the Eucharist which Christ had bequeathed unto them then the Bohemians much affected with this ill dealing Assâ—mbled themselves together neere unto Thabor Castle and there to the number of thirtie thousand having three hundred tables erected in the fields for that purpose they received the Eucharist in both kinds PA. Master Brerely saith The Hussites rose up in armes and were seditious and Father Parsons saith That Zisca was a rebell against his king VVenceslaus PRO. The Reverend and laborius Deane of Exceter Master Sutcliffe saith That the crime of rebellion is rather to be imputed to the Romish Clergie and their adherents For Subinco the Archbishop of Prague stirred up Sigismund against the king as Sylvius testifieth Hist. Bohem. c. 35. And that king was taken prisoner first by his Barons next by his brother Sigismund as is testified in the same Historie c. 34. Whereas the warres of Ziscay were rather against strangers than others and hapned after the Coâ—ncel of Constance and the kings death And againe Being forced by the perâ—idiousnesse of the Pope and his complices he tooke armes for his owne necessarie dâ—fence and the protection of the innocent so that he dâ—fended his poore countreymen against the invasion of strangers And thus farre master Surcliffe And so I come to speake of such other worthies as God raised up in this Age whose Testimonies we shall have occasion to produce as namâ—ly Peter de Alliacâ— Cardinal of Cambrey Iohn Gâ—rson Chaâ—cellour of Paris Paulus Burgensis Alphonsus Tostatus Bishop of Avila Thomas Walden the Englishman Nicholas Clemangtes Archdeacon of Bayeux in France Dionysâ—us Carthusianus Cardinal Bessarion Cardinal Cusanus Trithâ—mâ—us Abbot of Spanheim Wesselus Preacher at Wormes Hierome Savonarola a Dominican of Florence Gabriel Biel Iohn and Francis Picus Earles of Mirandula Laurentius Valla a Patrâ—cian or Senatour at Rome Baptista Mantuan the Poet and Historian Iohn Gerson was a good man and one that much desired the Reformation of things amisse he was present at the Councel of Constance and for speaking freely therein agâ—inst the Disorders of the Romane Church he was deprived of his goods and dignities by the Pope and expulsed the Vniversitie by thâ— Sorhonists it is recorded of him that being thus deprived of his goods and dignities he beâ—ooke himselfe to teaching of Schoole wherein his manner was daily to cause all his Schollers â—he little children to joyne with him in this short Prayâ—r My God my maker have mercie upon thy miserâ—blâ— servant Gerson Iohn de Serres in his Inventory of France in the life of Charles the seaventh saith that Gersâ—n retuâ—ning from Basil died for griefe at Lyons and in the third part of Gersons workes I find this Epitaph made on him aemula turba fugat Ast hunc dum fugeret fovit Germania felix Fit tibi Lugdunum posterior requies That is The envious multitude doe make him â—ly But flying he finds râ—st in Germany And after this at Lyons Touching the power of the Pope in disposing the affaires of Princes and their States Gerson saiâ—h it was given unto him by such as flattered him and told him That as there is no power but of God so there is none whether Temporall or Ecclesiasticall Imperiall or Regall but from the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath written King of Kings and Lord of Lords of whose Power to dispute is Sacrilegious boldnesse to whom no man may say Sir why doe you so though he alâ—er overturne waste and confound all States Let me be judged a lyar saith he if these things be not found written by them that seeme wise in their owne eyes and if some Popes have not given credit to such lying and flattering words yea he saith That in imitation of Lucifer they will be adored and worshipped as gods not enduring whatsoever they doe that any one should aske them why they doe so they neither feare God nor reverence men Gerson denied the infallibilitie of the Popes judgement and taught That he was subject to errour and that in case of errour or other scandalous misdemeanour he may be judicially deposed and to this purpose hee wrote a treatise De auferibilitate Papae That the Pope might be safely taken away from the Church and yet no danger follow of it Gerson sheweth that all sinnes Even they that seeme least and lightest are by nature mortall Touching Indulgences or pardons whether the power of the Keyes extend onâ—ly to such as are on earth or to them also that are in Purgatorie the opinions of men saith Gerson are contrarie and uncertaine but howsoever this hee pronounceth confidently That onely Christ can give such Pardons for thousands of dayes and yeeres as many Popes assume to thâ—mselves power to grant So that in Gersons time it was not resolved whether the power of the Keyes extended onely to such as are on earth or to them also that are in Purgatorie yet hee sayth it might bee favourably construed that they reached to them in Puâ—gatorie at least Indirâ—ctly Concerning their Priests and Votaries hee saith That their Cels and Nunneries were like Brothel-houses and common stewes Gerson seeing there was small hope of reformation by a Generall Councell wisheth that severall kingdomes and Provinces would reforme and redresse things amisse and accordingly the severall parts of Christendome in the West as the Churches of England Scotland France and Germany have made reformation PA Gerson was present at the Councell of Constance and there preached against the Articles of Wickliffe and the Bohemians if Wickliffe make for you Gerson doth not for Gerson condemned Wickliffes opinions PRO. Gerson preached against such Articles as Were brought to the Councell of Constance by the English and Bohemians now those Articles were many of them impious in such sort as they were proposed by them that brought them as that God must obey the dâ—vill that Kings or Bishops if they fall into mortall sinne cease to be Kings or Bishops any longer and that all they doe is meerely void Whereas Wickliffe never delivered any such thing nor had any such impious conceiâ— as they sought to fasten on him neither is it to be marvelled at that impious things were falsely and slaunderously imputed to him seeing wee are wronged in like sort at this day For Campian is not ashamed to write That wee hold God to be the Author of sin and that all sinnes are equall in Gods sight and Bristow saith That Protestants are bound to avoid all good workes which tenets wee utterly disclaime and detest and many things no doubt were writâ—en by Wickliffe and Husse and others in a good and godly sense which as they are wrested by their adversaries were hereticall and damnable So then Gerson might condemâ—e as impâ—ous sâ—me posiâ—ions falsely imputed to Wickliffe not knowing but that they were his and dislike other that indeed were his as not delivered in such sort and such forme
Church as if Saint Peter whose successour he pretends to be had hâ—ld the Apostolike chayre as it weâ—e in Fee for him and his Successours for ever and the other eleven had held theiâ—s for terme of life onely And now to looke homâ—waâ—ds to our Britaine in this Age we find our auâ—cestors besides their common enemies the Scots Picts and Saxons troubled with another more secret but as dangerous to wiâ— the Pelagian heresie wherewith Pelagius a Romane Monke borne in Little Britaine with his Disciple Celestius beganne to infect these Northerne parts But after they and their heresies were condemned in the Councels of Carthage and Mela Pope Celestine sent Palladius into Scotland as also our neighbours the French bishops at the request of the Catholique English sâ—nt Germanus bishop of Aâ—xerre and Lupus bishop of Troys in Champeigne into England to beat downe Pelagianisme which they happily suppressed Now also there was a Provinciall Councel held in Britaine for the reforming of Religion and repairing of the ruin'd Churches which the Pagan marriage of Vortiger had decayed to the great griâ—fe of the people A plaine token that their zeale continued evâ—n unto those dayâ—s for so it was whiles Vortiger a British Prince marryed with the fayre but Infidel Rowena Hengists daughter this Saxon match had almost undone both Church and State whilest as Bede complaines Priest's were slaine standing at the Altar and bishops with thâ—ir flocks weâ—e murdered till at length they assembled a Councel to repayre those decayes which this marriage had made Now to close up this Age the Reader may observe that we have surveyed the first foure Generall Councels which Gregorie the Great proâ—essed that he â—mbraced as the foure Gospels and indeed they were called agâ—inst those foure Arch-heretickes that pestered the Câ—urch the first was hâ—ld at Nice against Arrius a Priâ—st of Alâ—xandria who held that Christ was neither God nor eternall but an excellent creature created before all creatures The second at Constantinople against Macedonius who held that Christ was not of the same essence not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantiall and of the same substance with the Father but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to him and that the Holy Ghost was not God but Gods Minister and a creature not eternall The third at Ephâ—suâ— against Nestorius who held that Christ had two severall persons but not two wills and that the Virgin Mary was not to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of Christ. The fourth at Chalcedon where Dioscorus and Eutyches were condemned This Eutyches confuting Nestorius fell into other heresies and confounded the two natures of Christ making him after his