vii deacons whē they put away the ceremonies of the old lawe Such decrees as the Apostles and clergye made at Ierusal without anye counsell of the laitie Saint Paule and other of the Apostles taught all Countries and Nations to obey and obserue and sith the Apostles time the clergye hais euer decreed matters of religion and fayth Nor it can not be proued that euer the laite in anye countrie or Nation afore the last parliament did presume to set forth a religion against the whole consent of the clergye Therefore this manner of ministration of sacramentes nowe vsed beinge against the consent and determinacyon of Christes Church which ought to be ruled and gouerned by Byshops it must nedes be schismaticall and they that vse this maner of ministration muste nedes be in schisme The blessed martir Saint Ciprian does declare what daunger they doe stand in that do vse this maner of ministration against the order of christes churche sayinge these wordes They be ennemies of the altar and rebelles against the sacrifice of christ contemninge the Bishoppes and forsakinge the Priestes of God they are bolde to sette vp an other Alter with vnlawfull voyces to make an other maner of prayer to prophane with false sacrifices the veritie of the blessed sacrament of the Alter nor they wyll not knowe theym that fare about to doe againste the ordinance of God For their bold rashnes by the punishment of god they shalbe punyshed as he punished Chore Dathan and Abiron which woulde offer vp Sacrifice againste the consente of Moyses and Aaron some were swalowed vp of the earth and the rest brent with fire to the terrible example of all others Hitherto be Saint Cyprians wordes Also almightye God by his holye Prophete Malachi does crye oute vpon suche Priestes as minister against the ordinaunce of Christes churche sayinge they dispise his name in offeringe vp poluted bread The Prophet Osee does call the sacrifyce of suche Priestes breade of mourninge and all that eate thereof shalbe defiled sayes the Prophet Almightye God does complaine by his Prophet Ezechiel sayinge the Priestes haue condemned my lawe and haue polluted my Sanctuarye woe bee vnto you that goo◠from the truth sayes our lorde by Esai Our lord sayes by his Prophete except suche Priestes will amende quicklye and geue glorye to his name they shall be brought into great necessitye and pouerty and he wyll curse their blessinges and bicause they haue made voyde the pact of Leui they shall be in contempt in all people The. v. aunswere UUhat if this order of ministringe and commen prayer was not agreed on by the vniuersall churche in generall councell Is it not good therefore Than is neyther their latin Portuis nor Missall and masse booke good for the generall churche neuer alowed them as I declared afore It is free for all countries to differ in outwarde order of prayer and ceremonies so that they agree in substaunce of doctrine with the scripture But the laite he sais hais nothinge ado with spirituall matters and religion and alledges Thactes of Apostles how wil he proue that none of the elders there were of the laite nor none of the multitude in the choisinge of the Deacons vnto it be wel proued it maye well be doubted on As in other things so in this he shewes him self how learned he is whan the lawe of God was neglect in the dayes of Saul Dauid commyng to be king and moued with loue of religion cals all the nobility and worshippe of the Realme together thirty thousande and also the leuites and Priestes to knowe their mindes whither they woulde bringe home the arke of God and restore the religion decaied or no and they aunswered al yea what a great parliament was this and full of the laite to determine for receyuynge of religion Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias good kinges sent their visiters abroade throughe the Realme ioyninge in commission from the king noble menne of the laite to go in visitacion with the Leuites Legenda sanctorū telles howe king Dswi cald a synode at Whithy for takinge awaye that diuersitye of kepinge Easter which was here in the Realme whan some kepte it in the ful mone what daye of the weke so euer it fell on other onely on the sonday folowinge Wherein appeares thautoritye that the king iustly clames to him selfe in religion euen in that blinde age whan he cals the learned men together to dispute on it heares what they can saye and concludes so the matter himselfe that all other didde folowe his sentence Ioan Gerson and Panormitanus as I alleged afore no new protestantes but auncient catholicks and both being present in the last counsels at Constance and Basil said they woulde rather beleue a pore simple learned lay man that bringes and alleges the holy scripture than all the whole counsell hauinge no scripture for theym Gods trueth is not bound to miters Byshops and Priestes alone but lay menne may haue and oft haue better the true vnderstandinge of it than those that looke highest in the clergye and therfore they are to be beleued and hearde aswell as the Priestes Did not king Dauid no Priest set in order the leuites howe they shoulde resort in course to serue in y e tabernacle made the Psalmes appointed theym howe where and whan they shoulde be songe Ezechias and Iosias pulled downe the brasen serpent and other Images Did not Prescilia and Aquila teache Apollo the misteries of the scripture By these I trust it appeares that lay menne may doe some thing in religion If these may not serue looke the statutes of Queene Marie how she takes away one religion and bringes in an other and there is no more done now howe blynde be they in their owne causes and partiall to them selfes But it was neuer hard of he sais that the laite in any countrie presumed to set forth a religion agaynste the hole consent of the clergye afore the last parliament O proude bragge was all the clergy of the realme conteyned in a few horned popyshe Byshoppes Was there no Clergye in the vniuersitie nor other partes of the Realme beside those fewe Byshops did not manye in the vniuersitye and abrode in the Realme vse thys seruyce openlye and commenly in their churches afore it was receyued or enacted by parliament Bicause the rulers the Scribes and all the Priestes Act. iiii ▪ forbade Thappostles in their Parliament and counsel that they shoulde not preache Christ anye more were not the Apostles therfore of the clergye or was not their doctrine good because it was condēned in that wicked counsell Was there not a disputacion for religion appointed by the Quenes maiestie wherein youre Clergye was afraide to vtter their foolyshnes in defendinge their supersticion least they hadde taken more shame in aunsweringe than they did in holdinge their peace whiche well they coulde not I thinke the vniuersities with so manye places of the Realme recayuing
sellinge feightinge and brawlinge although these be verye euill and worthie much rebuke yet there be worse abuses as blaspheming God in lyinge Sermons polluting the Temple with Schismaticall seruice destroying and pullyng downe holye aulters that were set vp by good blessed men there the sacryfice of the blessed Masse ministred according to the order of Christes catholycke Church Yea where the alter stode of the holy Ghost the new Bishops haue made a place to set their tales vpon and there sit in the iudgement of such as be Catholycke and liue in the feare of God Some they depriue from their liuinges some they commit to prison excepte they will forsake the Catholicke faith and embrase a faith and religion that hais no foundacion layde by generall Counseil nor blessed fathers in times past but inuented by Heretikes that do not agree one with another nor them selfes Thus the Bysshops that now be haue abused the Churche and polluted it as the Prophete Hiere sais they haue put offendicles in the house of God and polluted it Also the said Preacher in his Sermon at Paules Crosse didde declare the vertue of obedience to be muche decayed in these oure dayes but he leaues out who they be that cause disobedience For there is none more disobedient then the new Bisshops and Preachers now a dayes which disobey the vniuersall Church of Christ the which Churche whosoeuer will not obey our Sauiour in the Gospel commaundes vs to take them as infidels As where the vniuersall Churche of Christ commaundes Masse and seuen Sacramentes as necessary for our saluation they call it abhomination wyth their blasphemous mouthes where the Church commaundes to fast they commaunde to eate where the Churche commaundes continuall prayer of the Clergie they call it supersticion and blind ignoraunce where the Church commaundes the Clergie to liue in chastity they commaund and exhort the Clergie to mariage where the Churche and all lawes ciuill and canon yea the lawes of this Realme do prohibit mariage of Priestes they alow mariage of priestes obeying no law but folow their owne carnal lust Yea where the Quene hais geuen streyght commaundement to abstayne from flesh in Lent and other dayes commaunded by the Church these new Preachers and Protestantes haue eaten flesh openly to the great sclaunder of other so they obey neither the Quene nor the churche so that almighty God complaines