prayer what waye of ministring of the sacraments your Church had before Papistry as you call it did preuaile in the worlde IVstinus Martyr in his second Apollogie to the Emperour declareth plainely what order of seruice and ministration of sacramentes our Church had before Papistry preuayled On the daye called Sonday sayth he there is a meeting together of all them that dwell in the Citie or in the countrie and the monumentes of the Apostles or the writinges of the Prophetes are reade vntill it be thought sufficient when the reader hath made an ende he that is our ouerseer or cheefe minister maketh a sermon of admonition and exhortation to follow those good thinges that are reade After this we all stande vp together and make our prayers and as we haue saide before when our prayers are ended there is brought forth bread and wine water and the cheefe minister doth likewise with all his might yelde prayers and thankesgeuing and the people aunswereth Amen Then is made distribution to euery one and receyuing of those thinges for which thankes was geuen and to them that be absent it is sent by the deacons Such as are riche and willing doe geue almes what they will c. By this one authoritie it may be seene though other might be brought what order of seruice and ministration of sacraments our Church vsed before Papistry gat the vpper hande 2 Shew one booke of Communion or what els you list that was in English or lacked prayer for the departed or inuocation of Sainctes in heauen or that wanted oblation or sacrifice or that charged a number to receyue or els that the preest coulde not consecrate nor say Masse himselfe or shew any note in a Communion booke that the people shoulde take the sacrament for plaine breade or that they should geue no honor to it shew this booke or any leafe or line of this booke IT may trouble a wise man to aunswere all the questions that a foole can propounde you requier to see a booke of Communion in English or that lacked c. When it is confessed that the English nation receiued their religion first from Rome at such time as Religion there was verie corrupt what marueill is it if we can not shewe you such a Communion booke as you require but we can easily shew you out of the scripture the the Communion ought to be ministred in the vulgare tongue that prayer for the deade and to the deade ought not to be vsed that the sacrament ought not to be turned into a sacrifice that there ought to be a communiō of many receauers and not a priuate masse that the substance of the bread is not changed that the elementes of the sacrament are not to be honored these I say we can proue out of the worde of God the Catholike writers of the olde Church And though perchaunce it wil be harde to finde a communion booke in English yet haue I founde you a canon of the Laterane Councell that it ought to haue bene translated into English yet are there founde diuers monumentes of Antiquitie as Prayers Psalmes and Homilies c. in the olde English or Saxons tongue in which the reall presence transubstantiation and other poinctes of Popish doctrine are plainly confuted There may be shewed you also Bybles both the olde Testament and New in the English tongue of diuers translations in olde written hande Also great bookes of English homilies inueighing directly against the Pope and all Popish doctrine in olde English written hande with diuers other small treatises and pamphlets of like matters if these woulde do you any good you might haue the sight of them when you please 3 Or any Church or Congregation that euer had any Authenticall seruice but ours and I recant THe Church of the Brytannes before Augustine came in with Romish seruice had they not trow you Authenticall seruice which continued in the faith of Christ euen from the Apostles time The Grecians also Orientall churches haue they not vnto this day their Authenticall seruice which is not yours If you can not deny this you should recant The 13. article hath 2. demaundes 1 Furthermore I requier to know what shoulde be the cause that the Protestants them selues doe receiue all Byshops Priestes Deacons and other officers spirituall of all sortes of our Catholike church and doe admit them as men lawfully and sufficiently ordered both to preach minister sacraments and to exercise spirituall iurisdiction no lesse but rather more than if they were of their owne ordering where we of the Catholike church doe not acknowledge any man of their calling to be any whit more fitte for any spirituall function than other lay men ALthough all godly men wishe more seueritie of discipline to be vsed in receyuing them that come out of heresies to serue in the Church than is commonly practised in England yet you are highlie deceyued if you thinke we esteeme your offices of Bishops priests deacōs any better than the state of lay men but farre worse for we iudge them to be nothing els but Antichristianitie heresie and blasphemie And therefore we receiue none of them to minister in our church except they forsweare your religion And so their admission is not an allowing of your ordering but a new calling vnto the ministerie 2 Therefore vpon this presumption that they doe not onely admit our ministring of sacraments but also the lawfull ordering of the ministers for the same if they can shew me why our church hauing by their owne consent and approuing lawfull priestes and bishops should not be the true church I recant YOu presume to much as I saide before to thinke that we receiue your orderinge to be lawfull or your ministring of sacraments to be pure And if you gather that we admitte your ministration of sacraments because we doe not rebaptize them that were baptized by you we maye likewise gather that you admit our ministration of sacraments because you doe not rebaptize them that are baptized of vs nor marrie againe those that are married in our Church wheras you compt mariage to be a sacrament so that our accepting of your doings doth no more allow your church than your accepting of our doinges doth allow our Church And as touching the sacrament of Baptisme because you reteyne the Institution in baptizing in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and in asmuch as the sacraments take not their effect of the minister but of God we receiue it as of other heretikes which likewise reteine the Institution Wherefore there is no cause why you shoulde thinke we allow yours to be the true Church thereby So that there is good cause why you shoulde recant The 14. article hath 5. demandes 1 Also I demande what furniture or commodity in seruing God the Christianity of any age or any part of Christendome had euer by your Congregations THe seruice of God hath small neede of furniture in outwarde thinges for
penaunce there remaineth some due of temporall punishement for the satisfying of Gods iustice and some recompense of the oftensies past 31. chapter 2 The double and doubtfull shiftes of our aduersaries pressed by this conclusion are remoued and it is proued against one sorte that these foresaide skourgies vvere in deede punishments for sinnes remitted And against the other secte that this transitory paine hath often endured in the next life 43. chapter 3 That the practise of Christes Church in the courte of binding and loosing mans sinnes doth liuely set forth the ordre of Gods iustice in the next life and proue Purgatory 65. chapter 4 That the many folde vvorkes fructes of penaunce vvhich all godly meÌ„ haue charged theÌ„ selues vvith all for their ovvn sinnes remitted vvere in respect of Purgatory paines for the auoyding of Gods iudgemeÌ„t teÌ„poral as vvell as eternal in the next life 74. chapter 5 A briefe ioyning in reason and argument vppon the proued groundes vvith the aduersaries for the declaration and proofe of Purgatory 89. chapter 6 That Purgatory paines doth not only serue Gods iustice for the punishement of sinne but also cleanse qualify the soule of man defiled for the more seemely entrauÌ„ce into the holy placies vvith confereÌ„ce of certaine textes of scripturs for that purpose 92. chapter 7 That there is a particular iudgemeÌ„t and priuate accompt to be made at euery mans departure of his seuerall actes and deedes vvith certaine of the fathers mindes touching the textes of scriptures alleaged before 103. chapter 8 Origen is alleaged for our cause vpon vvhose error in a matter somvvhat apperteining to our purpose S. Augustins iudgement is more largely sought and there vvith it is declared by testimony of diuers holy authors vvhat sinnes be chiefly purged in that temporall fire 114. chapter 9 A further declaration of this point for the better vnderstanding of the doctors vvordes VVherein it is opened hovv Purgatory is ordeined for mortall sinnes and hovv for smaller offenses vvho are like to feele that greefe and vvho not at all 125. chapter 10 A place alleaged for Purgatory out of S. Matthevv vvith certeine of the auncient fathers iudgements vpon the same 132. chapter 11 An aunsvvere to certaine obiections of the aduersaries moued vpon the diuersity of meaninges vvhich they see geuen in the fathers vvritinges of the scriptures before alleaged for Purgatory and that this doctrine of the Church standeth not against the sufficiency of Christes Passion 148. chapter 12 An euident and most certaine demonstration of the trueth of Purgatory and the greeuousnesse thereof vttered by the prayers and vvordes of the holy doctors and by some extraordinary vvorkes of God beside 156. chapter 13 Of the nature and condicion of Purgatory fire the difference of their state that be in it from the damned in hell vvith the conclusion of this Booke 169. THE ARGVMENTES OF THE Chapters of the seconde booke THe preface of this booke vvherein the matter of the treatise the order of the authors proceding be briefly opened 180 chapter 1 That there be certeyne sinnes vvhich may be forgiuen in the next life and that the deserued punishment for the same may be eased or vtterly released before the extreme sentence be to the vtmost executed pag. 187. chapter 2 That the faythfull soules in purgatory being novve past the state of deseruing and not in case to helpe them selues may yet receiue benefite by the vvorkes of the liuing to vvhom they be perfectly knitte as felloâ— members of one body 197. chapter 3 VVhat the Church of God hath euer principally practised for the soules departed by the vvarrant of holy Scripture vvith the defence of the Machabees holy hystory against the heretikes of our tyme. 205. chapter 4 That the funeralls of the Patriarches both in the lavv of nature and Moyses and Christ had practise in them for the reliefe of the soules departed 220. chapter 5 Man may be relieued after his departure eyther by the almes vvhich he gaue in his life tyme or by that vvhich is prouided by his testament to be giuen after his death or else by that almes vvhich other men doe bestovv for his soules sake of their ovvne goods 238. chapter 6 Of certeyne offerings or publike almes presented to God for the deceased in the time of the holy sacrifice at mens burialls other customable dayes of their memories and of the sundry mindes kept in the primitiue Church for the departed 266. chapter 7 That the benefite of praier almes apperteyneth not to such as dye in mortal sin though in the doubtfull case of mans being the Church vseth to pray for all departed in Christes faith 271. chapter 8 VVhat that holy sacrifice is vvhich vvas euer counted so beneficiall to the liue and deade The punishment of our sinnes by the heâ—uy losse thereof The great hatred vvhich the deuill and all his side hath euer borne tovvardes Christes eternall priesthood and the sacrifice of the Church And that by the sayd sacrifice of the Masse the soules departed are especially relieued 288. chapter 9 That the practise of any poynt in religion maketh the most opeÌ„ shevv of the fathers faith And that all holy men haue in plain vvordes and most godly prayers vttered their beliefe in our matter 304. chapter 10 That vve all nations receiued this vsage of praying sacrificing for the departed at our first conuersion to Christes faith And that this article vvas not onely confirmed by miracle amongest the rest but seuerally by signes and vvonders approued by it selfe And that the Church is grovvne to such bevvty by the frute of this faith 328. chapter 11 That in euery order or vsage of celebration of the blessed Sacrament and Sacrifice throughout the Christian vvorlde since Christes time there hath ben a solemne supplicatioÌ„ for the soules departed 347. chapter 12 The heretikes of our tyme and cuntry be yet further vrged vvith the practise of prayers for the deceased their contrary coÌ„munion is compared vvith the olde vsage of celebration â—hey are ashamed of the first originall of their Christian faith they are vveary of their ovvne seruice they are kept in order by the vvisdome of the ciuill Magistrates and are forced to refuse all the doctors 364. chapter 13 That the praying for the deade vvas appoynted to be had in the holy sacrifice by the Apostles commaundement and prescription And that our doctors by the maiestie of their name beare dovvne our light aduersaries 386. chapter 14 The first author of that sect vvhich denyeth prayers for the departed is noted his good conditions and cause of his error be opened vvhat kind of men haue bene most bent in all ages to that sect And that this heresie is euer ioyned as a fitte compagnion to other horrible sectes 407. chapter 15 Their falshood is condemned and the Catholike truth approued by the authority of holy Councells Their pride in contemning the Catholikes humility in obedient receiuing the same And a sleight vvhereby the heretikes deceiue the people is detected 424. chapter 16 An aunsvvere to such arguments as the heretikes doe frame of the holy scriptures not vvell vnderstanded against the practise of Gods Church in praying for the deade or the doctrine of Purgatory 436. chapter 17 An aunsvvere to their negatiue argument vvith the Conclusion of the booke 448. FINIS
