is the day wherein we may see warres seditions tumults which haue followed vpon my doctrine To conclude admire with me the fury Tom. 1. pag. 364. b. and insolency of his implacable spiritt Whereas thou sayest ô Spalatine that my * The Elector of Saxony Prince will not suffer me to write against the Archbishopp of Mentz least this might disturbe the common peace c. quin te potiùs Principem ipsum perdam omnem creaturam which is such a raging speach as if the Authour had bene a Beare spoyled of hir whelpes 11. But was Zuinglius possessed with the same distemperature also His counsell was dangerous but this words are smooth Lib. 4. epist fol. 186. where he perswadeth the Ghospellers of Vlmes and Memming to renounce their obedience vnto the Romane Empire and to roote the name thereof out of Germany to the vttermost of their ability and power 12. As for Iohn Caluin his expulsion of the Bishopp from his iust authority temporall and spirituall ouer the City of Geneua may be an example for euer how peaceable the fift Gospell is which beginneth by craft and goeth on by fury to attayn vnto its end and purpose The treasonable complotments in that place See P. R. Ibid. the dangerous propositions hatched and allowed in that Sion as some men call it are recognized for all ages 13. Thus much I haue thought it expedient to intimate vnto you though very briefly that you may not be any longer blinded by the golden and fayre pretenses of them who neuer cease to exclaime against the Papists as meÌ„ wholly imbued with lewd assertions preiudiciall vnto their King and contrey Finally therefore vpon due consideration of the premises I doubt not but you will easily discerne how impertinent and how empty the suggestion of D. Field is in the first particular and by this you may learne to be suspicious of the rest which now come orderly vnto their seuerall examination 14. Concerning the SECOND particular I say briefly that though Maister D. Field would deriue the hatred vpon others by concealing Gersons forwardnesse and alacrity in the condemnation of Wickliffe Husse c and would lay it vpon those men in the Councell against whom Gerson taketh his exceptions for other things yet as you haue already seene this VVorthy guide himself did prouoke and instigate the Councell against their heresies and he did enkindle his audience against the same according to the place which he sustayned there and the gift wherewith he was indued Now is it not a maruaylous contradiction in your iudgement that Gerson should wish your Reformation be a worthy guide of Gods Church and yet that Husse also should suffer in the cause of Christ against Antichrist Alas good Sir what certainty of truth can you expect from them who thus inuolue you and themselues in such paradoxes as are impossible and ridiculous euen in the light of nature and vnto morall reason 15 Concerning the THIRD particular I shall informe you of a double collusion which the learned Doctour hath notoriously affected therein First he extenuaâ—eth the turbulent and impious positions of VVickliffe and Husse saying that they SEEMED to derogate from the Clergy c. But if their positions of this nature were now in force D. Field and all his Clergy might wring their hands for woe and lament the time which brought forth such monstrous opinions As for example It is against the holy Scripture that Ecclesiasticall men should haue possessions Agayn See Concil Constant Seâ—â— 8. in Artic. VVickl Temporall Lords may at their pleasure take away temporall goods from the Church c. Farther Tithes are pure almes and the parishioners for the sinnes of their prelates may take them away as their will To conclude It is against the rule of Christ to enrich the Clergy The Emperour and secular Lords were seduced by the Diuell Act. MoÌ„ in the history of VVickl to endow the Church with temporall goods c. What censure hath Iohn Fox passed vpon theis exorbitant humours Perhapps saith he some blemishes may be noted in his assertions And if he haue blemishes c. See the pitifull cariadge of this man for though the matters be most odious and apparant yet he commeth in with his mitigation and hesitation to take away the infamy of VVickliffe which cleaueth fast vnto him and vnto his disciples as the leprosy vnto Gehezai and vnto his posterity for euer I will end therefore with Melancthon In Apolog. tit de human tradit and say with him planè furebat Wickliffus c. Wickliffe was stark mad when he denied that Priests might retayn any thing in proper vnto themselues 16. The second vanity of the Doctour in the aforesayd particular is a singular demonstration of his vnfaithfull mind For as he diminisheth the folly of VVickliffe in one poynt so he concealeth his impiety in the rest and would make a simple Reader beleeue that the positions of VVickliffe against the Clergy were the onely or principall matters which drew some men in the Councell to proceede against him with greater malice then reason 17. But you may perceiue by the * Concil Const c. Fox Act. Mon. Powell de Antichr pag. 20. and others Pag. 77. Catalogue of Wickliffes opinions that the poynts wherein he dissented from Gerson as they are many so they are capitall yea such as do necessarily exclude one of them from the participation of heauen Why do I name Gerson onely I must enlardge my stile and say that VVickliffe dissented therein from the whole Christian world For whereas D. Field informeth vs out of Gerson that certayn matters concerning the Popes power were defined in the Councell of Constance by the vniuersall consent of the whole Christian world I may most iustly assume the like in this case concerning all the opinions of VVickliffe either embraced or renounced by your Church I might here take good occasion to discusse many things but the opportunity is not so conuenient wherefore I will knitt vp this poynt with a double consideration The first appertayneth vnto the ingenious and learned Academicks whose dignity honour and liuelyhood must suffer a necessary dissipation if way were giuen vnto the fury of VVickliffe and of his truest disciples Concil CoÌ„stant sess 8. in artic Wickl 29. Vniuersities studies colledges degrees and maistershipps in the same are brought in by vayn Gentility and they profitt the Church as much as the Diuell himself 18. This is the verdict of your dearest Father and were they not your brethren also who affirmed that the Papists buylt Seminaries to aduance the kingdome of the Diuell See D. Bancrofts Suruay pag. 232. Let other men conceiue as they see cause for mine owne part I am resolued with confidence that they and VVickliffe did seeke the ruine of the Church by the inspiration of the Diuell and that the followers of their impiety shall be partakers of his payn
