without communion and the externall propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse and the hanging vp the Sacrament in the Pire and the diuine adoration giuen to it vpon tradition But all these obseruations are impious and contrary to Scriptures Some traditions are now abolished as the prohibition of Saterdayes fast the rite of standing when we pray betweene Easter and Whitsontide the formes of prayer in old time vsed in celebration of the sacrament of the Lords supper and diuers others whereof some are mentioned by Basil lib. de Spir. san c. 27. Bellarmine also lib. 4. de verbo Dei c. 2. confesseth that some traditions were temporarie But it is impious to say that the holy Scriptures are temporary or at any time to be abolished Diuers traditiōs are no where found but in the Legends Missals and Portesses and such books of smal account and credit as for example the ceremonies rites of the Masse the prayers of the canon the formall adoration of Saints and Angels the incredible narrations of S. Clement S. Nicholas S. Christopher S. George S. Catherine S. Dominicke S. Francis and infinite other Saints which no man may receiue with like affection as he receiueth holy Scriptures but he shall infinitly disgrace the Scriptures and shew him selfe to be no Catholike Furthermore if the Papists build their faith vpon traditions then is their faith humane as hauing no ground but the testimonie of this man and that man that speaketh of traditions Their faith is also most weake and fantasticall as being built vpon the lies reported in Legends and the fantasticall ceremonies contained in the Missall and Breuiary The holy Scriptures are called the old and new testament and the Apostle Ephes. 6. calleth the word of God the sword of the Spirit Writing to Timothy he saith holy scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and absolute and wise vnto saluation But howsoeuer the blind Papists fauor their traditions yet I hope they will be ashamed to cal their fardle of traditions Gods eternal testament or the sword of the spirit or to say that traditions are able to make the man of God perfect or wise to saluation Finally no holy father did euer make Ecclesiastical traditions not written nor contained in Scriptures but only commended by the Church of Rome or kept by custome or taken vp by fancie and recorded only in humane writings of equall authoritie with canonicall scriptures Infidelitatis argumentum est c. saith Basil It is an argument of infidelity and a most certaine signe of pride if a man wil reiect any thing that is written or bring in any thing not written The like sayint he hath Moral 72. c. 1. 86. 22. Neither is it like that he should speake of traditions repugnant to scriptures as some do answer For euery Christian man knoweth that nothing is to be receiued contrarie to Scriptures and to admonish men of that had bene superfluous Si quid dicatur absque scriptura saith Chrysostome hom in Psal. 95. auditorum cogitatio claudicat nunc annuens nunc hasitans If any thing be spoken without proofe of scripture the mind of the hearers resteth in suspence now yeelding now denying Neither doth he speake onely of a mans owne inuention but also of all other mens reports or deuises without ground of scripture In his thirteenth homily vpon the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians he calleth Scriptures a most exact rule What néed then haue we of the additions of traditions not written if scriptures be a most exact rule Diabolici spiritus est saith Theophilus lib. 2. paschal aliquid extra scripturarum sacrarum authoritatem putare diuinum It is a signe of a diuellish spirit to thinke that any thing is diuine which is without the authoritie of holy scriptures What reason then hath Bellarmine to call traditions the word of God not written Hierome in his commentaries vpon the 23. of Mathew speaking of a certaine tradition Quod de scripturis authoritatem non habet eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur That which is not confirmed by authoritie of scriptures is with the same facilitie contemned that it is proued And writing vpon the first chap. of the prophet Aggey he saith That the sword of God doth strike all those things which men of their owne accord do find out and feine as it were Apostolicall traditions without the authoritie and testimony of scriptures Ubi de re obscurissima disputatur sayth Augustine lib. 2. de peccatorum merit remiss c. 36. non adiuuantibus diuinarum scripturarum certis clarisque documentis cohibere se debet humana praesumptio nihil faciens in alteram partem declinando Where we contend about some most obscure question there mans presumption ought to stay it selfe declining to neither side if the certaine and cleare documents of scripture helpe vs not The next ground of the late Romish faith is layd vpon the