coloure of traditions they thrust vpon the Church not onelie diuers Fables and superstitious toyes but also a greate part of the errors of the church of Rome Finally they talke of Apostolicall and Ecclesiastical traditions and yet can not certainely deriue them eyther from the Apostles or from the Ancient catholike Church These foundations therefore are ruinous and rather serue to prooue the erroncous doctrine of Antichrist then the faith of Christe Iesus Canus in his booke de locis theolog among his principall groundes and proofes of christian religion reckoneth not only the acts of Councels and writings of the fathers but also the authority of schoolemen and canonists of profane writers and of humane reason yea of the popes and moderne church of Rome Now what I beseech you is more vncertaine then to rely vpon the vncertaine actes of councels and connterfact writings set out vnder the name of fathers Againe what is is more vnreasonable then to bring forth the pope his complices for witnesses or iudges in their owne cause Lex dei saith Athanasius Apolog 2. inimicum ne que testē ne que iudicem esse vult the lawe of God admitteth not our enemies to bee either iudges or witnesses Finally naturall reason is blind in the cause of true religion profane men write profanely These groundes therfore as they are faultie cannot serue for immoueable groundes of the christian fayth Cōmonly all papists doe build their faith not so much vpon holie scriptures as vpon vnwritten traditions popish decretals lying miracles feyned visions the Romish churches Practise But theire miracles and reuelations haue for the moste parte no better authoritie then from the forged and lying legendes of saintes the falshhood of their Decretalls and traditions is declared by the writings of auncient fathers the practise of the moderne Church is contrary to the apostolike and catholike church of old time For in that Church we neither finde any vniuersal pope with triple crown guard of Swizzars nor any Romish masse nor popish indulgences or purgatory or such like trash Vpon these false and erroneous grounds it is no maruell if they haue framed to themselues a most false and erroneous religion as may appeare by these particulars Concerning scriptures they teache that they are no perfect canon of our fayth and next that they are not authenticall to vs vnlesse they be consigned and deliuered to vs by the Pope and his adherents Thirdly they say that the Latin translation is authenticall which they doo not affirme of the originall books Fourthly they say they are obscure and hurtfull Lastlie they permit them not to bee read publikely in tongues vnderstood of the multitude But the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sayth They are able to make the man of God perfite and none but heretikes as we may read in Ireneus euer accused them of insufficiency Secondly as lawes so scriptures haue receiued theyr strength from the author of them that is from the holy ghost And those are very absurd that do beleeue the Pope speaking in his decretalls and will not beleeue God speaking in holy scriptures Thirdly all the fathers prefer the originall books of scripture before the translations Fourthly the word of god in scriptures is called light and the food of the soule Who then that is not led by the spirit of Satan can repute them obscure or hurtfull Lastly neuer was it taught or hearde in auncient times that scriptures were publikely red in tongues not vnderstood Secondly they giue to Christ in the sacrament a body neither felt nor seen nor any way like to our bodies For what man J beseech you euer had a body that was in many places at once and yet filleth no place they holde also that being in his mothers womb he was vir perfectus that is a grown man and that as man he was omniscient and knew all things His office of mediatorship they communicate vnto the virgin Marie and other saints and to Angells and somtime stick not to call saints their redeemers as Bellarmine in his first book de iudulgentijs confesseth To make a treasure of indulgences they mix the merits of Christ and his saints together as if Christs merits were insufficient Their Massepriests as they say are after the order of Melchisedech Finally they make them mediators for Christs body as these words of the Masse declare suscipe hanc oblationem c. and again supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris That is receiue this oblation viz. of Christs body and blood And again Looke vpon it with a fanourable and serene countenance Of which doctrines no one is true and diuers are blasphemous and impious Thirdly they say the Pope is saint Peters successour and Christs Vicar albeit he neither teach the gospell nor administer the Sacraments nor resemble them almost in any thing Him also they make the heade spouse and foundation of the vniuersall church albeit he can shew graunte for none of these prerogatiues They teach further that he is aboue general councels and hath power to depose kings and that his lawes bind mens consciences but such doctrines are not only erroneous but also absurd Fourthly they cast out of the catholike church all that professe not their faith although elect to life and contrarywise make reprobate persons hereticks and wiched men professing the Romish faith and communicating with the Romishe church true members of christs body they hold also that the catholike church is alwayes so visible that euery man may see it and discerne it Finally they shut the catholike church within the limits of the Romish church Matters repugnaunte to holy scriptures and no way agreeing with the nature of the true catholike and apostolike church nor very well with reason Fiftly most falsly they teache that the Pope onely hath power to confirme generall councells and that no man els ought to summon them and praeside in them They hold also that the conuenticles of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent are comparable to the fowre firste generall councells Sixtly they make their followers belieue that the moderne church of Rome differeth not from the aunciente Romane Church and that the same is guided by gods spirit and cannot erre But their erroneous doctrine different from that which S. Paul taught the Romans declareth the contrary 7. Commonly they take to themselues the name of Catholikes yet their doctrine of the masse of their half communions adoration of the sacrament merites of congruity and condignity of Popish indulgences worshippe of images and such like was neuer receiued of the Christians of all times and places 8. Parsons in his booke of 3. conuersions giueth out that Saint Peter and Eleutherus did teache the moderne Romane faith to the aunciente Britones and Austen the monke to aunciente Saxons But hee faileth in his proofes and with a harde and bare face telleth nothinge but bare and improbable lies 9. They teache their followers to worship saintes and to say