more by the testimony of sondry Protestants and specially of two whose names were sometimes full of reuerence in my thoughts 3. The first was D. HVMFREY whose highly respected answere to Edm. Campian draweth to a conclusion with this sentence Thrasilaus in his mad humour tooke all the shippes which he beheld in the Attick hauen to be his owne though he possessed not any vessell Such is the phrensy of our Romanists yea greater also because they see and yet seing they dissemble that they are destitute of all defence from the Fathers Thus to cleare himself from that folly which g Rat. 5. Edm. Campian obiecteth vnto him and vnto M. Iewell his deare Achates he stretched his stile vntill it brake into a vast and notable vntruth 4. The second was D. FIELD whose praise is in the ghospell of England a man vpon whom the eyes of our * Oxford Vniuersity are cast as a sans pareill of this age for subtile dispute and profound science VVe reuerence saieth h pag. 148. he and honour the Fathers much more then the Romanists do c. Agayn i pag. 204. in marg Though Luther and the rest in the beginning did seeme to decline the triall by the Fathers because the corruption of their writings were so many as could not be discouered at the first yet now hauing found out by the helpe of so many learned men both of our aduersaries and amongest our selues who haue trauailled in that kind which are their vndoubted workes and which are doubtfull or vndoubtfully forged Not◠VVe willingly admitt triall by the Fathers 5. Though D. Field doth vntruly alleadge the cause why Luther Zuinglius c. declined triall by the Fathers and mitigateth their folly with a fayr pretense that forsooth they seemed to do so yet it was not my purpose then nor now to employ my thoughts in dismaking the vanity of theis suggestions It was and is sufficient for me to consider that as his assertion concerning a triall by the Fathers is playn so it is countenanced by the authority of him who is the great Metropolitan of our English Church It pleased your Grace fauourably to approoue theis my poore paynes c. See the epist dedicat to the Archbish of Cānt And therefore such as professe themselues members of hir society cannot renounce that position which in the name of all and in the authority of the chiefest is so freely recommended vnto the world 6. Finally I concluded with that famous prescription of S. k Contra Iulian. Pelag Augustine saying let vs referr our selues vnto the Ancients who were offended neither with vs nor you but what they found in the Church they retayned and what they learned they taught and what they receiued of their Fathers they deliuered vnto their children Thus the question is translated à Iure ad Factum from the right vnto the fact for all wise and ingenious men will easily discerne that in this case and many like vnto it the later which is more cleare will lead vs vnto the former which seemeth more obscure §. 2. Prayer for the dead is deriued from the blessed Apostles 1. I Considered that one thing may haue a double proof to witt by Scripture and by Tradition also And hence it is that the most holy and most blessed Irenaeus as he is truly l Epiphan heres 34. called confuteth the Valentinians first by the euidence of Scripture and secondly by the tradition of the Apostles but specially in the Romane Church vnto which as he m Lib. 3. cap. 3. saieth all Christians must necessarily repayr because she is of more powerfull principallity then the rest A poynt very remarqueable by the way for vpon my knowledge it driueth the Protestants vnto many dishonest and impertinent euasions 2. I might giue instance in sondry doctrines which admitt this double proof and therefore I was desirous to vnderstand why D. n Pag. 240. 241. Field amongst other particulars should esteeme it a folly and an inconstancy in his Romanists to say that Purgatory is holden by Tradition and yet it is prooued by Scriptures also 3. But forasmuch as I saw that his desire to contradict doth transport him beyond his reason to conceiue I passed ouer this matter and I came vnto an other sentence fitt for my purpose which he affordeth with greater equity and moderation viz. o Pag. 232. It is not the writing which giueth things their authority but the worth and creditt of him that deliuereth them though but by word and liuely voyce alone And the Papists haue good reason to equall their traditions vnto the written word if they can prooue any such vnwritten verities Wherefore it was my desire vpon the security of such grounds to find out the fountayn and origin at least in the time of the Ghospell of prayer for the dead And here diuers testimonies presented themselues vnto me and specially two which rested my searching thoughts in good tranquillity and peace 4. The First was taken from S. Chrysostome the principall Father of the Greeks who in a p Homil. 75. ad Pop. Antioch sermō vnto the people deliuered this proposition It was not vnaduisedly decreed by the Apostles that in the fearefull mysteries Sacrifice of the Masse there should be a commemoration of the dead For they knew that the dead receiue great benefit and vtility thereby 5. The Second was taken from S. Augustine In Instit who being the chieftayn of Diuines as Caluin doth agnize and the hammer of hereticks as he is confessed by the publick voyce of the Catholick Church gaue me this solid cleare and ponderous information q Serm. 32. de verb. Apost There is no doubt but that by the prayers of holy Church and by the healthfull Sacrifice and by almes the soules of the dead are relieued that God may deale more mercifully with them then their sinnes haue deserued For this being deliuered by our Fathers is obserued by the Vniuersall Church 6. Here I considered with my self that whereas Traditions haue a quadruple distinction first from their Authours into Diuine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall secondly from their Matter into Doctrinall Morall and Ceremoniall thirdly from their Place into Generall and Particular fourthly from their Time into Perpetuall and Temporall that S. Augustine doth intreate here of an APOSTOLICALL Traditiō doctrinall general perpetuall And the reasons which perswaded me to conceiue so were many but principally theis three which here ensue FIRST because he doth not say inuentum but * Tradere tradita by a perpetual succession is an infallible note of the Catholick faith traditum not inuented but deliuered by our Fathers according to the sweet and sure prescription of r cap. 27. Vincentius Lirinensis in his little golden booke against the innouation of profane heresies * 1. Tim. 6. Custodi depositum c. Keepe that which is committed vnto thee And what is this depositum That which
and I know not where they haue placed hir They can not assigne vnto me any persons time or place wherein their Synagogue had a resplendent face and a laudable dilatation §. 2. The SECOND Consideration touching a visible Church free from any damnable errour The Protestants loosenesse and confusion in their description of the Church 1. I Considered Secondly that this VISIBLE Church can neuer be taynted vniuersally with any errour and specially if it be such as either expressly or implicitely indangereth the principles of saluation for in matters of the necessity of saith she is freed from the possibility of errour 2. Hence it is that i Part. 4. de Vnit. Grac. Considerat 6. Iohn Gerson a man highly * See afterward c. 3. § 3. num 4. c. aduanced by D. Field prescribeth this ensuing obseruation as an infallible rule VVhatsoeuer is determined by the Pope of Rome together with his generall Councell of the Church in matters appertayning vnto faith that is vndoubtedly true and to be receiued of all the world For this consideration is founded in the articles of our faith VVe belieue that there is an HOLY CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH which is exempted from errour in hir faith c. 3. As this position was credible with me for the Authours sake and he vpon D. Fields singular commendation so I was induced farther and more strongly perswaded to intertayn it by the certayn warrant of him who is TRVTH it self and promised his Spirit vnto the holy Apostles with assurance Io. 16.13 that he should lead them into all Truth 4. In quality it is Truth without errour In quantity it is All truth necessary and expedient for them or vs in this peregrinant estate For as this promise belonged then particularly vnto each Apostle so it belongeth now generally vnto the whole Church which being taken either in hir latitude as she is diffused ouer the world or in hir representation as she is collected into a lawfull Synod is priuiledged from errour in hir doctrinall determinations 5. And this was clearely imported vnto me in a sentence of S. 1. Timoth. 