union to have but the divine nature onely Besides the Reader may farther observe that upon the survey of these first foure Generall Councells so much esteemed by S. Gregory it is found that they confined the bishop of Rome to his bounds with other Patriarkes and they equalled other Patriarchall Seas to the Romane so that hereby is discovered the vanity of Campian's flourish saying Generall Councells are all ours the first and the last and the middle For we imbrace such Generall Councells as were held in those golden Ages within the first sixe hundâ—ed yeares or thereabouts The middle ranke beginning at the second Nicene unto the Councell of Florence held in the Ages of the mingled and confused Church they are neither wholly theirs nor ours The two last the one at Lateran the other at Trâ—nt these being held by the drosse of the Church are theirs AN APPENDIX to the fiâ—th CENTVRIE Of the Fathers Authoritie PAPIST YOu have produced the Fathers for these five or sixe hundred yeares as if they had beene of your Faith whereas you dissent from thâ—m and refuse their tryall but wee honour them and appeale to the joynt coâ—sent of Anâ—iquity PROTESTANT Where wee seâ—me to vary from them it is eithâ—r in things humane arbitrarie and indifferent or in matters not fully discussed by the ancient or in poynts which were not delivered by joynt consent of the ancient or in things which are reproved by plaine demonstration of holy Scripture and wherein the Fathers permit liberty of dissenting and the Papists themsâ—lves usually take it Neither would Saint Austine the faiâ—est flower of Antiquity have his Reader follow him farther than hee followeth the Truth not denying but that as in his maners so in his writings many things might justly be taxed Neither doe we refuse the triall of the Fathers truely alleadged and rightly understood witnesse the challenge made by Bishop Iewell and seconded by Doctor Whitaker and Doctor Featly yea Doctor Whitaker as Scultetus observeth was confident That the Fathers although in some matters they be variable and partly theirs partly ours yet in the materiall poynts they be wholly ours and theirs in matters of lesser moment and some few Tenets Likewise that great light of Oxford Doctor Reinolds in his Conference with Master Hart solemnely protested that in his opinion not one of all the Fathers was a Papist for saith he The very being and essence of a Papist consists in the opinion of the Popes supremacie but the Popes supremacie was not allowed by any of the Fathers as he there proveth against Hart not one then of all the Fathers was a Papist PA. May wee not ground our Faith upon the Fathers Testimonies PRO. Wee reverence the ancient Fathers but still with reservation of the respect wee owe to that Ancient of dayes Daniel 7.6 their father and ours who taught young Elihu Iob. 32.6 to reprove his Ancients even holy Iob amongst them Iob 33.12 him alone doe we acknowledge for the father of our Faith on whom wee may safely ground in things that are to bee believed For every Article of Christian Faith must bee grounded on divine revelation but all opinions of the Fathers are not divine revelations neither doe the Fathers challenge to themselves infallibility of judgement Sâ—int Austine saith This reverence and honour have I learnt to give to those Bookes of Scripture onely which are called Canonicall that I most firmely believe none of their Authors could any whit erre in writing But others I so reade that with how great sanctity and learning soever they doe excell I therefore thinke not any thing to be true because they sâ— thought it but because they were able to perswade me either by those Canonicall Authours or by some probâ—ble reason that it did not swerve from truth Neither doe our Adversaries yield infâ—llibilâ—ty of judgement tâ— the Fathers Baronius saith The Church doth not alwayes and in all things follow the Fathers interpretation of Scripture Bellarmine saith Their writings are no rules of Faith neither have they authority to binde Canus tells us That the ancient Fathers sometime erre and against the ordinary course of nature bring forth
the Protestants PRO. Master Bedel answereth Master Wadesworth that had it pleased God to have opened his eyes as hee did Elisha's servants hee might have seene that there were more on our side than against us Besides as Master Bedel saith the Romane Doctors may bring in whole armies of witnesses on their side when they change the question and prove what no body denyes as when the question is whether the Pope have a monarchy over all Christians an uncontrollable jurisdiction and infallibility of judgement Bellarmine alleadgeth a number of Fathers Greek and Latine to prove onely that Saint Peter had a primacie of honour and authority which is farre short of that supremacie which the Popes now claime and which is the question So also to prove the verity of Christs body and blood in the Lords Supper Bellarmine spends the whole booke in citing the Fathers of severall Ages To what purpose when the question is not of the truth of the presence but of the manner whether it bee to the teeth or belly which hee in a manner denyes or to the soule and faith of the receiver So also Bellarmine for the proofe of Purgatory alleadgeth a number of Fathers as Ambrose Hilarie Origen Basil Lactantius Ierome but farre from the purpose of the question and quite beside their meaning for they spake of the fire at the end of the world as Sixtus Senensis saith and Bellarmine cites them for the fire of Purgatory before the end In like sort for proofe of Saintly invocation Bellarmine musters up thirty Fathers of the Greeke and Latine Church now here is an army of ancients able to fright some untrained souldiers but it is but like the army that troubled the Burgundians Who lying neere to Paris and looking for the battaile supposed great Thistles to have beene Launces held upright or like those souldiers mentioned by Plutarch in the life of Agesilaus who bombasted and embossed out their coates with great quarters to make them seeme bigge and terrible to the enemy but after they were overthrowne and slaine in the field Agesilaus caused them to be stript and bid his souldiers behold their slender and weerish bodies of which they stood so much in feare whiles they looked so big upon their enemies the like may be sayd of Bellarmine's forces they keepe a great quarter but when they come to joyne issue for it they are soone defeated For of the Fathers alleadged by Bellarmine thâ—re be as is already showne in the fifth Age seven of the thirty which bee no Fathers but post-nati punies to primitive Antiquity Eight of them bee justly suspected not to bee men of that credite as that their depositions may bee taken Two or three of them are wrong cited by a writ of errour being either ignorantly or wilfully mis-translated Seven others of them speake like Poets Oratours Panegyrists not dogmatically but figuratively with rhetoricall compellations expressing their votes and desires The other sixe that remaine they speake of Intercession in generall not of Invocation in paâ—ticular of some few pâ—oples private practice but not of the Chuâ—ches Office Agend or Doctrine generally taught practised and established Besides as Master Moulin saith among so many Authours as might fill a house it is an easie matter to finde somewhat to wrest to a mans owne advantage and never to bee perceived because few men have these bookes and of them that have them few doe reade them and of those that reade them fewest of all doe understand them But that wee may the better conceive the meaning of the testimonies and allegations of the Fathers let us observe such cautions as the learned have set downe for our helpe herein The Fathers writings bee either Dogmaticall Polemicall or Popular In their Dogmaticall and Doctrinall wherein they set downe positive Divinity they are usually very circumspect in their Polemickes and Agonistickes earnest and resolute in their Homilies and popular discourse free and plaine In their conâ—roversall writings it fall's out sometimes that through heat of disputation whiles they oppose one errour they slâ—p inâ—o the opposite like one that labouring to make a crooked thing straight bends it the quite contrary way thus Hierome whâ—les he affronts such aâ— impugn'd virginity himselfe quarrels at lawfull Matrimony otherwise the Fathers in their Polemiques whiles they keepe themselves close to the question in hand their tenets are ever most sound and direct In their Homilies and exhortations to the people they stâ—ive to move affections so that they runne forth into figuâ—es of Rhetorick and keepe not themselves close to points of doctrine Of this kind of speech Sixtus Senensis gives a good Rule to wit that Their sayings are not to be urged in the rigour because that Orator like they speake Hyperbolically and in excesse and he gives instance in Chysostome as well he might for in the point of the Sacrament he used such Rhetoricall straines as hath beene noted in the fifth Centurie and Hierome saith of himselfe I have played the Oratour in manner of a declamation to wit by way of amplification and exaggeration Saint Hierome observes That before that Southerne Devill Arius arose at Alexandria the ancients spake certaine things in simplicitie and not so warily Saint Austine makes the like observation touching Pelagius how that the Fathers ante mota certamina Pelagiana extended the power of Free-will above measure having then no cause to feare there being no Pelagius then risen up in the world an enemie of grace and advancer of nature Vntill the Pelagians beganne to wrangle the Fathers saith Saint Austine and he gives instance in Saint Chrysostome tooke lesse hâ—ed to their speeches to wit in the poynt of Originall sinne and free-will but after that the Pelagian heresie arose it made us saith the same Austine Multò vigilantiores diligentioresque much more diligent and vigilant in scanning of this point In like sort the Doctors that lived in the middle ages what time Popery was not yet growne to his height they spoke not so warily in the poynt of justification and grace yet they left not the truth of God without a witnesse 1 Tim. 6.12 We must not take up such customes as were sometimâ—s used in the Church and make presidents of them as if they had beene warranted by the Church and the Faâ—hers then living for the Fathers being taken up wiâ—h weightier matters winked at other faults and were driven to beare with what they could not redresse Saint Austine complaineth of the superstition of certaine Christians that in Church yards did kneele before the Tombes of the Martyrs and before the painted Histories of their sufferings I know many saith he who worship Sepulchers and Pictures I know many who drinke most excessively over the dead The good Bishops saw these malladies in their flocks and desired to reforme them but they feared lest the rude people should hinder
