things but in scoffing manner if you doe seriously hold them prooue them seriously and not with ridiculous authorities The 11. reason Triall of truth That it appertaineth to the Church to trie and to discerne Spirits as also to determine and to decide doubts we confesse M. D. Trie all things saith Paul 1 Thess 5. 1. Ioh. 4. and S. Iohn commandeth vs to prooue the Spirits But the question is whether you are the Church or no Quid ergo facturi sumus what shall we doe I answer with Augustine propounding this question cap. 2. de vnitat that we must seeke the Church of Christ in his word qui veritas est optimè novit corpus suum who is truth best knoweth his bodie Where you say that we cannot otherwise but receiue the scriptures vpon the catholike Romane churches credit and also three Creedes and some articles of beleefe as the holy Ghost to proceede from the Father and the Sonne and many tearmes as person Trinitie consubstantiall Sacraments I will answer these points seuerally And first I desire to know what reason you haue to make a particular church as the Romane church Catholike The Romane church if it were a true church is but a part of the catholike church It is Catholike saith Augustine because it is per totum through the whole world de vnit cap. 5. Cyril in his 18. chap. among many reasons of the name giueth this Quia per vniversum sit orbem terrarum diffusa because it is diffused thorough the whole world Is it all one to say I beleeue the Catholike Church and to say I beleeue the Romane church To leaue this matter and to come to your speech that it is not possible to know the Bible which is vsed amongst Christians to be the true word of God indeede but vpon the Romane churches credit First such idle questions the olde heretikes the Manichees demanded of S. Augustine to whome S. Augustine answered Lib. 32. cap 21. cont Faust Man Si quaeratis à nobis vnde nos sciamus Apostolorum esse istas literas breuiter vobis respondemus inde nos scire vnde vos scitis illas literas esse Manichaei If you demand of vs how we know that these be the Apostles writings we shape you this short answer as you know that your writings are of the heretike Manichee Secondly I would know how you can prooue any church to be the church but by the Scriptures if you cannot prooue the church but by the Scriptures then the Authoritie of the church dependeth vpon them and not è contra Thirdly we receiue not the Scriptures vpon the Romane churches credit for then we should haue receiued also the bookes which are Apocrypha as well as the true Canon of the bible for the Romane church doth receiue them Fourthly we receiue the Scriptures from the Scriptures themselues Many men by the heauenly maiestie of the Scriptures are mooued to receiue them before they know which is the true church Gonarus con Cost Iustin Martyr saith that Christs words haue in thâ—â— feare to perswade in dialogo cum Try Mantuan de pat l. 3. c. 2. saith thus Firmiter scripturas ideo credimus quòd diuinam inspirationem intra accipimus we steadfastly beleeue the scriptures because we haue receiued an inward inspiration from God He that will despise the Scriptures will despise the Church He that will not beleeue there is a God because the Scriptures teach it will not beleeue it because the Church teacheth the same The Scriptures were credited before the Romane church was ens or in rerum natura The Apostles beleeued the Gospel of our Sauiour Christ before he wrought any miracle because it was testified by the scriptures Ioh. 1.46 Adam and others beleeued without the church Our Sauiour Christ preached Repent and beleeue the Gospel which some did without the Church Eusebius in his third booke and 21. chap. writeth that the Gospels of Thomas and others were reiected because that phraseos character à consuetudine Apostolica variat ipsa sententia propositum eorum quae in illis adferuntur plurimum à veritate rectae doctrinae discrepant the style doth varie from the Apostolicall manner and the matter and the intent of those things which are alleadged in them doe much differ from the truth of right doctrine The consent of Scriptures the miracles and prophesies with many other arguments draw a man to credit the same yea the deadly hatred which the world beareth vnto them perswadeth not a little Sacris Scripturis saith Bellarmine nihil est notius Lib. 1. cap. 2. de vâ—â— Dâ—i nihil certius there is nothing more knowne and certaine then the Scriptures Read Bellarmine your selfe M. Doctor that he may satisfie you in this point But if we beleeue the Scriptures by the Church doth not the church teach vs to beleeue by the scriptures how can the church rightly perswade vs to beleeue but by preaching and producing of scriptures Ergo the scriptures are of much more force then the bare name of a church For propter quod vnumquodque tale est illud magis tale if the church induceth vs to beleeue then the scriptures doe much more because the church doth it by the scriptures The church is an excellent meanes ordained of God to bring men to beleefe neither doe we contemne the authoritie thereof The Samaritans beleeued by the testimonie of a woman Ioâ— 4. but afterward they beleeued because of Christ himselfe so the Church may bring one to beleeue but afterward to beleeue for the word it selfe The testimonie of Augustine is fraudulently alleadged by you his word is commoveret for he saith As there were many things which held him in the faith so if he were an infidel he would not beleeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the church with other things did mooue him ergo not onely the church and he speaketh if he were an infidell as the wordes going before doe plainly manifest Si invenies aliquem if thou shouldest finde any which yet doth not beleeue the Gospel what wouldest thou doe saying to thee I doe not beleeue then immediatly followeth your sentence I would not beleeue vnlesse c. Nicholaus Clenangis is worthie to be heard concerning this testimonie of Augustine Disp super Gâ—â— con Mirum sane prima specie satis videtur at the first fight it is maruell that he should preferre the authoritie of the church being a stranger in the earth before the authoritie of the Gospel seeing the Church may be deceiued in many things and the Gospel cannot Afterward he giueth the reason of Augustines speach because the Manichees did reiect Scriptures at their pleasures To stand yet somewhat longer in this testimonie Con. lib. 5 c. 1â— Augustine was mooued to beleeue by Ambrose is Ambrose his authoritie therefore equall to the scriptures God forbid whosoeuer listeth to read the 5. chap of the 6.
