of England I could not me thought either for their part which I coueâ— to make as strong as the naughtines of the cause will suffer doe better or for mine owne assurance worcke more warily then to take and cull out such proufes as for the maintenaunce of their opinion they haue there heaped to gether For them because there I persuade my selfe the reader may finde the verie force and strength of all that they haue for theÌ„ selues in this matter to saie as the place where bothe of good reason they should and for their craftie conueiance I nothing doubte but they would bring furth of their groundes the very best if they haue any better then other For my parte or rather for Christ and his churches whose quarell although farre vnworthy at this time I susteine it shall thus stande in steede that if it fortune in your iudgementes good Readers their said groundes and reasons to seeme such as any good man yea happely with some of them some of them selues may mislike they caÌ„ not yeat flee to their olde starting hole that it is but one doctours minde as they vse being sore pressed customably to doe whereas the booke bothe by the manner of the publishing thereof appeareth and sence hath byn acknowleged to be no priuat mannes acte The first argument therefore of theirs to proue that lay men in that they be kinges may take on them the ordering of matters in religion that to them belongeth the auctoritie and ouersight thereof is taken froÌ„ the example of Moyses who being a ciuile magistrat receiued neuerthelesse at the handes of almighty god bothe the charge and ordre of all the religion and ceremonies deliuered the same to the people and when Aaron being a bishop had contaminat the true religion by making the golden calf he failed not sharpely to rebuke and reprehend him therefore To this argument good Readers which out of this example they frame that therefore by good consequence it foloweth that the kinges emperours and other ciuile magistrates of our time may doe the like thus doe we answer that that auctoritie which Moyses had ouer the priestes was not because he was a prince but in that he was a priest as appeareth most euidentlie in the psalme where he is so called But ageinst this answere laboureth as they say with toothe and naile the author of that booke which walketh abrode in manie mennes handes vnder the name of a harborough for faithefull subiectes whose replie is this that in that psalme how euer the olde interpretors haue giuen vs the word the hebrue text hath Cohanim a word indifferent to signify priestes or princes aud that therefore such as doe best vnderstand the tongue giue it thus Moyses Aaron inter ministros eius Moyses and Aaron emongest his ministres And to proue that it may well so be the scripture he saieth calleth Dauid his sonnes Cohanim that is to saie ministres for well he woteth that no man wilbe so fond to saie that a kinges sonnes wer priestes yea he addeth that the best emongest the Hebrues interpreting thiese wordes giue it in Chorei Shemo Moyses AaroÌ„ inter eos qui inuocaÌ„t nomen eius Moyses and Aaron emongest them that call apon his name Thiese in effect be the reasons that moued the man to thinke that Moyses was no priest To be short Whome he taketh for the best or whome he accoÌ„pteth for the worst in the hebrue toÌ„gue or what his habilitie to iudge thereof is I confesse in good fayth I knowe not But of this I am well assured that S. HieroÌ„ Pagninus and whose translatioÌ„ for his religion he nede not to suspect Sebastianus Munsterus emongest all men taken for singulerly learned in that tongue inrerpret the worde to signify priestes And if all this satisfy him not the 70. interpretours traÌ„slate it so For thiese ar theire wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Moyses and Aaron in the nombre of his priestes And for so vndoubted a truthe was it taken with S. Hierom that he in the exposition of this psalme vsed thiese wordes Vterqué Moyses scilicet Aaron domini aduentum sacerdotali praeconio nunciauit Bothe of them that is to say Moyses and Aaron did with their priestly voyce denounce before hand the comming of our lorde Now touching the indifferency of the worde Cohanim to signify a minister or a priest we graunte it to be true but that because in some one place it so signifieth it ought therefore so to be expouÌ„ded in this that we vtterly denie And for proofe hereof we bring Abrahamus Esdras emongest the olde Rabbini called Sapientissimus He expownding this place of the psalme calleth Moyses and Aaron by the name of priestes And because no man should cauill about the ambiguitie of the worde Cohanim he graunteth it to be a worde doubtfull But to take away all such ambiguitie and to make vs assuredly vnderstaÌ„d when it signifieth this or that he giueth this rule that being ioined and applied to the name of god or any thing to him belonging as here it is it signifieth allwaies a priest but otherwise referred to prophane thinges a minister as maie be answered of Dauids children in the second booke of kings the .8 chapiter And surely so long as he standeth apon his bare vauntes of the best without naming at all any I se no cause but that we may well rest in that interpretacion which thiese â—ower for their knowledge in that tongue of the learned sort accompted most excellent beside the nombre of the .70 interpretours haue deliuered vnto vs especially seing that interpretacion which the very best emongest the Hebrues he saith haue giuen apon that place that is Moyses and Aaron emongest them that call apon his name I thinke to him that considereth well the wordes that followe Et Samuel inter eos qui inuocant nomen eius will seme and proue to be euen the very wurst But because yow shall well perceiue that Moyses was in dede a priest beside the testimonies allready brought furth I shall here alleage certein other to proue the same First S. Austen writing apon the same psalme where bothe he and Aaron ar called priestes maketh as it wer ageinst the priestehood of Moyses a certein obiection and afterward concludeth that Moyses was not withstanding a priest His wordes ar thiese Ibi quidem non videtur sacerdos essenisi Aaron Aperâ—è enim in illis literis Aaron nominatur sacerdos dei De Moyse noÌ„ ibi dicitur quòd sacerdos erat Sed si hoc non erat quid erat Nunquid maior sacerdote esse poterat Expropriat psalmus iste quia ipse sacerdos erat Moyses Aaron in sacerdotibus eius Ergo erant illi domini sacerdotes that is to say there it semeth that there was no other priest but Aaron for in that place is he plainelie named a priest but of Moyses there is no such word
He made psalmes and wrote himnes to the glory and praise of god And who is there I praie yow that at this day forbiddeth anie prince or king to doe the like He appoincted and established to serue the temple for euer some to sing some to plaie on the organes some and a greate some the scripture hath fower thousande to kepe the dores And what conclude they hereof if Dauid had appointed plaiers and singing men as he did not but willed the chief of the Leuites to appoint some of their brethern thereto that therefore he was chief gouernour in all causes ecclesiasticall O what newe logick is sodenly sprong vp with their newe diuinitie How manie notable Kinges hath our littell countrie had which in their daies haue established for the like purposes like fundations by our aduersaries at this daie almost all ouerthrowen of whom no one euer by this meanes thought him selfe anie thing the more auctorised to gouerne in matters of religion the cleargie of his countrie But for this example that which I haue allreadie saide maie suffise bothe because I thincke they leane not much theretoe for that theie can showe no greate store of Kinges yea I maie be bould to say none at all by them persuaded to builde anie churches or to establish anie fundacions of such as shoulde there continually serue god and also for that the place it selfe howe euer in the apologie the conclusion conteine more then the premisses semeth not to be brought in directly to proue any such thinge For our apologie which alleageth it hath onely quodammodo praefuit sacerdotibus that is and in a māner or after a sort he was aboue the priestes And therefore will I procede to their other examples Salomon they say builded and dedicated to god a churche made to the people an oration concerning religion and worshiping of god deposed Abiathar the bishop placing Sadoc in his roome Ezechias purged the temple commaunded the lightes to be kindled encense to be doen and sacrifice offred after the old accustomed manner finally the brasen serpēt which was then worshipped by the people to be vtterlie taken awaie and broken all to fitters Iosaphat toke awaie the hilles and wooddes whereby the people was hindred from the common temple of Ierusalem Iosias warned the priestes and bishops of their duties Ioas restreined their riot and insolency and last of all Iehu put the wicked prophetes to deathe These be th'examples good readers which the aduersaries to the truthe bring for the maintenaunce of the contrarie out of the old Testament Which manner of reasoning from examples in that age vsed if it might be at these daies in all poinctes laufull to folow what and how houge a nombre of inconueniences might by iust consequence thereapon be easelie grounded and brought in I nede not here to reherse anie man but meanelie exercised in the holie scriptures may with him self easely conceiue If the miracles examples significatiue and singuler priuileages doē practised and graunted in that age might without any daunger aswell be to the present esta te of the churche which now is drawen applied and accomodate as the morall preceptes of that lawe maie and ar whie haue not then the Kinges now a daies as many wiues as had King Dauid then why should it not be as laufull for the cleargie I will not onely say to admonishe and reprehend to put Kinges doing amisse at this tyme to death as it was at that for Samuel to cut in pieces with his owne hādes the body of Agag king of Amalech why not for thē to depose kinges aswell as kinges to depriue them For if they bring to vs th'example of Salomon who deposed Abiathar the priest and placed Sadoc in his roume they shall heare of vs again that Samuel by gods own cōmaundemēt pronoūced Saul depriued of his king dome and settled Dauid in the same Phinees being a priest killed with his dagger the Israelite and the Madianite as they filthely abused thēselues and haue priestes therefore at this day thinck we like iurisdiction Or woulde god is it likely praise him for the doing that would nowe doe the like as he then did him No no good readers they treade not vprightely that so interprete the scriptures And thus yow see howe generally all these examples and auctorities being euen after this sort answered make no more for kinges to rule in matters of religion then other places doe for the cleargy to depose kinges or to kill them or other doing amisse But to descend nowe more particulerly to the seuerall examination of these examples I would gladly aske this question of some of these our newe Rabbines that being graunted to them by the way of reasoning which theie presuppose that is that king Dauid entremedled in th' affaires of religion how this argument holdeth not withstanding Dauid being bothe a king and a prophete had the rule of religion Therefore the kinges of our tyme must haue the like And in deede thus must they reason if they will reason trulie For so was king Dauid they can not all deny it And as well am I able to proue that if he had any such power it was because he was a prophe te and not in respect of his kingedome as they shall euer be to proue the contrary So that to make this reason of theirs haue yea seeme to haue some apparence of truthe of two thinges must they nedes doe one that is either proue our kinges nowe a daies prophetes also or Dauid in his daies to haue bene but a king simply In Salomon also is the case trowe ye all so cleare as they make it For touching the depriuation of Abiathar the priest to that I answer that as in breaking the wicked packe of Adonias Abiathar and other their complices who had conspired to haue put Salomon beside his kingdom he vsed the councell of Sadoc and Nathan to defeat them so vsed he their auctoritie and ministery to punishe them Nor it forceth not that the scripture saieth Eiecit ergo Salomon Abiathar vt non esset sacerdos domini therefore cast Salomon Abiathar out that he should no lenger be our lordes priest as though that therefore it wer his own deede and could be doen by no other seing that that is a phrase of speche common not in the scriptures onelie but in common talck also as if for example a man should say that Quene Mary whose soule god assoile depriued Thomas Cranmer of the archebishoprick of Cantorburie whose treason also ageinst her was no lesse then that of Abiathar ageinst Salomon he should not say a misse And yet was not she god wot the chief doer thereof but an instrument ioining with the pope in the execution of his determination touching the rooting out of that wicked membre So saie we in like manner that the prince hath made such a man bishop when in very dede he onely commended him by his
