asketh you what reason you haue for this or what Scripture for that or what beleeue you of this or of that Say you no more but I beleeue the holy Catholicke Church as shee belieueth in al things so do I if he aske you againe and againe how shee beleeueth answer the heretick euen as I beleeue I beleeue as the Catholick Churche beleeueth and so stay quietre your self and so first beginne to beleeue then after to vnderstand For as God saide by his holy Prophet vnlesse you beleeue you shall not vnderstand yea it is sufficient to saluation if your life be according though you cannot vnderstand the chiefe highest misteries nor bring Scripture for euerie thing so you beleeue as the Catholicke Church doth grounding your self therein who is able to direct and guide you from and out of all errors incombrances and darknes of this world into a most sure and stable light For to the holy Catholick Church Christ promised to send his spirite the holy Ghost after his departure to bee with her and guid her in all truth euen to the end of the world I haue many thinges to say to you saieth our Sauiour to his Disciples but you cannot beare them away now but when I shall goe I wil Ioan. 16. send you the holy ghost the comforter he shal teach you all truth Lo you se by Christ promise his holy Spirite shall guide his church in al truth that it neuer faile erre nor be deceiued that is as I haue proued before at large only the true Catholicke Apostolick Romaine church no other in this Church what simple man so euer containeth him-selfe and truly followeth the same hee cannot goe astray and out of this Church if hee were the greatest Philosopher or learned man in the worlde as there bee some Falsi nemmis scientiam sibi promittentes Yet most certainely hee shall erre bee deceaued To this Church then without which is no Saluation ioyne your selfe her obay her follow her beleeue in al things you cannot erre my soule for yours nor goe astray to damnation this Church if you forsake as I said before if you had all the wisdome of men or al the learning of Aristotle and the wisest Philosophers that bee or haue beene you should without al doubt erre walke in darknes and perrish for euer Chap. LXXVIII Against schisme that it is altogether vnlawfull and forbidden vnder paine of damnation to goe to the churches of hereticks or schismaticks to their prayers sermons Sacramentes spirituall exercises or in any sort directly or indirectly to communicate participate yeeld consent or assent to the sâ—me also a precaution is giuen to beware of dissembling Catholikes which indeede are schismaticks BVT when you bee thus once established in the one only truth of Christ and his â—oly Church though this be the foundatioÌ„ first to beginne to beleeue well yet you must then do according to true faith beleeue els you can not be saued for saith as I said before out of S. Iames without good workes is dead Epist Iacobi cap. 2. take heede then when you be once well grouÌ„ded in true faith religioÌ„ that you not only flee sinne and seeke to exercise good works true vertue but withal beware of dissembling Catholiks that flatter theÌ„selues to be Catholiks be none indeede they coÌ„sesse theÌ„selues to knowe Christ in words and yet deny him in deedes These men bee as daingerous as heretikes them selues in some respects worse and will vnder pretence of religion more easely deceaue the simple and those wee call Schismatiks not only lay persones but suche as bee and were preists of olde and yet for feare of loosing their liuings will teach you as thee tearme it to beare a little with the time till a better world come and in the meane time vnlooked for death cometh For thus they will come vnto you and say O Sir you keepe a good house you might badly bee spared amongst your neighbours infaith this world will not last alwalyes and then he will with Iudas whisper in your eare tell you how you shal heare newes erre it be long then will say vnto you CaÌ„not you goe to church in the meane time and keepe your conscience to your selfe by God there is neuer a knaue of them all shall take aduantage of mee and yet God knoweth my mind Lo this dissembling Schismatike with these and others foolish perswasions which come of loue of his flesh and want of loue and feare of God he deceaueth him selfe and others For the truth is whatsoeuer you beleeue yet if you doe contrary to your beliefe you damne your owne soule doing contrary to your conscience For we may not dissemle with God For he that denieth mee before men saith Christ I will denie him before my father which is in heaueÌ„ For God hath not only made mans hart and soule to beleeue in him but hath giuen him a body And mouth to confesse Rom. 10. him which wee must doe to bee saued For wee beleeue in heart to