A Retractive from the Romish Religion, Motive 12

A Retractive from the Romish Religion · Motive 12

p. 419MOTIVE XII. ¶ That Church which maintaineth it ſelfe, and the Religion profeſſed by it, and ſeeketh to diſaduantage the aduerſaries by vnlawfull vniuſt, and vngodly meanes, cannot bee the true Church of God, nor that Religion the truth of God, by the grounds whereof they are warranted to act ſuch deuiliſh practices: but ſuch is the practice of the Romiſt Church, and therfore neither their Church, nor their Religion can be of God.

IT is a wonder to ſee what deuiſes, ſleights, impoſtures, and deuiliſh practices the Romaniſts hauehave, and now at this day doe more then euer vſe, to vphold their rotten Religion, & to enſnare mens minds with the forlorne ſuperſtitiō, their kingdome being ready to fall, they care not with what props they vnderunder-ſhore it, and the truth preuailing againſt them, they care not with what engines, though fetched from hell it ſelfe, they vndermine it, ſo that they may any wayes batter the walles, or ſhake the foundation thereof. My purpoſe is in this Chapter to diſcouer ſome of the Sathanicall practices of theſe ſubtle Enginers, I meane, the Ieſuites and Prieſts, and p. 420other rabble of Romiſh proctors: It is not poſſible to reckon them vp all, being ſo many and various: ſuch therefore (God willing) ſhall be heere diſcouered, as are for villany moſt notorious, for impudency moſt ſhameleſſe, and for certainty moſt perſpicuous; and by them let the Chriſtian Reader that loueth the truth, iudge of their Religion and Church, what it is.

2. The firſt propoſition of this argument is grounded vponuponMaior. three principles▪ one of nature, another of reaſon, the third of Scripture: nature teacheth, that contraries are cured, that is, expelled by contraries, as hot diſeaſes by cold medicines, and cold by hot, light by darkeneſſe, and darkeneſſe by light. Now trueth and falſhood, good and euill, godlineſſe, and vngodlineſſe, are thus contrary; and therefore naturally expelling each other, they cannot bee meanes of each others preſeruation: that cannot then bee the trueth, which ſecketh to with-hold it ſelfe by falſhood, nor true Religion, which is a doctrine according to godlineſſe, which maintaineth it ſelfe by vniuſt, vngodly and wicked practices: this is natures voyce, to which reaſon ſubſcribeth, when it concludeth, that it is not onelyonly improbable, but impoſſible that Vertue ſhould ſeeke for Vices helpe, to fortifie it ſelfe withall; or trueth for falſhood to maintaine it: ſeeing the chiefe eſſence of Vertue is to fly Vice, and of Trueth, to bee free from Falſhood. Plntarchs Morals, Ariſtotles Ethicks, Tullies Offices, and all practi…ke of Philoſophy auoucheth this to be true: but if from nature and reaſon▪ the hand-maides, wee aſcend to Religion the Miſtris, wee ſhall finde in Scripture this vndeniable maxime▪ Rom. 3. 8.Rom 3:8Euill is not to bee done, that good may come of it: and therefore they which ſhall doe ſo, Saint Paul ſayth, Their damnation is iuſt: whence it followeth, that deuiliſh and miſchieuous practices, vndertaken for defence of Religion, and warranted by the grounds thereof, doe both argue a rotten Religion; (for like mother, like daughter, according to the Prouerbe:) and alſo prooue the profeſſours and practicers thereof to bee lyable to the iuſt damnation, alloted by the Spirit of God to ſuch wicked perſons: there is no cuaſion from this p. 421concluſion, except they ſay that their practices are not euill; which whether they bee or no, the particulars of the ſecond propoſition, ſhall propound to the iudgement of him that will with an indifferent eye looke vntounto them, and ſo I leaue this firſt propoſition, fortified with three ſtrong rampiers of Nature, Reaſon, and Religion; and come to the ſecond, wherein the pith and marrow of the argument conſiſteth.

3. That the Church of Rome is guilty of ſuch vngodlyMinor. courſes, for the maintainance of it ſelfe, and their Religion, though miſerable experience doth ſufficiently prooue, yet becauſe whilſt things are conſidered in groſſe, they hide much of their worth and weight; therefore it ſhall not be a miſſe to diſplay them in particular, and to offer them by retaile to ſuch as hauehave a minde to apprehend the true value of their counterfeit wares. In theſe ſixe particulars therefore (to omit many other) I arraigne them as guilty before God and men: firſt of horrible treaſon: ſecondly, of cruell murther: thirdly, of damnable periury: fourthly, of groſſe lying: fift, of impudent and malicious ſlaundering: and laſtly, of apparent forgery; and theſe be the propps and pillars of their Religion, by theſe they labour to procure credit to themſelues, and diſgrace to vsus: and with theſe weapons they fight againſt all that oppoſe themſelues againſt their damned opinions.

4. Touching their treaſons, periuries, and cruelties, they are ſufficiently diſcouered in the firſt and ſecond reaſons before going, to which I referre the Reader for his full ſatisfaction: onelyonly note, that as their practices hauehave beene notorious in theſe kindes, ſo they are deriued fundamentally from the grounds of their Religion: notorious I ſay, for who hath not heard of the ſoule treacheries and conſpiracies, practiſed by Popes, and their Agents againſt Kings, Emperours: ſome they hauehave depoſed, ſome priſoned, ſome murthered▪ ſome expelled their kingdomes, ſome betrayed into the hands of their enemies, ſome perſecuted and vndermined, and that by treacherous plots, and helliſh deuices; to omit all others, and to confine my ſpeach to our owne Countrey: the pretended Spaniſh inuaſion, in the yeere 1588, by that great Armado▪ p. 422compounded of 138▪ great ſhips, addreſſed by the Popes inſtigation, who bleſſed and Chriſtened it with the name of an inuincible Nauie; and way made by the Ieſuites and Seminaries, who like Pioners and ſecret ſpies, indeauoured to vndermine the ſtate, to ſpie out all conueniences for the enemies, and to prepare mens hearts and hands to giuegive aſſiſtance to them. The Iriſh rebellion blowen by the bellowes of Rome, animated by Doctour Saunders, and other Prieſts, ſent toCoſter. Apolog. part. 3. c. 9. incourage the rebels againſt their lawfull Prince: or as Coſter the Ieſuite confeſſeth, to be helpers to them in matters of conſcience: and laſtly, the laſt horrible helliſh, neuer ſufficiently to bee deteſted, Powder-treaſon, (which if it had come to execution, as it was neere to the point, would hauehave beene enrolled for euer amongſt the wonders of the world: and now the wonder is that nature could afford ſuch monſters, to deuiſe ſuch a villany: or that any ſhould bee ſo beſo…ted▪ as to approoue of that Religion, which was the mother of ſuch a monſter. This I ſay, in which Romaniſts onelyonly were actours: Ieſuites Plotters, and the Pope the Ab…tter: (for Cateſby, Percie, Rookwood, Winter, Grant, and the reſt, were ranke recuſants. Garnet, alias Walley, alias Roberts, alias Darcie, alias Farma…, alias Philips: (was euer any honeſt, that had ſo many names) Hall, alias Oldcorne: Teſmond, alias Greeneway, and others, were profeſſed Ieſuites: and Baynham was ſent to Rome, to giuegive notice to the Pope of this bloudy practice, whereupon ſolemne prayers and ſupplications were made by his direction▪ for the good ſucceſſe thereof. Theſe I ſay, doe witneſſe ſufficiently, that treaſon is an ordinary practice amongſt that generation, for the maintenance of their Religion & pompe, and that they thinke it a lawfull and laudable act ſo to doe, it being the common doctrine of the Ieſuites and Canoniſts, that if a King be excommunicate, either ipſo facto, (as he is, if hee bee an Heretike by their doctrine) or by denunciation from the Pope, then his ſubiects are no further to obey him, but to rebell againſt him, yea depoſe and kill him, if by any meanes they can: and though they diſpence with their allegiance, during the neceſſity of time, yet it is with this limitation, p. 423quoad, vntill they bee of ſufficient power, and hauehave fit opportunity to worke their purpoſe. This pernicious doctrine flowed from the mouthes and pens of Sunancha, Creſwell, alias Philopater mariana Lupus, Treſham, Bellarmine, Emanuell Sa; and almoſt all the reſt of that treacherous generation.

5. Againe, their periuries are alſo ſo notorious, that I need2. not to inſiſt vponupon them: for who knoweth not that Canon of the Councill of Conſtance, which decreeth, that faith is not to bee held with Heretikes: and that ſentence of a Pope reported by Guic…ardine, that the Church is not bound with oathes: and that common doctrine of the Ieſuites, that a ſubiect is not tyed by his oath, to obey his King excommunicated: and who hath not read of Pope Eugenius, with his Legate Iulian, animating the King of Hungary to breake his league with Amurath the Turke, and of Atto Archbiſhop of Mentz, perfidiouſly againſt his oath, betraying Albert Count of Franconia, into the Emperour Lodowick the fourths hands: and of Rodulph, Duke of Sueuia, inſtigated by the Pope, to falſifie his oath of alleageance, to Henry the Emperour, and of Burghard, Archbiſhop of Magdeburge, releaſed of his oath to his owne citizens, by Pope Iohn the 23. And of Sigiſmund the Emperour, who was conſtrained by the …, to falſifie his oath, giuen to Iohn Huſſe, and Ierome of Prage, for their ſafe conduct to the Councill of Conſtance, and of Pope Zacharie: Boniface the ſixt, and Benedict de la Lune, who vnbound the French men from their oath of obedience to their Kings▪ and of Gregory the ſeuenth, with other ſucceeding Popes, who did the like to the Germanes, in reſpect of diuers Emperours▪ and laſtly of Pius Quintus, that excited the ſubiects of Queene Elizabeth, to the breach of their faith, and open rebellion: all which doth ſhow, that they make no conſcience of periury, ſo that they may maintaine thereby their Hierarchie and Religion, which to bee ſo, this one teſtimony will ſufficiently beare witneſſe out of the French Chronicles, when a league was made between Charles the ninth, and the Prince of Condy: the Ieſuites (ſayth the author) cryed out dayly in their ſermons, that peace was not to bee made with Heretikes, and p. 424being made, was not to bee kept, that it was a godly thing to lay violent hands on thoſe vnpure perſons, &c.

6. Laſtly, their murthering cruelty, exerciſed againſt all3. that ſtand in their way, is ſo notorious, that I need not toAuent. lib. 5. Abbas Vrſperg. ſtand vponupon it: the examples of Henry the Emperour, marked out by Pope Hildebrand, to bee murthered by the tumbling down of a great ſtone vponupon his head, in Saint Maries Church, though with euill ſucceſſe; for the V…rlet himſelfe that was ſuborned to doe this feat, tumbled downe headlong together with the ſtone, and ſo was cruſhed in pieces before the EmperourMath. Paris in Henr. 3. Pet. de vincis l. 2. epiſt. 10. & 20. Cuſpinian. vita Freder. 2. came into the place. The poyſoning of Frederick the ſecond, by the ſecret practice of Innocent the fourth, and of Conrade by the meanes of the ſame Pope: and of Lewes of Bauary, by the appointment of Clement the ſixt, and of Henry of Lucemburgh, by a Iacobine Fryer of Saint Dominicks order; and that (O horrible impiety) in the bread of the Sacrament, mixed with adamantine duſt: and of Iohn of England, by a Monke of Swineſtead Abbay: & of Henry the third of France, ſtabbed by a Iacobine Fryar: and of Henry the fourth, murthered by Rauillac, that Deuill in humane ſhape, who beeingCauſabon epiſt. ad fronton. pag. 14. demaunded by the Iudges, why he committed that horrible act, anſwered without bluſhing▪ Becauſe the King went about to aide the Proteſtant Princes of Germany, contrary to the Popes minde, whom hee did beleeue to be a God vponupon earth: and of Parry, Lopez, Squire, with many other, which were ſuborned to murther our late Queene: and of Faulx, that was prepared with a match kindled at Rome, and a the euiſh Lanthorne to blow vp the Parliament houſe. Theſe exanples I ſay, with many other, that might bee produced, doe euidently euince them, to make no conſcience of ſhedding blood, and murther, for the maintenance and defence of their Religion.

7. Which that it may yet further appeare to be true, conſider the infinite numbers of H…gonets, that is, Proteſtants, which hauehave been ſlaine in France alone, for refuſing the marke of the beaſt. In the Low Countreyes, 36000. at leaſt, are knowne to hauehave beene put to death by the Duke of Alba, for not yeelding in all things to the Romiſh Religion. The like p. 425perſecution hath beene in other Countreyes, and is ſtill at this day, where their bloody inquiſition taketh place, by theƲergerius. Bal…us de actis Pontif. which in thirty yeeres (as ir is recorded by Authors of ſufficient credit) a hundred and fifty thouſand Chriſtians were miſerably murthered: and that which is to be noted, it rageth againſt none but Proteſtants, ſo that euen in Rome, a man may bee either Iew. Turke, or Infidell, or what els, and bee neuer queſtioned: but a Proteſtant, hee cannot be, but with danger of his life. What ſhould I ſpeake of the multitude of poore innocents, that were in this land of ours, adiudged to the ſtake, in the fiue yeeres raigne of Queene Mary. Smithfield, Colcheſter, Couentrie and Norwich, and almoſt all the other great townes, beare witneſſe of this their cruelty, and the Innocent blood of theſe poore ſoules, doth ſtil cry for vengeance againſt them.

8. And yet all this is nothing to thoſe horrible and outragious Maſſacres, whereby whole multitudes hauehave beene but▪ hered like ſheepe in a ſlaughter houſe, witneſſe that miſerableHoſiand. Cent. 13. l. 1. c. 4. Platina Innocent 3. ſlaughter made of the Albigenſes, by Fryar Dominick and Simon Monfort, which going aſtray from the truth, (if all be true which is written of them) theſe butchers did not labor to reclaime by perſwaſions and gentle meanes, but oppreſſed them by armes at the firſt, and ſo ſent them packing to hell without repentance: witneſſe alſo that fearefull Powder treaſon intended, not executed, which if it had taken effect, ſuch a maſſacre of men, and thoſe of higheſt place and worth, had beene made as neuer yet the Sunne ſaw the like. And laſtly, witneſſe that dreadfull maſſacre in France, vnderunder Charles the ninth, when in one night were murthered at Paris many thouſand Proteſtants, with the illuſtrious Admirall of France; and at Lions, and other places, within one month, as ſome ſay 40000. as others aboue 30000. The greateſt and moſt grieuous perfecution in the Primitiue Church, is not to bee compared to this; for it is recorded, that vnderunder Diocleſian, 17000. were martyred in one month; but behold heere the number doubled, that we might certainly know and beleeue that the Pope is that true and great Antichriſt, vnderunder whom, p. 426and by whoſe meanes the greateſt perſecution that euer befell the Church of God ſhould happen.

9. Neither is there doctrine any whit diſſonant from their practice: for thus Bellarmine deliuereth it in plaineBell. de Rom. Pontif. l. 5. c. 6. termes: as in a Chriſtian, the Spirit is to rule, ouer the fleſh, & to chaſtiſe it, and keepe it vnderunder, yea ſometimes to vndergoe death it ſelfe, as in the Martyrs: ſo the ſpirituall power reſiding in the Church (that is in the Pope) is to bridle and reſtraine the temporall, by all meanes what ſoeuer, if it rebell againſt it: yea the Cardinall Como, in his letters to Parry the Traitour, animateth him to the murther of the good Queene, by his damned poſition, that it is meritorious to kill a King excommunicate: and ſome of them goe yet deeper into hell, and entitle it an heroicall act, that is, no ordinary meritorious worke; but ſuchIeſuita Sicar. an extraordinary exploit, as none but men of a more then humane Spirit can performe; and for which an higher place in Heauen is reſerued, then for common merits. Can this Religion now bee of God, that is thus maintained by treachery, periury and blood-ſhed? Is not this Church rather the purple coloured harlot, ſpoken of in the Reuelation, embrued and dyed red with the blood of the Saints, then the true Catholike Church of Chriſt? Theſe things are ſo notorious, that I need not further enlarge them.

10. Leauing therefore theſe, I come to the three laſt wicked4. meanes, whereby they maintaine their Religion: vponupon which if I inſiſt ſomewhat longer, let the Reader beare with mee, for ſo the nature and nouelty of the matter requireth. Their next practice then to defend their Church and Religion is, by groſſe and palpable lying and falſhood; yea, ſo groſſe and palpable, that any ciuill honeſt man would bluſh to be reputed the author of ſuch fables, which they obtrude vponupon ſilly people, as verities, neceſſary to bee beleeued, and which they like ſimple creatures giuegive faith vntounto, aſmuch as vntounto the Goſpell it ſelfe: and neither is the one or the other any maruaile, ſeeing Saint Paul propheſied long agoe, that on the one2. Theſſ. 2. 9.2 Thess 2:9 ſide Antichriſt his comming ſhould be according to the efficacy of Sathan, in all power, in lying ſignes and wonders: and on the p. 427other, that God would ſend vponupon them that receiued not the louelove 2. Theſſ. 2. 11.2 Thess 2:11of the truth, ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould beleeue lyes: ſo that by this prophecy, one of the chiefeſt props of Antichriſts kingdome, muſt bee lyes: and therefore the Church of Rome making no conſcience thereof, ſheweth it ſelfe to be no better then the Synagogue of Antichriſt: If they ſay that they doe it to a good end, namely, to maintaine the truth: I anſwere with Iob: Nunquid Deus indiget mendacio veſtro, vt pro illo loquamini dolos? Doth GOD ſtand in need of your lye, that youIob. 13. 9.Job 13:9 ſhould ſpeake deceitfully for his cauſe? no, he will ſurely reprooue you for it: and with Saint Auguſtine: Cum humilitatis Aug. de verbis Apoſ…ol.cauſa mentiris, ſi non eras peccator, antequam mentireris, mentiendo efficieris quod euitaras: that is, If thou telleſt a lye for humility ſake, (or for the truths ſake) if thou were not a ſinner before, by lying thou art made that which thou didſt auoid: what can bee more pithily ſpoken for the reproofe of theſe men, who by falſhood, pretend to eſtabliſh the truth, and by lying to vphold their Religion: and if neither the Scripture, nor this holy Father, are regarded by them; then let them heare the cenſure of the Heathen Cicero, whoCic. Offic. 3. concludeth, that in virum bonum non cadit mentiri emolumenti ſui cauſa: It falleth not to a good man to lye, no notAntonin. parta. c. 8. tit. 2. Salmer in Rom. 5. diſp. 52. Eſpencer. com. in tim. Dig. 1. Canus loc. l. 1. c. 6.Rom 5 for his owne profite ſake: what are they then in his account, who make a common practice to lye for their aduantage? But leſt I ſhould bee thought to accuſe them falſely, and in reproouing their lying, to fall into the ſame vice my ſelfe; let vsus take a ſhort view of ſome of their notorious vnt…uths, which are ſparſed in their bookes. And heere to omit their lying Reuelations, lying priuiledges, falſe Canons, forged donations, counterfeit de▪ lying martyrologies, all which are ſtuffed with notorious falſities, and that by the confeſſion of their owne Doctours: I will inſiſt onelyonly vponupon their lying miracles, wherein they vaunt themſelues as a marke of their Church, and wherewith they labour to vphold moſt of their erronious opinions.

11. And firſt touching their miraculous tranſubſtantiatiō,1. p. 428and adoration of the Sacrament: not finding in Scripture ſufficient proofe for it: it is ſtrange to ſee how many monſtrous miracles they hauehave deuiſed for to win credit thereunto. Bozius, Bozius de ſignis l. 14. c. 3.a man of great fame amongſt them, telleth vsus theſe three tales: firſt, that Anthony of Padua, cauſed his horſe to kneele downe and worſhip the holy hoaſt, by which ſtrange ſight, a ſtout Heretike was conuerted to the true faith. And ſecondly, Saint Francis had a Cade Lambe, which vſed to goe to Maſſe, and would duely kneele downe at the eleuation, and adore. And thirdly, that a certaine deuout woman, to cure her Bees of the murren, and to make them fruitfull, put a conſecrated hoaſt into the Hiue, which when after a time ſhee tooke vp, ſhee not onelyonly found a miraculous increaſe, but ſaw alſo a ſtrange wonder, the Bees had built a Chappell in the Hiue, with an Altar, and windowes, and doores, and a ſteeple with Bells, and had laid the hoaſt vponupon the Altar, and with a heauenly noyſe flew about it, and ſung at their Canonicall houres, and kept watch by night, as Monkes vſe to doe in their Cloiſters. Who would not beleeue now but that the hoaſt is to be adored, if hee be not more ſenſleſſe then a horſe, or a Bee, or a Cade Lambe? But if this be true, why are Mice ſo prophane, that they dare rend it with their teeth? And why doth not the Popes Hackney kneele downe, and doe reuerence vntounto it, when hee carrieth it on his backe, accompanied with muletters, and horſe-keepers, and Courtiſans, and Cookes, with ſumpter-horſes, and all the baggage of the Court, as oft as hisIohan. Monluc. Mih. de Rel. ad Reg. Mat. Fulmen Bruturn. pag. 12. & 13. Holineſſe is to trauell abroad; when hee himſelfe followeth, moūted vponupon a goodly white palfrey, accōpanied with Cardinals, Primates, Biſhops, & Potentats? Is more honor to be giuen to Chriſts Vicar, then to Chriſt himſelfe? Or was Anthonies horſe more religious then all the Popes horſes? yea then the Pope himſelfe, and all his traine? And if the hoaſt bee ſo ſoueraigne a preſeruatiue for Bees, why doe any good houſewiues ſuffer their Bees to periſh, ſeeing they may hauehave the hoaſt for God amercy, or at leaſt wiſe for a very ſmall price? In the booke of the conformities of Saint Francis, wee findeLib. conformit. Sancti Franciſ. this miracle: On a time Fryer Francis ſaying Maſſe, found a p. 429Spider in the Chalice, which hee would not for reuerence to the Sacrament caſt out, but drunke it vp with the blood: afterward rubbing his thigh, and ſcratching where it itched, the Spider came whole out of his thigh, without any harme to either: O ſtrange miracle; and yet not ſo ſtrange as this, that Chriſts bloud in the Chalice, ſhould poyſon Pope Victor; except Francis a Fryer were more holy then Victor a Pope: or the blood in one Chalice, were of greater force then in the other: but peraduenture the Prieſt in the one, had no intention to turne the wine into blood, as the Prieſt in the other had: and then wee know there can be no conuerſion: but no maruaile if this be true, ſeeing in the feſtiual of Corpus Chriſti day, we read as great a wonder as this: to wit, of a Prieſt, that hauing loſt the hoaſt in a wood, as hee came to houſell a woman that was ſicke, and hauing whipt himſelfe for his negligence, went backe to ſeeke his Lord God, and at laſt ſpying a pillar of fire, that reached from the earth to heauen, ran thereunto, and found Gods body at the foot of that pillar, and all the beaſts of the forreſt about it, kneeling on their foure knees, and adoring it with great deuotion, ex ept one blacke horſe, which kneeled but on one knee, and that blacke horſe (ſayth the ſtory) was a fiend of hell, who had turned himſelfe into that ſhape, that men might ſteale him, and bee hanged, as many had beene. This as it was reported to bee done not far from Exbridge in Deuon-ſhire: ſo it was as ſolemnely read in the Church, and as verily beleeued, as any miracle that euer Chriſt wrought: who can doubt now, but that the bread in the Sacrament, is really changed into the body of Chriſt, and the wine into his blood, if this be true.

