note leauing the further consideration of them to the godly reader 5 First therefore sith all these things doe most liuely shew the extreame follie high abominatioÌ„ of poperie how ought all papists to be ashamed of their religion How ought all Protestants that sometimes haue bin papists to be grieued for their poperie How ought they likewise to mourne for any of their frieÌ„ds yea for any other yet remaining in that estate yet shut vp in the shadow of death How ioyfull likewise and thankfull ought we to be that God hath opened our eies to see these things that he hath not sent his angel onely into our houses as sometime he did into the house of Lot to take him guide him out of SodoÌ„ before fire came froÌ„ heauen to destroy that citie but also hath giueÌ„ vs his holy spirit in our hearts thereby deliuered vs froÌ„ so ridiculous so grosse so horrible a religioÌ„ 6 Further we see by these things how dangerous it is not to beleeue the truth and how blockish we are if we be left vnto our selues Verily there is no errour so foolish so absurd so grosse so abominable so monstrous but that if God doe forsake vs if he take his spirit from vs if he leaue vs to our selues we are readie to beleeue it as truth yea to be zealous therein yea farre more zealous then any of Gods owne children are in the truth 7 O therfore let vs not deceiue our selues late vs hate poperie as such a monster ought to be hated let vs make that account of the truth giue such credit obedieÌ„ce theruÌ„to that for our conteÌ„pt light account thereof God neither giue poperie any returne againe vnto vs. Let vs earnestly pray let vs keepe watch by night ward by day let vs alwaies with all carefulnes looke vnto our selues let vs take heede of all Iesuits seminatie priests yea of all papists and likewise of all other meanes whereby we may be entangled with this filthie sottish religion and be drawne thereunto Let vs delight in the communion fellowship of al them that loue the truth and are able to confirme strengthen helpe vs forward in this religion which now generally we professe vsing all other good means commended vnto vs for the same end Let vs take heed not onely of the maine stock of poperie but also of euery bough branch twigge yea of euery leafe for there is dâ—ungerous if not deadly poison in thâ— least patch of poperie And as the whole substance of popish doctrine was not hatched all at once but now one egge laide laide and then an other now one chicken and then an other now one opinion and then an other vntill all the whole brood was come forth and when it was throughly hatched brought forth it had not all the stature nor all the feathers nor all the strength the first day but crept and got vp by litle and litle so the deuil being stil as subtil as he was and seeing poperie now to be banished and grieuing that it is forced to liue so long in exile therefore daily laboureth as alas by too great experience we daily see by litle litle againe to winne vs thereunto Priuately indeede in many places of this land and it is to be feared in too many I pray God also that it be not in too great places and with too great persons he laboureth where the whole body of popery doth remaine there to vphold it and where it is not there also wholly to bring it in againe For we see many now to be Papists euen of both sexes yea some to be recusant papists whose fathers were little more then borne in the beginning of the raigne of her most excellent Maiestie But although Satan the olde aduersarie where he thinketh he may be bold and where he hath fitte instruments to worke by hath in some priuate places euen in this flourishing time and bright light of the gospel drawne some to the whole doctrine and religion of popeâ—ie yet he will not as yet be so bold as to attempt this publikely NotwithstaÌ„ding he goeth about it by degrees by litle litle tunning as it were and filling his vessels here there one with stroÌ„g popish drink an other with small that is one with a maine point of poperie another with a smal point yea not onely tunning filling theÌ„ ther with but also tapping broching theÌ„ so filled giuing of the drink of theÌ„ by whole kannes to other to drinke And this he doth according to his old subtiltie hoping the more easily to bring in to broach all againe so to make all drunkeÌ„ againe with the cuppe of fornications that is in the haÌ„d of the whore strumpet of Rome 8 Wherefore in the feare of God in the tender loue that I beare vnto the soules of all I doe admonish all to take heede of this euil Whatsoeuer hath bin accounted poperie by good reason shewed to be repugnaÌ„t to the truth coÌ„mon consent of all churches reformed held as erronious heretical let all diligeÌ„tly take heed they neuer coÌ„ceiue any good liking thereof again If we feare any more to embrace all poperie let vs take heede that in the mean time we neuer entertain any one opinion therof though neuer so litle If we feare to be drunken with the stroÌ„gest drink or with many cups of poperie let vs refraine from tasting therof For as with them that delight in strong drinke one cup draweth on an other so also may we feare it wil be with theÌ„ which begin to smel of any one point of poperie It is dangerous it is dangerous to drinke in any one errour of poperie though neuer so small especially to persist in the liking thereof to say when we haue tasted it This is good and most dangerous it is to coÌ„mend the same to other to make them to drinke of the same cup with vs all this is very daÌ„gerous whither we doe it for some good liking of the thing it self or in regard of our own estimatioÌ„ or in any other respect whatsoeuer For we may feare least the Lord harden our hearts euen to like of those errors which as yet our soules abhor 9 I write not this to gal or gird at any or to disgrace any one particular person my heart hateth all such hatred delighteth in loue peace as wel in the credit of other as of my selfe but in a general loue I do generally admonish all to take heede in this behalfe The Apostle speaketh in the like generall maÌ„ner not admonishing some onely but also euery one to take heed least at any time there should be in any an euill vnfaithful heart to fal away Hebr. 3. 12. froÌ„ the liuing Lord. Yea after that he had testified vnto theÌ„ that he was perswaded good things Hebr. 6. 9. of theÌ„ such as did accompanie saluation yet he speaketh as generally exhorting theÌ„ to take heede that no man did fall away froÌ„ the grace of Hebr. 12. 