The burnynge of Paules church in London in the yeare of oure Lord 1561. and the iiii day of Iune by lyghtnynge at three of the clocke at after noone which continued terrible and helplesse vnto nyght VVERE THESE GREATER SINners than the rest No I saye vnto you except ye repent ye shall all lykewyse peryshe Luc. 13. ¶ Imprinted at London by Willyam Seres dwellynge at the west ende of Powles at the Sygne of the Hedge-hog AN ADDICION VVITH AN APpologie to the causes of brinnynge of Paules Church the which causes were vttred at Paules Crosse by the reuerend Bysshop of Duresme the. viii of â—une 1561. ALthough almighty God be pacyente mercifull and longe sufferinge wyllinge all sinners to repent their wickednes to rise from sinne and come to his mercye yet if sinners wil not amend after monition and warninge hadde at the last God strikes sodainly and sore as appeares in the Scripture by Sodom and Gomorra vpon the whyche Cytyes God rayned fire and bremstone wherewith the fyue Cities were destroyed miserably Also Pharao and the Egiptians that wold not be moued by the wordes of Moises and Aaron nor wyth the tenne plages at last were sodainlye drowned in the Sea Also Chore Dathan and Abiron with a greate number of people that woulde not obey the ministration of Aaron and the Priestes appoynted by God but went from them seking a newe waye to serue God part of them were sodenlye swallowed vp of the earth and part brent sodainlye with fire from heauen in the tabernacle After when the people of Hierusalem would not heare the true Prophets of god but would beleue false liyng Prophetes so declined from the steps of Dauid Ezechias and Iosias which walked in the feare of god â–ª bicause they forsoke their fathers steps and fell to Idolatrye the Temple was brent the Citie destroyed and the people taken Captiues to Babilon Also our sauiour Christ for the tender â–ª loue he had to mankind came into this world by his doâ—trine he gathered xij Apostles Disciples a great multitude of people in one vnity of faith sanctified them his church by his precious bloud sheding committing the rule and gouernment of his Churche to the Byshops after his Ascencion he sende the holye Ghost in Hierusalem in lykenes of firie tongues amonge the Apostles and streight waye they preached as the holy Ghost taught them and there in Hierusalem Saint Peter conuerted a great multitude to the faith which faith at Hierusalem was first taught declared vpon by a counsel of the Apostles and Seniors there Saint Iames being Bishop and afterwarde the same faith was taught in all landes as the Prophet Dauid sayes In omnem terram exiuâ—t sonus eorum The faith of Christes Church hath bene from time to time establyshed by generall councels the whiche faith what Countrye so euer hath forsaken it hath bene miserably scourged and plaged as about fourtie yeares after the Assention of our Sauiour Christ bicause the Iues would not abide in that religion that was decreed by the Apostles and walke in their steps miserably Hierusalem was plaged with fire pestilence famine battell and murther Also in all other Countries as wel with the Grekes as other partes of the world when the people haue declyned from the feare of God forsakinge the steppes of blessed fathers miserably they haue bene plaged And in Englande where the faith of Christe and true religion was planted about the yeare of oure Lord. Cixxxij by Elutherius Pope sending Legates to Lucius then Kinge of Englande whiche conuerted this Realme to the fayth and establysshed true religion in Englande whiche continued CC. yeares but when the people dyd declyne from the feare of God and the steps of God and blessed fathers they came to greate calamitye and misery by the scourge of God Cadwaliader last kinge of the Britans did confesse by the hand of God with pestilence and famine they were dryuen out of this lande After that againe this land beinge inhabyted wyth Saxons beynge pamius Saint Gregorye Pope of Rome aboute the yeare of our Lorde God D. xcv sent Saint Augustine and other Monkes wyth hym into Englande Ethelbert being king and then Saint Augustine and his company by their doctrine and vertuous liuinge planted the faith and so establyshed a true religion in England the which faith and religion euer when the people haue declyned from it they haue felde great calamities as wel by the hande of God as by the conquest of the Danes and after by the Normans and sith the conquest from time to time God hath plaged this Realme for Synne and infidelitye And nowe whether the people of this Realme be declyned from the steps of Saint Augustine and other blessed fathers and Saintes which had Masse and seuen Sacramentes in the Church and God was honoured night and daye in the Church with deuine seruyce I thinke there is no man so simple but he may easely perceiue except malice haue blynded his heart As in Saint Paules Church in London by the decrees of blessed fathers euery night at midnight they had Mattines all the fore noone Masses in the Church with other deuine seruice and contynuall prayer and in the steple Antimes and prayers were hadde certayne tymes but consider howe farre nowe contrarye the Churche hais bene vsed and it is no maruaile yf God haue sende downe fire to brinne parte of the Churche as a signe of his wrath And where a reuerende Byshop at Paules crosse did exhort the people to to take the brinninge of Paules to be a warninge of a greater plage to folowe to the Citye of London if amendment of life be not had in all estates it was well said but we muste adde Accidentem ad deum opportet credere the Scripture sais he that will come to God muste first beleue Saint Paule sais without faith it is impossible to please God and the Prophet Hieremi saith by the sprite of God speakinge State super vias interrogate de semitis antiquis que sit bona ambulate in ea inuenietis refrigerium animabus vestris that is stand vppon the wayes of blessed fathers and consider and aske of the olde pathes and highe wayes which is the good way and walke therin and ye shal finde refreshing to youre soules First searche whether the faith and religion nowe vsed was taught with the blessed fathers in Chrystes Church in times past ye shal proue by no recorde of authoritie or Chronicle that this maner of seruice now vsed in the Churche was euer hard tell of afore Luthers time which is not xl yeares old Therefore it is to be reiected and put awaye as a newe fangled doctrine and scismaticall therefore come backe againe into the old fathers steppes as well in faith and religion as godlye conuersation and liuinge or a greater plage is at hande Also where the said Preacher did recite certain abuses of the said Church as talking biyng and
deliuerance from such supersticion They crake muche of blessed fathers and yet name not who they be but much it shall not skill for their dedes wil proue their holines what great holynes was thys to haue mattins at midnight when folke were on slepe in their beds Is not commen praier to be had at such houres whā the people might resort commenly vnto it cōueniently if midnyght be such a time most conuenient let the world indge I graunt in the primatiue church gods people hadde their prayers earlye afore day because at other tymes they were not suffred but in those assembles were not onelye munkes or Priestes but all sortes and degrees of men were gathered to pray here Sermons and receiue the Sacramentes for at other times of the day they durst not for the greatnes of persecution In Paules and Abbayes at their midnight prayers were none commenlye but a fewe ballynge Priestes yonge queristers and nouyces whyche vnderstode not what they said the elder sort kept their beddes or were woorse occupyed A prayer not vnderstande in the hart but spoken with the lippes is rather to be counted praiting and ballyng than prayinge wyth good deuotiō The elder sort both in Cathedrall Churches and Abbaies almost neuer came at their midnyghte prayer it was thought inough to knolle the belles and make menne beleue that they rose to praye therefore they haue not so much to crake of this their doinge The Papistes haue a rule of their owne makynge to say their mattins in which I thinke was a great cause of these early mattins and also of saying theym ouer night Ante tempus meritum in tempore debitum post tempus peccatum To saye Mattins afore the tyme due is a merit to saye them in due time it is duty but after the appoincted time is sinne But as all their religion is of their own deuysynge so is their rewarde God hais made them no suche promise and therfore they can clayme nothynge at hys handes For their continuall massynge afore noone we prayse Godde that hais delyuered vs from it as a thynge contrarye to hys holye wyll and ordynance Saint Paule sayes that whan they came together to eate the Lordes supper they shoulde tarye one for another but these shorne shaueling shameles priestes woulde neyther receyue together one of theym with another nor yet let the people haue anye part with them Enery one wold crepe into a corner to an aultar alone there lifte vppe on highe eate and drinke vp all alone sell good penyworthes and blesse them with the emptye Chalice Than all was well as they thought and Godde well serued but to breake Gods Commaundemente of receiuinge together they passed not of it so that thei might folowe their owne deuyse I know their shift in writhyng this text to their purpose and sayinge that Saint Paule spake this of that feast whych they vsed than to haue whan they receiued the communyon but that wrasting wil not serue for both for that feast and al other kind of eating to fil theyr belly s. Paul gaue that Commaundemente that folowes If any man be an hungred lette him eate at home haue ye not houses to eat and drinke in or do ye despise the congregacion of God seynge that Paul speakes there but of twoo sortes of eatynge the one for hunger to fille their belies the other fedynge the soule with the spirituall foode of Chrystes bodye and bloude for nouryshinge and feding our weake bodyes he byddes vs eat at home but for the liuelye foode of oure soules in the sacrament of his body and bloud he biddes vs tary one for another for it is the seale and band of brotherlye loue as well as the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud Euery piller in the Churche commenlye had his altar euerye altar his priest and his God to whome the Altars were dedicate thus like menne not regarding Gods commaundement they folowed their owne deuises and yet hauing the truth reueled they harden their heartes and stop their cares that they will not learne For climbing vp to the top of the steple to sing their antimes I demaund of them to shew a reason if there be any why it is done there rather than on the ground and why on such saint dais rather than on other why that tyme of the yere rather then other Whan Baals priests were assēbled against y ◠Prophet Elias to trie whether of them serued the liuyng God and Baals priestes beganne to praye and cal on their god but he woulde not heare theym Elias said crie louder perauenture your God is busy he is chasing his enemies from home or on slepe so vnto ye finde a better aunswere I am contente freelye to lende you this wythout payinge anye peny for it that ye maye francklye saye ye goe vp to the top of the steple to call on your god that he may the more easelye heare you standing so highe rather than on the grounde so farre of and at night whan other suters take their rest for al the day long perauenture he hais bene otherwaies occupied and nowe waringe olde his hearinge decayes so muche that if ye stande not nere hande and crye loude he can not helpe you These and such other are mete for them that serue straunge Gods but he that calles on the liuinge Lord knowes him to be present in all places and therefore makes no suche difference of them Againe if according to their owne doctrine a praier made in a halowed place be better than that which is made in an vnhalowed than better it is to stand on the grounde than to climbe on height for the top of the steple was neuer halowed as the church was beneth Whā suche folishnes is wisely proued we shal streight waies beleue it First searche whether the faith and religion nowe vsed was taught wyth the blessed fathers in Christes Churche in tymes paste ye shall proue by no recorde of autoritye or Chronicle tha◠this manner of seruyce nowe vsed in the Churche was euer harde tell of afore Luthers time whyche is not xl peare agoe therefore it is to be reiected and putte awaye as a newe fangled doctryne and schismaticall therefore come backe agayne into the olde blessed fathers stepes In that he denies this faith and religion euer to be heard tel of vnto within these xl yeares and bids trie the recordes whither it be true that he sais and semes to charge vs with forsakinge the olde faith and fathers alledginge the Epistle to the Ebrewes that be that comes to Godde muste beleue and that without faith it is not possible to please God and Iere. that we shoulde searche out the olde way and walke in it I am well content to stand with him in these pointes and proue that this fayth and religion was taught in Christs church continuallye from the beginning and that this seruice nowe vsed goes nearer the order appoynted in
was thereon offred as those were on an altar Where so euer therfore the newe testament or olde writers vse this word altar they allude to that Sacrifice of christ fygured by Moyses and vse the word stil that Mosses vsed to signyfye the same sacrifice withall and rather it is a figuratiuâ— than a proper kinde of speache in all suche places And because altars were euer vsed for sacrifices to signifie that sacrifice whiche was to come seing our sauioure christ is comen alreadye hais fulfilled and finyshed all sacrifices we thinke it best to take away all occasions of that Popyshe sacrificinge masse for maintaynnige whereof they haue cruelly sacrificed manie innocent soules to minister on tables accordinge to these examples It greeues him that the Bishops set their tales as it pleases hym to speake whan they sytte in iudgemente where the Altars were but if they were handled as did Baals Priestes and his Altars God did them no wrong It is a commen true sayinge he that wil do no yl must do nothinge that longes there til so surely if we wil warely audid the wickednes of Popery we must fâ—e from suche thinges as maintaine their doinges There is nothinge more profitable vnto them than massinge sacrifices therefore because Altars importe and maintaine their gainefull sacrificynge it is necessary they be remoued For their sacrifice of the Masse that he so muche lamentes to be defaced and all good conscyences reioyse that God of hys vndeserued goodnesse hays ouerthrowen it I referre all menne to the fyft and laste booke that the blessed soules now lyuinge with god Bishoppes Crammer aud Ridley wrote of the Sacramente whose bodyes they cruellye tormented therfore There who so euer lust maye reade and with indifferencye wey the reasons of both parties and iudge wyth the trueth Stout Steuen woulde gladlye haue ouerthrowen that booke but God confounded hym and their names lyue for euer So longe as that booke standes vnconfuted they maye barke agaynste the trueth as the Dogge does agaynst the mone and not preuaile And if ye will call but a litle to your remembrance howe many diuers sortes of masses there were vsed in diuers couÌ„tries as appeares in the words afore rehersed ye shal se how lowd he lies in saiing here that their masse was according to the order of christes catholike church That is catholicke as the Greke word signifies which is vniuersall and general both in time person and place therfore he must proue if he will be beleued that this Popish latin patched masking masse hais bene vsed at al times of all menne and in all Countryes But I haue declared afore both many sundrye sortes of ministringe the lordes supper in seuerall countries and also howe of late yeares this his order hais bene violently and blinde ignoraunce brought in therfore it can not be catholicke None that be counted learned can be ignoraunt of the general pointes wherin the Greke East churche differs from the west latin Romish churche The Grecians neuer receyued the Pope for their head nor the doctrine of purgatory their Priestes were euer free to mary they ministred the Lords supper alwais in their owne language with leauened bread in bothe kindes to the lay people both the bred and the cup seuerally the Priestes neuer receiued alone withoute other to receyue wyth him they neuer made trentals of it nor knew transsubstantiation they neuer vsed pardons ymages with manye other moe thinges lyke as auricular