the Eunuch who embraced the Old Testament Acts 8 28-35-37 c. And by Saint Peter to Cornelius and his company who had before receiued the Religion of the Iewes Acts. 10.2 22 35 43. And by Saint Paul Acts 13.14 16 -32 -38 39. c. The Apostles receiuing the Conuerts to Baptisme vpon adding to their former knowledge these few principles of true Faith in Christ Iesus and good life shewed that in their Iudgement they wanted no essentiall thing necessary for the making of them true members of the Church and perfect Christians or as our Catechisme calles them members of Christ Children of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen and that if God should take them out of this world in their first entrance into these principall grounds of saluation without further knowledge or practise yet vndoubtedly they should die sufficient Christans and in the state of Grace §. 6. Conformable to the Apostles practise the Christians of the Primitiue Church baptized those that were Catechized in the grounds of sauing doctrine as the essentiall points of Religion that constitute a Christian as appeareth by Irenaeus and Tertullian See Irenaeus and Tertullian cited before chap. 1. sect 2. sub 1. §. 2. whom I alleadged before and by the Creeds which were ordayned as Badges of Christians and differences of true beleeuers froÌ„ either vnbeleeuers or hereticks The Westerne Churches vsed in their Baptisme that short form of confession comoÌ„nlly called the Apostles Creed which in the more ancient times was breefer then now it is as our Learned Bishop Vsher hath punctually obserued B. Vsher serm at Wansted p. 28. The mention of the Fathers being Maker of Heauen and Earth the Sonnes death and descending into Hell and the Commuion of Saints being wholly omitted happily as not necessary for all men to know as Suarez saith or sufficiently implied in other articles or knowen by the light of reason and so not making difference betwixt Christians and heathen these reasons some for one point some for another But being in time made for better explication so full as it is now the whole Westerne Church hath long receiued as a badge of their Faith distinguishing the Beleeuer from the vnbeleeuer The Eastern Church vsed in Baptisme a larger Creed Vsher ib. p. 30. Euseb ep apud Socrat l. 1. hist cap. 8. al. 5. Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 12. the same or very little different from that we call the Nicene Creed because the greatest part thereof was repeated and confirmed in the Nicene Councell to which it was presented by Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea with this Preamble As we haue receiued from the Bishops that were before vs both at our first Catechising and when we receiued Baptisme and as we haue learned from the holy scriptures and as we haue both beleeued and taught when we entred into the Ministery and in our Bishoprick it selfe so beleeuing at this present also we declare this our Faith vnto you To this the Nicene Fathers added a more cleare explication of the Deity of the Sonne against the Arrians which then troubled the Church professing him to be begotten not made and to be of one substance with the Father The second generall Councell assembled 56 yeares after at Constantinople approuing all the former added also something concerning the holy Ghost which then was oppugned by the Macedonian Heretickes The same Fathers also then added the Articles concerning the Catholicke Church and the priuiledges thereunto belonging The Roman Church after the dayes of Charles the Great added the Article of Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne And the late Councell of Trent recommended it vnto vs Concil Trident. seff 3. as That principle in which all that professe the faith of Christ doe necessarily agree and the firme and onely foundation against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile And by which alone our Fathers sometimes drew Infidels to the faith ouercame Heretickes and confirmed the faithfull Such are the words of the Trent Councell So that in this Creed they confesse That onely foundation and principle of faith is to be found in the vnity whereof all Christians must necessarilly agree Section 2. § 1. The rule enlarged and approued in this Age. § 2 By Azorius out of the School-diuines in 14 Articles § 3. Some obseruations and censures of those 14 Articles § 4. The rule set downe by Bellarmine more briefly § 5. By D. Field farre more sufficiently in 6 Articles with his iudgement of the deductions therefrom euident or obscure § 6. B. Vshers distinction of superstructions vpon the foundation § 7. Consequents of this doctrine §. 1. But because we see this foundation of faith hath from the Apostles times continually been enâ—â—ged by reason of errours and heresies arising in sâ—â—erall Ages let vs search a little further how the most Iudâ—cious men doâ— bound it in these our dayes §. 2. Azorius the Iesuite deliuers the vnanimous consent of all the Roman Diuines in 14 Articles Azorius Institu tionum moralium part 1. lib. 8. cap 5. § At iuxta ibid § tertio quaeritur seq whereof seuen concerne the Diuine nature and seuen concerne the humane all which are to be beleeued explicitè with distinct vnderstanding of all men Of the first seuen there is taught in the First That God is in Nature and Substance eternall infinite immense and in maiesty highest euery where not onely in power might and efficacy but also in deed and truely present who hath power of life and death is the supreme Lord of all things who can with his becke and at his pleasure doe all things which he will who knoweth seeth careth for and moderateth all things Secondly The first person in nature and diuine substance to wit The Father is the beginning of two diuine persons and therefore the begetter of the Sonne and breather of the Holy Spirit vnbegotten subsisting of himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing and hauing