for her proued incest and adultery yet his pride and wilfulness was so excessiue that rather then acknowledg his former error by a formal recantation he continued to exercise his scandalous supremacy so violently that he devised Articles of Religion made Cromwel his Vicar-general in spiritual affairs took upon him to define what was heresy what Catholick faith permitted the Scriptures to be translated by heretiks and read in English and to vexe the Pope countenanced and connived at any novelties though afterwards he burn't the novelists for heretiks and prohibited when it was too late their Translations of Scripture and other Books which he had formerly permitted But seing that notwithstanding his severity the Sacramentarian heresy which he most of all hated did increase in his Kingdom and that the spiritual sword in his lay hand did not work those effects which it had don when it was managed by the Bishops of Rome by whose sole authority all the heresies of the first 300. years were condemned and suppressed without the help of a general Councel and that the Keys which he had usurped served rather to open the doors of the English Church to all errors then shut them out and perceiving his end draw neer he began to think of a reconciliation with Rome but such a one as might sute with his humor which he termed Honour Therfore he sent his favorit Bishop Gardener to the Jmperial Diet with privat instructions to endeavour in such a manner his return to the unity and obedience of the Church through the mediation of the Catholick Princes of Germany and of the Pop's Legat that on King Henrys side it might look more like a princely condescendâ—ncy then a penitent conversion wherunto he seemed to incline at the solicitation rather of others then moved by a detestation of his own errors But God with whom none must dally nor Princes capitulat summon'd him to an account sooner then was imagined Whether he repented or despaired at his death is vncertain Some say his last words were omnia perdidimus all is lost In his last will and Testament he named 16. Tutors for his Son to govern during his minority with equall authority charging them not to bring in the Sacramentarian Religion But God permitted his will to be broken before his body was buried who had changed the last wills of so many thousands deceased and that but three days after his death for upon the 1. of February Seamor Earle of Hartford brother to Ed. 6. Mother was made Protector of the King and Kingdom by his own ambition and privat authority of his faction which prevailed amongst the 16. Executors without expecting any Parliament or consent to the Realm for so great a charge or for the change of religion which immediatly followed And because Wriothesly Earle of Southampton Lord Chancelor the Earle of Arundel and Bishop Tonstall and some others would not betray their trust and opposed the new reformation they were disgraced and displaced SVBSECT I. Of the English Religion and Reformers in King Edward VI. reign THe Earle of Hartford newly created Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector of England was a man fitter to be governed then to govern his judgment was weak but himself very wilfull and so blindly resolut in commanding and executing the designs of others by whom he was guided that without perceiving it he was made the instrument of his own ruin as wel as of his brothers and of the yong King also by the chang of the ancient Religion Dudley Earle of Warwick was his director both in Church and state affairs and yet was his greatest enemy which Somerset had not the wit to see though all the world knew him to be his Competitor And albeit Dudly had bin always a Roman Catholick in his judgment yet as most Polititians do he dissembled his belief and yet â—oothed the Protector in his inclination to the protestant reformation not doubting but that having once intoxicated the people with the liberty and inconstancy therof he might lead them from the contempt of spiritual authority to rebel against the temporal and humor so well their mad zeale that for their new Ghospel's preservation and propagation they would fix vpon him for their Director and stick to whom he would appoint for their Soveraign He was not deceived in his expectation the Protector Seamour was destroyed Dudly himself made chief Minister of England the King poysoned the Princess Mary excluded the Lady Jane Gray declared Queen because she was a Protestant and marryed to Dudlys Son All which things he compased in a short tyme though by degrees as you shall hear No sooner was K. Henry 8. dead but Dudly Earle of Warwick advised Somerset to take vpon him the Protectorship and to make him odious by his privat authority to alter the publick profession of faith and because he knew so notorious a fraud could not be effected without force he devised with the Protector the journy of Musselborough field and the war of Scotland vnder pretence of gaining by force the yong Queene of Scots to marry K. Edward 6. but in reality to get the power of the Militia into his own hands and therby to settle in England a Religion wherby he might in due tyme vpon the score of a refin'd reformation vnsettle the government and alter K. Henry 8. Testament and persuade England that his Daughter Marys reign would eclipse the light of the ghospel which then began to shine After that he had made the Protector so odious that none could endure to hear his name or to live vnder his government he thought it a proper tyme to establish by Parliament that new profession of faith which he knew could not be effected without the consent and concurrence of that great Assembly And though he was not ignorant of the absurdities contained in the best of the new reformations yet because since the setlement of the spiritual headship of our Kings he perceived the common people might be led any way and that an Act of Parliament was held sufficient to make them believe the ancient Christian Religion was profane and that any protestant reformation was the primitive and Apostolick faith he wrought so much by the feare of the army and the Kings authority that albeit in the first Parliament and year of Edward 6. reign nothing more could be obtained in favour of Protestancy but an indemnity for the preachers therof from penalties enacted by the ancient laws against married Priests and Heriticks and a repeal of the English Statuts confirming the Imperial Edicts against heresies yet in the second year and Parliament of Edward the VI. It was carried though by few votes and after a long debate of aboue four months that the Zuinglian or Sacramentarian reformation should be the Religion of England The charge of framing Articles of this Religion as also of composing the Liturgy and a book of rits ceremonies and administration of Sacraments had bin commited to
