exposition published vpon the 7. 8. 9. and 10. verses of the 20. chapter of the Reuel or lastly his subscription to the confession of his faith in the yeere 1581 assoon as hee came to yeeres of discretion you would haue had little reason to haue presumed so farre vpon him for hearkening to any peace with the Church of Rome as long as her whoredomes and witchcrafts râ—maine yet in such abundance and being offered cure â—hat we might know she is Babylon she hath and still doth wilfully refuse to be cured But the sandie ground of the vaine presumption will yet more liuely appeare if the forme of that subscription bee well considered in which hauing rehearsed and renounced the chiefe points of Popery as namely the Popes vsurped authoritie ouer the Scriptures ouer the Church ouer the ciuill Magistrate and the consciences of men his deuilish masse his blasphemous Priesthood his profane sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and in a word the erroneous and bloody decrees of the Councel of Trent hee promiseth and sweareth by the great name to the Lord God to perseuere in that faith and to defend it all the dayes of his life to the vtmost of his power vnder paine of all the Curses contained in the Law and the danger both of bodie and soule in the fearefull day of iudgement and further straightly chargeth and commandeth all his officers and ministers to make the same subscription themselues and to take it of others vnder their charge and lest we should thinke that arriuing to riper age hee altered his iudgement in his instructions to his sonne he giues vs this assurance As for the particular points of religion saith hee I neede not to dilate them I am no hypocrite follow my footesteps and your owne present education therein B. C. 10. But when after my long hope I at the last did plainely perceiue that God for our sinnes had suffered the deuill the athour of dissension so farre to preuaile as partly by the furious practise of some desperate Catholikes and partly by the fiery suggestions of all violent Puritans hee had quite diuerted that peaceable and temperate course which was hoped for and that I must now either alter my iudgement which was impossible or preach against my conscience which was vntolerable Lord what anxietie and distraction of soule did I suffer day night what strife betwixt my iudgement which was wholly for the Q peace and vnitie of the Church and my affection which was wholly to enjoy the R fauour of your Maiesty and the loue of my friends and Countrey this griefe of soule now growing desperate did still more and more increase the infirmities of my body and yet I was so loth to become a professed Catholike with the displeasure of your Maiestie and of all my honourable and louing friends as I rather desired to silence my iudgement with the profits and pleasures of the world which was before mee then to satisfie it with reconciling my selfe vnto the Catholique Church But it was Gods will that euer as I was about to forget the care of religion and to settle my selfe to the world among my neighbours I met with such humours as I saw by their violence against Catholikes and Catholike religion were like rather to waken my soule by torture then bring it asleepe by temper and therefore I was driven to S recoile to God and to his Church that I might find rest vnto my soule G. H. 10. Q Certainely for their sinnes it was that God suffered them to plot so barbarous a designe but for our good wee hope if in nothing else yet in working in vs a stronger hatred of that religion which produceth such effects and in awakening vs to beware of the like mischieuous plot againe if it be possible the like may be plotted we excuse not our selues but in this businesse we haue rather tasted of Gods mercy which we deserued not then of his iudgements which wee must acknowledge we deserued R Quis tulerit Gracchos deseditione querentes what patient eare can endure him talking of nothing but peace and vnity who did euer blow the coales of dissention both in Court and Countrey as well in the Colledge where he liued a fellow as in the Church where he was a Canon S So it may well be gathered out of your owne words that the chiefe ground of your griefe was that you saw your ambitious humour was now crossed in as much as you could not keepe the olde wont and withall rise to place of honour T Your apostasie and forsaking the faith and Church in which you were baptized you call a recoiling to God and to his Church neither will I much stand vpon it since we know that Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God bearing himselfe as God B. C. 11. And yet because I had heard often that the practise of the Church of Rome was contrary to her doctrine I thought good to make one triall more before I resolued and therefore hauing the aduise of diuerse learned Physitians to goe to the Spaw for the health of my body I thought good to make a vertue of necessitie and to get leaue to goe the rather for the satisfaction of my soule v hoping to find some greater offence in the seruice of the Church of Rome then I had done in her bookes that so I might returne better contented and persecute and abhorre the Catholikes at home after I should find them so wicked and idolatrous abroad as they were in euery pulpit in England affirmed to be For this purpose before I would frequent their Churches I talked with such learned men as I could meet withall and did of purpose dispute against them and with all the wit and learning I had both iustifie the doctrine of England established by Law and obiect their superstition and idolatrie which I thought they might commit either with the images in the Church or with the Sacrament of the Altar G. H. 11. That is a trueth to auouch the practise of the Church of Rome to be more grosse then her doctrine howbeit we must confesse her doctrine in many points to be very grosse appeares by this that the better and wiser sort among themselues both in their iudgements and writings condemne many fopperies vsually practised by the people and winked at by their guides as their hallowing of graines and medalls and beads by touching some supposed Relique with opinion of merit Their praying to fained Saints and beleeuing forged legends and miracles Their permitting of publique Stewes and a Priest to keepe his concubine vnder a yeerely rent which Espencaeus wisheth were falsly thrust in among the grieuances of Germany Their setting of certaine rates vpon the most grieuous sinnes before they bee committed as appeareth in their Taxa Camera Their allowing of Sanctuaries for wilfull murder Their ordinary buying and selling of soules in Purgatory as a man would buy an horse in
their Religion of the Church before they wrote it G. H. 4. Here I must confesse I could not but wonder what Mr. Dr. meant if hee had read and beleeued Saint Pauls Epistle to the Galathians in affirming that hee learned his Religion of the Church whereas himselfe in the first and second Chapter of that Epistle inforceth the contrary with so many and so inuincible arguments that they can not but instantly stop the mouth of any who would offer to open it in defence of Mr. Doctours assertions Now I certifie you brethren saith hee that the Gospel which was preached of mee was not after man for neither receiued I it of man neither was I taught it but by the Reuelation of Iesus Christ. Secondly for Saint Marke and Saint Luke though they learned their Religion of the Church by hearing the Apostles as the Apostles themselues did from Christ by hearing and seeing him yet doth it not follow but the former as well as the latter wrote by the instinct and direction of the holy Ghost nay doubtlesse it were no lesse then impietie once to imagine the contrary To which purpose the words of Bellarmine are worthy obseruation Vt vere dicitur Epistola principis quae à principe dictatur etiamsi is qui eam scripsit antea sciebat quae scripturus erat ita dicitur immediatum Dei verbum quod scriptum est ab Euangelistis Deo inspirante dirigente licet scripserint ea quae viderant vel audierant As that is truely sayed to be the Letter of a Prince which hee dictates though hee who wrote knew before what he would write So is it the immediate word of God which is written by the Euangelists God inspiring and directing them though they sawe and heard those things before which they wrote Lastly for S. Luke he learned not the actes of the Apostles which he wrote from the Church himselfe being an actour in a chiefe part of them and whereas Mr. Doctor affirmes that he was not of Christs company whiles he was vpon the earth Sâ—ella a Writer of the Church of Rome in his Enarrations vpon the 24. of S. Lukes Gospel and the 13. verse assures vs that graue Doctors by whome I take it hee meanes the Fathers were of opinion that S. Luke was one of those two Disciples whom our Sauiour instructed as they were iournying to Emmaus B. C. 5. That diuers others did write the Religion of Christ as they did apprehend it but their Gospels and Epistles were reiected by the Church Luke 1. 1. G. H. 5. In the Primitiue Church a great part of the beleeuers but specially their guides were miraculously indued as with other gifts so with a discerning spirit and that not onely in differencing the sinnes and persons of men but iudging of their writings so that though they wrote a trueth touching the Christian religion yet were they able to discerne whether that trueth were written by speciall illumination and instinct of the same spirit wherewith themselues were inspired whereupon wee haue good reason to accept what they accepted as Canonicall and as Apocryphall to reiect what they reiected but for the present Church though it should tenne thousand times reiect the whole or any parcell of that written trueth which they accepted yea though one from the dead or an Angel from heauen should preach any other Gospel yet ought wee rather to accurse then beleeue him notwithstanding the Church of Rome as if she were inuested with equall or higher power though indeede shee reiect no booke as Apocryphall which that Church accepted as Canonical yet doth she accept and impose diuers bookes as Canonicall which that reiected as Apocryphall B. C. 6. That at the day of iudgement there will be no writing to try true Religion from heresie but only the eternall trueth of Christ in the soules of his Saints G. H. 6. But that Eternall trueth of Christ in the soules of his Sainâ—s is the same and none other then which is contained in the holy Scriptures now the Gentiles indeed in as much as they haue sinned without the Law they shall also perish without the Law that is without the Law written saue onely in the tables of their hearts but the Iewes in as much as they haue sinned in the Law shall be iudged by the Law saith Saint Paul and our Sauiour There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whom ye trust whereby none other thing can bee vnderstood then the Law written by Moses B. C. 7. That the Scriptures were written by men of the Church admitted Canonicall by Councils of the Church preserued from tyrants by the care of the Church and euer vntill late expounded by the consent of the Church G. H. 7. That the Scriptures were written by men of the Church we confesse yet so as withall it cannot bee denied but those holy men wrote as they were moued by the holy Ghost We also confesse that they were admitted Canonicall by the Councils of the Church that is declared not made to bee so and likewise that hitherto they haue been preserued by the care of the Church which therefore is called The pillar and ground of trueth neither ought they to be expounded but by the consent of the Church if wee speake of exposition to bee publikely allowed and receiued touching fundamentall points otherwise both Caietane and Andradius and Iansenius and Maldonat and diuers others of the Church of Rome in sundrie places professe that they rest not satisfied in any interpretation giuen by the Fathers but preferre either their owne or some other found out in this age So that if Mr. Doctor by the Church vnderstand the Fathers wee haue no reason to barre our selues of that liberty which the chiefe Doctors of the Church of Rome both challenge as due and practice as needfull yet so as wee vse that libertie with moderation and sobrietie the people submitting their iudgements to their Pastours and the Pastours in seuerall to their bodie vnited or represented where no very cleare and manifest reason appeareth to the contrary B. C. 8. How fewe men are able to reade and expound Scriptures any way and whether it be not easier to beleeue the Church then to beleeue a few priuate men that say they can expound Scriptures better then the Church G. H. 8. If wee should follow the rules and practise of the Church of Rome fewer would bee able either to expound or reade the Scriptures then now are Espencaeus a Dr. of the Sorbon witnesseth that hee was told by an Italian Bishop that his Countreymen were terrified from reading the Scriptures lest they should become herettikes but the Doctor demaunding what Arte they then professed why quoth the Bishop both the Lawes but specially the Canon And Robert Stephens demanding some of the Doctors of the Sorbon in what place some passage of the New Testament was written they answered that they had read it in Hierome or the decrees but for
