of the Kings and Queens inclination as he presumeth and of the great Authority of Cranmer Cromwell and some other that he calleth his Gospellers or Patrons rather of his Gospel And yet if you behold the external Face of the English Church at this day all these named and others held the Catholic Faith Use and Rites and both King and Queen Cranmer and Cromwell went as Devoutly to Mass as ever before and so remained they in outward shew I mean the former three even to their Deaths And Cromwell when he was to die protested on the Scaffold that he was a good Catholic Man and never doubted of any of the Church Sacraments then used and the like would Cranmer have done no doubt if he had been brought to the Scaffold in King Henries days as he was to the Fire afterwards in Queen Maries which had been a happy case for him 9. There ensued the year 1534 which was the year indeed of open breach with Rome for that an Excommunication being set forth by Pope Clement VII against King Henry VIII upon notice given of his Marriage and the said Excommunication set up in Dunkirk and other Towns in Flanders which did import the consent also and concurrence of Charles the Emperour and then certain Prophesies being blown about at home as coming from Elizabeth Barton sirnamed the holy Maid of Kent about the King's Deprivation he was much more exasperated than before and so calling a Parliament caused the Pope's Authority to be wholly extinguished and transferred to himself and made divers Bishops in order to preach at Paul's Cross against the Pope's Supremacy over the Catholic Church But what may we think that these Bishops did in so small a time change their belief in matters of Faith The King also being angry with divers Friars as namely with F. Elstow beforenamed that contradicted Cutwyne the Preacher when he inveighed against the Pope's Authority did this year upon the 11th of August ordain That all the observant Friars of St. Francis's Order should be thrust out of their Convents beginning with Greenwich where the said contradiction was made and to seem somewhat to favour the Augustin-Friars of whose Order Luther had been he commanded them for the present to be put in their places yet did he at the very same time cause John Frith to be burn'd in Smithfield for denying the Blessed Sacrament and this by his own particular order which Frith and his Master Tyndal were the greatest Enemies that Friars had 10. He burned also this year Henry Poyle William Tracy and other Protestants as Fox testifieth in his Calendar So as we may see that the King's Faith was as before and tho' he were content to suffer some new-fangl'd Spirits to ruffle at this time as namely Friar Barnes in London where he preach'd most seditiously and Hugh Latimer in Bristol where as Stow saith he stirred a notorious Tumult causing the Mayor to suffer Lay men to preach and to prohibit and imprison Priests and other like Disorders yet what the King thought inwardly of them he declared afterwards by his acts when he burned Barns and cast Latimer into the Tower and kept him there with evident danger of his life so long as himself lived which disposition of King Henry Tyndal smelling at the same season wrote from Flanders to his Scholar John Frith Prisoner in the Tower of London in these words And now methinketh I smell a counsel to be taken c. But you must understand that it is not of a pure heart and the love of Truth but to avenge themselves and to eat the Whores flesh and to suck the marrow of her bones c. So wrote that honest man signifying that King Henry was resolved to make an outward shew in favouring the Gospellers not for love or liking he had of them but to revenge himself of the Pope and to enjoy the Goods of Monasteries and other spiritual Livings which he in his blasphemous heretical vein calleth the Whores flesh and marrow of her bones 11. Well then this was the beginning of their Gospel in England by their own Confession and Interpretation and so whatsoever was done from this year forward against Catholics or Catholic Religion unto the 31st year of his Reign which was of Christ 1540 to wit for five whole years was upon these grounds and to the former ends of Revenge and Interest if we believe Protestants themselves in which point notwithstanding for that divers Godly Learned and Zealous men could not be content to follow the King's affections as others did and namely Bishop Fisher of Rochester Sir Thomas More late Chancellor of England and divers most Reverend and Venerable Abbots Priors and Doctors and other their like they were content to give their Blood in defence of Catholic Unity against this Schism as the Abbots of Glastenbury of Whaley of Reading Dr. Forest Queen Catharine's Confessor Dr. Powel and the like 12. Some others and amongst them one most near to the King himself both in Blood and Affection namely Cardinal Pool opposed himself by public Writing from Padua as we may see by those three learned Books left by him in Latin De Unitate Ecclesiae Others also of the same Blood-Royal as the Marquess of Exceter and Countess of Salisbury the said Cardinal's Mother shewed their dislike which afterwards was the cause of their ruin and many Shires also of the Realm at this time not being so patient as to bear these Innovations took Arms and fell into great Commotions as in Lincolnshire Yorkshire Somersetshire and some other Provinces making all their Quarrels for matters of Religion 13. So as by this we see that Catholic Religion remained still in England both in Prince and People but that the Prince for a time thought good for other ends to tolerate and wink at disorders therein until the aforesaid year of 1540 when calling all his Realm together both Spiritual and Temporal to examin well this matter of Religion they decreed that famous Statute both in Parliament and Consistory Ecclesiastical called the Statute of six Articles or as John Fox nameth it the whip with six strings or lashes in which Decree are condemned for detestable Heresies all the most substantial points of Protestants Doctrin especially of Zwinglians and Calvinists and most severe punishment of Death appointed unto the Defenders and Maintainers thereof whereby the Catholic Judgment and Censure of the whole Realm in that behalf was seen and the King himself made further declaration thereof presently for his own part by putting away his German Wife Anne of Cleve by which the Gospellers had thought to have drawn him further into League and Religion with the Protestant German Princes and by punishing Cromwell the Head and Fountain of most of these Innovations by the loss of his Head. He burned also immediately after this Statute in Smithfield upon the promulgation thereof three famous Heretics Barns Jerom and Gerard
be altered it must be done by the same Authority by which it was delivered to them to wit by the whole Church Councils and General Pastors thereof 26. This was the Defence and Pleading of Catholics under King Henry the Eighth to excuse themselves from Treason objected against them for holding the Popes Supremacy wherein you see divers notorious differences between the Defence of the Sectaries and them for that amongst the Sectaries every one held what himself thought best of things invented by themselves every one cited Scriptures and interpreted them as he listed without Authority President or Example of former Ages and consequently they are justly called Heretics that is to say choosers For that they chose to themselves what to believe in every Sect and reduced the last and final resolution of all things to their own Wills and Wits which in matters of belief is the highest Crime that against God and his Church can be committed 27. But on the other side the state and condition of the Catholics and their cause is quite opposite to this for that they stick to Authority Obedience Integrity Example of their Ancestors they bring nothing of their own they invent or innovate nothing They stand only upon that which they have found Established to them not by this or that Man or by this or that Author of any Sect or by this or that particular Congregation fellowship or Faction or by this or that Town City Province Kingdom or Country but generally by the whole universal Church and Pastors thereof and therefore properly and truly are called Catholics which is to say Vniversal and general 28. And this shall suffice to shew the difference between the Catholic Martyrs and Heretical Malefactors put to death in King Henries time whereof yet we shall Treat more largely in the third part of this Treatise where we are to handle the particular Stories of Fox his Calendar-Martyrs and to compare and paralell them with ours shewing that yet never Dogs and Cats nor yet Sampsons Foxes did ever so disagree in natures and conditions as these good Martyrs did in Faction and contrariety of opinions amongst themselves and consequently could not be Martyrs or witnesses of any one Faith whatsoever 29. And with this also will we end the Discourse of King Henries Life having sufficiently shewed as to me it seemeth that the Catholic Religion held her footing and continuance also under ther Reign of this King no less perhaps than before yea she shewed her self much more to the World by the Persecution which then she suffered than before in the time of peace for that the Famous and Illustrious Martyrdoms of such excellent Men as were Bishop Fisher Sir Thomas More Dr. Forest and many other such Worthies that suffered Martyrdom in those days did more Illustrate her and made extern Nations to talk more of the Zeal and Constancy of English Catholics than ever they would have done if that Persecution had not fallen out and the like success hath happened since both under King Edward the Sixth and her Majesty that now is as briefly we shall here declare 30. And as for King Edwards Reign as it was but short and the first passage from Catholic Religion to open Profession of Heresie So was it not so sharp for effusion of Blood as under King Henry For that the King being very young and those that Governed in his Name not thorowly settled in their States and Affairs troubled also with much Division and Emulation among themselves could not attend to prosecute matters so exactly against Catholics as some of their desires and Appetites were yet began they very well as we may see by the most unjust Persecutions and Deprivations of two principal Bishops Gardiner of Winchester and Bonner of London by such violent Calumnious manner as was proper for Heretics to use The particulars whereof John Fox doth set down at large whereby a Man may take a taste what they meant to have done if they had had time For that Cranmer and Ridley that had been Bishops in King Henries time and followed his Religion and humor while he lived being now also resolved to enjoy the Preferment and Sensuality of this time so far as any way they might attain unto getting Authority into their hands by the Protector and others that were in most Power began to lay lustily about them and to pull down all them both of the Clergy and others whom they thought to be able or likely to stand in their way or resist their inventions 31. And hereupon divers were laid hands on and Imprisoned divers fled over Seas sundry most Captious and Calumnious Questions and Demands were devised to entangle Men As Namely Whether a King of one year old were not as truly a King as at Forty or Fifty which if you did grant concerning the Title and Right of his Crown which is true then presently they inferred that King Edward being but Nine years old wanting yet discretion might also be lawful Head of the Church and determine Controversies of Religion yea change the Faith and Religion which his Father and all his Ancestors Kings and Princes of England all Parliaments Synods and Councils before his days had left unto him for the space of a Thousand years and more And albeit he had not sufficient judgment to understand what Religion meant yet was he made judge thereof by vertue of his Birth and Succession to the Crown And this Point was wonderfully urged by the Protector Seymor to all Preachers Prelats and Bishops of that time that they should inculcate the same to the people in their Sermons to the end that himself taking all the said Child Kings Authority upon him might be Head and Judge in his place Whereunto that he might seem the more fit and able for his excellent learning John Bale the Apostata Friar that lived under him was not ashamed to Publish in Print and place him for a Learned Author amongst his Illustrious British Writters for that some Proclamations perhaps passed by his hands tho' otherwise he was known to be so unlearned as he could scarce Write or Read. 32. But yet as I said this Doctrin or rather Paradox of the Child Kings supereminent ability high Authority and Supreme Ecclesiastical Power to determin alter change and dispose of matters of Religion at his pleasure tho' he were but of one year old was sounded in Pulpits every where at this time whereof Sir John Cheke the Kings School-master amongst others Wrote a several Treatise besides the large Message sent in the Kings Name but of his Writing to the Catholic people of Devonshire as after shall be shewed The same also was objected grievously against Bishop Gardiner and Bishop Bonner by Name that they had not in their Sermons appointed unto them by the Protector so sufficiently urged this Point of the Kings Ecclesiastical Power in his Nonage as was required And this especially for that the people in
divers parts of the Realm and namely those of Devonshire seeing such alterations to be made in Religion under the Minority of a Child quite contrary to the Laws and Statutes left by King Henry the Eighth and that all things went backward both at home and abroad the Towns we had in France being lost or upon the point of losing they complained first and after took Arms for defence of their Ancient Religion in the beginning of the third year of this Kings Reign the people of Sommersetshire and Lincolnshire beginning first in the Month of May and then in July the people of Essex Kent Suffolk Norfolk Cornwall and Devonshire and in August those also of Yorkshire all crying and demanding to have the Catholic Religion remain as it was left by King Henry at least-wise until King Edward came to lawful age thereby to be able to determin and judge of matters of Religion which demand did wonderfully trouble and vex the Lord Seymour Protector and other new Gospellers who being hungry after Catholics Goods could abide no delay in making this desired Innovation 33. And albeit before these Insurrections fell out they did well see by divers attempts that the heart of the people was wholly against those their Innovations in Religion as appeareth plainly by a Speech of the Lord Rich then Chancellor to the Sheriffs and Justices of Peace of all Shires gathered together in London in the year 1548 being the second of King Edward's Reign as at large you may see in Fox yet such was their importunity in this behalf as they would needs go forward which thing pleasing John Fox well he writeth thus By this you may see what zealous care was in this young King and in the Lord Protector his Uncle concerning the Reformation of Christ's Church 34. The same Fox also setteth down in another place what the young King answered to the Devonshire-men that desir'd that the state of matters in Religion might remain as King Henry had ordained and left them and in particular they required that the Statute of Six Articles against Heretics might stand in force until King Edward came to full age Whereunto let us hear his Answer and consider thereby how matters went in those days To the first about the Statute of Six Articles made by his Father and inviolably kept all days of his life the little Child answered thus Know you what you require They were Laws made but quickly repented too bloody were they to be born of Our people You know they helped Vs to extend rigor and to draw Our Sword very often yea they were as a Whetstone unto Our Sword and for your Causes We have left to use them and sith Our mercy moved Vs to write Our Laws with Milk how be you blinded to ask them in Blood c 35. And then further he saith But to leave this manner of reasoning with you We let you wit That the same Laws have been annulled by Our Parliament with great rejoyce of Our Subjects and not now to be called by Our Subjects in question Dare any of you stand against an Act of Parliament c Assure you most surely that We of no earthly thing make such account as to have Our Laws obey'd for herein resteth Our Honor and shall any of you dare to breath against Our Honor c Lo how little account this little King Child was taught to make of his old Father's Laws and how thundringly to speak for the maintenance of his own But when they came to the second point about his Nonage he is yet more resolute for thus he writeth 36. In the end of your request saith he you would have Our Fathers Laws stand in force until Our full age But to this We think if ye knew what ye spake you would never have uttered that motion nor ever have given breath to such a thought For what think you of Our Kingdom Be We of less Authority for Our Age You must first know that as a King We have no difference of years nor time but as a natural Man and Creature of God We have Youth and by his sufferance shall have Age. We are your rightful King your leige Lord your King anointed your King crowned the sovereign King of England not by Our Age but by God's Ordinance We possess Our Crown not by Years but by the Blood and Descent from Our Father King Henry VIII c. 37. All this and much more did they make the innocent young King to talk and write in defence of their Innovations who had more Interest therein than He. And as for the Catholic People albeit they deny'd not but that he was a true King in his minority of Age yet no man was so foolish as to think notwithstanding all these preachings to the contrary but that it was a different thing for matters of Religion to be altered now in his Name than afterward by Himself when he should come to Age. 38. But among all others none urged this Argument so much nor with such Authority as the King 's eldest Sister the Princess Lady Mary Heir-apparent to the Crown who being a zealous Catholic and yet wishing well also to the Protector did by sundry Letters to be seen in Fox admonish both Him and the rest of the Council That they should look well what they did during the King's minority in altering the Will Laws and Ordinances of his and her Father King Henry for that afterward they were like enough to be called to account about the same when the King her Brother should come to full years Moreover she admonished them That they had no Authority to make such alteration in so great matters as they did but ought rather to conserve things in the state left unto them by King Henry her Father according as by solemn Oath they had sworn unto him before his death that they would do but especially about matters of Religion until the King her Brother came unto lawful Age. 39. By all which is clearly seen how the Catholic Religion remained in England most substantially rooted in King Edward's days and that Heresie entred only from the teeth outward and was maintained by violence of Temporal Authority and according to that was the success For after many toils and turmoils one killing another of those that governed when they thought they had laid a sure Platform to continue the same by excluding the Lady Mary and Lady Elizabeth and thrusting in Jane the Duke of Suffolk's Daughter after King Edward's death and had so plotted and fortified that Design as they thought it sure the only Zeal of the common Catholic People for the recovering the use of Catholic Religion again overthrew all and placed Queen Mary as is notorious to the World. And afterward if we consider the end of most of them which in those days being Counsellors for Ambition or other respects were promoters of Heresie as Dudley Pembroke Winchester
endured you will easily see the Fruits of that new Gospel 4. For first all begun with manifest perfidiousness against the old King that was dead For whereas he had two things in abomination above the rest First that his Son should have a Protector considering the fatal events thereof in former times for which cause he appointed sixteen Tutors to govern with equal Authority during the Minority of his Son the other that Heresie but especially Zwinglianism should enter into his Realm both these things were determined contrary to the said Kings Will and Ordination within three days after his death and above a dozen before he was buried For that the young Child being Proclaimed King upon the 28. of January and his Father not buried until the 14. of February his Uncle the Earl of Hartford was made Protector both of the King and whole Realm upon the first of the said Month of February following and this by the private Authority of the greater part of the Executors only without expecting any Parliament or consent of the Realm for so great a change and charge as that was 5. And albeit for obtaining the consents of the greater parts of Executors to this mutation great advancements and Dignities were promised and some of them also performed for that the Lord Dudley was made Earl of Warwick the Lord Parre Marquess of Northampton the Lord Chancellor Wriothesley was created Earl of Southampton Sir Thomas Seymor was made Lord Sudley and High Admiral of England and other the like and this within fifteen days after the Protectors Advancement and tho' hope also was given to those that were Catholicly inclined as the most of them were if they had followed their Consciences that no great alteration of Religion should be made for the present yet twenty days had scarce passed after this advancement but that the Protectors Fingers did so eagerly itch to be doing and tampering about Innovation in Religion as upon the 6. of March next following he sent away Commissioners into all parts of the Realm to pull down Images and other Ecclesiastical Ornaments throughout all the Churches of the Realm and to make other Innovations by his Authority which now in all things he would have to be the Kings And for that the Chancellor Wriothesley resisted the same and would have had it stayed until a Parliament might be called his Office was taken from him thereby to terrifie others from speaking in like Cases Bishop Tonstall also was put beside the Council for like offence though he were one of the sixteen Executors appointed by King Henry So as now the Protector would needs have all things absolutely in his own Hand both without Law and before Law yea expresly against the Laws of King Henry yet in force 6. And for that both he and his followers did easily see the affection of the Realm to be wholly against these Mutations as before we have shewed in the end of our former part he devised with the Lord Dudley who soothed him in all at that time the Journey into Scotland of Musselborough Field which all men know under pretence to gain the young Queen by force to Marry with the King. But yet every man of judgment and discourse did easily see that not to be a thing likely to get such a Princess by way of Arms from her Subjects Neither was King Edward of such Age as they needed to have hastened so much to get him a Wife so soon he being but nine years old but that the matter might have been treated peaceably with the Scots to have concurred willingly for their own interest to that conjunction of both Realms by that Marriage according as they had done in King Henry's time And so wrote Bishop Gardener to the Protector presently upon the first Sermon he heard the Bishop of St. Davids in Wales make in London about that matter I mean to exhort the people to the enterprise of Scotland For that now all Preachers were set a work by the said Protector and Earl of Warwick to shew the great Glory and utilities of that Attempt 7. But the true cause of this Enterprise was indeed to have thereby a just pretence and occasion to raise an Army within the Land and to call in Foreign Forces as they did both Germans and Italians under Petro Gamboa that had served King Henry at Bologne and other Leaders who they thought would be always more sure unto them than English Soldiers in occasions of Religion And so it fell out indeed For the very next year after these Foreign Soldiers did stand the Protector in very good stead when divers Shires of the Realm took Arms for defence of their Religion in the third year of King Edward's Reign as after you shall hear 8. This then was the first Summers work after King Edward's Coronation to wit that the Protector made his Voyage towards Scotland having first sent Commissioners and Preachers as you have heard into all Shires to preach against Images Procession Litanies Pilgrimages Mass praying to Saints And this of his own Authority without and against Law for that no Parliament had yet disannulled the Religion left by King Henry Which thing so much grieved the common Catholic people as they began to exclaim every where against the said Commissioners and one of them called Body was slain in Cornwall for which divers Men were Executed in sundry places of that Shire and a Priest sent up to be Hang'd Drawn and Quarter'd in Smithfield for the terror of others for that he was said by some to have been Accessary to the said Body's death 9. And this was the beginning of planting new Religion in England by Authority of the Protector under a child-Child-King which Protector notwithstanding for that he mistrusted his home-Doctors as well as his home-Souldiers to be sufficient for so great a Work as the planting of a new Religion he sent over into Germany for divers strange Sectaries of what Religion soever so they were not Catholic But especially he desir'd to have Apostate-Friers that had ty'd themselves to Sisters assuring himself that they would be most pliable to his purpose And so there came into England Martin Bucer a Dominican Frier who unto that day had been an earnest Lutheran and Peter Martyr a Canon-Regular that inclin'd to Zuinglianism but yet came with great indifferency to preach and teach what he should be appointed Bernardinus Ochinus was the third who had been a Franciscan Frier and by taking a Woman had lost all Religion writing a Book de Polygamia for having many Wives at once and died after a Jew 10. These three were distributed into three principal Fountains of the Land London Oxford and Cambridge and with these joyned other of the same Coat and Profession as Coverdale an Augustine Frier Bale a Carmelite and other-like English-men as before we have shewed All which beginning to preach in divers parts of the Land filled mens heads with Novelties and
