tell leasings and would haue his owne word goe for pay But the law saith Vox vnius vox nullius licet honoratae personae The voyce of one is the voyce of none though hee were an honourable person and as Hierome saith Testimonium pro se nec Catoni creditum No not Cato was credited in his owne cause Were this Ignatian sectarie of a more worthie order and an honester man then he seemeth to be he must not thinke his owne surmises can surprise the the truth nor his bold assertions shall be taken for good euidence It had been more commendable in him to be bashfull to speake the truth then shamelesse to vtter any thing as Cato said well he liked better of young men that were giuen to blushing then of pale and wanne The second Obiection 1. IT is a common opinion with this people that the lawes of Magistrates doe not binde in conscience and in secret but onely in publike and open shew for auoiding of scandale What treason may not priuately be plotted and put in practise by this doctrine pag. 86. 2. VVhat other thing doth their approued doctrine of sole faith portend to the world but a desolation of all order c. if a man be onely iustified by faith c. all offences against a commonwealth euen to take away the scepter and Crowne of the Prince may securely be put in action c. pag. 86. 3. That law enacted by Parliament of King Henrie the 8. that all contracts of mariage whatsoeuer were voide by a second mariage consummate was reuoked by K. Edward the 6. yet by the first Parliament of Queene Elizabeth is reuiued from which opinion and the doctrine of remarrying for incontinencie c. what diuorcements dissensions breaches of wedlocke c. haue ensued pag. 89. The Reiection 1. THe Protestants denie not but that the lawes of Magistrates as touching external rites and obseruations doe binde in conscience but not in regard of the things commaunded which are of themselues indifferent and touch not the conscience as the prohibiting of eating of flesh wearing of apparell but in regard onely of our obedience due vnto the Magistrate in lawfull things But concerning Princes lawes of things necessarily appertaining to Gods seruice and the keeping of the commaundements such doe simply binde in conscience enioyning the same and none other things which God commaundeth in his word And this is that which is affirmed in Synopsis which doctrine the aduersarie shall neuer bee able to disproue and therefore he seeketh to obscure this truth by lying being not ashamed to vtter here two great vntruths as though it were affirmed that Magistrates lawes doe not at all binde in conscience and secret and as though the question were of all lawes and not onely of externall rites and vsages which are in their owne nature indifferent for treasons and treacheries are directly contrarie to the law of God and doe pollute the conscience and such lawes doe binde absolutely in conscience both in respect of the particular thing commanded and of the generall rule of obedience 2. Though Protestants teach that onely faith doth iustifie yet they affirme not onely faith to be necessarie And our opinion is that iustifying faith cannot be without fruites that whereas there are no good workes there is no faith neither was that euer a right faith which neuer brought foorth good workes It is therefore a foolish consequent brought in by him Protestants are iustified onely by faith Ergo felons murthers treasons may be safely practised among them for where these things are maintained there is no faith perceiued Good fruits make not a tree good but onely declare it to be good doth it therefore follow that it is no matter whether a good tree bring foorth fruite or not nay if it doe not it is found to be no good tree We say therefore with S. Paul that they which haue beleeued should be carefull to shew forth good workes these things are good and profitable to men But this shall cleere our doctrine of iustification by faith onely from all suspition of treasons treacheries that these cursed attempts are not to be found among the solifidian Protestants but among the nullifidian Papists who standing vpon the merite of their workes make no conscience a great sort of them to practise against their Prince and countrie as it hath been more then twentie times in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth attempted by Romish Priests and Iudasites and their sectaries and by Gods great mercie and watchfull prouidence discouered 3. That law of reuersing precontracts by mariage consummate was made in the Popish Church and as yet the whole bodie of Popish religion remained in England onely the Popes supremacie excepted anno 32. Henric. 8. But it was reuersed vnder a Protestant Prince King Edward the 6. This exception tendeth rather to the disgrace of Poperie then Protestancie It is further a most impudent forgerie that the statute against precontracts was reuiued anno 1. Elizabeth onely so much is reuiued as was repealed by Queene Marie as touching other prohibitions of mariage not that which was reuoked by King Edward The practise also of the Church sheweth the same where a sound and lawfull precontract is admitted against an vsurped mariage though consummate As for mariage after diuorce for fornication where Christ hath giuen a libertie againe to marrie it ought not to be restrained for feare of any ensuing inconuenience least man should seeme to be wiser then God And yet greater daunger is feared and more mischiefe like to be intended where mariage vpon diuorce is denied then where it is admitted for there one partie being a continuall offence to another they shall be constrained to liue vnchastly and incontinently or tempted to practise one against the life of another that the yoke may be loosed whereas when a second mariage where the iustnes of the cause to the Magistrate is approued is graunted the foresaid daungers are the one helped the other preuented Augustine thus resolueth Potius vxore viuente aliam ducat quis quam humanum sanguinem fundat It were better for a man to marrie another his first wife liuing then to shed blood And Ambrose concludeth peremptorily Viro licet vxorem ducere si dimiserit vxorem peccantem It is lawfull for the man to marrie a wife hauing dismissed the first for her offence against mariage Thus it is apparant with what weapons our aduersaries fight with slaunders wrestings misreports But as the law is Testi non iurato non credendum A man is not to be credited not speaking vpon his oth So this fellow is not to be trusted who I am sure would hardly sweare vnlesse his conscience bee cauterised these things to bee true which here he hath obiected I remember Augustine writing to Hierome commendeth the faithfulnes of one Ciprianus that caried his letters Non illi diligentia deerit
pag. 11. lin 16. his meaning is that he is halfe a subiect as he is English to the Prince as he is Catholike to the Pope for if hee be a Iesuite that thus writeth how can they bee faithfull subiects which call these positions wicked pernicious erronious hereticall trayterous that the Pope hath no authoritie to restraine punish or force by way of armes either by himselfe or others any temporall prince for heresie Apostasie c. that if the Pope attempt any such matter he may bee resisted by Catholike subiects that if they should know of any designement or treatise of the Pope by way of force in England they would reueale the same Thus these popish Iudasites count those heretikes and traytors that are not traytors to their Prince From this ground haue proceeded these diabolicall not theologicall conclusions resolued vpon at Salamanca 7. of March 1602. concerning the inuading of Ireland 1. That the Catholikes in Ireland may fauour the Earle of Tyrone in his warres and that with great merite and hope of euerlasting reward 2. All Catholikes sinne mortallie that take part with the English against Tyrone 3. They are in the same case that helpe the English with any victuals 4. The Catholikes of Ireland that fight against the Queene are by no construction Rebels To these Articles subscribed the Popish Diuines and preachers Iohn de Sequenza Emmanuel de Royas Iasper de Mena Peter Osorio Loe these are the Iesuited Catholike subiects of England If he be a secular Priest that thus professeth himselfe a Catholike subiect he shall giue vs leaue also to doubt of his obedience and loyaltie for what profession soeuer they make of their faithfull seruice and subiection to the Princes Maiestie I feare me their hearts are not sound For whereas the Priests are charged by Parsons to say that the Pope hath no authoritie by way of force or armes immediatly or by others to restraine punish or represse any temporall prince for heresie c. they vtterly renounce this position and call it a spitefull collection They say further that the Popes indirect authoritie in temporalibus in temporall things is not called in question neither is the power of deposing of princes examined And whereas Parsons laboureth to proue that although the Pope directly haue no temporall dominion or iurisdiction ouer Christian temporall princes c. yet indirectly for conseruation and defence of religion c. he may also vse the sword or helpe of temporall forces either immediatly from himselfe or by other princes at his direction c. The Priests to this answere that they labour about a matter not in controuersie So then it is their opinion that although the Pope not as a Bishop or Ecclesiasticall person yet as a temporall Prince may depose Kings and inuade kingdomes Then it is to be vehemently feared least that this should be their euasion that if the Pope should make an inuasion they would obey him though not as a spirituall Prelate yet as a temporall Prince I may therefore here say with Hierome Non bonae suspicionis est cum in eodem sensu verba dissentiunt It is no good suspition when as in the same sense the words differ For this cunning circumlocution of words bewrayeth a diuers sense May we not now thinke that these Catholike subiects are like vnto the Popish Bishops in King Henry the 8. his time that professed themselues good subiects to the king and yet were obliged by oath to the Pope swearing in this manner Their counsell to me credited by them their messengers or letters I shall not willingly discouer to any person the Popedome of Rome the regalities of S. Peter I shall helpe and retaine and defend against all men the rights honours priuiledges authorities of the Church of Rome of the Pope and his successors I shall cause to be conserued c. I shall not be in councell treatie or any act in the which any thing shall be imagined against him or the Church of Rome their rites states honours c. if I know any such to be moued I shall resist it to my power c. Let any man now iudge whether any taking this oath to the Pope could be good subiects to their Prince no more can they that stand for the regalities priuiledges and iurisdiction of the Church of Rome as both Priests and Iesuites doe for ought I can see 2. He calleth this the decaying and withering age of the Protestants pag. 11. lin 18. It is strange to see how bold and confident these vaine people are that notwithstanding God hath hitherto subuerted all their trayterous deuices and made frustrate their vaine hope yet they doe flatter themselues in their purposes and doe expect an encrease of their kingdome and a decay and extirpation of the Gospell The Priest he dreameth that Priests may be raised vp out of our owne Vniuersities and from among the Ministers themselues But Parsons himselfe saith that this is a reason to be laughed at But the Iesuite is yet more bold God will at his time appointed most certainly restore the realme of England to the Catholike he meaneth Popish faith And againe We shall not finde that difficultie and resistance by the grace of God in England which good men doe finde in other countries for bringing in of any reformation that is attempted Yea he taketh vpon him to prescribe what his Catholike Prince shall doe when he hath him and how he shall demeane himselfe toward his Nobilitie Indeede we will goe thus farre with Frier Robert that God at the time appointed may restore c. But wee verely trust that no such time is appointed or shall euer come and by the grace of God as they haue found I thinke more difficultie hitherto to plant Popish religion in England then in any other countrie so shall they finde still And concerning his Catholike Prince whom Parsons stil meaneth to be the Catholike King of Spaine or some to bee brought in by him I will answere him with their owne Priests words God forbid that time should euer come neither doe I trust in God it euer shall And that it may yet further appeare what a vaine hope is hatched in their breasts first during her Maiesties daies they had small reason to looke for reiuing of superstition whose constant resolution and setled iudgement against al mixture or toleration of contrarie religion we al were perswaded of while she liued they needed not to doubt her Maiestie her selfe had professed in the late Proclamation not long before her peaceable departure to the comfort of all her subiects And the Iesuite himselfe further confesseth that there is no hope that the King of Scotland now our Soueraigne Lord King of England Scotland France and Ireland will be a Catholike which the whole Church of England beleeued before and now to their great comfort seeth and with thankes to Iesus Christ acknowledgeth
against them First for Sybils Oracles they do euidently describe the Pope of Rome calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that should haue a manifold that is a triple crowne and his name should come neere to Ponti so is he called Pontifex that all the world should visit his foote that he should gather together huge heapes of gold and siluer be skilfull in Magick arte And afterward in the same booke Sybill speaketh of the vtter ruine and desolation of Rome Concerning the Rabbines neither do they witnes for the Romanes but did rather by the scriptures gather that they should be enemies to the Church for so they vnderstand that prophesie of Balaam that Cittim shall afflict Heber of the power of Italy and Rome so Onkelos Iarchi Ezra Sadaiah Isaac Bochai as they are cited by that learned man in his Concent whose name as I haue heard this opponent beareth but neither his wit nor learning Is not this now a braue lad that would make vs belieue that these speake for him that are vtterlie against him But whereas he challengeth beside that Mahometanes Iewes Paganes Infidels Heretikes Schismatikes Deuils damned soules soules in Purgatorie do witnesse with them We willinglie yeeld them all these they are fit Iurie men to bring in such a verdite onely I take exception against two of this empanelled enquest the soules in Purgatorie which is no where and therfore it is a vaine proofe and the damned soules who if they might vtter their complaint from hell they would cry out against their popish instructors which by their idolatrie doctrine of freewill merits pilgrimages inuocation of Saints blind traditions and by many other grosse errors and blind ignorance condemned them to hell 8 He saith further That the Queene by her new taken prerogatiue proceedeth in spirituall causes without Parliament Here are two vntruths couched together 1 Her Maiestie did while she liued exercise no authoritie in those causes which the statutes of this realme haue not yeelded vnto her and therefore without Parliament she proceeded not that authoritie in spirituall matters being restored to the Crowne by acte of Parliament 2 False also it is that this prerogatiue is new taken vp that the Prince should be the supreme gouernor ouer all persons and in all causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall for her Maiestie did not challenge any authoritie and power of ministerie of deuine offices in the Church as the Papists do falsely slaunder the state but only she was acknowledged during her princely life and raigne to be supreame gouernor of the Church in her realme to prescribe lawes for the same by the word of God and to see them executed and no otherwise This prerogatiue is auncient neuer denied to Christian Princes Dauid Solomon Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosias reformed religion deposed idolatrous priests made ecclesiasticall orders and lawes Eleutherius calleth King Lucius Gods vicar in his kingdome and saith it is his dutie to call his people to the faith and law of Christ. Pope Leo thus decreed Res humanae c. Humane matters can not otherwise be safe nisi quae ad diuinam confessionē pertinent regia sacerdotalis defendat dignitas vnlesse those things which belong to the deuine profession both the kinglie and priestlie authoritie defend And among other offices of the Kings of England this is one Vt regat ecclesiam That he gouerne the Church Yea the popish Clergie were the first that recognized King Henry the 8. to be the supreame head of the Church of England 9 Where he saith The definition of the Pope in such cases is impossible to be false by all morall iudgement You should haue said moriall or a fooles iudgement for it is notoriouslie knowne that diuers Popes haue been heretikes Marcellinus was a Montanist Liberius an Arrian Honorius was condemned for an Heretike Anastasius and Celestinus were Nestorians Yea it is also manifest that the Bishops of Rome haue erred in their definitions and decrees Nicolaus 1. alloweth baptisme made onely in the name of Christ Decret 1. de baptis Platina saith Post Stephanum c. After Stephen this custome was obserued Vt acta priorū pontificum sequentes aut infringerent aut omnino tollerent That the Popes which succeeded did infringe the acts of their predecessors or cleane take them away The former then or the latter must needs erre in their decrees Erasmus saith Ioannes 22. Nicolaus totis decretis intra se pugnant idque in his quae videntur ad fidei negotium pertinere Iohn 22. and Nicolas in all their decrees do fight one with another and in such things as belong vnto faith But if you waigh not the credit of this testimonie heare one of your Popes confession Quid si criminosus papa contraria fidei praedicet haereticisque dogmatib imbuat subditos What if a bad Pope do preach contrarie to the faith and corrupt his subiects with hereticall opinions It is possible then for a Pope not only to erre himselfe but to preach publish and enioyne it to others What an heape of lyes hath this fabulous Frier told vs and all within the compasse of one page I may say to him as Diogenes to Plato who requesting of him three rootes out of his garden sent him a bushell euen so saith he when you are asked you answere many things But this vnskilfull gardener vnasked hath cast vs out of his garden stinking weeds by lumps serued vs with a bushell of lyes Cyprianes saying may very well be applied to such ouer-reaching Romanists Romani cum sua mendaciorum merce nauigant quasi veritas post eos nauigare non posset The Romanists hoise vp saile to carrie their merchandise of lyes as though the truth could not saile after them so this nimble Cursitor trips away with his false footing as though no man could trace his wide footsteps and ouertake him The fourth Perswasion 1 I Defend a religion which hath confuted all aduersaries Atheists Epicures Iewes Paganes Mahumetanes Magicians Philosophers 2 Which hath conquered aboue 400. sects of internall and domesticall heretikes subdued all nations 3 Not a religion builded vpon vaine coniecture c. wherein so many heads so many religions deniers of scriptures deceitfull false translators corrupters and forgers of holie euidence deuisers of doctrines for pleasure sake c. 4 But a religion founded vpon the most certaine and infallible word of God c. The Disswasion 1 HOw well popish religion confuteth Atheists Epicures Iewes Pagans Mahometanes I haue shewed before that poperie boroweth from all these that diuers of their Popes haue been Atheists Gregor 7. Siluester 2. Paulus 3. Benedict 9. Ioann 13. Leo. 10. Alexander 6. with other Iewes and Turkes are tolerated vnder the Popes nose onely the Protestants are persecuted vnto death And for Magicians Platina sheweth that
running in a maze and not knowing where he is he speaketh contraries affirming vnawares what he before vntruely denied that the Magistrates chiefe care and sollicitude must be in taking order for such causes he meaneth of religion pag. 49. lin 13. And thus as Augustine fayth Impij in circuitu ambulant qui in gyrum it nunquaÌ„ finit c. The vngodlie walke in a maze as he that goeth in a compasse neuer is at an end And thus this obliuious discourser runneth himselfe out of breath saying and vnsaying for if the Magistrates chiefe care must be in taking order for causes of religion how do they not properly belong to the iudgement and redresse of those which rule in the common-wealth Much like he is to the roape-maker in Purgatorie who as fast as he twisteth the roape an asse behind deuoureth it So his wrested speeches as the ouer-runnings of his mouth are licked vp by a contrary breath Now right honorable this Popes-creature at the first discouereth himselfe he is his grand-masters factor to engrosse all ecclesiasticall causes to his vnholines and would cut your honors short both of iudgement and power in matters of religion And thus full well like a wise Orator he doth wisely at the first exasperate them to whom he would insinuate himselfe But go on my Lords in your honorable course to whom I do not only wish all excellent knowledge and iudgement in religion as S. Paule said vnto King Agrippa I would to God that not only thou but all that heare me to day were both almost and altogether such as I am c. but prosperous successe also in the defense thereof And I say with Hierome to euery one of your honors Cur qui in seculo primus es non in Christi familia primus sis Why should ye not that are chiefe in the world be chiefe also in Christs familie 2. Motiue Because you are sworne Councellers to assist our Princesse whose chiefe stile and title is graunted to her father King Henry the 8. by Pope Leo the 10. defender of the faith for defending the Catholike Romane religion against Luther c. The remooue 1. This title to be defender of the Church or faith was due vnto the Prince and giuen to the Kings of England long before King Henry in Edward the Confessors time Illos decet vocare reges qui vigilanter defendunt regunt ecclesiam Dei It is meete to call them Kings that vigilantly defend and gouerne the Church of God 2 Her Maiestie according to her princely stile hath shewed her selfe in deede while she liued a most constant Defender of the faith and to none of her predecessors was this stile more truely giuen for it is not conteyned in her Maiesties stile to be defender of the Romane or Papall but simplie of the faith 3 What if it were bestowed vpon King Henry for writing against Luther c. that famous King did not receiue it in that sense or at the least reteined it not neyther is it now annexed to the imperiall Crowne in that regard for writing c. which concerned the King only then being not his succession nor yet as a gift from the Pope but as a right due to all Christian Princes to defend the faith What the occasion first was of this title it skilleth not neither by whom nor for what it was taken vp so long as it is not a vaine title but the Princes proceedings are answereable to the stile 4 The heathen Emperors of Rome first vsed in their stile to be called Pontifices maximi High Priests as it may appeare by the Epistle of Antoninus Pius to the people of Asia yet the Christian Emperors continuing that stile to be named Pontifices maximi as Flauianus Valentinianus pontifex Inclytus Flauius Marcianus pontifex Inclytus c. yet were not bound by their stile to maintaine the idolatrous religion of the Pagane Emperors from whom it was descended but they in another sense did call themselues high priests as hauing the chiefest care of the Christian faith as the other had before of idolatrie So the Queenes highnes then and the Kings Maiestie is now called a Defender of the right Christian faith howsoeuer their predecessors might be defenders of another religion And as Pilate did write Christ King of the Iewes ignorantlie confessing the truth so did the Pope name the King of England Defender of the faith prophecying as Caiphas against himselfe and foretelling vnawares that the Princes of this land should become true defenders of the faith indeede 5 This title of Defender of the faith is more truly annexed to the Crowne of England then the stile of Holines to the Popes chaire and of Catholike to the King of Spayne who I could wish indeede were that which they are called But I feare me these titles do agree vnto them euen as the titles of benefactors and of Sauiours were vsurped of Antiochus and the Ptolomies which were cruell tyrants And as Dionysius the yonger called his daughters by the names of vertue chastitie iustice being an enemie to them all Who herein are like vnto those qui titulos potentiorum praedijs suis affigunt who the better to hold their lands do entitle great men with them against which fraude Arcadius made a lawe And as Augustine sayth Haeretici ad defensionem possessionis suae Christi titulos ponunt sicut nonnulli faciunt in domo sua c. Heretikes to defend their possession pretend the title of Christ as many vse to do in their houses entitling some great men with them to keepe them from wrong Ipse vult possessor domus frontem domus suae de titulo alieno vult muniri He will be the owner of the house himselfe yet will haue another beare the name So the Pope will be the master of faith himselfe yet pretendeth the name of Christ of holines of Catholike religion So are not our late Queene and now soueraigne Lord defenders of the faith but their Christian proceedings thankes be giuen vnto God are answerable to their honourable titles The third motiue Our vniust persecution vnder your predecessors requireth amends and I hope at the least shall receiue a toleration The Remoue 1. The punishment which hath been inflicted vpon treacherous Iudasites is no more persecution then for felons and murderers to be executed at Tiburne they suffer worthily for their traiterous conspiracies and practises shamelesse men they are that complaine of persecution when as they hold most traiterous positions against the Prince and state as whereas the secular Masse-Priests professe if it bee in truth that if the Pope should attempt by force of armes to inuade the land they would resist him in person and that if they knew of any designements by the Pope to enter by force c. to reforme religion they would reueale it to the State Disloyall Pâ—rsons in the name of that