righteousnesse as saith Saint Paul and confesse in mouth to Saluation Now to goe to the heretiks church is to deny Christ for Christ is the truth Who as hee is God in all and all in all so is he wholy in euery parte of the truth and therefore hee that denieth any article of his faith denieth the trueth and so denieth Christ yea but you wil say I say nothing there but sitte downe and say my praiers yea but your very being there your very action or deede is an allowing of their euill doings or sayings for Christ and his holy Sacraments be there abused and blaspheamed so be his blessed mother and his Saints and therefore if I be present in such a company ioyning my selfe with them by my presence I alowe of them whatsoeuer I thinke to the contrary you see if one be drawne in amongst theeues perhaps partly against his will to be at a robbery as to hold the horses he shal be hanged for his paines The Church indeed was built by our forefathers for Gods seruice and good purposes and was dedicated to God consecrated or hallowed but now is defiled with vncleane birds become worse then a denne of theeues as haunted by the Diuels and ministers that daily blaspheame Christs truth holy Sacraments Wherefore if you will not be damned with them she such daÌ„nable company if you were in company where your Lord Master were euill spoken of you should giue them courage by your presence and silence do you think your Master would not plucke his coat oft from your backe thrust you out so God wil deale with dissemblers cast them out of his kingdome and seruice that see him heare him dishonoured and dissemble it besides many dangers ghostly that follow by going to heretiks prayers and Churches so that if you will be a Catholicke Christian and knowe the truth to
grace the sweet liâ—our of his holie Sacraments without this Church of Christ no saluatioÌ„ can be found this Church is worthily called the ship of S. Peter out of which whosoeuer at death shall be found shal bee ouerwhelmed without all doubt in those flouds of eternall damnation For as at Noes floud none were saued but those only that were in the Arke eight persons euen so we cannot pas through the Sea of this troublesome world nor arriue to the sure haueÌ„ of rest with god in his kingdome vnlesse we saile in Noe and Saint Peters ship Christs holy Church which church is nothing else but a congregation of al faithfull people liuing in one faith or vnity of beleif vnder Christ their head his Vicar the cheif Pastor of our souls Saint Peters successor heare in earth keeping that faith and beliefe that Christ and his Apostles taught and hath beene euer openlie preached in Christs Church without intermission euen from Christs Assention vnto this day shal be so without faile euen to the end of the worlde For against his Mat. 16 Church Christ promised The gates of hel that is the Diuel and al his power that is al Infidels Turkes Iewes Heretâ—kes Schismatikes should neuer preuaile but the true Catholike church hath more manifestly shall haue in the end the vpper hand though for a time for our sins in this and other countries it hath beene sore persecuted and oppressed yet can it neuer be vanquished or suppressed because Christes worde shall neuer faile who promised to be with it and assist it with his holy spirit to the end of the world Nay the more it is persecuted the more in the end it will florish as the vine that is pruned afterward bringeth out branches more perfectly and more plentifull fruit This ship of Saint Peter hath bin sore tossed with stormes of persecution froÌ„ time to time but yet by the good guiding of Christ her head neuer ouerwhelmed How sore was it shaken when Nero that bloudy tirant and persecuting Emperour slew the chief Captaines therof Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Rome in which city now Christs Religion by his special grace and by the merits praiers of these Apostles most florisheth What bloudy battailes afterward made Domitian Diocletian and rhe rest of those persecuting Kings and Emperours against the same Church slaying by thousands of ChristiaÌ„s in one day The Arrian Heritickes aboue a thousand yeares agoe that denied the Son of God to be of the same substance with his father as the Heretickes of our time now deny him though not altogither alike but in another manner and in another article of our beliefe according to his worde to be heare with vs in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar Those that were true Christian Catholickes especially Bishopps Preists were for the truth by them persecuted with fire and sword both by Sea and land Yet by the valiant death and constancie of Martirs and worthy Confessours who were robbed spoiled of goods landes liberties and liues by long imprisonment