occupation and so maie not I who I thanck god therefore am none of the company will take the paines to stoope and doe it for them It foloweth in Theodoretus after he had mentioned the oration which Constantin had in the councell Haec his similia tanquaÌ„ fiâ—â—us amator pacis sacerdotibus veluti patribus offerâ—bat These wordes and such like as a sonne that loued peace he offred vp to the priestes as to his fathers Lo good readers was not here trow yow a greate president for our Emperours and kinges to meddle with the ordre of religion Well he was as the histories beare witnes the first christian emperour that openly professed the faithe and name of Christ for of Phillip the histories make no greate accompt and before that time the church was gouerned either by infidleles and tirantes as Nero Domitianus and such other or by priestes or by none And this was the very cause that they would so faine haue wonne to their parte the first Christian emperour The next example that they bring is of Theodosius th'emperour that he not onely sat emongest the bishoppes but was also the verie chief of the conference betwene the Catholykes and the Arrians That Theodosius did in this matter nothing of him self but all by the councell of Nectarius the B. of Constantinople had not our aduersaries as they did before in th'example of Constantine mangled the historie any man might easely haue perceuid For reade the beginning of the chapiter where this matter is mencioned and yow shall finde that Theodosius called to him Nectarius then B. of Constantinople asked of him his aduice what ordre wer best to be taken for thappeasing of that schisme which then so miserably troubled the churche and finallie embrased him self and commaunded all other to receiue the same doctrine not which him self had determined to be true but which Nectarius and the other catholyke bishoppes had deliuered and commendid to him And truly maruell had it byn if he had otherwise doen in matters of religion any thing to the preiudice of that auctoritie which bishoppes and priestes of right ought to haue in those matters who at other times had so often declared his minde persuaded to the contrary and namelie in that councell that he caused to be assembled at Aquileia where in the sommons of that Sinode he openlie protested that controuersies arising apon matters of doctrine can not be better tried then by being referred to the bishoppes that they quoth he from whome the very groundes and principles of doctrine haue proceded may if there fall out anie doubtes dissolue the same For the which wordes being afterward rehersed in the councell it appeareth how greately S. Ambrose praised him when he saide openlie Behold what ordre the christian emperour hathe taken he will not doe anie iniurie to the priestes he referreth to the bishoppes the interpretation of all doubtes If Theodosius had taken apoÌ„ him to iudge in matters of faithe being a lay man coulde S. Ambrose thincke yow that florished vnder him haue byn ignorant thereof If he could not would he haue praised him for that he did not would he haue asked of Valentinianus the yonger beginning in his youthe although he after repeÌ„tid to encroche apoÌ„ the spirituall limites and iurisdiction Quando audisti clementissime imperator in causa fidei Laicos de Episcopo iudicasse when did yow euer heare most gentle emperour that in matters of faith lay men haue iudged of the bishoppes doinges Might he not haue answered if it had bene as our aduersaries say I haue not hard onelie but knoweÌ„ also by experience that mine owne felowe in the empire Theodosius hath doen so So that hereapon we may be bould probably to conclude S. Ambrose vertue wisdome lerning long experience and greate practise in Christes churche well coÌ„sidered that Theodosius atteÌ„pted no such matter nor did anie thing in religion without the councell of such bishoppes as being catholike enstructed him what he should doe for thaduauncement and setting forwarde of Christes catholyke faithe It foloweth in the apologie In the couÌ„cel of CalcedoÌ„ the ciuile magistrate condeÌ„ned for heretikes by his senteÌ„ce Dioscorus Iuuenalis Thalassius being all bishoppes and iudged them vvorthy to be degraded Here would I faine knowe in what place or where they finde this historie written If they saie in the. 5. booke and tenth chap. of Socrates historie as the place is in the margent coated I must nedes tell them that the place hauing byn there sought for can not be found And as littell hope is there of finding the same elles where if a man maie beleue vehemeÌ„t presumptions For if in that couÌ„cell Iuuenalis and Thalassius had bene at all condeÌ„ned by any magistrat either ecclesiasticall or ciuile as well should it of all likelihood haue byn mencioned in the actes and recordes of the couÌ„cell of Calcedon as was the condemnatioÌ„ of Dioscorus they being all accused and partakers of one crime True it is although in the place by theÌ„ alleaged there be no such thing that in the actes yet of the councell we finde a record where the ciuile magistrates consented that Dioscorus had well deserued to be of his bishoprick depriued and of all priestely dignitie degraded But how I beseche yow diligently to considre if to the bishoppes to whome god had committed the charge to giue that sentence it should so seme good And thiese ar not my wordes but his that was sent from the whole councell to Dioscorus who then after the manner of all heretikes fled from the face of the councell and lurcked I wot not where Ioannes the bishop of Germanicia who after he had told him in what termes he stoode that was condemned by the whole councell he added this clause Si hoc placuisset sanctissimis episcopis quibus hanc inferre a domino deo creditum est if it so semed good to the holy bishoppes to whome god had committed the power to giue that sentence This sentence afterwarde the said Dioscorus continuing in his obstinacie was by the whole councell alowed and by the legates of the bishop of Rome in his name pronounced no mans name subscribed or consent asked thereto besides the onelie bishoppes And thus much for Dioscorus for of Iuuenalis and Thalassius till they show where and when they wer condemned for heretikes and worthy to be degraded I can saie nothing Although this in the meane season I may boldelie say that if they the ciuile magistrates I meane gaue anie such sentence it is verie likely that they would qualifie it as yow hard before that they did in Dioscorus with this adiection if the bishoppes thinck good to whom that matter belongeth Which if they did what haue they then gotten by th'alleaging of such a sentence I praie yow The next proufe that they bring is out of the third councell of Constantinople where Constantinus they say did not onelie sit emongest the bishoppes
sacrifices and executed the ceremonies he had also therein the souereintie and superioritie And thus much for answer to that obiection made of two high priestes But to make this matter more euident and to folowe my purpose this is not sainct Austens minde alone that the man should so fret and fume at him therefore For Gregorius Nazianzenus hath of Moyses and Aaron in plaine wordes that they wer bothe priestes and alleageth to proue it as sainct Austen did the Psalme where they ar so called with diuerse other auncient writers whome because I take the case to be cleare emongest the learned I here forbeare to alleage and am for this tyme contented to giue to our aduersaries the larger scope to put the case as though Moyses had being no priest corrected and reproued AaroÌ„ that was one that he prescribed to him what he should doe that he made him priest as it appeareth by the scriptures he did The which imagined to be true I aske this question whether it doe therefore folow that princes being lay men may at this day in matters of religion comptroll the bishoppes and prescribe vnto them what ordre they shall obserue and folow therein whether they maie also giue ordres to priestes and consecrate bishoppes now because Moyses consecrated Aaron then No trulie if yow will beleue Iohn Caluin it is an vntrue and a false collection â–ª For that Moyses saieth he had bothe the charges that is of thinges aswell ecclesiasticall and spirituall as ciuile and politike together to that I answer that it was done first by miracle and secoÌ„darily that that was but temporall till such time as thinges wer better staied For afterward saieth he as sone as god had ordeined a forme such as he â—ould should continue there remained to Moyses but onely the ciuile gouernement concerning the priestehood it was necessarie that he should resigne that to his brother Aaron And good reason whieâ— for it passeth naturall power that one man should susteine bothe the charges Hetherto Caluin Now if it be so that this auctoritie of Moyses cam to him by miracle or that he had it by especiall commission then can we not yow wot of either of these two cases gather a necessary consequence And thus might we answer our aduersaries good readers euen by their owne Doctour But cleauing to the scriptures and auncient fathers of Christes churche we hold the first opinion that Moyses was a priest and that in that respect he had auctoritie ouer the priestes and not as he was a prince The next example that they alleage is of Iosue who being also a ciuile magistrate receiued they saie at the time that he was appoincted to gouerne the people expresse commaundement and by name of religion and worshiping of god But by what wordes that would I faine knowe For in that chapitre by them in their apologie alleaged can I finde no wordes wherebie there might be grounded in temporall men as we call them or ciuile magistrates anie such auctoritie ouer matters of religion as they labour to induce For first this is out of all question that in one of these two sentences it is which I shall here alleage or that elles it is not there to be looked for The first of the which two is this Conforâ—are esto robustus c. Be of good comfort and be strong that thow maiest kepe and doe all the lawe which Moyses my seruant hath commaunded the. Swarue not either to the right hande or to the lefte that thow maiest vnderstande all thinges that thow doest Is there here good readers any auctoritie giueÌ„ to meddle with religion was there not as much as this cometh to saied to euery one of the children of Israell that they should trulie obserue the coÌ„maundementes giuen to theÌ„ by Moyses Is there not as much saide to euery one of vs touching the obseruing of the commaundementes of almighty god and yet had neither the children of Israel then nor we nowe auctoritie ouer religion pardie The other sentence is this Non recedat volumen c. that is to saie let not the booke of this lawe departe from thy mouthe but thow shalt spend thy time bothe nighte and day in the meditation thereof that thow maiest kepe and doe all thinges that ar written therein TheÌ„ shalt thow directe thy waie and vnderstande the same Where I pray yow is Iosua here coÌ„maunded to meddle with religioÌ„ in that that he is bidden to study the scriptures Now surelie that is far fetcht and nedeth no greate refutacion For this know I well will they graunte and for a maxima and very principle is it holden in their religion that thiese wordes perteine to euerie man a like aswell to the cartar as to the king or duke and make as much for the one to be a king as theie doe for the other to entremeddle in the order of religion Well may euery man and easelie perceiue how much they would haue triumphed if they had had but one suche texte to serue their purpose for kinges as the catholikes haue for priestes out of the holie scriptures many If they could haue fouÌ„de but one place in all the whole corps of the scriptures where had bene saide that the lippes of the ciuile magistrate should kepe the knowledge of goddes moste holie will and pleasure and his mouthe be the treasour of the same as is saide of the priestes O lord howe is it likely that their lippes mouthes and tongues should haue sowned and clattered thereof long before this that ruffle so with the example of Iosue because or for no cause that he was willed to study the scriptures dissembling in the meane season the .27 cha of the booke of Numeri where in plaine wordes it is to be found that Iosue was subiect to Eleazarus the high priest at whose bidding the scripture saieth he should goe furth and come in he and all the children of Israel It foloweth that king Dauid brought home the arcke restored religion was present not onelie as to admonishe or encourage them that accompanied it but deliuered also to them psalmes and himnes disposed the order of euery thing instituted the ceremonies and solemnitees and ruled after a sorte the priestes That Dauid brought home the arcke it can not be denied to the house at the least of Obed Edom. Although in an other place we reade how Dauid being strooken with a merueilouse feare for that which so latelie before he had sene happen vnto Oza for the onelie staieng being no priest th'arcke which otherwise was in greate daunger to fall he would not presume to carie the same into the tabernacle prepared to receiue it but called vnto him Sadock and Abiathar the priestes willing them in expresse wordes to carie it to the place appointed therefore lest happely god might strike them once again for doing the like vnlaufull acte to that which thorough their absence before they had done