evidently followeth that if it be lawful to deal thus with spiritual Superiours it must be as lawful a fortiori to deal after the same manner and vpon the same grounds of every privat man's interpretation of Scripture with temporal Superiours To imagin therfore that by a particular article of Religion or by an Act of Parliament against Presbiterians Quakers Anabaptists c. in favour of the subject's property to temporal goods or of the King's prerogatives and soveraignty such mens minds or mouths wil be stopt from raising tumults and runing into a rebellion so cleerly waranted by the fundamental principle of the Protestant Reformation is but a fancy not to be rely'd vpon by any discreet person Dudly Earl of Waâ—vvick and afterwards Duke of Northumberland observing that by this foundation of Protestancy the very ground of Alegiance and Obedience not only to the spiritual but also to the civil Magistrat is vndermin'd resolved to make his son King of England and in order therunto marryed him to the Lady Jane Grey a Protestant of the bloud royal not doubting but that they who had renounc'd all subordination unto their spiritual Superiours vnder the pretext of a reformation would vpon the same score preferr the lady Jane to the Crown before the Princess Mary a Constant Catholick Therfore after that he had beheaded the Protector and poyson'd the King he crown'd his son's wife with the concurrence and applause of the Prelatick Clergy Cranmer Ridly c. and with the consent of the Protestant Nobility and Citty of London But Protestancy not being at that tyme so deeply rooted nor so largly spread in the nation the Catholick Gentry and Commons togeather with Q. Maries great courage and resolution quash't this Polititian's design and brought him to due punishment Vpon the scaffold he declared that he never had bin a Protestant in his judgment and only made use of it's profession and principles for temporal ends as to raise his family c. he advertiss't the people of the new Religion's inconsistency with peace and quiet that it's Clergy were but Trumpets of sedition The substance of his speech is set down by D. r Heylin in these words He admonish'd the spectatours to stand to the Religion of their Ancestors rejecting that of later date which had occasion'd all the misery of the foregoing thurty years and that for prevention for the future if they desir'd to present their souls vnspotted in the sight of God and were truly affected to their Country they should expel those tempests of sedition the Preachers of the reform'd Religion that for himself what soever had otherwise bin pretended he profess'd no other Religion then that of his Fathers for testimony wherof he appeal'd to his good freind and ghostly Father the Lord Bishop of Worcester and finaly that being blinded with ambition he had bin contented to make rack of his conscience by temporising for which he profess'd himself sincerly repentant and so acknowledg'd the justice of his death A Declaration saith D. r Heylin very vnseasonable whether true or false as that which rendred him less pittied by the one side and more scorn'd by the other This is a more Politick then pious observation of D. r Heylin would he not have men confess their faults and profess their â—aith when they are dying and would he have them preferr the vanity of the pitty or scorn of the world when they are to bid the whole world adieu before the satisfaction and salvation of the soule I feare too many of D. r Heylins principles not only deferr until the last houre the profession of the truth but even then dissemble thinking a Declaration and recantation of their errors at that tymâ— either vnseasonable or vnpardonable and preferr the vanity of the world's opinion before the necessity of a conversion vnto the true faith Q. Marys daunger ended not with Dudlys death it lasted as long as ther was any man to head the Protestant party and to put the people in mind of it's principles First the Duke of Suffolck and others plotted the setting up once more of the Lady Jane Grey and began the execution therof by their Proclamations against Q. Marys intended mariage with Philip of Spain this occasioned the Lady Jan's death Other zealots of the Protestant Religion concluded a mariage between the Lord Courtny and the Lady Elizabeth their plot was discover'd as also Wyats Rebellion suppress'd all these things were don by the advice and assistance of the Protestant Clergy that remained in England and were commended by such of them as liv'd abroad D. r John Poinet the last Bishop of Winchester was not only of Wyat's Councel but continued in his camp vntil he perceiv'd the design would not take then he departed telling the Rebels he would pray for their good success Goodman and Knox rayled in their Books against the Queen and Calvin in his Coment vpon Amos termeth her Proserpine Goodman hath this expression Wyat did but his duty and it was but the duty of all others that profess the Ghospel to have risen with him for the maintenance of the same His cause was just and they were all Traytors that took not part with him O Noble Wyat thou art now with God and those worthy men that dyed in that happy enterprise This was the primitive spirit these the first effects