thinges are reuealed and opened which ar knowen to be vnderstode of no other besides vnder the soun O mischeuous prid great madnes furor of vaine glory wisedom of the deuill which mightely hath inuaded their most wicked mindes The exposition of Scriptures which the welbeloued of God hath made did nothing feare them from their purpose the agreable reuerence which their felow ministers vsed towardes Christ did nothing tame their wildnes Thus thē loe the Arrians being so much selfe minded what better remedy might the reuerēd fathers of Nice haue against them then to bring furth the former receaued doctrine and māner to establish that with their decree For if natural reason shall preuaile the Christian faith can not be so wel perswaded or rather it can not be perswaded at all If by Scriptures only the treuth shalbe decided then shal ther neuer be found any end wher both parties alleage the wordes of Scripture for them selues Only therfor tradition custome and māner is that thing which killeth the heretikes hartes and therfore they will not be iudged but by expresse Scripture only and it is the thing which defendeth the Catholike Christians and therfore gladly doe they folow the waies of the auncient fathers VVhich thing is plainly proued by this honorable Coūcell of Nice about which our talke is For as it appeareth by the actes of the same Councell after long disputatiō and learned betwene certaine philosophers hired of purpose by Arrius in defence of his cause and most excellent fathers inspired with the holy ghoste for the vttering of the truth It pleased saieth the history all the fathers vnto one that like as it was deliuered from the holy fathers and successors of the Apostells so they should decree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wich is to say the equality of substance in God the Sonne with the Father and prouide it to be put in the Crede of the Church Against which worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and decree of the fathers what did Arrius or any of his sect afterwardes alleage to the reprouing therof And you in the meane time my welbeloued frind N. thinke it not long which is not vnprofitable and chose out the tyme to reade that quietly which the cause requireth that I should write plainly What did the Arriās then sayd I argue against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was their chefest best reason for soth this onely that it was not in Scripture O M. Iuell that your eloquence had not ben born at those daies you would haue stode greatly against them with your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let old customes and manners win and preuail But yet you may doe good seruice in these daies to perswade with the multitude of them which take them selues wiser then all other which haue ben these nine hundred yeres and which will beleue nothing but the writen worde and bare letter that olde customes must be regarded and preferred also I mislike not the saying but it agreeth not with your person as I beleue Catholikes may all the company of them alleage truly both scripture and custome heretikes doe pretend Scripture onely and that yet not truly but custom they can neuer alleage at all This we haue receaued from the Apostells and their successors saith the Councell of Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not in all the scripture saieth the heretike And as euery cuntry is distincted one from a nother by proper and peculiar language so doth the Catholike euer speake after the voice of the Churche and the heretike bableth onely after the letter of the boke Reade you the fifth Chapter of the Tripartite history the fourth boke There it is plaine that Constantin the great did put a chaplaine of his in trust for the deliuery of his testament to Constantius his sonne which chaplaine being in deede an Arrian and hauing accesse to the Emperor and acquaintance with him by occasion of the testament perceauing also the yong Emperor his mind to be vnstable and wauering what persuasion did he vse first of all as you think He saied as Theodoretus testifieth they were to blame which had put the worde Consubstanciall among the articles of the faith And why so which worde saieth he is not writen in all the Scripture Loe here is his greatest reason and such in deed as becometh heretikes most of all Let vs goe yet forward and seke whether any mo heretikes will vse that reason And where shall you more plainly find this matter then where the very pack of them is gathered together In a cōfession of a faith which was made at Sirmium Constātius him selfe being present with to many Arrian Bishoppes after other thinges this decree foloweth As for the worde substance bicause being simply put furth by the fathers it is not knowē of the common people and it maketh a scandalum and offence and bicause neither the Scriptures haue this worde in them it pleaseth vs it should be abrogated and hereafter no mention at all to be made of substance in God bicause the Scriptures diuine do in no place make mentiō of the substāce of the father and the sonne You may see what great price they made of this argument it is no Scripture ergo no matter of faith bicause that in so few lines they doe twise repete the selfe same reason Which vndoutedly was then and is now the very principall but not most surest stay of all vnconstant mindes As in the same boke againe see what a nother cōpany of scismatikes do speake for them selues against the Coūcell of Nice VVe say they which are gathered together in Seleucia which is in Isauria we haue yesterday which was the fifth before the Kal. of Octobre geuen all diligence according to the Emperor his will to kepe straitly the ecclesiastical peace and to thinke earnestly vpon the faith as our welbeloued Emperor Constātius hath cōmaunded according to the sainges of the prophetes and Ghospells and to bring furth nothing besides the Scriptures in the matter of the faith Ecclesiastical This againe doth proue my purpose that it is propre to the heretikes to appeale to the scriptures onely bicause they are quickly condemned by tradition custome and manner To conclude therfor this place Arrius being so proud as we haue said hauing many textes of Scripture for him as he vnderstood them which toke him selfe to be best learned the Councell of Nice defining the cōsubstantiality of God the Sonne with the Father bicause they had so receaued it from the Apostells by their successors the same Councell being allwaies reproued of heretikes for that it defined that matter as an article of faith which was not in Scripture I aske now what it is like that the Councell did meane when it should say Let old customes and manners preuaile Can it well be vnderstood otherwise if the wordes be taken generally as you M. Iuell doe alleage them then after this sort that for as much as heretikes can
