The Canterburians Self-Conviction, Chapter 3

The Canterburians Self-Conviction · Chapter 3

p. 30CHAP. III. The Canterburians profeſſed affection towards the Pope & Poperie in groſſe.

The faction once ſuſpected of Lutherianiſme.IT was the opinion of many among us for a long time, that the innovating faction did minde no more then Arminianiſm, But at once, thoſe who touched their pulſe neerer, did finde a more high humour p. 31working in their veynes. With Arminius errours, they began incontinent to publiſh other Tenets, which to all meere Arminians were ridiculous follies.

The Elements of the Lords Supper began by them to be magnified, above the common phraſe of Proteſtant Divines, a corporall preſence of Chriſts humanity, in and about the Elements to be glanced at, a kinde of omnipreſence of Chriſts fleſh to be preached, a number of adorations before thoſe Elements, and all that was neere them, both the Altar, Baſon, Challice, and Chancell to be urged, many new Ceremonies, which for many yeares had beene out of uſe, to bee taken in, a great bitterneſſe of ſpirit, againſt all who ran not after theſe new guyſes to appeare.

This made us thinke they intended to ſteppe over from Arminius to Luther. In this conception wee were ſomewhat confirmed, conſidering their earneſt recommendation, to the reading of young Students the late Lutheran Divines, ſuch as Hutter, Meiſner, Gerard, with their crying downe, both in private and publick of Calvine, BeZa, Martyr, Bucer, and the reſt of the famous writers, both ancient and late of the French & Belgick Churches.

Their giving it out alſo, that their martyred Reformers, Crammer, Ridley, Latimer, were of Luthers Schoole, & from him had learned thoſe things, wherin the Engliſh church did differ frō the other reformed of Calvins framing. But moſt of al, by my lord of Canterburies great diligence under hand, to promove and reward that late negotiation of M. Duries with the p. 32Churches over Se…, for the extenuating of the Lutheran errours, and procuring with their Churches, not onelyonly a Syncretiſme, which all good men did ever pant for, but alſo a full peace in tearmes ſo generall, ſo ambiguous, ſo flidderie, that were very ſuſpitious to many, otherwiſe very peaceable mindes.

But at laſt Popery was found their mark.Thoſe conſiderations moved us to thinke▪ that the factious motion might poſſibly end at Lutheraniſme without any further progreſſe. But it was not long, while every common eye did obſerve their bowle, to roll much beyond that marke. They publiſhed incontinent a number of the Romiſh errours, which to the very Lutherans were ever eſteemed deadly poyſon, the Popiſh Faith, the Tridentine juſtification, merit of workes, workes of Supererogation, doctrinall traditions, Limbus Patrum, the Sacrifice of the Maſſe, adoration of images, monaſtick vowes, Abbeyes and Nunries, the Authoritie of the Pope, a reunion with Rome, as ſhee ſtands.

Finding it ſo, we were driven to this concluſion, that as ordinarily the Spirit of defection doth not permit any Apoſtates to reſt in any middle tearme, but carrieth them along to the extreames of ſome palpable madneſſe, to ſome ſtrong deluſion for the recompence of the firſt degrees of their fall from the love of the Trueth, ſo alſo our Faction was carried quite beyond the bounds both of Arminiu… and Luther, yea of their owne ſo much once beloved Caſſander and Spalato, and all the liſts of that which they were wont to call moderation, to drinke of the vileſt abominations, and the loweſt dregs of the golden Cup of that Romiſh Whoore: For now p. 33my Lord Canterburie and his followers, are not aſhamed to proclaime in print their affection to Poperie both in groſſe and retaile. Let no man in this caſt up to me any ſlander till he have heard and conſidered the probation of my allegations.

Poperie is a body of parts, if not innumerable,To make way for their deſignes, they cry downe the Popes Antichriſtianiſme. yet exceeding many. There is ſcarce any member great or ſmall in this monſter, whereto the faction hath not kythed too paſſionate a love. But for ſhortneſſe, I will ſhew firſt their affection to the whole Maſſe of popiſh errours, their reſpect to the Church of Rome, and to the Pope the Head thereof, than in particular to the moſt princip…ll and abominable parts of that Chaos. As for the whole of that confuſed lump, that they may winne the more eaſily, to the embracement of it, they caſt downe in the entry the chiefe wall, they remove the maine impediment, whereby Proteſtants were ever kept therefrom.

What ever wee ſpeake of ſome very few private men, yet all Proteſtant Churches without exception made ever the Popes Antichriſtianiſme, their chiefe bulwark to keepe all their people from looking back towards that Babiloniſh Whoore.

No Church did make greater ſtate of that fort then the Engliſh, & no man in that church more th…n King Charles bleſſed Father. Hee was not content himſelfe to beleeve and avow the Pope that great Antichriſt, but alſo with arguments invincible drawn mainely from ſome paſſages of the Revelation, cleared now as light, by the Commentary of the Popes practiſes, to demonſtrate to all Neighbour Princes and States of Chriſtendome in a monitorie p. 34Treatiſe this his beliefe, for that expreſſe end, that from this truth clearly proved, they might not onelyonly ſee the neceſſitie he had to keep himſelfe and his Subjects for evermore from returning to Rome, but they alſo by this one argument might be forced to caſt …ff the yoake of the Pope, when they ſaw him cloathed with the garments of Antichriſt.

It was the continuall ſong of all the Biſhops and Clergie in England, till D. Laud gott abſolute credite with the Duke of Buckinghame, that the Popes Antichriſtianiſme was an engine of ſuch efficacie as was able of it ſelfe alone, if well manadged to overthrow the wals of Rome.