old latine vulgar translation For whosoeuer receiueth not the scriptures as they are contained in the old vulgar latine translation is pronounced accursed by the conuenticle of Trent Againe the same conuenticle purposing to declare what Latine edition or translation of scriptures is authenticall determineth that the old latin vulgar translation shall be authenticall so that no man vpon any pretence dare or may reiect it Vt nemo illam reijcere quouis praetextu audeat vel praesumat Canus in his theologicall common places as he calleth them doubteth not to affirme that the Iewes haue corrupted the Hebrew text of the old testament and this diuers other papisticall writers haue also supposed The glosse vpon the chapter vt veterum dist 9. affirmeth plainely that both Iewes and Greekes haue corrupted the copies of scriptures in those tongues But the old vulgar Latine translation most Papists now bold to be sincere incorrupt and pure and allow as authenticall Bellarmine in his second booke De verbo Dei cap. 2. saith that albeit the scriptures in Hebrew be not altogether corrupted yet they are not sound and pure but haue certaine errors Likewise lib. 2. ca. 7. speaking of the Greeke text of the new Testament he sayth that the same is not sound nor without errors and that it is not safe alwayes to correct the Latine by the Greeke But in the same booke cha 10. with all his force he endeuoreth to defend the old Latine translation as authenticall The which is not onely a plaine declaration of the weaknesse of the Romish faith that is built vpon so corrupt grounds but also of the absurd and vnreasonable procéeding of our aduersaries The prophet cryeth out against the Iewes that forsooke God the fountaine of liuing water and digged to themselues pits or cisternes that could hold no water Is it not then admirable that any should be so blind as to forsake the originall textes of Scripture and to flie to the corrupt cisternes of the Latine vulgar translation Hilary vpon the 118.
do euery where vse this word Minister of Christ or minister of the Gospell in good part as for example in these words Rom. 15. That I should be the Minister of Iesus Christ towards the Gentiles And 1. Cor. 3. VVho is Paul then and who is Apollo but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued And 2. Cor. 11. They are the Ministers of Christ. And Col. 1. He is a faithfull Minister of Christ. Is he not then an impious fellow doth he not declare himself the slaue of Satan that euery where vseth this word in scorne and contempt saying sir minister the minister insolent minister and giuing out that a true minister and false minister is all one to him In his answer to my Epistle speaking of my request to haue Creswell to answer he alludeth to Christs words Mat. 20. Mar. 10. where answering the sonnes of Zebedey he sayth Nescitis quid petatis For making himselfe Christ and me one of the sons of Zebedey he sayth Nescis quid petis So shamelesse he is in taking vpon him the person of Christ abusing Christs words to his scornefull purpose He should therfore rather haue made himself a beare ward his seditious schollers beare-whelpes Creswel the crier of the game In the end of his wild obseruations vpon my Preface he obiecteth preaching vnto me where in great reproch he calleth me preaching Deane Yet the Apestle Rom. 16. and 1. Cor. 1. teacheth vs that preaching is the meanes to reueale the Gospell and to bring men to Christ. It is no maruell therefore if this limbe of Antichrist do hate preaching by which men are brought from Antichrist to Christ desiring nothing more then to kéepe his countrimen in darknes and to reduce them backe into Egypt Fol. 22. he iesteth at Sir Francis Hastings saith He doth imitate the spirit of some hidden prophet But what is more impious then to vse the name of a prophet of Gods holy spirit to make vp a iest He professeth that he handleth controuersies of religion and yet fol. 33. b. he calleth his dispute an Enterlude Do you then thinke that this man deserueth credit that of a Masse-priest and Iebusite is now become a Comedian séemeth to make a iest of religion Eusebius liked not the Gentiles that in their Theaters made sport with matters of Christian religion What then may we think of this counterfet Christian but that he is worse then the Gentiles Fol. 29. he defendeth Panormitan and Hostiensis that affirme that Christ and the Pope haue but one consistory and that the Pope can as it were do all things that Christ can do except sinne But therein he professeth his owne impietie rather thē excuseth theirs For who doth not acknowledge it to be a matter impious to compare a man to Christ in all things except one and to make Christ the author of the Popes sentences and iudgements Likewise it is impious to defend the Glosse that sayth Dominus Deus noster Papa c. cum inter extr