spirituall matters should be head of the Sinagogue as in plaine termes confesse Caluin lib. 4. Instit c. 6. § 2. Whitaker cont Dur. p. 151. Reinolds Conferen pag. 204. 205. And his authoritie descended to his successors so long as the Synagogue continued Wherfore wel said the Archbishop of Canterbury Suruey cap. 8. VVe must not dreame that when the Apostles S. Peter died the authoritie which was giuen to them ceased no more than we may that the authority of Aaron and his naturall sonnes expired and ended with them But the gouernment of the Synagogue was but a figure of the gouernment of the Church For as Saint Paul saith Omnia in figura contingebant illis Therfore c. Who will see more of this matter may read Stapleton contr 3. q. 2. That the Pope is Successor to S. Peter 8. Onely this remaineth that wee proue that the Bishop of Rome consequently Saint Gregory was successor to Saint Peter in this authority Which I proue First because no other Bishop euer claimed it For albeit the Patriarch of Constantinople in Saint Gregoryes tyme claimed to be vniuersall Patriarch that is as Saint Gregory vnderstood him to be the onely proper and formall Bishop as shall be more declared hereafter yet he acknowledged him self vnder the Pope as Saint Gregory him self withall witnesseth in these wordes lib. 7. epist 63. De Constant sede quis dubitet eam Sedi Apostolicae esse subiectam c. VVho doubted but the See of Constāt is subiect to the See Apostolick of Rome which both the most religious Lord the Emperor and our Eusebius religious brother Bishop of the same Citty do dayly professe Where by the way I note that Eusebius is not the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople at that tyme but a sirname giuen vnto him for his great externall acts of religion who also was for his abstinence named Ieiunator that is Faster Secondly because the Bishops of Rome haue alwayes challenged and often practised the same authority The Church of Rome saith Fox Act. lib. 1. pag. 1. in all these ages aboue specified from the Apostles that challanged to it selfe the title and ringleading of the whole Vniuersall Church on earth by whose direction all other Churches haue bene gouerned And pag. 18. VVhat so euer was done in other places commonly the maner was to write to the Roman Bishop for his approbation The testimony of the Roman Bishop was sometymes wont to be desired in those dayes of Pope Iulius for admitting Bishops in other Churches wherof we haue examples in Socrates lib. 4. c. 37. VVhen Bishops of any other Prouinces were at any dissention they appealled to the Bishop of Rome Doct. Reinolds Confer pag. 457. Popes of the second 300. yeares after Christ claimed some soueraignty ouer Bishops pag. 383. Zozimus Boniface Celestin did vsurp saith he ouer the Churches of Africk whiles Austin was aliue pag. 544. They would haue Bishops and elders appealle to Rome And. pag. 550. Popes namly Innocent Leo Gelas Vigil Greg. taught that the Fathers by the sentence of God decreed that whatsoeuer was done in Prouinces far of should not be concluded before it came to the notice of the See of Rome And this they say all Churches tooke their beginning from the Roman that all Bishops had their honor from Peter And yet him selfe saith pag. 545. that Pope Innocent was learned and Catholick And pag. 540. That S. Austin alleadgeth his authority against hereticks And that in those times Popes were learned and Catholicks pag. 552. 554. 555. and sued vnto by S. Basil S. Chrisostom and S. Augustin and the African Bishops sought vnto them for their aduise and counsell for their authoritie and credit Of such acount were those Popes that claymed the supremacie euen amongst the cheefe Doctors of the Church Doct. Whitak lib. 7. cont Dur. pag. 480. saith that Pope Victor practised authoritie ouer externe Churches who was not long after S. Peter and by the iudgment of Protestants a godly martyr Wicklif in Fox pag. 445. confesseth the Bishop of Rome to be Christs Vicar on earth And Luther for some yeares after he began Protestancy confessed the same as yow may see lib. de Captiu Babyl in initio and in Fox pag. 774. Edit 1596. 9. Thirdly I prooue it Third reason that the Pope succeded Peter in his authority because the Pope is successor to Saint Peter in his Bishoprick therfore he is more like to haue his authority than any other That the ancient Fathers say that Saint Peter was Bishop of Rome Protestants nether do nor can deny And therfore I will for breuity omitt their testimonies and content my self with these mens confessions The learned and ancient Fathers saith Bilson lib. of Obedience pag. 143. call the Bishops of Rome Peters successors pag. 380. Saint Peter founder of Saint Leo his Church The Fathers say writeth Reinolds pag. 218. 219 Peter was Bishop of Rome and he nameth Hierom Euseb Irenaeus Bishop Cooper in Chron. Linus first Bishop of Rome after Peter But saith Reinol they meant improperly And why so Because saith he Peter being Apostle could not be Bishop of one Cyttie VVhē the Fathers call Peter Bishop of Rome they meane properly Secōdly because Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 3. nameth Linus first Bishop of Rome and Eusebius in Chron. calleth Euodius first Bishop of Antioch which could not be if Peter had bene a proper Bishop But against these cauils I oppose the propriety of the word Bishop which no Father or ancient writer hath signified that he vsed improperly when he called S. Peter Bishop And all words especially in histories are to be taken properly when the Authors declare not the contrary els we should neuer be sure how we should vnderstād the writer Secōdly they say that S. Peter was first B. of Rome Negare non potes saith Optatus l. 2. writing against hereticks Thou canst not deny that thou knowest that to Peter first was an Episcopal Chaire set in Rome in which first sate Peter to whome succeded Linus Loe how certain was it thē that the very hereticks could not deny but they knew it to be so Wherfor I ask when the Fathers sayd Peter was first Bishop how they vsed the word Bishop If improperly then they meant so of Linus If properly thē we haue our purpose Thirdly in reckoning of the Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome they alwaies name Peter first Iren l. 3. c. 3. Euseb Chron. Epiph. haer 27. Hier. in Clemente Optatus l. 2. Aug. ep 165. But what should he do in the Catalogue of proper Bishops if he were none him self Besides they reckon him first Bishop of Rome as they reckon Mark first B. of Alexandria but Mark was a proper Bishop Fourthly they call the See of Rome the seat or chaire of Peter S. Cyprian lib. 1. Epist 3. lib. 4. epist 2. S. Hierom in Pet. ep ad Damasum Aug. lib. 2. cont Petil cap. 51. Sozom. lib. 1. c. 14.
doctissimi most learned men as Saint Beda saith lib. 2. c. 2. Yet Saint Austin feared not twise to challeng them all to publick disputations S. Austin confuted most learned Hereticks and at the first ouercame them and at the second they durst not as it seemeth encounter with him The like disputations had after S. Laurence and other of S. Austins fellowes in the I le of Man with Scottish and Irish Deuines and wrote also to the Britons as saint Beda lib. 2. c. 4. speaketh worthy letters and fit for their Degree Protestāts confesse S. Austin and his fellovves learning Cooper Yea the Protestants them selues when they are voide of passion confesse saint Austin and his fellowes to haue bene great scollers For B. Cooper Chron. an 599. saith that Austin Iohn Mellit and others were godly and wel learned men Holinshed Holinshead an 596. calleth saint Austin and his fellowes learned men And Godwin in vita Honorij saith Godvvin Honorius a fellow and successor of saint Austin was very learned and some tymes disciple of Saint Gregory And in vita Laurentij that S. Laurence his immediat successor was a wel learned man That Deusdedit who was an English man scoller to saint Austin was very famous for his learning and other vertues And if the scoller were very famous what may we think of the Maister Bale Yea Bale him selfe cent 13. c. 2. saith that saint Laurence successor and fellow of saint Austin was very skilfull in logick and other Philosophie 3. But how think yow doth Bale proue that saint Austin was ignorant of scripture or his questions voide of all knowledg of the Gospel Surely not at all But it must suffice that this Aristarchus hath so iudged But perhaps it displeased Bale that saint Austin should in them enquire aboute the ceremonies of Masse VVhy S. Austins questions vvere vnsauorie to Bale and about the offering vpon the Altar of saying Masse after pollution in the night or of receauing the blessed Sacrament after a man hath carnally known his wife which questions no maruell if they seeme vnsauorie to Bale and voide of all knowledg of his new Gospel Indeed the questions are not of any profound diuinitie but of practical matters about the gouernment of the Church and holy ceremonies and administration of Sacraments in which matters the greatest Deuines vnles they haue bene practised therin as S. Austin had not bene in his monasterie are not alwaies the most skilful Besides that Saint Austin proposed those questions to saint Gregory not vpon ignorance but vpon humilitie and desire to be directed by him euen in smallest matters This saint Gregory him self testifieth in these words in Beda lib. 2. c. 23. I doubt not but yow haue required Counsell in these matters and I think also I haue alredy made yow answer herein S. Austin could haue ansvvered his ovvne questions Yet that which your selfe could say and think herein I think yow would haue it confirmed with my answer The like account made the French Ministers of Caluin as appeareth by the Surueie of the holy discipline c. 3. p. 43. in these words As any doubtes did arise amongst them concerning Church causes though they were but very simple and such as any student of meane capacity and iudgment might very easely haue satisfyed yet no man but M. Caluin for his tyme and M. Beza afterward was accounted of sufficiency or able to dissolue them Yow heare what simple questions the French Ministers sent to Caluin and Beza and yet without any preiudice of their opinion in learning And why should not S. Austin do the like And surely I here admire the goodnes of God towards our Nation that he would Saint Austin should enquire such small matters of S. Gregory and that his questions should remaine to our dayes both to shew vs by our first Apostle what account we should make of the resolution of the Sea Apostolick VVhat account S. Austin made of the resolutions of the See Apostol and as S. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 3. wrote aboue 1400. yeares ago in all difficulties recur to her and also to assure vs that S. Austin who in so small matters would do nothing of himselfe but by the direction of S. Gregory would much lesse vary from him in matters of faith or religion And consequently that the faith which he taught our Ancestors was the faith of the greatest Doctor that euer since S. Peter sate in the Church of Rome Belt VVoful cry p. 3. and by the confession of Protestants was as famous and as learned a man as euer was Bishop of Rome yea omnium Pontificum Of all the Bishops of Rome the most excellent for life and learning Bale cent 1. c. 68. Which thing wel cōsidered can not but breed great comfort in them who had the faith of their Forfathers deliuered to them by S. Austin and as great discomfort in them who haue forsaken it And thus much of S. Austins learning now let vs see his vertue CHAP. V. That Saint Austin was a great Saint and holy man IF Ministers were before vnwilling to grant that S. Austin was our first Preacher or a learned man much more loth they are to confesse that he was a holy man And not without cause because therby they perceaue it will follow that his faith was the true faith of Christ For as S. Paul saith Rom. 10. The iust man liueth by faith Heb. 11. without faith it is impossible to please God By hovv manie kinds of testimonies S. Austins great holines is proued But I will prooue not onely by the testimonie of them that saw and knew S. Austin but also by the testimony of his Maister his own life and death by publick and priuat testimony of them that liued with him by all kind of writers following by the vertuous life of the Church which he founded and finally by the confession of diuers Protestants that S. Austin was a saint and vertuous holy man 2. As for S. Austins Maister Ambros lib. 2. de Virginibus saith Hovv vertuous S. Austins Maister vvas The first spur to learning is the excellēcy of the Maister And no doubt but the example of an excellent Maister is a great spur to vertue And what Maister ether in that age or long before or after could S. Austin haue had comparable to S. Gregory who for his great vertue and noble acts is surnamed the great whome S. Isidor lib. de viris illustrib c. 7. who knew him saith S. Isidor was by compunction ful of the feare of God in humilitie cheefest and endued with such light of knowledg as the like was not then nor before 8. Councel Tolet. And the 8. Councel of Toledo doubteth not to prefer him in morall doctrine before all other Doctors S. Ildefonsus S. Ildefonsus also lib. de vir illustrib c. 2. writeth that he excelled so high in perfection of all vertues as setting
a side all famous men antiquitie could not shew the like For in holines he surpassed S. Antony in eloquence S. Cyprian in knowledg S. Austin S. Gregor Turon S. Gregor also of Tours who knew him greatly cōmendeth him lib. 10. de Gestis Francorum c. 1. S. Beda lib. 1. c. 13. saith S. Beda See S. Damasen orat 2. de defunctis He was a man of the greatest vertue learning of his tyme. And who will see more of this vertuous man may reade his life in Ioannes Diacon in S. Beda lib. 2. c. 1. Here I will content my self with the iudgment of our famous and ancient King Alfred K. Alfred who thus commendeth him The true seruant of God the Roman Pope Christs Vicar Gregory a man of considerat fortitude King Alfred Praefat Pastoral without rashnes indued with cheefe wit wisdome and Counsel an infinit treasor because he wonne the greatest part of mankinde to heauen the best man of the Romans most abounding in greatnes of courage and most free of Maiestie This was the iudgment of our great King touching S. Gregory and of the same minde were all our Catholick writers as yow may see in Florēt an 605. Malmesb. 1. Reg. c. 3. Westmon an 605. and others In so much as D. Reinolds in his Confer p. 583. Ancient English men writeth that our Ancestors had a reuerend opinion of the Pope long after S. Gregory for S. Gregories sake To these Catholicks I will ad also the verdict of a few Protestants Protestāts D VVhitaker D. Whitaker cont Dur. p. 397. saith He was a learned and holy Bishop and p. 502. I confesse Gregory to haue bene a good and holy man Godvvin Godwin in vita August a good man that blessed and holy Father Gregory Item This good man being made Pope tooke especiall care of sending Preachers into this Land D. Sutclif Subuers c. 2. D. Sutclif Gregory and Eleutherius were Bishops and famous men in the Church for their painful labors and constancy in teaching the truth Bale cent 1. c. 68. saith he was the excellent of all the Bishops of Rome for learning and life That against his will and striuing to the contrary and at last compelled he succeded Pope Pelagius That he was a learned and good man founded hospitals inuited pilgrims to his table sent things necessary to the Monks of Hierusalem and maintained three thousand Virgins And c. 7 He reduced the Goths from Arianisme to the Church professed himselfe by writing the Seruant of Gods seruants that therby he might appeare most far from all ambition and desire of command Bell in his Wofull Cry p. 62. saith Bel. Gregory was a holy Bishop indeed And in his Suruey p. 156. He was vertuous and learned pag. 480. D Humfrey Luth Gal. 4 I tink Greg vvas loued c. 5. the vvorld hath in admiration the holines of Gregory A man of sufficient credit Willet in his Synopsis A modest and humble Bishop D. Humfrey Iesuitismi part 2. pag. 624. Gregory surnamed Great and indeed great a great man and indued with many vertues of deuine grace Thus Protestants account of saint Austins Maister 2. As for S. Austin himself Godwin in Aug. saith He was a man of exceeding tall stature well fauoured S. Austins vertuous deeds and of a very amiable countenance And as for his great holines it appeareth many wayes For first being very yonge he forsooke all the pleasures and commodities of the world and became a Monk entering into S. Gregories monastery which no doubt was a Nurserie of vertue Where as Greg. saith ex Beda lib. 1. c. 27. he was brought vp from his youth in regular discipline and according to his rule imitated the forme and rule vsed in the Primitiue Church of the Fathers among whome all things were common where he so exceeded in vertue as he was made Superior ouer the Monastery ex Greg. lib. 7. epist 112. Secondly at Saint Gregories commandement he left his owne Contry where he serued God in quietnes and came to preach the Gospell both so far of as our Contry is from Rome to such barbarous people as our Nation then was Thirdly after he entred into England he liued so vertuously that albeit he prooued no doubt his doctrine by great learning and confirmed it as shal be shewed hereafter by many and great miracles yet as saint Beda affirmeth lib. 1. c. 26. our Contry was conuerted more by the holines of him and his fellowes liues than by any other meanes See Hunting lib. 3. After they were now entred saith Beda lib. cit into their lodging they began to exercise the Apostolick order of liuing of the primitiue Church S. Austins and his fellovves Apostolick life seruing God in continuall prayer watching and fasting and preaching the word of life to as many as they could despising the commodities of the world as things none of their owne taking of them onely whome they instructed so much as might serue their necessities liuing them selues according to that they taught other and being redy to suffer both troubles and death it self in defense of the truth they taught VVherby many did beleeue and were baptized marueling much at the simplicitie of their innocent liuing and at the sweetnes of their heauenly doctryn Infrà The King him self being much delighted with the puritie of their life and the example of their godly conuersation as also with their sweete promises which to be true they prooued with many miracles did beleeue and was baptized VVhat paines he tooke first in persuading our Nation the Christian faith which was then addicted to Idolatrie after in instructing them who were so rude and ignorant in all faith and lastly in baptizing and administring the sacraments hauing some times to Christen ten thousand at a tyme none can expresse Capgraue in his life saith he went trough England on foote preaching S. Austins paines and frequent praier Had the gift of miracles and of Prophecie and most cōmonly barefoote and had callum in genibus by frequency of prayers Much paines also he tooke vvith the VVelch men in two Councels besides disputation wrought miracles in their sight He had the gift of miracles ex Greg. apud Bedam lib. 1. c. 31. And of Prophecie Beda lib. 2. c. 2. This briefly was the admirable and Apostolick holines of life of Saint Austin and his fellowes which no doubt he cōcluded with a happie death For his Epitaph recorded by S. Beda lib. 2. c. 3. witnesseth after he had conuerted King Ethelbert and his people to the faith of Christ fulfilling in peace the dayes of his office died the 26. of May. Vvitnesses of S. Austins holines S. Gregor 4. Thirdly for the witnesse of those that liued with S. Austin First is S. Gregory himself who best knew him and was best able to iudg of his vertue He writing to King Ethelbert in Beda lib. 1. c. 32.
of the iorney nor talk of euill tongues dismay yow But with all force and feruor make vp that which yow haue by the motion of God begun And lib. 5. epist 52. saith he sent Austin auxiliante Domino By Gods help and 54. disponente Domino by Gods disposition Superfluous it were to cite the rest of the Popes who followed Saint Gregory and cooperated all they could to our conuersion as Boniface 4. and 5. Diuers ancient Popes Honorius Vitalian and the rest who vndoubtedly taught Saint Austin to haue bene lawfully sent Onely I will add the names of those Princes Bishops whome Saint Gregory testifieth to haue holpen and encoraged Saint Austin in his Godly enterprise Bishops of Germanie or France First he saith lib. 7. epist. 30. that by his licence Saint Austin was made Bishop of the Bishops of Germanie and with their comforts brought to the English Nation And epi. 114. he sendeth a Pall to Siagrius Bishop of Aust maketh his See next to the See Metropolitan because in the busines of Saint Austins mission saith he we know thou shewedst thy selfe so carefull deuout and helper in all things as thou shouldest lib. 9. Kings of France epist 53. writing to Theodorick King of France VVhat great fauours your Excellency shewed to our most reuerent brother and fellow Bishop Austin in his iorney to England certain Monkes comming from him haue tould vs. And 55. to Clotarius another French King writeth thus Some who went with our most reuerend brother and fellow Bishop Austin vnto the English Nation returning to vs haue tould vs with what charitie your Excellency refreshed the said brother of ours in your presence and with how great help yow furthered him in his voyage Queene of France And 56. writing to Brunechild the Queene of France he hath these words VVith what fauor and help your Excellency succoured our most reuerend brother and fellow Bishop Austin going to the English Nation nether did fame before suppresse in silence and afterward some Monkes comming from him to vs haue particulerly related Yow see the mission of Saint Austin was not onely allowed as lawfull but also holped and furthered by the Christian Bishops and Princes of that tyme. 3. After Saint Austins tyme Beda lib. 1. S. Beda cap. 22. speaking of Saint Austin and his fellow Preachers saith the goodnes of God prouided them for our English people And c. 23. saith that Gregory being mooued by inspiration of God therunto sent the seruant of God Saint Austin After him Ethelwerd lib. 2. cap. 1. Ethelvverd Gregory sent Saint Austin confirmat eum diuino admonitu Florent Chron. ann 596. saith Gregory mooued by Gods instinct sent Austin and others to preach the VVord of God to the English Nation Of Protestants Stow pag. 65. saith ProtestaÌ„ts confesse S. Austin to haue bene sent of God Gregory was mooued of godly instinction to send Austin to preach to the Angles Godwin in vita August Yt pleased God c. Apologie for the oath of allegeance Albeit Gregory sent Austâ—n and others as he said with deuine reuelation into England vnto King Ethelbert Kings Maiestie in his oration to the parle 19. Nouemb 1605. D. Couel defence of Hooker p. 77. Buny Treatises of Pacificat p. 109. Some in Peury Hooker yet c. Luther lib. cont Anabapt Fatemur in Papatu esse verum praedicandi officium VVe confesse that in the Popedom is the true office of preaching The lawfulnes also of Saint Austins sending must needs all such Protestants confesse as do deriue the authoritie of preaching in Luther and their first Preachers from the Church of Rome of whome wee shall speake in the second booke And also all such as do graunt 3. booke of Eccles of Polic p. 188 D. Baron his 4. sermons p. 448. Feild lib. 3. of Church p. 183. Fox Iuel Caluin 4. Iustit c. 17. paragr 49. VVhitak cont Dur. p. 397. Bel Suruey pag. 257. that the Church of Rome is a true Church of Christ or that Papists may be saued which commeth to one because none can be saued out of the true Church For if the Church of Rome be yet a true Church and can send preachers lawfully it can not be denyed but it had the same goodnes and power to send in Saint Gregory his tyme. And this also are they likly to grant who will needs haue S. Gregory and likwise the Church of Rome in his tyme to haue bene Protestant or at least Saint Gregory was a true and vertuous Bishop Finally they also must needes grant that Saint Austin was lawfully sent who say as D. Feild doth lib. 3. Of the Church cap. 6. 8. and others doe that before Luthers diuision their Church was all one the same Church with ours For suerly that Church alowed of Saint Austins mission And therfor if she had authoritie to approoue Saint Austins mission he was lawfully sent S. Austins mission proued by examples Rome 1000 years agoe vsed to send preachers into all the vvorld 4. Fourthly I prooue that Saint Austin was lawfully sent of Saint Gregory by examples For as Saint Laurence Saint Mellit and Saint Iustus fellowes and successors of Saint Austin write in their letters to the Bishops and Abbots of Scotland in Beda lib. 2. cap. 4. The accustomable manner of the Sea Apostolick was to send into all places of the world to preach the word of God And this custom of the Church of Rome sending preachers to all places of the world may be prooued by induction euer since Saint Peters tyme. S. ClemeÌ„t For Saint Clement 3. Pope after Saint Peter sent Saint Dennis into France as testifie Hilduinus in Areopagit and the French Chronicles Whervpon the French Bishops writing to Pope Leo anno 400. acknowledg the See of Rome fontem originem religionis suae Pope Eleutherius about the yeare 170 S. Eleutherius sent hither Fugatius and Damian as is before shewed S. Victor And Pope Victor his successor about the yeare 203. sent others into Scotland as witnesse Boethius libr. 6. Hist Scot. Genebr in Victor Baron and others About the yeare 255. S. Stephen Pope Stephen consecrated Saint Mellonus a Briton Bishop of Roâ—e and sent him thither to preach as testifie the Author of his life and Bale cent 1. cap. 31. In the yeare 432. saith Bale cent 1. cap. 43. died Saint Ninian who being a Briton as he saith there after Beda lib. 3. cap. 4. comming from Rome preached to the South Picts and conuerted them to Christianitie S. Celestin About the year 429. Pope Celestin sent hither Saint German and Lupus to confute and expell the Pelagians as testifieth Prosper in Chronic. Bale cent 1. cap. 45. Baron an 429. And the same Pope about the yeare 434. consecrated Palladius Bishop for Scotland and sent him thither as testifie Prosper Chron. Beda lib. 1. cap. 13. Baron an 429. Hunting lib. 1.