of our English Protestancy Not only the Queen out of a zeal to the Roman Catholick Religion but the Privy Councel and Parliament moved with a desire of peace seing it was moraly impossible to govern people protestantly principl'd resolved to restore the ancient doctrin wherwith their Ancestours had so long prosper'd and to suppress the Protestant novelties by the rigour of the laws formerly made against heresies which had bin repeal'd at the instance of the reform'd Preachers and Prelats in K. Edward 6. raign And therfore as D. r Bancroft Arch-Bishop of Canterbury confesseth in his book of dangerous positions pag. 63. though Q. Mary was a Princess of nature and disposition very mild and inclined to pittie yet she and her government is taxed with too much severity by them that consider not the nature and consequences of Protestancy If Tinkers Taylors Tapsters Tanners and Spinsters would needs run into the fier for defending the fond inventions of Cranmer and of other known Temporisers who could help it neither patience nor pains was wanting in the Catholick Clergy to reduce them to the truth but their obstinacy and the vanity of dying Martyrs forsooth made them preferr their own privat sence of Scripture before that of the whole visible Church So charitable were the Catholicks that they delay'd the penalties of such as they could not convert and connived at them who endeavored to escape by absenting or concealing themselves And as for Cranmer Ridly Latimer and the other Ringleaders of Protestancy they had liberty given them to maintain their cause in publick disputations with the tyme books and notaries
no human industry will be able to escape the rocks and shelves wher vpon this great ship must be driven If our Pilots and Parliaments will be overruled by the loud and rude outcrys of the Scumme of the people against Toleration or liberty of conscience and will think it sound policy to condescend to their zeale and raise protestancy to the height of it's principles in particular to the purity of their justifying faith which is of so great virtue that it hath made Regicides and Rebells Saints in England and Lords in Ireland working in that miserable Kingdom stranger miracles then are read of in the Ghospel It hath changed the very essence or nature of things and defined Innocency and nocency by such new notions that Adam before his fall had he bin an Irish Catholik would have bin declared nocent wheras every Protestant however so guilty of rebellion and murther is a Child of grace and favour no sin or crime must be imputed to him his justifying faith saves and salves all It hath turn'd a Convention of Cromwell's officers into a Cavaleer House of Commons And though it hath not remov'd mountains yet it hath â—â—mov'd the 〈◊〉 nobility and gentry that had bin active in the King's service unto mountains and deprived most of them since the King's restauration of that smale pittance which had bin allowed to them by Cromwell in Conaght It hath made the rebellious and the Royal interest on and the same thing because forsooâ—h both are called an English and Protestant interests and for as much as Oliver and Henry Cromwell were English Protestants it 's declared to be the King's interest that not only Cromwell's Officers but that him-self his son and their Trusties and Assignes ought to possess and enjoy Irish Cavaleers estates In England also this justifying faith hath wrought wonders for though it hath not restored no one the â—ares he lost and loft on the Pillory for his sedition yet hath it restored him to such credit that his word against Protestant Bishops and Catholik Cavaleers is like to be made the vote of the House of Commons and an other Presbiterian that formerly headed the table of London against the King hath kindled such a fire in â—arliament that can hardly be quenched without the bloud of Innocents And truly I should admire that such a Cavaleer Parliament as this is doth not punish Presbiterian Persecutors as french Pensioners for that by their persecution slow in a Treaty of Confederacy with England seing non can have greater security of performance of articles then was given to the then Confederats of Irland which signified nothing but a breach of the publick faith We shall not presume to discourse further of this subject then our Alleigance and affection lead vs to vindicat the Government How it agreeth with the Rules of Policy to make Ireland Protestant many Protestants dispute most resolve that Irish Popery would be a surer support to our King's soveraignity in Irland then English and Scotsh Presbitery or a forc't and feign'd conversion of Cromwell's Creatures to Prelacy and Monarchy The great Earle of Strafford's opinion was that it is the King of England's Interest to make Irland a counterpoyse against all rebellious attempts of his Protestant subjects and to that 〈◊〉 that the Irish ought to be countenanc'd even in their Religion it's principles being so favorable to Monarchy and irreconciliable to Presbitery and by consequence therby all combinations and Covenants between Scotsh and English Sectaries may be prevented or suppressed and the King without any charge or care only by â—ot persecuting Papists for their conscience may secure the Irish to him-self who if treated like other Subjects would never think of domestick conspiracies or seek foreign protections And as for England we hope it shal never feele again the effects of Presbiterian policy and piety nor be govern'd by another long Parliament yet he who best vnderstands the affaires and constitution of the Kingdoms thinks it part of his trust and duty to bid the Royalists be vigilant in their stations and charges not only for preventing and suppressing plots and insurrections but much more to beware of Godly Parliaments composed of the purer sort of Protestants such as her tofore by reforming and reducing Protestancy to it's primitive purity and coherency with it's fundamental principles have in these Kingdoms destroyed both Monarchy and morality It seems by the