of late time haue not any that deserue to be entituled either bishops or priests where least any fond cauiller should mistake me as a certeine n A detection of vntrueths and falsifications disciple of antichrist hath done of late I doe giue them to vnderstand that my meaning is not to deny them to be the church that haue ministers or bishops faulty for life or defectiue in the execution of their office but onely those that haue bishops and priests without lawfull ordination and that doe not at all execute the office and function of a pastor or bishop and because the synagogue of Rome hath onely such priests and bishops as want lawfull ordination and vtterly cease to execute pastorall functions I saie that the same cannot be the true church of Christ I say then that Romish priests haue no lawfull ordination because they are ordeined first by heretikes by excommunicate and simoniacall persons which the canons doe prohibit to lay hands on any and disallow such as are ordeined by them that the popes of Rome and bishops ordeined by them are simonicall persons it appeareth by the practises of the conclaue in election of popes by the compacts made betwixt the pope and such as he ordeineth by the testimony of the conscience of papal creatures and publike writings o Lib. de schism Theodorick a Niem testifieth against Boniface the 9. and others and saith that Boniface sold the same benefice to diuers and when he lay a dying bought and sold and said he should doe well if he had money Vllerstone in his petitions crieth out of the simony of his time that was a cause also of the complaint of the Germaines in their grieuances venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale deúsque that they are heretikes it shall be prooued by the seuerall heresies old and new which the church of Rome holdeth Secondly they are not ordeined lawfully because they are not ordeined to teach and administer the sacraments but to offer sacrifices for the quicke and dead as appeareth by their p Machab. in lib. de missis episcop pro ordinib formularies of ordring priests q Lib. de sacra ord c. 9. Bellarmine likewise confesseth that this is the due forme of ordring priests respondeo saith he sacerdotes ordinari cum illis dicitur accipe potestatem sacrificium offerendi this ordination I prooue to be vnlawfull first because it conteineth no commission for the principall point of apostolicall or priestly function and next because it giueth them an office of sacrificing for quicke and dead which is more then belongeth to their charge or was executed by the apostles or ancient bishops of the church Thirdly they are ordeined by bishops that haue themselues no due ordination being sent abroad by antichrist rather to suppresse the trueth then to teach the trueth now euery man well vnderstandeth that no man can giue orders but such as haue receiued orders Finally they are most of them vncapable of ministeriall function and can neither teach nor administer the sacraments duly and if they were able yet doe they not teach Gods people but rather by their masses and confessions draw them to superstition and disloialty That the Romish church hath no true bishops it is to be proued both by the same and other reasons first no heretikes haue power to ordeine others but the pope is an heretike ergo the first the aduersaries will not deny the second we shall prooue by diuers arguments in his proper place secondly we haue declared and the world knoweth that the popes of Rome are simoniacall persons of which it also followeth that they haue no power to ordeine pastors thirdly Antichrist hath no power to ordeine pastors in Christes church but that the pope is Antichrist and the head of Antichrists kingdome I haue declared in my fift booke De pontifice Rom. fourthly he that is no bishop can not ordeine bishops but I haue declared that the pope is no bishop and it is euident for that r 1. Tim. 3. episcopatus is opus but the pope doth not the office of a bishop either in teaching or administring the sacraments further bishops as Cyprian diuersly declareth are the successours of the apostles but the Pope succéedeth Caesar in the gouernment of Rome rather than Peter and Paul in gouerning the church and other Romish bishops they rather kill Christes shéepe and massacre his lambs than feed them finally Romish bishops albeit they are after a sort sent to teach and administer sacraments yet most of them are vncapable of that charge and all leaue the office of teaching to a packe of loud mouthed monks and babling friers thinking that too base an office for their great and high estate But had Romish priests and bishops any mission or ordination yet is the same very defectiue and diuers from the graue forme practised in the ancient church for neither is such regard had of the capacity and ability of the persons chosen to this function but that often times boies and infamous persons are called to this charge neither are the solemnities prescribed in the canons obserued nor doe either the priests or bishops teach true doctrine and sincerely administer the sacraments nor doe they finally attend that office and execute that worke whereto they are called If therfore the Romish priests and bishops haue no due ordination or calling then are not the papists the true church if their ordination be imperfect and faultie then such is the popish church as their popish ordination of ministers is that is faulty defectiue and imperfect argument 61 The true church of Christ can not adhere to Antichrist our sauior Christ speaking of his shéepe ſ Iohn 10. saith they will not follow a stranger but will flie from him neither doth Antichrist seduce any bur such as perish as the apostle teacheth vs 2. Thess 2. but the Romish church adhereth to the pope which is declared manifestly to be Antichrist both by his doctrine by his maners by the forme circumstances of his reigne and diuers arguments which because I would not draw out this discourse into length I would desire the learned to reade in my fift booke De pontifice Rom. and our aduersaries to answere if they holde contrary Robert Parsons should also doe well to answere such arguments as I vsed in my answere to his Wardword to proue the pope to be Antichrist argument 62 As the true church of Christ was figured by the holy city of Ierusalem so the malignant church of Antichrist is figured and represented partly by Babylon Apocalyps 18. and partly by the purple whore Apocalyp 17. that rideth on a beast with seuen heads and had a cup of gold in her hand ful of all abominations and spirituall carnall filthinesse If then the state of Rome and the Romish church be represented by this purple harlot and by Babylon
idolatries and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certeine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and is sure to continue but neither is the church of Rome catholike nor apostolike which embraceth vncerteine traditions and apocryphall scriptures with equall affection to canonicall scriptures and which receiueth all the popes decretales concerning matters of faith albeit they conteine doctrine neither apostolicall nor general secondly it will be an easie matter to shew that the Romish church abhorreth neither heresie nor idolatrie nor noueltie thirdly in diuerse discourses against Bellarmine I haue shewed that popish doctrine hath neither ground of scriptures councels nor fathers thereby also it may appeare that popish traditions are most vaine vncerteine and superstitious fourthly the way which that church teacheth is broad and easie for what is more easie than to heare masses and to eat fish and to confesse sinnes and to obserue diuers externall ceremonies and yet by these small things papists hope to be saued fiftly we finde that all the rebellions of England Ireland and France haue wholly procéeded from the church of Rome and the doctrine of the seditious Iebusites and Cananites and masse priests neither will euer rebellion be rooted out vnlesse the tyrannicall vsurpation of popes be repressed and their parasites taught to submit themselues to their liege princes sixthly what certeinty in iudgement can the papists haue that depend vpon the resolutions of blinde vnlearned and wicked popes finally we sée Antichrist to be reuealed and the city of Babylon to fall to confusion who then doth not expect and beléeue the vtter ruine and desolation of Antichrists state Further Bristow telleth vs that euery church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saints nor euer visible and which is not the teacher of all diuine trueth and the vndoubted mother of Christes children is not the true church But the church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals in the officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monks friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents whose faith is built on popish decretals and mincing scholasticall distinctions as fine wouen as any spider webbe rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and first planting of religion and that the Romish church crept out by little and little out of the catholike and apostolike church for apostolicall doctrine embracing apostaticall and light fancies and traditions and for the maintenance of mens bellies and the popes authoritie is departed from Christ and hath made war vpon the saints in the same also whores are openly mainteined cutthrotes by rewards incited to kill and poison princes and a way to all periuries and vices by the popes indulgences opened how then can any call this a communion of saints finally he that expecteth trueth at the popes hands shal be gulled with fables and he that calleth Rome a mother can be content for gaine to call the whore of Babylon and mother of errours his mother argument 70 The church of Christ neuer allowed the decretals of popes or the extrauagants or rules of Chancery concerning the popes authoritie and procéeding but in these lawes the church of Rome hath diuers rules of the Romish faith and thereby gouerneth her procéedings argument 71 In the church of Christ clerks