shall not haue the custodie of the heire that holdeth of the king by free soccage of another by Knights seruice Hen. 3. an 9. Mag. chart c. 27. Ward 13.14 15. The King shall haue the ward and mariage of all that hold of him in chiefe Ed. 2. ann 17. praerogatiu reg c. 1.2.6 11 Women 2. That widowes of them that hold of the King in chiefe shall not marrie without the Kings licence praerogat reg c. 4. ann 17. Ed. 2. 12 Wreck 2. The King shall haue the wrecke of the sea throughout the realme praerogat reg c. 11. ann 17. Edward 2. Thus it is euident that these lawes by this pettifogger alleaged do not serue his turne at all neither is there to be found so much as one syllable sounding that way that these priuileges and graunts were for that reason and intent giuen vnto the Kings of England as he saith for the defence of the Popish faith so that he is euidētlie conuinced of so many vntruths as he hath here quoted lawes And beside let it be considered that all these prerogatiues were graunted in the raignes of Hen. 3. and Edw. 2. who impugned the iurisdiction of the Romane Bishop and therefore are reckned vp in the number of Kings of vnhappie successe by this Popes Register p. 77. How then is it like that these priuiledges were graunted them for defence of the papall seignorie to the which they so much opposed themselues 3 But concerning the dignities of the Church of England founded as he saith by their Catholike Kings we do possesse them with better right then the Popish Clergie did For 1. whereas they erected them to the honor of God which was the principall end of their deuotion though they fayled in the meanes we doubt not but that these erections are now better employed to Gods glorie then euer they were in time of Poperie and that they not we vsed those franke gifts contra formam collationis against the forme of collation and mind of the founder employing them to superstitious and idolatrous and riotous vses not pious and religious and therefore did forfeit their state according to the equitie of the lawe 2 Beside this is consonant to the lawes Imperiall that edificies abused to heresie and superstition should be added vnto the true Church and the reason of the lawe is yeelded Certum est quicquid à fide Christianorū discrepat legi Christianae esse contrarium It is certaine what soeuer differeth from the Christian faith is contrarie to the Christian lawe Such things then as were abused against true religion were out of the lawes protection 3 These ecclesiasticall dignities were first erected for the preaching of the word as the Apostle saith If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things Therefore an vnpreaching Clergie such as the Popish Hierarchie is hath no right vnto them they were but vsurpers no true owners Therefore ye Popish Masse-priests and Baals shauelings are the miserable people spoken of worthie with Elie his posteritie to beg a morsell of bread and a piece of siluer rather then to beare the Priests office To whom that saying of Ambrose may fitlie be applied Nomen inane crimen immane honor sublimis vita deformis ne sit religiosus amictus irreligiosus profectus Let not your name be vaine your crimes certaine your honor hie your life awrie your habit holie but your hearts and works vnholie Such as Alexander said Antipater was He did weare white garments without and was all purple within Such is the Popish Clergie outwardlie clothed with sanctitie inwardlie full of hypocrisie The Apologie 1 NO place of error was left for those Kings pa. 66. li. 7. Ergo their religion is to be receiued that it is not likely that those auncient Catholike Kings could erre he would proue 1. by the confession of the Protestants That it doth appertaine to the title and iurisdiction of Christian Kings to determine matters and questions of religion pag. 64. lin 10. 2 Because of the zeale and deuotion of those Kings c. there is no comparison but rather Protestant Princes should erre then they pag. 64. lin 32. 3 Because of the number learning and pietie of them by whom they were counsayled pag 64. lin 30. as Cedde Anselme Dunstane Thomas Becket Lanfranke pa. 65. li. 30. 4 There was no place of error left for those Kings c. because no decree of faith without generall consent of the whole Christian word generall Councels c. except God would permit the whole world to be deluded c. pag. 66. lin 6.10 c. The Antilogie 1 TO proue the former Catholike Kings not to haue erred he beginneth himselfe with an error and fiction of his owne that Protestants referre the deciding and determination of questions of religion vnto Princes as though the resolution of all such doubts were layd vp and locked in the Princes breast We do attribute vnto our Christian Princes no absolute power to determine what they will nor priuiledge them from error as they do their Pope The allegations in the margent affixed are friuolous for neither did the Conuocation ann 1562. referre the deciding the questions of religion to her Maiestie but they were first agreed vpon by the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the Clergie by the word of God whereunto her Maiestie afterward gaue her royall assent Neither can any such thing be shewed out of any acte of Parliament ann 1. ann 5. ann 13. Elizab. as he cunninglie according to his fraudulent manner foisteth into the margent only the chiefe gouernment of all estates and in all causes is giuen to her Maiestie and that they ought not to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction artic 37. The author of Synopsis is also in this behalfe sclaundered for he speaketh not where that question is handled of deciding of questions of religion but of the constituting of Ecclesiasticall lawes the authoritie whereof is shewed to belong to the Prince with three limitations 1. The Prince is not to prescribe any lawes but such as require the true worship of God 2. He is to consult in these cases with the learned and godlie of his realme 3. Such canons and ordinances the execution whereof properlie belong vnto the Ministers of the Church are excepted and so it is concluded that no lawes ought to be made without the authoritie of the Prince which the Prince is bound to execute Now sir doth it follow hereupon that Christian Princes are absolutely to be obeyed in all ecclesiasticall lawes whatsoeuer vnlesse you could shew this by the confession of Protestants which you shall neuer do your reason is not worth a rush 2 Neither doth it follow because some of them were men of great sanctimonie as instance is giuen in King Alured of his deuout prayers godlie exercises charitable works pa. 64. whose singular vertues
and caue in that extremitie This victorious Prince greatly repented with teares at his death of all his outragious deedes commaunding all his treasure to be distributed vnto Churches poore folks and Ministers of God and made a large confession of his sinnes before his death with an eloquent exhortation to his sonnes and Nobles forgiuing all men and opening all prison doores to them which were there detained what reason then had this Popish pickthanke so ill to requite this Prince so great a benefactor to the Papall professors Concerning the punishments noted to haue befallen this Prince as the great famine in his daies and of the breaking of his entrailes and the deniall of buriall the first was a iudgement rather vpon the whole land being by conquest made desolate then vpon him that did conquer it the second is no rare thing for a man by the leaping of his horse ouer a ditch to breake the rimme of his bellie as this Prince did for the third true it is that a gentleman forbad his buriall because it was taken by violence from his father where the Duke had founded the house of S. Stephen This wrong was done not for any priuate gaine but for the erection of that Church which the Papists count a meritorious work and yet the gentleman was compounded with and the bodie peaceably interred These were neither such extraordinarie iudgements and whatsoeuer they were might be laid vpon him for his transgressions not for his disobedience to the Sea of Rome But hath not this Popes hireling shewed great thankfulnes to such a liberall benefactor and principall founder who augmented enlarged nine Abbeys of Monks and one of Nunnes in Normandie and in whose time 17. Monasteries and 6. Nunries were builded as he himselfe confessed vpon his death-bed whom the Bishop of Ebroike commended in his funerall sermon for his magnificence valour peace and iustice Among many other this brabler had least cause to take exception against this valiant Duke 2. Concerning William Rufus 1. his resisting against the Pope was iust and vpon good ground because of his vnsatiable exactions alleaging this reason Quod Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes c. That the Popes follow not Peters steps gaping for bribes neither haue they his authoritie not imitating his sanctitie 2. Whereas he would not suffer Anselme without his licence to goe or appeale to Rome but for his stubborne behauiour banished him the King therein alleageth the custome of the land from his fathers time and all the Bishops tooke part with the King against Anselme 3. The death of William Rufus being slaine by the glaunsing of an arrow shot by one Tyrell as the King was hunting in the new forrest is noted by historians as a iudgement of God vpon him for his oppression As Richard an other sonne of William the father was slaine in the same forrest which he had made plucking downe Churches and dis-peopling towneships 30. miles about It was not then the Kings restrayning of the Popes vsurping but his own vsurping vpon other mens possessions that might be thought to incense the diuine wrath against him 3. It is also vntrue as this dreamer surmiseth that Henry the first could not be quiet in conscience till he had restored the Ecclesiasticall he meaneth Papall libertie for he reformed the too great libertie and licentiousnes of the Clergie and seemed little to fauour the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome neither would suffer any Legate to come from the Pope vnlesse by himselfe required Beside he obtained of Calixtus the 2. that he might vse all the customes vsed before of his forefathers in England 4. Whereas this fabler affirmeth That neuer any Gouernor before King Henry the 8. challenged any such prerogatiue of supremacie except in the inuestiture of Bishops pag. 74. lin 20. This is a notable fiction as may appeare by the words of William Rufus to Anselme The custome sayth he from my fathers time hath been in England that no person should appeale to the Pope without the Kings licence He that breaketh the customes of the realme violateth the Crowne and power of the Kingdome 5. Neither is it true that such troubles befell Henry the 2. for his disobedience to the Bishop of Rome as forreine warres and busines abroad and the rebellion of his owne children at home But these troubles are by the best historians imputed to other causes as some make the originall thereof to be his refusall to take the protection of Hierusalem against the infidels being humblie sued vnto by Heraclius the Patriarke who in his Oration to the King foretold of the plagues like to ensue Others affirme that the King was punished for his licentious life for he was a great wedlocke breaker keeping a famous concubine called Rosamond after whose death he deteyned the daughter of Lewes King of France married to his sonne Richard and kept Ellanor the Queene in prison twelue yeares Neither is it true that after 〈…〉 reconciled to the Church of Rome that 〈…〉 but they rather then began for the 〈…〉 vpon his oath of the death of Thomas 〈…〉 certaine conditions from the Pope 〈…〉 of his raigne and immediately after followed 〈…〉 with his sonne Henry ann 1173. and with the Flemings and Scots ann 1174. of his raigne ann 20. or after others ann 22. It is therefore vntrue that the same day of his reconciliation the Earle of Fâ—anders retyred and the next day after the King of Scots was taken prisoner Neither immediatly vpon this reconciliation of the King were his sonnes reconciled and he himselfe restored to his pristine tranquillitie of mind and bodie for his sonnes Henry and Geffrey raised warre against their father againe ann 30. of his raigne and shot at him pearcing his vppermost armour though some semblance there had been before of their submission to the King And afterward in the 35. yeare of Henries raigne his sonnes Richard and Iohn leuied an armie against their father who for sorrow thereof dyed whose dead corps at the comming of Richard bled abundantlie at the nose thereby strangely accusing his vnnaturall proceedings against his father 6. Neither was King Iohn punished because he had controuersie with the Sea of Rome as is pretended for after he was released of his excommunication and absolued which was in the 15. yeare of his raigne and the land released of the interdiction which had continued 6. yeares then began his cruell warres with the Barons and Lewes the French kings sonne ann 17. 18. notwithstanding that the Pope tooke part with the King and excommunicated the Nobles and last of all he was poisoned by a Monke of Swinsted The cause of this strife betweene the King and the Barons is alleadged for that he would not vse the lawes of S. Edward And some part of his trouble may well be imputed to his stubborne
sent the helue after the head and found both so I hope this simple present added to the former may make a way for me vnto your Maiestie not to speake for my selfe but in the behalfe of the Church of Christ. Now because I know not whether in this kind I may euer hereafter haue occasion to speake to your Maiestie let me be bold in the feare of God to vtter my mind to your Highnesse not onely with reuerence as to a King but plainely in singlenesse of hart as to a Christian a good man and louer of Gods Church Hierome of Sicile was wont to say That none that spake freely to him did importune him or was vnseasonable much more to your Christian Maiestie free and plaine speech deliuered in dutie I trust shall not be vnpleasing First then as we all do praise God for your happie succession in the kingdome by whom we are vndoubtedly perswaded religion and peace shall be coÌ„tinued and maintained that we haue all cause to say with Israell The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce the times fall out much better and the change more happie then was of some feared of others expected It hath not happened vnto vs as aged Leontines foretold to the Antiochians who pointing to his gray and white haires said When this snow is melted much mire will follow that is sedition and trouble But after the dissolution of the white snowie haires of our last aged Soueraigne no such trouble God be thanked hath followed the Lord hath not left vs as sheepe without a shepheard We are the same sheepe to be led foorth still to the waters of life though another sheepheard As the Church of England acknowledgeth Gods great goodnesse herein so your Christian Maiestie shall do wel to recogitate with your selfe as you do the Lords great mercies toward you who in your infancie from many perils most prouidently preserued you and in your former raigne from many dangers miraculously deliuered you and now to a most flourishing kingdome most honourably aduaunced you I doubt not but as your Highnesse hath the like occasion so with the Prophet you will vtter the same affection My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites as well appeareth to the great comfort of vs all by that religious weekely erected exercise in your Highnesse Court Your Maiestie well remembreth Moses counsell to the king that he should reade in the law of God all the dayes of his life that his heart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren Princes are set in slipperie places if God stay them not abundance of honor pleasure wealth may soone intangle theÌ„ This appeared in Salomon who strangely fell and declined from his integritie Alexanders example in forraine stories is notable who in iustice temperance chastitie was a mirror to all Princes before he tasted of the pleasures of Asia Dionysius for a while delighted in Plato and seemed to be studious of Philosophie but he quickely fell away therein well resembled to a booke wherein that which was before written was soone blotted out But in Christians the mutabilitie of nature is corrected by the stabilitie of grace and God with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning shall so strengthen your royall heart as that it be neither ouer-cast with shadow nor turned by change There are two enemies to Christian constancie enuie and flatterie the one practiseth the other perswadeth that pulleth backe this letteth to go forward the last is the worst the first least to be feared Enuie followeth vertue flatterie nourisheth vice the first Themistocles well perceiued who being yet young said he had done no excellent thing because he was not enuied the other Phocion was not ignorant of to whom when the people gaue applause for his oration What saith he to his friends haue I spoken any thing amisse vnawares shewing that popular applause and flatterie doth often worke vpoÌ„ some infirmitie Many haue preuented trecherie that could not take heed of flatterie Dauid whom neither Abner and Amasaes valour nor Achitophels wit could subdue Ziba his false tale seduced and smiling ease and prosperitie corrupted Nehemiah could wel beware of Tobiah and Sanballat that were threatning aduersaries but he was most in daunger by Shemaiah and Noadiah dissembling Prophets The way for Princes to auoide such flatterers is to haue faithfull seruants and followers as Dauid saith The faithfull in the land shall dwell with me the vpright in heart shall serue me Lysippus the Caruer did worthily reproue Apelles the Painter because he had made Alexanders picture with a thunderbolt in his hand as a God the other with a speare honouring him as a valiant Prince I doubt not but they are more pleasing to your Highnesse that giue you that is due then which ascribe that you will not take Against enuie and trechery your Maiestie must oppose your Christian innocencie and carefull circumspection against flatterie your Princely humilitie As Ambrose well describeth the penitent king of Niniuie that humbled himselfe in sackcloth He forgetteth himselfe to be a king while he feareth God the king of al a straunge thing while he casteth away his purple robes and remembreth not that he is a king he beginneth to be a king of Iustice he did not lose his kingdome but chaunged it to the better God graunt that to your Princely humilitie and Christian pietie may be added diuine constancie that although archers shoot at you some with darts of enuy trechery some with the bolts of flatterie yet with Ioseph your bow may abide strong and the hands of your armes strengthened to the end Agesilaus well said I do so vse my selfe that in no chaunge I be chaunged We all trust that this speech will be more truly verified in your Christian Maiestie then in that heathen Prince which your firme and we hope vnchaungeable constancie hath manifested it selfe in your stedfast resolution for the continuance of religion in sinceritie without mixture Some haue preasâ—ed alreadie if not presumed to make request for toleration of their Masse or rather Misse-seruice for all is amisse in it but they might know that the Arke and Dagon cannot dwell together that Hezechiah will not suffer the brasen serpent to stand nor Iosias permit the Chemarims to execute their idolatrous seruice They wold seeme to condition with your Maiestie whose lands and persons are at your courtesie much like the Athenians who being forced to giue vp their citie to the Spartans desired that Samos might be left to whom one wittily answered When you are not your owne you would haue others to be yours Whereupon grew this Prouerbe He that hath not himselfe would haue Samos We haue an English by-word Beggers must be no choosers so neither must petitioners be prescribers Your Maiestie can answer such importunate vnreasonable suiters as Zerubabel answered the aduersaries of Iudah that offered