the Scriptures Sufficiencie and Canon Iustus Orgelitanus compares the Scriptures to Davids Tower wherein hang a thousand shields and all the targets of the strong men it being furnished with all sorts of armour to encounter Satan and his Instruments withall Saint Bede records of the successors of Colum-kille the great Saint of Ireland That they observed only those workes of pietie and chastitie which they could learne in the propheticall evangelicall and apostolicall writings and these they esteemed as their chiefe riches according to that of Columbanus Sint tibi divitiae divinae dogmata legis Iunilius an African Bishop treating of the Canonicaâ—l bookes and having said that some account Tobie with others Canonicall he puts the question and then resolves it Why are not these bookes inserted amongst the Canonicall Scriptures and he names amongst other Tobie Esdra Iudith and the second of the Maccabees Because saith he The Iewes did make a difference of them as Saint Hierome and others witnesse Of Communion under both kinds and number of Sacraments Hinemar in the life of Rhemigius Archbishop of Rhemes who converted King Clovis of France to the Christian faith reports that the Archbishop gave a Chalice for the peoples use with this Motto Hauriat hinc populus vitam de sanguine sacro Injecto aeternus quem fudit vulnere Christus Rhemigius domino reddit sua vota sacerdos Rhemigius Priest that gave this cup Prayeth that in it the people sup And still draw life from flowing blood Out of Christs side as of a flood Hee saith not Hauriat hinc Clerus but populus not Let the Priest but let the people drinke of this ministeriall Cup as Cassander cals it The Divines of this Age as others of former times acknowledged onely two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Of the Eucharist Fulgentius speaking of the Eucharist saith In this sacrifice there is a thankesgiving and remembrance of the flesh which hee offered and the blood which Christ shed for us and this sacrifice of bread and wine was offered throughout the whole Catholike Church Here Fulgentius mentions a Sacrifice not proper and propitiatorie for the quick and dead but Eucharisticall and Commemorative of prayse and thankesgiving a lively memoriall and representation of the Sacrifice offered on the Crosse. The words alleadged are found amongst S. Austines workes but Bellarmine saith Many father them on Fulgentius and that Bertram citeth these words under his name and so indeed I find it howsoever were it Austin or Fulgentius the Master or the Scholler so they taught and so wee learned both from them and others namely Primasius Ambrose and Chrysostome who by way of correction say Wee offer the same sacrifice or rather the remembrance thereof Besides the same Fulgentius saith They receive the onely Sonne of God Of Images and Prayer to Saints Fulgentius saith That as in the first Precept the worship of one God is manifestly commanded so the faithfull are utterly forbidden to yeeld the service of Adoration to any creature Dracontius in his booke of the Creation saith It is Gods pleasure Esse nihil prorsus se praeter ubiquè rogandum That nothing beside himselfe should every where be prayed unto Of Faith and Merit Primasius saith that We are freely justified by faith only and not by workes Fulgentius saith From this our originall corruption not any power of nature or letter of the Law but faith onely in Iesus Christ doth free us Now this saving faith though it never goe alone yet may there be some gift of God which it alone is able to reach unto as Columbanus also implyeth in that verse Sola fides fidei donâ— ditabitur almo Concerning Merit Fulgentius saith Our glorificacation is not unjustly called grace not onely because God doth bestow his owne gifts upon his owne gifts but also because the grace of Gods reward doth so much there abound as that it exceedeth incomparably and unspeakably all the merit of the will and worke of man though good and given from God and That this is wholesome doctrine to challenge nothing to our selves in any good we doe And Iustus Orgelitanus saith Wee must thanke the Stocke Christ Iesus if any good fruit grow on our branches Cassiodore saith That Gods vocation goes before our merit not â—inding us worthy but accepting us for such The Councell of Orange hath notably decreed against the Semi-pelagians There are many good things saith the Councell done in man which man doth not but man doth no good things which God doth not make man to doe This also doe wee wholsomely professe and believe that in every good worke wee doe not begin and are holpen afterwards by the mercy of God but hee first of all no good merits of ours going before inspireth into us both faith and the love of him which place Binnius hath corrupted reading for nullis multis many good workes going before surely this was none of his good workes to corrupt the Councell Now also was held the fifâ—h Generall Councell at Constantinople Anno 553. Called by the Emperour Iustinian and not by the Pope This Councell confirmed the decrees of the former and withall according to the former Canons decreed That the See of Constantinople should have equal dignity with the See of old Rome Vnto these forraine testimonies we may joyne some of our owne namely the Britaines about the yeare five hundred ninetie sixe what time as Gregory the Great sent Austin the Monke into England PAP It was our Gregory and his Austin that first converted your Iland PRO. It was converted long before Austins comming even in the first Age of the Church as is already showne Besides at his comming there were in Britaine seven Bishops with other learned men professing and teaching the Christian faith and above two thousand Monks in the Monastery of Bangor All living with the labour of their hands Yea Geffrey of Monmouth speaking of Cornwaile and the Westerne parts saith In a part of the Britaines Christianity yet flourished the which being received in the dayes of Eleutherius in the yeare 179. Never fayled amongst them so that Austin was not our first Converter PA. You say the Britaine 's held the Christian faith how then differed they from our Austin PRO. They differed both in Ceremonies and Substantiall doctrine namely in not acknowledging the Popes Supremacie which is now a grand Article of the Romane Faith for whereas Austine came with a kind of Legantine power from the Pope and for the execution of this Commission not unknowne to the Ilanders used both prayers and threats to move them to conformity with the Romane Church at least for their manner of baptizing and keeping of Easter but they told him plainely that They would not yeeld to any of his motions nor acknowledge him for their Arch bishop yea
that stone then from which the water ranne bodyly Christ but it signifyed Christ. The same Abbot saith Men have often searched and doe yet often search so that it seemes that this was then in question and so before Berengarius time how bread that is gathered of Corne may be turned to Christs body or how wine that is pressâ—d out of many grapes is turned through one blessing to the Lords Bloud and the resolution returned is this Now say wee to such mâ—n that some things bee spoken of Christ by signification some thing by thing certaine true thing and certaine is that Christ was borne of a Maid Hee is said Bread by signification and a Lambe and a Lyon Hee is called Bread because hee is our life hee is said to bee a Lambe for his Innocencie But Christ is not so notwithstanding after true nature neither Bread nor a Lambe Why is then the holy Housell called Christs Body or his Bloud if it be not truely that it is called Without they be seene bread and wine both in figure and taste and they â—ee truly after their hallowing Christs body and blood through Ghostly mysterie And againe Much is betwixt the body Christ suffered in and the body that is hallowed to Housel the body truely that Christ suffered in was borne of the flesh of Mary with bloud and with bone and his Ghostly body which wee call the Housel is gathered of many Cornes without bloud and bone and therefore nothing is to bee understood therein bodily but all is Ghostly to bee understood Here wee see the body of