That which maketh strongly against the Papacie For now a daiâ—s this Stile of Vniversall Bishop which Gregorie held to bâ—e the Harbinger of Antichrist is brought in as a maine proofe of the Popes Supremacie Neither could Gregorie restraine his Successors from bearing this Title for Boniface the third who next save one succeeded Gregorie Obtained of Phocas the Emperour not without great contention that the See of Rome should bee callâ—d the head of all Churches being the same place of preheminence in â—ffect which Iohn in Gregories time so much affected Now by this the Reader may perceive and that from the tongue and pen of one of their best Popes that were since his time that in Gregories judgement his successours that enjoy this swelling Title and transcendent power are proved to be Antichristian Bishops Lastly the Reader may observe who it was that gave the Pope this jurisdiction it was even that usurper Phocas who murthered his master Maurice the Emperâ—ur and then confâ—rred this prophane Title on Pope Boniface a fit Chapleine for such a Paâ—ron Hitherto wee have treated of Saint Gregories Faith and visited the Colledge of Bangor the Foundation whereof is ascribed to King Lucius from whose time unto the entraâ—ce of Austine the Monke 438. yeares were â—xpired In all which space the Christian Faith was both taught and imbraced in this Iland notwithstanding the continuall persecutions of the Romans Huns Picts and Sâ—xons which last made such desolation in thâ— outward face of the Church that they drove the Chriâ—â—â—â—n bishops into the Deserts of Cornwaile and Waâ—es in which number were the bishops of London and Yorke Now by their labours the Gospell was replaâ—ted amongst the Inhabitants of those vast Mounâ—taines and farther spread it selfe into these Northerne parts what time as Edwin and Oswald Kings of Northumbeâ—land sent for Saint Aidan and Finan into Scotland to convert their Subjects to the Faith PA. What were this Aidan and Finan PRO. They were the worthy instruments which the Lord raised up for the good of our countrey for by the ministery of Aidan was the kingdome of Northumberland recovered from Paganisme whereunto belonged then beside the shire of Northumberland and the lands beyond it unto Edenborrough Frith Cumberland also and Westmoreland Lancashire Yorkshire and the Bishopricke of Durham And by the meanes of Finan not onely the kingdome of the East-Saxons which contained Essex Middlesex and halfe of Hertfordshire regained but also the large kingdome of Mercia with the shires comprehended under it was first converted unto Christianitie so that these two for their extraordinarie holinesse and painefulnesse in preaching the Gospel were â—xceedingly reverenced by all that knew them Aidan especially Who although hee could not keepe Easter saith Bede contrary to the manner of them which sent him yet hee was carefull diligently to performe the works of Faith Godlinâ—sse and Love after the manner used by all holy men whereupon hee was worthily beloved of all even of them also who thought otherwise of Easter than hee did and was reverenced not onely of the meaner ranke but of the Bishops themselves Honorius of Canterbury and Felix of the East-Angles In this Age also was held the sixt generall Councell at Constantinople summoned by the Emperours commandement it was called against the heresie of the Monothelites and therein Honorius the Pope was accursed for a Monothelite It was theâ—e also decreed that the See of Constantinople should enjâ—â— equall priviledges with the See of Rome And whereas some Canons were alleadged for restraint of Priests marriage they were opposed by this Councel and the Church of Rome is in expresse termes taxed for urging them And upon paine of deposition to the gainsayers it was decreed That the marriage of Ecclesiasticall persons was a thing lawfull and that their conjugall cohabitation stood with the Apostolike Canons was an ancient tradition and orderly constitution And in case continencie were enjoyned it was not perpetuall but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the proper turnes or courses of their ministery so that the restraint of Priests from marrying neither is nor ever was conceived to be saith learned bishop Andrews but Positivi juris which being restrained upon good reason it might upon as good reason be released and Pope Pius the second was of opinion That there was better reason to release them then to restraine them and so were divers other at the Councell of Trent if there had beene faire play and yet Iesuit Coster holds that a Priest offends greatly if he commit fornication Gravius tamen peccat but he offends more grievouslie if he marry PA. This Councel was neither the Sixt nor generall PRO. Caranza and Balsamon call it both sixth and generall We grant indeed that to speake precisely the sixt Synod under Constantine the fourth published no Canons but afterwards divers of the same Fathers which had formerly met in the sixt Synod they and others to the number of 227 being called together by the then penitent and restored Emperour Iusâ—inian gathered up and set forâ—h the Canons formerly made and by them re-enforced and Balsamon saith that Basilius Bishop of Gortyna the Metropolis of Creete which was then under the Arch-bishop of Rome and the Bishop of Ravenna were there to represent the Romaâ—e Church The truth is your Romanists cannot endure tâ—is Gâ—eeke Councel because it sets the Patriarke of Constantinople cheeke by joule with the Romane Bishop In a word if some Canons of this Councel be justly excepted against this makâ—s not against us for wee warrant not all that goes uâ—dâ—r thaâ— Councels name nor them that once spoke truth from ever erring And it seemes Gratian he Monke hath beene a tampering with the Canon alleadged for in one of Gratians Editions we reade thus Let not Constantinople bee magnified as much as Rome in matters Ecclesiasticall and in another Let Constantinople be advanced as well as Rome And now have we surveyed the first sixe generall Councels and found them to have beene called by the Emperour and not by the Pope and yet Bellarmine now a dayes denyes this power to godly Princes and would conferre it on the Pope THE EIGHTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 700. to 800. PAPIST WHat say you to this eighth Age PROTESTANT This Age was beholden to our nation which afforded such worthies as venerable Bede the honour of England and mirrour of his time for learning as also his Scholler Alcuinus counted one of the Founders of the Universitie of Paris and Schoole-master to Charles the Great by whom or his procurement were written thoâ—e Libri Carolini King Charles his bookes opposing the second Nicen Synod which stood for Image worship Now also lived Antonie the Monke and Damascen one that laid the foundation of Schoole-divinitie among the Greekes as Peter Lombard afterward did among the Latines he was indeed a Patron of
professors commonly called Waldenses There was also in England in the time of Henry the first for his knowledge surnamed Beau-clerke or fine scholler great contention touching investitures or the collation of Bishoprickes When Thurstan elect Archbishop of Yorke received his consecration from the Pope the King understanding thereof forbad him to come within his Kingdomes This contention betweene the Crowne and the Mitre was hoâ—ly pursued betweene King Henry the second and Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury it was partly occasioned by one Philip de Broc Canon of Bedford who being questioned for a murder he used some reproachfull speeches to the Kings Iustices for which he was censured and I finde that in these dayes as the Monke of Nâ—wborrough who then lived saith the abuses of Church men were growne to a great height insomuch as the Iudges complayned in the Kings presence that there were many robberies and rapes and murthers to the number of an hundred committed within the Realme by Ecclesiasticall persons upon presumption of exemption from the censure of the lawes Herewith the King was so highly displeased that he required that Iustice should be ministred alike unto all sine delectu saith Novoburgensis and Roger Hoveden saith the Kings pleasure was that such of the Cleargie as were taken in any murther robberie or felonie should be tryed and adjudged in his temporall Courts as Lay-men were but the Archbishop would have the Cleargie so offâ—nding tryed onely in the spirituall Courts and by men of their owne coate who if they were convict should at first onely be deprived of their benefices but if they