their seruice craftily to build the temple It is not for you but for vs to build the house vnto our God And as Valentinian made answer to the Romaine Embassadors that made petition for the restoring of the idoll temples That which my brother Gratian taketh away how can you thinke I should restore In so doing I should both hurt religion and do my brother wrong Postulet parens Roma alia quaecunque desideret Let our mother citie Rome aske any thing else which she desireth This good Emperour Valentinian being yet but young was so resolute to continue the puritie of religion that notwithstanding the instance of the Romaine Orators and the counsell of all his Senatours that approued their petition he would not graunt any libertie to Romaine idolatrie Lycurgus answer was very fit to one that perswaded that the gouernement might be committed to the people Do thou first make triall in thy house giuing thy seruants the rule So these that would haue diuerse religions in the CoÌ„mon-weale yet mislike that there should be any but their owne profession in their houses and families their children and seruants being for the most part if they may haue their desires like affected to themselues We thanke God for your Maiesties firmenesse and constancie herein praying heartily for the encrease of Christian zeale strength and corage in your princely heart But as your excellent resolution is to haue the state of the Church and Commonwealth no worse so we reioyce to heare of your princely consultation to make them both better Alwaies the noble Princes Reformers haue added somewhat to their predecessors worke and where the other left they began Dauid brought the Priests and Leuits to order Salomon built the Temple Asa tooke away Idolatrie Iehosaphat remoued the high places Hezekiah brake downe the brasen Serpent Iosias restored the feast of the Passeouer to his first integritie vnder Nehemiah the feast of Tabernacles was reuiued So in England Henrie the eight expelled the Pope and abolished Idolatrie King Edward proceeded and abrogated the Masse Queen Elizabeth weÌ„t yet further took order for recusants seminary seducing Priests Iudasits and somewhat it may be is yet remaining either to be amended or added by your Maiestie for we doubt not but that you haue set your heart to seeke the Lord and with Hezekiah to do that which is good in his sight That saying of Alexander doth well fit a Christian Prince It profiteth not to possesse all things and to do nothing As we ioy to see you a possessor of the Crowne so we desire to behold you an agent in Christs Church we ioy from our hearts to see what reformation your Mâ—â—estie hath begun in the Common-wealth in staying of monopolies redressing of oppression and extortion by officers restraining vnlawfull games vpon the Lords day We do also as much reioyce to thinke of your princely resolution for matters Ecclesiasticall In restoring the reuenues of the Church and misliking the law of Annexation in maintaining the three estates of Parliament in seeing that all Churches in your dominions be planted with good Pastors And that euery Church may be thus planted with a good Pastor one should no longer be suffered to haue many nor he that is no good Pastor nor able to teach any and if the Pastor must be planted in his Church then to be plucked and pulled from thence by long absence is not fit Thus so many hundred Churches that want teachers shall be supplied and diuers hundred Preachers not yet called abroade shall be employed But seeing a great cause of an vnlearned Ministery is want of maintenance we thanke God for your Highnesse Christian care also herein that sufficient prouision be made for the sustentation of Ministers which may be fitly done if patrons were vrged to bestow their liuings freely and better order were taken for impropriations that such as are of the Churches fee be demised for the old rent to the incumbent Preacher such as belong to others be charged with some conuenient portion to issue forth for the maintenance of the Pastor But I presume not to prescribe a course but onely to giue my simple aduice To our great comfort also your Maiestie hath declared your princely care and desire that the doctrine and discipline be preserued according to Gods word whereas the first hath bin in this Church by some with vnsound teaching corrupted as I haue partly shewed in the Preface following the other by some much neglected by others not vsed well There are bookes abroade maintaining offensiue doctrine too much declining to poperie which haue done great hurt it might please your Maiestie that such dangerous bookes might be inhibited and because they are dispersed into many hands that they receiue some answer by publike allowance or sufficient satisfaction from the authors lest the infection spread further We also with thaÌ„ks to God take knowledge of your Highnesse Christian disposition to peace that no coÌ„tention shold be in the Church about ceremonies in your princely iudgement indifferent whereabout the Church of England hath bene much distracted Lycurgus is said to auoide drunkennesse to haue forbid the vse of vines Your Highnesse in good time may more easily remoue the iust occasions of offence or so indifferently moderate them that they breede no strife God giue your Maiestie strength in due time to reforme both those and what other abuses are in Church or Commonwealth Some perhaps would haue your Maiestie to minister no phisicke at all as though the Church ayled nothing which were nothing else but with Herodotus Selymbrianus in Plato to make a long and lingring sickenesse who falling into an incurable disease deuised how to prolong death where he could not preuent it Some would haue Heraclitus phisicke vsed to do nothing but purge who being sicke of a dropsie desired the Phisitian to purge him throughly to turne the abundance of showers into drought so they would haue all purged not the superfluous humors onely but some profitable parts as the very calling it selfe of reuerend Pastors and Bishops who while they attend the sincere preaching of the word and the vncorrupt administration of discipline may no doubt do the Church much good But the better sort desire neither with Heroditus nothing to be purged nor with Heraclitus all things to be euacuated and purged but rather approue Hippocrates method that what is euill may be purged the rest to be coÌ„forted strengthened This was Saint Pauls course to purge out the old leauen that there might be a new lumpe We would not the leauen lumpe of dough and all to be cast out but the lumpe to be renewed the old sower leauen to be reiected Thus shall your Maiestie shew your selfe as Hierome saith of one to be Hippocrates Christianorum A right Hippocrates of Christians indeed that you may say with the kingly Prophet Dauid The earth and the inhabitants
thereof are dissolued but I will establish the pillars of it Your Maiestie as another Moses can onely appease the strife betweene the Hebrewes and as another Constantine to reconcile the Church-ministers who wrote thus vnto them Let me enioy good daies and quiet nights without care if not my griefe will be the more When your Highnes hath wrought this cure you shal be no more troubled with petitions by day nor careful meditations by night Aristippus and Aeschines being fallen out one asked the first what was now become of their friendship he answered It was asleepe but he would awake it When your Highnesse hath awaked the peace of the Church you shal sleep more quietly your selfe and not be troubled any more with Constantines carefull nights You are our Salomon to iudge betweene vs they that loue diuision and to contend causlesse let them haue the least part Theodosius when Catholikes and Heretikes put vp their libels to him prayed God to direct him so your Maiestie well knoweth that your direction herein must come from God Diuerse complaints as lots are cast into your Princely lap but the disposition thereof is of the Lord. God we trust and for the same pray will so dispose your royall heart that the best cause may haue the first lot the most honest suite the happiest issue and the iustest quarrell the fairest triall Faile not their godly desire herein most gracious Prince that neuer would haue failed you who were resolued I speake herein of mine owne knowledge to haue aduentured their liues and states for your Maiesties iust title who waited for you as for the raine and for the consolation of Israell Faile not then O noble King the hope of Christs Church yea the expectation of Angels yea the trust that Christ hath committed vnto you to be a faithful seruant as Moses in his house so as one saith The eyes of men are not only cast vpon you and the whole land setled to behold your life but God and Angels expect your faithfull seruice God we verily trust will not faile you with his spirit but as the Prophet saith Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued so your prayers and teares which you poure vnto God shall both saue you and your people as one said to Augustines mother Non potest perire tantarum lachrymarum filius the child of such prayers and teares cannot possibly perish or fall away Now as to our great comfort we enioy your Maiestie a norishing father of Christs Church at home so your Highnesse is expected to be a succour and comfort to other afflicted Churches abroad though you are not as a head to direct them yet you may be as a hand to helpe them though not a roote to giue them life and sap yet as a wall for the small branches to runne vpon to stay them vp as it is said of Ioseph It was Iosua his honour to ayde the Gibeonites their confederates against the combined Kings of Canaan Dauid was a captaine to all that were distressed and afflicted Hercules is honoured in heathen stories because he trauelled through the world to remoue cruell gouernours Noble Alexander is famous for the same who conquered a great part of the world reducing rude and barbarous people to ciuill life who charged all to esteeme the whole world as their countrey good men as their countrymen the bad as aliens and strangers Our English Chronicles do blame Henry the second for refusing to take the protection and defence of the distressed Christians in Ierusalem offered vnto him by Heraclius the Patriarke the troubles that befell him at home are ascribed to that cause But Ecclesiasticall stories make honourable mention of the Emperour Theodosius the younger whose loue was such to the afflicted people of God that being present to behold certaine publicke sights and shewes and there hearing of the death of one Ioannes a cruell rebell and tyrant presently left the playes and went to the Church to giue thankes to God Queene Elizabeth was a foster mother to all distressed Christians and I doubt not but all Protestants in the world shall receiue comfort in the cause of Religion from your Maiesties fauour in being a mediator for their peace or succour for their reliefe But of all other we the poore companie of schollers and students haue greatest cause to reioyce in your Maiestie whom now we haue obtained a learned and iudiciall patron of our labours and writings whereas before no gift or present was held to be more base nor lesse regarded of all hands Schollers bookes the trauaile of the soule the weakning of the bodie the care of the day and studie of the night were not not so welcome to the most as a Lawyers fee from the client or a tenants new-yeares gift to his Land-lord I your Maiesties poore subiect could speake herein by experience what small hartening I haue had in the world for my poore trauels in the Church but I will be sparing in mine owne cause And yet I speake not this as though we expected our reward from men though we be men and had need of terrene encouragement but I am bold a poore writer of this Church of England to poure forth the common griefe and complaint of students in this behalfe into your princely bosome Bookes were growne into such small request that many would scarce vouchsafe the reading of them but few beare in mind who presented them they were layed aside by the walles or set vp onely to make a shew as one saith Sacrorum opera ingeniorum in speciem cultum parietum comparantur The labours of sacred wits were vsed onely to beautifie the walles But now we trust as Homers Iliads were accepted of Alexander which he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the furniture of his iourney Terence workes of Scipio Origens bookes of Ambrosius whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because hee continually prouoked him to write and as Hieromes writings were esteemed of Damasus so I doubt not but scholers labours shall be as welcome to your Maiestie as any other subiects presents And in this confidence I haue bene bold againe to offer my seruice to your Maiestie For as he that made that harpe wherewith Thales appeased the tumult of the Lacedaemonians and he that built the ship wherewith Themistocles did defend Greece had cause more to reioice therein then in any worke beside so to none else we more willingly present our labours then to your sacred Maiestie a generall procurer of our peace and defender of Church and countrey whose vigilant heart careth for all whose diligent eye seeth for all whose liberal hand reacheth vnto all And not onely at this present but while I liue haue I purposed to consecrate my pen to the honor of your Maiestie if God will you please And I say with Hierome Quamdiu in hoc corpusculo sum scribam aliquid gratum
Christ I hope Antichrist the head of that false Church is no member of the Church of Christ or belonging to his family Thus in these and diuers other such questions wherein we haue bin distracted our princely Ecclesiastes as another Constantine that decided the controuersies betweene the Christian Bishops hath taken vp the strife like as Archidamus being chosen an vmpire betweene two brought them to the temple charging them not to depart till they were agreed If there yet be remaining any question or controuersie in our Church let his Maiestie iudge betweene vs his Catholicke and Christian iudgement may reduce vs to vnitie and consent in religion I say then with S. Paul Let vs therefore as many as are perfect be thus minded and if we be otherwise minded God shal reueale the same vnto vs. Augustine saith wel to Hierome Quiescamus ab his cōtētionib nostre vitae salutique parcamus minus certè assequatur illa quae inflat dum nō offendatur illa quae aedificat Let vs cease from these contentions and fauour our life and health let that which puffeth vp be amended while that which edifieth be not offended Now to such as haue a long time stood out and refused to cōmunicate with the Church of England I would exhort them now at the length to be wiser and not to suffer themselues any longer to be abused by that Romish generation of whom that saying of the Prophet is true Qui ducunt seducunt vos They that guide you beguile you Isay. 3.12 The variance and enmity that hath bin of late between your false teachers the ignatian Friers and Seminary priests doth shew that they seeke not you but themselues you may say of them as Tully of Pompey and Caesar that were fallen out Nosse se quem fugere ignorare quem sequi debeat That he knew whom to shun but not whom to follow I would they did embrace Hieromes counsel In mentem tibi veniat tunicam Saluatoris non à militibus fuisse conscissam fratrum inter se cernis iurgia laetaris imitari Ionam dicito Si propter me ista est tēpestas tollite me c. Remember that our Sauiours coate was not rent of the souldiers but you see the falling out of brethrē reioyce at it imitate Ionas say If this tēpest be because of me take me and cast me into the sea I do not wish these seditious sect-masters of Rome to be cast into the sea but I wold haue them cast out of the land and sent ouer the sea that our Church be no more troubled with them England would do full well without them it hath no neede of their Phisicke as Pausanias answered a certaine Phisitian that sayd he ayled nothing Because sayth he I vse not you for my Phisitian Come then Gentlemen and louing countrimen let vs go vp to Gods house together beware hereafter of the Pharisies leauen Let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind Mat. 13.14 Why should you pin your faith vpon the Popes sleeue hath not the Apostle said Ye are bought with a price be not the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7.23 See you not how that Caiphas of Rome seeketh his owne glorie and dignitie and would make kings and Princes his vassails and subiects Hierome said well Si pacem habere non potest cum fratre nisi cum subdito ostendit se non tam pacem cupere quà m sub pacis conditione vindictam If he wil no peace with his brother but as with a subiect he sheweth that he desireth not peace but vnder the colour of peace reuenge this may better be pronounced of the proud Pope of Rome then of the ambitious Patriarke of Ierusalem of whom it was first vttered Thanke God which hath sent a Prince that wil reforme your error not nourish you in your superstitiō stil God be blessed that hath raised vs vp so Christian a king that is as able by reason to perswade to the truth as by law to enforce for his constant resolution for religion we can neuer sufficiently be thankeful He shall neuer need with Constantius that fauored the Arrians to repent fidem à se immutatā that he had changed his predecessors faith but as Ambrose saith of Valentinian A fratre nollet se pietate superari he would not be exceeded of his brother Gratian in pietie so his Maiesty is not inferior for care of religion to his late renoumed sister Q. Elizabeth God giue vnto his Christian Maiesty long continuance and strength to proceed in his happy course and constancy to hold out his godly purpose to the end that he may still come downe like the raine vpon the mowē grasse as the showers that water the earth to be a comfort to his subiects a refreshing to the Church that as we find him a carefull Gouernor a godly Prince a louing father an example of all vertue and goodnesse better then the rest as Leonidas king of Sparta said I had not bene your King if I had not bin better then you so we again may shew our selues obedient and dutiful subiects to pray for him continually and dayly blesse him Psal. 72.15 That we neuer be vnthankful to God or vndutiful to him nor vnmindful of these great blessings of peace continuance of religion administration of iustice nor weary of so happy a gouernment as is expected as the inconstant Athenians were of Themistocles to whom he well said Are you wearied in receiuing of so many benefits frō one man but that it may truly be said of vs and all the faithfull subiects of the land They shall feare thee as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth from generation to generation Pal. 72.5 That his Maiestie now and his royall posteritie ouer vs may raigne in all happinesse godlinesse and peace from generation to generation which God graunt THE ANSWERE TO THE FIRST SECTION OF the Apological Epistle Sect. 1. The frailtie and pronenes of man to sinne after the fall of Adam WE see here verified the saying of S. Paul That false Apostles are deceitfull workers and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ 2. Cor. 11.14 and as Sathan doth transforme himselfe into an Angel of light so his ministers can transforme themselues as though they were the ministers of righteousnes so playeth this cunning epistler who deuoting himselfe in this Libell to the seruice of Sathan in defacing the truth and disgracing the true Church of Christ which professeth it yet maketh a colourable entrance and plausible beginning setting in the forefront of this beadrole of lies an euident knowne and confessed truth of the fall of Adam and the generall corruption and deprauation of nature from thence issuing But as Hierome saith Venenum sub melle latet There lieth poyson hid vnder hony and as Ambrose Quia sub nomine suo culturam suadere non potest sub alterius nomine
so confusedlie hudled together that the paines are greater to marshall them into any good order then to answere them The same part he playeth here heaping vp many things disorderly and carying all along before him as with a violent streame of words Like as Theocritus was wont to say of Anaximenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now beginneth the flood of words and but a drop of wit first I will examine his accusation of errors and bring it into some order vsing still his owne words That is no true Church or Religion wherein many heresies and infidelities raigning are condemned and disclosed P. 6. lin 17.24 But among the Protestants many heresies and infidelities haue beene condemned and disclosed which raigned among them Ergo c. First if the proposition were true then should not the Church of the Corinthians haue beene the Church of Christ among whom there were diuers heresies according as S. Paule said vnto them There must be heresies among you that they which are approued may be knowne 2 By the same reason the Pagane Idolaters might haue condemned the Christians because there did spring vp among them farre more sects diuisions and heresies then among the Gentiles whereof Augustine sheweth the reason Non praeferant nobis quasi concordiam suam hostem quippe quem patimur illi non patiuntur Let them not tell vs of their concord for they feele not that enemie whom we suffer Quid illi lucri est quia litigant aut quid damni quod non litigant What should it profite Sathan if they were at strife or what hindrance were it if they contend not eos vnum licet sentientes possidet he possesseth them though in vnitie de vtilitat ieiun tom 9. In like sort it were not to bee maruelled at though Papists were not deuided for Sathan seeing them to agree together in a false religion hath no neede by other meanes and engines to winne them But where he seeth the true faith and doctrine to be receiued there he bestirreth himself by sects schismes and diuisions to hinder the growth thereof 3. I pray you which is more like to be the true Church that which condemneth heresies that they do not raigne among them as the Protestants haue done or that which suffereth and endureth them as the Popish Church tolerateth Iewes Paganes Mahometanes Maranes The Popish Church doth not onely suffer but practise Iudaisme for euery yeere their vse is to consecrate a Paschall lambe in Missal Roman in fine Vnder Adrian the 6. Demetrius an idolatrous Grecian when the pestilence raged in Rome was permitted vnder the Popes nose Pestilentiae placando numini taurum immolare to sacrifice a bull to appease the Goddesse pestilence Paul Iouius lib. 21. in fine And as for the Marani being driuen out of Spaine they were receiued in Rome by Pope Alexander 6. much against the minde of King Ferdinandus Onuphr in eius vita And at this day in Spaine that abominable sect aboundeth That Church then is rather to be reprooued which tolerateth such prophane enormities then that which condemneth and restraineth them As the Church of Ephesus is commended for hating the workes of the Nicolaitanes Reuel 2.8 but the Church of Thyatira is rebuked for suffering the woman Iezabel that named her selfe a Prophetisse Reuel 2. vers 20. 4. These are contradictorie and repugnant speeches for heresies at the same time to raigne and to be condemned for in that they are condemned and disclosed it is euident that they raigne not for where heresie raigneth it is approoued not condemned Thus much of the proposition Secondly let vs see the probations of the assumption 1. This vnhappie age saith he hath hatched more errors he meaneth among the Protestants then euer any age or generation did in the schoole and regiment of Christ c. p. 5. lin 26.27 Ans. 1. Though he could shew more errors to haue risen in this age yet shall hee neuer prooue them to haue been hatched fostred or nourished by the Gospell or the doctrine thereof 2. Neither can it be iustified that more errors and heresies haue been inuented in this age then in any before for within the space of two hundred yeers after Christ more then an hundred grosse errors were broched In these latter times the heresies that are be neither in number so many setting some diuersities in opinion aside which are no heresies nor yet of so great weight and the most of them are but the old heresies reuiued 2. He bringeth his second proofe from our historians from the Records and Registers of London Norwich from the first protestant Synode c. wherin so many heresies are condemned c. pag. 6. Ans. 1. Our historians make mention that ann Edward 6.4 1551. that Ione Butcher was brent for heresie that Christ tooke no flesh of the Virgine Marie and ann Elizab 3. 1561. as hee noteth in the margin one Iohn Moore was whipped for making himselfe Christ and one William Geffrey for saying he was the Disciple of Christ till they both confessed that Christ was in heauen Will you from hence conclude that the Church of England is no true Church because it punisheth heretikes and phantasticall spirits S. Paul may as well fall vnder your reproofe for excommunicating Alexander and Hymenaeus which had made shipwracke of the faith 1. Timoth. 1.20 and for condemning the heresie of Philetus and Hymenaeus 2. Timoth. 2.17 But this obiection of Ione Butcher condemned for heresie among Protestants might well haue been spared by this Ignatian Frier if he had remembred the like practise or course of one William Postell in France a brother of his owne order with an old superstitious beldame called Mother Iane concerning whom he writ a booke called The victorie of women wherein he maintained that as Christ died for man so his mother Iane was sent of God to saue women and that the soule of Iohn Baptist was transfused into her This wicked woman for these impieties was burned aliue by the sentence of the Parliament of Tolosa But her diuellish instructer escaped which had been more worthie of that punishment Now whereas we are referred to our Chronicles anno 1554. which was the 2. of Queene Mary if his meaning be to impute all errors and heresies that spring vp to the Church where they begin this instance toucheth the popish Church then flourishing it tendeth not to Protestants disgrace If hee send vs to the storie of one Elizabeth Croft there mentioned by Stow which counterfeited a spirit speaking in a wall and vttered diuers words against the Queene the Masse and confession c we can requite this narration with a like storie of another Elizabeth sirnamed Barton a Nunne called the holie maide of Kent in King Henry the 8. his raigne which faining her selfe to be in a traunce as though she had been inspired of the holie Ghost spake diuers things against the King and his proceedings inueighing