3.15 Paull vnto his beloued Timothy whom he instructed how he should behaue himself in the house of God which is the ground and PILLAR OF TRVTH 6. For howsoeuer it pleaseth D. k Pag. 199. The church of Ephesus hath erred damnably in faith Field to elude the grauity and power of this Scripture by restrayning the Apostles sense therein particularly vnto the Church of Ephesus which was committed vnto the Episcopall care of Timothy yet as many reasons did preuayle with me to reiect his exposition so I preferred the authority of S. l Commentâ—r ibid Ambrose saying that VVhereas the whole world is Gods the Church is sayd to be his howse of which vniuersall Church Damasus the Pope is Rectour at this day This Vniuersall Church is the Pillar of truth sustayning the edifice of faith 7. Herevpon l Prascripe cap. 28. Tertullian deriding the hereticks of his time esteemeth it a base and grosse conceipt in any man to suppose that the holy Ghost who was asked of the Father and sent by the Sonne to be the Teacher of TRVTH should neglect that office vnto which he was designed and that he should permitt the Church to vnderstand the Scriptures otherwise then he spake by the mouth of the Apostles And farther Is it probable saieth he that so many and so great Churches if they did erre should erre thus conformably into the same faith VARIASSE debuerat ERROR doctrinae Ecclesiarum Caeterùm quod apud multos VNVM inuenitur non est erratum sed TRADITVM Errour bringeth variety but where vnity is there is the truth Thus the Churches are many in number but one in faith diuided in place but ioyned in opinion 8. Mine earnest meditation in this point taught me to lament the confusion of our Protestants admitting innumerable sectaries into our vast and incongruous Church Fox in Act. Mon. See the 3. Conuers of EnglaÌ„d which is a very Chimaera thrust together and fashioned in specificall disproportions But this was our necessity hard necessity and not our choyce to make such a pitifull delineation of our Church For whereas we had not any certayn succession to deriue hir descent and petigree from the Ancients we were compelled in this respect to deale liberally like good fellowes and take sondry hereticks with incompatible factions into our society least by the same reason for which we exclude others we should exclude our selues also from the communion of the Church pag. 137. 9. Hence it is that D. Field laying the fundation of his Babell feareth not to say that the Churches of Russia Armenia Syria AEthiopia Greece c. are and continue parts of the TRVE CATHOLICK CHVRCH A position manifestly repugnant vnto Reason and Authority Vnto reason for if truth of doctrine be a Note of the Church as we defend how is that a true Catholick Church which impugneth the truth and how is that one Church which is distracted into many faiths Vnto authority for S. * de haeres in perorat See the 3. conuers of England Part. 2. chap. 10. num 10.15.16.17 c. Augustine doth constantly affirme that whosoeuer maintayneth any heresy registred or omitted by him in his Treatise he is not a CATHOLIQVE Christian and consequently no member of that Church wherein alone we haue the promise of saluation For as our * Fides in Christum faith in Christ must be TRVSTFVLL liuely and actiue by a speciall application of his merits vnto our selues so our * Fides de Christo faith of Christ must be TRVE syncere and absolute by a iust conformity vnto the will of God reuealed by him and propounded by his Church And therefore D. Fields * Part. 4. de vnit Graecorum considerat 4. Gerson intreating of peace and VNITY in the Church laboureth to draw all men into a communion of faith and iudgeth it a great folly in any man to conceiue that we may be saued in our particular sects and errours 10. When I had discouered by an earnest prosecution of this point how naturally and powerfully our ProtestaÌ„ticall * The Church may erre Diuers Churches though erring grosly in faith make vp one Catholick Church c. doctrines conuaigh men into Laodiceanisme and a carelesse neglect of vndefiled Religion whence Atheisme must necessarily ensue I resolued with hearty affection to vnite my self vnto that Church which is pure and single in Religion wheresoeuer I should deprehend the same For though I saw that the Protestants religion was false in some things yet I had great hesitation and doubt whether the Papists were true in all as S. * Confess lib. 6. cap. 1. Augustine spake sometime vnto his louing Mother I am now no Manichee nor yet a Catholick Christian And so mine estate as well as his might be resembled vnto the case of that patient * S.
the festinities of the ancient Chuch Witnesse Scotland France c. where the zealous professours imitate their Forefather Aërius of vnholy memory and renounce the Christian feasts as p Epiphans de Aërdo haeres 75. Iudaicall fables c. 7. The SEVENTH hath bene ridiculous vnto vs all and yet some blessing perhapps was powred forth vpon that oyle wherewith his MAIESTY receiued his first vnction to be the King anoynted of our Land 8. The EIGHT article is despised by such pure Caluins and seuere Luthers as measure the truth of all things by the yard of their owne fancy Hence it is that Luther reduceth the definitions of holy Concells vnto a popular approbation and consent of the vnlettered people for saith q Tom. 2. l. 2. de rat Iud. Eccles he they are the sheepe of whom our Sauiour testifieth that they heare his voyce Hence it is that his Apostolicall self feareth not to pronounce r Contra Henric. 8. VVhen Bishopps arrogated power to enact Canons c. without doubt theis were the cogitations of Satan yea the first Councell of Nice saith he committed sacriledge and impiety against the most euident and inuincible scriptures of God Hence followeth the contempt of sacred Synods and neglect of their decrees 9. The NINTH is a damnable poynt in our eyes and Å¿ M. Powel de Antichristo pag. 254. one of those deadly heresies which was deuised by Antichrist himself The TENTH and last article hath speciall refereÌ„ce vnto the Anabaptists who repudiate the * S. Aug. de Genes l. 10. c. 23. tradition of the Apostles therein as t See M. Rogers Catlâ— doctr pag. 169. the inuention of a Pope yea of the very Diuell So zealous are they against all things not literally expressed in the word 10. But when I searched into the fountayn of this errour I saw that a singular disgrace ensueth thereby vnto the ghospell of our reformed Churches For whereas S. Luther doth often couple the Anabaptists and Sacramentaries in one string protesting that they u DefeceruÌ„t â— nobis primò Sacramentarij pòst Anabaptistae c. See Luth. in 5. ad Galat. fell away from him therefore he often defieth them both as hatefull and execrable hereticks I w Staphyl in lib. de Concord Luther alij found that he ministred iust occasion vnto the formers vanity by his vniust position inasmuch as he taught that Children haue ACTVALL Faith and that otherwise they should not be baptized