soules departed which the Church hath customably taken in hande for all men passed in the Christian Catholike society by the way of a generall commemoration their names not particularly expressed that such thinges may be prouided by our common kinde mother to all those which doe lacke parents children kinsfolke or freindes for the due prouision of such necessary dueties By this holy mans wordes we may see the difference betwixt our owne tender naturall mother and the cursed cruell steppe dame The one followeth her children with loue and affection into the next world with full sorowfull sighes many deuout prayers and all holy workes which she vseth to their needefull helpe the other being but an vnnaturall steppemother and all the children of that adoulterous seede hath them no longer in minde then they be in sight whether they sinke or swim she maketh no accompt she hath no blessing of her owne she hindereth the mercy of other CAP. XI 1 THe argumentes of your chapters be like the gates of Lyndum which being but a very litle citie had exceding great gates in so much that Diogenes willed them to shut them vp for feare least their city went out of them Euen so your titles are merueillous large but the matter of your treatise is wonderfull streight In the last chapter we shoulde haue had prayer and sacrifice for the deade with the conuersion of all nations but a lacke we coulde not obteine so much as the same altogether in one poore nation of the Saxons and them as some thinke not so much conuerted from Gentility to Christ as peruerted from pure Christianity to superstition Nowe shall we haue euery order of celebration sence Christes time with solemne supplication for the soules departed but our probation shall not beginne vntill three or fower hundreth yeares after Christes time sauing that for a preamble we shall haue a cople of players come vppon the stage the one to counterfect Clemens the auncient the other to beare the name of Dionysius the Areopagite But such disguised doctors haue bene already to often shifted out of their players garments and shewed to the worlde in their owne apparell that any which hath wit should not be nowe deceiued by them And as concerning the diuerse formes of Liturgies which you saye doe perfectly and wholy agree with your masse as they be corrupt and falsely beare the name of them to whome they be inscribed so notwithstanding being of some antiquity they differ almost as much from your masse as your masse differeth from our forme of celebration of the communion But to follow you at the heeles as farre as you dare goe I will agree with S. Augustins rule that the lawe of beleuing shoulde make a lawe of praying but faith if it be true hath no other grounde but the worde of God therefore prayer if it procede of true faith hath no other rule to frame it by but the worde of god And though Augustine proue against the Pelagians which allowed the prayer of the Church that the Church woulde not so praye except she did so beleue yet it followeth not neither doth he meane to defend that what so euer the visible Church receiueth is true if it be not agreable to the worde of God and therefore all other perswasions set a side he prouoketh onely to the scripture to trye the faith and doctrine of the Church Which rule if he had as diligently followed in examininge the common error of his time of prayer for the deade at that time as he did in beating downe the schisme of the Donatistes or the heresie of the Pelagians he woulde not so blindly haue defended that which by holy Scripture he was not able to mainteine as he doth in that booke de cura pro mortuis agenda and else where And where as you compare our Church to a steppe dame and your Synagoge to a naturall mother we maye more iustly wringe backe that comparison vpon your noses For our Church herein approueth her selfe to be a naturall mother that she neither keepeth backe from her true children that heauenly inheritaunce which their father hath appointed them nor dissembleth the eternall abdication of them that be obstinate and rebellious But your malignant church sheweth her selfe to be a cursed steppe dame both in feeding the wicked with a vaine hope of release of paines after this life and in tormenting the well disposed with a false feare of paines which God hath released to al them that truely turne vnto him So her terror tormenteth the vertous deceiueth the wicked her hope flattereth the vngodly and disquieteth the well affected The Church of God sendeth her childreÌ„ into the euerlasting blessing of their father in heauen the Church of Rome sendeth her bastards out of the blessing of God not into the warme sonne but into whot burning cooles of purgatory to be thence deliuered at leysure as she promiseth but neuer to come out of hell fire as they shall finde 2 But let vs vewe all the orders that we finde extant or vsed through the Christian worlde for the celebration of the blessed Sacrament and sacrifice which nowe commonly in our vulgare speach we call the Masse and see whether as Augustine saide there hath not bene in all ages an especiall supplication of the priest and people for the dead as well as for the lieue First S. Clement the Apostles owne scholar reporteth how they prescribed this solemne prayer in their holy ministery for the departed Pro quiescentibus in Christo fratres nostri rogemus c. Let vs pray sayth the deacon brethern for all thoâ—e that reste in peace that our mercyfull Lorde that hath taken their soules into his hand woulde forgiue them all their offensies whether they were willingly or negligently committed and so hauing compassion vpon them woulde bring them to the lande of the holy ones and happy rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all other that pleased him from the beginning where there is neither sighing sorow nor sadnesse And a litle after in the same holy actioÌ„ the Byshop prayeth him selfe in this forme O Lord looke downe vpon this thy seruaunt whome thou hast receiued into an other life and pitefully pardon him if either willingly or vnweetingly he hath offended Let him be guarded by peaceable Angells and brought to the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles and the rest of all them that haue pleased thee sith the worlde beganne Thus reporteth Clement being one of the Apostles companie and continually present in the celebration of their mysteries 2 S. Hieronyme in his cataloge of Ecclesiasticall writers reherseth all the bookes that either were knowen to be written by Clemens or sayed to be his and were not First a profitable epistle to the Corinthians being like in stile to the Epistle to the Hebrues Also vnder his name wente a second Epistle which was reiected of the auncients like wise the disputatioÌ„ of Peter and Appione written in a large treatise which Eusebius in
benedicta agni videlicet immaculati qui tollis peccatum mundi potare de fonte pietatis tuae qui per lanceam militis de latere emanauit crucifixi Christi domini nostri vt consolati exultent in laude gloria tua sancta This in English we besech the most holy father for the soules of all faithfull departed that this high and greate sacrament of piety may be vnto them helth and salfty for euer ioye release and perpetuall refreshing O my Lorde God geue them this daye greate and perfect comfort of thee which art the bread that came downe from heauen and geuest life to the worlde Let them take ioye of thy holy and blessed flesh that is to saye of the lambe that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde Geue them to drinke of the springe of thy piety which by the pricke of the souldiers speare did aboundantly ishue out of the side of our Sauiour Christ and Lorde crucified that they being so comforted may reioyse in thy laude and glory euerlastingly To be brieefe all the Christian worlde agreeing as Isiodorus saith vpon one waye for the celebration of diuine mysteries maketh intercession for the faithfull departed that by the blessed sacrifice they maye obteine pardon and remission of their sinnes 7 It is a world to see that you haue nothing in a manner but forged euidence to proue the antiquitie of prayer for the deade in publicke seruice of the Church Who is so ignoraunt in antiquitie but he that will needes be obstinate that knoweth not those preparatories to that masse to be none of S. Ambrose his doings Otherwise it were not harde to proue that by the name of sacrifice he meaneth thankes geuing for the sacrifice of Christ as the maner of that vnpropre speach was to terme the holy sacrament which is but the seale of our saluation and not the matter thereof it selfe To be briefe what so euer Isidorus sayth if all the worlde agreed that intercession and sacrifice should be offered for the deade seeing it disagreeth from the worde of God and the practise of the primitiue Church so long as it followed the rule of Gods worde it is no whit to be regarded 8 For I assure the good reader that all realmes which nowe by Gods grace are in true faith and their Christianitie continuing or else before haue bene and now by schisme doe forsake the same that all those nations as they receiued one faith so in substance they haue euer agreed vniformely in order of seruice which they receiued at their first conuersion from the way of gentilitie by the good prouision of such as wrought vnder God in their happy turne to the Christian faith and religion The same men that brought in the faith of Iesus with all brought in this way of worshipping Christ in the same faith take away then this order of worship and solemne supplication which they planted thou must needes ouerthrowe the faith which they taught also This I say was euer found in the celebration of the fearefull mysterie of Christes body and blood besides the oblation of that holy host for the quicke and dead both namely for certaine and generally for all departed in Christ a solemne prayer and supplicatiō VVhich no doubt Christ instituted at his last supper which the holy Ghost afterward secretly suggested to the Apostles which they againe faithfully deliuered to the nations conuerted by their preaching and to diuerse of their owne disciples by whom the same was deriued downe to our dayes taught in all nations and carefully practised of all people VVhereof we haue worthy witnesses for all countries almost For so the godly doctors Tertullian Cyprian Augustine both taught and worshipped in Africke the same doth Hierom and Damascene in Syria Origen and Athanasius in Egypte Denyse the auncient and Bernarde in Fraunce Chrysostome in Thrase Basill and his brethern in Cappadocia Ambrose and Gregory the greate in Italy Augustine our apostle and Bede in our countrie of England with the rest of all nations baptized whome I named before and might doe yet a number what shoulde I say a numbre all that euer were counted Catholikes since the beginning were of the same sense in that cause And to name the residue where these do not serue it were lost labour For whome they can not moue I can not tell what maye perswade him in any matter Or if he dare not bestow his credit on these mens doinges whome maye he salfely trust If the communion and faithfull fellowship of so many godly and gracious men so vniformely consenting both in the teaching and practising of this matter can not sattell and quiet a mans conscience who can appeace his disquieted vnsteadfast minde and cogitation If in the construing of Gods word and scriptures so many of such graue iudgement of so approued wisedome of so passing learning of such earnest studie in tryall of the trueth of so vertuous a life of so heauenly a gifte and grace in the expounding of Gods worde maye not be salfely followed in this our search whome shoulde we follow or to whome shoulde the simple addicte them selues in so greate a turmoyle of learned men one sorte craking so fast of scripture and the other sorte when the matter commes to triall alleaging so many with so auncient and graue testimony for the true meaning of the same to which I saye is it wisedome to geue consent and credit if not to such as faithfully both followe and recite the scripture with the agreement of the worlde for the true sense thereof S. Augustine writing against Parmenianus the Donatiste much woundereth in that cleere light of trueth and the Churches doctrine the heretikes coulde be blinde or not see the euidence of that which all the worlde but them selues sawe And in many places he reckeneth the most horrible punishment in the worlde to be the cecity and blindenesse which God striketh the stubborne mans hearte with all in forsaking the fellowship of the Churches children But he that considereth the processe of our cause maye a thousand times more maruaill and feare Gods heuy iudgement in the blinding of the disobedient mens heartes and senses for sinne If they them selues were of their consciences examined what els they would wishe for the triall of any doubt I am sure they coulde name no one point nor any meanes in the worlde which our cause woulde not suffer and admitte For by what waye so euer any trueth in Gods Church was seuerally in the auncient times auouched against the aduersary heretike I am sure we haue the same with the aduauntage And for this last point of prayers in the Masses of all nations it is so euident that no man can gaine saye it and so generally practised that the vsage of praying coulde in no matter euer so cleerely set out the certaintie of our belefe as in this 8 If you will take M. Allens assurance in so weighty a matter that vseth so commonly to