death as many in this countrie for the same cause now be they in the end obtayned ouer the enimies of the truth the victorie that euen in those very places where greatest persecution bloodshed was for the truth there afterward was of all sorts of people greatest confession of the truth Churches and houses of prayer being raised in those very places where many Martirs were hanged shed their blood the bloody persecutor dying and being buried in hell in eternal obliuion The glorious Martir now triumpheth and reioyceth with God in Heauen with perpetuall praise and memory of his name here on earth When the ghospel in this country was first preached a blessed man harboured Amphibo lâ—s by Saint Albon nere to Christs time that blessed Martir for his receipt of Christs messenger and for becoming a Christian shed his bloud and yet in that very place was afterward a goodly Abbey built where Christ was serued both day and night and the towne of Saint Albons as of whome it tooke the name for many hundred yeares honoured God in him in that place who before as a traitor and enimie to the Realme and state they put to death Afterward about a thousand years agoe when Saint Augustine the Moncke was sent by Saint Gregorie then Pope of Rome to restore preach christs faith and religion here amongst English men then a mongst the Britons in some sort partly decaied for sinne as now in a great part of the whole Isle it is if not worse in manie mens hartes though God bee thanked a Church though litle poore and afflicted wee haue still manye mockes buffets and blowes that holy Moncke with the rest of his fellowes had before they could recall this Country to the right way of saluation The storme against them was sharp for a time But afterwardes with long patience Christ bad the winde cease and there became a great calme The Church of England hauing great tranquility flourishing after in religion virtue almost a thousand years togither till wicked Luther a many of his fellowes runagate Friers and forsakers of their order and religion for the desire they had to liue as they lust in al liberty pleasures of the flesh broched a new gospel I would say raised vp a moÌ„strous storme of heresy infidelity troubling the peace of the christian world quite ouerthrowing the coÌ„mon state of ReligioÌ„ here in our Country till it please God to bid the raging storme cease which no doubt hewil do wheÌ„ it semeth best to his good wil pleasure who after a storme sendeth faire weather when he hath beaten his children wel knoweth to cast the rod into the fire in the meane time in this perilous storme it behoueth vs to bee well armed least we be ouerwhelmed with al vertues but first cheifly with true faith and religion Chap. II Of the first certaine note of the true Church WHerfore because heretiks the enimies of truth deceiue simple soules vnder the shewe of truth glory of the Church as though they only were true meÌ„bers of the same which notwithstaÌ„ding they oppugn pul down Therfore the first note wherby you may knowe the true church of Christ froÌ„ the Church of Satan is this that the Church of God is called Catholike which word Catholike is deriued froÌ„ the Greeke and in Latine is asmuch as vniuersalis that is vniuersall and generall common as it were to al true beleuers of all nations so that the true Church of Christ is commonly called the Catholike church or at least knowne The proper etimologie of this word Catholik is vniuersall or generall of all sorts so to be called as we are taught in our Creed to beleue the holy Catholike Church so that true ChristiaÌ„ beleuing men are commonly called catholikes those that be deuided from this knowne common faith and Church of Christ in
euer wāting in heretikes in cleane pure cōsciences in which vertues worthy qualities these B. Fathers most excelled liuing in such abstinēce cōtinēcy watching meditatiō of the law of god both night day praier with thē wēt euer before study study was ioyned with prayer they did not expound harde places and hygh misteries of Scriptures after their owne brayn phantastical conceipt but by the teachig of their masters holy forefathers of whō they had receiued the Scriptures especially therein following the rule cōmon consent of Christs holy Catholike Church that is euer guided with Christ her spouse head the holy spirit euer assisting the same church which was the cause there was not such iarres amongst thē as now be amongst heretiks Farre vnlike be our newe gospellers to these holy Fathers how more securely may we well committe our selues to God with them than hazard our saluation with these companions who with belly cheare little learning lesse honesty embracing of weomen care of children loue of the worlde and care of their owne carcases beeing