as may witnesse that bloodie massacre of France and the continuall ciuill warres for many yeeres together wherein not so few Christian people as 100. thousand haue perished England thankes be to God hath no such flowers growing in her garden neither I trust euer shall Neither doe wee desire nay wee would not for all the kingdomes of the world chaunge our state with any of those flower countries Italie France Spaine which in deede are flowers and leaues without true fruite Though the Popes iurisdiction hath been large yet can hee not compare with the pontifices maximi among the Romans which was an office of such high authoritie and great commaund that the title was afterward annexed to the Empire and the Emperours tooke vpon them to be called the high Priests The other Patriarchall Seas also did equalize Rome in largenes of iurisdiction especially Alexandria to the which was subiect al Egypt Libya Pentapolis with all the Christian Churches of Africa The Pope hath no great cause to brag of his greatnes for his wings are well clipped and I doubt not but to see yet more of this proud birds feathers pulled Neither is largenes of dominion a good argument for religion for then Pagane idolatrie which was more vniuersally receiued at once in the 〈◊〉 then Christianitie should thrust out the Gospell of 〈◊〉 And as for the King of Spaine◠〈◊〉 he may thanke the poore Indians for it whose throates the Spaniards haue cut for their gold neither is it such but that hee knoweth how to spend it and for all his great treasure his coffers are often emptie enough But let it be remembred how these popelings measure religion by riches and outward glorie which if it were a good rule the rich Chaldeans Assyrians Persians should rather haue bin the people of God thē the poore Israelites the rich Scribes and Pharisies should be preferred before the Apostles 2. Popish religion denieth dutie to God making other Mediatours beside Christ teaching inuocation of Saints adoration of images which are peculiar to God neither doth it giue honour to Magistrates abridging them of their lawfull authoritie in matters ecclesiasticall and giuing the Pope authoritie to excommunicate and depose Princes and to absolue their subiects of their oath Concerning the particulars of Popish profession what little comfort is in them how derogatorie to God contrarie to Scriptures I haue shewed before in the answere to the 5. section 3. The Pope so well appeased the quarrels betweene Henry the 2. and his Nobles that after the King had reconciled himselfe to the Pope for the death of Thomas Becket and yeelded to doe penance his troubles began afresh betweene him and his sonnes Richard and Iohn that he died for griefe And the Pope by his Legates and factors in England and other countries hath been a mouer not a compounder of strife a raiser rather then layer of warre Did not Gregorie the 7. set vp Rodolphus against Henry the 4. the Emperour betweene whom many bloodie battels were fought Did not Pope Paschalis incite Henrie the sonne against the Emperor Henrie the father and dispossessed him of the Empire Vrban the 2. did put downe Hugo Earle of Italie discharging his subiects of their oth and obedience Gregorie the 9. did excommunicate Fredericke the 2. and raised vp the Venetians against him And in England Pope Innocent the 3. commaunded vnder paine of his great curse that no man should obey King Iohn he gaue definitiue sentence in his consistorie that he should be deposed from his Crowne and appointed Philip King of France to execute this sentence promising him full remission of his sins to kill or expell King Iohn Vrban the 4. set Henrie the 3. and his Nobles together by the eares absoluing the king of his oth made to performe certaine articles agreed vpon at Oxford whereupon the Barons warres were renewed Pope Boniface set variance betweene England and Scotland in the raigne of Edward the 1. challenging Scotland as proper to the Sea of Rome But in steed of easing the people of rigorous exactions imposed by Princes the Pope himself hath vsed vnreasonable extortions Rigandus de Asteri◠the Popes Legate in England in Edward the 2. his raigne demaunded of the Clergie 8. pence in the marke toward the Legates charges but they graunted only 4. pence in the marke He also laboured to bring in a new manner of collection of Peter pence but was resisted by the King The like did Henricus the 3. Repressit impetum Legati propter violentiam denariorum He restrained the attempts of the Popes Legate touching his violent exactions of money The Bishops of England after great and forcible intreatie agreed to pay to the Pope 11000. markes The King of England saith the same author made payment to Pope Alexander the 4. vpon a very friuolous and fond matter 950000. markes Bonner himselfe witnesseth that the Popes pray in England came almost to as much as the reuenewes of the Crowne The Pope had the first fruites of all the Bishopricks in England which came to a great summe Canterburie paied 10000. Florences and 5000. for his pall Yorke as much Winchester 