by his Prophete Esai tota die blasphematur nomen meum with these menne God is continually blasphemed wo be to you sais Esai that call good euill and euill good putting darkenes light and light darkenes as by Ezechiell sais almighty God the Priestes haue contemned my law and haue polluted my Sanctuarie Also O see the Prophete does saye the bread that they doe offer is full of mourning â–ª and all that cat ther of shalbe defiled We maye see how they contemne all that blessed fathers holye Martirs and Saintes haue decreed they disobey all that haue bene vertuous and good in Christes catholick church As now of late they haue inuented a new way to make Byshops Priestes and a mannor of seruice and ministracion that Saint Augustine neuer knew Saint Edmund Lanfranc Saint Anselme nor neuer one Byshop of Canturburie sauinge onelye Crammer who forsoke his profession as Apostata so that they muste nedes condemne al the Byshops in Canturbury but Crammer and he that now is al the Bishops in yorke sauinge Holgate and he that nowe is although Saint wilâ—â—â—d Saint willyam haue bene taken for saintes and were bishops in yorke In Couâ—ntree and Lichfelde Saint Chad was Bisshop and many blessed Bishoppes And he that is Bishop now can find not any one that was made as he is nor of his religion Therefore he muste proue al Byshoppes of Lichfelde were deceyued walked in biyndnes and ignoraunce or els he that now is must needs be deceiued and be in blindnes In Duresine haue bene manye good fathers but he that is now Bishop can not find any one Predecessor in that see that was of hys religyon and made Byshop after such fort as he was so that he that now is must take in hand to condemne all the Byshops afore him that they were in ignoraunce and blindnes or els they will come to his condemnation at the daye of iudgement And this in all Bishoprickes in England some can find one and some none that euer was of their religion What arrogancy maye be thought in those men that will take in hand to contemne so many blessed fathers all to be in blindnesse But nowe they saye they haue founde a lyght and reforme religyon according to the primitiue Church Then seing they reforme religion so well as they saye it were meete as they forsake all the religion that their predecessors vsed as Masse Mattins ministracion of sacraments that they should also forsake houses â—arkes landes and reuenues that their predecessors had and go from place to place for Gods sake and preach and thâ—n were some liklyhode of reformation or els it may be called rather a deformation then a reformation In Christes Church hais euer bene a succession of Bishops from the Apostles time to this day in euery see And Tertullian saies if in any see there be a Byshop that walkes not in his fathers steps he is to be counted a bastard and no true inheritor in Chrystes Churche Saint Cypryan does say they that be made Byshops out of the order of the Church and not by tradition and ordinance of the Apostles coming by succession from time to time are not Byshops by the will of god â—ut theues and murtherers comming to kill the flocke of Christ with heresie and lies And where the saide Preacher does affirme greater matters then the brinning of Paules to haue chaunced in time of supersticion and ignoraunce as the Church of Paules was â—rent in the first yeare of Steuen and the Steple of Paules set on fire by lyghtninge in the tyme of kinge Henrie the vi they that count that to be the time of supersticion and ignoraunce when God was serued deuoutly night and day the people liued in the feare of god euery one in his vocation without reasoning contencion of matters of religion but referred all suche thinges to learned men in generall counsailes and vniuersities there to be disputed then was the commaundementes of God and vertue expressed in liuinge now all is in talke and nothinge in liuinge then was prayer now is prating then was vertue and now is vice then was buildinge vp of Churches houses of religion and hospitals where prayer was had night and day hospitalitye kept and the poore relieued now is pulling downe and destroying such houses where God should be serued hospitalitie kept and the poore releiued by meanes wherof Gods glory is destroyed and the commen welth impouerished then was plenty of all thinges now is scarcenesse of all thinges therfore Operibus credite the frute will shew
worde and therfore we can not beleue theym For we read that Christ tooke the substance of his fleshe of the virgin Mary but neuer of breade Onelye the Romishe prelates haue made this marchaundise put in that article taught this doctrine and beleue this contrarie to the whole churche of Christ beside theymselues Than it is they that disobey the Churche and not wee I spake sufficientlye for theyr masse and Sacramentes afore yet for their sacramentes nowe a litle more He sais here that there be vii Sacramentes necessarye to saluation and yet wythin fewe wordes folowinge he denyes maryage to Priestes and that is as much to saye as eyther that mariage is no Sacrament or that Priestes shall not be saued There is but one waye of saluation for al men than Priests must eyther be saued that way or els condemned But it is to foolyshe to saye that anye manne shall be condemned except he be maried Shall none be saued but maried folkes whan he lookes at him selfe beinge vnmaried and yet not so chaste he will saye naye Than vii sacramentes are not necessarye for saluation to euerye man for many haue bene saued without manye of theym as mariage extreme vnction order of Priesthode shriuinge Byshoppinge and the Lordes supper Who is so ignoraunt but he knowes that many children neuer yea and olde folke to neuer receiued all those his Sacramentes whiche God forbidde should all be condemned No learninge can beare this saiynge to be true that there be vii sacramentes necessarye to saluation therfore by this iudge the rest of his sayinges And least he shoulde thinke the generall order of the Churche to be thus thoughe manye particulars neuer receiue theym yet in searching he shal find that tobe vntrue to Socrat. lib. v. cap. xix Sozo lib. vii ca. xvi in their Ecclesiasticall histories wryte teach that shriuing to a Priest was not cōmaunded by god but inuented by man and therfore whan they see it abused they toke it awaye and vsed it not any more In y e time of Theodosius Themperor iiii c. yere after Christ and Nectarius being Byshop of Constantinople as they write there a Diacone of the churche get a Gentel woman wyth chylde in the Churche that came to be shreuen while she was there doing the appointed penaunce by her ghostlye father The hole churche was so offended at it that not onlye there but manye other Bishoppes beside in their churches left of afterwarde that order of shriuing and lefte euerye manne free to the examination of his owne conscience for his sinnes There hays bene nothynge more profytable to the Pope than thys care shriuinge hais besyde manye suche lyke fylthynesse done by it as thys Diacon didde for no time was fitter to woe or worke their feate in wythoute suspicion than shriuing time No prince coulde enterprise or purpose anye great thing but his confessour wold by some meanes learne it vnder confession and declare it to the Pope or his chaplains Eliseus by the spirit of God neuer told more secret thinges what the kinge of Siria did in his priuy chamber than the Pope coulde learne by these his confessours the secret pourposes of all Princes Than if confession might be taken away as here appeares it was it is not so necessary to saluacion nor the vniuersall Churche hais vsed it euer as he sais nor we disobey not the Churche in leauinge it of seing so many holy men haue done it afore vs. Ioan Dominus writing on the. iiii booke of the sentences distinc xvii and serching out where this their sacrament shoulde be bilded writes thus If we saye it is grounded on the saying of Saint Iames confesse you one to an other manye inconueniences wil folow for so euerye man might heare an others confession howe should Saint Iames Byshop of Ierusalem commaund Peter the highest and the Romyshe Church If it be grounded on Saint Ihons sayinge whose sinnes ye doe forgeue they are forgeuen yet there is no mention to do it in his eare If that will not serue than saye that it comes from Thapostles yf that serue not because y ◠Grecians vse it not than saye it comes from Ro. as does the Cōmunion in vnleuend bread thus ye see what harde shiftes they are driuen to in triynge out the autoritye and auncientye of this their sacrament and howe small it is whan it comes to profe But if ye wil iudiffrently iudge whether the newe Bishops or the olde obeye their Prince and Goddes Church better read the othe of them both and than iudge The Pope firste deuised an othe for hys Byshoppes to sweare at their creation and whan that was not thought straite inoughe he deuysed this afterwarde I N. Byshoppe of N. from this houre forwarde shalbe true to Saint Peter and the holye Romishe Churche and to my Lorde Pope N. and to his successours entrynge canonicallye I shall not be in counsell consent nor at dede that he may loose his life or that anye member maye be taken from