shriuinge to a Priest c which all the latin Romish Church defendes and does contrary and their these religion standes in theym therefore none of these opinions can be cald catholicke because the Greke Churche which is the greater part of the worlde neuer receiued beleued nor vsed them Thus many lyes than this maister D. hais made in one word callynge it catholicke as there be thynges wherein their Romishe masse dyffers frome the the Greke liturgies and orders of ministringe the Lordes supper as I haue declared moste of theym If I shoulde particulâ—rly and throughly handell all his folysh saiynges it would growe to to great a woorke therefore brefelye I touche the chefest He charges vs with a faith and religion that hais no foundacion layde by generall counsels which sayinge whan he better considers I truste he will be content to be reckned in the same number with vs. Was not the first general counsel vnder Constantine the Emperor at Nice aboue iiii c. xxx yeres after Christ was borne Shall I say than or is he so shameles to thinke that there was no religion nor faith in the world so manye yeares together after Christ. because there was not of so many yeares a generall counsell to bilde vppon No and because we say and proue oure faithe and relygion to bee the best and auncienst we bylde not on counsels as they doe but on Goddds worde which is aboue the counsel and rules al being not ruled of any hais bene from the beginning and shall continue to the end and we say with Paule that we be bylded on the foundacion of the Apostles and Prophetes Christ himselfe beynge the head corner stone The Prophetes whereon we buyld lyued many of them a thousaunde yeare afore anye generall counsell was heard of and the Apostles liued iiii C. yere afore them Wherfore our foundacion and religion is much elder than theirs Councels are lyke to Parliamentes that that pleases one Pope in his Counsell pleases not another as the bokes do easely declare and that whiche one thinkes good makes a law one yere an other condeÌ„nes disanulles What a vayn thing is it than to bild on so vncertain a groundworke Heauen and earth shall passe chaunge and decaye but the worde of the Lorde our God from whence comes our religion remaines for euer as the Prophet sais Therfore the wise builder wil folowe that which will not fade Lastlye where he charges vs that we agree not one wyth another nor wyth oure selues I maye say to him with the Gospell Thou Hypocryte first plucke the mote out of thine own eye and than thou shalte better see to take the beame oute of thy brothers eye There is no sorte of people more giltye in this behalfe than the Papystes be The heathen Philosophers hadde not so manye sundrye sectes and oppinions amonge them selues in their scholes as the Papistes haue in their doynges D. Ponet late Byshoppe of Winton in his answere to the booke that beares Martins name for mariage of Priestes proues wel that Poperye is a monster patched of al kynds of heresy worse than they al. Where such thinges are fullye taught proued I had rather refer you to y e reding of them there than to write one thynge oft I declared to you afore also where ye shal find xxiii schismes among the popes themselues These holy Bishops y â— he craks so much on for their imprisonment and other that in losing their
vii deacons whē they put away the ceremonies of the old lawe Such decrees as the Apostles and clergye made at Ierusal without anye counsell of the laitie Saint Paule and other of the Apostles taught all Countries and Nations to obey and obserue and sith the Apostles time the clergye hais euer decreed matters of religion and fayth Nor it can not be proued that euer the laite in anye countrie or Nation afore the last parliament did presume to set forth a religion against the whole consent of the clergye Therefore this manner of ministration of sacramentes nowe vsed beinge against the consent and determinacyon of Christes Church which ought to be ruled and gouerned by Byshops it must nedes be schismaticall and they that vse this maner of ministration muste nedes be in schisme The blessed martir Saint Ciprian does declare what daunger they doe stand in that do vse this maner of ministration against the order of christes churche sayinge these wordes They be ennemies of the altar and rebelles against the sacrifice of christ contemninge the Bishoppes and forsakinge the Priestes of God they are bolde to sette vp an other Alter with vnlawfull voyces to make an other maner of prayer to prophane with false sacrifices the veritie of the blessed sacrament of the Alter nor they wyll not knowe theym that fare about to doe againste the ordinance of God For their bold rashnes by the punishment of god they shalbe punyshed as he punished Chore Dathan and Abiron which woulde offer vp Sacrifice againste the consente of Moyses and Aaron some were swalowed vp of the earth and the rest brent with fire to the terrible example of all others Hitherto be Saint Cyprians wordes Also almightye God by his holye Prophete Malachi does crye oute vpon suche Priestes as minister against the ordinaunce of Christes churche sayinge they dispise his name in offeringe vp poluted bread The Prophet Osee does call the sacrifyce of suche Priestes breade of mourninge and all that eate thereof shalbe defiled sayes the Prophet Almightye God does complaine by his Prophet Ezechiel sayinge the Priestes haue condemned my lawe and haue polluted my Sanctuarye woe bee vnto you that goo◠from the truth sayes our lorde by Esai Our lord sayes by his Prophete except suche Priestes will amende quicklye and geue glorye to his name they shall be brought into great necessitye and pouerty and he wyll curse their blessinges and bicause they haue made voyde the pact of Leui they shall be in contempt in all people The. v. aunswere UUhat if this order of ministringe and commen prayer was not agreed on by the vniuersall churche in generall councell Is it not good therefore Than is neyther their latin Portuis nor Missall and masse booke good for the generall churche neuer alowed them as I declared afore It is free for all countries to differ in outwarde order of prayer and ceremonies so that they agree in substaunce of doctrine with the scripture But the laite he sais hais nothinge ado with spirituall matters and religion and alledges Thactes of Apostles how wil he proue that none of the elders there were of the laite nor none of the multitude in the choisinge of the Deacons vnto it be wel proued it maye well be doubted on As in other things so in this he shewes him self how learned he is whan the lawe of God was neglect in the dayes of Saul Dauid commyng to be king and moued with loue of religion cals all the nobility and worshippe of the Realme together thirty thousande and also the leuites and Priestes to knowe their mindes whither they woulde bringe home the arke of God and restore the religion decaied or no and they aunswered al yea what a great parliament was this and full of the laite to determine for receyuynge of religion Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias good kinges sent their visiters abroade throughe the Realme ioyninge in commission from the king noble menne of the laite to go in visitacion with the Leuites Legenda sanctorū telles howe king Dswi cald a synode at Whithy for takinge awaye that diuersitye of kepinge Easter which was here in the Realme whan some kepte it in the ful mone what daye of the weke so euer it fell on other onely on the sonday folowinge Wherein appeares thautoritye that the king iustly clames to him selfe in religion euen in that blinde age whan he cals the learned men together to dispute on it heares what they can saye and concludes so the matter himselfe that all other didde folowe his sentence Ioan Gerson and Panormitanus as I alleged afore no new protestantes but auncient catholicks and both being present in the last counsels at Constance and Basil said they woulde rather beleue a pore simple learned lay man that bringes and alleges the holy scripture than all the whole counsell hauinge no scripture for theym Gods trueth is not bound to miters Byshops and Priestes alone but lay menne may haue and oft haue better the true vnderstandinge of it than those that looke highest in the clergye and therfore they are to be beleued and hearde aswell as the Priestes Did not king Dauid no Priest set in order the leuites howe they shoulde resort in course to serue in y e tabernacle made the Psalmes appointed theym howe where and whan they shoulde be songe Ezechias and Iosias pulled downe the brasen serpent and other Images Did not Prescilia and Aquila teache Apollo the misteries of the scripture By these I trust it appeares that lay menne may doe some thing in religion If these may not serue looke the statutes of Queene Marie how she takes away one religion and bringes in an other and there is no more done now howe blynde be they in their owne causes and partiall to them selfes But it was neuer hard of he sais that the laite in any countrie presumed to set forth a religion agaynste the hole consent of the clergye afore the last parliament O proude bragge was all the clergy of the realme conteyned in a few horned popyshe Byshoppes Was there no Clergye in the vniuersitie nor other partes of the Realme beside those fewe Byshops did not manye in the vniuersitye and abrode in the Realme vse thys seruyce openlye and commenly in their churches afore it was receyued or enacted by parliament Bicause the rulers the Scribes and all the Priestes Act. iiii ▪ forbade Thappostles in their Parliament and counsel that they shoulde not preache Christ anye more were not the Apostles therfore of the clergye or was not their doctrine good because it was condēned in that wicked counsell Was there not a disputacion for religion appointed by the Quenes maiestie wherein youre Clergye was afraide to vtter their foolyshnes in defendinge their supersticion least they hadde taken more shame in aunsweringe than they did in holdinge their peace whiche well they coulde not I thinke the vniuersities with so manye places of the Realme recayuing
sellinge feightinge and brawlinge although these be verye euill and worthie much rebuke yet there be worse abuses as blaspheming God in lyinge Sermons polluting the Temple with Schismaticall seruice destroying and pullyng downe holye aulters that were set vp by good blessed men there the sacryfice of the blessed Masse ministred according to the order of Christes catholycke Church Yea where the alter stode of the holy Ghost the new Bishops haue made a place to set their tales vpon and there sit in the iudgement of such as be Catholycke and liue in the feare of God Some they depriue from their liuinges some they commit to prison excepte they will forsake the Catholicke faith and embrase a faith and religion that hais no foundacion layde by generall Counseil nor blessed fathers in times past but inuented by Heretikes that do not agree one with another nor them selfes Thus the Bysshops that now be haue abused the Churche and polluted it as the Prophete Hiere sais they haue put offendicles in the house of God and polluted it Also the said Preacher in his Sermon at Paules Crosse didde declare the vertue of obedience to be muche decayed in these oure dayes but he leaues out who they be that cause disobedience For there is none more disobedient then the new Bisshops and Preachers now a dayes which disobey the vniuersall Church of Christ the which Churche whosoeuer will not obey our Sauiour in the Gospel commaundes vs to take them as infidels As where the vniuersall Churche of Christ commaundes Masse and seuen Sacramentes as necessary for our saluation they call it abhomination wyth their blasphemous mouthes where the Church commaundes to fast they commaunde to eate where the Churche commaundes continuall prayer of the Clergie they call it supersticion and blind ignoraunce where the Church commaundes the Clergie to liue in chastity they commaund and exhort the Clergie to mariage where the Churche and all lawes ciuill and canon yea the lawes of this Realme do prohibit mariage of Priestes they alow mariage of priestes obeying no law but folow their owne carnal lust Yea where the Quene hais geuen streyght commaundement to abstayne from flesh in Lent and other dayes commaunded by the Church these new Preachers and Protestantes haue eaten flesh openly to the great sclaunder of other so they obey neither the Quene nor the churche so that almighty God complaines by his Prophete Esai tota die blasphematur nomen meum with these menne God is continually blasphemed wo be to you sais Esai that call good euill and euill good putting darkenes light and light darkenes as by Ezechiell sais almighty God the Priestes haue contemned my law and haue polluted my Sanctuarie Also O see the Prophete does saye the bread that they doe offer is full of mourning â–ª and all that cat ther of shalbe defiled We maye see how they contemne all that blessed fathers holye Martirs and Saintes haue decreed they disobey all that haue bene vertuous and good in Christes catholick church As now of late they haue inuented a new way to make Byshops Priestes and a mannor of seruice and ministracion that Saint Augustine neuer knew Saint Edmund Lanfranc Saint Anselme nor neuer one Byshop of Canturburie sauinge onelye Crammer who forsoke his profession as Apostata so that they muste nedes condemne al the Byshops in Canturbury but Crammer and he that now is al the Bishops in yorke sauinge Holgate and he that nowe is although Saint wilâ—â—â—d Saint willyam haue bene taken for saintes and were bishops in yorke In Couâ—ntree and Lichfelde Saint Chad was Bisshop and many blessed Bishoppes And he that is Bishop now can find not any one that was made as he is nor of his religion Therefore he muste proue al Byshoppes of Lichfelde were deceyued walked in biyndnes and ignoraunce or els he that now is must needs be deceiued and be in blindnes In Duresine haue bene manye good fathers but he that is now Bishop can not find any one Predecessor in that see that was of hys religyon and made Byshop after such fort as he was so that he that now is must take in hand to condemne all the Byshops afore him that they were in ignoraunce and blindnes or els they will come to his condemnation at the daye of iudgement And this in all Bishoprickes in England some can find one and some none that euer was of their religion What arrogancy maye be thought in those men that will take in hand to contemne so many blessed fathers all to be in blindnesse But nowe they saye they haue founde a lyght and reforme religyon according to the primitiue Church Then seing they reforme religion so well as they saye it were meete as they forsake all the religion that their predecessors vsed as Masse Mattins ministracion of sacraments that they should also forsake houses â—arkes landes and reuenues that their predecessors had and go from place to place for Gods sake and preach and thâ—n were some liklyhode of reformation or els it may be called rather a deformation then a reformation In Christes Church hais euer bene a succession of Bishops from the Apostles time to this day in euery see And Tertullian saies if in any see there be a Byshop that walkes not in his fathers steps he is to be counted a bastard and no true inheritor in Chrystes Churche Saint Cypryan does say they that be made Byshops out of the order of the Church and not by tradition and ordinance of the Apostles coming by succession from time to time are not Byshops by the will of god â—ut theues and murtherers comming to kill the flocke of Christ with heresie and lies And where the saide Preacher does affirme greater matters then the brinning of Paules to haue chaunced in time of supersticion and ignoraunce as the Church of Paules was â—rent in the first yeare of Steuen and the Steple of Paules set on fire by lyghtninge in the tyme of kinge Henrie the vi they that count that to be the time of supersticion and ignoraunce when God was serued deuoutly night and day the people liued in the feare of god euery one in his vocation without reasoning contencion of matters of religion but referred all suche thinges to learned men in generall counsailes and vniuersities there to be disputed then was the commaundementes of God and vertue expressed in liuinge now all is in talke and nothinge in liuinge then was prayer now is prating then was vertue and now is vice then was buildinge vp of Churches houses of religion and hospitals where prayer was had night and day hospitalitye kept and the poore relieued now is pulling downe and destroying such houses where God should be serued hospitalitie kept and the poore releiued by meanes wherof Gods glory is destroyed and the commen welth impouerished then was plenty of all thinges now is scarcenesse of all thinges therfore Operibus credite the frute will shew
