vulgar and yet some for translating the Bible more for reading of it haue bene consumed with fire and flames when poore soules they had more neede of instructers then tormentors and might haue beene wonne to the truth of their religion supposing it to be so by faire meanes rather than by compulsion Faith is free to bee perswaded not commanded with Erasmus I will leaue men that cannot be perswaded to Gods mercy the furthest that wee can doe vnlesse they bee troublers of States and seditious Schismatickes is to excommunicate them But as a wise Lawyer saith non mouendum quod sine sanguine moueri nequit as wee must saue blood and not spill it so wee must saue soules and not damne them if it may be otherwise ¶ The eight Proposition The contempt of Scripture and a desire of Reformation THe complaint was too true that Ferus once made the word of God was in worse case amongst Christians then amongst Iewes or Gentiles it was so tossed and tumbled rent and torne no otherwise saith Polydor Virgill then Coblers vse their filthy leather Hee speakes this of the Canonists and Lawyers the false Prophets whereby God doth seduce men when hee giues them ouer to a raprobate minde that hate his word and refuse to be reformed by the same neglecting it for I know not what Bâ—lles and traditions of men Of these writeth an ancient writer whose name were well worth the knowing and his obseruations note-worthy and therefore I will take the paines to transcribe it wholly as much as maketh for our purpose I say their watchmen are all blind and yet as blind as they are they can see vaine and transitory things thus we may interpret these words they are blind in spirituall affaires but quick-sighted enough in temporall matters It is said in the Gospell the light of thy body is thy eye Christs body is his Church his eye is the holy Scripture according vnto the saying of the Psalmist Thy word is a lanterne vnto my feete c. But in these present times alacke for woe there is an Amphora a beame in their eyes which by saecular and gainefull Sciences take vpon them the rule and gouernance of the Church which is his body by traditions and ordinances of men The weightie and ponderous talent of Lead signifieth sinne and saecular affaires procured by couetousnesse And at this present time what is this talent of Lead but their Priuiledges Dispensations and such like sealed with Lead The two women which lift this two eared pot betweene them signifie pleasure and vaine-glory whereby many gather euill riches into their houses Their wings are like Kites The Kite is a rauenous birde houering vp and downe to lye in waite for tame foule or stinking carrion So these couetous men lye houering betweene heauen and earth casting about how they may get into their hands whether it be by right or wrong this transitory pelfe of the world but their being is in the land of Sennaar that is to say in hell whereis nothing but loathsome smelles and gnashing of teeth Out of these words wee inferre this that many in those dayes sought after wealth few after the Scripture the light of their soules few looked into this mirrour to see the deformitie and foulnesse of their soules fewer that tread in those steppes which lead vnto saluation The first Corollary Of the Translation of the Scripture into the vulgar tongue OF this we haue heard Erasmus iudgement in the seuenth Proposition if that suffice not Geo. Wicelius a moderate Papist that wrote not many yeares after Luther will be able to informe vs that as the times are now it cannot bee otherwise but the Bible must be translated faithfully out of the originals He reckons vp the great vse and soucreigne profit likely to flow therefrom but chiefely saith hee it will make our Preachers more warie and carefull in their citations of Scripture lest the lay hearer may parhaps take them tardie now and then And hee further saith in the same place that there is no feare of making them Heretikes by reading Gods word if the Pastors and Teachers doe their duty The Anonymus writer vpon Iohn will not haue the people prohibited from reading the Bible but that they ought to be translated into English or French Cuspinian saith that the Scripture was read by the same token that some were burned for it By the meanes of Cyrill and Methodius the Sclauons inioyed their seruice in the vulgar tongue full sore against the Pontificians will m Ant de Dominis vrges this point mainely but what need haue wee of more testimonies This point is ratified by a voyce from heauen if Aeneas Siluius report before hee was Pope do not faile me There was a voyce whilest this businesse of hauing the seruice in the vulgar tongue was treated of heard from heauen saying Let euery spirit praise the Lord and euery tongue confesse him The second Corollary Of the vulgar Latine Edition SOme make the vulgar Latine of equall authority with the originall Hebrew and Greeke preferring Agar the hand-maid before Sara the Mistresse to verifie that of the Scripture I haue seene many seruants ride and their masters goe on foote It is also questioned amongst some of the lesse learned whether it be Hieromes or no but that opinion and that of theirs who shame not to say that he wrote as a Prophet rather theâ— as an Interpreter is cryed downe by the learneder sort of Papists stiling it therefore as commonly it is by the name of the Vulgar Edition The iudgement of the best in these ages since the light of the Tongues hath sprung forth is that it is a faulty corrupt deprâ—ued translation How often is the Interpreter taken tripping by their best linguists It is full fraught with gross errours and mistakings with I know not what riffe raffe One hath noted vnto vs 8000. at the least and these errours are rooted and inueterate for Roger Bacon our learned Countryman hath long since obserued that to â—he a spleasure of God and infinite lâ—sse to his Church it remained vncorrected in his time or if it were amended it was the worse for their corrections few of them beeing willinâ— and fewer able to performe the same as it ought to be done wanting both Greeke Hebrew and the Arabâ—ck tongues and â—ee ends with a patheticall speech to the Pop to appâ—â— a remedy in time to this maladie least it should happen to fester and infest the Church of God as it hath done these many yeares after his death and is to this present day notwithstanding they haue beene often tampering with it in no good state of conualescencie the more to blame are the Dowists that haue translated it into English and obtruded to our simple Countrymen as the very word of God The third Corollary ¶ Of
the Papists will haue no great cause to bragge of their Souereigne vertues hereafter To hold you no longer about Confession seeing Confession is not of any diuine institution but an ordinance of the Church as both Polydore Virgil and Erasmus doe proue it but instituted by the Fathers vpon iust occasion and abrogated againe by the same vpon as good an occasion The surest way for vs is to make our humble and secret Confession to God who is best able to forgiue the same and to free vs both à paena et à culpa yet for the auctoritie of the Church of England that perswadeth is leauing it Arbitrarie and for sundry good reasons that inforce it to my seeming if thou canst be so happy as to finde a wise learned and discreet Minister feare not to make known thy sinnes vnto him there is no ragge of poperie in this if thou bee true to the Minister and the Minister vnto thee But if no such Minister bee to bee found or not at hand men may confesse themselues one to another one neighbour to another without any scruple of conscience the Papists will giue thee leaue and so doe I and heere I end my discourse of Auricular Confession Of Satisfaction and Contrition A Word or two of Satisfaction and Contrition the other two parts of Popish Penance that I may giue some satisfaction to my pore seduced Countrymen if God shall moue their hearts and that they hate not to be reformed otherwise whole bookes of this argument will bee bootlesse non persuadebo etiam perswasero I may plant and others may water but it is God onely that giueth the increase First of Satisfaction if the Papists meane publike Satisfaction to the Church for some publike scandall giuen or priuate Satisfaction for some priuate wrongs done or scandall