Defense of the Watch-Word Against the Ward-Word, Part 2

Defense of the Watch-Word Against the Ward-Word · Part 2

p. 28Resistance to the second Encounter, about some absurd Principles of the Papists.

HAuing proposed to my selfe a resolute determination, not to follow this fellow (in mine answere) in his vaine of Rayling against me: it shal suffice, that such as be wise, honourable, and honest shall iudge betweene vsus, whose satisfaction I desire and doubt not of, and to such I appeale to iudge of the scantling he hath taken (as he termeth it) of my follie and flatterie, wherein he glorieth so much, and I rest assured he shall find that it falleth out too s…ant inproofe against me in their iudgements, so as his rayling tearmes of folly and flatterie must returne to his owne custodie againe.Lying falsely imputed to me. But now must follow a fuller view of my cogging and lying which are bitter termes I confesse, yet shall they nothing trouble me, because I know mine owne freedome, and I will take occasion hereby to indeuour to make such vse thereof, as is taught me by an ancient Father. Permittitur detracti…, vsus caueatur elatio: God suffereth p. 29slaunders to assault vsus, that pride may not surprize vsus. And therefore take your pleasure (Sir N.D.) follow your rayling humour and spare not, I like better to beare your hard tearmes, then that you should loose your occupation. OnelyOnly let me tell you, that if I were disposed to play at Tennise with you, and bande backe the balles that you deliuer, I could so returne this charge of lying vponupon your trades-men, that all the skill you hauehave could not saue them from a fault: Walsingham an ancient Chronicler writeth of Friers in Richard the seconds time, that they were of long time so infamous for lying,Friers and Papists braue liers. that it was counted a good argument holding both in matter and forme, This is a Frier, ergo a lier. And it should seeme the Romanistes keepe still their olde wont, by that famous lye that of late they hauehave sent vsus ouer, not onelyonly in print, but in picture too, namely that some for the maintenance of their Catholike Religion, hauehave been by vsus here put into Beares skinnes, and so bayted to death with Mastiues. A lye printed in the english Colledge at Rome 1584. with Gregories 13. priuiledge: so great a lye as no place was fit to vtter but onelyonly Rome; but I let them passe, and come to your charge against me.

And here first you except against my speech of the clouds, and darknes, that ouershadowed this land in Queene Maries time, and in former times of Poperie, cyting these my words. It is not vnknowne to many yet liuing, neyther can it be hid from the yonger sort that liue with them, what a darke misty cloud of Ignorance (which brought in popish Idolatry and all manner of superstition) did ouershadow the whole land, &c. And againe p. 30after, In these dark and cloudy daies least the sunshine of knowledge should disperse the mists of ignorance, and giuegive light to the dimme of sight, &c. Poperie iustly charged with darknes.The which I then truly affirmed, and doe againe auerre it; neither fee I any cause for ought that you alleadge to retract it, sith it is euident that the people, neither hauing liberty to read the Scripture (which is as a light shining in a darke place) priuately at home, neither in Churches read in a tongue that they vnderstood: must needs be destitute of the light of Christian knowledge. For if Babell could not be built,Scripture neither at home nor at Church permitted to the people in a knowne tongue. because each one vnderstood not anothers tongue: how can it be deemed, that the Church of Christ can be built vp in spirituall knowledge, by an outlandish tongue, which was no better vnderstood of the people, then if they heard a tale in Irish or Spanish tolde them? As for preaching, (a great meanes in deede to breede knowledge, though not the onelyonly meanes) I wil omit the matter of Sermons in those daies,Preaching, what it was in Poperie. which was (for the most part not Gods word, but mens traditions,) the necessitie of auricular confession, the benefit of pardons, and indulgences, of pilgrimages, of applications, of masses, of giuing to religious houses, of dirges, trentals, &c.2. King 6.2 Kgs 6 so that as Elisha led the Syrians stricken with blindnes into Samaria amiddest their enemies; so the people being debarred the light which maketh all things manifest, (I meane the reading of the Scriptures, in which they might see, whether those things taught them were so, or not) were carried by their teachers euen to the enemies of their saluation, to trust in buying of pardons, gadding on pilgrimage, hiring masses to be said for them after p. 31their death, falling downe and praying to dumbe Idols, to forged relickes, with a number of lying miracles, beleeued through them; in steed of Christ Immortall, worshipping a peece of bread, yea in steede of Christs blood, worshipping the blood of a Ducke, for so the blood of Hales was plainely proued to be, and openly shewed at Paules Crosse. So that no man neede doubt of the truth of the Prouerbe that then was vsed in those times:Preaching how rare. Once Christian men had blind Churches, and light hearts; and now they hauehave blinde hearts, and light Churches. But this omitted, the very exercise of preaching, (such as it was) alas how sildome was it? now and then a Frier trotting sometimes to one Church, sometimes to another, and scattering here and there a strawberrie Sermon. It was no common thing for Bishops, in times of Poperie, to be Preachers, though they tooke vponupon them to be Pastores Pastorum. Boner Bishop of London, Boner.who burned so many of Gods Saints, blessed Martyrs, faithfull, and painfull Preachers (so long as they might) when the valiant Souldier of Iesus Christ, Thomas Hawkes was before him, and alleaging against the Popish manner of baptising, both the addition of many ceremonies deuised by man, as their oyle, creame, salt, spittle, candle, coniuring of water, &c. as also that they wanted the chiefe thing, meaning preaching, alleaging the text: Goe teach all Nations baptising them, &c. by and by replieth vponupon Master Hawkes, Matth. ….and taketh this exception against that allegation. Thou speakest that because I am no Preacher. And as if to taxe a Bishop for being no Preacher had been so hainous a matter, (though the man p. 32of God answered, that he spake the text, and meant not of him) yet all his Doctors and seruants present spake with a loude voice, making a great noise, he speaketh it of you my Lord. And yet the latter part of King Henries raigne, and the short, but happie raigne of King Edward, helped you to farre moe Preachers by their faint yeelding; then in former times of Poperie hauehave been accustomed to be, as is not onelyonly apparant in this kingdome, but in others, if I had leasure to inlarge.

The onelyonly example of Doctor Bassinet, a man of great learning and authoritie in France, shall suffice me at this time, who in his first answere to the oration of the Bishop of Aix; (perswading to set vponupon the Merindo…ians, Act. and Monuments vol. 2 pag. 862.and as heretikes to destroy them) confesseth his owne ignorance of true Religion, till of late he fell to reade the Scriptures (and yet he was a Iudge of heresie) and with all his rash condemning of those whom they call Lutherans to death,D. Bassinets Oration. although he was content so farre to yeelde to punish them with fines, and banishment, which should speake too intemperately against the constitutions of the Church, and of the Pope: his words are thus Englished. The cause why in conscience I am thus disquieted is this, that now of late, since I hauehave giuen my selfe more diligently to the reading and contemplation of the holy Scriptures, I perceiue that the most part of those Articles which they that are called Lutherans doe maintaine, are so conformable and agreeing to the Scriptures, that for my part, I can no longer gainsay them, except I should euen wilfully and maliciously resist and striue against the holy ordinances of God: albeit hitherto, to maintaine the honour p. 33of our holy Mother the Church, and of our holy Father the Pope, and of our Order, I hauehave consented to the opinions and doings of the other Doctors, as well through ignorance, as also because I would not seeme to attempt any thing against the will and pleasur… of the Prelates, and Vicars generall. Against which his confession; when the Bishop of Aix replied thus, Is there any difference thinkest thou, betwixt heresies and blasphemies spoken and maintained against the holy Scriptures, and opinions holden against our holy Mother the Church, and contrarie to our holy Father the Pope, a most vndoubted and true God in earth? Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things? O blindnes. O blasphemie.Doctor Bassinet more fully layeth open the generall and common blindnes and darknes of those times in these words. Are not they those which hauehave forsaken Iesus Christ the fountaine of liuing water, and hauehave digged vntounto themselues pits, or Cesterns which will holde no water? Truly euen those they are, which vaunt themselues to be the salte of the earth, and yet hauehave no sauour at all, which call themselues Pastors, and yet are nothing lesse then true Pastors: for they minister not vntounto the sheepe the true pasture and feeding, neither deuide and distribute the true bread of the word of life, and (if I may bee bolde to speake it) would it not be at this present as great a wonder to heare a Bishop preach, as to see an Asse flye? Are not they cursed of God, which glorie and vaunt themselues to hauehave the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen, and neither enter in themselues, nor suffer them that would enter to come in, &c. By which and infinite other euidences may appeare, that there is in a manner as great difference betwixt kingdomes professing the Gospell of Christ (as this land now doth through Gods blessing) p. 34and those that are subiect to Poperie, as was sometimes betweene Aegypt and Goshen.

