third about the ende of that 600. yéeres They that were in the tyme of the first 600 yéeres were persecuted by the dragan that is by the estate of Roome vnder the tirrannous Emperours And they that haue béene since and are now haue béene and styll are persecuted by the beast that hath two hornes lyke a Lambe that is the estate of Roome vnder the Papacie Apoc. 13. Apoc 13 These Prophets of booth sortes haue béene and are still styrred vp by him that is the giuer of all good giftes at hys pleâ—sure to worke his wyll in such tymes as he hath fore appoynted But there hath not béene at any time any continuall and orderly succession of them such as you require the Protestants to prooue neither dooth it help any thing at all for the proofe of true and right Religion to haue any such continuall and orderly succession except all the successors doo hold the same Religion and doo walke in the same steps that their first Predecessor held and walked in Amongst your Popes very few or none can bée founde that haue held the religion of Peter walked in his steps Your Boniface the third which was the first of your Apostatat Popes shewed him selfe to bée of a far other minde then Peter was otherwise hee would neuer haue sought for and with great contention haue obtained that name of vniuersall Bishop which Gregorie the first refused as a prophane name and a signe of the fore runner of Antichrist This would haue bin a lusty lad if hee might haue continued in the estate of a Pope many yéeres but hée was cut of by death in the ninth moneth after hee was made Pope The rest that haue succeeded euen vntill this day haue in one point walked in the steps of this Bonifacius for they all haue taken vpon them and kept the title of vniuersall Bishop and so dooth hee that dooth now enioy that place And so by good consequence it may bee said that they are all Antichristian But to returne to our purpose That church whereof the Protestants bee members hath had Apostles as longe time as th' office of an Apostle was necessary for hir In like maner shee hath had Prophets of both sortes Euangelists also shee hath had and hath still whose office is to water that which the Apostles haue planted Of this sorte was Timoth. and so was Apollos and others that were when they were and in the first 600. yeeres after Christs ascention And such bee they in these dayes which are able to instruct and doo labour to instruct Christians how to leade a christian life and to bee assured of Saluation onely by the mediation of Christ Iesus that promised Seede through whom all the nations of the world are promised to be happy and blessed Pastors and doctors also our Church hath alwaies had and now hath The Popes catholiques neuer had the like These are they that God hath made able to breake the breade of life to the flocke of Christ and to teach instruct them in all necessary knowledge to saluation And these as the others are made able stirred vp to worke in the Lords Haruest by him that as oft as néede is sendeth forth laborers into his Haruest Hée is not bound to maintaine a coÌ„tinuall orderly succession but when it pleaseth him to punish the vnthankfulnes of his people by taking from them such as hee hath made méete and able to execute these offices amongst them hee may and in iustice hée dooth That so his people may learne to vse such good gifts better when they shall againe enioy them And as for that popish-Catholique church which your sort doo call the knowne Catholique church neuer had such Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Doctors as S. Paule ment of in his writing to the Ephes For that Church was not hatched before the dayes of Boniface the third And therefore that church neither had nor could haue any such Apostles Prophets or Euangelists as our church had in the six hundreth yeeres next after the ascention of our sauiour I conclude therefore that neither our Church which is the right Catholique church nor yours which is the right Antichristian church hath had any such continuall and orderly succession as you require the Protestant to prooue by the Ecclesiasticall hystories I see no cause therefore why you should not recant and relent although you haue hitherto refused so to doo The ninth Offer Offerer Ninth Where as the Protestants by the drift of reason and Argument are forced of the Catholiques to acknowledge and confesse their Church and Congregations to haue lien hidden vnknowne for the space of one whole thousand yeeres togither without all the foresaid functions and ministrations of Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Doctors of their gospell faith and religion at the least wise to be openly perceiued knowne if therefore they shall be able for the space of that whole time to prooue by auncient writers of Ecclesiasticall hystories any other word gospell or doctrine to be vniuersally openly taught any other sacraments to be ministred any other discipline or correction to be practised any other iudgements decrees Canons or lawes to be executed then those which were daily practised in the common knowen Catholique Church of Christ I will then recant and not before Crowley This Offerer would beare vs in hand that wée Protestants are by the drift of reason and argument enforced to confesse c. Hée dooth vs great wrong in that hée auoutcheth that wée confesse that for the space of a thousand yéeres togither wée had no maner function or ministration c. As though wée should confesse that wée had no gospel no faith no religion And yet his owne conscience driueth him to say thus At the least wise to be openly perceiued known Well then his owne conscience telleth him that wée had those ministrations and that it was knowne that wée had them but not openly It appéereth that this man vnderstandeth nothing of the mysterie of that woman that the Apostle Iohn saw in his vision Apoc. 12. Apoc. 12. If these Antichristian Catholiques could content them selues to bée taught by such as God hath stirred vp made able to open the meaning of this mystery they should sée that the right Catholique church of Christ hath bin in Wildernesse euer since the Male childe that shee brought foorth was taken vp into heauen Yea although shee bee clad with the sunne and hath the Moone vnder hir feete yet doo not these men so sée hir that they may discerne hir from the congregations of the heathen bicause their sight is such as the sight of Howlets and such other night fowles that cannot endure the brightnes of the sunne Immediately after our sauiour Christ was ascended into heauen the Dragon that olde serpent the deuill Satan being vanquished by Michael and his Angels expelled out of heauen and cast downe to the earth did persecute the
yéeres euen as the tares doo springe vp amōgest the good graine before the time of Haruest yet the field remaineth still a corne field not a field of tares yet the church was still Catholike till the whole state did professe Antichristianisme began to persecute such as continued in the profession of the auncient true Catholike religion which is the same that wée doo now professe you and your sorte doo persecute These haue not bin the worke of cōuenticles priuate congregations as it pleaseth you to terme all the particuler churches of Christ that refuse to take the marke of the beast and to acknowledge your Antichristian church to bee the knowne Catholike church of Christ but they haue bin the fruits that haue spronge out of the same faith and religion that was taught by Christ him selfe by his immediate Apostles receiued belieued professed by the first Catholike christians and is still professed by vs and is fruitfull in vs when ability and oportunity dooth serue In the daies of king Edward the sixt of blessed memory who founded in London Christs Hospitall for the education of fatherles infants S. Bartholmews Hospitall in smithfield and S. Thomas Hospitall in Southwarke for the curing of diseased persons did not the protestant Catholikes make those charitable prouisions doo not they still maintaine the same This Offerer may remēber that his Antichristian catholikes did in the time of quéene Maries raigne attempt to ouerthrowe those foundations agayne Who were the founders of Christs Colledge S. Iohns Trinitie Colledge in Oxforde of Emanuell Marimagdalen Caius Colledge in Cambridge did they not beare the name of protestant Catholikes that founded them Many grammer Schooles also might be named diuers other prouisions that protestant catholikes haue made both for the maintenance and increase of learning and also for the succouring of the poore and néedy If any tares doo spring vp amogst this good graine that haue bin sowne by the enuious man it is no fruit that springeth out of that good faith religion that we professe If your word promise therfore be any thing worth thē I require you to doo the part of an honest man in yéelding recanting The foureteenth Offer Offerer Fourteenth Let the learned protestant name any one fellowship or company of belieuers in the whole Christian world that in all articles of faith and religion be in one vnity in one meaning and beliefe and contented also to captiue submit their seueral meanings to the iudgment of their prelats and spirituall gouerners and of one chiefe head pastor amongst them in all Ecclesiasticall things and causes let I say the learned protestant name any one company thus agreeing amonge themselues and thus humbly affected in Christian faith and religion sauing onely the holie and blessed fellowship of the common knowne Catholike church of Christ and I will then recant and not before Crowley Vnderstanding by the holy blessed fellowship of the cōmon known Catholike church of Christ as I am assured that you doo that Antichristian church that you are of I cōfesse that there cānot any one fellowship or cōpany of belieuers in the whole christian world be named that is such a fellowship or cōpany as you would haue the learned protestant name vnto you for in very déed there is not one fellowship or cōpany of belieuers in the whole world so foolish as to vēter the saluation of their foules vpon the iudgmēt of other men but only that fellowship whereof you are But I doo vtterly deny the fellowship to be the knowne Catholike church of Christ and am bold plainely to affirme that it is the malignant cursed church of Antichrist the filthy synagogue of satan The knowne Catholike church of Christ whereof wée hée dooth agrée in one vnity in one meaning beliefe in all the Articles of the christian faith religion Yea wée all with that whole Catholike church doo captiue submit our seueral meanings to that rule of religion that the holy ghost hath set downe in the scriptures which rule wée doo know to be so perfect that it néedeth no addition alteration or change that man can deuise And as for one chiefe head Pastor we acknowledge none amongst men being assured that our one onely head Christ Iesus that hath promised to be with vs continually euen to the end of the world neither is nor will be from vs but is and still will be with vs and dooth still and will by the working of his holy spirite instruct and leade vs in the true vnderstanding of that rule of our religion that he hath left vnto vs so that wée doo not neither shal we at any time stand in néede of any such chief heade or Pastor as this Offerer speaketh of As for Prelates spirituall gouerners we haue such as bée able to breake minister vnto vs the spirituall foode of our soules as well by preaching expounding vnto vs that rule of our religion as by ministring the sacraments that our sauiour Christ hath ordained commaunded to bée vsed in his Church To these wée giue credit so longe as wée sée that they swarue not from that rule that both they and wée are bounde to followe and they doo not desire to haue credit any further And as touching their example of life wée doo followe it so far foorth as wée sée that they followe Christ and no further For S. Paule did not wish the Corinthians to follow him further then they should sée that hée followed Christ If you bée not obstinately bent to stand to your takling against all reason and christian knowledge this that I haue héere written may suffice to mooue you to recant although hitherto you haue refused so to doo The fifteenth Offer Offerer Fifteene Againe I do demande of the learned protestant whether the Lutherans Zuinglians Illirians Caluinists Confessionists Svvinkfildians Anabaptists and such like be all of one church and congregation or no And if he be able to prooue these sects being of such diuersity in faith and religion to make one church and that euery one of them may giue saluation to their fellowes being so disagreeable one with another in high pointes of faith and religion or that I ought to belieue all those rather then the one true Catholike church of Christ or yet any of these more one then another all of them making such a bolde challenge of the truth of Gods word and gospell When the learned Protestant shal be able by good reason or drift of argumēt to satisfie these my requests then I shall yeelde and recant and not before Crowley If I did not knowe that this Offerer is past all shame I could not meruell enough to sée that he would demaunde of the learned Protestant a proofe by good reason and drift of argument that Luther Zuinglius Illiricus Caluin the Confessionists Swinkfild and the Anabaptists should bée members all
gospell and haue imbraced and professed and doo still professe most vnpure Popish religion The booke was first written by the aboue named Iohn de Albine as it may be thought either in the Latine or in the French tonge Wherefore I meane not to bestow any time in the answering of it supposing that either Beza or some other French Protestant hath already dealt therein sufficiently But because the offers séeme to be made by some English man and haue not as I thinke béene aunswered by any man I haue thought good to supply the place of that learned Protestant that the Popish Catholique ment to make the offers vnto And that the Offerer if hee be yet liuing or any fréende of his if he be departed this lyfe may not haue any cause to mislike with my dealing herein I minde to setfoorth to the view of the Reader all the words of the Offerer euen as I finde them and as I haue them to shew in his printed Coppie which I haue and doo mind to kéepe in a readinesse to shewe not abiding or dimnishing altering or changing one sentence worde sillable letter or title The Offerer beginneth thus The Offerer First seeing it cannot bee denied that our sauiour Christ before his departure and ascension did commit the charge and gouernment of his Church the testimony of his worde the truth of his gospell the ministration of his Sacraments to his Apostles and Disciples and that not only for them selues but to their successors Bishops and Priests and to none other saying only to them Euntes docete omnes gentes Math. 28. Marc. 16. Goe yee and teach all people and nations of the world baptizing them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghoste teaching them to obserue and keepe all things which I haue commaunded you Further the Apostle Saint Paule being at Miletum in executing of his charge gouernment gaue this admonition to the Bishops and Priestes there assembled before him saying Attēdite vobis et vniuer so gregi Act. 20. Take heed vnto your selues and vnto the whole flocke of Christ in the which the holy ghost hath ordayned you Bishops Regere ecclesiam Dei To gouerne the Church of God And in the thirteenth Chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews hee dooth commaunded all other sortes of men without exception of Emperours Kings Queenes and Princes to obay their Bishops and priestes saying Heb. 13. Obedite praepositis vestris subiacete eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Obey your Prelates and doo what they appoint you for they doo watch as men that shall render accomptes for your soules Seeing that by the testimonies before alleadged it can not bee denyed but that the charge and gouernment of Chryst his Church the preaching of his doctrine the admninistration of his Sacramentes was by him committed to his Apostles and Dysciples and to all Byshoppes and Priestes as Successours of them to plante Chrystian fayth and Religion in his Catholique Church vniuersally throughout all Nations Coastes and Quarters of the world Seeing this is by the playnnesse of the sayd testimonies of such an vndoubted truth that it cannot bee denyed now let the learned protestant affirming princes to bee the supreme heades of the Church eyther shew by some such other like playne testymonies of the Scriptures that our Sauiour Chryst did commit the chyefe charge and supreme gouernement of his Church to Emperours Kings Queenes and Princes to plant Christian fayth and Religion in the same or that any one of Chryst his Apostles or Disciples did conuert any people Lande or Countrey from their Idolatrie and Ethnike kinde of liuing to Christian faith and Religion by preaching the doctrine of the Protestants as of onely faith to iustifie the contempt of good workes and that they be all vncleane in sight of GOD the deniall of free will of the real presence of Christes body in the holy Eucharist of the Sacrifice of the most blessed Masse the abolishing Christ his Sacramentes and of all grace and goodnesse by them conferred vnto vs then I shall yeelde and recant and not before Thus farre the first part of the Offer Crowley This Offerer hath deuided this offer of his into 22. parts adding to the last part six certaine and assured signes and tokens of false Prophets Heretickes Schismatickes This diuision I meane to follow in mine answer To this first part therfore I say thus maister Offerer I cōfesse that our Sauiour Christ dyd as you haue sayd committe the charge and gouernement of his Church the testimonye of his worde the trueth of his Gospell and the ministration of his Sacramentes to his Apostles and Scholers and to theyr successors But not to such successours onely as you do name that is to Bishops and Préestes onely and to none other For S. Paule in the 12. Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians and in the 4. to the Ephesians writing of the same matter sayth thus Et ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos Eph 4. quosdam autem Prophetas alios vero Euangelistas alios autem Pastores Doctores And he hath giuen some Apostles or Messengers and some Prophettes and other some Euangelistes and some others Pastors and teachers And againe in the 12. of the first to the Corinthians hee writeth thus 1 Cor 12. Et quosdam posuit Deus in Ecclesia primum Apostolos secundo Prophetas tertio Doctores deinde virtutes exinde gratias curationum opitulationes gubernationes genera linguarum God hath place in his Church certaine degrees of men first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly teachers then powers after that giftes of healings helpes gouernements kindes of tongues Least you should quarell about the translating of S. Paules wordes out of the Gréeke I haue set them downe as I finde them in that translation that your Tridentine councell hath allowed of But I pray you good M. Offerer what meant S. Paule that in the rehearsall of those sundry degrées of men that God hath placed in his Church he would make no mentiion at al of your Bishops and Préestes to whom onely as to the onely successours of his Apostles and Disciples Christ spake if you haue written truely when he sayd thus Math. 28 Euntes docete omnes gentes Goe ye and teach all nations of the worlde c. Without all doubt S. Paule dyd know and so doo wée that God dyd neuer place in his Church or appoint to succéede his Apostles and Disciples any such Bishops and Préestes as you meane of That is Lording and loitring Bishops exercising dominion ouer the peoples that are alotted vnto them and sawsie sacrificing Préests which presume to occupie the place of Christ himselfe and to execute his office in offering sacrifice for the sinnes of the people S. Peter disaloweth the one 1. Pet. 5. and S. Paule the other Hebr. 10. Hebr 1◠1 Peter ◠Yea if our
