that thou didst neuer see him nor know him yea I nothing doubt but that thou wast scarcely borne wheÌ„ he died And how dost thou know yâ— he was subiect to such filthy sinne where was hee euer accused or conuicted of such a matter In that Cittie adulteries be punished by death and would Sodomie haue bin winked at in the Preacher And if it were not knowne there how doest thou know it But I will not insist any longer in coÌ„futing this shamelesse slaunder For most true it is which Tully saith Nonne vt ignis in aquam coniectus continuo restinguitur Cicero pâ—o Rosâ—â—o Com. refrigeratur sic referuens falsum crimen in purissimam castissimamque vitam collatum statim concidit extinguitur As fire being cast into water is straight waies quenched so a feruent false crime and slaunder being cast into a most pure and chast life such as Caluines was forth with falleth downe and is extinguished And euen so let this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. slanderer Bolsec the Apostata and all other raile and slaunder what they can yet Caluines memorie with God and all good men wil be blessed for euer And this raiser herein sheweth himselfe like not onely to the Arians but also to that ancient enemie to Christianitiâ— Porphyrius who as Eusebius saith going about to reprehend find fault with the Scriptures and Preachers of the Word not being able to reproue their doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—useh Eccles Histor lib. 6. cap. 19. wanting reasons he fell a railing and slaundering the Preachers But to returne to my matter let the reader also with indifferencie consider who bee like to the Donatists Pelalagians Nestorians Eutychians we or the Papâ—sts The Donatists affirmed the Church to haue perished from the rest of the world and to haue remained onely with them in Africa doe not the Papists in like manner affirme only them to be the Church of God which in a part of Europe be vnder the obedience of the Bishop of Rome vnlesse now they will adde the West Indians of whome as the Spaniards haue murthered many millions so peraduenture a few be either perswaded or coacted to professe Poperie and submit themselues to the Pope of Rome But the Christian Churches in Grecia Aethiopia Armenia Muscouia and other countries they acknowledge not for the Church of God because they doe not subiect themselues vnto the Church of Rome we acknowledge al them to be of the Church of God which in all the world hold the truth in the chiefe and sundamentall points of Christian religion The Pelagians held first that the grace of God whereby we be deliuered is giuen according to our merits Secondly that the law of God may be fulfilled of vs. Thirdly that wee haue free-will the Papists herein be so like to them that as they maintaine in effect the same matters so for the defence of them that alleadge the same places of Scriptures now as the Pelagians of old time did as appeareth by the writings of S. Augustine and S. Hierome Theodo lib. 4. Haeret. â—abul against them Nestorius did as Theodoretus writeth of him trouble and intangle the simple and plaine doctrine of Christian faith with Greekish Sophistications How the Papists haue herein ioyned with him and by their curious questions and vaine Sophistications haue troubled and peruerted the pure simple and plaine faith of Christ by their Schoolemen it doth euidently appeare Eutyches confounded the two natures in Christ and the properties peculiar to them So doe the Papists in making the body of Iesus Christ to be at one instant in heauen and earth and infinite places of the earth which is only proper to the Deity This shall suffice to shew that the Papists bee liker to these olde heretikes then wee are whose doctrine we abhorre and be farre further from it then they be Yea I may not onely truly say but can also plainly proue Poperâ—e to be an hotchpotch of old heresies long ago condemned in the Church of God The which as I did once in publike place shew so I may if it be the will At Paules Crosse Anno 1590. of God heareafter more plainly and plentifully proue Now this worthy writer or rather lewd libeller will proue and that by a Syllogisme out of the principles of our religion that S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie This subtile Syllogisme is thus framed Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to infidelitie But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluation which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion Ergo. S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie As the assumption or second proposition of this sillogisme as it now standeth is false so by a small alteration both it and all the rest may be very true that is by putting out the name of S. Paul and putting Papists in place thereof in this sort Whosoeuer exhoâ—teth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhort vs to infidelity The Papists exhort or at least-wise teach us to doubt of our saluation Ergo the Papist exhort vs to infidelity The first proposition of this sillogisme is affirmed by Sess 6. pag. 29. this writer to be plaine The second is the doctrine of the Papists concluded determined in that Tridentine Conuenticle where it is said that they which be truly iustified cannot without all doubt account them-selâ—es to be iustified And againe that no man can know by certainty of faith which is not subiect to error and falsehood that he hath obtained the grace of God And againe Sâ— quis dixerit omni homini c. If any shall say that it is necessary for euery man to the obtaining â—â—id can 73. of remission of sinnes to beleeue certainly and without doubt of their one infirmity and indisposition that their sins be forgiuen them be he accursed But more plainly and pregnantly doe the Doctors of Louaine lay downe this doctrine of doubting Fides qua quis firmiter In articul aduers Luther artic 9. credit certò statuit per Christum sibi remissa esse peccata seque possessurum vitam aeternam nullum habet in Scripuris testimonium imo eisdem aduersatur The faith whereby a man doth firmely beleeue is certainly assured that his sinnes by Christ bee forgiuen him and that hee shall possesse eternall life hath no testimony in the Scripture yea is contrary vnto them Here-vpon I conclude by this writers owne reason that the Papists in mainteining this doctrine of doubting teach infidelity But whereas these Louainian Doctors say that this doctrine of the certainty of forgiuenes of our sinnes by Christ and of our possession of eternall life is not testified in the Scriptures but contrary to them how false this is I referre it to bee tried by these places here following They that trust in the LORD shall bee as mount Sâ—on
vnitate ecclesie Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est puaica vnam domum nouit vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit Haec nos Deo seruat haec filios regno quos generauit assignat The spouse cannot bee defiled shee is vncorrupt and chast shee knoweth one house and keepeth with chast shamefastnesse the holinesse of one chamber she keepeth vs to God she assigneth the children whome shee hath borne vnto this kingdome Saint Hierome saith Ipsa Hieron in Iob cap. 28. ecclesiae quae est Sanctorum omnium congregatio pro aeterna sibi in Domino stabilitate columna fundamentum dicitur veritatis The Church which is the congregation of all Saints by reason of her eternall stedfastnes in God is called Chrysost in Ps Hom. 114. the pillar and ground of truth Chrysostome saith Ecclesia est tabernaculum à Deo fixum non ab homine ab vno lcco in alium fugit sed non à pietate ad impietatem fugit The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight and not man shee flieth from one place to another but she neuer flieth from Ambros in Ephes cap. 1 Godlines to impietie and wickednes Ambrose Apostolus omnem ecclesiam dicens summatim totum comprehendit quod in coelo est in terra The Apostle meaning all the Church briefly comprehendeth the whole which is both in heauen Bern. in Cant. serm 78. Clem Alexand. Strom. lib. 7. pag. 35. Bedain Cant. 6. and in earth Ternaâ—d saith Electi Dei sunt ecclesia Dei The elect of God be the Church of GOD. So saith Clemens Alexandrinus Non nunc locum sed electorum congregationem appello ecclesiam I call not now the place the Church but the congregation of the elect So saith Beda vna est columba perfecta mea vna est inquit catholica elâ—ctorum omnium multitudo peromnia et mundi Loca et tempora seculorum deo patri subiecta 1. my perfect doue is one hee saith that there is one Catholike multitude of all the elect by all both places of the world and ages of times subiect to God the father Yea Friar Lyra saith Lyra in Mat. 16. Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistat in hominibus ratione potestatis vell dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principaes summi pontifices alii inferiores inuenti sunt apostatasse à fide propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera et confessio fidei et veritatis Whereby it appeareth that the Church consisteth not in men in respect of their ecclesiasticall or secular power or dignitie for many Princes and Popes and others of lower Popes Apostates degree haue bene found to haue bene Apostates and to haue fallen away from the faith Wherefore the Church consisteth in those persons in whome is true knowledge and the confession of faith and truth So saith the Fryar Alphonsus de castro Ecclesia ex omnibus fidelibus constat Aduers Hares lib. 1. cap. 5. fol. 11. non solum presentibus verumetiam preteritis et in posterum futuris 1. The Church consisteth of al the faithful not onely them that bee now present but also heretofore haue bene and hereafter shall be This is that holy Catholike Church which wee in the Creed confesse and beleeue euen the whole number of them whom God hath elected and chosen to eternall life whom God hath had in all ages and of all nations Of which Church euery true and faithfull man and woman must beleeue him-selfe to bee a true and liuely member whereof hee may bee assured if hee finde and feele that GOD hath lightened his minde with the knowledge of his truth hath wrought in his heart an vnfained faith to trust in his mercies and to beleeue that his sinnes be forgiuen him for Christes names sake and that God hath sanctified his soule and body to hate sinne and to haue a care and conscience to serue him in true holines righteousnes all the eaies of his life This being our confession and bâ— liefe with what conscience truth can this man say that the Church which the Protestants beleeue hath been interrupted al the ages betwixt the Apostles and Luther and in very deed was neuer seene before Luthers daies or that we imagine the same to bee comprehended within the narrow bounds of England I can say no more but that a false witnes shall Prouerbe 19. 5. not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape But now lette vs see what this man and his fellowes hold beleeue and call the Catholike Church forsooth the companie of all them that receiue and professe the religion and doctrine of the Church of Rome submit themselues to be ruled and gouerned by the Bishop Pope of Rome They that do not this be Heretikes Schismatikes out of Noahs Arke and out of the Catholike Church And herevpon it followeth that the Christians in Graecia Muscouia Armenia Ethiopia c. where Christianitie hath continued vnto this day and among whom no doubt but some haue been of Gods elect and chosen people yet bee they no Catholikes nor of the Catholike Church nor in the state of saluation and why because they neither haue been nor be subiect to the Pope of Rome For so it is with many words sollemnely defined determined by that holy Pope Bonniface the 8. Subesse Roman opontifici omni humanae creaeturae Extra de maior obedien unaÌ„ sanctam declaramus dicimus definimus pronuntiamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis that is We declare say define and pronounce that it is altogither of necessitie of saluation to be subiect to the Pope of Rome Where the Glosse helpeth out the matter with these wordes Quicquid saluatur est sub Gloss ibidem summo ponitfice Whatsoeuer is saued is vnder the Pope And on the other side All they that professe the religion of Rome and submit them-selues to the Bishop thereof bee Catholikes and of the Catholike Church how prophane wicked or vngodly soeuer they be Pope Iohn the 8. the whore Iohn the 12. or as some reckon him the 13. who was an adulterer and of two Cardinals did cut out the tongue of the one the hand of the other and at dice-play would call vppon the Diuell and made the Pallace of Laterane a stewes of strumpets as Luithprand lib. 6. cap. 7. Luithprandus Ticinensis writeth Syluester the second a coniurer who gaue himselfe to the Diuell to be made Pope Gregorie the 7. a coniurer and monster Bonniface the 7. Platina in Syluest 2. who robbed Saint Peters Church and put out the eyes of Iohn a Cardinal Bonniface the 8. who entred into his Popedome like a foxe raigned like a wolfe and died like a dog Jdem Alexander the sixt Iulius the second and al they whome