should againe be guilty of the like they should be adjudged at the Kings pleasure But the King stood upon his Leges Avitae his Grandfathers lawes and customes which were indeed the auncient lawes of this realme not first enacted by the Conqueror but onely confirmed by him and received from his predecessors Edgar the peaceable and Alfred the learned Prince and accordingly the King in a great assembly at Clarendon confirmed the foresaid lawes of his Grandfather and enacted that none should appeale to the Sea of Rome for any cause whatsoever without the Kings License That it should not be lawfull for any Archbishop or Bishop to depart the Realme and repaire to the Pope upon his summons without the Kings license That Clerkes criminous should be tryed before secular Iudges By this we finde two maine branches of Papal Iurisdiction to wit Appeales and the exemption of Clergie men from being tryed in causes criminall before Christian Magistrates strongly opposed by the King and the State PAâ— Name your men for this age PROT. There were divers worthies who â—lourished in this age namely Hugo de Sancto victore a second Augustine as Trithemius calleth him Zacharias Chrysopolitanus Saint Bernard Abbot of Clarevaux Robert Abbot of Duits in Germany usually called Rupertus Tuitiensis Peter Abbot of Clugni usually called Petrus Cluniacensis â—oachim Abbot of Courace of the order of the Cistertians a man very famous in this age and thought to have had a propheticall spirit Petrus Blesensis Peter of Bloix Archdeacon of Bath and Chancellour of Canterbury a man for his pleasant wit and learning in great favour with the Princes and Prelates of his time and of inward acquaintance with Iohn of Salisbury Bishop of Chartres Now also the Schoolemen began to arise of whom Peter Lombard Master of the Sentences was the first who was afterward made Bishop of Paris Aventine saith he hath heard of his Masters Iames Faber of Estaples and Iodocus Clichtoveus above a thousand times that this Lumbard had troubled the pure fountaine of Divinity with muddy questions and whole rivers of opinions and this saith he experience doth sufficiently teach us if we be not wilfully blinde And yet some of their distinctions being purged from barbarisme and cleerely applyed to the point in question may be of good use especially when as according to the proverbe we can eate the Dates and cast out their stones and herein Zanchius and Iunius were excellent It is reported that Lumbard Gratian and Comestor three pillers of Poperie Gratian for the Cannon law Comestor for the history of the Church and Lumbard for Schoole-divinity were three bastards borne of one woman who in her sickenesse comming to confession could not be drawne to be sorry for this her incontinuencie but thought shee had done well in bearing those great lights of the Church whereunto her confessour replyed that that was not hers but Gods gift they proved such great scholler however she was to be sorry for her fault and be heartily sorry for this that she could not sorrow and lament as she should One of these brothers was called Comestor as it were booke-eater because he was such a Helluo librorum a devourer of bookes as if booke learning had beene his ordinary food and repast he had the Bible so perfectly by heart as though he had swallowed it Now what opinion was held of the Papacie may be seene by the testimonies of such of their owne as were famous in this age Iohannes Sarisburiensis had a conference with Pope Adrian the fourth called Nicholas Breake-speare an English man which himselfe hath lâ—ft us in writing I remember saith he I weâ—t â—nto Apulia to visit Pope Adrian the fourth who admitted me into great familiarity and inquired of me what opinion men had of him and of the Roman Church I plainely layd open unto him the evill words I had heard in dâ—vers Provinces for thus it is sayd The Church of Rome whicâ— is mother of all Churches behaveth her selfe towards others not as a mother but as a stepdame The Pope saith he laughed at it and thanked me for my liberty of speech The same Iohn of Sarisbury saith that thâ—y wholy apply themselves unto wickednes that they may seeme Concilium vanitatis a Councell of vanity the wicked Synagogue of the Gentiles ecclesia malignantium the Church of the envious and evill doers Peter of Bloyes describeth unto us in the person of an Officiall the fashion and manner of the Church of Rome For as much saith he as I love thee in the Bowels of Iesus Christ I thought good to exhort thee with wholesome admonitions that thou in time depart from Vr of the Chaldees from the midst of Babylon and leave the mysterie of this most damnable stewardship Richard the first King of England and Philip the second of France being on their voyage to Ierusalem and comming into Sicilie and there hearing of Abbot Ioachim who was thought to have the gift of Propheâ—ie they desired to know of him what successe they should have in this their expedition the Abbot saith Paulus Aemilius answered they should not then recover it and therein hee proved too true a Prophet besides this they heard him expound the vision of Saint Iohn in the Apocalypse touching the Churches afflictions
say it was not onely apparant enough in the Greeke and Easterne Churches and in such as had made an open separation from the Romish corruptions such as were in these Westerne parts the Wâ—ldenses Wickleâ—iâ—ts and Hussites but it was also within the community of the Romish Church it selfe even there as in a large field grew much good corne among tares and weeds there as in a great bâ—rne heape or garner was preserved much pure graine mixed with store of chaffe Object I except against that you have said Master Brereley cals it a Ridle To say your Church was under the Papacie as wheat is under the chaffe and yet the Papacie was not the true Church Answer It is no Enigma or Ridle it being all one in effect as to say the Christian Church at our Saviours comming and after consisting of Ioseph and Mary Simeon and Anna the Shepherds and the Sages Christs disciples and others was in and under the Iewish Church consisting of Scribes and Pharisees who with their false glosses and vaine traditions had corrupted the Law of God was not sanum membrum a sound part of Gods Church but as our Saviour saith Like sheepe without a Shepheard Mark 6.34 Object You say your Church was under the papacie but the papacie was not the true Church by the like reason you may say that the hidden Church of God is preserved among the Turkes can there be a Church without an outward ministerie Answer It followeth not and the reason of the difference is because amongst the Turkes there is not that meanes of salvation inasmuch as they have not given their names to Christ but the true Church of God may bee preserved withiâ— the Romish Church in as much as they have the Scriptures though in a strange tongue as also Baptismeâ— and lawfull ordination and the like helpes which God in all ages used that his Elect might begathered out of the midst of Babylon And whereas you urge an outward and publike ministery this maketh nothing against the Church of England which for substance hath the same descent of outward ordination with the Roman Church neither can any man shew a more certaine pedegree from his great Grand father than our Bishops and Pastors can fâ—om suâ—h Bishops as your Church accounts canonâ—call in the time of King Henry the eight and upward such â—aâ—re evidence can wee produce for an outward and publâ—ke miâ—istery in the Church of England and such ordination wee hold very necessary and yet in case it cannot be had Gods children by their private reading and meditation of that which they have formerly learned may supply the defect of a publike ministery even as some Christians at this day being slâ—ves in Turky or Barbarie may be saved wiâ—hout externall ministery but this is in case of extremity for us we never wanted a standing ministery Neither did the Waldenses Wicklivâ—sts and Hussites for so I call them for distinction sake ever want an outward and lawfull ministery amongst them for the administration of the word and Sacramentsâ— Object You say your Professors communicated with the Roman Church but did not partake in her errours as you call them did they not joyne with them in the Massâ— and the Letanies of the Saints and the like Answer The thing wee say is this that howsoever they outwardly communicaâ—ed with Rome yet divers of them misliked in their heart their grosser erroâ—s they groaned under the Babylonish yoake and desired reformation besides many of them were