Contentions but had not the Gift of the old Apostolical Preachers to preach the self-same Faith and Doctrin every where but so many men so many Opinions were set abroach every man following his own fancy only they agreed in impugning the Catholic Church Rites Doctrin and Service but among themselves they could not agree 11. Which thing being signified to the Protector both before his departure and while he was in the Scottish Journey it grieved him exceedingly and wrote back to Cranmer Ridley and the rest that they should seek some means of Agreement and Conformity and that they should make hast to end the Common-Service-Book or Book of Common Prayer Doctrin and Rites which they had begun to treat of before his departure out of London But this was not so easie to do for that new Factions and Divisions were grown now among them especially upon the arrival of the foresaid new Preachers as well English as strangers from beyond the Seas For albeit the strangers could not much help in making this English Communion-Book or rather new Mass-Book yet did they hurt and hinder the same much by the variety of Opinions which they brought with them in matter of Doctrin some of them coming from Saxony and others from Switzerland where there were different new Sects and Doctrins held and taught And forasmuch as in this Book not only the Rites and Ceremonies of Service and Administration of Sacraments but the Doctrin also of their Number and Nature and other Articles of Belief were to be expressed or at leastwise insinuated hereof arose a great War for that Bucer would have one thing Peter Martyr another Ochinus a third and then stepped in John Bale and Milo Coverdale freshly come with their new Doctrin and wanton Women from beyond Seas and would have room amongst the rest 12. But above all others did trouble the Market at this time two heady married Priests come also from beyond the Seas to wit John Hooper and John Rogers the one from Wittenberg with a German Wife the other from Argentine with a Burgundian Sister as Fox testifieth who dissenting wholly from the Course begun by Cranmer and Ridley and bearing special emulation against them as accounting themselves more Learned and zealous and more reformed than they as in their Lives we shall shew when we come to their places in the Calendar they being potent in Speech and Faction and had in estimation of the people in respect of their former Banishment they made this Agreement at the first beginning much more difficult Especially for that one Hugh Latimer more turbulent than any of them all and of more regard with the common people for that he had been Bishop in King Henry's days joyned with Hooper and Rogers against Cranmer and Ridley for that they were not inclined to restore him his Bishoprick of Worcester whereof he had been deprived by King Henry VIII 13. Whereupon the Protector when he returned to London from the Scottish Voyage in the end of the Summer he was greatly troubled to see these Divisions But especially for that he found nothing ready as he had hope for the new Communion-Book but only that the old Religion was impugned and the new not yet framed and infinite strife was raised both about the one and the other Yet a Parliament being called together upon the Fourth of November Anno Domini 1547 and the First of King Edward they thought to give an attempt to see what might be done to have some Alteration established But it would hardly be notwithstanding all Art Power and Persuasion was used by the Protector and his people to obtain the same For that in this Parliament they gat only two things of moment to be determined about Religion The first was that all former penal Statutes made against any Heretic or Sectary whatsoever from King Edward the Third downward to wit for the space almost of 200 years should be revoked But namely the Statutes made against Lollards Wickliffians Hussits Anabaptists and the rest in the 1. Year of King Richard the Second and in the 2. Year of King Henry the Fifth and in the 25.31.33.34 and 35. Years of King Henry the Eighth against what Heresies Heretics or Sectaries soever All these Laws and Statutes I say were recalled annulled and taken away together with their punishments prohibitions or other restraints whatsoever So as now every Man might think say preach or teach what he thought best And this judgeth Fox to be a goodly sweet Liberty of the Gospel where no Man is bound nor forced to any thing And this determined a Child of Nine years old against the Decrees of all his prudent Ancestors for 200 years upward 14. But yet in all this free liberty of Sectaries to say write and teach what they list the punishment of Death was reserved unto Catholics that should speak in defence of the Doctrin of the Pope's Supremacy or in derogation of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Headship of this young King. And this was the first and principal beginning of the Gospel in King Edward's time to give every Man liberty to do and believe what he would so he were not a Catholic Which is much like the opening of Prisons and common Jayls in the beginning of a Rebellion when all Malefactors are made free from fear of Laws so they will joyn in Faction with the Rebellious And upon the opening of this Gate no marvail tho' all Sectaries rushed in and among others divers Arians Anabaptists Trinitarians and like Heretics began to preach presently their Doctrins with such publicity as Cranmer and his Fellows for repressing thereof were enforced to sit in publick Judgment and condemn divers of them to Death albeit I do not see by what Law having now revoked and annulled all former Statutes made against Heretics for their punishment as hath been said And namely he condemned Joan of Kent alias Joan Knell that had been a Handmaid of Anne Askew burned before in the last year of King Henry VIII for denying the Real Presence And Joan had profited so much under Anne's Doctrin as now she denied Christ to have taken Flesh of the Blessed Virgin who was so resolute with her Scriptures against Cranmer and his Assistants sitting upon her and her Fellows in our Lady 's Cappel of S. Paul's Church in London upon the 27th of April when he gave Sentence of Death against her that she reproached him greatly for his inconstancy in Religion telling him that he condemned not long before Anne Askew for a piece of Bread and now condemned her for a piece of Flesh And that as he was come now to believe the first which then he had condemned so would he come in time to believe the second c. 15. And for that O. E. in his Defence of Sir Francis Hastings would not seem to think this matter to be true I do assure the Reader in all sincerity that I have it by relation and asseveration
stay'd here in proving you by these external conflictions only but hath passed to the internal also that he might say of you as he did of his dearest people when he meant to do them most good Convertam manum meam ad te excoquam ad purum scoriam tuam auferam omne stannum tuum I will turn my hand upon thee and will boil out by fire all thy rust even to the quick and will take from thee all thy Pewter thereby to leave thee pure Silver he would equal you in this Point with the Privilege of his Apostles that you might say with them truly Foris pugnae intus timores We have fights abroad and frights at home You know what I mean and others will easily guess that have heard of the late storms past Only I will say to your high commendation that your moderate and sage deportment hath been such also in this Point of not admitting the scandal offered as all men have been edified by your Wisdom and Piety therein seeing fulfilled on your behalf that which the Holy Ghost prophesied of holy wise and peaceable men truly fearing God Pax multa diligentibus Legem tuam non est illis scandalum Those that love thy Law O Lord do enjoy their inward Peace and are not scandalized with what external tempests soever do arise 9. In respect of which Piety of yours it is to be presumed that Christ our Savior hath wrought again by his Substitute and this upon the sudden that famous Miracle recorded by St. Matthew St Mark and St. Luke of calming the Tempest that put his Disciples in fear and jeopardy Exurgens imperavit ventis mari facta est tranquilitas magna He rising up commanded the Winds and Seas to cease and thereupon ensued a great calm and tranquility which kind of Miracle is not lightly made among Protestants for that they want the means thereof And therefore as a thing peculiar to the Subordination of Christ's orderly Church and wrought by his Divine Power and Vertue I do the more admire and reverence the same assuring my self that no good Catholic will ever hereafter so much as move his finger against it but co-operate rather to the firm establishment and continuance thereof as is most behoveful to the end that as we are all one in Faith and Belief so we be also in Life Speech and Actions especially in this time of trial Which God of his infinite Goodness grant To whose holy Protection I commend heartily both You and my self this first of March 1603. An Addition of the Author to the foresaid Catholics upon the News of the Queens Death and Succession of the King of Scotland to the Crown of England SInce the writing of the precedent Epistle Advertisement is come that Almighty God of his infinite Mercy hath delivered you at length dear Catholics from your old Persecutor and as we hope will also shortly from your Persecution His Divine Majesty be thanked everlastingly for the same Here generally the applause is no otherwise than it was in old time among the Christians upon the entrance of Constantine into the Empire after Dioclesian or of Jovinian after Julian But the former Example seemeth more like for that good Constantine was of a different Religion when he entred yet of singular hope to become such as afterward he did both in respect of his excellent Parts and of his pious Mother St. Helena The difference of the two Mothers is That the Empress Helena did assist her Son here upon Earth as St. Paulinus writeth towards the Truth and Piety of Religion but Queen Mary of Scotland and France being violently deprived of this Life will do it we trust by her Prayers in Heaven The Comparison also is not improper in this for that perhaps this our new King is the first that hath been absolutely Lord of the whole Island of Britanny with the Parts annexed thereunto since Constantine 2. We know what Commendation a Heathen Author gave to Constantine while he was yet no Christian and this in public Audience at the day of Marriage with the Daughter of Maximianus Herculeus both the Emperours being present and hearing him Neque enim saith he Forma tantum in te Patris sed etiam Continentia Fortitudo Justitia Prudentia sese votis gentium praesentant Not only the Form and Beauty of your Father Constantius doth appear in you but also his Continency his Fortitude his Justice his Wisdom do represent themselves in you according to the full desire and wish of all Nations Thus said he of that Constantine Whereupon Eusebius sheweth That the Christians of that time conceived so great Love towards him tho' he were not yet a Christian as his Adversary Maxentius hearing of his coming towards Rome was glad to feign that himself would be a Christian also to retain somewhat thereby of their affections from Constantine 3. We read of divers excellent Men in Christian Religion who were presumed and foretold that they would be such before they were Christians indeed and this only upon the foresight of their good Natures and vertuous Inclinations as St. Martyn afterwards Bishop of Tours St. Nectarius Archbishop of Constantinople St. Ambrose Bishop of Millain and St. Augustin Bishop of Hyppo albeit of St. Augustin's Conversion from the Heresie of the Manichees to Catholic Religion St. Ambrose added another Conjecture also or rather Prophecy to wit that the Prayers and Tears of his good Mother St. Monica could not suffer such a Son to perish All which you see how far it maketh for Us and for our Hope of this second Constantine who wanted not also a holy Mother to Pray and shed Tears abundantly for him whil'st she lived that he might be such as we most desire now whereof my self amongst others can be a true Witness and this from her own testimony 4. And for that I cannot persuade my self that so holy Endeavors of such a Mother in such a Cause can be frustrate with Almighty God I do not only hope well but do attribute hereunto in great part the many Blessings that have fallen upon this King ever since but principally His Majesty's Preservation and strange Delivery from infinite Dangers and most imminent Perils as all men know so as neither Cyrus nor Romulus nor Moyses himself was more strangely preserved than this King hath been since his Infancy And for that God doth never commonly work those great Effects but to great Ends you Catholics of England may with reason hope well thereof especially if any thing came by his said good Mothers Intercession who loved you all so dearly as whatsoever she asked at God's hands for the Life and Prosperity of her dear Son in this World a great part thereof was meant no doubt for You and your Good if ever you came to be under his Government as now God hath brought you 5. Another effect of this holy Queens Prayers
hardness of heart for that they had not believed those who had seen him risen from death again Which doubt and hardness of heart in believing he cured wholly afterwards by sending the Holy Ghost 25. But yet hereby we may evidently see that Christ required humility and obedience of belief even in things where our reason or sense resisted requiring us to captivate our understanding to use S. Paul's own word unto his obedience in matters of faith and not only to himself immediately but to those also that teach and preach unto us by lawful ordination and authority from him albeit they deliver us matters above our capacity reach and understanding and this under pain of eternal damnation for that our Saviour himself having given the Commission of preaching in S. Mark 's Gospel aforesaid Ite praedicate Go and preach he addeth presently Qui non crediderit condemnabitur He that will not believe shall be damned And this is sufficient for the first Point about the obscurity of the Object of Faith and Causes thereof 22. The second Point of this consideration is That albeit Almighty God will have us to yield obedience of faith unto him as well for his due honor as for our own utility yet doth he not leave us without sufficient testimony of the truth nor requireth at our hands this obedience but as rationabile obsequium to use S. Paul's words a reasonable obedience or an obedience founded in all reason of probability inducement and credibility For proof whereof we must understand that albeit the most parts of Christian Belief do so surmount as in the former Point hath been shewed the reach and capacity of human reason as they cannot be comprehended thereby tho' of some other there may be also demonstration made as shall be shewed in the fourth Point of this consideration yet for satisfaction of our understandings his divine Piety and Providence hath left unto us so many other proofs and arguments of persuasion and inducement called by Schoolmen Argumenta credibilitatis Arguments of credibility which being laid together and well pondered may justly move any indifferent prudent and discreet man to yield his assent thereunto and to rest fully satisfied of the truth as learnedly you have seen proved these days past by a Treatise set forth in English for answer of the new challenges of the Minister O. E. this matter is handled more largely But for my present purpose it is sufficient to record unto you that of these arguments of credibility are full fraught all the books and volumes of the ancient Fathers thereby to prove the credibility probability and convenience of Christian Religion and of every part and article thereof thereby to leave them inexcusable that will not believe the same whereof it shall be sufficient that I allege only the example of S. Peter who going about to persuade his audience useth these words Non indoctas fabulas sequuti c. Not induced by vain fables as the Gentiles were have we believed and made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ but for that we have been made eye-witnesses of his greatness c. 27. Thus began S. Peter to persuade his Hearers alleging 2 or 3 strong Inducements of credibility for the same First that he and the rest of his Apostles had conversed with Christ himself upon earth and had been eye-witnesses of all his doings And secondly he allegeth that famous Miracle upon the Mount Thabor when he with S. James and S. John were present at his transfiguration and heard the voice from heaven This is my beloved Son hear him And thirdly he allegeth the Predictions of the old Prophets concerning Christ's coming life actions death and resurrection which S. Peter doth prefer before his sight knowledge and experience had with Christ and worthily for that the Predictions of the Scriptures and Prophets being written by God's Spirit so many Ages before Christ was born and now fufilled so evidently in his Person the Apostles sight and experience thereof was but a testimony to the others verity and nothing so certain as the foretellings of the said Prophets so evidently verifi'd in their sights 28. And yet were all these things but inducements and arguments of credibility as I have said and not demonstrations For albeit the truth of Scriptures be most certain and infallible in it self yet to me who must take them upon credit of others either concernings the books themselves traductions or interpretations or some other such circumstances they cannot have the clearness and evidence to convince our Vnderstandings which philosophical Demonstrations have albeit the assent of our Faith induced by these Arguments of credibility together with the help of our pious affection and assistance of God's grace be much more sure firm and immovable than that which is gotten by human knowledge which is partly seen in that a stronger reason coming against my knowledge I do change my judgment but not in Faith if it be sound The cause whereof is for that Faith is grounded upon a more certain foundation than is human science to wit upon the credit and authority of God himself wherein also is to be noted that these Inductions and Arguments of credibility may be much more evident to some than to others As for example the Miracles done by God in bringing home of the Jews from Egypt were much more evident to those Jews that then lived and were present and saw them than to others that came afterwards Albeit the Faith and Belief of some of the later might be as firm and constant as the former And so the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were more evident to those that saw them than unto us that hear them only by relation tho' yet our Faith may be as good and firm yea more commendable and meritorious than theirs in that we believe them without seeing according to the aforesaid Saying of our Saviour to S. Thomas And this is the great Piety and Mercy of Almighty God that we that come after in the end of the World shall lose nothing if we will by our so late coming but may be equal in merit to the first 29. Well then this is the second Point what Arguments of credibility Christ hath left unto us for proof of Christian Faith whereof as I said all the ancient Fathers Books are full and you may see many in Eusebius's Learned Books De praeparatione demonstratione evangelica but especially in those that before him wrote Apologies for Christians in times of Persecution as Justin Martyr Tertullian and others S. Austin also in 22 excellent Books that he wrote De Civitate Dei gathered many And you may see good store laid up in our English Tongue in the first Book of Resolution c. 4. entituled Proofs of Christianity Which Arguments being indifferently weighed together with the absurdities of all other Religions besides the Christian do make our Faith most
Writings for his Defence he should never so much as look them over or take a view of them but should suffer himself to be cast and overthrown in the whole Suit without pleading at all for Himself or his Interest Which is the very case of many negligent Christians in our days who seeing so many assaults to be made by different Sectaries against the old possession of Cath. Religion which was their Ancestors Inheritance to Salvation and must be theirs if ever they be sav'd do yield so dastardly in this conflict and injury offered them as they never so much as examine what Proofs or Evidences they have or may have for their Defence A negligence no doubt inexcusable and worthy of infinite rebuke and confusion 40. Out of the Third Point concerning the necessity of pious Affection in him that must profit by these Arguments of Credibility I do infer how highly it doth import every man that meaneth seriously to treat of his Salvation in this behalf to dispossess himself of his Passions and sinister Affections against the Truth at leastwise while he treateth this Great Affair and that he place himself in such an indifferency equanimity and serenity of mind as he may be able to discern and look upon the Truth with an unpassionate Eye if she chance to appear unto him 41. The saying of our Savior in the place before-alleged of S. John's Gospel to such as were ambitious and intangl'd with the Wealth and Honor of this World and thereby letted to believe the Truth is terrible and dreadful For having demanded How it was possible for them to believe and thereby come to Salvation that were so intangl'd and evil-affected in mind he addeth presently Nolite putare quia ego accusaturus sim vos apud Patrem est qui accusat vos Do not you think that I shall have need to accuse you to my Father for these corrupt affections of yours rising of Ambition for there wanteth not one to accuse you Whereby Christ insinuateth amonst other things that Himself at the Day of Judgment was not to be Accuser but Judge and that the Condemnation of these men was to be most grievous who for Ambition Honor Wealth Dignities and Promotions had neither Time nor Will to attend to matters of Faith and true Religion whereby only Eternal Salvation may be atchieved which is a Point greatly to be considered and born in mind especially by such who are in the same or like Case with those Men of Jewry to whom Christ our Savior used that dreadful speech 42. Out of the Fourth and Last Point is inferred That considering all the premisses and that this matter of true Religion is of so great Moment as hath been shewed and that in this Treatise so short and clear a way is taken for discussion thereof as by only joyning Issue about the Planting Continuance Succession and Descent of Christian Religion in England from the Apostles Time unto Ours the whole Controversie between Us and the Protestants may fully be cleared and that with such evidence of Reason and necessary Consequence as supposing only that Ghrist was Christ and his Promises true all the rest doth follow by most certain sequel of Argument and moral Demonstration All this I say being so it may encourage and animate the studious Reader to run over this short Treatise Which if he do with that indifferency and attention which in the Second and Third Point of this Discourse have been touched I do not doubt but that he shall not need to read many other Books for resolving himself either about the grounded certain Truth of Catholic Religion or the Vanity Inanity Inconstancy Lightness and Folly of all Sect and Heresies that ever have or shall arise up against the same And with this good Reader I leave thee to the holy Protection and Benediction of Almighty God and to his merciful direction of thee in so weighty an Affair This Vigil of the Nativity of our Savior 1602. The First PART of this Present TREATISE CONCERNING Three Conversions OF ENGLAND TO THE Christian Catholic Roman Religion The ARGUMENT THe purpose of this first Part gentle Reader is to declare by evident demonstration both of Histories Reasons Antiquities and Succession of Times and by confession and other testimonies of the Adversaries themselves That this our Isle of England and People thereof the Britans Saxons and English have at three several times received Christian Faith from Rome and by Romish Preachers First under the Apostles in the first Age after Christ And then under Pope Eleutherius in the second Age And thirdly under Pope Gregory in the beginning of the sixth Age And that this Faith and Religion was no other than the Roman Catholic Faith generally received over all Christendom in those days And that it was One and the Self-same Faith at all these three times and that the same was continued and professed afterward in England publicly for almost 1400 years together to wit from the Apostles days unto the Reign of King Henry VIII under divers Nations States Governments and variety of Times by Britans Saxons Danes Normans and English and that the self-same Faith continueth at this day in the Church of Rome and Christian Catholic World abroad without change or alteration of any one substantial Article or Point of Belief and that all Cavils and Calumniations of Heretics and Sectaries in this behalf are vain and foolish and most manifestly here confuted And finally a most clear easie evident and infallible deduction visible to the Eye and Vnderstanding of every mean intelligent Reader is set down and brought from hand to hand without interruption from the first Conversions of our Realm unto this day and this so perspicuously as no man that will not wilfully shut his eyes but can see and behold the same as by the Chapters following God willing more particularly shall appear CHAP. I. Whether England and English-men have particular Obligations to the See of Rome above other Nations And of the first Conversion of Britans to Christian Religion in the time of the Apostles AFTER a certain Narration made by me in my Answer to Sir Francis Hastings about the seventh Encounter between him and N. D. wherein I declared what Reverend Respect other Nations and Kingdoms of the Christian World have ever born to the See Apostolic and Bishop thereof until this miserable Age of Heretical Spirits who ridiculously do hold the same to be Antichrist I do infer the conclusion and comparison following about the particular Obligation of English-men towards the same See and Bishop above many other Kingdoms saying in my Ward-word thus 2. And if all Christian Nations have and ought to bear such Reverence and Respect to the See of Rome then much more out little Island of England as this man calleth it for that it hath received more singular benefits from thence than any one Nation in the World besides having been twice converted from
