The fourth the Iudge of matters of faith for which is quoted Innocentius Epist. 93. apud August and Leo Epist. 84 These are both bishops of Rome and partiall witnesses to depose of theyr owne Prerogatiue shewing what they claymed and not what al antiquitie gaue vnto them The Romane Prelacie as Socrates testiâ—…e in that time although it were a thousande partes more modest then it is at this daye yet was it then passed beyonde the bondes of Priesthood into forayne Lordship And oftentimes the bishops of Rome challenged more authoritie then of other bishops would be graunted as appeareth by many decrées of the Councels in Africa agaynst appealing to the bishop of Rome and against his ambitious titles of high Prtest c. Which this reasoner sayth was giuen him by all antiquitie The fifth title is the repurger of heresies for which is quoted Sy Alex. 4. apud Athanasium But Athanasius allowed no suche title to the Romane bishoppe whom he confesseth to haue subscribed to the Arrian heresie Liberius deinde c. After Liberius had passed twoo yeeres in exile he was turned and through threates of death induced to subscription The sixth title is The examiner of al bishops causes for which is quoted Theodor. lib. 2. hist. cap. 4. UUhere there is no such matter but that Athanasius desired to haue his cause examined and tried by Iulius Bishop of Rome which when it procéeded not because his aduersaries would not appeare his cause was referred by the Empérour Constantius his commaundement to the councell of Sardica when finding no helpe in Iulius the Byshoppe he had first appealed to the Emperour Constance The last title is The great Priest in obeying whom all vnitie consisteth and by disobeying of whome all heresies and Schismes arise Cyp. Epist. 55. This place is alreadie answered to pertaine no more to the bishoppe of Rome then to any other Bishop A second cause he rendreth why our seruice is blasphemous because wee pray to be deliuered from papistrie which hee sayth is onely true religion but that hath neede of many suppositions to prooue it A third cause he yeeldeth Because they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes If men were as ignorant in the scriptures and Psaimes of Dauid as the Papists would haue them to be this pretensed cause coulde haue but smale coller seeing the title of this hymme in euery booke plainly sheweth that it is none of Dauids Psalmes and the prayer conceiued therein for the Queene and her Councell with diuers other requestes pecâ—…ier to our time and state declare manifestly that it cannot of any man that hath his fiue wittes be taken for the expresse woordes of the auncient Canonical Scripture Much lesse can it with any apparance of reason be gathered that there is any purpose in them that cause it to be song to induce any man neuer so simple into such a grosse error that he shoulde thinke the same song to be scripture it selfe or one of Dauids Psalmes The fourth reason in particuler why the Protestantes must be déemed naught is Albeit it had not all this euill in it yet because it hath not in it those good thinges which christian seruice should haue for seruice sayth he may be euill as well for hauing too little as for hauing too much as the Arrians seruice for singing glory to the father and not singing the same to the sonne As if a man should recite his Creed and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were naught thereby In deede whatsoeuer is defectiue in any necessarye parte cannot bee perfectly good in the whole but that for wante of some good partes all other good partes shoulde bee naught that is a great vntrueth as also it is a senselesse â—…launder that wee leaue out in effect the Article of Christes descention intoo heâ—… for whiche hee giueth noe reason but his bare woorde He might as well say we leaue out the whole Créede because wee vnderstand it otherwise then they doe But what our seruice wanteth whiche is necessary to bee hadd hée will shewe in twoo or thrée thinges First therefore saieth hée they haue lefte out the chiefest and highest thinges of all whiche is the Blessed Sacrifice of Christe his bodye and blood appoynted by Christe too bee offered vp euery daye for thankesgeuing to GOD for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euill and for remission of sinnes bothe of quicke and dead as with one consente the Fâ—…hers of the Primitiue Churche doe affirme That any sacrifice of Christes body blood by Christe is appoynted not onely the Apostles and Euangelists which set foorth the institutioÌ„ of the Lords supper make no mentioÌ„ but also y e Apostle to the Hebrewes plentifully sheweth that the sacrifice of Christ was but once offered found eternal redeÌ„ption y â— he offered himself but once for if he had he must haue suffered more then once séeing y â— without shedding of blood there is no remissioÌ„ of sins Neither doe the fathers of the Primitiue church wâ—…oÌ„ he quoteth affirme the coÌ„trary He beginneth w t Dionisius the counterfeite Areopagiâ—…e Hier. 3. Where beside y â— the Author beareth a wroÌ„g name being not so old as the Apostles times by 600. yéeres more yet is not this imagined sacrifice by him in such order aduouched The next of the olde writers names with whom the Margent is paynted as Ignatius Epi. ad Smirnenses which if wee should receiue for Authenticall and not counterfeited yet hath it nothing to the purpose but the name of sacrifice Proptereanon licet c. Therefore yâ—… is not lawfull without the Byshop neither to offer nor to make sacrifice nor to celebrate Masses as the Latine translation is of celebration of the communion If this were bothe a true antiquity to be obserued the Popishe seruice were not lawfull but where it is ministred by a bishopp for that also is affirmed in the same Epistle Thirdly he commeth to Iustinus dial cum Triphone A Reuerend Father indéed whose woords if hée had set downe they would not onely haue cléered our seruice of the supposed crime but also haue béen sufficient to expounde whatsoeuer in any other auncient writer is vnproperly and figuratiuely vttered in the name of sacrifice priest and Aultar c. The woordes of Iustinus are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euen so wee whiche by the name of Iesus as all shall bee one man in GOD the maker of all things hauing put of our filthie garmentes that is our sinnes by the name of his first begotten sonne and being set on fire by the woorde of his calling are a right kinde of high priestes of GOD as God himselfe doeth witnes that in all places among the Gentiles acceptable and pure sacrifices are
Protestantes Church is forbidden by the Church And because you speake of the voyce of the Supreame Pastour of the Churche except you bring the voyce of Christe your argument is to weake to condemne the Protestantes Churche For Saint Peter teacheth vs that Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Supreame Pastour of his Churche which hath no fellowes in office but that the Pope shoulde bee the generall Pastour of all whose Communion it is not lawfull to breake Hée cyteth a place out of Cyprian epi. 55. ad Cornel. Heresies and Schismes haue sprong of none other cause theÌ„ for that men do not obey Gods Prieste And for that they doe not thinke or conâ—…der y â— there is one only priest who is iudge in Christes stéede for y e time Unto whom if all the vniuersal brotherhood would obey in diuine functions no man would moue any thing against the Colleâ—…ge of priests neyther after y e iudgemeÌ„t of God the suffrage of the people y â— bishops consent once put downe in any matter would any man dare to make himselfe a Iudge of the Bishop and consequently of God nor by breaking vnitâ—…e teare or reÌ„t the Church of Christ. To this authoritie I answere that except you wil adde a fourth supposition that Cyprian speaketh of one bishoppe in all the worlde whiche hée sayeth of one bishoppe in euery Dioces it maketh as much for the Byshop of Rochester as for the Byshop of Rome For the whole argument of the Epistle declareth that hée speaketh of herelickes and scismatikes that in scisme were made byshops in his owne Church in other meâ—…s Churches and when they were of them reiected or for their crymes deposed sought approbation of the Byshop of Rome and other Prelates beyond the sea As his wordes are manifest Post ista adhuc insuper After these thinges hauing made them a false Byshop by heretikes they dare bée bolde to sayle beyond the Sea and to