offered what neeneth or what auaileth any resistance of ours or any conflict to the contrary sinne it is though we resist neuer so much and but sinne it is if we yeelde And seeing that by another principle of this new doctrine all sinnes are equally mortall what is gained by striuing or what is lost by yeelding And to what end are all those large Treatises of ancient Fathers about fighting against this concupiscence and mortification of her appetites and motions What doe auaile all their exhortations to this purpose as also those of the Scriptures to continencie chastitie virginitie abstinence sobrietie and other like vertues for so much as euery first motion of our concupiscence to the contrary which first motion wee cannot auoid is sin in it selfe to what purpose I say are wo perswaded and animated to fight and striue against this enemie seeing there is no hope of victorie but that at euery blow shee conquereth and ouerthroweth vs as the Protestants teach Wherefore to proceed no further in this comparison you may easily by this that is said consider the differences betweene these two people and in particular you may with griefe and teares contemplate among other points fiue generall inundations of loosenesse and wicked liberty brought into Christian conuersation by the foresaid fiue principles of these mens doctrine to wit First in taking away wholly all concurrance and good endeauors of mans will to any vertuous action whatsoeuer though neuer so much preuented or assisted by the helpe of Gods grace Secondly in ascribing all justificatiō to onely Faith and thereby moouing the concurrance of Hope Charitie Piety Deuotion and other vertues Thirdly in disgracing and denying the necessity of the exercise of externall good workes proceeding from those internall vertues and commended vnto vs to walke therein Fourthly in debasing the force dignity and number of Sacraments appointed for instruments and conduites of Gods holy grace vnto all sorts of men And lastly in attributing a kingdome of sinne irresistable to our concupiscence in fauour of temptations and sensuall motions and discomforting thereby all people from fighting against the same Which fiue principles being well weighed considered together with the practise and successe that haue ensued vpon them throughout Christendome where this new doctrine hath preuailed no indifferent man can bee so simple but that he will easily discouer the true difference betweene these two people and their Religions as also betweene Fox his lying fond Definition of a Catholike and this our Description of Catholikes Protestants containing the most substantiall points of Faith and life both of the one and the other AN ADDITION MADE by the Collecter NOW because I haue mentioned IOHN FOX I would desire thee good Reader to reade that learned Treatise of Three Conuersions especially the third part wherein IOHN FOX his booke of Martyrs so called is particularly examined and confuted where thou mayest clearely descrie the erroneous and false spirit of the Protestants for so much as they make choice of any sort of people whatsoeuer bearing the name of Christians to be of their Church and fraternitie notwithstanding that they held and beleeued many most damnable errors and herefies but howsoeuer if they spake freely against the Pope or floutly denied but one article of the Catholike Faith for which they haue been condemned for Heretikes by our Church they were presently accounted for right good Protestants and fit for IOHN FOX to Canonize and make Martyrs Of this that worthy Author in the foresaid Treatise sheweth briefely in a Consideration which hee maketh what sort of people be put by IOHN FOX into his Kalendar It is then to be noted saith hee that in the Kalendar and story thereof to wit FOX his Actes and Monuments are comprised all the heads of Factions and Sects that haue been different from the knowne Catholike Religion and among themselues for these three or foure last hundred yeares as Waldo of Lyons and his Waldensians the Earle of Tholosa and his Albigensians Iohn Wickliffe of England and his Wickliffians Iohn Husse of Bemeland and his Hussites Iohn Zisca of the same Nation and his Thaborites Walter Lollard in Germanie and his Lolardians and in our daies Martin Luther and his Lutherans both sects Molles and Rigidi Vldericus Zuinglius and his Zuinglians Iohn Caluin and his Caluinists both mingled and Puritans and other the like All which are allowed and commended by Fox eyther in his Kalendar or Historie thongh they did not a little disagree as well among themselues as with the Catholike Church both in words and actions manner of life preachings and writings as before hath been shewed And whereas we that follow Catholike doctrine are so exact for holding vnitie therein as we reiect and hold for wicked according to the Creed of Saint Athanasius and first Councell of Nice whosoeuer doth not beleeue inuiolably the said Catholike Faith and intirely in euery point and doe sometimes condeme euen to death and burne some for dissenting in one only point of Faith as Iohn Fox himselfe hath diuers times complained how can it be that he and his Church can gather vp and tye together in one vnion of Faith and communion of Saints all these different and opposite heads together with their members and followers Truely no other way but onely as Samson tyed his Foxes together by the tayles though their heads and faces were opposite and contrarie one to another