An ansvvere to a popish libell intituled A petition to the bishops, preachers, and gospellers, lately spread abroad in the north partes. By Francis Bunny Prebendary of Durham; sometimes fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Bunny, Francis, 1543-1617. 1607 Approx. 210 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 87 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2014-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A17245 STC 4097 ESTC S106918 99842625 99842625 7293

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Early English books online text creation partnership. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A17245) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 7293) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1196:20) An ansvvere to a popish libell intituled A petition to the bishops, preachers, and gospellers, lately spread abroad in the north partes. By Francis Bunny Prebendary of Durham; sometimes fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Bunny, Francis, 1543-1617. [12], 159, [1] p. Printed by Ioseph Barnes, printer to the Vniversity, At Oxford : 1607. With the text of the petition. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.

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eng Petition to the bishops, preachers, and gospellers Catholics -- England -- Controversial literature. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2013-02 Assigned for keying and markup 2013-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2013-05 Sampled and proofread 2013-05 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2014-03 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

AN ANSVVERE TO A POPISH LIBELL INtituled A Petition to the Biſhops, Preachers, and Gospellers, lately ſpread abroad in the North partes, By FRANCIS BVNNY Prebendary of Durham; ſometimes fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford.

Thus ſaith the Lord: ſtande in the waies and beholde and aske for the old waies, which is the good way, and walke therein, and yee ſhall finde reſt for your ſoules. Ierem. 6.26.

AT OXFORD, Printed by Joſeph Barnes, Printer to the Vniverſity. 1607.

TO ALL POPISH REcuſants who deſire to know the truth, F.B. wiſheth grace to ſee and to be ſorry for their ignorance & errour.

THE Prophet David complayneth grievouſly of ſome, whoſe wordes were ſofter then butter, Pſal. 55.22. yet vvarr vvas in their harte: they vvere more gentle then oile, yet they were ſwords. Wherein he ſeemeth to me, to paint out in ſome liuely colours, the Recuſants of our daies who hauing bloud in their minds, & moſt ſavage purpoſes ſtill in hammering: yet to blinde mens eies, or to turne away their harts from anie care of preuenting their danger, deale by Petition & Requeſt, as if they were verie loiall and reaſonable ſubiects. To this end (by that which hath followed we maie iudge) was that Petition in September laſt ſent abroad, To the Biſhops, Preachers, and Goſpellers, that being deceiued by their wordes of charitie, we ſhould not once doubt of anie vncharitable purpoſe that they would haue, & ſo ſhoulde bee taken in the ſnares which they had privilie laide. But how ſo euer they ſmoothlie dawbed ouer their moſt monſtrous deſignes, and couered with ſhew of ſugred words their moſt barbarous intent: yet the event hath ſhewed, that vnder the wings of that Popiſh diſſimulation, was hatched the moſt ſtrange and vnnaturall treaſon, that hart of man could thinke of; in reſpect whereof, the maſſacre of Fraūce though inhumane, the purpoſe of Haman though very cruel, the murder committed by Simeon and Levi of the Shechemits, though exceeding bloudie; yea the Attempt of Pope Lucius the 2. though monſtrous enough, & cō ming neereſt to this of our Recuſants, yet haue ſome honeſt coulour of excuſe. For in that of France, the King being ſeduced by bad Coūcell, was made to beleeue that by no other means he could execute Iuſtice (as they tearmed it) on his ſubiects, & therin not many of great reckoning died. Haman ſought the deſtruction of ſtrā gers; The childrē of Iacob had their ſiſter abuſed by Hamours ſonne who was Lorde of that Coūtrie; & the attempt of Lucius againſt the Praetor and all the Senators of Rome, was by open force, and not by ſuch daſtardlie or cowardlie practiſes. But this Popiſh deſigne, was to the deſtructiō of almoſt al the noble, learned either in divinitie or Law, wiſe and worſhipfull in the Land, onlie to attaine to their owne wicked deſires without cauſe of iuſt wrath not of forainers, but of Contriemen and kinſfolke, and that in a moſt treacherous and ſudden manner. It ſhal not therefore hencforth be ſtrange to me, that our Learned Antiquarie writeth of certaine ſprings with vs,Camden in Brit. that turne wood into ſtone: neither yet that of Circe fabled to change men into ſwine: ſince that wee ſee the Popiſh humour, maketh the harts of men to be harder then flint: and Romiſh Circes by their inchantments, can cauſe them who before had humane & pitifull affectiōs like others to neighbours, frinds prince, and countrie, to caſt of al naturall loue or dutie to all, hauing harts more harde then ſtones, and being in crueltie worſe then Tigers. Oh Sr. wil ſome men ſaie, not al Papiſts were acquainted with this conſpiracie. I am of that minde too. But withal this is my reſolution, that all perfect Papiſts, & ſuch as are reconciled to the Pope, though they knewe not of it yet being called vpon, would haue beene aſſiſtāts therin. For that ſubiecting of thē ſelues to the Pope, as their Head & directour, and vowing their obedience to his commandements, which if he ſaie they be to the furtherance of the Catholick faith, they dare not but execute them if they be able; maketh vs iuſtlie to doubt of their faith & loialtie to our dread Soueraigne. And if all knew not the verie myſterie of this Iniquitie, and the depth of of this purpoſe, namelie in what ſort, or at what houre it was intended to be executed: yet in the North parts, where this Petition perchance was framed; yea and in other places too, as I haue beene crediblie informed, there was ſuch boldnes and contempt of law, ſo litle feare to offend, and ſuch open reſort to their Idolatrous ſeruice: that manie good mē iudge nether are deceiued (J ſuppoſe) therin, that moſt of the Recuſāts, had at the leaſt ſome great expectation, of an Alteration of the Eſtate. Nether is it much to be regarded that the Preiſts tell vs, that in Ciuill matters, and if the Pope ſhould be againſt the wealth of our Countrie, they would not obay; as VVatſons Treaſō him ſelfe being a Preist, and a Teacher of that leſſon, did proue vnto vs. For I am ſure he could not make it a matter of Religiō (except of Popiſh Religion) to murder his prince, to whom hee owed all ſubiection. And who knoweth not, that it is an eaſie matter for the Pope, whoſe voice Papiſtes take as the voice of God, to make his favorites to beleeue, that all things tend to Religion, that will inlarge his Authoritie? And what will hee not commende as a thing Religious, that compared the murdering of Henry the 3. the French King, to that Miraculous worke of Chriſt his Incarnation and Reſurrection? Can we imagine that they who dare vtter ſuch abominable blaſphemies, wil ſhame to affirme anie thing? And theſe ſo dangerous ſubiects, becauſe their cōſciences wil not ſuffer thēto come to our Churches, muſt craue ether to be reſolued that it is lawful to come to our ſeruice (which they are fully bēt neuer to be, for they wil nether hear vs, nor read our writings) or elſe be freed from ſuch puniſhments as Lawes impoſe vpon Recuſants. A ſtrang conſcience it is that manie of them haue, who would bee thought to be more ſingular, and to haue more feeling and feare to offend then the common ſort, & yet if we trie their converſation, they are not to be reckoned among the beſt ſort of ſuch as follow noe other direction for Religion, then to bee obedient vnto his Maieſties Lawes, with out reſpect vnto that God commandeth. Not to ſpeake of their vſual whoredoms, oppreſſions, malice towards others, and ſuch like good qualities which dailie are ſeene and knowne to be among them: let the fift of November bee a witneſſe whileſt that daie ſhall be numbred in the Calenders, of the more then Turkiſh crueltie of Poperie. Haue they a conſcience to ſteale, to liue in adulterie, to deale hardlie with their Tenants or neighbors againſt Gods laws: & wil not their cōſcience ſuffer them to heare that Service wherein themſelues confeſſe there is no evill? Stand not anie more vpon ſuch tearmes O yee ſeduced Papiſts. Leaue that Romiſh Synagogue whoſe doctrine cōcerning the worſhip of God, is ſuperſtitious and beſides the Word, 1. Tim. 4.8. whoſe deuotion cōſiſteth in toies and trifles, & bodily exerciſe that profiteth little. Leaue I ſay that crue that warranteth, nay maketh meritorious and honorable the depoſing or killing of Princes and Potētates. Depart frō that church whereof to bee is but diſcredit; For the chiefe Teachers of Poperie aſſure vs, that to bee of the Romiſh Church, there needeth no Internall vertue, but onlie to beleeue that faith that the Papiſts teach, & to acknowledge the Pope to be ſupreame head. The Divell himſelfe may be of that Church: what credit gaine you by being of that companie? Be aſhamed of them that teach you neither to keepe oath nor promiſe, to ſuch as they call heretickes. To be ſhort, ſeeing that church, hath ſo put vpō her the face of a harlot, that ſhe ſhameth not to be accompted, in corrupting Scriptures, & the writings of the fathers moſt vēturous, in treacheries moſt dāgerous, in crueltie moſt barbarous, & in all odious & vnnatural attēpts, moſt audacious:Apoc. 18.4. Go out of her, that you be not partakers of her ſinnes, & that yee receiue not of her plagues. O Romiſh Recuſants (for Catholiks I maie not call you, it is not a name that you maie truelie claime) you haue forſaken your first loue, or at the leaſt that loue,Apoc. 2.4. that you ſeemd once to bear to the truth: Remember from whence you are fallen, 5. Eſa. 51.1. repent, and doe your firſt works. And as Eſay the Prophet calleth the Iewes to conſider of Abraham in whom they were firſt choſen to be Gods Peculiar people: ſo doe I moſt earneſtlie intreate you,Philip. 2.1. If there be any conſolation in Chriſt, if anie comfort of loue, if any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if anie compaſsion and mercie, euen of your own ſoules, that you looke not from hence forth vnto the glittering ſhewe of externall pride in a Mortall man;Heb. 12.2. but vnto Ieſus the authour and finiſher of our faith. Marke well what he in his word commā deth that you maie doe it, what worſhip he requireth that you may yeeld it, what duties he teacheth that you maie learne and obey the ſame. So ſhall you finde the righte true waies to your feete, and peace vnto your ſoules:Eſa. 50.11. whereas if you ſtill walke in the ſparkes of the fire vvhich you haue kindled (to your ſelues) This ſhall you haue at Gods hand, you ſhal lie downe in ſorrow.

An Anſwere to a Popiſh Petition.

ADoniah the ſonne of David by Haggith,2. Sam. 3.4. whē he ſaw he could not by might & violence obtaine to bee king (though he attempted it,1. King. 1.5. David yet living,) ſought by ſubtilty to attaine therto, in cauſing Bethſabe the mother of Salomon,1. King. 2.17. (David being now dead) to ſue to her ſonne, that hee might haue Abiſhag the Sunamite to wife. The Romiſh Catholicks (for ſo they wil be termed,) haue ſought by many violent meanes, & thoſe moſt barbarous and cruell to beare the ſway in this Church & Common-wealth, but God not giving ſucceſſe anſwerable to their deſires, but fruſtrating their many wicked hopes, they proue whether by falſe flattery they can deceiue, ſince by violence and might they can do nothing. To this ende haue they preſented their ſupplications, both to our late gracious Governeſſe & Queene of everliving memorie, & alſo ſince to our moſt dread Soveraigne, that ſince by murder and miſchiefe they cannot performe their deſignes, they may make triall, if by his graces good leaue, (in graunting them their deſired Toleration) they may ſubiect this noble Realme, to the Vicar of Rome.

Diverſe petitions haue to this end bin ſcattered abroad, ſome alſo delivered to his Maieſties hands; but God hitherto hath mercifully preſerved him, ſo that he hath not ſuffered himſelfe to bee taken in thoſe their ſnares, neither over-reached by their crafty inchantments. But now of late haue they framed another petitiō, more reaſonable then their former ſupplications haue beene, both in reſpect of the manner, more milde & in ſhew more humble; and in regard of the matter too, becauſe it requireth not a Toleration of Poperie, or immunitie from penalties by law impoſed, as the reſt of them (that I haue ſeene) doe, ſimply and without condition: but the drift thereof is (as by the words I can gather) at the leaſt to inſinuate, that if good reaſons may be ſhewed, how they of the Romiſh Religion, without danger of deadly ſinne may reſort to our Churches, they would be moſt ready ſo to doe.

More reaſonable, I ſay, it is thē others, which may rather be called comminations then ſupplications: in this yet an vnreaſonable demand, that the thing ſo often and ſo throughly performed, by ſundry learned treatiſes, is yet now againe required at our hands, and that with ſuch cōfidence, as that the Petitioner ſeemeth to aſſure himſelfe, that his deſire herein cannot be ſatiſfied. And in truth I am almoſt of his minde too; not becauſe the thing he requireth, is hard in it ſelfe to be done; but becauſe their hearts are for the moſt part ſo hardened againſt the infallible truth of Gods vndoubted worde, that that ſeed can hardly take any roote with them.

Seeing therefore this petition is in a manner a challenge to provoke vs to encounter him, and carieth perchance a great ſhew among his favorits, that wrot it, as if the cauſe muſt needs be good, that hath ſo confident a patron or proctour to defend the ſame: I thinke it not amiſſe to examine the ſame as briefly as I can, and to buckle my ſelfe to anſwere by Gods grace the prowd brag of this Popiſh Goliah. Who though he raile not ſo plainely as did that Philiſtine, vpon the hoſt of the living God; yet covertly hee promiſeth himſelfe the victorie, & by his overboldnes of words, hopeth to aſſure his friends that al is on his ſide cocke ſure, and no perill at al.

And having conſidered with my ſelfe of the ſumme of this Petitiō, I finde three general points thereof, vnto ſome one whereof, al that is ſaid may be referred. For firſt there is a complaint of the hard caſe the Recuſants are in. Then followeth a narration or reporte of the meanes by thē vſed, to redreſſe the ſame. In the third place commeth the ſuit it ſelfe or petitiō, with ſome ſhew of reaſon to perſwade & moue the reader. And though my purpoſe is to handle every of theſe parts: yet ſo, as that I will followe the very trace of his words.1 . Pars. Thus therfore his petition beginneth, and with this inſcription.

A Petition to the Biſhops, Preachers, and Goſpellers.

That he maketh petition vnto Biſſhops anb preachers concerning inſtruction, were not to be miſliked, becauſe it is intended that ſuch men both in reſpect of their learning are beſt able, and for their place and office, ſhould be moſt ready and willing to performe ſuch dueties. But that ſo many ſufficient ſatiſfactions of this demande, ſeeme to him inſufficient, ſheweth that the Petitioner either will not read that is written, or readeth it with a preiudicate opinion, & therfore that he hath a purpoſe not to be ſatiſfied: but that he rather aſketh queſtions of our Biſhops & preachers, as the Scribs and Phariſes did of Chriſt often, not to informe themſelues, but to intrap him in his words, or to trie if poſſibly they might haue put him to ſilence.

And as touching the Goſpellers here ſpoken of, if by that tearme he meane the profeſſours of that Religion which the ſaid preachers teach, (as J ſuppoſe he doth) I am then glad that he imagineth there ſhould in our Lay people ſuch abū dance of knowledg be found, that they as well as others, ſhould be required to ſatiſfie, the learned diuines among the Papists, in points of religiō. For it is no reaſon they ſhould denie that to their owne Layitie, that they require in ours: & then ſhal they not from henceforth hang altogether at the lippes of ignorant Prieſts their blind guides, but ſhalbe better able to inſtruct and informe themſelues.

Nether wil I iudge that this petitioner vſeth this name Goſpeller, in Ironicall ſcorne & mockerie, as ſome other of that Sect doe.Tabui. 3. vi. gene. haereſ. So doth Lindanus that ſcorneful companion, both againſt the Goſpel it ſelfe, ſpeaking of ſome who ſaith he, deteſt certaine things, haud ſecùs, at que à puro Lutheraniſmo (Euangelio dico) alieniſſima: as if they were quite cōtrarie to pure Lutheraniſme (I meane the Goſpell:) and alſo againſt the profeſſours therof:Ibid. Apoſtrophe lectoris catholici ad Euangelicos iſtos: An Apoſtrophe of the catholick reader to theſe goſpellers with ſuch a like ſpirit doth prophane Eckius cal ſuch,Enchirid. de ſcript. Theologos atramentales, Inky diuines. Nether is the blaſphemy of Capreolus here to be omitted,Capreol. l. 5. Elench. haeret. Act. 24.5. & 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Hoſ. lin. 1. de haereſ. who (as Tertullus dealt with S. Paul, branding him with the name of heretick for embracing and teaching this ſelfeſame Goſpel) reckoneth among his Heretickes Evangelicos Goſpellers, as before him alſo did Hoſius, and as he alſo citeth Lindanus in his dubitātio, dialog. 2

But howſoeuer theſe Enemies to the Goſpel of Chriſt & his vndoubted word, ſpeake or write, reprochfully or blaſphemouſly of that glorious Goſpel, Rom. 1.1 . yet as wee are not aſhamed of the Goſpell of Chriſt: for it is the power of God vnto ſaluation to euery on that beleeueth: ſo doe we not deny the name, or take in evil part to be called Goſpellers, ſince that we knowe it to be the inſtrument of our regeneration: For in Chriſt Ieſus (faith S. Paul to the Corinthians) I haue begotten you through the Goſpel. 2. Cor. 4.15. And the ſame Apoſtle teſtifieth to the Theſſalonians,2. Theſſ. 2.13.14. 2. Cor. 6.7. Iacob. 1.18. 2. Cor. 5.18 19. Phil. 2.16. that God hath called them to the faith of truth, by the Goſpell. Therfore is it called the word of truth by S. Paul and by S. Iames too: as alſo, the word or miniſtery of reconciliation; & the word of life.

Nether deny we but that we may more iuſtly make claime to that title, thē al the Papiſts in the world cā do: for that our preaching and doctrine is according to that Goſpel, wheras the teachers in the Romiſh Synagogue, worſhip God in vaine, Mat. 15.9. teaching for doctrines mans precepts, and inſteed of the ſound and wholſome food of gods vndoubted word, they feed them that follow them, with empty huſkes of mens traditions. Howſoever therfore our aduerſaries meane whē they cal vs by that nāe, yet we haue iuſt cauſe to reioice therin. becauſe therby we are aſſured, that the foundation of our hope is certaine and ſure, being built vpon ſo firme a ground as the goſpel is. Now after this title or inſcription, he commeth vnto the matter itſelfe, and firſt (as I ſaid) beginneth with the accuſation or complaint in this ſort.

VVhereas we your Suppliants haue long time indured, and doe dayly receiue many diſgraces, impriſonments, and loſſes, to our great impoueriſhing, yea to the vtter vndoeing of a great many of vs: to the which our afflictions ther is at this time by your LL. added the heauy cē ſure of Excommunication: and withall we do finde our ſelues dayly (to the inexplicable greif of our harts) deeper to incur the averſion and indignation of his maieſtie, more heavy and greiuous vnto vs, then all our temporal loſſes and afflictions: and all thoſe calamities to haue only their being, in regard only of our Recuſancie and conſtant perſevering in the Religion we haue receiued from our forefathers, as they frō theirs &c.

In this cōplaint the Petitioner ſheweth firſt the ſuppoſed greifes and vexations of the Recuſants, then alſo the cauſe of their afflictions. Their vexations as he ſetteth them downe, are of ſundry ſorts; in the firſt ranck he placeth ſuch loſſes & diſgraces as they would ſeeme to ſuffer; then they find themſelues greiued with the Eccleſiaſticall cenſure of excōmunication: thirdly that his maieſtie doth not ſo fauorably reſpect them, as they would he ſhould.

The diſgraces that this Petitioner cō plaineth of, I cannot certainly ſpeake of, becauſe the complaint is ſo indefinite, without comming to any particulars. It may be that he accompteth it a diſgrace, that Recuſants haue not that grace and credit, that themſelues deſire, or that authority in the common wealth that they would haue. But that is not properly a diſgracing of them, becauſe nothing is done therin to bring them into cōtempt; but only a not adding of titles or offices to them, for their further reputatiō. And who would thinke it fitt that any ſtate ſhould be managed, & the rudder of that ſhip gouerned, by ſuch as are of a contrary Religion to the ſame? So that if this were true, yet is there no iuſt cauſe of cō plaint therfore.

But there are of them but too many in grace and reputation, wherby they haue great meanes to diſcourage the ſimple people ouer whome they haue gouernment; & to make more obſtinate againſt true obedience to god and Prince, ſuch as are of themſelues but too ready, to ſtart aſide from the right way. And the further that they are frō the Soueraigne authority, the more dangerous is any office that is committed to them: becauſe the eye of him, that is to anſwere for the evil that cōmeth by bad Officers, which he permitteth or reformeth not, is far frō ſuch, that it cannot behold their doinges. It were therfore not only to be wiſhed, but by earneſt praier to be ſued for, that God would in this point more and more lighten the hart of our most Gratious Soueraigne, in any wiſe to take heed that the enemies to Gods truth, haue no credit, I meane for office or autoritie in the cō mon wealth; eſpecially in theſe North parts, where it wil be hard for him truly to knowe what hurt cōmeth by ſuch vnto the truth, what danger to the ſtate.

