tawght the people that it was iniurious to Christ and his mediation to aske for helpe at any others handes then his Or that they should vse the signe of the crosse in baptisme only and not at the coÌ„secrating of Christ his body Or that they were not heretikes which threw downe altars erected vnto Christ Or that any Bisshopp then was maryed vpon Asshewensday Or that any goodman then did write that the gouernement of women was monstruous Or that 〈◊〉 in these wordes hoc est corpus meâ—Ì„ yâ— to be taken for significat Or that the lay people communicatyng did take the cup one at an others handes and â—ot at the priests handes or the deacons Or that there was any controuersie then in religionâ— which being decided by the Bishop of Rome the contrarie part was not taken for heresie and the mainteiners of it accompted heretikes Or that any then was put in the Calender for a Maâ—â—â—r which was hanged by iust iudgement not for any cause and matter of faith but for euident and wicked feloâ—â—e Or that any ecclesiasticall persons were depriued then of their benefices or excoÌ„municâ—ted owt of church and liuyng for that they refused to sweare against the authoritie of thâ— Bishope of Rome Or that any suche othe was vsed to be put vnto any man at that tyme Or that any fâ—yer of threescore yeares obteinyng afterwardes the Româ— of a Bishop maried a young woman of .xix. yeares Or that any Bishopp then preached to be all one to praye on a dunghyll and in a churche Or that any but heretikes refused to subscribe to a general and lawful couÌ„cell gathered and confirmed by the Bishop of Rome his authoritie These be the highest misteries and greatest keies of their religioÌ„ and without these their doctrine can neuer be mainteyned and staÌ„d vpright Yf any one therefor of all owr aduersaries be able to auouch any one of all these articles by any such sufficient authoritie of Scriptures doctors or Councels as I haue required as I sayd before so saie I now againe I am content to yeld vnto hym and to subscribe in that poynt which I wold neuer do nor might do vnto an heretike knowing that my faith must not hang vpon the euent of disputation yet seing I haue begon to playe the foole with a â—oole therefor I vse this terme of subscribing as I do lerne it of master Iuell But I am well assured they shal neuer be able trulye to alleage one sentence And because I know u therefor I speake it least any happelie should be deceaued And thus far furth to the imitation of master Iuell Factus sum insipiens vos me coëgistis But what now might any protestant think of this challenge will he not mislike with me that emong so manye articles as I reherse with great solemnitie so few are of weight and substance will he not be moued at the very hart that for indiffereÌ„t matters and reasonable ceremonies I shall require yet to haue their proufe out of the first six hundred yeares after Christ and owt of generall councells or auncient doctours or els make an exclamation agaynst the keeping of them will it not greiue hym that I stick vpon termes which can neuer be fownd in the cumpasse of the primitiue church which if their principles were true woulde folowe yet well inowgh of them And that leauyng the principle I presse hym with the particular word of some conclusion will it not anger hym Can he take it for indifferent dealing that I rekon vp some ones priuate opinion and make as thowgh it were the generall determination of all the protestantes in the world And when I haue gathered vp a number of articles of which the greater part conteineth indifferent or simple matters to coÌ„clude of theÌ„ all in one sum without order or distinction and boldlie to saye These be the highest misteries and greatest keies of their religioÌ„ and without these their doctrine can neuer be mainteined and stand vpright can the protestant hearing or reading this if he haue any spirite of trueth or honestie think that I were to be trusted in any point with the teaching or guyding of the ignorant yet I assure you marke it who will M. Iuells most gloriouse challenge hath no better reason or substaÌ„ce in it for of so manye his ors and interrogatories to make a shew and colour of great copie and store of matter I 〈…〉 of them which be not either of 〈◊〉 poyntes and quidditiesâ— without â—â—â—cussing and examinyng of which the Catholike faith continueth 〈◊〉 â—nowgh or els about orders and 〈◊〉 of which the gouernours of 〈◊〉 church haue the making or