5. England alsoe cannot denye this to be true , which a certaine Pope many hundred yeares prophesied of them , saying . English men , of all nat●ons are most inconstant and waueringe in their faith , the time shall come ( saith he ) that when Christendom shall haue most neede of them , they shall suarwe from their faith , and fall into sectes , and heresies . For in our daies it changed her religion 4. times within 30. yeares : vnder kinge Henry the 8. kinge Edward his sonne ▪ Queene Marie ; and Elizabeth ; And as Fox saith , kinge Edward beinge a childe after his fathers funerall , by the instigation and settinge on of his Vncle the Duke of Somersett , did abolish the religion , which his Father had by lawe ordained viz. The six articles , containing . 1. The trueth of the Reale presence . 2. That both kindes for all persons , are not necessarie . 3. That marriage of Priests is prohibited by the lawe of God . 4. That Vowes and votaries are confirmed by the lawe of God . 5. That the Masse is agreable to Christes inst●tution . 6. That Auricular confession , is warranted by the word of God . This kinge sett foorth two bookes of reformation & afterwards a third . These articles of our faith were made at one parlemente by the said kinge Henry the 8. and were abrogated as superstitious inuentions by another Parleament . Anunas & menstruas fides , as Hillarie and S. Basil say of the Arrians , euery newe yeare and moneth a newe faith . And what I pray you can be amoungst Christians , more disgracefull then this ? For ought not our Religion , & euery article thereof , to be as the same S. Basil saith ; eadem heri , hodie & in saecula ? to admitt noe change , but to continewe his vigor , aswell yesterdaye , to daye , as alsoe for euer ? According whereunto our Sauiour alsoe saith , that heauen and earthe shal passe , but my wordes shal not passe , nor any iott , nor sillable thereof till al be fulfilled . Is there any Christian to be found , who dares be so bould to say that our Parlament exceedeth the power of God ? But god by his absolute power ( as Aristotle and all diuines , and Philosophers affirme ) cannot make two contradictories or contraries to be trewe , because of the implication therein ( for if the one be trewe , the other must be false ) and truly noe more can these opposite and contradictorie Parleaments , be possiblie true .

6. The 4. cause was , that Protestantes make but a mockery of all religion , for that they follow Nicholas Machauailes precepts , holding that the Catholike religion is a hinderance to state , and that Princes shoulde followe that religion ( though the groundes thereof be neuer soe false ) which doth aduance their present estate : but contrarie to this S. Thomas saith , that wisdome and power are companions of trewe religion , which when it faileth , the power of state alsoe faileth : non veniat anima mea , saith S. Bernard , in Concilium eorum qui dicunt &c. my soule shall not follow their Councells who say , that the exaltation and and peace of the Empire , will hunder the peace of the Church . If Iustice be a vertue to giue euerie man his owne , to giue to Cesar his owne , and to God his owne , how doth the Prince keepe Iustice with god , that takes from God his righte , which is religion , & depriues his diuine maiestie of that worshipp & reuerence which is due vnto him ? This is proued , for that Princes followinge this false reason of state , haue beene put by God from their state , as Ieroboam the seruant of Salamon , to continewe himselfe in the kingdome which he had taken from Roboam , did alter the Religion & made a false religion . For he made two golden calues , one at Dan , and the other at Bethell : and also altered the order of priestoode , by ordaininge others that were not of the order of Leuie . For which both he and his yssue were depriued of their kingdome , and destroied of their liues . The Princes of the Iewes , by reason of their state , put Christ to death , least the Romaines shoulde come vpon them , neuerthelesse the Romaines came vpon them , and destroyed them .

