many thousand men haue in that new world receiued the faith of Christ as may be in this our old world So is the comparison at this present time But how much greater yet is the oddes if we looke backe to the times past and consider that in the Nations where now the Sectes are a few yeares agoe all were Catholikes they occupied all the Churches so many hundred yeares together as from the first conuersion of ech Nation Yea generally in all other Christian Nations also wheresoeuer whensoeuer euen from the Apostles time all were of our communion because all at ech time were of the Popes communion who for the time was and al the Popes from the first to the last of one communion no one of them separating himselfe from his predecessors communion as of purpose I shewed in the 28. Demaund This is the Communion of Saintes in déede not these scattered Sectes much lesse any one of them by it self alone as our English Protestantes c. Who also as I shewed in the 40. Dem. were neuer afore now therefore accordingly they professe to haue no communion with the Christians that liued before vs be now in Heauen in Purgatorie whereas with them also we haue communion of mutuall prayer helpe euen in the same manner as S. Augustine had whose communion is confessed to be the communion of all Saintes as this one place of his shall testifie for all where he sheweth that to be buried in the Martyrs Churche doth profite the deade in this that their friendes aliue remembring the place eisdem Sanctis illos Au. de cura pro mort ca. 4. vlt. tanquā patronis susceptos apud dominū adiuuandos orando cōmendent doe pray and commend them to the same Sainctes as clients to their patrones to be holpen with our Lord. This is the most glorious infinite Christian companie that our Countrey hath forsaken to follow a fewe miserable blind guides into the pitte of euerlasting ruine 48. By their fruites Motiue 39. In the next Demaund is noted according to S. Augustines writing against the Manichées De moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae the fruites of the Catholike Religion that Christ worketh in this foresaid communion both now euer in the good life euen of the common sorte of our seculare people and much more in the perfection of our Religious And contrariwise the waste of all perfection and of all vertue which the Protestantes Doctrine hath brought wheresoeuer it raigneth by setting men at libertie to doe what they liste with vaine securitie of Onely faith not the Catholike faith which onely is faith but of a new inuented faith or persuasion for euery one that he is predestinate That if euer any False prophetes mighte be knowen by their fruites Mat. 7. these may I néede not repete the rest that I say in this Demaūd to this effect Pur. 1. to 31 241.459 Ar. 94. whereof D. Allen also hath in his Preface said sufficiently Fulke in comparing with vs to the contrarie bragging at his felowes holines and rayling at some of our euill liues thinketh bylike that he can with wordes turne midday and midnight one into the other He nameth London as it is now and biddeth D. Allen if thou canst for thy guts name any citie in the world that is comparable vnto it Who would require vs to answere such beastly impudencie With like audacitie he rayleth at Rome as if it were hell it selfe I maruaile then how it commeth to passe that nothing more confirmeth our Countrymen in the Catholike faith nor alienateth them from the Protestāts then to goe and see Rome Whereof we haue innumerable experiences 2. Reg. 10. At one word we find there as the Quéene of Saba did find with Salamon whatsoeuer we heare by reading in S. Hierome c. Also by reuelation of our brethren whē we come to the place and sée with our eyes we are forced to say that halfe was not told vs. I hope the world shall know Rome to your confusion ere it be long by a booke that may with the grace of God be set forth to reporte the trueth As for London no true and godly English heart can but feare vnto it euen as to Sodome and Gomorre We néede to name vnto you no other citie but London it selfe when it was Catholike and let the Auncients be iudges betwene vs both They can tell you that if any good orders be there at this present they are lightly but the relikes of the Catholike time as it were feathers stickt downe by such as stole the géese So can they tell you of the whole realme and the like of all other realmes Pur. 238.236 You charge D. Allen that he appealeth to the yonger sort who haue not knowen c. But you charge him falsly He telleth good yong men that they must looke backe a great way to learne their duties of the blessed times past Which thāks be to God great numbers haue done and dayle doe and thereby returne and submit them selues to their mother the Catholike Church which if the elder sorte who know these thinges better then the yonger do not in like maner it is for no other cause but that they be more entangled with the world then the yonger are otherwise if