Pope in his wicked Bulls hath at this day most wickedlie published and set abroade contayning a most diuelish Doctrine of Disobedience and a lyke practise what euer you nowe tel in faire wordes to flatter withall in opinion you agree with these woordes of D. Thom. and apply all to and against our noble Queene and this State as your practises too much prooue The wise man saieth Hee that hateth wil counterfaict with his lippes but in his heart he layeth vppe deceite Though hee speake fauourably beleeue him not for there are seuen abhominations in his heart Hatred may bee couered by deceit but the malice thereof shalbee discouered in the Congregation And that this that I tell you of is true among you hot Catholikes as you wil be called I wil at this tyme wade no farther in your S. Thomases summe nor in your Popes Decrees and other wryters of your side in former times But let me be bold as you doe obiect vnto vs the doctrine of one or two of our men so for all to set you downe y e words at least of one of your cōpaniōs or great pillers doctors rather of your present Popishe church that is fled from his Countrey Prince vs here to Rome and abroade there thence like a Popish Priest by practises wrytings seeking to stirre vp among other seditious rebellions and treasons against her Maiestie and this State which partly by wryting partly by posting betweene is according to Commission and trust performed by him so farre as hee may to the vttermost Saunders trauaile more laborious and 〈◊〉 then sounde Godly or wise in his huge peece of woorke of the visible Monarchy of the Church is against the present state of this Churche and Realme of Englande there needeth no other applier of the whole then himselfe I suppose all you hot Romaine Catholikes agree and bee all of one minde in this behalfe in the name of you all he speaketh for the rest especially seing their voices being asked they disagree not any I know for but 〈◊〉 y e same rather in their wryting In Saunders Epistle therefore To the most vnreuerend Cardinals Iohn Moron and twoo other before his visible Monarchie not only Iyingly and slaunderously chargeth he the godly lawes of this Realme with impietie tyrannie and that this I 〈◊〉 almost alone at this day in all Christendome plentifully yeeldeth foorth Martyrs so hee calleth the Traytours that haue been and a litle before the wryting heere of were executed heere for their trayterous attempts and other English Romaine Catholikes whereof in 〈◊〉 beaderoll hee reckeneth vs vp a rable But furthermore also 〈◊〉 stirreth vp the saide Cardinals as though it were very earnestly from hence sued for vnto them to trauaile by such meanes as they can to deliuer the people heere hee meaneth such as himselfe is from this so great and cruel tyrannie so hee calleth the most moderate and peaceable gouernement of her Maiestie whereunto also after congratulation and commendation for his former late dealing with this Realme her Maiestie and the State hee exciteth the vnholinesse of the Pope in his Epistle Dedicatory to him cōforting himself feeding other and namely his Pope with vaine hope this was about ten yeeres since that very shortly after the runnegate Catholikes and their fellowes shoulde bee restored to their Religion and places heere againe hee dreamed of a drie sommer Wee may easily gather howe and whence all the stirres here since arise and growe and what the drifte of al is If this bee not seditious doctrine and demeneanor rebellious and trayterous what is I pray you God lōg blesse and keepe her Maiestie among vs. Proceeding furder in his visible Monarchie thus mryteth he amōg other things It belongeth vetily to the Bishoppes especially both to pronounce the king himselfe an Heretike or an Apostata and also to declare that his subiects are afterward free from geuing him any obedience and that they ought to doe their endeuour that another bee out of hande put in his place Nowe if the subiects doe not looke to their office in this behalfe it longeth to the Pastors to prouide by any meanes they can that he that sitteth in the chaire of Pestilence raigne not in the Church of God this is the true obedience your Catholike Churche teacheth her children to yeelde to their Princes for conscience sake Is not saith Saunders the matter so c do not the Pastors watche for the soules as wel of kings as of those which obay kings It is their duetie therefore to omit nothing that they shall knowe to bee expedient for the soules health who seeth not that it is cleane contrarie to the soules health that hee should bee suffered to raigne ouer the Faithfull which is himself vnfaythful c Shal he then be worthie the name of a man that shal affirme that a wicked king ought not to be compelled to cleere and put himselfe out of his publique charge If at al surely hee must bee put out for Heresie How shal that controuersie be iudged without the resolution of the Doctors of the church c. Now Pastors Teachers of the churche can bee no Iudges of a king except the king be in that thing lesse and inferior vnto thē For neither hath an equal power ouer an equal nor an inferior ouer his superior We affirme therfore iustly that al Christian kings in matters appertayning to Fayth are so subiect to Bishops Priests that obstinately continuing in offending against Christian religion after one or two admonitions for the same cause they may ought by the sentence of the Bishops to be put from other tēporal gouernement which they haue ouer Christiās And yet againe after in the same chapter out of a great many I take but a fewe sentences Since therfore the wisedome of God hath not left his churche which is a Citie very well built defensed without a medicine for such a disease ne yet can any other medicine helpe than that may take away so euil a king from among the people and giue his kingdome to a better man Wee must beleeue that such power at least was graūted to the supreme pastour of the church hee commeth nowe from meaner Bishops to the Pope of Rome whome hee meaneth by that tytle in these words Feede my sheepe whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shalbe bounde also in Heauen To foule and shamelesse 〈◊〉 of the holy woorde of God That the supreme Pastour may not onely excommunicate a wicked king but also free and set his subiectes at libertie frō all obedience vnto him For if so bee whatsoeuer Peter or Peters successour vppon earth loose bee also loosed in heauen then truely when rightly and orderly hee setteth faythful subiects at libertie from the obedience of a wicked king vppon earth the same subiects also are freed in heauen from the obedience of the same king Againe if whatsoeuer
dealing both of the state and them let vs heare what your Authour and friende in this Treatise ye present to her Maiestie saieth hereof When a Catholike doth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at Church and if he will promise to goe to Church commonly they accompt him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yeelded sufficiently vnto them Here is rigorous execution Is there not I pray you here is great extremitie cause hatefully and contemptuously to quote in your margēt M. Couper M Elmer Ah M. Howlet what shoulde I say God giue you his grace and make you an honest man Againe sediciously and deuilishly comparing the high Priests and Magistrats of Iurie with this state and likening their proceeding to a sweete charme Thus he writeth in text and margent What if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide vnto them well we are content that you liue with your conscience so you kepe it to your selues and trouble not the state so that you will for obedience sake some time come to our Synagogues shewing your selues comformable men to our proceedings Nay what if they shold haue said some of you also for outward shew keeping alwaies your cōsciēces to your selues must flee this odious name of Christians seeme to cōmunicate now thē with vs in our sacrifices ceremonies we are cōtēt also that som of you shalbe our officers iustices of peace coūsellers the like so that you will somtimes for orders sake punish some of those indiscret fellows of your religiō which can not be contēted to keep their cōsciences to thēselues so you wil also giue some prety sharpe charge in your circuites sessiōs assēblies alwais keping your cōsciēces to your selues if some of you also wil somtimes step vp into the pulpet and speake three or foure earnest words against this religion it shalbe very gratful vnto vs especially if you wil affirme it with an othe which wee haue deuised for y e same purpose this doing we assure you that you shall liue quietly to your own cōsciēces we shal accoūt you for good subiects If I say y e Magistrats of Iury at that time shold haue giuē to the apostls other christiās this sweet charme do you think that they cold haue abidē to heare it al out whose hearts did rise swel at two words only that they spoke for the intreating of them to holde their peace Heere is good gentle stuffe But sweet charmes terrible tempests such persecution as neuer was felt nor hearde tell of in Englād before Her royall Maiestie her vpright laws against popery other such false religiōs her graue wise godly Counsellors y e ministers of her Maiesties Iaws with other of the state here neither feare nor regarde your false accusations nor your impudent slanders they can not reach to come nere thē they pitie rather your wāt of discrettō modestie y t I say no more You can not accuse or charge her 〈◊〉 Iaws or y e ministers therof but you touch her honour too nere who giueth her royall assent to all lawes here made her Maiesties Iawes counsellors ministers w t better accord draw all in one line one way then you seeme to allow or like of That her maiestie in y t sight of all y e world as you confesse hath shewed you so great mercy clemency that doeth but encrease your debt dutie and aggrauate your fault y e more who so