vnto the and we shall be turned And what necessite driueth vs to this crie and lamentation surely euen the very same which moued that Prophet so to bewaile and lament when he saieth VVo be vnto vs bicause we haue sinned For truly I thinke we germans haue sinned tentymes more greuousely then those Iewes And what was the plage of their hainous offences the prophet declareth The crowne and garland of our head is fallen of I feare me we germans shall heue the selfe same plage onles we spedely do penaunce for our wickednes It foloweth in the lamentatiō Therefore my harte is heauy and full of griefe We alas are not yet come so farre towarde penaunce that our harte hath ben heauy for our sinnes For we yet contynew in them and why spede we not to penaunce Bycause our eyes are darkned and wherefore for the hille of Sion that is the Catholike church why what is befallen it bycause it is destroyed O Mercifull god this is to to true with vs Germans For amonge vs one saythe Here is Christ an other saythe there is Christ. this man saythe Amonge the Caluinistes is the churche an other saythe Amonge the Illyricans the thirde amonge the Indifferents the fourthe amonge the Osiandrins the fifte amonge the Swenck feldians and so with the reste whereas yet it is vnpossible it should be amonge them all why so bicause it is destroied it is scattered it is vndone And howe cometh it o holy Ieremije that the holy hill of Sion the Catholike churche is so wasted and destroied Foxes haue walked in it In dede foxes that is as S. Ambrose and S. Augustin expounde it suttle crafty deceitefull stinking and lurking heretikes These foxes haue onerrunne spoiled and destroied the holy hil of Sion the Catholike church of Christ. And as soone as the light that shineth from this hill the Catholike church of whom it is saied I haue set the vp as a lighte to all nations was ones in Germany darkned and extinguished mens eyes and hartes were so blinded that with open eyes they see nothing and are so sicke that they fele no paine at all nor perceaue not howe daily the Croune falleth awaye from their heades Let him therefore pray that can praye and who so euer feareth the smarte of gods rodde let him labour to escape it and crie with the prophet Turne vs o lorde vnto the. and that he faile not also on his parte let him saie with mouthe and perfourme in dede And we will be turned But bicause that as S. Augustin teacheth repentaunce which procedeth not of faithe is vnprofitable there is no hope of true repentaunce amonge vs onles we embrace the true doctrine of Christen fayth To the entent therefore that euery common laie man may be sure and perfit of the faith and religion which he foloweth I will adde hereunto to knitte vp this our simple treatise a litle piece out of a booke that Vincētius lyrenēsis wrote aboue twelue hūdred yeares past vnder Theodosius the Emperour for the mayntenaūce and setting forth of Catholike religiō A man peraduenture maye demaunde saith he seing the Canon of holy scripture is sufficient off it selfe for all pointes what nedeth the interpretation off the Church to be added thereunto to the which question he answereth For bicause forsothe holy scripture being depe and mystical is not of all men after the like sorte expounded but the sentences thereof some man expoundeth one waie some an other that allmoste as many men so diuers expositions may be drawen thereof For the Nouatian expoundeth it one waie Sabellius an other waie Donatus Arrius Eunomius Macedonius Photinus Apollinaris Priscillianus Iouinianus Pelagius Celestius and Nestorius al founders of sundry heresies folowe eche of them their owne proper and peculiar waie of interpreting holy scripture Wherefore it behoueth that in consideration of so many crekes and by erroneous pathes the line of interpreting holy prophets and Apostles be drawē and directed according to the rule of the Catholike and ecclesiasticall exposition In the Catholike churche it selfe we must seriousely prouide that we folowe onely that which is receaued in euery place at al times of al mē for this is Catholike in dede and properly as the worde it self emporteth comprehending all vniuersally This we maie so do if we folowe vniuersalite Antiquite and Consent Vniuersalite we shall folowe if we acknowledg that faith and belefe which the whole church through out the whole worlde acknowledgeth Antiquite if we departe not from those expositions which the holy awncient fathers haue lefte vnto vs. Consent likewise if in the antiquite we cleaue vnto the determinations of all or allmoste all priestes prelats and teachers of the church What then shall the Catholike and Christian man do if any part of the churche cutte it selfe of from the communion and societe of the generall belefe What other then that he muste preferre the whole body before the deseased parte What if some newe infection plage not onely some parte but the whole church Then must he diligently cleaue vnto the Antiquite or awncient receaued faith whiche can be seduced by no guile of nouelty VVhat if two or thre men