For this I give but two witneſſes, two late Engliſh Biſhops both of them deponing before all England to King Iames, and he accepting their teſtimonie,(a)(a)Caeterum agendo quam nihil agant, & ambitioſo magnorum voluminum apparatu non niſi lituras ſcribāt, diſputatione iſta de antichriſto, liquido conſtare poterit; quia ſi cauſam hanc obtinuerimus eſse romanum pontificem antichriſtum, de reliquae contraverſia dubitandi, non erit relictus, locus, quia de Antichriſts doctrina, quin pernitioſa ſit & impia dubitari non poteſt. Abbots of Saliſburrie in his dedicatorie Ep…ſtle to king Iames before his Treatiſe of Antichriſt, & Downame of Derry in the firſt paragraph(b)(b)Illa mihi imprimus queſtio, quae eſt de antichriſto, digniſſima ſemper eſt viſa, in qua decti determinandi omnes tum ingenij, tum induſtriae nervos contenderent; illa enim de veritate quam nos in hac cauſa ſingulari Dei benificio tenemus, ſi inter omnes ſemel conveniret de reliquis ſtatim contraverſijs actum eſset, debellatumque, neque aliquid in p…ſterum periculi fores, quemquam …mnino Chriſtianum, cui ſua ca… eſſet ſalus, detecto jam antichriſto, agnitoque adheſurum. of his booke dedicated alſo to K. James upon that ſame ſubject. Notwithſtanding my lord of Canterburie, For making the way to Rome more ſmooth, ſpareth not to cauſe raze downe to the earth this fort. Montagu & White his non-ſuch divines, as we heard them ſtiled at his Graces direction by his Herauld Heylene, will have the kings unanſwerable arguments proponed by him even to forraine Princes; not onelyonly counted weake but plaine frenſies. This word doth Featlie cite from their p. 35Appeal.(c)(c)Pelag. redi. v. 2▪ tab. pag. 39. As for the Proteſtant arguments taken out of the Apocalypſe, to prove the pope to be the Antichriſt. Bellarmine calleth them deliramenta, dotages: And the appealer to ſhow more zeal to the Popes cauſe ſtraineth further, & tearmeth them apocalypticall phrenſies. Chriſtopher Dow is licentiat by Canterburie, to affirme that howſoever our Divines at the beginning of the Reformation in the heat of diſpute did upbraid the Pope with Antichriſtianiſme, yet now that heat being cooled, the matter to men in their ſober blood appeares doubtfull.(d)(d)P. 53. Many learned in our church eſpecially when the greateſt heat was ſtricken betweene us and Rome, have affirmed the Pope to be the Antichriſt, yet to them that calmely and ſeriouſly conſider it, it may not without good reaſon be diſputed as doubtfull his Graces Herauld appointed to ſpeake for his lord by the State, doth correct this ſimple Dow, and puts the matter out of all doubt, aſſuring by good ſcripturall proofe, by a text miſerablie abuſed, that the Pope is not, was not, and can not be Antichriſt.(e)(e)Pag. 128. I have yet one thing more to ſay to you in this point, S. Iohn hath given it for a rule, that every ſpirit that confeſſeth not that Ieſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, is not of God, but is that ſpirit of Antichriſt, whereof yee have heard. So that unleſſe you can make good (as I thinke you can not) that the pope of Rome confeſſeth not that Ieſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, you have no reaſon to conclude that he is that Antichriſt. And that in this matter there may heereafter betwixt the Canterburians and Rome remaine no shaddow of Controverſie, their man Shelfoord, comes home to Bellarmine, well neere in omnibus, making Antichriſt one ſingle man; a Iew preaching formall blaſphemies againſt Chriſt natures & perſon three yeares and an half, killing by his hands Enoch and Elias. And leaſt any footſteppe of this beliefe ſhould ever appeare in the church of England, Canterburie confeſſeth that the place of the publicke lyturgie wherein it was imported, was changed by his own hand.(g)(g)Star-chamber ſpeach, pag. 32. the firſt place is changed thus, from, Root out that Babyloniſh and Antichriſtian ſect, which ſay of Ieruſalem, into this forme of words, Root out that Romiſh and Balyloniſh ſect, of them, which ſay, This alteration is of ſo ſmall conſequence that it is, not worthie the ſpeaking: or if there be any thing of moment in it, it is anſwered in the next, where the chiefe thing he ſayes, is, that he was commanded to alter it by the King for to remove ſcandall from the Papiſts. They are contēt to have the popes authoritie ſet up again in England

