who would relie for his saluation vpon the publike and most conspicuous Church professing Christ what should hee haue done in the time of Constantius the Arrian Emperour when the whole visible conspicuous Church ouerwhelmed with Arrianisme decreed in councels so greatly and so dangerously that as u Hierom. aduers Lucâ—feria Saint Hierome reporteth the whole world maruailed how it was become an Arian yea and most lamentable was the face of the visible Church especially in Rome it selfe when Liberius returning out of banishment * Hieron lib. de scriptoribus in fortunat in Châ—on Libertus ipse in Epist ad Episc Orient apud Bellar lib. 4. cap. 9. de Pont. Bellar. ibidâ—m Athanas in Epâ—st ad Soâ—â—t vitam agentes Damasus Pope in Liberio Hilar. lib. contra Constant â—ozom lib. â— cap. 14. Nicepb lib. 9 cap. 37. alij subscribed to the Arian faith which had beene before decreed in diuers publike almost vniuersall Councels of the whole Church as at Millaine at Ariminum c. and by the same subscription confirmed and decreed as a point of Catholike faith what the Bishops before had resolued vpon and subscribed vnto for in the subscription of Bishops and confirmation of Popes consisteth the robour and strength of Romane Articles of faith so infallibly that the whole Romane Church is bound to receiue them to professe them after such decrees and subscriptions And truly the answer which Liberius made before his banishment and whilest hee was constant in the Catholike faith vnto Constantius the Emperor is for the same purpose very worthy reading for whereas the Emperour thus obiected vnto him what was hee and what thought hee of himselfe who would oppose himselfe against all Bishops of the world hee answered not thinking as our men now doe of the Popes sole inerrablenesse neither as daunted with the whole visible multitude against him most resolutely y Theodoret. lib 2. hist cap 16. thus that although hee and Athanasius were z Vbi suut tandem c. Where are they now who exprobrate vnto vs pouerty and do insolently brag of their wealth where are they who define the Church by a multitude and despile the little flocke Gregor Nazianz in Arianos Orat. 11. alone yet the cause of faith was nothing the worse for long ago said hee there were onely three who withstood the Kings hee meaneth Nabuchodonozor commandement but doubtlesse these men who stood so much vpon the visibility of succession and vpon the greatest multitude would vpon the returne of Liberius backe to Rome his sitting in that chaire also some good time before hee againe renounced the communion with the Arrians and their faith to which hee had subscribed before they would surely haue communicated with Liberius and haue despised the contemptible and persecuted Church of Athanasius and Felix with some few Romanes who then rightly beleeued and professed Christ Besides if it bee necessary to ioyne with the greatest multitude professing Christ after the Romane fashion doubtlesse haue was the case of their Romanists in times of their very many very great and grieuous a Certaine Decades of most horrible schismes haue beene in the Romane Church Platina Baron per Anal. schismes when their whole Church hath beene ouerwhelmed with the power of some Anti-Popes besides to argue ad hominem in the time of the Councell of Franck ford when the Bishops of France Germany and England with diuers of Italy decreed against your second Nicene Councell commanding adoration and worshipping of Images what might a faithfull Christian of the West haue done was hee to obey the decree of Franck ford or not if you say yea then your Nicene Councell is condemned if not then alwaies the greatest multitude and the publike visible Pastors though assembled in Councell are not to be obeied which was then very great and conspicuous especially if you had adioyned their authorities with all those Prelates of the East Church who in diuers and suÌ„dry councels vnder Constantine the two Leos who had before condemned the adoration of Images you should haue found the same farre to haue surpassed that of your Tridentine Councell in Germany consisting for most part of your Titulary Italian Bishops In time of the b Coâ—cil Baâ—â— Sess 34. See the Epistle of the Fathers of the Councell of Basile to the Electors of the Empire Tom. 3. Constitutio Imperial pag. 456. Councell of Basile when Eugenius the 4. Pope was deposed and accused by that Councell and Felix elected in his roome by the Bishoppes of France Germany and England with diuers also of Italy and some also of Spaine tell mee were the secret Eugenians in those Kingdomes if there were any bound to follow the greatest multitude of Prelates beware you graunt it for it will not stand with the credite of your visible succession Doubtlesse the state of the Christian Church was such at that time that a Chrrstian was bound onely to adhere to the euerlasting and indeffectible head of his Church Christ Iesus and was no more bound to follow Felix then Eugenius with his councell at Florence the which Schismaticall councell to note by the way was the first that publikely decreed the number of seuen Sacraments and Purgatory fire as soundly and as catholikly as some few yeers after the Tridentine fathers assembled of a few French or Spanish but most Italian Bishops whereof also many were Titular onely and were made to fill vp the number decreed many heretical and most pernicious positions against the ancient and apostolike faith and it is no maruaile they did so egregiously erre for they were not to determine any thing which might displease Rome therefore so soone as some of them beganne to consult about reformation of the Court and Church of Rome with the Bishoppes thereof presently by a peremptory Placet of Pius the fourth the whole Councell was dissolued and their good intentions wholy frustrated they onely leauing behind them their subscriptions to their corrupt decrees which subscriptions notwithstaÌ„ding were neuer made so ful and perfect that the number of the Prelates subscribing hapned to bee one whole hundreth at c Concilium Trident editum a â—innio anie one of their sessions and generall subscriptions But to returne to my purpose if Saint Iohn in his Reuelation doe so clearely pronounce that the woman by whom the Church of Christ is described according to the exposition almost of all is to flee into the desert there to be nourished fauoured and protected by God per tempora tempus dimidium temporis for times for a time and for halfe a time by Apoc. 12. which flight is vnderstood the secretnesse hiddennesse and inuisibility of the true Church not only for three yeers and a halfe as all the Pontificians for most part eagerly doe contend but for some longer time sufficient for the accomplishment of all such things which haue beene foretold by the Prophets but because I would incline