booke of his Confessions shall finde that he did beleeue the Scriptures for themselues In his 14. chap. of the booke cited by the Doctor he writeth thus Quid putas faciendum nisi vt eos relinquamus qui nos invitant certa cognoscere postea imperant vt incerta credamus eos sequamur qui nos invitant prius credere quod nondum valemus intueri vt ipsa side valentiore facti quod credimus intelligere mereamur non iam hominibus sed ipso Deo intrinsecus mentem nostram firmante atque illuminante what haue we to doe but to forsake them that inuite vs to know certaine things and afterwards command vs to beleeue vncertaine things and to follow thē which inuite vs first to beleeue that which yet we are not able to behold that beeing made stronger through faith we may attaine to vnderstand that we beleeue now not men but God himselfe confirming and lightning our minde inwardly The spirit of God therefore must cause vs to beleeue otherwise we shall wauer and stagger To conclude this point many borne in heresie and schisme haue bin mooued by heretikes to beleeue the Scriptures is heresie therfore equal to the scriptures nothing lesse The three Creedes we receiue because the doctrine is contained in the scriptures but you doe not receiue Athanasius his Creede for he maketh but two places vitam aeternam ignem aeternum Omnes homines resurgent cum corporibus suis reddituri sunt de factis preprijs rationem qui benè egerunt ibunt in vitam aeternam qui verò malè in ignem aeternum All men shall rise with their owne bodies and shall giue an account of their deedes and they which haue done well shall goe into life euerlasting they which haue done euill into euerlasting fire You teach that Infants vnbaptized shall be in a brimme of hell and not in the fire of hell Thus if you had bin wise M. Doctor you would haue bin silent concerning these Creeds If I should shew your contrarieties to the Apostles creed I should be ouerlong That the holy Ghost doth proceede from the Father and the Sonne Lib. 2. de Christ cap. 22. Bellarmine prooueth plentifully out of the Scriptures What an ignorant Doctor is this that cannot see this mysterie prooued in holy Scripture Touching the tearmes as person Trinitie consubstantiall Sacraments what if they be not in Scriptures the heauenly doctrine signified by the words is contained in scriptures If these wordes were necessarie to saluation then men were damned before they were inuented which I thinke the Doctor will not grant for many beleeued the things although the names were not extant Augustine calleth the bookes of Tobie and other Canonical because they were read to edification for I hope you will not oppose his authoritie to so many Fathers as I haue before produced In the place by you cited he will haue those books which are receiued of all Churches preferred before those which some Churches receiue not hence it is manifest that he maketh not all of equall authoritie Lib. 2 con gaud cap. 23. Elswhere he will haue the bookes of Machabees read so it be non inutiliter sobriè not vnprofitably and soberly Why doth he giue this caution to these bookes if they were of like authoritie And in his booke de praed Sanct. c. 14. he confesseth when he did produce a testimonie out of the booke of Wisdome that the brethren did reiect it there he contendeth not much for it If it had bin Canonicall he should not haue so remissely pleaded for it Thus it appeareth why he calleth these books canonical Where you say that no heretike can charge the Church with adding or diminishing one iot from the Scriptures we must admire Gods prouidence and his loue towards his church he preserueth the Scriptures though men would take thē out of the world But if you meane that the church of Rome hath not altered the holy Scriptures you must know that the Papists hold the Hebrew and the Greeke text to be corrupt and haue established a Latin translation differing farre from the Hebrew and Greeke and is not this to alter the scriptures If I should shew the corruptions of that trāslation I should be very tedious I will name one in the 1. of the Hebr. it is said Christ hath purged our sinnes by himselfe these words by himselfe are cleane stricken out of their Rhemists translation what an intollerable corruption is this But I will conclude the matter in a syllogisme They which establish a corrupt translation alter the scriptures or at least a iot of the same But the Papist establish a corrupt translation Ergo. And indeede I cannot sufficiently wonder at them who establish their Latine translation eo nomine because it is Hieroms and yet will not allow his translations of the Psalmes what dealing with the Scriptures is this he hath corrected that translation of the Psalmes which they vse and yet they haue defied it You further demand why we should trust the Church of Rome rather in this then in other things I answer first that as I haue prooued we trust not the Church of Rome but the scriptures themselues secondly it is a ridiculous consequent We beleeue the church of Rome in this point ergo we must doe so in all other To make your follie manifest vnto you selfe M. D. you beleeue the church of England in some points will you doe so in all I would it were so That we haue had nothing to doe with the Bible for a thousand yeares and that we haue robbed the Church of many bookes are detestable vntruths But I pray you Syr were not the scriptures preserued in the Greeke church as well as in the Romish church did not the Iewes keepe the scriptures and yet to vse your phrase our Sauiour wrested thē out of their hands not as iust but as vniust possessours of them The Pharisies might haue vsed the same speech to our Sauiour Christ that the Doctor doth to vs. He hath three other questions in this chapter The first is how we relying onely vpon scripture can shew certainly which bookes be scripture and which not This question I haue at large answered in this chapter and therefore I will not repeat my answer Secondly he would know of the vnlearned Protestant how he knoweth the translations to be true I answer that it is not necessarie to know euery thing to be truly translated The spirit of God speaking in the scriptures certifieth the conscience of the vnlearned that the scriptures in the English tongue are the scriptures The third question it why we beleeue our owne iudgements rather the Luthers or Calvins I answer we beleeue their iudgements that bring best proofes out of Scriptures But M. Doctor because you haue posed vs with so many questions now I will pose you with one likewise Why doe you receiue your latin translation rather vpon this Popes authoritie