12000. Elie 7000. The whole summe of all the first fruites in Europe which came to the Popes coffers amounted to 2460843. Florences which maketh well nie 6. hundred 15. thousand two hundred and ten pound starling Iudge by this now Christian Reader what an impudent man this is to make the Pope a mitigator of great exactions whereas he hath been the most cruell extortor and exactor in the world As is his credit in this so let him be beleeued in the rest 4. Popish confession is so farre from keeping subiects from deuising against their Prince as that it hath been the speciall engine and instrument to contriue treacherie against the state Simon the Monke was confessed and absolued of his Abbot when he enterprised to poyson King Iohn Frier Forrest in secret confession declared to diuers subiects that King Henry the 8. was not supreame head of the Church and so abused confession to sedition Peter Barriere was confessed in the Colledge of the Iesuites in Paris and tooke the Sacrament whē he intended to murder the french King that now is Iohn Chaestell also that conspired the like had been often schooled in the Iesuites chamber of meditations These are the fruites of popish confession deuising of treasons reuealing of secrets seeking occasion to do euill for by this opportunitie diuers lewd Priests sollicited the parties that came to be confessed vnto euill As mention is made in the papall rescripts of one qui cum alterius coniuge frequenter in ecclesia dormiuit which oftentimes in the Church slept with another mans wife And this should seeme to be so vsuall a practise that for restraint thereof they decreed against it non debet episcopus vel presbyter commisceri
for men in their sicknes to be troubled with illusions of Deuils and terrible visions seeing it is so vsuall a thing in Poperie and often happening to popish professors Did he thinke so to blind the world and possesse men with his strange reports that they could not call to minde the fearefull examples of Pope Siluester the second of Innocentius the fourth of Cardinall Crescentius whereof the first gaue his soule to the Deuill to obtaine the Papacie the second in the night was striken on the side by a certaine Bishop that appeared to him in vision and was left for halfe dead and not long after dyed the third being vicegerent for the Pope in the late Tridentine chapter sitting vp late to write letters to his vnholie Fatherhood was so frighted with the sight of a great black dog which appeared with flaming eyes and long eares that he fell by conceit thereof into a grieuous sicknes whereof he not long after dyed 5 Sir Frauncis Walsingham neyther dyed miserablie nor in despaire as he was in his life faithfull to his Prince a louer of his countrie a great patrone of schollers and martiall men sound in religion so we doubt not but he ended his dayes in comfort and peace of conscience This worthie Counsellers memorie honorable among Protestants and all that loue their countrie is odious to Papists because by his industrie and vigilant eye many dangerous conspiracies against Queene Elizabeth were discouered and by name that most horrible treason of Babington and Ballard with their accomplices in the 28. yeare of her Maiesties raigne wherein those trayterous Papists intended the vtter ouerthrow both of their countrie and religion to such indeede that excellent man was an aduersarie and for this cause this vile raker in dead mens ashes spitteth his venome at him Where he obiecteth the filthie stinke of his bodie c. as herein the testimonie of an aduersarie is little worth speaking vpon his owne bare word so he might haue remembred what is truely reported of Cardinall Wolsey that his bodie being dead was black as pitch and so heauie that sixe could scarse beare it and that it did so stinke aboue the ground that they were constrained to burie it in the night season The like end had Stephen Gardiner that great patrone of Poperie whose tongue before he died hung out of his mouth all swolne and blacke And I pray you what a sweete coâ—se was Bonners faâ— bellied carcasse that was buried full honourably as hee deserued betweene two theeues in S. Georges Churchyard in Southwarke As for the wanting of funerall pompe it is no disgrace to the dead but it was rather an honour to him whose liberall expences in the seruice of his countrie and beautifull reliefe to the liuing could leaue very little to be bestowed vpon himselfe when hee was dead Lazarus had but an homely buriall in the world yet was his soule attended vpon by Angels Augustine well saith Si aliquid prodest impio sepultura pretiosa obâ—rit pio vilis aut nulla If the wicked be profited by their sumptuous sepulture the godly is hindred by his meane buriall furniture We may say in this case of this honourable man as noble Agesilaus who forbad that any picture or monument should be made of him when he was dead giuing this reason If I haue done any thing well that shall be my monument if not no tombes or pictures are any thing worth So this mans worthie acts while he liued shall be his monument now he is dead which doe more commend him then the sumptuous pillers of some that lie not farre from him of farre vnlike desert The third Defence 1. HE taketh vpon him to proue that the Popish religion hath made the professors thereof honourable and glorious It was neuer yet saith he accounted dishonourable to any to be a professor of that religion which made him glorious pag. 82. 