c. In the end Wilfrid in his Disputation prevailed by his Impostures having bewitched the two Kings that were present King Oswyn and King Egfrid Did you ever hear a more shameless tongue But this he wrote of St. Wilfrid Obiter and by the way in the Narration he maketh of B. Colman But when he cometh to talk of him in particular and severally he is far more bitter and impudent against him telling us first how that after Wilfrid had been in France Italy and Rome to study and there learned the Mathematical Calculations of times out of the Gospels Reversus in Patriam Romanas Consuetudines contra Quartadecimanos sic enim pios homines tunc derisorié vocabant disceptationibus in Synodo publicis defendebat gerebatque circa collum reliquiarum quas Roma tulerat capsulam quandam c. Et Archiepiscopus denique ob haec his similia constitutus bis infra spatium 45 annorum non ob Regum insolentiam ut Polidorus immodesté scribit sed ob suam temeritatem imò malitiam atque neguitias plures Archiepiscopatu pulsus est longo tandem confectus senio periit Anno Christi 710. He returning from Rome to his Country did defend by public Disputations in a Synod the Roman Customs against these men who being Pious and Godly were called scoffingly in those days Quartadecimans he carried about his Neck a certain Box of Saints Reliques which he brought with him from Rome And being for these and other like things made Archbishop he was driven out twice within 45 years from his Archbishopric and this not by the Insolency of the Kings that drave him out as Polidor doth immodestly write but rather for his own Rashness yea Malice and many Wickednesses c. And so at length being consumed with Old Age he perished in the year of Christ 710. 19. Behold here a Narration worthy the Spirit of a new Gospeller and old Apostata against so Venerable and Worthy a Pillar of our Primitive English Church as was St. Wilfrid Mark how he is tax'd for travelling and studying at Rome for defending by public Disputations the Roman Custom of celebrating Easter which yet was defended and decreed openly by the General Council of Nice as before you have heard and after shall be proved for bearing a Box of Reliques about his Neck brought from Rome which no doubt is one of the things that most troubleth the Spirit of John Bale as it did the Devils and wicked Spirits in England who cry'd and were cast out by the same as you may read in them that write his Life 20. Moreover he saith That for his own Wickedness he was driven out of his Archbishopric and so finally perished in the year 710. As for his perishing if he perished that lived so austere a Religious Life converted so many thousand English Heathens to Christian Faith wrought so many Miracles as are recorded of him then woe to Us that cannot imitate so great Holiness and woe to John Bale that ran out of Religion and being a Fryer took a Wench named Faithful Dorothy and that as himself braggeth Neque ab homine neque per hominem sed ex speciali Christi dono Neither from man nor by man but by the special Gift of Christ as tho' Christ did use to divide such Gifts to Fryers that had vowed Chastity And how good a Fellow he became afterward and how pleasant a Companion you may understand by his own words when writing of his Works he saith Facetias jocos sine certo numero feci I have written Jests and Pastimes without any certain number a fit Argument for a new Gospelling Fryer But yet how far this exercise of Jesting was from the Gravity and Holiness of St. Wilfrid no man can doubt And so himself miserable man may be thought to have perished while the other reigneth eternally in Heaven 21. And as for Refutation of the horrible Slander That for his Wickedness St. Wilfrid was driven out of his Archbishopric I have no better means present than to oppose against this lying Apostata the Universal Consent of all Antiquity especially those that wrote his Life as St. Bede and after him Hedius Odo Fridegenus Petrus Blesensis and others who have written both his Life and Death as of a great Saint and his Memory and Festival Celebration is held throughout the Universal Church upon the 12th day of October as all Martyrologies do testifie And thus much of the Insolency of John Bale against the person of St. Wilfrid 22. But now whereas further he is not ashamed to defend the Jewish Custom and the Quartadecimans condemned for it saying That they were pious men and were called by the nickname of Quartadecimans for a scoff only I am forced to deal further therein and to shew him first to be an Heretical and most shameless Calumniator for that the name of Quartadecimani or Quatuordecimani signifying those that observe the fourteenth day of the Moon of March to celebrate Easter is an old name appointed to those that held that Heretical Use for many Ages agone as may appear by St. Epiphanius that wrote 1200 years agone whose words are these Emersit rursus mundo alia Haeresis Tesseradecatitarum appellata quos Quartadecimanos quidam appellant There is another Heresie sprung up in the World of some that are called in Greek Tesseradecatites which others in Latin do call Quartadecimans c. The Explication of which words St. Augustin after him in his Book of Heresies written to Quod-vult-Deus doth set down thus Hinc appellati sunt quòd non nisi quartadecima Luna mense Martio Pascha celebrant These People are called by the Greek words Tesseradecatites and by the Latin Quartadecimans for that they do celebrate Easter upon the fourteenth day of the Moon of March. Unde etiam Quartadecimani cognominati sunt saith Nicephorus lib. 4. Histor cap. 36. for which cause they are called also Quartadecimans 23. And yet further the same men were called also by a third name of Paschatites as appeareth both by St. Philastrius Bishop of Brixia somewhat before St. Epiphanius who in his Catalogue of Heresies numbring up these Paschatites yieldeth the reason of their name in these words Qui asserunt quartadecima Luna celebrandum esse Pascha non autem sicuti Ecclesia Catholica celebrat Who affirm that Easter-day is to be celebrated upon the fourteenth of the Month of March upon whatsoever day it shall fall out and not as the Catholic Church doth accustom to expect the Sunday 24. Well then we see that St. Wilfrid and other Roman Catholics of his time did not invent the name of Quartadecimani for a scoff to disgrace godly men thereby as ungodly John Bale blusheth not to avouch but that it is an old name invented and appointed by the Universal Primitive Church to them that defended obstinatly the Jewish Custom of celebrating Easter-day strictly upon the
and be merry in warm Stows saying Quid potest monstrosius dici contra meritum Christi What can be spoken more monstrously against the merit of Christ And then to a Godly Speech of St. Ambrose about the pious honoring of Martyrs Tombs they give this Censure Cogitet pius Lector quà m tetra sint ista Let the Godly Reader consider how horrible these things are uttered by Ambrose 16. And in another place upon certain words of St. Ambrose about the holy Cross found out by St. Helena they have in their injurious Speeches Multa commemor at superstitiosa quae vehementer contumeliosa sunt in meritum Christi repugnantia Fidei Ambrose doth reckon up many superstitious things which are greatly contumelious against the merit of Christ and are contrary to Faith. And thus they go forward against the rest of the Doctors and Fathers that agree not with them in their Fancies and Heresies and generally having sought to discredit about the Article of Justification and Good Works this fourth Age after Christ and the chief Doctors thereof by name as Lactantius Gregory Nyssen Hilarius Nazianzen Ambrose and Ephrem they conclude with this contumely against them all Jam cogitet pius Lector quà m procul haec aetas in hoc Articulo de Apostolorum Doctrina desciverit Let the Godly Reader now consider how far this fourth Age departed from the Doctrin of the Apostles in this Article of Good Works and Justification 17. Well then in all these points of Controversie between Us and the Protestants to wit the Primacy and Principality of the Church and Bishop of Rome the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Altar otherwise called the Mass Freewill Justification Penance Merit of Good Works Traditions observing of Fasts Holydays Sacred Virginity Continency Monastical Life Prayer to Saints Purgatory Memory and Reliques of Martyrs and other like which in effect are the principal points wherein the Protestants do disagree from us we see by the testimony and witness of their own men that the ancient Fathers of Eleutherius's days and the next two Ages after him for I go no lower did wholly agree with us against them and this so far forth as the Magdeburgians do say more than once of all the Doctors of the second Age after Christ wherein Eleutherius lived That they erred and lived in darkness for that they held with us as now you have heard And with what face then doth John Fox say a little before Let them but leave us the Religion that was in Eleutherius 's time and we will ask no more With what forehead also doth Sir Francis his Scholar add I say there is not now the same Faith in Rome that was then there were then no Masses no Vniversal Pope c. But with such men do we deal that care not what they say or deny so they may bear out the matter for the present and seem always to have somewhat to say 18. But now will we leave this and pass to another Conversion under St. Gregory the Great which concerneth us English-men more particularly than the former whereabout you shall see no less Heretical Fraud and Malignity used than in the other before-mentioned if not more for that these people finding all Antiquity against them and having no other Authorities for proof of their Religion but only their own Inventions with some light shew of Scripture expounded by themselves are forced to use most shameful and desperate shifts when their Cause is examined by the Histories of former Ages And so much of this point CHAP. VIII Of the third Conversion of our Island and English Nation by St. Augustin and his fellows sent from Pope Gregory the first Anno 596. And of divers Heretical Shifts and Impudences to deface the said two excellent Men and the Religion brought into England with them YOu have heard the two Shifts before used about the first public Conversion of Britanny by Pope Eleutherius to wit first of all to discredit this Story so much as in them lay and then being forced to grant it their last Refuge was to say that the same Faith was not then in Rome that is now nor that the Points of Doctrin now believed and taught were known and acknowledged then Both which Shifts have been most evidently refuted and the same Religion shewed to have been in Rome under Pope Eleutherius which at this day is there taught 2. But now there remaineth the other public Conversion of the English Nation from Pope Gregory under King Ethelbert of Kent some four hundred years or more after the other in which neither of the two former Shifts can be used by our Adversaries For neither can they deny or bring in doubt the History it self recorded by all Writers of that time and since and namely and most abundantly by our Countrymen St. Bede and his Continuator William of Malmesbury and others nor can they say that the Faith of Rome then derived into England was any other than that which is now in Rome Which latter Point he that will see proved substantially and examined Article by Article and Point by Point by conferring the Doctrin Rites and Ceremonies brought into England by our said Apostle Augustin with that which at this day is taught and practised in the Roman Churh let him read the Translation of the said Story of Bede put into English by our famous learned Countryman M. Doctor Stapleton with his notes to the same and the learned Treatise which thereon and by that Occasion he made Intituled The Fortress of Faith which sheweth the same to be conform likewise to all Antiquity 3. Wherefore our wily Knight Sir Francis seeing this hath answered not one Sentence or Syllable in this his Reply or Wast-word to this Conversion of Englishmen under Pope Gregory tho I urged the same somewhat earnestly in my Ward-word And yet for that upon other Occasions he saith once or twice in his Book That Augustin brought in the Romish Religion as tho the Romish Religion had been different at that day from that of the Christian Britans and for that his Master John Fox out of whom he hath stolen all this Story runneth also to this Shift upon divers Occasions I am forced to say somewhat thereunto in this place 4. You must then understand that Fox and his Fellows being excluded from the former two Shifts as I have said and yet forced to use somewhat against this evident Deduction of our English Faith from the See of Rome they betake themselves to other Refuges as absurd or rather more than the former The first whereof is to discredit by all means they can devise the Authors of this Conversion to wit St. Gregory the Pope and St. Augustin our Apostle About this time saith Fox departed Gregory Bishop of Rome of whom it is said that of the number of all the first Bishops before him in the Primitive Church he was the basest
Lo here these Mens censures of the first Conversion of our English Nation to Christianity They compare Paganism to Gods blessing and our new Christian Religion to the warm Sun and all our Forefathers Faith and Religion more than 900 years together they define to be nothing but Superstition Treachery and Idolatry no less hurtful than the Paganism it self which they professed before and that they lived and died only with the bare name of Christians without the Substance c. And consequently are most certainly damned all eternally Now if the worst Devil that is found in hell had a mouth and should be let forth to preach curse or scold against us as these men do could he speak worse or more blasphemously think you against the first Christianity of our Nation or against God himself that testified the Truth and Sanctity thereof by so many rare miracles as before hath been shewed Could this Divel I say in his own shape or language speak more opprobriously of our primitive English Christian Church then these new Gospellers do especially if we add that which Friar Bale hath in these words Carnalis illa Anglorum Synagoga quae Roma venerat illam persequebatur Ecclesiam quae secundum Christi Spiritum apud Britannos erat That Carnal Synagogue of English Christians that came from Rome did persecute the Church that was in England according to the Spirit of Christ bfore Augustin came 18. Behold our first Christian English Church not only call'd a Synagogue but a carnal Synagogue and the British Church which a little before Holinshed condemned as you heard of Heresie is now called the true Church according to the Spirit of Christ But what spiritual Man think you was this that so speaketh of Spirit and condemneth our primitive English Church of Carnality You shall hear him described by his own pen and first of his Vocation how he became a Frier Duodecim annorum puer saith he in Carmelitani Monachatus Barathrum Nordovici detrudebar When I was a Boy of twelve years old at Norich I was thrust into the pit of being a white Friar So he saith and out of these words two things may be noted of his spirit which is no doubt of lying for that both of them are slanderous fictions of his own first that he was made a Friar at the Age of twelve years for that no Religious Order can admit Men to the same according to the Ecclesiastical Canons but of convenient years and fit to make their choise for so great an attempt as is to renounce the World and lead a Religious Life according to the vows they make which before the Council of Trent was at Fourteen years whereunto the said Council added two years more It might be then perhaps that this Boy was put into the White Friars Monastery at Norwich at twelve years old to sweep the Church or cleanse Candlesticks or other such Offices fit for that Age and his Person but not to be a Friar or to be admitted into the Order it self and much less which is the second lie can it be probable that he was forced thereunto as here he telleth his Readers for that it is well known that such Profession were not available for which cause every Order of Religion hath their Noviceships or times of Probations appointed wherein Men are to be proved and to prove also themselves and to have free liberty to make their Elections without force or constraint at all And so do all true Religious Men know and profess albeit this miserable Apostate having lost all spirit and sense of Religion and become wholly carnal indeed would have it thought that he was put into Religion against his will. 19. But how did he get himself out again trow you from this Servitude into Liberty of the Flesh World and Devil and of his new Gospel you shall hear it also from himself Apparente Dei verbo saith he deformitatem meam vidi c. The Word of the Lord appearing I saw mine own deformity of being to wit a Priest and a Friar Well and what followed Horribilis bestiae maledictum charecterem deinceps erasi I did presently then scrape out the cursed mark or character of the horrible Beast So he calleth his old Character of Priesthood his Vows of Poverty Chastity and Obedience and other Obligations of Religion 20. But what was the means to scrape out these Characters you shall have it from himself in like manner Non enim saith he ab homine neque per hominem sed speciali Christi verbo dono uxorem fidelissimam accepi Dorotheam For that I took unto me and you must mark the word enim that yieldeth the cause a most faithful wife Dorothy some Nun you may imagin as faithful in keeping her Vow of Chastity as himself and this not from any Man nor by any Mans help but by the special gift and word of Christ c. Lo here Christ made a wooer for this Friar to marry a Nun against both their Vows and Promises made to him before and is not this a fit Spiritual Father to call the whole Primitive Church of England a Carnal Synagogue c. 21. But yet hear him out further what he writeth of our first Christian King Ethelbert and of the Religion receiv'd by him from St. Augustin and thereby consider what manner of Men this new Gospel bringeth forth Ethelbertus Rex saith he Romanismum cum adjunctis superstitionibus tandem suscepit hac nimirum adjectâ conditione ut omnino liber non coactitius esset novus ille Deorum cultus King Ethelbert at length having heard the Preaching and considered as Fox saith the Miracles and vertuous Life of St. Augustin and his Fellows admitted the Roman Religion with all the Superstitions adjoyned thereunto but yet with this condition that this new worship of Gods which he now admitted should be altogether free and no way subject to Coaction c. In which words the Apostate if you mark him doth not only speak blasphemously of our whole first Christianity calling it a new Worship of many Gods but seemeth also to insinuate that it was so admitted by King Ethelbert at the beginning as it might be free for Men to leave it again when they would Than which contumelious slander if he mean it so nothing can be spoken or imagined more absurd or wicked Let any Man read St. Gregories letters to King Ethelbert after his Conversion and he shall see an other Lesson there taught him to wit his great and perpetual Obligation to God for so singular a Benefit confirmed from Heaven with so many Miracles and such other points 22. But by this we may see whither these Mens drifts do tend which is to discredit all Antiquity and Religion and to bring in question whether Englishmen were ever true Christians hitherto or no. And as for the space of 900 years together after St. Augustin's time unto Luther
propagation was in like manner from the same City under Pope Gregory by St. Augustin Now remaineth it that we shew and declare how the Britans from King Lucius's time until the coming of St. Augustin which was 400 years and more downward did not alter their Faith nor yet the See of Rome Hers and consequently that the Faith remaining among the Britans when St. Augustin entred and that which was brought in by Him from Rome and taught unto the English was all one 2. And first for the Church of Rome if we count the Bishops thereof that held that Seat from Eleutherius the fourteenth Pope after St. Peter who died Anno Domini 196 until the beginning of Pope Gregory I. the sixty-sixth Pope who was chosen Anno Domini 590 In this space I say of 400 years there passed fifty Popes all of one Faith nor shall it be found that any one of them changed his Religion or was different in belief the one from the other which is a sufficient proof that the Roman Faith in Gregory's time was the same that it was in Eleutherius's time 3. And as for the Britans we read not but that from the time of King Lucius they continu'd the Faith receiv'd under him from Pope Eleutherius until the rising up of the Heretic Pelagius which was somewhat more than 200 years after and for other 200 years again after that to wit from the time of Pelagius until the coming of St. Augustin we find not in any History that the Britans being once deliver'd from the Heresie of Pelagius by the help of St. German and Lupus Bishops of the Roman Faith ever changed their Religion in any one substantial point nor that they swerv'd from the general Faith of the rest of Christendom except only some few of them infected with the foresaid Heresie whiles it lasted and the Custom of keeping Easter-day with the Jews Which before we have shewed to have been perhaps some remainder of Pelagianism or otherwise brought in after But howsoever it got in certain it is that in other substantial points of Doctrin and Religion there was no difference between the Britans and Romans at that day to wit under Pope Gregory that sent hither Augustin which I shew by the Reasons following Reason I 4. First That if St. Augustin at his coming had found any other substantial difference of Belief in the British Faith from that which he brought from Rome he would have reprehended the same as well as he did their different Custom in celebrating Easter after the Jewish manner and some few other Rites of less moment or at leastwise being afterward made Archbishop and Primate of all the Land and conferring with the British Bishops in Council as Fox saith he did he would have communed with them about the same or objected it unto them or at leastwise have made some mention thereof either in his Letters to Pope Gregory as he did of far lesser matters or to some other man. But any such thing we do not read and consequently it may be concluded certainly that there was no such difference in matter of Faith and Doctrin 5. Another Reason may be taken on the other side from the Britans towards Reason II St. Augustin who being in Controversie with him about his preaching to the Saxons whose Conversion for the present they seemed not to desire in respect of many injuries receiv'd from them as St. Bede affirmeth they did observe all Occasions Causes and Reasons which they might alledge by any probability why they would not joyn with him in that Work and if they could have alledged this Cause That the Doctrin which he preached had been different in any one point from that which they had received and observed before it had been a very sufficient excuse and reason for them But we do find no such exception alledged by them and consequently we may conclude as before that there was none 6. Our third Argument or Reason may be deduced from the consideration of Reason III the Universal State of Christian Faith in those days to wit under Gregory I. who was chosen Pope about the year of Christ 590 at what time there was Unity and Conformity of one Religion throughout all Christendom except only in some places of the World certain Reliques of Pelagians Origenists Donatists and Eutychians out of whom sprung also in those days the Arminian Errors as appeareth by the History of those times especially out of St. Gregory's own Works Neither do we read that the Britans were noted with any of these Heresies but only with Pelagianism some years before from which they had been deliver'd by the Preaching of the French Bishops St. German and St. Lupus and by the diligence of their own Metropolitans St. Dubritius and St. David afterward Seeing then St. Augustin came from Rome by Italy and France and was directed to the Bishop of Arles from whom he passed through France into Britanny it is certain he brought no other Faith than the Universal Faith of Christendom receiv'd and believ'd in those days From which seeing that Britanny was not held nor noted to be different nor yet Excommunicated as certain Bishop of Ireland appear to have been by divers Letters of St. Gregory himself written to them in their reprehension for participation with certain Schismatics it followeth that the Faith which St. Augustin brought and that which the Britans had before must needs be one and the self-same in all material and substantial points 7. To which effect also may be added That in the very next Age among Reason IV the Britans before the English entred there were British Bishops in divers General and National Councils as in the time of Constantine and Pope Sylvester we read That one Restitutus a famous Bishop of London was present at the Synod of Arles in France in the year of Christ 325 and subscribed to the same as by the Acts of the said Council appeareth wherein among other points was ordained That no man having a Wife should be made a Priest without his Wifes consent promising to forbear her Company for the time to come It appeareth also by the Apology of St. Athanasius that divers Bishops of Britanny were present at the Council of Sardica held for St. Athanasius against the Arians about the year of Christ 350 as also the Council of Ariminum wherein tho' the greater part of that Council were beguil'd by the Arians yet St. Hilary doth praise divers good Bishops for their Constancy and among other Provinciarum Britannicarum Episcopos certain Bishops of the Britan Provinces By all which is shewed that the Christian Religion of Britanny was Catholic and Universal and concurring in all points with the Roman in those days as Athanasius and St. Hilary who praised these Bishops are known to have done and consequently it cannot be presumed that either the British Religion should be different from the
