God doe either flatly denie or call in question and leaue in doubt as a thing indifferent for any man to affirme it or to deny it which the learned know to be so and I will by Godds grace shew to be so when it shal be required And therefore it is not the Protestants Church whereof Saint Augustine there speaketh but a Church it is that the protestants do impugne a Church that no lesse biddeth vs not to beleue the protestants and to beleeue those Scriptures than it did bid S. Augustine not to beleeue the Manichees as hee there doth say and to beleue those Scriptures Storehouse of the Scriptures FOR furder declaration hereof consider againe what Church it is ours or the Protestantes which hath had the custodie and construing both of the forsaied and of the other Bookes of the holy Bible euer since the Apostles tyme into the vvhich the olde Testament dyd fall by iust descent and alteration of the spirituall State from the Ievves vvhich hath noticed to the vvorld the Autoritie and Canon of the holy Books of the new Testament also which hath so many worldes and in such alterations of mortall thinges saued from destruction and corruption of all Heretikes Iewes and Infidels the whole autentical Corpes of Scripture which no Heretike aliue can charge for adding or minishing any iot thereof Will any man doubt therefore whether this be the true Church which is the olde and only Treasure-house of so precious a Monument which hath kept the iust possession of it these fiftene hundred yeares and hath lost neither leafe nor line thereof Or wil any man be so mad to thinke that to be the true Church which occupied no Bible nor had not to doe with holy Scripture as they cōfesse themselues for a thousand yeares together which now forcibly and violētly plucking it out of the iust possessours handes hath in little more then fortie yeares of their restlesse spoiling raigne robbed vs of so many vvhole Bookes thereof and of many a particular portiō more Tantae igitur ostensiones cum sint haec Iren. li. 3. cap. 4. non oportet adhuc quaerere apud alios veritatem quam facile est ab Ecclesia sumere cum Apostoli quasi in depositorium diues plenissime in ea cōtulerint omnia quae sint veritatis vti omnis quicunque velit sumat ex ea potum vitae Haec est enim introitus vitae omnes autē reliqui fures sunt latrones Propter quod oportet deuitare quidem illos quae autē sunt Ecclesiae cum magna diligentia diligere apprehendere veritatis traditionem Being therfore these so great so many demonstrations a man must not yet saith S. Ireneus seeke the truth amongest any other which it is easy of the Church to take because the Apostles haue in her as in a rich storehouse laid vp most plentifully al that true is so that euery one that listeth may out of her take drinke of life For shee it is that is the doore of life all other are theeues and robbers Wherefore a man must auoyde them I say but the Churches thinges he must most earnestly loue take hold of her Tradition of truth Studying and teaching of all diuine truth AND better yet to know both the plentie of this rich Storehouse and the Emptines of the beggarly Dennes of Heretikes consider againe vvhat Church it is whose maisters teach and children study the whole body of Christian truth taking no lesse paines to seeke out and to know what God hath reuealed about the Blessed Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and yet their vnity equalitie consubstubflantialitie in one Godhead about the Incarnation of Godds Sonne ioyning two most different natures of God and Man both intiere both complete no commixion no confusion into the vnitie of one Person about all the same one persons in his humaine nature perfections and defects doings and sufferings for our sakes about the creation of the world in the beginning of things visible and inuisible of men and Angels what they were both made by God and what they made themselues by sinne about the Resurrection and Iudgement that shal be in the ending and state of things both in earth and hel and heauen for euer afterward finally about all parts of faith Religion no lesse then about the Questions of this time And againe who they be on the other side that know very little euen of their owne Questions that they haue moued vnto our Church in these their dayes as they can not possibly knovv much being occupied rather about wyning then in studying and taking vpon them to be teachers before they haue bin lerners husbandes and Ministers both so sone as they can get them wiues and benefices so yong fathers so yong Doctors that the common Wealth is forsooth greatly strengthned by their multiplying and the Church substantially edified by their preaching But in other questions of our beleefe such as before I rehearsed so ignorant they be that they are scarse euer heard and very few of them to preache or teache vpō them the people thereby remaining vtterlye vnskilfull of Mysteries that they are bound to know vpon paine of damnation Yea Caluin himselfe the learnedst of them al and their master of masters compelled also to study the Mysterie of the Trinity for to answere his Polonion Trinitaries yet is hee found so ignorant therein that his errors are intolerable as that Gods Sonne is autotheos God of himselfe and not GOD of his Father Iust li. 1. cap. 13. nu 23. 24. Vide Geneb de Trin. li. 1. pag. 43. as the great Nicene Councell hath professed Deum de Deo Deum verum de Deo vero God of God very God of very god whereof it ineuitably foloweth that they are two Gods not one God vnlike in substance not consubstantiall beside many other his ignorant errors Such was Iuels ignorance also that Christ is a priest according to his Godhead being yet I say studied in the matter What then must be the blindes of our Countrie Heretikes that neuer trouble their braines about those Mysteries Loke to theyr Vniuersities and see vvhether there be any appointed publicke Readers or Teachers of such matters any that priuatly make them their studye whether they doe not all in maner study nothing at all but the arte of speaking or els but certaine new bookes of common places for a few pointes of their new Doctrine and them so lightly that the cōmon sorte of Catholikes are able to answere all there argumentes and to say also more for them then they can say for themselues and yet it serueth them to be Doctours there of Diuinitie a Goddes name how be it both in lawe and truth they are no Degrees that men seeme there to take Is such a Church trovv you that Rich Storehouse Li. 3. c◠4. in the which the Apostles laid vp for euer most plentifully al truth
