no part of my meaning but I say that the true Church cannot longe want true bishopes and teachers and that therfore the Romish Church is not the true Church hauing no bishops nor préestes at all but in name And that I proued for that they wanted true priesthood and true ordination and were ordayned and sent by antichrist by heretikes and simoniacall persons and such as had no authority to ordayne or sende forth bishops and preestes He answereth finally that I haue no reason to carpe at the Romish clergie for their bad life and lacke of learning seeing Pag. 96. our Church as he saith admitteth most base lewd vnlearned artisās this he indeuoureth to proue by M. Parries words in his preface before Vrsinus his catechisme But he lyeth like a lewde and base fellow if he suppose that such are admitted by our Church they do thrust in I confesse by the abuse of sōe on or more but the church alloweth thē not nay there are canōs made that none is to be ordained minister but bachilars of art or men otherwise well qualified and knowne to be able to teach If any doe otherwise by indirect meanes come into the ministery which abuse Master Parry noteth yet I hope they are not so rude or so lewde as masse Preests which are the scumme of all vileny for the most part as those that trauell Spayne and Italy knowe by practise and our rinegat English masse Preestes by their lewdnesse and insufficiency playnly proue Hauing answered according to his best skill and broken as he thinketh all our bonds like Dalilaes cords though some of his friends say that a certeine Dalila hath strong hold of him he goeth about to retort this argument vpon vs and saith if the true Church hath alwayes true bishops and preests that the Church of England Pag 100. is not the true Church as wanting true preestes and bishops And with this argument hee hopeth to giue vs such a drie shauing as he doubteth not but he will marre the whole beauty thereof but he sheweth himselfe to be but a simple barber and a worse drie shauer for nowe he cannot shew but that we haue true bishops hauing both lawfull ordination and our bishops exequuting the office of bishops loyally and orderly Before this reformation also our bishops had all that which our aduersaries thinke necessary in the outward calling of bishops Besides that there fayled not among our bishops and préestes at all times diuers men which detested the abominations of the Romanistes as Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne Richard Vllerston that liued about the councell of Constance Iohn wicleffe and diuers others But saith he who layd hands on bishop Parker He séemeth also to make the like question of Luther and Zuinglius I answere that bishop Couerdale and Skory and others which were bishops in King Edwardes time layde hands vpon bishop Parker I confesse also that bishop Cranmer Luther and Zuinglius had an externall calling though corrupt in a corrupt state yet such as Owlygalsse dare not deny to be sufficient And beside that externall calling it pleased God to reuele to them his will extraordinarily and to call them out of Babylon to the knowledge of his truth our aduersary therefore of all men hath least reason to challenge them for their calling Beside that he cannot conclude because that externall calling was then thought sufficient that now the popish Church hath a calling sufficient For albeit the préestes of the Iewes that worshiped Baal had an externall calling which was not disabled when they returned to the true worship of God yet was not their Idolatrous seruice doon to Baal nor that preesthood lawful the like wee may say of masse préests They should haue serued God aright yet whē they serued at their massing alters they worshipped strange Gods But when they left their Idolatrie then their calling tooke effect they doing that for which they were principally called Furthermore he cannot say because now all Idolatry and superstition being abandoned we are the true church that the papists that reteine still their superstitiōs are the true church for the true church is tryed by true faith true worship and seruice of God not by externall rites and ceremonies and succession without Gods true worship or the true faith Owlyglasse would also gladly haue me to set down the names of those bishops that gouerned our Church euer since Christ As if all bishops that mayntained the Apostles créede and catholike faith were not our bishops If they digressed from the faith we are not to séeke for a new ranke of bishops but to acknowledge them to be true bishops that professed the true faith He talketh also of my being at Cales but it is more honesty for me to goe in the seruice of my Prince and contry against forreine enemies then for him with forreine enemies like a disloyal traytor to fight against his prince and contry and like a base slaue to serue the popes turne And this may serue to iustifie my argument against the popish préesthood It resteth now that I answere his friuolous obiections concerning some points which he supposeth to conteine matter of contradiction which he vanteth that hee will handle to the little commendation of my learning as he saith But if he would indéede haue disgraced me he should haue taken in hand the aunswere of some latine treatise which I haue published against Bellar. For therein he might haue shewed lerning whereas this discourse concerning falsifications and vntruthes is nothing but a little fardle of foolery and a vaine bable for his clients to sport themselues with all Well in the meane while let vs know his worships pleasure concerning these supposed contradictions First he chargeth me with saying that the number of seuen sacraments was not certainly established nor receiued before the late councell of Trent and this he supposeth to be contrarie to that which I affirme in another place viz. that the iust number of seuen sacraments and neither more nor lesse was first deliuered by the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth and afterward confirmed by the councell of Trent But the poore ideot doth rather bewray his owne ignorance that knew not how this doctrine of seuen sacraments crept into the Romish church and great dulnesse that could not distinguish betwixt instructions and canons talking or mentioning matters and confirming them by solemne act and decree To reforme his errour therefore I must let him vnderstand that the conuenticle of Florence did not by any solemne canon establish the iust number of seuen sacraments but certaine idle Friers or others in that conuenticle or at the least vnder the credit thereof deliuered this doctrine of seuen sacraments to the Armenians Furthermore not all Churches but the Armenians had this doctrine deliuered vnto them I speake therefore warily where I say that albeit that doctrine was talked of perhaps and deliuered to the Armenians yet it was first confirmed by solemne
obedience then to be made priest by the popes agents is argument sufficient to prooue a man to be a traitor likewise it is no treason simply to be addicted to the superstitions of the Romish church no more then it is to be Sarracen or Turke yet to bée reconciled to the Pope and to receiue absolution from his agents is treason he being a professed enemie of the state and vsing this reconciliation and colour of religion for a meanes to ouerthrow her Maiestie and this kingdome and to réestablish yet once againe his tiranny in England finally to obey good bishops cannot be euill interpreted but to submit a mans selfe to the pope that pretendeth to haue right to depose princes and to translate kingdomes from one to another at pleasure a matter repugnant to scriptures to the practise of the apostles and primitiue church and as Sigebertus Gemblacensis testifieth speaking of Gregory the seuenth his time a notarious and plaine condemned heresie cannot but preiudice the right of a prince in enmity with the pope prooue flat treason Thirdly the true martyrs of Christ suffered for defence of the trueth wronfully and therefore deserued the honour and title of martyrs and very high commendation that is thankeswoorthy saith saint c 1. Pet. 2. Peter if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffring wrongfully such were the martyrs of times past who suffred death because they would not deny the Lord Christ Iesus nor sacrifice to idoles but the popes martyrs suffer for practising with forren enemies and die for the Popes pleasure and desire nothing more then to set vp idolatry for conscience they cannot say they suffer vnlesse the make treason against their prince and countrey a matter of conscience and rule their conscience by the Popes will and make no conscience of idolatry or blasphemie neither can they say they are punished wrongfully being punished for their treasons rebellions and packings against the state with forren enemies whosoeuer therefore shall entitle and call these fellowes martyrs he shall greatly wrong religion and the state of martyrs and much resemble the Donatistes and other old heretikes Saint d Epist 68. Augustine saith of the Donatists viuebant vt latrones honorabantur vt martyres Alexander also an heretike of whom e Lib. 5. eccles Iust c. 17. Eusebius maketh mention liued as a thiefe and died for his deserts and yet by those of his sect was honored as a martyr such martyrs also are those of the popish sect for whatsoeuer reckoning their consorts make of them they were punished iustly for their offences and died for treason rebellion practising and packing with