vnkindly vnnaturally recompence her highnesse great goodnes by withdrawing your selues from y e alleagians obedience which you owe to God her Maiestie which shee requireth also at your handes duty bindeth you to perfourme you pay couer all w t faire flattering wordes dissimulation nothing else commeth from you to her Maiestie It hath bin of her Maiesties godly inclination and good nature not of your deserts y t 〈◊〉 hath so oftē pardoned so long forborne you She hath not nor doth not ouerthrow nor alter her good laws prouided against poperie and treason If you be not too too obstinate miserable let former clemency moue you to amende els take things as they fall out her Maiesties laws the penalties thereof stand not for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abuse not your self other M. Howlet To sean pollitique lawes y e execution therof is not our profession yours I meane as I take it mine Their godly wisedomes y t make execute y t lawes ye now plaine of are aboue our reach you take too much vpō you being a priuate man not of counsel of making these lawes so vndutifully to checke cōtroule y e same you might like a good obedient subiect take heede of incurring the penalty consider by y e execution therof y t the end was to represse popery massing c. If you will not heare my counsell you might heare your owne fellowe in his discourse or your selfe in y e latter ende of the discourse which for y e most part thereof is twise set down for failing That the catholike Church hath alwaies taught her childrē that how hardly so euer their prince shold deale with them yet are they boūd to beare it patiently to obey him for consciēce sake as substitute of God placed in that roome for their punishmēt if they rule not wel w e 〈◊〉 not to the subiect to iudge of You loue to tel what y e catholik church 〈◊〉 therby shew y t y e Popish church is not y t true catholike church you come not frō the Pope of Rome hither w t this lesson you haue another cōmission There was little space of time betweene the ariual of the Italian Romish souldiers in Ireland and the flight hither of such spirituall birdes 〈◊〉 the Pope as you are your chalenges and bookes were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this treatise as fast as mightbe afterward published iwis you might if it so pleasd you aforde as much reuerēce in truth to her 〈◊〉 the ciuill state vnder God in gouerning y e cōmon welth outwardly as you doe in the false Hier archie to your Popish 〈◊〉 c. with commanding authoritie laying vpon 〈◊〉 obedience with necessitie Your malapert importunitie hath drawen and 〈◊〉 mee of duty zeale to speake thus farre for clearing defence of her maiesties wholsome iawes the execution thereof by her ministers rather then y t any need required the same except it be in respect of y e simpler sort And yet M. Howlet let me be bold to tell you that euen in this place where you so inueighe agaynst the terreur of lawes against your religion yee iustifie greatly the moderation and equitie of her Maiesties lawes and cannot denie but there hath been to great mildenesse vsed towards you in respect of the naughtines of your religion thus you say
authoritie in causes of the Churche that without checke of our Soueraigne yea with her Maiesties good lyking wee doubte not we heere maintaine and defende the same by the scriptures and ouerthrowe your proude Prelates vsurpation thereby Yee shoulde therefore haue done that heere dealing with her 〈◊〉 at least which you and your Author going by supposition lightly neuer doe to wit haue shewed who this supreme Pastour is and haue proued the Pope to bee hee In the meane whyle as we graunt the supreme chiefe Pastor in Christ his Church supreme and chiefe authoritie in causes of the same so insteede of your Romame Pope wee ascribe that title and office to Jesus Christe alone by the warrant of GOD his ho-spirite and word which call him Archpastor or chiefe and Supreme Pastour and finde not that title imparted in the newe Testament to any in Churche Ministerie much lesse to the Pope of Rome If you nowe finde as good warrant for your Pope in God his booke lay it vs downe and wee wil yeelde But that neither haue you hitherto done neither yet shall yee be able to doe wrangle as long and as much as yee will your best daies are past For the rest wee reporte vs to any indifferent bodie whether it bee more to God his glorie and beseeming God his people the Churche to holde with the Scriptures that Iesus Christe alone the sonne of God is the Arche and chiefe Shepheard or without warrant of Scripture to giue the same to the Pope Nowe Syr and when the Lawes of this Realme giue to the Princes heere their Soueraigntie and require the subiects to acknowledge the same in this Church and Realme and the Kinges and Queenes from time to time challenge and accept the same neither doe the one professe to giue nor the other to take Gods place or Christes from them nor yet so much as to incroch vpō the Church ministerie in taking authoritie to Preache administer Sacraments and execute other Church Ministeries functions yea by meanes of your malicious interpretation the contrary is protested but according to dutie from God to maintaine and see those thinges doone by Pastours and suche as to whome those charges likewise from God do appertaine not admitting therewhilest which is your griefe the immunities that the Popes aforetime haue giuen Cleargie men in exempting them from the ciuil authoritie and iurisdiction What haue faithfull subiects heerein to repine at What haue they to plaine of Yeelde with vs vnto it and yee shall finde wee haue all great cause to praise God for her Maiestie and for ciuill authoritie wee denie then that any forraigne Prince and Potentate Ecclesiasticall or Ciuil if yee will is aboue her Maiestie and her people in these her dominions in any manner of causes or haue to deale here but vnder her by her leaue liking And to God his glory our cōforts haue we still w t all thākfulnes to obserue that her Maiestie doeth not sit in mens consciences nor professe to make lawes to binde the same as your supreme pastour doth but leaueth cōscience to God Christ his spirite and worde to be ruled and framed thereby without further pressing the same then the expresse woordè of God doth in so much that for her Maiesties owne respect in matters 〈◊〉 vnto her soule and conscience she yeeldeth her selfe obediently to heare receyue and obey as euery other christian the voice of God and Christ speaking vnto her in y e holy scriptures by true pastours and other ministers meere Church gouernours leauing to them there seuerall charges whole without diminishing any part therof as reason is Nowe sir if the Pope and Popelings namely her Maiesties natural borne subiects especially by their vnnatural styrres to the danger of her Royall person and the state of the Church and Realme haue caused any lawes to be made that be preiudiciall to their attempts let them thanke themselues and leaue their busie and perillous practises neyther pretend conscience where no good consciēce cā be nor thinke y t the Prince hath to giue ouer her Royal prerogatiues or to altar the state for their pleasure this is the very state of this matter If this can not call you home nor content you we say further that the supreme pastour yee haue made choise of for it is not hard to guesse at your meaning though your wordes be doubtfull is a woolfe or woorse then a wolfe To giue your Pope supreme authority in this Church besides that it is treason against her Maiestie and the state it is to commit the poore lambes to no better then the rauening wolues keeping Howe many good lambes hee and his whelpes deuoured here in a very fewe yeeres when he had last to doe with this sheepefolde the memory and smart is yet freshe and before 〈◊〉 eyes The more haue we to praise God for our dread soueraigne y e in tender care of God his sheepe and lambs and her maiesties shee hath eased our neckes and shoulders of that yoke and hell like bondage Besides this M. Howlet where you giue to the Pope as supreame Pastour supreame authoritie in causes of the Churche yee had neede to explayne this some what playner for your owne religions sake and those of your side as whether the Pope bee aboue the Counsell or the Counsell aboue the Pope Also what ye call Churche causes and whether yee denie his supremacie aboue Emperours Kinges and so foorth in other then Churche causes or yee subiecte him to them Whether as Peter his Successour yee giue him all Peter his Patrimonie and priueleges c. and so because as one Pope sayeth and your Cannon lawe approoueth Christ committed to blessed Peter no where in deede the right both of worldly and heauenly Empire will yee abridge that or no What should I speake of your Reliques yee may say of all as yee doe of one a seely paire of beades seely and single stuffe surely Why make yee such accompt of this seely ware that is but tromperie and trashe cast such baggage from you and there is an ende of all troubles for that Yee talke of the Catholike religion and of your owne religion saying my religion Lieth the Catholike religion and yours in these pointes in deede M. Howlet yee heere name will yee needes lie in perpetuall prison leese goods landes and life for the same After by eareshrift to your Ghostly father yee bee discharged of lawfull and duetifull obedience to our Soueraigne as vice gerent in God his place to whom yee owe obedience for conscience sake as to God him selfe whose roome she possesseth as the substitute and Angel of God thus speake ye some tymes to yeelde the same to a Priest and proude prelate to a forrainer and forerunner to Antichrist if not himselfe rather to the Pope of Rome that hath nothing to doe with Englishe subiectes after this inuerted and peruerted othe and bowe You call it your reconciliation Lieth your religion