and others And about the same tyme also he sent S. Patrick to Irland as testifie Marianus in Chron. Cambd. in Hibernia Bale cent 1. cap. 49. where he saith that Saint Patrick preached sinceram Christi religionem And thus yow see how before S. Gregory Ancient Britons Scotts Picts and Irish receaued preachers frō Rome Popes sent preachers hither to all the ancient inhabitants of these two Ilands and that they receaued his Legats which Legats also for the most part were Britons Which declareth plainly what opinion those ancient Nations had of the Popes authoritie to send preachers hither 5. In like sorte after S. Gregories tyme the Pope sent preachers both hither and into other Contries For about the yeare 635. Pope Honorius sent hither Saint Birin P. Honorius who conuerted the West Contrie as Beda saith lib. 3. cap. 7. Godwin in vita Birini Bale cent 13. cap. 4. And cap. 5. he addeth that he sent also Saint Felix who conuerted the East-Angles In the yeare 668. P. Vitalian Pope Vitalian sent hither S. Theodore and Saint Adrian as writeth S. Beda lib. 4. cap. 1. Godwin in Theodor. Bale cent 13. cap. 6. and others About the yeare 690. Pope Sergius 1. P. Sergius sent S. Willebrord and other English Mōks to preach to the Frisons and Saxons as testifieth Marcellin in Sur. tom 2. Beda lib. 5. cap. 11. 12. Bale cent 1. pag. 78. cit About the yeare 719. Pope Gregory 2. sent Saint Boniface an English man called the Apostle of Germany P. Gregory .2 thither to preach as testifie Bale cent 1. pag. 79. and all German writers About the yeare 870. Pope Adrian 2. P. Adriā 2. sent Saint Cyrill and Methodius to preach to the Morauians and Slauonians Baron Martyrol 9. Martij Sigebert in Chron. About the yeare 970. Pope Iohn 14. inuited saith Bale cent 2. P. Iohn 14. cap. 30. the Kingdom of Polonie to Papisme and sent thither Cardinall Giles About the yeare 989. Pope Iohn 15. P. Iohn 15. sent S. Adilbert to preach to the Hungarians Bohemians About the yeare 1000. Saint Boniface was sent by the Pope to the Russians About the yeare 1145. Pope Eugen 3. sent Adrian an English man and afterward Pope P. Eugen. into Norway as Bale saith cent 2. pag. 178. About the yeare 1252. Pope Innocent 4. P. Innocent 4. sent the Franciscans and Dominicans vnto the King of Tartarie whome they conuerted and christened as writeth Bale cent 4. cap. 17. About the yeare 1494. Pope Alexander 6. sent Bucill and 11. P. Alexander 6. Monkes more into the West-Indies then newly discouered by the Spaniards And at the same tyme were Franciscans sent by the Pope into the East-Indies and since that Dominicans Iesuits and other religious men haue bene sent into diuers barbarous Prouinces of both Indies Africk and Brasile And in almost all these missions haue those which were sent by the Pope conuerted those Nations to whome they where sent God cooperating with them and confirming their words with miracles following are therfor termed the Apostles of those Contries And if this so long continuance of the Popes sending Preachers into all parts of the world and Gods meruailous and miraculous concurse with them by the conuersion of the Nations to which they were sent be not ynough to prooue that S. Gregory had sufficient authoritie to send Saint Austin hither I know not what authoritie can be sufficient CHAP. IX That Saint Austin was lawfully sent hither to preach S. Austins mission prooued by reason prooued by reason BY reason I will prooue it First Out of vvhat protest grant Bilson out of that which Protestants haue granted For It is well knowne saith B. Bilson de Obedien part 1. pag. 60. that the Pope was not onely Patriarch of the VVest parts but of the foure Patriarches which were the cheefe Bishops in Christendom in order and accompted the first And pag. 318. Patriarch of the VVest we grant he was The same in other termes confesfeth Iuell art 9. diuis 26. where he saith Iuell The Pope had in his prouince one great parte of Christendome Reinolds And Reynolds Confer pag. 541. where he calleth his diocese a Princely diocese and insinuateth it to contayne all the West Church the Popes Patriarchat lavvfull For the East he diuideth among the three other Patriarchs Likwise the graunt that he vsurped not his Patriarchat But saith Bilson pag. 60. cit it was giuen him by consent of men and pag. 319. it came by custom as the Councell of Nice witnesseth D. Doue of Recusancy p. 80. VVhat authoritie the Pope hath had ouer the Latin Church hath bene giuen him by human constitutions and generall consent of Princes and States Caluin lib. 4 Institut cap. 7. § 1 Decreto Nicenae Synodi primus inter Patriarchas locus tribuitur Romano Episcopo Finally they grant that the Popes Patriarchat ouer the West is not new Popes Patriarchat ancient but begun euen in the tyme of the primitiue Church For Feild lib. 3. of the Church cap. 1. saith In the tyme of the Nicen Councell and before as appeareth by the Acts of the Councell there was three principall Bishops or Patriarchs of the Christian world namely the Bishop of Rome of Alexandria of Antioch Thus breefly yow see the Popes Patriarchat ouer the West granted to be most ancient and lawfull Hence I argue thus A Patriarch hath authority to send preachers to all partes of his Patriarchie Ergo the Pope had authority to send preachers to England England euer vnder the Popes Patriarchat which is a parte of the West The Antecedent none can deny The Cōsequent notwithstanding Bilson lib. cit pag. 320. doth strangly deny But no maruell if strange and vnheard of shifts be found to maintaine falfe doctrine For saith he Pope Innocent 1. epist 91. inter epist Aug. confesseth he had no authoritie to call one poore Briton out of this Realme And the Britons would yeeld no subiection to Austin the Romish Legat. Therfor England was not within the compas of the Popes Patriarchat 2. But the first of these proofes is a manifest vntruth and the second a meere folly For vntrue is it that Saint Innocent confessed he had not authoritie to call one out of Britany For the Briton of whome he spake was Pelagius the heretick who at that tyme was not in Britany but in Palestine as testifyeth Saint Austin epist 32. writen the same yeare which was an 416. Nether had Pelagius bene in Britany long tyme before that For as Baron sheweth an 405. out of Saint Chrysostom and Isiodor Pelusiot He was brought vp in the East and after that liued as Saint Austin saith epist 95. longe tyme in Rome where being discouered he fled as Baron telleth an 412. into Sicilie and thence into Palestine where being by his hypocrisy and fraud absolued from heresie and finding fauor at the Bishop of
Hierusalem but contrariwise condemned by Pope Innocent and Zozimus he stayed and for any thing I finde ther dyed For if him self had brought his heresy into Britany Beda lib. 1. cap. 17. Would neuer haue ascribed the bringing of it to one Agricola long after And therfor I doubt of that which Bale cent 1. cap. 38. citeth out of Walden that Pelagius was à suis Britannis pulsus in exilium ob heresim vnles by driuing into banishment he ment keeping out of the Contrey as perhaps Pelagius was Besides Innocent saith not that he had not authoritie to call Pelagius wheresoeuer he were yea he insinuateth the cōtrary but that Pelagius if he were obstinat would not come at his call and that others that dwelt nerer to him myght do it more conueniently than he who dwelt so far of as Rome is from Palestine His words are these Qui Pelagius si confidit c. VVhich Pelagius if he trust and knowe that he deserueth not to be condemned of vs because he reiectets that which he taught he should not be sent for of vs but he himselfe should make haste that he may be absolued For if he think yet as he did when will he present himselfe to our iudgement vpon any letters whatsoeuer knowing that he shal be condemned And if he were to be sent for that might be better done of them who are nerer than so far of as we are But there shall want no care of him if he will be cured 3. Bilsons proofe out of the Britons deniall of subiection hath no more color or reason than a few rebells deniall of subiection hath to prooue a Prince to haue no authoritie ouer a parte of his Kingdome Cathol Britons euer tooke the Pope to be their superior For their Catholick Ancestors did euer acknowledg themselues vnder the Pope his iurisdiction as appeareth both by that which hath bene said before as also because the Archbishops of the Britons not long before Saint Austins comming were the Popes Legats as writeth Galfrid a man of good account among Protestants lib. 9. cap. 12. Dubritius saith he Primat of Britannie and Legat of the See Apostolick was famous with such great pietie And had Palls from Rome as is euident in the life of Saint Sampson Nether did the heretick Britons refuse to be subiect to Saint Austin because they thought Saint Gregorie to haue no authoritie to apoint an Archbishop ouer them for vndoubtedly they would haue alleadged this as a reason of their refusal if they had so thought it but onely because as Saint Beda reporteth lib 2. c. 2. VVhy the Britons refused to be vnder S. Austin they sayd with them selues If he would not so much as arise to vs If wee should subiect our selues to him he would despise vs. If he had risen to them they were determined to subiect them selues to him as Beda there saith which they neuer would haue done if they had doubted his authority insufficient Secondly I prooue it by reason grounded in scripture Secōd reason in proofe of S. Austins mission The authority which Christ left in his Church to preach to all Nations he gaue to euery Apostle as appeareth by his words Matth. 28. Docete omnes gentes Teach all Nations And Protestants who teach euery Apostle to haue bene head of the rest of the Church besids them selues do not deny Therfore this authority must remaine in some successor of one or other of those Apostles and must not be onely in the whole Church because it must descend to some such as Christ gaue it vnto Authoritie to send preachers to all nations must remaine in some one Bishop Besides if authority to send to all Nations were not in some one Bishop or other but in the whole Church onely when soeuer there were Preachers to be sent to Infidells ther ought to be a generall Councell called which were both absurd and was neuer practised in Gods Church But authority to preach or send preachers to England was more likly to be in Saint Gregory than any other Bishop For touching the Patriarchs or Bishops of the East it is a thing vnheard of that any of them should haue iurisdiction ouer England And as for the Bishops of France certain it is they neuer had any authority ouer England And the same I may say of Scotland Ireland Flanders Spaine and all other Contries The doubt onely may be of Britons because they once had authority ouer the Contry No Bishop could sēd preachers to Englād but the Pope which the English possessed But that could yeald them no spirituall authority ouer the English in Saint Austins tyme because nether was the English euer subiect to the Britons nor was ther in Saint Austins tyme any British Bishop aliue who had had any diocese within England Therfore they could at that tyme clayme no more authority to send Preachers into England than the Bishops of Wales can now Wherfore if this authority was then in any Bishop as needes it must be it was in the Bishop of Rome who euer since the primitiue tyme of the Church hath vsed to send preachers hither as is before shewed And if any require the Princes approbation for the lawfullnes of a Preachers mission this also S. Austin had as is euident by S. Beda l. 1. Protestāts confesse the Pope to haue bene the cheef B. of Christendom D. vvhitak c. 25. Besides Protestants confesse the Pope to haue bene alwaies the cheefe Patriarch Bishop of Christēdom Saith D. Whitaker lib. 6. cont Dur. p. 464. I will not deny that the Bishop of Rome was Primat of all Bishops And p. 148. Rome the Seat of the first Patriarch The See of Rome saith Caluin l. 4. c. 7. § 26. Caluin was in tymes past the cheefe of all Iuell art 4. diu 16. Iuel Of the Patriarches the Pope had the first place both in Councell and out of Councell And. 26. Of the Patriarchs the Bishop of Rome was euer the first And .32 Victor sayth that Rome is the cheefe or head ouer all others which of our parte for that tyme is not denyed Bishop Bilson pag. 60. Bilson saith it is well knowne that the Pope was the cheefe of the Patriarchs D. Reinolds Confer pag. 568. Among all the Apostolick Churches Reinolds the Roman for honor and credit had the chiefty And 554. Chrysostome and Basile gaue the Pope a supreheminence of authority pag. 368. Cyprian giueth a speciall title of honor and preheminence to the Church of Rome The Fathers apply the name of the Rock to the Bishop of Rome Finally Fox in his Acts pag. 18. saith that in Lyrinensis Pascasin Iustinian Athanasius Hierome Ambrose Austin Theodoret and Chrysost S. Peter with his successors is called Head of the Church Cheefe of Bishops Prince of the Apostles And the like confesse all other Protestants Therfor if authority of sending preachers remaine in any Bishop it is most lykly
Prosper lib. De ingratis Bernard epist 237. And in like sort they call it sedes Apostolica as Caluin confesseth and is euident ex Concil Calcedon Act. 16. And Rein. Confer pag. 369. The Fathers in speaking of the Church of Rome mention often the Chair and seat of Peter Hierom honoreth the Bishop of that See with the name of Peters Chaire Fiftly they call the Bishop of Rome successor to S. Peter S. Hier. ep ad Damas Concil Ephes 1. Tom. 2. S. Eulog apud Greg. lib. 6. ep 37. And that they meane of a proper successor appeareth by that they attribute that peculierly to the Pope Sixtly lastly they say that Peter sate in the Bishops Chaire of Rome as they saye his successors did Cathedra saith S. Austin lib. 2. cont Petil. quid tibi fecit Romana in qua Petrus sedit in qua nunc Anastasius sedet VVhat hath the Chair of Rome done to thee in which Peter sate and in which now sitteth Anastasius Therfore either Peter was a proper Bishop or Anastasius was none To conclude Reinolds sayth P. Damas succeded Peter in his chaire Reinolds him self though vnawares confesseth it pag. 376. where he sayth that Damasus succeded Peter as in Chair so in doctrine 10. As for the first of Reinolds cauils It is no more against Peters Apostleship to be Bishop of one Citty than it was to take a particuler care of the Iewes as he did nor more than it is for the Bishop of Winster to be Parson of Eastmean And for the second Irenaeus doth not call Linus first Bishop of Rome but onely saith that Peter and Paul gaue him the Bishoprick to gouern the Church to wit vnder Peter and in his absence Euseb indeed calleth Euodius first Bishop of Antioch but that he meaneth of pure Bishops which were not also Apostles For before he had sayd Petrus Ecclesiam Antiochenam fundauit òbique Cathedram adeptus sedit And Rein. loco cit confesseth and both he and all graunt that Linus was Peters successor And as for Ruffin his words proue no more but that Peter instituted Linus to help him especially in his absence as Valerius did institute S. Aug. in his life tyme who after his death succeeded him and so did Linus to Peter Thus haue I prooued that S. Gregorie was successor to S. Peter in his Episcopall See and that he succeded him also in faith I neede not proue because protestants although they find some fault with Greg. doctrine yet they confesse as is shewed before that he taught as much as is needfull to saluation and consequently he wanted no thing to true succession to S. Peter 11. Fourthly I proue that the Pope was most likely to succede Saint Peter Proued out of Fathers that the P. succedeth peter in his authority by that which the Fathers attribute to him Saint Hierom epist ad Damasum de nomine hypostasis Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae id est Cathedrae Petri communione consocior super illam Petram aedificatam Ecclesiam scio Quicunque extra hanc domum agnum comederit prophanus est I following none formost but Christ communicate with thy Holines that is with the Chaire of Peter Vpon that Rock do I know the Church was built who soeuer shall eate the lambe out of this house is prophane Note how he saith that he followeth first Christ and next the Pope and that the reason which he giueth herof after was not why he followed Christ first for that were needles to proue amongst Christians And if he would haue giuen any it would haue bene Hierom follovveth the P. next after christ because Christ made the P. the rock of his Church because Christ is God But the reason which he giueth was why he followed the Pope next to Christ to wit because he knew him to be the Rock on which the Church was built Wherby it is euident that by the Rock he meant not Christ as Bilson lib. de Obed. pag 87. and others would but Pope Damasus as Reinolds cōfesseth p. 370. 376. But yet he meant not saith Reinolds the succession of the Popes because Hierom writeth that Pope Liberius had before subscribed to Arianisme But if Hieroms words be well pōdered he will be found to haue said both that Pope Damasus was the Rock and that his succession to Saint Peter in his Chaire of Rome was the cause why he was the Rock For if a subiect writing to the King should say Nullum primum nisi Deum sequens maiestati tuae id est Throno Conquestoris in temporalibus consocior Super illam petram aedificatum Angliae Regnum scio Quicumque extra hanc domum aliquid egerit rebellis est He should confesse that both the King were head of the Realme and with all tell how he came by that authority to witt by succession to the conqueror So Saint Hierome in the forsaid words both sayd that Pope Damasus person which he meant by Beatitudini tuae was the Rock on which in his tyme the Church was built and sayd with all that his person had that authoriry by his succession to Saint Peter in his Roman Chaire and therfore added these words id est Cathedrae Petri as a further explication of the former And consequently he meant that the Church is built vpon all Popes that lawfully succeed in the Chaire of Peter Which is so euident as Doct. Feild lib. 1. de Ecclesia D. Feild cap. 41. confesseth plainly that Saint Hierome loc cit said that Peters Chaire is the Rock the Church is builded vpon As for Reinolds reasons were it truth that S. Hierome wrote as Reinolds saith of Liberius which yet diuers deny and Reinolds must deny if he will speak agreably to him self For pag. 570. he saith that the words of Austin ep cont Donat. and Hierome ep cit do import a sincerity of faith in the Roman Bishops to their tyme which would not be true if Liberius had fallen But admit I say it were true that Liberius had denyed his faith that maketh no more against his Rock ship than the like fault in S. Peter did against his For as S. Peter though he denyed his faith yet taught not infidelitie as he was Apostle and Pastor of the Church so nether Liberius though he committed a personall crime yet taught he no heresie as successor to S. Peter in which sorte onely he is the Rock of the Church 12. Secondly S. Austin ep contra Donat. saith S. Austin Numerate Sacerdotes vel ab ipsa Petri Sede Ipsa est enim Petra quam non vincunt superbae inferorum portae Number the Priests euen from the very Seat of Peter Successiō of Popes by S. Austin the Rock of the Church It is the Rock which the proud gates of hell do not ouercom Behould how the very succession of Popes from Peter is called the Rock of the Church as the Chair of Peter
words f All the aithful of S. Austins time ioyed at our Nations conuersion by him Quis sufficiat c. VVho can tel what ioy arose in the harts of all the faithfull that the English nation by the working of Almighty God his grace and the labor of thy brotherhood hauing cast away the darknes of errors is endued with the light of the holy faith that with sincere deuotion it trampleth the Idolls to which before vvith mad feare it bowed vnto that with a pure hart it is subiect to Almightie God Behould S. Greg. witnesseth that all faithfull of that time acknowledged and reioyced that Austin brought the faith to our English Nation and that they by his meanes serued God with most sincere deuotion and pure harts But yet more plainly auoucheth he this truth Moral 27. cap. 6. Where glorying in God of the conuersion of England he writeth thus S. Austins doctrine the faith of Christendom from the East to the vvest Behould now the faith hath entred the harts almost of all Nations Behould God hath ioyned the bounds of the East and west in one faith Behould the tonge of Britanie which knew nothing but to roare rudely of late hath begun in Gods praises to sound out the hebrew Alleluia O most comfortable speach to all those that follow S. Gregory and S. Austins doctrine Great comfort for Catholicks to heare auouched by irrefragable testimonie that it was the faith of the Church of God from the East to the west aboue a thousand yeares agoe For as Tertullian saith Admit that God had neglected his Church and permitted it to run into errors is it lykly that so many and so great Churches would conspire wholy in error No surely 2. The next is S. Austin him self who in Beda lib. 2. cap 2. saith thus vnto the Britons S. Austins Doctrine proued to be vniuersal by his ovvne testimonie Although in many other points yow do contrary to our custome or rather contrary to the custome of the vniuersall Church of Christ Behould how he testifyeth his custome to be the custome of the vniuersall Church of Christ in his tyme. And lib. 1. cap. 27. in his questions proposed to S. Greg. he asketh VVhere there is but one faith whie be there so many sundry customs of Churches and one custome of Masses obserued at Rome another in France Here he manefestly testifyeth that there was but one faith and one masse in substance euery where and the difference onely in ceremonies S. Greg. communicated vvith all partes of Christendom The same also may be proued by the communion which S. Gregory whose faith was vndoubtedly the same with S. Austin had with all Christendom For lib. 6. epist 4. 5. he communicateth with Cyriacus the Patriarch of Constantinople lib. 4. epist 34. 36. lib. 7. epist 30. he communicated with the Patriarch of Alexandria and gloried to him of the conuersion of England lib. 1. epist 25. lib. 4. epist 37. lib. 6. epist 24. lib. 7. epist 3. 47. he communicated with the Patriarch of Antioch vnder which three Patriarchs was almost all the Eastern Church And touching the Western Church lib. 1. epist 4. lib. 4. epist 46. He communicated with Leander Primat of Spaine lib. 4. epist 51. He communicated with Vigilius primate of France lib. 9. epist 61. he communicated with all the Catholick Bishops of Ireland lib. 2. epist 28. he communicated with all the Bishops of Italy lib. 1. epist 60. 61. he communicated with Ianuarius of Sardinia lib. 1. epist 68. he communicated with all the Bishops in Sicilie lib. 1. epist 76. with Leo Bishop of Corsica lib. 1. epist 75. with all the Bishops of Numidia lib. 2. epist 15. lib. 3. epist 16. with all the Bishops of Dalmatia lib. 3. epist 37. He communicated with all the Bishop of Vizach and epist 30. With the Bishop of Istria And lib. 7. epist 30. with the Bishops of Germanie and consequentlie with all Catholick Churches in the East and west S. vvilfrid auoucheth S. Austins doctrin to be vniuersal 3. Of those that liued after S. Austins tyme. First is S. Wilfrid Archbishop of York who was borne soone after S. Austins death For as S. Beda saith lib. 5. cap. 20. He went vp to Rome in the tyme of Honorius Archbishop of Canterburie who was one of S. Austins fellowes and he was as S. Beda ther writeth a worthie Prelat and notable Bishop This man therfore in Beda lib. 3. cap. 25. disputing with the Scotts for the Roman obseruation of Easter and shauen Crownes saith thus The Easter which we obserue we haue seene to haue bene in lyke maner obserued in Rome in all Italie and France This maner we know to be obserued in Africk in Eegipt in Asia in Grece and throughout all Nations and tongues of the world where the Church of Christ taketh place besides these few Scotts and the Picts and Britons with whome these men do fondly contend against the whole world Behould how S. Wilfrid auoucheth his Religion euen in that point wherein the Scotts then dissented from vs to be the Religion of all the Christian world Nether did the Scotts or could they deny it S. Ceolfrid The next is S. Ceolfrid Abbot and Maister to S. Beda who liued in the same tyme who writing to Naitan King of the Picts in Beda lib. 5. cap. 22. and speaking of his tyme saith The whole Catholick Church agreeth in one faith in one hope and one charitie towards God The third is S. Beda him self who lib. 2. cap. 2. saith S. Beda The Britons preferred their own Traditions before all other Churches which throughout the whole world agreed with Austin in Christ What I pray can be sayd or imagined against these so manifould or irrefragable testimonies Were S. Gregory S. Austin S. Wilfrid S. Ceolfrid S. Beda ignorant what was the vniuersall faith of Christendome at that tyme or were they so impudent as they would write yea auouch to their aduersaries face a knowne vntruth No surely And this truth Protestants also partly openly confesse partly tacitly grant and acknowledg For Napier vpon the Reuelation of S. Iohn See more infr lib. 2. cap. 3. saith Betwene the yeare of Christ 300. and 316. the Antichristian and Papisticall Religion reigning vniuersally without debatable contradiction 1260. yeares And Brocard also vpon the Reuelation pag. 110. writeth that the Church of Protestants was troden downe and oppressed by the Papacy euen from Siluesters tyme vnto these times Bale cent 1. pag. 69. saith From this tyme of Boniface 3. who succeeded S. Greg. with in a yeare or two the puritie of heauenly doctrine vanished in the Church pag. 65. After Greg. tyme puritie of doctrine perished And 73. From Phocas who liued in S. Greg. tyme vvho saith he begot the Papacy till the renewing of the Gospel by Luther the doctrine of Christ was all the vvhile among Idiots in holes Now if the heauenly doctrine
vndoubtedly the same which his maister S. Gregor lib. de Sacrament and our ancient Contreyman Alcuin lib. de diuinis offic describe which Catholicks now vse and Protestants reiect to wit besids baptising with water to exorcize the child and to breath in his face to make the signe of the Crosse in the childs forhead and brest to put salt into his mouth and to touch his nostrels and eares with spitle and to anoint him betwene the shoulders Surly these things considered me thinkâ— S. Austin may say to vs as Saint Paul did to the Thessalonians My Gospel was not to yow in speech onely but in veritie and in the holy Ghost and in much plentie And that our Ancestors and we may say with the great Doctor Richard de S. Victore The things which we beleeue were confirmed with so many so great so wonderful miracles that it may seeme a kind of madnes any way to doubt of them I would the Iewes Protestants would mark I would the Pagans Puritans would consider with what securitie of conscience we may appeare before God touching this parte May we not with all confidence say to God Lord if it be an error we were deceuied by thee For the things which we beleue were confirmed amongst vs with so greate signes and wonders and with such as could not be wrought but by thee Surely they were deliuered vnto vs by men of great holines and approued with great and authentical testimonies thy self cooperating and confirming their speeche with signes following 11. Finally if any men be founde so Thomas-lyke and hard of beleefe that he will not beleeue that S. Austin wrought any miracle let them answer that which S. Austin saith lib. 22. de ciuit cap. 5. against the Pagans S. Austin who would not beleeue the miracles of the Apostles If they beleeue not that miracles were wrought by the Apostles of Christ by S. Austin and his fellowes that they might be credited this one miracle alone sufficeth that all the world should beleeue without miracles That our English Ancestors should without al miracles forsake their ancient and easy Religion and follow a new and difficult both for points of beleefe as the mysterie of the Trinitie Incarnation Eucharist and more difficult to practice as to refrain both act and thought 12. If any ask why are not miracles now done for confirmation of S. Austins doctrine as wel as then VVhy miracles are not novv I answer with S. Gregorie homil 29. in Euangel S. Austinâ— The multitude of the faithful was to be nourished with miracles that it might increase to faith Because we water the plants which we set til we see them to haue taken roote but after that we leaue watering them S. Greg. And with S. Austin lib. 22. de ciuit cap. 8. I might say that miracles were necessarie before the world of Britanie did beleeue VVho so euer now requireth wonders to beleeue he is a great wonder that beleeueth not when the world beleeueth Was it sufficient for the Iewes to beleeue the doctrine of Moises that their Forfathers saw it confirmed of him by many wonders And shall it not suffice vs that our Forfathers testifie that they saw S. Austins doctrine confirmed in lyke sorte Were not our Forfathers to be credited as wel as those Iewes Or are we more incredulous than their posteritie And hitherto Gentle Reader we haue shewed that Saint Austin had all things requisit to a sufficient and lawful Preacher of Gods word vvhat hath bene hitherto proued to wit great learning famous vertue lawful vocation and right orders we haue also shewed that the Doctrine which he preached was the vniuersal faith and religion of all Christendom at that time is confessed by the greatest Aduersaries therof to haue bene sufficient to bring men to heauen and was aproued and contested by God by manie miracles to be his diuine and infallible faith what now remaineth but to seek out what S. Austins Religion was in particuler that finding it we may be sure to haue found a Religion taught vnto our Ancestors aboue 1000. years agoe by a great Diuine by a famous Saint and a lawful Preacher rightly sent and ordered which so long since was the Religion of all Christendom was approued by God him self by true miracles and is confessed of the aduersaries to haue bene sufficient to saluation Than the which I know not what more amy reasonable man can desire CHAP. XIIII That S. Austin was a Roman Catholick proued by his Maister S. Gregorie 1. HOw careful S. Austin was to follow the doctrin and Religion of his Maister S. Gregorie apeareth by what was sayde before out of S. Beda lib. 1. cap. 27. of the questions S. Austins Rom. religion proued by S. Gregorie which S. Austin sent vnto him so far as from England concerning small matters And therfor his Religion may be euidently gathered by that of S. Greg. But because it would be tedious to proue that Saint Greg. was a Roman Catholick in all substantial points of Religion I will for proofe hereof make choice of two especial points To wit The Popes Supremacie and the Sacrifice of masse Because in the first of these points Do Reinolds in his Confer pag. 568. affirmeth the very being and essence of a Papist to consist And D. Whitaker cont Dur. pag. 503. saith It is the head of popish Religion of which almost all the rest depend And in the masse saith D. Sutclif in his Answer to Exceptions pag. 11 The very soule of Poperie doth consist And D. Whitak loc cit pag. 426. affirmeth that Nothing is more holy and diuine in our conceipt And lastly I will proue it be the open confession of diuers Protestants S. Greg. beleued the Popes supremacie 2. As for the first pointe of the Supremacie S. Greg. lib. 4. Epist 32. faith of Saint Peter who as Bil on saith lib. 1. of Obed. pag. 380. was Founder of the Roman Church It is manifest to all that know the Gospel that by our Lords voice the care of the wholle Church was committed to S. Peter Prince of all the Apostles And lib. 1. epist 24. Peter houlding the Princedome of the Church accounted him self the cheefe in the Church And lib. 11. epist 44. he calleth the Roman Church Caput fidei the head of the faith His words are these Admonemus vt Apostolicae sedis reuerentia nullius praesumptione turbetur Tunc enim status membrorum integer manet si caput fidei nulla pulsetur iniuria Likwise lib. 7. epist 49. he saith The care enioyned to vs of all Churches doth bind vs. lib. 7. epist 6. VVho doubteth but that shee Church of Constant is subiect to the See Apostolick And epist 64. If any falt be found in Bishops I knovv not vvhat Bishop is not subiect to her Church of Rome Which last words do so plainly auouch S. Greg. opinion of the supremacy as Doct. Reynolds Confer pag. 547. findeth no
better shift than impudently to say that either Greg. vvrote not so or he vvrote an vntruth to cheere vp his subiects Caluin lib. 4. cap. 7. § 12. saith that There is no vvord in all Greg. vvritings vvherein he more proudly boasteth of the largenes of his Primacie than this Furthermore S. Greg. lib. 7. epist 69. VVithout the authoritie and consent of the See Apostolick vvhat so euer is done in Councells hath no force And contrariwise lib. 7. epist 115. That reuerence is caried of the faithfull tovvarde the See Apostolick that vvhat is apointed by her decree shall not after be disturbed And the Archbishop of Rauema writing to him lib. 10. epist 36. saith The See of Rome sendeth her lavves to the Vniuersal Church And him selfe lib. 12. cap. vlt. The See of Rome doth looke ouer the vvhole vvorld and sendeth nevve constitutions vnto all And lib. 11. epist 56. writeth that the cause of a Bishop who had no Patriarch or Metrapolitan ouer him vvas to be iudged immediatly of the See Apostolick vvhich saith he is omnium Ecclesiarum caput head of all Churches Which proofe sheweth that he meaneth not head ship in excellency of gifts as Reinolds would Confer pag. 548. but in gouernment In like sort in psal 4. poenit he calleth Rome the head of all Churches and Lady of Nations which Title of the head of all Churches because Pope Boniface 3. who succeded S. Greg. within one yeare or two procured the Emperour Phocas to declare to appertaine to the Bishops of Rome he is accounted of all Protestants generally to be the first true Pope and Antichrist of Rome But if S. Greg. authoritie were not so great in the Church as Ministers are ashamed to account him an Antichrist they would as soone call him Pope and Antichrist as they do Pope Boniface because he auoucheth the same Title which Boniface did 3. Nether did S. Greg. onely claime this Supremacie but also practized it often tymes S. Greg. practizeth the supremacie For. lib. 2. Epist 14. He excommunicated the Archbishop of Salona in Dalmatia lib. 4. Epist 50. He deposed Anastasius Archb. of Corinth in Greece And Epist 15. made the Bishop of Prima Iustiniana his Legat and likwise the Bishop of Arles in France Epist 51. And. lib. 5. Epist 24. When there arose a controuersie betweene a Priest of Calcedon and the Patriarch of CoÌ„stantinople according to the Canons saith he it fel to the See Apostolick and was ended by our iudgement And lib. 10. Epist 30. He maketh a Bishop sweare that he will In all things abide in the Communion of the Bishop of Rome And in Bed lib. 1. cap. 27. Taketh vpon him to commit all the Bishops and Priests of Britany to S. Austins charge and without asking the Prince his leaue apointed him to erect two Archbishoppriks and 24. Bishopricks Finally he tooke vpon him to depose kings and princes For lib. 11. Epist 10. He saith Siquis c. If any king Priest Iudge or seculer person knowing this constitution of ours shall attempt to break it Let him want al Dignitie of his povver and honor And lib. 12. cap. vlt. If any king Prelat Iudg or seculer person of vvhat Degree or highnes soeuer doe violat the priuiledgee of S. Medards Monasterie Let him be deposed And as Baron An. 600 writeth out of the Chronicles of Millan gaue the Bishop of that Cittie authoritie to chuse what king he woulde after the race of Lomburdian kings was ended ProtestaÌ„ts opinion of S. Gregorie about the supremacie For these speeches and acts of Greg. Doct. Reinolds Confer pag. 549 saith of him and of all the Popes for 300. yeares before him that they auouch more of their See than is true and right But now the question is not about right Reinolds but about S. Gregâ— opinion of Supremacie And pag 545. saith that S. Greg. is somewhat large that waye pag. 550. The primacie which Greg Leo and others giue to the See of Rome doth so exceed the truth that c. And pag 17. he saith that Leo the great who was Pope 130. yeares before Greg. cherished the egge of the Popes Supremacie And pag. 16. saith Leo made Peter a fellow head a partie Rock and half foundation with Christ Which saith he pag. 10. Leo did that he might rise vp with S. Peter And Doct. Whitak VVhitaker Fulke lib. de consil pag. 37. Leo was a great builder of the See of Antichrist Fulkin 2. Thessal 2. Leo and Greg. were great workers and futherers of the See of Antichrist and of the mystery of iniquity And ibid. he doubteth not to say that the mysterie of iniquitie did vvorke in the See of Rome in Peters tyme and did shew it self in Anicetus Victor Cornelius Sozimus Bonifacius Celâ—stinus By which confesâ—ion of Protestantâ— a man of mean eyesight will easely see what S. Greg. and his Predecessors thought of the supremacie For if they were not of greater authoritie for their learning holines and antiquity they would haue bene as wel accounted Popes and Antichrists as their successors are In vvhat sense S. Gregorie impugned the Title of vniuersal Bishop 4. If any obiect that S. Greg. vehemently impugneth the Title of the vniuersal Bishop which the Patriarch of Constantinople in his time vsurped calling it proude sacrilegious and such like which he would neuer haue done if he had thought him selfe to haue bene head of all the Churches in the world I answer that S. Greg. could not doubt but that the Title of vniuersal Bishop might in some sense agree to the Pope Because the Councel of Calcedon which lib. 1. Epist 24. he professeth to reuerence as one of the fower Ghospells offered it to his Predecessors as him self testifieth lib. 4. Epist 32. Whervnto he addeth Epist 37. That his adduersarie the Patriarch of Constant knew wel that per Calcedonense Concilium huius Apostolica Sedis Antistites Vniuersales oblato honore voâ—ati sunt And lib. 4. epist 36. saith that the Patriarch of Alexandria knew it also to be so Which he would neuer haue said vnles it had bene both certain and euident so as his Aduersaries could not deny it Wherto lib. 7. epist 30. he addeth that it was giuen to his Predecessors by Fathers after the Councel And in the said Councel VVhich as Reinolds saith Confer pag. 563. was a Company of 630. Bishops sound in Religion and zealous of the glorie of God although it hath bene falsified by the Grâ—cians as witnesseth S. Greg. lib. 5. epist 14. yet thrise is Pope Leo called Vniuersal Patriarch without the gain saying of any one Which so many and so zealous would neuer haue permitted if it had bene altogether vnlawful And the same Reinolds confer pag. 562. professeth that the said Councel named Pope Leo their head And pag. 561. That he was President of the Councel S. Beda calleth S. Gregorie ouer the vvhole vvorld And of Bed lib. 2. cap. 1. S.