ignorant of the depth and mysterie of poperie Object If your Protestant Church were in bâ—ing at and before Luthers appearing then did such as were members thereof either make profession thereof or not if they did tell us their names and where they did so if they did not then were they but dissemblers in Religion according to that of Saint Paul Rom. 10.10 and our Saviour Math. 10.33 Answer I will but take what your Rhemists grant and reâ—oâ—t your owne argument they say That the Catholike Church in their time was in England although it had no publike government nor open free exercise of holy function whence I argue thus if their Roman Church had any being at that time in England then their Priests and Iesuits either made publike profession of their faith or not if they made open profession why then did they goe in Lay-mens habits and lurke in corners if they made not open profâ—ssion then were they but dissemblers Besides I have already given you in a Catalogue of our professors who within the time mentioned witnessed that truth which wee maintaine by their writings confessiâ—ns and Martyrdom Now for us wee have rejected nothing but popery wee have willingly departed from the Communion of their errors and additions to the faith but from the Communion of the Church wee never departed In a word there were some who openly and constantly withstood the errours and corâ—uptions of their time and sealed with their bloud that truthâ— which they with us professed others dissented from the same errours but did not with the like courage oppâ—se themselves such as would sâ—y to their friends in private Thus I would say in the Schooles and openly Sed maneat inter nos diversum sentio but keepe my Councel I thinke the contrary PA. Was not the Masse publickly used in all Churches at Lâ—thers aâ—pearinâ— was Protestancie then so much as in being saith Master Bâ—eâ—ely PRO. If by a Protestant Church saith learned Doctor Field we meâ—ne a Church beleeving and teaching in all poinâ—s as Protestants doe and beleeving and teaching nothing but that they doe the Latine or West Church wherein the Pope â—yranâ—ized before Luthers time was and continuâ—d a true Protestant Church for it taught as we doe it condemned the superstition wee have removed it groaned under the yoke of tyranny which wee have cast off howsoever there were many in the midâ—t of her that brought in and maintained superstition and advanced the Popes Supremacie But if by a Protestant Church they understand a Church that not onely dislikes and complaines of Papal usurpation but also abandonâ—th it and not onely teacheth all necessary and saving truth but suffâ—reth none within her jurisdiction to teach otherwise wee confesse that no part of the Westerne Church was in this sort a Pâ—otestant Church till a Reformation was begun of evils formerly dislikâ—d Now whereas it is objâ—ctâ—d that the Masse wherein they say many chiefe poinâ—s oâ— their Râ—ligion are comprehended was publickely uâ—ed at Luthers appearing It is answered by Doctor Field that thâ— usiâ—g oâ— the Masse as the publicke Liturgie is no good proofe inasmuch as manifold abuses in pâ—actice besides and contrary to thâ— word of the Canon and the inâ—enâ—â—â—â— of them that first compoâ—ed the sameâ— have creâ—t into iâ— as also sundry Apocryphall thiâ—gs have slipt into the publicke Service of the Church these things will bâ—tter appeare by â—articular instances Concerning private
wont to say In old time there were golden Prelates and woodden Chalices but in his time woodden Prelates and golden Chalices knowledge was now decayed Princes Prelates and others were now more busied in building or beautifying materiall Temples and Chappels than in the gathering together of living stones and reedifying Gods spirituall Temple so that in this time of Monkery many religious Houses were erected either out of voluntary Devotion or enjoyned Penance Now insteed of the right administration of the Word and Sacraments came in the dumbe guize of the Masse and the people instead of the pure milke of the Word were intertained with feigned Liturgies Legends and Miracles their consciences loaden with a number of unprofitable Ceremonies and unwarrantable Traditions now there was great conâ—idence put in holy Graines hallowed Beades Agnus Dei's and the like Babies and the honour due to the Creator was given to the creaâ—ure Now the people made many fond vowes went many merry Pilgrimages and beheld many garish Processions now they were taught that abâ—tinence from meates and drinkes was Meritorious that the opus operatum the worke done was sufficient in their Sacraments and their Devotions and much of this service performed in an unknowne tongue Now the crownes of Martyrdome wherewith the first Bishops of Rome were honoured were changed into a Triple Crowne and the Pastorall Staffe beganne to quarrell with the Princely Scepter and all these things were carried by the name of the Church the People many of them beleeving as the Church beleeved and this Church was the Roman and this Roman Church was the Pope Concerning the Church in the next 500. yeares even to these our times the Church began to recover her strengthâ— and the light of the Gospell was notably discovered by Waldus in France and his followers Wickliffe in England Iohn Hus and Martin Luther in Germanie Now also by the benefit of Printing which was found out in the fifteenth Century the Tongues came to bee knowne Knowledge increased Bookes were dispersed and Learning communicated the Scriptures were perused the Doctors and Fathers read Stories opened Times compared Truth discerned and Falshood detected Now because there hath already and will hereafter be occasion to speak of Antichrist I will therfore heere point out his severall Ages About the yeare 607. Antichrist began in part to appeare and show himselfe rising by degrees untill he came to the height of impietie for as other things so Antichrist also was to have his rising growth height and fall even as monstrous and huge Beasts goe with their young ones many yeares as other creatures doe many monthes The maine strength of the Romish Antichrist consisted in those two Swords the Spirituall and Temporall now the Pope did not at once attaine to the managing of these two Swords but by degrees he came to usurpe this two-handed Sword The first step that hee made to the throne of pride was about the yeare 607 when Pope Boniface the third by the grant of that murderer Phocas tooke to himselfe the Title Authoritie and Supremacie over the whole Church The next time that he notoriously shewed himselfe was after the thousand yeare when Gregory the â—eventh claimed and usurped both the Swords that is a Soveraigne and Universall Iurisdiction not onely Ecclesiasticall over the Clergie but also Temporall over Kings and Emperours unto this second Soveraigntie they had long aspired but never attained untill the time of this Hildebrand in whom Antichrist came to his growth yea the Pope was discovered to be Antichrist by those Catholike Bishops the Bishop of Florence and Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne and others Vpon this discovery of the Man of Sinne sundry of Gods people refusing the Marke of the Beast severed themselves from the Papall Communion whereupon the Pope and his Faction raised grievous persecutions against the servants of God To speake yet more particularly the degrees of Antichrist may thus be reckoned He had his Birth or rising in Boniface the third who tooke to himselfe that Antichristian title of universall Bishop which his Predecessor Gregorie so greatly condemned Hee had his growth or increase in the time of Pope Adrian the first and the second Councell of Nice who jointly agreed to set up the Adoration of Images and the practice therof to be generally received in the Church Hee came to his Kingdome and reigned in Pope Hildebrand who excommunicated and deposed Henry the fourth the lawfull Emperour and gave away his Empire to Rodulph and after his death to others He was in his jollitie and triumphed in Pope Leo the tenth and his Lateran Councell sâ—ewing himselfe a God in pardoning sinnes delivering soules out of Purgatorie defining Faith setting himselfe above a generall Councell controuling and judging all men himselfe to be judged by none professing for so it is recorded of Gregory the seventh That he was a God and could not erre In a word as my learned kinsman hath deciphered him when he usurped an universall authoritie over all Bishops the Pope was but Antichrist Nascent when he maintained the doctrine of Adoration of Images he was Antichrist Crescent when hee exalted himselfe above all Kings and Emperours hee became Antichrist regnant but when he was made Lord of the Catholike Faith so that none must beleeve more nor lesse nor otherwise then hee prescribed hee became Antichrist Triumphant Thus did the Pope in processe of time become a perfect Antichrist playing the Hypocrite and Tyrant both in Church and State exalting himselfe aâ— a Monarch over Gods house making his owne word and definition of equall authoritie with holy Scripture usurping temporal Iurisdiction over Civill States murthering Christs servants that yeelded not to his becke His last Age is his declining age wherein the Lord by the spirit of his mouth 2 Thess. 