12. Againe, to proue their doctrine of concomitance, that2. is, that whole Chriſt is vnderunder both formes of the Sacrament:Bell. de Sacramento Euchar. l. 4. c. 14. Bellarmine produceth examples out of Surius: Ʋincentius, and Alexander Aleuſis, where miraculouſly out of the bread being broken, blood plentifully flowed to the view of the beholders: which if they were true, as may very wel be doubted, yet euince not that doctrine: for thoſe miracles might be wroght rather for the cōuictiō of profane & irreligious receiuers, p. 430& confirmation of Chriſtian Religion, againſt all enemies therof, whether Infidels or Heretikes, then for the proof of the reall preſence, or cōcomitance of both parts of the Sacrament, vnderunder one ſigne: but that they were not true, wee hauehave iuſt cauſe to ſuſpect, ſeeing the eldeſt of thoſe miracles are litle aboue a hundred yere old, at what time true miracles were vtterly ceaſed in the Church, & falſeones were foiſted into their roomes, as witneſſeth Lyranus, who ſayth, that the people in his Lyran. in Dan. 14.time were notably deceiued by falſe miracles, forged by Prieſts, and their complices for gaine: and Canus, who affirmeth, that writers in his time forged many things of purpoſe, and ſuggeſted Canus loc. l. 11. c. 6.falſe miracles, to pamper the peoples humor, and to gaine credit to Religion: and in that reſpect taxeth diuerſe graue authors, for their proneneſſe in ſatisfying the peoples appetite: and Agrippa, who ſayth, that the writers of hiſtories making godly lies, Agrip. de v. v…it. c. 97.did counterfeit Reliques, frame miracles, and deuiſe terrible fables: let theſe goe then amongſt the reſt, for at leaſt ſuſpected, if not conuinced falſhoods.

13. Further for the proofe of their Canonization, and inuocation3. of Saints, it is a wonder to ſee how many wonders they hauehave deuiſed. For to omit that which Cardinall Baronius Baron. anno 1028.reports as a truth, out of Guillerinus, and Vincentius, touching Saint Fulbert, that becauſe he was a moſt deuout worſhipper of the Virgin Mary, therefore ſhee came vntounto him in his ſickneſſe, and gaue him her breſts to ſucke: as alſo how ſhee came to Saint Bernard in his ſickneſſe, to viſit him, accompaniedƲita Bernard. l. 1. c. 13. with Saint Lawrence, and Saint Benedict: and to omit how Saint Dominick cauſed the Deuill to hold the Candle …o him, till it burnt his fingers: which Canus brandes with theCanus loc. l. 11. c. 6. ſtampe of a ridiculous fable: and how Saint Dunſtone pulled the Deuill by the noſe, or by the lip (as ſome other ſay) with a paire of Pincers; which beeing as ridiculous as the former,Delrio diſqu. magic. tom. 2. l. 4. c. 1. Antonia. 3. part. tit. 24. c. 2. Boz. de ſignis l. 15. c. 3. yet is allowed by the Ieſuit Delrio for truth: to omit alſo how their Saint Francis had the fiue wounds of Chriſt printed in his fleſh by an Angell, with the nailes ſticking therein, and continually bleeding till his dying day: that hee vſed to ride in the aire, in a fiery chariot, talking with Chriſt, and p. 431Mary, and Iohn, and accompanied with innumerable Angels: and that the birds would heare him preach, with great deuotion: and a wolfe was conuerted by him, whom he called brother wolfe, and ledde him about with him in his iourney: asBreuiar. Rom… pii quimi. alſo to omit how Saint Denis had his head ſtroken off, and after carried i… two miles in his hands: the like to which is written of Iuſtinian the Monke. Saint Othiſa, Saint Fulcian, Engliſh feaſt d… Sancto … chol. Legend. Anglic. fol. 261. Capgrau. leg. fol. 35.and Saint Ʋictorice: and how Saint Nicholas in his infancy, lying in his cradle, of himſelfe fai…ed Wedneſdayes and Frydayes, and would not take ſuck: and how Saint `Patrick cauſed a ſtollen ſheepe to bleat in the belly of him that had eaten it: and how Saint Bede preached to the ſtones, and they anſwered his prayer, and ſaid, Amen, venerable Bede.

14. To omit I ſay all theſe and many more, as beeing ordinary and common tales in eueryevery mans mouth: I will onelyonly commend vntounto the Readers admiration, ſome few more rare, and yet no whit leſſe ſtrange: as for example, a Parrate being like to bee ſurprized by a hauke, flying ouer the ſhrine ofLegend. Thom. of Caunterb. Saint Thomas of Canterbury, cryed miraculouſly, Saint Thomas, helpe moe: and preſently the hawke fell downe dead, and the Parrat eſcaped: ſo the famous Virgin of Lauretto, when as a certaine man was on the ladder, ready to bee hanged, being accuſed falſely for purloyning his maſters hawke, aſſooneTurſell Ieſuit. l. 4. as hee did but thinke of her in his heart, and deſire her helpe, the hawke came foorth with i…ngling in the aire, and houering ouer his head, and at laſt light vponupon the gallowes, and ſoLegend. Sancti. Chriſtopher. freed the poore man from the halter. Saint Chriſtophers ſtaffe beeing pitched into the ground, began preſently to beare leaues, whereupon eight thouſand men were conuerted to the faith of Chriſt. A Nunne called Beatrix, running away with her Paramour, liued certaine yeeres in a publike brothel-houſe;Caeſarius Heſter, bach. l. 7. c. 35. but becauſe ſhee was a deuout worſhipper of our Lady, our Lady her ſelfe ſupplied her roome in the Nunnerie, and was taken for Beatrix, all the time of her abſence.Legend. Lombard. Saint Chriſtines tongue was cut out of her head, and yet ſh…e ſpake notwithſtanding, and her breſts beeing cut, inſteed of blood, milke iſſued. Saint Brice beeing accuſed to bee the p. 432father of a baſe childe, cauſed the ſaid child, being but thirty dayes old, to ſpeake, and confeſſe that Brice was not his father: the ſame alſo is ſaid to carry hote coales in his boſome, without burning his fleſh or clothes. Saint Aidus eſpyingCapgraua. eight wolues that were ſore hungry, gaue them eight lambes of meere compaſſion, which afterwards by prayer bee obtained lafe and found out of the wolues bellies. Saint Adrian beeing called vponupon by a boy that was beaten, the Maſters hand was ſtayd in the aire, ſo that hee could no more touch him.

15. What ſhould I tell you of, Saint Patrick▪ that droueLegend▪ Iacob. de vorag. with his ſtaffe, all the venemous beaſts out of Ireland: or of Saint Roch, who beeing ſicke of the peſtilence in a wood, was fed by a hound, that brought him eueryevery day bread from his maſters table: or of Saint Lupe, or Low, who ſhut vp the Deuil in a tankard all night, that came to tempt him, ſo that he howled and brayed moſt hideouſly, and in the morning the holy man let him out: or of Saint Dunſton, whoſe Harpe hanging on the wall, ſounded melodiouſly, without touching, this Antheme, Gaudent in coelis animae ſanctorum: and of Saint Martin, who beeing ſaying Maſſe, a tongue of fire came, and ſate vponupon him, as it did vponupon the Apoſtles: or of Saint Germaine, who comming to the ſepulchre of one of his diſciples, beeing a good while dead, asked him how hee fared, and if he would no longer goe with him, to whom the other anſwered and ſaid, that hee was well, and that all things were to him ſoft and ſweet, and that hee would no more come hither: or of Saint Barbara, who turned the ſheepe of a certaine ſheepheard that bewraied her to her father that ſought for her, into locuſts? But if you would hauehave a lye with a latchet, looke into the Legend, of the Annunciation of our Lady, there you ſhall read of a certaine Knight, who betaking himſelfe into an Abbey, was long learning the Aue Mary; and whereas he… could not get any further then the two firſt words of the Angelicall ſalutation, at laſt he dyed, and was buried, and vponupon his graue ſprung vp a right faire flowre deluce, in eueryevery leafe whereof, was written in letters of gold, Aue Marie, and the root of p. 433this floure was found to iſſue out of the mouth of the ſayd Knight, becauſe as he had thoſe words alwayes in his mouth, while he was aliue, ſo they grew out of his mouth being dead. Let all the Poets match this fable if they can, and yet Ouid commeth ſomewhat neere it in his two tales of Hiacynthus, and Aiaxboth, which were fabled to be turned into twoOuid. Metamor. l…. 10. & 13. flowers, with the two firſt letters of their names imprinted in them, and thus by ſtrange and incredible fictions they maintaine the ſuperſtitious inuocation of Saints, the ordinary concluſion almoſt of their legends being this; then let vsus pray to this worthy Saint and glorious Martyr, that he will pray to God for vsus, that by his merits wee may hauehave pardon and forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes.

16. Againe, to perſwade to the worſhipping of relicks,4. they tell vsus diuers ſuch like tales: As that a yong man falling off his horſe and breaking his neck, was brought to the graue of Saint Hyacinth the Polonian, and preſently reuiued. And a Mayde, who had a yong Heifer dead by ſome misfortune,Scuerin. de vita▪ miracul. Sancti Hyacinth. lib. 1. ca. 19. & lib. 2. ca. 7. made ſupplication at the Tombe of this Saint, and when ſhe returned home, a Butcher being fleying the Heifer, it firſt began to ſtirre the fleyed foot, and then to lift vp the head, and at laſt to riſe vp as ſound as euer it was. We reade in the french Chronicles taken out of Turpin a Popiſh Wr…ter, thatNichol. Gilles anno 645. king Dag…bert robbed other Saints of their relicks, to enrich the Temples of Saint Denis, Saint Ruſtick, and Saint Eleutherie, whereupon it came to paſſe that there aroſe great debate betweene the Saints, for thoſe Saints which he had ſpoiled, as Saint Hilary, Saint Fremin, and others, ioyned themſelues with the Deuils, and craued ayd of them to carry away the ſoule of the good king to hell: but he called to his help the other Saints which he had enriched, who reſiſted ſo valiantly the Deuils and the Saints wronged, that they tooke away from them his ſoule and carried it to Paradiſe. Who? which hath any ſpark of grace would not enrich the Temples, and relicks of theſe three Saints, ſeeing their power is ſo great to deliuer a man from the Deuill? But this next of Saint Fremin is full as ſtrange; for the golden Legend reporteth, that p. 434after the Sunne had miraculouſly ſent his beames through a ſtone wall vponupon Saint Fremins graue, and thereupon they hadLegend. Inuent. of the body of Saint Fremin mortus. digged to finde out his body, there iſſued thence ſuch a ſweet ſmell, as they weened they had been in a Paradiſe: which odour ſpread it ſelfe not onelyonly through the city of Aniens where the body lay, but alſo vntounto diuers other cities, the ſweetnes whereof as it mooued much people to bring their oblations to this glorious Saint, ſo it cured ſome a far off (as the Lord of Ba…gency) from their diſeaſes: but when this body was taken vp and carried in the city of Aniens, ſtrange wonders were wrought: for then the Elements mooued, (ſayth the ſtory) the Snow that was at that time great on the earth was turned into pouder and duſt: and the Ice that hung on the trees became flowers and leaues, and the meadowes became greene: and the Sunne which by his courſe ſhould goe low that day, aſcended as high as it vſeth to be on Saint Iohn Baptiſts day in Summer: and as men bare the body of this Saint, the trees enclined and worſhipped it, and all manner of ſicke perſons what malady ſoeuer they had, receiued health, at the Inuention of the bleſſed body of Saint Fremin.

17. Another as ſtrange a tale wee hauehave touching the relicksLegend Sancti Stephani. of Saint Stephen, and Saint Lawrence: for when as one of them was buried at Rome, the other at Conſtantinople (ſayth the Legend) the Emperours daughter which was poſſeſſed with an euill Spirit, was brought to touch the relicks of Saint Stephen, but the Diuell within her cryed, that he could not be diſpoſſeſſed, except the body of Saint Stephen was tranſlated to Rome: whereupon meanes was made that Saint Stephens body ſhould be carried to Rome, and in liew thereof, Saint Lawrence his body ſhould bee brought to Conſtantinople. Now in the way as they were making this conueyance, the city of Capua gat the right arme of Stephen, and builded their Metropolitane Church in honour thereof: but when they were come to Rome, they would hauehave borne the body of Saint Stephen to the Church of Saint Peter ad Vincula, but they that bare it were not able to goe any further: and then the Deuill in the mayd cryed out, Ye trauaile for nought, for he p. 435ſhall not be heere, but with Lawrence his brother, therefore they bare the body thither, and then the mayd touching the body was preſently made whole, and Saint Lawrence as reioycing at the comming of his brother, and ſmiling, turned himſelfe into the other ſide of the Sepulchre, and made roome for him to lye in: and when the Greekes would hauehave taken vp the body of Saint Lawrence to carry it to Conſtantinople, they were ſtroken dead, till the Pope and his Clearks by their prayers reuiued them againe: who would not now worſhip the relicks of Saints, if ſuch great myracles be wrought by them.

18. But to conclude this poynt, and not to trouble the reader with too much of this pedling ſtuffe: thus they labour to gaine worſhip to Images, honour to the Croſſe, and Crucifix, and credit to Purgatory, and prayer for the dead, and countenance to popiſh ſingle life, as of many hundred examples which might be produced, let theſe few ſuffice. Saint George being put into a frying pan full of boyling lead, made but the ſigne of the croſſe, and he was therein refreſhed as if he had bin in a bath. Saint Margaret was ſwallowed vp of the Diuell in the figure of a Dragon, but making the ſigne of the croſſe in the Dragons belly, the Dragon burſt, and out came Saint Margaret ſafe and ſound. It is ſayd alſo that ſhe took the Diuel by the haire of the head, and beate him about the eares. Saint Goodreck with the ſigne of the croſſe tamed Wolues and Serpents in ſuch ſort, that they lay with him by the fire ſide without offering any hurt. Saint Chriſtopher being a Giant of twelue cubits in height, determined with himſelfe to ſerue none but the greateſt King in the world: and therefore being in ſeruice to a great King, he ſpied him croſſing himſelfe againſt the Diuell: wherefore perceiuing that he was afraid of the Diuell, he went to ſerue him as one greater then the former, and perceiuing that the Diuell auoyded the ſight of a croſſe, he asked him, why he did ſo? to whom the Diuell anſwered, that there was a man called Chriſt which was hanged on the Croſſe, in feare of whom, as oft as he ſaw the ſigne of the Croſſe he fled from it, for which cauſe p. 436Saint Chriſtopher perceiuing that Chriſt was a greater King, renounced the Deuill, and betooke himſelfe to the ſeruice of Chriſt, and was called Chriſtopher, whereas before his name was Reprobus. He that would read a merry tale indeed, let him read the Legend of Saint Chriſtopher: As for a fearefull tale, let him goe to Saint Brandons Legend: all the old wiues tales that euer were told in a chimney corner, are not to be compared to theſe two.

19. It is no newes amongſt them for Images to ſpeake, nod the head, ſhake the hand, ſweat, and ſuch like: or at leaſt for ſome crafty Prieſt to worke theſe feates, to delude the people. The Image of the bleſſed Virgin Mary is ſayd to hauehave ſpoken diuers times, to Saint Bernard, when ſhe bad him good morrow, whereupon the good man ſhould anſwere, that ſhe broke the Canons of the Church, becauſe it was forbidden that a woman ſhould ſpeake in the Church. To Saint Hyacinth, Scuerin. de vita & mirac. Sancti Hyacinth. lib. 1. cap. 13.who flying from the Tartarians, the Image thus cryed vponupon him with a loud voyce, O my ſonne Hiacinthus doeſt thou eſcape the hands of the Tartarians, and leaueſt me and my ſonne to be cut in pieces, and trampled vnderunder feet: To whom Hiacinthus anſwering, O glorious Virgin, this thy Image is too heauy, how ſhall I he able to carry it? The Virgin replyed, Take it, for my ſonne will lighten the burden. And to Alexius, who ſtayingLegen. Lombard. long in the Church-porch, the Image of our Lady ſpoke and bade the Sexten let him in. So the Crucifix is ſayd to hauehave ſpoken to Thomas Aquinas, when he was praying before it inBreuior. Rom. in feſt. Sancti Thom. de Aquin. lect. 5. etia vita eius. great deuotion, Thou haſt written well of me Thomas, what reward therefore wilt thou hauehave. And to the Councill at Wincheſter gathered together about the queſtion o… Prieſts mariages in theſe words, Take Dunstans wayes vntounto you, for they are the beſt. Polidore Virgill, otherwiſe a ſtrong Papiſt, yet ſmel… Polydor. Virgil. Hiſtor.out this to be Dunstanes legerdemayne, and ſo may any other that hath not loſt his ſenting: and thus we hauehave two talking Images, that the Heathen might not goe before them in this,Bell. de Sanct. beatit. lib. 2. cap. 13. who by Bellarmines confeſſion out of Valerius Maximus, had two alſo that ſpoke, the one of Iuuo Moneta, at the taking of Veyes, which being asked in ieſt by a Souldier, whither ſhe p. 437would goe to Rome, anſwered, that ſhe would: the other of Fortune, who vttered theſe words, Yee hauehave rightly ſeene mee O nation, and rightly dedicated mee.

20. But that Images vſed to beck, and mooue their heads, and ſtir their hands, there are ſo many examples that it would be loſt labour to ſtand vponupon them, onelyonly the image of SaintThis is knowen to be true by many of the inhabitants yet liuing. Nicholas at Weſtchester, may diſcouer the trick of all the reſt, for at the burning of it in the Market-place of the city, there was diſcouered this trick of faſt and looſe, the Image was made with ſuch a deuice, that if one ſtanding behinde, did pull a certaine ſtring which was in the back part thereof, it would mooue the hand, as if it bleſſed the people. The like may we thinke of that Roode of Poyters, which when William Longſhampe Houeden.Biſhop of Ely lay a dying, did piteouſly weepe and lament, ſo that the teares fell downe from his eyes, as it had been a floud of water, but no meruaile, for as they ſay, it was the accuſtomed vſe of that Roode alwayes to mourne when a Biſhop departed. A pretty ſtory there is in one of the Legends of the Virgin Mary, of a woman who prayed deuoutly to that Image for the deliuering of her ſonne out of priſon, and when ſhee ſaw that her prayers preuailed nothing, ſhee tooke away from the Virgin her ſonne out of her armes, and carryed it home, whereupon our Lady preſently went to the priſon and deliuered the womans ſonne out of hold: then the woman (ſayth the tale) brought backe the Virgin Maries ſonne, and gaue it her againe, ſaying, O bleſſed Virgine now thou haſt restored my ſonne vntounto mee, behold againe thy ſonne vntounto thee, and ſo both parties were well pleaſed.

21. For Purgatory, and prayer for the dead, there be infinite5. tales deuiſed, of all which we may giuegive the ſame cenſureAug. de vnitat. eccleſ. 16. which Saint Augustine doth of lying myracles, that they are vel figmenta mendacium hominum vel portenta fallacium ſpirituum, either fictions of lying men, or wonders of deceitfullIob. Riuius de ſpect. & apparit. Andreas oſci…d in coniecturis. Eraſm. in epiſt. ſpirits, of the firſt kind was that reported by diuers authors of certaine Prieſts, that dwelling not far from the ſea ſide, tooke a number of ſea-crabs, and tyed vntounto each of them light, and ſo put them vponupon dead mens graues in the Churchyards, p. 438to make the poore country people beleeue that Spirits did walke: but in one place, the legerdemaine was deprehended, for the Carpenters and Maſons comming the next day after all Soules night to worke, found among the timber and broken bricks ſome of the Crabs, with their candles on their backs extinguiſhed, whereby the knauery of this miracle was diſcouered. Of the ſecond kind it may be was that recorded by Saint Gregory in his Dialogues, (if that booke be his as is iuſtly doubted, for he telleth there a tale of a Beare which was commaunded to keepe the Hermite Florences ſheepe, a thing not ſauouring of Saint Gregories ſpirit, or if it did, then it argueth him to hauehave been too credulous of lying reports, (as he isCanus loc lib. 11. cap. 6. taxed by their own Canus) of a ſoule appearing vntounto a Prieſt that bathed himſelfe often in a water, & officiouſly pulling off his ſhoes, with an earneſt deſire to enioy his prayers and oblations for his deliuerance, which being performed, when he returned to the bath and found the ſoule no more there, hee concluded, that his prayers had deliuered him out of Purgatory.