Presbyterum conuiuio secundarum nuptiarum interesse non debere maxime cum paecipiatur secundis nuptiis poenitentiam tribuere A priest ought not to be present at the feast of second marriages specially because he is commanded to appoint Distiâ—st cap. 20 de libellis penance to second mariages This councell although it were prouinciall was confirmed by Pope Leo the fourth as appeareth by Gratian and the Papists hold that prouinciall Sozom. lib. 4. cap. 17. councels confirmed by the Pope cannot erre The councel of Ariminum wherin were assembled aboue foure hundred Bishoppes horribly erred in maintaining the blasphemous doctrine of Arius The like did the Councels of Millaine Seleucia and of Tyrus The second Councell of Ephesus erred and maintained the false doctrine of Eutycheâ— These councels the Papists confesse to haue erred and why because they were not allowed and confirmed by the Bishoppe of Rome A simple and shamelesse shift as though the Bishop of Rome had in those daies power either to call or confirme Councels any more then the other Patriarks had In that second Councell of Nice most vnlike vnto the first not onely the wicked worshipping of Images was allowed and the Scriptures for the confirmation therof most shamefully abused and detorted as appeareth by the said corrupt councell and Caluin and Caluin Instit lib. 1. cap. 11. Sec. 14. Mart. Ciâ—mni exam Concil Tridet part 4. de imagine Action 5. Mart. Chemnicius haue largely shewed but also in the same was decreed that the Angels haue bodies and that the soule of man is corporall and therefore they may bee painted the which be soule errors If you will not allow the worshipping of Images to be an errour then you cannot say but that the Councell of Constantinople vnder Leo the Emperour where were present 338. Bishops and another of Frankford vnder Charles the Great in which the worshipping of Images was condemned did erre Some of these Councels erred To omit for breuitie sake Platiâ—a in Stepha 6. many other Councells a Councell at Rome vnder Stephanus the sixth or as some reckon seuenth condemned Pope Formosus and his doings Another Councell at Rauenna vnder Pope Iohn the tenth restored Formosus and Platina in â—oan 10. condemned Stephen and the actes of his Councell I hope you will not or cannot say but that one of these Councels erred Another Councell at Rome vnder Pope Nicholas the second caused that excellent learned and godly De coÌ„se Inst 2. Ego Bereng Sâ—ss 13 man Berengarius to recant and to confesse that the very true body of Christ is indeed handled and broken by the Priests hands and torne wtth the teeth of faithfull people The which is a grosse false and blasphemous doctrine The Councell of Constance erred most wickedly in taking away the cuppe of the Lord from the lay people contrary to the word of God and the testimonie of all antiquitie And that their last Councell of Trident hath fouly erred and confirmed false doctrine repugnant to the truth of Gods word and the Canons of ancient Councells both these excellent learned men Martinus Chennicius Innocentius Gentilletus haue shee l and wee doe and will proue to the consciences of all those whom the God of this world hath not blinded I am not ignorant what coullors the Iesuite Bellarmine seeketh to cast vppon the foresaid errours of these Councels and such others and what simple shifts he seeketh to elude auoid them the which I wil not stand here to answer but I will referre the reader to the answers of Lamb. Danaeus and to that excellent man of blessed memory D. Wbitakers where hee may find the weakenesse and nakednesse of Bellarmines said shifts plainly discouered and the same fully confuted the which I thnke will stand as other of his workes haue done long vndefended Whereas you note in your margent the ancient Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon wherin old heretikes were confuted and condemned and thereby claime them to appertaine to your Church I answer that as it is most certaine that those Councels were not called nor gouerned and directed by the Bishops of Rome as now by vsurpation they are so you shall neuer proue that those Godly and learned fathers agreed with you in many great and principall points of Christian doctrine It were easie to shew that sundry things were condemned by them which be receiued and vsed by you And therefore you vainly brag of their names whose doctrine and proceedings you haue forsaken neither haue you so much by disputation in Councels as by cruel persecution through fire and fagot suppressed such as in all ages haue complained of your idolatry and abominations as plainely appeareth by histories As it is true that we admit the holy Scripture or rather the holy Ghost speaking in the scripture to bee the supreme vmpier and Iudge in matters of controuersies and acknowledge him to be the onely infallible interpreter of his own words so is it false that we admit no other iudge but remit all to euery mans priuate spirit and singular exposition We say that as the holy Ghost in the Scriptures is the high infallible iudge and interpreter of the Scriptures so we acknowledge inferiour Iudges and interpreters both priuate and publike Euery man is a priuate iudge to discerne and iudge of the doctrine which he heareth or readeth in the Scriptures So Saint Paul saith I 1. Cor 10. 15. 1. Ioâ— 4. 1. Ibid. 14. 29. 1. Thess 5. 20. speake as vnto wise men iudge ye what I say Let the Prophets speake two or three and let the other Iudge Despise not prophecying Try al things keep that which is good Abstain froÌ„ al apperance of euill Beloued beleeu not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God The spirituall man iudgeth all 1. Cor. 2. 15. Heb. 5. 14 Iohn 10. 5. things Good Christians ought to haue their wits excersised to discerne both good and euill The true sheepe of Christ heare and know his voycâ— and they will not follow a stranger but they flye from him for they know not the voyce of strangers whereby our Sauiour christ sheweth that those which bee his sheepe and bee truly gathered into his fold can iudge and discerne betweene his voye sounding in the Scriptures and the voyce of strangers deliuering a strange doctrine differing and dissenting from the same such is the false doctrine of the Church of Rome Wee also admit publike iudges of controuersies both seuerally as learned Bishops Pastors and Doctors who may giue their sentences and iudgements in matters in question and coniunctly when they bee assembled in Synodes and Councels to examine questions of greater difficultie and to decide the same Howbeit their iudgements be not infallible Psal 11 6. for all men be lyars and subiect to ignorance and errour neither haue they any absolute power and authoritie to iudge after their owne spirit or mind but according to
the canonicall Scriptures from the which if they bee found to decline and swarue their iudgements are not to be followed But your meaning is that the Pope with his Councell is the supreme vmpire and iudge in matters of controuersie and the infallible interpreter thereof How they haue most falsly interpreted the Scriptures I haue in some part shewed before and that hee who is a partie and whom a great part of Christendome doth accuse to bee Antichrist and guilty of most grieuous crimes as of impietie idolatrie tyrannie ouer the Church sacriledge treason c. should bee iudge in this his owne cause is against all law and reason It is written in your owne Canon lawe Si Vide Brutum Fulmen 16. quâ—st consuctudo in glossa Distinct 40. Si Papa in gloss Papa cum aliquo causam hâ—bet non debit ipse esse iudex i. If the Pope haue matter with any other he ought not himselfe to be iudge And againe Quando Papa est in statu qui plerisque est offendiculo scandalizat EcclesiaÌ„ nec est corrigibilis tunc non potest esse iudex quia videtur malè sentire de fide i. When the Pope is in that state that he is an offence to many and scandalizeth the Church and is incorrigible then he cannot bee iudge because he seemeth to be of an euill faith And euen so not onely we do but also many of his owne fauourers haue iustly accused the Pope to be You vainly and falsly exaggerate controuersies and irreconciliable iarres as you terme them among vs in essentiall points of faith But why doe you not particularly expresse some of those essentiall points of faith Surely because you cannot I confesse there hath bin in our Church some controuersie concerning externall ceremonies and forme of gouernment as there hath beene heretofore betweene good men as betweene Peter and Paul betweene Paul and Barnabas betweene Anicetus Bishop of Rome Galat. 2. and Polycarpus betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius and many others who all were godly men agreeing in vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God But you that are so eager in traducing our iarres cannot see your owne manifold and vnreconciliable iarres and controuersies among your selues As betweene your Schoolemen namely your Thomists and Scotists differing in sundrie matters of moment as not onely Erasmus hath declared but also Iohn Bishop of Rochester hath affirmed Also betweene Assert Luth. art 36. pag. 339. your Dominican and Franciscan Friers about the conception of the virgin Mary debated not onely by words but also by blowes which controuersie was neuer yet decided but in the Councell of Basil which the Papists count a schismaticall Councell and in the same was the false doctrine approoued to wit that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne You cannot see your iarres betweene your great Maister of Sentences Peter Lumbard who iustled Saint Paul out of the schooles and your Sorbonist Doctors of Paris which found and condemned 26. errors in him nor the iarres betweene Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Minorien and Dominicus de Soto confessor to Charles the fift concerning assurance of Gods grace predestination originall sinne freewill and induration of a sinner as in their bitter bookes one against another about these matters appeareth nor the iarres betweene the said Catharinus and Cardinall Caietane whome Catharinus chargeth with 200. errors of which he writeth thus Quae vt non solum euidenter falsa meritò culpari possent veruÌ„ etiam vâ— Christianâ— religioni perniciosa c. Which may be worthily reproued not onely as euidently false but also as pernicious to Christian religion I might mention many mo iarres among the Papists and namely betweene the secular Priests and Iesuits as appeareth by their bitter bookes one against another and particularly that of Willam Watson a secular Priest lately published in print against the Iesuits which this cauilling exclamor cannot espy who can see a moate in our eyes but cannot behold great beames in their owne but for shortnes sake I omit them at this present onely the learned may see how that great Rabbi Rob. Bellarmine iarreth with all other his pewfellowes and in very many essentiall points of doctrine dissenteth from them and controuleth them Whereof also Iohannes Pappus hath made a large collection Here in your later edition and addition you make a particular declaration of our iarres in matters of religion but all grounded vpon your owne baâ—e words without any allegation of places and testimonies whereby they should be confirmed and the reader perswaded and satisfied But you thinke your bare assertion will be sufficient for that your fauourers whome you haue with a strong delusion bewitched will take your naked asseuerations for sound probations You say that wee goe about to bleare the peoples braines with I know not what vnity and conformity in matters of faith c. But who haue not onely bleared but also starke blinded the braynes of the people heauen and earth can witnes euen they that haue taken away the key of knowledge haue kept the light of Gods word vnder the busshell of a strange tongue and haue taught ignorance to be the mother of deuotion as before is declared But let vs come to the particular iars which you say are amongst vs. The 1. is the kings supremacy the which you say all sound Puritans in the world deny and defie The which is a most false slander for there is neither Protestant nor such as it pleaseth you to call Puritans so farre-forth as I know and beleeue but as they deny and defie the Popes wicked supremacy which he hath vsurped and wherby he hath tyranized ouer the Church of God and Soueraigne Princes so they doe vnfeynedly confesse and acknowledge the kings Supreme power and authority in his kingdomes and dominions in all causes and ouer al persons both ecclesiasticall and temporall or politicall They all say with Saint Paule that euery soule ought to bee subiect to the higher powers whether they be as Saint Chrisostome saith Apostle or Euangelist or Prophet or whatsoeuer he be for this subiection doth not ouer-throwe God-linesse They all confesse that it belongeth to his royall dignity to see and procure not onely iustice to bee executed and peace mayntained but also that God bee truely and sincerly serued according to his will reuealed in his word And that he ought to suppresse and punish the transgressions not only of the first table of Gods commandements but also of the second in abolishing all Idolatrie superstition and wicked worshippinges and in remouing and punishing those that doe commit them They all confesse that he is next and immediatly vnder God subiect to the censure of none vpon earth If you know any Protestant or Puritaine that teacheth or writeth otherwaies alleage their wordes and produce the places But you say that Caluine whome it pleaseth you to call the Puritanicall Patriarke thought not well of King Henry the eights supremacy I answere
that Caluin of blessed memory well liked and allowed such authority in Kings and magistrates as wee acknowledge to bee in our gratious King and his Maiesty claymeth and vseth This Doctrine Caluine most soundly setteth downe both in many places of his workes and especially in his Institutions lib. 4 chap. 20. But Caluin iustly misliked that power and authority which that great enemy of Gods truth and parasitycall flatterer Stephen Gardiner did attribute to King Henry the same in effect which before they had acknowledged to be in the Pope to doe in a manner what he would in the seruice of God For Caluin saith that Gardiner being at In Amoâ— cap. 7. Ratisbone and dealing about matters of religion disputed not by arguments nether greatly cared for the testimonies of the Scriptures but said that it was in the Kinges will and pleasure to abrogate ordinances and to ordaine new rites and orders That the King might apoint the people to eate flesh this or that day that he might forbid Priestes to marry wiues that hee might take away the cup from the Lay people in receauing the Sacrament of Christes supper This was that which Caluin misliked and our gratious Soueraigne nether challengeth nor exerciseth He acknowledgeth him-selfe to be Gods minister and seruant and that it belongeth to his imperiall crowne and dignity which he hath receaued from GOD to see and prouide that GODS word bee truly preached that GOD according to his owne will therein reuealed bee rightly worshipped and serued and that such decent and holy orders bee vsed in the Church as truly tend to GODLY edifications Of the presbiteries dealing in Scotland I am ignorant But that they opposed them-selues against our Kings authority as though he had nothing to doe with the kirke you generally affirme but doe not particularly proue It may appeare by their subscribing to the second Heluetian confession of faith that they euer haue and alwaies will both subscribe See the 2. Heluet. conâ—ession cap. 30. and sweare to the doctrine of the Kinges authority ouer all persons and in all causes in such sort as here before is set downe Hereby I am moued thus to conceaue of them If any be otherwaies minded I approue them not nor their adherents The same I say of those whom you call praecisions at home who not denying the kings authority in eclesiastical causes yet forbeare the things here by you named because they be not perswaded of the Lawfulnes of them and for that as that most reuerend and learned father Bishoppe Iuell saith they haue bâ—ene of them of your part fouly abused to filthy purposes and because they would not gladly in any appearance shew themselues like vnto them that haue so Defen of the Apol. Part. 3. cap. 5. Diâ—â—s 1. Page 400. vntruly and of long deceiued the world c. But leauing these to their owne defence certaine it is that neither the Presbitery in Scotland nor these praecisians in England haue euer made any shew of such horrible barbarous and trayterous practises against the Kinges not onely authoritie but also life and