taken God speed them I question them not it is a Canon of the Church of Rome in force and practise in the Church of England that he that offends publikely and by his offence doth scandalize the whole Church should make a publike acknowledgement thereof and for priuate wrongs or persons the holy Scripture which is regula sufficienâ—isfima willeth vs in expresse tearmes to go and reconcile our selues vnto our neighbour and then come and offer this is a kinde of Excommunication ipso facto if we do it not But if they meane Popish Satisfactions whereby they thinke they do promerite or postmerite God with such satisfactions or sacrifices God is not pleased Proue the lawfulnesse of them out of Scripture and Traditions of the Church and we will vse them till when we leaue them In the meane time there is a kinde of Satisfaction which I will make bold to commend vnto you out of Antonius Magnus in the Bibliotheque of holy Fathers and that is the amendment of your wicked liues Touching Contrition seeing that the Papists acknowledge that the heart may be so contrite that the body may be saued in the day of iudgement both à paena et à culpa without doing any penance at all or very little grace being sufficient of it selfe to do away all our sinnes as is largely shewed by Ant. de Dominis who hath also taken great paines to score vp the Errours of Popish Contrition the chiefe whereof is filthy gaine the bane of the soule and indiuiduall companion of Purgatory and Penance bee ruled by mee this once if your Confessour seeke you and not yours hee will perswade you truly to repent and sorrow and satisfie God if you will by your surety Christ if they speak of any other sorrow or any other satisfaction take heede of Wolues that destroy the flocke ne potius pecuniam quà m animarum salutem quaerere videantur they rob you of your money and giue no satisfaction to your hunger-starued soules The 20. Article Of the Authority of the Church THe Church hath power to decree rites or Ceremonies and authority in Controuersies of faith And yet it is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrary to Gods word neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it bee repugnant to another Wherefore though the Church bee a witnesse and a keeper of holy writ yet it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same it ought not to enforce any thing to bee beleeued for necessity of saluation This 20. Article explained and maintained by the Papists IT is a true saying of good vse in opening of Controuersies that qui bene distinguit bene docet I will therefore for the better vnderstanding of this point First distinguish of Rites Ceremonies and Traditions Secondly propose certaine Theses Thirdly confirme them according to the method which I haue confined my selfe vnto either out of Papists or out of old Manuscripts Of Traditions Rites and Ceremonies as I take it from the Papists some are diuine appertaining to pietie perpetuall and immutable Some are humane of the Tradition of the Church for the better gouernment and policy of the same which are variable and mutable both in regard of time and of place Thirdly there are some infrugiferous carnall hypocriticall or Pharisaicall and these are neuer to be admitted or being once admitted by conniuence of gouernours or the industrie of the Deuill that will if hee may sowe Tares amongst Wheat must be speedily rooted out and abrogated My Propositions are these 1. DIuine Rites or Ceremonies must bee taken out of the word of God or the continuall succession of the Church 2. All Apostolicall Rites are not perpetuall 3. Humane Rites and Ceremonies may bee made by the Church according to the Scripture are of like obseruation euen in things indifferent if they be once ratified till the Church doe abrogate them 4. They must be thus conditioned First not meerely offensiue for their multitude Secondly mysterious for their signification Thirdly decent for the ornament of the Church Fourthly tending to piety and not superstition Fiftly putting no affiance or confidence in them Sixtly not lasting but Arbitrary according vnto the times Countries and seasons 5. The Primitiue Churches had but a few 6. All Iewish Ceremonies are abolished 7. Diuine Constitutions are to bee preferred before humane inuentions pure and without mixture 8. Humane Rites must as neere as may bee consist in inward and not externall matters aswell for the end as for the thing 9. If Ceremonies do offend or otherwise be to bee abrogated it is not for any priuate man to demolish them but they must fairely and orderly be vnmade by the Authority of the Church that first made them 10. As they are to be seuerely punished that contemne the setled orders of the Church so if there bee no contempt we are not rashly to censure them The first Proposition SVch Traditions as are mentioned in the Scriptures and haue beene obserued in all ages by a continuall succession aut extraditione Apostolorum percontinuas success
ad nos deductum Er. To. 9 as the Creed and Symbole of the Apostles are of perpetuall obseruation for the most part yet some things commanded by the Apostles as vnction by S. Iames doe not oblige vs for euer which is my second Proposition The Third Proposition HVmane Rites and Ceremonies may bee made by the Church according to the Scripture to bee obserued alikely euen in things indifferent if they bee once ratified till the Church do abrogate them I call them humane Rites and Ceremonies because they are instituted by men for the good of men but otherwise they are to bee obserued with care and reuerence though they be not directly contained yet they are virtually to bee deducted out of the Scriptures and it is not for any priuate man to quarell or impugne them vntill the Prince by his authority or Cleargie in Councell doe meete and abrogate them The fourth Proposition The conditions of Rites and Ceremonies in the Church 1. THey must not be many as in the Church of Rome which complaine of the intollerable burden of them they had woodes swarmes Oceans and inundations of those Iewish Ceremonies by which they kept men in miserable seruitude and bondage 2. Mysterious for their signification 3. Decent for the ornament of the Church as the Surplice Vestiments of the Church Communion Cup c. 4. Tending to pietie and not to superstition They must conduce vnto pietie Christ is not to be sought in these outward things as meate drinke and rayment these things must be obserued if the Church command them but we must take heed we place no superstition in them we must seeke after those things rather which are inward 5. Putting no affiance or confidence in them 6 Not lasting but arbitrarie according vnto the times Countries and seasons The fifth Proposition The Primitiue Church had but few The sixth Proposition All Iewish Ceremonies are abolished The seuenth Proposition DIuine Constitutions are to be preferred before Humane they must be pure without mixture The neglect hereof was complained of by diuers * Learned men the Constitutions of men were punished more then the breakers and violaters of Gods Lawes so that small faults as the neglect of their Feastes or omissions of their Fasts were punished with Scorpions but greater sinnes as their Priests â—ippling and whoring it in the Stewes were let passe with a gentle correction They must not haue any mixture of humane inuentions there must be no addition of mens traditions to Gods Precepts The eighth Proposition HVmane Rites and Constitutions must as neere as may be consist in inward and not outward and externall matters aswell in regard of the end as the matter Ad offensionem populerum vitandam For feare of offending any of these little ones as Hierome sometimes spake vpon the like occasion Who knowes not how the vulgar people doe dote vpon these showes rather then substances of Religion nay rather runne gadding and madding after these toyes and fopperies as Erasmus knew by wofull experience in the Countries where he liued The ninth Proposition THough Ceremonies bee to bee misliked and prooue distastefull to the Church yet it is for no priuate man to disturbe the settled peace and quiet order of the same but to expect the Kings prohibition either by himselfe or his Cleargie I am thus opinioned of Ceremonies that they may be corrupted with the Leauen