Calixtus the Second Whereby appeareth that the Britans were not only Papists in those days before the coming of St. Augustin but had Papist Gods and Saints also there Yet this Man might live according to Bale to have seen the times of St. Augustin's entrance for that he saith he flourished in the year 440. and lived in all 146 years tho' Gerrad Cambrensis Polydor and others do make him somewhat more ancient 10. And for that we have talked here of John Bale and that the testimonies taken from Enemies themselves are of greatest weight against themselves we shall in this place touch certain Points briefly of the chief Preachers and Pastors among the Britans in those days to wit for the next two hundred years before the coming of St. Augustin into England Which Preachers are mentioned and much praised both by Fox and Bale as true Teachers in those days whereof Fox writeth thus In this Age to wit after the Peace restored to the Church by Constantine followed here in the land of Britanny Fastidius Ninianus Patricius Bacchiarius Dubritius Congellus Kentegernus Helmotus David Daniel Sampson Elnodugus Assaphus Gildas Henlanus Elbodus Dinothus Samuel Nivius and a great sort more which governed the Britan Church by Christian Doctrin a long season albeit the civil Governours for the time were dissolute and careless as Gildas very sharply doth lay to their Charge and so at length were subdued by the Saxons And all this while about the space of 400 years to wit from the time of King Lucius Religion remained in Britanny uncorrupt and the word of Christ truly preached until about the coming of St. Augustin and his Companions from Rome c. 11. Here now you see the chief Teachers of the British Church Nineteen in number for the space of 400 years as Fox avoweth set down in order and highly praised by him but neither his Order or Argument is worth a rush For as for his Order he beginneth with Fastidius that lived not two hundred years before St. Augustin's coming tho he name four hundred And then he putteth some before that lived long after the rest and sometimes skippeth over 100 years together from one to another as you shall see by the Examen And for his Argument how many lies and errors it containeth shall easily appear by the Sequel of this Discourse For first concerning two of the chief in this Catalogue contained to wit Dubritius and David Archbishops of the Britans you have seen before that they were Roman Catholics and canonized many Ages after their Death by Roman Bishops which they would never have done if they had differed from them in any Point of Religion But now let us see of the rest for I see not what reason there is why Fox should so commend these two 12. The first four are Fastidius Ninianus Patricius and Bacchiarius all which are found to have been Catholic Men and held the common Faith of Rome in those days nor any of them ever favoured any of these new Doctrins brought in by our new Gospellers Trithemius maketh mention of Fastidius whose Sirname was Priscus Bishop of the Britans a Man of rare Life and great Learning in the Scriptures and a singular Preacher and lived in the time of Honorius and Theodosius the Emperors about the year of Christ 420. The same do write of him both Honorius Gennadius and Bergomas And John Bale concurreth with the rest adding that he was Archbishop of London and that amongst other his Works he wrote one De Viduitate servanda of keeping Widowhood without marryig again By which only work you may know that he was not of John Bale's Religion What we have written also of the Religion of St. German and his fellow Bishops that came into England may easily declare what Religion this Man was of who being then Archbishop of London must needs be presumed to have had a great part in their calling in as also to have joyned with them against the Pelagians which he would not have done if they had not been all of one Religion And thus much of him 13. Of St. Ninianus who converted the Picts to Christian Religion St. Bede maketh most honorable mention in the Third Book of his Ecclesiastical History and the Roman Martyrologe doth cite him for a Saint upon the Sixteenth day of September Which would never have been permitted if he had been in any one thing different from the Roman Faith. Nay John Bale writeth of him thus Ninianus Bernitius ex Regio Britannorum sanguine procreatus Italiam adhuc adolescens petiit Romae apud divini verbi ministros mysteria veritatis edoctus ad plenum celer in patriam remigrabat c. miraculis ac sanctitate clarissimus obiit anno 432. St. Ninian Bernitius being descended of the Blood of the King 's of Britanny went in his youth into Italy and being fully taught the Mysteries of Gods Word in Rome he returned swiftly to his Country again where he flourished exceedingly in Miracles and Sanctity of Life and after died in the year of Christ 432. Mark here that Princes Children became Priests in those days and went to Rome to learn Divinity and that this Man having done so and brought back into Britanny the Christian Doctrin of Rome wrought Miracles thereby Ergo he was no Protestant so that here Bale testifieth against himself 14. There followeth of Patricius in John Fox but indeed he should have put Palladius before Patricius For so doth Bale and he hath Reason for that he was a famous Teacher in Britanny and sent from Rome by Pope Caelestinus before Patricius as Bale doth note saying first of Palladius Hic à Caelestino Romanorum Pontifice Antistes mittebatur c. This Man was sent Bishop from Caelestinus Pope of Rome to drive out of Britanny the Pelagian Heresie which at that time had infected the greater part thereof and to reduce the Scots to true Piety c. He flourished about the year of Christ 431. c. So saith he And the same is confirmed by that which Prosper a far better Author than Bale writeth in his Chronicle where he saith that Palladius was sent by Caelestinus Pope in the year 432 into Britanny but especially to the Scots as testifieth also St. Bede in his Story So as in this time also the Popes of Rome had Supreme Care in Spiritual Affairs both among the Britans and Scots seeing he appointed them Bishops from Rome 15. And this is confirmed also by the other Example of Patricius who as John Bale saith was sirnamed Mangonius and was born in Britanny of the Family of Senators and thereby called Patricius but yet of kindred by his Mother to St. Martin Bishop of Tours study'd Divinity in Rome and thence sent by Caelestinus the Pope to preach to the Irish-men Istum saith he ad Scotos Hibernos post Palladium Graecum misit ut eos à Pelagianorum tueretur
Christian Religion under King Sigebert about the year of Christ 609 and that by the preaching principally of their first Bishop Felix born in Burgundy in France being ordain'd Bishop of a City there called Dunwich at that time which now is more than half consumed with the Sea. 7. The fourth Kingdom was of the Northumbers which contained many Shires towards the North to wit Lancashire Yorkshire Cumberland Westmorland Northumberland Durham and some part of Scotland The first Monarch of this Kingdom is accounted Ida and it received the Faith of Christian Religion under their 13th King Edwyn in the year of Christ 626 by the Preaching of St. Paulinus sent thither to preach by Justus the fourth Archbishop of Canterbury by whom the said Paulinus was translated from the See of Rochester to be Archbishop of York 8. The fifth Kingdom was of the West-Saxons which contained the Countreys of Cornwall Devonshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Barkshire and Hampshire The first Founder thereof was Cerdick about the year of Christ 509 and under Kenegilsus their fifth King they received the Christian Faith by the preaching of St. Berinus their first Bishop of Dorchester in the year of Christ 635. 9. The sixth Kingdom was of the Mercians or Middle-Countrey being in that time the greatest of all the rest and containing some fifteen or sixteen Shires as Glocester Hereford Chester Stafford Worcester Shrewsbury Oxford Warwick Darby Leicester Buckingham Northampton Nottingham Huntington and Rutland The first Founder of this Monarchy is said to be one Creda about the year of Christ 586 and the Conversion thereof to Christian Faith was about the year of Christ 635 under Prince Peda Son and Heir unto the notable persecuting Pagan Peda. Their first Apostle was B. Finan who baptized King Peda against his Father's will in the Kingdom of the Northumbers at a Town by Berwick called Ad murum and this by the instance of the good Christian King Oswyn King of Northumberland who gave King Peda his Daughter in Marriage on this condition That he would become a Christian 10. The seventh Kingdom was of the South-Saxons containing the Shires of Sussex and Surrey and began about the year of Christ 478 by one Aelus a Saxon and was converted to Christianity under King Ethelwold or Ethelwach as St. Bede nameth him about the year of Christ 662 by the preaching especially of St. Wilfrid their first Bishop who erected a Monastery for the Episcopal See in a place called Seolyce or Selcey 11. Well then thus we see that within the space of forty years more or less six Kingdoms of England received the Gospel and the seventh not long after under their first Preachers and Apostles before mentioned And what great variety of Miracles God did work by these his Servants and their Helpers and Assistants in this Work of the Conversion of our Countrey is evident by all Stories of that time and after and no man but an Infidel or Miscreant can with any probable reason call them in doubt 12. And it seemeth that the promise of our Savior made to his Apostles at his last farewell in St. Mark 's Gospel for Miracles to be wrought in the Conversion of Nations especially of Gentiles as St. Gregory observeth was as abundantly fulfilled in the first Conversion of our English Nation as of any other probably in the World. The Signs and Miracles saith Christ which shall follow them that shall believe in me or receive my Faith especially in the beginning are these That they shall cast out Devils in my Name they shall speak with new Tongues they shall remove Serpents and if they should drink Poyson it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands upon sick men and therewith heal them c. 13. All these things promised Christ our Savior and performed them most abundantly in the first Conversion of Nations while the said Miracles were necessary to plant and confirm the Faith. But when as St. Gregory in the place before alledged saith the young Plants had no more need of such daily watering by Miracles then ceased they Tho' in our Countrey and Primitive Church they endured no small time as were easie to shew if I would stand in this place to run over the Ecclesiastical Stories of the least part of the aforesaid seven Kingdoms whereof yet many things will be spoken of afterward 14. For only in the Kingdom of Kent for the first hundred years after the Conversion of King Ethelbert there possessed the See of Canterbury from St. Augustin unto Bertualdus who died in the year of Christ 730 and with whom St. Bede endeth eight Arch-bishops all most Godly and Holy Men to wit Augustin Laurence Melitus Justus Honorius Deusdedit Theodorus and Bertualdus Which Bishops were held for great Saints in our Primitive Church as appeareth by the writing both of St. Bede that lived also himself in that Age and by William of Malmesbury that lived some Ages after Who yet alledgeth a more Ancient Author than himself called Gosselinus that wrote the Lives and Miracles of all those Eight Arch-bishops of Canterbury and of some other Saints of our Country Horum saith he non minus sancti Letardi c. Of these Arch-bishops as also of St. Letard that in Ancient time came in with Q. Berta the Author before mentioned Gosselinus hath written their marvelous and admirable vertues out of Bede and others Adding also many things which he saw himself with his own Eyes shewing the great Miracles and Signs which they did c. He doth recount also the Rank of Kings with their Kindred that lay Buried in his days in the Church of St. Augustin at Canterbury Which he doth worthily call the lights of England and the Senators of the English Heavenly Court of Parliament And to this Quire of Saints and Crown or Diadem of our Eternal King Christ he addeth other pretious Stones also of Inestimable Glory to wit St. Adrian the Abbot and St. Mildred the Virgin as Conspicuous in Glory of Miracles as the rest c. 15. Thus writeth Malmesbury of these servants of God of the Church of Canterbury for the first hundred years after Christ's Faith received but he that would recount the like of all the other six Kingdoms and English Churches should have great store of matter Especially if he would enter into the particular Lives and Actions of such eminent Holy Men as that Age by the force and virtue of that Primitive Christian Religion brought forth And then if with all this he remember in like manner that most certain principle before mentioned that God would never have concurred with such abundance of Piety Holiness and Miracles to the setting up of a false Religion he will easily see how plain a demonstration this is for the truth of that Religion which was thus planted amongst us by St. Augustin and Maligned by these Sectaries of our time 16. Well then
in this manner was Religion first planted among us according to that which St. Mark the Evangelist saith of the first Preachers and Preachings among other Nations and Gentiles in his time To wit Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Christ working with them and confirming their Preaching with Signs and Miracles And this Faith being once planted did take such deep Root by the said watering of Christ the Author thereof as it continued and held out from time to time through all difficulties and differences both of times Men and State and by Peril Divisions Enmities and cruel Wars that fell out every day between those Seven Kingdoms until they were united all under one Monarchy some 200 years after to wit under King Egbert King of the West-Saxons And from him again the same indured other 200 years unto King Edward the Confessor before the Conquest 17. And that which is worthy also the noteing in this case is that during the time of all this Enmity Emulation Suspicions Jealousie of Kingdoms and States and Bloody Battels between these Kingdoms for the space of the foresaid 200 years from their Conversion to Christianity until they came to be a Monarchy They all lived under one Arch-bishop and Primate of Canterbury holding their due subordination and good correspondence with him and by him with the See of Rome and other Catholic Countries for matters of Faith and Ecclesiastical Affairs no otherwise than if they had been all Friends yea Subjects and Provinces of one and the self same Kingdom and this is the vertue and force of Catholic Union Whereas amongst Sectaries every little difference of Temporal States yea of Towns Cities and Governments doth presently cause a diversity also in Faith and Religion As we see at this day that Saxony for example where the name of the Protestants first began being under a different Prince hath a great difference also in Religion from other parts of Germany that call themselves Protestants and the Kingdoms of Denmark and Swedeland tho' they profess all Lutheranism yet is the manner so different in these different States as not only the one will not depend of the other in any sort of subordination or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as in England we see they did but neither do they agree in any one Form of Religion or substance of belief in all points no nor in one state it self where all profess themselves to be Lutherans as in Saxony where the higher Saxons allow only rigid or streight Lutherans But the lower Saxony alloweth only the softer sort and expelleth the rigid or severe Lutherans as the other do them where they get Dominion 18. Geneva and Berne are both Cities and States of the Switzers and both of them profess Protestancy tho' not according to Luthers Doctrin But yet the Temporal State of the said two Towns being different the Magistrates have appointed a different and distinct Form. Which in England also we see by experience how much they differ from those of Scotland Holland and France who profess themselves Protestants of the same Calvinist School But every Nation and Church after his own fashion And finally what differences have risen in England it self during her Majesties only Government betwixt Puritans Brownists Family of Love and State Protestants as Thomas Diggs calleth them no Man can be ignorant But to what differences and divisions they would grow in two or three hundred years if Sects could last so long and that the States which profess them were Enemies in Temporal Affairs as it was in England is easie to guess But the reason hereof is manifest to wit that for so much as Sectaries making their own judgments and inventions the Rule of their Belief and Religion and their Temporal Princes their absolute Guiders and immediate Heads in Ecclesiastical matters it must needs follow that as these Princes or States do change or alter for any respect whatsoever as they do for many Religion also must needs alter and change for contentment or interest of the said States or Princes 19. But to return to our Deduction and Continuation of Catholic Religion among the English Saxons after they came to be a Monarchy to wit from the year of Christ 800 it is first to be noted that assoon as God had delivered them from one affliction which was the continual Civil Wars of one Kingdom with an other he sent them a second Calamity far greater perhaps than the first induring for other 200 years which was the continual incursions and devastations of the Danes Who pursued them not only for Temporal respects to get their Country from them but also for Religion it self the said Danes being then Pagans as appeareth by the cruel Murders and Martyrdoms as well of St. Edmund King of the East-angles Martyred by them about the year of Christ 885 as of Holy Elphegus Arch-bishop of Canterbury some Ages after about the year 1011 and of divers others overlong hear to recount And yet notwithstanding when the said Danes with their King Canutus Son of Swanus came once by Gods Holy grace to be Christians which was soon after the foresaid Martydom of the Holy Arch-bishop Elphegus they submitted themselves with Humility and fervor of Spirit to that very same Christian Faith of their Enemies the English-men which they had persecuted in them before taking them also for their instructors Which is a token that there was no other Christian Faith known in the World at that day for them to embrace but only that which the English professed to the embracing whereof there is no doubt but the Miracles wrought continually in confirmation of the truth of that Faith as well at the Tombs of the foresaid Martyrs St. Edmund and Elphegus slain by the Danes themselves as other ways also did greatly move and animate them 20. But whatsoever the chief motives were to move this Nation to embrace Christian Religion this is certain that soon after this time of St. Elphegus his Death God delivered the whole Kingdom of England into the Danes hands under the foresaid King Canutus about the year of Christ 1020. And he Reigned and held the same peaceably for almost twenty years In which time he being now Christian did many notable Acts of a good Religious King Went to Rome for Devotion to visit the Holy Sepulchres of St. Peter and St. Paul gave great Alms there and else where made just Laws in England loved and favored exceedingly the English Nation used them with all confidence both at home and abroad Married King Emma Mother to King Edward the Confessor thereby to unite himself the more to the Nation And finally became of a Persecutor and Conqueror one of the best Kings that England perhaps had in many Ages to Govern her 21. William of Malmesbury living as it hath been said some 500 years agone under King Henry the first Son to William the Conqueror writeth many most excellent Religious Acts
