drawne out by vs in proofe of our Catholike Religion Our Aduersaries most scornefully traduce all such Miracles For Osiand Cent. 10. 11. 12. Osiander and the Cent. 4. Col. 144â— Cent. 5. Col. 1486. Centurists obserue heer the humility of this Priuate Spirit terme all such Miracles Antichristian wonders and flying signes But D. Whitakers more strangely answereth to all such Miracles for thus he writeth D. Whitak l. de Eccles p. 349. God doth giue power of working true Miracles to false Teachers not to confirme their false opinions but to tempt those to whome they are sent Thus he Galat. c. 3. O insensati Galatae quis vos fascinauit Thus my Deare Friend you see how your Protestants in matter of Fayth and Religion endeauour to waue all proofes and to breake with all Authority both Diuine and Humane and seeke to reduce all finally to the triall and touch-stone of the Priuate Spirit which Spirit is with them the Oedipus which must resolue all Enigmaticall doubts And thus the Protestants being but parties will eyther finally iudge all QuestioÌ„s of faith or els they will suffer no iudgement to passe on the at all Is there any candour ingenuity or vpright meaning in this their proceedings Or is it hard to defend any Religion how false wicked soeuer if so the maintayners of it could iustly reiect all sorts of Arguments and Authorities produced for the impugning of the sayd false Religion aduancing their owne priuate iudgements aboue all proofs whatsoeuer But seeing our Aduersaries will admit no Authorities but their owne I will therefore in this next place and in proofe of my secoÌ„d Reason which shal be to euict that The Protestant Church is not the true Church of God tye my selfe only to the Testimonyes and authorities of the learned Protestants themselues forbearing purposely all other kinds of proofes whatsoeuer so ready my good friend I am for the tyme to humour our Aduersaries in their owne Methode and this chiefly for your more full satisfaction My Media or Premises for the proofe of this foresaid Position which potentially inuolues all other Controuersies within it selfe shall rest in two points both clearly and abundantly taught by the most learned Protestants that euer with their pens endeauoured to honor their Religion My first Medium shal be that the Protestants teach that the true Church of Christ must at all tymes without the least interruption be visible and enioy her Pastours and administration of the word and Sacraments For proofe of this vndenyable verity I produce these following Testimonies from the Protestants own penns And first D. Field thus writeth Li. of the church â— 10. p. 190. The persons of whome the Church consisteth are visible their Profession known euen to the Prophane And againe thus he sayth Vbi supra pag. 21. Bellarmine in vayne laboureth to proue that there is and alwayes hath beene a visible Church and that not consisting of some few scattered Christians without Order of Ministery or vse of Sacraments for all this we doe most willingly yield vnto M. Hooker thus writeth Ecclesiast Policy p. 126. God hath had and euer shall haue some visible Church vpon earth Hunnius the great Protestant thus acknowledgeth In his Treatise of Free-will p. 91. God in all tymes hath placed his Church in a high place and hath exalted it in the sight of all Nations Iacobus Andreas In his booke against Hosius pa. â—10 we are not ignorant that the Church must be a visible Company of teachers and hearers Melancthon is most strong in this point for thus he discourseth Loc. com edit 2561. c. de Eccles whensoeuer we thinke of the Church let vs behold the company of such men as are gathered together which is the visible Church neither let vs dreame that the elect of God are to be found any other place theÌ„ in this visible Society neyther let vs imagine any other visible Church And againe the said Melancthon Melancth in Concil Theolog. part 2. It is necessary to confesse that the Church is visible c. Whither tendeth then haec portentosa oratio this monstruous speach which denyeth the Church to be visible Peter Martyr In his Epist annexed to his common places printed in English pag. â—53 We doe not appoint an inuisible Church but do define the Church to be a Congregation which the faythfull may know that they may adioyne themselues thereto D. Humfrey thus teacheth In Ieisuitism part 2. c. 1. Non clancularij secessus CoÌ„uocationes sunt Christianae c. The Societies of Christians are not secret meetings And he thus endeth Oportet Ecclesiam esse conspicuam Conclusio est clarissima The same D. Humfrey also giueth a reason why the Church must euer be visible thus writing D. Humf. in Iesuitism part 2. tract â— rat 3. Dum Ministri docent alij discunt c. Whiles the Ministers do teach others do learne whiles these Men do Minister the Sacraments those do communicate of them whiles all do call vpon God and professe their fayth He that doth not see these things is more blynd then a Moale Instit c. 1. parag 10. Caluin In his defence of the censure pag. 81. D. Whitgifâ— Contra Camp rat 8. D. Whitakers Art 7. The Confession of Augusta almost with all other ProtestaÌ„ts do teach that the Preaching of the word c. administration of the SacrameÌ„ts are essentiall Notes of the Church that the preaching of the word doth constitute a Church as Contra Duraeum l. 3. pag. 249. D. Whitakers words are the want of it doth subuert it But how can eyther the Word be preached or the Sacraments ministred but to such men as are visible according to the former iudgement of D. Humfrey And thus farre in proofe of my first ground or PositioÌ„ to wit that the True Church of Christ must euer be visible Now I come to the second Proposition or grouÌ„d which is That the Protestant Church euen by the doctrine acknowledgment of the most remarkable Protestants hath beene wholly latent and inuisible for more then a thousand yeares togeather To proue this first I produce M. Perkins His wordes are these In his exposition of the creed pa. 400. we say that before the dayes of Luther for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasy ouerspred the whole face of the earth and that our Church was not then visible to the World Caelius Secundus Curio a Protestant of extraordinary Note acknowledgeth no lesse thus writing De amplitud regnî Dei pag. 12. Factum est vt per multos iam annos Ecclesia latuerit c. It is fallen out that the Church for many yeares hath beene latent and that the Cittizens of this Kingdome could scarcely ac ne vix quidem and indeed not at all be knowne of others D. Fulke setteth downe in his iudgment the tyme of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church he thus saying In his answer to a Counterfeit catholike p. 16. The Church in
PVRITANISME THE MOTHER SINNE THE DAVGHTER OR A TREATISE wherein is demonstrated from Twenty seuerall Doctrines and Positions of Puritanisme That the Fayth and Religion of the Puritans doth forcibly induce its Professours to the perpetrating of SINNE and doth warrant the committing of the same WRITTEN By a Catholike Priest vpon occasion of certaine late most execrable Actions of some Puritans expressed in the page following HEERVNTO Is added as an Appendix A Funerall Discourse touching the late different Deathes of two most eminent Protestant Deuines to wit Doctour Price Deane of Hereford and Doctour Butts Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge By the same Authour Non est Arborbona quae facit fructus malos Luc. 6. Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XXXIII THE OCCASIONS lately occurring of writing this Treatise are these following IN the yeare 1632. there was discouered in London a Society of certaine Sodomites to the number of fourty or fifty all of them being earnest and hoat Puritans who had their common appointed Meeting-place for their abominable Impiety Of which number diuers of them and such as were of good temporall estates and meanes were apprehended and the rest instantly fled In this yeare 1633. there is one called Henoch A peuen being of age betweene thirty and fourty and borne in Clun in Shropshire a most fiery Puritan and one who pretendeth learning This man lately killed with an Axe his owne Brother being asleepe and instantly after his owne Mother because both of them being temperate Protestants did some few dayes before receaue the Communion kneeling This Henoch Apeuen being apprehended and sent to Shrows bury Goale and questioned of this his blouddy Act iustified and defended the same and produced for it certaine miscōstrued places texts of Scripture taken from the thirteenth and seauententh Chapters of Deuteronomy In this yeare also 1633. there is one Cade a Minister who was lately before for diuers yeares a stipendary Preacher at Hayton a parish Church in Lancashire This man being in Warington a Towne in the said shyre at a Vintners house called Gryses began to vse most earnest words to the said Vintner others That for his part he belieued that there was no Christ no Trinity no God besides other most blasphemous speaches not fit to be set downe The Vintner said to him Syr if you be of this Iudgment why then do you weekely preach of Christ of the Trinity of God The Minister replyed I do preach of them with the same intētion that you do draw wine that is to mantaine my self by this my trade of preaching The Vintner not brooking these his blasphemies accused him therof vpon his Oath before a Iustice of Peace his Name the Authour of this Treatise liuing far distant from that Country could not certainly learne This Iustice being a Puritan did set at liberty to the great dislike of diuers the said Minister vpon his Answere That what he spake was spoken only by way of dispute and arguing The which the Vintner most confidently denied auerring that he spake them by way of persuasion Interrogate Gentes quis audiuit talia horribilia Ierem. 18. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the Vnlearned but vvell-meaning Puritans TO You onely vvhose Vnderstādings throgh your Grand masters vvicked indoctrinating of you are corrupted but Wils good sincere do I dedicate this smal Worke. My Pen hath heere purposely descended so lovv not only in style but euen in Matter as to accommodate it selfe to such of you vvho are vnlearned as indeed most of you are The contēts of this vvorke is of that facility and easines as that it best may suite to such of you as be illiterate defectiue in the Elements mayn Principles of Learning For though the matter here handled be of such vveight as that it is able to conuince the iudgment of the most learned Aduersary yet touching the Methode vsed in the deliuery hereof it is facill seeing you shall not need here to spend the tyme in searching after the sense of produced places of Scripture or in reuoluing the Ecclesiasticall Histories of the Church or in pondering vveighing the places of the Ancient Fathers all vvhich do stand subiect to many difficulties But it vvill suffice if so you do but read the many Positions Tenets of Puritanisme the Fayth vvhich I presume your selues professe and the liues of the first teachers of them most ansvverable to the said Positions In all vvhich you shall fynd this from their ovvne expresse Testimonies That the very End or as it vvere the Terminus ad quem Puritanisme in Doctrine doth finally propend incline to is impurity in manners and dissolution in life And therefore the greater commiseration I haue that many of you I presume vvhose vvills and endeauours are vpright plaine are infected vvith the said impious doctrines The first inducement vvhich importuned my penne to vndergoe this labour is the late discouery in London of a company of Sodomiticall Persons vvherof some are apprehēded but diuers fled in number about fourty or more in state competent and some of very good meanes in Religion all Puritanes and in entercourse among themselues a thing vvonderfull to be reported so linked as that they made a peculiar Society or Body hauing a common designed place for their publike meetings So iust reason I haue to say a litle before (a) Ierem. 