the world were not on your side 2. Cor. 5. it is well knowen to them specially in whom God hath put the word of reconciliation that your ministers might in all places almost reade and preach to the bare walles 49 All enimies Moti 44. Article 4. The 49. Demaund noteth that it is our Church against which all enimies of Christ haue fought and which hath preuailed against them all As it is euident by this that our Church holdeth still all those truethes which Arrius Aerius or any other of hell gates did euer impugne and because it ioyneth friendship with no enimie but defieth them all alike whereas the Protestantes ioyne in opinion with many olde Heretikes and in friendship with all the miscreantes of this time because their endeuour is not against falshood but onely to ouerthrow our Church Against this Fulke hath nothing but rather with it expresly where he saith Ar. 11.15 The true Catholike Church hath alwayes resisted all false opinions and by the ayde of God obteined the victorie The true Church of Christ hath always stood stedfast when all Heretikes haue bene and shall be confounded 50 Sure to continue Motiue 47 After this I tell the Protestants that they were best to leaue their vaine kicking with Saul against the pricke Act. 9. because they can not preuayle as neither their prowders could The Fathers euen so tolde those prowder and mightier Heretikes in their time that the Church I say and namely the Church of Rome is the Rocke which the proude gates of hell do not ouercome And we sée that time hath iustified their saying And so will it iustifie our saying
meant of the Apostles and their successors the ministers of the Church he teacheth them aboue al other men to looke diligently to their life conuersation for as they excell in place dignitie so the eyes of all men are set vpon them As a citie builded vpon an hill must needes be seene of all that come neare it so they beeing placed in so high an office and dignitie shall be noted and marked aboue all other men One part of the Church is alwayes visible to the eyes of all men and can not be hidden and yet the whole Church and so also that part is not alwayes visible but may be hidden and was hidden for a 1000. yeres So he saith 31 b Ar. 35. Pur. 458. The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles time And so the error of praying for the dead was continued frō a corrupt state of the Church of Christ vnto a plaine departing away into the Church of Antichrist Contra The Primitiue pure Church for the space of an hundreth yeares after Christ Againe Ar. 16. Pur. 458. An. 607. The Church fled into the wildernes there to remaine a long season where she hath not decayed but bene alwayes preserued vntill God should bring her againe to open light now in our dayes c Pur. 364. The true Church shall neuer decay but alway raigne with Christ The false Synagoge shall dayly more and more decay vntill it be vtterly destroyed with Antichrist the head therof If this be not contradiction it is much worse to wit that Luther and his Apostles haue giuen vs a visible Church which shall not decay Whereas Christ and his Apostles gaue vs a visible Church which did decay yea and plainly departe away into Apostasie 32 At euery word he calleth the Pope Antichrist and the head of the malignant Church Contra in some places he maketh two distincte heades and their distincte companies Ar. 16.95 As when Mahomet in the East and Antichrist the Pope in the west seduced the world then the Church fled into the wildernes Againe The Popish Church is not in euery parte of the world for Mahomets sect is in the greatest parte 33 That the true Church may erre and hath erred notwithstanding any priuilege it hath by Gods Spirite we hard him say cap. 3. Nowe to the contrarie Ar. 82.81.93.99.62.77.100.108.62 Neither hath the Spirite of God failed to leade her into all trueth Ar. 82.81.93.99.62.77.100.108.62 There be some prerogatiues of Gods Spirite that are necessarie for the saluation of Gods elect as the gift of vnderstanding the gift of faith c And these the Spouse of Christ hath neuer wanted Ar. 82.81.93.99.62.77.100.108.62 True Faith c. might be signes of the true Church The Spouse of Christ heareth the voice of Christ and is ruled thereby The Church of God is the piller stay of truth Ar. 82.81.93.99.62.77.100.108.62 so called because that wheresoeuer the Church is either visible or inuisible ther is the truth Ar. 82.81.93.99.62.77.100.108.62 S. Paul by this title doth admonish Pastors and preachers how great a burden and charge they susteine that the truth of the Gospell can not be cōtinued in the world but by their ministery in the Church of God which is the piller and stay of truth This their duety true preachers considering are diligent in their calling to preach the trueth Ar. 82.81.93.99.62.77.100.108.62 As our Church is the piller and stay of trueth so is she also the house of trueth which knoweth nothing but him that is the trueth it selfe Iesus Christ his most holy Scripture in which this trueth is signed and testified Ar. 82.81.93.99.62.77.100.108.62 We require you to beleeue the true Cathòlike Church onely and immediatly againe to the contrarie We require you not to beleue any one companie of men more then another 34 The error of Purgatorie and praying for the dead is continued from a corrupt state of the Church of Christ Pur. 458. vnto a playn departing away into the Church of Antichrist Contra The true and onely Church of God is so guyded by Gods spirite Ar. 88. and directed by his word that she can not induce any damnable error to continue No nor suffereth any man damnably abusing her religion without open reprehension and yet Purgatorie c. came in with silence 35 Ar. 5.4.9 The Church of Christ hath of the holy Ghost a iudgement to discerne true writings from counterfectes and the word of God of infallible veritie from the writing of men which might erre Ar. 5.4.9 She hath commended the bookes of holy Scripture to be beleeued of all true Christians Ar. 5.4.9 We persuade vs of the authoritie of Gods booke because we haue most stedfast assurance of Gods spirite for the authoritie of it with the testimonie of the true Church in all ages Contra Pur. 219. All other writings are in better case then the Scriptures are with you For other writings may be coūted the works of their authors without your censure the holy Scripture may not be counted the word of God except you liste so to allow it Other writings are of credite according to the authoritie of the writers The holy Scriptures with you haue not credite according to the authoritie of God the author of them but according to your determination Ar. 65. Ar. 82. 36 Those that by true Christians haue bene called and counted for Heretikes haue proued so in deede Contra This Demaund hath a false principle that the Church ought to be a Christian mans onely it is not in D. Allens principle staye in all troubles and tempestes Ar. 65. 37 And therefore the Papistes being called and counted Heretikes of true Christians that is of the Protestantes without doubt are Heretikes in deede Contra He is a foolish Sophister Ar. 66. that reasoneth from names to things as you do most vainely and childishly Ar. 86. Pur. 367. 38 There is neuer Heresie but there is as great doubt of the Church as of the matter in question Contra Augustines argument of the publike prayers of the Church tooke no holde of the Pelagians by force of trueth that is in it but by their owne confession and graunt of that prayer to be godly and them to be of the Church that so prayed But now the controuersie is not onely of the substance of doctrine but of the Church it selfe also The Donatistes chalenged the Church to them selues Ar. 60.61 39 But for the chiefe poyntes of Christian Religion and the foundation of our faith that is Real presence c. the most approued writers are vtterly agaynst you and therefore can not be of your Church Contra But the Lutheranes and Zuinglians as it pleaseth you to call them are of one true Church although they differ in one opinion concerning the Sacrament the one affirming a Real presence the other denying it Out
eam apud se initio sana doctrina sanguine Martyrum bene fundatam perpetua Episcoporum Successione conseruatam fuisse ne intercideret Commemorant quanti hanc Successionē fecerint Irenaeus Tertullianus Origenes Augustinus alij that is They in deede set foorth vnto vs their Churche very gloriously for they alleage that beeing in the beginning well founded amongest them with sounde doctrine and with the bloud of Martyres it was by the continuall Succession of Bishoppes preserued from decaying They report out of Irenaeus Tertullian Origene Augustine and others howe highly they esteemed this Succession And then he putteth herevnto his owne aunswere saying Cum extra controuersiam esset nihil a principio vsque ad illam aetatem mutatum fuisse in doctrina c. that is Considering that it was a playne case that from the beginning euen vntill that time nothing was chaunged in doctrine the holy Doctors tooke in argument that which was sufficient for the ouerthrowing of all newe errors to witte That they oppugned the doctrine which euen from the verye Apostles them selues had bene inuiolably and with one consent reteined This graunt both of the master and of his Scholar as more by a great deale then in this Chapter we néeded The true Churche not onely to haue continued so long it selfe but also to haue kepte inuiolably and generally with one accorde the true faith and true doctrine which of the Apostles thē selues she had receiued The like he confesseth of our owne Countrey also Ar. 49. where he saith The Church of the Brytaines before Augustine whom Saint Gregory sent from Rome to conuert the English in our said countrey of Britannie came in with Romish seruice had they not trow you Authentical Seruice which continued in the faith of Christ euen from the Apostles time To which confession let it be