him by deceyte or violent handes layde on him or wrong done to him by anye meanes That counsell that shall be declared to me by him selfe letters or messengers I shall not disclose to anye manne wittingly to his harme I shall helpe to defende the Popedome of the Romishe churche and the rules of holy fathers and the rialtes of Saint Peter againste all menne sauinge my order I shall not be at anye councell or dede where anye euil is deuised against the honour and power of them but to my power I shal stoppe it and so shortly as I can signify it to our lorde Pope or some other that will tell it his holiner Hereticks schismatickes and rebelles to oure lorde Pope to my power I shal pursue c. Loke how well our holy prelates kepe their othe to the Pope deny it to their lawful Prince The othe of the newe Byshoppes is in print in Englyshe and so knowen of al that lust to learn that I nede not to write it and although the Popishe prelates refuse to take that othe because it makes the Prince the chyefe gouernonr ouer them whiche they can not abide herafter in his proper place where he falles into that question I shal entreat of it Secondly where he charges vs that where the Churche commaundes to faste we commaunde to eate and haue eaten fleshe in Lente and other forbidden dayes we speake plaine Englyshe and saye he lies Under the name of the Churche he euer vnderstandes Rome yea and not whan it continued in anye pure religion but euen in these latter dayes whan it is euer whelmed wyth infinite supersticious Fasting dayes be appointed commenlye by euerye particular churche and countrye rather than by the uniuersall Churche but yf anye kynde of fasting be generall I say they breake that order rather than we Ambro writes on the. xvii cha of Luc. that for the space of l. dayes betwixt Easter and
wife must be blessed of the Priest The writer of the rule of clerkes liues agreing wyth these and suche sentences of the scripture sais A clerke must be chast or els bounde with the bande of one mariage Of all whiche sayinges he gethers trulye that a Bishoppe and Diacon are to be blamed if they be deuyded into manye women but if eyther Bishoppe or Diacon forsake one woman for religion sake the canonicall sentence here condemnes theym without respecte of their degrees sayinge A Byshop vnder pretense of religion must not put awaye his owne wife if he put her away let him be excommunicat but if he continue let him be deposed postea There be some which take S. Gregory for a help of this opinion whose folyshnes I laughe at and am sorye for their ignoraunce they know not that the perillous decree of this heresy made by S. Gregory was purged afterward of him by worthy fruite of repentance For on a time when he sende to his pounde for fyshe and see mo than six thousand childrens heades brought he sight moued with inwarde sorowe and confessinge that decree whiche he made for forbearinge of mariage to haue bene the cause of so greate a slaughter did purge it with worthy frute of repentaunce and condemninge his owne decree praysed that counseel of the Apostle It is better to mary than to burne addinge for hys part this It is better to marye than giue occasion of murther Thus muche among many other reasons concerning this matter this Byshop wrote a. vii c. yeare sins Frere Mantuan says that Hilary the learned writer Byshop of Poiters in Fraunce was maried The counsell Gangrēse about a iii. C. yeare after Christ says If anye man thinke that it is not lawful for a maried priest to vse his ministery or abhorre him for that cause cursed be he The Priestes of Spane did earnestlye defend their mariage againste Pope Syricius beynge angrye wyth them Thus ferre ye see of howe late yeares and howe troublesome a beginninge this forbiddinge of priests mariage had in other countries now let vs see a little howe and whan it began here in Englande that this proude prycker and vnlearned papist may see his owne folyshnes If I should begin at Wales the reliques of the old Britans whiche haue at all times suffred their Priestes to marye in al poperye parauenture some would call them concubines for a shifte rather then wiues as they be in dede but surely if papistes will suffer fathers so to bestowe their daughters and their chaplains to keepe vnlawfull women rather than their lawfull wiues as Pigius their great patrone sais it is better for a priest to keepe a whore than haue a wife they declare whose children they be Mariage is of God whoredome is of the Deuill therfore I come to more certayn things In the time of Kinge Henrye the first Paschall beinge Pope and Ansel. Bisshoppe of Cantorb about iiii C. yeares sins this diuorcynge of Priestes began chefely here with vs. The Pope willed Ansel. to do it he attemted to do it and the kinge withstode it as appeares by sūdry Epistles of Ansel concerning the same matter Epi. lxxvii iii. c. lxxvi Ansel. to his brether sunnes the lord Prior Ernulph other seruing god vnder him in Christes church in Cantorb gretinge and his blessinge As concerning Priestes of whom the kinge gaue commaundement that they shoulde haue both their Churches and their wyues as they had in the tyme of his father and of Lanfranc late archebishop yet both because the kinge hais reuested and reseased me of the whole archbishopricke and also because so cursed a mariage was forbidden in a counsell in the time of his father and the same Archbishop boldly by that autoritye which I haue by tharchbishopricke I commaunde not onlye within tharchbishopricke but also through oute England that all Priestes which kepe their wiues shalbe depriued of their churches and ecclestasticall benefice Marke the thinges conteined in these few wordes the kinges commaundement for Priestes to kepe their benefices and wyues both contrarye to Pope Gregories decree afore and yet not contrarye to the custome in his fathers tyme and Bysshop Lanfranc And where Ansel. demaunded the Popes aduise what was best to doe seinge it was so harde to diuorse theim note the Popes aunswere Epist. iii. C. xxxi Paschal Byshop seruaunt of Gods seruauntes to his reuerende brother Anselme Byshop of Cantorb gretyng and Apostolicall blessing We beleue youre brotherhode is not ignorāt what is decreed in the Romish churche concerninge Priestes chyldren but because ther is so great a multitude of such within the Realm of England that almost the greater and better part of the clarkes are reckened to be on this side we commit the order here into your charge For we graunt those to be promoted to holye offices by reason of the nede at this time and for the profet of the church whom learning and life shal commende amonge you and yet notwithstandinge the preiudice of the Ecclesiastical decree be taken hede to hereafter Here I note the Popes confession that almost the greater and better part of the Clergye here in Englande were maried than and that he suffers theym to be promoted to benefices and afterwarde as time would suffer to execute the Popes deuorcing decre Whan the Bishops coulde not wel bring those diuorces to passe the Pope sende Ioan his Cardinall to doe it and he as Polychro writes lib. vii ca. xvi was taken the same night in bedde with a doore in the time of Henrye the first O holy single life that the Pope went about The same Polychro sais also lib. vii ca. xxxi that Fuico a Frenche Prieste came to kinge Richard the. i. and bad him mary his iii. daughters the kinge said he had none yes says he Pride couetous lecherye than the king said pryde I giue to Templers couetous to white munkes and lecherye to Prelates this mariage was so knytte than that it coulde not be broken sins and this was the kinges opinion of them But not onely this hardnesse was in beginning of this diuorce but after that they were seperated dyuerse came together again as appeares in the Epistle that Ansel. wrote to Willyam his Archdiacon in this behalfe Ansel. Archebyshoppe to the reuerende Gundulph Bish. and to Ernulph Prior and to Willyam Archdiacon of Cantorb and to all in his diocesse gretinge Epi. iii. C. lxxiii Willyam our Archdiacon hais writen to me that some Priestes whiche be vnder his custodye takinge againe their Wyues that were forbidden theym haue fallen into vncleanesse from whiche they were drawen by holsome Counsell and commaundement whan Tharchdiacon woulde amende thys thynge they vtterlye despised his warninge and worthye Commaundement with a wycked pryde Than he callyng together many religious menne and obedient Priests excommunicated worthelye the proude and dysobedient which beastlie despised his curse and defyled the holy ministery as much
