An Antilogy, Section 8

An Antilogy · Section 8

p. 192THE EIGHT SECTION: HIS DEfense to the honorable Councell, and all other men of Nobilitie.

THis Section being as the rest confusedlie shuffled vp, and as a rude chaos tumbled together, I will, if I can bring it to some forme, not vouchsafing an answere to all his idle words and vaine repetitions, which are not to be regarded,foreign. as Aristotle well answered a certaine brabler, who sayd, O Philosopher, I am troublesome vntounto you with my speech: no (sayth he) for I marked thee not.

The first Defence.

SVppose ye might contend in politike gouernment with many, &c. let it be, some might be admitted fellowes in armes &c. yet to that, which is most or onelyonly materiall in this question and controuersie of learning, religion, &c. are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison, to balance your selues with so many Saints most holie, learned, professed Diuines and Bishops, &c. pag. 80. lin. 12.

p. 193The Answere.

1 THeir honors are much beholding to this cunning Caruer, that he will allow them in matters of policie, and of martiall affaires to equalize those in the popish times employed in both: but in learning and religion they must come farre short of popish Bishops &c.

2 But herein also I doubt not, for true religion and knowledge of God, that our honorable Lords & Nobles farre exceed most of that shauen crue: for who knoweth not, that in a popish Bishop,Popish Bishops what learned Clarks. Fox pag. 949. learning and diuinitie is not of the greatest regard? Was not the Bishop of Cauaillon a profound Clerke, that said to the Merindolians, that I… was not requisite to saluation to vnderstand, or expound the articles of faith: for there were many Bishops, Curates, yea and Doctors of Diuinitie, whom it would trouble to expound the Paternoster and the Creede. Such another learned Prelate was the Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland, that said to Thomas Forret Martyr, that it was too much to preach eueryevery Sonday: for in so doing, you make the people thinke▪ that we should preach likewise. He said further,Fox. pag. 1266. col. 2. I thanke God I neuer knew what the old and new Testament was: whereof rose a prouerb in Scotland, You are like the Bishop of Dunkelden, that knew neither old nor new lawe. Such religious and deuout Bishops were some other in Scotland much about that time, which held,Fox. pag. 1274. that the Paternoster should be said to Saints: whereupon it was vsed as a byword in Scotland: To whom say you your Paternoster?

I appeale now to the indifferent Reader, whether our learned Nobles of England may not be compared in true learning and sound diuinitie, with such vnlearned popish Bishops? But I pitie this poore mans case, that could play the Orator no better then at the first dash to alienate their minds, into whose bosome he sought to insinuate himselfe, forgetting that rule of Ambrose, Qui tractaet, debet andientium considerare personas, ne irrideatur prius, Lib. 7. in Lucam.quam aud…atur: He that treateth of any thing, must consider p. 194to whom he speaketh, least he be laughed at, before he be harkned to:foreign. for, Like as they that drinke bitter potions, do loath the very cups; so they which accuse at the first, win no grace with their hea…ers.

The second Defence.

NExt, this bold lad braueth it out, producing certaine examples of the hard haps of some Nobles among the Protestants: as of the Lord Cromwell, condemned by the law which he had prouided for others: the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland, basely disgraced and put to death: Pag. 81.Robert Earle of Leicester miserablie died, terrified with monstrous visions of Deuils: Sir Frauncis Walsingham his miserable death, despairing words, filthie stinke of bodie, basely buried in the night, Pag. 82.will be an eternall infamie against him.

The Answere.

Vntruth 165.1 THe end of the Lord Cromwell was neither vnfortunate nor miserable, making a vertuous and a godly end,The Lord Cromwell defended. with confession of his sinnes, and confidence in God, and faithfull inuocation of his name: he was attainted by Parliament, misled and misinformed, not condemned by any lawe of his owne making:Stowe anno Henric. 32. whome King Henry afterward wished to be aliue againe, which he would not hauehave desired, had he bene perswaded he was a traytor. Thus wise Princes are sometime swayed with false reports, and ouercome with flatterers, and repent, when it is too late.

But miserable indeede was the end of Bishop Fisher, who was attainted by Parliament, for practising with Elizabeth Barton called the holie mayd of Kent against the King,Fox pag. 1069. col. 1. who died in a bad cause, giuing his life for the vsurped authoritie of the Pope, against the lawfull calling of the King. Such was the death of Sir Thomas Moore, who dyed scoffingly and prophanely,Fox ibid. suffering for the like obstinacie and superstition. How could he omit or p. 195forget these two notable examples of deserued miserie, and obiect the much lamented case of that honorable Lord Cromwell ▪ dying in his innocencie?

2 Concerning the death of the good Duke of Somerset, it was no iudgement vponupon him for his religion,Vntruth 166. The good Duke of Sommerset defended. Fox pag. 1372. col. 2. which as he had zealouslie maintained while he liued, so therein he constantlie died. But herein it might be, that God chastised the ouersight of the Duke, in condescending to the death of his brother the Lord Thomas Seymer, wherein secretlie his owne ouerthrow was intended, though he simply perceiued it not. And again this is rather to be supposed a iudgement against that ambitious Duke of Northumberland, who by his Machiauilian deuises cut off these two brothers, the Kings Vncles, to make a way for some of his to the Crowne, as the euent of matters afterward shewed: but he was ouertaken in his owne plots, and suffered iustlie in the same place, where the other good Duke by his meanes not two yeare before innocently ended his dayes.

3 As for the Duke of Northumberland, take him to your selfe, for at his death he denyed the Gospell,Vntruth 167. and in hope of fauour consented to the Popish religion, and exhorted others to do the like, whose recantation was presentlie published to the world:Fox pag. 1408. col. 1. Therefore let that Church challenge him, in whose faith and communion he dyed, his end full well declared, that his religion was more for his owne aduantage, then in conscience.

4 That which is reported of the Earle of Leicester, the credite thereof relying vponupon this braggers bare word,Vntruth 168. alleadging no author for it, may with as great reason be by vsus denyed, as it is by him affirmed. Yet admit it was so, that he was in his sicknes troubled with fearefull visions, that is not to be imputed to his religious profession, but to his licentious conuersation, wherein it is like enough he committed some things not beseeming a professor of the Gospell. But he needed not to hauehave noted this, if it were true, as he saith, for so strange a thing, for men in their sicknes to be troubled with illusions of Deuils, p. 196and terrible visions,Visions of Deuils not strange in Poperie. seeing it is so vsuall a thing in Poperie, and often happening to popish professors: Did he thinke so to blind the world, and possesse men with his strange reports, that they could not call to minde the fearefull examples of Pope Siluester the second,Ioannes Stella. Platina. of Innocentius the fourth, of Cardinall Crescentius? whereof the first gaue his soule to the Deuill to obtaine the Papacie:Ioann. Baleus. the second in the night was striken on the side by a certaine Bishop that appeared to him in vision,Math. Parisiens. Flores histor. and was left for halfe dead, and not long after dyed: the third being vicegerent for the Pope in the late Tridentine chapter, sitting vp late to write letters to his vnholie Fatherhood, was so frighted with the sight of a great black dog which appeared with flaming eyes,Sleidan lib. 23. and long eares, that he fell by conceit thereof into a grieuous sicknes, whereof he not long after dyed.

5 Sir Frauncis Walsingham, neyther dyed miserablie, nor in despaire:Vntruth 169. as he was in his life faithfull to his Prince, a louer of his countrie,The commendation of worthie Sir Francis Walsingham. a great patrone of schollers and martiall men, sound in religion: so we doubt not, but he ended his dayes in comfort and peace of conscience. This worthie Counsellers memorie honorable among Protestants, and all that louelove their countrie, is odious to Papists, because by his industrie and vigilant eye many dangerous conspiracies against Queene Elizabeth were discouered,Stowe ann. 28. Regin. Elizabeth. and by name that most horrible treason of Babington and Ballard, with their accomplices, in the 28. yeare of her Maiesties raigne, wherein those trayterous Papists intended the vtter ouerthrow both of their countrie and religion: to such indeede that excellent man was an aduersarie, and for this cause, this vile raker in dead mens ashes spitteth his venome at him.

Where he obiecteth the filthie stinke of his bodie, &c. as herein the testimonie of an aduersarie is little worth, speaking vponupon his owne bare word; so he might hauehave remembred what is truely reported of Cardinall Wolsey, that his bodie being dead, was black as pitch, and so heauie, that sixe could scarse beare it: and that it did so stinke p. 197aboue the ground,Fox pa. 996. col. 2. that they were constrained to burie it in the night season.

The like end had Stephen Gardiner that great patrone of Poperie, whose tongue, before he died,Fox pa. 178…. col. 1. hung out of his mouth all swolne and blacke. And I pray you what a sweete co…se was Bonners fa… bellied carcasse, that was buried full honourably, as hee deserued, betweene two theeues in S. Georges Churchyard in Southwarke.

As for the wanting of funerall pompe, it is no disgrace to the dead, but it was rather an honour to him, whose liberall expences in the seruice of his countrie, and beautifull reliefe to the liuing, could leaue very little to be bestowed vponupon himselfe, when hee was dead. Lazarus had but an homely buriall in the world, yet was his soule attended vponupon by Angels. Augustine well saith: Si aliquid prodest impio sepultura pretiosa, ob…rit pio vilis aut nulla: Lib. de cur. pro mortuis. c. 3.If the wicked be profited by their sumptuous sepulture, the godly is hindred by his meane buriall furniture. We may say in this case of this honourable man, as noble Agesilaus, who forbad that any picture or monument should be made of him, when he was dead, giuing this reason: If I hauehave done any thing well, that shall be my monument; if not, foreign.no tombes or pictures are any thing worth. So this mans worthie acts, while he liued, shall be his monument now he is dead: which doe more commend him, then the sumptuous pillers of some that lie not farre from him, of farre vnlike desert.

The third Defence.

1. HE taketh vponupon him to proue, that the Popish religion hath made the professors thereof honourable and glorious: Vntruth 169.It was neuer yet (saith he) accounted dishonourable to any to be a professor of that religion, which made him glorious▪ pag. 82.

2. The children of the greatest Princes and Nobles were Priests and Bishops in England, pag. 84. as S. Guitlacke, S. Suitbert, Thomas of Hereford sonne of the noble Cantilupus, &c. Cedda, Dunstane, &c. pag. 83.

p. 1983. The onelyonly order of S. Benedict hath had twentie Kings, aboue 100. great Princes, many Popes, 1600. Archbishops, 400. Bishops▪ 15000. famous men.

Vntruth 170.4. He rehearseth diuers Archbishops of Canterburie most honourable in their time: Baldwine, Hubert, Kilwarbie, Peccham, Stratford, Offord, Braidwarden, Islip, Langhton with others, pag. 84.

The Answere.

