for men in their sicknes to be troubled with illusions of Deuils and terrible visions seeing it is so vsuall a thing in Poperie and often happening to popish professors Did he thinke so to blind the world and possesse men with his strange reports that they could not call to minde the fearefull examples of Pope Siluester the second of Innocentius the fourth of Cardinall Crescentius whereof the first gaue his soule to the Deuill to obtaine the Papacie the second in the night was striken on the side by a certaine Bishop that appeared to him in vision and was left for halfe dead and not long after dyed the third being vicegerent for the Pope in the late Tridentine chapter sitting vp late to write letters to his vnholie Fatherhood was so frighted with the sight of a great black dog which appeared with flaming eyes and long eares that he fell by conceit thereof into a grieuous sicknes whereof he not long after dyed 5 Sir Frauncis Walsingham neyther dyed miserablie nor in despaire as he was in his life faithfull to his Prince a louer of his countrie a great patrone of schollers and martiall men sound in religion so we doubt not but he ended his dayes in comfort and peace of conscience This worthie Counsellers memorie honorable among Protestants and all that loue their countrie is odious to Papists because by his industrie and vigilant eye many dangerous conspiracies against Queene Elizabeth were discouered and by name that most horrible treason of Babington and Ballard with their accomplices in the 28. yeare of her Maiesties raigne wherein those trayterous Papists intended the vtter ouerthrow both of their countrie and religion to such indeede that excellent man was an aduersarie and for this cause this vile raker in dead mens ashes spitteth his venome at him Where he obiecteth the filthie stinke of his bodie c. as herein the testimonie of an aduersarie is little worth speaking vpon his owne bare word so he might haue remembred what is truely reported of Cardinall Wolsey that his bodie being dead was black as pitch and so heauie that sixe could scarse beare it and that it did so stinke aboue the ground that they were constrained to burie it in the night season The like end had Stephen Gardiner that great patrone of Poperie whose tongue before he died hung out of his mouth all swolne and blacke And I pray you what a sweete coâ—se was Bonners faâ— bellied carcasse that was buried full honourably as hee deserued betweene two theeues in S. Georges Churchyard in Southwarke As for the wanting of funerall pompe it is no disgrace to the dead but it was rather an honour to him whose liberall expences in the seruice of his countrie and beautifull reliefe to the liuing could leaue very little to be bestowed vpon himselfe when hee was dead Lazarus had but an homely buriall in the world yet was his soule attended vpon by Angels Augustine well saith Si aliquid prodest impio sepultura pretiosa obâ—rit pio vilis aut nulla If the wicked be profited by their sumptuous sepulture the godly is hindred by his meane buriall furniture We may say in this case of this honourable man as noble Agesilaus who forbad that any picture or monument should be made of him when he was dead giuing this reason If I haue done any thing well that shall be my monument if not no tombes or pictures are any thing worth So this mans worthie acts while he liued shall be his monument now he is dead which doe more commend him then the sumptuous pillers of some that lie not farre from him of farre vnlike desert The third Defence 1. HE taketh vpon him to proue that the Popish religion hath made the professors thereof honourable and glorious It was neuer yet saith he accounted dishonourable to any to be a professor of that religion which made him glorious pag. 82. 2. The children of the greatest Princes and Nobles were Priests and Bishops in England pag. 84. as S. Guitlacke S. Suitbert Thomas of Hereford sonne of the noble Cantilupus c. Cedda Dunstane c. pag. 83. 3. The onely order of S. Benedict hath had twentie Kings aboue 100. great Princes many Popes 1600. Archbishops 400. Bishops 15000. famous men 4. He rehearseth diuers Archbishops of Canterburie most honourable in their time Baldwine Hubert Kilwarbie Peccham Stratford Offord Braidwarden Islip Langhton with others pag. 84. The Answere 1. THe Popish religion is a dishonour to such Princes and Nobles that professe it vnlesse any man be so simple to thinke it was an honour for the Emperour Henrie the 4. to waite vpon the Pope Gregorie the 7. three daies and three nights in winter at the gates of Canossus or for Fredericke the 1. to yeeld his necke to be troad vpon by Alexander the 3. and to be rebuked for holding Pope Adrians stirrup on the wrong side or for Henriricus the 6. to suffer Pope Celestine to set the crowne on his head with his feete and to cast it off againe or for King Iohn to kneele downe at the feete of Pandolphus the Popes Legate and to surrender his Crowne to the Pope Doth not now this Popish profession adde great honour to Princes submitting themselues vnto it 2. That the sonnes of Princes haue become Priests and Bishops in the time of Poperie is not denied and so haue Priests and Bishops been made Kings and Princes as Adelualphus sonne of Egbrichus being Bishop of Winchester was made King of England anno 829. Daniel a Priest was elected King of France anno 719. It was not deuotion but ambition that made Bishops pricke forward to be Lord Chancellors Lord Treasurers chiefe Iustices of England as we finde in former ages neither was it the sanctitie of Poperie but the riches of the Clergie and their brauerie that allured vnto them the Nobilitie 3. If Bennets order haue brought foorth so many of all degrees it is more like that their fat offerings great reuenewes and idle bellies procured it then any deuotion of that sect wrought it neither is it a good argument to preferre those colours because so many haue worne them The Epicures sect had more schollers and disciples then any of the rest The Scribes and Pharisies had more followers then Christ and Diana of Ephesus was worshipped of all Asia and the whole world Act. 19.27 He hath said yet no more for the Benedictines then the Epicureans Pharisies Dianas worshippers can alleage for themselues that many Kings Philosophers Priests and many famous men were of their sects Lastly if these Iudasites haue indeed such a good opinion of Bennets rule what ailed Frier Parsons to bee so fierce against poore Barkworth a Masse-priest of the Colledge of Valledolid to cause him to be expulsed to be buffeted vpon the face and drawne by the heeles vpon the pauement because he was a
as may witnesse that bloodie massacre of France and the continuall ciuill warres for many yeeres together wherein not so few Christian people as 100. thousand haue perished England thankes be to God hath no such flowers growing in her garden neither I trust euer shall Neither doe wee desire nay wee would not for all the kingdomes of the world chaunge our state with any of those flower countries Italie France Spaine which in deede are flowers and leaues without true fruite Though the Popes iurisdiction hath been large yet can hee not compare with the pontifices maximi among the Romans which was an office of such high authoritie and great commaund that the title was afterward annexed to the Empire and the Emperours tooke vpon them to be called the high Priests The other Patriarchall Seas also did equalize Rome in largenes of iurisdiction especially Alexandria to the which was subiect al Egypt Libya Pentapolis with all the Christian Churches of Africa The Pope hath no great cause to brag of his greatnes for his wings are well clipped and I doubt not but to see yet more of this proud birds feathers pulled Neither is largenes of dominion a good argument for religion for then Pagane idolatrie which was more vniuersally receiued at once in the 〈◊〉 then Christianitie should thrust out the Gospell of 〈◊〉 And as for the King of Spaine◠〈◊〉 he may thanke the poore Indians for it whose throates the Spaniards haue cut for their gold neither is it such but that hee knoweth how to spend it and for all his great treasure his coffers are often emptie enough But let it be remembred how these popelings measure religion by riches and outward glorie which if it were a good rule the rich Chaldeans Assyrians Persians should rather haue bin the people of God thē the poore Israelites the rich Scribes and