of the Pharisees infected with auarice negligence or ambition or adored as the golden Calfe making a great shew of pietie and preuailing more then any thing else with the vulgar people and that they are to be abolished or changed but who shall doe it No priuate person I warrant you they must beare and forbeare with a Faciat Iesus vt cito purgentur God send wee may be well rid of them making prayers and no stirres tumults or commotions when all is done the Churches censure or the Princes commandement or rather the Churches censure by command of the Prince is to be attended no phlegmaticall schismatick is to haue a hand in this businesse though it be to pull downe Images out of Churches or Pictures out of windowes for this were to open a window to priuate mens fancies rather then zeale and commeth neere to the error of the Eiconoclasts which in this case may be iustly censured Leaue we this to Leo Isaurus and other Emperours The tenth Proposition AS they are to be seuerely punished that contemne the setled orders of the Church so if there bee no contempt of publike Gouernment wee are not rashly to censure them Graue non est transgredi as one writeth constitutiones Ecclesiae nisi accedat contemptus malitiosus A man may transgresse the orders of the Church happly out of error it may be of ignorance but disobedience and contempt is as the sinne of Witchcraft a most heynous sinne as all those take it that haue not their shooes made at Geneua otherwise if there be weakenesse in them let there be charitie in vs and there will be no rash Iudges left in the Land And thus farre of Rites and Ceremonies and if I bee in the right I shall be glad if otherwise blame the Papists and not mee and let the perclose of this Discourse be my sufficient Apologie The 28. Article Of the Lords Supper I Will take out of this Article as much as is in controuersie betweene vs and the Papists Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot bee prooued by Holy Writ but is repugnant to the plaine words of Scripture ouerthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath giuen occasion to many superstitions The body of Christ is giuen taken and eaten in the holy Scripture onely after an heauenly manner and the meane whereby the body of Christ is receiued and eaten in the Supper is Faith c. The 28. Article maintained and explained by the Papists THe Papists in the Councel of Trent make it a Sacrifice both for the liuing and the dead Admit it be a sacrifice which cannot bee well denied being well vnderstood yet is it neither satisfactorie nor expiatorie but rememoratiue so Schoepperus that is not properly a Sacrifice but a memoriall of a sacrifice so Erasmus Arias Montanus giueth the reason of both For we do not offer that Sacrifice againe but proffer and represent it to the memorie after an vnbloody maner which was offered vp once in blood a Sacrifice without the matter of a sacrifice to speak in Cyrils termes Neither wil it auaile the Papists to say that Melchisedec sacrificed for he was a Priest of the Highest for hee sacrificed no otherwise then Abraham Isaac and Iacob which herein imitated him For of them wee haue a plaine constat that they did not sacrifice by any
Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God and borne of the Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light true God of true God begotten not made of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made who for vs Men and for our saluation came downe from Heauen and was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Marie and was made Man was crucified for vs vnder Pontius Pilate suffered and was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended vp into Heauen sitteth at the right hand of the Father and he shall come againe with glory to iudge both the Liue and the Dead of whose Kingdome there shall bee no end And in the holy Ghost our Lord and giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne is together adored and conglorified who spake by the Prophets And one holy Catholique and Apostolike Church I confesse one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes and I expect the resurrection of the Dead and the Life of the World to come Amen I doe most stedfastly admit and embrace the Traditions of the Apostles and of the Church and all other obseruances and Constitutions of the same Church I doe likewise admit the holy Scripture according to that sense which our holy Mother the Catholike Church hath holden and doth hold vnto whom it doth appertaine to iudge of the true sense and interpretation of the holy Scriptures neither will I euer vnderstand nor interpret the same otherwise then according to the vniforme consent of the Fathers I doe also professe that there be truly and properly seuen Sacraments of the new Law instituted by Iesus Christ our Lord and necessarie for the saluation of Mankind although they be not necessarie for all men to wit Baptisme Confirmation Euchariste Penance Extreme Vnction Order and Matrimony and that these Sacraments doe giue Grece and that of them Baptisme Confirmation and Order cannot bee reiterated without Sacriledge I doe also receiue and admit all the receiued and approoued Ceremonies of the Catholike Church in the solemne administration of all the aforesaid Sacraments I doe embrace and receiue all and euery of those things which in the holy Councell of Trent haue been defined and declared touching Originall sinne and Iustification I doe professe also that in the Masse is offered vnto God a true proper and propitiatorie Sacrifice for the Liue and Dead and that in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar there is truly really and substantially the body and blood together with the Soule and Diuinitie of our Lord Iesus Christ and that there is made a Conuersion of the whole substance of Wine into the Blood which Conuersion the Catholique Church doth call Transubstantiation I doe also confesse that vnder either kind onely is receiued Christ whole intire and the true Sacrament I doe constantly hold that there is Purgatorie and that the soules which be there detained are holpen by their Prayers of the faithfull Also that the Saints who reigne together with Christ are to bee worshipped and called vpon and that they offer vp prayers to God for vs and that their Reliques are to be worshipped I doe most stedfastly affirme that the Images of Christ of the Mother of God alwaies Virgin and of other Saints are to bee had and receiued and that due honour and reuerence is to be giuen to them I doe affirme that the authority of Indulgences was left by Christ in the Church and that the vse of them is very behoofefull for Christian people I doe acknowledge the holy Catholique and Apostolique Romane Church to be the Mother and Mistresse of all Churches and doe promise and sweare true obedience to the Bishop of Rome who is the Successour of Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles and the Vicar of Iesus Christ All other things defined and declared by the holy Canons and Oecumenical Councels and chiefly by the holy Councell of Trent I do vndoubtedly receiue and professe And also all contrary things and whatsoeuer heresies condemned reiected and accursed by the Church I likewise doe condemne reiect and accurse This true Catholique Faith without which no man can be saued which now I doe willingly professe and hold I the same I. N. doe promise vow and sweare to hold and confesse most constantly by Gods helpe intire and vncorrupted euen to the last end of my life and to procure as much as shall lye in meâ— that my subiects or those of whom I shall haue care in my office shall accordingly teach and preach the same So God me helpe and these holy Gospels of God A Table of the Manuscript bookes vrged in this Booke BOston of Burie his Alphabeticall Catalogue of Manuscript bookes gathered out of 195. seuerall places lent me by the most Reuerend my Lord of Armagh MS. Basil the first Volume of the Acts and Sermons of the Councell of Basil now in Ballioll Colledge in Paper MS. Bas 2. The second Volume also in Paper that were sometimes bookes belonging to Durham Colledge in Gascoignes time MS. Bacon Rogeri Bacon operis minoris pars tertia MS. in the Archiues of the publike Librarie A. 68. Lincoln MS. Epistolae Rob. Grostheadi Lincoln Episcopi MS. G. 8. 