his essence of another Third The second person in the Diuine nature is true God begotten of the Father onely from all eternity the naturall Sonne of God consubstantiall and equall to him in all things the onely Word and expresse Image of the Father most perfectly representing and expressing him Fourth The third person in the diuine Nature the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne from all eternity is true God coaeternall to them both coâ—quall and consubstantiall and to be worshâ—pped with the same faith and with equall seruice and honour Fifth God is the creator of all things who by his onely becke and word out of nothing produced all things visible and inuisible or the whole frame of the worlâ— in the beginning of time and hauing produced them preserues directs cares for and gouernes them with great goodnesse and wisdome And as he is the creator of all things from whom all things be ng made of nothing did in time proceed so he is the end of all
loud voyce that he had learned more touching the Doctrine necessary to saluation by the Waldenses instructing their children in their Catechisings then in all the disputations of Diuinity which he had euer heard in Paris § 5 Antiquus I will not stand vpon those foule errours which some authors attribute to the Waldenses but there are nine points which the late learned Iesuite a Parsons three Conversions part 2. cap. 10. §. 26. Robert Parsons saith All Authors that write of the Waldenses doe attribute vnto them which I hope you will be ashamed to maintaine Those shew that you and they are not of one Church Antiquissimus Those shew the vanity and shamelesnesse of that man that to the face of the world auoucheth all Authors when many Authors say the plaine contrary This first article or errour which he saith they hold is that all carnall concupiscence and coniunction is lawfull when lust doth burne vs. And therefore some adde that in the darke they practise all kinde of carnall mixtures with whomsoeuer they first meet c. A filthy slander laid as well vpon the b Origenes lib. 6. contra Celsum Euseb hist lib. 4. cap. 7. See Cecilius his wicked Oration in Minuty Felicis Octauio recited also by D. Vsher Grau quaest cap. 6. §. 12 See him also ib. §. 20. Primitiue Christians as vpon them And them your owne Rainerius cited before cleareth saying Haec Leonistarum secta magnam habet speciem pietatis eo quod coram hominibus iuste viuant bene omnia de Deo credant c. Againe Casti sunt Leonistae pag. 231. lin 48. And againe Quaelibet naturâ turpia deuitant Item suos subditos ad eadem diligenter informant Ib. pag. 232 42. Rerum Bohemic script a M. Frehero edit Hanov. an 1602. They c In their booke of remedies against sinne cap. 21. cited in the History of the Waldenses booke 1. cap. 4. informe their people against this sinne thus The sinne of luxury is very pleasing to the Diuell displeasing to God and iniurious to our neighbours because therein a man obeyeth the basest part of his body rather then God who preserueth it A foolish woman doth not onely take from a man his good but himselfe too He that is giuen to this vice keepes faith to no man and therefore Dauid caused his faithfull seruant to be slaine that he might enioy his wife Amon defiled his sister Thamar This vice consumes the heritage of many as it is said of the prodigall child that he wasted his goods liuing luxuriously Balaam made choice of this sinne to prouoke the children of Israel to sinne by occasion wherof there dyed 24000 persons This sinne was the cause of the blindnesse of Sampson it peruerted Solomon and many haue perished by the beauty of a woman Prayer and Fasting and distance of place are the remedies against this sinne For a man may ouercome either vices by combating with them but in this he is neuer victorious but by flying from it and not approaching neere vnto it whereof we haue an example in Joseph It is therefore our duties to pray daily to the Lord that he will keepe vs from the sinne of luxury and giue vs vnderstanding and chastity Thus they taught and professed and is it credible had they practised the contrary they could haue continued so long and drawne so much of the world to imbrace their Religion with so great dangers and persecutions as they did No saith your d Rainer cited before §. 4. lâ—tâ—n Rainerius the honesty and râ—ghteousnesse of their liues was the greatest attractiue that drew the world after them to the greatest danger of the Church of Rome The sâ—coâ—d article of Parsons is They held all othes vnlawfull to Christians for any cause whatsoeuer in the world â—â—cause it is written Nâ—litâ—â—urare doe not sweare Mâ—tth 5. Iames 5. Aâ—swer Indeed they eschewed the common practise of swearing according to Christs precepts Matth. 5 37. but saith your Rainerius to avoyd corporall death and the reuealing of their brethren they would sweare But how agrees that with that which e Gabriel Prateclus Pauperum de Lugduno error 3â— Pratoclus saith of them That they held that no deadly sinne was to be tollerated though it were to auoyd a greater euill The truth is in iudgement they sticked not to sweare truely but in triuiall matters they would not sweare rashly which gaue occasion of that cavil As your Rainerius saith Dâ—cent vitare mendacium detractionem iuramentum ibid. 222. 15 16. f In their book entituled The spirituall Almanacke in the third comment cited by Hist Wald. Book 1. cap. 4. Their own doctrine is that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and the edification of our neighbours as in Hebr. 6.16 and as Israel was inioyned to sweare by the Name of the eternall God Deut. 6.13 and by the example of those oathes that past betwixt Abimeleck and Isaac Gen. 26.30 and the oath of Iacob Gen. 31.53 The third article is that no iudgement of life and death is permitted to Christians in this life for that it is written Nolite Iudicare Matth. 