or some one cyte or countre swarue from the Antiquite and receaued doctrine Then against the rashe ignorance of a fewe he must set the awncient and vniuersall decrees of some generall Councell What if such doubtes arise that no such decree can be founde Then let him labour to seke out and confer together the saiengs of the fathers such as though in diuers times and in diuers places yet remaining in the vnite and belefe of the Catholike church haue bē approued for teachers and doctours of the same and what soeuer he shal finde that not one or two onely of them but that al with one Consent haue clerely taught oftentimes writen and continually helde this without all doubte and stagger he ought to be leue Thus farre that holy father Vincentius Lyren It were much to be wished that this good and profitable booke were soundely and truly trāslated in to the vulgar tongue and so sett in printe to be read of all men For this holy father aboue twelue hundred yeares since hath so writen of this matter that he semeth thereby to cal to the Catholike vnite and prouoke to amendement off life not only the heretikes of his time but also euen these of our time To thentent that shaking off all sinne and heresie we might liue here in peace vnite and cōcorde and obtaine hereafter the euerlasting life praising with all the sainctes our Lorde and God for euer the which his dere son our Sauiour Iesus Christ by his tēder mercie and blessed merites graunte vs. AMEN FINIS A DISCOVRS VPON THE DOCTRINE OF THE PROTESTANTS TRIED BY THE THREE FIRST FOVNDERS and fathers thereof Martin Luther Philip Melanchthon and especially Iohn Caluin oute of whose workes are gathered sundry olde heresies absurdites and contradictions by
saide these euill abodements and will praie vnto God that it will please him rather to beare downe our sinnes with the balance of his mercie then to exacte them to the rigour of his iustice graunting to our aduersaries the loue of Christian and Catholâ—ke concorde and to vs the amendment to a perfiâ— life The wrath of God is slowe and although allwais iust yet neuer without mercie if at lest we labour rather to trie it mercifull then iust For it inuiteth vs first to acknowledg our sinne and expecteth our repentaunce before it pronounceth sentence to condemne vs. And what may we thinck of the prouidence of God taking awaye the auncient and aged princes and leauing aliue the yonge which for their tender age and small experience are like to swarue and misse in many matters Within the coÌ„pas of these thre yeres or there about what number of princes kinges and Quenes haue departed this worlde And to begin with the most principall The Emperour Charles the fifte died the laste yeare About that time died his two sisters Leonore wife vnto Frauncis theÌ„ frenche kinge and Mary wife vnto Loys kinge of Pannonia Mary also Quene of England maried vnto kinge Philip his son About that time also died Ihon kinge of Portugall Bona wife vnto Sigismunde kinge of Pole and Isabell his daughter maried vnto Ihon kinge of Hungary Not longe after also died two kinges in Denmark Christern and Christian sonne to kinge Friderike which had longe kept the other in prison Shortly afther these Harry the Frenche kinge died and a litle before him Paule the fourth B. of Rome What shall I nowe talke of the death of inferiour princes In the compasse of a shorte time died fowre of the Princes Electours of the Empire the bishops of Treuires of Ments and of Colonie and Ottohenricus Counte palatin of the Rhene and in Italy the Duke of Venis But what shall I speake of those whiche died this laste moneth Gustanus king of Suethland Frauncys the second the frenche kinge and Ernestus Duke of Bauaria Michael also Archebishop of Salisburg a vertuous and lerned bishop the bishops also of Frising and of Eystat your predecessour haue about this time ben taken out of this worlde And although it be true that Euripides saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al meÌ„ are borne to die and that Eschilus an other poet writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To serche out the cause of death is in the secrets of fortune yet the like is not of such straunge and rare maner of chaunces True it is and by a most iust order of nature hath allwaies ben a constant and sure ratified lawe that which Horace the poet writeth Pallida mors aequo cae VVith like force and foote death striketh at the doore Of the princes highe palais and the cottage of the poore But that so many kinges so many Quenes so many Princes in so short a compas as of thre yeares should all departe this life it is a rare matter the like whereof hath in fewe ages happened And may we thinke this to be a mere chaunce and casualtie or rather to haue proceded of the vnfallible prouidence of God Truly as the first I can not thinke so the last I must nedes beleue For doth not God by the mouthe of his prophet Esay declare vs his diuine prouideÌ„ce herein For Lo he saieth the Lorde God of hostes doth take away from Hierusalem and Iuda euery valiaunt and stronge abundance