alleadgeth the Doctours most is most praysed of the audience as you vvell know which is a pittifull thing in thē and ridiculous in the Preacher vvho cannot but know if he haue read any of them himselfe that the Fathers detest vtterly that Doctrine which hee wresteth them to confirme and in the meane time the pore audience thinketh that they were of this new Religion vvhose simplicitie therein is most pittifullie abused by the Preacher THE XI REASON Triall of Trueth IT is manifest by the Holye Scriptures that it appertaineth to the Church to try to discerne spirits as also to determine to decide doubts And agreeably therunto shee hath in all ages mastered ouer-ruled captiuated the vnderstanding of euerye one were hee neuer so wise neuer so learned or had he neuer so extraordinary giftes except he obstinatly defended an errour which if he did hee was condemned for an heretike so came to nothing The Chatholike Church I saye directed by the Holye Ghost hath euer separated from the trueth all moales all singular opinions al errours and corruptions in euerie mans workes and writings in such sorte as that easilie and securelye euerie one maie knowe the trueth And certainelie the Protestantes although they saye that they giue no credite to the CHVRCH but so farre forth as they finde in their Scriptures doe can not otherwise but receaue the same Scriptures vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit also the three Creedes of the Apostles of Athanasius and of Nice and some Articles of beleefe as the Holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father the Sonne yet as from one beginning and many tearmes as Person Trinitie Consubstantiall Sacraments c. which none coulde euer haue inuented but onely the Catholike Church Neyther is it possible for any man to know whether this Bible which is vsed amongest Christians be the true word of God indeede or some fained thing but onely vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit And Saint Augustine confesseth plainely that he would not beleeue the Ghospell but that the authoritie of the Catholike Church moued him thereunto Con. Epist Manich. c. 5. lib. 2. de doct Chr. cap. 8. And by the same Churches authoritie hee was mooued to beleeue the bookes of Tobie Iudith Canticles Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabees c. as he himself sincerelie affirmeth And surely it is wōderfull to see how the Church of God receauing the Olde Testament from the Iewes and manifesting to the world the Canon of the Holy bookes of the new Testamēt hath in al times in so many alterations and chaunges kept from the destruction corruption of Heretikes Iewes and Panims the whole authenticall corps of Holy Scripture in such maner as no Heretike in the world can charge her with adding or diminishing the least iote thereof Iudge you here whether the madnes of these new fellowes be worthie to be wondred at or no who doe credit and beleeue the Church in this point and will not doe the same in others Why should they rather trust the Church in this thē in other things And I would euery man would here consider the wonderfull integritie of the Catholike Romane Church in keeping the Holy Bible so entire and vncorrupted these fifteene hundred yeares together at the least and the atheisticall treacherie of these of the the new Religion who occupying no Bible nor hauing to doe with the holy scriptures for a thousand yeares togeather as they themselues confesse haue after the vniust vvresting it out of the handes of the iust possessors thereof robbed the Church of so many whole bookes besides of so manie partes and particles of the same What these fellowes would bring the Holy Bible vnto in time if they shuld hold on they may easily gesse vvho know their manifold corruption therof in so few yeares And yet forsooth they vvill haue all controuersies to be tried by only scriptures which if they were not by them corrupted falselie translated yet could theye neuer finde out any secure truth by them only for that none of them alloweth anie other mans exposition but his owne and in so dealing they can but haue a gesse or an opinion or fantasie but no faith at all Which thing to declare more plainely I aske the Protestant how he relying vpon only scripture can shew mee certainely vvhich bookes be Scripture and which not And if hee be vnlearned how knoweth hee that the translation which hee vseth is truely made out of Hebrew Greeke Latine And then how is hee sure of the sence exposition And if he be neuer so learned haue neuer so many helps all that hee can search and finde out is but a priuate mans opinion and consequentlie his Faith which hee seemeth to haue is grounded vpon his owne particular iudgement and so indeed is no faith at all but an opinion onely as I said before for faith must haue Gods expresse authoritie for her foundation Here you may consider the miserable state and condition of your newe Ghospellers in that forsaking the Catholike and vniuersall faith of Christendome deliuered to thē by the