the first an earnest Lutheran the other two Zwinglians 14. All these demonstrations I say King Henry made this year of his Catholic Opinion and Judgment in all points except in matter of Supremacy which was his own Interest And for the other six years which he lived afterwards he vary'd not from this but rather confirm'd the same as we may see by his burning of Anne Askew for denying the Real Presence in the Sacrament not many months before his death and by his own hearing of Mass in his bed and receiving the blessed Sacrament on his knees when he was not able to stand on his feet but especially by that which Bishop Gardiner testified while he lived and preached the same in a public Sermon at Paul's Cross that the said King not long before his dying day when he sent him Embassador to a Diet in Germany gave him special Commission in secret to procure by the means of some Catholic Princes and of the Pope's Legat and Nuntio there some honorable condition for his Majesty's reconciliation with the Pope and See of Rome again which tho' God of his secret Judgment permitted him not to effectuate by the shortness of his life yet appeareth it by this what his sense in matters of Religion was 15. So then now we have that Catholic Church and Religion continued in England during King Henry's Reign both in Prince and People tho' much turmoil'd by Faction Schisms and Heresie wherein notwithstanding she no more lost her possession and continuance than she did in time of the raging Arians Donatists or other Sectaries that prevailed in power for the present time either generally or in some particular Provinces as Lutherans and Zwinglians also did in King Henry's days in divers places or do at this day which yet was and is so as they are easily distinguished from the other not only by the Divisions and Differences among themselves but also for that the Union of the Catholic Religion doth ever shew it self in some Regions adjoyning yea commonly also even in those very places where these Sects do range and bear most rule some Catholics do remain to contradict them openly and to plead for their old possession and the greater the Persecution is the greater and more eminent is this Catholic contradicting part stirred up and increased by the very Power and Vertue of the Cross of Christ in Persecution as before hath been noted 16. And this was the state of Catholic Religion in King Henry's Reign to wit that it was held and defended publicly except only the Article of Ecclesiastical Supremacy denied to the Pope whereunto notwithstanding many thousands of the Realm never agreed and consequently were truly Catholics Heretics also were punished especially those three Sects that principally ranged at that time to wit Lutherans Anabaptists and Zwinglians all three taking their Origin from Luther so as of all these three Sects King Henry burned many and albeit of the fourth sort of men that opposed themselves against him to wit Catholics he put divers also to death under the name of Papists yet both this very Name as also the different manner of their Deaths but above all the nature of their Cause doth evidently distinguish them from the other and shew that their Deaths were true Martyrdoms and the others due Punishment for their Wickedness 17. For first the name of Papists that signifieth them to hold with the Pope as Supreme Head of their Church importeth no more hurt or offence than if any Sedition moved within any Realm those that hold with the King should be called Kinglings or those for example that hold part with the Mayor of London when any Apprentices would raise Rebellion against him should scornfully be called Mayorists and generally for a man to hold with his Lawful Superiour cannot be termed a Faction and much less an Heresie 18. Secondly the very difference and manner of punishment used by King Henry towards both parts the one by Fire the others by Beheading and Hanging doth evidently shew what difference he made of them the one as of Heretics and the other as of men offending against his State and Person after he had made the Supremacy Ecclesiastical to be a matter of his State and of his Royal Dignity whereby also he shewed that he was no Gospeller 19. But now for the third point which is the most important of all the rest to shew the difference in these mens Causes and that the Catholics suffered innocently for their Conscience and consequently were true Martyrs and that the other sorts of Sectaries were punished deservedly as Malefactors it is not hard to prove to him that is of any mean consideration or indifferency in matters For first who will not grant but that he that is an honest and good man when he goeth to bed for example cannot easily be made an evil man in his sleep without any motive of his affection or free will at all And again He that is a good and true Subject towards his Prince and Countrey this day how can he well to morrow be judged a Traytor the highest sin of all other if in the mean space he change not his mind nor do any act of word or deed contrary to that he did before And yet this was the Cause of the Catholics put to death under King Henry for the Supremacy 20. As for Example Sir Thomas More was Prisoner in the Tower of London upon some displeasure in the year 1534 where he attending only to his Prayers as himself testifieth and to the Writing of some Spiritual Books pertaining to the contempt of this present transitory World there passed in the mean time a Statute in the Parliament-house appointing that whomsoever did not believe the King's Majesty to be Supreme Head of the Church of England in causes Ecclesiastical should be a Traitor and suffer death for it which seeming a new and strange thing unto him and contrary to the belief of all his Forefathers he could not so soon conform himself thereunto and consequently refused when he was demanded to subscribe to the Statute and to make so great a change in his Faith upon the change of others for which soon after he was put to death not for that he had attempted altered or innovated any thing as you see but for that he would not alter and make innovation And this was the proper true cause of all Catholics that suffered for the Supremacy under King Henry VIII 20. But on the contrary side the others that were put to death by him as Sectaries did wickedly and presumptuously alter and innovate of their own heads many things about Belief and Doctrin different from that which they had received and contrary to the Belief of all their Forefathers ancient Christians for many Ages together and that with such obstinacy as no Reason Authority Discipline or Order no Witness Human or Divine could prevail with them and albeit for this obstinacy
make this little Boy legitimate and prove his Mother to be no Whore 44. And of this I might give infinit Examples out of John Fox what substantial grounds and motives many of his Martyrs had to run to the Fire or rather how without all ground or probable reason in the world but only wilful Pride and Obstinacy most of them thrust themselves to death no less than in old times did the Massilians Montanists Circumcellians and Martyrians most famous Heretics upon the like madness as after we are to shew more at large in the third Part where I am to treat of these matters more particularly and to give you if I be not deceived large matters of laughter or rather of compassion in this behalf Now this shall be sufficient to shew both the great number and respective quality of domestical Witnesses for the Catholic Faith and continuance thereof in our Countrey during the time of this sharp Persecution under her Majesty and that never more than in this time hath the Catholic Church been perspicuous honorable and eminent in our Realm which is altogether contrary to that which John Fox ascribeth to his Church whose Invisibility Obscurity and lurking from the eyes of men he both granteth and excuseth by the presence of Persecution against her whereas we hold on the other side that the true Church and consequently Ours is ever more visible and notoriously known in time of Affliction and Persecution than in Peace 45. And so we have shewed by Example of our English Church especially in this present Age wherein not only domestical sufferings at home have come by Fame Books and Writings to the knowledge of Foreign Nations and thereby also the notice of so many worthy constant Catholics that are within the Realm but whole Troops also both of English Men and Women in Exile for their Consciences do represent the same daily to their eyes as it were by a lively spectacle to the wonder of the Christian World. But above all the rest they must needs be greatly moved with the sight of whole Companies Families and Communities of English of both Sexes of tender Age and those for the most part of very principal good Birth and Parentage that have come forth of our Countrey for the love of Religion and lived with great Edification in other Nations partly in Colleges and Seminaries partly in Religious Convents and Monasteries yielding great admiration to strangers for their rare Vertues of Piety Patience Contentment and Devotion And as for Colledges and Seminaries those of St. Omers and Doway in Flanders of Rhemes in France of Rome in Italy of Valliadolid Sevill and St. Lucars in Spain and of Lisbon in Portugal do sufficiently testifie And as for Monasteries both of Men and Women they are not unknown as that venerable Company of English Carthusians in Mechlyn the honorable Religious Houses of English Noble and Gentlewomen in Bruxells Lovain and Lisbon whose rare Vertues do singularly edifie all those that know them and greatly illustrate the Name of our Countrey for Religious Piety with Foreign Nations All these I say do bear witness at this day to the whole World and to us also that God be thanked the fire and fervor of Catholic Religion which Christ came to plant upon Earth is not extinguished by so long and grievous Persecution in our Countrey but rather increased at least in Intention as Philosophers do speak tho' not in Extension 46. And truly when I consider the matter more seriously with my self I doubt much whether England if it had continued Catholic had ever enjoy'd such excellent Education for their Youth at home as by occasion of this Tribulation God hath given them abroad in Foreign Nations Certainly the Example is rare and never heard of in former times and at this day the like is seen in few other Nations besides Us but in none of those that have suffered for Catholic Religion is this Blessing found so abundantly as in Ours God make us grateful for it for if our Ingratitude turn not the course of his Mercies hitherto used towards us it seemeth evident that he will not suffer the Seed of Catholic Religion to be extinguished in England having conserved the same so potently and strangely unto this day which is from the first preaching of the Apostles and Apostolic-men to the Britans unto the time of Pope Gregory I. under whom our English Nation was converted as hath been declared and from thence again downward unto Us which is more than a thousand years and so I doubt not but he will to the Worlds end if our sins deserve not the contrary And this shall serve for this first Part containing the Deduction and Continuance of Catholic Religion in England without interruption for more than fifteen hundred years together Now will we pass to the second Part to examin the same Succession in Protestants Religion throughout all these Ages if it may be found making our Conclusion as after you shall see That as our Religion entred first and hath never left England unto this hour so the Religion of John Fox in the form that he would have it was never yet admitted into England publicly by any Prince or Potentate whatsoever until this present day nor ever like to be And this shall serve for the first Part of our Treatise The End of the First Part. The Second PART of this TREATISE CONTAINING The SEARCH after the Protestants Church From the beginning of Christendom to Our Days The ARGUMENT HAving declared in the former Part of this Treatise how the Faith of Christ was first preached to the Britans at two several times and then to the English Nation and all by Roman Preachers and that the same Faith hath continued from Age to Age in a visible conspicuous Church until our days there remaineth now that we examin in this second Part Where the Protestants Church was in all this time and whether they had any at all And if they had of what sort of men it consisted and whether it were the same with the Church before-described or partly the same partly different or whether they could stand together being opposite in any one point of Faith Moreover whether the one did persecute the other or might be reconciled or agreed together And finally what is the state of the one and the other at this day For examination of which points we shall have occasion to run over again with more advice all the former sixteen Ages from Christ downward and therein to see and consider What Church either flourished or prevailed throughout every Age either Ours or that of John Fox and which of them is likeliest to have come down from the Apostles As also Whether that Church which was visibly founded by the Apostles and put on foot by them and theirs could perish or vanish away to give place to another And these are the principal Points of this second Part discussed in the Chapters following
tho' first before we enter into this examination we have thought good to treat certain general Points that make way thereunto as by the next Chapter you shall perceive CHAP. I. Of how to great Importance Ecclesiastical Succession is for trial of true Religion and how Sectaries have sought to fly the force thereof by saying That the Church is invisible How fond a shift this is and how foolishly John Fox doth behave himself therein THE Sentence of the Philosopher is known to all That contraries being laid together do give light the one to the other as white and black proposed in one Table do make each colour more clear distinct and lively in it self For which respect we having laid open before in the first Part of this Discourse the known manifest Succession of Christian Religion in our Isle of England first from the Apostles times among the Britans for the first six Ages after Christ and then again among the English-men for nine Ages more since their first Conversion from Paganism we are now to examin what manner of visible Succession John Fox doth bring us forth of his Church that is to say of the Protestants of his Religion for the said 1500 years or fifteen Ages if any such be for that by this comparison of the One with the Other the Nature and Condition of both Churches will be understood But yet first I mean to note by the way certain principal points to be considered for better understanding of all that is to be handled in this Chapter or about this whole matter of Ecclesiastical Succession 2. Whereof the first may be that which I have touched in the end of the former Chapter to wit of how great importance this point is I mean the Succession and Continuation of Teachers the one conform to the other in matter of Belief and Religion for clear demonstration of Truth in matters of Controversie and for staying any discreet man's judgment from wavering hither and thither in his belief according to that which holy St. Augustin said of himself and felt in himself For that considering the great diversity of Sects that swarm'd in his time and every one pretending Truth Antiquity Purity and Authority of Scriptures and himself also having been misled by one of these Sects for many years was brought by God at length to be a true Catholic and to feel in himself the force of this visible Succession of the Catholic Church And therefore writing against one that in time past had been his Master as Head of the former Sect wherein he had lived to wit Faustus Manichaeus after divers other reasons alledged of his confidence and assurance of Truth in the Catholic Church and of his firm resolution to live and die in the same he bringeth for his last and strongest reason the perpetual Succession of Bishops in the same Church and especially in the Church of Rome Tenet me in Ecclesia saith he ab ipsa Petri sede usque ad praesentem Episcopatum successio Sacerdotum c. I am held in this Church against all you Sectaries by the Succession of Priests and Bishops that have come down even from the first seat of St. Peter the Apostle to the present Bishop of Rome Anastasius that holdeth the seat at this day c. 3. Lo here the force and estimation of Succession with St. Augustin Whereunto are conform all other ancient Fathers if we would stand to alledge them yea they stand so firmly upon this point and do make so great account of it as they do generally note Heretics and Sectaries for the contrary defect to wit that they have no Succession or orderly continuation either of Bishops or of Faith among them but did leap hither and thither as ours do at this day challenging to themselves now this and now that without either Order Interest Continuation or Succession Ordinem saith St. Augustin ab Apostolo Petro coeptum usque ad hoc tempus per traducem succedentium Episcoporum servatum perturbant ordinem sibi sine origine vendicantes Heretics do trouble and break the order of succeeding of Bishops begun by St. Peter and brought down by Off spring one Bishop succeeding another and so challenge unto themselves a certain Order without beginning 4. To which effect also Tertullian more than 200 years before St. Augustin challenging Heretics to this Combat of Succession said Edant Haeretici origines suarum Ecclesiarum evolvant ordinem Episcoporum suorum c. Let Heretics set forth the beginning of their Churches let them recount the order of their succeeding Bishops if they can And then having set down for his part and for proof of true Catholic Succession the whole rank of the Bishops of Rome from St. Peter to Pope Eleutherius that lived in his days Mark I pray you the proof he useth tho' he were of the Church of Africa He glorieth as tho' he brought forth an invincible Argument against all Heretics challenging and provoking them to do the like if they could Consingant saith he tale aliquid Haeretici Let Heretics bring forth or devise any such things for proof of their Church if they can And consider here gentle Reader how Heretics remain confounded by Tertullian's judgment for want of Succession 5. But this is not only Tertullian's Opinion for St. Irenaeus before him again objecteth the same to Heretics against whom he wrote saying Obedire oportet eis qui successionem habent ab Apostolis qui cum Episcopatus successione charismata veritatis acceperunt You ought to obey these who have their Succession from the Apostles who together with the Succession of their Bishoprics have received from time to time the gifts or privileges of Truth And in another place Apud quas est ea quae est ab Apostolis successio hi fidem nostram custodiunt scripturas sine periculo nobis exponunt With whom the Succession of Bishops from the Apostles time downwards is found to have remained these are they who conserve our Faith and do expound the Scripture unto us without danger Behold the vertue of Succession which this blessed Bishop and Martyr St. Irenaeus esteemed so highly in his days as he ascribed thereto both the infallible Conservation of Faith and true Exposition of Scriptures 6. And it is to be noted that he speaketh not only of Succession in Belief as every one of our Sectaries will seem to pretend that they have it among themselves from the Apostles which yet is ridiculous and manifestly false as before hath been declared and after shall be more in particular but he speaketh expresly also of the external Succession and Continuation of Bishops ascribing to them and proving by them the Succession of one and the self-same Faith And to that end doth he number up all the Bishops of Rome from St. Peter to his time as Tertullian before-alledged did notwithstanding the one lived in France and the other in Africa proving
years next before the entrance of St. Augustin was for Him and His Church and not for Ours yea different from the Roman Religion brought in by Augustin as often you have heard him protest and here had been the proper place to have proved it if it had been provable And whereas in the same Protestation of his prefixed before his whole Volume he avouched as you have heard that the chief British Preachers and Teachers of these times before St. Augustin's coming as Fastidius Ninianus Patricius Dubritius Congellus David Asaphus Gildas and others before mentioned were true Teachers and taught the Gospel rightly according to the Protestant Faith and consequently were of his Religion he ought here to have proved the same by their Writings Lives Acts and Monuments as I have shewed the contrary by all these kind of Arguments and Proofs before But the Fox knowing the difficulty and peril of this Combat would not enter into the same nor take upon him to defend or justifie any thing at all tho' never so much promised or protested in his Prefaces and Preambles at the beginning Whereof the Reasons are these that ensue 11. First For that touching the British Church during these three Ages he had in truth nothing at all to write or relate but what would be manifestly against himself if he had written or related it and descended to particulars For according to that you have heard before in divers places of this Treatise that as the first Faith of the Britans came from Rome and thereby they were made Members of the Roman Church from the beginning so remained they united with the same in all points of Faith and Religion except some few abuses crept in among part of them towards the latter-end of these three Ages until the Conversion of the English by St. Augustin to the same Roman Faith. Which point is proved so evidently by so many Signs Arguments and Demonstrations as little comfort might John Fox have to enter into this Discourse or Examination and consequently tho' he had promised in the beginning to treat this Subject of the British Church yet coming to the place and time when he should have performed his promise he thought better to withdraw himself slightly by utter silence than to put himself in Briars by making any mention at all thereof And thus much for his silence concerning the Christian Church of Britanny in these three Ages 12. But for the general Catholic Church of Christendom tho' these times yield abundant matter as hath been said yet the whole stream and current thereof running quite against him he thought best in like manner to decline craftily the medling or wrestling therewith And so much the more for that he had seen the pitiful plight wherein his Masters the Magdeburgians had cast themselves in their fourth fifth and sixth Centuries by over-large relating the Acts and Gests of these three Ages against themselves and their own Religion being forc'd to spend a great part of their Labors not so much in relating what the Fathers of those Ages writ or held as to answer and refute the same and shew that it was not true nor the said Doctors and Fathers to be believed therein Which trouble John Fox like a wily Fox indeed thought best to avoid by Art of Silence I will in this place for examples sake only and to give you a taste of the said Magdeburgians dealing throughout their whole Work from which John Fox taketh the principal parts of his let you see some points taken out of their fourth Century dedicated to her Majesty of England with a sharp Invective as before hath been shewed used by them against the Calvinists therein which Century containeth the fourth Hundred year after Christ and the first of the three which now we have in hand from Constantine downward wherein they spend above 400 Leaves in Folio and more than twice as much in the other two Centuries that ensue John Fox not having bestow'd four Leaves upon all three Ages as you have heard 13. And that you may perceive how this one Century of the Magdeburgians cometh to make so great a Volume you must note that it is divided into certain large Chapters or Heads of different matters As for example first of the propagation of Christian Religion in that Age and the State thereof throughout all Countreys Kingdoms and Nations which is a large matter as you see comprehending the Stories of all Ecclesiastical Writers Secondly of Persecutions Troubles and Jars that have passed as also of Peace and Tranquility Then of Doctrin good or bad then of Heresies then of Rites and Ceremonies then of Ecclesiastical Government then of Schisms then of Synods and Councils then of Bishops Doctors and Teachers their Lives Works and Actions at large then of Heretics their beginnings and endings then of Martyrs then of Miracles then of Pagan Commonwealths also and other such points capable as you see of long Discourses Which I thought fit once to note to the end that those which have not read the Centuries may know in general what matters they handle and what method they use therein 14. Secondly it is to be noted about the same affair That in all these Heads and Chapters there be divers things which are not in controversie among us I mean between Catholics and Protestants but are common to us both at least in some degrees Other Points there are that they affirm and we deny or we affirm and they deny There is a third kind also of Points wherein tho' We and Protestants do not agree fully either in the Doctrin or in the Practice yet one Sect of them differeth more or less from us than the other And in all these three Points you shall see some brief Examples of the Magdeburgians manner of proceeding in this fourth Age Noting to you first by the way their own Testimony of the excellent Learning of the Doctors and Teachers thereof in these words Habuit haec aet as si quae unquam alia plurimos praestantes illustres Doctores ut Arnobium Lactantium c. This Age if ever any other had very many most excellent and famous Doctors as Arnobius Lactantius Eusebius Athanasius Hilarius Victorinus Basilius Nazianzenus Ambrosius Prudentius Epiphanius Theophilus Hieronymus Faustinus Didymus Ephrem Optatus and others out of which we shall shew and declare what was the form of Christian Doctrin used in this Age. 15. Lo there the Testimony of the Magdeburgians of the famous Doctors Teachers and Leaders of Christ's Church in this Age And being such as they say so excellently Learned and endued with Christ's Spirit for Guiding of his Church is it probable think you that these four German Magdeburgians Illyricus Wigandus Judex and Faber shall come to presume afterward to condemn them all of Ignorance and lack of Spirit when they speak against them Truly they cannot do it with any shame fac'dness or modesty at all or be believed
