the Zwinglian Church of England that composed these formes made no difference betweene a Bishop a Priest and a Christian because that was the current Doctrine in all reformed Churches in those dayes and particularly in the Zwinglian See the 23. of the 39. articles of the Church of England a Priest or a Bishop was he that was appointed by the Congregation to preach their Ghospel it was but an extrinsecall denomination a meere formality taken from the will of the faithfull brethren and from a square cap and a linnen rochet This is made evident by the example of Iohn Hooper who could never be dispensed withall by Cranmer and Ridley in the cap and rochet when he was to be made Bishop of Glocester though they never troubled him with imposition of hands or ordination Pag. 1366. I cannot tell faith Fox what sinister and unlucky contention concerning the ordaining and consecration of Bishops and of their apparrell with other like trifles began to disturb the good and lucky beginning of this godly Bishop c. In conclusion he was faine to agree to this condition t at sometimes he should in his sermons shew himselfe apparailed as the other Bishops were His upper garment was a long scarlet shymar downe to the foote and under that a white linnen rochet that covered all his shoulders Vpon his head he bad a geometricall or mathematicall cap that is a foure squared cap with foure angles dividing the whole world into foure parts albeit his head was Round You may perceive by this how little they valued Ordination in King Edwards dayes all their care was that the appearance and exteriour formality of a Bishop should be maintained because that would maintaine them and keepe them in possession of the Bishops revenues and of a place in the upper House of Parliament All was policy there was nothing of Religion 6 They tooke as little care of Priesthood as of Episcopacy which you may gather also out of Fox his Calendar Pag. 1456. Doctor Ridley saith he that worthy Bishop of London called John Bradford to take the degree of Deacon according to the order that then was in the Church of England but for that this order was not without some such abuse as to the which Bradford would not consent the Bishop then was content to order him Deacon without any abuse even as he desired So that you may guesse how all Protestants were ordered not onely in King Edwards reigne but also in his Fathers Henry the VIII seeing Ordination was not urged but given to every man in the forme that he desired And this is the reason why most Writers say that all who were Hereticks in King Henry his time and are pretended to be ordained Bishops in the latter end of his reigne as Barlow and some Suffragans were really never ordained because Ordination did not agree with their spirit and was contrary to their inclination and to the Tenets and practise of all Churches pretending Reformation Fox also tells us of one Robert Drakes made Deacon by Doctor Taylor of Hadley who was no Bishop and afterwards was admitted Minister of Gods Words and Sacraments by Cranmer and Ridley not after the order then in force but after such order as was after established every one was ordained as he desired And as for Iohn Bradford after his Deaconship he was immediatly without any other orders made Prebend and Preacher of Saint Paules where sharply saith Fox he opened and reproved sinne sweetly he preached Christ crucified pithily he impugned heresies and errours earnestly he perswaded to good life And all this you must knowe was performed with one onely yeares study in Cambridge Bradford having beene all his life before a serving man None that will read what we have said of this Zwinglian Clergy can admire Brookes novell cases Placito 463. sol 101. printed at London 1604. that in Queene Maries reigne all King Edward the VI. Bishops were declared no Bishops both in the spirituall and temporall Courts and therefore all Leases made by them as Bishops were not available It s very like the Judges informed themselves of the matter of the fact before they pronounced the sentence and if Protestants have no exceptions against the sentence of Queen Maries Courts but the Catholick Religion of the Judges how can themselves expect to be heard or credited in any matter of fact or faith that concerns Roman Catholicks 7 This politike Religion and lay Clergy was banished out of England by Queene Mary after the death of her brother King Edward many of the chiefe pillars thereof were burnt as obstinate Hereticks according to the ancient Lawes of Christian Emperours and Kings of England others to escape the sire passed over the Seas to Germany the native soile of their errours No sooner were they arrived to Frankford but Calvin pretended a right in them as agreeing with his Doctrine though they would not admit his Discipline and therefore he writ to Knox and Whittingham Calvin ep 200. ad Knox. In Anglicana Liturgia qualem describitis multas video fuisse tolerabiles ineptias I see that in the English forme of Service as you describe it there were many tolerable fooleries Many there were saith my Protestant Author and that of the learnedst of those that then departed the Realme The survay of the pretended holy Discipline printed an 1593. pag 46. as Doctor Cox Doctor Horne Master Iewell with sundry others who perceiving the tricks of that Discipline did utterly dislike it So as when they came afterwards to Frankford they wholy insisted upon the platforme of England and in short time obtaining of the Magistrats the use thereof they did choose either Doctor Cox or Doctor Horne as I guesse or some such other as had beene of speciall account in King Edwards time to be as it were their Superintendent Now we see clearly how the English Ordination was not in those dayes by imposition of hands but by election according to their translation of Scripture and how the Congregation did make their Bishops for they translate also in their Bible Superintendent for Bishop Why should any rationall man doubt but that the very same men who without any Episcopall consecration made a Bishop in Frankford wold doe the same in the Nags-head at London Iewell Horne Cox and the rest at Frankford were the first pretended Bishops of England in Queene Elizabeths reigne But of this more hereafter in the ensuing Section SECT VII Of the English Protestant Church in Queene Elizabeths reigne 1 IF ever Policy was transformed into Religion it was by Queene Elizabeth and those who favoured her illegitimacy against the knowne right of Mary Steward to the Crowne of England It was as evident that she was right heire as it was that Henry the VIII could not have two lawfull wives at once and in the first yeare of Queene Maries reigne it was declared by Act of Parliament that Queene Catharine was lawfull to King Henry
in a Taverne with their Camerades With much adoe we have brought them to confesse that the Pope is not Antichrist yet you may be sure they will easily bring themselves to comply both in words and deeds better with Antichrist himselfe if he chance to come in their time then they have hitherto done with the Vicar of Christ they will sooner goe in pilgrimage to Babylon to receive there the caracter of Antichrist then repaire to Rome for the supply of that other which they undoubtedly want by the manifold and manifest defects of their fond and feigned Ordination at Lambeth I will detaine thee no longer in the entry of this worke but wish thee as desirous to see the truth as I have beene solicitous to set it downe without any disguise or designe of any thing but truth it selfe knowing full well that the God of truth is not served his owne way not onely by maintaining falshood but even by pretending to maintaine truth by forged arguments or false histories neither can I hope that God should concurre with such meanes without whose concurrence all my endeavours are of no effect neither can I neede for the proofe of things so manifestly and visibly true to suborne false witnesses and I should most absurdly contradict my owne principles if I should â—old it the duty of a Christian to support by falshood true Christianity whereas I teach a Polititian that it is against the very rules of meere humane policy to goe about the compassing his ends by untruths and impostures Lastly I should too fondly forget my selfe by laying that imputation of false dealing upon the defence of Catholick Religion whereof I so frequently condemne the Authors and Abettors of hereticall innovation against whom I inveigh not through any bitternesse of passion towards their persons but through a tender compassion of others misled by their lyes and deceits to their eternall perdition THE INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. 1. HOw men come to be Atheists and whether it may be demonstrated by reason that there is a God Providence and another life Chap. 2. VVhether it be a manifest foppery not to believe that there is a God though his existence were not demonstrated and whether Atheisme alone without any other sinne be a reasonable and sufficient cause of damnation Chap. 3. VVhether God ought to be served his owne way and in what manner Chap. 4. That to believe God and consequently to serve him his owne way its necessary to repaire to an infallible guide which is no other but the Roman Catholick Church Chap. 5. That all Religions pretending to reforme the Roman Catholick are but humane inventions grounded upon weake policy strong fancy and sensuall pleasures Sect. 1. Of Lutheranisme Sect. 2. Of Anabaptisme Sect. 3. Of Zwinglianisme Sect 4. Of Calvinisme Sect. 5. Of the Reformation in Holland and the united Provinces Sect. 6. Of the Protestant Church of England in King Edward the VI. his time Sect. 7. Of the English Protestant Church in Queene Elizabeths reigne Sect. 8. Of the English Protestant Church in King Iames and his Sonnes reigne Sect. 9. Of the Kirk of Scotland Chap. 6. That no Policy could heretofore or can for the future give any supernaturall appearance to the reformed Churches whereby any rationall persons may be mistaken in their way to heaven by confounding them with the true Catholick Church Chap. 7. That Policy hath destroyed it selfe by courting Protestancy as being neare allyed to Atheisme the greatest enemy of civill government Chap. 8. That Protestancy inclines the Prince to Tyranny and the Subjects to Rebellion Chap. 9. That the Popes spirituall jurisdiction is nothing dangerous to Soveraignes but raâ—her that the ground of fidelity and obedience due to them is utterly destroyed by denying the Popes supremacy and that it is a greater foppery in Protestants then in Catholicks to deny his infallibility Chap. 10. That the foundation of Iustice and forme of Iudicature is wholy destroyed by penall Lawes and oathes against any point of the Roman Catholick Religion Chap. 11. That it is impossible to be a wise Statesman and effect businesses without morall honesty and that it is most dangerous for a Prince to have Counsellours that are dishonest men Chap. 12. That it is impossible for a Polititian to compasse his designes by untruths and impostures and that nothing is more contrary to Policy then vanity Chap. 13. How necessary it is for a Statesman to be a man of honour and of his word and how great a difference there is betweene Policy and Craft Chap 14. That nothing is more dangerous to a Prince or contrary to Policy then to make use of Ministers of State odious to his owne Subjects either for their vices or misfortunes Chap. 15. That it is great wisdome and policy in Princes to make use of Clergy-men in State affaires THE POLITITIANS CATHECHISME CHAP. I. How men come to be Atheists and whether it may be demonstrated by reason that there is a God Providence and another life 1 THERE is a generation of men half witted and not so much as half learned but wholy vicious who persuade themselves that the soule is a blast of wind the other life an imaginary Vtopia God a Chimaera which onely hath a being in the weake braines of ignorant people Heaven and Hell old wives tales invented by States men to keepe the Subjects in awe and pliable to the Prince his will and pleasure by the dreadfull notion of Eternity The multitude say they must be cheated into its owne good and consequently into peace and subjection and no cheate is more plausible or lesse suspected then that which men call Religion provided that such as have least and governe the Commonwealth counterfeit most and seeme to be more zealous for the establishment of the Church then solicitous for themselves or their posterity 2 Men are not borne Atheists neither are their mindes possessed of these extravagant fancies on a suddaine they fall by degrees first from the love of God and then from his knowledge From the love of God they fall by every mortall sinne but from his knowledge by a custome and excesse of sinning and by drowning themselves in sensuall pleasures which divert their thoughts from the consideration of spirituall things and even from the best part of themselves the soule Notwithstanding this distraction and their being so bewitched and besotted with sense now and then they feele a certaine remorse and guilt of conscience which remorse and guilt of conscience strikes them into a terrour or feare of divine justice this feare degenerates into despaire of mercy feare of justice and despaire of mercy doe so trouble their soules and understandings that they recurre to the will to be eased which endeavoureth to helpe them with a fond wish or desire that no such thing there were as God Providence and another world this desire creates a fancy like unto it selfe and that without any difficulty because men are apt to soothe