vniuersal Church as founded vppon Scripture vvhich Church Christ and his Apostles gaue thē expresse Commission to beleeue which was properly Faith founded vpon a rocke which could not faile in that forsaking I say that fortres they cast themselues into the waues of new opinions whereby they haue no certaintie at all but euery one chuseth vvhat hee liketh to himselfe vvhich choise is properly called Heresie and so the word signifieth And let anie Protestant in our Countrie of England tell mee why he doth rather beleeue his owne iudgement in points of Religion then the iudgement of Luther Caluin and Beza whome he thinketh were so excellent men for euery one that hath any learning knoweth that they taught otherwise then now is taught in England This you may plainely see the only touchstone of truth to be the Catholike Church which cannot faile and that they who cleaue to her iudgement haue most vndoubtedly the truth whereas on the other side they who ground only vpon Scriptures expounding them according to their owne fantasie and braine playing the Maisters and Pilots and Boat-swaines themselues admitting no iudge no interpreter no antiquitie nor any other manner of tryall which is the greatest madnesse and malediction that can be must needes be destitute of all certaintie and of all Religion and of all stay and of all foundation and of all rule and of all order and must needes wrangle and iangle without end and without meanes to make an end and must needes cause Nouelties without number and libertie of life without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to restraine them and to conclude they haue no meanes to rest vntill the end in Atheisme THE XII REASON The vse and custome of the Church THE vse custome and practise of the Church hath as it vvas in the prime thereof beene alvvaies an infallible rule to
hath yet a far greater sway in the world then any other religion euer had or hath And worthie it is to be noted that in no land nor countrie vnder Heauen euer was or is any persecution of any moment against Papists as you terme them or against the Priests of that religion in regard that they be Papists or Priests made by authoritie from the Sea of Rome but only in England And in verie deede the vvhole world doth wonder that little England dare and is not ashamed to doe that which neuer was seene in the world before for let a Seminary priest as they cal him keepe him out of England and hee is safe enough in any region vnder heauen This I say by the way for that it greeueth me at the very hart to heare that my deare country doth persecute that religion which all the world hath ioifully embraced or at the least doth willingly tolerate as though she were wiser then all the world besides is or euer hath beene or then al her Elders Or as though Englishe Protestantes knewe and sawe more than all the whole Learned men of Christendome haue done for so many ages together And I pray you tell me if an hearbe should be presented to you to eat that al learned Physitions for a thowsand yeeres together haue iudged to bee rācke poison only some one or two of later yeeres haue begun to teache the contrary without actuall experience whether it be so or no but onlie by discourse and newe arguments of their owne braine would you abstaine to eate it or no Or if an action should be offered you there in England which by all old Lawyers iudgement of former times hath beene taken for high-treason Ipso facto consequently losse of life and lands though some newer lawyers were of contrary opinion that nowe it is not woulde you not looke twise before you would leape except you were out of your wittes But in this other case although all auncient Diuines and Doctours for aboue a thowsand yeres together haue taught the Catholike Romane Religion to be true indeede and only Friar Luther a loose Apostata and Sir Iohn Caluin a seare-backt Priest for Sodomy haue begun in our daies to teache the contrary for feare of beeing punished by the Magistrates of the said Catholike Religion for wicked and badde life yet will they Protestants rushe out cast at all and will hazarde Hell and all Eternity of tormentes thereon depending Who will denie this to bee headlong and hare-braine dealing Surely this vniuersal consent of Christendome against two or three so contemptible authors of nouelties are more than sufficient to induce anye man of reason to looke about him and to consider what hee doth and whether he may aduenture his soule vpon such inequality of testimonies as this is betweene two or three Nouellants and twenty millions of holy graue auncientes and no doubt in Westminster hall this difference of witnesses woulde preuaile with anye equall and discreet iudge or iurie Neither may the Protestantes nowe at length glory in their great number as some of them haue donne for that their Religion is there in England in Scotlande and some thereof in Irelande Apol. Eccles Ang. and in the Lowe-countries in some parts of Germany and a fewe of them in Fraunce for they neuer yet passed