grese a goose or shepe So that some were compelled to tether their horse in their Orcharde and yet haue these holy fathers prouided that if they be restored as they loke for as manye thinke that they shall haue al their commodities againe O notable charitye and mete for the children of suche a father The Lorde God for his mercy amend this at his good wil and pleasure The people are so blinde that they rather beleue him that fils their bely than him that teaches theym Christe so rude that they care more for y â— bodye than for the soule Euen as christ whan he filled v. M. with fiue loues they woulde haue made him a king but within few dayes after they would haue stoned him Paul wrought for his owne liuynge and would not be a burthen to any congregacion yet he sais that it was lawfull for him to take all hys necessaries of them whom he taught Chrisost. in the lxxxvi Homil. on Matth. writynge entreates the like question and tels causes why he and others had landes belonging to their Churches He sais the vnthankfulnes of the people was such that if they had not such prouision they shoulde goe a begginge So surelye I thinke nowe if the Byshops and ministers hadde not that prouisyon they might sterue for hunger Loue and dutye to Godde his worde and ministers is so decayed that to gette awaye from them is thought godlynes pastime and profet Surely God will not haue his seruauntes so mocked God turne from vs for Christes sake that whiche we deserue and prouoke him to in these oure doinges Iulianus apostata Themperour that forsaked hys fayth hearinge that the Gospell taught the Christians to liue in pouertye and suffer persecution toke their goods from theym and punyshed them sayinge he would helpe theym to heauen bycause their Gospell taught theym to lyue poore and suffer so oure papistes hearing the Protestantes preach pouerty and condemne their proude prelatie haue leased graunted and giuen awaye their lyuynges that now the pore gospeller hais scars wheron to lyue through their malice In Chrystes Church hays euer bene a succession of Byshops from the Apostles time to this daye in euerye see Tertullian sayes yf in any see there be a Byshop that walkes not in hys fathers steppes he is to be counted a bastard and no true inheritour in Christes Church Saint Ciprian does saye they that be made Byshops out of the order of the Churche and not by tradicion and ordinaunce of the Apostles coming by succession from time to time are not bishops by the will of god but theues and murtherers A succession of Byshops or ministers â—e graunt hais bene in the worlde rather than in any one see or countre sins christ which succession we say we haue and folow better than they but not after such sort as he sais and meanes God is neuer withoute hys Churche in the worlde although some countries falle and his churche neuer wantes his Ministers and true teachers at the lest priâ—elye althoughe in some ages it hais theym more plenteouslye than in other some and some times the outward face of the Churche wantes not his errours and blottes But where he sais there hais bene Byshoppes in euerye see sins Thapostles time it must nedes be false For here with vs vnto the time of king Lucius almost ii C. yeare after Christ there were no Byshops in this Realme at al but Flamines as Fabian Polychronic saye and heathen Priestes and sundrye times sins dyuers sees in thys Realme manye yeares together had no Byshops at all whan the vnchristened Saxons were here and diuers Bishopprickes here are not halfe so olde as Thapostles time Yet in all these ages were some that both knew taught priuatlye and folowed the truth thoughe they were not horned and mitred bishop pes nor oyled and sworne shauelinges to the Pope Such popishe Bishoppes I am sure no manne is able to proue to haue bene in euerye see of this Realme continuallye sins the Apostles time nor els where whan he hais proued it I wil say as he does Does the see make the bishop and his doctrine good or badde Does the place make him good or bad If his sayinge bee true that they haue such a succession the manne must nedes be good bicause he is Bishop of suche a place or suche for he meanes to haue a continuall succession of good byshoppes euery where without interruption but whether they succede in agreement of one true doctrine as they doe of one seâ— or place he cares not If succedinge in place be sufficient to proue theym good byshoppes than the Iewes and Turks haue their good bishops and religioÌ„ stil at Ierusalem Constantinople and els where for there they dwel where Thapostles did and haue their sinagoges leuites Priestes and bishops after their sort UUe do esteme and reuerence the continuall succession of good byshops in anye place if they can be founde if they can not we runne not from Godde but rather sticke fast to his worde I thinke ther is no place where euil bishops haue not bene If Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippos Colossa Thessalonica Macedonia where Paule preached to whome he wrote his seuerall Epistles might fall and haue turkysh prelates why maye not Rome fall to the same maye bee saiâ—e of Ierusalem where S. â—a was and of Aphricke where Ciprian and Austin were and of other places where Thapostles preached now be fallen awaye Succession of good Bysshoppes is a great blessinge of God but bicause God and his trueth henges not on manne nor place we rather heng on the vndeceiuable trueth of Gods worde in all doubtes than on any Byshoppes place or manne For all men are liers and may be deceyued onely god and his word is true and neyther deceyues nor is deceyued In the. x. tribes of Israel where Iereboam made him Priestes against Gods lawe and the greater part of their religion was defaced with idolatryâ— yet were there euer some good Prophetes amonge that taughte Gods people their duetye thoughe not of the higher sort of Priestes and in autoritye as there be some fewe among the Turkes at this daye also Elias complaines that he was left alone Of all the true folowers of Gods lawe he knewe none that feared God beside hym selfe but god said he had reserued vii M. that neuer bend their knee to Baal So surely though the great number of priests and bishops hauing autority haue bene these many yeres the Popes deriyngs rather seruing Baall than God yet our good God pitâ—inge his people hais in al ages reserued some few that taught the truth and feared him God hais not promised that euerye Byshoprycke no nor anye one Bishopricke shoulde haue alwayes good Bishoppes one after an other no more than one good father should haue alwaies good children borne of him nor a good king shoulde haue good Princes to reign after him After wise Salomon reigned foolyshe Roboam
as the succession of good kinges standes not onely in enioyinge the landes goodes possessions and pleasures of the Realme but in the painefull ministrynge of iustyce defendinge hys subiects from straungers maintaining the good and punishinge the euill by holsome and godly lawes so standes the succession of the Church not in miters palaces landes or lordships but in teachinge true doctrine and roting out the contrarye by sharpe discipline to correct thoffendours and godly exhortacion to stirre vp the slouthfull and encourage the good to raise them that be fallen by comfortable promises to strengthen them that stande and bring home them that runne astraye He that does these is the true successour of the Prophetes and Apostles though he liue in wildernes as Elias did Or be tied in cheanes as Peter and Paule He that does not is not their successour in dede but in name onlye though he haue the Popes blessinge cruche and miter landes and palaces halowinges and blessinges or all that the Pope hais deuised for hys Prelates To be a Byshop is to be an officer a ruler a guide a teacher of Gods flocke in Gods Church and to be a true successour in a Bishopricke is to succede in like paines care and diligent regarde of Gods people Is he an officer that does not his office nay surelye but onelye in name for he is a thefe in his office and an vsurrer that takes the profet and not the paine An office standes properlye in doynge the duty of it and not in talkinge of it settinge in deputies bearinge a shewe bragge and face of a Byshop Whan they can bring Thapostles doctrine or life for example to be like their life and teachinge they maye say they folowe Thapostles but because they seeke to be Lordes ouer the flocke contrary to Peters doctrine and be enemies to the Gospell and murtherers of the professours of it they be traitours to their lorde God What does Tertul. make for his pourpose If he walk not in his fathers steppes sais he he is a bastard Content who be the fathers surely Thapostles for in his time the Pope had no such autority nor ther were any such horned cattell of the Popes made Bishoppes Proue than that the Pope walkes in Thapostles steps and we will reuerence him Surelye he is like no Apostle except Iudas these Popish Prelates so as the father is suche is the sonne Iudas solde and betrayed his maister for xxx pieces of syluâ—r and our Papistes sel their purgatory for xxx grotes the price of a trental Or â—ls for their pleasure I will graunt theym some thing The Pope maye be like to Peter in suche case as christ our lord said to him go after me Satan for thou vnderstandes not the thynges of god Peter was ambitious and therfore our Lorde cald him deuill and bade him go backe so the Pope desiringe to be aboue all folowes the deuill his father and therefore we maye iustlye saye to them with Christ â–ª come after me thou deuill But I put case a manne shoulde graunt that the fathers which Tertul. speakes of be the popes in dede of Ro. what thaÌ„ what makes it for this mans purpose Tertul. liued within C. lxxvii yeres after christs death