were not exempt from the subiection of princes The apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to higher powers But in the church of Rome all clerks are quited and exempted from the princes power as Bellarmine in his booke of that argument by the popes canons and all his wit endeuoureth to proue argument 72 The true church neuer baptized belles nor held monkes coules to be equall to baptisme but the popish church as the l Grauam 51. Germanes in their grieuances declare baptizeth belles and compareth the entrance into monkish profession with baptisme argument 73 Finally neuer was Christes church or any part of Christes church within any kingdome gouerned by an archpriest and certeine seditious Iebusites masse priests and such like vermine Howsoeuer then they deny it in others yet can they not deny but that the papists of England are not members of Christes church but rather of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. II. That the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are mere nouelties and late deuised fancies IF when the papists doe recommend vnto vs their old religion they meant nothing els but the religion of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which the apostolicall and most ancient Christians receiued and deliuered to posterity we should not much contend with thim for that is the religion which we professe not varying in any thing from the apostles créed and other créeds either set out by Athanasius or the most ancient generall councels of the church nor denying any thing that is expressed or proued out of the holy canonicall scriptures But when they talke of old religion they meane the religion of the church of Rome which was either established by later popes or taken vp by lewd custome and vncerteine tradition the which though it séeme to some ancient yet in very truth is new and no way to be compared to the religion that was first deliuered by Christ and his apostles neither doth it deserue the name of old religion for as Ignatius said a Epist ad Philadelph sometime antiquitas mea Christus est so we may say that Christ is the top of our ancestry that the apostles doctrine is both ancient most true id verius quod prius saith b Lib. 4. contra Marcion Tertullian id prius quod ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis if thē the papists as they bragge could prooue their religion to be deriued from the apostles then would we indéed confesse it were ancient if they cannot then we must say to them as c Epist 65. ad Pammach Ocean Hierome said to one in his time cur profers in medium saith he quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why doe they produce articles of faith vnknowen to the apostles nay why doe they teach vs points of religion which in times of the ancient fathers of the church were vnheard of will they haue that accounted old which the fathers of the church which were long after the apostles neuer knew nor the ancient church euer receiued they would so d Contra. haeres c. 35. but Vincentius Lirinensis doeth call him a true catholike that doeth onely beléeue and hold whatsoeuer the ancient catholike church did vniuersally beléeue quicquid saith he vniuersaliter antiquitus ecclesiam catholicam tenuisse cognouerit id solum sibi tenendum credendumque decernit if then the papists will hold all the religion which now
readers view a representation or liuely paterne of a conference that is notable vntrueths and falsifications c. and these also he auoucheth he will gather out of master Willets and my writings wherein I would pray all moderate papists to consider with indifferency this fond speech of this most miserable popish creature and proctor he calleth notable untrueths and falsifications a paterne of such a conference as he desireth If then he desire a conference he must needs desire vntrueths and falsifications if his words haue any sence I know he hopeth to picke them out of our writings but if he finde any they must be such as are vttered by himselfe and his conforts and not by vs. in the meane while his fellowes are sory to see him speake so foolishly of conferences vntrueths and falsifications Fiftly He e Fol. 1. praef talketh also verie idelly of backe dores and deceitfull entries such as Daniel detected in Bels idolatrous priests which if I did not know the mans great simplicity I would haue imagined to haue beene foisted into his Praeface by some backe friend to popish religion to the great disgrace of Romish priests that by backe dores and deceitfull entries play many lewd parts with their nonnes in Spaine and Italy and with recusants wiues maides and daughters where they are lodged and interteined in England as shall be prooved by particulars if any 〈◊〉 to aske me the question These also doe worship idoles as brutishly as the f Daniel 14. in the Latin translation Babylonians did Bel and set vp the images of saint Anthony and saint Dominicke and other saints vpon altars as the Babylonians did their god Bel. finally they burne incense to their idoles and crouch to them and offer sacrifices before them as the idolatrous priests did before Bel. There resteth therefore nothing to make them all like to Bels priests but now their fraudes and cousinages and idolatries and impieties are discouered that some zelous prince would doe with the popish priests of Baal in England and other places as the king of Babylon did with the priests of Bel in his country and that would make an end both of the whole controuersy and of this idle fellowes brabling 6 Likewise under the title of his booke hee setteth downe this verse g Hierom 14. falsely saieth the Lord doe the prophets prophesie in my name I haue not sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them they prophesie unto you a lying vision and diuination and fraud and the deceipt of there owne heart whereby it seemeth he was hired to speake shame and reproch of his owne most lewd companions comming directly from antichrist and not from Christ of the church of Rome that in liew of Gods word readeth fables and lying legends and of the pope that in his lying decretales brocheth the deceits of his owne heart neither can this prophesie be expounded of any so fitly as of the false priests of Baal that come with faculties from the pope without any one word of authority or lawful mission from God and that prophesie lying visions of the restoring of the idolatrous religion of papists and preach the fancies and deceits of there owne hearts out of their masters conieâ—turall and false dictates I know he aimeth at vs. but hauing chosen this sentence for an ornament of the front of his lying pamphlet he must be content to take it to himselfe and must for any helpe he shall haue of vs necessarily be forced to apply it to his friends where it is best deserued 7 Talking of suposed falsifications he saith three things make a falsary first changing of the trueth into falshood secondly craft and malice and lastly domage or hurt and to proue his words true he alledgeth the names of Hostiensis and Panormitan two ancient canonistes but vnlesse he acquit himselfe the better in talking of falsification it will be proued that he hath falsely alledged these two authors no man certes euer talked more simply of falsity and falsaries then this falsary for not either change of trueth into falshood is falsity no albeit it be craftily done with detriment to some person for then should euery malicious and hurtfull liar be a falsary also and the authours and approuers of the Romish legends and breuiaries should also be notorious falsaries hauing told many grosse malicious lies to the great slander and hurt of religion nor hath our aduersary rightly defined a falsary for a falsary is he that in writings addeth or detracteth or altereth any thing fraudulently as appeareth by the glosse in c. in memoriam dist 19. and as the Romanistes shew themselves to be by their expurgatory indexes but saith our detractor in the margent in the french copy printed by Hierome Verdussen it is so but this is contrary to the text beside that we are no more ro beleeue the print of Hierome Verdussen then of Iulian Greenesleue if our aduersary will make such crakes he must bring vs better authours then Hierome Verdussen or the popish reporter of the conference betwixt M. Plesu and Eureux is it then likely that our aduersary should conuince vs of falsification that albeit himsefe committeth many grosse falsifications yet knoweth not what this word meaneth which may also appeare in this that he chargeth me with falsification in the first and second place noted page 47. 51. where I doe not so much as alledge any writing or any mans words but onely quote Augustin and Epiphanius in the margent to shew that my assertion may be proued out of their writings 8 His metaphors and profound allegoricall speeches he vseth to draw from womens rocks as though saith he he had not towe inough to his rocke which sheweth that this companion is better seene in womens rockes and frockes then in any point of diuinity beware therefore you of the cacolicke crew that such gallants come not neere your wiues daughters nor maids that they play not with you a tricke of their cacolicke religion if you beleeue not me beleeue Palingenius that would haue such mates excluded out of mens houses that meane to keepe their women chast 9 And although this is the mans great simplicity and weaknesse yet would he needs incounter at one time M. Willet and me both together nay as if we were nothing in this giants hands with great arrogancy he setteth also vpoÌ„ M. Thomas Bell a man while he was yet a popish priest among them accounted the most learned sufficient and graue man among their company and now well knowen by his learned workes not answerable at the least not answered to haue much profited since but what is it that our wise aduersary obiecteth that he should cry out so loud against Master Bell what is the Gordian knot that he supposeth to be insoluble forsooth because he saith that the bishops of Rome vntill the daies of Saint Augustine and long after were very godly men and taught the same doctrine that Saint Peter
