will take paines to reade the Lives of the Saints as they are set downe by the foreinamed Authours Such trimme men are your miracle-workers and therefore your miracles must needes also be of an excellent sute T. HILL AND therefore I say vnto you out of Saint Austen I am bound and tyed in the Catholike Church by the band chaine August devtil cred c. 〈◊〉 l coÌ„t Epâ—…sund cap. 4 of miracles And I am bolde considering and most stedfastly beleeuing these insinite glorious miracles of all times ages in the Catholike Romane Church to crye out to Almighty God with Richard de S. Victore lib. de trin cap. 2. Lord if it be not true which we beleive thou hast deceived vs for these have bin confirmed in vs by such signes wonders as could not be wrought but by thee But on the contrarie parte never any Protestant could worke any miracle at all but assâ—…ying to make some shew thereof to make their Doctrine the more probable to their followers felte the iust revengement of God who turned all to their shame confusion as he did by Simon Magus by Cyrola the Patriarke of the Arrians as witnesseth Grego Turon Egesippus lib. 3 de excid hieroâ—…ol cap. 2 lib. 2. hist. Fran. cap. 3. by the Donatists Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen 〈◊〉 our dates by Luther endevouring to dispossesse a wench and by Calvin going about to delude his disciples as you may read in Hierom Bolsec in vit Calvin cap. 13. And therfore they are most foolish Vid Staph in abs relp and miserably inconsiderate who beleeve these newe fellowes not being able to quicken a flea and leave the doctrine of the Catholike Church confirmed with innumerable miracles G. ABBOT 9 IN the texte you cite one saying out of Saint Austen but in the margent you quote two The 〈◊〉 former place doth only mention that the truth of Christian religion De vtilitat credend cap. 17. is coÌ„firmed by miracles But you therin abuse your Reader notably For he speaketh of miracles past that in Christs time and not of any which were to come or like to coÌ„tinue in the church The words to which hee alludeth are more plaine in the chapter next before going where in a larger sort he haÌ„dleth that argumeÌ„t Such x Cap 16 things were doÌ„e at that time wherin God in a trâ—… maÌ„ did appeere as much as was sufficient for men The sicke were healed the lepers vvere cleansed going was restored to the lame sight to the blind hearing to the deafe And there is speech of no other matter And to no other purpose is the second place where the words are not which you cite His saying is thus that there bee diverse thinges which doe keepe him in the bosome of the Church y Contr. Ep. fundament cap 4 The consent of people and nations doth holde mee there doth hold me an authority which was begon with miracles nourished by hope euer â—…ased by charity confirmed by antiquity Doth this make for you as you thinke or against you The authority of the Church was begon with miracles It is true meaning of the time of Christ and his Apostles but he doth not saye it was continued and must be continued vnto the worldes end much lesse doth he affirme that it must be as a necessary argumeÌ„t of truth So you haue gained much by these two places even as you haue done by the whole ranke of your woÌ„ders wherof such as appertaine to you that is the late LegeÌ„dary inventioÌ„s are many indeed but not infinite are so far from being glorious that they are plainely coÌ„temptible ridiculous fit for your vn-Catholike Romane struÌ„pet whose throne must be supported with lies and variety of falshoods In being therfore â—…old you may be more bold theÌ„ you haue thanke for your labour but do not saye that you most stedfastly beleeve for you bestow too good a word vpon your selfe In such stuffe as this is z Palingen in Geminis Quifacilis credit facilis quoque fallitur He who lightly beleeveth is easily deceived You are strongly conceited you haue a boisteous imagination froÌ„ which the sooner you fly the safer you wil stand The a De Trin. lib. 1 cap. 2 words of Richard de S. Victore are not spoken of your fabulous and instly questionable wonders but of such signes as gaue evidence to the first preaching of the Gospell were wrought by Christ and his disciples which were so true so strange as that they could be wrought by none but by the power of God and therefore we may beleeve the doctrine both of the Trinity and other matters which they confirmed and not be deceived at all Yet this addeth no credit to your forgeries illusions neither convinceth that now we are to depeÌ„d on miracles That we do not take on vs to be able to work any we do most willingly acknowledg We know that those daies are past although God do not so restraine himselfe but that the praiers of his servants interceding he sometimes suffereth strange things to be done But we caÌ„not presume vpoÌ„ it since we haue no warrant for it out of the word of God And who is there I pray you in the whole Hierarchy of your Papacy who dare professedly assume that gifte vnto him Dareth your Pope the ministerial head of al your holines dare your Cardinals your Bishops your Friers your Priestes Long agone the b Decretal lib. 5. tit 35. cap. 3. Templars in Livonia did enforce the poore people to this that if any of theÌ„ were accused of any crime to purge themselues they shold go bare-footed over certaine redde hot irons if they were burnt at all then they were helde for guilty But some newly coÌ„verted to the faith coÌ„plained of this to the Pope Honorius the 3. he inhibited that any more such triall should be made calling it a thing forbidden a greevance that wherin God was tempted The like may be said of any who presuÌ„ptuously should professe to atteÌ„pt any strange miraculous matter it is but a tempting of God even by the iudgmeÌ„t of c Isa 7 12. Ahaz nowe long agone who beeing but an evil man yet was so faire tightly instructed Yet that good hypocrite your S. Dominicke going to dispute against the d Ioh. Bâ—…isseul contr Spond Albingenses preteÌ„ding that he would proue theÌ„ heretikes did bid theÌ„ write their reasons cast theÌ„ in the fire if saith he they will not burne then we wil beleeue you As if the holy Bible were not truth if beeing cast into the flame it would burne to ashes You can tell vs tales of your men doing else-where great wonders but you should doe well to sende vs some of your miracle-mongers hither that we may iudge of their iugling You mutter much of an holy annointed Priest that he by exorcizing can cast out Devils but we wonder that these
some of theÌ„ being to be presupposed to be ordinarily intelligent in EnglaÌ„d where a ielousy is iustly had of their impostures to play acte exploit so lewde fraudulent and wicked a Pageant and thinke that they may not only go currant away with it heere but that the fame of this busines bruted els-where should serve theÌ„ beyond the Seas for Catholike purposes and bee a meanes to holde vp the reputation of the Antichristian Papacy If our seduced Romanistes vvoulde not close their eyes they might see vppon what trashe their religion is builte and that their leaders care not howe they bee abused and ledde by the nose so that their owne proiectes and intâ—…ndments be affected 18 To draw then toward an end of this point Popish wonders for the most part we precisely hould to be lies others of theÌ„ if they be done to be no better in respect of their end but delusions and meanes to deceive men by bringing them into errour And coÌ„cerning those that are really done first we maintain that they do not prove that the doers of theÌ„ are Gods servaÌ„ts For eveÌ„ in Bede himselfe who was such a magnifier of miracles I do find that one s Eccle. hisâ—… lib. 3. 