A QVARTRON OF REAsons composed by Doctor HILL vnquartered and prooued a quartron of follies by Francis Dillingham Bachelour of Diuinitie August in Senten Inimici Ecclesiae si tantummodo adversantur male sentienda exercent eius sapientiam The Churches enemies if they be onely her aduersaries by false opinions doe exercise her wisdome HINC · LVCEM · ET · POCVLA · SACRA Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1603. And are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT HOnourable and my very good Lord OLIVER Lord S. Iohn Baron of Blettenshoe Grace and peace THe paines of Papists Right Honourable in propagating the Romish religion should mooue sincere Protestants to be painefull in defending the truth of the eternall God who in hiâ— rich mercie amongst other innumerable benefits bestowed vpon this land hath giuen vs the benefit of his holy word not in a strange tongue as it was in the daies of Poperie but in our mother tongue that it may be a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our paths This light the Papists haue laboured to extinguish by treasons by writings and all meanes that they could vse but blessed be God frustra illis est they are deceiued Now least it should seeme strange to any that heretikes should be so laborious in auouching heresie may it please him to consider that Idolaters haue bin studious in maintaining their idolatrie Ieroboam made two calues 1 King 12. the one of them he placed at Bethel and so made it Bethauen the other at Dan and so made it a denne of Idolaters The Israelites offered their children to Moloc behold the rage of idolatrie If men could be content that their children should be sacrificed vnto idols shall we thinke it strange that some should write bookes to subuert the truth of religion Wherefore to leaue this point and to returne to that which I said in the beginning that the labours of Papiâ—ts should be a spurre to Protestants to defend the Gospel now publikely authorized in England Why should not we be as carefull for Gods glorie as they are for the glorie of their purple whore But I feare some are like the beete which is good both in winter and sommer others haue bought farmes or it may be haue married wiues that is they are so addicted to the world and to their pleasures that they haue no leisure to write I would these men would consider of Christ his commandement Negotiamini donec venero vse trafficke vntill I come But to leaue these loyterers in the Lords vineyard vpon the forenamed consideration I haue endeauoured my selfe to answer a booke called a Quartron of Reasons for the Catholike religion which booke as I dedicate to your Honour so I humbly desire you to accept the same as a token of my dutifull minde towardes you The author of this pestilent pamphlet commendeth the Romish religion for peace dâ— privil 〈◊〉 yet Theodoricus de Niem saith that vnum patet one thing is manifest after the suppression of the Imperiall power nothing but factions did spring vp in the Catholike Church especially in Italie And as he is not ashamed to lie in this point so doth he also in saying that in England all were Papists without exception from the first christening thereof vntill this age of king Henrie the eight yet Ministers were married many hundred yeares in England as M. Camden sheweth in his Britannia in many places In the 129. page of the third edition he prooueth that ante annum 1102. sacerdotibus vxores in Anglia non fuerunt interdictae Ministers were not restrained from marriage before the yeare of our Lord a 1102. And as Ministers were married so Transubstantiation was not acknowledged likewise a long time as may be seene by Aelfricus his epistle against the bodily presence Moreouer the author as he laboureth to disgrace all Protestants in generall so especially he inueyeth against Luther wherefore to stoppe the mouthes of Papists I will set downe the testimonie of Langius a Papist concerning Luther First he saith that he was vir venerandus profundissimus Theologus a reuerend man and most profound Diuine Afterward he writeth thus Martinus ille theologorum nostrae tempestatis omnium facile princeps doctrinam suam Evangelicis testimoniis divi Apostoli Pauli necnon priscorum orthodoxorum patrum originalibus dictis roborans comprobans perstitit invictus The same Martin the most wise ringleader of the diuines of our age confirming and strengthening his doctrine with testimonies out of the Gospel and out of S. Paul the Apostle and also with the originall sayings of the ancient orthodoxall fathers perfisted invincible This testimonie may suffice to cleare Luther from the friuolous quarrels that this slanderer hath written against him Bellarmine maketh the confession of the aduerse part to be a note of the Church Hence then are we prooued the Church by this confession of Langius The same author exceedingly commendeth Hierome of Prage saying that he was orator eloquentissimus atque acerrimus dialecticus adeo quod nullus doctissimorum virorum in Concilio disputando eum superare poterat He was the most eloquent Orator and fine Logician that the learnedest man in the Councell could not ouercome him in disputation Mutius his testimonie of the same man is worthie to be heard Erat saith he Hieronymus vir eloquentissimus insignis cum in omni philosophiae genere tum praecipue in sacris literis Hierome was a most eloquent and famous man in all philosophie but especially in the holy Scriptures Now what cause this proud Papist hath to vaunt of their owne learning and to disgrace the Protestants let euery man iudge seeing Protestants by the Papists owne confession haue beene such famous men Lastly not to be long the author of this booke extolleth the holinesse of their religion touching which point let that ancieÌ„t writer Aronobius speak who in his seuenth booke hath this sentence Crescit multitudo peccantium cum redimendi peccati spes datur facile itur ad culpas vbi est vaenalis ignoscentium gratia Sinners doe much encrease when there is hope giuen to redeeme their sinnes and men easily commit faults where pardons are sold Then is the Romish religion dissolute which selleth pardons Not to proceede any further the Lord multiplie his graces vpon you and your vertuous Ladie to your soules good and the benefit of his Church Your Honours euer to command Francis Dillingham THE FIRST REASON Of Prophesies IF M. Doctor had contended pondere argumentorum and not multitudine with sound arguments and not with a multitude he might happily haue perswaded some to his religion whereas now by reason of the weaknes of his reasons he hath rather hindred many from the same then moooued any vnto it That which is commonly said of pictures hath a fit place in this worke of doctor Hill Picturae eminus
non comminus videndae pictures are faire a farre off but if the eye draw neare them there is no shew of them Before I come to the matter I will examine the title of his booke in which he hath placed a peece of holy Scripture taken out of S. Peter 1. Peâ— 3. who willeth all men to be readie to giue an answer of that hope which is in them what then is become of the vnfolden faith of Papists who will haue simple men to answer that they beleeue as the Church beleeueth S. Peter speaketh of the hope that is in them not out of them in themselues not in another In a word to say they beleeue as the Church beleeueth is an answer fit for all heretikes Furthermore out of this place of S. Peter we gather that Christian men haue a hope in them yet Pope Iohn the 23. denied the immortalitie of the soule Bellarmine had rather discredit the Councill of Constance in which this is reported then confesse an errour There is one thing yet to be touched in his answer vnto the coppie of a letter in which he protesteth his loyaltie to our late gracious Queene Elizabeth May we trust him If I should demaund of him whether he alloweth the Bull of Pius Quintus or no it may be I should pose him The Papists teach that the Pope may depose Princes and yet they will be good subiects If he answereth that he is not a Papist in this point where is his Vnitie of which he vaunteth in one of his reasons Parrie confessed that euery word in Doctor Allens booke was a warrant to a prepared minde Doâ—t Bill 704. It taught that Kings may be excommunicated depriued and violently handled it prooueth that all warre vndertaken for Religion is honourable Thus M. Doctor you see we haue cause to doubt of your loyaltie but I leaue that to God Almightie who searcheth the hearts of all men and come to your Reasons In answering your arguments I purpose to draw them to syllogismes your first argument hath in it this syllogisme They which