Io. 2◠de verb. signif as doth Parsons Nay he goeth about to face down Sir Francis that doth reprehend it Neither is it materiall that the name of God is giuen sometime to creatures For that is by a similitude and not absolutely nor properly Fol. 38. he defendeth Steuchus and Pope Nicholas that say that Constantine called the Pope God and held him for God which was neuer vttered by Constantine nor can be spoken without blasphemie Fol. 40. he maintaineth the words of Cusanus that sayd that the iudgement of God changed But S. Iames saith Apud Deum non est transmutatio there is no change with God This was also an opinion of the Arrians Dei verbum posse mutari that the sonne of God which is the eternall word may be changed as Athanasius testifieth decret Nicen. synod contr Arrian Furthermore it is blasphemous as hée holdeth with Cusanus to say that Gods institution in the sacrament may be changed Fol. 42. he saith Sir Francis cometh out with a decalogue of blessings answering perhaps to the ten Commaundements for whose obseruation the Iewes haue many blessings promised founding a scurrilous iest vpon the ten Commaundements and emplying that among Christians there is no such reward for performance of the law as among the Iewes Fol. 45. he placeth Trinitarians among heretikes as if it were heresie to beléeue in the holy Trinity Fol. 60. and 61. he beareth his reader in hand that reading of scriptures in tongues vnderstood is cause that men fall into heresies direct contrary to the doctrine of our Sauior Search the scripture saith he for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life Thus he blasphemeth the sacred word of God with his impure mouth Fol. 79. he maketh a iest of the words of our Sauiour Matth. 5. where he saith Our clergy may sing beati pauperes spiritu This I say is mere impiety For so should he sing too if he were of an Atheist and had forgotten that these are Christs words Fol. 81. he maketh sport with words of Scripture comparing Cadburie to the ruines of Hierusalem and yet this fellow is estéemed a worthy patron of poperie such a patron such a cause Fol. 101. he denyeth scriptures to be the rule of faith which is as much as if he meant either impiously to ouerthrow the canon of scriptures or else to preferre vncertaine traditions before them 2. enconter c. 5. fol. 32. 6. he compareth reading of scriptures to excesse of apparrell spending much and playing at dice like a cheating companion drawing similitudes from his owne practise to disgrace the word of God Chap. 6. encontr 2. he will not confesse his errour that sayd before Wardw. p. 14. that the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. make against reading of scriptures Who can denie saith he but Saint Paul talking of scriptures as they were in the learned tongues saith of them litera occidit But to accuse men for reading of scriptures is impious and sauoreth of the error of the Origenists and Swenchfeldians errour that condemne the letter of the Scriptures Neither can he excuse himselfe saying that he meant rash reading For the Apostle where he saith that the letter killeth talketh not of reading but of the effect that the scriptures worke in mens harts shewing that the letter condemneth those which by grace are not moued effectually to embrace the word Chap. 11. encontr 2. most blasphemously he compareth Christs miracles to the miracles of Thomas Becket and his lying legend to the scriptures For which he deserueth to be marked as a miraculous blasphemer In the same place he saith that materiall honour in worshipping saints hurteth not the deuout nor diminisheth their merit Which is as much as if he should say that those that worship theeues and malefactors as saints offend not but rather merit with God And that men may worship they know not whom nor what Fol. 99. he maintaineth a blasphemous prayer wherein papists desire
and groues of Baal to root out idelatry and superstition and to restore Gods true worship In the beginning of her reigne the holy scriptures were restored to the people in their mother tongue and Gods true worship established in the Church according to that rule God was serued in spirit and truth and the seruice of the Church brought back to the auncient forme of Christs primitiue Church CHAP. V. Of the translations of Scriptures into vulgar tongues and reading them publikely in tongues vnderstood HE that doth euill hateth the light No maruel then if the Pope his crue of Masse-priests shun the scriptures their workes and doctrine being euill and the scriptures being compared to light Psalm 119. and to a candle shining in a darke place 2. Pet. 1. they would if they durst plainely prohibite scriptures as appéereth by the practise of the begging Fryers in the time of William de sanct amore who hauing brought all their fancies and traditions into one volume