Christ borne of the blessed Virgin the body of flâ—sh is plainly distinguished from the consecrated substance of bread or the Body Sacramentall which the Homilist cals Ghostly And againe This Mysterie iâ— a pledge and a figure Christs body is truth it selfe the pledge we doe keepe Mistically untill wee bee come to the truth it selfe and then is this pledge ended Truely it is Christs body and bloud not Bodily but Ghostly and ye should not search how it is done but hold it in your beliefe that it is so done The like matter also was delivered to the Clergie by the Bishops at their Synods out of two other writings of the same Aelfricke in the one whereof directed to Wulfsine Bishop of Shyâ—burne we reade thus That holy Housel is Christs body not Bodily but Ghostly not the body which he suffered in and so forth In the other witten to Wulfâ—tane Archbishop of York thus That lively bread is not bodily so nor the selfe-same body that Christ suffered in nor that holy wine is the Saviours bloud which was shed for us in bodily thing but in Ghostly understanding both be truely the bread his body and the wine also his bloud as was the heavenly bread which wee call Manna which words are to be seene mangled and razed in a Manuscript in Bennets Colledge in Cambridge as our learned Antiquarie of Oxford hath well observed And we may conceive it to be done by some Papist for that it plainely confutes the doctrine of Transubstantiation the best is the evidence is restored out of another Copie PA. Here is much a doe with an old Record which your selves will not haply justifie in every poynt PRO. The Record is both ancient and authenticke but to be free from errour is the priviledge of holy writ your selves stand not to all which the Fathers even of the first Age wrote Why then shâ—uld we make good all that was delivered in this later and ignorant Age so much cumbred with Monkery There are indeed in this Homily some suspicious wordes as where it speakes of the Masse to be profitable to the quicke and dead of the mixture of water with wine and a report of two vaine miracles which notwithstanding seeme to have beene infarced for that they stand in their plâ—ce unaptly and withoâ—t purpose and the matter withoâ—t thâ—m both before and afâ—er doth hang in it selfe togâ—thâ—r most ordeâ—ly besides these mistakes they are but touched by the way and aâ—e different from thâ— whole scope of the Authour Thus was Priest and people taught to believe in the Chuâ—ch of England above sixe hundâ—ed yeares agoe for this Sermon was written in the old Saxon tongue befoâ—e the Conquâ—st and appointed in the reigne of the Saxons to be spoken to the people at Easter before they should recâ—ive the Communion Neither was Aelfricke the first Authour of this Homily but the Translatour theâ—eof out of Latine into the old English or Saxon tongue the Homily it selfe was exâ—ant before his time and the resolution thereof is the same with that of Berâ—â—am and in many places directly translated out of him so that the doctrine is both ancient and Orthodoxe whereas that of Transubstantiation was not publickly taught in the Church of England till Lanfranck and others a thousand yeares after Christ came with an Italian tricke and expounded Species and forma panis for the qualities and accidents of bread without subject or substance But from the bâ—ginning it was not so Of Images and Prayer to Saints Concerning Images Churchesâ—an â—an a middle couâ—se neither rudely breaking them nor supeâ—sâ—itiously adoring them and this opinion they stoutly maintained and for some ages after continued most constant therein as Câ—ssâ—â—der sâ—ith and hee saith true as appeares by the prâ—ctise of the French in the ninth and the Almaines in the twâ—lfth Age. The Abbat Smaragdus saith that Christ onely makes Inteâ—cesâ—ion in heaven for us performing that with the Father which he pâ—titioned of the Father being both our Mediator to preferre our Petitions and our Creator to grant our râ—quâ—sts In liâ—e sort Radulphus Flaviacensis calls the Angell of the covenant Christ Iesus The Master of Requests to preferre our suits in the court of Heaven and to mediate betwixt God and men Now if he by his Fathers Patent be Master of Requests surely wee may not without Commission and warrantie out of Gods word constitute others either Saints or Angels Mediators of our Prayers Of Faith and Workes It is of necessitie that belâ—evers should bee saved onely by the faith of Christ saith Smaragdus the Abbot Who is it that can doe all that God hath commanded wee are not come to that blessednesse or merit to yeeld him obedience in all things saith Flaviacensis For as he saith One may doe bonum and not benè one without grace may doe a Morall act as give Almes the act Morally good ex genere objecto but not good ex fine circumstantijs in case it be given out of vaine glory or â—he like PA. You taxed this Age for imposing single life on the Clergie this was no Innovation PRO. In this Age there arose great contention about Priests marriage At length about the yeare 975. the matter was referred to the Roode of Grace which as the Annalists and Legendaries say returned this
his realm was subject to the Court of Rome or the Pope and that he had that libertie in his realme that the Emperour had in his Empire Anselme therefore was accused of high treason and being still desirous to goe to Rome the King told him That if hee would promise and sweare neither to goe nor Appeale to Rome for any affaires whatsoever he should then well and peaceably enjoy his Bishopricke if not that it should be free for him to passe the Seas but never to returne as the Monke of Saint Albans reports the matter Now also there arose great contention about the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament under Pope Victor and Nicholas the second Hildebrand being the brand that kindled it making Berengarius subscribe to their Tenet That all the faithfull in the Sacrament doe really teare with their teeth the body of Christ which position neverthelesse in these dayes is with them accounted hereticall And to say the truth they really teare the body of Christ who by their ambition doe miserably teare in pieces the Church of Christ. Now to proceede there lived in this Age Fulbertus bishop of Chartres Anselme of Laon Author of the Interlineall Glosse Theophylact Archbishop of the Bulgarians a great follower of Chrysostome and indeed his Epitomizer or Abbreviator and our Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury a man of speciall note in this Age. For as the Monke of Malmsbury reports in the Councel at Barre when the Greekes disputed against Pope Vrban so eagerly against the procession of the Holy Ghost that the Pope was at a Non plus remembring himselfe that Anselme was in the Councel he cried aloud before the whole Councel Pater Magister Anselme ubi es Oh my Father and Master Anselme where are you come now and defend your Mother the Church and when theâ— brought him in presence among them Pope Vrban said Includamus hunc in orbe nostro quasi alterius orbis papam Let us inclose him in our Circle as the Pope of the other world Now also lived Oecumenius Radulphus Ardens and Berengarius And now let us see what these good men and â—â—ue Catholâ—cke witnesses can say to the matter in quâ—stion Of the Scriptures suâ—ficiencie and Canon Saâ—nt Paul saith of the Scriptures that They are able to make us wise unto salvation that the man of God may bee peâ—fited thorowly furnished unto all good workes That the man of God saith Oâ—cumenius may bee not onely partaker after a vulgar manner of every good worke but perfect and compleate by the doctrine of the Scripâ—uâ—e And Anselme in his Commentarie upon this place saith They are able to make thee sufficiently learned to obtaine eternall salvation Petrus Cluniacensis Abbot of Clugin abutting on these times for he was saith Bellarmine of the same standing with Saint Bernard who was borne in this Age â—ut flourished about the yeare 1130 after the recitall of the canonicall bookes saith that There are besides the Authenticall bookes â—ixe others not to be rejected as namely Iudith Tobias Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees which though they attaine not tâ— the high dignitie of the former yet they are received of the Church as containing necessary and profitable doctrine Of Communion under both and number of Sacraments Theophylact sharply reproves those who delighted in drinking alone and quaffing by themselves saying to such How dost thou take thy cup alone considering that the dreadfull Chalice is alike delivered unto all The Normans saith Mathew Paris thâ— morning before they fought with Harald strengthned themselves with the body and bloud of Christ. Hildebert B. of Mans â—â—lates and approves that Canon of the Councel of Brachara which condemneth the delivering of the bread sopt in the wine to the Laitie for the whole CoÌ„munion It is the manner saith Hildebert in your monasteries to give the Sacramentall bread to none but dipt in the wine which custome we find is not taken either from the Lords institution nor out of authencall constitutions Now they that misliked the receiving of the bread dipt in wine how would they have beene pleased with a dry feast for of the two it is better to receive the bread dipt in wine than the bread and no wine at all Fulbertus shewes us the way of Christian Religion Is to believe the Trinitie and veritie of the Deitie and to know the cause of his Baptisme and in whom duo vitae Sacramenta the two Sacraments of our life are contained