ancient church accounted apocryphal as g In epist ad Paulin. in prolog in prouerb Hierome h In Synops Athanasius and diuers of the ancient fathers 〈◊〉 witnesse It alloweth also the old latin translation of the bible though different from the originall bookes the same also admitteth for principles of faith the sentences of popes the doctrine of the Romish church that now is the traditions of the Romish church the consent of fathers and diuers other grounds as Stapleton disputeth in his bookes De doctrinalibus principijs argument 7 i Arg. 7. Neuer certes did the church of Christ speake euill of scriptures k Lib. 3 aduersus haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fal into dislike of them and to accuse them as for the children of God they cannot either calumniate or lightly estéeme their heauenly fathers testameÌ„t or refuse to heare his voice but the scriptures conteine a declaration of the eternall testament of our heauenly father and therefore they are rightly called his testament in the scriptures also God speaketh vnto vs. and therefore if we be Christs sheepe we caÌ„not but hearken to his voice My sheepe saith our l Iohn 10. Sauiour heare my voice but the Romish church is still carping at scriptures as if they were neither sufficient nor perspicuous m Lib. 4. de verl die c. 4. Bellarmine saith they are neither necessarie nor sufficient without traditions n Praefat in reâ—act princip doctr Stapleton denieth them to be a sufficient foundation or rule of our faith the authors of the annotations vpon the Rhemish testament doe call them most blasphemously a killing letter and signifie that the reading of them is pernicious o Censur coloâ— others slander them as if they were a nose of waxe or a matter and subiect of contention argument 8 The church of God neuer called the bishop of Rome either a god on the earth or Christes vicar generall or vniuersall bishop but the church of Rome admitteth all this the canonists exalt him like a god p Epist ad Gregorium 13. ante princip doct Stapleton calleth him supremum numen in terris generally they call him vniuersall bishop and condemne all that hold contrary argument 9 The church of God doth kéepe the doctrine of the apostles and prophets q Gal. 1. without addition alteration or corruption and the apostle pronounceth him accursed r Aduers haeres c. 34. that teacheth any other Gospel than that which he taught Vincentius Lirinensis saith that this is the propertie of catholicks to kéepe the faith and doctrine of the fathers committed to them in trust and to condemne prophane nouelties CatholicoruÌ„ saith he hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas vocum nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare but the papists kéepe not entire the originall writings of the olde and new testament nor allow them as authenticall neither will they yéeld the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect and sufficient rule of faith nor doe they allow the law of God to be a perfect law nor doe they kéepe Christes institution in the Sacrament of the Lords supper distributing the kinds of bread and wine to the communicants but haue vnto this rule added vnwritten traditions and the determinations of popes concerning matters of faith they haue also encreased the numbers of Sacraments and added many precepts and rules not receiued in the Apostolicke church argument 10 The true Church can not endure hereticks and false apostles that teach doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ and doctrine of Christes apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe saith They will not follow a stranger but flie from him for that they know not the voice of strangers The apostles gaue vnto Christians a speciall charge concerning this point If there come any vnto you saith S. Å¿ Epist 2. Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith t Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith Cyprian as farre from them as they separate themselues from the church The true church certes can not embrace erroneous doctrine neither can any heretiks be accounted Christians Si haeretici sint saith u De praescrip aduers haeret Tertullian Christianiesse non possunt But the Papists communicate with hereticks as Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius Iohn the 22. and 23. whom in my treatise De pontifice Rom. I declared to be heretiks they do also embrace the heresie of Angelicks in worshipping angels of the Collyridians in worshipping the blessed Virgin of Marcion Valentinus and others in denying Christes true bodie in the Sacrament to be solide and palpaple of the Pelagians in magnifying their merits and the force of frée will of the Carpocratians in burning incense and worshipping the images of Iesus and Paul and diuers others as we shall héereafter particularly declare argument 11 The true Church of Christ admitteth not the apocryphal legends of S. George Cyricus and Iulitta for these are condemned by the censure of Gelasius who testifieth that the olde Church of Rome receiued not any such legends but the latter Church of Rome and papists of our time doe admit these legends and out them they gather their traditions which they make equall to the word of God argument 12 The Church of God is the mistresse and teacher of trueth and admitteth no falshood nor vntrueth the apostle doeth call her the pillar and ground of trueth Est fons veritatis saith x Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius speaking of the church hoc est domicilium fidei that is she is the fountaine of trueth she is the house where true faith dwelleth but the church of Rome that now is is not only a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lies and vanities and so Petrarch for aboue two hundred yéeres doubted not to call her Madre d'errori e tempio d'haeresia saith he which authoritie albeit they regard not yet the same which he auoucheth is prooued first in that the church of Rome auoucheth lying traditions as for example the tradition concerning Ember fasts and fasts vpon Saints vigiles concerning the ceremonies of the masse concerning the words aeterni mysterium fidei thrust into the words of consecration of the challice and such like secondly the same approoueth lying and forged decretals as for example C. Constantinus dist 96. and c. ego Ludouicus dist 63. and c. quis nesciat dist 11. infinit more of that nature thirdly the same giueth credit to Caesar Baronius his most lying and fabulous narrations and the popes haue commended them
by solemne decretals although we doubt not but to make the vanitie of them appeare partly in this discourse but farre more at large hereafter finally the same admitteth most lying legends and now and then permitteth them to be read publikely in the church as for example the legends of Catherine Clement Gregory called also Thaumaturgus Peter Martyr a dominican S. Catharine of Siena S. Christopher and diuers others in the legend of S. Catherine y In breuiaer Ro. in festâ— Catharinae they write that she was a maiden of Alexandria and so well learned that at the age of eighteene yeeres she passed the most learned and in dispute ouercame fiftie Philosophers and that also she conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of the emperors to the faith they say also that she broke the tormenting wheele with her praiers that after her death her body was buried in mount Sinah by angels in the feast of S. Clement in the Romish breuiary we read that Clement Peters successor was by Traian sent into the wildernesse of z Let Parsons tell vs where this is Cersona and that there he saw a lambe make a well to sally out of the top of the mountaine and that he being cast into the sea with a millstone about his necke the sea fled three miles from the shore and that in the very same place a little chappell was found in the sea where his body was bestowed On the festiuall day of Gregory of Neocesaria the church of Rome a In breuiar Rom. appointeth his legend to be read where it is said that he caused the riuer of Lycus to keepe within the chanell by planting his staffe on the banke and that his staffe grew presently into a great tree in the rituall books of Sarum we read that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hell which if it were true why is it now crossed out of the new bookes if false how hapeneth it that the church of Rome so long beléeued that tale b I'n breuiar Rom. in fest Petr. Mart. Peter Martyr one of Dominickes order as they write I thinke beléeue did keepe his virginity both in body and minde and in that sort that he neuer felt himselfe defiled with any mortall sinne they tell vs also that he did fast so long that he could scarce open his mouth to eat They tell vs further many wonders of Saint Nicolas Valerian and Tiburtius Lucia Christopher and other saints in the c Historia Louâ—bard del volto santo italic legend of Ieames of the colepit for else I cannot tell how to English Iacobus de Voragne we read that a certaine picture of our sauiour did lift vp his foot and cast off his slipper to a certaine pilgrime that deuoutly stood before it and would haue offred somewhat having nothing to offer Of Saint Catherine of Siena they say that she was betrothed to our sauiour Christ all which points are very incredible and not to be found in any authenticall writing If then the church of Rome publish and teach these fables and lies then is she no mistresse of trueth but of lies if Robert Parsons will say they are no lies I would pray him to declare vs the trueth out of authenticall histories argument 13 The faith of Gods true church cannot be built vpon any vncertainty or vntrueth for faith is an argument certaine or an euidence of things not seene est fides saith the d Hebr. 11. apostle sperandarum rerum substantia argumentum non apparentium and it is built on Christ Iesus that is trueth and on a rocke that is unmouable neither neede we long profes for this point for the aduersaries themselues confesse this to be true Nihil saith Thomas Aquinas