contrary in diuers maine points to the doctrine of the apostles Seuenthly they do neither retaine vnion with Christ Iesus nor with the ancient Church nor among themselues Eightly their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy nor hath any efficacie in it nor hath other fountain then the popes fancie Ninthly their legendary miracles and prophecies whereupon a great part of the credit of the Romish faith dependeth are nothing but lies and forgerie and those ofttimes very ridiculous Tenthly their strange nouelties and heresies haue béene by many both olde late writers reproued and condemned Lastly as the authours of it haue liued vnhappily and died miserably for the most part so those that haue gone about to restore true religion and to roote out Romish idolatrie and heresie haue for this onely cause felt Gods great fauour towardes them both in their liues and ends 44 The Church of Rome is also conuicted not to be the true Church by the confession of a Relect. doct princip cont 1. q. 5. Stapleton For if the true Church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed and hath continued in all ages and hath a true succession of bishops from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and which hath planted christian religion preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intire and which also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound and pure frō corruption and finally which holdeth the decrees of all generall councels as blundering Stapleton not only confesseth but after his most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to proue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of christ Iesus For to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirm that Rome now is like to old Rome Our aduersarie should do vs great fauour to shew that the glorie and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth together with his cardinals dumbe bishops masse-priests idle monks lying fryars and all the popes decretals and ceremonies are come from Hierusalem He may doe also well to proue that the latter scholasticall and decretaline doctrine was vniuersally receiued throughout the world either in the apostles times or in the times of the ancient Fathers of the Church The rocke of succession vpon which they build so huge conclusions we haue shewed to be nothing but a banke of sand We haue shewed also that their doctrine is not only diuers but contrarie to the doctrine of Christ the head of the Church and of his apostles And how great contentions haue béene in the Romish church not onely the schismes and warres betwixt popes and princes but also the differences about all points of religion which is apparant both in the disputes of schoolmen and also in the writings of Bellarmine and his consorts do declare That the Romanists haue corrupted the faith not onely with nouelties but also with diuers heresies and haue changed both the ancient forme of apostolike gouernement and also the principles and grounds of faith established both by Fathers and councels and by the apostles themselues and haue yéelded to heresies and béene ouercome of the gates of hell I thinke no man can doubt that readeth this discourse and compareth the late procéedings of the Romish church to the rule deliuered vnto vs by Christ Iesus 45 Finally the testimony of a In his motiues Bristow doth vtterly ouerthrow the Church of Rome and declareth it not to be the true church For he commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties and heresies and idolatrie and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certaine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and hath infallible iudges and is sure to continue But the Romish church is neither catholike nor apostolike neither doth it abhorre either heresie or idolatrie nor shun profane nouelties The doctrine of that church hath neither ground of scripture ancient councels nor fathers neither can the Romish doctors bring any certaine proofe of their traditions It teacheth a broad way and maketh rebellious subiects In iudgemēt it hath no other certaintie then the popes determination Finally already that tower of Babel which is built so high doth begin to totter and as we trust cānot long stand Further he saith that euerie church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from the apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saintes nor euer visible and lastly that is not the teacher of all diuine truth and the vndoubted mother of Christs children is not the true church of Christ But the Church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals and officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monkes friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and went out of the catholike apostolike church and hath for the popes quarrell opposed it selfe against Christ and his true doctrine The same is also departed from the ancient faith and is no more to bée tearmed Christs Church which is a communion of saints linked together in the profession of Christs true faith but rather the combination of antichrist and the synagogue of Satan Such a church as is now to be séene at Rome and in the prouinces adhering to it was not visible many ages after Christ neither was any such church for a long time extant in the world neither when the same began to shew her selfe in great ruffe did she either teach all truth or refuse all heresie false doctrine or beare or bring forth children to Christ but to antichrist And therfore we may safely conclude that the Romish church of these times is the synagogue of Satan and not the true church of Christ Iesus The nature and propertie of the true and vnspotted spouse of Christ the inseparable qualities of true faith and such as truly professe the same and finally the confession and doctrine of the aduersaries themselues when they speake of the true church and true faith and true professours and matters incident vnto them in generall do declare it to be so CHAP. V. That no papists haue beene executed in England since her Maiesties comming to the crowne for meere matter of religion but for their treasons or other capitall offences HItherto wée haue spoken in the defence of our religion and Christian profession It resteth therefore nowe séeing our aduersary doth not onely calumniate our religion but our lawes also and gouernment that wée speake somwhat in defence of iustice especially so farre foorth as it
among themselues Nay the contention betwéene Caluin and Luther is not so great but that popish doctors haue greater As for our selues all of vs professe the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to that rule that was established by common consent of the church of England from which if any digresse he is no more to be accounted of our societie then the papists that are of the popes retinue Lastly where he calleth our religion Parliament religion hée speaketh like himselfe that is falsely and slanderously For albeit the same be receiued by authoritie of the prince and state yet is it Christs religion and not the princes The a Lâ—unctos Cod. de summ Trin. sid Cath. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius decréed That all people of their gouernment should hold the doctrine of Peter the apostle taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria and that they should beleeue one God three persons and yet I hope this Noddie will not call the faith of the Trinitie An imperiall faith And thus much in answere of his obiection of parliameÌ„t faith and of supposed diuisions amongst vs. But if hée had considered how that all the authoritie of their Romish faith as it differeth from ours standeth vpon the authoritie of late popes and of the late conuenticle of Trent and that both the grounds and positions of it are either nouelties or old condemned heresies and was in Quéene Maries times established more by parliament then by authoritie of the apostles and how many and diuers sectes they haue among their monkes and friers and b About the matter of the sacrament of the Lords supper they haue not so few as 200. diuers opinions diuers opinions among their schoolemen and how their late writers dissent both from fathers and schoolemen and among themselues I thinke hée woulde haue spared either to haue obiected vnto vs our dissensions or to haue talked of the authoritie of our religion To discredite the report of spirituall blessings bestowed on vs he a P. 5.6 saith further That before this change we beleeued the catholike faith of Christendome deliuered by the vniuersal church grounded vpon that rocke that cannot faile now beleeue onely either other mens opinioÌ„s or our owne fancies which choice is properly called heresie and héere hée thinketh to haue argued like a great doctor But first as his doctrine is strange so his stile is new and fantasticall For although hée sweate hard in séeking yet shall hee not finde that any one doctor saith That the vniuersall church doth deliuer to euerie priuate man the catholike faith for as schoolemen might teach him Actiones sunt suppositorum and it is not the whole kind but some one or other that doth this or that action Secondly most vntrue it is That either poperie is the catholike faith of Christendome or that the apostles or their catholike successors taught those errors of poperie which wee condemne Thirdly he doth vs wrong where he saith That our doctrine is diuers from the catholike faith of Christendome For whatsoeuer Christ or his apostles taught or is deliuered in the confessions of faith or créedes generally receiued of Christs Catholike church that wée beléeue and receiue refusing no point of catholike doctrine and all priuate fancies opinions heresies whether of popes or other heretikes and false teachers we renounce condemne and anathematize Héereof it followeth that the doctrine and faith of the church of England is most catholike and certaine being grounded vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone which is a firme rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Grounded it is I say vpon the writings of the apostles and prophets endited by Gods holie spirite and thereunto not onely Councels and fathers but also the aduersaries themselues for the most part giue testimonie But the blinde papists haue deuised and receiued both new grounds of their religion and new doctrine which standeth onely vpon the authoritie of this pope and that pope whose fancie and opinion is all the certeintie they haue This is that rocke or rather banke of sand whereon the miserable papists faith is built For what the pope determineth that they hold to be the determination of the vniuersal church vpon his credite they receiue the scriptures Nay without his determination a Stapletonde author eccles they denie the scriptures to be authenticall b Princip doct lib. 9. c. 12. Stapleton teacheth that the church that is the pope at all times hath power to approue and taxe and consigne the bookes of holy scriptures In another place he c Ibidem lib. 11. c. 4. holdeth that vniuersall tradition is the most certaine interpreter of scriptures Generallie they hold that the pope is supreme iudge in all controuersies of faith and manners and that he is the iudge that cannot erre Hereof that followeth which this noddie obiecteth to vs That the faith of papists is built vpon the popes fancie and opinion which altering from time to time the faith of the Romish church is variable like the moone and vnstable as the sea Trusting to the popes determination from the Angelickes they haue receiued the worship of angels from the Collyridians the worship of the holy virgin Marie from the Carpocratians and Simon Magus and their disciples the worship of images from the Manichées and other heretikes prohibition of meates and dislike of mariage of priests and from other heretikes other damnable opinions So that their faith is not the catholike faith of Christendome but méere heresie grounded vpon the fancie and opinion of most wicked and vnlearned popes But d P. 6. saith this Noddie Why should you beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluin concerning the Queenes supremacie Luther concerning the reall presence and Beza in the church gouernment I answere first that these mens priuate opinions concerne not fundamentall points of faith And therefore that they are not to bée brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talke of the foundations reasons of Christian faith Secondly I deny that Caluin did deny the Quéenes supremacie in ecclesiasticall matters as we hold it For neither did he subiect princes to popes or priests in matter of their royall gouernment nor did hee denie princes power to establish ecclesiasticall lawes nor to command for Gods truth or to prouide for the setting foorth of true religion or redressing of disorders in churches or priests which are the principall points of supreme gouernment of princes in their realmes and dominions Neither do I thinke that any ancient father of the church did euer denie this power to princes Sure I am that many haue allowed it The reason why Caluin did once mislike the title of king Henry the eight was because hée was perswaded that hee had challenged all that power which the pope arrogateth to himselfe as head of the church wherein after that he was better informed he changed his stile and