church if we could name such notable persons as you speake of in all ages florishing in their gouernment and ministerie And it is a good argument that the Popish church is not the church of Christe because it was neuer hidden sence it first sprang vp in so much that you can name all the notable persons in all ages in their gouernment and ministerie and especially the succession of Popes you can reherse in order vpon your fingers in which beadroole neuerthelesse you must name many tyrants many traytors one whore many whoremongers many Sodomites many murtherers many poysenors many sorcerers and Necromancers and from Boniface the third all blasphemous heretikes and Antichristes But our church which hath not had so many registers chroniclers and remembrancers hath perhaps fewer but yet honester men to name we can name Peter Paule Mathew Iohn c. Marke Luke Timothe Agabus Epaphras c. Iustinus Irenaeus Cyprianus Athanasius Hylarius Ambrosius Augustinus c. Gyldas Bertramus Marsilius de Padua Ioan. de Ganduno Bruno Andagauensis VVickleue Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage c. With the first namely Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets we consent wholly in all pointes of doctrine with the rest in the cheefe and most substantiall articles of faith alwayes agreeing with any man so farre as he agreeth with the worde of God. 3 And if he can proue vnto me that their Church hath neuer lacked the same appointed officers or that any Church or Congregatiō but ours hath kept that charge thē I recant FOr some of those officers I haue twise aunswered before that they were not ordeined to continue alwaies with the church wherefore they are not to be exacted of vs but such officers as are necessary for the conseruation of God his people in the vnitie of faith and the knowledge of Christ our Church hath neuer lacked although in time of the great defection and Apostasie whereof S. Paule doth prophesie 2. Thess. 2. there were but few as there were but fewe members of Christ his Church notwithstanding that through iniurie of the time the remembraunce of all their names is not come vnto vs And although we could rehearse in order as many successions in our Church as the papistes boast of in theirs yet were that nothing to proue it to be the Church of Christ which must be tried onely by the Scriptures as S. Augustine sayth in his booke de vnitate Ecclesiae against the Donatistes cap. 16. Sed vtrum ipsi Ecclesiam teneant non nisi diuinarum Scripturarum canonicis libris ostendant quia nec nos propterea dicimus nobis credere oportere quod Ecclesia sumus quia ipsam quam tenemus commendauit Mileuitanus Optatus vel Mediolanensis Ambrosius vel alij innumerabiles nostrae communionis Episcopi c. But whether they holde the Church or no let them shew none otherwise but by the canonicall bookes of holy Scripture for we our selues doe not therefore say that men must beleeue vs that we are in the Church because we hold the same Churche which Optatus of Mileuitum hath commended or Ambrose of Millayn or innumerable Bishops of our communion Euen so we require at the Papistes handes that shewe them selues to holde the Church not by succession of Bishops or rehearsing of their names but onely by the Scriptures for although we did rehearse innumerable names of Bishops in orderly succession on our side we would not require men to beleue vs but onely because we proue the doctrine of our Church by the authoritie of the Scriptures But as for the popish church neyther hath nor euer had any of those officers which S. Paule speaketh of for Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets she can chalenge by no reason seing she refuseth to be tried by their doctrine vttered in their writings in steede of pastors teachers she hath wolues dūme dogges or false prophets which either teach not at all or else teach the doctrine of deuills the dreames of men And further I would desire none other place in all the Scripture to ouerthrow the popish Hierarchie which is the greatest glory of their Church then this place of Paule Ephes. 4. he speaketh of Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastors and teachers But where are Popes Cardinalls popish archbishops Bishops Preestes Deacōs Subdeacons Exorcistes Cantors Acolyts Ostiares Monkes Friars Chanōs Nunnes c. Wherfore I cōclude that all these popish orders are no offices in the Church of christ And especially seeing the Apostle both in this place Eph. 4. and 1. Cor. 12. by these offices proueth the vnitie of minde he acknowledgeth no Pope as one supreme head in earth which might be very profitable as the Papists say to mainteine this vnity for if there had bene any such office appoynted of God S. Paule in no wise woulde haue omitted it especially when it made so notably for the confirmation of his purpose which was vnitie To conclude if it be sufficient or any thing worth to rehearse the names of them that haue orderly succeded in all ages in the bishops sees in an outwarde face of the Church the Greeke Church is able to name as many as the Latine Church and in as orderly succession Wherefore if you be as ready to performe as to promise you recant The nynth article may be deuided into nyne demaundes 1 And for the necessary vse and execution of the foresayd offices they must further be asked what Sacramentes the Protestants ministred for the space of a thousand yeares togither in which they confesse their congregations to haue bene neare or else wholy hidden THey ministred those Sacramentes which Christ did institute namely the Sacrament of baptisme and the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ at such times as the cruell tyrannie of you Papistes did not hinder them to come togither for such purposes 2 VVhat correction they kept and discipline for offenders THey did vse such discipline as was vsed in S. Cyprians time when persecution hindered not the free course of it As he doth often complaine in the places aboue rehearsed They did admonish secretly before witnesses and when persecution stayed them not they did also excommunicate 3 To whome they did preach their Fayth TO such as woulde geue them hearing as VVickleue to the Englishmen Iohn Hus to the Bohemians VValdo to the Frenchmen and so of the rest 4 How did they reproue heresies THey reproued heresies by the worde of God and patient sufferinge of your tyrannie the one you may reade in their workes that are yet extant of VVickleue Bertrame Hus c. The other in histories of your owne writers 5 VVhere did their principall Pastors sit in Iudgement I Might aske you where the Apostles did sit in iudgement and you are neuer able to shew me for I reade as one sayth that they stoode often to be Iudged but I neuer reade that they sat in iudgement vpon others And so I aunswere of the principall Pastors of our Church especially in time of persecution 6
sermon in such sorte that the common people might vnderstand it and in the 45. Canon they decreed that euery Christian shoulde learne the Creede and the Lorde his prayer Et qui aliter non potuerit vel in sua lingua hoc discat that is And he that can not yet let him learne it in his owne tongue Whereby they declare that they desier to reteine the latine tongue still but rather than the people shoulde be ignorant they commande them to learne their prayers and beleefe in their mother tongue Also by the 43. Canon wherein they iudge that no preeste can saye Masse alone it appeareth that the people commonly vnderstood the latine seruice for they aske how he shoulde saye Dominus vobiscum and admonish the people to lifte vp their heartes and diuers like sayinges where there is none by him but him selfe Nowe if the people vnderstoode not these sayinges it were all one whether they were present or absent Also in the Councell of Rhenes holden in Fraunce about the same time the like decree was made cap. 15. that bishops studie to preache sermons and homelies of the holy fathers so that all men maye vnderstand according to the property of their tongue Finally in the Councell of Laterane holden vnder Pope Innocent the third Anno Dom. 1215. in which Councell transubstantiation was first established the 9. chapter it was plainely decreed that forasmuch as within one citie and diocesse people of diuers languages be mingled together hauing vnder one Faith diuers rites and maners we streightly commande that the bishops of such cities and diocesses prouide able men which according to the diuersitie of their rites and languages celebrate vnto them the diuine seruice and minister the sacramentes instructing them both by worde and example Hereby it appeareth that when the latine tongue was either almost or altogether growen out of the common peoples vnderstandings order was taken that common prayers should be sayed and sacramentes ministred in the mother tongue of euery nation But the bishops which shoulde haue seene it put in execution either negligently omitted it or willingly refused to doe it because it was more for their profit to kepe the people in blinde ignorance So thus I haue shewed that sodenly the tongue of common prayer was not altered 10 Tell me what yeare of our Lorde vnder what Emperour vnder what Pope by whome these thinges were wrought vpon what occasion this marueillous mutation was made WHo can tell the originall of euery blind custome and peuish tradition of euery olde error and foolish fashion it is sufficient to shew that these thinges haue no grounde in the scripture of God they were not taught by Christ and his Apostles nor receiued in the church that followed immediatly after them and then we are bolde to say with Tertullian This preiudice there is against all heresies how soeuer they came vp or when soeuer they sprange vp That is true that was first and that is false that is latter therefore from the beginning it was not vsed to praye for the deade nor to the deade from the beginning common prayer was not in an vnknowen tongue Wherefore prayer for the deade and to the deade with prayer in a strange tongue are false when soeuer they beganne or how long soeuer they continued 11 VVho preached against it what historie maketh mention of it who of all your Pastors preached against it was God his Church so voide of the spirit of Trueth and strength that euen then when it most florished it had none that durst open against â—uch corruption of religion as it entred in and when it might soone haue bene repressed BEfore you demande what yeare the religion of the Papistes came in and whether it came in sodenly and as though we shoulde aunswere that it came in sodainely you demande who preached against it c. This is to fight with your owne shadowe for we say not that it came in sodainely but that it entred by small degrees at the first and therefore was lesse espied by the true Pastors especially being earnestly occupied against great heresies and open aduersaries that sought to beate downe the cheefe foundations of Christian faith as the Valentinians Marcionistes Manichees Arrians Sabellians and such like monsters So when Satan had gotten in one foote by such craftie pollitie he neuer rested vntill he had thrust in his whole bodie with the power of Antichrist 12 If it coulde not shew me then what yeare of the Lorde this mutation was made and who of all the true preachers did with stand this doctrine SO often as you demande one thinge so often must I aunswere after one sorte this mutation was not all in one yeare nor in one hundreth yeares nor in one thousand of yeares for transubstantiation no small article of your religion was not decreed vntill the yeare of God 1215. what preachers haue withstoode your doctrine at diuers times are declared before in the aunswere to the 8. Article 2. demande 13 Or note the name of him that euer first preached any article of our doctrine and if we note you not by their names euery one of your Capitaines and the seuerall errors that they tought and the time and the yeare when they arose against the former receyued trueth and the Councells in which they were orderly condemned if I saye this can be done of your side towarde vs or if we doe it not for improofe of your Church and religion I recant I Haue noted in the answere to the 6. article 3. demande the names of diuers heretikes that first preached diuers articles of your religion and further I note vnto you Pelagius and Coelestius which tought that free will without grace coulde doe somewhat towardes eternall saluation and that grace was geuen according to merite which article you teach also with culler of a distinction De congruo condigno which is a meere cauill for God is as much bounde vnto congruitie as to dignitie or worthinesse and as he can doe nothing against worthinesse no more can he doe any thing against congruitie which is a kinde of Equitie And whereas you bragge to note vnto vs euery one of our Capitaines c. except you note vnto vs the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Euangelistes and Christ himselfe you shall neuer be able to performe that you promise for we teache nothing but the eternall trueth of God wherefore we refuse not to be counted heretikes if you can proue that we holde any one article of faith contrarie to the scripture you may perchaunce note the names of them that preaching the trueth of our doctrine against your receyued errors were accounted of the world for heretikes but you must proue that their opinions are contrarie to the worde of God or els all your labour is in vaine we confesse also that some articles of our doctrine were taught by heretikes as there was neuer no heresie which had not many thinges common with true Religion but yet in