lettres or worde leauing the free election notwithstanding to them to whome of right it apperteineth as this placing of Sadoc in Abiathars office may welbe vnderstande To th'example of Ezechias I answer with the scripture that of all those thinges here rehersed and what so euer elles may be he was onelie the executor the councell and ordering thereof comming alwaies from Esaias the prophete Who as the mouth commaunded the arme that is the prince to doe and put in execution this or that In like māner I answer to the example of Iehu who killed the wicked prophetes but by thaduertisement and sentence as it wer first giuen ageinst them by Haelizeus the prophete sent to Iehu as king by him to be put in execution How Iosias warned the priestes of their office and duety it appeareth in the fourth booke of the kinges where he required the priestes to demaund at goddes handes councell what he and his people should doe so that what so euer he did also he cā be counted no otherwise to haue doen but as a ministre apon the aduertisement and relation of the priestes Nowe as for Iosaphat and Ioas if th'one ouerthrewe the wooddes and hilles where the people lurcked from the temple the other warned the priestes to see better to the reparation of the same what greate matter is this I praie yow or how doeth this proue that kinges ought to haue the chief rule ouer the churche If princes that haue byn in times past had so well looked in this point to their duetie as of right they ought and all good men wishe they had if they had scoured your luskes corners and ouerthrowen the wooddes the blinde cellers and rotten barnes in which yow first vttred your poisoned doctrine neither had that made thē rulers of the church but faithefull and trusty ministers nor yow byn here nowe to trouble the churche of god as yow doe As if on thother side they had also folowed th'example of Ioas in calling apon the reparation of goddes house neither would any good man haue found faulte therewith all nor any wise man haue thought that this should haue made thē the chief gouernours in religion nor finally so many churches lien at this day flat on the ground so many monasteries in which god was serued and the pooer relieued made stables for horses housen for shepe or sties for swine And thus may yow see good readers that all thiese examples alleaged by our aduersaries ar to no purpose as of the which some as of king Dauid who was not a king onely but a prophete also conteine a manifeste fallacie other as that of Iosue that he should receiue especiall commaundemēt of almightie god to meddle with religion an impudent lie some as of Salomon Ezechias and Iehu a figure or phrase of speche as by the scriptures I haue proued and as of Iosias may be also truely answered who enterprised nothing before he had caused the priestes first to goe and consult what he should doe and other some such as of Iosaphat and Ioas as no man euer denied to kinges yea many wishe that in the practising thereof they had in times past and at this daie also would showe them selues much more forward then they haue or doe And last of all yow may see that all wer it so that euery example had plainely concluded their intention that yet it is no good reason to say that therefore our kinges nowe a daies must haue the like auctoritie no more then this that if Moyses had byn no priest it should folow that other temporall gouernours might consecrate bishoppes because he did being none consecrate his brother Aaron or that because Dauid had many wiues therefore our kinges also maie or the cleargie put to death kinges because Samuel did or priestes kille adulterers after th'example of Phinees or one spoile an other I meane of them that be of contrarie opinions in religion because the children of Israel spoiled the Egiptians And here there cōmeth to my remēbraunce an other cause why that reason of theirs should be naught which is this that the priestehod of the Iewes was altogether carnall and fleshelie and might therefore the rather be subiect to the kinges whereas the priesthod of the newe testament is so much more excellent then that as by how much the matter and obiect about which it is occupied the head author and chiefe priest thereof which is no other then Christ him self the eternall priest according to the ordre of Melchisedech doeth far surmount either the matter the priest or priestehod of theirs Which thing S. Petre did not obscurely signify by these wordes vos estis regale sacerdotium yo we ar a kingelie priestehoode as who should say the priestehood before was not kingly for that that kinges ruled ouer priestes but nowe is the priestehod kingly for that to it be subiect euē kinges them selues Which neither is any such greate absurditie if we indifferentlie wey the matter as some men would haue it seme to be considering that Ignatius disciple to S. Iohn the euangelist that all the auncient fathers doe most plainely affirme the same neither yet anie greate reason why thiese wordes should be to any man cause of offence seing that when all is counted this honor of gouernement resteth not in the priestes but goeth farder to god him self whose ministres they ar as contrarywise the dishonor the contumelies and reproches doen vnto them ar doen also to Christ as him selfe witnesseth Qui vos spernit me spernit he that dispiseth yow dispiseth me The which thing I would to god our aduersaries which glory so much of the name of Christians vaunt them selues of the knowledge of the gospell would not thinck scorne to learne by the exāple of a pagane and infidell I meane Alexander the greate Who although he wer by religion an ethnike by nature intollerably proude so that not contentid as Quintus Curtius writeth of him to be born of the race of mortall men he cōueighed his petigrue frō the goddes not suffering but commaunding also that apon peine of his indignation all men should call him the sonne of Iupiter and to encrease the more that naughty humor of his and to poure as the prouerbe is oile in to the fier by fortune so happy that the whole worlde was in a manner by the dent of his sword conquered and brought vnder that at his name the proudest tirants trembled and barbarouse nations stooped he yet all this not withstanding being such and so mighty a Monarche when on a time he should entre in to the citie of Ierusalem as sone as he once perceiued Iaddus the highe priest comming towardes him fell downe and reuerenced him Whereat whē Parmenio one of his trusty friendes marueiling not a little had demaunded of him why he whom all other men worshiped and had in reuerence did worship the prince of the Iewish priestes his answer was
that he worshiped not him but god whose ministre he was By this which hetherto good Readers yowe haue hard forasmoch as it appeareth that our aduersaries staÌ„d alltogether destitute and as it wer naked of such prouision out of the scriptures as with the vaine title whereof they persuaded them selues their part to be well boulstred and them selues ageinst all that would mainteine the contrary sufficiently furnished it remaineth nowe that I first bring furth to yowe such examples as hauing happened in Christes churche sence his departure hence and his apostles they alleage for them selues then after â—hat I refell the same and proue that they make as little or lesse for their purpose as doe the other before brought furth of the scriptures And first for Constantinus the greate although by consent of all historiographers it be well knowen and most apparent as before hath byn showed howe farre he was of all other from that vnlaufull desier of entremeddling in matters of religion yeat for asmuch as the impudency of thiese men is such that they ar not ashamed to abuse his name emongest other for the maintenaunce of their opinion and that they labour to make him a piller to susteine and hold vp their rotten building alleaging his calling together of the councel of Nice his sitting there presently with the bishoppes and fathers his admonisshing them how to procede that is according to the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles I will first answer thereunto and after procede to the rest Constantinus the truthe is called together to the rooting out and vtter extirpation of the heresie of Arrius that greate and famouse councell of Nice as after him did diuerse other good emperours diuerse other But neither of this acte of his or that of theirs can any man rightely gather that either the one or the other had ouer matters of religion anie thing thereby the more auctoritie But euen as the handes or armes reaching a thing far of ar when it is brought nearer to sight nothing therebie the more authorised to iudge of the value and goodnes thereof to dispose howe it shalbe ordered but that remaineth still in the head by whose councell and commaundement the handes and armes reached it thither euen so in this case maie it be saide In Christes churche there is and as it hath bene before proued necessarily must be one head As there is a head so is there a bodie armes legges and other membres answering to the same EmoÌ„gest the which princes and kinges haue of our elders not amisse bene termed the handes and armes to aide and succour the head If nowe the bishoppes of Rome for the time being for theie ar vnder Christ the true heades of this churche as hereafter by goddes grace I shall make it moste manifestly appeare haue emongest so many enemies and backe friendes as Christ and his gospel had bene glad to bid the handes doe their dutie to call to the emperours and kinges for help which had so long hindred if by this meanes they compelled them to comme in for feare of the temporall sword who feared not the spirituall if theie vsed this rigorouse meanes where lenitie could haue no place who is so voide of wit to thincke that princes had thereby auctoritie ouer religion Naie but Constantinus saieth our apologie did not onelie call together the councell of Nice but he sat in the same with the bishoppes nor sat there barely as a cipher but warned them how to procede by the scriptures Here marcke diligently I beseche yowe good readers either the manifest malice of them that wittingly mangle the holie histories or intollerable folishenes which alleage that that theie neuer them selues sawe but onelie haue by reporte of others or last of all their grosse ignorance that thinck they haue to doe with them who without anie farder searching of such places as ar by theÌ„ alleaged will streight waies giue full credit to their bare honesties Eusebius who writeth the historie of Constantinus and whole discours of his life witnesseth that comming into the councell last of all hauing prepared ready for him a seate lower then any of the rest he would not before sit downe in the same then first he had asked of the bishoppes and they graunted him licence so to doe The very same doeth Socrates report of him and euen he out of whome the apology alleageth this example Theodoretus him self whose wordes ar these Minore verò sede quám alijs posita in medio eorum sedit primò tamen petens sibi hoc episcoporuÌ„ iussione concedi And hauing that is to say appoincted for him a place or feate meaner then any of the other he sat him down in the middest of them desiring yet first that by the commaundement of the bisshoppes it might be grauâ—ted him so to doe If this be true as if the histories and olde recordes doe not witnes the same then let me neuer be farder beleuid what meaneth then this lieng generation to bring in for example to susteine and vphold their wicked doctrine this vertuouse emperour Constantinus then whome if they would haue laied all their heades together for that purpose they should neuer haue founde one whose doings and whole life had madeâ— more for vs or more ageinst them If he wer chief of the councell and ruled all as theie say why had he in that place where by all likelihood there lacked nothing that perteined to semelie ordre a seate lesse statelie then hiâ— inferiours Places ar I knowe of their owne nature thinges indifferent and of no greate account yeat haue theie at all times in all ages and emongest all men bene taken for meanes to distinct according to their worthines in degre one from an other So that it can be to no man doubtefull but that if of the councell gathered and assembled together he had byn the head and chief there should haue byn prepared for him if not a seate such as might by the maiestie aboue the rest well haue declared the same yet at the least such a one as should not by the basenes thereof compared with thother well and plainely haue proued the contrary If the whole some and ordre of religion belonged to him being th'emperour Why then in that place whither they wer all for that purpose to entreate of religioÌ„ assembled had the head of that parle no place but by licence why asked he leaue of the bishoppes to sit in the councell and not rather they of him Yea but he warned the bishoppes how they should procede in the councell that is by the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles If they would here haue delt truly and vprightely with vs and not rather haue folowed their father in lieng and patching they would not haue rehersed Gloria patri without Sicut erat nor taken a piece that seemeth to make for them leauing out that which maketh ageinst them But because they ar sworn to be true to their