be taken notwithstand-the heards of beastly followers that now they haue That such is their talke of the Church vvho knovveth not vvho is ignorant hovv they labour to shevv hovv long endured the Visible Church by the Apostles gathered and vvhen it fayled some of thē setting the age of it at two hundred some at three hundred some at fiue hundred yeares and Iewell more large then his fellowes at six hundred yeares And therefore by the Church that then was they will say they be tried and not by that which was afterward for a thousand yeares together vntill the rising of Luther and which yet holdeth on still against Luther and his Adherents By this Church in no case vvyll they be tryed bycause it is not they saie the same vvhich vvas before in the begynning and vvhich lasted onlie a certayne tearme of yeares and vvhich now is restored agayne by Luther This very same was of old the talke of the Donatistes whose maner was as S. Augustine writeth to gather ignorantly or deceitfully certaine places out of the Scriptures De vnit Ec. Cap 12. ea detorquere in Ecclesiam Dei vt tanquam defecisse ac perijsse de toto orbe videatur and them to wreast against the Church of God to make it seeme that she had as it were failed In ps 102 con 2. and out of the vniuersall world perished And in another place they say Apostatauit perijt Ecclesia de omnibus Gentibus the Church hath played the Apostata and is perished out of all Nations Hoc dicunt qui in illa non sunt saith Saint Augustine This say they vvhich are not in the Church O impudentem vocem c. Vocem abominabilem detestabilem praesumptionis falsitatis plenam nulla veritate suffultam c. O impudent saying c. A saying abominable and detestable full of presūption and falsehood staied vpon no truth c. Such was the saying of those Heretikes than therefore such is the same saying of these our Heretikes now They Heretikes then for it therefore these Heretikes now for it On the contrary syde therefore as the Church was not fayled then before Donatus rose so was it not fayled now before Luther rose And therefore as Saint Augustine and the rest that then withstood those Heretikes were of the Church so we that now vvithstand these Heretikes be likewise of the Church and they against the Church And therefore vnto euery one that will heare Christs voice must they be sicut Ethnicus Publicanus Mat. 18. as Ethnikes Publicans no credit to be giuen vnto them no cōpanie to be kept with them It was also the familiar saying as Saint Hierome witnesseth Adu Lucif of the Luciferians Factum esse de Ecclesia lupanar that the Church was become a stewes VVhich was as reasonably sayed of them by Saint Hieromes iudgement as if one would say Christum sine causa mortuum fuisse that Christ dyed in vaine Sundrie other Heretikes myght be here brought forth vvith the like blasphemous saying as in deede yt must needes of all Heretikes so be sayd who if they should say well of the Church should euer speake against them-selues And therefore we maruaile the lesse at the feare they haue to name the Church Castaleon therevpon in steed of Dic Ecclesiae Mat. 18. Tell the Church translating vnto vs dicito Reipublicae tell the common wealth others in theyr common talke for the Church hauing in theyr mouths the Congregation as in our countrie it is common VVe meruaile not at thys theyr feare I say For Gods Church is most certainly alwaies that which commonly in the world is knowē by the name of the Church as they alwaies most certainly be Heretikes vvho are commonly called Heretikes And so euermore is the aduise of S. Hierome to be followed of them that wil be saued Ibidem In illa est Ecclesia permanendum saith he quae ab Apostolis fundata vsque ad diem hanc durat In that Church must vvee keepe our-selues vvhich once being founded of the Apostles endureth euen to this daie For certayne it is by the Holie Scripture that as Christ fayleth not hym-selfe so neyther hys Church euer fayleth Psal 2. being his Inheritance of God hys Father giuen once vnto hym and hee neuer deseruing againe to leese it Vpon these two Christ I say and his Church Read S. August de vni ec runneth all the Scriptures of the olde Testament either by Promises or by Figures or by Prophecies and plainer vpon the Church then vpon Christ As worthylie hath Saint Augustine noted Puto proterea quia videbantin spiritu In Psal 30. contra Ecclesiam homines facturos esse particulas de Christo non tātam litem habituros de Ecclesia magnas contentiones exitaturos ideo illud vnde maiores lites futurae erāt planius praedictum apertius prophetatum est vt ad iudicium illis valeat qui viderunt fora◠fugerunt I thinke for this cause saieth he bycause they the Prophetes savv in spirit that against the Church men would make partes and of Christ they would not haue so much strife but of the Church they woluld raise great contentions Plainer Prophecies for the Church then for Christ therefore that whereupon greater debates