into Asia nor into Affrica nor into Greece nor into many places of Europe much lesse into the Indies But indeed if you rightly scanne their Doctrine you shall finde that your Religion Protestantine of Englande is no where in the worlde else that Englishe seruice contained in your boke of Common praier is vnknowen condemned of all other Nations and people vnder the cope of Heauen So that in very deed the doctrine of your Protestantes is taught or receaued no where but in Englande and the Puritane Doctrine of Scotlande the contrarietie thereof duelye considered is no where but in Scotlande the Lutherane Doctrine taught in Denmarke is no where but in Denmarke and in a fewe places of Germany the libertine Doctrine taught in the Low-countries is no where but in the Low-countries and the like may be said of other sectes Lastly I doe heere consider with my selfe if I should refuse the Catholike Romane Religion so vniuersallie taught receaued professed through out all the worlde so many ages together and embrace any of these newe silly sectes aduenturing my soul therupon what all my progenitours ancestours if they were here againe and sawe me doe so would say vnto me I gesse they would vse such speeches as these what doest thou condemne all our iudgementes and doings Doest thou maligne that Religion which we so highly esteemed and sought to aduaunce Doest thou sende vs al to hel and damnation Wilt thou iudge thy selfe wiser and more in Gods fauour than any of vs were And many such like speeches I thinke they would vse THE SIXT REASON Miracles True miracles were neuer wrought but by them who were of true religion for that they are donne only by the power of God Now it is so manifest that there hath beene almost an infinite number of myracles wrought by those who were of the Catholike Romane Religion and neuer any by them who were not of that Church since Christes time as he who shal deny it may be proued no lesse impudent and shamelesse than he who shal denie that euer there was any Masse saide in times past in England or that euer there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that ther be any such countries as the East West Indies Which things if a man should deny would he not of all men be deemed not only impudent but madde drunken or a foole And surely the one is no lesse knowne by al approued writers and eie witnesses than the other For as in the Gospell and in the Actes the holy Scriptures witnesse that miracles were wrought by Christ and his Apostles so doe most approued authors of euery age vntil this day testifie and recorde the continuance of the working thereof in the Catholike Romane Church the which Authors for the most part were eie-witnesses of the saide miracles as for exāple In the second age were wrought those wonderful miracles by the Christian Souldiers in the armie of M. Antonius Tert. in lib ad Scap. in apol c. 5 Euseb lib. 5. hist c. 5. Oros lib. 7. hist c. 15 which Tertullian Eusebius Orosius the Emperoor himselfe haue recorded In the third age were the miracles of Gregorius Thaumaturgus witnesses S. Basil lib. de spiritu sancto Cap. 29. Gregory Nyssen in vita eius Hierom de viris illustrib Ruffinus lib. 7. hist cap. 25. In the fourth of S. Anthony Hilarion Martine Nicolas and of others In the fifte those which S. Augustine setteth downe lib. 22. de ciuit Cap. 8. In the sixt those which S. Gregory maketh mention of lib. 3. dial Cap. 2. 3. In the seauenth those
but the Protestantes force the Bible to followe them THE IX REASON Councells THe Church of God hath euer bin accustomed when any heresie did spring vp therein to gather a Councell of Bishoppes Prelates and of other Learned Men in which the trueth was approued and the heresie condemned And whosoeuer were condemned by such Councells confirmed by the See Apostolike were euer deemed and in very deede were heretiks for such at length were taken of all men in the end vanished away So were the Arrians condemned in the Nyceene Counsel the Macedonians in the Councel of Constantinople the Nestorians in the Ephesyne the Eutychians in the Chalcedonian others in other Councels Al which heretiks although they flourished for a time and drewe manye people yea Emperours Kings States Countries after them yet in time they came to nothing the councels which condemned thē were vniuersally embraced And no doubt the late famouse councel of Trent which by the same autority order hath cōdemned the Protestants other sectaries for heretiks will in time be euery where receiued and these newe fellowes by it anathematized will vtterlye vanishe away For indeed if a man consider the matter throughly he shal plainly perceiue that these sects haue no likelihoode of continuance by reason they haue no meanes to gather a Councel much lesse to decide matters therein if it were gathered being without an head as they are euery one cleauing only to his own priuate opinion therfore can neuer all meete together or if by anye power they were compelled therunto they haue no means to agre in one for that they wil not yeeld to any iudgement but what is framed of their own braine therefore it must needs be amongst them as we see it to be Quot homines tot sententiae So many men so many opinions Lastly I would haue you here to marke the dealing of heretiks who play by generall Councels euē as they play by the scriptures for they take leaue as they luste as best serueth their turne There haue bin in all general Councels 18. Al gathered allowed confirmed by one the selfesame autority of which the Greeks receiue only 7. the Lutherans Concil Florent sess 5. 