Religion but his discipline The reason why Calvin rejected all ceremonies in his Church was Luthers ill successe in admitting and framing some This mad fellow tooke upon himselfe the authority which he denyed to the Catholick Church composing a Masse and ceremonies of his owne but soone repented his folly when he perused Iodocus Clictoveus his booke confuting his fond presumption to which Luther could never answer This made Calvin so great an enemy of Ecclesiasticall ceremonies 7 Though he hated ceremonies he coveted miracles because they are necessary to make a new sense of Scripture and a new private spirit prudently credible his bare word was not a sufficient testimony of the truth without some supernaturall and visible signe to confirme it Calvin therefore persuaded one Brullen a Frenchman of his owne Sect in Geneva to feigne himselfe dead and when he would bid him rise in confirmation of his Religion spirit and discipline to obey and tell the spectators newes of the other world The agreement was made Brullen was to have so much money his wife gave her consent because she was poore and they communicated the matter to her it being impossible to conceale it from her knowledge To be briefe the supposed death of Brullen was published Bolsee c. 11. Lang c. 13. and none lamented it more then Calvin considering the distresse of his wife and family Out of meere compassion he repaires to the house declaring the affliction of his spirit to all who met him but withall giving them hopes of a miracle whereby the sanctity of his owne life doctrine and discipline might be made evident As soone as he fixed his eyes upon the supposed dead Corps he lifted them up to the Lord and desired his faithfull brethren to joyne with him in prayer that God might command Brullen his soule returne to his body and Calvin naming him bid him rise and declare to all present Gods sense of his doctrine and discipline The wife seeing her husband did not rise and that really he had signes of death in his face drew nearer and by experience found that Brullen was dead indeed Whereupon she cryed aloud and declared to all the people the story accusing Calvin of being not onely an Impostor but a murtherer both he and his friends sneakt away and never afterwards attempted to worke miracles which now he hated as much as ceremonies Such another miracle doe we read of Cyrola the Arrian Greg. Tur. 2. hist 3. who by touching the eyes of one who feigned himselfe blinde was realy made blinde by that hereticall hand but Eugenius the Catholick Bishop of Carthage restored him his sight againe by making the signe of the crosse upon his eyes These Hereticks were rather Cheates then Politicians weake policy doth betray it selfe at length and when it is applyed to the discredit of the true Religion and establishment of heresie God is so much concerned in the discovery of these petty plots and tricks that its impossible they should have any effect The Lutherans did so laugh at Calvin for this successe that neither himselfe nor his Disciples could abide to heare the word miracle pronounced 8 The Calvinists had no other way to stop their adversaries mouthes but by casting in their teeth the onely miracle which Luther attempted to worke A poore woman was brought to Wirtemberg to be dispossessed by him Staphylus in prodro apol 2. Genebr Chronol lib. 4. in Paul Sur. in Comment Martin refused to intermedle in the matter being fearfull of the successe But perceiving that his backwardnesse made others for ward in censuring and contemning both in his person and doctrine he resolved to venter and try what his exorcismes lately composed by himselfe would be able to doe The man was led to the Vestiary of the Parish Church thither repaired Luther accompanied with his disciple Staphylus who writ this story and begunne in a grave and severe tone to command and threaten the Devill who laught at Martins folly and impudence seeming to say How now friend Are we not better acquainted then so Doest thou imagine to conquer me with the armes I put into thy hands The Devill might lay claime to Luthers exorcismes Luther de Missa angulari Sacerdotum consecrat as well as to his doctrine in other points which himselfe acknowledgeth to have learnt of the Devill and to have eaten a bushell of salt in his company We may judge what a ridiculous object it is to see a Pâ—otestant Minister exorcise or pretend to performe any Ecclesiasticall function or ceremony when Martin Luther the Apostle of Protestancy looked so absurdly and despicably in the Devills eyes that instead of being exorcised he did exorcise Martin and did so fright him that he attempted to leape out at the window the doore being made fast by the Devills art untill at length Staphilus who had more courage broke open the dore with a hatchet but was almost stifled fot his paines with a most abominable sent occasioned by Luthers feare Hereticks may counterfeit miracles but never worke any in confirmation of that doctrine wherein they differ from the Roman Catholick Church in confirmation of our Tenets against Hereticks we have continuall miracles and we read of Jewes that escaped dangers and Devills by making the signe of the Crosse and though Protestants should doe the same in confirmation of the Trinity or any other Tenet of Catholicks that would favour Protestancy no more then Iudaisme As for the Kings of Englands gift in curing the Kings evill if any such thing there be every seventh sonne hath the same as many say or other as extraordinary privileges and if it be a supernaturall miracle they owe that grace to Saint Edward the Confessor a knowne Roman Catholick to whom and not to their owne merits or Protestant Religion they must attribute all their cures Calvin dyed in the yeare 1564. the 27. of May in Geneva invoking the Devill Laing Franc. Balduinus Claudius Sancterius Guiliel Lindanus Hosius Florim Prateol Rescius alij de morte Calvini blaspheming God cursing himselfe his studies writings doctrine and discipline as Hierom Bolsee his owne Scholler and many more his domesticks and friends testify though Beza who never told truth affirmes that he delivered his soule in peace I am sure his Sect which is more violent then politick hath occasioned so many warres and rebellions that Calvinist Princes doe not desire to make their Subjects of their owne Religion SECT V. Of the Reformation in Holland and the other united Provinces 1 IN the yeare 1565. the Hereticks of France sollicited their brethren in the Low Countries to a rebellion and Reformation for these two sisters goe alwayes together The Prince of Orange tooke this opportunity and advised the malcontents to send Agents to King Philip the II. humbly desiring his Majesty would be pleased to recall his Fathers severe Lawes against novelties in Religion and that Cardinal Granvile and the Spanish garrisons might be removed
out of the Netherlands The prudent King not doubting that to grant this was to betray himselfe and his posterity and bestowe his inheritance upon rebells declared that he would give as little encouragement to new Religions as Charles the V. his Father Whereupon Henry Bredenrod Lewis of Nassau Orange his brother and others of the Nobility headed the Hereticks who profaned Churches sackt Monasteries abused the Clergy and Religious and trampled under their feet the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar Lind. de fug idol Neare Ruremond they were cutting in pieces Saint Authonies image and going to burne it on a suddaine all were toucht with wild fire and dyed the next day They tooke Antwerpe then Orange declared himselfe for them and with all Governour of that famous and rich City 2 Before the Hereticks had committed these outrages they made a procession in Brussells wherein every one carried a medall hanging upon his brest with King Philips image on the one side and on the other two hands joyned with a beggars wallet with this motto Fidi Regi usque ad bisaccium In this manner they presented themselves to Margaret of Parma that then governed the Low Countries for her Brother Surius in Comment Schardius in reb gest sub Maximil Belear lib. 30. alij at which sight when her Highnesse seemed to be frighted the Earle of Barlamont a zealous Catholick told her that nothing was to be feared from such Geuses which is a word of contempt in Walloun and signifies Vagabond Beggars This was the occasion whereby the Hereticks of the Netherlands came to have so honourable a denomination as their brethren the Hugonots in France The Catholicks to be discerned from Hereticks or Geuses wore also medalls about their necks or tyed to their beads with the Image of Christ our Saviour on the one side and on the other his blessed Mother If Hereticks thought it was a profession of fidelity and devotion in themselves to their King to weare and worship his image I see no reason why they should finde fault with Catholicks for wearing medalls or worshipping the images of Christ his Mother and Saints I am sure we meane better to God in doing it then they did to their King when they were called Geuses The King of Spaine was not jealous that they would rebell with his image or make it King there was no danger of such a foppery It s a foppery and madnesse in Hereticks to imagine that God is jealous of Catholicks worshipping his owne or his servants images and as for the pretended danger of Idolatry it is no greater then that which the Geuses did incurre of setting up their medalls for their King or Earle of Flanders The difference betweene our medalls and theirs is that ours is a profession of love respect and devotion which we beare to God and his Saints because they are his servants theirs was a pretext of treachery and rebellion against their Soveraigne who was as farre from their hearts and effections as his image was neare their brests 3 There was never any Prince that did more to humour his Subjects then Philip the Second did for his in the Low Countries First he removed from thence the Duke of Alba because he was thought to be over severe and sent in his place Requesens one of a mild disposition After whose death he was content to confirme the Governours themselves had chosen untill he was advertised that the first act of their government was a league made against the Spaniards at the instance of Orange whose ambition could be satisfied with nothing but the whole Countrey at his owne disposall to which end he caused himselfe to be named Admiral of the Sea turned Don Iohn of Austria out of the Countrey had Brabant joyned to his government of Holland and Zealand imprisoned the Duke of Arschor and two Bishops because they sent for Mathias the Archduke who being arrived was but a cifer Orange being named his Vicar did governe all and obtained liberty of conscience for the Hereticks in all the 17. Provinces that thereby his friends and faction might encrease after Mathias his departure he sends for the Duke of Anjou a cifer also but thinking by his meanes to engage France in the quarrell was content to let him have the title of Governour and Master keeping all the power in his owne hands 4 All those things were done by Orange with that ordinary and specious pretext of rebellion the liberty of the Subject and of conscience whereby many Catholicks were deceived and joyned with him and his Hereticks But they perceiving at lengthy that nothing would satisfy Orange and that he aymed at making himselfe Master of his Confederats and to that end promoted heresy thereby to engage the people more against their Catholick King endeare them to himselfe and that many insolences were committed by the Geuses and countenanced by their Protector Orange Hannonia Artois and some other Provinces declared against him and his ambitious hereticall proceedings The King also seeing that Orange would be contented with no lesse then the propriety and dominion of all the Low Countries promised great rewards by proclamation to any person that would kill him Whereupon in the yeare 1584. this Rebell was sent to the other world by one Gerard a Burgundian If he had lived longer perhaps the United Provinces had beene a Kingdome not a Commonwealth for its certaine his designe and desire was not to make them a free State though he freed them from their obedience to the King of Spaine And albeit by his policy he made them cast of one yoke he oppressed them with another farre more intolerable that is with heresy whereby they became slaves to the Devill and rebells against God and the Church Thus we see how the multitude hath beene misled by one politick head that concealed his ambition with the zeale of a new Religion and the ancient liberties of his Nation SECT VI. Of the Protestant Church of England in King Edward the VI. his time 1 IT s now time to drawe homeward and examine whether the Protestant Church of England be also a branch of Policy That luxury and covetcousnesse was the occasion of denying the Popes jurisdiction and supremacy is evident by our Chronicles in the life of Henry the VIII who being weary of Queene Catharine of Spaine and despairing or issue male by her as also enamoured of Anne Bullen desired the Pope to declare null a marriage that no person living called in question for the space of 20. yeares but now forsooth it was against Seripture because Saint Iohn Baptist told Herod that it was not lawfull for him to keepe his brothers wife in the lifetime of his brother and himselfe being also married If Prince Arthur were living the text had made as much for Henry the VIII as for Herods brother Yet King Henryes tender conscience could not be quiet untill Anne Bullen were Queene of England therefore he bribed Universities abroad and