of thys Reame be declyned from the steppes of Sainct Austin and other blessed fathers and Sauntes whych hadde Masse and vii Sacramentes in the Churche and God was honoured night and daye in the Churche wyth deuyne seruyce I thynke there is no man so simple but he maye easelye perceyue except malyce haue blynded hys hearte As in Saint Paules Churche in London by the decrees of blessed Fathers euerye nyght at Mydnyght they hadde Mattyâ—s all the fore none Masses in the Churche wyth other deuyne seruyce and contiuuall prayer and in the Steple antimes and prayers were haâ— certayne tymes That the people of this Realme be swarued from the steppes of Austin I wyll not greatlye stycke wyth hym to graunte but how not in fallynge from anye goodnesse that he vsed for that they eyther keepe styll or the better in stede of it but in refusynge suche abuses as he fyrste beganne and synce hys tyme the Churche of Goode hays bene ouer loden by the Popes oppression withall And because he says that we swarue from Austin and other blessed Fathers and Saintes which hadde masse and vii sacramentes who those Fathers and Saintes be I woulde he â—adde named theym that it myghte be sene how truly he sais I thinke he durst not nor yet can least he be taken with a lowd lie I thinke he meanes that Austin which is called thapostle of Englande and not that other Austin which is taken for one of the iiii Doctors of the Churche There is great difference betwixt them two both in auncientye of time in learninge and godlynesse Thenglysh Austin lyued here vi C. yeare after Christe the other in Aphric CCCC and that the elder Austin and blessed fathers afore him agree better with our reformed religion than with their Popery I boldlye affirme and if hee or his partakers haue or can saye anye thinge to the contrarye they shoulde proue it better than they haue done hitherto or elles the worlde maye iudge that they more proudlye brag as Golias did Gods people than can truly proue it But as Dauid wyth his slinge and stone ouercome that mighty Giaunt so I doubt not but they shall finde many that with the simplicitye of Gods trueth shall be able to confounde their wicked subtilitye I am sure he meanes chefelye the doctrine of the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloude â–ª but in that he is already ouer matched I remember in the time of that blessed kinge Edwarde the. vi D. Kidlay late Bishop of London came in visitacion to Camebridge and because that doctrine of the Sacrament semed straunge than to manye he propounded this proposicion to the hole vniuersitye to dispute on That it could not be proued by any auncient writer Greke or latin which liued a thousande yeare sins or within D. yeare after Christ that the substance of the bread was chaunged in the sacrament to the substaunce of Christes bodye There was the eldest and stoutest champions of the bole vuiuersitye and the pertest lustye yonge princockes also that coulde be pyked out to saye what they coulde ii or iii. dayes together and one while they hadde liberty to speake what they could in defence of it and an other whyle to speak against them that w tstode it with what reasons or autorities they could deuise But the pithy solutions of that godlye learned Byshop were so stroÌ„g than that vnto the world chaunged his enemies praised him and wondert at his learnyng and liked the doctrine so well that their lusty yonker would haue turned Bishop Crammers boke into latin yea maried to as was nedefull if the good Kinge had liued a while longer If this be true in the chefest point of their religion as it is most true in deede that they haue not one auncient writer without wraistinge to seme to make for them it is much more true in the rest There is another conference of late betwix the reuereÌ„d Bishop of Sarum and D. Coole wherein that learned father laies to their charge that for the rest of their trashe whiche they reuerence as bolye reliques they haue neyther Scripture auncient writer Doctor nor generall counsell to defend their doinges The writinges of good Crammer and these learned Byshops are in print and yet vnconfuted and in strength althoughe one attemted with small praise of late to defende D. Coles parte but if they coulde haue gainstand it no manne doubtes of their good wil. They neede not to feare their recognisans fire nor fagot nor anye punnyshement accordinge as they deserue theyr bloudy lawes are laid on slepe though their hartes be bloudy still And because he but onely names particularly masse and. vii Sacramentes and proues it not to bee so I will not vse many wayes in desprouing it for he is not a man of that autority learning nor credite that because he sais it is so therefore streight it must be so be beleued For I maye saye it is not so wyth as good reason as he yf sayinge wythoute proofe were sufficient For their masse I saide inoughe afore and proued of what auncienty it was I declared afore how Gregories masse boke was allowed vii C. lxxvii yeares after Christ and also how Austin by Gregories commaundement oute of suche dyuerse orders of massinge as ye see in other Countries patched their order of masse together that they vsed here in Englande Seing than by their owne Doctours confession it is manifest to be so many yeares after Christ afore their masse tooke place here or els where I may boldlye saye that neuer one holye father afore Gregory knew nor alowed anye suche kinde of massinge for than was no suche thinge made nor vsed These vnto they be aunswered are sufficient For their vii sacramentes I wil not saye muche at thys tyme because he standes not anye thynge in the proofe of theym The question is meter for the learned sorte than the people to try out such narow points The controuersy is more about the woorde and name than the thynge it selfe and vse of it Wee vse vi of theym that he calles Sacramentes as well as they thoughe not without great reason we forbeare to call theym all Sacramentes and differ muche in the doctrine the order and vsinge of theym with other ceremonies and language than they do Baptisme the lordes supper confirmation of Children mariage orderinge of ministers we vse theÌ„ al as wel as they thoughe not in the same sort that they and teache the people to haue theym in reuerence better than they Confession is left free to all that fele theym selues burdened in conscience and wante eyther counsell or comfort and the weake and ignoraunt are moued to resorte to a learned minister to receyue the comfortable promises of absolution and forgeuenes of sinne by the liuely worde of God applied to so troubled a minde as a souerain salue for al such grefes The only controuersye in number than betwix vs is for extreme vnction whether that be so
liuings liue more welthily and at ease than euer they didde afore or the Protestantes doe in their liberty nowe Marke howe like them selues they be and agreing with themselues As long as kinge Henry liued and all the time of blessed kinge Edwarde they taught they preached they subscribed they sware and beleued all thys that they now deny As oft as they had anye liuinge in anye College of the vniuersities as oft as they tooke degree in the scholes as oft as they tooke any benefice and whan they were made Priests or Byshoppes so ofte they sweare and forsweare all that nowe they denye Periurye in other menne is punished with bearinge papers losse of their eares and other worldlye shame but these menne abusinge the gentilnes of the Prince beyng thus oft forsworne are counted holye in the worlde The Papistes in their religyous monsters haue â—o kind of munkes Freers Chanons Nunnes differing in their coates than anye people haue some be white some blacke some graye differinge in their shoes some hauinge whole some halfe some nothinge but sooles vnder the foote differinge in shauinge their heades some more some lesse differing in meates some eatinge fish only some flesh and fishe at their dayes and times appointed differinge in places for some neuer go abroade but are kept stil with in the compasse of the house some walk abroode at their pleasure and some locked vp in stone walles diffring in their seruice for euery order had his diuerse order of masse and Mattins in manye pointes differinge in their Saintes or rather their Goddes whose names they beare whom they worshippe and stryuinge which of them shoulde be the holiest Some holde of Francis some of Benet some of Dominic some of Brigitte and others of other as they lust to deuise In their schole menne is founde more diuersity of opinions than among any sort of Philosophers Some hold of Thomas some of Dominus some of Albertus some of other as they like for there be so manye that almost they can not be reckened Which thinges being all considered and knowen of all men to be true except they be wilfully blind howe can they saye that they agree in one vnitye of the trueth Pilate and Herode agreed to crucifie christ so these in mischeues agree to set vp supersticion but in their priuate opinions none are more contrary and diuers In their pilgrimages pardons reliques fastinges what diuersities and striuing whiche shoulde be the greatest Amonge so manye Ladies and Roodes what striuinge in euery countrye which shoulde be the holiest and worke most miracles Amonge pardons Boston beare the name and yet other would compare among reliques the bloud of Hales passed other vnto their iugling was knowen Fastinges were mo than I know Some vsed Saint Rinians some oure ladies some the golden Fridayes some euerye Wednesdaye some halfe Lent some whole some with fishe only other as they luste What reason is it that they whyche fasted oure Ladyes faste some fastinge to bread water ended it in iii. yeares space other in eatynge fishe had vii and why shoulde they folowe the Ladye daye in lent more than other Ladie dayes and why yearelye doe they chaunge theyr daye c. Whan these and such other their doinges are proued to agree in one and good reason shewed for their doynges they maye better charge other menne wyth disagreinge but they maye thynke it shame to burthen other wyth that wherein they be most gilty themselues There is none more disobedient then the newe Byshops and Preachers now a dayes whyche disoveye the vniuersall church of Christ the whych Church who so euer wyll not obey oure sauyour in the Gospell commaundes vs to take theym as infydelles As where the vniuersall Churche of Chryst commaundes Masse and senen Sacramentes as necessary for our saluacion they call it abhomination with their blasphemous mouthes Where the â–ª Churche commaundes to faste they commaund to eat Where the Church coÌ„maunds coutynual prayer of the Clergy they cal it superslicyon blynd ignorance where the Church commaundes the clergie to liue in chastitye they commaunde and exhort the Clergy to mariage where the Churche and all lawes ciuyll and canon yea the lawes of the Realme do prohibit maryage of Pryestes they alowe maryage of Pryestes â—beyinge no lawe but folowe their owne carnall lustes Yea where the Queene hays geuen strayte commaundement to abstayne from fleshe in Lent and other dayes commaunded by the Churchâ— the newe Preachers and Protestants haue eaten flesh openly to the great sclaunder of other O God howe manye lyes in so fewe lynes The vnyuersall Churche of Chryste agrees in the necessarye Artycles of oure Saluation but in certayne outwarde orders and Ceremonies euerye Countrie differs from other wythout anye dyshonoure to Godde I declared afore how we agree with the vniuersall churche and confesse the necessarye Christian articles of our fayth religion saluation better than they also I touched some diuersities of out warde orders in the Churche whereof many or all were tollerable and nowe by occasion of these matters mynistred by him I shall touche some moe He layes to our charge that we disobey the vniuersall churche if he meane in those thinges which afterwarde folow I am content to trie with him Where vnder y â— name of masse he vnderstands the Romish latin masse it appeares afore how many sundry good sortes of ministring the Lordes supper be in other countries at this day and haue bene of olde time Therefore he makes a loude lie in sayinge or thinking that who so euer disagrees from their Popish masse disobeies the vniuersal Church for the most part of Christendome neyther does at this daye nor at any time hais vsed it In the substaunce and doctrine of the holye Communion we agree with the scripture and the catholicke Church though we differ in some peice of the outwarde order of it from other countries but we prosesse an open disagreeinge from the Romish sinagoge both in the order and substaunce thereof The Churche of God accordinge to the scriptures does professe and beleue that all faythfull Christians worthely coming to the lordes table receiue by faith in those holy misteries the body and bloude of Christ whiche was giuen broken and shed for the sinnes of the whole world this we teache beleue and folow aud exhort all men often to prepare them selues worthelie thus to receiue The Popish Synagoge contrary to Saint Paule teach practise beleue and persecute with fire and fagot all gainsayers that in the sacrifice of their bread and wine the creatures be chaÌ„ged from their natural substaunce and are made a God to be worshipt whan they lifte it ouer their heades hange it in a corde ouer the Altar or carye it aboute the fieldes and if the people will bie trentals or masses of it at their handes they can swepe purgatory cleane and make soules flie to heauen as thicke as duste These haue no ground woorke on Goddes
on the mariage in Cana Galilea writes thê° Thou reproâ—â—s mariage that they be a let to godlynes but wilt thou know that it hurtes not to haue wyfe and children Had not Moyses wife and children was not Helias a virgin Moses brought Manna from heauen and Helias fire god spake to Moyses and was conuersaunt with Helias Did not Moyses make Duales to come and Helias shut vppe heauen from raine with a word Did not Moyses deuide the sea and brought through the people Was not Helias taken into heauen in a firie charet Did virginitye hurte the one or was wife and children a hindraunce to the other hais thou marked Helias in his charet in the aer and Moyses goynge on foote in the sea Marke Peter also a piller of the church that he had a wife for it is written that Iesus wente into Peters mother in lawe beinge sicke touched her and the feuer left her Where there is a mother in lawe there must nedes be a wife and daughter in lawe Sees thou not than that Peter had a wife blame not mariage than c. thus ferre Chrisostome I coulde shew you like examples of maried ministers at these daies whiche are not hindered in their duty doing therby nor in any part of godlynes but rather forthered in that houshold cares be taken from them therby and in sikenes they better cherished These be inough for them that wil be perswaded or more will not serue It is not hard to bringe diuerse moe autorities out ot the Popes distinc xxviii and xxxi to proue this withall but he that is father of all filthines is not worthye to beare witnes in so honest a matter In Moises law where euery one should marie with in his owne tribe the priestes had thys priuilege that they might marye wyth the kinges stocke but oure menne abhore Priestes mariage lest they should get gentilwomen and so possibly might enherite their landes God was not so wise to foresee these thinges as we be and that which Gods wisdome thought good and commendable we with oure polities thinke hurtfull and vnprofitable God make vs wise in him For the foolyshe writhinge and rackynge of the scriptures folowinge because they be so vnaptlye applied that a blind manne maye sce them I will not stande to set out his folye for they conteyne no matter of weight against vs. They haue inuented a newe waye to make Bishoppes and Priestes and a maner of seruice and ministracion that Saint Austin neuer knewe Saint Edmond Lanfranc S. Anselme noâ— neuer one Bishop of Cantorb sauing only Crammer who for soke his professyon as Apostata so that they must nâ—â—es condemne all the Bishoppes in Cantor but CraÌ„mer and he that now is all the Byshoppes of yorke sauyâ—â— Holgate and he that nowe is althoughe Saint Wilfride S. Willyam haue bene taken for Saintes and were Byshoppes in yorke In Couentre and Lichfyelde S. Chad was Byshop and many blessed Byshops and he that now to Bishop can fynde not anye one that euer was made as he is nor of his religion Therefore he must proue all Biâ—shops 〈◊〉 Lichfâ—loe were