speaketh of the first our question is of the second kind of conscience as is euident by our aduersaries wordes who teacheth that if our consciences perswade vs to do any thing that we are bound to do it although our reason lead vs wrong Which is contrary not onely to the apostle but also to the schoolemen The apostle saith Whatsoeuer is not of faith or a good conscience is sinne And the schoolemen teach as I haue shewed that an erroneous conscience is not to be folowed but rather forsaken So that if we folow the apostles rule then those that vpon false perswasions abstaine from hearing Gods eternall word and coÌ„municating with vs in the sacraments and that go to idole seruice and eat bread that is made an idole do offend gréeuously for that this cannot procéede of conscience but rather is against good conscience Fourthly he assureth vs That the conscience of papistes that refuse to go to the church is grounded vpon so sure and euident groundes as any demonstration in the world can lay downe And his ground is this That the religion professed by papistes is true and that therefore they may not seeme to professe any other And here he thinketh he standeth firme immooueable But if this be his ground his building is founded vpon sand and vpon a cleare vntruth For neither shall he euer be able to disprooue that truth which we professe nor to iustifie those pointes of popish religion which we condemne If he will promise to do it I will giue him what tearme he pleaseth And to the entent all deceiued papists may sée his vanitie I will shewe him b See the 4. encounâ—â— following this treatise héereafter what the points are that hée cannot prooue In this place it is sufficient to shewe that his popish positions are contradicted in the greatest part of christendome But no firme demoÌ„stration can be grounded vpon vntrue or doubtfull propositions Aristotle c Analyt post 1. telleth vs that demonstrations are syllogismes That worke certaine knowledge But this demonstration of his is nothing but a mist or rather darknesse to deceiue ignorant people Wherefore let all papisticall Recusants beware what they beleeue vpon others credite The Iesuites teach them lies for truth heresie for faith antichrist for Christ superstition and falsehood for true religion and draw from them all meanes of their saluation Fiftly hée telleth vs That wee do greatly discredite our doctrine which wee were woont to teach viz. That no man shoulde be forced in matters of his conscience But the discredite is rather his that either vnderstandeth not our doctrine through his dulnesse or else cauilleth about this matter of forcing the conscience without iust cause then ours that teach as wee did euer and vary not from our doctrine in our practise Wée say as wée did euer that the conscience neither ought to bée forced with tortures and terrors of death neither can be forced For faith founded vpon sure groundes surmounteth all violence of tyrants and crueltie of persecutors which terrifieth and discourageth none taught rightlie in Christs schoole As for the sauage and barbarous crueltie of the popish synagogue that purple whoore of Rome Whose a Apocal. 17. vesture is red with the blood of Saints and which without difference of age sexe or qualitie tortureth hangeth burneth and killeth true Christians it is odious not onely to those that vnderstand the truth but also to the milder sort of the aduersaries Further albeit no man can bée forced to religion yet all gentle courses are to bée vsed to draw men to religion For this cause wée exhort the weake and ignorant and with pecuniarie mulctes wée represse those that are wilfull and obstinate And this is all the punishment that her Maiestie vseth against recusants too little certes if wee respect either their deserts or the malice of our enimies neither do we thinke it either vnlawfull to procéed further against hereticall teachers that corrupt Christs doctrine with their leuen or sufferable that notorious blasphemers and railers at religion shoulde escape vnpunished So then wee beléeue that religion is to be taught and not by terrors thrust vpon the people and yet denie not but that such as bee wilfull disturbers of the state of the church or common-welth ought to bée punished Neither is there any repugnance betwixt these two courses Onelie let papists absteine from practises and for the rest they are secured both of life libertie lands and goods We seeke them and not theirs and onely proceede against such as shew open contempt against our religion and yet vse all câ—emencie vnlesse their vntollerable abuses against church and state vrge vs to extremitie Finally he doth preferre the orders of the popish synagogue that burneth not onely those that forsake their religion a The papists cannot dissemble their bloody crueltie but such also as will not come vnto their religion The popes religion he calleth The faith of all Christendome and saith That such as thinke hardly thereof ought rather to be barred from comming to the church then drawne thither Wherein he sheweth first his cruelty and bloudy humor that seemeth to reioyce in slaughter and commendeth the woluish nature of the Romish synagogue Secondly his folly and treacherie that betraying his clients cause would haue them punished with death For if all that forsake the faith of Christ and his apostles be to suffer death then will it go hard with his clients the recusantes who pretending catholicke faith indeede do embrace the priuate doctrine and faction of popes Thirdly his impudency that dare auouch the popish religion to be the faith of all Christendome which notwithstanding is contradicted by the easterne churches and forsaken of a great part of the west church and is onely maintained by fire and sword and cruelty Lastly his ignorance in teaching religion that would haue such as do not like all points of faith to bée barred out of the church Which course neither by our Sauiour nor by his apostles nor by any true teachers of Christianitie was euer practised Nay our Sauiour inuiteth all to come to him when hée had made readie to feast his friends woulde haue guestes compelled to come in Likewise the apostles taught all that came and opened their armes to embrace all that were desirous to learne The ancient fathers by all meanes sought to draw people to the church and shut the doores against none that was willing to come in What then shoulde we thinke of the aduersaries but as of enimies of Christ true religion that seeke to murder and famish Christs flocke In the meane while let vs holde on our course and with our Sauiour call al men and refuse none that are willing to heare And thus an ende of the first consideration that concerneth the hurt that popish Recusants do Next we are to consider What hurt they would do that briefly Now that is apparent First by their hatred against religion
Shall she yéeld her crowne to her enemies And is this the swéetenesse that the papistes séeke Secondly admit her Maiesty should spare traytors and factious persons this I confesse to priests and Iesuites would be a ioyfull day but there cannot be a greater calamity that can happen to good subiects Nay it would be a dissolution of lawes and confusion of the kingdome Séeing that the former examples fitted not his purpose he bringeth in the example of Henry the eight Who as Gardiner said was desirous in his latter daies to returne to the vnion of the Romish church Likewise he is still harping vpon the French kinges submission to the pope But that king Henry did euer purpose such a matter or that such a magnanimous prince could endure to debase himselfe so low as to come vnder a paltry frier or a proude pope is incredible Nay the last negotiation with the French kings ambassadour the king then lying at Hampton court was to draw him likewise from the popes obedience As for Gardiner he was neither so néere nor so déere to the king as to know any such secret purpose béeing long before the kings sicknesse forbidden to come at the king and his practise about the pope had cost him his life if hée had not submitted himselfe to the kings mercie Neither is it certaine whether Gardiner euer vttred any such matter or not If hée did yet we are not bound to beléeue him Nay wée are to beléeue that hée spoke so much rather to please the popes legat then of any truth But if her Maiestie do consider how her noble father was dishonored by this generation shée cannot choose but detest them and follow his steps that abolished this tyrannie and not of those that establish it Further if examples may preuaile then is shée rather to follow the steps of godly Emperors that stopped the mouthes of heretikes and woulde not suffer them to practise their false religion and of the godly kings of Iudah that abolished all monuments of idolatrie and burnt the idolatrous priestes bones vpon their altars then of idolaters As for the French king that for a crowne altered his religion wée haue little to say We will rather praie for him then dispute of his dooings Her Maiesties case is farre vnlike his being with content of all quiet and honest subiects possessed of her crowne and able by Gods assistance to defend it and all her rightes maugre all enimies and traitors that iointly conspire against her Hée appealeth to your Lordships considerations what a comfort it would be to her Maiestie and your selues to see all sortes of people laugh and sing togither and praie to God most hartily for her Maiesties health wealth and prosperous long continuance All which I do beléeue her Maiestie béeing so gracious a prince and your selues being so studious of the good of your countrey and her Maiesties safetie But they that desirâ—â—is must take a farre contrarie course to this which our aduersary desireth Her Maiesty must as she doth resolutely defend Gods religion iustice must be executed seuerely wicked members must be rooted out vtterly good men must be cherished louingly and employed respectiuely But if we should once admitte a packe of factious traytors within the bowels of this kingdome and harken to Parsons that traytorous and infamous Iesuite all our singing would be turned into mourning and our laughing into lamenting as it is in Ireland The prayers as well as the practises of papistes would be little for her Maiesties safety or continuance as former experience teacheth vs. all this ioyfull state which these traytors dreame of would be nothing but a state deuided by warres and sedition a time of darkenesse and desolation and extreme misery finally he blusheth not to propose vnt vs the example of such as first professed true religion after the first establishment of reformation that desired that their conscience might not bée forced which doth quite ouerthrow his cause For as in Italy and Spaine and such places as were subiect to popish princes our brethren coulde obtaine no toleration for the exercise of true religion so they cannot with any reason desire the establishment of their masse where vnder Christian princes it is vtterly abolished Wherefore if nothing be more impious then to erect idolatry and to suffer notorious superstition and heresie to be preached if nothing be more dangerous and dissolute then to receiue rebels traytors and enemies within the entrals of our country if no composition can be made with the pope of Rome the whoore of Babylon if nothing be more dishonorable then to listen to enemies and traytors threatnings and promises I doubt not but all men of religion and iudgement and well affected to their country sée that our aduersaries motion is impious dangerous dishonorable and not to bée yéelded vnto nor granted without the destruction of the present gouernment and desolation of this kingdome All which I referre to your Lordships consideration and beséech God to reueale the truth to the ignorant and to establish the weake and to confound all that are enimes either to his truth or to their most gracious Prince and déere countrey A NEW CHALLENGE MADE TO N.D. VVherein O. E. offereth to iustifie that popish religion is not catholike or apostolike secondly that it is compounded of diuers nouelties and haeresies thirdly that the church of Rome is not the true church of Christ Iesus Lastly that such as haue died in the popes quarrell were rather false traitors then Christian martyrs Reuelat. c. 3. They call themselues Iewes and are not but do lie Matt. 10. There is nothing couered that shall not be disclosed nor hidden that shall not be knowne Jmprinted at London by Arn. Hatfield 1600. The Praeface to the discourse ensuing directed especially to euery moderate and sober minded papist ALthough sufficient hath bin saide alreadie not onely to rembarre the malice of N. D. his encounters but also to content euerie man that is but meanely affected either to the state or religion nowe publikely professed among vs yet coulde I not satisfie my selfe vnlesse I tooke a course to satisfie thee also whose instruction and saluation I do earnestly affect and thirst after beseeching God to touch thy hart and reueale the truth vnto thee and open thy eies that are now heauie and oppressed with a slumber and grosse darkenesse of poperie The principall piller and almost sole foundation of al our aduersaries discourse is the pretence which he maketh of ancient apostolike catholike religion the vaine shew of the catholike church vpoÌ„ this he buildeth his inuectiues against vs his defence of publike enimies notorious traitors and priuie malcontentes and presumeth to presse into her Maiesties presence to present his petitions to the Lords of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell as by that which hath beene spoken may easily be perceiued Take away this colour it must needes appeere that he is a fauorer of publike enimies a
put foorth the constitutions of the apostles vnder the name of Clement which sauour nothing of the apostles diuine spirite and are likely to be the deuises of heretikes Thirdly they haue most shamefully corrupted the councels and haue not onely forged diuers new actes and péeces of actes but also newe councels In the sixt councell of Carthage the popes agents exhibited a counterfeit canon of the councell of Nice and were conuicted k Acta synodi Carth. 6. of that falshoode by authenticall copies sent from other churches Pius Quintuâ— when the emperour repined for that hée had made Cosmus of Florence duke of Tuscane alleaged for himselfe a forged canon of the councell of Nice E sentenza saith he l Girol Caten in literis Pij quinti. di tutti theologi è canonisti determinatione di concilij massimamente del Niceno che ' l successor di San Pietro sia signore rettore di tutti i principi del nome Christiano de tutte le prouincie tutte le genti anathematizando chiunque cio ardisse contradire Parsons may do well to exhibite this canon where the pope is made Lorde of all princes and prouinces and all excommunicated that dare say contrarie vnlesse hée will haue his holy father condemned of impious forgerie Ruffine and other authors say there were but twentie canons made in that councel But these good fellowes by a counterfeit letter of Athanasius woulde bring in a great number more Carranza saith many more canons were there established Where the second councell of Constantinople a C. 36. decréed that the sea of Constantinople shoulde bée equall to the sea of old Rome as appeereth by the actes both in Greeke and Latine in their b C. Renouantes dist 22. c. antiqua extr de priuileg decrées the popes haue turned this canon quite contrarie as if that councell had decréed that the sea of Constantinople shoulde not bée equall to old Rome The councell of c Carthag 6. c. 105. Carthage decréed against the church of Rome Vt qui ad transmarma putauerit appellandum à nullo ad communionem intra Africam reciperetur But Gratian in the chap. Placuit 2. q. 6. addeth these wordes Nisi fortè Romanam sedem appellauerit out of a certaine councell of Carthage that woulde haue priestes to abstaine from their wiues in proprijs terminis in the chap. Placuit dist 32. they haue put out proprijs terminis In the d Can. 35. councell of Laodicea where the worship of angels is forbidden they haue turned angelos into angulos and so marred the whole sence To end this point vnder the name of Syluester Syricius Gelasius and other popes they haue forged whole councels whereof in authenticall writings there is neither prooâ—e nor memoriall to bée found Fourthly their manifolde corruptions of the writings of the fathers cannot in fewe wordes bée described First vnder the names of fathers they haue published most childish toies vaine fables and vnlearned patcheries as by their additions to the works of Cyprian Origen Athanasius Basill Ambrose Hierome Augustine Chrysostome Gregorie and diuers others is euidently testified For Caesar Baronius Bellarmine and others do in part confesse so much and if they shoulde not yet woulde the stile and doctrine diuers from that of the fathers to whom they are ascribed conuince these treatises to bee misbegotten and not to