The safe Way.

Sect. 1.

The causlesse bitternesse of the
Church of Rome against the
Reformed Churches.

WE reade in the
Ecclesiastical
History when
the ancient
Christians at
Antioch fell at variance amongst
themselues: Theodoret
sought by a fauourable
report to allay the bitternesse
of their Contention
with these words: Both parts

B

make one and the same Confession
of their faith. For both
maintaine the Creed of the
Nicene Councell.
The beautifull and sacred
name of Truth, speakes peace
to all: and that louely name
of Peace, giues that sweet
counsell to all Christians,
which Abraham gaue to Lot:
Let there be no strife betwixt
me and thee, for wee be brethren.
If the Church of Rome
had loued Truth and Peace,
without doubt the common
bond of Christianity, and the
Creed which is the generall
Cognizance of our faith,
would haue incited them to
the like fauourable construction
of the Controuersies
of this age, and the rather because
their owne learned

Cardinall professeth; That the
Apostles neuer propounded as
Common Articles of faith; other
things then the Articles
of the Apostles Creed, the ten
Commandements, & some few
of the Sacrame~ts because (saith
he) these things are simply necessarie
and profitable for all
men, the rest are such as a man
may be saued without them.
But such is the nature of
the malignant Church (and
for that cause the Church of
Rome is rightly deciphered
by that name) that instead of
qualifying the vnquenchable
broyles, and intirely
preseruing the seamelesse
garment of Christ, shee
termes vs Heretiques, hellhounds
of Swinglius, Luthers
whelpes, Turkish Hugenots,
damned persons, and worse

B2

then Infidels; which vnchristian
speeches dipt in lye and
gall, giue vs iust cause to say
with Austen: Our daily fornace
is our aduersaries tongue.
It cannot bee denied that
the reformed and the ancient
Romane Church are two Sisters,
both descended from
one and the same Catholike
and vniuersall Mother of vs
all, but when the world shall
vnderstand that the Romish
Sister hath lost her breasts,
or at least-wise giueth her
Children little or no sincere
milke out of her two breasts
the two Testaments: when
the world shall plainely discerne
that shee doth daily
practise spirituall fornication
with the inhabitants of the
earth, when it shall be witnessed
by her selfe that her

4

Sister hath kept her first loue
and continued her ancient
birth-right, from the time of
the Apostles to the dayes of
Luther, Will it not seeme a
strange folly or a wilful madnesse
to quarrell with her Sister,
because she will not follow
her vnknowne wayes,
and go a whoring after her
inuentions? If for no other
cause yet for this alone, (because
she played the Harlot)
her Sister might better iustifie
a separation from her,
then to retaine fellowship
with her lewdnesse.
It is the counsell of the
Prophet, If Ephraim be ioyned
to Idols, let him alone: If
Israel play the Harlot, let not
Iuda sinne Babylon was a true
Church, with which sometimes
the religious did communicate,

B3

but after it was
more depraued, the faithfull
are commanded to go out of
her, and for that cause Abraham
was commanded to go
forth of Caldea, wherein hee
was borne, because the inhabitants
of the countrey were
idolators: and the Hebrewes
were led out of Egypt by
Moses and Aaron, because
the Egyptians were giuen to
vaine superstitions; such is
our departure from the
Church of Rome, or rather
from the errours of that
Church that hath departed
from her selfe, and for that
cause; Non fugimus sed fugamur,
we left her vnwillingly,
not voluntarily, That we bee
not partakers of her sinne, and
that wee receiue not of her
plagues.