7. luke 6. Answ But Rainerius tels a contrary tale of a Waldensian Glouer who being condemned and led to death said openly in the hearing of all You now condemne vs rightly for if we had power ouer you as you haue ouer vs we would exercise it against your Clerkes and Religions ib. 222. 47. This cauill arose vpon their complaining of the Magistrates to whom they were deliuered vp by the Inquisitors Priests and Fryers who were their enemies not indifferent men but passionate and so they were condemned and executed by them without hearing examining or knowing of their cause This cruell simplicity of the Magistrates they spake against in their complaint to Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia and elsewhere g In their booke entituled The light of the treasure of Faith fol. 214. cited ibid. But their doctrine was That they were not to suffer the Malefactor to liue and that without correction and discipline doctrine serues to no purpose neither should iudgements be acknowledged nor sinnes punished And therefore iust anger is the Mother of discipline and patience without reason the seed of vices and permitteth the wicked to digresse from truth and honesty The fourth article is That the Creed of the Apostles is to be contemned and no account at all to be made of it Answ Who would thinke that wise men would thus play the fooles In deed they account not the Salutation of the Angel to the B. Virgin nor the Apostles Creed to be prayers saith Rainerius ibid. 232. 10. h Rainerius supra §. 4. lit m. But yet they reuerently receiue the whole New Testament and the Apostles Creed which is gathered out of it Et credunt omnes articulos qui in Symbolo continentur saith the same Author And in their books they haue very good and
diuide Inheritances amongst brethren as a thing that belonged not vnto him Luke 12.14 The Pope Christs pretended Vicar will He will giue all the East Indies to the Portugâ—ll and all the West to the Spaniard and other Kingdomes at his pleasure with as ample right as he challenged that tempted Christ Luke 4 6. As this is an vnsupportable mischiefe so the meanes to effect it is as euill or woâ—se When people must be so strangely and strongly deluded and inebriated with false opinions as to drinke downe poyson instead of wholsome doctrine to breake Gods absolute manifâ—st and holy lawes at the popes commandement that if the pope take offence excommunicate the King say he doth and can absolue them from their oath of alleageance and all obedience to their King the Lords annointed and bid them take armes against him and root him out they ought rather to obey the pope then God Holy Dauid hauing Saul at aduantage a wicked King forsaken of God and one that furiously sought Dauids death yet would not touch him himselfe nor suffer him to be hurt by any other because he was still the Lords annointed 1 Sam. 24.4 5 6 7. and 26.11 12. Saint Paul and Saint Peter taught Christians subiection euen to heathen Emperours persecutors of the Church for such they were at that time Rom. 13.1 c. 1 Pet. 213. The pope is farre from Dauids Pauls Peters spirit Our Saint Peter of Jerusalem commanded Be subiect to the King as supreme for so is the will of God 1 Pet. 2.13 15. but your Peter of Rome commands the contrary Be not subiect to the King as supreme for this is the will of Christs Vicar Yea saith our Saint Peter ib verse 19 20 21. Be subiect to your Masters though they be euill and froward and for conscience sake to God suffer wrongfully as Christ did for that is acceptable to God but your Peter of Rome saith Râ—bell against Princes whom J iudge euill and froward and for conscience sake doe against all conscience religion and common honesty worke treasons insurrections massakers for that is acceptable to God What new incredible abhominable doctrine is this that rebellions treasons and massacres of Princes and people differing from the pope in some points of Religion are meritorious acts and highly pleasing to God That dethroning Princes adiudging their Kingdomes to strangers filling the world with periuries rebellions warres treasons inuasions dashing kingdomes against kingdomes bringing in a Chaos of confusions and the face of hell into the Christian world that all these are workes of piety and religion and poore bewitched people must so beleeue and so practise Tantum Rellâ—gio potuit suadêre malorum â—ucretius If this be religion men had need write Apologies books of excuse and defence for Religion which hath beene and should be the greatest blessing of the world the power fullest meanes and strongest bond of loue peace comfort and happinesse lest it now be held the most turbulent suspicious seditious engine to vndermine and ouerthrow all loue peace comfort happinesse and become the greatest plague of the world Of these things here briefly of this point I shall speake more fully in fitter place §. 7. IIII. A fourth great policy whereby the Pope gayneth to himselfe sure friends and great meanes is his assumed power to dissolue or dispence with oathes bonds promises or leagues An vnsufferable sinne but very profitable to him For when Princes or great men are driuen in their estates to hard conditions or extremities or desirous for their profit to take some great aduantage by breaking their oathes they haue no other meanes to saue their honour and credit with the world then to alledge the warranty of the popes holy authority which authority they are tyed afterwards most firmely to maintaine Thus the politicke pope and they whom he fauoureth thriue in honour wealth and strength by blinding the world with this vniust vsurped practise to the inestimable preiudice of the wronged party and of all other whom the pope affecteth not whose waightiest actions resolutions leagues and contracts are made nothing worth or only are in force till the pope list to dissolue them See B. Andrewes Ad Tortum Responsio pag 55. He can bind and lose at h s pâ—easure as our Saint Peter by the Keâ—es of heauen