forren enemies Fourthly true martyrs are charitable and die in charitie for without charitie furious and Iesuiticall zeale to promote the Popes cause auaileth nothing if I giue my body to be burned saith the f 1. Cor. 13. apostle and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing now what charity thinke you had they that were emploied by publike enemies to the hurt and destruction of their liege Lady and most deare countrey Charity saith the g Ibid. apostle is patient gentle humble but these by force of armes sought to returne into their countrey and like fierce lions endeuor by conquest to subdue men to their opinions anno 1588 their common talke was of sharing of lands and liuings In Wisbich also all the stirres among the papists grew about superiority the Iesuits seeking to rule the rest refusing to be ruled by them Parsons they say hath an old prophecy how England must be ruled by certeine men in long blacke gownes and square caps that is by Iesuites and long he hath béene dreaming of a cardinals hat yet none falleth to his share in all the English colledges and seminaries the Iesuits by great stirres haue sought the gouernment h A discouery of Campian and his consorts Cottam an English Iesuite being condemned to die praid God that he would send downe fire from heauen to consume all the people that stood round about him to gaze on him and this is the gentlenesse and charitie of Iesuiticall martyrs when Sixtus quintus told the Iesuites that he wondred that none of their order were canonized for saints some of them answered that they sought honors in the church triumphant and not in the church militant such triumphant martyrs are these of the popes and Iesuits calender Fiftly true martyrs are men of a peaceable disposition and no way desirous of tumults and troubles l Lib. 3. contr parmen si supra memoratos saith Optatus videri martyres vultis probate illos amasse pacem in qua prima sunt fundamenta martyrij aut dilexisse deo placitam vnitatem aut habuisse cum fratribus vnitatem sine qua nullum vel nomine potest vel re esse martyrium his words in effect amount to this that none can be martyrs vnlesse they they be studious of peace and vnity if then the papists neither agrée with vs nor with themselues and are giuen much to contention and continually haue stirred vp warres and hurliburlies in diuers countries and haue like firebrands set most parts of Christendome on a flame as appeareth by their actions in England Scotland France Germany Flanders Suethland and other places why should such men dying rather be accounted martyrs then the contentious Donatists Sixtly the true martyrs of Christ Iesus died in time past for the true faith of Christ deliuered vnto vs in the apostles writings but the popish mastifs died for the popes excommunications for defence of his most vniust and tirannicall vsurpations according to such doctrine as they had receiued out of the popes decretales their masters dictates who then doth not maruell that any should be so bold as to call such obstinat fellowes that died out of the church for no point of faith were so much as once called in question martyrs cum deo manere non possunt saith Cyprian qui esse in ecclesia dei vnanimes noluerūt ardeant licet flammis ignibus traditi obiecti bestiis animas suas ponant nō erit illa fidei corona sed poena perfidiae occidi talis potest coronari non potest if then these good fellowes haue forsaken the church and linked themselues with enemies and traitors die they may for their treasons but crowned they shall not be as martyrs neither is it death but the cause that maketh christians dying to be estéemed martyrs Seuently no true martyr euer séemed more desirous of the applause and praise of men then of the glory of God good of Christes people fi ita martyrium fecerimus saith i In epist ad Galat. lib. 3. c. 5. Hierome vt nostras velimus ab hominibus reliquias venerari si opinionem vulgi sectantes intrepidi sanguinem fuderimus substantiam nostram vsque ad mendicitatem propriam dederimus huic operi non tam praemium quà m paena debetur perfidiae magis
there hath béene some difference betwéene priuat persons about ceremonies and gouernment and that without disagréement in religion yet now all that quarrell to the great griefe of Owlyglasse and his consorts is ended and all godly christians iointly concurre to the repressing of the seditious massepriests and their adherents that by faction and heresie seeke to vndermine both the Church and state In this obseruation he goeth about also to prooue that I doe not séeme to allow the doctrine established in this church of England But as in the rest so in this Owlyglasse doth but trifle I doe holde I confesse that baptisme is not so necessarie but that diuers may and haue beene saued without it especially where there is no contempt committed in procuring it Further I doe beléeue that it is vnlawfull for women to take vpon them to administer baptisme and doe aduise in case of extremitie all christians to procure the ministers presence Thirdly I doe vtterly condemne the doctrine of the papistes concerning their limbus patrum Fourthly I doe much mislike their superstitious stationary obambulations about the limits of parishes for the blessing of new corne and their superstitious letanies and ceremonies vsed in the fame Fiftly I deny that euer the catholike church had any precepts or canons to forbid mariages on such daies and in such sort and for such respects as the Romish Church doth practise Sixtly I doe beléeue that Luthers opinion absolutely considered in it selfe is not a fundamentall point of religion especially if we giue his wordes a fauourable construction Finally I accompt none to be true christians and professours that make no conscience of sinne and liue not according to their profession But what of all this doe I therefore teach contrarie to any point of doctrine maintained by the church of England so Owlyglasse my good friend would insinuate But his proofes are simple and his assertions most false He saith Page 111. that the Church of England teacheth that baptisme is necessarie to saluation But the booke which he alleadgeth out of which he cannot bring one word to prooue his saying doth conuince him both of lying and impudencie Secondly he affirmeth that to deny womens baptisme is contrarie to religion established But it is not contrarie to his religion to lie and face out lies most impudently Thirdly to prooue that our church beléeueth limbus patrum he should haue alleadged our confession and not a certaine verset of the créede in méeter Beside that in that verset nothing is said but that Christ illuminated those that sate in darknesse which is nothing to limbus patrum a place that cannot be illuminated as papistes holde Further that verset may be rather an exposition of the words of the song of Zacharie Luke 2. of the illumination of the ignorant and of the like wordes of the Prophet Esay chap. 9. then an assertion of limbus pactum Fourthly the papists in their perambulations of parishes vse to blesse or rather to exorcise corne and to say most wicked litanyes They vse also diuers superstitious ceremonies which vnlesse Owlyglasse prooue to be allowed by our Church he will prooue himselfe a cogging compagnion Fifthly he talketh of prohibitions of the solemnizations of mariages at certaine times but he alleadgeth neither lawe nor record to prooue that our Church alloweth either the doctrine or the ceremonies of the Romish congregation in this point And there whither he sendeth vs we finde nothing but the testimonie of an Almanacke Sixtly albeit the church of England doth not holde Luthers real presence of Christes body in the sacrament yet cannot the detractor shewe but that his opinion may be reconciled with the Christian faith if a man will not vrge those points that follow of that doctrine too seuerely and further percase then at the first Luther himselfe allowed them If a man doe gather what doth followe of it then is the doctrine dangerous as I and others confesse Finally he doth not so much as go about to shewe that I haue deliuered any thing contrary to the doctrine of our Church where I affirme that good life is as well required in a true professour as true faith Why then is this point touched in this place Doth it grieue him that I touch the filthy Sodomiticall priests and friers and shut that abhominable generation out of Gods church It séemeth so and therefore to requite me he saith that this doctrine may touch me for that I haue falsified and maliciously corrupted the fathers But if I haue cleared my selfe of all those matters that he hath laide to my charge I hope the vanitie of his collection will manifestly appeare to all indifferent men But hee poore ideot appeareth not but séeing the Romish Church and diuers of her principall pillers to be charged with notorious lies and falsifications passeth away in silence and is not able to answere one worde Nay hee leaueth his clients in the briers and signifieth for ought he can doe they must pleade for themselues Wherefore to leaue off further to vrge this distressed followe that is able to say nothing for the defence of them whom he doth principally fauour I may well conclude séeing the arguments which I brought in my Challenge stand immooueable and the detectors exceptions are prooued to be vaine and friuolous first that the Romish church is not the true Church of Christ Iesus Secondly that the religion of Papists is neither auncient nor catholike Thirdly that all papists