15. God Adding further as a special means to take heede thereof that they should not suffer any roote of bitternes so much as once to spring vp amongst theÌ„ where by the root of bitternes all men know he meaneth errours and heresies Finally he addeth these reasons fitst that such roots or root would trouble theÌ„ secoÌ„dly that it would defile theÌ„ There is none therefore so stroÌ„g in the grace of God but that he may fal though not finally as hath bin shewed in my treatise if he be secure take not great heed 〈…〉 himselfe There is none so well 〈◊〉 with the sweet precious liquor of Gods truth but that he may becom bitter by suffering such bitter rootes to spring vp in his heart There is none at such peace with men and with his owne conscience but that he may be disquieted disturbed and troubled There is none so well was washed clensed by the pure water of Gods holy spirit but that he may be polluted defiled There is none therefore that may thinke this mine admonition of taking heede vnto himselfe to be superfluous and needles for him 11 To conclude I do again in all huÌ„ble maÌ„ner beseech all whoÌ„soeuer both all the reuerend fathers gouernours of our church also all other my learned and good brethreÌ„ as well remaining vnder our mothers wings in the Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxenford as also alreadie called forth to labour in the ministerie of the word in particular churches all these I say I doe huÌ„bly beseech earnestly exhort to be feruent in spirit in behalfe of the truth and with all zeale to vpholde defend maintaine and daily in the places where we liue and in the hearts of the people ouer whoÌ„ the holy Ghost hath made vs ouerseers to further to encrease and to enlarge that sound and wholesome doctrine which hitherto hath bin taught by vs and heard like wise and in some measure receiued by those amongst whome we haue laboured THE ENDE
Lord gaue such gifts of his spirit in such extraordinarie measure and manner yet he will neuer leaue his gospel without such a traine of the graces of the graces of his spirit as shall be somewhat answerable to the flourishing thereof and meete likewise to commend the same the better vnto the world 5 Sith this is so I demaund whether this promise were performed to the church of Rome holding the same doctrine that now it hath held for the space of seauen or eight hundred yeares and enioying that outward glorie and magnificence the which also these yeares it hath enioyed Certenly to this my demaund it cannot be affirmatiuely answered with any truth For all men know or may know the contrarie yea the Papists themselues if they be not past all shame and grace will acknowledge the contrasie For when the Pope beganne to set his foote vpon the staires and to ascende towardes that dignitie whereunto he is now mounted then began the holy Ghost also as it were to take the wings of an Eagle or doue and to flie awaie and returne againe towardes the heauens from whence before he came Euer since that time also as the Pope hath climed the ladder of his magnificences so the spirit of God hath mounted more and more towards heauen and hath gone further and further out of the sight of men The more that the Pope and popetie haue growne and flourished the more haue all the gifts and graces of God his spirit decaied and â—ithered At the last when the Pope was reuealed to be the man of sinne the sonne of perdition c. and the verie Antichrist that is when he was come to the toppe and perfection of his pride then also did the holy Ghost in a manner take his leaue and bidde all the world almost farewell at the least touching his visible presence When all Kings and Princes had receiued and drunken the cup of his fornications whereby beeing intoxicated and depriued of all true knowledge of God and common sense they abiected themselues vnto him and put their necks vnder his girdle yea abased themselues in most slauish manner to hold his stiroop and kisse his filthie feete when also they had receiued his marke in their foreheads that is themselues had embraced his damnable doctrines and stooped vnto his abominable idols and commanded also their people to doe the like when I say the Pope and poperie vvere thus aduanced and had iustled both the true religion of God and also all authoritie of Princes out of the throne and most proudly did sit in it themselues as it were booted and spurred when I say againe the Pope with all his abominations did thus sit in the chaire of estate both of Princes and also of God himselfe then what true knowledge was there I wil not say of God but euen of arts of tongues and almost of any good humanitie 6 For triall of these things if any thinke I slaunder them let the rolles and Chronicles of those times be searched let the bookes of those ages be perused let their matter their phrase and style be examined Was not the knowledge of the Greeke so rare that it was a common prouerb Graecum est legi non potest It is Greeke it cannot be read And could the Hebrew tongue be more plentifull No verily but much rarer What also shall I say of the Latin tongue was the knowledge of that in those times any better very little Euery boie indeede learned their primmer and to say his praiers and to helpe the Priest to saie Masse in latin yet could he not tell whether he praied to God or the deuill whether he asked bread or a stone fish or a scorpion yea not one Priest of an hundreth did vnderstand the Mattins that he continually said or the masses that he daily sung Rome was wont to be the mother of this tongue and the Vniuersitie and house of the eloquent oratours but hauing once entertained the deepe mysterie of transubstantiation of bread into the bodie of Christ all the former eloquence of this place was also transubstantiated into barbarisme This tongue indeede was the common tongue of their religion at Rome and elswhere yet when their religion was at the full then also was the knowledge of this tongue in the wane yea in the very last quarter halfe spent For it would make any man of knowledge to laugh to reade or heare the words phrase style of those books that were then written In their praiers indeede in which is least neede of eloquence especially in their praiers to the Saints and chiefly to the virgine Marie by two or three figures they affected a kinde of eloquence to please the eares of men and to make the praiers goe the more roundly that â—o men might take the more delight in saying or singing of them but in most of their other writings there is nothing but plaine dunstable latin yea nothing for the most part but barbarisme 7 If any man yet desire further proofe of this ignorance wherewith I charge the chiefe times of Poperie let them read what M. Lambert reporteth touching the same in his perambulation of Kent writing of the place called Cliffe what I saie he reporteth in that place of that matter out of William Malmesburie de rebus gestis pontificum Anglorum namely that Curbert the eleuenth Archbishop of Canterburie in a great Synode of all or most of the Bishops of his Prouince assembled by himselfe to the foresaide Cliffe then called Cloueshoo did there decree that the Priests themselues should first learne and then teach their parishioners the Lord his praier and the articles