2.8 that is by the Ministerie of his Word Shall consume this Man of Sinne and this is come to passe in part For hee is already fallen into a Consumption whereon he irrecoverably languisheth notwithstanding all the help that can be made him by his Colledge of Physicians Canonists Schoolemen Priests and Iesuits but for his finall Destruction wee must expect it at the glorious comming of our blessed Saviour The summe of all is this the Pope having pearkt himselfe above his fellow Bishops it grieved him to be subject to Kings and Emperours not to exalt himself above them he distracted both Church and State in the point of Image-worship which occasioned much bloodshed in Christendome and then having weakened the Empire he became superior to Kings and Emperours there being nothing now but the Church in his way he preuailed over it by his Lateran Flatterers who set the Pope above a generall Councel that is aboue Gods Church a Generall Councell being indeed the Representative Church of God here on earth and the Pope himselfe being the Vertuall Church for so Gretser confesseth that by the Church
for us Now though Christs Body is not according to his materiall substance wholly and intirely under the outward elements yet the Bread may bee truly termed Christs Body because of a Relative and Sacramentall union and donation of the thing signified together with the Signes worthily received PA. What reason have you to interpret these words figuratively this is my body that is this bread is a signe of my body and not plainely and literally as they sound PRO. Figurative speeches are oftentimes plaine speeches now there be no other Figures or Tropes in the Lords Supper but such as are and alwaies were usuall in Sacraments and familiarly knowne to the Church Now Sacraments must bee expounded Sacramentally and accordingly the words alledged must not bee taken literally but figuratively Christ taking bread and breaking bread said of the same This is my body now this cannot bee properly taken therefore for the right expounding of these words we are necessarily to have recourse to a figurative interpretation and the reason hereof is that common Maxime Disparatum de disparato non propriè praedicatur that is nothing can bee properly and literally affirmed joyntly of another thing which is of a different nature By this rule bread and Christs body cannot bee properly affirmed one of another bread being of a different nature from flesh can no more possibly be called the flâ—sh or body of Christ literally than lead can be called wood and this makes us interpret the words figuratively and wee have in Scripture most manifest places which proove these woâ—ds This is my body to be figuratively taken and understood because in Scripture whensoever the signe as the Bread being called Christ's body hath the name appellation of the thing signified the speech is alwayes tropicall and figurative And this agreâ—th with S. Austiâ—s Rule Sacraments bee signes which often doe take the names of those things which they doe signifie and represent therefore doe they carry the names of the things themselves thus is the signe of the Passeover the Lambe called the Passeover Math. 26.17 Exod. 12.11 27. the Rocke the signe of Christ in his passion is called Christ and the Rocke was Christ 1. Cor. 10 4. Circmmcision the signe of the Covenant called the Covenant and Bapâ—isme the signe of Christs buriall called Christs buriall for so saith S. Augustine that as Baptisme is called Christs buriall so is the Sacrament of the Body of Christ callâ—d his Body Now this shew or semblance of words concludes not that Christ or the Lambe were really the Rocke the Passeover but that these things are meant figuratively it being usuall in Scripture specially in such Sacramentally speeches as this is we are now about to give the name of the thing to that which it betokeneth and so to call Circumcision the Covenant because it is a signe thâ—t betokneth the Covenant and so of the rest Besides the other part of the Sâ—crament to wit This Cup is the New Testament in my blood Luke 22.20 is figurativâ— and not to be literally taken for you your selves sâ—y that Calix or the Cup is there taken for that which is iâ— the cup so that your sâ—lves admit a trope in the institution of this Sacrament PAP If these figurative speâ—ches were true yet I cannot see what argument you can draw from hence or how you can hence prove any thing against our Tenet saith our â—nglish Baron for it is a rule in Divinitie that Theologia Symbolica non est aâ—gumentativa that figurative speeches affoord no certaine proofe in matters of Faith PRO. The zeâ—lous Reverend and learned L. Bishop of Durâ—sme Doctor Morton tells your Baron and his Suggester that upon the no-pâ—oper sense of the words This is my body it must follow that there is no Transubstantiation in your Romish Masse no Corporall presence no râ—all Sacrifice no proper eating no lawfull divine adoration therof and as for the rule that Symbolicall arguments mâ—ke no necessary Conclusions the said learned and reveâ—end Father saith That this makes not against us touching the fiâ—urative woâ—ds of Christ This is my body the position maketh onely against them who extract either a liteâ—all sense out of a parabolicall and figurative speech as Origen did when having râ—ad that scriptureâ— Thâ—re bee some that castrate thâ—msâ—lves for the kingdome of God whâ—ch was but a pâ—rabolicall speech hee did really and thereforâ— fâ—â—lishly castrate himselfe or else when men tâ—râ—e the words of Scripture properly and literally spoken intâ—â— figurative meaningâ— as when Pope Innoâ—ent thâ— third tâ— pâ—oove that his Papall authoritie was above thâ— Impâ—riall aâ—lâ—dged that Scripture Gen. 1. God made two great lights the Sun and the Moone as if the Imperiall like the Moone had borrowed its authoritie from the Papall as from the Sun or as Pope Boniface 8 from those words Luk. 22. Behold here are two swords argued that both the temporall and spirituall sword are in the Pope as he is Vicar of Christ. Now such kinde of Symbolicall reasoning is indeed of no force â—ut by that position was it never forbid whensoever in Scripture the name of the thing signified is attributed to the symbol or signe that then the Symbolicall and Sacramental speech should be judged tropicall But this kind of exposition was alwayes approved of Christ and by his Church so here Christ taking bread and breaking bread which was the symbol and signe of Christs body and saying of the same Bread This is my body the sense cannot possibly bee literall but alâ—ogether figuâ—ative as hath bin shewne by divers â—xamples in Scripture to wit the signe of the passing over called the Passeover the Rock but a signe of Christ called Christ In each onâ— of these the Symbols being a Signe and Figuâ—e the speech must infallibly bee Figurative And therefore Bread being a Figure of Christs Body is called Christs body Figuratively And thus farre our learned Bishop of Duresme Of Images and Prayer to Saints The Church of Rome holds that Images are to bee had and retained and that due honour worship and veneration is to bee given to them The Church of England holds that the Romish doctrine of Adoration of Images and Reliques and also of Invocation of Saints is grounded upon no warraâ—tie of Scripture but rather repâ—gnant to the word of God And so indeed we finde that the Lord in his Morall law hath condemned in gâ—nerall all Imaâ—eâ— and Idols devised by man for worshâ—p and adoration And this Precept being a part of his Morall law it binds us in the state of the new Testament as it did the Israelites of old for in all the Apostles doctrine wee doe not finde that ever this prâ—câ—pt was abâ—ogated so that it bindes Israelites Christians and all PA. If all worship of Images be forbidden Exod. 20. ver 4 5. then all making of them is forbidden for the same precept which saith thou shalt not bow downe