could binde and vnbinde sinnes so your Peter of Rome bâ— the Keyes of Hell it seemes can binde and vnbinde lawes and oathes be they neuer so good holy and diuine yea lawes and oathes as easily as sinnes against lawes and oathes And thus the most solemne oathes for leagues and lawes taken vpon men sub Deo â—â—ste sub Deo vindice ordained to be the soueraigne instruments of iustice and security amongst men See exampâ—es of these hereafter cap. and the strongest bonds of conscience are now made delusions of good men instruments of deceit and mischiefe intollerable snares to entrappe the well-meaning to maintaine the deceitfull wrong-doer and to vphold the popes own greatnesse with most shâ—mefull blemishes of Christian Religion Lawes oathes vowes are soluble and salable at Rome men are no more to be trusted with them then without them they that are on the popes side need not sticke at sinne breach of vowes or perâ—uries he can d slolue all and cut asunder all the bonds and sinnes of humane peace security and society lawes oathes vowes leagues and tyalls whatsoeuer §. 8. Hist conc Trent lib. 1. pag. 10. lib. 8. pag. 791. V. No lesse sinfull and no lesse profitable to the pope are Matrimoniall dispensations and sentences of diuorce as well granted as denyed When great Princes are sheltered with the name of the Vicar of Christ to contract some incestuous marriage or dissolue one to contract with another to vnite some Territory to their owne or to drowne the titles of other pretenders or make some other strait alliance those Princes are now to defend that authority without which their actions would be condemned yea also their children and posterity must be fast friends vnto the pope lâ—st they endanger their owne legitimation their state and dignity Annals Elizab. Camden Apparaâ—â— pag. 2. For vniting of Territories Charles the 8 King of France made great vse of the popes dispensing power He had taken the daughter of Maximilian King of Romans for his future wife but afterwards for desire of the Duchy of Britany he solicited to marry Anne the heire of Britanie though she was betrothed yea and already married to Maximilian by his Proxy or Proctor Wolfgangus Poleme of Austrich openly in the Church A double iniury to Maximilian to haue her taken from him whom he accounted his wife and to haue his daughter sent home againe who had been many yeeres Queene of France But this could the Pope doe Philip Cominius reports it lib. 7. cap 3. adding whether these things agree with the lawes of holy Church or no let others iudge Some Doctors of Diuinity said yea and
that the pope and his Clergy haue engrossed the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen into their custody and neither enter themselues nor suffer others to enter he disallowed Transubstantiation Masses Offices Canonicall houres and other Battologies from Baptisme he remoued the Chrisme and taught that the faithfull ought to be baptized with simple water as Christ did he disallowed Auricular confession the papists doctrine of penance satisfaction and worship of Relickes and the Inuocation of Saints whom he called Seruants not Gods for the word Knaue which he vsed signified in those dayes a seruant not as it doth in our dayes a wicked Varlet as his enemies malitiously interpret it Bellarmine for one a man vtterly ignorant of the English tongue Hee reiected humane rites new shadowes and traditions he denyed it to be lawfull for any man to adde any thing to the religion contained in holy Scriptures and to make it harder as hee complained the pope had done hee thought fit that the pallaces and all that pompe and maiesty of the Pope and also diuers degrees of the Spiritualty should be taken away he condemned the orders of Monks as superstitious impious and very hurtfull to true Religion and said they were to be forsaken as soone as could be he defended the holy Communion in both kindes he wrote as Aeneas Sylvius witnesseth aboue two hundred volumes mostwhat against the impious liues traditions and abuses of the Popes Monkes and Clergy for which he liued a while in banishment but at last being restored he had many fauourers as appeateth by the writings of Walden Knights and Peeres of the Land who in places vnder their gouernment abolished Images and cast out other rites of the Popes He flourished anno Dom. 1360. See Bale century 6. chap 1. These were the points of doctrine which Wiclife taught for which and other such like fathered vpon him he was condemned by the Councell of Constance forty yeeres after he was dead and his bones digged vp and burned D. Abbot contra Hill reason 1. §. 25. Histor Waldens lib. 2. cap. 12. His preaching while he liued was euident and so powerfull that beside the Vniuersity of Oxford it gained him many great fauourers of the Nobility as John of Gaunt and the Lord Henry Percy the one Duke of Lancaster the other Marshall of England Fox ex Regisiro Ceâ—â—tney Aot Parlam An. 5. Rich. 2. cap. 5. also Lewis Gifford and the Chancellour the Earle of Salisbury and in a manner all the inferiour people among whom it was preached in many places in Churches Churchyards Markets Faires and other places of great Congregations so generally commonly publikely with such plainnesse and euidency of the truth and notoriousnesse of the abuses which he reprooued that it wonne all mens assent and liking and tooke so large and deep root that it could not be rooted out Gabriel Powel De Antichristo edit Lond. 1605. in praefatione by all the meanes that for many yeeres after his death the popes Princes Bishops and their officers could deuise or vse Gabriel Powel reckons vp a great number of Diuines of that one Vniuersity of Oxford beside all others that from time to time and age to age euen to Luthers time maintained Wiclifes doctrine in England and many of them were persecused and put to death for it of which number these are some Vtred Bolton anno 1380. Io. Bale cent 6. cap. 85. and