chastity They are beholding to her for their Ordination which she made good and valid by her supreme authority notwithstanding any matter or nullity of forme to the contrary as you may see by an Act of Parliament Act of Parliam 8. Eliz 1. in the 8. yeare of her reigne which relates to the Records of her Letters Patents but not to any of her Bishops consecration at Lambeth as our Nags-head Ministers would faine make poore seduced soules believe and cite for a witnesse of the solemne Ordination of Parker at Lambeth so honourable a person as Charles Howard Earle of Nottingham and Lord Admiral of England but they durst not name him in Masons first edition because he was then living and would have contradicted so notorious an untruth eight or nine yeares after in the second edition they name this noble person When he was dead and yet not as an eye witnesse of the imaginary Ordination but as a guest at the banket I doubt not but Master Parker might invite the Earle of Nottingham to dine with him at Lambeth many times especially if he was his kinsman as Masons pretends but its evident he never assisted at his consecration if his Lorship was not at the Nags-head in Cheapside when Scory made him a Bishop with a knock of his Protestant Bible bidding him to take authority to preach the Word of God sincearly SECT VIII Of the English Protestant Church in King Iames and his Sonnes reigne 1 KIng Iames had too much wit to be of Calvins Religion though his education was committed to Calvinists he did perceive that it was not invented for the good of Princes but rather for their ruine and that petty Ministers and poore Elders might beare the sway in Christian Commonwealths Being called by the English Councell and Nobility to the possession of that Crown which descended to him by the evident right of his mother Mary Steward his first thoughts in England were bent against the Puritanicall discipline as one who had beene sufficiently disciplined by the Kirk of Scotland Therefore he commanded a Synod to be celebrated in London wherein himselfe was declared spirituall Head of the Church and 141. Canons made for the suppression of Puritanisme the Bible was corrected in such places onely as seemed to condemne the Puritanicall discipline and doctrine Traditiones was translated Tradition and not Ordinances or Documents as in Queene Elizabeths dayes Idols were not translated Images nor their worshippers Idolaters as formerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not interpreted now Ordination by election but by imposition of hands because all this was necessary to confute Puritans Yet all other corruptions that seemed to condemne Catholick Relâ—gion were applauded as much as before in Queene Elizabeths reigne Though Hell was not translated grave nor soule carcasse yet other devices were found to divert mens thoughts from a third place betweene heaven and hell and therefore Saint Peters words wherein he declares that Christs soule did descend to Limbus Patrum 1. Pet. 3. v. 18.19 were translated thus Quickened by the spirits by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison c. whereas the true translation is Quickened or alive in his spirit or soule in which spirit or soule he coming preached to them also that were in prison 2 The new translation which King Iames caused to be made Knot in his Protestancy condemned pag. 89. was overseene corrected and altered by Doctor Abbats of Canterbury and Smith of Glocester as Sir Henry Savill told Master Richard Montague afterwards pretended Bishop of Chichester and of Norwich For Master Montague wondring that Sir Henry to whose care was committed the translating of Saint Peters Epistles would pervert the sense of the Apostle about Christs descent into hell Sir Henry answered that the forenamed Bishops corrupted and altered the said Translation made by King Iames his order This was to transforme the very Scripture into Policy and slight both conscience and Religion Let any sober person judge how scrupulous would Master Abbots be and the other pretended Bishops in his time to forge and falsify Masons Records to the end they might make good imposition of hands at Lambeth when so impudently and wickedly they corrupted Gods Word fearing that by force of the text they should be forced to admit of Limbus Patrum and from thence be lead into Purgatory but none who dyes in the Protestant Religion needs feare going thither In the same Translation they have translated Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit so that ye cannot doe the things ye would whereas the Greeke and Latin is Ye doe not de facto the things ye would And to prove their heresy averring a necessity and Divine precept for all persons to receive both kindes 1. Cor. 11. v. 27. They falsely translate thus Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily c. Whereas both in the Latin and Greeke it is Whosoever shall eate this bread or drinke this chalice c. which disjunctive or cannot inferre the necessity of both kindes as the conjunctive and might seeme to doe both here and in other places if by this they were not so clearly interpreted And because the Protestant Clergy even in King Iames and his Sonnes reigne were loath to depart with their wives though they pretended to be as true Priests as the Apostles they did not correct the false translation of 1. Cor. 1. Have not we power to lead about a wife as if Saint Paul had one and the rest of the Apostles they notwithstanding put in King Iames his Translation woman in the margen but wife remained in the text They did not correct the corrupting of 2. Pet. 1. Labour that by good workes you make sure your vocation and election they leave out good workes as they have done also in Queene Elizabeths translations though it be in all the Latin and in the most authentike Greeke copies 3 It were tedious to mention all the falsifications of the English translations of Scripture and these I hope are sufficient to prove that in King Iames and King Charles reigne there was as little Religion in the Church of England as in Queene Elizabeths Scripture was made speake whatsoever Courtiors and Polititians fancied and desired It was ridiculous to see how the Church did on a suddaine accommodate it selfe to the Court and how Bancroft pretended Bishop of London after of Canterbury did write and preach for Episcopacy as a distinct order of Priesthood in King Iames his reigne whereas a little before he answered Master William Alabuster when he objected that no Bishop laid hands Holiwood lib. de investig Christi Ecclesia cap. 4. or ordained Parker and his Camerades that a single Priest might ordaine Bishops in case of necessity Truly he was put to a necessity of giving this answer because the Nags-head Ordination could not be contradicted nor Masons forged Records produced 4 Before King Iames was in
its greatest height and most part of the English Protestant Doctors being of no Religion at all it was time for Gods vengeance to fall upon their Church which in King Charles his reigne was but a fancy of Christianity indifferent for all heresies and in that sense onely Catholick or universall it was an â—lla podrida of all errours a politick corporation of University men that pretended a neutrality of Religion by applying absurdly their distinction of fundamentall and not fundamentall articles of Faith Finally it was a phantasma or Ghost of Reformation that a distance seemed nothing but when men drew neare and examined its principles it was found to be nothing but weake policy and obstinate heresy almost degenerated into manifest Atheisme SECT IX Of the Kirk of Scotland 1 OF all Princes none ought to be more lamented for the heresy they have fallen into then the Kings of Scotland others perverted their Subjects by policy persecution and ill example but the Subjects of Scotland persecuted their Soveraignes for Catholick Religion and made their young King sweare to maintaine heresy before he had discretion to know what they imposed upon him and his posterity King Iames the V. of Scotland was so zealous a Catholick that in the yeare 1527. he commanded a kinsman of his owne Pathrick Hamilton by name to be burnt in Saint Andrews for his obstinacy and heresy And in the yeare 1533. called a Parliament Leslaus lib. 9. wherein he declared his resolution to live and dye in the Roman Catholick Faith and obedience to the Sea Apostolick as all his Ancestours had done since Christianity was professed in that Kingdome The three States or Scotland swore the same Acts of Parliament were made against all novelties in Religion and to prevent them it was commanded that none of the ignorant and vulgar sort should read the Scripture falsely translated into English but that all should be contented to heare the Word of God from the mouth of their Doctors and Pastors according to the institution of Christ and the continuall practise of his Church 2 In the yeare 1539. a Canon regular two Dominicans one Franciscan and some seculars were burnt for obstinate Hereticks some recanted their errours others were banished But George Buchanan a Franciscan Apostata Buchan lib. 14. escaped out of prison as himselfe relates though he conceales the cause of his imprisonment which was not onely for heresy but for Iudaisme and celebrating the Jewish ceremony of eating a Paschall Lambe with great devotion in Lent This is that mercenary knave who being bribed by Iames Steward the bastard writ so basely and falsely of that incomparable Queene Mary Steward and recounts so many fables and palpable lyes in the history of his owne Nation that the very truths are not believed Beza epist Theol. 