meanes yet most of them were conuerted by others Laurentius baptized the sonne of Ethelbert that was a pagan The king of Northumbers marying Edelburg the daughter of Ethelbert by her perswasion was christened by Paulinus Erpwald the king of the Castangles receiued the faith by the perswasion of king Edwine Osric and Eanfrid kings of the Deirans and Bernicians were baptized in Scotland Many Northerne Saxons were also conuerted to religion by the meanes of king Oswald and Finan a Scot. Birinus ordained by Asterius bishop of Genua conuerted the West-Saxons Sigbert was baptized in France and raigning in Essex caused many to embrace Christian religion Peda king of Middleangles was baptized also by Finan a Scot. Vlfride consecrated bishop by Ailbert bishop of Paris conuerted to Christ the Southsaxons And all this is testified by Henry of Huntington With him also agrée for the most part Beda William of Malmesburie and diuers other Chroniclers It is therefore euident that Austin performed either litle or nothing those conuersions of Saxon nations being wrought by others after his death Fourthly it is most apparent that neither the French nor Britains of which the inhabitants of this land consist as much as of Saxons were conuerted by Austin Not the French for that Austin was not sent vnto them and for that they had receiued Christianitie long before Not the Britains for that Austin was sent to Saxons and not to Britains Secondly the Britains were Christians long before Austins coming into England neither did Christianitie after their first conuersion euer faile amongst them as is euident by the testimonie of Bede Capgraue and others Not long before the arriuall of Augustine many Britains about the time of Caster being newly baptized went out with the rest vnder the conduct of Germanus to fight against the Picts and Saxons and obtained a great victorie as we may reade in Bede lib. 1. hist. Angl. cap 20. Likewise in the Councell assembled by Austin and mentioned by Beda lib. 2. hist. Angl. cap. 2. there appeared diuers Bishops of the British nation Thirdly the Britains as Beda writeth refused to subiect themselues to Austins iurisdiction and to accept his orders Finally it appeareth that Austin did rather worke the subuersion then the conuersion of the Britains animating the Saxons to destroy them Fiftly Austin shewed extreame cowardire in coming towards England and hardly was perswaded to set forward as we may reade in Bede lib. 1. hist. Angl. cap. 23. Coming also into Kent he was not able to speake one word of English nor to preach vnlesse it were by his interpreter Lastly he was ordained Archbishop of England by Eltherius bishop of Arles at the commandement of Gregorie But first such feare or cowardice beséemeth no Apostolike man Secondly faith cometh by hearing and vnderstanding and not by commission or outward signes It séemeth therefore that Austins Interpreters did rather conuert the Saxons then Austin himselfe Finally what power had either the bishop of Arles or Gregorie to appoint Archbishops in England And how cometh it to passe that now more Archbishops are here then one if his order had any force That these exceptions are true Beda will witnesse Percussi timore inerti saith he lib. 1. hist. Angl. cap. 23. redire domum potiùs quà m barbaram feram incredulamque gentem cuius ne linguam quidem nossent adire cogitabant Et hoc esse tutius communi consilio decernebant And againe cap. 26. Acceperunt praecipiente Papa Gregorio de Francorum gente interpretes And afterward cap. 28. Augustinus venit Arelas ab Archiepiscopo eiusdem ciuitatis iuxta quod iussa sancti Patris Gregorij acceperant Archiepiscopus genti Anglorum ordinatus est Whatsoeuer then was done by Austin the same concerned none but a few Saxons of Kent and such as were baptized by him Neither did he deserue more then is due to euery minister of Gods word and Sacraments that by preaching and baptizing gaineth soules vnto Christ Iesus The Normans and Northern and West Saxons are nothing beholding to him The Britains haue cause to detest his memorie and to thinke hardly of him for his pride and barbarous crueltie If therefore Rob. Parsons meane to gaine any thing by the labours of Gregorie or Austin he must proue first that these two did preach to the auncient Saxons Britains French and other inhabitants of England Next that the present Pope is like vnto Gregorie the malignant race of Masse-priests and Iebusites to Austin Thirdly that all Churches erected by Preachers sent from other nations are to subiect themselues to the Churches and Bishops that sent them And finally if he will haue vs to kéepe vnitie with the moderne Church of Rome he must proue that the same is neither departed from Christ nor from the doctrine of Austin and Gregorie If not he doth but cast feathers against the wind and both tire himselfe with writing and vexe his reader with examining his fooleries and idle imaginations CHAP. IIII. That the moderne doctrine of the Church of Rome which the Church of England reiecteth was either oppugned by Peter Eleutherius Gregorie and Austin or at the least vnknowne vnto them BUt what would it aduantage Rob. Parsons if he could proue that either the auncient Britains were conuerted to the faith by S. Peter and Eleutherius or the ancient Saxons by Gregorie and Austin séeing the moderne doctrine of the Church of Rome which is now reiected was either oppugned by them or at the least neuer knowne vnto them Now the Romanists prohibite holy Scriptures to be read publikely in vulgar tongues as dark and vnprofitable and condemne those that reade them translated into vulgar tongues without licence But the Apostle S. Peter 1. Epist. 2. exhorteth all Christians though newly regenerate to desire the sincere milke of the word And 2. Epist. 1. sheweth That they do well that take heede to the words of the Prophets as to a light shining in a darke place Neither néed we doubt but that all Peters true successors maintaine the same doctrine Gregorie in Ezechiel homil 10. doth commend Scriptures as meate and drinke and lib. 2. Moral as a glasse It is not likely therefore that he would prohibite Christians to eate and drinke and to behold themselues in a glasse that thereby they may learne to informe themselues in matters of faith and to reforme their manners 2. Now they teach that the holy Scriptures to vs are not authenticall nor canonicall vnlesse the Pope deliuer them and consigne them And this is the meaning of Bellarmine li. de notis Eccles. cap. 2. where he saith that the Scriptures do depend vpon the Church and of Stapleton in his booke written in defence of the authoritie of the Church But S. Peter 2. Epist. 1. saith that the word of the Prophets is most sure vnto vs. We haue saith he a most sure word of the Prophets And Gregorie in his preface vnto his Commentaries vpon Iob saith that in vaine we search
Neither can the aduersary iustly charge vs that we allow any false worship of God or breach of his holy ordonances Thirdly the Church of England for matters of Faith Sacraments Gods worship and seruice beléeueth followeth whatsoeuer is either expressely commanded in holy Scriptures or out of them deduced in ancient generall and lawfull Councels condemning also whatsoeuer is by ancient Councels or Fathers declared to be contrary to the same Fourthly Christes true Church is a diligent and wary keeper of doctrines committed to her and changeth nothing at any time deminisheth nothing addeth nothing cutteth not off things necessary nor addeth things superfluous looseth not her owne nor vsurpeth things belonging to others as saith Lirmensis Commonit ca. 32. Likewise ca. 34. he saith it is the property of Catholikes to keepe the doctrine of the Fathers committed to them in trust and to condemne prophane nouelties Who can then deny the name of Catholikes vnto vs but such as are false Catholikes Fiftly all Churches that belong to Christes body which is gathered and gouerned by his word nourished and preserued by his holy Sacraments and inspired and led by his holy spirit and grace belong to Christes Catholike Church But nothing can be alledged by the aduersaries but that these properties belong to the Church of England and the members thereof and those which communicate with it Sixthly the Church of England doth in all things cōmunicate with the Catholike Apostolike Church that is spred ouer all nations hath continued frō the beginning shall cōtinue to the end which hath a most certaine succession of true Bishops which adhereth to Christ only to his word and whose faith is confirmed with miracles and most inuincible testimonies If Parsons will deny this let him cease his railing against vs and his vaine babling about impertinent matters and forbeare to impute vnto vs the names of factions which we renounce and the faults of particulars which we defend not proue somewhat substātially Seuenthly the Church of England is iustified by the confession of our aduersaries for with them we professe one faith in all articles conteined in ancient Creedes with them we receiue the same Scriptures with them we allow the sacrament of the Eucharist Baptisme with them we admit the most anciēt generall Councels and finally whatsoeuer was deliuered by the Apostles to be obserued that we obserue What is then the differēce Forsooth they haue added to the Apostles faith to Christes Sacraments Scriptures Apostolike doctrine lawes and that we refuse for that it is aboue and beside yea sometime contrary to the Canon of Scriptures which is the perfect rule of faith Unlesse therfore our aduersaries will stubbornly reiect the Apostolike faith the canon of Scriptures the Sacraments and the ancient formes of Ecclesiastical gouernment condemne the same they cannot deny y t Church of England to be y e true Church Finally all those exceptions which either Bellarmine or Bristow or Stapleton or Hill or any of their consorts haue takē to our doctrine or manners are cleared so answered that still the aduersary though neuer so full of words resteth silenced Parsons in y e second part of his treatise of Three Conuersions of England by him pretended goeth about to shew that the Church of England is no part of the Church vniuersally dispersed and that hath continued throughout all ages But his arguments are so vaine that I make this an argument to iustifie the cause of our Church For if he and his consorts can take no iust exception either to the faith or manners of the Church of England then doth it follow that the same is the true Church of Christ Et inimici nostri iudices and our enemies therein iudge against themselues CHAP. XI Parsons his idle discourse Part. 2. of his Treatise wherein he pretendeth to seeke for the originall and discent of the Church of England from the Apostles times downward is examined refuted IT is a simple part according to the common prouerbe in the midst of a riuer to aske where is water or in a forrest of trées to enquire for wood Yet Parsons séemeth not much wiser who in the Scriptures and writings of ancient Fathers euery where finding the Apostolike and Catholike Church with the which y e Church of England holdeth cōmunion doth notwithstanding still enquire where our Church was in y e Apostles time the ages after But it séemeth he was vnwilling to sée y t which he was loth to find His search certes and manner of procéeding and whole dispute about this matter as it is tedious and full of words so it is fond foolish and void of substance and concludent argument In the 2. Part of his turning Treatise chap. 1. he alledgeth diuers testimonies out of Irenaeus Tertullian Hierome and Augustine concerning the succession of Bishops and the force thereof But what I pray you doth that make against vs who do well allow of that faith which was taught and maintained by those Bishops succeeding one another in diuers Churches which they mention Nay if Parsons talked of no other faith or doctrine then that which those holy Fathers speake of and did not hide in this catalogue of good Bishops a multitude of false teachers and Heretikes much vnlike to the former the controuersie betwixt vs wold soone be ended Furthermore where he will not allow them to be the true Church which in all points of faith consent with the Apostles and ancient Fathers and disagrée in nothing but will néeds exact a discent of our faith by a catalogue of Bishops we want not therein an answer sufficient For the Bishops of Britaine and England that haue continued since the first plantation of Religion by Ioseph of Arimathaea and other Apostolike men haue still retained the Apostolike faith and the Sacraments instituted by Christ. True it is they retained them but yet with many corruptions although nothing so many as are now established in the Church of Rome since the wicked conuenticle of Trent Although then the Church of England haue purged away certaine abuses yet the substance of doctrine and Sacraments we haue not changed therein varying in nothing from the Apostles or auncient Bishops of Christs Church for many hundred yeares after Christ. But the Popes of Rome and their adherents within these fiue hundred yeares haue brought in a new Scholasticall Decretaline doctrin especially since the conuenticle of Trent which neither the Apostles nor auncient Bishops euer knew nay which is opposite to their doctrine and faith It appeareth therefore that this argument of succession doth rather make for vs then for our aduersaries Secondly he beareth vs in hand that Luther and Caluin being pressed with this argument of Succession did make the Church inuisible And that Melancthon and the Magdeburgians dissenting from them and ouercome with proofes concerning the visibilitie of the Church did grant it to be visible yet so as it did consist not
