from my familie Haue not I ordained Sacraments for your speciall comfort A Sacrifice c. The Lord Christ HEre you lay vpon your friends a threefold accusation in my name but I haue not accused them of Deniall Contempt and Resistance of God in yeelding to the Profession of a Protestant Your service is not my seruice your Coate my liuerie your Synagogue my familie your pitcht field my Campe and Colours or the Protestants pavilions mine Aduersaries Tents yee are my Adversaries and your Tents are the tents of vngodlines your Campe and Colours are opposite vnto mine To enter your familie to weare your liverie to doe service in your assemblies is to forsake and denie mine But they doe well that doe the contrarie Againe I haue Commanded all my professors to loue mee aboue all to confesse my Name my faith and Church and to striue for the truth even vnto bloud But your Religion is not the Truth your Faith and Church are none of mine so that they cannot despise and disobaye mee that depart froÌ„ you For your 5. 5. SacrameÌ„ts thrust in by papists which Christ never ordained see Sect. 13. Sacraments added vnto my Baptisme and holie Supper I never ordained as necessarie to Salvation or significant symboles of my death Passion Your infernall Sacrifice of the Masse He. 10.10 c. as not onlie an jdle and odious repeticion of my pretious death But a most jmpious and blasphemous derogation from the All-sufficient and eternall merite thereof I hate and abhorr as an Antichristian Idoll They haue doon well that haue with-drawen themselues from it and entred into the Congregations of my faithfull Protestants despizing and refraining your tedious Multiplicitie of Ceremonies altogether ridiculouslie both Superstitious and Profane obseruances for herein they haue honoured and obayed me Lastlie then let other Romanized English bee discomforted let their courage faile and the number decrease on your part let the false-Catholicke cause be weakened and the enemie thereof be fortified they doe well who are a meanes of this and please mee best of all that come from among you so farr it is that they oppugne and assault me The false Embassador Schismatickes wilfully deceaue them selues YOu flatter your selues notwithstanding all these iniuries soothing your consciences c. The Lord Christ NAy never perswade them vnto that For having builded vpon a false foundation how can you choose but inferr a false and presumptuous conclusion Your foundation was that they are * Sect. 1. erring Soules departing from my Church joyning with Heretickes * Sect. 4. denying despizing and oppugning mee which they will never graunt you which I will never yeeld you yet thereof you would haue them to be perswaded And to that end forsooth would rouze vp their Consciences and sound the bottome of their hearts to search and see their dissimulation That they are Romanists in heart and dissemble their faith I cannot approue it that they vnite themselues vnto the Protestants I will not blame it that they doe so onlie in a colour to saue their Lands and goods I doe not justifie it that they therfore must be concluded for deniers despizers oppugners of me The Popish Priest t keth vpon him to judge his brethren contrary to the commandement of Christ Mat 7.1 and my faith of truth in conversing with the Protestants and comming to their Seruice and Churches how should I jnferr it yet you take vppon you to prooue it The false Embassador DOe yee not as Peter denie your selues to bee of my Company c. By Peters denyall is prooued that Schismaticks deny Christ Not contented with eschewing the exercise of the Catholicke faith and participation with the faithfull in profession of conscience yee make no Scruple to frequent the rites of a false beleefe c. The Lord Christ NO sir they doe not Doubtfull Catholicks may come to Protestant Churches to 〈◊〉 theÌ„selues Recusant Papists perseuere in erroneous Contumacie For yee Recusant Papists are none of my companie my followers my inheritance my â—ooke the household of faith my Children and the like as you stile your selues To denie your companie your Religion and false Catholicke Church is not to renounce mee their God Redeemer and Saviour and to denie my holie Name and Maiestie Therefore let this whole comparison betwixt Peters deniall of me and theirs as yee suppose goe for naught and cancelled Onlie I would haue you remember The Pope is onlie the presumed successor of Peter that your holie Father the presumed Successor of this Apostle and all his followers haue learned well his Apostasie but cannot find the waie to returne repent goe out with him weepe bitterlie My blessed * Mat. 16.17 Apostle had hee not slipped from mee in the high Priests Hall * Mat. 26.58 his continuance in the profession of my name had beene true Christian constancie But your perseverance in your erroneous hereticall and jdolatrous course can be no lesse theÌ„ profane contumacie and wicked desperation Happie then are they who eschew the exercise of your Catholicke faith and participation in profession of Conscience with such mis-beleeuers as yee are Happie who