contrary in diuers maine points to the doctrine of the apostles Seuenthly they do neither retaine vnion with Christ Iesus nor with the ancient Church nor among themselues Eightly their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy nor hath any efficacie in it nor hath other fountain then the popes fancie Ninthly their legendary miracles and prophecies whereupon a great part of the credit of the Romish faith dependeth are nothing but lies and forgerie and those ofttimes very ridiculous Tenthly their strange nouelties and heresies haue béene by many both olde late writers reproued and condemned Lastly as the authours of it haue liued vnhappily and died miserably for the most part so those that haue gone about to restore true religion and to roote out Romish idolatrie and heresie haue for this onely cause felt Gods great fauour towardes them both in their liues and ends 44 The Church of Rome is also conuicted not to be the true Church by the confession of a Relect. doct princip cont 1. q. 5. Stapleton For if the true Church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed and hath continued in all ages and hath a true succession of bishops from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and which hath planted christian religion preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intire and which also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound and pure frō corruption and finally which holdeth the decrees of all generall councels as blundering Stapleton not only confesseth but after his most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to proue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of christ Iesus For to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirm that Rome now is like to old Rome Our aduersarie should do vs great fauour to shew that the glorie and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth together with his cardinals dumbe bishops masse-priests idle monks lying fryars and all the popes decretals and ceremonies are come from Hierusalem He may doe also well to proue that the latter scholasticall and decretaline doctrine was vniuersally receiued throughout the world either in the apostles times or in the times of the ancient Fathers of the Church The rocke of succession vpon which they build so huge conclusions we haue shewed to be nothing but a banke of sand We haue shewed also that their doctrine is not only diuers but contrarie to the doctrine of Christ the head of the Church and of his apostles And how great contentions haue béene in the Romish church not onely the schismes and warres betwixt popes and princes but also the differences about all points of religion which is apparant both in the disputes of schoolmen and also in the writings of Bellarmine and his consorts do declare That the Romanists haue corrupted the faith not onely with nouelties but also with diuers heresies and haue changed both the ancient forme of apostolike gouernement and also the principles and grounds of faith established both by Fathers and councels and by the apostles themselues and haue yéelded to heresies and béene ouercome of the gates of hell I thinke no man can doubt that readeth this discourse and compareth the late procéedings of the Romish church to the rule deliuered vnto vs by Christ Iesus 45 Finally the testimony of a In his motiues Bristow doth vtterly ouerthrow the Church of Rome and declareth it not to be the true church For he commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties and heresies and idolatrie and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certaine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and hath infallible iudges and is sure to continue But the Romish church is neither catholike nor apostolike neither doth it abhorre either heresie or idolatrie nor shun profane nouelties The doctrine of that church hath neither ground of scripture ancient councels nor fathers neither can the Romish doctors bring any certaine proofe of their traditions It teacheth a broad way and maketh rebellious subiects In iudgemēt it hath no other certaintie then the popes determination Finally already that tower of Babel which is built so high doth begin to totter and as we trust cānot long stand Further he saith that euerie church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from the apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saintes nor euer visible and lastly that is not the teacher of all diuine truth and the vndoubted mother of Christs children is not the true church of Christ But the Church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals and officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monkes friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and went out of the catholike apostolike church and hath for the popes quarrell opposed it selfe against Christ and his true doctrine The same is also departed from the ancient faith and is no more to bée tearmed Christs Church which is a communion of saints linked together in the profession of Christs true faith but rather the combination of antichrist and the synagogue of Satan Such a church as is now to be séene at Rome and in the prouinces adhering to it was not visible many ages after Christ neither was any such church for a long time extant in the world neither when the same began to shew her selfe in great ruffe did she either teach all truth or refuse all heresie false doctrine or beare or bring forth children to Christ but to antichrist And therfore we may safely conclude that the Romish church of these times is the synagogue of Satan and not the true church of Christ Iesus The nature and propertie of the true and vnspotted spouse of Christ the inseparable qualities of true faith and such as truly professe the same and finally the confession and doctrine of the aduersaries themselues when they speake of the true church and true faith and true professours and matters incident vnto them in generall do declare it to be so CHAP. V. That no papists haue beene executed in England since her Maiesties comming to the crowne for meere matter of religion but for their treasons or other capitall offences HItherto wée haue spoken in the defence of our religion and Christian profession It resteth therefore nowe séeing our aduersary doth not onely calumniate our religion but our lawes also and gouernment that wée speake somwhat in defence of iustice especially so farre foorth as it
reasons First God commandeth b Deut. 13. vs strictly that wée shall not suffer either prophet or dreamer of dreames to liue that shall goe about to drawe vs from God to serue other gods Neither may wée thinke that either this law is abrogated standing vpon morall equitie or that the popish friers and priestes that teach the idolatrous worship of angels saints crosses and images and of their God of the altar are without the compasse of this lawe Secondly a Isai 49. God appointed Christian princes to bée Foster fathers Queenes to be nursing mothers to his church And therefore may they not sée either God dishonored by false religion and idolatrie or true Christians oppressed with force or trecherie They carrie not the sword for nothing and God requireth the maintenance of his truth at their handes Hee that honoreth me saith the b 1. Sam. 2. Lord him will I honour and he that despiseth me shall be despised No policie therefore will serue where Gods religion and his true honour is little regarded Thirdly the apostle c Rom. 16. would haue those That cause diuisions and offences to be marked and auoided and d 1. Tim. 1. giueth Timothy charge not to suffer such as woulde teach an other doctrine How then may they be suffred that would teach a cōtrarie doctrine to that of Christ Fourthly it was euer the custom of christian princes to punish false teachers as appéereth e L. Quicunque Cod. de haeretic by the law of Valentinian and Martian emperors Vltimo supplicio afficiantur say the emperors qui illicita docere tentauerint And that Hierome writing vpon the fift to the Galathians doth allow misliking that Arius escaped so long vnpunished Lastly the aduersaries will not suffer true preachers to teach truth Why then shoulde their priests and friers be suffered to teach heresie and falshoode Will they giue lawe to others and not endure themselues to be ordered by lawe Nothing can be deuised more vnreasonable or more repugnant to f L. 1. ff quod quisque iuris lawe Whatsoeuer libertie therefore is granted to simple people abuse by false teachers that concerneth Iesuites priests and other false teachers nothing The second point is prooued by lawes of nations and necessary rules of state For all nations do punish such as practise against the princes person and the security of the state as offending in the highest degrée of treason and mere simplicity it is reputed to suffer any to liue in a state that entendeth or practiseth the destruction of the state By the g 25. Edw. 3.2 lawes of this realme it is accompted treason To compasse or imagine the death of the prince or to adhere to his enemies By the Romayne h ff all Iud. m◠〈◊〉 l. ◠2 3. lawes it was treason To runne to the enemies to assist them with armes or meanes or intelligence and much more to stirre vp sedition or to draw enemies vpon the state or to practise the destruction of it All which seuerall lawes do shew that it is not possible to maintaine this state vnlesse such traytors be punished seuerely that either attempt against the princes sacred person or séeke to stirre sedition to alter the gouernment or that adhere to the pope or Spanyard or that endeuour to depose the prince from her gouernement and to ouerthrow this state or that intertaine intelligence with forraine enemies or that are eyther ayders or abettors or allowers of any such actes or treasons Neither is it materiall that these practisers be they Iesuites priestes or whatsoeuer else do pretend a certaine kinde of religion séeing their end is war and rebellion their meanes faction and diuision and their maintayners and vpholders publike enemies of the prince and state The third point is taught vs by the instinct of nature For euen light of nature sheweth euery liuing creature how to prouide for his owne safety and to decline and auoide such things as may séeme hurtfull And reason teacheth man to draw himselfe into some society and common wealth whereby he may be in safety from his enemies For this cause euery man that is not transported with strange passion loueth to liue vnder law and gouernment and to hate those that would dissolue lawes and lawfull gouernment Howsoeuer then we fauour seduced papistes yet vnlesse we will shew our selues deuoide of naturall reason we may not shew our selues negligent in séeking the safety of our selues and the mainteinance of lawes and gouernment wherein our safety in part consisteth We may not neglect the safety of those that depend vpon vs but euery man according to his place is to resist such as seeke our liues and the liues of those that are committed to vs or do depend vpon vs. In these thrée pointes or any of them it is not lawfull to offend by any law The papistes I thinke will not say that any man that eyther teacheth false religion or practiseth against the prince or state or by sedition séeketh to hurt his countrymen and to murder them is to escape vnpunished Wherefore then should they mislike any that teacheth that such offendors are to be punished If I say all were punished within these cases yet were it good