Oh that that golden ſentence of the wiſeſt man that euer was, and a king too, were written on the back of the right hād of all Kinges and Princes that haue ſoueraigne authority, that it might be in their eie when they ſigne the Billes wherby they grant authoritie to anie vnder thē: VVhen the wicked riſe vp, Provreb. 28. men hide themſelues; but when they periſh, the righteous increaſe. Or that other much like the former,Prou. 25.2. VVhen the righteous are in authoriy the people reioice, but whē the wicked beareth rule, the people ſigh. For there can be no greater hart-breaking to the godly, then to haue wicked men to beare the ſwaie or to them that are zealous for the truth, then when enemies to the ſame, may do what they liſt. Good therfore is the councell of Salomon elſewhere, and ſuch as Kinges ſhould carefully follow, forhe no doubt learned it by experiēce. Take away the wicked from the King (frō being partakers vnder him of his authority) & his throne ſhalbe eſtabliſhed in righteouſnes.

For this gracing then, his maieſtie is to haue a ſpecial regard that it be not beſtowed vpō any, (if he haue a due care of Gods glorie and the good of his people) but only vpon ſuch as are favorours of the Goſpel, and furtherers of all good; following that moſt godly paterne, which Dauid, a King, ſetteth before al ſuch as are of his ranck,Pſ. 101. and haue the gouernmēt of Kingdomes and contries. So that they being ſo oppoſite as they are, to the ſtate as now it is, may not in any diſcretiō cō plaine, if greater authority be not committed to them, then may ſtand either with the furtherance of Gods truth, or with the ſafty of the weale publike.

What is then the diſgracing here mentioned? Or rather what are the diſgracinges? For ſo he ſpeaketh as if they were diſgraced ſundry waies. If the Petitioner complaine of diſgracings, becauſe ſome few of them, are, after long time of Recuſancy, and after diuers preſumptious actions againſt the Lawes of this Realme, and ordinances of this Church, conuented before Authoritie: hee ſhoulde haue called to remembrāce, that we holding, yea certainly knowing, that Religion which we profeſſe, to be the vndoubted Truth, can doe no leſſe in defence of that Truth, then to cal vpon thē that deſpiſe the ſame, to knowe what moueth them to reiect the ſame. But when they appeare before authoritie, they are not ſharply rebuked (vnleſſe themſelues giue greater occaſion therof) much leſſe are they by approbrious tearms diſgraced, or by any vnſeemlie puniſhments, not fitt and convenient for their perſons reproached: with milde and chriſtian exhortations moued to heare ſuch as themſelues wil chooſe to be farther inſtructed by. And I truſt in al this there is no diſgracing.

But I would this Petitioner would look back vnto thoſe dayes not lōg ſince bypaſt. Many of our Recuſāts may remē ber the daies of Queene Mary, wherin they that complaine ſo much that they are diſgraced (though vntruely) did indeed by what means they could, diſgrace ſuch Godly Martyrs as came before thē, by ſtocking and baſe vſage of many, who though they had bin in an error, (which their aduerſaries could neuer proue againſt them) yet in regard of their parentage, degree, or place that they had in the Church & common wealth, ſhould not haue been ſo diſgracefully ſo cruellie delt withall. And what was the beating of Tho: Hinſhaw, and Iohn Milles & diuerſe others with rods? Did not that blodie Biſhop Boner diſgrace them thereby as much as he might? To be accoumpted an Hereticke is a thing odious & of great diſgrace: yet was it then and ſtill is, a cō mon name that the Romiſh Synagogue beſtowed vpon vs, though nether they nor yet their fathers, could proue any hereſie in our doctrine. To be called Schiſmaticks is a great reproach: yet dare they ſtaine therwith vs, who are alwaies ready to ſhew by good warrant and ſufficiēt teſtimony that we ſwarue not from the true, holy, Catholick and Apoſtolick Church. Thus they who moſt accuſe vs, as if we diſgraced them, may more iuſtly be charged that they diſgrace vs.

And herein the Petitioner offereth great wrong vnto the ſtate, in ſeeking to make the world beleue, that we wiſh the diſgrace of them, for whoſe want of grace we rather ſigh and mourne, in that their eies are ſo blinded, & their harts ſo hardē ed againſt the māifeſt light of truth, that they will not vſe any meanes to trie the ſpirits (that come in ſecret vnto them) whether they be of God or not, 1. Ioh. 4.1 although S. Iohn expreſſly adviſeth all ſo to doe: but rather wittingly yea and wilfully too, they ſuffer their blinde guides to lead thē into the bottomleſſe pitt of eternall perdition. This part therfore of this cōplaint may ſeeme rather to tend to this end, that our ſtate be the ſtaine of crueltie may be made odious, to ſuch as will beleeue this Petitioner, and their caſe ſeeme a great deale worſe then it is; rather I ſay thē for any iuſt cauſe that is giuen him, to vſe ſuch words.

And wheras the petition, ſeemeth to make theſe, and the other ſuppoſed vexations after mentioned, to be common to them all, (for I take the Petitioner to be a ſuiter for al Recuſants) it is moſt certaine that a great number of them are ſo far from ſuffering any diſgrace in reſpect of their Recuſancy, that it is the greateſt ornament they haue among their fauorits that they are accompted Recuſants; as if they by that name would ſeeme to haue ſome conſcience in Religion, who otherwiſe in all their behauiour, ſhew plainly enough, that they haue nether conſcience, nor honeſtie, but haue vtterly caſt of all feare of god & ſhame of mē: and hauing obtained the report to be Recuſants or Romiſh Catholicks, it is a cloake that couereth all faults.

The next part of this cōplaint is touching their impriſonment, wherin as in the former, his accuſatiō ſeemeth to be more generall, then is their impriſonment. For vnleſſe the Recuſants in other countries be more obediēt vnto Law then in theſe North parts, wherin they haue no regard at all of any Summones, but ſhew themſelues too contemptuous of all lawfull authoritie: I ſuppoſe J may be bould to ſaie that not the hūdreth Recuſant indureth this vexation. Nay of ſundry whole families in a manner, perchance not one can be convented. And therfore were it greatlie to be wiſhed, that for the better execution of godlie lawes, ſome more forcible and effectuall order might be taken for the bringing before authoritie, ſuch as yet make a mock of gods truth, deſpiſe all good ordinances, and ſcorne all lawfull authoritie.

And if anie being found verie obſtinat, in ſo much as nether they will conforme themſelues according to the Chriſtian lawes of this Realme in that caſe prouided, nether will, or can giue anie ſound reaſon of ſuch their obſtinacie; nether yet heare others who can inſtruct them (even ſuch of our profeſſion, as thēſelues can beſt like of) be for ſuch contumacie committed to ſome priſon: yet is there not anie Papiſt that hath iuſt cauſe to complaine of ſuch impriſonment, ſeeing that our correction that we laie vpon Recuſants, is but with rodds, wheras Papiſts whipp with Scorpions, we ſtocke thē not, we hinder them not, but that they may be releiued of their owne (if they haue it) or by their freinds, if they will beſtow anie thing vpō them. We permit them to haue light or fire, or any other thing neceſſarie for them: al which things were denied vnto many of the godly, in the late bloudy perſecution, as ſundry of the Recuſants may yet remember. So that we may truly ſay that the litle finger of the Papiſts towards vs, hath bin heauier then our loines towards them: their gentleſt dealing more ſharp for matters of Religion onlie, thē our greateſt puniſhments that we impoſe vpon them.

But why doe they accompt impriſonment ſuch a vexation, who thought the moſt cruell death little enough for thoſe of our profeſſion? Let our Petitioner call to remembrance the mercyleſſe racking of Miſtreſſe Anne Aſkew by him that was then L. Chancelour, to cauſe her to bewray others of her profeſſion; the barbarous burning of the hande of Tho. Tomkins, Roſe Alin, and a blinde harper in Queene Maries daies; the forcible drawing of an arrowe through the fingers of Cutbert Simpſon harde tyed togither ſo that the bloud ſprong out. Let him I ſaie conſider of theſe and ſuch like vnchriſtiā vſage of Chriſtian men, whereby they would haue conſtrained them, either to haue accuſed others, or to denie their faith.

And though the Popiſh rabble, take exception (I know) to the ſtorie wherein theſe things are reported, yet the Author of that booke, brings ſo good proofes of that he writeth, that they who will denie theſe things, ſhall rather ſhew a minde they haue to darkē the light of truth, that their ſhame may not appeare, then any good reaſon that they can bring, to impaire the credit thereof. Theſe ſtories thē being extant, and in eies of al men to read and know, and in the memories of manie men who yet living can teſtifie the truth thereof, may ſtop the mouthes of all Papiſts for complaining of anie great vexation for their impriſonment.

But what woulde the Petitioner haue vs to do in this caſe? The Recuſants are contrarie to vs in Religiō, they trāſgreſſe our Lawes, and breake al godlie ordinances that are made, for the edifying & inſtruction of al his Maieſties ſubiects: they wil not heare, but ſtubbornlie refuſe all councel and teaching, vnleſſe it bee ſuch as their blind guides doe afford them. (I wil not here ſay, they are alſo verie dangerous to the ſtate, for that followeth after to be diſcuſſed, when I come to the cauſe that this Petitioner yeeldeth, why they are thus vexed.) If it be the truth that we teach, (as wee are moſt aſſured it is) is it any reaſon we ſhould ſuffer others to be lead away by deceitfull words, of intiſing and ſeducing falſe teachers, & not ſeeke by all meanes we can to reclaime them? It is our part, if poſſible we may, to bring againe to the ſheepfold, thoſe wā dering ſheep. And if gentle & mild perſwaſions will not ſerve, we muſt compell thē by more ſharpe chaſticement.Luc. 14.23. This I knowe the moſt milde Papiſtes in the world, would think they ſhould do to the profeſſours of the Goſpel, if authoritie were with them, as now it is with vs.

We ſee then, that it is not for Papiſts (whoſe crueltie is, I ſuppoſe far greater, againſt ſuch as are not of their profeſſion then any other religion whatſoeuer doth vſe) to complaine of ſuch gentle impriſō ment as is impoſed vpon them for Recufancie; vnleſſe they will thinke it fitt, that in a wel gouerned and ſetled ſtate, lawes may be broken without due puniſhmēt, or offences may be winked at, and impunitie ſhould be eſteemed to bring ſafty to a common wealth, that is peſtred with obſtinate ſubiects. Which to imagine, is to let looſe the raines of libertie, to al diſorder & diſobedience, & to trouble the quiet eſtate of a common wealth.

S. Auguſtine was once of that minde as himſelfe confeſſeth, that it liked him nothing,Retract. 2 cap. 5 Vllius ſecularis poteſtatis impetu ſchiſmaticos ad communionem, violentèr, vehementèr que arctari; that ſchiſmatickes ſhould by the force of anie ſecular power, be violentlie, and earnestly conſtrained to cō municate, meaning in Religion with the godly. But he in that place acknowledgeth, that it was his errour, quia nondū expertus eram, vel quantum mali eorum auderet impunitas, vel quantum eis in melius mutandis conferre poſset diligentia diſciplinae; becauſe (ſaith he) as yet I had not proued, ether to what audacious miſchiefe their impunitie would draw them, or howe much it would further their amendment to vſe the diligence of diſcipline & ſeueritie towards them.

The ſame Father therefore writing to Vincentius, Epiſt. 48. & reporting of the Donatiſts, as we haue found, the Papiſts to be; Donatiſtae nimiū inquieti ſunt, the Donatiſts (ſaith he, the Papiſts may we ſay) are too factious & comberſome, addeth, quos per ordinatas à Deo poteſtates cohiberi at que corrigi, mihi non videtur invtile: VVho that by ſuch powers as are ordained of God they ſhould be restrained and corrected, it ſeemeth good to me. And afterwards hee ſheweth how greatly hee reioiceth at the amendement of manie of them by ſuch ſharpnes, who would not otherwiſe haue beene bettered. To this end alſo he alleageth that place of the goſpel,Luke 14.23 Cōpell ſuch as you finde, to come in. Quia (ſaith he) vt phrenetici ligantur, ſic Haeretici; men in error of Religiō are like Lunatick or mad men, they muſt bee bounde and tyed, and as it were by the Phyſick of diſcipline broughte from the deadlye diſeaſe of their dying ſoules. And afterwardes declaring, how diverſe men ſpake of diverſe occaſions, whereby they were hindered from comming to the Catholicke faith, but being reformed, they gaue thanks to God, who in mercie reclaimed them by ſuch chaſtiſementes: Among others he bringeth in ſome ſaying, as moſt of our Recuſants no doubt may ſaie, Nos falſis rumoribus terrebamur intrare, quos falſos eſse neſciremus, niſi intraremus, nec intraremus, niſicogeremur. Gratias Domino, qui trepidationem nostram flagello abſtulit, expertos docuit quam vana & inania de Eccleſia ſua mendax fama iacta verit: that is, wee by falſe reportes vvere ſcarred from entring, which reports vvee ſhould not know to be falſe, vnleſſe wee entred: neither would we enter, but being cō strained. Thanks be vnto the Lord, who by a ſcourge took away our feare, teaching vs by experience, how vaine & falſe rumors, lying fame had ſpread of his Church.

How manie are diſcouraged from our Churches, by vntrue reportes, that we are ſchiſmaticks, our Religion is Hereſie; to follow vs, is to leaue the Church? We are (ſay they) enemies to good works, we ſpeake againſt faſting and praier; our Goſpel is a Goſpel of libertie, and manie ſuch like moſt falſe ſlanders, do they ſcatter abroad among their favourites: and al to make the ſimple and ignorant afraid, to reſort to our aſſemblies. And when they haue once taken them in the ſnares of Recuſancie, and bound them in the chaines of promiſe, oath, & reconciliation, to the Romiſh Church; then muſt they not in any wiſe heare vs preach, or our Service read; they muſt not read our bookes, leaſt their eies being opened, they ſhoulde ſee the myſterie of iniquity, that worketh in, and by Poperie. But as in St. Augustines time manie euen in the cittie of Hippo, where he was Biſhop, were by puniſhment converted from being Donatists, & became Catholickes: ſo no doubt ſundrie of our Recuſants, if good meanes and ſufficient might be obtained, to bring them before authoritie, would eaſily be compelled to come in, and being come into our Churches, would of themſelues diſcouer the falſe reportes, that they haue hard of our Religion.

Not only Auguſtine is of this minde, but ſundrie other of the Fathers too; as Baſill, Gregorie, (for his excellencie called the Divine) and manie mo ſought for reſtraint of ſuch as troubled the Church, by authoritie of the ſword, as may ſufficientlie (if it were needful) bee proued out of their owne writings. But to knit vp this matter, of it ſelfe not hard, but by that which hath bin alreadie ſaid, moſt plaine, the Scriptures themſelues afford vs ſufficient proofe hereof, eſpecially in that notable ſtorie of Ioſiah that good king of Iuda, who after the booke of the Law was foūd, he read therin before al the people, & made a covenāt before the Lord, 2. Chro. 34 31.32. to walk after the Lord. And he cauſed al that were foūd in Ieruſalē & Beniamin to ſtande to it. Marke that it is ſaid he cauſed thē, that is, the people, to ſtande to the couenant that he had made: and yet it is further to his immortall praiſe recorded of him in Gods Regiſter booke,33 that he compelled al that vvere found in Iſraell, to ſerue the Lord their God: ſo all his daies they turned not backe from the Lorde God of their fathers.

May good king Ioſiah make his people to ſtand to the covenant, that hee made with God: and may not our godlie King Iames doe the like? May he compell them to ſerue the Lorde God, yea and that in ſuch ſort, that all his daies (though no doubt of themſelues prone enough to Idolatrie) they durſt not turne backe from the God of their fathers; and ſhall wee ſo manacle the hands of our moſt gracious Soveraigne, or of his Magiſtrates vnder him, that they may not vſe ſuch meanes to force and compell, to the true ſervice of God, as our lawes haue appointed? Shal the king of Iuda, haue the teſtimonie of Gods ſpirit to his eternal commendation in holy writ, for this his godly ſeveritie in Gods cauſe: & can it be thought a thing worthie to be complained of, and too ſevere, if the king of Great Brittaine ſhall follow his zeale? No, no, the ſame God that thē approued the zeale to Gods glorie, that was in that Mirrour of all Chriſtian Kings, good king Ioſiah: the ſame God (I ſay) doth ſtil allow, eſpecially in al Princes and Magiſtrates, a Chriſtian care, and feruent deſire, to haue his honour aduanced within their dominions, by ſeting forth and maintaining the true worſhip of God, and compelling all their ſubiects to yeeld therto. Nay if they doe not with care and courage performe this ſeruice, let them remember the time ſhall come, when this voice ſhall ſound full ſhrill in the eare of their conſciences to their great terror,Luke 16.2. yeeld an accompt of thy Stewardſhip.

For horribly and ſuddainely will God appeare vnto you (O you mighty monarchs if you vſe not well your greatnes) For a hard iudgmēt ſhal they haue that bear rule. Wiſd. 6.5. For he that is moſt low is worthy mercy: 6. but the mighty ſhall be mightely tormented; 7. For he that is Lord ouer al wil ſpare no perſon, nether ſhal he feare any greatnes: for he hath made the ſmall and great, and careth for all alik. 8. But for the mighty abideth the ſorer triall. And as God hateth in great ones, al neglect of duty: ſo eſpeciallie to be cold and careleſſe in the thinges that properly concerne his Glorie, he wil not ſuffer vnpuniſhed. For this cauſe, in the ſtories of the Kings ouer Gods people, as there is nothing ſo much commended in them as their zeale in Gods cauſe; ſo are not any their vices in a māner ſet downe, (though they were no doubt ſubiect to many, as by the Prophets it may be gathered) but their Idolatries, or careleſſenes in the ſeruice of God: ſo that it is a cō mon ſtaine euen to the good Kings, the high places, hill-altars, or groues vvere not put downe. Which glaſſe if Princes would often looke into, they might therin ſee, not only that by their office they may, but alſo that of dutie they ought, as Elias ſaith he was,1. Kings 19.10. to be very ielous for the Lord God of Hoſtes: & that the maintaineing of the truth, and aboliſhing of ſuperſtition is a principall charge belonging vnto them. This appeareth plainelie enough, in that it is required of kings, that they be much exerciſed in Gods booke, He ſhal read therin all the daies of his life, Deut. 17.19 that he may learne to feare the Lord his God, and to keep all the words of this lawe, and theſe ordinances (not to knowe them onlie) for to doe them.

Now the laſt of the vexations (for ſo he tearmeth their milde and meeke corrections) which hee ſpeaketh of, of this ranke, is their loſſes. And in deed, Recuſants haue great and grievous loſses, (I confeſſe) and ſuch, as if they could conſider of them aright, would make the haire of their heads to ſtand on end, and their verie harts to melt and bleed for ſorrow. Oh that they were wiſe, Deut. 32.29 Luke 19.42 thē would they vnderſtand this, they would conſider their latter end. O if they had knowne at the leaſt in this their day, thoſe things which belong vnto their peace: but nowe are they hid frō their eies. They complaine of their vexations, Prov. 1.31. Ier. 17.10. Eſa. 50.11. but they are moſt of all vexed with their own inventions; and their fruitleſſe & wicked imaginations, are chiefe cauſe of their endleſſe ſorrow.

They haue loſſes; it is moſt true. They haue loſt the reputation of dutifull ſubiects. And how can it be otherwiſe, ſince they haue vowed themſelues to the obediēce of him, who is an enemie to al Soueraigntie beſides his owne.Mat. 6.24 As noe man can ſerue two maſters (for ſo our Sauiour Chriſt telleth vs) For either he ſhall hate the one and loue the other, or elſe ſhall he leane to the one and deſpiſe the other: ſo noe man certainely, can promiſe & performe ſubiection to two ſuch Monarches, as are of that nature, that the one of them overthroweth the ſtate of the other. They who are ſubiect to the Romiſh Biſhop, whoſe greateſt care is to maintain ſuperſtition and his owne pride, that he may be exalted aboue the greateſt Potentats vpō the earth: can neuer truely ſerue him (whatſoeuer in words they do pretend) who oppoſeth himſelfe againſt all ſuch will-worſhips, and will not ſubeict his Soueraigne power, to the ambitious wil of that Romiſh Preiſt.

Yea they haue loſt the harts of dutiful Subiects; For the Romiſh Theef who robbeth God of his honour, Princes of their obedience, and ſubiects of their ſalvatiō, hath by his inchantments ſtolē away the harts of Recuſants frō their natural Princes, and dread Soveraignes. So that they reſt vpon his wil, and do but waite for his commandement, if it be, to oppoſe them ſelues againſt their friends, their Soveraigne, yea and their Natiue Coūtry too. For Recuſants are not to bee reckoned in that ranke, neither are they accōpted of among the Papiſts themſelues, vntil they haue promiſed obedience vnto him, who vnder colour of beeing Heade of the Church (for that vniuſt title hee challengeth) robbeth the greateſt members of the Church, of their due honour and alleageance.

They leeſe alſo the benefit of the word, which in our Churches ſoundeth in ſuch a tongue & language, as the ignoranteſt may vnderſtand, ſo that they therby may be edified and inſtructed, their ſoules fed and nouriſhed to eternall life: yea that they may haue that ſword of the Spirit in readines, the better to be inabled, to withſtand the daungerous aſſaultes of Satan. And by this loſſe of the word of God, they are alſo deprived of the knowledge of the truth, and of the true ſervice of God; they make ſhipwracke of faith; they want the true light of conſcience, the ſweete comfort of Gods moſt comfortable promiſes. Theſe (I ſay) and manie ſuch like heavenlie graces they leeſe, and in recompence of theſe ſo great loſſes, they gaine from Rome (if it may be called gaine, which they buy with ſo deere a price as thoſe things coſt them, and with ſo evident peril to their ſoules,) they gaine (I ſay) Pardons, Agnus-Deis, bleſſed graines, conſecrated croſſes, with other ſuch traſh & trumperie, things of no worth; though eſteemed by them moſt deere & precious, if anie their ſeducers bring them newes from Rome, telling them the holy Father, himſelfe did conſecrate the ſame, & heaved his holie hands over them.