would be was more plainlie forespoken and more openly prophicied that it might serue to their damnation that saw and yet ranne out And this may he easily perceaue that wil begin at Genesis Gen. 22. where God saying to Abraham In semine tuo benedicentur omnes Gentes In thy seede shal be blessed al Nations in the Seede vvee haue Christ in the Blessing of all Nations wee haue the Church and so go on to the end of that part Then the Scryptures of the nevv Testament specially that be historicall what be they els but certayne recordes of the fulfilling of the sayde former Promyses Figures and Prophecies touching Christ the Gospels touching the Church the Actes of the Apostles And all this so plainly that as the Ievves not seeing of Christ therein so the Heretikes not seing of the Church in the same can not possibly be to any thing els imputed but only to wilful blindnes for damnable lacke of lightsome fayth And therefore as the Iew to haue hys blindnes taken away must turne to our faith Cum autem cōuersus fuerit ad Dominum 2. Cor. ◠auferetur velamen so must the Heretike likewise turne him to the Catholike faith then shall hee see vndoubtedly as plaine Scriptures for the Church as the faithfull Iew shall see for Christ and plainer to as before Saint Augustine vvitnessed Such as we that be Catholikes doe see for both in euery leafe almost so manie so mighty so euident that we perceaue the Iew and Heretike to see no more then a man that seeth not the Sunne at noonedaies Psal 88. nor the Moone in the ful VVell
Scripturas then did hee open their vnderstandinges to vnderstand the Scriptures Can these be the Protestants vvho euen in their very Commentaries vpon the old Testament take their vnderstanding out of the blind commentaries of the obstinate Iewes professed enimies to our Sauiour Iesus Christ and therefore make they very few Prophets very few Scriptures and in very few places to speake of him euen so much in maner as hath pleased the Iewes their masters and not all the Prophets as S. Peter saith nor all the Scriptures Act. 10. almost in all places to belong to him so as he himselfe declared and so as both his Apostles and his Church to whome hee gaue the gift to vnderstand the Scriptures haue euer taught still doe teach vs. It is our Church I say whose very Seruice doth this very well declare It is our Church that by her very Seruice doth euery yeare Praedicare annum Domini acceptabilem Luke 4. preach the gracious yeare of our Lord by yearely recording at most conuenient times all that he did and suffered for vs any yeare and all his yeares that he was with vs vpon earth his Precursour and Baptists Natiuity his owne Conception his Aduent his Natiuitie his Circumcision his Manifestation too and adoration of the Gentiles his Presentation his Baptisme his Fasting his temptation his Preaching his Miracles his Passion his Death his Burial his Resurrection his Ascension his sending of the Holy Ghost to be with vs for euer and againe his Aduent besides the birth dayes not into this world but into Heauen of his Apostles Martyrs Confessours Virgins and other most Holie witnesses By all which thinges the Church maketh her Spouse and Redeemer with all his Misteries euen to be seene felt and palpate of all his people Was this the Protestantes vvorke Or is not that Christes Church which hath done this for Christ Looke to the very names of these Feasts see whether they speake not our Church Candlemas day Corpus Christi day Al-soules day Al-hallowes day Ash-wensday Tenebre-wensday-Maunday-thursdaie Passion-sondaie Passion-weeke Goodfriday Holyroode day Shroue or Shrief-tide fastinges Eaue This is Ember that your blind Apostls do boldlie say to haue bin the Popes Lemman Lent Ember-dayes or according to the Dutch the root of our English Temper-dayes Quatuor Temporum Palmesondy Dâ—minica in Albis Sondaie in whites with many more speake they Protestancie or speake they as you call it Papistrie Or were not these Feastes by the same Church ordained that appointed vs to keepe Christmas Easter Whitsonday Trinity sonday the TraÌ„sfiguration of our Lord and the rest All these to haue bin by our Church instituted it wil be easily proued if need shal be and the Protestants doe manifestly declare while that in many of their places infected specially where their Puritans doe raigne they keepe no better Christmas day it selfe nor any Sonday then they doe Ash-wensdaie Which they declare againe most plainly in laying away not only all the dayes of Saints which were not Holy daies but manie also that were Holy daies as still in the Catholike Church they are For was not Saint Laurence day brought in and euer obserued by the same Chruch that commaunded Saint Steuens daie Was it not the same Church that honored our B. Lady Gods Mother with holydaies vvhich made holie the Apostles dayes Of that same one Church therefore are not the Protestants who haue put downe S. Laurence day all the dayes of our B. Ladie with very manie moe all the dayes I say of our Ladie euery one none excepted For the Annunciation of our Ladie is the Conception of our Lord the Purification of our Lady is the Presentation of our Lord neither of them more properly our Ladies day then Christmas day is our Ladies day Christ being that day borne she deliuered But the proper dayes of our Lady are her Conception her Natiuity her Visitation specially her Assumption which the Protestants haue laid all away as though Christ were worshipped by keeping his Precursors or Baptists Natiuitie and dishonored by keeping his Mothers Natiuitie honoured by keeping his other Saints Assumpting out of this life to heauen dishonored by keeping his mothers Assumption a faulte most absurdly by them committed that whereas in all Saints we keepe specially