John Ashwarby fellow of Oriel Colledge Doctor of Diuinity Pastor of S. Maries in Oxford both of them much troubled for preaching and promoting Wiclifes doctrine the same yeere anno 1380. Iohn Ashton Fellow of Merton Colledge anno 1382. Ib. cap. 78. persecuted and finally condemned to perpetuall prison Philip Repington of Merton Colledge Ib. cap 90. afterwards Bishop of Lincolne 1382. Nicholas Herford Doctor of Diuinity Jb. cap 92. he taught that there was nothing in Wiclifes Doctrine disagreeing from the holy Scriptures 1382. Walter Brute of Merton Colledge Ex catalogo sociorum Merton Fox act tom â— Bale cenâ— â— cap. 2. ib. cap. 10. persecuted by the Bishop of Hereford 1390. Peter Pateshal preached Wiclifes doctrine ordinarily at London and in the Court auoyded persecution by flying into Bohemia 1390. At the same time Richard With of Merton Colledge preached the same doctrine Henry Crumpe an Irish man Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Ib. cent 14. cap. 58. Ex Waldeni fasciculo zizaniorum first an aduersary to Wiclife but after conuicted by his doctrine taught it boldly and being therefore persecuted by the Bishops fled into Ireland and there was long imprisoned by a Bishop 1393. Catal. sociorum Mert. Richard Wimbleton Fellow of Merton Colledge 1394. Fox act monu William Sawtrer a Diuine of Oxford imprisoned degraded and finally burned by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1400. Fox tom 1. William Swinderby of Kings Colledge in Oxford after preacher at Leicester taught Wiclifes doctrine being maintained by the Inhabitants against their Bishops will at last taken was compelled to recant but shortly after repenting and gathering strength and renuing his doctrine he was burned in Smithfield 1401. Walsing in chron Thomas Ocleue maintained the doctrine of Wiclife and Berengarius publikely in the schooles at Oxford 1410. Ludovic Rabus in 3 parte de martyr Fox to â—1 Fox ib. William Thorp Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford examined imprisoned and there secretly put to death by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury 1407. Laurence Redman Dauid Sawtrey William Iames Thomas Brightwell William Hawlam Radulph Greenhurst Iohn Schut grieuously persecuted by the popes friends 1420. Capgraue lib. 1. de nobilibus Hen. Fox tom 1. Sir Iohn Oldcastle Lord Cobham student in Oxford vnder William Thorp after many warres and victories for his Prince and Countrey imbracing Wiclifes doctrine with other Lords and Knights Iohn Clenborow Lewis Clifford Richard Sture Thomas Latimer William Neuel John Montacute he was lastly accused before the Archbishop of Canterbury and finally condemned and burned in Saint Giles fields 1417. Puruey in com in Apoc. Bale cent 7. cap. 50. John Puruey who wrote a learned Commentary vpon the Reuelation reprouing the pope as Antichrist and the Babylonian whore complained that many before him who had oppugned this spirituall Babylon had bin imprisoned killed and their bookes burnt and that none was suffered to preach but such as first sware obedience to the pope He was secretly made away in prison by the Archbishops appointment 1421. William White Fellow of Wickam Colledge Fox tom 1. for his preaching was taken by the Archbishop and compelled to recant 1424. but quickly repenting and publikely confessing his weaknesse and inconstancy with great lamentation and renuing his former doctrine at last hee was taken and condemned to the fire by the Bishop of Norwich 1428. Richard Wiche Fellow of Wickam Colledge Ibid. burnt for the like profession 1428. Peter Clerke an Oxford Diuine
hath not obserued and held that which our Lord hath taught vs by his Word and example by the Lords indulgence pardon may be granted to his simplicity but to vs that are now admonished and instructed of the Lord pardon cannot be granted The ignorance therefore wherein our Fathers were bred and trained freed them from the danger of those things which being well vnderstood and knowne B. Vsher serm at Wansâ—ed pag. 39. might haue beene preiudiciall to their soules health They knew not these depthes of Satan they could not diue into the bottome of such mysteries of iniquity This was a good and a happy ignorance vnto them But this ignorance is now taken from you Reuel 2.24 and a more happy knowledge offered you happy if you haue grace to receiue it if not then remember that Iohn 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darkenesse more then the light And Iohn 15.22 If J had not come and spoken vnto them saith our Sauiour they had not had any sinne but now haue they no cloake or excuse for their sinne There is therfore great difference of the former times and these then meanes of better knowledge was denied to our Fathers now it is afforded to you that gaue some excuse to them this takes all excuse from you They that walke in the night though they stumble and fall foile and soile themselues yea hurt their bodies and teare their cloathes by rushing vpon bushes or into bogges yet are ordinarily pittâ—ed and pardoned yea and commended for their desire and paines to finde home but so are not they that rush into the same euils in the faire day-light God pittieth the blinde that would faine see and cannot but will hee pitty them that may see and will not that harden themselues in their affected wilfull blindnesse He deliuered Jonas from drowning in the bottome of the Sea Vsher ibid. pag. 41. will you plunge your selues therefore to see if God will deliuer you Because wee grant that some may scape death in Cities and Streets infected with the plague will you therefore chuse to take vp your lodging in a Pest-house If you doe we may well say Lord haue mercy vpon you but you may iustly feare that you dangerously tempt the Lord to deliuer you vp to the efficacy of delusion and damnation 2 Thess 2.10.11.12 You see therefore a manifest difference of the times the times of darkenesse before and the times of light now §. 