But theſe are not the loſſes that grieue our Recuſants or wherof the Petitioner complaineth. we dayly receiue loſſes (ſay they) to our great impoueriſhing, yea to the vndoeing of a great many of vs. Firſt for the common ſort who are the greateſt number, for ought I knowe, few of them are any way touched to their loſſe. Some few, and thoſe very few indeed, are ſometime conuented, perchance alſo impriſō ment for their great ſtubbornnes, & offenſiue example that they giue of diſobedience. But this withall I dare affirme, that many of them gaine by their Recuſā cie, ſo farr are they from leeſing therby. For hauing no good meane to liue, there are that ſort themſelues with theſe diſobedient perſones obtaineing therby better maintenance, then otherwiſe their owne ſtate would afford them.

I could alſo name if I would one, who (as I haue credibly hard) being impriſoned in Yorke Caſtle, liued ſo by this loſse, that he gained wherby to purchaſe lād worth one hundred pound by the yeare. It is a common thing and vſed of very many of good reckoning, vnder colour of their trouble for their Recuſancy, to leſſē their charge, and liue far vnder that ſtate, that their anceſtors haue heretofore liued & they might liue in ſaueing much therby, for ought the world can iudge, whether to ſome good purpoſe or not, the Lord beſt knoweth. Yea that is alſo many times a colourable pretence, for racking of rents, and dealing hardly, ether with Tenants or with any other, with whom they haue to deale.

So that if ſome of the greater ſort doe pay to his Maieſties coffers ſomwhat: yet cā many of them find means enough to make that paiment verie litle in compariſon of that ſhould be paid, and more thē that litle, they cā raiſe by ſuch means as J haue mentioned, to keep them from loſse. Our Petitioner therfore cannot perſwaid vs, that generally their loſse is ſuch as that they need ſo to complaine of impoueriſhing, much leſſe of vtter vndoing.

But grant their loſses to be greater thē they are. I am ſure they are no heauier then the law it ſelfe doth impoſe; no not ſo ſharp by farr. And if any man wil think our lawes to be too ſeuere, he muſt conſider, that nether we only, nether firſt of all, haue made Pecuniarie puniſhments to reſtraine ſuch as are of contrarie Religion.Epiſt. 50. St. Auguſtine liketh wel of a lawe made by Theodoſius that godly Emperour, generally againſt all Hereticks, that their Biſhops or Clerks wherſoeuer they were found ſhould be finde in ten pounds, & wiſheth it might be more particularlie made againſt the Donatiſts, becauſe they denied themſelues to be Hereticks.

And becauſe of ſome outrages after cōmitted by the Donatiſts, Ibid. a more ſharp law was decreed, that they who were of that ſect, ſhould be pūiſhed by the purſe, But their Biſhops or Miniſters ſhould be baniſhed: vt tātae immanitatis haereſis Donatiſtarum; (cui crudeliùs parci videbatur quā ipſa ſaeuicbat) non tantum violentae eſſe, ſed omnino eſse non ſineretur impunè: that is, That the Hereſie of the Donatists being of ſo great crueltie that the ſparing therof might well ſeeme to be greater crueltie, ſhould not only not be ſuffered to be ſo fierce, but not to be at al vnpūiſhed. wherby ſufficiently it appeareth tſtat Chriſtiā Princes, giue no iuſt cauſe to Recuſants of complaint, if by the purſe, or other moderate and reſonable puniſhments, they doe not only reſtraine the overboldnes of ſuch as dare infringe their godlie lawes, but alſo force thē to come to their Churches,

Hither to we haue ſeene that the loſses of Recuſants are not ſo greate as they would haue them eſteemed; and though they were ſuch; it is plaine they were iuſtifiable, before anie of indifferent iudgement. But what are the loſſes that Recuſants can ſpeake of, in reſpect of the loſse, not of ſome goods onlie, but of libertie alſo, and of life too? In the Perſecutiō that was in the daies of Queene Mary, againſt the Profeſſours of the Goſpell, the fathers and mothers loſt their children? the children their parents, the huſbands loſt their wiues, and wiues their huſbands, & deereſt friends were taken the one, from the other. Theſe were loſſes indeede, and ſuch as were verie grievous & gaue iuſt cauſe of complaint. But to haue ſome reſtraint of libertie, or a ſmal Pecuniarie puniſhment, is no heavy burdē for a mā to beare for conſcience ſake.

In the late daies of perſecutiō, which euen now I ſpake of, a great number of godlie Martyrs woulde haue accompted ſuch diſgraces as are here complained of, great glorie, ſuch impriſonment, great libertie and freedome, yea ſuch loſses, an exceeding great gaine; if in a meane ſtate of life, though in priſon, they might haue beene free to ſerue their God. It cannot cannot therfore but ſeeme a thing to me very ſtrange, & to all other too of indifferent iudgment, that they, who when they had the Law and the ſword in their owne handes, omitted almoſt no kinde of crueltie, againſt ſuch as vpō good groūds and ſuch as their adverſaries themſelues could not tel how to diſproue, diſſented from them in Religion; ſhould now vpon ſo light occaſion, make ſo great cōplaint, as if ſome great cruelty were ſhewed vpon them. And whereas then theſe impriſonments and loſſes, were laid vpon al that they could heare of, that loued the Goſpel, with ſharpe inquirie and cruel conſtraining of manie, to accuſe others: yet now we know, and dailie ſee before our eies, ſundrie whom we know to be Recuſants, and yet doe not vſe that extremitie againſt them that wee might but rather looke for their converſion, being nothing ſo forwarde to take them, as they were to burne vs.

But by whom haue our Recuſants ſuch loſſes, as are to the impoveriſhing, yea the vtter vndoing of many of them? The kings coffers get not much, as hath bin ſhewed and that which goeth that waie, is taken of ſuch as are wel able to pay. If thē their loſſes be ſo great, let them conſider vvell with themſeues by whom their loſſe cō eth. The Ieſuites, the Great Masters of al out Recuſāts, how proud they are in their followers, apparell, and diet, & in things that belong vnto them,Quod lib. VVilliam VVatſō that traiterous Preiſt, and other Popiſh Preiſts can tell vs, in a Memoriall of Accuſations (thought to be deviſed by one Fiſher) in the 4 Paragraph of it,Reply to Fa. Parſons Libell. fol. 14. thus ſaith Noe Ieſuit goeth to viſit any in England, or trauelleth from on place to another, but he is richly appareled, and attēded on with a great traine of ſeruants, as if he were a Baron or a Earle. And the Reply of Parſōs Libell telleth vs of Fa Garnett, whoſe expenſes could not be leſſe thē 500. pounds by the yeare, And of Maſter Iohn Gerard the worth of whoſe apparel he ſhameth to report, whoſe Geldings alſo were of great price and many. And one Oldcorne whom he calleth but a pety Ieſuite, he knoweth his apparell to be ſeldome leſſe worth then 30. or 40.yea a Ieſuite girdle and hāgers of 30l price. Letters of A. C. p. 65 pound and he had 8 good Geldings at one time. I would that our Petitioner ſhould conſider, frō whēc maintenance muſt be had for theſe irregular Regular ſpendthrifts, and prodigall lauiſhers of other mens goods: is it not from Recuſants? If it be; let thē not charg the ſtate with their loſſes, but their owne Traiterous harts who vpon their charge maintaine ſuch vnprofitable burdens of of the Common-wealth, ſuch dangerous Canker wormes to the ſtate.

Yea and further the ſame reply telleth vs that in the Colledge of Ieſuits at St. Odemars (notwithſtanding all their Penſions from the King and others) there be few Engliſh youthes there, whoſe parents doe not largly pay for their educations; nether can any poore youth be admitted thither (for all their penſions) but he muſt either haue anual ſtipēd of 20. markes plus minus by the yeare, or 40. 50. or 60. poūds portiō in groſſe ſumme. Such continual portions to be beſtowed vpon Recuſants Children ſēt to their Seminaries, are indeed the impoueriſhing of them, nay the cauſe of a great want in the vvhole Realme, from which ſo many ſummes are tranſported. In the meane ſeaſō, haue the Prieſts who tel vs theſe tales nothing? They haue bellies to fill, and backes to cloath, and that is done not of the worſt. Manie a wife robbing and vndoing their owne Huſbands, to cheriſh (ſuch is their hot deuotion) theſe their Corner-friends; who whē they are ſeene abroad, are taken & repu ed for Courtiers and Gallants, VVatſon & others of them cōplaine that the Ieſuits are nothing liberall to them. Of whom then haue they their finding? Of whom, but of Recuſants? Theſe are great meanes to impoveriſh men of good abilitie, to mainetaine ſuch a number of Caterpillers or Graſhoppers worſe thē thoſe of Aegypt.

Beſides theſe things VVilliam VVatſon in the Quodlibets, & the Reply to the foreſaid libell eſpecially telleth vs, that they haue manie moe waies to get from Recuſants: there are Legacies in Pios vſus, Reply fol. 24. yeerely almes, extraordinarie gifts, reſtitutions de bonis incertis, diſpenſations in divers caſes, alienations, advowſons, &c. and that the Legacies in Pios Vſus haue within few years come to 2000. or 3000. pound. And declareth alſo how Iohn Gerard a Ieſuit got of one Gentl. at one time 200. pound, at another time 700, and the beſtowing of an 100. pound by yeere: of another 160. poūd, of another 500. poūd & of a Gent. & his Mother 1000. marks. Is not this good getting for one man? I neede not here report what is teſtified in the Quodlibets concerning many notable pillings of men and women by the Ieſuits and eſpeciallie by that cheating Letcher Gerrard, Quod lib. 2 art. 5. Quod. lib. 3 art. 10. who beſides his ordinarie couſening of women, (with which ſex hee was moſt intimat,) drew 3500li. at one clap from one man. But verie probably wee maie thinke, that if not all, yet much of that that our Engliſh men haue abroade, commeth frō our Recuſants, & no doubt, ſuch as are at home are nouriſhed by thē. Is it any maruel if the very vaines of their riches bee drawne,Quodlib. 3. art. 10. From H. Dru y 3500 A. Rowſe 1000l. E. VVolpool. 1000••. Hudleſtone. 1000l. &c. Anat. of T. B. l. 3. adviſ. , who haue ſo manie Horſteaches to ſucke the ſame? Adde vnto theſe their Holy exerciſes, whereof the Prieſts make report, & you ſhal finde the Ieſuits the moſt cunning cony catchers. I thinke in the world to abuſe folke and coſin them of their wealth.

So that our Recuſants we ſee, maie indeede by Ieſuits and Prieſts marvelouſly be impoveriſhed, though ſlowe enough they be, to beare anie burdens of the Cō mon-wealth. For when ſuch things are demanded of them, then wil they alleage their paiments they make to the Prince, when he ſhall perchance not get the ſixt part of that which is their due. But as if nothing were gotten from them, but that which by godlie Lawes is iuſtlie claimed from ſome few of them, for their obſtinate recuſancie, they crie out of their loſses and impoveriſhing, yea of their vndoing, as if what the Prince hath, or the Law requireth of them, went to a wrong purſe: but what Traiterous ſeducers get from them, be it much more, is al wel beſtowed.

Wee ſee then that the penalties that Law impoſeth are not ſo grieuous as the Petitioner woulde it ſhould bee thought: they are not impoſed vpon manie, and that they ſhould bee more impoſed then they are it is neceſſarie; and hath example from former ages, with the godly approbation of St. Auguſtine. And to bee ſhort it is moſt evident, that the fauour that they beare to the Enemies of God and the State, is greater cauſe of their impoueriſhing, yea and of the vndoing of a great number of them, then is anie execution of Law againſt them, onlie in reſpect of their Recuſancie. For if their contempt of Law, which is to great in them, by penalties be, if not reformed, yet chaſtiſed; their obſtinacie therein, not their Recuſancie, is fined.

To the which our afflictions there is at this time added by your LL. the heavie cenſure of Excommunication.

This is the ſeconde part of the Petitioners complaint, that Recuſants be excommunicated. And is this Cenſure ſo heavie vnto Recuſants. They willinglie & obſtinatlie refuſe our Aſſemblies, flie from our Churches, diſdaine our praiers, contemne our adminiſtration of Sacraments; to be ſhort they wil be none of vs, and yet are grieued that they are not accompted among vs. Nay when they heare of their Excommunication, there are of them that can ſaie, it is their deſire ſo to be; they are euen as they would be. And yet to aggravat the vexations that Recuſants ſuffer, this is added as a thing that much troubleth them, that they are Excommunicated, this is now a heavy cenſure. What, is it more grievous that our Biſhops pronounce them to be none of our Church then that themſelues abandon thēſelues from the ſame? May they diſpiſe all power, abuſe all authoritie, breake al good order, and ſeperate themſelues from God and godlie Exerciſes of our Chriſtiā profeſſion, and our Biſhops & wee looke on in the meane time, and vſe no diſcipline to reforme diſordered perſons?

I am glad that Excommunicatiō is now iudged to be a heavy cenſure, euen that excommunication that is done orderlie & as it ought to be; the parties vpon whom it is to be inflicted, being iudicially called and that vnto ſuch places, as they maie come without danger. For hereby appeareth what iuſt occaſion of cōplaint thoſe Romiſh Cenſures haue giuen to vs, who haue ere novv Interdicted this Realme, Excommunicated our Princes, not being their lawfull iudges,Euen as at this time they deale with the ſtate of Venice. not calling them iudicially to place conuenient, not hearing no not careing to heare what they could ſay in their defence. Jt ſeemeth they are of that mind that whatſoeuer thoſe ſurlie Cenſures of Rome doe againſt vs, muſt go for good, and whatſoeuer wee doe againſt them, muſt be holden too ſevere and heauy. A Heavie Cenſure (I warrant you) to put thē out of the Church, whom vve cā by no meanes faire or fowle bring to the Church, much like as if truantlie and ſtubburne Schollers ſhould ſay they find themſelues greiued, becauſe their Maſter chargeth them to come no more to Schole, or if a loitering lubber ſhould finde fault, that he is not ſet to worke.

But if this lavv were ſo executed as it might be, it would indeed be much the heauier and giue them inſter cauſe ether of complaint, or of amendment. For (as I take it) they who ſtand excommunicate, are depriued of all benefit of Subiects, or of defence by Law, againſt ſuch wrongs as are offered vnto them. But we are not of the Popiſh ſpirite, to ſeeke by all miſchiefe & malice, to wreake them, as they would vs. No, ſome of vs are rather content to ſuffer their manie wrongs, then to offer them ſuch hard meaſure. Neither doe I remember, that I haue euer hard that aduantage taken againſt anie of thē, ſauing that in Northumberland (as is reported) one Recuſant thought to plead that againſt another of that Sect: But he againſt whom it ſhould be pleaded, vnderſtanding of his purpoſe, came to the Church, and ſo auoided his intent. But to end this point, we know & confeſſe that the Cenſure of Excommunicatiō is indeed heavy and grieuous vnto the godlie, and ſuch as are of the Church: but becauſe Recuſants are out of our Churches, and will not be of our Aſſemblies, this complaint therefore is of it ſelfe nothing, but added onlie as a cipher to make the number of vexations ſeeme greater.

The third vexatiō that this Petitioner cōplaineth of, is vttered in theſe wordes: and withall we doe finde our ſelues dayly (to the inexplicable griefe of our harts) deeper to incurre the averſion and indignatiō of his Maieſtie, more heavie and grievous vnto vs, then all our temporall loſſes & afflictions. In deed if this be conſidered as it ought to be, it is iuſt cauſe of griefe. For the wiſest that euer was, hath ſet it down in writing,Prov. 19. i2 that, The kings wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon: as on the other ſide, his favour is like the dew vpō the graſſe. And againe,Prov. 20.2. The feare of the king, is like the roaring of a Lyon, he that provoketh him to anger, ſinneth againſt his owne ſoule. And yet againe in another place,Pro. 16.14. The wrath of a king is as meſsēgers of death; but a wiſe man will pacifie it. In the later of which places we ſee, what aduice king Salomon giueth vnto them, who feele the diſpleaſure of their Soveraigne, heavie and grievous; namelie, that they if they be wiſe, ſhoulde frame themſelues to pacifie the ſame.

His averſion (you ſaie) and indignation is grievous. Indeed Recuſants haue iuſt cauſe to feare it. For if his Maieſty ſhould deale according to rigour of Law, as Recuſants diuerſe times prouoke him to do, not onlie by their ſtubbornes, but alſo by their ſtrange and ſawcie, yea and barbarous attempts: their caſe would bee yet much harder then hitherto it hath been, and their puniſhments more ſharpe.

But you are grieved you ſaie, how ſhal your griefe be remedied? Muſt the king yeeld vnto your vnlawfull & vnchriſtian deſire, to grant Toleratiō? Is it not rather fit that you ſhould cōdeſcend to his Maieſties moſt godlie and Chriſtian laws, & agree with him in his moſt holie Profeſſion? His Religion is ſuch, as is directlie oppoſite to Popiſh ſuperſtitions and Idolatries, neither maie he, vnleſſe he wil incur gods diſpleaſure, permit or ſuffer any Popiſh abominatiōs within his dominions, as perchance maie hereafter bee ſufficientlie proued, when I come to the thirde general point of this Petitiō. Seeing therfore he cānot condeſcend to you, vnleſſe he wil goe againſt the light of his Conſcience, and neglect the neceſſarie dutie of a Chriſtian king: if you will looke for eaſe of your griefe, it is reaſon you conforme your ſelues to his godlie lawes.

And that the rather, becauſe Recuſants verie iuſtly giue cauſe of his Maieſties averſion & indignation, in that they hold a contrarie Religion, his being ſo infalliblie grounded vpon Gods vndoubted written VVord; they thinke themſelues bound to obey the Popes will, though againſt the King and this State, vowing their ſeruice vnto that prowd & preſumptuous Man of ſinne, that abuſeth all Authoritie & Maieſtie whatſoeuer.Lib. ſacr. Ceremon. He maketh Emperours & kings hold his ſtirrup, lead his horſe, naie to be his foot ſtooles, to powre the water when hee waſheth, to ſerue him at his table, to kiſſe his feet, and in Coūcels to ſit no higher then his feet;Pontifical. de inaug. Reg. yea, he maketh them ſweare Canonical obedience to him. He taketh vpon him to depoſe them at his pleaſure, to giue their right & inheritance to whom it pleaſeth him, to diſcharge ſubiects of oath & obedience. Hath his Maieſtie, or anie other Prince that hath anie wiſe care of his eſtate, anie cauſe to like or loue ſuch ſubiects?

Your anſwere I knowe is ready, that you wilbe ſubiect to the Pope for Religion onlie. But who ſhall be iudge therin; the Pope or you? If he ſaith that it belongeth to the cauſe of Religion to depoſe an Hereticke, (as he tearmeth all that loue the Goſpel) you dare not ſay, it is not ſo. In ſuch caſe his Maieſtie hath noe cauſe to hope wel of ſo doubtful ſubiects. Therfore if you would haue his cheerfull coū tenance, ioine not with him who is an Enimy to our gracious Soueraigne, and al others that maintaine the truth. Nether can your words perſwade vs, that your obedience to the Biſhop of Rome ſhall extend no further then you promiſe, ſo lōg as you retaine and maintaine among you Ieſuits and Priests ſuch firebrands of miſcheife, & trumpets of Rebelliō; of whoſe miſchieuous purpoſes and practiſes againſt this their Natiue countrie, as the Prieſts in their many bookes extant are good witneſſes againſt the Ieſuits; ſo the late conſpiracie of VVatſon, and many other miſcheiuous intents and meanings by them before plotted and intended, do plainlie declare, how dangerous your Priests are too. Is it not then for the ſafty of his Maieſtie to haue indignation againſt thoſe Hoaſts, that intertaine ſuch gueſts?

Moreouer his Maieſtie hath yet greatter cauſe of indignation, when he calleth to rememberance, how wholy the Scriptures charge ſubiects, to honour & obey their Kings and Princes. Let every ſoule be ſubiect to the higher powers. Rom. 13. i. For there is noe power but of God, Rom. 13.1. & the powers that be, are ordained of God. &c. And the ſame Apoſtle vvriting vnto Titus, put them (of Creta, ſaith he) in remembrance, that they be ſubiect vnto principalities and powers, Tit. 3. i. and that they be obedient. S. Peter likwiſe, ſubmit your ſelues to al manner ordinance of man, for the Lords ſake, 1. Pet. 2.13. whether it be vnto the King, as vnto the ſuperiour, 14. or vnto gouernours, 17. as vnto them that are ſent of him. Feare God, Honour the King. Theſe I ſaie, and many ſuch like places, proue that we owe this duty to him.

But for the Pope there is not one, I ſay not one teſtimonie in all the Scriptures, to proue that vniuerſall power that he challengeth; vniuerſall J tearme it, becauſe he extendeth his iuriſdiction, by force and ſubtletie, not onlie ouer al Perſons and cauſes Eccleſiasticall, in al places whatſoeuer, but alſo medleth ſo far with Princes too, that they who are vnder his ſlaviſh obediēce, may not but by his leaue preſume to enter vpon their lawful right and inheritance. Yet this man, whoſe Authoritie is ſo lawleſſe, and ſo deſtitute of all good ground, beareth ſo great a ſwaie in the harts of Recuſants, that if he command, they eaſily forget all duty and alegeance, that the law of God and man requireth of them.