added out of S. Bedes Storie that the a Bed hist li. 2. ca. 4.2 li. 3. ca. 25. greatest point wherein the Christian Brytons and our Apostle S. Augustine differed was about the kéeping of Easter day and that also not so great as in olde time betwéene S. Victor of Rome and the Christians of Asia as this man ignorantly b Pur. 371. here ca. 10. pag. somwhere affirmeth that is to say not whether it should be alwayes kept with the Iewes vpon the verye day of the full Moone according to the heresie of the c Aug. heresi 29. Tessaresdecatite or Quartadecimani for that obseruation d Eus in vita Const li. 3. ca. 28. Britannie as the Emperour d Eus in vita Const li. 3. ca. 28. Constantinus witnesseth detested no lesse then other prouinces at the time of the Nicene Councell but onely vpon what e Beda supra sonday it should be kept So then this being their greatest difference and yet therein also the right obseruation being that which was brought from Rome as no man will denie you sée what graunt this man must make as to Britannie so likewise to Rome at that time to witte not onely the true Churche but withall the same faith which the Apostles taught though in this Chapter as I haue alreadie said we looke no more but for the true Church Which same true Church he graunteth againe many other wayes vnto the Romanes and their Bishops in that he geueth it to sundry notable personages and companies that were in vnitie and in one Church with the said Romaines as to the auncient Doctors and Councels to the Martyrs Monkes and other Christians not onely that frequented those Cryptes or holye vautes vnder the heathen and persecuting Emperours but also that gathered themselues afterward in those magnificall newe Temples vnder the Christian Catholike Emperours and finally to those Catholike Emperours themselues euen to Mauritius who liued with S. Gregory Ar. 60. Of the Doctors his confession is this The most approued writers Tertullian Cyprian Origen Epiphanius Hilarius Chrysostamus Ieronymus Ambrosius Augustinus c. were doubtles members of the true Church of Christ Againe Ar. 71. The Church of the Arians was not the Catholike Church but Athanasius and a a Such is his skill in the storie of that time few other that were banished and persecuted were the true Catholike Church Againe b Ar. 59. Iustinus Martyr and Irenaeus two of the most auncient authenticall writers that the Church next vnto the Apostles had And againe c Pur. 434. The old doctors had their measure of Gods spirit Cyprian and Cornelius were both endued with Gods spirit and both martyrs Againe Pur. 405. The Doctors of Gods Church Augustine Ambrose Chrysostome Basill c. Againe It is a good argument Ar. 27. that the Popish Church is not the Church of Christ because it was neuer hidden since it first sprang vp in so much that you can name all the notable persons in all ages in their gouernment and ministerie and especially the succession of d A proper distribution the Popes in all ages to be ours and yet the Apostles Doctors to be his Sapientes confitentur non abscondunt patres suos quoth Eliphaz against Iob. cap. xv Popes you can rehearse in order vpon your fingers But our Church which hath not had so many registers chroniclers and remembrancers hath perhaps fewer but yet honester men to name we can name Peter Paul c. Iustinus Irenaeus Cyprianus Athanasius Hilarius Ambrosius Augustinus Gyldas c Then as touching auncient Councels thus he saith f Ar. 97. The foure best generall councels were gathered by our Churche Againe g Pur. 430. Pur. 296. If any Councell decree according to the Scriptures as the Councell of the Apostles did Act. 15 and the Councell of Nice with diuers other we receaue them with all humilitie as the oracles of God To this place of Doctors and Councels pertaineth that also which he confesseth of the Church that resisted and ouercame the olde heresies as where D. Allen had said It is not you that shall outface Gods Church she hath by the spirit of God beaten downe your proudders the Arrians the Macedonians the Anabaptistes as the Donatistes c. and all your predecessors He answereth 297. You boast that your Church hath beaten downe our proudders the Arrians Macedonians Anabaptistes It was the Church of Christ that ouerthrewe those Heretikes And in an other place likewise Ar. 10. I demaund saith D. Allen what Church hath mightely gone through borne downe fully vanquished all heresies in times past aswell against the blessed Trinitie as other articles of our Religion I answere saith Fulke the true Catholike Church hath alwayes resisted all false opinions contrarie to the worde of God as her dutie was and fought against them with the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God and by the aide of God obtained the victory and triumphed ouer them So did the fathers of the primitiue Church from time to time confute heresies by the