This Land liued not in former times in such darkenes, as lately vnderunder Poperie.As for your allegation against those my speeches, to passe by your bolde assertion, that England had continued aboue a thousand yeares vnderunder that darkenes of Poperie, (the vanitie whereof is by sundry learned men discouered) it is euident by Beda his plaine testimonie in these words, Haec in praesenti iuxta numerum librorum quibus lex diuina scripta est, &c. This I, land at this present, according to the number of the bookes in which the lawe of God is written, doth search out and confesse one and the selfe same knowledge of the highest truth, and of the true height in liue tongues, namely of the Angels, of the Brittaines, of the Scots, of the Picts, and of the Latines, which in meditation of the Scripture is made common to all the rest. Wherein he meaneth that the Latin tongue was common to all the learned of those foure peoples, as the vulgars were to the vnlearned. So that in former times this Iland had the Scriptures in their owne tongue, to be a lanterne to their feete, and a light to their steps, and delighted not in ignorance of the Scriptures, and in darkenes (as of late) as also the most and chiefest points of your blinde errors hauehave been hatched long since the time you prescribe, as in the particulars of the patching together of the Masse by degrees, and successiuely, of the absurd doctrine of Transubstantiation, with other like, is by men of great learning and iudgment manifestly proued. Yet by the way this I note, that by your secret confession you yeeld almost 600. yeares to the truth we professe, before your Religion was hatched, p. 35seeing both your selfe and others commonly make claime for a 1000. yeares.

But to passe by this,A fond Argument. doth not this Encounterer strongly (thinke you) refute mine assertion of the darkenes in times of Poperie? when he saith (speaking of the state of this kingdome in those times,) And it was accounted then as wise, learned, valiant, noble, and flourishing a kingdome, as France, Italy Spayne, &c. An argument by which the Religion of the heathens may aswell be freed from darknes and ignorance. For was not Rome when it had those lightes of learning and eloquence, Cicero, Crassus, Hortensius, and others; as also those famous and wise both Counsellors, and Captaines Marius, Scilla, Pompey, Caesar, Cato, Scipio, and such like, was not (I say) Rome then accounted as wise, learned, valiant, noble, and flourishing a kingdom, as France, Italy, Spaine, or any other Christian kingdomes be at this day? and yet it is true, that their knowledge was ignorance, and their light darkenes, vnlesse the Apostle be deceiued, who saith of them all generally,Rom. 1.Rom 1 Their foolish heart was full of darkenes, and when they professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles.

Arnobius sometimes an heathen,Arnobius. afterwards a Christian saith of his former state. Venerabar (O caecitas) nuper simulachra modò ex fornacibus prompta, in incudibus Deos, & malleis fabricatos, &c. I worshipped of late (O blindnes) Images newly taken out of the fornace, Gods forged on the Anuiles, and framed with hammers: so truly may it be said of the Papists, they worshippe (O blindnes) Images newly taken out of the fornace, crucifixes forged on the Anuiles, p. 36and framed with hammers, and to blocks, and stocks without sense, (as if there were some power present in them) they kneele, they pray, they craue grace of them.

Another Argument of the Papists peerelesse learning examined.Your vaunt of the peerles, and vnmatchable learning on your side, doth neither ouerthrow mine assertion, (if it were true) and yet all men know it to be vaine and childish boasting. Our ministers (as you say) dare not open their mouthes, (if they should appeare with you) in schooles, or matters of learning, yea they scarce vnderstand the verie ordinarie termes of the learned sciences which you professe: not onelyonly our students, and young men, but our Doctors of Diuinitie, yea our publike readers (as some of you boast and crake) (as you can stoutly do no men better) doe scarce vnderstand your course of Diuinitie what it meaneth. Is it not thinke you a clowdie, and Owle-like Diuinitie, that is couered with such mistes of subtilties, and sophistications, as that professed deuines, men richly furnished with deepe knowledge of tongues, and artes, are scarce able to vnderstand the ordinarie termes. I will say more for you (which in my conscience I am perswaded is true) that if Peter and Paule those blessed Apostles were now aliue, and should come into your schooles, to heare your Lectures of scholasticall Diuinitie, and the rest, together with your other exercises, and disputations: they would maruel and be astonished at your strange Diuinity which they vnderstand not, & say (as the Apostle speaketh of those which heare praiers,1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14 & preaching in an vnknown tongue) y^t you are out of your wits: surely they would neuer acknowledge it to be p. 37consonant to that diuinity, which they in their diuine Epistles commend to the Church of Christ. For it is true, that a learned man hath written, that of two distinct good things, Diuinitie and Philosophie, your schoolemen hauehave made a third bad compound, being neither sound Diuinitie, nor pure Philosophie.

But (Sir) I hauehave granted onelyonly by way of supposition (that which in truth is not to be granted) that your men are so superiour to ours in learning,Papists learning is not verie great, or their cause is bad. that a few of yours are able to hold at schoole all our sunshine Clergie at this day (as you please to terme them) for terme of life, and after. A proud assertion without any shadow of proofe at all, for reproofe whereof I will take a short view eyther of the depth of your learning, or goodnes of your cause.

Iohn Hus commeth voluntarily to the Councell of Constance,Iohn Hus. there to tender a reason of his Doctrine, and to defend publikely his assertions: How learnedly doe these graue Fathers refute him? they clap him fast in prison, load him with chaines, and fetters, not onelyonly not being conuicted, but not so much as heard, yea though he came vnderunder the Emperors protection, and had his safe conduct, the Pope himselfe hauing likewise consented vntounto it.

Martin Luther goeth to Wormes by disputation to defend his Doctrine,Martin Luthers offer to dispute at Wormes. aud though his friends perswaded that he should not expose himselfe to so manifest perill, because the Papists had oftentimes broken their promise; yet so assured he was of the goodnesse of his cause, that he neither feared the learning, nor might of his aduersaries, though neuer so many, but he answered his friends, that he would enter that p. 38Citie in the name of the Lord Iesus, though he knew there were as many diuels set against him, as there were tiles vponupon al the houses of the Citie: Afterwards before the Emperor himselfe, and the whole states of the Empyre, he maintaineth his doctrine, answereth the aduersaries, and with the Emperors fauour departeth in safetie, though full sore against the minds and wils of sundrie Papists.

Againe vnderunder safe conduct he goeth to Augusta, He goeth to the same end to Augusta.there to render a reason of his assertions to Cardinall Caietan, who on the Popes behalfe, and at his commaundement proposeth three things to Luther. First that he should be better aduised, & reuoke his errors; secondly, he should promise hereafter not to publish, or repeate them; thirdly, he should abstaine from all things which might trouble the Church: Luther standeth to iustifie his assertions, & offereth there, and else where to defend them, sendeth in writing a defence to the Cardinall, iustifying his opinions by the Scriptures. In a word, the Cardinal would not heare Scripture; but willeth him to come no more in his presence, vnlesse he would recant; yet staied he there fiue daies after, expecting whether the Cardinall would call him to any further disputation, whereof when he heard nothing in all that space, he departed.

Simon Grinaeus at Spire.At the assemblie at Spire, when Simon Grinaeus heard Faber Bishop of Vienna vtter sundrie absurd errors in his Sermon: he goeth friendly to him, and telleth him he was sory, that a man of such learning and authoritie, should openly maintaine such errours, as were both contumelious against God, and might be p. 39refuted by the manifest testimonies of the Scriptures: and as he would further hauehave proceeded to the refuting of his errors, Faber breaketh off his talke, faineth as though he had been sent for by the King, and had now no leasure to reason with him in the matter, but maketh shew that he was desirous of acquaintance and longer talke with Grinaeus, and to that end prayeth him the next morning to come to his Chamber. Now what was the sequele of the disputation, or conference appointed by this learned Bishop? The Bishop complaineth to the King, the Serieants were sent to apprehend Grinaeus and carrie him to prison, whereof he being warned a little before, by a reuerent aged man, was by his friends immediatly conueyed ouer the Rhene, and so escaped; who if he had been taken (as the Serieants were to search the house for him almost assoone as he was out of doores) what would further hauehave ensued of this pretended conference is not hard to gesse.

To be short, you may not forget in what a pittifull taking your Cardinall of Lorrayne was in the Colloquie of Poissy, Colloquie of Poissy.when he wished that either our side had been dumbe that day, or all they deafe: and these few examples, either proue your vaunt of your learning to be so farre greater then our side, to be but friuolous and vaine (which you can hardly yeeld vntounto) or at the least our cause to be better then yours, which we rather challenge. The truth of the generall proposition concerning the darkenes of those times being thus opened: I shall the lesse need to insist vponupon the particular absurdities, wherewith this fellow faith they are vniustly charged.

p. 40Particular absurdities of Poperie.For his preface, he pleaseth to see and examine how I goe forward in my tale (as he tearmeth it) which I hope to the equall reader shall appeare no fable … a iust charge: my words which he setteth down… a… the…e, VntoUnto which clouds, mists, and darknes, was added, and wherewith was mixed, all bloodie and sauage crueltie against those that desired knowledge, and were any may … by Gods grace with a glimmering at small insight into true Religion: for though it were but onelyonly a desireth reade vponupon the booke of God, either olde or new Testament, then Hereticke was his title, heresie was his …ault, and for this was he called before the Romish Cleargie to receiue their censure, and such neuer departed from their cloathes till they had branded them to the slaughter. To which after many scoffes he saith, That he is sorrie the writer of that booke calleth himselfe Knight, to whom in law of Chiualrie a man should not giuegive the lye, but with obligation to defend it in the fielde. Whereunto I brieflie reply for this time, that if this masked companion will put off his vizzard and shew his face, that I may know who speaketh to me, I will (through the assistance of my God) not onelyonly lay before him his shameles reprochfull slaunders, against my Soueraigne and her gouernment, and words of disgrace to my selfe, but also make him such further answere, as fitteth his demerits and my place: in the meane time I list not to fight with a shadow, nor to howte at the Owle that flieth by night.