also against the Gospel which she called heresie With this hypocrite diuers Priests and Monkes were confederate and among the rest your great champion Bishop Fisher whereof some were attainted of treason and iustlie executed the Bishop with other were condemned to prison and forfeited their goods you cannot shew vs such a conspiracie of Protestants with the first Elizabeth as it is euident there was of Papists with this latter Now sir tell vs what haue you gained by referring vs to this place of the Chronicle 2. The Registers of London and Norwich will tell vs that some Anabaptists haue been burned for heresie and one Ket for Arrianisme and other impieties and that reuerend Synode mentioned hath condemned both these and other heresies what of al this vpon these premisses will you inferre the Protestants of England that â—oe thus proceede against heretikes to haue no true Church And that this Epistler may see his owne follie by the same reason one may conclude that because the first Nicene Synode condemned the Arrians the first Constantinopolitane the Macedonians the Ephesine the Nestorians the Councel Chalcedonens the Eutychians the 2. Constantinopolit the Trinitie or Patripassians the 3. Constantin the Monothelites because Augustine condemneth 90. heresies and Isidore as many that therefore these were not of the true Church Shall the Protestants Synode be reproued for condemning the same heresies which in generall Councels were anathematized and by the same reason that the Canons of our Synode are censured may not Gratianes decrees their owne darling be controlled which condemne 90. heresies Caus 24. q. 3. c. 39. these are but loose arguments he shooteth at the marke as a blind man at crowes and as that vnskilfull archer who shooting wide Stratonicus the Harper standing by ranne and stood at the marke and being asked why answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I be not hit as little need we to feare this blind archers darts for they come not neere vs. But as Hierome said to Vigilantius Risimus in te prouerbium vidimus camelum saltitantem We smile to see the prouerbe verified vpon you a Camell dauncing So as soone may we see a Camell daunce as this Cauiller performe what he taketh in hand 3. His third probation is from a particular enumeration of diuers heresies and infidelities pretended to be amongst vs as Arrians Eunomians Vigilantians Nestorians Eutychians Grecians c. pag. 6. Ans. 1. Some of these heresies are malicious slaunders of our Church as Arrians Eunomians Nestorians Eutychians Grecians Anabaptists Catharists Hernicians Iulianes our Church neither knoweth their names or any called by them nor yet their heretical opinions We neither denie the diuine nature of Christ with the Arrians Eunomians nor diuide his person with the Nestorians or confound his natures with the Eutychians nor denie his humanitie with the Anabaptists nor the proceeding of the holie Ghost from the Sonne with the Grecians neither doe we hold any to be pure without sinne as the Catharists nor denie the grace of baptisme to children with the Hernicians neither make two beginnings one of good another of euil as the Manichees nor affirme with the Donatists the Church of God to bee limited vnto a certaine place as they to Africa all these heresies we accurse and vtterly condemne But the Papists are the men rather which are blemished and spotted with these heretical opinions with the Arrians they hold Christ not to be God of himselfe with the Nestorians they in effect make two Christs one offered in the sacrifice of the Masse another to whom they offer in heauen with the Eutychians they take away the truenes of Christs bodie making it to bee in a thousand places at once with the Anabaptists they extenuate his humanitie denying that he opened his mothers wombe they affirme that the commandements may be kept and so in effect are Catharists for where the law is not transgressed there is no sinne they make a Sacrament of Confirmation as a supplement of Baptisme and so denie grace of Baptisme to be sufficient and are herein like the Hernicians with the Manichees they condemne the mariage of Priests as the Donatists did tie the Church to Africa so they to the Papacie of Rome Some of these as they are imputed to Protestants wee denie to be heresies at all as that of Vigâ—lantius that reliques are not to be adored of Iouinian that neither fasting nor virginitie is meritorious of Aerius that prayer is not to be made for the dead of Wickleffe such opinions we receiue as are agreeable to the Scriptures if either he or any of those before named held any thing vnsoundly not warranted by the word wee binde not our selues to their opinions Some of the heresies and schismes rehearsed the Church of England condemneth though such wee denie not but haue been found amongst vs as Brownists Barrowists Kettists not many pretenders to be Prophets very fewe Some of them are obiected to the popish sectaries by their owne fellow popelings as Anabaptists Antichrists damned crew Atheists The Iesuites are charged with Anabaptistrie by their fellow Catholikes binding themselues so by the vowe of obedience to their superiors that they are disloyall to their Princes And it is certaine that the Anabaptists hold the Pope to be better then Luther which sheweth that Poperie commeth neerer to Anabaptistrie then Protestancie They also call the Iesuites the chiefe captaines of Antichrist out of whose sect it is very probable say they that man of sinne shall rise In like sort the Priests call the Iesuites plots the infernall consistorie The Iesuites say some of the Priests stand in the state of perdition thus by their owne testimonie it appeareth who is the damned crew Likewise who are the Macheuils and Atheists of these dayes they shall speake themselues The Priests say of the Iesuites that they are the societie of the Deuill and schoole of Macheuelisme And Parsons chargeth all them againe to be Atheists Heretikes Apostataes that inueigh against him The Popish Priests call the Iesuites Donatists reuiued Arrians the Iesuites againe charge the Priests with Anabaptisme Thus then we see by the confession of our aduersaries themselues who are the Atheists Antichrists damned crew the Anabaptists Arrians Donatists of these dayes May we not now say vnto him with the words of the Gospell with thy mouth will I iudge thee ô euil seruant And as Hierome saith Sententias vestras prodidisse superasse est Your owne confession is your conuiction And herein our aduersaries as Democritus said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they bring foorth blinde accusations as bitches do blinde whelps so being blinded with malice against the Gospell they lay those things to our charge which they themselues are guiltie of 4 His fourth probation is from the writings of diuers chiefe Protestants in Germany who do condemne euery one another to hell for heresie and infidelitie in the greatest question
and hatchers of heresies are thereby giuen ouer to greater vngodlines as the Apostle againe saith But the euill men and deceiuers shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued 3. For if the Church of God were then at the worst when heresies and schismes are raised then should the state of the Primitiue Church bee condemned when so many wicked doctrines of Ebionites Basilidians Valentinians Marcionites Arrians Sabellians with the rest were stirred vp by the diuell 4. The reason of this difference is euident because that where the truth is professed the opposition of errors doth giue occasion that the same be more throughly sifted as the wheate is by winnowing made more pure and the light shineth brighter in darknes But where there is no truth or sound knowledge at all there diuisions doe but harden them the more in their error like as chaffe being winnowed is scattered and dispersed and as they which walke in darknes without light the further they goe the more they wander This is the very case of the vnbeleeuing Turkes and of the misbeleeuing Iewes Pharisies Sadduces Herodians they were all out of the way This point is well touched by Augustine Non ad diabolum pertinet quis isto vel illo modo erret omnes errantes vult quibuslibet erroribus It is nothing to the diuell whether a man erre this way or that way all that bee in error are his what error soeuer they hold No marueile then if both Iewes and Gentiles by their diuisions waxed worse and worse because they still were vnder the kingdome of Sathan howsoeuer diuided Secondly if this argument be admitted it would conclude strongly against the Papists whose diuisions are notoriously knowne both to haue been and at this present to be such betweene the Secular Priests and irregular Ignatians both at Rome in France and in England which were happy if it were rid of them both and so hotly pursued on both sides with all reprochfull termes of knaues heretikes diabolicall Machiauels diuels incarnate and such like as they are not able to shew euer to haue been among Protestants And these diuisions not onely to consist in verball differences or repugnance in externall rites and liberties but in materiall points of doctrine as hath been before shewed Therefore among Papists where neither sect holdeth the truth this argument may well hold by this their erronious dissentions and diuersities to conuince them of monstrous and grosse iniquities Thirdly against English Protestants whom this Libeller chiefly impugneth this engine of his hath no force for to Gods glorie be it spoken fewer diuisions haue not been seene in the Church of England excepting some few nouelties of certaine new fangled teachers who in time I doubt not but will waxe wiser then at this present And I trust our domesticall heates shal euery day abate and slake and our contentions at home decrease that wee may with one ioynt force oppose our selues to the common aduersarie like as Abraham rescued Lot from the Gentiles though some priuate iarres betweene their families had broken out before The Grecians are said that when their enemies approched though they had been at ciuill discord before would compound their quarrels to resist their forraine foes And it is written of Themistocles and Aristides two famous Captaines of the Athenians that when they went on embassage together or to conduct an armie Inimicitiam in finibus patriae deposuerunt They laid downe their enmitie in the borders of their countrie It should be a shame for Christians not to be so wise for the defence of the common cause as the Heathen were That saying of Augustine to Hierome is to be embraced Fieri potest vt tibi videatur aliud quam veritas habet dum aliud à te non fiat quam charitas habet You may so long think otherwise then the veritie so that you doe nothing beside charitie If men will needes retaine some priuate opinions yet let them refraine publike dissensions And here an end also of this section THE FOVRTH SECTION THAT THE Authors intent and scope is nothing lesse then to teach a most vndoubted certaintie and vnitie in Popish religion THis section hath nothing worth the answering neither containeth any thing beside slaunders bragges facings and bold assertions 1. He impudently saith and with a brasen face that Protestants may be had in iust suspition that many doubters or deniers at least in affection of all worship are entred in among them Whereas it is out of all doubt that many such Atheists are fostered in Rome Italie Spaine where the name Christian is vsed as a word of derision as is rehearsed before 2. He telleth vs of an ample confutation which he hath written against all Atheists and enemies to religion which he calleth a Resolution of Religion wherein hee hath resolued all doubts that may bee imagined This sure is a worke indeede that can meete with mens thoughts and imaginations This booke we would gladly see which he so often maketh mention of some such thing I haue heard intended but it should seeme the author like to the Beare hath not yet licked this deformed lumpe to perfection If it were ripe it would be a good present for their mother of fornications and her children at Rome to perswade them from Atheisme and Epicurisme And yet considering this yonkers spirituall father graund prouinciall Frier Robert Parsons hath written of this argument before in his Resolution this punie father might haue spared this labour and confessed modestly with Hierome Supersedendum huic labori sentio ne mihi dicatur illud Horatij In syluam ne ligna feras c. I thinke to giue ouer this labour least that of Horace be said vnto me Carrie not sticks into the wood video enim ◠clarissimo ingenio occupata esse meliora For I see a riper head hath brought better stuffe 3. Where he saith that their religion which hee calleth most holie and approued most vnholie and reproued rather is resolued to the most assured and infallible word and reuelation of God This speech it is hard to say whether it hath more subtiltie or lesse honestie For if by the word and reuelation of God he vnderstand not the word written onely but their blind traditions which they vsually call Verbum Dei non scriptum The word of God vnwritten he speaketh craftily for this their Anabaptistical reuelation is not assured or infallible but most vncertaine and deceitfull If hee meane hereby onely the Scriptures of God it is an vnhonest bragge of him for Poperie differeth as much from the word written as darknes from light if it were not so why doe they not stand to their tackle and cleaue onely to the Scriptures why doe they make their traditions vnwritten of equall authoritie with the word written what need had they to denie the scriptures to containe all things necessarie to saluation These grosse positions
hath rooted out all other heresies beside Who haue now impugned the heresies of the Tritheists Anabaptists Familie of loue of Seruetus Valentinus Gentilis with others then Protestant writers witnesse the learned workes of Caluin Beza Bullinger Peter Martyr Iunius with the rest He hath therefore here made a good argument for the Protestants whose faith is therefore worthie to be of all receiued because thereby all heresie and impietie is subdued as Hierome saith Fides pura moram non patitur vt apparuerit scorpius illico conterendus Pure faith seeketh no delaies as soone as the scorpion appeareth it nippeth it on the head The second perswasion I Meane not the religion of Martin Luther so often recanted altered chaunged c. nor of licentious Caluin and a few artificers of Geneua or of Knox that galley-slaue of Scotland or of Edward Seimer or of King Edward a child of nine yeere old c. The Disswasion HEre many shamelesse vntruths are powred out together 1. It is vntrue that Luther at any time recanted his iudgement in religion in departing from the Church of Rome and forsaking her trumperie you would threap kindnes vpon Luther as you haue done of late in a lying pamphlet of reuerend Beza that he died one of your Catholikes If Luther altered in some priuate opinions it is nothing to vs who depend not vpon Luther Caluin or any other for our faith And if he did so it is no maruaile seeing it was hard for one man all at once to finde out the truth in euery point seeing the Apostle saith to the Philippians If ye be otherwise minded God shall reueale euen the same vnto you Faith is not perfected at once and as in other things the inuention of a thing and the perfection come not together as the Greeke Poet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God at the first all things doth not shew But in processe of time they better doe grow So is it in religion But howsoeuer Luther might varie from himselfe what is that to vs the Protestants of England who are the greatest eye sore to these bleare-eyed Popelings It is well you cannot vpbraide the Church of England with any innouation of doctrine for these three score yeeres well nie since the first thorough reformation of religion in blessed King Edwards raigne 2. As for licentious Caluin and galley-slaue Knox the one is a malicious slaunder the other a scurrilous terme These men were both famous for their learning and reuerenced of all that knew them for their godly life I doe not a whit maruaile that the memorie of these men is odious to all Papists for Caluin hath so decalued made bare and bald their naked religion and Knox hath giuen it such a knocke and deadly blow in Scotland that I trust in God it shall neuer there rise vp againe 3. That King Edward a child of nine yeere old without any assent or assemblie of Parliament or other as Fox himselfe is witnes did reforme religion is a fiction of your owne First Master Fox witnesseth no such thing for although the King by the aduice of his Councell appointed a generall visitation ouer all the land for the redressing of certaine disorders yet was not the Masse abolished nor religion wholy altred till the Parliament held ann 1. Edward Nouemb. 4. Secondly indeed true it is that in Queene Maries time the Papists came before the law Preachers were prohibited Bishops depriued and diuers imprisoned as Bishop Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper Rogers Masse publikely solemnized Thirdly you had forgotten that the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome which you make the chiefest ground of your Cacolike religion throughout your whole dispute was with common consent of Parliament consisting of the three estates of the land the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons abrogated by King Henry the eight of famous memorie so that no new acte was requisite in that behalfe in the entring of King Edwards raigne Fourthly King Edward a King of nine yeares of age by the aduice of the Parliament repealeth diuers Statutes and among the rest one made against Lollards ann 1. Richard 2. who was then but eleuen yeeres old I pray you what great ods in their ages might not the one build vp true religion at those yeeres when as the other pulled it downe or will you take exception against Iosias because being yet but a child he began to seeke the Lord and to purge religion or is the authoritie soueraigntie of the Prince the lesse because he is young or is the spirit of God tied to age and limited to yeares Doth not the Scripture say Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength And hereunto agreeth that saying of Cypriane Impletur apud nos spiritu sancto puerorum innocens aetas c. The innocent age of children with vs is filled with the holie spirit And so was it in this princely child the Iosias of this age of whom we may say with Ambrose Non moueat aetas imperatoris perfecta aetas est Est enim perfecta aetas vbi perfecta virtus Honorius iam pulsat adolescentiae fores prouectior aetate quā Iosias We should not respect his yeares the Emperours age is perfect age is perfect where vertue is perfect Honorius is now growing to be a young man elder then Iosias 4 Further it is a great vntruth which followeth the will and testament of King Henry being violated and his Bishops and Clergie committed to prison or depriued For neither doth he shew wherein the testament of the King was violated in the entrance of King Edwards raigne and therefore may be iustly suspected to be a falsarie neither doth he cite any author for it no such thing either by Maister Fox or Stowe to whom in these matters he appealeth being affirmed so that it seemeth his own phantasticall braine hath forged this fansie True it is indeede that the Protestant Bishops were depriued and excluded both from the Parliament and their Bishoprickes as Doctor Taylor Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Harley Bishop of Hereford with others in the entrance of Queene Maryes raigne But vntrue also it is that the Popish Bishops were depriued or committed to prison during the time of the Parliament when the act passed for reformation of religion which was in Nouember ann 1547. the Bishop of Winchester was not sent to the Tower til the morrow after S. Peters day the yeare following ann 1548. nor depriued before ann 1551. And Bonner was not commaunded to keepe his house till the 11. of August ann 1549. in the third yeare of King Edwards raigne This shamelesse man we see dare aduenture to vtter any thing 5 Of the like truth is that which followeth That the Protestants of this time without any disputation or aduice of any learned or Parliamentall