good consequence of all persons that are inferiour to these that whatsoeuer these Prelats shall appoint to be doone must of necessitie be doone by all men and women of euery degrée as though such Prelates onely and none other might be in the Latine called Praepositi and in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Latine and Gréeke wordes doo signifie all manner of superiours whether they be of the ecclesticall or ciuill state Yea and that dutie of watching as men that shall render an account for the soules of men is common to all those superiours of all sortes wherefore you haue dealt very iniuriouslie in that you haue restrayned that duety of watching to your Prelates onely Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes the 13. Chapter writeth thus Omnis anima Rom. 13. potestatibus sublimioribus sub dit a sit Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers c. If you had séene and considered what Chrysostome writteth vpon these woords of Saint Paule I think you would neuer haue written as you haue done affirming that saint Paule hath commaunded all manner men without exception yea though they were Emperours Kings Quéenes or Princes so to obey your Prelates as to doo whatsoeuer they shall appoint them to doo Chrysost in Rom. 13. for Chrysostome wryteth thus Etiam si Apostolus sis si Euangelista si Propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris Neque enim pietatem subuertit ista subiectio Et non simpliciter dicit obediat sed subiecta sit Although thou shouldst be an Apostle an Euangelist or a Prophet or what maner of man soeuer thou shouldst bée For this subiection dooth not subuert pietie or godlines And hée dooth not simply say Let euery soule obay but hée saith Let it bee in subiection Thus much Chrysostome writing vpon the first words of the thirteenth to the Romaines And in the same Chapter that you cite out of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saint Paule seemeth to haue the same meaning that hée had when hée wrote to the Romaines For thus hée writeth to the Hebrews in the latter end of the thirtéenth Chapter Salutate omnes qui praesunt vobis omnes Sanctos Salute all them that are your Rulers and all the Saintes If these Rulers that saint Paule willeth the Hebrews to salute were such as you say they were when hée commaundeth them to obey that is to say Bishops Priests then was not this Epistle written to them but to the inferiour sorte amongst the Hebrews which is a thing too absurd to bée graunted For what ciuilitie honestie or wisedome may that man bée thought to haue that would write such an Epistle as this to the inferiours of any congregation of Christians and not to the superiours of the same congregation These Hebrews were Christians and dwelt as my bée thought in sundrie Cities within the Dominions of the Emperour of Rome As in Hierusalem or in any other of those Cities that had belonged to the kingdome of Israel or in any other kingdome or prouince And it is like that the Apostle being in Italy when hée wrote this Epistle had some occasion to admonish them of that opinion which commonly the posteritie of Abraham held which was that they ought not to liue in subiection to any rulers that were not of the same posteritie And therefore hée wrote vnto them as before Obedite c. Obey your Superiours and submit your selues vnto them And as in this place Salutate c. Salute all those that be in authority ouer you As though hée should haue said thus I know that you would gladly bée gouerned as you are Hebrews borne by such as bée Hebrews as you are and as you are Christians by Christians as your selues bée But sith you sée that God will haue it otherwise let such as God hath set ouer you haue their due honour at your hands Obey them honour them serue them giue them all tributes and customs due vnto them and pray to God for them that you may leade a peaceable and quiet life vnder them And that they may the rather bée mooued to bée fauourable to you salute them in my name and in like maner salute all saitns that is all Christians though they bée of the Gréekes that they may know that both I and you doo estéeme of them as of fellow members of that one body whereof Christ is the head This may bée the meaning of the Apostle in those woords that you haue cited and in the other that follow But it may bée that some of your sorte will say that in the seuenth verse of the same Chapter the Apostle hath written thus Hebr 13. Memores estote c. Bée mindefull of those your rulers that haue spoken vnto you the woorde of God and follow their faith considering what the end of their conuersation was Here you will say that these rulers must néedes bée preachers of the woorde I confesse that the Apostle dooth in these woords meane of such But shall wée therefore say that they were Bishops and Priests such as you haue affirmed them to bée It appéereth manifestly by the Apostles words that they were the same that had preached the gospell vnto them and had continued constant in preaching the same doctrine to the end of their liues and had sealed it with their blood For the Apostle saith thus Considering what the end of their conuersation hath bin which can not bée ment of any that did then presently gouerne or teach them Yea and how could the Apostle take vpon him to commaund Emperours Kings Quéenes and Princes to obey such Bishops and Priestes as the Hebrews being a simple sort of Christians could haue to rule and teach them The testimonies therefore that you alleage M. Offerer may right well bée denyed for they testifie not that which you would affirme by them For although the charge and gouernment of the Church of Christ the preaching of the doctrine of the gospell and the ministration of the sacraments of Christ were committed to the Apostles and Disciples of Christ and to their successours yet are not the same committed to your Bishops and Priests for they are not the successours eyther of Christ or any Apostle or Dysciple of Christ except you will néedes haue them the successors of Iudas Iscariot or of Simon Magus But now the learned Protestant that you make your offer vnto must either prooue by some such other like plaine testimonies of the Scriptures that our Sauiour Chryst did commit the chiefe charge and supreme gouernment of his Church to Emperours Kinges Quéenes Princes to plant Chrystian fayth and Religion in the same or else that some one of Chrystes Apostles or Disciples did conuert some one People Land or Countrey from their Idolatrie and Ethinke kinde of liuing to Christia◠faith and Religion by preaching the doctrine of the Protestants c. For Protestants to prooue by plaine testimonies of the Scriptures that our Sauiour Christ did
not his sonne Ezechias And did not the same Ezechias brake the brasen Serpent 4. Reg. 18. bicause the people had burned Incense to it Yea and when the Priestes did any thing in the reformation of Religion did they it not by the appointment and at the commaundement of those good kings Dauid Salomon Ezechias and Iosias Reade the History of the kings and you shall sée And what did Christ come to take this Authority from Princes And hath hée taken it from them and giuen it to Peter and his Successors Hée him selfe hath acknowledged that authority in Princes in that hée payde Tribute to the Emperour both for him selfe and for Peter Math. 17. In the 13. Chapter to the Romaines Math 17. saint Paule declareth that the paying of Tribute is an acknowledging of the highest authority in Princes Chrysostome Chrysost in Rom. 13. expounding that place of Saint Paules Epistle writeth thus Cur enim inquit vectigalia Regi damus Nunquid tanquam prospicienti Nunquid tanquam praesidenti curae tuitionisque mercedem soluentes For why saith hée doo wée giue Tribute to the king Doo wée not giue it as vnto him that hath a prouident care for vs Doo wée it not as men that pay vnto him that hath the rule of vs the wages or hyer that is due to him for the care that hée hath to defend vs 1 Peter 2 And dooth not Saint Peter from whom your Bishops and Priests doo claime their high authority write thus in the second Chapter of his first Epistle Subdite igitur estote c. Bée yée subiect therefore to euery humaine creature euen for the Lords cause whether it be to the king as to him that excelleth either to Dukes as to them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers but for â—he praise of them that bée good For so is the will of God that behauing your selues well you may stop the mouthes of foolish and Ignoraunt men as being free and not hauing the liberty for a cloke of maliciousnes but as the seruants of God Thus if you haue eyes to sée you may sée that the very testimonies that you haue alleaged being taken in their right sence doo prooue sufficiently that though no learned Protestant can prooue or dooth or hath affirmed that our Sauiour Christ did commit the chiefe charge and supreme gouernmeÌ„t of his Chruch to Emperors kings c. Yet the chiefe charge sepreme gouernment of men of all sorts hath bin alwaies is still and euer shal be in such Potentats euen by the ordinance of God him selfe as by the other testimonies that I haue alleaged dooth most manifestly appeare And where as you require the learned Protestant to prooue that any one of Christes Apostles or Disciples did by preaching the Protestants doctrine conuert any people lande or countrey from their Idolatry and Ethnike kinde of liuing to Christian faith and Religion as of onely faith to iustifie c. I say that neuer any one of the Apostles or Disciples of Christ were the meanes that God vsed in the conuerting of any one lande people or countrey by the preaching of any other doctrine then that which you call the Protestants doctrine You note sixe points of doctrine preached by the Protestants which as you say neither the Apostles nor any Disciple of Christ preached First that faith onely iustifieth Secondly that all good works are vncleane in the sight of God Thirdly that there is no frée will Fourthly that the body of Christ is not really present in the Eucharist Fiftly that the blessed Masse is not a Sacrifice And sixtly the abolishing of Christes Sacraments and all the graces and goodnes that is conferred to vs by them For the first I say that Christ him selfe hath taught it in that hée hath sayd thus Mar. 16. Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit Qui vere non crediderit coâ—demnabitur Marci 16 Hée that shall belieue and bée baptized shal be saued But hée that shall not belieue shal be condemned Saint Paule hath taught it to the Romaines Chap. 5. Rom. 5. in these woords Justificati ergo ex fide pacem habeamus ad Deum per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum per quem habemus accessum per fidem in gratiam istam in qua stamus gloriamar in spe gloriae filiorum Dei. Being iustified by faith therefore let vs bee at peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom wée haue accesse through faith into this grace wherein wée stand and doo reioyce in the hope of the glorie of the children of God To take from you all occasion of quarrelling I haue cited the words of S. Paule as I finde them in your allowed latine translation Although I doo know that in the gréeke it is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pacem habemus And not habeamus Wée haue peace and let vs not haue peace but to a simple meaning minde the sence is all one whether wée say wee haue peace or let vs haue peace And in the end of the sentence it maketh no difference to say wée glory or reioyce in the hope of the sonnes of God or wee reioyce in the hope of the glory of God For take it which way yee will Saint Paules meaning must néedes bée that wée are iustified that is wée apprehend and lay hold vpon frée discharge of our sinnes that wée haue by the mediation of Christ onely by faith and by none other meane And againe in the second Chapter to the Ephesians Ephe. 2. Saint Paule writeth thus Gratia enim estis saluati per fidem hoc non ex vobis Dei enim dâ—num est non ex operibus ne quis glorietur For by grace that is frée mercy you are saued thorough faith and that not 〈…〉 selues For it is the gifte of God and commeth not of workes least any man should boaste The Epistles of the Apostle Paule are full of matter to prooue this pointe of doctrine to bee true The second pointe of doctrine is as you doo terme it the contempt of good workes and that they bee all vncleane in the sight of God Wee contemne not good workes but wée esteeme of them as they ought to bee esteemed of that is as of the good fruites of a good faith And wée teach that no workes may bée accounted good otherwise or in any other respect but as they bée the fruits of a good faith This point of doctrine was taught by our sauiour Christ when hée sayd thus Lucae 17. Cum feceritis omnia quae praecepta sunt vobis Lucae 17. dicite serui inutiles sumus Quod de buimus facere fecimus When yee shall haue doone all that you are commaunded to doo then say we are vnprofitable seruants We haue doone that our duety was to doo And againe in the 20. of Mathew Math. 20. in the Parable of the labourers that laboured in the Vineyarde Volo autem
those Ceremonies To bée briefe the first Catholique church did acknowledge none to bée her vniuersall head but Christ Iâ—sus onely and shée submitted her selfe to bee gouerned in matters of faith by his spirite which spirite did in déede gouerne hir in the vnderstanding of the scriptures which are the rule of Christian Religion And in ciuill gouernement shee submitted herselfe to Princes and other Potentats acknowledging that God hath giuen vnto them the power of the sword and hath made them his reuengers vpon earth coÌ„maunding them to vse that power in defending innocents and in punishing of such as doo transgresse his lawes But your Romish Catholique church must haue a Pope to bee hir vniuersall head vnder the name of Christes vicar generall and hee must haue absolute power vpon earth diriued from the Apostle Peter that neuer tooke vpon him selfe any such power but willed all Christians to submit themselues to all estates of men euen for the Lord Iesus sake Yea hee willed them to honour all men to loue brotherly fellowship to feare God and to honour the king 1. Peter 2. 1. Peter 2. But your Pope must haue power ouer all men euen ouer Princes to whom Peter submitted him selfe and willed al christians to doo the like Yea hée must haue power to depose all such Princes as will not bow to him and bee his Executioners in executing the paines of death vpon all such as it pleaseth him to take for Heretikes Such Princes dooth your Pope take vpon him to depose to depriue them of all princely dignitie to set vp in their place such as will submit them selues vnto him become his sworne vassalles And that he may the more easily bring these things to passe hée absolueth all the subiects of such Princes from their dutifull oth of obedience which they haue dutifully taken to those their leage and naturall Princes Yea as late and daily practises doo teach they spare not to promise the kingdome of God to such subiects as will most vndutifully most vnnaturally murder not onely their naturall countrimen but also their naturall Princes By these differences it apreareth how great the difference is betwixt the first Romish church which was in déede Catholique and yours which you call catholique but is in déede Cacolike But now you conclude that if the learned Protestant can prooue that the priuate conuenticles congregations of the Protestants were the first bringers foorth of the sacred Bible and written woord of God the chiefe preseruers and defenders of the same in all times and ages from all Iewes Gentiles Heretikes and schismatiks then you wil reuolt and recant as you haue saide before To this I say on the behalfe of the learned Protestant that neither the Catholique church nor any other congregations haue bin the first bringers foorth of the sacred Bible c. For those bookes which are called the Bible were brought foorth and written before our sauiour Christ sayd thus to the Iewes Scrutamini scripturas c. Ioh. 5. Ioh. 5. Serch the scriptures c. And as for the preseruing and defending of them from Iewes Gentiles c. I say that it hath not bin the worke of man but of God him selfe who is the only Author of the same Apocal. 6. In the sixt chapter of saint Iohns Reuelations it is written that when the third seale of that booke which was sealed with seuen seales was opened there was a voyce which came from the midst of the foure beasts which saide to him that sate vpon the blacke horse had a balaunce in his hand Wine and oyle see thou doo not hurt In the iudgment of all learned interpreters wine and oyle doo in that place signifie the scriptures which God would not suffer to bee hurt by any mans interpretation no not in the time of most déepe Ignorance The Iewes could neuer corrupt the text of the Canonicall scriptures although they lacked no good will to haue corrupted them Neither could your Popish catholiques at any time corrupt those scripcures for God hath reserued a Remnant of the Iewes with whom those scriptures are and alwaies haue bin had in such estimation and reuerence that they would neuer leaue them to any that would corrupt them and this hath God wrought by them vsing them as his instruments therein In like manner the Grecians haue bin his instruments in kéeping the Gréeke text both of the olde and newe testament from all manner of Corruption in all partes thereof that doo concerne any parte of the substance of our Religion so that though your Popish Catholiques would as no doubt they are willing enough yet they can not corrupt either the Hebrew or Gréeke text Thus if you will you may sée maister Offerer that God alone by such meanes as hée hath dooth and will vse hath bin the bringer foorth of the sacred Bible and other holy scriptures for the holy men of God did speake as the holy spirite of God did mooue them to speake 2. Pet. 1. 2. Peter 1. And it is hée that hath vsed his good meanes both in discerning of the holy writings from the prophane and also in preseruing and defending of them from all maner corruption Wherefore if you minde to bée as good as your woord you must reuolt and recant The third Offer The Offerer Third Shew mee good reason why yee Protestants doo belieue our Catholique Church enforming and telling you this to bee the woord of God written the true Bible and sacred scriptures and doo refuse to credit hir in the true sense and vnderstanding of the same Scripture shee being vndoubtedly led with the spirite of God in them both For if the Catholique Church had the spirit of God in discerning and iudging the true Scriptures of God from the rest not Scriptures why should not wee belieue that same Catholique church gouerned and led by the same spyrite in giuing the true sense meaning and vnderstanding of the Scriptures When yee shal be able to render a sufficient reason of the one and not of the other I shall then yeelde and recant and not before Crowley There is no reason why wée should shewe you good reason why wée doo that thing which none of vs either haue done doo or minde to doo In beliuing that the Bible and scriptures that wee haue is the true Bible and scripture wée doo as the people of Sichar did Iohn the fourth chapter They said to the woman that told them of Iesus Iam non propter tuam orationem credimus c. Iohn 4. Now doo wée belieue not bicause of the tale that thou hast told vs for wee our selues haue heard and doo know that this is very Christ the sauiour of the world Euen so wee confesse that when wee were amongst you wée heard you talke of a Bible scriptures wée were desirous to sée them but you kept them from vs by all the meanes that you coulde deuise but at the
Protestant to shew cause and reason why our congregations doo those things that neuer any of our congregations did Can this Offerer prooue that euer any congregation of Protestants did admit and receiue all bishops priests deacons and other spirituall officers c. Wée doo in déede receiue the men that haue bin bishops Priests and deacons c. And finding them meete to serue either in the places that they serued in before or in any other wée doo employ them in seruice in those places that we finde them méete for And thus we doo not bicause they haue bin ordered after your Antichristian maner but bicause wee sée in them manifest signes of repētance that euer they yéelded to be made ministers of Antichristian religion do desire to be admitted to serue God in the ministration of the true right religion of Christ As for your shauing your clipping annoynting that you doo vse in the ordring consecrating of your bishops priests deacons we estéeme as lightly of it as you either doo or can estéeme of our maner of ordering and consecrating of ministers of all sortes Wée know that no ceremonies that are or can be vsed in this behalfe either by you or by vs doo or can giue any ability to the persons towards whom those ceremonies are vsed in the admitting of them but we doo vse them as meanes to put those persons in remembrance of those duties that doo belonge to them in the office calling whereunto they are called admitted We doo not thinke that you doo or can by your ceremonies imprimere characterē indelebilem that is imprint into such as you doo order a marke that can not be blotted out so that your priestes being once made priestes must continue so for euer Neither doo we thinke it necessary to degrad your priests when they returne vnto vs from your Antichristian religion as you vse to doo before you deliuer them to the seculer power when you haue cōdemned them for heresie For we know that the marke of the beast which they receiued at your hands is blotted out by their hearty and vnfained repentance the signes wherof we sée in them before we doo admit them to serue in any calling amongst vs either Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill You might much better haue charged vs with consenting vnto and allowing of the lawfulnes of your priests bishops bicause we be not rebaptised but then perhaps you think we would charge you with the like consent and approouing of the lawfulnes of our ministery for that you doo not rebaptise such as haue bin baptised by vs. But to be short I conclude thus Though we doo receiue such as doo come from you as S. Paule was receiued comming from the Phariseis doo admit them to such offices amongst vs as wee finde them méete for as S. Paule was admitted to the office of preaching ministration of sacraments yet we doo not thereby consent vnto or allow of the lawfulnes of your Antichristian ministers more then the church that receiued S. Paule cōming from the Phariseis did thereby consent vnto or allow of the sect of the Phariseis If this be a cause reason sufficient as I think it is why the Protestants should neither take your Antichristian ministers to be méete ministers of Christes religion so longe as they remaine amongst you nor refuse them when they shall repent bring forth fruits worthy méete for repentance and yet notwithstanding account take your church for Antichristian then I require you M. Offerer to fulfill your promise and recant although you haue hitherto refused so to doo The Thriteenth offer Offerer Thirteenth I require of the learned Protestant to expresse what furniture furdrance or cōmoditie to the honor serurce of God did christianity or any part of Christendome receiue by his church or congregations what temple or church did you build at any time for your assēbles and seruice of God what bishopricks for the better gouernment of the church did you founde or procure what vniuersities schooles or colledges did you at any time erect for the maintenance of christian doctrine faith and religion when the learned Protestant shal be able to prooue by ecclesiasticall histories and old auncient writers these things to be monuments of their conuenticles and priuate congregations of their faith and religion and not of the common knowne faith religion and Catholique church of Christ then I shall in like maner yeelde and recant and not before Crowley If this Offerer had liued in the dayes of the prophets or of the Apostles hée would haue kept a iolly stur with them for none of them were builders of Temples Synagogues or Churches neither were they Founders of vniuersities schooles or colledges And yet was their faith and religion fruitfull so is ours though none such fruits as this Offerer speaketh of should spring thereout And yet I doo know that these are good works I hope I shal be able to prooue that the Protestants Catholique church hath not bin neither is slack in dooing these works when hability and oportunity may serue them If I might be so bolde with M. Offerer I would demaund of him require him to expresse who it was that builded S. Peters church in Rome and the rest of the most auncient churches in that citie I think he would answere with spéede say thus it was Constantine the first christened Emperor If hée shall so say he shal say truly for so hath Platina and other more auncient Hystorians written But here is the question whether this Constantine were a Protestant Catholike or such a Catholike as this Offerer is For we hold that hee was a protestant Catholike and this Offerer holdeth the contrary The matter then resteth vpon proofe I doo thinke that I haue already prooued sufficiently that Constantine liuing raigning in the end of the first 300. yéeres after Christ could not be an Antichristian catholike as this Offerer is bicause the great Antichrist was not as yet spronge vp although many Antichrists or false Prophets were in the world euen when the Apostle Iohn worte his first Epistle as in the 4. Chap. thereof it appeareth but that great Antichrist that S. Paule nameth the man of sin 2. Thes 2. did not begin to shew himselfe in the world before the daies of Bonifacius the third that tooke vpon himselfe the name estate of the vniuersall head of Christs vniuersall church And that was the time wherein your Schismaticall church fell away from that true Catholike church whereof Constantine was and wée that beare the name of Protestants now bée The bishopricks also that were appointed or founded at any time within the first 600. yéeres after Christ all the Vniuersities Schooles Colledges that were foūded with in that time were founded builded by protestant Catholiques For although many corruptions were spronge vp in the Catholike church whereof wée be before the end of the first 600.