safety as cursed Papists and diuelish Iesuits or rather Iebusites haue done As touching the second matter you obiect of the authoritie of Bishops I do know none that do so hardly and iniuriously iudge of it as you here do in calling it if your owne fingers or your Printer haue not deceiued you an hereticall order Howbeit we make it not so a matter of faith that saluation dependeth on it But wee beleeue that God may be glorified in that his holy word is truly preached and effectually receiued and good order in the Church vsed where the authoritie of Bishops is allowed and receiued and where the same is not obserued for as in the politicall estate there be diuers orders of gouernment as Monarchie Aristocratie and Democratie which haue bene and as yet are vsed to the good of the people so in the Ecclesiasticall estate there may be diuers formes of regiment vnder which God may be truly worshipped the people vnto saluation edified sin suppressed and good order in the Church obserued And although there bee some diuersitie of opinions amongst vs which is the best forme of Ecclesiastical regimeÌ„t yet in this we al concurre and consent that the meanest and worst which is in any of the reformed Churches is better and more to the glory of God and true comfort of the people then that exorbitant insolent and tyrannicall gouernment is which your great Monarch the Pope hath to the dishonour of Princes and calamities of countries long excersised For the third thing alleadged concerning our iarring it seemeth that you draw very low when you obiect vnto vs dissention about feastes and holy-daies I know neither Protestant nor as you distinguish them Puritane who accoumpt them the Sabboth day excepted as matters of faith and saluation but that they may be vsed or refused as to them in authoritie shall be thought meet Socrates the Ecclesiasticall Historiographer saith that neither Lib. 5. cap. 22. fol. 248. Christ nor his Apostles did command any thing concerning holidaies and that it was the scope and purpose of the Apostles not to giue lawes of holidaies but to bring men to good life and godlynesse Your owne friendes and fauourers haue misliked the multitude of your holy dayes Annot. in Math. 1. Erasmus saith that in the dayes of Saint Hierome there were but few Festiuall dayes Nunc feriarum neque finis neque modus est but now there is neither end nor measure of Ja argum in Tertul. de corona militis Hollidaies Beatus Rhenanus writing of these holydaies saith Quarum antiquitus mira paucitas Holydaies in old time were very few As for that you write of the Quarto-decimani I finde that the Councell of Nyce did take order that Easter day should vniuersally be kept after one sort and order and Ruffin lib. i. c. p. 6 that not vppon the fourteenth day of the Moone as the East Churches had vsed it and many did still obserue it But that the Councell did condemne them for heretikes Haeres 50. de Haeres 29. I finde not in the Canons of it expressed I am not ignorant that Epiphamus Augustinâ— do number the Quaterdecimans among heretiks The which it may seeme they did ouer obstinatly partly to much follow the fashion of the Iewes whose law concerning that matter was expired and nayled to Christâ— crosse partly resist the decree of that godly Councell which did therein seeke the peace and vnitie of the Church which had beene too much distracted and troubled by it especially by the meanes of Victor Lib 55. cap. 25. Bishop of Rome as appeareth by Eusebius Concerning your fourth matter of fasting neither you doe make proofe nor I doe accknowledge any controuersie in this Church of England but that all will willingly Defen of the Apol. part 1. cap. 2 diuis â—t part 2. cap. 14. diuis
mulieribus quas ad confessionem admittunt Scelestissimè fornicantur Luk 2. cap. 37. 1. They Priests do often most wickedly commit fornication with the women of there parishes which they admit to confession The like writeth Marsilius Patauinus in his booke intituled Desensor Pacis part 2. ca. 6. pag. 286. To your sixt accusation I answere that we exclude and banish our Sauiour Christ neither from the Sacrament of his supper nor from the hearts of the faithfull but acknowledge that as by faith hee dwelleth in the one so by Ephes 3 17 2. Cor. 13 5 the same hee is receiued of the Godly in the other Your false and grosse doctrine of Transsubstantiation which the Greeke Church neuer beleeued and the Latine Church lately defined as Erasmus saith wee iustly reiect and condemne â—râ—s Anno â—â— in 1. Cor. 7 We exhort men when they come to receiue that holy mysterie the Sacrament and pledge of our saluation in Christ to examine themselues and so to eate of that bread and drinke of that cup For hee that eate haâ—d drinketh vnworthily 1. Cor. 11. â—8 eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords bodie But if as you say sinfull liues consorte not with his sacred mysterie I meruaile how your Priests liues consorted with it which how holy they were I will shew hereafter Lastly you charge vs with a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of Sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes and other practicall points of the Catholike Church wherevnto I answere that we deny nothing that God hath commanded in the holy canonicall Scripture the which as I haue before shewed is the onely rule of our Religion and life Indeede wee deny and defie your trifling traditions and vnwritten vanities and inuentions with the which you haue gone a whoring as the Prophet saith If you can shew that wee deny any thing which Psal 106. 39 God hath commaunded as wee can plainely prooue that you doe then spare not to charge vs with a new negatiue religion You deny the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and that all doctrine necessarie to saluation is contayned in them You deny the same Scriptures to bee in the vulgar tongue for all Gods people to reade and heare to their comfort You deny praier and the publicke seruice of God to be in the same vulgar tongue You deny Christ to bee our only mediator between God vs. You deny the Cup of Christs supper to Gods people You deny the lawful authority which Princes haue ouer their people subiects in all causes ecclesiasticall and temporall You deny mariage to ecclesiasticall ministers whereby what great and horrible wickednesse you haue caused I will hereafter declare You say we bring in for fasting feasting for praying playing c. Concerning your fasting consisting in a superstitious obseruing of times and diuersitie of meates and tending to the honouring of Saints and satisfying Gods iustice for your sinnes we deny it But fasting purely vsed according to Gods word to humble our soules before God to mortifie the wicked affections of our sinful flesh we allow and especially that great and principall fast in abstayning from sinne whereof Saint Augustine speaketh in these words Ieiunium autem magnum generale August in Ioan traâ—l â—7 distinct de consecra cap. Ieiunium est abstinere ab iniquitatibus ab illicitis voluptatibus seculi quod est perfectum ieiâ—nium in hoc seculo The great and generall fast is to abstaine from iniquities and vnlawfull pleasures of the world which is the perfect fast in this world Chrysostome saith Ieiunium dico abstinentiam à vitiis I say that fasting which is to abstaine from vices Chrysost in Genes hom 8. Hereby let it be discerned who doe most truely fast In deede I know that it is your manner much to glory in your writings and speeches of your outward fasting from meates as the Pharisee in the Gospell did who gloried Luke 18. 12. that he fasted twise a weeke which neither God in his law had required nor the Apostles of Christ for any thing wee reade vsed Whereby wee may note that true Godlines neither is to bee measured by such outward abstinece from meates nor is alwaies ioyned with it Iohn Matth. 11. 18 Baptist vsed greater austerity in his diet and abstinence from meates then our Sauiour Christ did yet was his life nothing so holy Iohns Disciples vsed more fasting Matth. 9. 14. then the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ did Yet it is not to be doubted but our Sauiours Disciples liued as godly or Tertul de Iâ—iâ—nio adueâ—s Psichicos Hierom. in Aggaeum cap. 1. pag. 230. more then they did The Montanists Heretikes were greater fasters then were the true Christians as Tertullian sheweth And S. Hierome writeth that they obserued three Lents in a yeare and yet were Heretikes condemned by the Church of God although then fauored by the Bishop of Rome as Tertullian sheweth in the beginning of his booke against Praxeas The Iewes vsed such great abstinence and fasting that they brought weakenes and sickenesse to their bodies as Saint Hierome writeth who neuerthe Hierorymus ad Algaesiam quast 10. lesse were enemies to our Sauiour Christ The Moscouites which neuer acknowledged the Popes authority be as great fasters as Papists are And so also be the Turkes And therefore these men neede not to boast so much of 1. Tim. 4. 8. their fasting Saint Paul saith that bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable to all things hath the promise of this life present that which is to come Howbeit as I will not deny but that there may be lesse fasting and more feasting then were requisit yet that there is more feasting and superfluitie in fare now especially in ecclesiastical persons I thinke it will be to hard for this man to proue Whence came these phrases As fat as an Abbot he hath a face like an Abbot and an Abbey Lubber but of their immoderate fare and feeding And how these men were giuen to gluttony excesse I will shew at this time but by one example Giraldus Cambrensis in his Book intituled Speculum Ecclesiae writeth that the Abbot and Monkes of Saint Swithens in Winchester came to King Henry the second hunting at Gilford in Surrey and fell downe in myre and durt before him pittifully crying out The King asked them what was the matter They answered that their Bishoppe had taken three dishes of meate from their dinners and suppers He asked them how many he had left vnto them They answered tenne but from the foundation of their house they had vsed daily to haue thirteen dishes at a meale The King turned to his Nobles and said By the eyes of God for that was his oath I thought their house had beene burnt and now I see it is but a matter concerning their paunches And then turning to the Abbots and Monkes
nor more griefe to all good men than that blot of the filthines of Priests Wherefore peraduenture it were expedient both for the Christian common wealth and the estate of that order of Priesthood that at the last the right of publike marriage were restored to Priests which they might holyly vse without infamie rather then most filthily defile themselues with such a natural vice Such a loosenes and filthines of life this doctrine of vowing chastitie and forsaking matrimony hath brought forth whereof much more might be alleaged but this shall suffice Yet herevunto I wil adde not only their practise but also their doctrine of hauing Lupanaria stewes where whoredome is publikely permitted for the restoring of which Fryer Perine preached at Paules Crosse in Queene Maries daies CoÌ„sut Apolog. and D. Harding calleth them necessary euills And if it were not the doctrine of the Church of Rome to allow them neither would they haue so long permitted them nor Sixtus the fourth would haue built Nobile Lupanar a noble brothell house in Rome as before I alleaged out of Cornelius Agrippa In these places what filthinesse and incest and what murders were committed God knowweth and auncient men may somewhat remember God saith There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel nor Deut. 23. 17. whorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel Another doctrine of theirs tending to loosenesse and wickednesse of life is their doctrine of Popes pardons whereby they falsely faine that the Pope hauing the merites of Martyrs which they cal the treasure of the Church to dispense and bestowe at his pleasure hee can pardon whatsoeuer sinne men haue committed and acquit and discharge them both à poena culpa that is from the sin and punishment which is more by their doctrine then the death passioÌ„ of Christ can do What miserable mischiefe hath flowed from these pelting pardons of Popes from which the ruine of their kingdome hath iustly proceeded By Luthers dealing against them I will declare out of the words of the Princes and estates of Germany in their 100. grieuances exhibited to the Popes Legat at Norenberg anno 1522. printed at Colen anno In fasciculo â—erum expeteÌ„â—arum fol. â—77 Grauamen 3. 1533. In the third grieuance be these words Illud importabile iam olim increbuit Romanarum indulgentiarum onus c That importable burdenâ— of Romish pardons hath now a long time increased when vnder the pretence of pietie either for building of Churches in Rome or that the Bishoppes of Rome promised a voyage against the Turke they sucked all the marrow of money from the simple and euer credulous Germaines And that which is much more to be regarded by these deceits the publishers and Preachers of them the true godlines of Christians is abolished whilest they to broach the sale of these their buls and pardons giue praise vnto their wares that by these bought pardons greate and strange offences both which be past and that are to come not onely of the liuing but also of the dead being in the fire of Purgatorie as these publishers of pardons call it bee pardoned so that money bee paid and that it tiâ—gle in their right hand by the sale and merchandise of this ware both Germany of money is spoyled Christian godlines is extinguished when euery one according to the quantitie which hee bestoweth vppon this ware doth take vnto himselfe libertie and impunitie to sinne Hence whoredome incest adulterieâ—s periurie murther theft robberies vsury and an whole heape of mischiefes haue proceeded and taken their beginning For what mischiefes will men bee affraid to committe when they bee once perswaded that they obtaine by money of these brokers and pardoning pedlers licence and impunitie to sinne not onely in this life but also after their death c by these words it doth euidently appeare to what loosenesse of life and manifold mischiefes this doctrine did tend a Alphons de cast lib 8. Duran in lib. 4 dist â—0 quaest 3 Antoni 1. parte summae titul 10 capâ— 3. some Papistes themselues confesse to haue no warrant of the Scriptures b Iohn Maior in 4. sent dist 20. quaest 2. Onus â—â—â—les cap. 15. fol. 26. and other some affirme such pardons as be graunted for twenty thousand yeeres to be superstitious and foolish I might speake much of this matter but at this time I will conclude it with two sayings the one contained in a booke printed at Colen anno 1531. Intituled Onus Ecclesiae wherein after great complaint of these pardons and of the wickednesse that proceeded of them be these words Illi autem indulgentiarum buccinatores omnimoÌ„dam promittunt securitatem quae parit negligentiam negligentia offensam Dei These publishers of pardons doe promise all manner of securitie which breedeth negligence and negligence the offence of God The other is in the treatise I named before in the second Tome of the Councels called Opusâ—ul Tripart â—om â— Concil â—art 3. Pag. â—00 2 Opusculum Tripartitum in these words Item habent breuia quae relâ—qunt in singulis parochijs in quibus continentur indulgentiae quod mirantur boni viri Si vnquam de conscientia papae vell etiam alicuius boni viri potuerunt illa procedere They haue also briefes which they leaue in euery parish in which such pardons be graunted that good men doe maruell that euer they could proceede from the conscience of the Pope or any good man The doctrine of the Popes dispensations to what loosenes and wickednes of life did it tend First hereby inâ—est was committed as before I shewed how Pope Martin Phil Comines de belâ—o nâ—opo lib. 5. P. 626. Sleydaâ—â— lib. 25. 