belong to the fathers whose name they beare yet are they offended with those that censure these counterfeit sermons orations and treatises and cease not to vse them Next they haue taken diuers wordes lines and sometimes whole chapters out of the fathers writings and vnder colour of correcting haue quite corrupted the fathers As appéereth by their Rubarbatif or as they cal them expurgatorie indexes that are daily increased and may bée prooued further by comparing the old bookes with the newe editions approoued by the Cananites and Iebusites that cannot endure either truth or the professors thereof Another practise also they haue to abuse and disgrace the fathers of the church that they adde wordes now and then and alter the text of their true writings as also comparison of bookes will â—asily shew Fiftly vnder the names of the ancient bishops of Rome they haue published méere fooleries and false constitutions refuted plainly by the stories of the times wherein they liued by the estate of that church in time of persecution and by the barbarousnesse of the Gothike language wherein they are written sauoring of otherages and authors then those whose names they beare Of this stampe are the epistles that carrie the names of Clement Anacletus Euaristus Alexander Telesphorus Hyginius Pius and such like Sixtly for the enlarging of their dominion and authoritie the popes haue set out l C. Constantinus dist 96. first a false donation surmised to bée made by Constantine and therein they say hée gaue them Rome Italy France Germany and all the west empire and also most ample priuileges authoritie A matter so false and vaine as it may bée woondred with what saâ—e the popes can alleage so manifest a forgery being contradicted by the m Socrat. hist lib. 3. c. vlt. Sâ—xt Aurel. Victor Zosimus emperour Constantines testament and by ancient histories by the state of the Romaine bishops for many yéeres after and by the brutish and barbarous fashion and frame of the instrument and therfore disallowed euen by the n Antonin 1. part hist tit 8. c. 1. Cusanus de concord cathol 3. aduersaries themselues that haue either modesty or learning They haue also set out another donation vnder the name of o Ego Ludouicus dist Ludouicus almost to the same purpose but yet not so large as the other That the same is forged it may appéere both for that it contradicteth Constantines donation and for that the two diuers copies that are p Volater Geograph lib. 3. extant do contradict one another For writings that are diuers and derogatorie one to another make no strong proofe Scripturae diuersae fidem sibi inuicem derogantes nihil habere firmitatis possunt as saith the q L. scripturae Cod. de fid instrument emperour Neither can two contrarie propositions bée taken for true as lawyers holde l. sâ—is qui. § vtrum ff de reb dub l. vbi pugnantia ff de regulis iuris To giue colour also to the counterfect clayme made by the popes of Rome for their vniuersall power euer the whole Church they haue r Cod. de sum trinit fide cath l. inter claras thrust a counterfect epistle of Iustinian the Emperour and an epistle of Iohn bishop of Rome among the imperiall lawes of the Code whereby they would prooue that the Emperour here did subiect himselfe and the church of Constantinople to the bishop of Rome and made him head of the church That these letters are forged it may appéere First for that they are not found in
and adhere to her enemies yet doe they enioy their landes and goodes and countrie and in effect their libertie and are onely subiect to pecuniarie punishments which either they escape not being endited through fauour or by sleightes auoyding the enditement or by conueyance of their landes frustrating the lawe or compounding for their punishment Compare her Maiesties actions with the cruell proceedings of papists and you shall soone see an exceeding great difference She This is prooâ—d in the end â—f our newe â—allenge executeth none for meere matter of religion vnlesse vnder colour of religion they be taken practising for her enemies authoritie and against her state and person they spare none She spareth notorious teachers of popish heresies and inflicteth only pecuniarie mulctes vpon malcontent recusants that plainly disallow her gouernment g The massacre of France and Flanders witnes this they kill man woman and childe that shall professe true religion She onely defendeth her selfe against those that are sent to perturbe the peace of her gouernment they by tormentes and rackes seeke out peacible persons and execute them to death most cruelly She proceedeth according to law these contrarie to all lawes h Hist. Natalis Comit. massacre men women and children whom they suspect to be contrarie to themselues in opinion Which clemencie of her Maiestie if it had either beene well accepted of forreine nations abroad or else had mollified the harts of disloyall papists at home all men would haue well liked and magnified But seeing this extraordinarie fauour or rather remissenesse of lawes and iustice towards them hath caused diuers rebellions both in England and Ireland and made them bold to attempt against her Maiesties life and gouernment and giuen some of them courage to conspire with forreine enemies and hardened the harts of our enemies against vs and weakened the hands of such as otherwise would haue beene forward inough to attempt against them and finally dissolued the sinewes of gouernment in suffering malcontents to practise and not maintaining the present state and executing lawes against offenders many doe thinke that against such persons that are so euill disposed and so firmly linked to forreine enemies good iustice is most necessarie and that it is farre more profitable and expedient to execute lawes then to pardon such offenders For while such vipers are suffered to gnawe the entrailes of their mother and yet are not punished and malcontents suffered to degorge their poyson against religion lawes gouernment magistrates ministers of the church and all honest men it is no maruell though the number of disloyall subiects encrease and though well affected and honest men withdrawe themselues and rest discouraged Now of late they i Aâ— appeareth by the multiplicitie of their libels diuersly mentioned in this treatise haue taken to themselues a presumptuous and audacious libertie not onely to speake their pleasure of her Maiestie and her lawes and good friends but also to aduance the cause of the publike enemies of the state Edward Rishton a Seminarie priest was no sooner by her Maiesties fauour k He set out Sanders booke De schismate and augmented it with infinite lies and reproches deliuered out of prison and from the danger of death which he had well deserued but he published against her and her Maiesties noble father and brother a most odious and railing libell deuoide of all truth and honestie and for more credit to it set it out vnder Nicholas Sanders his name and authoritie after his death This course was also taken by Nicholas Harpesfield who enioying libertie to doe what him listed abused his libertie to raile on his prince and countrie These are the men that goe about to make their nation and this gouernment infamous and odious to all posteritie And thus we giue life and libertie to those that seeke nothing more then to depriue vs of life and good name Nay they are lately growne so insolent that they dare not onely taxe and raile at religion and gouernment but also reuell at all those that once beginne to open their mouth in defence of the truth of her Maiestie of iustice and of their countrie and not onely that but also presume to offer their paltrie pamphlets to the view and consideration of the Lordes of her Maiesties counsell which are the chiefe maintainers of religion and iustice And that this is most true we neede no further proofe then a certaine treatise entituled a Wardeword and written in outward shew against Sir Francis Hastings but in very truth against religion and this gouernment This good Knight of a right zealous minde toward religion and a loyall and louing affection towardes her Maiestie and the state giueth the word to his countreymen and stirreth vp such as sleepe in too much securitie to consider the malice of the Pope the preparations of the Spanyards and the trecherie of Spaniolized papistes that either at home or abroade entertaine intelligence with them and seeing forreine enemies seeke by force to take the crowne from her Maiestie and to subuert the state and to plant not onely false religion but also an absolute tyrannie in this land he exhorteth all loyall subiects and true English willingly to aduenture their liues and to spend their goodes in defence of their religion prince and countrie He aduiseth also all true Christians diligently to watch and to beware of the trecherous practises of priestes Iesuites rinegued English and their consortes as meaning nothing else but the subuersion of religion and state In all which discourse what one sentence can be noted vnwoorthie either a true Christian or a loyall subiect or a woorthie knight Is it not lawfull to oppose himselfe against publike enemies and traitors and to shew his affection toward his prince and countrie Sure this our counterfeit N.D. whose name Parsons the Iesuite doth borrow as he doth the name of Dolman otherwhere is very much offended that either our knight should open his mouth in defence of the state or offer himselfe readie to resist the publike enemies thereof Nay further he aduanceth the Pope and Spaniard and maintaineth the cause of knowne traitors and raileth at all that dare speake any thing against them Wherein I neede not note vnto you either his notorious follie that shewing himselfe a professed enemie of his prince and countrie yet thinketh to obtaine fauour for his clientes the papistes at the princes handes or their boldnes that vaunt of this champion when no man can like him but must needes shew a dislike of his prince and countrie and bewray himselfe to be an enemie to the state But I doe the rather report vnto you the summe of this mans pleading that you may the better vnderstand the boldnesse and impudencie of this generation and how through our owne remissenesse wee haue suffered them to grow to this height of insolencie He appealeth to the Lordes of her Maiesties counsell and I hope they will censure such a rayling libeller
now in reward of his flatterie is made a cardinall flatterer doth smoothly call f Ibidem the pope The corner stone of the church accompteth him g Lib. 2. de pont c. 31. not onely A stone most precious approoued spoken of by the prophet but also as the sunne in The firmament and the head and spouse h C. solitae ext de ma. obed of the church Others aduance him aboue the moone others say he so farre i Lib. 3. summae c. 9. excelleth the emperor as the sunne in the firmament doth excell the moone Simon Begnius in the Councell of Laterane doth call Leo the tenth The Lion of the tribe of Iuda and doubteth not to name him his sauiour Ecce saith he venit Leo de tribu Iuda c. te Leo beatissime saluatorem exspectauimus Another in the Councell of Trent saith The pope was that light that came into the world abusing the words of the scripture to flatter him Papa lux saith he venit in mundum Turrecremata k Lib. 2. sammae c. 26. doth call him King of kings and prince of the church and saith He hath more perfection in him then all the residue of the body of the church To recite all their flatteries were infinite neither is it néedfull séeing these are sufficient to declare them in this kinde singular Beside termes they do fall downe before him and adore him as an idole they carie him about vpon mens shoulders and omit no kinde of seruile flatterie a In epist an t lib. de Caluino-turc Gifford calleth Philip the second king of Spaine The greatest monarke vnder the sunne to shew himselfe to be one of the grossest flatterers vnder the moone And this Noddy to shew himselfe a noble parasite vpon whom the rigour of his whole inuectiue against flatterers doth most fitly fall b P. 90. calleth the pope of Rome and king Philip the second of Spaine The greatest monarkes of Christendome of which two the first is no lawfull monarke nor prince but an vsurping tyrant and that of more malice then might The second while he liued was a seely old man neither in his dominions nor in his actions deseruing any extraordinarie praise nor being in any sort comparable to Christian princes of whom we read in stories So we sée that all this common place of flatterie as it is farre from the matter so it fitteth this Noddie and his consorts very properly Afterward drawing néerer to his purpose he c Pag. 2. telleth vs in very tragicall termes That notwithstanding her Maiesties good intentions there is none so simple that discouereth not nor so euill affected that rueth not the difficulties that growe and are growing by alteration of religion but his matters are so well handled that his aduersaries do easily discouer his notorious impudencie and his friendes do rue his simplicitie séeing him to take as granted and boldly to affirme That all men see and acknowledge the difficulties that arise out of alteration of religion when none either séeth or iustly can affirme any such matter This if he were not a stranger or rather an enimie to his countrey he might know that all honest and true harted subiects and not onely true Christians do holde and willingly acknowledge that the reformation of religion wrought by her Maiesties meanes is the principall fountaine from whence diuers blessings haue issued and flowed out to the great benefite of many Neither doth any amplâ—â—ie these pretended difficulties and dangers and holde our case ruthfull but such rinegued English and traiterous priests and fugitiues as himselfe and his consorts are who repine and grudge at nothing more then our well dooing and prosperitie and whose traiterous practises they being combined with forreine enimies of the state are the onely cause from whence either any suspicion or feare can procéed Beside this if anie calamitie did procéed from this alteration of religion then should her Maiestie deserue most blame by whose authoritie the same was wrought and procured and so should this parasite that would so willingly insinuate himselfe into her fauor spill all fauour by imputing to her all our pretended feares and calamities To cléere himselfe he saith That this alteration did not proceed from her owne inclination at the first But while he would séeme to excuse her he doth gréeuously accuse her as if shée had done contrarie to her owne inclination and had by chance as it were and without any knowledge or firme resolution entred this course He doth also depriue her of the most principall part of all her glorie which rose especially vpon her zeale in reforming religion Further he telleth a most shamelesse vntruth for who knoweth not that this reformation of religion did wholy proceede from her owne most earnest zeale did not shée her selfe when any difficulties were surmised vpon this alteration neglect them all was shée not alwaies taken for a professor of Gods truth was not this the onely cause of Winchesters and all the papists hatred and practises against her finally where he would gladly yéeld her Maiestie some praise for her good inclination he doth like a noddie dispraise her and charge her to haue wrought that Which all true affected men may rue But to passe ouer his follie and vndutifull behauiour towards his prince to whom he oweth all honor and reuerence yéeldeth none that which he talketh of our estate which he imagineth to be miserable ruthfull deserueth more consideration For gladly would he worke a dislike of the present gouernment in mens mindes and principally he desireth men shoulde beléeue that all supposed dangers procéed from the alteration of religion at her Maiesties first comming to the crowne But for the first the state of things themselues will answere Lawes are ordinarily executed no man is wronged either in his person or his lands or his goods but he may haue remedie Religion is truely preached professed and if any complaine it is bicause such malcontentes as mislike oppugne the gouernment are too much fauoured Against forraine enimies we want neither meanes nor courage to resist And if nothing would mooue vs to like the state present yet the malice of traitors and enuie which they beare against it may perswade vs that it is well founded and setled For if it were otherwise they woulde then as much reioice as now they sorrow For the second we say that howsoeuer we stand true religion is neither the cause of trouble nor of danger For if that were so then were all princes and states that professe religion in the same case Againe then should all that enioy popish religion enioy peace also prosperitie which experience teacheth vs to be most vntrue For the Portugals albeit extraordinarily popish yet are oppressed by the tyrannie of the Spaniards and the popish prouinces of the low Countries liue in great slauerie The French king Henrie the third notwithstanding his deuotion to the pope