1. THe Popish religion is a dishonour to such Princes and Nobles,Popish religion a dishonour to Princes. Platina. Ex Auentino. that professe it: vnlesse any man be so simple to thinke it was an honour for the Emperour Henrie the 4. to waite vponupon the Pope Gregorie the 7. three daies and three nights in winter at the gates of Canossus: or for Fredericke the 1. to yeeld his necke to be troad vponupon by Alexander the 3. and to be rebuked for holding Pope Adrians stirrup on the wrong side: or for Henriricus the 6. to suffer Pope Celestine to set the crowne on his head with his feete, and to cast it off againe: or for King Iohn to kneele downe at the feete of Pandolphus the Popes Legate, and to surrender his Crowne to the Pope. Doth not now this Popish profession adde great honour to Princes,Ex Chronic. v…rnac. submitting themselues vntounto it?

2. That the sonnes of Princes hauehave become Priests and Bishops, in the time of Poperie, is not denied: and so hauehave Priests and Bishops been made Kings and Princes: as Adelualphus sonne of Egbrichus being Bishop of Winchester, was made King of England, anno 829. Daniel a Priest was elected King of France anno 719.Stow. Lanquet. It was not deuotion, but ambition, that made Bishops pricke forward to be Lord Chancellors,The ambition of Popish prelates. Lord Treasurers, chiefe Iustices of England, as we finde in former ages: neither was it the sanctitie of Poperie, but the riches of the Clergie and their brauerie, that allured vntounto them the Nobilitie.

3. If Bennets order hauehave brought foorth so many of all degrees, it is more like that their fat offerings, great reuenewes and idle bellies procured it, then any deuotion of p. 199that sect wrought it: neither is it a good argument to preferre those colours, because so many hauehave worne them. The Epicures sect had more schollers and disciples, then any of the rest: The Scribes and Pharisies had more followers, then Christ: and Diana of Ephesus was worshipped of all Asia and the whole world, Act. 19.27. He hath said yet no more for the Benedictines, then the Epicureans, Pharisies, Dianas worshippers can alleage for themselues, that many Kings, Philosophers, Priests, and many famous men were of their sects. Lastly, if these Iudasites hauehave indeed such a good opinion of Bennets rule, what ailed Frier Parsons to bee so fierce against poore Barkworth a Masse-priest of the Colledge of Valledolid,Of Bennets order. to cause him to be expulsed, to be buffeted vponupon the face, and drawne by the heeles vponupon the pauement, because he was a furtherer of certaine youthes that entred into the order of Benedict? The storie is reported by their owne Masse-priests in their replie to Parsons, Manifestation, pag. 69. I would thinke, that his fellow Friers should giuegive him little thanks for speaking so honourably of the Monkes of Maledictes (I would say) Benedictes order.

4. Concerning the Bishops of Canterburie, which hee hath rehearsed, to hauehave bin so honourable in their time: it is but his owne fansie. The most of them hauehave left no notable memorie behind them, vnlesse it be of their ambition, contention, rebellion against their Prince, crueltie against the members of Christ.

Baldwine is famous for his contention with the Monks of Canterburie:Of the Popish Archbishops of Canterburie. he suspended the Prior from his Priorship, and 22. Monkes from seruice. And Kilwarbie for contending with Walter Archbishop of Yorke, for bearing vp his crosse thorough the middle of Kent, ann. 1272.Fox pag. 394. to pag. 396. So Peccham excommunicated Thomas Bishop of Hereford, who appealed to Rome: he contended also with William of Yorke for bearing vp his Crosse thorough Kent: and at another time with the Prior and Monkes of Canterburie. Iohn Stratford being refused and not suffered to visite in Norwich diocesse, excommunicated the p. 200Bishop, suspended the Prior, interdicted the Couent, anno 1343. Offord and Braidwarden sate each of them but ten moneths: and therefore could leaue no great memorie behind them of their doings.

Some of them are noted for their disloyaltie to their Prince,Popish Archbishops of Canterburie traytors to their Prince. Ex Chronic. S. Albani Ann. 21. Rich. 2 tit. 16. as Thomas Becket, who set himselfe against Henrie the 2. Winchelsey was banished the Realme by Edward the 1. because he was a disturber thereof, and tooke part with Rebels. Langhton suffered King Iohn his liege Lord to kisse his feete. Arundel was adiudged by act of Parliament to be a traytor, and condemned to banishment, and his goods confiscate. As for Courtney and Chichley, they are detected in stories for their cruell hatred against the Church of Christ: the first a great enemie to Wickl…ffe and his followers: the other a most butcherly persecutor of Gods Saints,Fox. pag. 440. Fox. pag. 588. & 641. and a contriuer of the vertuous and valiant Lord Cobhams cruel and vniust death, against whom Arundel his predecessor gaue sentence, and he executed the same. Sudburie is pitied in Chronicles for his miserie, being most cruelly beheaded of the Rebels, not for religion,Stovv. but because he simply counselled the King, not to goe to satisfie the tumultuous peoples demaunds and complaints, which afterward he did, before they could be appeased.

Islip is famous for nothing more, but that he prohibited vponupon paine of excommunication the people to abstaine from labour vponupon certaine Saints daies.Fox. pag. 396. col. 2. Murton is commended, not as a Bishop for true deuotion, but as a wise and politike man for his sage aduice for conioyning the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster.Stovv.

We see then what small honour Poperie giueth to the sectmasters thereof: true religion would hauehave made them shine, whereas their superstition hath buried them in obliuion: according to the saying of the Wiseman, The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot, Prou. 10.7. Ambrose well saith of Valentinian: Non ego floribus tumulum eius aspergam, sed spir…tum eius Christi odore persundam; Ambros. in o…it Valentin.hoc eius reliquias sacrabo, hoc gratiam p. 201eius commendabo, I will not sprinkle his graue with flowers, but perfume his spirit with the sweete sauour of Christ, with this will I honor his reliques, and commend his gracious memorie: So had those Princes and Prelates by true religion purchased an eternall memorie, whereas by their idolatrie and superstition, they hauehave gayned rather shame and ignominie. Thus hath this brrgger faced vsus out with a glittering shew of honor, which is turned to dishonor rather and disgrace: and so as Seneca sayth, quae decipiunt, nihil habent solidi; tenue est mendacium, Epistol. 79.perlucet si diligenter inspexeris: deceitfull things hauehave no soundnes: a lye is but a thinne mettall, if you marke it well you shall soone see thorough it.

Now this cauiller turneth himselfe from defending of his religion, to pick quarrels with ours, and to lay open the infirmities and offences of it, and to obiect against it.

The first obiection.

1 HE obiecteth out of Luther, that he should write, A great sclander of Luther.it is the nature of the Gospell to cause warres, that there is no Magistrate,Vntruth 171. no superior, &c. it is to be intreated by many prayers, that the countriemen obey not their Princes, &c. no lawe, nor any syllable of lawe can be opposed vponupon Christians, more then themselues will, pag. 86.

2 Caluine, Beza, with others, decreed in their conuenticles,A diuelish sclander. that all lawfull policie and ciuill gouernment must be taken away; they kept a councell to destroy the King of Fraunce,Vntruth 172. his children and wife, the Queene mother, &c. a Taylor, and Cobler at Frankeford instituted new courts, pag. 86.

3 Tyndall taught, and Fox maintaineth these propositions following, Heapes of lyes and vntruths many. 173.that it is impossible for vsus to consent to the law of God: the law requireth things impossible: the law maketh vsus hate God: eueryevery man is Lord of other mens goods: the children of faith are vnderunder no lawe, pag. 87.

4 The Protestants did write a booke against the temporall regiment of women, pag. 87.Vntruth 174.

5 The Lord Cromwell, Iohn Duke of Northumberland,Vntruth 175. p. 202Cranmer, were put to death for treason, pag. 87.

Vntruth 176.6 The Councell of King Henry the eight (onelyonly the Lord Chauncelor Wriotheslie excepted) did violate the Kings will and testament, pag. 87.

7 The Protestant Councell of King Edward would hauehave disinherited her Maiestie, and Queene Mary, pag. 88.

The Reiection.

Epist. ad frat. inferior. lib. de potestat. secula. lib. contr. Turc. lib. de captiuitat. Babylon.1. FIrst concerning Luther, my answere is 1. that in those bookes which are quoted in the margen, and cited by the aduersarie, Luther hath no such words in the edition of his works at Wittemberge, at the least not in any such sense that I by diligent search could find. 2. for if he could hauehave bene detected of such grosse and erroneous sayings, it is not like that Leo the 10. in his Bull against Luther, wherein his errors are condemned, would hauehave omitted them. 3. in which Bull artic. 34. these words are fathered vponupon Luther, that he should say, Praeliari aduersus Turcas est aduersari Deo, &c. To warre against the Turks is to resist God visiting our iniquities: which words Luther in his answere denyeth not, thus expounding himselfe,Luthers opinion of the warres against the Turks. that he simplie condemned not the warre against the Turks, but the Popes subtiltie, that vnderunder that colour sought to enrich himselfe, Hoc praeliari contra Turcas saepe pontificib. magno fuit lucro, This warring against the Turks, hath brought great aduantage to the Bishops: 4. For otherwise Luther taught obedience to the Magistrate, and misliked all tumultuous and disordered courses, as it may appeare by his misliking of Carolostadius violent proceedings, who stirred vp the people by violence without the Magistrate to cast downe images at Wittemberge: Ex Ioann. Sleidan. lib. 3.which Luther did not disproue, as though he maintained Images, but that this ought to be done by the Magistrate, and not by force, vponupon eueryevery priuate mans head without order and authoritie. 5. But they are the Papists, not Protestants, that incourage the people to rebellion: as Innocent. the 3. did discharge the subiects of their p. 203oath and fealtie to King Iohn. So did Pius 5. and Gregory the 13. incite the subiects against Queene Elizabeth, proclayming in their wicked Buls, that all Catholikes might lawfullie withdraw their obedience from her. They were your popish Diuines of Salamanca,Traiterous conclusions of Iudasites. no Protestants that hatched these traiterous conclusions as Cockatrice egs: that it was a meritorious worke to assist Tyrone against the Queene; that the Catholikes of Ireland, that did fight against the Queene, were by no construction Rebels, &c. Reply to the Manifestat. fol. 66. pag. 2.This shamelesse Iudasite might hauehave blushed to obiect this vntruly against Luther, that which his owne faithlesse crue, and generation of vipers is guiltie of. 6. Lastly,Protestants not bound to all Luthers opinions or sayings. if Luther had so said or writ, we defend him not, neither take vponupon vsus to iustifie all his hastie sentences and rash speeches: We are no Lutheranes, neither hauehave we receiued our faith from Luther, or yet depend vponupon him. Why may not Protestants take the like libertie against their writers, which Papists vse against theirs? When Harding was pressed with the absurd sayings of Syluester Prierias, and Pighius, he maketh this answere, We bind our selues neither to the words of Syluester nor of Pighius, if they erre, Answ. to Apolog. pag. 608.what is that to vsus? let them beare their owne burthen.