owr Sauior the verie tradition meaninge the Pater noster which he hym selfe dyd make But how so eueâ— it be he which reporteth that Gregorius tertius made the Canon might well inowgh write so according to his knowledge and when it is writen by S. Gregory that one Scholasticus or a disciple of Christs was the auctor therof this is nothiÌ„g falsified by him which wrot afterwardes And likewise it may stand that it cam from the Apostles as InnoceÌ„tius tertius writeth for all that an other saieth that it cam from Gregorius except perchaunce yow will say that one may not read more then an other an one see further then an other bothe speaking according to their knowledge euideÌ„ces But whosoeuer were the first deuiser of it it forceth not sayeth M. Iuell Yes mary Sir for this being proued by more auctorites of writers that the Canon did come from the Apostles or that it was extaÌ„t within vjC yeares after Christ theÌ„ it can be disproued to be of so great antiquity great sham it is for vs not to mainteine so auncient an order of the masse and great forgetfulnes in you M. Iuell to iest at that which is found to haue ben receaued within the compasse of six hundred yeres after Christ of which yeres you make your selfe so sure that for so long space you say all went with you without exceptioÌ„ But now if it forceth not who made the Canon wheras before you made the matter so great that it was against the scriptures bicause of S. Paule which saieth Sciocui credidi I know whoÌ„ I haue beleiued as though Catolikes had not a church to beloue but should hang vpon the report of historiographers well seing then now it forceth not who made the Canon what fault haue you found in the substaÌ„ce and meaning of the Canon First the preist in the Canon desireth God to blesse Christs bodie as though it were not sufficient lie blessed all readie First you make a shamefull he that the priest desireth God to blesse Christ his bodye Beare it well awaye I pray you and remember it that I charge you with makyng of an open lie euen at your first begynning which you make agaynst the Canon It is not I saye in owr Latin and common Canon that the priest desireth God the Father to blesse Christ his bodye And I dare sweare for it althowgh you may do much in Sarum that no missall after the vse of Sarum hath the lyke as you doe speake in the begynning of the Canon Also if it should be saied so as you report in any part of the whole Canon can you proue that the Catholikes haue prayed so for this cause as thowgh Christ his bodye were not sufficientlie blessed alreadiâ— What a Ioannes diuisar be you to make so wicked and vyle disâ—urses vpon that which either is not sayed at all or hath ben spoken with much reuerence and great humilitie of the parties In deed such lyke wordes haue ben vsed of the Grecians euen after the consecration perfected as appeareth by their wrytinges But what cause alleage they for it Marie thosâ— say they which are in great desire of any thing vse to speake of that which is most sure as thowgh they were not sure of it nothing thereby mistrusting the effect but declaring the vehemencie of theyr desire As the Prophete Dauyd when he had sayd God my ryghtuousnes hearde me when I called vnto hym yet in the same verye Psalme and verse folowing he addeth Haue mercye vppon me O Lord and heare my prayer Loe sayeth Theodoritus The iust man is not satisfied in prayer but making his petitions and obteyning them yet continueth â—e styll in prayer by which yow see how farr a Christian and good commentator would be from such deuyses as yow M. Iuell doe make vpon holye sayinges But the Latin Canon hath no such wordes at all neyther before nor it after consecration that I meane God shoulde blesse Christ his bodye In the beginnyng of the Canon the priest desireth God to accept and blesse those giftes and presentes and sacrifices or oblations of bread and wyne which may receiue encrease of sanctification and are in deede made most holyâ— when they are turned in to the bodye and bloud of Christ. Also after consecration the priest desireth God to loke meâ—cifullie downe vpon those pretiouse thinges which are there present But how not as they are in them selues mosâ— acceptable but as they are offered for who can saye that his hart is chast and pure and who knoweth whether God wil not punishe vs when we are not prepared rightlie to do that office Considering therfor the holines of God and vilenes of man the church desireth God to accept owr offering of Christâ— bodie owr Lord â–ª or in other wordes to saye it to accept that bodye and those giftes offered But of that place M. Iuell speaketh afterward I conclud therefore vpon his present wordes that he maketh an open lie and maniâ—est And if hymselfe was not the maker of it lett hym tell of what author he borowed it Further the priest saieth that he offereth and presenteth vp Christ vnto his father True it is and that you may wonder the more not the priest onely but all the whole church doth offer Christ daily to his father For as concerning the priest either tâ—ere is no priest among vs at all or we be no sinners or we must haue a daily sacrifice to make our God fauorable vnto vs. A sacâ—ifice not of thankes geuing onelye which the law of nature teacheth vs to offer to our cheif Lord and Creator neither of calfes and shepe as the old law did appoint it but a sacrifice proportionable to a new law and a sacrifice worthy and meete for a new testameÌ„t of Ihesus Christ. What say you then good Sir if the priest of the new law and testament offereth Christ vnto his father it is say you open blasphemy So say they which worship false Godes which they haue made to them selues by licentious vnderstanding of the Scriptures and by cutting hewing and pecing together of the veritie For wherin consisteth this blasphemye doe you which are of the church by outward shew of your degree and maÌ„ner of behauiour think priesthod to be a pelting base office as the worldly people doe But Chrisostom saieth That priesthod so far passeth kingdom as the soule passeth the body and we ought to reuerence priestes not only more then kinges and princes but to set them forth with more honor then our owne fathers Or think you that Christ in his last supper did not ofâ—er vp him selfe to his father But the Prophet saieth yea rather God not onely saieth it but bindeth it with an othe and it shall not repent him therof that Christ is a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Can you saye for all this that priestes haue no authority to offer him But Chrisostom