Giue therfore to Caeſar the things that Mat. 22.2. are Caeſars, and giue vnto God thoſe things which are gods. Rob not Potentates and Princes of their authoritie, deny thē not their due obedience, acknowledge not any aboue them, or equall to them, in the affaiers of their owne dominis. By ſuch meanes you ſhal more perſwade his Maieſtie, and aſſure him of your louing and loiall affections, then by al the faire ſhew of words wherwith you gloze.

Nether is there any cauſe you ſhould feare, to caſt of your yoke of bondage & ſeruitude to that Romiſh Preiſt, who (as I ſaid) hath not any warrāt of gods word, to take vpon him as Head of the vniverſall Church. The firſt that gott that title was Boniface the 3. who was at the leaſt 600. yeares after Chriſt; and he that gaue that ſuperiority, was that wicked Phocas, who murdered his Maſter to obtaine the Empire. He it was that granted, Vt Epiſcopus Romanus, vocaretur, & haberetur caput omnium Eccleſiarum, that the Biſhop of Rome, Plat in Bonaf. 3. ſhould be counted and called head of all Churches, as Platina and other ſtories report. The Headſhip ouer the Church being thus obtained, by the meanes of that wicked Emperour; Boniface the 8. afterwards,Benevenuti Auguſt. in Alberto. he who was called papa famoſus, The famous Pope, not for any goodnes I warrant you, and Magnificus tyrā nus ſacerdotū, The ſtately Tirāt of Prieſts, (for indeed he vſed them very cruelly, ſo did he Princes too) he who appearing on day like a Pope, the next day attired as Emperour, with the Imperiall diadē on his head, & a ſword by his ſilly ſide, cried, Ego ſū Caeſar, I am Emperour (for he thought the matter being ſo vnlikelie, noe man would haue beleeued that he was Emperour, vnleſſe he ſpak ſo) others (as Friar Rioch) report his words thus,Rioch in Alberto. Ego ſolus Caeſar, I am only Emperour; he I ſay cauſed it to be holden a thing de neceſsitate ſalutis neceſſarie to ſaluatiō to beleeue the Church of Rome to be the head of all Churches. Which alſo more then 120. yeares after was decreed in the Councell of Florence. Wherby it appeareth, that it is very lately ſet downe to be a matter of faith & that it may evedētly therby be gathered, that the Popes ſupremacie is not by Gods law, but by mans deuiſe eſtabliſhed, & therefore that it may by man alſo be reiected.

Jf therfore Recuſāts vvil ſtil be ſlaues to that Romiſh Prieſt, who vſurpeth Authoritie vvithout anie warrant, & vvhoſe headſhip over the Church, vvas not needful to be beleeued vntil within theſe 160 yeares or there about; then may vve iuſtlie charge them, to be the cauſers of their owne griefs, & the workers of their owne vvoe, in that they are obedient to a forraigne power, vpō ſo ſmale or rather no ground, if he command thē: againſt that dutie that the lavve of Nature, the lavv of Nations, and the Lavv of God requireth of al Subiects. The Petitioner therfore in vaine maketh their caſe herein ſo lamentable, and their greife ſo great, as if nothing were greater corſiue or diſcomfort to them, then the vvant of his Maiesties fauour, if to obtaine it, they vvill not yeeld to that, which ſo eaſilie, ſo lawfully, ſo honeſtlie may be done: yea which of neceſſitie and in cōſcience they ought to doe: I meane if abandoning al forraine Power whatſoever, that wil not wholly imploy and vowe their ſeruice to their & our Dread Soueraigne. For whatſoever they pretend to be, or how much ſoever they ſay they wil doe in his cauſe, if like the Gadits, they had faces like lions, Chro. 12.8. and were like the R oes in the mountaines in ſwiftnes, 14. If one of the leaſt of thē could reſiſt a hundred, and the greateſt a thouſād yet is it not for his Maieſtie to truſt any but ſuch as are like to them of Zabulon mentioned in that chapter,33. that had not a double hart. One hart for the King, another for the Pope, I like not.

Thus haue we ſeene, how they (in cō pariſon of the perſecutions which they haue laid vpon others) complaine of eaſe and make as if their burdens were not to be borne, though vpon others they did lay heavier by many degrees. Now let vs conſider to what cauſe they impute all theſe vexations. And all theſe calamities to haue only their being, in regard only of our Recuſancie (ſaith this Petitioner) and conſtant perſeuering in the Religion wee haue receiued frō our forefathers, as they from theirs.

He ſeemeth to touch two cauſes of theiſe their ſuppoſed vexations; The one is their Recuſancy, the other their Constancy. Their Recuſancy is a refuſing to be partakars with vs in the word, Sacraments, and Praiers, and ſuch excerciſes of our Religion: the other is a Reſolute perſeuerance in their Poperie.

It ought not ſeeme ſtrange vnto Papiſts, if for Recuſancy onlie, they indure the griefes before mentioned, ſince they for matter of Religion onlie, haue tyrannized in moſt grieuous manner, and tormented euen vnto death, farre better thē anie of them that I heare of. Was it not a common ſnare to take al true Profeſſours of the Goſpell in thoſe bloodie daies of Queen Mary, what ſay you to the ſacramēt of the altar? And if therin they woulde not beleiue as they did, and ſay as they ſaid (though their abſurditie in ihat point was exceeding groſſe) vvas it not then thought cauſe ſufficient to bring them to the fire and ſtake. The ſtories are for this point ſo manie, that I need not particularlie to alleadge anie: they are ſo teſtified moſt of them in their Biſhops owne Registers, and by ſo good proofe, as that iuſtlie they cannot be doubted of.

Yea hath it not bin cauſe ſufficient in the times of Poperie, greiuouſlie to perſecute ſuch as onlie had, or hard read vnto them, ſome peice of Scripture in the Engliſh tongue? Lett the Regiſter booke of Longland Biſhop of Lincolne, teſtifie hearin againſt ſuch as will not beleeue the truth: For their ſhal they finde that An. 1521. manie had that obiected againſt them, as ſufficient cauſe of ſhameful penance or cruel death. Nether was anie matter of State, but of Religion only laid to the Charge of Richard Baifeild ſomtime Monke of Bury, but after a Martyr for the truth of the Goſpel, moſt cruellie dealt withal in the Lollards tower, being hanged by the necke, middle, & legs, his hands alſo manicled,Art. & Mon ex Regeſt. Longlandi . againſt whom among other articles this was one, That in the yeare of our Lord, 1528. He was detected and accuſed, to Cutb. then Biſh. of London, for affirming & holding certaine articles contrarie to the holy Church, and ſpeciallie that all land and praiſe ſhould be giuen to God alone, and not to Saintes or creatures.

No doubt if S. Paul had been brought before Biſhop Longland and his fellowes, he ſhould haue had the rewarde of an hereticke, for ſaying vnto the king everlaſting, 1. Tim. 1.17. immortall, inviſible, vnto God only wiſe, be honour and glory for ever & euer. The like hee hath alſo in another place;1. Ti. 15.16. .6 but eſpeciallie for teaching ſuch doctrin, or rather ſuch hereſie (in the Romiſh language.Heb. 13.15.) Let vs therfore by him (Chriſt) offer the ſacrifice of praiſe alwaies to God. Jf praiſe muſt alwaies be offered to God, what time ſhall wee haue to offer that ſacrifice to Saints? And yet the Apoſtle is not alone in this hereſie, Revel. 4.9. Re. 5.11.12 but the 4. Beaſtes in the Revelation alſo, yea and the thouſand thouſands of Angels (becauſe Papiſts like ſo wel of multitude) giue honour and praiſe, and power, to him that ſitteth vpon the throne & to the Lambe. And the 24. elders yeeld this reaſon why they alſo did rhe like, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receiue, glorie, honour and power, For thou haſt created all things. Now becauſe wee cannot truelie ſaie ſo of Saints and Creatures, it ſeemeth they by that reaſon will conclude, that Saints and Creatures muſt not haue that ſacred honour & praiſe aſcribed vnto them. So that their ſong of thankſgiuing, is quite contrarie to the doctrine of the Church of Rome; & verie cō ſonant to that which Papiſtes call hereſie. Now if the Profeſſours of the truth, haue beene bloodily perſecuted by Papiſts for hearing onlie, or reading the VVorde of Truth for their inſtruction: why ſhould Recuſants thinke their Puniſhmēt for obſtinate Recuſancie ſo hard a matter?

But Recuſants beſides that they are Enemies to our profeſsion and faith; are alſo dangerous ſubiects, moe waies then one, as before I ſaid. Firſt in that they intertaine, yea and thinke it needfull vnder colour of perfourming the exerciſes of their Religion, that they ſhoulde haue among them ſuch, as when occaſion ſerueth, muſt put them in minde of their obedience to that Prophane VVretch, whō they tearme moſt Holie Father, and therby withdraw them from the kings obedience. Then alſo in that they take him to be the head of their Church, and ſo haue their harts bent on him, howſoeuer their bodie and goods, are for a time liable to the Princes will. And yet alſo they can finde meanes to make a ſtate of all they poſſeſſe, to defraude his Maieſtie of his right: & can finde ſuch as would be loath to be accompted bad ſubiects, who can be content to be vſed as cloakes & ſkonces, in theſe their treacherous ſhifts.

Recuſancie onlie then, how little ſo ever the Petitioner maketh reckoning thereof, is cauſe ſufficient to make them indure diſgraces, loſses, & impriſonmēts, with ſuch other penalties as law impoſeth though as before I haue ſaid, verie few in compariſon of rhe number of Recuſants, are ſo dealte with all I ſay the abſtaining from our Churches (J meane in the time of diuine Seruice) vvhich is properly to be accompted recuſancy, importeth a further matter, as namelie becauſe they wil not be of our Church, that therfore they are of ſōe other. And if of anie, thē of the Romiſh, which hath for many hundred of yeares bin a Schole & nurſery, of treaſōs and treacheries of poiſonings, & murderings, of diſobedience and Rebelliōs, and al ſuch dangerous attempts againſt Princes and Commonwealths.

The caſe then ſtanding thus, that manie of his Maiesties ſubiects are ſtolen away by the inchaunting and ſugred ſpeeches, of the Romiſh Syrenes; I would ſuppoſe it vvere vviſe Policie, but I am ſure it were good Chriſtianity, to cauſe the People to ſweare not to Supremacie of our Gracious Soveraigne onlie, (a thing in theſe daies verie needful) but to the maintenāce of Rligiō too. A thing not ſtrang or voide of example of former times For Aſa & the people with him,2 Chron. 15.12. made a covenant to ſeeke the Lord God of their fathers, with al their hart, and with al their ſoule; 13. and that who ſoeuer wil not ſeeke the Lord God of Iſrael ſhalbe ſlaine, whether he were ſmal or great, man or woemā And they ſware vnto the Lord with a loud voice, 14. and with ſhouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. We ſee here an oath ſollemnlie taken for the Seruice of God, wherby the People thought thē ſelues more ſtraitlie bound to performe the ſame. And whē Eſdra would reforme the tranſgreſſiō of them that had married ſtrange wiues (as our Recuſants are wedded to the Italian head) he cauſed the cheife preiſts, and Levits, and all Iſraell, to ſweare that they would doe according to this word, 1. Ezra. i0. 5 (of putting away their ſtrang wiues) ſo they ſwore.

Yea it ſeemeth the ſelfe ſame othe was put in practiſe in his Maieſties Realme of Scotland, The general band. Anno. (as J take it) 1588. by a generall band, wherin, in the preſence of Almighty god, and with his Maiesties authorizing and allowance, the Nobles and other that ſubſcribed to the ſame, faithfully promiſed and ſolemnly ſwore, like as (ſay they) hereby we faithfully and ſolē ly ſweare and promiſe to take ane true, cafauld and plaine part with his Maieſtie amōg is our ſelues, for averting of the apearand danger, threatned to the ſaid Religion &c. So that we may vnderſtand hereby, that examples of the godlie practiſe of Zealous Kings, both old and new, may teach vs this godlie and Chriſtian policie, to prouide as wel as we can, for the continuāce of Gods truth among vs: vvhich if we would in deuour as did Ezechiah, no doubt god ſhal bleſſ our attēpts as he did his. In all the workes that hee began for the ſeruice of the houſe of God, 2. Chro. 31 21. both in the Law & in the comāndemēts to ſeeke his God; he did it with al his h rt, 2. Cor. 7. & proſpered. For as God loueth a cheerfull giuer, ſo he beſt accepteth obediēce, that is done with cheerfulnes & courage; not this faint ſeruice, or ſuch as is done with vnwillingnes and grudging.

In the former examples of Aſa and Ezra, we ſee alſo, that there was a Couenant made for the Service of God, beſids the oathe that they tooke. Agreeable vvherevnto was (in my iudgment) not onlie that General band before mentiōed wherin very many in Scotland bound thē ſelues to defend the Religion profeſſed then, and now alſo within that Countrie: but alſo that Subſcription to a confeſsion of the faith, whervnto the Kings Maieſtie & al his Houſhold did ſubſcribe; which ſubſcription alſo, is vpō ſufficient penaltie commanded vnto al Miniſters, that they ſhovld require the ſame of their Parochians, and with all diligence and ſpeed to certifie the Refuſers of ſuch ſubſcription; as may appeare by the Confeſſion of faith, and his Maieſties charge concerning it, Ano. 1580, Which courſes if they were taken vvithin his Maieſties dominions, with ſome execution of puniſhmēt againſt the obſtinate; J nothing doubt, but a great number would leaue Recuſā cy, and would vvith hart and mouth proteſt againſt the ſame, & with their hand alſo (that might be an abiding witnes) ſhew their miſlike.

And why ſhoulde Papiſts themſelues miſlike of ſuch a courſe, ſeeing they alſo do practiſe the ſame? The leaguers in their Aſſociation doe ſweare, to reſtore Religiō according to the forme of the Catholicke Rom: Church, as appeareth in a booke intituled,In Henry 3 An historicall collectiō of the moſt memorable accidents and tragicall maſsacres of France; where alſo is to bee ſeene, that Henry the third the French king, inſtituting an order of the holy Ghost bound them by ſolemne oath to ſuch cōditions, as onlie pleaſed Catholike mindes, Anno 1579. Nay the late king of Spaine ordained, that all his haires and ſucceſſours in the Eſtate of the Low Countries, ſhall for euer vpon their entrie into thoſe Signiories, take an oath for the maintenaunce of the Papacie & that Religion; as is reported in a treatiſe latelie publiſhed, vnder the title of A relation of the religion vſed in the weſt part of the worlde. And the Prince of Parma too, Governour for the ſaid Philip in the Low Coūtries, made the Cities ſubiect to his gouernment, ſweare to certaine Articles of the Romiſh Religion, ſet forth by the appointment of Iohn Houchin Archb. of Machelen; which Articles being printed, Anno 1585. containe the ſumme of that is taught in the Popiſh Church, both for the Pope, and popery; which they did ſweare to maintaine euen to death, as much as in them ſhould lie, by councel or inſtruction. Shall this courſe then ſeeme ſtrange to anie, that hath ſo manie examples? Or can it bee thought vaine or needeleſſe, in theſe ſo dāgerous times? Shall we be leſſe zealous for the truth, then they for falſhood? Or ſhall they be found more circumſpect to maintaine ſuperſtition, and mens Traditions, then wee for Gods true and acceptable ſeruice, and the vndoubted written word? God forbid.

O therefore that it woulde pleaſe our gracious God in mercie to looke vpon vs in moving his Maieſties Heart to vſe the ſelfe ſame meanes throughout al his Dominions, either to cōpell the back-ſliders vnto the true Service of God, or to diſcouer ſuch falſe harts, as would make vs beleeue they build with vs, as did the aduerſaries of Iudah and Beniamin, and ſeek the Lorde our God, as wee doe; Ezra 4.2. though indeed they deſire nothing more, then to eſtabliſh againe among vs the Popes Authoritie, and to bring into our Churches thoſe Popiſh abominations.

Another cauſe of their vexations, ſaie they, is their conſtant perſevering in the religion received from their forefathers, as they from theirs. But that which the Petitioner tearmeth conſtācie, may much more aptlie be called wilfulnes or obſtinacie. For I finde Conſtancie thus defined,Iac. Hertel. de finit Theolog. that it is, Virtus, quae vera, iuſta, & neceſſaria, conſtantèr, id eſt, eodem modo & perpetuò, dicit & facit: a vertue that ſaith and doth the things that are true, iuſt, and neceſsarie, conſtantly, that is after one mā ner, and alwaies. It is therefore required that men ſhould firſt be ſure of the Truth and Neceſsity of the things they hold, before they ſet thēſelues firmely to beleeue the ſame. But for Popiſh doctrines, as it is certaine that manie of them beeing tried by the true Touchſtone of Gods VVorde, are found but Copper and counterfet: ſo ſundry points alſo, which they eſteeme as matters of great importaunce, are meere toies and trifles, fitter for fooles and children to ſport them withal, then for Chriſtians to vſe in Gods ſeruice. I praie you then what conſtancie is in maintaining ſuch trumperie?

That ſuch wilfulnes maie wel bee called obſtinacy, partlie in reſpect of the foū taine from whence it floweth, & partlie in reſpect of the bad effect it worketh in Recuſants, maie eaſilie appeare. For frō whence ſpringeth this ſtubbornes? Aſke S. Bernard he wil ſhew it.Bernard. in cap. ieiuni ſer. 2. Inde cordis duritia, (ſaith he) indementis obſtinatio, quia meditatur quis non legem Domini, ſed propriam volu tatem. From hence commeth hardnes of hart, from hence ſpringeth obſtinacie of minde, that a man doth not meditate vpon Gods law, but on his owne will. How wel this painteth out the whole rabble of Papiſts, I wold they had eies to ſee. For Gods worde is little reſpected among thē, but they are ſo wedded to their owne opinions, that hardlie wil they ſuffer thē ſelues to be diuorced from the ſame. And if you deſire to taſte of the bad fruit, that this corrupt tree yeeldeth,Tertul. de paenit. learne of Tertullian. Ne que enim timorem alia res quam contumacia ſubvertit, ſaith he, There is not anie other thing that overthroweth feare; then contumacie or ſtubbornes.

Wee finde by experience this to bee moſt true. For obſtinacie maketh ſillie Recuſants, who are able to ſaie nothing at al in defence of their opinions, neither are acquainted with the verie Principles, no not of their owne Religion, (whereof to be ignorant, is a great ſhame for any that profeſſeth Chriſtianitie,) I ſaie their obſtinacie is cauſe that they feare no Lawe, no Magiſtrate, no puniſhment, no perill of vtter deſtruction of bodie & ſoule, but run on headlong to their own perdition, like men ſenſeleſſe, becauſe they are become fearleſſe. Yea my ſelfe could name ſome, that being conferred withall, haue made ſo little reckoning of anie threatnings of Gods wrath, againſt ſuch manifeſt contemners of his worde, as if they thought it a good ſport to goe to the Divell, for companie of ſuch as they relie vpon.

Another infallible note of their obſtinacie is, that they wil not heare, they refuſe to conferre. If anie thing for their good and edifying be ſpoken vnto them, they ſtand mute much like their Images, that haue eares and heare not, mouthes and ſpeake not. And if with much a doe, you wring ſome words from them, their cōmon excuſe is, they are ignorant, they cannot reaſon: if I maie call it an excuſe, that is their greateſt accuſatiō. For wheras Chriſt teachech vs, that ignorance is the cauſe of errour,Mat. 22.29. You erre or are deceived, becauſe you knowe not the Scriptures, nor the power of God; they ſhould therby be made more deſirous to learne, if they will avoide errour: but they being ſettled, yea frozen in the lees of their ſuperſtitiō, will not ſuffer themſelues to be reformed in anie wiſe, contenting themſelues with theſe ſtubborne anſwers, I am reſolued, I am ſatiſfied, my conſcience is perſwaded. As if God hauing commended vnto his Church the Miniſtery of his VVord as the onlie waigh-ſcales, and true Touchſtone of all Doctrins: and withall hauing giuen a generall charge to euerie member of of his Church to trie the ſpirites whether they be of God or not, 1. Iohn. 4.1. becauſe there are as wel ſpirits of Errour, as of Truth: yet it ſhould be accōpted a high point of good Chriſtianity, to receiue and ſtiflie to hold whatſoeuer their Popiſh Prieſtes ſhall ſaie vnto them, (for ſo they al teach, that ſpiritualis à Nemine iudicatur) without any triall thereof, by waight or touch.

But what is it wherein they perſevere ſo conſtantlie ſaie they, ſo ſtubbornlie ſaie I? In the religion they haue received from their forefathers, as they from theirs. Confitentem habemus Reum. The Petitioner, in vttering his Griefe, confeſſeth his Errour; his owne mouth iudgeth him & his fellowes; his owne words condemne thē. They haue their Religion from their fathers, that is to ſaie, from men: we haue ours from God. For wee are ſaide to bee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 taught of God, not onlie in reſpect of having Gods Spirit our inwarde Schoolemaſter to direct our harts, but alſo in regard that our Religiō is by inſpiration from him, 2 Tim. 3. i6. as S. Paule teacheth Timothy. Jt is therefore a ſufficient diſprofe of the Religion that Recuſants profeſſe, that it is receiued from their forefathers, as they receiued it frō theirs, though the Petitioner bringeth it as an ornament & beautie to Poperie, and a ſure argument of the truth thereof.