of his beleefe in the English tongue In the same place also he noteth that king Alfred in his preface vpon the pastoral of Gregorie which he translated saith that when he came first to his kingdome he knew not one priest of the south side of Humber that vnderstood his seruice in latin or that could translate an epistle into English Further he addeth that Alfric in his proeme to the grammer saith that a little before the time of Dunstan the Archbishop there was neuer an English priest that could either indite or vnderstande a latine epistle and lastly that William Malmesburie himselfe saith that at the time of the Conquest almost all the Bishops of England were vnlearned 8 This is not to be vnderstood of the knowledge of the latin tongue onely but also of the very matter it selfe and that not onely of books of diumitie but also of bookes of philosophie and humanitie Their absurd and grosse definitions their infinite intricate foolish and vnlearned distinctions wherein notwithstanding consisteth all their learning and deepenes as they of Thyatira saide Revel 2. 24 will not onely wearie and tyre any young scholler but also make a learned man sicke at the very heart Euery man that is any thing acquainted with Peter Lombard Gratian Scotus Durandus Thomas Aquinas Occam Gerson Haymo and such like
The like they doe with the Scriptures in many other places as appeareth by their vulgar translation edition of the Scriptures in latine the which although it were not theirs at the first yet because they condemne all other and do onelie commaund this as authenticall forbidding also anie man to appeale from the same to the originall text in the Hebrew and Greeke therefore it is to be accepted theirs In that translation and edition many things are wanting that are in the originall text and manie things also corrupted In the 9. of Matth. verse 13. Our Sauiour saith I came not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance In their trāslation are these two words to repentāce left out Rom. 11. 6. All these words are wanting in their translation If of workes then not of grace or else were worke no more worke Ioh. 14. 26. For these words he shal teach you al things and bringe all things to your remembrance which I haue told you For these words I saie which I haue told you their translation saith which I shall tell you Thus they reade for help of their traditions to make the common people beleeue that Christ speaketh in this place of some thinges which he would speak afterward that he had nor spoken before Manie other places there are in like manner either clipped or corrupted If their cause were good why should they susteine it by such vile meanes 6 Let vs here further remember their exceeding crueltie and most bloudie dealing for the continuall maintenance of their religion If fire faggot had not better holpen them then preaching disputing their religion had neuer been so vniuersall as it is For although the blood of the Martires be called the seed of the Church and haue been a notable meanes to confirme many in the profession of the Gospell Yet other also haue thereby been drawne from it and for feare haue receiued poperie As therefore the Priestes Scribes Pharises and other Iewes when they were not able by the Scriptures to resist the wisedome of our Sauiour of Stephan of the Apostles the spirit that spake in them did vse force and violence for their last chiefest argument euen so haue the Priestes Scribes and Pharises of the Church of Rome alwaies done Such alwaies hath bin their crueltie that as diuers wild beasts and birdes make the flesh and blood of other to be their nourishment and life so also the blood of the Protestants hath been their speciall releefe The crueltie exercised here in our owne lād as sometime before so especially in the late time of Queene Marie doth plētifully witnesse the same The like may be said of the Spanish inquisitiō the chiefe meanes of vpholding poperie not onely in Spaine it selfe but also in manie other countries The crueltie thereof is so great and barbarous that the crueltie of Nero Domitian and all other the like professed enemies vnto Christ Iesus and his Gospell is nothing to be compared thereto The copies thereof are to be seene printed in english for iustifying that which I write A man would thinke that all the deuills in hell should neuer haue deuised such tortures and most exquisite punishments except it were thus manifest Here also is to be considered the most bloodie massaker in Fraunce Anno 1572. in the which of noble men gentlemen learned men cōmon persons thought to be protestants in Paris were slaine and most violently cruellie murthered without anie proceeding by order of law the number at the least of ten thousand within three daies and within lesse then one moneth presently after in manie other cities townes of France were in like sort slaine murthered 20000. more So that as it should haue bin with the Iewes through all the prouinces of Ahashuerosh if the cursed purpose of Hamā had proceeded to effect so also was it with all the knowne or suspected protestants in Fraunce vpon whom the merciles Papists could lay hāds what doth this else witnesse but that the religion of the Papists is like vnto that wicked decree of Ahashuerosh from the same fountaine Neither may this be said to haue bin a fault onely of that nation For the great ioye of the Pope with all his Cardinalls at Rome their procession their gunshott and singing Te Deum in honor of the bloody act doe euidently shew both the approbation of the thing done by the whole Church of Rome and also that the said Pope and Cardinalls were acquainted with the matter before and had an hand stroke in it I confesse I note this out of the booke of Martires but no Papist is therefore to suspect the truth of the matter for this historie there reported is but briefly gathered out of the French Chronicles and Histories which do more largely describe the same Besids this act is so late was so notorious at the first committing thereof that there needeth not the testimony of anie writer to be suspected therein Thus we see that a piller of blood is the chiefe piller of the Romish Church such as now it is 7 The like obiection made against our religion from the execution of manie Seminarie priestes and Iesuites in our owne land hath bin sufficiently aunswered by others For they haue not been executed to maintaine and vphold our religion but for their haynous treasons whereby they haue sought the sacred life of her Maiestie in bringing in of forreyners here to vsurpe the kingdome and the ouerthrow of the whole land their owne naturall cūtrey Therefore this horrible treason against both their Prince and countrey beeing especially authorized by the Pope himself and his Clergie not onely for the seducing of the subiects from all obedience to her highnes but also for the shedding