God to giue his Church libertie to make publique profession of fayth and religion as now for the space of 29. yéeres togeather he hath doone in this realme of England such as be members of the true Catholique Church doo and haue doone by the permission and commaundement of our Prince whom God hath appointed to gouerne vs as it becommeth Catholike Christians to doo in open praier preaching and administration of Sacramentes And to the ende that all thinges may bée doon orderly and as it beseemeth we haue bishops al other necessary ministers orderly elected admitted to minister vnto vs the word and to exercise publique prayer necessarie discipline suche as the higher powers vnder whome we liue doo thinke méete to be exercised As for the vniformity of your solemne Ceremonies that had not had so long continuance for the space of fiftéene hundreth yéeres nor yet for the space of fifty yéeres For by the confession of your holy father Pope Pius quintus the difference of ceremonies vsed euen in your holy Masse was such before the tyme of your last generall Councell which began at Trident. Anno. 1545. that it was thought méete by them to take order for the reformation thereof But though it had béene as auncient as you would haue it what great matter is there in it to prooue thereby that your Church is the true Church of Christ sith it is an easie matter for any sorte of men to agrée in outward and solemne Ceremonies although the same bee neuer so superstitious vaine and foolish But here is a matter of greater waight that is the vnity of fayth that your Church hath had these 1500 yéeres last past continually I haue already prooued that your Antichristian Church hath not had continuance so long by 600. yeres almost And it shal be an easie matter to prooue that the fayth of your Church hath in the time that it hath had continuance varied very often in some poyntes of greatest wayght as you doo account of them The generall councell of Basill beléeued that theyr authority was aboue the authority of the Pope and that they might depose hym and therefore they dyd depose Eugenius that then was Pope and choose an other in his place And the same Eugenius bolding a Councell at Farrary beléeued that he had authority to excommucate the generall councell And this article was long doubted of Whether the Pope or the generall counsell should haue the supreme authoritie And about the wordes of consecration I thinke your Church is not yet agréede whether the vertue â—hat turneth the substaunce doo lye in the verbe Est or in the sillable vm And whether the substance of breade and wyne bée turned into the substaunce of the body and bloode of Christ or whether that substaunce departing and giuing place the body and blood of Christ doo occupie the place thereof vnder the qualities of bread and wine And whether the mouse that eateth the consecrated rake doo eate the bodie of Christ or no. In these high poyntes of religion and in dyuers other of lyke sorte the vnitie of your fayth hath béene and styll is sore shaken But I perceyue that which followeth in thys conclusion of thys offer that the fayth whych you speake of is that fayth or beleefe that you haue in that Church of yours which you call Catholique You neuer trouble your selfe with the waighting and examining of matters of beléefe for you confesse that you must of necessitie beléeue the Church So that your determination is to beléeue whatsoeuer that Church hath or shall determine and commaund you to beléeue although you knowe not what that Church either hath or shall determine Thus your late prosilite Frier Iohn Frauncis of Nigeon in Fraunce dyd in his letters that he wrote to his mother instruct her to beléeue But here riseth a doubte whether this Church be the general councell the colledge of Cardinalles or the Popes holines alone If it bee the generall councell what shifte would you haue made when two generall councelles were holden at one tyme and decréede contrarie the one to the other the one holden at Basill and the other at Farrarie If it be the colledge of Cardinalles which way would you haue turned your selfe when there were thrée Popes at one tyme and each Pope had his colledge of Cardinalles If it bée the Pope him selfe then tell mée vpon whome you would haue hanged your fayth when there was no Pope for the space of two yéeres togeather and when there were three Popes at one tyme and when haueing but one Pope the same was an Arrian or Saddusey or had giuen hym selfe to the Deuill that hee myght bée made Pope I leaue this to your discretion or to the discretion of some one of your sorte that shall take in hand to replye to this aunswer that I make to these your offers You saye that your Church hath in her selfe all holie functions of the spirite as workinge of miracles remission of sinnes and the true sence and interpretation of Gods worde A straunge manner of ennumeration of partes All the holie functions of the spyrite are innumerable and therefore they are commonlie sayd to bée seuen by which number béeing a perfecte number an infinite multitude is commonly signified But you set downe thrée for all The working of miracles is one of those holye functions that you speake of You meane I am sure of those miracles that haue béene and are wrought in your places of Pilgrimage and by the rotten reliques of your Sayntes whereof I haue heard great boast and some experience I haue séene in England The holy mayd of Kent with her confederates wrought manie myracles in the dayes of King Henrie the eyght as in our Chronicles is to bée séene but in the ende she was founde to bée an arrante Whore and so was the holie made of Lemster that was nothing inferiour to the other in working of myracles The holy Roode of Bostone the holie Roode of Boxley the holie Roode of Chester the holie Roode of Northamton and the holie Roode at the North doore of Paules Church with the holy Roode in Roode Lane in London were not behinde the rest in working miracles by the helpe of knaues that had the kéeping of them I might speake of the holy blood at Hailes which was sayd to bee a portion of the bloode of Christ Saint Thomas of Canterburie S. Thomas of Hereford S. William of Mawuerne S. Ioseph of Shaftesburie and holy King Henrie of Windsore King Kenelme of Cowbadge S. Hugh of Lincolne and S. Robert of Naseborowe and a number of blessed Ladies to many to bée rehearsed by name The knauerie that was practized in these places is so well knowen in England that your miracles can haue no credite amongst such English men as haue not Roomish hartes Yea and our sauiour Christ hath forewarned vs Math 24. Math 24 That in these latter dayes many false Christs and false prophets shal arise shal
Bishop Fyshar Sir Thomas Moore the Monkes of the charter house with all the rest of the Popes friends that suffered in the daies of King Henry the eight and Edmond Campion with his companie and the rest that haue bene executed in the time of the raigne of our Soueraigne that now is for what cause haue they suffered was it not for that they affirmed that the Popes holines hath the supreme power in this realme that princes haue not the highest power vpon earth ouer such as be their subiectes This cause can not bee Christs cause for Christ did in his humaine nature submit him selfe to the Emperor in that hee him selfe did pay tribute to the Emperor in token of subiection Mat. 17. Mat 17. S. Peter willeth all christians to submit them selues to all estates of men euen for the Lords sake whether it be to the king as to him that hath the preheminence or to the Dukes or captaines as to men whom the Lord hath sent for the punishment of euill dooers but for the praise of such as bée good for so is the will of God that Christians should by well dooing stop the ignoraunce of foolish men c. 1. Pet. 2. 1 Peter 2. S. Paule also wrote thus to the Romaines Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit c. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers c. Rom. 13. Rom. 13. Chrysostome expounding these woords of S. Paule saith thus Etiam si Apostolus sis si Euangelista si Propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris c. Although thou be an Apostle if thou bée an Euangelist if thou be a Prophet and to conclude who or what so euer thou béest For saith Chrysostome this subiection dooth not subuert godlinesse And hée saith not simply hée must obay but hée saith Chrysost in Rom. 13. subdita sit It must bée in subiection By these woords of Chrysostome it appeereth what maner of Martyrs they are that haue died for the mainetenaunce of your Popes supreme powre ouer all Christians vpon earth If Chrysostome were now liuing and would maintaine this that hee hath written your Pope would make him a Martyr in déed if hée might catch him as hee hath and still dooth make Martyrs of all such as hée hath and can catch that bee of one minde with Chrysostome Your Confessors are euen such as your Martyrs and so are your Virgins with the rest that you meane of when you say and such other Now let the Protestant prooue say you that this is not the true Church that we are not bound to obay and belieue this Church and none other in all controuersies and doubts c. The Protestant hath already prooued that the church that you meane of which is the Romaine Antichristian church is not the true Church of Christ and that it hath not in it those things that you doo so much brag of It hath not continuance as yet for the space of 1000. yéeres It hath not neither dooth it exercise preaching to the conuersion of nations to the obedience of the gospell but to the obedience of Antichristian doctrine It hath not had neither hath it the right administration of the sacraments but with such mixture of humaine diuises as is vnséemely in the Church of Christ It hath not had neither hath it any such orderly succession of bishops as you brag of neither any such vniformitie of solemne Ceremonies It hath not had at any time neither hath it now such vnitie of faith as you speake of nor the holy functions of the spirite as working of Miracles remission of sinnes nor the true sense and interpretation of the woord of God Neither is it beautified with that diuersitie of states that you speake of as Martyrs Confessors and Virgins such other wherefore the Protestant concludeth that there is no cause why he should obay and belieue that church of yours no more is there that you should not yeelde and recant The Twentith offer Offerer Twentith Moreouer let the learned Protestant proue that the true and Catholike church of Christ may at any time bee voide of Gods spirit which he hath promised to be with his Church for euer saying Et ego rogabo patrem et alium paracletum dabit vobis Iohn 14. vt maneat vobiscum in aeternū or falsly to interpret any sentence of holy scripture or to induce any erroure among the people or approoue vnprofitable and hurtfull vsages amonge the Christians or that shee suffereth any damnable abuse in her religion without open repredhension thereof Let the learned Protestant prooue any of these points and I will then yeelde and recant and not before Crowley The true Catholique church of Christ in déed is neuer voyde of Gods spirite Yea there is not one member of that church which hath not that spirite dwelling in it in some measure For thus the Apostle Paule hath written to the Romaines Si quis autem spiritum Christi non habet hie non est eius If there be any that hath not the spirite of Christ the same belongeth not to him Rom. 8. Rom. 8 I doo confesse therefore that the true Catholique church of Christ is neuer voide of Gods spirit But according to the words that this Offerer hath cited out of the 14. cha of Iohn Iohn 14 our sauiour Christ hath sent another comforter which is the holy spirit of God to be with his Church for euer But what maketh this for M. Offerers purpose Hee must prooue that the church of Rome being such as now it is hath bin for the space of a thousand yéeres almost is that true Catholique church of Christ and then these pointes will serue him to some purpose otherwise they doo make flatly against him Taking your church to bee the true Catholike church of Christ you offer to yéelde and recant if the Protestant can prooue that your church hath fasly interpreted any one sentence of the holy scripture The Protestant hath alreain his answere to your 19. offer sufficiently prooued that your whole church hath in the 25. session of your Tridentine counsell falsly interpreted or rather flatly denied mo then one two or thrée sentences of the holy scriptures as to the indifferent Reader it may there most euidently apeere wherefore wée doo looke for the performance of your promise in yéelding and recanting That your church hath induced doth still induce errors amongst the people hath approued and doth still approoue vnprofitable and hurtfull vsages amongst Christians hath suffered and dooth still suffer damnable abuses in religion without open reprehention is more manifest then that which lyeth open in the cleare sunne light Wherefore the Protestant néedeth not to spend any time in the proofe therof It may suffice to put the reader in minde of those shamelesse errors that your church hath taught dooth still teach and maintaine concerning the inuocation of Angelles and Saints the praying for the deade
the worthynesse of mens works and the satisfying to God for sinnes committed against his maiestie And for your vnprofitable and hurtfull vsages it were enough to will the reader to remember your gadding on Pilgrimage your visiting kissing and worshipping of Reliques and your burning of Lights before blinde Stockes and Stones in the open day and sunne light And for your damnable abuses there néedeth no more but to wish the reader to consider of your abhominable Masse which you make a sacrifice for the sinnes both of the quick and of the deade which being doone I sée no reason why the readers may not cry out say vnto this Offerer and his fellowes yéelde and recant for shame The one and twenty Offer Offerer One and twentie If vnity in faith austerity of lyfe sharp discipline great penance much fastings large almes godly deuotion obedience to higher powers grauitie and true charitie bee not more euidently exercised and vsed in our cōmon knowne Catholike church then in the protestants congregation and contrarywise if discord in religion licentiousnes in liuing contempt of discipline reiecting of penaunce lothsomnesse of fasting lacke of zeale and deuotion disobedience to magistrates Sacrilege Apostacie breaking of vowes vnlawfull lusts wantonnes in all lyfe and maners doo not agree better and more cleare to the Protestants then to the Catholikes being the plaine signes and fruites of a false church Then will I recant and not before Crowley How well the vnitie of the true Christian faith is exercised in your commonly knowne Catholike church that is your Antichristian church the reader may sée in the which the protestant hath written in answering the 14. Offer As for your austeritie of life your sharpnes of discipline your greatnes of penance your largenes of almes godlines of deuotion may very well be packed vp in a pocket of Hypocrisie superstition and sent to your holy father the Popes holines the next new yéere for a new yéeres gift And as for your obedience to higher powers your grauitie true charitie may right well be séene in Pope Constantine the first who admitted the Emperor Iustinian to the kissing of his foote about the yéere of our Lord 710. And in Pope Gregorie the second who caused the subiects of Leo the Emperor to breake out in open rebellion against their liege Lord the Emperor bicause he had taken Images out of churches About the yéere of our Lord 730. In Pope Steuen the 2 who suffred him selfe to bée borne into the church called Laterane vpon mens shoulders whereby hée gaue occasion to his successors to be so carried after the maner of Heathen princes About the yéere of our Lord 755. In Leo the third who being accused before the Emperor Charles the great suffered the bishops that then were present to answere the Emperor when he required them to say their mindes concerning the crimes that were laide to his charge saying thus The Apostles seat which is the heade of other seates ought not to be iudged of any man especially being a lay man About the yéere of our Lord 800. In Pope Leo the 4. also who hauing obtained a victorie against the Sarasens did offer his owne féete to bee kissed of the people About the yéere 850. In Pope Ioane who being a woman in mans apparell was Pope for the space of two yéeres and died in trauell of chylde as shee was going in Procession towards Laterane church in Rome About the yéere of our Lord 855. In Pope Steuen the sixt who through the hatred that hee bare to Formosus his predisessor did condemne him and all his acts or ordinaunces Yea and hée reuenged himselfe vpon the deade body of Formosus which déed grew into a custome from thence foorth This was about the yéere of our Lord 898. In Pope Sergius the third also who bearing a pryuate grudge towards the same Formosus did not only abrogagate all the lawes that had bin made by him but he did also cause his deade body to be taken out of the graue wherein Pope Steuen the sixt had caused him to bee buried amongst the common people and his head and thrée of his fingers to be cut of and his headlesse body to be cast into the riuer Tiber. About the yéere of our Lord 910. An example of true charitie in these two Popes Another example of true loue in a Deacon the assisting Pope Victor the second at his Masse did put poyson into his Challice so dispatched him About the yeere of our Lord 1055. In Pope Gregorie the seuenth wée sée a notable example of obedyence to the higher powers For about the yéere of our Lord 1080. hée excommunicated the Emperor Henry the 4. and absolued all his subiects from their oth of obedience to him In Pope Victor the third there is to bée séene a notable example of true loue or charitie in that person that put poyson into his Challice so dispatced him about the yéere of our Lord 1090. Alexander the third did vse Lewes king of France and Henry king of England as his Horskéepers appoynting the one of them to go one foote by his Horsses head on the right side and the other on the left each of them holding the raigne of his Bridle About the yeere of our Lord 1160. A singuler example of obedience to the hygher powers Gregorie the 8. did decrée that bishops should bee preferred before Princes in degree about the yeere of our Lord 1190. And Pope Innocent the thirde is reported to haue sayd thus in his brauerie against Phillip whom the seculer Princes had chosen to be Emperor Let the Pope take the kingly Diademe from Phillip or els let Philip take the Apostolike insigne from the Pope Who would not take this man to bee a singuler example of obedience to the higher powers Yea in the decretals that this Innocent hath set forth it is decreed that the Pope ought to haue the correcting of the Princes of the earth and that hee is Emperor whom the Pope dooth crowne This was doone about the yeere of our Lord 1200. Pope Gregorie the ninth did promise euerlasting life to as many as would serue in the field against Frederike then Emperor About the yeere of our Lord 1230. And when this Emperor was reconciled to the Popes fauour againe hee did his penance which was to bring into the treasurie of the church that is the Popes Coffers 120000. ownces of golde And yet after all this the same Pope Gregorie did excommunicate the same Emperor againe and holding a counsell with his Cardinalles hee did depriue him of his Empire caused the Crosse to be preached against him Which was to incite and to stirre vp all men to make warre against him as against the greatest enimy of Christian religion Pope Innocent the fourth did by a firme decrée make it lawful for the Pope to depose the Emperor About the yeere of our Lord 1250. Pope Martine the fourth excommunicated th' Emperor and the king of