of emperours and kinges ouer bishoppes and priestes Trulie that Iustinian did this it is but barelie affirmed nor any place in th'apologie is there coated where a maÌ„ that doubted might see it proued And therefore with the same auctoritie might it be denied with the which it is proposed to be beleued True it is that Theodora th'empresse as some write being alltogether giuen to the heresie of Eutiches after she had long trauailed first with Siluerius and after Vigilius bothe bishops of Rome to haue Menna the catholike archebishop of Constantinople depriued of his bishoprick and the heretike Anthimius remoued by Agapetus before restored again and could not obteine at their handes her wicked purpose did apon displeasure conceiued by this repulse â— procure by the meanes of Belisarius Iustinians chief â—apitaine the banishement first of th'one and after of th'other Who so euer deposed them or who so euer banâ—shed them true is it that this was the cause thereof and no other Which being as in dede it is most true let vs nowe graunte to our aduersaries that it was not the empresse but the emperour him self that deposed them and let vs see how they be hable to proue thereby that emperours and kinges may degrade priestes and depose bishoppes If they will deale vprightely they must to proue it â—eason thus Iustinian otherwise a Christian emperour but in this point a cruell heretike tirannously deposed two popes Siluerius and Vigilius onely because they would not doe wrong that is depriue him of his bishoprick to a catholike bishop and restore an heretike laufully before depriued Ergo th'emperour is aboue the pope Ergo kinges be aboue bishoppes Is not this a propre kinde of reasoning trowe yow Might they not haue reasoned after this sort that Nero deposed S. Petre that Traian put downe Clement with a nombre of such like examples For to saie that Iustinian was a christian whereas thiese wer infidelles is but a mist cast in to th'obiection to desell our eyes For who seeth not if he be not allreadie blinde that this deede if it should haue bene Iustinians to mainteine and defend an open heretike ageinst a faithefull and true catholyke had bene the act of a tyrant and infidell not of a Christian and good prince and that it is no better reason to say and conclude that he deposed them and therefore iustlie then it should be to say that he defended the heretike Anthimius and therefore rightefullie But seing this example will not serue our aduersaries turn let vs assaie to make it serue ours And first let vs examine what should be the cause why Iustinian should be so earnest with these two bishoppes of Rome to depose the B. of Constantinople and to restore the heretike that stoode depriued was he not emperour of all the worlde had he not by the meanes thereof as our newe doctours beare vs in hande the chief gouernement ouer all matters spirituall and temporall was on the other side the auctoritie of the bishoppes of Rome at that time such that it extended I will not saie out of their owne diocesse to any other bishoppes in the Latine churche but to Constantinople the chief of the Grieke Here ar they taken how so euer they answer For first if th'emperour had bene of that auctoritie that they saie the laie magistrates arre why did he not then by his owne mere and absolute power displace the one and place the other Might he not as well haue deposed one bisshop at Constantinople as two at Rome But if on the contrarie parte they answer that the pope was he that must necessarilie place and displace euen at that time and in the Grieke churche and not the emperour whie then should it be laufull at this time for emperours or kinges to doe that which was not laufull to be done then Or why should it not now be laufull for the B. of Rome which at those daies was not vnlaufull Thus may yowe see good Readers howe this history wholly and truly alleaged maketh not onely not against vs but also much with vs if it had bene true that th'apologie saieth that Iustinian had deposed those two popes Yea but say they yowe can not denie that the emperour made lawes of matters of religion that he absteined not euen in matters of the churche froÌ„ thiese termes Sancimus iubemus we ordeine we commaunde with such like Trulie this can I not denie and if I would there be whole constitutions of his ready to be brought againste me as that where he commaundeth that none be made bisshop that hath a wife and of them that haue had such as haue had oneâ—ie one the same no widowe neither deuorced from her husband neither forbidden by the holie canons and also that where he commaundeth that of priestes no other be receiued to that ordre but such as vel coelibem vitam agunt vel vxorem habuerunt aut habent legitimam eam vnam primam nequé viduam nequé diuortio separatam à viro aut alioquiî legibus aut sacris interdictam canonibus that is to saie as either leade a single life or haue had a laufull wife or presently haue and that one and the first no widowe none diuorsed from her husband or otherwise by the lawes or holie canons forbidden and that of deacons also where he giueth coÌ„maundement that if he that should be deacon haue no wife presently he be not otherwise promoted except being first asked of him which giueth the ordres whether he caÌ„ from thence furth liue without a wife he answer yea In somuch that th'emperour plainely pronounceth that he that ministreth to him the ordres can not dispence with him to mary after and that if he should so doe the bishop which suffred it should be deposed But although this be true that th'emperour Iustinian not onelie in thiese matters which touched the cleargie but in manie other also hath entremedled yet hath he alwaies so tempered the matter as he hath showed him selfe to be a folower not a leader a ministre to execute not a gouerner to prescribe The which thing his owne wordes in all such places where he entreateth of such matters placed as it wer for the nones to take awaie all such sinistre suspicioÌ„ doe manifestlie declare For either he hath these wordes Sequentes ea quae sacris definita sunt canonibus folowing the definition of the holy canons or thiese Sacras per omnia sequentes regulas in all poinctes folowing the holie rules or such like wherebi he would haue testified to the worlde that he meaneth by his penall lawes seuerelie to execute the canons of the churche and nothing lesse then to make newe him selfe In this sense vsed he the worde Sancimus we ordeine Where speaking of the first fower generall councels and the B. of Rome he hath thiese wordes Sancimus vt secundum eorum definitiones sanctissimus veteris Romae papa primus omniâ—m
would coÌ„municate with the prieste some Secondarilie they teache that this sacrameÌ„t ministred in the masse was chiefelie instituted to be a sacrifice to be offred vp to god by the prieste for his owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people and nexte to be a spirituall foode for all Christian people and nexte to be a spirituall foode for all Christian people to feede apoÌ„ and that as the first vse of anie thing maie not depend apon the second but contrarie wise this apoÌ„ that so in this sacrament the oblation which is the chiefest vse thereof and whereunto the prieste is bounde maie not so depend on the peoples coÌ„municating which is the seconde and whereunto touching so often receiuing theie ar not bounde but stand at libertie that without their deuotion serue them to receiue it he maie not doe his dutie that is to offer it Thirdlie that although for lacke of company the prieste doe receiue alone the sacrifice is yeat neuer the more priuate or lesse coÌ„mon For as no man is so madde to saie that a greate riche man keping a common table for his pooer neighbours hath left his olde accustomed wont and maketh nowe his table priuate if the gates of his house standing wide open as theie wer wont to be his tables furnished with plentie of meates and all thinges in a readinesse his geastes forbeare to come euen so it fareth in this case where the table is laide the gates be open the goodman of the house the prieste supplieng the place of Christe abideth loking for his geastes who onelie refraine to come Is this table priuate is he a niggard or shall he not eate that woulde because theie will not that shoulde Is a conduict builded in the middest of the open market place of a towne the lesse publike or common if the inhabitantes for whose ease it was made refuse to fetche water thereat Last of all we saie that hethertoe yow haue not discharged your promise which was to proue that within the first six hundred yeares after Christe there was neuer Masse saide nor might be without a nombre to receiue with the priest So that now we may saye vnto yow Vbi est illa seuitia vbi est ille fremitus Leonis Nonne sagittae infantum factae sunt plagae eorum Where arre now become youre cruell wordes ageinst the Catholikes to what ende is your Lions roring O Gregory O Augustine O Hierome O Chrisostome O Leo O Dionise O Anacletus O Xistus O Paule O Christ. If we be deceiued yow haue deceiued vs to what ende I saie is it brought Nonne sagittae infantum factâ—e sunt plagae eorum Ar not the woundes that yow haue giuen vs such as childrens cockeshootelles ar wont to make Well these be the pointes that the catholike doctrine standeth apon in this article To the which if youre stomacke serue yow to replie and that yow haue digested that which yow haue allready receiued I moste hartely praie yow to kepe yow without straieng from the matter or alleaging proufes impertinent as close as yow can So shall yow doe bothe to youre selfe in writing and to me in answering a very greate pleasure while I am suer your euidence is so much that six lines I speake with the moste will receiue with ease all that yow shall haue to write THE CONCLVSION CONTEINING 12. CAVSES HABLE AS THE AVTHOR IVDGETH either to stay the wauorer in matters of religion or to calle back the wanderer in thiese perilouse times HEtherto haue yow hard M. Iuell for the confirmation of fower articles the chiefest in a manner of all the rest that arre at this daie in controuersie betwene yowe and vs the scriptures the councels the Doctours and examples of the primitiue churche not their bare names as apoticaries set furth their empty painted boxes but full euen to the toppe of moste wholesom triacle and pretiouse preseruatiues ageinst the venime and contagion of your poisoned and pestilent hereticall doctrine So that now there remaineth no more but that euen as of late yow haue bene warned allready so now by me yow be put in remembrance once againe according to your promise to returne froÌ„ your heresies to your mother the Catholike church The which to perswade yow the rather and with the better will to doe I haue thought good here to communicate with yow such causes and reasons as by parte whereof I haue by experience founde my self against oure coÌ„mon ennemie the craftie serpents assaultes at such times as he hath laboured to drawe me to youre parte not a little strengthened and confirmed in Christes true religion and his catholike faithe FIRST I beseche yow considre and weigh well with your self whether Christ at his departure from vs men left behinde him here in earthe a churche or none Whether he promised to aide the same and to be present with it to the ende of the worlde to defend it in such sorte as if hell gates wer set wide open and all the diuels there sent abroade to vexe it they should not yet all of theÌ„ be able to preuaile When all this shalbe well considered and founde to be true then marche yet one step farder I praie yow and aske as it were of youre self how this churche prospered afterwarde whether as if according to his promise he haue bene continually present therewith all it needes must it multiplied and encreased or by his absence therefro decreased and went backeward Here wote you well you must needes saie either th' one or the other If yow saie that it hath alwaies hetherto either encreased or byn at the least so mainteined that no enemie no heretike no diuell him self no not all the diuels with all the power of the worlde ioining together could euer yet preuaile ageinst it then must you also graunte that at all times sence Christes departure from hence there hath bin a churche visible such as of all men might bothe be seene and knowen for such a one left Christ behinde him to vs his xij apostles besides the nombre of disciples to be a pillar for them to leane vnto that thorough infidelitie should be in daunger of falling and a house to harbour and succour them that otherwise should be like in the tempestes and stormes of heresies to lie without the doores If yow saie thus and that he hath neuer forsaken his churche but allwaies noorished it at all times in such sorte defended it that neuer was there time yet in which for feare of all the tiraunts in the world for dread of burning hanging hedding or other torments what â—oeuer it could be forced to hide it self to seeke meanes to lurcke in cloudes or walâ—k inuisible but hath allwaies to the coÌ„trary well declared it self to be that tabernacle placed in the cleare shining sonne that citie builded on the top of the mountain that caÌ„dell which giueth light to all that arre in the house theÌ„ demaunde I hartely praie you
