thing to be examined by you to know the Author matters nothing I desire not that Athistâ—â— read my writings such as 〈◊〉 not in God can make no 〈◊〉 fit of Godly things for my part I make more Esteem of a Pagan that adores stocks anâ— stones thinking there is a Deit â— in them then of Aâ—hises Neâ—ther is it my ayme thaâ— Maho metans or Jewes read this worke the first not believing Christ to be the Sonn of God though they hold him to be a holy Prophet and borne of a Virgin the other believe not the Mesias is yet come whose Fathers Crucify'd him when hee was borne and came among them and made Evident by wonders and miracles that hee was the true Sonne of God and the now living Jewes as blinde and obstinate as theire Fathers tred theire stepps spitting on the Crucifix and whipping it in theire Chambers and stobbing with poyniards the H. Sacrament with horrour and extream Malice wherof there are Many Authentique Histories My wish is this Book be only read by Roman Catholicks and by Protestants the first will likely be well satisfyed with this my endevours and from the protestant reader I only pray that hee will be pleased with atention and without prejudging to read all and after to speak with God alone about the state of his owne Soule and what Religion hee will Chuse for his eternall salvation The argument I doe not handle Scholastically conceiving not that the better way to haue my sence rightly understood I am for the way of fact declareing ingeniously what happen'd in England upon the comming in of both Religions what kinde of men were instrumentall in bringing them in what theire manners vertues or vices who of them were of Sanctity and who not who of them wrought Miracles which are Evident signes of true Religion which was brought into all Kingdoms Countrys and Provinces by Sanctity and Miracles I deny what Sall falling from his faith who gave me the occasion of writing afirms to witt That the Roman Catholick Religion is repugnant to humaine reason It were to make Religion fabulous and foolish to say it is contrary to wisdome and reason for what can be oppositt to wisdome and reason but folly and fables As Scripture by which soly many Protestants will haue Religion try'd excluding tradition even Apostolicall it selfe though it be Verbum Dei non Scriptum is the Word of God supernaturall written in paper with the hands of his holy scribes by Revelation so is Reason Gods naturall Word and Gods truth written by his owne hand in our soules Signatum est super nos Lumen vultus tui Domine Doth not all this prove a great agreableness between Religion and reason whereby is clearly evinced that Religion is not repugnant to humaine Reason Haue not Pagan Philosophers even by the light of reason without any other teaching perceiued in many things what is honest and what dishonest what just and what uniust what vertue what vice this is that light in mans soule which S. Basill calls Iudicium quoddam naturale per Bas homilia aâ—â— populum quod ab iniquis bona facile discerniâ—us And S. Augustin accounted soe much of reason that hee said Recta ratio vertus est And S. Aug. de util Credendi Cap. 12. if Caluins Authority were worth any thing he says Semen Religionis est in mente humana But I pray you heare S. Paul telling you the Philosophers were unexcusable for not hauing made the right use they could and should haue made of the knowledg they had of Cod by the light of reason Because saith Ad Rom. Cap. 1. hee whereas they knew God they haue not glorify'd him as God or given thanks but are become vaine in theire cogitation and theire foolish hart hath bin darckned How have these Philosophers knowne God not by faith but by the light of reason and knowing him soe they should have as the Apostle teaches glorify'd him as God I shew in this Book the number of Catholick Arch-Bishops that sate upon the Chaire of Canterbury to haue bin sixty one many of these haue bin nobly borne and many of them very learned and vertuous twelve haue bin canonized saints Your number of Protestant Arch-Bishops have not as I think bin aboue six as Parker VVhitgift Grindal Branckfort Abots Laud and Sheldon all of them lowly born and as wee heare meanly Learned of theire vertues wee heard Little And could those few and less learned and vertuous know more of Gods verity and holy will then soe many Eminent Catholick Arch-Bishops what in Gods name would make any man think soe You had fifty two Catholick Monarchs of England Kings and Queens I speake nothing here of seventy small Kings when England was devided into seven Kingdoms many of these haue bin of the Gallantest Princes in Christendome as Egbert that first reduced England to a Monarchy Ina Edgar Canut William the conquerour Henry the second Edward the third Henry the fifth and Henry the seventh many of them vertuous and Godly Princes and som of them acknowledged for Saints by all the Church of God the Protestants have had but five in all the first a Child of nine yeâ—ars Edward the sixth the second a Woeman Queen Elisabeth a Cruell a woeman who put to death Queen Mary of Scotland the present Kings great Grandmother which was an open Murther and soe Esteemed by all the world as alsoe in the tyme of her raigne 200. Priests and Religious men soly for theire Religion A woeman druncken Apâ—c Cap. 17. of the blood of Saints and of the blood of the martyrs of Iesus A woeman fitter for Brauery then devotion thee other three King James a lerrned and wise Prince his Sonne Charles a sober and good King the last our present Souveraigne King Charles the second of him let those speak that shall survive him But certain it is Protestant Historians will not preferr those Protestant Princes in vertue valor glorious atempts and magnificence to the Catholick Princes To speak of both Religions Catholick and Prorestant and which of them is safest for salvation I offer you here a remarkable reflexion and consideration as thus Ask of the Mahometan the Jew and of the Scismatick Christians as the Ruthenians Armenians and all of the Greeck Church yea and of the Lutherans and Calvinists that disagree among themselves which is the best and safest Religion they will all say after their owne the Roman is the safest which is an Evident Jugment that the Roman is the fafest of all much like that the grave Judges gave for the Lacedemonians when all the Provinces of Greece claimed for the Palm and praise in the glorious victory they obtained against the Persians Those excellent Judges before whome the cause was brought demanded of every one of them whome they thought to have deserued best after themselues and all answering that the Lacedemonians the wise Iudges gave sentence that indeed the Lacedemonians had