Pharisies should be preferred before the Apostles 2. Popish religion denieth dutie to God making other Mediatours beside Christ teaching inuocation of Saints adoration of images which are peculiar to God neither doth it giue honour to Magistrates abridging them of their lawfull authoritie in matters ecclesiasticall and giuing the Pope authoritie to excommunicate and depose Princes and to absolue their subiects of their oath Concerning the particulars of Popish profession what little comfort is in them how derogatorie to God contrarie to Scriptures I haue shewed before in the answere to the 5. section 3. The Pope so well appeased the quarrels betweene Henry the 2. and his Nobles that after the King had reconciled himselfe to the Pope for the death of Thomas Becket and yeelded to doe penance his troubles began afresh betweene him and his sonnes Richard and Iohn that he died for griefe And the Pope by his Legates and factors in England and other countries hath been a mouer not a compounder of strife a raiser rather then layer of warre Did not Gregorie the 7. set vp Rodolphus against Henry the 4. the Emperour betweene whom many bloodie battels were fought Did not Pope Paschalis incite Henrie the sonne against the Emperor Henrie the father and dispossessed him of the Empire Vrban the 2. did put downe Hugo Earle of Italie discharging his subiects of their oth and obedience Gregorie the 9. did excommunicate Fredericke the 2. and raised vp the Venetians against him And in England Pope Innocent the 3. commaunded vnder paine of his great curse that no man should obey King Iohn he gaue definitiue sentence in his consistorie that he should be deposed from his Crowne and appointed Philip King of France to execute this sentence promising him full remission of his sins to kill or expell King Iohn Vrban the 4. set Henrie the 3. and his Nobles together by the eares absoluing the king of his oth made to performe certaine articles agreed vpon at Oxford whereupon the Barons warres were renewed Pope Boniface set variance betweene England and Scotland in the raigne of Edward the 1. challenging Scotland as proper to the Sea of Rome But in steed of easing the people of rigorous exactions imposed by Princes the Pope himself hath vsed vnreasonable extortions Rigandus de Asteri◠the Popes Legate in England in Edward the 2. his raigne demaunded of the Clergie 8. pence in the marke toward the Legates charges but they graunted only 4. pence in the marke He also laboured to bring in a new manner of collection of Peter pence but was resisted by the King The like did Henricus the 3. Repressit impetum Legati propter violentiam denariorum He restrained the attempts of the Popes Legate touching his violent exactions of money The Bishops of England after great and forcible intreatie agreed to pay to the Pope 11000. markes The King of England saith the same author made payment to Pope Alexander the 4. vpon a very friuolous and fond matter 950000. markes Bonner himselfe witnesseth that the Popes pray in England came almost to as much as the reuenewes of the Crowne The Pope had the first fruites of all the Bishopricks in England which came to a great summe Canterburie paied 10000. Florences and 5000. for his pall Yorke as much Winchester 12000. Elie 7000. The whole summe of all the first fruites in Europe which came to the Popes coffers amounted to 2460843. Florences which maketh well nie 6. hundred 15. thousand two hundred and ten pound starling Iudge by this now Christian Reader what an impudent man this is to make the Pope a mitigator of great exactions whereas he hath been the most cruell extortor and exactor in the world As is his credit in this so let him be beleeued in the rest 4. Popish confession is so farre from keeping subiects from deuising against their Prince as that it hath been the speciall engine and instrument to contriue treacherie against the state Simon the Monke was confessed and absolued of his Abbot when he enterprised to poyson King Iohn Frier Forrest in secret confession declared to diuers subiects that King Henry the 8. was not supreame head of the Church and so abused confession to sedition Peter Barriere was confessed in the Colledge of the Iesuites in Paris and tooke the Sacrament whē he intended to murder the french King that now is Iohn Chaestell also that conspired the like had been often schooled in the Iesuites chamber of meditations These are the fruites of popish confession deuising of treasons reuealing of secrets seeking occasion to do euill for by this opportunitie diuers lewd Priests sollicited the parties that came to be confessed vnto euill As mention is made in the papall rescripts of one qui cum alterius coniuge frequenter in ecclesia dormiuit which oftentimes in the Church slept with another mans wife And this should seeme to be so vsuall a practise that for restraint thereof they decreed against it non debet episcopus vel presbyter commisceri
Councell neither was it by the same reason generall for at the same time the generall Councell of Basil was celebrate which beareth this stile sacrosancta generalis synodus Basiliensis in spiritu sancto legitimè congregata vniuersalem ecclesiam repraesentans the most holie generall Synod of Basill lawfullie assembled in the holie spirit representing the vniuersall Church The 31. Sess. beareth date ann 1438. in which yeare began the Councell of Ferraria adiourned afterward to Florence as it appeareth in the proeme to the Councell And least it might be thought that the Synode Basiliens was now determined it is manifestlie apparent that it both began before ann 1431. and continued after being not dissolued before ann 1442. which date the 45. sess beareth But the Florentine Councell was ended ann 1539. as it appeareth by the date of the letters of Vnion How then could the Florentine be Generall representing the whole Church whereas another generall Synode at the same instant was congregate at Basill Neither yet was any thing concluded in the Synode of Florence against the Protestants faith The question there handled and for the deciding whereof both the Greeke and Latine Church were assembled was concerning the proceeding of the Holie Ghost from the Father and the Sonne And whereas the Greekes were requested by the Pope that the Synode would discourse of the transmutation of the bread they refused affirming they had no authoritie so to do being called together pro illa tantum spiritus sancti processione onely for and about the procession of the holie-ghost As for the letters of Vnion wherein other articles are conteined they were not made by the consent of the whole Synod for as the storie saith Multi prinsquam huiusmodi subscriptio fieret discesserunt Many were departed before any such subscription was made neither did the Greeke Church obserue this vnion afterward though Pope Eugenius cunningly made two of the Greeke Bishops Bessarion and another Cardinals of Rome to keepe the Greeks in obedience to the Romane Church but all would not serue Concerning the Tridentine Conuocation there subscribed onely vnto it of Cardinals Archbishops Bishops not aboue 42. and the most of them were of Italy Sicily Spaine though since an other tale is told vs from Collen that there subscribed 25. Archbishops and 168. Bishops but they are all summed in grosse their names are not expressed Is not this sillie chapter or conuenticle of popish Bishops worthie the name thinke you of a generall Synode with the which neither the Kings of England and France nor yet the Princes of Germany consented or communicated Many prouinciall Synods haue made as great an apparance of Bishops and some haue exceeded In the second Councell of Carthage there were present 214. Bishops In the fift Councell of Carthage ann 438. Bishops 73. In the Synode Epaunens 70. In the fourth Toletane 70. Bishops subscribed an 681. why then should this late chapter of Trent presume beyond these prouinciall Synodes to be called Generall or Vniuersall consisting of so small a number of popish Bishops conspiring together neither in number honestie or learning to be compared vnto the Bishops of diuers prouinciall Synods we therefore force not whatsoeuer this conuenticle hath decreed 6 It is a notable vntruth that in the popish Church there is not neither euer was any disagreement or contradiction in matters of beleeuing whereas the contrarie is most manifest apparant as these particulars do shew The Councell of Constance