18. Interrogate Gentes quis audiuit talia horribilia Novv seeing these prodigious Monsters being so many staines to Nature for Sodomitae pessimi erāt peccatores coram Domino nimis (b) Genes 1◠are all Puritans in faith hould themselues far more illuminated in the Lord then the more moderate and learned Protestants of vvhich nūber of learned Protestants most do vvholy abandone disclaime from the others Puritanicall Doctrines And further seeing that they may make shovv to vvarrant this their Sodomiticall State frō their ovvne Principles admitting them for true Therfore I haue thought good at this present to set downe all such Theoricall Positions of Puritanisme vvhich do euen iustify Sin and confidently teach its Proselytes that the greatest Sin vvhatsoeuer cannot become preiudiciall to the saluation of any of the faythfull of vvhich number all the foresaid portentuous Wretches as being Puritans euen by their ovvne Principles and Doctrines are taught to be I vvould not haue the moderate and more learned Protestant to thinke that I do insimulate him in the ranke of the Puritans in generall seeing I vvell knovv that most of those temperate and sober Protestants do disavovv and reiect diuers Puritanicall Theses insisted vpon heereafter by me No It is only the Hypocriticall Puritan vvho can vaunt and brag of his Enthusiasmes Illuminations from the Lord vvho depresseth betramples all Vertue exercise of pious Workes vvho doth blāch exalt Vice against vvhom my Pen is at this time sharpned I vvell knovv that those vvho did first stampe most of the doctrins of Puritanisme as Luther Svvinglius Caluin
indisposition of the secondary causes that the lyke in Nature euer produceth and begetteth the like Thus irreasonable Creatures do ingender irreasonable Creatures and men beget men and this oftentimes with such a great resemblance similitude in the particulars as that we may easily glasse the Fathers eye in the Childs face The like by allusion we may affirme of the Theoremes and Principles of fayth whose immediate subiect is Morality or Conuersation of life Yf the Thearemes do resent of vertue piety and deuotion the fruites which they beget in mans soule belieuing them are vertuousnes of life Practise of good workes Austerity in manners and the like But if the Theoremes be of such nature as that they send steame forth nothing els thē sensuality libertinisme and voluptuousnes then such as giue assent and beliefe to the said Theoremes do in their manners participate of the same prophane Qualities Touching the vertuous liues of Catholikes in particular proceeding from their doctrines teaching vertue I will not heere in the displaying therof laboriously insist since my mayne Proiect at this present is to spend these ensuing leaues in this later point to wit to demonstrate first that the Principles of Puritanisme do inuolue in themselues the warrāting of vice falshood and Impiety and the dishonouring of vertue And secondly that the first Inuentors or coyners of them sucking from their owne grounds elements of doctrine tanquam ex traduce the secret poyson lying in them haue beene men of most enormous and facinorous liues And now to beginne with the doctrines 1. First I will begin with their chiefe Principle of the Priuate Spirit which they describe very gloriously to be (1) D. VVhitak in controuers 1 q. 5. c. 3. 11. A persuasion of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret closet of the belieuers hart With this I begin in that it comprehendeth within it selfe as a greater number doth many lesser diuers other positions of liberty For first it begets an vnaccustomed pride and elation of mind in the belieuers of this doctrine seeing it teacheth that euery one that enioyeth this spirit as euery Puritane by his owne religion ought to belieue that he enioyeth it is to preferre in exposition of Scripture determining points of fayth Himselfe aboue all other mens authorities of Gods Church whosoeuer And therefore Luther as resting himselfe vpon this ground writeth (2) tom 2. contra Regem Angliae fol. 344. Gods word is aboue all c. I regard not if a thousand Austins a thousand Cyprians a thousand Churches stood against me And another as presuming to enioy this spirit thus condemneth all Generall Councels (3) Peter Martyr l. de votis p. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councels so long we shall continue in the Papists errours And the same priuiledge of this spirit doth euery obscure particuler Minister by the help of his owne spirit challenge to himselfe Now what an insufferable pride is it for a fellow being but one a man lately appearing for most part but meanly learned to aduance his iudgment in matters of fayth and Religion aboue so many so ancient and so learned Doctours and Fathers of Christs Church as haue flourished The second kind of Sinne flowing from this Principle is Multiplicity of Heresyes Seeing all Heresyes fortify themselues for the tyme vnder the rampyer of this Priuate Spirit in interpreting the Scriptures And from hēce it is that Vincentius Lyrinensis complayneth of the Spiritualists of his dayes in these wordes (4) l. aduers haeres An Haeretici diuinis Scripturae c. Do Heretykes cyte the diuine testimonies of Scripture They do and that most vehemently but therefore they are so much the more to be taken heed of And hence also ryseth that Hydra of different Sects and Heresyes in these dayes as the Moderate Protestant the Puritane the Brownist the Anabaptist the Anti-trinitarians others all which Heresyes did first take their roote from each particuler mans priuate spirit interpreting the Scripture in a different sense and construction from the rest of his Brethren And hereupon it proceedeth that so many hundreds of bookes mentioned by Coccius and by (5) Coccius in thesauro tom 2. Hospiniam in his Historia Sacramentaria parte altera Hospinian the Protestant are written by the Professours of the foresaid Sects one against another and often by men of the same Religion euen against others of their owne Brethren The third current of this Reuealing Spirit runneth not only to interpreting of passages of Scriptures which meerely touch Speculation in matters of fayth but also to giue most sensuall explications of such Texts thereof as may best sort to liberty and sinne Thus but to instance in one in place of many the priuate Spirit hath cast such an exposition of these wordes (6) Matth. c. 5. qui dimiserit vxorem suam exceptâ fornicationis causâ facit eam maechari Qui dimissam duxerit adulterat Whosoeuer shall dimisse his wife except for cause of fornication maketh her to commit adultery and he that shall marry her that is dimissed committeth adultery As that it teacheth that in case of fornication on the wyues syde the husband may marry agayne and consequently if his future wyues should offend therein might haue a dozen twenty or more wyues liuing all at one instant Thus the Priuate Spirit for his better maintayning of his voluptuous doctrine of Polygamy referreth those wordes excepta fornicatione to be the cause of taking a second wife which are to be referred only to the cause of a mans dimitting or parting with his wife according to the exposition of (7) In exposit huius loci Ierome almost all others 2. In this next place I proceed to that doctrine of theirs which teacheth that God is the Authour of sinne seeing this blasphemy implicitly contayneth within it selfe as a greater circle doth the lesse diuers other strange Paradoxes taught by the Puritans And first we find Luther thus to teach (a) Luth. in assertion damnat per Leonem art 36. How can man prepare himselfe to good seeing it is not in his power to make his wayes euill for God worketh the wicked worke in the wicked Againe (b) Vbi supra Art 36. Nullius est in manu c. It is not in the power of any man to thinke euil or good but al things proceed frō absolute necessity Swinglius heerto accordeth saying (c) Tom. 2. de Prouident◠Dei fol. 166. sayth Mouet Deus latronem ad occidendum c. and there againe Deo impullore latro occidit and finally Latro coactus est ad peccandum God moueth the theefe to kil the theefe killeth God procuring him Yea the theefe is enforced to kill Melācthon thus affirmeth of the adultery of Dauid (d) In Rom. 8. The adultery of Dauid was the proper worke of God as was the conuersion of Paul Which sentence in Melancthon