2. The children of the greatest Princes and Nobles were Priests and Bishops in England pag. 84. as S. Guitlacke S. Suitbert Thomas of Hereford sonne of the noble Cantilupus c. Cedda Dunstane c. pag. 83. 3. The onely order of S. Benedict hath had twentie Kings aboue 100. great Princes many Popes 1600. Archbishops 400. Bishops 15000. famous men 4. He rehearseth diuers Archbishops of Canterburie most honourable in their time Baldwine Hubert Kilwarbie Peccham Stratford Offord Braidwarden Islip Langhton with others pag. 84. The Answere 1. THe Popish religion is a dishonour to such Princes and Nobles that professe it vnlesse any man be so simple to thinke it was an honour for the Emperour Henrie the 4. to waite vpon the Pope Gregorie the 7. three daies and three nights in winter at the gates of Canossus or for Fredericke the 1. to yeeld his necke to be troad vpon by Alexander the 3. and to be rebuked for holding Pope Adrians stirrup on the wrong side or for Henriricus the 6. to suffer Pope Celestine to set the crowne on his head with his feete and to cast it off againe or for King Iohn to kneele downe at the feete of Pandolphus the Popes Legate and to surrender his Crowne to the Pope Doth not now this Popish profession adde great honour to Princes submitting themselues vnto it 2. That the sonnes of Princes haue become Priests and Bishops in the time of Poperie is not denied and so haue Priests and Bishops been made Kings and Princes as Adelualphus sonne of Egbrichus being Bishop of Winchester was made King of England anno 829. Daniel a Priest was elected King of France anno 719. It was not deuotion but ambition that made Bishops pricke forward to be Lord Chancellors Lord Treasurers chiefe Iustices of England as we finde in former ages neither was it the sanctitie of Poperie but the riches of the Clergie and their brauerie that allured vnto them the Nobilitie 3. If Bennets order haue brought foorth so many of all degrees it is more like that their fat offerings great reuenewes and idle bellies procured it then any deuotion of that sect wrought it neither is it a good argument to preferre those colours because so many haue worne them The Epicures sect had more schollers and disciples then any of the rest The Scribes and Pharisies had more followers then Christ and Diana of Ephesus was worshipped of all Asia and the whole world Act. 19.27 He hath said yet no more for the Benedictines then the Epicureans Pharisies Dianas worshippers can alleage for themselues that many Kings Philosophers Priests and many famous men were of their sects Lastly if these Iudasites haue indeed such a good opinion of Bennets rule what ailed Frier Parsons to bee so fierce against poore Barkworth a Masse-priest of the Colledge of Valledolid to cause him to be expulsed to be buffeted vpon the face and drawne by the heeles vpon the pauement because he was a
cum mulierib c. the Bishop or Priest ought not to lye with the women that come to be confessed Wherefore seeing auricular confession gaue occasion and opportunitie to such euill they shall not easily perswade that for want of such confession such abuses and iniuries haue growne Concerning restitution Protestants allow it and require it to be made approuing of that sentence non tollitur peccatum â—isi restituatur ablatum that of sinne there is no remission where there wanteth restitution But we affirme and teach that satisfaction to God by vs can not be wrought we must let that alone for euer that worke Christ only hath performed Multitude of suites dilatorie pleas corrupt iudgements are not vncontrouled by Protestants doctrine but we mislike and condemne them and trust by our prudent Prince in time conuenient to see many of those disorders redressed Neyther were the popish times free of such vnnecessarie suites and contentions betweene Bishop and Bishop Bishop and Prior Prior and Couent among the Friers and Monks as I haue shewed before at large in my answere to the second section pag. 8. Yet these quarrels and suites of law notwithstanding our Church Religion is not for that abuse to be condemned no more then the Church of Corinth ceased to be of Christs familie because they went to lawe one with another that before heathen Iudges 1. Cor. 6. But sure it is that these abuses haue not sprung because auricular confession is intermitted which was as a heauie yoke and burthen vpon Christians shoulders and did rather terrifie then certifie the conscience which superstitious vse the wiser heathen condemned as Antalcidas being asked of the Priest what great sinne he had committed in his life made this answere if I haue done any such thing the Gods know it he thought it superfluous