iustice very necessary Howbeit such is the clemency of her Maiesties gouernement that she spareth Iesuites priestes and such false teachers as some thinke but too much Obstinate recusants if they be not taken in some practise of treason are not in danger eyther of life or landes or liberty they are not banished nor rigorously punished Nay their onely punishment is a pecuniary mulct and that of few exacted The poorer sort escape almost without punishment the richer do auoid the punishment by trauersing the enditement In Spaine and Italy our brethren would accompt such punishments great fauour Wherefore séeing this Noddy our aduersary knoweth the rigour of popish inquisitors against true Christians and by this may well perceiue her Maiesties great clemency extended not onely to quiet papistes that liue priuate without scandale but also to obstinate and factious recusantes yea and to notorious traitors hée was not wise either to challenge his aduersarie for speaking of Recusants so moderately or to accuse this state of iniustice that sheweth such extraordinarie fauour towards them that so little deserue it Hée chargeth his aduersarie With playing the Herodian bicause he saith that diuers Recusants vnder a visor of ciuill honestie do couer disloyall harts But if hée had done him right hée shoulde rather haue thanked him for commending their ciuill cariage which is more then their insolencie of late much encreased deserueth That it is true which sir Francis Hastings affirmeth if his face were not armed with a visor of impudencie hée woulde not haue denied Both reason and experience doth teach it to bée most true For if hée bée a true papist then must hée liue in subiection to the pope and acknowledge his authoritie a C. vnam
consort of malicious traytors and an abbettor and nourisher of men euill affected in their malcontentment Nay albeit his colour were better cast yet were his pleading vnsufficient seeing true religion cannot stande with rebellion or disloyaltie nor may true catholikes be suffered to oppugne their prince and countrey to practise trecherie against the state and to nourish malcontent humours among subiects But if it appeere that the Romanistes are not the true church and that their religion is neither catholike nor ancient nor true then must it needes be granted that N. D. and his consorts are not onely malicious traytors but also impious heretikes It is also very plaine that all his wrangling encounters are built vpon fancies and supposals without grounde and foundation and are no better then malicious inuectiues degorged against good men and idle pretenses to colour the practises of enimies traytors and heretikes For euery traytor can pretend that he is a true patriot and Catiline and his consorts and all rebels vse to set a glosse of common good vpon their priuate wicked deseignements and treasons All societies also of heretikes will take vpon them as true Christians as saith a Lib. 4. institut cap. vlt. Lactantius and suppose themselues to be the catholike church Tertullian saith b Lib. 4. contr Marcion That as waspes make honycombes so the Marcionites pretend to make churches albeit indeed they were no true churches Nouatian like apes that counterfeit men saith c Epist 73. Cyprian woulde challenge to himselfe the authoritie and truth of the church albeit he be not of the church but a rebell and enimie set vp against the church Which fitteth our aduersary very well who if he had his yellow ierkin were a very ape or an apish Iebusite entitling himselfe and his companions with the name of the church But if he had beene a foxe as well as an ape and had but had a foxes wiles he would haue made bâ—tter proofe of his maine groundes which not being 〈◊〉 is a maine maime of his whole cause Now to the intent that thou maiest perceiue that all his building is either without foundation or vpon a marrish ground that will beare no such great worke I haue thought good for thy satisfaction to challenge him once more into the fielde and to make triall of his manhood in fiue new encounters which do much concerne his cause and credite For as before I haue shewed him and his consorts to be perfect traytors and Recusants and malcontent papists to be verie sorie and defectiue subiects so nowe God willing I purpose to shew first That papists are no true catholikes secondly That their religion as it differeth from that which we professe is a packe of nouelties thirdly That it is patched vp of many old heresies fourthly That the Romish church is not the true church and lastly that N. D. his consorts whether they were Iesuites or priests or their adhaerentes that haue beene executed to death according to the lawes of England are to be esteemed traytors and not martyrs And this in defence of her Maiesties iustice or rather clemencie For if she woulde do them iustice then woulde not she suffer them to liue as subiects that will not directly acknowledge her to be their Queene and lawfull souereigne especially where the pope saith contrarie If she did her-selfe right she woulde not tolerate a faction notoriously opposite to her gouernment If she did iustice she woulde not suffer such to enioy wealth and honors life that adhere to forreine enimies that seeke the destruction of the common-wealth the dishonour of this state the ruine and bloud of all that stande well affected to religion and the state And that Parsons and the priests that come out of Spaine and are sworne to maintaine the Infantaes title and are reconciled or adhering to the pope are all culpable of these treasons it is so cleered by the former discourse and by the last chapter of this that I thinke it may be felt of blinde men and not onelie discerned by those that haue eies to looke into the state The rest maketh for defence of our religion which no mâ—n can reprooue but such as haue drunke deepe of the cup of the purple harlot spoken of Apocalyp 17. and are sworne slaues to the pope and professed enimies not onely of religion and the state but also of their owne good in this worlde and of their eternall saluation in the worlde to come Beware therefore my good countryman for so I must account thee vntill I see thee declare thy selfe open friend to popish traytors and enimie to thy counrrey that harkening to the Sirens songs of Iebusites and priestes enimies to gods true religion not onely to their prince countrey thou be not swallowed vp in the gulfe of their heresies and treasons They lead thee not to the rocke Christ Iesus vpon which the church is built but to the a Bellar. praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. rocke the pope and the bankes of his sandie inuentions vpon which thou must needs wracke thy selfe if thou shun them not quickly True religion is grounded vpon Christs word reuealed to vs in the holy canonicall Scriptures all which we professe according to the rule of the true catholike church And for this truth we doubt not to giue our liues so assured we are of our profession where as thou as long as thou continuest a papist hast no warrant but the popes worde which to say no woorse is ignorant of true religion and apostolike faith and subiect to many errors and infirmities Read therefore indifferently and iudge syncerely and vprightly and the God of truth guide thee into the way of iustice and truth CHAP. I. That papists are no true Catholikes FRuitelesse it is and almost endlesse to contend much about names and titles but especially in causes of religion For as a In Apolog. Iustin Martyr saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true religion Consisteth in good workes rather then good termes and the c Ad Tit. 3. apostle exhorteth Titus and all true teachers to auoide contentions and quarrels about words of the lawe Yet forasmuch as manie simple people are abused by false teachers taking vpon them glorious names and titles and looke onely vpon the shéepes clothing that is outward and not on the wooluish nature of priestes and friers that is inward I thought it not amisse to shew what this name Catholike importeth and to whom the same truely belongeth and how dangerous it is to trust euery one that taketh to himselfe the name of a Catholike The Iewes d Ioan. 8. called themselues The children of Abraham and bragged much of the e Hierem. 7. Temple of God and of f Rom. 2. the lawe But the apostle teacheth vs that not euerie one that in name and outward shew was a Iew deserued so to be estéemed and taken g Epist 83. Leo speaking to certaine monkes saith Ecclesiae
principall rocke doth wholy rely vpon the popes of Rome men neither like to Christ nor like to Peter nor like to a rocke Vnlesse it be in that they deny Christ and are as hard harted against Christians as if they were rockes Secondly the faith of the true catholike church is built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets and their canonicall doctrine The apostle c Ephes 2. saith That the houshold of God and citizens of saintes are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets S. d Apocal. 25. Iohn sheweth That the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles The church is built not vpon Peter onely as saint e Lib. aduers â—â—in Hierome saith but vpon all the apostles At dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur The church of God saith f In Ephes 2. Theophylact is built vpon the apostles and prophets And all this is therefore affirmed of them because they preached not themselues but Christ Iesus and wrote the canonicall scriptures that they might be as g Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith The foundation of our faith Vnto this foundation the ancient fathers do all giue testimony But the faith of the Romish synagogue is built vpon the determinations decretals of popes They count their determinations to be infallible and make them souereine iudges of all controuersies in Christes stead Alij nunc à Christo missi saith h In praefat in relect in prinâ—ip doct Stapleton eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt He plainely i Ibidem confesseth that the papists haue another foundation of their faith besides the scriptures Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus saith he ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud And k Lib. 4. de verb. Dei c. 4. Bellarmine disputing of traditions calleth them the word of God not written and saith That the scriptures are neither necessary nor sufficient without them Demonstrare conabimur saith hée scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes Nowe if they cannot shewe that the church of God in times past did builde their faith vpon the popes decretals and traditions they must néeds confesse that they are not the true church Thirdly neuer did the church of Christ speake euill of Scriptures a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the propertie of heretikes when they are conuinced by Scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them The children of God certes cannot calumniate their heauenly fathers testament or refuse to heare his voice My sheepe saith our b Iâ—hn 10. Sauiour heare my voice But the papists say they are neither necessary nor sufficient as doth Bellarmine or no sufficient foundation of the church as doth Stapleton in the places aboue mentioned and speake euill of them as if they were c Annot. Rhem. in 2. Cor. 3. A killing letter and most pernicious or as if they were a nose of ware d Ceâ—sur Colon. or a matter of contention and will not suffer them to be publikely read