Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
work_n good_a life_n merit_v 5,864 5 10.8367 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A13159 A briefe replie to a certaine odious and slanderous libel, lately published by a seditious Iesuite, calling himselfe N.D. in defence both of publike enemies, and disloyall subiects, and entitled A temperate wardword, to Sir Francis Hastings turbulent Watchword wherein not only the honest, and religious intention, and zeale of that good knight is defended, but also the cause of true catholike religion, and the iustice of her Maiesties proceedings against popish malcontents and traitors, from diuers malitious imputations and slanders cleered, and our aduersaries glorious declamation answered, and refuted by O.E. defendant in the challenge, and encounters of N.D. Hereunto is also added a certaine new challenge made to N.D. in fiue encounters, concerning the fundamentall pointes of his former whole discourse: together with a briefe refutation of a certaine caluminous relation of the conference of Monsieur Plessis and Monsieur d'Eureux before the French king ... Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629. 1600 (1600) STC 23453; ESTC S117866 358,520 534

There are 7 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

extr de Maior Obed. Boniface the eight teacheth That it is a point necessarie to saluation to bee vnder the pope b De ecclesia militante c. 2. Bellarmine holdeth him out of the church that is not vnder the popes obedience Nostra sententia est saith he ecclesiam vnam veram esse caetum hominum eiusdem christianae fidei professione eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum sub regimine legitimorum pastorum ac praecipuè vnius Christi in terris vicarij Romani Pontificis This is likewise Turrians and Stapletons opinion If then a papist or cacolik must néedes obey the pope then must he necessarilie both allow his sentence of excommunication against the Queene and ioine with him in deposing her or else they are no partes of the Romish church But if they shall either so thinke or do they can bée no true subiects Secondly a Lib 2. de Pontif. Rom. Bellarmine teacheth that it is a matter of faith To beleeue that the pope by Christs ordinance hath succeeded Peter in the vniuersall gouernment of the church But hée that beléeueth so much as all papists are bounde to do cannot acknowledge the princes royall authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes nor exclude the pope from it and per consequent must néedes bée but a sorie subiect to her Maiestie Thirdly all papists are b Bellar. lib 4. de Pontif. Rom. bound to beléeue That the popes sentence in matters of faith is infallible and that what hée iudgeth is done by Christes authority in whose tribunall seate hée pretendeth to sit Necessarie it is therefore that all papists allow the popes sentence of deposition against her Maiestie If they denie it they are not of the right touch of papists if they grant it they are euill qualified subiects But what shall wée néede arguments to prooue this when as experience doth euidently prooue it vnto vs Is it not apparent how little reason her Maiestie hath to trust them In the beginning of her reigne the popish prelates refused to crowne her one onely excepted Afterward the popish clergie for the most part fledde out of the lande and left her By their solicitation the pope began to stirre against her Presently vpon his excommunication the rebellion began in the north These kinde of men stirred vp diuers rebellions in Ireland Neither haue they ceased at any time to enterprise either one deuise or other to hurt vs here in England Sir Francis therefore doth greatly diminish their deserts and spare them where hée saith onely They haue deceitfull harts And most fauorablie doth the state deale with them for refusing to come to church to serue God séeing their consorts do burne and murder godly men for not comming to their idolatrous seruice and abominable masse He calleth those that refuse to go to our churches The better and more religious sort of catholickes But he is not of God that refuseth to heare his word Neither are they to be tearmed catholickes that haue a priuate religion to themselues deuised by the pope nor are they truely religious that vnderstand not the principles of Christian faith nor will receiue true holesome and apostolike doctrine Now if any desire to know what they are by the markes of Antichrist in their whole life and profession he may vnderstand it Where it is said that some papistes Shew foorth a good outward ciuill cariage this Noddy wisely concludeth That sir Francis maketh light of good life and thereupon taketh occasion to runne out into a common place of good workes But héere was no place for him to trie his skill For sir Francis doth neither condemne good workes nor good life but rather the hypocriticall shewe of both where indeede neither is to bée founde Nay poore soules the papists do not so much as vnderstande what workes are good what not They say their Oraisons and Credo Aue Maria in Latin and vnderstand not what they say They créepe to the crosse and kisse it On fridaies they eate fish and absteine from white meates in lent They crosse themselues confesse their faults in the priestes eare put on haire cloth and follow such like fancies refusing to heare true doctrine and Gods truth And a Matth. 15. 