6. Magdebur cent 8. cap 9. cent 9. cap. 9. the first 6. the Eutychians which are in Asia onely the first 3. the Nestorians which are yet in the East onely the first 2. the Trinitaries which are in Hungary and Poleland receiue none at all Beholde the libertie of your Gospell THE X. REASON Fathers THE Catholike Romane Religion is most plainely taught by all the auncient Fathers of the first second third fourth fift and sixt hundred yeares after Christ and hath bin euer without al controuersie taught of the Fathers of euerie age since vntill this day That religion did Dyonysius Areopagita Saint Paule his Scholler so manifestly teach Causaeus dialogue 5 11. as Causaeus a french Protestant called him for his labour a doating old man much like as his Father Luther had said before him that Areopagita his vvorkes vvere like to dreames In Capt. Babilonica and most pernicious The same faith was taught of saint Ignatius Clemens Iustinus Tertullian Cyprian Irenaeus and in one word all the auncient Fathers not one excepted This is very plaine in that the Catholikes are put compelled by the Protestants to defend maintaine and vpholde the credit and authoritie of the saide Fathers for the Protestants rayle at thē the Catholiks defend them the Protestants refuse theyr authoritie the Catholikes hold it for good the Protestants will not be tried by them the Catholikes appeale to theyr iudgement and to be briefe the Protestāts make no more account of them longer then they can wrest them to serue their turne then thy doe of Beuis of Southampton or of Adam Bell. And in naming the Protestants I include all the Puritanes for I am not ignorant how the saide Protestants are driuen by the said Puritanes to defende the Fathers and also are called papists for theyr labour And hereby it is manifest that the Fathers are with the Catholikes and neyther with the Protestants nor Puritanes And whether all those auncients being men of excellent wittes of continuall studie of wonderfull learning feruent in prayer holie in conuersation greatlie in Gods fauour mightie in vvorking of miracles adorned with many such like giftes were more like to vnderstand the Scriptures freshly deliuered vnto them from the Apostles themselues who also no doubt taught their schollers the true sense thereof and they theirs from one age to another or these late foolish vnstudied vnlearned prophane and arrogant fellowes be iudges your selues But indeed it is no maruaile though the protestants doe contemne yea reuile the Fathers Luther in Capt. Bab. Causaeus vbi supra Centuriat centur 2. cap. 10. Caluin instit cap. 13 num 29. Centur. 2. cap. 5. Causaeus dialog 8. 11. 6 beza in act Apost ca. 23. in saying they taught thinges most like to dreames they were doating oldmen they had foule blemishes and tolde trifling tales they had weedes and dregges blasphemyes and monsters they were childish dull and destitute of God babled they knew not what they were bewitched of the Diuell as damned as the Diuell blasphemers naughty wicked for they who cannot endure certaine set times to fast in no meruaile though they reuile S. Basil S. Gregory Nazianzene S. Leo S. Chrisostome which wrote such notable Sermons of Lent and of other fasting dayes then vsed as they are now in the Catholike Church And they who be giuen to Lust to Gluttonie to Ambition to Couetousnes and doe teach such doctrine as necessarilie bringeth foorth such fruites must needes contemne S. Basil S. Chrisostome S. Hierome and S. Augustine who haue written so excellently of the Order Rule Vertues of Monkes And generally whereas the Doctrine of the auncient Fathers is cleane contrarie to the Doctrine of Protestants no meruaile though they be reiected by thē as they euer haue bin of Heretikes And although Iwell in his Sermon at Paules Crosse most impudently challenged the Catholiks to bring any thing for certaine points of theyr Religion out of the Doctours of the first sixe hundred yeares yet Laurence Humfrey his pue fellowe Humfridus in vita Iwelli confessed that hee gaue and graunted to the papists more than was meete and vvas to himselfe iniurious c. and so hee confessed against his companion that the FATHERS of the Primitiue Church were on the Papists side and consequently not on theirs And yet because they haue founde by experience that to teach Doctrine contrary to the auncient Fathers soundeth but badlie in the peoples eares in theyr Sermons they gladlie now then alleadge the authoritie of some Doctor or Father vvhen they can by anie meanes wring or wrest any peece of a sentence so as it may seeme to make for them And indeede hee vvho
