of a religious spirituall common wealth be distinct and diuerse from those of a temporall and ciuil gouernment wherein you are supreame Lieutenants vnder our gratious Princesse and in that respect matters handled in the one doe not so properly appertaine to the iudgement and redres of those which rule in the other but are to bee decided and reformed by the gouernours of that profession to which they are belonging yet as the glory of the first cannot commonly bee maintained without the fauour of the second so this cannot rightly bee ruled without direction from the former for where there is no greater or more forcible motiue to keepe in order but feare of temporall correction for no temporall magistrate can punish eternally or after death which is onely a bridle against publike and notorious offences which may be denounced and proued by witnes as euery ciuill magistrate must proceed secundum allegata probata as matters are and can be alledged and proued and that which cannot so be determined can neither be punished or condemned but in secret men may practise all impietie without controlement if no Religion and dread of a diuine maiestie by his infinit wisedome knowing by his immutable iustice punishing secret sinnes were to keepe in awe Therefore as this cause I haue in hand is the most honorable of all that can be entreated so I am bolde to offer this introductory Epistle and defence thereof to your honours the most honourable and noble consistory of our nation and as it is most necessary to be considered in regard of duty to God and man which it teacheth so I tender it to you the supreame Deputies of our gratious Soueraigne whose chiefe care and solicitude must be in taking order for such causes because you are Christian magistrates and take vpon you the defence of the lawe of Christ which I here maintaine because you are sworne Councellers to assist our Princesse whose chiefe stile and title is granted to hir father King Henry the eight by Pope Leo the tenth defendor of the faith for defending the Catholike Romane Religion against Luther that Archprotestant which I here defend and to preuent all suspitious censures and conceipts of such as will imagine I goe about to present a worke vnlawfull by those lawes whereof you pretend defence in that respect you are the highest wisest and most honourable patrons of the lawes of our Country I humbly pray pardon vnder your protection to publish this worke because it is confirmed and demonstrated not only by al auncient lawes of England al lawes Papall imperial princely nationall of forren countries and former times but the present forcible lawes of England established by our Qu◠Eliz. to which I wil proue onely that Religion I defend to be conformable others repugnant therby condemned Wherfore most Hh patrons for I must challenge this title at your hands be my protectors the piety of my cause and complaint enclines to mercy our vniust persecution vnder your predecessors requireth amends and I hope at least shal receiue toleration by you hereafter the lawe of nature the lawes of all nations of all Princes of England it selfe in that state it is The lawe of God calleth vpon you and bringeth euidēce of this obligation to which you are bound when you were new borne and ruled by others you vowed it in Baptisme now you are rulers of others both them which so iustly demaund it as those which should and many would so willingly yeeld it your promise to God to his Church to your Country is to bee performed many or most of you being of age and discretion in the time of Queene Marie haue practised and professed it so many of your noble company as are admitted to the honorable order of the Garter haue sworne it you are all sworne councellors to our Queene which by title of inheritance and at here coronation by the oath and fidelitie of a Christian Prince hath obliged her selfe to maintaine it of that which is her office your place professeth performance your vow to God obedience and voluntary submission to his church fidelity to Prince promise and duty to Country compassion to vniustly oppressed calleth vpon you to see it done I demaund but iustice by those lawes which my Prince her nobles and other subiects your predecessors and you haue enacted For your wisedome you were chosen to gouerne your mercy exalted you where you may and ought to exercise most compassion iustice and equitie haue aduaunced you to that high seate of equal iudgement as you are wise as you are mercifull and must be iust take pitty vppon iust complaints And by the same titles I humblie craue you condemne me not before I haue shewed worthy cause of reproofe Neuer any Catholike subiect of England hitherto hath so much abused your Honors dishonoured the cause of his religion for which wee daily vndertake so many troubles and disgraces or disgraced and discredited himselfe to make so bolde a challenge except hee were able to performe it and my confident assurance is I shall not be the first vnhappy and vnaduised man to doe it Pardon noble Patrons peremptorily without al exception I vndertake to proue directly not only by al other arguments but by the Parliament laws proceedings of Qu. Elizab. that the Religion those men profes as