one fourme of Sacramentes and the like euen as there is according to Paule one Baptisme one bread one faith one churche one Christe one Lorde one body one heauen one hope of rewarde the breaking of which vnitie of the church of God hath beene alwayes accounted a most greeuous and damnable offence For as Irenaeus a most auncient godly father saith They which cut and disseuer the vnitie of the Church shal haue the same punishment that 〈◊〉 had This punishment wee knowe to haue beene the vtter destruction and exâ—…yrpation of him and all his name But other Fathers doe exaggerate this sinne farther For Sainte Augustine in his booke whiche hee made of the vnitie of the Churche sayth thus Whosoeuer doe agree to all the holy Scriptures touching the head of the Churche â—…hiche is Christe and yet doe not communicate with the vnitie of the Churche they are not in the Churche And a little after hee expoundeth what hee meaneth by communicating with the vnitie of the churche whiche is That theyr communion bee with the whole bodie of Christe his Churche dispearsed ouer the whole world and not with any one part separate or els it is manifest that they are not saiâ—…h he in the catholike churche Nowe S. Cyprian in his booke of the simplicitie of Prelates or vnitie of the churche goeth further for he proueth that if a man did liue neuer so vertuously otherwise nay if hee shoulde giue his life and shedde his blood for Christe yet if he were out of the vnitie of the church he coulde not bee saued for that as he saith This spot or sinne the breaking of the vnitie of the churche cannot be washed away with any blood The which saying of S. Cyprian the learned father Chrisostome after Cyprians death doth repeate and confirme Adding these words There is nothing doeth so prouoke GOD as the diuision of the Churche And albeit we shoulde doe innumerable good deedes yet notwithstanding we shall be punished as greeuously as they were which dyd rende Chriâ—…te his owne flesh and body if wee disseuer in peeces the full 〈◊〉 and vnitie of the Churche And finally he concludeth thus I doe heere say and protest that it is no lesse sinne to cut and breake the vnitie of the Churche then it is to fall into heresie And thus muche I thought good too say leauing infinite other thinges that might bee saide touching the greenousnesse of this sinne of schisme whereby many of our bad catholikes in Englande may see in some part the miserable dangerous case wherein they stand by sleeping so carelesse as they doe in this sinne But now that this act of going to the Protestants churches and prayers is a schismaticall act and suche a one as diuideth from the vnitie of the churche it is easie too bee prooued for that schisme is according too Sainte Augustine A separation of them that thinke the same thing That is a different kinde of seruice of God in those men that do not differ in opinion in religion The which thing he expresseth more plainely in an other place putting the difference betwixt heretikes sehismatikes saying Schismatikes are made not by difference in faith or beliefe but by the breaking of the societie or vnitie of Communion Nowe the Communion or vnitie of the churche consisteth in these three thinges to wit that al Christians haue one sacrifice one and the selfe same Sacraments also one and the selfe same seruice of God But they which goe to the Protestantes churches haue no sacrifice at al neither haue they any more then two of seuen sacraments and those two also so mangâ—…d that of the two scarse one is a sacrament as they vse them And as for their seruice it hath no part of the catholike seruice as I will shewe heereafter He therfore that goeth to this seruice and willingly separateth himselfe from the catholike seruice and Communion breaketh the vnitie of Communion of the churche and consequently committeth schisme But some man perhaps will say I doe it not willingly but I goe to Churche by constrainte of the publiquela wes of my Realme I answere that heere is some kinde of constraint external but not so muche as may take away the libertie of thy will whiche is internal as the Philosopher wisely discourseth For this constraint is but conditinall That is either to doe that which is commaunded for example to goe to the Churche or els to abide this or that punishmente that the Lawe appointeth The which penaltie if thou wilt suffer thy wil is free to doe what thou wilt Neither can any â—…ortall power constraine it further So that suche an action as I haue talked of for example going to the churche for the auoiding of temporall losse is called both the Philosophers and Diuines Inuoluntaria secundum quid simpliciter autem voluntaria That is in part or in some respect vnuoluntarie But absolutely and simplie it is to bee accounted voluntarie And therefore they are to bee esteemed good or bad punishable or rewardable euen as other free actions are for otherwise no sinne shoulde bee punishable Seeing euery naughtie action commonly hath some kind of compulsion in it but yet it may not bee excused thereby As for example the murtherer may say that hee did it not willingly for that hee was compelled thereunto by rage of anger And the Lecherer may say his fleshe compelled him to sinne and to take fitter example for our purpose all those that denied Christe in time of persecution for feare of tormentes mighte by your obiection say that they did it not willingly but by compulsion of torments and therefore were not to bee damned for it But yet Christe saide that hee woulde take it as doone voluntarily and therefore damne them for it by deniyng them openly before his Father and his Angelles at the day of iudgement And yet to giue an other example neerer to oure matter Sainte Iohn saieth of the noble men and Gentlemen of Iurie in his time Many of the principall men did beleeue in Christe but they did not confesse him outwardly for feare of the Pharisees least they shoulde bee caste out of the Sinagogue for they did loue more the glory of men then the glory of God Heere wee see the act of these noble men and Gentlemen also the compulsion to the act the cause of their compulsion lastly Saint Iohns iudgement vpon the act The act wherof they are accused is only holding their peace not confessing Christ openly according as they did inward ly beleeue of him The cause or excuse that they had to lay for themselues was the feare of the Pharises or Magistrates which coÌ„pelled them agaynst their will so to doe Now what punishement they feared at the Pharises handes S. Iohn expresseth saying that it was Least they should bee cast out of their Synagogue The which punishment was then