78. Beza the Heretick calls him an excellent and most worthy man and Genebrardus graceth him with the title of an Atheisticall Poet and a drunken Buffon Basil Dorc. lib. 2. King Iames had so good an opinion of him that in his instructions to Prince Henry he forbid him the perusall of Buchanan and Knoxes writings 3 Henry the VIII of England jealous to see his Nephew Iames the V. so addicted to France that after the death of Magdalen eldest daughter to Francis King of France his first wife he tooke for his second the Duke of Guises sister desired the said Iames King of Scots to give him a meeting at York The Nobility and Clergy of Scotland opposed this conference as dangerous both to the State and Religion bringing to their Kings memory how Iames the I. his Ancestour had beene kept prisoner in England upon such an other occasion as also how Henry the VIII who had beene perfidious to God and the Church was not to be trusted Hereupon Henry declares warre against Scotland and Iames the V. raises an Army to oppose and prevent Henry by making England the Seate of the warre But because he named a Favorite of his owne to command the Army under himselfe that was not gratefull to the Nobility and people they would not obey nor concurre with their Soveraigne according to their duty This put the King into a feaver whereof he dyed the 13. of December 1542. in the 32. yeare of his age a most gallant and active Prince whole greatest fault and ruine was not to distinguish betweene the duty and the humour of his Subjects a wise Prince must so contrive things that the one be seconded by the other for if they encounter it s twenty to one but the humour of a multitude will prevaile against the duty they owe to their Soveraigne who must humour his people if he will be obeyed and goe their pace if he will be served his owne way but let him endeavour to make it appeare that he hath away of his owne and that he is not at the command of others who are hated or not regarded by those that must doe his businesse when Subjects imagine that they are not governed by their Prince but by his Favorites they often breake out into open rebellion especially if the Favorites seeme to be too imperious and uncivill It were to be wished that the people did accommodate themselves to the humour or their Prince and his Councellours and not impossible if the Prince will choose persons of honour and integrity to assist him that confound not their Masters interest with their owne ambition and passions Whether the King of Scots his Favorite was guilty of any such crime I knowe not but his case hath demonstrated to posterity that nothing can be more fatall to a Prince then to strive against the humour of his Subjects for a Favorite whose fidelities they suspect or contemne his person and abilities And if Kings will thinke it concerns their honour not to part with hated or contemned Favorits because thereby they seeme to condemne their owne choice and judgements let them consider whether it be more for their purpose to be deprived of their Kingdomes or to acknowledge that they are men and may be mistaken in choosing Councellors and Privados Yet if the Councellors grew odious since they sate at the helme the case is altered and the Prince his choice or judgement cannot be censured for removing from the management of affaires persons whose incapacity was not knowne to him before he applyed them to the government of the Commonwealth 4 But in case the unfitnesse of a Favorite for governing great affaires should be so evident that the ill successe must be attributed rather to his want of wisdome and conduct then to fortune if the Prince be obstinate in his resolution of not parting with him he must runne the hazard of being censured not onely void of judgement in his choice but also incorrigible in his errours his first choice may be excused by affection to the person or want of experience his persisting in that choice notwithstanding the continuall miscarriage of businesses must be
world if in the other he must for all eternity be but a coale to keepe in and inflame hell fire 8 In the yeare 1564. Queene Mary Steward after her returne from France married the Lord Henry Steward a Prince of the bloud royall both of Scotland and England and though Murray the Queenes base brother advised her to marry this same Prince he joyned in rebellion with the Hereticks and other seditious men against her Majesty for marrying but they were soone quasht and the heads of the faction retired into England where with Queene Elizabeth they brewed a new rebellion and to give it a better colour and successe then the former had it was thought expedient to sowe sedition and jealousies betweene the Queene and her husband who having but 22. yeares of age and being high minded had not from her Majesty that unlimited power which he desired This restriction of the yong Prince his authority was thought to proceed from the advice of David Rizius the Queenes Secretary a grave and understanding man and a severe observer of hereticall designes The Lord Henry Steward being persuaded by the Hereticks that this old man was the onely obstacle of not having all the government in his owne hands resolved to dispatch him out of the way and to that end leads a company of armed Hereticks into the Queenes chamber she being at supper and great with child of King Iames at her feete whither he repaired for protection was the poore Secretary murthered and the Queene so barbarously dealt withall that it was strange she did not dye in the place or miscarry which was all that the Hereticks aymed at But her husband reflecting upon his passion and folly being also advertised by some of the company that the Hereticks made him but an instrument of his owne ruine he entered to the Queenes chamber with pretext of causing her to signe a paper in favour of the murtherers and there acknowledging his fault both got away privatly to the Castle of Dumbar raised forces dissipated the Army of their Enemies some whereof were executed but Murray the bastard that plotted all the mischiefe was pardoned at the instance of Queen Elizabeth who was resolved by this Hereticks meanes to destroy his Sister the innocent Queene of Scots as afterwards happened 9 Prince Henry Steward considering that Queene Elizabeths kindnesse to the bastard Murray was grounded upon her hatred to his Queen and himselfe was resolved to prevent his owne death by permitting Justice have its right against a man who employed all his thoughts in rebellious designes he communicated his resolution with the Queene but she being of a more mercifull and mild disposition then the times and troubles required disswaded her husband from putting him to death though even after his last pardon there was proofe enough of treason He perceiving that the Prince looked upon him as a Traitor dealt with his confederats about murthering the Prince and promised to Iames Heburne Earle of Bothuel that he should be married to the Queene if he would kill her husband the rest of his hereticall Cabale put their hands to this engagement whereupon Bothuel murthered Henry Steward in his bed not farre from Edinburg at a Countrey house whether he had gone for his recreation and afterwards tooke the Queene prisoner as she was returning from visiting her child King Iames who was nursed at Sterling Bothuel forced his prisoner to be his wife assuring her no other hopes were left for her selfe other sonne to survive Prince Henry but his protection who was of great power amongst the hereticks as then he imagined but the contrary was soone discovered for the very same hereticks that set him upon killing the Prince and marrying the Queene raised an Army to ruine him and professed to the Queene they had no other dâ—signe in raising forces but to revenge the death of her husband whereof they knew Bothuel to be the Author and humbly desired her Majesty would be pleased to deliver him up to Justice and receive them into her grace protesting to live and dye in her obedience Bothuel was delivered to their hands whom they let escape but the poore Queene contrary to their oath and engagement was not onely made prisoner but reviled and afronted in the highest degree laying to her charge that she had murthered her husband and to make her odious and infamous to the whole Kingdome and Christian world they carried before her all the way to Edinburg the picture of her husband dead with many wounds and her little sonne painted by his fathers corps praying to God for justice against his mother This is the faith and fruit of heresy and policy When Polititians heads direct Hereticks hands we may expect nothing but such tragicall stories as this is Queene Elizabeth by destroying this poore Lady aymed at the establishment of her owne usurpation and security Murray by her death had hopes to governe Scotland Knox Buchanan and the rest of the hereticall crue looked upon the setling of Calvins Reformation and Discipline and to that end advised that the innocent Queene should be put to death of the same opinion was her good brother the bastard Murray but that glory was reserved for our Virgin Queene of England whose malice could not be satiated with afronts afflictions and many yeares imprisonment untill at length upon a publike stage the most vertuous and renowned Queene of Scots lost her head against the Law of Nature and Nations by the command of a Iezabel that cruell head heart and darling of the venerable Protestant Church of England 10 Before it was resolved by the Assembly of Hereticks whether the Queene should dye it was decreed the government of the Kingdome should be resigned to her sonne and in his minority being then but 13. moneths old to Murray and his Camerades Hereupon the Infant was declared King and in stead of the Masse honest Iohn Knox made a sermon against that holy Sacrifice and all Catholick Tenets and ceremonies recommending much to the people the observance of his Calvinian Discipline Morton and Humes swore in the young Kings name to set up the new Religion and pull downe the old which was already brought so lowe that the Queene could scarce finde one Catholick Priest to baptize her sonne the same did celebrate her husbands funerall whom she commanded to be buried in her fathers Tombe wherewith these two Catholick Princes King Iames the V. and Prince Henry Steward lyeth also enterred the Catholick Religion that for so many ages had florished in Scotland Duke Hamilton and his brother Iohn Archbishop of Saint Andrews the Earles of Huntley and Argile with many others of the Nobility protested against the oath that was taken in the Kings name of destroying that Faith which his Majesty and themselves had inherited from their noble Progenitors yet the Queene of Scots being made prisoner by Queene Elizabeth and most of the Catholick Nobility being killed in her quarrell Murray Knox and other Hereticks
obedience is equally destroyed by Atheisme and Protestancy Though the signes of a supreme Deity be as evident and visible to the eyes of Atheists as this world and all its creatures yet they deny obedience to that supreme Deity and though supernaturall signes as miracles and sanctity of life be as evident to the eyes of Protestants in the Roman Church and no other as any thing can be yet they deny obedience to the said Church both agree in destroying that principle upon which the obligation of beliefe and obedience is grounded Policy and civill government can as little stand without this principle as a house can without out a foundation Atheists and Protestants doe agree in undermining not onely Religion but also the authority of Princes and Commonwealths and therefore both doctrines ought to be equally prohibited and suppressed 4 In one respect Protestancy is more dangerous to civill government then Atheisme An Atheist expects not any invisible power providence to support him because he believeth none a Protestant persuades himselfe that God will second his zeale for the Ghospel and consequently is more resolute and daring if God to punish the sinnes of others permits a Protestant to have good successe in his first attempts he thinks that successe is a new engagement to proceed further looking upon himselfe as an instrument of providence to carry on the imaginary worke or the Lord. The Atheist thinks of no such providence or engagement but attributeth his successe to his owne industry and is not so fierce constant and dangerous an enemy to the civill government as a Protestant Though all this had not beene evident by reason as necessarily following out of Protestant principles yet its manifest by experience and history as we have seene in this Treatise Chap. 7. but because in the next I am to treate of the tyranny and rebellions of Protestancy I will end this with onely assuring my Reader that Polititians were never more unhappy or more grosely mistaken then in the beginning and promoting a pretended Reformation that doth not onely lead men to Atheisme but makes them incapable of being governed after they have shaken of the yoke of obedience to divine Authority appearing more sufficiently and evidently in the Roman Catholick Church then any Kings authority doth appeare in his Lieutenant or subordinate Officers But now let us proceed and descend to particulars by shewing CHAP. VIII That Protestancy inclines the Prince to Tyranny and the Subjects to Rebellion 1 PRinces may be Tyrants though the Religion they professe be good but that Religion cannot be good which inclines Princes to tyranny A Tyrant is he who rules either without or against Law making his owne will and pleasure the modell of his government To rule against the knowne and practised sense of the Law is to rule against Law because the essence of a Law consists in the sense not in the letter The fundamentall Lawes of a Christian Commonwealth are the holy Scriptures to rule against the knowne and practised sense of these Lawes is the greatest tyranny because it is to rule without and against Law it is to rule without Law because Gods sense is left out and the Reformers fancy or the Prince his pleasure is thrust into its place and Scripture is not Gods Law without Gods sense It is also to rule against Law because the Protestant sense of Scripture is contrary to the knowne and practised sense of Gods Word whereby the Church hath beene governed since the time of the Apostles This proves nothing lesse then I supposed in the title of the Chapter it demonstrates clearly that when Protestant Princes are not Tyrants we may