of her blood as also the like treasons of manie other to the same intent attēpted by the same authoritie doe plainely disclaime their religion as not beeing of God neither acceptable vnto God For truth seeketh no corners truth requireth no such stilts to goe by Neither did our Sauiour vse such meanes to commend himselfe his doctrine though he might haue commaunded more then twelue legions of Angels neither after his ascension did the Apostles or anie of thē so further the gospel 8 To these meanes before mentioned I may add their foule abusing of the simple people with pretended reuelations lying miracles thereby to make them to account their religion to be as diuine and from heauen as by the same meanes well looked into it doth manifestlie appeare to be altogether diuolish and from hell it self Such was the practise of certaine Monkes Friers with Elizabeth Barton a Nunne in Kent whom they called by the name of the holie maid of Kent This holie maide by the deuice of the foresaid Monkes and Fryers fained her selfe to liue with no other food then that which was brought vnto her immediately by the Angells of heauen shee made also as though oftentimes shee laie
gods as their are saints in their Kalender doe they not also ascribe power to forgiue sinnes vnto the Pope and to euery shauen priest which yet God challengeth onely to himselfe and which also their forefathers acknowledged to be God his owne due Yea doe they not in their Decretals Distinctions Canons and such other bookes allowed by generall authoritie of their Church in most plaine words write that of him which is a so the onely prerogatiue-royall of God verely it can not be denied For proofe hereof to the reader I will set downe some of their owne words that no man may challenge me of a slander neither the pope himselfe bring any action against me for belying his holines These therefore are the words of the glosse vpon the distinction Jn canone Quanto de translatione episcopi titulo 7o. Papa dicitur hasere câ—â—leste arbitrium ideo etiam naturam resum immutat substantialia vnius rei applicando aâ—ij Et de nihilo potest aliquid facere sententiam quae nulla est aliquam facere quia in his quae vult câ—est proratione voluntas Nec est qui ei dicat curitafacis Ipse enim potest supra ius dispensare de iniustitia facere iustitiam corrigendo iura mutando Nam plenitudinem obtinet potestatis That is that I may interpret these wordes to let the most ignoraÌ„t see what blasphemies popery teacheth The Pope is said to haue aÌ„ heaueÌ„ly power therefore he changeth the nature of things by applying the substantiall properties of one thing to an other And he can make something of nothing and that sentence which was none or nothing worth to be somewhat or of force because in those thinges that he will to him will is for reason Neither is there anie man that may say why doest thou so For he can dispense aboue right and of that which is iniustice make iustice correcting and changing lawes because he hath full authoritie Who doth not see by these wordes that they make the Pope another God for to change the nature of thinges as God turned Lott his wife into a pillar of salt made Baalam his asse to speake and gaue Nebuchadnezzar the heart or qualities of a beast to make something of nothing to make iustice of iniustice as God is said to ferch light out of darknes to make his owne will sufficient reason to dispense aboue right to correct change lawes to haue ful authority to do al these things is it not proper vnto God An other also of their doctors saith Excepto peccato Papapotest quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest Sinne excepted the pope can doe in manner all things thai God can doe Iohannes also Capistranus a fit name for one so well worthie of an halter of the authoritie of the Pope and of the Church p. 93. B. writeth to the same effect Vbi quaeritur ad quid protenditur authorit as Papae respondeo breuiter quòd ad omne bonum nulluÌ„ malum est enim quasâ— Deus in terris maior homine minor Deo plenitudinem obtinens potestatis That is If it be asked how farre the pope his authoritie extendeth I aunswer briefly that it extendeth to all that is good to nothing that is euill for he is as God in the earth greater then man and lesse then God hauing full authoritie Marke good reader how they are not ashamed euen to attribute these words vnto him whereby the Apostle doth describe Antechrist 2. Thess 2. 4. saying that he should sitt as God c. So God will haue themselues to acknowlenge the Pope to be Antichrist though they intend no such thing but rather to make him God or at the least pew-fellow with God In their Decretalls also they write that the Pope is neither god nor man but the Viccar of God and mixt or compounded of God and man Oftentimes also they ascribe vnto him all power aswell in heauen and hell as in earth But for further view of the monstrous blasphemies of the Pope I refer the reader to the large description of him which is in the booke of Martyrs in the verie end of King Henrie the 7. his reigne in the verie ende also of the first volume where plentifully are laid downe both their wordes of him and also the places of their owne bookes quoted in which any man may finde them By these things it is euideÌ„t that although they think great scorne to be charged to teach that there are many Gods yet in truth by communicating that vnto other which is God his onely due they teach as much God himself hath said that he will not giue his glorie to any other but they scotch not they feare not to giue it to manie other 3 The like do they touching the Mediatour For they teach that there are manie Mediators yea so many as there are Saints and a great many more Yea they teach that the Virgine Marie is not onely a Mediatour but also a Mediatour aboue Christ himselfe For proofe I will note their owne words but yet onely in English for breuities sake Thus therefore they speake to the Virgine Marie as I do faithfully traÌ„slate their words in a certaine horarie c. Reioyce O celestiall matron triumphantly praise God thy Sauiour which hath made thee singular Thou wast content to be called the handmaid of Iesus Christ but as the diuine law teacheth thou art his Ladie For right and reason requireth that the mother should be aboue the Sonne Therefore aske humblie and commaund loftilie that he guide vs that are here in the euening or twilight of the world vnto the supreame kingdom And againe in the same place Thou alone art without example whome god hath chosen to be Mediat our betweene God and man the repairer of the world the end of destruction the washing away from sinnes the way of counsell the trust of reward the ladder of hèauen the gate of paradise In their common praiers also they call her the mother of gracâ— the mother of mercie and they pray her to defend them from their enemies and to receiue them in the houre of death Againe they call her the certaiâ—â— hope of them that are in miserie the mother of Orphanes the Sauiour of the oppressed the phisick of the sicke all to all What can be more contrarie to the doctrine and matter of religion for this is not onely to make her another Mediatour but also another God and indeed if she be another Mediatour shee must also of necessitie be another god because there caÌ„ be no Mediatour which is not also god Neither is this much to be marueled at for they also pray to god to be heard not onely for the blood of Christ but also for the blood of the Martyres Yea of Thomas Becket which was no Martyr but iustlie put to death for his insoleÌ„ctreason Yea they teach that euery maÌ„ must also be his owne Sauiour that is merit his