of bread and of water the mighty and man of warre the iudge and the prophet the wise and the aged maÌ„ the prince of fiftie yeares olde and the honourable the Senatours and meÌ„ of vnderstaÌ„ding the master of craftes and the well spokeÌ„ wisemaÌ„ And I shal geue theÌ„ childreÌ„ to be their princes and the delicious and waÌ„ton shall haue the rule of theÌ„ the people shall be ouerruÌ„ne and one maÌ„ shall be set against an other euery maÌ„ against his nâ—ighbour Tbe boye shall presume against the elder and the vile pâ—rson against the honourable and so forthe Thus the pâ—ophets in times past did so pronounce of the Iewes that it may well seme to be meÌ„t also of vs GermaÌ„s The truthe of the prophet concerning the Iewes the euent declared And that he will not lye touching vs it is not nede to declare in wordes the daily experience dothe showe it But seing that this mischef is so farre growen that by only repentaunce we may escape the rodde better it were for vs to amend our selues quietly then to repreheÌ„d other sharply seing that so it is now that if as an inferiour you do brotherly aduertise men you auaile nothing by entreating and againe if as a superiour you commaunde you get nothing by forcing Peraduenture therefore as S. Basile saieth in the like cause of a coÌ„mon vice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Better a man to holde his peace then to speake Being the parte of a good oratour as well in time to kepe silence as when occasion serueth to talke For as by doing the one he profiteth much so by neglecting the other he hurteth sometime And this the nerer I considre the more lothe I am to set vppon this enterprise And truly if I folowed herein my owne priuat quarel I might worthely seme vndiâ—cret and rash which would prefer my priuat commodite or incommodite before the publick and common or woulde esteme my priuat displeasure more then the profit and instruction of many But the loue of truthe shall here ouercom which as it is oppressed by silence so being discouered taketh force againe I had rather therefore if I must nedes somewaies offend smarte for telling the truthe then for dissembling by flattery Therefore iff I declare that which I haue perceaued if I aduertise men to beware of the mischef that I haue incurred my selfe I trust in so doing I shall offend no man I knowe there are amonge the rulers and noble men which if they plainly perceaued the deceites of these heretikes and knew what mischef ariseth thereby to them selues to theirs and to the whole common welthe they would not slowly and slackely as I did very vnwise but with spede as wise men returne to the trade of auncient and Catholike religion Therefore writing this booke most Reuerend I haue eftesoones ioyned teares with praiers beseching allmightie God as well for my enemies as for my frendes that it will please him of his goodnes to geue vs all one minde and one vnderstanding that we may knowe no other thinge nor thinke our selues wise in any other point then in Iesus Christ and he for vs crucified For he is the shoot anker of all Christian religion he is the only porte of our saluation Who so straieth from him he leseth God and life euerlasting And to this ende haue I directed bothe all other trauaill of my life and this my present labour that the vnlerned might hereby charitably be admonished and the lerned might
haue occasion better and depelyer to consider these matters In the meane season I haue endeuoured that in such thinges as I bring out of stories and factes of our time I might content all men offend no man But if there be any man that thinketh him selfe offended with this my booke otheâ— bicause I haue spoken more plainely then he would I should other bicause he taketh my wordes otherwise then I meaned him I beseche most hartely that he call vpon me and heare what I can saye for my selfe Surely I shall not be so frowarde nor so vnkinde but being better instructed of any man I will with all courtesie thanke him therefore and much more will I be glad to submitt my selfe to the lawfull and Catholike censure of the church Which being most reasonable if I can nether by entreating nether by any right obteine of my aduersaries I will patieÌ„tly suffer by God his helpe all that may happen and will defend notwithstanding according to my power the truthe of God his worde as longe as I liue Contenting my selfe for al rewarde of my paines if I may by this small trauaill either call any one backe thas is gone astraye or confirme any man that hath hitherto remained in the truthe Especially in this your Diocese most Reuerend Praelat to whom this vniuersite of Ingolstad is subiect Wherefore I most humbly commend vnto yow bothe this schole especially the study of Diuinite therein and me and all myne Fare yow well Writen on Christmas eue in the ende of the yeare 1560. To your most Reuerend highnes the most affectioned FRIDERICVS STAPHYLVS Counseller to the Emperoures Maiestie c. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GRACE FROM GOD AND PEACE IT is an olde and much receaued but a very euill custome that such as can not abide the truthe tolde them vse to slauÌ„der backbyte and raile at other especially for that by instinct of nature as a wise ethnike writeth men are more busy to espie other meÌ„s fautes then vertues And although this wicked custome hath allwayes from the beginning ben practised proceding of the corrupted nature off man yet neuer in any age it hath so much beÌ„ vsed as now sence Martin Luther brought out to light the fifte ghospell and sent abrode in to the world these vnhappy and vnghostely ghospellers which all Christendom now allmost to their greate lost and destruction is stuffed and stifled with all For where as this ghospel can neither be proued by any euidence of truthe neither as the true ghospell was be coÌ„firmed by operation of miracles these new preachers of our dayes haue turned all their force and power an other waie labouring to the and nayle by right and by wronge and by all meanes possible to bring the olde Catholike doctours and al such as folowe them in infamie obloquy and reproche to all the world And this lesson our aduersaries haue very perfitly lerned of their Master Luther and haue practised this precepte all waies hauing to do with me or any other Catholike man Neither will they by any meanes be brought from this their charitable custome while they liue perceauing well that by this crafty meanes they gett more grounde and deceaue more the people then euer they were able to do by plaine and vpright dealing Truly as for my part I confesse before God and his diuine iudgement my sinnes to be greate and many which can reioyse in no other thing nor otherwise praie then that good kinge Dauid vsing these wordes Lorde heare my praier heare me in thy righteousnes and entre not in to iudgement with thy seruaunt for no lyuing man may be iustified in thy fight to the whiche that notable sentence of S. Austen also agreeth saying Wo euen to the commendable life of men if thou o Lord doest examin and trie theÌ„ without thy mercie And thus must euery man be he neuer so holy and perfit iudge of him selfe if he respect the terrible iudgement of almightie God wherewith no man can stand without his mercie through Christ Iesus But in ciuill policie and trade of this worlde where the good a bearing of subiects is required euery maÌ„ ought so to ordre his life that he maye without groudg of conscience saye I can be charged with nothing howebeit I iustifie not myself herein And that saying of the prophet Iudge me o lorde according to my righteousnes For this is our glorie as the Apostle sayth the testimonie of our conscience Although therefore as I saied before I acknowledg my selfe for a greate sinner yet not with standing all daies of my life be it not spoken for any pride I haue allwaies endeuoured to haue the testimonie of an vpright conscience that I might geue a counte to such as required it of me bothe of my belefe and of my coÌ„uersation For this is the straight commaundement of almightie God and the doctrine of S. Peter the Apostle saying Be ye ready allwaies to geue an awnswer to all that shall aske you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes and feare hauinge a good conscience that whereas they backebite you as euill-doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conuersation in Christ. The which waighty precepts of holy scripture commaunding expresly euery man to be ready to geueaccompte of his hope and conuersatioÌ„ I being so bitterly and roughely prouoked of my aduersaries could not but purge and defend my selfe as reason required For as S. Hierom â—aieth He that neglecteth his good name is cruell and vnnaturall toward him selfe and as S. Austin saieth Our life we maintaine for our owne sakes our good name for other mens The wise man also saithe Better is a good name then much riches and to be loued is worth better then gold or siluer And the common talke telleth vs who hath lost his good name is more theÌ„ halfe haÌ„ged For these reasons therefore and diuers other I haue thought expedient to write and set forthe this brief and short Apologie to theÌ„teÌ„t that according to the duty of a ChristeÌ„ maÌ„ bicause other ordinary meanes of triall our aduersaries admit not I may declare to the world my innocency herein and remoue the haynous flawnders of my aduersaries which they laye out continually against me in pulpits in grammer scholes in their writinges and in famous libels To suspend therefore no longer the Godly and Christen reader we will nowe enter our Apologie being diuided in to thre partes The first is of the true and right vnderstanding of the worde of God and the ghospell which they saie I did before embrace and folow but now I abhorre and persecut The secoÌ„d part is of the traÌ„slation of the holy bible in to the vulgar German tongue whereof they bable that I go about amd deuise to make an inhibition against the reading of the german bibles The third part is of certain articles in controuersie which the Lutherans partly