7. Vetiza a kinge of Spaine and his successor Rodorigus , fearinge the rebellion of their subiectes , for their owne wicked actes , destroied and rased downe all the stronge holdes of Spaine : which was the cause that , that Country was broughte in one quarter of a yeare in subiection by the Moores , which were not expelled Spaine in 700. yeares after . The kinges of Fraunce , Francis the first , and his sonne Henry the second , the one brought in the Turcke , thinckinge to bringe him in to Spaine against Charles the fift Emperour & kinge of Spaine , to destroy Spaine . But whether did the tempest driue the Turcke , but to Tolouse within France , which afterwards with great a doe , makinge many spoiles of that Countrie ; were driuen out , after burninge the Cittie of Nicea & other citties out of which they brought with them 5200. Christians as slaues , amongest which number were 200. consecrated virgins ; the other did ioyne with the rebellious protestant Princes against the said Charles , by whom they were ouerthrowen and brought to subiection . Kinge Henry the third of Fraunce , beinge perswaded , that he should neuer be obeyed of his subiectes , vnles he should make away the Catholique Princes , as Henry of Loren Duke of Guise and Luyes of Iorem , the Cardinall his brother : murthered them in the assembly of Bloys 1588. but for that he was led rather by the wicked Councell of Macheuillians , and not by the lawe of God , he was punished himselfe by a poore sillye friar without the procurment of any , but of his owne head , who thrust him thorough with a knife beinge in the middest of his army , purposing to besidge Paris . Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie , intendinge to take the Empire from the house of Austria , followed Martine Luthers Councell , that he should change his religion , soe that by the procurment of Luther he rebelled against his soueraigne . But the frute that he reaped by this false reason , was to be apprehended , put in to prison , depriued of his estate , Dukedome and dignity of elector shipp : was not Absolon destroyed by the false Councell of Architofell ? And Aman by his wicked plottes , by which he tought to destroie Mardocheus and the chilren of Israell ? For there is noe wisdome or Councell of Macheuillians against God & his Church . Thomas Cromwel was put to death ( as Fox saith ) by the cruell lawe he made himselfe , as by a certaine fatall destinie ( these be Foxes wordes ) that whosoeuer should be cast into the Tower , he should be put to death without examination ; the said Fox calleth this Cromwell the wall and defense of protestant religion . But , qui hominibus placent confusi sunt , quoniam Deus spreuit nos , those which doe please men are confounded , for God despiseth them .

8. The principal and last reason or cause is , for that these articles are already condemned by the generall Iudgement and verdit in soe many generall Councells as haue beene in the world , & specially by the last generall Councell of Trent , therfore nowe they ought not to be called in question . Whereupon Gelasius the Pope saith . Maiores nostri diuina inspiratione cernentes , &c. Our Ancestours foreseinge by diuine inspiration , did most earnestly pray the faithfull , that whatsoeuer was decreed by any Councell against anny heresie , for the faith of the Catholiks and the Catholike trueth , it should neuer be broughte in question againe . Also Leo the Pope did desire the Emperour Marcianus , that there should be noe retractation in any thinge defined by the holy Councell , and soe the said Marcianus established by lawe accordinge to his request , that none should dispute of the definition of the Councell . The said Leo also taught the same in his Epistle to the Councel of Chalcedon , & to Maximus the Bushopp of Antioch . The same is also decreede in the Councell of Ephesus , and in the Councell of Chalcedon , S. Augustine also said , that it is an insosolent madnes to disputed against any thinge , that the Catholike church had defined . For our Sauior saith , whosoeuer heareth your , heareth me , and whatsoeuer they will you to doe , that doe yee .