2 Secondly, it is a most vncharitable sclaunder of Caluine and Beza, and other Protestants, that they should conspire the death of Princes: It is vsuall with Papists not Protestants so to do, as witnesseth the treasons of Morton, Saunders, Allen, Ballard, Hall, Gifford, Reynolds, Parsons, Walpole, with others, who all hauehave been detected to be practisers against the life of our late Soueraigne, and the state of this land. The Taylor and Cobler at Frankfort were Anabaptists, as was Iohn Leyden the begger at Munster, who came neerer Papists then Protestants: for they said, of the two, namely, the Pope and Luther, Luther was the worse.Lanquet ann. 1534. Against these Anabaptists did write Melancthon, Vrbanus Rhegius, with other Protestants, while the Papists let them alone.

3 Tyndals opinions are sound and good doctrine as he propounded them, and Maister Fox maintaineth them, p. 204not as the Papists wrested them. 1. He saith, that it is impossible for a man to fulfill the law of his owne strength,Fox. pag. 1247. art. 2, 3. and of our selues to consent to the will of God: saith not the Apostle as much?Tyndals opinions iustified. That which was impossible to the law, in as much as it was weake, &c. the wisedome of the flesh is not subiect to the law of God, neither indeede can be, Rom. 8. 2, 7.Fox. ibid. 2. He saith not, that the law maketh vsus to hate God: but in the law we are proued to be enemies to God, and that we hate him: so the Apostle saith, I knew not sinne but by the law, Rom. 77. and the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God, Rom. 8.7. 3. When he saith, eueryevery man is Lord of an others goods, he speaketh not of a communitie in possession, but of the Christian and charitable vse, which in pitie is to be extended to our poore brethren:Fox. pag. 1248. art. 18. If thou shewest not merciemercy to the poore, &c. thou robbest him of his owne. Doth not the wise man say as much? Withhold not the good from the owners thereof, Pro. 4.27. meaning the poore, who before God are owners in respect of their necessitie of that which the rich hauehave in abundance and superfluitie.

4. Where he saith, the children of faith are not vnderunder the law: Fox. pag. 1250. art. 18.he expoundeth himselfe, that they are not compelled for feare of the law to doe their dutie, but for the louelove of Christ:How the faithfull are not vnderunder the law. for the spirit of God worketh in them a willing obedience which proceedeth of louelove: He saith herein none other thing, then S. Paul before him: Against such there is no law, Galath. 5.23. The law is not giuen to a righteous man, 1. Timoth. 1.9. which places are not to be vnderstood of the precept and substance of the law, but of the effect and terror of the law, which worketh not vponupon the faithfull. Tyndals doctrine is herein all one with Saint Pauls: and this cauiller doth but bewray his ignorance herein mixed with malice.

4. Fourthly, what if some one Protestant hauehave of a singular opinion, prouoked by the cruell gouernment in Queene Maries time, written against the regiment of women, let the author answere it himselfe: Protestants are not to bee charged with mens priuate conceits. We p. 205doe blesse God for the gouernment of Infants and women: God hath vsed these weake meanes for the good of his Church in the happie raignes of King Edward, and Queene Elizabeth: yet we hold it a greater blessing when Kings, not Queenes, men, not children, are left to succeed in the kingdome: as to the praise of God wee see this day.

5. Whether the Lord Cromwell were guiltie of treason, (howsoeuer the Parliament, being misinformed and misled by the malice of his enemies, might iudge of him) by this it is cleered, because the King not long after wished, that his Cromwell were aliue againe. Fox. pag. 1189.The Duke of Northumberland did suffer worthily for treason against the Crowne, and died a Papist, whatsoeuer shew he made before of the contrarie: therefore the Church of Rome hath best right to him, he is no disparagement to the Gospell. It is vtterly false that Cranmer was put to death for treason: for he was thereof acquited at his arraignement in the Guildhall at London: neither are traytors in England adiudged to the fire as Cranmer was,Fox. pag. 1418. col. 1. but otherwise punished.

6. He sheweth not wherein King Henries testament was presently violated, and therefore we may suspect the reporter of vntruth: His bodie was interred at Winsore, his legacies to the poore of 1000. markes, and of the gift of twelue pence by the day to twelue poore Knights, were performed, his sonne succeeded in the Crowne: and all this was done according to the Kings last will and testament. But if it had been in some point violated (as it is not like that the Chauncellor, who had racked most cruelly Anne Askew an innocent woman with his owne hands, was a man of such conscience, onelyonly to refuse) so there were diuers of the Kings executors resolued Papists, as Cutbert Tonstal, Southwell, Peckam, with others:Stow ann. 1547▪ so that the blame hereof wil be vponupon the Papists shoulders, especially seeing most of them, then counted Protestants, afterward in Queene Maries time turned Papists.

7. That ambitious practise of the Duke of Northumberland p. 206to disinherite both the Queenes Mary and Elizabeth, as it is confessed by vsus: so it toucheth not the credit of the Gospell, seeing, as is before shewed, the contriuer of this disinheriting of the right heire, ended his daies in the profession of the Popish faith,Fox pa. 1408. col. 1. to the which he exhorted the people to returne.

Thus this agent for the Pope goeth on still to tell leasings, and would hauehave his owne word goe for pay. But the law saith: Vox vnius, vox nullius, licet honoratae personae: The voyce of one,Cod. lib. 4. tit. 20. leg. 8. Constantin. Ad Pammach. aduers. Ioann. Hierosolymit. is the voyce of none, though hee were an honourable person: and as Hierome saith, Testimonium pro se, nec Catoni creditum: No not Cato was credited in his owne cause. Were this Ignatian sectarie of a more worthie order, and an honester man then he seemeth to be, he must not thinke his owne surmises can surprise the the truth; nor his bold assertions shall be taken for good euidence: It had been more commendable in him to be bashfull to speake the truth, then shamelesse to vtter any thing:foreign. as Cato said well, he liked better of young men, that were giuen to blushing, then of pale and wanne.

The second Obiection.

Vntruth 177.1. IT is a common opinion with this people, that the lawes of Magistrates doe not binde in conscience and in secret, but onelyonly in publike and open shew for auoiding of scandale. What treason may not priuately be plotted and put in practise by this doctrine? pag. 86.

Vntruth 178▪2. VVhat other thing doth their approued doctrine of sole faith portend to the world, but a desolation of all order, &c. if a man be onelyonly iustified by faith, &c. all offences against a commonwealth, euen to take away the scepter and Crowne of the Prince, may securely be put in action, &c. pag. 86.

Vntruth 179.3. That law enacted by Parliament of King Henrie the 8. that all contracts of mariage whatsoeuer were voide by a second mariage consummate, was reuoked by K. Edward the 6. yet by the first Parliament of Queene Elizabeth is reuiued: from which opinion, and the doctrine of remarrying for incontinencie, p. 207&c. what diuorcements, dissensions, breaches of wedlocke, &c. hauehave ensued? pag. 89.

The Reiection.

1. THe Protestants denie not, but that the lawes of Magistrates as touching external rites and obseruations doe binde in conscience, but not in regard of the things commaunded, which are of themselues indifferent, and touch not the conscience, as the prohibiting of eating of flesh, wearing of apparell, but in regard onelyonly of our obedience due vntounto the Magistrate in lawfull things.How Magistrates lawes bind in conscience. But concerning Princes lawes of things necessarily appertaining to Gods seruice and the keeping of the commaundements, such doe simply binde in conscience, enioyning the same, and none other things which God commaundeth in his word. And this is that which is affirmed in Synopsis,Synops. cont. 4. qu. 7. part. 1. which doctrine the aduersarie shall neuer bee able to disproue: and therefore he seeketh to obscure this truth by lying; being not ashamed to vtter here two great vntruths, as though it were affirmed, that Magistrates lawes doe not at all binde in conscience and secret, and as though the question were of all lawes, and not onelyonly of externall rites and vsages, which are in their owne nature indifferent: for treasons and treacheries are directly contrarie to the law of God, and doe pollute the conscience: and such lawes doe binde absolutely in conscience, both in respect of the particular thing commanded, and of the generall rule of obedience.

2. Though Protestants teach, that onelyonly faith doth iustifie, yet they affirme not onelyonly faith to be necessarie. And our opinion is,Faith iustifieth▪ alone, but must not be▪ alone. that iustifying faith cannot be without fruites: that whereas there are no good workes there is no faith: neither was that euer a right faith, which neuer brought foorth good workes. It is therefore a foolish consequent brought in by him: Protestants are iustified onelyonly by faith: Ergo, felons, murthers, treasons may be p. 208safely practised among them: for where these things are maintained there is no faith perceiued. Good fruits make not a tree good, but onelyonly declare it to be good: doth it therefore follow, that it is no matter whether a good tree bring foorth fruite or not? nay, if it doe not, it is found to be no good tree. We say therefore with S. Paul, that they which hauehave beleeued should be carefull to shew forth good workes; Tit. 3.8.Titus 3:8these things are good and profitable to men. But this shall cleere our doctrine of iustification by faith onelyonly from all suspition of treasons, treacheries, that these cursed attempts are not to be found among the solifidian Protestants, but among the nullifidian Papists, who standing vponupon the merite of their workes, make no conscience (a great sort of them) to practise against their Prince and countrie, as it hath been more then twentie times in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth, attempted by Romish Priests, and Iudasites and their sectaries, and by Gods great merciemercy and watchfull prouidence discouered.

3. That law of reuersing precontracts by mariage consummate, was made in the Popish Church, and as yet the whole bodie of Popish religion remained in England, onelyonly the Popes supremacie excepted, anno 32. Henric. 8. But it was reuersed vnderunder a Protestant Prince King Edward the 6.The law of precontracts whether in force. A great vntruth. This exception tendeth rather to the disgrace of Poperie, then Protestancie. It is further a most impudent forgerie, that the statute against precontracts was reuiued anno 1. Elizabeth: onelyonly so much is reuiued, as was repealed by Queene Marie, as touching other prohibitions of mariage, not that which was reuoked by King Edward. The practise also of the Church sheweth the same, where a sound and lawfull precontract is admitted, against an vsurped mariage though consummate. As for mariage after diuorce for fornication, where Christ hath giuen a libertie againe to marrie,Matth. 5.32. except for fornication: and Matth. 19.9.Matt 5:32Matt 19:9 it ought not to be restrained for feare of any ensuing inconuenience, least man should seeme to be wiser then God. And yet greater daunger is feared, and more mischiefe like to be intended, p. 209where mariage vponupon diuorce is denied,Whether mariage after diuorce for fornication be lawfull. then where it is admitted: for there, one partie being a continuall offence to another, they shall be constrained to liue vnchastly and incontinently, or tempted to practise one against the life of another, that the yoke may be loosed: whereas when a second mariage, where the iustnes of the cause to the Magistrate is approued, is graunted, the foresaid daungers, are the one helped, the other preuented. Augustine thus resolueth: Potius vxore viuente aliam ducat quis, quam humanum sanguinem fundat: Caus. 33. qu. 2. c. 9.It were better for a man to marrie another, his first wife liuing, then to shed blood. And Ambrose concludeth peremptorily: Viro licet vxorem ducere si dimiserit vxorem peccantem: It is lawfull for the man to marrie a wife,Ambros. in 1. Cor. c. 7.1 Cor 7 hauing dismissed the first for her offence against mariage.