degenerate in the adherents of the Church of Rome Which Wicleffe and his followers in England and the Valdenses and Albigenses in France and some in Germanie beganne at length to discouer But in our times the same by Luther Caluin Zuinglius and other godly men was both more openly discouered and Christianly reformed Secondly it is no maruell if Wicleffe and Husse and others that first beganne to discouer the abuses of Poperie did not see all For God had appointed a certaine time when the man of sinne should be reuealed and no man is so cleare sighted that he can see into all the abuses of Heretikes without helpe and direction of many Neither is this to be ascribed more vnto Wicleffe and such as haue laboured in the reformation of the Church then to others which haue their singular opinions and by their errors declare themselues to be men Furthermore by this we collect that we are to build our faith vpon none but the Apostles and Prophets which by speciall direction of the holy Ghost haue declared vnto vs the will of God Thirdly many heresies are falsly imputed both vnto Wicleffe and vnto Iohn Husse and vnto euery one that hath opposed himselfe against the Romish faction As for example they say that Wicleffe taught That God must obey the Diuell and that Iohn Husse added a fourth Person to the Trinitie matters contrarie to the whole forme of their doctrine Diuers errors also they haue ascribed to the Valdenses Albigenses and Bohemians Neither may we maruell if they haue slandered the dead seeing they spare not the liuing making their credulous followers beleeue That we make God the author of sinne and speake vnreuerently of Christ. They haue also laid most false imputations vpon Luther Caluin Zuinglius and other our teachers Further we are not to maruell if they haue charged Sir Iohn Oldcastle and diuers others the followers of Wicleffes doctrine with treasons and rebellions and other enormous crimes For so did the heathen deale with the first Christians as appeareth by the Apologies of Tertullian Arnobius and others And now they cease not to exclaime against our doctrine as if the same were enemie to the Magistrates authoritie the which is not more troden vnder foot by any then by the Popes of Rome and their agents Fourthly the Papists themselues haue many singular opinions in diuers points of doctrine Why then should they impute vnto vs the dissentions of priuate men And why may not all be good Christians holding the substantial points of Christian faith and varying in nothing from the grounds of true doctrine concerning the holy Trinitie Christs incarnation the Sacraments Gods worship and manners Finally as errors did not altogether enter into the Church so neither can they be all at one time and by one man or one age reformed In all the principall points concerning the abuses of Poperie both the Churches of England Scotland France Germany and other nations not subiect to the yoke of Antichrist do very well agree And we doubt not by the grace of God to sée Antichrist confounded with the spirit of Gods mouth shortly by a generall vnion in the rest Finally in his last chapter he compareth M. Foxe to a craftie Broker that vseth fraud in selling of his wares whereas the Romanists sell like royall Merchants He deliuereth also to his reader three differences betwixt the Papists vs saying first That we contemne the Church next y t we define it falsly thirdly y t we assigne common obscure markes thereof whereas the Papistes do all contrarie But of this comparison because it is his owne he may boldly take both parts to himselfe and not without iust cause For as the Pope selleth Religion and all diuine matters in grosse and like a royall Merchant so Parsons and such like pedlars and palterers fell as they may by retayle now bargaining for one part of the Church then for another now selling one sinne and then another In assigning his differences he differeth not from himselfe but as alwayes so now also he belyeth his aduersaries For neither do we make so litle estimation of the Church as he reporteth nor do we giue such a definition of the Church as he imagineth nor are our markes giuen out of the Church either common or improper On the other side they value not the Church one rush making the same a slaue to Antichrist nor do they define the Church aright not touching the life and soule of it but onely certaine outward qualities nor do they bring other markes then those that may fit the Pagans and Turks better then the Papists as the name Catholike vniuersality continuance succession vnitie prosperitie and such like do shew If Parsons will maintaine the contrarie let him answer a booke of mine De Ecclesia written against Bellarmine wherein this is declared at large If not that yet let him leaue his idle wandring discourse and come to a point and then we doubt not but to make his pedlarie ware knowne And thus an end of this woodden constables search Of which we may conclude that it will be a hard matter to find out a more idle searcher or foolish search CHAP. XII That the Church of moderne Papists was not visible in the world for more then a thousand yeares after Christ and neuer was fully setled nor plainely visible in England THe Church of Christ saith Hierome in Psalm 133. consisteth not in walles but in the truth of doctrine There is the Church where is true faith So likewise euery Church is to be estéemed according to the doctrine which it teacheth and of the Church of Rome we are to make accompt not according to the walles of the Churches there but according to the doctrine which now that Church professeth If then there cannot be shewed a Church in the world for a thousand yeares professing that faith and doctrine which now the Church of Rome holdeth and professeth we may boldly say that the Church of Papists as now it standeth was not visible for a thousand yeares after Christ. Nay it is plaine that such a Church as the Papists now haue was neuer yet planted in England So farre is Parsons from his accompt when he supposeth that the faith and Church of Rome that now is hath alwaies continued since the first preaching of the Gospell and bene visible in England That we say true it appeareth first for that no Church did euer esteeme traditions and holy Scriptures with like affection before the decree of the conuenticle of Trent ratified by Pius the fourth Anno Domini 1564. The Church of England before that time neuer had any such conceit of traditions as to beleeue them to be the word of God and equall to Scriptures Secondly no Church in the world did make the old Latine vulgar translation of the Bible authenticall before y t time Thirdly the moderne Papists forbid men to reade the Scriptures translated into vulgar tongues without licence and
endeuoreth to proue by S. Peters words Act. 15. that he was the Apostle of the Gentiles But S. Paul Galat. 2. sheweth that the Gospel ouer the circumcision was committed to Peter and the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision to himselfe Act. 15. he saith nothing but that God appointed that the Gētiles should by his mouth heare the word of the Gospel But that may be true in case any number of the Gentiles should heare him preach the Gospell The words of Peter certes do not exclude others Pag. 441. rehersing y e words of Daniel c. 2. he applieth them to y e Church of Rome as if y e church were that kingdome that shal neuer be dissipated and shall cōsume weare out all other kingdoms but by y e sequel of y e text it appeareth that they are to be vnderstood of the vniuersall Church and kingdome of Christ and not of any one particular congregation much lesse of the synagogue of Rome that is now begun to be dissipated by the true preachers of Gods word on one side and is greatly straited by the Turke on the other side He doth also fraudulently leaue out these words in his quotation Et regnum eius alteri populo non dabit least he should thereby declare that euery particular city and people is excluded from the claime of the right of the vniuersall kingdome of Christ. And with this faith he citeth other Scriptures CHAP. XIIII A Catalogue of diuers falsifications false allegations and corruptions of the Fathers of the Church and other Authors committed by Rob. Parsons IN ciuill causes to deale vntruly it is but falsity But in matters of faith to vse false dealing doth beside falsity imply impiety He therefore that was not afraide to force Scriptures will not spare to forge and falsifie the Fathers and other Authors as may appeare by the practise of Rob. Parsons To proue that S. Augustine said That Christians ought to trauaile by sea and land countries and kingdomes to seeke out the truth and certeinty of Catholike Religion he citeth in his Preface first Possidonius in vita Augustini and next Augustine himselfe lib. 4. 5. Confess But in the first place there is not one word for his purpose In the second there is not that which he surmiseth Nay it is not like that S. Augustine would write as he affirmeth seeing to find true Catholike religion and the certeinty thereof we néede neither to passe the Sea nor to trauaile to Hierusalem or Rome but are rather to search the bookes of holy Scripture which teach the same sufficiently He saith that S. Augustine lib. de morib Eccles. c. 17. and Chrysostome in a certaine Homily reprehend greatly the sluggishnes of diuers men in their dayes that seeing sects and heresies to arise and diuersities of religion in almost euery country did not bestirre themselues to try out the truth But he abuseth both these holy Fathers whereof the first hath no such words or reprehension The second talketh not of the diuersities of religions but only exhorteth Christians to embrace the Christian faith earnestly The which doth concerne Popery nothing which hath béen sowne in Gods field long after the first planting of the Christian faith Augustine tractat 73. in Ioan. hath these words Haec est laus fidei si quod creditur non videtur To these words Parsons addeth the word merit and translateth thē thus The praise or merit of faith stands in this that the thing be not seene which is beleeued He should haue said thus Herein consisteth the prayse of faith if that be beleeued that is not seene And this ouerthroweth the doctrine of the Papists that teach that the Catholike Church which we beléeue in our Créede is visible He maketh Ambrose to say thus lib. 1. de Abraham ca. 3. If a graue honorable person in this life especially if he be of high authority and our superior will take it in disdaine to be asked a proofe for that he affirmeth how much more ought God to be credited when he proposeth vnto vs a matter aboue our reach or capacitie But therein he sheweth himselfe neither graue nor honorable to impute his owne sayings to so graue a Father S. Ambrose sayth only How vnworthy a matter were it to beleeue the testimonies of men concerning others and not to beleeue Gods oracles concerning himselfe Quam indignum vt humanis testimonijs de alio credamus dei oraculis de se non credamus This also toucheth the Papists very néere who will not beléeue holy Scriptures which are Gods oracles without the testimony of the Pope Pag. 3. he saith That Eleutherius conuerted King Lucius and his subiects by the preaching of Damianus and his fellowes and for proofe alledgeth Bede lib. 1. hist. Angl. ca. 17. 