cary prophane letters frâ—…m Schismatiks vnto the Chayre of Peter and that principall Churche from whence the vnitie of priestood arose and not to consider that they are Romaines whose fayth is praysed by the commendation of the Apostle to whome false dealyng can haue none accesse Agayne hée saith Neque rescindere c. Neyther canne it vndoe the ordination rightly made that Basilides after his crymes detected and his conscience made bare by his owne confession trauailing to Rome deceaued our fellowe Byshoppe Stephanus dwelling farre off and being ignoraunt of the matter as it was done and of the trueth that hée shoulde ambytiously séeke to bee restored into his Bishopprick from which hée was iustly deposed c. Fynally it is worth nothing for hee falsifieth the wordes of S. Cyprian in translation Post Coepiscoporum consensum which is after the consent of the fellow Byshops which he tearmeth The Byshops consenrors once put down as though Cyprian spake stil of that one Byshoppe which is to bée obeyed in euery Church as this man sâ—…rmiseth in the whole Church The fift Reason THe fyfte reason wherefore a Catholyke maye not goe to the churche of those of the contrary relygion is for feare leaste his presence maye bee interpreted by GOD to bee consente vnto their doing and so hee bee made partaker of theyr punishement Concerning whiche wee must vnderstande that of all the enemyes that GOD hath in this worlde there is none in so heyghe displeasurâ—… with him as hee who once knoweing the trueth and beeinge receauâ—… into his house the catholike churche runneth out againe and by newe deuised doctrines vexeth and molesteth the same beeing not onely the house as I haue sayde of Christ but also his spowse nay his owne bodye Which sorte of men the scripture calleth Heretickes whose curse and reprobation in this life is more grieuous then any other sinne whatsoeuer and the damnation for the time to come more intollerable For that as S. Peter saieth It had beene better for them neuer to haue knowne the waye of righteousnesse then after they knewe it to turne backe againe And these are those men of whome Christ said that one diuell going forth in their first comming to the fayth by Baptisme hee afterwardes entred againe with seuen other diuelles worse then hym selfe and so made the ende of that man woorse then his beginning And Saint Paule geueth a maroeilous seuere iudgment vpon them when he saith That Heretickes are subuerted and doe sinne and are damned by their owne iudgementes First he saieth that they are subuerted or ouerthrowne because they are blotted out of the booke of lyfe Secondlye that their whole lyfe is sin vppon sin because they are vtterly depriued of God his grace without the which wee can do nothing but sinne Thirdly he saith they are damned by their own iudgementes either for that they chose wittingly to leaue the catholicke church out of the which they knewe there was no saluation or els because the most of them doe knowe that they doe amisse and yet for pride they will not come backe So that euery waye their case is very pitifull and lamentable This poynte the holy Fathers of the Churche doe oftentymes handle very seriously and grauelye prouing that Heretickes more offende God and are infarre worse state then any offendour els in the world and namely more then either Iew or Gentyle For the which cause they note that the new Testamente byddeth vs not to beware of Iewes and Gentiles but of Heretickes in manye places The reason is for that they are those wolues which Christ foretolde vs should come in sheepe skins which as S. Augustine saieth shall pretende to be very good sheepe and friendes to Christ and to his sheepefolde and yet with Christ his owne wordes they shall teache you to denie Christ to teare the sheepefold in peeces and to disperse the sheepe Nay they shall sleye more soules with the word then euer Tyrants did with the sword Againe S. Austine proueth at large in aâ—… other place that Heretickes are those Antichristes of whome S. Iohn spake when he saide That many Antichristes are now gone out Meaning of Simon Magus Cerinthus and other Heretikes of his â—…yme Of which Antichristes hee saieth that S. Paule did pronounce that terrible saying that they were The men of sinne the Children of destruction As who would say that albeit all other noughtie men were in wrapped with the guilte of sinne and of their owne destruction yet those men aboue all others for their eminente wickedâ—…es were properly to be called the men of sin in respecte of their heynous sinne of slayeing of soules and the heauy sentence abyding them for the same they were peculiarlye to bee called the children of perdition and damnation This therefore being so that the deepe displeasure of God and his heauye hande hangeth moreouer the heades of Heretickes and Schismatickes then ouer any other people in the worlde it is no small daunger for
Turkish state in which the sense féeling of vertue was neuer so wholy extinguished but some remained euen in them that knewe not God nor serued him aright The king of Sodoma shewed some sense féeling of gratitude equitie when he was content to yéeld to Abraham his deliuerer the whole pray and spoyle of the aduersaries so that hée might recouer his captiuâ—…d people But let that passe and consider the grounde of this comfort So many genâ—…lemen en both for their yeeres lyuings and habilities as 〈◊〉 to be as vaine as the rest as though all other Gentlemen were vaine but they so precise in matters of religion and respectiue of their consciences c. To omit that which is â—…e in secrete the manifest couetousnes â—…ppression and wrong dealing in some of their liues appearing declareth small precisenes to be in their religion or respect of their conscience in their refusal But admit that none of them might he touched in conuersatioÌ„ as that were not sufficient to iustifie their religion so it shoulde be small matter of comfort vnto a christian man to sée so many Gentlemen refusing to yéelde to the trueth and so few poore men to whom the Gospel properly perteineth that dare withstand the Lawes that are now made of religion Whereas the true religion hath but fewe noble in comparison of the multitude of the poore that receiue and imbrace the Gospell It is therefore but a smal likelihood that Papistrie shoulde be the true religion which few or none but Gentlemen dare professe in EnglaÌ„d Which argueth y â— y â— greatest number of theÌ„ being able by welth to beare out the greatest punishment that is laide vpon them suffer of wilfulnesse rather then of conscience who if they were put to the same tryal y â— the poore martyres were in time of popish persecution it is hard to say how many of these gentlemen that abide imprisonment woulde indure to ende their liues as those did in firy â—…ormeÌ„ts Experience we haue in the daies of king Henry king Edward wheÌ„ sharper punishmeÌ„t then now is practised was executed vpon offendours in some cases how few there were those y â— were discouered by others rather theÌ„ by their own open professioÌ„ that indured the seueritie of those lawes Yet were those times more likely to haue yéelded thousands of martyrs confessours when men were newly drawne from their old inueterated opinions if certeiutie of truth had béen in papistrie which might haue bâ—…d a constant faith to haue suffered death willingly faithfully for the defence testimonie of gods religion against heresie which error builded vpon vncertaine or false grounds albeit it may worke wilful perâ—… in a fewe yet neuer is able to giue paâ—…ience constancie in the â—…ttermost a â—…tions vnto ma nie The same thing the experience of these times doth coÌ„firme in which only they suffer by their wils to whom the suffering is no great smart But y e mener sort although in hart they fauour popery yet because they haue no faith but an vncertaine opinion they dare make no confession to bring them selues in greater trouble then they are able without greate paine too suffer And 〈◊〉 those of wealâ—…h that care not to be imprisoned rather then to 〈◊〉 to Church how many of them dare make confession of that which is the profession of all Papâ—…sts that he acknowledgeth the supreme authoritie of the Pope is by Bul or other token of pardon reconciled to the Sea of Rome And wherefore are they so dangerous in this matter rather then the oÌ„ther but because y â— law 〈◊〉 sharâ—… in y â— point for acknowleging y â— popes authoritie theÌ„ for