rather to hide themselues in solitude and obscurity and to liue vnder the hatches of a priuate state then to be placed vpon this glorious yet most dangerous Theater or Stage of supreme soueraignty and domination 14. To this former may be adioyned their doctrine of Parity of Ministers in the Church by the which they teach that there ought not to be any Bishops but that euery Minister should haue equall authority and Iurisdiction All the Puritanes are so precipitate and headlong in this doctrine as that it would be needles to set downe their many sentences thereof Therefore I will content my selfe with the wordes of our English Puritanes who thus write (a) This is to be seene in the booke entituled Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall printed 1604. The gouernment of the Church of England by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God Now if all Ministers should haue one and the same authority and that there should be no subordination amongst them what a distraction and confusion would follow to be in the Church And how ready would euery illiterate Minister be to veÌ„t out new doctrines and Heresies without all controule such Heresies as would not only infect the vnderstanding with falshood and errour but also the will with Sinne and wicked conuersation Againe who then would there be to chastise the Ministers theÌ„selues for their great dissolution of life touching drinking fornication adultery too much vsed by many of theÌ„ at this day in England to the great disedifiing of many more sober and temperate ProtestaÌ„ts 15. To the former I may range their doctrine of extraordinary calling by the which they teach that there is extraordinary of calling Ministers immediatly froÌ„ God himselfe without the concurrency therto of maÌ„ or imposition of any Bishops hand And accordingly we find Caluin thus to writ of himselfe and other first Preachers of the Protestant Religion (b) The Protestant Lascitius reciteth this saying of Caluin l. de Russor Muscouit c. c. 23. Quia Papae Tyrannide c. Because through the tyranny of the Pope true Succession and Ordination was broken of therefore we stood in need of a new Course heerin and this function or calling was altogether extraordinary To which accord the wordes of M. Perkins saying (c) In his workes printed 1605. fol. 916. The calling of Wickliffe Hus Luther Oecolampadius Peter Martyr c. were extraordinary As also those of D. Fulkâ— (d) Against Stapleton Martiall c. pag. 2. The ProtestaÌ„ts who first preached in these dayes had extraordinary Calling But how repugnant is this their calling to the calling of the ministery mentioned in holy Scripture (e) Hebr. 5. No man taketh the honour vz. of Priesthood to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was And agayne (f) Rom. 10. How shall they preach except they be sent But now heer I vrge that as Caluin and the rest by challenging to themselues an extraordinary Calling broached the former new doctrines touching liberty and licentiousnes of life neuer before heard of so why may not others in like maÌ„ner heerafter as of late the Libertins the family of loue and other sectaries haue done aryse and assuming to themselues the like priuiledge of Extraordinary Calling from God alone dogmatize other new doctrines as pernicious to manners vertue and good life as these former wicked doctrines are 16. In this place I wil touch the string of the most wicked doctrine of Swinglius other his fellow-Ministers who teach plainly That Heathens not belieuing in Christ and so euer continuing may yet be saued For first Swinglius doth thus gentilize (g) Swingl in l. epist. Oecolamp Swingl l. 1. pag. 39. Ethnicus si piam mentem domi foueat Christianus est etsi Christum ignoret A Heathen leading a good life is a Christian though he know not Christ. And Swinglius further particularly writeth that (h) Swingl tom 2 fol. 118. Hercules Theseus Socrates c. are now in the same Heauen with Adam Abel Enoch Finally Swinglius proceedeth also further teaching thus (i) L. epist Oecolamp Swingl l. 2. p. 513. Gentilium liberos nulla lex damnat No law damneth the Children of Gentils This Opinion of Swinglius is also defended and himselfe for teaching the same highly extolled by (k) Vid. Swingl tom 2. fol. 550. Bullinger as also by (l) â—n vita Bullingeri Symlerus the Protestant and others This doctrine is so resolutely maintained by Swinglius and others that Echarius a learned Protestant thus by way of complayning therof writeth (m) Echarius in his fasciculus Controuersiarum printed Lipsiae anno 1609. cap. 19. Quòd Socrates Aristides Numa Camillus Hercules c. Swinglius writeth to the King of France that Socrates Aristides Numa Camillus Hercules the Scipions the Catoes and other Gentills are partakers of eternall life And Swinglius is defended for teaching this doctrine by the Tygurine Diuines Bullinger Gualterus Hardenburgius c. Thus farre the foresayd Echarius O what Scholia or Paraphrase can Swinglius and his compartners cast vpon those choaking wordes of diuine Scriture (n) Acts. 4. There is not any other name vnder heauen giuen to men then that of IESVS wherein we must be saued And (o) Iohn 4. Christ is the Sauiour of the world (p) 1. Ioan. â— The reconciliation for our sinnes and not onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world But now what indignity to the Redeemer of the world and to all ChristiaÌ„ Religîon doth this former most blasphemous doctrine of Swinglius and his fellowes exhale and breath forth Are they Christians who teach thus Were the many Prayers watchinges whipping his most sacred body crowning his reuerend head with thornes buffeting of him by the Iewes and finally his most painfull and pretious death and passion of all which paines euery litle touch in regard of the impretiable and infinite worth of the person so tormented was able to redeeme thousands of worlds so needles and superfluous as that Prophane Heathens who only belieue in generall if so much that there is a God or a Diuine Prouidence though wholly disclayming in the beliefe of Christ and treading all Christian fayth and Religion vnder their feete can neuertheles be saued (q) Hier. c. 2. O you Heauens be astonished at this be afrayd and vtterly confounded 17. Here may occurre the Aduersaries doctrine touching their deniall of all Miracles since the Apostles tymes A doctrine which secretly leadeth the way to Atheisme For the greatest reason that the Atheists alledge in defence of their blasphemous Atheisme is that they hould Nature that is the connexions of Physicall causes with the effects to be the supreme cause of all thinges and therefore these incredulous persons desire nothing more in tryall of this their misbeliefe then to see any thing performed aboue the ordinary and vsuall course of nature which they absolutely deny
that it can be performed And accordingly hereto I know a man witty inough but dissolute in manners and partly suspected of Atheisme but in externall show a Protestant who is accustomed to say that he would gladly see the diuell because he would gladly see something aboue the ordinary course of nature I beseech God that his desire in the end of his life be not accomplished Now how forward our Precisians are in denying all Miracles since the Apostles tymes may appeare from the liberall Confessions in this point of D. Fulke who thus acknowledgeth (r) Against the Rhem. Testamēt in Apocalyps p. 13. It is knowne that Caluin and the rest whom the Papists call Arch-Heretikes worke no miracles And of D. Sutcliffe (s) In his Exam. of D Kellisons Suruey printed 1606. pag. 8. We do not practise miracles nor do we teach that the doctrine of truth is to be confirmed with miracles Thus we see that these men are in their Iudgements so strongly persuaded that all Miracles by the which God suspendeth stupendiously the working of nature are so fully ceased since the dayes of the Apostles as that they freely confesse all want of working Miracles to haue beene in the plantation of their owne Religion directly impugning that course of working Miracles granted by our Sauiour to his Apostles at the first preaching of the Gospell (t) Math. 10. As you go preach heale the sicke cleanse the leprous raise vp the dead cast out the Diuels c. 18. Our former Aduersaries do in great riot of splenefull acclamations cry out in their Pulpits and writings against Holy-dayes the Sabaoth day only excepted with great auersion dislike of them This their so much affected doctrine wholly introduceth a forgetfulnes of the Misteries of Christian faith for those daies were instituted by the Church of Christ in her Primitiue tymes to put vs in mind of the misteries of our Fayth As for example Christmas day in remembrāce of Christs birth and Natiuity Innocents day or Childermas day as it is vulgarly called in remembrance of the slaughter of the Infants at the tyme of our Sauiours birth New yeares day in remembrance of our Sauiours Circumcision Epiphany or Twelft day in remembrance of the Comming of the three Kings with presents to our Sauiour The Annunciation day in remembrance of the Angels salutation of our Blessed Lady bringing her that most ioyfull message that she shall bring forth the Sauiour of the world Good Friday in remembrance of our Sauiour Christ his death passion on that day Easter day in remembrance of our Lords resurrection from the graue Ascension day in remembrance of his ascending in Soule and body into Heauen Pentecost or Whitsuntide in remembrāce of the descending of the Holy Ghost Trinity Sunnay in honour and remembrance of the most Blessed Trinity finally Corpus Christi day in remembrance of our Sauiours Institution of the most blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist Now most of these great festiuall dayes are much neglected and vilifyed by our Aduersaries nor for the most part do the Puritane Ministers instruct their Proselites and followers why those Feasts and vpon what occasion they were first instituted which want of care in the Maisters and ignorance in the Schollers do beget a great forgetfulnes of our Christian Mysteries And this my Assertion is warranted with all experience The like we may proportionably conclude of our Aduersaries small respect they beare to the Feast dayes of the Apostles or of diuers other great Saints For example the ignorant Protestant knowes when Midsomer day as they call it commeth but that that day was instituted in the honour of S. Iohn Baptist as being the Precursor of our Sauiours comming few of them know In like sort our Aduersaries reiect with full mouth all Ceremonies in Fayth styling them superstitious and Idolatrous though the said Ceremonies were first instituted and are still vsed the better to recall to the mind of the ignorant the Mysteries of Christian Religion And vpon the same ground they mainely vociferate and cry out against the true vse of Pictures which serue only to put vs in mind of the vertues and liues of the Saints of which they are the Pictures Neither can they endure the sight of the Crosse though it be only to put vs in mind of our Sauiours death and passion suffered vpon the Crosse so willing they are to extinguish and wholy blot out all remembrances prints and cognizances of Christian fayth Thus we see that our Aduersaries proceeding herein finally tends to the obliterating cancelling of most of the chiefe Mysteries of our Christian fayth and Religion and of the most godly Professors of it 19. The Aduersaries acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church hath induced many to forsake the Christian Religion and in lieu thereof to become Arians Iewes or Turkes For first seeing the Old Testament is most full in its authorities for a (u) Esay 60. Dan. 2. Psal 28. Continuall splendour and visibility of Christs true Church and further seeing that this exacted visibility hath bene wanting in the Protestant Church by their owne Confessions whereof I will heere for breuity alledge the acknowledgment of Sebastianus Francus a learned Protestant who thus confesseth (x) In epist de abrogandis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis For certaine through the worke of Antichrist the externall Church together with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church hath not bene externall and visible To whose iudgment D. Fulke subscribeth in these wordes (y) In his answer to a Counterfeyt Catholike p. 1◠The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles And lastly seeing such Protestants as acknowledge the want of the visibility of their owne Church will not acknowledge the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church of God though they do acknowledg that that Church hath beene euer visible for these fourteene hundred yeares Therfore diuers of the said eminēt Protestants through the want of fulfilling of the Prophecies touching the Churches visibility in their owne Protestant Church haue therevpon Apostated from Christianity some of them imbracing the doctrine of the Iewes others of the Turkes and therupō haue employed all their dayes after with infecting other Christians with their new imbraced doctrines wherby they haue secretly instilled into their followers minds and wills the poyson both for doctrine impious conuersation of life which Iudaisme or Turcisme do teach and warrant Many examples of diuers learned Protestants forsaking their Christian Religion through the acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestants Church may be alledged As of (z) So witnesseth Beza in epist 65. p. 308. Alamannus a great Protestant who became a Iew. Of (a) In historia Dauidis Georgij printed at Antwerpe 1568. Dauid George once Professour at Basill who became a blasphemous Apostata Of Ochinus who