8. Phil. Repingdon MS. Sermones eiusdem MS. in Bibliotheca Coll. Lincoln Tho. de Bracley Sermones MS. 30. MS. * MS. 43. MS. 21. MS. 0. MS. 29. MS. 9. MS. 38. MS. 51. MS. 7. All these fore-recited bookes were lent me very courteously by Master Hen. Parry Batchelor of Diuinitie of C. C. C. in Oxford they were in sight and shew very neglected bookes rusty dusty and sometimes vncouered and torne but they yeeld many good obseruations as you may find in the booke it selfe they are namelesse almost all of them but not worthlesse and vnpossible to be counterfeited by vs being written many hundred of yeares before our times as the writing shewes and are all giuen to the Publike Librarie and are there to be read of all men MS. Ignatius a Manuscript Ignatius in Latine of great Antiquitie in Ballioll Colledge in Oxford MS. Dunelm de visione Bosonis extant in Master Heggs hands Master of Arts of C. C. C. Tho. Gascoigne Dictionarium Theologicum in two Volumes Manuscript in Lincolne Colledge in Oxford Extracts out of the Tower fairely and largely transcribed by the industrie and care of Master Noye of Lincolnes Inne a great Antiquarie of the Law MS. Registrum MS. A Register of Acts and Epistles in the hands of Master Thomas French Register to the Vniuersitie MS. A. A Manuscript in Magdalen Colledge in Oxford wherein are contained diuers peeces of Antiquity the booke came from the Monasterie of S. Marie-ouereis to Master Iohn Fox the Writer of the Booke of Martyrs and by his sonne was giuen with diuers other good Manuscripts to the same Colledge MS. C. Another Manuscript Chronicle in Magdalen Colledge Ran. Higden Polychronicon Manuscript in Ballioll Colledge the largest and fairest
present day The Papists haue been euer Scepticks in defining and defending it take them of what time and age you will first middle or latter For the first age you haue heard there was little or no mention of it and for the middle age one that wrote about some foure of fiue hundred yeares agoe as may be coniectured by the hand makes it a very disputable question what it is where it is who shall passe thorow it and how long it shall continue The first point hee resolues but with a quidam dicunt some say that it is a materiall fire beyond the Element of fire no such fire as is to be maintained with wood or nourished with any materials Alii dicunt others say that it is nothing but a kind of punishment likened to or called fire because fire is the greatest of punishments and this burnes like fire and to distinguish it from Hell fire that is lasting because this fire doth not so much punish as purge men by temporall paines it is called a Purgatorie fire or Purgatorie Who shall goe thorow it Whatsoeuer the fire is here is no certaine resolution of the question beleeued it must bee that although all the faithfull children of God passe not thorow it but these onely which perfected their penance in this life yet with this distinction that some soules shall be punished more some lesse Some soules shall bee deliuered from thence quickly in an instant Some soules shall bee kept there prisoners till the last day of Iudgement according as they doe penance or sinne more or lesse and according to the manner of contrition If this be their doctrine as then it was in those darker Ages of the World what comfort out of all these doubtings May not a man say vnto their Schoole men as Iob said vnto his friends Miserable comforters are yee But to come neerer our owne times How is this point tossed and tumbled and yet the Doue-like soule cannot find any place to rest herselfe on to name any set places or receptacles of the soules after this life is impossible No mortall man can riddle me this riddle and tell me what this fire is Some vnderstand by this fire thes fire of conscience or of charitie Some make it an insensible fire othersome doubt of it as Erasmus and other learned men and in speciall Iames Faber intreating of the rich Glutton in the Gospell and if there be any such place as Purgatory it is as it pleaseth God Saint Augustine sometimes doubteth of it sometimes it is past doubt saith the same Saint Augustine if the booke be his that there are but two places Heauen and Hell he is altogether ignorant of a third place Vbinunc est Purgatorium What then will become of Purgatory And to my seeming this was the ancient tenet of the Church For although there bee little or nothing knowne what will become of our soules before Christ yet since the time of Christs birth and Passion I am taught by the Primitiue Fathers that the soules of the godly goe immediatly to Heauen that they are absouled from all blots and spots of sinne that it is impossible that the punishment of fire should come neere them that it is a meera sophisme in Diuinitie to thinke that part that is the fault is pardoned and part that is the punishment remaineth behind to be satisfied there is no such matter he that remitteth the fault will neuer exact the punishment or rather let vs say as an ancient Writer doth It were vnfitting or vnlawfull nay a sinne that hath a mixture of some cruelty and incredulitie to hope for halfe pardons at his hands that is so good and mercifull the fountaine of all goodnesse and mercy either he remitteth all or none And therefore laying all that hathbeen formerly spoken and a great deale more that may bee alleaged to this purpose before our eyes let vs safely conclude that it is an vnsafe way to make Purgatory as it were an Article of our Creed as our Trent Masters doe at the least let vs take heed of prying into those hidden mysteries which God would haue hidden and dare rather to inuent or hammer out somewhat out of our owne braines then to be ignorant of any thing let vs not be too confident in describing the place and qualitie of its punishment A modest ignorance of these things will best become vs till wee haue better warrant for the same out of Gods reuealed Word Of Indulgences PVrgatory should seeme to haue been in great request heretofore it hath such a great traine following after of Indulgences Prayers for the dead Reliques Pilgrimages Diriges Funerals Images and inuocations of Saints Though the fall of Purgatory may be the ouerthrow of them all yet we will by God grace intreate of them seuerally in their order and first of Indulgences and Popish Pardons because they haue so neere affinitie with Purgatory that if it be prooued that there is no Purgatory it will be easie to proue that there are no Indulgences and then the Popes market is marred his Pardoners may goe shake their eares First for the originall of them we subscribe to the Councell of Trent It is certaine and cannot be concealed that in no Christian Nation of the Easterne Church either in ancient or moderne time there euer was any vse of Indulgences of any kind whatsoeuer And in the West if by ancient custome they meane that which was obserued before Vrban the second in the yeare 1095 no proofe can be brought of the vse of Indulgences If from that time vntill the yeare 1300. it will appeare that the vse of them hath been sparing and onely to free men from punishments imposed by the Confessour Afterwards from the Councell of Vienna the abuses began which did increase very much vntill the time of Leo the tenth Hitherto the Councell and yet no Counsell neither they say no more then all the World besides I meane a world of Papists which I haue catalogued vp according to the times where in they liued descendendo I hope they are all fit and proper Indulgences came in Anno Christi 1095. and were opposed Ann. dom   Ann. dom   1240  Vincentius Belluacensis   Geo. Wicelius 1260  Bonauenture   Alph. de Castro 1360  Durand   Polyd. Virgill 1444  Petrarch   Onus Ecclesiae 1â—â—â— Â A Dialogue published de insolentijs Curiae Romanae   Conc. Tridentinum      Chronicum Belgicum      Io. Langius 1410  Io. Gerson   Huldericus Nutius 1430  Fortalitium fidei   Franc. Polygranus 1453  Io. de Vesalia   Valer. Anselmus Rydd 1453 By Vincent Ferrarius  By Syluester Prierius 1458  Regin Peacock   Contra Lutherum Conclusiones 1460 Â