18. But Bede in these two Chapters doth not so much as once mention any such matter And ca. 4. where he speaketh of Eleutherius and Lucius he doth not once name Damianus or his fellowes or speake of the conuersion of Lucius his subiects Furthermore it is absurd to say that Eleutherius did conuert the Britains by Damianus For if Damianus preathed vnto them then did he conuert them and not Eleutherius Pag. 7. alledging Bede lib. 1. hist. Angl. c. 34. he maketh him say that Austin and his fellowes entred into Canterbury in Procession with a crosse and the image of our Sauiour in a banner But first he misseth the chapter alledging the 34. for the 26. Next he speaketh more then his author doth warrant him for he neither speaketh of procession which was a later deuice nor of the image of our Sauiour in a banner Crucem pro vexillo ferentes argēteam saith he imaginem Domini saluatoris in tabula depictam that is carying a siluer crosse for an ensigne and an image of our Lord Sauiour painted on a table So it appeareth they neither louged a crucifixe with them nor prayed to the crosse nor worshipped Christes image Pag. 9. citing Cyprians testimony lib. 2. epist. 3. for proof of his massing sacrifice he cutteth out these words out of the midst of the sentence qui id quod Christus fecit imitatur Which argueth that the popish Balamite priests offer no right sacrifice digressing from Christes institution Pag. 11. out of Eusebius he saith That Peter sate Bishop of Rome for 25. yeares together And out of Bede lib. 1. hist. Anglor c. 3. that there began to be such war in Britany that Claudius resolued to go thither with the admiration of the whole world But neither doth Eusebius in his story nor any other good author say y t Peter sate Bishop of Rome 25. yeres together neither doth Bede in y e place mētioned speak of wars in Britany or of the admiratiō of the world in regard of his iourney Pag. 12. rehersing the words of Malmesburiensis in fastis an Christi 86. he addeth these words and brought into a perfect forme of prouince which is both a notorious
But it is a bald course to say euery where when neither himselfe nor Bellarmine a farre better disputer then he is able any where to find the Pope to be supreme iudge of controuersies and Christs Uicar generall and that he cannot erre or that Christs body and bloud is offered in the Masse by the Priest for quicke and dead and in honor of Saints or that the substance of bread and wine is turned into Christs bodie and bloud in the Eucharist or that any Images are to be worshipped with Latria and such like popish doctrines Blushed he not then to bely so many Fathers in so many matters and all with one breath Pag. 128. rehearsing certaine words of the Magdeburgians concerning factions and opinions he addeth these words Among them that professe the Gospell which they haue not He taketh also the word Communicationem from their sentence concerning the presence of Christs body Pag. 129. in the allegation out of Irenaeus lib. 3. aduers. haeres cap. 3. he choppeth off the beginning of his sentence which declareth that the tradition of other Churches was as well to be respected as that of Rome He maketh him also to say That all Churches must agree to the Church of Rome which he neuer thought Lastly by tradition he giueth his reader to vnderstand that Irenaeus speaketh of traditions not contained in Scriptures where expresiy he mentioneth the Articles of the faith most plainly contained in holy Scriptures Pag. 177. to shew that there was conformitie of Religion throughout Christendome except onely in some places of the world where were certaine reliques of Pelagians and Eutychians and other Heretikes for the first he alledgeth Gregory lib. 5. Epist. 14. and for the second Greg. lib. 10 in lob cap. 29. Whereas in the first place he onely mentioneth Pelagian booke and in the second doth not so much as speak one word of the Eutychians and in neither hath any word concerning the vniformitie of Religion throughout Christendome Pag. 188. to proue the word Masse he alledgeth Augustines Serm. 237. and 251. de Tempore Concil Mileuit cap. 12. Epiphanius haeres 5. Euseb. lib. 5. hist. cap. 23. and vit Constant. lib. 3. cap. 17. and Concil Carthag 4. cap. 84. But first Eusebius and Epiphanius are grossely belyed For how could they writing in Gréeke speake of the Latine Masse Secondly the two Sermons ascribed to S. Augustine as the rest also De Tempore are counterfeit And yet nothing is therein concerning the Popish Masse Thirdly the Councel of Mileuis speaking of Missae or dimissions of the people by certaine blesings and the fourth Councell of Carthage by the word Missa vnderstanding the dimission of the Catechumeni maketh nothing for the Popish Masse These authors therefore are fondly and falsely alledged Pag. 201. he telleth how Patritius was sent to the Scots after Palladius and for euidence bringeth foorth Prosper contr Collator and Bede lib. 1. hist. Angl. c. 13. but neither of them hath one word of Patritius Pag. 228. he saith that Irenaeus accompteth the enumeration of the Bishops of Rome a full proofe against Heretikes But he abuseth this holy Father and belyeth him For of this full proofe he hath not one word Further he speaketh of Churches not only of the Church of Rome and with the succession of Bishops ioyneth the tradition of the faith kept in Churches Lastly by the tradition which he mentioneth he meaneth the faith contained in holy Scriptures Pag. 278. he alledgeth a place out of S. Augustine lib. cont Epist. fundam cap. 4. touching succession as if he made that a principall motiue to embrace the Christian faith and a proper marke of the Church whereas that holy Father reckoneth that among and after others and no way accompteth it a marke of the Church Pag. 282. S. Augustine lib. de Vtilit cred c. 7. is alledged for proofe of the succession of the Church of Rome but falsly For he speaketh of the successions of diuers Bishops in the whole Christian Church which ouerthroweth the pretended prerogatiue of the Romish Church Pag. 291. S. Augustine in Psal. 44. 47. lib. 2. contr liter Petil. and other Fathers are alledged to proue the Church to be so visible that euery one may sée it and know it But it seemeth our aduersarie cited them at all aduenture For in some of these places litle mention is made of the Church and in none of them is his intention proued Pag. 305. To proue these words found in the Legend to haue bene vttered by S. Andrew Ego omnipotenti Deo qui vnus verus est immolo quotidiè c. He quoteth Bernard Sermon de S. Andrea and Lanfranc lib. contr Berengar But that Sermon is counterfeit and in neither of the authors are these words to be found Pag. 383. Bedes testimonie lib. 3. hist. cap. 27. is alledged to proue the sending of Willibrord with eleuen companions towards the conuersion of Germany But the Chapter being read doth confute our aduersaries falshood Pag. 401. To proue that Athens had no schooles of learning in it when that woman that was afterward Pope called Iohn the eight is reported to haue studied there Zonaras and Cedrenus in vita Michael Theod. Anno Christi 856. are produced for witnesses but falsly and absurdly For no such matter is to be gathered out of them Pag. 472. He maketh S. Augustine lib. 1. quaest Euang. q. 38. and Tractat. 2. in Epist. Ioan. to say that it is as easie to see in all ages where the true visible Church goeth as to see the Sunne at noone time when it shineth clearest But this is a tricke of his false dealing For in the first place he saith onely That the Church is rightly called Lightning because it breaketh out of the clouds which sheweth that the Church is sometime darkened with cloudes and not séene And in the second he hath nothing but these words of the Psalme in Sole posuit tabernaculum suum Which do plainely demonstrate the Church being like to the Sunne that the same may be hidden or darkened as the Sunne is hidden in the night and in the day time obscured with clouds And such is the mans honest dealing with other Fathers CHAP. XV. Certaine examples of Robert Parsons his Thrasonicall bragges and beggarly crauing of matters in question COmmonly we find by experience that the greatest braggers performe least If no man else yet Rob. Parsons doth verifie it by his example For albeit he boasteth much yet when it cometh to performance he beggeth matters in question rather then prooueth them In his Epistle dedicatoris he braggeth of vndoubted Charters Enrolments Euidences writings and witnesses which he saith he will bring foorth for proofe of the Romish religion and giueth out great words of his future doughtie déedes Yet when we come to the examination of his best proofes we find that his witnesses depose either nothing for him or much against him that his euidences are euident
S. Ambrose and S. Augustine he saith It was presumed and foretold that they would be such before they were Christians indeed But in the Legend of S. Martin it is said he was a Christian at the age of twelue yeares and nothing doth Parsons alledge wherby we may vnderstand that any prophesie was made by any of the future Christianitie of Nectarius Ambrose and Augustine In his preface speaking of the Church most ridiculously he compareth it to a mansion house and the markes thereof to charters ridiculously I say For first there is great difference betwéene a mysticall body and a naturall bodie the Church being changed albeit men continue and a mansion house not being moued although the right be translated to others Next Charters do rather shew which are the bounds and markes of lands then may be called the marks of them and are rather compared to Scriptures then to the markes assigned by Papists Lastly this similitude of a mansion house doth ouerthrow the cause of the synagogue of Rome For the mansion house of the Church is in no one particular place and the Charters of the Church are rather holy Scriptures then Popish Decretals In the same place he alledgeth Alexander Halensis 3. part q. 79. to proue That a man hath two lights whereby he may vnderstand matters of faith But in that part he hath only 69. questions and nothing of the two lights Durandus also is there cited in nu 39. but neither booke nor section noted Doth it not séeme therefore that Parsons as he hath long since lost the light of faith so is now become destitute of the light of humane reason Pag. 9. he alledgeth Tertullian de Coena Domini who neuer wrote any book De Coena Domini It may be he mistooke Tertullian for Cyprian Pag. 14. He saith Peter and Paule were put to death the 14. and last yeare of Nero. But Baronius and diuers learned men say they died in the 13. yeare of his raigne Others deny that they dyed both in one yeare Pag. 43. He citeth an Epistle of Basill Ad Innocentium But in Basils works no such Epistle is to be found And certes strange it were if Basill should write to Innocentius Bishop of Rome seeing he died twenty yeares at the least before Innocentius came to be Bishop there as Canisius in his Chronology and Baronius in his Annales to go nofurther might haue taught him Pag. 54. He alledgeth Eusebius lib. 7. hist. c. 29. where there are but 26. chapters of that booke in Christophersons version And pag. 55. he mentioneth two bookes of S. Augustine ad quaest Ianuarij which are more then he euer saw or we can find in the workes of S. Augustine Percase he meant S. Augustines 118. Epistle ad Ianuar. But there is no mention made of such mysteries concerning immoueable or moueable feasts as our dreaming aduersarie fancieth Pag. 67. He alledgeth Theodoret lib. 6. c. 9. whereas his historie containeth onely fiue bookes Pag. 77. He nameth one Photinus a Bishop of France and Ado Bishop of Treues whereas he cannot find any Photinus Bishop in the time of Irenaeus and might well know that Ado the Chronicler was of Vienna and not of Treues Pag. 104. He braggeth That he will proue the Pope the Masse Transubstantiation and the vse of Images Via negatiua Which passeth the reach of common foolerie For who euer heard of affirmatiue propositions proued by negatiues Or who is so sottish to take impudent denials for proofes Pag. 106. Where S. Augustine lib. 4. de Baptis contr Donatist c. 6. speaketh of the custome of not rebaptizing Christians once