which serued him not to plow nor sow plant nor tyll but only to set a fire waste and destroy the corne which others haue sowed before which is the only office and peculiar worke that these wrangling opposit hereticall heads do bring forth in the Church of God to wit pull downe digge vp destroy discredit and disgrace that which was sowen planted and established before them and thereby to bring all to misdoubt vnbeleefe and atheisme So F. PARSONS And because peraduenture euery one desirous to know more of this matter cannot so easily procure to see or reade that discussion or examination of Iohn Fox his Saints and of their different spirits from the Catholike I will let you see the summe of both Kalendars as it is set downe by the forenamed Author in the end of the Kalendar both in the first and last sixe Moneths of that his Examen The summe of all Saints named in both Kalendars In the Catholike Kalendar The number of all mentioned 1704. whereof are Popes Martyrs 27. Popes Confessors 8. Bishops Martyrs 37. Bishops Confessors 63. Virgins Martyrs 76. besides the 11000. slaine with Saint Vrsula Virgins Confessors 11. Kings and Queenes Martyrs 3. Kings and Queenes Confessors 8. other holy men and women 3429. other men and women Confessors 42. All these were of one Faith and Religion agreeable to the Roman at this day In the Foxian Kalendar The number of all mentioned 456. Bishops Pseudomartyrs 5. Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs 000. May d Martyrs 2. Kings Queenes Martyrs
and Confessors 1. other men women Martyrs 393. other men and women Confessors 53. These were of diuers sects and opinions and contrary in many points the one to the other as for example Waldensians and Albegensians 13. Lollards and Wickliffians 36. Hussites and Lutherans 78. Zuinglians and Caluinifts 268. Anabaptists Puritans and doubtfull of what sect 59. Againe of those were Husbandmen Weauers Sawyers Shoo-makers Curriers Smithes and other such like occupations 282. Poore women and Spinsters 64. Apostata Monks and Friers 25. Apostata Priests 38. Ministers 10. Publike Malefactors and condemned by the Lawes for such 19. The greatest Disputers of this ranke against the Catholike Bishops and learned men were George Tankerfield a Cooke August 13. Iohn Mandrell a Cowheard March 27. Richard Chrashfield a yong Artificer March 28. Raph Allerton a Tayler September 19. Iohn Fortunea Black-smith September 30. Richard Woodman an Iron maker Iune 23. Ellen Erwing a Millers wife August 23. loane Lashford a maried maide Ianuary 18. Isabell Foster a Cutlers wife Ianuary 17. Anne Alebright a poore woman of Canterbury Ianuary 19. Alice Potkins Spinster Nouember 15. Alice driuer a famous Doctrice Nouember 22. And to giue you some particular taste of this roauing spirit which raigned in some of Master Fox his principall Protestant Martyrs Master Iohn Bradford whom Fox most highly extolleth in many leaues and stileth him Preacher-Martyr was accustomed much to bragge of his singuler assurance that he had of the right course hee was in which he said was so cleare and euident to him that there could be no more doubt thereof then whether the Sunne did shine vpon a faire day and when the Bishops asked him How he came to so great a certainty he answered I am certaine of my saluation and religion by the Scriptures but when they posed him further how hee could bee sure of Scriptures themselues and of their true meaning without the testimony of the Church hee had no other shift but to runne to the assurance of his owne spirit telling them that albeit he receiued the knowledge of the Scriptures by the testimonie of the Church as those of the Citie of Sychar did the notice of Christ by the woman from the Well yet that when he once had them then could he vse them well enough for vnderstanding them and for shew hereof when a little after hee had occasion to interpret some peeces of Scriptures he did it so absurdly as a man might well see how much might be builded vpon the assurance of that his particular and priuate spirit as for example among other places hee tooke vpon him to proue by Scripture that the Pope was Antichrist and cited for it onely those words of the Apostle to the Thessalonians That Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God c. which though it proue nothing as you see for that wee deny not but that Antichrist when hee commeth shall sit in the Temple of God yea and pretend to be God himselfe which no Popes euer did or shal doe yet to Bradford the allegation of this place seemed much to the purpose and to Iohn Fox that admireth all which the other vttered it appeareth so full a proofe as he maketh this note in the margent The Pope proued to bee Antichrist by Scriptures But this proofe as you see standeth only vpon Bradfords interpretation which interpretation is not onely not conforme to any ancient Fathers exposition whatsoeuer but is manifestly also contrary to the text it selfe where immediatly before the words alledged That he shall sit in the Temple of God are these words Extolletur supra omne quod dicitur Deus aut qued colitur That Antichrist when he commeth shall bee extolled aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped for God so as he shall not call him Gods seruant as the Pope doth nor the seruant of his seruants but chiefe God himselfe which no Pope as is said euer did or will and consequently these words cannot possibly agree to the Pope and yet forsooth the spirit of Bradford