saluatioÌ„ by his own good works so that whereas the Scripture teacheth vs that a man is onelie iustified and saued by a true and liuelie faith in Christ Iesus Poperie teacheth that a man is iustified not by such a faith alone but also by workes partlie of himselfe and partly of other 4 So the Scripture teacheth that Christ Iesus is a perfect Sauiour which hath redeemed vs from all iniquitie and that with once offring vp of himselfe once I say for all and for euer but popery teacheth that he hath onely satisfied for sinnes before Baptisme and that he must dailie be offred vp by the hands of some greasie priest The Scripture teacheth that there is certainely no coÌ„demnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that they that loue the brethren are of the truth and shal before him assure their hearts that they shall neuer perish out of the handes of Christ Iesus c but poperie teacheth that it is presuÌ„ption for any maÌ„ to say that he is assured of these things The Scripture teacheth vs that Christ his humanitie is in heauen and shal be in heauen till his second coÌ„ming vnto iudgement but popery teacheth vs that it is euen now vpon the earth that in manie places at one and the same time The Scripture teacheth vs that Christ his bodie glorified doth so retaine the essentiall qualities of a true bodie that it may be discerned to haue both flesh bones by our outward senses Luk. 24. 39. But poperie teacheth that it is so altered and chaunged that neither by sight nor by taste nor by touching and feeling it can be discerned to haue any more flesh and bone then a peece of bread yea then a wafer cake as thinne as a paper The Scripture forbiddeth all grauen or painted Images of any thing whatsoeuer and wheresoeuer to be made and worshiped or anie waies religiously to be bowed vnto but popery commaundeth the making and worshipping of Images of things in heauen and in earth materiall and spirituall visible and inuisible knowne and vnknowne liuing and without life euen of the materiall and woodden crosse of Christ The Scripture forbiddeth all detraction from and all addition vnto it selfe binding this prohibition with a commination of a fearefull curse to anie that shall so doe but poperie hath not feared to cut of the whole second commaundement and many other thinges neither to adde whole bookes to the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scripture condemneth all praiers of the mouth in anie vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding and affection but poperie teacheth that in praier and all other things opus operatum the worke done howsoeuer it be done with affection or without affection is meritorious and that all praiers of all persons and in al places must be in the latine tongue albeit they that pray vnderstand neuer a word and may as well be taught to say O Deuill which art in hell as Our father which art in heauen yea and so they oftentimes pray for ought they knowe to the contrary For howsoeuer the Pope hath canonized Thomas Becket as it is said Edmund Campian other of that traiterous nest for Saints yet their treasons for which they were iustly cut off by the sword of the ciuill magistrate and their damnable heresies and horrible blasphemies whereof they shewed no repentance doe rather condemne them for diuells in hell then commend them for Saints in heauen The Scriptures commend the obseruation of the Lord his day aboue all other daies condemning also the obseruation of any other day in like sort perpetuallie but poperie commandeth more holidaies now then were euer commanded by God himselfe in the time of the law and that to be kept as strictly as the Lords daie it selfe The scripture teacheth that al things are cleane to the cleane but poperie maketh such difference of meates drinkes apparell c. and teacheth that at some times all flesh is polluted that it defileth whosoeuer eateth thereof more then swearing fornication and such like things as God himselfe hath expressely forbidden The Scripture commaundeth to gather vp the basest of God his creatures that nothing be lost but poperie commandeth vpon Shâ—oue-tuseday that whatsoeuer of the best flesh be left it should be cast vnto the dogges and â—o vtterly lost rather then saued for the good of any man The Scripture teacheth vs onely to call vpon God in the dare of our trouble and to praie onely to him when we may call Our Father which art in heauen but poperie teacheth vs to pray to the virgin Marie Saint Peter Saint Iohn Saint Swithin c. yea to the eyes nose mouth c. to the neckerchiffe girdle c. of the virgin Marie as is manifest by some of their olde printed praier bookes The Scripture teacheth by sentence and example of Priests Leuites Prophets Apostles c. that marriage is honourable in all men though as holy as Adam was before his fall but poperie teacheth vs that at sometimes of the yeare marriage is vnlawfull for all men and at all times for the ministers of the word in regard of their holy function The Scripture teacheth vs that euery soule ought to be subiect to the higher power and to honour the King c and that whosoeuer resisteth such power resisteth the ordinance of God but poperie teacheth vs that the cleargie is exempted from all ciuill power and may not be called before any such magistrates neither be punished by any ciuill laws To finish this argument drawne from the repugnancie of the matter of poperie to the Scriptures and that religion which they commend I must euen say as the Apostle saith Heb. 11. 23. What shall I say more the time would be toâ— short to tell of Gedeon Baruch c. so I say must I say what shal I say more long time would be too short and much paper too little to set down all the repugnancies and contrarieties of the matter of Poperie and of the matter of that religion which is commended vnto vs in the scriptures Can both therefore be of God and acceptable vnto God that is alvvaies the same and in whome there is no chaunge nor shadow of chaunge THE FOVRTH ARGVMENT touching the forme of true religion THat which hath beene said of the matter of poperie in respect of the matter of that religion which is commended in the scriptures may be said of the forme God is a Spirit and therefore to be vvorshipped in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. But poperie prescribeth such a carnall and fleshly forme and manner of worship as if God were all flesh and no spirit God oftentimes commaundeth himselfe to be worshipped onely according to his owne word And truly if Princes may lawfully require obedience and seruice of their subiects according to their owne lawes with much more equitie may God the Prince of princes require seruice according to his owne statutes and ordinances Therefore he doth iustly refuse the traditions precepts and doctrines