remouing in their discretion Now therefor if this maner of owr challenge be mislyked I am gladd that in aunswering a foole accordyng to his foolishnes I haue geauen warnyng to the Reader not to make of euerie rare thing and much praised a Iuell and to be ware euer of great faces sett vpon small and simple matters As on the other syde if for M. Iuells sake and honor this my challenge framed after the example of his shall stand for a reasonable one and tolerable lett me be answered then in the particulars and except I doe replie againe and that speedelie I with others will yeld vnto hym Yet now because the wyseman hath sayed not onlie aunswer a foole according to his foolishnes but rather and before this warned vs with doe not answer a foole according to his folisshnes lest thow be made lyke vnto hym I will not therfor rest and staye vpon the forsaid challenge but come furth with an other full of great and principall matters neither will I be lyke the protestant and troble the reader with questions of small importauÌ„ce but of substanciall and necessarie articles concerning the orders of this present lyfe or the hope of the lyfe euerlasting I make for the Catholikes honor this challenge and prouoke him that can to encouÌ„ter me I except none thowgh I lyke not all for who would be matched with the bold and blind brothers willinglie but I trust who so euer replyeth he shall be superintended so wiselye that his aunswer shall not come against me but with good authoritie and priuileage I saye therefor If any single one of owr aduersaries or they all conmunicating togeather can proue by any suficient testimonie out of Scriptures Doctors or CouÌ„cells That for the space of six hundred yeares after Christ hys ascension by which hundreds onlie they would be tryed in examining of veritie It was vnlawfull to make a vowe to God of chastitie obedience or pouertye or that breakers of such vowes were estemed aboue others as singular witnesses of the libertye of Christ his true Ghospell Or that it was abhominable then to make to hym any speciall sacrifice besides the sacrifice of owr thankes in wordes and figures for his benefites with remembrance of Christ his passion for vs and besides the offering of owr sowles and bodies to
euery day they would come Glad to receiue them on sondayes if not thâ—n yet thrise a yere once at the least or yf the people would neuer come shall their incredulitie make voyde the truth of God And maye not a priest enter in to the most holy places of Sancta Sanctorum excâ—pt the whole parish goe in together with hym Therfore grawnting that in the primityâ—e church when all Christians lyued so honestly in their common behauior as a few doe liue in these dayes in the monasteries they receiued dayliâ— throwgh the seruentnes of ther charitie it standeth yet with good reason that if none receiue now with the priest the seruice and sacrified which was in the primitiue church should neuer the lesse continew because the not receiuyng is imputable vnto the fault of the people but the order of seruice and sacrifice hath been receiued of Christ the Apostles and their successors And so M. Iuell yow nede not to cry owt with O Gregory O Augustine O Ierome O Chrisostome O Leo O Dionisie O Anacletus O Sixtus O Paul O Christ. as though they haue deceiued yow and tawght yow schismes and dâ—â—sions for yow saye if the people receiue not ther can be no masse at all and the fornamed saye according to the state of their tyme that yf the people wil not receiue they depart and geue place To denye obstinathe that yf a priest say masse and receiue alone it may be auayleable that is an heresie to exhort and persuade that the people prepare them selues to receiue daylie that is the doctors saying and here vnto agree the Catholikes And now we are come to the place where the preacher doth most dilate hym selfe with crakyng and lying with prouoking of others and enforcyng hym self so abundanthe that one would loke that he should bring sumwhat Yet he talketh so coÌ„fusely that I can not tel wherwith to begyn som thinges which he asketh deseruing no answer other thinges which he denyeth requiring whole treatises They haue saith he herm which is the matter of the priuate masse not one father not one doctor not one alowed example of the priâ—â—â—ue church to make for them I speke not this quod he in vehemencie of sprite or heate of talke but euen as before God in the way of simplicitie and truth and