caution of this great Minister these men and Jacobus Andreas ad cap. 21. Lucae And Luther him-self acknowledg the world groweth dayly worse men are now more revengfull covetous licentious then they were ever before in the Papacy And before when we were seduced by the Pope every man did willingly follow good works and now every man neither saith nor knoweth any thing but how to get all to him-self by exactions pillage theft lying usury c. And in his Colloq Mensal Germ. fol. 55. It is a wonderfull thing and full of scandal that from the time in which the true doctrin of the Ghospel was first recalled to light the world should dayly grow wors Mr. Stubbes in his motives to good works printend an 1596. in his epistle to the Lord Major of London saith that after his travaile in compassing all England round about I found the people in most parts dissolut proud envious malisious covetous ambitious carless of good works c. Mr. Richard Jeffery in his Sermon at Paul's Cross 7. October printed 1604. pag. 31. saith I may freely speak what J have plainly seen in the cours of some travailes and observation of some courses that in Flanders was never more drunkness in Italy more wantoness in Iury more hypocricy in Turky more impiety in Tartary more iniquity then is practised generally in England particularly in London all this is seen in on of the worst ages wherin these Roman Catholick Religion was professed see our Adversaries the Centurists Cent. 7. c. 7. col 181. who say Although in this age the worship of God was darkn'd with man's traditions and superstisions yet the study to serve God and to live Godly and justly was not wanting to the miserable common people c. They were so attentive to their prayers as they bestowed almost the whole day there in c. They did exhibit to the Magistrat due obedience they were most studious of amity concord and Society so as they would easily remit injuries all of them were carefull to spend their time in honest vacation and labour to the poore and strangers they were most courteous and liberal and in their judgments and contracts most true And Bucer in his Scripta Anglicana pag. 24. saith The greatest part of the Reformed Ghospelers seemed to look after nothing by the Ghospel but to be rid of that yoke of disciplin which was remaining in the Papacy and to do all things according to the lust of their flesh It was not then vnpleasing to them to heare that we are Iustified
Protestants None could ever prove there was one true miracle wrought to confirm the Protestants doctrin or their pretended authority for reforming the Tenets of the Roman Catholick Church Protestants are forced to say that miracles are ceased and that ours are Diabolical or counterfeit Because no true Bishops were Protestants and by consequence they could have no Priests ordained and so their Priesthood must have perished after the death of the first Apostatas Luther and others the Protestant reformers and Churches taught that all Christians are Priests both men and women and this doctrin is supposed to be true by the Church of England in their 39. articles and in the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. SECT IV. OF the Protestant Prelatick Church of England The occasion of K. Henry the 8. divorce from Q. Catharin and of his revolt from the Church of Rome was his passion to An Bullen the words of S. Iohn Baptist to Herod concerning his brothers wife absurdly applyed to K. Henrys marriage with his Brothers widdow How zealously he had formerly maintained the Popes supremacy how cruelly he afterwards persecuted the professors therof and how impiously he judged S. Thomas of Canterbury robbed his shrine and burnt his Reliques The Catholick Princes rejected his embasies and solicitations for imitating his example in assuming the supremacy And how much the protestant Princes were troubled and ashamed that he made his lust the motive of his reformation How incredible a thing is the English supremacy K. Henry 8. at length resolved to renounce it and returne to the duty of a Christian King but stood upon such termes and differrd it so long that he died in Schism excommunicated and despairing of Gods mercy His last will and testament was broken before his body was buried The Erle of Hartford made himself Protector and brought into England the Sacramenrian or the Zuinglian heresy against K. Henrys last will and the lawes of the land then in force without a Parliament and contrary to the votes of the Erles of Arundell and Southampton and others of the 16. Trustees named Governors by K. HeÌ„ry 8. during the minority of Edw. 6. SVBSECT I. HOw Seamor was directed and destroyed by Dudley Duke of Northumberland The sayd Dudley notwithstanding he was a Catholick in his judgment as himself confessed at his death concurred to establish protestancy in England designing therby to vnsettle the state and make way for excluding the right heirs of the Crown and crown his own family which he effected by excluding Q. Mary for being a Catholick and by marrying his Son to the Lady Jane Grey who had no other right to the Kingdom but what her Zeal to the Protestant Religion and Clergy gave her What wicked men and great cheats were Cranmer and his Camerades that composed the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England and the common prayer book that of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies and how the common people were made believe the change was not of Religion but of language SECT V. OF the 39. Articles of the Church of England they contain only some general notions of Christianity and are applicable to all dissenting Sects of Protestancy as Presbytery Zuinglianism c. The design of the composers having bin rather to give men a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christian Religion then of tying them to any certain points therof or to any faith therfore they declare that the visible Church is fallible and determin no certain canonical Scripture of the new Testament They make the doctrin that Luther learnt of