excommunicateth all those which communicate in both kinds sess 13. The Councell of Basile doth graunt to the Bohemians the vse of both kinds Both the said Councels decree that a Generall Councell is aboue the Pope and that it is veritas catholicae fidei a veritie of the catholike faith so to beleeue and that pertinaciter repugnans est censendus haereticus that he which obstinately resisteth is to be iudged an heretike and it is de necessitate salutis credere c. of the necessitie of saluation to beleeue that a generall Councell hath supreme authoritie and yet for all this the contrarie was decreed that the Pope is aboue a Generall Councell Lateran sub Leon. sess 11. The Franciscane Friers did teach that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without originall sinne the Dominicanes held the contrarie The Rhemists hold that none are absolutely elected without respect had to their works Annot. Hebr. 5. sect 7. Bellarmine proueth the contrarie that we are elected freelie without any foresight of works Some of the popish writers extoll free-will giuing vnto the same a naturall power of it selfe vnto good Scotus Durandus Gabriel Some do affirme the contrarie as Capreolus Marsilius Some of them hold that Episcopalis ordinatio the ordaining of Bishops is no sacrament Dominicus a Soto Caietanus Durandus Bellarmine with the rest affirme the contrarie Some that Matrimonie is no sacrament of the new testament as Durand Alphonsus Petrus a Soto Bellarmine with the rest hold the contrarie Concerning the indeleble character which they say is imprinted in the soule by the sacraments Scotus saith it can not be proued by the scripture Gabriel doubteth whether the Church haue determined it Bellarmine maintaineth the contrarie Some thinke that in the Eucharist the substance of Christes bodie is present but without quantitie as Durand others that it hath quantitie but no distinction or order of parts as Ockam Bellarmine saith it hath both Nicolaus 3. defined that Christ had no propertie in any thing Sext. decretal lib. 5. tit 12. c. 3. Iohn 22. decreeth that opinion to be hereticall that affirmeth Christ and his Apostles to haue had nothing And at this present there is no small diuision and discord betweene the popish seculars and Iebusites euen in matters of iudgement and doctrine not only in externall points of difference 1 The Priests deliuer this position that a Catholike may commit of frailtie any sinne that an infidel heretike or schismatike committeth Replie p. 50. b. This Parsons denieth and proueth the contrarie Manifest p. 28. 2 Father Parsons holdeth that if a man do deteine an other mans goods wrongfullie and be possessor malae fidei he is absolutely bound by all possible meanes to restore them to the true owner Manifest f. 45. a. The Priests hold the contrarie that a man is not bound to restore when it can not be done without imminent danger as to deliuer a man his sword wherewith he purposeth to kil an other Replie f. 63. b. and they are in the right The Ignatian diuines at Salamanca in Spaine resolued vpon these conclusions to be sound in popish diuinitie that the Catholikes in Ireland might with great merit ayde that Rebell Tyrone that the Catholikes sinne mortallie that take part with the English that they are by no construction Rebels that fight against the Queene Replie f. 66. b. All which positions the secular
more then twentie of the Popes haue been giuen to that diuelish studie How Papists are confuters of Philosophers I leaue it to their owne report of one Maldonat an Ignatian sectarie that in a great auditorie in one lecture laboured to proue by naturall reasons that there is a God in an other that there is none and that the Iesuites do mainetaine at this day by the penne of Rene de la Fon that the Godhead must be proued by naturall reason 2 Vntrue also it is that Poperie hath conquered so many heresies retayning still a great number of them as is before sufficientlie declared neither haue they cause to brag of their vniuersalitie in subduing all nations for poperie was neuer so generall as pagane Idolatrie neither had the Pope euer commaund of all nations the Greeke Church hauing euer been deuided from him and I trust euery day his iurisdiction will be lesse and his account of nations come short as thanks be to God his nailes are well pared and his armes shortned in many famous cities and kingdomes in Christendome 3 Of the Papists it may be more truly said that they haue as many heads so many religions of the diuers sects and schismes in poperie and differences among their writers which rise to the computation of many hundreds relation hath been made before They are the deniers of scripture not Protestants that haue not blushed to say that the Pope may change the forme of words in baptisme that the Pope may dispense against the new testament that the Pope may dispense against all the precepts of the old and new testament that the scripture taketh authoritie from the Church of Rome that no man may lawfullie beleeue any thing by the authoritie of scripture against the determination of the Church Another saith the authoritie of the scriptures is founded in the allowance of the Church Another Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non vt praessent c. the Apostles writ certaine things not that they should rule faith and religion sed subessent but should be vnder Let any man now iudge if these men be not deniers of scripture which do derogate from the authoritie thereof that take vpon thē to chop change it to annihilate the precepts thereof and dispense against it So they not Protestants are the false translators of scripture who allow the vulgar Latine onely to be authenticall which in many hundred places altereth and corrupteth the Hebrue text As Genes 2.8 God planted a garden from the beginning for toward the East Genes 15. she shall breake thy head for he Gen. 4.13 they reade my sinne is greater then I can deserue pardon for then I can beare Gen. 6.5 their cogitation intent to euill for onely euill continuallie Gen. 12.15 and the princes told Pharao for the princes of Pharao saw her Gen. 26.9 why didst thou lye for why saidst thou v. 19. they digged in torrente in the brooke for in the vallie Gen. 35.16 he came in the spring time to the ground which bringeth to Ephratha for there was a little space of ground to come to Ephrah Genes 36.24 found out hoate waters in the wildernes for Mules Gen. 40.13 shall remember thy seruice for shall lift vp thy head Psal. 68.4 exalt him that ascendeth super occasum vpon the west or sunne-set for vpon the heauens v. 6. deliuereth prisoners in strength for in fetters v. 13. though ye sleepe betweene the lots for lien among the pots v. 17. tenne thousand for twentie thousand and a thousand such places might be alleaged wherein they haue corrupted the scriptures The Papists also are the men that forge scripture and other euidences for they thrust vpon the Church diuers Apocryphall bookes of Tobie Iudith Macchabees with the rest which the auncient Church of the Iewes to whom all the bookes of the old Testament and oracles of God were committed neuer receiued nor allowed So haue they forged and deuised diuers other writings as the Decretall epistles of the auncient Bishops of Rome which were Martyrs as of Zepherinus Calixtus Pontianus Vrbanus Fabianus with the rest which are all counterfeit stuffe as are also the leiturgie of S. Iames the writings that passe vnder the name of S. Martialis Abdias Hippolytus Dionysius and many such as is elsewhere declared more at large 4 Neither is it true that popish religion is founded vpon the infallible word of God conteyned in the scriptures but most of it vpon blind fallible and vncertaine traditions and many opinions the Church of Rome holdeth directlie opposite and contrarie to scripture as elsewhere hath been shewed Thus this friuolous aduersarie passeth on along heaping vp sclaunders and vntruths not remembring what the wise man sayth Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deale trulie are his delight But we neede not maruaile at it for this is familiar with thē with great boldnes to face out their owne forgeries and they may well say in Hieromes phrase domi nobis ista nascuntur we haue plentie of such stuffe at home But as the Lacedemonian magistrates said to Cephisophon the Orator when they expelled him that it was a good Orators part to make his speech answereable to his matter so should this