23. So they make frustrate Gods commandements by their owne traditions Nay sometime they rebell against their lawfull princes and murder Gods saints and blaspheme his truth and yet thinke they do God good seruice when most plainely they transgresse his lawes As for our selues albeit wée do not attribute merite or iustification to works yet wée exhort all men to shew foorth their faith by their workes and to lead a holy life according to their holy profession Neither are we so barren of good workes but that we dare compare either with the glorious Iesuites or with the most perfect men of the popish faction or with their most holy popes As for Recusantes I know no works they do but such as if they were wise they would be ashamed of them Sir Francis Hastings as a true and honest patriote and like a religious gentleman noteth thrée pointes in Recusantes worthy consideration The first is The hurt they do the second is The hurt they would do if they were not restrained the third is Their deepe dissimulatiō He might also haue noted the hurts which already they haue doone and ioine their leud opinions with their wicked actiōs And vary euery seueral point with manifold arguments examples But this which he hath alreadie brought is more then our aduersarie doth well answere Nay hée answereth almost nothing vnlesse wée take gibes and scornefull reproches for paiment Where sir Francis saith That the yoonger steere learneth of the elder oxe He saith It is a verse drawne from his plow and stall of oxen As if it were not lawfull and vsuall by naturall similitudes to expresse things morall or as if his holy S. Thomas did not sometimes draw similitudes from oxen and asses It is written in a I●b 1. Iob That the oxen were plowing and the asses feeding by them That is as he b 2. 2. q. 2. art 6. Gregor moral 2. supposeth The ruder and inferior sort of people which are represented by asses must beleeue as their prelates do which are signified by oxen The similitude vsed by sir Francis is very fit For commonly Recusants are as rude as oxen and stéeres and as the Psalmist saith Vnderstand no more then doth horse or mule Nay as it is in the first of Esaie The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters cribbe but these ignorant Recusants know not their God but for their gods adore angels and saints yea stockes and stones vnderstanding no more what they pray then do oxen and calues Beside that the confessors and yoong priests are so familiar with their wiues that they are made liker oxen then lyons But this idle vagabond frier that liueth idly vpon the sweate of other mens browes and disdeineth to labour
blinde and see nothing in their owne causes They do very well verifie that which Sophocles saide long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their eies are as sharp as eagles when they looke a farre off and they sée small motes in other mens eies but sée nothing at home nor féele the beame that is in their owne eies If any of vs offend neuer so little nay ofttimes when wée maintaine true doctrine they presently exclaime that wée are heretikes and with their cries stirre vp the worlde against vs but they do little consider their domesticall matters and sée not how many heresies themselues maintaine Nay when wée shew it plainly vnto them they will not open their eies nor acknowledge any But howsoeuer their impudence maketh them confident in their denials yet shall it appéere to all men of discourse and iudgement that no sect did euer maintaine so many and so diuers heresies as the papists do Neither when I charge them with heresie do I impute vnto them Peter Lombardes Thomas Aquinas Caietanes Eckius Gregorius de Valentia Bellarmines or other their priuate doctors particular opinions for then shoulde wée make no ende in rehearsing their heresies but onely such matters as papists commonly and publikely do maintaine and the popes of Rome authorize and our aduersaries I thinke will not denie First as the a Rom. 2. 3. Iewes and especially the scribes and b Luk. 18. pharisées rested in the law and gloried in their workes and c Rom. 2. Galat. 3. sought to be iustified by their workes and by the law so the papistes do define iustice to be nothing else but charity and the obseruance of the law and by this iustice they hope to merite eternall life and this the assembly of doctors at d Sess 6. Trent doth determine and all papistes hold Neither may we thinke that the apostle condemneth those onely that sought iustice by the workes of the ceremoniall law or of frée will before regeneration for he e Rom. 4. saith That Abraham was not iustified by workes of the law And speaking of himselfe he f 1. Cor. 4. saith That although he was not conscious to himselfe of any thing yet he was not thereby iustified Secondly the sect of the pharisées was condemned for that They a Marc. 7. made voide the law of God by their owne traditions Reprobastis mandatum dei per seniorum vestrorum traditionem saith our Sauiour speaking to the pharisées They were likewise reprooued for their diligence in making proselytes Circuitis mare aridam saith our b Matth. 23. Sauiour vt faciatis vnum proselytum accessoriū cum factus fuerit facitis illum filiū Gehennae duplo plus quàm vos estis The pharisées also stoode much vpon externall ceremonies but deuoured widowes houses They loued preheminence in méetinges and to be called Rabbi Dicebantur pharisaei saith c Haeres 16. ante Christum Epiphanius eo quod separati essent ab alijs propter spontaneam superfluam religionem apud ipsos receptam He doth also mislike in them their vowes of cōtinency and their sléeping on thornes and boords and their superstitious fashions in praying and lastly condemneth them for that they allow fatum or destinye All which notwithstanding the papistes make speciall reckoning of their traditions and d Sess 4. Concil Trid. account them equall to Gods written word and yet they are in diuers pointes repugnant to Gods lawes and holy scriptures as for example the tradition of making images of the holy trinity and worshipping of stockes and stones and saintes departed is contrary to the first and second commaundement The Iesuites and priests trauell land and sea to reconcile men to the pope and to make recusants and proselytes to the synagogue of Rome and whē they haue inueigled simple people they go about to make them as vnnaturall traytors as themselues they deuour widdowes houses and impouerish poore orphanes by séeking meanes and reuenues to maintaine their owne faction and colledges They striue much for externall ceremonies and are called Fathers and Rabbi and are now the ringleaders of all the popish faction They say they are more perfect then others and seuer themselues from other Christians They lye vpon the ground and lash themselues sometimes and in their manner of superfluous religion are very singular Finally both they and the e Thom. Aqu. 1. p. q. 116. art 2. 