of your owne coÌ„science where fifty yeares a goe that schismaticall churche which yow call the true churche and boaste your self to be of was in the coÌ„passe of all the wide worlde to be seene or hard of where your bishoppes had their consistories where your pastours and doctours were resident where youre religion was preached and SacrameÌ„tes ministred in such sorte as yow preache and ministre theÌ„ S. HieroÌ„ saieth where is no priest there is no churche S. Paule teacheth vs that in Christes churche be placed apostles prophetes EuaÌ„gelistes pastours and doctours Bring furth your priestes shewe where were your doctours and preachers If yow can not as in deede by the confessioÌ„ of youre apologie where yow confesse that forty yeares a goe the truthe which yow teache began first to spring that theÌ„ it was by Martin Luther and Hulderick Zuinglius first as neuer before hard of for yow call it inauditam veritateÌ„ brought to the knowledge of men yow ar not able confesse then at the length that yow had at all no churche ioine youre self to them which can of all times and of all ages bring furth good testimonies and euideÌ„t proufes where the religion which they professe the doctrine which they preache hath byn preached and taught and the sacramentes which they ministre ministred in such sort and manner as by them they presently arre Thus much if you graunte to vs that Christes churche according to his promise hath prospered hath preuayled ageinst all enemies and backe frindes hath alwaies sence his departure hence byn visible and to be seene of all men But if now on the coÌ„trary parte you saye not thus but for the citie that should staÌ„d on the toppe of the mountaine to be sene of all meÌ„ you will leade vs to a ragged cotage standing in some darcke hole and obscure caue able to be sene of no man or very fewe if for the tabernacle placed in the bright sonne you point vs to a doghole in some cloudy cellar or rotten barne and tell vs that there youre church hath lurcked and all this long while lien hidden for feare of persecution then must we tell yow in plaine Englishe that although yow were able to finde out some such luskes coâ—ner where youre coÌ„uenticles had bene assembled as if a man should aske yow but of the yeare before Luthers time you can not yet this would in no wise serue youre turne as being the strange voice of those false prophetes of whome in the gospell our sauiour gaue vs a watche worde to beware and take heede For Christ and so by a consequeÌ„t the body which must folow the head the chuâ—che I meane is not in partes here or there and therefore yow deserue no credit when yow so saye He dwelleth not in the desert of singularitie but in that well peopled citie cuius participatio eius in idipsum which is at vnitie with it self and whither the multitude ascendith not by one and one alone but by whole tribues and companies together And therefore when yowe tell vs that his abiding is in deserto in the desert or wildrenes we maye not goe out of that populouse citie nor step oute of the common beaten way there to seeke him no more then we maye beleue yow when yow crye in penetralibus that he is in the secrete and priuey places of the house Thus tolde S. Austen then whome the churche had neuer yeat a champion more exercised or better practised and acquainted with the manners and fasshions of heretikes Petilian that heretike his wordes ar thiese Sed haec interim sepono tu ostende ecclesiam I am vox illa mihi sonabit quam in pseudoprophetis Dominus vitandam praemonuit ostendentibuâ— partes ab vniuer so alienare conantibus Ecce hic est Câ—ristus Ecceillic Sed vsque adeò putas veras oues Christi cor non habere quibus dictum est nolite credere vt lupum audiant dicentem hic est Christus pastorem non audiant dicentem per omnes gentes incipientibus ab Hierusalem That is to saye But thiese thinges I lay all a syde and slip ouer showe me the churche Here will that voice sounde in my eares which our lorde warned vs to beware of in false prophetes showing vs partes and going about to drawe vs from the whole saing Lo here is Christ and there is Christ. But thinckest thow PetiliaÌ„ that the true sheepe of Christ to whome it is saide beleue them not ar so hartelesse that they will harckeÌ„ to the wolfe howling that here is Christ and will giue no eare to the shepherd sayeng thorough out all nations beginning at Hierusalem Thus taught he vs in an other place to discerne true preachers from false Si quis tibi Christum praedicat attende considera qualem praedicet vbi praedicet Christus enim veritas est per scriptur as sanctas praedicatur non in angulis non occultè sed palam publicè In sole posuit tabernaculum suum hoc est in manifesto collocauit ecclesiam suam If any man that is to saie preache vnto the Christ marcke and considre what maÌ„ner of Christ he preacheth and where he preacheth him For Christ is truthe he is preached by the holy scriptures not in corners not in hocker mocker but openly and publikely He hath pitched his tabernacle in the sonne that is to saye he hath placed his churche in the open sight of all men The same S. Austen told Seuerinus a kinsman of his that the churche was ciuitas supra montem posita a citie buylt on the top of a hill and that therefore it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greke because it was diffunded thorough out the whole world and finally that for that cause according to the worde of god it could not be hidden To this that hath byn alleaged maye be added that if euer Christes church should haue bene brought to such extremitie at any time after the fundation thereof once layed that a man might haue sought for it and not haue founde it that no one duâ—sâ— put furth his head to kepe the possession and right thereof that then it had byn vtterly ouerthroweÌ„ that hell gates had preuailed ageinst it And how had then Dauids prophecy bene true spokeÌ„ before hand of the churche Dominabitur a mari vsâ—ue ad ma re à flumine vsâ—ue ad terminos terrae It shall rule from sea to sea and from the floud to the ende of the world How had the churche ruled and gouerned that shoulde haue byn so brought vnder and vanquished Or how could Daniel haue called it the greate stone that grew and becam a houge mountayne and filled the whole worlde Yea how had Christ acquitâ—ed him self of his promise to be alwaies present with his churche if it had euer byn brought to thiese termes Greate persecutions the churche we confesse of Christ hath suffred but
yeat neuer was there any so vehement that could make all to hide their heades that some there were not who euen to the teethe of the proudest tyrants of them all standing at defence apon the walles defended not stoutely Christ and his churche For if it had bene otherwise then had the diuell as before hath bene sayed gotten the victorie and Christ taken the foile then had the churche which at Christes departure hence was bothe seene and knowen whereas by this meanes it should be neither not onely haue bene nothing at all auaunced but also in deede much abased By this that hath bene alleaged I trust you see M. Iuell and will easely confesse if not with me with Caluin yeat your late capitaine that Christes church◠must needes be visible that as his reason is we may knowe it to ioyne our selues thereto For a pooer piller shoulde it elles be to leane vnto and as homely a house for succour to flie to if when a man should stand in distresse and neede thereof he wer suer neuer to see it or knowe it by which meanes he should finde it Next after this yow will graunte I hope that this churche of Christ hath alwayes kept with it the truthe of gods worde and right vse of his sacramentes and in fewe wordes to comprehend all that it neuer yeat erred in any necessarie point of doctrine For if it haue as in your apologie yow labour in vaine to proue it maye then shall yow heare once again and as often as yow so saie yow must not thinck much to heare that Christ hath not kepte touche with his churche that he was from home when the diuell was there that hell gates by which one right well vnderstandeth heresies haue preuailed against it the contrary whereof after the scriptures S. Austen emongest the auncient writers most plainely affirmeth Thirdly it hath bene proued that this churche of Christ is not in partes but dispersed ouer the whole and therefore called catholike as much to saye as vniuersall Last of all the truthe will compell yow to confesse that there is no certein nombre of yeares limited or prefixed for the churche to be visible after which time it should be darckened and not be seene no more thē Christes promise made to aide it for euer can berestreined to any such certeine or determinate time Which being true then foloweth it that the churche hath bene aswell visible and preserued from errours thiese nine hundred yeares last past as it was in the six hundred before And then if it be so in what a plight yow be which confesse for vs that for nine hundred yeares the practise of the churche hath ronne on oure side we prouing for oure selues that for the six hundred yeares before it hath doen the like I praye you well to considre to laie youre hand apon youre hart and thincke apon it seriously This fundation layed let now yow and me imagine together which I haue oftentimes doen with my self alone that we were fiftie yeares agoe bothe mē liuing together in this worlde of good yeares and discretion that beginning then to mislike and suspect the religion thorough all the worlde vsed we sought for the churche of Christe which we were persuaded not to be emongest them who preached the worde and ministred the sacramentes as they did such a church for example as nowe is in England to be seene where the head should be a laie man a womā or a childe in no wise a priest where should be but two sacramentes where there should be no sacrifice yea the very name should be odiouse where in the sacrament of the altar should be saied to be nothing but bread and wine in the which there should be no inuocation of sainctes no prayeng for the dead no abstinence from meates on prescript daies where onely faithe should be taught to iustifie good worckes to be nothing auaileable or meritoriouse to the doers and finally in all pointes qualified according to the directiō of youre cōmunion booke Let vs I saie imagine that all waies presupposed that such a churche as I haue described is the true churche of Christ where we should in those daies haue sought after it where we should after long seeking to ioine our selues thereto to harbour our selues therein to rest oure backes thereat being all forweried with wādring from opinions to errours from errours to heresies haue at the length foūde it Or let vs discourse with oure selues whē after all this busie searche and diligēt enquiry therefore it appeared in no place what we had bene likely to haue saied the one to the other Truly what we would haue saied I know not but what we bothe should I know right well We should first haue entred in to a merueilouse mislike with oure owne wittes who being in nombre but two in learning and wisdome not the most excellent in a country on th' one side ageinst the whole wisdom of the world on the other had euer fallē in to any such foolishe fantasy or furiouse frenesy as to condēne the doings of all the rest to bring in place oure doltish dreames to thincke our selues onely to see and all other mē to be blinde to beleue that the moste learned the moste vertuouse should erre and we onely priuileaged that we might not We should haue remēbred our selues and with S. Austen haue saied Qui nō vult sedere in consilio vanitatis nō euanescat typo superbiae quaerens conuenticula iustorum totius orbis vnitate separata quae non potest inuenire Iusti autem sunt per vniuersam ciuitatē quae abscondi non potest quia supra montē constituta est montē illum dico Danielis in quo lapis ille praecisus sine manibus creuit impleuit vniuersam terrā He that will not sitte in the coūcell of vanitie let him not vanishe away with the shadowe of pride seeking after conuenticles of iust men the vnitie of all the world being seuered which he shall neuer be able to finde For the iust ar dispersed thorough out that vniuersall citie which can not be hiddē because it is founded apō a hill euē that hill that Daniel speaketh of in the which that stone that was cut forth without handes grew and filled the whole worlde Besides this we should haue iudged our selues men altogether faithelesse that giuing no more credite to Christes promise we would thincke his churche to haue byn by him at any time forsakē and the whole world inuolued and wrapped in an vniuersall darckenesse Whereas true faithe and good reason ought on the contrary part to haue persuaded vs that we had our selues rather bene starcke blinde not hable to see then that conspicuouse citie on the top of the hill sene of all other men should be remoued or quite ouerthrowen and Christ false in his promise If we should haue thought and saied thus then M. Iuell as I see no cause why we should haue