25. Vilfridus could say thus CoÌ„cerning your father ColuÌ„ba his followers whose sanctity you say you imitate follow his rule precepts even confirmed by signes from heaveÌ„ I can answere that at the day of iudgment many saying to the Lord that in his name they have prophecied and cast out Devils done many wonders the Lord shall aunswere I knovve you not vvhich aunswere of Vilfridus beeing grounded on the vvordes of CHRIST is of infallible verity Secondlie we saye that miracles done doe not confirme that the doctrine of those vvho doe them is verity since that for the convincing of the Devill God hath suffered heretikes to do wonders not to ratifie their errours but to confirme other of his truth VVhich may aptly be applyed to the reports of miracles shewed by the Iesuits in the Indies if so be that any of them be true For s Con. ca. 2 Costerus one of their own companions most appositely informeth vs thus They doe saie that some of the Novatians in times past did miracles but it vvas in testimonte of the Catholike faith amonge the Gentiles not in vvitnesse of their errour as hee vvho did cast out Divels in Christes name in the ninth of Luke Then the doctrine of wonder-doers may be false as the persons of miracle-workers may be reprobates To Prophecie saith Saint t De simpli praelatoruÌ„ Cyprian and to cast out Devils and to doe greate wonders on the earth is a high and admirable matter Yet he doth not attaine the kingdome of heaven vvhosoever is founde in all these vnlesse hee doe goe in the observation of a tust and right vvay Thirdely vve teach that it is no argument of falsehoode in faith not to bee able to doe vvonders since the time of them is ceased and vvhen they were at the best they had in them no enforcement to make men beleeue the trueth For as 〈◊〉 Chrysostome saith Amonge the Iewes also miracles were shewed 〈◊〉 Inpsa 45. neither by them vvas there any profite brought to their salvation For as the beames of the Sunne are not sufficient vnlesse the 〈◊〉 also bee pure and sounde so neither heere also doe onelie miracles suffice And so Saint u â—…e duplici martyrio Cyprian Hâ—…vve manie incureable diseases deathe Lorde heale with a word to how many blinde men did hee giue sight c. And yet few beleevedon him hee heard In Beelzebub hee casteth out Devils Afterward it was so even with the same Iewes they in the time of x Soct li. 3. 17. Iulian the Apostata going about to reedifie the temple at Hierusalem and God shewing three straunge vvonders against it but yet they woulde not come to Christianitye Not long after that y Lib 7 4 a Iew comming to be a Christian was miraculously healed of a disease and yet the rest of his nation would not receiue Christ. Then the ende of them novve is to little purpose the execution of them common to the wicked vvith the godlie the practise permitted to Antichrist and his followers no such perpetuall marke-set on those that bee Orthodoxe and therefore wee striue not for them but knovve that God hath lefte a surer vvaye to vvinne men from errour and to try who are in the trueth and that is his worde and the operation of his sacred spirite But yet vvee are not so blinde but to see nor so vnthankfull but to acknovvledge that the Lorde hath for the advauncement of the Gospell vvhich vve preache done marveilous thinges In vvhich sorte vvee accounte the large spreading of the trueth by the meanes of Luther his vvonderfull preservation all his dayes notwithstanding his enemies so many so mighty so malicious his dying quietly z Sleid. l. 16 in his bed in such peace of body and minde and in that honourable accompte as that even then vvhen hee dyed hee vvas chosen an arbitratour to decide controversies betweene the noble Countyes of Mansfeld VVee thinke that it vvas marveilous that vvhen such a 〈◊〉 massacre was made of the Protestantes in Fraunce in the yeere 1572 there shoulde remaine 〈◊〉 CommeÌ„t relig reiptn Gal. lib 10. so many still as haue propagated so renoumed a Church as they haue at this day That such plenty of b Lib 12 fish should bee cast vp dayly by the sea at the seege of Rochel vvhereby as by Manna from heaven the people vvere for so many months releeved and the very day that the enemies campe brake vp the comming of the fish ceased VVhat may vvee think that so small and maligned a Citty as Geneva is shoulde be so long helde against the invasions and infinite plots of the Duke of Savoy and other vvho desire the ruine desolation of it What of the Netherlanders that after so many thousande Spanyardes and Italians buryed in their coastes so many millions of Indian gold silver spent in their country such frawd such force they should stand rich and glorious at land and at sea in better case of themselues then ever they vvere Lastlye vvhat may bee imagined of the life and raigne of our late blessed Soveraigne who after so many daungers comming to the Crowne and that in so many difficulties of subiectes at home and forraine Princes abroade yea and of the Divell every where did professe to maintaine the truth of God to deface superstitioÌ„ And in this beginning she with vniformity coÌ„tinued yeelding her land as a Sanctuary to al in the world groning for liberty of true religion florishing in wealth honor estimation every way admired by al the Monarkes whither the same of her did come and leaving matter for such a story as no Prince hath lefte the like This Queene after the defeating of the
little colour vpon it your Seminary students woulde svveare it Other men vvho know your tricket will pitty you or laugh at you and so let you goe 11 Your conclusiō is like your premisses they are foolish who beleeue these new fellows who can doe nothing indeede you might haue said who make profession to doe nothing of miraculous actions leaue Popery so bolstred vp with miracles Your Maister Bristow from whose fifth and sixth Motiue yet much shrunke and contracted you borrowe your sixth Reason to shewe the straungenesse of Miracles doeth playe the good fellovve vvith vs and giveth vs an instaunce of one in our owne age that a q Bristowe Motiv 5. woman called Margaret Iesope was contracted to a Dutch man in London and by him begotten with childe before they were marryed His friendes hearing of the intended match sende for him to Bruxelles there mary him to another wife Margaret followeth him thither is denyed by him and being brought a bed there falleth wōderfully lame so continueth three yeares and more In the meane while shee sueth him in law both for the contract and for the maime But the ende vvas that by the vertue of the miraculous Sacramente◅ or hostes in the Church of S. Gudila at Bruxelles shee was cured having vsed before much fasting and going oft to Confession In remembrance of this wonder her staffe or Crouch was hanged vp neere the place of the Blessed Sacrament of Miracle and her healing was proclaimed every where in the pulpit Can any man chuse but beleeue that Popery is truth when hee heareth this tale the grace whereof is so excellent that he spendeth eight whole leaues in delivering it making it vp so much as will serue a Popish womā to read in an after◅noone allowing her a little liberty to thinke how shee may say it without booke to tell it to her friends or sisters And some oddes may bee laide that it will cost her a dry droppe or two of some trickling teares also It may be here noted that the subiect of the miracle this gentle Iesope was an honest woman being with childe before that shee vvas marryed Also that M. Bristow talking in his grosse ignorance of her suing the Dutch man for a maime which is a iesting phrase in England but no action for that particular being liable in the Civill or Common Law is a fit man to determine of Kings and Queenes of the excommunication of Pius the 5. of the good cause of the Rebels in the North Ann. 1569. where he proclaimeth them to be Martyrs Thirdly it is no newes to heare that Motiv 15 a harlot being put to her shifts should be a counterfeit cranke to cover her other baggage like tricks should be willing to bee talked of as one vpon whom a miracle was shewed In the time of the olde pilgrimages there were a thousande of these prankes played And I could name where a woman lately dwelt vvho as her honest neighbours reported by her vertuous life came to that state that to say no worse of it the French overcame the English Shee laboured to conceale it but being forced by infirmity to go with a paire of crowches shee gaue out that she knew not how shee was taken in her limmes Afterward vnder a colour of going to the Bathe or some other such place shee with-drew her selfe till by some surgeon like skil shee was reformed againe Yet comming home she would not leaue her crowches but professed that her weakenes grew on her more and more At length when the time was come which best fitted her purpose on a Sūday or holy-day when the street had