Masses in their honour and to go on pilgrimage and to offer to them and confirme the same with false and counterfet tales of Saint George Christina Catherin Margaret Dorothey and such like legendes confirming false doctrines with false tales 10. Their doctrine of 7. Sacraments is most false For no where can they shew where Christ instituted eyther the form or matter of all these sacraments or promised grace and iustification to all these sacraments 11. Falsely and dishonorably they teache that brute beasts eating the sacrament eat also Christs body 12. Christ sayd take and eat they say to their priests in effect lift and offer and to the people gape and gaze 13. They teach their folowers to make grauen images and to worship them yet god in his law expresly forbad the worshipp of them 14. God commaunded his people to sweare by his name they teach their disciples to sweare by Saints and other creatures 15. Falsely they teache subiects to rebell against theyr Princes excommunicate by the Pope and that the Pope hath power to assoile them from their allegeance a doctrine false and seditious 16. They teach that concupiscence in the regeneras is no sin and that the virgin Mary was not conceiued in sinne Which holy scriptures condemne as crroneous 17. The state of perfection they place in the vowes of monkes and friers as if their rules conteined more perfection then the gospell 18. Their iustification they place partly in charity partly in their own works and hope thereby to merit heauen but the law pronounceth them accursed that abide not in all the words of the law to do them 19. Charity they say is the forme of faith and nothing els but the grace of God But this vtterly destroyeth grace 20. They doubte not but that they are able to satisfy for all sins committed after baptisme but true christians beleeue that by Christs stripes they are healed Finally all those doctrines which the papists teach contrary to the faith of the church of England are false and erroneous as is demonstrated in diuers ample treatises published againste them Chapter 7. That Popery is an heathenish and idolatrous religion IF we had no other exception against popery yet this one is sufficient to exclude it out of all Christian Churches and common wealths that it is a religion blotted with most grosse and heathenish idolatry A matter displeasing to god offensiue to true Christians and most repugnant to the christian faith God in his law Exod. 20. denounceth grieuous punishments against this sinn Tertullian in lib. de idololatria calleth it a principall crime and the whole cause of gods iudgement Idololatria saith he principale crimen geueris humani summus seculi reatus tota causaiudicij If then the Masse priestes and their followers bee guilty of this sinne how will they be able to answere either before god or man But of this crime we doubte not but plainelie to conuince them For first in the canon of the Masse both the prieste and people are taughte to bow themselues and to giue diuine worship to the sacrament Alan de sacrifie Eucharist c. 41. and Bristow in his 26. motiue and other papists do call the sacramēt their Lord and god but to giue gods honoure to any thing but god is plaine idolatry Either therfore must they proue that the sacramēt is god by hypostaticall vniō as Allen cōfesseth very impiously falselie or it will be an easy matter to proue them idolaters 2 Secondly the papists confesse that Latria or the honour properly due to god is due also to the crosse and crucifix and images of the trinity This is the doctrine of Thomas Aquuinas and all his folowers But it leaueth these idolaters without excuse For how can they defend their doctrine vnlesse they wil deny these crosses crucifixes and images to be creatures 3 Thirdly they make vowes to saints angels and in their publike liturgies call vpon thē They do also swear by thē publiquely confesse their sins vnto them ioyning them in ranck with god almightie But to communicate these honors to creatures is nothing else but to make them gods and themselues idolaters Bellarmine lib. 1. de cultu sanctorum c. 9. blusheth not to make them gods by participation But herein he doth participate with the idolatrous gentiles 4 Fourthly they make an idol of the Pope giuing vnto him the honoures and titles that are properly due vnto Christ and making him the head spouse and foundation of the catholike Church In the chapter satis dist 96. He is expressely called God and that he is rightly so called Augustine Steuchus in his defence of the pretended donation of Constantine doth acknowledge Jn the glosse in c. cum inter extr Ioan. 22 de verbor signif He is impiously called Lord and god Baldus in l. vlt. c sent rescind and. Felin in c. ego N. de iure iurando do giue him the name of a god on the earth Finally his followers fall down before him and worshippe him as god Nowe what is idolatry else but to aduance a creature aboue his rank and to giue him diuine titles and honors 5. Fiftly it is idolatry to make grauen images and to worship them For that is apparant by the wordes of the second commandement that is specially directed againste idolatry But the papists make grauen images and worship them Nay they worship them no otherwise then the gentiles did theire idoles Both gentiles and papists praye before them both offer incense vnto them both doe thinke to honoure the memory of the deade in erecting images to them why then shold not this be reputed idolatry as wel in the papists as in the gentiles verily if we do rightly esteem of matters we shal find that papists do more slauishly serue their idols thē the He then did their idoles going in pilgrimage to them kissing them crouching vnto thē and setting vp lights before them 6. They make the images of god the father god the holy ghost of the trinity giue thē diuine honor But to worship false images as these are the papists themselues confesse to be idolatrous Jt is manifest idolatry also to giue gods honor or latria to creatures 7. Euery day of the week the papists make new gods of the altar oftē they make new crucifixes The Pope also canonizeth at his pleasure new saints But god by his prophet psal 81 forbiddeth the hauing of new strāge gods as idolatrous they deny percase that they esteem thē as Gods But what can vain pretēces auaile whē we see they communicat gods honuor to these creatures 8. The holy scriptures Amos 5. and act 7. condomn thē for idolaters that worshipped and serued the hoast of heauen But papists worship angels saints the court hoast of heuē serue them religiously Nay they are so farre from acknowledging their errour herein that they contend that dulia or seruice is due vnto them 9 The gentiles are condemned