Eſa. 29.13. Their feare towards mee (ſaith God by his Prophet Eſaie of the People of the Iews) is taught by the precepts of men. As if he ſaid; they worſhip and ſerue me, not as I haue commanded, but as men haue taught. Grievous is the accuſation wherin God laieth to the charge of his people, that they followe the corruption of their fathers. Eze. 20.30. Are you not polluted (ſaith hee by his Prophet) with the customes of your fathers, & commit you not whoredome after their abhominations? Mat. 15.3. VVhy tranſgreſſe you the commaundement of God, by your Tradition, ſaith our bleſſed Saviour to the Scribes & Phariſes? And becauſe it hath alwaies beene the faſhion of hypocrites to excuſe their Idolatries and ſuperſtitions, by that which their forefathers haue done before them: therefore God by his Prophet giueth this caveat, Eze. 20.18 VValke not in the ordinances of your fathers, neither obſerue their manners, nor defile your ſelues with their Idols. And the Apostle exhorteth the Coloſsians: Coloſſ. 2, Beware least there bee any man that ſpoile you through Philoſophy and vaine deceipt, through the Traditions of Men. And S. Peter chargeth the Iewes with vaine converſation, 1 Pet. 1.18. received by the Traditions of fathers.

Yea in Matters of Religion, to hange vpon the doings or faith of forefathers, or of any men, is altogither vnlawfull and againſt Gods expreſſe commandement; VVhatſoever I command you, take heed you doe it, Deuter. 12.30. thou ſhalt put nothing thereto, or take ought there from. If then Gods commandemēt muſt be obayed,Deut. 4.2. without turning to the right hand, or to the left, as elſe where is ſaide without adding anie thing to it, or taking any thing from it, as here God by his ſervant Moſes chargeth; there is no libertie giuen to vs to followe our forefathers, but God only; who hath alſo appointed Chriſt to be our only Maſter.Mar 23.8.10. And therfore Tertullian that ancient writer moſt notablie teſtifieth, that no men may make choice what they will beleeue, no not the Apoſtles themſelues might teach as they would,Tert. ipraeſcript. ſed acceptam à Chriſto doctrinam fidelitèr nationibus annuntiarunt; That which they had learned of Chriſt, they taught the people faithfully. And then after teacheth vs howe to know the truth or true Religion, not by looking vnto our forefathers, but holding that which Eccleſia ab Apoſtolis, Apoſtoli a Chriſto, Chriſtus a Deo ſuſcepìt, Ibidem. the Churches receiued from the Apoſtles, the Apoſtles from Chriſt, Chriſt from God.

Godly therfore is the wiſh of Iuſtine the Martyr, more ancient then Tertulliā; For he liued not much more then 100.Iuſt. Marc. colloq. cum Tryp. Iudaeo. yeares after Chriſt; Optarim (ſaith he) candem mentem & cateris, ne a ſeruatoris verbis diſcederent. Poſſunt enim religionem incutere, a via recta deflectentibus, & meditantes ipſa, quiete reficere incundiſſimâ. I would wiſh that others alſo were of that mind that they would not depart from the words of our Sauiour. For they cā worke Religion, in ſuch as turne from the right way, and refreſh with moſt ſweet reſt, ſuch as meditate therupon. And as he wiſheth that others would doe, ſo him ſelfe giueth example therin, inſomuch as Tryphon the Iew hauing experience therof by the reaſoning which they had together, thus ſpeaketh vnto him: Iam ante dixite ſemper Scripturis haerere quo incedas tutior: I haue ſaid before, that you allwaies ſtick to the Scriptures, that you may walke more ſafly. Thē afterward he yeeldeth it as a reaſon why he will ſet downe their talk and conference in writing, Nec enim ſequor homines, Iuſtin. Mar. Ibi. poſt. me. aut doctrinas humamanas, ſed Deum, et quae ille docuit. For nether doe I follow men, or the doctrines of men, but God & that he teacheth.

Thus then vve ſee, that the commendation that the Petitioner giueth vnto their Popiſh Religion, that they receiued it from their forefathers, is a ſufficient argument to reiect the ſame, vnleſſe they can fetch further the originall of it, then frō their forefathers, or their forefathers forefathers. And when they haue gon as farr as they can, to claime all Antiquitie of Man yet the Truth is that only, that cometh from God. If they therfore vvill perſwade vs, that their Religion is good, they muſt ſhew it out of Gods Booke; they muſt giue it this praiſe, that it is in Gods written word: which if they can, wee will rather beleeue one ſentēce rightly alleaged, according to the circumſtances of the place out of Scriptures: then all that they cā ſpeake of their forefathers to manie generations. Herein we haue good warrant out of the ſacred word as I haue ſhewed; this was the practiſe of the Primitiue Churches, as partlie is proued, & maie verie plentifullie be confirmed.

Neither muſt it be graunted vnto the Petitioner, that Recuſants indure ſuch vexations as they complaine of, onlie for their ancient Religion. For as there hath beene other cauſe of making both of the ancient and newer Lawes, againſt manie of the thinges wherewith they maie bee touched; ſo is ther other cauſe, why thoſe lawes ſhould be put in Execution: namelie to keepe vnder dangerous and doubtful ſubiects to the Eſtate. For euen that point of their Religion, whereby without anie good ground they ſubiect thēſelues to the Pope, an vtter Enemie to al Soveraigntie in Princes, maketh them to be ſuch, as muſt carefully bee looked vnto. And yet that is not the Religion they receiued from their forefathers, and they from theirs, ſeeing it was neuer decreed as a thing to be beleeued, in anie Councell before that of Florence, which was kept, Anno. 1439.

We know alſo, as hath before beene ſaid, that they who are the dailie Plotters of all miſchieffes & more then Pagan villanies againſt this flouriſhing Realme, (Ieſuits I meane & Prieſtes,) are foſtered and maintained by Recuſants, yea ſo honored & embraced by them, as that both their wil and their wealth is at their diſpoſing: and that they prepare thē againſt their long looked for daie, that Cardinall Alen ſpake of (in a letter to a friend of his which is to be ſeene,) and diuers other ſince him,VVeſton de tripl. ſtat. in P rorat. doe inculcate, that vpon anie fit occaſion they maie ioine with them, in their miſchieuous attempts. That is alſo confeſſed by one of the Scottiſh Ieſuits in a letter he writeth to the Prince of Parma (as I remēber for I haue not the booke now by me, but they are yet to be ſeene) wherin hauing reported what good ſucceſſe they haue of their labours, he ſheweth alſo what they indevour, namely with Religion,Diſcou. p. 7. Anſw. to a Ieſuited Gent. Quodiib. 2. art. 7. Jnfanta's intertain. in the Engliſh Coll. at Val Iedolid. Jeſuit. cat. l. 3. c 16. Import. conſid. p. 25. Reply to Parſ. li f. 65 Quodlib. 6 art. 10. to plant in them an affection to the Catholicke king. And to that end doe they ſtill teach, that the Catholicke Religion & the Catholike king are ſo linked, that one cannot take footing here vvithout the other; yea, that it is an Honourable Action to plant Religion here by Conqueſt. And though that ſmooth-tongued Traytor Ric. Southwell the Ieſuit, confeſſed from the Duke of Medina's owne mouth, that ſo roome might bee made in England for the king Catholicke, little care would be had what became of other Catholicks: yet our Recuſants, rather then this Romiſh plot ſhoulde faile, will not only hazarde their owne eſtates and perſons here at home; but alſo ſend their Sonnes abroad to places purpoſely erected for our Coūtries Conqueſt; Engl. Sem. at Siuil. valled. S Lucar , &c. Quodlib. 8. art. 10. where they are ſure to proue Ieſuiticall fire-brands, neuer to returne but to ruinate their Natiue ſoile. And muſt we yet thinke theſe men are only for Religion vexed, who ſhew themſelues ſo manie waies, ſo dangerous ſubiects? No, no, as their Religion is not the plant that God Mat. 15.13. hath planted and therfore muſt be rooted vp, ſo are their doings ſuch as make thē iuſtlie deſerue to be rooted out together vvith it.

The complaint of this Petitioner being in ſome ſort conſidered of: it followeth alſo that we examine the Remedies which they ſay they haue vſed.

The ſecond part of the Petition.VVhich (ſuppoſed vexations for Religiō ) moued vs before the end of the laſt parliament, by our ſupplication deliuered to his Maieſtie, after declaratiō of our moſt dutifull alleageance, and proteſtation, that our Recuſancy proceeded frō no other ground but feare to offend god: to offer (as before by a like ſupplication deliuered to our late deceaſed Queene in the 27 yeare of her raigne we had done) that if LL. Biſhops or other of ſingular note of learning among them at thoſe times ſhould be able to proue to the learned diuines of our Religion, that we being of the Catholicke Romane faith, might without committing deadly ſinne repaire to their Churches, and be there preſent at the exerciſing of your Religion (it being different from that we profeſſe) we would haue beene moſt ready & willing to haue performed their deſiers therin

This is the ſecond generall point handled in this Petition, and toucheth the Remedies which the Recuſants haue (as hee ſaith) vſed, to eaſe them of their troubles. But the Petitiōer might haue dealt ſome what more plainely, if he had ſhewed all the waies they proued to ſhak of the yoke of their obedience; but indeed that Narration would haue deſerued litle fauour. For they haue vſed many moe waies thē are good, to effect this their deſire. They haue ſomtime burſt foorth into open Rebellions, as the ſtirres here in the North, the 11. yeare of her Maieſties raigne, that is now paſt all their practiſes, at reſt vvith god; and the ſundrie troubles of Ireland doe teſtifie. They haue had alſo diuers ſecret purpoſes of poiſening, and murdering by any means they could deviſe, the ſacred perſon of their Soueraigne not fearing Gods wrath, ether againſt murderers or againſt the diſpiſers of Gods ordinance. Ieſuit. Catech. 3. c. 16. J ſpeake not of the Invaſion, nor of that thriſe diabolical powder Treaſon that was by them & their Teachers procured, wherby they ſhewed that rather they would indanger the ſtate of the whole Realme, then not ſeeke to bring their purpoſes to paſſe; of which the Romaniſts of France ſeemed to prophecy, vvhen they vvrit that the Ieſuites cared not to deſtroy a ſoule, a King, a paradice, the Church al at one blowe, Jeſuit catech. 1. 3. c. 13. &c. 18. to make way to their Spaniſh and halfe pagā deſignemēts.

Theſe and ſuch like their vnnaturall & vnchriſtian plots and purpoſes, the Petitioner had good reaſon to paſſe ouer vvith ſilence: and he maketh mention of that only, that without diſcredit he may ſpeake of, namely of ſome ſupplications, which he ſaith, they preferred both vnto our Late Gracious Queene of moſt happie memorie, and alſo to our moſt Renowned King, vvhō God in his great mercy hath giuen vnto vs. That which was deliuered (as he ſaith) to our Late Queene J never ſaw, nether (I thinke) haue hard of. But vnto the Kings moſt excellent Maieſtie that now raigneth (vvhoſe gouernment alſo the Lorde for his goodnes lengthen and proſper many yeares over vs) I haue ſeene ſundry, whether ſhould I call them Comminations or railing Libels; for ſome of them are noe other; and therfore ſupplications I cannot truely tearme them.

But whatſoeuer they are, I meane not further to deale with them, then this Petition ſhall occaſion me. Our Petitioner complaineth afterwards that they receiued no anſwere to the former ſupplications. Jf that to Queene Elizabeth, were like vnto moſt of thoſe that J haue ſeene to his Maiestie (for foure haue come to my hands) they deſerued no fauorable anſwere. It is too ſaucie a part for ſubiects to pretend humble ſuit, and yet cloſly to threaten if their deſiers be not ſatiſfied; as doth the one eſpecially of their papers, by ſetting before his Maieſties eies, the departing of the Ten tribes from Rehoboam his gouernemēt, for that his anſwere to them was otherwiſe then they vvould haue it. And howſoeuer they vvill ſeeme to profeſſe more loyaltie, then they did ſhevv: yet is it harde truſting thē of their vvord, ſeeing manie deeds done by them of that faction, haue been dangerous and troubleſome to the ſtate, how ſmoothlie ſoeuer novv they ſpeake, that they may by that meanes ſpeed.

And what good can they meane by avowing, that God approued that departing of the Ten tribes for Rehobohams denying their iuſt petitions, vnleſſe they meane to defend that Popiſh Paradox (& doe thereafter too, if they be able) which is called by Sigebertus, Sigebertꝰ in Chron. Ano Dom. 1088. Novella haereſis, a new hereſie; quòd malis Regibus nullam debeant ſubiectionem, & licet ſacramē tum fidelitatis fecerint, nullam tamē debeant fidelitatem, nec periuri dicantur, qui contra regem ſenſerint; imn ò qui regi paruerit pro excōmunicato habeatur: qui cō tra regem fecerit, à noxa iniuſtitiae & periurij abſolvatur; that is, That they owe no ſubiection or obedience to evill kings (and who are good or evill kings, muſt bee thought as it pleaſeth them to iudge) and though they haue ſworne to be faithful, yet owe they no obedience, neither are they to be called periured, if they bee againſt the king: but who ſo obeyeth the king is to be accompted for excommunicated: but who ſo is againſt him is abſolued from the fault of evill dealing or periurie.

Nether is this new haereſie, as he calleth it, an opinion of thoſe times onlie wherof he then wrot: but that hereſie is ſtil maintained in the Popiſh Church, as Ianſonius (no Enimie to Poperie, I warrāt you) telleth vs.Mercur. Gal lib. 2. Annꝰ 1589. For whē the French King Henry the third, had for ſauing his owne life (or at leaſt his Crowne as the Preiſts confeſſe) killed the Duke of Guiſe; the Divines of Pariſe in a ſolemne Convocation did conclude,Quod lib. 9. art. 4. that the ſubiects were freed from his obedience, and their oath, they might leuie mony againſt their King, conſpire, beare armour and fight. And this their diueliſh Concluſiō they ſent to Rome to get it ratified. Much like vvas this Poſition, Anthon. Collinet. li. 2. Trag. Hiſt vnto that which a Bacchelaur of diuinity maintained in Diſputation, ſome foure years before in the Colledge of Sorbone, That it was lawful for anie man, privat or otherwiſe, to depoſe or kil any kings or Princes, which were wicked, evill men, or heretickes.

Anthon. Colinet trag hiſt. li. 6. True it is, that the Senate of Pariſe refuſed to ratifie the bloudie Concluſion of the Divines of Sorbone, & required reſpit; but ſome ſeditious perſons by force took them, caſt them into priſon, choſe a new Councell. But how wel the Pope allowed thereof, maie appeare by the euent: for the king was murdered,Quod lib. 9. art. 4. (by the Ieſuites practiſes, as VVatſon the Prieſt cōfeſſeth) the Pope by a moſt blaſphemous ſpeech commended the fact, and in token of his good approbation thereof, that Beaſtlie wretch Sixtus Quintus, was not aſhamed to cōpare the Miraculouſnes of the murder, with the Incarnation and Reſurrectiō of Chriſt Ieſus, and to affirme that that Spirit guided the king-killing Frier, that guided the Prophets and Apoſtles. Ant. Colyn. trag. hiſt. li. 7. Lib. intit De iuſta abdicatione. Hē 31. Anno. 1602 Mark. 7. Reply to Parſons lib. An. to cap. 4. But what will you more? He canonized for a Saint that bloudie Beaſt, and made him the God of the Pariſians. And for farther coūtenancing of that holy murder, the Ieſuits ſet forth a diſcourſe, wherein they maintaine, that Any man might lawfullie kill a Tyrant (and ſuch muſt euerie one be reckoned whō they diſlike,) though there be neither ſentence of Church, or kingdome againſt him. Neither is this taught for good Popiſh Divinitie, in France onlie or Rome, but alſo in His dominion, who is tearmed the Catholicke king, is this worſe then heathniſh leſſon, holden for ſound and good, as your Prieſts thēſelues aſſure vs. For in Salamanca it was concluded by the Profeſsours of Divinitie in that Vniverſitie, and the Preacher in the Colledge of the Society of Ieſus at Tire, that the Catholickes in Ireland, might fauor the Earle of Tiron (when he was a Rebell and Traitour) in his warres, & that with great merit, and hope of eternall rewarde, as though they warred againſt the Turkes. And that al Catholicks ſinne mortallie, that take part with the Engliſh againſt Tyrone, and can neither bee ſaved, nor abſolved from their ſinnes by anie Prieſt, vnleſſe they repent & leaue the Engliſh. Moreouer, They are in the ſame caſe that ſhall helpe the Engliſh with anie victuals, or any ſuch like thing. Laſtly, that the moſt worthy Prince Hugh O Neale and other Catholickes of Ireland, that fight againſt the Queene, are by no cō ſtruction Rebels. I am not ignorant that the Prieſts charge the Ieſuits, with this doctrine: but the Pope hath alſo confirmed the ſame as before is ſaid, & therfore if ever opportunitie to execute the ſame would ſerue their turne,Jmport: cō ſid. p. 23. 24. what Papiſtes hands would not be bloudie? Eſpeciallie ſince they are taught that in warrs for Religion, euerie Catholicke is bound to do as the Pope directeth without regarde to his Temporall Soveraigne:Parſons Philopater. De iuſta abdicat. H. 3. Bannes in Thomam Aquin. Quod lib. 9. art. 4. and that though they may make ſhewe of obedience for a time yet as ſoone as they can get ſtrength to make a part, they may and ought put downe an Hereticall king.

To this moſt impious, deteſtable, & dangerous Hereſie theſe hūble Supplicatours (as they would be thought) ſing their Amen as I take it, in ſaying, that departing from Roboam his gouernment by the Iſraelites, was by the approbation of God as it ſeemeth. As if their departing frō their lawfull king, could be liked of God. But S. Auguſt. bringeth this among others as an example vvhereby hee will proue Gods iuſt iudgement in puniſhing ſin by ſinne, not Gods approuing the fact.De gra. &. lib. Arbit. cap. 21.

Yet theſe men that defend ſuch daungerous pointes of doctrine, in another Supplication, goe about to perſwade his Maieſtie, that they are the true & faithfull ſubiects who obey for cōſcience ſake: they (I ſaie) who are at the commaundement of him, that is a plague to all Princes; they who haue alreadie ſundrie waies tainted their credit, and ſhewed their diſobedience; not content to intreat for thē ſelus, pronoūce (as vntruly, as boldly) that Protestāts, only for moral honeſtie of life, or inſtinct of nature, or for feare of ſome ſome tēporall puniſhment, doe pretend true obedience. As if we, who are better acquainted with the duety we owe vnto the powers that are ordained of God, out of Gods Booke, by farre then they are, and denie his authority who taketh vpon him to commaunde the Mightieſt Monarches vpon earth, acknowledging our Gracious King within his Dominions, to bee Supreame Governour vnder God; can be deemed ſo vndutifull, as they that neither bee acquainted with thoſe ſacred Scriptures, & are deuoted to that Romiſh Prieſt and beleeue & acknowledge his ſupreme power to commande.

I vvil not ſpeake how leavvdly they ſeeke to diſhonour and diſgrace as much as they dare the ſacred Maieſtie of our King, and the moſt honorable Senate of ſage counſellers, in making reſemblance betwene him & Roboam, vnleſſe he yeeld to their requeſts, & betwene his Maieſties moſt vviſe Councell, and the youths, whoſe adviſe Salomons ſonne followed. Nether will I ſpeake of the multitudes or manie thouſands that they ſpeake of to be of their minde as if therby they would make his Maieſtie afraid to deny that, which ſo manie requeſt at his hands. But in charging his Maiesties meeke & merciful gouernment vvith crueltie as they doe, they ſhew themſelues to be of that crue,2. Pe. 2.10. Iude. 8. that feareth not to ſpeak evil of thē that are in dignitie, but deſpiſe gouernement. Theſe and many ſuch Reaſons maie be alleadged, whie their Supplications, might not ſeeme worthie to be anſvvered but buried rather in ſilence.

But to returne to the words of our Petitioner he ſaith that in the former ſupplication they haue proteſted, that their Recuſancy proceeded from no other ground but feare to offend God. The ground wee confeſſe to bee good, if the cauſe of feare be iuſt; otherwiſe not. And I praie you what cauſe is there of beeing affraide to offend God by comming to our ſervice? Will he be offended if he onlie be praied vnto, as in our Churches we vſe to doe? I trow not; He hath giuen vs that commā dement, he will not be angrie if we obey it.Pſal. 50.15. David calleth him a hearer of praiers; Thou hearer of praiers, Pſ. 65.2. to thee ſhall all fleſh come, which property becauſe we cannot ſaie it can belong to anie but God, wee therefore dare not pray to anie, but to him. And that which I haue ſaid of praier and & crauing of ſuch things as we ſtand in need of at Gods hands, is alſo to be vnderſtood of Giving thanks for the things we receiue.Iac. 1.17. For ſeeing Everie good gift commeth from him, wee acknowledge our ſelues beholding to him for the ſame, and thanke him for it.

We haue the Sacramēts adminiſtred according to Chriſts inſtitution, which we haue iuſtified againſt your learnedeſt diuines, & are ſtil ready to do. The reſt of our Service is nothing elſe, but that which your ſelues will confeſſe to be the Scriptures. In all this there is no ſufficient cauſe of feare, vvhy God ſhould bee offended, but rather vvell pleaſed. But indeed iuſt cauſe you haue to feare his heavy wrath, becauſe of your abominable Idolatries and Superstitions, wherby you pollute the name of God, and defile his worſhip.