22. In one of theſe two ranks are all the ſtrange ſtories publiſhed by theſe Dialogues, Beda, Brigitta, Dioniſius, Carthuſianus, touching walking ghoſts, for eyther they were iugling tricks of impoſters to deceiue the ſimple, or deceits of deuils to delude the learned: and this may in no poynt more playnely be proued, then againſt Prieſts mariages, for the diſgracing whereof, and aduancing ſingle life aboue it, an Idoll at Winchester muſt ſpeake as before hath been ſhewed. The Emperour Lewes the ſecond muſt be tormented in Purgatory,Sigebert Vincent. becauſe he would not regard the admonitions of Gabriell the Archangell againſt Prieſts mariages. Emma mother to Saint Edward King of this land, muſt goe bare-foot vponupon nine burning plowſhares of yron, to try her chaſtity, and Alwynes the Biſhop of Winchester, with whom ſhe was ſuſpectedMalmesbury. Marian. Geot. Capgraue. to hauehave committed fleſhly villany, but ſhe was borne ouer them betwixt two Biſhops, ſo that ſhe needed not to hurt her feet. A yong Nunne being got with child by a yong Monke, two Midwiues muſt come from heauen, being ſent p. 439by Henry Murdach, then lately Biſhop of Yorke, and diſcharge her of her childe without paine, and take it from her, ſo that it was neuer ſeene more; & very likely, for a priuy or a fiſhpond might meet with it by the way, as it had done a number more in former & later times: A thouſand ſuch lies as theſe ſhall you find in their Legends, and martyrologies, and other bookes: inſomuch, that Eſpenſaens a learned Biſhop of their owne, doth freely confeſſe, that no ſtable is ſo full of doung, as the Legends Eſpenſaeus in 2. tim. 4.are full of fables; yea that very fictions are contained in their porteſſes: and Canus another learned writer, that the Pagan Hiſtriographers Canus loc. lib. 11 c. 6.did more truely write the liues of Emperours, then the Chriſtians did the liues of Saints: and that in the golden Legend, there are monſters for miracles, rather then true miracles: and that hee which wrote this booke, was a man of a braſen face, and a leaden heart.

23. Thus it is euident by the confeſſion of many learned of their owne ſide, that theſe bee lying tales, coyned as holy Piae fraudes. Agrip. de vanit. c. 97.deceits, as ſome of them terme them, but more truely, as deuiliſh deuices, not to maintaine the truth, but errour: for how can that bee the truth which ſtandeth in need of lying to maintaine it: Caietane a Cardinall, and a great learned diuineCaiet. opuſc. de concept. Virg. c. 1. Antonin. part. 1. c. 8. tit. 2. ſayth, that the credit of the Romiſh miracles dependeth vponupon the report of men, who may deceiue others, and bee deceiued themſelues: and Antoninus the Archbiſhop of Florence, calleth the viſions of Bernard and Briget, touching the conception of the Virgin Mary, fantaſtick viſions, and mens dreams: why ſhould wee then beleeue them to bee true, when as they themſelues beleeue them not.

24. If they obiect and ſay, why may not theſe miracles be as true as thoſe which are reported by many of the ancient Fathers: and ſeeing famous miracles hauehave beene in all ages of the Church, why ſhould theſe laſt ages bee ſuſpected for falſity,Bel. de notis eccleſ. lib. 4. c. 14. more then the former? I anſwere firſt, that thoſe Fathers themſelues, which were reporters of ſuch miracles, yet did repoſe no ſuch confidence in them, as to build their faith vponupon them, as the Romaniſts doe: for Saint Auguſtine ſayth, Quiſquis adhuc, &c. Whoſoeuer yet ſeeketh aften wonders, that hee p. 440may beleeue, is himſelfe a great wonder, who when the world beleeueth, Aug. de ciuit. lib. 22. c. 8. Idem tract. 13. in Iohan.doth not beleeue: and in another place: Contra iſtos mirabilirios, &c. Againſt theſe miracle-mongers, my God hath made mee wary, ſaying, there ſhall ariſe in the laſt dayes falſe Prophets, working ſignes and wonders, that they might lead into errour, if it Chryſoſt. bom. 29 in Math.were poſſible the very Elect. And Chryſoſtome, or whoſoeuer els was the author of thoſe learned homilies on Mathew, proueth that the true Church of Chriſt cannot bee diſcerned or knowen by ſignes or other meane, but onelyonly by the Scripture: and that the working of miracles is more found among falſe Chriſtians, Tertul. contra Marcum. lib. 3. c. 3. & depraeſcriptic. 44. Maldon. in Mat. 7. 22.Matt 7:22then true: & Tertullian ſayth plainly, that the Heretikes did raiſe the dead, cure maladies, & foretell things to come: the ſame is affirmed by Chryſoſtome, Ierome, Euthe…ius & Theophilact; as witneſſeth Maldonate the Ieſuite: by which it appeareth, that the Fathers thought miracles were not to bee regarded, except they were wrought for the confirmation of the truth: and that a miracle was to bee examined by the doctrine, not the doctrine by a miracle: and therefore, that they are not any proper and true markes of the Church, as the Romaniſts make them: nay that they are rather markes of Antichriſt, and his Church, as both our Sauiour and Saint Paul plainely auouch;Mat. 24. 24. 2. Theſſ. 2. 9. 10Matt 24:242 Thess 2:92 Thess 2:10 ſo that by this their great bragge of miracles, they giuegive vsus this ſtrong aduantage againſt them, that their Pope is Antichriſt, and their Church Antichriſtian, which otherwiſe wee ſhould want.

25. And ſecondly I anſwere, that they themſelues reiect diuerſe miracles of the fathers, as fantaſtick viſions, and mensAntonin. part. 1. tit. 8. c. 2. dreames: ſo doth Antoninus call the viſion of Bernard and Briget, in the queſtion of the Virgin Maries conception: and Canus taxeth Gregory and Bede with this: that they miſſed the Canus loc. lib. 11. c. 6. pag. 658. louan. 1569.marke now and then, who wrote miracles, talked of and beleeued among the vulgar: that is, which they receiued by heareſay, and not by any eye-witneſſe, or ſound proofe: now why ſhould wee be reſtrained from that liberty towards the reſt, which they take towards Gregory and Bede: eſpecially ſeeing many of their miracles are ſuch, as no reaſonable man would euer beleeue, and deſerue rather the ſplene then the braine: p. 441as for example Saint Ierome reporteth this to bee one of Saint Anthonies miracles; how Anthonie trauailing in the wilderneſſe,Hierom. in vita Paul… ▪ to ſeeke out Paul, the Hermite met with a Centaure, (halfe a man, and halfe a horſe) who ſpoke to him, and ſhewed him the way; and by and by when the Centaure was gone, meeteth him another Monſter like a Satyre, with a hook noſe, and hornes on his head, the lower part of his body like a goat, offering him a branch of palme: whom Anthony asking who he was, he anſwered; I am a mort all creature, an inhabitant of the wildernes, ſuch an one as the Gentiles deluded with error, called a Satyre; and I am come as an Embaſſadour from my flocke, to beſeech yon to pray to God for vsus, whom wee know to bee come for the ſaluation of the world, whoſe ſound is gone through the earth: if this bee true, that there are ſuch monſters; or if they bee, that they beleeue in Chriſt, and ſo may bee ſaued: let vsus beleue then all that euer the Poets hauehave written of Ixion, Polyphemus, Pan, Silenus, & other ſuch like mōſters: Gregory Niſſen Gregor. Nyſſen. orat. de vita Thaumaturgi.writeth, touching Thammaturgus, that the Virgin Mary, and Saint Iohn camedown from heauē to him, & taught him his creed: which is as likely to bee true, as that which the Poets write of Apollo, that taght Aeſcul…pius the rules of Phyſick: or the Rabbines of the Angell Sanbaſſer, that was Adams Schoolmaſter.

26. Saint Bernard, in the life of Malachias (if at leaſt thatBernard. de vita Malachiae. booke bee Saint Bernards) telleth vsus of Malchus the teacher of Malachias, how hee reſtored hearing to one that was deafe, and how the patient confeſſed, that when the holy man put his fingers into both his eares, hee felt as it were two pigges iſſuing out of them. Againe hee reporteth, that a certaine Prior of the Regular Friers, ſeing Malachie the Biſhop to hauehave many ſeruants, but few horſes, gaue vntounto him the horſe that hee rode on which beeing a reſtie iade, and ſetting hard, at the firſt the Biſhop found him ſo, but ere hee had ridden farre, by a wonderfull change, hee prooued a very excellent and precious palfrey, ambling moſt ſweetly: the like tale wee reade in the Dialogues aſcribed to Gregory, of a horſe, which a Noble-man lent to Pope Iohn, whichGregor. dialog. lib. 3. c. 2. beeing a very gentle, ſober nagge, when as afterward p. 442the noble mans wife ſhould bee ſet vponupon him, hee puſt and pranced, and ſtampt moſt ſtrongly, diſdaining that a woman ſhould ſit vponupon his backe, which had carried the high Prieſt of the world: much like to King Alexanders Bucephalus, which being bare, would carry any groome quietly; but when his trappings and furniture was on, then hee would endure none but Alexander. The writer of the life of Saint Bernard, relateth a pretty wonder, done by that holy man at the dedication of a Church, when as the place was ſo filled with multitude of flies, that the people could not enter into it without great annoyance: Saint Bernard vſing no other meanes to deſtroy them, ſaid onelyonly, I excommunicate them; and preſently the next morning they were all found dead on the floore. Doth this ſauour of Saint Bernards holineſſe: or can any man bee ſo madde as to thinke, that ſo holy a man would denounce excommunication, ordained to ſeparate from the Congregation open and ſinfull men, againſt poore ſilly flies: ſure hee hath no more wit then a flye, that will beleeue this: ſo that notwithſtanding the ancient miracles recorded by the Fathers, yet the Legendary Romiſh miracles are not freed from groſſe and notorious falſhood.

27. Another practice of theirs to win credit to their Religion,5. and diſgrace to ours, is ſlaundering and calumniating both our Religion, and the profeſſours thereof: and that ſo groſſely and falſely, that their owne conſciences could not chuſe but ſay ſecretly vntounto their tongues, thou lyeſt, when they were writing them in their bookes: but they deale like theeues, who to cleare themſelues from ſuſpition of robbery, raiſe vp hue, and cry againſt true men: or like harlots, that lay the imputation of diſhoneſtie vponupon ſober matrones, to the end that they themſelues might bee thought chaſt and honeſt: ſo beeing full of ſores and blemiſhes themſelues, they ſeeke to couer their owne ſhame, by diſcouering ours. Which if it were in truth, though their enuy was neuer the leſſe, yet their ſinne was not ſo great: but beeing notorious and outragious lyes, they plainely ſhow that they care not what they belch foorth, ſo they ſtaine vsus with the filth thereof: and that p. 443they hauehave learned that Ma…chauillian rule, audacter calumniari, to ſlander boldly; becauſe though the wound bee healed, yet a ſcarre remaineth.

28. Their ſlanders are darted either againſt our perſons, orI. the gouernment of our Church, or our doctrines: let vsus take a ſhort view of all theſe: and firſt for their perſonall ſlanders; they ſlander all of vsus in generall, with the ignominious titles of ſolifidians, nullifidians, nudifidians, Infidels, worſe then Turkes, &c. yea and ſay that wee hauehave no faith, no Religion, no Chriſt, no God; and what not that either malice can deuiſe, or enuy and rage vtter? Theſe ſlanderous reproches areParſons 3. convin. Kelliſon ſuruey. l. 4. Wright. art. 2. l 3. Reynold. Calui noturciſme. ſet abroach by rayling Parſons in his booke of the three conuerſions, and almoſt in all other of his diſcourſes; and by Mathew Kelliſon, who was of a ſudden ſtart vp from ſpigget to the Pulpit, a buttery diuine; and by Wright another of the ſame ſtampe; and by Reynolds, and Bellarmine, and Beran, and Coſter, and all the brood of ranke mouthed Ieſuites: who as if they were all bitten with one madde dog, raue alike againſt our Religion, and the profeſſours thereof: but God bee praiſed, with euill ſucceſſe; for their calumnies are ſo tranſparent, that he that doth but meanly vnderſtand the grounds of our Religion cannot but turne the lie vponupon their heads.

29. But let vsus heare their reaſons why we are all Infidels: mary they propound two principall ones, and thoſe very ſtrong, as they thinke: firſt they ſay that all learned Proteſtants are Infidels, becauſe they build their faith vponupon their owne priuate expoſition of Scripture: and ſecondly, that ignorant Proteſtants are Infidels, becauſe they rely their faith vponupon their Miniſters credit. To the firſt, I anſwere two things, firſt, that wee doe not interpret the Scripture by our own priuate iudgements, but by the Scripture it ſelfe: for ſome places are ſo plaine, & thoſe principally that contain the grounds of Religion, that they need no expoſition, as Saint Auguſtine Aug in Iohan. tract. 50.witneſſeth, ſaying that quaedam in Scripturis, &c. There be ſome things in the Scripture ſo manifeſt, that they require rather a hearer then an expounder: and what thoſe things are, the ſame father declareth in another place, where he ſayth, that in thoſe p. 444things which are plainely ſet downe in Scripture, are found all Idem de doct. Chriſt. l. 2. c. 9.thoſe points which containe faith and manners: and thoſe things which are obſcure and hard in Scripture, we do not expound by any forraine or priuate interpretation, but by conferring them with other more plaine and perſpicuous places: and ſo except they ſay that the Scripture it ſelfe is of a priuate interpretation, they cannot condemne vsus of that crime. Now that this is the beſt way of interpreting, let the ſame Auguſtine informe vsus, who ſayth, That there is nothing contained in hard Idem Ibid. l. 2. c. 6.places of Scripture, which is not to be found moſt plainely vttered in others: and Chryſoſtome, who affirmeth, that the Scripture Chryſoſt. hom. 12 in Gen. Baſil. quaeſt. compt. explic. q. 267. Hier. com. in Iſay. c. 19.Isa 19expoundeth it ſelfe, and ſuffereth not the Reader to erre: and Baſill, who telleth vsus, that thoſe things which be doubtfull, or ſeeme to be couertly ſpoken, in ſome places of holy Scripture, are expounded by other plaine places. Of the ſame minde are the reſt of the Fathers: and ſo wee expound the Scripture no otherwiſe then all the ancient Fathers vſed to doe, and then indeed it ought to be.

30. I, but wee follow not the iudgement of the Church, (ſay they) which hath the onelyonly key of interpretation committed vntounto it: if they meane by the Church the fathers, we may iuſtify our ſelues by condemning them of the ſame fault: they deale with them as the Iewes dealt with their wiues, if they pleaſe their humors they hold vntounto them; but if they croſſe or thwart them, they ſue out a bill of diuorce againſt them, and put them away: nothing is more common then this in all their writings: and therefore it needs no inſtances to prooue it: if they meane the Councils; why, by their owne teaching, no Councill is of ſufficient authority, except it bee confirmed by the Pope: nor any decree or interpretation to bee entertained without his approbation. Therefore they muſt needs meane the Pope alone, and if they doe ſo, then we confeſſe that wee hauehave iuſt cauſes not to tye our faith to his girdle, nor our vnderſtanding to his braine: ſeeing many of that ranke hauehave beene open Heretikes, ſome notorious Atheiſts, all men and therefore ſubiect to errour: yea ſeeing the body of their Church is an Apoſtate harlot, and the ſurmiſed p. 445head on earth, that man of ſinne, the great Antichriſt, ſpoken of in the Scriptures. If to vary from him then, and his Babylon, in our expoſition of Scripture, bee priuate interpretation, wee confeſſe our ſelues guilty, but in all other reſpects cleare and innocent.

31. Secondly, grant that wee doe in ſome points follow on our owne priuate expoſition, yet wee are not therefore Infidels: for then moſt of the Fathers ſhould bee infidels aſwell as wee: for there are few of them which hauehave not ſometimes priuately, vea and falſely expounded the Scriptures: as their owne Doctors confeſſe. Canus ſaying that they ſpake Canus loc. l. 7. c. 3. Poſſeu. biblioth. ſelect. l. 12. c. 23.with a humane ſpirit, and erred ſometimes in things which afterward hauehave appeared to appertaine to the faith: and Poſſeuine, that there are ſome things in the Fathers, wherein vnwitingly they diſſented from the Church; either therefore they muſt tax them with infidelity aſwell as vsus, or cleare vsus aſwell as them, if al the force of the argument hang vponupon this pin, that therefore wee are Infidels, becauſe we priuatly expound the Scriptures.

32. To the ſecond, viz. that all vnlearned Proteſtants are Infidels, becauſe they rely their faith vponupon the credit of the tranſlatours, I anſwere three things; firſt, that they doe not rely their faith vponupon the credit and fidelity of any tranſlatour, but partly vponupon the iudgement and authority of the Church, which receiueth ſuch tranſlations, and alloweth them, and is able to iudge of them: and partly and principally vponupon the word tranſlated, which containeth ſuch holy and heauenly doctrine, as none that readeth, or heareth it, can chuſe but acknowledge the Maieſtie of Gods Spirit ſpeaking in it.

33. Secondly, if our people are therefore Infidels, becauſe they cannot examine the tranſlations by the Hebrew and Greeke, and doe therefore rely their faith vponupon the tranſlatours credit: then Auguſtine was an infidell, who knew neither of theſe languages, but was as it is written of him, monogloſſos: and then many godly Doctours and Fathers of the Church were Infidels, who for the moſt part were all ignorant of the Hebrew tongue, and ſome of them of the Greeke p. 446alſo: and laſtly then all the godly Chriſtians in the purer timesTheodor, de curation, Graecor. affection. lib. 5. who both read and heard the Scriptures tranſlated into their mother tongues were infidels, for they all relyed their faith vponupon the word tranſlated, but not for the tranſlators ſake, who might erre in tranſlating many places, but for the ſound, holy, and heauenly doctrine therein contayned.

34. Thirdly, if this maketh men infidels to relye their faith vponupon man; then the ignorant Romaniſts muſt needs be all infidels, whoſe implicite, Colliarlike faith is grounded onelyonly vponupon the Church: that is not onelyonly vponupon the Pope, who is in power the whole Church, but alſo vponupon eueryevery ordinary Paſtor, be he Ieſuite, or Prieſt, or Frier, or any other, whom they are (according to their diuinity) bound in conſcience to beleeue whatſoeuer they teach, as hath been ſhewed: now this is to rely their faith vponupon the fidelity and credit of man, and therfore the blame of infidelity falleth vponupon them more iuſtly then vponupon vsus: and thus this accuſation of theirs, that we hauehave no faith, no religion, no God, no Chriſt, but are plain Infidels, is a moſt notorious and open ſlander.

35. Thus generally they ſlander our religion, and the profeſſors2. thereof, but not content therewith, they ſet vponupon particular perſons, and thoſe that are moſt eminent in our Church, either in authority of place, or excellency of learning, that like Captaines march in the head of the ranks. For to omit their horrible raylings againſt Kings, Princes, Magiſtrates, Nobles, and men of high place, that any wayes oppoſed themſelues to the Romiſh Monarchie, whoſe glorious vertues were ſo reſplendent, that the miſt of their ſlanders cannot darken the luſtre thereof: Lord how they raue and rage againſt the aſhes of Luther, Oecolampadius, Zwinglius, Caluin, Beza, and other worthie champions of our Church. O… Luther they write, that he was an Apoſtate Friar, that through enuy, pride, and ambition, fell from them, becauſe the office of publiſhing Indulgences, was taken from theCochl…us in actis Lutheri. Monks of his order, and tranſlated vntounto the preaching Friers; and that he had conference with the Diuell about the priuateBell de notis eccleſ. l. 4. c. 13. Maſſe, and was taught by him that it was vnlawfull; and that p. 447in a diſputation at …pſia he vttered theſe blaſphemous ſpeeches, This cauſe was neither begun for God, nor ſhall be ended for God: and that his life was inceſtuous, and he himſelfe aCampian. Rat. 5 notable wine-bibber, and his death infamous and fearefull, he going to bed merry and drunke, and being found the next morning dead, his body being black, and his tongue hanging forth as if he had been ſtrangled; and that after his death his body ſo ſtanke that they could not endure to carry it to his graue, but threw it in a ditch: and that the Deulls departed from many that were poſſeſſed, and came to his ſunerall.Thyrraeus Ieſ. d Daemon. part. 1 theſ. 99. Theſe and many other ſtrange fictions they hauehave ſet vponupon the ſtage, for the diſgracing of the life, death, and memory of that bleſſed inſtrument of God.

36. For Caluin, they report, that he was branded on theReinold. Caluino …urciſ. l. 2. p. 259. back by the Magiſtrate for his Sodomiticall and brutiſh luſt; and that he dyed in deſpaire, calling vponupon the Diuell, ſwearing, curſing, and blaſpheming moſt miſerably, being poſſeſſed with the louſie diſeaſe, and wormes ſo increaſing in an impoſtume, or moſt ſtinking vicer about his priuy members, that none of the ſtanders by could any longer indure his ſtinke. The like ſlander they lay vponupon the life of Beza, whoIdem Ibid. they ſay in his youth was an effeminate, wanton, luxurious Poet, and deſerued as much ſhame for his filthy life as Caluin had done. Zwinglius was ſlaine (ſay they) by Gods iuſt iudgement in the warre againſt the Catholicks. Oecolampadius dyed ſuddenly in the night: and Carolastadius was murthered by the Deuill.

37. Further they tell how Luther went about in vaine toCocl…aeus in actis Lutheri. Bell. de notis eccleſ. lib. 4. ca. 14. reſtore to life one Meſenus that was drowned, by whiſpering and murmuring in his eare; and how he would hauehave caſt out the Deuill out of a certaine mayd, but was in danger to be ſlayne by him; and how Caluin compacted with one Bruleus Stap…yl. in Abſolu…. reſp…ſ.to fayne himſelfe to be dead, that to ſhew the lawfulneſſe of his extraordinary calling, he might miraculouſly rayſe himB…lſ…e. vita Caluini. cap. 13. to life againe, and that he prooued dead indeed, and deceiued his expectation, and made him a knowne impoſtor. Thus they belch forth their venome againſt theſe good men, that p. 448through their ſides they might wound the Goſpell and truth which they profeſſed, but with what likelyhood of truth I pray you marke and iudge, and becauſe matters of fact can be prooued by no other euidence but by witneſſe, except God miraculouſly diſcouer them to the world, and witneſſes alſo muſt be impartiall and without exception, or elſe their teſtimonie is of no moment, let vsus therefore compare thoſe that ſpeake for them with theſe that are againſt them, and try whether deſerue moſt credit.