5. gauea dispensation to one to marry his owne Sister Ferdinandus a King of Naples married his Aunt Emanuell King of Portingale married two Sisters So did also Sigismundus King of Polonia Anno Domini 1553. Sigismundus also now King of Polonia this last yeare married Sleda lib. 25. Gotardi Arthâ—s Mer. Galobell Anno. 1606. pag 95. his former wiues Sister King Henry the eight maried Catheriâ—ne his brothers widdow and lately Maximilian the Emperors daughter was married to King Philip of Spaine her Vncle of whome he begat this present King Thâ—se and many such other were not done without the Popes dispensation So Bonifâ—cius a Bishop of Germany in one Epistle to Pope Zachary sheweth how a great man by the Popes dispensation marryed his Vncles widdow Tâ—m 2. concil pag. â— 47. Fabi. 7. parte in Charles 5. pag 189. Vide Rob. Giguinum lib 8 fol 133. Fabian our English Chronicler who liued somewhat before Luther writeth that Charles the fift the French King did by the dispensation of Pope Iohn 22. put away Blanch his wife because her mother was his Godmother and afterward was by the same Pope dispensed with to marry his Cosin Germaine Many Kings by meanes of such dispensation bought of the Pope for
and beleeued of which to giue fol. 251. the reader a taste I will set downe two or three It is there sayd that Iohn Damescene hauing his hand cut off for writing letters against the Emperour the same was suddenly set on againe to write a praier which he had made to fol. 254. the Virgine Marie Also that a theefe which vsed to fast the vigiles of the feastes of our Ladie and vsed to pray vnto her beeing hanged by the space of three daies could not die for the Virgine Marie susteined him on the gibet infinite such other fables swarme in that booke And wee may wonder that men of any wisedome knowledge or iudgement should bee deluded and mocked with such false fained reliques as were and are in Popery as with Saint Peters finger at Walfingham as bigge as if it Erasmus in Colloquio peregriergo Blondus de Roma instaurata lib. 3. prope sinem Holingshead in Henry 8. p. 946 Caluinus admonitione de reliquijs had beene of some Giant and also the virgin Maries milke there which seemeth by Erasmus to haue beene the white of an egge and chalke mingled together and a vessell of the same at Rome as writeth Blondus the bloud of Hales the which was prooued and declared at Paules Crosse by the Bishop of Rochester in king Henry the eights daies to haue beene clarified honey coloured with saffron In Geneua there was worshipped for the arme of Saint Anthonie that which afterward was prooued to bee the pisle of a Stagge for a peece of Saint Peters scull that which was found to bee a pumish stone But this will not bee beleeued of this writer and of his fellowes because Caluin did write it But why Caluin should write and publish euen in the French tongue in Geneua such a thing of Geneua vnlesse it were true which the Inhabitants thereof might know to bee false I see no reason it could purchase no credit to him or to his doctrine But why might not that as well bee true as the things before alleaged or as that which Gregorius Turonensis who liued sundry hundreth yeares past writeth Gregâ—â— Turoâ—ens lib. 9. ca. 6 that there was found in a boxe of reliques of a certaine Sainct rootes of trees the teeth of a Mole the bones of Mice and the clawes of Beares which were worshipt for holie reliques But of these iuglings I will write no more at this present GOD may giue occasion hereafter more largely to intreate of them At these things we may wonder but yet wee doe not ouermuch meruaile and wonder at them for that the spirit of GOD by Saint Paule hath foreshewed vs that the time would come when men shold 2. Timoth. 4. 4 turne away their eares from the truth and bee giuen to fables and that the comming of Antichrist should bee by 2. Thessal 2. 9. the effectuall working of sathan with all powre and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnes amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might bee saued therefore GOD should send them a strong delusion to beleeue lies that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Whereas you request that hee that shall answere this your pamphlet will doe it briefely orderly and seriously I will indeuor to doe the two last as GOD shall inable me But concerning breuitie I will vse my libertie and peraduenture more largely lay downe your absurdities then you would bee willing I should doe But whereas you say that you make this request for that you perceiue that the Protestants cannot answere with breuitie because their Religion lacketh both certaintie and perspicuitie I say that with one breath you doe vtter two vntruthes The first that wee cannot answere with breuitie which how vntrue it is let it be tried first by the briefe and pithy answeres of that great learned man Doctor Fulke who answering many of their bookes which yet to this day stand vndefended how briefely and pithily hee answered the same let any man that hath but a graine of indifferent iudgement consider and iudge And particularlie I referre them to his answere to Rishtons challenge and to Allens booke of Purgatorie both in one volume yea many times in his writings hee called them from long and impertinent discourses to short syllogismes wherevnto â—ee could neuer bring them How closely that pretious Iewell and excellent ornament of this Church of England did hold himselfe to the matter and how vnlike hee was to Doctor Harding in his long discourses and digressions who in his booke intituled A detection of lies c. discoursed two hundred and sixe whole sides of paper onely in preambles and prefaces before hee once stept into his matter as Maister Iewel truely told him let the vpright Preface to the defence of the Apology edition 2. reader indifferently iudge The like I may say of that worthie man of famous memorie Doctor Whitakers who how briefely soundlie and learnedlie hee hath answered Campion Saunders Duree Stapleton William Reynolds Bellarmine any man that hath an incorrupt eye may see and discerne And if T. W. bee the author of this pamphlet as I nothing doubt but hee is he may remember that one which had conference with him did write a briefe Epistle vnto him and did therein set downe short sillogismes concerning the controuersies of praier to Saints and the sacrifice of the Masse and required to haue the like short syllogismes set downe of him for the defence of his assertions and could not receiue one but along tedious discourse concerning praier to Saints which was confuted and neuer defended But whether answeres be briefe or long it maketh no matter so that they be learned sound and true to the effectuall confuting of the errour and satisfying of the reader Now as touching certaintie which you say but doe not shew that our Religion lacketh I answere and auouch that our Religion is farre more certaine consonant and agreeable to it selfe then the doctrine of the Church of Rome is the which if I do not effectually proue hereafter in place more conuenient I will not require any man to vse your owne words to accept or affect it But with what forehead can this man charge our doctrine with want of perspicuitie seeing hee cannot bee ignorant how obscure darke and intricate the popish Religion and doctrine is as may appeere by their manifold both curious questions and intricate distinctions which be their chiefe shifts to elude the plaine truth And if any would see how darke the doctrine and writings of Papists are let him looke into the Schoolemen Tho. Aquine Io Scotus Alexander de Hales Gabriel Biel and many such other amongst whom he may finde as much certaintie vnitie and perspicuitie of doctrine as hee may in hell But how we study for perspicuitie and seeke to make all matters plaine both in our preachings and
nihilominus postea quidam subtilissimi Fascicu Tom. a tat 6. fol. 78. haeâ—etici qui istam haeresim Waldensium defendere conabantur plura regna populos deceperunt that is notwithstanding there were afterwards some most subtill heretikes which went about to defend this heresie of the Waldenses and deceiued or rather truely instructed many kingdomes and nations And againe hauing made mention of certaine Popish doctors in those daies as Hugo Cardinalis c. hee hath these words Quos diuina bonitas 1233. misit pro fidei defensione alioquin tota pene fides perüsset propter Fol. 80. haeret corum multiplioitatem subtilitatem simul potentiam that is whome God sent for the defence of the faith for otherwaies it had like wholy to haue perished by reason of the multitude subtiltie and powre of heretikes It appeareth by the testimonie of this Popish Monke that in those daies there were verie many of them whom hee falsely calleth heretikes And whereas these detested the enormities and abominations of the Church of Rome and maintained the same substantiall and fundamentall points of doctrine that wee doe as it appeareth by the articles obiected vnto them that they did how doth this man say that our religion was not these 1500. yeares in the world It was in the world but hated of the world which hated Ioh. 15. 18. 19 Christ yet was it constantly confessed euen to death of them whome God the Father hath giuen to Christ out of Ioh. 17. 6. 9. the world Hereby it may sufficiently appeare that the Synagogue of the Iewes hath not been more constant in continuance nor more ample in place then the true Church of Christ hath beene In deed it may bee that the Synagogues of the Iewes haue continued in some certaine places more constantly then the true Churches of Iesus Christ haue done Yet herevpon it doth not follow that either Gods admirable promises haue not beene performed or that the true Church hath perished It is not the Synagogue of the Iewes but the true Church of God that is clothed with Apoca. â—2 1. Christ the Sonne of righteousnes treadeth vnder her feete earthly things which be mutable as the moone is adorned with the doctrine of Christs twelue Apostles which is forced Chrysostom in psal 114. to flee into the wildernes Chrysostome saith well Ecclesia est tabernaculuÌ„ à deo fixum non ab homine ab vno loco in alium fugit sed non à pietate ad impietatem fugit that is The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight not man shee fleeth from one place to another but shee neuer fleeth from Godlines to impiety and wickednes As Barrabas found here more fauor with the prelates and priests of Iudah and Ierusalem then Iesus Christ the Sonne of God did So the Popes and Iewes Synagogues haue found more fauor and more quietly rested in this wicked world then the true Church of Iesus Christ hath done As euen in Rome the Iewes professed open enemies of our Sauiour Christ haue had and yet haue their synagogues and liue paying their tributes in as great quietnesse and safety as the Curtizans Whores of Rome doe which pay yearely to the Pope twenty thousand duckates It is written in the pontificall Cornel. Aprip de Vanitate Scient cap. 64. that at the coronation of the Pope and in his procession to the Church of Laterane the Iewes vse to meete him and making curtesie do offer the law to him to whom hee giueth a gentle answer But whereas the foresaid Arnoldus Brixianus a great learned man reproued the errors enormities of the Church of Rome Adrian the fourth our proud Platina in Adriano 4. countriman who rebuked the Emperour for holding his wrong stirrop would not go vp the Church of Laterane to Platina in Honorio 2. be consecrate vntil he were driuen out of Rome There was also one Arnulphus in Rome a Godly man whom many of the inhabitants thereof acknowledge for a true disciple of Christ that was there murthered by the priests for inueighing Platina in Paulo 2. Sabellicus Ennead 10. l. b. 7. against their wickednes Also in a towne neere Rome called Pole the Lord therof with many others were counted heretikes for saying that none of them which followed Peter were the true vicars of Christ but such as followed the pouerty of Christ These Pope Paulus the second persecuted contumeliously intreated as Platina Sabellicus do write Hereby wee see that it is a thing more allowable in Rome to deny Christ as the Iewes do then to meddle with the Popes triple crowne or to reproue his pride enormities This our doctrine of performing Gods admirable promises not in proud Popes and wicked worldlings but in the faithfull which feare God tremble at his word and are for the most part hated and persecuted in the world doth neither shew the path to Atheisme nor open the gap to Machiuilian deuises which by the testimonie of some Papists themselues are no where sooner learned then in that schoole wherein T. W. the author of this slanderous libell hath beene as I suppose too much and too long trained I meane the schoole of Iesuites of whome William Watson a Popish secular Priest in his booke of Quodlibets lately published Quodlib 1. art 9 pag 21. Ibidem doth thus write Many Atheal paradoxes be taught in the Iesuites conclaue or close conuenticles Aga. Questionlesse the Iesuits want neither art nor euill will nor yet malitious meanes to effect it as hauing vsed from the beginning more Machiuilian deuises and Atheal practises in secret conference by their inferior agents with schismatikes yea and with our common aduersaries then with catholikes Againe It must Quodlib 4. art 4. pag. 112. needes follow that there is not a Iesuite in al England this day but hath a bitter smack of father Parsons impiety irreligiosity treachery treason and Machiuilian Atheisme Againe neither Machiuel nor any that euer yet was in Europe came neere Quodi 9. art 7. pag. 314. vnto the Iesuites for Atheal deuise to preâ—eâ—t he stopples of their stratagems and to further their proceedings Againe But I call them Iesuiticall that is the faction of the Iesuites In the appendix to the Quodli pag. 346. by abbreuiation to auoide circumlocution in one word expressing them to bee a factious seditious ambitious auaritious treacherous traiterous Machiuilian Atheâ—ll consort that abusing the rules of their society c. By the iudgement of this Popish Priest let the good Reader consider who they bee that shew the path to Atheisme and open the gap to Machiuilian deuises The Pamphlet The learned Protestants are Infidels 2. Article WHosoeuer buildeth his faith voppn his owne priuate and singular exposition of Scripture is an Infidel But all learned Protestants in England build their faith vppon their owne priuate exposition of Sripture Ergo all the Protestants of England