The ſubſtance of their former Supplication which hee ſpeaketh of, ſtandeth vpon two Points, a Suite, and a Promis. The former is vttered thus, that the LL. Biſhops, or other of ſingular note of learning ſhould proue to their learned divines, that Romiſh Catholicks might reſort to our churches, and be preſent at the exerciſe of our Religion, it being different from that they profeſſe.

Here firſt I woulde aſke the Queſtion, why their Requeſt was, that their learned Divines ſhould haue this proued to thē? It behoueth euery one of you to bee ſatiſfied for your owne ſelues and perſwaded in your owne conſciences,2. Habac. 4. For the iuſt ſhall liue by his owne (not an other mans) faith. And you Recuſants, muſt anſwere (not your Prieſts for you) for your diſobedience to the Lawes that you ſhewe againſt God and man.Reply to the Apol. c. 6. Yea & a reply made by a Prieſt to a Libell called a breefe Apologie, ſheweth that ſundry learned men of the Popiſh Religion, haue beene of that minde, that Recuſants might come to our Churches;So did Fa. Langdole alſo. Dialog. p. 97. 98 And that Boſgraue himſelfe a Jeſuite refuſed not our Churches, but came to them. Why then is it now required that your learned Divines ſhould be taught that leſſon, which long ſince they had learned?

Jt was (ſaie the Prieſts) ſometime lawfull, but it is nowe made vnlawfull, becauſe it is a ſigne diſtinctiue, whereby a Catholicke is knowne from one who is no Catholicke. Well, then there is in our Seruice nothing that maketh it vnlawful, there is not in our Churches, to make Recuſants abſtaine from them. All the matter is, that Papiſts muſt be knowne to bee Papiſts, & their not going to the Church is this ſigne diſtinctiue, whereby they are knowne; in ſo much as the writer of the Replie,Repl. to the Libel. c. 6. in the chapter and place afore named, ſaith thus, it was ſomewhat more to be lamented perchāce (ſpeaking of Papiſts comming to church) then to be blamed, before it became to be a ſigne distinctiue. And thē he addeth, For this conſideration only, in the iudgment of the Ieſuits in their Rom. Colledge, made the going to Church, vnlawfull in England.

Thus may our Petitioner ſee that their Learned Divines agree in this point, that if it had not beene the ſigne distinctiue to know a Romiſh Catholicke from a True Chriſtian, they mighte haue come to Church. Now if I ſhould aſke of our Maſters of this new learning, where they did learne in Gods Booke, that this ſigne distinctiue is a thing ſo neceſſary, that in regard therof it is required that a Subiect ſhould breake his Princes godlie Lawes, & ſuch as commaunde preſence at ſuch Seruice, as thēſelues cannot finde anie fault withal; it would I ſuppoſe trouble both Ieſuits and Prieſts, to make a direct anſwere. For the Apoſtles of our Saviour Chriſt, though the Ceremonies were aboliſhed, and therefore the Iewes Service & Rites not to be vſed of Chriſtians; yet came into their Synagogues, and ſo could not but be preſent at their Seruice.

And yet their difference in Religion was ſuch, as that S. Paule writeth to the Galatians plainely,Gal. 5.2. If you be circumciſed, Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing; 4. Yee are aboliſhed from Chriſt, who ſoever are iuſtified by the law, yee are fallen from grace. But notwithſtanding this diverſitie of Religiō that was now betweene Iewes and Chriſtians, it was not made a ſigne diſtinctiue, whereby a Chriſtian ſhould bee knowne, that hee might not reſorte to their Synagogues. Art. 13. 13. 14 No one the cōtrarie, Paule & they who were with him, entered into the Synagogue (of the Iewes) on the Sabbath day, & ſate downe. Neither did the Iewes knowe anie ſuch ſigne diſtinctiue, 15. but after the lecture of the Law and Prophets, The Rulers of the Synagogue ſent vnto them ſaying, yee men and bretheren, if you haue any word of exhortation for the people, ſay on. Now if Chriſtiās were not thē charged, to obſtaine from Iewiſh Synagogues, where ſuch were as held a Religion that would quite depriue them of the Grace of Chriſt: I truſt our Recuſants haue noe cauſe of feare to come to our Churches, where themſelues confeſſe that in our Service is nothing but good, and godly.

Nether was there any ſigne diſtinctiue that Chriſtians were bound to vſe, wherby they ſhould be knowne from Pagans, or from Heretickes ſuch as were the Arrians & others. For this is eaſie to be gathered, in that they had at Rome their ſecret Conventicles, and ſome of Nero his Court reſorted to them, but they kept thē ſelues as much as they could vnknowne, becauſe they knewe that being detected, they ſhould be cruelly dealt withal. They therfore neuer ſo much as dreamed vpon anie ſigne distinctiue, but rather deſtered to appeare like other men, ſauing only in ſuch things, as were aginſt the true Service of God. And Catholicke and Orthodoxe Christians, in the time of the Arrians, vvere faine to hide themſelues in Caues and corners, as themſelues confeſſe, ſeeking to be vnknowne rather then knowne.

And why doe theſe Phariſes J meane Ieſuits and Priests, lay ſuch burdens vpon the Laie Recuſants, as themſelues will not touch vvith their little finger? They diſguiſe themſelues in their apparel, and vſe what meanes they can, not to be diſcouered for ſuch as they are. Whie ſhould ther not be aſwel a ſigne distinctiue of the order, as of the Profeſsion? It ſeemeth Preiſts and Ieſuits are wel content, the Lay Recuſants ſhould ſhew themſelues in the fore front, and they wil take part vvith him that ſaid Ego cro poſt principia. For hee knevv the end of the fraie, was the ſafeſt part therof.

Againe if it be lawfull for Ieſuits and Preiſtes in their Scholes to appointe what ſhalbe a Signe diſtinctiue, whie maie not rather our King & the States of the Realme in Parliament command that Papiſts ſhal come, the Men with ſhauen crownes, the woeman couered with vayles like to Nunnes, or al of them with ſome other badge or Marke into our Churches, that therby they might be knowne what they are. Wil they then come, if there may be ſuch a Signe diſtinctiue? Jt were not amiſſe they were proued whether they would or not.

And I am verilie perſwaded, that if ſuch order ſhould be taken, their Romiſh Teachers would finde out ſome other new cauſe, why they ſhould not come at our Churches. For it is not (if truth were knowen) a ſigne diſtinctiue that they ſo much regard, as a bād retētiue, wherby they may be holden in their blindnes ſtill. It is Ieroboams policie, that maketh the blind guids of our Recuſants, keep their followeres from our Churches, of whom the Scripture thus teſtifieth.1. Kings 12.26.27. And Ieroboam thought in his hart, now ſhall the kingdome returne to the houſe of David, if this people goe vp and doe ſacrifice, in the houſe of the Lorde at Ieruſalem, then ſhal the hart of this people turne againe to their Lord, even to Rehoboam king of Iudah. And therfore, as after followeth in the ſtorie, the King by adviſe of his Councel, made and ſet vp Calues at Dan, and Bethel, and got Preiſts, fit for the purpoſe, and ſo kept them frō going to Ieruſalem to worſhip there.

The Pope & Popiſh diuines knowe, that if Recuſants might haue free libertie to come to our Churches, they would ſoone growe into miſlike of their ſuperſtitious toyes, and groſſe Idolatries, howſoeuer diverſe through their intiſing wordes, are for a time holden in ignorance, and miſlik not poperie. And for that cauſe they dare not ſomuch as permit their Recuſāts to cō ferre with Proteſtants, forfeare leaſt in the end, they leauing thē, ſhould make choice of the vndoubted Truth. Reply to a li. cap. 6. For euen Conference the Preiſts hold as vnlawful, as repairing to our Churches for ought I ſee.

Thus then I reaſon, to ſatiſfie in ſome part the Requeſt of the Suppliants heare mētioned: The Popiſh divines are reſolued that comming to our Churches is not vnlawful, but only that it is now accompted a ſigne diſtinctiue, to knowe a Papiſts frō a Protestant: but other ſignes diſtinctiue may be deviſed beſids that, therfore it is not neceſſary that that ſigne ſhould be retained, and ſo by conſequent it may bee left. Nay ſeeing it is but the ſigne diſtinctiue that they ſtand vpon, and other ſignes of diſtinction may be vſed, leſſe repugnāt to our Godly lawes, and wherby Papiſts ſhal not be found, ſo diſobedient Subiects as now they are: I therfore may be bold to affirme, that if Recuſants Teachers had that loialtie to their Soueraigne, and obedient affection to the Sate, that here they doe and elſwhere they will pretend; they would teach them a new leſſon, and perſwad them, that vſing ſome other ſigne, in this they ſhould not be Rebellious againſt God and man. For the more offenſiue that they are (eſpecially to the Powers ordained of God) the more they ſinne, and the greater ſhalbe their condemnation.

Againe wheras ſignes diſtinctiue are but Accidentall and belong not to the very Subſtance of our Religion, as in this point in queſtion is plaine, ſeeing that it is by learned diuines amōg Papiſts reſolued that once Papiſts might lawfullie haue come to our Churches, vntil ſōe mē made their not coming, a ſigne to knowe a Papiſt by, I may therof thus reaſon; No externall ſigne or obſeruation muſt make vs leaue neceſſarie duties, that belong to the Subſtance of our obedience, but the ſigne diſtinctiue, is ſuch an externall obſeruation, therfore for it we muſt not leaue ſuch neceſſarie duties, as belonge to the ſubſtance of our obedience: and by conſequēt the Kings Maieſties Lawes are not for it to be broken.

The firſt two Arguments are ſo gathered out of the verie words of the Preiſts & Ieſuits, and ſo grounded vpon good reaſō agreeable to the word that I hope I need not proue them. In this Third Argument, the Maior is confirmed by that which God commanded Samuel to ſay to Saul, when he had broken Gods commandement,1 Sam. 15.22. in ſparing Agag King of Ameleck and ſome of the beſt of their cattle, to obey is better then Sacrifice, and to harken, is better then the fatt of Rammes. I deſired mercy & not Sacrifice, ſaith God by his Prophet Hoſea & the knowledg of God, Hoſ. 6.6. is more then burnt offerings. If that externall ſervice that God commaunded, be not regarded in reſpect of obedience: what ſhall we thē ſaie of this ſigne diſtinctiue, which ſome Politicke heade of a Popiſh Ieſuit, hath found out?

Now the Minor Propoſition, which is that Recuſants not cōming to our Churches is ſuch an external obſervatiō, wherby their fellowes maie know them to bee Papiſtes, that which I haue alleadged out of the Reply to the Libel, teacheth vs to be true, and for that cauſe they call it a ſigne diſtinctiue.

Againe; The hearing of the Word, & Receiving of the Sacraments, is not to be omitted for any ſigne diſtinctiue, as the Example of Chriſt himſelfe and his Apoſtles, who entred into the Ievviſh Synagogues, though they were Enemies to the doctrine that Chriſt & his Apoſtles taught, maie ſufficiently confirme vnto vs. And yet our Aduerſaries neither cā nor do ſay, that our doctrine, eſpecially in our Booke of Common Praier, is more faultie then theirs was: nay they cōfeſſe therin no fault to bee found: therefore much better may Papiſts reſort to our Churche, without in curring any danger of deadlie ſinne. For what deadly ſinne can be ſo much as ſuſpected to be, in comming to the Churches where there is firſt, Confeſſion of our ſinnes, Prayer vnto God for forgiuenes & other his Graces, Thankes giuing for his benefits, Hearing of the word of God, Receiuing of the Sacraments, and ſuch like Godly excerſcies?

But for the better ſatiſfaction of the Petitioner his demaund, I would haue the Learned diuines of the Popiſh Sect, to anſwere the Reaſons that M. Bell a Papiſt, alleadged in a certaine diſcourſe, wherin he defendeth it to be lawful for Recuſants to reſort to the exerciſes of our Religion ſo it be with proteſtation. By which reaſōs it ſeemed the Ieſuits were perſwaded to ſet downe their Reſolution before mentioned, that onlie (marke only) the conſideration of this ſigne distinctiue, made Recuſants cōming to Church in England, vnlawfull. And becauſe the Reply to the Libell ſeemeth to bee of that minde too, as I haue ſhewed, therefore having ſpoken ſomewhat to that, I thinke it needleſſe to goe through the nine Reaſons that Howlet bringeth,Martin of Schiſme. or the nineteenth that Greg. Martin hath, wherby they would proue their comming to our Churches vnlawfull partly becauſe in ſo ſhort a diſcourſe as this is, it cannot bee perfourmed, but chieflie becauſe it ſeemeth that the matter being better examined, that ſigne of diſtinction is in their opinions the onlie let. But that being but a deviſe of Man to haue ſuch difference, is not ſufficient to diſcharge anie Subiect of their Obedience to their Soveraigne and his Lawes commanded by God.

Now ſomewhat having beene ſpoken concerning their Petition to anſwere it: their promiſe was, to haue beene more ready and willing to haue performed (ſaid the Suppliants) their deſires therein, that is, in cōming to our churches. Which promis how eaſily it may bee perfourmed out of that which hath bin ſaid, may be gathred. For we call thē not to Idolatrous ſervice, or anie ſuperſtitious or will-worſhip: we know to come to ſuch, it is vtterly vnlawful. We wil them not to heare a tongue that they know not, a language that they vnderſtād not, as in Popiſh Churches they doe. But they are by Law commaunded, and therefore in things ſo lawful and honeſt, their obedience is of dutie required, they are commanded (I ſaie) to come to Churches, where God onlie is ſerued, & to hear his word in ſuch a tongue, as they that will heare may alſo learne ſuch dueties, as God requireth of them. The Petitioner thus goeth forward.

And for that vvee received none anſwere to either of the ſaid petitions, the defect whereof as we are in charitie to thinke, proceeded in regarde of the LL. Biſhops then being, nor your LL. were not made acquainted therewith: vve now deemed it very behoofefull, yea neceſſarie for vs, to tender and proſtrate the ſame offer to your LL. most humblie beſeeching your Honours, that wee may receiue ſome ſatiſfying anſwere therein, from your LL.

The Petitioner not finding the former Supplications to haue that effect that Recuſants deſired, now tendereth this Petition eſpeciallie vnto ſuch as are of chiefe place, & beſt accompt among the Cleargie in the Church of England. And as he doth charitably interpret, the not receiving anſwere of the former Requeſts: ſo doth he alſo in my iudgment demand but that which is reaſonable in his Suit, if it were not that hee requireth a ſatiſfying anſwere, in that matter, that hath beene ſpoken to ſo oft, & ſo fully, that it is much to be doubted, that they who cannot bee ſatiſfied with that which hath alreadie beene ſet downe, wil not thinke anie anſwere a fit ſatiſfaction to their demands. But yet becauſe they aſſure vs of their yeelding to our deſires, which is in effect nothing els, but that they would bee intreated to be reconciled vnto God, as Paule writeth to the Corinthiās, 2 Cor. 5.10 for wee ſeeke not theirs, but them: therfore wil J indevor to performe what they requeſt. And thus it followeth.

Aſsuring you, that if it may be proved in manner as is before mentioned, that we may goe to any ſuch Church without committing deadly ſinne; or that which wee doe nowe profeſse, is not the ſame which we receiued frō our forefathers, & that which they received frō theirs ſucceſsiuelie, ever ſince the converſiō of this countrie to Chriſtianitie, that wee will then bee readie to ſatiſfie your deſires therein.

The third part.Wee are nowe come to that which in the beginning I ſaid, was the third & laſt part of this Petition which is the Requeſt it ſelfe. But this hath ſundrie branches. For firſt the demand is vttered by way of condition, with promiſe of performing our deſires, if the Requeſt be accompliſhed. But vpon a ſecret ſuppoſall, that it cā not be done that is required, they woulde hope not to be proſecuted by Eccleſiaſticall Cenſures, but rather that our BB. ſhoulde bee meanes to His Maieſtie for them, or elſe they aſſure vs it will much incourage their followers as in that which followeth in the Petition, they profeſſe.

Now then to come to the Conditions here firſt propoſed; they are two. The firſt is this: If (ſay they) it may be proued in manner as is before mentioned, that we may goe to any ſuch Church, without committing deadly ſinne: Concerning this their condition I ſuppoſe I haue already ſpoken ſufficiently, conſidering that the Reply to the Libell called a breife Apologie, written by a Preiſt, very latelie (for it was printed Anꝰ. 1063.) ſaith in plaine words (as before I haue alleadged) that Catholicks cō ming to Church was ſōwhat more to be lamented perchance, Reply. c. 6. then to be blamed before it was a ſigne diſtinctiue. Now that it is not needfull that there ſhould be any ſuch diſtinction, or if any ſhould be, yet that anie other rather then this may ſerue that turne, yea that this being ſo offenſiue as it is, may not be vſed, J haue already touched al theſe points.

To be ſhort Bells diſcourſe, and the Ieſuits determinatiō tend al to that end too. So that this point J will ſhut vp with this one Argument. That which is agreed vpon to be lawfull, by conſent of their Learned Diuines on their ſide, ſauing in reſpect of a thing that may eaſily, yea muſt neceſſarily be altered, they maie doe without committing deadlie ſinne: Bur Recuſants comming to Church is ſuch as is lawfull, but ōly in reſpect of that diſtinctiō which they ſuppoſe ſhould by this meanes appeare, which maie and muſt be altered: therfore their comming to our Churches maie wel be vvithout deadlie ſinne. The Maior cannot be denied; But for the better vnderſtanding of the Minor propoſition, it muſt be ſomwhat vnfolded.

The diſtinctiue ſigne that is hetherto ſpoken of, is ether to be taken, in reſpect of Recuſants themſelues, as that one of them may by it knowe another, in which ſence J haue hitherto ſpoken of it: And after this taking of a diſtinctiue ſigne, my Minor is ſufficiently proued before, in that ſuch ſignes are not needfull, nether haue beene vſed in the time of Chriſt, & his Apoſtles, yea they are manie waies offenſiue, & for that cauſe to be aboliſhed. Or elſe, the diſtinctiue ſigne is to bee vnderſtood, as that we therby knowe thē to be Romiſh Catholicks. If in this ſence they ſpeake of a diſtinctiue ſigne, then J giue them to vnderſtand, that this ſigne we truſt not. For the Preiſts tell vs in the Reply to a breife Apologie, Reply. cap. 17. & 18. that the Ieſuits taught that leſſon in Scotland (wee doubt not alſo but in England too) that a man might lock vp his conſcience, after he had hard maſſe, and then goe to the Proteſtants Churches, which we ſuppoſe too manie doe beleiue and practiſe; wherof alſo commeth that name of Church Papiſts. Therfore cōming to our Churches, is not a ſigne wherby wee eſteeme them that ſoe doe, to be Recuſants. Since therfore by that ſigne wee doe not knowe al Papiſts; no, nether yet Papiſts only abſtaine from our Churches, but ſundry others alſo, who haue as little agreement with Papiſts, as Papiſts haue with the Truth that is not a true ſigne diſtinctiue betwene Romiſh Catholicks, and profeſſours of the Goſpel, whervpon your Learned diuines conclude, your going to our churches not to be vnlawful or vngodly.

What is performed for the firſt condition let the indifferent Reader iudge. The ſecond followeth: Or (if it be proued that) that which we now profeſſe, (ſaith he) is not the ſame which we Receiued from our forefathers, and that which they receiued from theirs ſucceſsiuely, euer ſince the converſiō of this countrie to Chriſtianitie &c. Cōcerning the Argumēt wherby the Petitioner ſuppoſeth he cōmēdeth their Religion, becauſe they receiued it from their forefathers, I haue before ſpokē ſufficiētly. But here he goeth ſomewhat further, challenging this doctrine that nowe they haue in the Romiſh Church, to haue continued and come to them ſucceſſiuely, from the firſt converſiō of this Country to Chriſtianity: or as the former Petition to his Maieſtie ſaith, from the Converſion of Donaldus, which was king of the Scotts, and became a Chriſtian about the yeare of Chriſt 203.

And hath the Romiſh Religion that now is, wherein we diſſent from them ſo great Antiquitie, as frō the firſt time that England receiued Chriſtianitie? No; neither yet from the time of Donaldus, who came to the knowledge of Chriſt, more then a hundred yeares after this parte of this Ile of Brittaine did. For though many of our Chronicles, report, Lucius, who raigned over vs about the yeare of our Lord, 156. firſt to haue receiued Christianitie into this Iland: Caeſ. Bar. 0. 1. p. 286. yet Barronius (whom I hope our Petitioner will truſt,) telleth vs that Ioſeph of Aramathia who begged the Bodie of Chriſt & buried it, came hither out of France, and planted the Goſpel, being ſent by Philip the Apoſtle, Patricij Hib epiſt. Caeſ. Baro. tom. 1. p. 286. Doroth. Synopſ. of whoſe plā ting the Goſpell about Glaſcenburie, there are manie teſtimonies approued by Papiſts themſelues.

Yea there are that affirme, that Simon Zelotes came hether, and here was crucified; and that Ariſtobulus of whom St. Paul to the Romanes maketh mentiō,Niceph. Theod. Soph. was Epiſcopus Britanniae factus, made Biſhop of Britaine. Yea there be alſo, & they verie ancient, that write that Peter & Paule preached here; ſo that it cannot be doubted of, but our Converſion vnto Chriſtianitie, was in the time of the Apoſtles thē ſelues. And hath Romiſh Religion continued from them ſucceſſiuely? Jt will not proue ſo.