is rather disputable then decided take it at the worst that it bringeth with it many abuses more then I haue mentioned noted by Iohn Gerson and Nic. Clemangis and Io. Collet of England knowne by the detestable gaine by Indulgences the people especially of Germany enthralled and robbed of their mony had not Martin Luther of Wittemberge and Friderick Duke of Saxony iust cause to reclaime and declaime against the sundry abuses of them being now growne into the generall hatred of all men and to banish them out of all Germany and we here in England not to admit them vntill they bee better warranted vnto vs. Things that are good as the brazen Serpent out of your owne Gascoigne may be taken away and so much of Indulgences and Pardons Pardon mee if I haue insisted the longer on this point occasioned through plenty of matter I will contract my selfe in all the rest leauing you to imagine what large volumes may bee written of controuersies out of their owne Indices if either I had all of them or all were written out of them but I may with thankefulnesse to the Almighty say vnto them that meane to spend houres well in this kind Principium dedi vobis I onely intend and propose vnto my self an Introduction vnto the Controuersies in this first Edition Of Prayers for the Dead OF prayers for the dead what shall I say Seeing that in our prayers whether publike or priuate there must bee no assuments or additaments of men or women but all must be taken out of the holy Scriptures although I cannot deny but the Graecians which to this day doe deny Purgatorie doe grant the vse of prayers for the dead yet because I am taught that in the next life there is present condemnation or remunertation and that they will profit vs little or nothing and that we are to be accountable at the last day of Iudgement for euery idle word they were better forborne then vsed and that I may conclude all in the marginall note vpon Greg. Neocaesariensis word verè sentiunt qui sublat as volunt preces pro defunctis they thinke aright which would haue prayers for the dead abolished according to the plaine doctrine of the Church of England Of Reliques and Pilgrimages FIrst of Reliques seeing they sprung both from one roote couetousnesse and gaine which is the roote of all euill We will inquire whether there be any true Reliques or no proceeding in right method first to proue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then to talke of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards Let it be first agreed vpon of all hands that if Reliques be to be worshipped of any then much more of Christ the blessed Virgins and his Apostles but all these are either vncertaine or vnknowne of Christ what haue wee remaining but some few cart loades of his Crosse or Nailes wherewith he was fastened to the Crosse which hee that will beleeue must haue faith more then a graine of Mustardseed so incredible are they if the relation bee true which I find recorded in an ancient Parchment booke The historie is somewhat long but withall strange and therfore we will heare it and it be but for its noueltie to you and incredibiliti◠both to you and me I reade saith my Author that Helena was the daughter of Choel King of the Brittaines whom Constantine at his comming into Brittaine married being the onely daughter of her father After whose death the whole Iland deuolued vnto him So much wemay reade in the Brittish Stories but some there bee that fetch her pedigree and descent as farre as Treuers Thus much a man may beleeue although that he haue but some few graines or scruples of faith But that which followeth can hardly be beleeued without some scruple of conscience though hee had whole mountaines of faith or as much faith as would remooue Mountaines into the Sea yet I say it will hardly be belieued The said Helena being desirous to find out Christs Crosse and nayles a most excellent inuention whosoeuer put it into her head sent for all the Iewes the I was supposing it was for some such businesse feared and resolued that they would neuer confesse where it was One Iudas mistake him not for Iudas Iscariot yet it was one almost as ancient as he perhaps some men will wonder how this should come to passe when it is knowne that Helena called this assembly of Iewes more then 270. yeares after Christ I answere out of the same Author that perhaps men liued longer then then they doe now Zachaeus was his Grandfather and Saint Stephen that was stoned to death was this Iudas brother this Iudas I say when Queene Helena threatned to burne them all aliue if they would not tell her for all their solemne vow was discouered to her to be the onely man that knew where the Crosse was hidden so she set them aside and tooke Iudas along with her and told him in plaine termes that if he would not tell her where Golgotha was that the Crosse might be found eft soones she would throw him into a pit and there he should lie as sure as Christ died for her till hee were famished to death which was instantly done and there hee lay poore soule sixe dayes and sixe nights but on the seuenth day he made signes to come foorth and made show that he would tell them where the pretious Relique of the Crosse was As soone as hee came forth downe falleth he to his prayers which that it might bee the more auaileable was ioyned with much fasting straight wayes whilest he prayed the ground shooke and yeelded forth a sent of most pleasant smelles Whereat Iudas lift vp both his hands and said Now doe I know of a truth that Christ is the Sauiour of the world Now in that place as we reade in the Ecclesiasticall Historie for this is not a Legend-storie there was whilome a Temple of Venus the Goddesse of lust built by Adrian the Emperour wherein whosoeuer prayed might bee thought to pray to her Deitie therfore it was vnfrequented and ready to fall but Queene Helena razed it to the ground and plowed it vp After this Iudas begins to settle himself to his busines and hauing digged not passing 20. yards in the ground he found three Crosses which with great ioy hee carried vnto Queene Helena But loe here a doubt that did much perplex them all it could not be known which was Christs Crosse from the thiefes nor of the two thieues Crosses which was the good thiefes which was the bads but that mattered not But as God would haue it there was a young man carried forth to be buried Iudas staied the Beare with his band and layed the first crosse vpon the body and it stirred not and then he layed the second crosse vpon it and it stirred not but when he touched the body with the third Crosse
forced through it owne pouertie to sustentate and support it selfe for the time by maintaining assertions repugnant to the prouidence and charitie of God towards Man and to all light of naturall reason So that we must as my Lord of London did if they could tell the time when beleeue that doctrine which is accompanied with so many true and celebrious Miracles wrought by God alone without any secondary humane meanes whatsoeuer Master Io. Brereley hath likewise in his of S. Aug. religion spent his 18. Chapter and all his Sections vpon this matter so that now the matter is made cock-sure Against all which is brought by him and his fellow Musket whosoeuer shall oppose his owne bare vnwarranted deniall we leaue saith hee that man as much more worthy of contempt then farther reply But stay now you Master Musket haue spent all your powder or if you did shoote bullets you haue wounded or killed none but your owne men as may appeare Not to speake of the Auctour vpon the vnperfect worke vpon Mathew very ancient although not Chrysostomes whose words are so plaine for vs both in the affirmatiue that there is no note note-worthy or proofe of the true Church nisi tantummodo per Scripturas spoken more then once or twice in the same place and in the negatiue that miracles may proue a false Church and be done by Heretickes which your Inquisitors haue purged out of the Auctour That miracles stupendious miracles such as your Historians doe swarme with namely Antoninus Aido Saxo Grammaticus Sigebertus Phreculphus Nauclerus Marianus Vrspergensis Ammonus Turpinus Guaguinus and all your old Annalists aske your owne Bodin and he will tell you so much they were done and not done made or rather feined by helpe of Deuils or of the black Art by your false Prophets to draw men to superstition from the reading of Gods word Such were those that Gregory the seuenth vsed against Henry the fourth Foure Monkes that at Berke would needes counterfeite the fiue