need to brag of your obedience towards your superiors But while you frame a good scholasticall argument to mainteine your Popish religion that teacheth and practiseth disobedience and rebellion against our common Soueraigne and Queene which will be a good while to I hauing spoken thus much in generall will further and more particularly therewhilest enter to speake of your doctrine and demeanour heerein Then will I so much as shall be necessarie answere to those particulars ye obiect here against vs our religion And yet here entring into a large fielde to rip vp your corrupt doctrine and rebellious demeanour towardes princes there is so much matter to treate of that in suche plentie it is harde to keepe measure to giue ouer and come out againe wherof notwithstanding I must haue special regarde and minde so to doe This haue I to desire you not to bee offended with all If I be any where founde in the matter to vse the same lawe towardes you that you doe towardes vs. For your doctrine therefore of obedience and demeanour also first I must admonishe without you were better that we may not call you that bee the children of the Pope and Popishe religion at this day to the Apostles doctrine and their rule and practise set vs downe in the scriptures at the beginning the things bee too vnequall and we may be no bolder with you then so farre as your Churche teacheth you and your supreme Pastors voyce that is the Pope calleth you herein and yet here fal some good words from you contrary to the rest of your doctrine set vs down in your bookes and your demeanour at this day towardes our soueraigne I heare what glorious shewe your words haue and I see you set vs downe in your margin Rom. 13. Which heauenly doctrine we receiue we teach we stedfast ly holde and practise The Scriptures are the foundation and grounde of our profession we can not we may not we will not refuse them our bookes as publique recordes testifie the same Euery soule must bring euery mothers child of yours to be subiect to our Soueraigne Queene as to the chiefe it is not spoken to lay men as your glose vpō the decretals expoundeth it* But I see you sende vs further in your margin to Saint Thomas and om Doct. that is all your doctors there is a Vide afore it that is a watche worde to looke vpon the matter As for Augustin Chrysostom Ambros. that come after your D. Tho. om Doct. They teache all one doctrine heerein with the Apostles and therefore trying that they say by that rule finding it conformable wee receiue it w t their iust cōmendation They are no Popishe teachers but better expoūders of the scriptures morefaithful sounde in this point the your late schole Doctors bicause M. How bidsvs looke I wish the reader that vnderstandeth Latin to looke and see their Popishe doctrine of the authoritie of a King or Emperour in the Decretalles hee shall see howe the Pope playeth legerdemain falsefieth the Scriptures and doeth worse if worse may bee shewing what spirite hee is ledde with If that chapter and the glose were in English it would lothe any Christian eares And again looke Dist. xcvi And yet many of that age are somewhat more indifferent teachers and dealers than you whot and bad Catholikes bee for the most parte nowe adayes that so grossely folowe the Pope and Poperie that by writings dooings ye stirre him vp and raise sedition against our natural Soueraigne Prince and yours and this State and Realme too vnnaturally vnduetifully and vnchristianly Iwis I haue looked syr as your Authour whome you followe willeth vpon the place of your S. Tho. wee are sent vnto In seeking I finde neuer a word of this matter of Magistrats and obedience there as which deuided into three Articles treateth of the vsing of Gods name in adiuring which belongeth to the thirde commaundement but you following your Authour in citing and quoting places who for his greate haste in wryting had not tyme to suruiew or reede any parte of his treatise ouer againe and is therefore according to his request to bee borne withall it may bee you were deceiued also with him But let that goe as a small matter Tell vs your selues to what place of D. Thom. you sende vs rather than to that you name In the meane while as you and your Authour say and set vs downe one and the selfe same thing So your D. Thom. by your leaue where in his summe he treateth of that argumēt disagreeth from you both which that the reader may some what perceiue thogh I lyke not to be so occupied I wil shortly set down both your words some parte of his also Thus your Authour whome you follow The Catholyke churche hath alwayes taught her children that how hardly soeuer their Prince should deale with them yet are they bounde to beare it patiently obay him for conscience sake as substitute of God placed in that roome for their punishement if he rule not wel which apertaineth not to the sub iect to iudge of Good wordes howe cōmeth it to passe that you Catholikes vse not your selues thus towards her Maiestie then how commeth it to passe that your fellowes in their bookes printed abroade teache otherwise stirre vp sedition here then Ye shewe your selues to bee another Baalams or Cayphas children whose mouths must serue the holy Ghost at this time to vtter y e trueth though the instrument meanes be very vnfit the whole serue your side to litle purpose who elsewhere teache practise the contrary Be not angrie at the comparison your owne side 〈◊〉 Popish Prelates to Baalam Cayphas But your D. Thom. to whom you send vs disputing whether mans law put necessitte on vs in the Court of conscience and hauing obiected to the contrarie as his manner is out of the tenth of Esay Wo be to them that make vniust lawes c. Hee answereth and saith that that place speaketh of a lawe that laieth an vniust burden vpon subiects whereunto the order of power graunted of God streacheth not it self Wherfore in such cases man is not bounde to obay the lawe if hee bee able to resist without Scandale that I may keepe his word and your treatises or greater detriment And againe wee must say that a man is bound so farre to obay secular princes as the order of Iustice requyreth And therefore if they haue not iust but vsurped principalitie or if they commande vniust things their subiects are not bounde to obay them except peraduenture by some accident for the auoyding of scandale or danger and can yee make that obedience for conscience sake Againe in another place agreeing with the Decrees and alledging the authoritie of Pope Gregory the seuenth hee wryteth as perillously for her Maiestie and this state and all one with that which y e wicked
his iudgement in that matter ye should haue repaired and sent vs to y e place where at large of purpose he ētreateth thereof which he doth in the twentie or last chapter of the fourth booke of his Institution expressely handlyng there the heauenly authoritie of Magistrates and the duetie of good and obedient subiectes whiche Chapter is written wholly of Politique gouermnent Wherein M. Howlet prooue him if you can to haue written vngodly seditiously or vntruely No as hee writeth very godly and with great authoritie of scriptures and reason so doth he very reuerently and modestly also if any other writer old or new as they say doe so after another manner and sort then eyther you here doe to her Maiestie for all your flattering floures or then your sort haue of late or now doe of Princes and 〈◊〉 els where I woulde wishe the godly and christian reader to bee well acquainted with this M. Caluins writings and I doubt not to affirme to bee true here that was else where saide Let him thinke he hath greatly 〈◊〉 in matters of religion who is brought into a loue and liking of Caluins writings And yet I make neither him my God nor his writings my Byble for all this reuerent thinking and speaking of him and his writings Euen in this matter of Magistrates I praye thee gentle reader looke but into that last Chapter and thou shalt see it shal be hard for thee to read else where 〈◊〉 or profoūder iudgement of a diuine for the excellent dignitie of ciuill Princes and Magistrates or for subiectes and priuate mens obedience to thy satisfaction and contentmēt and to be able with all to confute whateuer M. Howlet or his side can cauill against this seruaunt of GOD or Christes religion here 〈◊〉 I will not nowe stande in diducting this matter but note thus much by the way and nowe come M. Howlet to answere your glenings and pyckings out of his writings In the 10. Chapter of the 4. booke of his Institution he treateth of the authoritie of the Churche in making lawes and of the Popes and popishe Prelates tyrannie ouer mens consciences in that behalfe and namely handling this question whether it be lawfull for the Church by her lawes to binde mens consciences he freely inueigheth against your popish Churches licentiousnes in that behalf without any whit preiudicing politique order onely reseruing mens soules and consciences free to bee spiritually guided by God Christ and his holy woorde in the matters appertayning to the soules health and saluation Nowe M. Howlet if this doctrine mislike you that mens soules and consciences should be aboue the cōpasse of mens authoritie and lawes then condemne our 〈◊〉 Christ the Prophetes and Apostles with M. Caluin who make one spirituall Judge King Lorde and Lawgiuer ouer mens soules that is able to saue and destroy willing vs so to giue to Ceasar those thinges that are Caesars that we giue to God the thinges that are Gods to feare him that hath authoritie to cast into hell and to destroy both soule and body there Whereas men what power soeuer they haue ouer the body afterwarde can doe nothing more nor are not able to kill the soule Againe Yee are bought with a price be not the seruantes of men Stande in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free and be not intangled agayne with the yoke of bondage In the kingdome of God there is neyther Iewe nor Grecian circumcision nor vncircumcision bonde nor free male nor female but ye are