38. Sleidan writeth of Luther, that his death was moſtSleidan commen. lib 16. Lonicer. theat. hiſtor. pag. 244. ſweet and comfortable, full of heauenly prayers, and godly exhortations, at which were preſent the Earle of Mansfield, and other Noblemen, Iuſtus Ionas the Schoolemaiſter of his children, Michael Caeleus, Iohannes Aurifaber, and many more, who teſtified the ſame to be true: and Eraſmus reportethEraſ. epiſt. li. 11. ep. 1. ad Card. Eborac. of his life, that it was approoued with great conſent of all men, and that the integritie of his manners was ſuch, that his very enemies could finde nothing in him that they might calumniate: which to be true, may appeare by this, that Fiſher the Biſhop of Rocheſter his profeſt aduerſary writing againſt him, doth not in all his booke once tax him of miſdemeanour, or of any notorious crime, which he would ſurely hauehave done, if any either iuſt cauſe, or light ſuſpition had beene miniſtred vntounto him.

39. Touching the life and death of Caluine, Beza whoReynold, Caluino turenſ. l. 2. c. 11. was his familiar friend, and dayly aſſociate, affirmeth, that the one was full of holineſſe and good works, and voyd of ſcandall: and the other full of peace to himſelfe, and comfort to his friends and beholders. Nicholaus Gelaſius writeth ofNichol. Gelaſ. in epiſt. praefix. com. Caluino in Eſayam. his death, that he was at that time ſo farre from blaſpheming and curſing, that the day before his death he called all the Miniſters of the city together, and tooke his leaue of them with moſt holy and louing ſpeaches, and the next day gaue ouer his life, dormienti ſimilior quam morienti, more like to one that ſlept then that dyed.

40. Zwinglius was ſlaine indeed in the warre againſt Romaniſts, but that doth not proue either his life to hauehave beene p. 449vicious, or his doctrine erroneous, for then good Ioſias ſhould be condemned for an vngodly king, who was ſlaine in warre2. Chron. 35▪2 Chr 35 by the Egyptians: and they muſt needs bring their owne Doctor Sanders into the ſame imputation, and that by greater reaſon, who was ſlaine in the Iriſh war, not onelyonly againſt Proteſtants, but like a perfidious traitour againſt his owne countrey and Soueraigne. Oecolampadius whom they accuſe to hauehave died ſuddenly in the night, albeit that kind of death hath and might befall Gods deare children, as it did that good Emperour Theodoſius, of whoſe ſaluation, Saint Ambroſe neuertheleſſe maketh no doubt: yet Simon Gryneus who was preſent at his death, and Wolfangus Capito that liued at that time, report, that he lay ſick ſixteene dayes, and before his death exhorted all that were preſent to prayer and conſtancie, and after he had ſung the fiftieth Pſalme throughout, he gaue vp the ghoſt, with much aſſurance of Gods fauour. As for Caroloſtadius, though we hauehave no witneſſes of his life and death extant in print (as far as I hauehave read) yet it is moſt likely that this report of his death commeth out of the ſame mint, ſeeing it iſſued out of the mouth of his ſworne enemies, and thoſe that hated him. Beza himſelfe confeſſeth the errours of his youth, but they were whilſt he was a Romiſh affected and vnconuerted, and yet no ſuch great matters neither, as might vtterly blemiſh his good name, for they were not laſciuious acts, but wanton poems, the froth of youth: but let them touch him if they can after he became a Proteſtant, malice it ſelfe is not able to caſt any durt of ſcandall vponupon him.

41. Now compare our witneſſes with theirs, theirs were enemies, ours friends: theirs led with malice, ours with louelove: theirs abſent, ours preſent: theirs report that which they had by heareſay (if they did not rather deuiſe then receiue) ours tell nothing but that whereof they were eye-witneſſes: now iudge whether malice be not more prone to ſlander, then friendſhip to flatter; and whether an enemy is not euer more forward to defame, then a friend to maintaine credit; and whether is more likely to lye, a malitious foe in diſgracing, p. 450or a louing friend in commending: and laſtly whether deſerueth better credit thoſe that are abſent, and fetch their report from other mens mouthes, or thoſe that are preſent, and ſpeake vponupon their owne knowledge, and beholding. Surely the doubt may eaſily bee reſolued, if we conſider either thatPlautus. which the Poet ſayth, &c. One eye witneſſe is more worth then tenne eare witneſſes, or that which their own Bellarmine ſayth,Bell. de notis e…cl. l. 4 c. 14. Stultum eſt, &c. It is a fooliſh thing to beleeue thoſe that are abſent, rather then thoſe that were preſent: or that which reaſon it ſelfe, grounded vponupon Religion, telleth vsus, that malice is more prone to lye and diſcredit an enemie, then louelove and friendſhip is to defend a friend, ſeeing an euill affection in a wicked man is perfectly euill, but a good affection in any man is imperfectly good. Theſe teſtimonies being thus weighed in an euen ballance, wee hauehave greater reaſon to beleeue Sleydan, Eraſmus, Gelaſius, Melanchton, Capito, Gryneus: then Cochlaeus, Surius. Bolſecas, or Schuſſelburgus, though not a Romaniſt, yet as great an enemy: or any of theſe rayling Rabſakehs, who cared not what they wroght againſt our perſons, ſo that they might ſpringle diſgrace vponupon our Religion thereby.

42. But wee, if wee would vrge this argument againſt them, and indeed as oft as wee doe it, wee produce not for witneſſes their enemies, but their cloſe friends, and profeſt fauourers of their Religion; as Polonus, Platina, Onuphrius, Lui…pr…ndus, …uclerus, Sigonius, Baronius, &c. all which doe report of their owne Popes, that many of them were ſuch monſters of men, as the Sun neuer ſaw greater: neither Sardanapalus, nor N…ro, nor Heliogabalus, nor Scilla, nor Catiline, doe goe before many of them in cruelty, gluttony, luxury, and all manner of vices, inſomuch as it grew into a Prouerbe, that hee which would repreſent the moſt compleat villaine that could be imagined, his next way were to make the picture of a Pope: now theſe are not our ſlanderings of them, as theirs are o… vsus: but the conſtant reports of thoſe that were ſworne ſubjects to the Sea of Rome and therefore would hauehave rather with Shem, caſt their cloakes vponupon the naked filthineſſe of their holy Fathers, then with Cham laughed at the ſame, had p. 451it not beene ſo notorious and famous, that it could not bee hidden.

43. To conclude, that not onelyonly by probable coniecture, but by euident proofe their ſlanders may appeare: wee hauehave two notable arguments of the ſame; the firſt is that ſtrange tale ſpread abroad in Italy, touching Luthers death, before heLonicer. theat. hiſtor. pag. 246. was dead: how in his ſickneſſe hee deſired the body of our Lord to bee communicated vntounto him; and after when he ſaw his end approach, entreated that his body might bee laide on the Altar, and worſhipped with diuine honours: and how at his buriall Almighty God raiſed a great noyſe and tumult, and that the holy hoſte hung in the aire, and in a thunder that his body was taken out of his graue, and nothing left but a ſtinke of brimſtone, which had well nigh ſtifled all the ſtanders by. This tale was publiſhed before Luthers death, and a copie thereof came into his owne hands, which he read with a glad heart, and deteſted the blaſphemy therein contained. The likeBeza epiſt. ante Annot. iu nouum teſtam. ſlander was raiſed vp touching Beza his death, long before hee dyed, and came alſo into his hands, as may appeare in his Epiſtle before his annotations vponupon the new Teſtament; by which wee may ſee what manner of reports they bee, which are deuiſed by theſe Romaniſts againſt vsus; and ex vngue leonem, by this iudge of the reſt. The ſecond is the confeſſion of that perfidious Apoſtate Bolſek, who (as it is reported) in a publike Synode with weeping eyes, acknowledged with what vniuſt and ſlanderous reproches he had loaden Caluine, and that all which hee had written of him to his diſgrace, was falſe and vntrue: now what Bolſeck did againſt Caluine, wee hauehave iuſt cauſe to thinke to hane beene the practice of the others, againſt the reſt of the fore-named godly men, and all other of our profeſſion, knowing that old Prouerbe to bee true, that though the wound of a mans good name be healed, yet a ſcarre will euer remaine. Let this ſuffice, touching their perſonall ſlaunders, though much more might bee added: for their malice in this kinde, is of an vnlimitable extent.

44. Secondly, they calumniate our gouernment, and that3. Sander. lib, de Schiſmat. which two notable falſe accuſations: firſt, of vniuſtice, both p. 452in the ſubſtance of the Lawes, enacted againſt them, and ſecondly, of cruelty in the execution of the ſame▪ Lawes: but it is an eaſie matter to diſcouer their ſlanders, and to iuſtifie our ſtate from both theſe imputations: for touching our Lawes; firſt of all they are of that nature, that except they will condemne all the ſtatute Lawes that euer were made, either in this, or any other common wealth, they cannot condemne them of iniuſtice: they were not made in a corner, or deuiſed by the braine of any Licurgus, Solon, or Numa Pompilius, pretending the conference and counſell of ſome diuine power, to gaine authority vntounto them; but by the whole ſtate of the kingdome aſſembled in Parliament, the Lords ſpirituall and temporall, with the Commons, a ſelect company, gathered out of the wiſeſt, ſageſt, and diſcreteſt perſons of the whole land: and that which is the happineſſe of this kingdome aboue others, not raſhly or ſuddenly, but after mature and graue deliberation: neither by the Prince alone, without his ſubiects, nor the ſubiects alone, without their Prince, but by both conſenting, ſubſcribing, ratifying, and approouing the ſame. Now doe they imagine any man to bee ſo ſimple, as vponupon their bare word to condemne Lawes, thus made as vniuſt, and not rather to condemne them as vniuſt ſlanderers, and impudent ſycophants, that thus rage againſt a whole ſtate, vponupon a priuat malitious ſpirit? eſpecially ſeeing no Law bee it neuer ſo iuſt, doth pleaſe the humour of malefactors, that would gladly liue without Law, that their wickedneſſe might goe vnpuniſhed: for the Law Iulia could not pleaſe adulterers, nor the Law Cornelia murtherers, nor the Law Reminia promooters: and yet theſe Lawes were neuer the worſe for that ſuch malefactors diſliked them; but they rather the more deſperate, for accuſing the Lawes of iniuſtice: as if a theefe condemned of a robbery, ſhould cry out that the Law was vniuſt, by which hee was condemned: ſo theſe fellowes being guilty of treaſon againſt the Prince and ſtate, hauehave no wayes to cloake themſelues, but with this out-cry, the Lawes are vniuſt; whereas they ſhould rather keepe themſelues p. 453innocent, and then the Lawes would neuer take no hold of them.

45. Secondly, if it bee true which Thomas Aquinas ſayth, that then Lawes are ſaid to bee iuſt; firſt, when they are made Aquin. 1. 2. q. 96 art. 24.for the common good: ſecondly, when they exceed not his power that maketh them; and thirdly, when they hauehave their due forme, to wit, when the burthens are impoſed on the ſubiect, with a certaine equality of proportion in order to the common good: then our Lawes are iuſt and good Lawes; for they are made by full authority in Parliament, they tend to the conſeruation of the Kings Maieſty, and whole Common-wealth in tranquillity and peace: and their penalties are ſo proportioned, that by the gentle puniſhment of ſome few, the whole ſtate is preſerued.

46. Thirdly, they themſelues were occaſioners at leaſt, if not cauſers of thoſe Lawes that were made againſt them: for the Bull of Pius Quintus, which came roaring into this land, in the tenth yeere of Queene Elizabeth, whereby the Queene was accurſed, and depoſed, and her ſubiects diſcharged of their obedience and oath, was the root of all this miſchiefe: for it cauſed the firſt Lnw made, anno 13. Elizabeth, and not onelyonly gaue occaſion to it, but bred recuſancy in ordinary Romaniſts, which vſed to come to Church before time, and ſedition and rebellion in the Prieſts and Ieſuites, and ſome eminent perſons; yea and manifold bloudy practices, by treaſon againſt her Maieſties ſacred perſon, and the ſtate. Theſe perilous effects procured other Lawes to be deuiſed, more ſeuere and ſtrict then the former, againſt recuſants, ſeditions books, Ieſuites and Prieſts, that beeing borne Engliſhmen, ſhould goe beyond ſea, and take vponupon them the Romiſh Prieſthood, and ſo returne into theſe dominions to infect her loyal ſubiects with the poyſon of their doctrine: and what were the cauſes, I pray you, ſince his Maieſties comming to the Crowne, of the reuiuing thoſe former ſtatutes, and enlarging them in ſome points; and of the new oath of Allegiance, which hath ſtirred vp ſo many pens to write both for it, and againſt it? were not the treaſonable practices of many Romiſh p. 454male contented perſons? ſure it was high time to countermyne againſt them, by ſome Chriſtian politike Lawes, when their malice was growen to that hight, that they cared not what miſchiefe they wrought, ſo that they might worke their willes: by all which it is euident, that they may thanke themſelues for thoſe Lawes, and not our ſtate, which were drawen vntounto the making therof, with vnwilling minds, and more vnwillingly to their execution. So that as according to the old ſaying, Good Lawes ſpring out of euill manners; ſo from the fountaine of theſe fearefull treaſons, horrible rebellions, and bloudy practices, ſprung all theſe Lawes which they ſo calumniate.

47. Fourthly, the Lawes thus occaſioned by their owne villany, doe not run vponupon them with violence, but they deſperatly runne vponupon the point of the Lawes: for if they keepe themſelues at home in quiet, they might enioy the liberty of their Conſcience, without any danger from the Lawes, ſaue only a gentle mulct impoſed vponupon them, for refuſing to communicate with vsus in the ſeruice of our Church: and if like fugitiue children they ſhould flee from their own naturall mother, vntounto a ſtep-dame in forraine Countreyes, and there receiue vponupon them not onelyonly the Character of Romiſh Prieſthood, but alſo into them the poyſon of treaſon, they might ſtay there ſtill, without any coaction from the Lawes: for they were directed onelyonly againſt ſuch as beeing prieſted, returned into their countrey to practiſe treaſon, and to withdraw the peoples hearts from their obedience, and reconcile them to the Church of Rome. So that the Law is but like a naked ſword, held foorth by the hand of the ſtate for it own defence, which theſe deſperate Prieſts run voluntarily vponupon, and kill themſelues: and therefore they themſelues are guilty of ſelfe-murder, and not the Law of iniuſtice.

48. Fiftly, and laſtly, this matter may be yet more euident, all men know that there was neuer any Law hitherto enacted in this kingdome, to put to death any Romaniſt for his Religion; except hee either paſſed ouer the Seas, and returned backe with the order of Prieſt-hood, his heart beeing full of p. 455treaſon, and his hands of violence, as was ſaid before, or gaue entertainment to ſuch traytours in his houſe a certaine time, that lurked for an opportunity to doe miſchiefe, or moued ſeditions or rebellion in the State, let them name but one in theſe 57. yeares of our late Queens and now Kings regiment, that hath been puniſhed with death meerely for his religion, and wee will confeſſe them not to be ſuch malicious ſlanderers, albeit in truth to puniſh Idolaters, and ſuch as perſwade to an Apoſtacy from God, with death, is no vniuſt law, but euen grounded vponupon the law of God it ſelfe, Deut. 13. 5. 8, 9. our lawes then are ſo farre from exceeding the bounds of iuſtice, that they rather offend in comming too ſhort thereof, which indeed is the leſſe offence of the two, becauſe it approcheth neerer to the medium; and that our Law-giuers knew right well, which moued them to be rather too remiſſe, then too extreame.

49. Adde hereunto that all of them, both prieſts and people, that are abſolute Papiſts, muſt needs nouriſh ſecret treaſon in their hearts, whatſoeuer they pretend in outward ſhew, for eueryevery true Romaniſt is bound to obey the Ieſuite or Prieſt, informing him vponupon paine of damnation; and the Ieſuite errant muſt obey the Preſident reſident of his Colledge, and be at his direction, and the Colledge Gouernour muſt obey his ſuperiour of the order, and he fetcheth his influence from the Pope, ſo that if the Pope being the higheſt Spheare moue in a violent motion, and command to depoſe or kill the King, as Pius Quintus did our late Queene, then all the inferiour Spheares muſt be caried about with the ſame kind of agitation, and if they make either a trembling or retrograde motion, they are not fit Planets for the Romiſh Spheare, and thus in Queene Elizabeths time all the rabble of them, I meane both Prieſts and abſolute lay Papiſts were traytors either in heart, or act, becauſe the firſt mouer by his Bull moued that wayes, and ſo if they are not at this day by refuſing the oath of allegiance, yet if the Pope ſhould ſhoot out his thunderbolt, and actually excommunicate and depoſe our King, they muſt needs either renounce their allegiance, or their p. 456Romiſh faith, which bindeth them to this neceſſity; albeit moſt of their owne Doctors confeſſe that the King is excommunicatePanormit. capin homin. extra de iudicijs. Gregory de Valent. …om. …. in Thom. diſp. 1. q. 12. Bunnes in 2. 2. q. 12. ipſo facto, and then they need not exſpect any perſonall denunciation of the ſentence, but may and muſt if they ſee opportunity, without any further direction, riſe vp in armes, and pull him out of his Throne, thus which way ſoeuer a man looke, he ſhall ſpy Treaſon in their religion, and iuſtice in our lawes.

50. Touching cruelty in perſecution of them (which is the ſecond crime whereof they accuſe the gouernment of our ſtate) it is ſo ſhameleſſe an accuſation, and ſo farre from ſhew of truth, that there is none that either dwell amongſt vsus, or that know the mild and gentle adminiſtration of this common-wealth, but will with one voyce and verdict condemne it for a notorious ſlander. But for further direction of them in this point, and for ſtopping of the mouthes of thoſe malicious perſons, that out of the rancour of their hearts towards vsus hauehave vttered forth theſe vntruths, let theſe few obſeruations be remarked, firſt, that neuer any of them hath bin put to death in this kingdome, but by forme of iuſtice and due proceeding according to the lawes, whereas the Proteſtants hauehave bin ſlaine by them partly by treaſon, and partly by maſſacres, and that in great multitudes, as is before declared.

51. Secondly, that ſuch as hauehave thus by law been executed amongſt vsus were ſo handled, not for their religion, but either for treaſon or rebellion, or ſome other notable crime, which to be true, this one reaſon doth ſufficiently prooue, becauſe there was no law euer yet made in this land to puniſh Romiſh recuſants by death, if they kept themſelues within the limits of their religion, and did not flye either beyond ſea, and there become Prieſts, or remayning at home, entertaine ſuch perſons into their houſes, and mayntaine them againſt the State: whereas they on the other ſide hauehave committed to the edge of the ſword, and the fury of the fire infinite Proteſtants onelyonly for their religion, without any other crime or cauſe layd to their charge, as the ſix Articles in Henry the eights time, and the miſerable burning of many poore ſoules in Queene Maries p. 457quinquenie, onelyonly for denying to ſubſcribe to the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, doth apparently euince.

53. Thirdly, that in all Queene Elizabeths time by the ſpace of 44. yeares and vpwards, there were executed in all not aboue 180. Prieſts, receiuers and harbourers of them: and ſince king Iames came to the Crowne of the latter ſort not any, and of the former not much aboue a dozen, (I ſpeake within compaſſe) except thoſe Powder-villaines, who they themſelues dare not for ſhame but confeſſe that they receiued a iuſt reward for their demerits, whereas in Queene Maryes fiue yeares raigne, neere vponupon three hundred perſons were cruelly put to death for religion, as the publicke actes and records of our Church do teſtifie. Fourthly, that all the puniſhment inflicted vponupon our recuſants, if they kept themſelues peaceable and quiet from actuall treaſon, and entertainement of traytors, was, and is, but a pecuniary mu…ct, and that ſo gentle, that there is ſufficiently left vntounto them to mayntaine themſelues and their families in good eſtate, except either they ſeeke to ſeduce others, or refuſe to abiure the land, being conuicted and paſt hope of amendment, or denye toStatut. Elizab. anno 21. & 35. & Iacob. 4. take the oath of allegeance being offered vntounto them: their goods are not confiſcate, their bodyes not impriſoned, their perſons not baniſhed, their liues are not taken from them, onelyonly a certaine portion of their lands and goods is forfeited, and that redeeme a number of them at a low and eaſie rate, what puniſhment could be more remiſſe, whereas when the ſword was in their hands, as now vnderunder the bloudy Inquiſition; not a ſmall mulct, but a proſcription; not goods, but liues; not reſtraint, and limitation, but impriſonment, bonds, and vtter ruine and deſtruction doth ſerue their turne.

54. Fiftly, that many of their Biſhops and Prieſts hauehave not onelyonly been freed from all ſeuere puniſhment, but alſo intreated after a kind and fauourable manner: to begin with the late Queenes raigne, of fourteene Biſhops that withſtood herVide Epiſcop. Elien. K…ſponſ. ad Matheum▪ Tortum pag. 146. proceedings in matter of religion, and all of them refuſed to ſet the Crowne vponupon her head, except Oglethorp the Biſhop of Carbeil, nine liued at their liberty, without reſtraynt of p. 458their perſons, vnleſſe they account this a reſtraint, to be committed to the free cuſtodie of their friends, as ſome of them were, and liued in great eaſe and abundance all their life, and dyed with age or ſickneſſe, as nature required, and not by any extremity of iuſtice ſhewed vntounto them. Three of their owne accord forſooke the kingdome, not being inforced by any ſuperiour command: and two, to wit, Watſon of Lincolne, and Boner of London, were committed to priſon, but ſo, that in their priſons they wanted nothing that either might ſerue for neceſſity or pleaſure, liberty onelyonly excepted; then after about the middle of her raigne, Hart and Boſgraue, and Riſhton, and Norton, foure Ieſuites, being in the hands of the State, and deſeruing by the lawes to be puniſhed, yet by denying that one vnconcluded article of the Popes omnipotent Supremacy in temporall matters, obtained of her Maieſty not onelyonly life and freedome from puniſhment, but liberty and free power to diſpoſe of themſelues in any forreine countrey at their pleaſures; and at the latter end of her mercifull reigne, the Caſtles of Wiſhbiſh and Fremingham, wherein diuers of their chiefeſt ring-leaders were in cuſtody, do beare witneſſe how mildely they were dealt withall, their life hauing been there more eaſie and pleaſant, and their maintenance more plentifull then moſt of the Students and Miniſters among vsus in their beſt proſperity.