the whole parliament to omit to speake of their secret combinations and practises it is no good signe that they seeke to satisfie the King and to serue him deuoutly when they seek to set vp a religion displeasing to God disgracefull hurtfull to the King and most praeiudiciall to his subiects Secondly He supposeth the Prelates of the Church of England cannot with reason disallowe this petition seeing nothing is required at theire hands but a reasonable conference and satisfaction in poynts of their mission and vocation But it seemeth he meaneth to giue them but little satisfaction that refuseth to giue them theire due titles and telleth them of I know not what wealth pleasures and pallaces pretēded to be enioyed by them Hee is also very ignorant that imagineth that the teachers of the truecatholike faith can abide a false wicked idolatrous hereticall blasphemous religiō or true subiects treason and rebellion and very impudent to call true Bishops in question for theire vocation and mission hauing no colour of defence eyther for the mission and vocation of Masse Priestes to sacrifice for quicke and deade as for the Pope to rule the whole Church or for the Cardinalls to practise the troubles of Christendome Further he was not wise to talke of Bishops winess being allowed by sainte Paule seeing the periured Romish preistes forswearing mariage and swearing continency doe notwithstanding keep concubines whoors and Bardassaes As for the calling of our prelates and ministers it hath been often and sufficiently iustified already and shal be againe when the intrusion of the pope and his poleshorne crewe of sacrificing preeests into the Church shal not by any means be mainteined or coloured Thirdly he seemeth very carefull not to offend the Puritanes as he calleth them But it is offence inough to giue the names of faction to true Christians Furthermore if the papists be no better able to pleade for themselues and theire religion then these petitioners haue done not only such as they call Puritanes but also all other good Christians will condemne them to be neither half subiects nor condicionall subiects nor subiects at all As for their religion it groweth euery day more odious and execrable then other Fourthly the schollers of Cambridge and Oxford of all men rest worst satisfied with this petition being voyd both of learning and reason as for the conceipt which ignorant creatures haue of masse preests they regard it not knowing thē to be but shallowe fellowes in diuine matters though very profound in rebellions and treacherous practises miserable are they that followe such guides and trust such false fugitiue compagnions Fiftly the Artizans and prentizes of London would make a wiser speake then this petition so seely defences are therin made for the popish preests that how so euer they thought on them before they cannot chuse now but both cry out againste them and stoppe them as false fugitiues seditious traitours and professed enemies to their prince and country In the meane while the masse preests haue litle cause to thāk Iohn Lazy that maketh them pleade theire cause before artizans and prentises who generally detest them and theire abhominable doctrine and practises and hope to see thē shortly hold vp their hands at the barre for treason Finally the papists at home and abroad will be very sory to see theire cause so nakedly handled and so weakely defended and if they be wise will curse him that published so bare a discourse giuing vs occasion to discouer theire treacherous hereticall and wicked doctrines and other mysteries of the popish faction As for the example of Saint Albā and of his teacher it fitteth the papists in no sorte Those two knew no one poynte of that wicked doctrine of papists which the Church of England condemneth neither was Albane martyred for the popes quarrell or the doctrin now cōteined in the decretales but for the faith and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles being as loyall to his gouernors as the Jebusites and their complices are peruerse and disloyall And therfore at vnawares where the prologue wold vse the example of the primitiue church of England he printeth priuatiue church shewing himselfe to be a member rather of the popes priuatiue church of England that is depriued woulde depriue Christians of all true faith in veritie of religion and sincerity in conuersation then of the true primitiue Church founded by Christe and gouerned by the Apostels and their true successors But what shold J need to stand longer about the examinatiō of this poor speak of this rude Lazy prologue who so far forgot himself in his dates of his discourse that he publisheth in print the 16. of octobre this apology that as hee saith in the beginning of the prologue came to his handes the 28. of that month which if he be able to make good then he hath sent vs rather a prophesy then a preface telling vs what the lay papistes pleaded some 12 daies before their pleading came to his handes Chap. 17. An answere to the two first chapters of the petition conteining causes both of the petitioners long silence and of their breach of silence IF the two first Chapters of these laye mens petition had beene spared it mighte percase haue beene imputed for wisdome vnto them For then neither theire ingratitude in not acknowledging his maiesties rare fauors towardes them gratiously pardoning their offences nor their presumption in accusing him for breach of promise nor their vntrueth in charging his maiesty the parliamente and state with rigorous and cruell dealing against them nor their vaine brags in pretending that they were so forward in maintening the Kings title and the principall meane that placed him in his royall throne woulde so clearely haue appeared But seeing they woulde needes acquaint vs with the reason of their present speech and former silence let vs heare them what they can say A PETITION APOLOGETICAL PRESENTED TO the Kings most excellent Maiesty by the Lay Catholikes of England in Iulie last Chapter 1. The cause of our silence MOST 1 His grace you abuse his souerainty you deny his might you hinder Mighty and gratious Soueraign Many are the reasons that haue caused vs to expect with perpetual patience and profound silence your Maiesties most gracious resolution for some benigne remedy and redresse of our moste greeuous 2 You vvrong his Maiesty charging him to be a persecutor and your cause shevving your selues vnthankefull for his fauour calamities and afflictions as the confidence of a good cause the testimony of an incorrrupte conscience the memory of our constant and continuall affection to the vndoubted right and Title in remaynder of your renowned Catholike Mother to the Crowne of England the imputations Crosses and afflictions we suffered many 3 If your plots had taken you had marred all yeares therefore the publique and gratefull acknowledgment that your saide glorious Mother made thereof at the time of her Arrainement and execution in