Poligamy to be lawfull and published soe much by writing to Henry the eight houlding his divorse from Queen Catharin unlawfull but withall proposed to the King that hee might lawfully at Melan. concilia Theologica printed 1600. p. 134. once with her take another wife Respondeo saith Melankton si vult Rex successioni prospicere quanto satius est id facere sine infamia Prioris conjugii ac potest id fieri sine ullo periculo Conscientiae câ—usquâ—m aut famae per poligamiam c. That is I answer if the King intends a divorse with his Queen Catharin for getting issue hee may doe that farre better and without infamy of the first Marriage and lawfully without danger of Conscience by Poligamy that is to say by taking another wife at once with her Jacobus Andreas otherwise named Smedelinus WAs Chancellor in the University of Tubing Luthers prime Scholler noe less esteemed in Germany then Calvin or Beza in Geneva in the Colloquie at Mompelgar hee encountered an overmatcht Beza yet the Lutherans themselves who magnify his learning say hee had noe God but Bacchus and Mamon Selnecerus his great frind and dayly Companion gave this Testimonie of his Piety that hee neuer pray'd goeing to to bedd nor rysing in the morning Sturmius a learned Calvanist chargeth him with the crimes of Adultery covetousness and robbing of the poor Zanchius saith hee was taken in a publick Zanch. in Epist printed 1609. lib. 2. pa. 240 Adultery Sall what a holy Doctor have you of this man Carolostadius ARch-Deacon of the Cathedrall of Wittembergh aman of a furious nature was the first Sacramentarian It was singular in him that being a Priest hee married in the year 1524. and a peculiare Mass was made and printed for the same which began thus Dixit Dominus Deus non est bonum hominem essâ— solum c. That is God said it is not good for a man to live alone The prayer Englished was O Lord which after soe long blindness of unmaried Priestes hath bestow'd soe great grace upon blessed Carolostadius as contemning the Popes Law hee hath presumed to take a wife bring to pass wee beseech thee that all other Priestes may follow his example The rest of the Mass you may see in Cochlaeus in the yeare 1525. This unhappy Carolostadius was soe persecuted by Luther as hee lived miserably in the Country and laboured like a poor Bore John Knox. A Scotchman and Apostata Maried Priest a Rebell and Boute-feux incendiary of the whole Nation and a Murtherer raised a Rebellion stirring up the nobles and common people agaist Queen Mary of Scotts his Soveraigne and against her vertuous Mother the Queen Regent of the Catholick and most famous house of Guise who dyed of Grief for the coming of Heresie into that Catholick Kingdome This man with a Rabble of Rebells deposed the Queen and laid the Crowne upon her Sons head King Iames the sixt afterwards King of England Grand-father to King Charles the second an Infant Infine the noble Queen sorely afflicted flying into England hopeing to be protected by her Kinswoeman Queen Elizabeth after a long Imprisonment was put to death by that cruell woeman This holy man Knox began his Reformation with the murther of Cardinall Betune Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews in his owne Bed-Chamber and did afterward many bloody Tragicall things Notwithstanding all his villanys Calvin term'd him an excellent and reverend manâ— valiant Labourer in Christ his Church restorer of the Ghospell in Scotland and in the end of a letter to him writes Vale eximie vir ex animo colende Calvin in Epist responsss printed 1567. Frater And Beza writes thus Ioanni Knox Evangelii Dei apud Scotos instauratori fratri symmistae observando And in another place Magnus ille Ioannes Knox Scotorum in vero Dei cultu instaurandâ— velut Beza in Epist Theologicis printed anno 1573. Epist 74 pag. 333. alter Apostolus Heer mulus malum scabit Impious impure men praise an impure impious man The Protestant Bishop of Rochester in his Sermon at Pauls Cross gave a truer Discription of Knox calling him and Bucanan two fiery Spiritts of the Scotch Nation It is written that this wicked Knox was killd upon his bed by a Devill Sall Iudg you if this end show'd him to com from God Oecolumpadius A Brigittin Monk marryed a Nun was a fierce Sacramentarian the next after Carolostadius and after them Zwinglius who they dying bore the Bell and name of that Sect. This Oecolumpadius was a man of an unclean wicked life was found dead upon his bed kill'd by a Devill as Protestant writers attest and Luther among others Christopher Goodman AN Englishman a seditious ranck Goodman in his book how to Obay pag. 96. Rebell great Companion to Iohn Knox writing of Queen Mary of England speaks thus That wicked woeman Mary whom you would truly make your Queen c. And againe God hath not given an Hypocrit only to raigne over you but an Idolatress alsoe not a man but a woeman which his Law forbiddeth and nature abhorreth whose raigne was never counted lawfull by the Law of God c. Hee says againe This ungodly Serpent Mary hath joyned her selfe with Adulterous Phillip Sall is not this a Godly homily of obedience Goodman teacheth towards Soueraigness And is not Calvin your great Doctor of the English Church a great frind to Soueraignty whilest hee highly praises this scurrill Rebell You may obserue one thing how Goodman after Queen Mary dyed writt against his former opinion and acknowledged Queen Elizabeth to be lawfull Soueraigne of England and that the Law of God was not against her Goverment nor that the Law of Nature abhorr'd it hee call'd her not Idolatress or Serpent by which it is cleare and playne that this Rebellious knave writt only against Queen Mary being a Catholick whose title to the Crowne was clearer and better then that of Queen Elizabeth as all men know Hauing said thus much of the forementioned Hereticks and Reformers let us now examin what kinde of men those were that contrived the XXXIX Articles of the confession of England soe highly valued by Sall and preferred to true theorems of faith though many of them are condemned Heresies after vewing what they have done touching said XXXIX Articles you shall be able to Iudge of theire vices and vertues XIV CHAPTER A Narration of the English Religion and Reformers in King Edward the 6. Raigne THe Earle of Hartford the Kings Uncle newly created Duke of Summerset and Lord Protector of England a man neither fitt to govern nor to be governed his Iudgment being weak and himselfe very willfull and blindly resolute To his infamy and distruction hee made choyce of Dudlay Earle of Warwyck a man of great Iudgment and a deep dissembler to be his chief assistant and director both in Church and in state affaires who was his greatest Enemy which Summersett had not witt