many people in it who beheld her going along shee goeth with her Crowches to a brook running on one side of the towne and there for an howre and more shee sitteth washing her feete telling such of her acquaintance as passed by that she felt her strength more and more increasing according to a dreame vvhich shee had dreamed the night before But the issue was shee left her crowches and came home as well as shee desired Being asked of it shee hath not feared to sweare that so strangly shee was cured as I haue reported and some wise folkes beleeue it You may be one of these if you will and you may recorde this woman for her straunge vision This may well fit Bristowes Narration concerning Margaret Iesope Touching which relation so reported so magnified so beleeved to the great praise of the miracles done at Bruxelles because I do desire that my much-abused country men should take notice how they are bobbed by the fraude of their Priests and what the iuggling of such good fellowes is I thinke it not amisse to let them vnderstād that within s Ann 1581 fevē years after this fore-named wonder the Senate of Bruxelles did discover the whole legerdemaine of the miracles said and blazed abroad to be ordinary with them and after due examination did put foorth to the view of the world an Edict or Proclamation therevpon s Meter hist Belgi◅ l. 10 Wherin they declare that the Sacrament of Miracle among them was nothing but a bare peece of bread both lately falsly reported to doe wonders and that the covetous greedinesse of the Romane Clergy there had also obtruded to the people rotten peeces of wood to be worshipped as if they had been partes of the Crosse whereon Christ was crucified and in steed of the reliques of Saints they kept the bones of Apes and other beastes pretending moreover that they had some part of the Sepulchre of our Lady and the skull of S. Michaell which things they permitted the people to adore Yea they testifie that in the faces of diverse of their images they found little holes wherein oile was put to make them seeme sometimes as if they sweated And that there were devises whereby other Images had some parts of them made to moue and sti◅re by wires and other instruments The Proclamation at large is worth the reading wherein it may bee seene that God in his good time discovereth the verletry of couseners and beguilers and giveth leave to such as will not close their owne eies to behould what is truth and what is falshood For some scores of yeeres togither this place was famous for Popish miracles and so many strange things were heere saide to be done that of all the places in Europe Bristow chose this to fetch his wonder from for the confirmation of Popish doctrine and now you see by a most authentical Record what it prooveth to be You Seminary Priests that can blush blush at this and at the ill fortune of Margaret Iesopes miracle 12 HEere to turne vnto the Christian Reader if our Romanistes had not resolved to say any thing which might make a shew flourish without al substance who would in our age bring this Reason of miracles to decide or determine which is the true faith It is certaine that whē our
vvriting against u Contra 18 articul Wiolif VViclif maketh y In articulo 11. 12. tvvise mention of a booke of his ovvne sent to the Bishoppe of Hereford Dâ—…num Ersordenseâ—… he calleth him in confutation of the booke of VValter Britte 27 While I wrâ—…e these thinges I cannot but thinke vpon the audacious absurdnesse of my ignorant Doctour who blusheth not to vtter that is is y Ration 1. most manifest that all in England vvere Papistes vvithout exception from the first Christening thereof vntill this age of King Henry the eight Hee is doubtlesse an honest man and worthy to be trusted on his word It is not only manifest but most manifest not that the greatest part but all yea beâ—… shal not be scanted all wâ—…ut â—…ption were â—…apistes c. Were Iohn Wiclifâ—… bones burnt because he was a Papist were the Bulâ—… of the Pope against him for that cause and were the Archbishop Arondelâ—… Costâ—… against his followers so severe because they were Papists The man is hâ—… to be pittied for his simplicity A man may know by the lawes ProclamatioÌ„s letters proceedings by the State against some as against Heretickes As also by the Records of Bishops yet extant by the manifold executions burnings afterward that even in that deepe time of ignorance England did give most noble testimony of Christs truth against Popery eveÌ„ so farre as to the fiery trial If the Christian Reader peruse the Ecclesiastical History of M r. Foxe he shal find how z 〈◊〉 An. 1400. sub K. Henrie 4. before the Coâ—… William Saâ—… a Priest was burnt after him Iohn Baâ—…y and that because they were Wiclevists oâ—… Lâ—… as they the â—…ed them and not because they were Papists There are the reasons also and asseveratioÌ„s of Pâ—…y and Thorpe against Popery with diverse other matters And is it â—…ot to bee thought that the Heretikes increased when a â—…ynode a 〈◊〉 Sub Reg. Henric. 5. was assembled in Sâ—… Pâ—… Church at London into the vvhich â—…me 〈◊〉 Inquisitoâ—… who in a former Synode were appointed to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the vvâ—…gs of VVâ—… vvherein they found 24â—… Conclusions an vvhich they supposed to bee Iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 â—…eere of K. Henry the 〈◊〉 dâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ward the L. 〈◊〉 was â—…ge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 had beene a â—…de of Traiâ—… but hee was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed Hâ—… So was oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his 〈◊〉 consumed to 〈◊〉 Not longâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besideâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion 〈◊〉 and VVâ—… tvvo 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 followed afterwardâ—… Neither â—…d â—…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of King 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 escape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sundrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRISTâ—… 〈◊〉 sake 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 profession of the â—…hy the particular stories of vvhome may bâ—…â—…ounde in the Authour abouâ—… 〈◊〉 The Clergy of these times did beare much sway with their Princes and lefte no meanes vâ—…ught no stone vnâ—…ned to keepe vp the dignitie and preheminence of their Romish Hierarchy and the superstitions Idolatry vvhich then vvas in vse Novve â—…in the raignes of all these Princes so many were slaughtered for the testimonie of a good conscience hovve manie weake brethren vvere there vvho did not make open profession of their faith and hovve many did there lie hid diverse of them in probabilitie having confederates and some of them being Priestes and therefore not vnlikely to have learning both to confirme themselves in the truth and such other as hearde them Thus have I both in England and else-vvhere brought vp the doctrine of the Gospell vntill the time of Iohn VViclef who flourished in the yeere 1371. 