that it is repugnāt to the practise of the Primitiue church the authority of fathers and lawes of christian Emperours and finally that it prouoketh the wrath of God againste the Authors of it Neither neede we to make any question of the practise of Papistes in this behalfe if wee looke anto the actions of the pope and his bloody Jnquisitories In Italy they tolerate no religion contrary to Popery in Spaine they persecute such christians with fire and sword as are contrary to theire faction Jn the Low countries the cause of troubles proceeded principally from hence for that the people would not admitte the bloody inquisition of Spaine that was thoughte to be the fittest meanes to rooote out all religions but one Although then papists now think it no inconuenience in England to tolerate diuers Religions and to admit another religion then that which is alreadie receiued and stick not in plain termes to saye so yet it is apparant that they speake againste their conscience and that they contradicte their owne docttrine and practise Chapter 6. That Poperie is a false and erroneous religion I Might if J list enlarge the former discourse with diuers other reasons against toleration of diuers religions but what should further demonstrations neede to proue that which no papist will as I thinke deny let vs therefore shewe because these apologeticall petitioners stand much vpon the trueth and honesty of their religion that beside the former generall reasons there are diuers other particular matters to be obiected against popish religion euery one sufficient to crosse their desires For first it is a false and erroneous religion Next the same is superstitious and idolatrous Thirdly it is composed of diuers hereticall positions Fourthly it is a pack of nouelties Fiftlie it conteyneth diuers doctrines full of Blasphemies Sixtly it is enemie to kings and greeuous to their subiects Lastly it cōteyneth many pointes of doctrine condemned by the aduersaryes themselues and alloweth diuers practises disliked by all nations That Popery is a religion false and erroneous we prooue firste by the falshood of the groundes thereof and next by the erroneous positions and doctrines whereof it is composed Stapleton in his book entitled principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs. 7. grounds or principles of popish religion The first is the church of Rome the second is The Pope the third the meanes vsed by the Pope in iudgement the 4. the Popes infallible indgement in causes of controuersy the fist his power in taxing or consiguing the canon of holy scriptures the sixt his certain interpretation when he expoundeth scriptures the seauenth the churches or popes power in deliuering doctrine not written The which grounds as they are defectiue not mētioning the canō of scripturs as a ground of fayth nor reputing the decrees of councels and writings of Fathers to be any matter of momēt deseruing to be placed among the principles of our aduersaries fayth so they are most absurde and false For first howe can the church of Rome be a principle or foundation to it self and againe why shoulde the Church of Rome where Peter taught be more a foundation or principle then the Churche of Hierusalem where our sauiour Christ himselfe taughte and suffered the apostle Rom. 11. doth threaten the Romanes and signifie that the Roman church was a branch that mighte bee cut of And Saint John Appocalyps 17. sheweth that the whore of Babilon which was a figure of Antichrist should haue her seate in Rome Secondly the Popes doctrine is notoriously declared to be erroneous and that in many materiall pointes as for example in the questions aboute the lawe the sacramentes transubstantiation the gouernement of the Church and diuers other important points But were it not a matter already knowne and resolued that the Pope cannot be supreme iudge in matters of religion yet the papists haue no reason to thinke that a blind man can iudge of colors or an ignorant man of Artes. Furthermore the pope hath no greater priuiledge then the high priest of the law Yet he erred in condemning Christ and his doctrine Lastly both the fathers shew that diuers bishops of Rome haue bene Herreticks as Liberius and Honorius and Adrian the. 6. in his booke de sacrament c. de confirmat cōfesseth that the pope may determine falselie by his decretall Thirdly it is ridiculous to trust to the popes meanes in iudgement when he vnderstandeth neither councels nor vseth any good meanes to know the truth Nay wee knowe whatsoeuer means are pretended that the pope either rūneth vpon his own head or followeth a few carnall cardinals or contentious friars Fourthly it is a blockish thing to distinguish the Pope from his iudgement For so the pope should be found to be without iudgement iudgmēt without the pope That this iudgmente is not infallible we gather infallibly out of his manifold erroneous doctrine iudgmēt The same appeareth also by his false decretalls and the variation of the popes iudgement Fiftly the scriptures being consigned by god and deliuered to the church by the prophets and Apostles need no new consignation nor taxation of the pope Nay very absurd it were if lawes receiuing their strength from the gouernors the scriptures shold not be authenticall without the approbation of the pope who for the moste part vnderstandeth no scriptures nor hath skill to reade them in theire originall tongs Sixtly the Pope is for the moste parte ignorante both of the sence of scriptures of the principal poynts of religiō hauing studied neither And very ridiculous it is after plain words of scriptures and exposition of counsels and fathers to runne to the pope for resolution Finally the resolution of matters of fayth dependeth not vpon the determination of the pope or his adherentes who are departed from the fayth but vpon the word of god that in matters of saluation is plaine and better expounded by the learned and by auncient fathers then by partiall Popes and their adherentes Stapletones groundes therfore are false and erroneous Neither are the principles deliuered by others more certaine The conuenticle of Trent sess 4. dooth seeme to found the faith of the Church partly vpon scriptures and partly vpon vnwritten traditions But first the same alloweth no scriptures authenticall but such as are found in the old latine of the bible which in many pointes digresseth from the originall bookes and is much inferiour vnto them Secondly they allow no interpretations of scriptures but such as are consonante to the doctrine of the church of Rome which in matters of controuersy are most peruerse erroneous and absurd as may appeare by diuers particulers in the suruey of popery Thirdly they make the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiastieus Wisedome and Machabies together with certaine fragments not found in the original books of the old testamēt equal to other scriptures alwaies reputed canonicall the which is reproued by the common consent of auncient fathers and seemeth repugnant to reason Fourthly vnder