crownes Priests haue shauen crovvnes Beda lib. 5. cap. 22. It behoueth them which being either made by vow Monkes or by profession of the Clergie to binde them selues more strictly with the bridle of continencie for Christs sak to bear in their head by clipping the forme of a crovvne Ibid. All Priests and Religious men had their heads shauen round after the true shape of a crowne But as Bale saith Cent. 14. pag. 194. Tonsura est Romanae Bestiae character Ninthly they erected many Altars in one Church with Martyrs reliques Manie altar Sinono Church vsed lights and other ornaments as Catholicks doe Beda lib. 5. cap. 21. Acca imployed his diligence to gather together out of all places the holy Apostles and Martyrs reliques to the end he might in honor of them build certain Altars aparte by them selues in little Chappell 's made for the same purpose within the precinct and walls of the same Church Morouer he prepared holy vessels lights and other necessaries to the better adorning of the Church of God And lib. 3. cap. 6. They worshiped Reliques Tenthly to omit many more certain Markes of Roman Religion S. Peters supremacie beleued They accounted S. Peter Primat and head of the Apostles Beda lib. 5. c. 22. I desire with all my hart to follow the stepps of Blessed S. Peter head of the Apostles Ibid. They were reduced to the order of S. Peter Primat and head of the Apostles and committed as it were to his Patronage and protection The Pope high B. ouer the vvhole vvorld They accounted the Pope high Bishop ouer the whole world So in plaine termes S. Beda calleth S. Greg. Pope l. 2. c. 1. Accounted the Church of Rome the Catholick and Apostolick Church lib. 3. c. 25. And l. 4. cap. 23. Going to Rome counted a thing of great vertue and deuotion And l. 3. c. 25. Held without all controuersie that these vvords vpon this Rock I vvill build my Church vvere principally spoken vnto Peter and that vnto him the keies of the Kingdome of heauen were giuen And the Bishops being depriued of their Bishopricks both by the King and by other Bishops appealed to Rome Beda lib. 5. cap. 20. Appeal◠from the Bishop◠and king to the Pope VVilfrid the vertuous Bishop of York appealing to the See Apostolick for his cause and by that ful authoritie absolued c. Item Fiue yeares after he was accused of King Alfrid and many other Bishops and depriued of his Bishoprick wherin vpon repairing again to Rome and obtayning licence to plead his owne defence before his accusers Pope Iohn and many Bishops sitting in Iugdment It was by their Definitiue Sentence concluded that in some parte his accusers had falsly forged surmises The Pope wrote to the Kings of England requiring them to see him restored Protestāts confesse the Rom. faith of our primitiue Church Fox And thus much out of Catholick writers now let vs see what Protestants write of the faith of our Primitiue church 2. Fox in his protestation before his Acts. After the coming of Austin and his fellowes from Rome Christian faith began to enter and spring among the Saxons after a certain Romish sorte Acts. pag. 154. Good vvorks done for clensing from sin The causes why solenm Monasteries were first founded in England by Kinges Queenes and Kings daughters and rich Consuls are these pro remedio animae meae c. For remedy of my soule for remission of my sinnes Foundation of Protestancie vnknovvne to our primitiue Church for the safty of my Kingdoms and people which are vnder my gouernment In honor of the most glorious Virgin Whervpon afterward pag. 170. he concludeth that the doctrine of Iustification by onely faith which pag. 840. he calleth the foundation of their Church was then vnknown Bale Bale Cent. 1. cap. 72. saith English men after Austin did dedicat their Churches to dead Saints Our first Christian K. a perfect Papist And cap. 73. King Ethelbert receaued the Roman Rites and doctrine with all the imposture and Cent. 14. cap. 54. saith that the two Hewalds who were the first English martyrs passi sunt pro Papismo papistici Martyres Our first Martyrs suffer for Papistrie Bilson Papistical Martyrs suffered for Papistrie Bilson of Obed pag. 321. The Saxons were soone entreated to receaue the Bishop of Rome for their Patriarch Stovv Stow pag. 77. citeth this Charter of King Ethelbert King Ethelbert by inspiration of God gaue to Bishop Mellit for remedie of his soule the Land which is called Tillingham for the Monastery of S. Paul which kind of giuing goods is quite opposit to Protestancie Honor of S. Peter counted signe of Christianitie Reinolds as yow may see more hereafter And pag. 78. saith King Sebert to shew him selfe a Christian built a Church in honor of S. Peter Reinolds Confer pag. 12. This imagination of the key and Porter and opinion of power to shut and open committed to Peter onely ouer all the Church as it includeth also the Apostles King Oswie conceaued Keys giuen onely to Peter and all his Clergie did agree vnto it And of S. Beda the principal Doctor of our Primitiue Church Osiander Osiander Epit. Cent. 7. pag. 331. saith thus He was wrapped in all the Popish errors and articles in which we disagree this day from the Pope S. Beda a perfect Papist Wherby we may see how perfect a Papist S. Austin was Fulk in Hebr. 10. Fulk Beda liued in a superstitious time yet liued he 80. yeares after S. Austin long after Antichrist did shew him self Beda sayd that men vnderstod that the helthful sacrifice of masse auailed to the redemption of the body and soule euerlasting And in 1. Pet. 3. Beda was caryed away with the errors and corruptions of his tyme. And thus I hope I haue sufficiently proued the Roman Catholick faith of our first Apostle S. Austin by the faith of his maister S. Greg. by his owne deedes and doctrine by Confession of Protestants and finally by the doctrine of our Primitiue Church which he founded and how it was that Christian Religion which was first founded in our Nation and our English Ancestors imbraced when they forsooke Paganisme Now it remaineth to shew that the same Religion hath continewed also constantly vnto this late lamentable reuolt to Protestancy in all our Nation both in the Clergie and Laitie which I will declare in all the Archbishops of Canterburie who were the cheefe of the one order and in the Kings who were heads of the other And by the way I will name in euery Kings time some of the notable men who successiuely haue confirmed it by their holy life and miracles CHAP. XVIII That all the Archbishops of Canterburie from S. Austin to our tyme were Roman Catholicks proued by generall reasons 1. FIrst because there is no mention or memorie in any Chronicle of England No record that anie Archb
the Pope in which he professeth Profession of the King That amongst the rest of the Kings of the whole world we embrace in the armes of our singuler loue our most deere sonne in Christ the renowned King of EnglaÌ„d The popes testimonie of K Henrie 3. who as a Prince Catholick and deuout hath alwaies studied to honor the Roman Church his mother with a filiall subiection and dutifull deuotion because he would no way depart from her good pleasure but rather what things he vnderstood to be gratfull and pleasing to her he hath performed with a ready carefulnes And againe pag. 887. alleadgeth other letters of the Pope to the King wherin he saith Towards your person as to a sonne and speciall deuout of the Apostolick Sea we carying a Fatherly affection of loue do willingly giue audience to your requests as far as we may with God and do impart our benign fauor To these letters I will add two other publick letters of the nobilitie and Commons and of the Clergie at the same time taken out of Fox p. 288. Profession of the nobilitie and CoÌ„mons of EnglaÌ„d of their subiection to the Pope Paris pag. 901. and others To the reuerend Father in Christ Pope Innocent cheefe Bish The nobles with the Communalty of the whole Realme of England sending greeting with kissing of his blessed feete Our mother the church of Rome we loue with all our hartes as our duty is and couet the increase of her honor with so much affection as we may as to whome alwayes we ought to fly for refuge Item Neyther is it to our said mother vnknowne how beneficiall and bounfull a giuer the Realme of England haâ—â— bene now a long time for the more amplifying of her exaltation Againe Our king being a Catholick Prince wholly giuen to his deuotions and seruice of Christ so as he respecteth not the health of his owne body will feare and reuerence the See Apostolick and as deuout sonne of the Church of Rome desireth nothing more than to aduance the state and honor of the same And the said Fox pag. 291. and Paris and Westmon An. 1247. set downe an other letter of the Clergy and Communalty of Canterbury thus To the most holy Father in Christ Lord Innocent by Gods prouision cheefe Bishop The whole Communalty both of the Clergy and laity of the Prouince of Canterbury sendeth deuout kissing of his blessed feete England euer since her first Christianitie deuout to the Church of Rome Like as the Church of England since it first receaued the Catholick faith hate alwayes shewed it selfe faithfull and deuout in adhering to God our holy Mother the Church of Rome studying with al kind of seruice to please serue the same Church of England prostrate at the Popes feet and thincketh neuer otherwise to do but rather to continew and increase as she hath begun So now the same Church most humbly prostrat befor the feete of your holines most earnestly intreat c. And the same persons writing to the Cardinals call them Bases fulcientes Ecclesiam Dei Pillers vnderproping the Church of God Moreouer the said Paris pag. 929. hath the letters of the Religious men to the same Pope in these words professioÌ„ of the religions of England touching their subiection to the Pope To our most holy Father deere Lord in Christ Innocent by the grace of God cheefe Pastor of the vniuersall Church his deuout sonnes the Abbots and the Priors of this Prouince of Canterbury and Yorke health and kisses of your blessed feete The whole Church is gouerned vndet one Father Pastor also the Church of England is a most speciall member of the Church of Rome And pag. 930. The Nobles Clergy and Vniuersall People wish as their duty is health reuerently to such a great Bishop And ibidem The king writeth againe thus He knoweth who is ignorant of nothing that we alwayes placed our mother the Roman Church in the bowels of our sincere affection as her whome we would loue K. Henrie 3. vvould recur to the P in necessitie and vnto whome in immineÌ„t instaÌ„ts of necessitie as a sonne vnto his mother whome she ought to foster and norish from her dugges of milk we would recur Thus the King Clergie Religious Nobles and Commons doe most plainly and publickly professe their Catholick religioÌ„ and subiection to the Pope and his spirituall superioritie ouer them in so much as Godwin in the life of Sewal Archb. of York Protest confesse K. Henr. Cath. religion saith This King subiected and as it were prostrated him selfe to the Pope And Bale Cent. 4. cap. 23. noteth that King Henrie the third did not reigne but bore the Image of the Beast And cap. 6. speaking of the time of this King saith The healthful truth was vanished out of this Land men being led into perdition And cap. 34. Vnder King Henry 3. ther was great decay of true faith in Christ euen vnto our tyme in the merits of condignitie and congruall of the Papists in Indulgences suffrages of Saints Protest except against all vvritings from K. Hen. 3. to Luthers time vowes masses Purgatorie Images c. And therfor exhorteth all to trie the doctrine which florished from the year 1270. to the yeare 1520. So manifest a thing it is that this King and all his successors and Realme since him to the later ende of King Henrie 8. were Roman Catholicks And albeit this King and the common welth in his tyme repined some what at the Pope yet that was not for any points of faith or religion but onely as yow may see in Paris the Kings Chronicler of that time and others because he bestowed English Benefices vpoÌ„ Strangers VVestmon An. 1246. Which he being then driuen out of Rome and from his own liuing by a wicked Emperor was forced to doe Finally this King died as Continuat Paris then liuing writeth pag. 1343. Confessing his sinnes beating his brest absolued houseled aneiled honoring the Crosse Saints In this Kings time liued the holy Archb. of Canterb S. Edmund whose body long after his death was found incorrupt Westmon An 1247. and others Also Saint Richard Bishop of Chichester A man saith Westmon An. 1253. Of eminent knowledge See Sur. tom 2. and singuler or rare sanctitie Godwin in his life saith All men greatly reuerenced him not onely for his great learning but much more for his diligence in preaching his manifould vertues and aboue all his integritie of life and conuersation In regard of which and many miracles fathered saith he vpon him he was canonized In this Kings tyme also died that grear Clerck Robert Grostet Bish of Lincoln whome the Protest wouâ—d make one of theirs onely because he mislyked the Popes preferring of strangers to English Benefices But that reason is too friuolous Besides that Westmon An. 1253. testifieth that the same yeare he died he wrote thus to the Pope Salutem
Progenitors the Kings of England haue done whilst they liued And Fox himselfe Acts pag. 383. setteth downe a letter of the K. and nobles to Pope Clement Anno 1343. thus To the most holy Father in God Lord Clement by the grace of God of the holy Church of Rome and of the vniuersall Church cheefe and high Bishop his humble and deuout children the Princes Dukes Earles Barons Knights Citizens and Burgesses and all the communalty of England assembled at the Parliament houlden at VVestminster the 15. day of May deuout kissing of his feete with all humble reuerence and humility The vvhole Parlament calleth the Pope head of the vniuersal Church Most holy Father yow being so high and holy a Prelat and head of the holy Church by whome the holy Vniuersall Church and people of God ought to be as by the Son beames illightened c. Behould the whole Parlament calling the Pope head and Bishop of the Vniuersall Church and offering to kisse his feete with all humilitie and reuerence And again Fox pag. 387. setteth downe an other letter of King Edwards to Pope Clement in this sort Most holy Father K. Edvv. 3. plainly professeth the Popes supremacie we desire your holines and in as much as lieth in vs require the same that yow that supplie the place of the sonne of God on earth and haue the gouernment of all Christen men c. What could be more clearly spoken for the spirituall supremacie of the Pope And this same Roman religion of his is euident by many other waies For he founded saith Stow pag. 439. the new Abbey neere to the Tower of London where he placed white Monks to the honor of God and our Ladie according to a vow by him made being on the Sea in great perill And a Nonrie at Detford Cambden addeth pag. 333. a Frierie of Carmelits He instituted also the order of the garter in honor of God and Saint Georg and among other rules apointed that when any of the Knights died the Kinge should make a thousand Masses to be saide for his soule and others many hundreds according to their Degree He offered saith Fox pag. 396. after the blind saith he superstition of those dayes in the Church of VVestminster the Vestments wherin Saint Peter did celebrat Masse His Confessor was Thomas Bradwardin whome Bale Centur. 5. cap. 87. accounteth a Papist Finally as Walsingham An. 1376. writeth he dyed thus The Catholik end of K. Edvvard 3. The King when he could not speake with verie great reuerence taking the Crosse did kisse it most deuoutly somtimes stretching forth his hand in signe of crauing pardon and other times also letting fall from his eyes plenty of teares and kissing most often the feete of the Crucifix And after his death Pope Greg. 11. lit in Walsingham Anno 1378. calleth him Catholicum Principem Pugilem fidei A Catholick Prince and Champion of the faith And so euidently was this King and the Realm in his time Roman Catholick Protest confesse K. Edvv 3. time to haue bene Cathol as Fox Acts pag. 377. vpon a letter of the King to the Nobles of France maketh this note Note the ignorance of the time And pag. 396. The blinde superstition of those daies And pag. 424. This is out of all doubt that at vvhat time all the world was in most vilde and desperat estate and that the lamentable ignorance of Gods truth had ouershadowed all the earth VVicklef stept forth c. Behould here manifest that before Wicklef there was not one Protestant in the whole world And how ill a Protestant he was shall hereafter appeare All the vvorld ignorant of Protestancie And pag. 425. In this so horrible darknes of ignorance saith Fox at what time there seemed in a manner to be no one so little a sparke of pure doctrine left In a maner no one litle spark of Protestancie VViclef first raised forsooth the vvorld VViclef sprong vp through whome the Lord would first raise vp again the world which was drowned in the depth of human traditions In like sort Bale Cent. 5. cap. 85. saith This age was shadovved vvith the darknes of great ignorance and blinded with more than Diabolicall fooleries And Cent. 6. cap. 1. the midnight of errors and a dim vvorld And cap. 8. In these times darknes of great ingnorance possessed the vvorld cap. 23. The common blindnes of the time vvas in aduancing the Idolatrie of the Popish Masse As for the discontentment which some time this king had with the Pope that was not for any matter of religion but because as Cooper saith Anno. 1343. VVhy K. Edvv. 3. some time discontented vvith the Pope The Pope gaue diuers Bishopricks and Benefices in England which the king thought not expedient for his temporall estate And as for the fauour which VVicklef found in his time that proceeded rather from the Duke of Lancaster who gouerned all in the olde age of the King and for a time vpheld VVicklef not vpon any liking of his heresie but to spite therby some of the Bishops whome he hated as Stow Anno. 1376 wtih whome Fox agreeth p. 393. testifieth in these words VVhy the D. of lancaster a vvhile fauored VViclef The Duke of Lancaster laboring as vvel to ouerthrovv the liberties of the Church as of the Cittie of Lōdon called vnto him VVicklef c. And when these contentions betwene the Duke and others were appeased He commanded saith Fox pag. 400. Edit 1596. VVicklef to submit him self to his Ordinarie The Cath. religion of the D. of lancaster Which clearly ynough declareth the Roman religion of that Duke which also other wise were euident by the honor wherwith he was receaued by the Cardinals and Bishops in the Popes Courte Stow pag. 399. And by his Confessor Iohn Kinningham a Carmelit who saith Bale Cent. 6. cap. 4. first impugned Wicklef And Cent. 7. cap. 26. saith that Gualter Disse than who none in Antichristi negotijs actuosior more busie in the rules of Antichrists Confessor to the Duke perswaded him for the loue at least of Papistrie to make war in Spaine which then fauored an Anti-pope to which purpose Pope Vrban sent the Duke a standard and made his Confessor his Legat and gaue him authoritie to preach the Crosse with many Indulgences for all them that would follow the Duke At what time writeth Bale out of Purney a wiclefist thē liuing Inualuit tunc Antichristi furor prae caeteris temporibus Antichrists furie preuailed more than in other times More ouer Polidor lib. 19. saith that two Hereticks were burnt in London in this Kings time whome Bale Cent. 5. cap. 74. calleth seruants of Christ In this Kings time liued the vertuous Ladie Mary Countesse of Saint Paule a woman saith Stow pag. 437 of singuler example for life Saints who builded Pembrooke hall in Cambridge and S. Iohn of Bridlinghton of whome we will speake in the next kings time
new doctrine it was very inconstant both in particuler points in his whole religion For in his answer to P. Leo his Bull in Fox pag. 1170. he writeth thus I imbrace with the full trust of my spirit thse Articles in the said Bull condemned and affirme that the same ought to be holden of all faithfull Christians vnder paine of eternall damnation And pag. 1174. I confesse saith Luther all these things condemned here by this Bull for pure clear and Catholick doctrine And yet Fox noteth in the Margent pag. 1167. thus He retracteth these Articles he recalleth these And 1. Galat. fol. 36. whether it be saith Luther Cyprian Austin Ambrose either Peter Paul or Ihon or an Angel from heauen that teacheth otherwise yet this I know assuredly that I teach not the things of man but of God And yet him self lib. de Captiuit writeth thus I admitted the Papacie to be good by mans law And ibid. he admitteth three sacraments for a time as he speaketh And yet soone after cast away the third sacrament and the Papacie vtterly And lib. cont Catharin he maketh this recantation Luther reiecteth vvhat he taught vnder paine of damnation I confesse that in the beginning I thought ill of indulgences of the Pope the Church of Rome Councels c. And yet as you see he taught his doctrine of indulgences and other things as pure Catholick and to be held of all Christians vnder paine of damnation Wherfore vaine is the excuse which Feild lib. 3. of the Church cap. 42. maketh for Luther by the example of Saint Austin who reuoked some things which he had taught Feilds excuse of Luthers inconstancie reiected For Saint Austin reuoked what he had taught as his owne probable opinion but Luther reuoked many things which him self had taught as points of faith and to be beleeued vnder paine of damnation and therfore was inconstant and wauering in his faith which Saint Austin was not 7. And the like inconstancie he vsed touching his whole religioÌ„ doubting for a loÌ„g time whether he should returne to Catholicke faith or goe on with his Protestancy For Anno. 1518. which was the second yeare of his new preaching Luthers submission to the Pope after he had begun protest he wrote thus to the Pope as Fox pag. 771. Paralip Vrspergen and others do witnes Most holy Father I offer my selfe prostrate at the feet of your Holines with all that I am that I haue saue me kil me call me recall approue me reproue me as you please your voice the voice of Christ in yow speaking I will acknowledg If I haue deserued death I will be content to die And againe made a Protestation saith Paralip Vrspergen that he wold nether say nor hold any thing which the Church of Rome did not And after this the same yeare being cited by Cardinall Caietan to appeare before him at Augusta he came saith Fox pag. 772. yeelding his obedience to the Church of Rome and by writing exhibited to the Cardinall acknowledged his excesse in speach against the Popes dignitie and promised to make amends for the same in the pulpit And as touching the matter of pardons saith Fox he promised to proceed no further in any mention therof so that his aduersaries likewise were bound to keep silence Likewise An. 1519. which was the third yeare of his ProtestaÌ„cy he wrote as Sleidan confesseth that in humane things nothing is more excellent than the Church of Rome beside Christ only And in publick disputation the same yeare confessed freely as MelancthoÌ„ cited by Paralip Vrsper writeth that the Pope is the vniuersall Bishop And yet againe An. 1520. which was the fourth year of his new doctrine he submitted him self saith Cooper in Chron. to the Bishop of Rome so that he might not be compelled to recant his writings Cooper An. 1510. Paralip vsperg 16. Fox pag. 1169. But finding that all his submissions wold not be accepted without he recanted and that the same year his doctrine was condemned as Hereticall and him self pronounced an Heretick vnles he recalled it with in 60. daies and being secure by the protection of the Prince Elector he resolued to proceed in his wicked course and so went on from naught to worse vntil he died an 1546. ProtestaÌ„ts beholden to Lutheâ—s pride for their religion But thus you see that as long as Luther had any hope to escape recantation he still offered to giue ouer his Protestancie which plainly sheweth how ill him self liked it and that onely pride and want of humilitie moued him to maintaine it CHAP. V. By what means Protestantisme spred so far 1. lib. de praescript THe ancient writer Tertullian noted that in his time some weak and wauering Christians wondered that Heresies spred so far and preuailed with so many And perhaps in our dayes some may in like sorte wonder that Protestantisme is so far extended But let thes wonderors as Tertulian termeth them consider that the Mahumetans impietie and the Arian heresie which denied the Godhead of Christ were far larger Let them also consider what Luther saieth 5. Galat. fol. 251. that their is no doctrine so wicked foolish and pernitious Luther which the world doth not gladly admit embrace and defend and moreouer reuerently entertaineth cherisheth and flattereth the professors therof Let them I say consider this with that which anon I shall add and they will leaue to maruel of the spreading of Protestancie which as all Heresies vse to doe creepeth like a Canker Besides that indeed though the name of Protestants and Protestant religion be far spred yet nether could Luther in his life time far extend his doctrine For as him self confesseth 4. Galat fol. 199. 229. he litle preuailed Luther could not far extend his doctrin And fol. 253. few saith he are by our Ministerie translated out of the bondage of the Diuel And fol. 154 Euen now whiles we liue and employe all our diligence to set forthe the office and vse of the law and Gospel ther be very few eueÌ„ among those that wil be counted Christians and make profession of the Gospel vvith vs that vnderstand those things rightly And after his death ther is scarce any prouince cittie or person which entirely holdeth Luthers doctrine So that as Tertulian said of valentinians that they were in many places but Valentin their founder no wher So may we say that Lutherans or Protestants are in diuers Countries but Luther in none Which him self not onely feared but forsaw and fortold Galat. 4. fot 154. 201. And no maruel for if Luther were not constant to him selfe how could his scholers be constant to him if he controlled all the Fathers vpon pretence of greater light why shold his followers forbear him 2. But to call all that chaos and confused Masse of opposit errors Protestantisme which this day goeth vnder that name and sprung first from Luther and after was increased by others and to omit the
Saint Austin hath continued euer since vnto our time in all our Bishopps Prelats Pastors Deuines and Cleargie except Wiclife and his small crue by the example of their heades the Archbishopes of Canterburye whom I shew to haue bene in number sixtie nyne Likvvise all our laitie and in religion perfect Romane Catholiques The like I shewe of the Queenes ladies Princes Dukes Earles Nobles gentile and commons and generally of all the laytie by the example of their heades the kinges and princes of this land who sucessiuely besides Seauentie more who raygned in some parte of England whiles this land was deuided into many kingdomes haue bene in number sixtie three and in religion as perfect Roman Catholickes as may be See infra lib. 1. c. 21. In so much that it is confessed by Protestants that they knew not so much of Protestancie as that which they tearme the head fountayne and soule therof Amongst whom you shall see the ancient and renowned kinge Inas of the Saxons lib. 1. c. 23. professinge S. Peters supremacie all most nyne hundred yeares agoe and that by letters engrauen in stone buildinge a Seminarie in Rome for his subiectes ther Henrie 2. led P. Alexāders horsse Hen. 5. sued to haue his Countrie accounted a nation that ovveth deuotion to the Church of Rome lib. 1. cap. 25. 26. and makinge his kingdome tributarie to S. Peter And of the Normans blood you shall see the most victorious Prince Edward the third professinge by publicke letters that it is heresie to denie the Popes supremacie or as the kinge speaketh that the Popes iudgment omni humanae praesidet cecatura Amongst them you shall see the auncient and worthie kinge Ethelred so deuout to masse as he would rather aduenture the losse of his armie of his kingdome life than he would misse the hearinge of a whole Masse lib. 1. c. 26. And yet by his deuotion miraculously puttinge his enemies to flight lib. 1. c. 2. 3. You shall see that wise Prince Henry the third to heare many Masses euery day to kisse Preists handes at Masse time cap. 26. and preferre the seinge as he said of his Sauiour ther before the hearinge of the best preacher speaking of him finallie to omitt many other euident testimonies heerafter rehearsed not onelie of their assured Romayne Religion cap. 2◠but also of ther zeale and feruour therin And as many Queenes fourteene of them euen in the two hundred yeares after the conuersion of our Nation surrendred ther scepters Crownes and kingdomes and became either Monkes at home or trauelled in pilgrimage to Rome Lib. 2. cont Iulian. cap 10. 10. And were all these Archbishopps and their clargie were all these kings and ther people blind And hath time to imitate Saint Austins wordes in the like case so changed all things vpside downe that light is accounted darknes and darknes light that to omitt very many others confessed of Protestants to be profound diuines as you shall see herafter S. Austin S. Theodor Lanfrancke and S. Anselme who were the very lights of the land and of Christendome also in ther time for learninge and vertue were blind and Cranmer Parkar Grindall and VVhitgift men of meane learninge and as litle vertue did see what in Gods name should make any thinke so for number we haue all most seauentie for fower for continuance all most a thousand yeares for fiftye for learninge we haue profound knowledge euen by Protestantes confession against meane skill for vertue we haue famous and confessed sanctitie against ordinarie if not vicious life If therfore either number or time or learninge helpe any thinge to finde out Gods truth our Catholique Archbishopes are far more like to see and espie it than the Protestant Prelates or if vertuous life moue God to reueale his truth surelie the Catholique Archbishops are more like to know it than the Protestants And in the like sort touching Princes for two which Protestants can produce we can bring aboue one hundred and twentie for their child of Nyne yeares old and ther woman we can produce aboue an hundred mature graue and wise men who haue they in valour comparable to our Kinge Egbert first authour of our English monarchie to Kinge Alfred the great vanquisher of the daines and deliuerer of his Countrie to our Kinge VVilliam Conqueror of England to our Edward the first Edward the third Henrie the fift and many moe most valiant and victorious Princes whom in magnanimitie haue they aunswerable to our Kinge Ethelstan to our Kinge Edgar King Canute Kinge Richard Ceur de lyon and diuers others who in largenes of Dominion to our Kinge Canute our Kinge Henery the second King Richard the first and others who in learning to our Kinge Ethelwolf Kinge Alfred the great Kinge Henrie sirnamed beuclarke others who in wisdome to Kinge Inas Kinge Alfred Kinge VVilliam conquerour Kinge Henry the first second fourth and Seauenth whom finallie haue they to compare for vertue and sanctitie with Kinge Ethelbert Kinge Edmund the two Edwards Henrie the sixt and very many more 11. And shall we thinke that one child and a woman in so short time should espie that diuine truth which so many Princes in a thousand yeares could not finde That the infancie of a child and weaknes of a woman should discouer that which the rare learninge wisedome and iudgement of so many graue Princes could not attayne vnto That the fruitles life of a child and the ordinarie if not farre worse life of a woman should deserue of God to haue that reuealed vnto them which the rare vertue and holynes of so many excellent Princes who preferred his seruice before their kingdomes could not obtayne what were this but in matter of religion and euerlastinge saluation to giue that iudgment and make that choyce which in no other matter we would do for who is ther if it lay in daunger of leasing liuinges libertie or life would not make choice to follow rather seauentie then fower an hundred rather than two men than children and women and men of famous and confessed learninge wisedome and vertue than others of meane learninge and ordinarie if not naughtie liues And will we when it is daunger of losse of soule and saluation make the contrarie choyce what defence or excuse can we make of this proceedinge either before God or man will we say it is prudence in monye matters and temporall affaires to follow many rather then few men then children and women learned wise and vertuous before others lesse qualified and not to trust to much to our owne iudgments And can we thinke it prudence to obserue the contrarie course in matters of religion and eternall saluation doth the matter so alter the case Is prudence become contrarie to it selfe or is Gods religion so against all reason wisdome and iudgment Can we not become christians but we must leaue to be reasoable men admitt Christes faith but we must