cadere potest sub fide nisi inquantum stat sub veritate prima sub qua nullum falsum stare potest and afterward he saith quod fidei non potest subesse aliquod falsum if then the faith of the church of Rome be grounded on falshood then is it no true faith and if that churches faith be no faith then is not that church the true church but that the faith of the church of Rome is built vpon diuers false positions it may easily be proued for first the same beleeueth that the traditions of the church of Rome are either descended from Christ or the apostles for the most part and namely such as concerne the canon and ceremonies of the masse fastes praiexs for the dead praiers to saints and such like secondly it beleeueth all the determinations of popes concerning faith and manners to be true and infallible as for example that it is necessary for euery christian to be subiect to the Pope that he hath power to depose kings to giue power to cutthrotes to kill kings to dispense with the vncle to marry his neece with the brother to marry his brothers wife and such like thirdly that church beléeueth what is contained in the breuiary and missale as for example the stories or rather legends of Saint Christopher Saint George Saint Catherine and such like finally the same must beléeue whatsoeuer the Pope shall determine to be de fide But among such traditions determinations and legendes there are diuers both false and ridiculous fables neither can it be denied but that the Pope hath determined and may also determine falsely and contrary to the faith and this is shewed in my bookes de Pontifice Rom. at large e Lib. 4. de pontif Rom. and cannot be denied unlesse Robert Parsons can prooue vnto vs that all the Popes decretales concerning matters of faith and maners and all the traditions of that church and all legendes are true which to him will be a matter of some difficulty argument 14 The church of Christ is bounded within the limits of the holy canonicall scriptures habet vrbes legis prophetarum euangelii saith Saint f In Mich. lib. 1. c. 1. Hierome and againe non est egressa de finibus suis id est de scripturis sanctis he g Ibidem c. 7. saith also that it is the property of heretickes to flie to mens commandements and the leauen of the pharisees S. h Lib. 19. de ciuit Dei c. 18. Augustine also concureth with him and saith that the city of God beleeueth the holy scriptures that are called canonicall but of other reports he saith she doubteth but the church of Rome will not be bounded within the limites of holy scriptures neither will she acknowledge the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith the same also from scriptures flieth to vnwritten traditions and is much soured with the leauen of the pharisées and mixture of Popish and Iewish ceremonies deuised and established by men finally the same doth rather or at the least as soone beleeue the determination of the Pope as the letter of holy scriptures for in the Pope Stapleton placeth the chiefe authority of the church
saith Moyses or the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend whom thou louest as thy soule would perswade thee saying let vs go and serue other gods which thou knowest not nor thy fathers thou shalt not yeeld vnto him nor heare him nor shall thy eye spare him nor shalt thou pity him or conceale him but shall cause him to be slaine for it is not sufficient for a Christian man to know and follow the trueth but he must also auoid false doctrine and the seruice of Baal Christes sheepe as Iohn 10. he saith they follow the true sheperd and a stranger they will not follow neither may we regard their faire pretences of reconciling men to the catholicke Romish church as they call it for euen wolfes though rauenous yet now and then come vnto vs in shéepes clothing but our sauiour Christ giueth vs a caueat to beware of them Beware saith Matth. 7. he of false prophets which shall come vnto you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues these will smoothly tell you that they come to saue your soules and pretend to come from Christes vicar but they are the ministers of antichrist and the idolatrous priests of Baal and come to destroy your soules by their fruits you shal know them their study is sedition alteration of state their religion heresie and superstition their life full of filthinesse and abomination neither doe we read of any that haue harkened vnto the Iesuites of late yéeres but they haue béene vtterly ruined by them examples hereof we haue diuers and the truth which I affirme appeareth by the Scottish Catechism de Iesuitis Queene ruined by the wicked counsell of Sammier that came disguised vnto her all in yelow satin by the duke of Guise and the leaguers of France brought to destruction by Claude Matthiew by king Phillip the 2. of Spaine intricated by the most wicked counsels of Parsons by the king of Poland that standeth in danger to loose his kingdome of Suethland by the death and ouerthrow of Sebastian king of Portugall in Barbary by the prince of Transiluania that is now by their means dispossessed of Transiluania Ferdinande of Croatia who together with his armie was ouerthrowen by a few Turks listening to these presumptuous fellowes consultations by the emperor that is weakened by their seditious practises losing the aid of diuers princes of religion by the importunity of these trouble-states as for inferior lords and gentlemen that haue béene drawen into practises by Iesuites and so haue ouerthrowen themselues and their houses the number of them is infinit observation 2 Secondly if masse priests be idolaters then no man that is zealous for the honour of God and his true religion may endure them for the law of God that so rigorously pursueth a false prophet doeth therefore adiudge him worthy of death because he went about to draw men from the true worship of God quia voluit abstrahere te saith Deut. 13. Moyses speaking to the people à domino deo tuo and because he sought to perswade men to serue idoles and false gods saying eamus sequamur deos alienos let vs goe and follow other gods the 2. Cor. 6. apostle doeth teach vs that there is no consent betwixt the church of God and idoles qui-consensus saith he templo dei cum idolis if it be the church of God then it admitteth no idoles if idoles be erected in any place then that is not the church of God 1. Cor. 10. he saith also that Christians cannot both drinke the Lords cup and the cup of diuels and by the cup of diuels he vnderstandeth the cup consecrated in honour of idoles The prophet Dauid therefore speaking of idolaters professeth like a good king that Psal 16. he would not offer their offrings of blood nor make mention of their names within his lips 2. King 18. Hezekias ouerthrow the high places brake downe the images out downe the groues and remooued away all monuments of idolatry Iosias did likewise and executed to death such as had burned incense to Baal 1. King 18. Helias enflamed with zeale would not suffer one of Baals prophets to escape contrariwise God doth shew himselfe highly displeased with such as winke at idolaters the spirit of God speaking to the bishop of Pergamus Apoc. 2. habeo saith he aduersus te pauca quia habes illic tenentes doctrinam Balaam qui docebat Balac mittere scandalum coram filijs Israel edere fornicari likewise he reprooueth the bishop of Thyatira sharpely for permitting idolaters and false seducing teachers I haue against thee Apoc. 2. saith he some few things because thou doest permit the woman Iezabel to teach and to seduce my seruants to commit fornication and to eat of things sacrificed to idoles finally no man can call himselfe a Christian that can be content to sée either Gods commandement openly broken in worshipping of idoles or else secretly frustrated by secret practises and subtile euasions of Baals priests and as idolaters shall be punished in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone so shall they not escape grieuous punishments that either mainteine them or winke at them let no man therefore blame her Maiestie and the State that cannot endure these idolatrous slaues of antichrist and wicked masse priests of Baals order observation 3 If the papists be heretikes then are not either the popes priests to be suffred to broch their hereticall doctrine in secret corners nor their adherents openly to maintaine their peruerse opinions the emperors Gratian Valentinian Theodosius L. omnes Cod. de haeret put all heretikes to silence omnes vetitae legibus diuinis imperialibus constitutionibus say they perpetuò quiescant Valentinian and Martian L. quicunque ibidem decréed that false teachers should be put to death Vltimo supplicio afficiantur say they qui illicita docere tentauerint Constantine did gréeuously punish such as kept or concealed any books of heretikes as is testified by Sozomen lib. 1. hist cap. 20. Saint Augustine doeth greatly commend the emperors lawes made against the Donatistes and Hierom writing vpon the fift to the Galathians séemeth much to mislike the remissenesse of diuers in their procéedings against the heretike Arius as for priuate men they are to follow the apostles counsell 2. Tim. 4. and to auoid these heretikes saint Epist 2. Iohn would not haue Christians so much as once to bid them God spéed nolite iugum ducere saith the apostle 2. Corinth 6. cum infidelibus be not yoked with infidels for what coniunction is there betwixt iustice and iniquitie it is a hard matter to touch pitch and not to be defiled and hereticall bookes and companions seduce simple soules that are not able to iudge finally if reason persuade not blinde papists yet the iudgements of God denounced against idolaters may persuade euery man that is studious of his saluation to beware of their entisements and