Wherevpon some of his disciples assuming that ChildreÌ„ haue no such faith inferred necessarily therefore they are not to be baptized 11. Thus the Anabaptisme of * See the Examen of Fox his Calendar-Saints cap. 3. num 43. Pacimontanus a chick of Martins egges was an infallible conclusion by a true negatiue of that which Luther did falsely affirme This poynt x Cathol doctr pag. 170. M. Rogers aymeth at very fayrely saying Some are of opinion that none are to be baptized which belieue not first and hence the ANABAPTISTS teach Infants belieue not therefore they are not to be baptized Hence also the LVTHERANS teach so it pleaseth M. Rogers to speak and yet D. Field is driuen into a great passion against the Pope because Bellarmine vseth theis * LutheraÌ„s Caluinist c. pag. 179. names of faction and diuision Infants do belieue and therefore they are to be baptized 12. As for the principall SACRAMENTARIES for thus the Zuinglians Oecolampadians Carolostadians c. are commonly phrased by S. Luther howbeit it pleaseth y Pag. 170. D. Field to say that Some mens MALICE called them so I saw that great ignominy doth attend them also in this behalf For z Tom. 2. de baptisme Zuinglius our renowned military Patriarch inuaighing against this doctrine Baptisme confirmeth faith c. sentenceth it to be a rash and inconsiderate opinion Yea saith he for this cause it was to be expected that some men should deny baptisme vnto Infants And I do ingenuously confesse that being sometimes deceyued with this errour I thought it more safe that they should be baptized when they are come vnto a iust age 13. Which Anabaptisme though he disclaymed afterward yet this heresy festered so deepely in his heart that he alwayes esteemed the baptisme of children to be an externall or ceremoniall thing dispensable by the law of Charity which the Church may well and honestly vse or omitt as it shall seeme good for the edification of our neighbour The same opinion was taken vp by * Inter â—p Zuingl Oecol l. 2. fol. 80. Oecolampadius the * See Bellarm de Notis Eccles cap. 8. first pretensed Bishopp of Basill Truly a fitt doctrine for a Bishopp of such a stamp 14. This was the summe and effect of my first and generall consideration viz. that all the innouations which Henricus propounded vnto the Church were such as make vp a goodly messe to furnish our euangelicall table and thus I saw no reason why the Miracle of S. Bernard should not be as sufficient a proofe of all as of some and why not as specially of Purgatory as of any other point 15. Wherefore I proceeded vnto a SECOND consideration which is more peculiar and which did more forcibly procure my firme resolution and indubious assent 16. For since our Lord did giue his owne testimony from heauen and we know that his testimony is true in defence of S. Bernard against Henricus without all question this doctrine of Purgatory was so included in the whole number that it was no lesse clearely fortified by this miracle then any other poynt And my reason to conceiue thus was because as S. Bernard deliuered it and the people accepted it no lesse freely then any other so likewise God himself did concurr in the operation of this miracle for a noble end viz. the confusion of heresy the manifestation of the truth the honour of his name the safety of his Church the satisfaction of men present and the instruction of succeeding ages 17. Yea forasmuch as he that wrought this illustrious Miracle did then and there in the voyce and authority of the Catholique Church publiquely teach and earnestly perswade and constantly defend this doctrine how shall the witt of an Archangell distinguish what was what was not confirmed by this Miracle in case the glorious Saint and the visible Church were erroneous in the * See before num 1. said opinions as farr as the substance thereof extendeth itself principally in the FIRST it being a chief article in that catalogue 18. I concluded As God will not nay he can not and this is a powerfull impotency in him beare witnesse vnto any falsehood so he doth neuer implicate and obscure the truth in such manner that we should be necessarily intangled with errour for want of possibility to discerne it and specially when the thing is such as is hereticall in nature and damnable in effect § 5. An
exception of D. Field against Miracles refelled by the authority of GERSON whom he magnifieth as a man that wished our Protestanticall Reformation 1. I Loued sometimes esteemed the Church-booke of D. Field as the best oracle of our dayes and as the worke commended the Authour so the Authour did reciprocally commend his work in my simple thoughts 2. Amongst sondry positions which he there frameth as bulwarkes of our Religion and impregnable forts thereof I applauded this which here ensueth viz. a Pag. 185. We say that howsoeuer it may be some miracles were done by such good men as liued in the corrupt state of the Church yet that is no proof of those errours Purgatory Transubstant c. which the Romanists maintayn against vs. For VVE PEREMPTORILY DENY that euer any Miracle was done by any man in times past or in our times to confirme any of the things controuersed betweene the Papists and vs. 3. In this resolution I was vndaunted because I tooke it to be substantiall I embraced it as a necessary principle because if it should fayle then it followeth most euidently either that God is not true or that our Religion is false 4. But now after my long and serious discourse concerning the aforesaid miracle I was compelled to sound retreate and to deny my peremptory deniall for my reason did informe me that S. Bernard hath long since by miracle confirmed the doctrine of Purgatory it being one of those things which are controuersed betweene vs and the Papists at this day 5. Besides since any man who is meanely instructed in the writings of the Ancient doth know that S. Gregory was a Papist for which cause b Cathol Apolog. in Secunda Classi D. Morton hath stalled him in the catalogue of Popish Doctours and that S. Augustine his messenger vnto vs deliuered the same Popish faith in England as c Centur. 1. fol. 35. Iohn Bale confesseth saying Augustine the Romane was sent as an Apostle from Gregory the first to season the English-Saxons with a popish faith whence the same Bale is pleased to affirme that King Ethelbert died 21. yeares post susceptum papismum after he had receiued Popery finally that this holy blessed man who came from farr to sing the Lords song in a strandge land did worke many rare miracles by cooperation of the Diuine Power for this is euidēt by the testimony of d Lib. 7. ep 30. S. Gregory the Great of e Eccles hi. l. 1. c. 26. 31. l. 2. c. 2. c. V. Beda and of sondry others yea f Act. Mon. pag. 105. Iohn Fox himself can find no exception against this poynt howsoeuer he participateth with the malignity of g Contra Camp Rat. 5. D. Humfrey h In his Reply pag. 185. M. Iewell i Centur. 