to see or discerne though all the world knew him to be Summersets competitor This crafty man though hee had bin allways a Roman Catholick in his Iudgment yet as many polititians use to doe hee dissembled his belief and soothed the Protectors inclination to the Protestant Reformation and made account those new men for Propagation and Preseruation of theire new Ghospell and Doâ—trin would fix upon himselfe for theire chief Patrone and Director and take with him whome hee would appoint for Soueraigne of the Land and to this purpose hee much humored their madness and zeal while they were intoxicating the people with the liberty and pleasure of the new Religion Dudlay being all in all with the Protector and having gotten the power of the Militia into his owne hand hee began to settle a new Religion in England upon the score of a refined Reformation and to unsettle the goverment and ancient faith and in doeing all this hee gave the world to understand the Protector did all and therby made him soe odious that none could indure to heare his name or to live under his goverment This wicked Earle compassed what hee went about to his owne desire his impious drift was to make his Sonne King who was marryed to my Lady Iane Gray of the Blood-Royall and a Protestant Infine hee contrived the Protectors distruction and had him put to death the young King to be poysoned the Princes Mary afterwards Queen to be excluded and the Lady Iane Gray to be Crowned Queen of England For preparing the way to all those sadd things this cruell impious man by force of the Army which was in his hands against his owne Conscience in the first Parlament and yeare of King Edwards Raigne obtained in favour of Protestancy and these new men an act of indemnity for the new Preachers and Hereticks from pennaltyes inacted by the ancient Lawes of the Land against marryed Priests and Hereticks and a repeal of the English Statutes that had tyme out of memory confirmed the imperiall Edicts and Lawes against Heresies But in the second year and Parlament of Edward VI. it was carryed though by few votes and after along debate of aboue foure months that the Zwinglian or Sacramentarian Reformation should be the Religion of England O tempora ô mores ô exicrabilem Parlamenti Anglicani impietatem ô scelus Cleri Apostatantis Who the Contrivers of the XXXIX Articles and first Reformers of Protestant Religion TRue Faith and all Sanctity being chased out of England by the sinns of the Clergie and the wicked laymen in the Parlament the Charge of framing Articles of this new Religion as alsoe of composing the Liturgie and a Book of Rites Ceremonies and Administration of Sacraments was committed to Thomas Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and to som other Protestant Devines who were all married Fryers and Priests lately come out of Germany with their sweet harts videlicet Hooper and Roger Monks Coverdale an Augustin Fryer Bale a Carmelit all these Englishmen Peter Martir a Chanon Regulare Martin Bucer a Dominican and Bernardus Ochinus a Capucin these three strangers came over with three galloping Nuns invited by the Protector and Cranmer out of Germany and apointed to preach and teach in both Universityes and at London who were to agree with the rest in the new modern forme of Religion which was a matter of great difficulty because the tenets which they untill then had professed were irreconsilable For that Hooper and Rogers were fierce Swinglians that is Puritans or Presbiterians and joyned in faction against Cranmer Ridly and other Prelaticks Hugh Latimer of great regard with the common people hee opposed himselfe to Cranmer and others for their opposing his pretention to the Bishoprick of Worsester Coverdale and Bale were both Lutherans and yet differed because the one was a riged the other a milde or halfe Lutheran Bucer had alsoe professed a kind of Lutheranisme in Germany but in England was what the Protector would have him to be and therfore would not for the space of a whole yeare declare his opinion in Cambrid though pressed to it by his schollers concerning the Real Presence untill hee had heard how the Parlament had decided the Controversy at London and then hee changed his opinion and became wholy a pure Zwinglian The same tergiversation was used by Peter Martir at Oxford and soe ridiculously that coming sooner in the first Epistle of Corinthians which hee undertook to expound to the Words HOC EST CORPVS MEVM then it had bin determined in Parlament what they should signify the poor Monk with admiration and laughter of the University was forced to divert his Auditors with impertinent comments upon the precedent Words Accipite manducate fregit dixit c. Which needed noe explanation At length when the news was com that both houses had ordered these Words HOC EST CORPVS MEVM should be understood figuratiuely and not literally Peter Martir sayd hee wonderd that any man could be of another opinion though hee knew not the day before what would be his owne opinion As for Bucer hee was a concealed Iew joyned in Contriving the XXXIX Articles only to make good days with his Nun and dyed a Iew being asked confidently his opinion of the Sacrament by Dudley Duke of Northumberland in the presence of the Lord Paget then a Protestant who testifyed the same publickly afterwards hee answered that the Real Presence could not be deny'd if men believed that Christ was God and spoke the Words THIS IS MY BODY But whether all was to be believed which the Evangelistes writt of Christ was a matter of more Disputation Peter Martir who came to England to Cherish in pleasures his wanton Nun whose death hee lamented efeminatly was noe Protestant in Iudgment as is cleare by what is said and yet hee joynd in the XXXIX Articles Bernardus Ochinus who loved Woemen soe well as by an express written Book hee affirmeth Polligamy or the lawfullness of having two Wives together dying professed himselfe to be a Iew and soe whilest hee lived in England was but a counterfeit Protestant to make bon-chear with his Nun and for this cause agree'd to the XXXIX Articles Cranmer was a meer contemporiser and of noe Religion at all Henry the eight raised him from Chapline to Sr. Thomas Bullen Ann Bullens Father to be Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the end hee might divorse him from Queen Catharin and marry him to said Ann Bullin which hee did Afterwards by the Kings Order hee declared to the Parlament that to his knowledg Ann Bullen was never lawfull wife to his Maiesty by which hee let the World know Elizabeth her daughter had noe right title to the Crowne of England After this hee marryed the King to Ann of Cleves and when the King was weary of her Cranmer declared this marriage alsoe null and married and unmarried him soe often that hee seemed rather to exercise the office of a pymp then the function