Basil Ierome for their commending defending of Monachisme and austerity of life I will omit all other Controuersyes between the Catholikes and the Protestants in all which Caluin opposeth himselfe to the ioint consent of all the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church and I will conclude with his reprehension of Chrysostome Austin Epiphanius and others concerning the doctrine of praying and offering vp Sacrifice for the dead his wordes for close of all are these (k) In Tract Theolog. de ver Eccles reform pag. â—94 Fateor eiusmodi preces c. I confesse that the custome of these prayers was ancient and that such prayers were allowed by Austin Chrysostome and Epiphanius as receaued by succession from their Ancestours the vsage wherof the aforenamed Fathers followed without reason c. Thus we see that Caluin doth fully parallell and equall Beza in contempt of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church such a fastidious Magistrality pride in the highest degree do their former doctrines of their Reuealing Spirit and extraordinary Vocation beget in the mindes of the belieuers thereof But to conclude with relating of Caluins death which was most sutable to his life for (l) Psal 33. Mors peccatorum pessima Conradus Schlussenburg the foresaid Protestant deliuereth it in these wordes (m) â—n Theolog. Caluin printed 1594 lib. 2. fol. 72. Deus manu sua potenti c. God in the rod of his fury visiting Caluin did punish him before the houre of his death with his mighty haÌ„d for he being in despayre and calling vpon the Diuel gaue vp his wicked soule swearing cursing and blaspheming He dyed of the disease of lyce and wormes increasing in a most loathsome vlcer about his priuy parts so as none present could endure the stench These things are obiected against Caluin by Publike writings in which also horrible things are declared concerning his lasciuiousnes his sundry abhominable vices and Sodomiticall lusts for which last he was burned by the Magistrate at Noyon where he liued being branded vpon the shoulder with a hoat burning Iron Thus far the foresaid Slussenburg an earnest Protestant and as great an Enemy to the Pope as Caluin euer was and therfore his Testimony is to be reputed lesse partiall and more indifferent The foresaid miserable death of Caluin is confirmed with the vnanswerable Testimony of Herennius a Caluinist Preacher and therefore the rather heerin to be credited His words are these (n) In libello de vita Caluini Caluinus in desperatione siniens vitam c. Caluin ending his life in despaire dyed being consumed of a most filthy and loathsome disease and such as God is accustomed to threaten to the wicked and such as be rebellious against him This of Caluin I dare testify to be most true because I my selfe being there present did behould that calamitous tragical end of his euen with these mine owne eyes Thus the said Herennius and thus far of Caluin though most briefly This one obseruation touching his death I will add to wit that it is the lesse to be wondered that Caluin should dye despayring of his Saluation seeing it may wel be thought that Christ by way of speciall punishment in withdrawing his grace from Caluin did inflict this particuler kind of death vpon him because Caluin taught that Christ himselfe was for the time * Caluins words in Latin are these in Math. 27. Sed absurdum videtur Christo elapsam esse desperationis vocem Solucio facilis est c. and in the same place thus more Sic videmus Christum omni ex parte vexatum vt desperatione obrutus ab inuocando Deo absi steret in despayre and as being ouerwhelmed in desperation gaue ouer prayer O monstrous and neuer afore heard of Blasphemy The next shall be Ochinus This man with the helpe of Peter Martyr first broached Protestancy heer in EnglaÌ„d in K. Edwards the sixth reigne as * Osiander Cent. 16. l. 2. c. 67. Osiander witnesseth and the whole world knoweth Ochinus was first a Religious maÌ„ of the Catholike Romane Church but being weary of seruing God in that austerity of lyfe left his (o) So sayth Sleydan l. 9 at anno 1547. fol. 297. Monstery with breach of all his former vowes of Religion This Ochinus did write a booke (p) Lauather in histor Sacrament fol. 50. against the Masse and him Caluin thus exalteth in these words (q) Lib de scandalis extat in hâ— Tract Theolog. printed 1597. p. 111. Whome can Italy oppose for they were both Italians against Peter Martyr and Bernardine Ochine There is not written against Ochinus so much touching his extraordinary licentiousnes of lyfe as touching his doctrines for first he began to defend by wryting of certayne Dialogues the doctrine of Polygamy or hauing many wyues at one and the same tyme of which Dialogues (r) Beza in lib. de Polygamia p. 4. Beza maketh mention But Ochinus did not content himselfe with this but proceeded to the height of all Impiety For he confessing the doctrine of the euer necessary Visibility of Christs true Church grounding himselfe and but truly vpon the predictions thereof in the Old Testament and on the one syde not acknowledging the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church though in it he could not deny but that it euer enioyed a continuall visibility and on the other syde seeing the predictions of the Churchs vninterrupted Visibility were not accomplished in the Protestant Church did heerupoÌ„ wholy forsake Christ and Christian Religion and betooke himselfe to the imbracing of Iudaisme That Ochinus became an Apostata is witnessed by Beza who calleth him thus (s) L. de Polygam p. 4. Ochinus impurus Apostata And further Beza more fully enlargeth himselfe thus writing (t) Beza in epist 1. pa. 11. Ochinus Arianorum clandestinus fautor Polygamiae defensor omnium Christianae Religionis dogmatum irrisor Ochinus is a secret fauourer of the Arians a defender of Polygamy and a scoffer of all the doctrines of Christian Religion The Apostasy of Ochinus is further witnessed by (u) In his booke de â—ribus Elohim printed 1594. l. 5. c. 9. Zanchius the Protestant by Conradus Slussenburg the afore meÌ„tioned ProtestaÌ„t writing heerin agaynst Ochinus most particularly the title of which passage in this Protestants booke is (x) In Theolog. Caluinist l. 1. fol. 19. Responsio ad Ochini blasphemiam Thus farre touching Ochinus his Apostasy of his imbracing Iudaisme and finally dying therein One thing chiefly I referre to the iudgment of any indifferent Reader seeing this Ochinus was one of the two Apostles who first planted Protestancy in England to wit whether it sorteth with the accustomed proceeding of God who euer vseth meanes proportionable and sutable to their ends to vse as his Instruments for the planting of true Christian Religion suppose Protestancy be such a man who should afterward turne his pen to the absolute denyall of the Redeemer of
dissemble his Religion through the temporall Motiues of Wyfe Children Riches honour and the lyke And why should not I be thus perwaded seeing it is most certayne that all Authorities both diuine and humane if they be truly weighed make wholy for the Catholike Religion and against the Protestants The Bishop seeing him in feruour of speach began to take leaue with him The Doctour in most humble words did prostrate his loyalty seruice to his Maiesty with all gratefull acknowledgment of this so high a fauour And thus good friend you haue the Relation of this Protestant Catholike Doctors happy departure out of this vale of misery In discoursing whereof if I erre in any Circumstance for I will not iustify the certainty of each of them though of the mayne point of his dying Catholike no man doubteth I am to be pardoned seeing I deliuer it as neere as I can in that manner in which I did heare it But now my friend to reflect vpon the death of this learned Doctour Whether he was euer in his hart or but onely for some short tyme before his death Catholikely affected I know not neither do I know what were the Motiues first inducing him to make this Catholike end Neuertheles I did heare it frō the mouth of one of his inward acquaintance who at one tyme being in the Doctours company did heare Doctour Price much commend a Book lately written by a Priest of the Society of IESVS styled The conuerted Iew and did say that the Doctour himselfe had read it and finally giuing his iudgement of it in these wordes If the Protestants authorities alledged in that Booke be truly and faithfully alledged as he had no reason to thinke the contrary and the rather considering sayth he the Booke is with great confidence dedicated to both our Vniuersities who would instantly discouer and diuulge any impostures if such were vsed that of necessity it must then follow that eyther the Papists Theoremes and Tenets for that was the Doctours phrase are most true or that all the chiefe and most eminent Protestants without exception of any euen from Luthers dayes downe to vs were most simple indiscreete and wholy vnlearned but this said he I haue no reason to think for their voluntary Confessions and acknowledgmēts some in on point some in another are cleere in behalfe of the Papists Religion to which acknowledgments supposing the matter of them to be false they had no reason so vnaduisedly to yield Now whether his perusing of that Booke might alter his iudgment or it was altered afore I know not But whatsoeuer the Motiues of his dying Catholike were among other of his inducements thereto this following perhaps though I in no sort do absolutely affirme it might be one His owne Reading could not but tell him that as on the one syde the Protestants among themselues maintayne such irreconciliable disagreements in matters of fayth that therefore they account one another for Heretikes ech one depriuing another of all hope of Saluation so on the other part many of the most iudicious and learned Protestants do