Thus it is apparant, with what weapons our aduersaries fight, with slaunders, wrestings, misreports. But as the law is, Testi non iurato non credendum: Cod. lib. 4. tit. 20. leg. 8. Constantin.A man is not to be credited, not speaking vponupon his oth: So this fellow is not to be trusted, who I am sure, would hardly sweare, vnlesse his conscience bee cauterised, these things to bee true, which here he hath obiected. I remember Augustine writing to Hierome, commendeth the faithfulnes of one Ciprianus, that caried his letters: Non illi diligentia deerit in custodiendis rescriptis, alacritas in perferendis, nec fides in reddendis: He wanteth not neither diligence in keeping my rescripts, nor cheerefulnes in carying them, nor trust in deliuering them. But this talebearer in reporting of Protestants opinions wanteth all these: he is neither diligent in vnderstanding them, nor willing to remember them, nor faithfull in rehearsing them. Where he would foyle others, he sheweth his owne follie; where he would blame vsus, he shameth himselfe: he pretendeth to accuse others, and had more neede himselfe to be excused: much like to the souldier, that Cato so much misliketh, which in walking vseth his hands, and in fighting his feete: foreign.when he should in walking stirre his feete he vseth his hands, and when in fighting he should exercise his hands p. 210he runneth away with his feete: So playeth this freshwater souldier, when he should lay on sound stroakes in telling the truth, he runneth on with fables, thinking so to carrie all before him.

The third Obiection.

NOw this quarrell-picker proceedeth, and taketh exception to the mariage of Ministers, which he would proue to be preiudiciall to the Common-wealth: I will abridge his discourse being confused, and follow his sense, though it be needlesse to rehearse all his words.

There hauehave been accounted 40. thousand parish Churches in England, admit the least suruey of thirteene, fifteene,Vntruth and sclaunder 180. or sixteene thousand: There being so many maried Ministers, for among all those it is a dishonour at this day to be vnmaried: if 75. persons of the Israelites descending into Egypt in the space of 400. hundred yeers multiplied to 603550. people, there being for eueryevery maried Israelite a thousand maried Ministers, in the like space of time they will amount to 603550000. a greater number then many Englands are able to maintaine, vnlesse they should be sent out to the warres to be slaine. But to permit multiplication of men to such ends, to vtter them by slaughter, is wholy Turkish, &c. pag. 90. to pag. 92.

The Satisfaction.

1. TO let passe his vncharitable slaunder, that it is a dishonour among Protestant Ministers to be vnmaried, whereas we honour the gift of true chastitie, and reuerence them that hauehave it: and there are diuers among the Protestant Ministers, both Bishops and others, which hauehave imbraced single life:The number of Parishes in England. likewise not to touch his false account of the number of Parish Churches, which neither maketh 40. nor yet 13. or 15. thousand. The whole summe vponupon a diligent suruey taken in the 44. yeere of Edward the 3. not exceeding beside London 8600. Parish Churches,Stowe▪ Stow 5. Elizab.and London containeth 108. Parishes: In the p. 211whole they are not aboue 8700. or at the most 9000. Parish Churches. But to let this matter passe.

2. If mariage by the word of God be free for all men, as the Apostle saith: For auoyding of fornication let eueryevery man hauehave his wife, 1. Cor. 7.2. And, Mariage is honourable among all men, Hebr. 13.3. then how absurdly doth this fellowe inferre that for feare of some inconuenience,Restraint of mariage against the ordinance of God. Gods ordinance should be restrained, and some forbidden to marrie: shall men presume to controule Gods workes, or to infringe his ordinance, or to seeme to be wiser then he? as the Prophet saith,Isay 40.13.Isa 40:13 Who hath instructed the spirit of the Lord, or was his counseller, or taught him?

3. By as good and much better reason may the mariage of the poorer sort and common people be forbidden, who are tenne to one for eueryevery Minister, and hauehave lesse prouision for their maintenance. This Pope polititian belike would giuegive aduice, that least people should multiplie too fast, there might be a law, that a certaine number onelyonly should attend vponupon the duties of mariage, and bee set apart for procreation: that as it is among horse and other cattell, that the goodliest beast is kept for a stale, so it might bee among men: such seeme his prophane conceits to be. And with as good right may any other order be restrained from mariage, as Ministers, in respect of the Common-wealth, seeing that they hauehave the best meanes of education for their children. And wee see by experience, that from their families hauehave issued foorth many worthie men both for Church and Common-wealth, whom the world should hauehave been depriued of, if this wizards conceit might take place.

4. And if the mariage of Ministers were like to be so burdensome to the Common-wealth: how came it to passe that Moses that wise lawgiuer could not foresee it in the mariage of the Leuites, who were the 13. part of the Israelites, and all liued vponupon the tithes and offrings of their brethren, whereas the Ministers now are not the 200. part of the people. What intolerable presumption is it in this shallow braine, to sound a depth beyond his p. 212plumme, and as another Hobab, to take vponupon him to teach Moses: but without either wit or honestie, both which Moses father in law had, and the direction of the spirit withall.

5 The scripture sayth, The multitude of the people is the honor of a King. Prou. 14.28. Among the heathen, Lycurgus and Solon depriued those of certaine honors,Plutarch. Laconic. apophthegmat. in Lycurgo. which liued single, or had no children. Among the Romanes they had great priuileges, that were increased with many children.Procreation of children Gods blessing. A certaine Spartane yong man doing no reuerence to the Captaine Dercyllidas, as he passed by (among whom it was ignominious not to reuerence old age) gaue this reason,foreign. because you hauehave begotten none to rise vp vntounto me when I am old, which saying was misliked of none. If the heathen then did count it such a benefit to hauehave procreation of children, shall Christians skoffe at the fruites of generation, and despaire of prouision for such a multitude? As though God which feedeth the foules of the aire, and vponupon whom all creatures depend, could not prouide for his people otherwise, vnlesse they should be sent to the warres, that the sword might deuour them. For thus this seraphicall Apologist concludeth, if warres had not bene to preuent so many mariages, and kill so many thousands of men, how could this nation hauehave prouided for so many? pag. 92. What could sensuall Epicures, prophane Diagoras, or skoffing Lucian, hauehave said more to the derogation of Gods prouidence? What is it to limit Gods prouidence, if this be not? as though God seeth not an hundred wayes to prouide for his, without this bloudie stratageme, in appointing them to the sword?

6 But whatsoeuer he ridiculouslie hath obiected against Ministers mariage, that it is against a common-wealth, is truely verified vponupon popish monasticall single life: what horrible pollutions, whoredomes, fornication, incest, sodomitrie, bastardie, secret murders of infants then raigned,Forced chastitie mischieuous to a common wealth. by reason of forced and dissembled virginitie, it would offend Christian eares to heare. In Gregory the first his time, there were found sixe thousand infants p. 213heads in a Moate or Fish-pond, which he perceiuing to hauehave been caused by forced single life, reuoked his decree made before for the same. It was one of the greeuances of the Germanes exhibited by the Princes in the Councell of Noremberge against the Romish Cleargie, That whereas Priests were by the canons forbidden to marrie, they went about night and day to attempt and try the chastitie of matrones, virgines, wiues, daughters, and sisters of lay men: and it hath been found by experience, that partly with gifts and flattering words, partly by secret confessions, Fox pag. 860. col. 1.many virgins and matrones hauehave beene mooued to sinne and wickednes, &c. And it happeneth oftentimes, that they do detaine and keepe away wiues and daughters from their husbands and fathers, &c. They complained further that they suffered the Clergie for a yearely stipend to dwell with concubines and harlots, and to beget children by them: they compelled also chast Priests to pay tribute for concubines, Fox pag. 862. col. 1.and so it should be lawfull for them, either to liue chast, or to keepe concubines. The chastitie and single life of the Monks and Clergie of England, was according to the same patterne,Praefat. Bal. ad librum de actis Romanor. pontific. whose dissembled sanctitie and pharisaicall hypocrisie was layd open at the suppression of those houses, and their filthie abhominations and vncleanenes of life discouered. All which abuses had no other beginning, then from that forced virginitie and diuelish prohibition of mariage: as Bernard well perceiued in his time:Super Cantic. serm. 66. Tolle de ecclesia honorabile coniugium, &c. Take from the Church honorable Matrimonie, shall you not fill it with incestuous persons, concubinaries, Sodomites, &c. Thales is brought in, thus aduising Periander, Plutarch. sympos.when his heardman had brought in a foale, which in the foreparts resembled a man, but behind an horse: I would wish thee to set none to keepe Mares, vnlesse you giuegive them wiues, or women: foreign.whereby he insinuated, that where the naturall remedie is denyed, vnnaturall lusts and desires rage.

Now let any good common-wealths man iudge, whether honest mariage, or vnhonest and vnchast life be fitter for humane societie: This brabler condemning the p. 214first, must incline to approue the second: as indeede one of their Popes Nicholas 1. is reported to hauehave said, Honestius esse plurib. occultè implicari, Szegedin. in specul.quam apertè cum vna ligari, That it was more honest secretlie to vse many women, then openlie to be tyed to one. And herein they are right Platonists,foreign. Plat dial. 5. de Republic. whose opinion was, that it was profitable for wiues and children to be common: Neither is it any other like, but that then many simple foster-fathers kept other mens children at their fiers, and that frierlie companions presumed too farre of Platoes communitie. Thus this sclaunder I trust is answered, though it be not much to be regarded: for as the Emperour sayth, In re propria nemo idoneus iudex, No man is a fit iudge in his owne cause:Cod. lib. 4. tit. 20. leg. 9. Gratian. no more is this coapesmate, in the defence of his Ignatian carnall communitie, and accusation of matrimoniall chastitie.

The fourth obiection.

HIs next exception against Protestants, is for the omission of fasting dayes:Vntruth 181. whereas, if there be but twelue thousand parishes supposed, and in eueryevery parish an hundred persons, if they should fast but an hundreth dayes in the yeare, and spare eueryevery of those dayes one meale, estimated but at a penie, eueryevery man should spare an hundred pence, which is tenne shillings; eueryevery parish fiftie pound in the whole land; the summe would arise to sixe hundred thousand pounds: yea, making accompt of thirtie hundred thousand men according to the muster bookes; and so many women put to them, the summe would amount to thirtie hundred thousand pounds.

He further calculateth the charge of the progenie of Ministers, reckoning them at an hundred thousand, and their dyet at threepence a day, which would come to 547500. pounds, which would serue for the maintenance of warres, that so many taxes might be spared, raised vponupon better subiects, pag. 93.94. Thus much he pratleth in effect.

p. 215The Reiection.