to declare it to men 5. And was it not thinke you a very poore life that had the third part of the substance of the land as is confessed to maintaine it Neither is it true that the Abbeies furnished more armies then all the Ministers and Abbey-gentlemen for I thinke not but the Clergie in England alone hath contributed more in subsidies tenths beneuolences yearely toward the maintenance of the Princes warres then all the Abbeies in England yeelded to the Crowne for they stood vpon their priuiledges and immunities and gaue but what they list themselues The poore you say were relieued so many statutes against them and to burthen the countrie were not knowne True it is that the Abbeies maintained the idle vagrant life of rogues beggers and it is verily thought that the frie of theÌ„ which was bred then hath so spawned forth into the whole land that vnto this day this nation could not be disburdened of them You seeme to mislike the statute of late made for the restraint of vagrants and vagabonds then the which a more wholesome lawe could not be made in that kind if it were well executed neither is the countrie more but lesse burthened in relieuing their home-borne poore being eased of other coÌ„mon walkers But it is no maruaile that this Frier holdeth with beggers for he is cosen-germane himselfe to the begging friers no thanks then to Abbeies and Frieries in relieuing of lay beggers when they sent out such a number of irreligious beggers of their owne they should haue done better to haue kept their owne begging mates at home that the lay people being rid of such vnshamefast beggers might haue beene better able to maintaine their owne But concerning this relieuing of common beggers wherein he giueth such praise to Abbeies their own canons haue vtterly misliked it sint autem mendicantib validis non solum hospitalia clausa c. To valiant beggers let not only the hospitals be shut but let it be vtterly forbidden them to beg froÌ„ house to house for better it were to take bread from the hungrie least being prouided of his bread he should neglect equitie and iustice that is liue idlie Coloniens part 11. ca. 5. You aske if they were not better bestowed then in hunting hawking carding courting c. I answere 1. that although we wish that Abbey-lands had beene conuerted to better vses yet they were abused as much before as now and much more 2. for beside that it is not to be otherwise thought but that the lord Abbots and fat Monks disported themselues with hunting of wild game abroad and tame at home in carding and courting of Nunnes and pretie pewling cloyster virgines more then I thinke Abbey gentlemen now vse to do those lands then serued to maintaine idle and vnprofitable persons whereof there was no vse in the common-wealth whereas now many seruiceable gentlemen are thereby brought vp and sustained fit for the dispensing of iustice in peace and to stand for the defense of the land in time of warre 6. It is a great vntruth here vttered for neuer did this land enioy greater peace and of longer continuance with other countries Spaine only excepted then it hath done for the space of these 40. yeares vnder the Gospell What bloudie and cruell warres haue been in time past between England and France in Henry the 2. King Iohn Edward the 3. Henry the 5. with Scotland in Edward 1. Edward 2. Henry the 8. But vnder the Gospell peace with these countries hath been firmely established and we trust is like to continue still 7. As for knowledge and experience gotten by trauaile our Gentlemen and Noblemen of England are not therein vnfurnished Rome and Spaine are not so safe and free for trauailers that would preserue a good conscience but there is little lost by that for few are there that visit those countries but are made worse thereby according to those auncient prouerbs The neerer Rome the further froÌ„ Christ He that goeth once to Rome seeth a wicked man he that goeth twice learneth to know him he that goeth thrice bringeth him home with him But there are other Countries more safe to trauaile vnto and more profitable to be conuersant in then either Rome or Spaine Neither are all martiall feates there learned England since this diuision from Rome and Spaine hath sent forth as valiant Captaines and commaunders both by sea and land as euer it did nay former ages therein can not compare with these times What Captaines are more famous in our histories then Generall Norris Captaine Williams Morgane the noble Earle of Essex and others in land affaires who more renowned then Captaine Drake Furbisher Hawkins Candish with the rest in Sea trauailes Our Merchants indeede haue been somewhat hindred of their traffique and entercourse in the King of Spaines dominions but that hath been as much losse to them as to English Merchants neither hath England wanted any necessarie merchandize notwithstanding this restraint And we doubt not but religion and the Gospell standing and florishing still in England that passage hereafter may be more open and free for
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