deceyued walked in blindnes and ignoraunce or els he that nowe is must nedes be deceyued and be in blyndnes In Duresiue haut bene many good fathers but he that now is Bishop can not fynde any one predecessour in that see that was of his relygion and made bishop after such fort as he was so that he that no we is muste take in bande to condemne all the Bisshops afore him that they were in ignorance and blindnes or they wil come to hys condemnation at the daye of indgement And this in all Bishoprickes in EnglaÌ„d some can find one some none that euer was of their religion What arrogancy may be thought in those men that will take in hande to condemne so many blessed fathers al to be in blindnes Here this proud Papist triumphes as thoughe nothinge coulde be said to the contrary For our churche seruice I said inough afore now marke what weight his raginge railynge wordes haue He sais Saint Edmonde Lanfranc Ansel. neuer knewe such an orderyng of Priestes and Bishopes how proues he that I thinke they dyd for they liued in that age whan religion beganne to decaye blyndnes and supersticion to crepe into the worlde and therefore coulde not be ignoraunt of suche good order as hadde bene afore them althoughe they theym selues than beganne to chaunge bring in the contrary wherof I declared part afore as mariage of priestes church seruyce c. To graunt that so manye Bisshops of Cantorb yorke Lichfield and Duresme were in blindnes he thinkes it such an inconuenience as no manne will doe it and therfore these that now be Byshops must nedes be deceyued I am not of that oppinion to thynke it a shame to graunt that Byshoppes be deceyued eyther in that age or other for there hais bene no man so holye except Christ Iesus but he hais bene deceiued and ignoraunt in manye thinges euen in religion Did not Paule rebuke Peter for dissemblynge in meates with the Iewes Only Christ hais the ful truth That is the proude principle of Popery to think that they can not be deceyued yet in that sayinge they are most fowly deceyued The Scribes and Pharases vsed the same reasons agaynst Christe oure Lorde and the false Prophetes against the true sayinge that they kepte the olde true learninge and the other brought in a new deceiued the people But in grauntinge these olde Byshops to be made after another sort than these be nowe what harme maye followe What auncienty be they of al sins the conquest and not past v. C. yeare sins Than it is but newe in comparison of of M. D. l. And if oure order agree wyth Christes doinges and his Apostles writings better thaÌ„ theirs are we to blame in forsakyng them folowing Christ his Apostles or are we to be counted deuisers of a new way when we folow that which is M. ycre elder than theirs Naye surely their deuyses be new and we restore the old religion again practised and taught by Christ and his Appostles which they haue defaced wyth their newe deuysed supersticyon and Popery Whither is it more to conteÌ„ne or correct these Byshoppes of Cantorb York Lichfielde and Duresme that he names rather than Christ oure Lorde Peter Paul Timothe Titê° c. Whether is to bee iudged elder wyser and godlyer these Byshoppes that he names which are not v. C. yeare old or Christe and his Appostles whiche be M. D. yeare old and more In the Actes of Thappostles where Matthias was chosen in stede of Iudas the traitour Where the. vii Deacons were chosen and whan Paule and Barnabas were seÌ„t forth to preach how few ceremonies were vsed in comparison of that multitude which the Papistes vse nowe and howe much does it agree with our kind of orderinge ministers better than with theirs Whan Paule taught
consent of the nobles and Prelates to Rome after him to declare the matter and accuse him of disobeying the kinge troublinge the Realme and the Clergye and of periurye in not kepinge the lawes whiche he sware to first The Embassadours ware Roger Archebysshoppe of Yorke Gilbert Byshoppe of London Roger Byshoppe of Worceter Hilary Byshop of Chichester Baâ—tholmewe Byshoppe of Eretor the erle of Arundel with many other noble men and clerkes Their orations wherein they accuse this holye traitour be there in print seuerallye and somewhat long to recite but iudge indifferentlie whan so many Byshops and the Erle accuse Thom. Becket afore the Pope so earnestly whither we be to blame to accuse him nowe Theffect of the Byshop of Londons oration to the Pope and Cardinals was this and the other byshops â—rations are like Fathers the care of the Churche belonges to you that they whiche be wise might be cherished by you and they that be vnwise might be corrected that they might be wise but he is not thoughte wise to youre wisedomes that trustes in hys owne wysedome and goes about to trouble the peace of his brether the king Of late there fell a debate in England betwiâ—t the Kynge and the Clergye for a light cause whyche myght haue bene easelye buryed yf a gentyll medicyne had bene ministred but the Byshoppe of Eantorb vsynge hys owne will and not oures was to earnest not consyderinge what harme might come by suche headines And bicause he could not get our consent he wente aboute to cast the faute of his rashnes on oure Lorde the Kynge and the Realme and that he might deface oure brotherlye loue he flees awaye no man compellinge him as it is writen in the Psal. The wicked flees wheÌ„ no man persecutes him The other Byshoppe and Erle folowe with like or more vehement wordes Whan kinge Egfride had maried Etheldrede and shee had rather liue a virgin than do the dutie of a wyfe the kinge desyred Saint Wilfride to counsell his wife to do her duty the Byshoppe woulde not but rather encoraged her diuorced her made her a Nunne and the kinge maried another whiche counsell of Wilfride was plaine contrarye to S. Paule sayinge The woman hais not power of her owne bodye but the manne for she can not depart from her husbande without licens and but for a time God kepe vs from suche holy Byshops Polychro lib. v. ca. xxii declares a knot of these his holye fathers Aldelme firste Priest than abbot and lastly a Byshop whan he â–ª was tempted in the flesh toke a faire wenche into bed with him while he might saye the Psalter and yet wold not mary lib. vii ca. ii Walter Byshop of Ertford was slain by a woman whiche goored him in the coddes with her sheares because he woulde haue rauyshed her Ca. xi Walter Byshoppe of Durram made women to serue him the munks at the table with their hear hanginge downe where fewe scaped their handes ca. xii Giraldus Byshop of Yorke was sais he a lecherous man and a witche O holye fathers I trust who so euer considers these things wel wil iudge the holynes of these good bisshoppes on whom he glories so muche The rest of the Byshoppes whyche he names be such like and bicause he speakes not muche of them I will let theim passe for they be no better and oute of the same worshipful history ye shal read of them because no learned manne hais thought mete to loose his time in commendinge suche They lyued all sins the conquest not v. C. yeare sins all made Saintes and promoted by the Pope and he by theym therefore they must neede maintaine his doinges and he theirs I woulde not haue blotted so muche paper with so muche wickednes nor filled your eares and eyes with such filthines but that he prouoked me to it and cals that good which is euil and light darknes The rest be no better In euery Bishopricke ye shal finde some byshoppes that were ennemies to the Pope and his doinges in that blind age In Lincolne Robert grosshead appealed from the Pope to Iesus Christ and wrote diuers good bookes against manye his doinges Ranolde Pecocke of Chichester was condemned in the xxvi yeare of Henrye vi for this newe learninge and specially for saying that a generall counsell and the church may erre in religion In the late dayes of poperye were burned fiue byshops and fiue bannished let them shewe so many byshops that sufferd within this thousand yeare for their God the Pope and they might haue some shewe of honesty for theÌ„ It is a rare thing to see a byshop die for religion and specially a Papist Seynge they reforme religion so swell as they saye it were mete â–ª as they forsake the religion that their predecessours vsed as masse matins ministracion of sacraments tht they shuld also forsake houses parks lands and reuenewes that their predecessours hadde and go from place to place for gods sake and preach If nothinge els this one sayinge will proue him a dissembinge liynge Hipocrite All the worlde knowes that the greatest faute and readiest that they haue to lay against the Gospel time is that Churche landes and liuinges are taken from spirituall menne and bestowed on other and of this thing he complaines hymselfe in manifest woordes hereafter Therfore it is manifest that he woulde not haue the byshops to giue away their landes seing he complaines of the takynge it awaye but he woulde so faine finde a faute in the newe bysshoppes that rather than he find none he wil shew him self a foole in blaming them wherein they deserue it not and which be thinkes to be no faut in dede Why they forsake their masse and mattins is sufficiently declared afore For their houses parkes and landes why some few that haue any such do not forsake them that be left there is good reason but why other some haue them not that they might forsake theym if they shoulde I feare their popishe predecessours haue prouided to wel for them against reason They keepe house and such lands as they can get because they be not Anabaptistes nor heretyckes thinkynge it not to be lawfull for them so to doe for Goddes good creatures are ordeined to serue Gods good ministers and also because they bee not so supersticious as the obseruants freers which thought themselues so holye that they might not handle money They remember also that Godde commaundes them to kepe hospitalitie to their power bicause by this meanes it may the better be done they do not refuse it althoughe gredilye they doe not desire it The Prince also and commen welth desires a seruice of them whiche they can not so wel performe without these but chefely for the maintenance of learning which is so decayed almost remedilesse and so litle hope to recouer it if these helpes be cleane taken away that extreme blind ignoraunce is like to folow this age Looke into the
after godlye Ezechias reigned wicked Manasses and after Iesus the son of Iosedeâ— folowed not long after Annas and Caiphas and many wicked ones afore them Contrary wise of sinful auncetors came the innocent Lambe of God Christ Iesus and after the traitour Iudas folowed y â— good Apostle Matthias So that both in king doms and Priesthode the good hais folowed the bad the bad the good The Gospell sais that in Moyses cheare the Scribes Pharises sit if after Moyses followed the wicked scribes and Pharises what priuilege haue our bishops or Popes more than Moises that their successoures shoulde continue in purenesse of religyon and not fall awaye as the Pharises didde Are they better than Moyses â—r where is thys their promise writen in Goddes booke â–ª the gloriynge of this succession is lyke the proude bragges of the Iewes for their genealogies and pety gres saiyng we haue Abraham for oure father but our Sauiour Christ saide ye are of the deuill your father and his workes will ye do So it maye be said to these which crake that they haue Thappostles for their fathers that they haue the Pope their father for his works and doctrine they folowe and not Thapostles As Christ our lord therfore proued the Iewes to be of y â— deuil because they filled his desires and therfore not the children of Abraham so it is easye to see whose children these be whan they folowe the Pope and not Thappostles Succession in doctrine makes theym the sonnes of the Prophetes and Apostles and not sittinge in the same seate nor beynge byshop of the same place There is one of his holy byshoppes that he crakes so much of a litle wiser and subtiller than he in wordes althoughe in sense they agres He sais that in euerye see there hais bene a succession but for example he takes Cantor sais in a litle scrolle that he wrote for the autorytye of the churche and sent it priuely to his frendes to comfort and confirme them with that they shoulde sticke fast thus UUe can recken al the byshops there sins S. Austin that was the first and from him goe to Gregorye byshop of Rome who sent Austin hither and from Gregorye vppe to Peter and so proue that all our religion came from Rome by succession and therefore we must heng on Ro. stil. He sais y e like may be done in euery see and whan it is proued I will beleue it But I am content to stand with him in triall of this If Austin was the first as he sais than Cantorb hais not hadde a continuall succession sins Thappostles time It is since Austin liued a vii C lx yere but since Thapostles it is M. D. lx Howe is there than a continuall succession in Cantorb sins Thapostles time if they wanted bishops the space of viii C. yeare The same reason is against other byshoprickes to and there can not bee proued a succession of their byshops in anye one place of thys Realme since Thapostles And for a succession of agrement in one doctryne relygion and other their doinges they can not find it in Rome neyther afore Gregory nor after Clemens in the booke that goes in his name sais that wyues ought to bee comen whych God forbiddes And here of I thinke the Papists are so bold with other mennes wyues and wyll none of their owne Alexander made holy water as they saye to driue awaye diuels and heale diseases as thoughe it were more holye than Christ himself for the deuill temted him and yet runnes away from their coniured water as they wold make fooles to beleue But what papist was euer so mad to forsake the Phisicions helpe in his sicknes and say he was healed by the Popes holye water If that were true phisicions might put vppe their pipes Pope Pius bade kepe Ester in the full mone what daye in the weke so euer it light on and not alwaies to kepe it on the sonday as we do nowe Marcellinus in persecution sacrificed idols Liberius Felix and Anastasius Popes were Arrians and great heretickes deniynge Chryst to be God equall with his father Pope Leo cut of his hande because a woman kissed it and he felt himselfe some thinge tempted Ioan. i. was send to Themperour as Embassadour from the king of Gâ—thes to counsell him to restore the Churches to Tharrians heretickes Sergius Pope set forthe yearely a piece of a crosse whiche he said was Christs to be worshipt and kissed Gregorye iii. graunted licence to marye hys uncles wyfe plaine against the scripture Zachar i. Pope absolued the Frenche men from obeyinge their king deposed him and confirmed Pipine for their kinge and so did Pope Steuen to Leo. iii. alowed the bloude of Christ at Mantua suche a one as was the swete bloude of Halis here Ioan viii a harlot wearing mannes apparell was made Pope and gote with childe and delyuered as she went in procession solemly Nicholas i. was so proude that he said it was not lawful to reproue the Popes iudgementes Syluester ii and Benet ix gaue themselues to the deuill and offered sacrifice to hym that he woulde make theym Popes and promised after their death wholy to be his they entised women to naughtines with them by witch craft Innocent iii. dispensed with the Emperor Otho to mary his Nese plain contrary to Gods worde Ioan. xxiii denied the soules to lyue after this lyfe the Cardinalles finding no faute with him but the Frenche kinge compelled hym to recante Thys is the goodlye succession that he woulde haue vs to folowe of doctrine in Romyshe Popes written by Platina and suche like no Protestauntes these be the successours and fathers whom he woulde haue vs to be lyke vnto God defende all good folke from all suche doinges saiynges beleuynge liuyng louing or folowing Except god dwel and be tied in cheares seates and places he can not dwell in suche wycked men as these Popes be God dwelles not in houses made wyth mans handes nor in the mighty Prelates of the worlde but he dwelles in the pure mindes and consciences of his elect people of what Estate or degree so euer they be Compare the doings preachinges and troublesom life of Peter Thapostle from time to time with the wicked blasphemyes of these Romyshe prelates and with their lordly idlenes and mark in what thing he is lyke to them or they to him They are no more like than an apple and Oister than canne not he bee their Predecessour nor they his successours If they clame to be Iudas successoures I will not sticke with theym In temporall enheritaunce an euyll man maye succede as ryght heire to a good but in matters of pure religion an heretycke or he that dyffers from the trueth can not be a lawful folower in Goddes Church and defender of the same relygion and trueth from which he is fallen and becomen an enemy Therfore