wounds of Christ your Tablets of the virgin Mary that fell from heauen or of gallant virgin Mary either at Reginoburg or Lisbon or of Oeting of your miracles of old of Transubstantiation or of late within these one hundred yeeres wherewith you haue blinded the simple people and cast a mist before there eies they are infinite in number that haue beene wrought by Xauier and his fellow cheaters and so shall those bee that Antichrist shall bring to passe in the latter end of the world to the seducing of the very elect of God if it were possible and therefore I cannot be perswaded that there are any true miracles wrought amongst you they were needefull in the infancy but not in the groweth of the Church and aske not mee but S. Austine a reason why miracles doe now cease in these times of the Gospell or rather your owne Geo Venetus to come neerer home and they will bee able well to ensorme you in this point and therefore ring your belles preach your miracles and make no small gaine of them before them simple people or poore Indians Let your men vrge them and presse them and make their station in them taking them vp of trust one from the other as Bede from S. Gregory and S. Gregory from others I am fully resolued by your owne men that miracles without faith can neuer be effectuall but true faith without miracles may bee acceptable both to God and men as I haue formerly shewed As concerning Master Brerelies fond obiection because I perceiue by the casting away of his bookes that hee is weary or ashamed of them and is now casting about how he may frame a conuenient answer though it bee but in shew to him that wrote against him I will not trouble his patience at this time but stay till hee reioyne and then I doe binde my selfe by promise to ioyne issue with him and to answer whatsoeuer hee shall obiect either about miracles or any thing else that shall concerne the substance of our religion Whilst hee vrgeth Protestants and Papists I will assure him that I will vrge none but Papists and especially those that are marked with a black Theca in their Indices expurgatorij And for a conclusion to all seeing they vrge vs so farre vpon the point of miracles I will commend these few miracles that follow to their most Christian consideration If they proue not miracles yet I beleeue they will proue miraculous and stupendious actions and such as doe note forth vnto vs the great prouidence of God in preseruing his little flocke his true Church amidst the furie and fierie assaults of his and their great enemies beyond the degree of admirations First when the deluge of superstition had wel-nigh ouer whelmed the arke of the Church when that abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel and forespoken by S. Paul began to sit in the Church and to exalt himselfe against God or all that is called God God had his Waldo in France and Wickleph here in England and Hus a little after in Behemia that did preserue the truth of religion intire and vncorrupted and themselues except Iohn Hus vntoucht and vnhurt being but a handfull of men against so many and potent Aduersaries Secondly how their followers beeing persecuted with bell booke and candle with fire and sword multiplied whilst they groaned like the Children of Israel vnder Pharaoh into thousands and stood out against the Pope and his Croisadoes and some of them to this present day in the Conualles remaine that neuer yet bowed the knees to Baal nor receiued the marke of the Beast in their fore-heads Thirdly that blinde Ziska and his poore Thaborits should conquer three hosts of the Pontificians that were thought to be iuincible and to haue beene an armie sufficient to haue encountred the great Turke and to haue beaten him out of all Natolia Fourthly that the slaughtering and murdering of men and women in their bloody vnholy Inquifition hath bene a speciall cause of the encrease of the Church and the conuersion of diuers Sauls into Pauls which of bloody Inquisitors became afterwards patient Martyrs to the astonishment of most men who wondered not a little that so many of both sexes especially of the simpler sort should lay down their liues so readily for the testimony of the Gospel it made them as I say wonder what that religion should bee Fistly their Inquisition of bookes aswell as of men the especiall Ramme found out in the Councell of Trent by the instigation of the Diuell as the chiefe meanes to establish their new and vnheard of religion partly by prohibiting of whole bookes partly by purging of some Tracts in some bookes hath proued beeing discouered vnto vs by the finger of God the chiefest instrument of Gods glory whereby so many witnesses of the truth are knowne now vnto vs to speake wholly and often and earnestly for the reformation which was made by Luther in these
parts though it were before knowne in other parts of the world especially in Bohemia that Luther himselfe wished both for doctrine and discipline his might bee the same per omnia I say in all this men purposed but God disposed of all for the singular good of his Church Sixtly and lastly what shall I speake of the more then miraculous preseruation of the late Queene and our late King and of both King Queene Prince and State from infinite and eminent dangers both from fire and water in the Spanish inuasion from water in the Gunpowder treason from fire God make vs euer more and more thankfull for these our more then miraculous deliuerances and so I end both the whole booke and my answer to Musket and his companions about miracles Deo soli sit gloria The Conclusion of the whole Booke with certaine needfull Aduertisements to the Christian Reader for the better vnderstanding of the same CHristian Reader whether Protestant or Papist it mattreth not and whether you reade approue it or reade and refuse it it is all one there belongs subscription to the one and a full demonstration of mine errours to the other and then as I haue ready thankes for the one so I haue as ready my peccaui for the other In the meane time now I haue put a full period to my booke and eased both my selfe and thee of much fastidiousnesse in reading I thinke it fit to say something and not much for the clearing of my intentions and your vnderstandings First for the testimonies cited and recited in this booke they are taken partly out of bookes printed partly out of bookes vnprinted Secondly the bookes printed are partly and for the greatest part of bookes purged partly out of bookes vnpurged whereof there be but very few and whether purged or vnpurged the Authors all of them are putatiue and supposed Papists bred and brought vp in the bosome of the Catholique Romane Church though they belong vnto the Catholique Church as shall bee farther shewed in my Alphabet of Authors and Prints in the latter end of the booke Of these Authors that are vnpurged I haue been very sparing when I could haue brought whole squadrons of Popish Writers that doe warre on our side and fight vnder our colours I haue singled out but three amongst the rest the first is Geo. Wicelius the second the Author of the Councell of Trent the third and last is Ant de Dominis all which I alleage the more willingly because all these three were either peace-makers or reformers of those Additaments or superadditaments that time or ignorance or that euill one hath brought in step by step into the Church of Rome which was vnquestionably the Church of God and its faith praised throughout all Nations and is at this present time a kind of putrid member of the same The first of these is Geo. Wicelius a famous preacher in his time of Mentz who was a true peace-maker the first after Martin Luther whose Motto was Beati Pacifici and yet a sore enemie to him and all Sectaries habemus confitentem reum If Luther had not hee and his accomplices would haue reformed the Church in a peaceable â—anner and in a lawfull Councell and not otherwise in most things differenced or controuerted betweene vs and the Papists He first banisheth the Schoolemen and their nicities and foole-questions thinking them to be the only troublers of the State and quiet of the Church 2. Secondly in place of them hee bringeth in the Scripture which he placeth in her Throne as the Queene and Mistresse of all other subordinate testimonies giuing her the precedencie both in