1 TO omit his simple and sillie calculations, and vaine suppositions, as that an hundred pence make tenne shillings (eueryevery child could hauehave told him that fiuescore pence make but eight shillings four pence) and that the ofspring of the Ministers within these fortie yeares riseth to an hundred thousand (he can not finde halfe that number) and that threepence a day for so many amounteth to fiue hundred thousand, 47. thousand,The Apologists loose calculations, and simple countercasting discouered. and fiue hundred of pounds, which in true account commeth but to 456250. for threepence a day in the yeare consisting of 365. dayes, maketh but foure pound eleuen shillings threepence, which for an hundred thousand reacheth to the foresaid summe, and no more: But it is lost labour to trace him in all his triflings: as is his diuinitie, such is his arithmetike.

2 Concerning dayes of abstinence for maintenance of fishers and preseruation of flesh, he can not be ignorant, but that they are obserued among Protestants,Fasting not neglected among Protestants. though not for any supersti…ious opinion of religion therein, as among Papists. Likewise the forbearing of one meale once or twice in a weeke is a thing in practise in England, and was enioyned by publike order in the late yeares of scarsitie, and is still obserued vponupon friday at night, in the houses of great men, and of the abler sort. As for the rest for poore artificers and labourers, I feare me in most townes of England, their meale more then twice or thrice in a weeke costeth them not aboue a penie. And is his meaning such to rake out so many pence out of the hungrie bellies of the poore, whereas (poore soules) their emptie stomacks had neede be better filled: for I dare say that the third man in this land especiallie in the countrie is of this number, that doth either fast of necessitie, or fareth often very meanely and courselie: he then is like to come short of his reckoning. But I know why he is so eager for these pence, either to help his holie father p. 216with his Peter-pence againe, or his fellow Friers with their begging pence.

2 But as Protestants mislike not abstinence and fasting for maintenance of the common-wealth, and reliefe of the poore, but wish that the abler sort would spare of their superfluities from their tables to feede poore Lazarus; so I am assured that true fasting is better exercised among Protestants then among Papists: For what is their fast? forsooth they will eate no flesh, but marmelade, sucket, iellies, spiced cakes, wine, all manner of conserued and preserued dainties they will feede of on fasting-nights, and licke their sweet fingers: Such was the fasting of some in Hieromes time, that would eate no oyle, but they would seeke for figs, pepper, nuts, dates, cakes, &c. some would eate no bread,Hieron. ad Nepotian. nor drinke water, sed sorbitiunculas delicatas & contrita olera betarumque succum, &c. but seeke for delicate suppings,The manner of popish fasting. and herbs shred together, and the iuice of beetes, &c. This is the right patterne of popish fasting. And least I might be thought to do them wrong, the Masse-priests and Iudasites herein do one accuse another:Parsons Manifestat. fol. 4. pag. 2. these lay to the others charge their drunkennes, playing at dice, the finding of a maid in one of their chambers: and these things were done in prison, where it is most like, if in any place their fasting and chastitie should be best performed: I trow drunkennes commeth not by fasting and abstinence, nor yet dallying with maides in corners.

3 Concerning the great charge of Ministers progenie, admit it come to so much in 40. yeare space, as this Popes auditor hath layd his counters,Ministers progenie not burdenous to the land. to fiue hundred thousand pound and odd, as in deed, it doth not, as is before touched, neither the number of them being so great, nor the charge rising to such a summe: but be it granted: 1. may not the same obiection be vrged against any other order or calling, of lawyers, artificers, labourers, or such like? might not eueryevery parish in England spare an artisane or labourer some one or other, whereas one Minister is necessarie for eueryevery parish? will not the progenie of any one, p. 217either Tailor, Shoomaker, Weauer, Husbandman, through the land, accounting for eueryevery parish but one, arise in like time to the like multitude? And in his prophane and popish conceit, are Ministers, that draw the people to God no more necessary, then botchers, coblers, hedgers, &c? 2. If the ofspring of Ministers should all be of the same calling, as the sonnes of the Leuites and Priests were, and all be maintained of tithes and offrings, as the other were, they might with greater shew of reason be thought to be burdenous, and yet the other were not: but seeing they are dispersed into other callings, and so diuerslie employed some in trades, some in merchandise, some in profession of learning, some for the seas, some for the warres and other seruices of the King; the same exception might be taken as well against any other of the Kings subiects, as against them. 3. Who seeth not, what a foolish reckoning he hath made: he maketh account of an 100. thousand now after 40. yeares continuance, and of 500. thousand pound now by the yeare increasing, which he holdeth sufficient for the maintenance of warre, and supplie of taxes &c. But let him be asked what the number of the one was, and the summe of the other, 10.20.30. yeares since? he must come short by so many parts and degrees of his account: and yet so many yeares since, the English warres began, and subsidies were thought needfull to be leuied, when as yet the increase of Ministers and of their charges came not to the fift part after that rate, when as notwithstanding the yearely expences of the warres in Ireland and other places did rise to 200. thousand pound by the yeare. 4. But what is this counter-casters meaning? would he hauehave this summe of 500. thousand leuied yerely of the Clergie?Of raysing of subsidies. all their reuenues and liuings to a groat will not reach it: wherefore would he hauehave it collected? to maintaine warres, and spare subsidies? I trust they shall cease: our greatest warres are like to be against the Pope and his adherents. Let it be noted then, that this popeling giueth counsell how warres might be maintained against the Pope his vnholie father, who is the greatest enemie to p. 218this nation. And for the sparing of subsidies and taxes, raised vponupon better subiects, I answere, first, that both the occasion thereof, the necessitie of warres being remoued, and the Kings princely disposition so standing, that he would hauehave subsidies rarely lifted vp, I make no doubt, but hereafter they will more sparingly be required,foreign. Pag. 99. that there neede no such supplie. Againe, the Clergie toward the raising of these subsidies were always most forward,Ministers good subiects. & payed more for their number by fiue parts at the least, then any of the Laitie: for whereas they make not for their number the hundred part of the land, and for their reuenew receiue nothing neere the tenth part, so many impropriations being deducted; yet their share in the subsidie was very neere the fift part of the whole, if not more: And therefore in this regard there were no better subiects then they, as also in respect of their loyaltie in themselues, and seruice to the Prince, in retaining the people in due obedience. But if they were no better subiects then trayterous Iesuites and Seminaries, I say not it were no great matter if they were one hanged against another; but if they were all shipped to the Sea, and sent to the Indians and Cannibals, or whither else, so they were not in England. I thinke the whole land would be in greater quiet and safetie. 5. Lastly, this cruell wretch sheweth himselfe another Haman, who to hauehave the Iewes destroyed offered to bring in 10. thousand talents into the Kings cofers, Esther. 3.9. So this fellow offereth fiue hundred thousand pound to hauehave the Ministers and their ofspring rooted out: like another Caligula, that as he wished all the Romane citizens had but one neck that he might strike it off at once; the same in his hart he desireth in the Ministerie of England. But I doubt not, but I shall sooner see the Frogs of Egypt, that crauled in eueryevery place, with an East wind to be cast into the Sea, then the Doues of the Church to be driuen to forsake their holes. But whereas he addeth, That the behauiour and disobedience of Protestants in common-wealths is worse then among Iewes, A wicked …ander and …ntruth 182.Turks, Paganes, &c. neither can it be imagined, how p. 219amendment should be had, except a reformation of Protestants disobedient doctrine be made. pag. 94.Vntruth 183. His owne cauterized conscience knoweth, that this is an abominable slaunder or fiction of Protestants, but a true narration of Masse-priests and Iesuites: for if Mortons rebellion in the North, Saunders commotion to warre in Ireland, Allen, Parsons inuasion by the Spaniards, Babingtons conspiracie, Lopez poysoning, Parries murdering be laid together, with many other trayterous attempts both against Prince and countrie, it will euidently appeare, as cleere as noone day, that neuer any such villanie was attempted against any Turke or Heathen Prince, as hath been practised by those Papists.

And concerning doctrine,Popish traiterous position… and practises. Protestants teach obedience to Princes euen in Ecclesiasticall causes, Papists denie it: yea they maintaine monstrous positions, that the Pope may excommunicate and depose Princes, may absolue the subiects of their oth and fealtie: that the Pope inuading a countrie for religion, ought to be assisted by the subiects against the Prince: that the Popes designement to inuade a countrie by force to the same end, ought not to be reuealed to the state: these are Parsons positions.Manifestat. fol. 13. pag. 1. Adde vntounto these, the Iesuites conclusions at Salamanca: that it was meritorious to assist the rebels in Ireland against the Queene:Replie fol. 66. pag. 2. that they which tooke part with the Catholikes against the Queene, were by no construction rebels, &c. Wherefore seeing there can be no amendement or redresse of Popish trayterous practises, till both they and their doctrine be auoyded the land, we are to wish and hope in time, that as Popish doctrine is already sent backe to Rome the mother thereof; so the trayterous Iesuites and Priests, and all their factious crue, and adulterous seede of that strumpet, may in good time also bee dispatched thither, to sucke their owne mothers breasts: that both the bondwoman and her sonnes may be cast foorth, and not be heires with Isaac. And if they will with Iudas depart from the Ministers of Christ to the Pharisies, we may wish vntounto them Iudas end, as one saith: p. 220Iudas iuit ad Pharisaeos, non iuit ad Apostolos; iuit ad di…iso… & diuisus perijt: Iudas went to the Pharisies, not to the Apostles;Caus. 33. qu. 6. de poenit. c. 1. Innocent. he went to those which were diuided, and being diuided in the midst perished. And happie were it with the Church of England if it were honestly rid of such make bate companions, that wee might dwell by none but good neighbours; as it is said of Themistocles, when hee offered his ground to sell,foreign. caused it to be proclaimed, that he had a good neighbour. Now this aduersarie breaking off here his vncharitable accusations, returneth to his former defence, which how sillie and weake it is, shall in the discouerie thereof appeare.

The fift Defence.

1. WHat disloyaltie of behauiour to Commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion?Vntruth 182. doe wee not teach all dutie vntounto Princes and superiours? pag. 94.

2. What is there in that sacred function of Priesthood, now treason by the proceedings of England,Vntruth 183. that can be guiltie of so great a crime? in the statute of treason in Edward. 3. nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of King or countrie. pag. 95.

3. What is in Priesthood now, that was not in former times?Vntruth 184. which euer in Parliament hath been reputed the most honourable calling, &c. the same Priesthood, which was giuen to S. Peter and his Apostles: the same which S. Augustine and his associates had, that conuerted England. pag. 96.

4. There is in that sacrament (of Priesthood) no renouncing or deniall of any authoritie in England,Vntruth 185. no conspiracie to Prince, no betraying of kingdome, &c. pag. 96.