55. Neither hath our vertuous King ſince his rightfull poſſeſſing of the imperiall crowne of theſe vnited kingdomes, been any whit more ſharp and ſeuere, but rather more gentle and remiſſe, vntil their helliſh Powder-plot wrung from him, and the State ſome ſmall addition to theſe former lawes, yet farre remote from all bloudy or cruell purpoſe againſt them. For to omit his Maieſties exceeding clemency extended to them all in the beginning of his raigne, pardoning ſome, aduancing others to dignities & offices in the common-wealth, releaſing the fines and mulcts to all, and giuing by his Proclamation free liberty to all Ieſuites and Seminary Prieſts, to be free from the penalty of the Lawes, ſo that they departed the kingdome within a certaine preſcribed time; euen at this p. 459day, and euer ſince his Maieſties royall regiment, thoſe Prieſts that hauehave been apprehended and might iuſtly be put to death by tenour of the lawes, yet hauehave and might be pardoned, if they would but renounce the Popes temporall ſoueraignetie, and receiue the oath of alleageance, as the example of Blackwell their Arch-prieſt, and of diuers beſides doth teſtifie.

56. Thus gently are they handled with vsus, and yet they complaine, whereas when they were armed with authority, all the Biſhops and Miniſters that refuſed to conforme themſelues to their religion, preſently either were apprehended, impriſoned, burned, and moſt cruelly and tyrannically vſed, or conſtrained to forſake the kingdome, and ſeeke reliefe and ſuccour in forreine countries, there was no remedy nor releaſement but either deny their faith, or dye, chooſe they which.

57. And for their dealing at this day, where the Inquiſition preuaileth, is any one ſuffred to liue among them that is but once ſuſpected to be of our religion? is not eueryevery ſuch a one either murdered in ſecret, or brought to the ſtake in publick? the miſerable butchery that is made of poore Proteſtants by theſe tigres, is lamentable to ſpeake, and almoſt incredible to be beleeued, and were it death onelyonly it might be accounted a fauour, but to be ſtripped not onelyonly of all a mans goods, but alſo of his apparell, and a poore Beadles threed-bare gowne to be put on his back, and to be releeued by almes, as famous Cranmer the Archbiſhop of Canterbury was, to be almoſt ſtarued with cold, and eaten with lice, as deuout Latimer was, to be kept in a cloſe ſtinking filthy priſon, hauing for his bed a little pad of ſtraw, with a rotten couering, as worthie Hooper was, to be whipt, and ſcourged, and ſtockt, and pend vp in Little eaſe, as diuers were by bloudy Bonner: theſe cruelties were more cruell then death, and yet theſe were the mercies of thoſe mercileſſe tyrants; yea, they not onelyonly raged againſt the liuing, but the dead alſo, for they cauſed the bones of Bucer and Fagius to be raked out of their graues, and to be burned for Heretikes: a practiſe many times vſed by Popes, and Romiſh Prelates, which notwithſtanding the very Heathen p. 460abhorred: nay that which is both ſtrange and ridiculous: one Iames Treuiſam a Proteſtant, dying in the Pariſh of SaintAnno 1555. Lu… 3. Margaret, in Lothbery, and being buried in Moore-field, the ſame night his body was taken out of the graue, and his ſheet taken from him, and left naked: and beeing againe buried, a fortnight after, the Summoner came to his graue, & ſummoned him to appeare at Paules before his ordinary, to anſwere ſuch things as ſhould bee laide to his charge, heere is malice mixed with folly and cruelty in the higheſt ſtraine.

58. Now if it be a kinde of mercy to diſpatch one quickly that muſt dye, what mercy is this in theſe men, that inflict ſo many deaths vponupon poore Proteſtants, euen whilſt they liue?Plutarch. and if as Plutarch ſayth, Nemo niſi malus loculos mortuorum violabit; none but hee that is wicked will wrong the ſepulchres of the dead: what wicked wretches are theſe, and cruell beaſts, that ſpare not the dead bones, not feare to offer violence to our graues? and yet for all this they are not aſhamed to accuſe vsus of perſecuting them, and to call our handling of them, by the name of a moſt cruell and terrible perſecution:Breue Pauli Quinti. anno 1606. Eccle. Anglican. …rophaea impre. Romae, cum priuileg. Gregor. 13 as Paulus Quintus doth in his firſt briefe to his falſenamed Catholikes, in the yeere 1606. yea they hauehave not bluſhed to write, and to publiſh in print, and ſo ſet foorth in Pictures, that many of them hauehave beene here in England, wrapped in Beares skinnes, and baited with dogges, ſome tyed to horſe maungers, and fed with hay, others to hauehave their bowels gnawed out with dormice, included in boſons, with a number of ſuch like horrible and fearfull kinds of torments, which the Sunne neuer yet beheld in this kingdome, nor euer ſhall behold, I truſt.

59. Now then out of all theſe obſeruations, drawen from the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme, and from the comparing of their dealing towards vsus, with ours towards them, this concluſion doth neceſſarily ariſe, that theirs is the bloudy and perſecuting malignant Church, and not ours▪ and that by their malicious imputing to vsus that great crime, they prooue themſelues to bee open and notorious ſlanderers, and ſo to perſecute vsus not onelyonly with the ſword, but alſo with their vemous p. 461tongues, which according to the Prophet Dauids ſpeech are ſharper then razours, and more virulent then the the ſting of the Aſpe, or poyſon of the Cocatrice; I pray God amend them, and lay not this ſinne to their charge.

60. The third obiect of their ſlauudering tongues, is our4. Religion it ſelfe, with the doctrines therein contained, where their practice is either to deriue ſophiſticall concluſions, from ſuch points of doctrine, which we indeed held: or to ſay to our charges ſuch doctrines as we neuer intended: and theſe falſe forged concluſions, they make ſhow to extract out of our owne bookes: but it is either by miſtaking the meaning of the Author, or by wilfull peruerting his wordes and ſenſe: or at leaſt by culling ſome incoherent ſentences heere and there, that ſee me to make for their purpoſe, contrary to the whole ſcope and drift of the writer: or laſtly, by blemiſhing our whole Religion by ſome ſiniſter or exorbitant opinion, maintained by ſome one or other, vnaduiſed fellow, though it bee contrary to the whole current of all other writers on our ſide: as if for one mans errour wee were all flat Heretikes; or becauſe one ſouldier playeth the daſtard, therefore the whole army were cowards. Theſe bee their tricks of Legerdemaine, by which they indeuour to diſgrace our Religion, and to countenance their owne: but Ʋeritas magna eſt, & preualebit. I hope ſo to diſpell and ſcatter theſe miſts by the light of truth, that they ſhall vaniſh like ſmoake, and the truth bee more reſplendent, like the Sunne comming out of a cloud.

61. To the purpoſe: firſt, they exclaime that our Religion1. Concil. Trid. Bell. de Iuſtif. l. 4. c. 1. Kelliſon. ſuruey. is an enemy to good workes, and that wee eſteeme of them as not neceſſary to ſaluation; which damnable errour, ſome of them aſcribe vntounto vsus, as our direct doctrine, others as a conſequence of our doctrine, and our ſecret meaning: but that both are lying ſlanders, I appeal firſt to our doctrine it ſelfe, which is ſo cleare in this point, that no man can doubt thereof, but hee that is muſled with malice: for this we hold, that though faith be alone in the worke of iuſtification,Grauida bonorum operum. yet that ſaith euer worketh through louelove: and is great with p. 462good workes, as a woman with child, which it bringeth forth alſo when occaſion ſerueth: and that if it bee diſioyned from good workes, it is but a dead carkas of faith, yea the faith ofMelancthon. lib. de viſit. Saxon. Chemnit. loc. cap. de oper. renat. Caluin. Inſtit. l. 1 c. 16. Polan. theſ. de bonis operib. nu. 14. Luther. in Gen. c. 12.Gen 12 Deuils and hypocrites, and not of the elect. And this as it is the conſtant doctrine of all our diuines: ſo is it principally of Luther, whom our aduerſaries accuſe as the chiefeſt enemy to good workes: for thus hee writeth in one place touching the efficacy of faith: Faith is a liuely and powerfull thing, not an idle cogitation, ſwimming vponupon the toppe of the heart: as a fowle vponupon the water, but as water heated by fire, though it remaine water ſtill, yet it is no more cold, but hote, and altogether changed: ſo faith doth frame and faſhion in a man another mind, and other Idem Ibid. c. 22.ſenſes, and altogether maketh him a new man. Again in another place he ſayth, that the vertue of faith is to kill death, to damne hell, to be ſinne to ſinne, and a deuill to the deuill: that is, to be ſins poiſon, and the Deuils confuſion. Thus hee ſpeaketh concerning the powerful efficacy of that true iuſtifying faith which wee rely our ſaluation vponupon, and they condemne as a nulli-fidian portion. And touching good works, their neceſſity and excellency, heare how diuinely he writeth in one place: Out of the cauſe of iuſtification, no man can ſufficiently commend good workes: in another, One good worke, proceeding from faith, done by a Chriſtian, is more pretious then heauen or earth, the whole Idem tom. 4. fol. 109.world is not able to giuegive a ſufficient reward for one goodworke: and in another place: It is as neceſſary, that godly teachers doe as Idem pag. 167.diligently vrge the doctrine of good workes, as the doctrine of faith, for the Deuill is an enemy to both: what can bee ſpoken more effectually for the extolling of the excellency of good w…rkes…: and yet theſe fellowes make Luther the greateſt aduerſarie to them.

62. Secondly, I appeale to themſelues, many of the greateſt Doctors, amongſt whom doe cleare vsus from that imputation: Maldonate. The Proteſtants doe ſay, that iuſtifying Maldon. com in Ioh. 3. 15. Viega de Iuſtif. l. 15. c. 5. Stapl. de Iuſtif. l. 9. c. 7.John 3:15faith cannot bee without good workes: Viega. The Proteſtants affirme, that iustification & ſanctification are ſo ioyned together, that they cannot be parted: Stapleton: All Proteſtants, none excepted, teach, that faith which iustifieth, is liuely working by charity, p. 463and other good workes. Laſtly Bellarmine. The ProteſtantsBell. de Iuſtif. l 4. c. …. &c. 15. & l. 3. c. 6. ſay, that faith cannot ſtand with euill workes; for hee that hath a purpoſe to ſin, can conceiue no faith for the remiſſion of his ſin: and that faith alone doth iustifie: but yet is not alone: and that they exclude not the neceſſity, but onelyonly the merite of good workes, nor the preſence, but the efficacy to iustifie. Now then, with what face can they bolſter out this ſlaunder againſt our doctrine, and accuſe vsus to be like the Simonian Heretike, who taught, that a man need not regard good workes: and Eunomians, who defended, that perſeuerance in ſinne, did not hinder ſaluation, ſo that wee beleeued. This is the firſt blaſphemie againſt our Religion, wherein they doe not ſo much thwart vsus, as croſſe themſelues: and that one may ſee yet more clearely, this to bee a malicious ſlaunder: hearken what Bellarmine Bell. de Iuſtif. l. 4. c. 4.ſayth concerning Luthers opinion of Chriſtian liberty: Luther ſeemeth (ſayth he) to teach, that Chriſtian liberty conſiſteth in this, that a godly conſcience is free not from doing good workes, but from being accuſed or defended by them: & let Luther himſelf ſpeake againe: By faith (ſayth he) we are freed not from works, Luther. tom. …. pag. 472.but from opinion of workes, that is, from a fooliſh preſumption of iuſtification, to bee obtained by workes: by all which we may eaſily iudge of the meaning of thoſe ſentences obiected: (Faith alone doth ſaue: and infidelity alone doth condemne: and where faith is, no ſinne can hurt nor condemne:) that they are to be vnderſtood, partly of ſinnes before iuſtification, and partly of ſuch ſinnes after, as deſtroy not faith, nor raigne in the beleeuer, nor are perſeuered in, but repented of, and laboured againſt, and thus our Religion is iuſtified by the very aduerſaries thereof, from this great crime imputed vntounto it.

63. Againe, they accuſe vsus as maintainers of this doctrine,2. Bell. de Iuſtif. l. 4. c. 1. Luther. in aſſert. art. 31. 32. 36. Calum Inſtit l. 3 c. 12. &. l. 4. c. 9. Melanct. loc. de peccat. that all the workes of iuſt men, are mortall ſinnes, and of this they make, Luther, Calume, and Melancthon to be Patrones: but with what ſhameleſſe impudency, let the world iudge. To begin with Caluine, theſe be his words: Dum ſancti ductu Spiritus, &c. (i.) Whilſt being holy▪ wee walke in the wayes of the Lord, yet leaſt being forgetfull of our ſelues, wee ſhould waxe proud, there remain reliques of imperfection, which may minister p. 464vntounto vsus, matter of humiliation: againe, the beſt worke that can be wrought by iuſt men, yet is beſprinkled and corrupted with the impurity of the fleſh, and hath as it were ſome dregs mixed with it: let the holy ſeruant of God chuſe out of his whole life, that which he ſhall thinke to hauehave beene moſt excellent, let him well conſider eueryevery part thereof, hee ſhall without doubt finde in one place or other, ſomething which ſauours of the fleſhes corruption, ſeeing our alacrity in well doing is neuer ſuch as it ought to be, but our weakenes great in hindering the courſe: although we ſee that the blots, where with the Saints workes are ſtayned, are not obſcure, yet grant that they are but very ſmall workes, ſhall they not offend the eyes of God, before whom the ſtarres themſelues are not pure? we hauehave not one worke proceeding from the Saints, which if it be cenſured in it ſelfe, doth not deſerue a iuſt reproofe..

64. In the other place obiected, hee writeth thus: Qui ſeriò tanquam ſub conſpectu Dei, &c. (i.) They which ſhall earneſtly as in the ſight of God, ſeeke the true rule of iuſtice, ſhall finde for certainty all the words of men, if they be cenſured by their owne dignity, to be nothing but pollution and filthines: and that which is commonly called righteouſneſſe, to be before God meere iniquity: that which is counted integrity, to be impurity, and that which is eſteemed glory, to be ignominie. Let the Reader now iudge what notorious lyars theſe bee to faſten this opinion vponupon Caluin, whoſe wordes I hauehave ſincerely and fully ſet downe, that eueryevery one may ſee their falſe dealing: for in what one place nameth hee mortall ſinne? or what one word tendeth to that end? The worſe termes he… giueth to good workes in the firſt place are theſe: That they are ſprinkled with imperfection, mixed with the dregs of the ſleſh, ſtained with corruption: and in the ſecond, that they are filthines, iniquity, pollution and ignominy: but how? firſt, if they bee examined by the ſtrict rule of Gods iuſtice: ſecondly, if they bee compared to Gods righteouſneſſe: and thirdly, if they bee conſidered in their owne merite and worth without the merite of Chriſt, whereby both their ſtaines and imperfections are couered, and an excellent dignity giuen vntounto them.

65. And indeed what I pray you doth Caluine ſay herein, p. 465but that which the Fathers ſaid before? I will propound two or three vntounto you in ſtead of al the reſt: Woe be to our righteouſneſſe (ſayth Saint Auguſtine) if God remouing his mercy, ſhould ſearch into it: and againe, All our righteouſnes ſtandeth rather in the remiſſion of our ſinnes, then in any perfection of iuſtice. Our beſt righteouſnes (ſayth Saint Bernard) if it be any, is right perhaps, but not pure, vnleſſe happily we thinke our ſelues better then our Fathers, who no leſſe truely then humbly ſaid, All our righteouſnes is as a defiled cloth. The holy man Iob (ſayth Saint Gregory) becauſe he ſaw all the merite of our vertue to be in vice, if it be ſtrictly iudged by the eternall Iudge, did rightly adde in; If I will contend with him, I ſhall not be able to anſwere him one of a thouſand. Laſtly, all beauty (ſayth Arnobius) in Gods preſence is but deformity, all righteouſnes is but vnrighteouſness, all ſtrength but weakenes, all riches but beggery. Theſe Fathers, with all the reſt, ſay no leſſe then Caluine, nor Caluine no more then they; and therefore they muſt either bee condemned with him, or bee iuſtified with them. Now if any man ſhould ſay, that they affirmed, that our beſt works were deadly ſinnes, all men would condemne him for a liar: ſo may we iuſtly ſay of our malicious aduerſaries, in imputing that opinion to Caluine, which hee neuer meant, nor yet the words will beare, and alſo which in all his writings hee directly croſſeth.

66. That which hath beene ſpoken concerning, Caluine, may bee applyed to the iuſtification of Luther and Melancthon: who are ſo farre from eſteeming good workes, to bee mortall ſinnes, that they extoll them hyperbolically, as hath beene already manifeſted. Luther indeed ſayth thus: That a good worke, done after the beſt manner that can be, yet is a veniall ſinne, according to the mercy of God, and a mortall ſinne, according to the iuſtice of God: but what of this? doth he therefore ſay, that it is a mortall ſinne, ſimply, as they would hauehave him? no, in no caſe: for firſt, hee calleth it a good worke, which hee would neuer hauehave done, if hee had iudged it no better then a ſinne: ſecondly, hee ſayth, that it is mortall, according to the iuſtice of God, and veniall by the mercy of p. 466God, which is the very ſame that all the Fathers affirmed before, intending by mortall, not that which is a high degree of ſinne, but that which in it owne nature deſerueth death. Thirdly, Luther himſelfe ſheweth what his intendment is in the article going before, where he ſayth, that not the good worke it ſelfe, but the defect in the worke is truely ſinne, becauſe it is an omiſſion of that precept, Thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy heart. By all which it is cleare, that Luther doth not condemne a good worke, but the euil in the worke, and that though God doth in mercy pardon the euill for the goods ſake, being a fruit of faith, ſo he might iuſtly condemne the good for the euill ſake that cleaueth vntounto it, being a fruit of originall ſinne: ſo that Luther ſtandeth cleare and innocent from this crime layd to his charge in all true iudgement, and they ſtand guilty of a moſt foule ſlander imputed vntounto him by their malice.

67. Thirdly, they ſlaunder vsus, that we ſlaunder God, by making him the author of ſinne. This accuſation, Bellarmine, Campion, Stapleton, Vaſques, Feuardentius, and all the Ieſuiticall rabble lay to our charge. And they accuſe Caluine, Luther, Peter Martir, and all other Proteſtant-writers as guilty thereof, but vponupon what ground, and with what ſhew of reaſon, let them declare vntounto vsus, for it paſſeth the reach of our capacities to finde out any ſuch doctrine, either direct in plaine words, or indirect by logicall conſequence in any of them; direct doctrine I am ſure Caluine thus writeth: The cauſe of ſinne is not to be ſought out of mans will, out of which the roote of euill ariſeth, and in the which ſinne reſideth. And in his Comment vponupon the Epiſtle of Saint Iames, more plainely he affirmeth, that God is not the author of ſinne, and that euils doe not proceed from any other roote, but from the euill concupiſcence of eueryevery mans owne heart. And this doctrine he iterateth againe and againe many ſcore of times in his bookes. Peter Martyr in like maner is moſt direct againſt this blaſphemousPet. Mart▪ com. in 2. Sam. 16. 22.2 Sam 16:22 doctrine, for thus he ſaith, That opinion of the Libertines which maketh God the author of ſinne, is a moſt deteſtable opinion, then which, nothing can be imagined more wicked, nor a more compendious p. 467way to hell; And in the ſame place he concludeth, that though nothing in the world, no, not ſinnes themſelues come to paſſe beſides Gods will and prouidence, yet he is not truly to be called the cauſe of ſinne, but all that can be ſayd, is that he is ſuch a cauſe, which is tearmed by the Logicians, the remoouing or hindering cauſe, that is, not efficient, but deficient rather, which in truth is no cauſe at all. Luther is as direct: for he auoucheth this propoſition in many places, God is not the author of ſinne. Luther in Gen. …o. 32. 38. 109.And this ſame is the conſtant affirmation of all our Diuines. What a ſhameleſſe forehead then hauehave our malicious aduerſaries, that dare lay vntounto our charge this blaſphemy which we all deteſt and abhorre?

68. I but (ſay they) though in word you ſay ſo, yet by conſequence from your doctrine it may be neceſſarily gathered, that you hold the contrary: for you all teach, that God concurreth with a ſinner in the acting of his ſin by his powerfull prouidence, and not onelyonly foreſeeth, but decreeth, diſpoſeth, and determineth in his wiſedome all the ſinnes of men according to his will; and by his ſecret working blindeth their minds, and hardneth their hearts, that they cannot repent. This we confeſſe is our doctrine, if it be rightly vnderſtood: for we teach, that God doth not barely permit ſinne to be done, but decreeth before to permit it, and in the act worketh by it, and ordereth and diſpoſeth it to his owne ends, yet ſo, that he neither approueth of it, nor is in any reſpect the cauſe of the malignity thereof; and herein we conſent both with the ancient Fathers, and with moſt of their owne Doctors.

69. Touching the Fathers, Saint Augustine ſhall be theAug. Enchi. id. ad Laure…t. cap. 100 & 101. mou…h of all the reſt: thus writeth he, Sinne could not be done, if God doth not ſuffer it, and he doth not ſuffer it againſt, but with his will, and being good as he is, he would neuer ſuffer any thing to be ill done, but that being alſo Almightie, he can do well of that which is euill. And in the next Chapter, God doth fulfill the good purpoſes of his owne by the euill purpoſes of euill men. Idem contra Iulian. lib. 5. cap. 3.And in another place▪ God doth worke in the hardening of the wicked, not onelyonly by his permiſſion and patience, but alſo by his p. 468power and action through his mightie prouidence, but yet moſt wiſe and iuſt. And in another place, Who may not tremble at Idem de grat. & lib. arbitr. ad Valent. cap. 20.theſe iudgements, where God doth worke in the hearts of wicked men whatſoeuer he will, rendring to them notwithſtanding according to their deſerts? And againe in another place, As God is Idem de corrept. & grat. cap. 14.a moſt holy Creator of good natures, ſo hee is a moſt righteous diſpoſer of euill wills, that whereas thoſe euill wills doe ill vſe good natures, he on the other ſide may well vſe the euill wills themſelues. Thus Auguſtine is our Patrone in this Doctrine: and if we be Heretikes, he is one too.