going to church Whereas if they suffered of conscience grounded vpoÌ„ a ChristiaÌ„ faith they would neuer be ashamed to confes him whoÌ„ they think in their erronious perswasioÌ„ to be the rock of the Church y â— head singuler shepheard of the same without acknow legeing of whose autority they hold y â— there is no church no truth no saluation I omit that there is apparant probable suspitions in some of the imprisoned of hope of greater preferment worldly aduauntement in another state then they looke to obteine in this whereto doth tend al their diuelish traiterous machinations against the Prince present state by Gods goodnes hitherto preuented and I hope if our sinnes which deserue the contrary doe not 〈◊〉 shalbe finally and perpetually disapointed But this their obstâ—… is such a thing saith this discourser as it must needes bryng comfort to all men So that in his iudgement they are no meÌ„ to whom the wilful contempt of Papists bringeth no coÌ„fort what more It can iustly greeue none except the coÌ„mon enimy the dyuel hymselfe Sée 〈◊〉 not what 〈◊〉 he maketh of her Maiestie at her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Nobilitie Comminaltie all whom it cannot but grâ—… excéedingly y â— any of her born subiects there naturall countriemen should so obstinately refuse the hearing of Gods word coÌ„munication with his Churche without y e which there is no hope of saluation that they had rather bee imprisoned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 displeasure of God them natural Prince then be at large with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 liâ—… of their soueraigne Yet further 〈◊〉 how not only in general but also in particuler he presu meth to â—…rine of her Maiestie And as for the Princes herselfe saith he she cannot but becomforted therein Behold how confidently hée â—…dereth her 〈◊〉 Maisâ—…ie in bearing men in hand not only that she is 〈◊〉 by â—…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of her subiects but also that it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that â—…hée should be comforted by that which euen coÌ„mon sense abhorreth that the ruler shoulde be comforted by disobedience and a Christian ruler by disobedience vnto Christes faith wherof she is a â—…olous defendor What other thing therfore is ment by this supposed impossibilitie but to â—…nuat in most sâ—…anderous infamous suggestion y â— her Maiestie fauoureth the contempt of her lawes liketh well of disobedient subiectes yea is greatly conforted at the obstinacie of thâ—…m whom by publike lawes and open profession she hath declared these 22. yéeres to be enimies of Gods truth maintayners of superstition and defendâ—…rs of heresie But let vs yet more néerely beholde the cause which maketh it impossible but that shée must néedes be conforted therein She cannot but be conforted threin saieth hée assuring her selfe that if these men doe sticke so firmely vnto their consciences and faith sworne vnto God in their oth of baptisme Then will they as firmly for the same consciences stick vnto her maiestie if occasion shall serue in keeping their secundary fayth and alleageance sworn vnto her heighnes as to the substitute of god No doubt but her maiesty must take great comfort y â— she setteth forth and executeth lawes to defende such a faith religion as men cannot obay but by breaking their
howling of Woolues the bellowing noise of mad bullockes The reason whereof is that which the scholler of the Apostles S Ignatius saieth No man can cal him good or say he doth wel that doth mingle euil with good Wherefore S. Augustine saieth of the Donatistes Schismatikes and Heretikes of his time that albeit they did sounde out Alleluia with as lustie a voice as the Catholikes did in many thinges els did agree in seruice with them more then nowe the Protestantes doe with vs yet their seruice was impious and auailed them nothing And a litle af◅er vpon the woordes of God vttered by the Prophet saying In many things they were with me c. S. Austen saith thus God graunteth that Heretikes in many things are with him as in Sacraments ceremonies and the like But yet for all that they are not with me saieth God in all thinges For in that they are in schisme they are not with mee in that they are in heresie they are not with mee and therefore for these fewe thinges in the whiche they are not with mee those other many thinges in the which they are with me shal profit them nothing To come neerer to our purpose their owne Apostle and second Elias as they cal him Luther condemneth al their whole seruice for the denying only of the real presence saying The Sacramentaries do in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne and in the holy Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour all this doth auayle them nothing seeing they do deny this one Article as false of the real presence Where as Christ doth say This is my bodie Loe here this Prophet with the same spirite wherewith he condemneth the Popes hee condemneth the Protestantes why should we bel◅ue him more in the one then in the other But now to shew wherein the Protestantes seruice is euil it were sufficient to say that it is deuised of them selues and altogether different frō al the seruice of christendome besides and therfore not to be receiued by catholikes with whom they deale too childishly when they say their seruice differeth in nothing from the old catholikes seruice but only because it is in English thereby thinking to make the simple people to haue the lesse scruple to come to it The which how false it is it shal appeare by that which I wil say hereafter I might also bring the opinion of al the hotter sort of Protestants called the Puritaines who in writing sermons and priuate speech doe vtterly condemne the seruice which now Protestants haue and therevpon doe refraine from it as much as catholikes But I wil giue more particular reasons as foloweth First the scripture is read there in false shamelesse translations conteining manifest and wilful corruptions to drawe it to their owne purposes as hath bin shewed in particular by many learned men in their works and is like to be shortly more plainly by the grace of God As for example throughout the scripture where Idoles are forbidden they translate it Images as in Saint Iohn they reade Children keepe your selues from Images Whereas the Scripture sayeth Idoles and this is to make simple men beleeue that Idoles Images are al one which is absurd For then where Moses sayeth That God made man according to his owne Image Wee should consequently say God made man according to his owne Idole Againe where in contrarie maner S. Paule sayeth That a couetous man maketh his money his Idole We should say that he maketh it his image The which howe foolish it is euery man seeth and it can not stande with any sence of the Scripture The like absurde translations they haue in infinite other thinges which I cannot stand to rehearse Let some man reade the latter ende of the xii Chapter of the second booke of the Machabies where he shal see what labour their English translator taketh to shift ouer the words of the scripture which talk of oblatiōs prayers for the dead and by that one place let euerie man iudge of his fidelitie in the rest For I am sure that if a Boye shoulde so corrupt Tullies Epistles in translating them in a Grammer Schoole he should be breeched for his labour The scripture therefore being read there in false translations it must needes seeme to be false which is blasphemie against the holy Ghost the inditer of them So that by this it appeareth that that part of their seruice which they pretend to be scripture is no scripture because it is by the malice of the interpretor false the which scripture can not be Secondly the seruice that Christians ought only to goe to shoulde be saide as also the Sacraments administred by Priestes and such as haue receiued the Sacrament of holy orders as al the general Councels fathers of the Church shew vnto vs. And S. Paul when he saith That no man may take vnto him this honour but he that is called as Aaron was Wherefore the same Paul aduiseth the Bishop Timothie not to giue this dignitie vnto any man but vpon great consideration saying Do not lay thy hands rashly vpon any man But now that either al or the most part of Ministers of England be meere laye men no Priestes and consequently haue no authoritie in these thinges it is euident for many causes as wel for that