a matter of nothing to corrupt the ancient writers Austin or Fulbertus or both or could this Dicet Haereticus in probability be the mistake of the Printer and not rather purposely done by such as could not brooke the truth of that doctrine which Fulbert delivered out of S. Austine But the same Fulbert elswhere in a higher straine tels us of a Spirituall yet reall receiving of Christ saying Hold ready the mouth of thy Faith open the jawes of hope strâ—tch out the bowels of love and take the bread of life which is the nourishment of the inward man Objection Theophylact saith He that eateth me shall live by mee forasmuch as after a sort he is mingled with me and trans-elementated into me or changed into me Answer Theophylact is not of that credit as being but a late writer above a thousand yeares after Christ and therefore farre short of Primitive antiqâ—itie living as Bellarmine saith in his catalogue of Ecclesiaâ—ticke writers about the yeare 1071. Besides transelementaion proveth not transubstantiation for in transubstantiation the matter is destroyed and the quantitie and accidents remaine and in trans-elementation the matter remaineth and the essentiall accidentall formes are altered Objection Yea but Bellarmine alleadgeth Theophylact saying of the Bread that it is trans-elementated into the body of Christ and he useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer Theophylact can best tell us his own meaningâ— now the same Theophylact who said that bread was trans-elemenâ—ated into Christs body saith also nos in Christum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we also are trans-elemeÌ„â—ated into Christ that a Christian and faithfull Communicant is in a manner tâ—ans-elementated iâ—to Christ for so his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— id in cap. 6. Ioan. Nâ—w they will not say that we are transubstantiated into Christ therefore neither doth Theophylact by the word Trans-elementation used of the bread and wine understand any substantiall but onely a Sacramentall change in respect of the use and effect And so I proceed At this time also Berenger Archdeacon of Angiers in France resisted the corporall presence PA. I challenge Berenger PRO. You cannot justly except against him either for his life or his learningâ— In these times saith Platina Odo Abbot of Clunie and Berenger of Tours were of great account for their excellent learning and holinesse of life Sigebert Abbot of Gâ—mbloux saith that Berenger was well skilled in the Liberall arts and an excellent Logician Hildebert Bishop of Mans and afterwards Archbishop of Touâ—s was his Scholler and honoured his deceased master with this Epitaph Vir vere sapiens parte beatus ab omni Qui coâ—los animâ corpore ditat humum Post obitum vivam secùm secùm requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte suâ He was a man was blest on every part The earth hath his body the heavens his heart My wish shall be that at my end My soule may rest with this my friend PA. What though he opposed the reall presence this was but one Doctors opinion which himselfe brâ—ached without any former Catholicke precedent PRO. That is not so for his country-man Bertram who was a Monke of Corbey Abbey in France opposed the same long before him and Duval a Doctor of Sorbone saith that Amalarius and Ioannes Scotus were Berengers fore-runners The truâ—h is he neither wanted fore-runners nor followers and favourers Sigeberts Chronicle speaking of Berengers Tenet faith That there was much disputation and by many both by word and writing against him and for him Where the learned bishop Vsher observes that the words Et pro eo and for him specially favouring Berengers cause are left out in some Editionâ— but they are to bee found in other authenticke copies and wee may by the way observe that this poynt of carnall presence or the Sacrament Sub Spectebus for so they terme it was but a disputable point pro and contra and no matter of Faith in Berengers dayes Indeed this doctrine was borne downe by the Popes power so that divers durst not make open profession thereof yet privately they imployed both their tongues and pens in defence thereof and some even in a Romane Councel purposely called against Berenger stood in Defence of his figurative sense of the Sacramentall words as appeares by the Acts of the same Councel In a word Mathew of Westminster saith that Berenger had almost drawne all France Italie aâ—d England to his opinion so that the Berengarians did not luâ—ke in any obscure nooke or corner of the world but spread themselves into the famousest parts of Europe PA. Father Parsons saith that Berenger Recanted so that you cannot account him one of your side PRO. Indeed Berenger was called and appeared before divers Councels was questioned and censâ—red by fâ—uâ—e severall Popes and there was a forme of Recantation tendred to him the tenour whereof is this as Gratian hath registred it in his Decrees aftâ—rwards published and confirmed by Pope Gregory the thirtâ—enth I Berengarius doe firmely professe that I hold that the body of Christ is in this Sacrament not onely as a Sacramâ—nt but even in truth is sâ—nsibly handled with the Priests hands and broken and torne with the teeth of the faithfull Now this was such a forme of an Oath as that your owne Glosse saith of it that Vnlesse it be warily understood onâ— may fall into a greater heresie than Berengâ—r did And yet this coâ—poral eating of Christs flâ—sh with the Capernaits in Saints Iobus sixth Chapterâ— and this tearing his body with the Communicants teeth must be understood literally inasmuch as the words were purposely set downe for a formall Recantation and Bellarmine confesseth that There are no formes of speech more exact and proper in phrase concerning the matter of Faith than such as are usâ—d by thâ—m that abjure heresie Againe what though Bâ—renger upon the Clergies importunity through humane frailty were constrained For feare of death as an Historian saith to subscribeâ— and to burnâ— both his owne booke and Scotus his treatise of the Eucharist which had led him into that opinion yet he might still be of the same judgement he was on before And though he Recanted yet heâ—ein he did no more than Saint Petâ—r whose successour the Pope pretends himselfe to be in denying his Mastâ—r no more than Queene Mary who being terrified with her Faâ—hers displeasuâ—e wrote him a letter with her ownâ— hand in which for ever she renounceth the Popâ—s authoritie here in England And though hee was driven for the time to retract yet upon his comming home hee returned to his former Tenâ—t and as one saith who lived about the same time Nec tamen postâ—à dimisit afâ—er that he never changed his opinion In a word â—hough Berenger himselfe were somewhat wavering yet were his Schollers constant insomuch that Malmsburiensis a bitter enemy of theirs saith
old time against one Prophet of God there were found eight hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal So at this day in this cause how many O Lord doe now sight with Pelagius for freewill against thy free grace and against Paul the spirituall Champion of grace how many at this day reject free grace and onely declare free-will to be sufficient unto Salvation for the whole world almost is gone after Pelagius into errour Arise therefore O Lord and judge thine owne cause Now also lived that famous Preacher Taulerus at Strasbrough in Germany Bellarmine tells us that Eckius Luthers great Antagonist suspected Taulerus that he was not a sound Catholike but Lewes Blosius hath notably defended him the truth is his judgement was reasonable cleare considering the time wherein he lived For instance sake hee saith There be many and theÌ„ of the religious sort that have forsaken the fountaine of living waters and digged themselves pits that can hold no water Ierem. 