Catholick writers such as f Camb. pa. 80 627. 628. de Baron Protestants them selues account most excellent learned and great Historiographers by ProtestaÌ„t Antiquaries such as g D. Bucley 8. Reas art vlt. p. 175. of Camb. Protestant Diuines terme excellent Antiquaries and excellent men And on the other side denied by no one ancient writer Greeke or Latin foraine or domestical Catholick or other And what better proofe will wee require to beleeue a thing done so long agoe than the assertion of men so many learned of such different ages of such different contries of such different religion who haue not ben gainsaid by any one ancient writer To argue against such varietie grauitie of testimonies without any ancieÌ„t writers testimony to the coÌ„trary is indeed rather to cauill which is no maistery to doe against such ancieÌ„t facts than to reason to shew a minde more auerted from S. Peter and his Successors than desirous of truth or honor of his Contrie 2. This faith thus planted amongst the Britons by the Apostles and Apostolick men perished not after their departure but remained as Gildas c. 7. writeth apud quosdam integrè amongst some entire and about the yeare of our Lord 158. was meruaillously increased and coÌ„firmed by meanes of Pope Eleutherius who sending hither at the request of Lucius then King of the Britons his two Legats S. Fugatius and S. Damian the King Queene and almost all the people were baptized and this Land was the first that publickly professed the faith of Christ and iustly deserued the title of Primogenita Ecclesiae For testimony of this we can produce not onely such variety and weight of witnesses as for the former to wit a English Beda l 1. c. 4. Malmes in fast Ethelvverd l. 1. Hunting li. 1. Florent an 184. VVestm an 185 Sander lib de schis â—eland in Bale p. 23. VVelch Gaâ—fred l. 4. c 19. Nannius hist Landâ—ffen Kâ—ng Arthur Foraine Damasus in Pont Ado. Marian in Chron. Platina in Eleuther Geneb Martin Polon Ponticus Virun Polidor Boethius l. 5. hist Baron mart Rom. 26. Maij. ProtestaÌ„ts Bale cen 1. c. 22. 28. 29 Camb. in Brit p. 51. 628. Stovv anno 179 Holins p. 74. Caius l. 1. de ant Godvvin in S. Austin Bilson of obedience p. 57. Cooper an 180. Fox l. 1. p. 51. l. 2. p. 106. 107. D. Sutclif ansvver to 3. Conuers c. 2. Latin English domestical strangers Catholick and ProtestaÌ„ts but euen all our English histories and in a maner all foraine writers which intreate of these tymes And finally the letters patents of King Arthur alleaged by D. Caius a Protestant lib. 1. de Antiq. Cantab. where he saith that all know this to be true and Godwin in the life of S. Paulin addeth that it cannot be denyed Wherby we may see the impudeÌ„cy of a Minister who is not ashamed without all testimony to the contrary to deny this Conuersion of Britany by the Popes meanes and to say that no authenticall author auoucheth it but that it is a fable and seemeth to be deuised by some fauourers of the Church of Rome Which here in the beginning I note to aduertise the indifferent Reader that he giue no beleefe to such impudent fellowes deniall without any sufficient witnesse 3. The Christian faith thus receaued the Britons kept not onely sound Gildas de oxcid c. 7. Bed l. 1. c. 4 and vndefiled from heresies a long tyme but quiet also from troubles and persecutions vntil the reign of Diocletian the Emperor Gildas c. 7. Bed l. 1. c. 6 who began in the yeare of our Lord 286. for ten yeares space raised a more cruel persecution against the Christians than euer had ben before which passing into this Iland honored it with the glorie of many holy Martyrs Gildas c. 8. who constantly stood and died in the confession of their faith Of whome cheefly are named Saint Alban whose miracles and martyrdom are largly set downe by S. Beda lib. 1. c. 7. and Iulius and Aaron This storme of persecution being ouerblown Constantin the Great a Briton borne receaued the Christian faith exalted it in the whole Empire of Rome In whose tyme arose the Arian heresie which running through the world corrupted also this Iland and shortly after all manner of heresies flowed in Heresies enter into England was there receaued of the inhabitants being men as saith S. Gildas their Countryman euer delighted to heare new things and stedfastly retainning nothing certain And for these heresies and other vices were the Britons plagued by God with extreme famin wonderful pestilence in so much as the quick were not sufficient to bury the dead and with most cruel blooddy warre of the Picts and Scotts as yow may read in Gildas and in Beda lib. 1. c. 12. 14. But for the accomplishmeÌ„t of their iniquities after all this they admitted the Pelagian heresie Heresie bane of a Country which hastned their desolation and almost vtter destruction brought sone after vpon them by the Saxons or English For as S. Beda saith lib. 1. c. 17. a few yeares before the coÌ„ming of the Saxons into this Land which saith he lib. 1. c. 15. was in the yeare of our Lord 429. the Pelagian heresies were brought in See S. Bed l. 1. c. 17. seq But of this heresie the Land was after rid by the disputation and miracles first of S. German and Lupus sent by Pope Celestinus anno 429. after by the same S. German and Seuerus anno 435. ex Baronio 4. After this tyme in this place the faith long tyme saith S. Beda lib. 1. c. 21. remained sound and vndefiled But at last in all or most of the Britons it was corrupted by an erroneous opinion about the tyme of keeping Easter The BritoÌ„s error about Easter far differeÌ„t from the QuartadecimaÌ„s See Euseb 5. hist c 24. 25. Austin ser 29 Epiph haer 50. Theod li. 3. de haeres which was not as Beda well quoteth lib. 3. c. 4. the error of the Iewes or Quartadeciman hereticks For the Quartadecimans alwayes kept their Easter on one set day of the moone to wit on the 15. day after the equinoctial and regarded no set day of the weeke The Britons contrary wise celebrated their Easter alwayes on one set day in the weeke to wit on Sonday as Catholicks doe and obserued not any set day of the moone VVherin the BritoÌ„s erred touching Easter as the Quartadecimans did The onely differeÌ„ce betwene them Catholicks was that wheras Catholicks according to the appointemeÌ„t of the CoÌ„ncel of Nice kept their Easter on the SoÌ„day from the 15. day of the moone to the 21. the Britons kept it on the Sonday from the 14. of the moone to the 20. and so they both included one whole day within the coÌ„pas of celebrating Easter to wit the 14. day of the moone which neither Iew nor Christian els included and
was before called of S. Hierome To this Bilson pag. 88. First saith that the text is corrupted and that it should be ipse and referred to Peters person But this is a mere surmise refelled in all the copies in Europe Secondly he saith that though it be ipsa and grammatically agree with the substantiue Petra which followeth yet it may be meant of Peters person But if Saint Austin had meant that Peter alone had bene the Rock and that his successors partaked nothing with him in that he would neuer haue byd vs number his successors too and then tell vs that that was the Rock Wherfore Reynolds Confer pag. 384. confesseth that Saint Austin applyed this text the gates of hell c. to the Church of Rome And Bilson himself as doubting of either of the former answers saith thirdly that Saint Austin said not that Peters Seat is the Rock of the Church but that hell gates preuaile not against it But to our purpose all is one that in Saint Austins iudgment Peters Seat that is Peters successors in Seat are either the Rock of the church Theodoret or so surely founded theron as the gates of hell shall not preuaile against thē 13. Thirdly Theodoret an ancient and Grecian Doctor writing to Renatus saith of the Roman See Tenet enim sancta Sedes gubernacula regendarum cuncti orbis Ecclesiarum That holy seat hath the gouernment of all the Churches of the world Which words are so plaine as Iuell Art 4. Diu. 21. findeth no better answer than iudging others by his owne humor to say That man naturally aduanceth his power at whose hands he seeketh help As if Theodoret were such a man as would giue an Antichristian title for so Protestants acount the gouernment of the Churches in the world or S. Leo accept it for flatery Finally the great Councel of Galcedon ep ad Leonem calleth Pope Leo their head and say that to him Concil Galcedon Vineae custodia a Domino commissa est The custodie of the Vinyard that is the Church was committed by our Lorde And thus I hope I haue sufficiently proued both by reuelation from heauen by the authoritie of the Church then aliue and since by the examples of Popes euer since S. Peters tyme bv confession of Protestants and finally by reason taken out of scripture that S. Greg. had lawful authoritie to send S. Austin Now let vs come to S. Austins orders CHAP. X. That S. Austin was rightly ordered to administer the Sacraments and preach the word of God 1. THat S. Augustin was created Priest at Rome is euident by his saying Masse preaching and Christening as soone as he came to Canterburie as is before rehearsed out of Beda lib. 1. cap. 26. And after he had conuerted King Ethelbert he came saith Beda cap. 27. to Arles where of Etherius Archbishop of that Citty he was consecrated Archbishop of the Nation of Englishmen according as S. Greg. the Pope had commanded And the King saith the same S. Beda cap. 26. gaue him place for his See in the Citty of Canterburie Here by the way I note that wheras S. Greg. lib. 7. epist 30. saith that S. Austin was created Bishop a Germaniarū Episcopis he doth not gain-say S. Beda who saith he was created by the Bishop of Arles because France was of the writers of that tyme called Germanie as appeareth by Venantius Fortunatus in Carmine de Nuptijs Sigeberti Brunechildae which might be partly because the French at that tyme and long after gouerned a great part of Germany partly also because the Francks who then ruled in France were Germans come out of Germanie But to our purpose That S. Austin vvas rightly ordered That S. Austin was rightly created Priest appeareth by that he was made by the authoritie of S. Gregory or his predecessors whome protestants account to haue bene true Bishops of Rome And Doct. Reinolds Confer pag. 362. acknowledgeth the Pope to haue yet Bishoply power ouer his owne Diocesse S. Austin therfore being a Roman and made by the Bishoply authoritie of the Pope was rightly made Priest And in lyke sort it may be proued that he was rightly consecrated a Bishop For he was made by the authoritie of the Pope with the consent of the King of England Secondly I proue that S. Austin was lawfully consecrated Bishop by the consent of the Christian world For S. Greg. commanded him to be made Bishop the French Bishops made him the English Christians receaued him and the East Church to whome S. Greg. wrote of the matter neuer disliked him and all the Christian world hitherto hath approued him Nether did the Britons though enemyes take any exceptions against his orders Thirdly because all protestants call S. Austin a Bishop and number him first in the Catalogue of the Archbishops of Canterburie And if their Bishops and Ministers will haue any orders at all they must confesse that S. Austins orders were good and sufficient For as Doct. Feild saith lib. 3. of the Church cap. 39. In England they which had bene Bishops in the former corrupt state of the Church so he termeth Catholick tymes did ordaine Bishops and Ministers And Sutclif answer to exceptions pag. 88. saith Couerdal and Scory who were Bishops in King Edwards tyme layd hands vpon Bishop Parker Bel in his Funerall professeth openly that he hath not departed from the substance of his Popish orders but onely from the ceremonies therof Besides euident it is that what Bishop or Priest so euer had bene made in King Henries tyme was neuer consecrate a new in King Edwards dayes Who had bene made in Queene Maries dayes was acounted to haue sufficient orders in Queene Elisabeths Reigne And yet what Priest apostateth from his faith is without more orders thought to haue orders ynough fore ministring the Sacraments and vvord of God or protestants haue no order at all And thus hauing shewed that S. Austin was the first Preacher of Christian fayth to our English Nation and that he had both sufficient learning and vertue to discharge such a function and withall lawfull commission and right orders to administer the Sacraments and preach the word of God now let vs see what kind of faith and religion it was which he preached and first what kind in generall and afterward what it was in particuler CHAP. XI That the Faith which Saint Austin preached to our English Ancestors was the vniuersall Faith of Christendome at that tyme. 1. THis I proue first by the testimony of those that liued in that tyme S. Austins vniuersal religion proued by S. Greg. among whome the cheefest and principal is S. Gregory him selfe who hauing bene long tyme the Popes Legat in Constantinople and after being Pope and receauing letters from all partes of Christendome could not be ignorant what was the vniuersal faith of East West and of all Christendome at that time He I say writing to S. Austin lib. 9. Epist 58. hath these
of protestants perished straight after S. Greg. tyme and euer since hath bene onely in Idiots and lurking holes how could it be the vniuersall faith of all Christendome in his tyme Could the vniuersall faith of Christendome perish in one or two yeares Would all learned men and open Churches forsake it in so short time and onely Idiots and holes keepe it See more of this matter lib. 2. cap. 1. infra CHAP. XII That the doctrine vvhich Austin taught vvas the true vvay to saluation Proued by the open confession of his Aduersaries and other things affirmed by them 1. THe first aduersaries which S. Austin had to his doctrine were the Britons before mentioned Of whome S. Beda l. 2. cap. 2. writeth that S. Austin hauing cured a blind man whome they could not The people praised S. Austin as a true preacher of all truth and veritie Britons approue S. Austins doctrine And the Britons confessed indeed that they vnderstood that to be the true way of righteousnes which Austin had preached and shewed to them The same writeth Huntington lib. 3. Stow Chron. pag. 66. and others And albeit his preaching to them then tooke not that effect which he intended yet if Fox say true lib. 2. pag. 123. that in Ina his time began the right obseruing of Easter day to be kept of the Picts and of the Britons with in short tyme the whole Nation not onely approued but also admitted S. Austins doctrine Yea if it be true that Godwin writeth in vit Theod. That to him all the British Bishops and generally all Britany yeelded obedience and vnder him conformed them selues in all things to the rites and disciplin of the Church of Rome they performed this longe before about 60. yeares after S. Austin Protestāts account S. Austins doctrin sufficient to saluation 2. The next open Aduersaries of Saint Austins doctrine in England haue bene the Protestants Of whome diuers haue in their writings openly acknowledged as much as the Britons did For Iuel in his famous challeng Iuel offered to recant if any of the holy Fathers who liued in the first 600. yeares after Christ were found contrarie to him in his Articles In which compasse of yeares both S. Greg. and S. Austin liued And cryed out saying O Gregorie O Austin c. If we be deceaued yow haue deceaued vs. Fulk Fulk in 1. Cor. 15. Seeing Gregorie and Austin saith he taught the truth in all points necessarie to saluation our Contrie hath not beleeued in vaine nor all our fore Fathers are dead in their sinnes Fox Fox in his Acts pag. 111. 120. 122. Calleth the faith planted here by Austin and his fellow-laborers the Christian faith p. 115. 116. the faith and doctrine of Christ pap 121. Christs Religion and that Church the Church of Christ And pag. 112. The perfect faith of Christ Cooper Bishop Cooper Chron. Anno. 636. calleth it the right beleefe Stow Chron. pag. 9. calleth it the Christian faith Stovv And pag. 72. pure and incorupted Christianitie Cambden Cambden in descript Britan. pag. 519. The true Religion of Christ Godvvin Apologie for the oath of alleageance The faith of Christ Godwin in Paulin. The Gospel And in Mellit The faith of Christ Holinshed in Brit. Holinshead The Christian faith The faith of Christ The word of God Bilson of Obed. part 1. pag. 57. calleth it Religion to God Bilson Sutclif Subuers cap. 3. termeth it Faith Religion Christian Religion Sutclif and saith the people were conuerted to Christ Finally Fox lib. 2. pag. 124. after he had tould in particuler how euery one of those seauen Kingdoms which then were in England was conuerted concludeth thus Fox And thus by processe of tyme we haue discoursed from tyme to tyme how and by what meanes the Idolatrous people were induced to the true fayth of Christ And who considereth with him selfe that not onely our Catholick English Ancestors imbraced the doctrine of S. Austin but also the erroneous Britons and Protestants account it the true way of righteousnes the Gospel the Faith of Christ The perfect faith of Christ the right beleefe the true Religion of Christ pure and incorrupt Christianitie and finally true faith of Christ neede seeke no more but what S. Austins faith was and follow it To those that grant that S. Austins faith was the true way to saluaiion I might adde also the Protestants who affirme the same of the present Romā faith whose testimonies yow may see in the Apologie of Protestants Tract 1. Sec. 6. Onely I will content my selfe with his Maiesties wordes to the parlament 9. of Nouember An. 1605. put forth in print thus VVee do iustly confesse that many Papists especially our Forfathers laying their onely trust vpon Christ and his meritts as they them selues teache in Bellarm. may be and often tymes are saued detestinge in that point and thinking the crueltie of Puritans worthy of fyer that will admit no saluation to any Papist 3. Besids this open confefsion of diuers Protestants for the truth of S. Austins Religion it may be also conuinced out of diuers other things which them selues teach For it being supposed out of Gods word heb 11 that without the right faith it is impossible to please God and withall confessed of diuers Protestants that S. Austin and his fellowes were holy men it necessarily followeth that his faith was the true faith of God S. Austin and his follovvers holie men by Protest Of S. Austins holines the English people in general some thing hath bene sayd before Of others Fox lib. 2. pag. 123. saith Cutbert Iaruman S. Cutbert Cedda and VVilfrid I iudge saith he to be of a holy conuersation pag. 125. S. Aldelm Aldelm a worthie and learned Bishop of notable praise for his learning and vertue Ibid. he calleth S. Iohn of Beuerly and S. Egwin Saints pag. 127. S. Iohn Beuerly Touching the integrite and holines of Bedas life It is not to be doubted S. Beda with great comfort of his spirit he departed this life pag. 128. He intituleth S. Boniface a Martyr of God S. Boniface And yet pag. 129. calleth him a great setter vp and vphoulder of Popery pag. 112. calleth king Edmond three tymes Saint S. Edmōd Item pag. 121. King Oswald a Saint saith he had great vertues and by prayer ouercame his enemies S. Osvvald Cooper Chron. an 636. calleth Birin Saint an 643. Oswald a holy king 869 holy king Edmond Stow Chron. pag. 78. Cedda a holy man Iaruman a Bishop of great vertue Ibid King Sebbi very deuout and godly pag. 81. Kinesburg and Kineswith for holy conuersation excelling pag. 99. Cutbert Saint Bale cent 1. cap. 76. saith of S. Aidan that he was a man of most innocent life and ful of the spirit of God and yet was Oswald his scholler a manifest Papist praying before crosses and for the dead euen when him selfe
declared to be the true Oecumenical Patriarch S. Austin aliue vvhen the Pope as Protest say became Antichrist or head of the Church as all writers Protestants and Catholicks do agree which was done in the yeare 605. as some say or 606. as Baron And this Pope Boniface therby as generally all Protestants affirme became the first Pope and Archbishop of Rome Whitak cont Dur. pag. 501. I affiirme saith he that in the tyme of Boniface 3. Antichrist openly placed his Throne in the Church of Rome Fulk Answer to a Counter Cath. pag. 72. The Popes from Boniface 3. were all blasphemous Hereticks and Antichrists And in 1. Ioan. 2. Boniface 3. went manifestly out of the Church and became Antichrist Fox lib. 2. pag. 120. Rome euer since Boniface 3. hath houlden maintamed and defended his Supremacie The same hath Cooper Chron. An. 611. The like hath Bale Cent. 1. pag. 69. 70. Downham of Antichrist and generally all Protestants But S. Austin was both in this Popes time for he subscribed to the Charter of king Ethelbert made An. 605. and after For as Bale saith Cent. 13. cap. 1. He dyed 608. or as Malmsb. in fastis saith 613. and yet is he not found but to haue obeyed this Pope Boniface as he did obey Gregorie Which he would neuer haue done if he had thought it Antichristian for the Pope to be head of the Church S. Mellits communion vvith a Pope vvhome ProtestaÌ„ts account the second Antichrist Yea S. Mellit one of his fellowes and Successors went to Rome about the yeare 610. to commune saith Beda lib. 2. cap. 4. and counsel with the Apostolick Pope Boniface 4. the immediat successor of Boniface 3. for necessarie causes of the English Church sat in a Councel with him subscribed to what was decreed of that Councel and brought the Precepts to be obserued of the English Church And cap. 7. S. Beda writeth Also S. Iustus that this S. Mellit and S. Iustus an other of S. Austins companions and successors receaued eftsons exhorting Epistles from this Boniface And cap. 8. he saith that Iustus receaued also authoritie to ordain Bishops from the high Bishop Boniface and a Pal. And cap. 17. and 18. that S. Paulinus and S. Honorius receaued also their Pals from Pope Honorius And S. Paulin and S. Honorius Which Pal was giuen by Popes to Metropolitans as a token of agreement in faith And therfor Pope Pelagius Predecessor to S. Greg. decreed D. 100. That what Metropolitan so euer after three monthes of his Consecration shall not send to Rome to declare his faith and receaue his Pal shall leese his Dignitie This we see how S. Austin and his fellowes by their life and deedes professed their agreement and faith euen with those Popes whome Protestants account the first Antichrists But besids this we haue also the testimonie of the Popes of that tyme and of S. Austins own fellowes Popes vvhom Protest account Antichrists approued S. Austins doctrine For Pope Boniface 5. writing to S. Iustus aforsaid in Bed lib. 2. cap. 8. saith thus After vve had read the letters of our deere sonne King Edbald we vnderstood vvith vvhat great learning and instruction of holy scripture yovv haue brought him to the beleefe of the vndoubted faith Loe this Pope aproued the doctrine and faith of S. Iustus which he could neuer haue done vnles S. Iustus had allowed the Supremacie And S. Laurence Mellit and Iustus writing to the Scottish Bishops in Beda lib. 2. cap. 4. professe that it was the customable maner of the See of Rome euen in their tyme to send preachers into all places of the world Which custome they could neuer haue accounted lawful vnles they had thought that See to haue Iurisdiction and gouernment in the whole world S. Austin calleth the Pope Father of all Christendom Yea S. Austin in his speech to King Ethelbert in Capgraue calleth S. Greg. totius Christianitatis Patrem the Father of all Christendom And thus much of S. Austin and his fellowes deedes and doctrine out of Chatholick writers S. Austins acts of Papistrie out of Protestants Now let vs come to Protestants 3. Bilson and Abbots aâ— is aforsaid call S. Austin a Romish Monk a Romish Priest a Romish Legat. Which names shew of what Religion they account him Abbots Godwin in vit Aug. saith S. Greg. being made Pope sent Austin hither Godvvin vnto whome he apointed 40. other that should aide him in this holy work Ib. he testifieth that S. Greg. sent him a pal and Church ornaments That he dedicated a Monasterie to S. Peter and Paul that he claimed authoritie ouer all this Iland Entred the place of Counsel with his Banner and his Crosse and with singing Procession Fox Fox Acts. pag. 116. They went with Procession to Canterburie singing Alleluyae with the Letanie Sutclif Sutclif Subuersion cap. 5. Austin brought in an Image of Christ and a siluer Crosse and began saith he to chant Letanies Now whâ—ther these be signes of Protestancie or Papistrie I leaue to euerie one to iudge Holinshead Also Holinshed descript Brit. testifieth as before we heard out of Saint Beda that S. Austin came with a siluer Crosse and Image of our Lord and Sauiour painted in a table singing Litanies And that in Canterburie they accustomed to pray say Masse preach and baptize in S. Martins Church And that S. Greg. sent to Austin a Pal which saith he was the ornament of an Archbishop And that Masse and Letanie was at that tyme in France Again that Lawrence with his fellow Bishops wrote letters to the Britons to conform them in the Vnitie of the Roman faith Item Mellitus solemnizing Masse distributed c. Now what Masse it was that Romish Priests Romish Monkes Romish Legats as Bilson and Abbots call them sayde I leaue to euery one to iudge And if any body should doubt Fulk Fulk in Hebr. 10. may put him out of doubt For ther he writeth S. Beda sayd that English men in his time vnderstood the holsome sacrifice of Masse auailed to redemption both of body and soule Which Fulk calleth superstitious and vndoubtedly meaneth the Masse And thus much of S. Austins Papistry by his owne deedes both out of Chatholick and Protestant writers CHAP. XVI That Saint Austin was a Roman Catholick prooued by the confession of learned Protestants D. Abbots 1. DOctor Abbots in his late answer to Doct. Bishop pag. 197. calleth S. Austin a black Monk pag. 20. The Italian Monk brought new obseruations from Rome and the English receaued the same pag. 198. A Romish Priest required the British Bishops to be subiect to his Romish authoritie A Romish Archbishop brought in nouelties and superstitions and did contaminat the faith of Christ Mellitus Laurentius Iuel Iustus all of Austins company and condition Iuel Art 3. Diu. 21. It is thought of many that Austin corrupted the Religion that he found here vvith