or comfortlesse but prescribeth prayers to be vsed by the Elders and Ministers to be sent for the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Iam. 5.15 and spirituall instruction and consolation to be ministred if there be a messenger with him to declare vnto man his righteousnes Iob. 34.23 7. Which doth not appoint orders to consecrate men to a blasphemous seruice to make the body of Christ and to install them Priests of the order of Melchisedech as that corporation doth of which order of Priesthood is none but Christ Psal. 110.4 Nor which maketh it no essentiall part of their ministrie to bee able to teach and instruct the people but especially requireth that Ministers should be apt to teach 1. Timot. 3.2 that they should be pastors and teachers c. for the edification of the bodie of Christ Ephes 4.11.12 Neither doth it teach that the grace of the spirit is actually conferred by orders but that men set apart to this calling not relying vpon their ordination should take heed to themselues and vnto learning thereby both to saue themselues and their hearers Which doth not denie the remedie of mariage to any condition of men as the Romane seignorie doth to their Clergie seeing the Apostle saith Mariage is honourable among all men Heb. 13.4 Neither doth it tie the grace of mariage to the matrimoniall solemnitie as this contradictor saith it giueth grace against the cares and difficulties of that condition pag. 27.7 but teacheth that the maried parties not relying vpon the ceremonie or solemnitie should giue themselues to fasting and prayer 1. Cor. 7.5 no doubt to obtaine among other matrimoniall graces Thus it is euident that not the Protestants faith but the Papists beleefe leaueth many without helpe and remedie As infants dying without baptisme are in their iudgement damned Priests not hauing the gift of continencie are denyed mariage Sick men haue no true comfort but a little greazing of the eyes and eares Sinfull men are by their popish penance made hypocrites their ordered Clerks are depriued of the principall part which is the preaching of the word Thus this cauiller for his false accusation shall haue Damasus fee Calumniator si in accusatione defecerit talionem accipiat A false accuser if he faile in his accusation shall receiue the law Talionis himself to incurre the same for it is in deed the popish irreligion that affoordeth no true comfort stay or remedie to their miserable disciples that a man may say to them as Iob to his deceitfull friends yee are physicians of no value And whereas they thinke to cure spirituall maladies with corporall medecines as with oyle chrisme salt holie water crossing to be defended against temptation it is as Ambrose saith vt qui latere laterem lauat as if a man should clense clay with clay magis se oblinebat luto such an one should defile himselfe more And as Diogenes said that Patacion the thiefe was no better then Epaminondas because he was professed or entred into religion no more is an euill man made better by such popish ceremonies The ninth Perswasion 1 I Defend not a religion where God is made author of all sinnes and thereby worthie no religion 2 Where the decision of spirituall doubts appertaine to temporall and vnlearned princes men women children 3 Where such sentences though neuer so much disagreeing and apparantlie false must be obeyed for the infallible word of God 4 Where man hath no libertie or freedome of will where our good works are necessitate 5 Where the predestination of God taketh away all election and indifferencie c. 6 But that religion that so accordeth the eternall prescience and predestination of God with the temporall cooperation of man that it both leaueth the first infallible and yet proueth the temporall action appetite c. to be voluntarie free in the power of man to be effected The Disswasion HEre is nothing else but an heape and pack of sclanderous vntruths which by one common answere of deniall might be easily remoued but somewhat more shall be said 1 The Protestants make not God author either of all or any sinne but the Papists rather that thus write They meane not that God is any way the author causer or mouer of any to sinne but onely by permission c. Ergo they grant that by permitting and suffering God is the author and causer of sinne And true it is that he which permitteth euill to be done and hindreth it not is consenting to it and a doer of it because accessorie to it But we say that God is not so much as a permitter or sufferer of sinne as it is euill and yet as he is a disposer of euill actions to good and an imposer of punishment is not only a permitter and beholder but an agent and doer euen in euill actions so that although sinne do no way stand with the will of God in approuing or consenting to it yet it standeth with his prouidence in ordering disposing and iudging of it As God is said to haue bid Shemei curse Dauid because he both disposed it to Dauids good for his further tryall and probation and iudged Shemei by it to his greater confusion Thus Origene well distinguisheth betweene Gods will and prouidēce Multa sine dei voluntate geruntur nihil sine prouidentia c. Many things are done without Gods will nothing without his prouidēce his prouidence is that whereby he dispenseth and prouideth his will whereby he willeth any thing or nilleth 2 The Prince challengeth not the decision of spirituall doubts but only to haue the rule ouer all manner persons within his realmes either Ecclesiasticall or Temporall so as no other forraine power shall or ought to haue any superioritie ouer them And againe in the booke of Articles it is thus conteyned We giue not to our Princes the ministring either of Gods word or sacraments but only that prerogatiue which we see to haue bene giuen alwayes to all good Princes c. in holie scriptures by God himselfe that is that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Temporall And beside the deciding of doubts is referred to the Ordinaries directlie and not to the Ciuill Magistrate 3 A most wicked sclaunder it is that we are bound to take such sentences for the infallible word of God The contrarie is euident in the Articles of religion set forth by authoritie of Parliament wherein the Church of England thus professeth It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods word written Againe things ordained by them that is general Councels as necessarie to saluation haue neither strength nor authoritie vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holie scripture If Protestants attribute no greater authoritie to the whole Church
so ample in iurisdiction that no temporall Prince Christian or Infidell no professor of regiment in ecclesiasticall causes c. was by many degrees possessed of so large a regiment 8. Our priuate Priests the most reuerend and learned fathers of the societie of Iesus are honoured of the greatest Princes in the world c. The disswasion 1. NEither doe I defend that religion that diuideth the militant and triumphant Church in robbing God of his honour in giuing it to Angels and Saints against their wils who refused to bee worshipped here in earth as the Angell of Iohn and Peter of Cornelius And therefore God requireth no such honour to be giuen vnto them so that as our Sauiour saith of Moses There is one which accuseth you euen Moses in whom ye trust euen so the Angels and Saints shall be witnesses and accusers of popish superstitious worshippers who honour the creature in steed of the Creator But the religion which Protestants professe and I defend doth make but one familie in heauen and in earth Ephes 3.15 ioyning them together in an holie societie and communion we in earth giuing thankes for them whom God hath deliuered from these terrene miseries and they longing to see vs also with the whole Church to be made partakers of their ioy As Cyprian saith Magnus illic charorum numerus nos expectat parentum fratrum filiorum de salute sua securi de nostra solliciti A great number of our friends doth there looke for vs of our parents brethren sonnes secure of their saluation and sollicitous for ours Other entercourse betweene the Church militant and triumphant there is none neither of our prayers to them that were superstitious for the Lord saith Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Psal. 50.15 nor of their help and assistance to vs that were superfluous God is able alone and sufficient to defend his Church as the Angell saith None holdeth with me in these things in the defence of the Church but Michael your prince which is Christ. Dan. 10.21 2. Which doth not that wrong to the faithfull departed to thrust them downe into the extreame paines of purgatorie which they say exceede all the paines of this life when as the Scripture saith that they which dye in the Lord doe from thencefoorth rest from their labours and all teares are wiped from their eyes They neede not therefore any reliefe from the liuing being in ioy and happines 3. Which doth not make any representation of Christ by Images for wee are commaunded not to corrupt our selues in making any grauen image or representation of any figure Deuter. 4.16 Neither doth it presume to offer vp Christ in sacrifice as the Papall priesthood doth because the Scripture saith that Christ doth not offer himselfe often but he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe And with one offering hath hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified But our religion prescribeth the holie Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ to bee vsed according to his institution in his remembrance as our Sauiour himselfe saith Doe this in remembrance of me Whereupon it was thus concluded and resolued in a generall Councell Ecce viuificantis illius corporis imaginem totam panis scilicet substantiam quam mandauit apponi Behold the whole or all the image of that quickening bodie the substance of bread which he commaunded to be vsed We haue then no other commemoration or representatiue image of Christ but onely the Sacrament celebrated according to his owne institution As for blasphemous swearing by instruments of our redemption though too many among Protestants are addicted to that euill custome yet he might haue bin ashamed to obiect it to vs knowing how common a thing it is among Papists to sweare as it appeareth by their own Synode which thus complaineth Quo colore nunc consuetudo passim iurantium in omni negotio excusari possit non videmus With what colour the custome of such which sweare vpon euerie occasion can be excused wee see not Those sacrilegious oathes to sweare by the Masse by the crosse nailes bodie bloud of Christ his wounds by S. Peter S. Anne S. Mary and the rest where els had they their beginning but in Poperie Yea it seemeth that swearing by such is not onely vsuall among them but commendable also for one Sanpaulinus for reprouing one of swearing was suspected to be a Lutherane and thereupon further examined sifted condemned and burned at Paris ann 1551. 4. It is also vntrue that there is no consecration or distinction of callings among vs for both Bishops haue their consecration from the Metropolitane with his Suffraganes and Ministers their ordination from their Ordinaries by imposition of hands which ought to be and is assisted with other Presbyters The Prince doth not challenge any power or authoritie of the Ministrie of any diuine offices in the Church or to conferre orders or consecration but onely by the Letters Patents conferreth the temporalties of Bishoprickes the Metropolitane with his assistance consecrateth as other Patrones present to benefices and the Ordinarie instituteth And this hath been the ancient vse and custome of England and prerogatiue of the Crowne that licence should be demaunded of the King to chuse and his royall consent to be had after election made as it is euident in diuers ancient statutes 5. As for the Papall Hierarchie it is altogether imperfect and out of order 1. The office of the Pope is iniurious and Antichristian taking vpon him to haue iurisdiction and prerogatiue ouer all other Bishops contrarie both to the Scriptures which gaue vnto all the Apostles the same authoritie and to them al the keyes were equallie committed and power to binde and loose Mat. 18.18 And to the Canons for Nicen. 1. can 6. parilis mos the like custome and iurisdiction is decreed to the Patriarke of Alexandria as to the Bishop of Rome Chalcidonens action 16. equall priuiledges are yeelded to Constantinople which is called new Rome as to old Rome The like may be shewed out of the eight first generall Councels The offices of Archbishops and Bishops as wee condemne not absolutely when they are vsed not as titles of ambition but as holesome meanes to preserue vnitie as they should be exercised among Protestants so in the Papall policie wee mislike them being but the Popes creatures and fit props to vphold his Antichristian and vsurped power But concerning your seuen orders of Priests Deacons Subdeacons Acolythists Readers Exorcists Doorekeepers wee hold them as superfluous and vnnecessarie seruices The Apostle sheweth that Christ hath giuen some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors some teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministrie for the edification of the bodie of Christ c. If these bee sufficient to
The greatest crakers are not the best fighters nor the lowdest noyse sheweth not the best cause And as they haue sped hitherto the like successe let them looke for hereafter The sixt Motiue I will prooue the religion I defend to be conformable to the present forcible lawes of England established by our Queene Elizabeth c. I vndertake to prooue directly by the Parliament lawes and proceedings of Queene Elizabeth that their religion is false that we defend true c. The Remoue If this man were not past all shame hee would neuer haue been so audacious as to haue vttered this vntruth for it is a fiction without all colour he might as well haue told vs of the man in the Moone and the Sunneshine at midnight and as soone might he haue proued it as that which here he saith He goeth on and telleth vs he will proue by the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth that Christ is reallie present in the Sacrament of the altar As though the Church of England and all Protestants doe not hold Christs bodie to be reallie that is verilie and truly present to the faith of the worthy receiuer but if by reallie he vnderstand carnally present it is directly contrarie to the 28. article of religion which in direct words saith that transubstantiation is repugnant to the plaine words of Scripture and further addeth that the body of Christ is onely eaten after a spirituall and heauenly manner and the meane whereby it is eaten is faith He will proue that Saints and Angels are to be reuerenced and prayed vnto A reuerence who denieth but to pray vnto them is contrarie to the 22. article Inuocation of Saints is a fond thing That there is a Purgatorie which is contrarie to the 22. article the Romish doctrine concerning purgatory is vainly inuented That prayer almes and other good deedes are auaileable for the faithfull soules departed contrarie to article 31. that the sacrifices of Masses c. for the quicke and dead are blasphemous fables that onely faith iustifieth not contrarie to article 11. that wee are iustified by faith onely is a most holesome doctrine He will prooue that good workes are meritorious before God contrarie to article 12. good workes cannot put away sinnes and endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement That there is an externall Priesthood and sacrifice in the Church of Christ contrarie to article 31. the sacrifices of the Masse wherein it was commonly said that the Priests did offer Christ c. were blasphemous fables and daungerous deceits that wee are not iustified by an imputatiue iustice but grace and iustice are inherent and internall things contrary to article 11. we are accounted righteous before God onely for the merite of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deseruings That there be seuen Sacraments in number Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance extreame Vnction Orders and Matrimonie contrarie to article 25. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospell that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord those fiue commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie and extreame Vnction are not to be accounted for Sacraments of the Gospell These articles were first agreed vpon by the whole Conuocation of the Clergie of this land and put foorth by the Queenes authoritie anno 1562. and againe approued and allowed by the assent and consent of her Maiestie and subscribed vnto by the whole Clergie assembled in the Conuocation anno 1571. and established by act of Parliament anno 13. Elizab. c. 12. as may appeare by diuers branches of that act whereby they are punishable which refuse to giue assent to the said articles or doe teach any thing repugnant or contrarie vnto them Notwithstanding all this this shamelesse man blusheth not to tell vs that these his erroneous opinions directlie contrarie to the very expresse words of the said articles are conformable to the present forceable lawes and the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth Thus these fellowes would make vs beleeue that the blacke crow is white and that the Moone is made of greene cheese as the saying is or they might as well tell vs with Democritus that the Moone hath hils and dales with Metrodorus that the Sunne is made of stone with Philolaus of glasse with Epicurus of the earth with Heraclides that the earth moueth round as the wheele vpon the axletree with Philolaus that it is whirled about as the Sunne and Moone or what else he may tell vs that is most fabulous and incredible as well as this that the Romish religion is agreeable to the lawes in force in the Church of England As he is found tripping here so I trust his credit shall be in the rest Ambrose sayth Nerui sunt quidam artus sapientiae non temere credere It is as the sinewes and ioynts of wisdome not rashlie to giue credit And as Demosthenes was wont to say that the best preseruatiue against Tyrants was not to trust them so is it against liers not to beleeue them The 7. Motiue What reason should mooue me then very yong in yeares borne of parents conformable to the time in and vnder the Protestant Regiment of Queene Elizabeth brought vp in that Vniuersitie and other places which were alwayes least fauouring of that beleefe c. to be of a different and contrarie opinion when if I would haue bene of the same profession I might haue bene regarded as others of my condition The remooue The reason here vsed may be thus framed That is likely to be the right faith which a man leauing all possibilitie of preferment cleaueth vnto But so hath this man done in embracing the popish profession Ergo c. First if the proposition were true this argument might be retorted vpon them for in the late dayes of persecution in England many zealous Protestants did not onely forsake all expectation of worldly preferment but did willinglie forgoe their life for the truth sake and endured more for their conscience only then euer did any Papist therefore if he haue reasoned well for Poperie he hath reasoned better for Protestancie that it is in the right beliefe 2 Other reasons may be alleaged why many depart from the truth euen where they may liue with good conditions beside a conscience of religion As an ambitious desire of prefermēt caused some to start aside as is euidēt in the examples of Theobutes Valentinus Nouatus Marcion Montanus who for the thirstie desire to be made Bishops which they could not obtayne fell into heresie Some of a couetous greedie mind haue become singular thinking thereby to grow rich Such an one was Paulus Samosatenus Ex sacrilegijs ad summas diuitias peruenit By sacrilege he came to great riches So Cypriane testifieth of Nouatus Spoliati ab eo pupilli fraudatae viduae c. He robbed