from King Egbert his death but 234. So as Fox is in no one thing exact or punctual And these 264 years may be counted the fourth station or parcel of Time from Christ downward which now we are briefly to examin and run over as we have done the former Stations and Limitations appointed 2. First then concerning the general Roman Church it continued in these Ages as in the former by continual Succession of her Bishops and Governors altering nothing in Belief and Doctrin from her Ancestors And briefly to repeat the sum of all there ruled in the See of Rome in these two Ages and an half as supreme known and acknowledged Pastors of this great visible Church some sixty Popes from Leo III. that crowned Charles the Great and thereby restor'd the Western Empire unto the time of Alexander II. under whom Duke William of Normandy conquered England And in the Western Empire there reigned some eighteen Emperours in this space from Charles the Great to Henry IV. and in the Eastern Empire some twenty five from Nicephorus I. to Constantine X. All which Popes Emperours and Princes were of one Religion Faith and Belief in those days And albeit soon after the See of Constantinople and Greek Church by occasion of Emulation against the Roman Empire did begin to withdraw their due Obedience from the Roman Church and thereby fell by little and little into divers errors of Doctrin also and finally were delivered over as all the World seeth into the Subjection and Servitude of the Turks yet in these Ages there was Union and due Subordination between both Churches Which may appear by that one only General Council being held at Constantinople even against Phocius that was Patriarch of the said City being gathered by order of Pope Adrian II. and Basilius the Grecian Emperour concurring therein This Council was of 300 Bishops and confirmed by the said Pope Adrian being the eighth General Council in order and the fourth of those that were held in Constantinople Whereby it cometh also to be noted That all the General Councils held hitherto in the Christian Church for the space of 900 years being eight in number as hath been said from the first Council of Nice unto this and from this to the first General Council of Lateran holden in the year of Christ 1115 under Pope Innocentius III. were all held in Greece but yet by order of the Bishops of Rome sending thither their Legats and confirming the same afterwards by themselves without which confirmation they were never held for Lawful in the Christian World which is no small Argument of the Greatness and Authority of the Church of Rome from time to time 3. It shall not be needful to speak of the particular Heresies of these two or three Ages which in effect were none of any name but only two the Iconoclasts or Image-breakers and the Berengarians or Sacramentaries both of them agreeing in their particular Heresies with the Calvinists of our Times tho' in many other things different as it is wont to be The first of them was begun before these Times by Leo III. Emperour of Constantinople sirnamed Isaurus about the year of Christ 750 as before hath been noted and renewed again by Claudius Taurinensis The second was begun 300 years after by Berengarius about the year of Christ 1050 and abjured by him again as hereafter shall be shewed The chief Doctors and Fathers that defended true Religion in these Ages were Turpinus Eginhardus Haymo Rabanus Frecolphus Hincmarus Jo. Diaconus Remigius Theophylactus and others in the ninth Age and then in the other Odo Ado Rhegino Luitprandus Rhatbodus Abbo Floriacensis and others and the other half of the eleventh Age Bruchardus Petrus Damianus Lanfrancus and many others 4. And this was the state of the Universal Christian Church in these Ages whereunto in all respects was conform the particular Church of England as the Daughter to her Mother which may be demonstrated partly by the continual Descent of Archbishops in England which were to the number of Sixteen from Celnothus that lived with King Egbert unto Stigand that possessed the See of Canterbury when William the Conqueror came in tho' afterward he caused him to be deposed by a Commission from Rome in the year of Christ 1070 as John Stow and others do note 5. I do pretermit the Succession of other Bishoprics in England for Brevities sake the Kings also of England that possessed that Crown from Egbert to William the Conqueror were some Twenty in number if we count Canutus the Dane and his two Children among the rest All which Kings of what Nation or State soever agreed fully in Faith and Belief with the said Archbishops and Bishops of our Land and They again with the whole Universal Roman Church as appeareth by their Acts and Monuments and John Fox also confesseth 6. Which being so it is hard to say or imagin where John Fox in these Ages will pick out a different Christian Church tho' it be never so poor and creeping for Him and His either in England or out of England during this time And much more hard it is to think how he can devise any visible Continuation of the said obscure and trodden-down Church as he promised to do even from the Apostles Time to our Age. His only refuge must be as before we have often noted to run to the condemned Heretics of these times if he find any for his purpose Which yet he dareth not openly to do as you have seen throughout all the former Ages But afterward when he cometh near home to wit after Pope Innocentius III. and John Wickliff he taketh more heart affirming Our Church to have utterly perished and a new visible Off-spring of his Church to have started up to wit all the Sectaries and Heretics cast out and condemned of our Church as you shall see more particularly when we come to that place 7. For the present Ages that we are now in he doth not so much as lay hands upon the Iconoclasts or Berengarians nor doth seem to count them for his Brethren tho' in the principal Points of their Heresies they agree with Him as is notorious And John Fox to have some visible Members of his Church in these Ages ought to have shaken hands with them but the poor Fellow was asham'd to build his Church openly of so ancient Heretics tho' afterward when he beginneth to build indeed and to gather Stones together he calleth for the Berengarians again which now he casteth away as after you shall see 8. But now perhaps you will ask me If John Fox do set down no Succession in these Ages as neither in the former of His Church or Ours what doth the simple Fellow in all this third Book of his Whereto I answer first That albeit he promiseth in the Title That this third Book shall contain the Acts and Monuments of 300 years together with the whole
by whom not only the true Church was overthrown but Christian Faith also utterly extinguished to wit Gregory VII and Innocentius III. two of the most Renowned men both for Vertue and Learning that have possessed that See since the time of our Conquest or in many Ages before if we will believe all the ancient Authors that have written of them wherein I dare joyn Issue with Fox or any of his Cubs whatsoever that will defend him in this notorious slander against these two worthy Men For as for Innocentius III. he is affirmed to have been one of the most excellent Popes for good Life and rare Learning that for these thousand years held that See. Of whom Blondus amongst other Authors writeth thus Suavissimus erat in Galliis famae odor gravitatis sanctitatis ac vevum gestarum ejus Pontificis c. The fame and scent of this Pope's Gravity Holiness of Life and Greatness of his Action was most sweet throughout all France c. And for his Learning the same Author saith Libros Doctrina plenos scripsit He wrote most Learned Books In which kind divers Authors do report that he wrote more than most of the other Popes of Rome before his time put together 7. And as for Gregory VII albeit he had many Enemies stirred up against him by the Emperour Henry IV. and others whom he sought to punish and reform for their Misbehavior yet if we will believe the chief Authors of that Age and those that lived either with him or next unto him as Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury Marianus Scotus Otho Frisingensis Aeneas Sylvius Lambertus Schafaaburgensis Vincentius Gallus Abbas Vrspergensis Aventinus Sigibertus Tritemius and many others he was not only very Learned Wise and a Man of great Courage in resisting the foresaid most dissolute Emperour that lived scandalously and oppressed the Church but also he was reputed of a most holy Life insomuch as God wrought divers Miracles by him 8. The very form of his Election recorded by Platina Sabellicus and others doth shew what he was when they say Elegimus hodie 21 Maii Anno Domini 1072 in verum Christi Vicarium Hildebrandum Archidiaconum virum multae Doctrinae magnae Pietatis Prudentiae Justitiae Constantiae Religionis c. We have chosen this day the 21st of May 1072 for true Vicar of Christ a Man of much Learning great Piety Prudence Justice Constancy and Religion c. This was the testimony of the whole Clergy of Rome that knew him better than John Fox and his Fellows Against whom Lambertus Schafnaburgensis talking of his whole Life afterwards saith Signa Prodigia quae per Grationes Gregorii Papae frequentius fiebant zelus ejus fervent issimus pro Deo Ecclesiasticis legibus satis eum contra venenatas detractorum linguas communiebant The Signs and Miracles which oftentimes were done by the Prayers of Pope Gregory VII and his most fervent Zeal for the Honor of God and defence of Ecclesiastical Laws did sufficiently defend him against the venemous Tongues of Detractors 9. Vincentius also Gallus in his History relateth out of a more ancient Historiographer than himself named Gulielmus Historicus Hildebrandum dono prophetiae praeditum fuisse That Hildebrand the Pope was endued with the gift of Prophesie which he sheweth by divers particular Examples of Events foretold by him And this of Gregory VII 10. But what do the same Authors yea Germans themselves write of their Emperour his Enemy Henry IV. Surely it is shameful to report his Adulteries Symoniacal selling of Benefices Robberies and spoiling of poor particular men thrusting in wicked men into places of Prelates and the like Principes Regni rogat saith Lambertus ut patiantur ipsum Vxorem repudiare c. He did request the Princes of the Empire that they would suffer him to put away his Wife telling them what the Pope by his Legat had opposed to the contrary Which being heard by them they were of the Pope's Opinion Principes aiebant aequè censere Rom. Pontificem ita fractus magis quà m inflexus Rex ab incepto abstinuit The Princes affirmed That the Bishop of Rome had reason to determin as he did and so the King rather forced than changed in mind abstained from his purposed Divorce 11. Lo here the first beginning of falling out betwixt the Emperour and the Pope which was increased for that two years after as the same Author saith the Pope deprived one Charles for Symony and Theft to whom the Emperor had sold for Money the Bishopric of Constance And this he did by a Council of Prelates and Princes held in Germany it self the Emperour being present Cùm etiam saith he Rex in Judicio assideret causamque Caroli quoad posset tueretur Bishop Charles was deposed notwithstanding that the King was present in that Judgment and defended him and his Cause as much as he could And this was an increase of the falling out between them But the constancy saith the same Author and invincible mind of Hildebrand against Covetousness did exclude all Arguments of Human Deceits and Subtilties 12. Vrspergensis in like manner who lived in the same time reckoneth up many particulars of the Emperour 's wicked behaviour in these words Coepit Principes despicere Nobiles opprimere He began to despise the Princes oppress the Nobles and Nobility and give himself to Incontinency Which Aventinus an Author not misliked by the Protestants uttereth more particularly in these words Henricum stupris amoribus impudicitiae adulterii flagrasse infamia nec amici quidem negant The very friends of Henry the Emperour do not deny but that he was infamous for his wicked life in Lechery Fornication and Adultery 13. And finally not to name any more Marianus Scotus that lived in those days writeth thus of the whole Controversie between them Gregory VII saith he being stirred up by the just clamors of Catholic Men and hearing the immanity of Henry the Emperour's wickedness cry'd out against by them did excommunicate him for the same but especially for the sin of Simony in buying and selling Bishoprics which fact of the Pope did like very well all good Catholic men but displeased such as would buy and sell Benefices and were favourers of the said Emperour 14. And thus much be spoken of the Learning Lives and Vertue of these two particular Popes Gregory VII and Innocentius III. whom John Fox would needs have us believe that they had overturned God's Church and extinguished Christian Religion utterly in the World. But especially he rageth every where and with greatest acerbity against Gregory VII dilating himself in many large Discourses of that Argument and telling so many and apparent Lyes of Him and his Acts and Ends as were a matter incredible to him that hath not examined them Neither may I stand to recount them all or the greater part for it would require a Volume but by one
Realm of ancient times and therein consider the course of times where he may find and read Anno 5 Reg. Rich. 2. in the year of our Lord 1380 of a great number that there be called evil persons going about from Town to Town in Frize Gowns preaching unto the People c. Which Preachers tho' the words of the Statute do term them to be dissembling persons preaching divers Sermons containing Heresies and notorious Errors to the emblemishment of Christian Faith c. yet notwithstanding may every true Christian Reader conceive of those Preachers to have taught no other Doctrin than now they hear their own Preachers in Pulpits preach c. 22. Mark here three Points good Reader First That if all this were true that the Wickliffians had preached no other Doctrin than the Protestants do now yet nothing followeth of this but that Protestants Doctrin was condemned for Heresie not only by the Church-Laws but also by divers Acts of English Parliaments above 200 years past Which thing what help or credit it can bring to Fox his Religion which standeth chiefly in England by Authority of far latter Acts of Parliament I do not see for that hereof only may be inferred two Conclusions if his premises be true The first That Protestants were condemned for Heretics by Acts of Parliament 200 years agone The second If those ancient Acts of Parliament were of little force in matters of Religion then latter Acts that have established a different Religion may also be called in question and that with much more reason and probability 23. Secondly I say That this Assertion of Fox is most apparently false to wit that the Wickliffian Preachers taught no other Doctrin than the Protestant Preachers now teach if the Articles before alleged out of himself be truly written by him For neither do the Protestant Preachers in England at this day teach the Real Presence in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar or the Doctrin of Purgatory as you have heard Sir John Oldcastle a chief Wickliffian profess a little before nor yet do Protestants hold those Articles of John Wickliff himself which in this Chapter we have mentioned as held neither by Them nor Us. And much less do they hold any other Catholic Opinions which the Wickliffians did together with their Heresies So as this is a notorious untruth and cannot be denied or dissembled 24. Thirdly We may consider of the particular Point which before I noted That John Fox is not ashamed to cite a whole Parliament against himself and then in a word to reject the same as of no credit in the World in respect of Him and his Denial or Rejection The Parliament saith he calleth these Frize gown-Preachers the Wickliffians dissembling persons but you must think notwithstanding they were very honest men The Parliament saith That they preached Heresies and notorious Errors but John Fox saith it was true Christian Doctrin Whom shall we here believe either the whole Parliament who lived with them and examined both their Doctrin and doings or John Fox that cometh more than 200 years after them and will needs make himself their Brother whether they will or no and judge also of the Parliament But let us hear him yet further 25. Furthermore saith he you shall find likewise in Statuto anno 2 Hen. 4. cap. 15. in the year of our Lord 1402 another like Company of godly Preachers and faithful Defenders of true Doctrin whom albeit the words of the Statute there through corruption of time do falsly term to be false and perverse Preachers under dissembled Holiness teaching in those days openly and privily new Doctrin and heretical Opinions c. Yet notwithstanding whoever readeth Histories and the orderly descent of times shall understand these to be no false Teachers but faithful Witnesses of the Truth c. 26. Lo here the testimony of another Parliament of our Country held 22 years after the former which John Fox rejecteth with the same facility that he did the other For whereas the Parliament that had examined the matter protesteth That they had found them false perverse and dissembling People teaching new Doctrin and heretical Opinions Fox averreth the contrary That they were good Preachers and faithful Defenders of true Doctrin and holy Witnesses of God's Truth And for proof hereof he saith That whosoever readeth Histories and conferreth the Order and Descent of times shall understand thus much to be true But how and by what means a man shall gather this understanding he telleth us not And by the Historical Discourses and Conference of times which we have hitherto made in this Book we understand the contrary finding indeed by Descent and Order of times that these Opinions of Wickliff Husse and Lollards and the like were new heretical Opinions indeed and taken and judged so by Christendom at their up rising and appearance in the World. Wherefore this is plain impudence in Fox to say that by reading Histories and noting descent of Times these men are by him justified from being Sectaries 27. It followeth in Fox Of the like number also saith he of like true faithful favourers and followers of God's holy Word we find in the year of our Lord 1422 specified in a Letter sent from Henry Chichesley Archbishop of Canterbury to Pope Martin V. of many infected here in England as he said by the Heresies of Wickliff and Husse c. who tho' they be termed for Heretics and Schismatics yet served they the living Lord within the Ark of his true spiritual and visible Church And where is then the frivolous brag of the Papists which make so much of their painted Sheaths c 28. Do you see in what jollity of mind John Fox is put by finding out this Succession of his new visible Church for above 200 years downward Do you hear how he vaunteth of Antiquity and long Continuance albeit indeed he nameth not continuance nor can he for that I think he will not grant that the Wickliffian Church doth endure unto this day or that if a number of those Wickliffian holy Teachers and faithful Witnesses of the Truth so much praised here by him should come into England at this day or Scotland or into Germany or Geneva or among any other Sect or sort of Protestants whatsoever and should preach that Doctrin which they preached then to wit against the Church of Rome in many Points but yet defending that number of Sacraments which they did the Real Presence Sacrifice of the Mass together with those extravagant Articles also before mentioned to wit That it is against the Scriptures that Bishops or true Ministers should have any Temporal Lands and Livings and that Tythes are not due and that both Princes and Prelates do lose their Offices Authorities and Dignities whensoever they fall into mortal sin c. If these men I say that were so true Preachers and principal Guiders of the Ark of John Fox his true visible and spiritual Church
in those days should revive and preach again in these days would his Brethren the Protestants in England or out of England receive them think you And if it be certain that they would not how were they true Preachers then and not now or how can these and they be true Brethren of one Faith Religion or Church Doth not every simple Man or Woman see this Folly and absurd Contradiction 29. But to return to the matter in hand about rejecting Parliaments and other public Testimonies we see that John Fox with the same facility both reciteth and rejecteth the Letter of the Archbishop of Canterbury written to the Pope about those Wickliffians of his time twenty years after the former Parliament was held but yet in conformity of that which the said Parliament under King Henry IV. and the other before under King Richard II. did testifie as well of the said Sectaries Hypocrisie and Dissimulation as of their wicked Errors and Heresies All which Fox contemning saith to the contrary That they served faithfully the living Lord within the Ark of his true spiritual and visible Church c. 30. And it is to be noted that scarce ever throughout this whole Volume of Acts and Monuments from Christ downward for the space of 1400 years doth Fox talk of any visible Church on his side but only now when he cometh to these Wickliffians and other like Sectaries And yet to speak warily also he adjoyneth unto it the word spiritual to have some starting-hole to run out when he shall be pressed about the true nature of visible Succession which we mean to do in the next Chapter following But in the mean space it is a matter worth good laughter to hear him say That Papists do brag of their painted Sheath concerning their Churches Antiquity and Succession and that he hath sufficiently proved before by the continual descent of his Church after the Doctrin that now is reformed that it hath stood and been continued from the beginning for so are his words yea and that visibly as now he addeth Whereat I know no man can choose but laugh that hath read this our Treatise wherein we have shewed all the contrary to wit the visible Descent of the Roman Church by orderly Succession from the Apostles time and that John Fox hath not so much as named any different Succession or Descent of his Church distinct from the other until the time of Innocentius III. 1200 years after Christ And what manner of deduction or collection of Heretics and Sectaries he bringeth down from thence and how well they agree and hang together either in Time Place Function or Faith we shall examin a little after 31. But now before we end this Chapter we are to advertise the Reader that besides the Sects before named of the Petrobusians Henricians Waldensians or poor men of Lyons the Albigensians and Wickliffians there was another Sect in England called Lollards more famous than the rest in respect of Lollards Tower some what renowned in London for the Imprisonments of those Sectaries in that place But when and how this Sect of Heretics began is not so clear for that some as Prateolus and others seem to affirm that it took its Origin in England as a Brood of the Wickliffists for that they were more famous there than in other places And therefore he saith Lollardi ex Anglia ex Wickliffistarum Secta originem duxerunt The Lollards had their beginning from England and from the Sect of the Wickliffians And he addeth That it was about the year 1360 which cannot stand for that we have shewed before how Wickliff began to publish his Doctrin after this to wit about the year 1370. Wherefore the Abbot Tritemius a German Chronicler declareth the matter more particularly and truly saying That there was a certain Heretic in Germany called Gualter Lolhard who about the year of Christ 1315 taking certain Doctrin from the Albigenses and Waldenses that went before him and adding as the fashion is of Sectaries divers new Opinions of his own made a particular Sect who were called Lolhards Whereby it appeareth that this Sect began in Germany above fifty years before the Sect of Wickliff in England and hereby ensued that Wickliffians taking afterwards divers Opinions from the said Lolhards were commonly also called Lolhards And John Fox himself reciting the Sentence of Condemnation of Bishop Tresnant of Hereford against one William Swynderby an Apostata Priest for Wickliffian Heresies in the year of Christ 1391 the 24th of June he setteth down these words of the said Bishop We being excited through the Information of many credible and faithful Christians of our Diocese to root out pestiferous Plants as Sheep diseased with an incurable Sickness going about to infect the whole and sound Flock that is to say certain Preachers or more truly execrable Offenders of the new Sect vulgarly called Lolhards c. 32. Lo here Wickliffians at this time for such a one was this Swynderby were commonly called Lolhards twenty years and more after Wickliff had begun his Doctrin So as rather Wickliffians are to be said to have come forth of Lolhards than Lolhards of Wickliffians 33. And albeit these two Sects beginning as you have heard the one in Germany and the other in England with the distance of some fifty years of their Off-spring had many Opinions common to them both especially against the Roman Church against Invocation of Saints Fastings Prayers and the Sacraments of Penance Matrimony Extreme Unction and the like yet had they their peculiar Opinions also whereby they were made a several Sect. As for Example the Lolhards impugned not only the foresaid three Sacraments of Penance Matrimony and Extreme Unction as some Wickliffians did but Baptism and the Eucharist in like manner They held also for their peculiar Opinions as Tritemius saith That Lucifer and his Angels were injuriously thrust out of Heaven by Michael and his Angels and consequently to be restored again at the Day of Judgment and that Michael and his Angels are to be damned for the foresaid Injury and to be delivered over to everlasting Punishment from the Day of Judgment forward That our Lady could not bear Christ and remain a Virgin for that so he should have been an Angel and not a Man. That God having given the Earth to the use of Man according to the saying of the Psalm Terram autem dedit filiis hominum God hath given the Earth to the children of men he doth consequently punish such Wickedness as is done upon Earth but if any thing be done under ground it is not punishable And therefore in Caves and Cellars under ground they were accustomed to exercise all manner of Abomination And of this he relateth a certain Story happened in Germany which was That one Gisla a young woman of their Sect coming to be burned for Heresie she was asked whether she were a Virgin or no whereunto