all one in Christ he is all in all thinges And yet in place may this distinction bee made and must also be as I noted before Your faulte herein is that yee distinguishe not aright betweene the ciuill and outwarde Courte and the Spirituall Courte of conscience as they speake and Maister Caluin here noteth and else where also howe euer your Fafather and Church haue taken vpon them to deale with mens consctences which is Gods seat to sit and rule there wherein they shewe what they bee yet neither our 〈◊〉 nor other ciuill Princes vsurpe so much ouer Gods right that is proper to Antechrist and your faction Concerning the first Article your corruption and false collection therein are so shamelesse that they may be easily espied I wishe the reader to haue but recourse to the place ye quote to finde out your trecherie or false allegatiō in peruerting the authours woordes and sense to be able to answere the same Excellently well doth M. Caluin in that place defining and treating of conscience reconcile these two pointes togethcr First that mens consciences for their spirituall gouernment are aboue mens reaches reserued only to God which also in time of ignorance as y e said M. Caluin sayth was seene and obserued by your Popish writers though practise were to the contrary as may name ly be seene in your Saint Thomas Next that we must bee subiect to our ciuill Magistrates and that for conscience sake according to the doctrine of the Apostle not so much respecting the thinges commaunded or forbidden by them which of them selues touche not conscience as the generall ende and commandement of the eternall God that hath appointed this order and willed vs by his commandement to be subiect to autoritie And this is it the Apostle tendeth to in his epistle to the Romanes so as leauing your caueling in wordes and syllables if you coulde and woulde distinguishe betwene the ciuill Courte and the court of conscience and betweene generall and particular as M. Caluin speaketh All scrupule auoyded this matter might bee eased and better matter gathered from this godly wryter then you too 〈◊〉 pretende to bee there The booke being both in Englishe and in Latine let the reder iudge of the whole you M. Howlet and your fellowes shall neuer be able to stayne M. Caluin and his doctrine nor cleare your selues from malice c. while you liue if you deale plainely Set vs downe the booke Chapter Section and Caluins wordes for we haue no cause other wise to trust you as you doe your fellowes The second place or article that yee take out of Caluin is so plaine true as I maruell what yee meant to charge him therewith for speaking of Christian libertie hee saith That the consciences of the faithfull are exempted from the power of all men by reason of the libertie giuen thē by Christ so as they are not to be intangled in the snares of constitutions in those things wherein the Lord would haue them free But adde I pray you as hee doth there That as the matter is very worthie and meete to bee knowne so needeth it a large and plaine declaration by reason of the adoe that partly seditious persons partly quarell pickers make as though all obedience of men which is not meant were thereby also taken away and ouerthrowne To preuent this inconuenience doth maister Caluin there a
yet furder cōcerning naughtie men andtheir pretended naughtie consciences as they speake not to be flattered or borne w t in dealing naughtily the doctrine and practise of our Sauiour Christ is notable for vs to followe as is expressed in the Euangelistes For our Sauiour Christ themaccuseth and taketh vp the Scribes and Pharisees very short who woulde seeme to make conscience of the traditions of the Elders defendeth or excuseth his disciples in breaking thereof and regardeth not the offence taken at his doctrine and doing therein by the Pharisees reade the place and marke the whole Nowe for the Conscience of the faithfull we holde with the holy Ghost that it is purged by the blood of Christe from dead workes to serue the liuing God and the hearts are purified by fayth c. And that phrase of the holy Apostle myconscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost and the like woulde diligently bee obserued of Christians not to seuer in them selues the testimonie of conscience from that heauenly testimonte of Gods spirite as in deede not a conscience but a good conscience is required of vs by God Herevppon say I to these men and to their like and to all such euill consciences of Infidelles and other as they bryng vs in that wherevpon so euer they gounde their pretended Consciences and what course soeuer they bee entred into for religion and spiritual exercises in gods seruice that as this doctrine of the scriptures is sound true and safe so theirs is hollowe vntrue and the thing is not godly nor good Great is the iudgement of God amonge them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued Therefore to send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Ye did run wel saith s. Paul to the Galat. who did let you that you did not obey the truth It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you A little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe I haue trust in you through the Lord that you wilbe none otherwise minded but hee that troubleth you shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be c. I woulde to God the very first wordes of this Apostolike sentence might bee verified in all that call themselues Romane Catholikes and continued still in vs and that with the Apostle in the last sentence wee might trust well of them as wee are assured the midle part may too truly bee applyed vnto M. howlets persuasion such like Where they holde both M. Howlet and his Authour this generall doctrine howe good soeuer the action in it selfe be or how true soeuer y t thing y t is affirmed be as for example in case of religion c that which is done affirmed by a Iew an Infidell or such like yet if it be otherwise thought of in his sight or if it be agaiust his vnderstanding iudgement and conscience as they speake the doer affirmer inforcer thereto shalbe damned for committing a deadly haynous and greeuous sinne ` This as it is deducted seemeth to me a strang Paradoxe in diuinitie groūded gentle Reader possible on some mans diuelish wisdome reason but surely vpon a very false and dangerous Catholike principle of Popery sauouring altogether of y e stinking puddle of that diuelish religion yea of the Diuell of Hel himselfe the father and authour of that religion which thus I represent vnto thee out of the writings of the greatest doctours of that side And yet sauing that they haue opened this filthie caue or styrred the 〈◊〉 for the diuelishe wickednesse filthinesse thereof would I haue spared thy Christian eares but that necessitie and the indignitie of the matter to vtter their shame and villanie wherwith they staine both heauen earth enforceth seeing the matter is thus farre brought to speake thereof There be two cases of conscience or conclusions of their Popishe writers the one of an erroneous or naughtie conscience and the bond thereof the other of perplexitie wherinto men as into a straight are driuen by this doctrine and religiō whilest of necessitie they must do euill cannot choose whereupon M. Howlet and his Authour grounde their Paradoxe or strange opinion of which the one dependeth on the other And both vpon that sentence of Gratian in his golden decree All that is done against conscience buildeth to hell fire which being well expounded might stande though but by the Popish doctrine for som to abstain from euill be it neuer so villanous to doe good be it neuer so precious is or may be against conscience in them or against their erroneous lying conscience this position is theirs and vtterly false Therefore for some say they to abstaine from euill bee it neuer so villanous to doe good be it neuer so precious buildeth to hel fire Againe the lawe of nature may bee dispensed with if two euils so presse as of necessitie y t one must bee chosen for such cases their perplexitie maketh c. Popery can intangle and snare mens consciences it can trouble disquiet yea prouide a slaughter house for them relieue and quiet them it cannot Though it be not so hard to enter this perplexed Labyrinth or Maze as to get out of it againe when one is once entred so deepe are the quiddities I tel you and the questions greatly doubtful the examples also many and straunge that in this case are brought to holde men occupied with all yet get out or helpe other therein as I may by Gods goodnesse I will enter by the Angelicall doctour D. Thomas whose doctrine and Commentaries haue the allowance of the highest and greatest of that side as a truth falling from heauen confirmed also by heauenly visions as approued aboue Upon the Epistle to the Romanes and the fourteenth Chapter whiche place M. Howlet and his fellowe woulde seeme to grounde vppon and to whose writinges herein wee are sent the willinglier doe I propounde him thus writteth D. Thomas vnder questions propounding after his manner his subtile doctrine by obiecting answering and resoluing It may be doubted sayth hee whether if a man haue an erronious or naughtie conscience that he beleeue that y t which is mortall sinne is necessarie to saluation whether such a conscience binde him So as if he doe against the same he commit damnable sinne He resolueth not onely vpon the Epistle to the Romanes but also in his Summe or common Places and elswhere that an erroneous or lying conscience in thinges of themselues simply euill bindeth a man so that hee that doth against it highly displeaseth God or as they speake sinneth mortally or deadly or to vse our mens wordes it is to the doer and enforcer a damnable sinne or horrible mortall sinne the one and the other shalbe damned therefore Herevpon riseth y t second doubt or question of perplexitie in this case whereinto