That saying of Erasmus
was no lesse true then wittie:
who being demanded of the
Duke of Saxonie, what was
Luthers capitall offence that
stirred vp so many opposites
against him, made answer:
Luther had committed two
great sinnes, for he had taken
away the Crowne from the
Pope, and had taken downe the
belly of the Monkes: and surely
(setting aside the Popes
Lordlines and the luxurie
of Priests) it shall appeare
there is no such cause why
she should breathe out, Anathemas,
Curses, Excommunications,
with a Tradatur Satanæ: let her Sister be deliuered
to Satan: There is no such
cause why shee should daily
entertaine Iewes into her
bosome, when a poore Christian

B4

soule, a beleeuing Protestant
may not approch to
her sanctuary for feare of the
Inquisition.
Nobis non licet esse tam disertos;
The children of this
world are wiser in their generation
then wee professe
our selues to be. For as touching
the twelue Articles of
the Apostles Creed which are
the maine parts of the Christian
Truth, and wherein the
Church of Rome doth still persist,
we gladly acknowledge her
to bee of the family of Iesus,
(saith Hooker) and that
which Saint Paul witnessed
of the Israelites, that in one
respect they were enemies, but
in another they were beloued of
God: so likewise as concerning
the word of God, and
the Apostles Creed, we giue

the Church of Rome her
due, but in another respect as
she hath created twelue new
Articles, and coyned new expositions
vpon the old, farre
different from the doctrine
of the Apostles, as she depends
vpon customarie Tenents
which makes their
chiefe claime by Tradition,
as shee relyes vpon the
Church for the last resolutio~
of faith, as she maintaineth
and practiseth manifest and
manifold Idolatrie; as she derogateth
from the high price
of our Redemption, by adding
their owne merits and
satisfactions to the Merits of
Christ, as she aduanceth the
Pope for the Lord Paramont
aboue all that are called
Gods; In these and many like
respects we say her Tenure is

B5

meane and base, her Tenets
are subiect to alienation, her
Articles are euidences of an
vnknowne Truth, her vnwritten
verities are prescriptions
within the memorie of
man, her Title is vsurpation,
her confidence is presumption,
her deuotion is superstition,
and shee her selfe a
professed enemy to the Gospell.

Sect. 2.

The occasion of the contention
betwixt the Churches originally
proceeded from the
Romanists by their owne
confession.

BVt before we enter into
the debates and differences
of these times, it will

not be amisse to looke backe
and examine the cause of this
great calamitie and distraction
in the Christian Church,
and to inquire by whom and
what meanes this bitter contention
is fallen out betwixt
two Sisters; Cassander a learned
Papist tooke speciall notice
that these two sisters
were fallen asunder, euen to
the diuiding of the houshold:
hee obserued the Author of
those fresh bleeding wounds,
and accordingly as an eyewitnesse
of those differences,
protesteth openly that the
fault is to bee layed vpon those
which being puffed vp with
vaine insolent conceits of their
Ecclesiasticall power, proudly
and scornefully contemned and
reiected them which did rightly
and modestly admonish the

11

reformation: If we shall further
inquire of him: what remedy
to apply to such incurable
diseases: he professeth
seriously, that the Church can
neuer hope for any firme peace
vnlesse they begin to make it,
which haue giuen the cause of
that distraction. If we further
presse him for his aduise how
to procure that Peace from
them which first occasioned
the falling off, he replies and
confidently assures vs, that
this cannot be effected, vnlesse
those which are in place of Ecclesiasticall
gouernment, would
be content to remit some thing
of their too much rigour, and
yeeld somewhat to the peace of
the Church, and hearkening
vnto the earnest prayers and
admonitions of many godly
men, will set themselues to correct

12

manifest abuses according
to the rule of diuine Scriptures
and the Primitiue Church,
from which they haue swerued.
Here is a plaine confession
of a learned Romanist,
that many abuses are crept
into the Romane Church;
here is likewise an acknowledgement
of a distemperature
that proceedeth from
the head (and we know when
the head is distempered commonly
the whole body is
out of order.) Now to rectifie
these abuses, he prescribes
a Rule which is the holy
Scriptures, and he sets before
vs an ancient patterne for
our instruction which is the
Primitiue Church.
If the Scripture be the rule
of Truth, and the ancient doctrine
be the patterne of a