if he had not wilfully shut his eies that the case is not like and the reasons he might have vnderstood if he had not bene sencelesse they being so plainly laid downe in my refutation of his father Robert parsons his calumnious relation sent vs from Rome very wisely of matters done in France Further he might well haue remembred if he had not bene forgetfull that I offred the papists more then was demanded for I did not onely promise to deale with Parsons or any of his consortes in any priuate conference but also in publicke writing which might not onely be viewed of all men but also remaine to posterity as a testimony against those that should be conuinced either of vntrueth or forgery and which being extant in print neither we nor our aduersaries should be able to alter or deny or misreport any thing that is written as is the ordinary course of Popish Parasits in such conferences and to shew that I meant to performe as much as I promised I began to obiect certain epistles and canons forged not by such base thred-bare companions as himselfe but by the popes and church of Rome I shewed also that they had falsified the scriptures and published infinit and montrous lies in their legends read publickly in the church finally I put Robert Parsons in minde of the notorious clipping and corrupting of fathers of late practised by the papists by their rubarbatif and expurgatorie indexes but he like a wise fellow kept himselfe close and would no more heare of the matter thinking it was better as the old prouerbe teacheth in this Carian to make triall of this hard aduenture and to c The proverbe In care periculum facito teacheth that in base fellowes it is best to trie dangerous experiments thrust this asse downe headlong from the rockes knowing well that if we should ouercome him or come to the taking of him up we should finde nothing but the carcase of a dead asse wherefore then is our adversary so desirous of a conference that doubteth to trie his manhood in iustifying his friends falshood and forgery concerning matters already laid to their charge d Protrusit asinum in rupes Horat. ep againe when he seeth our readines to answer why is he so slow to obiect Finally where he thinketh to triumpth most gloriously and to leade my brother Willet and me both captiues and fast chained at the taile of his chariot there he doth most pitifully disgrace himselfe and free vs and marre all that he medleth withall For first speaking of falsifications he compareth them to Christ and such mens incredulity as will not beleeue him he compareth to the incredulity of Thomas that would not beleeue Christes resurrection before he saw and felt manifest signes of it the sentences alledged out of fathers and other authors saith c Praes fol. 5. he be so mangled and maimed c. as no protestant I am sure will beleeue vntill feeling and seeing with Saint Thomas convince his incredulity is not this a braue gallant then trow you that compareth trueth to falshood the feeling of Christ to the feeling of falsifications Secondly where the maine controuersy betwixt me and Robert Parsons in my challenge is concerning the church of Rome and where this blinde baiard might see that I haue alledged diuers strong reasons to prooue that the congregation of Romanistes under the pope and cardinalls is not the true church of Christ there all this notwithstanding my adversarie smoothly dissembleth the matter and taketh that as granted which he poore fellow can neuer prooue and saith that my brother Willet d Fol. 1. praef and I imploy our forces in assaulting the impregnable sort of gods church and battring that rocke against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile as if the congregation of the malignant and wicked rable of antichrist could be the true church of Christ or as if the gates of hell had not long since prevailed against the pope and church of Rome our aduersary therefore taking this for granted that is the controuersy if without controversy I haue not demonstrated that the church of Rome is not the true church sheweth that he is pregnant with folly of which he will not be deliuered before he die that his face is as hard as the rocke of which he talketh Thirdly he calleth popish religion Catholicke and affirmeth f Fol. 2. praef it was planted here by Gregory the great who by succession receiued it from Peter c and that it was alwaies visible since Christ bearing still saile in the tempests of all persecutions but he should doe well to shew how true religion can be visible for our saviour Christ saith g Iohn 4. that true worshipers worship God in spirit and truth but spirituall worship and true internall deuotion is not so easily seene unlesse therefore our adversary suppose popish religion to consist in the popes mitre and in coules of monkes and such like externall matters he shal hardly proue religion to be visible Againe he doth greatly wrong the popish cause if he affirme popish religion to have bene planted here in England by Gregory and be not able to answer my challenge and to demonstrate those novelties and late receiued fancies which I have mentioned either to haue beene taught by Gregory or at the least by his disciples to haue beene planted here in England Furthermore seeing in my challenge I doe prooue that popish religion is not catholike and giue for iustification of that point notable instances such as our aduersary shall not be able to answer is it not notorious impudency to take this as a matter either prooued or confessed and slily to call haeresie catholike religion finally I must entreat some plaine dealing papist to admonish this detector or rather detractor of ours not to say that Gregory receiued the popish religion that now is mainteined by the pope of Rome and was first established in the conuenticle of Trent from Peter or that all that is taught in Gregories dialogues or epistles came from Peter or that the Romish church that now is visible in the pope cardinals monkes and swarmes of friers and in Romish ceremonies hath borne saile in the tempests of all persecutions for it is the pope and his bloody inquisitors that do persecute others and are not persecuted and if this be a quâ—…ty of the church to beare saile in tempests of persecutions certes the pope and his retinue cannot be the true church that for many hundred yeeres have lived in all pompe iolitie and pleasure but if the Romish church be so well able to beare saile in tempests it were much to be wished that the pope and his cardinals would saile to the Indiaes where we might heare no more of them and that they would take our aduersary with them who percase would prooue a better swabber then a disputer Fourthly In the beginning of his Praeface he saith he will present to his
tu nos ab hoste protege hora mortis suscipe argument 72 Neither did Christians in olde time chant such Letanies as now are vsuall in the Romish missals and breuiaries saying Sancte Michael sancte Gabriel sancte Raphael nor sancta Maria Magdalena sancta Agnes sancta Agatha nor omnes sancti sanctae intercedite pro nobis argument 73 In ancient f Vid. ordinem Rom. missals the praier memento for the dead is not in the canon the ancient fathers did neuer vse such a form argument 74 In ancient time it would haue bene thought very strange to pray in a tongue not vnderstood especially when the apostle g 1. Cor. 14. teacheth vs that it profiteth nothing argument 75 The psalter of our lady and her peculier offices are not to be iustified by ancient precedents argument 76 If any had bene taken praying to a stocke or stone he would haue bene condemned for an idolater but now papists commonly pray to images of wood and stone and to the crosse they say auge pijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam which although it may be thought sottish and sencelesse yet will they not haue it counted idolatrous argument 77 Christ forbadde vs to vse battologies or often repetitions in our praiers but the papists neither regarding his doctrine nor the practise of the ancient church in their psalter of Iesu repeat the name of Iesu infinit times they reherse also infinit Aue Mariaes and Pater Nosters argument 78 In the Missale of Salsbury the priest saith to the sacrament Aue. he boweth also to it contrary to the ancient churches practise argument 79 The Rosaries and beades of our lady containing 63. Aue Mariaes and 7. Pater Nosters which are now much reckoned of in Spaine and Italy as appeareth by the manuall of Geronymo Campos are but new tricks of late popes and superstitious priests to catch mony argument 80 In time past Christians were wont to entombe holy martyrs and to call vpon God at their tombes and monuments But of late time the blinde papists haue digged the saints out of their graues and thinke it religion to call vpon them and to kisse rotten bones and ragges yea sometimes which belong not to the saints to whome they are attributed argument 81 The papists also worship wicked men as George of Cappadocia an Arrian hereticke Thomas Becket an impure fellow and a traitor to his country h La fulminante Ieames Clement the murderer of his liege soueraine Campian and Sherwin and such as died in England for notorious treasons argument 82 Neither are they ashamed to call the sacrament their lord and god as appeareth by the words of Alane in his treatise de sacrific euchar c. 41. and Bristow in his 26. motiue which they cannot iustifie by testimony of antiquity argument 83 They also worship the sacrament with diuine honour as if God and the sacrament were one person the priest after consecration doth adore it as it is in the rubrike of the i Missal Rom. missal and boweth his knee vnto it they hang the sacrament vpon the altar with light before it and cary it about with lightes and bells and great solemnity all which Robert Parsons will not proue to be practised by the ancient church of Christ nay when he goeth about it he shall finde that the principall authors of this idolatry were Honorius the 3. Vrbane the 4. and Clement the fift men of late time and leud stampe argument 84 To the crosse they say ô crux aue spes vnica and venite adoremus as is proued by the Romish portesse sabbat in hebd 4. quadrages and booke of ceremonies and pontificall in die parasc neither are they ashamed to confesse that latria or diuine worship is due to the crosse albeit all antiquity abhorred such grosse idolatry argument 85 They worship