Vntruth 186.5. That Priests do absolue from sinnes, &c. the cause is no temporall thing, and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason: for Deacons, which hauehave no such authoritie, are traytors by the same statute. pag. 96.

6. That our Priests are consecrated in forraine countries, is not the cause:Vntruth 187. for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergie to be consecrated in those forraine p. 221countries: and to be ordered in France, to which we be friends, and in England is equally treason. pag. 97.

7. The Grecians and Germanes diuers in doctrine to the Church of Rome, hauehave their Seminaries of Priests maintained by the Pope,Vntruth 188. and yet they condemne not their Priests for traytors: and it is as improbable,He hath such an intent. that the Pope hath an intent to bring England vnderunder his temporall gouernment, as it is vnprobable in those countries.

8. How can those religious Schooles be such aduersaries, &c. where there is no Reader, no professor, no Lecture,Vntruth 189. no doctrine against our English gouernment: where prayer is continually made for her Maiestie! The rules and gouernment there consent with the ancient foundations of Cambridge and Oxford. pag. 98.

9. What disobedience can it be to denie to any temporall Prince supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall?Vntruth 190. It is great disobedience.a preeminence distinct, &c. which our Kings themselues euer approued in the Roman See: which neuer any Turke, or Goth, or Vandale or Infidell challenged, &c. nor any temporall Prince,Vntruth 191. vnlesse it be in England. pag. 98.

10. The enemies to this See do not condemne it as a disobedience, to appeale to Rome in spirituall cases,Vntruth 192. to goe on pilgrimage to Rome, to fetch any Crucifixe or picture from thence: all Catholikes and Christians of the world, without prohibition of their Princes, hauehave accesse thither. pag. 99.

11. Our most triumphant Kings hauehave performed those offices (in visiting of Rome) in their owne persons. pag. 99.

The Answere.

1. DOe ye aske what disloyaltie there is in your Cacolike religion? when by Popish doctrine Princes are not chiefe in their owne kingdoms ouer Ecclesiasticall causes and persons:The disloyaltie of Iudasites and Masse-priests. and the Pope hath authoritie by the same to excommunicate and depose Princes, and absolue subiects from their oth of obedience? And doe ye teach all dutie to Princes, when the pestilent vipers the Iudasites doe hold,Parsons Manifestat. f. 13. p. 1. that subiects ought to assist the Pope p. 222inuading a countrie by force for religion against their Prince, and that they are bound to keepe secret the Popes designements to that end: that they were no rebels which aided the Popes Cacolikes in Ireland against the Queene:Replie to the Manifestat. fol. 66. pag. 2. I would not so often alleage these matters, but that this brablers confused tautologies can not otherwise be answered.

2. There be other points in that statute, beside betraying of King or countrie, that are made treason; as to violate the Kings wife, or his eldest daughter, or the wife of his eldest sonne: but these matters are impertinent: they serue only to shew the vntruth of his speech. And euen by this statute, popish Priests and Iudasites that maintaine a forren Potentate, a knowne enemie to Prince and countrie, are found to be traytors: for they which are adherent to the Kings enemies in his realme, Ed. 3. ann. 25. ca. 2.giuing them ayde and comfort within the realme, or elsewhere, are by that statute iudged traytors.

Popish priesthood much differing from the auncient priesthood.3. In popish Priesthood there are many things now, which were not in former times: as to hauehave power to make Christs bodie, that it is a sacrament, and hath an indeleble character; their shauing, greazing, to hauehave dependance vponupon the Bishop of Rome; the vow of single life annexed to orders; these things in the honorable calling of the Ministers of the Church, the auncient and pure age of the Church did not acknowledge. And though the popish priesthood for some hundred yeares past, hath beene in great credite, yet was it another manner of Ministerie, which was honoured of the auncient Christian Emperors: As the Bishops of the Nicene Councell, whom Constantine so reuerenced that he would not sit downe, till they had beckoned to him. Meletius, whose eyes, lips and breast Theodosius kissed & embraced:Socrat. 1.5. Chrysostome, whom Goinas the Goth did reuerence,Theodoret. 5.…. Theodor. 5.33. and caused his children to fall downe at his knees: all these were Bishops of another order, then the Popes creatures now are. It is also a vaine boast, that S. Peter had the same priesthood. S. Peters presbyters were not Lords ouer Christs flocke, as the Popes p. 223Clergie is, 1. Pet. 5.3. Peter doth make himselfe a sympresbyter with the rest, not lord ouer thē, nor they to depend of him: and confesseth Christ to be the foreign, the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4. he dare not arrogate that title to himselfe as the Pope doth. In some respects they may hauehave the same priesthoode which Augustine the Monke had, (though as yet the sacrifice of Christs bodie was not annexed to the priesthood, nor many yeares after) for he came from Rome, and sought the preeminence of that See:Ex libro Iornalens. & Fabian. but before his comming there were in England other Bishops, who depended not vponupon the Romane Bishops, neither did acknowledge Augustines authoritie, and refused to yeeld obedience vntounto him.

4. In the very receiuing of popish priesthood, the Masse-priests bind themselues to be subiects to the Romane Bishop in spirituall things, and so denie the lawfull authoritie of the Prince in causes Ecclesiasticall. The Iudasites beside do enter into a vow of obedience to execute whatsoeuer their superior shall command them to do: by vertue of which vow, many treacherous conspiracies hauehave been contriued: yea they hauehave a speciall vow of mission,Iesuit. catech. lib. 2. ca. 16. whereby they bind themselues to go whither soeuer the Pope shall send them. Who seeth not, how fit an engine this is, to draw them on to practise against both King and Countrie, as hath been seene in England, but to their owne cost hitherto (thanks be to God) and I trust shall be so still.

5. Popish priests and Deacons are not deemed traytors for their absolutions, or any other priestly function,To acknowledge a forrain▪ Potentate is a treasonable▪ act. but because they do receiue priesthood by authoritie of a forrain Potentate claiming iurisdiction in England, and who as a temporall aduersarie hath displayed his banner in the field against the Prince, the maintenance of whose authoritie is iudged trayterous.

6. To receiue orders in forraine countries simplie is not made treason; for the Church of England receiueth such Ministers as were ordained in other countries professing the same religion, as at Basile, Geneua, in Germany: But eyther p. 224in the realme or without the realme to be ordained by any authoritie deriued, or pretended from the See of Rome,Elizabeth ann. 27. c. 2. is by the law decreed to be treason, because therein they which are so ordered, acknowledge and receiue the Popes vsurped power and authoritie in England, who is an enemie both to Prince and countrie, wherein they are guiltie of treason.

7. Though in some free cities in Germany & in Greece vnderunder the Turke Seminarie Priests be tolerated, that is no president for England, neither can it stand with the policie of this kingdome to admit any such mixture: And in that they are not there taken for traytors, the case is not like;Difference betweene the state of England, and other countries and free cities. for if they had practised there against the life of the Prince, and state of the countrie, as in England, there is no question but they would hauehave taken the like order with them. Neither in England, for more then twentie yeares was it made treasonable to be made a Popish Priest, till such time as the state perceiued that their entring into the land, seducing of subiects, conspiring together, tended to the subuersion and ouerthrow both of Prince and countrie. And it can not be, but that the Pope should hauehave an intent to bring England vnderunder his temporall gouernment (whatsoeuer he intendeth in other countries) seeing both the Iudasites and Priests acknowledge that the Pope hath indirectam potestatem in temporalib. hath an indirect power euen in temporals,Parsons Manifestat. f. 16. p. 1. Priests replie fol. 40. pag. 2. by force of armes to restraine Princes, and to reforme them, and to dispose of Kingdomes.

8. This article is wholie vntrue: for neither are the Lectur…s read in the Iesuites Colledges very commendable, when one Maldonat a Iudasite in one publike Lecture proued there was a God by naturall reason,Iesuit catechism. li. 2. c. 7. and in another, that there was none. And Parsons would hauehave had his traiterous booke of titles publikely read in the Colledge at Rome to the Students, as his fellow priests report. What the professors of the Iesuites Colledge are, and how affected to the Ciuill gouernment, may appeare by their treacherous attempts. Varade a Iudasite in France p. 225approoued the wicked treason of Barriere against the King: so did Commolet, who openly in his Sermons sayd,Iesuit catechis. lib. 3. c. …. Lib. 3. ca. 13. ibid. they wanted but an Ehud: Walpoole a Iesuite deliuered a poisonfull confection to Squire, ann. 1597. to destroy the Queene: Parsons before that, with other of the Spanish faction, practised with Lopez to the same deede.Sutclif. de Turcopapis. lib. 1. ca. 8. As is their practise, so is their doctrine: Parsons maintaineth as a principle, that necessitie of true (he meaneth his Cacolike religion) is required in all pretenders to the Crowne: whereby he meaneth that no title should be admitted,Manifestat. fol. 67. pag. 2. though neerest by bloud and lawfull succession, vnlesse the profession of the Romane faith were coincident to it.Iesuites position and doctrine. Iesuit. Catechism. lib. 3. ca. 21. Guignard made a booke, wherein he maintained, that to kill offenders (he meaneth Princes that stood not for them) was meritorious: Chastell one of their schollers, that was executed for attempting the Kings death, maintained before the Iudge, that in some cases it was lawfull to kill his King. At Salamanca in Spaine,Ibid. these conclusions were resolued vponupon by the Diuines of the Iesuites Colledge, that all Catholikes did sinne mortally that tooke part with the English against Tyrone in Ireland: that they, which did fight against the Queene, were by no cōstruction rebels, &c. These and such other positions were subscribed by Iohn de Sequenza, Emmanuel de Royas, Iasper de Mena, Replie to Manifestat. fol. 66. pag. 2.professors of Diuinitie in the Colledge of Iesuites there, and by Peter Osorio preacher there. What a brasen face now hath this fellow, that sayth there is no professor, lecture, doctrine in their Colledges contrarie to the English gouernment? and what manner of prayers they vsed to make for Queene Elizabeth, we may iudge by these their practises and opinions. And if it were not so, that these Schooles and Seminaries are corrupters of youth, the Court of Parliament of Paris, vponupon the apprehension of Iohn Chastel, who stroke the King with a knife in the face, who was a student of the Iesuites Colledge of Clairemont, would not hauehave decreed, the whole companie of priests & students there, as corrupters of youth, Iesuit. catechis. lib. 3. ca. 18.disturbers of the common quiet, enemies of the King and state, to auoid within three p. 226dayes out of Paris, and within 15. dayes out of the Realme.