3. 4. schoolemen do allow of fatum and subiect all second causes vnto it and in diuers of their opinions and fashions are very pharisaicall The scribes were likewise f Epiphan in haeres 15. ante Christ reputed sectaries and heretickes for that They brought in a superfluous and sophisticall exposition of the law Epiphanius doth call it Supersophisticam expositionem They were likewise a Ibidem condemned For their often washings and purifyings and for that they accounted themselues more holy then others Why then should not the popish schoolemen and other doctors be likewise reputed heretickes and sectaries for their vaine and sophistical expositions whereby they haue forced the scriptures to contrary and not onely to diuers purposes from that of the holy ghost Do they not also vse often puryfyings and halowings of altars churches vestementes and diuers instruments of their profane priesthood Do they not wash themselues with holy water and account their sectes of monkes and friers in the state of perfection and far more holy then the vulgar sort of Christians It cannot be denyed The papistes do likewise dayly sprinkle themselues with holy water thinking thereby themselues to be purged and clensed from veniall sinnes Yet as b In haeres 17. ante Christum Epiphanius saith Neither can droppes nor riuers of waters nor the whole ocean wash away sinnes The Hemerobaptistes for these continuall washings and for that they imagined that they were thereby clensed from their sinnes are by c Ibidem Epiphanius numbred in the catalogue of Iewish heretickes d Epiphan haeres 13. ante Christum The Dositheans were a sect of heretickes among the Iewes and so reputed for their affectate virginity and abstinence from the vse of mariage béeing married Likewise for their voluntary fastings and for the diuers voluntary afflictions of their bodies What then is to be thought of the papists that allow these voluntary whippings and afflictions and extraordinary fastings and thinke to merite heauen by them Among them likewise diuers account it great holynesse for married couples to liue a sunder and to creepe into monasteries for which they do wel deserue to créepe into the catalogue of heretikes Among the heretikes that rose after the first planting of Christian religion Simon Magus and his followers are commonly reputed the ringleaders Of them the papistes haue learned to buy and sell benefices churches masses and all spirituall things Nay these e Apocal. 18. merchantes of Babylon sell mens soules Venalia nobis saith f
ascended but that we are to seeke his body here on earth and to touch him with our mouthes and téeth But saint b Lib. 10. in c. 24. Luc. Ambrose saith That we touch not Christ with corporall handling but by faith and are not to seeke him on the earth nor after the flesh if we will find him c De resur carn Tertullian saith That his body is in the pallace of heauen The papistes also beléeue that there is one Christ in heauen visible and palpable and another in the sacrament inuisible and vnpalpable They d Concil Trid. s●ss teach that we are iustified by the workes of the law and that faith is nothing but a preparation to iustification They teach men to doubt and distrust of their saluation and after iustification send them to be tormented in purgatory they cannot tell how long but diuers thousandes of yéeres if their indulgences and bulles concerning the same conteine truth They beléeue that there be certaine veniall sins whose wages and reward is not death and that eternall life is no frée gift but the wages of mens good workes and merites The institution of Christ both in baptisme and in the Lordes supper they haue violated adding many other thinges beside water in baptisme and turning the communion in the Lordes supper into a priuate action and taking the cup from all the communicantes saue the priest that saith masse In the worship of God they haue deuised infinite matters which God neuer required at their handes Nay something they haue instituted in the worship of God contrary to his commaundement as the worshipping of God in grauen images contrary to his commaundement concerning images and the calling vpon angels and saintes contrary to the commaundement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Finally they haue in liew of Christ established Antichrist with a gard of Cardinalles and an army of priestes and certeine swarmes of vermine called monkes and friers to the dissipation of Christs body and the subuersion of the faith 16. The true church neuer made publike confession of their sinnes to the virgin Mary to the archangell Michaell to saint Iohn Baptist or to the apostles Peter and Paul and to all the saintes Saint Augustines confessions are comprized in diuers bookes yet hath he none of this fashion In the ancient liturgies albeit they haue passed through the handes of falsaryes yet can no such precedent be found But they in their dayly liturgies a In breuiario officio beata Mariae teach men to say in this sort Confite or deo omnipotenti beatae Mariae semper virgini beato Ioanni Baptistae sanctis apostolis Petro Paulo beato N. omnibus sanctis vobis fratres 17. Christs true church hath no sacraments but such as Christ hath instituted as may appeare by Iustines apology by that booke of sacraments that passeth vnder the name of Ambrose by Dionysius his description of ecclesiasticall mysteries and all ancient liturgies of the Christian church saue such as are falsified But the popish synagogue haue made euangelicall sacraments of matrimony order and penance Of which the first two were instituted in the old testament and the third is an act alwaies vsed in the church of God but neuer accounted a sacrament as wanting both certaine signes and sacramentall institution and forme They haue also made sacraments of confirmation and extreme vnction and giuen them both signes and formes that were neuer knowne in the ancient church of Christ 18. The true church neuer shunned to receiue the cup as well as the Lordes body in the sacrament b Serm. 4. de quadrages Leo saith they were Manichées That receiuing the sacraments