Contraryvvise you proue nought against vs and yet force vs to embrace your vvicked opinions Doctrine we receiue heresie These are points first to be decided and determined amongst Deuines and learned men of both parts and therefore that Magistrates should proceede against vs as men conuicted of those crimes before our cause be heard and determined by them that are by God 7 They vvill onely haue the pope to be iudge appointed to handle those high and important points of diuinity we hope your Maiesties clemency and piety will not permit But iudgement 8 Neuer vvith you in any lavvfull generall councell being past on our side already in so many generall Councells abroad and 9 Proue your popes mitre and massing sacrifice by conuocations and Parliaments if you can conuocations and Parliaments at home commending and approuing the faith we professe what reason can giue life to that lawe that doth reuerse a sentence so authentically giuen without the full form of iustice and processe therein required Chapter 4. The reasons vvhy vve are so resolute in our Religion Reasons of Religion THE first reason that we giue of our faith and Religion Sacred Soueraigne and why we ought not to suffer therefore as delinquents is that neither 1 The Turks and any other heretikes are able to say so much as these do albeit they proue nothing obstinate pride nor presumptuous pertinacy The 1. reason nor dislike of order or Discipline nor contempt of authority nor curiosity affectation of nouelty or discontentment in our priuate humors maketh vs so constant and resolute in the profession thereof but our consciences meerly so informed and inforced in maner by the 2 Proue this grace and exhibit this holy vvord and then you say somthing instinct of Gods grace and reuelation of his holy word and will but our vnderstanding captiuated in obsequium fidei by most euident (a) In no Religion but the Catholike only do all these Testimonîes concur Testimony of holy Write of Vnity Vniuersality Succession Antiquity and 3 Fevv lay papistes vnderstand scripturs in strange tongues and in vulgar tongues they may not read them Hovv then come they to knovv that scriptures make for them do they beleeue the pope and his emissaries that giueth them black for vvhite authority of Scriptures 4 VVith vhose vvorks you are but little acquainted Fathers Saints Doctors Councells Parliaments Virgins and Martyrs which all concur onely and jointly in the 5 VVhat is that to those that professe the popes particular doctrine Catholike Religion and in no other profession whatsoeuer which considerations accompanied with the feare of Gods judgements the danger of 6 You feare purgatory fire Hell fire you feare not that runn vvith your holy father headlong into hell and vvith rebells into treason Hell fire and the desire of eternall Saluation command vs by the rules of reason in the practise and profession of that Religion to obey the law of God 7 VVhy then doo you prefer the popes lavves before the letter of gods lavves before the lawe of Man It is an instance and maxime that suffereth no exception that neuer any generall or vniuersall 8 VVhat is that to vs innouation The 2 reason or alteration in matters of Faith or Religion from bad to better hath been heard of either in the whole world or in any particular nation be it either from Iudaisme Gentilisme Paganism Atheisme or Idolatry but that the commission and vocation of the messengers haue been authorised Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Mar. 16. our Lord working with all and confirming the word with signes that followed which sithence our new messengers and reformers as yet haue not duly nor clearely shewed pretending as they do to purge Christendome of superstition and idolatry how can they in reason craue at our hands credit or conformity to the new lawes made on that behalfe God is ipsa vita lux veritas God that is the life light The 3. reason and truth it selfe cannot giue commission credit and authority to death darknes and falshood but it is most euident and cannot be doubted of or denied that the first Apostles and Conuertors of this our nations of England Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome deliuered vs the same Romane faith we 10 That is the question We proue the contrary by particular instances and euident demonstrations now professe 9 All vvas not of your religion The Greek church at this day renounceth your erros the same Masse and the same Sacraments and preached the selfe same Doctrine Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis our Lord working with all and confirming the worde with signes that followed Reason then concludeth thus that either God in this case hath giuen testimony to falshood or else the doctrin confirmed by the testimony of God is true and auowable and not to be forsaken for feare of any humane lawes till we haue like testimony from Heauen to the contrary and when our aduersaries shall duely reproue ours herein and make their own 1 VVe haue proued it clearly But the caniball masse priests stick alvvaies in this brake mission as manifest by the word of God then if we do not conforme our selues to the new lawes imposed vpon vs worthily we are to endure these late inflicted penalties for matter of recusancy To conuince vs then that either we haue not the true Scriptures The 4. reason or interpret them not as wee ought or that we dishonor God in honouring his Saints or erre in the number or nature of our Sacraments as that our doctrine is false and defectiue and to condemne vs and punish vs therefore as Heretikes and Idolaters requireth 2 As if ordinary pastors vver not to reproue errors according to the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles vvithout extraordinary authority in all reason an absolute commission from God the which when it shall be produced willingly we will obey If they alledge Scriptures the Scriptures are common to vs both The 5. reason yet more likely in reason to be ours then theirs because that if the Church of Rome had not conserued them and communicated the same vnto vs our aduersaries had been at this day 3 If Rome had sunke many yeers since yet had the scriptures been preserued Scripturelesse the very originall Bible the selfe same numer◠which S. Gregory sent in with our Apostle S. Augustine being as yet 4 Where further vvhat maketh that for you reserued by Gods especiall prouidence as a Testimony (a) We receiued the Scriptures from the Church of Rome that what Scriptures we haue we had 5 As if vve had in England no Bibles but Gregories Bible or as if Gregory vver the author of the Bible them from Rome and haue nothing of our reformers but
