The encounter against M. Parsons, by a revievv of his last sober reckoning, and his exceptions vrged in the treatise of his mitigation. Wherein moreouer is inserted: 1. A confession of some Romanists, both concerning the particular falsifications of principall Romanists, as namely, Bellarmine, Suarez, and others: as also concerning the generall fraude of that curch, in corrupting of authors. 2. A confutation of slaunders, which Bellarmine vrged against Protestants. 3. A performance of the challenge, which Mr. Parsons made, for the examining of sixtie Fathers, cited by Coccius for proofe of Purgatorie ... 4. A censure of a late pamphlet, intituled, The patterne of a Protestant, by one once termed the moderate answerer. 5. An handling of his question of mentall equiuocation (after his boldnesse with the L. Cooke) vpon occasion of the most memorable, and feyned Yorkeshire case of equiuocating; and of his raging against D. Kings sermon. Published by authoritie

SECT. 11.

The first Inquirie.

4. I Haue * 1.1 said, that I may not denie euen this my Ad∣uersarie his commendation of Modestie, who being ashamed (we may thinke) of the Romish Frauds and Falsifi∣cations of former times, will insist onely vpon such mens examples, as haue professedly written of late against Prote∣stants. It were to be wished that his fellow Iesuite Coste∣rus had kept himselfe within the same precincts: but hee maketh a more generall challenge, thus; Nemo hactenùs vel Princeps, vel Praesul, vel Scriptor fuit, qui mendacy vel malae fidei Romanos arguerit. That is: Neuer yet (saith hee) Did any Prince, or Prelate, or Writer accuse the Romanists of falshood.

I am heereupon called by Master Parsons to a shrewd Reckoning, the summe whereof is, as followeth.

Master PARSONS his Reckoning, in charging his Aduersarie.

NOw I must demaund of the Reader, what he vnderstandeth Mr. * 1.2 Morton his purpose to bee in this place? Is it not to shew that Costerus was lesse modest then I, forasmuch as I said, If in any one Catholicke writer of Controuersies in our age, there might bee found but two or three Examples of wilfull lying, I would neuer trust him more. but that Coste∣rus went further saying, That no Prince, Prelate, or writer had euer hitherio accused any Romanists of falshood. Is not this Mr. Mortons plaine meaning (thinke you) as both his words and drifts doe shewe? Yes truely. Which being so, I would aske him why he did clip the Latin wordes of Costerus, who saith, But neucrthelesse there was no Catholicke man bitherto, (to wit, the time assigned, when Bishops of Rome were Saints and Martyrs) whether Prince, Bishop, or Writer &c. Which two words, Ne∣uertkelesse, and Catholicke man, demonstrate that Costerus spake not of Romane Writers, but of Romane Bishops and Popes.

The Reueiwe, and charge.

5. The words of Coster are, Nemo Catholicus: and by Ro∣manos, id est, Romanes, he meant the Romane Popes, yet spake * 1.3 he it indefinitely Romanos, And Coster in the words following descendeth as lowe as Pope Damasus, who was no Martyr: and the instances, which I gaue against Coster, were onely a∣bout Popes, and taken from the Councell of Affricke, which consisted of 203 Bishops, among whom Saint Au∣gustine was a principall Actor. All which Catholicke Bi∣shops, tooke exception vnto the challenge of three Popes, viz. Sozimus, Boniface, and Celestine, who, vpon the false pre∣tence of a Canon, in the name of the Councel of Nice, exacted Appeales vnto Rome: where it is plaine that I instanced in no examples, but onely in Romane Popes. If I had vrged any exception taken by any, but by those whom they will con∣fesse to haue bin Catholike Bishops; or against any Romane Writers, sauing onely against Romane Popes, then might hee haue had iust cause to note me of wilfull falshood, both in re∣spect of the word Catholicke, and in the word Romanes. But seeing that I haue not committed any such error, what meant Mr. Parsons to be so violent? It may be that I haue offended him, by saying that Coster was lesse modest then he. I craue pardon for this fault, and hereafter I shall iudge otherwise of his immodestie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Preamb. p. 51.
• * 1.2

  Recko. pag. 121.
• * 1.3

  M. Parsons idle cauilling.