the images of god the father of god the sonne and god the holy ghost and the whole trinity with latria or diuine worship as may be gathered by their practise by the decrée of the conuenticle of Trent the 25. session by the testimony of Suares in 3. part Thom. tom 1. disp 54. sect 4. and of vellosillus in aduertent in 5. tom Hieronym ad 10. quae sit which the ancient fathers neuer did nay the idolatrous second councell of Nice allowed not this supreme worship of Latria to be due to any images argument 86 Gregory the first in a certaine epistle to Serenus declareth that albeit images are not to be broken downe and vtterly abolished out of churches yet they are not to be worshipped Epiphanius vtterly condemneth the hauing of them in churches and to that effect the councell of Eliberis in Spaine made a solemne k Can. 36 act Placuit say the fathers of that councell picturas in ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur but now the papists not onely place them in churches but also adore them and worship them argument 87 Antiquity neuer burnt incense to images nor kissed them nor bowed downe to them nor said their praiers before them for that is repugnant to the second commandement and is derogatory to Gods honor but the papists now doe all this and thinke it piously doone also argument 87 In ancient time Christians serued God in spirit and trueth according to the saying of our sauiour Iohn 4. but the religion of papists consisteth in eating of redde herrings and salt fish in abstinence from flesh and white meats in knocking knéeling greasing shauing washing ducking crouching crossing and such like outward ceremonies argument 88 The ancient fathers did neuer take the bishop of Rome to be head or foundation of the church for well they remembred that our Sauiour Christ is the head of the church and Sauiour of his body and l 1. Cor. 3. that no man can lay other foundation then that which is laid which is Christ Iesus and that the church is built vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone but vpon apostles and prophets because they preach vnto vs Christ Iesus but the papists now teach that the pope is both the foundation and the head of the church for that doth Bellarmine teach in his preface before his bookes de Pontifice Rom. and in the second booke chap. 31. of that treatise neither doe I thinke that any papists will denie it argument 89 Neither did they call the pope in ancient time the spouse of the church for that doeth onely belong to Christ adiunxi vos vni viro saith the apostle 2. Corinth 10. ad exhibendam virginem castam Christo but the papists m C. vbi periculum de elect in sexto doe not sticke to call the pope the spouse of the church and Bellarmine of his liberalitie doeth giue the pope that title lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. c. 31. and the pope like a good fellow taketh the same to himselfe c. quoniam de
In offic beat Mariae to a woodden crosse increase in the godly righteousnesse and pardon sinners and also crux Christi protege me crux Christi defende me ab omni malo and which before the printed face which they call Volto santo pray thus Salue sancta facies impresta panniculo nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio iunge beatorum argument 62 Catholikes beléeue that their sacrifices of praise are accepted through Christ but papists beléeue that Christes bodie is accepted through the mediation of the priest and of saints the priest in the canon beséecheth God to looke fauourably vpon the body and blood of Christ Supra quae saith he propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris and in the missal of Sarum on Batildis day they pray that God would accept their sacrifice viz. of Christes body and blood through the merits of S. Batildis vt haec munera tibi Domine accepta sint say they sanctae Batildis obtineant merita quae seipsam tibi hostiam viuam sanctam bene placentem exhibuit argument 63 Catholikes beléeue that the apostles and their successours receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and power to binde and loose onely vpon earth but the papists beléeue that the pope hath receiued the keyes of the kingdome of hell and purgatory Damascen and other authors of Romish legends tell vs that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hel and euery pety pope thinketh he is abused if any tell him that he can not let out of purgatory as many as he pleaseth Commonly all papists pray for the dead that they may haue a place of rest giuen them and that their sinnes may be pardoned them as if sinnes might be forgiuen after this life argument 64 Catholikes neither worshipped saints departed nor their images nor the crosse of Christ Hierome in an epistle to Ripatius denieth that any creature is to be worshipped or adored d Lib. 22. deciuit Dei c. 10. Augustine sheweth that Christians did not worship martyrs nor erect temples in honor of them and saith that they gaue thanks and praise vnto God onely at their monuments ecclesia catholica mater Christianorum verissima saith e De morib eccles lib. 1. c. 30. he solum ipsum deum cuius adeptio vita est beatissima purissimè atque castisimè colendum praedicat nullam nobis adorandam creaturam inducens cui seruire iubeamur whereby plainly he excludeth the worship of Doulia f De obitu Theodosij Ambrose declareth that Helene finding the crosse worshipped not the crosse but Christ but the papists worship not onely the saints but dumbe images they say masses in honor of S. Francis and S. Dominicke and diuers other saints they knéele to images and burne incense vnto them finally they giue Latriam that is due by their owne confession to God only to the crosse to the crucifix and to the images of the Trinity argument 65 True catholicks neuer made the images of God the father or the holy trinity nor did thinke it lawfull to worship them with diuine worship but the papists both make such images and allow such worship to be giuen to them argument 66 True catholicks neuer had any psalter in honor of our blessed Lady nor vsed to say a hundred and 50. Auemariaes and after euery fifty Auemariaes one Creed and after euery tenne Auemaries one Pater Noster nay our sauiour expressly forbad his desciples to vse battologies and odious repetitions in their praiers But papists put great religion in our Ladies psalter and in their rosaries and often repetitions of the name of Iesu and of their Auemariaes argument 67 True catholicks neuer coniured salt nor holy water nor oile nor chrisme nor superstitiously sanctified candles crosses and images in such sort as the papists vse to doe neither did they grease stone alters or describe the Gréeke alphabet on the pauement of churches to be consecrated or abuse the scriptures as the papists doe in that act as may appeare by the formulary commonly vsed in such cases that ancient catholicks neuer vsed any such ceremonies it may appeare by the writings of the fathers and also in old rituall books for in them such formes of consecrations exorcizations and such abuses are not to be found argument 68 True g Iohn 4. catholicks worship God in spirit and trueth but the papists place most of Gods worship in externall ceremonies and vse in their worship a tong not vnderstood so that their praiers cannot procéed from the spirit nor be true nor catholicke argument 69 True catholicks neuer worshipped angels h Coloss 2. the apostle Paule doth expressly condemne the worship of them as Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius writing vpon the 2. and 3. chap. of the epistle to the Colossians do testifie the councell of Laodicea doth also prohibit the worship of Angels and Saint i De hares c. 39. Augustine numbreth the worshippers of Angels among hereticks Neither may we thinke that they were therefore condemned because they atrtibuted the creation of the world to angels but because they worshipped angels and as Chrysostome homil 7. in coloss 2. affirmeth thought we were to come to God by the mediation of angels and yet papists k Horae ad vsum sacrum pray to angels that they would protect them and driue diuils from them and open their sight they say also masses in their honor set vp lights to them make confession of their sinns to them and all this contrary to the practise of the ancient catholicke church argument 70 Our l Matth. 15. sauiour Christ teacheth that those worship God in uaine which worship him according to the doctrines and commandements of men and therefore all true catholicks haue had principall respect herein to the commandements and lawes of God but the Romish church doth wholy depend vppon the decretales of popes and vaine fancies of men their missals breuiaries offices and whole seruice procéedeth from no other fountaine argument 71 The m Psal 32. prophet declareth that they are blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinns are couered and the apostle saith that being instified by faith we haue peace with god and this is the hope of all catholicks that Christ hath reconciled vs to his father and washed away our sinnes and paid a ransome for them on the crosse but this comfort papists doe take from vs that teach and holde that after our sinnes forgiuen we are to satisfie for temporall paines due for our sinnes either here or in purgatory and that such are there to sustaine great torments in which paines and place none but mad men can place felicity argument 72 Catholicks beléeue that through faith we are made partakers of Christs satisfaction the papists beléeue that the pope can apply them by his bulles both in purgatory and in this life according to his lawes argument 73 Catholicks beléeue that no man can satisfie for his