sophister haue done and not to professe truth in his speech where none is in his matter The fift Perswasion 1 I Defend a religion where so much vertue is practised such obedience chastitie pouertie c. 2 Which brought the professors thereof to heauen as religious Heremites Monks Friers Priests Bishops Popes c. 3 Not that religion which made those which before were good chast obedient and contemners of the world to be wicked and giuen to impietie The Disswasion 1 WHat obedience poperie teacheth to their princes the late practises both in England and Fraunce do proclayme to all the world as the treacherous conspiracie of Parry incited by Cardinall Coomes letters of Somerfield and Arden sollicited by Hall a popish priest of Babington with other stirred vp by Ballard Lopez by Parsons Sauage and Yorke by Gifford Squire by Walpoole a Iebusite In Fraunce Iames Clement a Iacobine murdered Henry the third Barriere and Chastell attempted the like against the now King of Fraunce at the instigation of the Iesuites The Prince of Orange was by the like treacherie murdered and the death of the Chancelor of Scotland intended This may suffice to shew their obedience For their chastitie I appeale to the stories written of their vnholie fathers the Popes What place in the Christian world can afford more filthie spectacles of adulterers incestuous persons Sodomites then that Sea and citie of Rome I appeale to the inquisition made in King Henry the eights raigne at the suppression of the Abbeys when in some places the Priests and Monks were descried to haue kept some two some three some sixe some more one among the rest twentie concubines
so ample in iurisdiction that no temporall Prince Christian or Infidell no professor of regiment in ecclesiasticall causes c. was by many degrees possessed of so large a regiment 8. Our priuate Priests the most reuerend and learned fathers of the societie of Iesus are honoured of the greatest Princes in the world c. The disswasion 1. NEither doe I defend that religion that diuideth the militant and triumphant Church in robbing God of his honour in giuing it to Angels and Saints against their wils who refused to bee worshipped here in earth as the Angell of Iohn and Peter of Cornelius And therefore God requireth no such honour to be giuen vnto them so that as our Sauiour saith of Moses There is one which accuseth you euen Moses in whom ye trust euen so the Angels and Saints shall be witnesses and accusers of popish superstitious worshippers who honour the creature in steed of the Creator But the religion which Protestants professe and I defend doth make but one familie in heauen and in earth Ephes 3.15 ioyning them together in an holie societie and communion we in earth giuing thankes for them whom God hath deliuered from these terrene miseries and they longing to see vs also with the whole Church to be made partakers of their ioy As Cyprian saith Magnus illic charorum numerus nos expectat parentum fratrum filiorum de salute sua securi de nostra solliciti A great number of our friends doth there looke for vs of our parents brethren sonnes secure of their saluation and sollicitous for ours Other entercourse betweene the Church militant and triumphant there is none neither of our prayers to them that were superstitious for the Lord saith Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Psal. 50.15 nor of their help and assistance to vs that were superfluous God is able alone and sufficient to defend his Church as the Angell saith None holdeth with me in these things in the defence of the Church but Michael your prince which is Christ. Dan. 10.21 2. Which doth not that wrong to the faithfull departed to thrust them downe into the extreame paines of purgatorie which they say exceede all the paines of this life when as the Scripture saith that they which dye in the Lord doe from thencefoorth rest from their labours and all teares are wiped from their eyes They neede not therefore any reliefe from the liuing being in ioy and happines 3. Which doth not make any representation of Christ by Images for wee are commaunded not to corrupt our selues in making any grauen image or representation of any figure Deuter. 4.16 Neither doth it presume to offer vp Christ in sacrifice as the Papall priesthood doth because the Scripture saith that Christ doth not offer himselfe often but he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe And with one offering hath hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified But our religion prescribeth the holie Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ to bee vsed according to his institution in his remembrance as our Sauiour himselfe saith Doe this in remembrance of me Whereupon it was thus concluded and resolued in a generall Councell Ecce viuificantis illius corporis imaginem totam panis scilicet substantiam quam mandauit apponi Behold the whole or all the image of that quickening bodie the substance of bread which he commaunded to be vsed We haue then no other commemoration or representatiue image of Christ but onely the Sacrament celebrated according to his owne institution As for blasphemous swearing by instruments of our redemption though too many among Protestants are addicted to that euill custome yet he might haue bin ashamed to obiect it to vs knowing how common a thing it is among Papists to sweare as it appeareth by their own Synode which thus complaineth Quo colore nunc consuetudo passim iurantium in omni negotio excusari possit non videmus With what colour the custome of such which sweare vpon euerie occasion can be excused wee see not Those sacrilegious oathes to sweare by the Masse by the crosse nailes bodie bloud of Christ his wounds by S. Peter S. Anne S. Mary and the rest where els had they their beginning but in Poperie Yea it seemeth that swearing by such is not onely vsuall among them but commendable also for one Sanpaulinus for reprouing one of swearing was suspected to be a Lutherane and thereupon further examined sifted condemned and burned at Paris ann 1551. 4. It is also vntrue that there is no consecration or distinction of callings among vs for both Bishops haue their consecration from the Metropolitane with his Suffraganes and Ministers their ordination from their Ordinaries by imposition of hands which ought to be and is assisted with other Presbyters The Prince doth not challenge any power or authoritie of the Ministrie of any diuine offices in the Church or to conferre orders or consecration but onely by the Letters Patents conferreth the temporalties of Bishoprickes the Metropolitane with his assistance consecrateth as other Patrones present to benefices and the Ordinarie instituteth And this hath been the ancient vse and custome of England and prerogatiue of the Crowne that licence should be demaunded of the King to chuse and his royall consent to be had after election made as it is euident in diuers ancient statutes 5. As for the Papall Hierarchie it is altogether imperfect and out of order 1. The office of the Pope is iniurious and Antichristian taking vpon him to haue iurisdiction and prerogatiue ouer all other Bishops contrarie both to the Scriptures which gaue vnto all the Apostles the same authoritie and to them al the keyes were equallie committed and power to binde and loose Mat. 18.18 And to the Canons for Nicen. 1. can 6. parilis mos the like custome and iurisdiction is decreed to the Patriarke of Alexandria as to the Bishop of Rome Chalcidonens action 16. equall priuiledges are yeelded to Constantinople which is called new Rome as to old Rome The like may be shewed out of the eight first generall Councels The offices of Archbishops and Bishops as wee condemne not absolutely when they are vsed not as titles of ambition but as holesome meanes to preserue vnitie as they should be exercised among Protestants so in the Papall policie wee mislike them being but the Popes creatures and fit props to vphold his Antichristian and vsurped power But concerning your seuen orders of Priests Deacons Subdeacons Acolythists Readers Exorcists Doorekeepers wee hold them as superfluous and vnnecessarie seruices The Apostle sheweth that Christ hath giuen some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors some teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministrie for the edification of the bodie of Christ c. If these bee sufficient to
