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. V.

The summe of the twelfth charge of M. PARSONS his Reckoning.

THe Canon, as it is alleged by M. Morton, is this, [Though * 1.1 a Pope should carrie many people with him into hell, no man may presume to say, Why do you so?] I maruell with what con∣science, or if not conscience, with what forehead at least, these men can write things, which they know, or may know to be meer∣ly false and forged? Is not this a signe of obstinate wilfulnesse, and that neither God nor trueth is sought for by them, but only to maintaine a faction, with what sleight and falshood soeuer.

The Reuiew.

13 What is that whereof M. Parsons his head is so full, that he should require a fore-head in his Aduersaries? Heere is a Parturiunt montes, we shall see many ridiculous mise by and by. The first followeth.

M. PARSONS his Reckoning.

M. Morton citeth the Canon of Gratian, Si Papa, in the * 1.2 name of Pope Boniface, in stead of Boniface a Martyr, who was neuer Pope, but a vertuous learned Englishman, who liued 850. yeares agone, and was Arch-Bishop of Mentz in Germany. Which escape; besides the ignorance, tasteth also of much profane malice and impiety.

The Reuiew.

14 Can there be any thing spoken in preiudice of any Pope, which will not prooue vnsauoury in M. Parsons his palate? If I haue erred in mistaking the Inscription of Gratian, you might the more easily pardon me, knowing that Gratian himselfe is charged by your owne o 1.3 Bishop for applying false inscriptions to the testimonies which he alleageth. But let vs take him for that Boniface the Martyr, and not Boniface the Pope, yet hath this Canon beene alwaies allowed by many Popes: and what difference of iudgement can there be in an Author, and in an authorizer of any worke? Neither may any hold it an Impiety, to except against the saying of * 1.4 some Martyrs, for diuers Martyrs haue not beene without the tincture of some errours, otherwise S. Cyprian should not haue held vntill this day the title of a Saint. Victorinus erred in the question concerning the state of soules, and is therfore taxed by Cardinall Bellarmine, who saith that p 1.5 Victorinus was a Martyr, yet (as S. Hierom saith) he wanted learning. How will this answer of S. Hierom, and Cardinall Bellarmine

relish with M. Parsons: must both these also be noted of Im∣pietie? See the next.

M. PARSONS his Reckoning.

The Summe. He sheweth from the Canon, that the Pope is * 1.6 not to be reprehended, &c. but concealeth that the same Canon pronounceth damnation vpon such a negligent Pope: and that such a one is to suffer eternall punishments.

The Reuiew.

15 I was onely to prooue what prerogatiue was ascribed vnto the Pope in this life which was, Non iudicandus, nisi à fide deuius: it concerned me not to tell that a wicked Pope must be iudged and condemned after this life, whereof none can doubt, but an Atheist. Yet more.

M. PARSONS Reckoning.

In repeating the Canon thus: [No mortall man shall, or may * 1.7 presume to reprehend him] there he endeth; in which short there are many fraudes; for first he leaueth out, istîc, heere in this life: then praesumit, doth presume, he translateth, may presume: and lastly he leaueth out the reason, because the Pope is not to be iudged.

The Reuiew.

16 That is to say, I would not imitate M. Parsons in idle * 1.8 and impertinent superfluities: for he that saith, No mortall man may presume to reprehend a Pope, must needes vnderstand in this life, except M. Parsons haue some diuine power and commission to send a Mortall man (for in heaven there is not any reprehensible) to reprehend some Pope in hell. Thus much of the first fraud.

17 The second is as childish: for the sentence is, as M. Parsons calleth it, a Canon; and the propertie of a Canon is

directory, prescribing what may, or may not be done; and the next words explaine the meaning, The Pope must not be iudged. This sheweth M. Parsons his follie. The third is yet more friuolous, for the assertion being nought, the rea∣son cannot be good, which is this: The Pope cannot be iud∣ged, which conclusion hath been condemned by their coun∣cell of Constance, and of Basil, both which held that Popes are subiect vnto the iudgement of a Councell euen for maners. These former exceptions, were but little my se: now the great one leapeth out.

M. PARSONS his Reckoning, summarily.

But the greatest corruption, which most importeth the simple * 1.9 Reader, is this, that he translateth the former sentence thus: Though hee should carrie many people into hell, yet no mortall creature may presume to say, Why doe you so? But in the Latine, neither in the Canon it selfe is there any such in∣terrogation at all, as why doe you so? And therefore I may aske T. M. why doe you lie so? Or why doe you corrupt your Author so? Or why doe you translate in English, for the abusing of your Reader, that which neither your selfe doe set downe in your Latine text, nor in the Canon it selfe, by you cited, hath it at all? Is not this wilful and malicious fraud? Wherein when you shal answer me directly and sincerely, it shal be a great discharge of your credit with those, who in the meane space will iustly hold you for a Deceiuer. I find the same obiected by Sir Francis Ha∣stings and afterward by Mathew Sutcliffe, but I find the same confuted at large by the Warnwoord. * 1.10

The Reuiew.

18 And I must tell M. Parsons, that seeing the Canon * 1.11 doth not allow Any mortall man to reprehend a Pope in this life, except he deflect from the faith; consequently it will not permit a man to say, in way of reproofe, Why do you so? As euery Barber, Baker and triuiall man knoweth, by the com∣mon

phrase of speech: and therefore I may well eccho a∣gainst M. Parsons, and say, Why doe you trifle so? Why do you riot so? Why do you rage so?

19 But it may seeme that M. Parsons is thus earnest, be∣cause * 1.12 he thinketh it would be no small staine to their Pope, if hee should bee knowne either to say, or to allow any to teach that None may reprehend the Pope, saying, Why do you so? Oh fie! this is more than euer M. Parsons heard of. I would therefore intreat this our great. Doctor to turne his eye vnto the Glosse vpon the Extrauagants, where it is said, in the behalfe of Popes dispensation, q 1.13 Nec est qui au∣deat dicere, Domine, cur it à facis? that is, Neither is there any, that dare say, Why doest thou so? Where (as though this point * 1.14 were worthy the sight of al passengers) there standeth in the Margent as it were a finger pointing vnto it, saying, Let no man say to the Pope, Domine cur it à facis? My Lord, why doe you so? Therefore must I aske you once againe, Why deale you so rashly, in writing you know not what? or, in obiect∣ing malice in such a matter, why doe you reproach mee so maliciously?

20 Furthermore, because I finde M. Parsons making mention of Sir Francis Hastings, and of his owne booke of Warnwoord, I must furthermore bee so sawcie as to pull him once againe by the sleeue, and aske him by way of digressi∣on whether he be not the man that denied that this salutati∣on, [Dominus Deus Papa] is found in the Glosse of some Canonist?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Reckon. pa. 432.
• * 1.2

  Reckon. pag. 432.
• o 1.3

  Epist. Tara∣con. De emend. Grat. Dial. 1. pag. 5.
• * 1.4

  The Martyrs haue beene men of im∣perfection.
• p 1.5

  Bellar. l. 1. de beat. Sanct. c. 5. §. His adde.
• * 1.6

  Reckon. ibid.
• * 1.7

  Reckon. ibid.
• * 1.8

  M. Parsons many idle im∣pertinences.
• * 1.9

  Reckon. pag. 435.
• * 1.10

  Pag. 432.
• * 1.11

  M. Parsons his wyld reto∣rique.
• * 1.12

  His zeale for the Pope without knowledge.
• q 1.13

  Extrauag. de Concess. Tit. 4. cap. 2.
• * 1.14

  M. Parsons his grosse ig∣norance, or else peeuish malice.