maid in one of their chambers and these things were done in prison where it is most like if in any place their fasting and chastitie should be best performed I trow drunkennes commeth not by fasting and abstinence nor yet dallying with maides in corners 3 Concerning the great charge of Ministers progenie admit it come to so much in 40. yeare space as this Popes auditor hath layd his counters to fiue hundred thousand pound and odd as in deed it doth not as is before touched neither the number of them being so great nor the charge rising to such a summe but be it granted 1. may not the same obiection be vrged against any other order or calling of lawyers artificers labourers or such like might not euery parish in England spare an artisane or labourer some one or other whereas one Minister is necessarie for euery parish will not the progenie of any one either Tailor Shoomaker Weauer Husbandman through the land accounting for euery parish but one arise in like time to the like multitude And in his prophane and popish conceit are Ministers that draw the people to God no more necessary then botchers coblers hedgers c 2. If the ofspring of Ministers should all be of the same calling as the sonnes of the Leuites and Priests were and all be maintained of tithes and offrings as the other were they might with greater shew of reason be thought to be burdenous and yet the other were not but seeing they are dispersed into other callings and so diuerslie employed some in trades some in merchandise some in profession of learning some for the seas some for the warres and other seruices of the King the same exception might be taken as well against any other of the Kings subiects as against them 3. Who seeth not what a foolish reckoning he hath made he maketh account of an 100. thousand now after 40. yeares continuance and of 500. thousand pound now by the yeare increasing which he holdeth sufficient for the maintenance of warre and supplie of taxes c. But let him be asked what the number of the one was and the summe of the other 10.20.30 yeares since he must come short by so many parts and degrees of his account and yet so many yeares since the English warres began and subsidies were thought needfull to be leuied when as yet the increase of Ministers and of their charges came not to the fift part after that rate when as notwithstanding the yearely expences of the warres in Ireland and other places did rise to 200. thousand pound by the yeare 4. But what is this counter-casters meaning would he haue this summe of 500. thousand leuied yerely of the Clergie all their reuenues and liuings to a groat will not reach it wherefore would he haue it collected to maintaine warres and spare subsidies I trust they shall cease our greatest warres are like to be against the Pope and his adherents Let it be noted then that this popeling giueth counsell how warres might be maintained against the Pope his vnholie father who is the greatest enemie to this nation And for the sparing of subsidies and taxes raised vpon better subiects I answere first that both the occasion thereof the necessitie of warres being remoued and the Kings princely disposition so standing that he would haue subsidies rarely lifted vp I make no doubt but hereafter they will more sparingly be required that there neede no such supplie Againe the Clergie toward the raising of these subsidies were always most forward payed more for their number by fiue parts at the least then any of the Laitie for whereas they make not for their number the hundred part of the land and for their reuenew receiue nothing neere the tenth part so many impropriations being deducted yet their share in the subsidie was very neere the fift part of the whole if not more And therefore in this regard there were no better subiects then they as also in respect of their loyaltie in themselues and seruice to the Prince in retaining the people in due obedience But if they were no better subiects then trayterous Iesuites and Seminaries I say not it were no great matter if they were one hanged against another but if they were all shipped to the Sea and sent to the Indians and Cannibals or whither else so they were not in England I thinke the whole land would be in greater quiet and safetie 5. Lastly this cruell wretch sheweth himselfe another Haman who to haue the Iewes destroyed offered to bring in 10. thousand talents into the Kings cofers Esther 3.9 So this fellow offereth fiue hundred thousand pound to haue the Ministers and their ofspring rooted out like another Caligula that as he wished all the Romane citizens had but one neck that he might strike it off at once the same in his hart he desireth in the Ministerie of England But I doubt not but I shall sooner see the Frogs of Egypt that crauled in euery place with an East wind to be cast into the Sea then the Doues of the Church to be driuen to forsake their holes But whereas he addeth That the behauiour and disobedience of Protestants in common-wealths is worse then among Iewes Turks Paganes c. neither can it be