of our Christian fayth And the fountain from whence all these so bitter iarres and warres do proceed is the want of some certaine and infallible rule to direct them for seeing all seeme to accept of the bare word of Scriptur for the only grouÌ„d of their faith interpreted according to their owne priuate spirit and foolish imagination which whether it be true or no he cannot certainely tell seeing that such a sentence may admit diuers expositions and yet because he thinketh that he can defend that new interpretation inuented by him although not truly yet at least with some colour or shew of truth he presently by defending it obstinatly is made the author of a new Sect. Hence M Parkes speaking of our Protestant M. Parkes Apolog. supra epist dedicat writers sayth Euery man maketh Religion the hand-mayd of his affections we may say now that there are as many fayths as wills and so many doctrines as manners of men whiles either we write them as we list or vnderstand them as we please in so much that many are brought to their wits end not knowing what to do Men say they know whom to flye but whome to follow they cannot tell This age is the last and worst wherein heresy and infidelity ioyne and labour to subuert and ouerthrow all groundes of Christian Religion From this bad spirit of Giddines and Heresy aryseth another no lesse scandalous among the Reformers called the Spirit of Rayling in the which they haue such a talent as they spare none whether he be Prince or Prelate Catholike Puritan or Protestant or whosoeuer oppose themselues against their new found ouâ— imaginations With this spirit Bishop Barlow taketh vp Father Parsons otherwise a religious See D. Barlow his answere to the booke intituled The iudgment of a Catholike EnglishmaÌ„ c. concerning the we woath of Allegience pag. 67. 63. man and a worthy Deuine telling vs That he was a blacke-mouthed Shemey famous for nothing but for capitall infamyes a bastard by birth a libeller by custome a factionist in Society an expulst Academian rung out with bells as a carted strumpet with pannes for a gracelesse companion a Diabolicall Machiauellian a staine of humanity a corrupter of all honesty Againe A Camelion for his Profession a back-slyding Apostata a periured intruder a dissolute libertine in act in choice in maintenance a fugitiue with discontented renagates a viperous complotter against his Countrey a firebrand of treasonable combustions by pen and aduice and which of all other is most remarkable a Iesuite by proxy a Votary by substitution a Paduan Montebanke and Empericall Quaâ—saluer a disdainefull scorner of all reproofe or counsaile and yet a scorned Vassal by all the Popes he had serued a dog to snarle c. This cancker of youth this spawne of vipers this slaue of Satan c. A dead dog being while he liues a rotten carcasse of a poysoned Cur infected in his intralls and infecting with his sauour the ayre he breaths in and the land wherin he had his first breath a miching Cur a carrionly Cur c. as if he were the porter of Hades Carons mastiue Plutoes Cerberus he harrowes Tartar and I tremble to write it feignes with a wish Queene Elizabeths glorifyed soule in gastly Ghost to speake from Hell So farre Bishop Barlow Prelat-like Hence D. Luther against King Henry the Luth. in lib contâ—â— Regem Anglia eight rayleth thus calling him An enuious madd-foole babling with much spittle in his mouth more furious then madnes it selfe more dotish then folly it selfe endued with an impudent and whorish face without any one veine of Princely bloud in his body a lying Sophist a damnable rotten worme a Basiliske and progeny of an Adder a lying scurrill couered with the title of a King a clownish wit a dotish head most wicked foolish and impudent Henry And sayth further He doth not only lye like a most vaine scurrill but passeth a most wicked knaue thou lyest in thy throate foolish sacrilegious King Hence Erasmus a Confessour with Erasmus contra non sobriam Lutheri â—pistolam Fox and of good iudgment a wel meaning man with D. Reynolds telleth vs that Luthers Epistle breatheth deadly hatred is all full of impotent if not furious reproaches and malicious lyes He malepartly rayleth against Kinges and Princes when he lists extreme hatred desire of commaund and firebrands of inciters driue him out of the way he craketh naught but Diuells Satans Hobgoblins Witches Megeraes and such more then