that we haue not so many books of Scriptures 6 We discanonise no book of canonicall scriptures but papists place apocriphall scriptures among the canonicall books discanonised and reiected because they be expresse Testimonies against their new and negatiue Religion If they stand vpon the sence and true interpretation we stand on that point more confidently then they they hauing no further warrant then their 7 The papists properly stand vpon the priuat iudgment of the pope vve folovv no mans priuat spirit priuate spirit and we relying on the assistance of the holy Ghost therein promised to his 8 But not to the Pope or his adhaerents Church for the instruction of all truth which is Columna firmamentum veritatis the piller and foundation of truth If they fly to the Fathers for one place euill vnderstood and somtime falsified somtime mutilated somtime wholy corrupted we produce a thousand not by patches nor mammocks as they do but whole pages whole chapters whole books the vniforme consent of all the ancient fathers and Catholike Church If they presse vs with their passed Parliaments and Princes for one of theirs we haue an hundred and for a Childe King and a 1 Better a vvoman Queen then a vvoman Pope Woman Queene wee haue for vs so many so Wise so learned so religious so Victorious Princes as our Histories without theÌ„ would be very barren our Names obscure our clergy miserable our Bishops beggarly our Parliaments confused our Lawes intricated our Vniuersities without Colledges our Colledges without Schollers our Schollers without maintenance Reason then the life of the law requireth to our vnderstanding more ample and 2 These suppose the Popes decretalls more authenticall then scriptures authenticall euidence before wee bee cendemned by lawe as superstitious or irreligious The faith we professe is that 3 It is no more like it then false doctrine to faith fayth religion which Saint Paul to the Romanes so highly commendeth The 6 reason Rom. chap. 1. which therefore is called Catholike and Romane because (a) The church of Rome euer was and is the Mother Church all the Churches in the world either did in their beginnings or doe for the present agree vniformely with the sea of Rome in vnion and communion of faith doctrine and fellowship hauing recourse thereto as to the 4 The old church of Rome vvas the Mother Church But vvhat is this to nevv Rome Mother Church From the Pastors and Prelates of this Church to witte from (b) S. Gregory the Pope S. Auhustine the Monke S. 5 That vvill hardly be proued further vvhat maketh this for such as subuert the state peruert Christians conuert none Gregory the Pope and S. Augustin the Monke we receiued the benefit of our conuersion and regeneration from them we receiued the 6 This selfe same vntruth vve haue refuted at large in our ansvver to Parsons his treatise concerning 3. supposed conuersions of England selfe same Doctrine Discipline Seruice Sacraments Feasts and laudable Ceremonies which are by vs held practised professed and defended with the 7 Note hovv they say they defend holidays greasings holivvater and such ceremonies vvith their bloud effusion of our bloudes at this very day and this we finde 8 You corrupt histories as much as you can and yet they shevv hovv much you are degenerated from true Christians verified by the Histories of (c) S. Bead Cambden Stowe Hollenshed and Sauell S. Bead Cambden Hollenshed Stovve and that Tripartite History set out by Master Sauell From this Curch of Rome we receiued our Bible our Gospell our Creed our Canons The 7 reason which are the same through the whole Christian worlde among Catholikes both for the translation sence and interpretation This Church is by your Maiesty and by the learned sorte of the Protestants 10 Not this later Rome that is figured by the vvhore of Babylon but the ancient Church of Rome that vvas praysed by S. Paul The 8. reason acknowledged to be the Mother Church we hope then we are excuseable 9 So the Gospell of Papists dependeth on the pope that reuerence and loue our dearest Mother from whose breast our forefathers and we haue receiued the sweet milk of our soules There was ueuer yet since the Incarnation of christ anie heresie that crept into the Church of God The 9. reason but we find the names of the 1 Name the authors of the Angelicks Nudipedals Colâ—yridians Messelians authors of such heresies we find by the Church of Rome Councells called to condemne them and Doctors imploied to confute them there is not the least Ceremonie or circumstance that hath been added for the greater 2 For meere scorn foolery Further you haue deuised nevv doctrines and nevv vvorships of god not only nevv ceremonies Maiesty and solemnity in Gods deuine seruice but the yeare is knowne when and the Pope by whome it was ordained If matters then of so small moment passe not without recording reason would that the lawes that must condemne our Mother church of Idolatrie and superstitions should tell vs the authors that first corrupted her integritie but if the first inuentors and institutors of the Masse of Purgatory of prayer to Saints and the like supposed errors cannot be produced doubtlesse we must attribute them as we doe indeed to Christ and his Apostles and as deriued from such infallible authoritie we are bound in all equitie to follow them But if by the fruits your Maiestie will giue iudgement of the tree The 10. reasoÌ„ the fruits of our 3 Or rather seditioÌ„ vvars massacres empoysoÌ„ments stevvs ribaldry heresy Religion at Loue Vnitie Concord Pietie acts of Charitie and Deuotion as Fasting Praier Almes building of Monasteries erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals coÌ„uerting of NatioÌ„s calling of Councels confuting of Heresies obedience to our Princes though they be Pagans and Infidells and that for conscience sake (a) Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 4. lib. 4. cap. 10.6.5 Whereas both practisers and professors of the Religion which we are so pressed to embrace do far differ from vs in those points 4 These fellovvs teache their tongues to speak vntruth teaching vnder colour of the libertie of the Gospell (b) Knox in his exhortation to EnglaÌ„d printed at Geneua 1559. contempt of power and authoritie (c) Luther in his book de potestate seculari in his comment vppon the 1. of S. Peter cap. 2 neglect of lawes (d) GoodmaÌ„ in his book of obedience all which teache contempt of authority neglect of lawes in the places cited and obedience The examples are to late and lamentable in your Maiesties Realme of Scotland and in the persons of your gratious Mother and Grand-Mother Father and Grandfather to passe with silence the tragedies by such like plaied in sundry other 5 Can these meÌ„ iustly blame our brethren that