howling of Woolues the bellowing noise of mad bullockes The reason whereof is that which the scholler of the Apostles S Ignatius saieth No man can cal him good or say he doth wel that doth mingle euil with good Wherefore S. Augustine saieth of the Donatistes Schismatikes and Heretikes of his time that albeit they did sounde out Alleluia with as lustie a voice as the Catholikes did in many thinges els did agree in seruice with them more then nowe the Protestantes doe with vs yet their seruice was impious and auailed them nothing And a litle af◅er vpon the woordes of God vttered by the Prophet saying In many things they were with me c. S. Austen saith thus God graunteth that Heretikes in many things are with him as in Sacraments ceremonies and the like But yet for all that they are not with me saieth God in all thinges For in that they are in schisme they are not with mee in that they are in heresie they are not with mee and therefore for these fewe thinges in the whiche they are not with mee those other many thinges in the which they are with me shal profit them nothing To come neerer to our purpose their owne Apostle and second Elias as they cal him Luther condemneth al their whole seruice for the denying only of the real presence saying The Sacramentaries do in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne and in the holy Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour all this doth auayle them nothing seeing they do deny this one Article as false of the real presence Where as Christ doth say This is my bodie Loe here this Prophet with the same spirite wherewith he condemneth the Popes hee condemneth the Protestantes why should we bel◅ue him more in the one then in the other But now to shew wherein the Protestantes seruice is euil it were sufficient to say that it is deuised of them selues and altogether different frō al the seruice of christendome besides and therfore not to be receiued by catholikes with whom they deale too childishly when they say their seruice differeth in nothing from the old catholikes seruice but only because it is in English thereby thinking to make the simple people to haue the lesse scruple to come to it The which how false it is it shal appeare by that which I wil say hereafter I might also bring the opinion of al the hotter sort of Protestants called the Puritaines who in writing sermons and priuate speech doe vtterly condemne the seruice which now Protestants haue and therevpon doe refraine from it as much as catholikes But I wil giue more particular reasons as foloweth First the scripture is read there in false shamelesse translations conteining manifest and wilful corruptions to drawe it to their owne purposes as hath bin shewed in particular by many learned men in their works and is like to be shortly more plainly by the grace of God As for example throughout the scripture where Idoles are forbidden they translate it Images as in Saint Iohn they reade Children keepe your selues from Images Whereas the Scripture sayeth Idoles and this is to make simple men beleeue that Idoles Images are al one which is absurd For then where Moses sayeth That God made man according to his owne Image Wee should consequently say God made man according to his owne Idole Againe where in contrarie maner S. Paule sayeth That a couetous man maketh his money his Idole We should say that he maketh it his image The which howe foolish it is euery man seeth and it can not stande with any sence of the Scripture The like absurde translations they haue in infinite other thinges which I cannot stand to rehearse Let some man reade the latter ende of the xii Chapter of the second booke of the Machabies where he shal see what labour their English translator taketh to shift ouer the words of the scripture which talk of oblatiōs prayers for the dead and by that one place let euerie man iudge of his fidelitie in the rest For I am sure that if a Boye shoulde so corrupt Tullies Epistles in translating them in a Grammer Schoole he should be breeched for his labour The scripture therefore being read there in false translations it must needes seeme to be false which is blasphemie against the holy Ghost the inditer of them So that by this it appeareth that that part of their seruice which they pretend to be scripture is no scripture because it is by the malice of the interpretor false the which scripture can not be Secondly the seruice that Christians ought only to goe to shoulde be saide as also the Sacraments administred by Priestes and such as haue receiued the Sacrament of holy orders as al the general Councels fathers of the Church shew vnto vs. And S. Paul when he saith That no man may take vnto him this honour but he that is called as Aaron was Wherefore the same Paul aduiseth the Bishop Timothie not to giue this dignitie vnto any man but vpon great consideration saying Do not lay thy hands rashly vpon any man But now that either al or the most part of Ministers of England be meere laye men no Priestes and consequently haue no authoritie in these thinges it is euident for many causes as wel for that they haue not receiued the vnder Orders which they should haue done before Priesthood as appeareth by the auncient Councel of Carthage wherin S. Augusten was himself by al the Fathers both before since as also because they are not ordained by such a Bishop Priest as the catholike church hath put in that authoritie which admitteth no man for Bishop which is not ordeined by imposition of three or twoo catholike Bishops handes at the least Of al which thinges none are to be founde amongest the Protestantes Thirdly their seruice is nought because they haue diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein and that which is yet worse they so place those thinges as they may seeme to the simple to be verie scripture As for example In the end of a certeine Geneua Psalme They pray to GOD to keepe them from Pope Turke and Papistrie whiche is blasphemous First for ioyning the supreme Minister and substitute of Christ with the knowne and professed enemy of Christe and speaking so contumeliouslye of him of whome all antiquitie in Christ his church hath thought and spoken so reuerently calling him The high Priest of the Church The Bishop of the Vniuersal Church The Pastor of the Church The Iudge of matters of faith The repurger of heresies The examiner of all Bishops causes And finally the great Priest in obeying whom al unitie consisteth and b◅ disobeying of whom all Heresies and Schismes arise Secondly it is blasphemous for that they pray to bee deliuered from Papistrie meaning thereby the catholike and onely true religion by the