hanges ouer him Saint Ciprian sayes he seperates himselfe from Christ that does against the consent of the Byshop and clergy Saint Hiero. does saye we muste remayne in that Churche whiche is founded of the Apostles and does endure vnto thys daye by a succession of Byshoppes to whom the holye Ghoste hais appointed the rule and gouernement of this Churche sanctified by Christes bloud shedinge Nor let heretickes take anye comforte to theym selues if they can frame out of the Chapters of the scripture for their pourpose that whiche they saye seynge the deuill hais alledged some thinges of scripture for the scriptures consist not in readinge but true vnderstandinge If we will be members of Christes Churche we must continue firmely in that faith and religyon that was sent from the Apostolicall see of Ro. by S. Gregory into England which faith and religion was planted and stablyshed by Saint Angustine in thys Realme Saint Augustine stablyshed masse and vii sacramentes to be vsed in the latin tonge as Gâ—das does witnes and such maner of deuine seruice as is nowe vsed The aunswere to the. i. question SAint Austin in the first place alledged hais no suche definition althoughe the most parte of the wordes which he puttes there are true and woulde to God he considered howe muche he speakes against him selfe here in This is that which we defende that the Churche is gathered by Christ and Thappostles first and continues not in the Papisticall but in the Apostolicall faith vnder Christ our head who rules his churche stil by his holye spirite and worde and hais not put it into the â—andes of any one only general vicar in the earth as he vntruelye sayes whereas their church is bylded not on christ but on the Popes decrees whiche Thappostles neuer knewe and were vnwritten manye yeares after the death of Thappostles and are alwayes vncertayne chaunginge euer as it pleases the Pope for his time to determine And their Church hais had at one time iii. or iiii Popes for their heades like a monster with manye heades some Countrie folowinge one Pope some another as their heade We saye also that the Papistes haue deuided theim selues from this Churche of Christe makinge them selues sinagoges and chappelles gods and religion of their owne deuysynge as Micha did contrarye to Gods worde and therefore the wrath of God hanges ouer them except they returne howe holye so euer they pretende to be Ciprians wordes are not all together so plaine as he settes theym but if they were he meanes an other sort of Priestes and Clergye than the Popes for neyther they did take than to them nor he knew no such autoritye in them as they now vsurpe vnto theim selues for he writes as sharplye and homelye vnto Cornelius than byshop of Rome as he does to any other his felow bishops Surelye who so euer deuydes him selfe from Christes ministers and people refusinge their doctrine and discipline seperates him selfe from Christ euen as he that flees from the filthy dregges of Poperye and his Chaplaines is cut of from the Pope the father of suche wickednes In Ieroms wordes we most reioyse teachinge vs to continue in that Churche which is founded by Thapostles and not Popes endures to thys daye The wordes of succession c. folowinge are his owne and not Ieroms By thys doctrine of Ierom we flee to Thapostolicall and flee from the Papisticall Churche whiche was neuer knowen of manye yeares after Thapostles And we graunt that the deuil papistes and heretickes can alledge some wordes of the scriptures and therefore we saye that the Papistes be deuilyshe Heretickes because they racke writhe the scriptures to a contrarye meaninge to their owne damnation as the deuill did For succession and gouernement of Byshops for Austins religion massinge and vii sacramentes I said inoughe afore but where he alleges Gildas as father of his lies he does him much wroÌ„g for he hais neuer suche a word in all his writinges If he haue lette him shew it This is euer the facion of liynge Papistes to haue the names of doctours and auncient writers in their mouthes as though they were of the same opinioÌ„ that they be where in dede they be nothynge lesse and if they get a word or if that seemes to make for them they will adde a hole tale of their owne makinge as thoughe it were a piece of the same auncient mannes sayinge and by thys meanes they deceyue the simple whiche haue no learninge to iudge or haue not the bookes to trye their saiynges by as this miser goes about in these places afore Who is an hereticke HE that teaches defendes or maintaines anye erronyous oppinion agaynst the decrees iudgemente or determynatyon of Christes Catholicke Church is an hereticke Who is a schismaticke HE that is deuided or separat from the vnitye of the catholycke Church in ministration or receyuynge the sacramentes or diuine seruice is a schismaticke and in state of perdicion The aunswere to the. ii and. iii. questions HE wold gladly appeare to be wel sene in logiâ— if he had any If all be hereticks that defend an erronius opinion than many disputacions shall be condemned In disputing it is oft sene that of ignoraunce or for his learning sake manye defend an vntruth yet God forbid that they shoulde all be heretickes Austin says well I maye erre but I will not be an hereticke Then he is an hereticke properlye that defendes an errour obstinatelye and will not be corrected So teaches Saint Paule Flee from an hereticke after one or ii warnynges he sais not for ones teachinge or defending of it Also he is not a schismaticke that differs in small pointes or circumstaunces of ministringe the sacraments from other for than shoulde all the Greke church be in a schisme because they differ in some ceremonies from the Latin Churche and also one from another as I declared afore in the ministration of Basil Chrisost Saint Iames. c. the same may be said of the latin church to as for Ambrose order Gregores c. And because euer vnder the Catholicke churche he signifies Rome we saye that no countrie whiche vses other ceremonies than they doe is in this case a schismaticke for that their Romishe orders and ceremonies be of their owne deuisinge for the most part and not commaunded by god nor neuer were vsed generally in the vniuersall Catholicke churche as I proued afore and therfore they be free to vse or not vse as shalbe thought mete to differ in the substaunce and doctrine of sacramentes maye make a schisme or heresye but such ceremonies are free to all countries whiche maye edifie as appeared in Ansel. Epistle afore These fewe wordes are sufficient to lette him see his owne foolyshnes more might be said but I will not be so curious nor tedious to note all Saint Paule cals the Corinth schismatickes in henginge on mennes sleues for opinions in religion and for misusinge the
to time As I noted afore they deryue al their religion from Ro. to make men beleue that place whiche is a sinke of all sinne and esteamed of none but theym that knowes it not to be the fountaine of all godlynesse But as I declared afore that they forsake all the auncient goodnes in Rome so shall I by thys Popes doinges to lette the worlde see if they will that in mainetaynynge the Pope in wordes by outward apperance they vtterly denye him in their dedes they onely pike out of the filthiest of theym that which may maintaine their supersticion pride and tyrannye That the Saxons inuaded and obteyned thys Realme for the sinnes of the countrye it is to plain but whether Austin planted true religion the Doctors may dout and his dedes will proue It were to longe to write all that Galfridus Britanicus in his historie wrote about the yeare of our lord M. C. L. in the latter ende of his viii booke ca. iiii Howe the holye learned Byshops withstoode the teachinge of Austin at his coming into the Realme and the Popes autoritye that send him but these few woordes of his are sufficient to declare their mind In the meane while was Austin sende of Gregorye he sais into Britayne to preache the word of God to Thenglysh menne which almost had driuen out all christian religion of that part of the I le where they dwelt in Kent but amonge some of the Britains the faith of christ did yet florish and there were vii Bysshoppes and an Archbyshop and many holy Prelates and Abbayes remaining whiche taught their flocke the right order At Bangor in one churche were MM. C. munkes whiche gets their lyninge wyth their handes their Abbot was called Dineth Whan Austin required of the Byshops subiection Dinoth proued by diuers argumentes that they ought him none Than Edelbert King of Kent perceiuing that the Brittans disdained to submit them selues to Austin he sturred vp the other Saxons kings to fight against Dinoth and hys clarkes They gathered a great armye and came to Westchester where Bremael was Maior The munkes and Heremites met him there to praye for the safegarde of their people Eldefridus king of Northumberlande faught with Bremael and slewe M. CC. Munkes and had manye of his owne men slaine Than the Dukes of Britaine hearing of his cruelty Blederic Duke of Cornwal Margaduâ— Duke of Southwales Caduane Duke of Northwales came and fought with him and slewe tenne thousande of his men and about lrvi. mo and Blederic that was the graund captaine was slaine there Thus farre sais he First marke here that the chrisstened Britains wold not submit them selues to Austin the Popes Legate as they that had fallen from religion did Secondly that so many Munkes lyued not idle but wrought for their lyuinge Thirdly note the olde practyse of Papistes to shede bloud cruelly if their superiorityâ— be denied theim Polychronicon lib. v. cap. ix and Fabian ca. Cxix write all this same in effect and also further that Austin called a counsell for stablishing his religion and whan the Bysshoppes asked Dinoth whether they should go to it or no he said they should go and obey him if he behaued himselfe lowly like a disciple of Christ. His lowlines they should trie if he woulde rise and reuerence them whan they come in to the counsell But whan Austin gaue no reuerence to them at their cominge they were angrye and wente their wayes Amonge other thinges marke also the pride of the Ro. Legates that would not as much as make any kynde of curtesy to so many byshops cominge to the counsel Gildas which writing lamentes this miserable destruction of Britaine by bringinge in the Sarons and complaines as muche of the decay and neglectinge of religion as of wicked liuinge in al sortes of menne from the highest to the lowest to be the cause of this plage of God and ouerthrow of the Realme He sharplye rebukes the Kinges but Priestes and Byshoppes rather more than anye other sorte of menne so that it seames to be a double plage both in bringinge straungers to rule and straunge religion to blinde vs wythall And because they crake so much of y â— religion that Austin brought in ye shall see what he vsed There be â— xi questions written in the latter ende of Gregories woorkes in latin whyche Austin beinge in England desired Gregory Pope of Rome to wryte hym his minde and opinion in them The. iii. question is this whiche Polichronicon also touches Lib. v. Ca. ix Why seyng there is but one faith there be diuerse customs of Masses in the Churches and one custome is in Fraunce and another in Rome To this Gregory aunsweres that Austin shoulde pike out of the Romyshe Church or the French Church or any other the best vse them in Englande Marke here I pray you the beginninge and auncienty of their masse here in Englande and the patâ—â—inge it together and beggerly piking it out of al countries also that the pope did not condemne those diuers kindes of masses as our butchers haue and burned them that gain said it and than aske my maisters that so shamefullye lie and proudâ—ye crake their masse to be M. D. yeare olde whither these sainges be truely alledged or no. But beleeue neyther mee nor theym looke youre booke of Gregory and iudge youre selfe who lies Fabian also writes cap. C. xix and Cxxx that this Austin christned the people in the riuer called Swale in Swaldale not far from yorke and that Paulinus in steede of fontes at the same time who was one of those whom Gregorye sente from Ro. hither to preache here baptised manye also both in the same riuer and in another cald Gweni in Gwensedale in yorke shire to was it lawfull than to christen without halowinge of fontes yea withoute fontes wythout crossinge blowinge censinge saltinge spittinge oyle and chreame â— and nowe is not who hais made it vnlawfull sins Are we heretikes in doing it withoute coniured water as Austin did whom they so much commend Nay we doe it not nor wishe it to be done in the Riuer as they did but in the Churche Are they worthy to be called Papistes and glorie so much in it which will not folow the Popes legate nor alow his doinges and dispraise them that dâ— as he did I speake not this because â— woulde be called a Papist or make the Pope my schole maister but that wâ— would not vntrulye be called forsakerâ— of true religion and auncient custome of the churche whan we haue the oldâ— Popes and auncient Romishe Church to teache and alow that which we do And because this scauinger crakes so muche of his holye Byshoppes that suffer so great paines for disobeyinge their Prince and cleauinge to their holy father the Pope they that be not wilfully blinde shall see here that there is none more enemye to that vsurped power of the Pope claimynge to be aboue other Byshops
the Scripture than any that euer they haue receyued from the Pope If we had not this faith spoken of to the Ebrewes we durst not so boldlye come to the throne of grace wythoute makynge anye moe medyatoures than one onelye Iesus Chryst Where as they in makynge so manye meanes and intercessoures for thē as though God were a cruel iudge and not a mercifull father declare them selues to want this faith in that they dare not so boldly come to the throne of grace without suche spokes men as we vse none for faith onely makes vs bolde to come into Gods presence and begge of his grace But accordinge to their desire let vs searche oute the olde waye whiche is good that we maye walke in it The faith of a Christian manne is generallye conteined in the Crede and particularly declared in the scripture at large and whether we kepe that better then they let wise men iudge We do esteame these articles of the Christian faith so much with the Lordes prayer and the tenne commaundements of almightye God that by commen order it is appoynted and good ministers practise it that Children shall learne theim not in a tonge that they vnderstand not as the Pope would haue theim but in their mother tong w e such a short declaratiō on it by a Catechisme that now a yong child of a ten year old can tel more of his duty towarde God and manne than an olde manne of their bringinge vp can doe of lx or lxxx yeare olde all the canonycall Scryptures we do so renerently receiue and faithfully beleue that we stande in contention with the Papistes that nothing is to be beleued as necessary to saluation but onely the old testament and the new where their faith is neuer certayne but whan it pleases the Pope or his Councell to make theym a newe artycle of their faith or condemne or chaunge any that they haue they receiue it willingly beleue it faithfully and folow it earnestlye with fire and fagor It is not longe sins that by commen autoritye where oure Creede hais but xii articles they added vi mo articles and with no lesse daunger of wythstandynge theym than of life This six stringed whippe did vere Gods people sore vnto God of his vndeserued mercy prouided a remedye And where they thincke no faith nor religion to be good alowed or receiued but that whiche is confirmed by generall counsels or written by the doctors for that I say their religious supersticion cannot be proued by general counsell nor Doctour as the reuerend Bysshop of Sarum laies against D. Coole But so farre as eyther generall counsel or the Doctoures writinges doe agree with the body of the holy scriptures we do not onelye reuerentlye and willingly receiue them but diligently so farre furth as we maye practise theym They crake much of the autoritye of a generall counsel and bleare the peoples eies with so glorious a name and also with the reuerende name of the fathers Doctoures and auncientye where in deede they make more for vs than theym If they considert what Gerson and Panormitanus write which were auncient fathers and not new protestants and were at the counsel of Basil where it was disputed what autoritye a counsell hais they woulde not