forsaken vs and associated themselues with the Papists who wanâ—ing such studdes to vphold their rotten and totâ—ering religion haue beene glad to entertaine them with great promises but many times not performing them but rather bringing them or sending them at the least to the gallowes Such oftentimes is the iudgement of God vpon them â—hat too much respect outward preferrements and so doth God in his iustice harden many of them that will not beleeue his truth whilst they liue where and when they may haue it that he giueth them ouer to beleeue lies so strongly that they care not what danger they incurre against themselues both soule and bodie for defence and furthering of those lyes which they haue embraced 2. Thess 2. 11 12. 3 Well to returne from where we haue diâ—ressed we see by this that I haue now spoken that in these respects thus mentioned the Church of Rome may thanke vs for that learning which nowe they haue and for many of those learned men which are now in great and â—igh estimation amongst them Further it is no new thing that those gifts of Gods spirit which God at the first giueth to beare witnes vnto 〈◊〉 truth should be afterward communicated boâ—â— to such as doe not greatly fauour Christ and his gospel and also to such as are wicked and reprobate In the time of Christ himselfe the power of casting out diuells first giuen to the twelâ—â— Apostles Math. 10. 1. for the commendation 〈◊〉 their ministerie was afterward communicated to other that would not ioyne with the Apostles nor follow Christ Our Sauiour also saith that many that should plead for themselues the casting of diuells out of other should notwithstanding be reiected by him as refuse persons Math. 7. 22. And thus hath the Lord dealt in these latter times As at the first preaching of the gospel by the Apostles after the ascension of Christ he bestowed vpon them the gift of tongues for the better magnifying of the gospell and furnished them likewise with other extraordinarie gifts which gifts notwithstanding afterward were also communicated vnto many other yea to many of the wicked so in these latter times also at the first breaking forth of his truth which we professe through the blacke the thicke and darke cloudes of poperie that â— long time had ouershadowed and drouped the whole earth the Lord according to his ancient promises gaue gifts vnto men in respect of the former great want of them very extraordinarieâ— these gifts I say he gaue at the first breaking forth of our religion through poperie to the first preachers of our religion for the commending thereof vnto the world and so encreased them afterwarde more and more in those that embraced our religion but after that by such gifts he had sufficiently renewed and recouered the credite of his truth which we doe now hold and likewise by beautifying our religion with the first fruits of these gifts had sufficiently disgraced poperie then he communicated these gifts vnto other euen vnto the Papists themselues 4 And truly in verie great wisdom hath God done so that he might teach men to esteeme of his truth not for those gifts onely but also for the truths sake it selfe So also he would haue the Papists themselues yea and all the world to see that all the learning in the world is not able to vphold poperie and that our religion is as well able to stand against and to beat downe poperie into the pitte of hell from whence it came as well when poperie hath the same armour on that our religion hath as when it was naked and had almost none at all Therefore to conclude this part also of this my last argument touching the performance of those promises of God to the Church that were neuer in such manner performed to the Church of Rome As the more the darke cloudes of poperie couered the whole earth and the more violently also the boisterous winds therof did blow vpon the earth making the very cedars of LebanoÌ„ both to beÌ„d and to breake the more dead were all the gifts of the spirit as we see all things to be in the depth of winter so like wise sithence our religion hath come about towards the sommer point and by the strength and power thereof hath scattered and dispersed these cloudes and pacified those boisterous winds of popery in many kingdomes the more haue those gifts of God his spirit before promised budded and flourished euen as we see after an hard winter the more the sunne commeth about toward Cancer the more all trees and hearbs before seare and dead doe reuiue and spring out I conclude therefore that as by the springing and flourishing of hearbs and other plants we know sommer to be come so also by these gifts of God his spirit which haue sprung and flourished euen sithence that our religion hath beene reuiued againe quickned we know the same gospell to be againe returned about the which in former times God according to the righteousnesse of his promise did beautifie and commeÌ„d with the like graces 5 Will any Papist now obiect the times of Tertullian Gregorie Nazianzen Cyprian Chrysostome Ambrose Ierome Augustine Barnard and such like let him first remember that most of them were before the time whereof we spake They were I say before any stone almost laide of the foundation of the church of Rome in that state wherein now it is all of them also liued before that Church was built to that perfection whereunto it was reared vntill the repairing of our religion Againe these auncient Fathers so many of them as did see the building of this church begun or any matter prepared â—owards the same laboured by might maine as we speake and to the vtmost of their power â—he hindring and staying thereof therefore haue they plainly written against images iustification by works inuocation of Saints freewill and many other the like principles of poperie as is â—lentifully shewed by our late writers in partiâ—ular controuersies Especially both they and also many other yea some of the Papists themâ—elues and of the learnedst of them haue mighâ—ly declaimed and sharply inuaied against all â—uch proud and arrogant titles as now the Pope â—laimeth and vsurpeth Further although these â—ere excellent persons for learning and godliâ—es and worthie of honourable remembrance â—â— all ages yet liued they not altogether Nay â—â—ther one age had almost but one such or at the â—ast but verie fewe such as these were that I â—â—ue named but our ages and the ages before â—s euer sithence the returne of our religion haue 〈◊〉 all times and in euerie kingdome had many â—â—ch Yea I doubt not to sale and that truly that although it be not yet two hundred yeares since â—uâ— religion came out into the open field and â—ncountered with poperie in such publique â—anner as now it doth yet there haue beene in â—is little time as many great learned men as â—â—ptaines of the Lord on our