Catholike that nedeth not this eure and instructions to thanke allmighty God therefore to praie for the protestant and all deceiued persons in matters of conscience and soule helth Vt idipsum dicamus omnes noÌ„ sint in nobis schismata simus autem perfecti in eodem sensu in eadem scientia that is that we may say all one thing and that there be no schismes amonge vs but that we be perfit in one self vnderstanding and in one self knowleadg Such perfectnes of vnite and agrement with amendment of life and true repentaunce our Lorde for his tendre mercy graunt our countre and all ChristeÌ„dom through the merites of his dere SoÌ„ our Sauiour and Redemer Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste be all honour and glory now and euer AMEN FINIS Quoniam viri doctissimi Angli sacraruÌ„ literaruÌ„ peritissimi apud me fide dignissimi ApologiaÌ„ hanc Friderici Staphylia Thoma Stapletono fideliter traductam attestati sunt itemque disceptationem ab ipso scriptam aduersus doctrinam Lutheri Melanchthonis Caluini vtilem per omnia Catholicam iudicarunt merito vtramque typis excudendam iudico Ita attestor Cunnerus Petri pastor S. Petri Louanij sacrae Theologiae professor .16 Nouembris an 1564. A TABLE OF THE SPECIALL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE APOLOGIE OF STAPHYLVS IN THE DIScourse of the Translatour and in the prefaces off bothe Gathered by the order off the A B C. The figure fignifieth the leafe B the second side A short description of the Author of the Apologie fol. 9. b. seq Abhominable heresics of the Lutherans touching Christ. fol 17 Heresies of Caluin about the Sacrament of baptim fol. 231. and in the leaues folowing The opinion of Caluin touching baptim refuted fol. 202. A contradiction of Caluin about baptim fol. 203. Certain protestants call baptim a bathe for swine fol. 109. Certain false translations of the english Bible fol. 5. b. Item fol. 152. seq The duty of a conuerted Catholike fol. 56. b. VVhat is Catholike 49. b. The church ought to be obeyed 62. b 63. VVhy Caluin may worthely be charged with the heresies off the Arrians the Maniches and other fol. 224. Detestable doctrines off Caluin fol. 112. Absurdites in the doctrine off Caluin fol. 190. seq The confession off Ausgpurg resemble the Synods off the Arrians fol. 186. The ciuill Lutherans resemble olde beretikes fol. 185. b. Vniuersalite Antiquite and Consent sure notes off the Catholike doctrine fol. 144 Conferring off Scribture is no certain rule to interpret scripture fol. 159. b. 160. VVhat the communion off England is fol. 205. That we receaue not a communion of Christes body poored downe vpon vs in the sacrament fol. 190. The communion off Caluin destroieth the necessite off communicants fol. 191. b. People nede not resorte to the communion by the doctrine off Caluin fol. 198. b. 204. b. Caluins doctrine about the blessed Sacrament condemneth the practise of the primitiue church fol. 198. excludeth the Apostles from receauing Christ in the laste Supper fol. 199. excludeth the triall that S. Paul requireth fol. 201. Caluin denieth scripture fol. 237. An impudent foly off him fol. 238. he furdereth the cause off the Anabaptistes fol. 240 he auoucheth doctrine off his owne without scripture and wil not allow the doctrine off the church without the same fol. 241. he requireth to be heard against expresse scripture ibidem b. The principles off the Catholike religion fol. 15 The difference of the present communion from the first fol. 8. Olde condemned heresies renewed by Caluin in the doctrine off the blessed Sacrament fol. 222. Contradictions in the doctrine off Caluin fol. 206. and in the leaues folowing Caluin belieth holy Scripture fol. 209. The cause off contradictions in caluin fol. 208. b. The Lutherans haue corrupted the Crede fol. 97. b. They denie an article off the Crede fol. 106. The communion off the protestants is but foode for refection fol. 228. b. VVhat the iudge off praesent controuersies ought to be fol. 20. b. A clere example off debating a controuersy fol. 21. VVhat is all the controuersy betwene the Catholikes and the protestants fol. 35. Caluin teacheth Christ to haue suffred in hell fol. 229. VVhat his doctrine is fol. 233. b. Off the Ciuill Lutherans fol. 182. b. The difference betwene Catholikes and heretikes fol. 24. The Catholikes haue the worde off God no lesse then the protestants fol. 33. The late death off many great princes in a short time fol. 26. b. Such death a token off Gods wrath fol. 27. Difference betwene life and doctrine fol. 35. b. Doctrine how it is to be tried by the frutes fol. 38. b. How to discerne true doctrine from false fol. 41. A brief recapitulation off the schismes and dissensions amonge the protestants fol. 93. Item fol. 249. Testimonies off Lutheran Superintendents and Ministres witnessing the disagreement in doctrine amonge them selues fol. 78. and in many leaues folowing Dissension destroieth heresies fol. 98. b. It is a sure token off heresy fol. 99. Praier for the dead defended again M. Grindall fol. 163. and in the leaues folowing commaundement in Scripture to praie for the dead beside the place off the Machabees fol. 163. The meaning off the Fathers praying for the dead fol. 171. English corrupted translations lerned of Luther fol. 68. 