Tragicall speaches His mind can be satiated with no rayling he is besides himselfe with hatred he hath no sincerity no Christian modesty Neither are the Puritans so honny-mouthed as they would make men belieue for now then out of their aboundance of this spirit they bestow some few sprinklings vpon them who for their titles otherwise ought to be styled their Reuerend Fathers and the chiefest Worthyes of the Protestant Church Thus then as though they had dipped their pen in gall they salute the English Bishops telling vs They are right puissant poysoned persecuting Lib. 2. of dangerous positions cap. 11. and terrible Priests Cleargy Ministers of the Confocation house the holy league of subscription the crew of monsters and vngodly wretches that mingle heauen and earth togeather horned Maisters of D. VVhitguift in resp ad defension mapud Fitgsim in his Britan. p. 〈◊〉 the Conspiration house an Antichristian swinish rabble enemyes of the Ghospell most couetous wretches and popish Priests the Conuocation house of Diuels Beelzebub of Canterbury the chiefe of the Diuels But if they rage thus against their Reuerend Fathers what mildnes can we expect towardes their dearly beloued brethren Verily the taunts and contumelies of ministers against ministers sayth M. Ormerod are vnchristian they M. Ormerod picture of a Puritan fol. 3. refuse to salute one another wishing the plague of God to light vpon them saying they are damned And thus with whole Cart-loades of dirtifying words curses execrations and condemnations they besmeare and bedaube their opponents as els where I haue shewed which is a most manifest signe that the furious raging rayling Spirit doth much predominate among them But besides their Spirit of Contradiction their Spirit of Heresy their Spirit of Rayling there oftentimes rusheth out another no lesse deforme and vggly then the former which is the blacke Spirit of Belying their Aduersaryes for seing their Heresies cannot be maintained with the spirit of Verity and Truth they are enforced to vse the benefit of that Spirit which O slander in Epitom Cent. 16. pag. 796. See Bernard of VVorsâ—p in his book of the Separatists Schism p. Campanus in Colloq latin Luthsom 2. c. de Aduer fol 354. is the enemy of that most noble Vertue to wit the foule Spirit of Lying falshood and Vntruth and indeed they so ioy and exult in this blacke art of lying as the Lutherans report how the Caluinists hould for
AN EPISTLE DEDICATED TO AN HONOVRABLE PERSON In the which are discouered a dozen bad spirits who from the beginning haue much haunted grieuously tormented the Protestant Congregation so that euery one may perceaue if he be not tooto partiall and ouermuch carryed away with affection that such an Assembly cannot be the true Church of God Imprinted M. DC XXII thing els can ensue but that in lieu of true faith they reap nothing els but some humane opinion or some other phantasticall illusion which is as farre from diuine fayth as truth from falshood and a blacke Diuell from an Angell of light But because no Sect can be supported without some certaine meanes in place of all those infallible grounds which are in vse amongst Catholikes and euer haue beene since the Apostles tyme they haue brought in the spirit of Rayling of Heresy the spirit of Lying and Contradiction and euery ones Priuate a For D. Luther sayth That there be as many sects and Religions among vs as there be men Ther is no Asse in this time so sotâ—ish and blockish but will haue the dreames o his ownef head and his opinion accepted for the instinct of the holy Ghost and himselfe esteemed as a Prophet Luther ep ad Anâ—werp tom 2 Germ. lenae fol. â—01 The Centurists tearme all the followers of the Confession of Ausburg Ecebolios and likes them to the fish Poul-countrell which changeth often his colour and to the old Pagan God Vertumnus who coulâ— turnâ— himselfe into all shapes and tell vs That they now approue the true doâ—trine and presently after condemne the same now calling that heresy which before they preached as an vnconquered truth Cent. 9. in praâ—at Imagination and fancy and by the vse of these they bolster and vphould in some fashion this their new vpstart Congregation which to be so you shal easily perceaue in this my short Epistle And to begin Among all those monsters and bad spirits with the which they haue pestred the world the spirit of Contradiction is most familiar