and yet remaine members of the Church a taske that will neuer fadge well especially with them in their mutinous multitude and rabble of religious orders yea let them then call to minde how weakely Harding hath defended his answere of Bishop Iewels challenge or let them answere Perkins Problem and prooue where their Church was before the Trent Councell for it will asmuch trouble them to name a company of men in all points professing the Trent faith as vs to finde a company of men professing in all points the doctrine of the reformed religion But if they giue vs liberty to make challenge to them who in the most and greatest points haue agreed with vs which is but reasonable then in the next place we desire to grow to a point and agree vpon the maine points of difference betwixt vs and them All which in generall do concerne either the offices of Christ or the fruites of his office the which by their doctrine are ouerthrowne For first the kingly office of Christ is ouerthrowne by the supremacy of the Pope which draweth with it the pride of the Clergy and exaltation of them aboue the temporall power Secondly the Propheticall office is ouerthrowne by their silencing the Scripture and by giuing such liberty to the Church yea and to the Pope to frame articles of faith Thirdly the Priestly office is ouerthrowne in the worke of satisfaction by Merits Indulgences Purgatory c. In the worke of Application by their abuses thrust into the Sacraments especially Transubstantiation reall Presence Exorcismes c. by their false sacraments which were neuer appointed by Christ as meanes of application In the worke of Intercession by Angels Saints Images whom they haue made their mediators of intercession Lastly the fruites of Christs office redounding to vs by the mediation of Christ is our Iustification before God which doctrine they haue laboured to ouerthrow Now to the point this our taske wee are to shew forth the names of such men who haue consented with vs in the opposition of the Supremacy exemption of the Clergy from Ciuill iurisdiction in the authority of the Scriptures and in the communicating of them to the people in condemning Merits Indulgences Purgatory Transubstantiation reall presence intercession of Saints and Angels Image worship Pilgrimage in the doctrine of our free iustification by faith and such other points which are controuerted betwixt vs and the Church of Rome And this wee will doe first in the instance of our owne Countrimen and then proceed to others Know all men therefore by these presents that about the yeere of Grace 1370. in the time of Edward the third King of England at what time all the world was in most desperate and vile estate and that lamentable ignorance and darkenesse of Gods truth had ouer-shaddowed the Church most Iohn Wickliffe who almost 200. yeeres before Luther by the especiall prouidence of God was raised vp here in England to detect more fully and amply the poison of the Popes doctrine and to purge Religion from those dregs and filthinesse with which it was defiled a Professor of Diuinitie was he in Oxford a man of note in his time and of famous memory in the ages following For after hee had begunne to publish some conclusions touching the Doctrine of the Sacrament and other abuses of the Church which boyle and sore could not be touched without the great paine and griefe of the world hee was much infested with the Monkes and Friers who like Hornets did assaile the good man on euery side After them the Priests tooke the matter in hand and Symon Sudbery Archbishop depriued him of his Benefice in Oxford yet by the friendly and fauourable assistance of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and Henry Percy Earle Marshal being also befriēded of the King who had heretofore made vse of him in an Ambassage he bore out the malice of the Friers and of the Archbishop all the dayes of Edward the third and of Pope Vrban who being busied in suppressing his aduersary Clement the seuenth could not spare any time to deale with Wickliffe and so it came to passe by Gods prouidence that the truth began to take some place and roote in mens hearts Afterward in the beginning of Richard the 2. and of Gregory the eleuenth his aduersaries espied their time and incensed the Pope against him who sendeth foorth his Bull to the Vniuersity of Oxford and an Epistle to the King with diuers Letters to the Bishops dated all 11. kal. of Iune in the seuenth yeere of his Pontificality 1378. By which it appeareth that Wicklife was a man of note and that these things were not done in a corner but that his preaching had taken effect So that the Bishops had neede of the Popes owne helpe to suppresse him and his abettors the which although they attempted yet could they not bring to passe his commendation testified by the Vniuersitie is this That hee behaued himselfe as a stout Champion of the Faith neither was hee conuict of any heresie and God forbid saith the Testimoniall that our Prelates should haue condemned a man of such honesty of heresie His bookes were many and spred abroade not only throughout England but also by occasion of Queene Anne wife to Richard the second sister to Wenceslaus King of Bohemia carried into Bohemia whence Iohn Husse learned the beginnings of his knowledge Thus was this man a most worthy instrument in the Church of God like a bright Starre shining farre and neere Now for his conclusions which are recorded for his they are many gathered by his aduersaries and therefore if in all points they sound not so well as we could desire yet certainely wee may beleeue that they were not so bad as some of them are deliuered Wee finde that in a Conuention at London 1382. May 17. they proceeded to the condemnation of his articles some as hereticall some as erroneous The which also