they haue not receiued the vnder Orders which they should haue done before Priesthood as appeareth by the auncient Councel of Carthage wherin S. Augusten was himself by al the Fathers both before since as also because they are not ordained by such a Bishop Priest as the catholike church hath put in that authoritie which admitteth no man for Bishop which is not ordeined by imposition of three or twoo catholike Bishops handes at the least Of al which thinges none are to be founde amongest the Protestantes Thirdly their seruice is nought because they haue diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein and that which is yet worse they so place those thinges as they may seeme to the simple to be verie scripture As for example In the end of a certeine Geneua Psalme They pray to GOD to keepe them from Pope Turke and Papistrie whiche is blasphemous First for ioyning the supreme Minister and substitute of Christ with the knowne and professed enemy of Christe and speaking so contumeliouslye of him of whome all antiquitie in Christ his church hath thought and spoken so reuerently calling him The high Priest of the Church The Bishop of the Vniuersal Church The Pastor of the Church The Iudge of matters of faith The repurger of heresies The examiner of all Bishops causes And finally the great Priest in obeying whom al unitie consisteth and b◅ disobeying of whom all Heresies and Schismes arise Secondly it is blasphemous for that they pray to bee deliuered from Papistrie meaning thereby the catholike and onely true religion by the
which all men are to be saued Thirdly becaâ—…se they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of Sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes Fourthly albeit the Protestantes seruice had not all this euil in it as it hath yet were it nought because it hath not in it those good things which Christian seruice should haue For seruice may bee euil as well for hauing too litle as for hauing too much As the seruice of the Arrians was for singing Glorie to the Father and not singing the same to the Sonne And as if a man should recyte his Creede and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were nought thereby Nowe howe many thinges doe want in the Protestantes seruice which should be in Christian seruice it were too long in euerie point to rehearse yet will I for examples sake name two or three thinges First therefore they haue left out the chiefest and highest thinges of all which is the blessed Sacrifice of Christ his Bodie and Blood appointed by Christ to bee offered vp euerie day for thankes giuing to God for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euil and for the remission of sinnes both oâ—… quicke and dead as with one consent the Fathers of the Primatiue Church doe affirme The which sacrifice beeing away no Christian seruice can bee saide to be there For so much as for this cause were ordeined Priests neither can there any be called Priest but in respect of this sacrifice also in respect of this sacrifice were christian churches called Temples for this sacrifice were made Aulters for an Aulter is the place of sacrifice euen as an armorie is the place where armour is For this sacrifice was Priestes apparell made Vestments Sensors Frankensence and the lyke in the Primatiue Church Whereof all the Fathers Councelles and histories doe speake so much The seconde thing which the Protestantes seruice leaueth out is no lesse then sixe of the seuen sacramentes which the catholike seruice of God doeth vse for as for their communion it can bee no sacrament as they doe vse it The commoditie of which Sacraments in the church saint Augustine saieth That it is greater then can bee expressed and therefore the contempt of them is no lesse then sacriledge because saith hee that can not be contemned without impietie without the helpe of which no man câ—…n haue pietie And for this cause in an other place hee saieth That the contemners of visible Sacraments can by no meanes inuisibly be sanctified The third thing that the Protestants seruice leaueth out is all the ceremonies of the catholike church of the which the olde auncient Fathers and Councels doe say these three thinges First that that they are to bee had in great reuerence and to bee contemned of no man Secondly that they are to bee learned by tradition and that many of them are receiued by the tradition of the Apostles Lastly that they which doe either condemne despise or wilfully omyt these ceremonies are excommunicated I might heere adde many other thinges as leauing out prayers for the dead beeing as the Fathers holde one of the chiefest functions of a Priest Also for hauing their seruice in an other order and language then the vniuersall church vseth But this is sufficient For if they leaue out of their seruice both Sacrifice Sacraments and all Ecclesiasticall ceremonies I knowe not what good thing they haue left besides a fewe bare wordes of scripture euil translated and woorse applyed which they read there Seeing therefore their seruice is such it is a sufficient cause to make all catholikes to auoide it The seuenth reason HE telleth vs that the seuenth reason why a catholike may not yeelde to come to the Protestantes churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonourable to God and therfore no man can come to it or heare it or seeme to allowe of it by his presence without great offence to God Wee heare that it is nought and dishonourable to God But let vs heare the cause why it is so tearmed First it is not sufficient he saith to defend it y â— it is takeÌ„ out of the scripture the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and such like â—…or by that argument the seruice of the Iewes and Heretikes which is taken out of the Scriptures might like wise bée made good I aunsweare if the 〈◊〉 and Heretykes haue nothing in their seruice but taken out of the Scripture their seruice is not euil in the matter thereof and no more can ours be but by that only argument I confesse that our seruice cannot be proued to bée simply good although it were taken â—…uerie worde out of the Scriptures except it be good also in forme and ende that it be referred to the woorship of the onely true God in the name of Christ and vnitie of this Church as in déede it is and therefore not like the seruice of Iews and Heretikes or Schismatikes but least the Protestantes seruice should not be déemed nought throughly Luthers opinion thereof is cited out of Copes Dialoges a sufficient witnesse of so weightie a matter saying That the Sacramentaries doe in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne in the holie Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour al this doth auaile them nothing seeing they doe denie this one article as false of the real presence whereas Christ doeth say this is my bodie Suppose that Cope citeth this saying truely out of Luther and that those whom hée calleth Sacramentaries did deny this one article of the reall presence according to the meaning of Christes wordes This is my bodie as false as though Christe were a lyar It were true that all other articles of fayth could not profite them vnto saluation But what woorde is héere to shewe Luthers opinion of the Protestantes seruice whiche might bee good although they were nought which vsed it But wheras he hath gone hetherto vpon méere suppositions nowe wée shall haue his assumption confirmed by weight of argumentes and authorities First therefore to shew that the Protestants seruice is euil he saieth it were sufficient to say That it is deuised of themselues altogether different from al the seruice of Christendom CoÌ„cerning the matter it was confessed before that it is taken out of the scriptures the Gospels Epistles Psalmes therfore not deuised by vs. Touching y e forme and ceremony thereof it hath alwaies bin frée lawful for euery particular Church to deuise whatsoeuer is most méete for edification order cumlinesse as I haue shewed before euen out of the authoritie of Gregory Bishop of Rome therefore may be different from the forme and ceremonies of all other churches in Christendom so the substance of doctrine Sacraments be the same I wil set down his wordes The interogation of Augustine Cum vna