To come to the matter, out of this one period this artificiall Vulcan forgeth two vntruths properly called lyes (as he saith) which he imputeth to me: the first, that I say To reade on the booke of God, was held to p. 41be part of an heretike: The second, That for this cause (onelyonly) men were called before the Romish Cleargie in England and branded to the slaughter. But soft Sir, you shall finde it harder to conuince me of one lye, then to charge me with many, for both in making and giuing lyes, you hauehave a singular gift, and rare dexteritie. For concerning the first,Heresie with the Papists to reade the Scriptures in vulgar tongue… the people were not only forbid to reade, or heare read the Scriptures translated by such as the Romanists call Heretikes; but the Papists are witnesses against themselues, that they forbid the reading of the Scriptures, translated by their owne Catholikes, vnles the Bishop or Inquisitour with aduise of their parish Priest, or confessour, giuegive them speciall licence thereunto in writing: and was it not obiected to Iohn Lambert as an hereticall opinion, that heads and rulers are bound by necessitie of saluation, to giuegive the holy Scriptures to the people in the mother language? Doe not your Rhemists in the preface of their translation of the new Testament say, they doe not publish it vponupon erronious opinion, of necessitie, that the Scriptures should bee alwaies in our mother tongue, or that they ought or were ordeined by God to bee read indifferently of all? Now if to thinke the Scriptures may be read indifferently of all, be in your iudgement an hereticall opinion; then for men so to read them is in your iudgement an hereticall action, whereof I would wee had not so many proofes.

But in any of the three learned tongues, Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine (saith the Encounterer) none was euer deba…red to reade them: this Sir is but a flourish p. 44to face out the matter, and a coppie of your countenance to make as though you were willing Scripture should be read of all;An obiection answered. onelyonly that you feared hereticall translations: Where as first of laymen and women, not one of a thousand vnderstand either of those three tongues; secondly, yourselues in those times sent not abroad any vulgar translations of your owne refining, which the people, without danger of hereticall corruption, might reade; and thirdly, what your iudgement is concerning the vsing of such as you doe send forth, is partly shewed alreadie: you should deale plainely and confesse, that (whatsoeuer you say for a glosse) your opinion is, that not onelyonly those few laye men which vnderstand any of those three learned tongues should forbeare reading the Scriptures; but euen many men of your Cleargie profession.

D. Rayn de Idol. eccl. Ro. lib. 1. cap. 1.An Italian Bishop tolde Espencaeus a great Diuine of Paris, that his Countrimen were terrified from reading the Scriptures least so they should become hereticks: Espencaeus then demaunded, What studie then doe your Countrimen professe? The Bishop answered, The studie of both the lawes Ciuill and Canon, but principally of the Canon law. Doe some Bishops amongst you iudge the reading of the Scriptures so dangerous, that they abstaine from it for feare to be made heretickes, and yet will you face vsus out with permitting laye men to reade them in Hebrew, Greeke, or Latine? Let Sorbon it selfe be witnes, how your Cleargie men were wont to be exercised in the reading of the Scriptures. For amongst the many conflicts which Robertus Stephanus had with diuers of p. 43these learned Sorbonists about the newe Testament printed by Collinaeus, when he asked some of them in what place of the new Testament it was written, they would answere they had read in Ierome, or in the decrees, but what the new Testament was they could not tell: and againe another great Clerke of that Colledge was wont about that time verie often to say. I wonder that these young men alleage to vsus the new Testament, by this day, I had spent more then fiftie yeeres, The Sorbonists oth.ere I could tell what the new Testament was. What should I stand further eyther to prooue that ye account it heresie for lay men indifferently to read the Scriptures (which all men know ye doe) or to disproue the grossenes of your opinion in so forbidding the reading of the Scriptures, which out of the Scriptures themselues, and sundrie testimonies of godly Fathers, as also examples of ancient times translating the Scriptures into vulgar tongues, is by sundrie euidently proued, ye ought not to doe.

To passe therefore to the second supposed vntruth which you set downe to be this,For reading of the Scriptures in vulgar tongues, men were called before the Bi…shops. that for this cause (onelyonly) men were called before the Romish Clergie in England, and branded to the slaughter. To iustifying whereof before I proceed, giuegive me leaue to tell you, that this word (onelyonly) by you thrust into my words, is one lye of your coyning, though not the onelyonly one lye: for what though to some of their charges were laid other like articles? Doth that make that this was not accounted a point of an heretike to read the scriptures in English? and that for this men were called before your Clergie? As for example, Thomas Moore a poore and simple man of the age of 24. yeeres, was p. 44at Leicester in the yeare 1566. accnsed, coudemned, and burned, onelyonly because he said his maker was in Heauen, and not in the Pix, no other thing being laid to his charge: If at his iudgement some other articles had been obiected to him, would it not hauehave been true for all that, that to say his maker was in Heauen, and not in the Pix, was counted heresie and for that cause men were called before your Clergie, and branded to the slaughter? Our stories are full of examples out of your owne Registers, that reading of Scriptures, was accounted heresie, not to stand vponupon many, vnderunder Longland Bishop of Lincolne, Agnes Welles was conuented, and amongst other things examined whether Thurstan did euer teach her the Epistle of S. Iames;Act. & Mon. ex Regist. Lin. or the Epistles of S. Peter, and S. Paul, in English: Thomas Earle was likewise chaeged for hearing the Epistle of S. Sames read in English: Agnes Ashford of Chesham for teaching Iames Norden certaine sentences of Scripture, as Teend ye not a candle, and put it vnderunder a bushell, but set it on a candlesticke, that it may giuegive light to all in the house, & such like. To Robert Pope, Iohn Morden and his wife was obiected, that they recited the tenne commandements in English. To Iohn Phips was obiected that he was very ripe in the Scriptures. Ienkin Butler appeached Iohn Butler his owne brother for reading to him in a certaine booke of the Scripture, and perswading him to hearken to the same: what should I stand to number vp any more, which vnderunder this one Bishop… for reading them selues, or hearing read some part of the Gospels, Acts or any the Epistles, or Reuelation were called into question of life?

p. 45The like proceeding was vsed by other Bishops, and namely by Tunstall then Bishop of London, Act. & mon. ae… testim. D. Outredi.before whom many were conuented for that holy heresy of reading the Scriptures: In number of whom, one going to be burned for an heretike, and seeing the booke of the Reuelation bound to the stake, to be burnt with him (which happely he had diligently read, being thereto moued with that sentence: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that heare the words of this prophecie) spake with a lowde voice these words, O blessed Reuelation, how well is it with mee, that I shall be burnt with thee! Infinite such examples might be shewed not onelyonly in our owne countrie, but in forraine kingdomes.

I will alleadge onelyonly one example of a godly Bookeseller of Auignion in France. Ibidem pa. 863.The Bishop of Aix with other Prelates passing through the streets, euerie one leading his Minion vponupon his arme, and buying vp such filthie pictures and rimes as were then to be sold,A godly Booke seller in France they came where there was a Bookeseller setting out French and Latine Bibles to saile: at which sight they being much moued, said to the Booke-seller, darest thou be so hardie to set out such marchandise to sell here in this Towne? Dost thou not know that such bookes are forbidden? To whom the Booke-seller answered, is not the holy Bible as good as these goodly pictures that ye hauehave bought for these Gentlewomen? Which speech so offended the Bishop of Aix, that he brast forth into these words: I renounce my part of Paradice if this be not a Lutheran. So commaunding him to be apprehended, he was by the Prelates attendants most despitefully p. 46handled, some crying out, a Lutheran, a Lutheran, to the fire with him, to the fire with him: some beating him with their fistes, some pulling him by the beard, others by the haire, that the poore man was all embrued in blood before he came to the prison. The next morning being brought before the Iudges in the presence of the Prelats, the selling of bibles in French was laide to his charge, & he was asked, whether he knew not the Bible to be forbidden in all christendome, saue onelyonly in Latine. To which he answered, that he knew the contrarie, and that he had sold many Bibles in the French tongue with the Emperors Priuiledge, with other words reprouing their forbidding of Gods most holy bookes, which he ordained for the instructing of the ignorant, and for the reducing againe into the way such as hauehave gone astray: the charitable Prelates cried out, hauehave him to the fire without any more words; the Iudge yet paused, willing him to acknowledge those Prelates to be true Pastors of the Church, which he denying that he could doe with a good conscience, sith they reiected the holy bookes of God, he was immediatly condemned to be burned, and the selfe same day executed, and for a signe and token of the cause of his condemnation, he carried to the place of his execution two Bibles hanged about his necke: and so exhorting the people to read the Scriptures, he was for this cause onelyonly cruelly put to death.