baptized by Heretikes our ignorant aduersarie supposeth he talketh of the custome of baptizing of infants Pag. 111. He alledgeth the ninth booke of S. Ambrose De Sacramentis and supposeth these words Non valebit Sermo Christi c. to be found in the fourth fifth and ninth booke De Sacramentis and these words Sermo Christi qui potuit de nihilo facere quod non erat c. to be in the same bookes Whereas these words are taken out of the booke De ijs qui initiantur c. and the former are onely found in one booke of Ambrose and neither make for his purpose Pag. 119. There can be no doubt thereof saith he speaking of the Popish doctrine of Sacraments And why trow you Forsooth because the conuenticle of Trent the Master of sentences and Thomas of Aquine haue taught it I would therefore pray all moderate men attentiuely to consider this fellowes either madnesse or ignorance We do by arguments out of Scriptures and Fathers refute the impious doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent Lombard and Aquinas And yet he thinketh it sufficient by the testimonie of his owne fellowes most partially deposing in their owne cause to refute our arguments grounded vpon Scriptures Fathers and other authenticall witnesses Pag. 120. He saith Popish auricular confession is in it selfe repugnant to mans sensuall nature As if it were not as natural to confesse a truth as to deny it This we find that nothing is more beneficial to Massepriests or more pleasing to man then to haue absolution after confession And by this engine the Pope doth work many wonders to maintaine his state Pag. 123. He signifieth that Irenaeus lib. 5. aduers. haeres speaketh for the supremacie of the Pope whereas the Pope is not once mentioned in that place vnlesse it be where he foretelleth that Antichrist tyrannically shall take vpon him as God Ipse se tyrannico more saith he conabitur ostendere Deum Pag. 133. And otherwhere he supposeth that we are bound to defend all the singular opinions of the Magdeburgians But if we alledge to Papists the opinions of Bellarmine Baronius Suarez Stapleton or other Popish proctors they think themselues not tyed to their particular doctrines Againe he imagineth because the Magdeburgians mislike some of the Fathers in some things y t therfore we mislike thē But neither do we in all things hold w t the Magd. nor do they condemne y e Fathers y t in some singular points dissentfrō thē Pag. 146. A Treatise De bono pudicitiae and a Sermon De natiuitate Christi is alledged vnder the name of Cyprian And yet it is méere simplicitie to suppose them to be Cyprians Pag. 165. For the title De Regularibus In sexto he alledgeth De Reg. iuris lib. 6. mistaking chalke for chéese And for the 25. Session of the conuenticle of Trent he citeth 28. whereas there are not so many in all Pag. 181. He alledgeth an Oration of Chrysostome Contra gentes with this title Quòd vnus est Deus whereas the true argument is Quòd Christus sit Deus Pag. 239. He talketh of the burning of William Tracie And yet by the acts that concerne him it appeareth he died quietly in his bed and that his religion was not discouered but by his testament after his death Pag. 268. he mentioneth the Bishop of Cardiffe whereas euery
man knoweth that there is no such Bishop in England The records of the storie might also direct his iudgement in this matter but that he vseth to looke vpon no records Pag. 269. He nameth a certaine sect of Heretiks Massilians as if they of Massilia were Heretikes But he should say if he were not grossely ignorant Messalians Pag. 282. Hierome is cited Dial. vlt. contr Lucifer Whereas it is apparent that he wrote onely one Dialogue against the Luciferians He is also alledged for proofe of succession of Bishops albeit he speake onely of the foundation and succession of the Church Pag. 387. He taxeth M. Foxes words against Pope Ioane as blasphemous Yet it is very absurd to account all to be blasphemie that is vttered against the Pope Pag. 444. and 445. in a matter of controuersie concerning Innocent the third he produceth Blondus and Genebrard two poore parasites of the Pope to speake in his cause Likewise he alledgeth Platina and Sabellicus as witnesses for Hildebrand For him also he quoteth Sigebert and Auentine that speake against him and an Epistle of Anselme that is not extant But what is more absurd and foolish then to vse the testimonie either of hired parasites or of such as speaks against the purpose of him that vseth them or of records no where extant But what should we néed to séeke for more arguments of Parsons ignorance and foolerie when his whole discourse is nothing but a packe of errors and fooleries CHAP. XVII A note of certaine speeches of Parsons in respect of God blasphemous in respect of his duty to his Prince disloyall IF a man would respect termes he might percase somtimes estéeme Rob. Parsons to be a man not altogether exorbitant from Religion and loyaltie But if we looke into the whole course of his writing we shall hardly find in so finall a volume more aguments of impietie and disloyaltie In his Epistle Dedicatorie he applyeth these words of the Euangelist Exurgens imperauit ventis mari which belong properly to Christ to the Pope as if he were able to command the winds and sea In his Preface speaking of arguments of credibilitie for Christian Religion and naming the sayings of Prophets miracles and testimonie of eye witnesses he saith that neither they nor such like are so euident as philosophicall demonstrations As if philosophicall arguments were more cleare and euident then the lightsome word of God or Gods miracles or else as if euery one were better able to vnderstand philosophicall arguments knowne only by the light of naturall reason then the truth of Scriptures and Religion proued by the light of Gods holy Spirit most certaine miracles eye witnesses and diuers other arguments There also he affirmeth that there are like arguments of credibilitie for the points of Popish Religion now in controuersie as are for the Articles of Christian Religion But this is sufficient to ouerthrow all pietie and Religion For what man can beléeue the articles of the faith if we had no better ground for them then for the Popish doctrine of Purgatorie Indulgences the Popes Monarchie and infallible iudgement the popish worship of Angels and Saints and Images the eating of Christs bodie by brute beasts eating the Sacrament and other vnwritten Popish traditions Pag. 102. he compareth the doctrine of the Trinitie of Christs two natures and one Person of the procéeding of the holy Ghost and such like substantiall and necessarie points of the Christian faith to the wicked and corrupt doctrine of the Popes vniuersal authoritie of the popish Masse of Transubstantiation worship of Images and such like taught by the Church of Rome as if the one were as easily and directly to be proued as the other But what can be deuised more impious then to match the hereticall doctrine of schoolemen either deuised by Popes or conceiued by philosophicall deductions with the faith of Christ not onely proued by diuine Scriptures but also testified by Fathers and Catholike Christians of all times Pag. 111. he compareth the word Transubstantiation to the word Trinitie and Consubstantiall Which is as much as if he should deny the holy Trinitie and the Deitie of the Sonne of God if he cannot proue his Transubstantiation a matter that passeth his capacitie to proue Pag. 104. he alloweth the donation of Ethelwolph that gaue lands to God the blessed Virgin and all the Saints But what is more impious then to match creatures with the Creator to honor Saints the Mirgin Mary as Gods Likewise doth he shew himselfe disloy all to his Prince In his Epistle Dedicatorie speaking of obedience due to Princes he taketh from them all authoritie to command in Ecclesiasticall causes esteeming that he doth them fauor in giuing them obedience in all worldly affaires But if he were further examined what obedience is due to Princes excommunicated by the Pope it is not to be questioned but he would deny them obedience in temporall affaires also and defend the rebellions of subiects against their Princes In an addition following his Epistle he insulteth ouer the late Queene hearing of her death and rayleth at her calling her an old persecutor The which argueth not only a disloyall affection towards his Prince but also an inhumane malice against the dead And this reward Princes reape that shew fauour to these Scorpions There also he prayseth the King for his learning iudgement and zeale But if he were either good Christian or true subiect he should haue commended his piety and not haue sought to make him subiect to the Pope Againe if he had loued the King he would not haue plotted his destruction Pag. 136. he imputeth the burning of Foster Freese and Tewkesbury thrée godly Martyrs in King Henry the 8. his dayes to the King and yet were the Romish persecutors the causers of their death Likewise he saith that others were burned by the Kings authority So all the fault is laid vpon the King although the principall agents in these murthers were Romish prelates Pag. 252. he prooueth that Kings are subiect to the Pope by the best reasons he could deuise Can he be thought then loyall to his Prince that extolleth strangers and debaseth Kings Pag. 257. he laugheth at King Edward the sixth as a child King as if the children of Kings were not to succéede their Fathers in their Kingdomes and Pag. 260. he scorneth Proclamations set forth in his name Percase it would greatly please him if all matters were ordred by the Decretals of the Pope But what néede we other arguments to conuince this fellow of disloyaltie when his booke of titles is extant wherein he doth not only oppugne the Kings title to the Crowne of England but also giueth both the Pope and people authority ouer Kings And if that will not serue yet when we remember the horrible treason of Percy and his consorts animated no doubt by Parsons we may plainely sée that he is a Cardinall traytor CHAP. XVIII A particular of Parsons his lyes calumniations
ciuill and artificiall building situate in one place and belonging to one family or sort of people Secondly seuerall points of doctrine are rudely compared to seuerall parcels ofland which are corporeall and may be translated from one to another whereas points of Christian doctrine are matters spiritual and cannot be held truly professed but by the members of the true Church In like sort the Arians by their grosse similitudes depraued such matters as were well spoken as sayth Athanasius orat 4. contr Arian Incorporalia sayth he corporaliter excipientes quae probè dicta erant deprauarunt Thirdly neither shall he euer prooue that the right of the Church belongeth to the Pope and his adherents nor shall he exclude vs from the precincts of the true Church howsoeuer in his Luciferian pride he do here despise and scorne vs. His marks of Antiquitie and Succession are neither the proper notes of the Church nor were they so to be taken can he if by succession he meane discent of true doctrine either take them from vs or giue them to the Popes adherents who rather belong to the synagogue of Sathan then to the Church of God In the latter end of his Praeface he taketh vpon him the person of a Doctor and layeth downe foure points of consideration about matters of faith The first is that our articles of faith are aboue mans reason The second that they haue sufficient arguments of credibility The third is that it behooueth vs to haue a pious affection The fourth is that some articles of our faith may be demonstrated and knowne by force of humane reason But first he sheweth himselfe a vaine and arrogant companion that in matters where he is party taketh on him to be a Doctor not distinguishing betwixt a barre a Doctors chaire Secondly all thèse schoole-points are matters far distant from the argument of Three Conuersions which he vndertaketh to handle For I hope he will not affirme that his Three Conuersions be matters of faith Thirdly his first and last point contradict one another For if all the articles of our faith are aboue mans reason as he sayth handling the first point then are not some articles of faith demonstrable by force of reason which is also the doctrine of the Apostle who sheweth vs that the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of the spirit of God Fourthly by pious affection he absurdly vnderstandeth a good opinion