1. Iohn Bale c. and throweth out his contumelies against so worthy a Saint to disgrace the work of our happy Conuersion from Paganisme vnto Christianity I desired to vnderstand whether we could truly deny since we do PEREMPTORILY DENY that none of those things were euer confirmed by Miracle wherein the controuersy standeth betwixt us and the Papists at this day For I argued thus in my priuate cogitations and said Did God concurr with our Augustine and his assistents by any FALSHOOD to strengthen the supposed heresies which they did then and Papists do now maintayn No for this were against his Truth I know that he neither deceiueth nor is deceiued Or did he concurr with them by CONFVSION to strengthen some part but not all that faith which they preached in the name and authority of the Romane Church No for this were against the sweet disposition of his gifts and workes and I am assured that he is the God of order and not of confusion as I see in the Catholick Church 6. But there is yet an other euidence which as it is more particular so it was more potent and perswasiue vnto me then the former And because as it was a key to vnlock my vnderstanding so since it doth most highly import your selues deare Contreymen to take good notice thereof I will here deliuer it vnto you briefly and playnely branching it into three considerations 7. FIRST therefore it may please you to be informed by k Pag. 171. D. Field that TRANSVBSTANTIATION is one of the greatest mysteries of Popish religion which all Papists at this day do most firmely hold and belieue Whence it followeth if so speciall a * Miraculū in Mysterio Mystery of Popish faith as this is were iustified by any Miracle then all the Religion of the Papists is thereby confirmed and established eminenter that is to say in a principall or eminent manner 8. SECONDLY it may please you to be farther indoctrined by the mature resolution of l Pag. 186. D. Field and the graue iudgement of the Metropolitan himself for this CHVRCH-booke was composed at his * See D. Fields ep dedicat to the Archb. of Cant. direction approued by his censure and publicated by his authority that there is NO BETTER proof of the goodnesse of our the Protestants cause then that that which we Luther Zwinglius c. haue done in the REFORMATION of the Church was before wished for expected and foretold by the BEST men that liued in former times in the corrupt state of the Church In the number of which best men he recompteth GROSTHEAD and GERSON whom with some others he doth * Pag. 85. elswhere intitle VVorthy Guides of Gods Church But how good a proof this is and how laudable our Reformation is which standeth and supporteth it self chiefly vpon the same you may perceiue by the little Appendix which ensueth in the conclusion of this Treatise Which when you haue carefully perused and discreetly waighed then reflect vpon this matter and then speake in the vprightnesse of your consciences betwixt God and your selues whether the Cause be not very bad and the Patrones thereof much worse Let that be an example vnto you for euer to see what immoderate affectation of vntruth possesseth your most eminent Authors and how miserable your Religion is of whose goodnesse there is no better proof 9. THIRDLY and lastly it may please you to vnderstand that this worthy Guide of Gods Church and one of our pretended Fathers m Part. 4. Serm. in festo Corporis Christi Iohn Gerson the most Christian Doctour as he is commonly stiled by the Church discoursing vpon the aforesaid great mystery of Popish Religion and reproouing INFIDELITY to witt of Berengarius and in him of Caluin for it is a memorable poynt to consider that though Berengarius did abiure his errour against the Reall presence and died * See Gerson ibid. penitently for the same yea though the n Centur. 11. c. 10. pag. 527. Lutherans of Magdeburge themselues do expressly say that Pope Leo the 9. did meritt great praise by condemning the heresy of
Berengarius in a Synod at Rome o Admonit vltaâ—d We stphilum yet Iohn Caluin protesteth that he doth and will follow Berengarius in his opinion and it is cleare that our English Church concurreth with them both which brought many FRIVOLOVS reasons the very same which we now produce and alleadge at this day against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar deliuereth his mind herein fully and saieth that VVe ought to belieue this truth Transubstantiation and to giue creditt vnto Gods word without any pledges or depositions as Miracles are But if any man will desire theis things for his assurance he may haue a thousand and a thousand persons of most holy life and profound knowledge who haue testified this truth vnto death by a thousand and a thousand * Some are remeÌ„bred by Claud. de Sainct de Euchar. Also by Bellarm. de Euchar. l. 3. cap. â— MIRACLES 10. Wherefore being thus incompassed on euery side and hauing no possibility to escape the pressure of this difficulty nor to withstand the singular and effectuall power of this euidence for one of the greatest mysteries of popish Religion is now confirmed by many Miracles euen in Gersons testimony which I was bound to admitt because as his Person deserueth high respect so it deserueth farr greater with them that will so graciously applaud him I was forced either to disclayme D. Fields booke or to renounce my Protestanticall belief but yet the later seemed a more reasonable course because that Religion can not be good which is so falsely and absurdly defended by him and all the chiefest Authours that euer applied their paynes vnto this seruice 11. What remayned now but that I should conclude with S. AVGVSTINE the * D. Field greatest Diuine which euer liued since the Apostles time and the * Caluin best witnesse of Antiquity and say with p De vtilit credones cap. 17. him Since we behold such a speciall assistance of God such progresse and such fruict shall we doubt to hide ourselues within the lapp of * Not of Donatists Aërians Berengarians Lutherans c. that Church which hath obtayned the height of authority partly by the iudgement of the people partly by the grauity of Councells partly by the Maiesty of MIRACLES and is descended by the succession of Bishoppes in the APOSTOLIQVE Seate of S. Peter at Rome a poynt which * Velenus Funccius c. See Bellarm de Pontifice Rom. l. 2. c. 2. 4. c. some men filled with a spiritt of contradiction deny without honesty witt or learning frustrà circumlatrantibus haereticis the hereticks barking round about in vayn 12. Let your owne consciences kind Readers make a secret application of theis things in the closett of your hearts Which that you may more easily and effectually do I shall intreat you to cast back your eyes of consideration with me and to reflect vpon the premisses ingenious Academicks as it becommeth men that rather haue a care to see the truth then a desire to impugne the same CHAP. IIII. A Reflexion vpon the premisses contayned in this booke §. 1. Of the grounds which I followed in this discourse 1. FIRST I considered that the grounds and authorities vpon which I buylded my discourse were so cleare and solid that no witt could dissolue or impeach their strength For if I accepted the Fathers they did conuince me if I reiected them my folly would be great and my dispute vncertayn And thus I saw that the iudgement of q Ret. 5. Edm Campian must necessarily take place viz. AEternam causae maculam coguntur Protestantes inurere siue recusent patres siue deposcant nam in altero fugam adornant in altero suffocantur Which points I prosecuted yet farther though briefly in this manner 2. If I ACCEPT the Fathers to be be my Iudges as they are Churches VVitnesses I haue the face of all Antiquity confronting me and speciallly S. Augustine whom for some iust respects I do specially esteeme Was he a Protestant and a Papist then two different Religions are compatible in one soule whence must ensue as great a strife Genes 25.22.23 and colluctation as Rebecca felt in hir womb when two Nations contended in hir body Or was he a Protestant and not a Papist why then is he so perspicuous