THE MOTIVES of Richard Sheldon Pr. for his iust voluntary and free renouncing of Communion with the Bishop of Rome PAVL the 5. and his Church I saw the woman drunke with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus and I admired when I saw her with great admiration Apocal. cap. 17. 6. Goe out of her my people that you be not partakers of her Sinnes nor receiue of her punishments Apocal. 18. 4. Published by Authority London printed for NATHANIEL BVTTER and are to be sold at his shop neere S. Austines gate 1612. To Mr. George Birker the Arch-Priest and all other Priests with the rest professing in England communion with PAVL the 5. Bishop of Rome that now is THese my inducements passing ouer with silence many others by which I haue resolued to relinquish renounce the communion of the present Bishop of Rome and to adioyne my selfe to the Catholike and truly Apostolike Church of England I doe not therefore addresse vnto you thereby to craue your patronages but to require your seuerest censures expecting only and humbly begging and doe daily multiply obloquies against me yea and libell also against me in respect of my booke written in defence of my Prince and Countrie doe presume to Dedicate these my Motiues which will proue nothing acceptable to Rome or to some of your tastes to your worthy persons and names the truth is the cause of this is my considence in truth which I deliuer the which being gratefull to her veriest enemies cannot but be grateful to many of you to whom I know the verie sound of truth is pleasant though through the seducements of your leadâ—rs and your little reading of Gods Word and bookes of controuersie you are now misled mâ—gnâ—rance but veritas filta temporis truth is the daughter of time shee doth not alwaies appeare at the first as God wot shee hath very latelie would God sooner to me yet now shee is come and appeareth I professe without lying God is my witnesse I senâ—â—bile feele in such sort as the soule can feele my vnderstanding and souâ—e as it were a new inlightned illustrated consorted and encouraged by a new change and translation out of the h 〈◊〉 1. shadow of darkenesse into the i Ad Colâ—ss 1. Kingdome of Gods beloued sonne Iesus for whose testimonie Oh how happie should I bee to suffer euen death it selfe But because I am growne of late so contemptible with you wherein I reioice haue and doe vndergoe the same fortune which my k 〈◊〉 6. deare Sauiour and onelie Master Iesus did sustaine being conuersant vpon earth in respect of the honor of the cause which I haue vndertaken sufferte modicum quid insipientiae meae suffer a little of my folly to vse the words of the l 2 Ad Cor. 11. Apostle in like sort beginning to commend himself in commending of my self to you in such things whereof for some circumstances I take now no comfort but rather am ashamed of them and with my very soule doe lament them When I liued in the Romane English Colledge I begin there if any one can say any great ill of me before that time or since let him not spare to speake hee hath good leaue it is well knowne how I was reputed to haue profited being there better esteemed then I euer thought of my selfe and for learning compared with your Doctor Norrice a man of farre worthier partes then my selfe with whom also had not his oppositions against the gouernours of the English Colledge and the generall commotion of the same Colledge letted it at that very time I had defended publike Theses and Conclusions out of the whole corps and body of Diuinity the same being with their Epistle Dedicatorie allowed and readie printed for that purpose but because Doctor Norrice might not haue that honor in respect he was theÌ„ in opposition against the Superiours I was desired not to expect lest also the Bishop of Cassano Doctour Norrices Patron and fauourer then should bee discontented thereat the same at Rome but I was promised to performe it in Spaine whether I was sent with letters of as fauourable commendations both from the superiours of the Colledge and their Generall Claudius Aquauiua as euer anie English Priest had and also with as ample faculties into England yea in some things as it is well known concerning The Rect â—r of the English Colledge â—iâ—hed me to set downe in writing what faculties I desired and that hee would procute from the Cardinall protector confirmation allowance of the same which was accordingly done so largely as none had so large before whereof I haue a Copy to shew dispensations in all degrees of marriages contracted or to be contracted touching all Ecclesiasticall positiue impediments letting or dissoluing marriage more ample then any other euer had before mee as any Priest or Ignatian then in England had And if I was not in good esteeme then and there why did the Superiors of the English Colledge request me onely alone aboue others to write a short letter rather then a Petition to the Pope who then was Clement the 8. by the same to giue testimonie to that Pope of their vpright gouernment in the Colledge which then was so eagerly called in