which are flatt Heresies and for all these Impietyes and abominations there are not that I heare of any Lawes made in Parlament for punishing these Presbiterians Noe but all the lightning thunder and tempest of the Bishops and that kind of Protestants and of the Presbiterians likwise doth fall upon the poor Catholicks our Religion is made treason to owne the Pope head of the Church in Spiritualibus as realy hee is is punish'd with death to worship Images superstition to invocate the Angels and Saints Idolatry wee suffer disgrace in Court and Country wee suffer the loss of livings wee suffer Imprisonments and death it selfe the Extirpation of our Faith is desired sought and put in Execution and men receive pleasure which is inhumane and cruell in our Miserye and Distruction and all these Afflictions fale upon us soly for the hatred men have to Religion What comfort can wee finde in these Extremityes That only and that is enough which our Saviour hath promised to his Servants Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur Math. Cap. 4. propter Iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est Regnum Caelorum That is Blessed are they that suffer Persecution for Justice for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Sall wee heare you have preached in July 1674. before the Lord Lieutenant and State in Christ-Church in Dublin a long premeditated Sermon for Justifying your departure from the Romish Communion and you then told your Auditors that you had found in the Romish Church three Abominations to wit Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny and those you called Abominationem desolationes stantem in loco Sancto And that therfore according to our Saviours Admonition you departed from that Congregation But I tell you you have forged a pernitious Calumnie and Imposture in charging the Church of Rome the Mother of all Churches with Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny And I further say my Opinion that an Idol which is found in all your Congregations the pride of the privat Spiritt that Spiritt Doctor Whitaker see Pagina 17. discribed made you charge the Church of Rome with Idolatry Sir your zeal in your new Religion is soe furious that you have render'd your selfe at present incapable of Councell and all advice but in tyme you may become colder Non est abrevitae manus Domini And think better of what you have done however for the true love I have for you and especially for your Soule which is the maine and principal part ought to bee taken care for I hartily pray you what kinde of thing is Parlament Religion a ssippery and changable Religion which is thus declared For Satisfying King Henry the eight The Parlament changed some Articles of Faith as soone as hee dy'd they changed that Faith into Zwinglianisme to comply with the Protector Summerset young King Edward the sixt his Vncle within two or three years after they changed Zwinglianisme into Calvinisme and at the sute of Calvin reformed the Liturgy accordingly After the young Kings death they return'd with good Queen Mary to the old Faith and by new acts abolished those acts they had lately made before against Catholick Religion with Queen Elizabeth they restored againe the new Religion with some Alterations when King Iames succeeded they changed the translations of Scripture and other things In King Charles the firsts tyme Prelatick Protestancy was puld downe by Presbitery and this by IndePendency and the last puld downe quite Kingly Authority and took of the good Kings head from his Body Prelatick Protestancy being restored by King Charles the second the forms of Ordination where upon depends the validity of the Protestant Ministry Church and Sacraments being not thought sufficient were amended and are now changed into more Catholick Forms adding to the Forms the words Priest and Bishop which hath quite discredited theire Character of Priesthood and Episcopacy for those two Words being held by them as Essentiall in these two Forms the former orders given without these Words must have been invalid and in like manner all things in theire Ministry that depends upon Ordination are uncertaine and doubtfull for if the Church of England hath acknowledged to have erred in a thing of soe great importance as the Forms of Ordination what reason can it have in not erring in all the rest In a word Protestants in the Kingdome of England in one age have made more changes of Religions then Mahometans in the ten ages they have continued What I have sayd being duly examined tell mee Sall is not Protestant Religion slippery and changable and consider well what shall become of you in the sad exchange you have made The fourth Advertisment Learned Protestants of the Church of England doe confess that English and Irish Pagans venerable Beda called them Slaves of Idols were converted to Christian Faith by men sent from the Popes of Rome holy men that wrought Miracles in those Conversions IF any shall demaund to what end doe I make Mention of these Protestant Authors what doe I inferr from theire Testimoneys I make this Illation that said Authors did attest the Conversion of those Pagans to have beene made by those sent from Rome to a true and sauing Faith and for this Verity there are two convincing reasons The first that the Veracity of God was herein concerned which neuer confirm'd by Miracles a false Faith The second that the Goodness of God would not have Pagans brought from Idolatry to Heresy or to such a Religion wherein they would bee as certainly damn'd as in Idolatry to Iudge this of the goodness of God were a horrible Blasphemy for it were noe less then to cale him a cheate Sall examin now seriously what Faith that was the Saints Fugatius Damianus sent from Pope Eleutherious taught to the Pagans of England when King Lucius the first Christian King his Queen and thousands more were converted what the Faith which Saint Augustin the Benedictin Monk sent from S. Gregory Pope denounced to the Saxon Pagans In what Faith did S. Parrick sent from Pope Celestinus instruct the Idolaters of Ireland doubtless you will confess it was the same Faith then professed in Rome and by all the People that obey'd the Pope now all these professed as Articles of Faith the Real-Presence in the Eucharist the Invocation of Angells and Saints the seven Sacraments the Sacrifice of the Mass worship of Images and the like And aforesaid Saints Fugatious Damianus c. delivered them for such to the Pagans of both the Nations they likewise wrought Miracles for proving the truth of the Religion they taught and the Pagans seeing those Miracles beleeved they were sent from God They were indeed sent to those Idalaters as Moyses Elias and others Prophets to the People of Israel and as the Apostles to the Gentils doeing wonders In Nomine Virtute Dei. I observe in this place that the Religion the S S. Fugatious Damianus Patrick and Augustin preached to the Pagans of these countryes was not the Faith now Professed by Sall and