were falne shoulde rise againe it had been a superfluous and trifling matter to pray for the dead Then considering that to them that are falne a sleepe with godlinesse there is laide vp a most goodly free rewarde holy and godly is the consideration when hee made expiation for the dead to be loosed from that sinne Now let vs sée what the Englishe Bible dedicated to king Henry differeth from this So hee gathered of euery one a certaine insomuch that hee brought together 2000. drachmes of siluer whiche hee sent vnto Ierusalem that there might a sacrifice bee offered for the misdeede In the which place hee did wel and right for he had consideration and pondering of the life that is after this time for if hee had not thought that they which were slaine did yet liue it had beene superfluous and vaine to make any vowe or sacrifice for them that were dead But forsomuche as hee sawe that they whiche die in the fauour and beleefe of God are in good rest and ioy he thought it to be good and honorable for a reconciling to doe the same for those which were slaine that the offence might bee forgiuen The difference as euery indifferent man may sée is in woordes and not in matter but it séemeth that our proude Censor hath not viewed any but the vulgar Latine translation whiche differeth muche more from the Gréeke then the later of the Englishe Bible The Englishe of whiche vulgar Latine as well as I can translat it is thus And a collection being made he sent twelue thousande drachmes of siluer to Ierusalem that a sacrifice might bee offered for the sinnes of the dead thinking wel and religiously of the resurrection For except hee had hoped that they which were fallen shoulde rise againe it might seeme superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead And because hee considered that they which with godlines had receiued sleeping haue the best grace layde vp Holye therefore and wholesome is the cogitation to entreate for the departed that they may be loosed from sinnes Although this translation séeme more pregnante and full for prayers and sacrifices to the dead yet is the same also contayned in the former translations wherfore here is no wilful corruption or false translation proued but the translation is more agréeablâ—… to the originall then that which our Censurer would haue to bée the onely Authenticall The seconde particular cause and the fourth reason is for that the seruice and sacramentes which shoulde bée sayde and administred onelye by Priestes are sayde and ministred onelye by laye men For nowe all or the most parte of the Ministers in Englande are meere lay men That the Sacramentes and publicke prayers should be said and ministred by Ministers lawefully ordayned it is a thing out of question with vs sauing that the Papists doe allowe baptisme in case of necessitie by a laye man But howe is it proued that our Ministers are all or the most parte méere laye men By two argumentes brought forsoothe though he speake of many causes First because they haue not receiued the vndeâ—… orders which they shoulde haue done before priesthoode That such vnder orders are not néedefull it is playne by the scriptures For Stephen and his felowes were not first made Lâ—…ctors dorekéepers Erorcistâ—…s Acolytâ—…S and Subdeacons but out of the whole number of the people chosen immediately to bée Deacons Paule and Barnabas in like manner ordayned by election Elders in euery Church of Lystra Iconium and Antiochia Neyther are those vnder orders prescribed in anye tâ—…xte of the scripture But the Councelles of Carthage the 4. Canon 6. and of Laodecea Canon 24. appoynte that these orders should bée receaued before priâ—…sthood as our reasoner affyrmeth in his quotation But howe truely you shall perceaue by reading the Canons That of Carthage is in these wordes Acolythusquum ordinatur c. When an Acolyte is ordayned let him be â—…avght of the Byshoppe how hee ought tâ—… doe in his office but of the Archedacon let him receaue a candlestick with a waxe candle that hee may know that he is bound to kindle the lightes of the church Also let him receaue a little cruse emptye to giue wine for the Euchariste of the blood of Christe Although this Canon with a many of the rest bee not of such antiquitie as the councell of Carthage the fourth where S. Augustine was present séeing in diuers olde copies they haue not the title of the Carthage councell but generally Statua Ecclesiae antiqua Auncient statutes of the Church yet you sée playnelye that héere is neuer a word to shewe that those vnder orders eyther were or ought to bée necesiarily receaued of euerye one that shalbe preferred to the order of Priesthoode Nowe let vs sée the other Canon of Laodicea Quid non oporteat sacro ministerio deditos c. That they which are dedicated to the holy ministerie from the Priestes vnto the Deacons and the rest of the Ecclesiasticall order that is vnto the Subdeacons Readers Singers Exorcistes and dorekeepers nor any of the number of Contayners and Monkes ought not to come in anye tauerns or common tipling houses Doeth not this Canon proue inuincâ—…blye trowe you that no man ought to bée made Priest excepte hée haue receaued these vnder orders It followeth I thinke by any logique that wheresoeuer these Officers are named there it is meant that they were all receaued by euerye one that was aduaunced to the order of Priesthoode Naye the contrary is easie to bée gathered out of the hystories that manye were ordayned Priestes which neuer had those vnder orders and that manye hauinge those vnder orders continued in them al their lyfe tyme whereas no man taketh them all at this daye in the Popishe Churche but with intente to bée promoted by them as by steppes vnto Priesthoode For in the most auncient Church where they were first vsed they were names of offices to read in the Church to kéepe Church dores from the entring of Gentiles or excommunicate persons to attende vppon the Byshop as witnesses of his conuersation and exorcists were such as had a 〈◊〉 to cast out diuels of them that were possessed the Subdeacons to serue vnder the Deacons in prouiding for the poore c. But in the Popish Church they haue none but 〈◊〉 offices about idie ceremonies and vain pageants of their Masses consecrations ordinations and such like theatricall pompes and showes The seconde cause why our Ministers are said to bée laye men is for that they are not ordayned by such a Byshop and Priest as the catholyke church hath put in that authoritie This cause dependeth altogether vppon our olde supposition that the Popishe Church is the catholyke Church which is not like to bée admitted by any but by the Papistes themselues Otherwise the true Catholike Church hath allowed the ordination of our Ministers as lawfull vntill by authoritie of the holy scriptures it can bée conuinced to bée vnlawfull The third
particular cause and fifth generall reason why our seruice is sayde to bée naught is Because they haue diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein God forbid that this saying shoulde 〈◊〉 proued true And that which is worse they so place those thinges as they may seeme to the simple to bee very scripture A wonderfull hard accusation but let vs heare the probation As for example in the ende of a certayne Geneua Psalme They praye to GOD to keepe them from Pope Turke and Papistrie which is blasphemous If it be blasphemous it is against y â— Popes triple crown or the Turkes torbaÌ„t for against God it is no blasphemie nor against his truth or any of his children But what an impudent slaunder is this that the dittie which playnely caryeth before it the name of the endighter Robert Wisdome is so placed as it may séeme to bée very scripture And is called a Geneua Psalme as though the Church of Geneua had any thing to doe with hymmes and spirituall songes vsed in the Church of England Or that the Church of England had receiued all such ditties from Geneua But the matter is taken greatly in snuffe that the Pope is ioyned with the Turke of whome al antiquitie in Christes church hath thought and spoken so reuerently calling him the high Priest of the church With many other titles which if they might all bée iustified of the auncient Prelats of Rome while they were Catholike Byshops yet they would little helpe to defend that Antichrist which now occupyeth the same place but holdeth not the same foundation of fayth and doctrine But let vs sée howe manye of these tytles were appropryed to the Byshoppe of Rome in anye time For the fyrst and chiefest is quoted Cyprian de simplicitate Praelatorum and also Chrisostome lib. 2. de sacerdotio Concerning the former treatise there is in it no worde of the Byshoppe of Rome more then of