most carnall men yet take vpon them to reueale his mysteries of the Spirite to open Gods word which commonly is open to none indeed but to those that be pure in hart and minde and with humility submitte their iudgementes vnder the obedience of the holy Catholike Church whereunto all heretikes be traitours and rebelles whether I say is it more like if we had no more certaine a marke of the true church and teachers that these lewde companions haue the trueth on their sides or those holy Fathers by me aboue named who excelled asmuch in vertue as these newe Gospellers bee drowned in vice which Fathers be of such authority that though indeed they be alwaies against heretikes yet the heretike is gladde if he can but get a scrappe or peece of a sentence euer wrested euill vnderstood out of these holy Doctours that maye seeme to make for his purpose though rightly vnderstood in the samesentence often-times they bee most confounded These holye Fathers were not eloquent in affection and inckehorne termes as Protestants be all wordes but no true or sounde matter but wisedome in those fathers by force ioyned vnto their words incomparable eloquence See S. Chrysostom S. Leo S. Ierome Lactantius but aboue all that Blessed martyr S. Ciprian who as many other of our holy doctors Catholike writers did sealed his writings with his blood if any of these holy Fathers as men at any time did of infirmity erre they did not malitiously obstinatly defend it as proud heretikes do but were alwayes ready to submit their doings to the cēsure of the Cath. church saing with S. Augustine Errare possiim hereticus esse nolo I may erre as a man yet wil I not be an heretike that is obstinately defending anye opinion the Church gain-sayeth This Faith then and Religion Catholike Romane Church thus groūded on Christ her head thus plainly knowne by such distinct notes of Vniuersallity Antiquity Succession Consent thus adorned and florishing with writings of so many and so holy auncient Fathers and Doctors thus confirmed with miracles thus watered and sealed with the blood of most constant and valiant Martyrs especially in the beginnig of the Church whilest the blood of Christ was yet warme in mens hearts yea of later yeares too as there want not in England and other places euen to this day Is there any so blinde if he obserue these notes well but he may both knowe this to bee the onely true Church and true way of Saluation or so carelesse of his saluation that dare aduenture his soule in any other congregation saue only the true Church of Christ thus strengthned with so many sure bulwarkes and strong pillars Assure your selfe good sir ignorance cannot excuse you For this is the citty set vpon a hill that cannot be hid so euident and so plaine that the words of the holy Prophet Esay may be applyed vnto her Hec Isa 35. erit vobis directa via ita vt stulti non errent per eam This shall be your direct way so that idiots or very simple soules maye not misse the same Where it is written to this effecte that great and lesse shall knowe God that is if they will seeke his waies diligently and in due time As also in Ieremie the thirty one Omnes cognoscent me a minimo eorum vsque ad maximum All shall knowe me from the least of them to the greatest And againe Adducam eos c in via recta I will bring them or leade them in the right way Non impinguent in ea and they shall not hit or stumble in it Seeke therefore to walke good sir in this way the Church of Christ if you will attaine the port of saluation for as long as you be out of this waye you shall alwaies be worse entangled with brambles bryers of sinne and blinde error and euer further frō your iourneys end the kingdome of God As youse when a man loseth his way in the night he is allwayes in greater incumbraunces and further from the marke till he returne by good guide to his way againe so it is in the blinde way of this life if we leaue Christ the way of life and his deare spouse the church the only way of truth we be euer in greater danger till we returne backe againe Come home the night draweth neare the day of payment hieth fast on take heed if you come short of the mariadge of Christ with his spouse the dore be not closed vp and you shutte out Heare what St. Augustine saith whatsoeuer saith he a mā be or whosoeuer he is he cannot be saued if he be not in the Catholike Church and in another place to Peter the Deacō he hath these fearful sayings Though a man giue neuer so much almes yea shedde his bloud for Christ if he be not a member of Christs Catholike Church he cannot be saued Firmissime tene saith he this holde stedfastly doubt in no wise not only al Pagans and Iewes but also heretikes and Schismatikes that die without the vnity of Christs Catholike Church shall goe