9. We grant that when the Pope was in his ruffe, many Kings, made slaues vntounto the beast, yeelded vntounto his vsurped iurisdiction in affaires ecclesiasticall: but of auncient time it was not so: for the good Kings of Iuda, Dauid, Iehosophat, Princes chiefe in causes Ecclesiasticall. Cod. lib. 1. tit. 4. leg. 1. & leg. 3. Toletan. 3.2. Matisconens. in fine. Toletan. 4.58. Toletan. 8. Toletan. 12.Hezekiah, Iosias, had the chiefe stroke in religious causes: So had the Christian Emperours, Gratianus, Valentinianus, Theodosius, Martianus, that made lawes concerning the faith. Likewise the Christian Kings of the Gothes in Spaine decreed, ratified, and confirmed ecclesiasticall lawes, as Reccaredus, Guntranus, Sisenandus, Reccesinuthus, Eryngius, as is extant in these Synodes Prouinciall heere alleaged.

10. To hauehave free accesse to Rome, only to see the Citie, and the behauiour of the people, may by Princes in their discretion to their subiects be permitted (though I thinke it be hard for any with a good conscience, in regard of the publike offences there occurrent, so to do) but to bring from thence a crucifixe or a picture, as a marke of the beast, can not be but dangerous: which although it be not treason in England, though a disobedience, yet Adam Damlip for a lesse matter by Winchesters procurement was condemned of treason, for receiuing a French crowne of Cardinall Poole in Rome, only for his reliefe. But to make appeales to Rome, as to a higher Court, and to the Pope as to a superior Iudge,Appeales to Rome not to be suffered. Fox pag. 1229. is a great derogation to the imperiall dignitie, and no well reformed commonwealth can endure it: Neyther is England here alone (as he vntruely saith) but other reformed Churches, of Scotland, Geneua, the Heluetians, hauehave cut off such vnnecessarie and vnnaturall appeales.

11. What Kings and Princes hauehave done in times past in visiting Rome and going in Pilgrimage in their owne persons, when they were led with blind deuotion, it maketh nothing to vsus: Of auncient time Princes were wiser, and I trust God will open their eyes at the last to acknowledge their error, and shake off the yoake of Antichrist, according to the prophesie of the Reuelation, that they p. 227shall hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked, &c. Reuel. 18.16.

Thus with all his subtilties and shifts of descant this Masse-priests proctor hath endeuoured to free that order from suspicion of treason: But as the Prophet Ezechiel sayth, He hath daubed vp a wall with vntempered morter, Ezech. 13.10. with like workemanship hath he made a bulwarke for his order: But as it is in the lawe,Cod. lib. 4. tit. 20. leg. 10. Honor. Particeps criminis non idoneus testis, He that is partner in the crime is no sufficient witnes. So is he an vnfit aduocate for the Ignatian order, being himselfe of that treacherous brotherhoode: I could aduise them, if they had grace to receiue good counsell, that they would not suffer themselues to be any longer abused by their vnholie father, to runne vponupon the pikes at his pleasure, and hazard both their bodilie life, and the saluation of their soules: not to be so desperate, as Scipio his souldiers, of whom he boasted, that at his bidding they would cast themselues headlong into the Sea. What though you would reduce your countrie to your opinion, and the obedience of the Pope: your purpose is not good your counsels prosper not, you are deceiued in the disease which you would cure, at the least, with perill of bodie and soule you vse too costlie a remedie,foreign. as Marius to the Phisician that came to cut him of a certaine disease, made this answere, that the remedie was not worthie of so much griefe.

The sixt defense.

1. FIrst he standeth vponupon the glorie of the popish kingdome, Vntruth 19….Consider (sayth he) the glorie of King Henry the 8. and this kingdome before his fall, and their infamie after: the short or turbulent season of King Edward, and for this present what it is, and what like to be, &c. I leaue to the lamentable consideration of all men now, and the pitifull experience of those which shall proue it afterward: France, Spaine, Italy may be named the floures of the world: the power and iurisdiction of the Pope more glorious,Vntruth 19…. then was euer any Regiment p. 228of any spiritual superior: the kingdome, riches, reuenues of the K. Catholike, are the greatest of any Monarch. p. 100.101.

2. Their religion consisteth of all affirmatiue positions, teaching dutie to God,Vntruth 195. honor to Magistrates, equalitie to all, oppression to none, &c. pag. 101.

3. Quarels and contentions betweene King and subiects, Nobles and Nobles,Vntruth 196. as in the time of Henry the 2. hauehave beene comprimitted by the spirituall Romane authoritie, &c. rigorous onerations imposed by Princes eased: vnappeasable wars with France and other nations brought to an end, pag. 101.

4. The Protestants deniall of restitution and confession, what wrongs and abuses hath it wrought,Vntruth 197. &c. who can now keepe subiects from deuising against Soueraignes, &c. for want whereof so many suites and actions of law, such a multitude of Lawyers: what dilatorie pleas, non suites, &c. practised, and vncontrolled by Protestants doctrine, &c. pag. 102.103.

5. The Religious Clergie enioyed the third part of the substance of our nation, &c. which was employed toward the necessaries of their poore,Vntruth 198. chast, and single life: they did furnish armies, more then all the Ministers, and Abbey gentlemen, the poore were relieued, &c. were they not better bestowed, then in hunting, hawking, carding, courting, &c. pag. 103.104.

6. Catholike Religion left and kept England in amitie and league,Vntruth 199. with the Popedome, Empire, Spaine, &c. whereas no historie maketh relation of so chargeable and prolonged wars of this kingdome, with other nations, as our late and now present, Spanish, Irish, Flemish, pag. 104.

7. Lastly he sheweth that by separation from the Roman religion, Vntruth 200.Noblemen and Gentlemen hauehave lost much learning and knowledge in seeing other Princes Courts and countries: Souldiers the skill and honor in armes: Schollers the benefite of studie in other Vniuersities: Merchants their trade and traffique, &c. and so he concludeth to this effect, that these things considered, it were better to be in such condition as England was in, in the 22. yeare of Henry the 8. when this reformation began, then euer it was by Protestancie since, now is, or by probabilitie will grow to be in time to come, pag. 106.

p. 229The Answere.

1. KIng Henrie his gouernment was as glorious, his battailes as victorious, his successe as prosperous after the reformation of religion, as before, if not much more▪ As in appeasing the commotions in Yorkshire and Lincolneshire anno 28. Againe,Stow in Henri…. 8. another in Yorkshire suppressed anno 3…. Notable victories obtained against the Scots anno 34. And againe anno 36. And in the same yeere he preuailed against the French, when Boloigne was yeelded to him.

King Edwards raigne was neither so short, nor troublesome, as Queene Maries was; which both at home was plagued with mortalitie and famine, and abroad dishonoured with the losse of Calice, that had been English well neere 300. yeeres. This is too vnshamefast dealing to obiect the one, and conceale the other.

Queene Elizabeths raigne hath been most flourishing with louelove of subiects at home, and honour of other nations abroad: and as his Maiestie truly witnesseth: She did so long with such wisedome and felicitie gouerne her kingdomes: Praefat. ad foreign.as (I must in true sinceritie confesse) the like hath not been read nor heard of, either in our time, or since the daies of the Romane Emperour Augustus.

As for your lamentable consideration and pitifull experience, what England is like to be: you shew your selfe herein but one of Baals false Prophets, that prophecied good successe to Ahab: as you promised to your selues, at the next chaunge of the kingdome, a glorious day in England, and an vtter subuersion of the Gospell: As his brother Frier, or father Parsons vttereth with the like boldnes,Manifestat. fol. 57. par. 1. God will most certainly at his time appointed restore the realme of England to the Catholike faith againe. But the Lord be blessed that hath disappointed their vaine hope, and frustrate their wicked desires: I trust thorough Gods merciemercy that England still vnderunder the Gospell shall see as flourishing daies as euer before.

As for those flowers of the world, &c. some of those p. 230hauehave brought foorth but simple flowers: as may witnesse that bloodie massacre of France, and the continuall ciuill warres for many yeeres together, wherein not so few Christian people as 100. thousand hauehave perished: England (thankes be to God) hath no such flowers growing in her garden, neither I trust euer shall. Neither doe wee desire, nay wee would not for all the kingdomes of the world, chaunge our state with any of those flower countries, Italie, France, Spaine, which in deede are flowers and leaues without true fruite.

Though the Popes iurisdiction hath been large, yet can hee not compare with the pontifices maximi among the Romans, which was an office of such high authoritie and great commaund, that the title was afterward annexed to the Empire: and the Emperours tooke vponupon them to be called, the high Priests. The other Patriarchall Seas also did equalize Rome in largenes of iurisdiction, especially Alexandria,The Pope equalized in largenes of iurisdiction. Nicen. 1. c. 6. to the which was subiect al Egypt, Libya, Pentapolis, with all the Christian Churches of Africa. The Pope hath no great cause to brag of his greatnes: for his wings are well clipped, and I doubt not but to see yet more of this proud birds feathers pulled. Neither is largenes of dominion a good argument for religion: for then Pagane idolatrie, which was more vniuersally receiued at once in the …, then Christianitie, should thrust out the Gospell of ….

And as for the King of Spaine… …, he may thanke the poore Indians for it, whose throates the Spaniards hauehave cut for their gold:Riches and externall glorie no good argument of religion. neither is it such, but that hee knoweth how to spend it, and for all his great treasure, his coffers are often emptie enough. But let it be remembred, how these popelings measure religion by riches and outward glorie, which if it were a good rule, the rich Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians should rather hauehave bin the people of God thē the poore Israelites: & the rich Scribes and Pharisies should be preferred before the Apostles.

Popish religion derogatorie to God.2. Popish religion denieth dutie to God, making other Mediatours beside Christ, teaching inuocation of Saints, p. 231adoration of images, which are peculiar to God: neither doth it giuegive honour to Magistrates, abridging them of their lawfull authoritie in matters ecclesiasticall, and giuing the Pope authoritie, to excommunicate and depose Princes, and to absolue their subiects of their oath. Concerning the particulars of Popish profession, what little comfort is in them, how derogatorie to God, contrarie to Scriptures, I hauehave shewed before in the answere to the 5. section.