all other Byshoppes nor any such title of high Prieste giuen vnto him but contrariwise the vnitie of the Church is shewed to consist in the obedience of euery perticular Church to their own Byshop which are all made of equall authoritie and dignitie There Cyprian setteth forth the subtyltie of the diuell which vnder the name of Christe commendeth Antichriste aâ—…d shewing the cause of the deceite hee sayeth Hoc eo fit fratres dilectissimi c. This commeth hereof my most welbeloued brethren while men returne not to the beginning of trueth neyther is the head sought nor the doctrine of the heauenly maister obserued Which thinges if a man consider and examine there is no neede of large treatie or argumentes The tryall vnto trueth is easie by the compendiousnesse of trueth Our Lorde speaketh to Peter I say to thee quoth hee that thou art Peter and vppon this stone I will buylde my church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it To thee I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and what thinges soeuer thou shalt loose vppon earth they shall bee loosed also in heauen And to the same man after his resurrection hee saieth feede my sheepe And although after his resurrection hee giueth equall power to all his Apostles and saieth As my Father sente mee so I also sende you receaue the holye Ghoste whose sinnes you shall forgiue they shall bee forgiuen whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall bee retayned yet that hee myght make the vnitie manifest hee disposed the original of that same vnitie by his authoritie beginning of one man Verilye the rest of the Apostles were the â—…ame thing that Peter was endued with equall felowship both of honour and of power but the beginning proceedeth from vnitie that the church might bee shewed to bee one And after a fewe lynes entreating of the vnitie of the Church hee saieth Quam vnit atem c. whiche vnitie most of all wee that rule as Byshoppes in the Churche ought to holde faste and mayntaine that wee myght proue the Byshoppes office it selfe to bee one and vndeuided Let no man deceaue the brotherhoodde with a lye Lette no man corrupte the trueth of fayth by such preuarication There is but one byshopricke or bishops office whereof a parte is helde of euery one in solidum throughly or perfectly or in the whole You sée that Cyprian saith nothing for his title but against the Antichristian authority pretended therby very much very effectuously But what saieth Chrisostome in his 2. booke de sacerdotio sounding to that purpose I finde nothing but that he admonisheth Basill that he had no iniury in being taken by sorce and made a priest séeing he was therby made equall with Peter euen as Peter excelled all the Apostles Etiam ne nunc nobiscum c. Wilte thou then still contende with vs that this fraud hath not happened wel luckely to thee Which by it art to be made ouerseer of all the goodes of God almightie especially when thou doest those thinges whiche when Peter did Christ woulde haue him to be indued with authoritie and also farre to excell the other apostles These woordes shewe that euery Priest when he doeth the same thinges which Peter did is indued with the same authoritie that Peter was and farr passeth all other men And that Peter was not simplie preferred in authority but only when he did execute his charge therfore so preferred that euerie minister in teaching and administring the sacraments hath the same authoritie and excellencie The next title pretended to be giuen to the Pope by all antiquitie is the Bishop of the vniuersal church For which is quoted Cyprian Epist. 46. that of Cyprian is no more but that certaine Confessors which had ioyned with the Nouatian Scismatikes that made an other Bishop at Rome beside Cornelius returning to the Church acknowledged that Cornelius was the right bishop of the Catholike Church and Nouatus or Nouatianus a false byshop of a scismaticall Church The wordes of their confession are these Nos inquiunt c. We say they doe know that Cornelius is set vp by God Almightie and by our Lorde Iesus Christ a bishop of the most holy Catholike church We confesse our errour We haue been circumuented being carried out of our right minde by factious loquacitie of falshood Wee seemed to haue as it were a certayne communicating with a schismaticall person but our mynde was alwaye sincere in the churche neyther are wee ignoraunte that there is one GOD and one Christe our Lorde whom we haue confessed one holye Ghoste that there ought to be but one bishop in a catholike church Meaning that in euery Catholike Churche there ought to bée but one Byshoppe at once not that there shoulde bee but one bishop of all the Catholike Church which were a monstrous absurdity The thirde title is The Pastour of the Churche for whiche is quoted Chrisostome lib. 2. de Sacer. Where I finde nothing that hath any shewe of suche a matter more then I haue alreadye declared
offered to him But God receiueth no sacrifices but of his priestes Wherefore God before hand doeth teslifie that he doeth accept all them that offer by this name the sacrifices which Iesus Christ hath deliuered to be made that is in the Euchariste or thankesgeuing of the breade and the cuppe which are done in euery place of the Christians By which words it appeareth that thankesgeuing was offered in the Sacrament not that Christes natural bodye and blood was offered therein and this not by the Prieste alone but by all Christians And this more plainelie may be séene by other words of his that are in the same Dialogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As coâ—…cerning those sacrifices whiche are offered to him of vs Gentiles in euery place that is of the bread of thankesgeuing and the cuppe likewise of thankesgeuing hee foresheweth saying that wee doe glorifie his name and that you meaning the Iewes doe prophane it In which woordes what other Sacrifice can wée sée but the sacrifice of thanksgeuing in the bread and in the cuppe And to proue most inuincibly that the Church in his â—…me had none other sacrifice but Eucharistical of prayers thankesgeuing This saying of his in the same Dialogue against the Iewes may serue abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For I my selfe saieâ—…h Iâ—…inus doe affâ—…e that prayers and thanksgeuing made by worthy persons are the onelie perfect and acceptable Sacrifices to God For these are the onely sacrifices that christians haue receiued to make to be put in minde by their drie and moyst nourishment of the passion which God the sonne of God is recorded to haue suffred for them This place doth not onely shew what the only sacrifice of Christians was in his time but also teacheth that in the Sacrament is drie and moyst nourishment that is bread and drink and not bare accidents as the Transubstantiators affirme Therefore howe little Iustinus maketh for the Sacrifice of the Masse these places doe sufficiently declare And howe vntrue it is that all the Fathers of the Primitiue Churche with one consent doe affirme it Declaring rather how al the Fathers of the Primitiue church that speake of the Sacrifice of the Church are to be vnderstood of a Sacrifice Eucharysticall and not Propitiatorie The next quotation is Tertullian de oratione Where I find no such matter spoken of or once named But in his booke ad Scapulam he sheweth what was the Sacrifice of Christians in his tinte Itaque sacrificamus pro salute imperatoris c. Therefore we offer sacrifice for the Emperours safetie but to our God and his but as God hath commaunded with pure prayer Likewise in his booke aduersus Iudeos the Prophecie of Malachie which the Papistes wrest to their masking propitiatorie sacrifice hee expoundeth it de spiritualibus vero sacrifiâ—…s c. Of spiritual sacrifices he addeth saying and in euery place cleane sacrifices shalbe offered vnto my name sayth the Lord. Likewise against Martion In omni loco sacrificium nomini meo c. In euery place a sacrifyce is offered to my name and a cleane sacrifyce namely glory renowne and blessing and prayse and hymnes Other sacrifices then these Tertullian doeth not mention in all his woorkes The next authour is quoted Augustine Lib. 20. contra Faust. Manich. cap. 23. In which chapter there is neuer a woorde of the sacrament or sacrifice or any thing that tendeth thereunto But in the. 21. chapter of the same booke S. Augustine she weth his iudgement not to dissent from Iustinus and Tertullian concerning the Sâ—…ifice of the