it and worshipp it Ergo yowr argumeÌ„t is this that what so euer is not coÌ„maunded to be done is to be left vndone And where then are all customes which yow haue set so much by as it appeereth by the fyrst side before yowr SermoÌ„ Also where is it in all Scripture that Christ coÌ„mauÌ„ded his Apostles to fawle downe and worship hym hym selfe The Magians S. Peter as he was in the bote together with Christ the mother of S. Iohn and S. Iames the straynge woman the Syrophaenissa the blind man whoÌ„ Christ healed by tempering of his spettle and earth together the Apostles after the resurrection all these fell downe and worshipped Christ. but where read we that he commaunded them so to do Is there no voluntarye seruice of God but that al must be obtained by way of coÌ„maundemeÌ„t It was inowgh I trowe that he said to his disciples take eate this is my body which shall be deliuered for you For to doubte thereof whether Christ his body were to be honored it was for them whiche doubted whether he were Christ or no. Christ dyd byd his Apostles to take and eate but he dyd not expressely coÌ„maund them to open their mouthes to soften the meate in the mouthe to lett it downe in to the stomake for what need was there so to do wheras he which lycenseth me to eate lycenseth me also to vse all those meanes by which eatyng is performed So in lyke manner owr Sauyor sayd This is my bodye and this being receiued and beleued of Christians to what purpose was it to say Aryse Sirs and fall downe before yowr God or to say Adore me in yowr hart When the kyng doth shewe hym selfe in his robes and croune or when he woulde in the dark vtter hym selfe by speakyng vnto the lordes of the court is it to be required that he must saye precisely putt of yowr cappes vnto me and bowe downe yowr knees or ells doth not euerye obedyent hart straytewayes geaue all reuerence dew vnto hys prince withowt further warning By lyke reason then the kyng almighty hath spoken the worde Thys ys my bodye by which worde they which are accustomed vnto his voyce are as sure of his presence as if they should see hym visiblie and shall we if we are of the king his court requyre yet to here and see more in this case and may we wonder at others folyes which make lowe courtesie where as they had no commaundement And yet M. Iuell is so delited in this kynde of argument which procedeth by negatiues that he goeth fuâ—ther therein and sayeth S. Paule toke the Sacrament at Christ his handes and as he had taken it he deliuered it to the Corinthians and neuer willed adoratioÌ„ or Godlie honor to be done vnto it To which I answer with askyng this question whether S. Paule commaunded vs to stand or kneele to lye a long at the communion or sytt doune Trulye of these thinges there is no worde or commaundement what then may any man tumble at the communion or leane vpon his breast or vpon one of his elbowes or doe what please hym bicause nothing is appointed by S. Paule as concernyng adoration The English coÌ„municantes them selues doe vse to kneele except perchaunse in some very stiff harted men there be no kneeling at all bicause they stand in their owne conceâ—tes But Christ and S. Paule commaunded not kneeling and yet Christ knew best what he had to doe and S. Paule delyuered that which he receiued of Christ. what strength then hath this kynd of argument to saye Christ or S. Paule commaunded not these thinges ergo they are not to be kept or beleued at all Truly it hath so litle against the Catholykes that the argumeÌ„t is flatlye denyed So greate for all that against the protestantes that it shameth all the order of theire communion as concernyng apparell place standing kneeling confessyng thankes geuing and such lyke Which all I doe not say or think to be repugnant with Scripture but I say that as concerning the order which there is vsed there ys no commaundement in Scripture and no commâ—undement being in Scripture of it ther is no iust cause or reason wherfor it should be regarded Such is the protestantes logyk Well if this argumeÌ„t which runneth by negatyues had been good the authorytie and name of Christ or Sainct Paule in that behalfe had been sufficient but now it ys most weake and simple and not worth the bringing and yet M. Iuell will be copious in it saying The old Doctors and holye fathers of the Church Sainct Cyprian Sainct Chrysostome Sainct Ambrose Sainct Hierome Sainct Augustyn and others that receiued the Sacrament at the Apostles handes and as it may be thowght contynued the same in such sort as they had receiued it neuer make mention in any of all their bokes of adoring or worshipping the Sacrament ergo c. This ys a nowghtye lying argument Nawghtye by cause if in all their workes they neuer doe speake of adoring the Sacrament that doth not disproue the adoration which Christians haue euer vsed And lying bycause in deed they make mention in their workes of adoration Neuer ys a long day the prouerbe ys and also Neuer ys a long way And that those holye fathers in all their workes which be so manye dyd neuer make mention of adoring the Sacrament it ys largelye and lowdelye spoken It would haue eased me very much if M. Iuell in speakyng this great worde Neuer and in all their bokes would haue named the bokes which he taketh to be the proper workes of those holye fathers For perchaunse he taketh no more for Sainct Cyprian Sainct Ambrose Sainct Chrysostome Sainct Hierome and Sainct Augustynes workes then hym selfe hath readen and alowed And by that way he may quickly make good his worde if he shall according vnto his pleasure denye that boke to be Sainct Ambrose or Sainct Augustynes in which any mention is made of adoring the Sacrament But if he will be tryed by the consent of Christendom or by that seuere and hardye notar of the holye fathers Erasmus quicklie shall I proue that either M. Iuell hath not readen all the doctors which is in hym lykelye or that he hath not well remembred them in all places which euery man doth as I suppose generallie or that wittingly he belyeth them which sometymes is done lowdely in their pulpites or that adoration of the Sacrament may be obserued and found in holy Fathers wrytinges which is quyte and cleane contrary vnto Neuer to be mentioned in them There be extant whole treatiseis of excellent lerned men as concernyng the profe and testymony of worshipping the holâ—e Sacrament but one place or two shall be as good for my purpose as a hundred where crakes be made that no mention of adoration can euer be fownd in any one place of old doctors S. Chrisostome therefor in the .83 homylie vpon S. Mathew