This ſcarre-crow being ſet aſide, at once the Pope, the Cardinals and all their Religion began to p. 36(f)(f)His fifth ſermon through the whole.looke with a new face. Anent the Pope they tell us firſt,(h)(h)Montag. antigage, pag. 41. Gens abium unaquaeque tandem ſuas ſibi plumas repetendo ſurtivis coloribus denudatam, propriis etiam quod non oportuit, improbantque vehementer foreign circumciſā, nudam, ridendum, exſibilandam corniculā expoſuerunt. that the reformers did him pitifull wrong in ſpoyling him, not only of thoſe things he had uſurped, but of many priviledges which were his owne by due right, and ſhould have beene left to him untouched. Againe they will have us to believe, that the Sea of Rome was truelie Peters Apoſtolick chaire, that Peter was truelie a Prince among the Apoſtles, that the Pope is(i)(i)Cant. relat. of the confeſ. pag. 183 A primacie of order was never denyed to S. Peter, that Rome had potentioren principatum then other Churches: the Proteſtants grant, and that not only, becauſe the Roman Prelate was ordine primus, firſt in order and degree, which ſome one muſt be to avoide confuſion, but alſo, &c. Ibid. pag. 154. Auſten ſayeth indeed, that in the Church of Rome there did ever flouriſh the principalitie of an Apoſtolick Chaire, this no man denyes. Ibid. pag. 133. No man of learning doubts but the Church of Rome had a powerfull principalitie within its owne patriarchat. Montag. Antigag. pag 51. Damus à Petro ad aetatem Auguſtini in Eccleſia Romana Apoſtolicae cathedrae ſemper viguiſſe principatum. Ibid. pag. 57. Quae ratio erat olim ſingulorum in ſuis foreign Epiſcoporum, eadem erat in provinciis Metrapolitarum, in terrarum orbe patriarcharum, rectè autem (quis negat) conſultum eratolim, & cautum per canones vetuſtae Eccleſiae, ut Romanus ille primus (nec hoc negatur) Epiſcoporum, cui tot per occidentem ſuffraganei adherebant, ſuam ſententiam rogatus adhiberet, ubi fides Eccleſiae univerſalis, aut foreign in rebus ad foreign ſpectantibus agitabatur, & quicquid ſanciretur ſuo ſuffragio confirmaret, priuſquam ratum firmum fixumque legis vim & efficaciam per Eccleſiam univerſalem obineret. Ibid. pag. 80. Monarchae ſunt Epiſcopi in ſuis foreign, monarchae in ſuis foreign, Metropolitae Monarchae Patriarchae auguſtiores, ſed plures per unam Eccleſiam Catholicam: Praecipuae olim parti Chiſtiani orbis hoc eſt, cunctis ad occidentem regionibus cum authoritate quadam non illa ſuprema praefuit Pontifex, etſi non obstaret illa perdita ambitio etiam hodie preeſſet. Petets onelie ſucceſſor, that within the bounds of his owne Patriarchat he is a Prince, he is a monarch. Thirdlie, that order and unitie do neceſſarly require one Biſhop to have the inſpection and ſuperioritie over all Biſhopes, and that this prerogative by good Eccleſiaſticall right is due to the Pope.(k)(k)Cant. relat. p. 183. The Roman Prelate was ordine primus, firſt in order or degree, which ſome one muſt bee to avoid confuſion. Montag. antid pag. 116. Certum est ratione vinculi communis inter Christanos ratione ordinis praecedentis inter Patriarchas univerſalis Eccleſiae curam ad Petri ſedim confluxiſſe. Ibid. pag. 51. Ecleſia acies ordinata multitudo, foreign, coſtituta. Vbicunque multi & multiplicitas, ut ordo eluceat, & harmonia conſervetur, ab uno arceſſenda eſt origo omnis. Vnde autem melius origo omnis quam ab Eccleſia principali, loco debetur haec praeminentia, loci primatum, & illum ordinis, & propter utrumque praestantiae habeat, ſi voluerit Romanus pontifex. Inter Eccleſiae ſacerdotes communio & ſocietas ejuſdemque fidei integrae & illibatae profeſſio, quoàd ordinem & interdum executionem non potuit niſi ab uno aliquo fieri & derivari; Inde autem per conſenſum Chriſtianae orbis derivabatur, hoc eſt, à cathedra & ſede Petri Romano ſcilicet Epiſcopatis. Ibid. pag. 158. Illi certè principatum ſacerdotii ſuper omnes antiquatas tribuit, neque nos hunc abnuimus principatum, fontem eſſe ſacerdotti, & ſummi Pontificatus apicem nos non reluctamur, eſt & ſit. Fourthly, that all the authoritie which the Engliſh Biſhops have this day, ſpeciallie his Grace of p. 37Canterbury, is derived to them from the Pope and Peters chair, That if this derivation could not be clearlie demonſtrat, the Clergie of England might juſtlie refuſe all obedience to their Biſhops juriſdiction.(l)(l)Pokling. alt. pag. 50 Miſerable were we, if hee that now ſits Archbiſhop of Canterburie, could not derive his ſucceſſion from S. Auguſtine, S. Auguſtine from S. Gregorie, S. Gregorie from S. Peter. What a comfort it is to his Grace, that he can ſay, Ego ſum haeres Apoſtolorum, I, and my predeceſſors have kept poſſeſſion. Pokling. Sunday at the beginning. Our Dioceſian can derive himſelfe the ſucceſſor of an apoſtle, otherwiſe we ſhould have taken his call for the vocie of a ſtranger, & not have here appeared. It is S. Augustins reſolutō, Succeſſio Epiſcoporum ab ipſa ſede Petri, is that which among other things by him named, keepes us in the boſome of the Church, & ſubjects us to our Biſhops juriſdiction. Fifthly, that divers of the late Popes have been verie good men, yea, among the beſt of men, that thoſe of them who have beene verie monſters of men, yet for that veneration which their high and eminent place in the Church of God, doth require all the ſtiles of honour in juſtice is due to them, even holineſſe it ſelf in abſtracto, that to refuſe them this, or their other titles is but brainſick puritaniſme.(m)(m)Montag. oreg. Eccleſ. p. 114. Patrum noſtrorum vel avorum memoria dua ſummi Pontifices virri optimi & doctiſſimi, Hadrianus ſextus, & Bellarmini avunculus Marcellus ſecundus. Antid. pag. 47. Romanus Epiſcopus Pontifex maximus quidni dicebatur, ſcio vocatum benedictum, ſcio Papam & Pastorem nominari…, quid ſi haec omnia nomina uſurpabat. Orig. pag. 417. Certis quibuſdam titulis, & elogiis homines foreign constitutos ab omni retro antiqualite viti prudentes etiam & religioſi honorant, iſtos honorum lemniſtos, non eſt cujuſvis conculcare, ſed nec palam reprehendere, aut iiſdem derogate, id quod ſolent foreign, Puritani Pontificem Romanum ſuam ſanctitatem indigitare certiſſimus eſt character Antichriſtianiſmi: Non tibi, ſed religioni dicebat olim Iſidis adorator, cum aſinus portans myſteria ſe putaret veneratum, honorem pari modo non Paulo alicui quarto Alexandro Sexto, Ioanni duodecimo & caeteris, ſi qui ſunt prodigia & propudia honestatis, ſed religioni exhibendum contendimus, hoc eſt, eminentî dignitati, quâ ultra alios in Eccleſia Dei praediti ſunt, ſed eſt haec pbreneſis hominum ſolummodo phanaticorum.