into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Augells Neither doth this holy father St. Angustine speake these wordes of his owne priuate opinion but founded in Gods owne worde as in the holy Apostle St. Paule who saith If I giue al my goods to the poore and body to be burnt and want charity it profiteth me nothing now vnity be twixt God participatiuely I meane our owne soules and neighboures is that which maketh charity in vs by Gods grace which vnitye none can possibly haue that is not vnited to Christ being a member of his body the holy Catholike Church for otherwise he is deuided so that beeing out of this vnity he is not in charity so beingout of Gods Catholike Church he is out of state of Saluation therefore
not exceed his limits or office knowing that it was the part of a King to rule in the pallace but the Priest in the Church so much did this mighty Emperour whome God so highly honored blessed with temporall power and spirituall graces honor Priestes but espeacially the high Priest of God the Pope that he gaue to him and his successors for euer the Citty of Rome and all the Territories thereunto belonging giuing place to the Vicar of Christ and remouing the Imperiall seate to Constantinople where Christian Emperours many yeares after raigned till that nowe for sinne and heresie it is fallen vnder the enemy of Christ that greate tyrant the Turkâ— with whome our Protestants in England o monstrous impiety shake hands as is said to trouble the whole state of Christendome that they themselues may liue in more quietnesse at home but no meruaile when they can haue no helpe of God who hateth the wicked and his iniquity they runne to the Diuell for like will to like in euery degree Theodosius the Emperour for a slaughter by him committed at Thessolonica being excoÌ„municated by S. Ambrose Bishop of Millaine and put backe by him from entring into the Church intreated the Bishop he might enter into the Church for that saith hee Dauid committed man slaughter yet after pleased god Yea saith S. Ambrose Dauid offended which many Kings doe but Dauid did penance which many Kings doe not let me first see fruit of your penaÌ„ce with Dauid and after we shal consider furder The Emperour fearing Christ in his Priest the Bishop returned with humility and teares and many daies in his Pallace did penance till at length hee was reconciled by S. Ambrose admitted into the Church O how far did this worthy godly Bishop differ from these false counterfeit Bishops of yours that like flattering Parasites to feede themselues children giue Princes superiority in the Church so far be they from gainsaying any vice raygning amongst theÌ„ which one day they will haue cause to curse as coÌ„trariwise Theodosius for his amendment had cause to blesse the true Bishop S. Ambrose that plainly told him of his fault vsing the rod and authority of the Church ouer him in somuch that therfore the good Emperour after more loued and commended him for it aboue all men esteeming Ambrose worthye in deede to bee Bishoppe These noble Emperours Constantine Theodosius and the like that so feared honoured and reuerenced Priestes which in England you see here tyrannicall heretickes so greatly dishonour and cruelly murther vvere of no lesse witte learning valour courage honour and power then hereticall Princes be now a daies nay they were not only of farre greater worthyer and of more excellency in all princely qualities then any such nowe liuing but withall they were of more profound humility had greater feare of God and reuerence of Priestes his messengers honoring Christ in them which vertues Princes alas deceaued with false heretickes now want They considered and feared right worthely these words of God Qui tangit vos tangit pupillam oculi mei he that toucheth you that is lawful Priests Gods annointed toucheth as it were the very aple of his eye remembring likewise what God said to Samuell of the Iewes They haue not despised 1. Reg. 8. thee but me that I raigne not ouer theÌ„ And our Sauiour saith Hee that despiseth Luc. 10. 16. Mat. 10. 40. Iohn 13. 