tooke the body of Christ but in any wise shunned to drinke the blood of our redemption and he calleth this act Sacrilegious c De consecrat dist 2. c. comperimus Gelasius also saith That it is plaine sacriledge to part the one and the same mystery and to receiue a portion of the sanctified body and to absteine from the cup of the sacred blood But now the synagogue of Rome doth count this ministration of Sacraments in one kinde to bee good religion and streightly commandeth all saue the priest to abstaine from the cup. 19. The ancient catholike d Apost can 9. concil Antioch c. 2. church did excommunicate such As entred the church and heard the Scriptures read and staide not out praiers nor receiued the holy communion And the Romanists themselues vnder the name of Calixtus haue e C. peracta de consecrat dist 2. published this decrée That all shoulde bee excommunicate that woulde not communicate And that this was the order of the christian church that all that were present at the oblation shoulde communicate it appéereth both by Iustines second apologie and by Dionysius the Areopagites description of these ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies But the church of Rome after consecration sendeth all away for the most part without communion and thinketh it not necessarie 20. The auncient catholike church had but one sacrifice one altar one priest The priest and sacrifice was Christ Iesus once offred for the sinnes of all the altar was the crosse of Christ Christ saith a De demonstr euang l. 1. c. 10. Euse●i●s offered a most excellent sacrifice for the ●aluation of vs all and gaue vs a memoriall or sacrament thereof insteade of a sacrifice Saint b In c. 10. epist. ad Hebr. Ambrose saith That our sacrifice is but a samplar of that which our Sauiour offered on the crosse Saint c Contr. Faust. lib. 20. c. 21. Augustine saith That the flesh and blood of this sacrifice was yeelded in very truth when Christ was put to death and that after his ascension it is nowe solemnized by the sacrament of remembrance of that sacrifice d Eccles Hierarch c. 3. Dionysius calleth it A figuratiue sacrifice That which is offred and consecrated by the priest is called a sacrifice and oblation because it is a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice and holy oblation made on the altar of the crosse as saith e Sentent 4. dist 12. Peter Lombard and so their glosses f Dist 2. de consecrat c. semel c. in Christo. c. iteratur confesse that this sacrifice is but a memoriall or sacrament or representation of Christ his passion and sacrifice g Epist 25. plebi vniuersae Cyprian denieth that wée can institute a new altar or new priesthood Aliud altare constitui aut sacerdotium nouum fieri praeter vnum altare vnum sacerdotium non potest But the papists haue forged of late time a new externall sacrifice propitiatorie for quicke and dead and deuised a new altar of stone and instituted a newe priesthood not to celebrate a memoriall of Christes death and passion but to offer indéede Christ himselfe in a true sacrifice after a grosse and carnall sort 21. The true catholike
retracted his opinion Thirdly I say we suspend our opinion and giue no approbation to Luthers opinion concerning the carnall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament for that we sée that doctrine to be new not taught by the apostolike church Nay we finde it to be repugnant to the apostles doctrine deliuered in Scriptures to the doctrine of the ancient catholike church and to the analogie of faith Lastly I say that in external gouernment it is not necessarie that all churches should concur and agrée séeing not onely the east churches differed from the west but the western churches also from themselues The churches of Afrike had diuers customes differing frō the churches of Italy a I ib●d sa 〈◊〉 Ambrose in his church at Milan thought it not necessary in al things to follow the church of Rome Further I say that it is not to be doubted but that it is better in matter of externall gouernment to folow the consent of antiquitie and succéeding ages rather then any mans priuate humour and opinion and therefore I doubt not but our cause is better and our grounde more certaine which in searching out the doctrine of Christian faith do build our selues vpon Christ and his apostles and vpon holy Scriptures approoued by consent of times descent of holy fathers bishops testimony of the most ancient church which all appéereth in ancient symboles of faith then that of the papists which in doubts and controuersies runne to this pope or that pope which for the most part is but a blocke or a sot and a man ignorant not onely in the controuersies but often in the grounds principles of Christian religion Now what assurance the papists can haue of their faith that haue no ground but in the determination of the pope I report me euen to the papists themselues that condemne priuate opinions and singuler mens fancies and in externall termes yéeld all not to this man or that man but to the iudgement of Christ his vniuersall church Another spirituall blessing a P. 6. and 7. saith our aduersarie is when good works follow faith as meeknes penance mortification of the flesh continencie virginitie fasting praying almes voluntarie pouertie renouncing of the world And that mens sauage natures should be altered by Christs doctrine he prooueth out of Isay the 11. where it is saide That the woolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the Pard lie with the goate And the calfe lyon and sheepe abide togither Lastly hée asketh Whether our doctrine hath wrought these effects of peace and meekenesse of penance and mortification and the rest I answer that the doctrine of the Gospell hath wrought good effects in all true Christians And that all such do good workes and liue according to their profession And albeit euerie one do not so square their liues according to Gods law as they should do yet compare our people with the papists nay with the priests and popes themselues whom they call most holy and I make no question but they do farre excell them In Quéene Maries time this land flowed with