maintaining the doctrine of the Pope and his adherents are heretikes Fourthly that such as embrace popish religion are idolaters Fifthly that all the Popes adherents and agents that haue suffered for his cause in England are to be reputed no better then disloyall traytors and not as some would haue it Martyres Finally that my aduersary by his friuolous obiections hath much confirmed and strengthened our cause against which he was not able to obiect any one thing of moment and iustified my allegations being not able to take any iust exception against any thing said by me nor to obiect any thing which is not fully answered CHAP. IIII. Of diuers falsities committed by the Popes and Church of Rome IF our aduersarie had well remembred his promise he ought not onely to haue conuinced me of vntruthes corruptions contradictions and falsifications according to the title of his pamphlet but also of maliciousnesse and wilfulnesse for so he vaunteth he will I challenge the challenger saith he of many malicious vntruthes Cap. 1. pag. 8. and many palpable and wilfull falsifications But when it commeth to performance of corruptions he saith nothing contradictions he toucheth slenderly vntruthes and falsifications he can by no meanes fasten vpon me The qualitie of maliciousnes and wilfulnesse being a matter purposed and fully promised he vtterly forgot In the rest how poorely he hath demeaned himselfe by my answere to his whole dispute it will appeare But suppose I had either mistaken a report misalleadged a place yet
had done before them and yet affirmeth also that pope Syricius was seduced by Sathan published wicked doctrine taught the flat doctrine of the divel that pope Sozimus brought in superstition and falsified the decrees of the Nicene councell so to mainteine the vsurped primacie of the Church of Rome as if M. Belles propositions might not well stand together for he saith not that all the bishops of Rome were good and godly men and taught true doctrine vntill S. Augustines time but speaketh indefinitly of the bishops of Rome without adding all which maner of speech in materia contingenti is not to be taken absolutely and vniuersally but for the most part and so no doubt saint Augustine speaking of the bishops of Rome vnderstood it knowing that Marcelline sacrificed to idoles and that Liberius was an Arrian and we may say also that the apostles of Christ were good men although Judas was a traitor and lanterne bearer to the Iewes as some popish writers say that betraied Christ and much of the nature and condition of this detectour of falsifications and detractor from honest men and a very lanterner of Antichrist and a traitour to his countrey let him therefore beware he be not taken passing through backe dores like the idolatrous priests of Bel and so for his gordian knot be taken tied in a Tyburne knot 10 I need not say much of our adversaries forme of writing or frame of sentences for it appeereth euery where that he did not know the difference of pneuma and periodus nor could distinguish betwixt colons and periodes commaes and colons his whole discouse is liker to nothing that I can imagine then to the way betweene Chard and Honiton in the west countrey that is rude and rugged vp hill and downe hill and very vnequall but to let that passe yet may I not passe in silence that a Praefat. fol. 1. speaking of the great commanders and princely pilots that sit at the sterne of the common wealth he seemeth to communicate her Maiesties souereigne authority to inferior persons and doth not once vouchsafe to acknowledge her princely power or to name her among the governors of this state and yet such disloiall traitors that acknowledge the popes supreme authoritie and deny her Maiesties power as being excommunicate by the popes scuruinesse our fellow percase would say holinesse are not sought out nor brought to such a triall as their offences deserue By this therefore it may appeare that as our aduersary hath no ability to disproue any point of religion which we hold so he hath vtterly shamed his consorts and the crew of papists that hitherto haue made great brags of this their champion of his inuincible arguments all hard knotty like the haft of a dougeon dagger he hath also vtterly shamed himself in medling with these matters being a mā not read nor any way fit to discourse or handle matter of cōtrouersy the which that it may further appere I purpose god willing not only to iustify my former chalenge which this poore menowe would nibble at but also to discharge my selfe honestly of all those vntruthes and falsifications which the detractor maliciously goeth about to charge vpon me Wherein that I may proceed more formally not onely skin this dead dog whose ouerthrow shall helpe vs nothing but handle somewhat else that may make for the aduantage of true religion and the instruction of the ignorant The order and chiefe propositions chapters of the discourse ensuing I wil God willing declare first that the church of Rome that now is and which embraceth the doctrine of the pope and conuenticle of Trent is not the true church of Christ Iesus and secondly that the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are meere nouelties and late deuised fancies for the most part thirdly that the papists are no true catholikes nor hold the catholike faith and that it is a great wrong offred to Christes church to call them catholikes vnlesse it be as we call dead carcases men fourthly that papists mainteine many both old new haresies and points of doctrine contrary to the word of God and to the catholike faith fifthly that they are idolaters finally that such as haue died in the popes quarrell in England were vnnaturall traitors and no true martyrs and that such priests also as come from Rome with commission and faculties from the pope are traitors and enemies to their prince and countrey and so to be reputed and taken and not otherwise All which points one or two excepted I handled in my last challenge this challenge thus iustified I shall God willing presently encountre our detractor and answer first his obiections concerning vntruthes secondly his quarrels concerning supposed falsifications thirdly his vaine childish obseruations and to shew the vanitie of our aduersaries pleading and how much the papists are to shunne all conferences and disputes concerning lies and falsifications I will also for further euidence against them set down first certeine notorious lies and forgeries committed by the popes and church of Rome and next such lies and forgeries as are committed by their principall agents and heerein first I will declare Bellarmine to be most guiltie in this point the next place shall conteine Baronius his cardinall leasinges after them I will note certeine notorious lies and forgeries conteined in the writings of other papists yea of Parsons himselfe and of this Momus in his new nothing which he calleth a detection of lies and falsifications finally to answer his obseruations I will also discourse of such things as in our aduersaries and their writings seeme woorthy to be obserued and all this to let our aduersaries know that they had more need to defend themselves then to presse vs and to take the beames out of their owne eies rather then to espie motes in our eies As for his railing words rustical vnciuil behauiour I leave to be censured by the archpriest in his next generall synod which if he doe not I will referre him over to be answered by master Kempe vpon the stage and if he desist not his railing and rusticalitie either vpon the archpriests admonition or master Kempes censure I assure him I will set a fellow to answer him that shall so currie him and his consorts the papists and that shall in such sort tippe vp their vilanies that the whole fraternitie of asses shall curse him for braying so vnciuilly I hope also that some odde priest or other out of his grammer dictates will admonish him to looke better to his grammer rules and tell him that he hath falsified a verse out of Horace and made a grosse fault in it This is the onely verse in the booke for where Horace saith quid dignum tanto feret hic pro missor hiatu our wise b Pag. 4. aduersarie hath quid dignum tanto proferet promissor hiatu both altering his authors words and