hym by one of the cheifest then in the world yet he to teach the Emperor a true lesson and to proue that his maiestie ys not the highest began aboue all other vnto his chapelaine declaryng that he knew none there to be better Of lyke corage and fortitude was Eulogius an holye and constant priest which being required of the Emperor Valens cheife officer to communicate with hym which helde the empyre and kyngdome which in owr English tongue at these dayâ—s ys to saye Folowe the Kynges procedinges answered peaceablie and gentlelie saying And I also haue my part of a kyngdome and priesthode Such men were holye Basile Ambrose Chrysostome noble and reuerend Bisshoppes in deede which litle regarding the glorie of the court and the worlde spared not to tell the Emperors their owne and also to shewe them that a Bisshopp his office ys not geuen with goldon crowne or purple And not only in theire doinges but in writinges also they declared this veritie that the Emperor rulâ—th in the court the Bisshopp in the church the Emperor ouer mens goodes and bodyes the Bisshopp ouer sowles and consciencies the Emperor in thinges transitorie the Bisshopp in thinges euerlasting These conclusions being therefore true if Innocentius would sweetlye and misticallye allude vnto the beginnyng of Genesis and saye that the two great lightes which God made to rule the daye and nyght doe signifie the two powers of the spiritualtye and of the temporaltye of whiche the one ys so brighter then the other that the least of them both yet doth direct and guide men in the whole worlde is this so vnproperlie spoken or childiâ—â—â—lie that anye father of this generation may honestlie contempne it As on the other syde if there be no strength and force in this argumeÌ„t is the highest misterie and secrete lerning of the catholikes therby vttered and coÌ„futed When frindes confer together familiarly many thinges come and goe to fro betwixt them which if they were examined by the seuere iudgemeÌ„t of some coÌ„trollar would seeme to be spoken triflinglie yet consider the tyme place and persons they may stand wel inough with charitie my meaning is this when Christians write vnto ChristiaÌ„s in great peace of conscience and silence of heresie they are more bold with the Scriptures alleagiâ—g the textes of them â–ª towardes their purpose although it be not according to the first sense and meanyng of the place Alluding as sweet S. Bernard doth man thousand places vnto some historie verse sentence or other lyke thing in them playeing as I might saye and refreshing them selues with the Scriptures as â—saac dyd play with the fayre Rebecca his wiffe in the garden of Abimelech the kyng secretlye as he thowght hym self and honestlie is a good and vertuous man louinglie yet and familiaâ—lye as with a most true and bewtifull wiâ—e All which thinges 〈◊〉 colerated â—mong frendes and they agree wel inowgh with chaâ—â—â— as long as they disagree not with honestie and veriâ—ie But when peekers of quarell◠〈…〉 doe appere and heretikes begin to loure then in deed other kynd of writing and arguyng ys to be vsed not to the vtter disalowing of the familiar manner and fashion which hath his tyme and place but to prouyde against the cummyng in of strangers and enimyes which seek onlye how to fynd faultes with the Catholikes S. Paul wryting to the CorinthiaÌ„s emong other thinges he willed that women should be couered in the churche and emong other reasons this was one which he wrote verie sadlie Doth not nature sayeth he teache yow this for yow see that long heare ys geauen vnto a womaÌ„ to couer herselfe withall This now in a Christian man his eares doth sownd right well and probablie But lett a quareller stand agaynst hym and saye my masters Paul here hath wryten vnto yow that your women should not be bare headed in the church And why so Loth I am to ripp vp the secretes of his lernyng and the force of his reasons But his importunitye dryueth me therevnto marke ye therefore well and waighe this argumeÌ„t A woman by nature hath long heare ergo they must were byggins in the church Should not such a skorner then speak as right as master Iuell doth alleaging that for a principall or singular argument which in deed is not so and afterward by disgracing of that argument to bring the whole matter in to question or els contempt for the blessed Apostle vsed that reason as in waye of persuasion and as a probable and conuenient argument which if one would denie saying it dyd not proue his purpose his conclusion ys sure for all that where he sayeth in the end of that question Yf any man seem to be contentiouse we haue no such custome nor the church of God After which sort it may be well answered that if Innocentius did not therebye well proue the superioritie of the pope aboue the Emperor bicause the Sonn ys bigger then the moone and if there were no other reasons of force and strength emong the Catholykes for that purpose as contrary wyse there be whole bokes of auncient doctors which preferr priestes before all other what so euer creatures for their order sake and authoritie yet it might be well answered to heretykes that if yow be good and cunning at iesting and lyinge vnderstand ye that we haue no such custome neither the church of God And so I answer not onlie for Innocentius but for Isidorus also and Gerson Bonifacius the Glose and for all others which master Iuell rekoneth vp That if they lyke good men abundyng in their sense haue alleaged scripture for prouing of those thinges which were vsed before thei were borne and if vnto contentiouse persons those good mens reasons are not sufficient yet none should be so hardie as to take awaye orders or articles generallie of the whole church receiued Bycause it ys inowgh for a Christian man to alleage that we haue no such custome neither the church of God Wherefor as concernyng shauen crounes and purple sandales holye water or praying in one tong they were neuer taken for secrete mysteries in the church and if the sentences of scripture which holy men haue applied vnto them doe not abundantlie proue them good there is no great harme taken As for holye water althowgh that the wordes of the Prophet Ezechiel may verie well be applied vnto it where he sayeth I will sprinkle vpon you cleane water which wordes being a prophecie of the baptisme of ChristiaÌ„s I can not deuyse in what parte of the seauen deadlie synnes it may be numbered to speake them also by holye water which in one signification doth bring vs in remembrance of owr baptisme yet graunting that they make no more to the purpose then master Iuells talke here of the supremacie and purgatorie and priestes crownes and purple sandales doe make against the Canon of the masse holie water for all that is not