repentance before the Lord Iudg. 20. 26. Now the sinne of the Israelites for which they receiuing such a double foyle appeareth by the text to haue beene first too much confidence of the victorie in regard partly of the goodnes of their cause partly of their great multitude and secondly that although they sought vnto god in that behalfe yet they sought not in such humble and earnest manner as they should haue done and also did at the last when they had not onely warrant from God to goe againe to battell but also a promise of victorie Now if these sinnes be so dangerous to a good and iust cause what may be feared of great sinnes Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken concerning them that are of our religion THE FOVRTH VSE CONCERning Atheists and all those that are of no religion TOuching them that are not of our religion they are especially either Atheists and such as are of no religion or Papists By Atheists I meane not onely such as in deede and openly professe theÌ„selues to be such not fearing plainly to denie God and all religion of which sort we hauee too many euen in our lande but also such as doe beare men in hand that they are of our religion but in truth are not For albeit they will goe to Church and performe other outward duties that our religion requireth yea will also sometime speake and doe something for our religion yet all is but in pollicie they practise onely the precepts of cursed Machiuel and therfore if any change should come which the God of heauen keepe from vs they are as readie for any religion as for this To this sort of Atheists I doe also referre many ciuill men that neuer knew or heard of Machiuel himselfe neither of his precepts which come also to Church c. and liue likewise vprightly as touching ciuill righteousnes and outward equitie amongst their neighbours which will also sometimes talke of religion both ours and poperie and yet in truth also are of no religion at all neither Protestants nor Papists Moreouer hitherto belongeth a great multitude of poore soules in this land that for want of instruction are so ignorant that they know not what religion is or any point of religion and which therefore make no difference betwixt our religion and poperie All these I wish seriously to consider of my former arguments and thereby to prouoke themselues to make more account of religion generally and secondly of our religion onely then euer they haue done As they haue heard our religion to be of God and acceptable vnto him so let them know that they cannot please God in any other waie but onely in our religion How miserable therefore wretched and fearefull is their estate and condition Let all such therefore lament this their miserie heartily thanking God that they vnderstood it before their ende and whilst it is called to daie let them not harden their hearts but heare the voice of God yet calling them to his true religion and knocking at the dore of their consciences to be entertained with his truth Let them seeke the Lord whilst he may be found and call vpon him whilst he is neare Esa 55. 6. least neglecting his grace offered vnto them the Lord remooue his kingdome and depart himselfe as it were out of their hearing and so withdraw his mercies from them and poure out his iudgements vpon them that they stretch out their hands and the Lord hide his eyes they make many praiers and the Lord heare not Esa 1. 15. they seeke and there be none to be found to helpe them Ioh. 7. 34. yea least notwithstanding their seeking they die for all that in their sinnes Ioh. 8. 21. Let such as now laugh at and make as it were a Maie-game of all religion and the professours thereof weepe mourne in time for their such laughing least the Lord also doe laugh them to scorne in their miserie Psal 73. 13. and doe mocke theÌ„ when their feare commeth Prov. 1. 26. bringing such heauines vpon them that they cannot laugh though they would yea and in the ende casting them into the place of vtter darknes feare horrour where is nothing but weeping and gâ—ashing of teeth Math. 8. 12. that is in hel fire that neuer shall be quenched where their worme dieth not and their fire neuer goeth out Mark 9. 43 44. Those also that hitherto haue beene secure and careles regarding no religion let them likewise in time better regard such meanes as whereby they may be drawne to our religion THE FIFTH VSE CONCERning weake and ignorant Papists TO Papists also I saie the same especially to such as are Papists in a kind of conscience that is to such as are not of that religion of any obstinate and wilfull minde but because in ignorance they are perswaded their religion to be the right waie and ours to be a wrong or by-waie I doubt not but that there are many such in the land Yea I hope that many Papists are such This I doe hope of such Papists as bring not forth those fruits that poperie approoueth of whereof I haue spoken in my sixt argument before which are also mercifull and readie to doe good not to them onely of their owne religion but also to other These I hope to be rather ignorant then wilfull Papists therefore I haue also some good hope of their conuersion in time especially if it might please God to mooue their hearts to haue regard of the perfect law of god which conuerteth the soule Psal 19. 7. And truly in the Christian loue that I beare vnto these and in the pittie and compassion I haue of their soules as I see them full of pittie and compassion towards the bodies of other and likewise to haue many other excellent commendable things in them I haue the rather set penne to paper for the writing of this treatise to trie if it might please my good God to blesse my labour vnto their good euen to the winning of them to our religion For I protest vnto them and God knoweth I speake the truth of my heart and lie not neither dissemble that I so desire their saluation that I would be gladder thereof then of all worldly wealth and good whatsoeuer In the meane time me thinketh that howsoeuer they be commended for many excellent things indeede not very common yet all their commendation is very defectiue and lame for want of commendation touching true religion Yea certenly when a man hath saide all that he can in commending such persons and then saith that these were excellent men or worthie women were it not for one thing that is for their religion this one thing wanting is more then all they haue For this one thing concerneth God all the other for which Papists are commonly coÌ„mended concerne but men And our Sauiour saith that the great and first or chiefest commandement is to loue the Lord our God c. Math. 22. 38. yea