2.13 and these saith hee are wholly addicted to their owne Iâ—stitutes orders und outward exercises now though they performe many and great workes in appearance yet it is not their going on procession and pilgrimage to procure pardons and indulgences as they call them it is not all their Orizons their knocking on their breast their gazing on curious pictures and images and their bowing of the knee before them all this saith he will not make their service acceptable to God and why because that in doing this they direct not their affections and intentions unto God but divert them to the Creature He saith There be many that goe under the name of Religious who take great paines in set Fasts wakes and vigils orizons and frequent shrift and thinke they shal be saved and justified by these bodily exercises but it can not be so for God requireth the heart Hee saith alleadging the Prophet Esay 64.6 that all our righteousnesse is as filthy elouts and that therefore we must not put our trust or repose our conâ—â—dence in any thing that is ours be it our words or workes but in God He commends unto us the practise of the woman of Canaan and farther saith hee knew a Virgin who tooke the like course and obtained her request Now we know the practise of the woman of Canaan of whom S. Chrysostome long before him observed that shee intreated not Iames nor Iohn nor came to Saint Peter but breaking through the whole company of them sayd I have no neede of a mediatour but taking repentance with me for a spokesman I come to the fountaine it selfe By that which hath beene said we see what Taulerus thought touching humane traditions mans merits and Saintly invocation In this age also lived Gregorius Ariminensis whom Vega stiles The most able and carefull defender of St. Augustine This learned Schoole-man in his booke upon the Sentences hath diligently confuted divers tenets which are now holden by the Church of Rome touching Predestination Originall sinne Free-will the merite of workes and other points PAP You have produced divers witnesses but Mr. Briereley excepteth against them and namely against Nilus as erroneous touching the proceeding of the holy Ghost as also a professed adversary to the Roman Church insomuch as his booke is put in the Catalogue of bookes forbidden And as for Iohn de Rupe scissa William of St. Amour Petrus Blesensis Ockam and Scotus they were such as onely reprooved the life and manners of the Clergy PROT. If you barre Nilus from witnessing on our behalfe because hee erred in the point mentioned by the like reason may we challenge Damascen whom you usually produce on your behalfe as also others of the Greeke Church Neither can you disable his testimony because he wrote against the Popes primacy and purgatory hee had no personall quarrell with the Bishop of Rome for ought we know he might give his judgement on these points and be unpartiall if the Pope forbad his booke there be other good men that approove it and that for the proofes and reasons which he brings Touching the other exception for the preventing â—hereof I have purposely given instance in this Catalogue in points of faith and sparingly alleadged such as onely taxed Romish corruptions in life and manners which yet is oft-times accompanied with errour in judgement for as Ockam saith Because evill manners blind the judgement therefore every assembly which may erre notoriously in manners may erre against the Faith Besides William of St. Amour as hath beene sayd opposed their Monkish vowes which is a Doctrinal point Ockam opposed the Popes supremacy which is a Dogmaticall point Peter of Bloix and Iohn de Rupe-scissa held the Pope to be Antichrist and Ockam and Scotus held with us in divers doctrinall points And now having cleared this coast I come to speake of our countrey-man Iohn Wickliffe he was borne in the North where there is neare to the place where I live an ancient and worshipfull house bearing the name of Wickliffe of Wickliffe Hee flourished about the yeere 1371. was Fellow of Merton-colledge Master of Balioll-colledge in Oxford where he commenced Doctour and was chosen Reader in Divinity In his publique Lectures at Oxford he shewed himselfe a learned Schoole-man in his ordinary Sermons a faithfull Pastour of the Church for whose use and benefit he translated the whole Bible into the vulgar tongue one Copy whereof written with his owne hand is extant in St. Iohn Baptist Colledge in Oxford In his writings hee spoke and taught against the then corrupred doctrine of the Church of Rome and specially against the order of the begging Friers exhibiting a complaint to rhe King and Parliament against the Orders of Friers which thing created him the hatred of divers Prelats but many good men fauoured him PAP Were there many that tooke part with Wickliffe and followed his doctrine and were those of the better ranke or onely some meane persons PROT. He was highly favoured of the Nobility the City of London and the Vniversity of Oxford Hee was publiquely borne out as Parsons confesseth by Iohn of Gant and Lord Henry Percy the one of them Duke of Lancaster the other Marshall of England And Walsingham saith That when Wickliffe personally appeared before the Prelates who purposed to put the Popes Mandate in execution Lewis Clifford came with a Prohibition from the Queene charging them not to give sentence against him whereupon they were sore frighted and desisted In like sort another time hee escaped their hands by the meanes of the Citizens Burgesses and Commons of London as the same Walsingham saith and indeed the Londoners favoured him so much that in all likelyhood it stayed the Prelats from farther proceeding against him But that which Walsingham most admires is this that Wickliffes opinions were not onely entertained in Cities and Townes but even in the Vniversity of Oxford it selfe where was as hee saith the very height and
saying of Ernestus Arch-bishop of Magdeburg lying on his death-bed some five yeares befoâ—e Luther shewed himselfe It is witnessed by Clement Schaâ— Chaplaine to the said Arch-bishop and one who was present at his death that a Frier Minor used this speech to the Archbishop Take a good heart most worthy Prince wee communicate to your excellencie all the good workes not onely of our selves but our whole order of Frier Minors and therefore doubt not but you receiving them shall appeare before the tribunall Seate of God righteous and blessed Whereunto the Arch-bishop replyed By no meanes will I trust upon my owne workes or yours but the workes of Christ Iesus alone shall suffice upon them will I repose my selfe THE SIXTEENTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 1500. to 1600. Of Martin Luther PAPIST WHat say you of this sixteenth Age PROTESTANT We are now by Gods assistance come to the period of time which was agreed upon in the beginning of our conference to wit to the dayes of Martin Luther for about the yeare of Grace 1517 hee beganne to teach and Preach against Indulgences And withall I have produced a Catalogue of our professours unto this present sixteenth Centurie PA. Stay your selfe you must saith Master Brerely show us your professours during the twentie yeares next before Luther PRO. It is done already for besides our English Martyrs we have produced Trithemius the Abbot and Savonarola both which lived within the time mentioned and held with us the Article of free Iustification and Savonarola howsoever the matter be otherwise coloured was burnt for Religion in the yeare 1498. Besides there have beene in all Ages and in the time mentioned such as held the substantiall Articles of our Religion both in the Roman and Greeke Church and by name the Grecians in common with us have openly denyed the Popes Supremacie Purgatorie private Masses Sacrifices for the dead and defended the lawfulnesse of Priests marriage Likewise in this Westerne part of the world the Schollers of Wickliffe called Lollards in England the Taboâ—ites in Bohemia and Waldenses in France maintained the same doctrine in substance with our moderne Protestants as appeareth by a Confession of the Waldensian Faith set forth about the yeare of Grace 1508 which was within the time prefixed Neither did these whom we have produced dissemble their Religion but made open profession thereof by their Writings Confessions and Martyrdomes as also their just Apologies are extant to cleere them from the Adversaries imputation PA. I thought Luther had beene the first founder of your Religion for there bee some of your men who call him the first Apostle of the reformed doctrine PRO. Luther broached not a new Religion he onely drained and refined it from the Lees and dregs of superstition he did not forme or found a new Church which was not in being but onely reformed and purged that which he found from the soilâ— of errours and disorders When Hilkiah the Priest in Iosiah's time found out the booke of God he was thereby a meanes to bring to light what the wicked proceedings of Manasses Amon and others had for a season smothered and so did Luther he was the instrument whom God used for the farther enlightning his Church and yet hereupon it no more followeth that he was the first that preached our Religion than upon the former that Hiâ—kiah first preached the Law The Protestants Church by