make the prophesies of Christ to be false hold a false religion But the Protestants make the prophesies of Christ to be false Ergo they hold a false religion I denie the assumption which you prooue out of the 12. of Iohn where Christ foretelleth that he will draw all men vnto him but by the Protestants doctrine Christ hath not done so Ergo. I denie the assumption againe for exposition of which place of holy writ in hunc locum I produce Augustine who writeth thus Quae omnia nisi ex quibus Ille eijcitur foras non autem dixit omnes sed omnia non enim omnium est sides What all but those out of which Sathan is cast he said not all men but all things for all men haue not faith Againe Augustine writeth thus Aut si omnia ipsi homines intelligendi sunt omnia praedestinata ad salutem possumus dicere If by all things all men are meant we may vnderstand all the predestinate vnto saluation Your other Scriptures foretell the calling of the Gentiles which we confesse To proceede in this argument was not Christ true in his promise when as Act. 1.15 the Church was but about a hundred and twentie soules here is no great number and yet this small number was in a chamber In the 13. of the Reuel v. 3. the whole earth wondered at the beast yet is Christ true in his promise In your Apologie of English fugitiues thus you shall finde it written The whole world did runne from Christ after Iulian to plaine Paganisme after Valens to Arrianisme The Rhemists vpon the second of the Thessalonians acknowledge a reuolt from the Church Nazianzen in his oration of Cyprian saith that Cyprianus in temporibus Decij solus è Christianis est relictus S. Cyprian in Decius his time was the onely Christian Thâ—oph lib. 1. cap. 16. Read Aug. in 128 psal and Teâ—tul eâ—hor ad Caâ—i Paciâ—nus in part ad poâ—ni The Arrian Emperour speaketh thus vnto Liberius Quota pars tu es orbis terrarum qui solus facis cum homine scelerato orbis terrarum mundi â—otius pacem dissoluis What part of the world art thou that onely takest part with the wicked man and dissoluest the peace of the whole earth Liberius answereth Non diminuitur solitudine mea verbum sidei nam olim tres soli fuere qui edicto resisterent In that I am left alone the word of faith is not diminished for in times past there were three onely which resisted the kings edict Thus euery man may see Christ true in his promise though the church be not alwaies glorious in outward appearance I will now retort the argument vpon the Papists themselues They which hold that the faith of Christ may be wholly extinguished make the promises of Christ vntrue But the Papist holdeth that the faith of Christ may be wholly extinguished Ergo. The assumption is auouched by Dominicus Asote who saith Lib. 3. dâ— Papâ— cap. 17. as testifieth Bellarmine himselfe that extinct a fide per discessionem ab Apostolica sede totus mundus vanus erit the faith beeing extinguished by a departure from the Apostolicall See the whole world shall be vaine I may speake therefore of this Doctor as Tullie doth to one Ea in alterum ne dicas quae cum tibi responsa sunt erubescas vtter not these things against another which when they are answered will make thee ashamed Now I come to vntruths which are auouched in this chapter First he chargeth vs that we affirme that almost all nations haue beene in Lucifer his thraldome vntill this our age in which Luther came to expell Lucifer Secondly he affirmeth that in our countrey of England it is most manifest that all were Papists without exception froÌ„ the first christening thereof vntill this age of king Henrie the eight M. Doctor haue you lost your forehead was Iohn Wickliff a Papist I perswade my selfe you dare not affirme it Againe this land receiued the faith in the Apostles time as witnesseth Tertullian in his book against the Iewes But the Apostles preached not Poperie Did the Apostles teach the halfe communion who but blind would affirme it Againe in Pope Gregories time this land differed in ceremonies in celebration of the Masse from Rome as b 2. 2. 93 quaest art 1. arg 3. Aquinas teacheth who list to read more of this point may be referred vnto D. Fulks ouerthrow of Stapletons fortresse Thus I haue answered this first cauill of the Doctor against our religion for I passe by the title that he giueth to Lucifer calling him the master deuill The difference of deuills I leaue to Papists to set forth who are sometimes too familiar with them Tasc temp as Silvester who was made Pope by the helpe of the deuill Luther his speach concerning the restoring of the Gospel must be
and other cleargie orders they haue baptisme the Eucharist and all other things He proceedeth affirming that the church was in times past knowne by miracles but now they are either ended or els in greater number with false Christians yea he auerreth that a man might know by the liues of men which was the true Church but now Christians were worse then either hereticks or Ethnicks If this worke were written by an Arrian as some say yet there is no cause to condemne this excellent sentence prooued by so weightie reasons The eight reason Scriptures We haue finished by Gods assistance seuen Reasons some of which as the Doctour seemeth to graunt are nothing worth without Scripture and therefore he saith that they teach not any doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible If you would abide by this confession you would not hold so many vnwritten opinions as you doe For adoration of Images for the halfe communion for the Popes not erring for the lent fast with other points of Poperie what scripture is there It is one of your principles Cens Colon. that traditiones ecclesiae non scriptae credendae ac seruandae sunt vnwritten traditions are to be beleeued and kept Hence I conclude after this manner They which hold opinions by vnwritten traditions deriue not all their opinions out of the scriptures But the Papists hold some opinions by vnwritten traditions Ergo. But good M. Doctour are we driuen to denie certaine parts of Gods holy Bible for the maintaining of our opinions and are the Manichees our predecessours take heede least by auouching vntruths you doe vastare conscientiam make shipwracke of conscience If Luther reiected the epist of S. Iames what is that to vs Caietane will haue it to be minoris authoritatis quam caeteras Bell. lib. 1. cap. 17. 2. booke 23. of lesse authoritie then the other epistles Eusebius saith sciendum est eam esse adulterinam we must know that it is a bastard epistle Euseb 3.22 cap. Now I reduce your argument into a syllogisme They which refuse bookes of Scripture frame that bible to their opinions But the Protestants refuse bookes of Scripture Ergo. I denie the assumption which is set downe without any proofe and for the disproofe of the same I will not content my selfe with a few fathers but will produce a cloud of witnesses that the Papists may see their proud bragge of fathers Origen at Eusebius speaketh thus Euseb hist 6. booke 24. Hand ignorandum fieret esse veteris testamenti libros sicut Hebraei tradunt viginti duos qui etiam numerus apudeos est literarum We must vnderstand that there are 22. bookes of the old Testament as the Hebrewes doe teach which also is the number of letters Hence I gather that if the Canonicall bookes answer the hebrew letters then there are but 22. otherwise there should be more then the letters are Melito numbreth the same bookes which we doe excepting the booke of Wisdome as witnesseth Eusebius 4. book 25. Cyril of Ierusalem in his 4. catechisme exhorteth the Catechumenes to read 22. bookes but that he reckneth Baruck with Ieremie he reckneth the same which we doe