imagined how amendment should be had except a reformation of Protestants disobedient doctrine be made pag. 94. His owne cauterized conscience knoweth that this is an abominable slaunder or fiction of Protestants but a true narration of Masse-priests and Iesuites for if Mortons rebellion in the North Saunders commotion to warre in Ireland Allen Parsons inuasion by the Spaniards Babingtons conspiracie Lopez poysoning Parries murdering be laid together with many other trayterous attempts both against Prince and countrie it will euidently appeare as cleere as noone day that neuer any such villanie was attempted against any Turke or Heathen Prince as hath been practised by those Papists And concerning doctrine Protestants teach obedience to Princes euen in Ecclesiasticall causes Papists denie it yea they maintaine monstrous positions that the Pope may excommunicate and depose Princes may absolue the subiects of their oth and fealtie that the Pope inuading a countrie for religion ought to be assisted by the subiects against the Prince that the Popes designement to inuade a countrie by force to the same end ought not to be reuealed to the state these are Parsons positions Adde vnto these the Iesuites conclusions at Salamanca that it was meritorious to assist the rebels in Ireland against the Queene that they which tooke part with the Catholikes against the Queene were by no construction rebels c. Wherefore seeing there can be no amendement or redresse of Popish trayterous practises till both they and their doctrine be auoyded the land we are to wish and hope in time that as Popish doctrine is already sent backe to Rome the mother thereof so the trayterous Iesuites and Priests and all their
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
Poole in Rome only for his reliefe But to make appeales to Rome as to a higher Court and to the Pope as to a superior Iudge is a great derogation to the imperiall dignitie and no well reformed common-wealth can endure it Neyther is England here alone as he vntruely saith but other reformed Churches of Scotland Geneua the Heluetians haue cut off such vnnecessarie and vnnaturall appeales 11. What Kings and Princes haue done in times past in visiting Rome and going in Pilgrimage in their owne persons when they were led with blind deuotion it maketh nothing to vs Of auncient time Princes were wiser and I trust God will open their eyes at the last to acknowledge their error and shake off the yoake of Antichrist according to the prophesie of the Reuelation that they shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked c. Reuel 18.16 Thus with all his subtilties and shifts of descant this Masse-priests proctor hath endeuoured to free that order from suspicion of treason But as the Prophet Ezechiel sayth He hath daubed vp a wall with vntempered morter Ezech. 13.10 with like workemanship hath he made a bulwarke for his order But as it is in the lawe Particeps criminis non idoneus testis He that is partner in the crime is no sufficient witnes So is he an vnfit aduocate for the Ignatian order being himselfe of that treacherous brotherhoode I could aduise them if they had grace to receiue good counsell that they would not suffer themselues to be any longer abused by their vnholie father to runne vpon the pikes at his pleasure and hazard both their bodilie life and the saluation of their soules not to be so desperate as Scipio his souldiers of whom he boasted that at his bidding they would cast themselues headlong into the Sea What though you would reduce your countrie to your opinion and the obedience of the Pope your purpose is not good your counsels prosper not you are deceiued in the disease which you would cure at the least with perill of bodie and soule you vse too costlie a remedie as Marius to the Phisician that came to cut him of a certaine disease made this answere that the remedie was not worthie of so much griefe The sixt defense 1. FIrst he standeth vpon the glorie of the popish kingdome Consider sayth he the glorie of King Henry the 8. and this kingdome before his fall and their infamie after the short or turbulent season of King Edward and for this present what it is and what like to be c. I leaue to the lamentable consideration of all men now and the pitifull experience of those which shall proue it afterward France Spaine Italy may be named the floures of the world the power and iurisdiction of the Pope more glorious then was euer any Regiment of any spiritual superior the kingdome riches reuenues of the K. Catholike are the greatest of any Monarch p. 100.101 2. Their religion consisteth of all affirmatiue positions teaching dutie to God honor to Magistrates equalitie to all oppression to none c. pag. 101. 3. Quarels and contentions betweene King and subiects Nobles and Nobles as in the time of Henry the 2. haue beene comprimitted by the spirituall Romane authoritie c. rigorous onerations imposed by Princes eased vnappeasable wars with France and other nations brought to an end pag. 101. 