question by most of the English there I could vse more folly courteous Reader in adding many more very fauourable particulars as of my free accesse to Cardinall Catetane Protector to their General Aquauiua c. but I haue been too foolish already being constrained thereunto Since my comming into this Kingdome it is well knowne I haue been too too industrious in exhorting preaching c. And it is as well knowne that my conuersation and entertainement hath beene with the best Honourable not excepted let those who haue knowne me last and longest who are very Worshipfull very true hearted English and vnacquainted with the Equiuocating Spirit Speake what my carriage and conuersation hath beene But good Iesus why doe I thus trouble my selfe thus to waste paper and inke calumniated I am and most disgracefully calumniated I shall be as the Right Honourable my Lord of Canterbury his Grace presaged to me when I first told his Grace of my resolution but I will reioyce therein and shall esteeme all as dungge so that I may glory m Ad Galat. 6. in the Crosse of Iesus Christ the onely comfort and ioy of my soule the n Act. 4. onlie hope of my saluation Let hell it selfe spew out against mee all most disgracefull taunts and calumniations I will to God commend my cause hee will bring the truth of my innocency in the end to light I will in the meane vse patience the anker of all Christian soules in times of any tribulations and distresses Thus most humbly beâ—eeching with heart prostrate and in all your behalfes the mercies of the o 1 Ad Tim. 2. onely Aduocate and Sauiour of Mankind that you may returne to
Baldach of certaine Popes make mee thinke there wanteth no good will but onely meanes and possâ—ssion which their Canonists and Ignatians labour a pace in euery place where they can finde footing by their preachings secret conferences and bookes to procure vnto him And consider this what bookes are with more fauour receiued printed and published at Rome then those of this stampe and kinde For this respect Pesantius Bozius and such like shal be cherished there Bellâ—rmine in the time of Sixtus the Monarch of the world who had deuoured England in his vaiâ—e Psendopropheticall hope Bellâ—rmine I say because hee applauded not the Papall Monarchy of Sixtus but wrote against it found no fauour but was glad to auoid Rome for feare of frying but h Bâ—llar against Barkley and his anâ—wer to a Ve netiaÌ„ Doctor saepâ—ssime de Rom Pon. â— 5. c. 6 now by end euouring to bâ—ing the Monarchy of christendome vnder the Popes command with the distinction of indirect direct he hath profited so much that hee hath purchased a Cardinals hat the next steppe to the Romane Monarchy it selfe the which if he euer obtaine doubtlesse he will speake as Sixtus did for as his doctrine is much changed from that it was in Sixtus time so doubtlesse if he proue Pope it will * Hanores mutant moâ—â—s come to greater perfection i Baron in annalibus saepissime Steuch lib. de donat Constant Bozius alij Cardinall Baronius good God how he trauaileth as though he were wich child to bring forth this Monarchy throughout his Annals and Augustinus Steuch more earnest then he if it may be how carelfully doth he record Diplomes and Charters by which the Popes challenge the direct and supreame Soueraignties ouer most kingdomes of the West as of Spaine France England Ireland Hungary Norway Sicily and of which not but such baubles I passe ouer the trying of those Charters I put off to those whome it concerneth I will onely a little examine how this man of sinne that sitteth in the Temple of God is saide to sit in Gods Temple doubtlesse it cannot otherwise bee well vnderstood then of some principall part of the externe and visible Church of Christ there beeing no other temple of God of which it may with any probability bee expounded To expound it of the Temple in Hierusalem were very incongruous yea impossible coÌ„sidering the same is destroied and that the desolation thereof shall continue til the end as k Dan. 9. Hieron ibidem Daniel the Prophet hath foretold yea and Christ himselfe seemeth also to haue l Math. 24. In the time of Iulian the Apostata when the Iewes atteÌ„pted to haue reedified their temple in Hierusalem they were miraculously letted by God a tokeÌ„ that the same shal neuer bee reedified Baronius his Annals in Iuliano Theod Socrates lib. 3. foretold so much to say that Antichrist when he commeth shall reedifie the Temple of Hierusalem in the same place where that of Salomon stood and it therefore to be called the Temple of God by the Apostle is too too improbably and idlely said with as much congruity as to say that the turkish moskyes in Constantinople are the Church of God because standing in the same places and within the same materiall walls in which once the True and onely God Iesus Christ was worshipped The Pontificians would be offended to heare their Church of the blessed Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs in Rome to be now called the Temple of all false Gods because it was so once called by the name of Pantheon Besides if wee will beleeue the Rhemists * The substaÌ„ce of Lessius demonstrating book coÌ„sisteth in that hâ— confoundeth diuers predictioÌ„s concerning the states of diuers enemies of Christ and diuers calamities of the Church to the imagined 3. yeeres and a halfes raigne of one singular maÌ„ Antichrist Leonard Lessius in his laborious and demonstratiue booke of Antichrist we must think that Antichrist when he commeth shall worship no God a toy for if so how then shall he be thought to build a temple to the true God what Worship no God and yet build a Temple to the true God a Paradoxe But most cleare it is and to me it hath beene often confessed by diuers learned Papists that Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God because he shall vse a tirannical proud vsurped imperious gouernment in the visible Church excluding the society paritie of any other in that vsurped office of his changing that forme of gouernment which Christ left in his Church and by tiranny seeking to draw all to himself m Annotation in 2. ad thes 2. an 5 as the Rhemists themselues affirme But that this Antichrist of which Saint Paul speaketh shall sitte in the visible Church of Christ visible I said for so they are to be expounded diuers auncient n Aug lib. 20. de ciuita cap. 19. Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ„ q. 11. Greg. l. 4. epist 34. 38. 39 et in 2. ad Thes cap. 2. apud Paterium clarissime Robertus lincolniens apud Math. Paris in Henrico 3. anno 1162. Coruelius mussorat habita in con Trid. dominica 3. adueÌ„tus Athanas in epist ad solitar vitam agentes Hilar. li. cont Constan Lucifer in lib. moriendum pro filio dei Bernar. ser in conc Rem et serm 33. in cantica Hieron in Dan. 11. Hila. cont Auxent This greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist in properlinar gie significatioÌ„ according to the differeÌ„t vse of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth one that is for insteed or against another all which three significations are vnited in the man of sinne called Antichrist beeing annointed insteed and against the true annointed Lord Iesus Christ Fathers eyther expresly affirme or by most euident consequence it is deduced out of them S. Austin S. Ierome S. Gregory and others expresly Cornelius Mus seemeth to affirme so much although hee dare not speake it expresly Athanasius also agreeingly with Hilary and Lucifer Calaritane make therefore Constantius the Arian Emperour Antichrist because he assumed to himselfe all rule tiranically in the Church and against Church-men Saint Bernard not farre from this conceit where hee chargeth the Church-men for seruing Antichrist Saint Gregory is most cleare for otherwise how vnworthy an argument were it in that Father to call Iohn of Constantinople Antichrist and the Title of Vniuersall Bishop Antichristian if Antichrist when hee should come was not to bee either a Bishop or not to challenge any such vsurped power or any such name Along while King Henry the eight Queene Elizabeth both of renowned memory were certaine Antichrists with the Pontificians in respect they challenged the titles of cheefe Gouernours in the Church of England the sense whereof being now sufficiently explaned and by the same made euident that they require no more then what their predecessors had and vsed though not with the name
139. Doctor Harding commendeth and produceth to proue the Romane presence in the Sacrament the similitude wherewith Martin q Bucer in comment in 16. Math. Bucer vsed to expresse the manner of Christs presence and how his bodie worketh those graces in the soules of worthie receiuers I will it being as fit as similitudes vse to be heere vse the same vt sol vere in vno loco coeli visibilis circumscriptus c. Euen as saith he the visible Sunne is truly circumscribed in one place of heauen and yet as present in his beames is truly and substantially exhibited throughout the world So the Lord although he be circumscribed in one place of the arcane and diuine heauen that is of the glorie of his Father notwithstanding by his word and sacred Simboles truly as whole God and Man he * Obseruing this sentence out of Bucer may not Parsons his calumniating spirit be called in question who reporteth that Martin Bucer should affirme to the Duke of Norfolke who asked his opinion of the reall presence that if all the Euangelists had written were true then Christs bodie must needs be there what presence hee taught you haue heere heard by himselfe confested and by Harding approued but Parsons bringeth his answere to the Duke as thogh that worthie man had doubtâ—d of the truth of th Euangelist a manifest caâ—umny as you here see but Parsons is sul of such stuffe is as present exhibited in the sacred Supper and for that really substantially which presence the minde doth not lesse certainly acknowledge beleeuing these words and simboles of the Lord then the eies see and haue the Sunne presentially demonstrated and exhibited by the corporall light This is a hidden thing and of the new Testament a thing of faith therefore hither are not to be admitted cogitations of the presentation of a bodie which is consisting after the manner of this passible and fluxible life we must simply adhere vnto the word of our Lord and faith must yeeld supply to the defect of senses thus farre that learned man and I wish the Reader to obserue the simplicitie of Doctor Harding who produceth this place against Bishop lewel as prouing the Romane transubstantiation It proueth indeed that Christ in his graces is truly and exhibited to the worthy receiuers of the Sacrament which the Church of England in her Iâ—yturgie and articles of the conuocation constantly with all the ancient Church Catholike delinereth O how happy had it beene for Christendome if learned men leauing off too deepely to search into this dread full misterie had with a Christian simplicitie applied themselues onely to the deuout and frequent vse of the same and not so peremptorily to haue defined Christ really corporally to be present eyther by impanation as Rupertus Abbot or consubstantiation as the Lutherans or transubstantiation which is most improbable and against the verie light of all antiquitie as Pope Innocent and his I ateranists but such is the pride of the Romane Bishops all their Doctrines forsooth must be vncontrollable all their vses vnreprehensible all their sentences vnappellable but if they would haue vouchsafed to haue squared their faith to the ancient Church they would haue perswaded and inculcated the reuerent and deuout often receiuing of it as of a diuine Sacrament but as for the manner of Christs presence seeing his Maiestie hath not more expresly deliuered it then as in a Sacrament they would haue beene reuerently silent But the r Apocalip 17. Cuppe of abhominations was to come from Rome for