Arragon and made warre against the sayd king of Arragon About the yeere of our Lord 1280. Pope Bonifacius 8. in a great glorie shewed him selfe twice First in his pontificalibus granting large pardons to the people and on the next day in the imperiall robes hauing a naked sworde carried before him And as hée sate in his maiestie hée cried with a lowde voyce saying Ecce duo gladij hic Behold héere are two swords This was about the yeere 1300. A Frier of the Order of the popish preachers did poyson Henry the seuenth Emperor by deliuering vnto him a consecrated hoste as they terme it wherein hee had put a stronge poyson which dispatched him About the yéere 1310. Pope Clement the sixt hauing excommunicated Lewes the Emperor and all the Princes and bishops that tooke parte with him sayd that now th' Empire was fallen vnto him and therefore he placed captaines in the cities of Italy This was about the yeere 1340. Pope Vrbane the sixt in hatred toward Clement the 7. whom the Frenchmen had chosen to be Pope tooke fiue Cardinalles and lapped them in one sacke and drowned them This was doone about the yéere 1380. A singular example of true charitie Yea and a singular example of obedience is to be seene in Alexander the third of whom I spake before in that hee admitting the Emperor Frederike surnamed Barbarossa to the kissing of his foote did set his foote in the Emperors neck pronouncing these woords of the Psalme 91. Super aspidem c. Vpon the Adder and Basiliske shalt thou walk and thou shalt stamp vpon the Lyon the Dragon This was done about the yeere 1170. And Celestinus the fourth when he crowned the Emperor Henry the fift sonne to the foresaid Frederike did set the Emperiall crowne vpon the head of the Emperor with his feete and did topple it of againe with one of his féete in token that as hee had powre to make an Emperor so hée had powre to depose him againe Héere M. Offerer may sée a number of examples of obedience to the higher powers of great grauitie of true charitie euen in such as haue bin the chiefe in his Catholike church if hée can shew mee but one example amongest them that haue bin of the protestants Catholike church like vnto these manifolde examples of commaunding controuling excommunicating persecuting and deposing of the higher powers and triumphing ouer them then will I recant the protestants Catholike religion and professe Poperie as this Offerer dooth and not before But now on the contrarie saith this Offerer if discord in religion licentiousnes in liuing contempt of discipline reiecting of penaunce lothsomnes of fasting lacke of zeale and deuotion disobedience to maiestrates sacryledge Apostacie breaking of vowes vnlawfull lusts and wantonnes in all life and maners doo not agree better more cleere to the protestants then to the Catholique being the plaine signes fraits of a false church then will I recant and not before As touching discord in religion the Offerer may think him selfe to bee sufficiently answered in that which I haue said to the fiftéenth Offer The rest that hée rehearseth as falâ—â— agréeing to the protestantes religion are not at all agréeable to that religion that the Protestants doo professe For wée say as S. Iames hath written Iacob 1. Iacob 1. If any man doo think him selfe to bee religious and yet refraineth not his owne tounge but suffreth his owne heart to go a stray that mans religion is vayne This is the religion that is pure and vndefiled before God and the father for a man to visite the fatherlesse widowes in their trouble to kéepe him selfe vnspotted of the world Yea wee holde as saint Paule teacheth Coloss 3. Coloss 3. that Christians being risen againe togither with Christ should seeke those thinges that are aboue where Christ is at the right hand of God and not things that are héere on earth Yea anâ— as the same S. Paule wrote to the Phillip 3. Philip 3. that Christians should haue their conuersation in heauen not vpon earth so that although our bodies must be heere for a while yet our mindes must be setled in heauen froÌ„ whence wée looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus who by that mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all thing to him selfe shall transforme alter and change our vile bodies and make them like vnto his owne glorious body Yea and wée doo holde as S. Paule taught the Romaines Cap. 6. Rom. 6 that such as are baptized are baptized to dye and to bee buried with Christ vnto sinne to be risen againe with him vnto righteousnes of life So that as naturally wée are enclined to make all our partes instruments or tooles of vnrighteousnes procéeding from one vnrighteousnes to another euen so being baptized our duetie is to endeuour to make our bodies and all our partes instruments of righteousnes proceeding from one righteousnes to another Yea and as hee writeth in the 12. Chap. we hold that our duety is to make our bodies a sacrifice to God that is as I take it the most acceptable seruice that wee can doo vnto God Rom. 12. Rom. 13. Yea and as he writeth it the 13. Chap. we hold that wee may make no prouision for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof But as he writeth 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tim. 6. hauing meats and drink and cloth necessarie house harbor wée be there with contented Yea we doo hold as S. Peter hath taught 1. Pet. 2. 1 Peter 2. that our dutie is to abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule and by honest and good conuersation to stop the mouthes of malicious speakers if it be possible to winne them to ioyne with vs in religion that wee may glorifie God togither Now let the indifferent reader iudge howe those foule vices that you doo charge our religion with doo agrée with this our profession It maye that there be some and I confesse that there bee a great number to many amongst vs which are not of vs but doo only beare the name of protestant Catholiques and are in déede of no religion And these are such as you speake of the vices that you name doo very well agree vnto theÌ„ And I pray you hath your popish Catholike church at any time lacked a good rouÌ„d number of such maner of men When your Pope who is the head of your church was such a one as Platina reporteth Iohn the 12. to be MonstruÌ„ hominis A monster amongst men and as Volateran saith Sceleratum hominem A man giuen ouer to all wickednes that he was slaine being taken in adultery And as the same Platina and Volateran doe say of Syluester the second that be gaue himselfe to the deuill that he might be made Pope and that he was made Pope in déede and did gouerne your church foure yeeres togither And your Pope Benedictus the ninth of
whom Volateran saith that hee was Vir plane probrosus infamis A man altogither worthy of reproches and euill reports and infamous And Platina saith that after his death hee was séene in an horrible shape and that hee said thus Iusto Dei iudicio damnatus sum quia sine lege vixi I am damned euen by the iust iudgement of God bicause I liued without law These gouerned your church one of them nine yeeres another foure yeeres and the third fifteene yeeres Now if that did saying bee true as in very déede it is alwaies founde to true Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis the whole world doo frame them selues after the example of the Ruler how could it otherwise bée but that in the daies wherein those men ruled your church you had great plenty of such men as they were But you will say this is not to be ascribed to the religion but to the persons that professed the religion Well then I hope you will be contented that we doo say that the falts wherewith you doo charge our religion are the falts of such persons as professing our religion be of no religion and are not to be imputed to our religion but to those irreligious persons Wee wish after and seeke for concord in true Catholike religion wée detest and abhorre licentiousnes of life Wée â—raue and beg both of God and of men the reuiuing of that discipline that God him selfe commaunded to bee exercised by his people Wée embrace true and vnfained repentance which is as Dauid teacheth Psal 34. Psalm 34. to turne away from euill and to doo the thing that is good We loue and practize true fasting such as Esay the prophet requireth in the people of God Esay 58. Esay 58. which consisteth in mercifull dealinge towards such as bee in our daunger and in mercifull relieuing of such as doo lake thinges necessarie that wee are able to help them to Wée call vpon God for encrease of zeale deuotion grounded vpon knowledge Wée obay all Magistrats in the Lord for the Lord. But how standeth your religion with obedience to magistrats when you dare assure them of euerlasting life that will enterprize to murther a prince as bisides your practizes of olde whereof wée reade in histories you did of late assure him that murthered the Prince of Orendge and such as should haue murthered our soueraigne Lady that now raigneth ouer vs Yea that Bull that Felton fixed to the bishop of Londons gate dooth make it manifest what obedience men of your minde doo vse to shew vnto Magistrats Sacriledge wée doo detest but you haue taught our Patrons Princes to rob churches and parishes of tythes and so consequently of the foode of the soule by due administration of the woord and sacraments and of the relife of the poore by liberall hospitalitie Apostacie wée leaue to men of your sort which are fallen away from the auncient true and Apostolike catholike church of Christ and doo obstinatly stand in defence of that schimne that you are fallen into notwithstanding that your falling away is made as manifest vnto all men as those things are that lie open in the cleare light of the day We are carefull to kéepe and performe that vowe that was made in our names when wée were baptized but if any of vs haue made an vnlawfull or a rash vow the performance whereof should tend to the dishonoring or displeasing of God any way wée doo earnestly repent that euer we made such a vow choosing rather to stand to the mercie of God in not performing such a rash and wicked vow then to commit greater wickednes in the perfourming thereof as Herod did in cutting of the head of Iohn Baptist Math. 14. Mat 14. As for vnlawfull lusts and wantonnes of lyfe maners wée doo flée from as it is seemely for Christians Wée haue learned to possesse our vessells that is our bodies in holines and in honor Which in déede many of vs coulde not doo without that remedie that God him selfe hath appointed which is honorable and holy Matrimony Heb. 13. Hebr 13. Such therfore amongst vs as otherwise can not haue chast mindes in chaste bodies doo choose to liue with chaste wiues in chaste marriage for we haue learned that it is better to marrie then to burne 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 7. And wée know what saint Paule hath written to the Ephes concerning the dealing of some of your sort Ephes 5. Ephe 5. It is a shame euen to speake of those things that they doo in secret If the indifferent reader will not say that the vices that you haue charged our profession and religion with doo more clearely agrée to the popish Catholikes then to the protestants bee in them plaine signes and fruites of false religion then will I recant and not before The two and twenty Offer Offerer Two and twenty Let the learned proue vnto mee that their church and congregation might rightly bee called Catholike which for the space of a thousand yeeres togither was so particuler that no man coulde name any certaine place where their church was or that it might bee called holy which had for so longe time and space neyther the doctrine of Christes gospell taught in it neyther baptisme nor any other sacrament of Christ vsed to sanctifie them withall or that it could bee called one church which as soone as it grew vp shewed selfe to the world was deuided into so many and sundry sectes of Lutherans Zuinglians Iliricans Caluinists Svvenfeldians Anabaptists and such other or that it might bee called Apostolike which could neuer make an account by orderly succession and discent from any one of Christ his Apostles or any other Apostolike man or that their secret hid vnknowne congregation was euer of that maiesty or authority that it had at any one time or season the true obedyence of all christian nations or that it was euer of that maiesty or authority that it had at any one time or season the true obedyence of all christian nations or that it was euer able to assemble gather vniuersall and generall counselles of all nations and Christian people or to exercise any discipline or correction vpon offenders throughout all kingdomes and regions professing Christ or that these titles following properly applied by the scriptures and doctors to the true church of Christ could euer bee challenged by any right to their hyd and vnknowne congregation I meane these titles namely Corpus Christi the body of Christ Sponsa Christi the spouse of Christ Amica Christi the louer of Christ Vnice dilecta Christo dearely beloued of Christ Columba speciosa the beautifull Doue Domus Dei the house of God Columna veritatis the Piller of truth Ciuitas Dei the city of God Ciuitas super montem posita a city set vpon an hill Fons signatus a Spring or Fountaine surely signed and sealed Sponsa agni the spouse of
the Lambe Mulier amicta sole a woman clothed wyth the Sunne Habitatio fratrum inuicem a dwelling of bretheren all togither Mont Dei the hill of God Sacra Anchora the holy Anchor Vinea Domini our Lordes Vyneyarde Terra viuentium the Lande of the lyuinge Ecclesia magna the great and mightie Church Arca Noe Noes Arke Vna sancta Catholica Apostolicâ— Ecclesia one Holy Catholique and Apostolike Church Domus pacis the house of peace Domus refugij the house of refuge Domus veritatis the house of trueth Societas Sanctorum the fellowship of holy Saints Nutrix Christianorum the Norishe of the Christians Vxor de latere Christi the Spouse out of Christ his side sicut Eua de latere Adam like as Eue was out of the side of Adam Let the learned Protestant make proofe that these most exellent properties and peculier denominations and callinges may possibly agree to their hid and vnknowne congregations and priuate societies or to any other knowne societie of the whole worlde but onely to the holy societie most blessed companie and fellowship of the common knowne Catholique church of Christ and I will then relent yeelde and recant and not before Crowley This Offer may bee diuided into three partes In the first the Offerer requireth a proofe of that which is already prooued in the answere to the seuententh Offer Wherefore I refer that reader to that which is written there where hée shall finde that which may satisfie him in that which the Popish Offerer requireth the learne Protestant to prooue first In the second part he requireth the Protestant to prooue that the church whereof be is hath had at some one time or other such powre and authority ouer the whole Christian world as the Romish Catholike Antichristian church hath vsurped and exercised and doth still claime exercise where it may bée suffred To this I doo say on the behalfe of that learned Protestant that Christ him selfe did neuer exercise such authoritie ouer kingdomes and Nations as the Antichristian Popish church hath exercised and dooth still exercise so farfoorth as it is able and may be suffered Neyther did our Sauiour Christ giue any such authoritie to his Apostles as to haue all Christian Nations vnder obedience or to call them togither to generall Counsells or to execute discipline vpon them and to correct their falts for that power is giuen vnto Princes and Christ did not come to take that powre from them but hee hath confirmed it in them The Apostles therefore and the Apostolike men that were the immediate Successors of the Apostles euen as many as God made excellent in his Church in the time that was before Antichrist began to shewe him selfe in the estate of the papacie were contented to leaue that powre to princes and did both by doctrine and by example of life teach all Christians to shew their due obedience to Princes But when your Bishops of Rome were become Antichristian then they must needes aduaunce them selues aboue all that is called God that is aboue all Princes and they must sit in the temple of God and boast them selues as though they had bin Gods that so they might bee knowne to bee that man of sinne that Saint Paule ment of in that hee wrote 2. Thess 2. 2. Thes 2. For the third parte of this Offer wherein the Offerer requireth the learned Protestant to prooue that the tytles which are in the scriptures and Doctors giuen to the church of Christ coulde euer bee challenged by any right to their hid and vnknowne Congregation c. For answere to this the learned Protestant referreth the Reader to that answere that hee hath made to the seuentéenth and to the eighttéenth Offer with this addition that if this Offerer can prooue that euer any of these excellent properties or peculier denominations and callings might possibly agrée to that knowne Antichristian church that hee is of then will this learned Protestant relent yeelde and recant and bee an Antichristian Catholique and not before ¶ A new Offer touching the sixe seuerall signes that the Offerer calleth certaine and sure signes c. Certayne assured signes and tokens of fals prophets Heretiques and schismatikes Last of all when these notes following being most certaine and sure signes and tokens of Antichristians false Prophets Heretiques and schismatikes mentioned manifestly expressed in diuers partes of the scriptures shall by the learned protestant be prooued more aptly and truely to agree vnto vs of the common knowne church of Christ then vnto the Protestantes of so many sundry and diuers sects and congregations I shall submit yeelde and recant and not before Crowley When this presumptuous Offerer shall prooue that the Church of Rome that now is whereof hee glorieth that hee is a member is the true Catholique church of Christ and not Antichristian Hereticall and schismaticall and that the notes that hee speaketh of doo not more aptly and truly agree vnto him and to men of his sort then vnto vs that be Protestants whom hée calleth Antichristes false Prophets Heretiques and schismatikes then will I submit yeelde and recant and not before The first signe and token Offerer First signe and token appropriated to Antichrists false Prophets Heretiques and schismatikes in the scripture is their departure from the common knowne Catholique church of Christ wherein they were baptized and first receiued Christian faith and religion of the which signe and token speaketh the Apostle S. Iohn saying Ex nobis prodiâ—runt 1. Iohn 2. sed non erant ex nobis nam si fuissent ex nobis permansissent vtique nobiscum They departed from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs and of our church they would saith the Apostle S. John haue continued with vs still not haue departed from vs. And now the learned Protestant not being able to denie that they haue departed from our common knowne Catholique church from our faith religion wherin they were first baptised and not wee departed from them but still remaining in the profession of the same faith and religion that wee first receiued hee must needes by the drift of Argument and reason graunt also that this first signe and token of false Prophets Heretiques and schismatikes was before spoken of the Apostle S. Iohn onely of them and not of vs. Crowley Touching this first signe and token which this Offerer would appropriate vnto vs as vnto Antichristians false Prophets Heretiques and schismatikes I might very well referre the indifferent Reader to that which I haue written in answere to the tenth Offer Where I haue made it manifest the the same faith and religion that wée doo professe and practize now was professed practized in the time of the Apostles and many yéeres after the ascention of our sauiour Christ although not so purely towards the ende of those sixe hundreth yéeres as at the beginning of them and for the space of 300.