was in the end excommunicated vexed with rebellions most shamefully murdred by a Dominican frier Don Caesare d'este duke of Ferrara was not I trow of our religion yet did the pope excommunicate him and most wrongfully take his state from him Lastly if religion now professed were the immediate cause and originall of any trouble like to ensue then should not the papistes haue béene the principall meanes to mooue warres and rebellions against the state nor the onely practisers against her Maiesties person and safetie as we haue found them to haue béene Wherefore if we will rightly estéeme we shall finde that as true religion is the cause of all those blessings we enioy so poperie and the faction that maintaineth it is the cause of all practises against her Maiestie and the state and of all rebellions and warres and mischiefes entended against vs. Againe as we were without danger as long as God was truely worshipped and idolatrie repressed and Iesuites and priests and their abettors diligently sought out and punished according to lawes and all concurred resolutely to maintaine true religion and the state so since Recusants began of some to finde fauour and masse-priests and Iesuites haue béene suffered to practise without punishment and idolatrie is begun to be priuily erected and some mens mindes grow colde in maintaining true religion and the present gouernment it is no maruell if some inconuenience be feared But remooue this there is no cause why any shoulde either doubt or feare For the pope hath businesse inough to maintaine his owne state no meanes to worke vs trouble but by English traitors In times past he was Stupor mundi the woonderment of the world now he is Fabula mundi that is a matter for idle priests and friers to prate of but not to be feared vnlesse wée liste The Spaniard hath more reason to feare vs and our associates of the low Countries that may be lordes of the sea if we please and may take what part of the Indies we list then we to feare him Sure if his force had béene such as is pretended neuer would he haue suffred such scorne nor descended to such dishonorable courses as he hath done Both the pope and Spaniard depend vpon the aide of English fugitiues and malcontents Draw from them this hope then haue you the end of these supposed feares and a full answere to this traitors painted tales and fables Thus you see this noddy hath neither reason nor truth in his discourse And yet that is not all the fault it hath For it is also impertinēt to the purpose For what if there were some cause of feare or doubt doth it therefore follow that we haue receiued no benefits nor blessings by her Maiesties most happie gouernment the abolishment of idolatrie and restoring of true and catholike religion If then there be no iust cause of feare and onely certaine pusillanimous companions quake at the popes thundring and Spanish bragging or else pretend to do it bicause they looke backe to the fleshpots of Egypt and glory of Babylon then are we to acknowledge Gods fauour that hath not onely giuen vs many graces by her Maiesties meanes but also meanes to maintaine them and to secure our selues And for such cowards as feare forreine enimies we are to put them into the next ranke to English traitors alreadie conspired with the enimie Hée telleth vs further That by alteration of religion in England Scotland Ireland Flanders and France haue tasted of many miseries tumults calamities and desolations Hée should haue said of many blessings and friendly fauors For kindnesses and fauours all our neighbors haue receiued from vs but those calamities and desolations that he speaketh of haue procéeded from the popes furie and malice and from his adherents persecuting quiet people for the profession of true Christian religion But let vs heare the rest of his wise tale Beside battels murders destructions of countries prouinces townes cities houses and particular men saith hée three Princes two Queenes and one King haue beene all brought to their bane by this occasion He saith further That the noble houses and linages of Hamiltons Douglasses Stuardes in Scotland of Desmondes and other peeres in Ireland haue been thereby ruinated and finally That in France and Flanders there is no end of the accompt of those that haue beene destroied by this change of religion as if we had procured all these battels murders destructions or as if wée or our religion were the occasion of the destruction of princes or kings or as if the massacres of France and those bloodie executions had béene committed by vs. What a shamelesse fellow is this to impute the cause of warres and troubles to vs that euer auoided warres as much as we could and offered force to no man nor euer stirred but as defendants for sauegard of our liues Are lambes the causes of the crueltie of wolues or were Christians the authors of the bloodie persecutions of heathen Emperors all these bigge wordes therefore are nothing else but arguments of the Noddies distracted mind and furious hatred against truth that exclameth and crieth out vpon religion and imputeth al calamities vnto it whereas in truth all the cause of this wracke and destruction both of states and priuate families proceeded wholy from want of conscience and hatred of true religion For if wee will looke backe and search the histories of our times wée shall finde that all those tragicall stirres and hurly-burlies that haue brought not onely millions of christians but also a great part of Christendome to destruction haue taken their beginning from the implacable hatred of popes and papists against Christian religion Paule the third enflamed the warres against the princes of Germanie which consumed a great part of that countrey himselfe sent thither great forces both of horse and foote fearing not a little least Charles the fift should make any composition with the Germans In the low Countries the people liued in peace and obedience to their gouernours vntill such time as the popish faction fearing the ruine of their Babylon beganne not onely to make cruell edicts and decrées against the professors of true religion but also by force of armes sought to establish both the Spanish inquisition and an absolute tyrannie a Vita de Pio. quinto Pius the fift when the kings of France and Spaine grew wery of troubles sent his messengers to negotiate with king Philip and the Cardinall of Alexandria to set forward the French king against his subiects He sent also money and soldiers to aide the king to destroy his subiects In king Henrie the eightes daies Paul the third in this Quéenes daies Pius the fift and Gregorie the thirtéenth and other popes a Sanders de Schism stirred vp diuers rebellions in England and Ireland against lawfull princes By the solicitation of the popes agents many thousands of innocent people were massacred in France contrarie to faith and promise These therefore are
the churches interpretation then by séeing the same confirmed by scriptures For which cause the Bereans red the Scriptures and are therefore commended Secondly if the men that went to a Luc. 24. Emaus and the Ethiopian b Act. 8. red the Scriptures albeit they vnderstood them not at the first why shoulde Christians bée barred from reading such scriptures as they vnderstand What more simple argument can be deuised then this because an interpreter is necessarie that we may not read what hée interpreteth in a toong which we vnderstand Thirdly Philip that taught the eunuch was not the apostle Philip as the Noddy our aduersary supposeth shewing by example of himselfe that scriptures are not much to be red but Philip the deacon Lastly it is a matter most ridiculous because some places are hard to be vnderstood to debarre the people from the whole body of scriptures especially séeing many thinges are plaine and easie Nay this reason may better be retorted vpon our aduersary because diuers places are hard to be vnderstood that wée should diligently read them and heare them expounded that we may both by these and other places reape profit And thus it may appéere that euen simple women whome this scoffing mate calleth proud protestant people and scorneth at them for reading holy scriptures would be much ashamed if they could not reason better of these matters then this great popish Rabbin that taketh on him so boldly to determine matters Hauing thus fondly reasoned of reading of scriptures he cōcludeth forsooth very wisely that falsehood heresie is engendred of reading of scriptures And goeth about to prooue it first by the example of William Hacket William Ieffrey and Ioan Burcher thē by experience for that as he beléeueth more heresies are sprung vp within these 50. or 60. yeeres since scriptures began to be red in vulgar toongs thē in many ages before But his conclusion is nothing but a wicked calumniation of gods holy scriptures and his proofes consiste of a packe of lies both declare him to be a sclanderous lying enymy of Gods truth For it is not reading of scriptures which he stileth rash reading béeing vsed by lay people but neglect of scriptures that bringeth foorth error and heresie Philosophers therefore that contemned scriptures were called patriarkes of heretikes and heretikes by a De resur carn Tertullian are called Lucifugae scripturarum for that they fly from the light of scriptures And that is proued euen by the examples produced by the aduersary For those blasphemous heretikes did not fall into their impieties and heresies by reading scriptures but by gyuing héede to fond reuelations and renouncing scriptures experience also teacheth the same for while the light of Gods word was couered and scriptures neglected and héede giuen to popish decretalles and Mahomets reuelations all the heresies of papists and impieties of Mahomet and many other errors haue béene receiued by people ignorant of scriptures And that reading of scriptures is not cause of heresies it appeareth first for that not simple people reading scriptures but great clerkes reading philosophie and popish Decretalles and schoole Doctors haue béene authors of heresies Secondly in the Apostles times when all might reade scriptures then fewest heresies sprung vp That Ioan Burcher conueied bibles into the court or had any acquaintance with Anne Askeugh which this fellow reporteth is a lie deuised by himselfe Let him shew his author if he can that which he talketh of Anne Askeugh is impertinent But such is his blindenesse hée will needes haue all the world sée the cruelty of papists that burnt that innocent woman for denying their transubstantiation which if hée were wise he would haue either denyed or dissembled albeit some other should haue spoken of it And so it appeareth that Sir Francis Hastings had reason to charge the papists with hiding the scriptures from the peoples eyes and kéeping them as it were couered in toonges vnknowne contrary to Christs doctrine precedentes of antiquitie And no lesse reason haue christians to detest the boldnesse of this frapling frier that calleth preaching reading and reasoning of scriptures clouting of scriptures And thus much may serue to shew that the papists deale iniuriously in taking away translations of scriptures out of the hands of the multitude It is also most apparent that they rather perswade ignorance as fit for their blind deuotion then knowledge neither is this Rabbin able to shew the cōtrary He alledgeth Thomas of Aquine for his warrant and saith that he disputing of deuotion maketh ignorance neither to be mother nor daughter nor sister of deuotion But what if Thomas of Aquine doth not so teach doth it therefore follow that no other teacheth ignorance to be mother of deuotion who would reason so simply and ignorantly but he beside this albeit his master Thomas doth not directly teach it yet in effect he teacheth as much For first he sheweth a 2.2 q. 82. art 3. that deuotion doth most abound in simple people and in women And secondly he b 2. 2. q. 2. aut 6. teacheth that it is inough for the simpler sort to haue fidem implicitam and to beléeue as the church or as their superiors beléeue which is a meanes to bring in ignorance Finally I haue shewed that diuers others haue gone further in commending ignorance He saith further that all hold what Thomas holdeth and so beginneth to make a long speake of the nature cause and effectes of deuotion But first albeit we graunted that all held that which Thomas holdeth yet it doth not hereof follow that the papists hold no more nor otherwise then he holdeth For then what néeded so many later bookes and therefore this answere is not to purpose Beside that it is false For the Scotistes in most points dissent from him and in many points of schoole Diuinitie later doctors do contradict him as namely in his opinions of the procéeding of the holy Ghost principally from the father of the conception in originall sinne of the virgine Marie of the tormenting of soules in purgatorie by diuels of Christs locall being in the sacrament and infinite other matters Hée alleageth also a saying of Saint Augustine concerning deuotion and To make the wilfull malice of these good fellowes appeere saith hée Thomas of Aquine maketh this obiection to himselfe As if either Thomas of Aquines obiections to himselfe or else saint Augustines wordes could ascertaine vs what these fellowes hold or hold not séeing they dissent from Saint Augustine in many things and in all things doe not iumpe with Thomas and haue infinite nouelties more then either of these Wherefore vnlesse this fellow can shew that doctors Cole neuer vttered any such saying and that the practise of papists is not to nouzell their people in blindenesse and ignorance hée doth but trifle and sheweth himselfe fitter to sit in the alehouse among the goodfellowes he speaketh of then to dispute in schooles Lastly hée braggeth much of the learning