therfor once agayne I say that of all the wordes of the holy Scripture they haue not one Loe one wold think that the Catholikes did maynteyn a certen thing called a priuate masse in despyte and contempt of the layetie And that this priuate masse were such a thing as maketh or marreth owr religion for euer for which yet we can alleage no Scripture no example no councell no doctor no auncyent father But shal I answer breifly the church of Christ hath and knoweth no priuate masse and therfor to what purpose is it to requyre that she should proue it And although some masses are sayed in the mornyng some before the King and his Cownsell other before the coÌ„mons some where none will receiue other where a few are prepared therunto yet the masse is not diuided among them which haue lernyng into mornyng masse and hygh masse or royall masse and low masse or common masse and priuate masse as it were the proper distinct kyndes of masse or as heritâ—kes may be essentiallye diuided into Lutherans Zuinglians Anabaptistes and such like But as there is but one naturall Soon of God Ihesus Christ which toke flessh for mankynde and one oblation was offered by him once for all so there is but that one oblation which still contineweth and but one masse Further â–ª now yf any lerned man of all owr aduersaries or yf all the lerned men that be alyue be able to bring any one sufficient sentence owt of any olde Catholike doctor or father or general CouÌ„cell or holye Scriptures or any one example of the primitiue church The sentence is very long the conclusion is that yf we can bring any proufe agaynst them in a nombre of articles which he recyteth then will he yelde and subscribe vnto vs. A Godes name then what shall we proue Eyrst quod he that there was any priuate masse in the whole world at that tyme. No there was none then neither is there any now emong the Catholikes Or that there was any communion ministred vnto the people vnder one kinde Vnto this what yf I should answer no and say that vjC yeres after Christ the people receiued vnder both kiâ—des owr Catholike fayth is in no dawnger therby and we are not rebells or traytors to the ordenance of owr Sauior and the primitiue church For in a matter indifferent the church may folow what part shall please her and this receiuing in one or both kyndes is indifferent as concerning the layetie and this is so playne that owr aduersaâ—â—es doe coÌ„fesse it The right third Elias and restorer of the Ghospell M.D. Luther in a boke of his vnto the Bohemians Bycause in deed sayth he it were goodlye to vse both kindes and Christ hath commaunded in this poynt nothing as necessary it were better to folow peace and vnitie then to striue vpon the formes and kindes of receiuyng the sacrament Thus first theÌ„ could I answer safely inowgh but I will take an other way and proue by good auctoritie of fathers examples of antiquitie that within vjC yeares after Christ the sacrameÌ„t was receiued vnder one kynd Christ owr Sauior toke bread brake it and gaue it vnto the two disciples with whom he turned in at Emaus and before he did the like with any wyne euen in the very brekyng of the bread he vanysshed owt of their syght but that bread was his body as S. Augustine and Theophilact doe testifye therfore was there receiuyng of Christ his bodye vnder one kynd in the primitiue church I trust this testymonie be auncient inowgh Likewise in the .xx. of the actes of the Aposteles S. Paule the Christians came together vpoÌ„ a sonday to breake bread but there is no mention of wine ergo they did receiue vnder one kynde Yf yow deny the brekyng of bread to be takeÌ„ in that place for the sacrameÌ„t besydes that lerned fathers do so expownd it the tyme it selfe bycause it was the next day after the Saboth which is owâ— sonday doth make it lykely the latenesse of receiuing of it is a good argument therof also Bycawse yf they had com to supper they would haue tasted therof before midnyght but at midnyght the young man Eutichus fel downe from the vpper loft where S. Paule preached or talked to them and after that the Apostle had putt them in good comfort that he was not dead then loe he ascended agayne and brake bread and tasted it and so coÌ„tynued his talke vntill the morning So that the circuÌ„stance of the day which the Christians kept holy and the vnseasonablenes of the tyme to goe to