70. But let vsus heare their owne Doctours ſpeake, When Hugo de Sancto victore, de ſacr. l. 1. c. 12. part. 4.God doth good, and permitteth euill (ſayth Hugo) his will appeareth, ſeeing he willeth that which ſhould be, both which he doth, and which he permitteth, both his operation and his permiſſion are his will. God worketh many things (ſayth Pererius) within Perer. com. in. Gen. 18. diſp. 8.Gen 18him that is hardened, by which he is made worſe through his owne fault: he ſtirreth vp diuers motions either of hope, or feare, luſt, or anger, and ſendeth in diuers doubtfull and perplexed imaginations, by which he is puſht forth vntounto euill. A ſinner (ſaith Medina)…artol. Medin in 1. 2. q. 93. ar. 6 when he ſinneth, doth againſt the will and law of God in one caſe, and in another not: he doth indeed againſt his ſignified will, but againſt the will of his good pleaſure he doth not, nor againſt his effectuall ordination. No ſinne falleth out beſides the will and intention of God (ſay Mayer, Durand, Aquinas, and other.) God Mayer 2. diſt. 45. q. 1. Durand. 2. diſt. 37. q. 1. Aquin. in Ro. 9. Canus loc. lib. 2. cap. 4. Vega lib. 2. c. 15. de expoſ. concil. Trident. Suarez de varijs opuſ. Theol. l. 4. diſp. 1. §. 2.Rom 9(ſayth Canus) is the naturall cauſe of all motions, yea euen in euill men, but not the morall cauſe, for he neither counſelleth nor commandeth euill. Laſtly, to conclude with two famous Ieſuits, Vega, and Suarez: the firſt ſayth, that though God doth not command, counſell, approue, or reward ſinne, yet he doth will and worke it together with vsus: and the ſecond, that God worketh the act of ſinne, but not the malice thereof. This is the very doctrine of Caluine, and Martir, and all Proteſtants: ſo that if wee be guilty of this blaſphemous conſequence, to make God the author of ſinne, they alſo muſt needs be in the ſame caſe: but Saint Augustines diſtinction will cleere vsus both. When God deliuered his Sonne, and Iudas his Maſter to be crucified, Aug Epiſt. 48. ad Vincent.why is God iuſt, and man guilty (ſayth he) but becauſe p. 469though the thing was the ſame which they did, yet the cauſe was not the ſame, for which they did it: or if this diſtinction will not ſuffice, their owne Ieſuites will helpe vsus out: In ſinne there are two things to be conſidered (ſayth Ʋaſques) the act and defect: Vaſques in Thom. …. 2. q. 79. art. 2. cap▪ 5.the act is to be referred to God, but not the defect in any caſe, which ariſeth from the corrupt will of man: or the act and the malignity thereof, (as ſayth another Ieſuite) or the materiall part of ſinne, which is called by the Schoolemen, ſubiectum ſubſtratum, the vnderunder-laide ſubiect: and the formall, which is the prauity and anomy of the action; the one of theſe from God, the other from man: or laſtly, if none of theſe will ſerue the turne, yet our owne diſtinction will acquire vsus, to wit, that Almighty God doth ſo will & decree mans ſin, not as it is ſin, but as it is his owne iuſt iudgement vponupon ſinners, for their puniſhment, and the demonſtration of his iuſtice. And thus our doctrine is free from the conception of this vile Monſter, & their calumniation is as vnrighteous againſt vsus, as the dealing of God about the ſins of men, is moſt righteous and iuſt. And thus thoſe ſome what too harſh ſayings (I conteſſe) of Luther, Swinglius and Melancthon are to bee vnderſtood, and no otherwiſe, that the treaſon of Iudas came from God, aſwell as the conuerſion of Paul: charity will conſtrue the wordes according to the ſpeakers intendement, and not ſtretch their intendement to the ſtrict tenter of eueryevery word and ſyllable.

71. Fourthly, they accuſe vsus of blaſphemy againſt the4. Sonne of God, for denying (as they ſay) that hee is Deus ex Deo, God of God: againſt the doctrine of the Nicene Creed. and this they call the Atheiſme of Caluine and Beza: a palpableCampian. Rat. …. Rbem. annot. in Iob. 1. Poſſeuin. de notis verb. Dei, l. 3 c. 74. Bell. de Chriſt… lib. c. 2. cap. ….Job 1 ſlander: for neither Caluine nor Beza did euer imagine, much leſſe vtter the ſame in that ſenſe which they lay to their charges: for let Bellarmine their ſworne aduerſarie ſpeake for them: Caluine and Beza teach (ſayth he) that the Sonne is of himſelfe in respect of his eſſence, but not in reſpect of his perſon, and they ſeeme to ſay, that the eſſence of the Deity in Chriſt, is not begotten, but is of it ſelfe: which opinion (ſayth he) I ſee not why it may not be called Catholike. Heere Bellarmine telleth p. 470vsus truely, what their opinion was, and doth acknowledge it to be a true Catholike doctrine: and yet in the ſame Chapter hee contemneth Caluine, for his manner of ſpeaking of it, and of intolerable ſaucineſſe, for finding fault with the harſhnes of the phraſe vſed by the Nicene Councill, God of God: Light of light. Marke (I pray you) his abſurdity, it is Catholike, and yet it may not bee ſpoken: it is true, and yet it is to be blamed. May not a Catholike doctrine bee ſpoken then? or muſt the truth bee ſmothered? This is ſuch an inconſequence, as neither reaſon nor Religion can any wayes beare withall: and for his ſaucy dealing with the Nicene Councill, all that euer he ſayth is, that it is durum dictum, a hard phraſe: yet ſo, that hee confeſſeth it may receiue a good and commodious interpretation, if it be vnderſtood in the concrete, that Chriſt who is God, is of the Father that is God: the word being taken perſonally, and not in the abſtract; as if the eſſence of the Deity of the Sonne ſhould bee from the Father, which is entirely ſubſiſting, in, of, and by it owne eternall, incomprehenſible, and moſt glorious nature: and this without queſtion was the true intendement of the Councill; for els it had not confuted, but fauoured the blaſphemous hereſie of Arrius, againſt whom it was aſſembled, which Caluine and Beza doe not any wayes croſſe, but onelyonly bring vntounto it a fit and fauourable expoſition. Thus we hauehave Bellarmine, Caluines and Bezaes patrone in this doctrine, though full ill againſt his will:Riber. com. in Heb. 1. Gregor. de Valent. de trinit. l. 1. c. 22. & l. 2. c. 17.Heb 1 and not onelyonly him, but Ribera, and Gregory de Valentia, two other no meane Rabbies, both which doe conclude, that the Sonne as he is a perſon, is of another; but as he is a ſimple Ens, is not of another: and that the Eſſence doth not beget the Eſſence, but the Father the Son: ſo that either they are ſlanderers of the truth; or their Catholike doctrines may bee Atheiſme and blaſphemy.

72. Againe, they accuſe Caluine of another blaſphemy againſt5. Bell. in praefat. controu. de Chriſte. Poſſeuin. de notis diuini verbi, l. 3. p. 78. our Lord and Sauior Ieſus Chriſt, to wit, that he ſhould make him inferiour to his Father, in reſpect of his Deity. This is Arrlaniſme indeed, as Bellarmine calleth it; or Atheiſme, as Poſſeuine, if it were to bee found in Caluines diuinity, or any p. 471other: but it is as farre from him thus to thinke, as it is from their malice to ſpeake the truth. This is all that Caluine affirmeth, that the Father is God, per excellentiam, that is, after a more excellent manner. And what errour I pray you is in this? doth hee not ſpeake of the perſonall relation that is betwixt the Father and the Sonne, and not of the nature and eſſence of the God-head that is in both, of equall dignity and excellency? This is cleare both by the former article, wherein he ſloutly auoucheth him to bee foreign God of himſelfe, and not to receiue the eſſence of his Deity from his Father, and ſo not to be inferiour to his Father in that reſpect: and alſo by infinite places in his books, where he directly maketh the Son Iehouah, equall to the Father in dignity, excellency, eternity, and all other properties of the Deity: therefore he ſpeaketh this in reſpect of the perſon of Chriſt, in which conſideration the Father that begetteth, reſpected with the Sonne that is begotten, may truely bee ſaid to hauehave a certaine priority of order, ānd to be God after a more excellent manner. Here is now neither Arrianiſme, nor Atheiſme, nor indeed any error in Caluines doctrine; but malicious lying and ſlaundering in in theſe Ieſuites accuſation.

73. Nay, that Caluine may bee cleared from all ſuſpition of errour, and thoſe fellowes condemned as notorious ſlaunderers:Tollet. com. in Ioh. 14.John 14 Tollet one of their owne fraternity affirmeth, that Athanaſius, Baſil, Nazianzene, Hilary and Origen, all ſtrong maintainers of Chriſts diuinity, and profeſt enemies to Arrius hereſie, interpret that place, Iohn 14. My Father is greater then I: in Caluines ſenſe. Maldonate another Ieſuite, in hisMaldonat. com. in Ioh. 14.John 14 commentary vponupon Iohn, addeth to theſe, Epiphanius, Cyrillus, Leontius, Chryſoſtome, Theophilact, and Euthemius, as patrones of the ſame opinion: yea, and this laſt Ieſuite himſelfe ſubſcribeth to their expoſition: for he ſayth, that the Father is greater then the Sonne, in that reſpect that hee is the Sonne: for the Name of the Father is more honorable then the Name of the Son: and the Schoolmen ſay aſmuch as Caluine, when they aſcribeEraſm. in praefat. ad libro… Tertul. to the Father authority, and to the Sonne ſubauthority. What is this but to ſay, that the Father is God after a more excellent p. 472manner? Now then if this were neither Atheiſme, nor Arrianiſme, nor hereſie in the Fathers, nor in their owne Doctors: why ſhould it bee branded with thoſe infamous titles in Caluine? I ſee no reaſon, but that malice is blinde, and that the hatred they bare to that good man, made them to ſay, and do they cared not what, ſo they might wound his credite thereby.

74. Luther is likewiſe traduced by them, as a denyer of the bleſſed Trinity: and that, becauſe the word Trinity is ſaid to diſlike him, for which cauſe he diſpunged out of the Germane Lyturgies, this ſorme of prayer: Sancta Trinitas, vnus Deus, miſerere nostri; a notorious calumniation: for Luther indeed blotteth out of the Germane prayers, a certain forme like vntounto that obiected, but not ſo as he ſetteth it downe: for the word vſed in the Germane tongue, ſignifieth rather a triplicity, then a Trinity; which mooued Luther in a deſire to maintaine the pure doctrine of the Trinity (as Iunius obſerueth) to blot out that word, thinking it a dangerous matter, to vſe ſuch a word in ſo holy and high a myſtery. By which practice he is ſo farre from impugning or denying that bleſſed principle, that he ſheweth himſelfe rather a zealous defender and maintainer thereof, and in a word, to diſcouer their falſity and his innocency. Liſt how diuinely, and ſoundly, and orthodoxally he writeth elſe-where of that myſtery: Vnitas Trinitatis Luther. tom. 1. pag. 572.eſt magis vna, &c. The vnity of the Trinity is more one, then the vnity of any creature, euen mathematically, neuertheles this vnity is a Trinity, or the diuinity of three diſtinct perſons: that eueryevery perſon is the whole diuinity, as if there were no other; and yet it is true that no perſon is the fole diuinity▪ as if there were Idem com. 4. pag. 370.no other. Againe, vponupon the transfiguration of Chriſt, Mat. 17. hee thus commenteth: Heere the whole Trinity doth appeare to the confirmation of all the faithfull: Chriſt the Son in a glorious forme, God the Father by his voyce, declaring his Son to be God, and the holy Ghoſt in the bright cloud ouer-ſhadowing them. Againe, we beleeue (ſayth he) that there is one God, the Father Idem tom. 1. in Gen. c. 1…. pag. 165.Gen 1begetting, the Sonne begotten, and the holy Ghoſt proceeding from the Father and Son: we determine ſuch a plurality in God, which p. 473is of an vndiuided ſubſtāce, & an indiuiſible vnity: again, the myſtery Ibid. in cap. 3. pag 65.of the Trinity was diſcouered in the beginning of the world, after, vnderſtood by the Prophets, and laſtly, plainly reuealed by the Goſpell, when our Saviour commandeth to baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt. A number of ſuch like places might bee alledged out of his workes, wherein moſt conſtantly hee auoucheth that doctrine which our and his vnequall aduerſaries accuſe him to bee an enemy vntounto. Let enuy it ſelfe now bee iudge, whether this bee not a ſlander, when as they both falſiſy thoſe ſayings, out of which they would deriue their accuſation, and conceale thoſe which they knew to bee a iuſt defence and apologie for his innocency.

75. Againe they condemne Beza, and Martyr, and other6. Poſſeuine de notis verb. diuin. l. 3. c. cap. 8. Proteſtants for denying the omnipotency of God: and why? becauſe forſooth they ſay, Quod facta vt infecta ſint facere nequeat; Hee cannot make thoſe things that bee done, to bee vndone. An abſurd inference: for that aſſertion, that God can not make thoſe things that bee done, to be vndone, doth not deſtroy, but build vp the omnipotency of God: ſeing as Bellarmine Bell. de Euchar. l. 1. c. 14.himſelfe acknowledgeth, Facere contradictoria, non eſt efficere, ſed deficere; to doe things contradictorie, is not to effect and doe, but to faile and vndoe: and therefore an argument of impotency, rather then of omnipotency: and for that cauſe Pererius another Ieſuite auoucheth the ſame doctrinePerer. com. in Gen. 17.Gen 17 with vsus in theſe words; God is ſaid to be omnipotent, not onelyonly becauſe he can do whatſoeuer is contained in the world, but alſo becauſe nothing is impoſſible vntounto him, except that, which to be done implieth contradiction: what an impudent flander then is this, to ſay that wee deny Gods omnipotency, by affirming, that hee cannot make that to bee vndone, which is done? eſpecially, ſeeing wee ſay further with Tertullian and SaintTertul. aduerſ. Prax. c. 10. Aug. de ciuit. l. 5. c. 10. Auguſtine, that therefore God cannot do it, becauſe he will not do it: he cannot therefore deny himſelfe, not make that to be vndone, which is done, becauſe hee will not; and he will not, becauſe it would rather be an argument of weakenes, then a power in him ſo to doe.

p. 47476. Againe, they challenge Caluine of denying the immortality of the ſoule. And why thinke you? Becauſe they would make him to ſay, that the ſoules of the iuſt are kept in certaine ſecret receptacles, till the day of Iudgement, and doe not till then inioy the preſence of God. Another palpable ſlander: for firſt Caluine doth not ſay ſo: ſecondly, if hee did, yet it doth not follow thereupon, that hee denyeth the immortality of the ſoule: for the firſt, let Caluine firſt ſpeake for himſelfe, and then let his aduerſaries alſo ſpeak for him. Touching the place where the ſoules of the iuſt remaine after death, he affirmeth plainely in diuers places, that they liue with God, and enioy the happy felicity of his kingdome, though Caluin. aduerſ. libertin. c. 22. & in Pſychoparmibia, & com. in 2. Cor. 5. 8.2 Cor 5:8their perfect happineſſe is deferred, till the ſecond comming of Chriſt, when their bodies and ſoules ſhalbe re-united, and made partakers of the ſame bleſſednes. This he teſtifieth not in one or two, but in many places: how therefore can they lay to his charge, that opinion, touching ſecret receptacles, where ſoules are reſerued till the day of the reſurrection?

77. Mary (ſayth Bellarmine) in two reſpects: firſt, becauſe he maketh Chriſt alone to hauehave entred into the Sanctuary Bell. de beatitud. Sanct. l. 2. c. 1.of heauen, and there to preſent the prayers of the people; resting in the vtter court, to God: & ſecondly, becauſe he ſayth, that the Saints departed are ioyned together with vsus by faith: therefore (ſayth Bellarmine) He muſt needs deny that they ſee God, ſeeing Idem lib. 1. c. 1.where faith is, there is not ſight. But his concluſion in both is falſe, though the premiſes be true: for as the Atrium, or vtter Court of the Temple, to which Caluine alludeth, was a part of the Temple: ſo by proportion, the vtter Court of Heauen is a part of Heauen: witneſſe their owne Ribera, expoundingRibera i… Exod. 28.Exod 28 that place of Exodus, whereunto Caluine alludeth: and therefore Caluine, if hee did ſay ſo, doth not baniſh the iuſt ſoules out of Heauen, but onelyonly placeth Chriſt our high Prieſt, betwixt God and them. But what if hee ſpeake onelyonly of the Saints liuing, and not departed, and meane by the vtter Court, not any part of Heauen, but the Church militantCaluin. Inſtit. l. 3. c. 20. heere on earth? If this be true, what ſhameleſſe ſlaunderers are theſe fellowes, to wring a ſenſe out of Caluine, whereof p. 475there is no ſhow in the words? let the place be conſulted and viewed, and their malice and impudency will appeare moſt notorious.

78. Againe, that faith which hee ſpeaketh of in the ſecond place, is nothing elſe, but their ſtedfaſt beliefe and expectation of the reſurrection of their bodies, which liueth in the faithfull ſoules ſeparated from this mortality, vntill the full accompliſhment of their happineſſe, aſwell as in the Saints militant: neither can I conceiue any abſurdity in this, that the Saints departed ſhould hauehave faith in this reſpect, ſeeing they muſt needs hauehave hope: which two Theologicall vertues are ſo perplexed together, that one cannot bee without the other: and therefore Clemens Alexandrinus calleth hope the blood of faith: and Saint Paul ſayth, 1. Cor. 13. that faith and hope ſhall ceaſe together, when charity ſhall ſuruiue and remaine. If then the Saints departed hope for the reſurrection of their bodies, why may they not bee ſaid alſo to beleeue it, and yet for all that be in heauen too?

79. Neither is the other place obiected out of Caluine byCaluin. Inſtit. l. 3. c. 25. §. 6. Bellarmine any whit repugnant to this doctrine; for though he ſayth, that it is a fooliſh and raſh part to diſpute curiouſly, what the place is, that the Saints poſſeſſe in Heauen, and whether they inioy the full ioyes of heauen, or no: yet in the very ſame place hee affirmeth, that they are in the preſence of Chriſt in Paradiſe, and that they onelyonly expect the fruition of that promiſed glory, which their bodies alſo ſhalbe poſſeſſors of, at the comming of Chriſt.

80. Thus we hauehave heard Caluine ſpeake for himſelfe. Let vsus now heare his enemies, ſpeaking for him in this caſe, then which there cannot be a ſtronger argument of his innocency:Bell. de Chriſt…. l. 4. c. 15. and in this, two may ſtand for all. Bellarmine is the firſt, hee directly confeſſeth, that Caluine placed the ſoules of the Saints in heauen, euen before the comming of Chriſt; and to him ſubſcribeth Fenardentius, another Ieſuite, who affirmeth that thisFeuard. Theomach. l. 8. c. 8. was Caluines opinion, that the faithfull, when they ſhould depart out of this world, doe behold God neere vntounto them, and as it were ſet before their eyes. And thus Caluine is quit from this p. 476enditement by the witneſſe of his profeſt aduerſaries.

81. Secondly, let it be granted (which neuertheleſſe can no wayes be prooued) that Caluine held this opinion, touching the reſidence of ſoules in ſome ſecret place; yet it doth not follow, that therefore he denyed the immortality of the ſoule. For then Origen, Iustine, Martyr, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Vaſques tom. 1. in Thom. diſp. 19 c. 1. nu. 1. Staplet. de author. Script. l. 1. c 2. Sixt. Senenſ. biblioth. l. 9.Lactantius, Victorinus, Chryſostome, Theodoret, Theophilact, Ambroſe, Bernard, and diuers others of the ancient godly Fathers, ſhould be enwrapped within the ſame errour, who all held that opinion touching ſoules departed, and yet were as farre from gain-ſaying, or once imagining any oppoſition to the ſoules immortality, as theſe backbiting Shemi…s are from charity and truth.

82. Another lowde and lewde ſlander of theirs againſt our Religion, is, that it maintaineth and warranteth rebellion and diſobedience againſt lawfull Princes. Which if they could prooue, wee would confeſſe that our Religion was naught, ſeeing Gods word commandeth eueryevery ſoule to be ſubiect Rom. 13. 1.Rom 13:1to the higher powers: but yet not worſe then theirs, which is, without all contradiction, guilty of this crime, which they impute vntounto vsus, as hath beene prooued: but let vsus heare their proofes: they are of two ſorts; firſt, from the doctrines of ſome of our learned writers; and ſecondly, from the practice of our profeſſors: In the firſt kind they obiect Caluine, Beza, Luther, Knox, Buchanan, Goodman; yea and Munſter alſo with his Anabaptiſts: all which let vsus briefly examine, and begin with the laſt, and ſo goe backward.

83. Munſter with his Anabaptiſts, maintained indeed ſuch rebellious doctrines: but were they Proteſtants? or did euer any Proteſtant giuegive credit, coūtenance or allowāce vntounto thē? No, Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth the contrary, when hee ſayth, that the opinion of the hereticall Anabaptiſts, was abhorred Bell. de Laicis l. 3. c. 2.not onelyonly of Catholikes, but alſo of Caluine. Yea Caluine and Luther wrote each of them a booke againſt their impieties. It is impious wickedneſſe then for any to obiect to Proteſtants, the opinion of thoſe rebellious and giddy Anabaptiſts.

p. 47784. Touchng Goodman, Knox and Buchanan, we ingeniouſly confeſſe, that the two laſt went too farre in diminiſhing the authority of Princes, and that the firſt was impious in animating ſubiects againſt their Soueraignes: but withall, wee giuegive them to know this, that they are condemned of all good men in this their rebellious aſſertion: and that by a publike Act of Parliament in Scotland, Buchanans books was calledAnno 1584. in, and cenſured as contrary to ſound doctrine: and the like cenſure is giuen by all godly Proteſtants, againſt Knox, or any other that maintaine the like.