thanke themselves and not their Religion which is directly opposite to the Law of God and inconsistent with the duty Princes owe to divine Majesty whence also it followed that it is an inclination to Tyranny against the Lawes and liberties of the Land because he that governeth without and against the Law or God is in a faire way and at least inclined to governe without and against the Lawes of men 2 I heare some Doctors of the English Protestant Church seeme to be much scandalized at Master Hobbes his Leriathan because he attributes so much to a Soveraigne and saith that Christian Subjects may in the exteriour profession of their Faith accommodate themselves with the Prince whether Turke or Jew I cannot answer for Master Hobbes his Christianity but this much I will say in his behalfe that I have not seene Protestancy better expressed nor more consequently deduced out of its principles then in this Authors Leviathan he is a good Protestant and an ill Christian How can any Protestant sinde fault with Master Hobbes See the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion confirmed by K. Charles an 1642. for making the Prince Head of the Church and sole Interpreter of Scripture Why should 12. or 7. men in King Edward the VI. time or a few Ministers in Queene Elizabeth and King Iames his reigne assume to themselves a power of framing a new Religion and coyning a new sense of Scripture contrary to antiquity and the knowne practise of all Christian Churches and in particular that of England Why should they I say assume this unlimited power to themselves and deny it to their Soveraigne 3. Ed. 6.12 5. Ed. 6.1 and his Counsell If they examine well they will finde Master Hobbes doth no more And if they acknowledge this great power in spirituall affaires to be inherent to the Soveraignes person as they doe 8. Eliz. 1. even by their Acts of Parliament how can they deny him in the temporall as absolute and unlimited a power as Master Hobbes is forced to grant by the foundation and principles of Protestant Religion Doe not the Doctors of the English Church averre that from the Popes Primacy and Headship of the Church must evidently follow an Antichristian Tyranny inconsistent with the prerogative dominion and security of Kings and the liberty of Subjects why doe they not inferre die same consequence from the Soveraignes supremacy I am sure they attribute greater power to their Kings Queenes and petty Doctors then Catholicks doe to the Pope or generall Councells who according to our Tenets cannot pare of any thing from the matter and forme of Sacraments nor alter the ancient sense of Scripture contrary to tradition and the practise of the Catholicks Church but Protestancy acknowledgeth all this power to be inseparable from the Kings and Queenes of England and yet doth confesse that both King and Protestant Church may erre against Christian Faith in their Reformations no Subject notwithstanding must speake a word against those errours he must accommodate himselfe to them in all his exteriour actions though he be convinced in judgement that they are against Catholick Religion I would faine knowe in what doth this doctrine of theirs differre from Master Hobbes Both agree in the substance both grant that men may dissemble their Faith and deny
it is more easy for an Archbishop of Canterbury or any other in the Realme to make ill use of his supreme spirituall jurisdiction in England then it is for the Pope at so great a distance and with so little acquaintance Experience doth demonstrate that the Popes spirituall jurisdiction over all Christendome is not so dangerous as Protestant Lawes and petty Preachers doe pretend Histories doe testify that Popes have restored twenty Kings for one that they are said to depose neither did they ever pretend to depose any King untill his owne Subjects were weary of his tyrannicall government or all the world scandalized at his wicked heresies and in those very cases the Popes never tooke the Kingdome to themselves an evident argument that Religion not interest moved them to take so rigourous wayes whether warrantable or not let others dispute I cannot Yet this much I can assure Protestant Princes that Popes have exhorted their Subjects to obedience and patience when they were most persecuted In case any of his Ministers should be misinformed indiscrete or exceed his commission that fault cannot be attributed to his Master nor to the Religion of Catholick Subjects but rather to the ignorance of Catholick Tenets and of Canonicall Doctrine which commands Subjects to obey though their Soveraignes be not of their owne Religion 3 Kings and Princes by denying obedience to the Pope teach their Subjects to rebell against themselves and doe dispense with oath of alleageance The ground of fidelity and obedience due to hereditary Soveraignes is a constant tradition that he who actually resignes is lawfull successour to one whose right and jurisdiction was undoubtedly acknowledged and indeed there cannot be a more rationall and secure ground of obedience then tradition and a continuall succession of lawfull witnesses from one age to another Writings may be counterfeited Tradition cannot because its impossible to stop so many mouthes as deliver it to posterity or to contradict the testimony of whole Provinces and Nations This is the reason why Hereticks cannot gainesay the tradition of the Popes supremacy though they deny the supremacy it selfe and the truth of that Doctrine yet they are not so madly impudent as to deny what is evident to all Christendome to wit that there was a constant tradition when Luther revolted from the Church that the Bishop of Rome is Christs Vicar upon earth They onely pretend that this tradition is not a sufficient ground to oblige men to believe what it delivered or to acknowledge the Popes supremacy If it be not how can the tradition of one onely Nation be a sufficient ground to oblige Subjects to believe that their Soveraigne is lawfull King of France or Spaine or that they are bound in conscience to obey him There is not any King or Prince in Europe that hath so universall and constant a tradition for his temporall soveraignty as the Bishop of Rome hath to be Saint Peters lawfull successour and of Saint Peters being head of the Church under Christ by divine institution Pasce oves meas Feed my sheepe Joan. 21. and many other texts of Scripture have never beene otherwise understood in the Church by any but by declared Hereticks whose contradicting the tradition and ancient sense of Gods Word can as little prejudice the Popes right and supremacy as a declared Rebell can prejudice his Soveraigns right by calling in question his discent or royall authority When Saint Peters chaire is shaken by Protestant Princes their owne thrones must fall because it is not onely the fundation of the Catholick Church but the support of Christian Monarchy 4 Here I cannot omit to advertise my Reader what poore shifts some of the most learned Protestants are brought to they renew that so often and solidly refuted errour of making the Pope Patriarch onely of the West by misapplying the words of the Nicen Councell Baron an 325. Sirmondus Guther Card. Perron my râ—sp ad Object Reg. Brit. lib. 1 c. 32. 33. and concealing the true translation of the Canon as every man may see in the Authors cited in the margen The title of Patriarch of the West doth no more exclude the Popes supreme dignity of head of the Church under Christ then the title of Earle of Flanders doth exclude that of King of Spaine If the Bishops of Rome were not universall Patriarchs but Patriarchs onely of the West why did Saint Victor Pope in the second age of Christianity excommunicate all the Churches of Asia Euseb 5. hist 24. cap. 25. Spond 198. upon the difference of celebrating Easter for not accommodating themselves to the Roman Sea And though Saint Iretaeus did not approve of so great severity yet neither he nor any other called in question his authority They are also pleased to make the Pope Speaker in the generall Councells but not President they allowe him the place of first Bishop and call him exordium unitatis with Saint Cyprian but by no meanes will they grant him the title of infallible and supreme Pastor These are but weake and pittifull shifts whereunto Protestants are driven by the evidence of Councells Fathers Tradition and Catholick arguments contrary to the Tenets and Doctrine of their brethren of the late Church of England If the Pope be exordium unitatis he must be infallible in deciding the controversy proposed otherwise he will be exordium divisionis because no learned persons will submit their judgements in matters of Faith to a Judge that may be mistaken they will be as farre from his sentence and thoughts as from any other and the unity of Faith whereof Saint Cyprian speakes consists more in an unity of thoughts of judgements then of speech or exteriour acquiescence Such a dumb unity of Faith hath its beginning from Policy not Religion 5 They excuse themselves from the guilt and crime of Schisme as ridiculously as they impugne the Popes supremacy They accuse us Catholicks for the fault themselves committed because forsooth they left not our communion untill we thrust them out of doores It may be as well said that the Judge and not the thiefe is the malefactour because the Judge pronounced sentence against the thiefe The Roman Catholick Church had no more part in the Schisme of England then to declare Henry the VIII and Queene Elizabeth Schismaticks and Hereticks They committed the crime and the Pope pronounced the sentence Therefore the Roman Church or Court is guilty of Schisme is an excellent Protestant consequence But such fopperies we must expect from obstinate Hereticks that with a perverse will oppose no lesse their owne understandings then Catholick verities The Pope say they imposed new articles of Faith upon their tender consciences he made a new Creed and declared it was necessary to believe the same Therefore he was cause of the Schisme The same argument that the Arrians made against the Councell of Nice and Saint Athanasius his Creed doe these Hereticks now object against the Councell of Trent and Pope
the penall Lawes were enacted but it was a crime to be an Heretick or Apostata before the ancient Emperours and Kings made penall Lawes against heresy The Law supposed and did not make the crime as penall Statutes doe in England making a crime of Christian Religion 2. Hereticks are never condemned by the Inquisition without the testimony of many lawfull witnesses both living and dead all the ancient Fathers Councells and the whole Catholick Church of former ages testify that their errours are new and contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles no Rebell was ever more evidently convicted of rebellion against his Prince then Hereticks are by the Inquisition of heresy against God and the Apostolicall Church We Catholicks cannot obtaine so faire play at their hands we are condemned by a new Law because we are not Hereticks and our Judges are convicted of the crime they lay to our charge Surely this is to turne upside downe Justice and Judicature 3. The Inquisition medleth not with those who never were Catholicks but the penall Lawes comprehend them who never were of their Church or communion 4. The Inquisition condemns no Hereticks to death but onely declares their heresy to the end the faithfull may avoid their conversation its true the secular power executeth the secular against them notwitstanding that the Inquisition doth protest against that rigour and desireth that Hereticks may not be punished with death or effusion of bloud this protestation and petition is now and hath alwayes beene the continuall practise of the Roman Church but the penall Lawes of Protestants are written with bloudy caracters all their Courts are stained with the innocent and noble bloud of many learned and loyall Subjects onely because they would not take an oath against their conscience and abjure the Faith of their Christian Ancestours 5. Though the Inquisition were as unjust and rigorous as some of the ignorant Protestants pretend it could be no blemish to the Catholick Religion because it is not an universall practise but limited to Spaine and Italy at the instance of secular Princes who looke upon it as a necessary meanes to keepe their Subjects of those Nations in the feare of God and in awe of their Soveraignes But the penall Lawes of England are spread as farre as their Protestant Church and communion 6. The Inquisition doth seriously wish and endeavour the conversion amendment of Hereticks employing learned Divines to convince them of their errours and instruct them in the way of salvation but the penall Lawes and the oathes of supremacy alleageance and abjuration are like so many nets cast out by Protestants to fish estates in troubled