and calling the same the eternal Gospel preached that the Gospel of Christ should cease and that their eternal Gospel should be preached and receiued to the end of the world The Pope also could hardly be enduced to condemne this blasphemous booke of the Fryers In the end I confesse he was forced for shame to abolish it yet he conceiucd infinite displeasure against the Doctors of Paris and fauored the Fryers as much as he could And now albeit he hath not simply prohibited the translation of scriptures and reading them in vulgar tongues yet he hath so limited the same as in effect they are as good as prohibited For first he will not permit that scriptures translated into vulgar tongues shall be read publikely in the Church as both the Trent conuenticle and the practise of the Romish Church declareth Secondly Pope Pius the fourth doth simply forbid all translations of scriptures into vulgar tongues such onely except as are made by his adherents and followers which are not onely false and absurd in diuers points but also corrupted with diuers false and wicked annotations as the Rhemish annetations vpon the new testament being examined do manifestly declare Thirdly we do not find that the Papists are hastie in setting forth translations of scriptures in vulgar tongues nor can I learne that the Bible is hitherto translated into the Spanish Italian and Dutch tongue by them Fourthly they will haue no Booke-sellers sel Bibles though translated into vulgar tongues by them selues without leaue Fiftly they wil not permit any man to read Bibles so translated by themselues without leaue Sixtly they graunt leaue to none to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues albeit allowed by themselues but to such onely as they suppose to be resolued or rather drowned in the dregges of Popish errors and to lay men seldome or neuer do they grant the same I do not beleeue that Robert Parsons albeit well acquainted in Spaine and Italie can name a doosen lay men of either nation that haue licence to reade Scriptures in vulgar tongues or that had licence in England in Queene Maries time to reade Scriptures translated into their mother tongue If he know any such he may do well to name them If he name them not his silence wil bréed suspition if it be not taken for a plaine confession Finally if any among the Papists be taken with other translations then such as themselues allow or not hauing himselfe obtained licence according to the foresaid rule he is presently taken for suspect of heresie and seuersly punished if he acquite not himselfe the better So we sée that among them it is lawfull to reade all prophane bookes if they fall not within the compasse of their prohibition and to tumble ouer the lying legends of Saints and the fabulous booke of Conformities of Saint Francis with Christ and that without leaue But Scriptures translated into vulgar tongues no man may reade without leaue Now how contrarie this course is to the word of God to the practise of Gods Church and to all reason we may easily perceiue by these particulars God would haue the words of the law not onely a continuall subiect of our talke and meditations but also to be written at the entrances and doores of our houses Our Sauiour Christ preaching to the Iewes willed them to search the Scriptures But how can this be done if Scriptures be not translated into tongs which we vnderstand and if no man may reade them without leaue In the primitiue Church they were publikely read in the Syrian Egyptian Punicke other vulgar tongues By the testimonte of Bede hist. Angl. lib. 1. it appeareth they were translated into the British tongue and into other vulgar tongues the mysteries of religion being made common to diuers nations by the meditation of Scriptures Irenaeus speaking of all the Scriptures saith They may be heard alike of all Hierome in an Epistle to Laeta and in another to Celantia exhorteth them to reade Scriptures But how can they be heard alike if they may not be translated nor read publikely in vulgar toungs And why should it be more lawfull for Laeta and Celantia to reade Scriptures then for other men and women In his Commentaries likewise vpon the 86. Psalme he saith that Scriptures are read to all that all may vnderstand Scriptura populis omnibus legitur vt omnes intelligant But how can the common people vnderstand a strange toung Chrysostome homil 9. in Epist ad Coloss. teacheth that the Apostle commandeth lay men to reade scriptures and that with great diligence The Apostle teacheth vs that the word of God is the sword of the spirit And before I haue shewed that it is light Our Sauiour saith that the word of God is food to our soule Basil. homil 29. saith That the old and new Testament are the treasure of the Church Vetus nokum Testamentum saith he the saurus Ecclesiae In his Commentaries vpon the first