of the Pope and his slaues the Iebusites and Masse-priests But how can Christians haue a good opinion of them whom holy Scriptures declare to be false teachers and vpholders of the kingdome of Antichrist and experience declareth to be professed enemies of piety and godlinesse Fiftly he concludeth very absurdly because some matters of faith are demonstrable by reason that he hath so discussed matters in his treatise of Three Conuersions as that all matters thereby may be cleared For neither doth his treatise properly concerne matter of faith nor hath he done such glorious acts as he braggeth of Finally these points do little relieue Parsons For if we are to talke of matters of religion with great reuerēce and submission then are the writings of the Schoolemen scādalous that dispute pro and contra in all matters of religion Parsons also dealeth very lewdly who attributeth more to Philosophical demōstrations then to arguments inducing vs to beleeue matters of religion Next if there be matters sufficient in religion to induce vs to beleeue then are not the articles of Popery to be beleeued we hauing more inducements to reiect them then to beleeue them Thirdly if matters are to be scanned before they be receiued as Parsons inferreth then most blind are the Papists that beleeuing the Pope and his adherents to be the Church drinke vp all the abhominations which the whore of Babylon doth present vnto them without all examination whether they be consonant to holy Scriptures the faith of the ancient Fathers or not Fourthly if matters are to be examined with serenitie of mind why are Papists forbidden to reade our bookes to heare our reasons nay without licence to reade the Scriptures Why do they condemne them whose cause they refuse to heare or know Lastly this his treatise of Three Conuersions is not such a braue peece of worke as he imagineth nor shall he gaine any one iote ofhis cause thereby For first it is either false that the ancient Britains were conuerted by S. Peter and Eleutherius or else very doubtfull Likewise it is a matter questionable whether Austin the Monke or some other did first conuert the Saxons to the Christian faith Secondly admit the ancient Britans had bin conuerted by S. Peter and by Eleutherius and the Saxons by Austin the Monke yet this maketh nothing for Pope Clement the 8. or Paule the fift that is no more like to Peter nor Eleutherius then a Cheshire cheese to the bright Sunne Peter was a holy Apostle and fed Christes sheepe Eleutherius was a godly Bishop and preached the Gospell which Clement and Paule the fift doth not Againe Clement and Paule the fift challenge two swords and haue a temporall Kingdome which those two neuer had nor challenged This Clement and Pope Paule mainteine many hereticall doctrines established in the Popes Decretals and late Popish conuenticles which neither S. Peter nor Eleutherius nor Austin euer heard of Finally neither are the Romans subiect to the Bishops of Hierusalem although the Gospell first came to them from thence nor owe we ought to Rome albeit those that first conuerted the Britains and Saxons had come from thence To those that first taught vs we are obliged to render thanks But Parsons like a foolish logician would thereof inferre that we are now to yeeld obedience to the Pope because Peter preached first in Britaine He might as well inferre that the Romans are to be subiect to the Turke that sitteth at Hierusalem for that the Gospell came first to them from thence Thirdly those exceptions which he taketh to vs and our Religion are most vaine and friuolous as the discourse ensuing shall declare Wherefore as we haue already ripped vp his rude and ragged epistle aduertisement and preface so now Godwilling I purpose to discouer the vnsufficiencie and foolery of the rest of his frapling discourse I do not thinke thou shalt finde a booke of that bulke so void of all proofe or good matter vnlesse it be some that proceedeth from the same author Reade therefore I beseech thee both our writings with indifferency and iudge according to equity and so shalt thou hereafter be made more wary in esteeming such huge volumes fraught with nothing but idle tales grosse lyes loose collections and to say all in one word Iebusiticall and Popish vanity and foolery and learne to discerne shadowes from substance and errors from truth The Subuersion of Rob. Parsons his Babylonicall Tower entitled A Treatise of three Conuersions CHAP. I. Whether S. Peter the Apostle preached the Gospell in Britaine or
Bellarmine de not is Eccles. ca. 8. sayth that we cannot conclude necessarily that the Church is there where is succession of Bishops Non colligitur necessariò sayth he ibi esse Ecclesiam vbi est successio But were they resolued to stand vpon this succession yet would the same draw with it the ruine of the Popes cause For neuer shall they be able to shew a number of Bishops professing or holding the doctrine of the Popes Decretals and of the late conuenticles of Lateran Constance Florence and Trent vntill of late yeares But saith Parsons Part. 2. Ch. 1. Augustine was held in the Church by the succession of Bishops And Tertullian de Praescript aduers. haeretic doth challenge heretikes to this combat of succession And Irenaeus proueth by the succession of Roman Bishops the true succession and continuation of one and the selfe same Catholike faith Likewise hée alledgeth Hierome who in his Dialogue against the Luciferians saith We are to abide in that Church which being founded by the Apostles doth indure to this day And Augustine lib de Vtil credend ca. 17. that sheweth how we are not to doubt to rest in the lap of that Church which notwithstanding the barkings of heretikes about it by successions of Bishops from the Apostles seate hath obteined the height of authority Finally he telleth vs Pag. 283. how 70. Archbishops of Canterbury were all of one religion But first we must vnderstand that the ancient Fathers talking of succession neuer speake of the externall place and bare succession of Bishops without respect to the truth of doctrine Irenaeus lib. 4. Ch. 43. would haue those Bishops harkned vnto which succeede the Apostles which with the succession of their Bishoprick haue receiued the certaine gift of truth according to the will of the Father Tertullian lib. de Praescript aduers. haeret sheweth that the persons are to be approued by their faith and not faith by the persons Non habent haereditatem Petri saith Ambrose lib. 1. de Poenit. cap. 6. quifidem Petrinon habent That is they haue not right to succeed Peter or Peters inheritance that hold not the faith of Peter Nazianzen de laudib Athanasij saith that they are partakers of the same chaire or succession that hold the same doctrine as they that hold contrary doctrine are to be counted aduersaries in succession Qui eandem fidei doctrinā profitetur saith he eiusdē quoque throni particeps est Qui autem contrariam doctrinam amplectitur aduersarius quoque in throno censeri debet Whatsoeuer then y e Fathers speake of succession it concerneth as well succession in doctrine as in place externall title of office Unlesse then this Iebusite can shew that y e moderne Popes are true Bishops and hold y e same faith which Peter the first Bishops of Rome did the testimonies of the Fathers which he alledgeth wil make against him Secondly y e Fathers do alledge y e succession of other churches as wel as Rome Irenaeus li. 3. aduers. haeres c. 3. appealeth as wel to the Churches of Asia namely to that of Ephesus Smyrna as to Rome albeit for auoiding prolixity he citeth only y e names of the Roman Bishops Testimonium his perhibent saith he quae sunt in Asia Ecclesiae omnes qui vsque adhuc successerunt Polycarpo Likewise in the end of the Chapter he citeth the testimony of the Church of Ephesus Tertullian de Praescript aduers haeret maketh all Churches founded by the Apostles equall and citeth as well the testimony of the Churches of Corinth Philippi Thessalonica and Ephesus as Rome But the succession of these Churches is no certaine marke of the Church or triall of the truth S. Augustine contr epist. fundament c. 4. reckneth diuers things ioyntly with the succession of Bishops which reteined him in the Church and among the rest sincerissimam sapientiam the sincere wisdome of Christian doctrine But Parsons must proue that the succession of Bishops only is a sufficient argument of truth Likewise Augustine in his booke de Vtilit credendi ca. 17. talketh not of the Romish Church but of the Catholike Church whose authority notwithstanding he placeth after the primary foundations of Scriptures Likewise Hierome speaketh of the Catholike Church not of the particular Church of Rome Finally neuer shal it be proued nor is it likely the later Bishops of Canterbury before the reuerend Father most glorious Martyr Bishop Cranmer receiuing y e new Decretals of the Pope the decrées of y e conuenticles of Lateran Constance and Florence but that their faith differd much frō the first Bishops of Canterbury which liued before the times of these conuenticles that authorized these new corruptions If then Rob. Parsons haue no better argumēt in his booke then this of the externall succession of the Popes of Rome it is likely he meaneth fraud and for the true Church commendeth vnto vs the synagogue of Antichrist and the whore of Babylon rather shunning then seeking any lawfull and certaine triall of truth CHAP. X. That the Church of England is the true Church of God and holdeth the Apostolike and Catholike faith AS Esau hated Iacob because of his fathers blessings as we reade Gen. 27. so Rob. Parsons the more it hath pleased God our heauēly Father to blesse y e Church of England the more hatred doth he shew against his countrymen and brethren In the first part of his treatise of Three Conuersions he endeuoureth to make thē slaues to the Pope In the second he raileth at them as vagrant persons and strangers frō Gods Church and people without succession of teachers from the Apostles and deuoid as he saith of all demonstrations and euidences to proue themselues to be Christes Church But if those be Gods true Church which heare his word with attention and beléeue it and receiue the Sacraments according to Christs institution and séeke to worship God with true deuotion and to liue after their Christian profession then is the Church of England Gods true Church For although Bellarmine and others do spend much time in taking exceptions against our doctrine practise in Gods worship and manners yet can none of them either proue any error in the doctrine which we teach or the administration of Sacraments which we practise or in the rules concerning Gods worship or common manners which we follow Secondly those Christians which professe and beléeue all the Apostolike faith and condemne all those errors and false doctrines which the Apostles condemned and endeuour vnfeinedly to liue according to their profession are the true Church For that is a property of Christes shéep to heare his voice not to follow strangers as we reade Iohn 10. The Apostle also sheweth Ephes. 2. that the faithfull are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone But the Church of England beléeueth and professeth all the Apostles faith and condemneth whatsoeuer is contrary to the same