20. Math. 10 15. you despiseth me he that hateth you hateth me hee that receaueth you receaueth me Againe he threatneth those that refuse his messengers comming in his name That at the last day it shal be more tollerable to Sodome and Ghomor Whereby it appearrth what greate reward good Catholicke christians at this day in England shall haue at Christes handes one day for receauing Priestes comming in his name and lawfullye sent by Christ yea though it be losse of goods landes and life to the receauers so much greater is their merite and what perill and danger not only those stand in that for dasterdly loue to them-selues and feare of the worlde refuse them but in what most damnable state those be that persecutâ— Priestes and their receauers with most vile deathes and so glory they neuer so much of Christ yet they in deede persecute Christ in his members and seruants vnto whome vvhat good or euill is done he accepteth as done vnto himselfe Chap. XXXIIII Of the goodly order of the Clergy and Monarchy of the Church and of the Anarchy and disorderly confusion of heretickes YOu may see by this litle which is said the reuerend order of Priesthood how much it hath euer beene honored by good men but euer impugned persecuted by enemies of the truth because the shepheard once taken away the flock is easily dispersed which maketh the heretikes so to rage and tirannize against Priests in England for the hatred in deed they haue against the whole flock of Christ to the end there should be left neuer a good christian or catholicke in England that in deede is their drift though to blind the simple they pretend all dye for treason not for religion and vnder the cloake of elemencye and mercy with a lingring persecution they vse one of the most subtill and greatest tiranny that euer vvas vsed since CHRISTS tyme For making some out-warde shewe of clemencye euer they haue and doe and will doe I feare me the worst they can deuise in their proceedings till it please GOD either to conuert their hartes vvhich I beseech hym of his mercy for their good and saluation hee vvoulde or else otherwise to chastise them as it may best please him to the terrour and example of all posâ—erity You see likewise how Priesthood most necessarily was ordained by Christ for conseruation of his Church and vvhat godly order is in the same and vvhat a valiant armye hereby the heauenly Monarchie the Church of God thus set in order is how bountifull and amyable to the good in their sight it is and how terrible to the wicked the Diuell all his power see I say in what decent noble aray this Monarchy of Christ standeth First the lay people as feete or inferior members though they rule not the head yet as necessary members be expedient for the body as other more noble meÌ„bers are next to the temporall lay people be those in lower orders or degrees toward Priesthood which as handes or armes in this christiaÌ„ Monarchy maintaine helpe the head as subdeacons deacons which in holy Order be eies as it were to the Priest and Bishop and so in order the Priest preacher is as it were mouth to the Bishoppe helping him to administer the Sacraments and preach Gods word and so Bishops with their vigilant care as it were with their head shoulders do support that most heauy burden Angelicis humeris tremendum and so vpholde altogether and maintein the head whither the head guideth and directeth all the inferiour
his holy waies yea so louing bountifull and gratious is God and so desirous of mans saluation that it is not the worst person in the world but somtimes he shall haue good motions and holy inspirations to amend his life and the more a man hath and yet followeth them not but is hardened and dyeth in sinne the greater shall bee his damnation Marke then O man whosoeuer the motions and stirrings of thy hart and noli contristare spirituns doe not as it were make sadde the holy Ghost by ingratefully repelling his most blessed and holy instincts beware you put not backe Gods holy motions nothing falleth on the earth without Gods will and holy disposition no not the very bird neither can any thing bee done without his permission whereof if we may make good and therefore nothing can happen to vs in this life good nor ill but if we will we may take occasion thereof to remember our ende and and dispose our selues more and more to our saluation and therefore I say to you especially for whome I haue taken this labour to write this treatise it ought to be a more euident and effectuall motiue and sufficient warning for the perfect amendment of your life by your reconciliation to GOD vvho because it is he that as hee straightly commandeth vs to keepe his commandements and followe his holy waies so without his grace and helpe wee cannot fruitfully doe nor execute the same For whether Paul or Apollo plant or water yet Deus incrementum dèdit God is he that euer hath and must giue the increase And therefore seing vpon this ground S. Augustine said vnto GOD good Lord giue that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Let vs then followe his counsaile who said Aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde knocke it shall be opened vnto you Let vs therefore not cease to knocke humbly and instantly to craue grace and mercy at his hands that the sweete and seasonable raine of his gratious fountaine may bee plentifully instilled into our harts yea let vs make instance at least to obtaine one droppe of grace to