and directly warneth vs vt cum Apocryphis nihil habeamus negotij that we haue nothing to doe with Apocryphal bookes for saith he multò prudentiores te religiosiores fuerint Apostoli primi Episcopi veritatis duces qui nobis eas tradiderunt the Apostles and first Bishops were wiser and more religious then thy selfe they deliuered these scriptures to vs. Leontius in his 2. action of sects agreeth with these authors saying that veteris scripturae libri sunt viginti duo there are 22. bookes of the old testament Innilius reiecteth the Machabees from diuine scripture quoniam apud Hebraeos super hac differentia recipiebantur libri Canonici sicut Hieronymus alijque testantur because with the Iewes the canonicall bookes were receiued with this difference as Ierome and other writers witnesse He reiecteth Iob and some other bookes which are Canonicall by his owne reason namely because they were of that authoritie with the Iewes Amphilochius differeth not from the aboue named writer after that he hath set downe the same number which we doe excepting the booke of Wisdome which yet it may be but put in for verse because he reckneth but three of Salomon after I say he concludeth thus hic verissimus divinitus datarum est scripturarum Canon this is the most true Canon of the diuine scriptures Ruffinus in his exposition vpon the Creede saith that he will describe the Canonicall bookes of the olde testament which he doth after our order in England and acknowledgeth that non Canonicos libros legi voluerunt in ecclesiis sed non proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandaÌ„ they wil haue the books that are not Canonicall to be read in Churches but not to be aleadged to confirme a matter of faith I will not produce the testimonies of Hierome Epiphanius Nazianzen Athanasius and others because they are obvious to euery one neither will I conuince the Doctour by his owne writers as Caietan Hugo and Arias Montanus Iosephus is worthie to be heard who plainly teacheth that duo solum viginti libri fide digni esse creduntur Euseb 3. lib. hist â—0 onely 22. bookes are to be credited By this cloud of witnesses I hope Christian Reader thou maist see the vanitie of Papists who doe nothing but crepare patres patres crie the fathers they are on their side I returne the Argument They which adde bookes to diuine scriptures draw the holy Bible to their fancies But the Papists adde whole bookes to diuine scriptures Ergo Where he saith that the Catholikes follow the bible I will not stand vpon that famous corruption of the Hebrew psalter by an English Papist to iustifie their vulgar latin text but come to one place out of which they would gather purgatorie Where it is said that a certaine sinne shall not be forgiuen neither in this world Math. 11. nor in the world to come we expound it by Marke who saith it shall neuer be forgiuen the Papist saith Matthew must not be expouÌ„ded by Marke because he is shorter but is he not plainer How absurd is it to expound these words â—ell lib. 1. de into cap. 4. he hath neuer forgiuenes to this sense whereas to expound the words of Matthew by Marke hath an excellent construction Thus euery man may see who draw the scriptures to their fancies whether Papists or Protestants The 9. reason Councells Whether the Church of God hath euer bin accustomed when any heresie did spring vp therein to gather a Councell of Bishops Prelates and other learned men I will not stand to dispute If your meaning be M. Doctour that nothing is heresie but that which is condemned by a Councell Lib. 4. cont dâ—â—s epist Pelag. in fine I vtterly renounce your vaine conceit Let Augustine
parvulis non datur Eucharistia now the Eucharist is not giuen to little ones Innocentius Pope of Rome as the same father testifieth Definiuit parvulos nisi manducaverint carnem filij hominis vitam prorsus habere non posse that Infants cannot haue eternall life except they eate the flesh of the sonne of man I could produce your owne men who acknowledge that the Church did vse to giue the Sacrament to Infants By which I conclude that the Church is not an infallible rule to direct vnto truth The Apostle Paul doth not onely fight with custome but vseth many other arguments and that in indifferent matters as your Rhemists write therefore you abuse the place to establish a custome to confirme matters of moment when the Apostle entreateth of indifferencie Secondly I would you could truly say that you are the Church as Paul did you are departed from the Apostolicall Church But heare what Theophylact writeth vpon tnat place Ad verecundiam Auditores haec dicta compellunt ne quid praeter Apostolorum consuetudinem factitent these sayings driue the auditors to shame that they should not doe any thing besides the Apostles custome Bring vs therefore the Apostles practise and you shall cause vs to yeild to it But that which he cannot obtaine by Paul he would prooue by Augustine who auoucheth that it is strange madnesse to dispute of that which the vniuersall Church practiseth Secondly he prooueth that Infants are borne in sinne because the Church doth baptize them To the first testimony I answer that Aug. speaketh of ceremonies as whether a man must fast before the cōmunion or no such like Secondly I answer that Papists must prooue their ceremonies to be vsed of the whole Church as also that they be the Church The originall of their ceremonie is set down in their writers as in Bucch others To the second argumēt I answer that we haue infallible testimonies out of scripture to proue that infant are borne in sin besides the custom of the church which baptizeth them And now because you haue obiected a place out of the 5. part of the 18. Epistle heare what he the same S. Augustine writeth in the first part I would haue you saith he to know that the Lord hath made vs subiect to a light yoke and that he hath ioyned together the societie of the new people with Sacraments in number the fewest in obseruation the easiest in signification most excellent such as is Baptisme consecrated in the name of the trinitie and the Communication of his bodie and blood and if any other be contained in the Canonicall Scriptures If S. Augustine had knowne your seauen Sacraments he would neuer haue come in with Si quid aliud if any other Immediately after he will haue such ceremonies in the Vniuersall Church as are instituted by the Apostles or by generall Councels are all yours such The ceremonies of particular Churches are variable as Augustine himselfe confesseth In his hundreth and nineteenth epistle and 19. part he would haue these particular burthens cut off complaining that the estate of the Iews is more tollerable beeing subiect to ceremonies of God then of Christians subiect to humane praesumptions If it was thus in Augustines time what is it now To reduce your argument into a syllogisme thus you dispute They which may plead Custome haue the trueth But the Papists may plead custome Ergo They haue the trueth I denie the proposition and saie with Hildebarte that it is Pertinacia ◠Epist consuetudinem praeferre veritati Obstinacie it is to preferre custome before the trueth This he prooueth by many testimonies out of Augustine and Cyprian which for breuitie I wil omit That we haue taken away the sacrifice of the Church it is senslesse vntruth for that sacrifice which Gods word approoueth we imbrace from our hearts But we are charged with great malepertnes for altering the masse placing in stead thereof chapters psalmes ill translated and ballads called Geneua psalmes with railing sermōs If we had placed their golden legende of lies it may be we should haue heard nothing the Psalmes