4. The Protestants deniall of restitution and confession what wrongs and abuses hath it wrought c. who can now keepe subiects from deuising against Soueraignes c. for want whereof so many suites and actions of law such a multitude of Lawyers what dilatorie pleas non suites c. practised and vncontrolled by Protestants doctrine c. pag. 102.103 5. The Religious Clergie enioyed the third part of the substance of our nation c. which was employed toward the necessaries of their poore chast and single life they did furnish armies more then all the Ministers and Abbey gentlemen the poore were relieued c. were they not better bestowed then in hunting hawking carding courting c. pag. 103.104 6. Catholike Religion left and kept England in amitie and league with the Popedome Empire Spaine c. whereas no historie maketh relation of so chargeable and prolonged wars of this kingdome with other nations as our late and now present Spanish Irish Flemish pag. 104. 7. Lastly he sheweth that by separation from the Roman religion Noblemen and Gentlemen haue lost much learning and knowledge in seeing other Princes Courts and countries Souldiers the skill and honor in armes Schollers the benefite of studie in other Vniuersities Merchants their trade and traffique c. and so he concludeth to this effect that these things considered it were better to be in such condition as England was in in the 22. yeare of Henry the 8. when this reformation began then euer it was by Protestancie since now is or by probabilitie will grow to be in time to come pag. 106. The Answere 1. KIng Henrie his gouernment was as glorious his battailes as victorious his successe as prosperous after the reformation of religion as before if not much more As in appeasing the commotions in Yorkshire and Lincolneshire anno 28. Againe another in Yorkshire suppressed anno 3â— Notable victories obtained against the Scots anno 34. And againe anno 36. And in the same yeere he preuailed against the French when Boloigne was yeelded to him King Edwards raigne was neither so short nor troublesome as Queene Maries was which both at home was plagued with mortalitie and famine and abroad dishonoured with the losse of Calice that had been English well neere 300. yeeres This is too vnshamefast dealing to obiect the one and conceale the other Queene Elizabeths raigne hath been most flourishing with loue of subiects at home and honour of other nations abroad and as his Maiestie truly witnesseth She did so long with such wisedome and felicitie gouerne her kingdomes as I must in true sinceritie confesse the like hath not been read nor heard of either in our time or since the daies of the Romane Emperour Augustus As for your lamentable consideration and pitifull experience what England is like to be you shew your selfe herein but one of Baals false Prophets that prophecied good successe to Ahab as you promised to your selues at the next chaunge of the kingdome a glorious day in England and an vtter subuersion of the Gospell As his brother Frier or father Parsons vttereth with the like boldnes God will most certainly at his time appointed restore the realme of England to the Catholike faith againe But the Lord be blessed that hath disappointed their vaine hope and frustrate their wicked desires I trust thorough Gods mercie that England still vnder the Gospell shall see as flourishing daies as euer before As for those flowers of the world c. some of those haue brought foorth but simple flowers
very marrow of Poperie continued and the whole bodie of the Romane doctrine the opinion of the supremacie excepted And ye had beside a breathing time in Queene Maries raigne such as that of Saul who breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Act. 10.1 such a breathing as I trust ye shall neuer haue againe in England I hope this was no time of your captiuitie And againe you are somewhat too forward to looke for the reuiuing of the papall kingdome so soone after 70. years stay till you be equal to the captiuitie of protestants that 7. times 70. yeares endured the tyrannie of your terrene god the Pope as long as Israel soiourned in Canaan and AEgypt 430. yeares Exod. 12.40 and much longer and then after that time expired lift vp your heads if you can But because you plead prescription of 70. years you shall haue your mind yet they shall not be the seuenty yeares determined for Iudaes deliuerance but the 65. years which want not many of seuentie which were limited for Ephraims destruction Within fiue and threescore yeares Ephraim shall be destroyed from being a people Isa. 7.8 And we trust in God that the proud idolatrous Ephramites of Rome according to this time taking beginning from the first reformation in England shall haue Ephraims portion and their kingdome come to desolation Concerning your Popes Iubile enioy you the benefite thereof get you packing to Rome and solace your selues there England careth not for Iubile pardons nor for such paltrie pardoners as ye are Protestants haue enioyed through Gods mercie a full Iubile vnder the Gospell in King Edward and Queene Elizabeths happie raignes and