28 Heere it may please the Reader to remember that the iudgment before cited of â—…vo c Gregor 11. Gregor 12. Popes vvas that VViclef taught the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua and of Iohn of 〈◊〉 Of the later of these there yet appeareth no monument vvritten But hee ioyned in d Catalog test verle lib. 18. opinion vvith the former But as for Marsilius Patavinus our Adversties cannot but acknovvledge him to bee a verie learned man after the measure of the age vvherein hee lived vvhich vvas in the yeere 1324. Hee vvrote a e Defensor pacis booke against the vsurped power of the Bishope of Rome vvhich argument hee entred into in behalfe of the Emperour Levvis of Bavâ—…e vvho vvas mightily laide at by three Popes successiuelie There the Authour avovveth as right and iust the supreme authoritie of the Emperour displaying the iniquitie of the Popes vsurpation over Christian Princes and Generall Councels The booke is vvoorth the reading to see vvhether all in times past did allowe of the Popes doctrine and proceedinges or not His opinions are these That the Pope is not superiour to other Bishoppes and much lâ—… the Emperour and civill Magistraâ—… That thing as are to bee decided by the â—…ure Thâ—… 〈◊〉 men of the laiâ—… 〈◊〉 in Councels That the Clergy and Pope himselfe are to bee subiect to Magistrates That the Church is the 〈◊〉 companie of the faithfull That CHRIST is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church and appointed 〈◊〉 to bee 〈◊〉 Uiâ—… That Priestes may bee â—…ryed That Saint Peter was 〈◊〉 at Rome That the Popish Synagoge 〈◊〉 a dâ—… of theeves That the doctrine of the Pâ—… not to bee follovved because it leadeth to everlasting destructâ—… In the time of this Marsilius lived that noble Poet Danie vvho vvrote also a booke against the Pope f Petrus Messias in Ludovico Câ—… the Monarchie of the Emperour but for taking part vvith Lewes of Bavâ—…ere hee vvas condemned for an heretike and his booke â—…hereticall Then also vvrote g Catal. test verit lib. 18. Occam directly to the same purpose but for his labour therein and his large reproofe of the Papâ—…cie in other pointes hee was excommunicated by the romane Bishop vvhich he so much contemned that hee not vnwillingly dyed vnder that sentence Aboute that time vvere here and there dispersed sundry godly men who sawe more then the common sorte touching Religion As h Ibid. ex Hen. de Erford Hayâ—… a Minorite vvho frequently saide in his Sermons that the Church of Rome vvat the vvhere of Babylon and that the Pope and Cardinals vvere meere Aâ—… vvhich propositions were helde somevvhat before also by i Ibidem Gerâ—… and Dulcinus tvvo learned men This Duâ—… may be thought to haue had many followers since k Hist. Hussit lib. 2. Cochleus coulde say that Iohn Hus committed spirituall fornication with the Wâ—…sts and with the Dulâ—…nists The same opinions concerning the Pope and Rome did that rare man l Epist. 20. in Poesi Italica Franciscus Petrarche seeme fully to embrace as may appeare to any who will reade his vvorkes hovvsoever Cardinall
question it When the Iesuites mainetaine that the Excommunication Consistorially given against her late Maiesty is a right and Papall sentence but the Seminarians their abetters avouch it to bee a matter of fact and not of faith and therefore the Pope may there in erre And is there one beleefe when you caÌ„not doctrinally agree whither the Pope or the Generall Councell be the greater When not long since m Pigh Eccles Hier. lib. 1. 2. Papists did mainetaine that the authority of the Church was aboue the Scriptures but the n Bellar. de Concil lib. 2. 12. Iesuites now deny it and the o In Gal. 2. 2. Rhemistes as moderatours cannot well tell what to make of it but in some sences rather bend to the prerogatiue of the Church And as you haue reformed many other things in Popery so is your service the same When your Breviaries or Porteises are so much altered since the time of the Councell of Trent and so many shamefull things put out which if they were impious or idolatrous your people before those daies were in a pretty pickle As Georgius Timotheus being more nasute then their predecessors did purge their p Socr. Eccles Hist. 7. 6. Arrianisme and cleared it of many the blasphemies of Arius retaining such as were more plausible so Pius the 5. cleansed the Breviary of many absurdities and helde only those things which he supposed were more defensible q Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 2. 11. In your new Missals also many texts are altered from that which was in the old Your LegeÌ„daries in former times were read in the midst of your Congregations accepted for good truth yet now you reiect your ancient books insomuch that r Motiv 5. Bristow himselfe disclaimeth vncertaine or false Miracles which they reade saith he in I know not what Legenda Aurea so contemptuously he speaketh of it and now that only must goe for currant which s De Vitiâ—… SanctoruÌ„ Surius Lippoman haue revised and allowed Nay hath the Church of Rome ever had one beleefe when the foundations of their faith in which vvill they nill they their soule and salvation must bee acknowledged to consist are and haue beene so and such among them that no man can well tell what to make or determine of them I meane the Scripture which is vnto them as a deade law and the Pope which is as the living Magistrate For first touching the Scriptures we know that with them the Latin Vulgar Edition is only authenticall and so the s Session 4. Councell of Trent hath defined it whereas the Originals of the Hebrew and Greeke which are the first and clearest fountaines are but basely esteemed by many of them insomuch that they t Prolog ad Lector ante li. 1. Esdr. who put out the Complutensian Bible say that they haue set the Latin there betweene the Greeke and Hebrew as Christ was vpon the Crosse betweene the tvvo theeves Now what can any man make of this their Latin Copy when besides the difference of it from the Originals against which we most except it is in it selfe so often altered and chopped and changed for besides the Castigations Corrections of the Lovanists and Coleinists and I cannot tell how many the Pope Sixtus 5. did cause it to be revewed 〈◊〉 professing that hee had amended very much of it he made it to be new printed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praefixa Biblijs Sixti quinti. prefixed a Bul before it testifying that he in his own person had gone through the whole Copie and iudged of it yea amended the faultes escaped in the Printers Presse with his owne hand therfore did give charge by that his ConstitutioÌ„ which was evermore to stand in force that it should never afterward bee altered or any other Copy of the Vulgar Edition bee vsed And if anâ—…e did attempte contrary to his Decree then hee shoulde incâ—…rre the displeasure of Almightie GOD and of the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paule This vvas published but in the yeere 1589. and vvithin three yeeres after Anno 1592. commeth Pope Clement the 8. and vnder a coulour that his Predecessour Sixtus had inteÌ„ded torevise his Bible once againe but that hee dyed before hee could effect it hee putteth out another in many hundreds of textes differing from the former so that the diversities compared togither doe make a 〈◊〉 prettie booke and there is little more variety 〈◊〉 Bellum Papale Thomâ—… Iames. for materiall pointes betweene the translation vsed in the Church of England and the Rhemish Testament then is betweene these two And since the nexte Pope vvho succeedeth vvill thinke scorne but to have as much auctoritie as his Anteceslour it may bee chopped not onely once more but many times so that the Romish Church may bee saide to bee so farre of from Vnitie in Veritie that of certainty they have not the Scriptures vvhereon their faith must bee builte but they in former times and these in this present age have various groundes to rest themselves vpon Secondly as nowe it is with the Scriptures so it hath beene heeretofore vvith the Popes when they have had 23. severall Schismes Antipapes being erected the one against the other and those broyles sometimes continuing for scores of yeeres togither vvithout interruption so that all Christendome by partaking vvith them hath beene in an vprore and thousandes by that meanes have beene murthered Novve if it bee such an Article of faith that the Church must bee beleeved yea beleeved in and this Church is the Romane Church and is ministerially inspired by the heade and the heade is not onely like bifidus 〈◊〉 a hill vvith tvvo toppes but triplex Gerion or tricâ—…ps 〈◊〉 vvitlâ—… three partes as it was a little x Vide Câ—…cil Constantions before the Councel of Constance three Popes vsurping at one time and everie one of these doe eurse to the deepest bottome of the lovvest hell all that stande against them nay all vvho are not vvith them and in their Consistories if they bee Popes they cannot erre Will any man vvho hath his vvittes about him thinke that here is one Faith and one 〈◊〉 in the Romish Cocke-pit And especially when these Popes shall against the Antipapes proclaime Croisadoes that men are to marke themselves with the signe of the Crosse and fight against their adversaries as against Turkes Saracens and Infidels the knowne enemies of the Christian profession Heare this yee Papists blush when you mention your Vnity T. HILL BVT on the other side if you looke into the dâ—…ings of Protestants you shall see such dissensions such divisions such schisâ—…s such contraâ—…tie of opinions as the like was never among the Arrians among the Eutychians among the Donatists among the Nestorians among the Valentinians 〈◊〉 yet amâ—…ngest the most â—…arring Heretikes that ever were So as you may plainely beholde in Luther his seede the selfe same thing that the Poets faine of