vvas Protest befor this time in any writer domestical or forrein no record or monument of antiquitie that til Cranmer any of the Archbishops varied from the faith of his Predecessors Therfor to affirme the contrary is ether to professe to know things past by reuelation or to affirm that which nether him self knoweth nor any man euer tould him Secondly because all the Archbishops vnto S. Odo his tyme which was An. 958. had bene Monks as S. Austin was which Odo himselfe testifieth in Malmesb. lib. 1. Pontif. pag. 200. And Fox lib. 3. pag. 151. where he saith All the Archb. of Cant. Monks til S. Odo This Odo was the first from the coming of the Saxons til his tyme which was Archbishop of Canterburie being no Monke all the other before his tyme were of the profession of monkes And therfor he could not be perswaded to accept the Archbishoprick vntil he had professed him selfe a Monke In a maner all monks til An. 1184. And after that vnto Archbishop Baldwin an 1184. in a manner all the Archbishops were Monks as Godwin a Protestant yet liuing which shall suffice to aduertise the Reader of now because herafter I shall often allegd him testifieth in the life of Archbishop Hubert And what kind of Monkes these were and what vndoubted Catholicks hath bene shewed before Thirdly Archb vvere chosen by Monks they were elected by the Monks of Christ-church in Canterburie where were Monks saith Malmsburie lib. 1. Pont. p. 203 euer since the tyme of S. Laurence successor to S. Austin as is euident by the epistle of Pope Boniface to King Ethelbert Ibid. pag. 208. and appeareth both by their liues in Godwin and by the iudgment of Pope Innocent 3. in Paris pag. 287. Who when the Bishops of England challenged right in the election of the Archbishop the Pope hearing both parties gaue sentence that Monachi legittimè probauerunt c. That the Monks had lawfully proued that the â—â—or and Couent of the Church of Canterbury haue for long times past elected Bishops in their Chapter without the Bishops euen vnto this time and haue obtained their election to be confirmed of the See Apostolick And Fox Acts pag. 232. writeth that the practice of the Monks was first to keepe the election in their own hands as much as they could and secondly either to giue the election to some Prior or Monke of their owne house or to some Abbot or Bishop which some tyme had bene of their company And Ibid. he addeth that the Archbishop of Canterburie was commonly set vp by the Pope especially since the Conquest And pag. 349. that it hath bene alwaies the practice of the Church of Rome euer to haue the Archbishops of their owne setting vp or such a one as they might be sure of on their side And this election of Archbishops by Monkes continewed till Cranmers time For as Godwin writeth Archbishop Deane who was the last but one before him was elected by them And the same he intimateth of Bishop Warham who was the very last befor Cranmer Now of what religion they were whome Monkes did chuse euery one knoweth All the Archb. confirmed by the Pope Fourthly they were all confirmed by the Pope this is manifest by Godwin in their liues And no maruel for before S. Austins tyme Pope Pelagius Predecessor to S. Greg. made a law Vt quisquis Metropolitanus vltra tres Menses consecrationis suae ad fidem suam exponendam Pallium suscipiendum ad Apostolicam sedem non miserit commissa sibi careat dignitate Whervpon Reinolds Confer 458. saith that Pelagius lest he should rashly giue consent to the allowing of any Metropolitan that were not sound in faith required them to make profession of their faith and so to send for the Pal that is to say to send for his consent wherof the Pall was a token Yea pag. 543. speaking generally of the Popes of the last 200. yeares after Christ saith they required the confirmation of the Metropolitans by their consent And besides this profession of faith it was after decreed by Pope Alexander 3. saith Fox pag. 229. An. 1179. in the Councel of Lateran that no Archbishop should receaue the Pal vnles he did sweare this oath I. N. Bishop of N. from this houre forward wil be faithful and obedient to blessed S. Peter the holy Apostolick Roman Church and my Lord Pope N. and his successors Canonically entring The oath of Bishops to the Pope I will neuer by Counsel consent or deed be in cause that they loose life member or be wrongfully imprisoned And what so euer they shall commit to me ether by them selues or their messengers I will neuer wittingly reueale to their preiudice to any person VVith due respect to my vocation I will aide them in the houlding and defence of the Roman Papacie and S. Peters regalities against all men I wil giue honorable entertainment to the Legat of the See Apostolick in his going and returne and assist him in his need Being called to a Synod I will come vnles I be stayed by some Canonical let I will yearly visit the Court of Rome if it be on this side the Alpes or euery second yeare when it is beyond the mounts vnles I be dispensed withal by the See Apostolick I wil nether sel giue nor pawn nor farm out a new nor any way alien the Lands and liuings belonging to my Bishoply maintenance without the priuitie of the Pope of Rome So God me help c. And the like Oath did S. Boniface the Apostle of Germanie in his Consecration sweare to Pope Gregorie in the yeare 723. and the Pal was deliuered to him with these wordes Speech at the deliuerie of the Pall. To the honor of Almightie God the blessed Virgin Mary and the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and my Lord Pope N. and the holy Church of Rome as also the holy Church of N. committed to yow VVe deliuer a Pal taken from the body of blessed S. Peter that is the fulnes of Pontifical function to the intent yow vse the same on certain dayes expressed in the Priuiledges granted to it by the See Apostolick c. Now that our Archbishops did receaue their Pal from the Pope is manifest and confessed by Godwin almost in euery one of their liues and shal be more plainly shewed hereafter and is acknowledged by Fox lib. 3. pag. 152. and lib. 4. pag. 172. Therfor there can be no more doubt that our Archbishops were perfect Papists than the Popes were Popes Our Archb. vvere the Popes legats Fiftly our Archbishops were euer the Popes Legats in England The Archbishops of Canterbury were saith Camb. Brit. pag. 296. Legats of the Bishop of Rome and as Vrban 2. sayd as it were Popes of an other world And Pope Iohn 12. in his letter to S. Dunstan We fully confirm thy Primacie in which thou oughtest according to the custom of thy Predecessors to be Legat
Astronomy and Algorisme Beda and so brought them vp in the tongues as some of them yet liuing can speake Latin and Greeke as wel as English Nether vvas there since Englishe men came to Britanie any time more happie than that For England had most valiant Christian Princes the people vvere vvholly bent to the ioyful tidings of heauen and there vvanted no cunning and expert Maisters to instruct them in the scriptures Thus S. Beda of Saint Theodore his great learning Pope Agatho who than liued so highly esteemed his wonderful learning that he deferred the calling of the sixt generall Councel for his coming In ep apud Malmsb lib. 1. Pont Malmesb. pag. 196. and lib. 1. Reg. pag. 11. saith of him and S. Adrian that they had learnt throughly all good learning and made this Iland a dwelling place of Philosophie Godvvin Godwin saith He was wel seene in all good learning that England neuer had so happy dayes nor so many learned men as vnder him England neuer so learned or so happie as in Saint Theodors time And a little after Amongst a great number of others ther were of his breeding Beda Iohn of Beuerley Albinus and Tobias all excellent and very famous men He founded saith he a schoole or vniuersitie at Greclaed And as Caius addeth lib. 1. antique Cantab an other in Canterburie Bale Bâ—le Cent. 13. cap. 6. giueth this testimony of his excellent learning He was accounted inferior to no Romish Monke of his time for ether diuine or human learning either Latin or Greck tongue He brought hither all artes of calculating Counting Versifying singing arguing c. He taught Latin and Greeke Saint Theodor his great vertue Beda Thus both Catholicks and Protestants admire this great Archbishops learning S. Beda lib. 5. cap. 8. thus witnesseth that he was worthie of perpetual remembrance for his singuler vertues And addeth this of him and his Precessors Of whome with the rest of his Predecessors equal both in dignitie and degree it may be truly verified that their names shall liue in glorie from generation to generation time out of minde For the Church of England for the time he was Archbishop receaued so much comfort and increase in spiritual matters as they could neuer before nor after Florent Florent Chron An 690 calâ—eth him Archbishop of blessed memorie Capgraue Capgraue in his life saith In his time England shined with great aboundance of Saints like most bright starres S. Theodor his Cathol faith 7. But as for his Roman Religion that is so manifest as all Protestants confesse it Bale Cent. 13. cap. 6. saith It is manifest that he came with the Character of the great Beast Bale so Bale commonly termeth the Pope He gaue the vayle to Votaries in diuers places for seruice of Popish Religion and finished many things which serued to further the kingdome of Antichrist And Cent. 1. cap. 80. In the yeare 666. the Papists Masse began to be made Latin Item Pope Vitalian who sent Saint Theodor made all things to be done in Latin in the Christian Churches as in howers in stations in Masses and Prayers And pag. 71. Vitalian sent the Monkes Theodore and Adrian into England that they might confirme in the popish faith those that wauered Perfect Papistrie of EnglaÌ„d in S. Thedor his time and that they might signe his beleeuers with the Character of Antichrist So this heretick termeth Christs Vicar He apointed Latin houres Latin songes Masses Ceremonies Masses Idolatries and Prosession in Churches in Latin apointed shauings commanded annoyntings c. And Cent. 13. cap. 7. Theodore apointed many things in a Councel for setting vp of Purgatorie Fulke Apoc 13. Fulk Composition of the latin seruice by Pope Vitalian to be obserued in all regions subiect to the Romish Tyrany Fox lib. 2. pag. 124. Fox Theodore was sent into England by Vitalian the Pope and vvith him diuers other Monkes to set vp here in England Latin seruice Masses Ceremonies Letanies vvith such other Romish VVare pag. Saint Theodor a confessed Papist and all follovved him 125. He addeth that Theodore vvas present at the sixt generall Councel vnder Agatho vvhere marriage vvas forbidden to the Latin Priests Who wel remenbreth this and marketh also that S. Beda lib. 4. cap. 2. writeth Priests forbidden mariage that Theodore visited all the Contry ouer whersoeuer any English people dvvelled for all men did receaue him gladly and heare him He did teach the right vvay and path of good liuing Vnto him all the vvhole Church of the English Nation did consent to subiect themselues All Engl. gladly receaued S. Theodor. Wherto Godwin addeth that all the Britishe Bishops and generally all Britanie yeelded him obedience Godvvin and vnder him conformed themselues in all things vnto the rule and disciplin of the Church of Rome Note Who I say marketh this will neuer doubt but all England was at that time perfect Roman Catholicks Besids that as S. Beda recordeth lib. 4. cap. 18. Pope Agatho sent hither a Nuntio to examine the faith of the English Church English faith approued of the Pope WhervpoÌ„ Theodore called a Councel and sending a Copie of their faith to Rome it was receaued most gladly of the Pope So that S. Theodore and our English Church in his time were all of one faith with the Pope Brithwald Archbishop VIII 8. THe eighth Archb. of Canterburie was Brithwald who was elected saith Beda lib. 5. cap. 9. An. 692. and consecrated the next yeare by Godwin Archbishop of France He sate saith Beda lib. 5. cap. vlt. 37. yeares 6 months and dyed An. 731. Beda cap. 9 cit saith He was a man doubtles wel trauailed in the knowledg of holy scripture The learning of Archb Brithvvald and very skilful in Ecclesiastical and Monastical orders censures and discipline The same saith Florent Chron. An. 692. and Marian Ibid. Godwin in his life saith He was very wel learned in Diuinity and other wise Pope Sergius who gaue his Pal testifieth in his epist in malmsb lib. 1. Pont. pag. 210. His vertue that Brithwald got not his Bishoprick fastu aut tumore sed mente subnixa humili. Bale Cent. 1. cap. 99. saith he was a fine yong man borne to great matters and got great fame of vertue and learning c His Roman Religion appeareth both by that Bale Godwin and others say he was an Abbot His Rom. Religion And as Bale writeth l. cit Images honored in EnglaÌ„d An. 71â— liued an Ermit from his youth And held a Councel in London An. 712. in which according to the decree of Pope Constantine he appointed Images of dead Saints to be honored and Masses to be said before them Item How much saith Bale this man profited Papistrie Geruasius declareth in his Catalog And cap. 94. About the yeare 714. vnder Archbishop Brithwald ther was a Synod at London for confirmation of
that receiuing his Pal he might sweare Antichrists so he stil termeth the Pope faith The like saith Godwin And of his going to Rome for his Pal testify Malmsb. lib. 4. Pont. pag. 289. Hunt lib. 6. Florent an 1021. Houeden 1022. Fox lib. 3. pag. 163. addeth that King Canut following much the superstition of Agelnoth went a Pilgrimage to Rome And Bale l. cit addeth That he perswaded King Canut to resigne his crowne to the Crucifix and calleth him a Bishop of superstition Eadsin Archbishop XXX 30. IN the yeare 1038. succeded Eadsin The vertue and religiō of Archb. Eadsin and died 1050. His Roman religion and vertue appeareth by that as Godwin saith after his death he was made a Saint Malmsb. lib. Pont. pag. 204. and Florent an 1043. write that he anointed King Edward Confess who was a notorious Papist Robert Archbishop XXXI 31. THe next was Robert who succeded an 1050. and sate two or as Malmsb. in Fastis saith 3. yeares His Roman religion is manifest by that he was a Monk Rom. religion of Archb. Robert brought vp as Godwin saith in the Monasterie of Gemetica in Normandie had a Pal from Rome as he saith in the life of Stigand And being accused went saith Malmsb. 1. Pont pag. 204. to Rome from whence he came with letters to clear him and to recouer his See Stigand Archbishop XXXII 32. THe last Archbishop before the Conquest was Stigand who an 1052. vsurped the seate whilst his Predecessor liued and was depriued an 1069. He was saith Godwin stoute and wise inough His Roman religion is manifest by that as Godwin writeth he laboured to procure a Pal of the Pope Rom. religion of Archb. Stigand but could not because of his vnlawful entrance And therfore as Ingulph who liued then writeth pag. 898 Malmsb. lib. 1. Pont. pag. 204. Florent An. 1058. he procured one of an Antipope which then was The first and last Archb. in the Saxons time said Masse and had a Pall. and vsed it saith Florent An. 1070 in Missarum celebratione Thus you see all the Archbishops of Canterburie in the Saxons tyme for 466. yeares together were Roman Catholicks And as S. Austin the first of them had a Pal from the Pope and sayd Masse so did the very last Now let vs shew the same of all the Archbishops from the Conquest vnto our time CHAP. XX. That all the Archbishops of Canterb from the time of the Conquest vnto our tyme were Roman Catholicks 1. THe 33. Archbishop of Canterburie and first after the Conquest of England was Lanfranck He entred an 1070. being Monke and Prior of Becco in regard saith Godwin of his singuler wisdome and great knowledg of all good learning that those times could affoard The singuler great learning and vvisdom of Arch Lanfranck Was first called by Duke William to be Abbot and after hauing conquered England for his wisdom and faithfulnes he made choise of him for Archbishop of Canterburie Godvvin as one in all respects most fit and worthie which being wel known to all men the Couent of Canterb. at the Kings first nomination readily chose him The nobilitie and Laitie willingly receaued him with great applause Bale Bale Cent. 13. cap. 12. saith he was the most perfect of his tyme in all kind of Logick or subtilitie of Aristotle He corrected and amended according to the right faith all the bookes of the olde and new Testament which had bene corrupted by faulte of the writers and also the writings of the holy Fathers Fox Fox lib. 4. pag. 184. From his commendation and worthines I list not to detract anie thing Stovv Stow Chron pag. 148. Lanfranck skilful in science prudent in Councel and gouernment of things and for religion and life most holie His holines And pag. 171. reporteth that King William Conqueror being redy to die said that he supposed that the praises of Lanfranck and Anselme his Successor sound in the vttermost corners of the Earth He was busie saith Godwin in exhorting King Rufus to vertue and godlines Protestāts forced most highly to commend their learning and vertue vvho condemned their Doctrin And as long as Lanfranck liued saith Stow pag. 179. Rufus seemed to abhor all kind of vice in so much as he was counted the mirror of Kings This high praise for learning and vertue Protestants giue to this Archbishop whome to their confusion they confesse as yow shall heare anon to haue bene a most notorious Papist and the greatest enemy of Berengarius Archb. Lanfranc first confuted the deniers of Transubstātiation whome they account their Patriarch for the denial of the real presence If I should alleadg the sayings of Catholick writers in his commendation I should neuer make an ende Onely therfor I will cite two who liued in his time and quote some others Malmsb. Malmesbur lib. 3. Hist pag. 109. saith he was a man comparable to the Fathers in Religion and learning on whom in earnest may be verified A third Cato came from heauen So heauenly sauor had embued his brest and mouth So all the Latin Church did by his learning stir it self vp to the study of the liberal sciences So by his example or feare Monastical perfection did goe for ward in religion And much more he hath of Lanfranck 1. Pont. pag. 213. sequ Ingulph also Hist Ingulph pag. 901. saith he was the most commended and clear Doctor of all liberal sciences and most expert in temporal affaires and most holy in life and religion Marian The like also hath Marian who liued at that tyme Chron. Florent Huntingt an 1070. Florent and Westmon Ibid. Huntington lib. 7. Neubrigen lib. 1. cap. 1. Paris Hist pag. 8. Walsingham in ypodigmate Capgraue and Trithem in Lanfranco 2. And no les notorious was the Roman religion of this worthie Archb. Rom religion of Archb. Lanfranc than his learning and vertue was famous Which for breuitie sake I will onely proue by the confession of Protestants Bale Cent. Bale He an Heretik vvho in faith differeth from the Church of Rome 13. cap. 12. saith plainly He did many things for the exaltation of Papistrie Defineth him to be an Heretick who differeth from the Church of Rome in doctrine of faith Which is as much as any Papist now can or wil say And Cent. 2. cap. 62. Lanfranck and Anselm set vp the mouldy so this wretch blasphemeth Idol of the Masse Priests mariages condemned and condemned the holy marriages of Priestes Fox lib. 4. pag. 173. citeth this beginning of his letter to Pope Alexander To the Lorde Pope Alexander high ouerseer of all Christian Religion Fox Lanfranck due obedience with all subiection Pag. 394. he calleth him a stout Champion of the Pope Pag. 1147. cheefest trobler of Berengarius And pag. 1148. citeth this profession of Lanfranck Lanfranck his profession of Transubstant I beleeue the earthly
same hath Stow pag. 244. and pag. 324. A magnifical and faithful man who as long as he liued kept King Iohn from mischeefe and miserie He was saith Godwin an excellent and memorable man a bridle vnto the King and an obstacle of tyrany the peace and comfort of the people And lastly a notable refuge both of high and lowe against all manner of iniurie and oppression faithful and loyal to his Prince louing and very careful of his Contrie in which he caused many excellent lawes to be established King Richard ceur de Lion had experience of his great wisdom and other manifould vertues Nether was ther euer Clergie man ether befor or after him of so great power neuer any man vsed his authoritie more moderatly His Rom. Religion And as for the religion of this worthie Prelat it is manifest For as Godwin testifieth he founded a monasterie for his owne soules health and for the soules of his Father and mother as him self speaketh in the foundation and an other of Cistercian Monkes After his election professed him selfe a Monke had a Pal from the Pope and was his Legat. Pope Celestin the third in Houeden pag. 763. praiseth him exceedingly and maketh him his Legat at the request as he saith of King Richard and all his Suffragans and testifieth that of Huberts deserts vertue wisdome and learning the vniuersal Church reioyceth And pag. 755. Houeden writeth that this Archbishop held a Councel wherin he apointed diuers things concerning Masse and Priests espetially that they should not keepe women in their houses Priests forbidden to keep vvomen Stephen Langton Archbishop XLIII 12. THe 43. Archbishop was Stephen Langton an 1207. and died an 1228. He was saith Westmon an 1207. A man of deepe iudgment Singuler learning and vvorthines of Archb. Stephen of comely personage fine behauior fit and sufficient as much at lyeth in a man to gouern the whole Church Paris in his Hist pag. 297. addeth that there was none greater nor equal to him for maners and learning in the Court of Rome Godwin saith he was a maÌ„ in regard of many excellent gifts both of mind and bodie very fit for the place brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Paris and greatly esteemed by the King and all the nobilitie of France for his singuler and rare learning made Chancellor of Paris was admirablie learned and writ many notable bookes He deuided the Bible into Chapters in such sort as we now account them VVho built the Archb. palace in Canterb. and built in a maner all the Archbishops Palace at Canterburie The like commendations of learning yeldeth Bale vnto him Cent. 3. cap. 87. As for His Roman religion there can be no doubt His Rom. religion For he was both Cardinal of Rome and made Archbishop by the Popes absolute authoritie as the said Authors and all Chronicles testifie He built also a sumptuous shrine for the bones of S. Thomas of Câ—nterburie and as Bale speaketk after his maner He largely poured out dreggs out of the goulden cup of the harlot Incomparable learning and uertue of Archb. Richard Richard Magnus Archbishop XLIIII 13. THe 44. Archbishop was Richard Magnus elected An. 1223. and continued about two yeares He was saith Paris who then liued Hist pag. 494 Incomparable for learning and vertue Fox Acts. pag. 274 saith that he was of a comely personage and eloquent tongue Godwin addeth that he was a man very vvel learned vvise graue vvel spoken and of good report stoute in defending the rights and liberties of the Church and of a personage all streight and well fauored and that the Pope delighted much with the eloquence grauitie and excellent behauiour of this Archbishop His Rom. Religion The Roman Religion of this notable Prelat is euident For as Godwin saith he was elected by the Pope him self and so great in fauor with the Pope as both he and Fox l. cit write that he obtained of the Pope what so euer he asked S. Edmund Archbishop XLV Famous learning and vertue of Saint Edmund 14. THe 45. Archbishop was S. Edmund elected an 1234. and deceased an 1244. A man saith Westmon an 1234. mirae sanctitatis mansuetudinis of admirable sanctitie and meeknes desiring the peace and honor both of the King and Realme Paris who then liued Hist pag. 730. 743. writeth much of his miracles which Westmon an 1244. saith were so many His Miracles Vt viderentur c. that the Apostles times seemed to be returned again And Bale Cent. 3. cap. 96. confesseth that cum aqua lustrali c. VVith holy water he wrought many miracles That omni tum literarum c. He exercised him self in all maner of learning and vertue Fox Acts. pag. 339. calleth him a Saint Godwin saith he was a man very wel knowne and indeede famous for his vertue and great learning His Rom. Religion The Roman religion of this holy Archbishop is certain For as Godwin writeth he was chosen by the procurement of the Pope and had his Pal from him as both he and Fox pag. 279. do testifie and opposed him selfe against the marriage of a noble womaÌ„ Mariage after vovv of chastitie forbidden who vpon the death of her first husband had wowed chastitie and was after his death canonized for a Saint by Pope Innocent 4. Bale saith he was chosen Tanquam ad Rom. Pont. c. As one more redy at the Popes beck And that vt Virginitatis assequeretur donum Strange deed of S. Edmund to keep his virginitie To attain the gift of Virginitie he betrathed him selfe with a ring to a woodden Image of the blessed Virgin wore hearcloth preached the word of the Crosse for the Pope Boniface Archbishop XLVI 15. IN the yeare 1244. was chosen of the monks at the instance of king Henrie 3. Boniface sonne to the Earle of Sauoie who deceassed An. 1270. He was saith Godwin of a comely person and performed three notable things whorthie memorie Notable deeds of Archb Boniface He payed the debt of two and twentie thousand Marks that he found his See indebted in He built a goodly Hospitall at Maidston And lastly fineshed the stately Hall at Canterburie with the buildings adioyning Of his Roman Religion there can be no doubt His Rom. Religion For as Godw. writeth he was coÌ„secrated with the Popes owne handes and obtained of the Pope the Bishoprick of Valentia and diuers other spiritual promotions Robert Kilwarby Archbishop XLVII Famous learning and sanctitie of Archb. Robert 16. THe 47. Archb. was Robert Kilwarby elected An. 1272 and continued about six yeares He was saith Paris Author of that tyme Hist pag. 1348. Non solum vitae religiosae sanctitatis c accounted most famous not onely for the holines of a religious life but also for knowledg and learning Godwin writeth that he was a great Clerk and left many monuments of the same in writing behind him In both
Papistical this is and contrary to Protestancie euery one knoweth Beside as Fox saith pag. 115. most like they did this for holines sake thincking in this kind of life to serue or please God better or to merit more which Kinde of act or ende of theirs is plain Papistical and quite opposit to Protestancie And therfore Fox saith that these Kings were far deceaued To these Kings we may adioin 19. Queenes and Kings daughters whome Fox also pag. 134. confesseth to haue left their royall estate Manie ancient Queenes and K. Daughters nunnes and becommen Nunnes Yea pag. 137. he citeth out of an ancient Chronicle That in the Primitiue Church of England Kings Deuotion of English to monkish life Princes Dukes Earles Barons and Rulers of Churches incensed with a desire of heauen laboring and striuing among them selues to enter into Monkerie into voluntarie exile and solitarie life forsooke all and followed the Lord. The same hath Huntington lib. 5. Houed and others Is this thinck we a proceding of Protestants or rather of earnest and deuout Roman Catholicks 5 Out ancient Kings desire the P. to confirme their Charters 2. Fiftly They desired the Pope to confirme their Charters which they made This you may see of King Ethelbert the first Christian King in Malmsb lib. 1. Pont. pag. 208. Of King Coenred and King Offa in Capgraue in vita Egwin Of King Egbert in Florent Chron. An. 676. of King wulfer in Ingulf pag 884. Of an other King Offa in Paris An. 794. Of King Edgar in Malmsb. lib. 2. Reg. pag. 57. 6. They suffered appeals to Rome from them selues 6 Kings suffer appeals to Rome This is euident in King Egbert and King Alfred in Beda lib. 5. cap. 20. 7. They beleeued S. Peter to be Prince of the Apostles as is to be seene in King Offa his Charter in Cambden in Brit. 7 Our Kings beleeue S. Peters supremacie pag. 613. and S. Peter to be higher in degree than S. Paule as is to be seene in King Ina his verses there pag. 193. and Peter onely to haue had the keies to witt of all the Church as Reinolds confesseth Confer pag. 12 And finally the Church of Rome in their time to be the Catholick and Apostolick Church as Beda testifieth lib. 3. cap. 29 at what time the Protestants account the Roman Church the who are of Babilon and the Pope Antichrist 8 Manie of our Kings canonized by the Pope 8. Seuen of these our English Kings are Canonized by the Roman Church in the Martirologe to wit Ethelbert Richard Oswald Sebbi Edmund Edward martir Edward Confessor 9 Our ancient Kings knovv not iustification by onely faith which would neuer haue bene done if they had not bene Roman Catholicks 9. Our ancient English Kings could be no Protestants therfore they were Roman Catholicks For no others challenge them for theirs That they could be no Protestants is most manifest First because the opinion of iustification by onely faith is accounted of Protestants the foundation VVhat is the foundation and soul of Protetestancie Luther head and cheefest point and soule of their Doctrin and Church It is saith Luther Prefat in Ionam the head of Christian Religion the summe of the scriptures Prefat ad Galath If the article of Iustification by onely faith be once lost then is all true Christian doctrin lost And as many as hould not that doctrin are Iewes Turks Papists or hereticks Item By this onely doctrin the Church is built and in this it consisteth And in cap. 1. Galath If we neglect the Article of Iustification we leese all together And in cap. 2. It is the principal Article of all Christian doctrin all other Arcicles are comprehended in it Fox Acts. Fox pag. 840. saith It is the foundation of all Christianitie Chark And pag. 770. the onely principal origen of our saluatian Chark in the Tower disputation saith It is the soule of the Church And the same say all other Protetestants But this foundation this head this soule of Protestancie our ancient Kings knew not as Fox plainly confesseth in these wordes pag. 170. The Doctrin of Iustification by onely faith was then vnknown And pag. 133. writeth thus of our antientest Christian Kings Our Kings knevv not the Protestant Gospel They lackt the doctrin and knowledg in Christs Gospel espetially saith he in the Article of free Iustification by faith and therfor saith he they ran the wrong way Loe he granteth that they were ignorant espetially of that which Protest esteeme the especiallest point of Protestancie And Ibid. speaking of our ancient Christian Kings hath these wordes How great the blindnes and ignorance of these men was who wanting no zeale wanted knowledg seeking their saluation by their meritorious deedes which I write saith he here to put vs in mind how much we at this present are bound to God for the true sinceritie of his truth hidden so long before to our fforancestors and opened now to vs. A plaine confession that none of our Anceitors vvere Protestants This onely lamenting to see them haue such works and want our faith and vs to haue right faith and want their workes Could he say more plainly that our Ancient Princes and Christian Ancestors knew not so much as the foundation of Protestancy and wanted their faith And with what face then can any man challeng them for Protestants And heere I challeng Abbots or what minister so euer VVhat must be shevved of ministers that saie our Anceitors vvere Protestants to shewe one ancient English man Woman or Child that held this forsaid foundation head and soule of their religion And if they can not as indeede they can not let them confesse that there was neuer ancient English Protestant vnles they will make Protest without head or or soule 3. Moreouer to build or indow Religious houses as Doc. Abbots saith Answer to D. pag. 100. Bishop for redemption of their sinnes and purchase of their soules health proceeded of the wāt of the sight of the sunne of righteousnes For vvhat end our Kings built and endevved monasteries And Fox pag. 133. saith it is contrary to the rule of Christs Gospel But the same Fox Ibid. testifieth that our first Christian kings built monasteries seeking for merit with God and remedie of their soules and remedy of their sinnnes and prooueth it by a Charter of King Ethelbald which he might haue proued by as many Charters of those ancient kings as are extant One of King Ethelbald I will cite out of Ingulph made to free monks from taxes the third yeare of his Reigne which was 718 some what more than a hunderd yeares after S. Austin Ego Ethelbald c I Ethelbald King of marchland for the loue of the celestical Contry Good vvorks done to free the soul from bond of sin and for the redemption of my soule haue prouidently decreed to free it by good worke from all bond of sinne