censure of wise men might deseruedly haue purchased some more respectiue termes of the Father whereas Thuanus the most vnpartiall and iudicious Historiographer of our age giues this testimonie of him that he was a Prince of singular naturall indowments and such a one in whom had hee not too much loosed the reines to this pleasure you could hardly find wanting any perfection Nay after his diuorce from his Queene and from the Church of Rome the Bishops which hee named sayth hee were honest men and good Schollers being euer himselfe a great Patron of learning which testimonie I the rather alledge because the Spanish expurgatorie index hath rased it as also diuers other verie memorable passages in this Author B. C. 5. Thus I satisfied my selfe at Schoole and studied the Artes and Philosophie and other humane learning vntill being Master of Artes and fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in Cambridge I was at last by the Statutes of that house called to the studie of Diuinitie and bound to take vpon me the Order of Priest-hood then I thought it my duetie for the better satisfaction of mine owne soule and the sauing of othermens to looke as farre into the matter as possible I could that I might find out the Trueth and hauing the opportunitie of a very good Librarie in that Colledge I resolued with my selfe to studie hard and setting aside all respect of men then aliue or of Writers that had mooued or maintained Controuersies farther then to vnderstand the question which was betwixt them I fell to my prayers and betooke my selfe wholly to the reading of the Church Historie and of the ancient Fathers which had no interest on either side and specially â— made choise of S. Augustine because I hoped to find most comfort in him for the confirming of our Religion and the confuting of the Church of Rome G. H. 5. After your perusing the Chronicles of England you betake your selfe to the reading of the Church Historie and ancient Fathers and in speciall make choise of S. Augustine in whom you find the doctrine of Rome euery where confirmed and ours confuted But I would faine know whether one maine point of the doctrine of the Church of Rome be not the Supremacie of that Sea and whether a chiefe feather in that wing be not Appeals from forraine parts Now whether S. Augustine approued them I appeale to his practise being one of those Bishops in the Councell of Carthage who discouered and disclaimed the impudencie and forgerie of the Church of Rome in challenging that as right which some of constraint had performed and others of courtesie had graunted for which himselfe with his Fellow-Bishops were excoÌ„municated by the Bishop of Rome and for any thing I can finde in the Church Historie so died Some of his workes I haue read specially those of Christian doctrine and of them I will be bold to say that they confirme no one point of Romish doctrine controuersed at this day and surely there if any where had beene the proper place to declare the Bishop of Rome Supreame iudge in all controuersies B. C. 6. In this sort I spent my time continually for many yeeres and noted downe whatsoeuer I could gather or rather snatch either from the Scriptures or the Fathers to serue my turne But when after all my paines and desire to serue my selfe of Antiquitie I found the doctrine of the Church of Rome to be euery where coÌ„firmed by most profound demonstrations out of holy Scripture made most agreeable to the trueth of Christs Gospel and most conformable to all Christian soules and saw the current opinions of our great Preachers euery where confuted either in plaine termes or by most vnanswerable consequence although mine vnderstanding was thereby greatly edified for which I had great reason to render immortall thankes to our blessed Sauiour who by these meanes had vouchsafed to shewe himselfe vnto mee yet my heart was much grieued that I must be faine either not to preach at all or to crosse and varâ—e from the doctrine which I saw was commonly receiued G. H. 6. I haue perused your Common-place booke written for the most part with your owne hand and indeed it thereby appeares that your noting might more deseruedly bee termed a snatching then a gathering though by your will you solemnely bequeath it as a rich legacie to C.C.C. in Camb. whereof you were a Fellow but you found the doctrine of the Church of Rome you say euery where confirmed by most profound demonstrations from holy Scripture in trueth I must confesse they are so deepe that throughout this treatise they are inuisible but I much desire to knowe by what profound demonstration from holy Scripture you would proue the adoration of images the administration of the Sacrament vnder one kinde the exercise of publike prayer in a language not vnderstood of the people or lastly the Bishop of Romes vsurpation ouer the temporals of Princes vnlesse you bring Bellarmines profound demonstration to that purpose Pasce oues meas or Baronius Surge occide manduca or the Canonists fecit Deus duo magna luminaria much like a profound demonstration I haue heard of for proofe of the Salique law the lillies neither labour nor spinne therefore the Crowne of France ne tombe point sur laquenouille fals not to the distaffe or like that of a Frier who would needs proue that ten worlds were made in the first Creation and that out of our Sauiours wordes in the Gospel annon decem factisunt mundi but he was well answered by his brother in the words following Sed vbisunt nouem and did hee not deserue the title of D. profundus trow you for so profound a demonstration By such like profound demonstrations you find the doctrine of the Church of Rome made most agreeable to the trueth of Christs Gospel which for the Sacrament is drinke yee all of this and for the power of his ministers my kingdome is not of this world wordes deliuered as it seemes out of a propheticall spirit as foreseeing what errours should in after ages spring vp in his Church but you doe well to say that those doctrines were made agreeable to this trueth they may bee made so or at leastwise made to seeme so by forging and hammering vpon the anuill of mens conceits howbeit in themselues they are not so as the belles seeme to the childe to ring that tune which runnes in his head B. C. 7. Being thus perplexed with my selfe what course I were best to take I reflected backe againe vpon the Church of England and because the most of those Preachers which drewe the people after them in those dayes were Puritans and had grounded their diuinitie vpon Caluins institutions I thought peraduenture that they hauing gotten the multitude on their side might wrong the Church of England in her doctrine as well as they desired to doe in her discipline which indeed
and more then must be granted by vs it reaching to the deposition of Princes from their thrones and the disposition of their Crownes when his Holinesse shall iudge it fit for the vnity of the Church as well appeared in his Buls both against King Henry the father and Queene Elizabeth the daughter And thus farre Cardinall Perron that peaceable man and your great Patron expressed himselfe in the last assemblie of the three estates of France for which the Pope gaue him and the rest of the Clergy who stucke to him in that businesse as great thankes as if they had saued Saint Peters shippe from sinking both the Cardinall and the Pope supposing as it seemes that those sparkes flew into France from the fire of England howsoeuer sure it is they were quenched by the water of Tyber B. C. 15. So that whereas my hope was that by finding out the corruptions of the Church of Rome I should grow further in loue with the Church of England and ioyfully returne home and by inueighing against the Papists both enioy my present preferments and obtaine more and more I saw the matteâ— was like to fall out cleane contrary It is true indeed that there are many corruptionsâ— in all States God hath not his wheat field in this world wherein the deuill hath no tares growing and there are not tares more ranke then those that grow among the wheat for optimi corruptio pessima and where grace aboundeth if it be contemned there sinne aboundeth much more But seeing my reading and experience hath now taught me that the trueth of Christian Religion taught and practised at this day in the Church of Rome and all the obedient members thereof is the very same in substance which was preâ—igured and prophesied from the beginning of the world perfected by CHRIST himselfe deliuered to his Apostles and by them and their Successours perpetually and vniuersally practised vntill this day without any W substantiall alteration and that the new religion in X England wherein it doth differ hath no ground but either the pleasure of the Prince and Parliament or the common crie and voyce of the people nor no constancie or agreement with it selfe what should I now doe It is not in my power not to know that which I doe know nor to doubt of that which I haue spent so much time and taken so much paines and bestowed so much cost and made so many trials to find And I know if I should yeeld to be reconciled to the Church I should be in this world in all likelihood vtterly vndone and which grieued me more I should bee reiected of your Maiestie my most redoubted Lord and Master and despised by all my deare friends and louers in England G. H. 15. W The Church of Rome holds indeed the substance of Christian Religion in profession but yet by consequence shakes the foundation of it as it holds the death of Christ to be satisfactory for sinne and yet adding thereunto her owne meritorious satisfaction consequently by the latter she ouerthrowes the former for If righteousnesse be by the Law then Christ died without a cause and in reason impossible it is if traditions be held of equall valew with the Scriptures for the constituting of substantiall points but that in short time there should ensue a substantiall alteration and he that knowes not that the Church of Rome holds many things now as parts of the Catholike faith which it helds not