To goe through al the doctrine which they profeſſe, were a matter of greater labour then is requiſite; & yet becauſe the Petitioner ſo faithfullie doeth aſſure vs, that if ether the one, or the other of theſe maie be proued by vs, they wil bee ready to yeeld to our deſire in comming to the Church; as I haue alreadie aſſaide to doe the one of the thinges they require: ſo doubt I nothing, but that I ſhall ſatiſfie the other part of their demande, and ſo binde them as by a double bond, to doe as they promiſe. And that the matter may be more plaine, evē vnto the meaneſt of that ſort, I purpoſe only to ſpeak of thoſe pointes, which are chieflie required of them.

And firſt of the verie props that Poperie ſtandeth on, and the feete whereby it creepeth forward: that is, the Supremacie, and Traditions. It is a doctrine which Popiſh Catholicks do hold moſt firmely, that the Biſhop of Rome is ſupreame head of the Church: yea if we will giue any credit to Boniface the eighth Pope of that name,Extra. de Maior & obedient. vnā It is neceſsarie to ſalvation to beleeue, that everie creature is ſubiect to the Biſhop of Rome. But how will it bee proued, that they, or any of them that planted Chriſtianitie in this Realme, taught anie ſuch thing, that it might come from them ſucceſſiuelie? It is certaine the Apostles knewe no ſuch Supremacie belonging to Peter. For if they had, it being ſo neceſſarie to ſaluation, as Pope Good-face telleth vs, they had beene vnfaithful Stewards in not deliuering that doctrine: yea by their doings they teach vs there vvas no ſuch thing. For the Apostles hearing that Samaria had receiued the VVord of God, being careful to haue thē confirmed therein,Act. 8.14. ſent vnto them Peter & Iohn. If he had knowne himſelfe to haue beene ſupreame head ouer them, he would haue directed them, they ſhould not haue appointed him to goe.

And did not Paul withſtand him to his face, Gal. 2.11. becauſe he was to be blamed? It would be thought a ſawcie part for anie body to do ſo to the Pope now. But let any mā look with an indifferent eie throughout the whole New Teſtament, and he ſhal neuer finde anie ſuch Authoritie granted vnto Peter, from whom they would perſwade the world that they haue this ſupremacy. I know there are ſome places wreſted to ſerue that turne, which alſo are ſo fullie anſwered in ſundrie learned bookes, that all the Papists in the world, will neuer be able out of them to proue, the Romiſh Vicar to be Supreame Head of the Church. I therefore will but point vnto that, which the Fathers of the purer Age of the Church thought hereof, wherby we maie truely gather, whether they thought this ſuperiority of the Pope, to haue any good ground in Gods book or not. Howſoeuer Cardinall Bellarmine, more boldlie then truelie doth pronounce,De Rom. Pontif. lib. 1. cap 10. Eſt revera non ſimplex error, ſed pernitioſa haereſis, negare B. Petri primatum a Chriſto inſtitutum: It is (ſaith the Cardinall) in deed no ſimple errour, but a pernitious hereſie, to deny that the Supremacie of S. Peter, was inſtituted by Chriſt.

Was then the 6.Conc. Carth 6. capit. 6. Councell of Carthage an Hereticall Councell, or did they holde a pernicious hereſie, whē they decreed that the Biſhops of Alexandria, and Antioch, ſhould haue their proper priuiledges reſerued to them, as well as the Biſhop of Rome had his? Fauſtinus, & others whom Boniface 1. ſent thither for him, did what they coulde by alleadging falſe Canons of the Councell of Nice, to haue reſerued a ſuperioritie to Rome, but they coulde not preuaile. Neither coulde the Popes beſt friends then ſaie, that either Chriſt had giuen him ſuch preeminence, or the Apoſtles had taught it, but onlie they alleadged a falſe Canon of the Councell, to haue deceiued the world withall, as the ſtory of that Councell ſheweth.

Preamb. Concil. Chal.And when Valentinian the Emperour, and Placidia alſo & Endoxia Empereſſes, wrote to Theodoſius that a Councell might be aſſembled within Italie, being moued thereto by Leo himſelfe (then Biſhop of Rome) as is there confeſſed; and they were diſpoſed to ſpeak as much as they could, for credit of that See, yet all they could write was, that to him principatum Sacerdotij ſuper omnes, antiquitas contulit. Antiquitie beſtowed vpon the Biſhop of Rome, to be chiefe over Priests. They therefore intreated, vt locum habeat & facultatem, de fide & Sacerdotibus iudicare: that hee might haue place and power, to iudge of the faith, and of Prieſts. A verie vnequall requeſt, made as it ſeemeth by the inſtigation of Leo himſelfe, perchance pretending the errors that were in manie of the Eaſterne Churches, and the ſoundneſſe which yet the Rom. Church retained, as partlie alſo appeareth he did.

But the Councell of Chalcedon vvhich was the fourth Generall Councel, ſmelling out the purpoſe of Leo as it ſeemeth, did plainelie decree that the Archbiſh. of Cō ſtātinople ſhould haue as good priviledge as had the Biſhop of Rome. Concil. Chalced. Act. 16. And doe Paſchaſinus the Popes Legate what he could, by alleadging again, a falſe Canon of the Nicene Councell, Quòd Eccleſia Romana ſemper habuit primatum, that the Church of Rome, hath alwaies had the ſupremacie, (ſo you ſee, forgerie & falſe dealing hath bin an old practiſe of the Romiſh Church) yet the Councell would needes ſo decree, crying with one conſent, Haec iusta ſententia, haec omnes dicimus, haec omnibus placent, haec omnes dicimus, hoc iustum decretum, Quae conſtituta ſunt valeant: It is a iuſt ſentence, we all ſaie thus; we are all pleaſed with this: we all ſay thus. It is a good decree, As it is ſaid, ſo let it ſtande. And thus is it plaine enough, that ſince nether Fauſtinus and they who were ioined with him as Legates in the Coūcel of Carthage; neither Paſchaſinus and his Aſſociates in the Councel of Chalcedon, neither the Emperour & Empereſses in their Epiſtle, written at Leo his owne Requeſt, and by likelyhoode vpon his Information; neither laſtlie the 630. Biſhops in that Councell aſſembled, could once alleadge any Scripture for the Popes Superioritie, but that the Councell decreed againſt the ſame; it is (I ſaie) manifeſt, that for 455. yeares after Chriſt, the Scriptures which nowe they wring to prooue the ſame, were not ſuppoſed to avowe the Popes Supremacie.

So that Succeſsion of this Doctrine wil never be brought frō the time of the Converſion of this Land to Chriſtianitie: no there was no ſuch doctrine for many hū dreds of yeares after Chriſt. But in deede the firſt ground of that doctrine muſt be ſoughte for, in the time of Phocas that Cruell Murderer, who (as before I ſaide) becauſe by ſo euill meanes hee came to the Empire, that hee might with more approbation keepe his place, he was content to gratifie Boniface Biſhop of Rome, with an vnwonted, but not vndeſired honour: Magnâ contentione (ſaith Platina) obtinuit à Phoca, Plat. in Bonifac. 3. vt haberetur & diceretur ab omnibus, Romana Eccleſia, caput omnium Eccleſiarum. Palmerius. An addition vnto Euſebius his Cronicle ſaith, Id conſentient Phoca inſtitutum eſse: that with much a doe (as ſaith Platina) Boniface the third obtained of Phocas, that the Church of Rome, ſhould be accompted and called, the head of all Churches, and as Palmerius in his Addition ſaith, Phocas was cōtent that ſhould be ordained. And another ſtorie ſaith that Phocas firſt obtaiēd, Benevenuti. Auguſtal. in Phoca. (marke firſt obtained) this title to the Church of Rome.

So that now, ſomewhat more thē 600 yeares after Christ began the Claime to this Title to be ſomewhat worth, if the vniuſt honor, giuē by a bloudy Vſurper of the Empire, may make a good claime. But notwithſtāding all that Phocas his decree could prevaile, the Biſhops of Conſtantinople, and the Patriarches alſo of Ravenna and ſundrie others, yea all the Greeke church held out, nether wold acknowledg anie ſuch Supremacie in the Pope, though it coſt ſome of them ful deare,Pla. in Leo 2 & namely the Patriarche of Ravenna. In the ende commeth Boniface 8. in honeſtie much like the firſt foūder of the Papacie, Extra de Maior. & obed. vnam ſanctam. Phocas, and he laieth the ſecond ſtone of this foū dation, making it as before you hard, a matter neceſſarie to ſalvation to beleeue this ſo euill a proued Article.

And yet for al this the Church of Rome thought their ambitious Title not well grounded, nether that men would for all Pope Boniface his decree, that came almoſt 1300. yeares after Chriſt, beleeue the Pope to be ſuch a one: therfore in the Councel of Florence about ſome 8. or. 9. ſcore yeares ſince, they got it and ſome other ſuch ſubſtantiall and ſoūd pieces of doctrine,Bartho. Garranza ſūma concil. ratified and confirmed, in theſe words, Definimus ſanctam Apoſtolicam ſedem, & Romanum pontificem, in vniverſum orbem tenere primatum. Thus nowe ſome 1400. yeares after our Converſion to Chriſtianity, is this principall point of doctrine in the Romiſh Church, come to that honour, to be accompted a doctrine to be beleeued, For vntil the Councell had decreed it, it might not properly haue that credit. I truſt then, it appeareth to anie indifferent iudgmēt, that this first doctrine which our Recuſants hold, wanteth at the leaſt 1400. yeares, of the conſent of the Romiſh Church it ſelfe, of that ſucceſſion which our Recuſants imagine it hath.

The other Propp of the Romiſh Church, is the doctrine of Traditions, which that wicked conventicle at Trent, Concil. Trident Seſs. 4 decret. de Script. canō. is not aſhā ed to make equal to the vndoubted worde of God, Traditiones ipſas, tum ad fidem, tū admores pertinentes tanquā vel ore tenùs a Chriſto, vel a ſpiritu ſancto dictatas, & cō tinuâ ſucceſſione in Eccleſia Catholica ſeruatas, pari pietatis affectu ac reverentia ſuſcipit & veneratur. This councel ſay they with like honour and affection, doth receiue and reverence euen the Traditions aſwell belonging to faith, as to manners, as if they had beene pronounced from Chriſts owne mouth, or from the holy Ghoſt. A decree ſubiect to that reprofe of our Sauivour Chriſt, why doe ye tranſgreſse the cō mandement of God, Mat. 15.3. by your traditions? For in verie manie things, doth the Church of Rome expreſlie againſt Gods written word, vnder colour of thoſe vnwritten verities, as they falſlie tearme them, as anone I truſt it ſhall appeare by the indifferent Reader.

But here my purpoſe is only to examine whether Traditions be a fit Touchſtone to try our doctrines by, and eſpeciallie, whether we haue receiued this Rule or Trial of our Religion, ſucceſſiuely frō the Apostels or not? But the matter is plaine, though the Apoſtle ſometime nāeeth Traditions, yet hath he noe meaning to deliuer vs anie Article of faith, or leſſon belonging to our ſaluation, but onlie ſuch as are contained in the writtē word. For this cauſe the Apoſtle to Timothy calleth it depoſitum more then once,1 Tim. 6. •• . that is, a thing committed, and already deliuered, that we ſhould not looke daielie for newe Tradition therof. And St. Iude ſpeaketh therof much to the purpoſe, exhorting thus ſtriue earneſtly for the ſaith once deliuered to the Saints, Iude. 3. meaning that our Religiō is not like vnto mens lawes, which muſt alwaies, as incōveniēces are eſpied, be reformed: but once it is deliuered, and that which already we haue receiued, we muſt not change.

Keepe (ſaith S. Paul) the true patterne of the wholſome words, 2. Tm. 1.13. which thou haſt hard of me. So that we ſee they had a Patterne from which they might not ſwarue. And neceſſarie it was ſo to be, that they might the better obſerue the Exhortatiō of the ſame Apostle elſwhere, who would not haue vs henceforth any more as Children caried about, Eph. 4.14. and wauering with every winde of doctrine, which in noe wiſe cā be avoided, if Traditions ſhould be the Touchſtone. But as in the matter of Supremacie, ſo in this alſo let vs ſee what the Fathers did when any queſtion of Religion was to be deſcuſſed. For therby ſhal it appeare vnto vs, whether they iudge the Scriptures or Traditiōs, the fitteſt meane to trie our Religion by. Nether doe I purpoſe here to trouble the Reader with infinite numbers of Sentēces, which might be gathered out of the Fathers touching this point. For there is not anie thinge ſo common in them, as Teach this out of the Goſpels and the writings of the Apoſtles; or proue this out of the law, the Prophets, and the Euangeliſts and Apoſtels writings. J ſaie nothing more common in ſundry of them, then theſe or ſuch like ſentences.

I therfore purpoſe but to point to ſōe generall thinges which in their practiſe for this matter may be obſerued, whervpon maie be inferred, that the Fathers did not ſo vnderſtand that which in the writtings of the Apoſtles may be read of keeping that which they haue deliuered, as if it were meant of any ſecret doctrines, or other leſſons then are ſet downe in writing. For by Scriptures eſpecially did they diſproue hereſies,Auguſt. in Apoc. Hom. 10. as all ſtories plainelie teach. Occiduntur haereſes per Catholicos (ſaith S. Auguſtine) cum in ſcripturarum testimonijs opprimuntur. Hereſies are killed by Catholicks, when they are ouerlaied with teſtimonies of Scriptures. Theodoret hiſt. li. 1. cap 8. And Theodoret in one Chap. recordeth twice, howe Euſeb. of Nicomedia and other Arrians were by the Scriptures confuted. But this is in the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories and writings of the Fathers, ſo plaine & commō, that it is needleſſe to bring many proofes therof. I wil therfore conclude with that notable Teſtimonie of S. Auguſtine: Aug. in epi. Joh. tract. 2 contra inſidioſos errores, Dominus voluit ponerefundamentū in Scripturis: The Lorde woulde lay in the Scriptures a foundation or ground worke, againſt deceitfull errours.

But as in priuate writings, Hereſies were by Scriptures, not by Traditions beſides the Scriptures, confuted: ſo in Coūcels too. Jn the Councel of Nice, Theodoret. li. 1. cap. 7. ther was a charge giuen by Conſtantine the Great and good Emperour, that they ſhould determine & debate ſuch matters, as ſhould be in controuerſie among them, literarum diuinitùs inſpiratarum teſtimonijs: by the teſtimonie of Scriptures giuen by inſpiration; which he immediatly before called the Bookes of the Evangeliſts, Apoſtles, and Prophets. S. Auguſtine being deſierous that a good end ſhould be made, and a quiet order taken, between the Catholicks and the Donatiſts, writeth to a Biſhop of their Sect called Fortunius, requiring that ſome peaceable courſe maie be thought vpon, and ſome indifferent place apointed,Auguſt. epiſt 63. where they may haue a councel or conference but with this condition, Faciamus Codices Canonicos praeſto eſſe, let vs take order that the bookes of Canonical Scriptures be there ready, much like is that which is reported of Meletius, Samb. Concil. Conſtātinop. per Cralb. between whom & Pauling there was ſome queſtion, In ſede ponatur ſacrum Evangelium, et nos ex vtra que parte ſedeamus: let the holy goſpel be laied vpon the ſeate, and let vs fit on ether ſide.

Theſe things I haue breiflie touched, which ſundry others haue fully & largly handled, that Recuſants may ſee, that the Fathers of the purer time, did not ſo vnderſtand theſe words of the Apoſtle, or anie ſuch like, The, 2.15 Stand faſt, and keep the inſtructions or traditiōs, which you haue bin taught ether by word or by our Epiſtle; as if he deliuered one thinge by writing and another by worde of mouth: For they acknowledge no other Rule of faith or Religion, thē that which in the writtē worde is contained, and therfore doe they ſo cō monlie vrge the Heretickes, to ſhew that they teach out of the writings of the Prophets, Evangeliſts, and Apostles: Therby declaring, that the written word (for that onlie is to be ſaid that it maie be ſhewed wheras words not written are not ſeene but hard) maie be Iudge in matters of Religion. And therfore S. Auguſtine calleth This word the waigh-ſcales of Truth verie aptlie, as alſo the Scriptures are even for this cauſe called Canonicall, becauſe they are the Canō or Rule according to which our life and Faith muſt be framed.Auguſt de bapt. contra Donat. lib. 2 cap. 6. Adferamus (ſaith he) ſtateram canonicam de ſcripturis ſāctis tāquā de the ſauris dominicis, & in illis quid ſit grauius appēdamus, imò non appendam us, ſed a domino appēſa recognoſcamus. Let vs bringe the Canonicall waigh ſcale out of holy Scripture, as out of the Lords treaſure &, let vs waighin thē what beareth waight: or rather let not vs waigh them, but acknowledge that, which the Lord hath waighed.

Jn preſcript aduerſ. Haeret.Indeed Tertullian maketh mention of certaine Heretickes that ſaide that Christ and the Apoſtles deliuered not al their doctrine openlie, but ſome in ſecret, iuſt as now our Papiſts doe, but they haue that note of Heretickes for their labour, & are written againſt both by him, and Irenei alſo,Iren lib. 1. c. 24. Jrē. li. 3. c. 2. who was before him. And Irenei chargeth the Carpocratians with that Hereſie, and the Valentinians too. So that though the Fathers did not ſo vnderſtand thoſe words, keepe the Traditions, &c. as doe the Papiſts; yet you ſee, who did vnderſtande them ſo, of whom I truſt you wil be aſhamed to be accompted followers, ſeeing that you ſeeme by your Petition ſo deſirous to bee ſatiſfied for ſuch points. It appeareth by that which I haue ſaid, that not Traditions, but onlie the written word, muſt both decide al controverſies in Religion, and alſo be the groūd, wherevpon they muſt be built.

Now that I may yeelde ſome Reaſon of that which before I ſaid, that the Perſuaſion they haue of the Popes Supremacy, and this their doctrine, that Traditions are of equall Authority with the vvritten word of God, are the verie props that vphold Popiſh Religion; you muſt confide, that when Fathers yea & Scriptures too, are ſo plaine againſt them, that they can in no wiſe wreſt them to ſerue their turn, neither haue anie reaſonable colour of Anſwere, to ſuch Arguments as out of them are framed againſt Popery: then do they either flie to the Popes Authoritie & Priviledge, to allow and Interpret whatſoeuer is written; or to this orher ſhift of Traditiōs, wherby they would perſwade, that they haue it from the Apostles, and ſo they bring ſome ſhew of Truth, to that which is otherwiſe, & indeed, moſt falſe.

To ſtād vpō euery particular doctrine which is in the Church of Rome receiued, it were too tedious: Yet needfull it is that Recuſants ſhould be ſatiſfied in this their Reaſonable Requeſt, whether the Religiō that they profeſſe, haue beene from the Converſion of this Land or not. For performance hereof, let them aſke of their learned Divines, VVhitak. cō crov 1 queſt . c. 5. whether Maſter VVhitaker hath trulie reported, out of the writings of Peter a Soto a Papiſt of no ſmall reckoning, Caniſius, Lindan, and Pereſius, al great vpholders of the Popiſh Religion, of ſuch doctrines, as themſelues acknowledge, they receiue from Tradition. For if he haue written truelie (as indeed hee hath) thē the learnedst Divines that haue beene of the Papiſtes in our age, whoſe Bookes the Prieſts or Ieſuits now are not worthie to carrie, do confeſſe that which now our Recuſants profeſſe, almoſt in everie point, is grounded not vpon Gods word, but vpon Traditions, yea and ſome of them late too: and therefore not that faith, which was at the firſt converſion of this Countrie.

Pet. Soto cō tra. Brentiū.Out of Peter a Soto he reckoneth theſe The offering of the ſacrifice of the Altar, Invocation of Saints, praier for the dead, The ſupremacie of the Biſhop of Rome, hallowing of water in baptiſme; The whole Sacrament of Confirmation, Order, Matrimonie, pennance, annoyling, merit of workes, neceſsitie of ſatiſfaction, numbering of our ſinnes to the Priest. Out of Caniſius he reckoneth theſe,Caniſ. catechiſ. cap. 5. Lind. pan . pl. li. 4. c. 10. worſhip of Images, certaine times of fasting, lent, all that is in the Maſſe, praier and offering for the dead. Out of Lindane, that Peter was at Rome, and his ſupremacy, Tabul. 6. yea and the ſeaven Sacraments too, are (ſaith hee) by tradition, conſecration of oile and water in baptiſme, reall preſence, Communiō in one kinde, that the Euchariſt is a ſacrifice, that it muſt bee kept and worſhipped, private Maſſe, Confeſsion of ſinnes, ſatiſfaction, Indulgencies, Purgatory; Pereſ. par And Pereſius addeth, that ſingle life of Prieſtes, is by Tradition. So that, if theſe Learned Divines of the Papiſts ſay true, our Recuſants may eaſilie vnderſtand, that all their Religion is built, not vpon the Rocke of Truth, but vpon the Quick-ſand, of Mens Traditiōs and Inventions.