sparing their holy God of the altar Deteriores sunt Iuda saith Christ in Saint a Onus ecclesiae c. 23. Brigits reuelations qui pro solis denarijsme vendidit illi autem pro omni mercimonio She speaketh of priests that trucke and barter masses for all manner of commodities yea to whoores for a nights lodging With the Angelicks they worship angels with the Staurolatrians they worship the crosse crucifixe giuing to the same diuine worship With the Collyridians they worship the virgin Marie With the Manichees they bring in halfe communions or communion in one kinde With the Carpocratians and Simonians and heathen idolaters they fall downe and offer incense and worship dumbe images With the Pelagians they beléeue merits and iustification by workes And almost out of euery heresie haue taken a peece as hath béene lately they say iustified against Giffords treatise intituled Caluinoturcismus Well therefore may it be saide that popish doctrine is full of poison and vnaduised was our aduersarie to charge vs with heresie or to mention any such matter séeing the blame must needes redounde vpon himselfe and vpon his consorts of the Romish synagogue Secondly he telleth vs That ecclesiasticall supremacy ouer all Christian nations is proper and essentiall to the popes office and that to his apostolicall authority is annexed the office of preaching But that should more properly and substantially haue béene prooued This beeing graunted doth shew that the pope doth faile in his apostolicall or rather apostaticall office For if preaching and féeding Christes flocke belong to the popes office why doth he not preach Why doth he not féede Nay why doth he famish Christes flocke by murdering all true preachers that come within his danger He answereth that The pope is obliged to preach by himselfe or by others But Saint Peter a farre greater apostle and greater man in apostolicall gouernment then the pope preached by himselfe and put not ouer his charge as the pope doth to Iesuites and Friers that preach more heresie and sedition then true doctrine The old bishops of Rome also which were honester men then these late popes put not ouer their charge but preached themselues and in their owne person executed all bishoplie functions Yea and saint Paule telleth vs that the office of a bishop is a good worke and not as the popish bishops make it a naked bare title To conclude this is also the iudgement of a In 1. Tim. 3. Ambrose Chrysostome Theodoret and all that write on the third of the first to Timothie from whence our authoritie is drawne He procéedeth notwithstanding further and professeth openly That when the pope leaueth his supremacy and embraceth that religion that is preached in England he ceaseth to be pope Which I do in part also confesse to be most true For antichrist shall in the church of God exalt himselfe and clayme not onely supreme but also diuine power He shall also defend manifold heresies and abhorre all true doctrine that may concerne his supreme title And if he should not so do he should not shew himselfe to be antichrist Herein therefore the Iesuites and he may be conioyned and march together hand in hand For all of them haue shut their eies and hardened their hartes against Christes true doctrine although it be to their shame in this life among all godly Christians and if they repent not shall be to their euerlasting confusion in the life to come Yet this hard faced Sycophant sticketh not to glory in his shame and to reioice that the pope and his children the Iesuites are matched togither At the length our aduersarie hauing highly extolled the father of heretikes and traitors the pope he descendeth to discourse of the popes darlinges begotten by him now in his declining state and decrepit age the Iesuites and saith They haue many enimies A matter true and by vs confessed and by them well deserued being a sect new vpstart and openly professing obedience to antichrist and enmitie to Apostolike and true catholike religion a societie conspiring mischiefe against al such as they hate practising diuision in priuate houses sedition and trouble in common-wealthes treason against godly princes and leauing the markes of their abominations and wicked actions behinde them wheresoeuer they come A generation stirred vp by Sathan to disturbe the peace of Christendome and to scourge all those that are not thankefull for the reformation of Gods church nor studious in seaâ—ching the truth nor zealous in rooting out of heresies and planting true religion What maruell then if they haue many enimies among those especially that beare good mindes either to true religion or to the state where they liue As for the example of Christian religion and of the first Christians and Christes disciples the holy apostles which were euery where spoken against and persecuted which the discourser our party pretendeth and alleageth to iustifie the generall opposition of al sorts of men against the Iesuits it fitteth his purpose nothing The example likewise of godly men that are often put to their trials is excéedingly euil applied to this sect of vngodly fellowes most absurdly doth he compare these Antijesuites to Christ Iesus that was as it were a marke set vp to be contradicted and was hated and persecuted of those that were of most eminent authoritie among his nation borrowing as it shoulde séeme a péece of some olde declamation vttered in the college of Iesuites or else where in praise of this sect and thrusting it in héere His defence I say is absurd and his comparisons most odious First Christ Iesus that I may beginne with him that is the beginning and fountaine of all spirituall graces and whom these Antijesuites do seeme in some things to counterfait and yet in most things oppugne came from God and did teach no doctrine but which he had receiued from his father humane traditions and pharisaicall boasting of workes of the law he disallowed and condemned These Antijesuites that I say no worse of them come from the pope and teach his decretalles and doctrine grounding themselues vpon mens traditions and vainely bragging of their owne merits and workes Christ Iesus loued his owne and was beloued of his owne These vsurpers of the name of Iesus loue none but theÌ„selues and were charged by their owne friends and were accused of heresie schisme and many grieuous crimes as witnesseth Ribadineira that wrote the legend of his father Ignatius Our sauiour â—or determining controuersies and finding out the truth sent vs to the law and the prophets these destroyers of soules send vs to the pope and his tribunall and most vaine decretalles Iesus Christ though Lord of heauen and earth taught obedience to Caesar and earthly princes these fellowes albeit neither lordes nor princes yet teach disobedience to princes and dissolue the bond of obedience that tyeth subiectes to their superiors Christ Iesus was the true shepheard and sought the saluation of his flocke and albeit iniuriously apprehended and
reasons First God commandeth b Deut. 13. vs strictly that wée shall not suffer either prophet or dreamer of dreames to liue that shall goe about to drawe vs from God to serue other gods Neither may wée thinke that either this law is abrogated standing vpon morall equitie or that the popish friers and priestes that teach the idolatrous worship of angels saints crosses and images and of their God of the altar are without the compasse of this lawe Secondly a Isai 49. God appointed Christian princes to bée Foster fathers Queenes to be nursing mothers to his church And therefore may they not sée either God dishonored by false religion and idolatrie or true Christians oppressed with force or trecherie They carrie not the sword for nothing and God requireth the maintenance of his truth at their handes Hee that honoreth me saith the b 1. Sam. 2. Lord him will I honour and he that despiseth me shall be despised No policie therefore will serue where Gods religion and his true honour is little regarded Thirdly the apostle c Rom. 16. would haue those That cause diuisions and offences to be marked and auoided and d 1. Tim. 1. giueth Timothy charge not to suffer such as woulde teach an other doctrine How then may they be suffred that would teach a cōtrarie doctrine to that of Christ Fourthly it was euer the custom of christian princes to punish false teachers as appéereth e L. Quicunque Cod. de haeretic by the law of Valentinian and Martian emperors Vltimo supplicio afficiantur say the emperors qui illicita docere tentauerint And that Hierome writing vpon the fift to the Galathians doth allow misliking that Arius escaped so long vnpunished Lastly the aduersaries will not suffer true preachers to teach truth Why then shoulde their priests and friers be suffered to teach heresie and falshoode Will they giue lawe to others and not endure themselues to be ordered by lawe Nothing can be deuised more vnreasonable or more repugnant to f L. 1. ff quod quisque iuris lawe Whatsoeuer libertie therefore is granted to simple people abuse by false teachers that concerneth Iesuites priests and other false teachers nothing The second point is prooued by lawes of nations and necessary rules of state For all nations do punish such as practise against the princes person and the security of the state as offending in the highest degrée of treason and mere simplicity it is reputed to suffer any to liue in a state that entendeth or practiseth the destruction of the state By the g 25. Edw. 3.2 lawes of this realme it is accompted treason To compasse or imagine the death of the prince or to adhere to his enemies By the Romayne h ff all Iud. m◠〈◊〉 l. ◠2 3. lawes it was treason To runne to the enemies to assist them with armes or meanes or intelligence and much more to stirre vp sedition or to draw enemies vpon the state or to practise the destruction of it All which seuerall lawes do shew that it is not possible to maintaine this state vnlesse such traytors be punished seuerely that either attempt against the princes sacred person or séeke to stirre sedition to alter the gouernment or that adhere to the pope or Spanyard or that endeuour to depose the prince from her gouernement and to ouerthrow this state or that intertaine intelligence with forraine enemies or that are eyther ayders or abettors or allowers of any such actes or treasons Neither is it materiall that these practisers be they Iesuites priestes or whatsoeuer else do pretend a certaine kinde of religion séeing their end is war and rebellion their meanes faction and diuision and their maintayners and vpholders publike enemies of the prince and state The third point is taught vs by the instinct of nature For euen light of nature sheweth euery liuing creature how to prouide for his owne safety and to decline and auoide such things as may séeme hurtfull And reason teacheth man to draw himselfe into some society and common wealth whereby he may be in safety from his enemies For this cause euery man that is not transported with strange passion loueth to liue vnder law and gouernment and to hate those that would dissolue lawes and lawfull gouernment Howsoeuer then we fauour seduced papistes yet vnlesse we will shew our selues deuoide of naturall reason we may not shew our selues negligent in séeking the safety of our selues and the mainteinance of lawes and gouernment wherein our safety in part consisteth We may not neglect the safety of those that depend vpon vs but euery man according to his place is to resist such as seeke our liues and the liues of those that are committed to vs or do depend vpon vs. In these thrée pointes or any of them it is not lawfull to offend by any law The papistes I thinke will not say that any man that eyther teacheth false religion or practiseth against the prince or state or by sedition séeketh to hurt his countrymen and to murder them is to escape vnpunished Wherefore then should they mislike any that teacheth that such offendors are to be punished If I say all were punished within these cases yet were it good iustice very necessary Howbeit such is the clemency of her Maiesties gouernement that she spareth Iesuites priestes and such false teachers as some thinke but too much Obstinate recusants if they be not taken in some practise of treason are not in danger eyther of life or landes or liberty they are not banished nor rigorously punished Nay their onely punishment is a pecuniary mulct and that of few exacted The poorer sort escape almost without punishment the richer do auoid the punishment by trauersing the enditement In Spaine and Italy our brethren would accompt such punishments great fauour Wherefore séeing this Noddy our aduersary knoweth the rigour of popish inquisitors against true Christians and by this may well perceiue her Maiesties great clemency extended not onely to quiet papistes that liue priuate without scandale but also to obstinate and factious recusantes yea and to notorious traitors hée was not wise either to challenge his aduersarie for speaking of Recusants so moderately or to accuse this state of iniustice that sheweth such extraordinarie fauour towards them that so little deserue it Hée chargeth his aduersarie With playing the Herodian bicause he saith that diuers Recusants vnder a visor of ciuill honestie do couer disloyall harts But if hée had done him right hée shoulde rather haue thanked him for commending their ciuill cariage which is more then their insolencie of late much encreased deserueth That it is true which sir Francis Hastings affirmeth if his face were not armed with a visor of impudencie hée woulde not haue denied Both reason and experience doth teach it to bée most true For if hée bée a true papist then must hée liue in subiection to the pope and acknowledge his authoritie a C. vnam