so stifly sticke to so weake a staffe we must rather beleue one symple lay manne saye they alledginge the scripture than the hole counsell to the contrarye De Elect. Ca. significasti This thinge was well proued true in the greate Nicene councell where manye would haue forbidden Priestes mariage and onelye Paphnutius beinge vnmaried and alledginge the Scriptures which alow mariage in all menne did stoppe it Gregory Nazainzene sais that he neuer see good ende of a counsell They alledge muche generall Counselles whan in dede very fewe of them be generall If it be but a prouinciall Counsell they themselues graunt that it maye erre Nowe than looke bow manye maye be called or are called generall in their owne bookes and ye shall fynde verye fewe Take heede therefore of these Fores ye that will not bee deceyued whan they alledge a Counsell and trye euen by their owne booke of counselles whither it bee generall or no Ye shall fynde that euerye tenth that they alledge is not generall than beynge a particuler and prouinciall they geue vs leaue to deny it and so they condemne their owne doinge whan they alledge nothinge but prouinciall Counselles There is no Crede made at anye generall counselles nor Athanasius Crede but we willingly embrase it receyue it and beleue it Seinge than we openly professe and teache all thynges conteined in the holye Scriptures and all the artycles of anye Crede determined in generall Counsell or written by Athanasius or anye Catholycke father howe can it bee that we be oute of the fayth and howe canne it be but thys sclaunderous Proctour of the Pope hays blasphemed Godde belyed hys Minysters Gods people ▪ and his truth Thus much I haue spoken particularlye to purge vs from his liynge lyppes where he speakes generallye naminge ▪ nothinge but meaninge all that we should forsake both faith and religion and deuyse a newe one of oure owne where they themselues are gilty in this as more plainly shall appeare This shalbe sufficient I trust to them that will be satisfied to declare that we be not oute of the faith seinge we professe our faith now to trie whether we be fallen from the olde wayes of holye fathers and whether auncient recordes do testifie this maner of Church seruice to be godly and haue bene heard tell of afore Luthers time and whether it be elder than theirs I am content to wine with him in triall thereof I trust they will be content to call Moyses Dauid and the Prophetes auncient fathers whye than looke what order of prayer was in the Tabernacle of god and Salomons temple in their time and see whether it go nerer our seruice or the Popes Portuis Rede Dauids Psalme and marke howe manye of theym haue their title directed to the Chauntor or chefe singer and plaier on thinstrumentes to Asaph Hemā Dithum c. to be songe in the Temple and ye shall finde a great sorte suche Rede the xxv chap. of the first booke of the Chronicles and there it appeares whom Dauid appointes to be singers of the Psalmes in the Temple with their posteritye Rede the xiii Chap. of the art of Thapostles and there it appeares that the lawe and the Prophetes were redde in the temple euerye Sabboth daye for their seruyce with a Sermon After the reading sais Saint Luke of the lawe and the Prophetes the rulers of the Synagoge sent to Paule and Barnabas saiyng ye men and brether if ye haue any exhortacion to the people speake Againe in the. xv Chap. he sais Moyses hais of old time them that preache him in euery citye in the Sinagoges where he is red euery Sabboth daye Marke what prayers or kinde of seruice as
worde and therfore we can not beleue theym For we read that Christ tooke the substance of his fleshe of the virgin Mary but neuer of breade Onelye the Romishe prelates haue made this marchaundise put in that article taught this doctrine and beleue this contrarie to the whole churche of Christ beside theymselues Than it is they that disobey the Churche and not wee I spake sufficientlye for theyr masse and Sacramentes afore yet for their sacramentes nowe a litle more He sais here that there be vii Sacramentes necessarye to saluation and yet wythin fewe wordes folowinge he denyes maryage to Priestes and that is as much to saye as eyther that mariage is no Sacrament or that Priestes shall not be saued There is but one waye of saluation for al men than Priests must eyther be saued that way or els condemned But it is to foolyshe to saye that anye manne shall be condemned except he be maried Shall none be saued but maried folkes whan he lookes at him selfe beinge vnmaried and yet not so chaste he will saye naye Than vii sacramentes are not necessarye for saluation to euerye man for many haue bene saued without manye of theym as mariage extreme vnction order of Priesthode shriuinge Byshoppinge and the Lordes supper Who is so ignoraunt but he knowes that many children neuer yea and olde folke to neuer receiued all those his Sacramentes whiche God forbidde should all be condemned No learninge can beare this saiynge to be true that there be vii sacramentes necessarye to saluation therfore by this iudge the rest of his sayinges And least he shoulde thinke the generall order of the Churche to be thus thoughe manye particulars neuer receiue theym yet in searching he shal find that tobe vntrue to Socrat. lib. v. cap. xix Sozo lib. vii ca. xvi in their Ecclesiasticall histories wryte teach that shriuing to a Priest was not cōmaunded by god but inuented by man and therfore whan they see it abused they toke it awaye and vsed it not any more In y e time of Theodosius Themperor iiii c. yere after Christ and Nectarius being Byshop of Constantinople as they write there a Diacone of the churche get a Gentel woman wyth chylde in the Churche that came to be shreuen while she was there doing the appointed penaunce by her ghostlye father The hole churche was so offended at it that not onlye there but manye other Bishoppes beside in their churches left of afterwarde that order of shriuing and lefte euerye manne free to the examination of his owne conscience for his sinnes There hays bene nothynge more profytable to the Pope than thys care shriuinge hais besyde manye suche lyke fylthynesse done by it as thys Diacon didde for no time was fitter to woe or worke their feate in wythoute suspicion than shriuing time No prince coulde enterprise or purpose anye great thing but his confessour wold by some meanes learne it vnder confession and declare it to the Pope or his chaplains Eliseus by the spirit of God neuer told more secret thinges what the kinge of Siria did in his priuy chamber than the Pope coulde learne by these his confessours the secret pourposes of all Princes Than if confession might be taken away as here appeares it was it is not so necessary to saluacion nor the vniuersall Churche hais vsed it euer as he sais nor we disobey not the Churche in leauinge it of seing so many holy men haue done it afore vs. Ioan Dominus writing on the. iiii booke of the sentences distinc xvii and serching out where this their sacrament shoulde be bilded writes thus If we saye it is grounded on the saying of Saint Iames confesse you one to an other manye inconueniences wil folow for so euerye man might heare an others confession howe should Saint Iames Byshop of Ierusalem commaund Peter the highest and the Romyshe Church If it be grounded on Saint Ihons sayinge whose sinnes ye doe forgeue they are forgeuen yet there is no mention to do it in his eare If that will not serue than saye that it comes from Thapostles yf that serue not because y ◠Grecians vse it not than saye it comes from Ro. as does the Cōmunion in vnleuend bread thus ye see what harde shiftes they are driuen to in triynge out the autoritye and auncientye of this their sacrament and howe small it is whan it comes to profe But if ye wil iudiffrently iudge whether the newe Bishops or the olde obeye their Prince and Goddes Church better read the othe of them both and than iudge The Pope firste deuised an othe for hys Byshoppes to sweare at their creation and whan that was not thought straite inoughe he deuysed this afterwarde I N. Byshoppe of N. from this houre forwarde shalbe true to Saint Peter and the holye Romishe Churche and to my Lorde Pope N. and to his successours entrynge canonicallye I shall not be in counsell consent nor at dede that he may loose his life or that anye member maye be taken from him by deceyte or violent handes layde on him or wrong done to him by anye meanes That counsell that shall be declared to me by him selfe letters or messengers I shall not disclose to anye manne wittingly to his harme I shall helpe to defende the Popedome of the Romishe churche and the rules of holy fathers and the rialtes of Saint Peter againste all menne sauinge my order I shall not be at anye councell or dede where anye euil is deuised against the honour and power of them but to my power I shal stoppe it and so shortly as I can signify it to our lorde Pope or some other that will tell it his holiner Hereticks schismatickes and rebelles to oure lorde Pope to my power I shal pursue c. Loke how well our holy prelates kepe their othe to the Pope deny it to their lawful Prince The othe of the newe Byshoppes is in print in Englyshe and so knowen of al that lust to learn that I nede not to write it and although the Popishe prelates refuse to take that othe because it makes the Prince the chyefe gouernonr ouer them whiche they can not abide herafter in his proper place where he falles into that question I shal entreat of it Secondly where he charges vs that where the Churche commaundes to faste we commaunde to eate and haue eaten fleshe in Lente and other forbidden dayes we speake plaine Englyshe and saye he lies Under the name of the Churche he euer vnderstandes Rome yea and not whan it continued in anye pure religion but euen in these latter dayes whan it is euer whelmed wyth infinite supersticious Fasting dayes be appointed commenlye by euerye particular churche and countrye rather than by the uniuersall Churche but yf anye kynde of fasting be generall I say they breake that order rather than we Ambro writes on the. xvii cha of Luc. that for the space of l. dayes betwixt Easter and
they haue bene not regarded of old time also that they had another facion of making priests and bishops than our papistes of these daies haue and more agreing with the order that the new bisshops vse Fabian writes part iii. ca. ix that the Byshoppe of Saint Dauyds hadde no Palle from Rome at all from the time that Samson was Byshoppe there vnto the time of kynge Henrye i. in whiche space were there xxi Bisshops Polychro writes lib. v. cap. xii that Northumberlande was withoute Bishop xxx yere without Palle C. xxv yeare nor had anye altar at all vnto the vi C. xxiii yeare of our Lord than these thynges are neyther so auncient nor so necessary as Papistes would make men beleue seinge they had no altars than they hadde no Popishe masses for they may not be said but on a halowed altar or superaltare The Pope decreed that all Abbotes and Bishops beinge chosen to their dignities shoulde come to Ro. to be confirmed and blessed by whiche meanes he and the Cardinalles made them to paye suche summes of money to be spedelye dispatched as our vnder officers do nowe for expedicion that they impouerished many Realmes by it and enriched themselues by reason whereof kinge Edwarde i. perceiuynge the Bisshoppe of Elye and Thabbot of S. Edmons berye being than chosen to their dignities to haue spent so much money was ashamed of it and forbade any mo to go thither afterwarde theym selues For they beggerde their Churches or they coulde paye their dettes as Matth Parisien writes all this at large more speaking against this decree of y â— popes The Byshops of Colen and MentÊ’ pay either to the Pope for their palle 24000 Ducats The same man sais also that Thurstan archbyshoppe of yorke going to a counsell holden at Remis by Pope Calixtus was forbydden of the king to be consecrate of the Pope and sworns also but he notwithstandinge as a wicked manne obteyned of the wicked Romanes by rewardes to be consecrate there of the Pope Which thinge whan the kinge hearde tell of he forbade him all places of his dominion Thomas Hatfeld Byshop of Duresme chosen an M. iii. C. xlv and the. xix yeare of Edwarde the. iii. payed to Pope Clement the. vi ix thousande florence of golde for his commen seruice besyde fyue accustomed seruices which were xliii florence yearelye whiche appeares by the Popes acquittance made to him The Bishop of Lions declared in the counsel of Basil that the Pope had ix Millions of Crownes yearlye out of Fraunce of the Bishops A million conteynes ten hundreth thousand If these be not hys griefes perauenture because they haue not the cruche and miter as the old bisshops had displeases him Surely suche horned beasts be fitter for the pope than the Gospell For as the Latin prouerb sayes of vnruly beastes that they were wont to be knowen by hanginge haye on their hornes Fenum habet in cornu So these vnruly popishe cattel haue their marke that they might be knowen by their horned miters or els because they were of the generatyon of the horned beast that Daniell in the vii cha and S. Iohn writes of in his reuelation xiii and xvii Reade the latter ende of Gildas our country manne in his chronicle and chidinge exhortacion to the Priestes and ye shall finde that in hys time which is a M. yere sins there were diuers other parts of the scriptures appointed to be red out of the Actes of the apostles and Peters Epistle whan they were appointed ministers and made Priestes which the Popish prelates vse not in orderinge their chaplens nowe Whereby it maye be gathered that the ceremonies differd also But the barbarousnes of the time hais bene suche sins that scars anye perfect memoriall of their doinges remaine The rude Sarons ouer ranne this Realme and destroied al learning and religion with helpe of the Pope and his creatures the Munkes and Freers so that vnto nowe of late yeares verye lytle good learning â—ais bene heard of Dionisiuâ— Ariâ—pagita as he is commenly cald and whom they saye was Paules scholer and of whom Saint Luk. writes Act. xvii sais in his booke if it be his booke as they saye it is that in makyng their priestes and Byshoppes in his time they vsed no moe ceremonies than to bringe him that was to be calde a Byshop to knele afore the altar to laye the Byble on his head and the Byshop his handes also with certaine prayers and salutations Thys symple facyon was vsed of olde time without anye further adoe The priests Diacons had not all these ceremonies in their creatinge and yet ours Byshops which folowe this aunciente simplicitye are blamed that they haue deuised new facions of their own whiche neuer were hearde of afore But by these fewe thinges that I haue resited it maye well be sene howe malice hais blynded their Popishe hartes falsly to accuse the Protestantes of those things which are not true And to put aways all doubtes that maye be moued for the auncientie and autoritye of their order and facion of makynge Priestes and Byshops Polychro writes lib. v. ca. xii that Pope Honorius sent to Honorius bishop of Cantor the Palle the order how to make bishops this was about y â— yere of our Lord. M. C. xxvii Loke how auncient it is and they cris M. D. years olde where it is not past iiii C. And as Dyonise in this orderinge of Priestes declares howe farre they differed in his time from all these Popishe toyes that this beast woulde burthen the Churche and simple soules withall so shal ye finde in him also how muche they differed in his age in ministring y e Communion in duriynge the dead and other such seruyce and ceremonies from the Popes synagoge in our dayes In so muche that it may be truly saide of this our religion that Freer mantuan said Hec nouitas non est nouitas sed vera vetustas The Popes supersticion maye well be called newe as I haue proued by many particulars afore but this of oures is bothe olde and true as it maye be more fullye proued than I haue yet spoken Therfore let them set better clarkes to speake for theim and proue it by the scriptures or elles for shame holde their peace But a scalled horse is good inoughe for a scabbed esquier and for so false a doctrine so foolyshe vnlearned a dronken dotel is a mete scholemaister They knowe well ynoughe that they be not able to stande in defence of it and therefore they set vp such a dolt that whan he takes a foyle no man wil meruaile and yet they shall thinke that the stoute champions are behind which can binde beares and confute all men But surely this rude asse is the mouthe of them all to vtter what they thinke and they haue no better ware than he hais vttered let them put their helping hands to and bring better stuffe if they haue it but if they run