Anselme mentions but two Sacraments common to us under the Gospâ—l as the other were to the Iewes under the law they two and we two two and no more Of the Eucharist In the year 1608 there were published at Paris certaine works of Fulbertus pertaining as wel to the refuting of the heresies of this time for so saith the Inscription as to the clearing of the history of the French Among these things that appertain to the confutatioâ—â—f the heresies of this time there is one specially fol. 168. laid down in these words Vnlesse saith Christ ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye shall not have life in you he seemeth to command an outrage or wickednesse It is therefore a figure will the Heretick say requiring us only to communicate with the Lords passion and sweetly and profitably to lay up in our memory that his flâ—sh was crucified wounded for us He that put in these words Dicet Haereticus thought he had notably met with the Hereticks of this time but was not aware that therby he made S. Austin an Hereticke for company for the words alleadged are S. Austins de doctrinâ Christianâ lib. 3. cap. 16. Which some belike having put the publisher in mind of he was glad to put this among his Errata to confesse that these two words Dicet Haereticus were not to be found in the Manuscript copie which he had from Pâ—tavius buâ— telleth us not what we are to think of him that for the countenancing of the Popish cause ventured so shamefully to abuse S. Austin as both the learned Archbishop of Armagh Doctor Vsher and Master Moulin have observed PA. Here is much a doe about a mistake of two words saith our Iâ—suit Maloune PRO. There hath been much a doe ere this about one word the word Deipara whether the blessed Virgin Maâ—y were to be called the mother of God or no great difference raised in the Church touching the Sacrament and all about three prepositions Trans Con and Sub and the greatest stirre that ever was in Gods Church was about one letter it was but one little Iota whilst the Arriansâ—eld â—eld Christ to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the like substance with the Father but denied him to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantiall of the same substance with the Father Besides was it
the Friars be not liegemen to the King ne subject to his lawes For though they stealen mens Children to enter into their orders it is sayd there goes no law upon them Friars saien apertly that if the King and Lords and other men stonden thus against their begging and other things Friars will goe out of the land and come againe with bright heads and looke whether this be treason or no Friart faynen that though an Abbot and all his Covent ben open traytours yet the king may not take from them an halfe penny Friars also destroyen the Article of Christian faith I beliefe a common or generall Church for they teachen that thâ— men that shall be damned be members of holy Church and thus they wedden Christ and the divel together Friars by hypocrisie binden men to impossible things that they may not doe for they binden them over the commandements of God as they themselves say Friars wast the treasure of the land forgetting Dispensations vaine pardons and priviledges But of the pardon that men usen to day fro the Court of Rome z they have no sikernes that is certainty by holy writ ne reason ne ensample of Christ or his Apostles By this we see that Wickliffe stoutly opposed those Innovatours the Friers who like their successours the Iesuites taught and practised obedience to another Soveraigne than the King persecution for preaching the Gospell exemption of Cleaâ—gy-men the use of Legends in the Church and reading of fables to the people pardons and indulgences the heresie of an accident without a subject singular and blind obedience and lastly workes of Supererogation Now whereas Wickliffe was reputed an Heretike it is likely that this imputation was laid upon him especially by Friars to whose innovations he was a professed enemy PAP Many exceptions are taken against Wickliffe and namely that hee held That God ought to obey the divell PROT. Our learned Antiquary of Oxford Doctour Iames hath made Wickliffes Apology and answered such slanderous objections as are urged by Parsons the Apologists and others Now for the objection made there is neither colour nor savour of truth in it there was no such thing objected to him in the Convocation at Lambeth neither can his adversaries shew any such words out of any booke written by Wickliffe although he wrote very many Indeed wee finde the quite contrary in his workes saith his Apologist for Wickliffe saith That the divel is clepid that is called Gods Angell for he may doe nothing but at Gods suffering and that he serveth God in tormenting of sinfull men The phrase indeed is strange and if either he or any of his Schollers used such speeches their meaning haply was that God not in his owne person but in his creatures yeeldeth obedience to the devill that is sometimes giveth him power over his creatures PAP Wickliffe taught That Magistrates and Masters are not to be obeyed by their subjects and servants so long as they are in deadly sinne PROT. Even as light House-wives lay their bastards at honest mens doores so you falsely father this â—is-begotten opinion on Wickliffe which some of your owne side say belongs to one Iohn Parvi a Doctour of Sorbone And indeed in right it is your owne inasmuch as you upon colour and pretence of heresie in Princes absolve subjects from their Allegeance and raise them up in armes against their lawfull Soveraigne witnesse your bloody massacres in France the death of the two last Henryes in France the untimely death of the Prince of Orange the many attempts and treasons against Queene Elizabeth as also that hellish designe of the Gun-powder treason But supppose Wickliffe said so yet his words might have a tollerable construction to wit that a Prince being in state of mortall sinne ceased to be a Prince any longer he ceased to be so in respect of any spirituall right or title to his place that he could pleade with God if he were pleased to take the advantage of the forfeiture but that in respect of men he had a good title still in the course of mundane justice so that whosoever should lift vp his hand against him offered him wrong Wickliffe indeede admonisheth the King and all other inferiour Officers and Magistrates as elsewhere he doth Bishops That he beareth not the sword in vaine but to doe the office of a King well and truely to see his Lawes rightly executed wherein if hee faile then he telleth him that he is not properly and truely a King that is in effect and operation which words are spoken by way of exhortation but so farre was hee from mutiny himselfe or perswading others to rebellion that never any man of his ranke for the times wherein he lived did more stoutly maintaine the Kings Supremacy in all causes as well as over all persons ecclesiasticall and civill against all usurped and forreine Iurisdiction and one of his reasons was this that otherwise he should not be King over all England but Regulus parvae partis a petty governour of some small parts of the Realme PAP Wickliffe taught that so long as a man is in deadly sinne he is no Bishop nor Prelate neither doth he consecrate or baptize PROT. If Wickliffe said so he sayd no more than the Fathers and a Councell said before him Saint Ambrose saith Vnlesse thou embrace and follow the good-worke of a Bishop a Bishop thou canst not be The Provinciall Councell saith Whosoever after the order of Bishop or Priesthood shall say they have beene defiled with mortall sinne let them be remooved from the foresaid orders The truth is Wickliffe lived in a very corrupt time and this made him so sharpely inveigh against the abuses of the Cleargy but abusus non tollit rei usum and yet Wickliffe writeth against them that will not honour their Prelats And hee elsewhere expresseth his owne meaning that it is not the name but the life that makes a Bishop that if a man have the name of a Prelate and doe not answere the reason thereof in sincerity of doctrine and integrity of life but live scandalously and in mortall sinne that he is but a nomine-tenus Sacerdos a Bishop or Priest in name not in truth Neverthelesse his ministeriall Act may be availeable for thus saith Wickliffe Vnlesse the Christian Priest be united unto Christ by grace Christ cannot be his Saviour nec sine falsitate â—icit verba sacramentalia Neither can he speake the Sacramentall words without lying licèt prosint capacibus Though the worthy receiver be hereby nothing hindred from grace PAP Wickliffe held that it was not lawfull for any Ecclesiasticall persons to have any temporall possessions or property in any thing but should begge PROT. This imputation is untrue for what were the lands and goods of Bishops Cathedrall Churches or otherwise belonging to Religious houses which were given Deo Ecclesiâ— were they