deliuering to the Corinthians the supper of our Sauiour Christ according to the institution which he had receiued of Christ deliuered not onely the bread but also the Cup to the whole Church of Corinth which I suppose you will not say were all Priests 1. Cor. 11. 25 26. 27. This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup yee shew the Lords death till hee come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Paschasius expoundeth these words thus Bibite ex hoc omnes hoc est tam ministri quam reliqui credentes Drinke ye all of this that is to say both ministers and the rest that beleeue The glosse as it is alledged Cassan de vtraque specie by Cassander thus Bibite ex hoc omnes scilicet sine personarum acceptione Drinke yee all of this that is all without respect of persons So doth Chrysostom Omnibus vnum corpus Chrysost in 2 Cor. hom 18 Theoph in 1. Cor. 11. proponitur poculum vnum One body and one Cup is propounded to all So saith Theophilactus Tremendus calix pari cunctis conditione traditus est The fearefull Cup is in like sort deliuered vnto all Yea this absurd exposition of theirs is contrary to the practise of the Primitiue Church and to all antiquitie as might bee shewed and of some Papists is confessed But to proceede and to shew how they handle other places I will ioyne two places togither because they doe often alleage them together to prooue the Popes supremacie ouer the whole Church of God dispersed ouer the whole world The one Hosea 1. 11. Then shall the Children of Iudah and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselues one head The other place is Iohn 10. 16. There shall be one fold and one shepheard These places bee alleaged Ioan. de Paris de potest regia Papali ca 3. by Pope Pius the second Epist 288. by Iohannes de Parisijs by D. Harding c. expounding the same not of D. Hard. confut Apolog. cap. 3. dâ—â—s 2. Christ but of the Pope to be this one head and one shephard The which what a priuat and false exposition it is I neede not greatly to shew it is so plaine and apparent The Hieron in Oseam cap. 1. first place of Hosea Saint Hierome expoundeth thus Haec omnia fient quia magnus est dies seminis Dei qui interpretatur Christus i. All these things shall come to passe because it is the great day of the seede of God which is expounded not the Pope but Christ so also doth Frier Lira Congregabuntur filij Iudae idest Apostoli c. There shall assemble Nicol Lira in Oscam cap. 1. together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles and the Children of Israel that is to say the heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vno them-selues one head that is to say one Christ So doth S. Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 8. cap. 28. Whose words for shortnes sake I omit The other place is so plaine that a Cobler by hearing or reading of it may perceiue that our Sauiour Christ spake it of himselfe and not of the Pope He saith I am the good shepheard and knowe Ioh the 10. 14. mine and am knowne of mine I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one sheepefolde and one shepheard Therefore doth my father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe Who is so blind as seeth not these words to be spoken of our Sauiour Christ him-selfe and not of the Pope Yet that doughty or rather doltish Doctor Iohannes de Parisâ—â—s is not ashamed to say that it is not to bee vnderstoode of Christ but of some other Minister which should rule in his place His words be these Congregabuntur filii Iuda filii Vbi supra Israel vt ponant sibi caput vnum Ioan. 10. fiet vnum ouile vnâ—s pastor Quod quidem de Christo intelliginon potest sed de alio aliquo ministro qui praesit loco eius i. The Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel shal be gathered together and shall appoynt them-selues one head and Ioh. 10. There shall bee one fold and one shephard which cannot bee vnderstood of Christ but of some other minister that must rule in his place Behold the absurdity of this saying and exposition and let this cauiller who in his questions and challenge so disdainefully despiseth our learning consider what a blind ignorant and vnlcarned Doctor and writer this was that so absurdly expoundeth this place and contrarily to the plaine words denieth them to be vnderstood of our Sauiour Christ and blasphemously attributeth that vnto the Pope which is onely proper and peculiar to Nic. Lirâ— in Ioha cap. 10. Iesus Christ Frier Lira was of better iudgement who writeth thus Fiet vnus pastor idest Christus i. There shall be one pastor that is to say Christ I will shew another place or two in like manner expounded for the proofe of the same matter In the booke of the ceremonies of the Church of Rome the which I wish were in English that our English Catholikes might see the goodly ceremonies and orders of the Church it is thus written Papa in nocte Lib. 1. Caerem titul 7. natiuitatis domini benedicet ensem quem postea donat â—â—cui principi in signum infini â— potentiae pontifici collatae iuxta illud data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra Item dominabitur à mari vsque ad mare à flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum i. The Pope in the night of the feast of Christs Natiuitie blesseth a sword for a signe of the infinit power giuen to him which hee afterward bestoweth vpon some Prince according to that saying All power is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth also He shall rule from the sea vnto theÌ„ sea and from the flood vnto the ends of the world Are not these sayings thinke you finely expounded of the Pope whereof the one our Sauiour Christ himsefe spake In Concil Lâ—teron sub Leâ— 1â— pag. 671. and the other the Prophet Dauid prohesied of Iesus Christ him-selfe And the former of these places Stephen the Archbishop of Patraca applied vnto Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope him-selfe who thankefully accepted it and suffered it to be published and printed and so to this day was neuer by any Papist disliked By these places any man may discerne and iudge whether this Romish prelate be not that
God the enemie of God Answer IN this fourth article the Sylogisme promised is not performed but in steed thereof here is an accusation that we know not what we beleeeue nor why we beleeue Your proofe before I haue examined and what we beleeue I haue declared whereof the rule is not our owne fancie as you say shew not as the rule of your faith and life is the Popes folly as hath been in part shewed You say we haue no rule whereby to know what is the matter of faith We haue the word of God contained in the canonicall Scriptures of the old and new Testament and is that no rule I pray you what doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie but a rule and why be Thom. Aquinas in 1. Tim. 6. the scriptures called canonical but because they be the rule of our faith life Thomas Aquinas saith Doctrina enâ—m Apostolorum Prophetarum dicitur canonica quia est regula intellectus nostri The Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called canonicall because they be the rule of our vnderstanding Dauid when he said thy word is a light Psal 119 105. vnto my feete and a lanterne vnto my pathes what did hee but make that same the rule direction and guide of his faith and life when Moses said Now therefore hearken O Israell vnto the ordinances and to the lawes which I teach you Deut. 4. 1. to do that yea may liue go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your Fathers giueth you ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you neither shall take ought therefrom that ye may keepe the commaundements of the Lord your God which I commaund you what did he but make Gods word declared to him and written by him the rule of Iosâ— 1. â— their faith and life When God said to Iosua Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therin for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe What did he but make his written word the rule of his faith and whole life When Abraham said to the rich man condemned in Hell They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them what Luk. 16. 29. did he but shew that the writings of Moyses the Prophets were the only rule which his brethren should follow to auoyd damnation and consequently to ataine eternall saluation Chrisostom saith Ne igitur multorum opiniones habeamus Chrisost in 2. Col. hom 13. sed res ipsas inquiramus Quomodo autem non asurdum propter pecunias alijs non credere sed ipsas numerare supputare pro rebus autem amplioribus aliorum sententiam sequi simpliciter praesertim cùm habeamus omnium exactissimaÌ„ trutinam gnomonem ac regulam diuinaruÌ„ inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quidnam huic vel illi videatur deque hijs à scripturis haec omnia inquirite c. i. Let vs not seeke the opinions of many men but let vs search the things themselues for how is it not absurd not to beleeue men concerning mony but that we wil count it for matters of greater waight to follow simply the minde and opinion of others especially seeing we haue the most exact ballance square rule the doctrine of Gods lawes Therefore I request and beseech you all to leaue and forsake what seemeth good to this or that man of these matters Idem in Genes homil 58. Jdem hom de Adam Heâ—a search ye al these things by the Scriptures The same Chrisostom hath these words Vides in quantan absurditateÌ„ incidunt qui diuinae scripturae canonem sequi nolunt sed suis cogitationibus permittunt omnia i. Thou seest into how great absurdity they doe fall which follow not the rule of the diuine Scriptures but permit all things to their owne fancies and deuises And againe Satis sufficere credimus quicquid secundum preâ—ictas regulas Apostolica scripta nos docuerunt vt prorsus non opinemur catholicum quod apparuerit praefixis Then is not the doctrine of the Church of Rome Catholike sententiis contrarium we beleeue that that is sufficient enough whatsoeuer according to the foresaid rules the writings of the Apostles haue taught vs so that wee doe not at all iudge that to bee Catholike which shall appeare to bee contrary to the foresaid rules Theodoret saith Thedor dialog 3. pag. 268. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. We haue learned from the holy Scripture the rule of doctrines Saint Augustine saith Sancta Scriptura nostrae doctrinae regulam August de bono viduitatis cap. 1. figit â—ne audiamus sapere plusque oportet The holy Scripture doth set a rule to our doctrine that we may not presume to bee wise abue that we ought to be Beda hath anexcelent saying hereof which is recorded in Gratians decrees Beda 8. quest 1. Neâ— sufficere Nobis sacris literis vnica est credendâ— pariter viuendi regula praescripta The onely rule both of faith and also of life is prescribed vnto vs in the holy Scriptures This rule wee haue and will you say this is no rule If you haue a better rule let vs knowe it Whereas in your second cogitations vpon these your forcible reasons you affirme that some say the sphere of their faith is extended soly and wholy to the word of God set downe in holy writ and how-so-euer you pitty our poore ignorance and say that herein wee do no more then all heritiks doe yet wee bee not abashed to professe our selues to bee of this number and desire to haue our faith ranged and restrained within the circumference of this Sphere of the holy Scriptures and herein if our poore ignorance do not deceaue vs wee thinke that we ioyne with S. Paule who being by Tertullus falsely charged with heresie as wee now are answeared in these words But this I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call herisie so worshippe I the God of my fathers beleeuing Act. 24. 14 all things which are written in the law and Prophets In which words Saint Paule expelleth that acusation of herisie with this argument He that beleeueth all things that are written in the law the Prophets is not to be accompted for an heritike but I beleeue all this written in the law and in the prophets Therefore I am not to bee accounted for an heretike But in the profound knowledge of this writer this was but poore ignorance and a sillie reason For what Heretike saith he beleeueth not so much And so Saint Pauls reason by this mans deepe diuinitie is not worth a rush For Tertullus might haue replied and sayd that notwithstanding his beleeuing all that is written in the Law and Prophetes hee was