p. 386 That the dignitie of the Epiſcopall office, ſpecially the Bishop of Rome his eminency, was as far above the dignity of the Emperours and Kings, as the ſoule is above the body, or God above the creature; yea, that the ſtile of God was but the Popes due:(n)(n)Montag. antip. pag. 166. Eſt quidem ſacerdotium, ut rectè obſervat Pbil. foreign & foreign, itaque ut foreign Ieſu Chriſti, ut Dei atque hominum foreign ſummus à C riſtianis omnibus, Divino inſtituto debetur honor & reverentia ſingularis. ibid. p. 40. Fatetur ultro ſacerdotium aliquo modo in quibuſdam ſupra regiam dignitatem eminere, cum vetustis & orthodoxis patribus foreign (inquit Chry…oſtom) foreign (regem prius dixerat) foreign, & Nazianzen, in apologi a foreign. ibid. p. 162. Alluſum eſt a piiſſimo rege ad illud Exodi, Constitui te Deum Pharaonis, communicat Deus foreign, ſeu Pontificio ſeu civili, ſui ipſius foreign & foreign dii vocantur quis ringatur ob hanc foreign, & merito quos locū ille ſuum voluit inter homines ſuſtinere. 7. That Emperours and Kings did but their duety in giving reverence; yea, adoration unto the Pope with great ſummes of money by way of tribute:(o)(o)Montag antid pag. 40. Non eſt mirum ſi Conſtantinus olim Pipinus, Carolus, & alii occurrerent, de equis deſcenderent, venientes exceperint, religionis antiſtites Christianae venerationemque exhibuerint. Quid mirum Turcarum Caliphis non ita pridem tot Sultanos tantam obſervantiam exhibuiſſe tam ampla vectigalia perſolviſſe: Non minora quondam principes & populi Chriſtiani Chriſtianis ſacerdotibus imprimis Romanis pontificibus exhibuerint, exhibebunt etiamnum ad priſtinos illos mores ſi tantum revertatur, & exempla pietatis maiorum. ibid. pag. 158. Adoravit Ioannem Iuſtinus, ſic & Conſtantinus inferiores Ioanne ſacerdotes, adoravit aut…m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo. 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie, or elſwhere, are but his juſt poſſeſſions, which none ought to invy him:(p)(p)Montag. antid. pag. 95. Habeat ille ſuas ſibi opes & facultates, fundos habeat & latifundia, principatum & dominium per Eccleſia terras, & Petri poſseſſiones obtineat, dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate, alienam non invadat poſſeſſionem. 9. That the reſtitution of the Popes ancient authority in England, and yeelding unto him all the power that this day p. 39he hath in Spaine or France, would be many wayes advantageous, and in nothing prejudiciall to the King:(q)(q)Cant. relat. pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may ſee if hee wil, of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to ſerve the turns of their Kings therewith, which they doe to their great advantage. 10 The old conſtitution of the Emperour, whereby all the weſterne clergie is ſo farre ſubjected to the Biſhop of Rome, that without him they are diſabled to make any Eccleſiaſticall law, and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne, was very reaſonable: Yea, if the King would be pleaſed to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far ſubject to the Pope they would be unreaſonable to refuſe preſent obedience:(r)(r)Montag. antid. pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodoſiano decernimus, ne quid tam Epiſcopis Gallicanis quā aliarum provinciarum, contra conſuetudinem veterem liceat, ſine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare, ſed illis omnibuſ que legis loco ſit, quicquid ſanxit ſanxeritve ſedis apoſtolicae authoritas. Quicquid hic pontifici (ſayeth Montagow) arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodoſiano vel vetuſtae conſuetudini, quicquid autem per reſcriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo ſolos pertinebat▪ & nec omnes, quibus juxta veterem conſuetudinem Pontifex praeſidebat ut Patriarcha: Decernat imperator de G…rmanis epiſcopis, Rex Angli… de Britannis ſuis, Francorum de Gallicanis, quod olim Theodoſius decrevit, dicto erunt omnes obedientes. OnelyOnly by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee ſecured, his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Iſle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare, that to his rod the whole clergie of the Iſle might ſubmit their shoulders, as to their ſpirituall head and Monarch, from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale,(ſ)(ſ)Cant. relat. pag. 171. It is plaine, that in theſe ancient times, in the Church government, Britaine was neever ſubject to the Sea of Rome, for it was one of the ſix diocies of the Weſt Empire, and had a p…mat of its own: Nay Iohn Capgraw, and William Mabinnesburrie tell us, that Pope Vrb…n the ſecond, in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia, accoun…ed my worthie predeceſſor S. Anſelme as his owne Compeer, and ſaid, Hee was as the patriarch and apoſtolick of the other world, quaſi comparem, & veluti Apoſtolicum alterius orbis & Patriarcham. Now the Britains having a primate of their own, which is greater then a Metropolitan; yea, a patriarch, if yee wil, he could not be appealed from to Rome. in any cauſe which concerned onelyonly the churches of the Kings dominions; for in cauſes more univerſall of the whole catholicke Church, willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others ſhould ſubmit to their grand Apoſtolicke p. 40father of Rome.(t)(t)Montag. Antid. pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Eccleſiae, ut Romanus ille primus Epiſcoporum, cui tot per occidentem ſuffraganei adherebant, ſuam ſententiam rogatus adhiberet, ubi fidei Eccleſiae univerſalis, vel foreign in rebus ad politiam ſpectantibus, agitabatur ſupra. Everie one of theſe pontificall poſitions ſince the midſt of Henrie rhe eights raigne, would have beene counted in England great paradoxes, yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himſelf, in that verie booke which the laſt yeare at the Kings direction hee ſet forth, for to ſatiſfie the world anent their ſuſpition of his Poperie, or elſe by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed, and cleanged of all ſuſpition of Poperie by M. Dow, under the ſeal of his Graces licencing ſervant.