against me in this matter Or was he a Papist and not a Protestant why then do we so triumph and glory in his name Or finally was he neither Papist nor Protestant Then both theis Religions in all probability are false and then perhapps none is true Thus from an vncertainty men runne into a nullity of faith and so the end of heresy is Atheisme because there can be no other issue vnto which it doth finally propend And verily who doth not conceiue vpon due ponderation that if the CATHOLICK Religion being so spectable in dignity so continued in succession so enlardged in diffusion and so eminent in all respects should notwithstanding seeme false or dubious by reason of some cauillations framed against it by hir enimies it will rather come to passe that no Religion should be true then that the Protestants faith which hath such a late entrance such base founders such vncertayn grounds such infinite diuisions should be more credible and probable then the said CATHOLICK belief 3. I proceed Since I was so powerfully expugned by the Fathers as you haue seene how could I elude the grauity of their testimonies which pressed and oppressed me on euery side Should I Alexander-like cutt the knott insunder with violence which I could neuer vntye with skill 4. There remayned one principall shift for me but yet it was of no value or substance For though later ages speake more copiously in this particular and in many others then the former yet I saw that it was by way of explication not innouation of declaration not alteration of exposition not addition c. For it is an excelleÌ„t prescription which Lirinensis deliuereth in this case viz. Fides habet profectum 1 Cap. 29.30 non permutationem faith hath a progresse or increase but without any chandge Matters of Ceremony are in their nature indifferent and in their vse dispensable and herein no priuate man may prescribe vnto the wisedome of the Church or limit hir power Matters of Doctrine haue their inlardgement and amplification but yet so as that no other fundation be layed then the same which we receiued in the beginning Thus Pelagians may not complayn if the doctrine of Grace were more clearely illustrated by S. Augustine then euer it was discussed before Thus the Arrians may not complayn if the doctrine of Homousia were more fully explicated by the Fathers of Nice then euer it was vnfolded vntill that time Thus also we Protestants cannot iustly complayn if the Catholick doctrine in this particular were more abundantly expressed by S. Augustine and by succeding ages then euer it was resolued vnto his dayes Lirinens Intelligatur
and to discerne the truth so if any one man perhapps would make a full and satisfactory answere vnto me in case I should obiect the said particulars vnto some * Caeteri eorum in quos fortè incurtislem illum Faustum mihi promittebant c. S. August Confess◠l. 5. c. 6. So theis men turned me ouer to D. Field c. of whose collusions I. had too great experience before learned Ministers as truly I did pretending that the schedule which I offered vnto them was directed vnto me from a Seminary-Priest he must follow the same method and whatsoeuer he will oppugne therein as false he must prooue that the Contrary vnto it is true Otherwise he shall throw dust into the ayre with more contention then profitt And truly nothing is more common and triuiall in our Authours then to bumbast their leaues with impertinent stuff contayning an vncertayn sense of matter in an empty sound of words 10. Now for the better instruction of the good Reader I will expresse my meaning familiarly by some few particulars in this discourse As for example Whereas I had deduced the custome of Prayer for the dead from the holy Apostles during the time of the ghospell for the Iewes who are most strict in the obseruation of their law practise it by an euerlasting Tradition of their Fathers I sayd no it came not from the Apostles But how could I iustify and maintayn this assertion and why should I creditt my priuate opinion or the iudgement of Luther and his compeeres against the testimony of the Fathers and prescription of all ages Or why should I think that any damnable errour springing from naturall affection and imitation of the Gentiles could thus inuade the vniuersall Church without any resistance 11. Whereas I had inferred Purgatory from the perpetuall custome of Prayer for the dead I sayd no the Catholick Church had no purpose in the commendation of the dead to free their soules from any temporall payn But how could I defend my conceipt herein against the cleare and irrefragable authority of * See before pag. 35. S. AVGVSTINE ISIDORE CYRILL others whose * It goeth hard if for a matter of history the Fathers can find no better credit saith D. Bancroft in his Suruay pag. 338. with the Presbyteriās The Fathers should know as well as Cartwright what was then in fact c. The like did I conceiue also in this case report was strengthened by the conformable practise of all and impeached by the contrary assertion of none 12. Whereas I had declared that none but Hereticks did reiect this doctrine I sayd no they were not hereticks at all or els they were not hereticks precisely in this poynt But I saw that the same Catholick Church which reputed them Aërius c. hereticks in other things condemned them likewise in this and there was no possibility for me to defend Aërius from the crime of heresy but by imputing it vnto S. Augustine Epiphanius c. which were a desperate attempt 13. In a word Whereas I had noted the virtues and manifold graces which shined in those Fathers by whom this doctrine was propugned I could not prooue the contrary Whereas I had described the vile and contemptible estate of Aërius Henricus by whom it was impugned I could not prooue the contrary Whereas I had informed my self how Henricus was confounded by a singular miracle of S. Bernard I could not prooue the contrary neither could I learn that he or Aërius or Luther or Zwinglius or Caluin or any other Mint-maister of our late ghospell did giue the least resemblance of any rare and diuine work whereby I might perceiue that God did concurr with him for the approbation of his new-coyned faith and warrant of such inordinate proceedings The Conclusion with the Authours protestation vnto the Readers THvs being not able to disprooue my former Treatise I was inforced to approoue it and therefore I must necessarily persist in this opinion vntill it be refuted in such manner as that the CONTRARY also vnto it and euery particular therein pertayning directly or indirectly vnto this issue be clearely and substantially confirmed If my reasons preuayle not with you yet despise me not I am your contreyman your flesh and bloud tyed vnto you by the strong obligations of nature Charity compelleth me vnto this act of loue that I should wish you that happinesse vnto which we all aspire but how shall we meete in one end who insist in such diuersity of way Let morall reason assure you that I am not transported by any light or sodayn motion to submitt my self vnto a Religion which is neither delightfull vnto carnall affection nor profitable in theis dayes of mourning I had my portion of hopes as well as many others Fortune beheld me with a benigne and comfortable aspect and if I could preferr such intanglements before that TRVTH which crieth mightily in my reynes I know no reason why I should want that commodity which I haue bene inuited to enioy But as I giue most humble thanks vnto them whose will to do me