in a toong that is vnderstood of the vulgar fort 4. The church of God doth keepe the doctrine of the apostles without addition and alteration auoiding all prophane nouelties The Gal. 1. apostle pronounceth him accursed That teacheth any other Gospell then that which he taught So f Aduers haeres c. 34. Vincentius Lâ—rinensis saith Catholicorum hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare But the synagogue of Rome hath added vnto the doctrine of the apostles infinite nouelties as hath béene declared aboue in the second chapter Their doctrine concerning the grounds of faith concerning the law the Gospell and diuers points of Christian faith their worship of God their massing seruice and popish gouernment is newe as their newe decretals and late Tridentine doctrine the decrées of other late councels whereupon all their popish faith dependeth do plainly testifie 5. The true church cannot abide heretikes that teach doctrine contrary to that of the apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe g Iohn 10 saith They will not follow a stranger but flye from him for that they know not the voice of strangers that the apostles gaue the faithfull Christians in charge If there come any vnto you saith a 2. Iohn saint Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith b Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith c Lib. 1. ep 3. Cyprian as far from them as they separate themselues from the church Neither can the true church embrace erroneous doctrine For true Christians will not heare the voice of strangers Si haeretici sunt saith Tertullian d De praescrip aduers haeret Christiani esse non possunt But it is apparent that the popes of Rome are heretikes which are the great maisters and Rabbines of the Romish synagogue as may appeare by the examples of Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius thâ— first Iohn the two twentith Eugenius the 4. and diuers others We haue also shewed that the synagogue of Rome hath embraced diuers heresies and doth wholy addict her selfe to embrace heretikes and to persecute true teachers 6. The church of God is the mistresse and teacher of truth and admitteth no falsehood nor vntruth The e 1. Tim. 3. apostle doth call her The piller and ground of truth Est fons veritatis faith f Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius hoc est domicilium fidei She is the fontaine of truth that is to say The house where true faith dwelleth but the synagogue of Rome is not onely a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lyes and vanities She not onely receiueth false traditions but also teacheth them She embraceth lying legends and old wiues fables and apocryphall deuises And this is the word of God not written which they so much commend and make equall to holy scriptures That church g In breuiar in festo Cathar beléeueth That saint Catharine was a maiden of Alexandria so well learned that at eighteene yeeres of age she passed the most learned and ouercame fiftie philosophers conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of his to the faith and broke the tormenting wheele with her oraysons They say also that her body was buried by angels
church neuer taught nor thought so basely of the most holy body of our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesus that they imagined that a mouse a dogge a hogge or other brute beast did eate it and presse it with teeth and swallow it downe For they beléeued as wée beléeue that Christ is in heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God and is farre from those pressures and contumelies But the synagogue of Rome beléeueth that a brute beast may eate Christs body If a dogge or hogge saith a Part. 4. q. 45. Alexander Hales shoulde eate the whole consecrated host I see no cause but the Lords body shoulde go therewithall into that dogs or hogs bellie Some haue said as it is in b Part. 3. q. 8. art 3. Thomas Aquinas his summe that Assoone as the sacrament is taken of a mouse or a dogge straightway the body and bloud of Christ cease to bee there but this is a derogation to the truth of this sacrament And where the master of c Lib. 4. dist 13. sentences abhorreth from this position saying that it may bée well saide that the body of Christ is not receiued of brute beastes the masters of Paris put this in the margent that d Hîc Magister non tenetur Heere the master is not beleeued 22. The true catholike church did neuer sell the holy sacrament nor beleeue that it was a meanes to satisfie for sinnes both of quicke and dead Nor did the same promise health to the sicke sigâ—t to the blinde gaine to merchants husbands to maidens being present at the sacrament But the Romish synagogue doth sell Christ Deteriores sunt Iuda e C. 23. saith the author that made Onus ecclesiae alleaging the authoritie of saint Bâ—git Qui pro solis denarijs me vendidit illi autem pro omni mercimonio And no traffike is more coÌ„mon in the Romish church then the traffike for masses They make men beléeue that this sacrifice of the masse is expiatorie both for the sins of quicke and dead Hoc sacrificium saith f De valore missae parad 12. Guernerus est expâ—atiuum debitae poenae tam hîc quam in futuro exoluendae Hée g Ibid. parad 9. sheweth also that It hath miraculous effects against thunder danger of enimies and all other dangers and that he that frequenteth the masse shall bee directed in all thinges Neither can any man desire any thing that priestes by their masses will not promise to obtaine for him 23. The true catholike church did neuer vse to make holy water nor to consecrate paschal lambes nor oyle nor candles nor such like thinges Nor did the same beléeue that by holy water veniall sinnes were remitted or that it was good to driue away mise or make barren women conceiue or that the other hallowed thinges haue such effectes as the schoolemen teach But the Romish church doth h Missal Rom. in fin consecrate holy water and paschall lambes oyle candels and other creatures and hath a great opinion of these consecrate thinges Non mane institutâ—â—â—n est saith i In lib. Numer c. 19. Augustin Steâ—chus quod aquas sale orationibus sanctificamus vt ad â—orum aspersum delicta nostra deleantur a In dialog Alane Copus telleth vs that holy water is good to driue away mise and to make barreine women to conceiue 25. The true church standeth not much vpon externall ceremonies as in the time of Moyses law The b Coloss 2. apostle writing to the Colossians would not haue men condemned In respect of meate or drinke or of holy dayes Nor would haue them burdened with traditions As touch not tast not handle not And c Iohn 4. Christ saith that in his church True worshippers should worship God in spirit and truth But the seruice of the Romish church for the most part consisteth in externall obseruances as for example in absteining from certaine meates and drinkes and widowhoode and abstinence from mariage in singing ringing going on pilgrimage painting knocking greasing kéeping feastes and holy daies and worshipping the sacrament and externall signes 26. The true church of God neither made the image of the godhead nor set vp images in churches to be worshipped knowing that the same is directly contrary to the commaundement of God d Aduers Gentes lib. 8. Arnobius saith That the first Christians had no altars nor temples nor images worshipped in open shew Ne simulachra quidem veneramur saith e Contra. Celsum lib. 7. Origen quippe qui dei vt inuisibilis ita incorporei formam nullam effigiamus f Lib. 2. Diuin instit c. 19. Lactantius saith There is no religion where there is an image The councell of g C. 36. Eliberis forbad pictures in churches Arnobius saith that Christians do not worship the crosse Cruces saith he nec colimus nec optamus lib. 8. aduers gentes h Lib. 9. ep 9. Gregory himselfe would not haue images worshipped albeit he would not haue them broken downe De cultu imag lib. 1. Ionas Aurelianensis writing for images condemneth the popish manner of worshipping them Creaturam adorari eÃque aliquid diuinae seruitutis impendi proh nefas ducimus huiusque sceleris patratorem detestandum anathematizandum libera voce proclamamus But the popish church doth make the images of God the father and the holie Ghost and worshippeth them with diuine worship Likewise do the papists worship the crucifixe and crosse and with seruice kissing and crouching do they worship the images of Saints 27. The ancient church did alwaies serue God in a toong vnderstood of the people The Gréekes had their Liturgie in the Gréeke toong the Italians in the Italian toong the Syrians in the Syriake the Armenians in the Armenian language the Slauonians in the Slauon toong a Lib. 8. contr Celsum Origen saith That God that is Lord of all toongs heareth those that praie in any toong and that euery one praieth in his natiue and mother toong b In Epitaph Paulae ad Eustochium Hierome saith that Psalmes were song at the buriall of Paula not onely in Hebrew Gréeke and Latine But in the Syrian toong In an other Epistle of his written to c Epist 17. Marcella he sheweth That euery nation that came to Bethlehem had their seuerall languages in their church seruice For as the apostle saith d 1. Cor. 14. Hee that praieth in a toong not vnderstood profiteth nothing But the papists and church of Rome will haue no other toong vsed in the common Liturgie of the Westerne churches but the Latine of which the vulgar people scarce vnderstand one word 28. The true church is the kingdome of Christ and there hée onely raigneth by the scepter of his worde Transtulit nos saith the e Coloss 2. apostle in regnum filij Dei The apostle Saint Iames saith that hée alone is our law-giuer and our iudge There is one law-giuer
f Iames 4. saith hée that is able to saue and to destroy But in the church of Rome the pope beareth himselfe as a soueraigne monarke and hée taketh on him power to bind and loose in heauen earth and purgatorie And his agents say That his lawes binde in conscience and that hée hath power to saue and destroy The Romish church is gouerned by his lawes and acknowledgeth him to bée the supreme iudge of controuersies 29. The true church of Christ contenteth herselfe with the religion first taught by the apostles For as g Lib. 4. contr Marcion Tertullian saith Id verius quod prius id prius quod ab apostolis And as h Aduers haeres c. 26. Vincentius Lirinensâ—â— saith it is the propertie of heretikes Not to content themselues with the ancient rule of faith but to seeke nouelties from day to day and to desire to adde to change to take away But the church of Rome doth not content herselfe with the doctrine of the apostles nor with the ancient rule of faith but is still adding changing taking away as may appéere by the popes decretals 30. The true church is dispersed euery where For our Sauiour f commanded his apostles To teach all nations i Matth. 