Who then can doubt, but that the Romish Clergie are the true heires and successors of those cruell Tyrants, Antiochus, Dioclesian, Maximinus, &c. Who like them hauehave burned in the fire not only the Scriptures p. 47of God, but also the bodies of them that read therein, and that to them it may be applied, that which is written in the Machabees. 1. Mach. 1.1 Macc 1The bookes of the law which they found, they burnt in the fire and cut in peeces. Whosoeuer had a booke of the Testament found by him, or who soeuer consented vntounto the law, the kings commandement (the Bishops may we say) was, they should put him to death by their authoritie.

I had thought this gentleman had runne himselfe out of breath in charging me with lies and fictions: but now follow foure more (saith he) but (I say) his loude quadruple lye shall cleare and discharge me of all. The first is that I say Ignorance was held by them to be the Mother of Deuotion: Ignorance with Papists the mother of Deuotion.a strange accusation, and grieuous slaunder (no doubt) to charge those men with nourishing the people in ignorance, whom all the world knoweth to hauehave vsed strange meanes to bring them to knowledge. For what meant they by the costly setting vp of many faire and well guilded Images in Churches? Was it not that they might be laye mens bookes, and by reading on them they might attaine knowledge? What? Pius the fift (goodman) was he not most carefull the people might be edified, when (as it is written in his high commendation) in a procession he was not carried on mens shoulders, as Popes vsed to be, but he went on foote to the great edifying of the people? Now if the Pope will vouchsafe to goe on foote, to the end to edifie the people thereby, how can it be thought he would hauehave them bread in ignorance? But (Sir) if you will not forceablie writhe and wrest my proposition, to extend it to ignorance absolutely, but vnderstand p. 48it (as it is euident to be meant) of the ignorance of the Scriptures, yourselfe (I hope) will free me from any fiction herein, and will acknowledge that Doctor Fulke doth iustly charge your Rhemists,Doctor Fulke. who setting forth the new Testament in English (if that which is pestered with so many obscure words, may be called an English translation) and yet excusing themselues, for being of that erronious opinion that the Scriptures should be alwaies in our mother tongue, or that they ought or were ordeyned by God to be read indifferently of all: That Doctor Fulke (I say) doth iustly charge them, that they are afraide to giuegive ouer their olde impudent proposition, That ignorance of the Scriptures is the mother of Popish deuotion. For what meant the so strict forbidding to laye men the reading of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue?Scripture forbidden to be read. but that their deuotion should not growe of the knowledge, but of the ignorance of the Scriptures; flat contrarie to our Sauiours commandement giuen to the vnlearned multitude of the Iewes,Iohn 5.John 5 Search the Scriptures, for in them you thinke to hauehave eternall life, and they are they that testifie of me; where the reason annexed to the Commandement, sheweth to whom the Commaundement appertaineth, euen to as many as it concerneth to seeke after eternall life, and to know Iesus Christ and him crucified, which is the laytie no lesse then the Cleargie; contrarie also to the Apostles exhortation to the Colossians being laye men, Let the word of Christ dwell plenteously in you. Whereupon Chrisostome noteth,Coloss. 3. Chrisost. in epist. ad Coloss. …om. 9.Col 3 Audite seculares, omnes comparate vobis biblia, animae Pharmaca, &c. Heare you secular or laye men, eueryevery one get vntounto you p. 49Bibles, the Phisicke of your Soule; if you will nothing else, at the least get you Testaments, the epistles of Paul, the Gospels, the Actes, to be daily and diligent instructors to you. In a word, contrarie to the spirite of the same Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, who reproueth them that they were like vntounto Children, and vnexpert in the word of righteousnes, whereas they ought to hauehave their wits exercised therein, But ignorance of the Scriptures better pleaseth you in the people, and shall leade them to such deuotion as maketh more for your aduantage.

Hence hath growne your deuice of fides Implicita, Fides implicita.a faith wrapped and folded vnderunder the obedience of the Church, namely that it is sufficient though they knowe not distinctly what they ought to beleeue, but obediently submit their vnderstanding to the Church, beleeuing as the Church beleeueth, though what the Church beleeueth they knowe not. This Carbonaria fides is highly commended by Cardinall Hossius, who farther teacheth the simple laye man, that he should thinke it went very well with him, if he could say by heart, the Lords praier, the Articles of beliefe, and the ten Commaundements, though he knew not the meaning of the words. As for other knowledge, if any asked him a question hee should answere, that hee did beleeue the Catholike Church.

And this ignorance of the Scriptures,Ignorance a fruitfull Mother for the Papists. as a fruitfull mother, hath brought forth many a blinde daughter of gainfull deuotion to your kitchin: what greater deuotion was either then esteemed to be? or indeed what acte more for your aduantage, then the building p. 50of Monasteries and Nunneries, and the endowing them with great lands and reuenues? And this deuoute daughter, mother Ignorance of the Scriptures brought forth, which as for the most part they were builded by Kings and great States vponupon some great murder, either by wane in the field, or priuately committed at home: so the cause was as in stories may be seene,)Act. & Monu. pag. 139. Pro remedio animae meae, pro remissione, & redemptione peccatorum meorum, &c. For the reliefe of my soule, for the redemption and forgiuenes of my sinnes, &c. Which blasphemous derogation to the death and passion of Christ Iesus, the knowledge of the Scriptures would hauehave quicklie discouered.

Deuotion separated from knowledge in many of the Popish Cleargie.Yea how Deuotion hath been separated from knowledge, not in your laye people alone, but in your Priests too; whilest deuotion hath been so tyed to their daily saying of their Ma…tins and euensong, which without deadly sinne they may not leaue vnsayd, whiles in the meane time they vtterly cast aside the Apostles commaundement,1. Tim. 4.1 Tim 4 GiueGive attendance to reading, exhortation, and doctrine, in the answer of Iohn Lambert to the 25. Article to him obiected may partly appeare. I will onelyonly adde this one testimonie, that by the confession of some of your owne coate, which hauehave made any conscience of their carriage… may appeare, how carefullie your deuoutest Fryers hauehave been to couple knowledge with their imagined deuotion.D. Rayn. de Eccl. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 5. Franciscus Sampson generall of the order of the Friers Franciscans, reprouing both their ignorance and carelesnes hath these words. Pratres mei dilectissimi, à primordio nostrae Religionis floruit conscientia, &c. My beloued brethren in the beginning of p. 51our Religion there flourished conscience,11Conscientia. but our beauty by little & little sliding away, the first sillable was taken away, and there remained Scientia, 22Scientia.science or knowledge; but now our sinnes so deseruing, the first sillable is againe taken away, and we remaine Pura entia, & stipites & statuae, 33Entia.meere things which hauehave a being, euen very stockes, and blockes. To adde further proofe in a case so manifest, were to light a candle at noone day; yet this I will adde ex abundanti, Publike praier or deuotion in an vnknowne tongue.If publike praier in the Church and congregation of the faithfull be a chiefe and principall part of Deuotion, made you not Ignorance the mother of their Deuotion, when as ye would not allow their publike praiers in a tongue that the people vnderstoode? Yea your Cardinall Hossius vseth this reason,Hossius de sacro vernacule legendo. to proue that the Church seruice should be in the Latine tongue rather then the vulgar, because (saith he) since some vsed the vulgar and knowne tongue in Church seruice, Deuotion hath not onelyonly not been increased, but diminished: And our Countrey man, but the Popes Champion,Art. 3. pa. 75. D. Stapleton in an English booke that he writeth against Bishop Iuel, confidently affirmeth, that Deuotion is not furthered, but hindered by a tongue that is vnderstoode. In a word, D. Cole Deane of Paules, and one chosen not onelyonly to maintaine the Papists assertions against the Protestants, in the disputation at Westminster, but appointed by the Bishops and other his Colleagues to be the mouth for them all, whose speech in the end (they all being asked) did auow to be the mind, and saying of them all: euen he in that honorable assemblie of the Councell, and Nobles, and frequent p. 52concourse of the Commons, did with great vehemencie maintaine this proposition in these words, I say Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion. See the 27. article betwixt B. Iewel and Harding.And so (Sir Encounterer) you must be forced to take it both for a maxime, & minime, though minimè tibi placet to confesse a truth.