bloud of innocents Vpon her Maiesties entrance these cruell executions ceased Such was her clemencie that shée would not shed the blood of those woolues that had shed the most innocent blood of many others Nay albeit during the time of her sisters reigne shée had receiued many wrongs yet did shée forget al. So rare was her clemencie that euen strangers commend it Tanta eius animi extitit moderatio saith b Histor G●nuens lib. 23. Peter Bizarus atque inuata clementia vt non immeritò de illa dici possit quod veteres de Seuero Alexandro Mammea matre genito posteris tradidere nempe anaematon hoc est citra sanguinem gessisse imperium cum suapte natura semper à caedibus crudelitate abhorrens nunquam adduci potuerit vt aliquem nisi publico iudicio damnatum ad supplicium rapi pateretur Her people likewise did folow her steps and neuer sought the blood of papists though the world knoweth they séeke ours In France and Flanders our side neuer tooke armes but in defence of their liues against those that sought to murder them In our victories likewise great clemencie hath béene vsed The king of Nauarre now king of France was euer admired for his great clemencie The English entring perforce into Caliz and other places shewed great moderation in their victorie In diuers places where religion is professed adulterie is punished with death fornication with corporall punishments other vnnaturall filthinesse is not named No where are stewes accompted lawfull Neither do we accompt any man a true professor that doth not moderate his affections and absteine from swearing drunkennesse pride and deale mercifully with the poore and conscionably with all If any man do otherwise he may liue among vs but he is not of vs. But the whoorish synagogue of Rome she is redde with the blood of saintes No tigre was euer more fierce or cruell This farre surpasseth the bloody city whereof the prophet a Nahum 3. speaketh the gouernours of this synagogue like wolues haue deuoured the lambes of Christ and not spared his flocke they imprison the true professors they spoile them torment them and kill them Innocent the third caused many thousands to be slaine in France Iohn the two and twentieth did b Io. Villan hist. fiorent 11. persecute the poore Christians of Armenia and hired the Saracens to war vpon them and all because they would not acknowledge his authoritie Martin the fift and his successors with fire and sword sought to ruinate the Bohemians onely for séeking reformation of abuses and redresse for the cruell execution of Iohn Husse murdred at Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct To forbeare to speake of former times the world knoweth that the warres of Germanie against the protestants as they are called were stirred vp by Paul the third and prosecuted with great rigour By the instigation of bloody priestes of the Romish synagogue the innocent christians of Cabriers Merindole and the villages néere adioyning were most cruellie slaine without respect of age sexe or qualitie These be the wolues that in the time of Quéene Mary made such hauock of Christs flocke in England that haue caused millions of christians in France Flanders and other places to be slaughtered Lib. hist 24. Natalis a popish writer saith that thréescore thousand were murdred in the massacre of France anno 1572. Cum amirante saith he Lutetiae Parisiorum in omnibus propè Gallicis ciuitatibus caesa fuisse dicuntur plura sexaginta millibus hominum factionis Vgonoticae nouae religionis And therefore he doubteth not to cal this execution Cruell and bitter The numbers of those that haue béene secretly murdred by the bloodie Inquisitors in Rome Italie Spaine is excéeding great the crueltie of the persecutors strange the patience of saints admirable Neither doe they onely practise crueltie against such as they accompt
sparing their holy God of the altar Deteriores sunt Iuda saith Christ in Saint a Onus ecclesiae c. 23. Brigits reuelations qui pro solis denarijsme vendidit illi autem pro omni mercimonio She speaketh of priests that trucke and barter masses for all manner of commodities yea to whoores for a nights lodging With the Angelicks they worship angels with the Staurolatrians they worship the crosse crucifixe giuing to the same diuine worship With the Collyridians they worship the virgin Marie With the Manichees they bring in halfe communions or communion in one kinde With the Carpocratians and Simonians and heathen idolaters they fall downe and offer incense and worship dumbe images With the Pelagians they beléeue merits and iustification by workes And almost out of euery heresie haue taken a peece as hath béene lately they say iustified against Giffords treatise intituled Caluinoturcismus Well therefore may it be saide that popish doctrine is full of poison and vnaduised was our aduersarie to charge vs with heresie or to mention any such matter séeing the blame must needes redounde vpon himselfe and vpon his consorts of the Romish synagogue Secondly he telleth vs That ecclesiasticall supremacy ouer all Christian nations is proper and essentiall to the popes office and that to his apostolicall authority is annexed the office of preaching But that should more properly and substantially haue béene prooued This beeing graunted doth shew that the pope doth faile in his apostolicall or rather apostaticall office For if preaching and féeding Christes flocke belong to the popes office why doth he not preach Why doth he not féede Nay why doth he famish Christes flocke by murdering all true preachers that come within his danger He answereth that The pope is obliged to preach by himselfe or by others But Saint Peter a farre greater apostle and greater man in apostolicall gouernment then the pope preached by himselfe and put not ouer his charge as the pope doth to Iesuites and Friers that preach more heresie and sedition then true doctrine The old bishops of Rome also which were honester men then these late popes put not ouer their charge but preached themselues and in their owne person executed all bishoplie functions Yea and saint Paule telleth vs that the office of a bishop is a good worke and not