Luthers meanes began no otherwise in Germanie than health begins to be in a body that was formerly sicke and overcharged and now recovered So that in respect of doctrine necessary to salvation the Church in her Firme members as Saint Austine speakes was the same before Luther and afterwards and it began to be by his meanes onely according to a greaâ—er measure of knowledge and freedome from such corruptions as formerly like ill humours oppressed it and oveâ—charged it The Proâ—estants Church then is the same with all good and sound Christians that lived before them and succeedeth the sound members of the visible Chuâ—ch that kept the life of true Religion in the substantiall matters of Faith and Godlinesse though otherwise those times were daâ—kened with a thicke mist of errours Now whereas some call Luther the first Apostle of the reformed doctrine they did not therâ—by intend that he was the fiâ—st that ever preached the dâ—ctrine of the râ—formed Churches for they could not be ignorant that after Christ and his Apostles and the Fathers of the first five Ages Bertram and Aâ—lfricke and Berenger Peter Bruis and Henry of Tholouse Dulcinus and Anâ—ldus and Lollardus Wickliffe Husse Hierome of Pragâ—e and others stood for the same truth which we professe but their meaning was that Luther was the first who in their Age and memorie publickly and succesfully set on foot a generall reformation of the Church in these Westerne parts And thus in a tollerable sense Luther may bee called the first Apostle of the Reformation though not simply the first that preached the Protestants doctrine Americus Vesputius is reported to have discovered the West Indies or America and withall beares the name thereof and yet Christopher Columbus discovered it before him Bishop Iewell saith that in Luthers dayes in the midst of the darknesse of that Age there first began to shine some glimmeâ—ing beame of truth his meaning is not that the truth was then first revealed but that by Luthers mâ—anes it was manifested in a fuller measure and degree of lâ—ght and knowledge than it was in the fâ—rmer and daâ—ker times of Poperie yea he giveth pâ—rticular instance of true professours that were before Luther namely Saint Hilarie Gregory Bernard Pauperes de Lugduno the â—ishops of Greece and Asia as also Valla Marsilius Petrarch Savonarola and others PA. Did Luther himselfe acknowledge he had any predecessors or fore-runners PRO. I answer with my worthy and learned friend Doctor Featly that Luther acknowledged the Waldenses termâ—d fratres Pigardi as appeares by his Preface before the Waldension Confession I found saith hee in these men a miracle almost unheard of in the Popish Church to wit that these men leaving the doctrines of men to the utmost of their endeavour meditated in the Law of God day and night and were very ready and skilfull in the Scriptures whereas in the Papacie the greatest Clerkes uâ—terly neglected the Scriptures I could not but congratulate both them and us that wee were together brought into one sheepfold Of Iohn Husse and Hiâ—rome of Prague he saith They burned Iohn Husse and Hierome both Catholike men they being themselves Heretikes and Apostates and in his third Preface hee saith hee hath heard from men of credit that Maximilian the Emperour was wont to say of Iohn Husse Alas alas they did that good man wrong And Erasmus Roterodam in the first bookes which hee printed lying yet by me writeth That Husse indeed was condemned and burned but not convicted PA. To
what Church did Luther joyne himselfe and why left hee the Roman Church PRO. Hee joyned himselfe in point of faith to the ancient Primitive and Apostolicke Church that went before him and for his present Communion to that sound part of the Roman Church which then with him hated the corruptions which the Romish faction for the maintenance of their pompe and profit had upheld In particular hee joyned himselfe to those honourable personages the Dukes of Saxony and Wittenberge and the Earle of Mansfield and to such Châ—istian congregations as within their territories began to abandon Poperie and reforme themselves He received Ordination in the Church of Rome this ordination for substance was good and by vertue thereof hee preached tâ—e word and brought the people to see and detest not the Church of Rome but her corruptions from whence hee severed himselfe to wit from the Roman Court and faction therein so that hee leapt not out of the Church hee kept himselfe still within the barne-floore thereof onely he leapt out of the huske of popish errours Now this his separation and ours from errour â—s warranted by Gods word since Gods people are commanded and that upon a grievous penalty to depart out of Babylon and spirituaâ—l Sodome and this we â—ake to be Rome since your owne Iesuites that have commented on the Revelation call Rome Babylon and that this is to be understood not onely of heathâ—n Rome but of Rome Christian after that it had forsaken heaâ—henisme and had received the faith of Christ and turned againe from that unto Antichristianisme PA. If any Protestant Church were in being before or at Luthers appearing then would they upon his preaching have acknowledgâ—d him and joyned themsâ—lves to him but as Bellâ—rmine saâ—th they did not PRO. Alphoâ—sus de Casiro saith Neither did Luther in this age come â—orth alone but accompanied with a grâ—at troope as with a Guard waiting for Lâ—tâ—er as for tâ—eir Captaine and Leader such were Philip Melanchton Conradus Pâ—llicanâ—s â—ambert Fabricius Capito â—siâ—â—der Stuâ—mius aâ—d Maâ—tin Bucer and thâ—se saith he seemed to have â—xpectâ—d him bâ—fore hee came and upon his comming dâ—lclâ—aâ—e unto him so that hee wanted noâ— such as gave him the right hands of fellowship Galat. 2.9 Carolus Miâ—titius being sent from Pope Leo to Frederike professed That all the way as he came having sâ—undâ—d mâ—ns affâ—ctions hee found three to favour Luthâ—r for one that favoured the Pope And Lutâ—er professeth that the applause of the world did much support him most men being weary of the frauds and wicked pâ—actices of the Romanists Neither are these penurious examples to give instance in Melanchton Pellican Bucer and others as Brereley scornefully calleth iâ— for they were as great schollâ—rs as that age affâ—â—ded Pâ—llican was one who made great helpe for râ—viving tâ—e Hebrew tongue and was Luthers ancient and so was Ioâ—n Capnio or Reuchlin who brought Greeke and Hebrew into Germany Now bâ—sides his câ—evals and contemporaries the Waldâ—nâ—es as also Iohn Hâ—sse bare a torch before Luther and shâ—wed him his way PA. Master Brereley saith That Melanchton Pâ—lican and Bucer were originally Catholikes and followed Luthers example in revolting from the Catholike Church PRO. Saint Paul was originally a Pharisee and yet hee did well to forsake the leaven of their traditions and embrace the doctrine of the Gospell And so did Saint Austin the errour of the Manichees and Pelagians and embraced the truth of the Gospell Besides they left not the Catholike but the Roman Church nor that altogether but the faction that was therein to wit the papacie PA. Schlusselburg saith It is impudencie to say that many learned men in Germany did hold the doctrine of the Gospell before Luther PRO. Schlusselburgs words are these Vtenhovius writes impudently that he heard Pellican affirme that many learned men in Germany held the doctrine of the Gospel before Luther appeaâ—ed and that Pellican himselfe impugned the popish purgatory before the name of Luther was heard of Now why may wee not beleeve Vtenhovius and Pellican affirmâ—ng the same and being honest men as well as Schlusselburg denying it Besides admit there were not any in Germany yet there might be elsewhere many thousands as in Bohemia France and England and other parts who bâ—fore Luthers time embraced the doctrine of the Gospell PA. Master Brereley saith out of Luthers workes that upon a conference had with the Devill Luther gave over the Masse and changed his Religion PRO. Suppose this Conference were extant in all the Dutch copies of Luthers workes which yet some make doubt of yet might this conference bee onely imaginary even a strong spirituall 〈◊〉 and not â—ny personall or reall conference now from such a spiâ—ituall conflict dreame or appâ—â—ition you cannot draw any sound proofe But supposing the truth of this conference had not Christ a conâ—â—â—â—nce with Sathan and Saint Bernarâ— a combat with him is theiâ— religion ere a whit â—he worse to be liked Your Romish Saints were very familiar with the Devill Saint Oswald wrestled