the Devil against the Mass Tradition and praying to Saincts c. part of their Creed as also the Tenet against spiritual Caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood art 25. rejecting imposition of hands as not instituted by Christ. In the 2. last Articles they endeavour in vain to suppress the errors of Anabaptists especialy that of appropriating to themselves other mens goods in vain I say because in their former articles they declare its lawful for Protestants to dispossess the Roman Catholick Clergy of their goods and dignitys by vertue of a privat interpretation of Scripture and the Anabaptists pretend no more but that its lawfull for themselves to deal after the same manner with Prelaticks and t is certain there can be no disparity given So that the two last articles of the 39. as also that of the authority of the Protestant Clergy are against an evident parity of reason in their own Protestant Principles SECT VI. A Particular account of the revolutions which these 39. articles caused in England and how they may work always the same effects if there be such politick and popular heads amongst us as Dudley Crumwell and many of the last long Parliament Q. Maries Reign how much endangered by Protestant designs and rebellions Duke Dudleys speech at his death The Roman Catholick Religion restored by Act of Parliament and the Protestant decreed to be Heresy and Schism as also the force and frauds of K. Henry 8. divorce discovered and his marriage with Q. Catharin of Spain declared valid The Roman Clergys resignation of the Church revenues to the Crown and present possessors Q. Elizabeths intrusion against the right of the Steward 's effected by the zeal of the Protestant faction for suppressing of Popery SECT VII NOtwithstanding that Q. Elizabeth was declared illegitimat by 3. Acts of several Parliaments never yet repealed she possessed herself of the Croun and excluded the Queen of Scots the lawfull and immediat heir to Q. Mary lately deceased By the advice of Cecil and others she revived Protestancy and the Supremacy therby to excuse her illegitimacy She instituted a new Kind of Clergy the Prelatick Protestant Bishops neither had nor have any other caracter of Episcopacy but what the great seal and her temporal laws give them Any Lay person may consecrat a Bishop of the Church of England if he hath the Kings commission to do it all other things being superfluous according to the Act. 8. Eliz. 1. and 25. article of the 39. How the Oath of supremacy divided Protestants and made the Catholicks more constant The simplicity of some Protestant writers pretending that the Pope offered to confirm the English liturgy if Q. Elizabeth would acknowledge his jurisdiction SECT VIII REasons why Q. Elizabeth in her long raign could not settle her Protestant Religion nor gain credit for the Prelatick Clergy Neither is it possible for her Successors to make the generality of her subjects to have any esteem for either SECT IX HOw injurious and prejudicial the Protestant Religion hath been to the Royal family of the Stevards and how zealous they have bin and still are in promoting the same It preferred not only Q. Elizabeth but also any natural child of hers before the line of the Stewards Wherof see the 8. sect â—in How dexterously K. James played his game and how they who murthered his mother were forced to invite him to the Crown
Divino otherwise how could S. Peter be caled by the Evangelist Chief of the Apostles or Primus in dignity seing his brother S. Andrew was the first Disciple or primus in antiquity and if there was a Chiefe among the Apostles how can it be imagined that their successors should be all equal or that the successour of the Chief Apostle could be deprived of a prerogative so necessary for the peace and government of the succeeding Church Or if the Bishop of Rome had not this supremacy as S. Peters Successour and by Christs appointment how is it possible that all the Christian Princes and Prelats of the world should conspire or consent to submit themselves to one whose temporal power could not force that submission and they had no cause to feare his spiritual more then that of other Patriarchs or Bishops confined to their own Dioceses These were the Kings reasons in behalf of the Popes supremacy against Luther but now his passion made him contradict his pen and love though blind gave him eyes to see more of Christs mind since he had seen Anne Bullen then all the world had discerned in 1500. years before He declared therfore by Act of Parliament that the Popes spiritual jurisdiction was a meer vsurpation and that every temporal Soveraign was Pope in his own Dominions and by vertue of this prerogative he declared his own mariage with Q. Catharin voyd married Anne Bullen and seised vpon all the lands and treasurs of the Monasteries and Abbies dispensed with all the young Friers and Monks vows of obedience and chastity after that he had taken an order they should not break the vow of Poverty and to that purpose framed an instrument and forced the Religious to sign it wherin they declared that now at length through Gods great mercy they had bin inspired and illuminated to see the inconsistency of aâ—â— Monastical life with true Christianity and the salvation of their souls and therfore they humbly petitioned his Majestie by means of his Vicar General in spiritualibus Cromwell who was Earle of Essex and a black-smiths son of Putney to restore them to Christian liberty and a secular life And because the Abbots of Glastenbury Reading Glocester and many others would not subscribe to this instrument nor by their approbation therof declare that S. Austin the Monk and Apostle of England who converted the Saxons to Christian Religion professed a life inconsistent with Christianity they were cruely tormented and put to death The same tyrany was executed vpon all sorts of people without distinction of age sex or quality and amongst them suffered also Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancelor of England and Cardinal