King Ethelbert also Pro animae suae remedio c for the good of his soule gaue to Mellit Bishop the land called Tillingham out of Stow Chron. pag. 77. And so of the rest Our first Christian K. gaue land to Churches for help of his soule Again Fox pag. 154. The causes why solemn Monasteries were first founded by Kings Queenes Kings daughters and rich Consuls are these Pro remedio animae meae pro remissione peccatorum meorum pro redemptione peccatorum meorum pro salute Regnorum meorum quique subiacent regimini populorum in honorem gloriosae virginis For the redemption of my soul for the redeeming of my sinnes and for the saftie of my Kingdoms and people subiect to my gouernment to the honor of the glorious Virgin And therfor by D. Abbots his verdict and by euident inference our auncient Princes wanted the sunne of Protestants righteousnes 10 10. And lastly I proue it by the plain confession of Protest For Fox Acts. pag. 132. saith our first Christian Kings were deuout to Church men espetially to the Church of Rome Which was in the opinion of Protestāts Our Kings deuour to the P. vvhen he vvas in opinion of Protestants Antichrist when the Pope was known Antichrist That is in Boniface 3. time and since Bale Cent. 1. cap 73 saith of king Ethelbert our first Christian king that He receaued the doctrin of the Roman Religion with all the imposture therof and died the 21. yeare of his receaued Papistrie Could he speake more plainly And Cent. 13. cap. 5 Felix saith he conuerted the East parte of England to Papistrie A Plaine confessiō of Protestants that our nation vvas first conuerted to papistrie And Ibid cap. 4. he saith that Birin vnder colour of the Gospel taught the VVest saxons Papisticam fidem Papistical faith The same confesse diuers other Protestants as hath bene shewed before when we proued that S. Greg. and S. Austin were by the confession of Protestants plain Rom. Catholicks 4. To all these particuler proofes I ad a general one vz the English names which our ancient Kings and people gaue to their seruice and their Pastors See in Ingulph hovv antient Knights vvere vvont to goe to confession before they vvere knighted also their Churches Tombs and Epitaphes and finally all their ancient Monuments do testifie and proclame their Catholick Roman religion For their seruice of God they called Masse Nether can it be shewed that euer they called it other wise and of it haue they tearmed the cheefe feasts of the yeare as Christmasse Candlemasse Michelmas Name of Masse Martin masse As likwise they haue tearmed Shreuetide of their Shreiuing and confessing them selues before they began their lent Fast Palmesonday of the Palmes which they caried on that day as Catholicks at this day doe Ember dayes of the Catholick fast of Quator tēpora corruptly pronouncing the last word of Priests Their cheefe Doers of their seruice they termed Priestes That is as Protest confesse Sacrificers and therfor their ministers abhor the name Reinold conf pag. 466 467. Their cheefe Churches they built in forme of a Crosse The cheefe Altar therin on high and toward the East Forme of Churches and diuers Altars in little Chappell 's about erected therin a Roodloft with the Roode or Crosse of Christ vppon it adorned their Chappell 's euen the very glasse windowes with Pictures In like sort they buried their dead with Crosses as was seene on the tombe of King Arthur Buriall of dead and their Bishops with Chalices as in the Tombe of S. Birin and vsually on the Epitaphs desire men to pray for the soule of the dead Epitaphs And where I pray yow was the Protestant Communion when our first Christian Ancestors termed their cheefe seruice of God Masse and therof named their principall feasts in the yeare where were their Ministers when they termed their Pastors Priests and sacrificers Wher were their Churches when all the Cathedrall Churches were built in forme of a Crosse with one high Altar and diuers little Altars in the Church about where were they them selues when our Ancestors euen dead did by Crosses wher with they were buried and the Epitaphs of their Tombes professe the Roman Catholick religion CHAP. XXII Certayne obiections of Ministers that our auncient Kings were not Romane Catholiques disproued 1. ALbeit euery one of iudgment will easely see that what can be obiected against this so cleare D. Doue of Recusancie vvil haue Bellarm to be a Protest or no perfect Catholik and by the Aduersaries confessed truth is but cauils which want not against almost the euidenst truth that is yet for satisfaction of all sorts of people we wil propose what D. Abbots in his Answer to D. Bishops epistle pag. 199. lately hath collected for proofe that our ancient Kings were Protestants or at least not perfect obiec ∣ tion 1 Roman Catholicks First he saith that our antient Kings had the supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall Ansvver This is euidently false by what hath bene said in the 5. 6. and 7. proofe of the former Chapter To which I add that as it shal be shewed herafter King Edward 3. whome Protestants account to make most for them professed it to be a sauor of heresie to deny the Popes supremacie in causes ecclesiasticall 2. Abbots saith that the kings founded Bishopricks and inuested them at their obiec ∣ tion 2 pleasur as did Edward Confessor the Bishoprick of Exester Ansvver That in S. Austins time or long after the King founded Bishopricks and inuested Bishops is apparantly false For it is euident in Beda lib. 1. cap. 29. That S. Greg. at his owne pleasure apointed two Archbishopricks vnder each of them twelue Bishopricks to be erected in England And lib. 2. cap. 4. That S. Austin by his authoritie founded the Archbishoprick of Canterburie and the Bishopricks of London and Rochester Our ancient Kings tooke not vpon them to erect Bishopriks and that the King then did onely build them Churches indow the Bishopricks with lands and giue them saith Beda lib. 1. cap. 28. Possessions necessarie for their maintenance And aboue 800. yeares agoe when King Offa would alter the Bishoprik of Lichfeild in to an Archbishoprick K Ethelbert he took not vpon him to doe it by his owne authoritie or of the Bishops of his realm K. Offa. but procured Pope Adrian to send two legats for that purpose Malmsb. lib. 1. Reg. cap. 4. K Edvvard Sen. And 700. yeares agoe mhen King Edward Senior erected fiue Bishopricks in the West Contrie it was done by the expresse commandement of Pope Formosus Malmsb. 2. Reg. cap. 5. K VVilli◠Conq. And about 500. yeares agoe when King William Conqueror would haue some English Bishops deposed and Bishopricks translated from litle Tounes to greater Citties he procured Pope Alexander 2. to send a Legat hither to doe it Malmsb. 1. Pont. But yet we grāt
men and trauailled to Rome with great deuotion wher as he saith pag. 110 he became a Monke and pag. 125. granted a peny of euery house to be payd to the Court of Rome Beda lib 5 cap. 7. malmsb loc cit Cooper An. 723. Bale Cent. 11. cap. 97. Sleidan lib. 9. Stovv pag. 96. Bal. lib. cit Cambd. in Brit. p. 192. And pag. 136. founded the English Scoole or Seminarie there Fiftly as Cambden testifieth in Brit. pag. 193. he made verses to be engraueÌ„ in the forfront of Glossenburie in which he plainly confesseth S. Peters supremacie saith he that he was in Degree higher than S. Paul had the Keyes of heauen was the Porter and the firm Rock The verses are these Caelorum portae lati duo Lumina mundi Ore tonat Paulus fulgurat Arce Petrus Inter Apostolicas radianti luce coronas Doctior hic monitis celsior ille gradu S. peters supremacie professed by letters engrauen in stone Corda per hunc hominum reserantur astra per illum Quos docet iste stilo suscipit ille Polo Pandit iter Caelo hic dogmate clauibus alter Est via cui Paulus iaenua fida Petrus Behould Christian Reader this ancient and famous King and consequently all England in his time which is 900. yeares agoe beleeuing and not beleeuing onely but professing nor professing but engrauing in stone for testimony to all posteritie that S. Peter was in degree aboue all the Apostles S. Peter in degree aboue all the rest of the Apostles was the peculier Rock of Christians the proper Porter of heauen and espetially had the keyes of the coelestiall Kingdome Which is plain-ly that supremacie which their Posteritie Catholicks doe attribut vnto S. Peter and his successors And of the royall blood of this vndoubted Catholick and reuouneÌ„d King and so deuoted to the Church of Rome as first of all Christian Kings of the wordl His maiestie descendeth of K. Ina. by his brother he made his Kingdom and euery houshould therof tributary therto by payment of yearly pension by his brother Ingles came King Egbert who after reduced England to a monarchie as testifieth Paris Hist pag. 126. and of this King Egbert by lineall succession descendeth our present Souereign Lord King Iames. 11. In this Kings tyme besids him self three other English Kings left their Kingdoms also and became Monks to wit Four Kings leaue their kingdome and became moÌ„ks Ethelred and Coenred Kings one after the other of mercia or middle England and Offa King of Essex The two last went to Rome and there entred into Religion The third remained heere in England after was made Abbot of Bardney neere Lincoln And besides the Queens before mentioned Kineswitha daughter of King Penda and also espouse to the said King Offa became a Nonne hauing before perswaded him to giue ouer both his Kingdom and suite to her And besides these Osrick King of Northumberland as Godwill in the Bishops of Gloster saith Three Queens of mercia Abbesses one after the other but indeede King of the Victians as Beda called him lib. 4. cap 23. about the yeare 700. founded a Nonnery in Gloster in which Kineburg Eadburg and Eua all Queenes of Mercia were successiuly Abbesses The same saith Cambd. in Brit. pag. 316. Such rare and admirable loue of God and contempt both of pleasures and glorie of this world reigned in our Kings ProtestaÌ„ts glorie of the holines of our Cath. Anceistors Queenes and Princes of those dayes that iustly Cambd. in Brit. pag. 345. calleth this age seracissimum Sanctorum saeculum a most fruitfull wordl of Saints Oh when will Protestants breede such an age In this Kings time fell that most dredfull pumishment of God vpon that Captain who in his sicknes would not confesse his sinnes least he should seeme fearfull Which S. Beda recounteth lib. 5. cap. 14. wher he telleth how a little before the mans death Angels appeared and shewed to him a faire booke Dreadful punishment of one that differed his confession but little in quantitie wherin all his good deedes were written and after there came a huge multitude of Diuels who in a great black booke shewed him all his ill deedes and sinnes VVestmon An 921. Godvv in B. of york and one of them strooke him on the head and other on the feete which strokes crept into his body whâ—n they met he dyed in desperation In this Kings time also dyed S. Iohn of Beuerley who made S. Beda Priest Miracles of S. Ihon of Beuerlay whome he recounteth lib. 5. cap. 2. that by making the signe of the Crosse vpon the tongue of a Domb man he restored his speeche and that he helped an Earles wife with holy water and cap. 5. cured an Earles sonne and his Chaplin by his blessing In this time also liued S. Wilbrord an English man who An. 697. was consecrat Bishop by Pope Sergius and sent to preache in Frisland and Germany which also S. Swibert and many English more did Marcellin 1. mort Surio tom 2. Beda lib. 5. cap. 11. In this time also liued S. Boniface the Apostle of Germanie whome Pope Greg. 2. sent thither to preache An. 719. whose oath of fidelitie and plain Papistrie yow may read in Surius Tom. 3. and Baron An. 723. See also Surius de rebus moguntin At that same time also liued that great Eremit and S. Antonie of England S. Guthlac S. Guthlac the S. Antoine of England Of whome because Fox Acts pag. 125. saith that he secth no great cause why he should be Sainted Nether beleeue I saith he his miracles I will in this Saint giue the reader a taste of Fox his impudencie His holines and a full assurance if any can suffice of S. Guthlac his miracles Wherby euery indifferent man may iudg of the like miracles of Saints As for his holines Cambd in Brit. pag. 472. saith thus Guthlacus summa sanct titate c. Guthlac heere at Crowland lead an heremitical life in exceeding great sanctitie in honor of whome King Ethelbald with wonderfull expence founded a Monasterie in a Marish and vnstable grounde for religion and wealth very famous Behould this Protestant acknowledgeth that S. Guthlac led a most holy life and was so esteemed that King Ethelbald who liued at that same time soone after his death His miracles built a goodly Monasterie in his honor And who will read his life in Surius Tom. 2. shall finde that he was an admirable Saint 12. But as for the miracles of S. Guthlac if any humane testimony or euidence can make a thing certain and vndoubted they are so For Ingulph in his Hist printed and published by Protest who liued in the time of the Conquest setteth doune the Charter of King Kenulph a worthie Prince as all our Chronicles testifie dated Anno Christi 806. in which the King saith that he and his Queene were eye witnesses of many miracles done
at is shrine in these words Kenulphus Dei misericordia Rex c. Kenulph by the grace of God King c. The King and Q. of England faire say vvere eye-vvitnesses of S. Guthlacs miracles Be it known to all men that our Lord hath magnified his Saint the most blessed Confessor of Christ S. Guthlac who corporally resteth in Crowland Monasterie with most famous signes and worthy wonders yea with fresh and in numerable miracles as both I and my Queene haue seene with our owne eyes in our Pilgrimage English Pilgrims vvith images of Saints in their hats And there the king freketh all Pilgrims that come to S. Guthlac cum signis eius in caputijs aut capellis with his images in their hatts or capps from all tax and tole And to this Charter subscribe the said king kenulph and Cuthred king of kent Celwal â—rother to King Kenulph Testimonie of K. Burdred for Saint Guthlacs miracles Wilfrid Archb. of Canterb. two Bishops and one Abbot and diuers others And he setteth doune an other Charter of king Burdred in which he testifieth that Crowland Pro frequentibus miraculis c. In respect of the frequent miracles of the most holy Confessor S. Guthlac is alwaies a fertil mother amongst the vinyards of Engaddi And that God by apparant myracles of S. Guthlac hath vouch saffed to shew his mercie To which Charter subscribe the king An. 851. with the whole consent as he saith of the Parliament then gathered against the Danes Archb. Ceolreth six Bishops two Duks three Earles and diuers others And Ingulph addeth that in the ParliameÌ„t the Archb. Ceolreth and diuers others Manie cured miraculously in the Parliament as well Prelats as Nobles were sodenly and miraculously cured of a kinde of palsie which at that time much offended England and ther vpon omnes ad visitandum c. All presently bound them selues in conscience by a most strict vowe to visit in a deuout Pilgrimage with all possible speede the most sacred tombe of the most blessed Saint Guthlac at Crowland The vvhole parliament vovveth pilgrimage What now will Fox say against this cloud of witnesses omni exceptione maiores Will he say as Ministers vse to say of Priests and Monks that they forged these miracles for gaine But this were madnes to say of such great Kings and Princes or will he say that they were deceaued Fox his confusion But some of them were eye witnesses and some of them were such in whome the miracles were wrought as the Archbishop and Bishop of London who testifie the same in their subscription But by this the indifferent Reader may both perceaue what credit he may giue to the miracles of other Saints and with what impudence without any testimony to the contrary they are denyed of Fox and such like And therfore I will not make any more Apology hereafter for the miracles which I shall rehearse but only cite my Authors from whome I haue them King Ethelard VIII 13. KIng Ina going to Rome An. 728. as Florent hath Chron. left his Kingdome to Ethelard Valour of K. Ethelard who held it most quietly saith Malmsb. lib. 1. c. 2. 14. yeares he was saith Malmsb. Cosin to King Ina and a valiant Prince His Rom. Religion His roman religion appeareth both by that King Ina so notorious a Papist chose him to whome he would commit his kingdome as appeareth by Beda lib. 5. cap. 7. and also by other things which are by Protestants confessed of the religion of this time In this Kings time died S. Egbert Priest Anno 729. Saints Ex Beda lib. 3. cap. 27. vvho led saith he his life in great perfection of humility and meeknes continency innocencie and righteousnes and conuerted the Scotts to the right obseruation of Easter And S. Beda himselfe that glorious doctor of our English Church the flower of Christianity at that time for vertue and learning of whose high praises giuen to him by Protestants and of his perfect roman Religion I haue said ynough before Here only I will adde the Elogy of Malmsb. lib. 1. cap. 3. Bedam saith he mirari facilius c you may sooner admire then vvorthly praise Beda vvho liuing in the farthest corner of the vvorld vvith the flash of his doctrine haue a light to all Nations Here vvit faileth vvords are vvanting vvhile I cannot tell vvhat most to commend vvhither the muâ—â—â—tude of his volums Florent VVestmon Anno. 734. Huntingt lib. 4. or the sobriety of his stile For doubtles the diuine vvisdome had vvith no sparing draught giueÌ„ him to drinck that in so short a scaÌ„tling of his life could perfect so huge voluÌ„es The report of his name vvas so famous that the cheefest in Rome had neede of him for the resoluing of doubtfull questions And much more there of his holines VVriters Procure their vvorks to be approued of the Pope Where also he addeth that he died anoiled and hovvseled The like hath Florent and Westmon Anno 734. and Hunting lib. 4. Caius de antiq Canterb. pag. 138. proueth that Beda went to Rome and there read his bookes coram Romana Ecclesia Before the Church of Rome and then gaue them to other to copie forth vvhich vvas saith he ordinarie in the Ecclesiasticall vvriters of that age to deliuer their vvorks first to the Pope of Rome to be examined K. Ceolvvolph a Monke In this Kings time Anno 737. as is in the Epitome of Beda Ceolwolfe King of Northumberland to whome Beda dedicated his history left his Kingdome and became a Monke And as Malmsb. 1. Reg. cap. 3. florished with miracles And about the same time Frigedida Queene of the west-Saxons went to Rome Hunting lib. 4. pag. 340. Q Frigedida a pilgrim Godwin in the Bish of Salsbery which at that time saith Beda lib. 5. cap. 4. And Hunting Deuotion of English in going to Rome l. cit many English men both of the nobilitie and coÌ„mons spirituall teÌ„poral vvere wont to vse vvith 〈◊〉 emulation In this Kings time also about the year 730. as Godwin hath in the Bishops of Oxford though Capgraue in her life say 750. liued the holy Virgin S. Frideswid S. Fridesvvida who flying to saue her maydenhood from Prince Algarus he was miraculously strooke blind Cambd. in Brit p. 331. and she after became Abbesse of a nonry built by her Father DidaÌ„ These dayes were so far from Protestancy and so manifestly Catholicke as Bale Cent. 1. cap. 93. saith they were pessima tempora pubescente Antichristo Very bad time vvhen Antichrist grevv to riper yeares And Centur. 2. cap. 6. writeth of Cymbertus an English Bishop of S. Bedas time After the custome of the rest in the same age he taught and coÌ„mended the Roman customs to be obserued in his Churches And Fulke Annot. in Hebr. 10. saith Beda liued in a superstitious time long after Antichrist did opeÌ„ly shevv himself And 1. Petri
Monke as Fox writeth lib. 2. pag. 3. and pag. 129. and others Besides of this King Offa Stow writeth pag. 89. that he caused the reliques of S. Alban to be taken vp and put in a Shrine Malmsb. 2. Reg. cap. 4. and adorned with gould and pretious stones and builded there a Prinely Monasterie His Charter saith he is dated An. 793. with the witnesse of him selfe his sonne Egferd 9. Kings 15. Bishops 10. Dukes c. By which we may clearly perceaue the Roman faith of all our Nation then Westmon also An. 794. Telleth how King Offa with the counsell of his Bishops sent to the Pope to haue priuiledges for that Monasterie Pope confirmeth our Kings Charters and the Pope answered that he should grante what he thought conuenient Et nos saith the Pope And we by our priuiledg will confirme our originall And as Paris hath An. 794. Manie Princes became monks He excepted it from all iurisdiction of Bishop or Archbishop subiected it immediatly to the See of Rome His diebus saith Bale Cent. 2. cap 15. In these dayes many Princes in England with shauing tooke vpon them the profession of Monks In this Kings time An. 793. was the Innocent and holy King Ethelbert of East-England slaine S. Ethelbert K. Ethelrida his spouse an Anchoresse Malmsb. in Fastis 1. Reg. cap. 5. Florent Chron. Stow pag 74. Fox Acts. pag. 129. And Etheltida his espouse daughter of King Offa made her selfe an Ancoresse or recluse ex Ingulph In this tyme also was found the body of S. VVithburg daughter of King Anna after 55. yeares buriall ex Florent An. 798. S. Fremund K. In his tyme also liued S. Fremund King and sonne to King Offa Vir saith Cambd. in Brit. pag. 500. magni nominis A man of a worthy name and singuler pietie towards God was canonized for a Saint And Rictrith iamdudum Regina tunc Abbattissa obijt Q Rictrith Nonne Rictrith somtime a Queene then Abbesse dyed Houed An. 786. And An. 799. died Osbald then Abbot K. Osbald Monke Saints but once King of Northumberland Houed Ibid. In this time also died S. Lull Archbishop of Mentz whome not onely Malmsb. lib. 1. Reg. cap. 4. but Bale also Cent. 13. cap. 56. commendeth saying he was homo tum eruditionis c. A man of approoued learning and sanctitie and gaue him selfe as an example of vertue to the Gentills that had any inclination to the Christian faith And yet was he scoller and successor to Saint Boniface that famous Papist Ibid. cap. 57. Bale calleth Saint Burchard his fellowe Virum pium ac religiosum a godly and religious man And cap. 70. he saith that S. Wilhad Archb. of Brome and fellow laborer with them Martirij desiderio pro Rom. Ecclesia flagrabat Burnt with desire of Martirdome for the Church of Rome English desire to die for the Church of Rome In his time also liued that great Clerck Alcuin Confessor to Charles the Great of whome ynough hath bene sayd before 18. Thus thou seest Christian Reader how clearly the Catholick Roman religion hath bene deduced through all those our first Christian Kings for the space of the first 200. yeares after our conuersion from Paganisme to Christianity The effects of Catholike religiō in our nation in 200. years And what notable contempt of the world and holines of life it bred in that time in our Kings Queenes Princes Ten Kings Saints in 200 yaers Clergy and Commons in so much that ten of those Kings that then were are now accounted Saints To wit Ethelbert Fourtene Kings Monks or Pilgrims Edwin Oswald Oswi Sebbi Sigebert another Sigebert Richard Ethelbrit Fremund And fourteene of them forsaking their Kindomes either became Monks or went on Pilgrimages to Rome namely Kinegilsus Centwin Cedwall Ina Sebby Offa VVho vvold not aduenture his soule sooner vvith thes holie Kings Queens and Princes than vvith one boye and a VVomā Princes Cōfessors See marcellin in vit Simbert Princes martyrs Sigebert Ethelred Coenred another Offa Cealwolph Eadbert Kenred Osbald to whome I may adde Oswin preuented by death And 13. Queenes nonnes to wit Bathildis Ethelreda Sexburg kineswith espouse to King Offa Eadburg Eua Emenild Edelburg Ethelburg Canfled Cuthburg VVerburg Erigedida Rictirth to whome I may add Heseswid mother to King Adolph Besides many Kings sonnes as Sighord VVillibald VVinnibald Merefin Adelbert and many more whose names we know not And many Princes Martyrs as Ruffin VVulfhale Elbert Egbrigh and one Confessor S. Pumold And many Kings and Queenes daughters that became nonnes as Edelburg Eartongath Sedrido VVithburg Kings daughters Mildred Milhith VValburg Etheldrida 19. Could such admirable contempt of the world spring from the Diuels religion or rather from his who in our baptisme bindeth vs to renounce the world and pomps therof Can grapes spring of thorns Could so great vertue and holines of life rise from the Diuel the vtter enemy of vertue or rather from God from whome as S. Iames saith commeth all goodnes Can Protestants imagin that God reuealed his truth to them and hid it from so great Saints and seruants of his as those were Did God hide his truth from those vertuous princes and reueal it to a boy and a vvoman who sought it so diligently folowed it so earnestly and as S. Iames speaketh by their workes haue shewed their faith and yet notwithstāding perished euerlastinglie as no doubt must needes be both thought and said if Protestants religion be the only truth of Christ and Christs truth the only way as no doubt it is to saluation No hope of saluation to our Ancestors if the Cath. faith be not the faith of Christ And therfore how soeuer some Ministers say that they will not iudge their Forfathers they cannot but thinke that these holy Princes and their people are damned which they are a shamed to say or that there are diuers wayes to heauen which is right Atheisme or rather Antichristianisme For if ther be any other way to heauen than that which Christ taught we make Christ a lyar But let them thinck as they list I hope all men that are carefull of their saluation and withall consider that as ther is but one God and one Christ so ther is but one baptisme and one faith to wit the Catholick which who keepeth not intirely shall perish euerlastingly will both thinck and say Moriatur anima mea morte iustorum Athan. in Symbolo fiant nouissima mea horum similia Let my soule die the death of the iust and let my end belike to these men And now let vs goe from the Kings of a part of England to the Monarchs of the whole CHAP. XXIIII That all the Kings of England from the Monarchy to the Conquest vvere Roman Catholicks proued in particuler King Egbert XIII 1. THe thirtenth Christian King of the west-Saxons and first that reduced England to a Monarchy was King