now we trust beginneth another ioyfull Iubile vnder our noble King and so our hope is that the Church of God vnder his M. his royall posteritie shall enioy the profession of the truth frō Iubile to Iubile till we all come to celebrate an euerlasting Iubile in heauen The Pope hath lately solemnized his Iubile like as the Iewes kept their Iubile when Christ was put to death who brought deliuerance to his Church but destruction to the Iewes before the next Iubile came So this Popes Iubile wherein they haue confederate to persecute Christ and his members is like to be ominous to that blodie generatiō prosperous we hope to the church of God This Romish Iubile lately celebrated in new Babylon may fall out to be like Balthasars feast which he made in old Babylon the destruction of the citie followed the same night to whō fitly agreeth that verse of the Poet Namque vt supremam falsa inter gaudia noctem Egerimus nosti It was our last and onely night That we thus spent in false delight So may this happily be the last popish Iubile and this great solemnitie may end with a Sardonian laughter according to the saying of the wise man Pride goeth before destruction and an high mind before the fall Prou. 16.18 2. If religion be the bond of peace then can there be no sound peace betweene the Church of God and the synagogue of Rome which is declined and fallen away from the true religion and seruice of God The Popes peace we desire not as we feare not his curse if he loue quietnesse protestants will not offend him if he seeke trouble they can requite him But if Scotland be comprehended in this league and amitie as among other nations this Popes muster-maister hath numbred it I hope England shall haue a share that is now one with Scotland It is vntrue that England can agree with none in religiō it accordeth with Scotland Geneua Heluetia Belgia with the protestants of Fraunce some diuersitie in external right maketh no difference in religion And as vntrue it is that no two protestant Princes can haue this peace together seeing it is most manifest that for 45. yeares there was a firme peace betweene England and Scotland being vnited in religion such as for so long a time was not knowne for fiue hundred yeares while both these kingdomes professed poperie And indeed it is a rare thing to see one protestant Prince offend another with warre but it is very cōmon for Princes and States addicted to the popish profession to wage battel one with another France Spain Naples Millaine the Venetians Geanes Florentines Romaines haue often one with fierce war assaulted another As we shall reade among the Paganes how in Graecia the Spartans Athenians Corinthians Thebanes Argiues Megarensians with other cities did with cruell warre one afflict another so that as the Scripture saith In that time there was no peace to him that did go out and go in but great troubles were to all the inhabitants of the earth Such is the peace among the Romanists neither sound and in truth nor of any long continuance but like vnto Iudas kisse so is the Popes peace and amitie as Ambrose saith Amoris pignore scelus implet pacis instrumento odia serit By a token of loue he worketh mischiefe and by an instrument of peace soweth hatred So his vnholy Fatherhood faineth peace if it be for his aduantage and breaketh it at his pleasure if it may serue his turne better as Eugenius the fourth caused Ladislaus to breake the truce made with Amurathes the great Turke to the great losse and disaduantage of all Christendome Wherein the Pope very well resembleth Cleomenes the Spartane King who hauing made truce with the Argiues for certaine dayes set vpon them the third night after and slue them alleadging for himselfe that he had made truce for dayes not for nights 3. Popish religion can neither make vs at peace with God whom it robbeth of his due honour making other Mediators inuocating Saints worshipping idols nor with Angels who refuse to be worshipped Reu. 22.8 nor with Saints who while they liued refused that adoration which is now ascribed vnto them in poperie as Peter wold not suffer Cornelius to worship him Act. 10.26 To the soules imagined to be in purgatorie it offereth wrong keeping them in torment that by the Scriptures are to rest from their labours Reu. 14.13 Neither can popish professors haue peace in themselues seeing they deny iustification onely by faith by which we are at peace with God Rom. 5.1 That religion agreeth with none but diuels for it maintaineth lying wonders which are by the working of Sathan 2. Thess. 2.9 It forbiddeth to marie and to abstaine from meates which are the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4.1.3 It persecuteth casteth into prison the seruants of Christ which is the worke of Sathan Reu. 2.10 Poperie therefore which derogateth so much from God cannot reconcile vs or make vs agree with God superstition doth not draw vs nearer to God but maketh vs further off Hierome well saith hoc nobis praestat Dei timor vt omnes alios contemnamus timores The feare of God doth make vs to cōtemne all other