offered to him But God receiueth no sacrifices but of his priestes Wherefore God before hand doeth teslifie that he doeth accept all them that offer by this name the sacrifices which Iesus Christ hath deliuered to be made that is in the Euchariste or thankesgeuing of the breade and the cuppe which are done in euery place of the Christians By which words it appeareth that thankesgeuing was offered in the Sacrament not that Christes natural bodye and blood was offered therein and this not by the Prieste alone but by all Christians And this more plainelie may be séene by other words of his that are in the same Dialogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As coâ—…cerning those sacrifices whiche are offered to him of vs Gentiles in euery place that is of the bread of thankesgeuing and the cuppe likewise of thankesgeuing hee foresheweth saying that wee doe glorifie his name and that you meaning the Iewes doe prophane it In which woordes what other Sacrifice can wée sée but the sacrifice of thanksgeuing in the bread and in the cuppe And to proue most inuincibly that the Church in his â—…me had none other sacrifice but Eucharistical of prayers thankesgeuing This saying of his in the same Dialogue against the Iewes may serue abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For I my selfe saieâ—…h Iâ—…inus doe affâ—…e that prayers and thanksgeuing made by worthy persons are the onelie perfect and acceptable Sacrifices to God For these are the onely sacrifices that christians haue receiued to make to be put in minde by their drie and moyst nourishment of the passion which God the sonne of God is recorded to haue suffred for them This place doth not onely shew what the only sacrifice of Christians was in his time but also teacheth that in the Sacrament is drie and moyst nourishment that is bread and drink and not bare accidents as the Transubstantiators affirme Therefore howe little Iustinus maketh for the Sacrifice of the Masse these places doe sufficiently declare And howe vntrue it is that all the Fathers of the Primitiue Churche with one consent doe affirme it Declaring rather how al the Fathers of the Primitiue church that speake of the Sacrifice of the Church are to be vnderstood of a Sacrifice Eucharysticall and not Propitiatorie The next quotation is Tertullian de oratione Where I find no such matter spoken of or once named But in his booke ad Scapulam he sheweth what was the Sacrifice of Christians in his tinte Itaque sacrificamus pro salute imperatoris c. Therefore we offer sacrifice for the Emperours safetie but to our God and his but as God hath commaunded with pure prayer Likewise in his booke aduersus Iudeos the Prophecie of Malachie which the Papistes wrest to their masking propitiatorie sacrifice hee expoundeth it de spiritualibus vero sacrifiâ—…s c. Of spiritual sacrifices he addeth saying and in euery place cleane sacrifices shalbe offered vnto my name sayth the Lord. Likewise against Martion In omni loco sacrificium nomini meo c. In euery place a sacrifyce is offered to my name and a cleane sacrifyce namely glory renowne and blessing and prayse and hymnes Other sacrifices then these Tertullian doeth not mention in all his woorkes The next authour is quoted Augustine Lib. 20. contra Faust. Manich. cap. 23. In which chapter there is neuer a woorde of the sacrament or sacrifice or any thing that tendeth thereunto But in the. 21. chapter of the same booke S. Augustine she weth his iudgement not to dissent from Iustinus and Tertullian concerning the Sâ—…ifice of the Churche howesoeuer hee often vseth else where thâ—… terme vnproperly Sed quid agam tantae c. But what shal I doe and when shal I shew to the blindenes of these heretikes what force that hath which is song in the Psalmes The sacrifyce of Prayse shall glorify me and there is the way where I will shewe my sauing helth The fleshe and blood of this sacrisyce before the comming of Christ was promised by oblations of similitudes In the passion of Christe it was geuen vp by the very truth After the Ascention of Christ it is celebrated by a sacra ment of remembraunce Goe your wayes now and charge Augustine to affirme a sacrifice in proper speech to be offered of the bodie and bloode of Christ which he himselfe affirmeth to be a me morie of the only sacrifice of Christe once offered as the legale oblations were promises of the same sacrifice before it was perfourmed Unto Augustine is â—…oyned Chrisostome Hom. 17. ad Heb. Wil you heare his iudgement after he hath made the obiâ—…ction howe we offer that sacrifice euery day which the Apostle and he before had directly and often affirmed to haue béene but once offered and might not be repeated Hoc autem quod faâ—…mus c. But this that we doe saieth Christe is done truely in remembraunce of that which was done For doe yee this saith hée in remembraunce of me We doe not make an other sacrifice as the high priest but we make the self same alwayes but rather we make the remembrance of a sacrifice Sée you not by this correction that the name of sacrifice was vnproperly applied to the celebration of the Lordes Supper which properly is no sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood but a remembraunce of his Sacrifice once offered for all and neuer to bée repeated â—…éeing as Augustine calleth it â—…he onely true and vnsacrificable sacrifice and the Lordes Supper a similitude of that Sacrifice As for Gregorie who liued almost two hundred yéeres after Augustine as hée she weth manye vncertaine miracles in those Dialogues which are next quoted so he was too déeply plunged in the superstitioÌ„ of his time that wée should looke for the right and auncient vse of the celebration of the Lordes Sâ—…pper béeyng the next Bishoppe of Rome saue one before Boniface that openly tooke vppon him the Antichristian authority whiche long before was in breaking out the mystery of iniquity that wrought euen in the Apostles times The rest of quotations that serue to prooue that Priestes were orvayned in respect of this Sacrifice I shall not néed to stand vpon them séeyng I haue she wed by the consent of the most aunciente and best approoued fathers that the sacrifice where of they speake was of another kinde then this where unto he would draw their authorities Ierom. vnto Heliodorus â—…hom this author quoteth speaketh not a woord to shew that Priestes were ordeined for this sacrifyce but sayth God for bid that I should speake any thing amisse of them which succeeding to the degree Apostolike doe make the body of Christ with their holy mouth by whom we also are Christians Where calling the sacrament of y â— Lords supper y â— body of Christ he saith no more then Christ saith of it nor in any other sense Whatsoeuer Chrisostome saith in his 2 booke de sacer whiche is nexte quoted muste bée expounded by his saying