conuey the faulte from youre selues to an other But the truthe is well knowen to be far otherwise bothe by him who for that that he was a principall doer therein lurcketh presentlie in Scotland and also by that other who so euer he wer that made the booke entituled the harborough for faithefull subiectes Who entending to laie all the burden vpon a straungiers backe hauing forgotten by misfortune the chiefe rule of his arte that a lier should be mindefull euen in the first leafe of his booke declareth him to haue bene an EnglishemaÌ„ when in begging as it were a pardon for him he vsethe thiese wordes considering the griefe vvhich like a good membre of that bodie vvhich then sufâ—red he felt and afterwarde he declareth that that bodie was England and no other Yow maie remembre it is not so long sence when to put men to deathe for religion was a thinge horrible yow saide and expresselie ageinst the worde of god and charitie of the ghospell Nowe the sworde being as yow thincke in your handes yowe teache in your lessons yow crie out in youre sermons and neuer left crieng till yow had brought it to passe that it was decreed by publike auctoritie that such as in religion beleue not as yow doe bothe may and ought to suffer deathe therefore And surelie if the Quene oure moste graciouse ladie would alter the present state of religion yow woulde not faile shortly to sing youre olde songe againe that for religion no man ought to be punished by deathe and I feare me assaie either with some such feditiouse booke as ageinst Quene Marie ye made or by some other practise of which youre parte lacketh no store to remoue her from all manner of gouernement both spirituall and temporall For if youre libertie in the lorde be such as ageinst youre prince that pleaseth yow not yow can saie nothing to much as the author of the harborough saithe he could not that wrote the blast ageinst the gouernement of women had he kept him selfe in the particuler parson of his souereigne lady Quene Mary who douteth but that yow would vse it And for the better proufe hereof I referre me to that booke of late made by your companions of the succession whereby euery man that wit hath may easely perceiue vpon such premisses what conclusion was to be looked for none other forsoothe then the speedy dispatch of her whose clemency being oure gratiouse and souereigne lady because it coulde be brought by no meanes to serue youre furiouse sprite you thought to worcke by other meanes and to prouide for the maintenaunce of youre kingdome youre selues But this power ar ye growen vnto whereof I maruell also that ye make not youre vauntes that ye can make kinges and depose them when ye lyâ—t This mutabilitie and inconstancie in youre owne doctrine in so shorte a space in youre communion first one while decreing that it be ministred in common and leauened bread by and by reuoking that and bringing it to vnleauened at one time coÌ„maunding that youre seruice be in all places vsed in the Englishe tongue not long after chaunging the same in some places in to the latine and yet that reiected once againe and the Englishe restored and all this within the space of little more theÌ„ a yeare This daie youre coÌ„munion table placed in the middâ—st of the quier the nexte daie remoued in to the bodie of the churche at the thirde time placed in the chauncel againe after the manner of an altar but yet remoueable as there is anie communion to be had Then youre ministres face one while to be turned towardes the Southe an other while towardes the northe that the wethercocke on the toppe of the stieple hathe bene noted not to haue turned so ofteÌ„ in the space of one quarter of a yeare as youre ministre hath bene caused benethe in the bottom of the churche in lesse then one monethe as though yow coulde not sufficientlie declare howe restles an euell heresie is excepte yow muste make youre communion table to ronne aboute the churche the ministre first after it and then rounde aboute it to expresse the same This inconstancie I saie and tottring in and oute first aboute the ordre of youre communioÌ„ and then in other thinges before noted causeth diuerse men and emongest the nombre my selfe to suspecte youre doctrine of newnesse because naturallie we see this hurlie burlie and shifting in and putting oute to chauÌ„ce in thinges at their first beginning and contrarie wise neuer in those that haue bene of long and settled continuance If such a communion as yow now haue deuised had euer bene before yow shoulde haue founde presideÌ„tes and formes thereof that shoulde haue directed yow so certeinelie that yow neuer could haue fallen in to this inconuenience of making and marring building and pulling downe But yow had no such forme and therefore I maruell not if it happened vnto yow as it hath THE fowerth cause or consideration that hath moued me hath bene this that besides youre owne misliking with youre owne doinges I finde which is a suer marcke wherebie to knowe the false and malignant churche that yow arre at dissensioâ— emongest youre selues one with an other which hath not neither begonne of late but euen as the poet fained of Cadmus men sprange vppe together with that vnhappie seede of your deuelishe doctrine What shoulde I heare trouble youre eares with the vnpleasant remembrance of that implacable dissension for which euen at this daie their ofspringe ar one with an other at deadlie foode of youre first parentes Luther and Zuinglius or of youre elder brothers Caluin and Oecolampadius What shoulde I remembre youre owne good agrement at home which youre last assemblie in youre conuocation hath made to all the realme so manifest and well knowen And yet is this dissension of youres not in owtewarde ceremonies or triffling matters as yo we woulde haue men to beleue or in the diuersitie of apparell as wherewith for lacke of other stuffe to the greate defacing of youre parte yowe arre constreined to charge vs but in the highest misteries and greatest pointes of oure religion For howe manie opinions ar there emongest yow coÌ„cerning the iustificatioÌ„ of a Christian man howe manie of the valew of good worckes howe manie aboute baptesme howe agree yow with youre late head that calleth god the author of their damnation that arre damned excepte yowe call him so toe how can yow be saide to agree who call that laufull which the chiefe of youre coÌ„panie calleth blasphemie howe agree yow with youre selues in that highe misterie of the sacrament of Christes bodie and blood of whome some of yow and the better some to if learning and honestie maie take anie place defende with Luther Christes reall presence in the sacrament other some with Zuinglius denie the same My leisor serueth me not M. Iuell or if it did my purpose is not here which a iust volume woulde scarse receiue
to heape together all the contrarie opinions whiche sence the first houre that youre father Luther opened the wide doores of his wicked scholes either he in his life time or his scholers sence his deathe haue either taughte contrarie to them selues or one to an other It shalbe ynough for me friendelie to warne yowe to take good heede thereof in time and for the surplus to aduertise yow to resorte to the worckes of Hosius of Lindanus in his tables Fredericus Staphylus Georgius VVicelius bothe some times enfected with youre heresies Martinus Cromerus and diuerse other where if yowe list yow maie more at large see this dissension liuelie and at the eye deciphred Although I feare me yowe be not ignoraÌ„t thereof youre owne selfe which in youre Apologie of the churche of England for of the penning thereof at the leaste yowe beare the name to discredite and vtterlie deface that infallible marcke of Christes flocke which youre owne conscience of all likelihode tolde yow apperteigned not to yowe vnitie I meane reported thereof that the diuels lacke not that But long shall it be M. Iuell before ye shall make anie wise man to forsake the vnitie of Christes churche to come to the confusion of youre seditiouse synagoge I trust apon the warrant of such wise reasons as this is Thinke yow because youre pleasure is to call by the name of vnitie the diuels wicked agreing in vexing and molesting of mankinde that therefore theie that considre howe the apostles began their doctrine therewitheall how theie continued with the â—ame for of them is it written that thâ—ie had cor vnum animam vnam one harte and one minde how S. Paule commended it to the Ephesians how god is called the god of peace and not of dissension how Christ finallie gaue it as a badge to his disciples to be knowen by and neuer yet in anie age woulde suffer that the adulterer shoulde be hable with all that he coulde doe to pull from the fingre of his deare spouse that pretiouse ring of vnitie thinke yowe I saie that ageinst thiese weightie considerations by youre maliciouse cauilling theie wilbe anie thing at all moued Trulie I nothing doubte but by such dispitefull reasons aâ—l good men will in their faith be the more confirmed and staide And thus much touching the fowerth cause THE. 5. cause that maie persuade yow to mislike your religion maie be the rechlesse companie of your adherentes and confederates Which is such that beginne at the one ende of the realme and passe thorough all the shieres all the citees all the townes and all the villages betwene that and the other and generallie as euerie man is to all mischief moste prone and enclined so shall yow perceiue it to be true that he embraceth youre religion sonest And contrariewise as he is the moste simple the moste quiet the fardest from all euel conditions so is he in disposition from the same moste abhorâ—ing If he neuer come to the churche to praie if he fast neuer if he be a comon Ruffian that sweareth that stealeth that blasphemeth that picketh quarrelles with his neighbours that breaketh all good ordre he is as I saide before generallie youres For otherwise I knowe that bothe some honest natures there ar thorough simplicitie the more is the pitie by yow abused and other some also â—â—â—ngest vs who although thorough the goodnesse of god theie be staide froÌ„ erring in their faithe erre yet notwithstanding in their manners moste perniciously And therefore I saie generallie and for the moste parte So that I thinkâ— I maie be bolde to saie for one founde oute on either parte such as I haue described if ye made the progresse that I tell yow of yow shoulde finde fortie on thother and if it woulde please yowe by the waie to visite the gallowes the gibbettes and other places appointed for the execution of iustice a farre greater nombre toe O mercifull lorde is there anie man so ignorant of thy righteouse iudgementes and infinite mercies that he will rather thinke that thow hast more regarde in the reuealing of thy holie spirite of truthe to such hell houndes and wicked men who neuer fast who neuer praie for the obteining thereof as did thy apostles before theie receiued it then to a nombre of quiet modest and harmelesse men who by praier by fasting by almoise deedes by worckes of mercie by all vertuouse meanes labour to obteine the same But here I wote well some one of yow will saie that Christ of a persecutor of his flocke made Paule a diligeÌ„t sheppherd that Marie Magdalen a greate sinner became of vertue an earnest folower and that such changes dailie you haue in such as come to youre religioÌ„ Trulie if it were so then saide yowe some what but experience hath well taught vs the contrarie For of manie that before theie came to yow had some honestie left or were but meanelie euell as we haue perceiued diuerse that streight waies became vnhonest and spreading their sailes abroade haue launched into the deepe goulf of all mischiefe so haue we harde of verie fewe that being before euell youre doctrine hath at any time persuaded to be good For proufe whereof and that it maie the better appeare that this is not onely true in oure countrie of England but a mischief that rageth vniuersally where so euer your false gospell is preached not growen of late as though time which corrupteth eueÌ„ the best thinges had wrought any chaunge therein but sprong vp with the same at the very beginning I shall here laye before youre eyes the testimonie of him who because he liued emongest the first fautors of this youre countrefeite religioÌ„ coulde not be ignoraÌ„t of their manners because he was vehemently suspected and in some thinges also vttered him selfe to fauour youre doctrine can not be by yow chalenged as not indifferent Erasmus Roterodamus His wordes extant to be sene touching this matter arre these Circunspice mihi populum istum euangelicum obserua num minus illic indulgeatur luxui libidini pecuniae quà m faciunt hi quos detestamini Profer mihi quem istud euangelium ex commessatore sobrium ex feròci mansuetum ex rapaci liber alem ex maledico benedicum ex impudico reddiderit verecundum Ego tibi multos ostendam qui facti sunt seipsis deteriores That is to saye Loke apon this euangelicall people and marke whether there be emongest them lesse riotte lesse sensualitie lesse couetousnes then is emongest them whome yow detest so much Showe me whome this gospell hath made of a rauenouse gloot on a sobre absteiner of cruell gentle of couetouse liberall of a sclaunderer a good reporter of an â—nchaste sinner a vertuouse liuer I will showe the many that haue bene made worse then them selues And a little after Nunquâm eorum ecclesias ingressus sum sed aliquando vidi redeuntes à conciâ—ne veluti malo spiritu afflatos