Antilogie 1 HE that should reade Cardinall Wolseys stile thus writing Ego Rex meus I and my King would thinke that this vaine craker trode in his steps saying here and in other places My Catholike Queene c. And whether for this or other of their proud tricks the secular Masse-priests haue well matched them together these are their words Neuer shall the Catholike Church or commonwealth of England find so wicked a member as a Wolsey a Parsons a Creswell a Garnet a Blackwell But if this suger-toonged fellow would haue had her Highnes then and his Maiestie now thinke that he wisheth so well vnto them let him tell vs whether he were not brought vp in the Ignatian schoole of treacherie and if he be not of Parsons mind that it is treason if the Pope should inuade England to beare armes against him or agreeth he not with the Ignatian brood of Salamanca that resolued it was no rebellion for the Queenes subiects to fight against her in Ireland or what thinketh he of Parsons Walpooles Giffords Allens attempts against their countrie and their suborning and exciting of trayterous Parry Lopez Squire Sauage Yorke with the rest of those detected parricides for all these wicked conspiracies were forged in the Ignatian ignited and fierie shops These were the actors but they the inuentors as it was sayd of Laelius that he was the deuiser and Scipio the performer of diuers actions And yet for all this we must beleeue this dissembling Frier that is by all likelihood consorted and confederate with the rest of that crue that he wisheth her Highnes then and his Maiestie now as well as if they were of his religion 2 Concerning the vow made in baptisme I haue answered before that the vow is made to Christ not to the Pope and therefore baptisme receiued in poperie doth not bind the partie baptised to maintaine and receiue poperie It was the heresie of Petilian the Donatist whom Augustine confuteth that Conscientia dantis attenditur quae abluat accipientis That the conscience of him that giueth baptisme doth cleanse him that receiueth it Against whom Augustine sheweth that it is the baptisme of Christ if it be giuen in his name whosoeuer is the minister thereof Baptismum Christi nemo Apostolorum ita ministrauit vt auderet dicere suum The baptisme of Christ none of the Apostles so ministred that he durst call it his much lesse may the Pope or popish Priest challenge the baptisme which he giueth in the name of the Trinitie to be his It was Cyprians error confuted by Augustine that Baptisme and the Church could not be separated Si baptisma saith he in baptizato inseparabiliter manet quomodo baptizatus separari ab ecclesia potest baptisma non potest If baptisme remaine inseparable in the baptized how can he that is baptized be separated from the Church and not baptisme with him Concerning the Princes stile to be called Defender of the faith I haue likewise said enough before Now because he doth so often inculcate the Princes oath that all men may see his false dealing I will set downe the same before omitted as it is in Magna charta expressed This oath then is prescribed to be taken by the Prince at the Coronation and to be ministred by the Metropolitane or other Bishop Seruabis ecclesiae dei Clero populo pacem ex integro concordiam in deo c. You shall keepe peace and concord in God to the Church of God the Clergie and people according to your power he shall answere I will You shall cause to be done in all your iudgements right and equall iustice and discretion in mercie and truth according to your strength he shall answere I will You shall graunt iust lawes and customes to be held and promise them to be protected by you and confirmed to the honor of God which the people shall choose according to your strength he shall answere I do graunt and promise All these things pronounced let him confirme that he will keepe them all Sacramento super altare protinus praestito c. By an oth presentlie taken vpon the altare c. What is there now in this oath that bindeth the Prince to the defence of the Popish religion there is not so much as one word tending to any such thing conteyned in the oath it selfe only mention is made of the altare which was so called in time past though it were made of wood because it represented the true altar which was Christs bodie for so Hesychius interpreteth the Altar And Augustine speaking of the violent outrages of the Donatists saith Effractis altaris lignis Hauing broken the boords of the Altar Their Altars which were no other but Communion Tables were then of wood the making them of stone is but a late deuice as Beatus Rhenanus testifieth Araerum superaddititia structura nouitatem prae se fert This building of Altars added to the rest doth shew noueltie And it is most euident that when the name of altar was first vsed as in Augustines time there was no opinion in the Church of the carnall presence or of the sacrificing of Christs bodie but onely spiritually as it is euident by these sayings of Augustine Christ is our priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech which offered himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes and hath commended the similitude of that sacrifice to be celebrated in remembrance of his passion that the same thing which Melchisedech offered to God now wee see to be offered in the Church of Christ through the whole world But Melchisedech offered not Christs flesh but onely bread and wine Againe he saith The flesh and bloud of this sacrifice before the comming of Christ was promised by sacrifices of similitudes in the passion of Christ it was giuen by the truth it self after the ascension of Christ it is celebrated by the sacrament of remembrance therefore now Christs bodie is not sacrificed verily and truly but only sacramentally non rei veritate sed significante mysterio not in veritie but in mysterie And I pray you what kinde of argument is this the Prince at the Coronation taking his oath laieth his hand vpon the Altar Ergo she sweareth to maintaine the Popish sacrifice of the Altar as though hee that prayeth or taketh his oath in the Churches which haue been consecrate to idolatrie thereby giueth consent to maintaine idolatrie Naaman though hee kneeled with his master the King leaning vpon his hand in the house of Rimmon yet gaue not consent to that idolatrous worship yet this example is very vnlike and not to be imitated onely I alleadge it to shew the weaknes of this argument 3. As for the signe of the crosse wherewith you say her Maiestie vsed to signe her selfe or women with child c. as you speake here but vpon hearesay so if it should be true as
you say you haue not gained much by it For neither our Prince then nor Church did ascribe any vertue to the signe it selfe or adore and worship it as Papists do The signe of the crosse may be vsed in banners and streamers and set into the Diademe of Princes as a ciuill signe of honour as Ambrose if that oration be his writeth of Helena Sapienter Helena egit quae crucem in capite regum leuauit Helena did wisely in rearing vp the crosse in the head of Kings And though this signe is not any waies to be adored neither yet doe we thinke it ought to be contemned As that law of Honorius was commendable wherein the Iewes are prohibited speciem crucis incendere to burne the fashion of the crosse And that of Theodosius which decreeth a great punishment to him qui in solo vel scilice crucem depinxerit which painteth the crosse in the ground or pauement to trample and tread vpon it Or if any should vse the signe of the crosse which notwithstanding wee allow not as in Basils time not with a superstitious opinion of it or confidence in it but as an outward testimonie of their inward faith as Basile saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they which trusted in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ were marked with the signe of the crosse Whosoeuer shall vse the signe of the crosse in any of these manners is yet farre off from Popish superstition And I am verily perswaded that if his Maiestie or the Church of England did thinke that the ciuill reuerent significant vsing of the crosse without a superstitious opinion of it were in deede or could iustly be taken as a badge or cognisance of Poperie as it hath bin an offence to many good Christians it should bee more sparingly vsed and may in time if it seeme so good to his Maiestie without preiudice of the truâ—h or religion be wholy remoued that there might not be the least exception taken against our Church But this quarrell picker according to the saying will play at small game before he will sit out and so doth he here by fastning his hold of so small an occasion Her Highnes then and his Maiestie now and the Church of England holdeth a reall and true presence of Christs bodie to the faith of the worthy receiuer in the Sacrament but her Highnes was not perswaded of any grosse carnall presence as is euident by her royall assent to the articles of religion therefore herein her Maiestie was much abused and slaundered 4. Lastly whereas the Romane profession is altogether repugnant to Princes prerogatiues as in that it alloweth the Pope to excommunicate Princes to depose them to transferre their Crownes appeales to bee made to the Pope from the Prince that the Pope may absolue subiects from their oath of fealtie that the Pope not the Prince in his owne kingdome is supreame in all Ecclesiasticall causes that the Pope inuading a kingdome by force vnder pretence to reforme religion is to be assisted against the Prince all which positions the Iesuites the Popes parasites doe hold as it may appeare in their seditious bookes and answeres to the Secular Masse-priests And these all being directly repugnant to the prerogatiue royall of the Crowne as it hath been adiudged by by publike acts of Parliament not of late onely since the reuiuing of the Gospell but euen while Poperie raigned and that by the expresse consent of the Popish Clergie How is not this man to be thought to be past all shame that perswading to Poperie saith hee will teach nothing contrarie to the Princely dignitie c. Wee may say truly to him which Petilian the Donatist vntruly obiected to Augustine that he had ingenium Carneadis Academici Carneades the Academikes wit who disputed Nigras niues esse cum albae sint nigrum argentum c. That snow was blacke and siluer blacke whereas they are both white so he goeth about to perswade things that are quite contrarie We need not here follow the counsell of Seneca Quaedam falsa veri speciem ferunt dandum semper est tempus veritatem dies aperit Some false things make a shew of true wee must giue some space for time trieth the truth But the falsenes of these improbable speeches appeareth at the first we neede no time to descrie them The second Apologie FRom pag. 55. to pag. 66. the Apologist runneth as it were in a maze now in and now out as though he had lost himselfe in a wood I will doe my best to trace him and finde him out I shall not neede to follow him in all his wandrings and turnings nor to answere all his tautologies and vaine repetitions but I will gainecope him and crosse him the next way and reduce his idle and superfluous speeches into some order and forme All these leaues containe but one argument which may be collected thus Her Maiestie and the state are bound to maintaine the religion of her famous noble Christian progenitors Kings and Queenes of this land But they were all knowne to be of the Romane religion and as he himselfe saith Papists pag. 59. lin 7. Ergo. First let vs see how he proueth the proposition or first part of this argument and then how the second 1. Many of them were holy Saints and miraculously witnessed of God to be in heauen euen by Protestants testimonie c. whom the Protestant Ministers must needes condemne to hell and damnation if they will leaue any little hope for themselues to be saued for one heauen cannot possesse them both The Antilogie 1. IF this were a good argument then Christians borne at their first conuersion of idolatrous parents in many ages succeeding together should neuer haue changed their religion but continued in Pagane idolatrie still for feare of condemning all their progenitors to hell neither Constantine the great in the Romane Empire nor Lucius in England should haue become Christened Kings If Idolatrous parents be in state of damnation shall the children tread in their steps to goe the same way The scripture teacheth otherwise that though the father dye in his iniquitie yet if he beget a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done c. he hath not lift vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel nor defiled his neighbors wife c. he shall not dye in the iniquitie of his father but shall surely liue 2 If the sonne be bound to his fathers false religion as idolatrie superstition wherein he erred least he should thinke him to be condemned he were likewise obliged to imitate his auncesters vices and corruptions of life as adulterie oppression violence whereby they were polluted should a man certainely condemne himselfe to belieue that his predecessors are vncertainely saued Their sinnes being of ignorance might be pardoned whereas the sonnes seeing his fathers sinnes and not amending are more surely sealed 3 That
many therefore of the renowned Kings and Queenes of this land are Saints in heauen is not by any Protestants denyed as he sayth by some it is confessed for they might be caryed away with some errors of the time then not reuealed yet holding the foundation thorough Gods mercie they might be saued It is a diuers case when a man sinneth of infirmitie or simplicitie and when he offendeth willinglie of obstinacie to stumble in the darke craueth pitie to grope at noone dayes is great follie I say therefore in this case as our Sauiour to the Pharisees If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remayneth And as S. Paule sayth The time of ignorance God regarded not Act. 17.30 God therefore might shew mercie to them that erred of simplicitie which is no warrant for them that should now be seduced willinglie Cypriane to this purpose thus sayth as he is rehearsed by Augustine Ignosci potest simpliciter erranti c. He that erreth simplie may be pardoned as the Apostle Paule sayth of himselfe I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but I was receiued to mercie because I did it ignorantlie Then it followeth Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat But he which after the inspiration and reuelation of the truth should perseuere in error doth sinne wittinglie not ignorantlie and therefore must looke for no pardon or pitie This is then the different case betweene the parents erring in time of darknes and the sonnes stumbling in the day light Their saluation doth magnifie Gods mercie in pardoning their imperfections it doth not iustifie their religion in commending their superstitions Our parents errings are our learnings their wants are not our warrants We must not imitate and follow them as Plato his schollers his crookednes Aristoteles his stammering Alexanders courtiers his stouping The Apologie 1 THe 2. proofe Because all states that liue in England are indebted to those Princes Clergie men for learning the Noble for nobilitie men of armes for heroicall acts c. her Maiestie hath receiued life being Crowne Kingdome and Diademe won and conuerted c. augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards c. They builded Churches Monasteries common Schooles c. What donations and free gifts were graunted to the English Clergie c. 2 For the defence of this religion all those princely prerogatiues were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessors which she still enioyeth by that title as alienations aduousions citations corporations escheates fooles forfeitures franchises deodands c. 3 The nobilitie possesse their lands castles c. titles of honor by their ordinance And that miserable people of England that vntrulie challengeth the name of the Clergie among Protestants Bishoprickes Deaneries degrees and titles of Schooles Vniuersities Colledges c. was deriued from our Catholike Kings c. The Antilogie 1 IS not here now great adoe about nothing and is not this a goodlie argument The auncient Kings and Princes haue been great benefactors to all degrees and states in England Ergo we are bound to receiue their faith and religion Who denieth but that all sorts of men and degrees of callings amongst vs are to giue great thanks vnto God for such worthie instruments of our outward peace and prosperitie and yet who taketh himselfe in religion to be tied by this bond to the same conformitie thankfulnes for benefites temporall ought not to abridge vs of things spirituall neither ought our dutie to men make vs forget our seruice to God If this perswasion were sound Constantine and other Christian Emperors must not haue forsaken the idolatrie of their predecessors by whom the Empire had been much enlarged and the Citie of Rome with many costlie Temples and buildings other goodlie foundations beautified many excellent lawes also for administration of iustice published and to whom for the outward state of the common-wealth the Empire was as much bound as any Christian Kingdome at this day to their auncient Catholike Kings and founders That saying of Pericles that wheÌ„ his friend would haue had him take a false oath for him said he was a friend only so farre as the altare might easily haue dissolued this doubt our worthie founders haue an interest in vs for our houses Colledges lands c. but not for Gods altare or matters of religion 2 First all those priuiledges and immunities were granted to the King as belonging to his princely prerogatiue not for the defence of the Popish religion as it may appeare by those seuerall statutes which the Apologist citeth in the margin which shal be examined in their order 1 Forfeyture 4.5 ann Edward 2.17 c. 16. the escheates of felons lands are giuen to the King 2 Franchise 20. The auncient prerogatiues and authorities of iustice which had been seuered by the gifts of sundrie Kings are restored as the pardoning of treasons murders man-slaughters making and appointing of Iustices c. ann Henr. 8.27 c. 24. 3 Intrusion 1. The heire of him that holdeth of the King in chiefe if he enter before he haue receiued seisin of the King shall gaine no freehold thereby Edward 2. ann 17. c. 13. here is no mention made of any such regard for maintenance of Poperie 4 Mortdauncester 1. The King shall haue the seisin of their lands that hold of him in chiefe ann 52. Hen. 3. c. 16. 5 Partition 1. If lands holden of the King in chiefe descend to many partners all the heires shall do homage to the King Prerogatiu regis 5 Ed. 2. 6 Patents 1. Aduowsions of Churches and dowers do not passe in the Kings graunts vnlesse expresse mention be made Ed. 2. ann 17. prerogatiu regis c. 15. 7 Primer seyson 1. The King shall haue primer seisin after the death of them that held of him in chiefe Ed. 2. an 17. prerogatiu reg c. 3. here as in all the rest there is no consideration pretended for defence of religion 8 Prouision 21. All the Statutes made against prouisions purchased from Rome in the time of Ed. 3. Ric. 2. are confirmed And it is further enacted that elections of Archbishops Bishops Priors Deanes be not in any wise interrupted by the Pope Hen. 4. an 9. c. 8. This acte ouerthroweth the iurisdiction of the Pope so farre is it from graunting any thing to the King for the defence thereof Thus like an vnskilfull Apothecarie taking quid pro quo he hath tempered a contrarie drugge which as a dramme of collâ—quintida marreth the whole potion though it had bene otherwise medecinable 9 Tenure 2. They that hold of lands escheated to the King shall do the same seruice to the King which they did before Mag. chart c. 31. 10 Ward 3. The King
pound at the last after he had raigned not many yeares nine and nine moneths he died of the stroke of a poysoned quarrell shot at him at the besieging of the Castle of Chalne Richard the 2. was a great factor for Pope Vrban whom he decreed by act of Parliament to be obeyed as head of the Church yet was he an vnhappie Prince in all his proceedings and at length was deposed and cruelly murdered in Pumfret Castle Henrie the 4. was a great agent for the Pope in persecuting of Christs members in the second yeere of whose raigne was made the statute ex officio wherein they are adiudged to be burned that should hold any thing contrarie to the determination of the Church by vertue of which statute many good men were put to death vnder the raigne of the three Henries one succeeding another But what followed the father and the sonne raigned not long not making much aboue 23. yeeres betweene them and Henrie the 6. holding on the same course against Christs members was deposed from his Crowne Richard the 3. much affecting and affected of the Popes ministers for whose sake the Archbishop of Yorke being Cardinall vndertooke to perswade the Queene to deliuer Richard Duke of Yorke to his vncle as a lambe into the lions mouth and preuailed therein his butcherly end is well knowne how his dead carcasse was caried naked behind a Pursiuant of Armes all be sprinkled with blood and mire and homely buried Queene Mary had both a short and an vnprosperous raigne she lost Calice deceiued in her childbirth left desolate and forsaken of King Phillip her husband before she died and ended her daies in griefe and sorrow But contrariwise as these Princes which yeelded themselues to be directed by the Pope were of all other most infortunate so those magnanimous Kings which maintained the libertie of the Crowne against the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome were prosperous in all their affaires Edward the 1. first made the statute of Mortmaine that no lands and possessions should be giuen to any religious house without the Kings licence the statute also of Premunire made against prouisions of Bishoprickes and other Benefices to bee purchased from Rome was then ordained King Edward the 3. also abridged and cut short the Popes iurisdiction prohibiting vnder great penalties that none should procure any such prouisions at Rome or prosecute any suites in the Popes Court the cognisance whereof appertained to the Kings Courts King Henrie the 7. would admit of no more Cardinals in England after he was rid of one King Henry the 8. abolished the Popes authoritie King Edward the 6. expelled the Masse and other Popish trumperie yet were all these victorious Kings Edward the 1. against the Welsh Edward the 3. against the French Henrie the 7. against that tyrant and vsurper Richard the 3. Henrie the 8. for his valiant battailes famous Edward the 6. in suppressing of Rebels and other enemies prosperous And concerning the raigne of our late noble Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth whom God in his mercie appointed to be a reformer of religion and a nourisher of his Church what Prince in the world I speake not of this age onely but of many hundred yeeres before can compare with her Maiesties time in any kind of outward blessing first in the yeeres of her life she went beyond al her progenitors Secondly in the length of her raigne she exceeded all but onely two Henrie the 3. and Edward the 3. Thirdly in peaceable gouernment for so many euen 44. yeeres none came neere her Fourthly in loue of the subiects at home Fiftly in honour and reputation among forraine Princes Sixtly in prosperous successe abroad in deliuerance from more then twentie conspiracies at home Queene Elizabeth had no peere Seuenthly adde hereunto the wealth of the kingdome Eightly the purenes of the coyne Ninthly but most of all the purenes of religion Tenthly the abundance of learned men such as no nation vnder heauen hath the like of graue Counsellers and Martiall Commaunders who can but confesse that in all these kindes the Gospell hath brought a rich blessing to this land And as Queene Elizabeth loued and liued in peace so she ended her daies in a good old age full of yeeres and which of all other may worthily be accounted the greatest blessing hath left the kingdom to a most worthie and noble successor a professor and protector of the same faith and religion our renowned King that now is by whose hands we doubt not but that the Lord will accomplish whatsoeuer he seeth needfull for his Church But because this Romish southsayer taketh vpon him to play the blind prophet What is like saith he to be the euent thereof hereafter I had rather others should write and shew their coniecture which I for reuerence to my Soueraigne will here omit And hereupon he hopeth that his prudent Princesse will imitate the examples of her noble predecessors Henrie the 1. and Henrie the 2. in recalling that which they did in their inconsiderate times c. pag. 79. Hereunto I briefly answere that his prognostication and exhortation are both alike they both shew a dreaming and phantasticall spirit His foolish hope we see is vaine and frustrate for her Maiestie left her happie raigne in the same faith wherein she began it and as she did nothing inconsiderately at her entrance but with great aduice so had she no cause to repent her in the end If her Maiesties predecessors were inconstant in pulling downe what before they had set vp she being appointed of God to be a wise builder was not therein to follow so simple a plot As is his hope and expectation such is his lying spirit of prophecying Indeed the Papists did promise themselues a great day at the next chaunge they did not mutter it in corners but clatter it in their vaine pāphlets Parsons made a booke of reformation against that time but blessed be God which hath disappointed their hope I nothing doubt but that righteous Abel shall offer still acceptable sacrifices vnto God in the Church of England when all hypocrites and Popish sacrificers shall hang downe their heads with Caine. Yea and I hold this to be no small miracle that God where such trouble was feared hath with such peace consent of harts and minds approbation of all good subiects acclamation and reioycing of the whole Church of God set the imperiall diademe vpon so godlie christian and vertuous a Prince his head such grace from God few expected all good men desired England I am sure hath not deserued yet God in his mercie hath granted So that we haue iust cause to say with the Prophet Dauid This is the Lords doing and it is maruailous in our eyes It is written of Sylla that after Italy was deliuered from the ciuill warres comming to Rome the first night hee could not sleepe for ioy But wee the Church and