obstinately defend the filthy whore of babylon against the cleare light of the Gospell the true spouse of Christ ye shall be damned except you recant The 23. article conteyneth 2. demandes 1 Againe shew me any Church or imagin if you can by good reason a church of Christ in which there is no gathering together for preaching no spirite of prophesying no rodde of correction no order of ministring nor any spirituall functioÌ„ that can be named proue me that there should be a true Church for a thousand yeares together and lacked all these thinges YOu would faine haue a great nombre of Articles and therefore you bring in one matter often times in diuers phrase of words that it might seeme a new matter when it hath bene vttered twise or thrise before as this Article is conteined before in the 5.8 and 9. Articles where you shall finde it more largely aunswered But let vs see what this strange demande requireth we must shew him a church or els imagine by good reason a church of Christ without preaching ministring and discipline for a thousand yeares together Although we will not graunt that it hath so longe continued without these exercises yet because you geue vs leaue to imagine we can imagine that it may as well continue without publike preaching ministring and discipline for a thousand yeares as it did for three hundred yeares before Constantine But you will say there was preaching ministring and correcting though it were not knowen to the tyrantes and persecutors so say I vnto you for that thousand yeres there was gathering together for preaching ministring and correcting though the Pope and his persecuting Prelates coulde not alwayes see it nor come to the knowledge of it for if they had once intelligence of it they smarted for it as is knowen by the stories of the Waldenses Bohemians c. Furthermore continuall exercise of preaching ministring of sacramentes and executing of discipline are notes of a quiet and peaceable Congregation not of a dispersed persecuted and disquieted Church How often doth S. Cyprian coÌ„plaine that the brethren could not be gathered togither for executing of discipline whereby it is certeyne that likewise they coulde not be gathered togither for other exercises Therefore the intermission of these exercises in a persecuted Church doth not proue the same to be no true Church But where so euer there be two or three gathered togither in the name of Christ there is he in the middest of them But whereas you require the spirite of prophesie except you meane the gift of interpreting the Scriptures the Church in the most quiet and flourishing state may want the spirite of shewing things to come as well as the giftes of tongues healing c. 2 And withall that there was an other vntrue Church which for those many dayes onely practised to the saluation of many all these offices and geue me a good reason why this Church that alwayes hath had these thinges should be a false Church and the other that wanted them to be a true Church and I recant WE vtterly denye that beside the true Church there was an vntrue church that practised those offices to the saluation of any man for once againe I tell you you haue neither the preaching of the word nor ministring of Sacraments nor execution of discipline according to the truth of God his institution but either altogither changed or else greatly corrupted And whereas you say that the popish church onely hath practised these offices I aske you againe whether the Greeke Church be a parte of your Church and whether the Papistes in England be a part of your Church The Grecians you will say are not but the English Papistes are Then haue I founde out by your owne iudgement the Church of the Grecians practising these offices being an vntrue church the church of the English Papistes not practising the same yet graunted of you to be a true Church Therfore you are bound to recant The 24. article conteyneth 10. demandes 1 Moreouer let any man shew how that Church can be the piller of truth which durst not for a thousand yeares clayme either preaching of Gods word or ministring of SacrameÌ„ts or shew her selfe against falshood or superstition AS the number of your articles doth draw to an ende so your matter is farre spent and therefore to make vppe your number you must repete one thing twise This demaund is conteined before in the 11. and 12. articles where also it is fully aunswered Notwithstanding seeing it commeth againe it shal be briefly aunswered in this place The Church is not called the piller of truth because it should stand alwayes in the sight of the world for then the defection which S. Paule speaketh of could not haue come neither should the Church flie into the wildernes as was declared to S. Iohn But it is called the piller of truth because that where so euer the Church is either visible or inuisible there is the truth So though the Church were hidde a certeyne time in the wildernes yet there was trueth with the Church You seeme to be a good Arithmetrician for no number soundeth in your mouth but a thousand Neuerthelesse how long so euer it was the piller of truth decayed not And as God gaue his spirite diuers times was bold to chalenge preaching and ministring of the Sacraments yea and so boldly that it cost many of the chalengers their liues As Berengarius Bruno Marsilus de Pandua Ioannes de Gaudano Ioannes VVickleffe VValdo Ioannes Hus Ieronymus de Praga c. Thus it is manifest that the Church hath diuers tymes chalenged her right and withstood falshood 2 Let any man shew that all giftes of the spirite and functions of the holy Ghost haue bene taken from her a thousand yeares togither and onely practised to the peoples vse by an aduouterous Church THere is no man can shew this for it is a false lye that all giftes of the spirite function of the holy Ghost were either taken from the true Church or giuen to the adulterous church And this hath bene shewed more then once or twise before 3 Let it be declared how the gates of hell haue not preuailed or Christes promise and warrant for her not bene voyd frustrate if a bastard Church exercising idolatry as they say hath spoyled the true Church of all holy actions and the whole gouernment and the whole name of Christianitie almost euer since Christes tyme. THe Deuill hath bent all his force and ordinance he hath armed all the power of darkenesse he stirred vp â—yrantes heretikes Popes Saracenes and Turkes to destroye the Church the dragon that olde serpent Satanas the Deuill stoode before the woman to deuoure her childe he persecuted her into the wildernesse he cast out of his mouthe a great riuer to cary her awaie he made warre with the rest of her seede that keepe the commaundementes of god Apoc. 12. but yet in despight of the deuill the
the like practise was assayed by Mahomet the deuills onely dearling by whome numbers of wiues togither often diuorcies and perpetuall change for nouelty was permitted By which doctrine of lust and libertie the floure of Christiandom alas for pity was caried away At which time though our faith Christes church were brought to a small roome and very great straights yet by Gods grace good order and necessary discipline this schoole of lust hath bene reasonably till our dayes kept vnder and the grauitie of Christian maners as the time serued orderly vpholden TO THE PREFACE 1 IF you had not promised and professed an orderly proceding in this cause we woulde neuer haue enquired whether good order would require that an heretike should haue bene first defined before he were diuided And especially in this controuersie where either partie chargeth other with heresie it had been conuenient that the right definition or description of an heretike had bene first set downe that men might thereby haue learned who is iustly to be burdened with that crime For an heretike is he that in the Church obstinatly mainteineth an opinion that is contrary to the doctrine of God coÌ„teined in the holy Scriptures which if any of vs can be proued to doe then let vs not be spared but condemned for heretiks But if iust proofe therof can not be brought against vs but contrarywise we be able to shew manifest euideÌ„ce that our aduersaries doctrine is cleane contrary to the Scriptures of God then let the name of heretikes be applied to them to whome the definition doth agree with further punishment due to calumniators that slaunder other men in that whereof they are guilty them selues Nowe to the matter of this Preface which as the argumeÌ„t declareth consisteth of three partes wherof the first is that there be two sorts of heretiks the one preteÌ„ding vertue the other opeÌ„ly professing vice This part is shewed in three leaues following In the substaÌ„ce of which point I will noâ— differ with you yet something will I note in your handling thereof as occasion moueth me First you affirme that heresie and all willfull blindnesse is vndoubtedly a iust plague of God for sinne I mislike not your affirmation but I maruaile how you can affirme this and be a good Catholike when we cannot say halfe so much but we are charged by you to make God the author of sinne But such is the force of trueth that oftentimes the enimies thereof them selues when they speake without contention cannot auoyed a true confession God therefore as this Papist can not now deny punisheth sinne with sinne not as an euil author but as a rightuous iudge Proceding further you say that Christ hath geuen all heretikes this marke that there vnsemely works should euer detect their fained faith wherein you speake not onely contrary to the trueth but euen to your owne affirmation before For our Sauiour Christ hath apoynted false prophetes to be knowne by their fruites which is there false doctrine contrary to Gods worde cloked with the sheepe skinnes of fained holinesse and vertue which though it be many times discouered yet is it many times so closely conueyed that it clearly escapeth the iudgement of all men Who was euer hable to chardge that damnable heretike Pelagius with any notorious crime or wicked behauiour in his outwarde life and conuersation you your selfe confesse that there appeared in him nothing but grauity constancy and humility If his doctrine had not bene found contrary to the word of God he shoulde neuer haue bene tried to be a faulse prophete by his workes Such are many of his scholers the free will men of our time whose opinion if it were not manifestly repugnant to the authoritie of the holy Scriptures there manners are vnreprouable in the iudgemeÌ„t of mortall men The like may be said of Iouinian who if he were so great an heretike as you make him yet he himselfe as you shew after out of Augustine offended not in that which he perswaded others to doe Your last example of heretiks openly professing vice is of Mahomet by whose licentious doctrine you affirme that your faith Christes Church were brought to a small roome very great streights If this be true thaâ— you affirme that the Catholike Church must be otherwise estemed and by other notes then you are wont to describe it or else your Church by your owne assertion can not be counted Catholike For if Christes Church be brought to a small roome and great streights where is vniuersality Consent of all nations multitude of people c. that you are wont to talke of But by your discipline the schoole of lust hath bene reasonably till our dayes kept vnder the grauitie of Christian maners as the time serued orderly vpholden You doe well to qualifie your asseueration with those termes reasonably orderly and as the time serued For otherwise the whole Christian worlde should be witnesse against you and yet to shew with what reason order or opportunitie the schoole of lust hath bene shut vp before our time or yet is Wher your doctrine most preuaileth let the filthy stewes and brothel houses opened in euery citie yea and at your mother citie of Rome most licentiously of all other not onely by your gouernours permitted but also by your doctors defended let them I say beare sufficient witnesse against you 2 But now once againe in our cursed dayes the great flowe of sinne turning Gods mercy from vs with exceding prouocation of his heauy indignation towards the wicked hath made our aduersary much mâ—re bold and long practise of mischiefe a great deale more skilful The serpent passed all other creatures in subtelty at the beginning but now in cruelty he farre passeth him selfe The downefall that he hath in a fewe yeares rage driuen man vnto by thopen supporting of sinfull liuing it is sure very wofull to remember and an exceding hearts greefe to consider Looke backe at the Christian Epicures whom I now named view the men of like endeuour in al ages compare their attempts to ours their doctrine to ours the whole race of their proceedings to ours And if we match them not in all pointes and passe them in most I except the wicked Mahomet and God graunt I may so doe long though they had out of his holy schoole their often diuorciâ—s and new mariages in their wiues life excepting him therefore if ours passe not in open practise of mischiefe and supportation of sinne all the residue miscredit me for euer This is euident to all men that thinges once counted detestable before God abhorred of the priestes straunge to the Christian people punishable by the lawes of all Princes be now in case to maintaine them selues to geue vertue a checke mate and without all colour to beare downe both right and religion Thus doth sacriledge boldly beare out it selfe and ouerreacheth the promoters of Gods honour so doth incest encounter with lawfull mariage the
and graunts So M. Allen for euery matter when his owne reasons faile hath the concessions of his aduersaries which if they will not franckly make he wil forcibly compell them to say what he will haue them Last of all he sayth it is presumption such as toucheth the very prouidence of God with iniury to say that he letteth any sinner scape vnpunished which repented not vntill the houre of death as for whome he hath no scourge in the next life as he had here if death had not preuented his purpose But these he calleth childish cogitations but he might well haue termed them deuilish imaginations which will controule the wisedome and mercie of God vnder his blinde reason and corrupt affections and not suffer God to shew mercy vpon whome he will shew mercy Rom. 9. without his blaspemous and enuious murmuring His promise made so pleasauntely not to digresse from his fautlesse matter how perfectely he performeth we shall see afterwarde That the practise of Christes Church in the courte of binding and loosing mans sinnes doth liuely set forth the order of Gods iustice in the next life and proue Purgatory CAP. III. 1_THis being then proued that God him selfe hath oftē visited the sinnes of such as were very deare vnto him let vs now diligently beholde the graue authority of loosing and binding sinnes and the courte of mans conscience which Christ woulde haue kept in earth by the Apostles and Pastours of our soules where we neede not doubt but to finde the very resemblaunce of Gods disposition and ordinance in punishing or pardoning offensies For the honor and poure of this ecclesiasticall gouernement is by especiall commission so ample that it conteineth not onely the preaching of the Gospell and ministerie of the Sacraments but that which is more neare to the might and maiestie of God and onely aperteineth to him by proprietie of nature the very exact iudgement of all our secret sinnes with loosing and binding of the same For as God the father gaue all iudgement to his onely Sonne so he at his departure hense to the honor of his spouse and necessarie giding of his people did communicate the same in most ample maner as S. Chrysostome sayth to the Apostles and priestes for euer that they practising in earth terrible iudgemēt vpon mans misdeedes might fully represent vnto vs the very sentence of God in punishment of wickednesse in the worlde to come The princes of the earth haue poure to binde too but no further then the body but this other sayth he reacheth to the soule it selfe and practised here in