⧠A confutation of a sermon pronouÌ„ced by M. Iuell at Paules crosse the second Sondaie before Easter which Catholikes doe call Passion Sondaie Anno DnÌ„i M.D.I.X. By Iohn Rastell M. of Art and studient in diuinitie Miror quòd tam citò transserimini ab eo qui vos vocauit in gratiam CHRISTI in aliud Euangelium c. I maruell that yow be so sone caried awaie from hym which called yow vnto the grace of Christ in to an other Ghospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mores antiqui obtineant Lett old customes preuaile Imprinted at Antwerp by Aegidius Diest 21. Nouemb. Anno. 1564. CVM PRIVILEGIO REgiâ— Maiestatis priuilegio permissum est Iohanni Rastello artium Magistro sacrae Theologiae candidato vtiper aliquem â—ypographorii admissorum impunè ei liceat imprimi curare per omnes suae ditionis regiones distrahere librum inscriptum A confutation of M. Iuelles sermon c. Et omnibus aliis inhibitum ne eundem absque eiusdem Iohannis consensu imprimant vel alibi impressum distrahâ—t sub poena in priuilegio contenta Datum Bruxellae .xvij. Nouemb. Anno. 1564. Subsig Facuwez A PREFACE TO THE READER TO testifie my duetie and seruice which I owe to the Churche and my countrey and to satisfie my freÌ„des in these quarters whose iudgmentes I haue not to discredit to confute M. Iuell in sundrie poyntes whose challenge ys so gloriouse and generall and to geue faire warning to the negligent that false Prophetes doe not deceaue them to coÌ„tynue the memorie of the challenge which neuer can be honestlie mainteyned to moue a further expectation which part first shall shewe her weaknesse to take the present tyme of speaking euen as there hath ben tyme of sileÌ„ce or recompense the formar slacknesse by reasonable and faithfull diligeÌ„ce to proue that M. Iuell may be answered by a meane scholar in diuinitie that he neede not to prouoke the best of the Catholykes which at this daye are anywhere lyuinge to shewe that all thowgh we be kept downe and oppressed yet we perish not for all that nor be vtterlie confounded I send that furth now after fower yeres which so long before was made by me and I make that now commoÌ„ to frindes and to foes which at the first I prepared for one frind alone to auoyde feare of foes He that lyketh this let hym thaÌ„ke God and helpe me with his praiers He that findeth fault lett hym shame the dyuele and tell me of it hardelie If any iust one shall be founde vnseen of me and others I trowe it will be omission in leauing of some thinges vnanswered Yet doe I answer euerie matter concerninge the whole some of it marie I was not so diligent as to examine euerie witnesse And whether I am bound so to doe I am not yet ful perswaded but euer I thowght that it was free to wryte and fight after my fasshion Especiallie where the number ys great and euerie one readie with his weapon so that the enemie be beaten downe the captaine aloweth their labors Yet all they dyd not strike one waye but as they should see their aduantage so would they vse or downe right blowes or foynes or some other inueÌ„tions Some writers of these our dayes men of great contynuance and studie doe late full lode owt of scriptures and councells iust vpon the pates and backes of owr common aduersaries Other some be more sparer in alleaginge of old authorities and rather folowe a sensible fasshion of reasoning withowt boke against them Againe some will persequute the enemie so narowlie that sentence by sentence thei examyn his trueth and fidelitie but some againe doe so thinke vpon the cheife poynt of the question that for hast sake thei let much escape which perchaunse was well worth the noting Lett one example stand for all M. Iuell here in his sermon to proue that the people dyd coÌ„municate and receiue togeather with the preist all the first six hundred yeres after Christ beginneth with owr Saluyor and cummeth to the blessed Apostle goinge downe by S. Clement Denyse Iustine and other fathers vntill he stayeth at S. Gregorie whom yet he rekoneth for a wittnesse But to what purpose and conclusion to proue forsoth that sole receiuinge ys not to be suffered emong Christians bycawse he findeth by so manie testimonies that of old tyme there were made communions VVell then goe ye to if this be all the matter it ys not hard or cuÌ„berouse to geue M. Iuell an answer Yet trulie he shall not be answered after one manner by all men but lyke as leisure zeale and lerninge abundeth or lacketh in any one for the purpose so more or lesse will be browght against hym and he that saieth lest of all will yet be good inough for hym For the lest is this to grawnt his authorities and onlie to denie his argument bicawse sole receiuinge might be vsed in a thowsand chappells notwithstandinge the dailie communion which was then or may be now ordinarilie had in parissh Churches On sondaies also or solempne feastes all might be charged to coÌ„municate â–ª and when the people on other daies are other wise occupied the preist might right well doe his office if none but the parishe clerke were present to serue hym But some other Catholike is not fullie satisfyed by ending this matter so quicklie and therefore he goeth further in tryinge M. Iuells places which serue yet vnto no purpose although thei were truelie alleaged And he obiecteth agaynst Iuell forgetting to call hym Maister that the Apostle vnto the Corinthians meaneth not literallie so as Iuell taketh hym For Tariâ— ye one for an other which are the true wordes of the Apostle are not properlie he will say to be referred to the Sacrament but those other suppers of coÌ„mon meates which then emonge the Corinthians were not charitablie or discreetlie ordered He will tell hym also that he mistaketh Calixtus and would say perchaunce Anacletus and that he speaketh onlie of the clergie to communicate and not as M. Iuell reporteth generallie of all the people and so furth in other testimonies Now some third one will passe these two and shewe by manie examples that sole receiuinge was not vnknoweÌ„ in the best tymes and most awncient For which purpose he will bringe owt TertulliaÌ„ S. Ciprian Serapion and Satirus with manie other which in this place I neede not tell of VVhat then shall we saye Trulie as S Paule was gladd to see Christ much sett furth and preached Siue per occasionem and for an other purpose Siue per veritateÌ„ that is vprightlie and sincerelie so should an honest mynd be well contented when a false preachers vaine tale is confuted be it done either lernedlie abundantlie and deeplie or meanelie sufficientlie and by light passing ouer hym Therefore to coÌ„clude â–ª as I wrote this for my frind intelligiblie and familiarlie so I leaue it vnto the Reader nothinge alteringe