in the externall conspicuous succession of Bishops and Councels but rather in those which following the Apostolike Church and faith kept themselues from common corruptions of others But not they did dissent but Parsons doth either mistake or misreport For all of vs do affirme that the vniuersall Catholike Church is inuisible because it containeth all the members of Christs Church of all times and all ages Likewise all of vs beléeue that particular Churches are alwaies visible albeit not so that euery one is able to discerne which is the true Church which not For that is a matter of reason and discourse and not of sense and that being true all heretikes and infidels would discerne which is the true Church and cease to persecute it Likewise we say that the true Church is not alwaies in peace and prosperitie Nay oftentimes the same is persecuted and driuen to hide it selfe as it did in the Apostles time and during the times of the first persecutions vntill the raigne of Constantine and as the Scriptures do foretell it should do in the persecution vnder the raigne of Antichrist Ridiculously therfore doth he alledge Scriptures and Fathers speaking of the visible Church For they neither speake of the Catholike Church as it comprehendeth all Christians nor of the glorie of the Church in all times He doth also proclaime either his owneignorance not setting downe what we hold nor knowing how we distïnguish or else impudently misreporteth our doctrine that he might thereby take some occasion the rather to stander it and to cauill with his aduersaries Finally he doth leudly and contumeliously speake of Christs Church hiding it selfe in time of persecution tearming it A companie of few obscure and contemptible people lurking from time to time in shadowes and darknesse and knowne to few or none Pag. 294. he cauilleth at M. Foxes words where he saith that commonly none see it but such onely as be members and partakers thereof For his meaning is that none can see it to be the true Church but such as are members thereof Although all those that persecute it do see the men that belong to the Church His similitude also of the truth and true Church agréeth well For albeit men be visible yet this point Which is the true Church is not a matter of sense but of the vnderstanding and the Church as it is Christs body is mysticall albeit it consist of visible men Part. 2. cap. 2. he telleth vs How the Montanists and Marcionists bragged of martyrdome and how Cyprian inueigheth against the Martyrs of the Nouatians and Epiphanius against those of the Euphemites and how S. Augustine detested the Martyrs of the Donatists But to what purpose God knoweth vnlesse he would either put vs in mind of the false traiterous Massepriests and Iebusites that being put to death in England for felonie and treason as in the end the secular Priests themselues confesse are calendred in the Romish Churches tables for Martyrs or else to disgrace those godly Martyrs by this vngodly comparison that suffered death for the testimonie of truth in Q. Maries bloudie raigne Which if he do then he is as farre guiltie of their bloud as the wolues that shed it and is rather to expect the vengeance of God then any answer from man In the same Chapter he endeuoureth to shew some differences bewixt the Martyrs of the primitiue Church and vs as for example that Saint Andrew sacrificed daily an immaculate lambe vpon the altar That Sixtus the Bishop of Rome is said to offer sacrifice and Laurence his Deacon to dispence the Lords bloud and that as Prudentius saith The holy bloud did fume in siluer cuppes That Cyprian said Sacerdotem vice Christi fungi sacrificium Deo Patri offerre But first the difference if any be is in termes and not in matters of faith Secondly we do not disallow these termes simply if they be rightly vnderstood as the auncient Fathers meant them Thirdly the words of S. Andrew are drawne out of the Legend Bernard in Serm. de S. Andrea is quoted for them yet in neither of his Sermons hath he them Fourthly the words of Prudentius must néedes be vnderstood figuratiuely vnlesse they will haue their sacrifice to be bloudie Lastly these words do make more for vs then for the Papists For that sacrifice which Andrew and Cyprian do speake of for here I will take no exception to the words of Andrewes Legend doth signifie onely the representation of Christs sacrifice in bread and wine Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 3. by the sacrifice vnderstandeth bread and wine and not Christs body and bloud really present Panem calicem mixtum vino saith he obtulit And againe Sed per Salomonem Spiritus sanctus typum Dominici sacrificy praemonstrat immolatae hostiae panis vini sed altaris Apostolorum facit mentionem Furthermore the same shew that the Deacons did then distribute the Sacrament of the Lords cuppe to the people which Papists now admit not Lastly Sixtus suffering for the confession of Christ is liker to Bishop Ridley then to the triple-crowned Pope Clement who suffereth not but rather persecuteth such Bishops as professe Christ. The reall sacrifice of Christs body and bloud offered for quicke and dead out of these words cannot be proued Afterward he telleth vs p. 310. how Constantine built foure Churches in Rome dedicating them to our Sauiour to Saint Iohn Baptist S. Peter S. Paule and S. Laurence adorning them with Images c. And hauing told his tale he runneth out into a discourse of the glorie of that Church and in great pride asketh vs where our poore obscure and troden downe Church as he calleth it was at this time and for 300. yeares before But vpon such small victories he sheweth himselfe a vaine fellow to make such triumphes This tale of foure Churches dedicated to Saints and adorned with Images is borrowed out of the Legend and is repugnant to the Fathers doctrine Lactantius saith There is no religion where there is an Image or simulachrum Saint Augustine saith that temples are not erected to Saints but that their memories are there honored The same Father lib. de vera Relig. cap. 55. speaketh both against Images and religious worship of Saints Non sit nobis religio humanorum operum cultus And againe Non sit nobis Religio cultus hominum mortuorum As for the spreading and splendor of Christs Church in Constantines time the same argueth that the Church is gouerned and beautified by godly Princes such as Constantine was rather then by godlesse Popes such as Clement was To his question I answer that the Church in Constantines time was that Church with the which in faith and Sacraments we communicate and from which the Romanists are departed subiecting themselues not to such godly Princes as Constantine was but to the Pope and to his vngodly Decretaline and prophane schoole doctrine which is diuers from the faith of those times as God willing we
command the seruice to be said in Latine Gréeke and Hebrew which languages the common people vnderstand not But such a Church and so malignant and enuious of the knowledge and profit of Christians was not seene in the world before the assembly of Trent 4. For a thousand yeares after Christ and longer it was lawful for laymen and all Christians to dispute argue and reason of matters of Christian Religion And so long this Popish Church was not seene in the world that prohibiteth laymen so to do 5. The moderne Papists teach that Christs naturall bodie is both in heauen and earth and vpon euery altar where any consecrated host is hanged where he is neither felt seene nor perceiued and all at one time But the Church vntill the times of the Trent conuenticle euer beleeued that Christ had a solide visible and palpable bodie And certes very strange it were if the Catholike and mysticall bodie of Christ shold be visible not his natural body 6. They teach that Christ was a perfect man at the first instant of his conception and that he knew all things and was omniscient as man both then and alwaies But this neither the Church of England nor other Christian Church as yet could euer beleeue or comprehend 7. They teach that Christians are not to beléeue the Scriptures to be Canonicall vnlesse the Pope tell them so They say also that the authoritie of Scriptures in regard of vs doth depend vpon the Church that is as they say vpon the Pope Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes and Friars But the true Church hath alwaies taken this to be derogatorie to the Maiestie of God and of holy Scriptures 8. They teach that the Pope hath two swords and a triple crowne as King of Kings and Lord of Lords But the Church of England for a thousand yeares after Christ neuer saw nor beléeued any such thing Nay the English know wel y t Greg. the 7. was y e first y t took vp arms against y e Emperor 9. They teach that the Pope hath power to depose Kings to assoile subiects from their oaths of obedience But this Sigebertus Gemblacensis anno 1088. sheweth to haue vin reputed a nouelty if not an heresie The Church of England neuer saw any Pope attempt such a thing before King Iohns time and then the same did not beléeue it or allow it 10. The moderne synagogue of Rome teacheth that the Pope is the head foundation and spouse of Christes Church But no visible Church euer taught this vntill of late time the Church of England neuer held it nor beleeued it 11. Now they thinke it lawfull to suborne the subiects against their Prince and to hire priuie murtherers assassinors to cut y e throte of Kings excommunicate as appeareth by the excōmunications of Paule the 3. against Henry the 8. King of England of Pius the 5. and Sixtus the 5. against our late dread soueragine Quéene Elizabeth and by the doctrine of Emanuel Sa in his wicked Aphorismes Nay of late they haue attempted by gunpowder to blow vp the King and his Sonne albeit not excommunicated and to massacre murther the most eminent men in this kingdome and wholy to ouerthrow the state But y e Church of England euer taught obedience to Princes and disliked this damnable doctrine 12. They teach that the Pope is aboue all generall Councels But no Church euer beleeued this for a thousand foure hundred yeares The Doctors assembled at Constance and Basil decréed the contrary doctrine to be more Christian. 13. They teach that the Pope is supreme iudge of all matters of controuersie in religion But the Church of England euer thought it a matter absurd to make a blind man iudge of colours or an vnlearned irreligious fellow to be iudge of matters of learning and religion Now who knoweth not that most Popes are such Of Benedict that liued in the Emperour Henry the 2. his daies Sigebertus in ann Do. 1045. writeth that he was so rude ignorant that he could not reade his breuiary but was inforced to choose another to do it Benedictus saith he qui Simoniacè Papatum Rom. inuaserat cum esset rudis literarum alterum ad vices Ecclesiastici officij exequendas secum Papam Syluestrum 151. consecrari fecit 14. They now fall downe before the Pope and kisse his féet and when he list to goe abrode they cary him like an idoll vpon mens shoulders But no Church for aboue a thousand yeares after Christ did euer kisse the feet of Antichrist or adore him Nay the Church of England did alwayes know full well that S. Peter a farre holier and honester man then Clement the 8. or Paule the 5. would not suffer Cornelius to lye at his feet or to worship him 15. They now call the Pope God and acknowledge him to be their good Lord and God as appeareth by the Chapter Satis dist 96. and the glosse vpon Iohn the 22. his Extrauagant cum inter nonnullos de verb. signif Commonly the Canonists honor him as a God on the earth But no Church did euer abase it selfe so low as to vse these high termes to so base a fellow The Church of England though patient in bearing the Popes iniuries did neuer vse any such slauish formes of flattery 16. They beléeue that the Pope can change kingdomes and take a kingdome from one and giue it to another Potest mutare regna saith Bellarmine lib. 5. de Pontif. Rom. ca. 6. atque vni auferre atque alteri conferre But this no Church of God euer beléeued The Church of England certes when King Iohn would haue made his Kingdome tributary to the Pope disallowed and detested the fact and when the Pope would haue deposed King Henry the eight manfully resisted him So did the French likewise oppose themselues against Iulius the 2. that went about to wrest the Scepter out of the hands of Lewes the twelfth 17. They beléeue that Abbots and Friars may by priuilege of the Pope giue voices in Councels and that an Abbot may ordeine Clerks as appeareth by the practise of their late conuenticles and by the priuileges granted to the Benedictines But all ancient Councels declare that Councels are assemblies not of Monks Friars but of Bishops and all Churches according to the Canons of y e Apostles as they are called acknowledge that ordination of Ministers belongeth to true Bishops not to blockish statues called Popes 18. They beléeue that Cardinals only now haue voyce in the election of the Bishop of Rome But this no Church beleeued for a thousand yeares after Christ. The Church of England euer held rather the ancient Canons that gaue the election of Bishops to the clergy with the people then these late humorous Canons and Decretals of Popes 19. They beléeue that Monks are Clergy men and necessary members of the Church But no Church for a thousand yeares after Christ euer beléeued it 20. The Friars of the orders of Francis and