antiquarie saith against antiquitie of whom also for so saying Pamelius a farre better antiquarie then he saith thus Quod quà m sinistrè detorqueat Rhenanus ad dies natalitios Ethnicorum nemo ignorare debet c. Rhenanus turneth this place of Tertullian from the right meaning very vntowardly to the byrthdayes of the Gentiles Howbeit in my iudgement Rhenanus there might be better construed not to say that the oblations of Christians were euer for their owne birthdayes but that vpon the byrthdayes of the Martyrs which the Church did celebrate with the solemne oblations of the Altar many of the people kept drunken feasting as the Gentiles did euery one vpon his proper byrthday Which drunken vtas the Church was fayne to tolerate for a time but afterwarde the Canons of the Nicene Councell and others following did forbid it and chaunge it into almes If you could shewe those Canons we might be more certayne of his meaning Playne it is that he speaketh very confusely of birthdayes And playne agayne it is that suche rioting was vsed of some in Paulinus whom he there citeth and S. Augustines times long after the Nicene Councell See Rhenâ— himselfe 〈◊〉 Tert. ad Mâ—tyres num â— And agayne most sure it is that the Church alwayes from the beginning hath vsed and no Councell euer did forbid the kéeping of the Martyrs birth-dayes with oblations of the Altar Finally Rhenanus in those annotations is full of scapes ouersightes and noted accordingly by the learned of this time very much though no yll meaning Beeres to cary home the Corpses One error more you charge vs withall about the dead touching their bodies as the former were touching their soules Ar. 22. George the Arian Bishop of Alexandria inuented Beres to cary dead corpses charging all men to vse them for his owne aduauntage as do you Papistes your Bearing clothes and other toyes for funerall pompes Epiph. li. 3. tom 1. haer 76. Epiphanius doth not say that George inuented Beres but that he deuised to haue them in a certayne number His wordes are these to shewe the miserable couetousnes of that man No trade almost so base no thing so meane whereof he sought not gayne For so muche as Beres for the dead he deuised to make the number of theÌ„ certayn without those that he ordeined no corps of the dead specially of strangers was buried non propter hospitalitatem not for any charitie towards strangers but as I haue said for lucres sake For if any buried a corps otherwise he came in daunger Now if this or the like miserablenes be in any Bishop of ours or yours eyther to racke his people or to vsurpe the liuing of his Cleargie what is that agaynst Béeres or Bearing clothes or comely pompe of funerals or against the Church that vseth them specially your selfe also commending in your Geneua Church Pur. 22â— suche Ceremonies as are conuenient for the reuerent laying vp of the Corps vnlesse you thinke it much for the Church to reape their Carnalia to whom she soweth Spiritualia or would prouide for your selfe a Béere Bearing clothes against you shal be buried 1. Cor. 9 rather then to pay the common duties to your parish Church Thus haue I folowed you through all the errors common to vs with the auncient true Church taken as you saye of the Gentiles or of Heretikes but as I haue playnly shewed not any one of them so nor so What more you haue of them belongeth to the eyght and ninth Chapters where I haue promised to answere all your testimonies out of Scripture and others about any matter to day in controuersie and thither I referre the Reader for the last error also about the Popes Superioritie hauing nothing here to be answered because though you say that the auncient Church had that error also yet you do not say that it tooke it of the Gentiles or of any Heretikes The second part Concerning the errors that he layed Cap. 4. to the Fathers and not to vs. j. Touching the heresies which were in their times Now followeth the second sort of the Churches errors that is those errors which you lay to the auncient true Church and not to vs also To answere you therevnto likewise and that very briefly What a thing is this that you charge the Church in the Apostles time with the heresies that were in the Apostles times And the same Church agayne in the thrée Arian Emperors time with the heresie of Arius As if a man would charge the same Church now that is our Romane Church with your heresies For you say Ar. 15 35. Dem. 45.46 not only Pope Liberius of whom I must answere in the tenth Chapter but the true Church was greatly infected with the heresie of Arius And you bring in the heresies of the Apostles time to declare that euen then the Church decayed counting it also all one to erre and to decay And yet of your owne imagined Church that in the time of Pope Bonifacius the third fled into the wildernes you can say thus Where she hath not decayed Ar. 16.15 Infra ca. 11 cont 31. but bene alwayes preserued D. Allen notwithstanding when he saith that the Church alwayes stoode still and stedfast whilest all other Congregations as Arrians c. haue decayed must be