The second fayned position, wherewith it pleaseth this deepe Clerke to charge me, is because I say your Syde holdeth, that it is not for lay men to meddle in matters of Religion, &c. How the Papists allow lay men to meddle with matters of Religion.And for this (after your olde railing fashion) you charge me with subtiltie, and impudencie, my subtiltie you say I shew in this word (meddle) which may either signifie, that lay men must not determine, or define of matters of Religion; or else not to meddle or care for Religion at all. And surely (Sir) though I may giuegive you good leaue to take it in which fence you will, for in the former sence you will not deny, but that euen Princes are restrained to doe any thing in causes of Religion, within their own dominions without your generall Viccars warrant, which Romish conceite you shall finde learnedlie confuted by Doctor Bilson, who is now Bishop of Winchester: in the latter sence, I need not to labour any more proofe, then that before is set downe, touching your breeding of Gods children in blindnes and ignorance, and withholding the keye of knowledge from them, and how will you hauehave them meddle with, or care for that which they know not? Though I say I may well iustifie both, yet let me tell you, that you doe not well distinguish the word (meddle) for as to meddle may signifie to be present in Councels, &c. (in which sence you seclude p. 53the Laytie from medling with Religion) so likewise it may signifie to trie, and examine by the touchstone of Gods word the doctrine there taught,To meddle with Scriptures, is to examine by Scriptures the doctrine taught. Act. 17.Acts 17 and not to beleeue without farther discussing whatsoeuer their superiours teach them: And in this sence likewise you will not hauehave them meddle, yet the men of Berrhea are much commended for medling thus in Religion, in that hauing heard the Apostle they searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether those things were so as he deliuered; and to this medling doth the Apostle exhort all.1. Iohn 4.1 John 4 Deerely beloued beleeue not eueryevery spirit, but trie the spirits whether they be of God or not. And Chrisostome thinketh it an absurd thing, that all men should not thus meddle with Religion, Quomodo absurdum non est, &c. Chrysost. in 2. Cor. hom. 13.What an absurditie is that, for money we trust not other men, but count it and tell it after them; but for more excellent things simplie to follow other mens sayings, especially sith we hauehave the exactest rule and ballance of all, the testimonie of the lawe of God, therefore I pray and beseech you, that you will leaue what this and that man thinketh, and enquire all these things of the Scriptures.

Now how doe you permit lay men thus to meddle with matters of Religion,Papists forbid Lay men thus to meddle with Scriptures, and why. when as ye take from them the vse of the Scriptures; which (as the rule or leuell serueth the Architect to direct his building by, & the ballance trieth the true waight of eueryevery thing) plainly sheweth what doctrine is true, and to be imbraced, what false and to bee reiected. But no maruell that you hauehave forbidden them thus to meddle with matters of Religion, when you hauehave broached such doctrines, p. 54and maintained such opinions, as some of your selues confesse cannot be iustified by the Scriptures. It is recorded that some of the learneder sort of your Cleargie, hauehave vsed to say amongst their friends:Paraleip. Abb. vrsperg pa. 448 Sic diecrem in Scholis; sed tamen, (maneat inter nos, &c.) I would say so in the schooles, but yet (let it be kept secret amongst our selues.) I thinke the contrarie; we say so in the schooles, but yet it cannot be proued out of the Scriptures, &c. Howsoeuer it may be, you will generally be loath to confesse thus much of the Scriptures, yet the Fathers you hauehave not onelyonly mangled, and depraued, where their testimonies were pregnant against your errors (as for example that plaine place of Gregorie Nissen, Eam solummodo naturam quae increata est, colere & venerari didicimus we hauehave learned to adore and worship, onelyonly that nature which is vncreated, where your Spanish Diuines in their Index expurgatorius set down this direction, Deleatur dictio, solummodo, put out the word (only) & sundry such places as both our learned men hauehave discouered, & in your Indices are to be found out. But you plainly professe,In lex Expurg. cu… vt si Ber. &c (thinking it should hauehave remained secret among your selues, and neuer to hauehave come to our knowledge,) that in the auncient Fathers you do very often deny very many errors (meaning such sentences as make for vsus against you,) by inuenting some comment or exposition, and that you doe faine and deuise some conuenient sence, when they are by the aduersaries in disputations and conferences obiected against you: which things considered, should stir vp the spirits of all men thus to meddle with matters of Religion, and not by and by to beleeue and receiue p. 55eueryevery doctrine, because your Church teacheth it.

And now are we come to that high and capitall slaunder against the holy Pope-made Saint Thomas Becket, About Thomas Becket.whom I call a traitour, at which, the gall of this Popish Saint-seruer is so moued, that he taketh on, fretteth, & chafeth and (as another mad Aiax Flagellifer) threatneth that I shal rest with a broken head, as in another place he speaketh of cudgelling with blowes, and bastinadoes wherewith he supposeth to hauehave wrought a manly peece of worke. But (Sir) pause a while, the more rage, the lesse reason; and the the greater haste, commonly the worse speede. It were good aduise for you that threaten the breaking of other mens heads, to looke warily to your own, for the olde verse may happily be verified in you.

Saepe sagittantem didicit referire sagitta,

In que virum plagae, conuersarecurre re plaga.

The arrow oft vponupon the shooter doth rebound,

And he receiues y^e blow y^t others thought to wound,

To examine a little the state of this Becket, who was a traitor (as I affirme, & not I onelie but many before me) against Henrie the second, but (to vse the words of mine Author) taken vp and shrined for a newe Saint made of an olde Rebell, fiftie yeeres after his death, which was in the fourth yeere of Henrie the third. I doe openly professe (to auoide all such carpers and quarrell-pickers as this fellow is) to separate betweene his punishment and death, and betwixt his cause and carriage against his Prince. The first being outragious against all law and order, by priuate persons, not publikely authorised therto: the second traiterous and meritorious of death, the king hauing to p. 56that end iust matter enough, if he had pleased by lawe to prosecute the cause against him, which by sundrie euidences may be shewed, but some fewe shall serue.

The ground of Beckets quarrels with his King.And first if Ciprians rule be true, Non poena, sed causa facit Martyrem. It is not the punishment, but the cause that maketh the Martyr, what was the maine ground of the controuersie betwixt the King and him? was it not (as they terme them) the liberties of the Church, as this Encounterer granteth? liberties not spirituall, but carnall, not of Christes giuing, but of Antichrists deuising. There were as Authors affirme in that time of Henrie the second, more then a hundred murthers, besides other felonies proued vponupon the Clergie, which when the King would hauehave punished according to the lawes of the land, Becket opposeth himselfe, and beardeth the King in this so iust an action, vnderunder title of standing for the liberties of the Church: a holy quarrell no doubt, but such a Martyr, such a cause.

Becket goeth inta France against the kings will.From this straunge ground these proceedings ensued, there was a law and constitution, that neither Bishop nor Clerke should goe out of the land, without the kings licence, and then he should take an oth, not to procure any hurt against the king, or any of his: notwithstanding this proude Prelate, who durst protect felons and murtherers against the King and Iustice of the land, neither reuerencing King, nor obeying his lawes, passed ouer without licence to the King of France. Further being adiudged to prison, by the King, for refusing to giuegive accounts of great summes of money receiued by him, and Reignold p. 57Earle of Cornewall, and Robert Earle of Leicester, being sent to him, to tell him of the iudgement set downe against him; this meeke Martyr, and holy Saint was so farre from the obedience of a subiect, that he told the earle of Leicester in these words:Beckets words to the Earle of Leicester. That how much more precious the soule is then the bodie, so much more ought he to obey Becket then his terreine King: So notorious and euident was the rebellious opposition of this Popish Prelate against his lawfull Prince, that he was openly by the king, and his Nobles called Traitor, in that he refused to giuegive earthly honour to his King (as he had sworne to do) and therefore they generally agreed, that he was wel worthy to be handled as a periured Traitor and rebell,The King and Nobles adiudge Beckets a traitor. and therefore most impudent is this Ward-worders assertion, that neyther the King nor his Officers did charge him with treason.