71. b. 72. b. off Munster fol. 155. b. 156. off Caluin fol. 158. Excommunication off the protestants embarreth not from the communion by the doctrine off Caluin fol. 196. b. A good lesson for England fol. 126. 138. b. A corrupted text off Luthers in the english transl fol. 68. 71. b. .72 b. Brauling amonge the Archeprotestants for ecclesiasticall gouuernement fol. 45. 46. Holy Fathers despised by olde hertikes as by our protestants now fol. 32. b. 178. A very good faith off a coolyar fol. 53. Faith is one in all but trade off life diuers fol. 122. Lutherans do thaunge hope in to faith and cosidence fol. 124. The frute off only faith fol. 128. That we eate not the body off Christ only by faith fol. 196. b. A question to the Geneuians off England fol. 204. b. A straunge order off seruing the church in Germany fol. 43. b. A notable example off the sundry sectes in Germany fol. 56. b. 57. The ghospell off Luther decaieth daily fol. 121. The first Apostles off the Germans fol. 126. b. The ghospellers doubt and vary what the ghospell preacheth fol. 91. The mariages off new ghospellers fol. 96. b. The miracles off the new ghospell fol. 35. The markes off the heretikes off the primitiue church 24. The same marke in our heretikes fol. 25. A readie waie to trie out an heretike fol. 53. An answer to stoppe the mouth off an heretike fol. 54. A lesson off S. Antony to auoide â—eretikes fol. 62. The maner off heretikes fol. 67. Heretikes off great vertu in apparence fol. 38. Off the Canonicall howres off
perilous dissēsion amonge the papistes If our doctours and diuines should vse suche arguments against them howe woulde they scoffe and scorne at it But these ghospelling preachers vsing such must not onely not be founde faute withall but must be highely praised and commended therefore as men of excellent vertu and knowleadge Whiche allthough it be very iniurious and may well be complained of yet sence that it liketh them so to vse vs we must take it in good parte and beare it But as touching the matter euen as in our Christen religion we haue lerned of S. Paule to acknowleadge and beleue in one God euen so we must professe one faith and one baptim Although therefore among religious men and womē there be diuers orders and sundry rules likewise betwene the clergy and the laite diuers professions and vocatiōs and that by the sure and certain prouidēce of almightie God yet among these al there is but one God one faith one Christ one church one and the selfe same interpretation of holy scripture We by the true vnderstanding of Gods worde haue lerned in the churche the difference betwene the Catholike faythe of all men and the priuate hope of eueryman First in the articles of oure belefe we beleue al one thinge and al after one sort But to euery man priuately it is permitted that vpō right cōscience and due consideration for the encrease and cōfirmation of his hope which lacketh not his sure rewarde he maye take and chose vnto him some such honest trade of life and cōuersation as is agreable to his nature though he differ hereby from the common life and vocation of other men Therefore as concerning the agreement of our faithe we reade in the Apostle If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if there be any comforte of loue if there be any feloweship of the spirit if there be any compassion and mercie fullfill ye my ioye that ye be like minded hauing one loue being of one accorde that no thing be done through strife or of vaine glory And againe Neuertheles vnto that whiche we haue attained vnto let vs procede by one rule that we may be off one accorde Many such sentences are in holy Scripture whereby we are admonished that the doctrine of our faithe and belefe ought not to be referred to any one state or person but to the whole communite off Christ his churche Wherefore S. Iames commaundeth That we esteme not the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christe in respect of personnes Whereof it appeareth euidently that the vnite consent and agreement of our faith is builded and grounded vppon the communite off Christes Catholike churche Whereby all schismes and particular heresies are excluded But that the diuersite of grace of giftes and vocatiō is to be referred to the condition of euery man And what is the reason hereof Bicause as we haue many membres in one body but all membres haue not one office so all Christen men are one body in Christ but euery one hath his singular and peculiar giftes grace and vocation And this blessed Apostle saithe also in an other place Let euery man trie his owne doing and so he shall haue glorie in him selfe onely and not in an other For we shall all stande before the iudgment of Christe that euery man maye receaue the workes of his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Seing thē these two pointes the agreement of faithe and diuersite of vocations are in the Catholike