that sect ◅hich is ours so that it is apparant that it is augmented even by the helpe of God which is the selfe-same reason that is here vrged for the Papacy But Vives doth make answere The multitude doth not argue goodnesse There were more Gentiles i◅ time past And what can be more true then that in times past even frō the beginning of the world there were more Ethnickes then are Saracens since the daies of Mahomet or true Christians since Christs time So Hierome Savanarola who was a learned man of an excellent spirit as appeareth by his workes howsoever the Romanists afterward tooke his life away from him in his booke s Lib. 4. c. 7. De Triumpho Crucis beeing opposed by a Mahumetane that Mahomets profession is truth because so many doe follow it he answereth first that men are inforced by the sworde so to doe and secondly that if multitude should beare the palme away then the devils religion were the best of all other because he hath possessed incomparablie more then either Christ or Mahomet Such a Reason as this is doth the writer of this Pamphlet heere bring for his Romish doctrine which if it prove any thing is most substantiall fo Sathan the great Antichrists graunde maister For there is not any portion of the habitable world but the Devil hath his crew in it In enquiring thē for verity we should attende what the solide rule of perfection that is Gods Sacred word doth lay out before vs and not what the hugest multitude directed by humane fancy shal prescribe vnto vs. t Exod. 23. 2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill The most walke the worst way Sapiendum est cum paucis A wise man as Seneca telleth vs u Lib. in sapientem non cadere iniuriam cap 14. doth not goe that way which the people goeth but as the Planets doe goe a contrary course to the world so he goeth against the opinion of them all Thus wee must doe in Divinity not looke howe many saye but on what ground it is spoken If many agree in that which prooveth to be iust we are to ioy that many give consent to that which is right but the truth is it which must trie them and not they inforce a truth Sounde religion is not the worse when it is but in a fewe and the multitude which doe hould it or the wide spreading thereof cannot make the false to be otherwise THE SIXTE REASON Miracles T. HILL TRUE Miracles were never wrought but by them who were of true religion for that they are done only by the power of God Now it is so manifest that there hath bin almost an infinite number of miracles wrought by those who were of the Catholike Romane Religion and never any by them who were not of that Church-since Christes time as he who shall deny it may be proved no lesse impudent shamelesse thē he vvho shall deny that ever there vvas any Masse saide in times past in England or that ever there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that there be any such countries as the East and UUest Indies which thing if a man should deny would be not of all men bee deemed not onely impudent but madde drunken or a foole And surely the one is no lesse knowne by all approved writers and eie-witnesses than the other For as in the Gospell and in the Actes the holy Scriptures witnesse that miracles were wrought by Christ and his Apostles so doe most approved authours of everie age vntill this daye testifie and record the continuaunce of the working thereof in the Catholike Romane Church the which Authours for the most part were eie-witnesses of the saide miracles as for example G. ABBOT 1 WHen you first beganne this pety tract of yours you vndertooke to doe a miracle and that a strange one too for it were a miracle of all miracles to proove the rotten ragges of Popery to bee sounde and therfore we wonder not that in this your processe you speake of miracles But according to your fashion at your first setting out you stumble for wee may well hold those to be true miracles which are really and verily done although it be to an evil purpose And such as these are wrought by them who are farre of from true religion as by the Devill and by some of his instruments indeed not without Gods permissiō although speaking properly it is not by his immediate power The sorcerers of Pharaodid a Exod 7 1◅ 22 cap. 8. 7 three severall times shew wonders before their maister by turning roddes into serpēts water into blould by producing frogges A false b Deut. 13 1 Prophet or dreamer of dreames may giue a signe or a wōder the signe or wonder may come to passe S. Austen directly c De civit Dei l 10. 16. affirmeth that amōg the old Romans their aūcestors there were miracles verily dōe by the power of the devil as that the pe◅ates or litle images brought frō Troy did off thēselues go frō place to place that Tarquine with a ◅asour did cut a whetstōe in sunder d Liv. lib 1 Livy reporteth it to be done by Accius Mavius the Augur at the cōmandemēt of Tarquine And when among so many probable credible writers strang things are related to have bin done amōg the Ethnickes but most of al among the Romans as the raining of stones bloud the like yea as e Tom 2◅ lib. 4. c 13 Freculphus saith very wooll in Artho◅se vnder Valentinian the Emperour to whom is this to be attributed but to the grand enimy of mākind which the same Freculphus doth not dissēble whē in another f Tom. 1 l 5. cap. 5 place he delivereth it that by the naughtines of the devils it was brought about that a river did flow with bloud the heavē did make a shew to be on fire and such like And this is the opiniō of Bozius a special man of your side g Lib 2 contr Machiavel who telleth vs that Livye reporteth that it hath rained stones bloud flesh Whervpon he saith we beleeue that these wōders in time past were so frequent because devils did procure cause thē whē such things did fall out publike supplicatiōs were made general sacrifices wherby the devils thēselues were worshipped Then real miracles may be wrought by such as be not of true religiō vnles that Sathan may be this religious man no differēce is there for this matter before since Christs time as wil be seene anōe by example of Antichrist And if it should be excepted that diverse of these already specified may bee saide not to be true because they are done to an evil end that is to deceive beguile your late Popish miracles are liable to the same exception being whē they are at their best to winne mē not to Christ but to Antichrist 2 The
true divers were wrought with legerdemain very many were most ridiculous no better with wise folks theÌ„ things to make sport albeit they were admired by the simple superstitious That worthy man Ludovicus Vives saw this wel inough wheÌ„ he spake so feelingly of this case x 〈◊〉 Lib â—…de verita sidei They saith he are the more execrable yea like the Devil who for gaine sake do faine miracles in the Churches of our Saints for wheÌ„ the vanity of theirs is laid open they make meÌ„ doubt of true miracles Therfore miracles must haue these marks the truth of the thing it selfe the quality of their beeing the maÌ„ner of the actioÌ„ the cause efficient the cause moving before hand the ende And afterwarde The avarice of some persons hath devised false loger-demaines of miracles by the vvhich beeing deprehended and made manifest such as are most true are made vncertaine which is a pestilent matter in religion and they are to bee execrated who doe devise them and deserve more punishment then such as counterfeit mony or doe mingle poison amonge these thinges vvhich are made for receites against poison You may heere once againe call to mind the Proclamation of Bruxelles before spoken of If the miracles so extolled in the Romish Church were examined after the notes marks heere proposed by Vives how poore how conteÌ„ptible how scornful would they be Let vs see some few examples and those not tosled vp and downe with rumours but