as the succession of good kinges standes not onely in enioyinge the landes goodes possessions and pleasures of the Realme but in the painefull ministrynge of iustyce defendinge hys subiects from straungers maintaining the good and punishinge the euill by holsome and godly lawes so standes the succession of the Church not in miters palaces landes or lordships but in teachinge true doctrine and roting out the contrarye by sharpe discipline to correct thoffendours and godly exhortacion to stirre vp the slouthfull and encourage the good to raise them that be fallen by comfortable promises to strengthen them that stande and bring home them that runne astraye He that does these is the true successour of the Prophetes and Apostles though he liue in wildernes as Elias did Or be tied in cheanes as Peter and Paule He that does not is not their successour in dede but in name onlye though he haue the Popes blessinge cruche and miter landes and palaces halowinges and blessinges or all that the Pope hais deuised for hys Prelates To be a Byshop is to be an officer a ruler a guide a teacher of Gods flocke in Gods Church and to be a true successour in a Bishopricke is to succede in like paines care and diligent regarde of Gods people Is he an officer that does not his office nay surelye but onelye in name for he is a thefe in his office and an vsurrer that takes the profet and not the paine An office standes properlye in doynge the duty of it and not in talkinge of it settinge in deputies bearinge a shewe bragge and face of a Byshop Whan they can bring Thapostles doctrine or life for example to be like their life and teachinge they maye say they folowe Thapostles but because they seeke to be Lordes ouer the flocke contrary to Peters doctrine and be enemies to the Gospell and murtherers of the professours of it they be traitours to their lorde God What does Tertul. make for his pourpose If he walk not in his fathers steppes sais he he is a bastard Content who be the fathers surely Thapostles for in his time the Pope had no such autority nor ther were any such horned cattell of the Popes made Bishoppes Proue than that the Pope walkes in Thapostles steps and we will reuerence him Surelye he is like no Apostle except Iudas these Popish Prelates so as the father is suche is the sonne Iudas solde and betrayed his maister for xxx pieces of syluâ—r and our Papistes sel their purgatory for xxx grotes the price of a trental Or â—ls for their pleasure I will graunt theym some thing The Pope maye be like to Peter in suche case as christ our lord said to him go after me Satan for thou vnderstandes not the thynges of god Peter was ambitious and therfore our Lorde cald him deuill and bade him go backe so the Pope desiringe to be aboue all folowes the deuill his father and therefore we maye iustlye saye to them with Christ â–ª come after me thou deuill But I put case a manne shoulde graunt that the fathers which Tertul. speakes of be the popes in dede of Ro. what thaÌ„ what makes it for this mans purpose Tertul. liued within C. lxxvii yeres after christs death why thaÌ„ proue that any of these popes and their trashe whiche he esteames so highlye to be of that autoritie and auncientye that he woulde and than lette him beginne to crake some thing He is not able to do it XXX of the first popes which liued almost iii. C. yeres after Christ were persecuted sufferd death for their religion liued in caues and had none of the rialtie of the worlde but were subiectes to princes accordinge to their dutye than these latter proude popes that woulde rule bothe God and the world by Tertullians saying be bastardes and folow not their auncient fathers the first popes And thus he hais brought a good reason agaynst hym selfe Does Cyprian make anye more for his purpose Marke his woordes and iudge They that be made Byshoppes sayes he oute the order of the Churche and not by tradicion of Thappostles by succession are not Bishops but theues c. I am content to be iudged by these wordes I proued afore by Paule and Timothe by Dyonise c. that the order by whiche oure Byshops and Priestes are made nowe is more agreeing to the order of the churche in Ciprians time and tradition of Thapostles than that misorder wherby the Popish prelates order their clergy Let theÌ„ proue by good writers that their oiling shauing vowing sacrificinge apparel c. was vsed in the Churche in Cyprians time and I submitte my selfe Ciprian was liuinge more than ii C. l. yeare after Christ in whiche time was no suche proud Pope nor Popishe order vsed in the Churche as he requires of vs but onelye suche a simplicitye as I spake of afore Thus like a tolyshe boye he hais gotten a rod to beat him selfe withall God send him more wit Where the sayde Preacher does affyrme greater matters than the burnyng of Paules to haue chaunced in the time of supersticion and ignoraunce as the church of Paules was brent in the first yeare of Steuen and the steple of Paules sette on fyre by lighthing in the tyme of kynge Henrye the vi they that count that to be the time of superstycyon and ignoraunce whan god was serued deuoutly nyght day the people lyued in the feare of god euery one in his own vocation wythout reasonynge and contention of matters of relygion but referred all suche thynges to learned menne in generall counsels and vnyuersyties there to be disputed than was the commaundementes of god and vertue expressed in lyuyng now all is in talke and nothyng in liuing than was prayer now is praytyng than was vertue now is vice than was bildyng vp of Churches houses of religion Hospitals where prayer was had night and daye hospitalitye kept and the poore releued now is pullyng downe and destroyinge such houses where god shoulde be serued hospitality kept and the poore releued By meanes wherof gods glory is destroyed and the commen wealth impoueryshed than was plenty of all thinges nowe is scarcenes Therefore Operibus credite If I shoulde fall into a comparison of the plagues in the time of popecye and the Gospell although both were great yet in supersticious times were the greater Many did not beleue that these other brennynges of Paules were true which the Byshoppe declared whan he spake it openlye there but it was eyther for ignoraunce or malice or both for all these were true as appeares in recordes many mo In the yere of our lorde M. lxxxvii and the vii day of Iuly the Church of Paules and all that was in it with a great part of the City were burned Maurice than beinge byshop of London and the. xxi yeare of Willyam Conquerour In the yeare M. C. xxxii the moste parte of the Citye of London was burned by the fire of Gilbert Beket and in
communion and not for euery diuersitye of triflinge ceremonies as he defines it here Whether be Priests in schisme that haue subscribed to the religion nowe vsed in Englande IN subcribinge to this religion now vsed in Englande they haue both refused the power autority which was geuen to them by the Byshoppe when they were made Priestes that is to saye power and autoritye to consecrate and offer and to celebrate Masse for the quicke and the deade and also they haue refused their canonicall obedience solemplye promised to the Byshoppes with a kysse And where the Byshopprs of this Realme with the Clergye assembled at time of parliament would agree to no part of this religion in wytnesse whereof the Byshoppes be in prison and put from al their liuinges and a great number of the Clergie haue lost all their liuynges some be in prison some banished from their friendes both the Bishops al the clergy that hais lost their lyuynges are al readye to suffer death afore they will consent to anye part of this religion But all they whiche haue subscribed haue forsaken the Byshoppes their true Pastors and Capitaynes obeying and followinge wolues and Apostates in wytnesse whereof they haue subscribed their names so separatinge them selues from the Byshoppes and clergye they must nedes be in schisme The. iiii aunswere UUHere he lays to the priestes charge that in subscribynge to thys religion they haue refused hoth the power that was giuen to them to offer sacrifice and celebrate masse for the quicke and dead also their canonicall obedience promised to the Byshops by a Iudas kisse bycause the olde Bisshoppes in parliament did not agree to it he does the Priests more honour than he knowes of or thinkes wel bestowed If he would cal to remembrance thaunswere that the piller of their Church stout Steuen makes in his booke de vera obedientia to the like reason where he was charged with fallynge from the Pope and breaking that othe and vow of subiection which he made vnto him when he was first made Byshoppe he might better defende the priestes of oure time than accuse them In oure baptis we all make a solemne vow to God our Lord that him onely we will serue and beleue his worde all vowes folowinge which are contrarye to that not onelye maye and ought to be broken but it is wicked to kepe theim for we must serue god onelye as he hais taught vs in his holye word But the scripture condemnes all suche sacrificing now for sinne saue onelye that sacrifice whiche Iesus Christ offered ones for the sinnes of the hole world and biddes vs also obey our kinge as chiefe and highest gouernour therefore the Priestes forsakinge these later wicked vowes and powers which are contrarye to Gods worde and their solemne profession made in baptis as Steuen did wel than though he flatterd afterward and turned to his old vomit are more worthyto be praised thā these obstinate prelates which now misusing the gentilnes of the Prince deny with mouth that which they know in consciens to be true yet charge the Priestes with it although they subscribed to the same things themselfes vnder that good king Edw. because both they knew it to be true see the rod than more sharplie shaken than it is now And thoughe he crake in their name that thei wil rather die than agre to any part of this religion which they them selues vsed ministred taught receyued afore I doubt not but yf they were apposed as they opposed other they would as sone eate the fagot as fele it burne them Thapostle sais by one offeringe he hais made perfecte all theym that be sanctified If one offeringe ones made haue made all perfect than cursed be they that wil correct or amend Christes death as though it were not perfect to saue all without their often sacrificinge We must obey God rather than man as S. Luke teaches therfore that vnlawfull obedience promised to the Pope and his Prelates contrary to their due allegians to their Prince commaunded in the Scripture not only may but ought with safe conscience to be broken At the preaching of christ oure Lorde and hys Apostles manye forsaked the tradycyons of the elders and Pharises receiuyng and beleuinge the Gospell of christ Iesus and forsakyng the Iewishe ceremonies and were not counted forsakers of God and his worde no more are they surely to be reckened Apostates that forsake the popes draffe the clogge of all good consciences and cleaue to the simplicitye of Gods trueth taught in the scripture And where he crakes muche that they haue lost their lyuinges and be in pryson or bannyshed let the worlde iudge whether they euer liued more merilye quietlye fared better laye easelier had had more plenty of al thinges then they haue nowe They are farre short from such handlyng as they delt wyth other Some they hongerd to death some they beat in prison some they cast on dunghils being so murthered at their hands some they burned after they had bene long bursed but euery one was so miserablye handled that christian eares and hartes abhorre to thinke or heare of it and yet like shameles beasts they blush not nor repente but wishe and looke to be murthering again They are as pale in prison as a butchers bolle they are as leane as a fat hogge they lye at ease vnto their bones ach with rising early they fare of y e best they take no thought but looke for a day and thinke long vnto they maye embrue their handes in bloude againe and make all officers to be their hangmen and the stoutest to be afraide of a priestes cappe as they did afore They prouided so well for theymselues in their somer that they nede not to sterue in this gentill winter the world is so much their frende that they can lacke nothinge they woulde fayne be counted to suffer for religion if anye manne would beleue it The poore protestaunt which hais his libertye lyues in more miserye nede det reproche and contempt than these the Popes prisoners who he sais haue lost al. It is better in the world to be the Popes prysoner than Christs Preacher God amend all Whether be Priestes in schisme that minister the Communion and other sacramentes accordinge to the booke of commen prayer now set forth THis maner of ministration of sacraments set forth in the booke of commen prayers was neuer allowed nor agreed vppon by the vniuersall churche of Christe in anye generall counsell or sacrate synod no riot by the clergye of Englande at the laste Perliament but onelye it was agreed vppon by the laitie whiche haue nothynge adoe wyth spirituall matters or causes of religion but ought to stande to the decrees iudgement and determinacion of the clergye in causes of fayth and religion For so it was vsed in Thapostles time as appeares in the actes of the Apostles As when the Apostles toke then order to make
generall order for the hole worlde nor the hole worlde neuer obeyed nor receyued anye The Popes Portuis Missall hais bene oft chaunged as I proued afore and euery countrie hais their diuers order of seruice Aarons sonnes did plainly against gods expresse commaundement and therefore were iustly plaged Ours do not so and therfore they be not in like case but vndeseruedly blamed Clementes wordes and Ciprians whan they are proued to be truly alledged touch not vs but suche as he is for they knew no such priestes nor church as he meanes nor anye such were many yeares after The papistes differ verye litle from Iewes for both of them set their hole religioÌ„ in ceremonies and olde customes We sticke stifly to the word of God only and bilde not on such vain foundations Therfore he bringes that canon against himselfe and his sort beinge as supersticious as the Iewes and blynded obstinatlye in errours as heretickes Whether is it lawefull for Priestes that saye the Communyon also to celebrate masse THe holye Martir Saint Ciprian sayes It is not leafull by and by afore penance done to consecrate or touch with his wicked handes the body of oure Lorde and with his polluted mouth to receyue the bloud of oure â—orde but first let him doe penaunce Does thou thinke says Saint Cyprian that our Lorde wilbe so sodenly mitigated whom thou hais refused hais more esteamed thy worldly liuing then him Saint Cyprian says the blynd loue of their patrimonye and wordly goods hais deceyued many and bound them as it were in stockes and fetters that they can not folow christ A great number for feare of woordes of suche as be not good haue refused their faith not cast downe by any violence of persecutioÌ„ but by a voluntary lapse haue cast downe their selues although they haue perceyued the Byshops and a greate number of the clergie not to be afrayed to lose all their lyuinges not fearing losse of goods or imprisonment or banyshment from their fryendes yea all readye to suffer death in this case Our Sauiour in the gospell sais No manne can serue ii maisters that is to say the Communion decreed and appointed by the laite parliement against the consent of the clergye in christes Churche and also celebrate masse decreed and apointed by the clergye in sacrate synodes representinge the whole estate of christes churche S. Paule sais ye can not be partakers both of the table of our lorde and the table of the deuilles S. Ciprian sayes It is an horrible abhomidation to fare about to serue both Ball and christ it is contimely and not religion it is iniurye and not deuotion if thou communicate of the cup of christ with the deuils hitherto be S. Cyprians wordes S. Paule sais we haue an altar whereof they may not eate that serue the Tabernacie By these examples it is euident that the Priestes may not minister the communion to one sort and Masse to an other sorte In tripartita Historia it appeares the catholyckes and the Arrians did not communicate one with another Whether it be lawfull for Priestes to say Masse whiche saye no communion but only read Psalmes and chapters to the people in sâ—eade of seruyce SAint Ciprian sais the verity is not to be dissembled it is nought to halte vppon both the partes If God be the Lorde folow him If Ball folowe him Euen so it