idolatries and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certeine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and is sure to continue but neither is the church of Rome catholike nor apostolike which embraceth vncerteine traditions and apocryphall scriptures with equall affection to canonicall scriptures and which receiueth all the popes decretales concerning matters of faith albeit they conteine doctrine neither apostolicall nor general secondly it will be an easie matter to shew that the Romish church abhorreth neither heresie nor idolatrie nor noueltie thirdly in diuerse discourses against Bellarmine I haue shewed that popish doctrine hath neither ground of scriptures councels nor fathers thereby also it may appeare that popish traditions are most vaine vncerteine and superstitious fourthly the way which that church teacheth is broad and easie for what is more easie than to heare masses and to eat fish and to confesse sinnes and to obserue diuers externall ceremonies and yet by these small things papists hope to be saued fiftly we finde that all the rebellions of England Ireland and France haue wholly procéeded from the church of Rome and the doctrine of the seditious Iebusites and Cananites and masse priests neither will euer rebellion be rooted out vnlesse the tyrannicall vsurpation of popes be repressed and their parasites taught to submit themselues to their liege princes sixthly what certeinty in iudgement can the papists haue that depend vpon the resolutions of blinde vnlearned and wicked popes finally we sée Antichrist to be reuealed and the city of Babylon to fall to confusion who then doth not expect and beléeue the vtter ruine and desolation of Antichrists state Further Bristow telleth vs that euery church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saints nor euer visible and which is not the teacher of all diuine trueth and the vndoubted mother of Christes children is not the true church But the church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals in the officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monks friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents whose faith is built on popish decretals and mincing scholasticall distinctions as fine wouen as any spider webbe rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and first planting of religion and that the Romish church crept out by little and little out of the catholike and apostolike church for apostolicall doctrine embracing apostaticall and light fancies and traditions and for the maintenance of mens bellies and the popes authoritie is departed from Christ and hath made war vpon the saints in the same also whores are openly mainteined cutthrotes by rewards incited to kill and poison princes and a way to all periuries and vices by the popes indulgences opened how then can any call this a communion of saints finally he that expecteth trueth at the popes hands shal be gulled with fables and he that calleth Rome a mother can be content for gaine to call the whore of Babylon and mother of errours his mother argument 70 The church of Christ neuer allowed the decretals of popes or the extrauagants or rules of Chancery concerning the popes authoritie and procéeding but in these lawes the church of Rome hath diuers rules of the Romish faith and thereby gouerneth her procéedings argument 71 In the church of Christ clerks were not exempt from the subiection of princes The apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to higher powers But in the church of Rome all clerks are quited and exempted from the princes power as Bellarmine in his booke of that argument by the popes canons and all his wit endeuoureth to proue argument 72 The true church neuer baptized belles nor held monkes coules to be equall to baptisme but the popish church as the l Grauam 51. Germanes in their grieuances declare baptizeth belles and compareth the entrance into monkish profession with baptisme argument 73 Finally neuer was Christes church or any part of Christes church within any kingdome gouerned by an archpriest and certeine seditious Iebusites masse priests and such like vermine Howsoeuer then they deny it in others yet can they not deny but that the papists of England are not members of Christes church but rather of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. II. That the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are mere nouelties and late deuised fancies IF when the papists doe recommend vnto vs their old religion they meant nothing els but the religion of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which the apostolicall and most ancient Christians receiued and deliuered to posterity we should not much contend with thim for that is the religion which we professe not varying in any thing from the apostles créed and other créeds either set out by Athanasius or the most ancient generall councels of the church nor denying any thing that is expressed or proued out of the holy canonicall scriptures But when they talke of old religion they meane the religion of the church of Rome which was either established by later popes or taken vp by lewd custome and vncerteine tradition the which though it séeme to some ancient yet in very truth is new and no way to be compared to the religion that was first deliuered by Christ and his apostles neither doth it deserue the name of old religion for as Ignatius said a Epist ad Philadelph sometime antiquitas mea Christus est so we may say that Christ is the top of our ancestry that the apostles doctrine is both ancient most true id verius quod prius saith b Lib. 4. contra Marcion Tertullian id prius quod ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis if thē the papists as they bragge could prooue their religion to be deriued from the apostles then would we indéed confesse it were ancient if they cannot then we must say to them as c Epist 65. ad Pammach Ocean Hierome said to one in his time cur profers in medium saith he quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why doe they produce articles of faith vnknowen to the apostles nay why doe they teach vs points of religion which in times of the ancient fathers of the church were vnheard of will they haue that accounted old which the fathers of the church which were long after the apostles neuer knew nor the ancient church euer receiued they would so d Contra. haeres c. 35. but Vincentius Lirinensis doeth call him a true catholike that doeth onely beléeue and hold whatsoeuer the ancient catholike church did vniuersally beléeue quicquid saith he vniuersaliter antiquitus ecclesiam catholicam tenuisse cognouerit id solum sibi tenendum credendumque decernit if then the papists will hold all the religion which now
Carranza and others in the canon of Laodicea before recited for angelos write angulos and so hope to hide their filthinesse in corners But Theodoret doth plainly conuince them both of heresie and falshood also Synodus saith he x In epist ad Coloss c. 3. quae conuenit laodiceae lege prohibuit ne precarentur angelos that this worship of angels is superstitious Chrysostome commenting vpon the epistle to the Colossians declareth and especially in his ninth homily vpon that epistle argument 17 The Seuerians were noted as heretikes for their miracles either vainly forged or by the diuels helpe effected their prophetesse y Augustin de hares c. 24. Philumena through a narrow mouthed glasse would put in a prety bigge lofe and draw it out againe without breaking the glasse the Mirabiliaries were likewise condemned for that by miracles and prophecies they sought to confirme their opinions and what doe the papists doe not they likewise confirme all their superstition false religion and idolatry with counterfect miracles doe they not tell vs tales of z Laurent Vall. contra donat Constanim images speaking of men headlesse walking of dead men reuiuing they will not deny it nay Bellarmine maketh these miracles a marke of his church but if they prooue false their church must néeds prooue a false church by a very good consequent argument 18 The Tatians and other heretikes absteined from mariage as a state of life impure and imperfect The Romish priestes therefore together with monks friers and nunnes haue abiured mariage as not compatible with their pretended monkish perfection a C. proposuisti dist 82. Syricius or at least Gratian or some other falsary vnder his name calleth mariage fleshly pollutions In Capgranes legends the Romish saints no otherwise talke of mariage then as if it were vncleannesse sinne and abomination diuers of our aduersaries haue written that it is lesse sinne for priests to commit fornication than to marry argument 19 The papists also agrée with the Manicheyes in diuers points sauoring of heresie for as the Mancheyes condemned mariage in their priests which for their excellency they called electos so likewise doe the papists in their monks and greater orders of their clergie secondly as the Manicheyes abstained from the cuppe in the Lords supper and receiued one kinde onely as appeareth by the testimony of Leo Serm. 4. de quadrages and of the chap. relatum and c. comperimus dist 2. de consecrat so likewise doe the papists diuiding if Gelasius say true one and the selfe same sacrament most sacrilegiously thirdly both Manicheyes and papists destroy Christes humanity the Manicheyes giuing him no true flesh nor solide body and the papists giuing him a body neither visible nor palpable nor indued with the right dimensions and true properties of a body both of them also say the body of Christ may be in many places at once lastly the Manicheyes in their fasts albeit they abstained from flesh yet vsed diuers other exquisite and dainty meates and this is also the rigorous fast of most papists which the rest will not deny to be a good fast after the popes law and a good feast as Christians say argument 20 Montanus did first b Apollonius apud Euseb lib. 5. c. 17. establish lawes of fasting as is recorded in the history of Eusebius and appeareth also by the practise of the church that had no law concerning that matter in his time the same also may be proued by the testimony of Augustine who denieth that any law concerning fasting was made by Christ or his apostles quibus diebus c Epist 86. ad Casulan saith he non oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat praecepto domini vel apostolorum non inuenio definitum Montanus also began first to d Epiphan in haeres 48. dispute that the scriptures were not perfect and that they were to he supplied by his new paracletus that as he said was to teach all things necessary his e Augustin de haeres c. 26. followers had the prophecies of Prisca and Maximilla in great reuerence both he and his