done by the Magistrate and not by force vpon euery priuate mans head without order and authoritie 5. But they are the Papists not Protestants that incourage the people to rebellion as Innocent the 3. did discharge the subiects of their oath and fealtie to King Iohn So did Pius 5. and Gregory the 13. incite the subiects against Queene Elizabeth proclayming in their wicked Buls that all Catholikes might lawfullie withdraw their obedience from her They were your popish Diuines of Salamanca no Protestants that hatched these traiterous conclusions as Cockatrice egs that it was a meritorious worke to assist Tyrone against the Queene that the Catholikes of Ireland that did fight against the Queene were by no construction Rebels c. This shamelesse Iudasite might haue blushed to obiect this vntruly against Luther that which his owne faithlesse crue and generation of vipers is guiltie of 6. Lastly if Luther had so said or writ we defend him not neither take vpon vs to iustifie all his hastie sentences and rash speeches We are no Lutheranes neither haue we receiued our faith from Luther or yet depend vpon him Why may not Protestants take the like libertie against their writers which Papists vse against theirs When Harding was pressed with the absurd sayings of Syluester Prierias and Pighius he maketh this answere We bind our selues neither to the words of Syluester nor of Pighius if they erre what is that to vs let them beare their owne burthen 2 Secondly it is a most vncharitable sclaunder of Caluine and Beza and other Protestants that they should conspire the death of Princes It is vsuall with Papists not Protestants so to do as witnesseth the treasons of Morton Saunders Allen Ballard Hall Gifford Reynolds Parsons Walpole with others who all haue been detected to be practisers against the life of our late Soueraigne and the state of this land The Taylor and Cobler at Frankfort were Anabaptists as was Iohn Leyden the begger at Munster who came neerer Papists then Protestants for they said of the two namely the Pope and Luther Luther was the worse Against these Anabaptists did write Melancthon Vrbanus Rhegius with other Protestants while the Papists let them alone 3 Tyndals opinions are sound and good doctrine as he propounded them and Maister Fox maintaineth them not as the Papists wrested them 1. He saith that it is impossible for a man to fulfill the law of his owne strength and of our selues to consent to the will of God saith not the Apostle as much That which was impossible to the law in as much as it was weake c. the wisedome of the flesh is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Rom. 8. 2 7. 2. He saith not that the law maketh vs to hate God but in the law we are proued to be enemies to God and that we hate him so the Apostle saith I knew not sinne but by the law Rom. 77. and the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 3. When he saith euery man is Lord of an others goods he speaketh not of a communitie in possession but of the Christian and charitable vse which in pitie is to be extended to our poore brethren If thou shewest not mercie to the poore c. thou robbest him of his owne Doth not the wise man say as much Withhold not the good from the owners thereof Pro. 4.27 meaning the poore who before God are owners in respect of their necessitie of that which the rich haue in abundance and superfluitie 4. Where he saith the children of faith are not vnder the law he expoundeth himselfe that they are not compelled for feare of the law to doe their dutie but for the loue of Christ for the spirit of God worketh in them a willing obedience which proceedeth of loue He saith herein none other thing then S. Paul before him Against such there is no law Galath 5.23 The law is not giuen to a righteous man 1. Timoth. 1.9 which places are not to be vnderstood of the precept and substance of the law but of the effect and terror of the law which worketh not vpon the faithfull Tyndals doctrine is herein all one with Saint Pauls and this cauiller doth but bewray his ignorance herein mixed with malice 4. Fourthly what if some one Protestant haue of a singular opinion prouoked by the cruell gouernment in Queene Maries time written against the regiment of women let the author answere it himselfe Protestants are not to bee charged with mens priuate conceits We doe blesse God for the gouernment of Infants and women God hath vsed these weake meanes for the good of his Church in the happie raignes of King Edward and Queene Elizabeth yet we hold it a greater blessing when Kings not Queenes men not children are left to succeed in the kingdome as to the praise of God wee see this day 5. Whether the Lord Cromwell were guiltie of treason howsoeuer the Parliament being misinformed and misled by the malice of his enemies might iudge of him by this it is cleered because the King not long after wished that his Cromwell were aliue againe The Duke of Northumberland did suffer worthily for treason against the Crowne and died a Papist whatsoeuer shew he made before of the contrarie therefore the Church of Rome hath best right to him he is no disparagement to the Gospell It is vtterly false that Cranmer was put to death for treason for he was thereof acquited at his arraignement in the Guildhall at London neither are traytors in England adiudged to the fire as Cranmer was but otherwise punished 6. He sheweth not wherein King Henries testament was presently violated and therefore we may suspect the reporter of vntruth His bodie was interred at Winsore his legacies to the poore of 1000. markes and of the gift of twelue pence by the day to twelue poore Knights were performed his sonne succeeded in the Crowne and all this was done according to the Kings last will and testament But if it had been in some point violated as it is not like that the Chauncellor who had racked most cruelly Anne Askew an innocent woman with his owne hands was a man of such conscience onely to refuse so there were diuers of the Kings executors resolued Papists as Cutbert Tonstal Southwell Peckam with others so that the blame hereof wil be vpon the Papists shoulders especially seeing most of them then counted Protestants afterward in Queene Maries time turned Papists 7. That ambitious practise of the Duke of Northumberland to disinherite both the Queenes Mary and Elizabeth as it is confessed by vs so it toucheth not the credit of the Gospell seeing as is before shewed the contriuer of this disinheriting of the right heire ended his daies in the profession of the Popish faith to the which he exhorted the people to returne Thus this agent for the Pope goeth on still to
in custodiendis rescriptis alacritas in perferendis nec fides in reddendis He wanteth not neither diligence in keeping my rescripts nor cheerefulnes in carying them nor trust in deliuering them But this talebearer in reporting of Protestants opinions wanteth all these he is neither diligent in vnderstanding them nor willing to remember them nor faithfull in rehearsing them Where he would foyle others he sheweth his owne follie where he would blame vs he shameth himselfe he pretendeth to accuse others and had more neede himselfe to be excused much like to the souldier that Cato so much misliketh which in walking vseth his hands and in fighting his feete when he should in walking stirre his feete he vseth his hands and when in fighting he should exercise his hands he runneth away with his feete So playeth this freshwater souldier when he should lay on sound stroakes in telling the truth he runneth on with fables thinking so to carrie all before him The third Obiection NOw this quarrell-picker proceedeth and taketh exception to the mariage of Ministers which he would proue to be preiudiciall to the Common-wealth I will abridge his discourse being confused and follow his sense though it be needlesse to rehearse all his words There haue been accounted 40. thousand parish Churches in England admit the least suruey of thirteene fifteene or sixteene thousand There being so many maried Ministers for among all those it is a dishonour at this day to be vnmaried if 75. persons of the Israelites descending into Egypt in the space of 400. hundred yeers multiplied to 603550. people there being for euery maried Israelite a thousand maried Ministers in the like space of time they will amount to 603550000. a greater number then many Englands are able to maintaine vnlesse they should be sent out to the warres to be slaine But to permit multiplication of men to such ends to vtter them by slaughter is wholy Turkish c. pag. 90. to pag. 92. The Satisfaction 1. TO let passe his vncharitable slaunder that it is a dishonour among Protestant Ministers to be vnmaried whereas we honour the gift of true chastitie and reuerence them that haue it and there are diuers among the Protestant Ministers both Bishops and others which haue imbraced single life likewise not to touch his false account of the number of Parish Churches which neither maketh 40. nor yet 13. or 15. thousand The whole summe vpon a diligent suruey taken in the 44. yeere of Edward the 3. not exceeding beside London 8600. Parish Churches and London containeth 108. Parishes In the whole they are not aboue 8700. or at the most 9000. Parish Churches But to let this matter passe 2. If mariage by the word of God be free for all men as the Apostle saith For auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his wife 1. Cor. 7.2 And Mariage is honourable among all men Hebr. 13.3 then how absurdly doth this fellowe inferre that for feare of some inconuenience Gods ordinance should be restrained and some forbidden to marrie shall men presume to controule Gods workes or to infringe his ordinance or to seeme to be wiser then he as the Prophet saith Who hath instructed the spirit of the Lord or was his counseller or taught him 3. By as good and much better reason may the mariage of the poorer sort and common people be forbidden who are tenne to one for euery Minister and haue lesse prouision for their maintenance This Pope polititian belike would giue aduice that least people should multiplie too fast there might be a law that a certaine number onely should attend vpon the duties of mariage and bee set apart for procreation that as it is among horse and other cattell that the goodliest beast is kept for a stale so it might bee among men such seeme his prophane conceits to be And with as good right may any other order be restrained from mariage as Ministers in respect of the Common-wealth seeing that they haue the best meanes of education for their children And wee see by experience that from their families haue issued foorth many worthie men both for Church and Common-wealth whom the world should haue been depriued of if this wizards conceit might take place 4. And if the mariage of Ministers were like to be so burdensome to the Common-wealth how came it to passe that Moses that wise lawgiuer could not foresee it in the mariage of the Leuites who were the 13. part of the Israelites and all liued vpon the tithes and offrings of their brethren whereas the Ministers now are not the 200. part of the people What intolerable presumption is it in this shallow braine to sound a depth beyond his plumme and as another Hobab to take vpon him to teach Moses but without either wit or honestie both which Moses father in law had and the direction of the spirit withall 5 The scripture sayth The multitude of the people is the honor of a King Prou. 14.28 Among the heathen Lycurgus and Solon depriued those of certaine honors which liued single or had no children Among the Romanes they had great priuileges that were increased with many children A certaine Spartane yong man doing no reuerence to the Captaine Dercyllidas as he passed by among whom it was ignominious not to reuerence old age gaue this reason because you haue begotten none to rise vp vnto me when I am old which saying was misliked of none If the heathen then did count it such a benefit to haue procreation of children shall Christians skoffe at the fruites of generation and despaire of prouision for such a multitude As though God which feedeth the foules of the aire and vpon whom all creatures depend could not prouide for his people otherwise vnlesse they should be sent to the warres that the sword might deuour them For thus this seraphicall Apologist concludeth if warres had not bene to preuent so many mariages and kill so many thousands of men how could this nation haue prouided for so many pag. 92. What could sensuall Epicures prophane Diagoras or skoffing Lucian haue said more to the derogation of Gods prouidence What is it to limit Gods prouidence if this be not as though God seeth not an hundred wayes to prouide for his without this bloudie stratageme in appointing them to the sword 6 But whatsoeuer he ridiculouslie hath obiected against Ministers mariage that it is against a common-wealth is truely verified vpon popish monasticall single life what horrible pollutions whoredomes fornication incest sodomitrie bastardie secret murders of infants then raigned by reason of forced and dissembled virginitie it would offend Christian eares to heare In Gregory the first his time there were found sixe thousand infants heads in a Moate or Fish-pond which he perceiuing to haue been caused by forced single life reuoked his decree made before for the same It was one of the greeuances of the Germanes exhibited by the Princes
factious crue and adulterous seede of that strumpet may in good time also bee dispatched thither to sucke their owne mothers breasts that both the bondwoman and her sonnes may be cast foorth and not be heires with Isaac And if they will with Iudas depart from the Ministers of Christ to the Pharisies we may wish vnto them Iudas end as one saith Iudas iuit ad Pharisaeos non iuit ad Apostolos iuit ad diâ—isoâ— diuisus perijt Iudas went to the Pharisies not to the Apostles he went to those which were diuided and being diuided in the midst perished And happie were it with the Church of England if it were honestly rid of such make bate companions that wee might dwell by none but good neighbours as it is said of Themistocles when hee offered his ground to sell caused it to be proclaimed that he had a good neighbour Now this aduersarie breaking off here his vncharitable accusations returneth to his former defence which how sillie and weake it is shall in the discouerie thereof appeare The fift Defence 1. WHat disloyaltie of behauiour to Commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion doe wee not teach all dutie vnto Princes and superiours pag. 94. 2. What is there in that sacred function of Priesthood now treason by the proceedings of England that can be guiltie of so great a crime in the statute of treason in Edward 3. nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of King or countrie pag. 95. 3. What is in Priesthood now that was not in former times which euer in Parliament hath been reputed the most honourable calling c. the same Priesthood which was giuen to S. Peter and his Apostles the same which S. Augustine and his associates had that conuerted England pag. 96. 4. There is in that sacrament of Priesthood no renouncing or deniall of any authoritie in England no conspiracie to Prince no betraying of kingdome c. pag. 96. 5. That Priests do absolue from sinnes c. the cause is no temporall thing and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason for Deacons which haue no such authoritie are traytors by the same statute pag. 96. 6. That our Priests are consecrated in forraine countries is not the cause for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergie to be consecrated in those forraine countries and to be ordered in France to which we be friends and in England is equally treason pag. 97. 7. The Grecians and Germanes diuers in doctrine to the Church of Rome haue their Seminaries of Priests maintained by the Pope and yet they condemne not their Priests for traytors and it is as improbable that the Pope hath an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment as it is vnprobable in those countries 8. How can those religious Schooles be such aduersaries c. where there is no Reader no professor no Lecture no doctrine against our English gouernment where prayer is continually made for her Maiestie The rules and gouernment there consent with the ancient foundations of Cambridge and Oxford pag. 98. 9. What disobedience can it be to denie to any temporall Prince supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall a preeminence distinct c. which our Kings themselues euer approued in the Roman See which neuer any Turke or Goth or Vandale or Infidell challenged c. nor any temporall Prince vnlesse it be in England pag. 98. 10. The enemies to this See do not condemne it as a disobedience to appeale to Rome in spirituall cases to goe on pilgrimage to Rome to fetch any Crucifixe or picture from thence all Catholikes and Christians of the world without prohibition of their Princes haue accesse thither pag. 99. 11. Our most triumphant Kings haue performed those offices in visiting of Rome in their owne persons pag. 99. The Answere 1. DOe ye aske what disloyaltie there is in your Cacolike religion when by Popish doctrine Princes are not chiefe in their owne kingdoms ouer Ecclesiasticall causes and persons and the Pope hath authoritie by the same to excommunicate and depose Princes and absolue subiects from their oth of obedience And doe ye teach all dutie to Princes when the pestilent vipers the Iudasites doe hold that subiects ought to assist the Pope inuading a countrie by force for religion against their Prince and that they are bound to keepe secret the Popes designements to that end that they were no rebels which aided the Popes Cacolikes in Ireland against the Queene I would not so often alleage these matters but that this brablers confused tautologies can not otherwise be answered 2. There be other points in that statute beside betraying of King or countrie that are made treason as to violate the Kings wife or his eldest daughter or the wife of his eldest sonne but these matters are impertinent they serue only to shew the vntruth of his speech And euen by this statute popish Priests and Iudasites that maintaine a forren Potentate a knowne enemie to Prince and countrie are found to be traytors for they which are adherent to the Kings enemies in his realme giuing them ayde and comfort within the realme or elsewhere are by that statute iudged traytors 3. In popish Priesthood there are many things now which were not in former times as to haue power to make Christs bodie that it is a sacrament and hath an indeleble character their shauing greazing to haue dependance vpon the Bishop of Rome the vow of single life annexed to orders these things in the honorable calling of the Ministers of the Church the auncient and pure age of the Church did not acknowledge And though the popish priesthood for some hundred yeares past hath beene in great credite yet was it another manner of Ministerie which was honoured of the auncient Christian Emperors As the Bishops of the Nicene Councell whom Constantine so reuerenced that he would not sit downe till they had beckoned to him Meletius whose eyes lips and breast Theodosius kissed embraced Chrysostome whom Goinas the Goth did reuerence and caused his children to fall downe at his knees all these were Bishops of another order then the Popes creatures now are It is also a vaine boast that S. Peter had the same priesthood S. Peters presbyters were not Lords ouer Christs flocke as the Popes Clergie is 1. Pet. 5.3 Peter doth make himselfe a sympresbyter with the rest not lord ouer theÌ„ nor they to depend of him and confesseth Christ to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4 he dare not arrogate that title to himselfe as the Pope doth In some respects they may haue the same priesthoode which Augustine the Monke had though as yet the sacrifice of Christs bodie was not annexed to the priesthood nor many yeares after for he came from Rome and sought the preeminence of that See