and out of Councell and making her and her onely the supreme Iudge of all Controuersies 3. He admits of no Traditions doctrinall but such as are well warranted by the Word of God Ceremonials he alloweth vpon the selfe-same conditions that wee doe if they be not too gaudy or too many significatiue and mysterious and well expounded to the people for the ornament not of the essence of the Church without putting any trust or confidence in them a fault too common in those dayes and noted by Cassander his Scholler many dayes and yeares after and as yet vnreformed in their Romane Church 4. He is peremptorie for the Translation of the Bible into the vulgar Languages of each Country for singing of Psalmes and Hymmes in a knowne tongue and for Catechizing of the people 5. He inuayeth against their numberlesse Feasts abused Vigils and imposed Fasts the rigour of the one and the number of the others he thought fit to be abated and in stead thereof that Sermons should be brought into the Church if need were two a day 6. For their Sermons he would not haue them to be of a tale of a tub or out of lying Legends the principall fault of those times but out of the pure Word of God 7. He flatly contradicteth their adoration of Images 8. Their inuocation of Saints 9. He speaketh against their confidence of Purgatorie their questuarie ostentation of Reliques gainefull Funerals and Diâ—â—ges and wisheth that the largenesse of the Popes Indulgences were contracted and the Treasure of the Church better imployed 10. Farther he saith thaâ— their holy Masse is both often and many wayes abused that it hath de decorosos abusus is shamefully abused by their priuate Altars and priuate Masses too much by themselues vpon hope of gaine too little with the people administred Hee inueyeth against their murmurings and whisperings in their Liturgies and wisheth their halfe-Communions had either not been taken away or being taken away were restored againe in a Councell by publike authoritie and not otherwise 11. He would haue a Councell called for reformation of the Church in it Head and members but his request is the same with the Lutherans in the Councell of Trent that the Emperour should assemble it the Word of God preside in it and that it should be called in Idonea Ciuitate in a fit place and the Pope to haue notice of it 12. Priests Marriage though he like not well as preferring single life of Priests before it yet he knoweth no Canon of the Church or tye of Vowes to restraine them from marriage warrantable enough by the Word of God and practise of some Churches but howsoeuer he vtterly disauoweth their Concubinarie Priests their notorious Adulteries Incests and Fornications especially of the younger sent yea hee is of the mind that Priests Wiues and Children should haue some competencie of meanes allowed them for their liuelood and maintenance 13. What shall I say of their â—lergie is not hee zealous for a Reformation that spent his spirits almost and time wholly in vrging it both in Pope Cardinals Bishops Priests and Monkes offendors more or lesse in what kind and of what sort soeuer The number of idle Monkes he would haue abated and reduced to their primitiue orders the Priests not tâ—â—â—â—ue at so high a rate the Bishops and Cardinals
to their office and functions to assist the Pope in doing good and preaching the Gospell or visiting the sick or suruaying their Diocesses Lastly 〈…〉 Pope to whom he poore Wicelius deceiued by a counterfcite Epistle of Anaclâ—tus erring the errour of the Pontifician by misinterpreting the words of our â—uiour Thou art Peter giueth a kind of Supremacie but not in that latitude that now it is taken hee summoneth to appeare before the Tribunall Seate of God if he did not his best to reforme the corruptions of the Clergy in generall not exempting his Holines as some flatterers and pick-thankes did and the foule abuses of the Court of Rome which were spread abroad throughout all the World in bookes printed to the shame of that See and iust reproofe of his Holinesse and hee did verily thinke in his conscience that if they did not the sooner begin to reforme the Sectaries by Colloquies or Councels not by fire and sword ere long be they would loose all Germanie that began then to dance after Martins Luthers Pipe and greedily to imbrace his doctrine for the very filthinesse and abominable or innominable sinnes of their Clergie 14. Lastly what shall I speake of their Holy water qua nihil immundius that was vnholy their Thurification that was to be reiected because the sent thereof was not pleasing in Gods nostrils abuse of Confession Baptisme Excommunication which were too too much abused You see our Wicelius was a true reformer of the Church a moderate Papist at the least and no dissembler of the faults of his age of the Church doubtles in time he might if he had not bin too much awed by their great ones to whom as became a peaceable man he shewed all manner of outward obedience I say he might haue prooued an other Martin Luther though moued with a cleane coÌ„trary spirit so powerful is the Spirit of God to change our purposes and alter our nature when and as it pleaseth the Diuine prouidence Concerning Ant. de Dom I know not well what to say but to cry out Digitus Dei God had a finger in disposing of his comming ouer and suffering him to fall that other might rise and to write so directly against the Church of Rome as to my seeming for the most points no man hath done better though himselfe were neuer in the right hauing a good head but a corrupt and equluocating heart from the beginning which well became him that was tutored by and brought vp vnder the Iesuites Now albeit his conuersion were most fained and his Apostacie most certaine and true whatsoeuer he proposed to himselfe the heart is a Closet wherein none may enter but God God so disposed of both for his glorie that his person should relapse from our Religion and himselfe returne with the Dog to his old vomit and his elegant and substantiall bookes though they be mute should speake and proclaime to all the World the vnauoideable truth of our Religion now publikely professed and established in the Church of England Thus doth the diuine prouidence bring light out of darknesse and make good effects spring from the roote of euill causes as better shall appeare when we come to giue you my obseruations about the bookes that are purged I will onely touch vpon the Author of the Historie of the Councell of Trent whom because Ant. de Dominis whom I cannot call Ant. de Dommo because hee serued more Masters called Pietro Soare I will also call him by that name doth so farre shew to euery one-eyed Reader that the Councell of Trent though it were called against and condemned Martin Luther and his Religion yet if the Councell had been free and their voyces decisiue without the Pope though the Italian Bishops were three to one in number and there had been no foule play in calculating the voyces still I say leauing the Clokebag behind the Councell of Trent might haue turned Lutheran and sate at Witenberge aswell as there for their propositions and reasons which as D. Stapleton saith may be fallible and deceitfull but the conclusion is that which they did and we must look after if we will suffer our selues to be hoodwinckt and as very fooles as they I am not ignorant that there be some in the world moderate Papists that haue taken as iust and as great exception as we doe or can vnto the Councell of Trent and I would not haue the Christian Reader ignorant of this that I haue intreated of this largely in another set Treatise which if it shall be thought worthy by the Church of England to whom I doe yeeld and owe all submission may haue the happinesse with some other Treatises of mine to see the light Of the bookes printed vnpurged so much by way of caueat for the printed purge Copies take gentle Reader these few notes into thy Christian consideration 1. That I propose not to my selfe any exact handling of the Controuersies questioned betweene vs and the Papists per viam Thomae as they say by way of opposition or obiections and answeres out of Scripture Councels Fathers midled aged first aged and all aged Writers before Martin Luther my weake and wearied legges at this time will not suffer me to expatiate so farre yet my