yéeres and more But to let this Offerer and his fellowes see wherein they be disceiued I will adde some thing to the which I haue written there making it manifest that this Offerer and his fellowes did depart from vs and from our Church before wée did depart from them and their church They departed from vs and our Church without cause but we did departe from their Church for iust cause When S. Iohn wrote these woords Ex nobis prodierunt c. 1. Ioh. 2. They went out from vs but they were not of vs c the church of Rome was Catholique Christian Holy and Apostolike They therefore that did then depart from them were Antichristian and Schismaticall and were not of them whilse they were amongst them and therefore they did not tarie with them And you and men of your sorte are they that in the daies of Phocas the Emperor did openly departe from our Catholique church became a schismaticall Antichristian church or rather Synagogue of Satan persecuting the true Catholique church of Christ continually from that day to this Wée therefore being amongst you till it pleased God to open the eyes of our vnderstanding so that wée might see the abhominations of your Antichristian religion were not of you and therefore wee did departe from you not leauing our Faith and Religion wherein wée were baptized for wée were baptized in the name of Christ and not of Antichrist For though God haue suffered you to diuise many toyes which you doo vse in the ministration of baptisme yet hee would neuer suffer you to alter the institution of that Sacrament for you doo still baptise in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And therefore wee seeke not to bee rebaptized knowing that the baptisme which wee receiued at your hands is as effectuall as that which wée our selues doo minister to our Infants Wee are not therefore departed from the true Catholique church of Christ but from your Antichristian church and wee are returned againe to that true Catholique church from which your sorte departed when Boniface the third tooke vpon him that Antichristian name of vniuersall bishop And vs that were borne amongest you yee haue kept from our deere mother and haue enforced vs to taste of the poysoned mylke of the dugs of that purple clothed Whore your Damme of Rome But our louing Father hath in his good time by his good meanes brought vs out from amongst you and restored vs againe to our good mother his deerely beloued spouse the true Catholique Holy and Apostolike church out of whose plentifull Dugs wee doo daily sucke the swéete pleasant healthsome mylke that feedeth vs vnto euerlasting lyfe This mother that wee are returned to is that romish Catholique church that was in the dayes wherein Saint Iohn wrote those woordes that you take holde of From hir did you departe bicause you were not hir naturall chyldren but Bastards borne in hir house but not of hir housholde and therefore like a Bastardly broode you went out of hir house and became most bloodie persecutors of hir children and so you haue continued for the space now of a thousand yeeres almost yea and so you doo continue still By the mercifull goodnes of our Father working in vs by his holy spirite wée doo now belieue as the children of our mother then in Rome did belieue They belieued then that there is but one God the hath made all creatures and him they glorified in the vse of his creatures and they gaue thanks to him alone for those creatures and studied to serue him onely in spirite and with spirituall seruice flying from th' example of the Heathen nations that presumed to counterfaite his maiestie by Images Ro. 1. Rom. 1. and so doo wée They belieued and confessed that all men are sinners that no man can iustifie him selfe before God bicause no man can so kéepe the law of God but that his owne conscience shall condemne him as a transgressor therefore they did cleaue to the mercie of God and so doo wée They belieued that they were iustified that is discharged of their sinnes fréely by faith without the déedes of the law and yet they thought themselues bound to doo all that God had and should make them able to doo in obseruing fulfilling of the law and so doo wée Rom. 2.3.4.5.6.7 Rom. 2.3.4.5.6.7 They belieued that God making choise of them had in mercie made them his owne children by adoption inheritors of his kingdome heires annexed with his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesus and hereof they were assured by the spirite of Christ which was giuen vnto them cried in their hearts Abba-pater Father Father so doo wée Ro. 8. Rom 8. They belieued that this election choise was made in the fore knowledge and purpose of God before they themselues were and so consequently before they either had or could doo good or euill and so doo wée Rom. 9. Rom. 9. They belieued that as they were by the free mercie of God Adopted Predestinated called iustified and acquited of their sinnes and in Gods predestination glorified and made like to the Image of his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesus Rom. 8. Rom 8. so their dutie was to bée carefull to leade a righteous life before men and not to bee bolde to commit sinne bicause God had in mercie discharged them of sinne but to liue in a reuerend awe and feare of his iustice as they that would shew them selues continually thankfull for his mercie in making their owne bodies a Sacrifice to God liuing holy and acceptable to God as their reasonable seruing of God Rom. 10.11.12 Rom. 10.11.12 and euen so doo wée They belieued that their duetie was to submit them selues to all such as God had set ouer them in authoritie to obay them not only for feare of punishment but for conscience sake also knowing that who soeuer resisteth the powre resisteth the ordinaunce of God dooth purchase to him selfe damnation And they belieued that their duetie was to giue euerie man his owne and to vse louing behauiour towards all men knowing that loue is the fulfilling of the law And that being baptized they had apparelled them selues with Christ and that they ought to walke and continue their liues in holinesse and in honestie not making prouision for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof Rom. 13. Rom. 13. and euen so doo wée They belieued that although God had giuen them libertie in the vse of all his creatures yet their duetie was to haue a continuall regarde to the infirmitie of their bretheren and not to vse any of those creatures to the offence of any of them Rom. 14.15 Rom. 14.15 and euen so doo wée They belieued that they togither with all other Christians els where in any parte of the worlde were fellowe members of one bodie in Christ and vnder Christ alone acknowledging no vniuersall head of
that body but only Christ Iesus alone Rom. 12. Rom. 12. and euen so doo wée Thus may you sée M. Offerer that wée are not departed from the Catholique church of Rome which was in the time of S. Iohn but from your schismaticall and Antichristian Ramaine church that did departe from that first Romaine church in the dayes of Phocas the Emperor Boniface the third your first Antichristian Pope And now the learned Protestant hauing sufficiently prooued that his sorte are not departed from the common knowne Catholique church neither from that faith and religion wherein they were baptized but doo still remaine in the profession of the same faith and religion that they did by baptisme first receiue you must needes by the drift of Argument and Reason graunt that this first signe and token of false Prophets Heretiques and Schismatikes was before spoken by the Apostle Iohn onely of you and of men of your sorte and not of the learned Protestant and of his companie For you are fallen from the fayth of the first Romaine Church in that you haue reposed trust in Creatures and doo repose trust in them still You doo call vpon them making prayers to them You make Images of them setting them vp in places of honor and you doo kneele before them yea you burne Wax and Incense before them c. You repose trust in your owne strength and persuade your selfe that you are able to fulfill the law of God and when you haue broken any parte thereof you persuade your selfe that you are able by penance that you suffer to satisfie to God for the breaking of his law c. Take to your selfe therefore this first signe and token of false Prophets Heretiques and Schismatikes wée will none of it It is not ours but youres and you shall haue it The second signe and token Offerer Second sure marke signe and token of false Prophets Heretiques and schismatikes is that they being thus departed from the Catholique church doo of them selues of their owne authority without warrant being not sent set vp a new gospell a new faith religion by preaching of a new doctrine to assemble and set vp a new church and congregation Of this signe and token and great presumption speaketh the Apostle Saint Paule Quomodo enim praedicabunt nisi mittantur Rom. 10. How shall men preach except they be sent And in his Epistle to the Hebrews hee saith Nec quisquam sibi sumit honorem nisi qui vocatur a Deo quemadmodum Aaron Let no man take vnto him selfe honor except he bee called of God like as Aaron was Certaine it is that Aaron was called vnto the Office and dignitie of a bishop ordinarily by Moses Exod. 4. and by externall and visible vnction Moses him selfe was ordinarily called and sent of God approoued by myracle as it appeereth in the fourth Chapter of Exodus And therefore the Apostle S. Paule nameth Aaron and not Moses to signifie that all extraordinarie vocations by myracies as Moses was are now ceased and wee must from henceforth bee ordinarily called by externall vnction as Aaron was When therefore the learned protestant shall be able to prooue their iust and due vocation ordinarily or extraordinarily to proceede of God and not onely of men I shall then yeelde and recant and not before Crowley In the first Period or perfect sentence of this sure mark as this Offerer dooth terme it hee chargeth vs vniustly with three crimes Whereof the first is A departing from the Catholique church The second is the setting vp of a new faith and religion And the third is the assembling of a new church and cōgregation I haue in mine answere to the first signe sufficiently prooued that not wée Protestants but this Offerer his fellowes bee guilty in these thrée points For they are departed from the true Catholique church they haue set vp a new faith and religion and they haue assembled and set vp doo still labour to assemble and set vp a new church and congregation In the rest of this sure marke of his hée wresteth far out of tune two sentences that Saint Paule hath written the one to the Romaines and the other to the Hebrews To the Romaines S. Paule hath written thus in the 10. Rom. 20. Chap. Quomodo c. How shall men preach except they bée sent And to the Hebrews hee saith thus Cap. 5. Hebr 5 Nec quisquam c. Let no man take vnto him selfe honor except hée be called of God like as Aaron was By these two places our Offerer will prooue the wee protestants haue no lawfull ministers in our Church bicause our ministers be not ordinarily called by outward visible vnction as Aaron was so sent foorth to preach and minister as their smered shauen Priests bée But I hope the indifferent reader shall plainly sée how violently this man dooth racke these sayings of S. Paule to make them séeme to serue his purpose In the 10. Cap. of his Epistle to the Romans S. Paule maketh it plain vnto them that God doth in mercy embrace all men that belieuing his promise doo call vpon him and thus he saith Non enim est distinctio Iudaei Greci nam idem Dominus omnium diues in omnes qui inuocant illum c. There is no difference of Iew Gréeke for one is Lord of all rich towards all that doo cal vpon him For euery one whosoeuer shal call vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued how therefore shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not belieued Or how shall they giue credit to him whom they haue not heard And how shal they heare wtout a preacher Esay 52. And how shal they preach except they be sent as it is written How glorious are the féet of them that preach peace and that preach good things Chrysostome in his 18. Homilie vpon the Epistle to the Romaines Chrysost in homilia 18. in 10. cap. Ad Rom. and expounding these very woords of saint Paule saith thus Obserua vero supra inquit dixit propheta quod quisquis inuocauerit nomen domini salnus sit futurus Sed dicet forte quisquam quomodo poterūt inuocare eum in quem non crediderunt Deinde post hanc obiectionē sequitur ipsius interrogatio nimirum quare non crediderint Post haec alia obiectio poterit enim omnino dici quomodo credent cum non audierint Atqui audierunt inquit Deinde alia rursus obiectio Et quo modo potuissent audire sine praedicante Cuius iterum subiungitur solutio Atqui praedicarunt multi ad hoc missi scilicet vnde manifestum quod isti sint missi illi Tum recte prophetam inducit dicentem Quam speciosi pedes annuntiantium pacem annuntiantiū bona Vides quo modo a praedicationis modo ipsos praedicatores declaret Circuibant enim nihil dicentes aliud quam ineffabilia
an ende And our Offerer woulde prooue by this place that all such immediate callinges such as the calling of Moses was wherein God vsed no meane are nowe ceased and that wée must from hencefoorth bee ordynarily called by externall vnction as Aaron was And what is this other then to set vp the carnall Priesthoode of Aaron againe and to disanull the spirituall and euerlasting Priesthoode of Christ directly contrary to the meaning of the Apostle in this place alleaged by this Offerer Wée doo not holde or teach that euery man may thrust himselfe into the ministery without orderly calling or that any man may take vnto himselfe the honor of the calling not being called of God as Aaron was but wée doo both holde teach that such as shall minister in the Church of Christ haue an inward calling from God and be outwardly admitted by man But that this admission must bée by outward vnction such as was vsed in Arons Préesthoode or such as the Antichristian Catholiques haue deuised and doo vse that wee doo flatlie denye because the Apostles neuer taught any such maner of admission S. Paule hath taught 1. Timoth 3. 1 Timot 3 That such onely are to bee admitted into the ministery as be qualified so as in that place he hath prescribed Yea none is admitted but such as do confesse that they are inwardly drawne there vnto and haue determined to continue the whole course of theyr life in that seruice of God and to imploy themselues wholy therein séeking to set foorth Gods glorie in the edification of his Church And then they are not admitted without inuocation and praiers made vnto God and imposition of handes and such other Ceremonies as haue some ground or foundation in the holy scriptures Which we vse not as thinges of necessitye that may not be altered or lefte but as thinges indifferent whych may bée vsed so long as the vse of them may edifie lefte when such as haue authority ouer vs shall sée the contrarie But your Antichristian vnctions wée can no skyll of Thus hauing prooued as I thinke sufficiently that we Catholique Protestants not béeing departed from the first Roomish catholique Church but continuinge in the same fayth and religion that was professed and holden by that catholique Church are not Schismaticall but catholique And haue our authoritie from Christ as that first Roomish catholique Church had doo by that authority call admit such ministers as by such outwarde tokens as saint Paule hath mentioned 1. Timoth 3. doo appeare or séeme vnto vs to bée called of God And haueing thus admitted them wée appoint them to minister in the church of Christ so nighe as possibly may bée euen according as Christ Iesus commaunded hys Apostles to minister hys worde and Sacramentes Now M. Offerer hauing thus prooued our iust and due vocation ordinarily to procéede of God I require you to yéelde and to recant as you haue promised to doo The third signe or token of false Prophets Offerer The third signe and token of false Prophets Heretickes Sismatickes is that they being first departed froÌ„ the Catholique Church secondarily not called do foorthwith all of themselues preach and teach contentiously and sediciously against the doctrine before time taught of the common knowen Catholique Church of Christ as against the Sacramentes of Christ his Church by a flat deniall of many of them against the reall presence of Christ his body in the holy Eucharist against the blessed sacrifice of the Masse propitiatorie bothe for the liue and deade against penaunce and the worthy fruites thereof by fastinge watch prayer and all straightnes of lyfe against vowes inuocation of Saintes prayer for soules departed and finally against the Church it selfe flatlie denying that Christ hath here vpon earth any spouse or visible Church here to bee heard speake perceiued or seene The Apostle S. Paule in admonition giuing vnto vs to bee ware of this signe and token sayth Hebr 13 Doctrinis varijs peregrinis nolite abduci Bee not you led and caryed away with these diuers and strang doctrines so termed of the Apostle S. Paule because they are not agreeing but contrary to the receiued and commoÌ„ knowen doctrine of Christ his catholique Church When therfore the learned Protestant shal be able to prooue that they and theyr congregations are not the raysers vppe of these contentions and strifes by theyr preaching of these straung doctrines but wee that are members of the Catholique Church then I wyll submit and recant and not before Crowley To the first parte of this signe or token this Offerer may thinke himselfe sufficiently answered already more then once Wée Protestant Catholiques are not departed from the true Catholique Church neyther are we without our ordinarie calling from God and by men Béeing ordinarily thereunto called wée doo preach not contentiouslye and seditiously but constantly and sincerely Not against that doctrine which in tyme paste hath béene taught in the commonly knowen Catholique Church of Christ but against the new doctrine of Antichrist preached in the commonly knowen Antichristian catholique Church Against the Sacramentes of Christ we preach not neither doo we flatly deny any of them but wée doo teache the right vse of them and we doo deny those other to be Sacramentes which your antichristian Church hath enforced vpon vs as Sacramentes which doo not agrée with the definition of a Sacrament As is already declared in the aunswer to the first and to the eleauenth offers Against the reall presence of Christes body in the holie Eucharist after that grosse and carnall manner that you do teach it to bée present we doo preach in déede and are by S. Augustine admonished so to doo Ad Dardanum Epist 57. August Epistle 57. Cauendum est c. Wée must take héede that wée doo not so builde vp the diuinity of the manhoode in Christ that wee doo take away the trueth of his bodie We doo knowe and we doo teach that our Sauiour Christ is present in the holy Eucharist and dooth therein exhibite himselfe to the worthy receiuer that is to the faithfull that hath by due examination prepared himselfe and so commeth to the Lords table receiueth that holy Eucharist And we teach the such a one so prepared receiueth as the faithfull Apostles dyd Panem Dominum that breade which is the Lord. But the vnfaithfull doo as Iudas dyd receiue Panem Domiâ—i contra Dominum The Lordes bread against the Lord. Augustine Tract in Iohn 59. Against the Sacrifice of the Masse which you doo call blessed August in Ioh Tract 59 and propitiatorie both for the liue and the deade we doo preach in déede and that not without iust cause For in the tenth chapter of the Epistle to the Heberews Hebr 10 it is written That Christ Iesus hath by one Sacrifice made perfect as many as be made holy And that the deuine maiestie hath so blotted out the sins of his elected so made perfect