among them seeing they do so excell in it as none indeed if he but looke into their writings can tell whome to trust or belieue For if you will but run ouer these Motiues which this Parson brings forth in his Epistle to moue your Honour to ioyne to his distracted b To Syr Edwyn Sands they to wit the Protestants are like scattered troups ech drawing aduerse way without any meanes to pacify their quarrells In his Relation f. 8. To learned Duditius the Protestant Diuines do coyne a monthly fayth Beza ep theo 1. To MelancthoÌ„ They know not whome to follow Protest Apol. pag. 509. To learned Maior The simple doubt whether any true Church of God be yet remayning In orat de consus dogma N. E. epist pag. 7. Congregation you shal see nothing affirmed by him which some of his famous brethren will not deny and nothing denyed by him as falsâ— which another of his owne coate more learned then he will not affirme to be most true Thus then hath our iust God stroken them with the spirit of giddynes and disagreement as while they endeauour to build vp their hereticall Tower of Babell their own labours fall vpon them and crush them down to their vtter ruine and destruction But to the end your Honour may vnderstand we do them no wrong we will make a short suruey and cast the eyes of our consideration ouer some pointes of this Ministers â—arring Epistle in which this Parson first tells you That Giant-like Catholiks fight against Christ and the primitiue Church about Communion in one kind as though it were vnlawfull to offer one kind to the people or that Christ had giuen some Commandement as concerning that point wheras D. Luther c D. Luther They sinne not against Christ who vse one kind seeing Christ hath not commanded to vse it but hath left it to the will of euery one saying As often as you do these you shall do them in memory of me De captiuit Bahyl cap. de Euch. the Patriarch of all the Reformers will tell you a quite contrary tale to that of this petty Ministers to wit that neither the giuing of the Communion vnder one kind by the Priest to the people is vnlawfull nor that there was euer any commandment enacted by Christ for receauing it subvtraque that is vnder both kinds Againe he tells You that Transubstantiation now is a new inuention and was no matter N. E. ep pag. 8. of fayth before the Councell of Lateran which was 1215. yeares after Christ But M. Fox his Reuerend Father will teach your Fox Act. mon. printed 1576. p. 1121. Honour how this Parson lyes lewdly because according to him aboue 100. yeares before this tyme denyall of Transubstantiation began to be accounted Heresy Moreouer he tells you that the adoring of the Sacrament or Christ contayned in it is N. E. ep pag. 8. Kemnit in exam Conc. Tri. par 2. pag. 91. Idolatry But Kemnitius one of the famous Protestants that euer were will informe you of the contrary That none doubteth to adore it but he who with the Sacramentaryes denyeth Christs body to be present Likewise this Parson would haue you belieue that it is not Christs body which is really N. E. ep pag. 3. in the B. Sacrament but a naile to fasten true Christians to the Crosse of Christ But what euer Scripture tould this Parson it was a naile Christ sayth This is my body expresly which is to be giuen for you and this Parson saith it is not Matth. 26. Christs body but a nayle Whom will you rather beleiue Christ who is truth it selfe and cannot deceaue or this minister who is a lyar as we haue seene and commonly doth nothing but deceiue Againe he would delude you with this N. E. in his epist p. 3. his interrogation saying Who doth deny the reall presence as though none denyed it which is such a grosse vntruth as I thinke the Deuill himself is not wont to suggest a grosser For doth not Luther long since conclude against Beza epist Theol. 1. pag. 7. Zuinglius from whom Caluin as Beza confesseth doth not dissent that the Deuill by Zuinglius and his adherents laboureth to sup vp the egg Luth. ser de Euc han fol. 335. and leaue vs the shell that is as he expoundeth himselfe to take from the bread and wine the body and bloud of Christ so that nothing remaine but plaine Bakers bread Neyther would this Parson haue you beleiue that Christ can put his body in more N. E. ep pag. 9. places togeather at once For the which his Reuerend Father D. Luther all the * M. Fox sayth Christ abyding in heauen is no let but that he may be in the Sacrament if he list Act mon. pag. 998. CraÌ„mer also sayth The Controuersy in this matter is not what may be but what is Christ body may be
