he seeketh to perfect If then without faith there is no possibly of Salvation this surely must needes be the hie way to perdition Now seeing christianitie to be a doctrine of faith a doctrine whereof all men even children are capable as being grosse and to be beleeved in generall The high vertue wherof â—s in the humility of vnderstanding and the merite in the readinesse of obedience to imbrace it for these have beene alwaies the true owners of faith And seeing the outward proofes are no other than probable and of all probable proofes the Church testimonie is most probable what madnesse were it for any man to tire out his soule and to waste away his spirites in tracing out all the thorhy paths of the controversies of these daies wherein to erre is no lesse easie than dangerous what through forgery abusing him through Sophistrie transporting him and not rather to betake himselfe to the right path of trueth whereunto God and Nature Reason and Experience doe all give witnesse and that is to associate himselfe to that Church whereunto the custody of this heavenly and supernaturall trueth hath beene from heaven it selfe committed to weigh discretely which is the true Church and that beeing once found to receive faithfully and obediently without doubt or discussion whatsoever it delivereth Nowe concerning the first point some doubt might be made if there were any Church Christian in the world to be shewed which had continued from Christs time downe to this age without change or interruption this only excepted But if all other have had their end or decay long since or their beginning but of late if theirs bee founded by the Prince of the Apostles with promise by him That hel gates should not prevaile against it but that himselfe would be assisting to it vntill the consummation of the world which hath continued on now to the end of a thousand sixe hundred and foure yeares with an honourable and certaine line of two hundred and fortie Popes all beeing Successours of Saint Peter both Tyrants and Traitors both Pagans and Heretiques in vaine wrestling raging barking and vndermining if all the lawfull Councels that ever were in the world being the general Senates of Gods officers and Ministers have from time to time approved obeyed and honored it if God have so miraculousâ—y blessed it from above as that so many sage Doctors should inâ—ich it with their writings such armies yea millions of Saints with their holines of Martires with their blood of Virgins with their puritie should sanctifie and seale it if their Church have beene a ruine alwaies to them that opposed against her a stay repose and advancement to all her followers if even at this day in such difficulties of rebellions and revolts of her neerest children yet she stretcheth out her armes to the vttermost corners the world embracing whole Nations into her bosome If lastly in all other opposite Churches whatsoever ther be nothing to be found but inward dissention and contrarietie chaÌ„ge of opinions vncertaintie of resolutions robbing of churches robellion against Governors confusion of orders nothing to be attended but mischefe subversion and destruction which they have well deserved and shall assuredly have whereas contrary in their Churches the vnitie vndivided the obedience vnforced the resolvtions vnalterable the most heavenly order reaching from the height of all power to the very lowest of all subiection with admirable harmonie and vndefective correspondeÌ„cie al tending to the same way to the effecting of the same worke did promise no other than continuance increase and victorie Let no man dâ—â—bt to submit himselfe to this glorious spouse of God â—â— whose head is the blessing of God in whose hand is the power of God vnder whose feet are the enemies of God to whom round about do service all the creatures of God This then being accorded to be the true Church of God it followeth that shee be reverently obeyed in all things without further inquifition having this warrant That whoso heareth her heaeth Christ and whosoever heareth her not hath no better place then a Publican or a Pagan And what folly were it to receive the Scripture vpon the credit of her authority and not to receive the interpretation also vpon her authority and credite And if GOD should not protect his Church alwaies from error and peremptorily command all men to obey her then had hee made but slender provision for the Salvation of mankinde to whome errour in matter of faith is certaine damnation which conceipt of God whose care of vs even in all thinges touching this transitorie life is so plaine and evident were vngratefull and impious And hard were the case and meane had beene his regard of the vulgar people whose wants and difficulties in this life will not permit whose capacities will not suffice to sound the deepe and hidden mysteries of divinity to search out intricate controversies if there were not other whose authority they might rely on Blessed therfore are they which beleeve and have not seen the â—â—erite of whose religious humilitie and obedience doth exceede perhaps in honour and acceptation before God the subtill and profound knowledge of many other And lastly if any man either in regard of his vocation or reason of his leasure list to studie the controversies let him take heede he come not with a doubtfull minde vnto theÌ„ for diffidence is as the sinne of rebellion let him be stedfast in faith let him submitt his owne reason to the Churches authoritie being the house of God the pillar and ground of truth let him be fast and immoveably built vppon that foundation and let his end onely bee this to furnish and arme himselfe in such sort as to bee able to withstand and overthrow those heretiques when they shall at any time chose or chance to encounter This is the maine course of of their perswading at this day whereby they seeke to re-establish that former foundation In the vnfolding whereof I have beene the longer because triall hath taught mee that not by some mens private election but as it should seeme by common order direction or consent they have relinquished all other courses and doe hold them to this as the most effectuall meanes by the way of perswasion to worke this designe In considering whereof there commeth to my minde that diversity which a wise Philosopher hath intimated in the wits of men That some are of so sharpe deepe and strange discourse that they yeelde not their assent vnto any thing vntill they have found out either some proper demonstration for it or some other certaine proofe whereon to ground it â—suredly Others are so shallow and weake in that faculty that they feare alwaies errour and therefore doe more willingly accord to whatsoeuer some of account for wisdome doe barely affirme then to any thing which this reason alone which they suspect inferreth Now these latter exceeding the other as farre in number as in worthynesse and honour of nature they