3. The Pope so well appeased the quarrels betweene Henry the 2. and his Nobles, that after the King had reconciled himselfe to the Pope for the death of Thomas Becket, and yeelded to doe penance,Stovv. his troubles began afresh betweene him and his sonnes Richard and Iohn, that he died for griefe.The Pope a mouer, not a compounder of warres. And the Pope by his Legates and factors in England and other countries hath been a mouer, not a compounder of strife; a raiser, rather, then layer of warre. Did not Gregorie the 7. set vp Rodolphus against Henry the 4. the Emperour, betweene whom many bloodie battels were fought? Did not Pope Paschalis incite Henrie the sonne against the Emperor Henrie the father, and dispossessed him of the Empire?Ex Platina caus. 15. qu. 6. c. Iuratos. Ex Mario. Vrban the 2. did put downe Hugo Earle of Italie, discharging his subiects of their oth and obedience. Gregorie the 9. did excommunicate Fredericke the 2. and raised vp the Venetians against him. And in England, Pope Innocent the 3. commaunded vnderunder paine of his great curse, that no man should obey King Iohn: he gaue definitiue sentence in his consistorie, that he should be deposed from his Crowne:Fox. pag. 252. and appointed Philip King of France to execute this sentence, promising him full remission of his sins to kill or expell King Iohn. Vrban the 4. set Henrie the 3. and his Nobles together by the eares,Lanquet anno 1262. absoluing the king of his oth made to performe certaine articles agreed vponupon at Oxford: whereupon the Barons warres were renewed. Pope Boniface set variance betweene England and Scotland,Ex Chronic. Thom. VValsingham. in the raigne of Edward the 1. challenging Scotland, as proper to the Sea of Rome. But in steed of easing the people of p. 232rigorous exactions imposed by Princes, the Pope himself hath vsed vnreasonable extortions. Rigandus de Asteri… the Popes Legate in England in Edward the 2. his raigne, demaunded of the Clergie 8. pence in the marke toward the Legates charges,The Popes intolerable exactions. but they graunted only 4. pence in the marke: He also laboured to bring in a new manner of collection of Peter pence,Fox pag. 370. but was resisted by the King. The like did Henricus the 3. Repressit impetum Legati propter violentiam denariorum: Matth. Paris. anno 1215.He restrained the attempts of the Popes Legate, touching his violent exactions of money. The Bishops of England after great and forcible intreatie agreed to pay to the Pope 11000. markes.Ex …od. anno 1247. The King of England (saith the same author) made payment to Pope Alexander the 4. vponupon a very friuolous and fond matter 950000. markes.Anno 1…57. Bonner himselfe witnesseth, that the Popes pray in England came almost to as much as the reuenewes of the Crowne.In Praefat libel. Steph. Gardi…. The Pope had the first fruites of all the Bishopricks in England, which came to a great summe. Canterburie paied 10000. Florences, and 5000. for his pall: Yorke as much. Winchester 12000. Elie 7000. The whole summe of all the first fruites in Europe,A Florence is foure shillings sixe pence starling. which came to the Popes coffers, amounted to 2460843. Florences, which maketh well nie 6. hundred 15. thousand, two hundred and ten pound starling. Iudge by this now (Christian Reader) what an impudent man this is, to make the Pope a mitigator of great exactions, whereas he hath been the most cruell extortor and exactor in the world. As is his credit in this, so let him be beleeued in the rest.

4. Popish confession is so farre from keeping subiects from deuising against their Prince, as that it hath been the speciall engine and instrument to contriue treacherie against the state.Caxton lib▪ 7. Simon the Monke was confessed and absolued of his Abbot when he enterprised to poyson King Iohn. Stovv anno Henri…. 8.30.Frier Forrest in secret confession declared to diuers subiects, that King Henry the 8. was not supreame head of the Church, and so abused confession to sedition. Peter Barriere was confessed in the Colledge of the Iesuites in p. 233Paris, and tooke the Sacrament,Iesuit. catechis. lib. 3. ca. 6. whē he intended to murder the french King that now is. Iohn Chaestell also that conspired the like, had been often schooled in the Iesuites chamber of meditations.Ibid. ca. 20. pag. 204. These are the fruites of popish confession, deuising of treasons, reuealing of secrets, seeking occasion to do euill; for by this opportunitie,Abuse of popish cōfession. diuers lewd Priests sollicited the parties that came to be confessed vntounto euill. As mention is made in the papall rescripts of one,Lateranens. concil. part. 50. cap. 21. qui cum alterius coniuge frequenter in ecclesia dormiuit, which oftentimes in the Church slept with another mans wife: And this should seeme to be so vsuall a practise, that for restraint thereof they decreed against it, non debet episcopus, Caus. 30. qu. 1. ca. 10.vel presbyter commisceri cum mulierib. &c. the Bishop or Priest ought not to lye with the women that come to be confessed. Wherefore, seeing auricular confession gaue occasion and opportunitie to such euill, they shall not easily perswade, that for want of such confession, such abuses and iniuries hauehave growne.

Concerning restitution,Protestants denie not restitution. Protestants allow it and require it to be made, approuing of that sentence, non tollitur peccatum, …isi restituatur ablatum, that of sinne there is no remission, where there wanteth restitution. But we affirme and teach that satisfaction to God by vsus can not be wrought: we must let that alone for euer: that worke Christ only hath performed. Multitude of suites, dilatorie pleas, corrupt iudgements, are not vncontrouled by Protestants doctrine, but we mislike and condemne them, and trust by our prudent Prince in time conuenient, to see many of those disorders redressed: Neyther were the popish times free of such vnnecessarie suites and contentions betweene Bishop and Bishop, Bishop and Prior, Prior and Couent, among the Friers and Monks, as I hauehave shewed before at large, in my answere to the second section, pag. 8. Yet these quarrels and suites of law notwithstanding, our Church & Religion is not for that abuse to be condemned, no more then the Church of Corinth ceased to be of Christs familie, because they went to lawe one with another, & that before heathen Iudges, 1. Cor. 6.

p. 234But sure it is, that these abuses hauehave not sprung, because auricular confession is intermitted, which was as a heauie yoke and burthen vponupon Christians shoulders, and did rather terrifie, then certifie the conscience: which superstitious vse the wiser heathen condemned: as Antalcidas being asked of the Priest what great sinne he had committed in his life,foreign. made this answere, if I hauehave done any such thing, the Gods know it: he thought it superfluous to declare it to men.

5. And was it not thinke you a very poore life, that had the third part of the substance of the land, as is confessed to maintaine it? Neither is it true, that the Abbeies furnished more armies, then all the Ministers and Abbey-gentlemen: for, I thinke not, but the Clergie in England alone hath contributed more in subsidies, tenths, beneuolences, yearely toward the maintenance of the Princes warres, then all the Abbeies in England yeelded to the Crowne: for they stood vponupon their priuiledges and immunities, and gaue but what they list themselues. The poore you say were relieued, so many statutes against them, and to burthen the countrie were not knowne. True it is, that the Abbeies maintained the idle vagrant life of rogues & beggers: and it is verily thought, that the frie of thē which was bred then, hath so spawned forth into the whole land,Of the Abbeys relieuing of beggers. that vntounto this day this nation could not be disburdened of them. You seeme to mislike the statute of late made for the restraint of vagrants and vagabonds, then the which a more wholesome lawe could not be made in that kind, if it were well executed: neither is the countrie more, but lesse burthened, in relieuing their home-borne poore, & being eased of other cōmon walkers. But it is no maruaile, that this Frier holdeth with beggers, for he is cosen-germane himselfe to the begging friers: no thanks then to Abbeies and Frieries in relieuing of lay beggers, when they sent out such a number of irreligious beggers of their owne: they should hauehave done better to hauehave kept their owne begging mates at home, that the lay people being rid of such vnshamefast beggers, might hauehave beene p. 235better able to maintaine their owne. But concerning this relieuing of common beggers, wherein he giueth such praise to Abbeies, their own canons hauehave vtterly misliked it: sint autem mendicantib. validis non solum hospitalia clausa, &c. To valiant beggers, let not only the hospitals be shut, but let it be vtterly forbidden them to beg frō house to house: for better it were to take bread from the hungrie, least being prouided of his bread, he should neglect equitie and iustice, that is, liue idlie, Coloniens. part. 11. ca. 5.

You aske, if they were not better bestowed, then in hunting, Of the bestowing of Abbey lands.hawking, carding, courting, &c. I answere, 1. that although we wish that Abbey-lands had beene conuerted to better vses, yet they were abused as much before as now, and much more. 2. for beside, that it is not to be otherwise thought, but that the lord Abbots, and fat Monks disported themselues with hunting of wild game abroad, and tame at home, in carding, and courting of Nunnes, and pretie pewling cloyster virgines, more then I thinke Abbey gentlemen now vse to do: those lands then serued to maintaine idle and vnprofitable persons, whereof there was no vse in the common-wealth: whereas now many seruiceable gentlemen are thereby brought vp and sustained, fit for the dispensing of iustice in peace, and to stand for the defense of the land in time of warre.

6. It is a great vntruth here vttered: for neuer did this land enioy greater peace, and of longer continuance with other countries, Spaine only excepted, then it hath done for the space of these 40. yeares vnderunder the Gospell: What bloudie and cruell warres hauehave been in time past between England and France, in Henry the 2. King Iohn, Edward the 3. Henry the 5. with Scotland, in Edward 1. Edward 2. Henry the 8. But vnderunder the Gospell peace with these countries hath been firmely established, and we trust is like to continue still.

7. As for knowledge and experience gotten by trauaile, our Gentlemen and Noblemen of England are not therein vnfurnished: Rome and Spaine are not so safe and free for trauailers, that would preserue a good conscience: but p. 236there is little lost by that: for few are there, that visit those countries, but are made worse thereby, according to those auncient prouerbs, The neerer Rome, the further frō Christ: He that goeth once to Rome, seeth a wicked man: he that goeth twice, Fox pag. 843. col. 1.learneth to know him: he that goeth thrice bringeth him home with him. But there are other Countries more safe to trauaile vntounto, and more profitable to be conuersant in, then either Rome or Spaine.

Neither are all martiall feates there learned: England since this diuision from Rome and Spaine, hath sent forth as valiant Captaines and commaunders both by sea and land, as euer it did: nay former ages therein can not compare with these times. What Captaines are more famous in our histories, then Generall Norris, Captaine Williams, Morgane, the noble Earle of Essex, and others in land affaires: who more renowned then Captaine Drake, Furbisher, Hawkins, Candish, with the rest in Sea trauailes?

Our Merchants indeede hauehave been somewhat hindred of their traffique and entercourse in the King of Spaines dominions,Of the hindrance of Merchants traffike. but that hath been as much losse to them, as to English Merchants: neither hath England wanted any necessarie merchandize, notwithstanding this restraint. And we doubt not, but religion and the Gospell standing and florishing still in England, that passage hereafter may be more open and free for Merchants. If it should not, England hath no cause to repent of her bargaine, though she had bought the Gospell yet more dearely, with the losse of all traffique and entercourse with other nations. For be it knowne vntounto you (ye Popelings) that this land neuer florished more with all kind of blessings, then since it hath been vnderunder Gods blessing by the Gospell, and the Popes curse: Neither would we for all the world be in the like condition, as we were in the 22. of King Henry the 8. We thanke God for this happie change, & hartely pray, that in this change, we neuer know any other change, vntill the world change: that as the Apostle sayth, Wee may keepe the commandemēts without spot and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ, 1. Timoth. 6.4. p. 237that as Origen well sayth, Ignis semper ardebat super altare, sic semper nobis ignis fidei & lucerna scientiae accensa sit. That as the fire alwayes burned vponupon the altar, so the light of faith and lanterne of knowledge may alwayes shine vntounto vsus in this land:foreign. And as Augustus Caesar said to Piso that builded his house most curiously and sumptuously, You reioyce my heart, building so, as though Rome should last for euer: I trust God shall so direct the heart of our chiefe builder in this Church of England, to lay such a foundation, that Gods house among vsus shall stand for euer.