Psalme he sheweth that the holy Scriptures are a storehouse for all medicines for mans soule Chrysostome Homil. in Psalm 147. saith the Scriptures are our armes and munitions in the spirituall warfare which we haue against the diuell Arma comeatus eius belli quod est inter nos diabolum sunt Scripturarum auditio Doth it not then appeare that the Papists are enemies to Christians and séeke to murther their soules that by all meanes séeke to expose them naked vnto their enemies weapons and wold willingly depriue them of medicines munitions armes and foode and leaue them in darknesse without the comfort of Scriptures For how can they vse Scriptures that vnderstand them not And how can they vnderstand them when they are read in toungs vnknowne And how can they come to reade them when there are so many difficulties in obtaining licence to haue them Séeing then at her Maiesties first entrance into her gouernement we were fréed from the thraldome and slauery of Antichrist and had the Scriptures in
a tongue vnderstood restored vnto vs and read publikely and priuately without limitation or danger we are to accompt the same as a singular benefit bestowed vpon the people of England For what can be deenied more beneficiall then for the hungrie to obtaine food for naked souldiers to obtaine armes and prouisions for poore people in want to be enriched with such a treasure But saith N. D. Wardw. pag. 14. If the translator do not put downe the words of Scriptures sincerely in his vulgar translation then the simple reader that cannot discerne will take mans word for Gods word Secondly he saith that if a false sence should be gathered out of Scripture then the reader should sucke poison in stead of wholesome meate But these reasons make no more against reading Scriptures in vulgar tongues and translating them into those tongues then against reading Scriptures in the Latin and translating them into Latine For as well may the Latine Interpreter erre as he that translateth scriptures into vulgar tongues and aswell may a man draw a peruerse sence out of the Latine as out of the English If then these reasons conclude not against that Latin translation they are too weak to conclude against vulgar translations Againe if it be hurtfull to follow a corrupt translation and to gather a contrarie sence out of scriptures we are not therefore to cast away scriptures but rather to séeke for the most sincere translations and the most true sence and meaning of the holy Ghost reuealed in holy Scriptures Thirdly he alleageth these words out of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3. The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth against reading of scriptures in vulgar tongues But these words do no lesse touch them that follow the letter in the Hebrew Gréek theÌ„ in the vulgar tongs And yet Robert Parsons wil not deny but that it is lawfull to reade scriptures in Hebrew and Gréeke albeit he if it were vnlawfull would neuer be guiltie of this fault being most ignorant of these tongs Fourthly he asketh how vnlearned readers will discerne things without a guide As if lay-men because they haue teachers might not also reade the books from whence the principles of Christian doctrine are deriued This therefore séemeth to be all one as if Geometricians and other teachers of arts should debarre their schollers from reading Euclide and other authors that haue written of arts Furthermore albeit somethings without teachers cannot of rude learners be vnderstood yet all things that pertaine to faith and manners are plainely set downe in scriptures In ijs quae apertè in scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 9. Quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Fiftly he alleageth that the vnderstanding of Scriptures is a particular gift of God But that notwithstanding no man is forbidden to reade scriptures in Hebrew Greeke or Latine And yet if Robert Parsons vnderstand them at all he vnderstandeth them better in the vulgar English then in these tongues Furthermore albeit to vnderstand Scriptures be a peculiar gift of God yet no man is therefore to refraine from reading of scriptures but rather to reade theÌ„ diligently and to conferre with the learned and to beséech God to giue him grace to vnderstand them The which is proued by the example of the Eunuch Act. 8. who read the scriptures and threw them not away albeit he could not vnderstand all without the help of a teacher Sirthly he vseth the examples of Ioane Burcher a pudding wife as some suppose and qualified like his mother the Blacke-smiths wife and of Hacket William Geffrey and other heretickes In his Warne-word Encontr 1. cap. 8. he addeth George Paris Iohn More certaine Anabaptists and other heretikes and insinuateth that all these fell into heresies by reading of scriptures in vulgar languages But