freely teach that Papists as they are called dying Papists may be saued But it is not to be found that the Papists do so teach of Protestants dying Protestants This then being thus the Doctour might well thus reason with himselfe though as afore I euer graunt I do not knowe articulately any one of his particular motiues The Protestants do deny to one another all hope of Saluation dying without recalling their presumed Protestanticall Errours The Catholikes in like sort will not grant that Protestants dying Protestants can be saued But both the Protestants and the Papists teach that Papists dying in state of Papistry may be saued Therefore it is a more secure course for me now lying vpon my death-bed to dye in that Religion which by the acknowledgment of all sydes promiseth hope of Saluation then to dye in that fayth to which but only some few Professours thereof affoard a sauing expectation That the Protestants do nourish among themselues such disagreements in fayth as that they consequently deny their Protestant Aduersaries dying in that state can be saued I will here briefly proue from their owne reciprocall and mutuall recriminations and from the very Titles of their Bookes written in great acerbity of style against other Protestants their discording Brethren Now in the discouery hereof I am content my pen shall for the time pertinently digresse withall transgresse the bounds of an ordinary Letter chiefly deare friend to the end that my words might gayne some ground vpon your iudgement for I grieue to obserue with what a strong bent of dislike you are violently carried against our Catholike fayth and glad I should be to see that as you are learned so you would employ your learning as a Hand-mayde to your soules saluation Well then to come vnto the point and to omit for breuity most of what might be alleaged to this purpose and but to gather here and there some few Testimonies out of such great store aboundance Do we not fynd Luther thus to conuitiate the Sacramentaries Luther thes 21. contra Louaniens We seriously iudge the Swinglians and Sacramentaries to be Heretikes and Aliens from the Church of God But Oecolampadius the Swinglian retaliates Luthers kindnes in these wordes Dialog contra Melancth The Lutheranes only bring forth a colour and shadow of the word of God as Heretikes commonly are accustomed to do They bring not the word of God and yet they will seeme to build vpon the word of God It is certayne that the Lutheranes cannot agree among themselues And according hereto we fynd In catal haeret nostri temporis Conradus Schlussenburge a Lutherane to place sixe sorts of his owne Lutheranes in the Catalogue of Heretiks The Caluinists do thus charge one another Castalio a learned Sacramentary thus writeth of Caluin for his teaching God to be the Authour of Sinne In his medit vpon 112. Psalm By this meanes not the Diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes But that God which the holy Scripture teacheth is contrary to this God of Caluin And then after The true God came to destroy the works of the Caluinian God And these two Gods as they are by nature contrary one to another so they beget and bring forth Children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin children without mercy proud c. Now touching our English Protestants forbearing to shew their disagreements about the Communion Booke and the Translation of the Scripture we find the Puritanes thus to anathematize the Bishops All this is related as spoken by the Puritanes in the Booke of Constit and Canons Eccles printed anno 1604. The worship in the Church of England is corrupt superstitious vnlawful the Articles of the Bishops Religion are erroneous their rytes Antichristian c. And more The gouernment of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is
Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God Now to requite the Puritanes Charity herein we find them thus charged by other English Protestants In the Suruey of the pretended discipline c. 5. c. 24. cap. 35. The Puritanes peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scripture and Fathers to serue their owne turne And agayne in this sort The word of God is troubled with such choppers and changers of it M. Parks is no lesse sparing in his reprehension thus writing In his epist. dedicatory p. 3. The Puritanes seeke to vndermine the foundation of fayth And finally M. Powel thus doth recriminate the Puritanes In his Considerations The Puritanes are notorious and manifest Schismatikes cut off from the Church of God Neither do the Protestants thus inueigh one against another in short sentences or Periods of speach but they haue written seuerall hundred whole Treatises in reproofe of ech others doctrines and haue printed them in Protestant townes and Vniuersities as appeareth from the Catalogues heretofore yearely returned from Frankefort mentioned by Hospinian the ProtestaÌ„t in his Historia Sacramentaria part altera and by Coccius his Thesaurus tom 2. The very Titles wherof sufficiently discouer that the Protestants do hould one another for Heretikes and therfore not capable of saluation see here the viperous brood issuing from the loynes of one Luther Apostata Fryar For greater expedition I will here content my selfe with setting downe the Titles only of Ten of their Bookes of which not any of them touch the sole Doctrine of the Eucharist because perhaps it may be replied that the one syde speakâ— therin rather like Papists then Protestants And out of these ten you may easily coniecture with what spirit of Contention and diuision the rest of the Bookes are written The ten Bookes are these following 1. Conradi Schlussenburgi Theologiae Caluinisticae libri tres in quibus seu in tabula quadam quasi ad oculum plusquam ex ducentis viginti tribus Sacramentariorum publicis scriptis pagellis verbis proprijs Authorum nominibus indicatis demonstratur eos de nullo ferè Christianae fidei articulo rectè sentire Printed Francofurti 1594. 2. Oratio de Incarnatione filij Dei contra impios blasphemos errores Swinglianorum Caluinistarum Printed Tubingae Anno Domini 1586. 3. Alberti Graueri Bellum Ioannis Caluini Iesu Christi Braptae 1598. 4. Gulielmi Zepperi Dillinburgensis Ecclesiae Pastoris Institutio de tribus Religionis summis Capitibus quae inter Euangelicos in Controuersiam vocantur Hannouiae 1596. 5. Aegidij Hunnij Caluinus Iudaizans Hoc est Iudaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca testiâ—onia de gloriosâ Trinitate Deitate Christi Spiritus Sancti cum primis autem vaticinia Prophetarum de aduentu Messiae Natiuitate eius Passione Resurrectione Ascensione ad caelos Sessione ad dextram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpere non abhorruit Wittembergae 1593. 6. Pia defensio aduersus Iohannis Caluini Petri Boquini Theodori Bezae Gulielmi Ctebitij c. similium calumnias Item Refutatio Pelagiani seu Anabaptistici Caluinistarum erroris de Baptismo peccato Originali Adduntur Collectaneae plurimorum Caluini contra Deum eius Prouidentiam Praedestinationem Erfordiae 1583. 7. Christiani Kittelmanni decem graues perniciost errores Swinglianorum in doctrinâ de peccatis baptismo ex proprijs ipsorum libris collecti refutati Magdeburgi 1562. 8. De gaudijs aeternae vitae quomodo Sacramentarij nobis illa gaudia imminuant Erfordiae 1585. 9. Ioannis Mosellani Praeseruatiuae contra venenum Swinglianorum Tubingae 1586. 10. Denominatio Imposturarum fraudum quibus Aegidius Hunnius Ecclesiae Orthodoxae doctrinam petulanter corrumpere pergit Bremae 1592. Thus we see My worthy Friend in what inueterate intestine and irreconciable simulties dissensions and Booke-warres the Protestants of all kinds and sorts doe liue among themselues from the true consideration of which point it may euidently be inferred that the Protestants by such their disagreements cannot nor do affoard the hope of saluation to other Protestants dying in a contrary faction to themselues except the said Protestants should graunt contrary to the Scriptures to all Antiquity and to the force of all reason that men who are Heretikes and Aliens from the Church of God who vrge only a shadow of the word of God but not the word it selfe who are Heretikes maintayning two Gods whose Religion is erroneous Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God who peruert the Scriptures to serue their owne turnes who vndermyne the foundation of fayth as being manifest schismatikes are cut of from the Church finally who are charged by other Protestants their owne Brethren and this in set Treatises not to belieue aright almost any one Article of Christian fayth but to maintayne blasphemous and impious errrours as to wage war against Iesus-Christ to defend Pelagianisme and Anabaptisticall errours and lastly to corrupt the most illustrious passages of Scripture vrged by all antiquity in proofe of the most glorious Trinity of the Diuinity of Christ and of the holy Ghost except I say that such men as these dying in this state irrepentantly can be saued But now if we will turne the leafe ouer and obserue what the most learned Protestants do confesse and teach in behalfe of the Papists dying Papists we shall fynd that both by necessary Inferences resulting out of their owne graunted Premises as also in expresse tearmes they maintayne that the Papists dying in their owne Religion may be saued This shall be proued seuerall wayes therby to iustify Doctour Pryce his election and choyce in dying a Catholike member of the Roman Church and not a member of the Protestants late erected Conuenticle And first this Verity takes its probation from that other acknowledged Verity of the Protestants who confesse that the Roman Church is the true Church of God and that in the same Church Saluation is to be obtained To this purpose we may alleadge D. Field in his owne wordes In his booke of the Church lib. 3. c. 46. We doubt not but that the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more then a Luciferian pryde exalted himselfe was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ M. Hooker thus worthily honoureth the Church of Rome In his booke of Ecclesiast policy agâ— 88. The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the Visible Church of Christ we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ. D. Barrows In his Sermons and two questions disputed ad Clerum pag. 448. I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God M. Morton In his treatise of the Kingdome of Israel and of the Church pag