This much for the Pope. About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God;Their minde to the Cardinalat. for the which their perſons are to be handled with great reverence and honour,(w)(w)Montag. ap. pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditiſſimū & laborioſiſſimum virum, induſtriae ſuae ac deligentiae, Cardinalitiame: niminde & merito quidem ſuo adeptus ſuſcepit dignitatē. ibid. pag. 75. Virum illuſtri adeo nominis celebritate & eminentiſſima dignitate cō ſtitutum, honestum, probum, preterea in vita privata rigidem ſeverum ac tantum non foreign nuſquam niſi honorificentiſſime compellavi. that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues, that ſome of them though the greateſt enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt, ſuch as Baronius that ſpent all his time in oppoſing the trueth and advancing Antichriſtianiſme, and Barromaeus(x)(x)Pokling. Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonſhire Miniſter it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus, whereas, if he liſt to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holineſſe and ſpent the greateſt part of his life in faſting, prayer, almes-deeds, preaching, exhoration, and doctrine, and did deteſt both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed. Me thinkes his conſcience ſhould checke him for his ſcornfull uſage of a man who had the report of ſo vertuous and pious a Biſhop. a bloudy perſecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent, that even ſuch men are ſo full of grace and pietie, that it is a great fault in any proteſtant to break ſo much as a jeſt on their red hattes.

Where the head and ſhoulders are ſo much affected it is hard to reſtraine charitie from the reſt of the bodie. Theſe good men vent their paſſion no leſſe towards the bodie of the preſent Church of Rome, then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls. Fo… p. 41firſt his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papiſts and wee are of one and the ſame religion,They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome, as ſhee ſtands. that to ſpeak otherwayes, as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes, were a matter of very dangerous conſequent, and therefore he confeſſeth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popiſh religion, leaſt that note ſhould fall upon our owne religion which with the popiſh is but all one(y)(y)Cant. relat. p 36 The Church of Rome & Proteſtants ſet not up a differēt Religiō, for the chriſtian Religion is the ſame to both, but they differ in the ſame Religion, and the difference is in certain groſſe corruptions to the very endangering of ſalvation, which each ſide ſaith the other is guiltie. of Star-chamber ſpeach, pag. 36. My ſecond reaſon is, That the learned make but three Religions to have beene of old in the world, Paganiſme, Iudaiſme, and Chriſtianitie and now they have added a fourth which is Turciſme Now if this ground of theirs be true, as it is generally neceived, perhaps it will be of dangerous conſequence ſadly to avow that the popiſh religion is rebellion, though this clauſe paſſed in the …iturgie through inadvertrance in King Iames time, this reaſon well weighed is taken from the very foundation of Religion it ſelfe. ibid. pag. 34. His Majeſty expreſly commanded mee to make the alteration, and to ſee it printed. 2 They will have us to underſtand though wee & the papiſts differ in ſome things, yet that this very day their is no ſchiſme betwixt papiſts and Proteſtants, that proteſtants keep union and communion with the Church of Rome in all things required for the eſſence of a true Church & neceſſarie for ſalvation, that though they communicate not with ſome of her doctrines and practices, yet this marres not the true union and communion of the two Churches both in faith and charitie. That theſe who paſſe harder cenſures upon Rome are but zelots in whom too much zeale hath burnt up all wiſedome and charitie.(z)(z)Pottar p. 3. 66. Wee darre not communicat with Rome, either in her publicke Liturgie which is manifeſtly polluted with groſſe ſuperſtition, or in theſe corrupt and ungrounded opinions, which ſhe hath added to the faith. Theſe make up the poperie, but not the Church of Rome. In them our communion is diſſolved, but wee have ſtill a true and reall union with that and all other members of the Church univerſall in faith and charitie. ibid. pag. 74. To depart from the Church of Rome in ſome doctrines and practices, wee had juſt & neceſſarie cauſe though the Church of Rome wanted nothing neceſſarie to ſalvation. There is great difference betwixt ſhiſme from them and reformation of our ſelfe. It is one thing to leave communion with the Church of Rome, and another to leave communicating with her erros, whoſoever profeſſeth himſelfe to forſake the communion of any one member of Chriſts bodie, muſt confeſſe himſelf conſequently to forſake the whole. And therefore wee forſake not Romes communion more nor the body of Chriſt whereof wee acknowledge the Church of Rome to bee a member, though corrupted. If any Zelots hath proceeded among us to heavier cenſures, their zeal may bee excuſed, but their charitie and wiſedome can not hee iuſtified. Cant. relat. p. 192. The Proteſtants have not left the Church of Rome in her eſſence, but in her errors, not in things which conſtitute a Church, but only in ſuch abuſes and corruptions which worke toward the deſſolution of a Church. 3 Thar the points wherein the two Churches doe differ are ſuch as prejudge not the Salvation of either partie, that they are not foundamentall, and albeit they were ſo: yet the truths that the papiſts doe maintaine are of force to hinder all the evil that can cō me p. 42from their errours.(†)(†)Cant. relate. pag. 249. The foundation is and remaineth whole in the mids of their ſuperſtitions. Heylens anſwere. pag. 124. Suppoſe a great Prelat in the high Commiſſion Court had ſaid openly, That wee and the Church of Rome differed not in fundamentalibus, yet how commeth this to be an innovation in the doctrine of England. For that church telleth us in the 19. article, That Rome doth erre in matters of Faith, but it hath not told us that ſhe doth erre in fundamentalibus. Halls old religion after the beginning: It is the charitable profeſſion of zealous Luther, that under the poperie there is much Chriſtian good, yea, all, that under the papacie there is true Chriſtianity, yea, the kernell of Chriſtianitie? Neither doe wee cenſure that Church, for what it hath not, but for what it hath. Fundamentall truth is like the Maronian wine which if it bee mixed with twentie times ſo much water, holds his ſtrength. Rome as it is Babylon, wee muſt come out of it, but as it is an outward viſible Church, wee neither did nor would, Butterfields Maſkell. Poperie is poyſon, but fund… mentall truch is an antidot. A little quantitie of antidot that is ſoveraigne, will deſtroy much poyſon. Pottar pag. 62. The moſt neceſſarie and fundamentall truths which conſtitute a Church, are on both ſides unqueſtioned, ibid. By fundamentall points of Faith wee underſtand theſe prime, and capitall doctrines of Religion, which make up the holy Catholick Faith, which eſſentially conſtitutes a true Church and a true Chriſtian. The Apoſtles Creed taken in a Catholicke ſenſe that is as it was further opened in ſome parts by occaſion of emergent hereſies in the other catholicke creed of Nice, Conſtantinople, Epheſus, Chalcedon and Athanaſius is ſaid generally by the Scholemen & Fathers to comprehend a perfect catalogue of fundamentall truths, & to imply a full rejection of fundamentall hereſies. ibid. pag. 109. It ſemeed to ſome men of great learning and judgement, ſuch as Hooker and Morton, that all who profeſſe to love the Lord Ieſus, are brethren, and may be ſaved, though with erros, even fundamentall truths, & to imply a full rejection of fundamentall hereſies. ibid. p. 109 It ſeemed to ſome men of great learning and judgement, ſuch as Hooker and Morton, that all who profeſſe to love the Lord Ieſus, are brethren, and may be ſaved, though with errors, even fundamentall. Heretickes doe imbrace the principles of Chriſtianitie, and erre only by miſconſtruction. Whereupon their opinions, albeit repugnant indeed to Faith yet are held other wiſe by them, and maintained as conſonant to the Faith. 4 That the popiſh errours, let bee to bee fundamentall, are of ſo ſmall importance as they doe not prejudge either faith, hope, or charitie, let be ſalvation.