all for at Wittenberge he was a Lutheran at Colone halfe a Catholike in England a Zwinglian euerie where of euerie Sect. I could easily shew the like dealing against theyr consciences and knowledge in diuers other principall Protestants namelie in your countriman I well who in citing and coating Scriptures Doctors Councels and other Authors doth so rent and teare in peeces the text inuert the sense chaunge and alter the words and pull out of the sentence by peece meale some little parcell which is forced to sound for his purpose whē as he cannot but see plainelie that the Author speaketh cleane contrarie as any man may wonder to see a man so desperatly and damnably shamelesse as openly in the view of the whole world to shew himselfe without God or conscience but mine intended breuitie will not admit any moe allegations in this place When I had found out the Premisses to bee moste true and had duelie weighed with my selfe the dealinges of these new Gospellers I thought it better to aduenture my soule vvith all the vvhole Christian world of all ages who had their consciences most quiet caulme and ioyfull then with a few desperate fellows who thus deale against their owne knowledge and consciences and so shewe themselues most impudent shamelesse to the whole world THE XXII REASON Vnreuerent dealing THE Catholike Romane Church hath euer both in doing speaking and euery manner of way borne great repect and reuerence towardes Gods holy Saints and towards all holy things in regard of him from whom proceedeth all holines as in reuerent entring into the Church in reuerent taking of holie-water in reuerent behauiour towards the holy Aultars towards pictures images of the saints of God in reuerent and meeke kneeling in reuerent deuout praying in all reuerence and attention at the holie Masse and in euery action and iest which Catholikes vse in the Church you may see great reuerence humble veneration But contrariwise amongst the Protestants as all thinges are prophane so are they moste prophanely vsed They enter into theyr Churches with no greater reuerence thē they enter into tauerns they bow or make reuerence to nothing therin for that they haue made all Sacred things away if any of them kneele it is but vpon thornes for full soone are they vp againe thē with their hats vpon their heads they eyther iangle or talke or walke or sitte staring about them as if they waited to see when the players would come foorth vppon the stage or else the good fellowes go to the ale-house where now thē they find their minister drinking his morning draught before he go to his seruice to drink a pot or two of nappy ale that thereby they may the better hold out the seruice time during which space they stand gazing staring vpō their Minister as a Countrie clowne which neuer was in London before doth gaze when he goeth downe Cheap-side at the Gold-smithes stauls or els they stare one vpon another like as theeues do when they are taken in a robery or els some of them walke without in the warme sonne make theyr bargaines and generallie you doe see no more deuotion there then you doe in a Faire or Market no man nor womā saying one praier but all waiting for that which they cā neuer haue in that state the peace of God The which being hastely chopped vp they rush and gush out of the Church as water doth out of a mill pole when the flood yeates are sodainely plucked vp no man moouing lip or legge but striuing vvho shall be soonest at his pottage Neither doe they vse any reuerence to their Minister no nor yet to his wife but account of thē as they are indeed most abiect persons And no meruaile when as their superintendents whom they tearme Bishops are little esteemed of among their Diocesanes especially among Gentlemen are least accounted of among Barrons and other Noble men vvho disdaine their companie contemne their presence whereas amongst Catholikes Priests haue euer bin greatlie reuerenced Bishoppes and Prelats highly honoured all Cleargie men much esteemed and theyr companie presence of all sorts desired reuerently accepted of The same reuerent respect haue Catholikes euer obserued in speaking in making mention of Gods Books Angels Saints or of such like holy things for speaking of such they vsually say The holie Bible or the holie Scriptures the holie Ghospell the blessed Sacrament the holie Sacraments c. And of Angels Saints the holy Angels S. Michael S Gabriel c. And the French more reuerentlie vse to say Mounsieur S. Michael Mounsieur S. Pierre c. Our blessed Lady or the holie virgin S. Marie or the mother of God S. Peeter S. Paul S. Amb. S. August S. Greg. S Hierome S. Bernard c. and generally in speaking of Holie thinges they vse Holie tearmes But the Protestants shew as little reuerence deuotion in speaking as they doe in dooing for they speake no more reuerentlie of such then they do of the prophanest things they haue They tearme