to many moneths yea not to many dayes Leo 2. Benedict 2. did not pope it aboue tenne moneths Benedict 10. nine moneths as many Benedict 11. Alexander 5. eight moneths Christophor 1. Lando 1. seauen moneths Leo 6. as many Celestinus 2. sixe moneths Ioannes 19. fiue moneths Romanus 1. three moneths Benedict 5. Gregor 8.2 moneths Some of their Popedomes are reckoned by dayes as Siluester 3 was Pope but 49. dayes Adrianus 5. fortie dayes Pius 3.27 dayes Bonifacius 6.25 dayes Damasus 2.23 dayes likewise Marcellus 2. Sosimus 2. twentie dayes Celestinus 4. eighteene dayes Stephanus the successor of Zacharias three daies And is not now this bragger ashamed to obiect the breuitie of the Imperiall dominion Concerning the number of Popes since the declining time of that Sea from Gregory 1. you shall finde for one Emperour two or three Popes There haue beene vnder Queene Elizabeths raigne not fewer then 8. or 9. Popes And because it may be answered that Princes do raigne by succession and so many come very young to the Crowne Popes enter by election and are aged when they are chosen let comparison be made betweene the Papacie and other Episcopal seas to the which also men of grauitie and yeares are elected you shall finde three Popes to one Bishop As to giue one instance for many in the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canterburie There haue been since Augustines time who was sent into England by Gregory 1. about ann 600. and odd onely 73. Archbishops But Popes since Gregory 1. there are numbred almost 200. for he was the 64. Bishop of Rome and there haue beene in the whole number 240 Bishops of that Sea or thereabout Wherefore as Ambrose well answered Symmachus who thus obiected Vnde rectius quam documentis rerum secundarum cognitio venit numinis Whence better may the presence of the Gods be knowne then by prosperitie saith Ambrose Odi bimestres Imperatores terminos regum cum exordijs coniunctos I like not two-moneth Emperours and raignes ending and beginning together Many such two-moneth Popes may be produced and popping aside as soone as they are pooping Such infelicitie of the head doth giue no great cause to those Popes-creatures to brag of their prosperitie So that as Leosthenes said of Alexanders armie their Captaine being dead that it was like to blind Cyclops that groped with his hands hauing lost his ere so may the papall Hierarchie be resembled so often changing their head and as one said to Dionysius that a tyrannie was a faire sepulcher such is the Popedome as a pompous and garnished sepulcher wherein the Popes take their ease tyrannizing ouer the Church for their owne aduantage but in respect of any profitable worke in Christs Church they are as mued and closed vp in a sepulcher The third Demonstration THis Popes Chronicler goeth forward and telleth vs of diuers Kings and Emperours that haue been punished and some of them deposed from their Kingdomes for resisting the Sea of Rome as the two Frecards of Scotland Sanetius King of Portugall Bolislaus King of Polonia King Phillip of Fraunce the Empire translated for disobedience from the French to Otho the 3. Henry the 4. Frederike the 2. Otho the 4. Lodouike the 4. deposed The East Empire taken of the Turke Alibrettus King of Nauarre the two Henries of Burbon deposed and depriued pag. 69.70 I will examine these examples in order The Remonstration 1 FRequard the younger was striken of God with a painefull disease whereof he dyed not for his disobedience to the Pope but for his wicked life for he killed his wife and defloured his daughters and was therefore excluded from the communion of Christians his nobles were purposed to haue taken punishment of him but were stayed by Colmannus who told them that Gods vengeance was at hand and not long after he was wounded by a Wolfe in hunting and thereby fell into a strange disease and so died Thus Bucanane reporteth who is falsified to say that all this fell vpon him for his disobedience to Rome which beside that there is no such mention in the historie was not like seeing Colman himselfe dissented from the Church of Rome about the celebration of Easter as hath been before shewed and so might be touched himselfe for his disobedience to that Sea 2 Frequard the fiâ—st was indeede disgraded of his Lords and cast into prison and for sorrow slew himselfe yet this hapned not for any attempts against the Pope but as Bucanane sayth because he maintained factions amongst the nobilitie and the Pelagian heresie and the contempt of baptisme were obiected against him and as others write this iudgement befell him for his crueltie and negligence in the affaires of the common-wealth 3 If it be Sanctius the first whom he meaneth for diuers Kings of Portugall were of that name he was with the consent of Honorius the third deposed and the gouernment committed to one Alphonsus not for disobedience to the Pope sed propter ignauiam for his slothfulnes in the administration of the kingdome 4 Bolislaus being rebuked for adulterie of Stanislaus Bishop of Graccouia slue him and was depriued therefore of the Crowne by the Pope and fell into madnes Munster sheweth this to be the cause not his resisting of the Pope He might as well say that Pompilius a King also of Polonia who was deuoured of Mice with his wife and children which came from the bodies of those whom he had commaunded vniustlie to be slaine was iudged thus of God for his resistance to the Pope 5 Whatsoeuer befell Phillip of France is not to be imputed to any offence committed against the Pope but to his adulterous life who repudiating his first wife Bertha by whom he had children coupled to him Bertradam the wife of Iulio but howsoeuer it fared with him in the meane time Vrbane for his disloyaltie to Princes escaped not vnpunished who for feare of his enemies hid himselfe two yeares in the house of Peter Leo and so dyed But why omitted he to make mention of an other Phillip of France in the time of Boniface the 8. who more resisted the Popes authoritie then euer any King of France did he defeated the Pope of bestowing ecclesiastical dignities forbad any gold or siluer to be exported out of the land to the Pope who also thus wrote vnto the Pope To Boniface bearing himselfe for chiefe pastor little health or none Let thy foolishnes know that in no temporall things we are subiect to no man Was Phillip punished for being thus bold with the Pope No but Boniface himselfe smarted for his contempt of Kings for he was taken prisoner by King Phillips souldiers robbed of all his treasure forced to ride vpon an vnbroken colt with his face to the horse taile almost famished for meate if he had not been relieued by the almes of the towne of Anragum where he was and returning
and caue in that extremitie This victorious Prince greatly repented with teares at his death of all his outragious deedes commaunding all his treasure to be distributed vnto Churches poore folks and Ministers of God and made a large confession of his sinnes before his death with an eloquent exhortation to his sonnes and Nobles forgiuing all men and opening all prison doores to them which were there detained what reason then had this Popish pickthanke so ill to requite this Prince so great a benefactor to the Papall professors Concerning the punishments noted to haue befallen this Prince as the great famine in his daies and of the breaking of his entrailes and the deniall of buriall the first was a iudgement rather vpon the whole land being by conquest made desolate then vpon him that did conquer it the second is no rare thing for a man by the leaping of his horse ouer a ditch to breake the rimme of his bellie as this Prince did for the third true it is that a gentleman forbad his buriall because it was taken by violence from his father where the Duke had founded the house of S. Stephen This wrong was done not for any priuate gaine but for the erection of that Church which the Papists count a meritorious work and yet the gentleman was compounded with and the bodie peaceably interred These were neither such extraordinarie iudgements and whatsoeuer they were might be laid vpon him for his transgressions not for his disobedience to the Sea of Rome But hath not this Popes hireling shewed great thankfulnes to such a liberall benefactor and principall founder who augmented enlarged nine Abbeys of Monks and one of Nunnes in Normandie and in whose time 17. Monasteries and 6. Nunries were builded as he himselfe confessed vpon his death-bed whom the Bishop of Ebroike commended