great facility and without which there is no possibilitie of salvation 2 That divine prerogative is granted vnto them abve all the people in the world which doth preserve them everlastingly from erring in matters of faith and from falling from GOD. 3 That the Pope being Christes deputie hath the keyes of heaven in custodie to admit in by Indulgence shut out by excommunication as he shall see cause 4 That the charge of all soules being committed to him he is thereby made soveraigne prince of this world exceeding in power and maiestie all other princes as far as the soule in dignitie doth exceed the bodie eternall things surmount things temporall and seeing the end is the ruler and commander of whatsoever doe tend vnto it and all things in this world are to serve but as instruments and the world it self but as a passage to our everlasting habitation 5 That therfore he that hath the managing of this high honour to be the supream conductor vnto it hath also power to dispose of all things subordinate as may best serve to it to plant to roote out to establish to depose to bind to loose to alter to dispence as may serve most fitte for the advancement of the church and for the atcheving of the soules felicitie wherein whosoever oppose against him whether by Heresie or Schisme they are no other then verie Rebels or seditious persoÌ„s against whom he hath vnlimited endlesse power to proceede to the suppressing ruining and extinguishing of them by all meanes that the Common-welth of God may florish in prosperitie and the high way to heaven bee kept safe and open for all Gods loyall and obedient people In these poynts no doubtes or questions are tolerable And whoso with them ioyne in these shall find great connivence in what other defect or difference soever this being the very touchstone by which all men are to be tried whether they be in the Church or out of the Church whether with them or against them and by this plott have their wits erected in this worlde a Monarchie more potent then ever any that have bene before it A Monarchye which intitling them de iure to all the world layeth a strong foundation thereof in all mens conciences the onelie firme ground of obedience in the worlde and such a foundation as not onely holdeth fast vnto them whatsoever it feazeth on but worketh outwardly also by engines to weaken and vndermine the states of all other Princes howe great so ever and that in such sort as by possessing themselves of the principall places the hearts of their subiects as being those from whome they have their principall good even the happinesse of their soules to incite vppon everie conscience a gaynest their naturall Soveraigne at pleasure and by a writte of Excommunication to svbdue or at leastwise greatly to shake whom they list without fighting a blow without leavying a Souldier lastly a Monarchie which as it was founded by meere witte needeth not anie thing but meere witte to mainetaine it which enricheth it self without labouring warreth without endangering rewardeth without spending vsing Colledges to a great purpose as others can fortresses working greater matters partly by Schollers partly by swarmes of Friars than else they could ever doe by great garrisons armies And all these maintained at other mens charges for to that rare poynt have they also proceeded as not onely to have huge rents themselves out of other mens states but to maintaine also their instruments out of other mens devotions and to advance their favorites vnder the faire pretence of providing for Religion to the verie principall preferments in forraine Princes Dominions That no man need find it strange if finding the revenew of skill and cunning to be great and their force mightie especially what they worke vpon simplicitie and ignorance They inclosed in times past all learning within the wals of their Cleargie setting forth Ladie Ignorance for a great Saint to the Laitie and shewing her vnto them for the true mother of Devotion And assuredly but for one great defect in their pollicy which was hard in regard of their owne particular ambition but otherwise not impossible to be avoided That they choose their Pope lightly verie old and withall without any restraint of all Families and Nations whereby they are continually subiect to double change of government The Successor seldome prosecuting his Antecessors devices but eyther crossing them through envie or abandoning them vpon new humour it could not have been but they must have long since beene absolute Lords of all which defects notwithstanding so strong was their pollicy by reason of the force of their Cardinall fonndation That no Prince or Potentate ever opposed against them but in fine even by his owne Subiects they eyther maistered him or vtterly brought him to good conformitie by great losse and extreamitie tâ—ll such time as in his latter age the bottom of the foundation it selfe being stoutly discovered hath given them a sore blow hath changed in great part the state of the question and hath driven them to a re-inforcement of new inventions and practises 12 Howbeit those positions being the ground of their state and the hope of their owne glory in them they admit no shadow of alteration but indevour still per fas