28. And wée beléeue not a particular church but The catholike church that is the societie of Christians of all times and places but the Romish church neither conteineth the Gréekes nor Africans nor men of Asia that haue for many ages béene diuided froÌ„ that church Nor doth it reach to the people before Christ but onely a Bellar. de eccles milit c. 2. conteineth such as liue in obedience to the pope How then can the church of Rome bee the catholike church Shall the church of that citie bée as great as the church of the whole worlde 31. The true church of Christ conteineth neither lyons nor tygres nor woolues but consisteth onely of shéepe and lambes Nay it maketh milde Christians of sauage and wilde atheistes and miscreantes and as Paule of a fierce persecutor by christianity was made a constant professor so the mildenesse of this our christian mother the church changeth mens cruell natures They shall not hurt nor kill saith b Isai 11. God by his prophet in all my holy mountain The wolf shall dwel with the lambe and the Pard shall ly with the Kid. c De incarnat verbi Athanasius saith that nothing but Christes faith caused barbarous nations to become peaceable Quis coegit barbaros gentesque alias in suis sedibus saith he immanitatem deponere pacifica meditari nisi Christi fides crucis signaculum d Lib. 2. contr Parmen Optatus speaking of catholikes Which of vs saith he hath persequuted any man Can you shew or prooue that any of you hath beene persequuted by vs But the church of Rome hath of late yéeres and yet doth murder infinite numbers of men that would not adhere to her Romish faith Their e Extr. de haeret per tot lawes are bloody and cruell their executions are more cruell In the time of Charles the emperor the fift of that name it is found in f Meteran de Belgicis tumultibus record That aboue fiftie thousand persons were by sentence of iudges executed to death for the profession of their faith in the low countries In France as their owne stories report at one g Anno 1572. time thrée score thousand Christians without order of law were most shamefully massacred Circiter sexaginta hominum millia saith h Lib. 23. p. 508. Natalis Comes speaking of the massacre varijs in locis per illud tempus trucidata fuisse dicta sunt in Gallia And so extraordinary was the furie of papists that they spared neither age sexe nor qualitie Vel puberes vel impuberes saith i Ibid. p. 507. he trucidati sunt neque vllius sexus vel aetatis vel dignitatis habita est ratio Neither may wée thinke that they haue shewed lesse crueltie against Christians in Spaine Italie Germany England and other nations The Romish church hath died her garments in the blood of saints and the prelates haue shewed themselues leaders to the people in these barbarous executions Well therefore may that bée applied to them which a Lib. 2. con Parmen Optatus spoke of the cruell Donatistes Lacerati sunt viri tractatae sunt matronae infantes necati abacti partus ecce vestra ecclesia episcopis ducibus cruentis morsibus pasta est Men haue béene tormented women haue béene abused infants haue béene murdred women forced to loose their children behold your church is fedde with crueltie and your prelates haue béene captaines to the vulgar sort in their cruell executions 32. The catholike church neuer shewed more fauour to the Iewes and Infidels then to Christians that disliked the bishops of Rome The Christian emperors b L. hac valitura Cod. de Iudaeis Caelieolis excluded the Iewes from all gouernment and authoritie in the common-wealth and c Ibidem restreined their insolencies with diuers sharpe lawes The like course they d Cod. de Paganis sacrif templ tooke also with Pagans and Infidels shutting their temples and forbidding their sacrifices and Idolatries But the Romish synagogue doth indure the impieties of Iewes in the midst of Rome albeit they denie and blaspheme Christ Iesus tormenting and killing christians that shall but once offer to speake against the pope Likewise e Onuphr in Alexandro 6. Alexander the sixt receiued Turkes and Maranes into Rome being erpelled out of Spaine and the popes are content that their subiects shall trade with Turkes albeit they cannot endure any christian that shall mislike the popes authoritie 33. The true church of God neuer sought by forging and falsifying of mens writings and by lying and slandering to aduance Christes religion For truth is strong enough of it selfe and néedeth not to bée supported with falshood f Prouerb 12. and a Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. False witnesses and slanderers in ancient time were so farre from beeing estéemed in the church that they were b excluded out of the church g Concil Agath c. 27. Concil Elâ—bert c. 73. 74. But the church of Rome perceiuing that she cannot otherwise preuaile goeth to worke by plaine forging and falsifying leauing nothing sound that once passeth her fingers h Canones apostolor constiutioneâ— Somewhat she commendeth vnder the name of the a apostles and many thinges vnder the name of ancient fathers There is no ancient father but she hath ascribed vnto him many children which were neuer begotten by him as the workes of Cyprian Origen Athanasius Hierome Augustine Chrysostome Gregory and others do plainely testifie For who séeth not how many vnlearned and vnsound treatises are dayly published vnder the names of ancient fathers Nay the Romanistes are much offended with Erasmus and other learned mens censures that haue gone about
now there is but one faith as there is but one baptisme and one God as the c Ephes 4. apostle teacheth vs. And this is the faith which the apostles and prophets haue taught and which wée in the church of England do professe Remember I say that true faith is Christes faith and apostolike faith It is not the popes faith nor his determinations nor vncertaine traditions It hath no other foundation but the doctrine of Christ and his apostles and holy prophets Beware therefore of the pretended cacolike Romish faith that hath no grounde but in the popes determinations nor support but lies fraude and violence If the doctrine and traditions of popish priests come not from Christ Iesus which is the foundation of our religion but is drawne out of vncertaine legendes and resteth on the popes determination remember what the apostle teacheth in this point If any man saith a Galat. 1. hée preach vnto you otherwise then that you haue receiued let him bee accursed Beléeue not euery spirite For many deceiuers are gone out into the worlde If any bring any doctrine not deduced out of holy Scripture suspect him and examine him and thou shalt finde him faultie And aboue all thinges beware of new doctrines For wée haue but one faith which hath his originall from Christ the fountaine of truth life Profanas vocum nouitates saith the b 1. Tim. 6. apostle deuita And if wée may not vse new termes or words in matters of faith then may we not receiue any newe articles of religion It is the part of true catholikes to adhere to holy fathers and to auoide nouelties as saith c Aduers haeres c. 36. Vincentius Lirinensis Nowe what fathers more holy then the prophets and apostles that are the fathers of fathers and the foundation of the church If the doctrine of poperie be for the most part a packe of old and newe heresies as hath bin shewed thée why shouldst thou bée abused by false teachers Why shouldst thou bée desirous as distempered stomackes are to feed vpon vnholesome doctrine Graues sunt haereticorum morsus saith Saint d In Euangel Luc. lib. 7. c. 10. Ambrose qui ipsis grauiores rapaciores bestijs nullum abaritiae finem impietatÃsque nouerunt They looke faire vpon thée but bite déepely They promise true religion and catholike faith but teach heresies and damnable opinions They come vnto thée with shéepes clothing and pretend sauing of soules but inwardly they are rauening woolues and séeke to destroie both thy body soule They giue thée honie but it is deliuered thée vpon a swordes point that when thou thinkest to licke honie thy hart may bée pearced with a sharpe pointed sword If the synagogue of Romanistes bée not the true church why takest thou delight to heare her teachers or to embrace her erronious doctrine Why doest thou not come out of Babylon Wilt thou remaine in her confusion and be partaker of her plagues Why shouldest thou go vp to Bethauen or delight in the congregation of wicked idolaters e Hoseae 4. Go not vp I say to Bethauen f 1. Cor. 10. flie Idolatrie g Apocal. 18. Come out of Babylon It is not I onely but Christ Iesus that calleth thée out of this confusion If thou wilt not heare him nor know him bée assured hée will not knowe thée nor heare thée It is not the pope that can saue thée nor his decretals that can warrant thee Leaue therefore the synagogue of satan and resort to Gods true church Forsake antichrist and adhere to Christ Quisquis saith Saint h Epist 152. Augustine ab ecclesia catholica abfuerit quantumuis laudabiliter se viuere existimet hoc solo scelere quòd à Christi vnitate disiunctus est non habebit vitam sed ira Dei manet super eum As without Noes arke in time past all flesh was drowned so there is no safetie out of Christes church And bée not lightly deceiued with the name of the church For antichrist as the i 2. Thes 2. apostle telleth vs shall sit in Christes church And with his followers as Saint Augustine teacheth vs shall bée accounted to bée the true church viz. by such as are abused The synagogue of satan in time past did take on them the name of Iewes and falshood is often set out with a faire lustre and shew of truth All Christians haue an interest in true religion Why then shoulde any suffer the damnable doctrine of poperie that is so full of heresies and erronious opinions Why shoulde any suffer the Scriptures to bée taken from the people of God so that they shall no more bée suffered to read them and in lieu thereof receiue the popes determinations and the synagogues of Romes traditions Can any true Christian indure the abominable idole of the masse where the bread and cup is adored for God or the idolatrous worship of Romish Babylon Those that honour God those hée will honour and such as are luke-warme and care not what religion they haue those God will cast out of his mouth as a lothsome race of atheistes and wicked men If religion mooue not euerie man yet if hée remember the slauerie of popish gouernment and how preiudiciall it is to princes to the nobilitie to the commons and all sortes of people hée will not much bée enamored of it The magistrate may not suffer either his authoritie to bée disputed of or doubted of or denied And yet the Iesuites and priestes and their adherents are suffred to teach and to do all this as appéereth by their answeres to the sixe Interrogatories by their cases of conscience and by their doctrine and actions Nay most boldly albeit secretly they practise against the life and state of her Maiestie as many particulars do shewe Happie are they that they haue encountred with such a prince and yet let them beware they abuse not her clemencie too farre For no state can stande where such contumacious and rebellious mates liue in open contempt of authoritie and lawes It behooueth also all them that carrie the sworde to looke that not onely Christ his shéepe bée defended from woolues but also that the state bée defended and maintained against professed traytors and rebels that lurke in all corners They haue not a sworde committed to them for naught But to the ende they may defende the quiet and peaceable subiect and roote out the wicked rebellious traytor Treason and notorious coÌ„tumacie against lawes cannot long be endured in any common-wealth Neither can magistrates in this case bée too watchfull God hath detected many secret conspiracies and attempts against her Maiestie and the state yet let vs not presume too farre vpon his goodnesse The way to settle peace to confirme the state to preuent all such trecherous attempts is to stop the head of rebellion and treason and to roote out all seditious priestes and Iebusites from whence all our troubles for this 43. yéeres