I haue shewed that it is not onely new and false but also superstitious and hereticall Againe if Parsons can say nothing why the religion professed in England is not Catholike and apostolical then all his reasons fall to the ground and all his pretenses of feare of infection of scandale of schisme of casting away the marke of distinction of participation with vs of dissimulation of naughty seruice of the benefit of popish religion may be retorted against himselfe and his clients For neither are Christians to suffer the practise of the idolatrous masse nor the faction and packing of wicked dissembling papists nor may any magistrate or other good christian with good conscience suffer Gods true religion by schismatickes and heretickes to be scorned And these reasons are so effectuall that I doubt not but those that haue the managing of these causes will both take vp such Howlets and deliuer Christian religion from contempt of such impostors and Atheistes Secondly purposing and promising three things whereof the first was a demonstration of reasons why Papists should not goe to the Church the next contained a declaration of meanes how papists should remedy or ease themselues of their afflictions the third was an instruction how with patience to endure affliction the first he handleth most lewdly and loosely the other two parts he was not able to make out abusing both his friends and his aduersaries with his false promises Further it may be that his remedies were nothing but practises of treason and rebellion and that he meant nothing lesse then to exhort men to patience and that therefore he omitted to speake of these two points But why then did he promise doth he promise that which hee purposeth not to performe and doth he meane to kéepe no touch in any thing His directory also is a most idle and vaine discourse It should consist of thrée partes whereof the first as he saith appertaineth to resolution the second treateth of entrance the third of perseuerance but as his fashion is of thrée partes promised he kéepeth backe two and performeth the third most simply For first that which he hath written concerning resolution is very impertinent for it is a very euil signe of resolution in matters of christian religion for a man to dispute whether there be a God or no and whether christian religion be true or no as Parsons doth Againe despaire of Gods mercy temptations feare of persecution and such like impediments as Parsons alleadgeth doe rather hinder a man to leade a christian life then helpe to resolue him to doe it Secondly the greatest part of his discourse is either stollen out of Gaspar Loarti or Granatensis or Stella or such like frier like and idle discourses Thirdly it argueth that he hath a bad conceit of popish cacolikes in England for if he tooke them to be christians he would neither go about to teach them that there is a God nor that christian religion is true nor that there are rewards offered to those that doe well both in the life to come and in this life and punishments likewise for euill doers both in this life and after this life for euery childe among christians knoweth all this without his teaching Fourthly we doe not finde that this directory hath made any one christian or directed him the way to life But I doe heare many complaine that diuers simple young men haue béen directed by him to the gallowes Fifthly it should séeme that this booke hath wrought little good effect in Parsons himselfe that hauing so long stood vpon resolution is not yet come to the entrance of religion Sixthly as lawes are made to restraine common abuses so likewise divines should discourse of such matters as may make most for reformation of christian mens manners This discourse therefore of his wherein he endeuoureth to prooue that there is a God that there is one true religion that there is a heauen and a hell among christians already well perswaded is impertinent and woulde better haue béene bestowed vpon Italians and Spaniardes that scarce beleeue in God or know any of the principall points of christian religion Furthermore intreating of resolution which as himselfe declareth goeth before entrance and perseuerance yet doth he very wisely diuide the treatise of resolution into speculation and practise The first part saith he shall containe matter of discourse speculation consideration the second shall handle things appertaining to exercise vse and practise As if a man could practise that is not entered into the exercise of religion or as if resolution were not farre different from practise Finally the booke is so full fraught with idle discourses and the principall points so weakely proued that it will rather make Christians to doubt of religion then Atheistes to beleeue It doth also containe so much poyson that no physicke can make it holesome I would therefore aduise all Christians to beware of his booke of resolution by him intituled a directorie containing little truth but much superstition and hereticall poyson The same is also a disgrace to all papistes whome he presumeth as yet not to be resolued that there is a God or that christian religion is true To christians it can yeelde no instruction being a packe of stollen and bad stuffe euill trussed together Neither is the same good although it hath béene purged the whole substance being leud and full of poyson Much I wonder that any christian would sette it forth in this Church and more that christians should beleeue that any good was like to come of such a wicked writing And I doubt not but that such as are in authority will remoue both that and other such venemous treatises out of all true Christian mens handes being rather fit for Italian atheistes then the English nation To leaue the rest of his treacheries heresies and other faults which are rather to be corrected by the publike exequutioner then noted by the stile of a writer I will only in this discourse set downe certaine notorious falsifications committed by him in sundry pamphlets set out vnder diuers counterfect names and giue you a tast of his vnsauory lies of which in Parsons writinges there is great store And this so much the rather for that in his relation sent vs from Rōe concerning the conference some two yeares agone passed in France betwéene Monsieur de plessis and the pretended bishop of Eureux he séemeth earnestly to desire a triall concerning these points The man also in his preface before his reasons of refusall of going to the Church vnder the name of Iohn Houlet desireth that some indifferent triall may be had either by disputation or otherwise wherein I desire he should be satisfied falsification 1 First then I challenge the man as a notorious falsificator in that he hath set forth his owne booke concerning titles vnder the name of another preist called Dolman who was neuer acquanted with the matter Wherein albeit he hath cōmitted far more haynous faults then
Bellarmine which if Parsons doe answere I maruell Whosoeuer list to sée further triall of Parsons his falsifications let him reade his treatise of the discouery of Nicols and other such like pamphlets set out by him wherein I dare be holde to say that euery second place alleadged by him in any matter of controuersie is falsely alleadged Yea sometime to kéepe his forging fingers in vre he alleadgeth fathers and scriptures falsely where he doth not gaine any thing to himselfe by the false quotation and allegation but onely a perpetuall note of a wicked falsary Neither is it a matter much to be maruelled at if Robert Parsons hath committed diuers falsifications seeing in cases of conscience resolued by him and Allen he teacheth that it is lawfull to change a mans name to deny his countrey to equiuocate dissemble and speake vntruth yea to sweare and forsweare most falsely most of which points are counted plaine forgery beside that his putatiue father by his occupation was a forger If then Owlyglasse séeke a paterne of falsifications let him go to Robert Parsons who is the onely master and a more excellent forger then Coobucke his putatiue father albeit all his life long he wrought in a blacksmiths forge Only it were to be wished that he had béen a forger of horshoonailes and not of false writings CHAP. X. A note of certaine notorious lies and vntruthes vttered by Robert Parsons alias Coobucke I Néed not say much to conuince Rob. Parsons to be a most false Iebusite and a most impudent lying compagnion The seculer priests in their reply to Parsons his treatise entituled a manifestation of the folly and bad spirit c. and in their answere to the Iesuites apology haue eased me of that labour for they conuince him plainely of lying cogging and facing and doubt not to affirme that he can say nothing without lying But yet because his woodden scholer Owlyglasse hath begun this course and thinketh to winne some aduantage by scoring vp my vntruthes I will briefly note some vntruthes of the master lye-maker and excellent imitator of him that is the father of lies falsification 1 First then I say that in his most slanderous libels set out vnder the names of Sanders and Rishton of Andreas Philopater of Didimus Veridicus of Allen in his letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland and all those libels which haue béen published within these 20. years against the late Lord treasurer of England of worthy memory against the Lord of Leycester and others all which were either made by him or published by him or by his helpe and counsaile he lyeth in grosse For the bookes from the beginning to the ending are full of notorious and villanous lyes against king Henry the 8. against his principall agentes against Quéene Elizabeth and her counsaile and the whole Church and state of the Realme of England and this if God be pleased I purpose shortly to shew at large Neither néede I to declare any particular seeing there is no man that hath any intelligence of matters of state but he knoweth that the same bée most false and slanderous But to leaue to speake of those bookes that consist of nothing but lyes I wil note diuers particuler leasinges out of other bookes of his wherein notwithstanding he pretendeth more truth falsification 2 In his wardworde pag. 69. he saith it appeareth not that Iesuites sought her maiesties bloud especially not Parsons A most notorious and shamelesse lye For it is not only most true that these wicked assassinors of princes and King killers haue also sought her maiesties bloud but also nowe most apparent For not only Palmio and