the world beneth which is a straunge case hath force and effect in heauen aboue The poure of all potentates vnder the maiestie of the blessed Trinitie in heauen and earth is extreme basenesse compared to this By this graue authoritie therefore the Pastors and Priestes imitating Gods iustice haue exercised continually punishment from the spring of Christian religion downe till these dayes vpon all sinners perpetually enioyning for satisfying of Gods wrath penaunce and workes of correction either before they would absolue them as the olde vsage was or els after the release of their offensies which now of late for graue causes hath bene more vsed In which sentence of their iudgement we plainely see that as there was euer accomp◠made amongest all the faithfull of paine due vnto sinne though the very offense it selfe and the giltinesse as you would say thereof were forgiuen before so we may gather that it was euer enioyned by the priestes holy ministerie after the qualitie and quantitie of the fault committed VVhereupon they charged some maner offenders with certaine prayers onely other with large almose diuerse with long fasting many with perilous peregrinations some with suspending from the sacraments and very greuous offenders with curse and excommunication VVhereby thou maiest not onely proue that there is paine to be suffred for thy sinnes but also haue a very image of that miserie which in the next life may faule not onely to the damned for euer but also to all other which neglected in this time of grace the fructes of penaunce and workes of satisfaction for the aunswere of their liues past This great correction of excommunication and separation from the sacramentes S. Paule termeth the rodde wherewith he often threatened offenders yea and some times though it was with great sorow the punishment was so extreme he mightely in Gods steade occupied the same As once against Himeneus and Alexander and an other time towardes a Corinthian vpon whome being absent he gaue sentence of their deliuery vp to Satan not to be vexed of him as Iob was for the increase of merite sayth Chrysostome but in their flesh meruelously to be tormented for paiment for their greuous offensies and as the Apostle writeth of the Corinthian that his soule might be false in the day of our Lorde CAP. III. 1 BEcause this man would shew him selfe mindeful of his promise hereafter he is euen now wandered out of Purgatory into excommunication which notwithstanding he counteth no digression at all because it doth set forth the order of Gods iustice in the next life and proue Purgatory which were neither so nor so but that he hath a speciall grace to make all thinges serue his purpose though they be neuer so farre from it Omnia ex omnibus he can make what he liste of euery thing We confesse the power of excommunication geuen by Christ vnto his Church and the seueritie of the punishment thereof to be greater then the swelling wordes of M. Allens eloquence can expresse but where as he addeth that it hath bene the perpetuall vsage of Gods church for satisfying of Gods wrath to enioyne penaunce and workes of correctiō before they would absolue which was the olde custome or els after the release of their offence which was the new fashion he sheweth him selfe ignoraunte of the right vse and end of that auctoritie which our Sauiour hath committed vnto his Church For the chiefe ende of this discipline is to bring the sinners to repentaunce which if it may be obtained by admonitiō the sworde of excommunication must not be drawen out As appereth plainely by Christes owne wordes Matth. 18. If priuate admonition where the offence is not publike may preuaile to winne our brother there needeth no witnesse to be called If two or three may serue to admonish the matter neede not to be referred to the Churches knowledge and he that heareth the Church so that by the admonition thereof he is brought to harty repentaunce is not to be cut of from the Church nor to be deliuered to Sathan for how should the Church refuse him whome God receiueth But if he obstinatly contemne the gentle admonition of the Church or as our Sauiour saieth if he refuse to heare the Church then let him be as an heathen or publicane For afterwarde if being excommunicated he shew harty tokens of repentaunce
holy Scripture may not haue any allowed sence approued to be the meaning of God the author thereof by consideration of the wordes nor conference of one place with an other but it must nedes haue such sence as your Church will fayne vnto it Finally other writinges are of credit according to the authoritie of the writers The holy Scriptures with you haue not credit according to the authoritie of God the author of them but according to your determination that maye conferre or perferre vnto them what you list whereby it is manifest that you Antichristian Papistes receiue onely the names of the canonicall scriptures and the metaphysicall wordes abstract from all sence but the authoritie meaning and credit you vtterly deny to be in them submitting them altogether to your owne selues and your most corrupt peruerse iudgement The rest of your tedious rayling vnto the ende of the chapter I know not why I should aunswere further except it were to waste incke and paper For the stocke of your fructlesse tree being digged vp by the rootes the proude toppes and braue braunches therof must nedes fal downe and wither away with it That the funeralls of the Patriarches both in the lavve of nature and Moises and Christ had practise in them for the reliefe of the soules departed CAP. IIII. 1 NOw therefore I haue great hope to trust so much of all studious readers for that loue which they beare vnto truth that they will geue creditte to the manifest wordes of Scripture which so plainly doe set forth not onely the benefite that ariseth to the departed by prayers but also witnesse that there was practise at Ierusalem by oblation and sacrifice for the same purpose by order of their law For otherwise would that good knight so highly commended neuer haue presumed to bring in any superstitious new vsage contrary to the rule of that Church neither would the Priestes at Ierusalem haue offered for the dead without contradiction vnder the gouernment of so good a bishop neither would the Author of she booke vpon so light a beginning haue praysed the fact or otherwise made mention of it then as of a new deuise of the same man VVhom I doubt not therefore rather to haue followed the continuall custome of the Church then to haue inuented any newe vnknowne order of his owne VVhich may well appeare at this day by the ceremonies and sacrifices of the olde lawe yet superstitiously obserued emongest the dispersed Iewes where emongest other rites of their lawe they offer and make solemne supplication for the soules departed as Antonius Margarita a Iewe that forsooke his profession and became Christian witnesseth in a booke that he made of the faith of the Iewes VVhere he reporteth out of their sacrifice this prayer Deus animarum fidelium recordetur in paradisum cum Abraham Isaac Iacob alijsque integerrimis sanctis collocet that is Lord remember the faithfull soules and place them in paradise with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and other thy perfect Sainctes and holy men And for that purpose they haue a memoriall booke as he sayth out of which the names of the departed are yerely recited But we much neede not this report herein for that may well appeare to haue bene vsed long before Iudas Machabaeus his dayes For what other thing doth that long mourning fasting charitable releuing of the poore and other common afflictions which men tooke vpon them at the obites of their friendes and fathers as well in the law of nature as afterward continually in Moises time what else can they meane but perpetual practise for the rest of their soules Looke how religiously Abraham celebrated the rites of his wiues funerall which the Scripture calleth Officium funeris the office of the Buriall which he fulfilled by weeping and lamentation made ouer the corps Neither can I thinke that the office and iust funeralls stoode in mourning or sorowyng without praying or other remedies of reliefe towardes the departed seeing especially that office of mourning by solemne dirigies as we nowe tearme them had place time and ordre by rule appointed to be executed yea and were not ended by many dayes together nor at one time nother As it appeareth that Ioseph and his brethern executed their fathers funeralls first fourty dayes in Aegypte and then in their owne country celebrabant exequias saith the text seuen dayes together So the children of Israel celebrated Moyses obsequies with thirty dayes solemne mourning in the downes of Moab Not by that weeping which procedeth of priuate affection towardes a mans friende for that can not be limited nor yet prescribed by rule as all these solemne dirigies were But questionlesse this office conteined for the reliefe of the deceased almes prayer fastes and teares all which may well be termed mourning songes or weeping ouer the dead for that time most cōuenient Of which the wise man geueth this precept Super mortuū plora VVeepe ouer the departed And that thou maiest well perceiue these publike rites of solemne dirigies to perteine properly to the due helpe of those for whome they be exercised S. Ambrose doubteth not to affirme that of those burialls in the lawe of nature the necessary obseruation of our Christian dayes monthes and yeares mindes kepte for the deade had their beginning saying thus in his funerall sermon made the fourtith daye solemnely kept for the memory of the noble Emperour Theodosius Eius Principis proxime conclamauimus obitum nunc quadragesimum celebramus assistente sacris altaribus Honorio principe quia sicut sanctus Ioseph patri suo Iacob quadraginta diebus humationis officia detulit ita hic Theodosio patri iusta persoluit quia alij tertium trigesimum alij septimum quadragesimum obseruare consueuerūt quid doceat lectio consideremus defuncto inquit Iacob praecepit Ioseph pueris sepultoribus vt sepelirēt eum repleti sunt ei quadraginta dies Haec ergo sequenda solemnitas quam prescribit lectio Bonus itaque Ioseph qui formam pio muneri dedit c. VVe kept of late the day of this noble kinges buriall And now againe we celebrate his fourtith dayes mind the prince Honorius his sonne assisting vs before the holy altares for as holy Ioseph bestowed vpon his fathers funeral fourty dayes dutie euen so doth this prince procure his fathers obsequies And because some obserue the thirde day and the thirtith other kepe customably the vij and the fourtith let vs looke vpon the text which readeth thus Iacob being departed Ioseph commaundeth the prouisours of the sepulture to bury him and so they did and made vp full fourty dayes in that obite this solemnity then must we fellowe prescribed by the scripture Good was this Ioseph that first gaue vs the forme and fashion of so holy a function By these wordes we see the antiquity of our Christian dirigies and diuersitie of dayes as yet it is vsed in
and such like either had no leasure to espie or else made lesse accompt to reforme Of certaine offeringes or publike almes presented to God for the deceased in the time of the holy sacrifice at mens burialles and other customable dayes of their memories and of the sundry mindes kepte in the primitiue Church for the departed CAP. VI. 1 KEping our selues then from by matters if those be by that are so neare of relieuing the departed by the almes of the liuing there we lefte and there must we borowe breefely a worde or two more Because I thinke it very necessary to be knowen that besides the priuate procuring of the deceased soules welth and more then the common doles at the day of buriall there was also an other kinde of almes not much differing in effect from the other but in ordre and vsage not all one VVhich because it was solemnely presented to Gods minister before the holy altare in the face of the whole faithfull assembly harde at then try vnto the soueraigne sacrifice was highly alwayes esteemed and called an oblation for the departed or an offeringe And it was most practised at the mindes of the departed and memoriall dayes which were very many at the beginning of those happy times of our forefathers the deuotion of the good Christians then very feruent and be not nowe a dayes as they faulsely affirme increased by superstition but of late yeares euen before this pitifull ouerthrow of vertue by our negligence and lacke of deuotion much decayed There is now vsed onely for the most part but twelue monthes mindes or monthes for the most and that commonly but for the first yeare of their rest and then afterward either cleane forgotten or openly not often remembred I speake of the late better times For now there is no blessing of mans memory at all These often oblations in the sacrifice time for both the liue dead gaue name to that part of the Masse which is yet called the offertorie wherof there was a signe of late in the offering of some small peece of mony in the common funeralls and at other times also of greater solemnitie But in the primitiue Church it rose to such a summe that both the Church was thereby mainteyned and the poore singularly relieued And the name of the peoples oblation is often taken in this sense although because they ioyne by these meanes and other with the holy minister in the great and dreadfull oblation of Christes owne blessed person in the sacrifice they be sayd sometimes truely to offer as it were by the Priestes ministery whome with hart and affection they doe assist and with whom they truely communicate they may offer I say that sacrifice in this sense for their friendes departed But else commonly besides the blessed Sacrifice of the newe Testament which was alwayes the chiefe meane of Gods mercy to both quicke and deade and in euery minde or memory for the soules principally procured the offering of some part either of the deceaseds owne goods or his louers for the vpholding the ministery was also made Of which kind of participating with the departed we reade in the auncient councell named Bracharense thus si quid ex collatione fidelium aut per festiuitates martyrum aut per commemorationem defunctorum offertur per aliquem clericorum fidâ—liter deponatur constituto