his collectioÌ„ is false and shamelesse and derogatorie to scriptures and contrary both to them and to fathers Our Sauior speaking of the Sadduceis Mat. 22. saith they erred for that they knew not the scriptures Erratis nescientes scriptur as The Apostle talking of reading of scriptures saith they are profitable to instruct men vnto saluation and not hurtfull or the cause of any mans destruction The ignorance of scriptures saith Chrysostome ho. de Lazaro hath brought forth heresies Scripturarum ignoratio haereses peperit And againe Barathrum est scripturarum ignoratio that is the ignorance of scriptures is a bottomlesse gulfe Finally to obscure the glorie of this benefite of reading scriptures in vulgar tongues in his out-worne Warne-word Encont 1. c. 8. he saith that such as vnderstand Latin or haue licence of the Ordinary to reade scriptures in vulgar tongues haue no benefit by this generall permission of reading scriptures as if euery one that vnderstandeth Latin durst reade vulgar translations without licence or as if the Church receiued no benefite vnlesse euery particular member were partaker of that benefite This therefore is a most ridiculeus conceit and likely to procéed from such an idle head Further the same might be alleaged against Latine translations And yet Robert Parsons will not deny but the Church receiueth benefite by Latine translations albeit the Greekes and such as vnderstand Hebrew and not Latin receiue no benefite by the Latine translation If then Robert Parsons meane hereafter to barke against the reading of scriptures that are commended vnto vs as light medicine food armes and things most necessary he must alleage vs better reasons then these lest he be taken for an hereticall or rather lunaticall fellow that spendeth his wit in the defence of fond senselesse and impious positions CHAP. VI. Of publike Prayers and administration of Sacraments and other parts of the Church liturgie and seruice in vulgar tongues LIke wise the Papists to take from Christians the effect and fruite of their prayers set out most of their prayer bookes in Latine and closely forbid the common seruice and liturgie of the Church to be said in vulgar languages In the â—2 session of the Conuenticle of Trent where they anathematise them that hold that the Masse should be celebrated in vulgar tongues their meaning is to establish the rites of the Romish Church and the Latine seruice and to prohibit the vse of vulgar tongues in publike liturgies And this is also proued by the practise of the synagogue of Rome that alloweth the prayers of such as pray in Latine albeit like Parrots they vnderstand not what they prattle and by the testimonie of Hosius Bellarmine and others writing vpon that argument But this practise is most barbarous fruitlesse and contrary to the custome of Christ his Church in auncient time Sinesciero virtutemvocis saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. ero ci cui loquor barbarus qui loquitur mihi barbarus that is If I vnderstand not the meaning of the words I vtter I shall be to him to whom I speake barbarous and he that speaketh shal be barbarous vnto me And againe If I
certaintie of faith by his owne reading or by the credite of some others we may aske his friarship likewise or because he is but a doogeon dunce of the Pope who is as it were an oracle of Papists the same question And if he answer that he hath it by his owne reading then we shall much wonder at his impudencie For Parsons knoweth that Popes reade litle or nothing and for the most part are ignorant of schoole diuinitie If he say his Popeship hath it by the vertue of his close stool then is the same but filthy learning especially the Pope being laxatine as was Gregory the fourteenth If he say he haue it from his Masse-priests and friars then are they more certaine oracles then he and this learning must come from the tayles of friars and not from the head of the church Parsons therefore to cleare this doubt fol. 110. saith That they do not depend on the Pope as a priuate man but as he is head and chiefe pastor of Christs vniuersal Church He saith also That his rudenesse is turned into wisedome But that the Pope is the head of Christs vniuersall Church is the thing in question That a man should be a sot as he is a priuate man and wise as he is a publike person is ridiculous That he is made wise and learned being made Pope is most false So it appeareth Parsons is ensnared in his owne question and must confesse that the faith of papists is nothing else but the Popes priuate fancie and grounded on the Popes chaire and most absurd and sottish which can not be obiected to vs séeing we ground our selues vpon the Apostles and Prophets who in matters of faith saluation speake plainely and alwayes the same things most constantly In his first encounter chap 15. he spendeth much