disciples did beléeue Limbum Patrum to be in hell f Lib. de anima in fiâ—t Tertullian hauing learned of Montanus taught that small sinnes after this life were to be purged and that his paracletus did often recommend that doctrine further by the testimony of vnwritten traditions and his paracletus he g Lib. de coron milit proueth that the suffering daies of martyrs were to be kept holy and that sacrifices should be offered for soules departed the doctrine therefore of the church of Rome concerning set fasts the imperfection of scriptures vnwritten traditions legendary prophecies of Brigit and other Romish saints and concerning Limbus Patrum in hell and remission of sinnes after this life and the oblations for soules departed séemeth rather to procéed from Montanus then from Christ or his apostles finally the Montanistes did not more'vant of their Prisca Maximilla then the papists of their Brigit Hildegardis and Mechtildis nor did Montanus offer for the soules departed otherwise then the papists argument 21 As the Pepuzians did honor their towne Pepuza and call it Hierusalem or the metropolis of their religion so doe the papists honor Rome and both papists and Pepuzians suffer wemen to minister the sacrament or baptisme should not then the papists haue great wrong if they were not made equall in ranke with Pepuzians herein they also surpasse them for we doe not read that any woman among the Pepuzians was made pope of Pepuza but Martin Polonus Marianus Scotus Chronicon Chronicorum Platina and diuers authors of great credit report that a woman was made pope of Rome and her picture is to be séene in the dome of Siena among other popes if it be not latele defaced finally the Iebusites contending to shew the contrary shew nothing but their owne impudency and the hardnesse of their faces argument 22 The Catharistes boast much of their merits purity and perfection Mundiores se ceteris praedicant saith h Lib. 8. orig â— de haeres Isidore they doe also deny absolution in somes cases to the repentant and rebaptize those that are already baptized and is not this also the case of papists they cannot well deny it for they say that all monks and friers are in state of perfection and deny that any iust man doth commit a mortall sinne they deny also to hereticks relapsed as they call them all fauour and absolue none in cases reserued to the pope finally the histories of France and Flanders doe shew that the popish priests haue there rebaptized many and in England albeit they doe not rebaptize yet they change the names and vse a number of greasie ceremonies frequented in the Romish church to supply our baptisme as they say argument 23 The Iacobites and Armenians were condemned for hereticks for that they made the images of God the father and God the holy ghost Imagines
seuerity of the punnishment by law inflicted vpon such persons transfugae ad hostes saith the g L. si quis §. transfugae ff de paenis law aut viui exurantur aut furca suspendantur by this law it appeareth that our rinegued english Iesuits and priests haue great fauour that hitherto haue escaped the penalty of the law that adiudgeth men in their cases woorthy of such grieuous punnishment and certes séeing our aduersaries thinke it lawfull to burne men for transgressing the vaine traditions of men as for example for reading of an english testament for eating flesh in lent and such like they cannot say but such as seeke the destruction of their country and runne to forrain enemies deserue with all seuerity to be punnished that our masse-priests haue forsaken their countrey to flie to the enemies it cannot be denied nay in the cases of conscience resolued by Allen and Parsons cap. 1. cas 1. cap. 3. they are taught by prety equiuocations to deny their country argument 10 The Roman lawes adiudge him a traitor which fraudulently enforceth a man to to take an oth to doe an act against the state h L. cuiusque ff ad l. Iuliam maiest cuius dolo malo saith Sceuola iureiurando quis adactus est quo aduersus remp faciat likewise i L. quisquis c. ad legem Iuliam maiestatis Arcadius and Honorius pronounce him a traitor qui scelestam cum militibus vel priuatis vel barbaris inierit factionem aut factionis eius sacramentum susceperit vel dederit that is which shall enter into a wicked faction with soldiers with priuate men or barbarous nations or shall either giue or take an othe to maintaine that faction the Romans did therefore call conspirators Coniuratos because those that entended treason against the state did binde themselues one to another by an oth not onely to kéepe matters secret but also to prosecute the intended treason with effect If then the Iebusits and seminary men take an oth to their superior of blinde obedience as they call it to the Pope that they shall goe whether he will send them to the Spaniard to serue him faithfully to Robert Parsons to maintaine the title of the Infanta of Spaine how can they excuse themselues from treason in this point if they deny that they take such othe not onely their owne conscience but also the testimony of Nauarrus consil lib. 3. de regularib cons 1. and Ribadineira lib. 3. de schism c. 21. and the confession of diuers seculer priests in diuers treatises published against the Iesuits and their faction will plainly conuince them argument 11 Likewise as in warre enemies are discerned from friends by the word and some priuy note so traitors in ciuill dissention are knowen from true subiects by this that those haue their words and notes of faction whereby one of them knoweth another and as in warres those are taken for enemies that cary the enemies signal so in ciuill gouernment those are vndoubtedly traitors and enemies that are marked with the priuy signes of traitors and enemies the papists therefore that carie about with them their agnus dei their graines their consecrated beades and such other trash and are shorne and greased for the popes shéepe and Spanish seruants are vndoubtedly by all reason to be taken for traitors And if any reply that it is a ridiculous and strange law that men should be reputed traitors for bringing in or hauing the popes bulles and an agnus dei and blessed graines medalles and such toies it may be answered that not to haue these things simply is treason but to haue them as markes of faction and signes to discerne the heard of anthichrist from others and that doe the papists well know Allen also and Parsons in their hellish resolutions of cases of conscience affirme that such medalles and graines binde men in deuotion to the popes see which they call apostolike haec grana metalla benedicta say k Resolut c. 1. cas 2. they multum conferre possunt ad afficiendos populos erga apostolicam sedem againe to be shorne a priest and greased after the popish maner in it selfe is not so much treason as superstition and false religion but when it is knowen that such greased goates are signed for the popes and Spaniards agents in England to set forward the Spanish inuasion or the Popes cause he is very simple that doeth not vnderstand him to be a traitor whose pole is shorne by the pope and his faction and who carieth with him the marks of the Spanish faction argument 12 It is treason also to conspire the death and destruction of principall men about the prince that are his principall agents in the gouernment of the state and this is not only according to the lawes of England but also according to the Romane lawes l L. quisquis Cod. ad l. Iuliam maiestatis Arcadius and Honorius pronounce them guiltie of treason which shal by faction attempt to murder their principal counsellors or officers and the reason is for that they in doing iustice are but the princes lieutenants and doe nothing but his commandement in this point therefore the Iesuites and priests are no lesse guilty then in the rest the pope he excommunicateth not onely the Quéene but all that doe adhere vnto her and doe her seruice being therefore to execute the popes bull as calues begotten by the bull of Bashan the pope the priests and Iesuites must néeds séeke first the destruction of these principall men then of the rest furthermore we are giuen to vnderstand that one principall point of Parsons and other Iesuites consultations is how to procure certeine principall men to be either made away or disgraced in the meane while being not able to doe worse Parsons and Creswell vnder the title of Andreas Philopater and others haue set out most vilanous libels against her Maiesties principall counsellers officers and agents argument 13 It is also treason to betray her Maiesties armie or any part of her forces into her enemies hands or for a captaine or soldier to yéeld vp any towne deliuered vnto him to kéepe héerein therefore Stanley and Yorke and their followers shewed themselues to be notable traitors to deliuer vp Deuenter and their soldiers into the Quéenes enemies hands Allen also and all his schollars and followers that allowed that fact shewed themselues to be traitors in applauding to their disloialty and wickednesse argument 14 The latter Romane m Extr. feud c. qui sunt rebaelles emperors doe declare them to be rebels and disloiall traitors which either openly or conuertly doe the works of rebels or practise against the prosperity of the state in this case therefore are they that either oppugne or deny the princes right and title or else aduance the right of forrain potentates to dispose of the crowne or els which practise against the person of their soueraigne lord as saith Socinus the yonger lib.