p. 43(a)(a)Cant, relat. pag. 361 Holcat. Non omnis error in his quae fidei ſunt eſt aut infidelitas, aut haereſis. In things not neceſſarie though they bee divine truths if about them men differ, it is no more then they have done, more or leſſe in all ages, and they may differ and yet preſerve that one neceſſary Faith intire, and charitie alſo, if they be ſo well minded, for opinions which flattereth about that one ſouls ſaving Faith, there are dangerous differences this day. Pottar pag. 38. It is a great vanitie to hope or expect that all learned men in this life ſhould abſolutely conſent in all the particles of the divine truth, ſo long as the Faith once delivered to the Saints, and that common faith containing all neceſſary verities is keeped. So long as men walke charitably according to this rule, though in other things they be otherwiſe minded, the unitie of the Church is no wiſe violated: for it doth conſiſt in the unitie of faith, not of opinions, in the union of mens hearts by true charitie, which eaſily tolerateth unneceſſar differences. Some points of religion are primitive articles eſſentiall in the obiect of Faith. Diſſenſion in theſe is pernitious, and deſtroyeth unitie. Other, are ſecundary probable obſcure and accidentall points: Diſputations in theſe are tolerable. Unitie in theſe is very contingent and variable. As in muſicall conſort, a diſcord now and then, ſo it bee in the diſcant, and depart not from the ground, ſweetens the harmonie: So the varitie of opinions and rites in divers parts of the Church, doth rather commend then prejudice the unitie of the whole. Montag. Antigog. page 14. Truth is of two ſorts among men, manifeſt and confeſſed truth, or more obſcure and involved truth. Plainly delivered in Scripture are all theſe points which belong unto Faith, and maners, hope and charitie. I know none of theſe contraverted inter partes. The articles of our creed are confeſſed on both ſides, & held plaine enough. The contraverted points are of a larger and inferiour allay. Of them a man may be ignorant without any danger of his ſoule at all. A man may reſolve or oppoſe this way or that way with out perrell of periſhing. Cant. relat. about the end. The coruptions of Rome materially, and in the very kinde and nature, are leaven, droſſe, hay and ſtubble, yet the Biſhop thought that ſuch as were miſled by education, or long cuſtome, or overvalving the Soveraignity of the Romane Church, and did in ſimplicitie of heart imbrace them, might by theyr generall repentance and Faith in the Merits of Chriſt, attended with charitie and other verues finde merciemercy at Gods hands. Shelfoord pag. 235. Though there bee ſome difference among us in ceremonies and expoſitions, which deſtroy not, yet ſtill our head Chriſt by Baptiſme ſtands upon our bodie, and the ſubſtance of the Goſpel is intire and whole among us by retaining the articles of the Faith, the volume of the New-Teſtament, and the practice there of by Faith and good workes. ibid. page 239. There bee differences which hinder our agreement. What then? Among the Greekes there were divers Dialects, and yet they had but one language, they held together in the maine. So though Papiſts have a letter more then wee, and wee one letter for another, yet wee hold together in the radix. Paul could beare with differences, expecting Gods reformation. If you bee otherwiſe minded God shall revaile. For the preſent let us bee patient, and afterward God will ſhew where the errour lyeth. Why ſhould wee preſume ſo much of our skill, while wee are in our none-age, and know but in part? Have not better men then wee beene deceived? Have not diſſenting Fathers and ſlyding Schooliſts been alwayes borne with in points of Religion?Fiftly, That a generall repenrance for all unknowne ſinnes is ſufficient to ſecure the ſalvation not only of theſe who have lived and died in the popiſh tenets before the councell of Trent, but even to this day not only their people, but their moſt learned Clergie, Popes, Cardinalls, Ieſuits, living and dying in their bitter oppoſitions and perſecutions of proteſtants, are in no hazard of damnation, though they never come to any particular acknowledgement p. 44of their ſinfull opinions or practiſes following thereupon.(b)(b)Pottar page 77. Wee hope well of theſe holy ſoules, who in former ages lived and died in the church of Rome, for though they died in many ſinfull errours, yet becauſe they did it ignorantly through unbeliefe, not knowing them either to bee errours or ſins, and repented in generall for all their unknowne treſpaſſes, wee doubt not, but they obtained pardon of all their ignorances. Nay, our charitie reacheth further to all theſe that this day, who in ſimplicitie of heart believe the Romane religion, and profeſſe it. But we underſtand only them who either have no ſufficient meanes to finde the truth, or elſe as after the uſe of the beſt meanes they can have, all things conſidered, finde no ſufficient motives to convince their conſcienſe of errours. Chomley his defence of Hall, I dare bee bold to ſay that the church of Rome had not for many hundreth yeares before the councel of Trent, ſo good a forme of doctrine as the Tridentin catechiſme doth containe. Sixtlie, They teach us that papiſts may not in reaſon be ſtiled either idolaters, or hereticks, or ſchiſmaticks. His Grace in that great large folio ſet out the laſt yeare, to declare to the world the fartherſt that his minde could be drawen for to oppoſe poperie, is not pleaſed, to my memorie, in his moſt verhement oppoſitions to lay to their charge any of theſe three cirmes, neither doe I remember in all the ſearch my poore lecture hath made, that any of his favourits in their writtes p. 45theſe twelve yeares bygone hath layed to the charge of Rome in earneſt, either idolatrie hereſie or ſhiſme, but by the contrary hath abſolved them clearly in formall termes of al thoſe three cirmes.(c)(c)Shelfoord. p. 300 I am not in the minde that all images are idols, but only when they are worſhipped for gods. This the word idolatria ſignifieth the wotſhipping of images, with latria, that is divine worſhip, as it is uſed by Divines. Cant. relat. pag. 299. They keepe cloſe to that which is ſuperſtition, and in the caſe of images come near to idolatrie. Montag. apar. page 79. Et certè quamdiù palam non deficiunt, à pietate & cultu Dei proprio ad idolatriam, etiam moribus impii, vita contaminati, tolerantur in Eccleſia non minus quam milvus & corvus immunda animalierant in arca Eccleſia foreign ſingulari. At nullus in arca erat idololatres, quia Chriſtianam pietatem quatenus Christianam idololatres execratur. Montag. pag. 309. Dei cultum latriam quam appellant nec poſſumus alicui creaturae, nec debemus ſive humanae ſive angelicae quamvis excellentiſſimae impendere. Hoc fatibitur Bullingerus Pontificius & tota ſchola non inſanientium adverſariorum, nolunt enim illi quovis modo cuicunque creaturae latriam nequidem cultu relativo exhiberi. Montag. Antigag. page 319. You ſay, that images muſt not have latria: ſo we: let your practice and doctrine goe together, and wee agree. Dow againſt Burton obiecteth that my lord Canterburie did raze out the publicke booke of faſts, this ſentence, Thou haſt delivered us from ſuperſtition and idolatrie wherein we were utterly drowned, his chief anſwere is, That men may bee good Proteſtants, and yet not damne all their forefathers, who lived before the reformation, as hee muſt doe, who ſaith of them, they were wholly drowned in idolatrie which though M. Burton perhaps will not, yet ſome men may thinke it to be a reaſon ſufficient for the leaving out of that ſentence. Of idolatrie, becauſe they teach not the giving of latria to any image or any creature.