4. Marke now also another difference of the Roman Church as it was in those times and as it is now In those times the errours that were D. Field Church booke 3. chap. 6. cap. 47. Append. were the errours of some men onely in that Church now they are the errours of the whole Church In those times men might be of that Church and not of that faction now that Church and faction are all one B. Carlton The faction hath so preuailed by the Art of the Councell of Trent that the errours which some held before now all of that Church must hold Before they were held with much liberty of iudgement they were not determined men might assent or dissent and abound in their owne opinions now they are all made De fide the absolute determinations of that Church and imposed vpon all men vnder paine of Anathema or curses annexed That Councell being wholly ruled by the meere faction of the Papacy hath quite altered the state of that Church taking away all liberty that former Ages enioyed in many things and making many new points of faith which were not so before Therefore before the Councell of Trent D. Hall Columba Noe. men might doe well in that Church when meat being set before them they might picke out the worst and eat the best picke out the vnwholsome and feed on the wholsome picke the worme out of the apple pare away the corrupted and eat the sound take the Spider out of the bowle of Wine before they drinke it But now where they are cursed if they eat not all and compelled to drinke downe all they that loue their liues must take heed of that society To answer your question therefore directly Where was the Protestant Church before Luthers time that is where was any Church in the world that taught that doctrine which the Protestants now teach Sect. 2. subsect 2. I say it was not onely apparant enough in the Greeke and Easterne Churches and in the open separatists Waldenses Section 3. c. from the Romish corruptions in these Westerne parts Section 4. but it was also within the community of the Romish Church it selfe Euen there as in a large field grew much good corne among tares and weeds Lib. 1. cap. 1. there as in a great Barne Heape or Garner was preserued much pure Graine mixed with store of chaffe And as I said in the beginning of our Conference there is no other d fference betwixt the Reformed and the Romish Church then betwixt a field well weeded §. 5. D. Field Church Booke 3. cap. 6. and the same field formerly ouergrowne with weedes or betwixt heape of corne now well winnowed and the same a heape lately mixed with chaffe And if it be a vaine and friuolous thing to say B. Vsher ser ibid. pag. 48. It is not the same field or the same Corne now after the weeding and fanning as vaine and friuolous it is to say the Church is not the same it was or in the same place after it is swept and clensed of the filth and dust or to say the Churches of Corinth and Galatia after their reformation occasioned by Saint Pauls writing were new Churches and not the same they were before because that in them before the Resurrection was denied Circumcision practised Discipline neglected Christs Apostles contemned which things now are not found in them or to say Naaman was not still the same person because before he was a leper and now is clensed As long as we can demonstrate that nothing is altered that doth constitute the Church or is of the true essence or being of it the Church is the same it was onely the leprosie and other corruptions are clensed away and the health beauty and better habit restored that it may more comfortably breed and bring vp children to God and heires of saluation And this is the blessed and long-wished alteration that we haue made And I would to God you had not made an vnworthy altration from a corrupt Church to a farre worse and either altogether or very neere none at all by continuing encreasing establishing the corruptions you found making them now De fide points of faith compelling all to receiue them and persecuting euen to extirpation as farre as by power and policy you can the gainesayers of them See before sect 4. §. 4 initio If the Protestant Church be new yours is newer The
question is not of the truth of the presence but of the manner whether it be to the teeth or belly which he in a manner denies or to the soule and faith of the Receiuer So also d Bellarm. De Purgat lib. 1. cap 6. Bellarmine for the proofe of Purgatory alleadgeth a number of Fathers as Ambrose Hilary Origen Basil Lactansius Jerom but farre from the purpose of the question and quite beside their meaning for they spake of the fire at the end of the world as e Sixtus Senens Bibl. lib. 5. Annot 171. Sixtus Senensis saith and Bellarmine cites them for the fire of Purgatory before the end f Bellarâ—ib Hee cites many other Fathers also to proue Purgatory because they commended prayer for the dead though he well knew that proceeded from an g Sâ—arez in 3. pa t â—â—ome qu. 59. art 6. disp 57. §. 1. pag. 1159. errour which they held that mens soules were not iudged till the last day nor rewarded or punished but reserued in some secret receptacles vnto the vniuersall Iudgement Which opinion is as contrary to Purgatory to confirme which he alleadgeth them as it is to the truth and therefore they are guilefully alleadged beside their meaning Antiquus These practises of alleadging counterfeit bookâ—s vnder the reuerend names of ancient holy Fathers of corrupting the genuine writings of the Fathers and of auoyding or peruerting their true meaning by any sophisticall interpretations and of producing them in shew to the purpose but indeed beside the purpose and the true question and by all or any of these meanes to seeke the victory by obscuring the truth are things to my heart and soule odious and abhominable Neither should I beleeue that euer any such thing was done by Men that professe Religion but I should thinke it rather a malicious slander deuised by their