If you please to adde hereunto, the arbitrement of this controuersie put into the French kings handes,The controuersie between Becket and the King put into the French Kings hands. with king Henries large offer, and Beckets proud refusall: there is no man (I hope) that knoweth what it is to be an obedient subiect, but will condemne him for a rebellious Traitour. The kings offer in that arbitrement was this, There hauehave been (saith he) Kings of England before me both of greater and lesse puissance then I am,The Kings officer. likewise there hauehave been many Bishoppes of Canturburie, both great and holy men; what the greatest and most holy of all his predecessours before him, hath done to the least of my predecessors before me, let him doe the same to me, and I am content. Which offer though it were in it selfe, and so deemed by all that stood by, not onelyonly p. 58reasonable, but more then reasonable; so that they all cried with one voice, the king hath debased himselfe enough to the Bishop:Proud Beckets refusall. yet the rebellious spirit of this Archbishop would not yeelde vntounto it, nor accept peace with his King vponupon so fauourable a condition. What a Giant-like pride & traiterous presumption is this, to refuse to yeelde so much obedience to his Prince and Soueraigne, as the greatest and holiest of his place hauehave alwaies yeelded to the meanest kinges of this land? what needeth any further proofe of Beckets treason? Yet if you will, you may remember the letter of Maud the Empresse to him:The letter of the Empresse. Wherin she chargeth him, that in as much as in him lay, he went about to disinherit the king, & to depriue him of his crown: and if the Empresse might be thought to speake partially on the King her sonnes behalfe; yet the two Cardinals, sent by the Pope to heare all this controuersie, out of question will not condemne him without iust cause. And yet in a letter sent from them to the Pope, they do condemne him of exciting & stirring vp forraine Potentates to make warre against his naturall liege Lord, the words of which letter were these.Two Cardinals censures of Becket. William and Otho Cardinals of the Church of Rome, to Alexander the Pope, &c. comming to the land of the king of England, we found the controuersie betwixt him, and the Archbishop of Canterburie, more sharpe and vehement then we would; for the King and the greater part about him, said, that the Archbishop had stirred vp the French King grieuouslie against him, as also the Earle of Flaunders his kinsman; (who was verie louing and kind to him before) he made his open aduersarie, readie to wage warre against p. 59him, as is by diuers euidences most certain, &c. Now for a subiect to stirre vp forraine States to make warre vponupon his Soueraigne and countrie, was at all times high treason; but that Becket did so, (by the Cardinals confession) was by diuers euidences most certaine, therefore Becket (not now his enemies, but his bre…hren, the sonnes of his owne mother being Iudges) was a traitor.

Who then but such a one as hath sold himselfe to all impudencie and shamelesse gainsaying the truth, would seeke to couer Beckets rebellions,About Beckets sainting. by the facts of Iohn Baptist, Ambrose, Hillarie, of Athanasius, Chrysostome, which hauehave as much agreement with the cause of Becket, as hath light with darkenes good with euill, sweet with sower? concerning whose Saint-being I will say nothing, sith my purpose is not to search what he is with God after his death, but what he was towards his Prince in his life, neither am I priuie to his repentance, which might be secret at the last gaspe, or to Gods iudgements, into which I presume not to presse. Yet you may remember, that long since, it was a generall Prouerbe of your Pope-made Saints, That many are worshipped for Saints in heauen, whose soules are burning in Hell: Ex. Auentino.and that in particular concerning Becket, great doubt was moued, as is by writers alleadged, out of Caesarius the Monke, whose words are these; Quaestio Parisijs inter magistros ventilata fuit, vtrum damnatus, an saluatus esset ille Thomas, &c. There was a question debated amongst the masters at Paris whether Thomas Becket was saued or damned. To this question answereth Roger a Norman, Disputation about Becket at Paris.that he was worthie death and damnation, because he was p. 60so obstinate against Gods minister the king. Peter Cantar a Parisien disputed on the contrarie,Argument of miracles. that his miracles were great signes and tokens of saluation and of great holines in him, &c. Which argument this Encounterer likewise vrgeth.

Popish miracles threefoldBut behold what strength is in it. For one of these we shall find to be true, that either they seemed only, and were no miracles indeed,11OnelyOnly in shew. such as many by the craft and conueiance of idle Monks hauehave been shewed to the people, as namely those miracles of the Dominicke Friers, in their hot contentions with the Franciscans about the conception of our Ladie,Act. & Mon. pag. 733. who thinking by sleight to worke in the peoples heads, that which by open preaching they durst not now attempt, deuised a certaine Image of the Virgin,Ex Pencero. Munst. Ca…ione, & aliis so artificially wrought, that the Friers by priuie gynnes, made it to stirre, to make gestures, to lament, to complaine, to weepe, to grone, and to giuegive answeres to them that asked, &c. vntill the Franciscans seeing by this meanes their credits to decay, and all the almes to be conueyed to the Dominickes boxe, and not being vnacquainted with such cousening practises, espied their iugling, and discouered their feined & fraudulent miracles. For which cause foure of the chiefest actors, in this iugling miracle were burned at Bern….

22Wrought by Sathan.Or secondly, if they were not counterfeite but done in deed, they were not wrought by God, but by the power of Sathan to draw men from Christ to Antichrist.

Of these the Apostle foretelleth vsus (that whensoeuer it commeth to passe it might not trouble vsus,) p. 61That the comming of Antichrist should be by the working of Sathan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders. 2. Thess. 2.2 Thess 2Wonders then Antichrist shall worke, but they are lying wonders, both in forme, because many of them are but counterfait; and in the end, because the end of all is to draw men from the truth, to lies & falsehood. For what was the end of these miracles? was it not to draw men to Idolatry? to the worship of the relicks of dead men? to shrine their bones in gold and siluer, and precious stones, as this Becket was vsed? was it not to drawe men to Canturburie, with their vowes, and offerings by heapes, out of which the Couent sucked no small aduantage? Of this dangerous temptatiō by miracles to draw vsus away from Christ to Antichrist, our Sauiour Christ hath likewise graciously forwarned vsus, saying:Math. 24.Matt 24 That there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets, and shall shew great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie elect. The miracles therefore which the munkish generation hath wrought by the power of Sathan, to draw men to Idolatrie, and to enrich themselues, I hope shall not much moue vsus, being forewarned of this temptation, and therefore well armed against it, especially if we remember that the Lord willeth the people of Israel, Deut. 13.Deut 13not to credit the Prophets (though they worke miracles) if thereby they seeke to draw them to Idolatrie, because the Lord doth this to proue them, whether they will louelove the Lord their God, with all their heart, and with all their soule.

Or else thirdly, they were neuer wrought,33Falsely deuised. neither indeed, nor in apparance, but were deuised by men of leaden hearts, & brasen faces, (as one termeth the author p. 62of your Golden legend) for the infinite inriching of their purses, and so are they onelyonly the shameles inuentions of the Munkes idle braines,Beckets miracles. and this seemeth most true in the miracles ascribed to Becket: which as by the number they discredit themselues, amounting to the number of 270. said to be wrought by him after his death (who neuer wrought any one in all his life:) so likewise by the qualitie of them, being farre off from all truth, and reason, some ridiculous, some monstrous, vaine, absurd, some also blasphemous, and some so impudent, that not only they deserue no credit, altogether sauouring of meere forgerie, but also for very shame wil abash an honest pen to write of them:Act. & Mon. pa. 204. As namely, that three daies after his death he appeared at the Altar in his pontificalibus, cō maunding the Quire not to sing, but to say this office of his Masse, Exurge quare obdormis domine, &c. Againe that it was shewed a Munke in a vision, that Becket had his place appointed in heauen, with the Apostles aboue Steuen, Laurence, &c. Also that a Knights sonne being two daies dead, was reuiued againe, so soone as he had a little of the water of Canturburie put into his mouth, and had by his parents foure peeces of siluer bended to be offred at Canturbury in the childs behalf: And further most blasphemously, that Becket in a vision did appeare and say that his bloud did crie out of the earth to God more then the bloud of righteous Abel; as also that Becket, appearing to a Priest named Thomas, told him that he had so brought to passe, that all the names of the Munkes of the Church of Canturburie, with the names of the Priestes and Clerkes, and with the families belonging to that Citie and p. 63Church of Canturburie, were written in the booke of life. These and many more absurd then these are the miracles ascribed to him, to proue him a Saint, dying in so holy a quarrell, and to fill the purses and fat the panches of idle Monkes.

But miracles are not rare at Rome, Miracles not rare amongst the Papists.the thing which may iustly bee thought most vntrue, shall bee confirmed with a miracle: Aquinas Diuinitie rules in all their schooles, will you doubt of the truth of it, and trie it by Scripture? that shall not need, it is confirmed by a miracle, and that a sound one. When hee was once praying to the Image of Christ crucified, the Image spake to him, Benè scripsisti de me Thoma, quā ergo mercedem accipies? D. Rain. ex breuiario Rom. & ex vita Th…. …ius operi. Romae editis prefixa.You hauehave written well of me Thomas, what reward wil you hauehave for your labour? of which that no man may doubt, it was testified by the oath of a deuout man, which hid himself there of purpose; belike the Image had spoken to him before, to be present secretly, & to bearewitnes of the matter.