vāts seing lay mē are little skilled in tōgs stānd prohibited to reade them in vulgar tongs with out licēce furthermore these felowes art not so far trauelled as to know what is cōteined in scriptures fathers coūcels aūcient writers concerning matters in cōtrouersy if they resolue thēselues by relatiō of the massepreests friars thēar they most simple ideots to beleeue matters vpon heresay and to found themselues vpon the reports of such lying compagnions Lastly they seeme to haue theire braynes distempred that are made to beleeue that the popish sacrifice of the masse for quick and deade their carnall eating of Christs flesh with the mouths of men nay with the mouth of bruit beasts their transubstantiation halfe communions and idolatrous worship of the sacrament the popes vniuersall and plenary power conteined in decretales their 7. sacraments and doctrine of iustification by orders mariage and extreame vnction theyr worship of saints reliques and images and all the rest of their abhominable doctrine may be proued by authority of scriptures fathers saints doctors councels Parliamentes and that the same is confirmed dy vnitie vniuersality succession and. antiquity beside the testimony of virgins and Martyrs This we may affirme of the Apostles creed and the Catholike fayth taught and published in auncient Councels but by no meanes of the fayth of the moderne sinagogue of Rome Nay in our abridgemente or suruey of Poperie we haue plainely demonstrated that the same is contrary to scriptures fathers councels auncient writers and is deuoyde of the testimonies of martyres virgins and decrees of Parliaments and all other authenticall proofes Secondly they alledge that neuer any vniversall innouation in matters of religion hath been made but that the commission and vocation of the messengers hath beene authorised by signes and wonders But this allegation as it concearneth vs nothing so it vtterly ouerthroweth the petitioners cause For we haue made no vniuersal innonatiō Nay we do not alter or abrogate-any one article of the Christian faith but as in Spaine true teachers in former tymes caused Arianisme to cease and true religion to bee receiued and as the Christians in the land of Palestine some 400. yeares sence for a time caused the impieties of Mahomet to be suppressed Christian religion to be taught and practised so do we onely abolish the corruptions false doctrines heresies and impieties of popery and reteine euery article of the Auncient christian fayth But the massepreests friars and monkes adhering to the Pope haue made an vniuersall alteration in the worship of God bringing in the idolatrous worship of saints of images of the sacrament and receiuing many old condemned heresies and new deuised schoole doctrines and decretaline deuises and yet neither shew signes nor wonders vnlesse a man list to beleeue the wondrous lyes of their legends and breuiaries Thirdly they take it as a matter most euident and that cānot be denied that the first apostles and conuerters of Englād Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome and deliuered vs the same fayth which the Papists now professe But they take boldly and affirme impudently that which no man either giueth them or yeeldeth to bee true Parsons hath spent much idle talke in this argument and proueth nothing Coleton is as mute as if hee were turned into a Codfish and replieth nothing to that which is answered to the petition of Masseprecstes the last session of parliament and their discourse touching this poynt As for these petitioners they shewe themselues ignorant of learning that beleeue that the doctrine of Romish traditions of the Popes authority of the masse of the 7. sacramentes of Purgatory and indulgences and such like matters was known to the anciēt Bishops of Rome but suppose old Rome had sent true preachers abroade to conuert nations to the Christian fayth what is that to new Rome that sendeth out false apostles to corrupt the true fayth and assassins Cut-throates to murder such as fauour the truth this false doctrine and cut throate practise certes was neuer confirmed with true signes and wonders Fourthlie they require vs to shew a Commission from God if we meane to conuince the papists that they haue not true scriptures or interpret them not right or that they are idolaters or hereticks a deuise likely to proceed from such idle heades For neither did those fathers that conuinced the Marcionists Arrians Manichees Angelicks and other hereticks either of corrupting or misconstruing the scriptures or any other poynt of false doctrine shew a commission immediatly from god neither doe the masse preests that dispute nowe against Turks Arrians and Anabaptists shewe forth any such commission All Christians and not onelie publike teachers haue commission sufficient to descry to take heed of false Prophets that come vnto them in sheeps clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues What needeth then this extraordinary authority Fiftly they tellvs that we had our scriptures from Rome and had been scripturelesse if we had not receiued them from thence He sayth also that the same bible which Angustine brought into England is yet reserued by gods especiall prouidence But firste it is not materiall from whence Christians receiue holy scriptures The Romaines receiued them from the Iewes and yet I trow Parsons and Coletou as they are turned Romanists will not turne Iewes Secondly that the Britous receiued the scriptures from the Romanes it is not likely they being as the common report goeth conuerted by Ioseph of Arimathaea Neither doe these petitioners shew where the Bible is to be foud that was brought in by Austen the Monk nor doe they make proofe that this which they shew is the the same Bible which Austen brought in Jf it bee the old vulgar translation it is not likely that Gregory sent it For he doth not alwayes follow that translation Heere also they tell vs that we haue reiected and discanonized diuers bookes of scripture because they be expresse testimonyes againste our religion which it pleaseth them to cal new and negatiue But neither doe we reiect any booke of canonicall scripture nor can any argument be drawne from the bookes apocryphall added in the vulgarlatin translation to the old testamēt that doeth hurt vs. Furthermore if we do onely deny the heresies of the papists then doe we not frame any new religion vnto ourselues and if the papists affirme matters not known to fathers then is theire religion new positiue if not wicked in the superlatiue For the sence of scripture they tell vs that we haue onely the warrant of our priuate spirit and they the assistance of gods holy spirit promised to his Church But absurdly they talke of the interpretation of scriptures following therein the priuate sence of a sencelesse pope and neither the interpretation consonant to the meaning of gods holy spirit speaking in scriptures nor to the iudgement of fathers vpon whome they bragge most fondly Lastly they tell vs againe of parliaments and