churche by due reason to be waighed and eche in his place to be osberued I can not sufficiently maruaill at the sutle shifte and wily deceit off these Lutherans forcing the Catholikes to suffer amonge them heretikes beleuing as they list and sowing schismes at their pleasure bidding them withall dissemble and winke at the matter whereas yet them selues will not suffer the like liberty in diuersite of vocations amonge the Catholikes but will persuade Princes and Magistrates to force their subiects bothe temporall and Spirituall and Religious of all sorte to forsake their godly vocatiō and perfit professiō and to take such a frame of faith as it shall please the Prince or Magistrat to prescribe them What other thinge is this then to make that diuers and different in the Catholike faith whiche should be one and vniforme and that one and vniforme in persons and vocations whiche should be diuers and different O horrible confusion If there were not beside this point manifest and outragious impietes of the Lutherans repugning bothe to right reason and to the worde of God whereby we might iudge howe pestiferous abominable and wicked the doctrines and doings of these Lutheran preachers and protestant Ministres are yet of this only matter it might appeare euident while they confunde Vniformite and Diuersite Teaching that which ought to be in our belefe consonant and agreable that it maye varie and be diuers and cōtrairely those things whiche in euery mans peculiar vocation shoulde be proper and distinct maie in no wise varie or differ Whereof spronge the insurrection of the commōs in Germany the sedition of the Anabaptistes in West phalia and the rebellion against their highe rulers and magistrats Surely of no other roote then that Luther and all protestant preachers haue taught and do yet teache and write to that seing There is no respect of personnes before God therefore there ougth to be no difference of persons no magistrat in the church but that all Christen men are fre and therefore all other distinct estats dignites and qualites as well greate as small ought to be all one and all a like And whereof arise these greate and enormous dissensions in religiō but only of this occasiō that the Lutherās take awaie from the Catholike faithe all vnite and agreement and teache that euery man may be saued by his owne priuat faith which he forgeth him selfe and that he maye for his owne person frely beleue what he listeth Thus they would force the Catholikes to a certain dissembling deceit such as neuer was heard of As that they should suffer euery man to beleue as he list and set vp newe factiōs and schismes against the vnite and agrement of our faith But the difference of vocations qualites and degrees as is betwene lowe and high tēporall and spirituall priuat and publike they should no more suffer but make all estates cōmon all vocatiōs aequall al trade of life one and vniforme If this be not to confounde heauen and earthe surely I knowe not what heauen and earthe meaneth Colde which procedeth of water is of this nature that it knitteth and fastneth together diuers thinges in to one masse and substaunce and cōserueth them also in the same as golde siluer bras tinne leade claie also durte and wodde But heate contrairely resolueth and seuereth all these substaunces So likewise the property of faithe is to knitte ioyne
or of so smal faith as to doubt of their reste and perfit blisse which are already in heauen Let vs cōsider your maner of reasoning It is manifest saie you that those holy fathers ment nothing lesse then by praying for the dead to establish purgatorie or third place This you suppose as manifest without any proufe at all which you ought well and substātially to haue proued For hereupon depend your distinctions that folow But how better and trulyer saie we M. Grindall it is manifest that those holy fathers seing they praied for the dead that they ment vndoubtedly there was a purgatory or third place You suppose they prayed only for such as were already in heauen and herupon you make your distinctions But as your supposition is a point of sophistry called petitio principij and beside all reason and truthe so are your imagined distinctiōs vaine and foolish Wil you haue clere and euident proufes that the fathers praiyng for the dead meaned nothing so and that your suppositiō is voide of all truthe Or will you be contented hereafter that praier for the dead be solemnised in your churches if we proue vnto you the practise of the eldest fathers to haue ben such S. Denys you reiect for an awncient writer bicause of the iudgmēt of Erasmus Let vs geue you leaue to reiect him whom the sixtgenerall councell and second of Nice alleageth for awncient euen for Denys the Areopagita S. Paules scholer Whom thē may we alleage to testifie against you of such authorite that you will be contented to rest vpō him Your olde frēd and Master Ihon Caluin calleth oftentimes S. Augustin in dogmatibus ecclesiae fidelissimum vetustatis interpretem the faith fullest reporter of antiquite in doctrines of the