94. Papists are to be accounted of the Church of God because they do hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world But I hope no man of iudgment will deny but that such as are of the family of Iesus Christ whose Church is the Church of God and who hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus may be saued But to proceed Doctour Some thus more expressely writes of this point In his â—â—â—â—â—e against Penry pag. 176. If you thinke that all the Popish sort which dyed in the Popish Church are damned you thinke absurdly and do dissent from the iudgment of all learned Protestants D. Couell In his defence of M. Hooâ—ar pa 77. We affirme them of the Church of Rome to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and dye in that Church may notwithstanding be saued Yea this Doctour so farre proceedeth herein as that he chargeth the maintayners of the contrary doctrine to vse his wordes D. Coâ—â—l vbi sâ—â—ra with ignorant zeale But to presse more particularly this point D. Whitakers Cont. râ—â— Camp pag. 78. granteth that diuers ancient Fathers houlding the doctrine of Satisfaction merit of workes are neuertheles saued M. Cartwright thus fauourably writeth In his reply against D. Whitguif a defence pag. 82. I doubt not but that diuers Fathers of the Greeke Church who were Patrones of freewill are saued I will add one annotation hereto which is that we commonly find the more graue temperate and learned Protestants to affoard in their writings the title of Saint to Augustine Ierome Ambrose Cyprian and to most of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church All which Fathers by Luth. lib. de seruo arbitrio printed anno 1551. pag. 434. Luther and almost all other Melancth in 1. Cor. c. 3â— D. Humfrey in vita Iuelli pag. 212. and D. VVhitak contra Duraeum l. 6. p. 413. Protestants of reading are acknowledged for Papists from which ascribed title giuen to the Fathers the Protestants must needs grant that the said Fathers are saued since only such as are saued are Saints But to descend yet more articulately I will insist in some particuler men who are acknowledged and but truly by the Protestants for Papists and yet the Protestants do afford them such Encomia high prayses and extollings as that they could not giue to them truly the said laudes except such men were saued I will ex professo picke out only foure or fiue who were so notorious Papists as I may say as that no forehead is so meretricious and shamelesse as to deny the same And first S. Dominick who was Authour of the Religious Order of the Dominican Fryars His great holines is at large acknowledged by the Cent. 13. col 1â—79 Centurists and Pantaleon the Protestant celebrateth it in these wordes â—n Chronico pag 100. Dominicus erat vir doctus bonus Praedicatorum ordinem instituit S. Bernard who was an Abbot and Osiander epitom Cent. 12. p. 309. Authour of many Abbyes and Monasteries in France and Flanders receaueth from the pen of D. Whitakers this commendation L. de â—â—â—les pa. 3â—â— Ego quidem Bernardum verè fuisse Sanctum existimo Which Saint Osiander stileth a very Osiand 〈◊〉 supra good man from both which Commendations it followeth that Osiander and D. Whitakers thought that Bernard was saued since who are saued if not those who are truly Holy and who are very good men To Gregory the Great and Austin who planted in England all the Romish Religion taught at this day as In Iâ—◠〈◊〉 part â— râ—â— 5. D. Humfrey truly affirmeth D. Goodwin affoards this worthy prayse In his catal of Bishops pag. 1. That blessed and holy Father S. Gregory and S. Austin our Apostle And no small prayses are giuen to these two by D. Fulk against Heskins Sanders pag. 561. D. Fulk Lastly Beda is so extolled by D. Humfrey as that he pronounceth him to vse his owne wordes In Iesuit part 2. rat 3. To be of the number of Godly men and to be raysed vp by the holy Ghost And yet so great a Papist Beda was as that Osiander thus writeth of him In epitom cent 8. lib. 2. cap. 3. Beda was wrapped in all Popish errours wherein we at this day dissent from the Pope Thus farre of these men to whom we see that the Protestants do ascribe such transcendent prayses as are only compatible and agreeing to such as are in state of saluation And thus far my learned friend of this subiect in generall to wit of the Saluation of a Papist dying in his owne Religion where we haue seene how abounding the Protestants haue beene in their testimonies of seuerall sorts for the truth of this vndenyable Verity And now good friend if we call to mynd how the Protestants deny through their immortall mutuall dissensions saluation to ech other withall if we will rest vpon the cauen and impartiall iudgments of other sober dispassionate and most learned Protestants who fully teach and mantaine that hope of saluation belongeth to the Catholikes dying in their ancient Roman fayth what man then of iudgement can iustly conceaue any dislike against Doctor Pryce for his dying a Catholike and no Protestant O no. The Freewill and election of Man in things but of small moment naturally enclines to the choosing of the Best shall then the Soule be so treacherous and disloyall to it selfe as to choose the worst when it concerneth Eternity either of ioy or torments And heerewith I will cease to enlarge my selfe further vpoÌ„ this our Daniel who by his happy end auoyded the iawes of the Lion that 1. Pet. â— 5 Leo rugiens circumiens quaerens quem deuoret That roaring Lion going about seeking whome he may dedeuoure Concerning Doctour Butts NOW in this next place to come to D. Butts Vice-Chancelour of Cambridge whose death ought to be deliuered in the Dialect of blacke notes of Contumely and dishonour and whose disastrous End affoards a greater lustre to the glorious death of the former Doctour so shadowes placed in a picture giue greater light to the Picture This man theÌ„ as the world knowes was aduanced for his presumed sufficiency and Vertue to sterne and gouerne the most famous Vniuersity of Cambridge yet his Death was so calamitous by a voluntary making away of himselfe the yeare 1632. as that his best friends are neuer able to vindicate his name from eternall reproach And therfore what learning he had I know not but certayne I am his Vertue wherby he seemed gratefull to the eyes of others was meerely extrinsecall hypocriticall and his Religion but a shadow or image of Religion So a duÌ„ghill or any other foule place couered with snow is not for the time discouered from a fayre meadow What were the Motiues of this his death is seuerally rumour'd by seuerall tongues Some diuulge for Fame oftentimes variously
here in England certaine Fayth-skirmishes as I may terme them both of vs labouring to maintayne our owne Station I grant you are learned but therein perhaps more hardly to be drawne to acknowledge the truth since it oftentimes falleth out that that eye which seeth nothing at all is more easily cured then that which is of an imperfect sight But to redresse this fault imitate the Iron which we see moueth not to the iron more like but to the load stone lesse like so suffer not your iudgement to be enthralled to those Positions or Placita which are best sorting to your owne Priuate Spirit or Conceite but force it to be drawne in matters of fayth with the Magneticall and attractiue tuch of the Authority of Gods Vniuersall Church how strange otherwise this Authority may seeme to you to be But now to renew this our former Duellisme by Pen in a friendly well-wishing manner for the aduancement of your soule in her chiefest good I haue thought it expedient to referre to your iudgment at this time two forcing reasons such as well may draw you to make an intense introuersion vpon your owne dangerous state in matters of Religion Well then The first shall consist in displaying from head to head of proofes the graduall Euasions of the Protestants made to the seuerall kinds of the said proofes produced by the Catholiks in defence of their Religion by which course the Protestants discouer themselues to be most fugitiue fleeting in their grounds of fayth since they will not staÌ„d vnappealably to any kind of proofes whatsoeuer produced against them and accordingly hereto by this Paragraph following you shall discouer that though the chayne as I may say of our Catholike Proofes is made of many linkes yet that the Aduersary will not suffer himselfe to be tyed to any of them but through the violence of his owne Priuate Spirit breakes them all 1. As first let vs draw our Proofes from many congruentiall Arguments taken from the force of Reason being Gods peculiar Character impressed by himselfe in mans soule The ProtestaÌ„ts answere that besides this is but an humane inducement they can produce as many Counter-reasons to the contrary ouerballancing in their iudgments the weight of ours 2. Let vs repayre to most authenticall Histories recording matter of fact which matter of fact is touching the Visibility of the Church the Administration of the word and Sacraments Vocation and Ordination of Ministers The Conuersion of Nations to the Roman fayth and some others necessarily to be enquired after D. Whitakers repels all this by making a subtill transition from History to Scripture in this sort Contra Duraeum l. 7. p. 478. To vs it is sufficient by comparing the Popish opinions with the Scriptures to discouer the disparity of fayth betweene them and vs. And as for Historiographers we giue them liberty to write what they will In like sort touching the supposed change of Rome in fayth the sayd Doctour disclaimeth from the authority of all Histories saying Contr. Duraeum p. 277. It is not needfull to vs to search out in Histories the beginning of this change Thus he And yet all experience sheweth that Truth or falshood of Matter of fact many ages since sayd to be performed is eyther to be discouered by History or not to be discouered at all 3. Let vs go on forward rest for the proofe of our fayth in the particuler authorityes of Austine Ierome Basill Cyprian Tertullian Origen and the rest of the Doctours of the Primitiue Church we being instructed to this Methode by those wordes Deuteronom 4. Interroga de diebus antiquis Luther answereth heerto auerring That In Colloq mensal câ— de Paâ— Eccles l. de seruo arbitrio The Apology of Philip Melancthon doth farre exceede all the Doctours of the Church and excell euen Austin himselfe Luther further thus inueighing Luth. vbi supra In the writings of Ierome there is not one word of the fayth of Christ and perfect Religion Basil is of no worth He is wholy a Monke Cyprian is a weake Diuine Origen is long since accursed Tertullian is superstitious See you not my good friend with what a bould forehead Apostasy rayles at the true auncient Religion of Christ But to proceed Another great Arch of the Protestant Church is not afrayd to aduance the Protestant fayth in respect of those times in this manner The Archbishop of Canterbury in his Defence of the Answere to the Admonition p. 472. 473. The Doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this daey is more perfect and sounder then it commonly was in any age since the Apostles 4. Let vs vrge whole Generall Concells of firster tymes to which our Math. â—â— Sauiour himselfe hath promised his assistance Luther basely casts them of by auouching That the decrees of the Nicene Councell are Luth. lib de Concil foenum stramen lignum stipulae And Beza thus censureth all the ancient Councels In his preface of â—â—e 〈◊〉 Testament anno 1â—87 The ambition ignorance and lewdnes of Bishops was such as that the blind may easily perceaue that Satan was President in their assemblies and Councels And if we appeale to more moderne yet Generall Councels Peter Martyr replyes thus confessing Li. de votis pag. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councells so long vs shall continue in the Papists errours 5. Let vs call to mind the vn-interrupted practise of Gods Church euen froÌ„ Christs tyme to these dayes the answerable Apostolicall Traditions deriued to vs by a long hand of time both being the securest Scholia or Paraphraze of the true Christian fayth Beza bloweth all this away in two wordes saying See hereof Doctour Bancroftâ— Suruey p. 219. Ad verbum Dei prouoco 6. Let vs according to Beza his prouocation anchour our selues vpon Gods Word as vpon Ecclesiasticus Toby the Machabees and some other parcells of the Old Testament In his answere to M. Reynoldâ— refutation pag. 21. 231. D. Whitakers and the rest of his syde reiect all such Bookes as Apochryphall In like manner if we insist in the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Epistle of S. Iames in the second third Epistle of S. Iohn or in the Apocalyps do we not fynd the Epistle to the Hebrews to be reiected by Exam. Concil Tridentâ— Sess 4. Kempnitius Confess VVittenberg de sacra scrip Brentius and the Cent. l. 2. c. 4. Col. 55. Magdeburgenses As also who knoweth not but that the Epistle of S. Iames is vtterly discanoned by In Prolog huius epistolae Luther and that the foresayd Kempnitius Brentius and the Magdeburgenses in the place aboue alledged rest doubtfull whether the second and third Epistle of S. Iohn be Scripture or no And lastly doth not Luther in most vnworthy termes discard the Luth in prolog huius libri Apocalyps as holding it neither Propheticall nor Apostolicall to whose iudgment Brentius Kempnit locis supra citatis Brentius Kempnitius do subscribe 7. Let vs
the tyme of Boniface the third vz. anno 606. was inuisible and fled into the wildernes there to remayne a long season M. Napper includes more ages within this inuisibility thus confessing Vpon the Reuelat c. 18. froÌ„ the tyme of Constantine vntil our daies euen one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares the Pope and the Clergy haue possessed the outward visible Church of ChristiaÌ„s And againe M. Napper vbi supra in c. 11. 12. during the space of twelue hundred and sixty yeares the true Church hath abyded latent and inuisible D. Fulke as forgetting the tyme afore limited by him granteth thus In his answer tâ— a counterfeit catholike p. 33. The true Church immediatly decayed after the Apostles tyme. With whome Peter Martyr seemes to agree thus confessing Lib. de Votis pag. 477. Errours he meaning our Catholike Articles did begin in the Church presently after the Apostles tyme. And the Protestant Authour of the booke called Antichristus siue PrognosticoÌ„ finis mundi hath the like saying vz. Pa. 13. froÌ„ the Apostles times till Luther the Gospell had neuer open passage And with both these conspires Sebastianus Francus that noted ProtestaÌ„t who thus hath left recorded In epist de abrogandis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis For certayne the externall Church togeather with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these thousand and foure hundred yeares the Church hath beene no where externall and visible But D. Downham with whome I will close feareth not to include euen the Apostles tymes within this granted lateÌ„cy of his owne Church he thus writing L. de Antichrist l. 2. c. 2 pa 22. The Generall defection of the visible Church foretould 2. Thes 2. began to worke in the Apostles tyme. I heer passe ouer how our learnedest Aduersaries confesse all want of ordinary Calling of their Ministers at the first arysing of Luther which want euer includeth an interruption of the Protestant Church at that tyme for if that Church had then beene in Being it had not then stood in need of such their imaginary Extraordinary calling but might haue rereceaued it by Imposition of hands from their owne Cergy of those dayes But no such men of their Clergy then were and therefore we haue the lesse reason to meruayle why Caluin of this poynt thus writeth Lascicius the ProtestaÌ„t reciteth this saying of caluin lib. â—e Russ Muscouit c religione cap. 13. Quia Papae Tyrannide c. By reason of the tyranny of the Pope true Succession of OrdinatioÌ„ was broken of therefore we stand in need of a new course herein and this function or Calling was altogether extraordinary With whom D. Fulke iumpeth in these wordes Against Stapleton and Martial pag. 1â— The Protestants which first preached in these dayes had extraordinary Calling Thus far My deare fryend touching the continuall radiancy and resplendent Visibility which is necessarily exacted to be in Christs true Church at all times without the least interruption and yet which neuertheles is not to be found in the Protestant Church And all this prooued from the often ingeminated and inculcated acknowledgments of our owne most learned Aduersaries Now then to encircle the concluding force of all the said Protestants authorities within this ensuing Argument that therby the ineuitable resultaÌ„cy out of the Premises may more intensly strike your iudgment I thus dispute The true Church of Christ euen by the doctrine of the Protestants must euer and at all tymes be Visible But the Protestant Church euen by the Protestants Confessions hath not euer and at all times byn Visible Therefore the Protestants Church euen by the Protestants Confessions is not the true Church of Christ. Which last Proposition is the Compound made of the two former Ingredients What can any learned Protestant reply hereto 1. Will he maintaine that the ProtestaÌ„ts aboue alledged in teaching a Necessary Visibility of the Church of Christ at all times were deceaued But this is weakly said because all of them or the most do reiect the doctrine of Traditions as holding nothing to be belieued but what hath its warrant from the expresse written word of God and therefore they did in their iudgments build this their doctrine vpon the Written word which in diuers most cleare passages both of Prophesyes and of other Texts heere Esa 2. 49. 54. 60. 66.1 Psalm 18. 28.1 Daniel 2. 3. Miâ—oâ—as 4. â—ecâ— Ierem. 33. Ephes cap. 4. cited in the Margent doth inculcate this so necessary a Visibility of the Church And according hereto Melancthon the former Protestant after he had alledged diuers places of Scripture to this end thus concludeth In loc com edit 1. 61. cap. de Ecclesia Hi similes loci c. these and such like places of Scripture non de Idea Platonica sed de Ecclesia Visibili loquuntur do not speake of Plato his Idea but of a Visible Church 2. Or secondly Will the ProtestaÌ„ts say that though the former Protestants do graunt that the Protestant Church for so many ages together aboue set downe hath bene Inuisible yet that there are other most learned ProtestaÌ„ts who confidently auer that the Protestant Church hath euer bene Visible and therefore that by their former Brethrens Confessions they are in no sort endangered But obserue the insufficiency of this second euasion and the disparity betwene them that do acknowledge the Inuisibility of their owne Church and the others maintayning the euer Visibility of it Seing the first sort of men being graue candid and learned euen through the rack of truth do confesse and this to their owne mayne preiudice the Inuisibility of their Church for so many ages together so speaking in behalfe of the Catholikes their Aduersaries against themselues which they neuer would haue done but that the vndeniable euidency of the Truth compelled them thereto Whereas these others which perhaps may be alledged do speake in their owne behalfe and in defence of their owne Religion and consequently such their wordes are to be accounted more partiall and therein lesse to be regarded And heere the words of Tertullian may most truly take place In Apologetico Magis fides prona est in aduersus semetipses confitentes quà m pro semetipsis negantes Credit rather is to be giuen to those that confesse against themselues then to those that deny in their owne behalfe Agayne why will not such Protestants as are so impudent as to maintayne their owne Churches euer Visibility insist plainly and sincerely in the alledging of the Visible Members therof if any such Visible Members were for euery age the which to performe not any one Protestant hath bene able For when they are vrged therto by vs Catholikes then they flye to the Scripture through the false vnderstanding of it the mayne Ocean of Heretikes as it fell out in the Conference some yeares since betwene D White D. Featly on the one syde and certaine
Precisians Free-will is a fiction in things or a title without substance because it is in no mans power to thinke any thing euill or good but all things c. happen by absolute necessity And thereupon in hatred of freewill Luther did write a booke entituling it de seruo arbitrio in one place wherof he thus further teacheth The foreknowledge and omnipotency of God fighteth agaynst our freewill So forgetfull it seemes was Luther of those wordes of our Sauiour (m) Math. 23. How often would I haue gathered thy children togeather c. and thou wouldest not Now doth not the denyall of Free-will become a Sanctuary for all Sinnes whatsoeuer May not the thiefe say in his owne defence by force of this doctrine that it is not in his Freewill or choyce to forbeare stealing the Murtherer to forbeare Homicide Mans-slaughter the Fornicatour and adulterous man or woman to forbeare Adultery or Fornication the traytour to forbeare committing of treason against his Prince or common wealth are they not all secured and iustly exempt froÌ„ al punishmeÌ„ts for such their sins admitting as they are catechized by this their denyall of Freewill that it was not in their power to abstaine from the perpetrating of the forsaid sins Since punishmeÌ„t is due only to such transgressions which are in the power of the traÌ„sgressor to performe or not to performe 7. I wil next come to our Aduersaries doctrine of Reprobation and Predestination since they chiefly depend vpon the denyall of freewill Touching Reprobation they thus teach Caluin thus writeth of this point (n) Calu. Instit l. 3. c. 23. sect 6. CoÌ„silio nutuque c. God doth ordaine by his Counsell and decree that among men some be borne destined to certaine damnation from their Mothers wombe who by their destruction may glorify God and this without any respect had to their workes good or euill And Beza further in defence hereof maintayneth that (o) In respons ad act Colloq Montisbelg part alter pag. 215. 221. God did not suffer death for those men so ordained to destruction The same Beza further yet proceedeth herein thus saying (p) Beza vbi supr in praefat p. â—1 et p. 123. Many Infants of belieuing Parents being baptized are notwithstanding damned though the secret decree of God And heeâ—pon he most blasphemously thus concludeth (q) Bez. in his Treatise Englished and entituled the display of Popish practises pag. 17. 