but before his comming there were in England other Bishops who depended not vpon the Romane Bishops neither did acknowledge Augustines authoritie and refused to yeeld obedience vnto him 4. In the very receiuing of popish priesthood the Masse-priests bind themselues to be subiects to the Romane Bishop in spirituall things and so denie the lawfull authoritie of the Prince in causes Ecclesiasticall The Iudasites beside do enter into a vow of obedience to execute whatsoeuer their superior shall command them to do by vertue of which vow many treacherous conspiracies haue been contriued yea they haue a speciall vow of mission whereby they bind themselues to go whither soeuer the Pope shall send them Who seeth not how fit an engine this is to draw them on to practise against both King and Countrie as hath been seene in England but to their owne cost hitherto thanks be to God and I trust shall be so still 5. Popish priests and Deacons are not deemed traytors for their absolutions or any other priestly function but because they do receiue priesthood by authoritie of a forrain Potentate claiming iurisdiction in England and who as a temporall aduersarie hath displayed his banner in the field against the Prince the maintenance of whose authoritie is iudged trayterous 6. To receiue orders in forraine countries simplie is not made treason for the Church of England receiueth such Ministers as were ordained in other countries professing the same religion as at Basile Geneua in Germany But eyther in the realme or without the realme to be ordained by any authoritie deriued or pretended from the See of Rome is by the law decreed to be treason because therein they which are so ordered acknowledge and receiue the Popes vsurped power and authoritie in England who is an enemie both to Prince and countrie wherein they are guiltie of treason 7. Though in some free cities in Germany in Greece vnder the Turke Seminarie Priests be tolerated that is no president for England neither can it stand with the policie of this kingdome to admit any such mixture And in that they are not there taken for traytors the case is not like for if they had practised there against the life of the Prince and state of the countrie as in England there is no question but they would haue taken the like order with them Neither in England for more then twentie yeares was it made treasonable to be made a Popish Priest till such time as the state perceiued that their entring into the land seducing of subiects conspiring together tended to the subuersion and ouerthrow both of Prince and countrie And it can not be but that the Pope should haue an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment whatsoeuer he intendeth in other countries seeing both the Iudasites and Priests acknowledge that the Pope hath indirectam potestatem in temporalib hath an indirect power euen in temporals by force of armes to restraine Princes and to reforme them and to dispose of Kingdomes 8. This article is wholie vntrue for neither are the Lecturâ—s read in the Iesuites Colledges very commendable when one Maldonat a Iudasite in one publike Lecture proued there was a God by naturall reason and in another that there was none And Parsons would haue had his traiterous booke of titles publikely read in the Colledge at Rome to the Students as his fellow priests report What the professors of the Iesuites Colledge are and how affected to the Ciuill gouernment may appeare by their treacherous attempts Varade a Iudasite in France approoued the wicked treason of Barriere against the King so did Commolet who openly in his Sermons sayd they wanted but an Ehud Walpoole a Iesuite deliuered a poisonfull confection to Squire ann 1597. to destroy the Queene Parsons before that with other of the Spanish faction practised with Lopez to the same deede As is their practise so is their doctrine Parsons maintaineth as a principle that necessitie of true he meaneth his Cacolike religion is required in all pretenders to the Crowne whereby he meaneth that no title should be admitted though neerest by bloud and lawfull succession vnlesse the profession of the Romane faith were coincident to it Guignard made a booke wherein he maintained that to kill offenders he meaneth Princes that stood not for them was meritorious Chastell one of their schollers that was executed for attempting the Kings death maintained before the Iudge that in some cases it was lawfull to kill his King At Salamanca in Spaine these conclusions were resolued vpon by the Diuines of the Iesuites Colledge that all Catholikes did sinne mortally that tooke part with the English against Tyrone in Ireland that they which did fight against the Queene were by no coÌ„struction rebels c. These and such other positions were subscribed by Iohn de Sequenza Emmanuel de Royas Iasper de Mena professors of Diuinitie in the Colledge of Iesuites there and by Peter Osorio preacher there What a brasen face now hath this fellow that sayth there is no professor lecture doctrine in their Colledges contrarie to the English gouernment and what manner of prayers they vsed to make for Queene Elizabeth we may iudge by these their practises and opinions And if it were not so that these Schooles and Seminaries are corrupters of youth the Court of Parliament of Paris vpon the apprehension of Iohn Chastel who stroke the King with a knife in the face who was a student of the Iesuites Colledge of Clairemont would not haue decreed the whole companie of priests students there as corrupters of youth disturbers of the common quiet enemies of the King and state to auoid within three dayes out of Paris and within 15. dayes out of the Realme 9. We grant that when the Pope was in his ruffe many Kings made slaues vnto the beast yeelded vnto his vsurped iurisdiction in affaires ecclesiasticall but of auncient time it was not so for the good Kings of Iuda Dauid Iehosophat Hezekiah Iosias had the chiefe stroke in religious causes So had the Christian Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus Theodosius Martianus that made lawes concerning the faith Likewise the Christian Kings of the Gothes in Spaine decreed ratified and confirmed ecclesiasticall lawes as Reccaredus Guntranus Sisenandus Reccesinuthus Eryngius as is extant in these Synodes Prouinciall heere alleaged 10. To haue free accesse to Rome only to see the Citie and the behauiour of the people may by Princes in their discretion to their subiects be permitted though I thinke it be hard for any with a good conscience in regard of the publike offences there occurrent so to do but to bring from thence a crucifixe or a picture as a marke of the beast can not be but dangerous which although it be not treason in England though a disobedience yet Adam Damlip for a lesse matter by Winchesters procurement was condemned of treason for receiuing a French crowne of Cardinall
Merchants If it should not England hath no cause to repent of her bargaine though she had bought the Gospell yet more dearely with the losse of all traffique and entercourse with other nations For be it knowne vnto you ye Popelings that this land neuer florished more with all kind of blessings then since it hath been vnder Gods blessing by the Gospell and the Popes curse Neither would we for all the world be in the like condition as we were in the 22. of King Henry the 8. We thanke God for this happie change hartely pray that in this change we neuer know any other change vntill the world change that as the Apostle sayth Wee may keepe the commandemēts without spot and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Timoth. 6.4 that as Origen well sayth Ignis semper ardebat super altare sic semper nobis ignis fidei lucerna scientiae accensa sit That as the fire alwayes burned vpon the altar so the light of faith and lanterne of knowledge may alwayes shine vnto vs in this land And as Augustus Caesar said to Piso that builded his house most curiously and sumptuously You reioyce my heart building so as though Rome should last for euer I trust God shall so direct the heart of our chiefe builder in this Church of England to lay such a foundation that Gods house among vs shall stand for euer THE ANSWERE TO THE NINTH Section of the Authors defence to all honorable Ladyes and Gentlewomen The Defence 1. I May not suffer the foundresses of so many Churches Chappels Aultars Monasteries Nunries Colledges to be reprooued for that pietie pag. 107. 2. I can not suffer such a triumphant companie so famous for miracles renowned for sanctitie c. whose bodies many yeares after their death remained vncorrupted c. whom so many testimonies from heauen and earth haue confirmed to be most happie Saints to be condemned pag. 107. 3. Which for the loue and honor of our religion forsooke all temporall pleasures c. and became sacred Nunnes as Edelburga Etheldreda c. Alfritha wife to King Edgar c. Editha king Edgars daughter c. with many others which are there reckoned vp pag. 108. 4. He vrgeth the fearefull examples of the principall Protestant Ladyes of England c. grieuouslie afflicted of God and made dishonorable to the world pag. 108. 5. In the next place pag. 109. he seemeth to frame this argument because the Ladyes of England in their daylie and new deuices esteeme it not dishonorable to learne of the Ladyes of Italy France Spaine and Rome that therefore they should imitate them in their religion 6. All your earthlie honors titles names were either first founded or afterward confirmed c. by the Popes Emperours c. pag. 110. 7. That religion defended your mariages to be honorable and a sacrament by that religion your matrimonie was not in the pleasure of your Lords repudiations and diuorcements at their wils were not knowne concubines could not possesse the maintenance of your honors their bastards might not enioy the inheritance c. pag. 110. The Answere 1. NEither doe Protestants reproue the ancient founders of Churches Chappels Colledges for their pietie but praise God for them but for their superstition in erecting Monasteries to a false end for the remission of sinnes and redemption of their soules as King Offa builded S. Albons for the murder of King Ethelbert K. Ethelstane founded the Abbeyes of Middleton and Michelenes to make satisfaction for the death of his brother Edwine Elfrida wife to K. Edgar erected a Monasterie of Nunnes for the remission of sinnes for the death of her husband Ethelwoldus as hath been declared before answere to sect 7. pag. 58. 2. We condemne not any that haue been famous for sanctitie renowned for true miracles and witnessed to be Saints from heauen But wee receiue not all those for Saints that haue been canonized in the Popish Church as Thomas Becket that was a traytor to his Prince and there is mention made in the decrees of one that was worshipped for a Saint that was slaine in drunkennes And many of their miracles as of Dunstane Berinus Bristanus Brendanus with others wee hold be Monkish dreames and fabulous fictions as hath been also before shewed answere to sect 7. pag. 55. Of the like credit are the tales of their incorruptible bodies as that of Editha that the rest of her bodie being consumed to earth her thumbe her bellie and the part vnder her bellie were vncorrupted the first for her pietie in vsing to crosse her selfe the other for her chastitie As that also is held to be a fable that William the Conquerors bodie was found vncorrupt more then 400. yeeres after his buriall The Papists themselues deride the tale which is told from the Indies of the bodie of Xauiere which sixe moneths after the buriall looked as fresh as when he liued These are sillie arguments for one to ground his conscience and religion vpon And the Frier may barrell vp these fictions to disport his Italian and Spanish dames with our Ladies and Gentlewomen of England are more warie birds then to be taken with such a thredbare Falconers stale 3. Concerning those noble Ladies which became Nunnes 1 the profession simply of Monasticall single life is not a sufficient argument of a good religion for the Romans had their vestal virgins that professed single life the Iewes had their Esseni that embraced a strict and solitarie kind of life and the Turkes at this day haue their Mahometane Monks whereof there are foure principall orders 2. And seeing most of them had a superstitious opinion of Monasticall life as being a state more meritorious worthie of heauen therein they deceiued themselues and with the Pharisie that boasted of his righteousnes of his almes and fasting were so much the further off frō true iustification and while they placed religion in touch not taste not handle not in superstitious abstinence from externall things in not sparing the bodie they followed the doctrines and commaundements of men not of God Coloss 2.22 3. Though in the choice of Monasticall life they were conformable to the Romane Church yet in many other opinions they dissented for transubstantiation was not yet hatched and many grosse errors beside since forged by that blacke Smith 4. Neither was Monasticall life then like to Popish Monkerie in these daies their life more chast their time not so idly spent their superstition not so grosse And that there was great difference betweene old and new Monkerie some of their owne side doe beare witnesse Multis persuasum est aliam tunc fuisse quam nunc est Monachismi rationem Many are perswaded that the profession of Monks then was diuers from that is now Coloniens par 10. c. 1. 5. Lastly let vs see what deuout persons some of these women were which are here rehearsed
feares But in poperie beside the feare of God they teach to be affraid of Saint Peter Saint Paule Saint Mary of purgatorie and they do accumulate and heape together a thousand feares beside Seneca well saith Superstitio insanus timor amandos timet quos colit violat quid interest vtrum Deos neges vel infames Superstition is a mad error it feareth those that are to be loued whom it worshippeth it violateth and what difference I pray you to denie or to defame God Thus in poperie God is violated and defamed when other Mediators are assigned as though God of himselfe were not both willing and able to heare vs. Xenophanes wittily derided the AEgyptians that howled and cried in their temples If they be Gods why do you lament them if men why do ye sacrifice vnto them This Philosopher would haue condemned popish superstition which prescribeth the spirituall sacrifice of prayers to be made to men and women departed 4. Their honors are readie to procure attonement if you will be reconciled to the Church of God but if you wold haue peace made with the Antichristian synagogue it is impossible Nulla pax impijs There is no peace with the wicked saith the Lord Isa. 48.22 I may say vnto them with Hierome Nihil grande est pacem voce praetendere opere destruere It is no great matter to pretend peace in word and to destroy it in deed so these fellowes call for peace and atonement and yet be the onely enemies thereto Archidamus being made an vmpire betweene two brought thē to the Church and charged thē not to go thence till they were made friends and the strife ended So if they will haue this controuersie at an end the onely way is for thē to resort to the Church and submit themselues to the true worship and seruice of God and herein to follow the example of that honorable person who hauing first reconciled himselfe to the religion doth now enioy the fauour of his Prince But if ye Ignatians and seditious Seminaries still proceed in your factions and disloyall courses his Maiestie and their Honors restraining your stirring spirits are no persecutors of you but prosecutors of iustice against you Augustine well saith to the Donatistes that likewise complained of persecution Tribunus non est persecutor vester sed persecutor persecutoris vestri id est erroris vestri the magistrate is not your persecutour but a persecutor of your persecutor that is of your error Your vaine threatnings of tasting of the same vengeance are like to fall vpon your owne head as he that rolleth a stone it shall return vpon him Pr. 26.27 like as railing Rabsakehs threates against Hesekiah did first light vpon himselfe As protestants are not fond of your loue so neither do they feare your threates This is popish Diuinitie to threaten Magistrates whereas they are to be prayed for not to be prated vpon to be blessed not cursed Ambrose well saith Coactus repugnare non noui potero flere potero gemere c. Though I be forced I will not resist I can weepe I can mourne he saith not he wil curse or threaten Their Honors as they are wise do know what is to be done and as they are godly and iust will do as they haue done maintaine truth and seeke to roote out superstition Cyrus was wont to say That no man was fit to rule if he were not better then they which are ruled Their Honors as they are in authoritie and rule aboue others so in pietie and zeale I trust will seeke to go before them But more impious and irreligious to Christ and rebellious traitors to Church and Commonwealth did neuer any land beare then this mischieuous Ignatian generation of vipers and cockatrice brood as England and Fraunce haue had sufficient experience Let him giue his charge when he will we haue a discharge for him and will charge him afresh againe As Scipio said to a young man shewing a goodly shield That it became a Romaine to trust more to his right hand then to his left that is to know how to offend as well as defend to fight as to fence so shall they find that English protestants are not onely readie with Paule to shake off the venimous viper but with Aarons rod also to deuoure the counterfeiters rods not to keepe off their force onely but to force them againe not to repell but to replie not to ward onely but to wound And so I end with that saying of Hierome Si pacem desideras arma depone blandienti acquiescere possum non timeo comminantem sit inter nos vna fides pax illicò sequetur If you desire peace lay aside your armour I can yeeld to intreating but I feare not threatning let there be one faith betweene vs and peace will soone follow But otherwise as he againe saith Si ista est causa discordiae mori possum tacere non possum but if difference of faith be cause of discord I may dye sooner then hold my peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Errata In the title page reade Romanists latine epist. p. 3. l. 3. in the margine r. epist. lib 6. l. 21. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the pref p. 2. l. 11. r. Hiero. l. 24 r. Leontius p. 6. l. 7. in marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 7. l. 27. put out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 9. l. 23. r. Herodicus p. 10. l. 5. r. Herodicus p. 14. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 15. l. 15. r. Higinus In the 2. preface p. 3. l. 32. r. knowne In the Booke P. 14. l. 1. r. Kettistes not many pretenders c. p. 40. l. 10. r. nor p. 41. l. 25. r. be p. 45. l. 34. r. 1439. p. 63. l. 8. r. more p. 77. l. 8. r. 10. thousand p. 85. l. 13. r. tales p. 121. l. 27. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 125. l. 4. r. treason p. 157. l. 1. r. an 150. p. 165. l. 19. r. Attilas l. 37. r. menacing p. 173. l. 10. r. Sanctius p. 203. l. 32. r. badger p. 212. l. 25. r. Epicurus p. 249. l. 13 r. blasphemers p. 256. l. 1. r. Magdeburge l. 9. Leiden l. 35. r. receiued p. 258. l. 4. marg r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 162. l. 5. r. contestation p. 263. l. 29. r. Papists p. 265. l. 12. r. Porphirie p. 267. l. 12. 17. r. edition p. 272. l. 3. r. Stentorlike Eccles. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Domnionem Hieronym ad Chromatium 1. Reg 10.8 Eudoxus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Existit lib. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prou. 16.15 Dan. 4.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 1◠1 1 Sam. 20.20 2. King 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 126.3 Hac niue liquefacta mul tū erit luti Sozomen 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numantinus ad Scipionē Psal. 103.2 Deut. 17.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
people of England haue greater cause not one but many both nights and dayes to awake to giue thanks vnto God for our deliuerance from troubles not so much felt as feared And thus also I haue at length dispatched that tedious and friuolous section THE EIGHT SECTION HIS DEfense to the honorable Councell and all other men of Nobilitie THis Section being as the rest confusedlie shuffled vp and as a rude chaos tumbled together I will if I can bring it to some forme not vouchsafing an answere to all his idle words and vaine repetitions which are not to be regarded as Aristotle well answered a certaine brabler who sayd O Philosopher I am troublesome vnto you with my speech no sayth he for I marked thee not The first Defence SVppose ye might contend in politike gouernment with many c. let it be some might be admitted fellowes in armes c. yet to that which is most or onely materiall in this question and controuersie of learning religion c. are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison to balance your selues with so many Saints most holie learned professed Diuines and Bishops c. pag. 80. lin 12. The Answere 1 THeir honors are much beholding to this cunning Caruer that he will allow them in matters of policie and of martiall affaires to equalize those in the popish times employed in both but in learning and religion they must come farre short of popish Bishops c. 2 But herein also I doubt not for true religion and knowledge of God that our honorable Lords Nobles farre exceed most of that shauen crue for who knoweth not that in a popish Bishop learning and diuinitie is not of the greatest regard Was not the Bishop of Cauaillon a profound Clerke that said to the Merindolians that Iâ— was not requisite to saluation to vnderstand or expound the articles of faith for there were many Bishops Curates yea and Doctors of Diuinitie whom it would trouble to expound the Paternoster and the Creede Such another learned Prelate was the Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland that said to Thomas Forret Martyr that it was too much to preach euery Sonday for in so doing you make the people thinke that we should preach likewise He said further I thanke God I neuer knew what the old and new Testament was whereof rose a prouerb in Scotland You are like the Bishop of Dunkelden that knew neither old nor new lawe Such religious and deuout Bishops were some other in Scotland much about that time which held that the Paternoster should be said to Saints whereupon it was vsed as a byword in Scotland To whom say you your Paternoster I appeale now to the indifferent Reader whether our learned Nobles of England may not be compared in true learning and sound diuinitie with such vnlearned popish Bishops But I pitie this poore mans case that could play the Orator no better then at the first dash to alienate their minds into whose bosome he sought to insinuate himselfe forgetting that rule of Ambrose Qui tractaet debet andientium considerare personas ne irrideatur prius quam audâ—atur He that treateth of any thing must consider to whom he speaketh least he be laughed at before he be harkned to for Like as they that drinke bitter potions do loath the very cups so they which accuse at the first win no grace with their heaâ—ers The second Defence NExt this bold lad braueth it out producing certaine examples of the hard haps of some Nobles among the Protestants as of the Lord Cromwell condemned by the law which he had prouided for others the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland basely disgraced and put to death Robert Earle of Leicester miserablie died terrified with monstrous visions of Deuils Sir Frauncis Walsingham his miserable death despairing words filthie stinke of bodie basely buried in the night will be an eternall infamie against him The Answere 1 THe end of the Lord Cromwell was neither vnfortunate nor miserable making a vertuous and a godly end with confession of his sinnes and confidence in God and faithfull inuocation of his name he was attainted by Parliament misled and misinformed not condemned by any lawe of his owne making whome King Henry afterward wished to be aliue againe which he would not haue desired had he bene perswaded he was a traytor Thus wise Princes are sometime swayed with false reports and ouercome with flatterers and repent when it is too late But miserable indeede was the end of Bishop Fisher who was attainted by Parliament for practising with Elizabeth Barton called the holie mayd of Kent against the King who died in a bad cause giuing his life for the vsurped authoritie of the Pope against the lawfull calling of the King Such was the death of Sir Thomas Moore who dyed scoffingly and prophanely suffering for the like obstinacie and superstition How could he omit or forget these two notable examples of deserued miserie and obiect the much lamented case of that honorable Lord Cromwell dying in his innocencie 2 Concerning the death of the good Duke of Somerset it was no iudgement vpon him for his religion which as he had zealouslie maintained while he liued so therein he constantlie died But herein it might be that God chastised the ouersight of the Duke in condescending to the death of his brother the Lord Thomas Seymer wherein secretlie his owne ouerthrow was intended though he simply perceiued it not And again this is rather to be supposed a iudgement against that ambitious Duke of Northumberland who by his Machiauilian deuises cut off these two brothers the Kings Vncles to make a way for some of his to the Crowne as the euent of matters afterward shewed but he was ouertaken in his owne plots and suffered iustlie in the same place where the other good Duke by his meanes not two yeare before innocently ended his dayes 3 As for the Duke of Northumberland take him to your selfe for at his death he denyed the Gospell and in hope of fauour consented to the Popish religion and exhorted others to do the like whose recantation was presentlie published to the world Therefore let that Church challenge him in whose faith and communion he dyed his end full well declared that his religion was more for his owne aduantage then in conscience 4 That which is reported of the Earle of Leicester the credite thereof relying vpon this braggers bare word alleadging no author for it may with as great reason be by vs denyed as it is by him affirmed Yet admit it was so that he was in his sicknes troubled with fearefull visions that is not to be imputed to his religious profession but to his licentious conuersation wherein it is like enough he committed some things not beseeming a professor of the Gospell But he needed not to haue noted this if it were true as he saith for so strange a thing