their Natalitiae or taking hence vnto Christ his owne mothers day that shee was by death assumpted in soule onely as other Saints or in body also although it be certaine I doe not here say that this day of Gods Mother the Lady of Saints and Angels they keepe not it is I say for them an intollerable foule absurditie So do they many waies as I haue said manifestly declare that which also in it selfe is euident that they be not the Church vvhich vvith such daies obseruations hath commended all christendome for to be Regnum Sacerdotale a Kingdome Priestlike 1. Pet. â— and heauen vpon earth Christ with his Saints Angels being by such meanes continually seene here by representation remembrance as there in face and fruition but that they be the Rebelles of that Church the defacers of christendome the coolers of deuotioÌ„ in christian harts enuiers of the honour remembrance of Saints and of Christ himselfe That and if they might or would be but present once at the Reuerend solemne doing of the foresaide Catholike Seruice specially at Christmas Easter such other more festiuall times I doubt not but that most of their stony harts would melt for ioy with the loue of Christ so as Saule also himselfe did Prophecy 1. Reg. 10 19. comming in place where the Prophets were if I say they would come in and leaue their standing without with him in the Parable Qui audiuit symphoniam choruÌ„ Luke 15. c. nolebat introire who heard the singing melody c. and would not come in And much more would the colde hearts of many Catholikes be enflamed therewith which now for feare of the world for lacke of the feare of God doe to their owne damnation appeare at this new paltrie Wherewith how wel God is pleased they may learne of Saint Ierome saying thus In Amos. 5. Haeretici quotiescunque sub nomine Domini fuerint congregati detestatur faetorem eorum claudit nares suas c. Whensoeuer Heretikes be gathered together vnder the Lords name he abhoreth their stinking and stoppeth his nose c. Iudaeorum quoque oratio Psalmi quos in Synagogis canunt Haereticorum composita laudatio tumultus est Domino vt ita dicam grunnitus suis clamor AsinoruÌ„ c. Also the Iewes praying and Psalmes which they sing in their Synagogues and the Heretikes fine composed praysing is a great disquieting to our Lord and that I may so say a grunting of Swine and a braying of Asses c. The cause thereof is for that he hath appointed only the Catholike Vnitie to be serued in Ephes 4.
A BRIEF TREATISE OF DIVERS PLAINE and sure waies to finde out the truth in this doubtfull and dangerous time of Heresie CONTEYNING SVNDRY WORTHY MOTIVES VNTO THE Catholike Faith or Considerations to moue a man to beleeue the Catholikes and not the Heretikes Set out by RICHARD BRISTOW Priest Licentiat in Diuinitie Printed at Anvverpe with Priuiledge 1599. 1. Iohn 4. CHarissimi nolite omnispiritui credere sed probate spiritus si ex Deo sint quoniam multi Pseudoprophetae exierunt in mundum c. Nos ex Deo sumus Qui nouit Deum audit nos qui non est ex Deo non audit nos In hoc cognossimus spiritum veritatis spirituÌ„ erroris O most beloued beleeue ye not euery spirit or teacher but proue spirites whether they be of God because many false proâ—hetes are gone them out into the world c. we are of God Whosoeuer knoweth God heareth vs hee that is not of God heareth not vs by this we know a spirit or teacher of truth and a spirit or teacher of errour August de vtil cred Cap. 14. CHristus afferens medicinam quae corruptissimos mores sanatura esset miraculis coÌ„ciliauit authoritatem authoritate meruit fidem fide contraxit mulitudinem multitudine obtinuit vetustatem vetustate roborauit Religionem quam non solum Haereticorum ineptissima nouitas fraudibus agens sed nec Gentium quidem veternosus error violenter aduersans aliqua ex parte conuelleret Christ bringing a medicine to heale maners most corrupt by miracles did gette authority by authority found credit by credit drew together a multitude by a multitude obtained antiquity for many liue long one or few die quickly by antiquity fortified a Religion which not onlie the most fond new rising of Heretikes practising by deceitfull wiles but neither the drowsie old orror of the very Heathens setting against with violence might in any peece shake and cast downe TO THE READER WE that liue now at this time Gentle Reader doe both see and feele that very euill and troublesome are our dayes by meanes of certaine questions that within these fiftie yeares Luther and his followers haue moued in religion Whereby although the most part of Christian men do sticke still to that religion which was the only religion of all Christian men and of Luther himselfe before his breach yet many others are carried quite away vvith the chauÌ„ge many also stand in doubt betweene God and Baal not knowing or not determined vvhich of them to folow Of al these sorts innumerable many are since the garboyle departed out of this life where they finde euery one of them who here was right who was wrong And wee must also follow it is the way that all flesh passeth An heauie and a miserable case when a man hath passed ouer this life as he thoght in securitie then in a moment for his wilfulnesse negligence or ignorance to be plunged into euerlasting fire where hee shall finde no end no comfort no ease no hope but continuall weeping and gnashing of teeth The like troubles and soule-daungers haue bin as wee know very often in the world before no age almost these sixteene hundred yeares without such miserie yea most ages with many kinds and great heapes of such calamitie piteously afflicted and grieuously oppressed Mat. 24. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Pet. 3. Iud. Epist Which that it should come euen so to passe foretold it was and forewarned by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and his Apostles Simon Magus and his scholers euen in the Apostles time what a busines did they make The Scripture it selfe telleth vs of the Nicolaites and of the Pseudoapostoli Apoc. 2. Epistolae Pauli caeteroruÌ„ False-Apostles Then what a rable besides haue the auncient writers recorded Clemens Ireneus Epiphanius Philastrius Euzebius Augustine others In rhe flrst hundred yeres after Christ were these false Maisters afore-said and moreouer Hymeneus and Menander Diotrepes and Cherinthus Saturninus and Basilides the Ebionites the Chiliastes the Gnostikes In the second hundred Cerdon Marcion and Apelles the Valentinians Tatianus and Seuerus Bardesanes and Hermogenes the Alogians the Montanistes the Angelikes the Apostolikes the Quartadecimans In the third hundred the Originists the Nouatians the Sabellians Paulus Samosatenus the Manichees In the fourth hundred the Arians the Donatistes the Aetians the Eunomians the Macedonians the Anthropomorphites the Aerians the Luciferians Apollinaris Iouinianus Heluidius Vigilantius the Priscillianistes the Messalians the Pelagians In the fifth hundred Nestorius Eutyches the Patripassians In the sixth hundred Eutychius the Iacobites the Armenians and relikes of very many afore rehearsed In the seauenth hundred the Monothelits Mahomet and his adherentes In the eigth hundred the Image breakers and Paulicians In the ninth hundred Claudius Taurinensis In the tenth hundred the Schisme of the Greekes In the eleuenth hundred Berengarius In the twelfth hundred the Bogomili the Petrobusians the Apostolikes Petrus Abailardus the waldeÌ„ses the Albigenses In the thirtenth hundred Almaricus and the Fratricelli In the fourtienth hundred the Begards the Beguini the Lolhardes the Flagellantes the wicklifists In the fiftienth hundred the Hussites and Bohemians Finallie in this sixtienth hundred Luther Zwinglius Melanchthon Caluin and an infinite number more Besides verie manie moe that in euerie one of these ages I haue omitted In so much that skarce any piece or article there is of our whole Faith but by one or other first or last it hath bin called in question And that with such likeing for the time that they haue all in a manner drawen after them great heardes of followers and brought many others also to doubt and wauer I say not here which sort did well nor which did ill But gone they all are haue receiued as they deserued both they that with the seuerall blastes would not be moued and they that remoued And now are wee vppon the stage our course also very nere at haÌ„d to be called of and to giue accompt how we played our partes yea euery day and houre some of vs serued with such citations And no sooner any man appeareth but by and by he heareth his iudgement full grieuous God knoweth and importable if such were his desertes Then to repent too late and to seek our wonted solace of wordly things in vaine No man then that can make himselfe a cushine to leane vpon to ease hys elbowes Neither vaine glorie that then can serue the turne nor braue apparaile nor great liuings nor carnall pleasure nor sumptuous buildings nor successioÌ„ in lands or states finallie no other earthly thing that any foole here imagineth to himselfe for the transitory shadow thereof letteth goe his handfast of eternitie Which well and deepely considered are not they now happie who in those former like perilous times did know the right way and for to winne nothing nor to leese nothing would forsake it And they againe now most miserable wretches that for such shadowes
it for the protestants Maketh it not so euidently for Intercession of Saintes that they haue no shift to answere it but by denying the Booke Whereby they doe plainely shew forth to all men which be but indifferent that the cause why they denie not the other Scriptures yea the Gospell it selfe is not for anie reuerence that they beare therto but only because they thinke that they haue inuented stuftes good enough to blind the world and to make shew of answere to the places which out of the same we aleage against them To be briefe the Visions most certaine which might be here brought foorth and that for verie manie other points of our doctrine besides the foresaid are innumerable in euery age since Christs time in great aboundance certaine of our owne time and countrie I may not omit A man there is in England that hauing beene very long a Protestant although much solicited to the contrarie and being on a time about fiue yeares agoe at the point of death ventred in that extremitie to tempt God to aske for a signe that hee would be mercifull vnto him shew him the true vvay that Quanquam sciâ—m somnia ridicula visiones ineptas quibusdam videri sed vtique illis qui malunt contra Sacerdotes credere quam Sacerdoti Sed nihil mirum quando de Ioseph fratres sui dixerint Cyp. lib. 1. Epi. 9. seu Epi. 66. in noua edit Ecce somniator ille venit c. Howbeit I know as Saint Cyprian saith that dreames to certaine seeme ridiculous and Visions foolish but verily to such as had rather to beleeue against Priests then to beleeue the Priest But no meruaile seeing that of Ioseph his brethren said See yonder commeth the dreamer Gen. 27. c. Scriptures VVHOSOEVER at anie time haue taught doctrine so plainlie repugnant to the Holie Scriptures that for the maintenance thereof they were faine to denie bookes of the saide Scriptures and that after such bookes vvere once euidently knowen or by the Church approued for Canonicall most certainely or that for the same cause they vvere faine to say the Scriptures to haue bin falsified corrupted they whatsoeuer they were and how soeuer for a time they deceaued some wretched persons or Countries Heretikes they were vndoubtedly