with him Saint Dunstane tooke him by the nose Christopher in the Legend is said to have served the Devill and Saint Xavier was usually vexed with him after Dinner Supper Recreation and saying of Masse insomuch as the Devill oft times put him into a cold sweat as Hâ—ssenmullerus reporteth of him from Turrian the Iesuite PA. The Devill brought arguments against saying of Masse and disputed against it therefore the Masse is good or else the Devill would not have found fault with it PRO. This followeth not for every thing the Devill mislikes is not therefore good neither is all he moves one unto therefore bad For instance sake he came in the habit of Saint Vrsula and moved one to enter into the Order of Nunnes will you say therefore veiling of Nunnes is bad PA. Luther used the selfe-same arguments against the Masse which Satan did now how could they bee good proofes that were brought in by Satan or why would Luther beleeve him PRO. Luther shewes onely how Satan tempted hâ—m to despaire for that he had beene a Masse-monger which Luther knew to be naught without the Devils prompting Besides all that the Devill speakes is not devillish the Devils that possessed the men confessed and sayd Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God afterwards they entred into the Heard of Swine now the Heardmen they came into the Citty and told what was done and sayd now what though the Hâ—ard-men told how the Devils confessed this Article of the Christian Faith That Christ was the Sonne of the living God was not this a true confession though the Heard-men had fiâ—st heard it from the Devils and likewise reported it from them Luther heard such and such arguments against the Masse might not those arguments be true though Luther heaâ—d them from Satan Gods Ape It is true indeed that the Devill in telling truth
amisse and not to prosecute Luther but this Councel was not followed wherupon divers parts according to Gersons Councel began this worke of Reformation so much desired by all good men howsoever opposed by the pope and his adherents PA. A Reformation presupposeth that things were amisse will you charge the Catholicke Church with errour PRO. Wee say that particular Churches and such is that of Rome may erre and divers have erred Sixtus Senensis reckons up many Fathers that held the Millenary errour mistaking that place in the Revelation 20.5 They said that there should be two Resurrections the first of the godly to live with Christ a thousand yeares on earth in all wordly happinesse before the wicked should awake out of the sleepe of death and after that thousand yeares the second Resurrection of the wicked should bee to eternall death and the godly should ascend to eternall life this errour continued almost two hundred yeares after it began before it was condemned for an heresie and was held by so many Church-men of great account and Martyrs that Saint Augustine and Ierome did very modestly dissent saith the same Senensis The opinion of the necessity of Infants receiving the Sacrament of the Lords body and blood as well as Baptisme did possesse the minds of many in the Church for certaine hundreds of yeares as appeareth by that which Saint Austine writeth of it in his time and Hugo de Sancto victoâ—e many hundred of yeares after him Were there not also superstition and abuses in the primitive Churches did not a Councell forbid those night vigils which some Christians then used at the graves of the Martyrs in honour of the deceased Saints and are not these Vigils now abolished Doth not Saint Aâ—stine confesse there were certaine Adoratores sepulchrâ—rum â—t picturarum worshippers of tombes and pictures in the Church in his time and doth not the same Father taxe them for it To come to later times Thomas Bradwardine complayned That the whole world almoâ—t was gone after Pelagius into errour arise therefore O Lord saith hee and judge thine owne cause Gregorius Ariminensis saith That to affirme that man by his naturall strength without the speciall helpe of God can doe any vertuous action or morally good is one of the damned heresies of Pelagius or if in any thing it differ from his heresie it is further from truth The same Gregory saith The heresies of Pelagius were taught in the Church and that not by a few or them meane men but so many and of so great place that hee almost feared to follow the doctrine of the Fathers and oppose himselfe against them therein Cardinall Contaren saith That there were some who pretended to be Catholikes and opposite to Luther who whiles they laboured to advance free-will too high they detracted too much from the free-grace of God and so became adversaries to the greatest lights of the Church and friends to Pelagius It is not strange then that weâ— say there hath beene a defection not onely of Heretikes from the Câ—urch and faithâ— but also in the Church of her owne children from the sincerity of faiâ—h dâ—livered by Christ and his Apostles not for that all or the whole Church at any time did forsake the true faith but for that many fell from it according to that of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 4.1 In the last times some shall depart from the faith attâ—nding to spirits of errour Besides such a famine of the word as fell out in these later times must needs have brought in corruption in doctrine and this was it that called for Reformation For in sundry ages last past the Roman Church hath behaved her selfe more like a step-dame then a naturall mother insomuch as shee hath deprived her children of a principall portion of the food of life the word of God her publike readings and service were in an unknowne tongue the holy Scriptures were closed up that people might not cast their eyes upon them fabulous Legends were read and preached insteed of Gods word but as Claudius Espencaeus a Doctor of Paris a bitter enemy to Bâ—za and therefore more worthy of credit in this bâ—halfe saith Our Ancestors as devoutly affâ—cted to the Saints as we thought is not fit that the rehearsall of the Saints lives should shoulder out the bookes of the old and new Testament and the reading thereof And hereby it came to passe as one of their owne Authors saiâ—h That the greater number of people understood no more concerning God and things divine in particular and distinct notions then Infidels or heathen people And here in England there was such a dearth of the word in these later times of popeâ—y that some gave five markes some more some lesse for an English booke some gave a load of hay for a few Chapters of Saint Iames or of Saint Paul in English Was it not now high time to reforme these things but Rome would neither acknowledge her errours nor reâ—orme them but rather sought to defend them persecuting such as by authority established laboured this reformation How easie and safe had it beene for Rome had shee tendered the peace of Christendome to have according as the truth required permitted the uâ—e of the Cup as sometime the Councell of Basil allowed it to the Bohemians and the publike service of God in a knowne language as was sometimes granted to the Slavons as also to have abolished the worship of Imâ—ges and the like without which the Church wâ—s and that very well for a long time But Rome would not yeeld in one point lest shee should bee suspected to have erred in the rest and therely the Infallibility of the Roman Oracle the Pope bee called in question PA. That which is reformed remaines the same in substance that it was before And therefore the Catholike Religion and the substantiall exercise thereof should have remayned in England upon the Reformation but you have set up another Religion PRO. We doe not say that the Catholike Religion is reformed for that cannot bee amended but that wee have reformed Religion in that we have purged it from certaine devises and corruptions which had crept into it Before this reformation Religion was like to a certaine lumpâ— or masâ—e consisting partly of gold aâ—d partly of other refuse mettall and drosse to a sicke body wherein besides the flesh blood and bones and vitall spirits there were also divers naughty humours that had surprised the body our reformation tooke not away your gold to wit those fundamentall truths wherein you agree with us but purged it from the drosse it drew not the good blood from the body but onely purged out the pestilent humour so that we have retained whatsoever was sound Catholike and primitively ancient onely those things that were patched to the ground-soles of Religion that wee have pared away as superfluous wee have not removed the ancient land-markes