subiect to lawes and not lawes to mens fancies as it is in the popes gouernement where all matters are referred to his determination Further he had dealt more wisely if he had passed ouer in silence this ordination by the holy ghost and succession from the apostles For if bishops appointed by the holy ghost and that haue right of succession from the apostles be to gouerne the church of God then must the popes of Rome lay handes off of this gouernement For neither can they shew commission from the holy ghost nor right of succession and truth of doctrine from the apostles Nay it appeareth they are rather wolues then true bishops and pastors and succéede Nero rather in killing and murdering then Peter in feeding and cherishing Christes lambes Neither is it sufficient for them to alledge that they sit at Rome For the Turkish priests sit at Hierusalem Antioche and Cesarea yet are they neither successors of Iames nor Peter that sometime taught in those places His third reason as he saith is drawne from the light of nature For because among the prelates of the church Christ would haue some subordination for auoyding schisme and confusion and because all philosophers held without controuersie that the monarchie was the best among all regiments he saith it is very probable euen by reason it selfe that Christ instituted a monarchicall gouernement in his church But first it is no small error in matters of spirituall gouernement to draw a patterne from humane reason that in spirituall matters is so blind and from philosophers that vnderstood nothing and to ground faith vpon probabilities and likelyhoods a Lib 2. de pontif Râ—m Bellarmine hath hitherto borne vs in hand that Christ instituted the papacy But this wise Noddy layeth the foundation of it vpon probability and humane reason Secondly it is absurd to thinke that the same gouernement is best both for church and common wealth For the church is Christes mysticall body and hath her head in heauen and is gouerned by diuine lawes The common wealth is a politicall body and hath her gouernors present with her here in earth and is gouerned by lawes of men There all commaund commeth from heauen here the most part commeth from men Thirdly albeit Christ would haue a subordination of officers in church gouernement yet maketh that nothing for the popes extrauagant power but rather against it For when Christ made his subordination b Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 12. set out the list of the officers of the church he gaue apostles prophets euangelistes pastors and doctors not so much as mentioning the popes holinesse which could not haue béene doone if the pope had bin constituted chiefe gouernor of Christ his church Lastly it is a bould and impudent vntruth to say that all philosophers held a monarchie to be the best forme of gouernment This simple hoddy Noddie hath neither read all nor many and therefore cannot tell But his fellowes could haue told him and their writings declare that Plato Cicero Philo Iosephus diuers others condemne monarchical gouernment and that Aristotle preferreth an aristocratical gouernment before a monarchicall Nay Bellarmine himselfe aboue all gouernments commendeth a forme mixed of diuers states and formes of common-welthes His fourth reason is very celestiall for Because God made Lucifer first head of the angels and afterward head of all diuels he beléeueth That one pope must necessarily be head of the catholike church So his first reason for the papacie was from man and humane reason the second is from the diuell of hell and his authoritie Is it not likely to prooue a braue gouernment that hath so strange a precedent Beside it is very vncertaine whether God established any such gouernment among angels as is supposed Nay it is not likely seeing Christ Iesus is head of angels and present with them that they haue any head but him In the 40. of Iob and 14. of Isay there is no such matter to bée founde as our aduersary pretendeth nor doth Saint Austin or any other father teach any such doctrine Mention is made of Michael and his angels Apocal. 12. But that hée is head of all angels cannot out of those words be prooued As for our aduersaries themselues it is very vnlikely they shoulde know the oeconomy and gouernment of angels in heauen that will not sée what God hath ordeined concerning his church on earth Fiftly he affirmeth That God established a monarchicall gouernment in the church of the Iewes giuing them a high priest to direct all other priests and al synagogues in the world Wherein he bewraieth his great ignorance in matters of the people of God For in that state the chéefe authoritie for matters both ecclesiasticall and ciuill was in the councell of state which they called Sanedrin which was appointed by God himselfe Deut. 17. and iudged all causes and persons yea the high priest himselfe Afterward the chéefe commaund was in princes both concerning priestes and other church matters Salomon deposed one high priest and placed another all which maketh against the supposed gouernment of the chéefe priest They that list to sée these matters prooued out of Scriptures writers of the histories of that people let them read M. Sutcliffes treatise De Pontifice Rom. lib. 1. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. His sixt reason is drawne from the similitude of riuers trées and all creatures But he is much deceiued if he thinke all creatures to haue liked of monarchicall gouernement All birdes haue not one head no nor all beasts nor all trées Could he shew me who is the head gouernour of all owles or woodcockes he should worke a wondrous feat for the establishing of his holy fathers monarchie If not then his similitudes will shew him to be a Noddy and a woodcocke Which also appeareth in this that there is great difference in things naturall and politicall and that the papall gouernement is not like to those naturall things which he mentioneth His seuenth reason standeth vpon this ground That without a monarchie in the church schisme and diuision cannot be auoyded But that is but a point of his folly and ignorance For no doubt but God prouided against schisme when he gaue chiefe authority to the councell of state Deut. 17. And Christ prouided for the same likewise when he chose not one but twelue apostles and sent them abroade into the world with one and the same commission As for the humane deuises of popes they were neuer so sufficient remedies against this supposed mischiefe of schisme but that there hath fallen out among the popes some 22. or more schismes and infinite sects and diuisions among the members of the Romish synagogue Last of all he saith The church is compared to a well ordered army that must necessarily haue a knowne generall likewise to a house a sheepefould a ship the arke of Noe all which things haue one head gouernour But nothing is more preiudiciall to so great a gouernment then that
is rich in mony Lastly as princes and states that haue great store of treasure haue meanes by their hired souldiers to make warres abrode and hardly canne be ouercome that way so are they weak and vnable to resiste if they be strongly affronted and set vpon at home where their treasure lyeth and their hired souldiers cannot be found Which appeared by the example of the Carthaginians and may appeare by the Spanyardes if wee please Now our cause is farre more iust and honest then the Spaniards b In primis spectat vt pacatè tantum suauiter viuat Andreas Philopater p. 14. Her Maiesty her people neuer desired any thing more then peace they desire nothing more then wars We if the Spaniard shall come against vs shall fight for our country our liberty our lawes our religion and conscience they come to spoile vs of al these and fight for the popes pleasure and for that religion of which they haue no a Stapleton praefat in princip doctrin relect further assurance then the popes word Her Maiestie neuer wronged the Spaniard nay she hath not taken that which lawes of warre and all nations did giue her When the shippes that carried mony to pay the souldiers in the low countries that were prepared against her and her country were brought into her ports and gaue her good meanes to helpe her selfe against her enimy yet was she content to restore the mony to the king When the Ilandes of Azores were offered into her handes yet did she refuse them Nay she would not accept of Antwerp and a great part of the low countries that offered to submit themselues vnto her béeing alwaies vnwilling to intricate herselfe with vnnecessary warres Yet was she assured that this was most lawfull and would be a certaine meanes both to bring the Spaniard to any conditions and to make the warres far from home and vpon other mens charges Nor in assisting them of Holland and Zeland hath she doone any thing but after she had attempted all other meanes and was forced to take this course by necessity for her owne safety But the Spaniards haue sought matter of quarrell against her and offered her and her people infinite wronges First king Philip hauing intricated our nation with the French about his quarrell lost Caleis and abandoned the English in his treatie of peace Anno 1567. when we thought he had continued our friend at the solicitation of the pope he b Girol Catena in vita Pij 5. It may also bee gathered out of the aduersaries discourse in Andreas Philopater determined to make warre vpon vs. Afterward he encouraged and holpe the rebels of the North and determined to aide the earle of Desmond in Ireland Anno 1588. he made open warres vpon vs and neuer since hath ceased to molest vs. Nay when he could do her Maiestie and her people no other harme he hath suffered Sanders booke of schisme and diuers other most rayling libells to be published by Ribadineira and others to the dishonor of our nation our princes and gouernours Finally Lopez that was executed for attempting to poyson her Maiestie c See his confession and the actes of the processe against him confessed that he was hired by Ibarra the Count of Fuentes and diuers of the kings agentes not without the kings priuity as was prooued by the deposition of Manoel Lois and Stephen Ferreira and diuers other circumstances Séeing then we haue such meanes to make warres and so iust a cause to vndertake them why should any eyther doubt or feare to encounter the Spanyardes especiallie if they will néedes be quarrelling But to surcease to discourse of the valour of the Spaniard in the warres and of his puissance or rather weakenesse both by sea and land let vs a litle consider him in his other parts and qualities and sée whether he deserueth such extrauagant commendations as N. D doth heap vpon him and what reason he hath to aduance the Spanyard so highly and to debase his owne nation Our aduersary a P. 106. commendeth the Spaniardes For their religion their labour in preaching and winning soules in the Indies their learning their morall vertues and forgetteth not to praise them for their country which he calleth Rich fertile and potent But if these be the points that he meaneth to stand vpon he will hardly perswade his Reader to affoord him any assent or credit For the religion of the Spaniard is not catholike as we shall easily prooue when we come to speake of catholike religion Nay few of that nation know any religion but are ledde by the noses by the pope and his priestes and friers receiuing for truth whatsoeuer they teach though neuer so false not knowing the very grounds of Christian faith though neuer so true Our aduersary knoweth that the Spaniard is saide to account it but a Peccadillo or little fault not to beléeue in Christ and euery man may sée they haue no right faith that receiue all the popes decretalles for true religion In the Indies their disorders haue béene so great that the barbarous people do beléeue rather any religion then that of the Spanyard Bartholomew à Casas a fryer and Hierome Benzo shew that where in Hispaniola there were thrée millions of people at the first arriuall of the Spanyardes there they shortly by their pious and vertuous gouernement brought them to the number of 300. So great was their slaughter and cruelty b Histor Indiar Hierome Benzo saith that all the religion the Indians haue is to make the signe of the crosse and to heare a latin masse which they vnderstand not and to performe such like ceremonies And if hée will not beléeue me yet hée may not with anie reason refuse the testimonie of Ioseph à Costa a Iesuite who of purpose writeth a storie of the new worlde and declareth how the Indians haue profited in religiō He sheweth that the Indians are so vnwilling to be baptized a De procuranda Indorum salute lib. 6. c. 3. That the Spaniards haue baptized many against theit wils whereby baptisme Is made a mocke among them Speaking of Christian religion in the Indies hée saith their knowledge is small and so offred to them that it is either refused easily or easily lost b Ibid. lib. 1. c. 2. Notitia quaedam vel ten uis offertur vel ita offertur vt facilè repudietur vel ita recipitur vt mox perniciosiùs deseratur He c Lib. 1. c. 14. saith They are like the Samaritanes that worship god idoles both togither And againe d Ibidem Simulatoriam Christianitatis speciem praeferunt non colunt deum seriò nec credunt ad iustitiam e A costa lib. 4. c. 15. Their priests and teachers hée chargeth to be giuen to couetousnesse dicing hunting concubinage and luxuriousnesse And this is that goodly conuersion of millions of soules of which this personate N. D. so much braggeth
and of which the pope doth séeme so studious and desirous But if hée were indéede desirous to winne soules to Christ and not gaine and glory to himselfe why doth hée not séeke to conuert the Grecians Asians and Mores that are hard by him and which through his ambitious quarrels about his superioritie haue beene oppressed by the Turkes and abandoned by the princes of the west empire Doth it not appéere that where Christian princes rule with their sword hée entreth there into the peoples closets with his counterfeit keies or rather picklockes and that hée neither can do any thing in countries oppressed by infidels nor is so willing to winne soules as to establish his authoritie and to séeke gaine To returne to our purpose In schoole diuinity diuers friers I confesse séeme well studied neither are the Spaniardes ignorant of other humane artes and learning Yet neither is the number of learned men great nor their learning singuler Their priests for the most part are ignorant both of tongues and of the grounds of religion Their common people know almost nothing and scarce canne say their Credo pater noster and aue maria but admitte they canne say the wordes yet are they ignorant of the sence Their morall vertues we will examine when we come to speake of particulars It should séeme they are not many when their aduocate mentioneth none Finally it is but a simple praise to dwell in a rich and fertile country For so the Indians and Cananites should deserue to be preferred before the Spaniardes For no country is richer in gold then the Indiaes And in time past the land of Canaan flowed with milke and hony and that is cléerely testyfied of it in holy scripture But were it that the Spaniardes deserued commendation for their religion and their zeale in preaching the truth and other vertues yet hath our aduersarie no reason to despise his owne nation or to preferre the Spaniards before vs. For héere true religion without mixtures of poperie is embraced and the same so generally taught that none can be ignorant but such as like the adder that stoppeth his eares refuse to heare Gods worde and to vnderstand the truth The number of learned men among vs is greater then among the Spaniards proportion for proportion neither to abridge this idle dispute shall N. D. finde that our nation either in morall vertues or naturall endowments or supernaturall graces is inferior to the Spaniard or ought to yéeld to him in any thing saue in this that hée hath better happe to encounter with English traitors to flatter the Spanish nation and we no Spaniards or fewe that will take on them