(d)(d)Cant relat. page 306. Non omnes error in his que fidei ſunt eſt aut infidelitas aut hereſis. Pottar, page 102. Every ſect hath ſome zelots ſo paſſionatly in love with their own opinions that they condemne all other differing from them to bee hereticall, ſo there liveth not a Chriſtian on earth who in the judgement of many other is not an hereticke, ibid. page The Gyant in Gath was a true man, though much deformed with ſuperfluous fingers and toes, but if one loſe any vital part, hee is a man no longer, there is not ſo much danger in adding ſuperfluities, as is in detracting, what is eſſentiall and neceſſarie, that the Church ſhall never bee robbed of anie truth, neceſſarie to the beeing of the Church, the promiſes of Chriſt aſſureth us, but that ſhee ſhal adde no unneceſſarie truth wee have no warrant.Of hereſie, becauſe their errours taketh no part of the fundation away, but are onelyonly exceſſes and additions conſiſting with all fundamentall p. 46trueth(e)(e)Cant. relat. page 316. If any will bee a leader & teaching hereticke, and adde ſhiſme to hereſies, and bee obſtinate in both, hee without repentance muſt needs bee loſt, while many that ſucced him in the errour onelyonly, and no obſtinacy may bee ſaved: I ſay, thoſe howſoever miſled, are neither ſchiſmaticks nor hereticks before God and are therefore in a ſtate of ſalvation. Monag. Apar. pag. 28. Sectam & haereſin non faciunt ii qui conſtanter retinent doctrinam traditam, nec enim ille haereticus dicetur, qui per omnia Romanam fidem integerrimè profitetur. ibid. p. 389. Schiſmatici & ſingularitate rapti in tranſverſus quales Scaliger, Calvinus, Pareus, & alii opinatores, quaero autem an quis ferendus ſit homo novis terrae filius, qui contempto ſpretoque conſenſu majorum ſuas phreneticas obſervationes obtruſerit Of ſhiſme, becauſe they goe on in the practice of their forbeares without introducing any late novations. 7. They declare it were very good we had preſent peace with Rome as ſhe ſtands, her errours being but in opinions which charitie ought to tolerate, that the Church of England would gladly embrace this peace, that Caſſander and the like who further this reconciliation are the men of the world moſt worthie of praiſe, that the Ieſuits and Calviniſts both purytanes who hinder this peace, are the moſt flagitious and intollerable(f)(f)Shelford page 238. Let us Chriſtians leave off our diviſions, the papiſts and wee call upon one God, our Father, upon one Chriſt, our Saviour, one holy Ghoſt, our ſanctifier, and wee have but one meane to unite us to this holy Uni-trinitie, which is Baptiſme, How then ſhould wee not bee brethren? O bleſſed Ieſus, raiſe up one to bid the people returne, bleſſed bee that peace maker among men, Nulla ſalus bello pacem te poſcimus omne. ibid page 296. Why judge wee ſo eagerly others for holding of errours, ane aſy without them? Some errours we may beare with, charitie teacheth me to judge that errours of Chriſtians are not of intention but ignorance. For I beleeve that willingly and willingly, neither Papiſt, Proteſtant nor Lutheran would wrong their Head Chriſt, whom daily they profeſſe. Montag. apar. page 45. Citius inter digladiantes Philoſophos de ſummo bono, quam inter Protectantes & Papiſtas inaudita nomina ſuperioribus ſaeculis, & ſubintroducta nuper inauſpicato de controverſis inter ipſos quaestionibus conveniet, ſed viderunt poſteri de diſſidiis iſtis quae penè nihil ſani, ſancti nihil, in vita & moribus nobis reliquerunt, cum profani homines & politici ſub praetextu & ſimulatione religionis ſuas improbas actiones, enormia deſideria ſoleant palliare. Poſt mota haec certamina inter partes odiis decertatim vatinianis, atque eo deventum eſt utrinque inſaniae & exceſſus ut ferre eos nequeant zelotae & furioſi plerique utrinque theologi qui non una cum ipſis velint inſanire. Quam indignis modis Caſſander vi… uſque ad miraculum eruditus ipſiſſima modeſtia & pro bitatis anima, exceptus fuerit ab importunis utrinque Conſoribus, Calvino nimirum propter editum illum aureum libellum de officio viri pii, & pluribus inter Ieſuitas propter conſultationem Paulo liberiorem ignorat nemo, quam fortunae aliam ſubire Andreas Tricius aliique qui impudenter noluerunt eſſa contentioſi. ibid. page 78. Hoc tempore tituli inſilices proteſtantium & papiſlarum variantibus de fide ae pietate ſententiis diſtraxerunt in diverſum Christianum orbem, ſi qui ſint qui bellum malint aeternum, qui velint odia exerceri immortalia traducant illi noſtram quae ſolet odioſius exagitari tepeditatem vel foreign: Ego filius illius pacifici & pacificatoris qui fecit utraque unum deſiecta macerie ſeparalionis; neque certè arbitror ab hac foreign ab horret noſtrae Anglicanae Eccleſiae ſuffragium & voluntas, quod nonnulli putant & vehementer contendunt, ibid. page 245. In Phariſaeis ad vivum depictas imagines intueamur eorum hominum qui Phariſaica nobis inſituta in Chriſtianiſmum retulere, puritanos intelligo & Ieſuitas, ſive ut verius dicam utrumque puritanos honeſtatis etiam civilis reduviae pietatis carcinomata, Chriſtianiſmi dehonestamenta pacis & concordiae alaſtoras & pernities. perſons of this age. All this and much more of ſuch ſtufe you may ſee printed not onelyonly with allowance but with applauſe p. 47by the chiefe of that faction his Grace himſelfe. Montagow the firſt of the three none ſuches, Pottar in that his much beloved piece put out as he ſayeth at the command of authority.(g)(g)Pottars Epiſtle to the King, it was undertaken in obedience to your Maieſties particular commandement. Shelfoorde in his pious Sermons printed by the Vniverſity of Cambridge preſſe at the direction of the Vice-Chancellour D. Beel dedicated to the Lord Keeper of England, adorned with many triumphing Epigrammes both latine and engliſh by a number of the fellows, and although called in, yet no cenſure to this day for all the complaints againſt it, to our hearing hath been put either on the author or printer, or licencer, or adorners or any Doctrine contained therein, but the worſt that Burton could pycke out of it is all defended by Dow and Heylen at his Graces ſpeciall direction and ſubſcribed licence as wee ſhall hear anone.