Fisher Bishop of Rochester two of the greatest ornaments of that age for refusing the oath of the Kings supremacy And for that S. Thomas of Canterbury alias Becket had opposed K. Henry 2. Laws made rather against the exercise then the right of the Popes spiritual authority in England and therfore was Kill'd by some officious Courtiers and honoured as a Martyr by the Catholick Church and his Sanctity and Martyrdom had bin confirmed by most authentick Miracles which also confirmed the Popes spiritual supremacy and jurisdiction and condemned King Henry 8. vanity he without feare of God or regard of the world cited a Saint reigning in heaven to appeare and heare vpon earth his sentence which was to have his reliques burn't the treasure of his Church and shrine confiscated and all those declared Traytors that would call him Saint or celebrat his feast or permit his name to remain in the Kalendars of theyr Books of Devotion He also prohitited his subjects to call the Bishop of Rome Pope and every one who had S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Austin S. Leo or any of the Fathers works was commanded to write in the first leafe therof that they renounced those Saints doctrin of the Popes supremacy Not content with these extravagancies at home he sent Embassadours to solicit Princes abroad and in the first place to Francis 1. of France that they might follow his example in assuming the supremacy and albeit the Pope was either agreed or engaged in a Treaty with Charles 5. to the prejudice of France yet that Christian King would not as much as hear Henry 8. Ambassadours speak of his imitating their Master in assuming to him-self the supremacy And even the Protestant Princes of Germany to whom the Ambassadours repaired after that their negotiation had bin rejected by the French King told them they were sorry K. Henry 8. did not ground his reformation vpon a more religious foundation then his scandalous passion for Anne Bullen And the first protestant Reformers abroad part of whose design was to get all spiritual jurisdiction rather into their own hands then into the hands of their temporal Soveraigns were much troubled at K. Henry's supremacy and Calvin writ a smart though short treatise against it and no Protestants make a lay Prince spiritual head of a Church but our English Prelaticks Notwithstanding that the lateness of the discovery together with K. Henry 8 motives of his supremacy made it so incredible that no Catholick Soveraign would assume to him-self that prerogative nor any forraign Protestants approve therof yet his cruelty made most of his English subjects swear that which neither themselves nor the world could believe for had it bin any way probable by Scripture History or Tradition that temporal Soveraigns as such are spiritual Superiours how is it possible that all Christian Princes before Henry 8. should be so short-sighted and stupid in their own interest and in a matter of so great consequence as not to see a thing so obvious and aduantagious How careless in their own concerns were Charls 5. Francis 1. and many other Princes their Predecessours who after having bin provoked and exasperated by some Roman Bishops so far as to think it necessary to invade their Teritories sack Rome and imprison their persons yet at the same tyme did acknowledg that spiritual supremacy which gave so much advantage power and credit to their enimy Without doubt the same forces which had bin employed against the Popes person and temporal power would not have spared or favored his spiritual jurisdiction he would have bin forc't to renounce his primacy had not the world and they who subdued him bin fully satisfied that it was no human donation but divin institution Though these reasons were convincing and the example of Charls 5. spiritual subjection and submission to his subdued prisoner Pope Clement 7. was fresh in King Henry 8. memory and that he knew never any Catholick Princes pretended it was a prerogative of soveraignty to share with the Pope in the Ecclesiastical government of the soules of their subjects though many clamed as a priviledg granted by the Roman Sea the liberty to examin and approue the authentikness of Papal censures and injunctions and that his passion for Anne Bullen was turned into hatred
to consecrat and make any men 〈…〉 Arch-Bishops as appeareth by the words of the 〈…〉 and herevpon all ambiguities of Arch-Bishop Parker 〈◊〉 Cammerades consecrations were answered and they 〈◊〉 declared to be Bishops because the Queen had in her letâ—â—â—â— patents dispensed with all causes of doubts imperfection 〈◊〉 disability that might in any wise be objected against the same and with the very state and condition of the Consecratorâ— who indeed were no bishops as hath bin proved It being then manifest that none can give what himself hath not if the Kings of England can give to a lay man or to 〈◊〉 falsifications set down together by Bp. Morton to prove that we hold Popes can not be deposed nor be Hereticks THe Authors of the doctrin of deposing Kings in case of heresy saith Morton do profess concerning Popes 〈◊〉 that they cannot possibly be heretiks as Popes and consequently can not be deposed not saith Bellarmin by any 〈◊〉 ecclesiastical or temporal no not by all Bishops assemâ—â—â—â— in a Councell not saith Carerius though he should 〈◊〉 any thing prejudicial to the vniversal state of the Church 〈◊〉 saith Azorius though he should neglect the Canons â—cclesiastical or pervert the lawes of Kings not saith 〈…〉 though he should carry infinit multitude of 〈◊〉 with him to hell And these forenamed Authors do 〈…〉 for confirmation of this doctrin the vniversal 〈◊〉 Romish â—â—â—ines and Canonists for the space of 〈…〉 years 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 are as many notorious and shamless lyes 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 and Authors named by Morton For first 〈…〉 which he mentioneth there in the Text to 〈◊〉 Bellarmiâ—◠〈◊〉 Azor and Gratian do expressly 〈…〉 hold the contrary to that he