Platina calleth monstra portenta monsters and wonders Platina for their wickednesse were not onely Catholikes but also heads of this Catholike Church And he that married as I said before his owne sister and Ferdinando a king Naples who married his Aunt king Philip of Spaine that married Phil. Comiueus his Neece because they did see these things by the dispensations alowing of holy Popes of Rome were Catholkes and good sonnes of the Catholike Church Now whether of these doctrines concerning this article of our faith I beleeue the holy Catholike Church be the sounder truer let the Christian reader vprightly iudge I doubt not but wisdome Math. 11. shall be iustified of her children And whereas you would make men beleeue that the Church whereof wee are is contained within the narrow boundes of England and that the Lutherans in Germanie the Hugonotes in France and the Gues in Flanders as you tearme them will not ioyne issue with vs in diuers essentiall pointes of Religion you doe to the offending of God and deceiuing of your ignorant reader vtter two notorious vntruths For we as I haue said before confesse our selues to bee members of that holy Catholike Church which hath beene in all ages and is dispersed ouer the world and we haue communion and fellowshippe with all them in all nations that feare God and obey his truth especially in the fundamentall Doctrines of Religion aâ—d saluation But how doe you truely confesse the Church to be Catholike that is vniuersall comprehending all nations in restraining it to the religion and subiection of the Pope of Rome and so consequently to a small part of Europe vnlesse you will now of late adde the West Indians where the Spaniards haue committed moe horrible murthers then they haue made good proselytes And what an improper speech it is that you cal the Church of Rome the Catholik church as if a man shold cal the church of Corinth or Ephesus the Catholike that is the vniuersall Church which if they were holy are but members of the Catholike Church This is therefore that which you vntruly attribute to vs to call England the vniuersall world or Kent the kingdome of England c. But the Church of Rome now committing fornication with stocks and stones is so farre from being the Catholike Church that it is no true member thereof as M. Doctor Raynolds hath learnedly proued Which short Thesis being published in latine about twenty sixe yeares past and in English nineteene yeares yet to the shame of all Papists standeth to this day vnconfuted although it tendeth to the cutting of the throate of their religion and ouerthroweth the maine pillar thereof And that these whom you contemptuously cal Lutherans Hugonotes and Gues do dissent from vs in essentiall points of religion you may easily affirme but shall neuer be able to proue Some indeed in Germany whome you call Lutherans do dissent from vs in one point concerning the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud howbeit you cannot be ignorant but that many Churchs and countries in Germany ioyne with vs in that matter And let the reader reade and examine the confessions of faith set out by the Churches in France and in the low countries and they shall see both how great their agreement in Doctrine is with vs and also what a shamelesse slaunder this is which this authour hath acording to his accustomed maner auouched but not proued And moreouer I will offer this issue to this man who thinketh so highly of him-selfe that whereas he shall proue that there is dissension among vs in one essentiall point of religion and doctrine I will proue that there is in three at the least among them And this much for this article The second article of the communion of Saints you say we many waies denie First by not beleeuing that Christ hath instituted seauen Sacraments wherein the Saints of his Church coÌ„municate But why do not you bring some plaine proofe that our Sauiour Christ iustituted these seauen Sacraments seeing you say that the denying of them is the deniall of this Article of our faith Saint Paul going about to terrifie the Christians of Corinth from going to idolatrous feasts by the example of Gods fearefull iudgements and plagues poured vpon the Israelites for the like sinnes to preuent an obiection which the Christians of Corinth might haue made that the Israelits were not the Children of God so much as they and had not such Sacraments of Baptisme and of Christs supper as they had and therefore God would not deale so hardly with them as hee did with the Israelites to take away I say this obiection he sheweth that they were Gods people as well as the Christians of Corinth were and had the same sacraments in substance that we haue For the Fathers were vnder that cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized by Moses in 1. Cor. 10. 1 that cloud and in that sea and did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them and the rocke was Christ Where Saint Paul making mention of the Sacraments which are tokens of Gods grace and markes of his people nameth but these two Baptisme and Christs supper Saint Augustine also writing of the Sacraments whereby Christ hath tied his people together maketh mention but of the same two in these words Primum itaque tenere volo quod est huius disputationis caput dominuÌ„ nostrum Iesum Christum sicut ipse in Euangelio loquitur Leui August ad Ianuar Epist 108. iugo suo nos subdidisse sarcinae leuâ— vnde sacramentis numero paucissimis obseruatione facillimis significatione praestantissimis societatem noui populi colligauit sicut est baptismus Trinitatis nomine consecratus communicatio corporis sanguâ—â—is ipsius si quid aliud in scripturis canonicis commeÌ„datur c. 1. First therfore I would haue thee hold that which is the head of this disputation that our Lord Iesus Christ hath as hee speaketh in the Gospell put vs vnder his easie yoke light burthen wherevpon he hath bound togither the society and communion of his people by Sacraments in number fewest in obseruation easiest in signification most excellent as is baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinity the communion of his body bloud if there be any thing els commended in the canonicall scriptures The like he writeth in his 3. booke de doctor Christiana cap. 9. by the which it appeareth that he thought these two Sacraments to be sufficient for faithfull Christians to communicate in And if he had acknowledged any mo it is maruel yâ— writing of purpose of theÌ„ he did not name them yet S. Augustine did not deny this article of the coÌ„munion of Saints Bessarion a Cardinall of Rome a learned man dissenteth Bessar de Sacram Eucharistia froÌ„ you saith Haec duo
infidelity But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluatioÌ„ which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion ergo S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelity The Maior is plaine for to doubt of matters in faith is manifest infidelity because whosoeuer doubteth whether God hath reuealed that which indeed be hath reuealed being sufficiently proposed as reuealed vertually doubteth whether God saith truth or lieth The Minor is proued by the testimonie of S. Paul Cum timore tremore salutem vestram operamini with feare and trembling worke your saluation All feare whether it be filiall feare or seruile feare inculdeth doubt the one of sinne the other of punishment Answere AS it is false that wee neither know what wee beleeue nor why wee beleeue as hath beene before sufficientlie shewed so is it no lesse false which is here boldlie affirmed but faintly prooued That wee haue no meanes in our Church to settle vs in vnitie of beleefe to determine controuersies and to abolish Heresies Wee haue the word of GOD which we acknowledge to be the onely touchstone of truth concerning religion and saluation We haue learned and Godly Bishops and Pastors to teach the truth of Gods word to confute both by preaching and writing errors and heresies And we haue Synodes although not generall yet prouinciall wherein controuersies may be decided and Heresies condemned as heretofore the truth hath beene maintained and Heresies confuted and confounded in some prouinciall Councels as that called Gangrense and some other Africane Councels as wel as they haue beene in some generall I would faine know of you what other and better meanes the Church of God had for the space of three hundred yeeres after Christs incarnation then these to determine controuersies and abolish Heresies Generall Councels they had not before Constantines time which Pigh 6. de eccle Hierarch cap. â— Bellarm. tom 1 contro 4. lib. 2 cap. 13. Aeâ—cas Siluius epist 28. pag. 802. therefore your fellow Papist Pighius counteth to haue beene an inuention of his but your great Rabbin Rob. Bellarmine therein controlleth him and saith it is false So well these men bee setled in vnitie of beleefe And to your great Maister of Rome whom you now would make the Oracle of the world there was before that time but small respect and regard had as your own Pope Pius 2. in these words confesseth Ante Concilium Nicenum sibi quisque viuebat ad Romanam Ecclesiam paruus habebatur respectus i. Before the Councel of Nice euery one liued to himselfe and there was small regard had to the Church of Rome Shew vs therefore what meanes the Churches of God then had for maintenance of vnity of faith which we want You say that Christ willed vs to heare his Church if we Matth. 18. 17. Bellar. contro 1. lib. 3. cap. 5 would not be accounted for Ethnicks and Publicanes The which place your said Rob. Bellarmine Reader full wisely alleageth to proue the Pope and his Councel to be the supreme Iudge of controuersies As though our Sauiour Christ there spake of deciding of controuersies in doctrine or of expounding the Scriptures or by the Church meant the Pope and his councell and that euery man against whom his brother trespasseth must goe to the Pope and his councell to make his complaint These bee vanities and follies which nullo impellente ruunt and neede no confutation You further alleage out of Ioh. 14. 17. that Christ promised vnto the church the assistance of the holy Ghost where by the church you meane the Pope and his councell as your Maister Bellarmine hath taught you who writeth thus Sed hic in genere dicimus iudiceÌ„ veri sensus Idem ibid. ca. â— Scripturae omnium controuersiarum esse ecclesiam id est Pontificem cum concilio in quo omnes Catholici conueniunt Wee generally say that the church is the iudge of the true sense of the Scripture and of all controuersies that is to say The Pope with the councell wherein all Catholikes doe assemble or rather dissemble together But our Sauiour Christ made this promise to his disciples saying I will pray the Father and hee shall giue you another Ioh 14 16 17 comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whome the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you This promise pertaineth not to all the successors of the Apostles but to all them that truly feare God and beleeue and obey the holy doctrine which Christ deliuered to his Disciples and which they preached the which when you shall soundly proue that your Popes councels do then we will grant that this promise of Christ belongeth to them In the meane time wee will follow Chrysostomes good counsell Si videris aliquem Euangelica Chrysost Hom. dâ— Sâ—ncâ—o adorando spiritu repetentem profecto spiritum sanctum habet Veniet enim spiritus sanctus vt recordari vos faciat eorum quae docui Si quis igitur eorum qui dicuntur habere spiritum sanctum dicat aliquid à seipso non ex Euangelijs non credité meam doctrinam sequimini If thou see any man speaking out of the Gospell surely he hath the holy Ghost For the holy Ghost shal come to put you in remembrance of those things which I haue taught you If therefore any of them which are said to haue the holy Ghost doe speake any thing of himselfe not out of the Gospell beleeue him not but follow my doctrine Whereas you say that you beleeue certainely that the church cannot erre that the generall councels cannot deliuer false doctrine c. I answere that you foolishly begge that which is in question For as wee acknowledge councels assembled of Godlie learned and modest men which simply seeke the glorie of God and the profit of his Church are good meanes to suppresse errors and heresies and to abolish abuses and enormities so to affirme that generall Councells cannot erre or deliuer false doctrine is most false absurd as by many both reasons and examples might bee proued But for shortnes sake I will touch but a few examples The councell of foure hundred Priests of Israel erred and Satan was a false spirit in the â—outh of them all to the 1. King 22. 6. 8 22. Matth 26. 3. 65. 66. Act. 4. 5. 18. destruction of Achab that cursed king of Israel The councell of the Priests of Iuda erred in coÌ„demning Iesus Christ to death The councell of the high Priest and other Priests Rulers Elders and Scribes erred in forbidding Christs disciples to speake or teach in the name of Iesus The councel of Neocaesarea erred in iudging hardly falsly of second marriages which Gods word alloweth Rom Concil Neoca sar Can. 7. 7. 3. 1. Cor. 7. 39. the words of the councell be these
1. subcribe vnto and approue that which hereof both Bishoppe Iewell did write heretofore and Doctor Abbot of late in his answer to D. Bishoppes Epistle 55. 4. Page 33. and 55. 18. Page 142. c. to whose learned writings by publike authoritie published I doe for shortnes sake referre the reader Of your fifth matter I haue intreated sufficiently before and it hath bene deliuered by Doctor Fulke others with approbation of publike authoritie If any singular person hold any singular opinion dissenting from the same it ought not to praeiudice the doctrine generally receiued and approued in the Church Yea this doctrine is not disliked by your Angelicall doctor Thomas de Aquino as you may read Sum. part 3. Quest 46. The same I say of your sixth concerning Christs discending into hell in the expositioÌ„ whereof if there be some diuersity among vs there is the like in the followers and fauourers of the Church of Rome as I haue shewed before of Durandus picus Mirandula to whome may bee added the aforesaid Ibid. quest 52. Thomas Aquinas Concerning the seuenth doctrine which you obiect I doe neither know nor you by any proofe do shew any difference to be among vs. We al do accknowledge and beleeue Christ to be the Sonne of the Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of him-selfe as Epiphanius saith and is before declared And as Bellarmine dare not condemne Contro 2. lib. 2. ca. 19 our doctrine herein vttered by Caluin but cauilleth at the matter of his speech So his brother Gregorie de Valentia a Iesuit approueth it saying filius Lib. 1. de Trinita cap. 2. lib. 2 cap. 17. vt est persona est ex alio vt simplicissimum ens non est ex alio The sonne in respect of his person is of an other Viz the Father in respect of his most simple essence is not of an other You say that you omitte many â—o petty differences in matters of faith c. The which as you would not haue spared if you could haue found them So you might haue omitted these before mentioned for any other proofe you haue made of them besides your bare worde or any truth that is contained in them Touching the doctrine of Baptisme you would faine finde a knot in a rush a difference where none is We all beleeue that Baptisme is a seale of Gods couenant with vs in Iesus Christ a sacrament of our regeneration in himâ— and that God in due time sometimes before and sometimes after Luk. 1. 15 Act. 10. 44 worketh inwardly by his spirit in his elect and chosen that which outwardly is signified Baptisme in purging them from the guiltines of their sinnes and sanctifying them to newnes of life But neither one nor other of vs beleeue that Baptisme doth ex opere operato purge and cleanse all that bee baptized Symon Magus was outwardly Act. 8. 