as the popish bishops make it a naked bare title To conclude this is also the iudgement of a In 1. Tim. 3. Ambrose Chrysostome Theodoret and all that write on the third of the first to Timothie from whence our authoritie is drawne He procéedeth notwithstanding further and professeth openly That when the pope leaueth his supremacy and embraceth that religion that is preached in England he ceaseth to be pope Which I do in part also confesse to be most true For antichrist shall in the church of God exalt himselfe and clayme not onely supreme but also diuine power He shall also defend manifold heresies and abhorre all true doctrine that may concerne his supreme title And if he should not so do he should not shew himselfe to be antichrist Herein therefore the Iesuites and he may be conioyned and march together hand in hand For all of them haue shut their eies and hardened their hartes against Christes true doctrine although it be to their shame in this life among all godly Christians and if they repent not shall be to their euerlasting confusion in the life to come Yet this hard faced Sycophant sticketh not to glory in his shame and to reioice that the pope and his children the Iesuites are matched togither At the length our aduersarie hauing highly extolled the father of heretikes and traitors the pope he descendeth to discourse of the popes darlinges begotten by him now in his declining state and decrepit age the Iesuites and saith They haue many enimies A matter true and by vs confessed and by them well deserued being a sect new vpstart and openly professing obedience to antichrist and enmitie to Apostolike and true catholike religion a societie conspiring mischiefe against al such as they hate practising diuision in priuate houses sedition and trouble in common-wealthes treason against godly princes and leauing the markes of their abominations and wicked actions behinde them wheresoeuer they come A generation stirred vp by Sathan to disturbe the peace of Christendome and to scourge all those that are not thankefull for the reformation of Gods church nor studious in sea●ching the truth nor zealous in rooting out of heresies and planting true religion What maruell then if they haue many enimies among those especially that beare good mindes either to true religion or to the state where they liue As for the example of Christian religion and of the first Christians and Christes disciples the holy apostles which were euery where spoken against and persecuted which the discourser our party pretendeth and alleageth to iustifie the generall opposition of al sorts of men against the Iesuits it fitteth his purpose nothing The example likewise of godly men that are often put to their trials is excéedingly euil applied to this sect of vngodly fellowes most absurdly doth he compare these Antijesuites to Christ Iesus that was as it were a marke set vp to be contradicted and was hated and persecuted of those that were of most eminent authoritie among his nation borrowing as it shoulde séeme a péece of some olde declamation vttered in the college of Iesuites or else where in praise of this sect and thrusting it in héere His defence I say is absurd and his comparisons most odious First Christ Iesus that I may beginne with him that is the beginning and fountaine of all spirituall graces and whom these Antijesuites do seeme in some things to counterfait and yet in most things oppugne came from God and did teach no doctrine but which he had receiued from his father humane traditions and pharisaicall boasting of workes of the law he disallowed and condemned These Antijesuites that I say no worse of them come from the pope and teach his decretalles and doctrine grounding themselues vpon mens traditions and vainely bragging of their owne merits and workes Christ Iesus loued his owne and was beloued of his owne These vsurpers of the name of Iesus loue none but thēselues and were charged by their owne friends and were accused of heresie schisme and many grieuous crimes as witnesseth Ribadineira that wrote the legend of his father Ignatius Our sauiour ●or determining controuersies and finding out the truth sent vs to the law and the prophets these destroyers of soules send vs to the pope and his tribunall and most vaine decretalles Iesus Christ though Lord of heauen and earth taught obedience to Caesar and earthly princes these fellowes albeit neither lordes nor princes yet teach disobedience to princes and dissolue the bond of obedience that tyeth subiectes to their superiors Christ Iesus was the true shepheard and sought the saluation of his flocke and albeit iniuriously apprehended and
obey the magistrate commanding them to go to church And so gladly woulde hée finde a knot in a rush and as if hée had founde out great matters hée despiseth his aduersarie and calleth him Seely man and simple soule and bible-clerke knight and guilt-spurre doctor rayling at his pleasure and according to his fashion yea and without iust cause For first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is better translated Humane ordinance then Humane creature For properly men neither create nor are created by men Moreouer if wee shoulde translate humane creature then shoulde this subiection be not to magistrates ordeined by man but generally to all men And therefore the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying both creature and ordinance or election wée are to choose the fittest signification Secondly it is no part of sir Francis his meaning to teach an absolute obedience to bée due to temporall princes Nay hée thinketh it neither due to temporall nor ecclesiastical magistrates saue onely in things lawfull But this the papists denie to princes in ecclesiasticall externall gouernment simplie and in temporall causes too if the pope do excommunicate them or depose them Thirdly sir Francis did not alleage this place to prooue that papists were to go to church vpon the princes commandement but rather to shewe that they ought not to rebell against princes vpon the popes warrant as they do very often And thus all this matter about which the Noddy maketh so great exclamations