aduersaries if I had not seene manifest proofe of all by their owne bookes layed open before mine eyes But to let passe my iust griefe of this for the present I must adde that CHAP. 3. Of the differences of the Fathers and Protestants and of their contentions § 1. Many Fathers are confessed by all sides to haue held some erronious opinions which none are boun◠〈◊〉 receiue and yet in the substance of Religion were good Catholicke Christians and our predecessors 2 Many differences also are noted among Romish Doctors which yet hinder them not from being all accounted Catholickes 3 The differences among Protestants are nothing so great or many as those afore noted of the Fathers and the Romish The especiall one about Christs presence in the Sacrament is much lesse then it seemeth 4 The Popes vnwillingnesse to reforme manifest abuses by the way of generall Councels was the cause of all differences in Reformed Churches 5 The Protestants contentions for Gods cause as they take it are nothing so hote or troublesome as the contentions of many ancient holy Fathers haue beene about smaller matters §. 1. Antiquus YEt I cannot thinke but in the vndoubted and vncorrupted writings of the Fathers you find many things differing from the Doctrine of Protestants It cannot be otherwise for the Protestants differ among themselues the English from the German the German from the French one Nation from another and in euery Nation one company from another It is possible the Fathers may disagree from them all but to agree with them all that agree not among themselues it is impossible Besides the Protestants disagreements are so great with such bitter contentions and virulent writing one against another that they shew themselues not to be of the Church of God which is a City at vnity in it selfe and consists of men more mortifyed in their affections I tell you truely these disagreements and contentions do mightily alienate mens affections from your Religion Antiquissimus Your obiection hath three parts 1 Differences of the Fathers from vs 2 Differences among our selues 3 The hot contentions of Protestants for these differences Let me answer them in order First I doe ingenuously confesse that the Fathers do in many things differ from vs and no whit lesse from you Though they were very Reuerend learned holy men yet still they were men and had their errours and imperfections Your owne men first discouered them as Cham did his Fathers nakednesse and told his brethren Gen. 9. and we cannot hide them though wee gladly would and with Sem and Japhet turne our backs on theÌ„ neither is it now expedient when you so much vilifie the Scriptures and magnifie the Fathers beyond their right and seeke to draw the tryall of the truth of Religion rather then the Riuelets of Fathers and Histories then from the Fountaine of the Scriptures We must therfore tell you more necessarily theÌ„ willingly what your own men haue said of the Fathers slips and errours wherein not onely we but themselues are constrained for the truthes sake to forsake them And yet both wee and they account the same Fathers our predecessors for the other necessary points of sauing faith which they soundly held neither doe we any way doubt but that they are blessed Saints in Heauen Baron an 118. n. 2. Senous Bibl. lib. 5. amos 233. 1 Your Cardinall Baronius and Sixtus Senensis reckon vp many Fathers that held the Millenary errour to wit Papias the scholler of Iohn the Apostle Evangelist Apollinarius Irenaeus Tertullianus Victorinus Lactantius Seuerus Sulpitius Justin Martyr many other Catholike Fathers being deceiued by Papias Bish of Hierapolis a man much reuerenced for opinion of his Holinesse and learning Baron ib. n. 5. c. n. 2. citing Eusebius but yet homo ingenij pertenuis saith Eusebius who taught it as a tradition receiued from the Apostles and grounded vpon Revel 20. v. 4 5. The matter was this That there should be two Resurrections the first of the godly to liue with Christ a thousand yeeres on earth in all worldly happinesse before the wicked should awake out of the sleepe of death and after that thousand yeeres the second Resurrection of the wicked should be to eternall death and the godly should ascend to eternall life Baron an 373. n. 14. This errour continued almost two hundred yeeres after it began before it was condemned for an heresie and was held by so many Church-men of great account and Martyrs that Saint Augustine and Ierom did very modestly dissent saith Senensis ib. Concil Carthag in Cypriani operib 2 Saint Cyprian held that such as were baptized by heretickes should be rebaptized and so determined with a whole Councell of African Bishops Contrary to the African Bishops in the time of Aurelius and contrary to Cornelius Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Italian Bishops And yet was Cyprian alwayes counted a Saint a true member of the Church an holy Martyr Bellar. de confir lib. 2. cap. 7. §. respond ad 1. Aug. cont 2. ep Pelag. lib. 4. c. 8. Aug.
Odonel and shortly after Tyrone with Oroik Raymund Burk Mac Mahim Randal Mac Surly Tarrel the Baron of Lixnaw with the choice Nobles making 6000. foot and 500 horse confident of victory being more and in better plight then the trauelled wearied English which were also pinched of victualls I tell you this thus largely to shew the greatnesse of the danger and our mens valour Tyrone now went about to put 300. Irish and other supplies of Spaniards into Kinsale but our Deputy preuented him gaue him a great ouerthrow and slue many Tyrone Odonel and the rest flung away their weapons and fled Alfonso O Campo and six Ensigne bearers were taken prisoners nine Ensignes were borne away by the English and 1200. Spaniards slayne Don D' Aquila sought peace confessed the Deputy to be an honourable person the Irish vnciuill and perfidious Peace was granted for the Spaniards to be gone to haue victualls and ships for mony at reasonable prices the