13. baptized and yet remayned still in the gall of bitternes and bond of iniquitie If you know any diuersitie among vs herein name the persons set downe the places and carry not matters thus in a clowd to the diffaming of the faithfull and the deceiuing of your ouer affectionate fauourers and followers of you in your follies I know no Puritanes that condemne the communion booke as irreligious or erronious although some doe thinke of it as of translations that some imperfections be in it And hath not your Iupiter Capitolinus the Pope in reforming the Missals and Primers and in leauing out and altering sundry thinges that were in them confessed imperfections yea and corruptions to haue bene in them What hath bin the iudgement of your owne Catholikes of Espen in Com. in 1. Timoth. di gres l. p 22. ex â—dan lib. 3. de interpret Scrip. cap. 3. them appeareth by these wordes of Espenseus Lindanus proponit Episcopi Lugdunensiis quaerelam de Missalibus c. Lindan propoundeth the complaint of the Bishop of Lions for the purging of Missals and Antiphonaries saying wee haue corrected the Antiphonarie by cutting away such thinges as seemed to be superfluous false and blasphemous Which Bishop saith Lindan if he did see our Missals and Antiphonaries O good GOD With what name would he paint or call them in which secret prayâ—rs be defiled with most filthy faultes But our sinnes doe not suffer any amendment by the fault of the Bishoppes which are slacke heerein Heereby you may see what was the iudgement of three of your owne Catholike Bishoppes of your missalls and other bookes of diuine seruice Sette downe if you canne the names of any of them whome you call Puritanes that haue so sharpely censured the Communion booke and haue charged it with such filthy faultes as these Popish prelates haue imputed to your Masse-bookes c. The signe of the Crosse in Baptisme is a matter in comparison of matters of faith and saluation of small moment the which though some refuse as not commanded in the word of GOD and greatly by you abused to Idolatry and sorcery yet it is in our CHVRCH retained not as appartayning to the substance of Baptisme or that the want of it doth any thing derogate from the perfection of Baptisme but as an ancient ceremony which long and vniuersally hath beene retained in the Church of GOD. Concerning confirmation I knowe none but that as they doe all with one mouth and hart condemne your making of it without any warrant of Gods word a Sacrament and your attributing more vertue to it then to Baptisme your defiling of it with superstitious ceremonies so they do in vnitie of Spirite acknowledge it to be a good and lawdable order in the Church for children after they haue beene baptised and so well instructed in the Principles of christian religion that they be able in some good measure to render an accompt of their faith to be by imposition of handes confirmed that is approued and admitted to the receauing of the holy Sacrament of Christs Supper Touching the vse of Surplesses organs c. in diuin seruice I say that men may differ in opinions of these things and agree in vnity of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God Socrates before named saith well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. No religion obserueth the same rites although they embrace the same doctrine for they that bee of the same faith doe differ amongst them-selues concerning rites and ceremonies If Saint Peter after hee had receaued miraculoufly the guift and graces of the holy Ghost was not fully perswaded of the abrogation of the ceremonies of the law and the vocation of the gentils it is no maruaile if men now nothing to be compared to him be not fully perswaded of externall ceremonies and orders although they be throughly setled in the truth of the doctrine of faith Thus these seauen differences with the rest by you set downe wee haue examined and find them light vpon the ballance And although you auerre much yet
in Math cap. 3. can fullfill the law of GOD yea can doe superarrogant workes I should say workes of Supererogation aboue them that the law requireth Ergo the Papists bee proud Hypocrites and Phraisees The Pamphlet The most poynts wherein the Protestants dissent from the Catholikes tend to loosenes of life and carnall liberty 4. Article THis article may bee proued by a generall induction in all such matters as now the Protestants call in question First say that a man hath not free will to doe good but all goodnesse proceedeth so from grace that it lyeth not in his power neither to haue it nor resist it but of necessitie it must haue effect To what other end tendeth this senceles doctrine and fatall fancie but to make men negligent in disposing and preparing their soules to receiue Gods grace and rouse it vp and put it in execution after they haue it making man not much vnlike a sicke asse who neither can dispose nor prepare himselfe to seeke for his medicine but of necessitie must expect till his maister thrusteth it into his throate neither after hee hath drunke it can cause it cure his disease but carelesly letteth it worke as it will Secondly they defend that men be iustified by faith alone the which Solifidian position ouerthroweth flatly true repeâ—tance sorrow for sins mortification of passions al other virtues which tend to perfect reconciliation of the soule with God causing men onely to procure a certaine false fantastical apprehension of Christs death passioÌ„ the which faith although they erroniously auerre cannot be seuered from charity vertues good works yet both experience teacheth that it may for also few or none haue faith because few or none of them haue these works and the Scriptures plainely proue that all faith yea and the most noble faith which hath force to remoue Mountaines may be without charitie Thirdly they assure vs that faith once had can neuer be lost the which vain security openeth the gap to al libertine sensuâ—lity for if a man bee certain that he hath true faith if it bee impossible he should lose it if he be secured that by it alone he shal be saued why may he not wallow in al licentious pleasures in this life neuer doubt of glory in the other could euer Epicurus haue fouÌ„d a better ground to plant his Epicurisme could euer Heliogabalus haue better patronised his seÌ„suality could Bacchus or Venus euer haue forged better reasons to enlarge their dominion Fourthly they say a man cannot keep all the commaundements for what other cause I pray you but thereby to make men negligent in keeping of them to pretend an excuse of impossibilite whensoeuer they transgresse them Fiftly why deny they the Sacrament of penance but to make men careles how they liue and neuer regard the auoiding of sinnes as though they were neuer to render an account of theÌ„ to hinder that shame blushing which men conceiue in discouering their sins the which are most excellent meanes to deter them from sinning another time to shuffle vp restitution satisfaction of iniuries committed against our neighbours to draw men from remorse of conscience by burying their sins in eternal obliuion the sores whereof confession rubbeth causeth remembrance Sixtly why exclude they the true real body of Christ from the blessed Sacrament of the altar but for that they perceiue how by the presence thereof they were deterred from sinne and wickednes for they knew well that sinfull liâ—es consorted not with those sacred misteries and therefore they rather resolued to banish Christ from the Sacrament then sinnes from their soules Finally for what other cause haue they coined a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes other principal points of the catholike Church but for fasting to bring in feastâ—g for praying playing for deuotion â—issolutioÌ„ for religious fâ—are of God vain securitie for zeale and mortification a nuâ—ber of vaine verbal sermons and to conclude for a positiue working a flat deniall almost of all points of faith and religion Answere COncerning this article I will first answere these cauils which this cauiller obiecteth to the slaundering of our doctrine as tending to loosenesse of life and carnall libertie Secondly I will shew to what loosenesse and wickednesse of life the doctrine of the Church of Rome tendeth and what fruits or rather weeds of wickednes it hath brought forth euen in Popes their clergie and namely in Rome that holy Citie where that holy Father resideth and wherevpon he especially breatheth and blesseth He beginneth with free will wherein he neither setteth downe truly our doctrine nor the state of the controuersie which is a vsuall custome with his companions to peruert and alter the state of the question as Doctor Whitakers sheweth yâ— Bellarmine vseth to do I wil Epist dedica in contr 1. therefore lay downe our doctrine truly as we teach concerning this matter wee beleeue that although in worldly matters concerning this life man haue wit reason and vnderstanding to know and will for the choise of good and euill iust and vniust yet in spirituall matters pertayning to eternall life and the worship of God wee beleeue that mans reason is so darkened wil be so corrupted that he can neither truly know loue nor couet much lesse do performe those things which bee agreeable to Gods will and acceptable vnto his Maiestie vntill God in his elect and chosen people doe by his holy spirit regenerate them by lightning their blinde reason and forming their wicked wils This we proue by these places of Scripture here following The Lord saw that the wickednes Genes 6. 5. of man was so great vpon the earth al the imaginations of the thoughts of his hart were euil continually And that the Ibid. cap. 8. 21. Math. 16. 17. imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in John 1. 5. Verse 1â— Iohn 3. 3. heauen That light shined iâ— the darkenes and the darkenes comprehended it not Which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh but of God Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh 13 is flesh that which is borne of the spirit is spirit A man can 27 receiue nothing except it be giuen him from heauen No man Chap. 6. 44. 65 can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Therefore I said vnto you that no man can coâ—e vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my Father without mee ye can do nothing The wisdome of the flesh iâ— death The wisedome Cap. 15. 5. Rom. 8. 6. 1. Cer. â— 14 of the flesh is enmitie against God The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes to him
Bishoppes seates were placed for euening prayer there fell a greeuous strife betweene the seruants of Helecon the Bishoppe of Hildeneshem and the seruants of Widerad the Abbat of Fuldens they beganne with chiding afterward with fistes and had quickly come to swordes if the authority of Otho Duke of the Baioarians had not stayed it Againe a little after The King kept Whitsontide at Goslare where when the King and Bishoppes met at euening prayer there rose againe a tumult for the setting of the Bishops seats not by suddaine chaunce as before but by a fore premeditate purpose for the Bishop of Hiledeneshem being mindefull of the reproch before receaued did hide Cont Ecbert with prouided souldiers behind the Alter These hearing the noise and stir of the seruants came quickly in and of the seruants of the Abbots of Fuldens they did beate some with their fistes others with their clubes did throw them downe and easely driue them being amased at the suddaine danger out of the chancell of the Church who forthwith calling there fellowes to fight the Abbots men hauing their weapons in redines did rush on a heape into the Church in the midst of the Queere among the singers they fought not now with cudgels but with swordes A fierce fight was there made and through the whole Church in steed of spirituall hymnes and Songes there was heard the crying out of some exhorting to fight and the sorrowfull mourning of others dying Sorrowfull sacrifices were slaine vpon the Alters of God and floudes of blood did euery where runne in the Church shed not as in old time by the religion of the law but by hostile crueltie The Bishoppe of Hildensheyme getting vp into a high place and as it were founding a trumpet for warre exhorted his men to fight valiantly and that they should not be feared by the holines of the place from fighting he alleaged his owne authoritie and promise Many were on both sides wounded many were slaine amongst the chiefe were Regeâ—bado the Abbot of Fuldens Standart-bearer and Bero a souldier very deere vnto Count Ecbert In these stirres the King cryed out and by his Kingly maiestie exhorted the people to peace but he seemed to speake vnto them that were deafe At the last being admonished by his followers to prouide for the safety of his owne life hee left the fight and with much adoe escaped through the multitude thronged together to his Pallace The Bishop of Hildeneshems men who came to the fight prepared had the vpper hand The Abbots as vnarmed and sodainely gathered together vppon the sodaine rising of the storme of this seditious tumult were driuen away ouerthrown and expelled out of the Church Wherevppon by and by the doores were locked The Abbots men who in the beginning of the tumult had gone farre off to fetch their weapons came armed in great number and did gette the porch of the Church and put themselues in array yâ— they might forthwith sette vpon them which should come out of the Church But the night did breake off the fray Hetherto Lambert of Schafnaberge Charles Earle of Flanders was slaine at Bruges in the Church at Masse as testifieth these writers Mathew 1127. Paris in Henrico 1. Page 94. Tritemius in Chro. Mon. Hersong Page 156. Sigâ—bertuâ— fol. 137. and FÃ bian part 7. 230. Henry the sonne of Richard Earle of Cornewale was Enncad 9 lib. 5. Dâ—â—aâ— 2. lib 8. slaine in the Church at Viterbum in Italie in the time of the Masse by Guy Mâ—nserratens as testifie Sabelicus Blondus and others This was about the yeare of our Lord 1273. Antoninus sheweth how one Thomas Clevallis Gouernour of Fabrian a great and populous towne and other Pâ—t 3. Titul 22. Cap. 10. fol. 170. â—â—no â—436 Castles thereabouts was slaine with his two sonnes in the great Church of the said Fabrian vpon the Ascension day whilest he was present at a solemne Masse Famous or rather infamous is that murther of Alphonsus Medices in the Church of Florence which Raphaell Volaterranus in his Geography dedicated to Pope Iulius Lâ—b 5 pag. 57. the second declareth in these wordes Laurence Medices suffered sundry conspiracies but especially the Pactian most perillous of all the rest which was in this sort At Rome two Francisces Pactuis and Saluiatus Bishop of Pisa were authors of it Saluiate was greiued because in obtayning his Bishoppricke he had Laurence his aduersary the other for that seeing himselfe equall to Laurence in Nobilitie witte and almost in wealth was not equall to him in power and authority Therefore they did impart the matter with Hierome a kinsman of Pope Sixtus the fourth because they did know that he also did hate him For whereas bee was the first keeper of the Popes treasure he was found to haue giuen secret aid against the Pope to Nicholas Vitellius of Tiserni in the siege of Tiserni Therefore they being priuy consenting they went first to Pisa afterward they came to Pactius town wher they continued certaine daies vntil they had gotten togither the rest of the conspirators and had disposed of the whole matter From thence vpon the tenth Câ—lendes oâ— May being Sonday in the yeare 1478. the Conspirators vnder the pretence of Gods seruice came to Florence with Raâ—hael the Popes Legat and Hieroms kinsman who from the schoole of Pisa beeing lately made a Cardinall came thither either by chance or of set purpose They came all early to the Church of Reparata to Masse In the meane while Saluiatus with his armed men departed secretly from the Church and came vnder pretence of an other matter to the Court or common Hall to talke with Caesar Vcâ—iliser the Gouernour but yet to this end that the murther being committed in the Church he might bee ready to inuade and sette vppon the Court and Magistrates Therefore the token beeing giuen when the Eucharist or Sacrament was lifted vp Barnard Bandine first did thrust through Iulian Laurences brother Antony Volateran who moued with hatred for an old iniury done to the Volaterans had required the first part in that action did on the other side sette vppon Laurence behinde his backe and did strike him a little below the throate whereas hee straight wayes turning himselfe at the crye of the people did somewhat auoyde the blow and when the other would haue giuen him an other blow hee speedily escaped into the Reuestrie of the Church neere therevnto where hee was by the multitude of his friendes receiued and preserued c. Hitherto Volaterans wordes who immediately sheweth how Pope Sixtus interdicted Laurence for laying handes vppon the Legate and the Priestes and made wars vppon the Florentines drawing Ferdinandus King of Sicile and Fredericke Duke of Vrbine to ioine with him in that warre c. The same Rap. Volaterane sheweth how both Ioannes lib. 4. fol. 54. Ibidem fol. 55. Maria Galeatus Sfortia Dukes of Millayne were slaine in the Church in time of the Masse