13

true Church, how can our
Religion bee charged with
heresie, which professeth the
Scripture to be the sole rule
of faith, or how can it be iustly
accused of Noueltie as deriued
from Luther, when it is
a Canon published for the direction
of Preachers and
Pastors in our Church,
(viz.) that they should neuer
teach any thing as matter of
faith religiously to be obserued,
but that which is agreeable to
the doctrine of the old and new
Testament, and collected out of
the same doctrine by the ancient
Fathers and Catholique
Bishops of the Church.
Let vs ascend higher and
looke into former ages, and
there let vs examine whether
these two Sisters agreed in
vnitie of doctrine in one and

14

the same house.
It is reported of Redwald
king of the East Saxons, that
he was the first of all his Nation
that was baptized and
receiued Christianitie: but
afterward being seduced by
his wife: hee had in the selfe
same Church (saith Bede)
one Altar for Christs Religion,
and another for sacrifices
vnto diuels. Such was the
state of the Romane Church
especially in the ages after
the diuell was let loose: there
were some that did consecrate
themselues and their
seruice to the right worship
of God alone: others to the
adorations of Saints and Images;
there were some that
did constantly adore the Creator
in his bodily presence in
heauen: whilst others in the

15

same Church did ignorantly
worship the Creature in a
consecrated host vpon the
Altar: and thereupon Michael
Cecænas Generall of the
order of Franciscans, about
400. yeares past, obseruing
the different opinions
of different members in the
same Church, complained:
There were two Churches, the
one of the wicked sort flourishing
in which the Pope raigned:
the other of godly & good men,
and this Church he persecuted.
This learned Friar by his
discouerie of two Churches,
shewes that long since there
was a difference in Religion
betwixt the two Sisters, and
thereby he plainly intimates
the different estate betwixt
Papist and Protestant in the
same Church; the maior part

16

was subiect to the Pope, and
that flourished and was visible
in the eyes of the world:
but, saith the Franciscan, that
part consisted of the wicked,
and consequently was the
malignant Church: the other
part was obscured and
persecuted by the Pope, but
(saith he) it consisted of the
faithfull and true beleeuers,
and consequently was the
true Church.
I could ascend yet higher,
and shew that the falling out
of the two Sisters was about
a husband; the one was constant
to her first loue Christ
Iesus the sole head of her
Church; the other sought a
diuorce from her husband,
acknowledging the Pope to
be the vniuersall head of all
Churches; but I leaue this to

17

a longer time and a larger
Tract.

Sect. 3.

Corruptions both in faith and
manners confessed by the
members of the Romane
Church, and yet the reformation
denyed by the Pope,
and why, &c.

IF we looke vpon the latter
ages, wee shall easily discerne
an alteration of Religion
by the complaints of
Head and members in the
same Church: Pope Alexander
the fifth, in the yeare
1411. promiseth solemnly to
intend the Reformation of
the Church: and for that purpose
to assemble the most

learned of all Nations: yet
nothing was performed: At
the Councell of Senes in the
yeare 1423. this proposition
of Reformation was reuiued:
but withall it was adiourned
de die in diem, and the day of
their reformation is not yet
come. If we come nearer to
these times: the Councell of
Trent in Paul the thirds time
complained of Indulgences,
an Article of the Romane
faith: That the Popes officers
in collectings of mony for those
Indulgences, gaue a scandall to
all faithfull Christians which
might seeme to be without all
hope of remedy. They complained
in general that there
were many errors and corruptions
crept into the Masse by
the error of time and wickednesse
of men: they confesse in

particular, that Priests for couetousnesse
and gaine made
contracts and bargaines to say
Masses for money: in so much
it was obserued that the
Priest alone said stragling
Masses in a corner of the
Church for a Tester at the request
of him that payed for
them: they confesse that wanton
and lasciuious songs were
mingled with the Organs and
other Church musicke: and this
is likewise complained of by
their owne Agrippa: Hodie,
&c. (saith he) At this day obsœne
and filthie songs haue
their intercourse with the Canon
of the Masse: and as concerning
superstitious Ceremonies,
as namely, the certaine
number of their candels
at their Masses, they
confessed, they were first inuented

rather out of superstitious
deuotion then true Religion:
neither did these men
seeke a reformation in manners
onely, but in the doctrine
it selfe; they confessed
that the Masse wherein the
Priest and people did communicate
together was more
fruitfull, they professed openly
and wished vnfainedly that
priuate Masse might be restored
to the ancient custome,
and the practise of the Reformed
Churches which communicate
ioyntly and seuerally
with Priests and people
together. And as concerning
Latine Seruice in their
Church, although the councell
did not allow that at all
times and in all places it
should be celebrated in the
vulgar tongue: yet they confesse