Codret two Iesuites did resolue Parrie to kill the Queene and that it was an act meritorious so to doe Parries voluntarie confession but also sence that time Holt and Walpoole haue excited diuers to take on them that wicked interprise The first appeareth by the confession of Parrie aboute the yeare anno 1584. the second by the confessions of Squire Yorke Willams Patricke Ocollen and others It appeareth also that Parsons was well acquainted with Parries treason both by coÌ„fessions and witnesses Further this many yeares he hath endeuored to the vttermost of his power to stirre vp forrayne enemies against her maiestye which no man can doe but he must néedes entend her distruction and if hée deny that his owne letters which are to be shewen and the testimony of the seculer preistes In diuers treatises and namely in their answere to Parsons his late apologie and the wicked libell vnder the name of Allen directed to the nobility and people of England and Ireland which he holpe to print and publish and which wholy opeÌ„ly aymeth at her maiesties state and person will conuince him But this poynt I haue discoursed in my reply to Parsons his wardworde at large and the same is diuersly confessed in the seculer préestes bookes And therefore thus much may serue in this place to proue him both a lyar a most wicked assassinor of his liege prince and souereine falsification 3 In the fift encontre of his wardword he saith that those that oppose themselfes against the Iesuites are either Iewes Turkes and Infidels or those that make diuision and say I am of Caluin I am of Luther or those that haue made shipwracke of faith or false bretheren such as loue praeheminence as did Diotrephes or els worldlinges And in these few wordes he telleth diuers notorious lyes For first neither Iewes nor Turkes do oppose themselues against the Iesuites Secondly among all those that professe religion he cannot bring forth one that saith I am of Caluin or Luther Thirdly Parsons himselfe is a Iesuite and a principal stirrer among them and yet like Diotrephes sought to be a cardinall which dignity for his bastardy and vileny he hath missed Fourthly he will not say that Sixtus quintus was a Iewe or Turke nor that the colledge of Sorbona and clergy of France or parliament of Paris are within the compasse of his diuision albeit all these haue opposed themselues against the encrochements of the Iesuites Finally the seculer préestes that deale against the Iesuites are neither Turkes nor Infidels in Parsons his reckening Yet haue they manfully stood against the Iesuites trecherous plots for their contry as Parsons will not deny Doth it not then appeare that he hath told vntruth and that the Iâ—suites are an odious generation contrary to Parsons his assertion falsification 4 Speaking of the alteration of religion in his first encounter he saith that by occasion thereof haue ensued battailes Wardword murthers destructions of countries And that townes cities houses and particular men three princes two Queenes and one King haue thereby beene brought to their bane Hee saith also further that the houses and linages of Hamiltons Douglasses Stuards in Scotland of desmond and other peres in Ireland haue beene thereby ruinated And finally that in France and Flanders there is no ende of
heathen more superstitiously worship Diana at Ephesus then the Romanists worship the image of our lady at Loreto falsification 17 Speaking of fastes in Lent on ember daies and on the vigiles of saints he saith that antiquitie is plentifull viz. of testimonies in this case and yet the wooden fellow doeth not bring any one testimony for the fastes vpon vigiles of saints nor can he prooue the practise of the Romish church by any one testimony alledged by him precisely falsification 18 Pag. 28. chap. 2. he denieth that papists hold that Christian men may live without sinne an impudent vntrueth and wherein he contradicteth himselfe for if Christians can fulfill all the law of God as he goeth about with all his little skill to prooue and that by diuers arguments then doeth it necessarily follow that they may liue without all sinne falsification 19 Pag. 31. he affirmeth that the forme of confirmation is as ancient as the apostles a lie of great length reaching to the apostles times thereof to conuince him no man néedeth to go farther then his own confession who is not able to alledge either the testimony of the apostles or any ancient father for this forme of confirmation signo te signo crucis confirmo te Chrismate salutis falsification 20 In the same place very impudently he blusheth not to say that the forme of consecration practised by the Romanists hath alwaies beene holden and would therefore prooue it to be a constituion apostolicall but his assertion is refuted both by histories and fathers and especially by his owne silence that speaketh more in a line then he will prooue all his life falsification 21 Pag. 34. he saith papists grant that there is but one mediator of redemption but doubteth not to hold that there are many mediators of intercession but he lieth in both these points for in the masse the priest is said in plaine tearmes to offer pro redemptione animarum and sure if they offer vp Christ Iesus properly and really then are they mediators of redemption the second point I haue declared to be a notorious lie in my former discourse falsification 22 Pag. 43. he hudleth vp diuers lies vpon a heape first hée saith auricular confession was ordeined by Christ secondly that by the law of God men in mortall sinne were bound to repaire to the sacrament of auricular confession thirdly that mortall sinnes are not remitted without auricular confession the first lie is refuted by the testimony of scriptures wherein neither forme nor institution of auricular confession is to bée found The second is conuinced by the booke of Gods law wherein we finde no colour of such an ordinance the third is manifested by diuers testimonies of scripturâ—s which declare Galat. 3. that we receiue the promise of the spirit through faith that Act. 15. faith purifieth our hearts that we are washed by Christ his blood whom we put on not by outward confession but by our faith and inward conuersion to God Furthermore all these lies may be refuted also by the silence of Oulyglasse that is not able to iustifie any one of his assertions by any text of scripture beside that all papists hold that confession is a sacrament of their new law and not established vnder the law of Moyses as Oulyglasse would insinuate finally the decretale of Innocentius vpon which auricular confession dependeth being long after the times of the apostles and ancient fathers is a plaine conuiction of Oulyglasses false dealing for how can that be either instituted by Christ or authorized by the law or déemed necessary that before Innocent the thirds time was neither established nor déemed necessary falsification 23 Most impudently he affirmeth Pag. 49. that saint Iames maketh mention of the sacrament of extreme vnction but that may appeare to be a lie both for that there is no mention of a sacrament there and for that sacraments are not to be instituted by men but by God finally no ancient father did euer expound these words of popish extreme vnction falsification 24 Pag. 113. he saith that I deny that the matter of the reall presence concerneth any fundamentall point of faith but if hée cannot prooue it out of my words I hope he will not deny but that after his woonted fashion he hath told vntrueth The rest of his lies you shall finde noted in my answere to his exceptions to my challenge if then he hath begun to lie so fast what are we to looke for if he continue his course of writing and if his clients doe commend him for these lies what will they if he procéed on as he hath begun I for my part will giue my voice to haue him canonized for lying CHAP. XIII Corollaries and conclusions gathered out of the former challenge and the answeres to the exceptions taken to the same I Néed not as I suppose make any large discourse in drawing out particular conclusions out of the former challenge and answer for he is very simple that doth not perceiue whereto they both do tend Beside that I haue héeretofore touched some principall points which especially séeme to deserue consideration but séeing Robert Parsons in his relation sent vs from Rome beside the report of matters then passed began first to draw out certeine idle obseruations and perceiuing well that his woodden scholar Owlyglasse doth second him and hath likewise endeuored to make obseruations and to draw great conclusions out of his slender and misshapen premisses I haue thought it not amisse to encounter him although not in so weake maner with the very like course and for his obseruations to send him likewise other obseruations and conclusions being very loth to be behinde him in any course that may serue either to manifest the trueth or to correct the error and trechery of such leud companions observation 1 First then I doe obserue if the Iesuites and their adherents be false prophets and false teachers that then they are most diligently to be sought out and punnished the sequele is grounded vpon the law of God Deut. 13. Moyses speaking of false prophets saith propheta ille aut fictor somnioruÌ„ interficietur quia loquutus est ut auerteret vos à domino deo vestro that is that prophet or dreamer of dreames shall be slaine because he hath spoken to disturne you from the Lord your God where it is to be noted that false prophets and teachers are fitly ioined with dreamers of dreames for that he that teacheth doctrine not grounded vpon the infallable word of God is no better then a dreamer of dreames Christian kings they ought to be nurses of Gods church and haue the sword committed vnto them not onely to represse seditious persons and wicked malefactors but also such idolatrous massepriests as disturbe the peace of the church and séeke to disturne men from the trueth by their false doctrine with princes also all true Christians ought to concurre in the detecting of such wicked members If thy brother