in former ages knowes little what hath bene anciently held or now is X If by the religion of England you vnderstand that which is by Law established as in coÌ„mon construction you cannot otherwise be vnderstood you coÌ„demne your selfe out of your owne mouth in as much as you acknowledge before that the religion established by law in England was the same saue onely it was somewhat defectiue which now is and euer had beene held in the Catholike Church and yet here you say it hath no ground but the pleasure of the Prince and Parliament wheras in trueth we build vpon the Rocke of the Scriptures but you vpon the sand of traditions and which of vs hath the sounder foundation I appeale no farther then reason it selfe to iudge You as though you were not yet dead from the ordinances of the world burden your selues with traditions as touch not taste not handle not which all perish with the vsing and are after the commandements and doctrines of men but we haue a most sure word of the Prophets taking heede thereto according to S. Peters counsell as to a light that shineth in a darke place and as our ground is sure so is our agreement constant and vniforme in all points materiall and necessary to saluation whereas in the building of your tower of Babel such diuersitie of languages is heard that there is hardly any exposition of Scripture or point in controuersie which hath not bene or is called into question either directly or by consequent by some that liued and died in that Church which you call Catholike as will easily appeare to him who shall turne ouer the volumes of of Cardinall Bellarmine which is the true reason as I suppose that his workes are not allowed to bee read of all but of publike professours and such others as haue speciall permission from their Superiours B. C. 16. These were my thoughts at the Spaw which did so vexe and afflict my soule as that the waters could doe my body no good at all but rather much hurt neuerthelesse I auoided the company of Catholikes abstained from the Church and did both dispute and write against the Church of Rome as occasion was offered I still hoped that time would giue better counsell and therefore resolued to goe from the Spaw to Heidelberge to doe my duetie there in the meane time I thought with my selfe it may be God hath mooued his Maiesties heart to peace and reconciliation I knowe his disposition was so in the beginning and I remember M. Casaubon told me when I brought him out of France that his errand was nothing else but to mediate peace betweene the Church of Rome and the church of England Therefore I thought before I would submit my selfe to the Church of Rome I would write vnto M. Casaubon such a letter as he might shew vnto your Maiestie containing such conditions as I thought might satisfie your Maiestie if they were performed by the Church of Rome The copie of which letter is too long here to set down But when M. Casaubon answered me that he knew your Maiestie was resolued to haue no societie with the Church of Rome vpon any condition what soeuer and that it would be my vndoing if those my letters should come to your Maiesties hands or of those that bare the sway I began to despaire of my returne into England vnlesse I would ouerthrow both the health of my bodie and the quiet of my
both they and their posterity might be at vtter defiance therewith and so hauing ouerthrowne and prophaned the good workes of the Saints it was necessary for them to get them Chaplins that might both dispute preach and write against the merits of good workes the inuocation of Saints the sacrifice of the Altar prayer for the dead and all such points of Catholike doctrine as were the grounds of those Churches and religious houses which they had ouerthrowen and prophaned And it was not hard for those Chaplines by some shew of Scripture to proue that which their Lords and followers were so willing to beleeue G. H. 23. The Abbies and Religious houses were growen to that height of idlenesse the mother of ignorance and luxurie within themselues and by reason thereof into that contempt and base estimation with the people that it was high time some blood should haue beene drawen from their swelling veines specially considering the little vse the Common-wealth had of them but chiefely for that they were so farre degenerated from the primitiue institution Their number was great it being 645. monasteries of men and women accounting the Priories and Frieries besides Chaunteries and free Chappels their seate commonly in the fairest and fattest part of the land their reuenues amounting to an inestimable summe as in the originall booke thereof taken by Commission and giuen to the King may appeare though at their dissolutions their values were fauourably and farre vnder rated in so much as in the raigne of Edward the first a statute of Mortmaine was made for the restraining of that excesse And had not Henry the fifth beene wisely diuerted vpon the French warres by Archbishop Chichly he had in all likelihood preuented Henry the eight in diminishing if not demolishing those houses being sâ—t on by his Parliament held at Leicester in the beginning of his raigne in which a bill was exhibited complaining how their reuenues giuen for deuotion were most desorderly wasted vpon Hounds and Hawkes and Horses and Whores which if better imployed would serue for the defence of the land and honour of the King and suffice for the maintenance of fifteene Earles fifteene hundred Knights sixe thousand two hundred Esquires and one hundred Almes-houses for reliefe of impotent and diseased persons and besides all this to the Kings Coffers there would thereby yeerely accrew twenty thousand pounds And to speake a trueth Cardinall Wolsey was the man who by pulling downe the smaller both shewed and made a way to the King Henry the eight for taking the like order with the bigger Neither did hee thinke his hands lesse bound towards his owne subiects then the Pope and French King did theirs for the rooting out of the rich and powerfull order of Templars through Christendome accusing them of like grieuous and vnnaturall offences as were in open Parliament layed to the charge of our monasticall professours vpon the relation of such Commissioners who were appointed to make search to that purpose no marueile then that as after the dissolution of that order which fell out in the raigne of Edward the second as Thomas de la More reportâ— is who at the same time liued as an officer in his Court the heires of the donors and such as had indowed them with lands reentred vpon those parts of their ancient patrimonies so in the downefall of Monasteries the Lords tooke their share of those lands which their ancestors had formerly bestowed to piouâ—â—vses but were at that time very much abused by the possesâ—ours But a great part of them about or somewhat aboue 600. yeeres since were thrust into the possessions of maried Church-men by Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury so that if euery bird had his feather at their dissolution the greatest part of their lands had returned to the Clergie or at least their impropriations which were as improper to them though they held them by dispensation as now it may well bee disputed they are to the possessâ—urs of them A part whereof notwithstanding are so farre off from being at defiance with your Church that they are professed Romane Catholikes And in Queene Maries dayes among all those that intirely embraced that Religion not so much as one was found that could be drawen to disgorge those sweet morsels they had deuoured or to make restitution of a foote of land though the Queene her selfe the rather to draw them on had offered all she held in possession Then was your doctrine of good workes your Inuocation Saints your sacrifice of the Altar and your prayer for the dead restored which were the grounds you say of those religious houses yet the land which had bene their maintenance was not restored And as the reuiuing of those doctrines could not serue to giue new life vnto the carkasses of those ruined houses so the ruining of those houses was not the cause as you pretend of the impugning of those doctrines since they were impugned by the confession of your owne Writers by the Waldenses by the Albingenses by Wicliffe by Husse by Luther by Zuinglius by Caluin before those houses fell and continued for the most part during all the raigne of Henry the eight as may appeare by the sixe articles commonly called the whip with the sixe cordes And for any thing I finde he altered nothing excepting the taking downe of Monasteries and the Popes authority but onely the translation of the Bible and the singing and reading diuine seruice in our mother tongue so that it is cleare to any indifferent iudgement that the contradicting of those doctrines rather caused the ruine of those houses then their ruine as you would beare vs in hand the contradicting of those doctrines And it were no hard matter not by shew of Scripture but by Scripture it selfe to prooue their vnsoundnesse But an harder I am sure it were for his Holinesse Chaplaines from thence to proue their soundnesse in that sense as they are now defended in the Church of Rome howbeit you are as willing to beleeue the trueth of them for the aduantage you reape by them specially by the sacrifice of the Altar and prayer for the dead as any can bee vpon the like reason to beleeue the contrary B. C. 24. To the Commons was giuen great hope of reliefe for their pouertie ease of subsidies and the burden of so great a Clergie and many other goodly gay nothings And for the present they should haue liberty and the benefit of the common Law that is leaue to liue by such Lawes as themselues list to make and to contemne the authoritie of the Church which although it were for their benefit euery way yet because it crossed their affections like wayward children they could neuer abide it and was not this reason enough for them to hold out the breach and to study Scripture themselues that they might be able to confute Confession Satisfaction Penance and to declaime against that tyranny of the Church of Rome whereby