which one day she will be consumed and destroyed euen by those Kings and Kingdomes who haue beene drunke with the Cup of her fornications and abhominations The seuenth Motiue ANother Motiue with me and very forcible The seuenth Motiue is their intollerable or rather execrable abuse in their vaine indulgences the which being void of all foundation in holy Scripture are nothing at all to be grounded Å¿ See â—ajetan lib de Indulgent cap. 1. Roffensis consutat assert Lutheri Act. 18. Alphons aduersus hereses verbe indulgentia vpon any Apostolical tradition or authoritie of ancient Fathers Those pardons lay as hidden little regarded vntil that prophane Pope Boniface the eight of whom his predecessor Celestine reputed by the Romanists for a Saint prophecied that as he had entered like a Foxe so he should liue like a Lion and die like a Dog as accordingly it fell out did by his impious and superstitious Buls giue pardons to the visiters of Rome in the yeares of Iubilies t Platina in vita Bonifa appointing the same to be kept euery hundreth yeare although they are now ordained to be kept euery fiue and twentie by Sixtus the fourth as a little before they were kept every fiftie yeare by the ordinance of Clement the sixth and in the same his Buls did cast abroad the dregs of the filthy Cup of his abhominations I call them dregs of the Cup because being so iniurious to the death and passion of Christ so perniciously ouerthrowing all discipline and as a canker destroying good life that I can hardly thinke of a name vile enough for them Dregges they are therefore because partly founded vpon the imperfect and impure defects of sinfull men of whom there was neuer yet found one without many sinnes or so perfect that he could u Psal 48. make redemption for himselfe much lesse for his brother Dregs because this treasure vpon which papall Pardons are grounded is blasphemously compounded ioyntly of the infinite merits of Christ and his Saints they seeme to acknowledge Christs merits to be inexhaustible and infinite and yet they will needs haue compartners with him as Saint Laurence Saint Paul c. in the founding of this Pontifician treasurie Dregs and most vaine dregs because this treasurie is founded vpon the actions and merits of Saints not as they were meritorious for so say they they are rewarded in their owne persons but as they were satisfactorious forsooth as though an action in that it is painefull may not be and is not also meritorious according to their owne principles and therefore because there were some Saints who had more satisfactions then their sinnes required as though euerie sinne though in Saints had not an infinite malice according to their owne principles and euerie action in that it is satisfactorious according to their owne principles also had not a finite and a limited vertue these their satisfactions remaining in the Popes Vatican treasurie he may dispense thereof to whom he shall thinke meete What need then of the pecuniarie taxe of the Apostolicall Chancery or penitentiarie if there be such a treasurie yes that is to fill the purse but not to inrich the spiritual treasurie of merits of Saints and rather to buy some of them which are inexhaustible I demaunded not long since of the x M. G. B. Archpriest that was vpon what authoritie of Scripture the Pontifician treasurie of Indulgences
indeede some doubtfull speeches in Caluines Institutions but if it would please them but to interpret fauourably his speeches in like for as they interpret the speeches of many later Dinines yea and sentences of the very scripture it selfe which in some places seemeth more directlie to make God the Author of sinne then euer Caluine did their calumniating spirit would bee satisfied and know that hee teacheth nothing else then what their own Christian Philosophers do teach therein of Gods immediate and positiue concurring to the entitie and nature of euery sinne and to the entitie and nature of euerie morall or naturall occasion of sinne and if hee should say that God as a vniuersall Cause doth not onely immediately concurre and intrinsecally coworke with morall second Causes in their morall euill actions as you all teach or must teach vnlesse you bee Heretikes but also that God as the Prime vniuersall and supreame independent Cause of all things doth in a kind of priority of nature also preuent and moue such morall second causes in their free morall actions beeing either of vice or of vertue tell mee is there none of your Pontifician Doctours Friars or Monks who teach the same if not farre worse who can be ignorant of this who hath vnderstood of the great * I my selfe when I was some yeere ago in Doway saw this doctrine that God doth moue with a priority of nature of causality and effectually all morall agents in all their actions printed in certaine Theses which were to be defended publikely vnder the moderation of one D. Estius who obstinately as I was there informed defended the same position controuersie betwixt the Ignatians at Doway and some other Professours of that Vniuersity the noise of which scandalous controuersie soundeth euen vp to Rome it selfe there to be determined c. The English Liturgy is most egregiously calumniated to be vaine irreligious a most slanderous imputation for the forme thereof is conformable to all antiquity is very religious and if some priuate disorderly persons sometimes minister not the Sacrament according to the forme there prescribed what of that But I haue often wondered why the speciall absurdities and abuses if there be so many in the Booke of English Common Praier as they pretend haue not been by any of the aduersaries in some special sort largely discouered and confuted considering how often and in how speciall sort the many turpitudes abuses cōtradictions fooleries of their Roman Masses haue been learnedly deciphered Commonly and daily is the Church of England calumniated for giuing vnto the Prince the Title of Supreame head or gouernor of the Church of England which yet is giuen in no other sense then to shew that very power and Supreame Iurisdiction which all Ancient Christian Emperours and Kings in the q 1. Paralipom 28. 