see in Malmsb. 1. Pont. pag. 217. 219. it argueth not that he thought he might do so lawfully any more than that he might be as Fox termeth him pag. 1092. a piller and rauiner rather of Church goods or as Godwin in the life of S. Anselme termeth him the most Sacrilegious Simonest that euer reigned in England In so much as Hunting and Paris say An. 1100. when he dyed he had in his hands one Archbishoprick two Bishopricks 12. Abbeies as Stow saith pag. 183. said he would haue all the spirituall liuings in the whole Realme And Malmsb. lib. 4. addeth that he encoraged the Iewes to dispute with the Christians swearing that if they ouercame he would be of their religion Other horrible Villanies of his report Hunt Paris l. cit and others more which declare that he little cared to break Gods or the Churches lawes but conuince no more but that he was an ill Christian and an ill Catholick for life Saints in K. Rufus time In this Kings tyme dyed S. Wulstan Bishop of Worceter whome Godwin calleth Saint and confesseth that men had a great esteeme of him for his streitnes of life and opinion of holines And of other Authors of that tyme he is much commended Marian Cistertian order 〈◊〉 founded by an English man Florent Chron. Malmsb. 1. Pont. And his life is to be seene in Surius Tom. 1. In this Kings time also S. Stephan Harding an Englishman founded the order of Cistertian or white Monks as Bale Cent. 2. cap. 63. Fox Acts pag. 185. Malmsb. lib. 4. Reg. pag. 127. and others write Malmsb. termeth him The cheefe Author of the whole fact and especiall ornament of our dayes In this kings time died also the forsaid Saint Osmund Bishop of Salsburie the Author of that manner of saying masse Breuiarie and administring Sacraments which is called the vse of Sarum King Henrie I. XXXV 4. THe 35. Christian king was Henrie 1. yongest sonne to William Conqueror and borne in England began his Reign An. 1100. and reigned 35. yeares For his knowledg saith Fox lib. 4. p. 191. and science in the 7. liberall sciences he was Sirnamed Beuclerck Valour and qualities of K. Henrie 1. Cooper and Stow An. 1101. say he was a noble valiant Prince mightie of body of comly visage plesant sweete countenance excellent in vvit eloquence had good hap in battel The like write Catholicks of him As for his religion it is euident to be Roman Catholicke His Rom. Religion Fiâ—st because his Archb. was S. Anselm to whose piety he ascribed his conquest of Normandie Ediner in vit Anselm Secondly because he built a Church at Dunstable and by the authority of Eugenius 3. Pope saith Cambd. in Brit. p. 350. placed there Canons regulers Paris p. 98 and VValsing p. 38. name foure Monasteries which hâ— built Thirdly because as Stow saith p 204. Atholph Prior of S. Oswald was his Confessor Fourthly he yeelded vp the Inuestiture of Bishops Fox 194. Malmsb. 5. Reg p. 152. Florent VVestmon An. 1107. Houed 1108. Fiftly saith Paris p. 96. Houed An. 113â— Malmsb. lib. hist nouel lib. 1. Pope Innocent the second was most honorably entertained of him and by his help was admitted through all France Sixtlie Fox p. 192. setteth downe this letter of his to Pope Pascall To the venerable Father Pascall cheefe Bishop Henry by the grace of God K. health I greatly reioice with you at your promotion the See of the Roman Church requesting that the freindship which was betwixt my Father your Predecessors may also continew betwexne vs firme sure And at the same time saith Fox pag. 193. he sent another letter to the said Pope crauing of him his pal for Gerard Archb. of Yorke the forme wherof here followeth K. Henrie 1. Professeth the P. to be vniuersal P. To his reuerend and beloued Father Pascall Vniuersall Pope Henry by the grace of God king of England endeth thus I pray our Lord long preserue your Apostleship Ibid. Fox writeth that this kings Embasador said to the Pope that England of a long continuance had euer bene a prouince peculier to the Church of Rome and paid duely vnto the same yearely tribute Finally in this kings time the Cistertian Monsts entred into England Fox Acts p. 185. Cistertian monks enter into England Bale Centur. 2. c. 63. And in his last sicknes as the Archb. of Roan writeth to Pope Innocent in Malmsb. hist Nouel l. 1. Manner of King Henries death he confessed his sinnes was absolued and receaued the body and blood of our Lord with great deuotion lastly at his own request was aneyled And the Kings Attorney in the arainment of F. Garnet calleth this Kings time the very midnight of Popery S. Cutberts bodie found incorrupt In this Kings time say Florent Houed An. 1104. was the Shrine of S. Cutbert opened by Raph Abbot after Archb. of Canterb. found incorrupt in the presence of Prince AlexaÌ„der after K. of Scotland many more Saints See Saint Anselmes miracles in malb 1. Pont. p 216. 229. In his time died S. Anselm before spokeÌ„ of Thomas Archb. of York who when the phisitians tould him that he must ether vse the company of a woman or die he made choise of death Archb. Thom. vvould rather die than vse the companie of a vvoman For which Godwin in his life accounteth him a martyr though a little before he had said that Saint Oswald in debarring Priests from marriage had set forth the droctrine of Diuels King Stephan XXXVI 5. THe 36. Christian king of England was Stephan grandchild by a daughter vnto the Conqueror Valour of King Stephen He was crowned An. 1135. and reigned 19. yeares He vvas saith Malmsb. lib. 1. Hist Nouel Diligent and stout in war of an immoderat mind prompt to enterprise any hard thing to his enemies inexorable affable to all men Westmon An. 154. A notable souldier and in courage excelling The like hath Hunt l. 8. Cooper Anno 1136. And Stow p. 206. saith he was a noble man and passing hardie of passing comlie fauour and personage in all princelie vertues he excelled as in Martiall policie affabilitie gentlenes and bountifull liberalitie towards all His Rom. Religion His Roman religion is cleare First because his brother Henry Bishop of Winchester was in his time Legat to the Pope Hunting l. 8. Malmsbur hist Nouell Secondly because Stow saith pag. 215. He founded the Abbeis of Coxall in Essex of Furnis in Lankashier of Feuersham in kent Fox pag. 201. Cambd pag 682. 388. a Nonry at Carew an other at Higham Thirdly because being to giue battel on Candlemas day he heard Masse saith Hunting lib. 8. and the candle which he offered broke and the Pix in which the body of Christ was put fell downe vpon the Altar which were taken for aboadments of the losse of the batell Fourthly because in this Kings time
began saith Fox Acts pag. 201. appellations from Councells to the Pope by Henrie Bishopp of Winchester brother to the King In this Kings time Anno 1137. saith Bale Cent. 2. cap. 63. began in England the Monkes called Robertins of Robert their beginner But Capgraue in the life of Robert saith these Monks were Cistertians Monks enter into Englâ—nd In this time saith Bale ibidem entred into England the Moncks called Praemonstratenses Anno 1145. And Anno 1147. began the Gilbertin Monks and Nonnes founded by S. Gilbert Lord of Sempringham Cambd. Brit. p. 475. Neubrig l. 1. c. 16. Capgraue in Gilberto And this time Nicolas Breackspear an English Monke and Cardinall afterward Pope conuerted Norway sayth Bale l. cit ad Papismum to Papistrie And so manifestly were the times vnder King Stephen Papisticall as Bale cent 2. c. 74. speaking of them saith here we vnderstand that there was great want of the pure doctrine of Christ Iesus And cap. 73. saith it was a most corrupt age In this Kings time died also Saint William Archbishop of York Kinsman to King Stephan a man saith Godwin in his life very noble by birth but much more noble in vertue and good maners Saints Miracles many miracles writeth he are said to be vvrought at his Tombe King Henrie II. XXXVII 6. IN the yeare of our Lord 1155. King Henrie second grandchild by the Empresse Maude to Henri 1. succeded and reigned 33. yeares The vvorthines of King Henrie 2. He was saith Fox Acts pag. 234. Eloquent learned manly and bould in chiualrie The like hath Cooper Anno. 1155. and Stow pag. 216. Cambd. pag. 247. hath much of his praise out of Catholick writers of that time Vnder him saith Fox Acts pag. 224. the Dominion of England extended so far as hath not bene seene before VVhom Histories record to haue possessed vnder his rule First Scotland to whome VVilliam King of Scots with his Lords temporall and spirituall did homage both for them and their successors the seale wherof remaineth in the Kings Tresurie as also Ireland England Normandie Guiens Aquitan vnto the mountains of Pirenei He was offered also to be King of Ierusalem by the Patriarch and Maister of the Hospitall Now let vs see what was the religion of this potent King His Rom. Religion and of England when her Dominion was the largest that euer it was First Fox Acts pag. 234. telleth how this King heard Masse Secondly Stow pag. 232. telleth how he built the Nonrie of Font Euerard the Priorie of Stoneley of S. Martin in Douer and of Basing weck To which Cambd. in Brit. pag. 488. addeth Newsted in Nottingham shier and pag. 321. Circester in Glostershier Carthusiian Monks come into England Thirdly he brought Carthusians into England and built them a house at Withan Godwin in vit Hugonis Lincoln Houed saith this was An. 1186. Bale Cent. 2. cap. 63. saith it was 1180. And after Carthusians saith he came in Kinghts of Rhodes and of the Temple And Cambd. Brit. pag. 728. saith the Carmelits were brought in at this time Fourthly saith Stow pag. 216. he was directed cheefely by Thomas Becket in all things Fiftly saith the same Stow pag. 218. He obtained of Pope Adrian 4. both to haue Dominion of the Irish people Bal. Cent. 2 p. 180. and also to instruct them in the â—udiments of faith And the Pope in the letters of the grant calleth him a Catholick Prince Sixtly he Lewis King of France going on foote performing the office of lackeis and houlding the bridel of his horse on the right and lefâ— side Baron tom 12. conducted Pope AlexaÌ„der with great pompe through the Cittie Taciac vnto the riuer of Loir Robert Monten Genebre in Chron. Bale Cent. 2 c. 94. Neubrigen l. 2. c. 14. Thom. Cant. in Ep. ad Henr. 2. Seuenthly Houed p 502. setteth doune the letter of Gilbert Bishop of London to the Pope in which the Bishop writeth that the K. neuer auerted his minde from the Pope nor euer ment it but would loue him as a Father and reuerence the Church of Rome as his mother and had assisted the Pope in all his necessities with all his hart and strength And pag. 550. relateth a letter of Cardinals who writ of the King how obedient he shewed him selfe to the Church of which said they in this our short relation it is not needfull to relate Eightly Fox pag. 227. Cooper An. 1072. and others write that he agreed with the Pope that he should not hinder appeales to Rome and that nether the King nor his sonne should departe from Pope Alexander so long as he should count him or his sonne for Catholicks Bale Cent. 3. cap. 4. saith He permitted Appeals to the Pope and willingly submitted him selfe and his Kingdom to the Popes pleasure And English men came into greater subiection of Antichrist than euer at any tyme before Ninthly he persecuted certain German Hereticks whome Bale Cent. 2. cap 95. calleth Christians and others whome Bale cap. 97. calleth preachers of Gods word And Houed pag. 1573. reporteth that he and the King of France purposed to goe in person against the Albigenses whome Protestants commenly acount brethrem of their Church Finally his death was thus Cùm eger esset saith Houed pag. 654. VVhen he was sick vnto deathe he caused him self to be caried into the Church before the Altar and there he deuoutly receaued the communion of the body blood of our Lord confessing his sinnes And being absolued by the Bishop and Clergie he died And the times of this King were so manifestly Roman Catholick See more of this K. Rom. relig in Baron tom 12. as Fox Acts pag. 224. saith This age was all blinded and corrupted with superstition And yet pag. 225. affordeth it then the name of a Christian Realme that had the word of God And p. 227. noteth the blind and lamentable superstition and ignorance of these dayes Bale Cent. 3. cap. 14. cryeth out that sub Honorio 2. vnder Honorius 2. The life of man was corrupted vpon earth by Antichristian Traditions Saints In this Kings time liued the holy Eremit S. Gudrig Vir saith Cambd. Brit. p. 668. antiqua Christiana simplicitate totus Deo deuotus A man of ancient Christianlie simplicitie wholly deuoted to God Whose holines is described by diuers Capgraue Houed Miracles Anno. 1169. VVestmon Anno. 1171. Neubrigen lib. 2. c. 20. and 28. In his time also liued and died glorious S. Thomas of Canterb. of whose miracles Fox Acts pag. 225. saith he hath seene a booke to the number of 270. of curing all diseases belonging to man or Woman amongst which he nameth one most subiect as he thought by reason of the matter to laughter But who considereth that all the membres of our body were alike created of God may as wel be restored by him again when they are lost and weigheth the testimony which Fox bringeth him self
of the miracle may by this iudg of the certaintie of the rest The matter was thus An inhabitaÌ„t of Bedford hauing had by forme of the lawe which then was his eyes pluckt out and his stones cut away but vniustly made prayer to S. Thomas for the restoring of them which was done That the man had bene thus maimed the Burgesses and Cittizens of Bedford saith Fox did testifie with publick letters And whither he was cured or no was easy to know All that Fox saith against this or the rest of the miracles is that there was no necessitie of a miracle in a Christian Realm hauing the word of God Forsooth he must tel God when there is necessitie yea tie Gods hands to do nothing but for necessitie Had not the Iewes the word of God when they had the daylie miracles of Probatica piscina Doth not the vertue of miracles shine in the Church for euer as the notes of the English Bible imprinted An. 1576. Iohan. 14. do teach But wel it is that Saint Thomas his miracles haue so many and so authenticall testimonies as he must needs conremn all humaÌ„ authoritie who denieth them to haue bene done King Richard Coeur de Lion XXXVIII 7. IN the yeare 1189. succeeded K. Richard Coeur de Lion so sirnamed of his corage Valour of King Richard Ceur de Lion sonne to King Henrie 2. and reigned 10. yeares He was saith Cambd. de Brit. pag. 331. Animi excelsi erecti c. Of an high and vprighit mind altogether borne for the Christian common vvelth Polid. lib. 14. Englands glorie and terror of the Pagans Cooper Anno. 1189 big of stature and had a mery countenance in vvhich appeared as vvel a pleasant gentlenes as a noble and princely Maiestie to his soldiers fauorable bountifull desirous of vvar Subdued the Kingdom of Ciprus conquered the Citty of Acon vanquished the Soldan in the holy Land whither he went with an army of 30000. foote and 5000. horse His Rom. religion The Roman religion of this famous and magnanimous King is manifest First because Houed who then liued pag. 656. 657. Paris 205. and others tel the maner of his coronation was thus The Archb. Bishops Abbots and Priests in Copes with the Crosse before and holy water and incense brought him to the Church Again he tooke his oath on the Gospel and many reliques of Saints After coronation began the solemn Masse k. Richard crovvned at masse and when they came to the offertorie Bishops brought the king to offer and in like sorte to take the Pax. And after Masse returned again with Procession Secondly pag. 222. Paris telleth how he redeemed the reliques of Ierusalem with 52. thousaÌ„d BisaÌ„tes Quatenus saith he To the ende that Saints of God whose bones he redeemed in earth might help his soule by their intercessions in heauen And pag. 497. He obtained of the Soldan that a certain Priest at the Kings stipend might euery day celebrate masse of the holy Crosse at our Sauiours Sepulcher during the time of the truce Thirdly retiring to England saith Westmon Anno. 1194. he visited S. Thomas of Canterb. S. Edmund and S. Albons Shrines and after went against his Rebells in Nottingham Fourthly Houed pag. 658. setteth downe a Charter of his where he graÌ„teth Land to S. Cutbert For the soule of our Father and Ancestors and of our Successors and for our owne and our heires saluation and for the confirmation and increase of our Kingdome Fiftly Houed p. 677. hath a letter of his to Pope Clement 2. which beginneth thus To his most reuerend Lord and blessed Father by the grace of God cheefe Bishop of the holy Apostolick See health and affection of true deuotion in our Lord. The facts of Princes haue better end wheÌ„ they receaue assistance and fauour from the See Apostolick And pag. 706. When king Richard went to the holy Land he left the care of the gouernment of his kingdome vnto the See Apostolick And pag. 753. The same Houed setteth downe a letter of Pope Celestin in which the Pope saith thus The Church of England hath alwaies kept the sincerity of her deuotion and ancient faith with the Roman Church Finally a little before S. Richards death saith Fox Acts pag. 249. England alvvaies deuout to the Church of Rome Three Abbots of the Cistertian order came vnto him to whome he was confessed and when he saw them somwhat stay at his absolution said these words that he did willingly commit his soule to the fier of Purgatorie there to be tryed til the Iudgment in hope of Gods mercie Saints In this publick profession of Roman Catholick faith gaue this renowned King vp his soule to God In this Kings time died Anno. 1189. the forsaid Saint Gilbert who of his order erected 13. Monasteries in England Polid. l. 14. Then also liued Saint Hugh of Lincoln of whome we shall speake hereafter King Iohn XXXIX 8. THe 39. King was King Iohn brother to King Richard who began his Reign Anno. 1199. and reigned 17. yeares Of this King some ignorant Protestants brag as if he had bene a Protestant Bale Cent. 1. cap. 75. because for a time he disobeyed the Pope polid l. 15. commendeth him of valor liberalitie Christian pietie But with shame inough For he lost all in manner that his Predecessors had in France which was neere as much as England it selfe Qualities of K. Ihon. and had almost lost England too VVas as the Earle of Northampton saith of him in the araignment of Garnet impious as wel sans foy as sans terre and that he was as likly to haue departed with his soule as his Crowne if necessitie had pressed him Nether was he ill onely to him selfe but to his people and Contrie from whome being not content by him selfe to extort what he would sent for many thousand Flemings to do the same to whome he ment to giue Norfolk and Suffolk Paris pag. 360. 367. And pag. 325. he nameth the Embassador whome King Iohn sent to the Mahometan King of Africk to offer the subiection of him self and his Kingdom to him and to accept the law of Mahomet which Paris learnt of them to whome one of the Embassadors tould it Neuer the lesse what Christian religion he had is euident to haue bene Roman Catholick His Râ—m Religion First because he was chosen King cheefely by meanes of Archbishop Hubert Paris pag. 264. who was a notorious Papist Stovv pag. 244. Secondly because vpon his crownation he tooke his oath vpon the reliques of Saints Paris pag. 263. and next day after his coronation went on Pilgrimage to S. Albans pag. 264. at Lincoln offered a chalice of gould pag. 273 holpt to carry on his shoulders the body of S. Hugh pa. 274. Houed pag. 812. Thirdly he heard Masse saith Stow pag. 246. and fell downe before the Abbots of Cisterce desiring to be admitted of them for a brother Fourthly he fouÌ„ded a
In this Kings time liued that witty schoolmaÌ„ William Occham King Richard 2. XLIIII IN the yeare 1377. succeeded King Richard 2. Nephew to Edward 3. by his sonne Edward the black Prince and reigned 22. yeares Qualities of K. Richard 2. He passed saith Cooper An. 1377. and Stow pag. 439. all his predecessors in bountie and liberality His Roman religion is most manifest His Rom. Religion First because he was crowned at a Masse wherof Walsingham Anno 1377. setteth downe the beginning of the Introit Graduall Epistle and Offertorie Had a Franciscan Frier for his Confessor Stow pag. 458. In the Commotion of Tiler went to Saint Edwards Shrine prayed before the high Altar offered and Confessed him selfe to an Anchor Stow pag. 459. and gaue to the said Shrine a Ruby then esteemed worth a thousand Markes pag. 593. Made foure Kings of Ireland knights at Masse pag. 501. And made the Earle of Northumberland sweare to him vpon the host after Masse p. 520. But most of all is his religion certain by his owne letters to the Pope and by his lawes and Acts against the Wicklefists Fox Acts p. 590. setteth downe his letters to Pope Boniface 9. thus To the most holy Father in Christ and Lord L. Boniface 9. by the grace of God high Pope of the most holy Roman and vniuersall Church his humble and deuout Richard by the grace of God king of England and France and Lord of Ireland greeting and kissing of his blessed feete And. pag. 511. he citeth an Act of Parlament then made to declare that Vrban was true and lawful Pope And pa. 556. saith King Richard procured letters Apostolicall from the Pope for the confirming of certain statuts of his And pag. 431. citeth a letter of Greg. 11. written in this kings time to the Vniuersitie of Oxford wherin the Pope saith that England doth not onely florish in power and aboundance of riches but is much more glorious and shining in purenes of faith accustomed alwaies to bring forth men excellently learned in the knowledg of holy scriptures grauitie of maners men notable in deuotion and defenders of the Catholick faith The like commendations he giueth in an other letter to king Richard Yea to testifie the Roman Catholick faith of this time and to stop the mouth of some Ministers who are not a shamed to say the Pope giueth leaue to sinne It pleased God this present yeare 1608. to raise in a maner a knight of that time and to make him speake For digging to make a graue in Saint Faiths Church vnder Paules they found the Coffin of Sir Gerard Bray brook the cords wherof were fresh and the herbs of good sauor and vppon his brest a Pardon granted vnto him of Pope Boniface of that time intire and whole in these words Boniface Bishop seruant of the seruants of God To his beloued sonne Gerard Braybrook the yonger Knight and to his beloued daughter in Christ Elizabeth his wife of the Diocese of Lincoln health and Apostolicall blessing It hath proceeded from the affection of your deuotion wherby yow reuerence vs and the Roman Church that we admit to our fauorable hearing your petitions those especially which concerne the halth of your soules Hence it is that we inclining to your requests do by the Tenor of these presents easely grant to your deuotion that the Confessor whom ether of yow shall thinck good to chuse shall by authoritie Apostolick giue to yow a plenarie remission of all your sinnes of which yow shal be in hart contrite and confessed once onely at the point of your death Yow persisting in the sincerity of faith in the vnity of the holy Roman Church and in obedience and deuotion to vs and our Successors the Bishopps of Rome canonically elected So notwithstanding that the said Confessor concerning those things of which satisfaction shal be imposed vpon ether He inioine it to be done by yow if yow return from perill of death or by your Heires if yow then chance to passe from this world that which yow or they are bound to performe as is aforesaid And least which God forbid in regard of such fauor yow be made more prone to committ sinne VVe will that if by any such confidence yow should fortune to transgresse that the foresaid Indulgence shall not any thing profit yow Therfore let it altogether be vnlawfull for any man to infringe this our graunt and will or with rash bouldnes contradict it If truly any shall presume to attempt it lett him know he shall incurre the indignation of Almighty God and his most blessed Apostles Saint Peter and Paul Giuen at Rome at S. Peters the 9. of Iune in the second yeare of our Popedome Behould gentle Keader this ancient pardon and consider by it First the high esteeme that our Catholick Anceistors made of the Popes pardons in so much that this worshipfull knight would send to Rome to procure a particuler one for him selfe and his wife Againe how vntruly Ministers say that Popes giue pardon and leaue to sinne seeing this pardon could not auaile for any sinnes committed vpon hope of the pardon But espetially I would haue thee consider Gods wonderfull disposition in the conseruing and reuealing of this Pardon at this time What thinckest thou that this Knights graue should be neuer opened till this day That the Pardon should be preserued from corruption so long lying in the earth That that onely Coffin in which this Pardon was should haue the cordes so long time sound the flowers so long odoriferous what thinck we this Pardon auailed to the soule of this Knight for which purpose it onely was giuen when it wrought such benefit to his dead corps But now to come to the Kings lawes and Acts against the Wicklefists Fox Acts pag. 441. saith Kings Richards lavvs against vviclefists vvhom Protest account their brethren The King adioined his assent to the setting downe of an Ordinance which was indeede the very first lawe which is to be found made against religion and the professors therof bearning the name of an Act made in the parliament Anno 5. Kichard 2. vvherin saith Fox VVicklefs doctrine is called heresie and notorious errors and slanders to ingender saith the Act discord and dissention betvveene diuers estates of the realme And order is taken for to arest and imprison such till they amend Ibid Fox citeth the letters patents of the King against Wicklef and some other there named or any other noted by any other probable suspition of heresies Again pag. 460. King Richard writeth to the Shrâ—efe of Northamton against the VVicklefists thus VVe willing therfor to withstand the Defenders and maintainers of such heresies Do will and command as wel the fornamed as namely the forsaid Iohn VVoodward to bs apprehended straitly charging the same to be imprisoned by their bodies or otherwise punished as shall seeme good to the Iustices And pag. 504. he setteth downe the Kings Commission in these words VVe by
him Walsingham who then liued Histor pag. 465. and ypodigm pag. 178. Cambden Brit. pag. 442. calleth him Optimum Principem Stow pag. 595. Victorious and renowned King He wonne the great battel of Agincourt and greatest part of France with Paris and was apointed by the French King Regent of France and heir after his death The Roman religion of this Victorious and vertuous Prince is notorious His Rom. Religion First because as Fox saith pag. 569. he made a Statut An. 2. That all and singuler such as were of Wiclefs learning if they would not giue ouer should suffer death in two manner of kinds That is They should be first hanged for treason against the king against whome they rebelled and then burned for heresie against God Secondly this king saith Fox pag. 675 in all his life and all his doings was so seruiceable to the Pope and his Chaplins that he was called the Prince of Priests The valiantest Prince of England called the Prince of Priests These were the Lollards who as Walsing saith Hist pag. 435. were wont to say Now the Prince of the Priâ—sts is gone now our enemy is departed Thirdly he hanged and burnt Syr Iohn Owldcastel called Lord Cobham whome though Fox account a principall martyr of his yet his brother Stow p. 581. calleth him the publick enemy And he was so phantasticall at his death as he talked of his own rising to life the third day pag. 582. He burnt also diuers other Wicleâ—ists ex Bale Centur. 7. cap. 5. And Fox pag. 481. telleth that being yet Prince he was at the burning of the forsaid Iohn Badly and commanded fier to be put to him when he would not recant Fouâ—â—hly he built three Monasteries VValsingham Hist pag. 452. as Beethlem for Carthusians Sion for Brigittings and another for the Caelestins which two last orders came new into England in his time Fiftly his ghostly Father and whom he most trusted and in whose armes he died saith Baâ—e Centur. 7. cap. 84. was the great Clerk and gretest aduersaire of the Wicklefists Thomas VValden Prouinciall of the white Friers ConfessioÌ„ of sinnes befor victorie Sixtly being to giue the battle at Agincourt the night before saith Walsing Hist pag. 438. He and his soldiers spent the night in making their coÌ„fessioÌ„s and prouiding for their soules And in ypodigm pag. 188. telleth how at harflew they had a folemne procession before the blessed Sacrament Of this religion was that English King and English soldiers who won that glorious battell who conquered France and made England renouned Finally This King as Stow faith Anno 1416. England in her most triumphant time accounted it great honor to be esteemed a Nation that ovved deuotion to the Church of Rome sent his Embassadors to the Councel of Constance where Wickleft and his doctrine were condemned and there procured it to be ordained that England saith Stow should obtain the name of a nation and said one of the foure Nations that owe their deuotion to the Church of Rome which vntill that time men of other Nations for enuie had letted Behould Christian Reader how the most victorious that England euer had and England in the most triumphant time that euer she enioyed stroue to be accounted a Nation that owed deuotion to the Church of Rome and accounted that a principall honor And at that time did God blesse our Nation with greatest victories with hapiest successe with largest Empire that euer since or before she obtained And these times were so euidently Roman Catholicke as the Kings Attorny in the araignment of F. Garnet calleth them the verie midnight of Poperie And Fox in Considerat 10. saith Protestants rather died than liued vnder this King In this Kings time liued that great Clerk Thomas Walden Saints who as Bale said Cent 7. cap. 84. conuerted the Duke of Lituania with all his people to popisme and as he reporteth out of Diuers is canonized King Henry 6. XLVII THe 47. Christian King was King Henrie 6. only sonne to King Henry 5. began his reigne Anno 1422. and reigned 38. yeares .. The pietie of K. Henrie 6. He was saith Cambd. in Brit. pag. 345. The best and most pious Prince and pag. 257. A most holy King a patern of Christian pietie and patience King Henry 7. so admired his vertues as he dealt with Pope Iulius to canonize him Fox pag. 716. saith I doubt not but King Henrie 6. was a good and quiet Prince Stow pag. 595. saith he was of nature gentle and meeke suffered all iniuries patiently pag. 624. alwaies naâ—urally inclined vnto good pag. 705. after his death worshiped by the name of holy King Henrie whose red hat of veluet saith he was thought to heale the head ach of such as put it on In both states he was patient and vertuous that he may be a pattern of most perfect vertue He was plaine and vpright onely giuen to praâ—er and reading of scripture and almes deedes Of such integritie of life as the Bishop that had bene his Confessor ten yeares auouched that he had not all that time committed any mortall crime So continent as suspition neuer touched him Polid. l 24. saith manie miracles vvere vvroughtly his bodie Far from couetousnes so religiously affected that on principall holy dayes he would wore sackcloth next his skin He pardoned one who had thrust him into the side with a sword and of his naturall inclination abhored all vices as wel of body as of minde Thus do Protestants commend this holy king His Rom. Religion And his Roman religion is manifest For Pope Eugenius sent to him a goulden rose as to a Catholick Prince Stow pag. 635. And vnder him were diuers Wicklesists burnt An. 1415. 1430. 1431. 1428. And Bishop Pecock made publickly to recant 1457. and had his bookes burnt before his face ex Bale Centur. 7. cap. 75. Godwin in Bishops of Chichester Fox Acts Edit 1596. pag. 605. sequen setteth down the names of diuets VVicklefists wherof some were burnt some whipped some made abiure theâ—r heresie vnder this king And pag. 644. he setteth downe publick letters of the King dated An. 18. Regni where he auoucheth the burning of one VVhite a VVickleâ—â—t calleth him Traitor to God King Edward 4. XLVIII THe 48. Christian Prince was Edward 4. of the house of York who began his reign 1460. and reigned 22. yeares He was saith Stow pag. 689 of noble courage and great wit pag. 722. a goodly personage princely to behould of hart coragious Valour of K. Edvvard 4. politick in counsell in aduersitie nothing abashed in prosperitie rather ioifull than proude in peace iust and mercifull in war sharpe and fierce His Râ—m Religion His Roman religion is manifest For Bale saith Centur. 8. cap. 34. That his Confessor was Iohn Stanborn a Carmelit Qui totus iurauerat in Romani Pontificis authoritatem who wholly swore to the Popes authoritie And Fox Acts Editione 1596. pag. 659.