that cannot erre or be deceiued doth expound it so and thereby you see the certaintie of his spirit After this againe he went about to perswade the two Bishops who examined him that he agreed with them and with their Church in substance of Faith and beleefe and consequently might bee saued with them notwithstanding this deniall of two articles for which only he said he was condemned to wit Transubstantiation and that the euill men doe not receiue the body of Christ when they communicate which two articles Bradford affirmed not to appertaine to the substance of faith or foundation of Christ and consequently that he was vnjustly cast our of the Church for them for so much as hee firmely beleeued all the articles of the Creede with them whereunto when the Bishops smiling replied saying Yen Is this your Diuinitie BRADFORD answered Noe it is PAVLS which saith That if men hold the foundation Christ though they build vpon him straw and stubble yet they shall be saued So he whereby you see that this great learned Cleake would proue by Saint Paul that both Protestants and all other Sectaries that in words doe professe to beleeue all the Articles of the Creede though each one in seuerall sense to himselfe shall be saued together with Catholikes and that all these our contentions with them and other Sectaries are but straw and stubble and touch not the foundation of Christ at all This was his spirit and doe you thinke that this spirit could be deceiued or will our English Protestants at this day allow this spirit or joyne with Bradford in this paradox I know they will not and would bee ashamed to interpret the place of Saint Paul in that sense for so much as it is euident that he meaneth of the straw and stubble of workes and not doctrine or at least such principall points of doctrine as those are which Bradford did professe contrary to the Catholique truth Notwithstanding there bee some principall Protestant Doctors who howsoeuer they interpret the foresaid place of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 3. and vpon what other place soeuer of Scripture they pretend to builde yet doe they holde and maintaine the same Paradox in Christian Religion as I may call it and the same exorbitant grosse errour which the phanaticall spirit of Iohn Bradford suggested vnto him for an assured truth to wit that all euen Heretikes as well as Catholikes may bee saued so long as they hold the foundation Christ. For so Master Doctor Morton now called a Bishop saith Wheresoeuer a company of men doe ioyntly and publikely by worshipping the true God in Christ professe the substance of Christian Religion which is Faith in lesus Christ the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world that there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer And giuing this title to one section in his booke That Heretikes are members of the
A LITTLE TREATISE CONCERNING TRIAL OF SPIRITS TAKEN FOR THE MOST part out of the Works of the R. F. ROBERT PARSONS of the Societie of IESVS WHEREVNTO IS ADDED a Comparison of a true Roman Catholike with a Protestant wherby may bee discouered the difference of their Spirits With an Appendix taken out of a later Writer My dearest beleeue not euery Spirit but prooue the Spirits if they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1. Ioh. 4. 1. ✚ IHS Permissa Superiorum 1620. A COMPARISON OF A TRVE ROMAN CATHOLIKE WITH A PROTESTANT whereby may be discouered the difference of their Spirits not only in things belonging to faith and beleefe but also concerning their liues conuersations and manners taken out of a more ample discourse of this subiect made by that worthy and reuerend Father F. Parsons is the 20. Chapter of his Examen of Fox his Calendar the last six Moneths FIRST the Roman Catholike whom Fox calleth Papist touching matters of Faith and beleefe composeth himselfe to that humilitie as whether he bee learned or vnlearned or what arguments soeuer hee hath on the one or other side yet presumeth hee to determine nothing of himselfe but remitteth that determination if any thing be doubtfull or vndetermined vnto the judgement and decree of the vniuersall Church and Gouernours thereof And hence proceedeth the agreements and vnitie of Faith which they haue held and conserued in so large a body for so many ages as haue passed since Christ and his Apostles Whereas Protestants in this behalfe following another Spirit of selfe-will and selfe judgement and loosing the raynes of libertie to the pregnancie of each mans wit doe hold and determine what their owne judgements for the time doe thinke to bee true or most probable and are subject to no authoritie in this behalfe but to their owne Spirit which is variable according to the varietie of arguments and probabilities that doe occurre And hereof doe ensue the great varietie of sects and opinions among them euen in this one age since they began as you may see by that which is set downe in the third and seuenteenth Chapters of the fourth part of the three Conuersions of England Next to this for so much as appertaineth to life and actions the Catholike man holdeth that wee can doe nothing at all of our selues no not so much as to thinke a good thought but we must be preuented and assisted by Gods holy grace as may bee shewed out of the Councell of Trent which teacheth with Saint Paul that our sufficiencie is of Christ yet is the force of this grace so tempered notwithstanding as it vseth no violence nor