beleeved and received as commended vnto vs by authours of good note y Hoveden part 2. In or neere Sicilia the fire did breake out of the mountaine Gibel which is a matter long agone written coÌ„cerning the hill Aetna The people of the countrey being frighted at it doe flye to the tombe of S. Agatha taking her veile froÌ„ thence do with it so beate back the fire into the sea that it dried vp the sea almost for the spice of a mile did halfe scorch or burne the fishes so that yet such fishes do remaine halfe broiled and are called S. Agathas fishes You must thinke that it is some commodity to the countrey in saving them fewel who eate of the fishes in as much as they are halfe broiled to their handes You must not aske whether if all the water vvere so gone that the fishe lying drye vvas burnte the people came and tosled them forvvard into the sea or else they laye there till the tyde came vp againe that they lived so longe after Nor whether there be yet any of the same fishe remaining for were it not time that they were spent And yet as men say fish is long lived But howsoever you must not sift a miracle too far as it is no good manners too much to examine a frieÌ„ds tale z Ibidem The same Authour hath another Narration coÌ„cerning Thomas Becket that he never draÌ„ke any thing but water on a time being at boorde with Pope Alexander the Pope would needs tast of his cup. There least the sanctity abstemiousnes of the holy maÌ„ should be discovered God so provided that Alexander could finde nothing but wine but when Becket came to pledge him in the same cup it was turned backe againe into water You must beleeve that although the Pope found it to be wine yet Thomas Becket drunke nothing but water And because it shold be known that he was as miraculous in his meate as he was in his drinke a Quod. lib. 8 7. one of our Secular Priestes in great earnest telleth vs that on a S. Markes day in Rome he had a Capon whereon he was eating turned into a Carpe Some haue talked of men that could or would haue gone invisible Perhaps some body wil ignorantly say that it was Frier Bacon No it was S. Bartholomew as b Past 3 quaest 54. aâ—…t 1. Thomas of Aquine telleth vs to whose body it was giveÌ„ as a miracle that if he himselfe would he might be visible if he would otherwise he shold not be beheld he might go invisible You wil hope that S. Bartholomew was an honest man or else nowe and then hee might haue done ill feates 16 That S. Francis the Patriarke of the Franciscanes was a maister of miracles we are not now to learne but see whether hee brought not vp his scholers vnto it also If wee give credite to the booke of his Conformities as I cannot see vvho can bee a good Catholike and not beleeve it e Conformit D. FraÌ„cisc Frier Frauncis one of the followers of the noble Saint Frauncis celebrating Maste founde a spider in the chalice and did not take him out but dranke him vp togither with the bloud Afterward rubbing his shin-bone and scratching where it itched that spider came whole out of his legge and did him no hurte And because such wonders as these bee must never cease in the Church of Rome but our age must haue her part our Iesuites who do as much honour the fouÌ„der of their Society Ignatius Loiola as the Franciscanes do S. Francis will informe you that Ignatius was not without his miracles for wheÌ„ d Petr Maff. in vita Ignat lib 1 7 he was sometimes at his praiers late in the night diverse peeping in vpon him haue seene his body hange in the aire two yards aboue the ground the spirit lifting vp the waight of his body to heaveÌ„-ward And moreover coÌ„ferring in speech with God which also is writeÌ„ of e Exod. 34. 35. Moses al his face would shine in marveilous maÌ„ner like the beames of the Sun But because the fouÌ„der of the Iesuits should not thus beare the bucklers away from all meÌ„ in our age there is since his time stepped vp another old gallant on Philippus Nerius a Florentine vvho hath erected an order called Congregatio Oratorij One Antonius Gallonius a Priest of his CoÌ„pany hath lately put out his life so many miracles done on by him that a man had need of a stronge faith which can beleevetheÌ„ Among other to be quit with those of Loiola f Vita B. Patr Philip Nerij lib. 1 Anno 1556. hee telleth that Philip was seene in praier time for an houre and a halfes space to haÌ„ge in the aire five cubits more aboue grouÌ„â— which being two yardes a halfe hath put downe Ignatius for halfe a yard better Also his face was seene to be wonderfully full of shining beames And because wee shoulde thinke that miracles were no dainties with him g An 1555. he could by his smel know a whore very eâ—sily he could by h An. 1559. looking a maÌ„in the face tel what he thought knew familiarly the secret cogitatioÌ„s of meÌ„s harts A man being absent from him but dreaming of him was i An 1595. cured of a vehement fever All these strange matters and many more he did albeit he told k De beati Philipâ— virtutib l. 3 Caesar Baronius then a
Priest of his order and he who was his Confessour that he very often had asked of God that he would do no miracles by him And that was because he wold not haue the people think too well of him And in as much as mention is heere made of Caesar Baronius I vvill adde one thing more which the said l Lib. 1. An. 1550 Cardinall delivered vpon his othe concerning the same Philip his founder for the said Baronius was one of his company and society In the yeere 1550 now more then fiftie yeeres agone Philip who in the darke of the night vvhen all men are even buried in sleepe so that the lefte hande coulde not knovve vvhat the the right hande did did vse to visite needy persons vvent in the nighte time to cary breade to a poore gentle-man Heere by the Devils meanes vvhile hee sought to avoide a carte comming hastily vppon him hee fell into a verie deepe ditch but Gods helpe beeing at hande in his falling he vvas presently caught of an Angell by the heare of the heade miraculouslye and beeing nothing hurte hee vvas returned out safe by the Angell This did Baronius who vvas not there and coulde haue it but by the reporte of Nerius svveare absolutely to bee true vvhereby vvee may easilie gesse that the same Cardinall in his vvritinges maketh no greate conscience to saye thinges true or false vvhen hee maketh no bones to svveare matters so vnlikely Hee who list to see more of the venerable miracles in Popery let him reade Henrie Stephanus in his French m Cap 39 Apologie of Herodotus and there hee shall finde diverse particulars sette dovvne Are not our Country-men and Country-women blessed when after so long light of the Gospell they chuse to feede themselues fat with legions of such wonders and holde it a high part of their profession to beleeve such things as these are We reade of some whom God doth so giue over to the spirit of delusion that they doe n 2 Thes 〈◊〉 11. beleeuelyes 17 If any heere do aske mee howe came it ever about that such foolishe and ridiculous multitudes of miracles came to bee reported and inserted into their bookes I must first ascribe it to the permission of God who had fore-tolde that so it shoulde bee Secondlye to the pollicy of Sathan vvhose kingdome by this us by a speciall meanes was inlarged Thirdly to the cunning of the Cleargy in those daies vvho made themselues great by the keeping vp of such reportes concerning the sanctitie of any of their confederacy or of such whose reliques they pretended to haue and gained infinitely by the offeringes done in places of these wonders And fourthly to the credulity of the people who would beleeve any thing once set abroach by some suborned for the purpose or by idle companions Gulielmus Neubringensis was a writer very learned and iudicious for that time wherein hee lived And in his storie hee did more then once relate the abuse of that age for spreading abroade the fames of miracles o Neubringens l 3 7. Henry the eldest sonne of King Henry the second of England vvho was in his fathers life time crowned King but dyed before his father was every where by the people reported to have wrought great miracles after his death vvhereas in truth he was an vnadvised and rebellious younge Prince This shevveth hovve apte the people were to intertaine a conceite of any mans doing