nefas euen by all the meanes in the world to strengthen them and amongst their manifold adversaries hate them most of all other who have laboured most in stopping of that foundation And seeing that by reason of this bookish age they have not that helpe of ignorance which in times past they had they cast about greatly to soake and settle them in mens perswasions and consciences by another way They tell men that the very gound whereon we build our perswasion of the truth of Christianity it self are no other then credible That the proofes of the Scripture to be the word of God can be no other at this day than probable onely being impossible for any wit in the world to produce exact necessary and infallible demonstrations Eyther that the holy Apostle Saint Paule had his calling from above or that those Epistles were of his writing so likewise in the rest and that the chiefe proofe that we have therof is the testimony of the church a thing which their very adversaries are forced to confesse Now that this probable perswasion of the truth of Christianity doth afterward grow to an assurednesse therof this issueth from an inward operation of Gods divine spirit the gift whereof is faith and that faith being a knowledge not of bare science but of beleefe which searcheth not the particular necessitie of the veritie of things delivered but relieth in generall vpon the approoved wisedome truth and vertue of him that doth deliver it Then surely whosoever will have necessarie proofe of the severall Articles of Religion doth but wittily deceive himselfe and by over-curious indevour to chaunge his faith into science doth loose that which
illustrating all parts thereof with ample Comments in addressing Institutions of Christian religion in deducing large histories of the Church from the foundation to their present times in furnishing all common places of divinity with abundaÌ„ce of matter in exact discussing of all controversed questions and lastly in speedy reply to all contrarie writings the greatest part of these labours tending to the iustifying of their owne doctrine to the discoverie of the corruption and rottennes of the other that they might overbeare these with the streames of the evidence of Reason by the strength of whose power they complained to bee overborne There is scarce any one of these kindes of writings save the translating of the Bible into vulgar language wherein the Romanists have not already or are not like very shortly either to equall or to exceede their adversaries in multitude of workes as being more of them that apply those studies in diligence as having much more oportunity and leasure in exactnesse as comming after them and reaping the fruits of their travels though in truth they come short and in ingeniositie being Truths companion But as for the controversies themselves the maine matter of all other therein their industry is at this day incomparable having so altered the tenures of them refined the states subtilized the distinctions sharpened their owne proofes deviâ—ed certaine either answers or evasions alreadie resolved on for all their adversaries arguments allegations and replies yea they have differences to divert their strongest oppositions interpretations to elude the plainest text in the worlde circumstances and considerations to inforce their owne seeliest coniectures yea reasons to put life into their deadest absurdities as in particular a verie faire case in schoole-learning they have to iustifie their Popes grants of many score thousand yeeres pardon that in affiance of this furniture of their promptnesse of speech and wit which by continuall exercise they aspire to perfect they dare enter into combate even with the best of their oppugners and will not doubt eyther to intangle them so in the snares of their own quirks or at leastwise so put off his blowes with the wardes of their distinctions that an ordinarie Auditor shall never perceive them to be vanquished and a favourable Auditorie shall report them vanquishers Wherevpon now to bee quitte with their adveisaries and by the very same Arte to drawe away the multitude they cry mainely in all places for tryall by disputations This Campion did many yeeres since with vs. This as I passed through Turricke did the Cardinall Andrea of Constance and his Iesuites with their Ministers being by auntient right within his Dioces not long before the same was done to them of Geneva And verie lately the Capuchins renued the chaâ—enge in which partes I observe this discreete valour on both sides that as the Romanists offer to dispute in the adversaâ—ies owne Cities which they know their Magistrates will never accord so the Ministers in supplie thereof offer to goe to them to their Cities and that is now as much disliked on the other side each part being conteâ—ted that the fire should bee kindled rather in his enemies house then in his owne yea there are not wanting some â—â—â—peters amongest them that have beene talking a long while whether out of their owne dreames or out of the desires of greater persons which I halfe coniecture of a generall solemne conference to be sought and procured of the choyce and chiefe every way of both the sides vnder pretence of drawing matters to some tollerable composition But in truth as I conceived rather to over-beare and disgrace the contrarie cause with their varietie of engins and strength of wit to weâ—ld them at all afâ—aies at pleasure than vpon sinceritie of affection or probabilitie of any vnitie or peace to ensue so great is their hope of having cure by the weapons from whence heretofore they have had their wounds 30 A fourth way that mightily afflictes the Papacy consequently advaunceth the reformation her proceedings was a course in my opinion surely more excusable A discovering â—he blots of their opposites where it cannot that commendable where it can bee spared and that is the discoverie of the private bloâ—es of an enimie further then the question in hand doth constraine howsoever the Protestants at leastwise some of them by example of those ancient and reverent