why thaÌ„ proue that any of these popes and their trashe whiche he esteames so highlye to be of that autoritie and auncientye that he woulde and than lette him beginne to crake some thing He is not able to do it XXX of the first popes which liued almost iii. C. yeres after Christ were persecuted sufferd death for their religion liued in caues and had none of the rialtie of the worlde but were subiectes to princes accordinge to their dutye than these latter proude popes that woulde rule bothe God and the world by Tertullians saying be bastardes and folow not their auncient fathers the first popes And thus he hais brought a good reason agaynst hym selfe Does Cyprian make anye more for his purpose Marke his woordes and iudge They that be made Byshoppes sayes he oute the order of the Churche and not by tradicion of Thappostles by succession are not Bishops but theues c. I am content to be iudged by these wordes I proued afore by Paule and Timothe by Dyonise c. that the order by whiche oure Byshops and Priestes are made nowe is more agreeing to the order of the churche in Ciprians time and tradition of Thapostles than that misorder wherby the Popish prelates order their clergy Let theÌ„ proue by good writers that their oiling shauing vowing sacrificinge apparel c. was vsed in the Churche in Cyprians time and I submitte my selfe Ciprian was liuinge more than ii C. l. yeare after Christ in whiche time was no suche proud Pope nor Popishe order vsed in the Churche as he requires of vs but onelye suche a simplicitye as I spake of afore Thus like a tolyshe boye he hais gotten a rod to beat him selfe withall God send him more wit Where the sayde Preacher does affyrme greater matters than the burnyng of Paules to haue chaunced in the time of supersticion and ignoraunce as the church of Paules was brent in the first yeare of Steuen and the steple of Paules sette on fyre by lighthing in the tyme of kynge Henrye the vi they that count that to be the time of superstycyon and ignoraunce whan god was serued deuoutly nyght day the people lyued in the feare of god euery one in his own vocation wythout reasonynge and contention of matters of relygion but referred all suche thynges to learned menne in generall counsels and vnyuersyties there to be disputed than was the commaundementes of god and vertue expressed in lyuyng now all is in talke and nothyng in liuing than was prayer now is praytyng than was vertue now is vice than was bildyng vp of Churches houses of religion Hospitals where prayer was had night and daye hospitalitye kept and the poore releued now is pullyng downe and destroyinge such houses where god shoulde be serued hospitality kept and the poore releued By meanes wherof gods glory is destroyed and the commen wealth impoueryshed than was plenty of all thinges nowe is scarcenes Therefore Operibus credite If I shoulde fall into a comparison of the plagues in the time of popecye and the Gospell although both were great yet in supersticious times were the greater Many did not beleue that these other brennynges of Paules were true which the Byshoppe declared whan he spake it openlye there but it was eyther for ignoraunce or malice or both for all these were true as appeares in recordes many mo In the yere of our lorde M. lxxxvii and the vii day of Iuly the Church of Paules and all that was in it with a great part of the City were burned Maurice than beinge byshop of London and the. xxi yeare of Willyam Conquerour In the yeare M. C. xxxii the moste parte of the Citye of London was burned by the fire of Gilbert Beket and in
anye Priest that paies not the subsidy In that doing they grauÌ„t the Parliament to be aboue them from it to receiue their power Yea further to let them se how they be contrary to theÌ„selfes they giue a lay man as most part of their Collecters were power to interdite suspende and absolue a Priest whiche both be contrarye to their owne doctrine I had not thought to haue said so muche on these his fewe woordes and yet muche more hanges on this their opinion of claming their vsurped power aboue Princes and other ministers For if thys their opinyon were true that god gaue them such autority ouer his Churche as they clame it might be sayde on theym as the Poete sais Ouem lupo comisisti that God had appointed wolues to kepe his shepe There Saint Iames beynge Byshoppe and there sayd Masse ALas poore Masse that hais no better a ground work to be bylte on than false lies and so vnlerned a Proctour to speake for it I pray you who helpt Saint Iames at Masse who halowed hys Corporas Superaltare Chalice vestimentes c. Who was deacon and Subdeacon to reade the Epistle and Gospel who rang to the sacring and serued the pax for I am as sure it was a solempne feast and that these thinges were done as he is that S. Iames saide masse He that tolde you the one could haue told you the other as well as this if he had lust and ye saye your Masse can not be saide without these trinkettes I praye you what Masse was it began it with a great R. of Requiem or Scala coeli or resurrexi For the plague or murrion of beastes part of a trentall or for all christen soules if ye wil haue vs to beleue it ye must tell vs some more I praye you also which Saint Iames was it for we reade of diuers of that name both in the Scripture and other histories liuyng at that time It is not inoughe to saye so it is but ye must proue it yf ye will be beleued I pray you whose masse as they terme it vsed he and of whose makynge was it Chrisostomes or Basils Gregories or Ambrose or that whiche beares hys owne name of Saynt Iames what language spake he Hebrewe Greke or Latin these thynges must be proued afore your Latin popish patched Masse by so many Popes in so manye yeares or it was broughte to his perfection canne be proued Doe they thynke that beccausâ— my Lord Bishop Maister Docter or such Scauingers and corner crepers as thiâ— Champion is say it is so and deceiue thâ— people with lies priuely in corners thaâ—â— none dare saye against it openly but alâ—â— their sayinges must be beleued I do noâ—â— take them to be of that autoritye or credit But I will not stand with him in al these narrow pointes although I could kepe him much play in so doing I agree that Iames brother of oure Lorde was Bisshop there at Ierusalem as the auncient writers testifye but that he said or did anye thing lyke the Popyshe â—louted Latin masse that I vtterly deny For that the church alter Superaltare vesstiments Chalyce c. should be halowed afore they could haue masse said in theÌ„ on theym or with theym it is playne written in their owne law de consecra distincto .i when they haue proued that S. Iames had these halowed howe and by whome they were halowed than I will beleue he said their folish masse and not afore for their masse canne not be done without them Also if they will be beleued they muste declare what order of masse he vsed was it Chrisostomes Basils Iustines â—ertulians Austins Dionisius Isidorus Gregories Rabanus the Romaines or whose els Surely all these were vnborne manye yeares after Saint Iames died that it coulde not be theirs whi I am sure some will say is there so many diuers sortes of so manye holy fathers to minister the Lordes supper and our holye Bishops of late haue burned so many innocentes that would not vse their only one disordert order of massing as though all other were hereticall and schismatical as they terme it but that onely one which they haue deuised disguised and misused yea surelye these diuersityes al be printed and to be had wyth manye moe godlye ones and therefore they can not deny it and bicause they be prynted I will not stande to rehearse them holly for it were infinite There is yet an other liturgie in Print which worde they cal and vnlearnedlyâ— translate euer a Masse bearing the name of Saint Iames but euen in their late raging time of madnes whan they had gotten certayne copies of these Greeke liturgies or ministring the Lordes supper thinking to haue printed them and that it woulde haue stablyshed their doinges whan in triall and translatynge them they see it fall oute otherwais and to make against them they let it alone and suppressed it like as the same holye father and Cardinall fyrste prynted hys booke that he wrote against king Henry the eyght to please the Pope wythall and to sturre Themperoure to warre against England for falling from Popery and after his conscience accusing him to haue done amysse he burned all the bookes he coulde come by and yet nowe they be commonly solde to his shame as these Liturgies be to theirs Al these orders of ministring the Communion differ from their Pope holye relique their Latin masse in the chiefest poyntes that is that the Priest prayes not alone nor in a straunge language eates not nor drinkes vp all alone nor receyues it for other sels it not for money nor swepes the Popes scalding house his purgatory with it but the people pray with him in theyr mother tounge receyue wyth him for the coumforte of their owne soules and not for pockye pigges scalled horse nor scabbed shepe neyther making trentals or marchandise of it but in remembraunce of Chrystes death who dyed for theim But that Sainct Iames neuer sayde the Popysh masse as they would father it on him the Pope himselfe grauntes Pope Gregorie the first called the great for his greate holynes and learninge in comparison of the rest sais that the Apostles consecrated the host onlye with the Lordes prayer whan they minystred Than Saint Iames if he ministred anâ—e thing at al there euen by the Popes confession neuer sayd their latin Masse nor any thing like it For that consecration in latin of theirs hais many longe other prayers crossinges and blessinges and supersticious Ceremonies as all manne see beside the Lordes prayer And in that same selfe Chapter of Gregorye ye shal see other diuersites of Ceromonies and prayers there rehearsed wherein the latin masse differs from the Greke and other Wherefore it was not thoughte of old time to so many holy fathers a wicked thing to haue diuers orders in ministring the communion though our bloudye butchers will not swarue an inche from their father of lyes but burne all that gainsay them Howe manye toyes