ships to passe and returne safely hostages giuen and so they departed The Deputed pursued the rebels from hole to hole building ramparts still as he went and receiuing many Fortts Tyrone finally came in submitted and when he was to be sent into England Queene Eâ—izabeth a Conquerour of all her foes dyed King Iames entring pardoned Tyrone But he afterwards stirring agayne and fearing deserued punishment fled out of Ireland and left it to bâ— planted with more ciuill people Cap 17 Reade this story in Speeds Chronicle 22. In King Iames his time Watson and Clarke Papist Priests entred a strange conspiracy to surprize the King ere he was crowned and Prince Henry to keep them in the Tower or conuay them to Douer Castle and seize vpoÌ„ their treasures til they had obtained their purpose to wit to get their pardons alteration of Religion remouall of some Counsellors and some other proiects executed In this practise were inuolued Henry Brooke L. Cobham Thomas L. Gray of Wilton Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brooke Bâ—rtholomew Brooksby and Anthony Copley who were all apprehended committed and condemned saue Sir Edward Parham who onely was acquitted by the Iury Watson Clark and Brook executed the rest pardoned their liues A foolish conspiracy hauing neither strength to act the businesse nor heads to carry it Cap. 18. Speeds Chronicle 23. The vpshot of all the Romish irreligious practises was the powder treason anno 1605. contriued by Henry Garnet the Arch-priest or chiefe gouernour of all the Iesuits and Priests in England or with his knowledge and allowance by Catesby Robert Winter Thomas Winter Thomas Percy Iohn Wright Christopher Wright Guy Fauks Francis Tressam Iohn Graunt Bates Catesbies man Robert Keyes St Euerard Digby Ambrose Rookwood Some of these wrought in a secret mine beginning in Percies hired house to bee continued through a strong wall vnder the Parliament house with very great labour and difficulty But ere that mine was made through the wall they found meanes to hire the roome iust vnder the Parliament house to lay in prouision of wood and coales In which roome they couched secretly at one time twenty barrels of gun-pouder and afterwards more couering them with Faggots and Billets which they purposed when the King Prince Nobles and all Parliament-men were assembled aboue to set on fire with a trayne of gun-powder to blow vp the house and murder all therein in one instant And at the same time they appointed a great hunting to bee at Dunnesmore heath to draw multitudes of people get certaine great horses into their hands and to seize on the Lady Elizabeth the Kings daughter lying neere that place to proclayme her Queene vpon newes of her Fathers and Brethrens death seruing her a while till they had made themselues strong enough to sway the State and to set vp another fitter for their purpose crying out continually of the Puritans as authours of the Kings death and of blowing vp the house This most mischieuous plot came to light by occasion of a letter sent from an vnknowne person to the Lord Mount Eagle warning him to absent himselfe from the Parliament for that there should a great blow be giuen which might endanger him and the danger might be past as soone as hee had burned the letter With this letter the Lords being acquainted shewed it to the King who presently conceiued some treason by Gun-powder and appointed the roomes vnder the Parliament to be searched The search was made secretly in the dead of the night and Fanks was found and taken with his matches and powder layd hold of and vpon the remouall of the Billets and Faggots 36. barrels of Gun-powder found all which when Fauks saw discoâ—ered hee confessed what hee meant to haue done Winter and the two Wrights hasted from London to carry the newes of the discouery of their plot to their fellow hunters neere Couentry where Graâ—rt with helpe of other violent Papists had broken one Benoks stable and taken out some great horses sent thither by some Noble men to bee managed for which the Countrey rose to pursue them But vpon this newes they rose into open rebellion hoping to draw multitudes vnto them But the Sherifs of the Counties preuenting the swiftnesse of proclamations raising the Countries pursued them so that finally the chifest of them entred into Steuen Littletons house at Holbeach in Staffordshire to shroud themselues and the house being assaulted by the Sheriffe as they were drying some Gun-powder in the house the fire tooke it blasted and disabled the faces of some of the chiefest rebells and discouraged them that God by such powder as they meant to destroy others themselues were scourged so that they fell on their knees and cryed God mercy for their bloudy intents and presently opened the gates and desperately sought their owne destruction Catesby Percy and Winter ioyning backe to backe the two first were slayne with one shot the third taken aliue the other whole or lightly hurt carried away prisoners and sent to London where with the rest of their fellowes as they had formerly liued blindly and practised desperately so they by the iust doome of the Law died miserably leauing their memory to bee cursed throughout all generations First by all this you may see how vaine your conceit is that the Popes in these latter times haue beene more moderate and become more like to their first Ancestors nay you see the abuse of their Supremacy hath encreased and growne more vntollerable In these last times they haue set vp Schools at Rome and Rhemes to trayne men vp to the defence and practise of Idolatry and treasons See before Book 1 c. 6. §. 4. Camd. Annaâ— pag 315. 348. a libi passim out of which as out of the Troian Horse haue proceeded innumerable wicked instruments troublers of the Church and Common-wealth Incendiaries homicides for Kings are men parricides for Kings are Fathers of the Common-wealth yea Christicides for Kings are the Lords Annointed