Orators ripped vp to the quicke the lives of their adversaries in their particular actions especially of their Popes and of their Prelates as also of their Votaries of all sorts and sexes wherein the store of matter was huge the qualitie of it so enormous loathsome vgly and matchable in all kind of villanie to the veriest monsters of the Heathen the persons defiled with it of so imminent place in the steering and vpholding of their Church and lastly the trueth thereof so vndoubted and certaine being drawne in times past out of their owne stories and Authors printed and approved amongst themselves to be true for that present being of things done ordinarily for the most part and openly in the sight of all men in Rome and in Italie even as they continue perhappes not much better in many thinges at this day that publishing and presenting it to the prepared mindes of the worlde besides an extreame horrour and detestation which it brought did work in them this perswasion also that it could not be but Hell gates had prevailed against that Sea whose Governours whose Prelates whose Priestes whose Virgines had lived most of them so long time in the â—awes of the Prince of Hell Neyther that it was probable they had beene carefull in preserving the doctrine of Christianitie who had beene carelesse of all partes of Christian life and honestie And as in their lives so in their writings also of doctrine and devotion and in the actions concerning them their deifying of the Pope with most impious flatterie their abusing of the Scriptures with all irreverence and prophanenesse their iugling with their Images to make them sweate weepe and bleede to raâ—e in the people a devotion towards them of Heathenish Idolatrie their forging of Miracles in exorcismes in cures in apparition of soules for their lucre and advauntage their graunting of Pardons for some prayers before Images for many thousand yeares their Pardon for sinnes to come before they bee committed their shamelesse ridiculous tales of our Saviour and the holy and blessed Saintes making marriages heere vpon earth betweene him and some of our women Saintes with infinite store of childish vanitie and sottâ—sh absurditie as to their adversaries though themselves seemed I must confesse to conceive otherwise of them some of their graver Doctors both preaching them in Pulpit and publishing them newâ—ly in elaborate and ample Histories their promising to the vse of certaine devotions to our Ladie to have a sight of her sometime before their dying dayes and much more their falsifying and forgeries in all matters of antiquities thrusting
in cutting out suppressing trueth suborning fained writinges as their turnes did require all which though being obiected in this sort to themselves they had eyther their allegations of good intent to defend or at leastwise the commiseration of humane infirmitie to excuse them yet were they not so washed away from the mindes of the people who could not conceive this house to have beene guided by the Spirit of God wherein they saw so many foule spirits of pride and hypocrisie of lying and deceiving to have borne so great office so long and without controlement These things being perceived by the favorites of the Papacy to have made so deepe impression in the minds of all men and to have greatly preiudiced them in their more plausible allegations mens hearts being alreadie taken vp and fraught with detesting them they cast about for revenge and redresse in the same kinde not as the plaine blunt Protestant who finding all the matters made readie to his hands bestowed no other cost but the collecting and setting it in some order together but like a supernaturall Artisan who in the sublimitie of his refined witt disdaines to bring onely meere Art to his worke vnlesse hee make also in some sort the verie mater it selfe So these men in blacking the lives and actions of the reformers have partly devised matter of so notorious vntruth that in the better sort of their owne Authors it happeneth to bee checked partly suborned other Post men to write their Legends that afterwards they might cite them as approoved Authours and Histories as is evident in the lives of Calvine and Beza written by their sworne enemie Botsacke the twise banished and thrice runnagate Friar and Phisition for those names his often chaunges and hard chaunces have given him This man being requested by their side to write thus is in all their writings alleaged as Canonicall But in this kind surely me-thinks the conditions of those parties are too vnequall for the Protestant whatsoever he hath eyther in impeaching his adversarie or clearing his owne actions vnlesse hee can directly proove out of the adversaries owne writings it is with them as nothing and no-better than as are testes domestici in the law whereas the Romanist whatsoever he slaunderously surmiseth vnlesse the other partie be able by direct proofe to disproove it which being to iustifie in the negative is alwaies verie difficult and for the most part impossible he triumphes as in a matter of truth not to be gainsaid And whosoever maketh this account that in these kinde of blowes even where the wound is cured the scarre lightly contieth At this present they give it out that they have a booke in hand of the lives of the Ministers of England wherein it were to be wished that some who by their dissolutenes and corruption have given occasion of offence against the order it selfe might by their exemplarie punishment with all expiate the reproach though at these mens hands who in disgrace of our Prelates have cited Marprelate in their late bookes for a great Author and witnes others of like and lesse indifferency honestie the innocent and culpable are to expect perhaps like measure Then for the measure and doctrine of the Protestants the bookes of some of our owne Countrimen besides many other are famous who have taken a toile how meritorious God knoweth surely very laborious out of infinite huge Volumes which that part hath written to picke out whatsoever especially severed from the rest may seeme to be