kind that is Sacramentaliter figuraliter by way of SacrameÌ„t figuratively to wit as Saint Iohn Baptist figuratively was Helias and not personally So he saith of the coÌ„secrated hoast that it was Christs body in figure and true bread in nature or which is all one true bread naturally and Christs body figuratively And Wickliffe is very confident in his opinion for he saith that the third part of the Cleargy of England would be ready to defend the same upon paine of losing of their lives cum non fuerit materia martyrij plus laudanda there being no better cause of Martyrdome Of Images and Prayer to Saints TO speake properly saith Durand a the same reverence and respect which is due unto the Samplar or person represented is not to be given to the Image signe or Representee neither ought the imagâ— to be adored with Latria or divine worship for any reference or relation it hath to the thing represented thereby Holcot also a principall Schooleman saith No adoration is due to an Image neither is it lawfull to worship any image and his reason is this Latria or divine worship is due onely unto God But the image of God is not God therefore Latria or divine worship is not due unto an Image Otherwise saith he The Creator and the creature should both be adored with one honour By this wee see the Tenet of Thomas Aquinas controlled who taught that the Crucifixe and Image of Christ was to be worshipped and adored with the selfe-same honour to wit of Latria that Christ Iesus himselfe was to be honoured with Durand also held that it was utterly unlawfull to picture or represent the Trinity or God otherwise than as in Christ he tooke our flesh and was found among us as man Wickliffe was of opinion that it were better to banish Images cleane out of the Church and to this purpose he alleadgeth that noted saying of Epiphanius and according to his doctrine not long after William Nâ—vill Lâ—wis Clifford Thomas Latimer and Iohn Montague turned out Images out of certaine Chappels within their Iurisdictions Concerning prayer to Saints whereas wee hold it vaine to pray to the Saints deceased unlesse we might be assured that they heard and understood our prayers and beheld the secret thoughts of our heart some have conceited the glasse of the Trinity according to that of Gregory He that seeth God who seeth all things cannot but see all things in him but this saying is rejected by Hugo de S. Victore as wee heard in the last age as also by Occham Scotus and sundry other excellent men It is true indeede that they see God face to face 1. Corinth 13.12 yet this Faciall vision maketh not the blessed Saints to know all things Every one which beholdeth the Sunne doth not behold every thing which the Sunne effecteth and enlightneth The Saints know according to the capacity of creatures and so farre forth onely as it pleaseth God and is sufficient for their happinesse so that this glasse of the Trinity doth not represent things according to the manner of a Naturall Glasse but as Speculum voluntarium such a Glasse as maketh reflection of such notices as God is pleased to manifest more or lesse when in what manner and to what persons himselfe pleaseth Gregorius Ariminensis resolveth peremptorily that neither Saints nor Angels know the secrets of our hearts but that this is reserved as peculiar to God alone Besides there wanted not some who in this darke age of the Papacy held it superfluous to pray to the Saints insomuch that Iohn Sharpe in the Vniversity of Oxford publikely disputed these two questions of praying to Saints and of praying for the dead especially because it was esteemed by some famous men and not without probability that such suffrages and prayers were superfluous in the Church of God although some other wise men thought the contrary Wickliffe also is noted by Bellarmine for one that opposed Invocation of Saints Wickliffe indeede saith as followeth It seemeth to be a very great folly to leave the fountaine which is at hand and fetch water a farre off out of a muddy poole Who would make a Scurra or vaine fellow his spokesman to procure him accesse and audience in the Kings Court the King himselfe being more courteous and easilier to be intreated than the mediatour whom the petitioner used where Bellarmine bids us by the way observe how Wickliffeâ— compared the Saints deceased to scurrilous persons and troubled waters this indeed is a shrewd imputation but Wickliffe presently expresseth his owne meaning saying The Saints in Heaven although they be no scurrilous persons but incorporated into Christ by the free mercy of their Saviour yet they are lesse in comparison of him than any meane Groome â—ester or Paraâ—ite is in comparison of an earthly King Now what great harme is there in this comparison Iob compared man Yea a righteous man to a worme even the sonne of man which is but a worme Iob 25. v. 6. Yea but the word Scurra is an odious terme so it is indeed as now adayes it is used The vulgar Interpreter used the word Scurra and Lyra expounds it de vilibus perfonis of meane persons and our English translates it vaine fellowes Wehn David daunced before the Arke Michal sayd to him The King uncovered himselfe to day in the eyes of his servants as one of the vaine fellowes openly uncovereth himselfe Howsoever were it that Wickliffe used the Latine word Scurra in a mollified sence or the word Knave in the English Time we know is the Emperour of words and in processe thereof some of them degenerate from their first institution Idiota at first was used for a private man now we take it for a foole for an Ideot The Wise-men that came from the East were called Magi Math. 2.1 Now wee may not terme them Magicians for that were to call them Sorcerers if one should call a King a Tyrant it were treason or a Wise woman Saga hee would be hardly thought of so among the Latines Fur a Theefe when before it was a Servant Quid faciant Domini audent cùm talia Fures When Slaves thus saucy are What will their Masters dare In like sort the word knave sounded not formerly so odiously as now adayes it doth for Chaucer used it for a Servant Goe up quoth he unto his knave Cleape at his doore and knocke fast with a stone And in the same sence it is used by Sir Philip Sidney in his Arcadia If that my man must praises hâ—ve What then must I that keepe the knave Now to proceede Wicliffe in the other comparison alludes to that of the Prophet They have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken â—esternes that can hold no water and so indeed are the purest creatures in
Church holding that shee was a pure Virgin both before the birth of Christ and that shee also continued a Virgin all her life after condemned Helvidius for an Heretike now why were the Helvidians adjudged Heretikes surely because they beleeved more than was reveled in the word and would have thrust that on the Church for an Article of faith which had no ground at all And this is your case you over-â—each in your beliefe as the Helvidian Heretikes did witnesse your tenets of Transubstantiation adoration of Images Invocation of Saints Purgatory the Popes supremacie and the like wherein your faith is monstrous like the Gâ—ant of Gath who had on every hand sixe fingers and on every foote sixe toes and so it is with you who in the new Creed of Pope Pius the fourth have shuffled in more Articles of faith than ever God and his Catholike Church made Neither doe wee fall short in our beliefe for wee measure our faith by the standard and rule of Gods written wordâ— now since it jumpeth with the rule it neither faileth in defect nor over-reacheth in excesse Now by this time I hope I have performed the taske which I undertooke PA. You have indeed given in a Catalogue of visible Professors in some part of Christendome but what is this to the whole universall Church PRO. Very much for these particular congregations serve to make up the whole state of Christ his Church militant here on earth now this Church farre and wide dispersed hath in her particular members for substance of doctrine taught as wee doe To begin with the Easterne Church amongst the Grecians and Armenians The Grecians held that the Romane Church had not any Supremacie of Iurisdiction authoritie and grace above or over all other Churches They celebrated the Sacrament of the Eucharist in both kinds as we doe They denied that there was any Purgatorie fire They denied Extreame unction to bee a Sacrament properly so called They reject the Religious use of Massie Images or Statues admitting yet Pictures or plaine Images in their Churches The Armenians denie the true body of Christ to be really in the Sacrament of the Eucharist under the Species of Bread and Wine They denie the vertue of conferring grace to belong to the Sacraments Ex Opere operato They denie the Popes Supremacie and are subject to two of their owne Patriarches whom they call Catholicks They reject Purgatorie They have their publicke Service in their vulgar language The North-east Church amongst the Russians and Muscovites as they were converted to Christianitie by the Grecians so have they ever since continued of the Greeke Communion and Religion They have their divine Service in their owne vulgar language They reject Purgatorie They communicate in both kinds They denie the spirituall efficacie of Extreame unction To proceede now to the South-Church amongst the Habassines or mid land Aethiopians the Character of their Religion is this as I find it in Maâ—hew Dresser who reports it from Francis Alvarez a Portugal Priest and sometimes Legat into Aethiopia They communicate in both kinds They use no Extreame unction They reverence the Saints but they pray not unto them they doe much honour the mother of Christ but they neither adore her nor crave her mediation They have their Liturgie or Church Service in their owne vulgar language They have a Patriarcke of their owne who is confirmed and consecrated by the Patriarcke of Alexandria on which See they depend and not on the Romane In the Westerne Church we have the consent of the Waldenses in France the Wicklevists in England commonly called Lollards and Thaborites in Bohemia Here be then the Greeke and Latine Church the Churches in the the East West North