2. Paralip cap. 17. 19. Reg. 4. cap. 18. 3. Reg. 2. old Testament and since haue euer more or lesse had in their Kingdomes to wit that for the publike setling establishing execution and administration of all manner of iustice whether in matters of Religion or other Temporall causes the Prince hath Supreame authority and that without his command or permission no man may so much as beare or wagge any rodde of any publike Iustice or gouernment But touching the ministration of Sacraments giuing of Orders giuing the power of the Keies and in or touching defining of faith it is a meere foppery to say the Prince challengeth any such matter in this Kingdome or that any such is giuen him But in al such respects he doth most religiously acknowledge himselfe to be one of the sacred sheepe of Christs sacred flocke vnder Christ his ministeriall Shepheards of the English Churche Remember I pray you how r Parsons his Catholike letter and answer to our Kings Apology Parsons admitteth that the Kings supreamacy as his most excellent and pious Maiesty most religiously and excellently explaneth the same in his Apology for the Oath of Allegeance is allowable and such as may be receiued The truth is you care not so much for what the Prince hath as for that the Pope is excluded from his gainful Supremacy ouer this Kingdom who was accustomed with his Annats Reseruations Vnions Comendaes Expectatiue graces Prouisions Presentations Nominatiōs and with infinite such like ſ 1 ad Tim. 6. nouelties of names and prophanations to corrupt all Church discipline and Religion of this Kingdome as the t Lincoln Epise apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. famous and holy Robert Bishop of Lincolne long agoe obiected to your holy Pope Innocent the 4. And heere to note by the way your vanities you thinke it to be eternall blemish to the Church of England for that King Henrie for loue of Queene Anne Bolleyne as you say and to be diuorced from Queene Katharine did exclude the Popes authority out of England meerely vpon fancy and passion But alas your deuise is vaine for it was first giuen vnto him by the learned Vniuersity of Oxford then Pontifician vpon this occasion which I desire you to marke There was earnest suite made by some certaine Pontificians to the Kings Maiesty to condemne Martin Luthers opinions as being the very same in many points with those of Iohn Wicleff who had beene long before often condemned in that famous Vniuersity of Oxford and by many of his former predecessors whereupon the King being desirous to see a copy of Wicleffs Articles one was brought vnto him the which hee seriously perusing found one of them to be thus to wit that the Bishop of Rome had no power nor iurisdiction by right ouer the Church of England Which when the King saw hauing at that time the weighty controuersie about his diuorce with the Bishop of Rome he seemed to like thereof but willing to doe nothing rashlie or against Faith u This standeth recorded in Oxford as M. Thomas James hath affirmed vnto me very lately hee presently dispatched the same Article to the Vniuersity of Oxford to haue it by the learned anew examined and their iudgements freely to bee giuen vpon it the which was accordingly done and the Article approued whereupon that Prince resolued by Consent and Authority of Parliament to exclude the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Church of England which vnder his most tyrannicall oppressions had a long time groned but by this meanes came to be deliuered from the Egyptian seruitude as the holy Bishop of Lincolne long agoe Prophesied it would And if King Henry the 8. vpon your supposed motiues did impugne the Papacy yet I pray you what greater disgrace is it to the Church of England that King Henry should exclude the Popes supremacy then it is to the Church of Rome that he should establish the Statute of sixe Articles for your Masse auricular confession c and what disgrace to your doctrine of adoration of Images because the vsurping and auaricious Empresse x Baron in
Anall Platin. in Adrian Irene caused the same by a Synod of Bishops to bee decreed in Nice And I pray you doe you thinke worse of your Iubilies because y Platina in Bonif 8. Walsing in Edward 1. Polychron lib. 7. cap. 40. Boniface the 8. who entred most ambiciously like a Foxe liued like a Lion and died like a Dogge brought them in beware of such mislikes it will not be for the profit of Romes purse Againe the Church of England is calumniated euery day by all the Ignatians as though she had no true orders or iurisdiction I dare affirme that in it there is as certaine and as assured a succession of orders spirituall iurisdiction as in the Church of Rome it selfe which hath so often tottered with so many schismes and hath bin pestered with so many Apostatical Popes as both Baronius and Genebrard deliuer I my selfe very lately searched for my own satisfaction the Records and I find clearly that Archbishop Parker was sufficiently truly and canonically ordered and consecrated by such Bishops as had receiued orders and consecration according to the Romane Church he swore not thou wilt perhaps obiect obedience to the Bishop of Rome a toy Where in all antiquity finde you the vse ofswearing subiection to the Bishop of Rome Romane Tyranny brought it in to the Church and Christian liberty hath exploded it It is indeede the soule of your Religion that subiection to the Bishop of Rome is a meane necessary to saluauation as necessary as Baptisme it selfe O prodigious Doctrin it is not enough say these men to saluation to be vnited with Christ and subiected to our immediate Pastors who are in vnion with the whole Catholike Church touching the Catholike faith vnlesse we be also vnited by immediate