I hope now that all true proteſtants pondering the paſſages I have brought, beſide many mo, wherewith themſelves from their owne readings are acquainted, will not only abſolve my alledgeances of raſhneſſe and ſlander, but alſo wonder at the incredible boldneſſe of thoſe men, who in theſe times wherein the Prince and ſtate are by ſo many and deep tyes obliged, and according to their obligations hath ſo oft declared themſelves poſſionatly zealous for the maintenance of proteſtant orthodoxie p. 48that yet they ſhould be ſo peart as to print in the royall city, and after long and great grumblings of the people & formal challenges of divers of the learned to reprint their clear affections to the pope and Cardinalls and the whole Romiſh religion, albeit truely this their ventorious boldneſſe ſeemes not more marveillous then their ingenuitie commendable: For they have ſaid nothing for the pope or Rome, but that which conſcience would pouſe any man upon all hazards to avow, who was ſo perſwaded in the particular heads of controverſies betwixt papiſts and proteſtants as they profeſſe themſelves to bee, to the end therefore that wee may ſee the former ſtrange enough paſſages not to have dropped from their pennes by any inadvertance, but upon plaine deſigne and deliberate purpoſe▪ wee will ſet downe in the next rowme the affection they profeſſe to the ſpeciall heads of poperie very conſonant to that which they have alreadie ſaid of that which wee count the whole lumpe and univerſall maſſe of Antichriſtianiſme. The ſpeciall heads of poperie are moe then I have leaſure to relate, or you can have patience to hear enumerate. Take notice therefore but of ſome pryme articles which Proteſtants uſe moſt to deteſt in papiſts, foure by name their idolatries, their hereſies, their ſuperſtitions, their abomination of deſolation the maſſe. If from their own mouth I make clear that in theſe foure they joyne with Rome againſt us, it is like none hereafter ſhall wonder of any thing that yet they have done or ſaid for the advancement of the popiſh party, and the ſubverting of the proteſtants Churches either at home, or over ſea, but rather embrace their ſobrietie and moderation who being minded, as they profeſſe, doe not break out in many moe both words and deeds, for the deſtroying of the p. 49proteſtant ſchiſme, and bringing all back to the Catholick Apoſtolick mother Church of Rome, & unto the feet of his holineſſe the Vicar of Chriſt, the ſucceſſor of Peter, under whoſe obedience our holy and bleſſed anteceſſors did live and die.