5. For as much therfore , as these heresies were condemned ( as I haue said ) by the generall Councell of Trent , vnto whom protestantes refused to come to trye their doctrine ( for none euer refuseth the triall of generall Councells , but heretikes ) therfore we ought not to dispute with them any more . Which also rightly agreeth with the councell of S. Paul vnto Titus saying . A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition , shunne , knowinge that such a one is peruerted . And to Tomothy he saith , these be they that craftilie enter into houses , and leade captiue silly women , alwaies learninge and neuer attaininge vnto the knowledge of the trueth , but as Iames and Mambris resisted Moyses , soe these also resist the trueth , men corrupted in minde , reprobate concerninge the faith . All the while that S. Augustine was an Heretick S. Ambrose would neuer dispute with him ; And the Empresse Placilla , wife vnto the great Theodosius , vnderstanding that Eunomius the Hereticke would faine reason with her husband , for eschewinge danger of being corrupted by him , did with great wisdome hinder the conference . And Nazianzenus saith , we ought to abhor Heretikes as the destruction of the church , and the poyson of trueth , not carienge any hatred vnto their persons , but hauing pitty of their errors . Ignatius likewise saith , vt siilij ●●cis fugite diuisionem vnitatis , & malam haereticorum doctrinam . As the children of light , shunne diuision of vnitie , and the wicked doctrine of Hereticks , by whom the whole world is defiled , resraine from those euill hearbes , which Christ did neuer plant , for they be not the seede of God , but of the deuill . Be not deceaued brethren , saith he , whosoeuer shall followe a seducer , shall neuer possesse the kingdome of heauen : and whosoeuer departes not from a false preacher , shall purchase euerlastinge damnation .

10. Thus he admonished , that we should beware of wicked Heresies , the reason of his caueat is , for that Heresie ( as the holy Doctors saye ) is a certaine mischeefe of the diuill and a firebrande , that cometh from hell , a pestilente , corrupt , and poysoned aier , a cancker that consumeth the body in which it is norished , a certaine disease , that doth penetrate the intralles , and doth corrupt and infest the soules of Christians : and not only doth kill with her touche as the Viper doth , or with her sighte as the Basilike , or with her belching as the dragon , but after all these fashions and many more , doth destroy , confounde , and cast away all that approache it , neither is there any other remedie but to flie , nor any other refuge then to departe from such a one , as is intangled with it ; no other security , then to be far from such an infernall and contagious mischeefe , which with the name of Christe , destroieth Christ in our hartes , and vnder the pretence of faith , destroyeth faith . And S. Augustine saith ; let euery Catholike flie and abhor them , with whom the Church communicateth not : for we ought not , saieth he , to haue parte with them , that haue no participation with themselues , and which are not vnited to the body of the whole Church ; and to conclude with our Sauiour , one should neuer otherwise accompte of them , then as of heathens and publicans , and his holy Euangelist S. Iohn forbiddeth vs to salute them .

11. Therfore ( gentle Reader ) these be sufficient reasons wherfore we should be loath to dispute with Protestantes , which through their fall from godes Church are voide of all humility , intoxicated with pride , and are so blinded with malice , that they cannot learne or imbrace the trueth , or haue any trewe wisdome . For as the holly scripture saith , into a malicious soule , wisdome shall not enter : For in all ciuill conuersation or disputation , especially in matters of religion , we should intend nothinge els but the consolation of our soules , and the edification of our neighbours , and as the Apostle saith , Non nosmetipsos , sed Iesum Christum praedicamus , not our selues or our owne glory should we ayme at , but that of Christ Iesu , whose cote without seame is rente in peeces by so many wilfull inuented opinions of protestants : whose mysticall body ( I meane his Church ) is despised , forsaken , & persecuted : the fruite of whose doctrine , and the proiect of their strange deuises , tendes to nothinge els , then to shake the very pillars , stroungest foundations , and fortresses of all Christianity : and at lenght to bringe in all coldnes , and doubtfulnesse in our beleefe , and misbeleefe in the principaleste misteries in our Catholike religion , plaine Athesime and confusion of all Christian piety , a gate for all disorders , and dissolution of life and manners , a shipwreacke of Conscience , and other marckable and sutable effectes to their doctrine and behauiour , which are practised by them daily in all places where they beare sway . And although euery man ( as S. Naz. saith ) may thinke of God , but not euery man dispute of him , so euery man ought not to dispute or doubte of the cheefest misteries of Catholike religion , but beleeue them simply with the vniuersall Church , which is ( accordinge the Apostle ) the firmamente and foundation of trueth : and therfore can not in any sorte deceaue vs .