frequent the Rites of my true friends the Protestants and partake with them in the sacred profession of their Religion Be it known vnto you Protestants onlie are true Catholicks and to all men They onlie are accepted of me for true Catholicks and remaine firmelie vnited to the Church my Spouse and all the rest whatsoever they professe commit the Acts of heresie Nay are absolutelie either mis-beleevers or vnbeleevers Hereticks of Christendome or Panim Infidels The false Embassador DAre yee then saye that Catholicke Recusants are not my proper flocke c. Schismaticks are not of the Catholike Church The Lord Christ. NAy dare yee saie they are I say they are the heard of Antichrist Recusant Papists Foxes Wolues the wilie * Canti 2.15 Foxes the wild Bores that destroye my vine yea the * Matt 7.15 ravening Wolues that prey vpon the soules of men If your conceaved Schismaticks be not of their band nor members of their Church and brother-hoode it is the better for them For no companie is or can be mine which imbraceth their erroneous and false Catholicke Faith which pursueth their traiterous murderous and vnnaturall course of life The false Embassador The assured ground where-vpoÌ„ Recusants stand REcusants to stand vppon an assured ground none can iustly denie or with reason call their saluation in question who cleaue stedfastlie to their fore-fathers Faith c. First christened Auncestors c. The Lord Christ NO can indeed Ah yee spirits of presumption stand they vpon the assured ground of my Apostles doctrine in my word Popish foundations traditions and shew of Antiquitie No they are weakelie builded vppon the sand of humane traditions Therefore I even I doe call their saluation in question They cleaue not stedfastlie but
Foxe pag 130. though your Pope Adrian commaunded thē to be taken for Laymens Kalenders Inuocation of Saints your Invocation of Saints is a derogation from my glory which I will not giue to any other Esay 42.8 I neuer commanded you by any praecept I neuer invited you by any godly example I neuer incouraged you by any promise in my holy word to any such deuotion Your forgiuenes of sinnes by your Popes indulgences Indulgences and your selling of pardons is paltry trifling and prophane Marchandizing in my holy Temple Heavenly glorie What heauenly glorie do you dreame of that my faithfull Protestants beleeue not much better then yee are able Popish difference of jnfernall paines your difference of infernall paines I am not acquainted withall I know none but eternall fire prepared for the diuell and his adhaerents your temporall purgatorie flames are but poëticall fables Purgatorie a poëtical fable Iustification your Iustification of the liuing by faith and works together is partly coyned in your owne forge and partly raked vp out of the Pharisaicall pride Praier for the dead Your praying for the dead is bootles they hauing now their Iudgemēt passed on them as the day of death hath left them so the day of finall Iudgement shall finde them either blessed or cursed for euer No prayers now shall preuaile or hurt them any whit at all Popish faith hope charitie Moreouer your faith is a confused Confidence nay rather an jmplicite and vnknowne assent you know not vnto what full of distrust and diffidence your hope builded thereuppon must needs be hopeles and voyd of sound and heauenly comfort your Charitie to me is very slender and luke-warme like theirs once of Laodicea Apoc. 3.15 for yee loue your selues as well as me your owne merits you joyne with mine vngratefully diminishing my meritorious sacrifice and the price of my bloud Oh sinfull Nation supply yee my pure and perfect obedience with your owne foule and filthie righteousnes Is this your loue to me to pretend the purchase of heauen together with me thus to be ouer-enamoured of your selues Fie Fie I cannot endure a Co-partner with me in this great worke of Redemption and saluation Therefore your jmagined freewill to good your merits of congruence and of worthines where are they your fastings and prayers conceited and practised not onely as means but as meritorious workes of eternall life I hate and will surely punish as the fumes and fomes of the pride of your old Adam As for sinnc yee knowe not the power thereof that suppose any one to be veniall in it selfe being committed against so eternall and jnfinit a Maiestie as I am And what haue you to doe with my counsell and decree of predestination Predestinatiō Will you or can you infringe the infallible Certainty therof that ye teach men to doubt of my loue why doe yee not tell them rather that though they cannot choose but doubt by reason of their many 1. Cor. 15.58 and mighty sinnes which is humane jnfirmitie yet they ought to be stedfast and vnmoouable in their faith being builded on me Mal. 3.6 Pro. 19.21 Heb. 13.5 who am God and am not changed whose Counsell is immutable who will not faile neither yet forsake them that put their trust in me yea though they beleeue not without great weaknes 2. Tim 2.13 yet I am God faithfull and true and cannot deny myselfe Finally what meane you to adde vnto my canonicall