and South all of them teaching for substance of doctrine as we doe I know indeed that Bellarmine sleighteth these Churches of Graecia Armenia Russia and Aethiopia saying We are no more moved with their examples than with the examples of Lutherans and Calvinists for they bee either Hereticks or Schismaticks So that all Churches be they never so Catholicke and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romanâ— Faith are either Schismaticall or Hâ—reticall But we may not be so uncharitable to these afflicted Churches For as learned Bishop Vsher saith if wee should take a survey of these Churches and put by the points wherein they did differ one from another and gather into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they all did generally agree we should find that in those propositions which without all controveâ—sie are universally â—eceived in the whole Christian world so much truth is conâ—eined as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation Object I except against the Greeke Church for that it denieth the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son of God Answer Every errour denieth not Christ the foundation Indeed it would have grated the foundation if they had so denied the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne as that they had made an inequalitie betweene the Persons but since their forme of speech is that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father by the Sonne and is the spirit of the Sonne and since as the Master of the Sentences saith Non est aliud It is not another thing to say the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne then that he is or proceeds from the Father and the Sonne in this they seeme to agree with us In eandem fidei sententiam upon the same sentence of Faith though they differ in words Since I say they thus expresse themselves they may continue to bee a true Church though erronious in the point mentioned In like sort Scotus following his Master Lombard saith that The difference betweene the Greekes and the Latines in this point is rather Verball in the manner of speech than Reall and materiall Besides it seemes by the same Scotus that the Greeks held no other Heresie then Saint Basil and Gregory Nazianzene held whom yet no man durst ever yet call Hereticks so that you must give us the famous Greeke Church againe PA. I have yet divers exceptions to take at your Catalogue as also at your English Martyrologie for you have named out of Foxe some for Martyrs who were very meane persons namely Iohn Claydon a Curriar of Leather Richard Howden a Wooll-winder as also some by name Thomas Bagley for a Martyr who was a married Priest PRO. What though some of them were tradesmen did not Peter stay divers daies in Ioppa with one Simon a Tanner Act. 9.43 Was not that godly convert Lydia a seller of Purple Act. 16.14 Hath not God chosen the base things of the world to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1.27 c. Besides they were no such base people for among others I produced
by the shew of old sacks old bottles old shoes old bread that was mouldie as if they had come a farre off whereas they dwelt but hard by in like sort you put on a visour of antiquity but once search the ground thereof and draw aside this maske and then your tenets appeare to be but noveltie in comparison of primitive antiquity for as Tertullian saith That is true which is first and that false which is later In a word we are no Innovators but Reformers we doe not professe any Religion new made but a religion reformed and refined so that wee may say with the Christian Poet Haec novitas non est novitas sed vera vetustas Relligio et Pietas Patrum instaurata resurgit Quod tua corrupit levitas et nota tuorum Segnities igitur si quis labentia tecta Erigat et sterilem qui mansuefecerit agrum Iudice te damnandus erit It is no novell thing wee preach But such as ancient Fathers teach The truth which former Popes conceal'd Doth now begin to be reveal'd Must he be blamed that repaires The ruin'd Church and weed's out tares And thus have our Reformers done And they for this must be undone It is true then that the good seed was first fowne by the Apostles and fructified in the Church generally for 60. yeares afterwards the Enemie supâ—r-seminavit zizania he resowed the tares which in part were weeded out by Waldo Wickliffe and Husse but more universally and publikely by Luther Calvine and others so that wee have not sowne any tares upon the Churches gleabe land but onely weeded out such as were sowne by others in the dead of the night in the time of ignorance not whilst the Husbandman himselfe slept For hee which keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth but cum dormirent homines whiles men slept that is the overseers of the Vineyard grew carelesse and negligent And thus might tares be sowne though the time and â—eedsman were not knowne for it is confessed by your Trent-â—athers That many things through the fault of times or the negligence and wickednesse of men have seemed to have crept in to the Masse which are repugnant to the dignity of so great a sacrifice and yet they cannot tâ—ll when these abuses crept in nor by whose default And thus by Gods assistance I have finished the taske which I undertooke having named out of good Auâ—hors a Catalogue of such professours as taught for substance as the Church of England doth and withall cleered the Catalogue of our professours from such exceptions as the adversarie hath made against them and in producing this evidence I have as hee speakes in Iob 8.8 enquired of the former ages and made search of their Fathers and have dealt as Ioseph's steward did when he made search for his masters Cup He began at the eldest and left at the youngest and the Cup was found in Benjamin's Sacke Gen. 44.12 we have begun with the former ages passed along the middle and descended unto Benjamin's even to the later ages abutting on Martin Luther's time and have found even with these younger ages the Cup that wee sought for to wit A Protestants Church visible and conspicuous And now having I hope satisfied your demand Where was our Church before Luther I would require the like of you namely to show if you can out of good Authours I will not say any Empire or Kingdome but any Citie Parish or Hamlet within five hundred yeares next after Christ in which there was any visible assembly of Christians to be named maintaining and defending either your Trent Creed in generall or these points of Poperie in speciall to wit 1. That there is a treasurie of Saints Merits and super-abundant satiâ—factions at the Popes disposing 2. That the Laitie are not commanded by Christs Institution to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in both kinds 3. That the publicke Service of God in the Church ought or may be celebrated in an unknowne tongue 4. That private Masses wherein the Priest saith Edite bibite ex hoc omnes eate and drinke ye all of this and yet eateth and drinketh himselfe onely bee according to Christs Institution 5. That popes pardons are requisite or usâ—full to release soules out of purgatorie 6. That extreame unction is a Sacrament properly so called 7. That we may worship God by an Image 8. That the pope cannot erre in matters of Faith Shew us now if you can or any Papist in the world that these points above named which are maine points with you inasmuch as you account the denyers thereof Hereticks shew us I say that they were generally and constantly held for Catholick Church tenets in the first five hundred yeares next after Christ which is the very flower of primitive antiquitie But of these matters since this present conference is enlarged beyond my expectation at our next meeting if you please Meane time and ever the Lord of his mercie direct us in his owne wayes In the old way which is the god way as the prophet cals it Ierem. 6.16 and call home such as wilfully or by igâ—orance have gone astray that at length they may be brought to that One Shepherd and that One Sheepe fold of Christ Iesus to whom with his Father and the blessed Spirit be praise for evermore Amen FINIS Approbatio Censoris PErlegi hunc Librum cui titulus The Protestants Evidence c. Quem quonià m doctum judico et in palaestrâ Theologiae versatis utilissimum typis mandari permitto THO WEEKES D. P. D. Episc. Lond. Cap. Domest Genâ—sâ—â— 3.34 Ierem. 6 1â— a Hosea 7.8 b Populaâ— Israel non solum fâ—it infâ—ctuâ— Idololatriâ Ieroboam sed Idololatrijs Gentilium existentiuÌ„ circa populum Israel Lyra in loc Galath 2.9 2 Sam. 3 39. Prov. 27. v. 6. Iudg 14.18 1 Sam. 13.10 * â—ardius enascitur seris umbram factura Nâ—potibus Cupressus a Prot. Apolog. Tract 3. chap. 2. sect 2. p. 330. b Testes res omnes reculae nullam in orbe religionem nisi nostram imis unquam radicibus insedisse Camp rat 10. c Seculis omninò quindecim non oppidum non villam non domum reperiunt imbutam doctrinâ— suâ id rat 3. d Constat manifestè nemineÌ„ toâ—o oâ—be mortalium ante M. Lutherum hoc est anâ—e annuÌ„ 1517 〈◊〉 qui eam fidem tenâ—râ—t Coster Eâ—châ—â—id Coâ—trovers cap. 2. c Bristowes Motivâ—s Presat Motive 45. f Romaniâ—ellarm â—ellarm lib. 3. de Eâ—cleâ— cap. 2. g In Sole id estâ— in maniâ—estatione Aug. tâ—m 7. cont litâ— Petil. l. 2. cap 32. h Soâ—t poâ—uit tabernaâ—alâ—m in eis id est in ciâ—tiâ— Hieâ—on iâ— Psal. 18. to â— i Ecceâ—â—ia non apparebit impiâ—s tunc persecutoâ—ibuâ— vâ—tra modum savientibus Aug. epist. 80. tom 2. k Math. 5.15.16 l Chrysost. in Mathâ— c. 5. hom 10. tom 2. * Montem â—on videâ—â— nâ—lo mireris oculos non habent August tract 1.