the Congregation of the now English Church ergò the Protestant Authors attesting the verity of the Religion taught by Fugatious and the rest and confirm'd by Miracles give Testimony against theire owne Religion I meane the Protestant My last illation from those Protestant Authors and against theire owne Religion and for mine is that Sall hath cause to feare his owne Damnation for having deserted the true Faith those holy men sent from Rome denounced to the Infidels Imbraceing a new Religion opposit to the ancient and orthodox The names of the Protestant Authors Devines and Historians testifying the Conversion of England and Ireland from Idolatry by the aforesaid Saints sent from Rome 1. Abbots pretended Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that writt against Bellarmin 2. Bale pretended Bishop of Ossory in Ireland reckened among theire learned men hee writ Centurys of the writers of Britaine and said of himselfe hee had read the Historys and Chronicles allmost of all Antiquitye 3. Bilson pretended Bishop of Winchester esteemed a learned writer 4. Caius Doctor of Phisick soe well seen in Antiquity as an Oxonian Orator tearmed him the Antiquary 5. Camden well knowne for his Discription of Britany an excellent Antiquary 6. Couper pretended Bishop of Lincolne and after of Winchester well knowne for his Dixionary and his Chronicle 7. Dangerous positioner some say it was D. Banckrofte pretended Arch-Bishop of Canterbury others say it was Doctor Sutclife 8. Fox most famous amongst Protestants for his acts and monuments of theire Martyrs 9. Fulk Doctor of Divinity and a great writer against Catholicks 10. Godwin a devine Sonne to Godwin pretended Bishop of Bath 11. Holinshed notorious for his great Chronicle and mosT earnest against Catholicks 12. Humphery Doctor of Divinity and the Queens Reader therof in Oxford 13. Iewell soe famous and known to Protestants as I need say nothing of him 14. Reynolds Doctor of Divinity famous with Protestants 15. Stow well knowne for his Chronicle and other his writings of Antiquity 16. Sutelife Doctor of Divinity and Dean of Exetor and a great writer against Catholicks 17. Surueyer soe I call the unnamed Author of the Suruey of the pretended holy Discipline 18. Whitaker Doctor and Professor of Divinity and a great writer against Catholicks very famous in the English Church tearmed by some a worthy learned man by others a Godly learned man These and thus esteemed are the Protestant writers that give Testimony of the Conversions of England by Saint Augustin and other Saints It is therfore agreed upon by Catholick and Protestant writers that King Luctus sent to Pope Eleutherius two holy men Elvanus of Avalonia and Medwinus together with these came commissionated from said Pope two other holy men Fugatius and Damianus who baptized the King and Queen and those of theire Family and many more that imbraced the Christian Faith Authors Catholick and Protestant stile these Legats of Pope Eleutherius Prelatos Episcopos for without such Authority and Character they could not erect Bishopricks consecrate Churches dispence Orders and the like this conversion was made and the King and Queen baptized anno Domini 183. to which Conversion agreeth Fox Jewell Godwin Abbots Fulk Whitaker Sutelife Reynolds Couper Stow Holinshed Camden Bale and others Bale one that would write nothing to the Credit of Rome if not convinced Bale Cent. 1. cap. 19. by evident Verity doth attribute this Conversion to Pope Eleutherius and with him joyned in this the Magdeburgenses Of the Conversion of the Irish Idolaters by Saint Patrick Saint Prosper that lived at the same tyme giveth a clear Testimony and after him venerable Bede Marianus Scotus and others who affirme alsoe that Saint Patrick dyed in the yeare of Christ 491. being 122. years Paladius was indeed sent to that work before Saint Patrick but though hee Religiously behaved himselfe in that divine Function the Glory of Converting the whole Nation from Paganisme was reserved for Saint Patrick who is therfore Iure merito stiled Apostle of Ireland Let us now heare Bale I pretermit other Protestant Authors that testify the conversion of the Irish Idolaters confirming the coming of Saint Patrick from the Sea of Rome and how hee gave the light of Faith to the Irish Pagans the testimony taken from an Enemy such as Bale against Catholicks is of the greater weight and force against himself Bale then who usually cal'd the Pope Anti-Christ and the beast and named the Primitive Church of England in the tyme of its greatest purity a Carnall Synagogue as great an enemy to the Pope as hee was speaks of Saint Patrick coming from the Pope thus Patrick saith hee surnamed Bale descrip Britan. Cent. 1. fo 250. Magonius who studied Divinity at Rome sent by Pope Celestinus did preach the Ghospell to the Irish-men with incredible feruour of Spiritt for forty years together and did convert them to the sincere Faith of Christ hee was most excellent in Learning and Holiness and among other Miracles hee did continue in Prayers and Fasting for forty days and forty nights founded many Churches healed many Sick delivered many possessed of Deuills and raysed to life sixty that were Dead Thus far Bale Behold here how Iohn Bale confesseth Saint Patrick was sent by Pope Celistinus and soe sent hee converted the Irishmen to the sincere Faith of Christ what more can any man say or more honourably of the Pope clearly allowing of Authority and power in him to send Doctors and missioners for converting nations to the true Faith In speaking of Saint Patrick hee mentions truly the vertues and duty of Apostles and preachers sent from Rome to enlighten nations as to fast and pray to found Churches heale the sick and worke Miracles Let Bale himselfe tell us if the blouddy Reformers of the Kirk of Scotland or himselfe Peter Martyr Buaer and the rest at the tyme of the Innovation they made in England did any of those holy works done by Saint Patrick and such Missioners as were lawfully sent from the holy Sea into the vineyard of our Lord I dare challenge in this place all the multitudes of those new men repayring as themselves say the house of God to give one Saint Patrick or Saint Augustin that fasted and prayed healed the sick and wrought Miracles I defye Bale to doe this with all his studyed tomes of centuries or Fox esteemed by the Protestants a most holy grave and pious man and plainly a devine man with his great and numerous volume of Acts and Monuments of theire Ridiculous Martyrs soe Credited in England as they have beene set in divers of theire Churches to be read by all or delicat Calvin the great Patriarck of Geneva with his soe adored books of Institutions or wanton Beza Reforming forsooth the Church of France with legions and troopes in set Battailes and beseeging the Kings goodly Cytties Garded by two fierce Giants in steele the Prince of Conué and the Admirall Coligny As Bale hath testifyed Saint Patricks Miracles soe