scriptures the Apocryphall writings of Iudith Tobias Maccabees and others which I neuer yet allowed to be put into the canon Nay to thrust in your owne vnwritten Traditions and Papall constitutions to make them of equall authoritie with the same Nesanda secreta These your nefarious hidden doctrines I will haue cancelled and abolished I cannot abide that yee should goe a whoring after your owne imaginations Goe and learne what that meaneth In vaine they worship me Mat. 15.9 reaching for doctrines mens precepts And that vers 13. Euery plant which mine heauenly Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp Thus haue you in deed almost in the whole summe of Religion tossed ouer euerie stone reuersed the whole frame of faith and turned all vpside downe And therefore take you heed yee obstinate Recusants least your departure and diuision from my true Church be a more then sufficient warrant of your heauy Iudgement with Arrius Nestorius Eutyches I adde with Manichees Marcionits Pelagians and other old Haereticks in the bottomles pit for that you haue not in one point but in many varied from the christian faith The false Embassador How abhominable the Scriptures Prayers and Churches of Haereticks are CAluinisme then being doctrine so diabolicall c. Oh how illusion bewitcheth you c. Their profane bread c. Their Rites and Ceremonies c. As Fasts Holy daies c. Yea their Churches and Temples c. Bethel was my house c. The Lord Christ. SVrely the Scriptures praiers and Churches of Haereticks are not well pleasing vnto me They are abhominable Papisme therefore being the verie doctrine of deuils your popish Scripture as being none of my word Popish Scripture The Latine vulgar edition authēticke among the Papists very erroneous but the word of the deuill so false and adulterated so poysoned and full of corruptions as it is in your latine vulgar edition authorized by your Trent Councell oppugning vndermyning and overthwarting my true faith and Catholike Church I disclame as a counterfait coppie and renounce altogether as no writ of myne Popish prayers Your praiers also are no better in mine eares then the howling of Wolues that prey vppon the soules of men the lowing of Oxen and the roaring of Bulls screeching of Owles and Night-Rauens yelling and bellowing Infernall blasphemies against my sacred Maiestie in vnknowne and vnconceiued in loud bawling in discording from my heart both tongues and tunes Popish Priests Your priests are perfect Chemarims and Priests of Baal officers of the very Antichrist his heralds and proctors his Apostles and Angels of his Kingdome of darknes Popish Communion Goe yee and suck the adders Eggs lesse poysonable out of doubt then your Communion bread and cup. Popish Ceremonies Your Ceremonies are not few but most fantasticall offensiue both in their nomber and in their nature apish and plainly ridiculous jmitations partly of the Heathnish superstitions and partlie of those Rites which my heauenly Father sometimes ordayned to his people Israell Your fastes are fish delicates wine Popish fasts and other dainty fare farr more jncentiue of filthie Lust in pampering of the body then any other foode and your abstinence sometimes a feasting sometimes a most Pharisaicall and Hypocriticall sowring of your faces and other ostentation of will-worship in neglecting the body Coloss 2.22.23 not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh as myne Apostle paints it out
yea at the sacred Font. Now also away with your smoky tapers greasie candels to giue you light at noone day they are not able to enlighten you in your spirituall Darkenes I Commaund let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes c. and to that purpose let my word be a lanthorne vnto your feet and a light vnto yours pathes my Commaundement is a lanthorne and Instruction a light Let these other lights alone Your Idle vestments and gay clothes your vessels also of your profanation put of leaue of and appeare no more like heathnish or jewish priests in my presence And in a word seeing this is all as I perceiue that you can except against the seruice of the Protestants namely because they doe not communicate with your popish paltry trash and Traditions whereafter yee goe a whooring as after your owne jnuentions let them alone to pray jncessantly for propagation of their reformed and pure profession no Sect I-wisse against the Turke and Pope together who are both my professed aduersaries 2. Thess 2.4 the one raigning without the other raging within my holy Temple No your Pope is not Peters true and lawfull Successiour The Pope hath forsaken the doctrine of Christ His personall succession could neuer yet be prooued either by doctrinall or personall Succession much lesse the Rocke of Faith Finally let their wals and pillers be still more and more witnesses of their jntegritie and just departure from your more then superstious apparently Idolatrous abhominations And seeing their ministerie is the more sacred vnto mee the Lesse agreement and conformitie it hath and holdeth with your old our rather new vpstart paltrie and