Churche howesoeuer hee often vseth else where thâ—… terme vnproperly Sed quid agam tantae c. But what shal I doe and when shal I shew to the blindenes of these heretikes what force that hath which is song in the Psalmes The sacrifyce of Prayse shall glorify me and there is the way where I will shewe my sauing helth The fleshe and blood of this sacrisyce before the comming of Christ was promised by oblations of similitudes In the passion of Christe it was geuen vp by the very truth After the Ascention of Christ it is celebrated by a sacra ment of remembraunce Goe your wayes now and charge Augustine to affirme a sacrifice in proper speech to be offered of the bodie and bloode of Christ which he himselfe affirmeth to be a me morie of the only sacrifice of Christe once offered as the legale oblations were promises of the same sacrifice before it was perfourmed Unto Augustine is â—…oyned Chrisostome Hom. 17. ad Heb. Wil you heare his iudgement after he hath made the obiâ—…ction howe we offer that sacrifice euery day which the Apostle and he before had directly and often affirmed to haue béene but once offered and might not be repeated Hoc autem quod faâ—…mus c. But this that we doe saieth Christe is done truely in remembraunce of that which was done For doe yee this saith hée in remembraunce of me We doe not make an other sacrifice as the high priest but we make the self same alwayes but rather we make the remembrance of a sacrifice Sée you not by this correction that the name of sacrifice was vnproperly applied to the celebration of the Lordes Supper which properly is no sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood but a remembraunce of his Sacrifice once offered for all and neuer to bée repeated â—…éeing as Augustine calleth it â—…he onely true and vnsacrificable sacrifice and the Lordes Supper a similitude of that Sacrifice As for Gregorie who liued almost two hundred yéeres after Augustine as hée she weth manye vncertaine miracles in those Dialogues which are next quoted so he was too déeply plunged in the superstitioÌ„ of his time that wée should looke for the right and auncient vse of the celebration of the Lordes Sâ—…pper béeyng the next Bishoppe of Rome saue one before Boniface that openly tooke vppon him the Antichristian authority whiche long before was in breaking out the mystery of iniquity that wrought euen in the Apostles times The rest of quotations that serue to prooue that Priestes were orvayned in respect of this Sacrifice I shall not néed to stand vpon them séeyng I haue she wed by the consent of the most aunciente and best approoued fathers that the sacrifice where of they speake was of another kinde then this where unto he would draw their authorities Ierom. vnto Heliodorus â—…hom this author quoteth speaketh not a woord to shew that Priestes were ordeined for this sacrifyce but sayth God for bid that I should speake any thing amisse of them which succeeding to the degree Apostolike doe make the body of Christ with their holy mouth by whom we also are Christians Where calling the sacrament of y â— Lords supper y â— body of Christ he saith no more then Christ saith of it nor in any other sense Whatsoeuer Chrisostome saith in his 2 booke de sacer whiche is nexte quoted muste bée expounded by his saying
he hath to the same effect against the Donatistes doe cleere vs of Schisme who willingly communicate with all the whole bodie of Christes Church dispersed ouer the worlde and charge the Popishe faction bothe of Schisme and heresie Of Schisme because they mainteine the Church to be onely in a part of Europa As the Donatists did in Asia which heresie because they differ not onely in the bodie of Christ which is his Church as the Donatistes did but also in the head thereof which is none but Christ borne suffered risen agayne and ascended in heauen that he might be the onely head Sauiour Redéemer of his spouse and Aduocate of his Church with GOD his Father But now that this acte of goyng to the Protestantes Churches and prayers is a Schismatical act and such a one as deuideth from the vnitie of the churche it is easie saith hee to bee prooued If you haue suche facilitie in prouing I trust you will no more charge vs with your necessary suppositions Then let vs see what you say Schisme according to Sainte Augustine is a separation of them that thinke the same thing That is a different kynde of seruice of GOD in those menne that doe not differ in opinion of religion Once agayne a little more Logicke woulde doe you good too teache you too expounde thinges vttered generally by spéeche as generall and not as you dee heare by particular For Augustines generall terme of separation you restreine to a different kinde of seruice of GOD as though there mighte not bee scisme where there is one and the same kinde of seruice of GOD acknowledged But let vs see the difference also that Augustine maketh betwixt an hereâ—…ike and a scismatike Scismatikes are made not by differing in fayth or beliefe but by the breaking of the societie or vnitie of the communion Hitherto we dissent not in the matter for wee allowe both the discription and the difference being vnderstoode according to Augustines meaning which euery wise and good man will think to be such that the crime of scisme and name of Scismatiks must be appropried not to euery one that departeth from any sect but to them onely which departe from the Church of the liuing GOD. Howe then doeth our discourser prooue that we are not in the Communion of the Churche of God The communion or vnity of the churche sayth hée consisteth in these three things To wit that all Christians haue one Sacrifice one the selfe same SacrameÌ„ts also one the selfe same seruice of God Let vs search the ground of this foundation First if hée meane that all Christians haue one Sacrifice Propitiatory it is true For by one Sacrifice once offered hée hath made perfect for euer them that are sanctified With whiche onely Sacrifice and once oblation therof séeyng the Papistes are not content by this rule they are â—…ounde too bée without the compasse of true Christians and the Communion of Gods Church But if by one Sacrifice hée meaneth but one sacrifice in al the principle is false for Christians beside y e only propitiatory sacrifice of Christs death haue y â— sacrifice of prayse thanksgiuing of w t there are many kinds That al ChristiaÌ„s must haue 〈◊〉 selâ—…ame sacraments it is cléerer then that it néede any probation But concerning the third thing which is one and the selfe same seruice of God if it be vnderstood of the substance either of the internall and proper woorship of God which is in spirit and veritie or of the externall manner of seruing of God which must be directed according to the holy Scriptures it is very true and thereby our Church may be discerned to be the companie of true Christians which detest the intollerable multitude of bodily ceremonies and shadowes whâ—…with the popish seruice is ful fraught in a manner onlie consisteth of them and admitteth in the whole order of ministration and prayers nothing as necessary to the seruice of GOD but that whiche it findeth warrantâ—…d by the holie Scriptures Wheras y e popish seruice is paâ—…ched of prophane LegeÌ„ds Fabulus reports of prayers to creatures not méete for the seruice of the Creator and if it be deuided into ten partes bestoweth seuen at the least in the seruice of creatures rather then the Creator which is to be woorshipped for euer directly contrary to the Law of God and commandement of Christ Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue Otherwise if by one and the selfesame seruice of God he meane the externall forme of praiers and administration of the sacramentes necessarye for al christians I haue shewed the vanitie of his assertion before The principles thus vewed let vs behold the application But they which go to the protestants churches haue no sacrifice at all neither haue they any more then two of seuen sacraments those two also so mangled that of the two scarce one is a sacrameÌ„t as they vse theÌ„ And as for their seruice it hath no part of the catholik seruice as I wil shew herafter If this assuÌ„ptioÌ„ be true they y e go to y e Protestants seruice breake y e vnitie of y e coÌ„munion of the Church and commit schisme But if this be shewed to be vtterly false what harme is it to goe to the Protestantes seruice First concerning the Sacrifice which he affirmeth they haue none at all It is a