now we finde too true Queene Marie LIII AFter K. Henrie the eight succeeded in the yeare 1546. King Edward the sixt his sonne a child of nine yeares olde which childe wanting the vse of perfect reason and vnfit to gouern him self was the first Protestant Prince that euer was in England and turned the Roman religion which his Father had left though maimed in one principall point to open Protestancie Not for the miracles or rare vertues of the Preachers therof or their conuincing their aduersaries in disputation as King Ethelbert changed his Paganisme into the Roman religion as is before shewed but because the Lord Protector and his complices thought it most sutable to their humors and most fit for their aspiring pretences But how vnfortunat this exchange was not onely to the soules of this King and principall Actors therin but also to their liues and bodies yow may reade in Stow The ill end of the kringets in of Probestancie where yow shall see that the very same yeare 1548. that Proclamation was made for receauing in both Kindes the Lord Admirall a cheefe agent in the change of religion though brother to the Protector and Vnkle to the King was beheaded for a Traitor And the next yeare 1549. VVhen Proclamation was made against Masse sone after also was Proclamation made against the Protector him selfe the principall author of the change and he cast into the Tower And in the yeare 1552. when the newe seruice booke of Common prayer begun in Pauls the said Protector was beheaded And the next yeare the King died and the Duke of Northumberland an other principall actor in the change of religion though against his own conscience as he openly declared at his death was beheaded for treason and Cranmer and Ridley and other fauorers of that change were depriued of their Dignities and sone after burnt This was the rufull end of the first setters vp of Protestancie For maintenance wherof albeit a new Queene was proclaimed Nobles sworne and the strength of England gathered yet in short time almightie God ouerthrew it again without any bloodshed by one vertuous woman Q. Marie Protestancie ouerthrone by a vvoman vvithout any bloodshed Vertue of Q. Marie Author of danger positions l 2 cap. 14. Her Rom. Religion In the arraignment of F Garnat D Doue lib. of Recusancie vvil haue Bellarm. to be a Protest or at lest no perfect Papist who all the time of her life liued so chastly and religiously that all her enemies could not to this day fasten the least suspicion of vice vpon her And whome euen Protestants write to haue Bene of nature and disposition verie milde and pittifull VVhich argueth that they wel deserued the seueritie which shee shewed towards them And so earnest a Roman Catholick shee was as the Protestants write of her that there was Not these thousand yeares a more obedient daughter to the Church of Rome than she was VVherby yow may iugde of the impudencie of Doctor Reinolds who in his Confer pag. 583. denieth not onely all the former Princes but euen Queene Marie euer to haue alowed the Popes absolute spirituall supremacie or as he speaketh the Popes Monarchie but onely to haue granted him such a preheminence as the Duke of Venice hath in that state But with her in the yeare 1558. ended all the glorie of Catholick Princes of England Who except King Henrie 8. for a few yeares and King Edward 6. had continewed from the yeare 598. till the forsaid yeare 1558. the space almost of a thousand yeares And after rose a new kind of Protestancie differing from that of King Edward the childs time Not as I said before through any miracles or strange vertue of the Preachers therof or their ouercomming their aduersaries in Disputation but against the will of all the Bishops and a great parte of the Nobilitie by the counsel of meere Lay men and the authoritie of a woman who was induced to make this change not for zeale of religion which shee little regarded but to assure her state the more because shee feared if she acknowledged the authoritie of the Church of Rome her birth might be called in question But of the cause maner and meanes of erecting Protestancie we shall speake more in the second booke Epilogue HItherto gentle Reader thou hast heard 53. Princes of England successiuly beleeuing and professing the Rom. Catholick faith besides 70. and more others who reigned ouer certain partes of England whiles it was deuided into diuers Kingdoms whose names onely I will here set downe Kings of Kent 13. Ethelbert Edbald Ercombert Egbert Lotharius Edricus VVithâ—ed Edbert Edilbert Alriâ—us Edilbert-pren Cuthred and Baldred Kings of the East Saxons 9. Sebert Sigebert Sigher S. Sebba Sighard Senfred Offa Sclred Swithed Kings of Eastengland 13. to wit Redwald Carpwald S. Sigebert Egris Anna Ethelere Ethelwald Adulph Elwald Beorna Ethelred Saint Ethelbright S Edmund kings of middle England 17. Namely Peda Vulpher Ethelred Coenred Ceolred Ethelbald Bernred Offa Egfert Kenulph Saint Kenelm Ceolwulph Bernulph Ludecan VVithlof Bertulph Burdred Kings of the Northpart of England 18. Edwin Saint Oswald Oswin Oswi Egfrid Alfrid Ostred Kenred Ostrie Ceolwulph Egbert Ostwuld Mollo Alred Ethelbert Alswald Ostred Athelred and some kings also of the South Saxons Consider I pray thee now the number of these kings which is aboue 120 far aboue the smallest number of two Protestant Princes Consider their sex and age who almost all were men and of mature yeares VVheras of the Protestant Princes one was a childe the other a woman Consider their wisdome and valour in which they were inferior to no Princes in Christendome Consider their vertue which was so great as there are more Kings of Ingland Saints than of all Christendome besides Consider the end for which they first embraced the faith which was nether to enioy their lust nor to get any Church goods nor to assure their temporall state but to gaine heauen Consider the Counsellors whose aduise they followed herein were not ignorant and laye men but vertuous and learned Diuines Consider the motiues which drew them to the Catholick religion to witt rare vertue great learning admirable miracles of their first preachers Finally consider how long they continewed in their faith to wit almost a thousand yeares and how almost in euery Kings time here liued some notable men who with rare vertue and miracles haue confirmed their faith Consider I say all this and then iudge whither the Catholick religion of so many and so worthie Kings or the Protestant faith of one Child and one woman be more likely to be good and to come from God Can we thinke that so many Princes of mature yeares and iudgment should be blinde rather then one child a woman that these could see that in so few yeares which all they could not perceaue in a thousand That these two should hit vpoÌ„ Gods truth for temporall endes rather thaÌ„ they for spirituall That that should be
Thus testified Luther for him self and his German Protestants Calvvin Caluin 4. instit cap. 2 parag 4. for him self and the French Protestants saith thus VVe haue departed from their Popish Church c. 6. para 1. VVe haue left the See of Rome cap. 15. parag 17. VVe confesse we were long time blind and incredulous vnderstood not the matters of baptisme now we accuse our blindnes hardnes of hart Iuel The Apologer of England speaking for him self the English Ministers writeth thus pag. 188. VVe haue indeed gone from the Pope we haue shaken of the yoke of the Bishop of Rome Fox Finally Fox Acts pag. 3. speaking generally of Protestants saith It is true that we are remoued from the Church of Rome And D. Reinolds amongst his Conclusions maketh this one Reinolds That the reformed Churches in England Scotland France Germanie and other Kingdoms and Common wealthes haue seuered them selues lawfully saith he from the Church of Rome And if this be so notorious and confessed of all the cheefe Maisters Churches of Protestants that before Luthers reuolt they were all Roman Catholicks vndoubted it ought to be of al other Protestants of meaner sorte and consequently there was neuer a Protestant before him 8. Fourthly I proue by reason that Luther was the first beginner of Protestancy For as Iuell saith Art 1. diuis 7 Eckius Pighius A question neuer ansvvered by Protestāts Hosius and others who liued in Luthers time haue cried out a maine in their books and pulpits where was your religion before Luther began The like hath Fox Acts pag. 749. and all know to be true And yet could neither Luther then nor any since for him name one man woman or child then liuing who had bene a Protestāt before Luther And howsoeuer it may be thought that before Luthers preaching Protestāts kept secret yet can it not be thought but when they knew him to preach securely they wold haue discried themselues and runne to him if any such had bene Besides that there are men yet liuing who can remember that the first Protestants were Catholicks before Luthers new preaching Fox in his Acts pag. 749. proposing the forsaid question to him selfe nameth a few who rather shew that there were no Protestants in England before Luther For 1. all the persons whom he nameth abiured their faith as him selfe confesseth pag. 750. and died as he writeth shortly after for greef or liued with shame For his Church consisting of abured persons Hovv protested they that abiured 2. these abiurers were as he setteth down in the yeare 1521. foure yeares after Lurhers new preaching and we aske for Protestants before his preaching 3. no one of these abiured persons was accused for holding iustification by only faith which point is the soule head foundation of Protestancie as hath bene shewed before and shall hereafter so that without it they could be no Protestants And if they had held it Fox it wold haue bene discouered For as Fox saith pag. 650. The Catholick Prelats made such diligent inquisition and examination as nether was any word so closely spoken of them no articles mentioned but it was it discouered Wherefore indeed those abiurers were but pore reliques of the Lollards of whome we shall speake hereafter That Luther vvas Author of Protestancie confessed by Protestāts Covel Doue 9. Lastly I proue that Luther was the beginner of Protestancie by the plaine open confession of diuers Protestants and testimony of Luther himselfe For Doct. Couell in his booke of Articles published by authority Art 19. pag. 130. saith thus Some Protestāts make Luther Caluin Authors of the religion among vs. D. Doue of Recusancie p. 32. Luther saith he in his time began a Reformation Harborough And a booke termed the Harborough much esteemed in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth Luther begot truth maketh England to speak thus I am thy countrie England who brought forth that blessed man Iohn VVicklef who begot Hus who begot Luther who begot truth And in the margent hath this note Fox The second birth of Christ Fox also Acts pag. 770 saith Luther pluckt downe the foundatiō of Papistrie by opening one veine long hid before Luther opened the veine of all truth the touch stone of all truth and the onlie principall origen of our saluation which is our free iustification by faith onely And the Author of the booke called Prognostica finis mūdi or Antichristus writeth thus The spirit which telleth things to come vvorketh not but in time of the Gospell which Luther as it is cōfessed note the word tovvards the end of the vvorld did first bring in And p. 13. Prognost Luther first brought in his Gospel Schusselb Impudencie to say ther vvere Gospellers befor Luther Milius Morgerstern Ridiculous to say any had pure doctrin be for Luther The seduction of false prophets is not manifest but vnder the Gospell vvhich before Luther as vve said neuer vvent since the primitiue time of the Apostles And Cōrad Schusselb l. 2. Caluin Theol p. 130. doubteth not to call it impudencie to say that many learned men before Luther did hold the doctrine of the Gospell Georg. Milius in explicat art 7. Confess Aug. If there had bene saith he right beleuers before Luther there had bene no need of a Luther an reformation Benedict Morgenstein tract de Euchar. pag. 145. saith it is ridiculous to think that in time before Luther any note Manifest to the vvhole vvorld that c. had the purity af doctrine and that Luther should receaue it from them considering it is manifest note againe to the whole Christian world that before Luthers time all Churches were ouerwhelmed with more than Cymerian darknes that Luther was diuinely raised to discouer the same and to restore the light of true doctr ne Protestancie began by one man alone Sleid. prefat historia Thus Protestāts but let vs hear also Luther him selfe VVe dare glorie saith he Prefat in Corpus doctrinae lipsiae 1561. that Christ was first published of vs. And de Captiu initio speaking of his impugning indulgences saith I alone did then roole thi◠stone And 1. Galat. fol. 26. we by the grace of God haue gottē here at VVittemberg the forme of a Christian Church Luther first preached his Gospel And 3. Galat. fol. 109. many gaue thanks to God that through the Ghospell which we first note by the grace of God then preached c. fol. 142. we haue receaued the first fruits of the spirit 4 Galat. fol 205. Sectaries at the beginning of the reformatiō of the Gospell were glad to heare vs and read our bookes Luthers Gospel reuealed to the vvorld by him Ibid. The truth of the Gospell God hath now againe in thes latter daies reueiled by vs vnto this vngratefull world 10. Thus you see it euident by many waies that Luther was the first institutor of Protestant religion
beginning he could haue obtained neuer so litle of the Pope he would straight haue bene quiet yet Luther him selfe epistol ad Leon. 10. saith Luther offered to recant vvhat he had vvritten touching pardons I promised silence to Caietan and to make an end of my cause if the same were commanded to my aduersaries And then saith he the matter stood in very good termes but he began to command me recant and then it fell into much worse estate VVherfore what after followed came not by the fault of Luther but of Caietan 2 Sleid. l. 1. fol. 10. saith he submitted him self also An. 1519. Sleid. lib. 1. fol. 17. See Sleidan lib. 1. fol. 1. 5. of Luthers submission to the P. and Church of Rome who suffered me not to be silent when I then most desired And ibidem after this againe he saith I yeelded to your authority and was readie to be silent And fol. 5. an other time he offered silence at request of his Friers Here Christian Reader I appeall to thy coÌ„science whether this man who so often offered to suppresse his new doctrine so he were not bound to recant it intended by preaching it any glorie of God Nay whether by offering to suppresse it he did not condemne both himselfe and his doctrine Was his cause good which he speaketh was at best when it was to be supprest and put to pepertuall sileÌ„ce and became worse when his silence was not accepted and what followed therof he wold not haue imputed to himselfe was it Gods cause which he wold haue buried in silence if he had not bene bound to recant was it Gods cause which was at the best when it was to be suprest became worse wen it was published and wherupon ensueth such euils as Luther wold not haue imputed to him Surely this sheweth that to be time which D. Empser an eare witnes auouched that-he publikly said That this matter was nether begun for God nor shold end for him Luthers protestation that he began not for God was it not his pride which could not brook the shame of recanting or his aduersaries triuÌ„phing ouer him which made him go forward to that which his Cnoscience told him was ill begun 4. VVhat then will you say meaÌ„t Luther by his preaching against Indulgences The end for vvhich Luther began Protestantisme Surely no other thing than for a time to spite the Dominican Friers and to hinder their credit and gaine which hauing hindred by his new doctrine he ment to haue proceded no further therin if he had not bene bouÌ„d to recaÌ„t what vpoÌ„ spite against others he had preached For wheras the Austin Friers had bene wonte to publish the Indulgences which the Pope sent into Germany the Archb. and Prince Elector of Mentz appointed the DominicaÌ„ Friers to publish those which were sent in the yeare 1516. Herupon Luther and diuers of the Austin Friers were sore offended And Luther more impatient than the rest for to spite the Dominicans began first to preach and after to publish conclusions against the valour of indulgences That this was the true cause of Luthers new preaching beside the testimonie of al Catholick writers appeareth partly by what hath bene already said partly also by what shall be rehearsed further out of Protestants Cooper Sleid. lib. 1. fol. 1. For Cooper in Chron. writhus An. 1517. Leo Bishop of Rome according to the manner of his Predecessours sendeth downe general pardons and licence of other things into Germany By occasion wherof Mar. Luther an Austine Frier of VVittemberg first began to preach to the people against Indulgences Note how he confesseth that P. Leo his sending pardons was no new thing or peculiar to him but the custome of his Predecessors yet that Luther tooke occasioÌ„ therof to preach against them which argueth that not the pardons themselues gaue Luther occasion to preach against them before but some thing peculiar to those pardons to wit the publication of them not by Austin Friers as the former pardoÌ„s were published but by the Dominicans For. protestants in their publik letters in Sleidan lib. 8. pag. 110. saie that all this dissentioÌ„ in religion sprung of that some too much extolled indulgences 5. And this cause Fox insinuateth a litle more plainly pag. 771. where he saith Luther was moued vpon the sermons of one Tecelius a Dominican Frier who caused the Popes indulgences to be caried about the couÌ„trie to publish coÌ„clusions against them Loe the Dominicans their sermons or rather their reputation which they got by publishing the indulgeÌ„ces and not the indulgences themselues moued Luther to preach against indulgeÌ„ces And what I pray you should make Luther to impugne indulgences then more then before and to impugne indulgences before any other point of Catholick faith but that the Dominicans had thâ—n not before the publishing of them and they were made peculiar publishers of them of no other point of religioÌ„ And that you may yet more clearly see that no dislike of the indulgeÌ„ces themselues moued Luther to impugne them Fox l. cit confesseth that Luther in the beginning did not vtterly reiect indulgences but required a moderatioÌ„ in them Luther offered to recant vvhat he had vvritten touching pardons Sleid. Eng. lib. 1 fol. 9. Sleid. lib. 1. fol. 2. 5. Luther at first accounted indulgences lavvfull And the Author of Paralip Vspergen addeth that at first he did but lihgtly striue against them only for disputation sake yea Luther himself in one of his Articles set downe by Fox pag. 1167. saith thus Indulgences are in the number of those things which are lawfull And l. de Captiu I did not thinke saith Luther indulgences to be vtterly cast away And Sleidan his scholer addeth histor lib. 13. that he scarce knew what the name of indulgences meant when he first began to preach against them How then could indulgeÌ„ces be the cause of his reuolt from the Cath. faith But as the wise man saith that by the Diuels enuie death entred into the world So may we say that by Luthers enuie against the DominicaÌ„s Protestantisme entred into the world And as enuie of other mens good moued Luther to begin this tragedie so his owne pride which wold not permit him to recant what he had wickedlie taught made him to proceed as appeareth by what hath bene said already And Luther him self confesseth in Sleidan l. 13. that the Popes excommunication of him made him to defend his doings and set forth many books and Fox pag. 771. VVhat made Luther mantaine his doctrin writeth that the rage of Frier Tecelius who called him Heretik made him to mantaine the matter So that not Gods glorie or the goodnes of his cause but euen as him self his best freinds excuse him other mens supposed iniuries moued Luther to mantaine Protestancie The manner of Luthers proceding in ProtestaÌ„tisme His inconstancie 6. As for the maner how he proceded in his
to England which were inestimable within two years after to wit An. 1540. imposed a great tax vpon both Clergy Layty as neuer was heard of before in England as yow may read in Stow other And withall coined base mony in great aboundance which was after called downe to halfe valowe Protestancie at first entrance vndid English men soules bodies goods houses Churches monuments Thus yow may see how Protestancie or rather one pointe therof to wit The deniall of the Popes supremacie altered this K. from a liberall and clement Prince to a most cruel couetous maÌ„ how it entred into our CouÌ„try not only with the losse of our Contrymens soules but also of their goods and liues made such hauock of meÌ„ weemeÌ„ of churches houses ancient Monuments stately buildings as if some fury had come out of Hel or somme mortall enemy had gon roging vp down our Contry ProtestaÌ„ts vvish of Geneua and Beza Surly who well considereth this may say of ProtestaÌ„cy as BaÌ„croft in his suruey c. 3. saith of Geneua It had bene better for this IlaÌ„d if neuer English maÌ„ nor Scotish maÌ„ had bene acquainted there And of Luther as he c. 8. saith of Beza those Churches that followe Bezas humor may iustly wish he had neuer ben born And the DaÌ„gerous Positioner l. 1. c. vlt. saith he thincketh the Scottish Ministers wrought more mischeefe in that Country in 30. years thaÌ„ the P. of Rome had done before in 500. 3. Miserable successe after Protesancie Finally the succes which this King reaped by his alteration was most miserable For wheras before he was loued of English-men at home and feared of strangers abroad after this change made he was secure of neither For first Lincolnshyre men rose against him to the number of 20. thousand Commotions streight after Yorkshier men to the nuÌ„ber of 40. thousand And these insurrections being appeased the Yorkshier men twise after attempted an insurrection And from abroad he was accursed of the Pope and stoode in continuall feare that some forreigne Prince would inuade his Land Prophetie of F. Peto And as Frier Peto then tould him to his face openly in the Pulpit at Greenwich that if he proceeded in his course it woule befal to him as it did to Achab. that doogs should lick his blood there should not be one left of his issue to pisse against a wall The first wherof was seene to be fulfilled after his death when the lead wherin his body was wrapt whilst in the carriage therof to Winsor it stood in the ruins of the monastery of Syon broke and his blood ran out which the doggs lick vp as a graue writer reporteth out of their mouth that sawe it and the second we all now see to be accomplished 4. Catholick religion thus maimed in one point by King Henry was after his death heere turned into Protestancy First in K. Edwards time and after in Queene Elizabeth reigne But who considereth by what authority by what meanes whose procurment it was done A child first and after a vvoman authors of Protestancie in England may iustly think that it was not wrought by God For Protestancie was set vp not by the authority of any man but first by the authority of a child of 9. yeares ould scarce come to the vse of reason and not fit to gouern himself and after by the authority of a woman Meane onely vvil and teror The meanes by which it was set vp was nether miracle nor extordinarie vertue of the first preachers of it or their publick confuting by disputation their aduersaries as Catholick religion was set vp by S. Austin Frocurers laie men but meerely the will of the Protector in King Edwards time and of the Qeeene in her time and the terror of lawes Which meanes are more seeming as befitting Turkish than ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ And lastly the procurrers of this change were not Bishops or Diuins but ether wholly Laymen ignorant of Scripture diuinity against the will of all the Bishops as it was in Queene Elizabeths time or principally Lay-men against the consent of the best learned of the Pastors as in K. Edwards time And how little these men cared for religion but euen against their conscience sought their owne aduancements appeareth by the Duke of Northumberland a principall Doer in the alteration in K. Edwards time who stuck not to tell euen in that time to M. Anthonie Browne after created Vicount Mountaigue as I haue often heard of his honorable and vertuous Lady lately deceased D of Northumb confesseth that against his conscience he set vp the nevv region that he knew the Roman religion to be the truth but yet said he since we haue begon with this new run God run Diuel we wil go forward And that religion was but a colour of his ambitious pretences is also euident by what Stow writeth of him For fiâ—st he repeateth his Oration to the Lords wherin he saith that Gods cause and the preferment of his new word was the originall grownd of proclaming Queene Iane Sleidan lib 25. An. 1553. and after reciteth his words at his death where he professeth the Rom. Catholick faith and professed that he did not for hope of life but for conscience and acknowledged the euils then hapned to England to haue comen by the new religion By this iudg of the rest and now let vs return to Luther CHAP. VII That Luther was ignorant or meanly learned 1 Luthers yong years 1. THat Luther was but meanly learned wheÌ„ he first begaÌ„ ProtestaÌ„tisme I wil proue many waies First by his yong years for he was but 34. years ould when he began this new doctrine At what yeares men haue rather the ground of learning 2 Studied in no famous vniuers Fox p. 770. than are any way excellently learned Secondly he studied in no famous vniuersity nor vnder any notable Maister For the chefest place wher he studied was Erphord in Germany a place of no name and his Maisters names are so obscure as they are not knowne vnles we reckon his black Maister wherof we shall speack heerafter I might also adde that he was brought vp in a monastery because D. Whitak cont Dur. p. 733. saith what can we expect out of Monasteries but Monkish superstitions vnlearned 3 Corporal impediment of studie Thirdly he had a very great impediment of studie For tom 2. pag. 22. thus he writeth I dare not read two whole leaues togeather nor two or three lines of a psalme nor looke vpon any thing long For streight I haue a noise in my ears that I am faine to lay dovvne my head to the forme 2. Fourthly I proue Luthers ignorance by his doctrine For as Feild lib. 4 of the Church c. 24. graunteth His ignorant doctrin Luther made question of S. Iames epist of others Wittak cont Dur. p. 12. saith he vvrote disgracefully of it p. 20
doubted of it p. 22. called it strawish in respect of S. Peters and S. Pauls Epistles And yet as the same Feild saith he had but vveak and friuolous reasons to doubt or as Whitak p. 19. hath had no iust cause of suspition or as Fulke addeth in 2. Iacob had no reason wherfore ether Luther had no iudgment or learning to think friuolous yea no reason weightie reason or he had lesse grace to reiect a parte of Gods word for no reason at all Moreouer Fox pag. 1167. setteth downe these Articles which I think few wil iudge to proceed from great learning To burne Heretiks is against the will of the spirit To fight against the Turk is to repugne against God Soules in purgatory do sin without intermissioÌ„ diuers others which Fox is faine to file with his expositioÌ„ D. Couell in defence of Hooker pag. 42. setteth down this Article of Luther Faith vnles it be without eueÌ„ the least good work doth not iustifie The diuel maie administer sacrameÌ„te by Luther VVeemen maie absolue from sinnes And p. 101. saith Luther is not afraid to affirme that Sacraments are effectuall though administred by SathaÌ„ himselfe Feild also lib. 3. of Church pag. 127. granteth that Luther taught That when and wher no Presbiter caÌ„ be fouÌ„d to performe the office a lay maÌ„ yea a womaÌ„ may absolue which I tink few learned Protest wil defend Caluin 4. Instit cap. 17. Parag. 30. saith that the Lutherans opinion of the Eucharist raiseth vp Eutiches heresie The God head suffered vvith Luther Luther himselfe lib. de Concil part 2. pag. 276. plainly teacheth Diuinitatem posse pati that the God head could suffer And as Zuinglius respons ad Confes Luth. fol. 458. testifieth clearly roundly professed that he wold not acknowledg Christ for his Sauiour if his humanity onely had suffered Himselfe lib. de Captiu cap. de Euchar. leaueth it free to beliue in the Eucharist ether transubstantiation or impanation and professeth that he firmely beliueth panem esse Corpus Christi bread to be Christs body And c. 3. Galat. auoucheth infaÌ„ts to haue acts of faith beleef whils they are baptized which S. Austin Ep. ad Dardan counteth most ridiculous 3. Fiftly I proue Luthers ignoraÌ„ce by the ceÌ„sure of diuers ProtestaÌ„ts ProtestaÌ„ts censure of Luther Fox saith p. 488 Luther had blemishes in doctrine went awry Sutclif Answ to except p. 41. Luthers opinion about the Euchar. is hereticall by infereÌ„ce of such CoÌ„clusioÌ„s as follovv of it To which he addeth p. 55. that he is an Heretik who holdeth any point condeÌ„ned for heresy wherpoÌ„ an other may infer that Luther was an Heretik Zuing. in his Ep. to Luther Anno 1526. saith vve easily see that thou Luther art an vnscilfull or very ravv diuine Whitak cont Dur. p. 22. Zuinglius iudgeth Luther to be ignorant It maketh not much matter saith he vvhether Luther said so or no. p. 27. vvhat is it to me Some Protest contemne Luthers books I care not what they Luther and his cheef scholers misliked And as Fox saith p. 788. Some Protestants giue clean ouer the reading of Luther and fall in vtter contempt of his books 4. Lastly Luthers confessioÌ„ of his ingnorance Sleidan Engl. lib. 16. fol. 232. vvhen Luth began first-to preach against pardon he knevv not vvhat that matter ment as him sâ—lf confesseth I proue Luthers ignorance by his owne confession For as Sleidan reporteth lib. 13. he said thus VVhen I began to preach against indulgences I scarce knew what the name of them ment And in Fox pag. 1173. he confesseth that he is not certaine what is done with a soul which departing without actuall sin yet hath the originall roate of sin nor whither Fear in a man dying with imperfect charitie let his entrance into heauen or no. In like sorte in Colleq Mensal fol. 154. he professeth that he knoweth not how discerne Legem ab euangelio the law from the Gospel And other wher he saith that he knoweth nether Greek nor Hebrew And L. de Captiu cap de bapt Here saith he I confesse my ignorance And cap. de Matrim vnto this day I am so vncertain about vowes as I know not when they are to be thought to bind Ib. I dare not define whither pluralitie of wiues be lauful And L. coÌ„t Chatharin plainly coÌ„fesseth how ignorant he was in the beginning of his new preaching about Indulgences the Pope Church of Rome Councels other matters And 3. Galat. fol. 170. I haue scarsely learnt the first principles of the vse of the law See it fol. 12. and 100. Think of this my deere Countriemen Neander lib. 8. explitet orbis terra Fox p 416. Edit 1563. Iuâ—l Apolog. 5. And was this the man that controlled all the Fathers that condemned al Antiquitie of ignoraÌ„ce and blindnes that contemned al the Canonists schole diuines was this the God as some call him of diuins was this the conductor of Israel was this the man that was giuen by God to lighten the vvorld O wilfull blindnes of men who wil follow so ignorant and blind a guide What must become of both him and them that follow him and forsake the ancient Fathers and Catholik Church but what our Sauiour saith of the like If the blind lead the blind doe they not both fall into the dich And if Luther who had as he saith the first fruits of the spirit was thus ignorant Ignorance of Engl. Ministers what may we think of others who succeded him Some of our Ministers saith Collins in his sermoÌ„ at Pauls Crosse 1607. are enemies to learning Godwin in his preface befor his Catalog of Bishops writeth that the best vvits daily refuse the vniuersities or diuinitie at least Decaie of learning in EnglaÌ„d vvith ProtestaÌ„cie And euery age of Protestant bringeth les plentie of learned men among vs than other And it is much saith he to be feared that our posteritie vvill truly say Aetas parentum peior auis tulit Nos rudiores mox daturos Progeniem ineruditiorem The Declaration of disciplin printed at Geneua an 1580. saith p. 148. That now in steed of labor idlenes is comen into the vniuersities contention neglect and almost contempt of all religion with dissolute licence and libertie wherby they giue them selues to all riot and wantones It greueth me saith that writer how far they are from Muses learning Euen the verie temples of religion the altars the Chapels do waxe prophane vnholie and void of al true religion And much more of the like sorte ib. I. B. alias Bacster in his taile of two legged Foxes cap. 11. greatly complaineth of the decay of learning pietie and religion and the contempt and beggarlines of Ministers Wher he saith that some of them haue no more knowledg than idols of woad or stone and termeth them Syr Ihons lack latin lack learning lack coÌ„science O how doth learning decay and
Luther was sent ordinarily by man some say that he was sent by his Magistrat and Prince the Elector of Saxonie 5 Sleid. Engl. lib. 1. fol. 10 saith the D. vvas at first displeased vvith Luther and fol. 22. the D. professeth not to montaine Luhers doctrin See fol 26 But this can not be First because Frederick then Elector at the first nether encouraged saith Fox pag. 771. nor supported Luther but often represented heauines and sorrow for his procedings Secondly because the Elector was a Romā Catholick when Luther begā a whil after How then cold he first send Luther to preach that doctrine which before Luther he nether beleued nor knew of Thirdly because power to preach is supernaturall and mere spirituall because it pertaineth to care of soules and their direction to a supernaturall end But the power of Magistrates is naturall ciuil and pertaineth to direction of men to their natural end as common to Heathen as to Christian Princes And who will say that Heathen can send men to preach and giue them care of soules Againe who can giue power to preach and administer the Sacraments may also himselfe preach and administer Sacraments for none can giue what he hath not himselfe But woemen may be Princes who yet can not preach Therfor Magistrats can giue no power to preach And this diuers learned Protest do grant For Bilson l. of obed approued by publik authority p. 296. plainly saith that their Bishops haue not their authority frō the Prince and that the Prince giueth then not Commission to preach but only liberty and permission Bilson And 303. The charge saith he which the Preachers and Bishops of England haue ouer their flock procedeth not from the Prince And p. 322. Princes haue no right to call or confirme preachers which he repeateth p. 323. And Fulke in 1. Cor. 14. Fulk The authority saith he of ciuil Magistrates doth giue Bihops nothing that is peculier to Ecclesiastical Ministers Finally howsoeuer soueraigne Princes cold send men to preach yet subiects as that Prince Elector was to the Emperor cold not against their soueraignes will send any And therefore Luther nether was nor cold be sent first to preach of Duke Frederik Luther not sent by anie Protestant Church 3. For this cause other say that Luther was sēt by his Church So Fulk in Ioan 10. But this is easily disproued by what hath bene shewed before cap. 1. by the Protestants confession of the nullity or at least inuisibility of their Church befor Luthers preaching For howsoeuer he might be confirmed of a Church which himselfe founded Ther must be a Protestant preacher befor ther be a Protest Church and no Church can send her first preacher yet cold he not be first sent to preach of a Church which before he preached was not at all or at least was not visible Wherfore I demand whē the people sent Luther to preach Protestancy whiles they were Rom. Catholick But that can not be for no man will send one to preach opposit doctrine to his Or after that Luther by his preaching had made them Protestants But then had he preached before he could be sent of them and they could not be his first senders 4. Others finding no Protestant people or persō who could send Luther to preach Protestancy before he preached it are faine to flie to their vtter enemies to wit the Roman Church and say that she first sent Luther So D. VVhitak cont Dur. pag. 820. Sutclif Answere to Except pag. 88. Feild l. 3. of the Church c. 6. 39. Fulk in Rome 10. and English Potestants commonly thought some of them be ashamed to affirme it in plaine termes Luther not sent of the Rom. Church Their only reason is because no other can be found to send Luther But if they meane of sending to preach Protestancie it is most false and incredible False because both P. Leo 10 and Emper. Charles 5. then spirituall temporall heads of the Rom. Catholicks forbad Luther to preach Protestancy and the one condemned him as an heretik for so doing the other outlaueth him And incredible it is that the Rome Church shold send a man to preach a religion so opposit to hers as Protestācy is this were for her to set one to cut her own threate And if they meane of sending to preach Papistrie that auaileth them nothing For I hope they wil not say that authority or Commission to preach one religiō is authority to preach the contrary or that the Roman Church when she gaue Luther authority to preach Papistry ment to giue him authority to preach Protestancy any more than Protest Bishops when they giue their Minister authority to preach Protestancy meane to giue thē authority to preach Brownisme or Anabaptisme Besids that the purer sort as our Ministers teach that Popish Priests haue no calling as you may see in Penry against some pag. 31. And in truth al Protestāts shold teach so if they would speak cōsequētly to their own doctrine VVhat Church can send men to preach Gods vvore is Gods Church For if she haue authority power to send men to preach the word of God then is she the Church of God for sure it is that God gaue this authority to no other cōpany but to his own Church only And Protest in going out of this Church impugning her wēt out of Gods Church impugne her Moreouer if the Ro. Church gaue Luther his authority to preach she also could take it away For as willet saith wel Synopsis p. 203. authority of preaching in Ministers may be restrained or suspēded by Church gouerners we see the practise herof towards the silēced Ministers By what authority then preached Luther after he was fordidden by the Rom Church Finally if Luther had his authority to preach frō the Rom. VVhat confusion vvill fall vpon Protest if they saie their first preachers vvere sent by the Rom. Church Church which in the opiniō of Protestāts is the whoare of Babilō the Church of Antich the Sinagog of Sathā Luther his Ministers must needs be miniōs of the Babiloniā whore officers of Antich Ministers of Sathan in their preaching execute the function which he whore Antichrist Sathan bestowed vpon them 5. Herupō others vtterly despairing to find out any cōpany or person to whome they might hansomly attribute the sendind of Luther fly to extraordinary sending by God alone saying that Luther their first preachers were sent only of God thervpon call thē Apostles or Euangelists So Cal. 4. instit c. 3. § 4. the sinod at Rochel An. 1607. art 32. others yea the Declaratiō of disciplin printed at Geneua 1580. pag. 139. saith plainly that in our dayes there was no place of ordinary calling therfore the Lord extraordinarily stirred vp as it were certain new Apostles to lightē the world again with the light of the Gospel Luther not sent extraordinarily