fratres per nomen domini nostri Jesu Christi vt idipsum dicatis omnes nō sint in vobis schismata sitis autem perfecti in eodem sensu in eadem sententia 1. Cor 1. I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you say all one thinge and that there bee no schisme amongst you but be perfect in one minde and one meaning Nowe if the learned Protestant shal be able to prooue that where as about the time of threescore yeeres and aboue we were all not onely in this realme but vniuersally in al other realmes professing Christ of one church of one fayth and religion and of one vnitie therein if hee shal be able to prooue that this late Schisme whereby wee are so deuided and dispersed that some are become Lutherans some Zuinglians some Caluinists some Puritans and Annabaptists dyd proceede from vs and from the common knowen Catholique Church of Christ and not wholy from theyr priuate Church and congregations and of the deceitfull and false doctrine by them preached and taught I shall then stay no longer but yeelde and recant and not before Crowley They that be the bringers of Schismes and diuisions into the Church of Christ c may rightly be said to be false Prophettes Heretiques and Schismatiques And th'apostle Paule dooth very well and loouingly exhorte and beséech vs euen in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to be all of one minde and that there be no Schismes amongst vs c. But now the learned Protestant must prooue that the late Schisme whereby the people of all Christian realmes are diuided into Lutherans Zuinglians Caluinistes Puritans and Anabaptists did procéede from the common knowen Catholique Church of Christ and not wholy from the Protestants congregations and from their deceitfull doctrine otherwise there is no hope that euer this Offerer will recant and yéelde Well let vs sée what may be said to this offer First as I doo vnderstand the wordes of this Offerer hee affirmeth that till it was within the space of thréescore and some odde yéeres last past there had béene no Schisme brought into the Church of Christ so that before that tyme al were of one Church of one fayth and religion and of one vnitie therein And thus he hath discharged all those olde Heretiques that troubled the Church of Christ in the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel amongst the nations from thense forth till it was within thréescore odde yéeres before the tyme wherein he made this offer None of them may bée taken for false Prophets Heretiques or Schismatiques if thys bée the meaning of this offerers wordes as I thynke it must néedes bée But how soeuer this offerer and his fellowes doo account of these men that then brought Schismes into the Church of Christ we Protestants doo déeme them to be false Prophets Heretiques and Schismatickes yea and members of antichrist and we doo by all meanes possible shunne theyr doctrine and teach all other Christians to shunne them also It may bée that this offerer meant not of any other false Prophets Heretiques or Schismatickes then such as haue troubled the Church of Christ within these thréescore and odde yéeres last past and therefore hee beginneth with Luther Zuinglius c. But if that were his meaning then I must tell him that he and his fellowes the antichristian catholiques are the false Prophets Heretiques and Schismatiques that haue troubled the Catholique Church of Christ all this while many hundrethes of yéeres before euen euer since the dayes of Phocas the Emperour and the dayes of Boniface the thyrd theyr first Apostatate Bishop of Roome As for Luther Zuinglius and Caluine they dyd but departe from the antichristian Schismaticall Church wherin then had béene fostered and ioyned themselues to the true catholique Church of Christ euen as the Apostle Paule leauing the Hipocriticall profession of a Pharisey wherin he had béene brought vp euen at the féete of Gamaliell the good Pharisey ioyned himselfe to the Church and religion of Christ which was not a forsaking of the lawe but a cleauing vnto him that is the perfection of the Lawe Luther Zuinglius and Caluine dyd not take vpon them to be authors of any new religions but they embraced and laboured to maintayne that olde religion that had béene planted by the Apostles and professed by theyr immediate successors And as they could they dyd endeuour to purge it of al such filth as you M. Offerer and your predissessors had begrimed it with If in this busines they dyd not so well in all poyntes as they wished yet theyr meaning béeing good they are to bée helde excused Though they dyd nowe and then buylde timber strawe and stubble yet so long as they did laye no new foundation but dyd set all theyr building vppon the rocke Christ which is the right foundation and the onely foundation for Christians to build vpon they shal be saued as S. Paule hath assured vs. 1 Cor 3. 1 Cor 3. We Protestant Catholiques doo estéeme of these men none otherwise then as of faithfull labourers in the Lords haruest and carefull followers of Christ Iesus If they did in any poynt goe astray as béeing men they might and vndoubtedly dyd our profession is not to followe them Their profession was to followe Christ and so is ours The learned Protestant therefore may conclude that not the knowē catholique Church of Christ but the knowen antichristian Church of Roome whereof this Offerer and his fellowes are members haue by theyr doctrine brought into the Church of Christ Schisme Diuision and seperation of one member from another and of the whole misticall body from the true heade Iesus Christ For you enforce all such as wyll enioy any outwarde peace in this lyfe to submit themselues to the state of the papasie as to theyr vniuersall heade here vpon earth directly contrarie to the commaundement of Christ Math 23. Math 23 Sée that you do not name any man your common father vpon earth for one is your father which is in heauen Neither be ye called masters for Christ only is your maister If we will enioy peace amōgst you we must learne to say thus Our most holy father the Popes holines is heade of the vniuersall Church of Christ And we must acknowledge that his colledge of Cardinalles and the Prelates that he calleth togeather in hys generall councelles binding them by an oath to maintaine the estate of your antichristian Church are our masters or teachers for suche masters our sauiour Christ spake of at that tyme and what so euer they shall teach that must wée beléeue although we doo knowe and sée that they doo teach directly contrarie to that which is taught by the holy ghost in the Scriptures The peace therefore the concorde and the vnitie that you doo maintaine is not in verity and trueth but in impietie and false religion By your Schisme wherein you are growen excéeding
ought to bée Puritans also we must néedes like well of if they bee such as the apostle Iames discribeth Iacob 1 Iacob 1 If any man doo thinke himselfe to bée religious and yet refrayneth not his tongue but suffereth his owne hart to be disceiued this mans religion is vaine This religion is cleane and vnspotted before God and the father For a man to visite the fatherles and widowes in theyr trouble and to kéepe himselfe vnspotted of this world Such as haue a care to refraine theyr tongues frō all euill spéeches and all the partes of their bodies from euill actions And doo delite to be occupied in dooing good to all such as do stand in néede which is meant by the fatherles and widowes are the right puritans such as al christians shold endeuour to be in Christ Iesus all vnfained christians are pure being so made by the blood of Christ wherin such are washed made cleane so that in them there is neither spot nor wrinckle for Christ hath made them a glorious spouse for himself Eph 5. Ephe 5 And yet if these will speake truely they must euerie one of them say with the Apostle Paule Rom 7. There is nothing in me that is to say in my flesh vnderstanding therby his nature which is good And with th'apostle Ioh 1 Epi. 1. 1 Iohn 1 If we say that we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and ther is no truth in vs. Beeing baptised in Christ Iesus we haue put Christ vpō vs Christ is our garment Gala 3. Gala 3 Our care shold be to continue in that purity that we haue in Christ and to kepe the garmēt of ours vnspotted I haue thought it good to take this occasion to writ thus much in the defence of right precisenes and purenes of life because I doo sée that our subtile enimie the deuill laboureth to bring into contempt that precisenes in obseruing of Gods commaundements that al christians shold striue to attaine vnto and that purenes of life that is most séemely for al christians to walke in And he hath preuailed so much already that to great a number amongst vs doo make little or no consience at all in the transgressing of any commādement of our good God Some there be in déede that are noted by the names of Precisians Puritans which may more rightly be called péeuish ones These we Protestants doo not lyke of but would as gladly be ridde of them as you would be of vs. And the number of them is not so great as this offerer would haue it seme to be neither are they furdered and fauored of so many as hee reporteth although their number be greater then we wold wish it to be It is perceiued that they doo professe and hold the true and right religion of Christ and would gladly that it were purged of all Roomish drosse and that the pure wheat that is in Gods threshing floore were clensed from all roomish chaffe but béeing caried away with faruent zeale they runne before them that should lead them and doo hinder the cause that they would gladly furder When God wil these shal by his good meanes be brought to consider better of the matter and you roomish Catholiques shal be confounded This offerer concludeth against him selfe and his fellows for not we but they are the sectaries heretiques that by moouing flitting and passing from euill to worse are now at the laste come euen ad profundum malorum to the very bottome of euil and to a plaine open apostacy and falling away from Christ and ioyning with antichrist Yea and it appereth that you are perswaded that béeing ioyned to that antichrist of Roome as to your spirituall head you néede not to passe either for God or Deuill heauen or hell for your Pope hath absolute power both in heauen on earth and in his owne prison purgatory to Now let the offerer and his fellowes marke what I shall say For as much as the heresies of the popish Catholiques haue béene from time to time so fickle moouing their end in falling away frō Christ so horrible in the sight of God let any roomish Catholique liuing reply directly plainely with out all cauill colour or fraude of words without all vnprofitable impertinent digressions not only to this but to all the answers that I haue made to the foresayd signes tokens and demaundes and then will I for companie and good fellowship leaue the true catholique church of Christ wherin is the plaine way of saluation beaten by all our forefathers the true Catholique protestants for the space of these 5530 and odde yeres euen from the time of the first man and now wander with the romane Catholiques in their vncertaine by pathes of Popish deuises through vnknowē deserts of popish opinions through rough woods brambles briers of popish religions to séeke in the ende we can not tell what The offerers exhortation And here to conclude and for my parte to minister vnto you some occasion in the relinquishing of these priuate churches and congregations of sectaries to returne to the vnity attonement of the commō knowen catholique Church of Christ where stability and constancy of faith religion is onely to be found I shall here lay before you the worthy example of the blessed martir Sebastian by him brought of a loafe of bread to Genserichus then king of the Vandalles a furious and a barbarous nation which breaking into Affricke they found there many valiant Captaines placed by the Emperour Theodosius the second for the defence sauegard of the country amōgst the rest was this Sebastiā by dignity an earle a couragious and valiant Captaine who with the rest yeelding to the force of Genserichus was as Victor de persecutione Vandalorum writeth for his great wisedome and valiantnes not so much beloued as feared of the king Genserichus who being an Arrian intended by collour of religion to work his death For Genserichus knowing Sebastian to be a seuere perfect christian man conuented him before the Arrian Bishops vnder the pretence that Amity and freendship might be the surer and continue the longer betwixt them Genserichus mooued him to become an Arrian to professe the same fayth and religion as he and his people were of For answer thys holy martyr Sebastian requested Genserichus the king to command a fine wheaten loafe to be brought vnto him And taking it in his hand And here to omit many of his words notable sayings he requested the King Genserichus to commaund the loafe of bread to be broken in peeces to be ground brought to floure and boulted a fresh to be seasoned with water salt and baked againe if then it should in the ende prooue better bread then it was before he would not faile to accomplish the king Genserichus his wil and pleasure but if it were not possible by breaking the loafe baking it againe to better it but to make
worse bred then before he wold not nor cold not consent therunto in fine suffered death in defence of the christian faith religion by him already professed receiued rather then he would condiscend to the imparing infringing or breaking of any parte thereof And so Genserichus caused this blessed man Sebastian to die a holy Martyr Thus much I haue breefly deducted out of the historye of victor to the intent that so apte and familier an example of so holy blessed a martir might in these perplexities and doubts in these ofte changes and mutations of religion comfort the weaklings of Christ his Church bring them to some more better stay when by this example of Sebastians Loafe certaine and sure we may be that the loafe of the vnitie of Christ his Church the loafe of his Gospell faith and religion being by Schisme and Heresie neuer so oft broken neuer so finely grinded boulted searced and sifted kneaded and baked againe againe they shall neuer be able to better it or to bring it to that perfection which it had before And therefore all theyr attempts to the contrary are most vaine the only remembrance of this Sebastians loafe shold suffise to confirme the faithful to stay the wauering and weakelings and to plucke the disceiued bake againe to cause theÌ„ in leuing of this theâ—r fickle waue ringnes of this their proceedings as they terme it from one sect to an other from one congregation to an other from their scattering abroad with antichrist to stay themselues and to gather themselues with our Sauiour Christ into the vnity of his common knowen catholique Church where they shal be sure to finde vnity of religion vniformity of al ceremonies and obseruation of the same with th'attonment of christian faith throughout in all Sacraments articles of our Creede to the paâ—â—sying of many contentions and sâ—â—â—â—â— amongst vs to the quietation of mens consciences in causing vs all professors of Christ as brethren here to liue together in quietnes peace vnity to the more better assuraunce of the publique estate of this realme and to the great glory and honour of almighty God to whom be al praise honour and glory world without ende Amen Crowley That example that you say you will lay before vs to giue vs occasion to leaue these priuate churches and congregations of sectaries and to returne to the vnity c is a very méete example to be vsed by the learned Protestant that if it be possible he may thereby drawe you backe againe from your apostacy wherein you run a whoring after Roomish Idols and delite your selfe in antichristian breathing out of blasphemy against God and all godlines to embrace that vnity attonement that is in verity professed by that common knowen catholique church of Christ wherin stability and constancy of faith and religion were to be found in that time wherin Sebastian suffered manfully for the testimony of Christ and was made a martir that is a witnes of Christ As for the truth of the historie that you cite out of Victor I wil not impech it although I do find in histories that Sebastian suffered martirdom in the daies of Diocletian which was 100 yeres more before either Theodotius secundus or Genserichus did beare any rule at al. But let the history be as true as you would wish it to be the example is the thing that may serue the learned protestants purpose verie well Sebastian being conuented before the Arian Bishops is by king Genserichus required to become an Arian but for answere he requesteth the king to commaund a fine wheaten loafe to be brought vnto him which being doone hee requesteth the king to commaund the same loafe to bee broken into péeces c. Here the learned Protestant will say that the wheat wherof this loafe was made did not grow in the field of that romish Catholique Church that this Offerer doth brag so much off neither was it thresshed in the threshing flowre ground in that myll sifted with that Siue or boulted with that boulter nor knode in that kneading fatte nor baked in that ouen For at that time which was about the end of the first 300 yéeres after Christ the Church that was in Rome was nothing like that romane Church that now is and hath bene euer since the daies of the Emperour Phocas The learned protestant will say that this loafe was made of that wheate which was sowed by that sower that went foorth to sowe his séede Mat. 13. Ma. 13 and being threshed in his threshing floore with the flaile of bitter persecution was fanned or wynowed by him that hath his fanne in his hand to purge his threshing floore Mat. 3. Ma. 3 and grownd in the Mill of oppression sifted or bowlted with the siue or bowlter of tentation knoden with the water of vnfayned hearty contrition in the end baked in the Ouen of hotte feruent loue zeale to true religion And all this was done in the time that was past when Sebastian required the king to call for a fine wheaten loafe Many had assaied before that time to make this bread better by breaking of this loafe and by working of it againe but they could neuer bring it to passe for the baker that did first bake it is so skilfull in baking such bread that it is not possible for any to amend that bread that he baketh or to bake any of the like goodnes They that attempted this matter before Sebastians time were these whose names doo ensue Symon Magus Alexander the Coppersmyth Hymenaeus and Philetus Nicolas the deacon Cerinthus Menander Ebion Gnostici Basilides Saturninus Valentinus Syrenus Carpocrates Marcellina Montanus Seuerus Tacianus Alogiana secta Hierarchas Berillus Noetus Tertulianistae Origianistae Nouatus Sabellicus Nepos Paulus Samosatenus Martion Manes All these had endeuoured before the daies of Sebastian to make better bread of this loafe then the heauenly baker had made but it would not be And euen so haue a number moe done since the dayes wherein Sebastian suffred martyrdome but all in vaine Yea and none haue at any time done more in this matter theÌ„ this Offerer his fellowes haue done doo still but all their labour is lost so shall it be still let them doo what they can to amend it they shall finde in the end that it is so perfect that no man can be able to amend it or to make the like The learned protestant therefore neither wil nor can consent to leaue that church or congregation which the Offerer calleth priuate which is in déed most publike hath in it that stability constancie of faith religion that none other church either hath or can haue for it hath continued euen from the beginng is rightly figured by that loafe of Sebastian that the Offerer hath spoken of for the heauenly baker alone hath mowlded made baked it hath giuen it vertue to féed vnto euerlasting life al such as doo or shall taste thereof take pleasure therein yea rather then the learned protestaÌ„t would forsake this heaueÌ„ly Bethlehem or house of bread ioyne himselfe to the Romish Bethauen or house of vanity confusion he will yéeld to suffer most painful death in his body for that christian religion faith that he hath already receiued professed Which is in déed the right Catholique faith religion of Christ Iesus to the impairing infringing or breaking of any part wherof he wil in no case condiscend or agrée Thus this Offerer his fellowes may sée how aptly this example of Sebastian serueth for the staying confirming of such protestants in the church of Christ as be weake are by these often chauÌ„ges of religion brought into perplexities doubts For by this example of Sebastians loafe we may be most certaine sure that although the loafe of the vnity of Christs church the loafe of his gospell religion be by schismes heresies neuer so often broken neuer so finely grinded bowlted searced sifted kneaded baked againe and againe yet it is most apparant that no goodnes can be added to the first goodnes that is in this bread which the heauenly baker hath baked Let this Offerer his fellows therefore haue a due consideration of Sebastians loafe for thereby they may be confirmed in the right faith of Christ staied from wauering pluckt back againe from their erroures and caused to procéede from one degrée of perfection to another yea to stay theÌ„selues from scattering abroad with Antichrist to séeke saluation here there and they know not where It may cause them also to gather them selues togither with our sauiour Christ into the vnity of his coÌ„mon knowne Catholike church wherein they shal be sure to finde vnity of true religion Attonement of right Christian faith in al sacraments Articles of our créed no superfluous or dumbe ceremoÌ„ies or superstitious obseruances To the pacifying of all contentions striffs to the quieting of all consciens causing al the professors of Christ to liue here in quietnes peace vnity to the better assurance of the publike estate of this realme to the great glory honor of almighty God to whom be all praise honor and glory world without ende Amen FINIS