consciences a farre different method from that of the Apostles who were fishers of men and not of estates Protestants fish for estates though not alwayes with successe In King Iames his reigne a Scot begged of his Majesty an English Catholicks estate to whom he procured that the oath of supremacy might be tendered never imagining that the Gentleman would take it or goe to Church and damne his soule to save his estate the Gentleman offered the Scot a faire composition but nothing would satisfy this beggar if he had not made the Catholick also a beggar who at length resolved to shew himselfe in the Church whereupon the Scot made him a most devout and learned exhortation dissuading him from all Protestant assemblies often repeating and explaining the words of our Saviour What doth it availe a man if he games all the world by the losse of his sale Yet the English man remained obstinate and resolved rather to give his soule to the Devill then his estate to a Scot. I believe there are many such beggarly Preachers now adayes in England if they consider well the text of the Scots Sermon they may apply it better to themselves then to Roman Catholicks 6 The last pretext for persecuting of English Catholicks is the massacre and murther of Protestants in Ireland in the beginning of the late troubles and this must be a preamble to all Proclamations and Oathes of abjuration What hath an English Catholick to doe with an lrish massacre I am sure he doth not thirst by nature after the bloud of his owne Nation and his Religion doth neither incline him to murther or rebellion That is a privilege of Protestancy we have a setled sense of Scripture which none can alter without breach of Catholick Faith and we are not Judges of our owne Controversies but must submit to a third and indifferent person But as for the murthers and massacres of Ireland so much and so often exaggerated in Protestant Pamphlets and Pulpits I onely say that Protestancy had a greater hand in them then Catholick Religion because our Tenets arc contrary to cruelty and bloudshead and though Catholicks may be as guilty of murther as other men the Religion cannot Is it not notorious that the Protestants in Ireland signed a bloudy Petition offered to the Parliament of England that all Irish who would not goe to Church might be extirpated or banished This was done before the Irish Catholicks did stirre But suppose that in Vlster some of the rascality or kernes being exasperated by so many and continuall injuries done to them by Protestants had murthered some persons must that reflect upon the English Catholicks and all the Irish Nation It is most certaine and evident that the murthers and massacres done in Ireland by Protestants exceeded without comparison those committed by Catholicks as well in respect of their brutishnesse as numerousnesse Witnesse their marches about Dublin where the Inhabitants were all of English extraction and spoke no other language but the ancient Saxon. There are very few of that populous Countrey called Fingale left alive all perished by fire and sword being a most innocent people and having nothing I rishlike in them but Catholick Religion In the march of the Protestant Army to the County of Wicklo man woman and child was killed a Gentle woman big with child was hanged at an arch of a bridge and the poore Catholick that guided the Army for reward of his service at parting being commanded to blow into a pistol was shot therewith into the mouth though there had beene no murther committed on the Protestants in that County In another march into the same shire one Master Comain an aged Gentleman who never bore armes was roasted alive by one Captaine Gines yea they murthered all that came in their way from within two miles of Dublin In a march into the County of Kildare in or about February 1641. some of the Officers going into Mrs Eustate of Cradogstons house a sister to Sir William Talbot of eighty yeares of age who being unable to shunne entertained them with meate and drinke after dinner her selfe and another old Gentlewoman and a girle of eight yeares of age were murthered by the said Protestant Officers Walter Evers Esquire aged and sickly and of a long time before the warre bed-ridden being carried by
his Prince for not punishing or banishing his evill Councellours and these who looke more upon their owne preservation then the Prince his safety or honour engage him more and more in their quarell by perswading him that to Rebells nothing must be granted who at length get all by force with the ruine of their Soveraigne and his posterity All this you may see verified in the life of Edward the Second King of England 3 But in case the quite contrary way be taken and that the Subjects to comply with perverse inclinations and those who are in power strive who shall be most wicked from thence must greater danger arise to the Prince then from any other emulation or discontent Vertuous men are few and consequently the Prince may without great difficulty finde them employments but if vice be rewarded he will not finde in his Kingdome wherewith to content half the number of dishonest pretenders and to satisfie some few of them is to disgust all the rest who being men of as little honour as conscience will make use of their number and power to obtaine what they could not by favour and will clime up to the height of their ambition by force and wicked devices This is the reason why Princes ought to esteeme and reward vertue and discountenance vice and why none ought to be of his Councell whose integrity is not notorious to his Subjects for how can a Prince discountenance vice if his Favourits be vicious and dishonest persons Their ill example may be his ruine because all men who desire to be preferred will prostitute their consciences to the Favourits will and pleasure and neglect his Master and when the Favourit hath gained the greatest part of the Subjects to his owne devotion perhaps he will plot something against the Soveraignes person and promote to the royall Throne some of his owne relations A Prince cannot be too suspicious and jealous of dishonest Councellours the greatest tye of fidelity being conscience they who have none must prove disloyall whensoever it stands with their conveniency Therefore it s most dangerous and want of true Policy in Princes to trust themselves or their affaires in the hands of such men for though it be their interest this day to be faithfull to their King it may be the contrary to morrowe I am sure it can never be his interest to stick to them or owne their dishonest proceedings The interest of Kings lyeth in the affection of his Subjects and its impossible they should affect a King who not onely protects but ownes manifest injustices Subjects are men and as apt to resent and revenge injuries as the Soveraigne He must handle them very gently and not expose them to the contempt or tyranny of wicked Ministers for though they may have patience for a time at length they may growe furious and he will finde himselfe mistaken in their temper when it is too late to dismisse or punish those who occasioned their distempers 4 Amongst all Princes ruined by the wickednesse of Ministers none is more to be pittied then Edward the VI. of England because he could as little depose as choose his Counsellours being alwayes in his minority It is the opinion of most Writers that Dudley Duque of Northumberland after beheading Seamour the Protectour did poyson the King to the end his sonne Guilford who married the Lady Iane Gray might in her right be King and himselfe in the right and reigne of his sonne governe England excluding Queene Mary and the Queene of Scots I doe not thinke that any history can give testimony of more dishonest Counsellours in one time and in one Kingdome then we read of in this poore childs reigne Seamour himselfe violated his oath and promise given to Henry the VIII that no new Religion should be brought into England during the Kings minority Afterwards he caused his owne brother to be beheaded The Duque of Northumberland plotted the Kings death dissembled his Faith which at length upon the scaffold he professed dying a Roman Catholick and exhorting the Nation to sticke to that Religion But what I desire Princes should reflect upon is how dangerous it is for them to have Counsellours void of all Religion and conscience A man would thinke that Dudley could have no other interest but that of King Edward whom he ruled together with the Kingdome and yet we see how farre he went to fetch a contrary interest and by what wicked and dishonest wayes There is no interest remote or too farre from one of a large conscience if he be perswaded its more for his purpose then the present which he manageth Let Princes therefore countenance vertue and banish vice from their Courts and Counsells if they have any care of their owne interest and security But now let us see CHAP. XIII How necessary it is for a Statesman to be a man of honour and of his word and how great a difference there is betweene Policy and Craft 1 ALl Statesmen must be Gentlemen in their actions They must shunne as much meane wayes in themselves as they must seeme not to dislike of them in other meane persons whom they employe or entertaine as necessary and base instruments They must countenance spyes but scorne to be spyes themselves The maxime of a Statesman must be not to betray any man that confides in him for the food of Policy is information and knowledge of businesses which none will give that is afraid of being betrayed A man may be faithfull to his Prince without being a Traitour to his Subjects or any other and the favour of a Minister with his Prince must not be grounded upon information of other mens defects but upon his owne services strength of judgement and dexterity of managing affaires He who creeps into favour by telling tales and such meane wayes is rather a petty spy and informer then a wise Statesman I have knowne a great Minister of State who told a Gentleman that desired to be advised by him he would helpe him in what he could but warned him before hand that he would make use of any thing he heard for his Masters service and therefore bid him consider whether it was for his purpose to communicate unto him any secrecy This was honourable and plaine dealing he would serve his King and not betray others and yet this Minister of State is knowne to be as faithfull to his Master as ever Subject was to Prince having lost for his service as great an estate as any Subject in our parts of Christendome doth possesse 2 There are some persons that place the essence of a Polititian in being a Favourite of that faction which actually beareth sway they thinke it wisdome though not worth to change their friends as often as these doe their fortune and which is worse to become enemies or those who raised them from nothing because it s so necessary to humour the present power Such cut-purses and cut-throates are the infamy of Courts and the