themselues and their forefathers had bene kept in awe and obedience vnto God and their kings G. H. 24. The Commons might haue beene disburdened of their Subsidies had those reuenues and treasures which came or might haue come to the Crowne by the downefall of monasteries bene imployed as they might haue bene the plates and wires of gold of Beckets onely shrine together with the pearles and precious stones of inestimable value filling two great chests But God so ordered the matter for their laying of sacrilegious hands as it may be thought vpon those tenths which by himselfe were consecrated to himselfe that neither it nor the rest prospered neither was the king thereby much inriched nor the Commons relieued it beeing like the dead flie in the boxe of oyntment or the Colloquintida in the Prophets pottage Now for the peoples liberty in making lawes at their own pleasure to liue as they listed it is a matter fondly surmised and published of you not promised by the State nor demanded or expected by them The Lawes Ecclesiasticall were in King Henries time and by his authority appoynted to be compiled and digested by a certaine company of Bishops and other diuines ioyned in Commission with Ciuill and Canon-Lawyers to the number of 32. but this worke being leâ—t imperfect by the death of that king was afterward finished in the dayes and by the command of his sonne Edward which my selfe haue seene though by the vntimely death of that king also it neuer yet receiued publike allowance And for other lawes as the world knoweth they neither could nor can make any without the consent of the Lords spirituall and temporall and the approbation of the king And lastly how the lawes of your Church crossed their affections let their often and dangerous rebellions for the restoring of them testifie there beeing none in trueth more fitting to the humour of a natural minded man as may appeare by this that a man of no religion and like white paper or sponged tables apt to receiue any impression will sooner imbrace yours then any other in the world From this you digresse to their studying of the Scriptures that they might be able to confute confession satisfaction penance and to declaime against that tyranny of the Church whereby themselues and their forefathers had bene kept in awe and obedience to God and their king For their studying of the Scriptures it is indeede a great eye-sore to you because thereby your malice in withholding your followers from reading them and withall your burdensome traditions thrust vpon them for your owne honor and gaine but to their paine and grieuance are clearely discouered and discerned from that which before you call eternall trueth but to them nothing can bee more profitable or to their guides more comfortable so it bee done with reuerence and â—obriety and as our Preface to the Bishops Bible exhorts not so much to dispute and contradict as to learne and obey as being a practise which both our Sauiour himselfe and his Apostles and the holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church specially S. Chrysostome in diuers homilies often and earnestly exhort their heares vnto And for the confutation of those poyntes you name I am of opinion and I thinke not without reason that many of our people are better able by Scriptures to confute them as they are now held and vsed amongst you then your greatest Bishops and Cardinals are from thence able to proue them of whom some haue not sticked to professe that they thought that time which they passed in reading the Scriptures to be of all other the most vnprofitably spent preferring Tullies Orations before Pauls Epistles and Aristotles Ethikes before Solomons Prouerbes B. C. 25. To the Clergiemen that would turne with the times beside the possibilitie of present preferment by the alteration was giuen shortly after leaue to marrie to purchase and to enioy the profit and pleasure of the world as well as the laitie and what carnall minded Monke or Priest would not with might and maine keepe open the breach after he was once plunged in it rather then to be in danger to forgoe so pleasing a coÌ„moditie Hence did arise a necessitie of speaking and writing against Vowes Vrginitie Pouertie Fasting Praying Watching Obedience and all that austeriâ—ie of life which is by the Lawes of the Church required in a monasticall and Priestly conuersation G. H. 25. Little hope was there giuen for the present to the Church-men that yeelded to the King for matter of preferment since the Abbots and Priors were not onely turned out of doores but their houses rased and their goods and lands confiâ—cated And for the Bishops none of their places thereby fell voide they all Rochester onely excepted ioyntly concurring with the king in casting off the Romish yoke and for their marrying purchasing neither of theÌ„ were permitted during the reigne of king Henry who liued reigned somewhat aboue 14. yeres after the breach with Rome Howbeit if wee may credite Mr. Cambden an vnpartiall Antiquarie Churchmen were not forbidden mariage in England till the yere 1102. then Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie sayeth hee offered violence both to nature and to the Scriptures which he writes vpon occasion of one Ealphegus a Priest famous for his learning who was married and dwelt in the South part of Deuonshire And further he alledgeth the words of Henry of Huntindon touching that act of Anselme He forbadwiues to the English Priests being neuer before forbidden which to some seemed a thing very decent to others as dangerous least whiles they aimed to a puritie aboue their reach they might fall into horrible impurities to the dishonour of CHRISTS Name and their profession Those words of Cambden before quoted together with these of Huntindon by him alledged are commaunded to be rased by the Spanish Index But they might aswell haue rased those of theâ—I â—I in Platina auouching that hee saw great reason why Priests should be restrained of mariage but greater why it should be restored them or those of Cassander by that ouer rigorous and vnseasonable constitution speaking of restraint of marriage in Churchmen wee see much grieuous and abominable scandall to haue arisen in the Church or those of Mantuan touching S â— Hillary Bishop of Poictiers in France Non tibi progenies nocuit non obfuit vxor Legitimo coniuncta toro Or lastly those of the same Poet speaking of the father of Nazianzen Praesule Patre satus nam tunc idiura sinebant non horruit illâ Tempestate Deus Thalamos cunabula toedas And in another place of the father of Basil and Gregorie Nyssen Tutius esse volunt qua lex diuina sinebat Isse viâ veterumque sequi vestigia patrum Quorum vita fuit melior cum coniuge quam nunc Nostra sit exclusis Thalamis coniâ—gis vsu. And if marrying be allowed them I see no reason but they should withall be allowed purchasing as they are and alwayes haue
beene in the Easterne Church hee being worse then an Infidell that prouideth not for those of his owne houshold To conclude wee neither speake nor write against lawfull Vowes but the rashnesse of them and impossibilitie in performing them Not against true Virginity but the fained shew of it and the preferring it by so many degrees before the honourable estate of mariage Not against necessary Pouertie but the voluntarie choise of it when more good may be done by possessing and vsing those meanes God hath sent vs Not against Fasting but the pharesaicall vse of it and making it part of diuine worship Not against Praying but the performance of it in a strange tongue rather for custome then for conscience rather by number then by weight in drawing neere vnto God with our lippes when our hearts are farre from him Not against Watching but the pretended apish imitation and merit in it Not against Obedience but the abuse of it in the enterprising of damnable and desperate attempts Lastly not against austeritie of life but inciuilitie and that shew of wisedome which S. Paul censureth in the second to the Col. Consisting in voluntary Religion and humblenesse of minde and not sparing the bodie You doe well to adde that all these are required in a Monasticall conuersation but how they were or are performed God knowes and the world not vndeseruedly suspects B. C. 26. Vpon these conditions the Lords the Commons and the Clergie were content to beleeue that the King was Supreme head of the Church of England Not that they did thinke so indeed or that they desired to augment his authoritie but that they might bee protected by him freely enioy those commodities which they thought schisme had brought vnto them and feared the vnity of the Church might againe take from them Hence did arise a necessitie of inueighing against the Pope and the Church of Rome as against Antichrist and Babylon and the greatest enemies of the State of England Insomuch that that Clergie man was most acceptable to them and in their opinion most worthy of preferments that could most confidently preach and write the most foule and monstrous assertions of the Pope and the Church of Rome though they were neuer so false These and such like are those temporall respects which would faine seeme the daughters of those doctrines which themselues haue brought foorth and to be diuided from the Catholike Church by doctrine when they themselues haue caused the doctrine of diuision G. H. 26. Vpon these conditions you say that the Lords and Commons and Clergie were content to beleeue that the King was supreame head of the Church of England whereas your selfe before confesse that these conditions were afterward graunted to the Clergie who notwithstanding were the forwardest in perswading the King to accept and assume that title as may appeare by the booke set out by the whole Conuocation of England intituled The Institution of a Christian man besides the Treatises of diuers particular Bishops to the same purpose as namely Stephen Gardiners discourse of true obedience together with Bonners Preface annexed to it Longelands Sermon and Tunstals Letter to Cardinall Poole all which are extant to be reade and seene at this day and surely he that shall obserue their vehement protestations specially of Gardiner whom I hold the most sufficient among them for learning and withall the soundnesse and weight of the reasons which they enforce against the Popes pretended iurisdiction will easily beleeue that they thought in very deede as they wrote that their minds and their pennes concurred in one But from hence you say arose a necessitie of enuying against the Pope and the Church of Rome as against Antichrist and Babylon as if his Holinesse had neuer beene graced with the title of Antichrist before Henry assumed his title of supreame head nor Rome called Babylon before England was freed from that Babylonish captiuity Whereas your famous Cardinall hath none other proofe from Scripture that S. Peter was euer at Rome but by expounding Rome to be the Babylon from whence he dated his first Epistle And when the seuerall markes of Antichrist shall be applied to any so properly as to the Bishop of Rome I will confesse he is iniuriously so styled in the meane time I can hardly imagine any so foule and monstrous assertions which some of your Popes haue not deserued euen by the confession of your owne Writers it being enough to make a modest man blush in reading and relating that which they blushed not to act nay boasted of being acted in so much as I doubt not but I may confidently affirme that neither the Catalogue of Emperours taking in the Heathenish among the Christians nor any one succession of Kings in the world since the first creation of it to this present age euer afforded so many monsters of men so many incarnate deuils so expert in all kind of villanies as that of your Popes neither can any one King or Emperour be named whom some of your Popes haue not out-stripped And what needed then any imitation of your side in faining false assertions where true were so plentifull B. C. 27. In all these and all other doctrine of diuision men haue receiued great countenance and encouragement from Geneua For although M. Iohn Caluin were neuer any good subiect or friend to Bishop Duke or King yet hee did so fit the common people with new doctrine that no Gospel can be so pleasing to them nor so light some as his for finding Geneua to be fallen out both with their Bishop who was their ancient Prince and their Duke to whom they pretended against their Bishop and to bee all in a combustion amongst themselues for want of gouernment although he were then a stranger and a very young man of some sixe and twenty or seuen and twenty yeeres olde at the most yet he thought good vpon the opportunity to giue the venture and to step in himselfe to be founder of a new Church and state amongst them And for that purpose hee found them such a Catechisme as they might easily contemne all ancient learning and authority and saue themselues by a strong fancie which hee called faith And this pleased the Bourgers of Geneua so well that they called a meeting and caused all the Citizens to sweare that that Catechisme was true and all Popery false as may appeare in Caluins life written by Beza and prefixed to his Epistles And although the ministeriall Presbitery of Geneua haue lost much of M. Caluins greatnesse yet the Citie hath had the fortune euer since by the helpe of their neighbours to hold out against their Bishop and the Duke and all their ancient gouernours G. H. 27. You passe on in this Section and the next to passe your censure vpon Geneua and Caluin in as much as from them wee haue receiued great countenance and encouragement whereas neither Geneua nor Caluin were
