The subuersion of Robert Parsons his confused and worthlesse worke, entituled, A treatise of three conuersions of England from paganisme to Christian religion

CHAP. XIII. That Parsons maketh no conscience to wrest and corrupt holy Scriptures.

THus we sée the substance of Parsons his two first bookes of Three Conuersions quashed, and brought to nothing. But because he hath committed diuers other faults, which in the sequele of our discourse we could not particularly insist vpon, we haue thought it good to referre their further examination to this place. For whatsoeuer bragges his followers do make of this braue worke, yet by examination it will appeare, that the Author hath fouly abused and mistaken Scriptures, corrupted, falsified, and falsely alled∣ged Fathers, and other Authors, bragged of himselfe and his conforts most vainely, taken things in question as granted most simply, erred in historyes and other authors most childishly, applyed Scriptures and spoken of God and matters concerning God most blasphemously, beha∣ued himselfe toward his Prince most disloyally, lyed and calumniated honest men most impudently, alledged mat∣ters making against himselfe most sottishly: and to reduce all into a briefe summe; that this whole treatise is nothing

else, but a fardle of false allegations, corruptions, lyes and fooleries.

That he maketh no conscience to wrest and peruert the words of holy Scriptures, it appeareth by these particu∣lars. In the front of his booke, which he like a man of a front & face without shame entituleth, A treatise of Three Con∣uersions of England, he tumbleth two sentences of Scrip∣ture together, and maketh one of two. He doth also wrest them both contrary to the meaning of the holy Ghost. For whereas Deuter. 4. whence his first place is taken, we are willed to enquire of ancient times, and thereof to learne Gods great works in deliuering his people, he applyeth the words of that text to the times of late Popes, and to their trash and traditions. And out of the words, Deut. 32. whence his second place is taken, where we are comman∣ded to remember the old dayes of our forefathers, &c. he in∣stnuateth, that we are to looke back to the Popes Decre∣tals, and corruptions of former times. But the holy Scrip∣ture sendeth vs to the Prophets & Patriarks, and the people of God, which were eye witnesses of Gods speciall fauour towards his people. Both the places do vtterly ouerthrow Parsons his cause, that hath neither help of antiquity, nor testimony of the Fathers of the Church.

In his Epistle he applieth these words Philip. 1. To you it is giuen, not only to beleeue in him, but also to suffer for him: to his complices the Papists. But he leaueth out these words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, for Christ. Percase his conscience told him, that in England none of his consorts suffer for Christ, but rather for Antichrist. Further, most of them are so igno∣rant, that they neither know what Christ is, nor what it is to beléeue in Christ, holding it sufficient to beléeue as the Pope doth, who for the most part beléeueth no more then the great Turke.

Where the Apostle Philip. 1. saith, Ut vincula mea manife∣sta fierent in Christo in omni praetorio: he changeth his words, and maketh him to say, Vincula vestra manifesta siunt in Chri∣sto in omni praetorio, making the Apostle to speake an vn∣truth,

and applying his words to the Papists, who neuer suffered for Christ, nor were euer called before any barre for his sake, but rather for treason and rebellion, and main∣teining the faction of Antichrist, to whose seruice they haue consecrated themselues. He doth also mistake the Apostles meaning vtterly, where he saith, The Apostle gloried of himselfe and his fellowes. For he doth not once mention his fellowes, nor glory of himselfe or his bonds, as this glori∣ous fellow surmiseth.

The Apostle 1. Thess. 1. commendeth them, for that they became followers of Christ, and of the Apostles, and receiued the word of God with ioy in the holy Ghost, in great tribula∣tion. But Parsons applieth these words to the Papists. Let indifferent men therefore iudge how madly he applieth, and biolētly wresteth holy Scriptures to serue his leud purpose. For Papists follow not Christ, nor his Apostles, but Anti∣christ & his false apostles the Masse-priests and Iebusites. The word of God in vulgar tongues they receiue not to be read publikely: nor do they ioy so much in the holy Ghost, as in their owne diuelish practises, treacheries, and murthers. They suffer no tribulation, nor affliction of mind or body, but liue in all delights & pleasures of the world, rather follo∣wing the sect of the Epicures, then the piety of Christians. Neither can it be shewed wherein y^e Papists of England may be resembled in any thing to the Christians of Macedonia, vnlesse it be, in that they be enemies of the crosse of Christ, and make a god of their belly, as the Apostle saith, speaking of some Macedonians Philip. 3. Finally the place is not so euil applied, but it is worse translated: for to the text he addeth these words published euery where throughout the world, and leaueth out these, that we need not to speake any thing.