princes and say that for one of ours they haue an hundred but they shew themselues shame lesse to speake vntruth without any shew of proofe For if they looke into all histories they shall not finde eyther parliament or prince within this realme that allowed the wicked decrees of the conuenticle of Trent Neither did the clergy or the vniuersityes of England euer approue thē Here againe they they tell vs of a child King and woman Queene as if they had Queens that were no women or disallowed of the succession of children to their fathers So their fift reason is very childish Their sixth reasō had been more allowable if they could haue proued theire antecedent For if their faith had been that which Saint Paule so highly commendeth and which was first taught the English by Gregorie then should wee not much contend with them about matters of fayth But helas poret soules these laypapistes read not S. Paules Epistles nor canne they tell what he taught and as for their Masters they shall proue themselues desperate fellowes if thèy take vpon them to proue their transubstantiation and massing sacrifice and other poynts of popery out of S. Paule they should also but abuse their readers if they should vndertake to proue that popery is Catholike doctrine as hath been often shewed Finally if Gregorie the firste were iudge yet should they neither proue the popish worship of images nor the vniuersall headship of the pope nor the inuisibility and impalpability of Christes body in the sacrament the contrary rather out of Gregoryes doctrine may be concluded The 7. reason is nothing els but a repetition of matters formerly denyed They say we haue receiued our Bible our gospell and the canons from the Church of Rome The truth is that all true Christians haue receiued both the Bible the Gospell from Christ and his Apostles-likewise we haue receiued auncient canons from auncient general councels from the same the Church of Rome hath receiued both lawes and canons But the doctrine of the modern churche of Rome concerning the 7. sacramentes halfe communions the carnall eating of Christes body with the mouth and such like Mysteries of the masse they are contrary both to scriptures and actes of councels and were neuer knowne to the auncient church of Rome In theire 8. reason they affirme that the Romish Church is our Mother Church But then is she a cruell mother that persecuteth and murthreth her children Of the old Roman Church diuers nations receiued the faith and therefore to them she might be reputed the Mother church and so his maiesty meant when he spoke of the old church of Rome But this later Romish church is rather a stepmother then a mother and rather the mother of fornications as Saint John calleth her or the mother of errors as Francis Petrarch calleth her then the mother of Christians nay we haueby diuers reasons demonstrated that she is neither the mother church nor Christs church but the whore of Babylon and Synagogue of Antichriste Their ninth reason is drawne from the maner of the firstē arising and condemnation of heresyes For if there neuer yet arose any heresy but both the names of the authors and of the councells that condemned them were well known then if neither the authors of the masse or of Purgatory or of prayers to saints can be named nor any councell found out that condemned them then they suppose that these poyntes came from Christ and the apostles But by the same reason hee mighte prooue that the heresie of the Angelikes Collyridians Messalians Nudipedalls Nazarites Apostolikes and diuers of that sorte came from Christ and the Apostles For neither is Coleton able to name the first authors of these heresyes nor excepte it bee the Angelikes condemned in the councell of Laodicea can hee shew that any of these hereticks were condemned by councels Further wee shew who were the first deuisers of the masse and these lay papists confesse that the author of euery little ceremony and the time thereof is known we knowalso that purgatory for satisfaction for tēporal pains after that the guilt of sin is remitted praiers to saynts was first deuised by schoolmen among christians by idolaters among Heathen men Their last reason is deriued from the fruites of true religion which as they say are loue vnity concord piety acts of charitie and deuotion as fasting praier almes building of monasteryes erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals conuerting of Nations and such like But first the erection of monasteries and such like dennes of superstitious persons and Sodomites is neither a worke of Charity nor deuotion Secondly these fruites of religion that are heere mentioned neuer proceeded from the modern superstition of Rome And that is most apparent not only by common experience but also by the testimony and confession of papists themselues In Jtaly other countries where popery moste reigneth there is little true loue no vnitie nor concord either among the teachers or among their followers no steppe of christian piety no acts of Christian charity nor signe of sincere and internall deuotion their prayers are directed to saynts angels for the most part and little vnderstood of the vulgar sort being in strange lāguages Their fasts ar superstitious their alms ar pharisaical for the most part euil bestowed The popes their cōplices massacre murdre true christians with deadly hatred prosequute on another Their enemies they empoysō murdre such as they cannot kill they curse and hate They make banks of vsury set vp bordell houses for maintenance of whoredom baudry they haue empouerished christians occasioned the progresse and successe of Turkes and as for new Rome it hath confuted no heresyes nor called any lawfull councels nor erected any vniuersityes nor taught any obedience to princes nay contrariwise the popes of Rome haue dissolued the bands of obedience and with preferring men vnworthy fostering Iebusites haue ouerthrowne vniuersities Finally teaching that the pope is aboue councels they haue taken away al authority frō councels teaching the idolatrous worship of saynts images and the sacrament and setting for ward their traditions they haue destroyed all religion and this in the abridgement or suruey of popery is proued both by testimonyes and examples agaynst vs certes they shall neuer be able to prooue any such matters They charge Master Caluin Knox Luther Godmā with teaching cōtēpt of power authority and neglect of laws obedience that vnder the colour of liberty of the gospel But this is a cōmō practise of papists when they are at a stoppe to father lies vpon Luther Caluin and other godly men How sincerely they deale it is apparent when they alledge such authors as lay papists vnder payne of excōmu nication may not read affirme that to bee taughte by them which those godly teachers vtterly dislike and condemne Absurdly also wher they vndertake to defend themselues they run out