purpose but eating of their owne supper which they brought to churche with them When you speake of reducing thinges to their originall and when it is clere that the Corinthians in their meetinges together did not kepe the old custome and manner I looked to heare of you not the institution of Christ what that was but the old fasshions which the Corinthians should kepe as for those wordes of the institution of Christ which S. Paule reherseth they are writen of him not as the originall patern of the reforming the Corinthians disordre but in way of argument as Theophilactus saieth to proue his principall purpose that bicause Christ did not spare to geue his owne body vnto his disciples and folowers therfore the riche CorinthiaÌ„s should not disdaine to admitt the poorer sort of Christians their brethern vnto their table for therin was the blessed Apostle occuped to correct the stoutnes singularitie which the CorinthiaÌ„s vsed then otherwise then it was receaued emoÌ„g ChristiaÌ„s And therfore S. Paule being mindful of his inteÌ„t principal matter he coÌ„cludeth the chapter with these wordes therfor my brothers saith he when ye com together to eate tary and looke one for another If any one be hungry let him eate at home Shortly therfore to conclude this matter truth it is that when any disordre is com into the churche the first ordre from which the fall was made should be reduced The disordre amonge the Corinthians was that they did not charitably coÌ„municate together in their suppers let this be amended the Apostle doth it properly saing Therfore when ye com together to eate tary one for another For so was it at the beginning that the Christians did meere and sitt altogether and eate one of an others meate in their Churches and either after such their meales receaue the SacrameÌ„t or before them All this agreeth well But let M. Iuel amend the disordre and sett euery man in his place Let them be called backe again saieth he to the first originall and to the institution of Christ. Which answereth as rightly to the question proponed as if in a deliberatioÌ„ how the beggars needy persons of England might be prouided for som great clerke wold stand vp solemly declare vnto vs vnto what valew of our currant mony the three huÌ„dred pence would com vnto for which the oyntment that was poured vpon our Sauior his head might haue ben sold for according vnto Iudas his estimation Or as it is more familiar with Englishe eares which is the way to London A potte full of pluÌ„mes Yet doe they glory still vpon the institution of Christ as though those wordes Take eate this is my body doe this in remembraÌ„ce of me did appoint both time and place and vesture and nombre of coÌ„municantes and all thinges which they vse in ministring of their what shal I cal it treuly I can not tell and which the trew catholike churche hath or may vse in the ministring adorning or defensing of the SacrameÌ„t But let it be graunted which is to far absurd that S. Paule did reduce the CorinthiaÌ„s from their disordre vnto the first originall institutioÌ„ of Christ and that he vpon the originall of Christ his institutioÌ„ did coÌ„clude that one should tary for another when they cam to eate How doth it now then so fal out that according to the redresse which the Apostle made after the originall of Christ his institutioÌ„ Christian men bring not their meates to the church and the riche tarieth not for the poore and he which aboundeth geueth not gladly vnto him which lacketh And when they are wel refresshed with coÌ„mon meates then receiue the SacrameÌ„t Yea rather you which appeale so lowdly and rudely to the institutioÌ„ of Christ why do ye not washe one anothers feete which haue so expresse euident a text for it Where is now your originall and where is the institution of Christ if both kindes be not receaued of the laye people O then institution of Christ how far ar we departed from the say they And the same Christ saing I haue geuen you an example that like as I haue done so should you do and washe one anothers feete they are content herein to let institution and originall both goe And so like as bells do sound in diuers mens eares diuersly and diuersly in one selfe same eare as the mind is affected so Scripture and custome are made to sound in these mens fancy euen as their 〈◊〉 is to haue this or that opinion to goe forward When it pleaseth them 〈◊〉 the bells shall goe VVith customes of pâ—â—matiue churche examples of good men testimonies of blessed Doctors And when so great a sound doth troble their studie then loe it pleaseth them to haue one bell onely to ring VVith nothing is to be beleued without expresse worde of Scripture But now let vs goe further It was to be hoped for so much as the glorious light of the Ghospel of Christ is now so mightely and so far spred abrode that no man would lightly misse his way as aâ—ore in the time of darknes and perisshe wilfully I could not but note this senteÌ„ce bicause it conteineth so great a bost and so small treuth in it For where is the glorious light of the Ghospell now so mightely and so far sprede abrode and what calleth he the darkenes of the time afore many new found landes the wild Indians are come to the faith of Christ in our daies but had protestantes and heretikes the ministery therof or els religious men monkes friers with other such of the catholike church how many partes of Italie of Spaine of FrauÌ„ce of Germany of â—laundres of other contries of Europe doe acknowlege this glorious light which he talketh of Yea what one city can he name in the which it is mightely blased abrode Frankford doth it wholie agree within it self in one faith Geneua is it wholy ouershadowed with this counterfaict light In England or London or in Sarum vnder his owne preachinges is the Ghospell gloriously and mightely spred abrode The kingdom of the Ghospell of Christ is in mens hartes and then of how many hartes is M. Iuell assured of those very contries which are taken to incline to the new lerninges three partes or more shalbe â—ownd in harte and will Catholikes And yet graunt him that any one citie is alâ—ogether turned from Christ and his church so that no one Papist in harte shal there remaine by by is the Ghospell mightely and far spred abrode There is no more but one Ghospell but of Ghospellers more then sixe kindes in euery contrie which the glorious light of the Ghospell hath now oueruewed M. Iuell him self doth he know any one to be of the same faith of which he him self is if he agree in all pointes with any other how cometh that to passe either thei haue one master which kepeth them both vnder correction