Yea and Canus, who may wel be reckoned among the learnedſt Divines, Canus de trad. Aposto li. 3. ca. 3. Fū dament. 2. that Papiſts haue had in our times and our Fathers daies too, confeſſeth Tranſubſtantiation, Fundamen 3 not to bee taught in Scriptures plainely: yea Invocation of Martyrs for helpe, celebrating of their memories, worſhipping of Images, In the ſacrifice of the Euchariſt, that the Priests muſt make and receiue with the body the bloud alſo, that the Sacrament of Confirmation & Orders are not to be reiterated; theſe things (ſaith he) and manie ſuch like, are neither plainly, nor cloſely contained in Holy writ. But what ſtand I vpon this? Fiſher ſometime Biſhop of Rocheſter, well knowne to the Recuſants of our time, and accounted a learned Divine in his time: granteth that Purgatory and Indulgences, Aſsert. Luther. confut. Artic. 18. are but of late found out.

Now therfore I ſuppoſe our Recuſants Requeſt is ſatiſfied. Jt is plainely ſhewed, that wheras this our Realme was brought to the knowledge of the truth in the daies of the Apoſtles, if not by the Apoſtles thē ſelues: yet all that ever the Church of Rome holdeth, is of Tradition, & not out of the word of God: yea and for ſundrie points thereof very late too, as out of Fiſher I haue ſhewed for Purgatorie & Pardons, as for the number of 7. Sacraments, the Supremacie, yea and Purgatorie, they had their approbation but in the Florentine Councell, almoſt in our Fathers daies. But for thoſe other, that are fathered vpō the Apoſtles, as manie of the reſt of the Popiſh opinions are: it is plaine enough that the Ancient Fathers in the Primitiue and purer Age of the Church, neuer acknowledged anie ſuch for materiall points of Religion, which muſt of neceſſitie be beleeued, neither would receiue any thing, but out of the written word.

Yet I graunt they vſe alſo often the name of Tradition; ſomtimes therby ſignifying, that which in the Scriptures is written for our learning and inſtruction, not mens Traditions or deviſes: And in this ſenſe it is commonlie vſed by Irenei and others:Irē, li. 3. c. 1 as when he ſaith, ab Apoſtolis traditum eſt veritatis Evangeliū, the Goſpell of truth is delivered from the Apoſtles. Now the Goſpel we know to bee written. Yea three times in one chap. he vſeth this word tradiderunt, Lib. 3. cap. 1 they delivered (from whence commeth the worde Tradition) ſpeaking of the writing of Gods worde. Somtime alſo they vſe it in the ſēſe wherin it is now moſt common, for vnwritten doctrines. This I note, that ſuch as wittingly would not be deceiued, may know that not everie place wherein anie of the Ancient Fathers name Tradition, muſt make for the Traditiōs, for which the Romiſh Church ſtriueth ſo earneſtlie, & of which they make ſo great reckoning.

But for the Recuſants ſake, thus I reaſon: whatſoeuer doctrine was not taught and proued out of the written word, the Fathers for 4. or 5. hundred yeeres after Christ, did not receiue as the doctrine of the Church: But the doctrine the Recuſāts now profeſſe, (as out of their learned Divines before is ſhewed,) is not prooved out of the Scriptures: therefore the Fathers for 4. or 5. hūdred yeers after Chriſt did not allow it to be the doctrine of the Church; & ſo it followeth that their forefathers ſucceſſiuelie from the Converſion of this land, that is, from the Apostles times, haue not beene taughte that doctrine.

Wee nowe looke for performance of promiſe, whereby you haue aſſured vs, that either of the Conditions beeing performed, as I truſt both are: you wilbe readie to ſatiſfie our deſires in comming to Church. We would haue ſome hope that you would be as good as your word, but that your Blinde-guides, haue grauen (I thinke) with a pen of ſteele in your harts, a moſt ſottiſh & Vnchriſtian perſwaſiō, that you muſt not ſee, but by their eies, nor heare, but by their ears; you muſt not know anie thing, but that they will haue you to know: and then bee you ſure you ſhall know nothing, that maie bring their credit into any queſtion, or their doctrine into anie triall. Well ſaid Tertullian, and moſt truely, of the lawes that were made againſt Chriſtians, and fitly it maie be applied vnto the matter in queſtion, Suſpecta lex eſt, Tertul. in Apolog •• . quae probari ſe non vult; improba autem, ſi non probata, dominetur. The Law is to be ſuſpected, that will not ſuffer it ſelfe to be tried: but it is wicked, if not being tried it bear the ſway. For I am ſure, that no man woulde thinke hee meant to warrant his gold to be good, that woulde charge him that receiueth it, that in anie wiſe he muſt not try it, either by Scale or Touch. Yet Recuſāts, in matters of Saluation, are content to truſt ſuch as will let them trie nothing.

By this meanes, howſoeuer our anſwering of this or anie other Petitiō, may be of it ſelfe ſufficient, yet if they whome you take to be your Learned Diuines, ſaie it is not anſwered, you muſt truſt them, & continue ſtil in Ignorance. And who can hope that they, that partlie vpon diſcontentednes, partlie vpon vaine intiſments, have entered by vndutiful diſloialtie, into great danger and diſfauour, wil leeſe you, if by any meanes they maie hold you one their ſide, by whom only they are mainetained, in their vnſatiſfied humour. So that Recuſants are (J muſt needs cōfeſſe) through their owne wilfulnes or follie, much to be pittied; becauſe they are not only lead aſide from the right way, but alſo are cōtēt to be lead ſo by them, that will neuer let them returne into it againe. Therfore howſoeuer your Petition, maie be deemed reaſonable: yet I feare you ſhal finde alwais (if God would giue you eies to ſee it) your Preiſts dealing with you herein not vnreaſonably only, but alſo damnable.

But if vpon ſuch mature diſcuſſion it ſhall appeare, that we can noe way goe to your Churches without incurring god his wrath, and the damnation of our ſelues; we hope that your LL, will thē forbeare to proſecute vs with any ſpirituall cenſure, but rather mediate, in reſpects wel knowen to your ſelues, or reſtoring againe into his Maieſties fauour, and the mittigation of ſuch penalties and vexations, as for our Recuſācie are daily impoſed vpon vs.

Vpon an abſurde Suppoſition, the Petitioner frameth a twofold Requeſt, the one that our Biſhops ſhould not oppoſe themſelues againſt them by Cenſures Eccleſiaſticall; the other that they ſhould be meanes to procure his Maieſties fauour. But the Petitioner here offereth greate wronge to Biſhops, Preachers, & Goſpellers to all whom his Petition is directed, in that he imagineth, that, they, who haue this 47. yeares, preached, taught & maintained the truth of the Goſpel, ſhould all this time neuer haue vſed mature diſcuſſiō of the ſame vntil now they ſhould be rouſzed, as it were out of a ſlumber, by this Remembrācer, wheras intruth every point of Poperie, hath ſo often beene diſcourſed, and diſcuſſed too; in ſo many learned Treatiſes the impietie therof ſo diſcouered, that all that their Ieſuits and Preiſts can doe, can neuer couer & hide the nakednes therof againe.

Yea the more we vnfold the plaites of Poperie, the more cauſe we ſee to deteſt the ſāe, & to pray that our king and rulers ſhould haue a watchfull eie ouer the fauorers thereof. For what is Poperie but a Religion pached vp of Mens Inventions, as is before ſhewed, a ſea of ſuperſtition & Idolatries, of will-worſhips; a Religion contrarie to the word, that muſt be, and is the ground of True Religion: wherin trifles and toyes, are accompted as acceptable worſhip of God; wherin God is diſhonored, by vndue honour giuen to the Creatures; A Religion that teacheth to diſobay Princes, whō God hath ſet in the throne, to diſobay Magiſtrates and them that haue Authoritie, to poiſon, murder and kill, by what meanes they can, whoſoeuer they imagine to withſtand their deſignements? Theſe and ſuch like ſtaines we finde in Poperie, when with mature diſcuſſion we trie the ſame.

For your cōming to our Churches, we knowe nothing in our Religion, whie anie Chriſtian maie not reſort to our Churche, without danger of ſinning; nay one the cō trary we dare affirme, that without danger of Gods heavie diſpleaſure, you maie not abſent your ſelues from our Churches Firſt becauſe Chriſtians are boūd to heare Gods word, which is there read, yourſelues cannot denie it. Secondly, becauſe the Lawes of the Realme require it, againſt which (vnleſſe they require things vngodlie) al diſobedience is ſinne: and there can be noe vngodlyneſſe, in heareing Gods word, and godlie praiers. Thirdly, the not comming to our Churches, is a condemning of our comming to be not good; which is vncharitable, vnleſſe it be groū ded vpon a better foundation, then anie that I heare Recuſants can lay. Fourthly in comming, they come not to that which is evil (for that is confeſſed even of the greateſt Recuſants that I knowe) But of this before.

But how falleth it out that there is here not one worde of the Claime of Antiquity of your Religiō? Before you ſaid that if it might be proued that you might without incurring deadlie ſinne, goe to Church: or your Religion profeſſed now by you, not to be of ſuch Antiquity as there you claime &c. Now here this Latter is quite left out, as if you rued, you made that former offer. If it be becauſe you ſtand in doubt (as iuſtlie you maie) whether vpō mature diſcuſſiō, that which you now profeſſe, wilbe found to be al on with that which at the firſt was taught in this Land, repent in time, and leaue them that haue ſo long deceiued you. But wee knowing our faith to be no other, then that which was heare at the firſt taught (for the Apoſtles nether anie other whō they thought fit to inſtruct vs, would teach any other then according to that true patterne of wholſome words, 2. Tim. 1. i3 which was deliuered to them) thinke it great reaſon, that ſuch as wittinglie withſtand the Truth, or refuſe to come to that great ſupper, ſhould be for our parts, by ſuch Eccleſiaſticall Cenſures as we haue, compelled to come to the Goſpell of Saluation.

And to confeſſe the truth, I ſuppoſe that we are rather to be reproued, for being to cold in this worke of the Lord, thē for being to ſharpo, againſt you, who ſo ſtubburnlie refuſe the offer of Saluation and abuſe the clemencie that hath beene ſhewed. But what meaneth this, that you would not we ſhould perſecute you with any ſpiritual Cenſure? Stād you ſo much in feare of Excommunication? Theſe your words and your doings are as two ſtrings quite out of tune. Here you would not in any wiſe be Excommunicated, and yet indeed you wil not in anie wiſe come to our Churches. You wil not come to them your ſelus, nether would you haue vs put you out of them. But this I tel you, when anie of you come, we wil not keep you out. For your returning to god, and to his Church, is it that we deſire earneſtlie, & hartelie praie for, that God will worke it in you.

Now if our ſelues ſee no reaſon to remit the Cenſures againſt you: leſſe cauſe is there for vs to mediate vnto his Maieſtie, that ſuch dāgerous Subiects, as your verie Religion maketh you to be, ſhoulde without controlement of Law, liue within his Dominion . Jt is fitter for vs to make ſuch ſuit to his Maieſty againſt you, as S. Auguſtine, (a man of ſingular learning, and nothing giuen to crueltie,) did verie often make vnto ſuch as were Governors about him, that by puniſhments (ſo that not by death) they wold repreſſe the Donatiſts, thoſe hereticks; Epi. 127. Epi. 129. Ep. 158 159 as in his Epiſtles to Donatus who was Proconſull in Aphrica, to Olimpius, alſo to Marcellinus a Tribune, and manie other, it maie appeare. So that the Cauſes that wee can thinke vpon, which maie induce vs to mooue anie thing in this matter, are as you ſee, altogither againſt your Requeſt. For indeede by that which alreadie wee haue ſeene, and by all likelyhood we may looke for at your hands, ſo virulent dealing is in moſt of you, and ſo vnbrideled a courſe you thinke you ſhould run, & you ſo ſnuffe if you by anie meanes bee ſtopped, that I am verilie perſwaded, that if feare of Laws did not curb you, you wold be (if alreadie you be not) much more vnrulie then ever were the Donatiſts in Aphrica. And therfore I cannot cōiecture, what you ſhould meane by thoſe wordes that we ſhould mediate for you, for reſpects beſt knowne vnto our ſelues.

If this iuſt and moſt equall kinde of triall ſhalbe denied vnto vs (ſaith the Petitioner) or this our petition (like to the two former) bee ſuppreſsed without a ſatiſfying anſwere; your wiſdomes cannot then but knowe it will aſſure vs, that in your owne iudgementes the cauſe of our Recuſancie, and conſtant perſevering in our Religion, are not by learned Divines to be diſproved, which will adde confidence in the iuſtice of our cauſe, & giue notice to the world, how little vvee deſerue the opprobrious name of obſtinacie, or other odious tearmes, dayly impoſed vpon vs: and it maie giue cauſe that manie will thinke, that our goods or lands, and the vndoing of vs and our poſteritie, is the things more ſought, thē the eternall ſalvation of our ſoules. Sed meliora ſperamus.

The Petitioner to make vs the more willing to regard his Petition, doth here inſinuate, what diſadvantage may growe vnto vs, if this iust and moſt equal kinde of trial ſhalbe denied, ſaith he. Becauſe this triall hath heretofore often already been made by writing, and yet the Petitioner ſtill vrgeth further triall: it may well bee that hee meaneth it ſhoulde bee by ſome Publike diſputation. And indeed ſome Popiſh Thraſoes haue made as great vaunts againſt the truth, as did that prowde Philistine againſt the Hoſt of the Lord God of Iſraell, and with much like ſucceſſe. As Campian, Camp. 10. Rat. a ſillie man for ſuch an Incounter, who challengeth the Vniverſities of Oxford and Cambridge, as if hee (more mightie and puiſſant then Hercules) were able to overmatch ſo manie. So did Dureus too And ſo doe manie, leſſe able thē theſe, (though theſe are found too weake to performe their Challendge) rather in hope that it will not be granted to them, then for any cōfidence they haue in their cauſe, if it were granted.

In the beginning of her Maieſties daies before the State of Religiō was ſetled, the Popiſh Biſhops & others were in this tune too. And when as good order was taken to haue an Equall Triall indeed, and that indifferēcie ſhould be vſed, for ſearching out of the Truth: though Beares may by meanes be brought to the ſtake, yet by no means would they be made to diſpute: but now by one Allegation, then by another, alwaies ſhifted of the matter. And when diſputations haue bin, Papiſts haue gained ſo little thereby, as that the Cardinall of Loraigne (no friend to Proteſtāts I trow) hauing hard Beza in the Diſputatiō at Poiſſy, in the preſence of the French King and al the Great Peeres there aſſembled,An. hiſt. Collect of Frāce Chart. 9. was hard to ſaie, I woulde either this man had beene dumbe, or wee had beene all deafe.

But what reaſon is there why this now ſhould be coūted a iuſt & moſt equal kind of Triall, which was by Clement the 7. (when the Emperour Charles the 5. and Frauncis the first French king, required a free Generall Councell for deciding the queſtions in Religion) called,Gentiles. e an. Concil. Trid. li. 1. res periculo ſa pravi que exempli: a dangerous matter and of evill example? Jt is no more iuſt & equall, now to call into queſtion a ſettled & well grounded Religion in any State: then it was, to bring the Popiſh doctrines, which are builte of no ſure foundation to a due triall: no, nor ſo iuſt by farre.

And what further triall would our Petitioner require of the things hee propoſeth? He would haue it proued to their divines, that without danger of deadly ſinne they maie reſorte to the Exerciſes of our Religion. I haue before ſhewed that this is made ſo cleare to the Ieſuits & Priests too, who are the learnedſt Divines that they haue, by Mr. Bell, that they are reſolved that it is lawfull, ſo that it bee not a ſigne diſtinctiue, as they ſuppoſe it is, but indeede it is not; for ſince manie Papiſtes come to the Church, & are called Church-Papiſts and ſo we reckon of thē, that they are as dangerous as they that come not: and likewiſe manie honeſter then any Papiſts, come not to our Churches, moued vpon an vndiſcreet zeale. Jf then neither Papiſts only abſtaine from our Churches neither yet al they, it cannot be a ſigne diſtinctiue, & ſo no hinderāce for their cō ming to Church.

Moreover, for proofe of Popiſh Religion, that it hath not beene from the beginning of the Converſion of this land frō Gentiliſme, it is ſtrongly proued by confeſſion of ſundrie Arch-Papiſtes who acknowledge almoſt all that they teach to be taken from Tradition & not out of the Scriptures; and ſundrie of thoſe Traditiōs as I haue ſhewed, are of ſo late time, that he muſt needs ſhew himſelfe verie partiall, that can once imagine they haue ſuch Antiquitie. So I truſt his former demāds are ſufficiently anſwered, with that which formerly hath bin alleadged, which (were it not for prolixitie) I could demonſtrate in the particular practiſe of our own coū trie, as in eſpeciall maie appeare in the point of the Sacrament (for which they chieflie except againſt our Service) the verie ſame doctrine which wee now profeſſe,Homil. manuſcript. in the Libra. of Oxford Exeter VVorceſter Lincoln. Beda Hiſt. Eccle. Petr. Cluniac. in ep. ad. Bern. being generallie retained in this lād in the Saxons time, with expreſſe reiection of all faigned Tranſubſtantiation, as plainely maie appeare by their Homilies yet extant in the Saxons tongue. As likewiſe I could haue ſhewed by the Rites of the Eaſterne Churches, which both Britans & Saxons many hūdred of yeers obſerued, that the firſt cōverſiō of this Iſlād was not by any of the Roman Profeſſion.

Now what hee meaneth by a ſatiſfying anſwere to this Petition it maie bee a queſtion. For ſome other of their Petitions, require either Toleration of their Religion for exerciſe thereof, or at the leaſt, Immunitie frō puniſhment, if they come not to our Churches. But a Chriſtian King borne and brought vp in the Light of the Truth, & beautified with the ornaments of true learning; who acknowledgeth Gods vnſpeakeable goodnes towards him ſelfe, in aduancing him to ſo great honor, preſeruing him from ſo manie perils, crowning him with ſo manie bleſſings; whoſe Religion teacheth him to pray to God only, by the Mediation of Chriſt alone and to offer vnto him for his graces, the Calues of his lips, praiſe & thankſgiuing: ſuch a king (I ſaie) cānot be ignorant, that to tolerate, a Sect of People in his dominions, that ſhould cal vpon Saints & Angels, and ſo darken Gods honor, prophane his Name, & deſpiſe his Word, may provoke againſt him, & his, the heauie Indignation of him, who being king of kings, doth require of them this Royal ſeruice of preſeruing inviolable the ſinceritie of his Truth and worſhip in their kingdomes.

And looke how manie cōmandemēts there are to roote out Idolatrie, deſtroie Idolaters, aboliſh their groues, their Altars to ſhunne converſing or marrying with them; how many threatnings againſt thē that performe not theſe offices; how many examples of the Godlie, commended for doing them: ſo many Arguments there are againſt, not onlie Toleration but euen connivēcie a ſuch ſuperſtitions.

And therfore to ſatiſfy them, whō you tearme your Learned Diuines we thinke it a thing moſt eaſie, in reſpect of the cauſe, yet moſt impoſſible in reſpect of the perſons. For it ſtandeth them vpon not to be ſatiſfied, eſpecially they being, ſuch as rather reſpect their owne maintenance, then your ſaluation, whatſoeuer they pretēd. If they ſhould confeſſe, that our Reaſons ſatiſfie them, and you thervpon reſort to our Churches, your liking of them will ſoone decay, and their ſtate muſt needs be much impaired, which by their good wils I warrāt you ſhal neuer be

But if anie Recuſant being deſirous to know the Truth, repaire to our Biſhops, or other in our Church of ſingular note of Learning (as you ſpeake) for reſolution of anie point in controuerſie between vs and your Diuines; if ſufficient reaſons be not yeelded out of Gods booke, and the purer Fathers, of that doctrine we profeſſe, and againſt that that you hold, euen ſuch as your Learned Diuines ſhal not be able to anſwere them then I confeſſe, you haue iuſt cauſe to ſpeake of the goodnes of your cauſe, & to alleadge your perſeuering therein. But your cauſe being of it ſelfe not good, as we ſhall alwaies by Gods grace, be readie to iuſtifie: you haue no more cauſe to brag of your ſufferings & conſtancy, nor ſo much neither, as had the Donatiſts, at whoſe wilfull yea and deſired deaths, St. Auguſtine, S. Aug. in. epiſt. marueileth.

The Scriptures therefore, and conſent of Antiquity being as in part I haue ſhewed in this ſhort Anſwer, ſo plaine with vs as they are, neither can you in continuing Recuſants, avoide the note of obſtinacie: or others once deeme, that ſo corrupt a Religion as the Romiſh is, cannot ſufficiently by godly and Chriſtian learning, bee diſproued. As for that you affirme, that (vnleſſe your Requests be grā ted) cauſe wilbe giuen to many to thinke your lands and goods are ſought for, and the vndoing of you and your poſteritie, rather then your ſalvation, it maie wel be that ſuch vndutifull ſurmiſes are often in your harts, and ſuch malitious reports in your mouthes. But is there ſo much as any colour why any ſhould ſo thinke?

Leauing therfore the iuſter examinatiō of this vniuſt charge, to trie whether wee ſeeke their goods and vndoing or not, to him who knoweth the ſecrets of all harts, and ſhal one daie reveale & reward ſuch vncharitable ſurmiſes: we wiſh vnto the Petitioner and al Recuſants, that it would pleaſe God to indue them with better grace, that ſeeing the Errours wherinto they are lead, and rightly conſidering of the blind devotions, wherwith they are delighted, they maie deteſt ſuch abominations, and forſaking both the Pope and Poperie cleaue ſoūdlie and ſincerlie both to our God and to our Soveraigne, that they & we with one voice and hart, maie ſinge the ſonges of Sion to the Lorde our God. This is the onlie waie to hope for better things here, & to obtaine the beſt thinges elſewhere.

FINIS.