men are brought of sinning damnably euery way in following their erronious conscience or in doing against the same and by implication at length the Magistrates and ciuill Authoritie Kinges and Princes themselues are wrapped in like perplexitie and damnation for dealing with such by enforcement to doe against their wicked and diuelishe conscience These are the perplexed questions and resolutions in the case of conscience whereinto these prophane questionists and schoolemen tumble such mens consciences as beleeue and followe them without euer being hable well to help them out againe They make of the sacred scriptures A tennis ball to tosse and to play withal they greatly disgrace obscure the same in troubling the pure fountaines therof And hauing entangled troubled snared mens consciēces w t their quidities by abusinge gods gifts they highly please and pleasure the Deuill and highlye displease and dishonour Gods maiestie leauing a testimony and example to all posteritie of Gods heauy iudgement against all such as with vnwashen handes as they speake that is vnreuerently handle the holy word of the eternall God But let vs prosecute their question answer whether an erronious conscience in thinges simply and of themselues euill doe binde a man so as if hee doo against the same he commit damnable sinne be it in commaundinge to doo euill or forbidding to doo good all is one D. Thomas his answer you heare is alwayes one and like him selfe affirmatiue and yea The reaso why is rendered in his summe because will followe the direction of reason and vnderstanding or conscience as hee speaketh for hee maketh conscience the prescriptiō of reason be it right or wrong which reasō whē it doth erre propoūdeth to the will good for bad and bad for good or telleth vnder a shewe that that which is good is naught and that whiche is naught is good so will accepteth alloweth followeth the same and thereafter is the wyl good or bad for the goodnes badnes of the wil dependeth on the obiect y t is on y t which is propounded vnto it of reasō whereupō he concludeth that wee must say that euery wyll is simplye or vtterly euil alwayes which disagreeth from reason be reason right bee it wronge be that it propundeth true bee it false And all this is grounded forsooth by D. Thomas vppon Aristole who sayeth that simply to speake hee is incontinent that foloweth not right reason but accedentally or after a maner he that followeth not false reason Here is false and lying reason vnder title of good truth prescribing euill and falshod and contrarilye vnder title of euill falshod forbidding good and truth Heere is wyl following false reasō accordingly in accepting or refusing that y t is thus offered Heere is lastly man hymselfe bounde vnder payne of damnation neyther to wyll nor to doo against y t which is by this false reasō or conscience thus prescribed What vsually nowe followeth but execution or action doing therafter we may here iustlier cry out I trow with the holy Ghost and Gods worde than M. Howlet and his Catholikes doe of his pretended Riot woe bee vnto you that say euil is good and good is euill Woe be to that conscience wo be vnto that man that thus is guided yea that is boūd vnder paineof damnatiō not to do against the euill that false reason propoundeth him vnder the shew of good but to reiect that good that it propoūdeth him vnder the shewe of euill Or which is all one not to leaue in this case that which is euill not to accept that which is good Such blind leaders of the blinde must needes at the length fall both into the ditche But for better explanation of this whole matter let vs see some of their examples giuen vs in this case of an erronious or lying conscience that bindeth There wante not I warrant you in these mens examples taken from mens doings according to this erronious conscience against both the Tables of Gods commaundements the first and the seconde M. Howlet and his fellowe gaue vs two examples against the first Table of a Iewe and an Infidel in denying the Trinitie the Messias or Sauiour of the world Looke vppon their wordes afore set downe and there may you finde the same Adde to them another example set down in their Popishe decrees in the margin in great letters 〈◊〉 is called the marrowe of the glose The Iewes had sinned mortally or deadly if they had not crucified Christ whiche riseth vppon this question whether the Iewes were bound in conscience to crucifie Christ yea or no a deepe and worthy question among these men And because D. Thomas is so great a man in their bookes to make euen with them ioyne to this one example more of him agaynst the first Table in his Summe in the place before alleaged If to beleeue in Christ bee propounded to a man as an euill thing by false reason the man that will beleeue in Christ doth naughtily or the will accepting to beleeue in Christ is naught because the thing is euill in the apprehension of Reason albeit simply and in deed it be good clarkely resolued and like an Angelicall Doctour Nowe if you will haue a Corollarium or a conclusion for a Surplusage in this first Table Take the questions that vpon this errour of fayth and conscience in matters of the first Table are mooued and determined in other subtill schoole wryters as namely this is one in y e Maister of the Sentences and repeated in the golden decree and allowed If the diuell transfiguring him selfe into an Angell of light be beleeued to bee good when he faigneth him selfe to bee good it is no dangerous errour and if the diuell shoulde then demaunde of some simple body whether hee woulde bee partaker of his blessednes and hee shoulde answere that hee woulde passe into the diuels fellowship whether shoulde hee being thus deceiued be saide to haue consented into the fellowshippe of diuelish damnation and not rather into the fellowship of eternall brightnesse It is true that this man sinneth not sayth the glose wherevpon going yet further it is demaunded by Fryer Holcot whether one worshipping the diuill transfigured into the shape of Christe being deceiued by inuinsible errour or ignorance as hee speaketh bee excused from Idolatrie Answering hee sayth I sayde that not onely hee is excused from sinne but he meriteth as much as hee should merite if he shoulde worshippe Christe if he did that lay in him to discerne whether hee were Christe or no proofe and reason why one among the rest is beecause the prescription of Conscience when it is erroneous byndeth as muche as when it is true But Iohn vnder whose name this case is put hath the prescriptiō of conscience though erronious that that which appeareth vnto him is to bee worshipped as God ergo if hee worship not he sinneth mortally In summe Iohns worshipping of the deuill
as God in this case as not sinning in following his erronious csōcience sinning if he do not according to the same is besides reasō warrāted of this man by y e M. of y e Sentences by Austin the common glose In the next article is demaunded agayne by M Holcot whether any man may merit by a false faith In this article hee answereth and saieth shortly that one may merite by a false faith in many cases It is a common case among the people he putteth many cases to proue his saying and that some taken out of the Scripture very clarkly you must suppose amonge other hee sayeth Put case that some olde wife heare her prelare a great matter I tell you preache some hereticall article whereof shee is not bounde to haue any faithe perticularlye I expresse his worde as well and as playnely as I can yet she for the obedience she beareth and good wyll to beleeue whatsoeuer the Church beleeueth agreeth willinglye to that he sayeth which is heresie thinking that the Church beleeveth it the case being thus wee must say sayth this Robert Holcot that this olde woman in beleeuing heresie doth merite or doo a meritorious woorke as they speake in Schooles because she beleeueth an errour which by no meanes can be imputed vnto her that that is to be beleeued which is condemned and therefore by implication she beleeueth the contrarie because she beleeueth that this is the true faith Nothing is true but that which the Churche beleeueth to be true And therefore because the implicate faith is true although the explicate be not true whereunto she is not bounde but she is deceiued by simplycitie therefore is there no daunger to her of error Not much vnlyke to this hath Peter Lumbarde the M. of y e Sentences a question answer which also is repeated with approbation by Gratian whiche possible gaue occasion to Holcot to moue and decide his If an heretique saith the M. shoulde vnder the name of Austin or Ambrose c. offer himselfe to some Catholique and call him to the following of his faith if he should agree into whose fayth shoulde he be sayd to haue consented Not into the Sect of her etikes but into the sounde vprightnes of the Catholike fayth which the heretike lyingly sayd he had Much more I trowe if a Catholike prelate propound heresie Here is heresie propounded by a Catholike teacher and by an heretike here is the same hearde receiued beleeued and consented vnto without danger heere is the partie excused naye defended to doe well and to merite or to doe a meritorious woorke What can be sayde more in commendation of the best woorkes that men can doe the best woorkes that men doe come in deed short of this degree In this diffuse and intricate disputatiō of Erroneous cōscience in matters of Fayth religiō and doings of men in the first table of Gods commandements mooued and resolued by questions and answers hast thou in these men a viewe gentle reader of some of the deepe misteries of the popish religion which what sounde matter of godly edification they containe I referre to thy godly 〈◊〉 and iudgement furder to examine and 〈◊〉 to examples in the Second Table wherein their veastly 〈◊〉 in this case of erronious cōscience is yet better and more easily seene in cloking excusing 〈◊〉 sinne Let vs take but the seuenth