excludeth the free concurrance of mans wil preuented and stirred vp by the foresaid grace of our Sauiour and motion of the holy Ghost So as freely by this helpe we yeeld to the said good motions and doe beleeue in God and his promises and this act of Faith as you may learne out of the said Councel is the first foundation and root of all our justification but yet not sufficient of it selfe except Charitie and Hope two other Theologicall vertues doe accompany the same so as we doe both loue and hope in him in whom we beleeue And out of these and by direction of these doe flow againe other Christian vertues called morall for that they appertaine to the direction of life and manners which vertues doe consist principally in the inward habits and actes of the mind and from thence doe proceede to the externall actions and operations whereby wee exercise our selues in keeping Gods Commandements and exercising workes of pietie toward our neighbour as cloathing the naked feeding the hungry visiting the sicke and the like In workes of deuotion in like maner as singing and praying to God kneeling knocking our breasts mortifying our bodies by fasting watching and other such like All which exteriour actions are so farre forth commendable and meritorious as they proceed from the inward vertues and motions of Gods Spirit And albeit as Saint Thomas saith these exteriour actes doe adde nothing in substantiall goodnesse to the inward acts but haue their merit from thence yet for that man consisteth both of spirit and flesh it was reason that hee should bee bound to honor God with both that is to say both with inward acts of vertue proceeding from Gods grace and motion and with outward vertuous actes testifying the inward whereby wee see what an excellent Christian Common-wealth the Catholike Religion doth appoint if it were executed according to her doctrine to wit that all mens minds should be replenished with all sort of vertues towards both God our neighbor and that their actions should be full of all righteousnesse pietie and charitie in exteriour behauiour so as neither in thought word nor deede they should offend either of them both And thus much for the Catholike man concerning his actions life and manners But this Catholike Religion doth not stay heere nor teach onely in generall what actions a Christian man should haue and from what internall principles of grace and vertue they should flow but doth offer vs diuers particular means also how to procure and conserue and increase this grace which is the fountaine of al goodnesse for first it exhibiteth vnto vs besides all other meanes of prayer and particular indeauours of our part seuen generall meanes and instruments left vs to that purpose by the institution of Christ himselfe which are seuen Sacraments that being receiued with due disposition of the receiuer doe alwaies bring grace by the vertue and force of Christs merit and institution without dependance of the merit or demerit of the Minister that administreth them By vse of which Sacraments infinite grace is deriued daily by Christ our Sauiour vnto his Church and particular members thereof in euery state and degree of men Moreouer Catholike Religion not contented with these generalities doth come yet more in particular to frame direct and helpe a Christian man in the way of his saluation euen from the first houre of his birth in Christ vntill his soule departing from this world be rendered vp againe into his Creators hands For first he hauing all his sins forgiuen clearely and freely by the grace of Christ receiued in Baptisme hee is strengthened to the fight and course of a true Christian life by the Sacrament of Confirmation and imposition of hands his soule also is fed and nourished spiritually by the sacred food of our Sauiours bodie in the Eucharist two seuerall states of Christian life are peculiarly assisted with grace of two particular Sacraments Priests and Clergie-men by the Sacrament of Holy Orders and maried people by the Sacrament of Matrimony And for that in this large race and course of life as Saint Paul calleth it we often fall and offend God by reason of our infirmitie there is a most soueraigne Sacrament of Penance for
remedie hereof appointed by our prouident Sauiour founded in the merits of his sacred Passion called Secunda tabula post nausragium by holy Fathers that is the second table or planke whereon wee may lay hands and escape drowning after the shipwracke of our pardon grace and justification receiued in our Baptisme which was the first table by which second table of Penance all sorts may rise againe how often soeuer they fall which Sacrament consisteth of three parts sorrow for our sinnes and confessing the same for the remission of the guilt and some kinde of satisfaction on our behalfe for remouing the temporall punishment remaining the true vse whereof bringeth such exceeding helpe and comfort to a Christian soule as it is vnspeakable For that by the first two parts a man is oft brought sweetly to sorrow for his sins to thinke vpon them to detest them aske pardon of God for them to make new purposes of better life for the time to come to examine his conscience more particularly and other such heauenly effects as no man can tell the comfort thereof but he that receiueth them By the third part also which is Satisfaction though a man performe neuer so little thereof in this life yet doth it greatly auaile him not onely in respect of the grateful acceptation