31. God createth some to destructioÌ„ createth to perdition predestinateth some to his hatred destructioÌ„ So litle Beza regardeth those words of holy writ (r) Ezech. 33. As I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waies liue And againe (s) 2. Petrâ— 3. 1. Thessal 5. God is not willing that any perish but that all returne to pennance 8. Now touching the doctrine of the Certainty of mans saluation or Predestination thus our Aduersaries teach Luther affirmeth that (t) Tom. â— epist Latin fol. 334. ad Philipp no sinne can draw vs from Christ although we should commit fornication or kill a thousand tymes in one day And Iacobus Andraeas confirmeth the same in these wordes (u) In epitom Colloq Montisbelg pag. 48. 44. He who once truly belieueth cannot afterwards fall from the grace of God by his adultery or any other lyke sinnes And heerupon as aboue it is set downe they teach that Dauid when he did commit murther was and remained the Child of God and consequently he was certaine of his saluation To which end of certainty of Saluation D. Whitakers thus writeth Fides (x) D. Whitak contra Camp rat 8. aut perpetua aut nulla est And hereupon they conclude that euen during mans committing of Sinne he is certaine of Saluation seeing it would otherwise follow which our Aduersaries will not admit that his former certainty was no certainty at all so crosse these men tread to the steps of the holy Scripture (y) Ezech. 18. If the iust man do turne away from his righteousnes c. in his sinne he shall dye And (z) Rom. 11. Yf we abyde in his goodnes otherwise we shal be cut of Well now to look backe vpon these two doctrines of our Aduersaries touching Reprobation and Predestination or Election marke how forcibly they incite a man to all turpitude in manners may not any man belieuing the same doctrines to be true thus dispute with himselfe Either I am already vnalterably and infallibly reprobated to Hell or predestinated to Heauen and this without any reference or foresight of my workes good or bad this the former alleaged Protestants teach me to belieue this I am to belieue Yf I be reprobated let me exercise neuer so many good workes and liue piously in the highest degree yet certaine it is I shal be damned Yf I be predestinated to Saluation and Heauen then cannot any sinnes committed by me though neuer so great and enormous seeing my predestination is without preuision of workes hinder my Saluation but certainely and assuredly I shall be saued Seeing then a bad life cannot hinder my saluation nor a good life preuent my Reprobation I will during the tyme I liue enioy all pleasures whatsoeuer though neuer so vnlawfull and prohibited in the Holy Scripture without any remorse of conscience Vpon these said grounds the belieuers of them may in this former manner discourse and I probably assure my selfe that many hundreds in England belieuing our Aduersaries doctrines therein do vpon such their beliefe ingulfe themselues in all wickednes and dissolution of life and manners Thus farre briefly of this point 9. I proceed to their deniall of Purgatory By the deniall therof men are taught that let them practise all wickednesse whatsoeuer either in murther adultery fornication Robbery extorsion or any otherwise yet if at the houre of his death a man haue but on act of fayth he is certaine to go immediatly to Heauen without suffering any temporall paynes for his former Sinnes or without making restiturion for the iniustice losses and wronges by him proffered to others Now this doctrine I say much encourageth men to Sinne and the rather seeing their finall Saluation resteth only but vpon a bare act of fayth and beliefe which they maintayne euer to be in the power of the faythfull to performe So little eare they giue to those wordes of Holy Scripture spoken of the state of the man cast in prison wherby is shadowed the soule in Purgatory (a) Math. 5. Non exibis inde donec reddas nouissimum quadrantem 10. The deniall of Auricular Confession of our sinnes in like sort much harteneth a man to sinne seeing by that doctrine he is taught that it is sufficient to confesse them in hart only to God whereas on the contrary to belieue that God hath appointed that there are certaine men allotted by him in his Church to heare all particular sinnes
of others much deterreth and withdraweth vs from sinning considering that shame is a great hinderance of sinnes and how vngratefull and vnpleasing it is to mans nature to reueale euery secret sinne euen in expresse and particuler wordes or els not to haue theÌ„ remitted to him to another man But we must rest contented with the Institution of Christ (b) Ioaâ— 20. Whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen and whose you shall retayne they are retayned But how shall it be knowne what sinnes are to be forgiuen and what sinnes to be retayned except it be first knowne what the particular sinnes are 11. Our Aduersaries deniall of the necessity of Baptisme causeth no doubt that many Children borne of Puritaine Parents are not baptized at all but remaine during all their life in that Heathenish estate subiect to eternall damnation That the necessity of this Sacrament is not required is taught by Luther who thus teacheth (c) Lib. de captiu Babylon Yf thou hast receaued Baptisme it is well if thou wantest it no losse Belieue and thou art saued before thou be baptized That Baptisme of Children borne of the faythfull is not necessary is further taught as appeareth from the (d) Pag. 105. Suruey of the booke of Common Prayer by (e) In his meditation vpon the 122. Psalme pag 92. M. Willet and most resolutely by Caluin and Beza in many places ouerlong to recite But we fynd Gods Holy Word to teach the contrary (f) Ioan. 3. Vnles a man be borne agayne of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God 12. Touching the licentious doctrine of diuorce in case of any impotency or otherwise Luther thus teacheth (g) Serm. de Matrimonio If the wyfe will not or cannot to wit performe the act due to Mariage let the mayde come Of which sentence D. Whitak was so ashamed as that he thus writeth (h) Contra Camp rat 8. Luthers iudgment in this kind of diuorce I do not defend Yet Luther further teacheth thus (i) Luth. in Proposit de Bigâ—mâ—a edit 1528. propos 62. 65. 66. Poligamy or hauing many wyues at once is no more abrogated then is the rest of Moyses Law and it is free as being neither commanded nor forbidden Bucer is as indulgent and full herein as Luther for Bucer teacheth diuorce and marying agayne with another in case that (k) Bucer in Script Anglic de regno Christi l. 2. c. 26. c 37. c. c. 42. one depart from the other in case of Homicide or theft or but in repayring to the Company or banquets of immodest persons or in case of incurable infirmity by Childbirth or of the mans falling into Lunacy or otherwise And further it is taught expresly by (l) Beza lib. de repudijs diuortijs p. 1â—3 Beza (m) In Synops of the yeare 1600. pag. 685. M. Willet (n) In partition Theolog. pag. 739. Amandus Polanus and others that in case but of the husbands departure he might becaused by his wyfe to be proclaimed if he did not returne within the time appointed that thereupon the Minister might giue the wyfe licence to marry agayne I assure my selfe there are many hundred wiues in England who would be glad of their husbands long absence and not returne and of the execution of this doctrine therby to satisfy the flesh by marying agayne So dangerous is this Position of diuorce if full practise thereof were made as in part it is to the state of wedlocke to the inuiolable bond of chastity which the one party in mariage oweth to the other But let vs remember that we read (o) Math. 19. Which God hath ioyned togeather let no man separate 13. Touching the authority of Princes and all Magistrates our Aduersaries do strangely dictate And first Luther thus teacheth (p) Luth de secular potest in tom 9 German Among Christians none can or ought to be a Magistrate (q) Luth. vbi suprà ech one is to other equally subiect And yet more (r) In seâ—mons Englished printed 1579. p. 97. As Christ cannot suffer himselfe to be tyed by lawes c. so ought not the conscience of a Christian to suffer them With Luther agreeth Swinglius in thus betrampling all soueraignty (s) Tom. 1. in explana Art 42. When Princes do euill and contrary to the rule of Christ they may be deposed Caluin is no lesse sparing in censuring Princes for thus he writeth (t) â—n Daniel c. 6. Earthly Princes depriue themselues of authority when they erect themselues against God c. and we are rather to spit vpon their faces then to obey them I will close this Scene with Beza who did write a booke entituled de iure Magistratuum in subditos A booke so destroying all obedience to the Prince and Magistrate that D. Sutcliffe thus censureth thereof (u) In his answere to a certaine Libel supplicatory p 75. Beza in his booke of the power of Magistrates doth arme the Subiects against their Prince in these cases c. And further saith thereof (x) Vbi sup p. 98. It is a booke which ouerthroweth in effect all authority of Christian Magistrates But here I would demaund of these men how do they answere those diuine Testimonies (y) Rom. c. 13. Who resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist purchase to theÌ„selues daÌ„nation And agayne (z) Rom. vbi supr We ought to be subiect euen of necessity for conscience sake But now let vs contemplate a little vpon the dangerous effects ordinarily ensuing of this doctrine of deniall of the authority of Princes and Magistrates And first if Luthers doctrine be true that ech one is equall to another and that there ought to be no Magistrates This being I say once granted what an insufferable confusion and Anarchy would there be in the society of Christians seeing from hence it would follow that there should be no lawes to keepe men in duty no Magistrates to punish the delinquents no rewards for well-deseruing men no chastisement for malefactors Would there not be in such a State daily perpetrated all homicide theft rapine incest Adultery fornication and all other most flagitious crimes whatsoeuer and all this with all impunity and without the least feare of any castigation Were not this a Common wealth fitting to be instituted rather by mans Ghostly Enemy as being the high way to lead soules to Hell then by Christ who suffred death for our sinnes Agayne admit that the subiects might rise at their pleasure in armes against their King as the former sentences of Swinglius Caluin Beza do warrant what tumults what intestine seditions and simulties what insurrections would there be in euery Monarchy and absolute State finally what vtter euisceration and disbowelling as it were would be made in euery such nation euen by it owne borne subiects And were it not far better for such Princes