Kings Henry the VIII and Edward the VI. who by their Letters Patents haue warranted the same of which landes and possessions if the owners should now be dispossessed the King should be bound to repay vnto them all their money which would arise to such a huge masse that it would be a hard matter for the Crowne to restore it 3 The Nobles and Gentry of this realme most of whom haue sold and aliened their ancient inheritances to buy these new cannot liue according to their degrees if these possessions should be taken from them 4 The purchasers or owners of such lands and possessions in as much as they came to them by iust title according to the ordinance of the Kings of this kingdome haue held and doe still hold a good and iustifyable course in obteining them 5 The enioying of such landes and possessions is so common vnto euery State and condition of men Cities Colledges and Incorporations that if the same bee taken from them there will necessarily follow thereupon throughout the whole Kingdome a suddaine change and confusion of all Orders and Degrees 6 Seeing that the goods and possessions of the Church euen by the authority of the Cannons may bee aliened for the redemption of captiues and that the same may bee done by that Church onely to whom such possessions doe belong It is fit and reasonable that such dispensations should bee granted for continuing of possession already gotten for so great a good of publike concord and vnity of the Church and preseruation of this State as well in body as in soule Those possessions indeed in many places I speake specially of Tenths which by reason of Popish dispensations were first caried from the Church are as the flâ—sh which the Eagle stole from the Altar carying a coale of fire with it to the burning down and quite consuming of the nests of many of them that held them and in this respect Mr. Doctor may well say that the most part of them who now enioy them haue payed well for them in asmuch as the first owners were enforced or their posteritie within a generation or two to sell that which others purchased Now this curse of God I can impute to none other thing then to the alienation of Tenths from their proper vse to which they were and still should be ordained or at leastwise the bare and scant allowance which is made to the Minister of the greatest part of the fattest Impropriations so that commonly no Parishes are worse prouided for then those that pay most the redresse wherof if it should please God to put into his Maiesties heart and the assembly of the Estates in parliament it would bee a worke no doubt honourable in it selfe acceptable to CHRIST and beneficiall to his Church for which he would the rather blesse their other proceedings I speake not for the restoring of Impropriations though that were rather to be wished then hoped their value being little or nothing inferiour to the Benefices but the making of a coÌ„petent allowance out of them for the maintenance of a preaching Minister and I am sory to heare that some of them should be so backward in the former who most vrge the later the rather for that I would not haue it thought our Religion cannot stand but by the spoyle of the Church liuings though the Pope as it seemes by Mr. Doctor cares not who loseth so that himselfe may winne The vertue of the Sacraments expressed in holy Scripture wee preach not against but as for merit of workes and inuocation of Saints they were preached against and that in England long before the lands were taken from the Abbeys and though they are still preached against yet with vs are the Saints reuerenced with the honour due vnto them by our obseruation of the dayes consecrated to the memorials of their glorious and precious deaths And some Churches are built among vs as occasion serues and necessitie requires but more Hospitals Schooles almeshouses Colledges Libraries and the like charitable workes since the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reigne to this present time then in the space of any three score yeeres successiuely taken since the Conquest which I speake not to boast of the fruits of our Religion but to giue God the honour and as for the Hugonotes of France as you are pleased to terme them if they bee guilty of pulling downe Churches wee neither incourage them to it nor defend them in it as neither doe wee the Papists in their barbarous massacres but onely say of them as the parents of the blind man they are of sufficient age let them answere for themselues Lastly because you addresse your discourse in particular to the Nobles in this Section I craue leaue to put them in mind of a peece of a letter written by their predecessors to the Bishop of Rome during the reigâ—e of Henrie the III. I will recite it in the words of Matthew Parris translated The great ones sayth hee by writing to the Pope complained of the scandals bred out of the rapine and auarice of Rome and spread not onely in England but through the Christian world that themselues would not endure that their countrey from thencefoorth should bee so rudely handled no though the King himselfe should winke at it and vnlesse say they these matters bee speedily redressed by you let your Holinesse know for certaine that it may not vniustly bee feared that such a danger is likely thereby to ensue both to the Church of Rome and to our Lord the King that no remedie will easily bee found for it My hope then is that our Nobles being now farther enlightned by the beames of the Gospell and the cleare discouery of the trueth in the writings of learned men then their predecessours who liued in those times of darkenesse will like the Noble Theophilus to whom S. Luke dedicates his Gospell and The Actes of the Apostles and those noble Bereans who the more noble they were receiued the word with the greater readinesse hold fast the profession which they haue vowed themselues vnto by resisting the vsurpation and tyranny of that man of sinne and maintaining the libertie and freedome of their countrey In the first Parliament held by Queene Mary after her Comming to the Crowne the Nobilitie of England though they gaue way to the administration of the Sacraments and other doctrinall points as they were vsed and held in her Father Kings Henries time yet could they hardly be induced either by her importunitie whom it most concerned in regard of her birthright made good by the Popes dispensation or by the perswasions of Cardinall Poole her Cosin and by her made Archbishop of Canterbury who had beene for many yeeres maintained for the most part at the Popes charge to yeeld that the Queene should surrender her title of Supreme head of the Church of England or that the Pope should bee suffered to exercise his wonted iurisdiction within her dominions how much more then at
in minde that it was ipsissima B. Augustini sententia the very selfe same doctrine which Saint Augustin teacheth The third point which you call Caluinisme is that faith is nothing else but the assured perswasion of a mans owne Predestination to glory by Christ which differs not much in words and in sense very little or not at all as I conceâ—ue from his Maiesties definition where hee calles it a sure pâ—rswasion and apprehension of the promises of God applying them to your soule and therefore may it iustly bee termed saith hee the Golden chaine that linketh the faithfull soule to CHRIST But I wonder what Mr. Doctor meant in saying that Caluin maketh it nothing else whereas the Church of Rome maketh it not by many degrees so much it beeing in their doctrine a naked and bare apprehension of and assent vnto supernaturall trueths in which the deuill himselfe may goe as farre as any nay doeth goe farther then many of them for in that sort hee both beleeues and trembles and by this faith impossible it is that wee should either quench the fiery darts of the wicked as S. Paul speakes or ouercome the world as S. Iohn Faith saith the authour to the Hebrewes is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene now what is that grounded euidence but an assured perswasion and what are those things hoped for and not seene but chiefly the glory to which through CHRIST wee are predestinate so that you may as well put a nothing else vpon S. Pauls definition as vpon Caluins and yet is Caluins somewhat more then you make it in as much as thereby the fauour of God is not onely apprehended but sealed vnto the heart whereas your faith is of that nature as it neither hath any sound foundation to build vpon neither is a man certaine when he hath it neither if hee haue it how long hee shall keepe it neither if hee keepe it whether at last it will serue for his iustification in the sight of God So that a nothing else may rather be pind vpon the sleeue of that faith which the Church of Rome teaches then that which Caluin defines The fourth point which you call Caluinisme is that the Sacraments of the Church are nothing but signes and badges of that grace which a man hath before by the carnal couenant of his parents faith whereas Caluin in many places and expresse tearmes directly denies the Sacraments to be nothing else but bare signes they beeing in his doctrine not onely signes to represent that which they are ordained to signifie but seales to confirme that which they represent and withall pipes to conuey or instruments to present that to the soule of the worthy receiuer which they represent to the sence much lesse then doe either hee or wee make the Sacraments signes onely of that grace which the receiuer hath by couenant of his parents faith as Mr. Doctor would haue it for then would it follow that they should not at all bee Sacraments vnto them whose parents either are or died Infidels though themselues bee conuerted to Christian Religion and whereas hee calls that a carnall Couenant which God made with Abraham and his seed it argues a carnall minded man sauouâ—ing those things which are of the Flesh and not of the Spirit The fift point which Mr. Doctor calls Caluinisme is that Priesthood can doe nothing but preach the word as they call it which Lay-men must iudge of and may preach too if they will where occasion serues as if hee were ignorant that both by Caluin and by vs pâ—blike prayer in the name and for the good of the people is specially committed to the Priesthood and to it onely is the power of binding and loosing and of administring the Sacraments annexed whereas in their doctrine it is permitted not onely to Lay-men but to women in some cases But with vs you say Lay-men must iudge of that which is preached and may themselues preach too whereas the trueth is that wee allow them a iudgement of examination onely or triall which S. Paul allowed his auditors and S. Iohn his not of decision or determination which you seeme to implie and for their preaching both our and Caluins rule is that no man with vs taketh or should take this honour to himselfe but he which is called as was Aaron inwardly by the Spirit of God fitting him with gifts and a disposition thereunto and outwardly by the Constitutions and ordinances of the Church The sixth and last point which Mr. Doctor calls Caluinisme is that the studie and knowledge of antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent is not necessary but euery man may expound Scripture as his owne spirit shall