him But this is as like the worke of S. Austen as an Owle is like an Eagle or a Cuckow to a Nightingale as the improbability of many things vvhich are in it the basenesse of the matter the barbarousnesse of the stile the foolish and shamelesse narrations and many other thinges maye demonstrate to every one who hath but halfe an eie or one graine of salt in him Yet so must Popery bee peeced togither with a faire title at the least although the stuffe be rotten 21 Heere looke we backe a little to the ancient Monkes and not any way curiously to trace their originall were there not even almost in the very time of their first institution many absurdities and incongruous superstitions which did creepe in every one by a voluntary will-worship adding what he thought good Was not the great p Sozo 1 13 Anthony who had so many followers a man vtterly vnlearned and did not he thinke even the least knovvledge a hinderance to his speculatiue devotion Did not the Heremits shew great presumption when being but simple persons diverse of them they wilfully refused the society of men the fellowship of cōmunion of Saints by their solitarynesse putting themselues more freely vpō Sathans temptations by debarring their soules of the word preached the Sacrament of the Lordes supper received and the comfort of the Minister or any other Christian brother Did not the too exquisite severity of q Lib 3 13 Eustathius the Monke who is supposed to be the true authour of the book intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cōmonly reported to be S. Basiles where so much is of the life discipline of Monks grow to absurd observations and such as were quite disagreeing from the laws Ecclesiastical There are reckoned vp many opinions of him his scholers which were condemned in a Councel at Gangrae as that he disliked mariage would not pray in their houses who were wedded despised maryed Priests thought rich men to be shut out frō heaven detested those who eate flesh and other such like monkish imaginations Some women perswaded by him or his leste their husbands put on mens apparrel and fell to adultery These persons lived about the time of the fore-named Fathers who in their bookes cōmended the good parts which were then exercised doubtles gaue those precepts which they did giue to reforme the abuses And as succeeding generations came on did not the superstitious devises of Monks increase as is to be seene in Evagrius Some did shut themselues into little houses r Evagr hist Eccl. l 1 21 which were so low narrow as that they could neither stand vpright in thē nor ly otherwise then double Some both men women living in the wildernes did onely cover their privities for the rest went naked both in the hottest coldest wether Some refusing all foode of men did eate only the grasse of the ground would not endure the presence of any persons but woulde run away and hide them in the rockes Other counterfeyting themselues fooles laboured to bee without all passion These woulde not refuse to goe into tavernes or brothel-houses they would be in bathes with women and as among men they lived as men so among women they were as women Yet did those ages so doate vpon monkery that even these were commended and helde for holy men Thus if wee take these olde lads in their best times they had imperfections inough but of the good qualities which were in any of them those vvho came after embraced but a few Onely the ignorance of Anthony went almost currant through all that was as good as hereditary to them But the olde devoute service of God was of late turned into hypocrisie fasting into perpetuall belly-cheere scarcity and penury into aboundance and lordly possessions of landes charity was converted into hart-burning and envie humility into pride sobriety into Venereous and Sodomitish lust their piety was but formality their idolatry was infinite Thus it grewe forwarde by little and little till it came to the height of vngodlinesse Howe soone this beganne maye bee gathered by him vvho vvrote the treatise commonlye called Cyprians De duplici martyrio There vvee thus read s Cypr. de dupl mart Not anie deserte place sacke-cloath for a garment pulse for meate neither fasting nor lying on the bare grounde doe make a perfect monke Under these covers lyeth hid sometimes a minde verie worldly which is so discovered if they bee called to any Ecclesiasticall office There you shall see some of them most easilie to bee overcome vvith delightes more impatient of iniuries more desirous of vengance then any other of the ordinarie people What is the cause Because they haue more exercised the body then the minde This began betimes but as they grew in yeares so many of them grew in horrible wickednes It is a long while since s Eccl. Hist. Ang l 4 25 Beda lived yet in his Ecclesiasticall story he mencioneth that a Monastery called Colindiurbem was consumed with fire for the lasciviousnes and wantonnes which was there founde in both men and women So did God punish them But in S. Bernards time a carnall kinde of behavior had over-growne almost all which caused him earnestly passionatly to complaine t Bernard in cena Domini cap 3. How many monkes be there in S. Benedicts monastery who do laugh when other men doe mourne who reioice when other are sadde In their bodie they are cloistered in their mindes wanderers and never standing still Slow to their reading tardy to their praying in the Church sleeping in the refectory vvaking For their long watchings grieving but for their long bankets reioicing This was the mortified life of many monkes in that holy mans daies And how this was afterwarde amended in England may bee testified by the survey which by Visitation of the Kings Commissioners was taken vnder King Henry the eight of famous memory when by othes of the religious persons themselues much Sodomitry other vncleannesse was detected and afterwarde was published to the world by a printed booke some notes wherof are to be seene in the French Apology of u Cap. 21 Henry Stephanus made in defence of Herodotus