are Dauids psalmes and if there be any imperfections in our translations there are moe in theirs our sermons are not railing except that be railing which disgraceth errour Erasmus complaineth of Papists that Quorumlibet somnia imo mulier cularum deliramenta leguntur inter diuinas Scripturas Euery fooles dreames yea very mad womens doting fancies are read with holy Scriptures Yet we are malepert because we read and sing Dauids Psalmes Their Popes may adde to the masse what they will and we may not alter any thing without sausines Your masse hath beene by little and little increased as Walfridus Strabo euidently sheweth and yet you boldly say it hath continued through all generations The Apostles did consecrate onely adioyning praier to the same Bellar. lib. 4. cap. 13. de Eucharist which he prooueth out of Gregorie But in his second booke de Missa and 19. Read Fulbertus of varietie of orders in his epist to 3. lib. chap. it is wonderfull to see howe he would elude this testimonie and saith plainely that some denie it yet afterwards he recalleth himselfe It sufficeth to haue shewed that their seruice hath not as this Doctour dreameth continued through all generations Can. 12. In the Miletan Councel there is a decree that no praiers be made in the Church but such as are approoued in a Synode Ne fortè aliquid sid compositum contra fidem least there be any thing composed against the faith Ergo there was not one vniforme order in praier the diuersitie of Liturgies as Basil Chrysostome and others doe shewe likewise what varietie hath beene in the Church concerning the seruice thereof Nay the very Church of Rome at this day doeth not compell all to obserue the Canon of the Romane masse as necessarie as I can prooue by their owne writers Micrologus saith cap. 12. that one Scholasticus did compose the Canon of the masse in his 13. chapter he reciteth superfluities in the Canon thereof and findeth faulte with the mention of the birth of Christ in it seeeing we should Anunciare illius mortem shewe his death Now M. Doctor goe and accuse Micrologus of malepertnes To conclude this point of custome what say you M. Doctor to the feast of the conception of the virgin Marie which is celebrated in you◠Church as though shee was not concerned in sin is this infallibly to direct vnto trueth your owne conscience telleth you the contrarie how many testimonies might I produce to prooue her conception in sinne and yet a feast is kept to the contrarie The 13. reason Doctrine The Doctor in this chapter giueth the Papist no small blowe who teach that the sincere preaching of the word of God is no note of the Church Here he will needes haue that Church whose doctrine tendeth to mortification and holinesse of life to be the true Church and contrariwise
testifieth Arrias Montanus added to the 14. psalme whole sentences but this corruption was soone espied this was done to prooue the Hebrew text corrupt and to iustifie the latine translation approoued of Papists Who almost but bold Papists durst haue coyned scripture I thinke this is to proceede against conscience Latomus a Papist blasphemed out of a pulpit and was suddainly madde and died in despaire What should I speake of Franciscus Spira and others Hasinmullerus giueth many examples of papists who haue proceeded against their consciences The blessed deaths of Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius Caluin Melancthon Bullinger Cranmer Ridely Bradford Philpot Iuell Pilkington Grindall Dearing and diuers other doe manifest that Protestants proceeded not against their knowledge To returne to Papists out of the forenamed author namely Hasinmullerus euery one may behold the strange endes of these men Stephanus Agricola beeing an Apostata drowned himselfe in the sea One Gaspare Franke confessed that he did and wrote many things against his conscience Turrian wished that he had neuer reade the Augustan confession c. Sadel his workes when I found these things to be true to vse your wordes I thought it better to adventure my selfe with Christians who haue quiet consciences then with desperate Papists who proceed against their consciences The 22. reason Vnreuerent dealing The Papists reuerence vnto God and Christ is such as was that of the Iewes who platted a crown of thornes and put it on Christs head to make him a king euen so the Papists make Christ a Sauiour but they giue not the whole worke of saluation vnto him which indeede is to dishonour Christ But forsooth they pretende to honour his Saints if they doe soe let them not make them Sauiours for this in trueth is to dishonour them The Saints honour consisteth not in false worshippe but in giuing all glorie to God That which Lactantius writeth of Angels is true of Saints Nullum sibi honorem tribui volunt quorum honor in Deo est They wil haue no honour giuen to them whose honour is in God We honour Saints by praising God for their vertues and by imitating them but we make not their merits the treasure of the Church neither doe we call vpon them As for reuerence vnto holy water pictures crosses images I say with Esay who required these things at your hands The Doctor in truth hauing nothing to say against vs raileth spitefully saying that we enter into Churches with no greater reuerence then men enter into Tauerns not contenting himselfe with this vnchristian lie he proceedeth auouching if any kneele it is but vpon thornes for full soone are they vp againe and then with their hats vpon their heads they either iangle or talke or walke as if they waited to see when the plaiers would come forth vpon a stage or else these good fellowes goe to the alehouse where now and then they finde their minister drinking his morning draught before he goe to his seruice to drinke a pot or two of nappie ale that thereby they may the better hold out seruice time Christian Reader to recite these reuiling speeches is to refute them and they which frequent the alehouse with vs are Papists and Atheists if any Protestants do so I wish them to amend whether they be ministers or laiemen Besides he hath many moe rayling words against the reuerend Bishops as that Barons and noble men disdaine their companie surely M. Doctor I blesse God that you haue no sound matter to obiect against the Protestants but such vanities as the world can controll Our Bishops and ministers are as highly esteemed with true Christians as Popish Prelates with their fauorites Vertue and learning maketh a man reuerend which in many Popish Bishopps to be wanting we see with our eies But let vs nowe see howe the Papists reuerence holy things speaking of such they vsually say the holy bread the holy Scriptures the holy Gospell and the holy Angels it is well that you doe not so alwaies why then doe you blame the Protestants who doe say the holy bible and vse this word holy whē it is to be applied vnto things that are so if they do not alwaies so you can not blame them more then your selues seeing this word is not alwaies added by you Marke your reasons M. Doctor and you shall finde them without this title holy The Prophesies of the old Testament Scriptures Fathers if this be such a hainous crime not alwaies to adde this word holy you are guiltie of it your selfe As for the French men I thinke they doe not well to call the Saints after this manner Mounsieor S. Peter Master Saint Peter or my Lord S. Peter for it is no tearme of ciuill or temporall authoritie but a religious and diuine honour in religion God is our onely Lord and Master and we will not giue saluation and redemption but onely vnto him The comparison which the Doctor maketh of a countriman calling her Maiesties Nobles Treasurer