claiming somewhat that the Spaniard was vnwilling to yéeld coulde by no terror of excommunication hinder a Historia Adriani king Philips armie but it entred vpon the popes countrey and prosecuted his holinesse with great rigour So likewise in Iuliers and Italy the Spaniard hath iniambed vpon others right notwithstanding consent in Religion Further hée doubteth not to affirme That the warres and tumults in kingdomes rounde about vs haue principally proceeded from alteration of religion in England Which is but a ridiculous conceite and a vaine imagination For when as yet England continued in popish superstition the pope and his agents stirred vp Charles the fift to persecute the princes of Germanie Francis the first his officers to murder the poore inhabitants of Cabriers and Merindol And when her Maiestie came to the crowne all the worlde knoweth that her studie was rather peace then warre as her agents can yet testifie that often mooued both the Spaniard to cease his warres in the Low Countries and the French to desist to persecute his subiects that except in matters of their conscience promised al obedience Beside that it is a fond imaginatō to thinke that her Maiestie or her agents had that credite in other countries that shée coulde make them take armes at her pleasure No no the worlde is witnesse that it is the pope that is the firebrand of the warres throughout all Christendome Hée stirred vp Charles the fift against the Germaines as appéereth both by his letters and negotiation with him and by the aide hée sent to him against them Hée enflamed the warres in France and neuer woulde let matters settle as appéereth by the negotiation of his legates and by infinite testimonies When as yet her Maiestie did not so much as procéed against any papist for religion then did Pius the fift that furious frier publish his shamelesse and railing bull against her and sent Nicholas Morton to perswade the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and their followers to rebell against her And so hée declareth himselfe to be Antichrist that shall cause all to bée slaine that will not admit his religion and that is figured in the second beast Apocal. 13. This companion therefore that doth impute the cause of warres vnto vs is like that good fellow that saide the cause why hée robbed and spoiled was because men carried money with them vpon the high way Wée cannot hinder the malice and ambition of the pope and Spaniard that prosecuteth warres against innocents But they are to be blamed that offer violence to the peaceable and defende open wrong and not they that mainteine their right Lastly hée telleth vs and that in a lamentable voice That if this alteration had not hapned wee had not seene the depriuation of all the sacred order of bishops in one day togither with their perpetuall imprisonment nor so many noble houses ouerthrowne nor so many troubled for persisting in their fathers faith and not consenting to this change nor the torturing hanging and quartering of a hundred priests most of them gentlemen and youthes of rare witte Percase he is hired to shedde some few teares Assuredly hée wéepeth without iust cause For neither were all the popish prelates depriued in one day nor were they cōmitted to perpetuall imprisonment Nor was any papist héere directly troubled for persisting in his fathers faith nor haue any noble houses bin ouerthrowne by religion but rather by rebellion Neither were those simple vnlearned youthes whom the popes agents haue sent into England to prepare the way to rebellion hanged and quartered for religion but for treason Further we say for answer that those prelates whom he talketh of were no bishops nor teachers but woluish murderers of Gods saints and hirelings of Antichrist whosemarke they bore and yet diuers of them were suffred to runne away Some of them were neuer imprisoned others were onely restrained that either to their owne houses or to places where they had all things in abundance Nay albeit they refused to consecrate her Maiestie and denied her right yet shée did not as shée might lawfully vse force against them But if any shoulde denie to consecrate the pope albeit no prince yet shoulde it cost them their liues Further the worlde knoweth how much her Maiestie hath fauoured her nobilitie Shée coulde not doe more honour to any then to the duke of Norfolke Yet coulde shée not mollifie his hart toward her She neuer thought euill of the earle of Westmerland and Northumberland yet did they séeke her destruction at the solicitation of a wicked priest called Nicholas Morton Henrie Earle of Northumberland albeit farre engaged in practises of rebellion yet was he suffred to enioy his honour and liuing And diuers that were farre interessed in that action were not called in questiō If then any perished in those practises the fault was wholy their owne Her Maiestie was sorrowfull for their wilfulnesse rather then cause of their ouerthrowe As for wilfull Recusants they were not once called in question before that the pope vsed their obstinacie as a meanes to worke the ouerthrow of the state And now notwithstanding they do adhere to the pope her Maiesties enimie and will not disauow his authoritie in depriuing her of her right which is a matter of great consideration yet all their punishment is onely a mulct for not comming to church and restreint that they doe not easily ioine with forraine enemies They enioy their landes their goods and most of them too great libertie albeit euill affected to the state and wholy addicted to a most abominable and damnable religion Our brethren in other places onely for professing the truth without other cause loose not onely goods landes and country but libertie and life also Wherefore if they be wise let them acknowledge that they liue vnder a gratious Princesse and see that such leud proctors as this leaue prating in their cause least they heare that which shall make them séeme vnworthy all fauour in all indifferent mens iudgment Against the poore yoong men that haue died for their practising for the pope I wil not say much I do rather lament that they should be so abused as to be drawne out of their countrey to forreine enemies and to be emploied in their seruice either to their owne destruction or to the hurt of their countrey but most of all that they shoulde to the finall losse of their soules yéeld themselues thrall to Antichrist and embrace his damnable doctrine and heresies Onely thus much being vrged by this Noddies importunitie I could not choose but say in defence of our religion and the present gouernment that they were executed for treason and not for their heresies or false doctrine Which appéereth notoriously by their enditements by the euidence by the iudgement and manner of execution That the sentence is most iust it is euident both by the ancient lawes of this lande and by the lawes of all nations By the a 25. Ed. 3.2
sparing their holy God of the altar Deteriores sunt Iuda saith Christ in Saint a Onus ecclesiae c. 23. Brigits reuelations qui pro solis denarijsme vendidit illi autem pro omni mercimonio She speaketh of priests that trucke and barter masses for all manner of commodities yea to whoores for a nights lodging With the Angelicks they worship angels with the Staurolatrians they worship the crosse crucifixe giuing to the same diuine worship With the Collyridians they worship the virgin Marie With the Manichees they bring in halfe communions or communion in one kinde With the Carpocratians and Simonians and heathen idolaters they fall downe and offer incense and worship dumbe images With the Pelagians they beléeue merits and iustification by workes And almost out of euery heresie haue taken a peece as hath béene lately they say iustified against Giffords treatise intituled Caluinoturcismus Well therefore may it be saide that popish doctrine is full of poison and vnaduised was our aduersarie to charge vs with heresie or to mention any such matter séeing the blame must needes redounde vpon himselfe and vpon his consorts of the Romish synagogue Secondly he telleth vs That ecclesiasticall supremacy ouer all Christian nations is proper and essentiall to the popes office and that to his apostolicall authority is annexed the office of preaching But that should more properly and substantially haue béene prooued This beeing graunted doth shew that the pope doth faile in his apostolicall or rather apostaticall office For if preaching and féeding Christes flocke belong to the popes office why doth he not preach Why doth he not féede Nay why doth he famish Christes flocke by murdering all true preachers that come within his danger He answereth that The pope is obliged to preach by himselfe or by others But Saint Peter a farre greater apostle and greater man in apostolicall gouernment then the pope preached by himselfe and put not ouer his charge as the pope doth to Iesuites and Friers that preach more heresie and sedition then true doctrine The old bishops of Rome also which were honester men then these late popes put not ouer their charge but preached themselues and in their owne person executed all bishoplie functions Yea and saint Paule telleth vs that the office of a bishop is a good worke and not as the popish bishops make it a naked bare title To conclude this is also the iudgement of a In 1. Tim. 3. Ambrose Chrysostome Theodoret and all that write on the third of the first to Timothie from whence our authoritie is drawne He procéedeth notwithstanding further and professeth openly That when the pope leaueth his supremacy and embraceth that religion that is preached in England he ceaseth to be pope Which I do in part also confesse to be most true For antichrist shall in the church of God exalt himselfe and clayme not onely supreme but also diuine power He shall also defend manifold heresies and abhorre all true doctrine that may concerne his supreme title And if he should not so do he should not shew himselfe to be antichrist Herein therefore the Iesuites and he may be conioyned and march together hand in hand For all of them haue shut their eies and hardened their hartes against Christes true doctrine although it be to their shame in this life among all godly Christians and if they repent not shall be to their euerlasting confusion in the life to come Yet this hard faced Sycophant sticketh not to glory in his shame and to reioice that the pope and his children the Iesuites are matched togither At the length our aduersarie hauing highly extolled the father of heretikes and traitors the pope he descendeth to discourse of the popes darlinges begotten by him now in his declining state and decrepit age the Iesuites and saith They haue many enimies A matter true and by vs confessed and by them well deserued being a sect new vpstart and openly professing obedience to antichrist and enmitie to Apostolike and true catholike religion a societie conspiring mischiefe against al such as they hate practising diuision in priuate houses sedition and trouble in common-wealthes treason against godly princes and leauing the markes of their abominations and wicked actions behinde them wheresoeuer they come A generation stirred vp by Sathan to disturbe the peace of Christendome and to scourge all those that are not thankefull for the reformation of Gods church nor studious in seaâ—ching the truth nor zealous in rooting out of heresies and planting true religion What maruell then if they haue many enimies among those especially that beare good mindes either to true religion or to the state where they