for so many dayes fastinge God shall rewarde hym with suche worldly blessinges as please him to appoint In Flaunders euerye saturdaye betwixt Christmas and Candelmas they eate flesh for ioy and haue pardon for it bicause our Ladye laye so longe in child bedde saye they we here may not eat so the Pope is not so good to vs yet surely it were as good reason that we should eat fleshe with them all that while that our lady lay in child bed as that we shuld beare our candel at her churchinge at Candelmas with theym as they doe It is seldome sene that men offer candels at womens churchinges sauinge at oure ladies but reason it is that she haue some preferrement if the Pope woulde be so good maister to vs as let vs fleshe with theym Euery one euen by the Popes lawe is not bounde to faste as children olde folkes women with child pilgrimes poore prisoners labouringe or iorneynge menne and by the consent of the Phisicion and gostlye father euen in the midst of blynd Poperye all sicke persons might eat fleshe at all times And those that be bounde to fast maye bee dispensed with for a litle money That is good holinesse that is bought for so litle money Our sauioure christ seing the Pharases offended with eating meat said to them That which enters in at the mouthe defiles not the manne and whan they woulde not be so satisfied he saide let them alone they be blinde and guides of the blind So surely to such obstinate blinde Papistes as will not learne the fredome of conscience taught in the Scriptures and serue the lorde in singlenes of hart but put their hole deuocion in outward obseruation of mans traditions it maye well be saide lette theym alone they be blinde and guides of the blynde It is the weake conscience that is to be born with as Saint Paul teaches sayinge I had rather neuer eat flesh than offend my brother and not the obstinate wilfull blindnesse of the supersticious that maye learne and will not Whan he hais proued that the protestantes vpon their wilfull lustes and not for such necessary considerations as is here rehersed haue contemptuouslye broken the fasting dayes appointed by commen order he may well rebuke them but there be to manye witnes whiche haue heard manye of them sundry times oute of the solemst places and pulpites in y e realme teache the contrarye therefore none can beleue these hys liynge woordes to be true Breakinge thy faste standes not so muche in eatynge anye kinde of meat as in the quantitye of it or doynge it with contempt of the higher powers and commen order appoynted or elles in offending the weake conscience whiche hais not learned his libertye geuen by god in his holy worde Where he castes in our teeth the breakinge of lent as though that were commaunded by Goddes owne mouth and shoulde be obserued without all excuse they that lust shall see how great diuersities of fastinge Lent haue bene in olde time before and than iudge whither this their one kinde of fastinge Lent be so necssarye Socrat. lib. v. ca. xxii of his ecclesiastical history writes of the diuersites of sundry thinges in the church as kepinge of Easter baptising mariage and the Communion c. Amonge whiche he touches the diuersity of lent fast and sais that the Romanes fasted iii. whole Wekes afore Easter excepte Satturdaye and Sondaye some Grecians fast vi Wekes some begynne vii Wekes afore and fast but. xv dayes in that space and those not all together They differed also in meates for some woulde eate nothing that had life some woulde eate no liuelye thinge but fish some woulde eat both fishe and fowle other forbeare Beryes and Egges other forbeare all thyngs saue dry bread and other wold not eat that some wold not eate afore the. ix houre but than woulde fede of diuers meates Some at one houre of the daye some at another c. If all these christian men serued God and yet hadde such dyuersites of fastynge their Lente why shoulde they be counted euill menne that do no worse than they dydde or swarue but a littel from thys theyr vsed Lent fast Is this so well that nothinge is well but this And bicause they sticke so muche to the Ro. Church note that he sais the Romanes fasted but. iii. wekes why should we than fast sir or how hais Rochaunged this olde custome or maye it be chaunged If it maye not why haue they done it and if it maye why blame they them that do it Polychronic lib. v â—a ir writes that Pope Gregory the. i. ordeined fastinge of all Lent who liued vi C. yeare after Christ than it lackes much of their autoritye and auncientye that they crake so muche of We reade that our Sauiour Christ eate fleshe at his last supper on mauÌ„dy thursday whiche day of all in lent is one of the holyest if Christ than fasted Lent I speake not this because I woulde haue menne to breake the commen appointed order of fastinge without lawefull cause but that I woulde euery man should know the libertye of consciens that Christe hais geuen and taught vs in his word Let euerye manne obey the ordinaunce of the rulers whiche commaunde not anye thinge contrarye to God and let them knowe also the fredom of conscience that they be not boundmen to the creatures which God of loue hais made to serue and not to rule vs. Surelye these people were christened and holye members of the church of christ and yet so shamelesly he crakes so muche of the whole church to maintein their doings Spiridion Byshoppe of a towne in Cyprus whan his fryende came to him on the fasting daye after dinner bade his daughter Irene dresse a piece of bacon because he hadde no other meate in the house naye sais the manne I am a christen man I eat no fleshe on the fastinge daye why sais Spiridion because thou art a christen manne thou shoulde eate O worthy lesson teaching both the mariage of Byshops and also libertye of meates Thirdlye where he belies vs saiynge that we call praier supersticion reade the bookes of prayers whiche the protestauntes haue made the order that they teach to pray in marke their praiers openly in their sermons with what seruent zeale it is done and iudge than how falsly he misreportes them But if he meane the praiers of munks Freers Bunnes c. we will not greatlye sticke to graunte them to be so in dede and good reasons we haue out of their owne â—oâ—tours why to say so Saint ThoÌ„ in his scdaÌ„ scde quest xcii writes that it is supersticion whan a manne is to holye As whan he is so Pope holy that he beleues thinges not to be beleued feares thinges not to be feared worships thinges not to be worshipped or does thinges as holy which be not holy in dede Conferre these sayinges with munkish prayers and suche like and see whether we saye
on the mariage in Cana Galilea writes thê° Thou reproâ—â—s mariage that they be a let to godlynes but wilt thou know that it hurtes not to haue wyfe and children Had not Moyses wife and children was not Helias a virgin Moses brought Manna from heauen and Helias fire god spake to Moyses and was conuersaunt with Helias Did not Moyses make Duales to come and Helias shut vppe heauen from raine with a word Did not Moyses deuide the sea and brought through the people Was not Helias taken into heauen in a firie charet Did virginitye hurte the one or was wife and children a hindraunce to the other hais thou marked Helias in his charet in the aer and Moyses goynge on foote in the sea Marke Peter also a piller of the church that he had a wife for it is written that Iesus wente into Peters mother in lawe beinge sicke touched her and the feuer left her Where there is a mother in lawe there must nedes be a wife and daughter in lawe Sees thou not than that Peter had a wife blame not mariage than c. thus ferre Chrisostome I coulde shew you like examples of maried ministers at these daies whiche are not hindered in their duty doing therby nor in any part of godlynes but rather forthered in that houshold cares be taken from them therby and in sikenes they better cherished These be inough for them that wil be perswaded or more will not serue It is not hard to bringe diuerse moe autorities out ot the Popes distinc xxviii and xxxi to proue this withall but he that is father of all filthines is not worthye to beare witnes in so honest a matter In Moises law where euery one