eyther absurdlly or falsely or â—ondly or scandalously or dishonestly or passionately or â—luttishly conceived or written for even in that kinde having the advantage of the homely phrase of our countrey and namely in those times they haue not spared and these with their crossenesse and contradictions one of another sâ—t cunningly together they present to the view of the world demand whether it be likely that these men should have bin chosen extraordinarily by God to be the reformers of the church treasurers of his truth who besides their virious lives hatefull conditions in their more sober thoughts and very doctrine it selfe were possessed with so fantasticall so wild so contrarie so furious so maledicent and so slovenly spirits wherein as they do in some sort immitate their adversaries so yet with this difference that the one hath obiected that which either as being the approoved doctrine of their church was with such publike authority delivered to the people or else which was so vsuall amongst their Canonists and Cleargie as might plead vncontrolled custome to shew it lawfull whereas the other part finding very small store of that nature have runne for supply to every particular mans writings wherein so huge a multitude of authors and works as this age over-rancke therin and mens fingers ever itching have produced it had been surely a great miracle if they had not fouÌ„d matter enough either worthy to be blamed or easie to be depravâ—d in their enemies writings One of the most renowmed Sages and Fathers of the Antients having found so much to condemne and retract in his owne And if the Protestants should list to requite them in that kinde they might perhaps finde stuffe enough I will not say to lade an Argosy but to overlade any mans witt in the world to reply vnto But verily these courses are base and beggarly even when singlenesse of minde and truth doth concurre with them and farre vnworthy of an ingenious noble spirit which soareth vp to the highest and purest paths of verity disdaining to stand raking in these puddles of obscuritie vnworthy of that charitable and vertuous minde which striveth by doing good to all to attaine to the high honour of being an immitator of God who is sorie of those very faults which are in his enimies discloses them no further than is necessary eyther for defence of impugned truth or for warning to the world to avoid the contagion of the disease or seducements by the deceased But if to this basenes of discoveries other iniustice be also added if malice doe preferre them if sleight increase them if falshood and slaughter â—aint them then doe they not onely abuse men from the dignitie of their nature but even associate them with the foule enimy and calumniator therof whose name is the slaunderous accuser of his brethren I suppose there was never man so patient in the world that patterne of all perfection our Savior Christ excepted but if a man shuld heap together all the cholericke speeches all the wayward actions that ever scaped from him in his life and present them in one veiw all continuate together as is the fashion of some men it would represent him for a furious and raving bedlem whom displaying al his life in the same tenor it was led the whole world might wel count of his stayednesse admire him for his moderation magnanimitie They that observe nothing in wisemen of vertue but their fault and
imperfections from which neither the wisest nor perfectest have beene free what doe they but propose them as matter of scorne and abhorring whome God hath as it were marked out for patternes of honor to immitate Yea this age hath brought out those curst and these accursed wittes who by culling out the errours and shews of error by formalizing the contrarieties misinterpreating the ambiguities intangling the obscurities which in the most renowmed Authors for humane wisedome that were ever in the world their envious and malitiously fine braines could search immitating him therein who by his Labours of the very same nature though with lesse and no ground at all against the sacred Bible purchased the infamous name of the enemy of Christianity have doone that hurt vnto the studies of learning which nothing but the vtter extinguishing of their vnlearned works can expiate 31 The last meanes I will heare speak of were vsed in setting forward this reformation of religion was the deligent compiling the histories of those times and actions and especially the Martyrologie of such as rendered by their deaths a testimonie of that trueth which was persecuted in them These memories and stories presenting generally to the world the singlenesse and innocencie on the one parte the integritie of their lives the simplicitie of their devises the zeale of their desires their constancie in temptations their tolleration in torments their magnanimitie celestially inspired courage and comfort in their very agonies and death yeelding their bodies with all patience to the furious flames and their soules with ioy to the handes of him that made them On the other side representing a serpentine generation wholy made of fraud policies and practises men lovers of the world and haters of truth and godlinesse fighters against the light protectors of darkenesse persecuters of marriage and patrons of brothelles abnegators and dispencers against the lawes of God but tyrannous importunators and exactors of their own men false in their promises treacherous in their pretences barbarous in their executions breathing nothing but cruelty fire and sword against meÌ„ that never offended them save in their desire to amend them which they could not endure and much of this sett out in sundry places with pictures to imprint thereby a more lively sence of commiseration of the one parte and detestation of the other bred in mens minds a strong coÌ„ceit that on the one side Truth and Innocencie was persecuted on the other violence and deceit persecuting that the one part coÌ„trarie to al humane probabilitie being nourished with the only dew of divine benediction flourisht in the flames as camamile spread