confirmed by thē is false euen by them that we defend to be true euen by those groundes and decrees I will prooue thereby That Christ is really present in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare that Saints and Angels are to be reuerenced and praied vnto that there is a Purgatory that prayer almes and other good deeds are auaileable for the faithful soules departed which had not perfected penance and satisfaction in this life that onely faith iustifieth not that good workes are meritorious before God that there is an externall Priesthoode and sacrifice in the church of Christ that wee are not iustified by an imputatiue iustice but grace and iustice are inherent and internal things that the Sacraments of Christ giue grace that there be seauen Sacraments in number Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance Extreame vnction Orders and Matrimonie and all other matters of moment in controuersie betweene them and vs. Which when I haue performed no obiection can be made against the allowance of my petition And because I was sometimes demaunded of your predecessours in that place beeing conuented before them for professing this Religion I still defend what reason should mooue me then very yong in yeares borne of parents conformable to the time in and vnder the Protestant regiment of Queene Elizabeth brought vp in that Vniuersitie and other places which were alwayes least fauouring of that beliefe all which things were either knowne before or acknowledged by me to that assembly to be of a different and contrary opinion when if I would haue beene of the same profession I might haue beene regarded as others of my
that if any man desireth to see and behold any company of knaues vsurers dissolute persons and deceitfull men let him enter into any citty of Professors of the Gospel and he shall finde enow of such among Pagans Iewes and Turkes and other infidelles men can scarcely be found so disobedient or stubborne among whom all honestie and whatsoeuer doth sauour of virtue is dead and no reckoning is made of any sinne Iacobus Andreas vttereth his opinion of them in this manner among them no amendment or emendation is thought vpon they liue an Epicurean and altogether beastly life in place of fasting a custome of eating and excessiue rioting in banquetting and bawdery hath succeeded in place of almes oppression and extortion ouer the poore for prayer blasphemy against the holy name of God insteed of humilitie pride elation and most filthie exceeding superfluitie Io. Riuius saith that the wickednes of thē hath encreased to the astonishment of all men No man seeketh after God no man blusheth at the violating of his commandements euery mans life is polluted with great sinnes and wickednesse I dare affirme saieth hee that in this corrupt and wretched age of ours all manner of vices haue so encreased that hardly greater wickednesse can be for what sin or wickednesse at this day is wanting which if it raigned this age might be saide to be more vngodly for that respect and although to iudge rightly hereof in euery age there hath beene riotousnesse sumptuous feastings costly dinners and suppers surfetting drunkennesse whoredome adultery oppression iniury neglecting of well dooing and other such wickednesse which euery man in his time hath found fault withall as Seneca saith and no age that hath beene voyde of sinne yet loosenesse of life neglect of order and discipline outrageous wickednesse hath in this our age so encreased and gotten strength that it appeareth euen Atheisme and Epicurisme hath inuaded the life of man and as it were beareth dominion among Christians lawes take no force lust ruleth altogether for what thinke you they beleeue the soule is immortall who liue in maner as beastes or bee they perswaded there be either rewards for the godly in heauen or punishment in hell appoynted for sinners who in euery thing dread not to violate the commandements of God run altogether headlong into sin euen as thogh they did either thinke that God were but a vaine and fained thing or beleeue that when the body dieth the soule likewise perisheth and commeth vnto nothing such be the testimonies of Nennon Simonius Schinmideline others of the chiefest originall Protestants of their fellow professors I will cite more hereafter when I will prooue those which giue this euidence of the rest to be worst of all themselues SECT III. How all these errours and abuses proceede by dis-vnion from the Catholicke Church WHerefore that which so many priuate and publike writings affirme abroad and at home which euery man seeth and feeleth to be true and those principall Protestants recorded of their Disciples in the prime and flourishing time the very zenith and highest of their exaltation when the reformers of others should haue giuen some example and shew of reformation in themselues I trust it will not be offensiue for me a Catholike subiect of England after so many yeeres of experienced encrease of their impieties and in their withering and decaying age euery thing with them growing worse and worse to affirme to be true Then most Noble as ordinary effects proceede from ordinary causes so extraordinary and straunge things such as this