subiectiō vnto the Pope of Rome who may both be an Heretike and also contaminate the Church with his pernicious Lawes So that if a Pope Nerolike as Boniface the 8. would by pernicious Lawes draw you from Christ and like as a Heliogabalus as Iohn the 12. would draw you to all impurities and teach you to diuide the Church by opposing against the true Pope after his iust deposition by the whole Romane Clergy most Bishops of Italy assembled in a Synod or Ottomanlike as Paul the 5. will teach you against Christs institution not to yeelde temporall obedience to your lawfull Soueraigne if hee out of his throne take vpon him to dethrone him vnlesse forsooth you be subiect to such Vicars of Christ you cannot haue saluation in Christ O prodigious and vaine Doctrine of these times the holy Prophets O ye Britaine 's haue forewarned vs let vs beware of them What vile calumniation is that by which the reformed Churches of England are charged to deny the seeing of Gods face and glory vnto the Saints departed vntill the day of Iudgement What a slander that she respects no Holy daies of Christ or his Apostles I dare say that the memories of the Apostles are in many places of this Kingdome as religiously obserued as the Sundaies are with them but in the obseruation of the Sabbath our Lords day the Church of England doth so farre surpasse all Papistical Churches yea of Rome it selfe that it were a sinne to make any comparison therein betwixt them a Caluino Turcismo William Rainolds calumniateth Caluin that hee teacheth that Christ by his corporall death redeemed not mankinde A meere Calumnious imputation his doctrine is that Christ by his meere Corporal death had he not subiected himself to haue vndergone his fathers displeasure against mankinde and to haue clothed himselfe as it were with the deserts punishment and guilt of man he had not fully made that satisfactiō for mankind of which the Scripture so often speake of which doctrin who can be ignorant who is acquainted with holy writ Great is their spight against that man but notwithstanding all their malice against him he liued peaceably laboured faithfully and died Christianly leauing such a posterity of books behinde him which checketh the daily continual innouations of Rome Grieuous is the imputation to the English Church for condemning and contemning the ancient Fathers whereas the most it striueth for is to support that of b Tertull. lib. de prescriptio Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most Ancient euen in the Fathers is most true At first when counterfeit Martials Abdias Clements Markes Dionises were produced the Prelats of the reformed Churches were more afrighted then hurt and to such Fathers they might iustly giue the Anatheme because such fathers had impugned and contradicted that Gospell of Christ the which whosoeuer though an Angell from heauen shall doe we are warranted by the c ad Galat. 1. Apostle to giue him the Anatheme But in and for true Fathers the Church of England reuerently and constantly auoucheth that of d Vincent Lirin contra Heres cap. 4. Tertull. de praescript Vincentius Lirinensis to take place Quicquid non unus aut duo c. Whatsoeuer not one or two but al together with one and the same consent openly frequently and constantly shall bee knowne to haue held written and taught that she also without any doubt knoweth must by her bee beleeued and this most iustly the English Church admitteth it being as cleare as the verie no one daies that all Fathers of the Ancient Church neuer taught helde nor wrot any thing in this sort which is not clearely agreeing to Gods word which is the onely Rule of Christian faith But iustly to retort vpon them who knoweth not that for most of their Roman nouel positions the Aduersaries haue no Ancient Fathers and therefore to defend themselues being vrged they do not produce Fathers but stand to their imagined Traditions written no where in Antiquity but only reserued in the Romane Bishops and Churches brests as they pretende this is their City of refuge as for example When a world of Fathers concurring with sacred Scripture is produced to shew that the Virgin Mary whose name bee euer blessed amongst and aboue all women was conceiued in Originall sinne yea some of them with S. Anselme auouching that shee was borne in sinne which I can hardly beleeue doe they heere sticke to the Fathers nothing lesse their imagined traditions must take place Againe when whole centuries of Fathers and those assembled in Synods bee produced to affirme that Popes haue beene and may bee Heretikes will they heare admit of the Fathers nothing lesse all records must be coūterfeit their own best Authors deceiued rather then the Fathers authorities admitted against their Popes infallibilies When irrefragable authorities of most ancient Fathers are produced to shew that the holy Scriptures are the onely inerrable rule of Christian Catholike faith and the square by which the writings and faith of all men and all Churches must be examined and tried will they heere allow the Fathers No alas they flye the field and seeke after some maimed sentences