vultibus omnium iracundiam ac ferociam miram prae se ferentibus Sic opinor discedunt milites à concione ducis ad praelium exhortati Quis vnquam vidit in eorum concionibus quenquam fundentem lachrimas tundentem pectus aut ingemiscentem I neuer was that is to saye in any of their churches but some times I haue sene them coÌ„ming from the sermons as possessed of some euell spirite the countenaunces of them all declaring a certeine angre and cruelty So I wene vse the souldiours to departe from the oration of their capitaine when they haue bene exhorted to the battell whe euer sawe in any of their sermons any of them weeping knocking his breaste or yet sighing Thus much hath Erasmus touching youre newe gospell I passe ouer here in silence the infamouse companie of common minstrelles and entrelude plaiers who be all brothers of youre fraternitie membres of youre corporation and in so good credite emongest yow that they haue their charge of dispensing the worde as well as yow So farre furth that in youre filthy and dirty donghill of stincking martyrs yow call players one of the engines set vp by god ageinst the triple crowne of the pope to bring him downe Let the ciuile lawes note such marchantes with infamie Yeat emongest yow they maie goe for honest men Let the canons forbidde them to accuse euen them that be faultie Yeat youre churche admitteth them to blaspheme Christes sacramentes to sclaundre and speake euell of his ministres I meane not here bishoppes onely and priestes but princes also and other magistrates to whome vnder god the charge of the common wealthe hath bene committed Finally let S. Cyprian saie as long as he list that it is neither agreable to the maiestie of god nor discipline of his gospell that such be admitted to the holye communion whereby the honour of the churche should by their filthy and infamouse coÌ„tagion be defiled yeat is not youre communion so pure but that that honest kinde of men maye beâ—re yow company and sitte with yow euen at one messe nor youre churche so honorable or doctrine â—o parfecte that yow nede to feare the blemishing thereof in to whose handes or mouthes so euer it shall happen to come But all this I saye I passe ouer and shall goe forwarde in prosecuting of other causes that make me to abhorre youre doctrine THE nexte cause hathe bene apon the consideration of the parson of him that yow boaste to haue bene the author and founder of youre religion Was not he a lewde lecherouse frier an apostata Maried he not if by so honest a name I maie call so filthie a deede a nonne an acte besides the commaundementes of the scriptures so vnderstanden by the churche by the ciuile lawes also by Iouinian the emperour twelue hundred yeares agoe lacking three vnder the paine of deathe moste seuerelie forbidden Was he not one that passed all other in pride Deserued he not trowe yow for these qualitees that fauor and good grace at his fathers handes of the obteining whereof in diuerse passages of his worckes he reioiseth so much as of the conference that he saithe he had with his saide father the diuell when by force of his reasons he was constreined to write againste the Masse of the familiaritie that he showed him when it pleased him to kepe him so manie yeares companie as betwene them manie busshels of salt were eaten The which time we maie not thinke neither to hane bene idellie speÌ„t betweâ—ne them but as first in the Masse that so afterwarde he enstructed him sufficientlie in the rest Emongest which enstructions was it not trowe yow a lesson meete for such a scholemaister Si vxor nolit aut non possit ancilla venito If the wife will not yealde to her husbande the due debte of mariage or be not able let the maiden come And againe for the husband on the other side that if he be in that case that he can not reÌ„dre to his wife the same that she shall first aske leaue of him to repaire to his brother or some other of his bloude for such carnall companie and that finally if she can not obteine it she shall get her a waie and marie clam Is not this trowe yow proufe good ynough that youre doctrine commeth from the diuell while youre selues graunte to haue receiued it froÌ„ Luther and he bothe by wordes and deedes that he had it from him Boaste now of him as long as yow list call him the man of god claime him for youre patrone and founder terme him prestantissimus vir ad illustr andum orbem terrarum a deo datus the moste excellent man and sent euen from god to lighten the darckenesse of the worlde as in youre Apologie you doe For as we enuie not youre fortune so persuade we oure selues that had all the worlde till his comming bene as yow woulde beare vs in hande it was ouerwhelmed with errours god woulde yeat haue chosen an other manner of piece to bring it in frame againe then he either in his life or doctrine showed himself to be and that he which shoulde haue done such an entreprise ought to haue conferred with the holie spirite of god not with the cursed and wicked spirite of Sathan THE roote of this youre doctrine was it not auarice mixed with enuiouâ—e hatred whilest Luther the author thereof partlie for that the office of publishing certeine indulgences graunted by Leo then pope was taken from the order of the Augustine friers of the which he was one and committed to the friers preachers of the ordre of S. Dominicke wherewitheall no small gaine went also awaiâ— together from them partelie of enuie that theie of that religion shoulde be thought meter for the execution thereof then he or his And of such rootes shall we loke for good fruite Cast youre eye apon other countries where youre religion is now embrased Considre diligently by what meanes it founde first there entreteinement in some apon desier of reuengement in other by couetousnes by lechery and such like vices and in none by charitie and youre selfe I trust will saye with me that I had good reason to be moued by this consideration AN other cause why I haue abhorred youre doctrine and yeat doe is for that I finde by the auncient histories and alowed recordes of the fathers writinges that in many pointes of the same and in youre manners beside yow agree with the olde heretikes that haue heretofore troubled the churche of god with the Iues with the Ethnikes and paganes with tyrauntes and infidelles with Antichrist yea with Sathan him selfe If yow demaunde of euery one of these seuerall examples beholde here they follow Simon Magus To beginne first with Simon whome for his knowledge in Magike the histories haue called Magus for as much as of all heretikes he maye be rightly called the father as he that liuing in
saye or any other so much as one example of crueltie that maye be able to matche this For who woulde euer thincke in men endowed with reason and those especially whose mouthes and tongues sounde so commonly the Gospell the Gospell such inhumanitie shoulde haue bene founde as first to cut of the priuy partes of their ChristiaÌ„ brother then to frie them after to cause him by violence to swallowe them downe and last of all to rippe the stomacke of him being yeat a liue to see what was become thereof Maruell not now good readers if at S. Macarius they buried the catholikes quicke if they cut the very infantes in two if they ripped the bellies of priestes and drewe oute by little and â—â—ttle their entrailles winding the same either about some sticke or tree Maruell not if at a vilage called Patte sixe or seuâ—n leagues distant from Orleance they spared not so much as the innocent age of infancy but whereas two little children had by chaunce gotten oute of the belfrie whither the residue to the nombre of twenty or fiue and twenty were for their sauegarde fledde these cruell murderers not gospellers but manquellers meting with them in their flight brought them backe againe and threwe them in to the fier there to perishe with the reste If I shoulde here particulerly reherse all the cruell and horrible actes done by the Caluinistes in Fraunce a whole booke truly shoulde I make thereof This which allready hath bene brought maye suffise for the comparing of them I will not saie with the Donatistes onely but with the moste cruell and barbarouse tirauntes that euer liued Of the rest who so is desierouse to haue more perfect knowledge him remitte I to the booke entituled Du Saccagement des Eglises printed at Paris and written by Claudius de Sainctes oute of the which I haue takeÌ„ what so euer hath here bene alleaged touching this cruell dealing of theirs Arriani The nexte comparison is of oure gospellers with the Arrians Whose vilanie and hatred towardes the blessed sacrament of the altar was such that they trode it vnder their wicked feete The churches in Africa they ouerthrewe and made of them stables for their horses Of the vestimentes and altar clothes they made shurtes and breeches They burned the bookes they spoiled the churches of their ornamentes as in an epistle written by the bishoppes of Egypte to Marcus the pope it appeareth more at large Finally as Gregorius Nazianzenus writeth mysteria verterunt in comoedias The misteries of oure religion they turned in to plaies and comedies What one thing is there of all these that yow and your companions haue omitted to doe M. Iuell wherein agree yow not with them Can yow saye that yow haue not abused the sacrament by treading it vnder youre feete That yow haue not ouerthrowen churches and turned them to worse vses then to stables that yow haue not made breeches shurtes yea cotes for plaiers and dizzardes of the holie vestimentes and altar clothes that yow haue not burned the churche bookes and other ornamentes and moste shamefully spoiled the temple of god haue yow not to conclude which I tremble as often as I remembre turned the misteries of oure faithe the sacramentes of the churche the pledges of oure redemption into comedies and playes I woulde to god yow neuer had But as it is more manifest that yow haue so done then that it can be denied so seme yow to giue little token of repentaunce thereof when yow brag of youre infamouse companie of plaiers that they arre one of the three engines set vp of god to plucke downe the popes triple crowne as much to saye although yow plainely expresse it not as to ouerthrowe all true religion Iulianus Apostata the yeare 365. Iulianus the emperour who of a good and vertuouse catholike prince became sodenly a cruell wicked and tirannouse persecutor of Christ in his membres beganne the foundation of this goodly newe religion of his with the robbing of churches and spoiling the cleargie of their priuileages He banished aftâ—rwarde the priestes and faithefull he ouerthrewe the aultars and caused the sacrifice to ceasse as in a sermon that Chrisostome made of the two martirs Iuuent and Maximus who being bothe souldiours and men of armes woulde he saith sacrifice and offer vp them selues to god seing the sacrifice of the churche ceassed it maye moste manifestlie appeare He reproued the Christians as witnesseth Cirillus and called them wretched men for doing reuerence as then was the guise of Christian men to the crosse of Christe for making the signe thereof in their forheades for painting of it on the doores of their houses he reproued them for worshipping the reliques of martirs for visiting their tombes for praieng to them at their graues and sepulâ—hres calling them deade men He ouerthrewe the image and picture of Christe The arcke or shrine wherein were religiously kepte the bones of S. Iohn Baptist he brake open burnt them and dispersed abroade the asshes Now to make the comparison Whether yow contemne as Iulianus did the crosse of Christe whether with him yow call them wretched men that reuerence it that make the signe thereof on their foreheades that painte it on their doores kepe it in their houses let youre burning and breaking of so many thousandes youre banishing them oute of the churches youre troubling and vexing of such honest men as being desirouse to haue with them some liuely remembraunce of Christes deathe and passion to stur vp their colâ—e deuotion to moue their dull and heauy affectioÌ„s kepe them for that purpose youre iudgementes agreing all on him whome entring in to a churche falling vpon his knees yow beholde marcking his forheade with this signe which was notwithstanding once as witnesseth Chrisostome the manner of kinges at their entraunce in to the churche to be moste assuredly an enemie to Christes gospell Finally let that horrible acte done in the late troubles in Fraunce by youre companions who in the contumelie of the same comming in to a churche where was the image of Christe crucified strangled first two priestes and then hanged them vp after on either side of it be a moste ample and sufficient testimonie thereof As for the rest denie that yow agree with him if yow can So little shall that displease me that yow shall I protest make me very glad to heare thereof giue me good cause to hope and occasion to praie that at the length yow will and also maie falling awaye from all other heretikes and all their diuelishe heresies drawe home to the lappe of youre mother that suer sanctuarie from whence to your owne harme and her greate griefe yow haue so farre strayed Ethnikes Iues. The Ethnikes and heathen men brake the image of Christe as Sozomenus writeth The Iues as Athanasius reporteth crucified it on a certeine time euen as their fathers did Christe him selfe They asked of him in