tempore semel aut bis in anno inter omnes clericos diuidatur If there be any offeringes by the contribution of the faithfull made either in the festiuall dayes of martyrs or mindes and memorialls of the dead let them be laide vp aside in custody of one of the cleargie that once or twise in the yeare as time shall serue they may be truely parted emongest the reste And because all times haue had certaine draw backes in religion and hinderers of deuotion the Councell kept at Vase of greate antiquitie excommunicateth all such as in any wise hinder the oblations for the departed And in like case the fourth Councell holden at Carthage Thus runneth the decree of them both VVe doe curse and excommunicate all those that by any meanes withdrawe or els staye from the Churches the oblations of the departed as murderers of the poore The decrees of both these notable assemblies were thought worthy to be confirmed by the vj. generall Councell holden at Constantinople then are our ministers in the ruffe of their newe communion thrust out of the olde holy communion of sainctes if either vniuersall or prouinciall Synode can take holde of men so desperat that neither care for mans curse nor Gods blessinge VVell murderers and manquillers they must be counted their predecessors not halfe so euill deserued no better name CAP. VI. 1 IN the latter ende of the fift Chapter was promised a whole rancke of Gods holy host all the blessed band of Martyrs and Sainctes to stand on their side But this promise is no soner made then it is forgotten The title in deede talketh of almes presented for the deceased in time of the holy sacrifice but the treatise hath neuer a one that speaketh for it But M. Allen him self who first speaketh of the decay of popish deuotion euen in popish tyme then telleth vs whence the offertory of the masse tooke the name which he sayth was of such oblations as were offered for the deade But except his word be good payment he bringeth nothing else for proofe But if we shall rather beleue Iustinus Martyr one of the most auncient and authentical writers of the Church whose workes remayne the oblation that was made after the communion was of almes for the reliefe of the poore As appeareth in his second Apollogie vnto the Emperour for the Christians where he describeth the whole order of their meeting and what so euer was done or sayd among them As first the reading of the Scripture the exhortation of the chiefe minister the common prayer of the whole Church the administration of the Lordes supper and then sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They that are rich such as wil according as euery man shall thinke good geue what they will c. by which it is manifest that in those first and purer dayes there was no mention at all of sacrifice for the dead but onely oblation for the poore liuing And as for the councell Bracharense which was helde 4. or 5. hundreth yeares after Iustinus time yet proueth nothing but the commemoration of the deade and a collation of the faythfull but no oblation for the deade Neuerthelesse to help the matter be added 2. other prouinciall councells namely the councell of Vase and the 4 of Carthage which excommunicate all such as hinder in any wise the oblations for the departed and these decrees also are confirmed by the 6. generall councel holden at Constantinople Therefore these ministers that be in the ruffe of their newe communion must be thrust out of the olde communion with all a
Gods worde or authorities of scriptures but such as is so pitifully wrested and drawen vnto them as euery man may see the holy Ghost neuer ment any such thinge as they gather of them 3 Holde on vpwarde still and Tertullian will witnesse with thee that in that floure of Christes Church with in lesse then CC. yeares of our maisters death Oblationes fiebant annua die pro defunctis That oblations and sacrifice were yearly made at the xij monthes mindes of most men he meaneth both by the sacrifice of the Church and offeringes of the freindes of the departed as there also Repete apud Deum pro cuius spiritu postules pro qua oblationes annuas reddas Call to thy remembraunce for whose soule thou prayes and in whose behalfe thou makes yearly offeringes He speaketh of a freinde of his that practised thus for his wiues departure And in an other place he well declareth the duety of maried persons one towards an other if God by death separate them in sonder Pro anima eius orat refrigerium interim postulat offert annuis diebus dormitionis eius She prayeth for her husbandes soule and obteineth in the meane space ease and offereth euery yeare at the mind day of his passing hense And he letteth not to affirme that the maried couple that practise not thus do not beleue the resurrection Therefore he concludeth thus Nunquid nihil erimus post mortem secundum aliquem Epicurum non secundum Christum quòd si credimus mortuorum resurrectionem vtique tenebimur cum quibus resurrecturi sumus rationem de altetutro reddituri VVhat say you shall we fall to nothing after our death as the Epicure thinketh and not rise againe as Christ teacheth And if we beleue the resurrection of the deade then doubtlesse we shall be bounde to make accompt one of an other as we shall together rise againe Beware here my maisters once againe I must tell you you are going towardes the deniall of the resurrection so many as condemne the vsage of the Church in praying or offeringe for the deade Tertullian sayth you be Epicures in this point and so you be in all others I say you are past priuy muttering in your heartes that there is no God for you are come to plaine Manducemus bibamus cras enim moriemur Let vs eate and be mery we can not tell how longe we lieue I say you must aunswere for parting the affection of man and wife and the one must be countable at the day of iudgement to an other that they procured not the dueties of the deade by right of Gods holy Church for their soules departed Take heede therefore you are warned 3 Nay ho there M. Allen no higher then Tertullian And when we haue examined the testimonies of Tertullian in order as you haue brought them you shall haue small aduantage out of him yea your friendes shall thinke you had bene better to haue made no mention of him For first I must tell you that these three lines which are all that he hath written sounding that way are found in three bookes which all were written by him when he was an heretike separated from the catholike Church And therefore it may well be that all that he speaketh of prayers and oblations for the deade was onely in the conuenticles of the Montanistes of which sect he was an earnest defender rather then in the catholike Church And this coniecture seemeth the more probable because Cyprian which was afterward a catholike Bishop in the same city where Tertullian sometime had liued maketh no mention of prayers for the dead but onely of sacrifice for the Martyrs which was none other but the sacrifice of thankesgiuing lib. 4. Ep. 5. But admit that the Church of God in that time vsed these superstitious prayers and oblations for the deade let vs consider vpon what ground they were vsed The firsâ— place M. Allen allegeth in this forme Oblationes fiebant annua die pro defunctis But Tertullians wordes in libro de corona militis be these Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitijs annua die facimus We make oblations for the dead for our birthes on the yearly day By which it is euident that M. Allen did not read these wordâ—s him selfe but receiued them of some other mans collection or sound them in some booke of common places But to the matter Tertullian him selfe shall say for me that the same custome with many other which he there rehearseth hath no ground in the holy Scripture Harum aliarum eiusmodi disciplinarum si leges expostules scripturarum nullam inuenies traditio tibi praetendetur autrix consuetudo confirmatrix fides obseruatrix Of those and such like disciplines if you require the lawes of the Scriptures you shall finde none tradition shall be pretended to you to be the author Custome the confirmer and faith the obseruer It is good to take that which is so franckly giuen and more is Tertullian to be commended that confesseth the ground of his errour not to be taken out of the word of God then they that labour to wreâ—t the Scriptures to find that which Tertullian confesseth is not to be found in them I knowe the Papistes will aunswere that tradition is of as good credit as the Scripture is the word of God vnwritten as well as the Scripture is the word of God written But why then doe they not obserue all other things that Tertullian in the same place affirmeth to be tradition if tradition be the word of God why doe they not giue to them that are newly baptised a temper of milke and hony and from the day of their baptisme forbid dayly washing all the weeke after Why doe they not count it a wicked thinge to fast on the Sunday or to pray and worship God on their knees Why doe they not count it a wicked thinge to fast betwene Easter Whitsontide or to pray on their knees all that time Finally why doe not they crosse them selues in the forehead at euery steppe they set forth at comming in at going out at putting on of garmentes at putting on of shoes at washing at the tables at lighting of candles at beddes at stooles and at all thinges what so euer they doe What aunswere can they here make but that their Church may dispense as well with the word of God vnwritten which they cal tradition as she doth against the word of God conteyned in the holy Scriptures So that alwayes what so euer they prate of antiquitie customs traditions vnwritten verities or the word of God vnwritten the authority of their blasphemous church is aboue them all Now to the second testimony alleged out of Tertullian S. Ieronym shall testifie for vs that this booke as the other that followeth was written against the Church so was also his booke de corona militis when he was out of the Church whereby it may
quotidiano sacrificio vis diuina placatur A virgine is the oblation of her mother by whose dayly sacrifice the wrath of God is pacified But speaking expressely of the celebration he sheweth that Christ is not offered but by him selfe and that the oblation which is here made of him is but in an image and representation Officiorum cap. 48. Hic in imagine ibi in veritate vbi apud Patrem pro nobis quasi aduocatus interuenit Here he is offered in representation there in deede where he maketh intercession for vs with the father as an aduocate As for the oblations whiche he nameth in the 8. Epistle to Faustinus be nothing but prayers For as he doth but vary his wordes where he sayth weeping and mourning which are all one euen so it is all one where he sayth prayers and oblations And whereas you say there are none of our new Bishops will followe Ambrose in such kind of letters they can shewe better reason not to follow him where he went amisse then your popish Prelates can shew not to followe him where he writte well which of your Prelates will follow him in his commentary vppon the epistle to the Romaynes where he so often affirmeth that a man is iustified before God by faith onely Or in his commentary vppon the Apocalyps where he interpreteth the whore of Babylon to be the citie of Rome or where he affirmeth that not Peter but the fayth the confession of Peter is the foundation of the Church and that the primary of Peter was a primacy of faith not of honour of confession not of authoritie or higher order De incarnat Dom. cap. 4. 5. or in an hundreth places of his writinges beside The other places that you allege out of Ambrose Paulinus do not so much helpe your purpose with prayer for the deade as they are contrary to your doctrine concerning purgatory For Ambrose praying for Theodosius calleth him a perfect seruaunt of God but you hold that perfect men come not at all in purgatory and therefore you haue qualified the matter by translating perfecto famulo to thy good seruaunt Gratianus was not baptised and therefore by your doctrine he should not come in purgatory but strayt to hell As for the wordes that Ambrose speaketh of oblations for his brother Satyrus you doe shamefully wrest them contrary to his meaning For he was so farre of from beleuing his brother to be in purgatory that he prayeth to him as a Sainct in heauen and the oblation and sacrifice that he offereth to God is the soule of his brother and not prayers or masses for his soule Tibi nunc omnipotens Deus inno xiam commendo animam Tibi hostiam meam offero cape propitius ac serenus fraternum munus sacrificium sacerdotis haec mei iam liba praemitto To thee now O Almighty God I commend his innocent soule to thee I offer my sacrifice receiue mercifully and fauorably this gifte of a brother and sacrifice of a Priest this sacrifice as a part of my selfe I now send before me By which wordes as it is euident that he meaneth not the sacrifice of the masse so it is manifest howe licentiously he vsed the name of sacrifice oblation that we may know when he speaketh of the sacrifice of the body of Christ he meaneth not so grosely as the Papistes take it and vse it them selues 5 Paulinus one of the same time and Bishop of Nola declareth him selfe to be of the same faith by the like practise He prayeth bitterly him selfe for a brother departed and besecheth Amandus a holy man of his acquaintaunce to ioyne with him for the helpe of the departed soule By his wordes the paine of Purgatory is noted and the benefite of our prayers is proued ▪ thus he sayth Impense rogamus vt quasi frater vnanimos fratres iuuans hanc meritis fidei tuae mercedem accumules vt pro eo infirmitati nostrae compatiaris orandi ab ore conspires vt misericors miserator Deus qui facit omnia in coelo in terra in mari abyssis refrigeret animam stillicidijs misericordiae suae per orationes vestras quia sicut ignis accensus ab eo ardebit vsque ad inferni nouissima ita proculdubiò etiam ros indulgentiae inferna penetrabit vt roscido pietatis eius lumine in tenebris ardentibus aestuantes refrigeremur I hartely beseeke ye that as one brother helping an other you woulde increase the desertes of your holy faith by taking compassion with me ioyning prayers with me for the departed soule that the God of pity and compassion who worketh all thinges in heauen and earth in the sea and the depthe woulde at the contemplation of your prayers refresh and coole his soule with some droppe of his mercy For as the fire kindled by him will burne to the bottom of hell beneth so doubtlesse the dewe of his grace and mercie shall passe downe to the neither partes that by the comfortable louely light of his piety the soules broyling in burning darkenesse may be refreshed And writing also to Delphinus he alludeth to the feruent heate that the rich man suffered in Hell when he craued for Lazarus helpe And prayeth him to refresh the mans soule deceased with some droppe of pity and his holy prayers This man was very deare to Paulinus in his life time for whome he was so carefull after his death he doubted not of his saluation though as he sayth he went out of this worlde a debter and therefore feared him to be in great paine So certaine was the doctrine of purgatory in the primitiue Church and so profitable were the prayers counted for the deceased in Christ. 