liue As for the example of Christian religion and of the first Christians and Christes disciples the holy apostles which were euery where spoken against and persecuted which the discourser our party pretendeth and alleageth to iustifie the generall opposition of al sorts of men against the Iesuits it fitteth his purpose nothing The example likewise of godly men that are often put to their trials is excéedingly euil applied to this sect of vngodly fellowes most absurdly doth he compare these Antijesuites to Christ Iesus that was as it were a marke set vp to be contradicted and was hated and persecuted of those that were of most eminent authoritie among his nation borrowing as it shoulde séeme a péece of some olde declamation vttered in the college of Iesuites or else where in praise of this sect and thrusting it in héere His defence I say is absurd and his comparisons most odious First Christ Iesus that I may beginne with him that is the beginning and fountaine of all spirituall graces and whom these Antijesuites do seeme in some things to counterfait and yet in most things oppugne came from God and did teach no doctrine but which he had receiued from his father humane traditions and pharisaicall boasting of workes of the law he disallowed and condemned These Antijesuites that I say no worse of them come from the pope and teach his decretalles and doctrine grounding themselues vpon mens traditions and vainely bragging of their owne merits and workes Christ Iesus loued his owne and was beloued of his owne These vsurpers of the name of Iesus loue none but theÌ„selues and were charged by their owne friends and were accused of heresie schisme and many grieuous crimes as witnesseth Ribadineira that wrote the legend of his father Ignatius Our sauiour â—or determining controuersies and finding out the truth sent vs to the law and the prophets these destroyers of soules send vs to the pope and his tribunall and most vaine decretalles Iesus Christ though Lord of heauen and earth taught obedience to Caesar and earthly princes these fellowes albeit neither lordes nor princes yet teach disobedience to princes and dissolue the bond of obedience that tyeth subiectes to their superiors Christ Iesus was the true shepheard and sought the saluation of his flocke and albeit iniuriously apprehended and
no more eare to these hispaniolized English combined with traytors for the destruction of the country For he canne hardly séeme honest whome such rinegued traytors so highly do praise In the end of this chapter he goeth about to teach his disciples the recusantes how farre they are to yéelde obedience to their prince But if his teaching be no better in schooles then in these encounters I doubt he will make but few good schollers First he doth not shew vs whome he taketh for a lawfull prince which for determination of this controuersie would certainly be knowne For if he do not beléeue that a prince excommunicate by the pope and by him deposed is to be reputed lawfull and to be obeyed notwithstanding the popes spite then whatsoeuer he talketh here of obedience to princes concerneth her Maiestie nothing a P. 88. Secondly he would haue recusantes to serue their prince With body goods and life Where we are to note that he neither mentioneth the heart nor the inward affection Do we not then thinke that the recusantes will do her Maiestie good seruice that are deliuered vnto her without soule hart or harty affection Thirdly least vpon his promise they might perhaps be too forward in seruice he draweth them backe with a limitation and teacheth that their seruice and obedience is to stretch no further Then to iust causes of which he maketh eyther the recusantes themselues or the pope their holy father to be iudge So that her Maiestie if the pope procéede against her is to looke for no seruice at the recusantes handes Nay Allen in his traytorous exhortation to the nobility and people of England and Ireland hopeth to draw them to assiste forreine enemies against her Behould I pray you this goodly doctrine Fourthly he teacheth That Christian princes haue no more commaund nor authority in ecclesiasticall causes then heathen magistrates for that Christ altered nothing at all in temporall gouernement But that is a position contrary to the law of God to the practise of Gods church and most absurd sencelesse The law of God referreth ambiguous matters aswell to the iudge or prince as to the priests or leuites For in the Sanedrin of which that law is the foundation the soueraine magistrate was chiefe b Deut. 17. and the king was commanded To read in the law that he might kéepe it by his authority restraining offendors In auncient time vnder the law the kinges and soueraigne magistrates gaue lawes to priests leuites and not contrarywise In the church of Christ for a thousand yéeres or more there were no lawes obserued but those of princes Bellarmine would fetch it higher but his proofes faile him In their Bullary which containeth a summe of the popes lawes they begin with Gregorie the seuenth but in truth Gregorie the ninth was the first that gaue authoritie of lawe to the popes constitutions and gathered them into the booke of decretals Before this time bishops priests deacons and the whole church was a Cod. de sum trin fid â—ath tit sequentib gouerned by the lawes of Christian princes as appéereth by the lawes of Constantinus Magnus ValentiniaÌ„ Gratian Theodosius Arcadius b Ansegisus de leg ib. Caroli Ludouic Charles the great Ludouicus Pius and diuers others And certes very absurd it were if heathen princes that are strangers from Gods church shoulde haue as much authoritie as Christian magistrates that are principall parts thereof and to whom the execution of Gods law is committed Neither is it materiall that Christ altered nothing in the office of magistrates for it did alwaies belong to the magistrate that was of the church to gouerne the church in externall matters and to sée true doctrine published and the sacraments sincerely administred by those to whose office it appertained So we sée that by this false position he would exclude her Maiestie from all gouernement in ecclesiasticall causes and that notwithstanding his pretence of teaching obedience he teacheth flat disobedience to princes ecclesiasticall lawes and their commaundements Fiftly he c P. 88. teacheth That ecclesiasticall and temporall gouernment is so distinguished that he that ruleth in the one ought not to rule in the other The which doth vtterly ouerthrow the popes temporall kingdome which our aduersary would so willingly maintaine For why should he gouerne a kingdome pretending to be a bishop rather then a king gouerne a particular church of one nation in externall causes especially Secondly we do deny this distinction of authority vpon which our aduersaries fancies are founded And our reason is for that in Christian common wealthes where the same persons are members both of the church and common-welth there the chéefe gouernours ought to haue care both of church and common-welth and most absurd it were if the prince which is a principall member of Gods church shoulde haue no gouernment therein and that inferior persons shoulde haue supreme command ouer the prince Sixtly hée doth insinuate that the pope is Christs vicar the apostles successor in supreme gouernment of the church And this hée teacheth is Recusant schollers least percase they shoulde faile to obey him But this is nothing else but to draw her Maiesties subiects from their due allegiance and to perswade them to listen to the pope as pretending to bée Christs vicar and the apostles successor and supreme gouernour and head of the vniuersall church of Christ which is quite contrarie to his faire pretenses and purpose in this place where hee shoulde perswade the Recusants to obedience towarde their prince Beside that it is so false as nothing more Let this Noddy if he canne shew foorth the popes commission eyther for his vicegerentship or for his pretended apostolicke office and supreme gouernement let him prooue it vnto vs or else forbeare impudently to assume it and to affirme it wée doe shew that bishops are the apostles successors and yet that is no preiudice to the princes supreme authority nor neuer was What then is that which hée bableth of the pope that is neither bishop nor the apostles successor Finally hée affirmeth That ecclesiasticall gouernment stood distinct from ciuill 300. yeeres after Christ and that euery emperour and mortall prince conuerted to the faith and entring into the church submitted themselues to this ecclesiasticall gouernment and so continued vntill certaine heretikes confounded all And so still cunningly hée speaketh for the popes authoritie and secretly disableth not onely her Maiesties power in ecclesiasticall matters but her title also to the crowne standing as shée doth excommunicate by the pope He doth also abuse his reader with the ambiguitie of ecclesiasticall gouernment For if by ecclesiasticall gouernment he meaneth the power of the keies consisting in the censures of the church and power of priestly function which is properly ecclesiastical we grant that such ecclesiastical gouernment belongeth not to princes so that they are to execute the same in their owne persons But if by
subiect to lawes and not lawes to mens fancies as it is in the popes gouernement where all matters are referred to his determination Further he had dealt more wisely if he had passed ouer in silence this ordination by the holy ghost and succession from the apostles For if bishops appointed by the holy ghost and that haue right of succession from the apostles be to gouerne the church of God then must the popes of Rome lay handes off of this gouernement For neither can they shew commission from the holy ghost nor right of succession and truth of doctrine from the apostles Nay it appeareth they are rather wolues then true bishops and pastors and succéede Nero rather in killing and murdering then Peter in feeding and cherishing Christes lambes Neither is it sufficient for them to alledge that they sit at Rome For the Turkish priests sit at Hierusalem Antioche and Cesarea yet are they neither successors of Iames nor Peter that sometime taught in those places His third reason as he saith is drawne from the light of nature For because among the prelates of the church Christ would haue some subordination for auoyding schisme and confusion and because all philosophers held without controuersie that the monarchie was the best among all regiments he saith it is very probable euen by reason it selfe that Christ instituted a monarchicall gouernement in his church But first it is no small error in matters of spirituall gouernement to draw a patterne from humane reason that in spirituall matters is so blind and from philosophers that vnderstood nothing and to ground faith vpon probabilities and likelyhoods a Lib 2. de pontif Râ—m Bellarmine hath hitherto borne vs in hand that Christ instituted the papacy But this wise Noddy layeth the foundation of it vpon probability and humane reason Secondly it is absurd to thinke that the same gouernement is best both for church and common wealth For the church is Christes mysticall body and hath her head in heauen and is gouerned by diuine lawes The common wealth is a politicall body and hath her gouernors present with her here in earth and is gouerned by lawes of men There all commaund commeth from heauen here the most part commeth from men Thirdly albeit Christ would haue