which hauing no religion yet of their owne haue idlenes and liceÌ„tiousnes inowgh to find fault with others pietie they may be well compared to the wanton dame Michol which lookyng owt at a window vpon the kyng Dauid her husband and mislyking much his daunsing before the arke of God allmightie O quod she tauntinglie how worshippfull was my Lord this daye discovering hym selfe before his handmaydens And sayeth the scripture she dispised hym in her hart by likelihode bycause he had a white lynen cloth as rochett or surplesse vpon his backe like a priest And so these now from the windowe of their high contemplation or despection rather of other when they behold good and blessed men to daunce before the arke of God and to make in their turninges and returnynges the scriptures pleasantlie to allude vnto the ornamentes of the sacrifice and the true manna which is the bodie of Christ and perchaunse thorough libertie of spirite excesse of ioye shew a litle their bare O saye these daughters of Saul what goodlie doctors are these and how cleane is their religion See what golden cuppes and altars of stone and fyne lynen clothes and rowndnes of hostes and wasshinges of haÌ„des and sighthinges of hart and what reasons thei haue Behold the Sonn and the Moone doe rule daie and night and againe two swordes be here ergo the Pope ys better then an Emperor and may sitt iudge ouer spirituall and temporall matters How gloriouse loe say thei be these young fathers and lordes of the church But what sayeth the trueth for Catholikes Marye bycawse God hath chosen vs to be rulers of his church and hath preferred vs before the stowtnes of the Protestantes and bycause in owr arke and church the law and the Ghospell ys conteyned with the authoritie to correct miscreantes which is the rodd of Aaron and the pott of heauenlie Manna which ys the bodie of owr Sauyor therefor if owr discouering of owr selues doth greene yow we will not onlie not be ashamed of the applications of scriptures which we haue vsed but we will hereafter be more studiouse in reading in vsing in expownding of the scriptures that no historie prophecie battell name of person place or countrye no hill floud field nothing at all shall escape vs but we will bring it vnto some good sense allegoricall morall or analogicall we all knowe that Theologia mystiâ—a non est argumentis apta and that the sense misticall ys not of sure strength in reasonyng but owr arke being sure and the growndes of owr religion being well setteled and owt of dawnger for the rest we maye sing and plaie and be ioyfull and harpe vpon the scripture In vsing of which if a curiouse 〈◊〉 shal see vs discouered or in part naked it is not owr thowght whether all thinges sitt abowt vs so well and fynelie that heretikes and quarellers doe not or can not carp at vs but that the arke of God be safelie conducted in to Syon and placed within Hierusalem And if this text of the old law Thow shallt not bynd vpp the mowth of thi oxe which treadeth owr thi corne doth not proue that thei which labor in seruyng the altar must lyue by the altar yet as long as church altar priesthode sacrifice and such other thinges of weight remaine we will not stryue vpon the misticall sense of euerie chapiter in the law whether it proueth owr conclusion that which we think worth the alowing These wordes as I trust are reasonable and this ys the plaine trueth of the matter Not to make more ieopardie then the church requyreth neither to faine vpon the Catholikes as that if a Cardinall tredd a wrie vpon his purple sandales or the priest at the altar remember not the theife which hanged on the crosse by Christ and sigth at the remembrance thereof that all owr religion ys quyte ouerturned And this much hitherto for the answering of that common place of M. Iuells where he thowght by gathering of certaine absurd argumeÌ„tes if the people be iudge and by lowd and bold crying owt that these were the secrete misteries of owr religion and that loth he was to rip them vp he thought to bring owr whole religion in to contempt and obloquie And now lett vs consider his last matter which he promysed to touche It can not be denyed sayeth he but Christ in his last supper ordeyned a communion and shewed no manner taken of priuate masse But what calleth M. Iuell a priuate masse He craketh much of the primitiue church as who should saye all antiquity were with them And oftentymes he asketh the question where we can fynd a priuate masse and will not heare vs answer that we vpholde no priuate masse and that this terme of priuate hath ben inuented but of the heretikes them selues For the masse in deede is a common function and office to be done of a priest which is the legate of the people vnto God and God his messenger vnto them In which offices he speaketh for their necessities bringyng vnto God the most noble ryche present of Christ his owne body the soner to obteyne mercy and grace at the which not onlye the visible parties present but all Angels and blessed sowles either in heauen or in the way thytherward be assistants and doe accompany the priest If .20 men be standyng by is it common and if thousandes of heauenly hostes replenysh the place .19 of the men lackyng is it priuate yf it be sayd in the open church is it common and yf it be browght vnto a litle chappell is it priuate what meaneth he by this word priuate I would fayne vnderstand And they answer that when one alone receiueth then it is priuate But is that all their reason why then yf the matter hangeth vpon the nomber of the communicantes we shall haue as many diuisions of common masse as they haue prety definitions of a priuate masse Three sayeth the order of the communion boke myndyng to receaue do make a coÌ„munion as three make a colledge as I haue heard with the lawiers but one alone maynteyneth it a colledge by the selfesame lawiers ergo that masse is not priuate but common and yet common of the least because yf one lacked there could be no coÌ„munion well then yf three skore will coÌ„municate the nombre encreasyng the state of the masse is altered and therfore let this be called a masse of the common of the more Now yf yow make vp three hundred that must nedes be a coÌ„mon of the greater yf three thousand a coÌ„mon of the more greater so that we shall haue no end of coÌ„mon of the more and common of the lesse How much more better is it proued euery masse to be equally coÌ„mon because the priest is a coÌ„mon officer the prayers be common the answerer in the peoples behalfe common the thing offered coÌ„mon the table common the thankes geuyng is common and as it was