to Church is all the benefite of the keyes of the church or of the authoritie of binding or losing But this is nothing so for by going to Church where they may heare the Gospell truely preached they may be made partakers of the keyes wherewith heauen is opened and of remission of sinnes at the handes of God by the ministrie of his woord As for consession of their sinnes such as the Scriptures requireth and the Primitiue Church practised they shal make dayly But Popishe â—…hrift no Scripture requireth neither did the auncient Church practise it They that confessed their dooinges Actes the 19. mâ—…de open and not auricular confession But for proofe of Popishe auricular confession as I thiâ—…ke Augustine is quoted in many Homelies not 〈◊〉 whereof saying Doe you suche penaunce as is wont to bee done in the Churche that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone c. These woordes are manifest that hee speaketh of open confession of suche as had openly offended the Church and were to make open satisfaction for the same But more néerely touching the humour of our men hée saieth c. And so citeth a long saying out of the booke de visitatione infirmorum lib. 2. Cap. 4. Which was neuer written by Augustine nor by any other man of wit or learning Sâ—…che counterfeite stuffe is méete to defende suche false doctrine as that Wherefore although wée vrge not auricular confession neither make we a Sacrament of repentance because it hath no visible signe proper vnto it yet the benefite of the keyes of the Church is not lost but of such as be truely conuerted from Papistrie with an inestimable comfort to be found in our Church The fourth losse is layd to bee of receiuing the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter the precious bodie and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules There is no reason brought for this losse but the onely tedious supposition that the bodie and blood of Christ is receiued onely in the Popish Church And whereas hée commendeth the often receiuing of the Sacrament it is well that the Papistes who within time of mens remembraunce made small account of often receiuing as appeareth by their infinite priuate Masses now at length haue founde out that the Sacrament is â—…ot ordeined to be looked on but to be often receiued Fifthly they loose saieth hée all the merit of their good deede s whatsoeuer for which heâ—… citeth Gregorie euen as none receiueth their penny in the Gospel but they onely which had laboured within the compasse of the Vineyarde so no man shal receiue any rewarde for any good deede of his except hee haue done it within the vnitie of the Church To this saying I agrée which speaketh of the reward and not of the merite but that they which come to our Church may not bee members of the true Church of Christ there is not a 〈◊〉 or letter brought for proofe Sixthly they loose the benefite of the Communion of Saintes saieth hée and finally beeing cut off and â—…ut from the other members they take no part of influence which commeth from the head to the bodie c. Héere except wee graunt that vile supposition that the Popishe Sinagâ—…gue is the onely Catholike Church of Christ there can be no consequence but to proue that pointe which is the whole matter in debate we heare neuer a word The ninthe Reason The ninthe reason which catholikes may yeeld for their refusall of going to the church may bee the example of all men from the beginning which haue had any care or conscience towarde their own religion not only good men of whom I haue giuen diuers examples before but also al others howe false and erronious soeuer their religion were yet did they alwayes procure to separate them selues from them of the contrarie religion in the act of prayer and from the Temples Sinagogues churches Oratories and conuenticies of the same So wee reade of the Gentiles which thought it to bee a great sinne and pollution to enter into the Iewes Synagogues or Christians churches The like wee read also of the Turkes at this day So all heretiques from the beginning assoone as they had framed any newe religion eftsoones they eâ—…ected newe Oratories to them selues and refused to come to those of other religions as the Arians Donatistes and the rest had their churches and places of prayer distinct from the catholikes whose churches they 〈◊〉 and auoyded together with their doctrine And so the Anabaptists at this day refuse to goe to the Lutherans church and the Lutherans to the Trinitaries In like wise the Puritans of our â—…ime in Englande refuse to come to the Protestantes churches And the Protestantes in other countriâ—…s doe vtterly denye to present themselues to catholike Churches alledging their conscience for the same and affirming it to bee damnable hypocrisie in them that for feare or for any other temporal reâ—…pect do yeld to doe the same against their faith and conscience Wherby it appeareth that they goe quite against their owne doctrine and example in England which obiect the same to Catholikes as disobedience obstinacie and rebellious dealing which in other countries they them selues both teach and practise I will for more manifestation of this matter put downe here the verie words of one of them translated out of French and printed in England and dedicated to the Lord Treasurer by Iohn Brooke The Authors name is Iohn Gardiner a Protestant who in his Cathechisme or as he calleth it Confession of his faith maketh it a great heâ—…ous sinne for Protestantes to present them selues to our catholike churches wâ—…ich hee according to their blasphemous spirite calleth idolatrous His wordes are these I beleeue and confesse that it is not lawful for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirit nor body at the Sacrifices of idolators nor also to enter inâ—…o their Temples whilest they are doing their idolatries Sacrifices except it be to rebuke them in shewing them their abuses to teach them the truth as the holy Apostles Prophets haue done and not for to dissemble as hypocrites For if the body bre a creature of God as it is as the soule is the temple of the holy Ghost member of the mystical body of Christ and if it must one day râ—…se againe possesse the eternal life with the soule It must also necessarily be that it be altogether giuen vnto the seruice of God in this world with the soule and spirite â—… otherwise they can not be ioyned together after the general resurrection but being separated the one should bee in heauen with God whom he loued and the other in hel with the deuil whom he serued the which is an impossible thing Therfore I say al those dissimulations to be a very renouncing of Christ and of his Gospel And in like maner I beleeue and confesse that all those fayned and false