kinde of iniquitie so wicked so vniuersall and erroneous is must haue some vnwonted cause more than is vsuall in christian men I will not be so seuere a Sentencer against them as their confederate Iohn Riuius is to say that they be Atheists Epicures and deniers of the soules immortalitie and thereby thinking there is no religion in the worlde no life after death no reward of vertue or penalty for vice haue giuen themselues ouer to all kinde of sinne Neither wil I enter to so bloody a iudgement in this place reseruing it to bee discussed heereafter against these men as their owne generall and common approoued doctrine especially in England that true faith and good workes are inseparable condemneth such men for infidells and misbeleeuers But to reserue these and such arguments as may be inforced by that which is spoken to their proper place and prosecute my present intent it is manifest by the Babilonical diuision which is in the vnderstanding of this people that they haue forsaken the true faith religion and rule thereof which can be but one and by the grosse impieties which haue taken so quiet possession of their liues that they are so far from al interest either of reforming errors of the mind or abuses of life in others by which in the beginning they claymed title to a new religion that they haue beene the onely cause of so many infidelities Atheismes Epicurismes Iudaismes Mahumetismes and other intollerable sinnes offences which are daily by their owne confession before practized among them for when and where the infallible rule and censure of supernaturall difficulties is denied and euery man left to his owne priuate deduction and deceiptfull iudgement farre vnable to descipher supernaturall mysteries what hope can be had of truth what probabilitie of agreement who wil be encoraged to seeke for veritie where it is impossible to be found If it were in naturall arts and sciences which be connaturall and proportionable to humane capacitie if there were so many opinions diuers and contrary as are among them in religion so that before hee could follow any hee must learne to confute all the rest what man would willingly professe that art as true though it were neuer so gainefull if it were obtained about learning whereof there is such dissention that three hundred to one hee should be deceiued By that reason in Arts Alchimie of making gold is ordinarily refused hauing brought so many to errour and beggery by the vncertaintie thereof although in it selfe it is woonderfull commodious For matters of antiquitie the diuersity of opinions about the originall of the Brittans in this land hath caused many to thinke there neuer was any Brute at all It is as manifest both by al Histories and Monuments that Saint Peter liued long and died at Rome as that William of Normandy surnamed the Conquerour came into England and subdued it or as any such antiquity can be and yet bicause as Protestants say there is difference betweene Saint Hierome Orosius and Fasciculus temporum about the time of his comming thither although they agree with the rest that hee liued and died there some Protestants are not afraide to affirme he was neuer at Rome For a like cause the whole Protestant Cleargie of England in their authorized Conuocation deny the Bookes of Machabees Iudith and Tobias to be canonicall scriptures So it chanceth in Sciences
Professors are in the contrary case their Religion is pleasant and by professing it they liue in honours and delights which haue enticed not onely many Catholickes to followe Protestancie but Protestants to be Mahumetanes or of no Religion That by ignoraunce wee shoulde be seduced such sentence cannot proceede but from ignoraunce or malice Wee haue all authorities times and places for our defence our enemies haue none at all we were borne in the same Countrey of England bred vp in the same Vniuersities English where and whence those Protestants be wee haue trauailed all Countries studied in all christian Vniuersities we haue learned Diuinitie of the most famous Professors of the worlde we haue disputed in all Schooles and enioyed the best meanes of studie wee want wiues riches honours pleasures and all impediments of true diuinitie and studie thereof Our aduersaries are snared and entangled with all these and other lettes to hinder them That rather they than we would be more carefull to examine any authoritie or argument belonging to these questions no man can imagine it concerneth vs most and the reasons be euident before If Religion can be tried in this worlde wee haue sought and found all meanes they haue not farre sought for any and found none at all their daylie doubts changes and vncertaintie prooue it If they would stand to any triall wee knowe the order of all and will accept of any one with equall conditions If they will appeale to Scriptures as their highest Conuocation doth or to any other authoritie so many Catholike Diuines of England And the poore Author hereof because I haue taken this Woorke in hand and must iustifie my writing and not feed my Readers with vaine reportes and heare-sayes as Protestants doe haue read and studied them all and more than Protestants vse If they contend to credite the Hebrew Text