a subordination of officers in church gouernement yet maketh that nothing for the popes extrauagant power but rather against it For when Christ made his subordination b Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 12. set out the list of the officers of the church he gaue apostles prophets euangelistes pastors and doctors not so much as mentioning the popes holinesse which could not haue béene doone if the pope had bin constituted chiefe gouernor of Christ his church Lastly it is a bould and impudent vntruth to say that all philosophers held a monarchie to be the best forme of gouernment This simple hoddy Noddie hath neither read all nor many and therefore cannot tell But his fellowes could haue told him and their writings declare that Plato Cicero Philo Iosephus diuers others condemne monarchical gouernment and that Aristotle preferreth an aristocratical gouernment before a monarchicall Nay Bellarmine himselfe aboue all gouernments commendeth a forme mixed of diuers states and formes of common-welthes His fourth reason is very celestiall for Because God made Lucifer first head of the angels and afterward head of all diuels he beléeueth That one pope must necessarily be head of the catholike church So his first reason for the papacie was from man and humane reason the second is from the diuell of hell and his authoritie Is it not likely to prooue a braue gouernment that hath so strange a precedent Beside it is very vncertaine whether God established any such gouernment among angels as is supposed Nay it is not likely seeing Christ Iesus is head of angels and present with them that they haue any head but him In the 40. of Iob and 14. of Isay there is no such matter to bée founde as our aduersary pretendeth nor doth Saint Austin or any other father teach any such doctrine Mention is made of Michael and his angels Apocal. 12. But that hée is head of all angels cannot out of those words be prooued As for our aduersaries themselues it is very vnlikely they shoulde know the oeconomy and gouernment of angels in heauen that will not sée what God hath ordeined concerning his church on earth Fiftly he affirmeth That God established a monarchicall gouernment in the church of the Iewes giuing them a high priest to direct all other priests and al synagogues in the world Wherein he bewraieth his great ignorance in matters of the people of God For in that state the chéefe authoritie for matters both ecclesiasticall and ciuill was in the councell of state which they called Sanedrin which was appointed by God himselfe Deut. 17. and iudged all causes and persons yea the high priest himselfe Afterward the chéefe commaund was in princes both concerning priestes and other church matters Salomon deposed one high priest and placed another all which maketh against the supposed gouernment of the chéefe priest They that list to sée these matters prooued out of Scriptures writers of the histories of that people let them read M. Sutcliffes treatise De Pontifice Rom. lib. 1. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. His sixt reason is drawne from the similitude of riuers trées and all creatures But he is much deceiued if he thinke all creatures to haue liked of monarchicall gouernement All birdes haue not one head no nor all beasts nor all trées Could he shew me who is the head gouernour of all owles or woodcockes he should worke a wondrous feat for the establishing of his holy fathers monarchie If not then his similitudes will shew him to be a Noddy and a woodcocke Which also appeareth in this that there is great difference in things naturall and politicall and that the papall gouernement is not like to those naturall things which he mentioneth His seuenth reason standeth vpon this ground That without a monarchie in the church schisme and diuision cannot be auoyded But that is but a point of his folly and ignorance For no doubt but God prouided against schisme when he gaue chiefe authority to the councell of state Deut. 17. And Christ prouided for the same likewise when he chose not one but twelue apostles and sent them abroade into the world with one and the same commission As for the humane deuises of popes they were neuer so sufficient remedies against this supposed mischiefe of schisme but that there hath fallen out among the popes some 22. or more schismes and infinite sects and diuisions among the members of the Romish synagogue Last of all he saith The church is compared to a well ordered army that must necessarily haue a knowne generall likewise to a house a sheepefould a ship the arke of Noe all which things haue one head gouernour But nothing is more preiudiciall to so great a gouernment then that
worship the crosse with diuine worship or the images and reliques of saints with all deuotion and seruice Nay this worship is contrary to the second commandement and condemned by the councell of Eliberis by Epiphanius and all ancient fathers 40. The Romish missals breuiaries offices and psalters of our Lady primers and other rituall bookes wherein the whole worship of the Romish church is conteined receiue all their authoritie from Pius quintus Gregory the 13. corrected the Calendar and published the same after his owne fashion neither agréeing with truth nor with antiquitie 41. It is not long since the popes of Rome tooke vpon them to a De reliq venerat sanct c. 1. 2. in gloss canonise saints and after a heathen fashion to put them in the calendar of popish demy Gods Neither the apostles nor the auncient fathers did euer know anie such thing 42. The b Manual di Geronymo Campos rosaries and beades of our Lady conteining 63. Aue mariaes and .7 Pater nosters which are now much reckoned of in Spaine and Italy are but a new tricke of some late pope to get mony 43. The manner of the sanctifying of the paschall lambe as it is prescribed in the Romish missall is very strange in the church of Christ All ancient fathers condemne it as an odde tricke of Iudaisme 44. Ancient Christians had no mediators but Christ Iesus neither did they pray to our lady or to saintes or to angels but to God in the name of Christ Iesus 45. Neither had they any priests consecrated to sacrifice for quicke and dead as haue the papistes Nay as the apostle saith they beléeued that Christ was a priest after the order of Melchizedech without succession and that the sacrifice which he made was not to be reiterated 46. The doctrine of penance which the schoolemen first began to talke of was not setled before the councell of Florence and Trent If our aduersaries will néedes maintaine the contrary let them shew first where the ancient fathers teach that priuate penance consisteth of thrée parts to witte Contrition Confession and Satisfaction and how these are nothing without Absolution which they account to be the forme of penance Secondly let them shew that auriculer confession was receiued in the Westerne church before the c C. omnis vtriusque sexus de Poenit. remiss constitution of Innocent the third that first established that order Thirdly that certaine cases were specially reserued to the bishop of Romes absolution in time of the ancient fathers Fourthly that all Christians did make satisfaction to God for their actuall sinnes Lastly that in times past either contrition differed from satisfaction or absolution went before satisfaction or that noâ—e were reconciled to God but such as were confessed to priests and did satisfie according to their pleasures 47. The councell of Trent did likewise innouate diuers things iâ— the ordination of bishops and priests For the friers there determined that there were 7. orders and euery of these a sacrament and yet but all one sacrament which séemeth very enigmaticall They decréed That priests should be shauen and greazed that by the act of ordination there was a print made in their soules which they call An inuisible character matters very new and strange 48. In ancient time neither were monkes permitted to execute the office of priests nor were any ordeined bishops but such as did feede their flockes The dumbe bishops and boy-cardinalles and prelates of the Romish synagogue are but new creatures of the pope brought in onely to confirme and establish his new tyranny 49. Purgatory was not established before the late councels of Florence and Trent Neither was any part of it knowne in ancient time Saint Augustine began first to talke of purgatory for veniall sinnes and after his time Gregory that made the dialogues beléeued that veniall sinnes were indéede remitted in purgatory The schoolemen added that satisfactions for penance inioyned and not accomplished in this life were there to be performed They also haue of late begun to talke much of the popes power and of the merites of masses in purgatory but as yet they are not agréed about the same nor about many other such like matters 50. The yéere of Iubiley was a Constit Pauli 2. ordeined first by Boniface the eight and afterward altered by Clement the fift and last of all brought to twentie fiue yéeres by Paul the second But not borrowed from Christians but either from the heathen that euery hundred yéere had Luâ—os seculares or from the Iewes that euery 50. yeeres celebrated a Iubiley and now agréeing neither with Iewes Gentiles nor christians 51. That the popes indulgences depend vpon the late popes authoritie without proofe out of Scriptures or fathers the patrons of them that are ingenuous do confesse b Artâ— 18. aduers assert Lutherâ— Fisher sometime bishop of Rochester saide That before purgatorie was feared no man sought for indulgences and that in the beginning of the church there was no vse of them Quamdiu saith hée nulla fuerat de purgatorio cura nemo quaesiuit indulgentias And afterward In initio nascentis ecclesiae nullus fuerat earum vsus Such indulgences as are mentioned in the booke of Pardons of Rome are meere forgeries and fooleries In the church of Saint Paule at Rome saith the booke Yee haue 48. thousand yeeres of pardon on the day of his conuersion a hundred yeeres of pardon on Childermasse daie fower thousand yeere of pardon For kissing two iron crosses at S. Peters church doore fiue hundred yeeres of pardon On the feast day of Saint Peter 1000. yeeres of pardon And for looking on one of the pence for which our Sauiour was solde 1400. yeeres of pardon In the church of Saint Marie maior yee haue fowerteene thousand yeeres of pardon And Blessed be the mother saith our author that beareth the childe that heareth masse on Saturday at Saint Iohn of Lateran For he deliuereth al them that he desireth out of purgatory to the number of 77. soules Hée saith further That on the tower of the church standeth a double crosse that was made of the sworde that Saint Iohn was beheaded with and that at euery time that a man beholdeth that crosse hee hath 14000. yeeres of pardon and as many karines of all penance And infinite such indulgences are granted by popes in that booke Pope Gregory the 13. a In Constit Gregor per Petr. Matth. sent ouer his indulgence of Iubiley into England and no doubt but that this pope either hath or will do the like O simple creatures that buie such trash and suffer themselues to be abused with such nouelties and fooleries as beséeme neither christian religion nor common reason 52. The popes penitentiaries taxe which conteineth the rates of absolutions For murders Parricides Rapines Periuries Adulteries Incests Sodomitry yea and Apostacy and Turkish blasphemies I thinke our aduersaries will not denie but that it is most new 53.