Keeper Admirall and so forth is not worth any answer wherefore I leaue it and say with Bernard Maria falso non eget honore honora vitae integritatem Marie needeth no false honour honour her entire life So say I honour the saints by imitating their vertues the honour that I desire to giue to saints is to followe their vertues The 23. reason Resembling in Doctrine and deedes olde Heretickes This Chapter is duely to be considered because we are said to differ little or nothing from olde Heretickes both in doctrine and deedes if you could prooue this then were the Protestants case very hard but it shall be God willing made euident that you resemble olde Heretickes and not Protestants The first heresie is that we hold with Simon Magus what monstrous impudencie is this M. Doctor to charge vs will Simō Magus his opinions he held that men were saued by his grace if they did acknowledge him the Sauiour of the world Doe we teach any such thing we ascribe saluation to no other but onely to Christ If you had that conscience which you pretend you would not thus abuse your selfe The second heresie is we are Nouatians because we renounce the Pope I might crie out vpon these lewd and lowd lies Nouatius as Philastrius writeth 34. chap. taught Non esse fideli post Baptismum locum aliquem paenitentiae After baptisme there was no place of repētance for the faithfull The third heresie is that we denie freewill with the Manichees but the Manichees taught that sinne came not from freewill but from a substance which doctrine we renounce and teach that we haue freewill to sinne Lib. 1. c. 6. But you deale with vs as the Pelagians dealt with the auntient Church For Faustus a Pelagian charged the Church with Manichisme because it taught the will of man to be made sound by meere grace and not of it selfe Thus would you charge vs with Manichisme as proud Pelagians The fourth heresie is that with Arrius
confirme their opinions and to be reade for proofe of them as I haue shewed Yea they fly to traditions which the heretickes before named might also haue iustified if the Canonicall scriptures had not beene sufficient Tenthly the Manichees vsed but one part of the Communion for they would not haue wine so doe the Papists as it is notorious to all men I might mention many other heresies held by Papists but I haue handled them in another worke therefore I will not recite them here Touching the manners of heretickes if crueltie be a badge of heretickes then are Papists rightly mustered amongest heretickes for they haue most barbarously murdered many men as I will shewe God willing in the next reason The 24. reason Peace and tranquilitie It is a heathen Principle that Legem sibi ipsis indicunt innocentiae continentiae virtutumque omnium qui ab altero rationem vitae reposcunt They which require a reason of another mans life make to themselues a law of innocencie continencie of all vertues To accuse men of tumults when they are themselues tumultuous is intollerable Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes who can beare it that Gracchus should complaine of sedition that Verres should speake against theft and Milo against murther who could thinke that Papists should speake against warres cruelties and outragious tragedies when they haue spilt exceeding much innocent blood The Spanish inquisitions and French Massacres haue murdered men women and children by thousands Phocas murdered Mauritius the Emperour by whose meanes Boniface the Pope obtained that roome and should be called the head of all Churches as Gotfridus testifieth Here Christian Reader thou maiest see that the Pope cam vp by murder Pope Vrban the fixt bound fiue Cardinalls in a sacke and drowned them in the sea He tooke the kingdome of Sicile from the Queene and gaue it to others Symachus and Laurentius did striue for the Popedome which contention lasted yeares cum effusione sanguinis multorum tam clericorum quà m laicorum With the shedding of many mens blood both of the cleargie laietie Alexander 2. Codulus contended for the Popedome which contention vsque ad homicidia prorupit brake forth into murther as witnesseth Sigebert The histories are full of such examples yet saith the Doctor the Catholike Romane religion began with meekenesse mildenesse and with all quiet and peaceable meanes Whereas the Protestants both haue begun and hold on their course with seditious tumults That you may knowe your peaceable proceedings heare what Wicellensis writeth concerning Hildebrande Miscuit se plurimorum mortibus Christianorum succendent vbique incendia bellorum per totum pene Romanum imperium He thrust himselfe into the deaths of many Christians kindling warres almost throughout the whole Romane Empire Iohn Hus was burned although he had safe conduct promised him Certain men called cruciatores whē they should haue gone against the Turke hauing the Popes indulgences defloured women and murthered men to the number of three score and ten thousand Yea saith Landgius Scribi non potest quanta crudelitate vsi sunt It can not be vttered what crueltie they vsed Concerning the troubles in Germanie my purpose is not to speake of them neither will I meddle with the warres in Fraunce or Scotland Diuers countres haue diuers gouernments the tumults of any subiects against their soueraignes as we doe not allow so we may not condemne the poore afflicted Christians our neighbours before we heare what they can say for themselues I am a scholler not a souldier a diuine not a lawier The circumstances of forraine warres fewe knowe besides themselues as also we know not the lawes of those lands we will not therefore enter those acts which haue so many parts precedents causes concurrents From forraine common warres you come to England and are very busie with king Henrie the 8. king Edward the 6. princes of famous memorie It were best for you M. Doctor to leaue kingdoms and studie diuinitie you are so drownd in pollicie that you forget diuinity yet you can without teares recount summarily the troubles of this land So you may doe in regard of Queene Maries times when not onely Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Payne◠Bishop of Winchester Barloe of Bath Tailor of Lincolne with diuers other both Archdeacons and Deacons were put from their liuings and wonderfull store of blood shed these are the times that you should lament Yet it is to be lamented that any should be so obstinate on popery as to die in the same As for Queene Elizabeths gratious gouernment you are not ashamed also to controll it Yet Papists themselues teach that it was both milde and mercifull and had not her Maiestie cause to deale with Papists as shee did when the Pope excommunicated her and stirred vp the Northen rebels her owne subiects to rebell against her Doctor Saunders did thrust himselfe into the Irish warres against her Maiestie If the Pope had so dealt with the king of Spaine as he hath dealt with our late most renowmed Queene would the king of Spaine haue taken it When I weighed and considered these things with my selfe I could not but dislike the Romish religion accompanied with tumults insurrections ruines desolations and with all manner of tragicall miseries and cleaue vnto this religion in England which euer teacheth peace as our writings shewe But it may be M. Doctor your owne men will beare some credit with you Cardinall Poole in his imagined oration to Charles the Emperour calling backe his Maiestie from the Turke to leaue all other affaires and to bend his banners against England and encouraging the subiects of this realme boldly to rebell against their Prince speaketh after this manner English men are a