doe other Protestants the Miracles of Saint Augustin Holmshed one of these saith King Ethelbert was Holin in dese Britan. persuaded by the good example of Saint Augustin and his company and for many Miracles shew'd to bee baptized And againe hee saith page 602. Augustin to prove his opinion good wrought a Miracle by restoting to sight one of the Saxon nation that was blind And Stow acknowledgeth the same in his Chronick Pag. 66. Protestant Authors doe likewise confess Saint Augustin was sent from the Sea of Rome to convert the Saxons then Pagans Fox doth affirm this in his Acts and monuments lib. 4. Pag. 172. Holinshed saith Augustin was sent Helin in dese Britan. Lib. 11. Cap. 7. by Gregory to preach to English men the word of God who were yet blind in Pagans Superstition And Camd. in dese Britan. pa. 104. Camden writeth that Saint Augustin having rooted out the monsters of heathenish superstition ingrafting Christ in English-mens mindes with most happy success converted them to the Faith Protestant writers doe likewise acknowledge that 69. Catholick Arch-Bishops sate upon the Chaire of Canterbury The first Saint Augustin above mentioned and after him ten Saints more to wit S. Laurence S. Melite S Iustus S. Honorius S. Theodor S. Dunstan S. Anselme S. Thomas S. Edmund S. Elpheg All these were Canonized Saints and theire Memoryes are in the Roman Martyrologe All these Arch-Bishops were of the Roman Catholick Religion and Communion all received theire Pall and Confirmation from Rome all were Legats of the holy Sea One of thâ—m only and the last of all but one Thomas Cranmer turned Heretick of whome wee have said much before in pagina 176. 177. 178. the 169. and last of all was the noble Godly learned Cardinall The great nobility rare Learning of Card. Poole Regmall Poole Consecrated anno 1555. great and departed this Life 1558. the same yeare and day that Queen Mary dyed Hee was Son to Sir Richard Poore Cossin-german to King Henry the 8. and of Margaret Countess of Salsburie Daughter of George Duke of Clarence and Brother of King Edward the 4. Hee was saith Godwin a Protestant of manifold and excellent parts not only very learned which is better knowne then it needeth many words but alsoe of such modesty in behaviour and integrity of Life and Conversation as hee was of all men both loved and reverenced Hee was by the Confession of Ridley in Fox Edit 1596 pag. 1595. A man worthy of all Humility Reverence and Honour and indued with manifold Graces of Learning and Vertue But Bale according his wicked bitter Spirit speaks ill of this noble Cardinall and saith Hee was a Cardinall Soldier of Anti-Christ not to bee Bale Cent. 8. cap. 100 commended for any Vertue by the Servants of God And saith further of this excellent Ornament of the English Nation That hee was a horrible Beast a rooter out of the truth of the Ghospell a most wicked Traytor to his Country and prayeth God to confound him The Protestant writers doe alsoe agree with the Catholick Authors about the number of Kings Roman Catholicks there were of Monarchs of all England 53. Egbert was the first Monarch of all England William the Conquerour was the 33 'th the last Queen Mary and with her Welaway an Eclips came upon the holy Catholick Church in England Besides those absolute Monarchs there were 70. and odd of the smaler Kings Catholicks when England was devided into seaven Kingdoms Behold Sall the happy Continuation of the Catholick Faith in England in the Succession of 53. absolute Monarchs of that Land many of them have beene of the most valiant victorious glorious and holy Kings of Christendome Of the smaler Kings have been ten Saints and 14. that forsaking theire Kindoms became Monks to live in Mortification and solitude for gaining the Kingdome of heaven or that went in Pilgrimage to Rome there were alsoe 13. Queens Nuns You must then Sall confess there was a holy Church and Kingdome in England in those Catholick Tymes wherin the Church of England was called Ecclesia Primogenita Because Lucius King of that Land was the first Christian King Will you dare then tell us as you have preacht in Dublin that Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny dominered in the Church of Rome to whome the English then obey'd with all Veneration in those dayes of Joy and Sanctity What kind of Church is now in England wherof you are a new member and burning zealot I am not willing to write let others tell you who can easily inform you that the number of your Protestant Arch-Bishops were few and noe way famous you had noe Arondells among them nor Pools noe men either of Sanctity or any great Tallents or Learning The Protestant Monarchs are alsoe easily numbered they were but five in all Edward the sixt a child a weak head to govern a Church Queen Elizabeth a monstrous head upon your new English Church noe Historyes or annals will ever tell you of a woeman that in any land or Nation headed a Church in Spiritualibus before this Iesabell the third was King Iames a learned and wise Prince After him Charles the first a just and chast King murthered by perfidious Rebels his head being taken away from â—his Body upon a Scaffold in the View of the World Coram Sole and before his owne Pallace dore by the hand of an infamous Hangman The fift is King Charles the second now Raigning whome God long preserve I am certaine Catholicks will neuer doe him harme undertake you Sall if you can for the Protestants who distroyd his Father God of his goodness grant him the greatest blessing that can befall him to Imbrace the Roman Catholick Faith the Religion of soe many vertuous noble and invincible Kings his Ancesters The fift Advertisment I offer here certaine learned Catholick Authors to bee perused by Sall likely they came not all of them in his way SAll let mee for our ancient Amity intreat you to read Attento Animo the ensuing Books Comede precor Volumina ista you will finde in them I promise you great Learning strong Arguments sound Verity sublime Conceits and great Variety of Matters but prepare your minde well for reading them profitably and begg humbly of God to send you from heaven Light and Fyre Light to disperse the Cloudes of Darkness your Soul 's wrapt in and Fyre to inflame your frozen Affection Cry unto God with holy David Cor mundum crea in me Deus Spiritum rectum innova inviceribus meis The first Author THe prudentiall Ballance of Religion an excellent worke printed anno Dom. 1609. Second Author THe Christian Manna or a Treatice of the most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist written by a Catholick Devine through Occasion of Monsieur Causabons Epistle to Cardinall Peron printed Anno Dom. 1613. Third Author CAlvinoturcismus composed by that famous man Mr. Reynolds once agreat Preacher of the Protestant Church and sharpe Disputant a