you summoned before you to defend so maâ—…y thousand Catholikes as in that realme make refusall to goe to Church â—…ut aduise your selfe well whether your Checke roule doe not deceiue you and by a Cyphar too muche make you insteede of a seâ—…e hundreds too sette downe so manye thousandes Or if your friende more woorshipfull then true of his woorde in certifiyng you of manye thousandes of Gentlemen imprisoned whose defense you take in hande â—…oo make hath deceyued you you séeme to bee a manne altogether vnmeâ—…te to speake in the eares of her moâ—…e excellent Maiestie and the Honourable Lords of her Priuie Connsell that I cléene omitte all the wyse and Learned of Englande whiche are so lighte of credite too imagine that so manye thousande Gentlemen of this Realme shoulde professe suche obstinacie after so manye yéeres teaching too refuse obedience too her Maiesties Lawes touching Religion when so fewe of anye calling repugned at the firste publishing of the same Or if you make a wilfull Lye because I cannot thinke so basely of youre witte too bée deceiued in so playne a matter not onelye her Maiestie and Honourable Counsell but all the wise and Learned of England maye easily gesse what trueth they shall looke for in the rest of your discourse when so manifest a falâ—…ood is contayned in your firste sentence and what purpose you followed in faygning the refusall of so manye thousaundes whiche if they were all registred will not muche excéede the leâ—…e number of hundereds Well too omitte the number the cause you say of their refusall is not as their Aduersaries geue out But vppon conscience and greate reason and for the auoyding of manifest perill of eternall damnation whiche they shoulde incurre in yeelding too that whiche is demaunded at theyr handes And that all the wise and learned of the Lande with the Prince and her Counsel maye sée this to be so I saith hee haue put downe some causes and reasons here following â—…erily yoâ—… haue taken a greate péece of woorke in hande and â—…hosen no meanâ—… Iudges therefore it standeth you in hande to bring substantiall prooues Let vs heare therefore how you begin Your Margent noteth A necessary suppositioÌ„ your text runneth in these woordes But first oâ—… all it is to be noted that my reasons to the end they may conuince are to be supposed to proceede from a Catholike minde that is from a man which in his conscience is throughly perswaded that onely the catholike Romaine religion is trueth and that all other newe doctrines and religions are false religions as al new Gods are false Gods Certaynely it is a necessary supposition without the which al your reasons are not woorth a â—…igge and it is such a supposition as if it might haue byn allowed vnto Arius Macedonius or Eutyches c. Their reasons might haue conuinced all their aduersaries Suppose an Heâ—…etike to bee a Catholike and heresie to bee truth and Arius was a good Priest Macedonius was an holy Bishop Eâ—…yches was a reuerend Abbot Truely I was deceiued wheÌ„ I Prognosticated in y â— beginning that the trauell of the mountanes would bring foorth a litle mouse For behold they haue brought â—…oorth a great Monster a necessary supposition y â— this writers reasons to the end they may coÌ„uince are to bee supposed to procéede from a Catholike minde No maruell though you blewe the Trumpet and made a lowd noise That the Queenes most excellent Maiestie the Honourable Lordes of her priuie Counsell and all other the learned and wise of England might sée that all your niene reasons to the ende they may conuince must be supposed to procéede from a man that is persuaded that only the Catholike Romayne religion is trueth and all other new doctrines and religions are false But why doe you oppose the Catholike Romayne Religion to all other new doctrines When by the Catholike Romayne religion you meane the present Popishe religion and not the auncient Romayne religion which was the Catholike religion of all true Christians I sée wel as we must first of all suppose you to be a true Catholik so wee must secondly suppose the present Popishe Heresie to be the auncient Romayne and vniuersall religion of al the Catholike Church of Christ. These suppositions will doe you greate pleasure to the ende as you saye that your reasons maye conuince But by such suppositions the théefe that standeth at the barre with as good reason may bee acquited and the Iâ—…dge that 〈◊〉 on the benche by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee condâ—…ned After this necessary supposition followeth a profitable diuision of Catholikes whereof there are twoo sortes in Englande One of them whiche although they iudge that all participation with all other Religions is noughte yet for feare or fauour or for some worldly cause they are content to communicate with them in all or some thinges by him named As in deede or in shewe by othe by Sacramentes by going to theyr prayers seruice or otherwise These hee pronounceth tâ—… bée out of all doubte in a damnable case for this hée allâ—…adgeth Augustine Saint Paule Thomas of Aquine c. And it is verie true that whosoeuer doeth contrary to his conscience â—…ee it iustly or falsely perswaded sinneth damnablye but when hee proceedeth further to charge such with sinne agaynst the holye Ghost whereof our Sauiour Christe sayeth that it shall neâ—…r be forgeuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to come hee pronounceth not onelye a falsâ—… but also an vnleâ—…ed Iudgemente and euen contrarie too himselfe and thoâ—…e principles whiche hee alloweth For although hée sinne verie grieuously whiche sinneth wilfully agaynst his owne Conscience yet hée sinneth not alwayes irremisibly For hée that knoweth Mâ—…ther Adulterie and suche like 〈◊〉 offences too â—…ee damnable and yet wilfully his conscience reclaiming béeyng ouercome of yre or lust or suchother wicked affection doth committe them doeth not by and by committe sinne agaynst the holie Ghoste but by the grace of GOD may bée renewed by repentance The same is too bee saide of them that dissemble their profession and outwardly communicate with Idolaters and Heretikes but not woorse then theâ—…s nor halfe so ill is the case of dissembling Papistes whiche beside their ignoraunce and false perswasion whiche resteth in supposition this manne himselfe confesseth for feare or fauour or other worldlye cause too doe that whiche is contrarie too theire corrupte Conscience and erroneous perswasion Which is the sinne of humane â—…railtie and not of malicious contumelie and blasâ—…mie against the grace and spirite of GOD. Neither doth Augustine whoâ—… hee cyteth vppon the fiftie foure Psalme maintayne his cruel and desperate Censure whoâ—… wâ—…Wrdes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse quâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nonne viâ—…us discendis 〈◊〉 inferos If thou diddest descende when thou werte deade thou shouldest not knowe what thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when thâ—… knowest that too bee euill whiche thoâ—…doest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not