abroad being troad vnder feet the other notwithstanding al humane and infernall devises yet cursed from above faded not vnlike to come to ruine The Papacie being netled extreamly with these proceedings hath resolved to give over the kindling any more of those vnfortunate fiers save in some secure places to maintaine the vsage of that law the ashes of which they have perceived to have beene the seede of their adversaries but rather by secret making men away in their Inquisitions and by general massacres to extinguish them Then to affront them in the same kinde of Martyroâ—ogies and Histories they have first caused stories to be written also in their favour making in them a representation of authority and iustice proceeding by pollitick execution of Lawe in the necessarie defence of God Church and of all Catholike States and Princes against a company of base rebelles of vow-breaking-Friars of Church-robbing polititians Church-raizng souldiers of infected and infecting both Schismatiques and heretiques innovators of orders vnderminers of government troublers of states over-turners of Christendome against whom if they have not yet sufficiently prevailed it is to be attributed only to the force of popular fury and not to any strength and goodnesse of their cause much lesse to any celestiall and divine protection Next for Martirologies they have England for their field to triumph in the proceedings wherein against their late Papists and complices they aggravate to the height of Neroes and Dioclesians persecutions and the sufferers of their side both in merites of cause in extreamitie of torments in constancy and patience to the renowned Martyres of that Heroicall Church age whereof besides sundry other bookes they have published a great volume lately to the world in Italian compiled with great industrie approved by authoritie yea some of their bookes also with pictures illustrated in summe wanting nothing save onely trueth and sinceritie An easie thing it is without growing to the extreame impudency of palpable lying by leaving out the bad on the one side and the good on the other by inforcing and florishing all circumstances and accidents which are in our favour and by elevating and disgracing of all the contrarie by sprinkeling the termes of honour wholy on the one part and of hatred and ignomie on the other to make their tale turne which way shall please the teller But writers of histories should know that there is a difference betweene their profession and the practise of advocates pleading contrarie at the barre where the wisedome of the Iudge pickes the truth out of both sides which is intire perhaps in neither 32 And verily in this kinde both the Protestants and Papistes seeme generally in the greatest part of their stories to be both too blame though both not equally having by their passionate reports much wronged the truth abused this present age and preiudiced posteritie insomuch that the onely remedie now seeming to remaine is to read indifferently the stories on both parts to count them as advocates and to play the Iudge betweene them But partiallity seemeth to be the chiefe fault of the Protestant love dislike sometimes dazeling his eyes drawing him from an Historiographers into an Orators profession though some of them have carried themselves therin with commendable sinceritie even as some also of the other part have discharged themselves nobly But surely the Priests and Friars which have written in that kinde have strangely behaved themselves and disclosed how small reckoning they make of truth in any thing their devising their forging their facing their peecing their adding their paring having brought not onely their modesty but their wits also in question whether they forget not what it was they vndertooke to write a worke of storie or of poetry rather which Artes though like yet ought they to know are different And for these Martyrologies to speake of England as they doe let the trueth of Religion be indifferent on whether side vnlesse difference be made betweene men who suffer for their consciences onely their very adversaries having no other crime to obiect against them and those who eyther in their owne particular persons or at least wise in their directors whom they have chosen to follow and vowed to obey are convinced to have attempted against the Prince and state and to have practised the alteration and ruine of both If
reward of glorie which proceeding from the Father and Prince of Peace reiecteth all spirits of contention from â—â—taining it hath entred into a meditation whether it were not possible that by the travel and meditation of some calmer mindes that at this day vsually write or deale on eyther side these flames of controuersie might be extinguished or asâ—aked and some tollerable peace re-established in the Church againe The iustnes of their vertuous desires to see it so hath bred in them an opinion of possibilitie that it might be wrought considering first that besides infinite other points not controuersed there is a full agreement in the foundation of religion in those same Articles which the twelve Apostles delivered vnto the Church perhappes not an abridgement onely of the faith but even as a touch-stone also of the faithfull for ever that whilst there was an entire consent in them no discent in other opinions shoulde breake peace and communion And secondly considering also there are in great multitude on both sides for so are there vndoubtedly men â—ertuous and learned fraught with the love of God and the truth above all things men of memorable integrity of heart and affections whose lives are not deere vnto them much lesse their labors to be spent for the good of Gods Church and people by whose ioint indevours and single and sincere dealings in common conference for the search of trueth that honorable vnitie of veritie might bee established But if the multitude of crooked and side respects which are the onely olouds that eclipse the trueth from shining more lightly on the face of the world and the only prickes which so enfroward mens