in his funerall sermon for his magnificence valour peace and iustice Among many other this brabler had least cause to take exception against this valiant Duke 2. Concerning William Rufus 1. his resisting against the Pope was iust and vpon good ground because of his vnsatiable exactions alleaging this reason Quod Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes c. That the Popes follow not Peters steps gaping for bribes neither haue they his authoritie not imitating his sanctitie 2. Whereas he would not suffer Anselme without his licence to goe or appeale to Rome but for his stubborne behauiour banished him the King therein alleageth the custome of the land from his fathers time and all the Bishops tooke part with the King against Anselme 3. The death of William Rufus being slaine by the glaunsing of an arrow shot by one Tyrell as the King was hunting in the new forrest is noted by historians as a iudgement of God vpon him for his oppression As Richard an other sonne of William the father was slaine in the same forrest which he had made plucking downe Churches and dis-peopling towneships 30. miles about It was not then the Kings restrayning of the Popes vsurping but his own vsurping vpon other mens possessions that might be thought to incense the diuine wrath against him 3. It is also vntrue as this dreamer surmiseth that Henry the first could not be quiet in conscience till he had restored the Ecclesiasticall he meaneth Papall libertie for he reformed the too great libertie and licentiousnes of the Clergie and seemed little to fauour the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome neither would suffer any Legate to come from the Pope vnlesse by himselfe required Beside he obtained of Calixtus the 2. that he might vse all the customes vsed before of his forefathers in England 4. Whereas this fabler affirmeth That neuer any Gouernor before King Henry the 8. challenged any such prerogatiue of supremacie except in the inuestiture of Bishops pag. 74. lin 20. This is a notable fiction as may appeare by the words of William Rufus to Anselme The custome sayth he from my fathers time hath been in England that no person should appeale to the Pope without the Kings licence He that breaketh the customes of the realme violateth the Crowne and power of the Kingdome 5. Neither is it true that such troubles befell Henry the 2. for his disobedience to the Bishop of Rome as forreine warres and busines abroad and the rebellion of his owne children at home But these troubles are by the best historians imputed to other causes as some make the originall thereof to be his refusall to take the protection of Hierusalem against the infidels being humblie sued vnto by Heraclius the Patriarke who in his Oration to the King foretold of the plagues like to ensue Others affirme that the King was punished for his licentious life for he was a great wedlocke breaker keeping a famous concubine called Rosamond after whose death he deteyned the daughter of Lewes King of France married to his sonne Richard and kept Ellanor the Queene in prison twelue yeares Neither is it true that after 〈…〉 reconciled to the Church of Rome that 〈…〉 but they rather then began for the 〈…〉 vpon his oath of the death of Thomas 〈…〉 certaine conditions from the Pope 〈…〉 of his raigne and immediately after followed 〈…〉 with his sonne Henry ann 1173. and with the Flemings and Scots ann 1174. of his raigne ann 20. or after others ann 22. It is therefore vntrue that the same day of his reconciliation the Earle of Fâ—anders retyred and the next day after the King of Scots was taken prisoner Neither immediatly vpon this reconciliation of the King were his sonnes reconciled and he himselfe restored to his pristine tranquillitie of mind and bodie for his sonnes Henry and Geffrey raised warre against their father againe ann 30. of his raigne and shot at him pearcing his vppermost armour though some semblance there had been before of their submission to the King And afterward in the 35. yeare of Henries raigne his sonnes Richard and Iohn leuied an armie against their father who for sorrow thereof dyed whose dead corps at the comming of Richard bled abundantlie at the nose thereby strangely accusing his vnnaturall proceedings against his father 6. Neither was King Iohn punished because he had controuersie with the Sea of Rome as is pretended for after he was released of his excommunication and absolued which was in the 15. yeare of his raigne and the land released of the interdiction which had continued 6. yeares then began his cruell warres with the Barons and Lewes the French kings sonne ann 17. 18. notwithstanding that the Pope tooke part with the King and excommunicated the Nobles and last of all he was poisoned by a Monke of Swinsted The cause of this strife betweene the King and the Barons is alleadged for that he would not vse the lawes of S. Edward And some part of his trouble may well be imputed to his stubborne
people of England haue greater cause not one but many both nights and dayes to awake to giue thanks vnto God for our deliuerance from troubles not so much felt as feared And thus also I haue at length dispatched that tedious and friuolous section THE EIGHT SECTION HIS DEfense to the honorable Councell and all other men of Nobilitie THis Section being as the rest confusedlie shuffled vp and as a rude chaos tumbled together I will if I can bring it to some forme not vouchsafing an answere to all his idle words and vaine repetitions which are not to be regarded as Aristotle well answered a certaine brabler who sayd O Philosopher I am troublesome vnto you with my speech no sayth he for I marked thee not The first Defence SVppose ye might contend in politike gouernment with many c. let it be some might be admitted fellowes in armes c. yet to that which is most or onely materiall in this question and controuersie of learning religion c. are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison to balance your selues with so many Saints most holie learned professed Diuines and Bishops c. pag. 80. lin 12. The Answere 1 THeir honors are much beholding to this cunning Caruer that he will allow them in matters of policie and of martiall affaires to equalize those in the popish times employed in both but in learning and religion they must come farre short of popish Bishops c. 2 But herein also I doubt not for true religion and knowledge of God that our honorable Lords Nobles farre exceed most of that shauen crue for who knoweth not that in a popish Bishop learning and diuinitie is not of the greatest regard Was not the Bishop of Cauaillon a profound Clerke that said to the Merindolians that Iâ— was not requisite to saluation to vnderstand or expound the articles of faith for there were many Bishops Curates yea and Doctors of Diuinitie whom it would trouble to expound the Paternoster and the Creede Such another learned Prelate was the Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland that said to Thomas Forret Martyr that it was too much to preach euery Sonday for in so doing you make the people thinke that we should preach likewise He said further I thanke God I neuer knew what the old and new Testament was whereof rose a prouerb in Scotland You are like the Bishop of Dunkelden that knew neither old nor new lawe Such religious and deuout Bishops were some other in Scotland much about that time which held that the Paternoster should be said to Saints whereupon it was vsed as a byword in Scotland To whom say you your Paternoster I appeale now to the indifferent Reader whether our learned Nobles of England may not be compared in true learning and sound diuinitie with such vnlearned popish Bishops But I pitie this poore mans case that could play the Orator no better then at the first dash to alienate their minds into whose bosome he sought to insinuate himselfe forgetting that rule of Ambrose Qui tractaet debet andientium considerare personas ne irrideatur prius quam audâ—atur He that treateth of any thing must consider to whom he speaketh least he be laughed at before he be harkned to for Like as they that drinke bitter potions do loath the very cups so they which accuse at the first win no grace with their heaâ—ers The second Defence NExt this bold lad braueth it out producing certaine examples of the hard haps of some Nobles among the Protestants as of the Lord Cromwell condemned by the law which he had prouided for others