out of their popish distinctioÌ„s 1. dicetur contrarietatis 2. veritatis 3. stabilitatis In the third part of this sermon thus he writeth Cum papa sit Christi vicarius c. gerat vicem dei in terris ex quo sequitur quod habet plenitudinem potestatis c. illud quod facit presumitur facere authoritate dei c. ideo ipso approbante aliquid nos approbare debemus Immo ipsitis sententiamagis est staÌ„dum quam sententie totius mundi that is in english Sith the pope is the vicar of Christ Gods vice gerent vpon earth from whence it followeth that he hath absolute authoritie and that which he doth is to be presumed that he doth by authoritie of God therefore that which he alloweth we ought to allow yea we are to stand more to his sentence then to the sentence of all the world c. Then vpon those premises he concludeth the approbation of his seruice made for the immaculate conception of the virgin c. whereof I will also giue the reader a tast after that I haue deliuered him the tast of these nine sermons 7 The fourth sermon hath the three parts of the former sermons but set downe with new words it a inexhausta erat huius doctoris eloquentia thus 1. dicitur impugnationis 2. defensionis 3. corroborationis In the first of these he maketh this obiection against the immaculate conception of the virgine Omnis homo qui per concubitum viri mulieris natus est est in peccatis conceptus Euery man that is borne by the copulation of a man and a woman is conceiued in sinne This he prooueth as by the testimonie of Augustine in the first place so also in the second place by the testimonie of our Sauiour Christ Math. 7. euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit but an euill tree bringeth forth euill fruit Then he addeth that forasmuch as the parents of the virgin were euill therefore it must needes follow that shee was conceiued in sinne How doth he answer the former argument in the second part of the sermon which he calleth defensionis Alas poore signie he is so troubled with it that he cannot tell what in the world with reason to saie to it For first he saith that God that gaue that law that all that were borne of sinnefull parents should be conceiued in sinne might chaâ—ge that law about some particular person and this he prooueth by the testimonies of certain former schoolmen then he addeth that the former testimonie of Augustine applied to confirmation of the former argument is to be vnderstood with this caution nulla specialâ— gratia interueniente cui oppositum fuit in casu nostro that is no special grace comming betweene whereof the contrarie is in our case But this contrarie he onely affirmeth without any proofe at all yea without any one word more Then he addeth an other answer to the testimonie of Augustine as fearing the former not to be sufficient vel dicere possumus quod Augustinus loquitur de his qui concipiuntur interueniente concupiscentia parentum quali modo non fuit concepta mater dei that is or else we may say that Augustine speaketh of those which are conceiued with the concupiscence of their parents in which manner the mother of God was not conceiued How also doth he prooue this forsooth he referreth vs to the second part of the worke and the first sermon thereof and third part of the first sermon And what haue we there verily nothing but a long tale out of the Legend of the virgin Marie to this effect That her parents loachim and Anna hauing liued for the space of xx yeares without issue did at the last vow that if God A pretie tale of the manner of the virgins conception would giue them issue it should be the Lords Afterward according to their yearely manner comming to the feast of the dedication of the temple Ioachim offered his offering But the priest reiected it and rebuked him for presuming to come to the altar beeing 〈◊〉 man vnder the curse of the law for want of issue Ioachim beeing put to this shame returned not home but went a side to his shepheards where hauing staied a while the angel of the Lord appeared vnto him and comforted him telling him that the former reproach was not well obiected against him because God was a reuenger of sinne not of nature and that when the wombe of any is shut God doth it that he might open it the more miraculously and that that which is so borne might be knowne to be divinâ— muneris non libidinis of God his gift noâ— of lust this that angel prooueth by the examples of Sara Rahel and mothers of Sampson and Samuel In fine the angel telleth him that his wife should haue a daughter which should be called Marie and that shee should be sanctified from the wombe and that according to their vowe shee should be the Lords not liuing abroad with other men and women but keeping alwaies in the temple and that shee should also bring forth a sonne which should be called Iesus and which should be saluation to his people c. This is the summe of that matter whereunto he doth referre vs. Now what proofe is this of that whereunto it is applied First of all this is taken but our of the Legend of lies and if it had beene 〈◊〉 truth would not the Scripture as well haue mentioned the same as it doth matters of farre lesse importance Againe though it should be graunted for a truth yet it maketh no more for the conception of the virgin without lust of her parents and without originall sinne then for the like conception of Isaac of all the children of Rahel of Sampson and of Samuel And by the same argument might all those be prooued to haue bin conceiued without originall sinne as well as the virgin Marie Lastly if this tale were truth then either the parents of the viâ—gin Marie brake their vowe or the virgin her selfe did not like of it or both For the scripture teacheth no such thing yea it teacheth the contrarie namely that Marie liued not in the temple continually at Ierusalem according to the former word of the angel and vow of her parents but at Nazareth in Galile many miles distant from Ierusalem Againe if there had beene any such vow of the parents of the virgin or any such reuelation of the angel would the virgin haue betroathed her selfe vnto an husband or could shee so doe without actuall sinne And if the angel had before told her parents that shee should be conceiued by the holy Ghost and bring forth a sonne whome shee should call Iesus would shee haue so wondered at the second declaration thereof by the angel Gabriel to her selfe as shee did Luk. 1. 3. would shee haue saide how shall this be seeing I know not a man Thus much for the learning of the great doctour in