a receiued principle and rule that it is lawfull to lye for the glory of Christ and those of the purer sort in England tell vs that the Protestants preach lies in the name of the Lord. And Campanus lets vs vnderstand that as certaine as God is God so certaine it is that Luther was a Diuelish lyar And that this Epistler hath reasonably well learned this lesson of lying you may perceiue partly out of that which hitherto we haue said partly out of this that he would N. E. ep pag. 3. haue you beleiue that in the article of Merits the Protestants subscribe to the Orthodoxal iudgment of S. Augustin which is so false as no lesse man then D. Luther himself calleth in scorne Hierome Ambrose Augustin Merit mongers of the ould Papacy Againe he would haue you beleiue that I cite D Iames to giue witnes against Wickliffe Epist pag. 5. that he was in some point an Anabaptist a Stoick which is indeed a false lye seing I do not so much as name D. Iames in the whole booke against Wickliffe This Parson would haue you beleiue that the Testimony of Protestants for the Papacy Epist pag. â— separatly considered is a worme-eaten pillar too weake for the supportance of that Religion But Bishop D. MortoÌ„ epist dedicat in his answere to the Protestant Apology D. VVhitale contr 292. c. 14. Morton will tell this Parson he lyes and informe your Honour That the testimony of the Aduersary is the greatest reason of satisfactioÌ„ And D. Whitaker That it must needes be a strong argument which is taken out of the confession of the Aduersary He would haue you beleiue that Watson his testimony is true affirming that the Iesuits do confesse that the ancient Fathers neuer touched â—pist p. 〈◊〉 the thing of Transubstantiation which for ought this Parson knoweth is a most grosse vntruth seing Watson publiquely at his death craued pardon of the Iesuits for the wrong he had done them and that he wronged them in this is so manifest as euery one may see in Zuarcz Bellarmine onely aboue 40. Fathers for the doctrine and beleife of Transubstantiation Againe he would haue you beleiue that Epist pag. 11. the Inuocation of Saints is not the ould way but some new innouation whereas D. Morton Morton Apol. par 1. p. 217. 218. will informe your Honour how the quite contrary is most true affirming that all Antiquity taught Inuocation of Saints This Parson would haue you beleiue that Preists radically do not beleiue TransubstantiatioÌ„ because some being required after coÌ„secration Epist pag. 8. refused to say God graunt I may haue no benefit by the bloud of Christ if it be not in the Chalice for this they might most lawfully refuse to do vpon some other ground although most firmely and constantly they all beleiued Transubstantiation This Parson perchance would haue you beleiue that Catholike Priests are like his companions who are wont to teach one thing and beleiue another No no this belongs to our new Rabbins as they confesse themselues For M. Iohn Musa this Parsons brother-minister Ioannes Matthefius de vita Luth. concio 12. fol. 147. saith Mathesius told me that one time he complayned very grieuously to Luther that those things which he preached to others he himself could not beleiue the which Luther hearing answeared Now blessed be God that the same happeneth to others that is wont to happen to me For hitherto I thought that none had done this but my self Was not this a Rogish tricke in these prime pillars and chiefe Reformers How can any giue theÌ„ credit if they iuggle thus in matters concerning either our cheifest good and saluation or our eternall ruine and destruction Besides all these wicked spirits our Reformers haue foure or fiue more with whom they are very familiar to wit the spirit of Pride the spirit of Liberty the spirit of Carnality the spirit of Blasphemy and lastly the Diuell himselfe who is as it were the Lord and Prince of all these But to speake a word of euery one Out of the spirit of Pride they swagger like Lucifer and condemne and contemne all Fathers all Councells and Churches For what haue we to doe with Fathers with flesh and bloud sayth D. Humfrey or what is it to vs what D. Humfrey in prafat ad Orig. Beza in his preface vpon the new Testament dedicated to the Prince of Conde ann 1587. Luth. lib. contra