the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland basely disgraced and put to death Robert Earle of Leicester miserablie died terrified with monstrous visions of Deuils Sir Frauncis Walsingham his miserable death despairing words filthie stinke of bodie basely buried in the night will be an eternall infamie against him The Answere 1 THe end of the Lord Cromwell was neither vnfortunate nor miserable making a vertuous and a godly end with confession of his sinnes and confidence in God and faithfull inuocation of his name he was attainted by Parliament misled and misinformed not condemned by any lawe of his owne making whome King Henry afterward wished to be aliue againe which he would not haue desired had he bene perswaded he was a traytor Thus wise Princes are sometime swayed with false reports and ouercome with flatterers and repent when it is too late But miserable indeede was the end of Bishop Fisher who was attainted by Parliament for practising with Elizabeth Barton called the holie mayd of Kent against the King who died in a bad cause giuing his life for the vsurped authoritie of the Pope against the lawfull calling of the King Such was the death of Sir Thomas Moore who dyed scoffingly and prophanely suffering for the like obstinacie and superstition How could he omit or forget these two notable examples of deserued miserie and obiect the much lamented case of that honorable Lord Cromwell dying in his innocencie 2 Concerning the death of the good Duke of Somerset it was no iudgement vpon him for his religion which as he had zealouslie maintained while he liued so therein he constantlie died But herein it might be that God chastised the ouersight of the Duke in condescending to the death of his brother the Lord Thomas Seymer wherein secretlie his owne ouerthrow was intended though he simply perceiued it not And again this is rather to be supposed a iudgement against that ambitious Duke of Northumberland who by his Machiauilian deuises cut off these two brothers the Kings Vncles to make a way for some of his to the Crowne as the euent of matters afterward shewed but he was ouertaken in his owne plots and suffered iustlie in the same place where the other good Duke by his meanes not two yeare before innocently ended his dayes 3 As for the Duke of Northumberland take him to your selfe for at his death he denyed the Gospell and in hope of fauour consented to the Popish religion and exhorted others to do the like whose recantation was presentlie published to the world Therefore let that Church challenge him in whose faith and communion he dyed his end full well declared that his religion was more for his owne aduantage then in conscience 4 That which is reported of the Earle of Leicester the credite thereof relying vpon this braggers bare word alleadging no author for it may with as great reason be by vs denyed as it is by him affirmed Yet admit it was so that he was in his sicknes troubled with fearefull visions that is not to be imputed to his religious profession but to his licentious conuersation wherein it is like enough he committed some things not beseeming a professor of the Gospell But he needed not to haue noted this if it were true as he saith for so strange a thing
in custodiendis rescriptis alacritas in perferendis nec fides in reddendis He wanteth not neither diligence in keeping my rescripts nor cheerefulnes in carying them nor trust in deliuering them But this talebearer in reporting of Protestants opinions wanteth all these he is neither diligent in vnderstanding them nor willing to remember them nor faithfull in rehearsing them Where he would foyle others he sheweth his owne follie where he would blame vs he shameth himselfe he pretendeth to accuse others and had more neede himselfe to be excused much like to the souldier that Cato so much misliketh which in walking vseth his hands and in fighting his feete when he should in walking stirre his feete he vseth his hands and when in fighting he should exercise his hands he runneth away with his feete So playeth this freshwater souldier when he should lay on sound stroakes in telling the truth he runneth on with fables thinking so to carrie all before him The third Obiection NOw this quarrell-picker proceedeth and taketh exception to the mariage of Ministers which he would proue to be preiudiciall to the Common-wealth I will abridge his discourse being confused and follow his sense though it be needlesse to rehearse all his words There haue been accounted 40. thousand parish Churches in England admit the least suruey of thirteene fifteene or sixteene thousand There being so many maried Ministers for among all those it is a dishonour at this day to be vnmaried if 75. persons of the Israelites descending into Egypt in the space of 400. hundred yeers multiplied to 603550. people there being for euery maried Israelite a thousand maried Ministers in the like space of time they will amount to 603550000. a greater number then many Englands are able to maintaine vnlesse they should be sent out to the warres to be slaine But to permit multiplication of men to such ends to vtter them by slaughter is wholy Turkish c. pag. 90. to pag. 92. The Satisfaction 1. TO let passe his vncharitable slaunder that it is a dishonour among Protestant Ministers to be vnmaried whereas we honour the gift of true chastitie and reuerence them that haue it and there are diuers among the Protestant Ministers both Bishops and others which haue imbraced single life likewise not to touch his false account of the number of Parish Churches which neither maketh 40. nor yet 13. or 15. thousand The whole summe vpon a diligent suruey taken in the 44. yeere of Edward the 3. not exceeding beside London 8600. Parish Churches and London containeth 108. Parishes In the whole they are not aboue 8700. or at the most 9000. Parish Churches But to let this matter passe 2. If mariage by the word of God be free for all men as the Apostle saith For auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his wife 1. Cor. 7.2 And Mariage is honourable among all men Hebr. 13.3 then how absurdly doth this fellowe inferre that for feare of some inconuenience Gods ordinance should be restrained and some forbidden to marrie shall men presume to controule Gods workes or to infringe his ordinance or to seeme to be wiser then he as the Prophet saith Who hath instructed the spirit of the Lord or was his counseller or taught him 3. By as good and much better reason may the mariage of the poorer sort and common people be forbidden who are tenne to one for euery Minister and haue lesse prouision for their maintenance This Pope polititian belike would giue aduice that least people should multiplie too fast there might be a law that a certaine number onely should attend vpon the duties of mariage and bee set apart for procreation that as it is among horse and other cattell that the goodliest beast is kept for a stale so it might bee among men such seeme his prophane conceits to be And with as good right may any other order be restrained from mariage as Ministers in respect of the Common-wealth seeing that they haue the best meanes of education for their children And wee see by experience that from their families haue issued foorth many worthie men both for Church and Common-wealth whom the world should haue been depriued of if this wizards conceit might take place 4. And if the mariage of Ministers were like to be so burdensome to the Common-wealth how came it to passe that Moses that wise lawgiuer could not foresee it in the mariage of the Leuites who were the 13. part of the Israelites and all liued vpon the tithes and offrings of their brethren whereas the Ministers now are not the 200. part of the people What intolerable presumption is it in this shallow braine to sound a depth beyond his plumme and as another Hobab to take vpon him to teach Moses but without either wit or honestie both which Moses father in law had and the direction of the spirit withall 5 The scripture sayth The multitude of the people is the honor of a King Prou. 14.28 Among the heathen Lycurgus and Solon depriued those of certaine honors which liued single or had no children Among the Romanes they had great priuileges that were increased with many children A certaine Spartane yong man doing no reuerence to the Captaine Dercyllidas as he passed by among whom it was ignominious not to reuerence old age gaue this reason because you haue begotten