by their bulles of deposition and excommunication c Bull. Sixti 5. Pij 5. contua Reginam charged vnder the paine of excommunication all English Subiects forceably to depriue that most Gracious Lady and Queene Elizabeth and although God of heauen had set her ouer vs yet the earthly god with his triple crowne to whom all power vpon earth was giuen as one of them speaketh sitting in the high throne of his See did d Bull Pij 5. vnqueene her make her as another ordinary Subiect But what were the English Chiefe-leaders guilty of any one of these plots and practises Let Cardinall Allen march first who although he * Related by the moderate Answerer would seeme to touch and reprehend those who gaue information to Pius the 5. it was not for want of good will to the matter it selfe but because the state of England did not then permit it ◠the Pontificians being not strong enough to put in execution Pope Pius his depositiue sentence for otherwise in his booke called the defence of English Catholikes hee doth most eagerly defend the Popes power to depose Princes and constantly auoucheth that he may charge all Subiects and authorize them to depriue Princes in case of Heresie and other needfull occasions of Church and Common Wealth the which doctrine as he doth most politikly and cunningly seeke to establish by sophisticall reasons and many deuised vntruthes so is hee most learnedly confuted by that singularly learned and iudicious Prelate the e Bishop Bilson of the supremacy Bishop of Winchester so soundly that neither Allen himselfe nor any of his Seminarists durst euer yet attempt to make any reply against that very learned and iudicious worke Againe call to minde Cardinall Allens declaration to the Nobles in England in 88 the which hee himselfe conceiued and dictated in very great haste to three or foure Scribes together at once to haue with speede more copies to send hither into England thereby to incite the Peeres and all Pontificians of this Kingdome to ioine with the Armado which King Philip of Spaine sent hither for the conquering of this Kingdome which Spanish fleete came also full fraught both with Pope Sixtus his prophesies his blessings and curses and with the blessings of their maide of Lisboe with a vaine prediction of their victory but through the power of God both Horse and Horseman were drowned in the Seas where most of their ships with the Popes blessings and curses made shipwracke God conuerting their curses vpon their owne heads These bookes of this Cardinall with many other of his discontented speeches against the English State before 88. doe discouer liuely how much he had borrowed of a worse spirit then that was which our Sauiour f condemned in two of Luc 9. his Apostles I say before 88. for I haue obserued since that time God checking by that miraculous ouerthrow his spirit he hath beene farre more moderate then Robert Parsons into whose soule how a double spirit of that kinde hath ascended from below it is almost superfluous to stand to prooue His Doleman which I know by some speeches that I haue heard from his owne mouth he purposely intended against the vndoubted Title of our most Gracious Soueraigne whom Iesus vouchsafe long to preserue and to intitle as much as lay in him the Archdutchesse with an imagined and chimerian title to the English Crowne and to that purpose he dispersed as many of those bookes into this kingdome before the death of Queene Elizabeth as he could conueniently earnest he was with me some fifteene yeeres since to haue brought some of * How often haue I heard this man reioice at the shuffling and ciuill commotions which he foreimagined would light vpon the English at Queen Elizabeths death How often haue I heard him say and Ios Creswell also with diuers other Ignatians that England will neuer be happy and fully conuerted without the sword and a conquest thereof his Dolemans ouer with mee into England which I vtterly refusing highly displeased him therewith Againe his publike reioicing when he heard by a false Alarum that the Spaniards had safely landed in England in 88. and his deiected countenance when that false newes by true report was checked How ioyfully did he trot vp and downe to carry the first newes amongst the Popes friends and Englands Enemies But good God how was hee confounded at the hearing of the second newes of the burning and drowning of the Spanish Fleete All Elements concurring to the confusion of Pharaohs host This * Diuers worthy persons haue obserued this spirit in Parsons especially that worthy Deane of Life D. G. who for his loue to his Countrey and openly disliking the Ignatians courses was by Parsons others of his fellowes procuremēts banished out of the low Countries mans spirit was euer thought to be plotting and deuising for Englands conuersion by Englands subuersion against which time he had prouided certaine rules of reformation amongst all which I will tell you one pretty one When England is conuerted at first said he there must not be admitted into it any religious excepting poore Capuchins and the contemplatiue Carthusians and his owne brethren the Ignatians for some selfe pretences as is obserued A politike deuise that so he and his might haue the shooting at the purse the hitting of it for * When in Spaine by a witty libell the Capuchine Friars were described to shoote from the purse the Franciscans wide of it the Ignatians were described to hit it in the very middest with this posie teattino which word signifieth Theatine and I hit thee Of this the Ignatiās complained to the present King who wittily replied to them Doe ye not then his the purse Fathers and all will be well the Capuchines hauing no possessions shoote from the purse the Carthusians being contemplatiue should not so much as draw an arrow to shoote at the purse and so he and his might carry away the bell and doe all and purse all How Ioseph Creswell another of that societie and an English Chieftaine hath beene tainted with that spirit it is too to manifest hee must forsooth carrie Priests that come from Spanish Seminaries into England vp and downe to visite the Peeres of that Kingdome and to take their leaues of them that they may bring some comfortable newes to the oppressed English of their Kings intentions for England hee must carrie them also vnto the late King of Spaine to kisse that Kings hands and to heare from the Kings owne mouth words of comfort not of patience to carrie to the distressed English Catholikes that hee forsooth would aide and assist them as soone as possibly hee could c. Oh how did I my selfe see and heare the same man about some fifteen yeres since applaud commend a certaine Spanish g Adelantado is an Admirall Adelentádo for protesting and vowing that if his master the King of Spaine would giue him leaue