85. And now I would faine vnderſtand of theſe fellowes, what are theſe three in compariſon of the whole Church of Proteſtants, that they ſhould blemiſh our Religion by their exorbitant opinions; and to the many hundred of Proteſtant writers, that abhorre all ſuch doctrine, and clearely auouch the contrary. If it be a good plea in them, to ſay, that the opinion of ſome priuate men ought not to preiudice the Religion of the whole Church; then it may alſo by good right ſerue our turnes in the caſe of theſe three, ſeeing the rule of equity requireth vt feras legem quam fers, that eueryevery one ſhould bee ſubiect to that Law which hee himſelfe maketh. In ſum, here are with vsus but three, that can be touched: but with them are multitudes, not onelyonly of inferiour Prieſts and Ieſuites, but of Cardinals and Popes, that are guilty of this crime: ours, are priuate men condemned by all others: with them, publike perſons authorized by their places and chayres, and priuiledged from errour: with vsus, writings of no authoritie: with them, Bulles, decrees, and bookes with priuiledge and publike allowance. Laſtly, with vsus, the whole ſtreame of our Religion tendeth to the maintenance of obedience, and condemning of all treaſon and rebellion: but with them the very grounds of their Religion doe warrant and vphold the contrary, as is manifeſtly prooued heretofore.

86. Concerning Luther, Caluine and Beza, how farre they were from this pernicious doctrine, let their owne words and writings teſtify: Luther firſt: Gouernment (ſayth he) is a certaine Luther tom. 5. in Gen. cap. 27.Gen 27diuine vertue: and therefore God calleth all Magiſtrates p. 478gods, not for creation, but for adminiſtration and gouernment, which belongeth onelyonly to God: therefore he that is a ruler, is as it were a god incarnate. Againe, in another place; We doe not flatter Idem tom. 3. in Gen. cap. 33.Gen 33the Magiſtrates, when we ſtile them moſt gracious, and moſt mighty: but from the heart we reuerence their order, and their perſons ordained to this office. And in another place; Though Idem tom. 1. in Gen. cap. 9.Gen 9ſome thinke (ſayth he) the gouernment of man ouer man to bee a tyrannous vſurpation; becauſe all men are naturally of like condition: yet we that hauehave the word of God, muſt oppoſe the commandement and ordinance of God, who hath put a ſword into the hand of the Magiſtrate, whom therefore the Apoſtle calleth Gods Miniſters.

87. Caluine in diuers places deliuereth this doctrine: thatCaluin. Inſtit. lib. 4. cap. 20. not onelyonly good and godly Kings are to be obeyed, but alſo wicked ones, becauſe in them is ſtamped and ingrauen the image of diuine Maieſtie: neyther can any one ſentence be picked and culled out of all his bookes, yea, though it be ſtrayned to the vttermoſt, and wrung till it bleed, that but ſauoureth of rebellion: except that may, perhaps, which hee ſpeaketh concerning an impious King, that riſeth vp againſt God, and ſeeketh to rob him of his right: how ſuch a one doth bereaue Idem com. in Dan. 6. 22.Dan 6:22himſelfe of his authoritie, and is rather to be ſpit at then obeyed. But this alſo being rightly vnderſtood, maketh nothing to that purpoſe: for firſt, he doth not ſay that ſuch an one is to be bereaued of his authoritie, but that he bereaueth himſelfe: and ſecondly he meaneth, that hee is rather to bee ſpit at and defiled, then to be obeyed in that particular, wherein he commandeth any thing contrary to the dignitie and maieſtie of God. What hurt now, I pray you, is in this doctrine? Or rather what ſound truth is not in it? ſaue that there is a little harſhneſſe of phraſe, which might hauehave beene well omitted: and yet this is all that the Romiſh aduerſaries can charge Caluine withall.

88. Laſtly, for Beza, if I ſhould produce all his excellent ſayings, whereby he doth maintaine the authority of Princes, and obedience of ſubiects: I ſhould trouble the Reader too long: let this ſuffice, that his greateſt enemies cannot obiect p. 479againſt him, any one thing tending to the impeachment of Royall authoritie, except they groſſely bely him, which is no new thing with them; lyes and ſlanders being one of the chiefe props of their Kingdome. Thus our doctrine affordeth them no hold for this accuſation.

89. Againe, they challenge Caluine for imputing vntounto our Lord and Sauiour ſome ſtaine of ſinne; not by expreſſe words, but by conſequence: becauſe he ſaid, that when in theBel. de Chriſto lib. 4. cap. 1. garden he prayed, Father, if it be poſſible, let this cuppe paſſe from me, neuertheleſſe, not as I will, but as thou wilt: hee corrected and revoked his prayer ſuddenly vttered: therefore (ſay they) he muſt be tainted with ſinne, ſeeing he did ſomething that might be corrected: the like crime they lay to the charge of Luther, and all other learned Proteſtants, for ſayingIbid. that in Chriſts humane nature there was ſome ignorance reſiding, and that he grew vp, and increaſed in knowledge, and had not the full meaſure of knowledge at his birth, as they would hauehave it. We grant the premiſes to be true, to wit, that this is the doctrine of Caluine, Luther, and other learned Proteſtants: but neuertheleſſe we ſay, that the concluſion is a malicious ſlander: for firſt, many of the fathers, yea moſt, were of the ſame opinion with vsus: as alſo ſome of the popiſh Doctors themſelues, that there was ignorance in Chriſt, and that his knowledge grew and increaſed together with his age, according to that of Saint Luke: Hee increaſed in wiſedome Luk. 2. 52.Luke 2:52and ſtature, and in fauour with God and men. And yet none of them did once imagine, that this was in him either a ſinne or a fruit of ſinne; grounding vponupon that text of Scripture, Heb. 4. 15. that Chriſt was like vntounto vsus in all things, ſinne onelyonly excepted: nor euer was that errour imputed vntounto them for that cauſe. Heare ſome of them ſpeake in their owne words. Ambroſe ſayth thus. How Chriſt increaſed in wiſdome Ambroſe de Incar. cap. 7.the order of the words doth teach, his proceeding in age, is his proceeding in wiſdome. And therefore Saint Luke ſets his growth in age. Firſt, that thou mighteſt know that it is ſpoken of him as he is man. And Chryſoſtome thus, The wiſemen gaue Chryſeſt. in Mat. 2. hom. 2.Matt 2honour not to his childhood, vnderſtanding nothing, but to his diuinitie p. 480knowing all things: and Maldonate doth confeſſe, thatMaldon. com. in Mat. 24.Matt 24 Athanaſius, Gregory, Nazianzene, Theodoret, Cyril, and the authour of the imperfect worke on Mathew, did al teach, that Chriſt as man, was ignorant of the day of Iudgement. Neyther do theſe fathers alleadged by Bellar. for the contrarie opinion, in truth deliuer any thing elſe, if they bee rightly vnderſtood: for moſt of them, when they ſay, that our Sauiour was full of grace, knowledge and wiſedome, from his verie conception, and that hee did not increaſe and grow therein as other men, they ſpeake eyther of his perſon in the concret, or of his diuine nature apart, as their owne words alleadged by him doe clearely ſhew. And to this opinion Thomas Aquinas, their grand Schooleman and angellical Doctor, ſettethAquin. part. 3. q. 9. art. 4. his hand and ſeale. For thus hee writeth, Though I hauehave elſewhere written otherwiſe, yet it is to be ſaid (ſayth bee) that in Chriſt there was ſcientia acquiſita: knowledge acquired or gotten, which is properly knowledge according to the meaſure of man: and that not onelyonly in reſpect of the ſubiect receiuing, but alſo of the cauſe agent, &c.

90. Secondly, al ignorance is not ſin by the doctrine of their own ſchoole. For that ignorāce which is called purae negationis of pure negation, doth not oppugne the ſtate of innocencie, ſeeing that it was in Adā before his fal, and is now in the Angels in their perfection, & may be in any without the ſpot of ſin: as witneſſe Lumbard, Aquinas, Pererius & al their learnedPerer. com. in Gen. 6. diſp. 4. Suarez. tom. 1. Thom. q. 9. art. 1. diſp. 24.Gen 6 Doctors for the moſt part: yea their Ieſuite Suarez telleth vsus, it is not to be called ignorance at al. Becauſe ignorance (ſayth he) doth not ſignifie eueryevery want of knowledge, but the priuatiō of that knowledge, which ought to be in a ſubiect according to the ſtate of the nature thereof: as man is not to bee called ignorant, becauſe he wanteth angellicall knowledge, ſo Chriſt was ignorant of none of theſe things; which was behoofefull for him to know, in reſpect of the dignitie of his perſon: ſo that of two kindes of ignorance, one, of pure negation; that is, when a man knoweth not ſome thing, which hee is not bound to know, and the other of wicked diſpoſition, when a man is … of ſomething which he ought to know. This laſt is p. 481a ſinne, but not the firſt: and therefore to ſay that Chriſt was ignorant of ſome things in his humane nature, and that hee increaſed in knowledge, as in age, is not to impute vntounto him any blot either of originall or actuall ſinne.

91. For the other part of the obiection, wherewith Caluine is touched, concerning our Sauiours correcting of his owne ſpeech, it is no other then that which Ierome before him many hundred yeeres vttered; and Origen alſo, two famous fathers of the Primitiue Church: the one affirming, that Chriſt returning to himſelfe, auouched, that as he was the Hierome. Origen. tract. in Mat.Sonne of God, which hee had ſtaggeringly ſpoken, as hee was a man: the other, that he recalled his deſire, and as it were thinking better vponupon it, ſaid, Not as I will: yea they themſelues acknowledge aſmuch, for Bellarmine ſayth, that when our Sauiour Bell. de Chriſt▪ lib. 4. cap. 5.prayed, Let this cup paſſe from me, but not as I will, but as thou wilt, it was aſmuch as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: Volo vt non fiat voluntate naturali quod voluntate deliberata volo vt fiat: I will that it may not come to paſſe, to wit, by my naturall will, which by my deliberate will, I deſire may come to paſſe. Here is a plaine correction, as Caluine calleth it, or a returning to himſelfe, as Hierome; or a reuocation of his natural deſire by a more aduiſed deſire, as Origen: the like interpretation is giuen by Ianſenius, Pererius and Maldonate; all agreeing in t…is, that they admit of a correction and reuocation of his naturall, inferiour, humane wil, by his ſpirituall, ſuperior, diuine will: and yet without all blemiſh and ſuſpition of ſin; this correction preſupoſing no corruption. So that either Caluine muſt be excuſed, or themſelues muſt bee inwrapped within the folds of the ſame fault. But this is their rancour againſt that good man, and all other of our ſide, that which is orthodox in the Fathers, and themſelues, is notwithſtanding hereſie in vsus; becauſe they looke vponupon vsus thorow the ſpectacle of malice, but vponupon themſelues with the eyes of ſelfe-louelove.

92. And to cleere him altogether, and ridde him out of their hands, the moſt receiued doctrine both by Caluine andPerkins on the Creed. all our whole Church concerning this point is; that this was not in our Sauiour Chriſt, either a rebellion of the ſenſuall p. 482part of the ſoule againſt the rationall; as Per…rius maketh it, which is in the vnregenerate, nor of the fleſh againſt the ſpirit, as Ianſenius would hauehave it, which is in the regenerate, nor a repugnance of Chriſts will as he was a man, to his will as he was God, which Maldonate ſ…emeth to affirme: but onelyonly the ſtrife of two contrarie deſires in the humane ſoule of Chriſt for dominion, both which notwithſtanding were good and holy, though the one not ſo good as the other, and in that reſpect, this deſire to auoid death, which was the leſſe, might without any great offence, bee ſaid to bee corrected, when it yeelded vntounto that other which was more excellent.

92. Laſtly (to omit a number more of their ſſlanders in this kind) they charge our Religion it ſelfe, to lead to looſeneſſe and ſenſualitie by diuers doctrines thereof: eſpecially theſe foure, to wit, freewill, iuſtification by faith alone, perſeuerance in grace; and impoſſibilitie to keepe the Commandements: but with what ſpirit of malice, let the indifferent Reader conſult and iudge.

93. Firſt, for our doctrine touching the inabilitie of freewill, doth it lead a man to looſeneſſe? nay, rather doth it not teach him to deny himſelfe, and to ſeeke for all grace and goodneſſe from God? humilitie and prayer are the fruits of this doctrine, and not looſneſſe and libertie: and to make it cleare to any ſingle eye: We teach that a man is onelyonly voyde of freewill to grace before his regeneration, and that hee is paſſiue onelyonly in the very act of regeneration: but after his will being quickned, and ſtirred vp by Gods ſpirit, he willeth and worketh forth together with the ſpirit of God, his owne ſaluation. Now, few or none there are, that are Chriſtians, but preſume, though falſely, that they are regenerate: and therefore this doctrine cannot giuegive libertie to any to ſinne, but rather bindeth them faſt to obedience; nay, doth not their doctrine rather open a gappe to libertie? For when they teach, that it is in a mans power either to accept or reiect the grace of God offered vntounto him: What doth this but incourage men to deferre their repentance & conuerſion, ſeeing it is in their power to accept it when they liſt?

p. 48394. Secondly, how can the doctrine of iuſtification by11. faith alone tend to looſeneſſe, ſeeing we teach, that faith is neuer ſeuered from good workes, nor iuſtification from ſanctification, nor a right beliefe from an vpright life, as hath beene ſhewed, and that they which ſeuer and part thoſe things which God hath coupled together, ſeuer themſelues from the merciemercy of God, and merit of Ieſus Chriſt? With what brow of braſſe then can they call this a ſolifidian portion, and a doctrine of libertie? I, but manie take libertie hereby to lead a looſe and wicked life, building vponupon this ground, that they are iuſtified by faith alone, and ſo they neglect all good workes. True indeed, many ſuch there are: but is it from our doctrine? is it not rather from their miſtaking of it? So the Capernaites tooke offence at our Sauiour Chriſts heauenly doctrine, Ioh. 6. touching the ſpirituall eating of his fleſh, and drinking his bloud: inſomuch that many of them departed from him: was his doctrine therefore erronious? or were not they rather ignorant in miſconſtruing, & impious in peruerting the ſame? So is it with this myſterie of iuſtification, which is the verie doctrine of Ieſus Chriſt: if any by miſtaking it, or by taking vp one piece of it, and leauing another, doe animate themſelues vntounto ſinne, is the doctrine to be blamed? and not they rather, that diſtort it to their owne ſhame and confuſion? In a word, if this were a iuſt exception againſt this doctrine, then no doctrine either of their or ours, or the Goſpell it ſelfe might bee freed from this challenge. For as there is no herbe ſo ſweet and wholſome, but the Spider may ſucke poyſon out of it, aſwell as the Bee hony: ſo there is no truth ſo ſacred and holy, but an vngodly minde may peruert and make it an occaſion of his impietie. Thus, the grace of God is turned into wantonneſſe by many (as Saint Iude ſaith:) theIud. 1. 4.Judg 1:4 word of God is the ſauour of death vntounto death. Yea, Chriſt Ieſus our bleſſed Lord and Sauiour is a falling, and a ſtone to 1. Pet. 2. 8.1 Pet 2:8ſtumble at, and a rocke of offence: ſo the doctrine of Iuſtification by faith alone, may be an occaſion of libertie and no otherwiſe: that is not properly, or by any effect iſſuing from itſelfe, but accidentally, and by the malignitie of the obiect whereupon it worketh.

p. 48495. Thirdly, our doctrine of perſeuerance, though rayling12. Wright ſayth of it, that Epicurus himſelfe could not hauehave found a better ground to plant his Epicuriſme: nor Heliogabalus hauehave better patronized his ſenſualitie: nor Bacchus and Venus hauehave forged better reaſons to inlarge their dominion: yet, to any ſingle eye (for his eyes are double-ſighted with malice, as Witches eyes are ſaid to be) it is rather a ſtrong bridle to reſtraine from ſenſuality and Epicuriſme, and a bond to bind to obedience, then a provocation vntounto ſinne: for when men are perſwaded that ſincere faith, true charitie, and ſauing grace cannot be loſt, it will cauſe them to take heed how they fall away, leſt they proue themſelues to hauehave beene hypocrites before, and their faith and charitie not to hauehave beene true, but fained: for he that falleth from God whom he pretend: d to ſerue, to the Deuil by an actual Apoſtaſie into ſinne, plainly proueth that hee had neuer the ſeed of the ſpirit ſowne in him, nor the habit of charitie in his ſoule: this is then a bridle to withhold men from ſinne, and not a ſpurre to pricke them forward vntounto it. And therefore whereas they ſay that men will thus reaſon: If I be the child o… God, I cannot fall away: therefore I will doe what I liſt. The contrarie is rather true, that eueryevery child of GOD, yea, eueryevery one that is perſwaded that hee is the childe of GOD, will reaſon thus from the grounds of this doctrine: I will not doe what I liſt, neither will I giuegive my ſelfe ouer vntounto ſinne, leſt I proue my ſelfe by my falling into ſinne, not to be the child of God, but an hypocrite. Adde hereunto, that as we teach, that true faith and charitie cannot bee vtterly extinct in the elect: So alſo we teach, that this faith and charitie muſt bee nouriſhed and preſerued by the practice of all holy & Chriſtian duties: and therefore they which neglect the conſeruation of their faith, and charitie, and ſeek to extinguiſh them by the luſts of the fleſh, it is a ſigne that they neuer had theſe graces in grafted in their ſoules. And what perſwaſion can be more effectual, I pray you, to ſtirre vp men vntounto godlineſſe, then this is?

96. So we may truly anſwere concerning the fourth doctrine13. obiected, namely, the impoſſibilitie of keeping Gods p. 485Commandements, which though it be true in ſome part, albeit, not as they ſlanderouſly impute vntounto vsus. For wee hold that the regenerate perſon is able in ſome meaſure to keepe Gods Commandements, though not to that perfection which the Law requireth, exacting of eueryevery one of vsus the louelove of God with all our heart, ſoule and ſtrength; yet this openeth not, but rather ſtoppeth the gap vntounto fleſhly libertie. For, is any man ſo madde as to ſay, I will giuegive ouer all care of keeping Gods Law, becauſe I am not able fully and exactly to performe it? rather eueryevery one that hath but a reaſonable ſoule will thus determine, Becauſe I am not able to performe perfect obedience to God, therefore I will indeuour to doe what I can, that my imperfections and wants may bee made vp by the perfect obedience of my Sauiour. All men will account him a wilfull wicked wretch, who being greatly indebted, becauſe he is not able to diſcharge the whole ſumme, therfore will take no care to pay any part thereof, which he is able to doe, but lay all vponupon his ſureties backe: ſo we condemne him for a deſperate and damnable perſon, that, becauſe he is not able to ſatisfie the whole debt of Gods Commandements, therefore will not indeuour to pay as much as he can: beſides, we teach withall, that though this perfection be not attained vntounto in this life, yet there muſt be a continuall growth and increaſe in grace and goodneſſe in all that belong to God, that at length, after this life ended, they may doff off the olde man, with the inabilities and corruptions thereof, and attaine to the higheſt degree of perfection in the life to come: the fruit of this doctrine then, is not ſenſuall libertie, but Chriſtian humilitie, not a prouocation to ſinne, but an incentiue, and ſpurre vntounto godlineſſe.

97. Thus I hauehave propounded vntounto the view of the Chriſtian Reader, a ſhort Epitome of the great volume of their ſlanders, darted forth by them, both againſt our perſons, our gouernment, and our Religion it ſelfe: all which indeed is but a taſte and ſay of that, which might be ſpoken in this ſubiect, and which requireth an entire worke for the diſcouering of ther malice in this kinde: and ſurely, I thinke that labour p. 486might be well beſtowed in ſearching this ſtinking puddie to the bottome, and diſcouering their malice, ſo to the beholding of all, that men might ſee their poyſon, and beware of ſuch Serpents: and high time it is to lay hand to this plough; for a double danger ariſeth from this dealing of theirs. Firſt, it confirmeth their owne followers in their hatred againſt the truth, and the profeſſors thereof. For they are perſwaded, that whatſoeuer is written or ſpoken by a Prieſt or Ieſuite, is certainly true, it being allowed (as all their writings commonly are) by the authoritie of the Church, and the Cenſors and viſiters appointed for that purpoſe, and therefore account it a deadly ſinne once to call the credit thereof into queſtion. And ſecondly it inueigleth and ſeduceth many vnſettled Proteſtants: Whileſt reading ſuch lying Pamphlets, they are either not able to diſcerne their falſhood, or not carefull to examine the truth by contrarie euidences: to preuent both which dangers, it would be a worke much beneficiall to the Church of God, and profitable to the cauſe of Religion, if ſome zealous Proteſtant would vndertake this taske, in a ful iuſt volume to decipher their malice, and diſcouer their ſlanders to the ful: but I leaue that to the guidance of Gods wiſedom, & proceed in my purpoſed diſcourſe to the next point.

98. Their laſt trick is forgerie, for when neither by treacherie, nor cruelty, nor periurie, nor lying, nor ſlādering, they can worke their wils, but that their Religion groweth eueryevery day more odious then others, at laſt as the moſt deſperate practice of al…he reſt, they fal to forging like Phyſicions, that ſeeing their patient in a deſperate caſe, miniſter vntounto him deſperate medicines, that ſhall either ridde him of his diſeaſe, or of his life, and that quickly: ſuch a medicine is this, which if it take not place to cure their ſicke Religion, it will doubtleſſe vtterly ruine and vndermine the foundation thereof, and depriue it of the vitall ſpirit. And this laſt wee hauehave rather cauſe to hope, then they the firſt: ſeeing it hath pleaſed God to reueale to the world the miſchieuous myſteries of their Indices expurgatory: which whoſoeuer ſhall but duly conſider, muſt needs iudge their cauſe to lye a bleeding, and ready p. 487to giuegive vp the ghoſt, when they are driuen to ſuch miſerable ſhifts for the defence thereof.

99. The common Lawes, and ciuill Courts puniſh forgerers with ſlitting their noſes, branding their foreheads, cutting off their eares, pillorie, impriſonment, and diuers other ſuch like fearefull cenſures: the Eccleſiaſticall Lawes are as ſeuere againſt ſuch perſons; and the very Heathen. Tully condemned Gabinius as a light and looſe perſon, for infringing the credit of the publike Records of the Citie, and commendeth Metellus as a moſt holy and modeſt man, becauſe when hee ſaw a name but blurred in the tables, he went to Lentulus Cicer. orat. pro Archia P…eta.the Pretor, and deſired a reformation thereof, and a better care to be had in their cuſtodie. By all which we may ſee how great and odious a crime forgerie is; and in what ranke they are to be reputed by all Lawes, that defile their conſciences with ſo foule a ſinne.