which hauing no religion yet of their owne haue idlenes and liceÌ„tiousnes inowgh to find fault with others pietie they may be well compared to the wanton dame Michol which lookyng owt at a window vpon the kyng Dauid her husband and mislyking much his daunsing before the arke of God allmightie O quod she tauntinglie how worshippfull was my Lord this daye discovering hym selfe before his handmaydens And sayeth the scripture she dispised hym in her hart by likelihode bycause he had a white lynen cloth as rochett or surplesse vpon his backe like a priest And so these now from the windowe of their high contemplation or despection rather of other when they behold good and blessed men to daunce before the arke of God and to make in their turninges and returnynges the scriptures pleasantlie to allude vnto the ornamentes of the sacrifice and the true manna which is the bodie of Christ and perchaunse thorough libertie of spirite excesse of ioye shew a litle their bare O saye these daughters of Saul what goodlie doctors are these and how cleane is their religion See what golden cuppes and altars of stone and fyne lynen clothes and rowndnes of hostes and wasshinges of haÌ„des and sighthinges of hart and what reasons thei haue Behold the Sonn and the Moone doe rule daie and night and againe two swordes be here ergo the Pope ys better then an Emperor and may sitt iudge ouer spirituall and temporall matters How gloriouse loe say thei be these young fathers and lordes of the church But what sayeth the trueth for Catholikes Marye bycawse God hath chosen vs to be rulers of his church and hath preferred vs before the stowtnes of the Protestantes and bycause in owr arke and church the law and the Ghospell ys conteyned with the authoritie to correct miscreantes which is the rodd of Aaron and the pott of heauenlie Manna which ys the bodie of owr Sauyor therefor if owr discouering of owr selues doth greene yow we will not onlie not be ashamed of the applications of scriptures which we haue vsed but we will hereafter be more studiouse in reading in vsing in expownding of the scriptures that no historie prophecie battell name of person place or countrye no hill floud field nothing at all shall escape vs but we will bring it vnto some good sense allegoricall morall or analogicall we all knowe that Theologia mystiâ—a non est argumentis apta and that the sense misticall ys not of sure strength in reasonyng but owr arke being sure and the growndes of owr religion being well setteled and owt of dawnger for the rest we maye sing and plaie and be ioyfull and harpe vpon the scripture In vsing of which if a curiouse 〈◊〉 shal see vs discouered or in part naked it is not owr thowght whether all thinges sitt abowt vs so well and fynelie that heretikes and quarellers doe not or can not carp at vs but that the arke of God be safelie conducted in to Syon and placed within Hierusalem And if this text of the old law Thow shallt not bynd vpp the mowth of thi oxe which treadeth owr thi corne doth not proue that thei which labor in seruyng the altar must lyue by the altar yet as long as church altar priesthode sacrifice and such other thinges of weight remaine we will not stryue vpon the misticall sense of euerie chapiter in the law whether it proueth owr conclusion that which we think worth the alowing These wordes as I trust are reasonable and this ys the plaine trueth of the matter Not to make more ieopardie then the church requyreth neither to faine vpon the Catholikes as that if a Cardinall tredd a wrie vpon his purple sandales or the priest at the altar remember not the theife which hanged on the crosse by Christ and sigth at the remembrance thereof that all owr religion ys quyte ouerturned And this much hitherto for the answering of that common place of M. Iuells where he thowght by gathering of certaine absurd argumeÌ„tes if the people be iudge and by lowd and bold crying owt that these were the secrete misteries of owr religion and that loth he was to rip them vp he thought to bring owr whole religion in to contempt and obloquie And now lett vs consider his last matter which he promysed to touche It can not be denyed sayeth he but Christ in his last supper ordeyned a communion and shewed no manner taken of priuate masse But what calleth M. Iuell a priuate masse He craketh much of the primitiue church as who should saye all antiquity were with them And oftentymes he asketh the question where we can fynd a priuate masse and will not heare vs answer that we vpholde no priuate masse and that this terme of