Regem angliae fol. â—480 the false Synods of Bishops do decree Seeing sayth Beza that Sathan was president in their assemblyes and Counâ—elis But to be briefe out of D. Luther who was the first Father you may take a scantling how to iudge of the rest Henry sayth he for his Massing sacrifice bringeth in the sayings of Fathers heere say I that by this meanes my sentence is confirmed for this it is which I sayd That the Thomisticall Asses haue nothing which they can alleadge but a multitude of men and the ancient vse But I against the sayings of men Fathers Angells and Diuells put downe the Ghospell which is the word of the eternall Maiesty heere I insult ouer the sayings of men though neuer so holy so that I care not though a thousand Augustines and Cyprians should stand against me And in another place hauing reiected Fathers Councells schooles and ages he thus concludeth Neither Luth. de seruo arbit apud Stephan in defens Apolog let the multitude magnitude latitude profoundity miracles sanctity of the Church of Saintes moue thee a iote all of them were damned if they thought as they write Out of the same Proud Spirit although by their owne confession they are couered ouer Caluin in antid Concil Trid-sess 6. cap. 5. 10. 13. 15. lib â—l Instit c. z. Pareus in Prologom ad Oscam Pros D. Luth. tom 1. in 1. Petr. c. n. from top to toe with filth vncleanes meere iniquity yet neuer thelesse they boast and brag that they are all holy and sanctifyed from their mothers wombe all certaine of predestinatiô iustification and saluation All equall in honour and dignity to S. Paul S. Peter the Mother of God and all the Saints in heauen that they all haue receaued the same treasure from God and all that good is as largely as they that they are all Saints and that he is accursed who doth not call himselfe a Saint In the meane tyme they thrust Christ Iesus out of his eternall throne telling Cart wrig 2. Repl. p. 191. Caluin in cap. 3. ad Galat. l. â— instit cap. 7. §. â— Beza in c. 17. Matt. vs That he was seene to be a miserable man truely a sinner doubtfull of his saluation deserued nothing of God but burst out into a voyce of despaire Thus they triumph in their Lucifer-like pride as I sayd against Christ and his Saintes although the Scripture which they would make the world belieue is their entire rule of
fayth hath no such blasphemous speaches against Christ but the quite contrary to wit That he was the splendour of his Father the figure of his substance without spot or blot of sinne the fountaine of all grace and vertue to whome was giuen a Name aboue all Names power both in heauen and earth to raise himselfe from death to life to ascend into heauen to sit at the right hand of his Father and to crush all his enemyes vnder his feet I do not deny but Spangeberge is somwhat Cyriacus Spangeb contra Stepha Agricol fol. â— a. more modest then others seeing that although he preferre Luther before all the Saints of God the Apostles yea and our B. Lady that thrice renowned Queene of Heauen yet he puts one before him to wit S. Paul saying Christus habet primas habeas tu Paule secundas At loca post Paulum proxima Luther habet First place to Christ the next to Paul Then Luther first of others all Heere hence it is no wonder that Conradus Risse tells vs in plaine tearmes That God did take from â—itzherb 2. part of policy and Religion pag. 453. â— 31. him to wit Luther the true spirit for his pryde and gaue him insteed thereof an angry proud and lying spirit c. Thus far of their spirit of pride The spirit of Liberty is the broad way that leadeth to perdition which indeed they haue made so broad as I do not see how the Diuell can well desire a borader For first they reiect the ten Commaundements as impossible the Caâ—â—â— lib. 2. instit c. 7. §. 