is easily cléered and all his calumniations and cauillations at his aduersaries person and writings answered It resteth therefore nowe that we consider a little of his braue speake made in the latter end of this chapter to the Recusants Perhaps he is better able to teach them what they are to do héereafter then to defend that is done already First hée telleth vs That hee can say no more to cacolike Recusants then that which followeth Which sheweth that hée hath little to say in their defence and lesse for their instruction Then hée pronounceth in his graue voice That the course which they haue taken is most honorable and pious before God and man and that forsooth in three points first in shewing their dutie towards God by standing constantly and suffering for their conscience Secondly in offring all loyal obedience in temporall causes to their liege prince and lastly in edifying their neighbors by their good life and behauiour But what if they haue neither shewed their dutie to God nor suffered for their conscience nor offered loyall obedience to their prince nor haue so taken her nor haue either by their beléefe or life edified their neighbors May we not then conclude that their course is neither pious nor honorable and that albeit they escape the censures of men yet assuredly they shall answere before God Nay what if for religion they maintaine superstition for loyaltie nourish in their bosomes trecherie and disloialtie and ruinate their neighbours by their euill example doth it not hence follow that their course is impious and disloiall and odious both in the sight of God and of man and that not in thrée points but in many points resulting partly of their impieties and errors in religion and partly of their malcontent humours in ciuill actions It is most apparent For this Warder their good friend hath laide those grounds whereof this conclusion ariseth First then I say that no papist since her Maiesties raigne hath suffred death or losse of landes or liberty méerely for his conscience vnlesse he make it conscience not to commit treason Let the recordes be sought and their causes be examined and this will easily appeare And albeit some haue béene imprisoned yet was the same not directly for not comming to church but for refusing to pay the mulct Secondly compare their penalties and sufferinges with the sufferings of true Christians whome they imprison spoile torture and murder and that onely for matters of faith and then they will appeare nothing in comparison But were they much greater then they are yet it is the cause and not the suffering that maketh their patience commendable Haue they a See the conclusion of the 4. encountres following th●● treatise suffered for their impieties idolatries treasons and felonies and for adhering to Antichrist Then is their shame great and their reward nothing Thirdly I deny that they haue shewed their duty towards God Nay in refusing to heare his word and to receiue the sacraments ordeined and instituted by Christ Iesus and administred according to his holy institution and embracing a fond and false religion standing partly on traditions and popish decretalles and partly vpon leud customes and lying legendes and partly vpon wicked heresies and false positions they haue declared themselues impious towardes God and aliens from Christ his church And that they shall well perceiue by a speciall encounter concerning that point Fourthly it is méere impudence to affirme that the recusantes haue offered to her Maiestie all loyall obedience in temporall causes or that they haue acknowledged her to be their liege prince For who knoweth not that the rebellions both in the north parts of England and also in Ireland were raysed by recusants and papists The same men haue diuers times attempted the destruction of her Maiestie and the alteration of gouernment as appeareth by the practises of Parry Somerfield Throgmorton Ch. Paget and others These are the men that Cardinall Allen hoped would ioyne with the Spanyard and helpe to depose her Maiestie And although now they stir not yet it appeareth that their a Those be the words of Campians facultie obedience must onely continue Rebus sic stantibus And call you this yéelding of loyall obedience Beside that the b Bulla Pij Quinti pope curseth all that will obey her or repute her as lawfull Quéene Whether is it then more likely that they will obey the popes sentences whom they take to be their soueraigne iudge in these cases or her Maiesties commaund which they respect not But suppose they would yéelde loyall obedience in temporall causes yet that is not sufficient to make the recusantes seeme loyall subiectes For the princes authority in commaunding for true faith and abolishing errors and abuses for establishing externall orders remoouing disorders both in the time of the law and in the auncient Christian church hath alwayes béene estéemed great Lastly I would aduise these cacolike malecontentes or recusantes or what you will haue them called not to bragge too much of their good works least they giue others iust occasion to make their vncharitable dealing and dishonest liuing knowne Now I will onely say this that he that fauoureth forraine enemies and entertaineth eyther practise or intelligence with them or receiueth markes of faction from them whatsoeuer his pretenses are cannot séeme much to edifie his neighbors Surely he leaueth for himselfe no place in the state that loueth not the state Let them therefore if they will néedes boast of their workes giue