the Church beléeuing this point tooke her beginning 45. That the Priest doth worke three miracles as oft as he doth consecrate and that all Masse-priests are workers of miracles no true Church can beléeue or euer did beléeue Only the miraculous ideots that subiect themselues to Antichrist and receiue the Romish Catechisme prescribed them by the conuenticle of Trent are bound to beleeue it 46. For a thousand yeares Christes Church neuer knew any priuat Masse without Communion The Church therfore that vseth priuat Masses without Communion is but a new vpstart Church 47. The Communion vnder one kinde was not established by law before the conuenticle of Constance This therefore doth shew also that the Romish church communicating vnder one kind is but of late continuance 48. That Masses should be good to cure sick Horses and mesel Swine is but a late doctrine Of a late beginning therefore is that Church that beléeueth these things and sayth Masses for faire weather and rayne against the Plague and for all purposes yea for sick Horses and mesel Swine 49. The first that set downe any certeinty for 7. Sacraments was he that borowed the name of the conuenticle of Florence in the instruction giuen to the Armenians The 7. Sacramentary church therefore is but new 50. Then also were the Romanists taught what were the words of Popish Confirmation and extreme Unction But the Church of God hitherto neuer beléeued that these are Sacraments or were ordeined by Christ to be vsed by the Church in the forme prescribed by the conuenticle of Florence Would Parsons shew when and where Christ instituted these two Romish Sacraments he might resolue his folowers of a great doubt and do himselfe great honor 51. Bellarmine teacheth that all Sacraments do iustifie the receiuers ex opere operato and like it is that the Romanists as becommeth good schollers do follow their masters doctrine But sure no Church of Christ hitherto did euer beléeue that Christians were iustified by Mariage Orders Confirmation or extreme Unction 52. The true Church of Christ did euer beléeue that Christ did perfectly satisfie for the sinnes of the whole world It must néeds therfore be a new congregation and opposite to Christes Church that teacheth or beléeueth that euery Christian is to satisfie himselfe for the temporall paines of sinnes committed after Baptisme 53. In the conuenticle of Florence we reade that it was first decréed that such as departed this life without satisfaction for sinnes committed are purged with Purgatory fire and that such may be ŕelieued by Masses oraisons almes Bellarmine lib. 2. de Purgat ca. 13. telleth vs How by many reuelations it hath bene declared that soules are tormented there by Diuels It cannot therefore be an ancient Church whose faith is patched vp by such fellowes and consisteth of such strange nouelties 54. Whether Indulgences do profit soules in Purgatory ex condigno or only ex congruo the matter seemeth not yet resolued as may appeare by Bellarmines dispute lib. 1. de Purgator c. 14. In ancient time the Church of England was ignorant of the popish doctrine of Indulgences It cannot therefore be an ancient society that teacheth such new doctrines and is not yet resolued vpon them 55. Boniface the 8. did first institute Iubileys Clement the 6. from a hundred yeares brought the solemnity to 50. and Sixtus the 4. to 25. Where it standeth We may therefore conclude that this iubilating Church of Rome differed much from the Church of Christ before Constantines time and that it was not heard of before the dayes of Boniface the eight 56. The Romanists worship the Crosse and Crucifixe and Images of the Trinity with Latria But such an Image-worshipping Church is not to be found vntill such time as Thomas Aquinas taught this idolatrous doctrine 57. They kisse Images bow to them offer incense to them and set vp lights and say Masses before them But these tricks were not frequented in the Church of England for a thousand yeares nor euer in any true Christian Church were publikely receiued 58. They call vpon the blessed Virgin as their gate of saluation and pray to Saints and Angels as mediators of intercession They do also make vowes to them and say Masses in their honor all which proue the erection of their congregations to be new and of a late deuice 59. They beleeue that S. Rock and S. Sebastian cure the plague that Apollonia cureth toothach that S. Lewes hath horses in his protection and S. Antony pigges of which all true Christians may be much ashamed 60. With the Collyridians the Romanists offer a rake in the honor of the blessed Virgin and with many other heretikes bring in diuers heresies and not only nouelties Finally for their owne impure traditions they leaue the obseruance of Gods holy lawes Let them therefore henceforth leaue to vaunt of the antiquity of their Church or to tell vs of nouelties séeing their Church holding these nouelties must néeds be new and of a late erection CHAP. XIII That Parsons maketh no conscience to wrest and corrupt holy Scriptures THus we sée the substance of Parsons his two first bookes of Three Conuersions quashed and brought to nothing But because he hath committed diuers other faults which in the sequele of our discourse we could not particularly insist vpon we haue thought it good to referre their further examination to this place For whatsoeuer bragges his followers do make of this braue worke yet by examination it will appeare that the Author hath fouly abused and mistaken Scriptures corrupted falsified and falsely alledged Fathers and other Authors bragged of himselfe and his conforts most vainely taken things in question as granted most simply erred in historyes and other authors most childishly applyed Scriptures and spoken of God and matters concerning God most blasphemously behaued himselfe toward his Prince most disloyally lyed and calumniated honest men most impudently alledged matters making against himselfe most sottishly and to reduce all into a briefe summe that this whole treatise is nothing else but a fardle of false allegations corruptions lyes and fooleries That he maketh no conscience to wrest and peruert the words of holy Scriptures it appeareth by these particulars In the front of his booke which he like a man of a front face without shame entituleth A treatise of Three Conuersions of England he tumbleth two sentences of Scripture together and maketh one of two He doth also wrest them both contrary to the meaning of the holy Ghost For whereas Deuter. 4. whence his first place is taken we are willed to enquire of ancient times and thereof to learne Gods great works in deliuering his people he applyeth the words of that text to the times of late Popes and to their trash and traditions And out of the words Deut. 32. whence his second place is taken where we are commanded to remember the old dayes of our forefathers c. he instnuateth that we are to looke back to the Popes
and not by the Popes Decretals Finally he sheweth pag. 475. out of S. Augustines 48. Epistle ad Vincentium that the Church is sometime shadowed and obscured which plainely ouerthroweth the Popish doctrine concerning the illustrious and perpetuall visibilitie of the Church of Christ. If then any simple Papist heretofore haue bene seduced by this fabulous discourse of Rob. Parsons to beleeue that the inhabitants of this land haue bene thrice conuerted to that faith which now is professed at Rome or to giue credit to the hereticall doctrine of the Romanists let him reforme his opinion and beware how he admit such trifling bookes wherein Scriptures are so wickedly abused and Fathers so corruptly alledged and lyes so commonly interlaced And if he loue Rob. Parsons let him admonish him hereafter to haue more care what he writeth and to desist from wresting and abusing Scriptures from falsisying and corrupting the testimonie of Fathers from Thrasonicall bragging and yet beggarly crauing matters in controuersie from his impious spéeches against God and disloyall termes against his Prince and finally from lying slandering and impertinent babling Otherwise as his faults and errors appeare many and grieuous so it will manifestly appeare that it is Gods iudgement that so wicked a cause should be defended so weakly leudly and wickedly God giue him grace to repent him of his inueterate malice against true Christians and confirme all Christians in the truth that they giue no eare to the fabulous tales and leasings of such leud wicked and malitious companions FINIS The Contents of the Discourse precedent THe Praeface conteineth a briefe examination of Robert Parsons his Epistle Dedicatorie of the addition to it and of his Praeface The 1. Chapter disputeth this question Whether S. Peter the Apostle preached the Gospell in Britaine or no. The 2. Chapter sheweth what we are to thinke of the pretended Conuersion of Lucius King of Britaine and of the Britains to Christian Religion by Eleutherius Bishop of Rome and his Agents The 3. Chapter resolueth vs of Austin the Monkes coming into England and of his preaching and proceeding here In the 4. Chapter is proued that the moderne doctrine of the Church of Rome which the Church of England reiecteth was either oppugned by S. Peter Eleutherius Gregory and Austin or at the least vnknowne vnto them The 5. Chapter conteineth a briefe answer to Parsons his fond and friuolous discourse wherein desperatly he vndertaketh to proue that the faith now professed in Rome is the same and no other then was taught by Eleutherius and Gregory in time past The 6. Chapter discouereth the vanitie and foolerie os Parsons his whole Treatise of three Conuersions of England The 7. Chapter bringeth euident demonstrations that the late Popes of Rome haue deserued nothing of England or the English nation but hatred and detestation The 8. Chapter containeth proofes concluding that the Popes of Rome of this time are not the successors of Peter or Eleutherius but rather of Pope Ioane The 9. Chapter sheweth that the succession of Romish Popes is neither marke of the Church nor meane of triall of the truth The 10. Chapter proueth the Church of England to be the true Church of God and to hold the Apostolike and true Catholike faith The 11. Chapter refuteth Parsons his idle discourse Part. 2. of his Treatise wherein he pretendeth to seeke for the originall and descent of the Church of England from the Apostles times downward The 12. Chapter sheweth that the moderne Church of Papists was not visible in the world for more then a thousand yeares after Christ and neuer was fully setled nor plainely visible in England Chap. 13. therein is declared how litle conscience Parsons maketh to wrest and corrupt holy Scriptures The 14. Chapter containeth a catalogue of diuers falsifications false allegations and corruptions of the Fathers of the Church and other authors committed by Parsons The 15. Chapter exhibiteth certaine examples of Parsons his Thrasonicall bragges and beggarly crauing of matters in question The 16. Chapter alledgeth arguments of Parsons his grosse ignorance and childish fooleries The 17. Chapter containeth a Table of certaine speeches of Parsons in respect of God blasphemous in respect of his duty to his Prince disloyall The 18. Chapter containeth a Table of Parsons his lies calumniations and false allegations The 19. Chapter sheweth how Parsons his texts and allegations for the most part make against himselfe and his cause FINIS a Euseb. de vit Constant. lib. 3. ca. 62. a Euseb. de vit Constant. lib. 3. ca 63. a Part. 1. ca. 1. a Part. 1. ca. 1. pa. 19. a In Eleutherio 1 Part. 1. cap. 4. a Part. 1. p. 80 a Lib. 1. hist. Angl. cap. 26. a Pag. 113. a Pag. 123. a Mallb 20. Marc. 10. Luc. 22. a In Chronico a Part. 1. ca. 1. a Pag. 333. and pages following