mooue him where first I cannot but wonder that Mr. Dr who vrgeth neither antiquity vniuersality nor consent through his whole discourse should here at last cast stand so much vpon them yet I am perswaded it was rather to beare vs in hand that himselfe was deepely studied in them then that hee thought they could much aduantage his cause neither is the studie and knowledge of them so neglected by those whom Master Doctor if hee were liuing would call Caluinists that they feare euen by that triall to encounter the stoutest Champions of the Church of Rome For leauing Caluins frequent quotation of the ancient Councils and Fathers let the workes of Martyr of Bucer of Zanchius of Iunius of Sadeel of Chamier of the Noble Du Plessis and Dâ— Moulin testifie what account they make of the vniuersall consent and of Antiquitie And for our owne here at home he that shall looke into the writings of Bishop Iewel of Raynolds of Whitakers of Fulke of Humphreys of Perkins I spare to name the liuing nothing inferiour herein to the dead may easily finde if hee shut not his eyes against the light that they spared neither cost nor paines in this kinde To what â—â—â—pose hath Tossanus written his Synopsis Patrum and Scultetus his Medulla Patrum To what end did that noble and worthy Gentleman Sir Thomas Bodley with so much charge and traâ—ell found and furnish our Vniuersitie Library at Oxford and priuate Colledges by his example inlarge their owne or why should Sir Henry Sauill with so much expence and care set fâ—orth Chrysostomes workes in so exact and exquisite a maner iâ— wee made that slight reckoning of the studie and knowledge of Antiquitie as Mr. Doctor would make the world beleeue indeed wee cannot but acknowledge that to bee true which trueth it selfe hath deliuered onething is necessary and that many care and are cumbred about other things more then about this yet withall wee as freely confesse that many things are requisite some in one degree and some in another to the better compassing of that one which is onely and absolutely necessary in it selfe But eâ—ery man you say with vs may expound Scripture as his owne spirit shall mooue
those two things which M. Doctour craues to be yeelded vnto he shrowds vnder the cloake of the first vse of the Sacrament whereas his Maiestie rightly termeth the present doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome therein new coyned articles neuer heard of in the first 500. yeeres Such as are the cutting off of one halfe of the Sacrament from the people priuate Masses where the Priest playeth the part both of the Priest and of the people their Transubstantiation Eleuation for adoration reseruation in boxes and circuâ—gestation in Processions besides an infinite number of ridiculous and apish toyes in the celebration of it Notwithstanding you make no bones to demand the free vse hereof that is as I conceiue in effect the publike toleration and liberty of Romish religion a matter most vnreasonable to be expected from his Maiesty of any king liuing who therefore specially seemes to mislike the bitternesse of some busie Ministers who God be blessed grow both fewer in number and more calme in their courses because they trouble the peace of the Church thereby giuing aduantage to the entry of Papists by the diuision thereof how then can you conceâ—ue any hope of a Toleration of your pretended Catholike religion it selfe But if you consider that which his Maiesty writeth against the mariage of his sonne to oâ—e of a different religion your hope wil be much lesse Solomon from the toleration of a strange worship within his dominions fell at last as we know to the imbracing of it himselfe And it is obserued by Diuines both Iewish and Christian that the diuersitie of religion tolerated by King Solomon in diuine worship was by God requited vpon his heire and next successour Iure talionis by a retaliated diuision of an vnrecouerable rupture in the ciuill gouernment Your owne Stapleton spares not to reuile Bodiâ— in particular as an enemy to Christianity for maintaining that liberty The Rhemists conclude to like purpose in their annoâ—ations vpon the new Testament and Bellarmine spends two whole chapters in confuting their arguments who pleade for this indifferencie inforâ—ing it from the example of the Iewish Church grounds of Scripture practise of Emperours iudgement of Fathers yea reason and experience to bee pernitious in any Realme boâ—h to the Ecclesiasticall and ciuill state and dangerous euen to themselues which vse that liberty shall we imagine then that his Matie a king if any other in the world so desirous to serue God truely without shrinking or wauering setled in conscience resolued in iudgement confirming by practise by word by writing by oath by lawes by aduice what hee openly professeth would euer differ so much from himselfe as to admit euen of a partiall Toleration of a religion different from if not contrary vnto his owne a matter so contrary to Gods will so dishonourable to himselfe so dangerous to the State Be not partaker saith S. Paul to Timothy of other mens sinnes now I cannot conceiue how in his case the Magistrates permitting when it is in his power to forbid can well be distinguished from pertaking From your demands you come to your promises whereof the first is that the Pope for his part would confirâ—e the interest of all those that haue present possession in any ecclesisticall liuing in England he must then confirme the interest of all those whom you call Puritans and Caluinists as well as others which I thinke hee will bee as vnwilling to doe as they to take it from him nay I am perswaded there is no Clergy man in England worthy the name and credit of a good Subiect or the profit of the liuing he holdes who would thinke the possession of it any way the securer for the Popes confirmation But to grant that the right of those who haue the present interest in them might by that means bee strengthened what were like to become of the fattest Benefices and best dignities of our Church the same power continuing in the next age wee may in part coniecture by the experience of former times they being by the Popes authoritie conferred vpon his fauourits Italians and strangers who neuer came so much as to see them and yet notwithstanding was the rest of the Clergy so harrowed partly by the cunning practise and partly by the violent extortion of his Legats and Collectours as I haue already shewed that it is surely a lamentable thing to read it much more to feele it The Second thing you promise is the permitting the free vâ—e of the Common prayer booke in English for Morning and Euening prayers with vâ—ry little or no alteration belike then his Holinesse hath of late better studied that Scripture of Saint Paul the 1. to the Corinthians and the 14. then which I see not what can be more cleerely spoken not onely for reading and expounding the Scriptures but specially for praying in a knowen language and if his Holinesse iudge it no offence to God to permit the vse of our Liturgy in English what reason can our Recusants pretend of their refusall to ioyne with our Congregation in the vse of it except his purpose bee to permit it only for an interim as Charles the 5th did to the Germans vntill hee can gaine further strength to worke his owne ends or as hee doth the stews to auoide a greater conceiued mischiefe but God be thanked wee haue and hope still to haue the freâ—â—se of that booke without his permission and for his permission should thinke nothing the better but rather the worse of it The third and last thing you offer is that for the contentmâ—nt and securitie of his Maiesty his Holinesse would giue him not only any satisfaction but all the honour that with the vnity of the Church and safety of Catholike religion may bee required but how farrâ— the vnitie of the Church and the safety of Catholike religion extends it selfe is so doubtfull a case as none can determine it but the Pope himselfe so that except his Maiestie can define or diuine rather what that meanes hee shall bee as farre to seeke of his securitie as euer Hee hath alreadie declared by his Breues that the taking of the Oath of Allegeance cannot stand with the safety of Catholike Religion so that if hee will secure his Maiestie hee must not only condemne those Authors and damne that Doctrine which teaches his power in deposing Kings and disposing of Kingdomes but hee must either recall that declaration made as hee pretendeth vpon long and weightie deliberation which it may bee to â—erue his turne hee would as willingly doe as absolue the Venetians though they no way submitted themselues in the point controuersed or if hee persist in the maintenance thereof as in greatest likelihood hee wâ—â—l I see not which way hee can secure his Maiestie except hee may bee said to secure who cuts off all meanes of his securitie an oath being among all Christians and Heathens if they bee but morally honest
said for your deliuerance from thence but that you must presently iumpe into heauen I durst warrant the Iesuits among whom you died did not esteem you such a Saint Indeed Castellanus who made the funerall oration vpon Francis the 1. the French King was excepted against and accused by the Sorbonists for saying That he doubted not but the Kings soule was in heauen but his purgation was made by Mendoza that he thought he called by Purgatorie in passing but being as he was of a stirring disposition hee made no stay there but I thinke M. Doctor who offers to vndertake the iustifying of all Romish doctrine was not of this opinion We teach with S. Iohn that Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours But M. Doctor should haue remembred that the Church of Rome teacheth with Virgil whose authority Bellarmine solemnly quoteth to that purpose That the soules of the most iust except they die by Martyrdome or presently after Baptisme or doe some notable Meritorious worke as for the purpose the killing of a King whom that Church shall iudge a Tyrant are all to bee scoured in the flames of Purgatory fire before they enter into heauen But in the meane time you say you will reioyce in nothing but onely in the Crosse of Christ which is the glory of his Maiesties Crowne where if by the Crosse of Christ you vnderstand as S. Paul did Christ Crucified you do well hee being indeed not only the Glory of his Maiesties Crowne but the Crowne of his and our glory but if the materiall Crosse or a painted or carued Crucifix this could bring but a shadow of ioy to you and of glory to his Maiesties Crowne Lastly you conclude that you are not gone from his Maiestie to his aduersaries but before him to his Mother For the first of which I demaund who his Maiestie shall account for his aduersaries but those who condemne such Romane Catholikes censuring their Books and commaunding them to purge themselues who onely maintaine his Ciuill power in Temporall affaires and restraine his subiects from taking the Oath of meere naturall Allegeance which in effect is all one as if they absolued them from that Oath being taken and consequently incouraged them to rebellion For the second part of your conclusion we doubt not but his Maiesties Mother might find mercie knowing no better religion then that in which shee was borne and bred when such Apostates as our of discontent or for temporall respects forsake a knowen trueth which they haue preached in which they were baptized to which they haue subscribed shall finde heauen gates shut against them But wee iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are in darkenesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God Who so confirme vs in that we are right and reforme vs in that we are amisse that passing through things temporall wee may not finally lose eternall Now prayse and honour and glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lamhe for euermore B. C. Multum incola fuit anima mea cum his qui oderunt pacem eram pacificus cum loquebar illis impugnabunt me gratis Psal. 119. vers 5 6. G. H. The wordes of his mouth were smoother then butter but warre was in his heart his words were softer then oyle yet were they drawen swords Psal. 55. 