all as if they vvere in puris natalibus The Bible the Word the Testament the Communion book Baptisme Bread the Supper Angels Michel Gabriel Peter Paul Marie or Marie the virgin Ambrose Austen Gregorie the Pope Hierome the monke Bernard the Abot c. with as great inciuilitie irreuerence and want of good manners as if rude Countriemen in talking of her Maiesties Nobles should say the Keeper the Treasurer the Admirall Essex Southampton Monioy c. or insteede of naming men of worshippe by their Christian names shuld say Tom Dick Wil Robin Iacke Hodge c. Which diuersitie of dealing when I considered it with my selfe I could not but think deeme the Protestants profession voide of all impression of pietie and deuotion contrariwise in the Catholike Church to be all sincere affection and celestiall humilitie towards almightie God and towards al things appropriated to his seruice as also towards those who are the greatest partakers of his heauenlie fauour THE XXIII REASON Resembling in Doctrine and deedes old Heretikes Irenaeus l. 1. cap. 20. Theo lib. 1. Haeretic fab Aug. here 's 54. Hist trip l. 8. cap. 9. I HAVE conferred the Doctrine deedes manners of Protestants with those of the old Heretikes long since condemned by the Catholicke Church I find thē little or nothing at all to differ for as touching Doctrine the protestants hold with Simon Magus that good workes are not meritorious they renounce the Pope with Nouatus they refuse to faste on such dayes as the Church hath prescribed Hierom in prae in dia. aduer Pelag Aug. de her cap 45. Epiph. l 3 her 75 Hier. lib. 1. cō Iouin idem coa vigilant ad Exuperium and denie free-wil with the Manichees they denie sacrifice and praier for the dead with Aeriu with Iouiniā they put no differences of sins nor make virginity any better thē
of the whole Realme for vertue learning were put to death with great numbers of others both spiritual tēporall many noble families were quite ouerthrowne King Edward being crowned King new Lordes new Earles new Marquises and new Dukes tooke the places of the old new fellowes were called out of Germany to witte Peter Martyr and Martin Bucer two Apostataes Fryars waited on by two Fustelugge vvenches vvhich had beene Nunnes vvho came to teache a new religion but with expresse condition to be indifferent to teach vvhat sect or opinions eyther of LVTHER ZVVINGLIVS or CALVINE or of anye other vvhatsoeuer vvhich the Parliament then in gathering shoulde agree vpon The poore irreligious Apostataes with their sacrilegious lasses were content so to doe and vpon that condition they were sent the one to Oxforde with his wench at his taile and the other to Cambridge accompanied with his lasse Then might you haue seene iolly holding drawing about Religion placing and displacing prisoning and setting at liberty all men forced to sweare to a forme of seruice drawen out in hast by certaine of the L. Protectours chaplaines which seruice was neuer heard of in the worlde before but the Cleargie refused so to doe and therefore were depriued and imprisoned The Duke of Somerset was head and ruler of the newe deuised Church for the Childe-King was a playing him could not once thinke of any such thing and attended to his owne aduauncement by purchasing good olde land whilest the two sillye Apostataes kept the people occupied with newe doctrine and with not trobling of him And then began such reuell and hold and tye in the lande as that the Protector first of all cut off the head of his brother the Admirall the Earle of Warwicke beheaded the Protector and diuers others of his friendes making him-selfe Duke of Northumberland and complotting with the Duke of Suffolke to cut off all king Henries children to bring in Suffolkes daughter and Northumberlands sonne as they did for the which both theyr heades were afterwardes cutt off by Queene Marie And in her Maiesties time that nowe is all the Sacred Bishops were depriued in one day al or the most of them imprisoned during theyr liues Manie noble houses abused disgraced and diuers ouerthrowne manie both of honour and worshipp intollerably afflicted manie thousands of inferiour sort greiuously persecuted aboue an hundred Priests tortured hanged and quartered the moste of them beeing Gentlemen of worshipfull discent of rare witt learning and of other parts incomperable The Realme is deuided and shiuered into a thousand peeces the old friends and allies thereof made enimies to it new friends few and weake the naturall inhabitants most pittifullie deuided amongst themselues at home tossed and turmoiled abroade euerie man of what state conditon or religion soeuer he be of hath felt the smart of this new Ghospell eyther in himselfe in his friendes children seruants kinsfolkes goodes honoures most of all the Realme and Common-weale in it selfe vvith ten thousand other troubles and afflictions vvhich the Protestantes Religion carrieth vvith it wheather soeuer it goeth Euer expelling driuing away Peace and Tranquilitie vvhich finde harbour and entertainement only in