assisted mee but all men left mee alone God graunt it bee not layde to their charge c. If this Offerer his fellowes haue any eyes to sée they may sée that when the Apostle Paule being in prison in Rome did write this Epistle to Timoth. the Bishops and priests that then were in Rome were scarce worthy the name of Christians bicause they durst not stand to the profession of Christian Religion as S. Paule did but left him all alone betraying the Christian cause as much as in them lay Yea and hereof it may bée probably gathered that Peter was not then at Rome and consequently that hee was not Bishop of Rome for the space of xxv yéeres togither as the Romish Catholiques doo affirme that hee was Yea rather it may bée thought that hee neuer was Bishop of Rome for this Epistle was written in Rome the 13. yeere of the raigne of Nero which was the 35. yeere after saint Paule was conuerted to Christ But if hee were then Bishop of Rome hée was at that time either fled from Rome fearing the persecution or els being in that Citie hée durst not shew him selfe to bée of one minde with Paule and so by his example the rest that then were Christians in Rome withdrew them selues from Paule and left him all alone Thirteene yeeres before this the Apostle Paule had written to the Romaines being then at Corinth in the last yeere of the raigne of Claudius the Emperour And as it appeareth in the first Chapter of that Epistle the fame of that Church was such at that time that saint Paule wrote thus Primum quidem gratias ago Deo meo Rom. 1 per Iesum Christum pro omnibus vobis quia fides vestra annuntiatur in vniuerso mundo First of all I giue thankes to my God thorough Iesus Christ on the behalfe of you all for that your faith is declared through out the whole world The Church therefore or Congregation of Christians that then were in Rome were of the best sort of Christians And bicause that Citie was then the chiefe City that then was in the world therefore the fame of their faith was spred ouer all the world But yet as appeareth by that which is before alleaged they had their faults and infirmities which were seene in them more at one time then at another At the first when they receiued the doctrine of the gospell they were earnest professors and followers of the same as commonly men haue bin in our daies and are still but when persecution began to arise for the professing thereof they began to shew them selues to bee like that seede that being sowne fell in stony ground and yet being againe moystened with that dew of Gods grace which fell from aboue they tooke déepe roote and so became more fruitfull in the ende For many of that age gaue their liues for the testimony of the truth and were Martirs or witnesses of Iesus Christ as in the Church Histories dooth appeere But that these were the writers of the Scriptures appeareth not in any Histories for they were written before some by the Prophets and some by the Apostles and such bookes as were written after the time wherein the other Apostles liued were written by the Apostle Iohn which liued after all the rest As touching the especiall care that you say the Catholique Church hath from time to time had not only of preaching the word but also of preseruing the same c all learned Protestants doo know that no man could haue greater care to preach the woord to discerne the bookes of holy scripture from prophane writings and to preserue them from the corruption of the aduersaries then they that in the time of the tenne first persecutions professed the Catholique religion And amongst those Catholiques none were more forwarde therein then were they which then were dwelling in the City of Rome But what maketh this for proofe that the Romish Church hath alwaies bin and is still the keeper and preseruer of the scriptures The first Romish Church which was Catholique preached the gospell as the Apostles and Disciples of Christ had doone but that Romish church that now is and hath bin for the space of these last thousand yéeres almost being Antichristian dooth and hath all this while preached mens traditions is to bee noted with that saying that the Prophet Esay vsed in reprehending the Leuiticall Priestes of his time Esay 29. Esay 29. Cited by our sauiour Christ Math. 15. Math. 15. Populus hic labijs me honorat c. This people honour mee with their lips they draw nighe vnto mée with their mouth but their heart is farre from mée In vaine doo they worship mée in teaching the doctrines and commaundements of men c. The first Romish Church vsed the Sacraments that Christ had instituted religiously and to that end that our sauiour Christ had instituted them for but that Romishe Church which you call Catholique hath for the space of these 1000. yeeres almost and dooth still abuse those Sacraments namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord commonly called the Sacrament of the body and blood of our sauiour Christ For that Church dooth minister that sacrament to Churches to Belles and to Ships that saile on the seas and of the other sacrament they make an Idole lifting it vp ouer their heads to bee worshipped setting it vpon their high alter or hanging it ouer the same burning incense before it and vsing iestures of diuine honour before it and carying it abroade in pompous maner compelling the people to doo diuine honour to it Yea they offer it vp to God as a sacrifice for the sinnes both of the quick the dead and in tempests of weather and in coniurations they make it a bug to feare the diuell withall The first Catholique Church in their exercise of Religion did vse as few Ceremonies as might bee for they knew that our sauiour Christ had broken downe that midle walle or particion which was the lawe of Ceremonies contayned in the lawe written and had through the flesh bin the occasion that discord whereby the nations of the worlde were so seuered from the people of Israell that they could neuer ioyne with them in one religion till our sauiour Christ had made it voyde and made of both the people 's but one new man making peace that he might reconcile both in one body And Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2. But your Romish Catholique Church hath reedified a new middle walle or particion of a law of Ceremonies not contayned in the law written but diuised by men And that particion they doo still maintaine and vphold enforcing all men that will beare the name of Christ and bée called Christians to allow of and to vse those Ceremonies and all such as doo refuse those Ceremonies they doo excommunicate and deliuer to the secular powre to bée consumed to ashes with fire or otherwise to bée tormented onely bicause they refuse to vse
Emperor the murdred Mauricius his wife and children was the first that gaue the title of vniuersall bishop to Bonifacius the 3. then bishop of Rome And this was 600. yéeres after the birth of our sauiour Christ Your church was in hatching the later 300. yéeres of the 600. but neuer perfected before Phocas time Wherefore your antiquity is nothing Your vniuersalitie was neuer so large as the Romain Empire your vnity diuided into moe sects then euer the heathen Philosophers were Your succession of Bishops is such that no man can iustly prooue that Peter was the first nor that euer hee was Bishop of Rome Or if hée were Bishop of Rome no man can certainely say how longe he was there Bishop nor who it was that was the next Bishop after him And by the testimony of your owne Hystorians some in the succession of your Bishops were as wicked men as euer liued vpon earth and one was a woman an arrant whore And bisides all this your Apostolike seate of Rome that you bragge so much of hath bin voyde for the space of one yea two yeeres togither more You haue had also two yea three Popes at one time and much blood hath bin shed about the triall of their titles But our vniuersality is and euer hath bin as large as the whole world yea when in the iudgement of men of the best sorte our Church seemed to bée cleane rooted out as in the daies of king Achab it séemed to bée in the kingdome of Israell yet had God his number knowne vnto him although not knowne vnto men And therefore when Elias complayned and said The children of Israell haue forsaken thy couenant they haue ouerthrowne thine alter they haue slaine thy prophets I alone doo remaine and they seeke after my life 3. Reg. 19. 3. Reg. 19. Then did the Lord answere and saide vnto him I haue reserued for my selfe 7000. men that haue not bowed their knees to Baall As then and there so at all times and in all places the Lord hath had hath still and still will haue in despight of all Turkish and Popish enimies his number knowne vnto him selfe that number is his Catholique knowne church And this church hath God made able at all times to conuince all heresies and Heretikes And at this day hée dooth for euer hereafter hee will make the same church able to conuince all turkish popish Heretikes Heresies although not by the sword yet by the word as at this day you M. Offerer and all your popish Catholique brethren may sée if you haue eyes to sée willes to consider of that which you doo and must néedes sée Our vnitie also in the substance of religion is the same that was taught by the Patriarches by the Prophets and by Iesus Christ and his Apostles and was by the first Christians that were in Roome and in the rest of the Citties that then were vnder the dominion of the Romane Emperours receiued holden and professed That is with one full consent wée beléeue holâ—e and confesse all the Articles that are conteyned in the three Créedes namely the Apostles Créede the Nicene Creede and the Créede of Athanasius We beléeue as S. Paule hath taught the Ephes to beléeue that there is but one Lorde one faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all Ephe 4. and in vs all Ephe. 4. Our succession of Bishops is such as the succession of the Prophets was We make no account of that succession of Bishops in Rome which you doo bragge so much of for the Scribes and Pharisies might haue bragged of such a succession as well as you doo and might haue sayd to our Sauiour Christ as you do to vs where was your Gospel 400. yéeres past But we doo make account of that succession wherein God hath in his good times stirred vp some in the spirite of Elias to deale in doctrine with men of all sortes as Elias dyd with Achab and the Isralities and as Iohn Baptist dyd with Herode and with the Iewes in his time The high Préestes had theyr succession euen from Aaron as your Popes haue had from Peter some of them asspiring to that estate by one sinister meane and some by an other as by the Histories it appeareth But in the meane while God stirred vp Prophets but now and then for the worde of God was precious in the dayes of Elie the high Préest when the Lord stirred vp Samuel to bee a Prophet And when Iohn Baptist was stirred vp there had béene no Prophet amongst the Iewes for the space of many yéeres together This was the execution of Gods iust iudgement vpon the Iewes because they had not regarded those Prophets which he had styrred vp amongst them In like manner in the time that hath béene since the Incarnation of our Sauiour Christ because men had giuen ouer themselues to beleeue lies did not regard the trueth God tooke from them such as had laboured to leade them in the waie of trueth and gaue them ouer to the efficacie of error Yea béeing wilfully blinde hee gaue them blinde guides that might leade them the right way into the ditch of distruction Thus you may sée if you haue a lust to behold the truth that not your new found Popish Catholique Church but our most auncient Christian Catholique Church is that Church that hath continued thoroughout firme and stedfast whiles all other couenticles and congregations aswell of Arians c as of Mahumetans and Popish Antichristians and the rest of Heretickes of all sortes haue decayed and béene conuinced and ouerthrowne and that by none other Church then by the knowne Catholique Church of Christ builded vpon the rocke Christ which Peter confessed Math. 16. Math. 16. And vpon none other foundation Wherefore I doo require you now to yéelde and recant according to your promise The fifte Offer Offerer Fifte if it may sufficiently be prooued that any other Church then the common knowne Catholique Church of Christ hath instituted and ordayned all goodly ceremonies and solemne obseruations in the same daily practised and vsed as the festiuall daies of Christmas Candelmas Easter Whitsontyde the feastes of the Apostles and holy Euangelistes Saint Michael the Archangell and of all hallowes and blessed Saintes the obseruation of the holy fast in lent and Ember dayes the fast of th'apstoles and of all the aforefayd festâ—uall Euens besides the weekely fast of Fridayes and Saterdayes and the rest yet obserued and allowed on both sides to the honor and glory of God then I will recant and not before Crowley Vnder the name of goodly ceremonies you comprehend all manner of ceremonies good and badde such as are daylie practised and vsed in your Church Your Baptising of Churches or buriall places of Belles and of Shippes to sayle on the Seas are goodly ceremonies Your hallowing of bread water or salte of Waxe and Wax candles bowes beades garmentes fire and
woman that had borne a sonne which is our sauiour Christ and the woman is his Catholique church This Church did the Dragon the diuell persecute by the ministrie of the Romaine Emperors by the space of 294. yéeres vnder Nero Domitian Tâ—aâ—ant Seuerus Commodus Decius and Dioclesian All this while the Dragon did persecute the Catholique church séeke by all meanes possible to roote it out but Almighty God had in mercifull prouidence prouided for his Church two wings of a great Egle whereby shée tooke flight into the wildernes into the place that was prepared for hir where shée was norished all that time out of the sight of the serpent Yea the serpent did cast out of his mouth after the woman as it had bin a riuer of water that shee might haue bin violently borne away of the water But the earth did help the woman and opening hir mouth did swallow vp the Riuer that the Dragon had cast out of his mouth after hir If such as bée of the learned sorte amongst them that be of the Romish Catholique church would with humbled mindes reade this booke of Reuelations séeke for the true fence meaning but of this one vision vndoubtedly they should finde and I hope they would confesse that the true Catholike church of Christ that was figured by the woman had not the glory of the world as the Romish Catholique church hath now but was in this world obscure and after a sorte hid from the presence of such as the serpent had stirred vp to persecute hir which were the mighty Emperors and other that were of great powre within the Romaine Empire And yet was shée still clad with the sunne had the Moone vnder hir féete c. That is shée was still glorious in the sight of God and of all good men For hir garment was Christ the bright shining light of the world Vnder hir feete shée had the Moone still for shée contemned trode vnder foote the vaine pompe glory of this world which shineth gloriously in the sight of the blinde worldlings euen as the Moone dooth in the darknes of the night Yea and shée had hir head crowned with the twelue starres the Patriarches which were Fathers to the twelue kinreds of Israell or those twelue Messengers or Apostles which our sauiour Christ had sent foorth as starres to giue light in the darknes of this world Yea although shee dwelt still in Rome in other Cities that belonged to the Romaine Empire yet shee was as in a wildernes as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things c. 2. Cor. 6. 2 Cor â— So that if this Offerer would but consider this conceiue in his minde the countenance that the Catholique church could beare in this world during the time of persecution vnder the aboue named Emperors surely hee would neuer for shame say that our Church is not the Catholique church bicause we confesse that for the space of one thousand yeeres it was by the two horned beast that is by the papacie kept vnder as that Church which hee him selfe dooth confesse to bée the right Catholique church of Christ was by the seuen headed Dragon which was the Romaine Empire If the Catholique church might haue hir Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Doctors as vndoubtedly shee had in the time of the first bloody persecutions which continued for the space of 294. yeeres almost continually why might shee not haue so many of those ministers as were necessarie for hir edification during the time of the later persecution which hath continued how almost a thousand yeeres togithers Yea and why might not she haue the ministration of Sacraments and execution of discipline as well in the one time as in the other And so by good consequence Why may not the Protestants Church be the Catholique church of Christ as well as that Church was that differed as much in all points from the knowne Popish Catholique church as our Protestant Catholique church dooth differ now from the same I conclude therefore that it is altogither vnnecessary to prooue any way that any other gospell or doctrine then that which was preached by the Apostles or any other SacrameÌ„ts then the same that Christ Iesus did first institute or any other discipline then that which the Catholique church of Christ hath practized should hée preached ministred and practized vniuersally openly that thereby wée might prooue our Church to be Catholique For it is manifest by the hystories that the right Catholique church hath sildome had such fréedome vpon earth that shee might haue hir doctrine publikely vniuersally preached hir sacraments ministred and hir discipline practized Wherefore except you will shew your selfe wilfull and obstinate you must now recant although heretofore you would not The tenth offer Offerer Tenth For as much as the Protestants doo affirme their congregation faith and Religion to haue bin practized in the Primatiue Church of Christ some of them for the space of the first three huÌ„dreth yeeres as Iohn Caluin some for the space of foure or fiue hundred yeeres as Martin Luther and his complices some for the whole space of the first sixe hundred yeeres as M. Ievvell and the authors of the Apollogie of the Church of England and therein not agreeing amongst themselues as the manner of Heretikes is I require some better staied and certaine tale of them where and when this sodaine change from the Protestants religion to the Papists should bee made as in what yeere of our Lord vnder what Pope and Emperor by what persons of name it was so wrought and brought to passe and vpon what occasion and what Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Doctors of their congregations did gainesay or withstand the same And who dooth make any mention of this sodaine merueilous change of the Protestants religion to Papistrie what one Ecclesiasticall writer or auncient Father of the whole world and when they shal be able resonably to answere and to satisfie these my demaunds then I will recant and yeelde to them and not before Crowley This Offerer minding vtterly to discredit the Protestants hath with his pen testified for them that they doo al agree in this one point which is that their Congregation Faith and Religion haue bin practized in the Primatiue church of Christ But here hée thinketh to discredit them all Some of them as Iohn Caluin doo affirme that this was for the space of the first thrée hundreth yéeres some other as Martin Luther and his complices for the space of foure or fiue hundreth yéeres and some others as M. Iewell and the authors of the Apologie of the Church of England for the whole space of the first fixe hundreth yéeres c. To this I say That such amongst vs as haue said that the congregation or Church whereof wée bée had continuance for the space of the whole first sixe hundreth yéeres haue sayd truely and they that haue said for the space of thrée foure or
fiue hundreth yéeres haue kept themselues within their bounds and therefore they haue not lied If Caluin had said that the Church whereof wée bée had continuance for no longer time then the first thrée hundreth yéeres where Luther had said before that it had continuance for the space of foure or fiue hundreth yéeres And M. Iewell comming after them both should haue said the continuance was for the space of the first sixe hundreth yéeres in such perfection as in the first thrée hundreth yéeres then this Offerer might haue taken some oecasion to note disagréement such as is to bée séene amongst Heretikes But now hée hath no iust occasion at all Caluin considered that during the time of the first 300. yeeres the Church of Christ was still vnder tyrants and was persecuted and was thereby kept occupied in better exercises then in such pompous and ceremonial diuine seruice as now is vsed in your popish Catholique church And therefore hee is bolde to say that the Church whereof wee Protestants bee is the same that was in the first 300. yeeres after Christ for wee haue abandoned as farre foorth as wee may all those superfluous ceremonies as haue bin diuised by men and enforced vpon the Church of Christ since the ende of the first 300. yeeres which are in deede too too many as by the woords of saint Augustine Epist. 119. August in Epist 119. Ad Ianuarium Seruilibus oneribus premunt vt tolerabilior fit conditio Iudeorum c They oppresse vs with seruile burdens so that the condition or estate of the Iewes was more tollerable then ours is None of all those burdens were layde vpon the Church before the ende of the first 300. yeeres but the Christians being vnder the crosse of persecution serued God in fréedome of conscience were not tied to any necessity of ceremonies but vsed a few such ceremonies as séemed to serue best for their edification in their exercise of religion and so doo wée and that congregation also amongst whom Caluin liued which might mooue him to say that the faith and religion that is professed by vs was practized in the first 300. yeeres after the incarnation of our sauiour Christ But this Offerer requireth some better staied certaine tale c. bicause Luther and other doo differ from Caluin He must know where when this sodaine change from the protestants religion to the papists was made as in what yéere of our Lord c. If it shal please him to read it aduisedly to weigh euery part of it hee shall haue heere as plaine a tale concerning this matter as euer hée did read or heare And thus it beginneth When Christ Iesus had giuen so large a commission to his Apostles as to go into all the world to teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy Ghost they executed that cōmission with al painefull diligence not fearing what man either would or could doo against them And so in short time the knowledge of the gospell was spred all the world ouer as the Apostle Paule writeth to the Romaines Cap. 10. Rom. 10. citing the woords of the Prophet Dauid Psal 19. Psal 19. Jn omnem terram c. The sound of them is gone out into all the world c. But the doctrine of the gospell which they preached was not so regarded in the city of Rome as it should haue bin as it séemeth that this Offerer and his fellowes bée persuaded that it was at that time wherein saint Paule was brought prisoner to Rome which was in the tenth yeere of the raigne of Nero but foure yéeres before S. Paule ended his life At that time the chiefe amongst the Iewes that then liued in Rome being called togither by S. Paule and being occasioned by him to speake of the christian Religion they said thus Wee are willing to heare of thee what thine opinion is for we doo know that this sect is euery where spoken against Act. 28 Act 28 Yea and when S. Paule was first called to his answere before the Emperor the Christians then in Rome were so faint hearted that they did leaue him alone as he him selfe hath written to Timoth. 2. Timoth. 4. 2. Timot. 4. In prima mea defensione nemo mihi affuit sed omnes dereliquerunt me non illis imputetur c. In my first defence no man did take part with mee but all did forsake mee God grant that it bee not laid to their charge but the Lord did assist strengthen me c. And this was more then thirty yeeres after our Sauiour Christ had sent foorth his Apostles to preach If Peter were bishop of Rome at the time that S. Paule speaketh of in that 4. Cap. 2. Timoth. surely then hee performed not the parte of a good bishop neither yet of a good christian For amongst all hee must needes bee one And S. Paule saith that all did forsake him But let this passe The estate of the whole Church was no better in those daies yea it was not much better at any time during the first 300. yeeres after Christes ascention For when Constantinus the first christian Emperor began his raigne Syluester then bishop of Rome had not his aboade then in Rome but made his dwelling place in some caue in a mountaine named Soracte xx myles distant from Rome that so hée might bée more safe from the tyrannie of the Romaine Emperor But when hee vnderstoode that Constantinus was likely to bee fauorable to the Christians hée repaired to the City By this it may appeare of what account the Romaine bishops had bin what publike open preaching of the gospell there had bin in the City of Rome during that time of the first 300. yeeres It appeereth in Hystories that they had their places wherein they met and had the preaching of the woorde ministration of the Sacraments but those places were not such as Saint Peters Church which is now in Rome For that Church with the rest of the Churches in Rome were not then builded as in Platina and in other Hystories it appeereth By this you may see what cause Caluin had to say that the Catholique Religion which is the same that wee protestants doo now professe was practized for the space of the first 300. yeeres after Christ From that time forward Religion began to decline by litle and litle from that perfection that it had continued in vnder persecution and to grow towards that great decay that it came vnto in the dayes of Bonifacius the third Martin Luther therefore and M. Iewell with the rest of the authors of the Apologie of the Church of England had iust cause to say that it continued in the Romish church for the space of the first foure fiue yea sixe hundreth yéeres after Christs ascention for the Romish church was not altogither fallen away from the Catholique Religion before shee had taken