mollifie and strengthen our hard weake harts Open then the eies of our soules O Lord and they shall be opened water them with the dewe of thy heaueuly grace strike our harts vvith thy feare and loue that wee euer may be so watchfull ouer our soules that we neuer preferre any pleasure of the flesh any worldly riches credit or honour before thy true seruice and euerlasting glory Let vs then worke busely our saluation as the matter of greatest importance whilst this life indureth for as saith our Sauiour the night will come when no man can worke from which darke night of sinne hell death and eternall damnation CHRIST the euerlasting truth of his infinite mercy deliuer you and vs all conuert all heretickes and poore deceaued soules make vs all members of one body his deare spouse the Catholicke Church that as heretofore by diuersity of minds a number haue beene deuided from Christ so knitting our selues altogither in the knot of peace vnity and charity in Christs holy Catholicke Church here on earth wee may then once enioy his endlesse glory altogither in his triumphant and most glorious Church in heauen where all errors sadnesse sorrowes paynes lamentations and mournefull teares shall quite cease and passe away where more ioy felicity and true happie blessednesse then euer eie hath seene eare hath heard or mans hart can imagine or conceaue whereunto hespeedely bring vs our Lord and Sauiour CHRIST IESVS To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and glory A SHORT TREATISE AGAINST ADIAPHORISTS NEVTERS SVCH AS SAY THEY MAY be saued in any sect or religion would make of many diuers sects one Church AMongst many shiftes of Heretickes and Schismatikes which by the example of their Master that old wily Serpent be commonly versipelles one is that they would beare Catholikes in hand they be of one Church with them still that so more easely they may draw the simple into their nettes perdition For the Maiesty of the church is so great that the very name thereof maketh the enemy appalled either to seeme to resist it or to liue with out it for though oftentimes in their pulpittes writinges especially amōgst themselues heretiks wil not stick most impudētly to affirme the visible Church especially was decayed for a thowsand yeeres and more glory that they be the men sent from God to restore it againe Yet when they be pressed by the learned to shew their vocation who sent them because as I declared before they haue neither extraordinary vocation by miracle nor ordinary by succession as is plaine and so euidently to all learned men shew thēselues false Prophets not sent of god for no man according to the Apostles doctrine ought to preach vnlesse he be sent by lawfull authority which the Heretikes perceiuing so plaine by Scriptures they cannot deny diuers shiftes they haue vsed some to shewe their vocation like the Apostles extraordinarie by miracle As Luther that by miracle would haue expelled the Diuell out of one possessed but in his exorcismes was driuen to such hard shiftes as hardly he could get honestly out of the place himselfe cleane a merry iest but scarce honest to be reported so Caluin killed a man which he hyred to faine himself dead and to rise at his call to confirme his Apostleshippe who by GODS iudgement falling dead indeede his wife bewrayed with exclamation the matter therefore these two new Apostles hauing no better successe for their mission and extraordinary calling Beza Caluins successor deuised another shift for his lawfull embassage and ordinarie calling and election For in that great and solemne meeting and most famous dispute in Fraunce betwixt Catholickes and Hugonots at Poissee Cardinall Guise being In conuētu Poissiaceno lib. 1. de stat religionis in Gallia sub Carolo 9. part 1. lib. 3. moderator himselfe asked Beza who sent him from whence come you but Beza being not able to answere he fell to this shift and most seely refuge that hee was lawfully called and chosen of those people that chose him to bee their Pastor leauing so Luther and Caluin his forefathers in the lurtch who were chosen neither of the Clergie nor people to preach hauing none to preach to and therefore intruded themselues first not sent like theeues that by violēce enter into another mans house or the adulterer that by stealth ascending another mans bedde corrupteth his wife so corrupteth these false Apostles Luther and Calum the Churches they inuaded the seely poore people the flock and spouse of Christ in some particular countries and citties with adulterous and false doctrine so sending themselues before they could be chosen and receiued of the people which Beza Calums honest successor said he was called of But such a calling as this is both Marcion Ebion Arrius Photinus Sabellius Pelagius