miracles yea so farre that if they might haue their willes they shoulde soone have beene shrined for Saints Aftervvard p Lib 4 9 there vvas a greate robber vvho beeing slaine it vvas given out of many olde vvomen that hee frequentlye did miracles as if hee had beene some holye person and this rumour grewe so stronge and was so generally spredde that the Bishop was enforced to come to Hampton there display the falshood of the whole narration so that then the superstition was ended Hee q Lib 5 19 mentioneth also a third matter of this kinde that a traiterous fellow of London called VVilliam with the longe bearde vvas also reputed a Saint and a maine doâ—… of of miracles Can vvee have any plainer certificate then this that by the superstition and credulousnesse of the vulgar sort many vvonders were saide to bee done vvhen in truth there vvas no such matter And if for their commodities sake any of the Cleargie would ioyne and giue countenance to the matter the party so grovvne to be a Saint and the fame of his vvonders shoulde never bee extinguished The reader may by these fewe take a tast of the rest of their Saintes and miracles for thousandes vvere done no othervvise then in this sorte and everie man had not the vvitte to see the fraude nor that couragâ—… to reporte it as Neubringensis had And vvhat levvdenesse may wee imagine vvas practised amonge simple people in those darke dayes of Popery vvhen in so glorious a sunne-shine of the Gospell any Seminarians shoulde dare in England to attempte such a practise as Father VVeston the lesuite and Declâ—…ration of Popish impostures practâ—…sed by Edm. no lesse then a vvhole douzen of Priestes conspiring vvith him did of late for some yeeres togither put themselues into They persvvaded some men and three maydens that they vvere possessed vvith the Devill and that they by their Priest-exorcizing faculties could fetch him in out vp and downe at their pleasure They had a holy chaire to set their abused Disciples in and a holy potion to administer to them both matters pretended to be formidable to the foule spirits but indeed trickes to cast their patients into straunge fits that so they might seeme as wel to themselues as others standing by to be possessed in most hideous manner And this was so artificially carried by the Iesuit and his fellowe Iuglers that diverse hundreds of vnstable and vnadvised people being cousened and cunny-catched by their impostures were contented to bee reconciled to the Church of Rome being wonne there vnto by their stupendious miracles A booke also or two was penned to be spread abroade beyond the seas of the admirable dominering of these Priests over the possessing spirits and of the wonders which they had done vppon them Notwithstanding now by the confessions of three of the females one man al which then were the pretended possessed persons of another theÌ„ a Priest a personal actour in this exploit all these five being sworne speaking vpon oth it is manifestly and vndoubtedly discovered to be most egregious insignious illustrious both varletry vilainy that among meÌ„ professing religion devotioÌ„ was ever heard A man may wel suppose that the casting out of Devils and doing of other wonders in India farre countries by the Iesuites and Priestes is a true honest holy matter when such vnspeakeable vndescribable hypocrites do dare before such multitudes of theselues conscious of their own fraud before such troupes of staÌ„ders by
the VenetiaÌ„s yet he shold escape with safety only his fault was that by the sword he did not reforme and redresse the abuses of the Clergy at Rome In briefe he stil preached against the Romanists and wrote divers things excellently and learnedly which yet appeare But being such a scourge vnto them the Pope r Guiâ—…iard hist. lib. 3. excommunicated him and forbad him to preach where-vnto when he assented not they caused a tumult to be raised in the City apprehended him and imprisoned him put him to torture and gaue out such a confession of his as they listed but in the ende they burnt him where with singular patience he yeelded his body to the fire and his soule to God Almighty From all these many more I draw this Conclusion contrary to that of my adversary before vrged That if such as haue beene esteemed for Prophets in this last age haue had any such gift indeede and any matter may be built on them then the Church of Rome is a strumpet full of corruptions pollutions abominations as the very denne of Antichrist And so rest they with their Visions and sit they with their Prophecies THE EIGHTH REASON Scriptures T. HILL NEither may heere the Protestant reply and say that the Papists builde vpon Miracles Uisions Prophecies and vpon such like but not vpon the UUorde for all that they alleadge are most agreeable to the word of God Neither doe they teach any doctrine but such as is derived out of the holy Bible G. ABBOT HOw you build vpon the Scriptures and what account you make of the word of God we need no better man to declare then your selfe who do evidently shew to all the worlde in what reverende esteeme you haue the sacred Oracles of the Lords booke when you thinke this to bee a fit place to speake of the Scriptures after your false imputed name of Catholikes your Uanity and Cousening your Perverting of Consciences your lying Miracles and other your not base but most base and refuse stuffe And as you doe place it worthily so you insist vpon it largely in this your whole Pamphlet consisting of an 187. Pages allowing not full out one leafe vnto that which is the a Luk. 10 42 Unum necessarium the sole anker of our hope the foundation of our confidence the ioy of our harts VVherein you do as your graund Captaines do teach you who vse but meane speeches concerning this word of God yea and your Conventicle of b Session 4. Trent wickedly equalling and making of the same authority the traditions of men with the written Scripture which sacrilegious impiety and impure blasphemy while your auditours do not perceiue decline they shew themselues not only blinded but bewitched with the cup of the c Apoc 17 21 whores inchantments And even with the like reverence you do vse it here as it were casting it into an odde corner and naming it no otherwise but as to fill vp your nuÌ„ber so skirting by it or skipping over it as the d Pli l. 8. 40 Solin c 25 dogs in Egypt do by the river Nilus where they dare not stand and drinke but lap as they runne and runne as they lap for feare of a Crocodile So when you come to the Scripture you wil stand to nothing but touch and goe for fear least some thing should here start out which should devour you and your Popery If you had beene a man of mettal if there had beene ought in the Bible assuredly making for you you should from thence haue cleered some question as the sacrifice of your Masse the Supremacy of your Pope the lawfulnes of your Priest-hood or one thing or another questioned and controversed not haue dealt by it as one would handle thornes or take a coale of fire in his hand being glad when he is first rid of it Well we must beare with you for your brevity in this Chapter but for the manner of this your placing I cannot chuse but smile to thinke how you were troubled in this your short consultation whither you should now be beholding to Campian or to your old Master Bristow for borrow needs you must that is your profession Bristow you must not leaue no not for a little moment especially since e Motiv 8â—… somewhere he hath these very matters And yet notwithstanding some variety of stealing would do well not all out of Bristowe The resolution then grew that Campians concisenesse was fitter here for your humour and his very words you would vse But to set them as the f Cam. Rat. 