thereof at Gods hands for that it commeth freely of his owne good will but also for that it humbleth euen the proudest minde in the sight of almightie God it restraineth also greatly our wicked appetites from sin for the time to come when we know wee must giue a particular account and satisfie also for our sensualities somewhat euen in this world And finally it is the very chiefe sinew of Christian conuersation and behauiour one towards another for when the rich man knoweth for example sake that he must satisfie one way or another and be bound by his ghostly father to make restitution so farre as hee is able of whatsoeuer hee hath wrongfully taken from the poor when the poore also are taught that they must doe the like towards the rich the sonne towards his father the seruant towards his master if hee haue deceiued him when the murmurer in like manner knoweth that he must make actuall restitution of fame if he haue defamed any this Catholike doctrine I say and practise must needs be a strong hedge to all vertuous and pious conuersation among men that beleeue and follow the same And finally not to passe to more particularities whereas Catholike doctrine teacheth vs that all or most disorders of this life in a sensuall man to omit the infirmities of our higher powers in like manner doe proceede originally from the fountaine of Concupiscence and law of the flesh remaining in vs after our baptisme and ad certamen as holy Fathers do tearme it that is to say for our conflict and combate to the end our life may be a true warfare as the holy Scripture calleth it This Concupiscence I say or sensuall motion being the ground of our temptations though it be not sinne of it selfe except we consent vnto it yet is shee busie in stirring vs daily to wickednesse as a Christian mans principall exercise and diligence ought to be in resisting her which he may doe by the helpe and assistance of Christs grace merited by his sacred Passion wherein he extinguished the guilt of this originall corruption though hee left still the sting and prouocation for our greater merit and continuall victory by his holy grace in them that will striue and fight as they may and ought to doe But yet for that this fight is combersome and fastidious in it selfe and deadly also to many that suffer themselues to be ouercome the Catholike Religion doth teach a man how he shal fight in this conflict what armes and defence he may vse in particular to defend himselfe and to gaine victorie And to this head or branch are redâ—ced all our spirituall bookes and volumes about mortification as well of our wil judgement and affections of minde as all other parts also of our inferiour sensualitie to wit how you may resist this and that temptation what preuention you may make what bulwarke you may raise what defence you may rest vpoÌ„ wherin do enter all particular directioÌ„s of fasting prayer watching haire-cloath lying on the ground and other bodily afflictions so much vsed by olde Saints and may bee vsed also now by all if they will for gaining of this important victorie there entreth also among other defences that great and soueraigne remedie of flying the world wholly and retyring to the port of a religious life for such as otherwise see themselues either weake or in danger to bee wholly ouercome by this venimous beast of Concupiscence or else doe desire to merit more aboundantly at Gods hands by offering themselues wholly and entirely to his seruice and to the more neere imitation of their Lord and Sauiour By all which helpes assistances and directions deliuered in this behalfe by Catholike doctrine to euery mans state and degree of life a Catholike Christian passeth on more securely during his life and at his last going out of this world receiueth finally the grace and comfort of the last Sacrament of Extreame vnction instituted by Christ and recommended vnto vs by Saint Iames his Apostle and from thence passeth to receiue that eternall joy and kingdome at his Sauiours hands which hee hath prepared for them that beleeue in him and striue and fight for him in this life against sinne and iniquitie And thus haue we described briefly but seriously and truely the state and condition of a Roman Catholike man to oppose the same against a ridiculous vaine definition or rather fiction of IOHN FOX But now if wee would paragon the same with the Protestants Doctrine and practise in all these points before mentioned we shal quickly see the difference And as for the first point of all concerning Faith and beleefe in generall the difference is so palpably set downe in that which hath bin alreadie said as it is needlefse to say any more In the second point concerning the inward principles of our outward actions truth it is that they agree with vs in somewhat to wit that all good commeth originally from Gods holy grace and motion but presently they disagree againe for that they hold our grace of Iustification to be no inherent qualitie but onely an externall imputation and that Gods motion to our minde is such as it excludeth wholly all concourse and cooperation of our Free-will whereby they cut off at one blow all endeauours of our part to do any goodnesse at all and leaue vs as a stone or blocke to be moued by God onely whereof also ensueth that hee must needs be author of our sins and other blasphemies and infinite inconueniences not only in matter of Faith but in life and actions also for that this principle being once receiued that our