should marie with in his owne tribe the priestes had thys priuilege that they might marye wyth the kinges stocke but oure menne abhore Priestes mariage lest they should get gentilwomen and so possibly might enherite their landes God was not so wise to foresee these thinges as we be and that which Gods wisdome thought good and commendable we with oure polities thinke hurtfull and vnprofitable God make vs wise in him For the foolyshe writhinge and rackynge of the scriptures folowinge because they be so vnaptlye applied that a blind manne maye sce them I will not stande to set out his folye for they conteyne no matter of weight against vs. They haue inuented a newe waye to make Bishoppes and Priestes and a maner of seruice and ministracion that Saint Austin neuer knewe Saint Edmond Lanfranc S. Anselme noâ— neuer one Bishop of Cantorb sauing only Crammer who for soke his professyon as Apostata so that they must nâ—â—es condemne all the Bishoppes in Cantor but CraÌ„mer and he that now is all the Byshoppes of yorke sauyâ—â— Holgate and he that nowe is althoughe Saint Wilfride S. Willyam haue bene taken for Saintes and were Byshoppes in yorke In Couentre and Lichfyelde S. Chad was Byshop and many blessed Byshops and he that now to Bishop can fynde not anye one that euer was made as he is nor of his religion Therefore he must proue all Biâ—shops 〈◊〉 Lichfâ—loe were deceyued walked in blindnes and ignoraunce or els he that nowe is must nedes be deceyued and be in blyndnes In Duresiue haut bene many good fathers but he that now is Bishop can not fynde any one predecessour in that see that was of his relygion and made bishop after such fort as he was so that he that no we is muste take in bande to condemne all the Bisshops afore him that they were in ignorance and blindnes or they wil come to hys condemnation at the daye of indgement And this in all Bishoprickes in EnglaÌ„d some can find one some none that euer was of their religion What arrogancy may be thought in those men that will take in hande to condemne so many blessed fathers al to be in blindnes Here this proud Papist triumphes as thoughe nothinge coulde be said to the contrary For our churche seruice I said inough afore now marke what weight his raginge railynge wordes haue He sais Saint Edmonde Lanfranc Ansel. neuer knewe such an orderyng of Priestes and Bishopes how proues he that I thinke they dyd for they liued in that age whan religion beganne to decaye blyndnes and supersticion to crepe into the worlde and therefore coulde not be ignoraunt of suche good order as hadde bene afore them althoughe they theym selues than beganne to chaunge bring in the contrary wherof I declared part afore as mariage of priestes church seruyce c. To graunt that so manye Bisshops of Cantorb yorke Lichfield and Duresme were in blindnes he thinkes it such an inconuenience as no manne will doe it and therfore these that now be Byshops must nedes be deceyued I am not of that oppinion to thynke it a shame to graunt that Byshoppes be deceyued eyther in that age or other for there hais bene no man so holye except Christ Iesus but he hais bene deceiued and ignoraunt in manye thinges euen in religion Did not Paule rebuke Peter for dissemblynge in meates with the Iewes Only Christ hais the ful truth That is the proude principle of Popery to think that they can not be deceyued yet in that sayinge they are most fowly deceyued The Scribes and Pharases vsed the same reasons agaynst Christe oure Lorde and the false Prophetes against the true sayinge that they kepte the olde true learninge and the other brought in a new deceiued the people But in grauntinge these olde Byshops to be made after another sort than these be nowe what harme maye followe What auncienty be they of al sins the conquest and not past v. C. yeare sins Than it is but newe in comparison of of M. D. l. And if oure order agree wyth Christes doinges and his Apostles writings better thaÌ„ theirs are we to blame in forsakyng them folowing Christ his Apostles or are we to be counted deuisers of a new way when we folow that which is M. ycre elder than theirs Naye surely their deuyses be new and we restore the old religion again practised and taught by Christ and his Appostles which they haue defaced wyth their newe deuysed supersticyon and Popery Whither is it more to conteÌ„ne or correct these Byshoppes of Cantorb York Lichfielde and Duresme that he names rather than Christ oure Lorde Peter Paul Timothe Titê° c. Whether is to bee iudged elder wyser and godlyer these Byshoppes that he names which are not v. C. yeare old or Christe and his Appostles whiche be M. D. yeare old and more In the Actes of Thappostles where Matthias was chosen in stede of Iudas the traitour Where the. vii Deacons were chosen and whan Paule and Barnabas were seÌ„t forth to preach how few ceremonies were vsed in comparison of that multitude which the Papistes vse nowe and howe much does it agree with our kind of orderinge ministers better than with theirs Whan Paule taught
Timothe and Titus to appointe mynisters and Byshops in euery towne how ferre differs it from the Popes oiled shauelinges Act. i. Peter calles the disciples together preaches vnto them they fall to prayer and those Matthias in stede of Iudas In the vi of the act the Apostles assemble y e people declare to them how they themselfes shuld folow preaching willes them therfore to pike out men of honestye and godlinesse to serue the poore they praye together laye their handes on them and made theim Diacons to prouide for the pore In sending forth Paule and Barnabas whan they were assembled to their ministery they fasted prayed laid their hands on them and send them forth In the. viiii Paule and Barnabas ordeyned in euery churche ministers requirynge the consent of the people by holdynge vppe their handes as the Greke word there signifies In y e. i. Epistle to Timoth. ca. v. he biddes him that he lay not his hands rashlye on anye manne where afore he had taught him sufficientlye what manner of menne and with what qualities be shoulde call and thinke theym meâ—e for the ministery But because he findes not so great faute with the menne that be calde nowe a dayes althoughe other doe grudge at theym as with the order and maner of their callynge I wil onelye answere to that point which he touches In these places of the scripture afore rehearsed there be these thinges to be noted in sending forth ministers First an assemblye of the Clergye and people to beare testimonie of their honestie and aptnes that be calde for it must not be done in corners least suche be admitted as be vnworthye and with whom some could or would haue found faut if it hadde bene knowen and done openly The ministery is so godly a vocation that none ought to be admitted to it hauing anye notable faut in them or if they maye not abide the triall and judgemet of the multitude yea though they be heathens For Saint Paul sais they must haue good testimonie of their honesty euen of them that be out of the churche Secondly I note they vsed exhortacions wyth fastinge prayer and layinge on of handes These Ceremonies we be sure are good and godly because Thappostles vsed them so oft these except some great cause to the contrary are to be vsed of al in calling of y â— ministers Al these thinges the order now appointed obserues and no more all the popish ceremonies be cut of as vain superfluous The time of geuing orders now is the holy day whan the people be assembled that they may see who be cald and if they knowe anie notable faute in any of theym that are there to be appointed ministers or Byshoppes they maye declare it that they may be reiected as vnworthy The Popishe Prelates giue their orders on the Saturdaye whan the people is not present and commenly at home in their chappelles where fewe resort to see The Byshops nowe vse in giuyng their orders an exhortacion commen prayer the Communion and laying on of handes which Thapostles vsed The Pope and his Prelates haue deuised of them selues clippinges shauinge their crownes an vnlawful compelled vowe to lyue vnmaried oile for an â—intinge their fingers and power to sacrifice for quicke and dead their double latin matins and Euensonge daily with suche a kinde of apparell that they be more like to Aaron and Moyses priestes of the olde law than a simple preacher of Christes Gospell or minister of his sacraments of the new Testament Whan we do that which Christ hys Apostles did vsed we may be sure it is good lawfull and necessarye whan we adde any thing of our owne it may be doubted on and if it be commaunded as necessarye or as the true worshippe of Godde it ought to he refused chaunged yea condemned For Christe sais They worship me in vain teaching doctrines the commaundementes of men Therefore as he reasons here that it should be to great an inconuenience to saye that these Byshops whiche he names were blynde and ignoraunt in their doings and that they would come at the iudgement to the condemnation of these new Bishops which folow not their wayes I had rather tourne hys argument against him selfe on his owne heade and saye that it is a greater inconuenience yea blasphemy to say that Peter Paul Timothe Titus