Pope 6. But what did he from his breach forward Did he spare the new Gospellers any thing more for his breach with the Pope Truly it cannot be denied but that for some years he wink'd at their doings somewhat more than before considering the new difficulties wherein he had cast himself by his new disunion and breach as before we have noted in the end of the former Part. But as soon as he had put his Domestical Affairs in some quiet and security he returned again to his former course and custom of restraining these new unruly Spirits by calling them to account for their Innovations and proceeding juridically against them according to Church Canons and according to his former judgment in matters of Religion Which as I might shew by divers ways of proof as well of Acts of Parliament as Proclamations Injunctions and other Declarations of his Will and Opinion in this behalf so will we allege only two or three Examples in the first kind besides those which we have set down in the former Part. 7. In the 31st year of his Reign which was seven or eight years after his breach with the Pope there was made an Act for abolishing of diversity of Opinions about Christian Faith which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's most Excellent Majesty is by God's Law Supreme Head immediately under him of the whole Church of England c. intending the conservation of the same Church in a true sincere and uniform Doctrin of Christ's Religion c. Thus beginneth his Preface And then he determineth together with the Parliament That whosoever shall deny the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar or affirm that the Communion is necessary under both Kinds or that Priests may by God's Law take Wives after Priesthood or that Vows of Chastity are not to be observed or that private Masses are not to be said or that Sacramental and Auricular Confession is not necessary c. All these he condemneth as Heretics and for such to be Apprehended Arraigned Condemned and Burned as at large is to be seen in the Statute 8. And the very next year after perceiving that notwithstanding his former Statute against Protestant Opinions the same did grow and were spread abroad in England he ordained another Statute which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's Róyal Majesty of his blessed and gracious disposition c. well weighing that out of sundry outward parts and places there have sprung been sown set forth divers heretical erroneous dangerous Opinions Doctrins in the Religion of Christ whereby his Grace's Leige-people may be induced to unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy and contempt of God to the utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. For this cause his Majesty according to the very Gospel and Law of God meaneth to have matters determined and declared c. Thus he writeth in the Statute remitting himself to his further Declaration which is wholly against Protestants whose Faith and Religion you see here called by the King unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy contempt of God heretical erroneous and dangerous Doctrin tending to utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. And this proved by the pure Word of God and the very Gospel it self as his Majesty affirmeth 9. And will you have more clear testimony of his settled judgment against Protestants than this But yet hear further For that the same King divers years afters after this again towards the end of his days having had good experience of the falshood of Protestants in corrupting the very Scriptures themselves by their crafty Translations Notes and Commentaries he was forc'd to forbid under grievous punishments the reading of the foresaid Scriptures in English which before he had permitted as appeareth by a peculiar Statute made for that purpose and for inhibiting Protestants Books Sermons and Preachings in the 34th and 35th years of his Reign this Statute being entituled An Act for the Advancement of true Religion saying therein as followeth Whereas the King 's most Royal Majesty Sumpreme Head of the Church of England and also of Ireland perceiveth that notwithstanding such holy Doctrins and Docucuments as his Majesty hath hitherto caused to be set forth besides the great liberty granted unto them in having the New and Old Testament among them which notwithstanding many seditious arrogant and ignorant Parsons pretending to be Learred have the perfect and true knowledg understanding and judgment of sacred Scriptures c. intending to subvert the very true and perfect Exposition thereof after their perverse fantasies have taken upon them not only to preach teach declare c. but also by printed Books Ballads Plays Rhythmes Songs and other fantasies subtilly to beguile his Majesty's Leige-subjects c. 10. Behold King Henry's description of Protestants their Wit Nature Condition and Doctrin But now followeth the Remedy Wherefore to ordain and establish a certain form of pure and sincere Teaching agreeable to God's Word and true Doctrin of the Catholic and Apostolical Church c. Be it enacted That all manner of Books of the Old and New Testament in English being of the crafty false and untrue Translation of William Tyndall and all other Books or Writings in the English Tongue teaching or composing any matter of Christian Religion contrary to that Doctrin which since the year of our Lord 1540 is hath or shall be set forth by his Majesty is clearly and utterly abolished c. Thus ordained King Henry of the Protestants Books and Doctrin and this Censure he gave of William Tyndall's Truth and Honesty in translating the Scriptures whom John Fox calleth not only the true Servant and Martyr of God but the Apostle also of England in this our latter Age. 11. Wherefore I do not see how Fox can with any reason make King Henry to be a Gospeller of his Religion or so earnest a Defender of the same or why he should paint him with the Bible in his hand holden up by Cranmer and Cromwell as before hath been said and seen in his Painting seeing he contemned ever their Doctrin and burned the Professors thereof as notorious Heretics unto his dying-day Which is evident by many Examples but most clear and notorious by that of John Lambert a famous Zuinglian with whom in solemn public Audience he disputed in presence of all his Clergy and Nobility of the Realm and caused Cranmer to do the like and in the end made Cromwell as his Vicar-General to give the Sentence of Death against him and burn him in Smithfield and this not two years before Cromwell's own Condemnation for like Heresie by the King 's own pursuit as may appear by the Act of his Condemnation yet extant And the same no doubt would he have done with Cranmer which was the other Upholder of his Arm to maintain the new Gospel according to Fox his Picture if he had known or suspected him not only for an Upholder of
that time they have taught 21. These were the two things of most moment determined about Religion in this first Parliament Two other things were attempted by the Gospellers with most earnest endeavor but they could not be obtained The first was to have a Book of Common Prayer pass which they had composed in hast out of the Mass-Book for altering the Service and Mass into English or rather for abolishing of the Mass and bringing in the new Communion in place thereof And this Book was composed by certain appointed by the Protector and Cranmer But when it came to the Parliament to pass it was misliked and contradicted not only by Catholics but by many Protestants also Especially those that were the most forward as Hooper Rogers and some other Who according to Fox were Puritans in those days and would neither take the Oath of Supremacy to the young King as we shall shew more largely when we come to treat of them severally in the next Part of this Treatise nor yet wear Typpet Cap or Surpless And misliked moreover the whole Government Ecclesiastical in that time neither agreed with the Opinions of Doctrin set down by that Book And so it was rejected with no small grief both of the Duke Protector and Archbishop Cranmer 22. The other Point proposed and rejected also was about allowance of Priests and Friers Marriages and Legitimation of their Children Wherein great force was made by them that had taken Women first and sought approbation afterwards but could not get it for the present Though in the next Parliament about a year after they obtained a certain mitigation therein as you shall hear 23. Now then this Parliament being thus past and ended upon the 20 day of December and the Protector much grieved that no more could be obtained therein to the favor of the new Gospellers he thought good for the time to come to use his Kingly Authority under the Name of the young Child for the altering of divers Points in Religion using Cranmer and some other also of the Council for his Instruments And first they began with Bishop Bonner as may appear by a Letter from the said Bonner written to Bishop Gardiner of Winchester the 28. of January 1548. wherein he writeth thus My very good Lord these be to advertise your Lordship that my Lord of Canterbury 's Grace this present 28. of January sent me his Letters Missive containing this in effect That my Lord Protector 's Grace with Advice of other the King's Majesties most Honorable Council for certain Considerations them moving are fully resolved that no Candles shall be born upon Candlemas-day nor from henceforth Ashes nor Palms used any longer Requiring me to cause Admonition thereof to be given unto your Lordship and other Bishops with celerity c. Thus much there 24. And after this again upon the 11. of the next Month of February the said Protector with some others of the Council at his appointment wrote to Cranmer and by him to all Bishops of the Realm Commanding them to pull down all Images in these words amongst others We have thought good saith he to signifie unto You that His Highness pleasure with the Advice and Consent of Vs the Lord Protector and the rest of the Council is that immediately upon the sight hereof with as convenient diligence as You may You give order that all Images remaining in any Church or Chappel c. Be removed and taken away And in the Execution hereof we require both You and the rest of the Bishops to use such foresight as the same may be quietly done with as good satisfaction of the People as may be c. From Somerset Place the 11. of February 1548. Your loving Friends Edward Somerset Henry Arundell Anthony Wingfield John Russell Thomas Seymer William Paget 25. And now Candles Ashes and Images being gone as you see there followed in the next Month after to wit of March that the Protector desiring still to go forward with his designment of Alteration sent abroad a Proclamation in the Kings Name with a certain Communion Book in English to be used for Administration of Sacraments instead of the Mass Book but whether it was the very same that was rejected a little before in the Parliament or another patched up afterward or the same mended or altered is not so clear But great care there was had by the Protector and his Adherents that this Book should be admitted and put in practice presently even before it was allowed in Parliament To which effect Fox setteth down a large Letter of the Council to all the Bishops Exhorting and Commanding them in the King's Name to admit and put in Practice this Book We have thought good say they to pray and require your Lordships and nevertheless in the King's Majesty Our most Dread Lord's Name to Command You to have a diligent earnest and careful respect to cause these Books to be delivered to every Parson Vicar and Curate within your Diocese with such diligence as they may have sufficient time well to instruct and advise themselves for the distribution of the most holy Communion according to the Order of this Book before this Easter time c. Praying you to consider that this Order is set forth to the intent there should be in all parts of the Realm one Vniform manner quietly used To the Execution whereof we do eftsoons require you to have a diligent respect as you tender the King's Majesties pleasure and will answer to the contrary c. From Westminster the 13 of March 1548. 26. By all which and by much more that might be alleged it is evident that all that was hitherto done against Catholic Religion for these first two years until the second Parliament was done by private Authority of the Protector and his Adherents before Law and against Law. And now what a Babylonical Confusion ensued in England upon these Innovations in all Churches Parishes and Bishopricks commonly is wonderful to recount For some Priests said the Latin Mass some the English Communion some both some neither some said half of the one and half of the other And this was very ordinary to wit to say the Introitus and Confiteor in English and then the Collects and some other parts in Latin. And after that again the Epistles and Gospels in English and then the Canon of the Mass in Latin and lastly the Benediction and last Gospel in English And this mingle mangle did every man make at his pleasure as he thought it would be most grateful to the people 27. But that which was of more importance and impiety some did Consecrate Bread and Wine others did not but would tell the people before-hand plainly they would not consecrate but restore them their Bread and Wine back again as they received it from them Only adding to it the Church Benediction And those that did Consecrate did Consecrate in divers forms some
aloud some in secret some in one form of words and others in an other And after Consecration some did hold up the Host to be Adored after the old fashion and some did not And of those that were present some did kneel down and Adore others did shut their Eyes others turned their Faces aside others ran out of the Church Blaspheming and crying Idolatry 28. And as this Confusion was in Spiritual Matters during these two first years of King Edward's Reign so no less was it in Temporal Affairs especially in tne City of London where a great Mortality and Pestilence was among the People as Stow saith And no less amazement to see three chief Bishops sent to Prison Gardiner of Winchester Bonner of London and Tonstall of Duresme But the greatest banding was betwixt the Protector and his Brother the Admiral and between their Wives Queen Katherine Parre and the Duches of Somerset In which Contention divers Chief Ministers and Apostate Friers were sticklers but especially Hugh Latymer that inveighed in his Sermons against the Admiral in favor of the Protector On the other side Frier Bale was wholly addicted to Queen Catherine and her praises having Printed and set her forth in those very days for a famous Writer and one of the Miracles of Womankind in his Book De scriptoribus Britannicis For so he saith Ingenii viribus literarum peritia verborum elegantia animi generositate foemine as dotes exuperat c. She doth exceed the Gifts of Womankind in the force of her Wit in the skill of her Learning in the elegancy of her Words and generosity of Mind And again Magnarum virtutum ac unicum hoc saeculo pietatis exemplar c. She is the only Example of great Virtues and Piety in this our Age. With which excessive praises the Duches of Somerset that thought her self as Wise and Learned as the other was so offended that Frier Bale could get no Preferment while her Husband was in Authority 29. But now came on the second Parliament which was upon the 4. day of November 1548. and second year of King Edward's Reign The Protector and his Gospellers had made all the preparation possible to get Voice therein for Establishing of that which they desired in Religion As it is no marvel if it were not hard to do seeing the chief Bishops were now restrained terrified or put in Prison some other of the Laity also disgraced as the Earl of Southampton Arundell and others The Lord Protector and Dudley Armed with the remainder of their Forces made for Scotland And the displeasure of the said Protector being held now for so dreadful a matter to any that resisted his Designs as it was expected daily that his own Brother the Admiral should be made away by him upon like displeasure 30. But to speak of this Parliament begun now as we have said two things as you remember were excluded in the last Parliament that could not pass though never so much desired and urged by the Protector and his Friends To wit the new Communion Book and the allowance of Priests and Friers Marriages but now both of them passed albeit the second with a greater limitation as you may see for the Title of the Statute is only this An Act to take away all Positive Laws of Man made against the Marriage of Priests Whereby you see that the Parliament being importuned by Priests and Friers that had gotten them Women to have them allowed by Parliament they only obtained to be free from Temporal Punishment appointed for the same leaving them to God for the rest whether after their Vows made of Chastity they were bound to observe the same or no. Nay in the very Act it self they do highly commend Chastity in Priests saying That it were not only better for Priests and Ministers of the Church to live Chast sole and separate from the company of Women c. But that it were most to be wished that they would willingly and of themselves endeavor to keep a perpetual Chastity and Abstinence from the use of Women Yet forasmuch as the contrary hath been seen c. Be it Enacted that all Laws Positive Canons or Constitutions heretofore made by Authority of Man only which doth Prohibit or forbid Marriage to any Ecclesiastical Person c. Shall be utterly void and of none effect together with the Pains Penalties Crimes Actions thereunto Annexed c. 31. Thus goeth the Statute Wherein you see there is nothing but Impunity given to Incontinent Priests and Friers to use Women without fear of Punishment in this World. And thereby you may consider that the first and chief endeavors of these new Gospellers tended principally to break down Hedges and to dissolve Catholic Discipline and to take away Punishments appointed as well to Heretics and Heresie in general as by the former Parliament you have seen as also to loose and Incontinent Clergy-men for their dissolute life And thus much of the first Point Let us come to the second about the new Communion Book 32. This Book though it were made new again by great diligence both of the Composers which the Protector and his Followers had chosen for that purpose as also by the view of Cranmer Ridley and others of chief Authority in the Clergy yet had it marvellous difficulty to pass as may appear by very Act of Parliament it self For that it was not only contradicted by Catholics but also by many Protestants themselves Misliking not only the Rites and Ceremonies therein appointed but the very Articles of Doctrin also And in this were most vehement the foresaid Faction of Hooper Rogers Latymer and some others being at that time Puritans as before we have noted 33. But the chiefest and hottest Contention of all whereof the principal Point of their new Religion seemed to depend was whether they should be Lutherans or Zwinglians concerning the blessed Sacrament Seeing they longer well could not dissemble the same as they had done in the former Parliament though otherwise as I have said it was somewhat hard to determin For that to the Lutherans enclined not only Cranmer Ridley and other in Ecclesiastical Authority that had lived and born Rule under King Henry VIII before But many of the Noble Men also and Counsellors that were half Catholics and half Protestants Protestants for liberty of eating of Flesh on forbidden days Possessing Church-Livings disobligation of Confession and Restitution and other such Motives But yet for other matters were rather Catholic in judgment and with these concurred such as were come out of Saxony and had Studied under Luther as Bucer Bale Coverdale and others All which seemed to stand for the real Presence at that time But against these were the Sacramentaries whose Profession being of the fresher Frame more pleased the Protector and some other itching Ears and thereby did overbear the other side at length by the number of some few Voices in Parliament but yet
with great difficulty Whereupon the said Parliament was continued in Disputation and Contention especially about this matter for the space of four Months and a half to wit from the 4. of November unto the 14. of March and in the mean space all was in suspence of what Religion England should be For as on the one side many that knew or suspected the Protectors inclination did think and lay Wagers that Zwinglianism would prevail so others hearing that Archbishop Cranmer and his party stood resolutely on the other side and had punished divers for speaking against the Mass and Real Presence in the Sacrament a little before to wit one Thomas Dobbe a Master of Art in Cambridge as Fox telleth us cast into the Counter by Cranmer and held there till he died and John Hume Imprisoned for the same Cause by the said Archbishop This I say made many to expect and Bett on the other side But especially this doubt and expectation was notorious in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge where Peter Martyr and Bucer had Read now for the space of a year and more and were oftentimes urged and pressed much by their Scholars whereof the far greater parts in those days were Catholics to declare themselves clearly of what Opinion they wear touching the Sacrament of the Altar and the Real Presence To wit whether they were Lutherans or Zwinglians But they kept themselves aloof and indifferent or rather doubtful so far as they could until the determination of the Parliament should come Yet was Peter Martyr put into a great strait thereby For that having taken upon him to Read and Expound to the Scholars of Oxford the first Epistle to the Corinthians wherein the Apostle in the Eleventh Chapter handleth the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament he had thought to have come to that place just at the very time when the Parliament should have determined this Controversie 34. But the Contention enduring longer by some Months than he expected he was come to the Eleventh Chapter long before they could end in London Whereupon many Posts went to and fro between him and Cranmer to require a speedy resolution alleging that he could not detain himself any longer but that being come to the words Hoc est Corpus meum he must needs declare himself a Lutheran or a Zuinglian But he was willed to stay and entertain himself in other matter until the Determination might come and so the poor Frier did with admiration and laughter of all his Scholars standing upon those precedent words Accepit Panem c. Et gratias agens c. Fregit c. Et dixit c. Accipite manducate c. discoursing largely of every one of these Points and bearing off from the other that ensued But when at length the Post came that Zuinglianism must be defended then stepped up Peter Martyr boldly the next day and said Hoc est Corpus meum This is my Body interpreting it This is the Sign of my Body adding moreover that he wondred how any man could be of another Opinion seeing this Exposition was so clear Whereas if the Post had brought other News himself also would have taught the contrary Opinion And this Story was testified whil'st they were alive by Dr. Sanders Dr. Allen Dr. Stapleton and others that were present at this Trifling and Tergiversation of this Apostate-Frier And thus began our Zuinglian Gospel in England under King Edward VI. 35. Now let us hear a word or two out of the Statute it self about this Communion Book and profession of Zuinglianism establish'd in England after two years strife among the Protestants Whereas of long time saith the Act there hath been in this Realm of England divers Forms of Common Prayer commonly called the Service of the Church as well concerning the Mattins and Even-Song as also the holy Communion called the Mass c. And whereas the King's Majesty with the Advice of his most entirely-beloved Vncle the Lord Protector and others of his Highness's Council hath heretofore divers times assayed to stay Innovations or new Rites concerning the premises yet the same hath not had such good success as his Highness required in that behalf Whereupon his Highness by the most prudent Advice aforesaid being pleased to bear with the frailty and weakness of his Subjects in that behalf of his great Clemency hath been not only content to abstain from punishment in that behalf but also to the intent that an uniform quiet and godly Order should be had concerning the premisses hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury and certain of the most learned and discreet Bishops to consider and ponder the premises and thereupon having as well an eye and respect to the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught by the Scriptures as to the Vsages of the Primitive Church should draw and make one convenient and meet Order Rite and Fashion of Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments to be used in England Wales c. The which at this time by the Aid of the Holy Ghost with uniform Agreement is by them concluded set forth and delivered to his Highness's great comfort and quietness of mind in a Book entituled The Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments c. 36. This is the Preface to that Act of Parliament whereby you may see that this Communion-Book was devis'd first for bearing with the frailty of them that sought Innovations then that it was perform'd by uniform Consent Aid of the Holy Ghost according to the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught in the Scriptures and lastly that the young Child-Prince received great comfort and quietness of mind thereby All which is ridiculous if you consider what a multitude of Errors and gross Absurdities the latter Protestants especially the preciser sort of them have gathered out against this Book yea after it was twice more reviewed altered and amended according to the pure Word of God as was pretended once in King Edward's days it self and then again in the beginning of her Majesties Reign whereof tho' I have spoken sufficiently in my Defence of the first Encounter against Sir F. Hastings yet cannot I omit to admonish the Reader in this place to read the ninth Chapter of the second Book entituled Dangerous Positions c. set forth by public Permission and printed in London Anno 1593. In which Chapter you shall see put together the words of divers new Gospellers concerning this Communion-Book affirm'd here in the Statute to be according to the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught by the Scriptures But they say the contrary to wit that it is full of corruption and that many of the Contents thereof are against the Word of God the Sacraments wickedly mangled and prophaned therein the Lord's Supper not eaten but made a Pageant and Stage play that their public Baptism is full of childish superstitious toys 37. And finally not to stand any longer