poysoned complexion nothing almost may be added Or that a man infected with the pestilence pockes or other contagious disease may not come néere the place where phisicke and surgerie is ministred least hee shoulde bée further infected So that if a foole or a madde man bée perswaded that the Phisition will kil him by this mayne reason hée must auoyde him For what other force is in this argument except trueth bée confessed to bée falshoode and true phisicke daungerous infection but marke the argument Al daunger of infection is to bée auoyded in going to Church and seruice there is daunger of infection therefore it is to bée auoyded The first parte of this reason our discourser prooueth by similitude by authoritie of scripture of Doctors by examples and by experience Which was altogether néedelesse excepte it were for young children that learne to speake for all men of meane capacitie and smal discretion will confesse that all peryll of infection is to bée auoyded of them that desire to lyue in health but the proofe of the seconde parte of the argumente which is that in going to Churche and seruice there is anye daunger of insection hee bryngeth not one worde beside his bare affyrmation A worthye reason to the hearing whereof the Prince with her counsell the learned with the wise of all England are called Hée that coulde obteine a priuiledge thus to reason that al which hée affirmeth must be taken for trueth and that his aduersarie shal not bée admitted to denie any thing that hee saith may easely proue to bée an â—…rrefragable Doctor If this kinde of resoning had béen vsed among Papists only which are professed to beléeue what soeuer you will teache them it might haue gained you some credite when it should haue had no controlling but when you publish your arguments that the Queene and her Counsell which al denie your principles and the wise and learned of this lande of which the most part refuse your doctrine as heretical may sée that your Clients refusall is vpon great reason you declare that as in pride you lacke measure so in iudgement you want discretion in reasoning you want learning in defending you want trueth in taking the cause in hande of obstinate contemners to iustifie it you haue shewed neither wisdome discretion trueth nor honesty But this seemeth strange that you cite out of Nicephorus lib. 3 cap. 30. That the Apostles and their schollers were so wary and circumspect in this case of auoidyng Heretikes that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them who indeuoured by their lying or newe deuises to corrupt the trueth Haue you set out your champion to challendge the combate and will you nowe giue ouer the battell must you follow the example of the Apostles and their schollers not so much as once to reason the matter with vs whom you account for hereâ—…kes very well The Diuell ought the Papistes a shame to make so proude an offer of disputation which they neuer ment shoulde holde as appeareth not onely by the present flight of the challenger notwithstanding hée prosesteth that hée was prepared to suffer any torment that shoulde bée laide on his body for his constant confession but also by the plaine attestation of this his associate wherby it is euidently bewrayed that suche bolde prouocation was nothing els but a traiterous and seditious deuice to erect the peoples mindes in eexpctation of some change in religion while other diuilishe practises were in working in Irelande and the like attempted in England But howesoeuer you bee affected towarde disputation you slaunder the Apostles and their schollers and Nicephorus the reporter of this sentence and Irenaeus the authour of it in saying they would not so muche as once reason the matter with any heretike For Saint Paul whose doctrine and example the other Apostles and their schollers vsed and followed alloweth vnto euery heretike two solemn admonitions at the least before he be auoided before which might be many reasonings after also though not with any certaine hope to winne them yet with certaine profite vnto the hearers when they see their heresies borne downe with the strength of trueth and falshood mainteined by obstinate will and not by might of reasons when they see the sutle â—…eightes of Heretikes laide open to their shame and the plaine trueth of the Gospell haue the victorie to the glory of God So did the Apostles dispute against the obstinate Iewes so did their schollers with Heretikes as is manifest by the concertation of Augustine with the Donatistes Manichees and Arrians and that often in hearing of the people the recordes whereof are extant as the disputation of Germanus and Lupus with the Pelagians testified by Beda in the first of his English historie Neither doth Ireneus say that the Apostles and their schollers woulde not once reason the matter with any Heretikes but shewing how Polycarpus the scholler of Saint Iohn beeing saluted by Marcion the Heretike who desired to bee acquainted with him answered that hee knewe him alreadie to bee the eldest childe of the Diuell hee declareth that y e Apostles and their schollers were so circumspect that they woulde not communicate in any worde or familiar spéech with any that had corrupted the sinceritie of the Gospell with lying and false deuises And this circumspection Polycarpus learned indeede of Saint Iohn who saith in his second Epistle That if any man come vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house nor salute you him for hee that saluteth him is partaker of his wicked workes Finally where you say that out of the first sect of Luther dyd spring Lutherans and Zwinglians Caluinistes Puritanes Anabaptistes Trinitaries Familie of loue Adamites and suche like you bewray not onely your malice but also your ignorance For besides that out of the doctrine of Luther so farre as it was consonant too the worde of GOD no heresie coulde spring more then out of the worde of God it selfe the Anabaptistes and Familie of loue are olde sectes springing out of the Enthusiastes Pelagians Donatistes Valentinians and other auncient heresies The Trinitaries are a broode of the Arrians Nestorians Macedonians and suche like Monsters The Adamites were both sprong vp and suppressed by the refourmed Churches of the Bohemians and Morauians manye yeeres before Luther was borne The rest whom you name when you can conuince them of heresie by the authoritie of the holy Scriptures you may referre their beginning to what head you please In the meane time you must learne to reason better against your aduersaries then by challenging the whole cause without tryall or proofe otherwise your victorie shalbe as glorious as your argumentes bee forcible méete to bée answered with hoopes and hisses of Sophisters not worthie the hearing of suche as bee wise and learned in Englande muche lesse too bée regarded of her moste excellente Maiestie and the honourable Lordes of her priâ—…ie Counsell to all