priuate hath ben inuented but of the heretikes them selues For the masse in deede is a common function and office to be done of a priest which is the legate of the people vnto God and God his messenger vnto them In which offices he speaketh for their necessities bringyng vnto God the most noble ryche present of Christ his owne body the soner to obteyne mercy and grace at the which not onlye the visible parties present but all Angels and blessed sowles either in heauen or in the way thytherward be assistants and doe accompany the priest If .20 men be standyng by is it common and if thousandes of heauenly hostes replenysh the place .19 of the men lackyng is it priuate yf it be sayd in the open church is it common and yf it be browght vnto a litle chappell is it priuate what meaneth he by this word priuate I would fayne vnderstand And they answer that when one alone receiueth then it is priuate But is that all their reason why then yf the matter hangeth vpon the nomber of the communicantes we shall haue as many diuisions of common masse as they haue prety definitions of a priuate masse Three sayeth the order of the communion boke myndyng to receaue do make a coÌ„munion as three make a colledge as I haue heard with the lawiers but one alone maynteyneth it a colledge by the selfesame lawiers ergo that masse is not priuate but common and yet common of the least because yf one lacked there could be no coÌ„munion well then yf three skore will coÌ„municate the nombre encreasyng the state of the masse is altered and therfore let this be called a masse of the common of the more Now yf yow make vp three hundred that must nedes be a coÌ„mon of the greater yf three thousand a coÌ„mon of the more greater so that we shall haue no end of coÌ„mon of the more and common of the lesse How much more better is it proued euery masse to be equally coÌ„mon because the priest is a coÌ„mon officer the prayers be common the answerer in the peoples behalfe common the thing offered coÌ„mon the table common the thankes geuyng is common and as it was
the seruice of his maiestie with mortifiyng of owr affections and euill desyres Or that there was no priesthode theÌ„ according to the order of Melchisedech or that priestes haue not a singular sacrifice which they must offer for the sinnes of the people OR that the Baptisme which Christ instituted is no better then the circumsâ—â—sion of the old law Or that baptisme ys a signe onlie of owr profession and that owr synnes are not trulie and in deed forgeauen vs in it Or that the Sacrament of Confirmation ys an inuention onlie of man and that no spirituall strength cuÌ„meth vnto vs by signing of vs with holie oyle and imposition of the Bishoppes handes Or that Christ delyuered in his last supper a figure onlie of his bodie to be eaten of his Apostles Or that the power of forgeauing or reteyning sinnes which Christ gaue to his Apostles and by them to laufull priestes ys nothing els but a comforting or a fearing of mens consciencies by the promyses or menacies of the scriptures â–ª and that in deed priestes can not as ministers vnder God forgeaue synnes and offences which by absolute aucthoritye ys proper vnto God alone and no others Or that to confesse our sinnes to a priest with sorow of hart and contâ—tioÌ„ and to labor by fasting prayeing almes deedes and hard discipline to helpe forward towardes the makyng vpp of a full satisfaction and perfect ys iniuriouse vnto Christ his passion and merites and a superstitiouse and thanklesse trauaile Or that the knowledge and vnderstanding of scriptures ys sufficient licence inowgh to instruct and teach others and that there is no such difference betwene the clergye and the laytie but that the layetie hath before God as good and great priesthoode as the clergie Or that a temporall and Christian Prince were he man woman or childe had then or may haue now the aucthoritie of a supreame head in Christ his churche and ouer the churche Or that faith onlie iustifieth after one be baptized and sanctified Or that all the Iustice and holines which good men of those daies had or now shall haue is but an Imputatiue Iustice and such as pleaseth God to accept but in deede ys not true and right Iustice Or that the keeping of the fortie daies fast of lent was alowed then for temporall policie or bodylie healths sake onlie and had no coÌ„maundemeÌ„t from Christ or his Apostles Or that in most extremitie and at the verie poynt of death