and euermore in the end so prooued Read the ancient writers against Heresies Ireneus Epiphanius Philastrius Saint Augustine vvith all the Ecclesiasticall Histories and see whether that all that so did were not such as I say namely Simon Magus Basilides Carpocrates Valentinus Cerdon Marcion Apelles Seuerus the Manichees the Ebionites the Helchesites the Arrians the Aetians and such others all detestable Heretikes by the iudgement now and many hundred yeares afore of the whole world and all stubborne deniers of certaine approued Canonicall Scriptures such especially as to their wicked doctrine were most plainly contrarie For example the Ebionites Iren. 1. ad hers ca. 26. because they would haue vs to be both Iewes and Christians Eus 3. Ec. hist ca. 27 circumcised baptized togeather denied stiflie and most impudently all S. Paules Epistles as directlie written against that Heresie Epiph. 1. haer 30. plainly testifying that by Christ wee are all deliuered from that law The Manichees likewise because they would that the holy Ghost Aug. de vtil cre Cap. 3. which Christ promised to send vnto his Disciples came to vs by the Author of their Sect named Manicheus they denied the acts of the Apostles for that in them Christes promise is said to haue beene fulfilled ten dayes after his Ascention certaine hundred years before that Manicheus was borne And do not the Heretikes of this time play vs the very same part Doe they not denie the Canonical most certaine Scripture of the Machabees Aug. 2. doct Chr. cap. 5. for none other cause but for that they cannot otherwise auoide the most plaine testimonies thereof that are there against their Heresies As concerning praying for the dead Sancta salubris est cogitatio pro dâ—functis exorare 2. Macc. 12. vt a peccatis soluantur An holy and an wholsome meaning it is to pray for the dead that they may be loosed of their sins Likewise concerning prayer of Saintes for vs Multum orat pro populo vniuersa sansta ciuitate 2. Macc. 15. Ieremias Propheta Dei Ieremie the Prophet of God praieth much for the people for all the holie Citie To whom in defense of this booke we say De praen SaÌ„ct ca. 14. as Saint Augustine said to certaine that denied a testimonie of the booke of wisdome Tanquam non de libro Canonico adhibitum as taken by hym out of a booke that is not Canonicall Thus he saieth Non debuit repudiari senteÌ„tia libri Sapientiae qui meruit in Ecclesia Christi de gradu Lectorum Ecclesiae Christi tam loÌ„ga annositate recitari ab omnibus Christianis ab Episcopis vsque ad extremos laicos fideles poenitentes catechumenos cum veneratione diuinae authoritatis audiri They should not reiect the saying of the boke of wisedom which booke in the Church of Christ hath deserued so long a rew of yeares to be recited out of the steppe whereon the Lectours of the Church of Christ do stand to read the lessons and vvith worship belonging to a booke of diuine authoritie to be heard of all Christyan men from Bishopps euen to the lowest sort of lay-men faithfull penitents and Catechumenes Etiam temporibus proximi Apostolorum egregij tractatores eum testem adhibentes nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderint Also the notable Interpreters or Fathers that liued next to the Apostles times when they brought foorth that booke for witnesse nothing did they beleeue them-selues to bring foorth but Gods own witnesse Do they not againe deny the Epistle of Saint Iames in Luther their man of God bycause it is against their Heresie of Iustification by faith only and not by workes Iac. 1. saying most plainly Ex operibus iustificatur homo non ex fide tantum By vvorkes a man is iustified and not by faith only Doe they not likewise in Beza Beza in Lac 22. novv their Oracle at Geneua say that Saint Lukes Gospel is falsified where it hath Hic est Calix qui pro vobis fundetur This is the Chalice shed for you bycause it most manifestly vvitnesseth against theÌ„ the Real presence of Christs blood in the Chalice the chalice being therefore of Saint Luke said to be shed for vs bycause that which is in the Chalice is shed for vs and not vvine nor none other thing shed for vs but only Christs most precious blood If in these pointes they like not their Beza nor their Luther why will they seeme to be their folowers why do they not as we doe for the same condemne them Is not one false poynt of the Arrians sufficient to vs to condemne the Arrians
if need be As on the contrarie side for their owne confession of the truth of our Religion not onely in some part as in the two points afore touched of the Sacrament and Supremacie but also in the very whole well nere much may be alleaged out of their writings One place for this time may serue that out of Luthers booke against the Anabaptistes written many yeares after his fall where thus he saith An. 1528. we confesse that vnder the Pope-dome are manie good Christian thinges yea all good Christian thinges and that from thence we had them We confesse pardie that in the Popedome is the true holie Scripture true Baptisme true Sacrament of the Aultar true keyes to remit sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as the Lordes prayer and tenne Commaundements and Articles of the Faith c. I say moreouer that vnder the Popedome is true Christianitie yea the true kernell of Christianitie The Catholike Faith in England mightilie planted and lightly chaunged IN this place before I goe anie further to bring more light vnto our matter according to the example of S. Paules question to the Galathians changing their first religion from the faith of Christ to the law of Moyses Qui tribuit vobis Spiritum Gal. 3. operatur virtutes in vobis ex operibus legis an ex auditu fidei God giuing the Holy Ghost vnto you and working