the Church but the Byshoppe was there alone for no man woulde eyther come to his sight or talke with him albeit he was reported to haue vsed him self very modestlye amongst them Nay yet further then this the people of Rome hauing their true catholike byshop deposed by the Aryans and an other called Felix thruste vppon them not an heretique but a schismatique for the historie saith that he was sounde in fayth and held soundlye the relygion set downe in the counsel of Nyce yet because he was a schismatique and was content to take holy orders of the Arian Byshoppes and to communicate with them the whole people as I sayde did flye him and as the historie saieth None of the inhabytants of Rome would enter into the church so longe as hee was within Thus wee see the scrupulositie of chrystian Catholykes in those dayes and that as they thought vppon good cause for the auoyding of schysme If anye man can shewe mee a warrant since that tyme for the enlarging of our consciences now a dayes I woulde gladly see it Yow haue heard in the beginning of this reason the opinions of our forefathers in the primatiue church what a great and haynous sinne it is to breake the vnitie of the church or to disobey the same Againe it is certayne that the church telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshops and learned men in christendome and of the supreame Pastour too bee the voyce of the church that goeing to Protestantes churches is forbidden vs what excuse then shall those men haue from obstinate schisme that notwithstanding all this will yet thinke it lawefull especially the thing being nowe in practise and so manye men suffering for the same Assuredlye â—…hey can looke for no other account to be made of them but as Christ willeth vs. If hee heare not the Churche let him bee to thee as an heathen and as a Publican The which wordes S. Austen saieth Are more grieous and terrible then if he had sayde let him be strooken with a sworde let him be consumed with the flames of fire let him bee deuoured of wylde beastes And a little while after talking of the bande wherewith the church mayâ—… binde a mans sinnes by authoritie giuen vnto her of Christe hee saieth A man is bounde more bitterlye and more infortunately by the keyes of the Churche then by any other most grâ—…uous and barde bandes albeit they were of yron or of adamant stone Leâ—… colde catholykes in Englandemarke this and not thinke they are free when they are in these bandes nor thinke they are christians when in deede they are Heathens and Publycans It is a naturall infirmitie of ours to thinke willingly to wel of our owne case and passion permitteth vs not to iudge indifferently in these matters Let vs therefore consider of other mens cases and by them conieâ—…ure of our owne If in Saint Iohn Chrisostome his time when there was an Arrian churche and a catholike Churche knowen in Constantinople and both of these churches calling people vnto them and the Emperour fauouring more the Arrians then the catholikes if I say in that case some catholikes leauing Saint Chrisostomes church should haue gone to the Arrians churches to seruice vpon obedience to the Emperour what woulde we thinke of them now would we esteeme them damned schismatikes or not If they had dyed so considering their disobedience to the Bishoppe and their perfideous betraying of Gods catholike cause in that time of tryall I thinke yes Then let vs not deceaue our selues for this is our ease nowe And if in all mens iudgementes that acte woulde haue seemed Schisme for disobeying one particular priuate Bishop and breaking from his commnnion what shall wee say for disobeying the Generall Pastour of all and breaking from his communion Of whom the noble Martyr of Christ Saint Cyprian aboue thirteen hundred yeeres agone saide thus Heresies and Schismes haue sprong of none other cause then for that men doe not obey Gods Priest and for that they do not thinke or consider that there is one onely Prieste who is iudge in Christes steede for the time Vnto whom if all the vniuersall brotherhood woulde obey in diuine functions no man woulde moue any thinge against the Colledge of Priestes neyther after the iudgement of God the suffrage of the people the Bishops consent once put downe in anye matter woulde any man dare to make himselfe a iudge of the Byshoppe and consequently of GOD nor by breaking Vnitie teare and rent the Churche of Christ. The fourth Reason THE fourth cause why a catholicke may not goe to the church saith he is because it is sinne and breaking of the vnitie of the catholick churche And then discourseth at large how perilous it is to break the Unitie of the Churche and how néedfull to kéepe it in whiche Argument hée hath all true Christians to take his parte sauing that hée séemeth to vrge this vnitie so farre that in the Churche of Christ there should bée not alone one only forme of beliefe but also One forme of seruice one forme of Sacramentes For which hée quoteth Ephes. 2. 4. If hée meane of one essentiall and substantial forme of Sacramentes and Seruice I doe willingly admitt that hée sayeth but if he speake of one external â—…orme in woordes and ceremonies as for example that which the Popishe Church doeth vse Sainte Paule neyther in the place by him noted nor anyâ—… where els teacheth that it is necessary to bée in the whole Church of Christ neyther was it in auncient times but euery Churchâ—… vsed suche forme of prayers and administration of the Sacramentes as they thought most conuenient whereof not onelie so many differing formes of Lyâ—…urgies yet extant but almost al the Auncient Writers are witnesses Neyther at this day is there in all Churches of Christ one forme of seruice and Sacramentes no not in the Popishe Churche wherein howe many diuersities of seruices there are in other places it is to be gathered by so many differing formes as were héere in Englande according to the vse of Sarum of Yorke of Rome or of Hereforde Neyther did Gregorie when hée sent Augustine into Englande to plant the fayth and religion that was at Rome thinke it expedient to bynde the Saxons to the forme of Ceremonies and seruice vsed in the Church Romayne but willed him to choose out of euery Churche what hée thought conuenient for the newe Church of the English Saxons But procéeding to shewe how grieuous the sinne of Schisme is out of Augustine our reasoner putteth vs in minde what Augustine meaneth by coÌ„municating with the vnitie of the Churche in these woords That their Communion bée with the whole body of Christes Church dispersed ouer the whole world and not with any one parte separate or els it is manifest that they are not saith he in the Catholike Churche Uerely these wordes of Saint Augustine with many other that