talke about the rule of faith But most of his words are direct contrary both to himselfe and to his holy fathers profite For in the Wardword page 6. he said the vniuersal Church was the squire and pole-star which euery one was to follow confounding like an ideot the thing ruled with the rule In the Warneword fol. 100. he saith the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles preachings of the Apostles is the rule of faith Which is contrary to the Popes profit For if this be true then vnlesse the Popes determinations and traditions ecclesiastical were preached by the Apostles and confirmed by mracles they are to be excluded from being the rule of faith Parsons therefore is like to those which dig pits for others but fall into them themselues He hath prepared weapons for vs but like a mad sot hath hurt himselfe with the same Finally Captaine Cowbucke like a noble woodcocke is caught in his owne springes CHAP. IX A catalogue of certaine principall lies vttered by Robert Parsons in his late Warne-word THe Spirit of God as the Apostle sayth speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hote yron Which prophecy as in other heretikes so especially in the Papists we may sée most plainely and euidently to be fulfilled For they departing from the auncient and Catholike faith taught by the holy Apostles and Prophets and recorded in holy Scriptures haue giuen héed to spirits of error and beléeued the trash of vnwritten traditions and lying legends and therupon haue founded their prohibitions of certaine meates and mariages and such like doctrines of diuels confirming their opinions with grosse lies vttered with seared consciences and brazen faces contrary to all shew of truth They take to themselues the name of doctors and fathers but are false teachers and vnkind traitors And as Theodoret saith of certaine heretikes Christianorum sibi appellatione imposita apertè docent contraria Calling themselues Christians or Catholikes they openly teach contrary I could specifie it by Caesar Baronius and Bellarmine by Sanders Stapleton and diuers other principall authors of the popish sect But I will not match any man of note with so notorious a dolt and so base a swad as Robert Parsons is of whom we are now to speake though not much to his commendation The onely example of Parsons and that in one of his fardles of lies which we are now to rip vp shall shew them to be notorious and bold lyers The diuellish and erronious doctrine of friars we haue touched before and shall haue often occasion to mention In the front of his booke he promiseth the issue of three former treatises and in the second page talketh of eight encounters But he falsifieth his promise and lieth grossely For of the thrée former treatises he toucheth onely two chapters and of eight encounters entreth onely vpon two Further he declineth the true issue of matters and runneth bias like a warped bowle of dudgeon into impertinent idle questions Doth he not therfore as Hierom saith of one make shipwwracke in the port In his Epistle to the Reader taking vpon him to deliuer the summe of the controuersie betwixt him and vs he wracketh himselfe likewise thinking to wreake his malice vpon vs and beginneth with a grosse lie There hapned saith he some few yeares past he noteth 1599. in the margent as often also before a certaine false alarme of a Spanish inuasion then said to be vpon the seas towards England Where I néed not to note the idiotisme of Parsons speech that talketh of a Spanish inuasion vpon the sea towards England being ellewhere noted but only I wil touch his impudencie in lying and dcnying that about this time the Spaniards were ready with forces at the Groyne for the inuasion of England And the rather for that this was the occasion that moued Sir Francis Hastings to giue warning to his countrey and also because the same sheweth that Parsons is very sorie that any man is acquainted with the desscines of the Spanish Ring and that he could not take vs sleeping and so closcly and priuiliy cut his countrimens throtes I say then it is a lie most notorious to affirme that the alarme giuen vpon occasion of the Spanish preparations anno 1598. for an inuasion of some part of England was false And proue it first by the words of the Ring who recouering out of a trance and comming to himself asked if the Adelantado were gone for England Secondly by the prouisions of ships and men made at the Groync and Lisbone and which coming thence shaped their course for England albeit they were by wether beaten back Thirdly by the testimony of one Leake a Masse priest that was dealt with all to come for England Fourthly by the testimonie of the Secular priests in their reply to Parsons his libell fol. 65. sequent who direaly charge Parsons to be a solicitor of these pretended attempts anno 1598. Fiftly by Parsons his