5. Lawes of Moyses or the Ceremoniall law is abrogated and Christ our Sauiour made none and humane lawes do not bind in conscience and therefore they infer how they are freed from all Hence saith Caluin Christian liberty Caluin l. 3. instit c. 19. §. â— consisteth in three parts first that the consciences of the faithfull while they with the confidence of their Iustification do raise themselues aboue the law do forget the whole iustice thereof And after It is requisite that mention of the law being taken away they onely imbrace Gods mercy And § 4. Our consciences are free from the yoake of the law And § 7. he reiecteth all humane lawes as well Ecclesiastical as ciuill which are made about thinges of their owne nature indifferent The third part is saith he that we make no scruple of externall thinges which are of themselues indifferent but that we indifferently vse or omit them Hence he inferreth that no man is obliged to humaine lawes concerning fasting and holy daies This liberty of the Ghospell is founded in two principles the one is that the Pope is Antichrist for by this is taken away the Canon Law the other that we are not bound to obey Kinges and Princes if they commaund any thing not conteyned in Scripture and thereby are both Imperiall and Municipall which we call the common Lawes abolished Thus far of the Libertine spirit of Iohn Caluin which he may be thought to haue sucked from D. Luther and his most learned schollers Luth. de libertate Christiana Idem ad c. 2. ad Galat For thus discourseth D. Martin Onely Faith the Word doth raigne in the soule wherby it is manifest that only faith sufficeth a ChristiaÌ„ man for all thinges and that he needeth no workes for his Iustification and if he needeth no workes he needeth no Law if he need no law he is free from the law and it is true that the law is not made for the iust Thus argueth Luther vpon the same ground he affirmeth resolutely els where Onely Faith is necessary that we may be iust al other things are most free nether commanded any more nor prohibited Luth in c. 7. ep 1. ad Cor â— And againe in another place Thou art bound to God in nothing but to beleiue and confesse him in all other thinges he maketh thee free that thou maiest do according to thine own will without any offence of conscience This being the doctrine of Luther the Maister it is not to be woÌ„dred at if some of his schollers haue drawen out these the like positioÌ„s all tending to the enlarging of the liberty of this fifth new inuented Ghospell The law say they is not worthy to be called Confessio MaÌ„sfâ—ld in secta Antinomorum the VVord of God if thou be a whoore or a fornicatour or an Adulterer or any other sinner whatsoeuer onely beleiue and thou art in the way of sauation euen when thou stickest fast in the very middest of thy sinne The ten Commandments belong to the Court but not to the Pulpit Whosoeuer haue any thing to do with Moyses do go the right way to the Diuell c. The saying of Peter Make sure your vocation by good workes is vnprofitable Whensoeuer thou hast any cogitation that any meanes is to be vsed that men may be good honest and holy chast thou art already gone astray from the Ghospell Heereupon sayth D. Luther Let vs take heed of sinnes but especially of good workes And others tell vs How we ought to pray to God that we may remaine constant euen vnto the end without all good workes seeing that good workes are not necessary but hurtfull and pernicious to our saluation And that Christians with good workes belong to the Diuell To the which they adding that the best worke they do can be no better then a mortall sinne we inferre that they are bound in conscience neuer to do any good worke And because their fayth according to D. VVhitak Fides aut est perpetua aut nulla contra Camp rat 8. pag 143. Luth. in 2. part Postillae printed ArgeÌ„t Germ. an 1537. fol. 140. Luth. tom 1. ep lat n. folio 334. ad 1 hilippum D. Whitaker once had can neuer be lost they may giue full scope and loose their raines largely to all liberty and loosenes of life For as nothing doth iustify but fayth so nothing sayth Luther doth damne but infidelity And althogh the Apostle tell vs That Fornicators Adulterers and such like shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Yet out of D. Martin Sinne cannot withdraw vs from Christ although we should commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day But truely if we may be as great Saints in glory as the Apostles our B. Lady the thrice renowned Mother of God or any other Saint in heauen how great soeuer and yet haue liberty to kill and murther a thousand tymes a day contemne all lawes both of God and man neuer fast or do any worke of pennance who will say that this way to heauen is straite and not rather so broad as all the blacke spirits in hell for the increase of sinne and amplifying of the Diuels Kingdome can scarce inuent a broader But if we add that of M. Wotton who tels vs That sinne is remitted as soone as committed VVotton in his answere