earthly pleasures hath shewed it self no lesse ready in promise then their place doth inable them vnto the performance so I must be bold to say with their permission that my estate since I am conscious vnto mine owne thoughts and am resolued that neither feare nor hope shall foyle my Religion by his gratious assistance vpon whose mercy I depend would be vncertainly good or certainly euill when other mens will to command should be my reason to obay Finally therefore let your reciprocall Charity teach you to conceiue that I would not striue vnwisely against the benefitts of Fortune or vnkindly against the duty of Nature vnlesse some superiour and more excellent consideration then theis did obtayn a powerable authority in my soule And as you haue already seene one parcell of that Motiue which made an entrance vnto my Royall Exchandge so when you haue examined the second I hope that you will intertayn a gentle censure of your poore friend and that you will not torment his name vpon the rack of vnchristian and excessiue speach The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE WHEREIN THE FALSEHOODS AND CORRVPTIONS OF SOME LEARNED PROTESTANTS are detected * ⎠* Behold you trust vnto your selues in the words of lying which shall not profit you Ierem. 7.8 * ⎠* The Preface IT hath pleased many men partly out of that opinion which they conceiue of their owne cause and partly out of that affection which they beare vnto me to praise and dispraise me with this Apostolick sentence He did runne vvell Gal. 5.7 vvho did let him that he obayed not the TRVTH Vnto theis men I returne a louing a faithfull and iust answere founded in the demand of an eminent Professour of their ghospell D. Abbot against D. Bishopp Part. 2. in fine VVill you be any longer led by them vvho thus grossly abuse you My
their verdict the Church of God seemed to deserue more blame then this heretick who is branded with just infamy and perpetuall disgrace 3. Though Bullinger was fiery and boysterous against our brethren of the house of Saxony the ancienter family of the yong ghospell yet he doubteth not to hold some good correspondency with them in this particular and therefore whereas he had made a lardge confession to his euerlasting shame saying e Decad. 4. Serm. 10. I know that the Ancients prayed for the dead I know what Augustine the noble Doctour and what Chrysostome the eloquent Preacher haue written of this matter I know that the Fathers say it is a Tradition of the Apostles and how Augustine affirmeth that it is a custome of the vniuersall Church to pray for the dead I know also that Aërius was condemned because he did oppose himself against it c. he taketh vpon him in his liberty to reprooue the Fathers and to debilitate the soueraigne authority of the Church But as the leuity of this man doth justly deserue that the seuere * Quanta vanitas qâ—aÌ„ ta impudeÌ„tia Bulliâ—geri c. See BreÌ„â—ius contra Bâ—â—ling pag. 105. c. reprehension of Brentius should be duely applied vnto him in this case so the pretense of * Against D. Kellison booke 2. chap. 4. D. Sutcliffe saying that Aërius was reputed an heretik for Arrianisme and not for finding fault with * Such superstition as the whole Church embraced See before pag. 60. superstitious oblations for the dead is such a folly as wise men would contemne or such an ignorance as a meane Scholler would commiserate and pity in a Doctour of so great celebrity and renowne For though it be true that Aërius was infected with Arrianisme yet forasmuch as he deuised new opinions repugnant vnto the Catholick faith he hath a peculiar and distinct place in the * Made by S. Aug and Epiphan catalogue of hereticks which were a superfluity and an absurdity also if Arrianisme had bene the proper cause for which he was condemned by the Church 5. I will leaue theis forayn Authours and repayr vnto our domesticks to witt D. Humfrey D. Abbot M. Cartwright and D. Morton who being of greater value then many others may stand forth and speake in the name of all the rest 6. The foreman is f Contra Campian pag. 261. D. HVMFREY whose resolution seemeth to be the publick confession of our Church NOS non improbaemus c. VVE disallow not any thing wherein Aërius did think * Quod rectè sensit Aërius truly c. Truly The Papists themselues will joyne issue with vs in this assertion But the question is whether Aërius did think truly in this particular or not Here the learned Doctour sheweth the perplexity of his heart See afterward Part. 2. c. 2. § 1. and yet adorning a fowle matter with fayr words he slideth forward and discouereth in plentifull sort that our Church doth propend wholly vnto the doctrine of Aërius in this point 7. The second is D. ABBOT whose authority must componderate with D. Fields and will discountenance his exposition of this matter g Against D. Bishopp Part. 1 pag. â—6 In the time of Epiphanius saith he there was an alteration made of the custome of Prayer for the dead Other deuotions were added vnto it with opinion to mitigate if need so required the very paynes of hell This AERIVS spake against and indeed spake against it with greater reason then Epiphanius hath defended it c. Here Maister D. Abbot dealeth iniuriously with Epiphanius in whose behalf S. Augustine shall witnesse that * See before pag. 27. he was a man very renowned in the Catholick faith But in the meane time do not theis men agree like harp and harrow One sayth h See before §. 1. num 1.2 SVRELY it appeareth c. The other sayth THIS Aërius spake against c. Thus they differ in their expositions as you see betwixt themselues and yet neither agreeth with the truth And no meruaile for i Lactant. haec est mendaciorum natura vt probè cohaerere non possint May I not say of theis men as k Offic. 1. Cicero sayeth of pedling merchants nihil proficiunt nisi admodùm mentiantur 8. The third is M. CARTWRIGHT who being an l See the opinions of Aërius before pag. 60. Aërian heretick in a farther degree then they are who principally obtayn the name of Protestants in our contrey howbeit that is the proper inheritance of Luthers more naturall children in his faith and reintegrating the heresy of Aërius * Pag. 403. touching the equallity of a Bishopp and a Priest is iustly noted by * So where D. W. obiecteth the CouÌ„cell of Nice vnto him he turneth it off affirming that it is spotted with infamy by decreing that single men admitted to holy orders shall not marry afterward Which point is fitt to be considered by M. Rogers saying p. 115. that if Paphnutius had not byn at Nice that Councell had erred D. VVhitgift iustly in respect of the thing vniustly in respect of their profession vpon the conformity which he embraced with Aërius in this matter And truly the pure or rigid Caluinists are guilty thereof without all possibility of defence But how doth the Presbyterian remooue this disgrace from himself and from the consorts of his folly I am not to regard sayth he what Epiphanius deliuereth in this matter for he was a man obnoxious vnto errour and if his authority could inconuenience me herein it might likewise confirme the popish errour of prayer and oblation for the dead which things are in no wise retayned by our Church 9. This is the summe and substance of his answere whereby I was excited to consider that as the * Aristot de histor animal irchin in hir naturall prouidence maketh a double prospect in hir nest that she may by this meanes defend hir self from the injury of all weather so the Protestants furnish themselues with a double principle viz. Scripture and Fathers In their conflict with Papists they limitt and confine all things vnto the Scripture sensed by themselues conueniently for their owne security and aduantage If they incounter the Puritans they reduce them vnto the judgement of Antiquity and suffer them not to randge vp and downe in their vast and vnsetled imaginations In theis principles they are very inconstant and runne into a circular absurdity without any certayn and indubious resolution of their faith 10. The fourth and last is o Cathol Apolog. Part. 1. l. 1. c. 33. D. MORTON who seing our reformed Churches deepely touched with Aërianisme seeketh by all meanes to decline the point and seemeth fearfull in handling his owne wounds or as Luther obserued in Zuinglius he paseth it so gingerly as if he trode vpon eggs and like a sheepe in the briers the more he struggleth the more he is intangled Behold therefore