affirmeth out 〈…〉 that they teach and prove by many arguments 〈…〉 may fall into heresies and for the same be 〈…〉 the Church or rather are ipso facto depâ—sed and 〈…〉 to declared by the Church But yet not content with 〈◊〉 Morton citeth other foure or five Authors in the Margent 〈◊〉 Valentia Salmeron Canus Stapleton and Costerius all 〈◊〉 in the very place by him cited are expressly against 〈◊〉 And is not this strange dealing Js it not a strange Religion that must be supported by falshood Are not they strange men that give a Million Sterl per an to a Clergy for thus deceiving and deluding their Flocks and damning their soules 〈◊〉 opinions or against the practise of the Church even 〈◊〉 general Councells accepted and connived at by the tempoâ—â—â— Soveraigns themselves the effects of such opinions may be 〈◊〉 securely suppressed by sâ—lencing the Doctors then by 〈◊〉 the doctrin 〈◊〉 popular and plausible â—n opinion it is that God 〈…〉 his Church and people to defend themselves 〈…〉 their litle Children from being erroneously 〈…〉 the force and violence of an heathen or hereticall 〈…〉 may be seen in the Author that treat of this 〈…〉 that if it be not lawfull to oppose the change 〈…〉 without 〈◊〉 the sin and scandal of 〈…〉 would have 〈…〉 greater regard to the 〈…〉 one or few Princes then to the eternal salvaâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 souls And though it were granted 〈…〉 were come 〈◊〉 of discretion did run 〈…〉 the rigor of persecutions 〈…〉 any other Religion 〈…〉 heresy 〈◊〉 the Prince doth introduce 〈…〉 their succeeâ—â—ng posterity must perish 〈…〉 not appearing in their defence 〈…〉 change of true Religion 〈…〉 innocent posterity from 〈…〉 answers in his Treatise of 〈…〉 vnder coloâ—â— of Religion â—dit 〈…〉 nothing so likly to entail true 〈…〉 posterity as their Ancestors 〈…〉 their sufferings whâ—â— they shall heare and be assured 〈◊〉 Testimony thâ—â— their foreâ—fathers thus hoped in God 〈◊〉 choose to dye or suffer rather then to rebell 〈◊〉 the King Besides saith 〈◊〉 the gratest prejuâ—â—â—â— which that posterity can suffer by their Ancestors non â—â—â—â—â—tance is 〈…〉 be brought vp in a contrary Religion to heare that 〈…〉 but sure not to have their eares deafâ—â— against all 〈◊〉 when they shall be represented He 〈…〉 they whose predecessors were most zealous 〈◊〉 and suffered for their faith The first Earle of South 〈◊〉 suffered much for opposing Seamor when he and 〈◊〉 planted Protestancy in England And yet we see 〈…〉 influence this hath vpon his posterity and this is 〈◊〉 of most of the Nobility and even of the Royal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctor saith Posterity have not their eares 〈…〉 other Religions when they shall be represented 〈…〉 and England they have It 's treason by the law 〈◊〉 with any of our King's Subjects concerning the truth 〈…〉 Roman Catholiks Religion and we know what other 〈…〉 taken not only to deaf but to blind them from 〈…〉 the evidences produced against the falshood of 〈…〉 with Protestants may consider such as we present 〈…〉 book Doctor Hammond could not be 〈…〉 much himself contributed to make his Countrey 〈…〉 and blind in Religion especialy after that Mr. 〈…〉 exposed his mistakes or wilfull falsifications to the 〈…〉 But 〈◊〉 return to the question 〈…〉 granted and maintained by Protestant Authors 〈…〉 Soveraign or bloudy Tyrant whose 〈…〉 and practises reach no further then the body 〈…〉 resisted and deposed they will find 〈…〉 to give a reason why the soul may not claim 〈…〉 vnless they believe that the soul is 〈…〉 that there is no such thing as Eternity Besides such Catholiks as maintain that the Pope in case 〈◊〉 and persecution may depose Kings or at least 〈◊〉 that ipso facto they are deposed by God who gives 〈◊〉 their power and Iurisdiction not to destroy but to edify 〈◊〉 them to flatter the Pope therby for that they make 〈…〉 himself more subject to deposition then Kings because the Pope must be deposed for any heretical opinion he 〈◊〉 Kings say they can not vnless they force their subjects 〈◊〉 considerable parts and Princes of Christendom that our â—â—â—â—rnment and people seem to apprehend their own 〈◊〉 against vs Catholiks doth make vs the object of a 〈…〉 and doth gain for themselves nothing but a 〈◊〉 enmity of such powerfull Monarchs as have any sense 〈…〉 the Roman Religion â—â—condly Though a King should persecute Catholiks and 〈◊〉 and sanguinary laws compell his Subjects to profess 〈◊〉 if this persecution be pleasing to the generality of his 〈◊〉 the Pope's Censures and sentences can not be of much 〈◊〉 prejudice or deprive him of his dominions and as 〈…〉 Apostolik's temporal power it neither is so 〈…〉 it self nor so applicable to these our remote 〈…〉 to deserve to be made the object of our Protestant 〈…〉 or feâ—rs we see how litle Q. Elizabeth valued 〈…〉 because she had the affection of her 〈…〉 we search into history we shall find that the 〈…〉 Rome his censures never prejudiced any Soveraign 〈…〉 not first lost the hearts of his own people The Pope 〈…〉 aw by his sentences and excommunicaâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 of the Italian Princes and Common-wealths 〈…〉 have demonstrated how vneffectual his 〈…〉 even against those petty Princes and 〈…〉 what