church Let vs thē see what S Augustin reporteth of praying for the dead and of the meaning of the church therein Awnswering to the questions of Dulcitius demaunding amōge other thinges howe the soules departed were relieued by the praiers of the church after lōge debating the matter he concludeth in these wordes Cum ergo sacrificia siue altaris siue quarūcūque eleemosynarū pro baptisatis defunctis omnibus offeruntur pro valde bonis gratiarū actiones sunt pro non valde malis propitiationes sunt pro valde malis etiam si nulla sunt adiumenta mortuorum qualescunque viuorum consolationes sunt that is Therefore when the sacrifices either of the aultar or of any aulmes geuinge are offred for all Christen folcke departed this life for the perfit and very good they are thankes geuinges for meane euill though they are no reliefe to the dead yet they are certayn comfortes for the frendes that liue Thus farre S. Augustin In these wordes M. Grindall we lerne the meaning of the fathers prayng and offering sacrifices for the dead not to be allwaies thankes geuings or figures of eloquence as yow woulde haue them meane but to be thē only thanckes geuinges when they are offred for such as haue departed this worlde in a perfit estate and vprightnes of life For other departing as sinners but not extreme hainous and wicked they are he saieth Propitiationes propitiatory sacrifices that is such as purchase fauour and mercy at Gods hande The third sorte of men though Christned yet being Valde mali that is so euill that they die without true repentaunce they auaile not at al. We knowe well M. Grindall youre doctrine beinge builded vppon onely faith admitteth not these distinctions of the estates of men But the Catholike churche which condemned your heresy of onely faith in Eunomius and Aerius aboue twelue hundred yeares past as you heard before acknowledgeth them and teacheth them By the which distinctions also we lerne the meaning of the church praying and offering sacrifices for the dead As for the figures of eloquence Master Grindall which you imagin the fathers vsed praying for the dead is a figure of your owne called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in latin is called Mendacium we english men terme it a lye But you saie yow can showe by examples that the fathers so meaned Let vs heare and cōsider what they are You saie But I will make this matter more plaine by an example or twaine caete And then you bringe the wordes of S. Ambrose affirming first Theodosium frui luce perpetua tranquillitate diuturna pro ijs quae in hoc gessit corpore muner ationis diuinae fructibus gratulari to enoiye perpetuall light and continuall quietnesse and for those thinges that he did in this body to reioyse in the fruition of Gods rewarde and yet afterward praying for him in these wordes Domine da requiem perfecto seruo tuo Theodosio requiem quam parasti sanctis tuis Lorde geue rest to thy perfect seruaunt Theodosius the reast I meane which thou hast prepared for thy Saints In the first wordes say you he pronounceth plainly that Theodosius was vndoubtedly saued and in the later he praieth for him vsing a figure of eloquence and vehemency of affection Here ones again M. Grindall you turne the cat in to the panne and reason tout au rebours as the frenche prouerb goeth euen as you did before for as then you woulde ouerthrowe praier for the dead bicause you supposed there was no third place whereas the third place must nedes therefore be bicause the churche praieth for the dead so nowe the praying off S. Ambrose for Theodosius you call a figure off eloquence and vehemencie of affection but his wordes commending Theodosius you call a certain persuasion and plaine pronouncing of his vndoubted saluation whereas in dede the wordes of S. Ambrose commending Theodosius procede of a vehement affection and loue towardes that Emperour for how coulde he be assured in dede of his blessed state semed he neuer so perfitt in his life without some speciall reuelation from allmighty God which yet M. Grindall I dare saie you will not saie he had but his praier for the Emperour was the vsuall practise of the church vsed at all funerals in all ages sence Christen religion began Againe these wordes of S. Ambrose pronouncing Theodosius to enioy the perpetuall light and continual quietnesse cae may well be a figure of eloquence of Amplification and exclamation but the praying for him tel vs I praye you M. Grindall in what figure of Rhetorike you will put it Farder if that saying of S. Ambrose Domin◠da requiem perfecto seruo tuo Theodosio cae Lorde geue rest to thy perfect seruaunt Theodosius cae be a figure of eloquence vsed in that solemne funerall of that mighty and vertuous Emperour Theodosius howe wel might it haue becomed you also M. Grindal occupying the place of a Bishop as that blessed Doctor S. Ambrose then was and preaching at the funerall solemnite of that most highe mighty and vertuous Emperoure Ferdinandus as he did of Theodosius to haue saied also Da requiem Domine perfecto seruo tuo Ferdinando Lorde geue rest