base silly and childish reasons into this testilent and sacrilegious * of Zwing c. heresy For what argument I beseech you is this Christ is at the right hand of his Father therefore he is not in the Sacrament The flesh profiteth nothing therefore the body of Christ is not there And theis are their principall †the same they bring against the Catholicks also arguments But it is a madnesse to be mooued by theis toyes from the simple and playn words of Christ THIS IS MY BODY Which cleare sentence the Sacramentaries depraue by their interpretation viz. this is a signe of my body An exposition no lesse absurd * Tom. 7. contra fanaticos Sacramentariorum Spiritus sayeth Luther then if a man should make this glosse vpon the Scripture In the beginning God made heauen and earth that is to say the cuckow did eate vp the titling bones and all or The VVord was made flesh that is to say a crooked staff was made a kyte 13. But I will leaue Sir Martin in his facetious vayne and come vnto a farther poynt which toucheth your religion to the quick For in his commentaries vpon the epistle to the Galathians a work which I know to be singularly magnified by your Ghospellers and it is translated into our mother-tongue for the publick vtility of your Church he maketh sondry digressions against the Sacramentaries but I suspect your translation to be vnfaithfull in this behalf and namely in his exposition of this sentence * Chap. 5. vers 9. a little leauen corrupteth the whole lump he sayeth VVe must highly esteeme of this cautele in our age The SACRAMENTARIES who deny the corporall presence of Christ in the Lords supper obiect vnto vs that we are intractable and contentious c. Theis are the collusions of the Diuell whereby he laboureth to subuert not that article alone but all Christian doctrine A true saying of M. Luther To deny God in one article is do deny him in all for he is not diuided into many but he is all in eueryone and one in all Charity in this case is not to be exercised neither is errour to be approoued For here viz. in the Sacramentaries heresy the word faith Christ eternall life are all lost Wherefore we continually returne vnto them this prouerb of the Apostle a little leauē corrupteth the whole lūp 14. This is such a waighty and seuere reprehension of your Sacramentarisme as would mooue any heart amongst you tenderly affected in matters of so great consequence and sublimity to be fearfull and suspicious of his soules estate But I will proceed vnto an other consideration of greater importance and farr more effectuall then the rest For what can be more horrible and dreadfull vnto you then that the Diuell himself should vrdge Luther your great Reformer and presse him with the argumēts of Zwinglius his cōfederates See the places cited by Iustus Caluinus in his annotat vpon Tertull praescript cap. 43. to draw him vnto your Sacramentary opinion And though the Diuell disputed earnestly with Luther to this effect as he confesseth yet he solued the Diuells obiections and vanquished him and therefore all your English professours in him by the power and maiesty of the word 15. By this euidence you may well coniecture what admonitour he was that instructed your Patriarch Zwinglius in his fanaticall interpretation of theis wordes hoc * est pro significāt see before booke 1. part 1. chap. 1. §. 3. num 8. est corpus meum and by it also you may know that the spirit of truth doth not teach you though †pag. 183. D. Field hath confidently affirmed it where he speaketh of the inward testification and of the great happy and heauenly alteration which you find in your hearts vpon the receyuing of your doctrine Which internall perswasion the Brownists the Anabaptists and other sectaries do boast of as well as any Sacramentary euer did or can But what verdict M Luther hath passed concerning the Spirit and truth of Sacramentaries you can not but tremble to vnderstand * Brent in Recognit pag. 277. Vos habetis alium Spiritum quà m nos sayd Luther vnto Zwinglius you and we haue not the same SPIRIT And as for your TRVTH he giueth this terrible censure vpon the perfidiousnes for so he speaketh of Bucer in this Sacramentary doctrine †Fabric in loc com Luth. part 5. pag. 50. 2. He that taketh pleasure in his owne damnation let him belieue that the TRVTH is taught by theis SPIRITS since they beganne and defend their opiniō by lyes 16. I leaue the due ponderation of theis things vnto your best thoughts and so I proceed vnto my SECOND reason which is deriued from the Magdeburgian Centuriatours who in their * Cētur 4. epistle vnto Q. Elizabeth complayn that some men viz. the Caluinists euacuate the testament of our Lord by their philosophicall reasons when against the most cleare most euident most true and most powerfull words of Christ This is my body they remooue the presence of his body and bloud out of the Sacrament and deceiue men with their wonderfull perplexity of speach c. Likewise †Cētur 11. cap. 10. col 527. they do expressely commend Pope Leo 9. because he damned the Berengarian heresy which now is a piece of your Caluinian ghospell with the authour as soone as it peeped forth In the same * ibid. cap. 11. col 656. history they place Berengarius in the catalogue of Hereticks saying that he transmitted his poyson by wicked schollers and impious writings into sondry regions Howbeit †in resp ad Campian rat 3. M. Doctour Humfrey feareth not to affirme that Vigilantius Berengarius Caluinus homines profectò singularibus diuinae gratiae muneribus prastabiles c. And no doubt but D. Field hath taken order to draw all theis men with Gerson himself into the communion of his true visible Catholick Church Which is a deuice to turne religion into a fable 17. My THIRD and last reason is deriued from an authority which with you is free from all exception For your Church deliuereth this assertion See M. Rogers in his Cathol doctr pag. 178. 179. as hir CATHOLICK DOCTRINE in this matter The wicked and such as be voyd of liuely saith do not eate the body nor drink the bloud of Iesus Christ in the vse of the Lords supper Which assertion being explicated by M. Rogers he proceedeth according vnto the accustomed manner of his discourse to note the errours and aduersaries vnto this truth and sayeth The aduersaries of this doctrine are the VBIQVITARIES both Lutheran and Popish For the Lutherans teach that the very body of Christ at the Lords supper is eaten aswell of the wicked as of the godly and that the true and reall body of Christ In VVith Vnder the bread and wine may be eaten chewed and digested euen of Turks which were