21. AN ANSWERE TO THE MATERIALL POINTS of a second Letter of Dr. Cariers written also from Leige to his friends heere in ENGLAND WHen I had almost finished my former answere to the Doctors Letter to his Maiestie another Letter of his dated also from Leigâ— and directed to his friends in England came to mine hands wherunto are added certaine collections found in his Closet made by him as it is thought saith the Publisher of the miserable endes of such as haue impugned the Catholike Church to which is also annexed a briefe exhortation to perseuere constantly in the sayd Catholike Church what opposition soeuer may occurre and lastly a few examples of the admirable felicitie of such as haue defended the same Church First then for the Letter I must confesse I expected from Mr. Dr. some piece of greater value considering himselfe had promised vs in the last Section of his first chapter particularly to iustifie and make plaine froÌ„ point to point the Religion at this day practised and prescribed by the Church of Rome Pelitier for him that hauing consigned his writings into the hands of one of his friends wee should shortly haue that happinesse as to see them published to the ioy and comfort of Catholikes and the edification of those whom hee had forsaken But at last we haue receiued for payment in ful satisfaction of the whole debt as I conceiue this Letter with the appertenances which I would haue set downe intire as I found it the very sight of it being confutation sufficient but that I should haue done the Printer iniury in staying his presse and withall haue raised my booke to a bulk too far exceeding my purpose and it may be haue deceiued the reader too in offring that to his view which he would haue iudged scarce worth the reprinting In his entrance after his verball flourishes and the repetition of that which hath already been answered more then once if any way materiall hee settles at length vpon nine Propositions the very marrow and piâ—h of all his Letter all tending to draw what hee might from the authority of Scriptures and to cast it vpon the Church that is in his language the Romish Clergie as afterwards hee expresses himselfe I will examine the propsitions as they lie in order B. C. 1. That our Sauiour did leaue nothing in writing but taught his Religion to his Apostles by word of mouth G. H. 1. Doubtlesse our Sauiour was not of that Polish Cardinals minde who thought it had beene better for the Church had there beene no Scripture extant at all for though himselfe left nothing in writing touching his Religion yet by the Scriptures alone hee proues himselfe to be the Messias in his conferences his Sermons his disputations with it hee informes the ignorant confirmes the weake instructs his Disciples confutes the Pharisees puts the Sadduces to silence and the diuell to flâ—ght Not a booke of Moses and scarce a Prophet but hee either quotes some passages from him or at least alludes to some in him specially that of the Psalmes and the Prophet Esay Nay in the 24. of St. Luke it is said hee proued his passion and resurrection from Moses and all the Prophets Though it were hee that spake to the Patriarches in dreames and visions and Reuelations yet hee mentions none of them for proofe and except they were 〈◊〉 much lesse traditions but his ordinarie questions and exhâ—rtations and reprehensions are How readest thou and haue yee not
the New Testament they were ignorant what it was nay one of them was wont to sweare by the light that hee wondered yong men talked so much of the New Testament himselfe being fifty yeeres old before he vnderstood so much as what it meant and if such blinde guides leade the blinde what marueile if both fall into the ditch Now for beleeuing priuate men I would faine know how the common people in their Church come to know the exposition of the Church or the Church it selfe but by the information of priuate men And if any of ours preferre their owne iudgement before the current opinion which I suppose Mr. Doctor meanes by the exposition of the Church I haue shewed before vpon what ground they doe it and that therein they doe no more then those very Romish Diuines who complaine most of them B. C. 9. That all sorts of heretikes haue alwaies boasted of the Scriptures and despised the Church G. H. 9. Though the deuill falsly alleaged Scripture yet our SAVIOVR thought it no sufficient reason to forbeare the alleaging of it and though the Pharises pretended the authoritie of the Church yet hee imbraced not their corrupt glosses leauing vs an example in both to follow his steps Vpon these Propositions Mr. Doctour inferreth that the onely way to finde the true religion of CHRIST is to enquire which is the true Church of CHRIST now to knowe the Church saith he our Sauiour did found we must obserue that this word doth signifie diuerse things sometimes the House of Gods seruice sometimes the Congregation of all those that are Baptized and sometimes the Clergie or Spiritualtie and in this sence alone our Sauiour founded a Church when hee did call and send his Apostles and gaue them the same power which himselfe as man had receiued of his Father Then to know which is the true Church saith he we must inquire which is the Clergie that was founded by CHRIST and continueth in the Vnitie of the Church by perpetuall Succession from the Apostles and so from CHRIST himselfe And for certaine resolution thereof he referreth vs to three arguments as he calleth them infallible whereof the first is Thâ— report of Chronicles and Histories The second is The Vniuersalitie Antiquitie and consent of doctrine taught in the true Church and The varietie noueltie and repugnancie taught in Schisme And herein you may inquire saith hee of the most learned and most honest to informe you The thirde is The testimonie of Scriptures of the olde and new Testament For answere to this inference I would willingly learne where Mr. Doctour learned those acceptions of the Church once I am sure he taketh it otherwise then it is taken in holy Scripture and againe in holy Scriptures it is taken otherwise then he taketh it Neither are his two former meanes for the finding out of the Church more iustifiable then his acceptions of the Church whereof the first is the report of Chronicles but to grant that all Chronicles spake as the Pope would haue them yet were all this but humane testimony a sufficient inducement to moue but no sufficient ground for the conscience to build vpon For the proofe of his second reason he refers his reader to the information of the most learned and most honest But how if as learned and more honest informe him and that more truely to the contrary Here needes a farther inquirie which Mr. Doctor foreseeing at length sends vs to the Scripture as being forced with vs to confesse that the last resolution and onely infallible stay of the Christian soule in search both of the trueth it selfe and consequently of the true Church professing and publishing that truth must nâ—cessarily rest vpon that and nothing else ¶ A briefe Answere to the other collections annexed to the Doctors last Letter NOw for those other Collections which are added to his Letter as the Publisher makes a doubt whether they were made by him or no so I make no doubt if hee had liued hee would neuer haue suffered them to come to the light in such sort as now they are published Notwithstanding because they appeare in his name I held it not amisse to make some answere vnto them First then for the miserable ends of such as haue opposed the Catholike Church hee brings the example of Iudas and Caiphas and Annas and the three Herods and Pontius Pilate and Nero and Domitian and Pharaoh and Haman and Iezebel and Antiochus and Ieroboam and a number of like stuffe After he comes to Arch-heretikes translating word for word what Bellarmine thereof hath obserued in his 17. Chapter of the notes of the Church where hee makes the 14. note to bee Infaelix exitus seu finis eorum qui Ecclesiam oppugnant The vnhappy end of such as haue oppugned the Church the greatest part of which excepting those last which Maister Doctor is pleased to call the monsters of our age we condemne as farre foorth as the Doctor did or Bellarmin doth But for the fabulous narration of their ends wee may truely say that Bellarmine as vniustly voucheth the authoritie of Cochlaeus and Bolsecke as the Doctor suppresseth Bellarmines For what law humane or diuine ciuill or naturall admitteth a mans mortall and sworne enemie to bee witnesse against him Yet such was Cochlaeus vnto Luther and Zuinglius and Bolseck vnto Caluin who both as they deadly hated them for their religion as the Samaritanes did the Iewes so had Bolseck a particular grudge against Caluin for that hee opposed himselfe so vehemently against his wicked errours and seditious practices in Geneua as hee procured his banishment from thence which mooued him to seeke this base kinde of reuenge vpon him the rather being requested and solicited thereunto as hee saith himselfe by very many his Lords and friends as hoping by the defamation of Caluin to recouer his lost credit with them And as being their malicious enemies they would not report the trueth so not being present at their endes they could not haue certaine knowledge thereof at leastwise their testimonie cannot with any reasonable or indifferent mindes counterpoise the euidence of those worthy men who were eye-witnesses and present with them For Pluris est oculatus testis vnus quà m auriti decem One eye-witnesse is of more force then tenne eare-witnesses and it is great folly saith Bellarmine to beleeue the reports of them that were not present rather then of them that were present But let vs particularly and seuerally but briefly examine their slanders Luther saith the Doctor out of the Cardinall and the Cardinall himselfe out of Cochlaeus died suddenly for hauing supped very delicately and pleasantly being in perfect health and hauing delighted all his companie with merrie conceits the same night hee died But Tho. Bozius a Friar of the new Oratory order reporteth otherwise and that vpon the testimonie of one that then was Luthers seruant but since as hee saith became theirs in religion namely