none to rise vp vnto me when I am old which saying was misliked of none If the heathen then did count it such a benefit to haue procreation of children shall Christians skoffe at the fruites of generation and despaire of prouision for such a multitude As though God which feedeth the foules of the aire and vpon whom all creatures depend could not prouide for his people otherwise vnlesse they should be sent to the warres that the sword might deuour them For thus this seraphicall Apologist concludeth if warres had not bene to preuent so many mariages and kill so many thousands of men how could this nation haue prouided for so many pag. 92. What could sensuall Epicures prophane Diagoras or skoffing Lucian haue said more to the derogation of Gods prouidence What is it to limit Gods prouidence if this be not as though God seeth not an hundred wayes to prouide for his without this bloudie stratageme in appointing them to the sword 6 But whatsoeuer he ridiculouslie hath obiected against Ministers mariage that it is against a common-wealth is truely verified vpon popish monasticall single life what horrible pollutions whoredomes fornication incest sodomitrie bastardie secret murders of infants then raigned by reason of forced and dissembled virginitie it would offend Christian eares to heare In Gregory the first his time there were found sixe thousand infants heads in a Moate or Fish-pond which he perceiuing to haue been caused by forced single life reuoked his decree made before for the same It was one of the greeuances of the Germanes exhibited by the Princes
but before his comming there were in England other Bishops who depended not vpon the Romane Bishops neither did acknowledge Augustines authoritie and refused to yeeld obedience vnto him 4. In the very receiuing of popish priesthood the Masse-priests bind themselues to be subiects to the Romane Bishop in spirituall things and so denie the lawfull authoritie of the Prince in causes Ecclesiasticall The Iudasites beside do enter into a vow of obedience to execute whatsoeuer their superior shall command them to do by vertue of which vow many treacherous conspiracies haue been contriued yea they haue a speciall vow of mission whereby they bind themselues to go whither soeuer the Pope shall send them Who seeth not how fit an engine this is to draw them on to practise against both King and Countrie as hath been seene in England but to their owne cost hitherto thanks be to God and I trust shall be so still 5. Popish priests and Deacons are not deemed traytors for their absolutions or any other priestly function but because they do receiue priesthood by authoritie of a forrain Potentate claiming iurisdiction in England and who as a temporall aduersarie hath displayed his banner in the field against the Prince the maintenance of whose authoritie is iudged trayterous 6. To receiue orders in forraine countries simplie is not made treason for the Church of England receiueth such Ministers as were ordained in other countries professing the same religion as at Basile Geneua in Germany But eyther in the realme or without the realme to be ordained by any authoritie deriued or pretended from the See of Rome is by the law decreed to be treason because therein they which are so ordered acknowledge and receiue the Popes vsurped power and authoritie in England who is an enemie both to Prince and countrie wherein they are guiltie of treason 7. Though in some free cities in Germany in Greece vnder the Turke Seminarie Priests be tolerated that is no president for England neither can it stand with the policie of this kingdome to admit any such mixture And in that they are not there taken for traytors the case is not like for if they had practised there against the life of the Prince and state of the countrie as in England there is no question but they would haue taken the like order with them Neither in England for more then twentie yeares was it made treasonable to be made a Popish Priest till such time as the state perceiued that their entring into the land seducing of subiects conspiring together tended to the subuersion and ouerthrow both of Prince and countrie And it can not be but that the Pope should haue an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment whatsoeuer he intendeth in other countries seeing both the Iudasites and Priests acknowledge that the Pope hath indirectam potestatem in temporalib hath an indirect power euen in temporals by force of armes to restraine Princes and to reforme them and to dispose of Kingdomes 8. This article is wholie vntrue for neither are the Lecturâ—s read in the Iesuites Colledges very commendable when one Maldonat a Iudasite in one publike Lecture proued there was a God by naturall reason and in another that there was none And Parsons would haue had his traiterous booke of titles publikely read in the Colledge at Rome to the Students as his fellow priests report What the professors of the Iesuites Colledge are and how affected to the Ciuill gouernment may appeare by their treacherous attempts Varade a Iudasite in France approoued the wicked treason of Barriere against the King so did Commolet who openly in his Sermons sayd they wanted but an Ehud Walpoole a Iesuite deliuered a poisonfull confection to Squire ann 1597. to destroy the Queene Parsons before that with other of the Spanish faction practised with Lopez to the same deede As is their practise so is their doctrine Parsons maintaineth as a principle that necessitie of true he meaneth his Cacolike religion is required in all pretenders to the Crowne whereby he meaneth that no title should be admitted though neerest by bloud and lawfull succession vnlesse the profession of the Romane faith were coincident to it Guignard made a booke wherein he maintained that to kill offenders he meaneth Princes that stood not for them was meritorious Chastell one of their schollers that was executed for attempting the Kings death maintained before the Iudge that in some cases it was lawfull to kill his King At Salamanca in Spaine these conclusions were resolued vpon by the Diuines of the Iesuites Colledge that all Catholikes did sinne mortally that tooke part with the English against Tyrone in Ireland that they which did fight against the Queene were by no coÌ„struction rebels c. These and such other positions were subscribed by Iohn de Sequenza Emmanuel de Royas Iasper de Mena professors of Diuinitie in the Colledge of Iesuites there and by Peter Osorio preacher there What a brasen face now hath this fellow that sayth there is no professor lecture doctrine in their Colledges contrarie to the English gouernment and what manner of prayers they vsed to make for Queene Elizabeth we may iudge by these their practises and opinions And if it were not so that these Schooles and Seminaries are corrupters of youth the Court of Parliament of Paris vpon the apprehension of Iohn Chastel who stroke the King with a knife in the face who was a student of the Iesuites Colledge of Clairemont would not haue decreed the whole companie of priests students there as corrupters of youth disturbers of the common quiet enemies of the King and state to auoid within three dayes out of Paris and within 15. dayes out of the Realme 9. We grant that when the Pope was in his ruffe many Kings made slaues vnto the beast yeelded vnto his vsurped iurisdiction in affaires ecclesiasticall but of auncient time it was not so for the good Kings of Iuda Dauid Iehosophat Hezekiah Iosias had the chiefe stroke in religious causes So had the Christian Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus Theodosius Martianus that made lawes concerning the faith Likewise the Christian Kings of the Gothes in Spaine decreed ratified and confirmed ecclesiasticall lawes as Reccaredus Guntranus Sisenandus Reccesinuthus Eryngius as is extant in these Synodes Prouinciall heere alleaged 10. To haue free accesse to Rome only to see the Citie and the behauiour of the people may by Princes in their discretion to their subiects be permitted though I thinke it be hard for any with a good conscience in regard of the publike offences there occurrent so to do but to bring from thence a crucifixe or a picture as a marke of the beast can not be but dangerous which although it be not treason in England though a disobedience yet Adam Damlip for a lesse matter by Winchesters procurement was condemned of treason for receiuing a French crowne of Cardinall