Catholike realmes and common-weales When I weighed and considered these things diligently with my selfe I could not but dislike your new Religion euer accompanied vvith Tumults Insurrections Ruines Desolations and vvith all manner of Tragicall miseries as is afore-saide and cleaue vnto the olde Catholike Religion euer bringing with it peace quietnesse loue friendshipp plentie and all kinde of happinesse as wee see in Lands Countries which euer haue kept the same THE XXV REASON All kind of witnesses against one and that onely in show or in very deed none at all EVERIE man knoweth that the Protestants can bring foorth nothing to witnesse theyr religion but onely the Scriptures and how they make for them I haue partlie shewed before for in euerie deed they being rightly examined truely interpreted beare witnesse moste of all other thinges against them for out of all doubt Gods word is not contrarie but most consonant to all thinges before aleaged practised through the whole christiā world for so many ages together And wheras they wil admit no expositors of holie Scriptures but the Scriptures themselues for that as they say one place expoundeth another I aske thē then how their chiefe maister M. Luther when as hee would moste gladlie haue denyed the Reall Presence thinking thereby to wreake his teene the more on the Pope confessed that he could not do it because the words were so manifest for it And why hath that text beene so tossed wrested in this age as that sundry sectaries haue wringed out of it aboue foure-score different opinions or expositions and yet euerie one defendeth with tooth and naile his interpretation to be sound and right So that in fine they haue no witnesse at all of their new inuented doctrine but euery one his priuate fancie or conceite whereas the Catholike Religion besides all the reasons before alleadged hath all thinges in the world witnesses of it for if you looke vpp to Heauen you may there see amongst innumerable Martyrs vvhich all gaue theyr liues for the saide Religion three and thirtie which were Popes of Rome And to speake some what in particular In Epist ad Smyr the zealous Martyr S. Ignatius who in Ecclesiasticall affaires would haue no man no not the King equall to a Bishop and who wrote Apostolicall traditions which hee him-selfe had seene sealed his religiō with his blood Lib. 3. c. 3. Irenaeus who declared the true Faith by succession in the See of Rome was of this religion S. Victor Euseb 5. hist 24 Euseb 4. hist 14. who by his pōtificall power kept in subiection all Africke was of this religion S. Polycarpe who went to Rome about the question of Easter was of this religion S. Cyprian S. Sixtus S. Laurence vvith infinite others both Doctours and Saintes doe witnesse the Roman Religion Thousandes of Virgins which defended their virginitie against diuels men Euseb 8. hist 17. Aug l. 9. conf cap. 7. vs ad 3. were of this religion Saint Helen who went to Ierusalem to finde out the Crosse of our Sauiour was of this religion The mother of S. Austin S. Monica who at her death requested that she might haue Masse said for her to be prayed for was out of all doubt a Papist So were S. Paul the Eremite S. Hilarion S. Anthonie S. Nicolas S. Martine S. Benet with millions of such like who were fed with fasting cloathed with sacke-cloath and enriched vvith all maner of vertues And to be short were there I pray you any Saintes in heauen before this our age vvhich were not Papist I am sure that either heauen was empty vntil Luth. shooke of his hood or if there were any there they were Papists Now if you looke downe into hell you may behold the
Cirinth for the Apostles Lib. 3. c. 30 and their schollers as witnesseth Nicephorus vvere so warie in this case that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them that endeuoured by their leasinges to corrupt the truth And holy Ignatius boldly affirmeth that Epist 6. ad Philadelphenses vvho so flieth not from a false preacher shal be damned into Hell 13 I should be partaker of all their wickednes consequently in daunger of al the punishment mischiefe which may befal them especially being present with them at the deede wherein principally they offend God from vvhich thing I am discouraged by the terrible death of all thē which were in company with the Schismatikes Chore Num 16. Dathan and Abiron which example as saith Saint Cyprian ought to mooue vs not to assiste or further Hereticall oblations Cyp. Epist 76. praiers sermons and errours 14 I should contrary to the iudgements of the learned of all Religions for the Gentiles thought it not lawfull to enter into the Iewes Synagogues Lact lib. 4. 5. diuin instit cur Senec de hist mahom chronic Wolsang Drisl Eus lib. 3. 