more often Recognized it in his prayer before his Sermons 4 Pag. 220. Where among such famous Doctors as were conuerted lately to the Romish Religion hee reckons Dr. Bull for one 5 See the late B. of Lincolnes answere to a namelesse Catholike p. 115. 6 May 21. 1610 7 His Maiesty there speakes of the French King Henry the IV. 8 Nâ—sâ— itaque idexpâ—ctâ—â—ur a serenâ—ssimo Regâ— vâ— palam â—or am vniueâ— so mundo profiteatur sâ—metâ—â— ad sidem cogâ— non vâ—deo quo modo aâ—imus Regius in tâ—m iusta 17a tanto perâ—â—â—lo suo suorum pâ—ssit ad corum parâ—es propius aâ—â—edere 9 See the relation of the state of religion in these Westerne parts which it were much to be wished the Author himselfe would perfect and publish 10 Brittaâ—nom 〈◊〉 pag. 324. 1 I can shew it in the Authors owne Letters that he had a purpose of publishing it 2 He hath now gotten more name and fame by running away from vs then by any acte that euer hee did among vs. 3 The Credite he had in Court was won by his hypocrisie 4 He was like enough to aspire to higher preferment but while he remained like himselfe not like to attaine it 5 What intiâ—ing baits could these be vnto him who by his own acknowledgement felt the state of his body such that hee could not long enioy them 6 The wauering was in his braine not in their opinions 7 Hee professeth indeed that hee found a large opposition betweene the new French as he calleth it and the old English but betweene the English and the Râ—mish none at all or â—o small as it might easily be reconciled Chap. 2. Sâ—ct 29. 8 Or rather a counterfeit light from him who is transformed into an Angel of Light 9 His owne relation shewes how slowly he proceeded in this businesse as being in hope of higher preferment and yet in despaire of longer life 10 Catholike Roman I take to be as much as Kent and Christâ—ndome 11 Had Mr. Dr. done so he had rested where he was Cap. 2. Sâ—â—t 36. 1 You might haue named Scripture as well as art but it seemes you purposely forbore it lest you shou'd seeme a Caluinist 2 In your 2. chap. 21. Sect. you affirme the doctrine of the Church of Eng. to be that which is conteined in the coÌ„mon prayer booke and Church Catechisme very nere agreeing with or at least not contradicting the Church of Rome 3 Had you brought any proofe from the Scriptures ancient Fathers for the trueth of that Religion which you call Cathol you would haue thereby giuen vs some reaâ—on to thinke â—ou had indeed studied them 4 Your reconcâ—liation of religâ—oÌ„ was nothing else but a renouncing of the truth 5 It is maruell you had not imparted knowledge by writing 6 Your place compelled you not to preach points of Râ—mish doctrine 7 Catholike Religion is not hated in England but the religion of pretended Catholikes is iustly restrained 8 You might as fully and â—reely haue enioyed the preâ—ence of our blessed Sauiour in the vnitâ—e of the English Church as the Râ—mish 9 How can there be a dayly oblation of that which himselfe offered once for all Heb. 7. 27. 9. 28. and 10. 10 10 When his Maiâ—sties reasons are answered why he should not bee already esteemed in the vnitie of the Catholike Church prayer for his admission into it will bee admitted 11 Your dueâ—ie would better haue appeared in writing somewhat in defence of his Maiesties writings 12 Your auowed presence at the dayly oblation as you call it was a sufficient declaration of your reuolt 13 How sufficiently either of these two bee shewed I leaue it to the indifferent Reader to iudge 14 I wonder that any hauing affiance in his Holinessâ— pardons should desire his Maâ—esties 15 Hee is indeed likely to bee a faithfull seruant to his Maiestie who flies to the tents and pleads the cause of his sworne enemies 1. Pâ—t 3. 4. 1 It was such a schisme as the Apostle practised when certaine were hardened disobeyed speaking euill of the way of God he departed from them and separated the discsples Acts 19. 9. and gâ—ue the like commandement to others if any teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus and from such separate thy selfe 1. Tim. 6. 3 4 5. 2 This ambition of yours was it which being some what crossed or not fully satisfied caused your apostâ—sie as it did Arrius his heresie 3 Yet himselfe afterward iustifies it chap. 2. sâ—ct 21. 4 Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles and can either duety or loue be expected from such subiects and friends better is the hâ—tred of an open enemy then the loue of such a friend 5 Ab ouo vsquâ— ad maluâ—â— He repeats the same phrase in diuers other places * Colâ—ss 2. 23. * Esai 1. 12. 6 Great zeale and neutralitie in Religion seldome stand together as neither doe gâ—eat zeâ—le and vehement ambition 7 We grant as much tâ—at the gates of hell shall neuer vtterly prâ—uaile against it Non bene câ—n 〈…〉 vna sede morantur ambitio zelus * Iames 3. 16. * Rom. 10. 2 * Lâ—ke 16. 8. * 2. Thes. 2. 7. * Matth. 10. 1â— 1 He indeede deliueredit to his Apostles and disciples to continue but sure wee are it continued not by that succession and in that Church which you call visible and perpetuall or at least not as he deliuered it the enuiâ—us man came in the night and sowed tares amongst it * Matth. 19. 8. 2 Obserue here the great zeale of this man which himselfe boasteth of in the 2. Sâ—ction going before * Matth. 13. 5. 25 1 It is to be noted that some of thesâ— Vniuersities professe in their published instruments that they tooke an oath to deliuer and to study vpon the foresaid questions as should be to the pleasure of God and according to conscience the copie whereof is to be seene in our English Chronicles 2 After the determinations of these Vniuersites were read in open Parliament there were shewen aboue a 100. bookes drawen by Doctours of strange regions which all agreed the Kings marâ—age to be vnlawfull 1 How learnedly you vnderstood the state of the question betwixt vs appeares afterward in setting downe the opinion of the Church of Rome touching Images 2 No mention at all of reading the Scriptures that was too base a worke for so great a Clerke 1 How comes it to passe then that the profouÌ„d Doctors for prooâ—e of many doctrines of that Church forsake the Scriptures flie to traditions 2 As if in your learning the Gospel were not Scripture 3 Belike then we in these colde Northerne Climats haue no Christian soules 4 When those Preachers shal be named and their current opinions specified and the passages quoted by which they are conâ—uted I doubt not but the vnanswerable
bene angry with them who standing least vpon his Maiâ—sties supremacie not onely endeuor to crosse his desires but to indanger his person and to cut off himselfe and his posterity 10 By the keyes doing the Crowne seruice belike you meane the triple Crowne 11 That the Keyes are tyed to the Scepter is false his Maiâ—sty neither hauing nor challenging the right of binding and loosing but true that by the Pope both Scepter and sword too are tyed to the Keyes 12 If his Mâ—â—â—stiâ—s title rather serue others then himselfe we are sure his Holinesse title rather serues himselfe then others Pag. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 1 Exâ—mptiâ— Clericorum in rebus pâ—liâ—iciâ— tâ—m quoad personas tuÌ„ quoad bona introducta est iure humanâ— paritâ—r diuino Bel. l. de cle cap. 28 * 2. Sam. 17. 6 1. Chron. â—3 12. 2 Chrâ—n 6. 2. King 23. 2. 2. Châ—o 20. 3. Nehem. 9. 38. 2. King 18. 4. 2. Chron. 17. 8. 1. King 2. 27. 2 Socr. 1. 9. 3 Theod. 1. 9. 4 Theodoretus lâ— 5 cap. 9. 5 Euagriâ—â— lib. 1. cap. 2. 6 Leâ— Epist. 43. Gen. 14. 19. 7 Apud Stoâ— de regnâ— See to this purpose Aristot. pol. lib. 3. cap. 11. 8 Ferdin Lopâ—z lib. 1. Hist. Iud. Cap. 14. 9 Quia in Ciuitate bellicosa plures Romuli quam Numae similes reges putabat fore iturosque ipsâ—s ad bella ne sacra desereâ—entur flamineÌ„ Iâ—ui assiduum Sacerdotem â—reauit Liu. lib. 1. * 2. Pâ—t 2. 9. * 1. Cor. 2. 15. 10 Maynard de priui Eccl. art 9. 11 Bulla Pâ—â— Quin. ast; Ier. 1. 10. 12 See their book of Sacred Ceremonies 13 Monit Poâ—â—â— * Matth. 28. 18. * 1. Sam. 13. 13. * 2. Cro. 26. 19. * Exod. 28. 14 Without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the greater Heb. 7. 7. * Exod. 4. 16. * 2. Chron. 19. * Deut. 17. 12. * Acts 25. 11. 1 It is more to be feared that Rome will doe what she can to make him poore but neuer complaine that he is not rich 2 The reason why God did not blesse it I haue giuen in mine answere 3 The Court of augmentation is annexed to the Exchequer and yeelds yeerely to his Maiestie as much as euer as I thinke 4 As they were then in the hands of the Clergie they yeelded nothing but at their pleasure 5 You obiect to his Maiestie his empty Coffers but labour to make them more emptie by subiecting him to Rome 6 How diligently you haue perused the Statutes I haue made it appeare in mine answere to the later part of your first chapter and yet it seemes you are more skilfull in them then in the Satutes whereof Dauid speakes I will delight my selâ—e in thy Statutes Psa. 119. 16. * Proâ— 14. â—â— * Exod. 36. 1 See the Statute 2 Witnesse the Church of Saint Albons 1 It seemes then that they whom you call Caluinists as touching the confession of his faith are of the same iudgement with his Maiesty 2 To grant thaâ— which notwithstanding is not false as I haue shewed in mine answere to this Sect. yet are there many things in the same booke which if his Maiâ—sty maintaine as vpon his honor he is bound to doe he can neuer turne Romane Cath. 3 K. Henry neuer contradicted his booke 4 From thence it followes that by your owne acknowledgement what his Maiestie hath written is good * Luke 22. 25. * Iohn 14. 26. * Iohn 21. 15. 16. 17. * Mat. 18. 18. * 1. Cor. 5. 4. * Acts 15. * 1. Cor. 1. 11. * Gal. 2. * Gal. 1. 18. 1 Bel. de Rom. pâ—nt lib. 1. cap. 27. Can. 6. 2 In prefat lib. de fide 3 Pag. 89 90 91 92. 93. 4 Episc. Eli. in respons ad Apol. Card. Bellar. pag. 167 168 169 170 171 172. 5 Lib. 5. vltra med in Apol. 1. 2. sapius repetit 6 In haâ—â—si Sethianorum in cap. vlt. 1. Pet. 7 De Sanct. bâ—atit lib. 1. cap. 6. 8 Lib. 2. de purgat cap. 8. 9 De S. beat lib. 1. cap. 5. 10 Lib. 4 de Râ— Pont. cap. 8. * Pag. 89. 11 Lib. 1. de Rom. Pont. cap. 8. 12 Cypr-Epist ad Pompo cont Epist. Steph. 13 Pag. 474. * Iohn 19. 22. * Ecclus. 27. 11. 1 Indeed he cannot well bee a good subiect who either reconciles himselfe or perswades others to be reconciled to that Church which maintaines heretikes to be as infidels if not worse his Maiesty an heretike 2 I guesse at your meaning your Cath had cause to be angry that it succeeded not 3 Belike you vnderstand the Parliament who perswaded his Maiesty to the imposing of the oath of allegeance 4 His Maiesty may both detest the fact and punish the offendours and endeuour by wholsome lawes to preuent the like mischiefe and yet both liue and die in charity 5 Where is that reason 6 God indeed is exorable but vpon submission and hearty contrition which yet appeares not either in the tongues or pens of Romanist 7 Quid opus est verbis quum facta se ostendunt 8 His Maiesty is as the Angel of God wise to discerne who they are that labour to misinforme him and misleade his people 9 It should seeme then you are fallen from the hope of perswading his Maiesty to become a Rom. Cath. to the toleration of that religion which notwithstanding he cannot admit without double periury See Tâ—rtuâ—a Torti pag. 82. 14 Christanouic Pacenius Becan Parsons Coqueus Eudamon Schoppius Reboule Coffeteau Peletier Gretser Suarez Beaumanoir * Râ—â— 3. 15. 2 Ad M. Torti lib. Resp. pag. 191 3 L. of Balmerinoch then his Maiesties Secretary 1 Many of those passengers who iustly feare danger haue greater experience in the guiding of this ship then your selfe could haue 2 The attaining of your Hauen we take not to bee the way to Heauen * Acts 17. 10. 1 Defence du Droit des Rois pag. 111. 112. 1 Whether your Preachers or your Friars and â—esuites abuse the people more with lies in their Sermons let them iudge who haue heard both 2 For morall and ciuill honestie there were among the ancient Romans and more learned then they 3 Belike they condemned you for one among the rest and were not much mistaken 4 It is well you hold some honest men amongst them least your selfe should bee accounted none 5 The Romish Church for many chiefe points hath not so much as pretext of Scripture 6 We might say the like of some of your followers more truly in as much as we beare them record that they haue zeale but not according to knowledge 7 What makes you to crie out so against Puritane Preachers but that most of the people are led by Sermons 8 I haue said it before and I will be bold vpon this occasion giuen to report it againe not to boast of it but to praise God for it that his Maiesties Dominions