vpon hir the title of Antichrist which was in the dayes of Phocas the Emperor at whose hands Bonifacius obtained the prophane title of vniuersall bishop whereof Gregorie the first surnamed the great writeth thus Grego Epi. 66. Epist 66. ad Mauricium imperatorem Sed absit a cordibus christianorum nomen istud blasphemiae in quo omnium sacerdotum honor adimitur dum ab vno sibi dâ—mâ—nter arrogatur But let this name of blasphemie bee far from christian hearts wherein the honor of all Priests is taken away whils one Priest dooth like a mad man arrogate the same vnto him selfe And againe Episto 68. Grego Epi. 68. Ad Iohn Episc Constantinopol Tu quid Christo vniuersalis scilicet Ecclesiae capiti in extremi iudicij es dicturus examine qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris vniuersalis appellatione supponere What wilt thou say vnto Christ that is to the head of the vniuersall Church saith Gregorie to Iohn bishop of Constantinople in the triall of the last iudgement which doost by the name of vniuersall goe about to make subiect vnto thy selfe all his members who can write or speake more plainely in this matter then this Gregorie hath written both to Mauricius the Emperour and to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople I hope therefore you will take this for a stayed certaine tale and bée therewith satisfied Considering that after Constantine the first christened Emperor had endued the Church with some possessions and so poysoned the Church as by a voice that was heard from heauen it was signified which voice vttered this speach Hodie datum est venenum in Ecclesiam This day is the Church poysoned that poyson did not presently worke the effect but by litle and litle So that the change from the Protestants religion to Poperie was not sodaine although meruailous but brought to passe by leysure and yet with as much spéede as the Dragon could by his members and ministers bring it to passe As for gainesayers it lacked none amongst whom I thinke you will allowe Gregorie the first to bee one of the chiefest Now therefore I require your promise which is to recant and yéelde although you haue hitherto refused so to doo The eleuenth Offer Offerer Let the learned Protestant shew me what order of seruice or coÌ„mon prayer what order of ministration of sacraments their Church had before Papistrie as they call it preuailed in the world Let him shew mee one booke or copie of any communion or what els you list that was in English or in any vulgar or coÌ„mon tongue beside the Hebrew Greeke and Latine or that lacked prayer for the foules departed or inuocation to saints or sacrifice for the sinnes both of the quicke and the dead or that charged a number to receiue with the priest or that he could not els consecrate or say Masse receiuing alone or that the people should take the sacrament for bread and wine and not for the reall body blood of Christ or that they should giue no honor to it or not reserue the same for the comfort of the sicke and diseased people or that denied extreme vnction with the rest of the sacraments to bee behoufull or necessarie for them let the learned Protestant bring forth and shew such a communion booke or any leafe line or word of any such doctrine or any Church or congregatition that euer had authenticall seruice or ministration of the sacraments other then that which is yet daily and o-openly practized in the common knowne Catholique church of Christ and I shall then recant and not before Crowley It séemeth by this Offer that this Offerer and his fellowes are perswaded that what soeuer is now openly practized in the popish diuine seruice and ministration of sacraments hath bin so openly practized as now it is euen euer since the Church of Christ was first planted in the City of Rome Which is a wronge persuasion For the greatest number of the ceremonies yea well nigh all that are now vsed in that ministration haue bin diuised since the ende of the first 300. yéeres as by their owne Hystories it dooth most plainly appeere I will therefore answere this offer with another not much vnlike to this and thus I say Let this Offerer shew mée what order of seruice or common praier what order of ministration of sacraments the Church had before the end of the first 300. yéeres Let him shew mée one booke or copy of any communion or what els you list that was in Hebrew Gréeke Latine or in any other language that had in it prayer for the soules departed or inuocation to saints or sacrifice for the quicke and the deade or that did not coÌ„mand a number to receiue with the priest or that did teach the people not to take the sacrament for breade and wine but for the reall body and blood of Christ or that they shoulde giue honor to the outwarde sacrament or that they should reserue it for the sicke diseased people or that taught extreme vnction Confirmation Order Penance and Matrimony to bée Sacraments behooufull or necessarie for Christians let this learned Offerer bringe foorth and shew such a communion booke or any leafe line or word of any such doctrine or any Church or congregation that euer had any such authenticall seruice or ministration of sacraments as is now openly practized in the coÌ„monly knowne popish Catholique church before the ende of the first 300. yeeres And then will I recant and bée a Papist as this Offerer is and not before I thinke I haue offered you faire play If you like the offer take it I will not flée from it If not for shame bragge no more of the antiquitie of your authentike seruice that is now practized in your Antichristian Catholike church But recant as you haue promised The first bishop of Rome that was bolde to diuise any thing to bée added to that which the Apostles vsed in the ministration of the Lords supper was Alexander the first And what did hée Platina saith that this man added Qui pridem quam pateretur vsque ad hanc clausulam hoc est Corpus meum Which is thus in English Which a day before hee suffered euen vnto this clause This is my body And Platina saith that Alexander did this that there might bee a remembrance of the passion of Christ Hée deuised also the making of holy water the vse whereof was to driue diuells out of Temples and chambers He ordained also that water should bée mixed with the wine in the ministration of the Sacrament and that the breade should not bée leauened but vnleauened to take away the occasion that the Ebionits tooke to finde fault in that behalfe Thus much writeth Platina in vita Alexandri primi This Alezander was the sixt bishop of Rome after Peter Plantina in vita Alexandri primi if Platina haue written truly and was made bishop in the yéere 110. after the incarnation of our sauiour
it for a good order because we doo knowe that it is derogatorie to the glorie of Christ The first part of your penaunce whych you call contrition or inward sorrow of hart wee doo like well of for as the Prophet Dauid saith Psalme 51. Psal 51 An humble and broken hart O God thou wilte not despise Yea hee sayth that a troubled spirit is a sacrifice to God The second parte of your penaunce is confession That part wee doo lyke of also but not in such order as it is vsed amongest you That is that the penitent person shall make rehearsall of all hys sinnes in the hearing of a Préest that knoweth not whether he speake truely or not As S. Austin hath written in his tenth booke of confessions Augusti Conf. li. 10 Capi 3. and in the thirde Chapter thereof What haue I to do with men sayth S. Austine that they should here my confessions c. We doo exhorte all men to confesse all theyr sinnes to God against whome they are committed and in whose power onelie it is to forgiue them If our sinnes be secret so that none but God onely dooth knowe them then doo we thinke it good to followe the counsell of Sirach Eccles 19 chap 19 declare not thy sinnes neyther to fréende nor to foe c. But if we haue sinned one of vs against an other then we thinke it méete to followe the councell of S. Iames in his Epistle chap 5. Iacob 5 Confesse your sinnes one to an other c. But if the horrour of our sinnes be so great that we can not by anie of these meanes be assured of forgiuenes of them then wée doo resorte not to an ignoraunt Préest but to such a one as we are assured can or at the least way we are perswaded that he can assure vs by the scriptures that repenting our sins vnfaynedly and purposing to turne away from them from thence foreward continually the merciful God our father dooth so pardon and forgiue them that hee will neuer laye them to our charge any more But the third part of your penaunce which you call satisfaction wee doo vtterly detest and abhorre For that wee doo knowe by the scriptures that onely Christ is able to make satisfaction to God for sinne Because no creature could bee worthy or méete to make satisfaction to God for sinne therfore God the creator of creatures would in the second person in Trinity become man that in mans nature he might dye and be made a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world yea that he might make him selfe a sacrifice and by that one sacrifice take away the sinnes of the world If you lust to sée what Scriptures wee haue for proofe of this that I haue here written looke the 53 of Esaies prophecies and the 63 Ephe 53. 63 Math. 1. Iohn 1 1. Timot. 1. Heb. 9.10 Chapter of the same prophecies The first chapter of Saint Mathewes Gospell the first of S. Iohns Gospell the first of S. Paules first Epistle to Timoth. The ninth and the tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrewes As touching satisfactions therefore to be made to God we renounce and forsake all and all manner of satisfactions that haue béene or shal be deuised by men and we cleaue vnto that onelie that Christ Iesus hath made once for all by that one and euerlasting sacrifice that he hath made of hym selfe once for all But when we sin one of vs against an other as too too often wée doo or when we sinne against the whole congregation of Christians as wee doo to often in déede then wee thinke our selues bound not onely to confesse our faultes one to an other or to the whole congregation that is offended by vs but also to satisfie by all meanes possible those priuate persons also the congregation of Christ by making such satisfaction as by any meanes we may be able to make And herein we follow the counsell or rather the commandement of our sauiour Christ Math. 5. Math 5. Agrée with thine aduersary quickly whilse thou art in the way with him least thine aduersary bring thée to the iudge the iudge deliuer thée to the officer and then thou be cast into prison I tel thée thou shalt not bée deliuered out thence till thou shalt haue paied the vttermost farthing The way wherin we must agrée with our aduersarie is this life the end wherof is most vncertaine wherfore a spéedy agréement is needful Our aduersarie is that partie that hath cause to charge vs with misdemeanour towards him The iudge is God himselfe who being iust must néedes condemne vs to perpetuall prison in hell because we haue not in the way of this life agréed with our aduersarie And from thence we can neuer be deliuered because we can not there make any satisfaction to our aduersarie The Popes pardons his Masses Trentalles Obbets Anniuersaries Chauntries and the rest of Satisfactory deuises can help vs nothing at all in this case God graunt his grace to vs and to all men that professing the religion of Christ we may as it is séemely for Christians be careful to doo as Christ hath taught and agrée with our aduersarie quickly whiles we are with him in the way of this lyfe and so escape that terrible iudgement that otherwise the righteous iudge must néedes pronounce and put in execution Matrimonie we honour not as a Sacrament but as an holy ordinaunce of God instituted by God himselfe in Paradise and in the time of mans innocencie and with Saint Paule Ephe 5. Ephe 5. we holde that in it is represented vnto vs that misticall vnion that is betwixt Christ and his Church And wée doo maruaile much that the Popes Catholiques can holde this for a sacrament and yet deny the vse of it to such amongst them as they doo account to be most holy W◠doo knowe Hebr 13. and confesse with S. Paule that Mariage is honourable amongst all men and that the bedde of the maried persons is vndefiled Yea we knowe that no estate or calling amongst men can be so holy that mariage may bee thought to bée profane a thing for that estate or calling Wée knowe also that the holines of it is such that the holines of the most holy amongst men can adde nothing to the holines thereof nor yet the vnholines of the most vnholy take any thing from the holines thereof The most honourable amongst men doo not when they enter into that honourable estate make it more honourable neyther doo the most base and vyle in degrée amongest men when they enter into it make it more base and vile by that vilenes or basenes that is in them We doo not therfore denie the vse of it to any man But we doo wishe that all men that doo finde in themselues occasion to vse it would duly consider wherefore it was ordayned and would vse it for the procreation of children to be brought vp in the
such haue a care to doo as Saint Paule dooth there exhorte when he sayeth Let euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from euill And in so dooing they doo in some sorte make it knowen vnto men that they be the elected and chosen children of God But this knowledge can not bée so certaine that any one man may be therby assured of the election of an other because he séeth him depart from euil For gods sercet election can not be certainly knowen by any outward signes therfore the church of Christ as it consisteth of the number that God hath in his secret election appointed to be enheritors of his kingdome may rightly be sayd to be inuisile as knowen onely to God and vnknowen vnto men 2 Timoth cap. 2 But as it followeth in the same text of S. Paule to Timoth As in a great house there are vesselles not onely of golde and of siluer but of timber and of clay also some appoynted to honest vses some to dishonest euen so is it in the Church of Christ which is the housholde of God some are of one sorte and some of an other And this mixed multitude is visible and knowen to bée that number of people that beareth the name of Christ and is called christian And in thys multitude are those elected and chosen children of God that may rightly bée called the church of Christ in this respect may the secret church of Christ be called visible Math 13. This thing dooth our Sauiour Christ set foorth plainely in the parable of the net that being cast into the sea doth drawe together fishes of all sortes but when this nette is drawen to the shore the fisher men doo chuse out the good fishes and cast away the other as vnprofitable And againe in the parable of the fielde both the good graine and the tares doo growe togeather and the féelde is called the corne féeld and not the féelde of tares tyll the tyme of the Haruest bée come but then the good grayne is gathered into barnes and the tares are bound in bundles to bée burnte in the fyer Euen so the open and knowē church which is visible séene and hearde consisting of men women and children of all sortes continueth and shall continue a myxed multitude euen till the haruest which is the ende of the world shall come And then he that now dooth alone knowe his chosen Church shall make the same knowen to all men by receiuing them to himselfe and by refusing of the rest Thus this Offerer and his fellowes may sée howe the Church of Christ may be sayd to bee inuisible and yet not denied to bée visible But it is manifest what stone it is that these men doo stumble at They are perswaded that the Church of Christ must néeds be alwaies in such floorishing estate here on earth as the Church of Roome is now and as it hath continued for many yéeres togeather But they should consider that the woman the S. Iohn sawe Apoc 12. Apoc. 12. was driuen into wildernes by the crueltie of the Dragon as I haue noted in mine aunswer to the ninth offer and yet she is stil cloathed with the Sunne and hath the moone vnder her féete and is crowned with the 12. starres Yea she is the Cittie situated on the hyll the light of the world and the candle set on the candlesticke as she was euen in those daies of horrible persecution when the Bishops of Roome had no dwelling place in Roome nor the Christians in Roome any open Church to méete in for theyr exercise of Christian religion Looke well to that which I haue written in aunswer to the ninth offer and then I hope you will not charge vs as you haue doone As touching the admonitton that S. Paule gaue to the Hebrewes Hebr 13. in the 13 Chapter of that Epistle I wishe you to weighe it well and to consider the time and what doctrine was vsuall in that tyme wherein the wordes of that admonition were written Which if yée would doo you should finde that your doctrine for the real presence of Christs bodie in the holy Eucharist for the Sacrifice of the masse and the propitiation of sinnes both of the quicke and the deade thereby for your penaunce with the fruites thereof your straightnes of lyfe your vowes inuocation of Saintes and your prayer for soules departed and such lyke are the various and strange doctrines that Saint Paule dooth warne you of For all those doctrines were straung in those daies and scarcely was any one of them hearde of Thinke therefore that S. Paule sayeth vnto you be not ledde or caried away with the diuers and straung doctrines of Transubstantiation of massing for the quicke the dead of satisfying for sinnes by penaunce enioyned by a ghostly father by fasting watching praying vowing inuocating of Saints c. For they are not agréeing but contrarie to the receiued and commonly knowen doctrine of Christes Catholique church When the Popish antichristian catholiques can be able to prooue that the high Préests Scribes and Phariseis were not the raysers vppe of those contentions and strifes that were styrred vp in the dayes wherein Christ and hys apostles preached in Ierusalem and Iewrie but Christ his apostles by preaching the doctrine of the Gospell And that the contentions and strifes that haue béene and bee styll styrred vp in our dayes haue not béene nor are styll styrred vp by them by theyr preaching and maintayning of theyr strange doctrines of transubstantiation such lyke but by vs that béeing members of the most auncient Catholike Church doo preach the same catholique doctrine that Christ and hys Apoles dyd preach and none other then wyll I recant and become a Papist and not before And because I haue in the iudgement of all indifferent readers sufficiently prooued that which this Offerer hath in this Offer required the learned Protestant to prooue I doo requyre him to doo as becommeth an honest man in performing his promise Which is to submit him selfe and to recant although hetherto he haue refused so to doo The fourth signe and token of false Prophets Offerer Fourth signe and token of false Prophets Heretiques and Schismatiques is Schisma in Ecclesiam introducere To bring into the Church of Christ by their doctrine schisme diuision and seperation of one member from another and of the whole mistical body from the true head Iesus Christ For where as the health and saluation of Christ hys flocke and people dooth most cheefely consist in peace concord and vnitie they therefore which by Schisme doo deuide and disperse his flocke and of one societie and fellowship before doo make many and diuers they in not spareinge nor preseruing in vnitie the flock of Christ are become rauening Wolues Th'apostle S. Paule knowing the great daunger and hurte vprising of Schisme dooth most humbly beseech vs with all dilligent circumspection to auoide the same saying Obsecro vos