be excluded by the Princes or people from the government of the Common-wealth though some of them have beene more mistaken and are more subject to erre in that art then the Clergy their argument therefore may be with more force retorted against themselves 3 Polititians are Joyners by their trade their art consists in joyning the common good with the interest of the Prince It must be a cleare judgement that will not confound these two things and he must be no lesse vertuous then wary that will not incline more to one side then to the other Seculars are pleased to acknowledge more vertue in Churchmen then in themselves but they doubt much of their judgements If study of sciences and knowledge of what passed in former ages doth perfect mans understanding Churchmen have the advantage of seculars in judging of affaires who have not so much time to spare from their passetimes nor so great an inclination and obligation to learne as the Clergy But seculars though they were as learned as Churchmen cannot apply themselves so seriously to the study of the common good because they have much more to consider in particular and domestick affaires they must provide for their wife and dispose of their children Yet in case they should spend but little time in so neare a concernment they cannot deny that the Prince and Commonwealth runne a hazard in trusting them with publick offices and revenues out of which they will be very apt to provide portions for their daughters and employments for their sonnes Clergymen are neither troubled themselves nor trouble the Commonwealth with such burthen and consequently are more fit then seculars to manage the publick affaires A Churchman perhaps may endeavour to promote his Nephew but there is great difference betweene the affection of a Father and of an Uncle 3 The obligation and custome which Church-men have to spend more houres in their devotions then seculars doth give more advantage by perfecting their mindes then it doth prejudice by taking up their time not ouely because with God no time is lost who recompenseth aboundantly by his grace and illustrations other studies and thoughts but also because true policy must direct all things with subordination to Gods Law and the more we meditate therein the better Polititians we are Yet Churchmen after complying with their devotions haue more time to consider of affaires then seculars who are more in the Taverne then in the Church and frequent other passetimes when Churchmen are in their studies 4 All mankinde is so much concerned in the government of Commonwealths that it is not improper for the most retired of the Clergy sometimes to appeare in publick affaires We read of Monks that came along from Egypt to Constantinople to treate with Emperours about matters of great concernment Hermits have returned to the world from the desarts when they judged it necessary for the common good Suppose a man were buried alive in a grot under the walls of a Towne to the end he might shunne humane conversation if he doth heare the Enemy undermining the wall he is bound in conscience to leave his retirement and give notice of the common danger When a house is a fire they who are next must runne to quench it There is no profession so retired or so contrary to the management of State affaires that can excuse men from appearing in publick when they are concerned in the good of a Nation or Religion especially if they be next in trust of a Treaty or knowledge of a danger Much lessâ—â—â—n men separated from the world deny accesse to others who demand their advice in doubtfull and intricate matters of State wherein conscience may runne a hazard Princes and Counsellours consult their Confessours in Cloisters and thinke them more apt to judge of worldly affaires then others that live and negotiate in the world It is no disparagement for that grave and sage Counsell of Spaine that the Kings Confessour hath a place and vote amongst them he may be a witnesse that nothing is resolved which is not agreable to Christian and Catholick principles his profession is not contrary to an office out of which so much good may be derived to others Bishops are Counsellours in France and all other Catholick Countries and Abbots who professe a most retired life came from their Cloisters and Cells to sit in Parliament when Religion did flourish most in England and the same is practised to this day in other Nations with as great satisfaction of the Prince as benefit to the Commonwealth 5 There is nothing more necessary for a Statesman then secrecy whereof Churchmen give continually evident proofes in hearing Confessions Seculars may be secret but the world hath not so much reason to believe it seeing so many designes and great businesses miscarry for want of secrecy which I never heard laid to the charge of a Clergyman that was trusted in a businesse of State It s a received maxime amongst seculars that women are best informers and that they are made acquainted with whatsoever is debated in Counsells or Assemblies Fond husbands thinke they doe not love their wives if they conceale any thing from their knowledge and consequently from that of their Gossips It s thought the English Nation is more inclined to be advised by women then any other but without doubt it is of late since women ruled the Church and were made Popes dispensed with invalid Ordinations and by imposition of hands made Archbishops of Canterbury But seeing no man will trust his wife with his owne conscience and confession methinks he ought not to impart to her the secrecies of others At least the Catholick Clergy cannot be suspected to consult with their wives the secrecy of Princes because they have none but for the Protestant Ministers behaviour in this particular I will not sweare being as I heare more fond of their wives then any others and having notoriously betrayed secrets communicated to them in confession as you may read of Scory the Minister who betrayed the Earle of Essex in Queene Elizabeths time and in our dayes the case of poore Captain Hinde was much lamented who some few yeares since being accused of murther Captain Hindes lamentable case denyed it confidently there being no legall proofe But perswaded by a Minister of the English Protestant Church that the Judge was resolved to hang him and that he had aboundant proofe he exhorted the poore man to confession according to the custome or Common-prayer men and Church or England whereof both were Members Master Hinde told the Minister in confession that he had killed one of his owne Camerades and he promised to visit and comfort his penitent the next day but feigning himselfe sick he sent another Minister of the English Church also and desired Master Hinde to deale as confidently with him as he had done the day before with himselfe which the poore Gentleman did imparting likewise to him in confession what he had told the day
threatned those of his owne Kingdome to the end they might subscribe to his wicked passion Act of Parl. an 1. Mariae c. 1. and because the Pope refused to doe the same Henry declared himselfe Pope in his owne Dominions and all others to be Traitors that refused to sweare his supremacy And because many refused to damne their soules by knowne perjury he tooke away their lives amongst others that suffered death for refusing the oath were two Cardinals three Bishops thirteen Abbots Priors David Camer Scot. lib. 4. c. 1. Monkes and Priests five hundred Archdeacons fourteen Canons threesoore Doctors fifty Dukes Marqueses and Earles with their children twelve Barons and Knights twenty nine Gentlemen three hundred thirty six Citizens a hundred thirty foure Women of quality a hundred and ten In this Ocean of innocent and noble bloud was laid the first stone and fundation of the English Protestant Church it s no mervaile that it thrived no better 2 Notwithstanding Henry the VIII wickednesse he never permitted any new Sects to be professed in England during his reigne though many crept in by Cranmers negligence and connivance In the latter end of his reigne he felt the remorse of his guilty conscience and did often resolve with himselfe to be reconciled to the Church of Rome but know not how it might be done with his honour which he preferred before that of God and the salvation of his soule even in his last sicknesse for sending to Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Wâ—…ester who was the onely man that durst speake truth to the King for his advice he exhortâ—d him to declare and recant his errour in Parliament if God would give him life if not to testifie repentance with his hand and seale assuring him that God would accept his good will if time were wanting to performe what he desired This was resolved upon but as soone as Gardiner departed he fell of from his pious resolution and within a short time dyed despairing of Gods mercy because quoth he I never spared man in my wrath nor woman in my lust His last words were All is lost The greatest Policy and Majesty upon earth comes at length to be nothing and repentance differed doth commonly end in despaire and damnation 3 To King Henry the VIII succeeded in his Kingdome and Headship of the Church his sonne Edward the VI. a child of 9. yeares old His tender age was a faire oportunity for heresy and policy to conspire against Catholick Religion which had never beene suppressed in England untill that time His Uncle and Protector Seamor declared himselfe a Zwinglian and established that Sect in England by Act of Parliament but could not exclude the name of Bishops that had beene so much reverenced in the Nation since it was converted to Christianity though they looked upon the Ordination both of Priests and Bishops as upon a superstition of Rome and badge of Antichrist Witnesse their translating in the Bible Ordination by imposition of hands as Saint Hierome D. Greg. Martin in his Discovery of the corruptions of holy Scriptures by English Sectaries chap. 6. and all the Fathers doe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordination by election and for the word Priest they alwayes translated Elder for Priesthood Eldership Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who ought to have opposed these wicked practises did accommodate himselfe to the times and prevailing party in King Henryes time he writ a booke in defence of the reall presence and now in King Edwards time he writ another against it both which bookes Bishop Bonner of London produced to his face Fox pag. 1200. col 1. num 2. Persons cap. 7. num 32. when Cranmer and Ridley were sitting in judgement against him to deprive him of his Bishoprick 4 After that the Zwinglian Clergy of England had corrupted Scripture and wrested both words and sense to their owne hereticall and mad fancies they composed their book of Common prayer and instituted a new forme of making Priest and Bishops which was rather a declaration and protestation against holy Orders then a manifestation or the Ordainers power and intention or of the effects of that Sacrament It s a received principle amongst all men who knowe any thing that a Bishop or Priest cannot be validly consecrated without words involving the name or at least the particular power and authority of a Bishop or Priest in the English forme of Ordination the names are not mentioned and the power or authority is not so much as insinuated The power and authority of a Priest must involve power to make Christs Body and Blond really present as our English Protestant Doctors now confesse whether with or without Transubstantiation is not the controversy let them examine whether any such power be mentioned in their forme which is this Receive the holy Ghost English Rituall printed at London 1607. whofe sinnes thou doest forgive they are forgiven and whofe sinnes thou doest retaine they are retained and be thou a faithfull Dispenser of the Word of God and his holy Sacraments in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost To dispense ot minister â—he Sacraments come farre short of declaring power to consecrate the elements or make present Christs Body Deacons did minister and dispense the Body of Christ to the people in ancient times but were never thought to have power to consecrate or make present Christs Body and Bloud They have no reason to cite Santa Clara in their behalf Franc. à S. Clara in exposit paraphr Confess Anglic. artic 36. I knowe not his intention but I am sure his words favour not their Ordination and much lesse these of Innocent the IV. Sussiceret Ordinatori dicere sis Sacerdos vel alia aequipollentia Be thou a Priest or some words equivalent but they who blotted the word Priest out of Scripture never thought to make use of it in the forme of their Ordination and they who denyed the reall presence were farre from expressing in their forme of making Priests any power to consecrate or make present Christs Body and Bloud in the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Altar 5 Their forme of making Bishops is no lesse deficient then the former The words are Take the holy Ghost and remember that thou stirre up the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of hands for God hath not given us the spirit of feare but of power love and sobernesse This advertisement of Saint Paul to Timothy after he had made him Bishop doth suppose 2. ad Tim. 1. and not give the Order of Episcopacy it is an admonition to exercise the function and not the ordination it selfe because it doth not declare in particular the name or authority of a Bishop Take the holy Ghost is said to Priests as well as to Bishops and the spirit of love power and sobernesse is communicated also by Priesthood Here is nothing peculiar to Episcopall Ordination But the truth is