the actes of heretikes theues paganes Iewes and diuelles yow yeat chalenge the gloriouse title of true Christians and good catholikes THE nexte cause hathe bene for that I finde in youre religion no certeine rules or principles to builde vpon but such as hauing hetherto bene chalenged by all the auncient heretikes for theirs maie welbe called starting holes for youre foxishe generation being sore pressed to flee vnto For proufe whereof graunte to an heretike those principles which yow demaunde to be graunted to yow of which these arre parte that nothing is necessarily to be beleuid and folowed as a truthe but thaâ— which maie expressely be founde in the lettre of the scrip ture that of the sence of goâ—des worde and true meaning thereof there is no other iudge then the scripture it â—elf as of the which one place faileth not to expounde an other that Christes churche is inuisible with such like and there was neuer yeat heresie so absurde but that he wilbe able ageinst yow and all youre companions to defenâ—e it Whereas the catholikes on the other side haue for theire parte such contrary groundes as wherewith the auncient writers haue alwaies contended ageinst the olde and auncient heretikes For they saie with S. Basile that many thinges haue bene deliuered to vs necessary to be beleâ—ed by Christ and his apostles whereof the scripture maketh no mention at all They teache with S. Austen as yow harde before in the first cause that the churche of Christ is visible And with him also they arre bolde to saie that in doutefull questions arising apon the vnderstanding of the lettre we must appeale to the churches determination AN other reason in the prosecuting whereof also I must craue pardon at youre haÌ„des if perhappes it chauÌ„ce me to touche youre parson more neerer then yow woulde I should remembring alwaies that eae maximè sunt salutaria remedia quae acerbissimeÌ„ doloruÌ„ faciunt is for that yourâ— doctrine being first grounded and then continually after supported and mainteined by lies it can by no meanes be that it euer should procede from the spirite of god Which being the spirite of all truthe hath no nede of the helpe of lyes to be vnderpropped withall Be not your lyes M. Iuell in slaundring of men in false translations in wronge allegations vttred the rather to deceaue without cotatioÌ„s in mangling and tearing of the Doctours and Councells as it pleaseth yowe and best maie make for your purpose so manifest and to the worlde so well knowen that theie can be concealed no longer What opinion might thinke yow the Councell of late assembled the moste vertuouse learned and wisest heades of the worlde haue of yow and youre doinges when in youre Apologie emongest so manie lies â—heie founde that of all other moste grosse and impudent in which yow sclaundred so wickedlie the flower of this age Hosius the Cardinall What maie youre owne countrie men thinke of youre religion when to place it the more easely there yow feined as I noted before in comparing yow with the Donatistes that the catholike bisshoppes had consented to the banishing out of the realme the pope and his auctoritie But hereof I forbeare to write anie more forasmuch as it hath by me allready benâ— sufficiently vrged Onely of this I can not but warne yow mine owne deare countrie men to take good hede to haue alwaies a diligent eye to this lieng and suttell generation and to thincke euer with youre selues that they who in thinges so euident and manifest done at home euen at youre owne noses haue not refreined so impudently to abuse yow will make no curtosie or haue any conscience in thinges more more secrete or priuey to do the same And therefore maruell not by the waie that M. Haddon hath borne Hieronimus Osorius a straungier a Portugall a man ignorant of oure affaires in hande that religion was not altered in this realme nisi conspirantibus ecclesiae proceribus but by the consente of the bishoppes or that he made him of oure abbayes this accounte that they were distâ—ibuted pios ad vsus scholarum A cademiarum Zenodochiorum to the godlye vses that is to saie of scholes of vniuâ—rsities and hospitalles That the pope for a certeine ordinarie tribute to be to him yearelie paied giueth his priestes free licences and dispensations vnder his greate seale openly to kepe concubines without controllemeÌ„t is it not an abhominable lie Of that reuerende olde man and greate learned clerke M. Doctour Clement whome in youre Apologye yow haue also to the worlde moste shamefully sclaundred what shall I heare speake seing that he religiously denieâ—h that fact which yow barely without proufes without witnesses layâ— to his charge Which deniall of his I doubte not shall emongest the better sorte be taken to be of as greate force against youre false and vntrue reporte as was the answere of Aemilius Scaurus that noble Romaine made in fewe wordes to the long and odiouse oration of his infamouse accuser Varius Sucronensis vttred before the people of Rome in these wordes Quiâ—â—tes Varius Sucronensis ait Aemilius Scaurus negat vtri crediâ—â—â— That is to saie Varius Sucronensis O ye Romaines affirmeth Aemilius Scaurus denieth whether thincke you it best to beleue The which wordes were no soner spoken so well werâ— their honesties bothe knowen to the people but he was with greate applause of the commons pronounced innocent and his aduersarie coÌ„demned in his owne action If to establishe youre doctrine yow vse thus to sclaunder and belie the aduersaries thereof two thinges will folowe thereapon First that yow shall take from vs all manner of merueile why yow so falselie reporte the olde fathers who were to this worlde so manie a hundred yeare sence deade seing that euen of them who be yeat a liue whose bookes and tongues whose bodies and whole liues manifestlie beare witnesse of the contrarie yow doe the like And secondarily yow shall giue men occasion to thincke that such doctrine is verie weake the which to be vnderpropped must haue such staies What shoulde we iudge of youre translation of the holie scriptures who turn the worde idolum or simulachrum in to the worde imago an image and this forsothe to make vs beleue that all the passages of scripture that speake ageinst the heathen and Gentils Idols speake also ageinst the Christians images as though betwene an idoll and an image there were no difference at all What ment yow but to bring the ordre of priestehode in hatred when in all places of youre Englishe bibles where priestes haue bene praised where anie thing soundeth to their commendation yowe call them ministres absteining vtterlie from the name of priestes whereas contrarie wise where their behaueor hathe bene euell yow spare not that name but vse it frelie Castalio whose translation of the bible is so well liked by youre parte when he cam to that place in the ghospell Dic ecclâ—siae tell the churche
SacrameÌ„t vver not such blood as yssueth from vaines or-such fleshe as is of the Substance of maÌ„ such I meane in substance not in maner of being Substantially Corporally Carnally Lib. â— Paschal Manicheus taught that Christ had no true but a fantastical body Homil. 5. de paschate Homil in Encenijs The misteries he calleth the bread and vvine In Ioâ—â— lib. 10. cap. 13. Lib. 11. cap. 27. A reasonable request to M. Iuell and his fellovves Exod. 7. Exod. 22. Psalm 81. The scripture belied by the heretike Philipp Cap. 2. lib. 5. contra MarcioÌ„ cap. penult Epist. 47. Colloss 1. Hebre. 1. Hovv the sacramenâ— is called a figure of Christeâ— bodâ—e Homil. 24 in 1. Cor. 10. Christes body vvorshipped in earthe not in heauen onely M. Iuell In psalm â—8 Christ ministred the sacrament vnder one kinde Luc. 24. Lib. 3. de consens Euangelist Cap. 25. Homil. 17. Act. â— Act. 20. Laica communio Lib. 4. epist. â— Caâ— 2. Can. 50. Lib. 9. Confess Epist. 180 Theophil Alexandr alleageâ— by M. Iuell In His sermon folio 35. Cap. 32. Lib. 8. Euel Sprites and heretikes hate the Masse alike Lib. 9. Cap. 12. Hoâ—il 3. in epist. 〈◊〉 Ephes. The true meaning of Chrisostomes place â— Corin. 11. Homil. 83. In Math. M. Iuelles proufes against Priuate Masse examined Iuell M. Iuell coÌ„fesseth the doctours to be good groundes to builde apon In the second ansvvere to d. Coles letters Iuell Iuell a epist. ad Burdegal b in Luca cap. pr. c de ciuitate dei li. 10 cap. 20. et lib. 17. cap. 20. d in epist. ad hebreos in cap. â—0 Homil. 17. e Hieron cap. 1. in Tit. Amb. epist. 33. f Chrisost. 1. Cor. 10. â—omil 17. The. 10. canon of the apostles brought against priuate Masse The ansvvere The yeare of our lorde 274. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M. Iuelles allegatioÌ„s be not to the issue Anacletus l. inciâ—ile ff de legib The true vnderstanding of the place of Anacletus The place of Anacletus brought by M. Iuell turned against him selfe Hovv the auncient vvriters at to be vnderstaÌ„d forbidding all to be present at the Masse saue those that vvil receaue vvith the priest A fimilitude Canon 47 18. Sermo 251 De â—eÌ„por Actâ— 5. No Scripture forbiddeth the priest to receaue alone or the alie man to be present thereat vvhen he communicateth not In his Sermon fol. 34. Math. vlâ— Marci 16. Lucae 22. 1. Cor. 10. Lib. 2. epist. 3. Lib. 3. de ciuitat dei lib â— contraduersl â—eg proph cap. 20 Serm. 6. de Paschâ—t Vbi supra Epist. ad Ianuar. 118. Math. vlâ— Ast 8. 10. Lib. contra FaustuÌ„ 32. cap. 14. Confess lib. 3. cap. 7. In quaest ex nou testam q. 75. In psaâ—m 36. coâ— c. 3. The churche hath her times of grovving The catholike doctrine touching priuate Masse Tvvo speciall vses of the Sacrament M. Iuell hath not brought so much as one proufe against priuate Masse In the Sermon fol. 43. Psalm 63. The first cause 1. Timoth. 3. Psalâ— 18. Math. 5. Contra Luciferianos Ephes. 4. Fol. 26. of that booke vvhich being last printed hath no place named vvhere The protestants confessioÌ„ concerning the antiquitie of their religion Math. 24. Christes churche vniuersal Psalm 122 Coutra literas Petil. lib. 2. cap. 16. Lucae 24. Libro de cantico noâ—o cap. 5. S. Austens rule to knovv the true preacher from the false Epist. 170. Psalm 71. Daniel â— Lib. 4. Instit. cap. 1. The churche is visible It erreth not De â—iuitat Dei lib. 20. cap. 8 It is vniuersall Contr. epistol Parmeniâ—ni lib. 3. cap. 5. â—ib de praescript aduersus haeâ—es The yeare of oure lorde 182 â–ª M. Haddons confession of the continuance of the Gospel in England The .2 Contra epist quam vocant fundamentum cap. 4 â–ª The .3 De â—inod aduâ—rsus Arrianoâ— The. 4. Caluin lib. 3. Instit cap. 23. Caluin in 1. Osee. â— 7. Amos. Apologie The late Apology reasoneth against vâ—itie Cap. 4. 1. Cor. 14. Ioan. 13. The. 5. Ast. 13. 14. The testimonie of Erasmus concerniâ—â— the nevve ghospellers In Epist. in Pseudoeuangelic Ministrelles and players chief ministres in publishiÌ„g the nevve ghospell Fol. 750. â—l quod ait praetor § ait praetor ff De his qui not infam Concil Caâ—thag 7. Cap. 1. Lib. 1. epist 10. ad EucratiuÌ„ The. 6. The first author of the nevve ghospell L. Si quis non dicam C. de episcop cleric Libr. de Missa angulari Luther persuaâ—ed by the diuell to haâ—e Masse In a sermon of matrimonie printed at vvitem berge first Anno 1522. after vvard An no. 1553. Tom. 6. German fol. 177. The. 7. The. 8. Iâ—inaeus lib. 1. cap. 20. That goâ—d vvorckes be not meritoriouse an hereâ—y of Simon Magus a Histor. trip lib. 8. cap. 9. b Nicephor lib. 6. cap. 30. The pope renouÌ„ced c Hieron in proaem dialog adâ—ers Pelag. August de haeresib cap. 45. Free vvill Fasting dayes d Epist. 86. ad Casulanum praesbit e Epiph. lib. 3. â—aeres 75. Sacrifice and praiers for the deade f August de haeresib cap. 82. AbstineÌ„ce froÌ„ meates No difference of sinnes Virginitie and mariage August lib. 2. Retract cap. 22. De peccat merit lib. 3 cap. 7. Heres 82. Hieroâ— contra Vigiâ—aâ—iuÌ„ ad Exuperium Epist. 75. Lib. 6. Cap. 33. Lib. 7. cap. â—6 Lib. 6. conâ—ra Donatist Altars ouerthrovven Optatus Lib. 2. contâ—a Donatist i August lib. 3. â—cap 4. 5. contra Crescon Gramat k August Epist. 15â— l Augustâ— Bonifacio comiti epist 50. m In demonstrat aduers. Gentil quod Christ Sit deus Macedoniâ—9 Histor. tripart lib. 5. cap. 34. Epist. 152 Anno. 1. Reginae Eâ— lizabethae 〈◊〉 8. The cruelty of the Caluinistes in Fraunce Theodorit lib. 3. cap. 6. Horrible crueltie n Victor De perseâ—ut Vandaâ—c lib. â— cap. 3. o L. â— C. dÌ„e off praefect praetor p Victor lib. 3. Orat. ad Heron. Philosophum q Theodoritus lib. 3 Cap. 6 r lib. 6. â—â—Ì„tra luâ—iâ—n The crosse s Lib. 10. coÌ„tra IuliaÌ„ t Sozomen lib. â— cap. 12. v Theâ—doâ—â— lib. 3. Cap. 6. Homil. De peâ—tâ—coste Michael Fabritius contra Bâ—â—am x lib. 5. cap. 21. y lib. de pass imag Christi Petr. Crinit lib. 4. de honest discipl Hovv the heretikes occupie their igno rant and vnlearned brethern He liued in the yeare of oure orde 220. In Orat. quam hab contra Iul. Lib. 3. cap. 3. Lib. 10. coÌ„â—ra Iulian. Sozomenus lib. 5. cap. 21. The image of Christ placed by the Christians in the churche 1200. yeares ago Sup. Math. â—omil 54. Epist. 186. The. 9. Lib. de Spâ—ritu sancto Cap 27. CoÌ„tra Cresâ— con Gram. lib. 1. cap. 33. The. 10. M. Haddon Vâ—ler Max. lib. â— cap. 7. Math. 18. Musculus Socrates lib. 2. cap. 17. 〈◊〉 Gardiner B. of vvin toÌ„ misreported by M. Iuell â—ol 71. The councell of Carthage mangled by M. Iuâ—ll cap. 47. Anacletus guâ—lefully alleaged Epist. 81. ad Dâ—oscor Leo falsified by M. Iuell Theophil Alexandr August de bono viduit cap. 10. The. 11. Theodorus Beza The. 12. In CoÌ„men in epist. ad Ro. prioris aedit Lib. 3. cap. 23. Sect. 4. Genes 4. Genes 4. Iacob 2. Philip. 2. De visitâ—â— infirm lib. 2. cap. 4. In Leuitic homil 2. De ciuit dei lib. 10. cap. 20. Homil. 24. 1. Cor. 10 Deciâ—itat De lib. 10 cap. 20. East â—ib 1. Apologetic aduers. Eunom