people that oftentimes haue deposed their kings for lighter causes This book as reuered Iuell testifieth was abroad and might be seene wherefore if peace wil preuaile with you call to minde that you haue bin the firebrands fo sedition the trueth is you would force to religion but you would not be forced The 25. reason All kinds of witnesses Euery man knoweth or may knowe M. Doctor that your tonge ouerreacheth when you say we can bring nothing to witnes our religiō but only the scriptures We haue produced the fathers of the primitiue Church to confirme the same but if we haue the scriptures on our side it is sufficient though all men were against vs that Gods word is not contrarie it is most true but that your practises are consonant to the same it is most false as likewise that we will admitte noe expositors of holy scriptures but the scriptures themselues that the scriptures expound themselues in matters necessary to saluation I thinke you will not denie your selfe Master Doctor neither will you alwaies take the fathers expositions Caietan confesseth that the sense of the scriptures is not tied to the Fathers exposition as I can shew but you demaund why Luther confesseth that he could not denie the reall
presence because the wordes were so plaine and why hath the text bin so tossed that out of it alone there hath bin wronge foure score different opinions I doubt you can hardly shewe so many opinions M. Doctor but graunt it yet a plaine text may not bee vnderstood of euery one and if the text be so plaine as you would haue it howe commeth it to passe that there are so many different opinions also among your selues for you know not howe to expound the word this as I haue prooued in an other worke Scotus confesseth that before the Lateran councell transubstantiation was no matter of faith ergo the wordes this is my body prooue it not Lactantius crieth out after this manner O quam difficilis est ignorantibus veritas quam facilis scientibus O how hard is truth to the ignorante but how easie to the skilfull truth then may be easie in it selfe though difficult to some men Vpon this vaine question you haue made a foolish inference that we haue noe witnesses at all of our newe inuented doctrine but euery one his priuat fancy or conceit whereas the catholike Roman religion hath all things in the world witnesses of it This is a monstrous fable are you able to prooue that all which are in heauen were the children of your church and all that are in hell were enemies vnto it to examine particulars Ignatius you say was of your religion because in Ecclesiasticall affaires he would not haue the king equall to the Bishop and because he wrotte Ecclesiasticall traditions To the first I answer that the true Ignatius would not correct Salomons speech Prou. 24. My sonne saith Salomon honour God and the king but I say honour God and the Bishop as high Priest the true Ignatius was a man of greater religion then that he would haue corrected the scripture but any thing is good inough to patch vp poperie To the second place I answer that it beeing duely considered ouerthroweth the Papists opinion For Ignatius thought it necessarie that the Traditions of the Apostles that is their doctrine should be written for feare of corruption what then is become of vnwritten traditions For that this is the true meaning of Eusebius Grynaeus sheweth Eus l. 5. c. 23. Next vnto Ignatius is Irenaeus placed who is so farre from agnizing the Papall authoritie that he did Acriter Victorem reprehendere sharpely reprooue Victor the Romane Bishop because he excommunicated the Churches of Asia for keeping the feast of Easter in a diuers manner from Rome Would Irenaeus haue done this if the Popes authoritie had beene vniuersall As foâ— Victor if this be your argument he excommunicated the Churches of Asia ergo he was a papist you make a ridiculous reason The next argument of Policarpus his going to Rome is of the same moment for who knoweth not that many mens aduise is vsed who yet haue no authoritie ouer others That Saint Cyprian Syxtus Laurence with infinite others doe witnesse the Romane religion I denie Saint Cyprian is so farre from witnessing all points of poperie that as I haue prooued he is reiected of Papists From men the Doctor commeth to women affirming thousands to haue defended their virginitie against deuils and men What then were they Papists therefore To come to speciallities Helen you say founde out the Crosse Although that historie may be doubted of yet Helen was no Papist for shee did not worshippe the crosse because that was an heathenish errour if shee had beene a Papist shee would haue adored the crosse But the Mother of Augustine Saint Monica was a papist who after death requested that shee might haue Masse said for her here if you meane popish Masse M. Doctor you abuse your selfe most shamefully for shee desired onely a memorie of her at the Communion So had the Prophets and Apostles which were not in your fained Purgatorie By these fewe examples you haue prooued Protestancie then poperie as for the rest which you name Saint Paul the Eremit and others when you prooue them Papists we will beleeue it To your question demanding whether there were any Saints in heaueÌ„ before this our age which were not papists I answer that there were therfore you speake impiously to say that heauen was emptie vntil Luther shooke off his hood or if there were any they were Papists who reuealed these things vnto you M. Doctor Take heede of the pride of Lucifer who would ascend into heauen to know secrets they belong not vnto you The Apostles and Martyrs with thousands I doubt not were in heauen which I am sure were no Papists witnesâ—e their writings From heauen the Doctor commeth to hell I feare me without repentance a fit place for him This iolly fellowe knoweth not onely matters in heauen but also what is done in hell as it seemeth The heathen persecutors are in hell for persecuting the Catholike Church I doubt not but this Catholike Church is not the same with the Romish Church at this day there is ample difference betwixt these And that Constantine gaue great peace to the Church Theod. lib. 1. c. 7. it is true also but he was no Papist for he saith that the holy Scriptures teach vs plainely all things which concerne diuine matters Lastly that all Bishops vnder the cope of heauen were members of this Romish Church is a notorious vntrueth The Doctor to fill vp his reason numbreth many but prooueth not that which he saith The rest of the chapter is but a vaine flourish of words in which I take no delight To drawe his reason into a syllogisme is needlesse because in deede it hath neither head nor foote Amongest many vanities in the ende of the chapter the Doctor saith that he is a Papist because the Romish religion is the most beneficiall of all the rest Christian Reader I feare me that this indeed is the true cause why many are papists namely their commodities But this is sufficient to driue men from poperie that in regard of preferment by this Doctors confession he is a Papist M. Doctor I haue taken away your euidence for poperie for baptisme bindeth no man to falshood Wherefore I beseech you by your saluation choose rather with Moses to suffer affliction then to be the Popes white sonne which as it seemeth by your owne confession you doe because the Romish Religion is most gainefull Out vpon gaine against conscience the Lord open your eies to see the trueth FINIS An admonition to the Reader I desire thee Christian Reader if there be any faults of the Printer to impute them to him not to the author of this booke for he could not be present at the Presse