mattens and Euensonge be the ordinaunces of christes church vse theym if the Psalmes and chapters vse them It is no lesse offence to alowe a schisme with assent than to offer to idolles S. Austin sais such as be in schisme that is to say in sacraments or diuine seruice seperated from the vnity of christs mistical body not in â—oining together of christian meÌ„bers not in the band of peace which is expressed in the sacrament of the altar they may consecrate receiue this sacrament but it is not profitable to theÌ„ but very hurtful wherby they shalbe iudged more greuously of almighty god S. Paul says Not only they that do euil be worthye death but also they that consent to the doers The holy ghost does cry by his Prophete Esay saying get you hence go forth beware that you touch no vncleane thing The scripture sais thou shalte loue the lorde god with all thy heart with all thy strength c. god loues no halfe seruice As for example it is writen in the booke of kings that kinge Dauid sent his seruauntes to comfort Anon for the death of his father all be it Kynge Anon tooke theym as espies and caused the haulfe of their beardes to bee shauen and cut their clothes by their buttockes and so sent them backe agayne to Kynge Dauid But whan Kynge Dauid heard of thys he would not suffer them to come in his sight at Ierusalem but commaunded them to tarie at Hierico vntil their beardes were growen out againe euen so suche Priestes as hais gone out of Christes Church and entangled them selues with any part of this religion against the decrees of the Churche are not worthye in ministracion of sacramentes to come in the presence of the faithfull that continue still in Christes Churche vntil they be reconcyled and haue done penaunce for their lapse into schisine Whether is thys to bee called a wicked time that suche heresye and schisme does reigne NO rather it is a blessed tyme for now god tryes his family as Saint Cyprian sais for the longe rest and peace whiche hayes bene in Christes churche afore time caused the clergye to be almost on sleape by reason wherof deuout religion was not in a great number of Priestes in workes was small mercye no discipline in manners Saint Paule sais It is mete that there be herefye that the good maye be tried so that suche as haue grace to stande this troublous tyme and be not spotted with schisme shalbe kyndred more feruent in the loue and feare of God and such as be fallen in lapse if they will seke to come backe againe to oure mother holye Churche with penaunce that is with prayer satisfaction and teares she shittes her bosome from none that will so come for God is nere at hande to all that call on him in vertue and will reioyse more in theym then in other But some are not be gathered out of schisme says Cyprian so that suche as be whole and stedfast be thereby wounded nor he is not a profitable and wise pastor that gathereth the shepe that be diseased scabbed or sicke into the whole flocke afore they be whole least they infect al the flocke Nor the Byshoppe muste not haue a respect to the greatnesse of the number for better it is to haue one good Priest that feareth God than a thousande that be euill this sayes S. Ciprian Answere to the vii viii and ix UUhat a foole is he that goes about to proue by so manye balde reasons cloutinge such patched pieces together that
lift vp their sacrament offer it for the deade and quicke and eate all vp whan they haue done whether is not euery one aswel the priestes as laite bounde to obey the Queene and her lawes BOth Priestes and the laite be bounden to obey the Queene and her lawes as farre as Goddes lawe will permit but no manne ought to obey the Queene and her lawes against God and his lawes For landes goodes and bodye euerye one is bounde to obey the Queene and her lawes and no man ought to disobey or resist her or her lawes for God in the scripture commaundes But for matters of faith and relygion pertaynyng to oure soule health she hath nothinge adoe to medle for Christe himselfe hath dearly bought our soules with his precious bloude shedinge and committed them to the rule and gouernement of the Byshoppes which watche as to gyue an accompt for our soules Therefore the Scripture commaundes vs to obey the Byshoppes in matters of faith and religion pertayninge to our soules health and the Queene in temporall causes concernynge landes and goods and body The. xiii answere FOr obeyinge the Queenes maiestie and her lawes or for disobeying we do not greatly differ from him but where he sais she hais nothing a doe with matters of faith and relygion we vtterly denye it For that is as much to say as that she were not a christian Prince no nor a Prince at all for Princes are charged by God to maintaine true religion and suppresse supersticion and Idolatry This is the marke that they shote at to be exempt from all correction of Princes that they might do what they lust bring in supersticion in stede of religion and nourish the people in bloude deuotion rule all other and be ruled of none no not of God him selfe So muche obedience the Turkes subiectes owe him and yet denie him not autority in their religion But this mater was more fully handled in the. v. aunswere King Richard the. ii proues wel in his Epistle to pope Boniface the ix that temporall rulers haue oftē from the beginnige bridled and ruled the spiritualtye euen the Popes Salomon sayes he putte downe the Priest Abiather and set vp Sadoc Otho Themperour deposed Pope Ioan. xii Henry the Emperour put downe Gratianus Otho deposed pope Benet the. i. The controuersy betwix Symmachus and Laurens who should be Pope was ended afore Theodoricus kinge of Italy Henry Themperor deposed ii striuing who shoulde be Pope and set vp a. iii. called Clement the. ii Frederick Themperor corrected iiii Popes By these and manye suche like he proues that Princes haue corrected and brought◠in order so many Popes therfore they haue lawful power so to do And shal not our Quene haue power to see whether the clergye here within her Realme do their duty in teachinge true doctrine pure ministringe of the sacramentes and an vpright godlye life In dede this was the beginninge of the controuersye betwix Tho. Becket and kinge Henrye ii and these lyke good scholers of the same schole folowe the same waye Certaine priestes were complayned on for their leud liuing whom the king would haue punished But Becket withstode him sayinge it belonged not to the kinge to handell such holy anointed spirituall men Austin in his boke contr liter petiliaī ii in vi and other sundry chapters proues that it belonges to Kynges to haue care and charge for religion bothe in maintaininge the good and pullinge downe the euill He alleages this of the ii psal Serue the lord in feare c. How shoulde kinges sais he serue the lord in feare but in forbiddinge and punishing those thinges that are done against the Lordes commaundement he serues in one sort in asmuch as he is a man and in another in so muche as he is a king he serues him as a manne in liuing trulye but as a kinge in makinge lawes whiche commaund iust thinges and forbid the contrary So serued kinge Ezechias in descriyng the groues and temples of idolles so serued Iosias so the kinge of Niniue in compellynge the whole citie to pacifie the lord Thus serued Nabucho in forbiddinge by a fearfull law that they should not blaspheme god Kings serue the Lord in this point whan they doe those thynges to serue him which none can doe but kinges c. Thus far Austin Constantine also the good Emperour commaunds the donatistes to come to Ro. to heare the Bysshops iudgement but afterward whan he had hard the matter debated he iudged the cause himselfe and made a law against them as Austin writes Epist. ix viii Thus Princes than callyng their clergye together bicause fewe of theym haue sufficient learninge of themselues and hearing the matters of religion debated and the trueth tried maye and ought by their law and roial power defende that trueth and punyshe the disobedient who so euer they be The Prophete sayes that God made kinges and Queenes to be nurces to hys Churche The Nurces duetye is to feede guyde and chearyshe the chylde yea to correct instruct and reforme him wha◠he does a faut She must not be a drie nurce but wyth the. ii Pappes of the newe Testament and olde feede her children she must teache him to goe whan he is fallen take him vp agayne and geue him suche holesome meat that she maye and dare taste and trie it herselfe God graunt Princes thus to be nurces and not stepmothers that Goddes children may serue their lord Godde maister and father quietlye vnder their winges The conclusion OUr Sauioure Christe whan they called him Samaritan a friende of Publycans and sinners a drunkard c. held his tunge and made no aunswere but whan they sayde he had a deuill he saide I haue no deuil It is written also in vitis prū of Agathō whom certaine woulde trie whether he could pacientlie beare sclaunders and called him proude aduoterer a these and bereticke Al other he let passe and said I am a sinner but I am not an heretick They asked him why he aunswered to that rather than to the other he said he learned of Christe his maister to suffer lies but not his doctrine to be touched for heresy separates a manne from god So amonge all sclaunderous tounges that goe about to deface gods truth by raning on the ministers of it many are borne of manye with gryefe of minde but to be charged wyth false doctrine no honest minde can beare nor good man shoulde suffer For as he teaches the good and holesome doctryns so he should confounde the contrarye to hys power and this was amonge other a great cause why I though not hurt by this his folish railing tooke in hand to aunswere this blynde Papist and bycause those learned fathers whome he woulde seme to touche thought it vnworthy any aunswere Whan I see this copye cast abroade by a malicious member of Antichryst to wythdrawe Gods people from his truth my spirie was stirred to the aunswerynge of the same but manye whan
necessary to be obserued continually in the churche The cheife reason whereon they ground it is the saiynge of Saint Iames. If any be sicke let him call the elders of the congregacion and let them pray for him annointinge him with oyle in the name of the lord c. The other place of saint Marke where the Apostles vsed oile in healing the sicke thoughe they allege it it proues not their purpose euen as their owne Doctours teache Than was a time of miracles and God gaue that power of healynge diseases to confirme his gospell withall now it is not lawfull to looke for suche miracles If they wey the wordes of Saint Iames well they wil not so much glory in that their sacrament Saint Iames biddes theym annoint hym wyth oyle I aske them with what oyle I meane not whether with oile Oliue or lampe oile or other kinde of oile althoughe that question can not be aunswered out of the text of the scripture yet according to the general rule I graunt that where oile alone is named there is ment oile oliue but whither it be halowed consecrate oile or commen and vnhalowed I trust they will not saye vnhalowed for than their holy sacrament should stand on an vnhalowed thinge which is a great inconuenience than if it muste be consecrated I aske with what wordes and after what sort must it be done there is no wordes of consecration for the oile in Saint Iames nor in anye place of the Scripture If there be let them shew them but their owne Doctours say that there is none Than it must be halowed with woordes of their owne deuisinge why than folowes it consequently that man is better than God which is blasphemy to graunt It is a greater might and power to make a holy thinge than to make the vnholy and bare thinge it selfe as the baker makes the bread but Christes holy ordinaunce sanctifies the breade in his holye supper but in thys their sacrament God shoulde make the oile and the Byshoppe shoulde make it holye And because they stycke so stiflye that all consecrations stand in speakinge certayne woordes I aske what those wordes be where they be taught in the Scriptures and whether manne haue power of hys owne head to make a thinge holyer than God haies done and to deuise the woordes himselfe also wherewith it shalbe consecrated and made so holye the Scripture hays no suche wordes and that manne shoulde deuyse those holye wordes is great absurditie Whan these are aunswered â–ª more maye be replyed against them Againe I demaund what Scripture they haue to proue that Byshoppes onelye must halow this oile for those that be sacramentes in dede as Baptisme and the L. supper euerye Priest hais autoritye to vse minister and consecrate them accordynge to their holye institutyon and dooe all that belonges thereto as well as the Byshoppe Is this they Sacramente of an oylinge more holy than the other because Byshoppes aâ— more holye menne are put to the doing and consecratynge of the oile Yet one doubte more They haue ii sortes of Oile to annoint withall differinge in holynesse consecration and vse of them and yet both halowed by the bisshoppe One is of Oyle and Balsam blend together whiche is called commenlye oile and Chreame wherewyth Byshoppes and Priestes in their consecratinge and Children are anointed in Christenynge and that is more holy than thys for sycke persons is for this is Oyle alone withoute other thinges blend thereto as their maister teaches What scripture is there for these toies and the consecratinge of them Saynct Paule sais that our meate is sanctified by the word and prayer but I trust they will graunt a better consecration than this and more holines in that oile than in our daily meate But howe wil they proue it Further euery sacrament hais a promise anexed of god working some spiritual grace by theÌ„ in the receyuer bere is none such but S. Iam. sais the faithful prayer shal heale the sicke man The promyse here named is corporall bodily health and is attributed to praier and not to their sacrament Than as the promise is corporall so was this Oyle a corporall medicyne and Salue for diseased bodies althoughe I doubte not but than by such godly prayers and exhortacions god wrought a spirituall grace inwardly Nothinge was more commenly vsed for weake and wearye bodies than oile in all those countries and nothinge does more ease the paines of the sicke bodye than these supplinge oiles therefore partlye for the custome of the Countrye partly for the holsome strength and medicinable nature of oile and partly for an outwarde signe of an inward grace wrought by God while that gift of healinge diseases did continue in Christes Churche Saint Iames biddes them call the elders anoint him with oile in the name of the lorde and the faithful prayer shall heale the sycke person but what does that belonge or howe is it to bee applied to oure dayes where no suche gift is I woulde faine make an ende of their foolishnesse if it had any ende Their owne Doctors teache further that this annointing takes not away mortall sinne but venial onelye and that it must not be vsed as longe as there is hope of life in the sicke person than by their own doctrine it is not so holye a Sacrament nor a Sacrament at all Their opinion holdes that Sacramentes doe both gene grace and forgeue sin and should be geuen onelye to theym that haue vse of reason to repent for their sinnes and call on God for his mercye beynge not children but comen to full age this does not so nor is so vsed by their owne doctrine and therefore no sacramente The Popes holy water is as good or better as this their sacrament by this doctrine for he sais that his coniured water canne forgeue veniall sinne and driue away deuils to Than after their owne teachinge this their sacrament is not so good as the Popes holye water for it can driue away deuils beside forgeuinge veniall sinne whiche this oylinge can not But thus to teache is to blaspheme God in makinge Goddes Sacramentes woorse than the Popes dregges To conclude thautority and auncienty of this their sacrament from whence it comes and what it is Polychroni teaches lib. v. Ca. v. that Pope Felir iiii Graundsir to Pope Gregories father marke whether he was maried or no ordeined the sycke to be anointed with oile If ye loke for greater autours Uolaterram teaches the same but I had rather proue it by their own doctours because they call other newe felowes thaÌ„ christ taught it not Forther where he charges vs with declynynge from the steppes of blessed fathers whiâ—he ordeyned in Paules mattins to be had at midnight all forenoone Masses and in the steple antems these thinges we do not onely not deny for we do not count suche supersticious Idolaters to be oure fathers in religion but we reioise and praise God for our