affections as not to consider and follow what were for the best doe cause that this chiefe vnitie findeth small acceptation as it is to bee feared at leastwise that the endlesnesse ill fruites of these contentions which tend mainely to the encrease of Athenisme within of Mahomatisme abroad by which obstinacy the Iewes shake the faith of Christians taint the better mindes of acerbity load the words with poyson which breake so out in their actions which themselues thinke holiest namely the defence of Gods trueth which each side chalengeth that in thinking they offer vp a pleasing sacrifice to God they give cause of wicked ioy vnto his their enemies that those wofull effectes with very tedious wearinesse may draw both parts in fine to some tollerable reconciliation or to some vnity of charitie at leastwise to some such as may be least to eithers preiudice Let the one side give over their worshipping of Images and offfering supplication to Saints their offensive ceremonies their indulgences their vsing of strange language not vnderstoode in their devotions al which themselves confesse not to bee necessarie orders of the Church and such as at pleasure shee may dispence with yea Pope Clement the seaventh gave some hope to the French king that hee would not be stiffe in things of this quality and that the respect of time might iustifie the alteration and some of the later Popes condescended to them of Bauaria about the cup of the Sacrament hoping that would have contented them which since they or their successors have taken from them again On the other part let the Protestants such at leastwise as seeke to purge out that negative and contradictorie humour of thinking they are then rightest when they are vnlikest the Papacy then neerest to God 〈…〉 furthest from Rome Let them I say looke with the eye of charitie vpon them as well as of severitie and they shall finde some excellent order of government some singular â—elpes for increase of godlinesse and devotion for the conquering of sinne for the profiting of vertue and contrariwise in themselves looking with a more single and lesse indulgent eye then they doe they shall finde there is no such absolute perfection in their doctrine and reformation as some dreamers in the pleasing viewe of their owne actions doe fancie Neither ought they to thinke it strange they should bee amisse in any thing but rather a very miracle if they were not so in many For if those antient Fathers Sages of the Church who with greater helpes beeing neerer the time of puritie with equall industrie so spending their lives with lesse cause of vnsinceritie having nothing to seduce them notwithstanding were not able in their weakenesse and blindnesse of their humane nature in this world to soare vppe so high alwaies in the search of trueth as to finde out her right State in the height of the heavens but sometimes Errour to bee dwelling nearer them in steede thereof How lesse likely that our age more intangled with the worlde further remooved from those faultlesse institutions and so bitterly exasperated with mutuall controversies and conflictes should attaine to that excellencie and perfection of knowledge which it may bee God hath remooved from mans reach in this world to humble him and to increase his longing towards another world And as the present time doth discover sundry errors in the former so no doubt will the future in that which is now present so that ignorance and errour which seldome goe severed beeing no other then vnseperable companions of man so long as hee continueth in his terrestriall pilgrimage it can bee no blemish to them to revise their doctrine and to abate the rigor of certaine speculative opinions especially touching the eternall decrees of God the qualitie of mans nature the vse of workes wherein some of their chiefe Authors have come to such an vtter opposition to the Romist doctrine as to have exceedingly scandalized all othe Churches withall yea and many of their owne to rest very ill satisfied The state of truth is aloft that of vertve in the middest alwaies both places of honour but neither truth nor vertue draw to an vtter extreamitie And as in some points of doctrine so much more in their practise in order of government and ecclesiasticall degrees in solemnities and statelinesse in the service of God in some exercise of pietie devotion and humility especially in set fastings accompanied with due contrition of heart praier Besides in many other ceremonies they might easily with out offence of conscience at all frame to draw somewhat neerer to their opposites then now they are which yeelded on both sides a general and indifferent confession and summe of faith an vniforme Lyturgy a correspondent forme of Church-government to be made of the points both should agree in and to be established vniversally throughout all Christendome that this all Christians should necessarily hold and this their Divines in Pulpits should teach and this their people in Churches should exercise which done the vnitie of communion should remaine vnviolated for all other questions to be confined to the Schooles the Counsels and to the learned languages which are the proper places to trie them and it should bee lawfull for each man to beleeve as hee found cause not condemning others with