pleade vnsufficiently But wée charge them with leud opinions held by all the papists and most wicked and abominable actions allowed by publike authoritie Further the papistes alleage the testimonies of Lindanus Staphylus Cochleus Rescius Reynoldes and their owne consorts fellowes to bée receiued as witnesses before no indifferent iudge for their basenesse leudnesse and partialitie But wée are able to conuince them by their owne recordes and by witnesses authenticall to be such as they woulde haue vs to bée and farre woorse too And if Parsons maintaine the contrary hée shall soone receiue his answere and perceiue his owne inabilitie and the weakenesse of his owne cause Further he obserueth in Luther That at the first hee contemned the fathers and that afterward when wee began to shew how the fathers did witnesse for our cause that we alleaged them falsly But neither did euer Luther contemne all the fathers but where they spoke contrary to the prophets and apostles nor shall this counterfeit relator shew that wée haue alleaged the fathers vntruly as I will bée alwaies readie to iustifie against him Hée noteth also That we make plaine demonstrations of distrust in maintaining our cause And that hée prooueth first For that diuers bookes written in English by papists were forbidden by proclamation Secondly For that by a statute it was made death to reconcile men or perswade them to the Romish faith Thirdly for that Streite orders were set downe to restraine the resort of people to the papistes that are prisoners in Wisbich But if these be arguments of distrust then are the papists most distrustfull and fearefull to haue their matters come in scanning For they forbid all our bookes to be solde among them And if any disswade from poperie or talk against it it is present death Neither may any talke with prisoners in the inquisition As for our selues we are but too confident in these causes For there is no bald lousie friers book commeth forth but it is commonly sold in Paules church yard and any learned man may buy any of their bookes publikely Yea diuers simple soules not being able to iudge are often times deceiued by them So that it were fitting more care were had in this point But the true reason why our superiours haue forbidden English bookes popish perswasions and common repaire to popish prisoners is for that diuers simple soules not being so well able to iudge haue by such meanes béene drawne not only into leud opinions but also dangerous practises of which we should not offend if we did take more care then we do Finally he noteth that we cannot abide confession satisfaction restitution or the like which is true if by confession he meane auricular coÌ„fession made in a priests eare and by satisfaction scourging a mans selfe or walking in pilgrimage with hope thereby to satisfie God for his sinnes and such like satisfactions and by restitution such summes of money as papists are enioyned in lieu of true restitution to parties offended to bestow vpon priests Iebusites and notorious traitors It is not long since these companions drew from a drie fellow a little before his death two thousand pounds with the which the Iebusites their consorts now make merrie But if order be not taken for such deuises to draw mony out of the subiects purses and to take away these means from traitorous practisers the same in the end will make this state very sorrowfull And therefore I doubt not but the magistrates and iudges will looke to that verie diligently In the meane while I hope I haue taken order with this Relators lying obseruations CHAP. VII An answere to our aduersaries two petitions annexed to his former relation WHat successe our aduersarie is to hope for in his petition annexed to the Ward-word I hope may in part appeere by our answere And yet not expecting an answere he hath presumed to come to her maiestie with a new petition and to vs with another So copious and fluent he is in his libels and petitions a Homer Iliad ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is like a flye or rather because he speaketh so much for Spaniards a Spanish mosqueta that albeit she be beaten off from a mans bodie yet is bold to come againe and bite And b Non missura cutem nisi plena cruoris hirudo Horat. leaue as it séemeth he will not vntill like the horseleach he hath filled himselfe with some mans blood First he desireth that her Maiestie would be pleased to admit such a tryall heere as passed in Fraunce of late assuring vs that the same would be pleasant to her Maiestie and all other assistants and verie briefe and easie As if Parsons the Iebusite and rector of the English seminarie of traytors were now verie carefull to yéeld satisfaction and contentment to her Maiestie and subiects that not long c Anno. 1588. since ioyned himselfe to the Spanish armie that came against vs and in the interim that the Spanish fléete was expected and while our commissioners were treating of peace holpe to make print and diuulge the most infamous d Aâ—lens letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland libell against her Maiestie and her faithfull subiects that could be deuised or euer was set out in this kinde Furthermore euer since he hath béene busie either in stirring vp forrein enimies against vs or broching some treasonable practise against the state or writing seditious libels against one or other as appéereth by former proofes Nay when a certaine gentleman and one of the Spanish agents séeming more moderate then the rest disliked all practises for the murther of the Prince by the direction of Parsons others of his faction he had a cuchillada and dangerous blow with a falchion ouer the face as he was going to the church to heare masse An vnhappie masse might he call it if the blow had hit right He doth also much abuse his reader where he saith that the tryall will be briefe and easie and maketh a vaine brag offering himselfe to be the champion that must performe the challenge The first is euident for that they pretend so many falsificatious against vs and we haue so many false allegations and forgeries to charge our aduersaries withall and that most iustly that the examination cannot chuse but prooue long and difficult especially if they yéeld to vs that which they demaund themselues The second I thinke we shall finde true by experience For it is not Parsons I thinke that can performe all that is offered Nay little doth he vnderstand the galles of his owne cause that once dare obiect forgerie or falsification to others Beside that he is fitter to make a clerke to make libels and exhibit petitions then to make a good disputer to iustifie the popes broken cause In that he hath some prettie facultie in this we doubt of his abilitie His other petition is that some one or other would come forth against him and defend bishop Iewel Peter Martyr and M. Foxe whom hee purposeth as he pretendeth to loade with many and grieuous falsifications the points whereof we haue already e Chap. 4 noted and this I thinke is but a copie of his grimme countenance also and a Thrasonicall bragge For I do not thinke that he wil or dare put his cause vpon this trial Neither do I thinke that his consortes will come to an equall examination of all falsifications and coruptions passed on both sides for the causes that I haue f Chap. 1. alleaged Vnto both his petitions vntill further order be taken let him receiue this answere from me First that we very well like of such a triall here as passed lately in France For as the papists found themselues wronged or at least pretended to be wronged in M. Plessis his bookes so we doe say and offer to prooue that we are wronged nay that the whole world is wronged and abused by millions of forgeries and falsifications committed by Bellarmine Caesar Baronius Greg. de Valentia Suarez and their consorts yea by the popes of Rome whose sentences they hold to be infallible If then this pratling or rather scribling relator or any of his consorts do find himselfe agrieued with this assertion and offer as M. Plessis did in France being charged publikely with falsifying and corrupting authours by him alleaged I shall God willing either in publike schooles or els which is farre better in publike writing iustifie as much as I haue sayd and I take this to be the case of papists in England if they will obtaine that which M. Plessis desired in France Secondly I do offer my selfe partie do accept of Parsons his challenge do offer my self to proue that those men whom he challengeth haue dealt more iustly theÌ„ Bellarmine and Caesar Baronius and the rest of that side Nay I dare simply defend them against any crimination which this frapling frier hath to lay to their charge Let him begin when he dare In the meane while he may do well to answere the points deduced in the first chapter of this treatise wherein I haue charged not only priuate men but the whole synagogue of Rome with plaine forging and falsification and laid downe the particulars and not as the relator doth who hauing made a great bragge of falsifications shutteth vp his relation and iustifieth nothing Somewhat I had more to say to Parsons and to his associates the whole combination of them But I reserue it to some other time By this which alreadie is sayd I hope it will appeare that neither Iames Peron hath gained any thing against the Lord of Plessis nor Parsons hath reason to hope that he shall haue better successe against the Church of England God which is light truth grant all christians the light of his grace that they may not only sée the truth but also truly iudge what is truth and falshood And then I doubt not but it will appeare to them all that we are cleare of that crime which the aduersary imputeth vnto vs and that our aduersaries through the operation of errours beleeue lies and haue by all fraud and false dealing sought to oppresse the truth Laus Deo