a monster And it may bee some of the well-gifted moderne Doctors may see as farre as some of the ancient Friar Stella though it bee farre from him to condemne the common exposition given by the ancient holy Doctors Yet I know full well saith he that Pygmeis being put upon Gyants shoulders doe see farther than the Gyants themselves Neither doe wee speake this as if wee refused the tryall of Fathers but partly to bring the matter to a shorter issue and partly to give the word of God the foundation on which wee build our faith it 's due for we doe usuallâ— produce the Fathers testimonies thereby to shew our consent with the ancient Church PA. Will you charge the Fathers with errour PRO. The Fathers being but men have erred through oversight and affection Saint Cyprian and a whole Councell with him â—rred in the point of Rebaptization whiles through too much hatred of Heretickes they condemned the Baptisme of Heretickes as unlawfull and would have them baptized anew Origen through too much compassion of the wicked thought that the Devills themselves should bee saved at length Tertullian through spite of the Romane Cleargie revolted to the Montanists and was taken up with their idle Prophecies and revelations Divers of the Fathers were tainted with the errour of the Chiliasts or Millenaries mistaken herein in that they thought that Christians afâ—er the Resurrection should raigne a thousand yeares with Christ upon the earth and there should marry wives beget children eate drinke and live in corporall delights which errour though flatly repugnant to the Scriptures which say that in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriagâ— but are as the Angels in heaven they fell into partâ—y by confâ—unding the first and second Resurrection Revel 20.5 and parâ—ly by taking that carnally which was mystically meant in the Revelations Revel 21.10 and 22.2 Besides the Fathers in the exposition of Scripture doe ofâ—entimes differ each from other as Sixtus Senensis hath observed in his Bibliothecâ lib. 5. PA. Though particular Fathers doe erre in some things yet the body of them is â—ound now we are bound to interpret the Scripture according to the joynt consent of the Fathers PRO. You have forfeited your bond for in the division of the ten coÌ„â—andements to conceale your Idolatry touching Image worship forbidden in the second you goe against the streame of antiquitie the learned Iewes the Fathers Greeke and Latine for though Saint Austin in respect of the mystery of the blessed Trinitie placed three commandements in the first table and seaven in the later yet there be a dozen of the Ancients that divide them as we doe namely the Hebrewes as Philo and Iosespus shew and amongst the Grecians Gregorie Nazianzene Origen Athanasius Chrysostome or whosoever was the Author of the worke unperfit upon Mathew amongst the Latines S. Ambrose S Hierome and one more ancient then they both to wit the Author of the questions of the old and new Testament going under Saint Austins name And for Historianâ— Sulpitius Severus in his sacred Historie and Zonaras in his Annals they be of the same mind where is now your submission to the joynt consent of the Fathers In like sort you hold that the blessed Virgin was free from all spot of Originall sinneâ— and yet the Scripture sayth That in Adam all have sinned Rom. 5.12 and your owne man Melchior Canus produceth seventeene Fathers to the contrary Sancti omnes all the holy Fathers that have mentioned this matter uno ore with one consent affirme the blessed Virgin to have beene conceived in Originall sinne And yet these be the men that crake of the unanimous consent of Fathers that the Fathers are as sure to them as Gregory the thirteenth is a loving Father to his children of the Church The truth is whatsoever they say of the Fathers to dazel the peoples eyes withall they use them as Merchants doe their Counters sometimes standing for pence sometime for pounds even as they be next and readiest at hand to make up their accounts neither are they farther entertained then they favour the keyes and authority of the Church saith Duraeus now by the Church he meanes the Roman Church And Gretsâ—r saith that if the Fathers teach otherwise than the Church namely the Roman Church then they bee not Fathers but step-fathers not Doctours but Seducers Cornelius Mus the Bishop of Bitonto sayth That in points of Faith he giveth more creâ—it to the Pope than to a thousand Austines Hieromes Gregories and yet these be the men that cry up the Fatheâ—s Now if the Fathers make so much for them or they of the Fathers how is it that they corrupt the writings of the true Fathers and devise such sleights to elude their testimonies how is it that they are driven to fly to the bastard treatises of false Fathers going under the name of Abdias Linus Clemens S. Denys and the like Knights of the Poste brought in to depose on their behalfe though others of their owne side have cashiered them as counterfeits for instance sake amongst the Popes decretall Epistles the first of Clemens written as is pretended to Iames the brother of the Lord is vouched by Bellarmine for proofe of the Popes Supremacie as also by the Rhemists to prove that Peter promised Saint Clement that after his departure he would not cease to pray for him and his flocke now this Clement is pretended to be the same that lived in the Apâ—stles times and is mentioned by Saint Paul but it is discovered for a counâ—erfeit for in this Epistle it is said that Peter prayed Clemens to write after his death this Epistle to Iames the brother of the Lord to comfort him and Clemens did so whereas Iames was dead long before Peter about an eight yeares at least now what a sencelesse thing is this to write letters to a dead man specially knowing him to be dead and hereupon Cardinal Cusanus hath cast off this Epistle as counterfeit In deed Turrian the Iesuit striveth to defend this Epistle but yet hee cannot shew by what carryer Clement did send the letters to Saint Iames. And yet must these bee vouched under the reverent names of Saints Abdias Saint Linus Saint Clement Saint Denys beeing not much unlike as one in Budaeus compares some grave pontifician Fathers to antiques in Churches which bow and crouch under vaults and pillars and seeme to beare up the Church as sometime the Pope thought hee saw the Church of Saint Iohn Latterane totter and ready to fall had not Saint Dominick upheld it with his shoulder whereas these doe not beare up the Church but are borne out by the Church and are indeed but puppets PA. Master Wadesworth saith Hee found the Catholickes had farre greater and better armies of evident witnesses than