5 The wordes of Paulinus importe that he thought those whom he prayed for were in hell howe so euer you dissemble it by translating inferna the nether partes and dare not rehearse his wordes vnto Delphinus where he iudgeth them that were prayed for to be where the rich man was that desired refreshing of Lazarus For purgatory in those dayes was but euen a breding yet not throughly shaped out of prayers for the deade and such other superstitious ceremonies as were vsed about the departed 6 But if you will haue an examplare and a full waraunt of your duety and deuotion with vnderstanding the vsage of the auncient Church in such aboundance of many the like you shall I thinke be fully satisfied for this parte by S. Augustine in the goodly historie of his mothers death a blessed woman and worthy of such a sonne Her name was Monica well knowen in Gods Church and numbred amongest the sainctes This good matrone prouided especially by her testament that she might not be forgotten at the altar of God when the names of the faithfull departed were in the sacrifice remembred For that was common in all Churchies as partly is and yet shall be better declared anone The which her
that was the worst and cursed was he that was counted the best then is our case most carefull then are we worse then all other nations that neuer receiued the name of Christ then are we worse then we were before our conuersion then to be shorte there is no religion no Christ no God no hope of saluation 2 I am content to staye with you and ponder as much as is meete the conuersion of the Saxones vnto the faith of christ And first I saye that you reason both falsely and foolishly to proue that either all opinions were true or else all false that the Saxones receiued at there first conuersion For though prayer for the deade and other superstitious opinions then receiued were false yet doth it not follow that all that then was taught them for Christianity was false For although Augustine had bene voyde of all true articles of the faith yet the byshoppes and christian teachers of the Brytish nation in whose ayde they required and at last obtayned to the conuerting of the Saxones reteyned the foundation of fayth Iesus Christ and the onely sacrifice of his death And this was the fayth that was receiued euen of the Saxones as appeareth by those homylies that yet remaine in the Saxon tongue appointed to be reade vnto the people for their instruction and namely in that printed Saxone homylie which was appointed to be reade at Easter where in is declared not onely the faith of the Church at that time concerning the sacrifice of Christ his death but also that heresie of popish transubstantiation and the reall presence of Christes body in the sacrament is pithily confuted And therefore it is altogither vntrue that you say M. Allen that they did institute a sacrifice to the defacing of our redemption as you do that they did adore the sacrament as the natural body of Christ as you doe or counted it a â—â—opitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the deade as you doe although they vsed vnprofitable prayers for the deade and many other superstitions Neither doth it follow that all that taught or beleued those errours so long as they builded vpon Christ the only foundation haue perished or that all they taught was false because some thing was vntrue or that God hath deceaued vs with fayned miracles which Satan hath shewed to set vp the kingdom of Antichrist euen in the temple of God with all lying signes and wonders 2. Thes. 2. To conclude no truth is false no vertue is vice no good thing is euill because all was not true all was not vertue all was not good that was receiued and practised among them 3 All which things if they repugne to common sense and reason and to the comfortable hope of our saluation which we haue receiued from God by Christ Iesus and the assured testimony of the spirite of God that we be a part of his chosen Church sanctified in his holy name by the word of truth and life which we by the ordinary ministery of man haue receiued signes and wonders confirming their calling and doctrine then this religion which they planted first in our country must nedes be in all points both holy true and accepâ—able vnto god Then as by that religion our fathers were ingraffed first into Christes body misticall which is the Church in which till this day they haue kept the high way to saluation so who so euer forsaketh this or any principall article or braunch thereof and so leaueth that Church into which we first entered at our conuersion he leaueth assuredly life and saluation and without all doubt euerlastingly perisheth Amongest which pointes of doctrine our aduersaries can not deny but the saying masse and offering for the deade the almes and prayers for the departed was taught with the first and proued by miracles with the rest The which either to deny were ouer much discredit of the antiquitie and plaine impudencie or else to attribute them to the deuills working were open vntollerable blasphemy 3 There is nothing that you saye in this parte or that you can say in this respect to proue that the religion here receiued was in all pointes holy true and acceptable to God because it was in some and those the chiefe but it may be sayed by the nations of the Gothes and Vandalles which were first conuerted from hethenish idolatry to the profession of the name of Christ by the Arrian heretikes to defend that there religion was in all pointes holy true and acceptable to God or by them that were conuerted by the Donatistes Nouations or any other heretikes For although the Arrians were blasphemous heretikes yet they tought many thinges truely and soundly concerning the faith of christianitie And therefore no more then the religion of the Arrians who first turned those nations was true in all pointes though it were in many no more I saye was euery article that was tought vnto the Saxons which were conuerted by superstitious Romanistes in all pointes true notwithstanding that many things and the principall were true So much therefore as may be iustified by the worde of God of that doctrine is holy true and acceptable to God but that which is contâ—ary to the doctrine of the holy Scriptures is neither receiued from God nor Christ neither hath it any testimony of his spirite by what presumptuous words oâ— apperance of signes and wounders so euer it be vttered Neither is it any greater offence for the English men to renounce the error of praying for the deade or abusing the communion to the similitude of a sacrifice or any other superstition then or at any time after receiued then it was for the Gothes or Vandalles to forsake the hereticall and blasphemous opinions of the Arrians by whome they were first perswaded to reuerence the name of Christ or for any other that were turned by any heretikes to forsake their first errors and geue place to the trueth after reueiled vnto them And whereas you affirme that we can not deny but that Masse offering almes and prayer for the deade were taught with the first and proued by miracle with the rest we may be bolde to deny that they were at the first taught so grossely as they be now maintained impudently And as for miracles I meane such as were prophecied to be the efficacy of error in the kingdome of Antichrist we will confesse that these and like errors had alwayes great plenty to establish them as they which had no authoritie out of the holy Scriptures to approue them 4 Yea this doctrine hath brought the Church to this bewtifull order in all degrees as we haue seene All the noble monuments not onely in our common wealth but through Christes Church doe beare sufficient testimony of our first faith herein This doctrine as the whole world knoweth founded all Bishoprikes builded all Churches raised all Oratories instituted all Collegies indued all Schooles mainteyned all hospitalles set forward all workes of charity and religion of what
lye in euery tryfling matter you are worthy to be deceiued And that you may see I doe him no wrong see I pray you how shamefully he lyeth in this matter whereof he maketh such impudent assurance He sayth the same men which brought in the fayth brought in the same order of seruice and planted the same supplication wherein they haue vniformly continued c take away the same order and ouerthrow the fayth which they taught But who doth not know that Chrysostom Basill Ambrose Gregory which he nameth to be the first auctors of those orders of seruice formes of supplication which before he commended were not the first that brought in the fayth into Cappadocia Thracia or Italy But the Apostles them selues and that those Churches continued more then 300. yeares with other formes of publike prayers and celebration of the sacraments before these men were borne And where he sayth there was euer found in the celebration of the sacrament beside oblation of the host for the quicke and the deade both particularly and generally a solemne prayer for all departed in Christ You must take it as the rest of his assertions which be euer more generall then their probations But to reproue his vanitie the order of prayers and administration of the holy misteries described by Iustinus Martyr in his second Apologie and of Tertullian also in his Apologetico doe sufficiently declare what was the vsage of the Christians in those purer times And although there be not set forth vnto them what forme of wordes they vsed in their liturgie yet is it expressed for whom and what they prayed Oramus etiam sayth Tertullian pro Imperatoribus pro ministris eorum potestatibus saeculi pro rerum quiete pro mora finis We pray also for the Emperours for their ministers and the powers of this world for the quiet state of thinges for stay of the end Likewise he sheweth to whom they made their prayers and what was the chiefest sacrifice that they did offer Haec ab alio orare non possum quam à quo sciam me coÌ„secuturum quoniam ipse est qui solus praestat ego sum cui impetrare debetur famulus eius qui eum solum obseruo qui ei offero opimam maiorem hostiam quam ipse maÌ„dauit orationem de carne pudica de anima innocente de spiritu sancto profatam These thinges I can not require of any other but of him of whom I know I shall obteyne For it is he alone which graunteth and I am he which should obteyne being his seruaunt which worship him onely which offer vnto him that principall and great sacrifice which he him selfe commaunded namely prayer proceding out of a chast body out of a harmeles soule and from the holy spirite This he speaketh comparing the prayers and sacrifice of the Christians with the prayers and sacrifices of the Gentiles But that I may returne to M. Allen which referreth the institution of prayer and sacrifice for the deade to Christ at his last supper to the secrete suggestion of the holy Ghost to the faithfull deliuery of the Apostles and the constant continuance of all nations Of whom will he be a feard to lye when he fathereth such a blasphemy vpon the Apostles vpon the holy Ghost and vpon Christ him selfe But let vs consider your Sorites Christ you say no doubt did institute it where is the warraunt of this vndouted institution you aunswere secrete suggestion of the holy Ghost howe come we to the knowledge of this secrete suggestion By tradition of the Apostles who is witnesse that this is the tradition of the Apostles Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Ieronym and a great many more But if it be lawfull for me once to pose the Papistes as you do often the Protestants I would learne why the Lord would not haue this doubtlesse institution and as you take it the most necessary vse of the sacrament plainly or at least wise obscurely set foâ—th by Matthew Marke Luke or Paule which all haue set forth the story of the action of Christ the institution of the sacrament and the ende or vse of the same If it were not meete at all to be put in writing why was it disclosed by Tertullian Cyprian Augustine c. If it were meete to be put in writing why were not those chosen Scribes Matthew Marke Luke Paule worthy of all credit rather appoynted for it then Tertullian Cyprian Augustine and such as you name But against this counterfect institution secrete suggestion and fayned tradition S. Paule cryeâ—h with open mouth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. That which I deliuered vnto vnto you I receiued of the Lorde that the Lord Iesus the same night c. In which wordes he declareth without couler or couerture what was the true institution of Christ of what witnesse he receiued it with what fidelitie he deliuered it what the sacrament is and what is the right vse of it to condemne all maner of abuses what so euer may rise either to corrupt this onely true substance and onely right order of ministration or to peruert this onely right vse and proper ende thereof I knowe the Papistes will flie to those wordes of the Apostle the rest I will set in order when I come but that is so manifest to be spoken of matters of externall comlines and not of doctrine of the sacrament as prayers and sacrifices that no man which vnderstandeth what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie can doubt or make any questioÌ„ of it Now touching the credit and worthynesse of these whom he so highly extolleth as I woulde not goe about to diminish it if they were to be compared with vs so when they are opposed against the manifest worde of God and the credit of the holy Apostles the instruments of the holy Ghost there is no cause that we shoulde be caried awaye with them But the controuersie is not as M. Allen sayth of the authoritie of the scriptures in this matter but of the true meaning of them which it is more like that they being such men then we so farre inferior to them should knowe I aunswere they them selues for the most parte confesse that prayer and oblation for the deade is not taken at all out of the scriptures as Tertullian Augustine and other the rest that woulde seeke confirmation in the scriptures as Chrysostome and such like doe so manifestly wrest them to their purpose that the Papistes them selues are ashamed to vse those textes of scripture for their proofes And as for such places as the later Papistes woulde violently draw vnto their error they haue fewe or none of the olde approued writers which though they allow their error yet that so interpret them as the place 1. Cor. 3. and Matth. 5. And what a shamelesse creature is M. Allen to say the controuersie is about the true meaning of the scripture when he him selfe in the next leafe before affirmeth that prayer and