England Nicolaus Sanderus a famous Doctor N. Sanderus de Scismati Anglieano lib. 3. Leges depotestate Regia in rebus Ecclesiasticis Anno 1. Elizabethe Latae of Divinity showes the latitude of this Vsurpation out of the English Lawes made in Parlament Ita inquit habet lex Omnia Privilegia praeeminemiae praerogativae superioritates spirituales quae ab ulla potestate vel humano vel Ecclesiastice Iure haberi aut exerceri possunt quoad visitationem correctionem seu reformationem Cleritotius seu quarumcunque personarum Ecclesiasticarum ad cognitionem etiam ac punitionem omnium errorum Haerefum Schismatum abusuam c. volumus in posterum quod Regio Sceptro in perpetuum sint annexa Decernimusque Reginam suosque Haeredes ac in regali dignitate Successores habere habiturosque efse deinceps omnimodam potestatem nominandi substituendi quoscunque voluerint qui eorundem vice ac auctoritatate candem Jurisdictionem Ecclefiastieam exerceant pro beneplacito suo personas visitent Hareses Schismata errores abusus castigent aliudue quiduis juris vel potestatis exerceant quod ab ull◠unquam Ecclesiastico Magiftratu exerceri potuit aut oportuit Decernitur item ne clerus ad synodum ullam aliorum quam Regiis literis mandaris conveniat neve ullum Canonem Legem Constitutionem Synodalem seu Provincialem vel faciat velexequatur sine expresso Majestatis suae consensu licentia hujusmodi Canones faciendi promulgandi vel exequendi sub poena carceris mulcta pro Reginae arbitrio Imponenda Decernitur ne quis exeat regnum ditionesque suae Majestatis ad ullam Visitationem Consilium Conventum aut Congregationem quae Religionis causa uspiam fiet sed ur talia omnia Regiâ auctoritate intra regnum fiant Item ne Episcopi vel ullius Nominatione vel Electione vel ulla Auctoritate aliâ quà m Regiâ creentur neve Iurisdictionem potestatemque Episcopalem teneant aut exerteant nisi ad beneplacitum Reginae nec aliter nisi per ipsam a regali MAjestate derivatam auctoritatem Such saith hee is the Law All Priviledges Prehemenensies Prerogatives Spirituall Superiorityes which can be had or exercised from any power or any right human or Eeclesiasticall as to Visitation Correction or Reformation of the whole Clergy or of any Eeclesiasticall Persons whatsoever to the knowing and punishing of all Errors Heresies Schisme Abuses c. Wee will hereafter that they be annexed to the Royall Scepter for ever And wee decree that the Queen and her heires and all her Successors in the Royall Dignity have and possess and shall have hereafter all power of nominating and substituting whosoever they shall please to exercise by theire Authority and Order and according to theire good pleasure may exercise the same Ecclesiasticall lurisdiction that they vissit persons that they correct Heresies Schismes Errors and Abuses and that they exercise all right and power which could or ought to be exercised and practised by any Ecclesiasticall Iudge or Magistrate It is determind and enacted that the Clergy may not meete or assemble themselves in a Synod otherwise then by the Royall Letters and Mandats nor may they make any Canon Law Constitution Synodall or Provinciall or execute any such without the express Consent and allowance of her Majesty and licence of making such Canons and of promulgating or putting them in Execution and this under the penalty of imprisonment and of fyne or mulct to bee imposed according to the Queens pleasure It is further determind that none may part out of the Kingdome and her Majestyes Dominions to any Visitation Councell Meeting or Congregation which shall be any where made for Matters of Religion but that all such things be done within the Kingdome by Authority Royall Likwise that Bishops be created by noe other Nominatiou or Election or any other Authority whatsoever other then by Royall Authority nor that they hould or exercise Episcopall Iurisdiction and power but only ad beneplacitum Reginae that is according to the Queens good pleasure and that they have noe Authority but dependant of her and derived from the Royall Majesty Sall you see here all Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall power and Iurisdiction given by the Parlament to Queen Elizabeth goe now I pray you and read all the Annalls and Church Histories of the world and then tell mee was ever any thing heard of in the World more prophane and impious then men that held themselves to be Bishops to agree with such a Parlament and to hold for an Article of Faith a woeman to be head of the Church in Ecclesiasticis Spiritualibus Whereas Saint Paul commaunded woemen should not soe much as speak in the Church Mulieres saith Epist 1. ad Cor. cap. 14. the Apostle in Ecclesiis taceant non enim permittitur eis loqui sed subditas esse sicut lex dicit siquid autem volunt discere domiviros suos interrogent Turpe enim est Mulieri laqui in Ecclesia That is Let woemen hould theire peace in the Church for it is not permitted them to speak but to be subject as alsoe the Law sayeth If they will learne any thing let them ask theire husbands at home For it is a foule thing for a woeman to speak in the Church The Apostle teacheth the same writing to Timothy Mulier in silentio Epist 1 adTim cap. 2. diseat cum omni subjectione Docere autem Mulierinon permitlo neque dominari in virum sed esse in silentio Let a woeman learne in silence with all subjection But to teach I permitt not unto a woeman nor to have Dominion over the man but to be in silence The Matter went quite otherwise in England after the XXXIX Articles came in force forasmuch as Bishops themselves could not speak in the Church without a woemans that is the Queens Licence nor exercise any power Iurisdiction or function Episcopall which lookes like a kinde of abomination Sall I see you are gon a way in Opinion with those Bishops and Clergy that reverenced to much that Queen and loved woemen to much and continency to little Et idto prophanus factus es negans comedere agnum cum Sancto Ieronimo in Donio Dei eligens comedere cum impio Calvino extra Ecclesiam renuis cum hoc Sancto in arca contineri hinc miser peribis deluvio regnante And therfore you are becom prophane and denying to eat the Paschall Lamb with holy Hierome in the House of God and Chusing to eat the same with impious Calvin out of the Church you deny to be in the Arck with Saint Hierome wherfore miserable man you shall perish in the deluge Sall I shall pray you to ponder maturely the important saying of Saint Augustin Disputare saith the Saint contra id quod totum per orbem frequentat Ecclesia insolentissim a in sania est That is To dispute against that which the Church houlds over