commandement onely Thou shalt not commit adulterie To note howe the breach thereof vnder y e pretence of error and conscience is 〈◊〉 which example is common and commeth often with these virginlike Friers Thus saith your Maister if a mā leauing in his coūtrey his wife going into a far countrey matrie another afterwarde repenting would leaue her affirming that he had another which is aliue and the Church suffer him not being ignorant of that he affirmeth Heere is demaunded whether in this seconde knot there bee marriage Surely it may bee said that it is not marriage and that the woman is excused of crime by ignorance but that the man hath committed adulterie It is wel thus much is cōfessed marke that wel But that since the time that being willing not able to returne to his first wife hee is compelled by the Discipline of the Churche to retaine and keepe this seconde woman hee beginneth to be excused mark this stuffe by obedience feare for this that he if this second woman require it lye with her of whome hee neuer ought to demaund the same And so haue wee to iudge of other like cases thus farre the Maister Heere where the parties conscience mooueth him to leaue sinne and euill and to doe well must he sinne and doe against his conscience beeing good ye see why how the authoritie of the Church the Popish discipline is great I tel you in perplexitie he may be dispensed withall If his conscience bee naught he may not do against it vnder paine of damnation Againe heere is whoredome confessed and yet marke howe the partie that committeth it is excused Thus is the mans conscience in perplexitie for the sinne of whoredome clarkly releeued in excusing his continuance therein But the Maister is some where holden some where not of all whiche though in this case wherein I shewe what hee holdeth it make no great matter if some followe as hugo or who yee will some followe not yet 〈◊〉 will they 〈◊〉 swere for him in another place wherein hee is holden and followed That a man lying with his wiues 〈◊〉 by ignorance is excused if shee come to his bed at vnawares it is called the ignorance of the person for hee tooke her for his wife and lay with her with an husbandly affection as with his wife It is made Jacobs case with Lea forsooth c. But with what conscience shall hee bee excused herein with the very same I trow that the maister the Councell and the Cannon law pronounceth him to bee excused y t 〈◊〉 with a naughtie and erroneous conscience as they speake For I am sure by a right conscience hee neuer shall bee excused before God from committing incest The Similes that they goe about to prooue this matter by there are euen like stuffe and the same wee haue hearde before The glose and the marrowe set downe more If a married wife bee lyen withall ignorantly there is no whooredome committed And againe whooredome is not committed without guile c And yet a little before If a womans husbande bee dead and shee beleeue hee be aliue if shee marry shee is giltie of whoordome though she haue not committed whooredome sayth the glose suche I tell you is the force of an erroneous and lying conscience vpon this excuse of Whoredome and the dentall y t it is any is grounded on that which Gratian elswhere telleth vs That if a blinde man beleeuing hee lyeth with his wife defile another woman hee is
rendered Yee cite the wordes falsely corrupt the sense Which that it may the better be perceiued I will set downe both your wordes and also the Apostles Thus you Whatsoeuer we doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience is according to the Apostle damnable because we decerne it to bee 〈◊〉 and yet doe it The Apostle thus He that doubteth if hee eate is condemned because he 〈◊〉 not of faith And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The Apostle speaketh particularly and of a certaine matter whiche restraineth his note of vniuersalitie You generally without any restraint or obseruation of the circumstance of the text and matter treated of hee of a faythfull man and of fayth You giue vs an example of a Heathen man and talke at randome of our owne iudgement and conscience he speaketh of eating which is an outwarde action and of it selfe as they speake indifferent You in a far otherkind of things of their own nature good or euill We acknowledge in sum the holy Apostles words and sense we find not yours in the text ye sende vs too And it is an ill commentary that corrupteth the text The Apostle saith because not of faith Nowe because you haue set downe in steade thereof iudgement and conscience you foyst also into the text the woorde decerne Because wee decerne it to bee euill and yet doe it If you say you followe the Author of this your discourse with whom yet in citing this texte yee altogether agree not though yee both corrupt the same foully As of him I speake in his place so let me here tell you what opinion soeuer greater then reason you haue of your Maister wee are not bounde I tell you to followe neither him nor you in corrupting of the holy Scriptures yee both put in the worde decerne of your owne and yee put our iudgement conscience or knowledge for fayth which it seemeth ye take out of your Schoole mens Commentaries But I woulde you woulde not change the wordes of holy scripture into your Scholasticall wryters expositions and termes and set vs the same down for scripture stil Yf your parenthesis here according to the Apostle were thus according to our D. Thomas or Schoole Doctors c. or according to our notes taken at the Lecture in cases of conscience then might it paraduenture stande right but the Apostle and your D. Thomas or Schoole doctors c. not being one you take to muche vpon you and wee can giue you no such licentious libertie to vse the ones name for the other I see 〈◊〉 you driue It is a principle with you that Byrdes of one feather must flie and holde together Errour agreeth very well commonly with errour and falshood Your common translation of the Byble like as your Scholemen must bee kept and followed inuiolably not to be checkt nor corrected by the 〈◊〉 or Greeke text vnder paine of the Popes great curse hence belike you and your fellowe woulde seeme to take your woorde decerne But sir there is falshood in fellowshippe though your eyes M Howlet coulde not possibly discerne neyther by day nor by night euery letter sillable and therfore might easily be deceiued in taking one word for another y t were somewhat like yet y e Autor of your treatise mee thinketh might haue lookt better to y e matter if it had bin but for deceiuing of you herein many other y t follow him Where both of you haue it decerne euen your common translation if ye looke well on it hath discerne Now Gramarians y t shew y t etymology of words wil tel you y t discerne decerne be two wordes different in signification discerne is to put difference beetweene thinges decerne is a higher woorde of iudgement and authoritie whereof wee call A decree c. And your Pope decernimus statuimus c. They that leaue both your woorde of decerning or iudging deuised by your selues and discerning which the worde of your vulgar latine Translation in this last verse of the 14. chapter to the Romanes and translate it by the woorde of doubting as both in Latine and Englishe is done haue both better and 〈◊〉 rendred it and expressed by a fit woorde the meaning of the holy Ghost also Cauell not here at nor barke not at our translation for leauiug heere your vulgar and common translation he leaueth himselfe in another place and translateth this very worde as our men doe heere But dogges will barke euen at the Moone You must bee content to 〈◊〉 your owne lawe and to giue vs leaue to deale with you truly in that wherein you vntruely take to your selues libertie against vs you so prie into our translations and translating of the Scriptures that the least fault must be espied yea where there is none fault must bee imagined and deuised and we roundly taken vp and compared to a boy in a Grammer Schoole that shoulde bee brecht so yee speake and further and worse to whereof in his place Leaue your decerning iudging and discerning leaue for shame your corrupting of the holy Scriptures in woorde and sense leaue your caueling and carping at our translations of the Byble vse in all a better and more vpright conscience then hitherto For the matter of an action good in it selfe and the example yee bring vs in deuised of a Gentile that shoulde for feare say or sweare that there were a Messias it is altogether impertinent and besids the Apostles purpose who as I sayde treateth not in that place of things simply good or euyll or of bearing with a thing euill in it selfe and of the owne nature muche lesse with impietie or superstition he speaketh but of outwarde thinges hee speaketh not of Gentiles or Infidels nor yet of obstinate Christians that walke stubburnely vtterly condemning the profession of the Gospell but of a brother a faithfull man and one that hath receiued and embraced the profession of the Gospell and is weake through ignorance of some one point partaining to Christian libertie in the outwarde vse of Gods creatures wherin he is not yet thorowly instructed of bearing with such a one by those whom God hath called to more plentifull knowledge of his heauenly truth speaketh hee Againe the maner and the end of bearing must be considered which is not to nourish errour or to obstinate harden the weake in their opinion and doing but rather to drawe them by all meanes we may from errour and to aduance them more and more in the knowledge of the truth The Apostle calleth it beefore in this chapter edification when he biddeth vs followe the thinges which concerne peace and wherwith one may edifie another or as he speaketh in y e beginning of y e next chap. Let euery mā please his neighbour in that which is good to edificatiō Lastly the matters y e Apostle here speaketh of particularly would bee cōsidered which are not al outward things but such as God himselfe was