lyr De fide operibus Cap. 16. Ench. Cap. 67. 68. Ench. Cap. 69. This clearkly argumeÌ„t our English apologie vrgeth Lib. 21. de Ciuit. 26. Cap. 16. Matth. 19. Cap. 24. lib. 21. Vide quaest 8. ad Dulcitium Cap. 110. Serm. 4. de sanctis De haeres ad quod 43. In Cap. 11. Prouerb Super. 3. Cap. 1. ad Cor. Super. ca. 3. Malach. In 3. cap. Malach. 1. Petri. 4. Cap. 4. I call stannuÌ„ peuter moued by the circumstaÌ„ce of the letter 1. Pet. 4. A mortall sinne not remitted in this life is not discharged by purgatory A deadely sinne remitted is in case of a veniall sinne De vera falsa poeniâ—ent ca. 18. Ench. ca. 71. Naum. 1. 1. Cor. 11. Act. 2. Dan. 4. Serm. 20. in Psal. 118. Psal. 65. Ibidem Vide Rupeâ—tum in 3. cap. Genes In Ser. de S. Nicolao Cap. 5. Lucae 12. 1. Petri. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Litigator seu actor Vide Bern. ser. 85. super Cantic Act. 10. De libero Arb trio lib. 3. cap. 15 Carcer Super. 5. ca. Matth. Lib. 21. de ciuit Dei. cap. 13. Ad Amandum epist 1. Epist. 2. See hovv fully he expresseth both the vvorde and meaning of purgatory He calleth the senteÌ„ce of God in the next life iudgement Markevvel Homil. 3. de Epiphania Dan. 7. Ezech. 24. He alludeth to the place of the secoÌ„d chapter to the Colossians of the obligation of death vvhich vvas against vs. Homil. 16. Tom. 10. In Psal. 103. In vita HuÌ„berti The difference betvvixt the Catholikes dealing the aduersaryes Iacob 5. 1. ad Tim. 5. Obiect Aunsvvere Diuersity of sensies be allovved so that none of them coÌ„teine any falsehood in it selfe The diligeÌ„t vvatch that the Church keepeth ouer the trueth Epist. 110. 12. Confess De doctri Christiana lib. 1. ca. 36. Obiection Aunsvvere Rom. 8. 1. Petri. 2. Matth. 3. Matth. 4. Iudas in epist Ad Gal. 5. Ad Haebr cap. 5. Articulo 1. falso imp The vvorde Satisfaction so abhorred of heretiks is common vvith the old fathers For Christes sake let all Catholikes here attende Ser. 55. in Cantic Naum. 1. Emissaenus de poeniteÌ„tia Niniuit Precat praeparatoria 2. ad mis. In Psal 118. Serm. 20. In Psal. 37. Note here Christian reder vvhether S. Augustine douted of purgatory as the lying vnlearned aduersaries vvould make the simple people beleue De vera falsa poeniten Cap. 18. The paynes of purgatory hath ben reueiled to many holy persons 1 Thes. 5. 2. Cor. 12. Apocal. 20. Ecclesi 4 6. 1. Reg. 28. Matth. 17. Intercourse betvvixt the liue and dead though it be not ordinary yet it is not impossible De cura pro mor. cap. 16 Matth. 12. VVicked men haue euer resisted the holy Ghost Lib. 4. epist. 9. Genes 37. Cap. 24. l. 4. dialogorum Cap. 13. li. 3. Lib. 5. ca. 13. P. Beda 1. Cor. 12. Damascenus voâ—at purgatoriuÌ„ baptisma ignis Lib. 4. Cap. 10. de ortho fid Ad AmanduÌ„ epist. 1. Epist. 1. cap. 4. Ambros. vbi supra Epist. 2. Lib. 20. Libro â— cap. 5. Cyrill The diuersity of the dâ—mneds case and of such as be temporally punished in purgatory Philip. 2. Vide Greg. 4. dialo 20. Isiodo de ordi creat Luke 11. Dan. 4. Lib. 4. Cap. 30. de sap 2. Cor. 7. Ambros. Rupert in 3. cap. Genes In orat pro defunctis A comparison of the mercy and iudgement of God tovvardes the soules in Purgatory that mercy is more Psal. 76. The motioÌ„s of Gods mercy In releasing or mitigation of the paine of Purgatory Psal. 76. Li. 1 de poenit cap. 1. A briefe note of the contentes and principall pointes of this booke Cap. 1â— Cap. 3. Cap. 12. Lib. 4. dialog cap. 19. Onely small offensies be remitted in the next life Serm 66. in Canti Cap. 24. lib. 21. de ciuit Beda in 3. Cap. Marci Sometimes Gods iustice is aunsvvered fully by the paine of the party 1. Cor. 12. August epi. 23. Idem tract 32. in Ioan. The christiaÌ„ communioÌ„ and fellovvship is expressed The soules depaâ—ted in pâ—ety are of our church fellovvship Lib. 20. de ciuit Cap. 9 Quaest. ad Ant. 34. The communion expressed betvvixt the liue and the dead by the naturall agreement betvvixt the vine in the fielde the vvine in the vessel Cal. Instit. Ad frat in herem 44. Gregori in epist. ad Bonifac Cap. 12. Take heede In heresi Aerij In oratione pro de funct Ecclesiast Hierrarch Cap. 7. Antiq. li. 1â— Cap. 8. Hiero con vig. Prayers for the departed agreeth to our faith of the resurrection and immortalitie Heretikes deny scriptures In prol mach Though against a levve or an heretike they coulde not proue any article of faith neither then nor novve by them Cap. 48. Cap. 47. Lib. 2. Cap. Cap. 36. In lib. pro defunct De cura pro mort agenda Augustines ansvvere to Pelagius denying scripture for that it made agaiÌ„st his heresie August de haeresib 24. haeres Tâ—rtul de praescrip Iren. cap. 26 libr. 1. Euseb. eccles histor lib. 4. De haeresi ad quod vult deum 30. haeresi The Churches vse in confirmation or publishing of the canonicall Scripture A necessary vvarning Iudas follovved the order of the church and not prescribed to the Church any nevv sacrifice or ceremony De vniuersa iudeoruÌ„ fide recitatur a Groppero in lib. de Eucharist Genes 23. Genes 50. Deut. 34. Eccles. 22. Super obit Theod. Geneua booke appointeth a still buriall Cap. 1. Fasting for the departed 2. Reg. 12. 1. Reg. 31. Tobiae 4. Ser. de cath sancti Pet. Lir. super huÌ„c locum Tob. 12. Act. 9. Sermo de initio quadrage Lucae 7. Ser. de eleemos Ioh. 11. 1. Thes. ca. 4 Homil. 3. 4. Reg. 19. Homil. 84. in Ca. 20. Ian. As prayers doe protest the resurrectioÌ„ so vnordinate mourning shevveth the lacke of beliefe therin Homil. 32. in Cap. 9. Matth. In his time the priestes vvere desired to pray for mennes soules A great decay of vertue in our time Iucae 11. 16. Dan. 4. Ecc. 3. Tob. 12. Iacob 2. Iacob 1. Serm. de Eleemos O that vvas a happy time Citatur à Dam. Marci 12. Matt. 10. The perfectest kind of almes Tob. 12. Lib. 3. in Iob. In compeÌ„d epistola ad Iacob fratrem domini Iob. 1 2. In 15. cap. 1. Cor. Homil 14. Ex Damasceno pro defunctis Psal. 24. In Athanasius his time candels vvere light in churchies for their sakes that vvere dead sicke or absent Athanas. authoritie onely vvill beare dovvn all heretiks in the vvorlde The name onely of Christianity lefte in many Deuotion much decaide somevvhat before this heresy began Can. 39. Cap. 2. Cap. 95. In vita Iosaphat Super obit Theodos. Iulio interpr De fide resur De Cor. milit In exhort Castitat De monogamia This heresy much ioyneth vvith the Saduces Psal. 13. Cor. 1. ca. 15 Lib. 8. CoÌ„st Cap. 48. The maister
those poinctes they were no heretikes neither did they erre Yea but you will saye they were condemned for those opinions as erroneous I will not dissemble that which you thinke the greatest matter Aerius tought that prayer for the deade was vnprofitable as witnesseth both Epiphanius and Augustinus which they compte for an error but neither of them both reproueth it by the scripture Wherefore if Aerius had not bene an Arrian this opinion coulde not haue made him an heretike Also he tought that fasting dayes are not to be obserued if he espied the superstition of fasting dayes and reproued it that was no error at all But if Aerius was an heretike for denying prayer for the deade to be profitable why were the Heracleonites accused of heresie because they buried their deade with inuocations Epiph. lib. 1. Tom. 3. Haeres 36. Augustine also by authoritie of Philaster chargeth the same Aerius with abstinence from flesh if this be an heresie then be all Papistes heretikes which compte abstinence from flesh an holy fast Againe you will bring in Iouiniane which affirmed that virginitie was no better than mariage which if it be well vnderstoode is no error at all for although virginitie in some cases and respectes and for some persons is better than mariage yet is it not simply that is in all respectes and cases and for all persons better than matrimonie And if he tought further that such as coulde not conteine though they had vowed Virginitie shoulde neuerthelesse be maried this was the doctrine of S. Paule It is better to marry than to burne And Epiphanius was of the same iudgement although he compte it an offence to marrie after their vowe yet he sayeth It is better to marry then to burne Melius est itaque vnum peccatum habere non plura c. It is better to haue one offence rather then many It is better for him that is fallen from his course openly to take a wife according to the lawe and to repent longe time that vowe of his virginitie and so againe be brought into the Church as one that hath done amisse as one that is fallen and broken and hauing neede to be bound rather then to be wounded daily with priuy darts of that wickednes which the deuill putteth into him So knoweth the Church to preach these are the medicines of healing Ep. lib. 2. Haer. 61. this medicine the popish church wil not acknowledge but will separate them from their wiues as they did in Queene Maries times S. Ieronym also who was a most bitter enemy vnto Iouinian plainly affirmeth that rather then they which haue professed virginitie shoulde liue incontinently they ought to marrie Sanctum Virginum propositum coelestis angelorúmque familiae gloriam quarundam non bene se agentium nomen infamat Quibus aperte dicendum est vt aut nubant si se non possunt continere aut contineant si nolunt nubere Epi. ad Demetriadem That is The name of certeine virgines which behaue them selues not well doth blemish the holy purpose of virginitie and glory of the heauenly and angelike family To whom must be plainly sayd that either they should marry if they can not conteyne or else conteyne if they will not marry Note well this saying of S. Ieronym the great aduancer of virginitie and dispraiser of mariage Moreouer if Iouinian taught that fasting abstinence from certeyne meates and other bodily exercise of them selues profit litle his doctrine agreeth with S. Paul. 1. Tim. 4. but if he taught as he is charged that such thinges profited nothing at all we agree not with him in that opinion Last of all Vigilantius shall be brought in who wrote against inuocation of Saincts superstition of reliques and other ceremonies him Ieronym reproueth or rather rayleth on him for his reasons are nothing worth that he hath against him therefore howsoeuer Ieronym estemed him in his rage if he had none other opinions contrary to the truth we doubt not to acknowledge Vigilantius as many godly and learned Bishops of his tyme did for a true preacher and reprehender of that superstition whereunto Ieronym was to much addict although he doe somewhat qualifie the matter If any man thinke his reasons to be effectuall let him maâ—ke this one that he vseth and thereby iudge the rest he sayth of the Martyrs Sequuntur agnum c. They follow the lambe whether soeuer he goeth If the lambe be euery where therfore they which are with the lambe are to be thought to be euery where Beside this euill consequence consider what perilous assertions these be that the lambe is euery where that the martyrs are euery where this is to destroy the humanitie of Christ and to giue diuinitie vnto the Martyrs for Christ concerning his humanitie according to which he is called a Lambe is not euery where but in one place alone as S. Augustine sayth Ep. ad Dardanum 57. Secundum hanc formam non est putandus vbique diffusus that is According to this forme it is not to be thought that he is diffused euery where Againe no creature is euery where in more places than one at one time Wherefore to say that the soules of Martyrs be euery where is to deny them to be creatures and so make them gods I doubt not but S. Ieronym if he had quietly considered these absurdities would haue reuoked them as erroneous and hereticall but while he rather followed affection then iudgement you may see how he was deceaued Thus seeing we haue noted to you the names of diuerse heretikes which first preached certeyne articles of your doctrine and you are not able to name any which preached any article of our doctrine but the same was consonant to the Scripture If you were as ready to performe as you are to promise you should recant 14 And for that purpose because the gouernment of the Byshop of Rome is most misliked of them and yet most notoriously knowne by euery historie let them name the Pope that first brake of the course of his forefathers beleefe regiment in any article of fayth or necessary Christian vsage and I recant I Haue named before Victor which was the first that went about to vsurpe authoritie ouer other Churches Also I haue named Boniface the third which was the first that chalenged to be vniuersall bishop For Gregorie the great sayeth Nemo meorum decessorum hoc prophano vocabulo vti voluit That is None of my predecessors woulde vse this prophane worde The same Gregorie as Hulderichus bishop of Auspourge doth testifie was the first that compelled priests to liue vnmaried which afterwarde when he saw the inconuenience he reuoked Thus hauing named diuers Popes that first brake the course of their fathers faith and regiment c. and more coulde rehearse but for auoyding prolixitie I chalenge your promise that you must recant The 12. article hath 3. demandes 1 Item I aske what kinde and order of seruice or common