Miracles amongest you did hee it by workes of the Law or by preaching of the faith as if wee would say now by preachers of Protestancy or as they call it of Papâ—strie according to this example of S. Paule I say let it be first remembred what Religion that was in which was planted in our Countrey at our first conuersion vnto Christ by our Apostle Saint Augustine the Holie Monke that Saint Gregorie sent vnto vs about a thousand yeares agoe at which tyme wee English-men were first made Christians being before alwayes as other Paynims and Heathens without hope or knowledge of Christ and saluatyon giuen wholly to the seruing of Idols And to be short this matter may be soone knowen out of the Ecclesiasticall History of our owne Countryman Saint Bede a man of great holynes and learning of great credit fame throughout the vniuersall Church of God both in his life and euer since his death who lyued shortly after the time of our first Conuersion and vvrote the Historie of it in 5. bookes a worke very worthy S. Bedes Storie very expedient very profitable and verie necessarie to be read of all English-men that desyre to haue vnderstanding of things belonging much to their saluation There shall you finde it so plainlie that the Religion then brougt in vvas this very same that now the Protestants haue thrust out that no man either can or as I remember doth denie it For example in the first Booke Cap. 25. they came in with Crosse Image of Christ with ProcessioÌ„ cap. 26. in Dover they vsed to say Masse with many other points of our ReligioÌ„ that may there be found Goe on then consider how the said Monke our Apostle with his fellovves perswaded our Nation to that Religion In the first boke Cap. 26 you shall find that the King was brought to beleue to be baptized by their working of many Miracles and namely in the second Boke cap. 2. how that hee chalenged the stubborne Britons who being Christians yet dissented from the rest of the Church in peculiar practise of some certayne pointes of Religion to trie the truth betwene them by restoring a blind man to his sight in such maner as Elias vpon sure confidence in God chalenged the false prophets of Baal The Britons could not doe it 3. Reg. 28. but Saint Augustine did perfourme it as hee wrought also very many mo such wonderfull Miracles In somuch that S. Gregorie in an Epistle that hee sent him which is to be seene Lib. 1. ca. 31. thought good to admonish him of humilitie knowing that S. Paul him-selfe had neede to haue giuen vnto him an Angel of Satan to boxe and buffet him 2. Cor. 12. least that in the greatnes of hys VisioÌ„s he might haue chaunced to take pride Likewise that he had the gift of Prophecie and thereby foretold the destruction of those Britons which euen so came afterward to passe you shal find in the second Boke second Chapter Al this now wel considered whereas the Protestants for that they see this maÌ„ of God to haue byn so euidently on our side speake much horrible Blasphemie of him not fearing God at al who so coÌ„mended him for his true seruant let vs thinke that wee here him say vnto vs in hys ovvne commendation compelled thereunto by these our corrupters and his dispraysers as Saint Paul in the like case and vpon the like necessitie said of himselfe vnto his Corinthians 1. Cor. 9. Si alijs noÌ„ sum Apostolus tamen vobis sum Nam signaculum Apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino If vnto other people I be not an Apostle yet vnto you I am For the seale of my Apostleship you are put as it were to my letters Patentes by our Lorde through whose power I conuerted you to the faith of Christ 2. Cor. 12. And againe Nihil sum signa tamen Apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia in signis prodigijs virtutibus Nothing am I in deed yet the signs of an Apostle were wrought by me among you in all patience in Miracles and wonders deedes of power What wil we answere to this his saying or what can we answere Can wee denie his argument but it is Saint Paules It proued well Saint Paul to haue binne an Apostle whether those false masters of the Corinthians would or no. It proueth therefore Saint Augustine likwise to haue byn an Apostle a man sent of God vnto vs vvhether our false Preachers will or no vvhereunto no doubt they shal neuer be able to answere Let vs then againe consider vvhat causes or reasons haue carried vs awaie from his true Gospell into the false gospel of these men what Miracles what Visions what Scriptures what Catholikes what Traditions what Councels vvhat Bishopps of the See Apostolike vvhat other such thinges as afore I haue shevved to make for hys Gospell If none of all these thinges lead vs into this new Gospell but against them all we went into it say then what els did the deed An odious matter it is to rip all vpp in particular and wise men know all well only in generall doe I appeale to all mens consciences whether anie thing els first lead and now keepeth our vnhappie Countrie in thys false Gospell but only the world the flesh and the Diuell And therefore may our Apostle Saint Augustine say well vnto vs as Saint Paul the Aposte said to his Galathians Gal. 2. Miror quod sic tam cito transferimini ab eo