and my answeres My conscience and plaine dealing the iudge of all mens consciences doth best knowe and I hope all the course of my writings will iustifie against all the cauils of such vaine banglers My learning I acknowledge is not comparable to that which many of my brethren haue but yet I hope by the grace of God to maintaine a truth against the prowdest of the Popish faction But were it neuer so sclender yet vntill my bookes against Bellarmine be answered in that plaine and scholasticall sort that I doe answere him neither hath Owlyglasse nor any of his consorts any reason to despise it or to obiect want of learning vnto me Yet séeing hee doth vndertake to prooue that I haue no learning let vs sée whether Owlyglasse hath any better successe in this then in his former allegations concerning his supposed vntruthes and falsifications First he saith I bring such arguments to prooue the Papists to be no Catholikes and to maintaine new doctrine and heresie as touch not them but wound the Church of England But if this had béen so why doth not Owlyglasse vndertake to answere my arguments why doth he not dare to refute my discourse If they hurt the Church of England no doubt but such caterpillers as he that séeke our hurt and ruine would not haue omitted to take that aduantage His wordes therefore are but vaine bragges and néede no other refutation then his owne lewde performance in this encounter and déepe silence in the rest Next he saith he will take a scantling of my learning nothing answerable to my lookes and countenance But his scantling is very short and vnproportionable being but one onely argument Beside that it sheweth that both learning and honestie is very scant with him for where I go about to prooue that the Church of Rome is not the true church of Christ for that it wanteth true bishops and Priests the palfrey fellow onely repeateth my wordes whereby I prooue that euery true Church hath true bishops and priests but durst not set downe my wordes whereby I shewe that the Church of Rome hath neither true bishoppes nor priests And where he toucheth any reason of mine he marreth it with his lewde handling and mangleth my whole discourse omitting my thrée last reasons and not daring to set them downe I will therefore now let the ignorant ideot knowe that my reasons whereby I conclude that the Church of Rome hath no true bishops nor priestes at this time are strong and effectuall and that his cauillations against my words are vaine and friuolous First then I say that no man hath ordinarie power to ordaine bishops or priestes but he that is a bishop and a priest But the Pope of Rome is neither true bishop nor priest ergo the proposition our aduersarie denyeth not The assumption I prooue by these arguments First the Pope was ordained priest but to offer sacrifices and to say masses for quicke and dead But neither doth this ordination make a priest nor had true priests and elders euer any such ordination That this ordination doth not make a priest I prooue for that thereby the ordained neither receiue power to preach nor to administer the sacraments nor the keyes of the Church wherein priesthood consisteth If they receiue any thing it is to offer sacrifice But the Papists confesse that there is great difference betwixt the sacrament of the Eucharist and a sacrifice as appeareth by Bellarmines large disputes Lib. 1. 2. de sacrif missae Further this ordination doth not giue to priestes the right of apostolicall succession which consisteth in preaching and administring the sacraments which our Sauiour committed to his Apostles and their successours to the worldes ende as appeareth by Christs wordes Matth. 28. that priests in auncient time neuer had any such ordination it appeareth by the commission that Christ gaue to his Apostles Matth. 28. by the office of Pastors described Ephes 4. and 1. Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. where no mention is made of sacrificing for quicke and dead neither doth this clause hoc facite in any author signifie sacrifice for quicke and dead It appeareth also by monuments of antiquitie and auncient formularies In the 4. Councell of Carthage priests are ordained by imposition of hands but not to sacrifice for quicke and dead This argument our aduersarie for all his contemptuous spéeches of my arguments durst not once touch Secondly the Pope is not ordained to teach or gouerne a certaine flocke but to be the vniuersall bishop Bellar. lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Prooem Clement the head of the Church the spouse of the Church the foundation of the Church and a little demy god vpon the earth with power ouer purgatorie and the keyes of heauen and hell And if he haue not this power then is he not Pope But this power is no where deliuered by any good commission to any nor doth it belong to any bishop for any thing we can yet learne for if it did then should all bishops haue that power Owlyglasse therefore may doe well to shewe vs this power out of scriptures and fathers or els his silence will teach him that the Pope is no bishop Bellarmine telleth vs of pasce oues meas and tibi dabo claues But he must finde out a better commission for the Pope or els all bishops will haue like power and the pope will prooue to haue no power vnlesse he féede and haue the keyes of the Church which by Owlyglasse I am assured will not bee proued Thirdly the Pope doth not féede the flocke by teaching or administer the sacraments or gouerne the Church as other bishops did but contrariwise taketh vpon him to be Emperour or gouernour of Rome which the auncient bishops of Rome neuer did But no man can be a King and a bishop both together nor a bishop without doing the office of a bishop For Episcopatus as the Apostle teacheth vs That is a worke and not a title oâ— honoâ— is opus and not onely hoâ—os Our aduersarie answereth that it is Donatisme to affirme that the efficacie of sacraments doth depend vpon the good or bad life of the ministers and that we are to harken to those that sit in Moyses his chaire albeit they be Pharisees and bad men otherwise And this he proueth by diuers testimonies out of S. Augustine and the harmony of our confessions being copious where no néede is and silent when he should answere But all this is no more to purpose then if he should tell vs a tale of a horse nest or of the popes mules and mulets for what is that to me or others that say not that the Pope or popish bishops are not lawfull bishops nor haue power to administer sacraments because they are Sodomites adulterers and wicked men but rather that the pope is no bishop at all because he doth not opus episcopi He will perhaps say he doth opus episcopi But then he must shewe that he féedeth the
is now an infant or that he hath communicated his gouerment with his mother Thirdly neither doth Peter nor any other Disciple of Christ teach or maintaine the Romish doctrine concerning the worshippe of our Lady and the Popes authority All these figures therefore are lying and false figures falsification 7 Sixtus quintus in his decretall epistle profired before Baronious his bookes saith that he hath faithfully and diligentlye reported the stories of the Church and deliuered the true fountaines of apostolicall traditions speaking of his booke he calleth it opus fideliter scriptuÌ„ and not only reporteth so of his bookes that already were published but of those that yet he had not séene prophesiyng belike of Caesar Baronius his future workes perfections and exploytes speaking of his diligence in describing of Romish traditions he saith that in his bookes of Annales apostolicarum traditionum purissimi fontes aperiuntur But this is a notorious and large vntruth for not only his traditioÌ„s are fabulous but his discourse most vaine and false being grounded for the most part vpon lying legendes counterfect sermons and orations set out vnder the names of fathers lewd authors and such as Simeon Metaphrastes Anastasius Gratian Iuo Theodorus Studites certein bookes that neuer yet sawe light and Baronius allowing this Epistle of Sixtus must néedes proue himselfe a lyar falsification 8 The yeare and precise time of Christs natiuity being the ground of all his worke it must néedes follow that if he faile in that then that his whole booke is nothing but a packe of lies That the whole worke is layed vpon that point himselfe confesseth haec basis quaedam ac fundamentum annalium esto saith he Apparaâ—us ad annales eclesiast But that he hath erred in that point it is very probable Epiphanius in panario haeres 51. saith that our Sauiour was borne Augustus and Siluanus being consuls Seuerus hist lib. 2. saith hee was borne when Sabinus and Ruffinus were consuls why then should we rather beléeue Cassiodorus whoÌ„e Baronius followeth then the other two But if this were not erroneous yet in the supputation of yeares continually he erreth reducing matters rather to the false tradition of the Romish Breuiaries and other rituall bookes then to the truth falsification 