Hiacinthus a Polonian, who dyed in the yeare 1257. was lately canonised for a Saint,D. Rain. ex. seuerin…. doe ye doubt whether the Pope did well therein or not? consider the miracles hee wrought, A young man that brake his necke from his horse being carried to Hiacinthus Tombe presently reuiued, and was restored whole and sound. Againe, a mayde hauing a calfe suddenly dead, runneth to his graue and prayeth him to reuiue her calfe againe: when shee came home, and found the Butcher skinning of it, the calfe mouing the leg that was fleyed, lifted vp the head, and was by and by as whole as a fish. And that ye may know it is no great noueltie with these fellowes, to hauehave stockes p. 64and stones to speake… when this Hiacinthus was aliue, and at the sudden irruption of the Tartarians, was readie to flie out of the Church, the Image of the Virgine Marie being an huge one, and of Alablaster called to him.Large talke betweene Hiacinthus and an image of Alablaster. O sonne Hiacinthus, dost thou flie from the hands of the Tartarians, and leauest me, with my sonne to be torne in peeces and trampled vnderunder their feete? therefore take me with thee: At which he being somewhat amazed, answered: O glorious Virgin, this Image of yours is too heauie, how can I carrie it with me? But she replied, take it, for my sonne shal lighten the burden. Whereupon he tooke it, and carried it in one hand, as if it had been as light as a reede, through the great riuer Borysthenes, on drie foote. Here is a tast of your strange miracles of Rome, but it is most strange that men should bee so bereft of reason and iudgement to beleeue them. If Calphurnius were liuing of whom the Poet writeth, Pleno ridet Calphurnius ore, and should reade the wonderfull miracles to the Popes Saints attributed, I suppose he would not onelyonly laugh with open mouth; but euen breake his bellie with laughing at these their ridiculous follies. The Lord giuegive vntounto vsus grace to louelove the truth, that we may be saued: least otherwise in his iust iudgement he send vsus strong delusions to beleeue such loude, and lewde lyes. And so I leaue Becket with all his miracles (as in stories I finde him recorded) the Kings rebell, and the Popes Saint.

The residue of the exceptions in this Encounter against me are altogether to false and friuolous, as I might well spare the labour in giuing any answere thereto, but that this foule-mouthed fellow (who p. 65sayleth in a Sea of words) painteth them out by the name of slanders, yea impudent and shameles slanders, that by such mightie words he might blinde the eyes, and steale away the affections of the simple readers; therefore a word or two of each of them. The next fained position wherewith he chargeth me is, that I holde The Pope and his Cleargie are to bee obeyed though they commaund blasphemies against God and disloyalties against Princes, which though you (Sir Encounterer) without all shame, and contrarie to your owne knowledge (if you hauehave knowledge in any thing but in rayling) do tearme a shamelesse slander: yet to as many as know Rome in any measure, it is well knowne and will be found a true accusation and iust charge.The Pope will be obeyed, commanding either disloyaltie or blasphemie. For proofe whereof, that which your owne men hauehave written of the infinite power of the Pope, may aboundantly suffice; namely, Though all the world would iudge in any matter against the Pope, yet wee ought to stand to the iudgement of him; for he seemeth to hauehave all lawes in the chest of his bosome; therefore whatsoeuer the Pope either alloweth or disalloweth, wee are bound likewise to allow or disallow the same. And whosoeuer is not obedient to the lawes of the Church of Rome, must be deemed an Heretike: and againe, it was as great a sinne as sacriledge, to reason of any of the Popes doings; and further that the Pope is said to hauehave an heauenly iudgement, therefore in such things as hee willeth, his will standeth for a reason; and though he draw infinite soules with him to hel, yet no man may presume to say to him, Why doe you thus? to whom whosoeuer denieth obedience, it is all one, as if hee p. 66did denie the Almightie power of God. These are all alleadged out of your owne decrees, and out of your owne doctors; and your holy M. Harding shameth not to tell vsus in his Inuectiue against Bishop Iewell of blessed memorie, that Christ now requireth of vsus, not to obay Peter and Paul, but him that sitteth in their chaire: so that by this diuinitie, we must obay the Pope, whatsoeuer Peter and Paul teach to the contrary. This (I hope) is a sufficient iustifying of my accusation. But if you will answere me, as Blasius did Laelius, demaunding whether if Gracchus did bid him, he would set the Capitol on fire: Nunquam voluisset id quidem: Surely he would neuer bid me so to do: that the Pope likewise would neuer command blasphemies against God, or disloyalties against Princes: For proofe against the first, I need go no further then our example of Thomas Becket, for whom the Pope not only commanded a solemne festiuall day to be kept, but in honour of him,Blasphemy by the Pope commanded. this blasphemous prayer to be vsed in that day.

Portiforium ad vsum Sarum in festo S. Tho. Caen…uar.Tuper Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit,

Facnos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit.

By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend,

Make vsus O Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend.

Then which what greater blasphemie can be vttered? to make any other Mediatour betwixt God and man, then the man Christ Iesus; and that by the blood and wounds, which is the proper prerogatiue of him, who was wounded for our sinnes, and done to death for our transgressions? But as if this p. 67were not blasphemie enough, behold yet a greater; euen Gods honour giuen to this Pope-holy Saint in this prayer made vntounto him.

Opem nobis ô Thoma porrige,

Rege stantes, iacentes erige,

Mores, actus, & vitam corrige,

Et in pacis nos viam dirige.

Thy helpe ô Thomas vntounto vsus extend,

Rule such as stand, raise them that fall,

Our manners, deeds, and sinfull life amend,

Into the way of peace eeke guide vsus all.

Shall I adde hereunto another like example which in part I hauehave alreadie touched? Sixtus the fourth taketh vp the controuersie betwixt the …ranciscans and Dominicks, about the conception of the blessed Virgin, and against manifest Scripture, plaine testimonies of fathers, and the streame of his owne Doctors, decreeth her conception without Originall sinne (so taking from Christ his prerogatiue) commaundeth the solemnizing of the feast of her conception, excommunicating and condemning them for heretikes that did gainesay it, and granting to as many as would heare Masse deuoutly, from the first euensong of that feast, to the Octaues of the same, as many daies of pardon, as Pope Vrbane the fourth, and Pope Martin the fifth did grant for hearing the seruice of Corpus Christi day. Yet here he staieth not, but not only abusing that as a praier to the Virgine, which was onelyonly the Angels salutation, and rather the Angels praier for her, then to her; for the better establishment of his new blasphemie, addeth to the expresse words of Scripture, commaunding the Aue Maria p. 68to be said with this addition, and giuing release of sinnes to as many as would inuocate the blessed Virgin with the same addition. Hayle Marie full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongest women, & blessed is the fruite of thy wombe, Iesus Christ, and blessed is Anna thy mother, of whom thy virgins flesh hath proceeded without blot of Originall sin. Amen. From hence did spring these & such like points of doctrine offered to the people, that she was not obliged to any punishment due for sinne no more then Christ, that she had no need of remission of sinnes, that if a Sauiour be taken for him, which saueth such as hauehave merited condemnation, then was not Christ her Sauiour, but onelyonly in this respect might be counted her Sauiour, for preseruing her from all sinne, and so sustaining her from falling into condemnation; these and such like new found blasphemies al mē must receiue, and hold her immaculate conception vnderunder paine of excommunication.

Disloyaltie by the Pope commaunded.Touching their commaunding of disloyaltie against Princes, I wish wee had not had too many proofes thereof, then should not our gracious Soueraigne hauehave been so often endangered, to the extreame griefe and feare of all true English hearts, and to the hazzard of vtter ouerthrow of true Religion, and the bringing in of a Chaos of temperall miseries vponupon vsus: which being sufficiently knowne and conceiued of all (but such as carrie in their bosomes the like false and flintie hearts that you doe,) I will spare to repeat any, the rather because I shall hauehave occasion to speake of them hereafter. But how like a Clerke you apply your three places of Scripture, alleadged p. 69to prooue simple obedience due to your Prelates, the first out of Heb. 13. ver. 8. the second out of the Ephes. 6. vers. 6. the third out of Rom. 13. vers. 5. I referre to the godly learned; yet if you will needes straine obedience to your Popish superiours out of these places of Scripture, I pray you intreat them (for I will spare here to except against their offices, and authorities) to ground their commaundements vponupon Scripture, and not to send ouer their Pupils to perswade subiects not onelyonly from obedience due to their Soueraigne, and to absolute them from their oath taken to obey, but to lay violent and bloudy hands vponupon the Lords annointed, wherby they shew to be guided rather by the spirit of Sathan that hartened Kaine to kill Abell, then by the spirit of God that taught Dauid to spare Saule.

There remaineth now onelyonly the fourth and last charge against me in this Encounter briefely to be discharged,About Pardons and Indulgences. namely, that I lay to your charge (vntruly as you say) that yee prescribe a meanes of deliuerie from all daungers (euen when men sinned immediately against God) which is a pardon from the Popes holines, and absolution from his holy Priestes. In which accusation what say I more then all the world knoweth to be true? Is it not strange that these men either so vnconscionably practise that openly, and generally, which they dare not auow, and iustifie? or so impudently denie, that, which they doe so commonly practise the Catholike doctrine is (saith this Champion) that the Popes and Churches Indulgences auaile not to remooue mortall sinnes, &c. neither doth the pardon remit the p. 70guilt of sinne, &c. But (Sir) whatsoeuer your doctrine is in this point, your practise is quite contrarie; neither is it any rare thing with your almightie Pope, to practise that generally by his infinite authoritie, which all his Doctors and schoole-men are ashamed to defend.Indulgences grounded neither vponupon Scripture, nor vponupon ancient Fathers. For as for the authoritie wherupon your indulgences are grounded, your owne men confesse, as namely (amongst the rest) Durandus, De Indulgentijs pauca dici possunt per certitudinem, quia nec scriptura expressè de ijs loquitur, sancti etiā patres Ambrosius, Hilarins, Hieronymus, Augustinus minime loquuntur de indulgentijs: Little can be certainly affirmed of indulgences, because neither the Scripture speaketh expressely of them, and the ancient fathers, Ambrose, Hilarie, Ierome, Augustine make no mention of them. Thus your selues truly confesse that ye hauehave neither warrant of Scripture, nor of auncient fathers for your Popes pardons, yet goe they currant.