4. Aug. li. de vnit Ecl. lib. 2. coa Petilian Ioh. Gard. in his Cat. art 86. or into Christiā Churches The Turks at this day refuse to doe the same the Arrians Donatists and such like would not one goe to anothers conuenticles nor to the Catholikes seruice nor the Catholikes to any of theirs The Anabaptistes will not goe to the Lutherans Churches nor the Lutheranes to the Trinitaries The Puritanes vvill hardlie be drawen to Protestantes seruice neither will the Protestantes in Catholike Countreis come to Catholike Seruice And the Iewes will not go to any Seruice but their own Those Protestantes which in Queene Maries dayes had anie conscience refused to go to Masse And therefore in reason you shoulde not mooue me much lesse vrge me to doe the thing vvhich the learned on your side in theyr owne case would not doe because they iudge it vnlawfull 15 I should doe euil to goe to your Seruice because I cannot but in mine own conscience iudge it to be dishonourable to God and consequentlie naught For to omit to speake how it is deuised by your selues and how your fellovv PVRITANES doe vtterlie condemne it I knowe your Translations of Holie Scriptures to be false shameles so as if my scholler should translate one of Tullyes Epistles in such corrupt maner I would soundlie breeche him for his labour Then your Ministers are no Priestes but meere Lay-men consequently haue no authoritie to deale in such things Besides you haue in your Seruice diuerse false and blasphemous things put them to the people for Scripture as in a Geneua Psal you pray to be defended frō Pope Turke Papistry c. And to speake what I thinke you haue left out all good thinges haue chosen to your selues iuste nothing of Catholike seruice although the people were made to beleeue that it was the old Seruice put into English 16 I shoulde goe to that Seruice which neuer was heard of in the world before these dayes nor yet is in anie place els in all the world but onelie there in England 17 I shoulde goe to that Seruice which you amongst your selues cannot agree vpō or decree to continue And it had by all likelihoode beene chaunged againe before this day if the grauer sorte had not made some stay for feare of incurring the note of inconstancy for how many bils I pray you haue there bin put vp in Parliaments about the chaunging of your Seruice Agree therefore amongest your selues first what seruice you will haue to continue and then I will aunswere you reasonablie to your demaund 18 In so doing my soule should goe one way and my body another which ought not to be for if they should goe two waies in this worlde they could not be ioyned togeather after the resurrection in the next life but the one should goe to heauen the other to hell which cannot be for if the bodie serue not God together with the soule in this life why should it enioy heauē in the next And if it be with Protestantes at their Seruice in this worlde why should it not be where the Protestants be in the next 19 I should loofe all the benefit of Catholike religion so either leaue off all conscience or els liue in continuall torment of mind and if I should die in that state I should be vtterlie cast away for euer Besides I shoulde loose the merite of all the good works that I euer did in all my life because I giue ouer working before euening so loose my pennie wages which otherwise would be truely paide mee Mat. 20 20 If I should so doe either to gratifie you other of my friends or by commaūdement of any power vnder her Maiestie neyther you nor they could take it well or account of mee better then of a trayterous caitiue for that you must needs think that I who will violate my faith to God almighty in doing contrarie to my cōscience iudgment for any worldly respect will easily breake my faith promise with man according to the iudgment of Constantius the Emperour Eus de vit canstant l. 1. cap. 11. for how can he be true vnto man that is conuicted of periurie to God verily such must needs be deemed of the wise to be flatterers turne-coates and great hypocrits 21 And now to come to the aunswere which you say women such sillie soules are accustomed to make I should do contrary to my conscience which thing in no case is lawfull to be done Yea if your seruice were good godly indeed the very true Seruice of God yet so long as I thinke otherwise of it I may in no case yeeld to go to it because an erroneous conscience bindeth a man to follow it neuer to doe any thing against it according to iudgement of all learned men of what sect or religion soeuer they be And therefore you may not request me much-lesse vrge me to go to your seruice before I be perswaded in my conscience that it is lawful so to doe Greatly therfore doe you offend God there in England in forcing people to goe to the Church contrary to their consciences and in imprisoning those who refuse so to do for no man is able to maister his own conscience knowledge and to doe against it he ought not therefore it is not in his power or will to goe to your Seruice without offence 22 I should do contrary to the Cānons custome of the Catholik church and against the examples of all Holie Saints learned Fathers Contrarie to the 63. Canon of the Apostles and against Concil Carth. 4. cap. 71. 72. Cōcil Antioch cap. 2. 5. Con. Laodicen c. 9. 32. 33. 37. Con. Mag. Later cap. 70. and against diuers