The Papists Reasons of State and Religion, Reason of religion 1 – Reason of religion 2
¶ Hitherto of the Reaſons of State: Now follow the Reaſons of Religion.
Reaſon of Religion. 1 1. REASON OF RELIGION.
The Religion,aVntruth, it is cleane contrarie vntounto that Religion. that vnderunder your Highneſſe favour we ſue to hauehave tolerated, is the ſelfeſame Religion, and no other, to which our country was converted from Paganiſme, and which, bo hbFalſe agains. all the Chriſtian Kings of our natiō (Edward the 6. a child,A. Do. (…) 596. by S. Auſten the Monke, and our Apoſtle, ſen… hither by S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome. Beda de geſtin Anglorum lib. 1. ca. 23. only excepted) & alſo al your Highneſſe predeceſſours in the Crowne of Sco…land,Englad was converted long before this time ever publikely profeſſed, and for the zealous maintenaunce whereof, your Maieſties great grandfather Iames the fourth, was worthily ſurnamed Protector.
Reſolution of the 1. Reaſon.
Popiſh Religion, is that, to which England was converted from Paganiſme: and which all Chriſtian Kings of England, and of Scotland, ever publikely profeſſed.
Ergo:
Popiſh Religion, is true Religion, and conſequently to bee tolerated.
ANSWERE.
I. To the Antecedent.
1 IT was not Popery, to which England was converted from Paganiſme; but true Chriſtian Religion. Becauſe Englande vvas converted to the faith of Chriſt, when neither the Pope, nor Poperie was yet hatched.
2 It was not in the yeere of Chriſt 596. that our Coū try was firſt converted vntounto the faith; but long before, even in the Apoſtles times; as appeareth by the teſtimonies of Gild as, De excid. Britan. ca. 6. Origen, Hom. 40. in Ezech. Tertullian, in Iudaeos. Athanaſius Apolog. 2. contra Arrianos. Theodoretus, lib. 9. de curand. Grac. affectib. & Sophronius, in Catalog. Nicephorus, lib. 3. Hiſt. cap. 1.
3 It was not converted by Auguſtine the Monke & falſe Apoſtle, ſent hither by the Pope; but either by the Apoſtle Paule, as Theodoretus, lib. 9. de curand. Grac. affect. Sophronius, Serm. de …atal. Apoſt. Venantius Fortunatus De Peregr. Pauli, and Arnoldus Mirmannus In Theatr. de converſ. Gēt. do teſtifie: Or by the Apoſtle Symon Zelotes, as Nicephorus, lib. 2. Hiſt. cap. 40. and Dorotheus in Synopſ. do affirme; Or elſe, by Ioſeph of Arimathea, a noble man of Iurie, that buried the bodie of Chriſt; as Freculphus Lib. 2. Cap. 4. Iohn Capgraue, in Catalog… Sanctor. Augl. and Polidore Virgil, Hiſt. Auglio. Lib. 1. do write.
4 That religion, which Auguſtine the falſe Apoſtle, brought from Rome, was contrary, in many pointes, vntounto that Chriſtiā doctrine, which was profeſſed before in this land; as appeareth by the diſſention betweene the Britt…es, and this Auguſtine, recorded by Bede, and others.
5 But if Frier Auguſtines Religiō vvere not contrary, but the very ſame with that which was heere profeſſed, yet was it infinitely different from the Popiſh doctrine at this day; as is manifeſt by many Atticles of Poperie, vvhichwhich were but lately invented; as the Popes Supremacie, (which Pope Gregorie, in Frier Auguſtines time, vtterly condemned) Tranſubſtantiation, manye partes of the Maſſe, &c.
6 It is not true, that ALL Chriſtian Princes of England and Scotland, profeſſed the Popiſh Religion: ſome of them being dead long before the beginning of Popery: & others alſo, as King Henrie I, King Henrie II, King Iohn, King Richard II, King Edward III, King Henrie VIII, even in the midſt of Popery, impugning the Popes almighty power and primacie in this land.
II To the Conſequence.
1 As the Antecedent is, ſo is alſo the Conſequence; a falſe Antecedent, and a falſe conſequence.
2 If the Antecedent were true; yet coulde it not inferre ſuch a neceſſary conſequence. For Religion is not therefore true, becauſe ſuch a Nation, or ſuch and ſuch Kings profeſſed the ſame: but becauſe it is conformable vntounto the word of God;2. Reaſon of Religion. ſuch as Popiſh Religion can never be proved to be.*…ite their words and you ſhall hauehave your Anſwere.
2. REASON OF RELIGION.
This appeareth by Mermāmus in ſus Theatro, thē Magdeburgenſes in tis. de propagatione, Baronis & all other Collectors of Antiquitie.A religion which by the teſtimonies of all Antiquity … was theaAn impudent begging of the question. primary religion that ever any heathen Nation, converted Chriſtian, did profeſſe: and the wiſodome of heaven cōmandeth,bPopiſh …el…gi, on is none of thoſe bounds, neither …ur is from the b…ginning. not to tranſgreſſe the ancient boūds which our Fathers appointed, but contrarily, to abide in that which wee heard from the beginning.
Reſolution of the 2. Reaſon.
Popiſh Religion was the primarie Religion, that ever any heathen Nation, converted Chriſtian, and profeſſe.
Ergo:
It is true, and therefore to be tolerated.
ANSWERE.
1 BOth the Antecedent, and the Conſequence, are an impudent begging of the queſtion. For neither was Popery hatched, in time of the primitiue Church: neither yet can the Gentiles profeſſing of any thing, make it therefore abſolutely true.
2 But to deale liberally with the Papiſts; let them, by inevitable demonſtrations, which may convince the cō ſcience, prooue the Antecedent (vvhichwhich they ſhall never bee able to doe) and wee will graunt them the Conſequence.