to set foorth our due praises It resteth now that wée examine the particulars of our aduersaries pleading according to the course which before wée haue proposed to our selues Not that any great matter doth result of the whole summe but that wée may at the least gather a summe of our aduersaries fooleries and trecherous purposes In the beginning of this last encounter hée a P. 103. telleth vs That there remaineth yet another bickering about the Spanish king and nation Hée shoulde also haue told vs against whom this bickering made as it shoulde séeme by the shade b That is of a glasse of wine d'vn bicchier di vino is entended but that is apparent by the discourse ensuing for it is wholy against his countrey and nation So then this champion commeth out in his Spanish ierkin to fight for Spaniards and against his owne nation May we therefore thinke you safely trust him that taketh on him to speake for publike enimies against the safetie and state of his countrey and countrey people Well let vs sée what this champion hath to say for his clients First hée c Ibidem saith That a man must speake moderately of his enimie and that we must not lie nor faine reproches no not of the diuell himselfe So hee maketh a faire entrance into his matter comparing the Spaniardes to the diuell then which course nothing can be more reprochfull to his clients Hée may be glad that the Spaniards vnderstande him not Otherwise they woulde make him know that they are not to be compared to diuels But to let that passe and to grant that a man must speake moderately of his enimie yea of the diuel yet hath not hee obserued that moderation in speaking either of friendes or enimies For hée flattereth his friends grossely and raileth against his enimie most odiously and despitefully Nay hée raileth against his liege prince and such as haue shewed themselues to be her most faithfull subiectes and praiseth her greatest enimies albeit if hée were a true man hée woulde haue done neither In the libell against her Maiesties proclamation of the yéere 1591. published by him and Creswell vnder the name of Andreas Philopater vnder the title he placeth this sentence Vidi mulierem ebriam de sanguine sanctorum as if shée were drunke with the blood of saints Hée a Scelus sceler nectit p 6. saith Shee added wickednesse to wickednesse and vseth wordes not to bée vttred against so gracious a prince b P. 11. libr. Romae excus comparing her to Maxentius Iulian Costantius Decius and Nero. Hée disgraceth her in her parents and stocke and saith what his malice can deuise against her The like course hée taketh against her principall Counsellors c In praefat ac edictum accusing them of fraud crueltie rapines impietie and most hainous crimes Against the earle of Leicester and the Lord Treasurer that dead is hée hath published whole volumes of reproches in two seuerall libels entituling the first Leycesters common-wealth and setting out the second vnder the name of Causes of supposed feares c. Neither hath any railing libell of late come foorth but he hath had some finger in it Furthermore as the former bookes are full of railing and reproches so they want no prouision of lies and vntruthes Hée saith in d Andr. Philop p. 121. Philopater that King Philip did thrise deliuer the Lady Elizabeth out of trouble and cannot prooue once And that king Philip denied the rebels aide which Pius quintus the pope his grand master controlleth He repeateth diuers slanders out of Sanders and Genebrard and can write nothing without lies In this treatise which wée haue now in hand albeit hée séeme to professe Warding and fensing yet hath he no fence to kéepe his toong from lying And yet they say hée lieth verie closely yea and falsely too Such is his excellencie in both faculties that a great question may be made whether he raileth or lieth more impudently and starkely Do you not then take him to bée a fit man to giue precepts of modestie and true dealing to others that hath nor modestie nor truth nor reason in his owne dealing And may he take vpon him to censure others for rayling libelling raging lying and facing that in lying and libelling hath surmounted not onely
consort of malicious traytors and an abbettor and nourisher of men euill affected in their malcontentment Nay albeit his colour were better cast yet were his pleading vnsufficient seeing true religion cannot stande with rebellion or disloyaltie nor may true catholikes be suffered to oppugne their prince and countrey to practise trecherie against the state and to nourish malcontent humours among subiects But if it appeere that the Romanistes are not the true church and that their religion is neither catholike nor ancient nor true then must it needes be granted that N. D. and his consorts are not onely malicious traytors but also impious heretikes It is also very plaine that all his wrangling encounters are built vpon fancies and supposals without grounde and foundation and are no better then malicious inuectiues degorged against good men and idle pretenses to colour the practises of enimies traytors and heretikes For euery traytor can pretend that he is a true patriot and Catiline and his consorts and all rebels vse to set a glosse of common good vpon their priuate wicked deseignements and treasons All societies also of heretikes will take vpon them as true Christians as saith a Lib. 4. institut cap. vlt. Lactantius and suppose themselues to be the catholike church Tertullian saith b Lib. 4. contr Marcion That as waspes make honycombes so the Marcionites pretend to make churches albeit indeed they were no true churches Nouatian like apes that counterfeit men saith c Epist 73. Cyprian woulde challenge to himselfe the authoritie and truth of the church albeit he be not of the church but a rebell and enimie set vp against the church Which fitteth our aduersary very well who if he had his yellow ierkin were a very ape or an apish Iebusite entitling himselfe and his companions with the name of the church But if he had beene a foxe as well as an ape and had but had a foxes wiles he would haue made bâ—tter proofe of his maine groundes which not being 〈◊〉 is a maine maime of his whole cause Now to the intent that thou maiest perceiue that all his building is either without foundation or vpon a marrish ground that will beare no such great worke I haue thought good for thy satisfaction to challenge him once more into the fielde and to make triall of his manhood in fiue new encounters which do much concerne his cause and credite For as before I haue shewed him and his consorts to be perfect traytors and Recusants and malcontent papists to be verie sorie and defectiue subiects so nowe God willing I purpose to shew first That papists are no true catholikes secondly That their religion as it differeth from that which we professe is a packe of nouelties thirdly That it is patched vp of many old heresies fourthly That the Romish church is not the true church and lastly that N. D. his consorts whether they were Iesuites or priests or their adhaerentes that haue beene executed to death according to the lawes of England are to be esteemed traytors and not martyrs And this in defence of her Maiesties iustice or rather clemencie For if she woulde do them iustice then woulde not she suffer them to liue as subiects that will not directly acknowledge her to be their Queene and lawfull souereigne especially where the pope saith contrarie If she did her-selfe right she woulde not tolerate a faction notoriously opposite to her gouernment If she did iustice she woulde not suffer such to enioy wealth and honors life that adhere to forreine enimies that seeke the destruction of the common-wealth the dishonour of this state the ruine and bloud of all that stande well affected to religion and the state And that Parsons and the priests that come out of Spaine and are sworne to maintaine the Infantaes title and are reconciled or adhering to the pope are all culpable of these treasons it is so cleered by the former discourse and by the last chapter of this that I thinke it may be felt of blinde men and not onelie discerned by those that haue eies to looke into the state The rest maketh for defence of our religion which no mâ—n can reprooue but such as haue drunke deepe of the cup of the purple harlot spoken of Apocalyp 17. and are sworne slaues to the pope and professed enimies not onely of religion and the state but also of their owne good in this worlde and of their eternall saluation in the worlde to come Beware therefore my good countryman for so I must account thee vntill I see thee declare thy selfe open friend to popish traytors and enimie to thy counrrey that harkening to the Sirens songs of Iebusites and priestes enimies to gods true religion not onely to their prince countrey thou be not swallowed vp in the gulfe of their heresies and treasons They lead thee not to the rocke Christ Iesus vpon which the church is built but to the a Bellar. praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. rocke the pope and the bankes of his sandie inuentions vpon which thou must needs wracke thy selfe if thou shun them not quickly True religion is grounded vpon Christs word reuealed to vs in the holy canonicall Scriptures all which we professe according to the rule of the true catholike church And for this truth we doubt not to giue our liues so assured we are of our profession where as thou as long as thou continuest a papist hast no warrant but the popes worde which to say no woorse is ignorant of true religion and apostolike faith and subiect to many errors and infirmities Read therefore indifferently and iudge syncerely and vprightly and the God of truth guide thee into the way of iustice and truth CHAP. I. That papists are no true Catholikes FRuitelesse it is and almost endlesse to contend much about names and titles but especially in causes of religion For as a In Apolog. Iustin Martyr saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true religion Consisteth in good workes rather then good termes and the c Ad Tit. 3. apostle exhorteth Titus and all true teachers to auoide contentions and quarrels about words of the lawe Yet forasmuch as manie simple people are abused by false teachers taking vpon them glorious names and titles and looke onely vpon the shéepes clothing that is outward and not on the wooluish nature of priestes and friers that is inward I thought it not amisse to shew what this name Catholike importeth and to whom the same truely belongeth and how dangerous it is to trust euery one that taketh to himselfe the name of a Catholike The Iewes d Ioan. 8. called themselues The children of Abraham and bragged much of the e Hierem. 7. Temple of God and of f Rom. 2. the lawe But the apostle teacheth vs that not euerie one that in name and outward shew was a Iew deserued so to be estéemed and taken g Epist 83. Leo speaking to certaine monkes saith Ecclesiae
principall rocke doth wholy rely vpon the popes of Rome men neither like to Christ nor like to Peter nor like to a rocke Vnlesse it be in that they deny Christ and are as hard harted against Christians as if they were rockes Secondly the faith of the true catholike church is built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets and their canonicall doctrine The apostle c Ephes 2. saith That the houshold of God and citizens of saintes are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets S. d Apocal. 25. Iohn sheweth That the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles The church is built not vpon Peter onely as saint e Lib. aduers â—â—in Hierome saith but vpon all the apostles At dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur The church of God saith f In Ephes 2. Theophylact is built vpon the apostles and prophets And all this is therefore affirmed of them because they preached not themselues but Christ Iesus and wrote the canonicall scriptures that they might be as g Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith The foundation of our faith Vnto this foundation the ancient fathers do all giue testimony But the faith of the Romish synagogue is built vpon the determinations decretals of popes They count their determinations to be infallible and make them souereine iudges of all controuersies in Christes stead Alij nunc à Christo missi saith h In praefat in relect in prinâ—ip doct Stapleton eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt He plainely i Ibidem confesseth that the papists haue another foundation of their faith besides the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud And k Lib. 4. de verb. Dei c. 4. Bellarmine disputing of traditions calleth them the word of God not written and saith That the scriptures are neither necessary nor sufficient without them Demonstrare conabimur saith hée scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes Nowe if they cannot shewe that the church of God in times past did builde their faith vpon the popes decretals and traditions they must néeds confesse that they are not the true church Thirdly neuer did the church of Christ speake euill of Scriptures a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the propertie of heretikes when they are conuinced by Scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them The children of God certes cannot calumniate their heauenly fathers testament or refuse to heare his voice My sheepe saith our b Iâ—hn 10. Sauiour heare my voice But the papists say they are neither necessary nor sufficient as doth Bellarmine or no sufficient foundation of the church as doth Stapleton in the places aboue mentioned and speake euill of them as if they were c Annot. Rhem. in 2. Cor. 3. A killing letter and most pernicious or as if they were a nose of ware d Ceâ—sur Colon. or a matter of contention and will not suffer them to be publikely read in a toong that is vnderstood of the vulgar fort 4. The church of God doth keepe the doctrine of the apostles without addition and alteration auoiding all prophane nouelties The Gal. 1. apostle pronounceth him accursed That teacheth any other Gospell then that which he taught So f Aduers haeres c. 34. Vincentius Lâ—rinensis saith Catholicorum hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare But the synagogue of Rome hath added vnto the doctrine of the apostles infinite nouelties as hath béene declared aboue in the second chapter Their doctrine concerning the grounds of faith concerning the law the Gospell and diuers points of Christian faith their worship of God their massing seruice and popish gouernment is newe as their newe decretals and late Tridentine doctrine the decrées of other late councels whereupon all their popish faith dependeth do plainly testifie 5. The true church cannot abide heretikes that teach doctrine contrary to that of the apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe g Iohn 10 saith They will not follow a stranger but flye from him for that they know not the voice of strangers that the apostles gaue the faithfull Christians in charge If there come any vnto you saith a 2. Iohn saint Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith b Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith c Lib. 1. ep 3. Cyprian as far from them as they separate themselues from the church Neither can the true church embrace erroneous doctrine For true Christians will not heare the voice of strangers Si haeretici sunt saith Tertullian d De praescrip aduers haeret Christiani esse non possunt But it is apparent that the popes of Rome are heretikes which are the great maisters and Rabbines of the Romish synagogue as may appeare by the examples of Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius thâ— first Iohn the two twentith Eugenius the 4. and diuers others We haue also shewed that the synagogue of Rome hath embraced diuers heresies and doth wholy addict her selfe to embrace heretikes and to persecute true teachers 6. The church of God is the mistresse and teacher of truth and admitteth no falsehood nor vntruth The e 1. Tim. 3. apostle doth call her The piller and ground of truth Est fons veritatis faith f Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius hoc est domicilium fidei She is the fontaine of truth that is to say The house where true faith dwelleth but the synagogue of Rome is not onely a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lyes and vanities She not onely receiueth false traditions but also teacheth them She embraceth lying legends and old wiues fables and apocryphall deuises And this is the word of God not written which they so much commend and make equall to holy scriptures That church g In breuiar in festo Cathar beléeueth That saint Catharine was a maiden of Alexandria so well learned that at eighteene yeeres of age she passed the most learned and ouercame fiftie philosophers conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of his to the faith and broke the tormenting wheele with her oraysons They say also that her body was buried by angels