example is not this Scripture manifest enough Mat. 26. Hoc est corpus meum c. Hic est sanguu meus c. This is my bodie c. This is my bloud c. Is not this Scrypture also most manifest Ex operibus iustificatur homo Iac. 2. non ex fide tantum By workes a man is iustified and not by faith only Is not this againe playne ynough Iac. 5. Infirmatur quis in vobis Inducat Presbyteros Ecclesiae orent super eum vngentes eum oleo in nomine Domini If any amongst you be daungerously sicke let hym send for the Priestes of the Church and they to pray ouer him aneling him with the oyle in the name of our Lord c. This Scripture againe is it not most manifest Salubris est cogitatio 2. Mac. 12. pro defunctis exorare vt a peccatis soluantur It is a good meaning to pray for the soules departed that they may be deliuered from their sinnes These likewise could they be plainer Multum orat pro populo vniuersa sancta ciuitate 2. Mac. 15. Ieremias Propheta Dei Ieremie Gods Prophet dead long afore prayeth much for the people and the whole holy Citie Gen. 48. Deus qui pascit me ab adolescentia mea vsque in presentē diem Angelus qui eruit me de cunctis malis benedicat pueris istis saith Iacob the Patriarch of Iosephs two children God who hath fead me from my youth euē to this day The Angel who hath deliuered me out of all aduersities blesse these childrē as if one now would say God and our Lady blesse them Finally in the learned bookes of Catholikes of this tyme any man may see infinite manifest Scriptures for vs alleged and all that the Heretykes do alege most clearely answered as most certaine it is that no Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalipps maketh for them no Scripture against vs but all for vs and very many of them so euidently that the Heretikes haue no way to answere them but by plucking if they could the pen of the Holy Ghost out of his hand that wrote them For either are they proued inuincibly to be of the Holy Ghostes endighting or no Scripture at all is proued to be such as you may remember the common saying of S. Augustine Con. ep fūd ca. 5. Ego Euangelio nō crederem nisi me Ecclesiae Catholicae commoueret authoritas I should not beleeue the very Gospell it selfe vnlesse the Catholike Churches authoritie did compell me Seing then that al this is so I appeale me so may any Catholike man boldly with me to the iudgement of any indifferent man and to the wisedome of any that hath intelligence whether it be not certayne that the Protestantes prating somuch of scripture proceedeth not of this that it beareth them at al any recorde but of that thing only which Saint Peter hath sufficiently warned vs of if at least wise we wil take any warning and not wilfully impugne the truth and destroy our own soules His warning is this In the Epistles of our brother Paul 2. Pet. 3. Sunt quaedam difficilia intellectu quae indocti instabiles deprauant sicut caeteras Scripturas ad suam ipsorum perditionem There are certaine things hard to be vnderstod which the vnlearned and vnstable doe depraue wrest as they do also the other Scriptures to their very own perdition So then the true cause why these men be so busie in wreasting and writhing both of S. Pauls most learned and most Diuine Epistles who be wreasters of the Scriptures and of the other Holy Scriptures is theyr owne vnlearnednes who are become Maysters hauing neuer bene scholers ioyned togeather with their vnstablenes by which they are so lightly lewdly runne out of the Catholike Churches Vnity Vniuersality to the Schisme and peece of Luther and from thence againe to the peece of his peece broken off by Caluine and from Caluine againe to the singularity of English Protestants and yet agayne from Protestāts to make another peece of Puritans neither there vndoubtedly nor no where els euer to leaue their flitting vnconstācie but only by returning to the setled vnmoueable rock whervpon both they before vvith vs and wee stil yet thorough the only grace of God doe stand vs steadfast And once there standing they shal sensibly see this to be most certaine that I say no Scripture no truth to be against the Catholykes neither any at all to be for Heretiks For that is the place where God appointed Moyses to stand and there to see all those Mysteries which in this life he reuealeth that he might afterward in heauen see his Glorie Ecce inquit est locus apud me Exo 33. stabis supra Petram c. Behold quod he there is a place with me and thou shalt stand vpon the Rocke c. And therefore doth S. Peter immedyatly after his wordes afore recyted thus inferre Vos igitur fratres praescientes custodite ne insipienetium errore traducti excidatis a propria firmitate You therefore brethren knowing this much afore hād by my warning beware that ye be not caryed away togeather with the erring and straying of foolish losels falling out away from your ovvne sure steadines For euen as any branch of a tree leesing once the sure hold that hee had in the trunke and cleauing no more vnto it must needs wither away and die foorth right and can not possibly grow on any longer so a man that falleth him off frō the deepe rooted continually standing and euer growing Tree of the Catholike Church he straight waies fadeth away vanisheth dieth in himselfe and howsoeuer sometimes he semeth to grow in goodnes or in knowledge as the braunch cut of his own tree and planted in another place it is al out of the roote all in vaine all but downward like a cow taile and as a man that runneth very fast out of his way therefore all but backward Wherefore vnto them only that kepe their standing saith S. Peter Crescite vero in gratia in cognitione Domini nostri Saluatoris Iesu Christi But keepyng your hold grow ye on in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ And so be his conclusion also our conclusion ipsi gloria nunc in diē aeternitatis To him be glory both now and vnto the day of eternity AMEN Bristow to the Reader AL persons of our Nation that with Gods grace shal chaunce to be remembred or confirmed in the Catholike faith or reduced thereunto by this Treatise vouchsafe of theyr charity to requite my Goodwill with theyr deuout prayers for my sinnes Faultes escaped in the printing In the first page line 6. for cognossimus read cognoscimus fol. 16. b. line 12. for protenus read protinus fol. 56. line vlt. in some bookes for