were falne shoulde rise againe it had been a superfluous and trifling matter to pray for the dead Then considering that to them that are falne a sleepe with godlinesse there is laide vp a most goodly free rewarde holy and godly is the consideration when hee made expiation for the dead to be loosed from that sinne Now let vs sée what the Englishe Bible dedicated to king Henry differeth from this So hee gathered of euery one a certaine insomuch that hee brought together 2000. drachmes of siluer whiche hee sent vnto Ierusalem that there might a sacrifice bee offered for the misdeede In the which place hee did wel and right for he had consideration and pondering of the life that is after this time for if hee had not thought that they which were slaine did yet liue it had beene superfluous and vaine to make any vowe or sacrifice for them that were dead But forsomuche as hee sawe that they whiche die in the fauour and beleefe of God are in good rest and ioy he thought it to be good and honorable for a reconciling to doe the same for those which were slaine that the offence might bee forgiuen The difference as euery indifferent man may sée is in woordes and not in matter but it séemeth that our proude Censor hath not viewed any but the vulgar Latine translation whiche differeth muche more from the Gréeke then the later of the Englishe Bible The Englishe of whiche vulgar Latine as well as I can translat it is thus And a collection being made he sent twelue thousande drachmes of siluer to Ierusalem that a sacrifice might bee offered for the sinnes of the dead thinking wel and religiously of the resurrection For except hee had hoped that they which were fallen shoulde rise againe it might seeme superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead And because hee considered that they which with godlines had receiued sleeping haue the best grace layde vp Holye therefore and wholesome is the cogitation to entreate for the departed that they may be loosed from sinnes Although this translation séeme more pregnante and full for prayers and sacrifices to the dead yet is the same also contayned in the former translations wherfore here is no wilful corruption or false translation proued but the translation is more agréeablâ—… to the originall then that which our Censurer would haue to bée the onely Authenticall The seconde particular cause and the fourth reason is for that the seruice and sacramentes which shoulde bée sayde and administred onelye by Priestes are sayde and ministred onelye by laye men For nowe all or the most parte of the Ministers in Englande are meere lay men That the Sacramentes and publicke prayers should be said and ministred by Ministers lawefully ordayned it is a thing out of question with vs sauing that the Papists doe allowe baptisme in case of necessitie by a laye man But howe is it proued that our Ministers are all or the most parte méere laye men By two argumentes brought forsoothe though he speake of many causes First because they haue not receiued the vndeâ—… orders which they shoulde haue done before priesthoode That such vnder orders are not néedefull it is playne by the scriptures For Stephen and his felowes were not first made Lâ—…ctors dorekéepers Erorcistâ—…s Acolytâ—…S and Subdeacons but out of the whole number of the people chosen immediately to bée Deacons Paule and Barnabas in like manner ordayned by election Elders in euery Church of Lystra Iconium and Antiochia Neyther are those vnder orders prescribed in anye tâ—…xte of the scripture But the Councelles of Carthage the 4. Canon 6. and of Laodecea Canon 24. appoynte that these orders should bée receaued before priâ—…sthood as our reasoner affyrmeth in his quotation But howe truely you shall perceaue by reading the Canons That of Carthage is in these wordes Acolythusquum ordinatur c. When an Acolyte is ordayned let him be â—…avght of the Byshoppe how hee ought tâ—… doe in his office but of the Archedacon let him receaue a candlestick with a waxe candle that hee may know that he is bound to kindle the lightes of the church Also let him receaue a little cruse emptye to giue wine for the Euchariste of the blood of Christe Although this Canon with a many of the rest bee not of such antiquitie as the councell of Carthage the fourth where S. Augustine was present séeing in diuers olde copies they haue not the title of the Carthage councell but generally Statua Ecclesiae antiqua Auncient statutes of the Church yet you sée playnelye that héere is neuer a word to shewe that those vnder orders eyther were or ought to bée necesiarily receaued of euerye one that shalbe preferred to the order of Priesthoode Nowe let vs sée the other Canon of Laodicea Quid non oporteat sacro ministerio deditos c. That they which are dedicated to the holy ministerie from the Priestes vnto the Deacons and the rest of the Ecclesiasticall order that is vnto the Subdeacons Readers Singers Exorcistes and dorekeepers nor any of the number of Contayners and Monkes ought not to come in anye tauerns or common tipling houses Doeth not this Canon proue inuincâ—…blye trowe you that no man ought to bée made Priest excepte hée haue receaued these vnder orders It followeth I thinke by any logique that wheresoeuer these Officers are named there it is meant that they were all receaued by euerye one that was aduaunced to the order of Priesthoode Naye the contrary is easie to bée gathered out of the hystories that manye were ordayned Priestes which neuer had those vnder orders and that manye hauinge those vnder orders continued in them al their lyfe tyme whereas no man taketh them all at this daye in the Popishe Churche but with intente to bée promoted by them as by steppes vnto Priesthoode For in the most auncient Church where they were first vsed they were names of offices to read in the Church to kéepe Church dores from the entring of Gentiles or excommunicate persons to attende vppon the Byshop as witnesses of his conuersation and exorcists were such as had a 〈◊〉 to cast out diuels of them that were possessed the Subdeacons to serue vnder the Deacons in prouiding for the poore c. But in the Popish Church they haue none but 〈◊〉 offices about idie ceremonies and vain pageants of their Masses consecrations ordinations and such like theatricall pompes and showes The seconde cause why our Ministers are said to bée laye men is for that they are not ordayned by such a Byshop and Priest as the catholyke church hath put in that authoritie This cause dependeth altogether vppon our olde supposition that the Popishe Church is the catholyke Church which is not like to bée admitted by any but by the Papistes themselues Otherwise the true Catholike Church hath allowed the ordination of our Ministers as lawfull vntill by authoritie of the holy scriptures it can bée conuinced to bée vnlawfull The third