9 This sentence which he placeth in the front of his booke in petra exaltauit me nunc exaltauit caput meum super inimi cos meos he doth falsely apply to the Romish church contrary to the meaning of the Prophet Psal 26. For he speaketh of himselfe Beside that he saith abscondit me in tabernaculo suoâ— in die malorum protexit me in abscondito tabernaculi sui that is he hath hidden me in his tabernacle and in the dayes of my trouble hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle But the Romanistes will not graunt that the Church of Rome is a congregation hidden or that God doth place the same in the secret place of his tabernacle Furthermore that which the prophet speaketh of himselfe cannot by any meanes be applyed to the Pope or Romish Church for it is not God that hath aduanced the Pope to this height of pride nor doe those heresies which the Church of Rome maynteineth nor those massacres and impostures which shée worketh proceede from god Finally God shall destroy antichrist with the breath of his mouth and shall not exalt him nor suffer him long to be thus exalted falsification 10 In his epistle to Sixtus quintus he giueth the title of Vniuersal or Catholike to the Romish Church and doubteth not to affirme the traditions of the Romish Church to be holy and auncient pro sacrarum traditionum antiquitate saith he ac saÌ„ctae Romanae catholicae ecclesiae potestate but of the prophanenesse and nouelty of the Romish traditions I haue spoken already both in my challenge and in my bookes de missa and other treatises against Bellarmine and I doubt not but thereby euery man may conuince him of lying both concerning the holinesse and also the antiquitie of Romish traditions To affirme that the Romish church is catholike concerning faith vniuersally taught I haue declared in my challenge to be most false to affirme that the Romish Church is the vniuersall and catholike Church in regard of time and place is not only most false but also most absurd for were the Church of Rome the true church as it was sometime yet as wel may we call London all england as the Romish Church the catholike Church falsification 11 In the same epistle most impudently he applyeth these words of Iacob Genes 27. surge sede comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua to himselfe as if he had béene a hunting about Rome and brought Sixtus quintus a goate or some like venaison and as if Sixtus quintus were a prophet like to Iacob And to fitte the words to his purpose he addeth to the text the word Pater and taketh away the word sede and saith surge pater comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua Which is a false and leud kinde of abusing of scriptures falsification 12 Concerning the visible monarchy of the Pope he telleth if not a visible yet a very palpable lye In praefat Catholicae ecclesiae visibilem monarchiam saith he à Christo domino institutam super Petrum fundatam ac eius legitimos verosque successores romanos nimirum pontifices inuiolatè conseruatam c. demonstrabimus But if Christ had apointed any such visible monarchy it is strange that neither the Apostles nor first church of christians could euer sée it Againe it is absurd to thinke that generall councels would haue made lawes if there had béene a generall monarke apoynted ouer them Thirdly if Peter had béene a monarke yet it is absurde to say that the visible monarchy is founded vpon him For no man saith that the kingdoÌ„e is founded vpon the King neither is it probable the foundation being inuisible that the building should bée visible Finally this being a ground of his legendicall fables that the bishops of Rome succeeded Peter in the visible monarchy of the church it must néedes follow if this ground faile him the cardinall lyeth in euery page of his annales and as often as he talketh of this matter But that neither Peter was constituted monarke of the church nor the bishops of Rome haue succeeded in any such phantasticall monarchy I haue at large proued in my booke de pontifice Rom. set out against Bellarmine some fowre or or fiue yeares sence falsification 13 Out of Clement lib. strom 6. most simply and falsely he affirmeth Apparat. p. 17. Cod. Antuerp that as the Iewes knew God by the prophets so God did separat from the commoÌ„ multitude of the Gentiles the most excellent of the philosophers and made them capable of Gods beneficence He alledgeth also an apocryphal text out of Paule and seemeth to affirme that some Gentiles did knowe Christ
forgery endeuoring by notorious vntruthes to set the crowne of england vpon the Infantaes head yet is it a fault also worthy to be censured to father his bastard writinges vpon others that this is forgery it is apparent by the testimony of the doctors in L. Cornel. de falsis and their iudgement is grounded vpon great reason For if it be forgery to adde one clause to a testament or other writing then it is a mayne forgery to publishe a false testament a false booke or other false writing vnder other meÌ„s names falsification 2 D. Bagsh in his answere to his late apology chargeth him with 8. sundrie libels Secondly he hath published vnder the name of Sanders and Rishton diuers enormous and wicked slanders against King Henry the 8. of famous memory against her maiesty and the principall persons of this church and realme of Enland setting out his owne vilanous lyes vnder the name of Sanders long before dead and of Rishton a man no way likely to commit any such wickednesse against his Prince and country of Howlet Dolman and others As for Rishton it is now well knowne he had small intelligence of state matters Neither did he vse to meddle or practise in them Further those that know him doe testifie that the stile of Sanders his booke is farre vnlike his Thirdly his credit was not such as that he was able to get his bookes printed especially being of that nature Finally we doe not beléeue that Rishton hauing receiued grace at her Maiesties hands and being deliuered from death which he had deserued by her great fauour would thus requite her or that being a man of milde disposition he would rayle so maliciously and falsely against his prince and contry And therefore I beleeue if the man be aliue and were examined vpon his oth that he would deny that booke to be his and declare it to be Robert Parsons his worke And though he doe it not yet diuers others doe playnly declare so much we haue great reason to beléeue their declaration to be true For he is a great stickeler in matters of state and he hath writen such like libels before Furthermore at his request Ribadineira his fellow Iebusite seemeth to haue set forth the same booke translated into spanish Finally I doe not thinke that Parsons will vpon his oth and without all equiuocation affirme that he had noe finger in the making and publishing of that most wicked and slaunderous booke falsification 3 In those bookes which goe vnder the name of Sanders and Rishton Robert Parsons hath committed diuers particuler falsities and namely in publishing diuers letters in the name of Frier Forest and others which neuer were made by the authors whose name they carry For first we doe not finde them in the first edition of that booke anno 1585. Secondly it is absurde to thinke that either Forest or simple women did write as is reported Finally they doe rather sauor of Parsons his veine who is able to make to speake and to write whome he pleaseth and what himselfe listeth So plentifull and impudent he is in forging false writings falsification 4 Fourthly vnder the name of Iohn Houlet whome nowe all the seculer masse préestes in England doe wonder at like an Owlet he hath set forth an impudent discourse concerning reasons why papistes goe not to the Church He will not I thinke deny it to be his how then can he deny himselfe to be a falsary To come to particuler falsifications albeit in his booke of resolution he hath noe reason to falsifie any place alleadged winning no aduantage by it yet hath he so dealt therein and so hath he enured his fingers in this practise that he cannot forget to forge and falsifie falsification 5 In the margent of his preface fol. 8. he saith it is an old tricke of heretikes to abuse simple people with obscure places of the scriptures and for this he quoteth Epiphanius contra haereses and Augustine ad quod vult deum as if they should say so He would also inferre that it is a matter very dangerous to alledge scriptures But if he doe not exhibit their testimonies it will be an easie matter to proue that this is an old tricke of Parsons to father his owne bastardly fancies both vpon the fathers and vpon others Is not this then bastardly dealing falsification 6 In the same preface fol. 10 he ascribeth this sentence to Luther in epist ad Iohan. Herâ—agium Typographum Argentinensem their opinion of the sacrament they beganne with lyes and with lyes they doe defende the same And they doe broch it abroade with wicked fraud of corrupting others mens bookes Likewise he affirmeth of Zuinglius that in