tawght the people that it was iniurious to Christ and his mediation to aske for helpe at any others handes then his Or that they should vse the signe of the crosse in baptisme only and not at the coÌ„secrating of Christ his body Or that they were not heretikes which threw downe altars erected vnto Christ Or that any Bisshopp then was maryed vpon Asshewensday Or that any goodman then did write that the gouernement of women was monstruous Or that 〈◊〉 in these wordes hoc est corpus meâ—Ì„ yâ— to be taken for significat Or that the lay people communicatyng did take the cup one at an others handes and â—ot at the priests handes or the deacons Or that there was any controuersie then in religionâ— which being decided by the Bishop of Rome the contrarie part was not taken for heresie and the mainteiners of it accompted heretikes Or that any then was put in the Calender for a Maâ—â—â—r which was hanged by iust iudgement not for any cause and matter of faith but for euident and wicked feloâ—â—e Or that any ecclesiasticall persons were depriued then of their benefices or excoÌ„municâ—ted owt of church and liuyng for that they refused to sweare against the authoritie of thâ— Bishope of Rome Or that any suche othe was vsed to be put vnto any man at that tyme Or that any fâ—yer of threescore yeares obteinyng afterwardes the Româ— of a Bishop maried a young woman of .xix. yeares Or that any Bishopp then preached to be all one to praye on a dunghyll and in a churche Or that any but heretikes refused to subscribe to a general and lawful couÌ„cell gathered and confirmed by the Bishop of Rome his authoritie These be the highest misteries and greatest keies of their religioÌ„ and without these their doctrine can neuer be mainteyned and staÌ„d vpright Yf any one therefor of all owr aduersaries be able to auouch any one of all these articles by any such sufficient authoritie of Scriptures doctors or Councels as I haue required as I sayd before so saie I now againe I am content to yeld vnto hym and to subscribe in that poynt which I wold neuer do nor might do vnto an heretike knowing that my faith must not hang vpon the euent of disputation yet seing I haue begon to playe the foole with a â—oole therefor I vse this terme of subscribing as I do lerne it of master Iuell But I am well assured they shal neuer be able trulye to alleage one sentence And because I know u therefor I speake it least any happelie should be deceaued And thus far furth to the imitation of master Iuell Factus sum insipiens vos me coëgistis But what now might any protestant think of this challenge will he not mislike with me that emong so manye articles as I reherse with great solemnitie so few are of weight and substance will he not be moued at the very hart that for indiffereÌ„t matters and reasonable ceremonies I shall require yet to haue their proufe out of the first six hundred yeares after Christ and owt of generall councells or auncient doctours or els make an exclamation agaynst the keeping of them will it not greiue hym that I stick vpon termes which can neuer be fownd in the cumpasse of the primitiue church which if their principles were true woulde folowe yet well inowgh of them And that leauyng the principle I presse hym with the particular word of some conclusion will it not anger hym Can he take it for indifferent dealing that I rekon vp some ones priuate opinion and make as thowgh it were the generall determination of all the protestantes in the world And when I haue gathered vp a number of articles of which the greater part conteineth indifferent or simple matters to coÌ„clude of theÌ„ all in one sum without order or distinction and boldlie to saye These be the highest misteries and greatest keies of their religioÌ„ and without these their doctrine can neuer be mainteined and stand vpright can the protestant hearing or reading this if he haue any spirite of trueth or honestie think that I were to be trusted in any point with the teaching or guyding of the ignorant yet I assure you marke it who will M. Iuells most gloriouse challenge hath no better reason or substaÌ„ce in it for of so manye his ors and interrogatories to make a shew and colour of great copie and store of matter I 〈…〉 of them which be not either of 〈◊〉 poyntes and quidditiesâ— without â—â—â—cussing and examinyng of which the Catholike faith continueth 〈◊〉 â—nowgh or els about orders and 〈◊〉 of which the gouernours of 〈◊〉 church haue the making or remouing in their discretion Now therefor if this maner of owr challenge be mislyked I am gladd that in aunswering a foole accordyng to his foolishnes I haue geauen warnyng to the Reader not to make of euerie rare thing and much praised a Iuell and to be ware euer of great faces sett vpon small and simple matters As on the other syde if for M. Iuells sake and honor this my challenge framed after the example of his shall stand for a reasonable one and tolerable lett me be answered then in the particulars and except I doe replie againe and that speedelie I with others will yeld vnto hym Yet now because the wyseman hath sayed not onlie aunswer a foole according to his foolishnes but rather and before this warned vs with doe not answer a foole according to his folisshnes lest thow be made lyke vnto hym I will not therfor rest and staye vpon the forsaid challenge but come furth with an other full of great and principall matters neither will I be lyke the protestant and troble the reader with questions of small importauÌ„ce but of substanciall and necessarie articles concerning the orders of this present lyfe or the hope of the lyfe euerlasting I make for the Catholikes honor this challenge and prouoke him that can to encouÌ„ter me I except none thowgh I lyke not all for who would be matched with the bold and blind brothers willinglie but I trust who so euer replyeth he shall be superintended so wiselye that his aunswer shall not come against me but with good authoritie and priuileage I saye therefor If any single one of owr aduersaries or they all conmunicating togeather can proue by any suficient testimonie out of Scriptures Doctors or CouÌ„cells That for the space of six hundred yeares after Christ hys ascension by which hundreds onlie they would be tryed in examining of veritie It was vnlawfull to make a vowe to God of chastitie obedience or pouertye or that breakers of such vowes were estemed aboue others as singular witnesses of the libertye of Christ his true Ghospell Or that it was abhominable then to make to hym any speciall sacrifice besides the sacrifice of owr thankes in wordes and figures for his benefites with remembrance of Christ his passion for vs and besides the offering of owr sowles and bodies to