manifest vntrueth for they haue the daylye sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing which Malachie prophecieth shoulde bée offered among the Gentiles from the rysing of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same whiche Sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing as Iustinus Martyr testifieth are the onely sacrifices which Christians haue receyued to offer Wherefore the Papists which pretend to offer another sacrifice and of an other kinde namely Propitiatorie by Iustinus his iudgement agréeyng with the holie Scriptures are no true Christians That wée haue but twoo Sacramentes it is sufficient seeyng twoo onelie are left into the Churche by Christe as is necessarily collected out of Saynt Paule 1. Cor. 10. Where intending to proue that the Israelites were equall vnto Christians in the externall tokens of Gods fauour hee nameth onely baptisme and the Lordes supper wherein he had reasoned very vnskilfully if of seauen he should haue left out but fiue The fewest number of Sacramentes is allowed also by S. Augustine and the church in his time which he nameth to be baptisme and the Lordes Supper which onely are found in the scriptures And where he chargeth vs with mangling of the sacramentes which we haue so that of twoo we haue scarce one it procéedeth of meruellous impudency séeing we say and doe whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles sayde and did and commaunded to be sayde and done in the administration of them Whereas the Papistes with most horrible sacriledge by confession of Gelasius bishoppe of Rome cited in their Cannon lawe doe mangle one
and the same mysterie as hee speaketh depriuing the lay people cleane of the cup of Christes blood whiche hee in expresse woordes commaundeth to hée drunke of all men And Saynt Paule by his authoritie chargeth euerye man after due examination as well to drinke of that cuppe as to eate of that breade of the Lorde woorthily As for our seruice when he bringeth any argumentes as hee promiseth to prooue that it hath no part of the Catholike seruice hee shall receiue his answere and our defence accordingly Hitherto therfore although with many whot woordes he hath concluded nothing against vs at length he commeth to answere an obiection of colde Catholikes as hee calleth them whiche are that they goe not too the Churche willingly but by constraynt of the Publike Lawes of the Realme And héere out of Aristotles Ethickes Lib. 3. The Acte of goyng to Churche is prooued voluntarye because the constraynt is conditionall eyther to doe that is commaunded or too beare that punishment that the Lawe appoynteth Where is then the sore charge agaynst them that compell men against theyr willes to sweare to goe to Churche c contayned in his Preamble before the first reason It is a greate force of cunning of one and the same matter to geue a contrary iudgement as it serueth best for your aduantage Nowe therefore you woulde haue these vnwise and fonde noble men and Gentlemen too consider I vse your owne termes that it is a badde shifte of dissemblers To say that hee goeth to churche agaynst his will thinking thereby to excuse himselfe of Schisme But beside this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellious Schisme it were sufficient to knowe that the meaning will and commaundement of the generall and vniuersall catholike churche at this day is that catholike men shoulde not present themselues at Protestants churches UUhy Sir is not the Pope by your reede the best Interpreter of the Catholike Churches meaning And hath not hee graunted diuers dispensations for Papistes to presente themselues in Protestantes Churches But they haue beene denounced open enimies say you by the Councell of Trent as the doctrine of Arius was condemned in in the firste generall Councel of Nice Nay rather as the Homousians were in y e Councel of Ariminium in many other Councels of the East And as the doctrine of the Catholikes was in the seconde of Ephesus Nice the seconde and many other blasphemous and heretical couÌ„cels I passe ouer your slaunder of the Nobility of Englande by certaine of which you affirme that the heretical and schismaticall coÌ„uenticle of Trent was moued whether they might not lawfully without offence go to Church to do some meere temporal Acte as to beare y e swoord before her Maiesty c. Except you meane of such of the Nobility as haue openly declared their disloyalty by entring into rebellion or otherwise But as touching y e forbidding to goe to heretical churches which you labour so vehemently to proue y t you father it vpon a Cannon of the Apostles themselues which must needs be obserued Can. 63 You should haue done more wisely to haue confirmed it by theyr Canonicall writinges rather then by those Apocriphall Canons which if we should receiue theÌ„ as authentical wil prooue eueÌ„ your popish churches to be hereticall your selues to bee Heretikes because you goe against many thinges decreed in those Canons As y e you admit no married persons to the office of a priest or bishop agaynst the 6. CanoÌ„ That you forbidd any that is maymed or imperfect in body to be a bishop against the canon 77. y â— your bishops priests deacons and cleargie are often present at the celebratioÌ„ yet doe not coÌ„municate al which by the 8. Canon are excoÌ„municated But that it is not lawful to pray in the Conuenticles of heretikes it is more cleer by the Scriptures then y â— it needed to be proued by the example of Origen of Heraclas of Athanasius or anye other The example also of the people of Rome whiche refused to communicate with Felix might haue heene spared but that vnder colour of certaine wordes of Theodoret you would haue it seem as though not one of the Inhabitants of Rome was infected with Aurianisme UUheras y e matter is other wise seeing that Felix although himselfe of the Catholike religion was chosen bishop by the more part of the Clergie and people of Rome which were of the faction of the Arrians And therfore where Theodoret saith that none of the Inhabitants of Rome would enter into the church so long as Felix was within it must of necessitie be vnderstood of the Catholike Inhabitantes For that there was neuer an Arrian dwelling at Rome at such time as Constantius came thither I thinke no man but lightely acquaynted with the hystory of that time that can bee perswaded But after that Liberius himself had subscribed to the Arrians as Saint Hierom writeth and returned after hee hadde consented too Constantius the Heretike as Pope Damasus himselfe writeth by whome Pope Felix whiche was a Catholike was deposed and great persecution followed This I say declareth that neyther the head nor the body of the Churche of Rome was in that time frée from the hereâ—…e of the Arrians Insomuche that Constantius helde there a counsell with Heretiks together with Vrsutius and Valens as the same Damasus writeth and cast oâ—…t Felix oâ—…t of his Bishopricke which was a Catholike and called backe Liberius Nowe come we to the conclusion of this reason where hée gathereth by the opinions of the Forefathers how greate a sinne it is to breake the vnity of the Church or to disobey the same But not coÌ„tent with this conclusion which is true hée addeth a false position without proofe saying It is certayne that the Church telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshops and Learned menne in Christendome and of the supreame paâ—…our to be the voyce of the church that the goyng to Protestantes churches is forbidden vs. The certeyntie of this Assertion dependeth vpon the necessitie of trueth in his first supposition But hée addeth an exception if the voyces of all the Biâ—…ops and learned men in Christendome c be the voyce of the Churche But I suppose that all the bishops in Christendome haue not giuen their voyces y â— way For none of the Bishoppes of the Protestantes would giue their voyces to condemne their owne Church And many hundreth Bishops of the Orientall Churches in Europe Africa and Asia neuer heard of the controuersie betweene the Papistes anâ—… Protestantes wherefore they coulde neuer giue their voyces to condemne them whose cause they neuer vnderstood of But let it be another supposition that there are noe bishops but such as are members of the Antichristian Church of Rome except you will adde the third necessary supposition that al learned men bee Papistes or that no Protestantes are learned men you haue not prooued that the going to the