studies I confesse and naturall disposition to rip vp and vnfold the controuersies and vnriuit them out of the secrets of true Antiquitie driue that way my purpose is if God will to giue you a taste onely of that fruit which may be expected out of their sundry Indices Expurgatorij if they be well and narrowly sought after and looked into I haue but seuen or eight of them some that fell into my hands by casualty at the surprizall of the Towne of Cadiz others by the prouidence of God and great care and industrie of the Founder of our great Librarie Sir Thom. Bodley the Pâ—olomey of our â—ges and wonderfull preseruer of bookes I haue by my selfe and my friends amassed and shouelled together some thirtie Quire of Paper of Catholike restitutions and restored some one or two hundred seuerall Authors and out of them I haue gathered this small Introduction or Manuduction vnto Diuinitie sorted according vnto the especiall Articles of Religion controuerted at this day betweene vs and the Papists deliuered in as plaine and familiar manner as I could possibly deuise for the capacitie of the vulgar Protestant or Papist 2. I haue not taken all that may be taken or gathered out of the Articles that the booke might not rise to too great a bulke I haue neither collected all that is contained in the seuerall Indices but a third or fourth part only nor all that is contained in my said collections but the most pertinent and proper places 3. Neither is it to be vnderstood that all that are recorded by them for Papists are indeed Papists but supposed ones as Laeuinus Lemnius Io. Spondanus c. whose testimonies are sparingly miscited by mee in following the common errour
summes for to haue had the bookes againe they feared belike that their knauery would come forth and the mystery bee vnfolded of this worke of darkenesse which since that time hath lyen no more secret in corners but is now knowne to the body of all Christendome and herehence by sight of your bookes thus scored or printed occasion is giuen to the wiser sort of Papists to thinke it must needes bee a weake and bad cause that needeth to be supported by weake and bad shifts But the last obiection of all is that the Fathers are not purged no text of the Fathers in any Index is purged or expunged say ye so what say ye to Saint Cyrill Eucherius Intextu deleatur the like may bee said of Greg. Nyssene Saint Iohn Chrysostome Agapetus and diuers others either in their owne workes or in other mens workes of great Antiquitie purged and repurged and expurged againe What your purpose is I know not I do easyly imagine that it is to no great good of our religion that you haue fiue times at the least printed seuerall Editions of the Bibliotheca Sanctorum Patrum first printed by Bigne and lately at Coleyne with additions of I know not how many volumes with Iesuiticall notes and Annotations in Greeke and Latine and so much for this ninth obseruation which I haue the rather insisted vpon so long because it containeth the marrow and pith of all the rest 10. These men that beare witnesse for vs are no meane Fellowes abiect Writers or contemptible persons but the glory of those dayes the honour of those times the great Lampes and Ornaments of their Romish Church some of them Inquisitors but grone now vnder the Inquisition themselues quis enim custodiat ipsos custodes but as I haue elsewhere and may hereafter more fully shewed there is no more certaintie in their censures then there is assurednesse in their religion which is iust none at all But briefely and orderly that you may know of what great account they were at the latter end of this booke you shall perhaps haue an Alphabeticall Table that out of their own censures shall demonstrate this point to the full Lastly you see by these Indices if flesh and blood might haue preuailed by the secret operation of the Deuill how the Pontificians would haue taken from vs and the World so many testimonies of Fathers middle aged Writers and of all sorts all at one time and as it were blowne them vp like Faâ—xes in the Vaught but that God is mightier then men the truth then lyes by this one act of theirs and that a diuelish one But God hath blowne as it were the Powder into their owne faces filling them with shame and confusion laying their nakednesse open to the eye of the World insomuch that all wel-minded men doe either hisse or laugh at it seeing our Religion reasonably well confirmed and established by their owne men What pittie had it been that so many Noble Writers and worthy Authors should haue perished from vs and them And thereby any man of the meanest capacitie may thence draw forth this conclusion that God had his Church in the middest of Poperie and speciall men that in euery age did reclaime and declaime against their foule abuses both in doctrine and life These are the knees that neuer bowed to Baal the men that truly serued God though it were in secret which if they had been free to speake their minds and their minds had been fully knowne to vs they would most willingly haue imbraced our Religion and made a greater reformation then that of Luthers and that of the Princes of Germanie which was by the secret Iudgement of God to be performed in ore gladij cruentati as was long prophecied before I close vp all with this admonition that all the materiall places by me cited and by them expunged or expurged carry this note †of the Crosse before them to shew that the Authors endured the Crosse for Christ and were persecuted for righteousnesse sake Concerning the Manuscript Copies by me cited they are after proofes and not many hauing the figure of a hand ☞ to direct you Rome was not built vpon a day I haue cited but a few and those for the most part neglected and trod vnder foote they are all of them almost innominable bookes but not feigned by me but written and vrged many yeares agoe the character and letter will best shew the time and some circumstances may hereafter better discouer vnto vs the Authors but be they who they will in many points of doctrine they are wholly ours By that time we haue gone ouer all the vnprinted Manuscript Copies in both Vniuersities the famous Librarie of Sir Robert Cotton and other priuate Libraries is there not great hope of much good to bee done for the publike benefit of the Church If I had but halfe a dozen of such as I know that are both willing and able for pittie let not the Iesuite vpbraide vs any longer with his Nemo eos conduxit for want of due incouragement and imployment in this sacred and weightie businesse Some such matter hath been motioned in Conuocation Oh let it not be said as it was once spoken of of our Conuocations and Congregations here in Oxford that they were cause of much euill because they were inutiles sine fructu I complaine not for my selfe I thanke God I haue somewhat to liue on and to pay euery man his owne but there is somewhat else to be done vnlesse I would bee an Infidell and deny the Faith of the Church of England notwithstanding all their flatteries and false promises I haue gotten those small Benefices that the late Lord Bishop of Canterbury and this present with my Lord of Bath and Wels euer to be remembred by me with all thankefulnesse freely and without sute or seeking without gift or reward without cure of soules or charge of men Let any Priest or Iesuite beyond the Sea shew mee that their Abbots and Bishops haue done the like so freely so vnasked and I will resigne these vp vnto them which I am not minded yet to doe as my Predecessor did shewing one Italian tricke for our learning And thus taking my leaue I rest yours in the Lord wishing the Aduersaries to answere this booke if they haue a mind to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by snatches and catches as some haue done but punctually and throughly auoyding personall calumniations and truly quoting their authorities in the beginning or end of their bookes HERE FOLLOWETH A PROFESSION OF THE Catholike Faith set out according to the Decree of the Councell of Trent I.N. doth with a steadfast faith beleeue and professe all and euery point contained in the Symbole of the Faith that the holy Romane Church doth vse to wit to beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of Heauen and Earth of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus