The burnynge of Paules church in London in the yeare of oure Lord 1561. and the iiii day of Iune by lyghtnynge at three of the clocke at after noone which continued terrible and helplesse vnto nyght VVERE THESE GREATER SINners than the rest No I saye vnto you except ye repent ye shall all lykewyse peryshe Luc. 13. ¶ Imprinted at London by Willyam Seres dwellynge at the west ende of Powles at the Sygne of the Hedge-hog AN ADDICION VVITH AN APpologie to the causes of brinnynge of Paules Church the which causes were vttred at Paules Crosse by the reuerend Bysshop of Duresme the. viii of â—une 1561. ALthough almighty God be pacyente mercifull and longe sufferinge wyllinge all sinners to repent their wickednes to rise from sinne and come to his mercye yet if sinners wil not amend after monition and warninge hadde at the last God strikes sodainly and sore as appeares in the Scripture by Sodom and Gomorra vpon the whyche Cytyes God rayned fire and bremstone wherewith the fyue Cities were destroyed miserably Also Pharao and the Egiptians that wold not be moued by the wordes of Moises and Aaron nor wyth the tenne plages at last were sodainlye drowned in the Sea Also Chore Dathan and Abiron with a greate number of people that woulde not obey the ministration of Aaron and the Priestes appoynted by God but went from them seking a newe waye to serue God part of them were sodenlye swallowed vp of the earth and part brent sodainlye with fire from heauen in the tabernacle After when the people of Hierusalem would not heare the true Prophets of god but would beleue false liyng Prophetes so declined from the steps of Dauid Ezechias and Iosias which walked in the feare of god â–ª bicause they forsoke their fathers steps and fell to Idolatrye the Temple was brent the Citie destroyed and the people taken Captiues to Babilon Also our sauiour Christ for the tender â–ª loue he had to mankind came into this world by his doâ—trine he gathered xij Apostles Disciples a great multitude of people in one vnity of faith sanctified them his church by his precious bloud sheding committing the rule and gouernment of his Churche to the Byshops after his Ascencion he sende the holye Ghost in Hierusalem in lykenes of firie tongues amonge the Apostles and streight waye they preached as the holy Ghost taught them and there in Hierusalem Saint Peter conuerted a great multitude to the faith which faith at Hierusalem was first taught declared vpon by a counsel of the Apostles and Seniors there Saint Iames being Bishop and afterwarde the same faith was taught in all landes as the Prophet Dauid sayes In omnem terram exiuâ—t sonus eorum The faith of Christes Church hath bene from time to time establyshed by generall councels the whiche faith what Countrye so euer hath forsaken it hath bene miserably scourged and plaged as about fourtie yeares after the Assention of our Sauiour Christ bicause the Iues would not abide in that religion that was decreed by the Apostles and walke in their steps miserably Hierusalem was plaged with fire pestilence famine battell and murther Also in all other Countries as wel with the Grekes as other partes of the world when the people haue declyned from the feare of God forsakinge the steppes of blessed fathers miserably they haue bene plaged And in Englande where the faith of Christe and true religion was planted about the yeare of oure Lord. Cixxxij by Elutherius Pope sending Legates to Lucius then Kinge of Englande whiche conuerted this Realme to the fayth and establysshed true religion in Englande whiche continued CC. yeares but when the people dyd declyne from the feare of God and the steps of God and blessed fathers they came to greate calamitye and misery by the scourge of God Cadwaliader last kinge of the Britans did confesse by the hand of God with pestilence and famine they were dryuen out of this lande After that againe this land beinge inhabyted wyth Saxons beynge pamius Saint Gregorye Pope of Rome aboute the yeare of our Lorde God D. xcv sent Saint Augustine and other Monkes wyth hym into Englande Ethelbert being king and then Saint Augustine and his company by their doctrine and vertuous liuinge planted the faith and so establyshed a true religion in England the which faith and religion euer when the people haue declyned from it they haue felde great calamities as wel by the hande of God as by the conquest of the Danes and after by the Normans and sith the conquest from time to time God hath plaged this Realme for Synne and infidelitye And nowe whether the people of this Realme be declyned from the steps of Saint Augustine and other blessed fathers and Saintes which had Masse and seuen Sacramentes in the Church and God was honoured night and daye in the Church with deuine seruyce I thinke there is no man so simple but he may easely perceiue except malice haue blynded his heart As in Saint Paules Church in London by the decrees of blessed fathers euery night at midnight they had Mattines all the fore noone Masses in the Church with other deuine seruice and contynuall prayer and in the steple Antimes and prayers were hadde certayne tymes but consider howe farre nowe contrarye the Churche hais bene vsed and it is no maruaile yf God haue sende downe fire to brinne parte of the Churche as a signe of his wrath And where a reuerende Byshop at Paules crosse did exhort the people to to take the brinninge of Paules to be a warninge of a greater plage to folowe to the Citye of London if amendment of life be not had in all estates it was well said but we muste adde Accidentem ad deum opportet credere the Scripture sais he that will come to God muste first beleue Saint Paule sais without faith it is impossible to please God and the Prophet Hieremi saith by the sprite of God speakinge State super vias interrogate de semitis antiquis que sit bona ambulate in ea inuenietis refrigerium animabus vestris that is stand vppon the wayes of blessed fathers and consider and aske of the olde pathes and highe wayes which is the good way and walke therin and ye shal finde refreshing to youre soules First searche whether the faith and religion nowe vsed was taught with the blessed fathers in Chrystes Church in times past ye shal proue by no recorde of authoritie or Chronicle that this maner of seruice now vsed in the Churche was euer hard tell of afore Luthers time which is not xl yeares old Therefore it is to be reiected and put awaye as a newe fangled doctrine and scismaticall therefore come backe againe into the old fathers steppes as well in faith and religion as godlye conuersation and liuinge or a greater plage is at hande Also where the said Preacher did recite certain abuses of the said Church as talking biyng and
of thys Reame be declyned from the steppes of Sainct Austin and other blessed fathers and Sauntes whych hadde Masse and vii Sacramentes in the Churche and God was honoured night and daye in the Churche wyth deuyne seruyce I thynke there is no man so simple but he maye easelye perceyue except malyce haue blynded hys hearte As in Saint Paules Churche in London by the decrees of blessed Fathers euerye nyght at Mydnyght they hadde Mattyâ—s all the fore none Masses in the Churche wyth other deuyne seruyce and contiuuall prayer and in the Steple antimes and prayers were haâ— certayne tymes That the people of this Realme be swarued from the steppes of Austin I wyll not greatlye stycke wyth hym to graunte but how not in fallynge from anye goodnesse that he vsed for that they eyther keepe styll or the better in stede of it but in refusynge suche abuses as he fyrste beganne and synce hys tyme the Churche of Goode hays bene ouer loden by the Popes oppression withall And because he says that we swarue from Austin and other blessed Fathers and Saintes which hadde masse and vii sacramentes who those Fathers and Saintes be I woulde he â—adde named theym that it myghte be sene how truly he sais I thinke he durst not nor yet can least he be taken with a lowd lie I thinke he meanes that Austin which is called thapostle of Englande and not that other Austin which is taken for one of the iiii Doctors of the Churche There is great difference betwixt them two both in auncientye of time in learninge and godlynesse Thenglysh Austin lyued here vi C. yeare after Christe the other in Aphric CCCC and that the elder Austin and blessed fathers afore him agree better with our reformed religion than with their Popery I boldlye affirme and if hee or his partakers haue or can saye anye thinge to the contrarye they shoulde proue it better than they haue done hitherto or elles the worlde maye iudge that they more proudlye brag as Golias did Gods people than can truly proue it But as Dauid wyth his slinge and stone ouercome that mighty Giaunt so I doubt not but they shall finde many that with the simplicitye of Gods trueth shall be able to confounde their wicked subtilitye I am sure he meanes chefelye the doctrine of the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloude â–ª but in that he is already ouer matched I remember in the time of that blessed kinge Edwarde the. vi D. Kidlay late Bishop of London came in visitacion to Camebridge and because that doctrine of the Sacrament semed straunge than to manye he propounded this proposicion to the hole vniuersitye to dispute on That it could not be proued by any auncient writer Greke or latin which liued a thousande yeare sins or within D. yeare after Christ that the substance of the bread was chaunged in the sacrament to the substaunce of Christes bodye There was the eldest and stoutest champions of the bole vuiuersitye and the pertest lustye yonge princockes also that coulde be pyked out to saye what they coulde ii or iii. dayes together and one while they hadde liberty to speake what they could in defence of it and an other whyle to speak against them that w tstode it with what reasons or autorities they could deuise But the pithy solutions of that godlye learned Byshop were so stroÌ„g than that vnto the world chaunged his enemies praised him and wondert at his learnyng and liked the doctrine so well that their lusty yonker would haue turned Bishop Crammers boke into latin yea maried to as was nedefull if the good Kinge had liued a while longer If this be true in the chefest point of their religion as it is most true in deede that they haue not one auncient writer without wraistinge to seme to make for them it is much more true in the rest There is another conference of late betwix the reuereÌ„d Bishop of Sarum and D. Coole wherein that learned father laies to their charge that for the rest of their trashe whiche they reuerence as bolye reliques they haue neyther Scripture auncient writer Doctor nor generall counsell to defend their doinges The writinges of good Crammer and these learned Byshops are in print and yet vnconfuted and in strength althoughe one attemted with small praise of late to defende D. Coles parte but if they coulde haue gainstand it no manne doubtes of their good wil. They neede not to feare their recognisans fire nor fagot nor anye punnyshement accordinge as they deserue theyr bloudy lawes are laid on slepe though their hartes be bloudy still And because he but onely names particularly masse and. vii Sacramentes and proues it not to bee so I will not vse many wayes in desprouing it for he is not a man of that autority learning nor credite that because he sais it is so therefore streight it must be so be beleued For I maye saye it is not so wyth as good reason as he yf sayinge wythoute proofe were sufficient For their masse I saide inoughe afore and proued of what auncienty it was I declared afore how Gregories masse boke was allowed vii C. lxxvii yeares after Christ and also how Austin by Gregories commaundement oute of suche dyuerse orders of massinge as ye see in other Countries patched their order of masse together that they vsed here in Englande Seing than by their owne Doctours confession it is manifest to be so many yeares after Christ afore their masse tooke place here or els where I may boldlye saye that neuer one holye father afore Gregory knew nor alowed anye suche kinde of massinge for than was no suche thinge made nor vsed These vnto they be aunswered are sufficient For their vii sacramentes I wil not saye muche at thys tyme because he standes not anye thynge in the proofe of theym The question is meter for the learned sorte than the people to try out such narow points The controuersy is more about the woorde and name than the thynge it selfe and vse of it Wee vse vi of theym that he calles Sacramentes as well as they thoughe not without great reason we forbeare to call theym all Sacramentes and differ muche in the doctrine the order and vsinge of theym with other ceremonies and language than they do Baptisme the lordes supper confirmation of Children mariage orderinge of ministers we vse theÌ„ al as wel as they thoughe not in the same sort that they and teache the people to haue theym in reuerence better than they Confession is left free to all that fele theym selues burdened in conscience and wante eyther counsell or comfort and the weake and ignoraunt are moued to resorte to a learned minister to receyue the comfortable promises of absolution and forgeuenes of sinne by the liuely worde of God applied to so troubled a minde as a souerain salue for al such grefes The only controuersye in number than betwix vs is for extreme vnction whether that be so
wife must be blessed of the Priest The writer of the rule of clerkes liues agreing wyth these and suche sentences of the scripture sais A clerke must be chast or els bounde with the bande of one mariage Of all whiche sayinges he gethers trulye that a Bishoppe and Diacon are to be blamed if they be deuyded into manye women but if eyther Bishoppe or Diacon forsake one woman for religion sake the canonicall sentence here condemnes theym without respecte of their degrees sayinge A Byshop vnder pretense of religion must not put awaye his owne wife if he put her away let him be excommunicat but if he continue let him be deposed postea There be some which take S. Gregory for a help of this opinion whose folyshnes I laughe at and am sorye for their ignoraunce they know not that the perillous decree of this heresy made by S. Gregory was purged afterward of him by worthy fruite of repentance For on a time when he sende to his pounde for fyshe and see mo than six thousand childrens heades brought he sight moued with inwarde sorowe and confessinge that decree whiche he made for forbearinge of mariage to haue bene the cause of so greate a slaughter did purge it with worthy frute of repentaunce and condemninge his owne decree praysed that counseel of the Apostle It is better to mary than to burne addinge for hys part this It is better to marye than giue occasion of murther Thus muche among many other reasons concerning this matter this Byshop wrote a. vii c. yeare sins Frere Mantuan says that Hilary the learned writer Byshop of Poiters in Fraunce was maried The counsell Gangrēse about a iii. C. yeare after Christ says If anye man thinke that it is not lawful for a maried priest to vse his ministery or abhorre him for that cause cursed be he The Priestes of Spane did earnestlye defend their mariage againste Pope Syricius beynge angrye wyth them Thus ferre ye see of howe late yeares and howe troublesome a beginninge this forbiddinge of priests mariage had in other countries now let vs see a little howe and whan it began here in Englande that this proude prycker and vnlearned papist may see his owne folyshnes If I should begin at Wales the reliques of the old Britans whiche haue at all times suffred their Priestes to marye in al poperye parauenture some would call them concubines for a shifte rather then wiues as they be in dede but surely if papistes will suffer fathers so to bestowe their daughters and their chaplains to keepe vnlawfull women rather than their lawfull wiues as Pigius their great patrone sais it is better for a priest to keepe a whore than haue a wife they declare whose children they be Mariage is of God whoredome is of the Deuill therfore I come to more certayn things In the time of Kinge Henrye the first Paschall beinge Pope and Ansel. Bisshoppe of Cantorb about iiii C. yeares sins this diuorcynge of Priestes began chefely here with vs. The Pope willed Ansel. to do it he attemted to do it and the kinge withstode it as appeares by sūdry Epistles of Ansel concerning the same matter Epi. lxxvii iii. c. lxxvi Ansel. to his brether sunnes the lord Prior Ernulph other seruing god vnder him in Christes church in Cantorb gretinge and his blessinge As concerning Priestes of whom the kinge gaue commaundement that they shoulde haue both their Churches and their wyues as they had in the tyme of his father and of Lanfranc late archebishop yet both because the kinge hais reuested and reseased me of the whole archbishopricke and also because so cursed a mariage was forbidden in a counsell in the time of his father and the same Archbishop boldly by that autoritye which I haue by tharchbishopricke I commaunde not onlye within tharchbishopricke but also through oute England that all Priestes which kepe their wiues shalbe depriued of their churches and ecclestasticall benefice Marke the thinges conteined in these few wordes the kinges commaundement for Priestes to kepe their benefices and wyues both contrarye to Pope Gregories decree afore and yet not contrarye to the custome in his fathers tyme and Bysshop Lanfranc And where Ansel. demaunded the Popes aduise what was best to doe seinge it was so harde to diuorse theim note the Popes aunswere Epist. iii. C. xxxi Paschal Byshop seruaunt of Gods seruauntes to his reuerende brother Anselme Byshop of Cantorb gretyng and Apostolicall blessing We beleue youre brotherhode is not ignorāt what is decreed in the Romish churche concerninge Priestes chyldren but because ther is so great a multitude of such within the Realm of England that almost the greater and better part of the clarkes are reckened to be on this side we commit the order here into your charge For we graunt those to be promoted to holye offices by reason of the nede at this time and for the profet of the church whom learning and life shal commende amonge you and yet notwithstandinge the preiudice of the Ecclesiastical decree be taken hede to hereafter Here I note the Popes confession that almost the greater and better part of the Clergye here in Englande were maried than and that he suffers theym to be promoted to benefices and afterwarde as time would suffer to execute the Popes deuorcing decre Whan the Bishops coulde not wel bring those diuorces to passe the Pope sende Ioan his Cardinall to doe it and he as Polychro writes lib. vii ca. xvi was taken the same night in bedde with a doore in the time of Henrye the first O holy single life that the Pope went about The same Polychro sais also lib. vii ca. xxxi that Fuico a Frenche Prieste came to kinge Richard the. i. and bad him mary his iii. daughters the kinge said he had none yes says he Pride couetous lecherye than the king said pryde I giue to Templers couetous to white munkes and lecherye to Prelates this mariage was so knytte than that it coulde not be broken sins and this was the kinges opinion of them But not onely this hardnesse was in beginning of this diuorce but after that they were seperated dyuerse came together again as appeares in the Epistle that Ansel. wrote to Willyam his Archdiacon in this behalfe Ansel. Archebyshoppe to the reuerende Gundulph Bish. and to Ernulph Prior and to Willyam Archdiacon of Cantorb and to all in his diocesse gretinge Epi. iii. C. lxxiii Willyam our Archdiacon hais writen to me that some Priestes whiche be vnder his custodye takinge againe their Wyues that were forbidden theym haue fallen into vncleanesse from whiche they were drawen by holsome Counsell and commaundement whan Tharchdiacon woulde amende thys thynge they vtterlye despised his warninge and worthye Commaundement with a wycked pryde Than he callyng together many religious menne and obedient Priests excommunicated worthelye the proude and dysobedient which beastlie despised his curse and defyled the holy ministery as much
surely if he be as bold asblind baierd to leade the wrong and thou be so madde to folowe hym thou shalt bee condemned as well as he If he alone might fall in the ditch thou might more boldlye folowe him but now thou art warned learn and take hede for ignoraunce will not excuse thee The Hospitalitye and almes of Abbayes is not altogether to be eyther allowed or dyspraysed The most of that which they did bestow was on the riche and not the poore in dede as halt lame blinde sicke or impotent but lither lubbers that might worke and would not In so much that it came into a commen prouerbe to call him an abbay lubber that was idle wel fed a long lewd lither loiterer that might worke and would not On these and the richer sorte was the most part of their liberalitie bestowed that I nede not to speake of any worse the smallest portion was on theim that neded most not according to their foundation Poly chro sais lib. v. ca. xxxii that Abbaies wasted their goodes in glotony and out rage lib. vii ca. vi that munks vsed haukinge buÌ„tinge disinge drinkinge and therfore vnder kinge Richard i. munks were put from Couentrye and clerkes brought in lib. vii ca. xxv Baldwin a munke and Byshoppe of Cantorb did the like with his munkes the same time ca. xxviii But whether y â— new munkes with their short coates almost wythoute all religion kepinge a shepeherde and a dog where all thys good cheare was afore be worse than the munkyshe Idolatrous Popish creatures which deuised a religion of their owne shewing their holynesse in their longe coates I leaue it to the disputacion of the learned Looke into London and see what hospitals be there founded in the Gospell time and the poore in dede releued youth godly brought vppe and the idls set to worke Poperye would some time fede the hungry but seldome correct the vnprofitable drones that sucked the honye from the labouring bees nor bring vp children in the feare of God but to fill the bellye and not to teache vertue is to encrease vice Wel worth Bridewell therfore for it is a good schole The rest of his railyng is not worthy aunsweringe for there is as muche and more vertue and kepinge Goddes commaundementes vsed nowe as was than and more though both sortes be bad ynough and the best may be amended Aske an olde Papist of the commen sort howe many commaundementes of god and what they be and he can not tell Aske a Protestauntes childe of vii yere olde that hais learned his Catechisme and he can tell his duety to God man how to liue and die what to loue and what to flee better then all their popish Priestes Is it like that he kepes gods commaundementes which knowes not what they be how manye of the people were taught than woulde learne or were moued to learne their commaundementes no fewe suche at these dayes are willinge to heare theym or learne them how much lesse to practise them What a wicked opinioÌ„ is this to think that ignorance is better than learning or that a manne shall better serue God without knowledge of god his duetye and his word rather than by knowing feling and vnderstandinge gods goodnes and mannes frailnes gods mercy and mans misery oure wretched worldlye state and Gods euerlasting blessed felicitye God giue vs grace to thinke and thanke The last reason that he lais for maintayning his supersticion declares what religion and opinion he is of Than was plenty he sais and nowe is scarsenes of all thinges whiche howe true it is let the worlde iudge Looke at the late dayes of poperye and see what dearth death and scarsenes was than and compare it with these dayes and the plentye of gods vndeserued blessing powred on so vnthankefull a people Then akecornes were good to make bread of and vnder Henry â—i they made breade offerne rootes as Polychro sais lib. viii ca. xxi now commenly the porer sort almost haue disdained with brown bread Then scholers of the vniuersitys brake by their houses went and liued abroade with their frendes being not able to continue at their study than was such dearth and scarsity as the like hais not oft bene red of than a Bishoppe of Mentz was so pursued with rattes in a time of derth that he was compelled to flee to his towre standinge in the mids of the riuer Rhene a myle from anye land yet the rats folowed him deuoured him there for his vnmercifulnes therfore is called the rats towre to thys daye this Byshop was no protestaunt UUhether the like be nowe the blinde maye see UUho feles it God giues his blessing plentifully if man coulde consider it thankfully and vse it liberally Who hais cause to complaine or where is it sene I think England had not the like plenteous time so commenlye these many yeres although this yeare corne be deare and somwhat â—ars But I put the case that there were scarsenes and dearth of all things plagues war c. UUere thys a suffycyent cause to condemne our religion No sure no worldlye thinge good or euill wil moue gods people to iudge gods truth by any other thinge than by gods holye booke Should we condemne Saint Austin because the city where he was Byshop was besieged and wun by gods enemies Austin himself beinge within it and died a littell before the wynnynge of it â–ª Shoulde Elias and Eliseus haue forsaken Gods lawe because there was so great dearth and scarsenes in their tymes Shoulde Daniel for the Lions denne or Paul for his chaines haue forsaken their God In the dayes of Elias it rained not the space of iii. yeare and a half vnder Eliseus in the sege of Samaria women eate their Children and Doues dung was good meate Onely the worldlynges iudge by their bellye their religyon The Godles people said to Ierâ— We will not heare the word of God of thee for while we worshipt the mone and sterres we had plentye of all thinges but sins we harde the worde of Godde of thee we haue hadde scarsenes of all thinges This is the reason that led the Iewes and by the same is this Iewishe Papist moued to iudge of gods trueth Therefore I can not iudge him to be of another religion than those whose belye is their God Let vs praise God for our health welth and libertye that he bestowes on vs vndeserued so plenteouslye lest in not thankfullye recetuing his word murmuring against his blessinges we prouoke him to plage vs worse than afore If wealth maye moue consider what great thinges the Lord hais wrought by the Quenes maiestie than iudge Whan the Realme was in daunger to be giuen into straungers handes and none coulde tell howe to deliuer them selfes god of his vndeserued goodnes set vp the Queene ours maistres who quietlye contrarye to all mennes expectacion auoyded theym all UUhat daunger was Scotlande in
sellinge feightinge and brawlinge although these be verye euill and worthie much rebuke yet there be worse abuses as blaspheming God in lyinge Sermons polluting the Temple with Schismaticall seruice destroying and pullyng downe holye aulters that were set vp by good blessed men there the sacryfice of the blessed Masse ministred according to the order of Christes catholycke Church Yea where the alter stode of the holy Ghost the new Bishops haue made a place to set their tales vpon and there sit in the iudgement of such as be Catholycke and liue in the feare of God Some they depriue from their liuinges some they commit to prison excepte they will forsake the Catholicke faith and embrase a faith and religion that hais no foundacion layde by generall Counseil nor blessed fathers in times past but inuented by Heretikes that do not agree one with another nor them selfes Thus the Bysshops that now be haue abused the Churche and polluted it as the Prophete Hiere sais they haue put offendicles in the house of God and polluted it Also the said Preacher in his Sermon at Paules Crosse didde declare the vertue of obedience to be muche decayed in these oure dayes but he leaues out who they be that cause disobedience For there is none more disobedient then the new Bisshops and Preachers now a dayes which disobey the vniuersall Church of Christ the which Churche whosoeuer will not obey our Sauiour in the Gospel commaundes vs to take them as infidels As where the vniuersall Churche of Christ commaundes Masse and seuen Sacramentes as necessary for our saluation they call it abhomination wyth their blasphemous mouthes where the Church commaundes to fast they commaunde to eate where the Churche commaundes continuall prayer of the Clergie they call it supersticion and blind ignoraunce where the Church commaundes the Clergie to liue in chastity they commaund and exhort the Clergie to mariage where the Churche and all lawes ciuill and canon yea the lawes of this Realme do prohibit mariage of Priestes they alow mariage of priestes obeying no law but folow their owne carnal lust Yea where the Quene hais geuen streyght commaundement to abstayne from flesh in Lent and other dayes commaunded by the Church these new Preachers and Protestantes haue eaten flesh openly to the great sclaunder of other so they obey neither the Quene nor the churche so that almighty God complaines by his Prophete Esai tota die blasphematur nomen meum with these menne God is continually blasphemed wo be to you sais Esai that call good euill and euill good putting darkenes light and light darkenes as by Ezechiell sais almighty God the Priestes haue contemned my law and haue polluted my Sanctuarie Also O see the Prophete does saye the bread that they doe offer is full of mourning â–ª and all that cat ther of shalbe defiled We maye see how they contemne all that blessed fathers holye Martirs and Saintes haue decreed they disobey all that haue bene vertuous and good in Christes catholick church As now of late they haue inuented a new way to make Byshops Priestes and a mannor of seruice and ministracion that Saint Augustine neuer knew Saint Edmund Lanfranc Saint Anselme nor neuer one Byshop of Canturburie sauinge onelye Crammer who forsoke his profession as Apostata so that they muste nedes condemne al the Byshops in Canturbury but Crammer and he that now is al the Bishops in yorke sauinge Holgate and he that nowe is although Saint wilâ—â—â—d Saint willyam haue bene taken for saintes and were bishops in yorke In Couâ—ntree and Lichfelde Saint Chad was Bisshop and many blessed Bishoppes And he that is Bishop now can find not any one that was made as he is nor of his religion Therefore he muste proue al Byshoppes of Lichfelde were deceyued walked in biyndnes and ignoraunce or els he that now is must needs be deceiued and be in blindnes In Duresine haue bene manye good fathers but he that is now Bishop can not find any one Predecessor in that see that was of hys religyon and made Byshop after such fort as he was so that he that now is must take in hand to condemne all the Byshops afore him that they were in ignoraunce and blindnes or els they will come to his condemnation at the daye of iudgement And this in all Bishoprickes in England some can find one and some none that euer was of their religion What arrogancy maye be thought in those men that will take in hand to contemne so many blessed fathers all to be in blindnesse But nowe they saye they haue founde a lyght and reforme religyon according to the primitiue Church Then seing they reforme religion so well as they saye it were meete as they forsake all the religion that their predecessors vsed as Masse Mattins ministracion of sacraments that they should also forsake houses â—arkes landes and reuenues that their predecessors had and go from place to place for Gods sake and preach and thâ—n were some liklyhode of reformation or els it may be called rather a deformation then a reformation In Christes Church hais euer bene a succession of Bishops from the Apostles time to this day in euery see And Tertullian saies if in any see there be a Byshop that walkes not in his fathers steps he is to be counted a bastard and no true inheritor in Chrystes Churche Saint Cypryan does say they that be made Byshops out of the order of the Church and not by tradition and ordinance of the Apostles coming by succession from time to time are not Byshops by the will of god â—ut theues and murtherers comming to kill the flocke of Christ with heresie and lies And where the saide Preacher does affirme greater matters then the brinning of Paules to haue chaunced in time of supersticion and ignoraunce as the Church of Paules was â—rent in the first yeare of Steuen and the Steple of Paules set on fire by lyghtninge in the tyme of kinge Henrie the vi they that count that to be the time of supersticion and ignoraunce when God was serued deuoutly night and day the people liued in the feare of god euery one in his vocation without reasoning contencion of matters of religion but referred all suche thinges to learned men in generall counsailes and vniuersities there to be disputed then was the commaundementes of God and vertue expressed in liuinge now all is in talke and nothinge in liuinge then was prayer now is prating then was vertue and now is vice then was buildinge vp of Churches houses of religion and hospitals where prayer was had night and day hospitalitye kept and the poore relieued now is pulling downe and destroying such houses where God should be serued hospitalitie kept and the poore releiued by meanes wherof Gods glory is destroyed and the commen welth impouerished then was plenty of all thinges now is scarcenesse of all thinges therfore Operibus credite the frute will shew
Christ will chalenge no more autoritye to theym than their Maister Christ had I am sure thys pleases hym well to heare speciallye of my mouthe that such spirituall autoritye is geuen to spiritual ministers to execute on all sortes of people for as they belie vs in other thinges saying we teach false doctrine and moue the people to sinne so they saye that in deniyng them their vsurped autority we take from theym that whyche is due to them Yet in graunting thus much vnto them I meane as they teach that Priestes and Byshoppes haue this power of theym selues or whan they be greased wyth the Popes oyle that they may execute it whan and on whome it pleases theym but that God workes it by them as his wisdom thinkes good whan they vse them as he appointed them For as the iudge or pursauant that bringes the kinges pardon to saue a thiefe on the galowes is but the Princes seruaunt and not the chiefe Sauiour and delyuerer of the condemned so in this absoluing and raysing vp the sinful clogged conscience the chyefe praise and worke is gods and the Bishop or minister is but Gods seruaunt goinge his message by his worde and commaundement to saue and loose them whom it pleases God to offer this grace vnto But mee thinke I heare him saye If Byshops in temporall causes haue not thys autority why sit they so oft by commission now vnder y e gospel in temporal maters In dede forsomuch as they sit by commission it proues that it belonges not to their offyce as appointed by god but in y â— they serue the Prince as they be bounden Who wils and commaundes theÌ„ by Comission to serue in such place and tyme. The Byshops offyce is chiefly taught in the scripture by the holy ghost and from him he receiues his Commission and is not inuented by Pope or man Yf ye compare together Saint Paules Byshop described in Timothe and Tiâ—us with such toyes as the Popes Prelates are ordeyned to play and feede the people withal they are as lyke as blacke and white Saint Paules Byshoppe is in the firste place licensed to marye the Popes are forbidden wiues and alowed hoores for money Saint Paules Bishop must preache the Popes thinke it shame to stand in the Pulpit Saint Paul wils his Bishop to haue his children obedient with al reuerence the Popyshe Priestes Children sit by other mennes fires and brought vp most wantonly The Pope hais commauÌ„ded his Bishops to christen belles and shippes to halow Miters and staues ringes Churche yardes Altars Superaltares albes vestimentes Chalices corporas Palmes ashes candels water fire bread oyle creame flowers strippes swordes crownes fingers c. This is their holle lyfe and yet not one suche worde appointed theym by God in Scripture What is this but to forsake Gods ordinaunce and folow their owne deuyses to prefer man and his doinges to the wisdom of the holye ghost Whan he hais done all these thinges he maye say he hais serued bis maister the Pope and done his commaundement but not one thing that God biddes him Yet remaynes one doubt vnanswered in these few wordes whan he sayes that the gouernemente of the Churche was commytted to Byshoppes as thoughe they bad receyued a larger higher commission from god of doctrine discipline thaÌ„ other lawer priests or ministers haue and thereby might chalenge a greater prerogatiue But this is to be vnderstand that the Priuileges and superiorites which Byshoppes haue aboue other ministers are rather graunted by manne for maintaining of better order and quietnesse in commen wealthes then commaunded by God in his word Ministers haue better knowledge and vtteraunce some than other but their ministerye is of equal dignitye Gods commission and commaundement is like and indifferent to all Priest Byshop Archbyshop Prelate by what name so euer he be called goe and teach baptisinge in the name of the father the Son and the holye ghost And againe whose sinnes so euer ye forgeue they are forgeuen and what soe-euer ye loose in earth it is loosed in heauen c. Likewise the Lordes supper by whom soeuer being lawfully called it be ministred it is of lyke strength power and holines Saint Paule calles the Elders of Ephesus together and sais the holy ghost made them Byshops to rule the Church of god he writes also to the Byshops of Philippos meaninge the Ministers for neyther Ephesus nor Philippos were so great townes but one lytle Byshopricke is a greater compasse of ground than they needed not manye Byshops therefore this diuersitye of absoluing sinnes inuented by idle braines that a simple Priest maye absolue some small ones other greater belonge to the Byshop Tharchbyshop clames an other higher sort the rest and fowlest sort pertein to Popes and Cardinals as the fathers maintainers of them these I say are so foolish childish to beleue that I think it not nedeful to speake of theÌ„ they are not grounded on Gods word therfore must nedes be vntrue and not to be credited because our faith hangs only on the holy scripture greadye couetousnes to enriche theÌ„selues hais inuented these as also the rest of their supersticion whiche they tearme religion Saint Ierom in his commentarye on the. i. Chapter ad Tit sais that a Byshoppe and a Priest is all one and in hys Epystle ad Euagrium he sayes that the Byshop wher so euer he be he is of the same power and Priesthoode Rome makes him not better nor Englande makes him worse A Byshop is a name of office labour and paynes rather then of dignytye ease welth or ydlenes The word Episcopus is Greke and signifies a Scoutwatche an ouerloker or Spie because he shoulde euer be watching and warning that the deuill our enemye do not enter to spoyle or destroy And as in warre the watchemen Scoutes or Spies yf they fall on slepe or be negligent they betraye their felowes and deserue death so in Gods Church if the Byshops watch not diligentlye and saue their sheepe God hais pronouÌ„ced sentens of death against them by his Prophet I made thee a watche man to the house of Israel sais the Lord thou shall heare the word of my mouth and declare it them from me If I say to the wicked thou wicked thou shalt die and thou wilte not warne hym to take hede to his way he shall die in his wickednes but his bloude I will require of thee But I thinke the holy Byshops he crakes so much of haue their callynge of the Dutche name that signifies byts shepe rather than of the Greke that teaches to saue sheepe by his painefull diligence If they were not to muche blinded in their owne folyshnes they might see in the last subsidye graunted in the tyme of their owne raygne that they graunt those to be their betters aboue theym from whence they receyue their autority The Parliament geues theym and their Collectours power to suspend depryue and interdite
these iii. must nedes folowe â–ª eyther that one masse only is good thâ— rest noughte or the reste good and thaâ— nought or els as I am sure he will sayeâ—â—oth are good If bothe be good thaâ— there may be diuers sortes of theym I there may be two diuers sortes and botâ— good why may there not be a thirde or fourth as good Why than maye not thâ— order now apointed in English be gooâ— to On good friday there is neyther Epistle nor Gospel Gloria in exelsis nâ— Crede Sanctus nor Agnus Canon nâ— priuity crossing toying nor blowynge nor their woordes of consecration paâ— â—or Ite missa est not so much as Dominus vâ—bis cuna but streight after confiteor he leapes post haist ouer all to the Pater noster Surely if this be good one daye it maye be vsed oftner and this agrees best with that that Gregory sais Thapâ—stles consecrated onelye wyth the Lordes prayer and therefore it seemes that if anye of their masses shoulde be good that thys goes nexte to the best and simpliest sort without all curiositie If they may doe all perfectlye this daye without their canon than their canon priuitie is not of so great force as they make it to be For sure if this be well on this day it maye be well on other dayes to for God is no chaungelynge nor he commaundes not one sort of communicatinge his supper to daye and another to morow but alwaies suche a one which agrees with his word Their commen aunswere solution is knowen but it wil not serue they must prouide better stucte or els theyr doings be foolysh But to make an ende of this great controuersye for thauncientye of their masse ye shall heare it determined by a miracle from heauen Whan there were diuers sortes of masses as they be called vsed in latin in diuers places as at Millane and euery where almost generally there was vsed Saint Ambrose order of Communion which there continues to this daye and Gregories order was vsed also in other places the Pope to determine the matter woulde trie whether should be alowed through his Dominion For Gregories was not vsed at all in Fraunce and it was thought shame that Ambroses order being but a Bishop should be preferred to the Popes Therfore he tooke eyther of their masse bookes as they terme them in an Euening â—aid them on the Altar locked the Churche dodres and desired god to declare by some miracle whether boke should be vsed generally of all sortes In the morninge Gregories booke leaues were found scattred al y â— Church ouer and Ambroses lay stil the doores beâ—nge fast locked all night as he sais but wise men may doubt This miracle maister Pope like a wise expounder of dreames sais that as the leaues were forne and blowen abrode all the Churche ouer so should Gregories booke bâ— vsed through out the world For this was done by God as well their greate God Bell did eate vppe all the meatâ— that was set afore him al night as Daniell writes But that a man may noâ— be wiser than Mounser Pope I woulâ— intâ—rprete this greate miracle thus That God was angry with Gregories boke and therefore rent it in pieces and scattered it abrode the other as good lay sound vntouched and at the least so to be preferred This was done by pope Adrian the first more than vii C. lxxvii yeares after Christ and thus long their holy masse was in controuersy afore it was determined Than it lackes much of M. D. as they vntruly and proudlye crake These thinges are not writen by any new menne or heretikes as it pleases theym to terme theym but by their own catholicke fathers Durandus and Nauclerus Yea Polychronic lib. vii ca x. writes that the white obseruaÌ„t munkes vse by their profession Sainct Ambrose order and not Gregories euen at these dayes wherefore their masse is not generall I woulde they did make â—n enâ—â— of liynge that we myght â—ake an ende of reprouâ—nge theym and â—oth ioyne together in worshipping the â—uing God only and beleuing his holy â—ord afore al other Saint Austin in â— lyke controuersye of religion betwixt â—m y â— Maniches praies thus O great â—nd almighty god god of al goodnes â—hom we ought to thinke beleue that â—ou art inuiolable incorrâ—ptible and â—â—mutable O triple vnity which al the â—â—urch does worshippe I hauing expeâ—ence of thy mercye to warde me praye â—ee humblye that thou wâ—â—te not suffer theym to dyffer from mee in thy religion and worshippe of thee with whom syns I was a childe I haue had a most speciall agrement in felowship of menne Amen God graunte vs all this to pray and diligentlye endeuoure our selues to seke this vnity of religion in worshipping the liuinge God onelye as he hais taught vs in his holy word and no other waies for his sonnes sake our lord and christ So be it In Englande where the faith of Chryste and true religion was planted aboute the yeare of our lorde C. lxxxii Elutherius Pope sendinge Legates to Lucius than kinge of Englande which conuerted this Realme to the faith and establyshed true religion in Englande whiche continued â–ª CC yeares As the rest of al their doctrine is founded on the Pope so is this This is their subtility to make men belcue that England hais euer receyued y â— christian faitâ— religion froÌ„ Rome therfore we muâ— fetch it from thence still which are botâ— most vntrue If nothing els would this one saying proues him to be vnlearned that thus sais Gildas our country man in his history sayes that Britane receiued the Gospel in the tyme of Tiberius the Emperour vnder whom Christ suffred Does not Tertulian who lyued â— the same time of this Pope write in hâ— booke against the Iewes thus Thapostles are declared in Dauids Psal. to be the Preachers of Christ. Their sounde he sais went oute in all the earth and their woordes vnto the roastes of the earth In whom els haue all people beleued but in christ which is now comen Whom haue other people beleued the Parthians the Medes the Persians they that dwell in Mesopotania Iurie Cappadocia Pontus Asia Phrigia Pamphilia Egipt and the parts of Libia about Cyrene the straungers of R â–ª y â— Iewes Proselites men of Crete Arabia and other people as now the diuerse sortes of the Getes and manye coastes of the Murrians al the bouÌ„ders of Spaine diuerse nations of Fraunce and the places of the Britanes whiche the Romaines coulde neuer attaine to nowe are subiect to Christ and the places of Sarmatia of the Danes the Germanes the Sâ—ithians and of many other hid people and prouinces manye Iles vnknowen to vs â–ª and whiche now we can not recken In all which places reanes the name of Christ which is now comen Thus ferre Tertullian Marke in how many countries he sais the name of Christe reaned it was so
as in them lay c. Here appeares how harde it was to diuorse the maried Priestes and howe some wolde not obey though they were excomunicate I marke also how the Bishop calles these mariages vncleanesse and sais they defile the ministerye but to an indifferent iudge the Priestes haue better reasons out of the Scriptures for theym selues than the Byshop had Let al them therfore that haue the feare of Godde afore theym consyder the great plages that God layd on thys Realme at that time The Realme was conquered by straungers Willyam Conquerour and his felowes the Popes Chaplains Lanfranc Bis. of Cantorb vnder kinge Willyam the. ii brought in transubstantiation Ansel. vnder Henry y e. i. next kinge folowinge brought in vnmaried priestes diuorced the maried the doctrine of trāsubstātiacion is so holy y ◠a maried priest may not handel it the one can not stand without the other the one necessarily bringes in y e other The late popes were better then they for in the time of pope Paule the. iii. kepynge hys Counsell at Trident a. xvii yeare synce came forth that woorthye booke Interim wherein is entreated the mariages of Priestes and concludet that those which be maried shoulde not be deuorced but whither any mo shoulde mary it should be referred and differred to a generall counsell These men were more reasonable modest and wise than oure late brutish Papistes for in the late daies of their raging madnes contrarye to this decree of the Pope made not xvi yere a fore they deuorsed here w t vs al Priests that afore were maried But whā these olde Popes see howe harde it was to driue Priestes from their wiues that Helbrande Gregorye vii decreed that none shoulde heare his masse that was maried and by this politie he brought more to passe than by excommunication or anye other waye Suche practises the Popes prelates are ful of for whan the Priestes perceiued their ministerye was despised it made them some thing to relent and at length altogether to quale At the same tyme and streight after the conqueste were swarmes of munkes brought almost into all the Cathedrall churches of the Realme As at Duresme in the yere M. lxxxiii the Priests which than were maried were brought from Duresme and had the prebendes of Aucland Darnton and Norton and munkes were placed in their stedes at Durram in the xviii yeare of Willyam the conquerour and these prebendes were than first founded appointed for these secular maried priestes O gētil Papists of old time that wold not displace maried priests but prouide liuings for them where our Edomites persecute theym wythout mercye Mariage Gods holye ordinaunce in Paradise blessed is punished of poperye in the world suche is their wickednesse In other places as Winchester Worceter and els where this bringinge in of Munkes and dryuinge out maried Priestes beganne a litle afore the conquest vnder kyng Edgarus but no great differens in the yeares Dunstan and Oswalde Byshops of Worcetor first and after of Cantorband Yorke were greate helpers in thys matter Oswald thrast all the clarkes out of worceter Church whych woulde not be made munkes Ethelwoldus Byshop of Wynchester thrast oute hys maried priestes likewise if they woulde not forsake their Wyues and become Munkes and placed Munkes in their stede but they so hated the Munkish life that they were cōtent to leaue al rather than become munks euery one of them saue iii. But after y ◠death of Edgarus Aelfer kinge of Mercia whiche was the middle aud chefe part of England and many other nobles of the realme droue out the munkes and brought in the maried Priestes againe These and suche like are written in the recordes of these churches and were done many of them about the yeare of our lorde ix C. lxiii and after Polychroni also in his vi booke touches manye of these thinges These things I haue spoken more large lye because he charges vs with disobeying all lawes as though these were neuer done in Englande afore and good men shoulde not suffer theym and also that the worlde maye see howe lewde vnlearned a Proctour hays taken theyr case in hande If he were not to farre paste shame he woulde not denye the lawes of the Realme to suffer Priestes mariage seynge the. xxix Iniunction whiche the Queenes hignesse set forth entreates of their mariage onelye But thys is their obedyence that they shewe to their Prynces in deniynge their lawes and it is their olde opinion that Iuiunctions be not lawes nor Princes haue that autoritye ouer them to make suche lawes God gyue theym better myndes or graunte the Prynce better subiectes It were to long to write all that may be said in this behalfe and it is not my meaninge onelye I woulde let theym see whiche woulde learne how wrongfullye Priestes mariage is accused For the frowarde obstinate that wyll not learne but contemne and condemne all that gayne saye it afore they heare theym speake I saye wyth oure Sauioure Chryste in a lyke case lette theym alone they be blynde and guydes of the blynde They are not to be passed on doe as trueth Goddes worde and a good conscience teaches you nothyng regardinge their ralynge blasphemies Austin in his booke de bono coniug ali Ca. xxi comparyng the chastitie of mariage and slngle life together sais thus The vertue of continentie muste be alwayes in the power of the mynde but in dede if must be shewed as things and tymes chaunge For as there was not a dyuerse meryte of sufferynge Martyrdome in Peter that suffered cruell death and in Ioan that suffered not So there is not a dyuerse meryte of Chastytye in Ioan whych was not maryed and in Abraham whyche gate chyldren For bothe hys syngle lyfe and thys mannes maryage serued Chryste as the tyme chaunged but Ioan hadde Chastytye bothe in power and dede Abraham onely in power Again ca. xxii euill menne saye to him that is chaste Art thou better than Abraham but whan he heares it lette him not be afraide but saye I am not better but the chastitie of single men is better than the chastitie of mariage Again ca. xxiii If we compare the things them selues together it is sure that the chastitie of continentie is better than the chastitie of mariage and yet bothe good but whan we compare the men to gether he is the better that hais a greater goodnes and vertue in him than the other hais Thus ferre Austin Marke the difference that he puttes betwix the goodnes of thinges themselues and the goodnes of the menne that haue theim I am sure many wil iudge that I speak this to please my wyfe but we reade that Paphuntius vnmaried whan some in the counsell would haue determined that Priests shoulde leaue their wiues perswaded the contrarye Spiridion being maried as he writes also and hauinge children was neuer the worse or hindred to minister the sacramentes Chriso in his homily
on the mariage in Cana Galilea writes thê° Thou reproâ—â—s mariage that they be a let to godlynes but wilt thou know that it hurtes not to haue wyfe and children Had not Moyses wife and children was not Helias a virgin Moses brought Manna from heauen and Helias fire god spake to Moyses and was conuersaunt with Helias Did not Moyses make Duales to come and Helias shut vppe heauen from raine with a word Did not Moyses deuide the sea and brought through the people Was not Helias taken into heauen in a firie charet Did virginitye hurte the one or was wife and children a hindraunce to the other hais thou marked Helias in his charet in the aer and Moyses goynge on foote in the sea Marke Peter also a piller of the church that he had a wife for it is written that Iesus wente into Peters mother in lawe beinge sicke touched her and the feuer left her Where there is a mother in lawe there must nedes be a wife and daughter in lawe Sees thou not than that Peter had a wife blame not mariage than c. thus ferre Chrisostome I coulde shew you like examples of maried ministers at these daies whiche are not hindered in their duty doing therby nor in any part of godlynes but rather forthered in that houshold cares be taken from them therby and in sikenes they better cherished These be inough for them that wil be perswaded or more will not serue It is not hard to bringe diuerse moe autorities out ot the Popes distinc xxviii and xxxi to proue this withall but he that is father of all filthines is not worthye to beare witnes in so honest a matter In Moises law where euery one should marie with in his owne tribe the priestes had thys priuilege that they might marye wyth the kinges stocke but oure menne abhore Priestes mariage lest they should get gentilwomen and so possibly might enherite their landes God was not so wise to foresee these thinges as we be and that which Gods wisdome thought good and commendable we with oure polities thinke hurtfull and vnprofitable God make vs wise in him For the foolyshe writhinge and rackynge of the scriptures folowinge because they be so vnaptlye applied that a blind manne maye sce them I will not stande to set out his folye for they conteyne no matter of weight against vs. They haue inuented a newe waye to make Bishoppes and Priestes and a maner of seruice and ministracion that Saint Austin neuer knewe Saint Edmond Lanfranc S. Anselme noâ— neuer one Bishop of Cantorb sauing only Crammer who for soke his professyon as Apostata so that they must nâ—â—es condemne all the Bishoppes in Cantor but CraÌ„mer and he that now is all the Byshoppes of yorke sauyâ—â— Holgate and he that nowe is althoughe Saint Wilfride S. Willyam haue bene taken for Saintes and were Byshoppes in yorke In Couentre and Lichfyelde S. Chad was Byshop and many blessed Byshops and he that now to Bishop can fynde not anye one that euer was made as he is nor of his religion Therefore he must proue all Biâ—shops 〈◊〉 Lichfâ—loe were deceyued walked in blindnes and ignoraunce or els he that nowe is must nedes be deceyued and be in blyndnes In Duresiue haut bene many good fathers but he that now is Bishop can not fynde any one predecessour in that see that was of his relygion and made bishop after such fort as he was so that he that no we is muste take in bande to condemne all the Bisshops afore him that they were in ignorance and blindnes or they wil come to hys condemnation at the daye of indgement And this in all Bishoprickes in EnglaÌ„d some can find one some none that euer was of their religion What arrogancy may be thought in those men that will take in hande to condemne so many blessed fathers al to be in blindnes Here this proud Papist triumphes as thoughe nothinge coulde be said to the contrary For our churche seruice I said inough afore now marke what weight his raginge railynge wordes haue He sais Saint Edmonde Lanfranc Ansel. neuer knewe such an orderyng of Priestes and Bishopes how proues he that I thinke they dyd for they liued in that age whan religion beganne to decaye blyndnes and supersticion to crepe into the worlde and therefore coulde not be ignoraunt of suche good order as hadde bene afore them althoughe they theym selues than beganne to chaunge bring in the contrary wherof I declared part afore as mariage of priestes church seruyce c. To graunt that so manye Bisshops of Cantorb yorke Lichfield and Duresme were in blindnes he thinkes it such an inconuenience as no manne will doe it and therfore these that now be Byshops must nedes be deceyued I am not of that oppinion to thynke it a shame to graunt that Byshoppes be deceyued eyther in that age or other for there hais bene no man so holye except Christ Iesus but he hais bene deceiued and ignoraunt in manye thinges euen in religion Did not Paule rebuke Peter for dissemblynge in meates with the Iewes Only Christ hais the ful truth That is the proude principle of Popery to think that they can not be deceyued yet in that sayinge they are most fowly deceyued The Scribes and Pharases vsed the same reasons agaynst Christe oure Lorde and the false Prophetes against the true sayinge that they kepte the olde true learninge and the other brought in a new deceiued the people But in grauntinge these olde Byshops to be made after another sort than these be nowe what harme maye followe What auncienty be they of al sins the conquest and not past v. C. yeare sins Than it is but newe in comparison of of M. D. l. And if oure order agree wyth Christes doinges and his Apostles writings better thaÌ„ theirs are we to blame in forsakyng them folowing Christ his Apostles or are we to be counted deuisers of a new way when we folow that which is M. ycre elder than theirs Naye surely their deuyses be new and we restore the old religion again practised and taught by Christ and his Appostles which they haue defaced wyth their newe deuysed supersticyon and Popery Whither is it more to conteÌ„ne or correct these Byshoppes of Cantorb York Lichfielde and Duresme that he names rather than Christ oure Lorde Peter Paul Timothe Titê° c. Whether is to bee iudged elder wyser and godlyer these Byshoppes that he names which are not v. C. yeare old or Christe and his Appostles whiche be M. D. yeare old and more In the Actes of Thappostles where Matthias was chosen in stede of Iudas the traitour Where the. vii Deacons were chosen and whan Paule and Barnabas were seÌ„t forth to preach how few ceremonies were vsed in comparison of that multitude which the Papistes vse nowe and howe much does it agree with our kind of orderinge ministers better than with theirs Whan Paule taught
they see howe foolyshe it was laughed at it and thought it to bee passed awaye wyth sylence for that foolyshnesse of it selfe would confound it selfe to theym that hadde witte or learnynge Yet that the simple ones for whose cause chieflye thys labour is taken should not be deceyued and ouercomen wyth founde phantasyes of ydle braynes and least Goddes ennemyes shoulde crake that none coulde or durste aunswere it I thought good bycause other that can doe better woulde not thus shortlye to aunswere the chyefe pointes of Poperye touched in thys hys vnlearned apologye Thys is the politye of Papystes to sette oute a broker to vtter their ware and catche the vnlearned but the sutteller sort hold their toung stande alofe to see howe thys forerunner wil take place and are thought by their sylence to be able to saye muche more whan as they feare in dede least in beinge aunswered they should take the foile to the cleane ouerthrowinge of their cause Thys proude Golyas hais craked and prouoked all Goddes people as thoughe none durst medell wyth hym but I truste poore Dauid hais wyped hys nose and gyuen hym a falle wyth hys poore slyng and few stones But I feare I lose my laboure for as y â— Prophet says Can the blacke man of Iude chaunge hys colour No more can thys Morian learne to saye well If the miserable state of the people had not moued me I woulde haue holden my tounge and laughe at it as wyse menne doe but that wyth the poore symple ones whom they deceyue in corners wyth such lyes as these suche commen balde reasons as he hais broughte shoulde not preuayle I thought good for pity sake to say thus much to staye theym â–ª whose eyes God shall open to see My reasons and aâ—torityes of pourpose are commenlye taken out of their owne Doctours and writers and suche bookes as are not counted protestauntes nor made by anye of this newe learninge For the nonest I forbare to alledge the learneder sort least the vnlearned shoulde saye they coulde no skyll on such bookes nor knewe not whether they were truelye broughte in and seynge their owne Doctours and schole maysters haue geuen vs thys vauntage against them I feare not to trye wyth theym in writers of greater autoritye and auncientye Thus muche I haue spoken for my parte let the rest whom Godde hays geuen greater knowlege and vtteraunce vnto helpe thus to stoppe the mouthes of Goddes ennemyes and I trust by the power of hys holye spiryte Antichryst wyth hys members shall dayly decay and Goddes gloryous trueth shall shyne to the coumfort of all hys elect though their eyes bee not yet fullye opened to see nor their heartes lyghtned to vnderstande it Godde the father graunts for hys Sonne sake Iesus Chryste crucifyed that we all maye be partakers of his spyryte of trueth and hys wilfull obstinate ennemies confounded his poore lambes deliuered from the wolfes and strengthened against thassaultes of Satan that at the length we may be glorified with hym for euer and euer Amen ¶ Beholde sayes the Lord of Hostes to thee I wyll laye thy skyrtes on thy face and open thy fylthynesse to the people and thy shame to kyngedoines and I wyll cast thy abhomynations vppon thee and I wyll reuile thee and make thee lyke dunge and it shall come to passe that euerye one that sees thee shall fall from thee NauÌ„ iii. ¶ Haue mercye on vs O Lorde haue mercye on vs for we are vtterlye despysed Oure soule is fylled wyth the mockynge of the ryche and despyte of the proude Psal. C. xxiii ¶ Commen places entreated The autoritie of Byshops A. 8. S. Ia. Masse and others B. 7. Englande receyued not the fayth from Ro. D. 3. None is vniuersall Byshop ouer al. E. i. Extreme vnction is no Sacrament E. 7. Our Churche seruice F. 7 Communion Burials Communion table G. 6. Altars H. 1. Confession H. 8. Fasting I. 2. Lent I. 7. Mariage of Priestes K. i. Orderinge of Mynisters L. 5. Succession N. 4. The people learne the Scriptures O. 5. The Princes autoritie in religyon Q. 2. R. 7 ¶ Faultes in pryntynge B 3 leafe line 24. I meane not C 1 leafe page 2. line 19. turned into latin D 1 leafe page 2. line 26. as wel as their D 3 leafe pag. 6. line 25. it cannot be E 1 leafe line 31. nere theym G 1 leafe line 23 Ausegisus G 3 leafe line 1. put out mete page 2. line 17. put out not H 2 leafe line 1. as Iehu page 2. line 20. by blind H â— leafe line 16. some of Duns H 8 leafe line 17. for Ioan Dominus alwayes read Ioan Duns 25. Confession and bow I 5 page line 12. so muche of page 9. line 11. let vs eate fleshe with them K 2 leafe line 17. Epistle to the Ephesians K 7 leafe page 2. line 1. that History placed 16. leaues after M 5 leafe line 9. that Linus was O 3 leafe line 17. 1382. ¶ Imprynted at London by Wyllyam Seres dwellinge at the West end of Paules at the sygne of the Hedge-bogge ¶ The tenth of March Anno. 1563. 2 3 4 5 â— xi â—e vi 7 Math. Esa. 62. Esai 5. Ezech. 3. 9 10 11 12 Osee Hier. 8. Hier. 1. Esai 2. Esai 6 â—â— 14 Luc. 4 Math. 4 Trueth must be truly vttred 1 VVhat autoritye Byshops haue ouer the Church i. Pet. 5. Ioan. 21 Math. 2. Ioan. 10 Luk. xii Luk â—xii Ephe. 4. Psa. 79. Mar. xvi Ioan xx Act. xx Mynyster autoritye of like power all Ezech. 33 Epistula lib. 7. Câ— â–ª 63. Saint Iames neuer sayde Masse i. Cor. 14. aeneas syluius Pistoâ— Boeica Ca. 13. Lib. Epistula 7 Ca. 63. Ioan Faber de missa ver â—ger Masse Hebre. 7. Deut. 1â— Lib. 5 Epistula 33. Good Fridayes Masse Retract i. cap. xv 3 Englande receiued no the fayth first from Ro. buâ—â—n Thapostles tyme. Polychronic lib. 5. ca. 17. Elutherius Epistle to kyng Lucius Rex a regendo non a regno 4 The best witstoode Austin the Popes legate Austynâ— christening Neyther Pope noâ— other ought 〈◊〉 be called â—he vniuersal â—or head bishop of all Lib. 4. epistoâ—â— â— Lib. 7. Eâ— 30. Câ— â–ª 19 â–ª Lib. 4. Eâ—stola 76. 5 i. kyng 17 Iam v. Mar. vi VVhether extreme vnction be a sacrament or no. Ma. sententiar li. 4 disti 23. Ioan dâ— Sco â—us 4 senten distic 23. Midnyghte Mattins oore none masses i. corint ii Antems in the steple 3. kin 18. 6 II. Ebrew Iere. 6. Councels â—ur Church â—ruice agreâ—s wyth the â—uncient Church The Porâ—uds antiquityâ— 7 〈◊〉 6 Paules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fatâ—â—rs â—nd the apists be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—rayer 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Epitaph Fabiola Burials Eccle. 11. Mariage The Communion table Luke 22. 1. Corâ— 10. Lib. 5. Ca. 18. Altars 4 king 10. â—â—â—â—e is not Catholycke â—he difference beâ—â—yx the â—reke Ghurâ—he and the â—atin Our religion is elder than Counsels Ephe. 2. Isai. 40. Luk. 6. The Papistes tourne with the world and dyffer one from another â—â—â— 1â— â— Masse Confession 4. kin 6. The Prelates othe to the Pope Fastynge Ambrose August P. pâ—â— 06. 58. Math 15. Lent Sozo lib. â— ca. 〈◊〉 Prayer Supersticion Ethelothresceia Supersticions Deisidâ— moniâ— Prayer Maryage of priestes Polid. lib 5. ca. 4. de inuenâ—or Act. 21. Roiff lib. 2. Ca. 9 Euseb. lib 5. ca. 26 Sozo lib. 3 Ca. 14. â— Paule Ambrose Platina Ierom. Gregorâ—â—â— â—ii Math. 19. 1. Coâ— 7. Gregorie Note also this notatable Epistle concernynge the same matter Ernulph Ansel. Paschall Polychro Duresme Math. 15. Sozo lib. 1 Ca. 23. â—â—i Ca. 11. Math. 8. 9 The ordeâ—â—ng of myâ—â—ysters Act. 13. Math. 15. Palle Ecclesiast Hieraâ—ch S. VVyllya of Yorke Edmond Lanfranc Ansel. Tho. Becket VVilfride egenda noa Sanctorm in hys fe 10 Spirituall mens landes Gala. 6. Psal. 2. 1. Cor. 9 Act. 5. Ioan. 15. â— thessa 3 1â— Polychro lib. 5. Succession Math. 23. Ioan. 8. Clemens Alexander Pius Marcellinus Liberius Felix Anastasius Leo. Ioan. Sergius Gregory 3 Zachary Steuen Leo. 3. Ioan. 8. Nicholas Syluester 2 Benet 9. Innocent 3. Ioan. 23. Math. 16. 12 Moe and greater plagues in popery than the Gospel Psal. 148. The people shoulde learne the scriptures Psal. 73. Deut. 32. Psal. 133. Ro. 1. Ia. 1. Math. 15. Hospitalitye Dearth Iere. 44. Iustice. August caâ— Epist. fuÌ„d Hiero. con Lucifer August Epist 1512. Ciprianâ—â— simpliei Hiero. coâ— Lucifer Iudg. 17. 2 3 Tit. 3. i. Cor. 1. 11. 4 Hebr. 10. Act. 5. 5 Act. 6. Act. 15. Act. 20. Mala. 1. Osee. 9. Ezech. 22. â—â—â—ac 2. Act. 1â— 1. Chro 〈◊〉 2 â–ª king â— 2. Chroni 30. 34. 17. in VVâ—â—frido â—hro 23. Act. 18. 6 Leuiâ— 10. Math. 19. Ciprianus de lap â—iprianus cecundum â— Ciprianus de lap August ciuitate dei â— 21. ca. 25. 9 Ciprian de lap 10 Num. 16. Ciprian Epist. Lib. 7. Ep â–ª 63. Lib. 4. sâ—â— tent distinâ— 8 II Roma 1 â–ª Math. 1â— â–ª Math. 10. 12 â—3 Isai. 49. â—ere 1â—