a course in one parte that you quite leaue out the two other I wot not well howe it will agree with the Rhetorike Schooles about you nor what libertie you Orators nowe a dayes take to your selues and therefore I will leaue it sauing that mee thinkes your friende M. Howlet who is most like to bee the Poste or Messenger ye talke of might haue forborne the printing of an vnperfect worke or haue beene better aduised then to haue Dedicated the same at least to such a Personage as is her Maiestie But we might stay well enough for the other two partes this point to confirme or obstinate and poyson rather her Maicsties subiectes was so necessarie that it was to bee hastened This was the Resolution of your wise heades Yee are a Societie I must suppose all is done by consent Besides I see M. Howlet in his Epistle Dedicatorie to her Maiestie hath entred into the seconde parte of his fellowes Diuision as the same is reported vnto vs in the excuse that is made in the latter ende of the booke for though he haue omitted to treat of Instant and feruent Prayer to Almightie God very necessarie for all Christians and namely for him and his felowes that they may doe better then they doe he taketh vpō him bolde recourse vnto the Queenes Maiestie for tolleration in their corrupte religion and he is busie with his Authours Motiues c. which is the seconde promised parte It had beene better he had been more occupied in that hee hath left out of this seconde part of the Diuision and to haue exhorted his Catholiks to obediēce to her maiesty our most dread soueraine This had beene a very necessarie point in deede for such of his secte as are here giuen to sedition and rebellion among vs. Once while it is sayde that the Authour meaneth to this pointe to exhorte many mischiefes by that ūde there while are among vs wrought God amende them or cut them more short I will not charge M. Howlet heere with iniurie doyng in preuenting his fellowe because it is likely all is done by compact agreement among them It may seeme as thinges fall out that all this excuse of omitting the two latter partes is but a flourishe and the promise but a meere pretence If health and leasure shall permit he promiseth to finishe the rest but I am hardely perswaded that his health and leasure will in these dayes serue him to perfourme so good an office being so directly contrarie to the profession of their Popish religion seeing especially it hath lost so good a place as to haue gone first or to haue been the foundation of the Supplication to her Maiestie A great oportunitie and occasion lost But least I seeme to dispayre of them I pray God this peece of true obedience to her Maiestie may bee thought of and wrote of by these hot Catholikes But y t it may bee done with better conscience more stedfastnes then hee that in Latin wrote of true obediēce in her maiesties fathers dayes the most famous renoumed prince of blessed memory K. Henrye the eight or he y t set the preface before it who both of thē when time afterwarde serued shamelessy reuoked that they had done and returning to their vomite most cruelly persecuted Gods people their brethrē for in y t matter y t they had before professed them selues and published to the worlde they shewed themselues without all conscience time seruers onely c. If to seeke to disturbe and molest by Rebellion their Lords and Princes be the custome of Heretikes and Sectaries of our time then with vs are the Papistes such here who followe that trade with her Maiestie and this State right If Subiectes bee bounde patiently to beare and to obey howe hardely so euer their Princes shall deale with them vnder payne of deadly sinne and damnation as these men in fayre wordes will seeme to professe howe cōmes it then to passe they take vp the sword against their our noble Queene Elizabeth Again if English men owe true obedience to her Maiestie for consciēce sake euen as to God himself why do not papistes render it then If it appertaine not to subiectes to iudge whether their Princes rule well or not as they say why iudge they the whole matter so violently against her Maiestie Why do other iustifie the same by wryting yea why procure they their Popes most traiterous bulles to be published and sent ouer hither why come they not home and liue like quiet Subiectes words are winde all is but words wind Let thē declame as lōg as loudlie as they will hardly wil they be euer able to wash away this blot Now come I to the authours necessarie supposition as he calleth it and the two sortes of Catholikes that hee nameth where he deuideth badly still for he telleth vs There are to sortes of Catholikes in England And when he hath done maketh vs three before he come to his Reasons One sorte for the iustifiyng of whom he wrote his Treatise Another sorte for the reforming of whom hee wrote the same And the third sort of very bad Catholikes whom he accounteth damned men in this life So where he telleth vs there are here two sorts of Catholikes we finde three as we find but one parte of his treatise where he promised three this is scholasticall and Orator like with these men Let vs heare what he sayth But first of all is to be noted that my reasons to the end they may conuince are to be supposed to proceede from a catholike minde that is from a man which in his conscience is throughly petsuaded that onely the catholike Romane religion is trueth and that all other newe doctrines and religions are false religions as all newe Gods are false Gods c. First your supposition is ambiguous doubtfull and captious by reason you do not plainely and particularly enough expresse in the first part what the Catholike Romane religion is which you say is onely trueth when you oppose all other doctrines and religions which you say are false to the Romane religion you call them newe So as some man might thinke ye talked in the first parte of y e true christian religion groūded vpon the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles and comprised in the canonicall Scriptures of Gods holy Byble which indeede is the onely Truth and the old religion And this is the very same her maiestie and we her subiects heere professe in the church of england and is elsewhere professed by those that are termed Gospellers Protestants c whom you yet account and call heretikes and their religion A newe doctrine and religion Wee call this our religion not in captious and doubtefull terme the Catholike Romane religion or which we might with as muche right as you do the Catholike English religion but simply and plainly of the Authours Gods and Christs true religion Or if you wil insteede of
to denie but that Cutbert Tonstall a piller of the popish Church here Bishop then of Durresme and in Queene Maries time also was a principall man in perusing that translation at the king his commaundement If your self had looked but on the very first chapter of the first booke of the Maccabees in the Englishe Byble and the latter ende of the Chapter besides that you might haue seene whose successours the Pope and you Papistes bee in renting cutting burning and destroying Bybles 1. Maccabees 1. 59. 60. Yee might haue founde the woord idole and idoles foure times vsed there in the Englishe Bible translated in that our renoumed Prince his dayes king Henry the 8 once more in deede than in your common translation that ye make so much of Let the reader looke the Chapter and iudge So farre are we off from that you vainely surmise and put vpon vs measuring vs by your owne foote The seconde fault you finde is for that our God his seruice and sacraments is not sayed and ministred by Priestes but by meere lay men so ye speake though wee haue but too many of your Popishe Priestes among vs But Sir for this grounde of your Reason Is the seruice or sacramentes therefore to be accompted naught because the partie that ministreth the same is not a conuenient minister Ye doe not make I take it the sacrament to depend on the worthinesse of the Minister As for saying Church seruice that God his Ministers are bounde vnto it is the preaching of God his word and gospel the administring of Christ his Sacrament Baptisme and the Lord his Supper and withall to make publique Prayers with the Assemblie As in deede these thinges can not bee perfourmed without publique Prayer c. Other seruice as your Popishe Mattens Masse Euensong Compline 〈◊〉 c. Wee leaue willingly to your popishe Priestes of whom and their office in Christe his Churche no more then of this kinde of your seruice wee haue no mention nor warrant in al the Newe Testament But for sacramentes doe you not holde I pray you and teach with your Canon lawe taken out of Austin that Baptisme is holie of it selfe which is giuen in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost so that there is also in the same sacrament the authoritie of tradition by our Lord to the Apostles and by them to the Bishops other Priestes and laye persons also that are Christians comming from the same beginning and stocke c. And in the glose there the Lord deliuered the forme of Baptising to the Apostles and by them to others euen lay persons And in another place pope Iohn saith to do this work of baptising if it be need ful is freely graūted to faithful lay mē according to cano nical authoritie First therfore I say for this place y t your Priestes be intruders into Church offices without lawfull calling from God Next if lay men haue any thing to doe in this businesse of Churche ministerie I say they take the authoritie from your popishe religion not from Christ nor the Christian religion that we professe Thirdly I say that this is no sufficient reason to stay from our Church assemblies whereto you driue neither is one bounde alwayes to enquire of the person or certainely to vnderstand whether hee be a Priest or no before they come to the Church or receiue but to respect the matter which is God his the edifiyng of our