patcherie and their seruice I doe and will acknowledge for mine owne let your poore Schismaticall soules as yee terme them joyne themselues to my holy Sanctuaries And I would not onely they but all the rest vnresolued that are mine would speedily make hast come out of your spirituall Sodome Egypt Babylon Leaue your dissimulation or feare or whatsoueer hindereth and become not onely in part but altogether such as are my faithfull Protestants I say Trouble them not to call them backe that are Entring into the old and good way but let my people goe that they may serue me Ierim 6.16 Exod. 7.16 The false Embassador You can say that Priests did in many parishes follow the new course c. Schismaticks vainely build vppon pernitious examples And why rather leaue yee not vnto the example of the Bishops c. Who vniuersally died in long and lingring imprisonment c. Oh but great presidents moue you and many wise fellowes c. Where haue these Pastors the key of knowledge whence fetch these Doctors their profound Learning The Lord Christ BY this time you should haue ended your pretended Message but I see false Embassadors as yee are what you cannot enforce by Arguments yee will attempt to perswade by wordes But haue you neuer read ◠Cor. 2.4 not in the perswasiue words of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and Power Yf your Demy-Catholicks held an euill course no reason they should build vppon examples either of parish Priests or learned Bishops or any great presidents or any wise fellowes Nullum carn◠exemplo nesas Seneca or whatsoeuer Pastors Doctors Counsellors or holy men For which of them confesseth not that no mans example is to be followed in sin But if Priests and great presidents and wise fellowes Pastors and Doctors yea but puny students haue gon before them in a right way to follow them it can be no fault but a praise rather Therefore vainely and Idly doe you make your comparison betweene the parish Priests and other presidents and puny students on the one side as Corruptest soules Carcases Carions the like and the Bishops whome you meane great as you say for learning Popish Bishops neither ouer learned neither vnkindly vsed by Q Elizab. and superiour function on the other Especially seeing those bishops had no greater measure of learning and sanctity then their great places nor so much neither as their waightie functions required But as for that jmpudent and shameles lye which you are bold to vtter in my name of their Imprisonment death I knowing the truth to stand otherwise jt is jntolerable and hatefull in mine eares For some of them were not jmprisonned at all See Tortura Torti pag. 146. some cōmitted to the custody of their honorable and louing friends some after an easie jmprisonment for their stubbernnes to the Prince and States exiled themselues and onely Bishop Bonner that bloudy persecutor of my Saints died in the prisō A notable Popishlie and slaunder So vntrue it is that they died vniuersally after long lingring imprisonment Though had it bin so as you haue declared yet their stubborn standing out against the Truth had bin no good president for those whome you blame or any other to refraine the companie or Communion of my Saints the Protestants The false Embassador Examples fit to be regarded by Schismaticks for their instruction WHy rather fix ye not before your eyes so many c. Yf things present please you not cast your regard vppon age past c. The Lord Christ Examples yee bring I see of three sortes ' The first of your owne false Catholicks The second of Certaine holy and good men mencioned some in the Apocryphall some in my Canonicall scriptures The third of the auncient Martyrs of the Church To what end forsooth to perswade further your Schismaticks as yee call them to withdrawe themselues from the protestants service and prayers But neither is this any message of mine vnto them For first the examples of the first ranke which you take and alleadge to bee the Martyrs and Confessors of your owne Church you mistake and misaply You mistake For they were and are Traytors to their King and Country Traytors are Martyrs and Confessors with Papists disloyall disobedient Subiects to his Iust lawes for their Treasonable practises manifest and obstinate breach of the Law and not for the conscience of their superstition haue bin and are according to iustice yet with great mercy both put to death and imprisonned Yet are they not many much lesse multitudes in comparisō of those valiant Christians whome the persecuting Tyrants on your side haue murdered jmprisonned and many waies afflicted In the raigne of Queene Mary Popish Tiranny in the space of foure or fiue yeares Therefore these examples ought to haue bin spared in this place as being misapplyed For would you haue your Ambiguous or Ambidexter priests to follow them in open profession of their disloyall practises against their naturall Prince and natyue Country But the other of the second order viz. Tobias the Israelits the seauen Brethren Eleazar Maccabeus also Peter Paul Saint Iohn are indeed in themselues the more remarkeable and worthiof all