These words of God by his Prophet Isay, chap. 1. I will turne my hand vpon thee, and purge away thy drosse, till thou be made pure, and will take away thy tinne: are so absurdly applied to his consorts, that professe a religion full of drosse and superstition, a religion most impure and full of hereti∣call corruption, a religion full of base mettall, and that tea∣cheth

her clients to worship Images of tinne & lead, y^e while he endeuoreth to praise the Papists, he doth vtter words that do vtterly confound both them & their drossy Religion.

Intus pugnae, foris timores, saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. But Parsons to shew that he mainteineth a peruerse Rèligion, turneth his words contremont, making him to say Foris pug∣nae, intus timores. It may be, he was much ashamed to acknow∣ledge, that there is such a faction & diuision betwixt y^e Secu∣lar Priests and the Iebusites throughout England. Further, if vnity be a marke of the Church, as his consorts pretend, then did he well perceiue, that such diuided companies as the Secular Priests & Iebusites cannot belong to the Church, and therefore thought it best to corrupt the Apostles words.

Matth. 8. we reade, how Christ arose and rebuked the winds and sea, and how there followed a great calme. But Parsons wickedly applieth these words to the Pope, for Christ ho∣noring Antichrist, and giuing the power of God to a wret∣ched man, who is so far from calming winds and seas, that he cannot appease the troubles of his owne house, nor stop the ouerflowing of Tiber. Nay albeit he endeuor to stop the breaths of true preachers, yet shall the sword of the word of God issuing out of their mouths lay his kingdome wast, and destroy the fortresses of his Antichristian state.

1. Reg. 3. Heli the priest submitteth himselfe to the will of God, foretelling the certaine destruction of his house, say∣ing, It is the Lord, let him do whatsoeuer seemeth good in his eyes. But Parsons doth impiously apply them to the Kings Maiesty, disloyally as it seemeth, wishing and prophecying of some such like destruction to the Kings house, and lignage, as hapned to Heli and his issue: and this the gunpouder and vndermining Papists haue of late attempted.

In these words Hebrews 5. Didicit ex ijs, quae passus est, obe∣dientiam: Parsons leaueth out the word, obedientiam, and where the Apostle approprieth them to Christ, he detorteth them to the King.

In his Preface alledging the words of Christ Matth. 24. he maketh himselfe to say, That such times of heresie and con∣tradiction

should come, whē one sect would say, here is Christ, and another, there is Christ. Where we may sée manifestly, that he neither speaketh of diuers sects, nor of y^t contradicti∣on or heresies of diuers sects, but saith indefinitely, If any say here is Christ, or there is Christ, beleeue him not. And this di∣rectly maketh against euery seueral sect of Papists, who pre∣tend that Christes body is conteined in pixes, and lyeth lur∣king vnder the accidents of consecrated hostes, and is offerd by polshorne prièsts in euery corner of their Churches.

Citing the words of Peter, Act. 10. who saith, That Christ was not manifested to all the people, but to certaine witnesses before appointed by God, he beareth his reader in hand, that this was done to the end that their faith might be of more me∣rit: whereas we find not any mention made of merit in that place, nor any suspition of any such matter.

Out of the words of Marke. c. 16. he concludeth, That we are to captiuate our vnderstanding not only to the obedience of Christ, but also to those that preach vnto vs. But there is great difference betwixt the incredulity of those y^t would not beleeue the Apostles teaching Christes resurrection, of which Marke speaketh, and the piety of such, as beleeue not the Friers, Monks and Masse-priests, which are the false A∣postles sent out by Antichrist, teaching y^e Popes Decretals, and Romish forged traditions.

Pag. 21. he endeuoreth to proue by S. Peters words Act. 15. that he was the Apostle of the Gentiles. But S. Paul Galat. 2. sheweth, that the Gospel ouer the circumcision was commit∣ted to Peter, and the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision to him∣selfe. Act. 15. he saith nothing, but that God appointed that the Gētiles should by his mouth heare the word of the Gospel. But that may be true in case any number of the Gentiles should heare him preach the Gospell. The words of Peter certes do not exclude others.

Pag. 441. rehersing y^e words of Daniel. c. 2. he applieth them to y^e Church of Rome, as if y^e church were that kingdome, that shal neuer be dissipated, and shall cōsume & weare out all other kingdoms: but by y^e sequel of y^e text it appeareth, that they are

to be vnderstood of the vniuersall Church and kingdome of Christ, and not of any one particular congregation, much lesse of the synagogue of Rome, that is now begun to be dis∣sipated by the true preachers of Gods word on one side, and is greatly straited by the Turke on the other side. He doth also fraudulently leaue out these words in his quotation, Et regnum eius alteri populo non dabit, least he should thereby declare, that euery particular city and people is excluded from the claime of the right of the vniuersall kingdome of Christ. And with this faith he citeth other Scriptures.