more devotion towards her in the drawer then acquaintance vnlesse her face were verie variable or their skill verie slender Somewhere as at Loretto she is painted like a Blackmore In summe they have so little knowledge of her countenance and favour that in some places they will assemble diverse of their fairest Curtesans to draw the most modest beauty of a Virgin out of the flagrancie of harlots But to returne to the Grecians and to come now to their government which is auncient by Patriarkes Archbishops and Bishops with other orders inferiour vnto whom the people carry exceeding respect as it were to the publike fathers and heads of their nation notwithstanding that calamitie wherein the tyranny of the Turke hath plunged them They have also a religious order amongst them of S. Basill the great founder of the East Monks and S. Benedict of the West These only have their vowes of chastitie austerity and may not marry which to the rest of their Cleargy is not prohibited they have also their proper habite but shaven they are not for ought I could discerne no more are their Priests being a ceremony so bald that some Priests in France are ashamed of the marke and few of them have it that can hansomly avoid it But as in the multitude of their religious orders they differ much from the West Church the Grecians having only this order of S. Basil the Latines having multiplyed therin to greater store varietie then are professions in a cōmon wealth or trades in a city so also in their vse course of life For the Roman monks by withdrawing them selves from the societie of other men and living and dying within their Cels do bereave the world of that benefit and of that dutie and service wherein each man is bound to the behoofe of other alledging in place thereof the blessings which by their assiduitie and fervor in praier not interrupted nor cooled by secular cōmercemēts nor drawne down vpon the world doe grow vnto the Church whereas the Grecians continue that more approved institutiō of them by spirituall meditations and exercises and by severitie to make themselves fitter to serue in the Church of God in ecclesiasticall calling with exemplarie holines And accordingly their Prelates and other principall priests are chose in many places out of one of their order in greatest part these guides of their Church have a wonderfull care and are continually pricked with the motion of much feare and griefe of heart lest their persecuted flock gasping in helpelesse and comfortlesse exreamitie of all miserie having famine of soule and great blindnes within for lacke of a Pastor meanes to maintaine them without seeing nothing but triumphes over Christ and scorners of his religion insolencies and violencies against their persons oppressions and extortions vpon their goods rapines and murderings vpon the verie soules of their children a case to be bewailed with teares of bloud by all Christian hearts that knew it hearing the onely anchor and stay of ther soules which is the expectation of the comming of Christ and of future salvation daily derided and blasphemed by the pride of the mightie And finally seeing no shadow of any hope of deliverie from this calamitie vnder the burden whereof they grone should in the end fall away and revolt to Turcisme inviting them therevnto with so many baites of pleasures of freedome and of worldly glorie In which fearefulnes of mind the onely remedy remaining is the vertuousnes of their owne example in constancie and patience and avoyding of all scandall to their people which is the cause that they vvill not heare of any reformation of any thing not I suppose for any presumption or obstinacie of minde as disdaining reformation but all trembling at alteration vvhich must needes accompany it least their people perceiving hovv they had bin amisse in something might suspect the possibility of like error in the vvhole fall mainly vvhither the force of povver vvorldly prosperity a chief argument to the vulgar mind should sway them on the other side their doubt of further exasperating the Turke in his crueltie against them considering that in Greece and in all those parts of Europe the Christians vnder the Turke doe verie manifoldly exceede in number the Mahometitians themselves may be a cause why in their generall they hold so small intelligence and correspondence with the West Church of one side or other and are like to continue so whilest their thraldom and cause of that feare shall last though in their particular they will declare a brotherly affection of both and desire of the vnity of all in one truth But for the Turke himselfe hee maketh full account that whensoeuer the West Christians should shortly invade him these Christians vnder him would runne to their aide if they sawe any likelihoode that they should prevaile And this hath beene seene alreadie more then once by example and hee provideth accordingly The Moscovites are a great Church a free and puissant not Schismaticks from the other Grecians as some in disgrace Moscovites of both deliver though perhaps not cōcurring fully in al points neither is it true which other of a contrary cōceipt have rumored that the Patriarch of Constantinople had removed his Seat to Mosco whither he went only to erect that See into an Archbishopricke which before it was not returned But the Turk to keep the Moscovits from stirring against him causeth the Tartarians to make oftē incur sions roads into their country that so being held alwaies in awe on one side they may have lesse stomack on the other to imbrace any thoughts or dessignes of interprising or combining with other Christians against him It were needlesse now to enter into any view of their lives neyther could it serve eyther way to their honor or reproch of their Religion and gouernment being maimed interrupted or stopt in his operations of what quality soever through his tyrany who strives to plant barbarousnes among them as knowing that neither civilitie founded his Empyre nor with civilitie could it long continue But the case is general and experience shews it in all places that the afflicted in all religions how contrary soeuer are for the most part men of conscience and honestie save only where hopes draw other humors to them For it cannot come from lesse than a vertuous affection to prefer the sinceritie of conscience before worldly glory howsoeuer it may be stained with erronious opinions as on the contrary side even the purest religion in prosperity draws it to an infinity of timeseruers who being trained vp in the exactions of cup discipline make their Randevous where the best cheere is stirring and follow Christ vpon a sharp devotion but to his bread not to his doctrine In which regard the fruits of life in divers religions and governments are not to be compared but where their prosperity and adversity are equall So fals it out in this particular we