Epist ep 25. About Fasting Virginity observation of Holydays Cent. 2. p. 65. Cent. 2. p. 65. Ignat. Epist ad Phil. Against Martyrdom Sacred Virginity Page 65. Cent. 3. p. 86. St. Cyprian accused to hate Women Cyp. l. de bono Puditiae Cyp. Serm. de nativ Christi Martyrdom Page 83. Invocation of Saints Cent 4. c. 4. p. 295. Ibid. p. 304. Traditions Monastical Life Reliques Page 300. Lib. 2. ad Marcell Ephr. l. de luctamin spiritus cap. 2. Page 301. Amb Serm. 6. de marg tom 3. in orat funeb de obitu Theodosii Cent. 4. p. 293. The sum of this Chapter and shameful shifting of Heretics Cap. 5. num 2 Supra ibidem Bed. l. 1. hist Ang. c. 23. deinceps Malm. de gest Regum Ang. l. 1. de Pont. Angl. l. 1. Galf. mon. hist Ang. l. 11. c. 22. Huntingt hist l. 3. c. 1. Two new wicked devised shifts Fox Act. Mon. p. 107. coll 2. n. 84. The defence of St. Gregory against Heretics Ioannes Diac. in vita Gregor Magni Isid de viris illustris c. 27. The testimony of Isidorus concerning St. Gregory Hildef libel de viris illustr The judment of St. Hildefonse Fox Act. Mon. col 2. n. 5. p. 105. Fox praiseth St Agustin our Apostle against his Will. Fox Act. p. 107. col 1. Fox seeketh to discredit St. Augustin Bed. lib. 1. hist c. 35. Jo. Bale cent 1. scrip Brit. fol. 35. Bales scurrulity against St. Augustin Of the miracles wrought by St. Augustin Greg. l. 7. Epist 30. Ind. 1. St. Gregories Relation of English Affairs About the Doctrin brought in by St. Augustin Fox p. 107. col 2. * A wise consequence for that now also Fonts would hardly suffice to baptize 10000 in a day Fox in Protest p. 9. Whether St. Augustin taught the Saxons true Religion Holin in descript Britan. c. 27. col 1. Whether Englishmen were ever true Christians before Luther's time Holinsh ibid. Most vile blasphemy against the first Christian Englishmen Baleus descript Britan. cent 1. fol. 35. Ibid. cent 5. fol. 245. How John Bale became a Friar De Reg. juris l. 6. c. Non solum Caet in Sum. Concil Trid. sess 28. cap. 15. How Bale was unfriared and made an Apostate Bale ibid. Fox p. 105. col 2. nu 5. Bed. l. 1. hist. c. 33. The wicked intents of our Sectaries That Protestants cannot be sure that they are Christians according to Fox and Holinshed See the Acts of Parliament Anno 31. Hen. 8. c. 14. anno 32. c. 26. anno 34. c. 1. Enc. 1. c. 3 4 5. Super ibid. * Enc. 1. c. 6.10 and 12. Baleus descrip Brit. cent 1. fol. 35. Fox in his protestation to the Church of England p. 9. * Sup. cap. 3. Sup. c. 1 3 5 6. That Rome changed not her Faith from Eleutherius to St. Gregory That the British Christian Faith was the same with the Romans Sup. c. 3. Fox pag. 117. col 2. a Greg. l. 5. ep 14. b Philas l. de haeres c Greg. l. 3. ep 32. d Greg. l. 10. in Job c. 29. e Niceph. l. 18. c. 53. Bed. l. 1. c. 25. Greg. l. 2. ep 36. indict 10. l. 9. ep 61. indict 4. The presence of British Bishops in Foreign Councils * See Syn. 2. Arelatens to 1. Concil and the subscriptions Cap. 2 3. Athan. Apol. 2. cont Arrian Hilar. de Syn. advers Arrian Observations out of Histories Chrys orat cont Gentes quod unus est Deus Gild. de excidio Britan. c. 26. The Britans use of taking Sanctuary swearing upon Altars Gildas ibid. Optat. lib. 6. Against King Aurelius Gild. ibid. pag. 122. Against King Maglocunus for leaving to be a Monk. Fox Act. Mon. p. 103. Against Priests that said Mass seldom and ill Gil. ibid pag. 132. Gildas ibid. Ibid. p. 133. Buying of priesthood Act. 2. Gildas ibid. Altars and Sacrifice among the Britans * Aug. to 10. ser 237. 251. de temp in concil Milevit c. 12. Cartha 2. c. 3. Concil Carthag 4. c. 84. quibus interfuit Augustinus Epiph. haeres 50. Euseb l. 5. hist c. 23. in vita Constant l. 3. c. 17. Bed. l. 1.6 c. 27. A Church dedicated to St. Martin among the ancient Christian Britans An evident Demonstration that the British Religion agreed with that of St. Augustin St. German and St. Lupus Bed. l. 1. hist c. 17 18 19 20 21. That St. German St. Lupus and St. Severus were Roman Catholics Relics of Saints Ibid. c. 18. Ibid. c. 18. The use of Lent among the Britans St. Dubritius Primate of Britanny Anno 522. Galf. hist Brit. l. 9. c. 12. and 13. Ibid. p. 70. Procession and Organs Bal. descript Eccles fol. 30. St. David of Wales Anno Domini 540. Camb. in Catal. script Britan. Polid. l. hist Angl. in fine Fox in his Protestation to the Church of England p. 9. 19 British Bishops and Doctors pretended by Fox to have been Protestants Neither Order nor Argument good in Fox Fastidius Priscus Trit de script Eccl. Bal. fol. 23. St. Ninianus Bed. c. 4. Hector Boet. l. 7. 15. Ioan. Fordonius l. 3. c. 9. Bal. ibid. St. Patricius St. Palladius Bal. ibid. fol. 23. Marian. Scotus in Chron. eodem Anno 430. Prosper in Chron. ann 432. 434. Bed. l. 4. hist cap. 30. St. Patricius Bal. descript Frit Cent. 1. fol. 25. Ibid. Prosp cont lib. Collat. in fine Bed. hist Ang. l. 1. c. 13. in l. de sex aetat Mar. Scot. l. 2. sex aetat an 432. Bacchiarius Joan. cap. in catal SS Brit. Polid. Virg. 1. histor Harpesf §. 6. cap. 22. Congellus Bal. fol. 29. Kentegernus Bal. fol. 32. Jo. Capg in catal Sanct. Brit. St. Asaph receiv'd his Consecration from Rome Bal. ibid. f. 34. Bal. ibid. f. 135. Bed. l. 2 hist c. 2. That the Religion brought in by St. Augustin was Catholic Greg. in epist ad Aug. Bed. l. 1. hist. c. 18 19 c. Either no true Church or Religion was in St. Gregory's time or else it was the Roman The continuation of Religion from St. August downward Bed. hist Ang. l. 1. c. 22. St. Aug. his Company landed in the Isle of Thanet The 1 Kingdom of Kent converted to Christian Faith anno Dom. 600. Bed. l. 1. hist Malm. l. 2. hist 2 Kingdom of East-Saxons converted 604. Lib. 2. cap. 5. 3 Kingdom of the East-Angles converted an Dom. 609. Malm. l. 1. hist c. 6. The 4 Kingdom of Northumbers converted an 626. 5 Kingdom of West-Saxons converted 635. 6 Kingdom of Mercians converted 635. 7 Kingdom of the South-Saxons converted anno 662. Marc. 16. Greg. hom 29. de festo Ascens Domini Marc. 16. Why Miracles ceased afterward The Primitive Church of Kent Malms l. 1. de gestis Pont. Ang. pa. 112. An infalliable principle Catholic Religion planted in England with great power of Miracles Marc. ultimo One Catholic Religion under States that were
enemies Diversity of States worketh diversity of Religion amongst Sectaries * In his humble motives an Domini 1601. Why Sectaries do change so often their Religion under different States Affliction by the Danes from the year 800 downward S. Edmund and S. Elphegus Martyred by Danes Osbertus in vita S. Elph. apud Sur. 21. April Malm. lib. 1. Pontif. Angl. pa. 116. Matth. West monast an Dom. 1011. 1012. The good Acts of King Canutus after his Conversion Malmes de gist Regum Angl. l. 2. c. 11. The building the Abby of Edmundbury and rich endowment thereof by King Canutus King Canutus his Letter from Rome Malm. ibid. fol. 14. How King Canutus performed his good desires when he returned from Rome Ibid. fol. 42. Stow in Chron. pag. 116. Ibidem apud Malm. fol. 41. King Canutus was Catholic 1043. The Succession of Catholic Religion since the conquest Thomas Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury The conclusion of this deduction Iren. l. 3. adversus haeres cap. 3. Aug. in psal contra partem Donati Aug. ep 165. Aug. ibid. * Thomas Cranmer his Apostasie doth not prejudicate the See of Canterbury Anno Domini 600. Anno 1509. Anno Domini 1530. 1 Tim. 3. The Catholic faith groweth by persecution and affliction and heresie is overthrown King Henry zealous in Catholic Religion King Henries Book against Luther Dedicated to Leo 10. An. Dom. 1523. The beginning of the Kings breach with the Pope Stow An. Dom. 1530. King Henry winked for a time at some heretics Heretics burned An. Dom. 1531. Thomas Audley Thomas Cromwell Fa. Elstow contradicteth the Preacher in defence of the Pope before the King. Anno 1533. The beginning of Fox his Gospel in England Anno 1534. The first year of open breach with Rome Hol. pag. 964 The Franciscan Friars put out of their Convents Heretics burned an 1534. Stow an 1534. See the Letter of Tyndal to Frith set down by Fox p. 987. The Statute of six Articles An. 1540. The burning of Friar Barns a Lutheran with Gerard Jerom Zwinglians K. Henry gave Commission for his reconciliation with Rome Catholics increased by Persecution The name of Papist not justly punishable The different punishments upon Catholics and Protestants doth shew what K. Henry thought of them both * In his Epistles The true cause of Catholics suffering under K. Henry The condemnation of Anabaptists and Arians by K. Henry Absurd positions of Anabaptists Arrians in K. Henry's time grounded upon Scriptures pretended The condemnation of Lutherans and Zuinglians by King Henry The opinion of Tyndall and Frith agreeing with neither Lutherans nor Zwinglians Fox pag. 942. The different plea or defence of Catholics from heretics * Tertull. l. de praescript adversus haeres The disagreement of Fox his Calendar Martyrs King Edward the 6th his Reign The attempts of Cranmer and Ridley and others of their crew in King Edwards days The attempts of Seymor the Protector and John Bale in flattery towards him Bal. descript Brit. cent 5. fol. 237. See Stow and other Chroniclers in the year 1549. The general aversion of English-people against the entrance of Heresie Fox p. 1185. Fox ib. 1186. Fox p. 1189. K. Henry's Laws rejected by his Son K. Edward K. Edward's reply to the demand of the people of Devonshire Q. Mary's admonition unto the Protector and Council Heresie in K. Edward's days entred by violence Catholic Religion restored by Q. Mary Bishops and Archdeacons deprived and imprisoned for Cath. Faith An. 1560. The constancy of English Catholics in this time of Persecution The constant resolution of divers Catholic Priests Joan Lashford Fox p. 1547 1517. Agnes Potten Joan Trunchfield Rose Nottingham Fox p. 1547. William Hunter Fox p. 1395. an 1555. Rawling White Fox p. 1414. Heretical hastiness to burn for their Errors * Cap. 2. A great number of English Youths in Exile for Religion The Conclusion of the first Part of this Treatise The principal point to be noted of Succession St. Augustin's estimation of Succession Aug. ep cont Faust Manich. c. 4. tom 6. Aug. quaest 110 in nov vet Test Tert. l. de praescrip advers haeres Tert. ibid. Iren. l. 4. advers haeres c. 4. Ibid. c. 45. The force of Succession with Irenaeus other Fathers Hier. dia. ult cont Lucif Aug. l. de utilitate credent c. 17. Barking of Heretics against Succession as St. Augustin termeth it In descr Cantii A comparison between the durance of the Church temporal States The second principal point to be considered about the visibility of the Church (a) In defens l. de servo arbitr (b) Lib. cont Cathar * Part 1. Aug. in tract in ep Joan. * Cap. de Conciliis * In locis com loco 12. de Eccles (c) Cent. 1. l. 1. c. 4. (d) Apol. 1. part 3. Calv. l. 4. Inst c. 1. § 3. Why Lutherans left the Paradox of the invisibility of the Church Matt. 18. Act. 15.18 Evident Scriptures for the visibility of the Church Evident reasons that the true Church must be visible containing both good and bad (a) Marc. ult Ephes 4. 1. Pet. 3. (b) Rom. 10. Luc. 12. 1 Tim. 6. (c) Mat. 5. Luc. 11. Joan. 15. (d) Mat. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 1 Tim. 3.5 St. Augustin's Discourses about the visibility of the Church See St. Aug. in Psal 44 47. l. 2. cont Petil. c. 32 104. l. 2. cont Cresco c. 36. l. 4. c. 58. tract 1 2. in ep Joan. c. 4. collat 3. diei in Brevie A second fond device of Lutherans about an obscure Church The third point of John Fox's Opinion about the true Church A great perplexity of John Fox Illyr gloss in Matth. c. 1. Fox's new Opinion making the Church both visible and invisible Fox in his protestation to the Church of England p. 2. How Enemies and Persecutors do see the true Church Fox in the Title The purpose of John Fox in his Protest p. 3. What is to be handled about John Fox's Church The substance of John Fox's Book The division of 1060 years into four principal parts The first 300 years from Christ to Constantine Sup. c. 8 9. The impertinent course taken by John Fox Reasons to prove that the old Martyrs were of our Church and not of Fox's * Nisi integram inviolatamque servaverit absque dubio in aeternum peribit Who do more honor the ancient Martyrs See Fox's Calendar in the beginning of his Volume The second Reason Cap. 15. Tert. l. de fuga in persecut Epiph. in panar haeres 80. Aug. cont literas Petiliani l. 2. c. 83. cont 2. ep Gaudentit l. 2. c. 26. alibi Of heretical Martyrs * Supra c. 5 6. (a) The third Reason (b) St. Andrew (c) See the story of his passion written by the Church of Achaia in those days cited by Remigius in Psal 21. by Lanfrank lib. cont Berengar by St. Bernard Serm. de St. Andrea many others St. Laurence Amb. l. 1. Officior c.
Glasconiam irradiat Be glad England for that Rome sendeth Health to thee and Apostolical Brightness doth lighten Glastonbury Which could not well be spoken if the coming of these Saints and first Inhabiters there had not some relation to Rome and to the Apostles that sent them 3. Moreover I find in the ancient Chronicles of the Helvetians and sundry Authors as B. Rhenanus in his Story of Germany yea and Pantaleon an Heretic and others do testifie That one Suetonius a Nobleman's Son of Britanny being converted in Britanny by such Christians as first planted the Faith there and called after his Baptism Beatus was sent by them to Rome to St. Peter Apostolorum Corypheo as the Story saith that is to the chief Head of the Apostles to be better instructed and confirmed who returning backward again from Rome towards Britanny through Switzerland found such flocking of People unto him and such propension to Christian Religion as he stay'd continually among them and built himself an Oratory to exercise a Monastical Life there near unto a Town called in their Language Vndersewen not far from the Lake of Than where he dy'd about the year of Christ 110. And for that this man apply'd himself to a Monastical Life and brought the same purpose with him out of Britanny as it seemeth the conjecture is not improbable but that he was converted and sent to Rome to St. Peter by St. Joseph and his Fellows that followed the same Life in Britanny and that they had particular correspondence with the said Apostle in that behalf 4. And thus much being added for confirmation of that which was said and discussed in rhe former Chapter about the first Preaching and Receiving of the Faith in Britanny there remaineth now that we see the Objections which Sir Francis and his Men and Masters do bring against this to prove that the first Teachers of Christian Faith in Britanny were rather Grecians and of the East Church in Asia than of the West Roman Church For which Assertion having no Author at all that ever wrote thereof nor any man living or dead that hitherto ever affirmed it beside themselves or before Luther's days they are forced to build their whole imagination I mean Sir Francis and his Master Sir John Fox and Fox his Masters again Illyricus Vigandus Judex and Faber that make the Quadrillio or Round-Table of the Magdeburgtans in Saxony upon this bare Conjecture and fond Inference That for so much as in Bede's time some in Britanny observed the day of Easter after the fashion of some East Churches for all did not so use it therefore it was like that the first Preachers of that Island came not from Rome which these men cannot abide to hear but from the East as though forsooth this abuse might not have entred after those first Preachers though they had come from Rome But let us hear their words about this matter 5. First Sir Francis writeth thus Bede our Country-man doth testifie that in his time this Land kept Easter after the manner of the East Church by which may be gathered that the first Preachers came hither from the East-parts of the World and not from Rome Mark I pray you the Knight's good gathering Might not a man as well argue thus That divers Reliques of the Pelagian or other ancient Heresies were found in some parts of Britanny in Bede's time Ergo The first Preachers in Britanny were Pelagians or other Heretics But let us hear John Fox who taught Sir Francis this Argument though the other were not so grateful a Scholar as to name him I take saith he the Testimony of Bede where he affirmeth that in his time and almost a thousand years after Christ here in Britanny Easter was kept after the manner of the East Church in the Full of the Moon what day of the Week soever it fell on and not on the Sunday as we do now whereby it is to be collected that the first Preachers in this Land have come out from the East-part of the World where it was so used rather than from Rome 6. Here you see the Argument more fully set down and the same foolish Collection made that was before For except it could be proved that this Error of keeping Easter-day with the Jews had begun and endured in Britanny from the Apostles time downward which cannot be shewed but rather the contrary is certain as after you shall hear this Collection is not worth a rush And it is to be noted by the way that as Fox cannot tell any Tale lightly without some notorious Lye so here be two very manifest The first that St. Bede affirmeth this Custom of keeping Easter with the Jews to have been here in Britanny in his time as though all Britanny had used it whereas in divers places he doth attribute the same to the Scots that dwelt in the Island of Ireland principally as also to some of them that dwelt in Britanny and to some Britans themselves but all the English Church was free from it So as John Fox his Speech of Britanny in general is both false and fraudulent But the other clause That St. Bede testifieth this for almost 1000 years after Christ is foolish and impudent seeing it is notorious that St. Bede dy'd in the year 735 which is almost 300 years short of Fox his Account and consequently could not testifie a thing so long after his death But this the Reynard juggleth to make St. Bede seem to be a late Writer whom they cannot abide for that he setteth down the Beginning and Progress of our Church far different from theirs 7. But I think good to put down also the words of the Magdeburgians about this matter out of whom Fox took his Argument and the Knight of the Fox to the end it may appear how one Heretic teacheth another though of different Sects to cavil lye and cogg and do agree all in one Spirit of Malignity though they differ in Opinions Thus then these Captain Lutherans do write of this matter in their famous lying and deceitful Centurial Story Quis fuerit qui primùm in Britannia Evangelium docuer it c. Who was the first that taught the Gospel in Britanny is not clear the thing that seemeth nearest to the Truth is that the British Church was planted at the beginning by Grecian Teachers and such as came from the East and not by Romans or other of the West-Church And to this we are moved by two Conjectures First That Peter Abbot of Cluniack writing to St. Bernard saith That the Scots in his time were wont in old time to celebrate Easter-day after the manner of the Grecians and not of the Romans And secondly for that Geffry the Cardinal who lived about the year of Christ 700 doth testifie in his Story of Britanny lib. 8. cap. 4. That the Britans would in no wise admit the younger Augustin Legat of Gregory the Great
neither acknowledge any Primacy of the Bishop of Rome over them which is another clear sign that Religion was not planted there by Romans And albeit Pope Innocentius I. in his Epistle distinctione 12. doth affirm on the contrary side that all the Occidental Churches and those of Africa were founded by Peter or by his Disciples or Successors yet we judge that to have been spoken by him rather of desire of a little Vain-glory or of Temporal Power than for that the Truth is so or may be proved out of Stories 8. Thus our Magdeburgenses whose words I have caused to be noted more at length by that they require some consideration and that by these sew the Reader may judge of the quality of that whole huge lying story of theirs which our Fox hath followed in his Acts and Monuments with above 10000 false Additions of his own and I speak far within number when I say 10000. But let us return to our present Story 9. First whereas they say That to them it seemeth nearest to the Truth That Grecians and other of the East-Church and not of the West-Church were the first Preachers in Britanny it must either be very imprudently spoken against their own Conscience if they have read that which I before have set down out of divers Authors they having no one Author in the World of their own side that ever wrote so or signified so before themselves or if they have not read these Authors alledged then it is great Presumption in them to take upon them to write so Universal an History of all Matters Times and Nations as they profess without procuring first to read the ancient Authors and Writers thereof about common and vulgar things at least But hatred and malice to Rome doth make them blind and so rather to run into all kind of Absurdities than to yield any Praise or commendable thing to Rome or to the Bishops thereof But let us go forward to examin more particulars for there are store in this little Story or Relation about Britanny 10. Their first Conjecture or Argument why Britanny was converted by Grecians and not by Romans is as you have heard for that Petrus Cluniacensis writeth Scotos Graeco more suo tempore solitos olim Pascha celebrare That the Scots in his time were accustomed in old time to celebrate Easter day after the manner of the Grecians What sense hath this The Scots in His Time did celebrate in Old Time. What sense I say or construction can this have I confess that some Scots of old time especially in Ireland and Orcades as divers Britans also did hold the Asian Custom of celebrating the Easter together with the Jews And this needed not to be prov'd by so late an Author as Cluniacensis for that St. Bede 300 years before Petrus Cluniacensis doth testifie the same in divers places of his Works Albeit how the Scots in Cluniacensis his time did as these men say celebrate in old time Easter with the Grecians the Greek Church at that time being not different in this point from the Roman though some in Asia minor were this cannot be understood by any reasonable man. And it may be it was written after Dinner by these good Germans when they had drunk hard and so I leave it to their own Explication though in what sense soever they speak it or it may be understood a most fond Conjecture it is for that which they pretend as we have shewed to wit that the first Preachers of Britanny came from the East 11. About the second Conjecture upon the words of Geffry of Monmouth whom they call Geffry the Cardinal there are as many more unlearned and malicious Escapes to be noted For first he was never Cardinal in his life as all our Histories do make it plain but first a Monk then Archdeacon of Monmouth then preferred by King Stephen to the Bishoprick of St. Asaph in North-Wales in the year of Christ 1152 as both Matthew Paris and Matthew of Westminster do affirm in their several Histories handling that year Neither did any man to our knowledge ever call him Cardinal but only a certain Venetian School-master named Ponticus Virunnius who living almost a hundred years agone translated some part of this Geffry's British History or rather contracted the same into an Epitome for the pleasure of a certain Noble Family in Venice who in old time had come out of Britanny And this man either of Error or Flattery to that Family or both calleth him Cardinal forsooth against the clear Testimony of all others that lived with him as soon after his Death did the foresaid Matthew Paris and Guil. Neobrigensis long before this other late Venetian Schoolmaster 12. And of this our Magdeburgians could not be ignorant though they would needs make Geffry of Monmouth a Cardinal also for that in some things he sheweth himself to favor the old Britans against St. Augustin that came from Rome Neither could they be ignorant also of the time wherein Geffry lived except they will confess themselves to be very unskilful and gross Companions indeed seeing so many Authors do testifie the same to wit in the year of Christ 1152 in which year he was made Bishop of St. Asaph and lived divers years after So as our German Heretics appointing him for his more credit to have lived in the year of Christ 700 do add of their own benevolence to his Antiquity 450 years which is somewhat more than Fox took from St. Bede a little before to discredit him and make him seem a young Author And these Confederates do proceed so ridiculously in this kind of Cozenage as the one affirming St. Bede to have lived 1000 years after Christ and the other that Geffry of Monmouth lived 700 they come between them both to make the said Geffry to be 300 years elder than St. Bede whereas he was indeed 450 years younger the difference is in all 750 years And this is not of Error as hath been shewed and is most plain but of Envy desiring to prefer Geffry that seemeth to favour them sometimes in his Narrations about St. Augustin and to put back St. Bede that is every where and wholly against them And if you find this juggling in so small and short a matter as this is imagin what passeth in their whole Volumes I mean both of Fox and the Magdeburgians as before I have noted And thus much of the Title and Time of Geffry of Monmouth Now let us come to his Words and Assertions 13. First in his sixth Book and fourth Chapter quoted by our Magdeburgians there is no such matter handled at all as they mention concerning the Strife between the Britans and St. Augustin nor in the next two Books following nor in all the four Chapters of any of the rest But in the eleventh Book and seventh Chapter talking of the coming of the foresaid Augustin into England he writeth thus IntereÃ