〈◊〉 Iesuit did in the forefront of your booke were to lay your selfe too open for some body might haue taken his booke and first read it out of Latin and then your first Chapter if it had beene your first Chapter and read it in English To satisfie both then you took this honest course that the words should be Campians and the Methode should be Bristowes you placing the treatise of the Scripture behind as worthy Bristow had done before you This sheweth that you haue a prety wit of your own To come now to the matter our reply is in truth as you say that the sandy foundation of all your rotten building doth rest vpon vncertaineties your miracles are most fained your visions are forged your Prophecies false all of them out of date no inforcement of verity to be gathered from them And on the otherside you haue little acquaintance with the word of God neither by your good wils do you desire it That which you doe you are vrged vnto by vs and then you wrest you wring you straine you stretch to make some shew for that which originally is dravvne from your humane inventions And when it is once set vp then you labour to haue some colour to warrant it or at least to make some glose howe simple folke may take it for good payment Your workes of supererogation whereby a man may doe more then deserue heaven for himselfe and haue somewhat to spare for other your dispensatioÌ„ of the treasure of your Church by the Indulgences of your Pope your Canonizing of Saints your creating of Lumbus your forging of Purgatory a multitude more or rable rather of vpstart novelties since the age of the Apostles are derived froÌ„ the tricks of their wit who haue made their purse their belly and their worldly pompous honour to be their God their summuÌ„ solum bonuÌ„ As for the sacred word froÌ„ thence they are not taken vnlesse you meane that they be so derived out of the holy Bible as that they were never in it so we deny not but your superstition may be taken out of it But were these controversed matters but probably to be collected out of the sacred Oracles you would not runne to such beggerly shiftes as in this whole Pamphlet of yours you are driven vnto They must make a shew with Counters cary about theÌ„ a purse
Scriptures And for disagreement and stifnes to yeeld if any be or haue bin of that minde it is vitium persâ—…na non rei that party is to be blamed and not his religionâ—… In all differences men are too much wedded to their opinions Yet we doubt not but when Christian Princes shall be pleased to call a Generall Councell in such sort and to such end as it should be convocated God who moveth the mindes of the superiours like good Constantines and Theodosians to do their parts will also moue the harts of inferiours to humility and conformity laying a side private spirits which is much to bee intreated of the Almighty Remember I pray you that there may bee câ—…rtaine rules set downe which may bridle refractary persons as it was s In colloquio Ratispon â—…601 lately at Ratispone Remember also that the Councell of Constance could proceede not only without a Pope to be their head but also against three Popes removing them and deposing them Farthermore you much deceiue your selues in your opinion of our discord for we do not so iarre as you imagine For certainly we al agree wel inough to lay your Pope on the grouÌ„d and the Churches of England and Scotland and France and Switzerland and the low Countries calling none of the Lutherans a good part of Germany with others iumping expreslie in the same faith are able inough to make a most renoumed and Christian Councell Do not thinke therefore that we are so farre from that as you speake of for if you leane too much on that coÌ„ceit it will proue vnto you but a broken reede which will both faile you and the splints of it also wil run into your hands Gods word shall be the line after the which we all will walke T. HILL LAstly I would haue you here to marke the dealing of beretikes vvho play by Generall Councels even as they play by the Scriptures for Conc. Flor. Sess. 5. 6. Magdebur Cent. 8. c. 9 Cent. 9. cap. â—…9 they take and leaue as they lust and as best serveth their turne There haue beene in all Generall Councels eighteene All gathered allowed and confirmed by one and the selfesame authority of which the Greeks receiue only seven The Lutheranes the first fixe The Eutyehians which are in Asia onely the first three The Nestorians which are yet in the East onely the first two The Trinitaries which are in Hungarie and Poleland receiue nâ—…ne at all behold the liberty of your Gospell G. ABBOT 9 VVHat heretikes doe in refusing of Scripture wee list not now to examine our iudgement and the reasons whervpon it is grounded you haue heard in the last Chapter Neither are we vnwilling to acquaint the Christian worlde what it is that we doe holde concerning Councels to wit that such as are rightly gathered togither and take the direction of their conclusions from the Angell of the great counsaile froÌ„ him who is called s 〈◊〉 9. 6. Counsailer such are to be much reverenced and esteemed but yet still as the words of men and not immediatly of God For it is one thing to be the word of God and another to be guided by it The former great Councels did take the sacred Oracle for the load starre of their direction the later t Mat. 26. 3. Annas-like assemblies and Cayphas-like Councels did least thinke of such matters And therefore it may rightly bee saide that not the holy Ghost but Sathan in the likenesse of such a u Nicol. de Clem super materia Concilior filthy bird as appeared at Rome in the Councel called by Iohn the foure tweÌ„tith was President there Yet we hold it worth the while to looke a little into your doctrine concerning Councels You make them of mighty authority as anone I shall shew and yet the chiefe Patriarkes among you who boast so much of your Vnity and Consent cannot agree which be the Councels whom you plead for to be authenticall It is no marvell if your scholers cannot ye eld account of their faith when you their Masters cannot You for your part allow vs eighteene Generall Councels but you doe not make vs so much beholding to you as to tel vs which they be u In initio Platinae Ounphrius who was held for a great Clerke among you reckoneth but sixteene the fowre first of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon then two other at ConstaÌ„tinople then the second at Nice then a fourth at Constantinople then one at Laterane the next at Lions then at Vienna one afterwards those of Constance Basile and Florence then another Laterane the last at Trent x In indice ConcilioruÌ„ Possevinus keepeth your number of eighteene but the Councels of Constance and Basile hee secludeth But whereas by this reckoning if he ioined with Ounphrius otherwise he should now haue â—…but fourteene he maketh fiue in all at Laterane and two at Lions and so they rise to be eighteene In this account his ' fellow Iesuite 〈◊〉 Bellarmine 〈◊〉 concil lib 1 cap. 5 precisely ioyneth with him And yet in substance they bee but thirteene for he acquainteth vs that the first and seconde at Laterane both those at Lions and that of Vienna be lost which by a consequent diminisheth fiue of the number y In Chronograph Genebrarde who at length grew to bee Archbishop of Aix thought himselfe as good a man as either of those or any who would defend thÄ› and therefore he will not take it after their tale For he reckoneth to vs twenty General CouÌ„cels wherof as the fiue which are missing are a part so he solemnely taketh in those of Constance and Basile for as good as the best Thus the greatest Rabbins cannot agree among themselues All the stirre is about those of Constance and Basile who indeed do touch the Popes freehold and therefore himselfe and all the Parasites who stand for him are not hastily to admit theÌ„ The CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„stance did dosse three Popes which were vp at once in a schisme subiected the Bish. of Rome to a CouÌ„cel which goeth hard especially when the Synode may be called without him as that was therefore he wil none of that The CouÌ„cel of Basil would not be at the lure of Eugenius the 4. but set vp z Aeâ—… Silvius deCoÌ„cil Bafil Amedeus the Duke of Savoy against him made him an Antipape this I tel you is dangerous doctrin This doth touch the triple crown therfore it is good looking before these things be ratified What shal we the think that the Pope did in this case a Vbi supra Onuphrius he goeth briefly to work saith that the CouÌ„cel of Basil was coÌ„firmed by Eugenius the 4. that of CoÌ„stance by Martin the 5. So the if hee say truth they haue al their coÌ„plemeÌ„ts must go for currant mony CoÌ„cerning the CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„staÌ„ce b Vt supra Genebrard â—…uÌ„peth with him