c. were in blindnesse and had not the right order of appointinge their ministers but that these latter Popishe Prelates haue inuented of late yeres a perfecter way to do it than they knew or vsed Let them proue that eyther Thapostles themselues or anye of their scholers vsed clippinge shauing their crownes the vowe of single life sacrificinge for the deade oilinge their fingers or crown their Iewysh apparel their halowinges crossings blessinges or suche trashe as their order is full of and than blame this new order but because they can not the Scrypture teachinge no suche thynge I saye they be Hypocrites layinge heauye loodes on mens backes and consciences yea greater than anye maye beare not touchinge theym with their finger to ease them but rather to presse theym downe lower in preferringe mans dreames before the symple truthe of the Gospell Christ and his Apostles with their scholers shall come in iudgemente to their condemnatioÌ„ For that they haue maintained their owne deuises afore the infallyble truth of the Scripture the perfect rule and onelye example of all oure doinges and religion Than if our Bisshops nowe vse all such order as Thappostles theymselues vsed as in comparinge them together it will easelye appeare why shoulde anye proude Papist be so bolde to correct magnificat to reproue theym and saye that the Pope hays deuysed a better way than Thappostles vsed or why shoulde any weake conscience hanginge on manne rather than on Godde be offended to see suche vaine superfluous and wicked toies left of and not vsed If they left out anye thing that Thapostles vsed they might wel be blamed but seing thei had rather folow them as their schole masters and not the Pope they were to be praysed Are Papes wiser than Thappostlesâ— or shall Papists for folowinge their father of lies be preferred to Protestauntes whiche haue Gods worde and his truth with the doings of Thapostles for their defence to alledge for them God forbid But I thinke this good Proctour of the Pope is offended because the new Bisshops runne not to Ro. theymselues or by their deputye to doe their homage to their holye father and sweare an vnlawful and traitorous oth against their lawfull and naturall Prince and bring home y t holy relique their Palle which many haue bought so deare that in gathering money for it they beggerd their bole diocesse Yet that the blind may see that these ragged Popishe cloutes whiche they thinke so holye relyques and necessarye are not of suche worthinesse nor to be regarded so highly it is easye to see euen in this realme others that both
they haue bene not regarded of old time also that they had another facion of making priests and bishops than our papistes of these daies haue and more agreing with the order that the new bisshops vse Fabian writes part iii. ca. ix that the Byshoppe of Saint Dauyds hadde no Palle from Rome at all from the time that Samson was Byshoppe there vnto the time of kynge Henrye i. in whiche space were there xxi Bisshops Polychro writes lib. v. cap. xii that Northumberlande was withoute Bishop xxx yere without Palle C. xxv yeare nor had anye altar at all vnto the vi C. xxiii yeare of our Lord than these thynges are neyther so auncient nor so necessary as Papistes would make men beleue seinge they had no altars than they hadde no Popishe masses for they may not be said but on a halowed altar or superaltare The Pope decreed that all Abbotes and Bishops beinge chosen to their dignities shoulde come to Ro. to be confirmed and blessed by whiche meanes he and the Cardinalles made them to paye suche summes of money to be spedelye dispatched as our vnder officers do nowe for expedicion that they impouerished many Realmes by it and enriched themselues by reason whereof kinge Edwarde i. perceiuynge the Bisshoppe of Elye and Thabbot of S. Edmons berye being than chosen to their dignities to haue spent so much money was ashamed of it and forbade any mo to go thither afterwarde theym selues For they beggerde their Churches or they coulde paye their dettes as Matth Parisien writes all this at large more speaking against this decree of y â— popes The Byshops of Colen and MentÊ’ pay either to the Pope for their palle 24000 Ducats The same man sais also that Thurstan archbyshoppe of yorke going to a counsell holden at Remis by Pope Calixtus was forbydden of the king to be consecrate of the Pope and sworns also but he notwithstandinge as a wicked manne obteyned of the wicked Romanes by rewardes to be consecrate there of the Pope Which thinge whan the kinge hearde tell of he forbade him all places of his dominion Thomas Hatfeld Byshop of Duresme chosen an M. iii. C. xlv and the. xix yeare of Edwarde the. iii. payed to Pope Clement the. vi ix thousande florence of golde for his commen seruice besyde fyue accustomed seruices which were xliii florence yearelye whiche appeares by the Popes acquittance made to him The Bishop of Lions declared in the counsel of Basil that the Pope had ix Millions of Crownes yearlye out of Fraunce of the Bishops A million conteynes ten hundreth thousand If these be not hys griefes perauenture because they haue not the cruche and miter as the old bisshops had displeases him Surely suche horned beasts be fitter for the pope than the Gospell For as the Latin prouerb sayes of vnruly beastes that they were wont to be knowen by hanginge haye on their hornes Fenum habet in cornu So these vnruly popishe cattel haue their marke that they might be knowen by their horned miters or els because they were of the generatyon of the horned beast that Daniell in the vii cha and S. Iohn writes of in his reuelation xiii and xvii Reade the latter ende of Gildas our country manne in his chronicle and chidinge exhortacion to the Priestes and ye shall finde that in hys time which is a M. yere sins there were diuers other parts of the scriptures appointed to be red out of the Actes of the apostles and Peters Epistle whan they were appointed ministers and made Priestes which the Popish prelates vse not in orderinge their chaplens nowe Whereby it maye be gathered that the ceremonies differd also But the barbarousnes of the time hais bene suche sins that scars anye perfect memoriall of their doinges remaine The rude Sarons ouer ranne this Realme and destroied al learning and religion with helpe of the Pope and his creatures the Munkes and Freers so that vnto nowe of late yeares verye lytle good learning â—ais bene heard of Dionisiuâ— Ariâ—pagita as he is commenly cald and whom they saye was Paules scholer and of whom Saint Luk. writes Act. xvii sais in his booke if it be his booke as they saye it is that in makyng their priestes and Byshoppes in his time they vsed no moe ceremonies than to bringe him that was to be calde a Byshop to knele afore the altar to laye the Byble on his head and the Byshop his handes also with certaine prayers and salutations Thys symple facyon was vsed of olde time without anye further adoe The priests Diacons had not all these ceremonies in their creatinge and yet ours Byshops which folowe this aunciente simplicitye are blamed that they haue deuised new facions of their own whiche neuer were hearde of afore But by these fewe thinges that I haue resited it maye well be sene howe malice hais blynded their Popishe hartes falsly to accuse the Protestantes of those things which are not true And to put aways all doubtes that maye be moued for the auncientie and autoritye of their order and facion of makynge Priestes and Byshops Polychro writes lib. v. ca. xii that Pope Honorius sent to Honorius bishop of Cantor the Palle the order how to make bishops this was about y â— yere of our Lord. M. C. xxvii Loke how auncient it is and they cris M. D. years olde where it is not past iiii C. And as Dyonise in this orderinge of Priestes declares howe farre they differed in his time from all these Popishe toyes that this beast woulde burthen the Churche and simple soules withall so shal ye finde in him also how muche they differed in his age in ministring y e Communion in duriynge the dead and other such seruyce and ceremonies from the Popes synagoge in our dayes In so muche that it may be truly saide of this our religion that Freer mantuan said Hec nouitas non est nouitas sed vera vetustas The Popes supersticion maye well be called newe as I haue proued by many particulars afore but this of oures is bothe olde and true as it maye be more fullye proued than I haue yet spoken Therfore let them set better clarkes to speake for theim and proue it by the scriptures or elles for shame holde their peace But a scalled horse is good inoughe for a scabbed esquier and for so false a doctrine so foolyshe vnlearned a dronken dotel is a mete scholemaister They knowe well ynoughe that they be not able to stande in defence of it and therefore they set vp such a dolt that whan he takes a foyle no man wil meruaile and yet they shall thinke that the stoute champions are behind which can binde beares and confute all men But surely this rude asse is the mouthe of them all to vtter what they thinke and they haue no better ware than he hais vttered let them put their helping hands to and bring better stuffe if they haue it but if they run