21

that the Masse doth containe
great instruction for the
faithfull: and therefore (say
they) lest the sheepe of Christ
should thirst: and the children
should craue bread and none
should be present to breake it to
them. Mandat sancta Synodus,
&c. The holy Synod commands
all Pastors hauing cure of soules
that frequently at the celebration
of the Masse either by
themselues or by some others,
to interpret and declare the
mysterie of the Sacrament vnto
the people. How neare these
men doe come to our doctrine
who doth not perceiue?
For touching principall
points of their doctrine:
First, their great Councell
of Trent declares it for a
point of faith, that the vse of
Indulgences is most wholesome

for the people: yet they confessed
the scandall that came by
them was very great, and
without hope of reformation:
their Councell accurseth
all those that should hold
priuate Masses vnlawfull: yet
they wish they were restored
to the custome of the reformed
Church, where Priest
and people communicate together:
the Councell accurseth
all those that condemne
the practise of the Romane
Church, for deliuering the
Canon of their Masse in a silent
or an vnknowne tongue,
and yet shee commands all
Massing Priests to explaine
and expound the meaning
of those words deliuered in a
silent and vnknowne manner.
From these and the like

confessions of diuers errours
in the Church, the Bishops
and Fathers of the Councell
made a Decree for a Reformation:
the Pope himselfe caused
many Cardinals to assemble
and consider of the
errors, and for the easier redresse
they were commanded
to bee proposed to the
Pope and Cardinals in the
Consistorie: and if you question
me who did hinder the
reformation, I must say with
Cassander, they were such
who were puffed with Ecclesiasticall
authoritie, and reputed
principall members in
the same Church: Nicholas
Scomberg by profession a Dominican,
by place a Cardinall,
opposed the Reformation,
and pressed the Pope and his
Cardinals with these and the

24

like reasons: It would giue an
occasion to the Lutherans to
bragge that they had enforced
the Pope to make that Reformation,
and aboue all, it would be
a beginning to take away not
onely the abuses but good vses
also, and so to endanger the
whole state of Religion: for
by the Reformation it would
bee confessed that the things
prouided against were deseruedly
reprehended by the Lutherans
which would bee a
great abetting to their whole
doctrine.

C

Sect. 4.

Many learned Romanists conuicted
by the euidence of
Truth, either in part or in
whole, haue renounced Poperie
before their death.

HOw auaileable these
reasons may seeme to
hinder a reformation,
I leaue to euery mans iudgement:
yet sure I am the reformed
Churches haue done
nothing in this, other then
the former Councels had anciently
decreed, and diuerse
of their owne Church had
formerly wished to be done;
and I am certainly persuaded,
were it not for feare of endangering
the Romish Religion

(as the Cardinall rightly
obserued) our aduersaries
would come nearer vnto vs
in all the fundamental points
that our Church teacheth:
for looke vpon the Communion
in both kinds, and you
shall find the Councell of Basil
about two hundred yeares
since, did allow the Cup to
the Bohemians vpon this
condition: That they should
not find fault with the contrarie
vse, nor seuer themselues
from the Catholique Church:
Looke vpon the restraint of
Priests marriage, and you
shall heare Æneas Siluius, afterward
Pope Pius, giue his
Royall assent with vs. As
marriage vpon weightie reasons
was taken from the
Priests: so vpon weightie considerations
it were wished to

C2

be restored. Looke vpon priuate
Masses, and of this, saith
Master Harding, the godly
and faithfull people haue since
the time of the Primitiue
Church much complained: and
for the better correspondence
with vs in the greatest
mysterie of our saluation:
Looke vpon the Scriptures
and you shall finde the Rhemist
Testament translated
into English, and this was
done Importunitate Hæreticorum
(as they of Doway
speake) by the importunitie
of Heretiques: and to conclude,
they haue of late granted
a dispensation to some
men & women also to reade
the Scriptures, and this was
done Importunitate Hæreticorum
by the importunitie of
Heretiques.