100. Of which, that the Church of Rome is guiltie, is ſo manifeſt, that none, that hath either read their Bookes of Controuerſies with iudgement, or ſeene their three chiefe Iudices Expurgatorij, one of Rome, another of Spaine, the third of Antwerp, can make any queſtion. And if any deſire to be fully ſatisfied concerning their dealing in this kind, let them hauehave recourſe to Doctor Iames his learned and laborious diſcourſe, where he ſhal ſee this wound ſearched to tho quicke, and the corruption thereof diſcouered to the whole world, and ſo ſearched and diſcouered, that by all their wit and policy they ſhal neuer be able to hide the filthines thereof: notwithſtanding, that the Reader that hath not that booke, may hauehave a little taſte of their dealing, and aſſurance of the truth of this my propoſition: I will offer vntounto his view a few inſtances of their forgerie, and thoſe ſo plaine and palpable, that by no colourable excuſe they can be auoyded.

101. Forgerie is committed two wayes, firſt, by counterfeiting, ſecondly, by corrupting; counter…i…ing … Records, and corrupting true. Touching counterfeiting, take foure inſtances in ſ…eed of foureſcore; and thoſe out of Bellarmine Bell. de amiſſ. grat. lib. 6. cap. 2.onelyonly: firſt, thoſe …el…e Trea…iſ… intitled, … … p. 488Chriſti operibus, are reſolutely cenſured by Bellarmine, to bee none of Cyprians, and yet, the ſame Bellarmine alleadgeth them ordinarily to proue many points of his Religion, vnderunder Cyprians name; as to proue the Virgin Marie to bee without ſinne, and Baptiſme to be neceſſarie to ſaluation, and that the Sacraments containe grace in them, and that there are more Sacraments then two, with diuers other points. Secondly, the Commentaries vponupon Pauls Epiſtles aſcribed vntounto Saint Ambroſe, Bell. de Chriſto l. 1. c. 10. & de Cleric. lib. 1. cap. 15.are cenſured by Bellarmine, peremptorily to bee counterfeit. And yet, the ſame Bellarmine produceth them to proue traditions, Peters ſupremacie, Limbus Patrum: that one may be holpen by anothers merit, and that Antichriſt is a certaine man, and in a word, moſt queſtions controuerted. Thirdly, liber Hypognoſticon, Bellarmine concludes, that it is none of Saint Auguſtines, yet hee alleadgeth it as Saint Auguſtines, Idem de miſſ. lib. 2. cap. 12.to proue Euangelicall Councels: ſo Liber ad Oroſium is confeſſed by Bellarmine, to bee none of Saint Auguſtines, and yet hee is alleadged by him in another place, to proue the Booke of Eccleſiaſticus authenticall. Laſtly, the Commentaries vponupon the Epiſtles that goe vnderunder the name of Saint Ierome, are iudged by Bellarmine to bee none of his, and yet he produceth teſtimonies out of them, to proue the neceſſitie of traditions, Peter to be the rocke of the Church, and that children may without their parents conſents enter into a religious Order. And this is ordinarie, not onelyonly in Bellarm but in all other of their writers, as you may ſee particularly and plainly diſcouered in Doctor Iames his Treatiſe, touching the corrupting of Scripture. Councels and Fathers, by the Prelates and pillars of the Church of Rome. By which wee may note: Firſt, their conſcience, in that they know them to be Baſtards, and yet obtrude them as true borne. Secondly, their fraud, in that when they make little for them, or it may be againſt them, then they brand them with counterfeit: but when they ſpeake on their behalfe, then they are as true as ſteele: and thus with a blunder of counterfeit Fathers, they dazle the eyes of the ignorant: but the wiſe will iudge diſcreetly, and learne to diſcerne the Lion by his paw.

p. 489102. Touching their corrupting of true Authors, I will vrge againſt them but foure examples as in the former: but thoſe moſt famous, and three of them corrupted by their moſt famous Ieſuite Bellarmine. The firſt is of Chryſoſtome, in his ſeuenteenth Homily vponupon Geneſis, where he readeth, Shee Bel. de verb. Dei, lib. 2. cap. 12.ſhall obſerue thy head, and thou ſhalt obſerue her heele: whereas, as Philip Montanus a learned and iudicious Diuine of their owne confeſſeth, in the originall tongue of Chryſoſtome it is read foreign, he, and not foreign ſhee, which is alſo agreeable to the Hebrew and Greeke fountaines of the Bible. O, but becauſe this reading in the tranſlated Copie maketh for the worſhip of the Virgin Mary, therefore in our Ieſuites diuinitie it muſt be preferred. The ſecond is out of Chryſoſtome too, in his Sermon of Inuentius and Maximus, whom Bellarmine, to proueBell. de Relig. Sanct. l. 2. c. 3. that the relickes of Saints ought to be worſhipped, bringeth in thus ſpeaking, tumulos Martyrum adoremus, let vsus worſhip the ſepulchres of Martyrs: whereas indeede, the word in Chryſoſtome is adornemus: let vsus adorne and garniſh their ſepulchres: as both the originall Greeke and the Latine tranſlations, that are of any ſtanding, doe read it. The third is of Cyril, who is not onelyonly changed and altered, but plainly diſmembered by them: for whereas hee writeth thus excellently concerning the power of faith: This faith which is the gift Cyril in Eſay lib. 1. cap. 1.and grace of God, is ſufficient to clenſe and purge, not onelyonly them which find themſelues ſomewhat ill, but alſo thoſe which are verie Index Hiſpan. Gaſpar Qui reg. pag. 62.dangerouſly diſeaſed, &c. The Spaniſh Index hath cenſured him, and commanded theſe words to bee blotted out, with this peremptorie charge, Extextu deleantur illa verba. The fourth and laſt is of Cyprian in his Booke, De bono patientiae, Cyprian. de bono patientiae. Bell de Euchar. lib. 2. cap. 28.where, for gustatam Euchariſtiam, they read, to maintaine the idolatrous circumgeſtation of the Euchariſt, geſtatam: contrarie to their owne copies: as on the contrarie, in Leo ſer. 14. de paſſione, for geſtemus, Bellarmine readeth guſtemus: and thus they turne Cat in panne, as the Prouerbe ſaith, and with the Apothecaries art, put quid pro qu….

103. Thus they handle the Fathers, putting words into their mouths that they neuer ſpake nor meant, and that in no p. 490few places of their, writings. And as for later Writers, their Iudices Expurgatorij are ſufficient teſtimonies of their purging, expunging, wiping out, and foyſting in what they liſt into their Bookes: it is a profeſt, allowed and maintained practice of theirs, which at the firſt was kept in darkneſſe, as a worke of darkneſſe by ſecret conueyance: but after that by Gods prouidence it came to light, is now publikely defended as a thing not onelyonly lawfull and commendable in it ſelfe, but alſo profitable for the Church of God, ſo that there needs no further proofe of their forgerie and falſification in this kind, ſeeing we hauehave confitentes aduerſaries. OnelyOnly for a concluſion, let vsus a little conſider the reaſons that are vſed by theſe good men, for the defence of this their dealing.

104. One May an Engliſh Prieſt out of Gretzer, & Poſſeuine, Grounds of the olde and new Religion.the author (as it is ſuppoſed) of the grounds of the old and new Religion, in the latter end of that Booke, taking vponupon him to anſwere Maſter Craſhaw, that laid to their charge the ſame crime that I now doe, anſwereth three wayes. Firſt, that it is a practice both lawfull and commendable. Secondly, that if it be vnlawfull, we are more guiltie of it then they. And laſtly, though they meddle with new Writers, yet the Fathers workes are ſincere and free from all corruption.

105. To whom I reply briefly thus, that as touching his laſt anſwere which concerneth the Fathers, it is manifeſtly falſe, as I hauehave alreadie diſcouered in foure particulars, and is by Doctor Iames in his Booke in many more, and I doubt not but ſhall be more fully ere long made knowne to the world: and therefore, though that there was no rule preſcribed by the Councell of Trent, for the purging of the Fathers; as of yonger Writers: Yet it followeth not but that they might doe it without rule, which alſo Gretzer the Ieſuite perceiuingGretzer de iure & more prohib. lib. 2. c. 9. & 10. pag. 321. 328. to be true, ſeeketh to mend the matter by a fine diſtinction, by which indeed he matres it vtterly, and that is that the Fathers workes, as they are Fathers, need no purging, but being conſidered as Sonnes, their words may bee corrected and cenſured by the Church; or not as Fathers, but as Fathers-in-law; Non vt patres, ſed vt vitrici.for when they feed the Church with ſound and wholſome p. 491doctrine, they are Fathers: if otherwiſe, Fathers-in-law: thus by this fine diſtinction he granteth, that when a Father ſpeaketh any thing which they account falſe doctrine, he may be corrected, or rather corrupted, for then they eſteeme him not a Father but a ſonne: nor a true Father, but a Father-in-law; ſo that it is apparently falſe, which our new Author affirmeth, that none of the Fathers are corrected by them.

106. Secondly, touching his middle anſwere, that if it be a fault, we are more guiltie thereof then they. I anſwere, that that is as falſe as the former, for let it bee granted, that ſome Bookes are corrected by ſome Proteſtants; yet firſt, they are the deeds of priuate perſons, and not the acts of the Church, not at all approued, much leſſe authorized by the Church, as theirs are: nay, all of ſounder iudgement in our Church doe aſmuch condemne that practice in our owne, as in any elſe. Secondly, ſuch corruptions or corrections are not frequent with vsus, but rare and ſeldome. I dare boldly ſay, for one place altered by vsus in any Writer, there are twentie by them, as their owne expurging Iudices doe beare witneſſe: and for this, I challenge any Ieſuite, or Romiſh Prieſt whatſoeuer to the encounter. Thirdly, moſt of thoſe Bookes which they lay to our charge, to hauehave beene corrupted by vsus, as Auguſtines Meditations, Granadoes Meditations, The conuerſion of a Sinner, The Chriſtian Directorie, Oſianders Enchiridion, with other more, are not corrected in the originall themſelues, but in their tranſlations into our Language, ſome things are left out, ſome added, ſome changed and altered, as the Tranſlators thought good; whereas they corrupt the verie Texts and originall Copies of moſt Writers without difference. Fourthly, we ſeldome alter or change any Booke in the tranſlation, but withall we eyther confeſſe in the beginning of the ſaid Bookes, or profeſſe in the publiſhing of the ſame, this correction or alteration: but they hauehave practiſed this in ſecret, by certaine Enquiſitors appointed to that purpoſe, the myſterie of which art was long hid from the World, and had ſtill lien in darkneſſe, had not the prouidence of God, for theIunius praefat. in▪ Indic. Belgia. good of the Church, firſt diſcouered the Belgicke Index by p. 492mere accident to that godly and bright ſtarre of our Church, Iunius, who made it preſently knowne to the world: and at this day few there are that vnderſtand the myſteries of that art: ſo cloſely and cunningly doe they conuay their matters: as for the Books themſelues they do ſeldome or neuer acknowledge their correction in the forefront and beginning of them as wee doe, but by all meanes labour to hide and conceale the ſame. Laſtly, though ſome amongſt vsus, hauehave more raſhly, then wiſely, falſified ſome Writers of leſſer note, in ſome few things: yet they hauehave not meddled with the Fathers nor Councels: neither hauehave they done it, to gaine any thing thereby in diſputation, but onelyonly to keepe the common people from infection: whereas they ſpare none, neither Fathers nor Councels, nor moderne Writers: and that, not ſo much leſt the common ſort ſhould bee infected, as that the learned might be depriued of thoſe weapons wherewith they might fight againſt them, and wound their cauſe. Seeing the caſe now ſo ſtands, that hee which can muſter vp together the greateſt armie of Authours, to fight vnderunder his colours, is thought to hauehave the beſt cauſe: their dealing then with vsus, is like that of the Philiſtims againſt the Iſraelites, who deſpoyled them of all weapons and inſtruments of warre, that they might dominiere ouer them with greater ſecuritie; but ours is not ſo towards them. And therefore, both in this, and all the former reſpects, it is a miſerable vntruth and a deſperate cuaſion, to ſay, that wee are more guiltie of this crime then they are.

107. Laſtly, whereas in his firſt anſwere, hee pleadeth the lawfulneſſe of the fact, let vsus heare his reaſons to moue thereunto, and in the interim remember, that in prouing it to bee lawfull, hee confeſſeth it to bee done. But why is it lawfull? Mary, firſt, becauſe the Church being ſupreme Iudge on earth, of all Controuerſies touching faith and Religion, hath authoritie to condemne Heretikes. And therefore alſo, the workes of Heretikes: and if this, then much more to correct and purge their Bookes, if by that meanes ſhee can make them profitable for her vſe, and beneficiall to her children. p. 493To which I anſwere two things▪ Firſt, that it is not the Church that doth this, but the ſacred Inquiſitors, to wit, certaine Cardinals and Lawyers deputed to that office, who for the moſt part are ſo farre from being the Church, that they are often, no ſound members thereof: I… it be ſaid, that they hauehave their authoritie from the Pope, who is vertually the whole Church: why doe they then ſpeake ſo darkly, and ſay the Church hath this authoritie, when as, they might in plaine termes ſay that the Pope hath it; but that hereby they ſhould diſplay the feebleneſſe of their cauſe, and the fillineſſe of this reaſon? for thus it would ſtand: Why, is it lawful for Books to be purged? becauſe the Pope thinkes it lawful. And muſt not he needs think ſo▪ when the Authors croſſe his triple crowne, and ſpeake againſt his ſtate and dignitie? Adde hereunto, that it is a fallacie in reaſoning, when that is taken for granted, which is in queſtion. For we deny their Synagogue to be the true Church: and much more the Pope to bee the ſupreme Iudge: and therefore till thoſe things be proued, the reaſon is of no effect.

108. Secondly, moſt of thoſe things which are purged by them, are ſo farre from being hereſies or errours, that they are, the moſt of them, ſound doctrines of faith, grounded vponupon the authoritie of Gods ſacred truth: for they blot out many things, in both olde and new Authours, that they themſelues dare not accuſe to bee hereticall: as that place in Saint Cyril before mentioned touching the power of faith, which is no more in direct termes, then that which is ſaid in the Scripture, Act. 15. 15. that faith purifieth the heart: and that in the Baſil Index of Chryſoſtome, The Church is not built vponupon a man, Index Expurgat. Belgic. p. 300 impre…. Arg…t.but vponupon faith: and thoſe propoſitions which are commanded by the Dutch Index, to be wiped out of the Table of Robert Stephens Bible: to wit, that ſinnes are remitted by beleeuing in Chriſt: that he which beleeueth in Chriſt, ſhall not die for euer; that faith purifieth the heart: that Chriſt is our righteouſnes: that no man is iuſt before God, and that repentance is the gift of God: with a number of like nature. Theſe they purge out of Stephens Index, which notwithſtanding are directly, and in p. 494as many words recorded in the Booke of God: and ſo it may iuſtly be thought, that they are ſo farre from clenfing Bookes from the droſſe and dregs of errour, that they rather purge out the pure gold and cleare wine of truth, and leaue nothing but dregs and droſſe behind.

109. His ſecond reaſon is, becauſe nothing is more dangerous to infect true Chriſtian hearts, then bad Bookes. Therefore it is not onelyonly lawfull, but needfull and behoouefull to the Church of God, that ſuch Bookes ſhould bee purged, and burned too, if it bee ſo thought meete by the Church, to the end that the ſinceritie of one true faith and Religion might be preſerued. I anſwere, all this is true which he ſaith: but are they hereſies which they purge? no, they are ſound and orthodox opinions, for the moſt part, as hath beene proued in the anſwere to the former reaſon. And doe they it, to keepe Chriſtian men from infection? no, their chiefe end and drift is, to depriue their aduerſaries of all authorities that make againſt them, that ſo they might triumph in the antiquitie of their Religion, and noueltie of ours: which is one of their principall arguments which they vſe (though with euill ſucceſſe) for defence of their cauſe: dealing herein as Holofernes did with the Iſraelites, at the ſiege of Bethulia, breaking the Conduits, cutting the pipes, and ſlopping the paſſages, which might bring vsus prouiſion of good and wholſome waters, out of the ciſternes of olde and new Writers; this is their purpoſe and no other, whatſoeuer they pretend: for if they meant any good to Gods people for preuenting of infection, they would hauehave purged their lying Legends of infinite fables, their Canon Law of horrible blaſphemies, and their Schoolemen of many ſtrange opinions. Yea, they would hauehave condemned the Bookes of Machiauel, and of that Cardinall that wrote in commendation of the vnnaturall ſinne of Sodomie, and a number ſuch like filthy and deuilliſh Writings, which are printed and reprinted among them without controulement. And againe, is it vnitie in the true faith and religion that they ſeeke? no, it is conſpiracie in falſhood, and conſent in errour: and not vnitie in the truth: till the Romiſh p. 495Religion bee proued to bee the true Religion (which can neuer be) this reaſon is of no force, to iuſtifie their proceedings. Laſtly, is it Chriſtian policy? no, it is deuiliſh ſubtletie, and craftie forgerie: for the caſe ſo ſtands betwixt them and vsus, as in a tryall of land betwixt partie and partie: wherein hee that bringeth beſt euidence and witneſſe, carrieth the cauſe: now, if one partie either ſuborne falſe witneſſes, or corrupt true, or forge euidences to his purpoſe, or falſifie thoſe that are extant, all men will count him as a forger, and his cauſe deſperate, and iudge him worthie the Pillorie: ſo betwixt vsus the queſtion is, who hath the right faith, and the beſt title to the Church. Our euidences are firſt and principally Gods Word, then the writings and records of godly men in all ages: now then, they that ſhall purge, pare, raze, blurr, falſify or corrupt any of theſe, muſt needs bee thought to bee ſubtle and craftie companions, and not honeſt and plaindealing men. The caſe then thus ſtanding, this practice of theirs cannot be termed Chriſtian policy, but plaine ſubtlety, to giuegive it no worſe a name.

110. His laſt reaſon is drawne from the practice of the Church of God in all ages, which hath alwaies forbidden the Bookes of Heretikes to be read, and condemned them to the fire: and to this purpoſe he produceth diuers fit and pertinent authorities: to which I anſwere, firſt, that he fighteth herein without an aduerſarie: for we confeſſe, that this was a neceſſarie and commendable practice, to prohibit, condemne, burne and aboliſh all ſuch Bookes as tend to the corrupting of the Chriſtian faith, and alſo to preuent them in the birth, that they may not come to light: but yet for all that, this alloweth not their purging and paring of Bookes: for they cannot giuegive vsus one example in all antiquitie of this dealing, except it bee drawne from Heretikes, whoſe practice it hathBel. de verb. Dei, lib. 2. cap. 7. Idem de Pont. lib. 4. cap. 11. Sixtus Senenſ. biblioth lib. 4. 5. pag. 262. beene to depraue the Scriptures themſelues, and the Decrees of Councels, and the Bookes of ancient Fathers, as witneſſeth Bellarmine in many places of his workes, and Sixtus Senenſis, and almoſt all other of their ſide.

III. Secondly, the Fathers condemned onelyonly the Bookes p. 496of Heretikes: but our holy Inquiſitors condemne not onelyonly thoſe whom they call Heretikes, as Caluine, Luther, Beza, Melancthon; but mangle and purge the Fathers themſelues, and their owne deare children, whom they dare not condemne for Heretikes, as this Author himſelfe confeſleth; thoſe they chop and change, wri…he and wring, bend and bow as they liſt: which is ſo much the more intolerable, becauſe being profeſt Romaniſts, they durſt not vary from the receiued opinions of the Church of Rome, except mere conſcience inwardly, and ſome forcible reaſon outwardly mooued them thereunto.

112. Thirdly, and laſtly, the Fathers, when they condemned any Heretike, or hereticall Booke, did it openly to the view of the World, and not ſecretly in a corner, not aſcribing vntounto them other opinions then they held, eyther by adding vntounto, or detracting from their writings: But our Romiſh correctors, like Owles, flye by moonſhine, and ſo cloſely c…rtie their buſineſſe, that they would hauehave none to diſcry them: yea, they denie and abiure this trade, I meane, in reſpect of the Fathers, and in a word, they make almoſt all Authours to ſpeake what they liſt: for if any thing diſlike them, deleatur, let it be wiped out, or at leaſt mutetur, let it bee changed: or addatur, let ſomething bee added vntounto it, that may change the ſenſe, and turne the ſentence into a new m…ld▪ of all theſe their Iudices Expurgatorij afford plentifull examples: ſo that they can no wayes colour their forgerie and falſe dealing by the examples of the Fathers, or Primitiue Church. For this is a new tricke of legerdemaine of the Deuils owne inuention, found out in this latter age of the World, which hath beene verie fertile in ſtrange deuices.

113. Now then to conclude, and to leaue this Prieſt with his vaine and idle reaſons, to be fuller confuted of him whom it more neerely concerneth, and whoſe credit is touched by him: Hence two neceſſarie concluſions doe ariſe: one, that they are guiltie of forgerie and corrupting of Authours, by their owne confeſſions: and ſecondly, that they adde hereunto impudencie and ſhameleſſeneſſe, which is alwayes the marke p. 497of an Heretike, and that firſt, in defending their owne vniuſtFrons Haereticorum, non eſt frons. and falſe dealing by reaſons, as if their wits were able to maintaine that ſnow was blacke, and the Crow white: and ſecondly, in tranſlating the crime from themſelues vntounto vsus, without all ſhew of reaſon, not caring what they ſay, ſo they ſay ſomething, for the honour of their miſtreſſe, the whore of Babylon, and defence of her cauſe.

114. Now then, ſeeing it is manifeſt that they labour toConcluſion. vphold their Religion, by theſe vniuſt, vngodly and deuilliſh practices, as treaſon, crueltie, periurie, lying, ſlandering and forging, this concluſion muſt needes bee of neceſſarie conſequence; that therefore their Religion is not the truth of God, nor their Church the true Church of God. It is the iudgement of their owne learned Ieſuites touching this laſt crime (thatPoſſeuine. wee may conuince them out of their owne mouthes) that forging of falſe Treatiſes, corrupting of true, changing of Scriptures, and altering of mens words contrarie to their meaning, be certaine notes of hereſie: what can the Church of Rome be then leſſe then hereticall, that not onelyonly doth all this, but now at length profeſſeth and maintaineth the doing thereof as lawful and profitable?