in the olde Testament and the Greeke in the new as the common opinion of their Writers is I haue studied them in those languages and the auntient Glosses and Scholies Latine and Greeke for their Exposition If they will stand to the report of the most auncient Historians Eusebius Ruffinus Socrates Sozomenus Palladius Sainct Hierome Sainct Bede and others what was the practise of the Primitiue Church and beleeued in the vnspotted time of Christianitie I haue perused them If they will bee iudged by the decrees of the first POPES that were Saints and bee in Heauen as they confesse and ruled the Church in those times as their Archebishoppe of Canterbury dooth acknowledge I haue often with diligence considdered the Decrees both of all that were before the Councell of Nice and after If they will bee arbitrated by the present Schooles and scholasticall reasons I haue beene a poore Auditor both of scholasticall and controuersiall Questions where all doubtes and difficulties that witte or learning can deuise and inuent are handled and most exquisitely debated If they admit the first foure generall Councells of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedon which the highest iudiciall authoritie of England hath expresly approoued by name or anie of the rest to which the same and her Maiesties consent also giueth approbation I haue seene and read them all from the first of Nice to the last of Trent as all approoued particular and prouinciall Councells which be extant or ordinarily vsed If they thinke there euer was true Religion among Christians and that it was exercised in the first sixe hundred yeeres after Christ and that those auncient Fathers which were the most famous in those dayes and ruled the Churche as Bishoppes and Doctours thereof were acquainted with it or Professours of it I haue carefully read ouer all the workes and writings which bee to be had of Dyonisius the Areopagite Scholler to Saint Paul Saint Ignatius Saint Polycarpus Saint Clement Martialis liuing in the Apostles time Saint Iustine Origen Saint Basill Saint Athanasius Saint Gregory Nazianzene Saint Gregory Nissen Saint Gregorie the Great Saint Irenaeus Saint Cyprian Fulgentius Pamphilus the Martire Palladius Theodoretus Ruffinus Socrates Sozomenus Euagrius Cassianus Lactantius Firmianus Vincentius Lyrenensis the most famous and learned Fathers of those vncorrupted ages all the workes of all these I haue read and examined and conferred them with Saint Augustine Saint Hierome Saint Ambrose Saint Leo Papias the scholler of Saint Iohn the Euangelist Theophilact Tertullian Eusebius Cesariensis Prudentius and others most excellent Diuines liuing when all Protestants agree true faith was vniuersally preached and beleeued And yet I take God and the whole Courte of Heauen to witnesse before whome I must render an accompt of this protestation my beleefe and all my actions my constant writing in defence of this Faith my selfe voluntarily in disgrace and persecution professing it will be my warrant of sinceritie That the same Faith and Religion which I defend is taught and confirmed by those holy Hebrew and Greeke Scriptures those Historians Popes Decrees Scholies and Expositions Councels Schooles and Fathers and the profession of Protestants and all other Sectes by the same condemned I haue examined and with diligent aduise read ouer many Bookes and Writings of the best learned Protestantes the Woorke to which this Epistle is a Preamble will be my witnesse and not any that euer came to my hands containeth any argument or reason in my iudgement woorthy or able to withdrawe a reasonable and indifferent minde not blinded with pleasure or seduced by affection from embracing that Catholike Faith which I defend or that can establish or prooue any other Religion to be true That I should not bee able to iudge what maketh for vs what against vs I hope no man will challenge mee of so great ignorance That I would willingly erre and persist in errour if my religion were errour to followe a profession so austere and rigorous to sensuall appetite and desire if it be compared to Protestant doctrine and obstinately heape disgrace and affliction vpon my selfe to professe it when by reforming my opinion or conscience to the contrary I might both auoide the penitentiall life of Catholike profession and the perilles and penalties which the Parliaments of Protestants haue imposed vppon vs and enioy the liberties and delights which Protestancie yeeldeth and the preferrements wherewith their Schollers are rewarded I am out of doubt no Reader can be so partiall and vnequall iudge against mee or any one of so many English Catholicke Students which are in the same case and defend the same cause SECT XII The Conclusion how dishonourable and vnreasonable it is to persist in Protestancie howe honourable to graunt a Reformation WHerefore noble Patrones seeing so many worldes of witnesses giue euidence against the profession of Protestants and euery age time place person and thing of woorthy and credible authoritie yeeld testimony to my defence I will recomfort my selfe that by your gratious and iust protection no man will be so wilfull to impugne that which God and all reasonable creatures and