aneyling of Christians was abhorred of ChristiaÌ„s and the keeping of the SacrameÌ„t forbydden which is our true viaticum and viage prouision OR that the calling vpon Sainctes in heauen was accompted then blasphemie Or the setting vp of Christ his crosse or any holie Sancte his image was preached to be Idolatrie Or that the visiting of their tumbes kyssing their reliques was thought to be a superstitiouse vanitie Or that the miracles worked at their chappels or memories were attributed then at the first tydinges of them vnto the dyuel his subteltie OR that to pray for the sowles departed was thowght repugnant vnto the Scriptures Or that to offer sacrifice and geaue almes for their sowles health was accompted impâ—etie Or that the last willes and testamentes of fouÌ„ders of almes howsen Colledges and Monasteries were broken coÌ„cerning their temporal goodes and legacies and that no part thereof dyd come to their owne bloud and familie These be such articles as are directed first against the proper honor and glorie of God allmightie secondlie against the grace of â—hesus Christ and profit of all Christians in the world thirdlie against the dignitie estimatioÌ„ and honor of all Sainctes fourthlie against the profit of the sowles departed by debarring their commodities so that in all states worldes and persons Christ thorowgh these articlâ—s ys proscribed And againe in these articles the fundation estimation and perfection of their Ghospell and preaching consisteth so that without these or worser then these they could not be so singular and vnlyke other Christians Yâ— therefore any of all owr aduersaries be able with sufficient authoritie to proue these articles or conclusioâ—s of theirs owt of the Scriptures vse of primityue churche Doctors or Councels either he shall â—e proued manifestlie to misconster aâ—d misuse Scriptures doctors or councels â–ª either els he shall be praised for his labors and folowed with a free â—yll and submission Lett this be the challenge and let vs 〈◊〉 an answer vnto it for if thâ— Catholykes pressed with such questions which for the most part deserued no aunswer haue not refused to shew their faith and geaue reason of it vnto their aduersaries allthowgh the lack of conference with their felowes of free printing and open vttering of their bokes might with reason haue stayed them from their purpose and not haue moued to chainge their contrie for the matter how much more cawse and reason ys it that they which are so fauored in their procedinges should not lett to stand vnaunswered such principall questions as are moued agaynst them nor goe at that tyme backward and 〈◊〉 from the quarell when most of all they should shew them selues and spread furth then eunnying and sinceritie And yet if these forsaid articles are to manye for their leysure â–ª 〈…〉 they seeme to much particular â–ª for their profite which would 〈…〉 or yf the answering vnto 〈…〉 he sayed to be forbydden by wyse heades for a rumor may sone be made to faine that it serueth to a faction to make such challenges and â—ombattes Lett me be quietlie suffered then to speake a few wordes and indifferent such as to which euerie religion must agree yf with any reason it will be credited The heretykes sayeth Tertullian make a shew of Scriptures and by this their boldnes straytwayes some they moue Now in the very conference it selfe and meetyng togeather they weerie the stedfast and sure men they catche and intrapp the weake and the indifferent they dimisse and 〈◊〉 goe with grudges and scrupleâ— But this way must be stopped vpp against them at the fyrst â—â—d they are not to be suffered to dispute and reason vpon the Scriptures And why so Marye for good cause sayeth Tertullian â–ª For some one hereâ—ye doth not admitt certayne Scriptures and those which it doth alow and receiue it turneth vnto her purpose â–ª by putting vnto them or takyng awaie somwhat from them Some againe are so presumptuouse and tâ—ke so much vpon them that they will not acknowledge that for Scripture by which they may be 〈◊〉 Ergo we must not appeale vnto the Scriptures sayeth he and the triall ys not to be apoynted in them by which the victorie ys either none or vncertaine or not verie sure For allthowgh the conference vpon the scriptures â—hold come to that passe that it would leaue both sydeâ— alyke◠〈◊〉 the order of thinges reâ—quired that to be fyrst and formost proponed and putt furth 〈◊〉 which onlye it ys to be disputed at this