owne consciences thereby c. and for the rest to suppose the man that executeth that charge is a publike church minister lawfully called or standeth and is reputed for such a one at least while the Church and state disaloweth him not I speake not in defence of any that without lawefull calling medle in Church functions nor that they of authoritie may suffer and beare with such or let them alone I speake only for the satisfying of priuate mens consciences in this case Lastly I say if that be your let of comming to Church it may be soone eased For there be diuers and to many as I sayed here in the Ministerie that haue bin afore time priestes Chuse your place your person and come to Church but you meane it not I weene it is but a shift and a cloke to couer more mischiefe vnder For the name of priestes because it is somewhat doubtfully taken and wee loue to speake playnely Therefore we call such Christ his Ministers Pastours Byshops or Ouerseers and such other names as we finde in the Apostles wrytings doe wee giue our church ministers agreeable to their holy functiōs We leaue the name of Priestes and their sacrifieing office as vnwonted and vnused by the holie Ghost in the newe Testament in Church functions in the time of the Gospel whō and whose phrase of speaking in his matters especially we like well to followe so much as we may though wee loue not in the meane while to striue about names where the matter is plain You quot your margin but you set vs down the words of no expresse testimonie neyther in deede is it materiall to stande vpon wordes or to coulour thinges by doubtfulnesse of speach when the matter is euident And therefore leauing your priests and priesthood without all foundation and staye of God his booke yee turne to the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews whiche after your manner yee cite falsely against vs and runne at large that no man may take vnto him this honour but he that is called of GOD shoulde yee haue say de as Aaron was Ye say true For in deede no man is meete to bee our high Priest but Iesus Christ who was appointed and called therto of God and of whom and his preisthood Aaron was a figure The more wrong a great deale doth your pope to Christ and to his church also to take vpō him y e title office of high Priest in Christ his Church without warrant from God seeing it was allotted by a singular prerogatiue to our Sauiour Christ alone of his Father As the Apostle 〈◊〉 by in the next verse declareth Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe yet straight way Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec The greater and more is your fault still that will needes succeede him in the office of Priesthood whether he will or no When hee neither needeth nor shall haue any successor As who liueth a Priest for euer And calling all Christians into the fellowship of his Priesthood hath made vs a Royall priesthood and Kings and Priests to God euen his Father without appointing any to serue the office of a sacrificing priest in Church Ministerie Shewe as good a warrant of God his calling you to the office of Priesthood to sacrifice the Sonne of God dayly for the quicke and the dead c. and wee will yeelde but yee can not Nay yee cite the scripture
by your doctrine And one looke well it will not be harde to finde nine and moe too so shall we haue no ende nor keepe any measure if wee followe you herein Your seuen sacraments as you recken them heere are these Baptisme Confirmation Priesthood Matrimonie Extreme vnction Penance the sacrament of the Altar The grace of Baptisme you leaue vntouched not deniyng but wee enioye it moe of your 〈◊〉 for sacramentes of Christes Church properly to speake doe not wee acknowledge But in steed of your counterfaite sacrament and Idol of the Altar wee haue restored vnto vs the sacrament of the Lords Supper or of the body and blood of Christ instituted by this our good master him selfe As for mariage we esteeme it honourable among all and a bed vndefiled as the Apostle speaketh and say with him on the other side that whore mongers and adulterers God will iudge So then wee repute it as the institution of the holy God and his order to liue in according to his worde in his feare A sacrament as holy Baptisme and the Supper are doe we not repute it to be none depende therein on your doctrine In steede of your 〈◊〉 Priesthood haue wee among vs such Church 〈◊〉 as Christ also hath left vs by his institution and worde as namely Pastours or Ministers of the worde and Gospell In stead of your dumbe ceremonies and Popishe confirmation haue we a continuall Catechising of the youth and ruder sort in the principles of Religion As for your extreeme vnction we shut it out as a thing deuised by your selues for saint Iames place maketh nothing for you If priesthood be a sacrament the other orders lesse and great will claime the like priuiledge euery one so shall we haue a great many moe particular sacramentes in number than seuen and euery one in kinde seuerally from other the sacrament of 〈◊〉 the sacrament of subdeaconship of reading also of exorcisme or coniuring c. Where and when shall we crie ho and stay As euery one here can tell you wee haue visitation of the sicke counsaile and prayers with him and for him to his comfort as the rule of Charitie prescribeth Repentance is continually taught here and perswaded publike confession of sinnes is made in our assemblies vnto God dayly The power and authoritie of binding and loosmg or the keyes as you speake of the church are heere by the ministerie of the worde and preaching as occasion serueth more faithfully and vprightly vsed then with you In steade of your Ashewednesday ashes and displing on mens bare heades and womens bare hands c. we haue some forme of publike discipline and correction though not such and so perfect as were to be wished Nowe let the Godly iudge of the gaine that you bragge is to bee had by the profession of your popishe religion and haunting your Antichristian Synagogue and the losse that you imagine is to be had in the profession of the Gospel and our religion ro in haunting our Church assemblyes you that are blynded partiall and take no tryall of our Church meetinges no maruel though ye corruptly iudge of the whole For the authoritie of the true Church of Christ there is no greate strife betweene vs there is more for your Pope and Popish prelates and Clergie for their appropriating and abusing of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen for taking away the key of knowledge neyther entring themselues forbidding them that came in Sauing that euen in the Churches authoritie wee denie that our 〈◊〉 Christ did at his departure as you speake heere leaue all his authoritie with his Church which he had receiued of his father hee hath not resigned his authoritie to any he liueth raigneth and continually guideth and gouerneth his Churche himselfe prouiding for the same as our onely king high priest lawegiuer prince of pastours so forth after a farre better manner than any mortall man can or will performe that office yetin the meane while hee hath appointed vnder him offices and officers such as he thought requisite keeping the Soueraigntie in the Church still to himselfe of which offices and officers yee may see to the Romanes Corinthians Ephesians c. Whose offices are limitted and bounded so as they may not goe without their compasse That which you confesse Christ to haue giuen to his Church let no man take from the Church Let no creature vsurpe ouer the same keep well to the Church that ye here speake of the Churches authoritie Concerning Confession in that place which ye 〈◊〉 out of the Acts or out of your Gratian rather as appeareth you put in of your selfe that they came to the Apostles it is not in the text though your Gratian haue it there was none of the Apostles there but Paul that wee reade of to whomsoeuer the confession was made it was publique as of the fruites it is reported that immediatly many whiche vsed curious artes brought their bookes and burned them before all men You cite vs a long place out of a bastardely booke cast for credite vpon Augustines backe for the former place maketh nothing for auricular confession And yet woulde I the learned reader woulde conferre Gratian and you together from whome you tooke this but you thought good more strongly to confirme it with Hob Nobs authoritie of whom for answere I say as that learned man in his Censor before the same booke sayth A Praters talke neither learned wise nor eloquēt what faces or minds had they y t put vpon vs such writings in Augustines name For the matter of your forged Auricular cōfession to a Ghostly Father that is a popish Priest and so foorth you might haue found that your owne doctors agree not some thinking confession with the mouth to man not necessary for forgiuenes of sinnes some thinking otherwise and good authorities are by your M. Gratian that mooueth the question alleadged against y t kinde of cōfession how euer you doctorlike decide the matter to the contrary as though all the world must goe with you one way that is a Popish way Doeth not your he owne glose vpon Gratian where he bringeth in mens authorities to proue confession as he doth also against it say alleadgeth meaning Gratian for the other parte to witte that sinne is not forgiuen one of yeeres of discretion without confession of the mouth whiche yet sayth the Glosse is false For our Churches doctrine in the matter of confession of sinnes though we condemne your 〈◊〉 order and the butcherly straitnes of reckoning vp all our sinnes particularly in the priestes eare c. Yet with the scriptures wee teach and exhort men to acknowledge their faultes one to another And where either the church publikely or any man priuately is offended there for reconcilement we teach that it is necessary not onely that ones fault bee acknowledged but farder testimonie also giuen of repentance and sorrowe