controlled and tolde of the persecutions vntill the time of Constantine and of great detriment vnder Iulianus the Apostata and of a great Eclipse vnder the barbarous Gothes c. Besides the foresaid infection vnder the thrée Arrian Emperors If amid those persecutions and heresies it had not bene alwaies preserued then you might haue said that it had decayed You shew wel that hell gates haue fought sore against it but you shewe not that they haue at any time preuailed Yea the truth is in my Booke of Demaundes in the second Demaund you haue it that the Churche alwayes preuailed according to Christes promise and predictions and that so cléerely and so gloriously that both the persecuting Romane Emperours gaue ouer at length their obstinacie and vaine kicking against the pricke submitting themselues to the very same Church which afore they persecuted yea moreouer continuing Christians euen to this day and also all heresies Arrians and others vanished quite away neither the persecutions being ought els in effect but an occasion of innumerable Martyrs the commodities of whom we heard a little Supra 55. Greg. â—ral li. 9 7. before out of S. Augustine nor againe the heresies ought els but an occasion of so many most worthy Doctors both Gréeke Latine and their most excellent writinges at which to this day all the later heretikes doe quake and tremble by which to this day the Catholike Church alwayes conquereth and triumpheth ij Touching the errors of S. Cyprian S. Irenee and S. Iustinus Which Doctors if any of them haue erred in some thing or other yet this is notable that not so much as in their errors or
and that no man for much more then a .1000 yeares together after the Apostles time either denied it Roff. in li. Aâ— Petrus fuerit Romae con Vellaeum Cochl de Petro Roma coÌ„ Velli Wald. li 2. Doct. ar 1. c. 7. tom 3. ca. 129. Cop. dial 1 ca. 15. or doubted of it Besides sundrie most manifest argumentes to proue it whereas the Wickleâ—istes and Protestants arguments against it which he saith can neuer be answered are the most ridiculous things that euer man heard Though Fulke bring not forth any one of them yet I haue answered the very best of them here Pag. 237. And most excellent authors among the Catholikes haue alreadie written whole Bookes of this question as Roffensis Cochleus besides Thomas Waldensis and many others that haue chapters of it in other bookes Howbeit the scripture also it selfe is plaine ynough in it if one be not too contentious where S. Peter himselfe doth say that he wrote his first Epistle in Rome calling it Babylon as I noted cap. 9. pag. 156. And for S. Paules being there which is ynough to proue the Apostolike Sée of that Church the Actes are most euident Act. 28. In so much that also Fulke himself after this maner to contrarie him selfe doth confesse here cap. 2. pag. 3. that the Churche of Rome was founded by the Apostles In which place also he graunteth that in the Fathers time it was an Apostolike Church howsoeuer now he would draw his necke out of the coller by denying Peter to haue bene there But be it that Peter was there he saith in his 2. shift except you proue Succession of doctrine and faith aswel as Succession of men your Succession is not worth a straw Yes sir in prouing the Succession of men onely we doe as much as the Fathers did vnlesse you will say that their doing also was not worth a strawe For a Succession of men there must be the Scriptures are plaine therein as the Fathers shewe But no companie sauing the Romanes companie can shew a Succession of men Therefore no companie but theirs is the Church In so much also that the Scripture and Fathers together doe say of that Succession and of that onely Ipsa est Petra Mat. 16. Aug. in Ps coÌ„t partem Donati quam non vincunt superbae inferorum portae That is the Rocke which the proude gates of hell doe not ouercome And your selfe with your master Caluin doe confesse here cap. 2. pag. 3. that it continued in the Apostles faith and sounde doctrine for the first .400 yeares which is ynough against you because you also confesse cap. 3. that within the same time in it was praying for the dead and many other pointes against your doctrine 45. Chaunging Moti 24. Article 11. Dem. 14. But that you shoulde not haue any such euasion I made my next Demaund expresly of that matter noting that the Romane Churche as it hath succession of men so also hath succession of doctrine and faith neuer to this day chaunging the doctrine and faith which it receiued of the Apostles Now what haue you to the contrarie Of S. Victor who excommunicated the Asians Ar. 47. I haue answered Dem. 28. that it is nothing else but your blasphemous audacitie to say that he chaunged from his predecessors and vsurped authoritie in that doing Touching also S. Boniface the third against whom you alleage the saying of his Predecessor S. Gregorie None of my Predecessors would vse this prophane title to call himselfe Vniuersall Bishop I haue answered Cap. 3. pag. 24. that you belie S. Boniface For neither he nor any since him no more then they before him vsed that title but the cleane contrarie title Seruus seruorum dei which S. Gregorie of humilitie did begin Thirdly you say that the same Gregorie as Hulderichus Bishop of Auspurge doth testifie was the first that compelled Priestes to liue vnmaried Which afterward when he saw the inconuenience he reuoked And so you destroy your own ensample for if he reuoked it then is not he one that made a chaunge from his Fathers faith You that will not beléeue all Antiquitie saying that Peter was at Rome will yet haue no man doubt but S. Gregorie saw such inconuenience in so shorte a time that six thousand Infantes were straight begotten by the fornications of onely Subdeacons yea and cruelly murdered yea and all their heades caste into one certaine poole and therefore found and taken vp by tale Witnesse of all this one that being Bishop of Auspurge wrote to Pope Nicolas the first who was dead 56. Cop. dial 1 cap. 22. yeares before this man was made Bishop He that will Laugh more at large at the fable let him reade M. Cope As for Priestes Mariage I noted cap. 3. pag. 12. cap. 6. pag. 43. How they counted Iouinian an Heretike and a monster long before S. Gregories time for allowing of it These are all the chaunges that you note in the Church of Rome vnlesse I must count this another where you note D. Allen to confesse Pur. 68. that the old vsage of the Church was first to set satisfaction and then to absolue though now of late to absolue before satisfaction hath bene more vsed Both maners haue bene alwayes vsed but the first of old more then the second and the second of late more then the first This saith D. Allen and it is euident to them that are skilfull in Antiquitie namely such as did not make their confession before they fell sore sicke they were absolued incontinently and did their Penaunce afterwards if they recouered Hereticall Bishoppes and Priestes were oftentimes receyued vppon cause by onely absolution without all satisfaction yea and permitted to continue in their honours also The Churches care both then and now was and is to haue all sinners truely contrite before absolution and that is sufficient before God Neuerthelesse suche as haue offended afore also are caused to doe their duetie accordingly A straunge matter that these Heretikes who haue quite taken all away should controll the Church although she also had taken all away howe muche lesse considering that she hath not taken any piece away but onely putteth that more often to the second place whiche she was wonte as it is a thing indifferent to put in the firste place more often and that according to her power to edifie and not to destroye seeing the people now so careles that rather then they will doe suche penaunce for satisfaction they will not come to confession and so dying without absolution goe to damnation and seeing withall that whereas satisfaction is no satisfaction vnlesse the partie bee firste in grace his owne contrition before was alone but nowe it hath the helpe of absolution whiche of it selfe conferreth grace that nowe his satisfaction muche more probablye then before is not baren And therefore muche lesse satisfaction nowe like to be more auayleable then muche more before and
heresies not preached against winked at because it had a shew of pietie and charitie and at length allowed of Augustine and others who followed the common errors of their time Specially when a Generall defection and departing from the faith was foreshewed what maruell were it if none coulde preach against it as it first entred Ar. 92.36.37 Contra The Churche of Christ in such places as she is suffreth no man damnably abusing her Religion without open reprehension Ar. 11. 10 The true Catholike Church hath alwayes resisted all false opinions contrarie to the word of God as her duetie was and fought against them and obteined the victorie and triumphed ouer them Pur. 419. Ar. 35.36 Contra In those auncient times they of the true Catholike Church did not alwayes weigh what was most agreable to the worde of God but if Heretikes had any thing that seemed to haue a shewe of pietie or charitie they would drawe it into vse So they tooke into the Church of Christ many abuses and corruptions vntill at the length An. 607. the religion of the Papistes preuayled And c since that time that diuelish heresie hath alwayes increased in error vntill the yere 1414. 