his booke de sacrament fol. 412. he should call Luther a fowle corrupter and horrible falsifier of Gods word and one that followed the Marcionistes and Arians that razed out such places out of holy writte as were against them He maketh also Carolus Molinaeus in translat testam noui part 11. to accuse Caluin that he made the text of the gospell to leape vp and downe at his pleasure and that he vsed violence to the same and added of his owne to the very letter for drawing it to his purpose But who so list to peruse the writings of Luther Zuinglius and Molineus shall plainly perceiue that like a falsary he changeth and altereth their wordes at his pleasure neither can he excuse himselfe vnlesse he be able to shewe these wordes out of the authors which he mentioneth He chargeth Beza also for that in the preface to his new testament set out anno 1556. he accuseth Oecolampadius with all his brethren the diuines of Basil for great impietie in abusing the sacred scriptures translated by them But he abuseth his reader in laying that to Bezaes charge that was neuer vttered by him nor is to be found in his preface falsification 7 Fol. 11. of his preface he quoteth Saint Augustine lib. 8. confess c. 12. as if he should say that Saint Anthony had reuealed to his mother a religious rule of life which he should followe And fol. 12. he saith that Saint Augustine did so reuerence Anthonies doings that he made the same a principall motiue to his owne conuersion But Saint Augustine doth not so much as in one word mention any rule of religious life nor did he follow Saint Anthony in other matter then in reading the scriptures Nor doth he say that Saint Anthony reuealed any religious rule to Monica S. Augustines mother In this therefore Rob. Parsons followeth his olde rule or rather vnruly course of forgery falsification 8 Pag. 64 of his bookes printed at Louan he alleadgeth for his ground the counterfeit writings of Aristaeas which he calleth Aristeus and vpon his credit telleth diuers histories But such false grounds are more likely to peruert then to confirme men in the faith falsification 9 Pag. 259. he corrupteth Saint Augustines wordes de fid operibus c. 14. and peruerteth
ignorantia contrahuntur coercitio u Ibidem l. legis virtus Modestinus teacheth vs that the life and efficacy of the law consisteth in commanding forbidding permitting and punishing take away execution and punishment and you not only ouerthrow the law but the state also Now if any offence deserue punishment then sure traitors may not thinke to escape that séeke to dissolue both lawes and state Treason saith x Rerum Graec. lib. 2. Xenophon is so much more dangerous by how much it is more difficult to take heed of traitors than of enemies with our enemies we may be reconciled but traitors are neuer to be trusted the offence being so great many extraordinary courses are taken in the repressing of treasons In hoc atrocissimo delicto saith a certeine y Clarus sententiar lib. 5. §. laesae maiest lawyer lex nonnulla specialia introduxit and commonly such persons are most hatefull I haue learned saith z In prometheo Aeschylus to hate traitors neither is any villany more hatefull than treason Traitors are common enemies to all men that loue the state or their liege Souereigne Omnium communis est hostis saith a Lib. 1. accusat in Verrem Tully qui hostis est suorum Who then would not hate them that wickedly consort themselues with the Pope and Spaniard against the state The prince hath principall reason to represse this faction for she carieth not the sword for nothing and if she should neglect the danger in regard of her owne particular yet will shée not neglect their safetie whose estate dependeth so much vpon the saftie of her person further she hath little cause giuen her to extend her clemency to this viperous generation and their adherents that shew extreme malice in séeking the destruction of her kingdome by bringing in forren enemies they haue also slandered her Maiesties noble father herselfe her friends her seruants and the whole state as appeareth by Sanders his booke of schisme by Andreas Philopater Didimus Veridicus and diuers other infamous libels set out by Parsons and other wicked Iesuites Finally no prince can endure such to haue the benefit of subiects that will neither acknowledge his souereignty nor submit themselues to lawes The ecclesiasticall state may not endure either Baals priests to set vp idolatry or false teachers to broch false doctrine and priuily to bring in superstition and heresie Her Maiesties councell assuredly will not winke at any practise or complot against their prince and country but with all seuerity will procéede against the authors of them and all their factious partakers The chiefe officers and nobility of the relme haue no reason to beare with them which by alteration of state séeke to depriue them of their honors and to dispose of their lands and goods at their pleasure neither is it the part of a generous and noble english minde to suffer themselues to be disgraced and ouerruled if not tirannized by Parsons his councell of reformation by Italians and Spaniards and the very scumme of all villany The reuerend iudges will neuer suffer such to escape vnpunished as séeke the subuersion of iustice neither may lawiers endure those that goe about to ouerthrow their countrey lawes and to bring in strange lawes and to rule all by force and violence as may appeare by Parsons trecherous plots and his most infamous councell of reformation All true subiects I suppose will rather die then suffer the tyranny of strangers and therefore I néed not animate either her Maiestie or the ecclesiasticall state or her councell or her chiefe agents or her nobility or iudges or the lawiers or the rest of her subiects to encounter and to resist the plots of these Iebusits and traiterous massepriests that séeke for the establishment of their massing ceremonies and most wicked religion to bring in strangers to cut their owne countrymens throtes to abuse their wiues and daughters and finally to destroy this flourishing kingdome and their owne most deare country the safety of the common welth as all politicks know and b Arist polit lib. 3. c. 3. teach is the common worke of all true citizens and well minded subiects and I doubt not but as all men detest such as oppugne the state so they will all ioine together and haue a vigilant eie to looke to their execrable plots entended against the state Finally reason and experience may teach the papists that howsoeuer some of them hope to win by shuffling of matters of state yet that most of them shall rather loose then winne they may also see that many haue lost their liues and liuings that haue bene practisers in rebellion and treason and forrain aides doe commonly first oppresse those that vse them and finally forsake them examples hereof they may sée in the rebellion of the north and of Ireland if they be not blinde and consider them they may if they will be led with reason Wherefore I doubt not but as all men may sée the treasons of priests and Iesuits and their adherents to be made manifest so they shall shortly sée the execution of lawes against them that such as haue bene executed for practising in the popes cause are no martyrs as papists giue out it may easily be proued for euen the aduersaries themselues will confesse that traitors against the prince and state are no martyrs vnlesse therefore Parsons can cleare his consorts of those points of treason which I haue declared and obiected and shew that they adhered not to forrain enemies nor had intelligence with traitors that sought the destructoon of the prince and state nor offended in any other points of treason before rehearsed he must néeds confesse himselfe and his consorts to be rather in state of treason then martyrdome Secondly martyrs died in time past for the testimony of Christ Iesus but such papists as haue bene executed in England of late yeares haue died for the maintenance of antichrists tyranny and packing with forren enemies and matter of treason against the prince and state and for other offences deseruing death and this is manifestly proued by the enditements framed against them by the depositions of witnesses confessions of the parties and the whole forme of their triall iudgement and execution neither is it materiall that some were accused for bringing in or hauing of medalles or graines others for being made priests by the popes faction others for reconciling men to the pope which are points as the papists say of their popish religion for albeit medalles and graines are not simply of themselues notes of treason yet seeing the pope doeth vse them as marks of his faction it were simplicity not to vnderstand that such as vse them are of his adherents Againe to be a priest simply in it selfe is no treason but if priests that are ordred by the popes faction take an oth of obedience to him that is our enimie and are bound to set foorth his cause for the regaining of England to his