possession of the Crowne of England he was engaged to many Princes that he would ease Catholicks by repealing the penall Lawes and without doubt had performed if he had not beene diverted from it by Cecil and other upstarts and Polititians whose interest was begunne and grounded upon heresy and the destruction of the ancient Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome There was a treaty of peace betweene him and the King of Spaine whose Ambassadour in London had in his Instructions to insist upon liberty of conscience for Catholicks and the King was resolved to grant it rather then to breake of the treaty and told Cecil so much who undertooke to the King that he would make peace with the Spaniard without any obligation to favour Catholicks advising his Majesty to oblige his owne Subjects and not to permit them to owe so great an obligation to the King of Spaine or any other forreigne Prince Cecil therefore deales with an Italian Polititian by whom the Spanish Ambassadour was to by advised in all his negotiation and tells him that King Iames and himselfe also were as willing to grant liberty of conscience to Catholicks as the Catholick King was earnest in demanding it because it was not onely just but convenient for the State Catholicks being the fittest instruments to oppose Puritanisme which the King so much did feare and hate therefore they should have liberty of conscience but it was not convenient or possible to article concerning any such thing because the Kingdome would be offended and the Subjects would owe the favour to the King of Spaine not to their owne who was resolved within a little time to repeale all penall Lawes Whether the Italian believed Cecil I Knowe not but its certaine that these two Polititians resolved no mention should be made of Religion in the articles notwithstanding King Iames being of a gracious disposition told Cecil he would not persecute for conscience the Catholicks and I believe would have beene very moderate if Cecil had not invented the Gun-pouder treason plot That Cecil was the contriver or at least the fomenter of it was testified by one of his owne domestick Gentlemen who advertised a certaine Catholick his friend by name Master Buck two moneths before of a wicked designe his Master had against Catholicks one Master Tresham and another Catholick who were thought to have beene Cecils instruments in all this businesse having accesse to him even at midnight were sent to the Tower and never seene afterwards least they should tell tales and it s very certain that Percy and Catesby might have beene taken alive when they were killed but Cecil knew full well that these two unfortunate Gentlemen would have related the story lesse to his owne advantage then himselfe caused it to be published therefore they were dispatched when they might have beene made prisoners having no other weapons offensive or defensive but their swords 5 This wicked plot of Cecil made the Catholicks so odious that it was not in the Kings power to doe them his intended favour yet whether it was that he suspected Cecils knavery or that he would not have the crime of few men attributed to their Religion and to the multitude he declared he innocency of both and did not persecute Catholicks as much as Protestants desired yet the barrells wherein the pouder was are kept as reliques and were often shewed to the King and his posterity that they might not entertaine the least thought of clemency towards Catholick Religion There is not an ignorant Minister or Tub-preacher who doth not when all other matter failes remit his Auditors to the Gun-pouder treason and describe these tubs very pathetically the onely reliques thought fit by them to be kept in memory They might have kept other monuments of farre more barbarous savage cruelty whereunto none but themselves can lay claime practised by the French and Scotch Hugonots so horridly foule and abominable not onely to the thoughts but eyes of men that it is a shame to Christianity to see it degenerate by heresy to more ugly enormous outrages then ever humane nature could be transported into by the fury of Paganisme I forbeare the bloudy practises of England in Queene Elizabeth time as not so barbarous in appearance though more wicked in substance as being exhibited by publick Magistrates under the colour of Law and pretext of peace of the Land the starving and racking of so many innocent worthy learned persons the tearing out of hearts and bowels in the publike view upon suborned testimonies of base vagabond perjured catchpoules hired to sweare what they and their hirers knew to be false and all the world sawe to be voyd of all signes of truth But to returne to Cecil the mischiefe contrived by him was imputed to men that had no more hand in the plot then to disswade their penitents from it in confession the seale whereof is so sacred that it cannot be broken which obligation of secrecy is of greater aduantage to prevent treason then if it were lawfull to reveale the mischiefe imparted in that Sacrament because none will confesse a treason that he thinks may be revealed and by acquainting his Confessour with treacherous purposes he may be disswaded from them but not absolved unlesse he doth promise to desist and heartily repent It was foretold to Cecil that the hand of God would fall heavily upon him and that he should dye in a ditch and be burried in a dunghill a thing very unlikely to happen all circumstances considered and yet it happened for being jealous of my Lord Henry Howards getting into the Kings favour Cecil made such hast from the Bath to London notwithstanding a troublesome disease that going to ease himselfe in a ditch there he dyed and was afterwards burried in a Chappell that himselfe had built upon a dunghill And thus a man raised from durt came to be dissolved into his owne element and to rest in his native soile Not onely Catholicks but Protestants have reason To curse the memory of this man and his gun-pouder plot for if Catholicks had beene countenanced as King Iames intended Puritans and other Sectaries would never have had the power to bring his Sonnes head to the block and the Nation to so much bloudshead Let Polititians say what they please there is no greater support of Monarchy then Catholick Religion 6 Though in King Iames his time Religion was squared to his Majesties interest and inclination but alwayes with some regard to that which had beene formerly professed in Queene Elizabeths dayes for feare of causing a distemper by a suddaine alteration yet in King Charles his reigne the Church of England came to that perfection that it professed no Religion at all Protestants had beene so shamefully beaten from all their negative articles and lurking holes by Catholick Divines that they were forced to doe what petty Princes are accustomed when they are oppressed and overpowred by great Monarchs confining with their Estates now they side with
have evidence that his Law or Statute doth not contradict the Law of God his legislative power must be subordinate to Christian Religion Henry the VIII Edward the VI. and Queene Elizabeths penall Statutes are evidently against the Law of God and Christian Religion if we may credit antiquity and stick to the Faith and practise of the Church and Catholick Princes that went before them not onely in England but in all other Christian Kingdomes No persons living have any other evidence for the Law of God and Catholick Religion but the test mony of the immediatly precedent age confirmed with supernaturall signes all former ages speake to us by the mouth of the last with which we conversed we must cake their word for all the rest and for the sense as well as for the letter of Scripture The 14. age delivered to the 15. the Roman Catholick Faith which we now professe assuring that it was the true sense of Scripture which they had learned from the 13. age and so forth to the Apostles What evidence had Henry the VIII or his daughter Queen Elizabeth to oppose against the testimony of all former ages confirmed with so many miracles and to make Statutes against the knowne and practised Law of God and Christianity His luxury and his daughters bastardy are the onely evidence which Protestants can produce for the ground of penall Lawes against the Popes supremacy and other points of the Roman Catholick Religion an excellent foundation of Protestant Lawes Justice and Judicature 3 To pronounce sentence of death losse of goods or banishment against persons without any proose is rather tyranny then injustice The greatest crimes even that of treason require at least one lawfull witnesse let Protestant produce but one lawfull witnesse against the Religion of Catholicks and their sense of Scripture and we will not murmure against their penall Lawes and rigourous proceedings Antiquity affords them none because though in divers ages some odde men did testify sometimes one errour of theirs sometimes another they were in those very times contradicted by the whole Catholick Church and declared infamous Impostours and Hereticks In this present age no Protestants can be lawfull witnesses for their owne Religion or against ours because their testimony cannot be valid against so constant and universall a tradition as we Catholicks have for our Doctrine and sense of Scripture It s as ridiculous and unjust in a Judge to pronounce sentence against Roman Catholicks for their Religion upon the evidence and testimony of Protestancy as if he had in open Court condemned men to forfeit their estates and ancient inheritance upon the word of a mad fellow that produceth no other evidence to confirme his claime but interiour motions of the spirit of coveteousnesse and ambition or some obscure text of the Law appliable to all cases and subjects for all the Protestant evidence is reduced to the private spirit and the pretended clearnesse of Scripture If this be not to destroy the foundation of Justice and the forme of Judicature Protestants have a different way of proceeding from all other Nations and have altered the stile of naturall reason humane nature and the practice of all antiquity 4 They cannot excuse their persecution against Catholicks with the example of Christian Emperours and Kings that both for zeale of Religion and humane Policy to avoid the danger of rebellion made Lawes and Statutes against Hereticks and Innovatours of the ancient Faith and sense of Scripture which descended to them by tradition from the Apostles Protestants take the quite contrary way they make Lawes and Statutes against the ancient Religion and knowne sense of Gods Word and persecute Catholicks for professing it whereas their Predecessours Emperours and Kings punished new Religions and Novelists This last was lawfull in secular Princes but the practise of Protestants is unjust and wicked because it destroyes Justice and the true Religion confirmed by the publike testimony and practise of the Christian world since the Apostles time to this present If the Roman Catholick Religion were not the true Apostolicall Faith but as new as Protestants pretend how is it possible that in history there should be no mention made of any person that suffered as an Heretick for broaching or maintaining any one point which we now professe If any Doctrine of ours were judged an heresy or a novelty by antiquity without doubt we had not all escaped the rigour of penall Lawes made against Hereticks and Novelists I am sure Protestants cannot brag nor say so much for their owne Doctrine many if not all the points whereof have beene condemned as heresy by the Church in ancient times and punished as novelties by Christian Kings and Emperours which was the onely reason that moved the first English Protestants to cause the young child Edward the VI. when he knew not what he did to repeale all the Lawes and Statutes that any Christian King of England and the Kingdome had made against Hereticks being convinced that themselves and not Catholicks were comprehended in that number All who suffered persecution or death for any point of the Roman Religion were looked upon by the Catholick Church in all ages as glorious Confessours and renowned Martyrs Amongst the most pretious jewells of the Easterne Church were accompted such as were put to death for defending the worship of Images against the Iconuclasts Baron an 723. Conc. Nicaen 2. Act. 5. who were the first that persecuted Christians for that Doctrine at the instance of one Serantapicus a Magician and a Jew that promised to Gizedo Prince of the Saracens he should live 30. yeares if he would command all Images to be taken away and not worshipped in his Dominions by the Catholicks But Gizedo dying within a yeare and a halfe his sonne Vlidus condemned the Jew to death as a perfidious lmpostour and the Images were worshipt as formerly untill three yeares afterwards Leo Isaurus the heretick Emperour at the instance also of Jewes Concil Nicaen 2. Baron an 726. raised that most terrible persecution against the Catholick Church for practising so pious a custome which had continued amongst Christians without the least danger of idolatry since the time of the Apostles to that present and t will not be interrupted untill the day of judgement notâ—ithstanding the clamours endeavours and vaine pretended feares of Protestant zealots in behalfe of Serantapicus their Patriarch and his Hebrew tribe their loving brethren 5 Their persecution against Catholicks can be no more excused by the proceedings of the Spanish and Italian Inquisition Of the Inquisition then their penall Statutes have beene by the Lawes of ancient Kings and Emperours against Hereticks 1. Because the Inquisition proceeds according to the rules and forme of Justice none is declared an Heretick or guilty by a new Law or oath made onely to the end that by them men may be intrapped both in soule body and estate it was no crime in England to be a Catholick before