now there is but one faith as there is but one baptisme and one God as the c Ephes 4. apostle teacheth vs. And this is the faith which the apostles and prophets haue taught and which wée in the church of England do professe Remember I say that true faith is Christes faith and apostolike faith It is not the popes faith nor his determinations nor vncertaine traditions It hath no other foundation but the doctrine of Christ and his apostles and holy prophets Beware therefore of the pretended cacolike Romish faith that hath no grounde but in the popes determinations nor support but lies fraude and violence If the doctrine and traditions of popish priests come not from Christ Iesus which is the foundation of our religion but is drawne out of vncertaine legendes and resteth on the popes determination remember what the apostle teacheth in this point If any man saith a Galat. 1. hée preach vnto you otherwise then that you haue receiued let him bee accursed Beléeue not euery spirite For many deceiuers are gone out into the worlde If any bring any doctrine not deduced out of holy Scripture suspect him and examine him and thou shalt finde him faultie And aboue all thinges beware of new doctrines For wée haue but one faith which hath his originall from Christ the fountaine of truth life Profanas vocum nouitates saith the b 1. Tim. 6. apostle deuita And if wée may not vse new termes or words in matters of faith then may we not receiue any newe articles of religion It is the part of true catholikes to adhere to holy fathers and to auoide nouelties as saith c Aduers haeres c. 36. Vincentius Lirinensis Nowe what fathers more holy then the prophets and apostles that are the fathers of fathers and the foundation of the church If the doctrine of poperie be for the most part a packe of old and newe heresies as hath bin shewed thée why shouldst thou bée abused by false teachers Why shouldst thou bée desirous as distempered stomackes are to feed vpon vnholesome doctrine Graues sunt haereticorum morsus saith Saint d In Euangel Luc. lib. 7. c. 10. Ambrose qui ipsis grauiores rapaciores bestijs nullum abaritiae finem impietatÃsque nouerunt They looke faire vpon thée but bite déepely They promise true religion and catholike faith but teach heresies and damnable opinions They come vnto thée with shéepes clothing and pretend sauing of soules but inwardly they are rauening woolues and séeke to destroie both thy body soule They giue thée honie but it is deliuered thée vpon a swordes point that when thou thinkest to licke honie thy hart may bée pearced with a sharpe pointed sword If the synagogue of Romanistes bée not the true church why takest thou delight to heare her teachers or to embrace her erronious doctrine Why doest thou not come out of Babylon Wilt thou remaine in her confusion and be partaker of her plagues Why shouldest thou go vp to Bethauen or delight in the congregation of wicked idolaters e Hoseae 4. Go not vp I say to Bethauen f 1. Cor. 10. flie Idolatrie g Apocal. 18. Come out of Babylon It is not I onely but Christ Iesus that calleth thée out of this confusion If thou wilt not heare him nor know him bée assured hée will not knowe thée nor heare thée It is not the pope that can saue thée nor his decretals that can warrant thee Leaue therefore the synagogue of satan and resort to Gods true church Forsake antichrist and adhere to Christ Quisquis saith Saint h Epist 152. Augustine ab ecclesia catholica abfuerit quantumuis laudabiliter se viuere existimet hoc solo scelere quòd à Christi vnitate disiunctus est non habebit vitam sed ira Dei manet super eum As without Noes arke in time past all flesh was drowned so there is no safetie out of Christes church And bée not lightly deceiued with the name of the church For antichrist as the i 2. Thes 2. apostle telleth vs shall sit in Christes church And with his followers as Saint Augustine teacheth vs shall bée accounted to bée the true church viz. by such as are abused The synagogue of satan in time past did take on them the name of Iewes and falshood is often set out with a faire lustre and shew of truth All Christians haue an interest in true religion Why then shoulde any suffer the damnable doctrine of poperie that is so full of heresies and erronious opinions Why shoulde any suffer the Scriptures to bée taken from the people of God so that they shall no more bée suffered to read them and in lieu thereof receiue the popes determinations and the synagogues of Romes traditions Can any true Christian indure the abominable idole of the masse where the bread and cup is adored for God or the idolatrous worship of Romish Babylon Those that honour God those hée will honour and such as are luke-warme and care not what religion they haue those God will cast out of his mouth as a lothsome race of atheistes and wicked men If religion mooue not euerie man yet if hée remember the slauerie of popish gouernment and how preiudiciall it is to princes to the nobilitie to the commons and all sortes of people hée will not much bée enamored of it The magistrate may not suffer either his authoritie to bée disputed of or doubted of or denied And yet the Iesuites and priestes and their adherents are suffred to teach and to do all this as appéereth by their answeres to the sixe Interrogatories by their cases of conscience and by their doctrine and actions Nay most boldly albeit secretly they practise against the life and state of her Maiestie as many particulars do shewe Happie are they that they haue encountred with such a prince and yet let them beware they abuse not her clemencie too farre For no state can stande where such contumacious and rebellious mates liue in open contempt of authoritie and lawes It behooueth also all them that carrie the sworde to looke that not onely Christ his shéepe bée defended from woolues but also that the state bée defended and maintained against professed traytors and rebels that lurke in all corners They haue not a sworde committed to them for naught But to the ende they may defende the quiet and peaceable subiect and roote out the wicked rebellious traytor Treason and notorious coÌ„tumacie against lawes cannot long be endured in any common-wealth Neither can magistrates in this case bée too watchfull God hath detected many secret conspiracies and attempts against her Maiestie and the state yet let vs not presume too farre vpon his goodnesse The way to settle peace to confirme the state to preuent all such trecherous attempts is to stop the head of rebellion and treason and to roote out all seditious priestes and Iebusites from whence all our troubles for this 43. yéeres
into question whether Christs body be really contained vnder the formes and disputeth that he is not But Perons foundation was too weake to beare so great a charge For albeit Scotus had not so done or spoken yet could not the Lord of Plessis be charged with falsification séeing he doth not quote his words but set downe his owne collection The most that could be said was that he had mistaken the meaning of Scotus And yet if he had charged him only with mistaking himselfe had beene mistaken and greatly had he wronged his aduersary For it cannot be denied but that Scotus doth indéed call into question whether Christs body be really by transubstantiation contained vnder the formes of bread and wine and disputeth that it is not which is all that the Lord of Plessis doth say of Scotus for which he is challenged by his wrangling aduersarie Neither is it materiall that this is the vse of schooles first to obiect against the truth and afterward to resolue what is true and to answere the obiections For that doth not disproue M. Plessis his assertion séeing Scotus doth not only in his obiections but also in his resolution of that question say as much as M. Plessis collected out of him Nay he séemeth rather to dislike transubstantiation then otherwise Magis saith a In 4. sentent dist 10. q. 1. he repraesentat panis cum suis accidentibus corpus Christi in ratione nutrimenti spiritualis And againe he b In 4. sentent dist 11. q. 3. saith If another interpretation were admitted for Christs presence in the sacrament that fewer miracles should néede Pauciora ponuntur miracula Plainely disliking that interpretation that without diuers miracles cannot be maintained He doth also argue strongly against transubstantiation out of scriptures and answereth his owne arguments verie weakely and coldly and in the end affirmeth that the determination of the Church of Rome did principally moue him to beléeue the doctrine of transubstantiation Of which it followeth very necessarily albeit he was content to subscribe to the Popes determination and durst not do otherwise yet that he himselfe thought otherwise for the reasons by him alleaged and so not we onely but Dominicke a Soto taketh it against whom Iosephus Angles a Scotist laboureth much to defend Scotus as not dissenting from the church of Rome and yet satisfieth no man soundly The second place was taken out of Durand who saith that it is rashnesse to affirme that the bodie of Christ may not by the power of God be in the sacrament by other maner then by the conuerâ—â—on of bread into his body Neither can it be denied but that Durand hath these words as they were alleaged by M. de Plessis Why then is he charged with falsification Forsooth because they say he tooke the opposition for the resolution But he that looketh on Durands book shall find these words not in the oppositions only but also in his resolution and that he doth much insist vpon this point and saith that it is durum and temerarium that is a point of impudencie and temeritie to hold the contrarie seeing it bringeth with it so many inconueniences It may also plainly be gathered of his words that the determination only of the councel of Lateran and the Romish church moued him to hold transubstantiation which not we onely but also c De sacram eucharist lib. 3. c. 11. Bellarmine doth note in him taring him for hard beléefe of transubstantiation and saying that the materiall part of the bread is not by consecration conuerted into the body of Christ The third place obiected against M. Plessis was drawne out of Chrysostome homil 1. in 1. Thess 1. but neither can his aduersarie proue this place to be falsified by him nor impertinently alleaged Not the first for that hee doth not alleage Chrysostoms words but maketh a collection vpon them Not the second for that as M. Plessis affirmeth it may euidently be gathered out of his wordes that wee must not relie vpon the prayers of the Saints but worke our saluation with feare and trembling Neither is it materiall that these words If we be negligent are omitted for they are not to purpose séeing Chrysostome would not haue vs rely vpon the intercession of saints albeit we be diligent to do our endeuour our selues Againe séeing he concludeth of the words and doth not rehearse them precisely he had no reason to write all downe that came in his way It is also obiected that Chrysostome alloweth intercession of saints But be it he did so yet doth not this conuince that he is falsly alleaged by M. Plessis seeing that which he gathered may be true albeit this were granted How much then is it more vnlikely that he shal be conuicted seeing Chrysostome in that place hath nothing which doth not appertaine rather to the prayers of holy men liuing then of holy men departed The fourth place was taken out of a certaine Homily of Chrysostome vpon Matthew where as the L. of Plessis alleageth he saith we haue much more assurance through our owne prayers then through the prayers of others and that God saueth vs not so soone at others requests as at our own And this the aduersarie himselfe could not denie to be truly alleaged How then came it to passe that dealing thus iustly and truly he should notwithstanding be charged with falsification Forsooth saith his aduersarie because he left out the words following viz. Et haec non dicimus vt supplicandum sanctis negemus and for that he applied Chrysostoms wordes against prayers to saints departed As if it were so haynous a matter not to set downe words altogether impertinent or as if it did not follow that we are not to rely vpon saints prayers and that therefore we are not so continually to pray to saints and so to trust to their intercession as the church of Rome doth that maketh prayers to saints a great péece of their Church-seruice But were it that the argument were not good yet the aduersarie will not graunt that Bellarmine and his consorts do commit falsifications as oft as they bring weake or euil-shapen arguments It was also further answered that Chrysostome had nothing that might force vs to beléeue that hée taught or beléeued prayers to Saints departed which may serue fully to answere all the aduersaries vaine cauillations The fift obiection was for that citing these words out of Hieroms commentaries vpon Ezechiel lib. 4. in cap. 14. Bonum est confidere in Domino c. he left out these wordes si negligentes fuerint But d Falsum non committitur sine dolo no falsification can be committed without fraud Now what fraud could be imagined in omitting wordes that make nothing for his aduersarie or against himselfe Beside that the ordinarie glosse doth rehearse these words no otherwise then the Lord of Plessis quoteth them whom I thinke the Malheureux Bishop of Eureux will not charge with falsification It was also