consort of malicious traytors and an abbettor and nourisher of men euill affected in their malcontentment Nay albeit his colour were better cast yet were his pleading vnsufficient seeing true religion cannot stande with rebellion or disloyaltie nor may true catholikes be suffered to oppugne their prince and countrey to practise trecherie against the state and to nourish malcontent humours among subiects But if it appeere that the Romanistes are not the true church and that their religion is neither catholike nor ancient nor true then must it needes be granted that N. D. and his consorts are not onely malicious traytors but also impious heretikes It is also very plaine that all his wrangling encounters are built vpon fancies and supposals without grounde and foundation and are no better then malicious inuectiues degorged against good men and idle pretenses to colour the practises of enimies traytors and heretikes For euery traytor can pretend that he is a true patriot and Catiline and his consorts and all rebels vse to set a glosse of common good vpon their priuate wicked deseignements and treasons All societies also of heretikes will take vpon them as true Christians as saith a Lib. 4. institut cap. vlt. Lactantius and suppose themselues to be the catholike church Tertullian saith b Lib. 4. contr Marcion That as waspes make honycombes so the Marcionites pretend to make churches albeit indeed they were no true churches Nouatian like apes that counterfeit men saith c Epist 73. Cyprian woulde challenge to himselfe the authoritie and truth of the church albeit he be not of the church but a rebell and enimie set vp against the church Which fitteth our aduersary very well who if he had his yellow ierkin were a very ape or an apish Iebusite entitling himselfe and his companions with the name of the church But if he had beene a foxe as well as an ape and had but had a foxes wiles he would haue made b●tter proofe of his maine groundes which not being 〈◊〉 is a maine maime of his whole cause Now to the intent that thou maiest perceiue that all his building is either without foundation or vpon a marrish ground that will beare no such great worke I haue thought good for thy satisfaction to challenge him once more into the fielde and to make triall of his manhood in fiue new encounters which do much concerne his cause and credite For as before I haue shewed him and his consorts to be perfect traytors and Recusants and malcontent papists to be verie sorie and defectiue subiects so nowe God willing I purpose to shew first That papists are no true catholikes secondly That their religion as it differeth from that which we professe is a packe of nouelties thirdly That it is patched vp of many old heresies fourthly That the Romish church is not the true church and lastly that N. D. his consorts whether they were Iesuites or priests or their adhaerentes that haue beene executed to death according to the lawes of England are to be esteemed traytors and not martyrs And this in defence of her Maiesties iustice or rather clemencie For if she woulde do them iustice then woulde not she suffer them to liue as subiects that will not directly acknowledge her to be their Queene and lawfull souereigne especially where the pope saith contrarie If she did her-selfe right she woulde not tolerate a faction notoriously opposite to her gouernment If she did iustice she woulde not suffer such to enioy wealth and honors life that adhere to forreine enimies that seeke the destruction of the common-wealth the dishonour of this state the ruine and bloud of all that stande well affected to religion and the state And that Parsons and the priests that come out of Spaine and are sworne to maintaine the Infantaes title and are reconciled or adhering to the pope are all culpable of these treasons it is so cleered by the former discourse and by the last chapter of this that I thinke it may be felt of blinde men and not onelie discerned by those that haue eies to looke into the state The rest maketh for defence of our religion which no m●n can reprooue but such as haue drunke deepe of the cup of the purple harlot spoken of Apocalyp 17. and are sworne slaues to the pope and professed enimies not onely of religion and the state but also of their owne good in this worlde and of their eternall saluation in the worlde to come Beware therefore my good countryman for so I must account thee vntill I see thee declare thy selfe open friend to popish traytors and enimie to thy counrrey that harkening to the Sirens songs of Iebusites and priestes enimies to gods true religion not onely to their prince countrey thou be not swallowed vp in the gulfe of their heresies and treasons They lead thee not to the rocke Christ Iesus vpon which the church is built but to the a Bellar. praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. rocke the pope and the bankes of his sandie inuentions vpon which thou must needs wracke thy selfe if thou shun them not quickly True religion is grounded vpon Christs word reuealed to vs in the holy canonicall Scriptures all which we professe according to the rule of the true catholike church And for this truth we doubt not to giue our liues so assured we are of our profession where as thou as long as thou continuest a papist hast no warrant but the popes worde which to say no woorse is ignorant of true religion and apostolike faith and subiect to many errors and infirmities Read therefore indifferently and iudge syncerely and vprightly and the God of truth guide thee into the way of iustice and truth CHAP. I. That papists are no true Catholikes FRuitelesse it is and almost endlesse to contend much about names and titles but especially in causes of religion For as a In Apolog. Iustin Martyr saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true religion Consisteth in good workes rather then good termes and the c Ad Tit. 3. apostle exhorteth Titus and all true teachers to auoide contentions and quarrels about words of the lawe Yet forasmuch as manie simple people are abused by false teachers taking vpon them glorious names and titles and looke onely vpon the shéepes clothing that is outward and not on the wooluish nature of priestes and friers that is inward I thought it not amisse to shew what this name Catholike importeth and to whom the same truely belongeth and how dangerous it is to trust euery one that taketh to himselfe the name of a Catholike The Iewes d Ioan. 8. called themselues The children of Abraham and bragged much of the e Hierem. 7. Temple of God and of f Rom. 2. the lawe But the apostle teacheth vs that not euerie one that in name and outward shew was a Iew deserued so to be estéemed and taken g Epist 83. Leo speaking to certaine monkes saith Ecclesiae