of it did earnestly desire to haue it I haue now passed it as at the first I did write it without addition or alteration This I confesse that thou good Reader mayst reade these things namely those of Aerius Vigilantius c. obiected to vs more learnedly and largely answered by others especially by that reuerend and learned man M. D. Abbot in his learned answere to D. Bishops Epistle Notwithstanding if this my simple labour herein bestowed may serue in some measure to the confirmation of the truth and confutation of errour to the instruction and edification of the faithfull that reade and receiue it and if not to reclaime the seduced yet to be a testimonie and witnesse against them that will be more ready to reiect it then to reade and examine it I know that God shall thereby be glorified and his Church profited the which is the onely thing I seeke and desire Aprill 22. 1608. Thine in Iesus Christ ED. BRILKLEY I receiued of a good Christian Gentlewoman the 14. of Iune 1592. a paper containing three questions with other things hereafter following the title of which writing was set downe in these words Three questions moued to M. Goodman a Preacher in Westchester by a Catholique Gentlewoman to the which hee could giue no answere THis title seemeth partly to containe an vntruth and partly to shew a proud and arrogant spirit Whether this be not an vntruth or in plaine words a Lye that M. Goodman so auncient and learned a man who aboue fortie yeares past was publique professour and reader of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and since hath beene a continuall and painfull Preacher could not answere these friuolous and fond questions let the indifferent Reader iudge And whether this proceedeth not of a proud spirit that this Catholike gentlewoman as she is termed should propound such pithie and profound questions that M. Goodman could not answere them let the reader vprightly consider But this is the manner of all these counterfait Catholiques to despiseâ—â— as vnlearned and to thinke highly of themselues and then fauourers But let such take heede that the saying of the Prophet take not holde on them Woe be to them which are voise in their Esay 5. 21. owne eyes and prudent in their owne sight I would with Salomon exhort this Gentlewoman not to be vvise in her Prou. 3. 7. owne eyes but to feare God and to depart from euills and rather humbly to submit her selfe to learne of M. Goodman then proudly to think that she is able to propound such questions in Diuinitie as he is not able to answere Now whereas this Gentlewoman is called a Catholique a title which the enemies of Gods truth whom for distinction sake wee call Papists doe falsly arrogate to themselues and vainely bragge of let vs a little consider how truly or falsly they take this title vpon them That godly father S. Chrysostome hath a good saying Satis sufficere credimus Homil. de Adam Euae quicquid secùndum praedictat regulas Apostolica scripta nos docuerunt vt prorsus non opinemur Catholicum quod apparuerit praefixis sentent ijs contrarium i. Wee beleeue to be sufficient whatsoeuer the vvritings of the Apostles haue taught vs according to the aforesaid rules so that vvee doe not at all thinke that to be Catholique vvhich shall appeare to be contrarie to the foresaid sentences Chrysostome here sheweth vs that the Apostles writings doe sufficiently teach vs Gods truth and that that is not to be called or counted Catholique which doth appeare to be contrarie to those Apostolicall writings Now if wee can plamely prooue that sundry points of doctrine which these Catholiques doe Falsly so called hold be contrarie to the writings of the Apostles as their 1. Cor 14. Rom. 10 14. 1. Tim. 2. 5. prayers in a strange vnknowne tongue their prayers to Saints their making of other Mediators Intercessours besides Iesus Christ their mangling of Christs holy supper in taking away the cup from Gods people their offering of Iesus Christ for a propitiatorie sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead their Images their Pilgrimages their Popes supremacie sundry such others then neither is their doctrine Catholique nor they true Catholiques Vincentius Lyrinensis an Author greatly esteemed of these men and not misliked of mee writeth thus In ipsa etiam Catholica Ecclesia magnopere curandum Vincen. Lyrinen aduersus prosu omn. Haeresion Nouati est vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ad omnibus creditum est hoc est etenâ—m verè proprteque Catholicum quod ipsa vis nominis ratioque declarat i. Also in the Catholique Church it selfe vvee ought to be carefull that vvee holde that vvhith hath beene beleeued in all places in all times and of all persons for that is truly and properly Catholique vvhich the force and reason of the name doth declare Now if these called Catholiques can proue that their Romish doctrine hath euery where in all ages of all persons been beleeued then we will grant it to be Catholike and them to be Catholiques But this they shall neuer be able to doe for as it is most certaine that the primitiue Church neuer taught nor beleeued the doctrine now taught in the Romish Church so the Greeke Church the Muscouites the Christians in Aethiopia Aâ—menia and other countries where Christianitie hath continued haue neither submitted themselues to the Church of Rome nor haue beleeued and accepted all the doctrine therein professed In the Councell called Agathense it was thus decreed Concil Agathen Canon 18. distinct 2 cap. Secula and is also recorded in the Popes decrees Seculares qui in narali Domini Pasche Peutecoste non communicauerint Catholici non credantur nec inter Catholicos habeantur i. Those secular on vvorldly men vvhich communicate not al the feast of the Natiuitie of Christ at Easter and Whitsontide let them not be beleeued to be Catholiques nor counted to be among Catholiques By the which this Gentlewoman and many other her fauourers will be prooued to be no Catholiques But to conclude this point those which beleeue and obey the true doctrine of almightie God contained in the holy canonicall Scriptures be true and sincere Catholiques and those which maintaine false and damnable doctrine not agreeable to the same bee indeede Heritiques And whether they or wee doe holde the saide true doctrine of God let euery one that hath care of his owne saluation carefully seeke and wisely in the feare of God consider and let them not be caried away with naked names and bare titles wherewith the enemies of Gods truth haue in all ages seduced the simple There were in the time of our Sauiour Christ a sect and sort of men which held that there was no resurrection Act. 23. 8. of the dead neither Angell nor spirit and yet these Monsters had got them a glorious title and
were called Sadduces which in the Hebrew tongue doth signifie iust and righteous men Another sect were Pharisies so called as some thinke because they were expounders of the Law as others iudge Tanquam separati i. as separated from the societie of others in effect the same that Monachi that is to say liuers alone yet notwithstanding this glorious title and sundry austere and straite obseruations which in their liues they vsed they were the greatest aduersaries our Sauiour Christ had The Valentinian Epipha herae 31. â—ertul de mongam and Montaniest Heritiques called themselues Spirituales spirituall men and counted others carnall Therefore we are not to be moued with such outward titles which are but sheepes clothings to hide rauening Wolues But Rom. 2. 28. as S. Paul saieth hee is not a Iew which is one outward euen so euery one is not a Catholique that is so outwardly called but hee is a true Catholique that truly in his heart beleeueth and obeieth the heauenly doctrine of almightie God contained in the holy canonicall Scriptures in which the onely rule both of faith and life is Caus 8. Quaest 1. â—ec sufficere prescribed vnto vs as Beda saith the which holy doctrine deliuered and sanctified vnto vs in the holy Scriptures if this Gentlewoman and other of the same sect not obey as most certainely they doe not and as hereafter shall be proued they be no true Catholiques howsoeuer they be so outwardly called and doe vainely bragge of the same to whom may be well applied that saying of the Prophet Heare yee this O house of Iacob which are called by the name of Israel and come out of the waters of Iuda which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israell but not in truth nor in righteousnesse But now I come to the questions 1. First whether Masse or Communion was brought first to England at the conuersion of our English nation to Christianitie 2. Secondly whether Masse or Communion be more ancient 3. Thirdly whether the CoÌ„munion as it is now practised in England were extant in any nation before the Raigne of King Henry the eight Answere AS touching the administration of the Sacrament of Christs body bloud which is commonly called the Communion because it is a pledge vnto vs of that Communion and fellowship which wee haue both with our Sauiour Christ and also one with another two kinde of things are to be considered First such as be of the substance and essence thereof which are vnchangeable Secondly such things as be Accidentall pertayning to the forme and fashion of the ministration thereof which be variable Of the former sort is the hauing of bread and wine the distribution of the same to them that be present prayer and thankesgiuing in a knowne tongue that all with one mouth and heart may giue thankes to God for his great and infinite mercies towards vs in nor sparing but giuing his owne deare sonne for vs euen his body to be broken vpon the Crosse and his bloud to be shed for our saluation whereof the bread and wine is a Sacrament that is to say a holy signe remembrance and pledge vnto vs yea and a meane and instrument whereby wee are made partakers of Christes body and bloud giuen for vs and of all the benefits of his passion These things be of the substance of the Sacrament and ought alwaies to be vsed and may not be altered Other things there be accidentall as the time and place of ministring the same the habit or tire to be vsed of the Minister the forme of praier and thanksgiuing in respect of the words These and such other be not of the substance of the Sacrament and haue no expresse commandement but be variable and changeable so that all things be done decently and to edification Now to come vnto your questions If you meane by the Communion and Masse the forme of praiers and Liturgie vsed by vs and you I may well say that neither of them both were first brought into England at the conuersion thereof to Christianitie altogether in such forme as now they be vsed for both what diuersities of Liturgies and seruice bookes haue beene and also what additions haue beene put to the same is not vnknowne Gregorie Lib 7. iud 2. Epist 6 3. saith the Apostles did consecrate and minister the Sacrament only with the prayer of our Sauiour Christ There be extant diuers sundrie Liturgies of the which the Papists attribute one to S. Iames another to S. Basil another to S. Chrysostome one differing froÌ„ another And in this small Iland within the time of Popery there were three or foure sorts of Masse bookes one after the manner of Yorke another after Sarum another after Bangor And about thirtie yeares past there was brought in a Romane Missall which abolisheth the rest It appeareth both by Augustine the Monkes questions and Gregorie the first answeres that there were diuers and different orders in diuers Churches Augustines question hath these words Cum vna sit fides sunt Ecclesiarum diuersa consuetudines Beda Ecclesiast hist lib. 1. cap. 28. altera consuetudo missarum in sancta Romana ecclesia utque altera in Galliarum tenetur i. Whereas there is but one faith there be diuers customes of the Churches and there is one custome or order of Masses in the holy Church of Rome and another in the Churches of France So also wee confesse that in the Churches where the truth of Christs Gospell is taught there be sundry Liturgies differing in forme of words and yet agreeing in substance of matter which may well be vsed to the glory of God and comfort of his people So that it forceth not though our Liturgie or forme of prayer vsed at the ministration of Christs holy supper were not brought into this Land at the first conuersion thereof or were neuer vsed before the raigne of King Henrie the eight as long as it cannot be prooued that it containeth any thing vngodly and dissenting from the word of God neither doth it auaile them though they could proue that their Masse as it is now vsed was brought into this Land at the conuersion of it which they cannot doe as long as we can plainely proue that it containeth a false sained sacrifice and hath many wicked prayers and superstitious toyes contrarie to the word of God Well saith Tâ—rtullian Quadâ—unque Tertul. de Virgin vâ—land aduersus veritatem sapit hoc â—rit Hâ—resiâ— ettam vetus consuetudo i. Whaâ—soeuer is against the truâ—th the same is Heresiâ— euen an olde custome But I will shew that some of their olde prayers which they vse in their Masse be wicked and dissenting from the word of God The Priests in the Canon of the Masse after Consecration prayeth in these words Supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris c. That thou wouldest vouchsafe to looke with a mercifull and fauourable