11 That blasphemous heresie of Purgatorie To the Reader Pu. 26.166.184.177.269.362.363.419.186 which is moste blasphemous against Christ against the bloud of Christ against his merites and satisfaction for our sinnes and against Gods vnspeakable mercies and occasion of most licentious wickednes in all thē that beleue it nothing conuenient for the disciples members of Christ No suffrages were made for the dead by the Apostles or their lawfull successors Contra here cap. 3. he confesseth that the Fathers held it and yet notwithstanding that they were members of the true Church ca. 2. and held the foundation Iesus Christ cap. 5. and all the substance of true doctrine z Pur. 393.405 And also that they did inuocate Saintes denying in other y Supr pa. 139.140 places that such be true Christians The like q Su. p. 141. of Fasting 12 x Pur. 51.26.166.177.184 The opinion of Purgatorie satisfaction of sinnes after this life is the very doctrine of licentiousnesse to mainteine wicked men in their presumptuousnes For what hast will they make to amendment newnes of life when they haue hope of release after their death Contra As S. Augustine saith Pur. 448. it is but for smal faultes or as M. Allen saith for great faultes that by penaunce are made small And is God suche a mercifull father to punishe small faultes so extremely in his children whom he pardoneth of all their great and haynous sinnes O blasphemous helhoundes Sée how vehement he is in contradicting him selfe to iustifie that saying of D. Allens I am well assured there dare no man Pur. 150. though he were destitute of Gods grace yet not for shame of him selfe affirme that the doctrine of Purgatorie is hurtfull to vertuous life Considering that people with vs are told that to escape hell it selfe they must do much more then the Protestants require and more againe to escape Purgatorie according to S. Augustines threatning here cap. 9. pag. 212. 13 How long soeuer the true Church were hidden Ar. 73. Supra ca. 1. whether it were a 1000. yeres or 2000. yeres this is certayne that out of this Church none could be saued Contra here ca. 5. he counteth it ynough if the faith of their saluation were in the onely foundation Iesus Christ and that in such a sense as agréeth to men in déede out of the Church Ar. 61 74. Pur. 238. 14 They which hold the foundation that is Christ to wit the Article of Iustification by the onely mercie of God and of the onely Sonne of God are doubtlesse members of the true Church of Christ Contra here cap. 10. pag. where he saieth that the Anabaptistes are abominable heretikes and that they are not Protestants who yet do hold that article iump as the Protestants do Ar. 36.38 Ar. 71.78.79.80 15 A generall departing from the faith was foreshewed and it was fulfilled An. 607. Contra The Church was neuer lost neither when the departing was Generall but hidden in the wildernesse that is from the eyes of the world She is to this day preserued and shal be to the worldes end Christ hath neuer wanted his Spouse in earth he hath neuer ben a head without a body Ar. 2.96.26.27 16 The Primitiue Church of the Apostles hath continued vnto this day by succession not of persons and places but of doctrine faith and trueth These very wordes conteine a manifest contradiction For how can a Church or doctrine faith and truth cōtinue but in persons and places in so much that he saith also We doubt not but God hath alway stirred vp some faithful teachers that haue instructed his Church in the necessarie pointes of Christian doctrine Ar. 15.79 17 The true Church of Christ hath alwayes stoode stedfast inseperable from Christ her head though the blind worlde when they see her will not acknowledge her to be his Spouse but persecute her as if she were an adulteresse Contra in the same place The true Church vnder the Emperours Constantinus Constans and Valens was greatly infected with the heresie of Arius And in another place Ar. 79. The visible Church may become an adultresse and be deuorced from Christ And so is that faithfull Church of Rome become an harlot Ar. 79. 18 The true Church consisting of Gods elect and the liuely members of the body of Christ shal neuer commit such adultery c. But the visible Church may separate her selfe from Christ As though there were another Church besides the visible Church and so two Churches Ar. 65. Contra Wheresoeuer the Catholike Church be in partes it is one body of Christ And therfore in dede there is neuer no Church but the visible Church the other is but an imagination of the Protestants to delude the world withall As though Luther and the rest that appeared with him had afore their appearing bene secrete Protestants whereas in deede they were open Papistes 19 Anno 607. the Church fled into the wildernes that is Ar. 16.27.79.36 out of the sight and knowledge of the world there to remaine a long season where all this while God hath preserued her vntill suche time as he thought good now in our daies to bring her out of her secrete place in the wildernes into the open sight of the world againe Contra Ar. 77. Diuers times it was bold to chalenge preaching and ministring of the Sacraments yea and so boldly that it cost many of the chalengers their liues As Berengarius Bruno Marsilius de Padua Ioannes de Gaudano Ioannes Wickleue Walden Ioannes Hus Ieronymus de Praga c. Where besides his manifest contradiction I note two things against him one that it cost not all these yea very few of these