for the writers of Scriptures when we faithfully beleeue that the holy Ghost was the author of the booke Quis haec scripserit saith he valdè superuacuè quaeritur cùm tamen author libri Spiritus Sanctus fideliter credatur Which is as much as if he should say that the authoritie of Scriptures in regard of vs proceedeth not from the writer much lesse from the teacher or propounder but from the holy Ghost 3. Now the Romanists teach that the books of the Machabees and such like are canonicall Scriptures and equall to other books of the old Testament But S. Peter 2. Ep. 1. where by the word of y e Prophets he vnderstandeth y e Scriptures excludeth from the ranke of Scriptures of y e old Testament al books not written by Prophets of which sort are the books of the Machabees being written long after the times of Malachy the last of the Prophets Gregor lib. 19. moral c. 17. doth say plainly that y e books of the Machabees are not canonical 4. Now they affirme that the Pope is the foundation head of the Church But the Apostle Paul sheweth vs that Christ is the head of the Church and that the same is built vpon the Apostles and Prophets Christ being the chiete corner stone and we may not thinke that the Apostle Peter taught any other doctrine Greg. lib. 4. Epist. 82. naming Peter and other Apostles saith they were not heads but members of the Church Sub vno capite saith he omnes membra sunt Ecclesiae Neither is it credible that Eleutherius or Austin taught any other doctrine 5. When Cornelius as we reade Act. 10. did fall at Peters feet and adored him Peter would not suffer it And Gregory and Eleutherius were far from admitting men to kisse their slippers But now the Romanists giue the bastonata to those that wil not worship the Pope and ordinarily the Pope requireth adoration and suffereth great Princes to kisse his feete Of late some are said to haue disputed that Latria is due to the Pope 6. Now also the bishops of Rome haue giuen ouer preaching and feeding the flocke But the Apostle Peter exhorteth all Bishops and Elders to feed the flocke that dependeth on them And Greg. in pastor p. 2. saith That all bishops take on them the office of a Preacher or Cryer Praeconis officium suscipit saith he quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit 7. Now the Popes carry themselues as Lords ouer their flocke and entitle themselues Oecumenicall or Vniuersall bishops But Peter 1. Epi. 5. forbiddeth Elders to beare themselues as Lords ouer Gods heritage And Greg. lib. 4. Epist. 78. 80. condemneth this title of Uniuersall and Oecumenicall bishop as proud and Antichristian 8. Now they that take vpon them to curse kings and to raise rebellion against them and to thrust them out of their royall seates as appeareth by the wicked Buls of Paule the 3. against Henry the 8. of England of Pius the 5. Sixtus the 5. against Q Elizabeth and the wicked Decretais of Greg. the 7. against Henry the 4. and of Gregorie the 9. and Innocent the 4. against Friderick the 2. But the Apostle Peter neuer cursed Nero albeit he was a most cursed fellow nor went about to depose him Nay contrariwise he exhorteth all Christians to submit themselues to kings and gouernors Likewise Eleutherius Gregorie were obedient to temporall Princes Greg. li. 4. ep 78. calleth the Emperor his most pious Lord and submitteth himself euen in an Ecclesiastical cause to his order Pijssimi Domini scripta suscepi saith he vt cum fratre consacerdote meo debeam esse pacificus 9. Now they teach that the reprobate wicked men professing the Romish faith are true members of the Catholike Church as appeareth by Bellarmines discourse de Ecclesia militante They include the same also within the precincts of the Romish Church But S. Peter 1. Epist. 1. sheweth that it consisteth of the elect according to Gods foreknowledge dispersed in Pontus Galatia and other countries Gregorie in Cantic 4. saith that the holy Church is called hortus conclusus that is a garden walled round about because it is of euery side so enuironed with a wall of charitie that no reprobate person may come within the number of the elect Likewise in the 28. book of his Morals he concludeth all the elect within the measure of the Church Neither doth it appeare that either Eleutherius or Austin did teach otherwise 10. They now teach vs to doubt of our election and saluation But S. Peter exhorteth vs 2. Epist. 1. to make our calling and election sure Which were a most vaine exhortation and request if no man could assure himself of his saluation Neither did Eleutherius or Gregory or Austin in this dissent from him 11. They now teach priests to offer for quicke and dead and Christians to receiue the Sacrament vnder one kind But Peter kept Christs institution inuiolably which sheweth that the Sacrament is to be receiued vnder both the kinds of bread and wine and not to be offered for quick and dead Gregory also homil 22. in Euang. sheweth that the people receiued both kinds Quid sit sanguis Agni saith he speaking to the people iam non audiendo sed bibendo didicistis 12. They make their followers beleeue that Christs naturall bodie is really vnder the formes of bread and wine although it cannot be felt nor séene there But Peter knew that Christ had no other body but such a one as might be felt and séene And Gregorie lib. 14. moral c. 31. 32. imputeth this as an heresie to Eutychius that mens bodies after the resurrection should be impalpable and inuisible 13. They giue out that we may redéeme our sins with siluer and gold buying and procuring Indulgences and with our owne satisfactions both in this life and in Purgatorie But S. Peter 1. Epist. 1. saith expresly We are not redeemed with siluer and gold but by the precious bloud of Christ. Gregorie likewise in Psal. 5. Peenit saith that our Redeemer is called excelsus or high because none beside God could redéeme vs out of the hands of our enemies And lib. Moral 9-cap 30. Non valent virtute propria saith he ab humano genere supplicia sequuturae mortis expleri that is No man by his owne power can satisfie for the paines in the world to come 14. Now in celebration of the holy Eucharist they haue added a number of prayers for quicke and dead and prayers and confessions to Saints Angels But the Apostles as Gregorie testifieth lib. 7. Epist. 63. did consecrate saying onely the Lords prayer And in his time and long after the formes now vsed were not receiued 15. Neither Saint Peter nor Eleutherius nor Gregorie nor Austin did make the traditions of the Church equall to the word of God written Nay Gregorie vpon the Canticles cap. 2. saith that in Christ alone we find wholesome meate But if in Christ
alone then not in the Popes traditions 16. None of them did euer speake vnreuerently of Scriptures or call them a killing letter or a matter of strife or a nose of waxe or a shipmans hose or such like as do our aduersaries 17. None of them did make the Latine translation of the Bible more authenticall then the originall Tert. Nay Peter albeit he had the gift of tongues yet did he not write in Latine but in Greeke 18. Neither did Eleutherius or Gregorie call himselfe the spouse or rocke of the Church or Christs Vicar or substitute Nor did either S. Peter or Austin allow such proud titles 19. Neither did Gregorie the first nor any before him call himselfe King of Kings or Supreme Monarch of the Church Nay Gregorie rather delighted in the name and title of seruant of seruants and the rest of the bishops of Rome in ancient time were humble men and detested these proud titles 20. In the times of Gregory and Austin neither the number of Sacraments nor those formes rites which now the Synagogue of Rome vseth were established If Parsons will maintaine the contrary let him make proofe that the words vsed in the popish sacraments of Confirmation and Extreme Vnction were knowne practised in those times Let him also shew that Priests were then appointed to sacrifice for quick dead Now if he cannot find these formes in the time of Gregory he will be much more puzzeled to find them in the daies of Eleutherius or Peter 21. The Master of the Sentences lib. 4. dist 11. confesseth frankly that he knoweth not whether the conuersion in the Eucharist be substantial or not Qualis sit illa conuersio sayth he an formalis vel substantialis vel alterius generis definire non sufficio Much more difficultie then shall Parsons find to prooue his Transubstantiation out of the doctrine of Austin Gregory Eleutherius and Peter 22. S. Peter knew no other Priesthood but that which was common to all Christians neither did he acknowledge any sacrifices of Christians but spirituall Neither Eleutherius nor Gregory nor Austin euer heard that a Masse-priest did either offer vp Christs body and bloud really or as we reade in the Canon of the Masse take vpon him to be a mediator for Christes body and bloud 23. It is impious to thinke that either Peter or Gregory or any in those times beléeued that hogges and dogges eating consecrated hoasts did with their mouthes eate and swallow downe into their belly the body of Christ as the Schoolemen and most Papists now teach 24. S. Peter neuer put the Sacrament in pixes nor adored it as his Lord and God Neither do we find that either Elcutherius or Gregory practised any such matter For it was first ordred by Honorius the third that y e Sacrament should be kept in pixes and worshipped after the moderne fashion 25. In the Romish ordinall we finde no prayers for the dead nor any priuat masses nor masses for warre peace plagues or for hogges and horses and such like vses If then the same be thought to haue procéeded for the most part from Gregory and from others that succéeded him it is certaine that these abuses came in after his time 26. The forme of hosts and singing cakes not much bigger then a counter and the image of the crucifixe vpon them and the idolatrous worship of Latria giuen to them was vtterly vnknowne in Gregories time and long after 27. The old ordinall of Rome doth shew that the confession of penitents was not made to Saints or Angels in Gregories time or before him 28. Neither in Gregories time nor before him do we find that any godly Bishop commanded that the publike Liturgie of the Church should be sayd in Latin or Gréeke or other language not vnderstood by the common people or that he suffred the Sacraments to be administred in tongues not knowne of the vulgar sort Nay the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 14. sheweth plainely that praiers in a tongue not vnderstood are fruitlesse which doctrine no question antiquitie much respected 29. Now the Romanists will haue all Churches to follow Rome as their Mistresse in all rites and ceremonies But Gregory as Bede testifieth lib. 1. hist. Angl. c. 28. gaue Austin liberty to chuse out of all Churches what rites he thought most conuenient Ex singulis quibusque Ecclesijs saith he quae pia quae religiosa quae recta sunt elige 30. Neither did Austin nor Gregory consecrate a Paschal lambe at Easter after the Iewish manner or hallow water to driue away diuels and for remission of venial sinnes as is now practised by the Papists 31. The law of auricular confession and the necessity and forme thereof was first established by Innocent the third c. Omnis vtriusque sexus de poenit remis It is not therfore likely that y t same should be practised in Gregories time or before 32. Gregory would not haue Saints images broken or defaced in Churches yet did neither he nor any Bishop of Rome before him allow the worship of them Quòd ea adorari vetuisses omnino laudauimus saith he lib. 9. epist. 9. ad Serenum speaking of images of Saints And again Si quis imagines facere voluerit minimè prohibe adorare verò imagines omnibus modis deuita that is if any will make images foibid them not but by all meanes auoid the worship of images But Peter and Eleutherius neither worshipped images nor suffered them to be made in Churches None of them certes nor Austin himselfe did thinke or teach that the crosse or crucifixe is to be worshipped with Latria Austin comming to Canterbury had a crosse of siluer and the image of our Sauiour painted in a table as Bede lib. 1. hist. Angl. ca. 26. reporteth but he sayth not that either the crosse or image was worshipped with Latria or otherwise either by him or by others 33. Both Gregory and Austin vsed Letanies But neither did they pray to the virgin Mary nor to Peter nor Paule nor to other Saints Austins Letany as we may reade in Bede hist. Angl. lib. 1. ca. 16. was nothing but a praier directed to God 34. Gregory and Austin estéemed much the reliques of Saints yet did neither of them digge their bodies out of the graues and put them in shrines to be worshipped as is the fashion of papists of our time 35. Neither did Gregory take vpon him to canonize or vncanonize Saints or to appoint Masses to be said or holidayes to be kept in their honor And if this will not be prooued of Gregory much lesse will it be shewed that either Eleucherius or Peter euer taught or allowed any such canonization of Saints or Romish worship giuen them 36. Gregory allowed Purgatory as it seemeth for small faults yet did he not beléeue that men did satisfie in Purgatory for the temporall paines of mortall sinnes nor that the bishop of Rome by his indulgences could deliuer men out of Purgatory As for