Sall and tell mee were not all your Saints such did not they lead about captive silly woemen loaden with sinns are not Nuns breaking out of Cloysters such woemen was there any of your capitall reformers that hath not led with him a Nun or some other woeman covered with sinns and from those they neuer seperated but for injoying them and theire love perrished eternally Ah Sall ah blinded Sall have you for joyning with those flagitious men and imbraceing theire new and Hereticall Doctrine deserted the famous Doctors and Saints Gregory Ambross Augustin and Hierom and all the ancient Fathers of the Church now glorious Saints in heaven Heu and Vae will fall upon you for a lost man that began to stray in your old age Sall for shame Fuge ad foliâ— in horto Paradisi absconde te a facie Domini cum peccantibus parentibus tuis Deo clamanti Sall ubi es responde cum pudore vâ—cem tuam audivi Domine timâ—i eo quâ—d nudus essem abscondi me XV. CHAPTER Sall if hee mindes his Salvation should not stay in a Church wherin Murtherers Traytors Hereticks Theeves Negromansers and other Mallefactors are Canâ—nized for Saints IT is saith Sall a greeuous reproach objected to the Protestant Congregation of the English Church to say they esteem for Saints Murtherers Hereticks and other Mallefactors it is soe Sall and even such a reproach as the Prophet objected to some men that were Socii furum Companions of Theeves But if the Congregation of Protestants in England doe this day owne and acknowledg for Saints Murtherers and other Mallefactors Ipsi viderint volenti scienti non fit injuria While they doe not disclaime in Iohn Foxes Calendar wherin hee sets downe for glorious Martyres and Saints Murtherers Traytors Theeves c. But rather highly value the same soe as it hath bin publickly read in the Churches to the Congregation doe not they make themselves guilty of this reproach Fox then is the man hath don this great Injury to the Protestants of England if they will be sencible of it This man of his owne head forged a Calendar or Ecclesiasticall Table of new Saints for the new English Church out of pride and vanity Emulation and apish Imitation of our Calendar for hee would forsooth have a Calendar for his owne Saints that indeed were noe Saints and in this Calendar hee put downe agreat rabble of Hereticks Theeves seditious persons c. And canonized of his owne new Reformers who hee pleased and left out whome hee pleas'd By framing this impious ridiculous Calendar hee hath done a grieuous Injury to the Catholicks of England to all the Saints of great Britany and to the very Protestant Congregation To the Catholicks those constant Professors of theire faith in the days of Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth days of sharp persecution that would not bend theire knee to Baal there were blessed be God many thousands of them Lotts that remained pure in Sodom in raising a Dagon a Calendar of false Saints against theire Arca a Calendar of true Saints but in the end our Arca hath falne Foxes Dagon To the Protestants hee hath done a very great afront and dishonoured theire Religion by setting downe in his Calendar for Saints of theire Communion knowne Hereticks Traytors Murtherers Witches and all kinde of Mallefactors by which hee hath made his owne Protestants Socios furum Companions of Theeves what more infamous to the Protestants of England then the Company of wicked men some condemn'd for lewd life some for theft and Sacriledg others for Murthers and Conspiracies others for witch-craft and sorcery and coming even to the distroying of their Princes person And is not this a holy Communion and Association of them to bragg of This is the great honour that Iohn Fox hath done to the Protestants of England that Luther Bucer Ochinus and those other Apostata's Priestes Monks and Fryers that for love of the flesh broak theire Vowes made to Allmighty God are sett downe for chief Saints in his Calendar Hee hath likwise highly injured the Saints in heaven in turning them out of the Callendar to make roome for his new Saints to that effect hee put out of his Callendar all the English British and Scotch Saints that have been knowne for glorious Saints by all the Ecclesiasticall Historys of the World What atempt more violent what Injury greater then to stricke out of the Senate of Saints all the Bishops Martyrs Confessors Virgins Eremites Priestes and Monks of great Britaine injoying the blessed Society of Angells and the happy presence and vision of theire Master Iesus the Lamb of God and who is the light and Lanthorne and Sunne it selfe of the Celestiall Citty of Hierusalem and this hee hath done and all those hee hath put out of theire seats and places to make roome for his new Martyrs and Saints such as you will blush to see named for Saints Nor did Fox stay heer but with great petulancy like a scelerat and prophane man hee dared compare his new Saints with our ancient Martyrs as Iohn Hooper a marryed Priest with Saint Policarp Hee resembleth Tindall in like manner to Saint Paul and his Shollar Frith to Saint Timothy Let any man read his arrogant and blasphemous dedicatory Epistle in beginning of his volume to Christ himselfe and hee shall see the pride the man had conceived of those his new Martyrs For first hee asked of Christ this question Quae gens quae Fox in Epist dedic ad Iesum Christumâ— lingua quae natio qua temporum vetustas quae hominum prosteritas earum non cantabit laudes c. That is What people what tongue what nation what continuance of tyme what posterity of men shall ever be that will not sing these new Martyrs prayses c. This was his question Fox his writing to Iesus Christ and you will easily imagin how quickly Christ could have answered the goose if hee had bene worthy of answer to wit that hee should soon after see and behold a posterity of the English Nation it selfe that instead of praysing them would defie and detest both them and theire Doctrin as alsoe display theire wickedness to the whole World And whether this tyme and posterity be already com or noe let the Reader judg by that which in this booke hee shall see set forth But now after Fox his Conference had with Christ in Latin hee cometh downe to reason with the Q. Majesty in English about the worthiness of the same Matyrs and then turneth againe to the learned Reader for soe hee saith hee must be in another Lattin letter where after many other insolent vaunts of his new Martyrs hee saith thus Si non poena sed causa Martyrem facit Fox Epist ad doctum lectorem non video cur non unum Cranmerum sexcentis Beckettis Cantuariensibus non conferam modò sed pretulerim That is If the cause and not the punishment make a Martyr I