It is no wonder that the
poore widow in the Gospell
did preuaile with the corrupt
Iudge by importunitie, when
such heretiques as wee are
reputed to be, haue preuailed
by importunitie with
such true Catholikes as they
pretend themselues to be: yet
if we looke but within the
memorie of man, wee shall
find that most of the Romish
proselites did frequent our
Church and diuine seruice
for the first eleuen yeares
of our blessed Queene Elizabeth,
neither was their communicating
with vs forbidden
by any lawfull Councell:
and I am verily perswaded,
That many at this day in the
Church of Rome do assent
to our doctrine that dare not
communicate with vs openly

C3

in the Church: for I appeale
to their owne consciences
how many of them
which are taught the doctrine
of concomitance haue
wished the restoring of the
Sacramentall Cup to the lay
people? how many with
hands and hearts lifted vp,
adore Christ Iesus in his bodily
presence in heauen,
when the consecrated bread
is presented to them for reall
flesh vpon the Altar? How
many worship the inuisible
God in Spirit and Truth,
when they retaine the Images
for memorie, for history,
for ornament, not for adoration?
How many doe smile
at Indulgences and Pardons,
at particular shrifts, at merrie
Pilgrimages, at ridiculous
and fained miracles, at diuine

30

vertue ascribed to Medals
Beads, Agnus Dei, and the
like, which are termed godly
deceits, and harmeles guiles
to feed the ignorant? How
many do preferre the lawfulnesse
of Priests marriage before
the keeping of a Concubine,
although the contrarie
be the common doctrine
of the Church of Rome?
Lastly, how many for feare
of vaine glorie, and by
reason of the vncertaintie of
their workes, do relye wholly
vpon the merits of Christ Iesus?
Shew mee that learned
man that liueth a professed
Papist in the Church of
Rome, and dieth not a sound
Protestant in this prime
foundation of our faith. That
Bishop who would not haue
the gap of this doctrine opened

C4

to the ignorant in time
of his health, yet in the time
of his sicknesse sets the merits
of Christ in the gappe to
stand betwixt Gods iudgement
and his owne sinnes.
And Cardinall Bellarmine
who taught in time of his
health that a man had a double
right to the kingdome of
God, part by his owne merits,
part by the merits of
Christ; Yet, I say, this stout
and learned defender of his
faith, concludes with a Tutissimum,
It is the safest way to
relye wholly on the merits of
Christ Iesus; and in time of
his sicknesse when he was to
render an account of his
workes and doctrine: in his
last Will and his last words
he sounds a retreate and beggeth
pardon at the hands of

God: Not as a valuer of merits
but as a giuer of mercie.
And their owne Albertus
Piggius who did bitterly inueigh
against our Church
and doctrine, especially in
the point of Iustification, by
reading of Caluins Institutions,
with a purpose to confute
them in that very point,
became himselfe a Caluinist:
neither was it his case alone,
but Paulus Vergerius a Romish
Bishop, who in like
manner began to write a
booke against the Protestants
which he intituled, Aduersus
Apostatas Germaniæ,
against the Apostates of
Germanie, after he had examined
their bookes, and
weighed their arguments
with a purpose to confute
them, found himselfe taken

C5

and vanquished, and laying
aside the hope of a Cardinalship
which at that time the
Pope intended him, hee trauelled
to Pola, where Germanus
his brother a Romish Bishop
was residing, and after
much debate and conference
had of the doctrine of Iustification,
his brother also yeelded
and protested against the
Romish doctrine, and both
with mutuall ioy and consent
of minds professed and proclaimed
the Protestant faith
to all beleeuers.