The notorious abuses whereof, euen councels hauehave condemned, as the Lateran Councell,Councels condemne the abuses of the Popes pardons a Councell held at Vienna, and euen your Councell of Trent too, doth in generall termes condemne all abuses in these pardons, which by superstition, ignorance, irreuerence, hauehave crept in; though in speciall it name none, because (it seemeth) it intended not to reforme any. Notwithstanding whatsoeuer eyther your Doctors pressed with truth doe write, or your Councels for shame are forced to decree, the Pope hath forced for no shame to make marts and marchandise of mens soules by his pardons, and to sell sinne for money, as flesh is sold in the shambles. p. 71Whereof let those verses partly beare witnes, which are written in an auncient stone in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Stephen, amongst the Bituriges in Aquitania, a few whereof I will here set downe.

Hîc des deuotè, caelestibus associate,Ex Chemnicio de Indulgentijs.

Mentes aegrotae per munera a sunt tibi lotae,

Ergo venitote, gentes à sede remotae;

Qui datis estote, certi de diuite dote,

Te precor accelera, spargas hic dum potes, aera;

Et sic re vera, securè caelica spera.

GiueGive francklie here, in Heauen a place prepare,

Your sicklie soules by gifts cleane purged are,

Come people then which dwell far from this place,

Ye that doe giuegive, rest sure of mickle grace.

I pray thee haste, giuegive money while ye may,

Then surely hope for Heauen, at the last day.

And againe.

Hic si largè des, in coelo fit tua sedes,

Qui serit hîc, parcè comprendit in arce,

Cur tardas? tantùm nummi mihi des aliquantum;

Pro solo nummo gaudebis in aethere summo.

If thou giuegive freely here, Heauen is thy hire,

He that giues little, shall little there acquire,

Why staiest thou then? onelyonly some money giuegive,

For onelyonly money, thou in Heauen shalt liue.

To which wee may adde the complaint of the Princes of Germany against the Pope,The complain… of the Germaine Princes exhibited in the Councell at Norremberg, the third complaint being this; But especially the burden and grieuance of the Popes pardons and Indulgences are most importable. When as the Bishops of Rome vnderunder pretence of p. 72building some Church in Rome, or to warre against the Turke, do make out their Indulgences with their Buls, perswading and promising to the simple people, strange and wonderfull benefits of remission à Culpa & paena, from the guilt of their sinnes, and punishment due for the same: and not in this life onelie, but also after this life to them that bee dead burning in the fire of Purgatorie. Through the hope and occasion whereof, true pietie is almost extinct in all Germanie; While… eueryevery ill disposed person promiseth himselfe for a little money licence and impunitie, to doe what him listeth: whereupon followeth fornication, incest, adulterie, periurie, homicide, robbing and spoyling, rapine and vsurie, with a whole stood of mischiefes, &c. By which what was the generall and currant vse of the Popes pardons, is euident to be seene.

Tecelius.Tecelius the Popes Marchant, who set to sale Pope Leo the 10. his Indulgences in Germany for ten shillings the peece, doth so praise and set forth his ware, as that his pardons not onelyonly reached to the remitting of mortall sinne (which this Encounterer would faine deny) but that his Indulgences were of such validitie, that there was no sinne so great (though a man by impossible supposition had defloured the mother of Christ) but by them might be pardoned; and that a man by vertue of them is freed both from the guilt and punishment of his sinne. What should I adde, that it sufficeth them not to sell pardons for sinnes past,Pardous for sinnes to be committed. but that this mysterie of iniquitie preuailed so farre, as that it stretched to pardon sinnes to come. The sundry formes of which Buls, I could out of good authors here set downe, whereof (as is p. 73reported) fell out a prettie experiment with the same Tecelius, to whom a certaine Noble man commeth, confessing that he had a purpose to commit an haynous sinne, and heartely praieth to hauehave a pardon graunted him for hereafter: Tecelius setteth a great price vponupon that ware, but yet the Noble man payeth the money: shortly after, this Noble man laying waite for Tecelius in a wood, brake open his Coffers wherein was all his treasure that hee had gotten by fale of his pardons, and robbed him. Tecelius threatneth and curseth sore, but the Noble man sheweth him the Bull which he bought so dearely of himselfe, and merilie telleth him, this was the sinne which he purposed to commit, from which I am fully and in good forme absolued.

I would the opinion conceiued of the Popes plenarie pardons, did not induce Subiects to commit most hainous treason against the Lords annointed, to satisfie the Popes desire. Whereof an example may be seene in Parry, Parry.who vndertooke the murdering of her Maiestie, (as himselfe confessed) whereunto hee was the more strongly resolued by the Pardon from the Pope of all his sinnes, whereof Cardinall Como in his letter assureth him, the words to this purpose I hauehave thought good here to set down, translated into English out of the Cardinals letter.Caines spirit. And to the end you may be the more ayded by that good spirite, which hath induced you to this: his blessednes graunteth you full pardon and remission of all your sinnes, as you requested: assuring you that besides the merite you shall receiue in Heauen, his holines will make himselfe debter to acknowledge your deseruings in the best manner that he may.

p. 74Now how ignorant soeuer you presume me to be of the difference betwixt the Popes pardon, and the Priests absolution, because I make mention of them both together; I would your wisdome should well knowe, that for this deepe point of Catholike doctrine, I am as well acquainted with the speculation (though not practise) of it as your selfe. Howsoeuer they hauehave some differences, yet herein they concur as Simeon and Leui brethren in euill, that both are vsed as inducements to most hainous sins, thereby to satisfie the Popes pleasure. Sundry chronicles make mention of Simon the Monke of Swinested,Absolution. Simon a Monke. who poysoned King Iohn, that before the fact hee confessed his purpose to his Abbot, who highly commended his zeale, and gaue him absolution before-hand, for the committing of this wicked acte: whereunto I might ioyne the example of Iacobus Clemens who murdered the King of France,Iacobus Clemens being also before-hand confessed and absolued of it. But what neede I adde more, when as almost the whole world knoweth and crieth out, of the horrible abuses both of your Pardon-mongers, and absoluing Priests, to the strengthning of sinne, and decay of vertue?

The conclusion.That my conclusion seemeth absurd in the eies of your proud folly, I neither maruell, nor grieue at it: notwithstanding I do again affirme; that the blasphemie & blindnes of your Popish superstition is most aparant herein. And God be praised, that hath clered the spirituall sight of our English Nation, to hate and abhorre them, and with your gibing & railing I leaue you to disport your selfe, because I scorne to be a companion to men of those occupations. But if your p. 75needels eye be no straiter then to passe through confession, & to be enioined your popish penance, your high way to heauen is broad enough, especially when a pardon may be had in store (for some money) by vertue whereof any Priest may giuegive full remission of all sinnes at the hower of death.Iustification by faith. As for that which you blasphemously cal the open cart-way of onelyonly faith, you shall finde a straiter, and narrower passage, then you would beare the world in hand, if you conceiue not an historicall faith which may be dead, but a true, liuely, & iustifying faith; for though we be iustified by faith onelyonly, apprehending Christ his obedience, & merits, who was made sinne for vsus, that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him: yet are we not iustified by an onelyonly faith, such as is voide and destitute of good workes; but in the person of them that are iustified faith and good workes are vnited, and coupled together, though in the Act of iustifying they are seuered, it being the proper dutie of faith alone, as a hand to appehend, and take hold of Christ, who is made to vsus of God, wisedome, and righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that reioyceth, let him reioyce in the Lord. Heate and light are both inseparable in the fire, though it be the propertie of the heat onelyonly to warme, and not of the light: so are faith and good workes coupled in as many as are iustified, though we be iustified through faith onelyonly. Therefore we are necessarilie to exercise our selues in good works, dying to sinne and liuing to righteousnes, if wee hope hereafter to liue with Christ eternally. For it is true that Ambrose hath, p. 76Sicut sancti sunt membra Christi; sic impij sunt membra Dioboli: As those that are holy, are the members of Christ; so are the wicked ones the limmes of Sathan: and so with the words of the Prophet I conclude. This is the way, walke in it, Esay. 30.Isa 30and God almightie for his Christes sake giuegive euen you grace to finde this way in time.