can divert the Layty from entertaining any thoughts of curiosity or scruples of conscience in order to the examination of this matter of so great importance and can make them believe that K. Henry 8. passion to Ann Bullen was a just cause to introduce the Reformation and to assume the Supremacy or that the Earle of Hartfords ambition of being absolutly Protector of England quite contrary to K. Henry 8. Testament and to his own Oath of not assuming any power above his Collegues and Tutors of K. Edward 6. was a divin inspiration to bring in Zuinglius his Sacramentarian Religion into the Realm or that the Duke of Northumberlands poysoning the yong King and excluding the next and lawfull heirs from the Crown to conferr it vpon his own own son and the Lady Iane Grey pretending therby to promote his new Zuinglian Ghospell was the work of the holy Ghost Or that Q. Elizabeths murther of the Q. of Scots and her Parliaments Decrees and endeavors to preferr any natural issue of her body to this Empire before the legitimat and immediat Heirs the Stevards and therby to continue her prelatick Protestancy were things lawfull according to the principles of Christianity and Catholick faith If the Protestant Clergy I say can persuade the layty that all this was lawfull and agreable to the doctrin which Christ and his Apostles did preach either they have an abundance of wit or they that believe them very litle judgment A great wit maintained that they may as well make Mahomets Alcoran a plausible Religion in England and gain therby as great revenues as they do by their Reformation and Protestant Scripture wherof neither the Canon letter or sense is that which God delivered to his Church as heretofore hath bin proved I do not speak in rallery sayd the gentlemen but seriously when I say that men who believe the Protestant Religion to be true may be induced by the same persons and the like reasons to believe that Mahometisme is the true Religion This hath also bin solidly proved by Doctor Reynolds in his Calvino-Turcismus and by others also when they demonstrat that Calvinism and Turcism agree in the principall points and every one knows that the doctrin of the 39. articles of the Church of England is the quintessence of Calvins doctrin and was by him applauded though he said that as to Point of disciplin there were many tolerable fooleries in in that Church and Lyturgy But let us pursue the Gentlemans parallel of Mahomet and his doctrin with our English Reformers and their doctrin and we shall plainly see that there is as much reason to believe Mahometism as prelatick Protestancy and that both these Religious were planted and propagated by the same means nay that it is more to be admired how our Countreymen became Protestants then the Arabians or Armenians became Turcks When Mahomet began to preach his doctrin in the East Christianity there was so discredited by being divided into sects and into so many heresies of Arians Manichees Nestorians c. that men were disposed by that diversity of opinions to follow any new Religion especialy that of Mahomet becaus he borrowed something from every Sect and as the 39. Articles of the Church of England agree in some fundamental points with Catholicks and also with hereticks so Mahomet agreeth in the worship of one God with Iews and Chriâ—tians and in the doctrin and worship of Christ he comes at â—eer to Christianity as most Arians and Nestorians or the Antitrinitarian Protestants of Hungary Poland c. nay as Bp. Morton and some other Prelaticks But when Luther in Germany and Cranmer in England began Protestancy all the west and Latin Church agreed in the Roman Catholick faith no other Religion was regarded and the â—emnants of Wickleff and Hus were hissed out of the world at least were nothing so considerable any where as the above mentioned heresies had bin in the East when Mahomet began there to preach his Alcoran So that if heresy or apostacy can have any excuse Mahometism in its begining was more excusable then Protestancy by reason of the more considerable divisions that then were among Christians in matters of doctrin then when Luther began his Reformation Now let us come to particular reflexions vpon both Mahomet retained some parts of Scripture as well as Protestants and had as good grounds to reject what he did not fancy of the letter and sense therof as Protestants have to be choosers of their own Canon and interpretation Mahomet gives as many rules of Morality as Protestants and though he allows of many wives Protestants do the same with this only difference that Mahomet says t is lawfull to keep many at once Protestants say you must keep but one at a time and that you cannot have the variety of wives men so much desire without the formality of a divorce how litle is requisit for the validity and legality of Protestant divorces we have proved heretofore by the authority and principles of the first Reformers and the dayly practises of their Successors In all other things Mahomets sect is more austere in fasting praying abstaining from wine c. then Protestancy And becaus both agree in the incoherency and absurdity of their principles both also agree in planting propagating and defending their doctrin not by miracles or rational arguments but by force and sanguinary statuts And this is the reason why Catholicks are as litle permitted to dispute or reason for the Roman Religion in these Kingdoms as Christians in Turky and Priests are as much perseeuted for writing books of Controversies as Printers and Stationers and severely punished Thus much as to the paralell of both doctrins But If we compare their persons or vertues we shall find that Mahomet was an honester man and deserved more credit then Luther Calvin Cranmer or any of the first Protestant Reformers He never was baptized at least never professed any Religion vntill he composed his own with the help of an Arian Monk but all the first Reformers had first professed the Catholick faith which afterwards they renounced pretending that God had forsaken his Church for many ages and presumed to say that he had authorised and inspired them to reform without shewing any warrant that doctrin vnto which their betters in learning vertue and judgment actualy submitted as vnto the true Catholick and themselves also had embraced as such vntill their pride and lust prevailed against their conscience Mahomet married a Widdow and had made no vows not to marry the first Reformers married Nuns and themselves also were votaries Calvin only excepted but his incontinency was no less scandalous and notorious then theirs having lived in adultery with a Gentlewoman of Mongis that left her husband at Lansanâ—â— to enjoy Calvins Company at Geneva who attempted also to commit the like sin with the Lady â—ollande of Bredrode wise to a sickly Nobleman called Iames Borgongue Lord of