were afterward presented to the Councell of Constance with diuers others to the number of 45. in all and by the same Councell condemned the which for breuitie sake I haue collected vnto their seuerall heads 1. Touching the supremacy hee held that it is not necessary to saluation to beleeue that the Church of Rome is supreme head of all Churches That the Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Satan Neither is the Pope immediately the Vicar of Christ nor his Apostles and that the Excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to bee feared because it is the censure of Antichrist 2. Concerning religious orders which are the tayle of Antichrist he taught That those holy men as Francis Dominick Benedict c which haue instituted priuate religions whatsoeuer they be in so doing haue grieuously offended And such who do found Monasteries doe offend and sin so all such who enter into such religions are thereby vnable to keepe the commandements of God as also to attaine to the Kingdome of heauen except they
returne from the same yea that religious men being in their priuate religion are not of the Christian Religion but are members of the Diuell 3. Concerning the Authoritie of the Church his doctrine was that whatsoeuer the Pope and his Cardinals can deduce cleerely out of the Scriptures that only is to bee beleeued or to bee done at their admonition and that whatsoeuer else they command is to bee condemned as hereticall As for the decretals of the Pope they are Apocrypha and seduce men from the faith of Christ and the Clergy that studie them are fooles 4. As touching preaching and hearing the Word which is the execution of Christs Propheticall Office hee taught That it is lawfull for any man either Priest or Deacon to preach the Word of God without the authoritie of the Apostolike Sea or any other of his Catholikes and that all such who doe leaue preaching or hearing the Word for feare of their excommunication they are already excommunicated and in the Day of iudgement shal be counted traitors against God 5. Hee opposed also the selling of Prayers Pardons Indulgences and such Popish trash by which the satisfaction of Christ is weakened affirming that it was but a folly to beleeue the Popes Pardons Item that all such as bee hired for temporall liuing to pray for other doe offend and sinne in Simony 6. In the doctrine of the Sacraments which are the instruments of Christ to apply to vs the work of his satisfaction he laboureth much to reforme the abuses 1. In Baptisme hee found fault with their doctrine of necessity teaching that they which doe affirme that the infants of the faithfull departing without the Sacrament of Baptisme are not saued are presumptuous and fooles in so affirming 2. In the Supper of the Lord hee opposed the reall presence and transubstantiation teaching that Christ is not really in the Sacrament of the Altar in his proper and corporall person but only figuratiuely That without all doubt it is a figuratiue speech to say This is my body Item that the substance of materiall bread and wine euen bread in his owne substance doth remaine in the Sacrament of the Altar and ceaseth not to be bread still That the Accidents do not remain without the Subiect in the same Sacrament after the consecration So also hee taught That it is not found or established by the Gospell that Christ did ordaine Masse 3. As for the other fiue which we count bastard-sacraments some he did doubt of as Extreame Vnction for this is one article if corporall vnction or anneyling were a Sacrament as it is faigned to be Christ and his Apostles would not haue left the ordinance thereof vntouched So also for Shrift if a man be duely and truely contrite and penitent all outward confession is superfluous and vnprofitable Other Sacraments he complained of as being abused hallowing of Churches saith hee confirmation of children and the Sacrament of Orders be reserued to the Pope and Bishops onely for the respect of temporall lucre So also concerning Matrimony he held that the causes of diuorcement of consanguinity or affinity be not founded in the Scripture but are onely the ordinances of men and humane inuentions 7. Lastly concerning the power of the Keyes and the Churches censures his positions are That no Prelate ought to excommunicate any man except he know him first to be excommunicate of God and that he that doth excommunicate any other man is thereby himselfe either an hereticke or excommunicate Item that a Prelate excommunicating any man of the Clergy which hath appealed to the King or to the Councell is thereby himselfe a traitour to the King and Realme This in effect is the summe of his doctrine wherein howsoeuer there may be some few small slips or harsh phrases yet no pernicious errours much lesse damnable heresie but for the substance it is sound and good and agreeable to the Canon of the World Wherefore howsoeuer the Synod of London and the Councell of Constance haue agreed to condemne these Articles and his Books yea his bones also to the fire 41. yeeres after his death yet since de iure they ought not so to haue done and that we are able to iustifie his doctrine we are bold to challēge him as a fit instance to answer the question proposed and doe conclude that our Church had a being and the doctrine of the reformed Churches had professors long before the dayes of Luther But goe to let vs goe on and see what other can be named one Swallow maketh no Summer nor one professor a Church True and therefore except we can draw downe the profession of this doctrine successiuely from Wickcliffe to the dayes of Luther let vs lose all this labour wherefore we are to know that both together with Wickcliffe and after him arose a multitude in the Church of England maintaining the same doctrine and spreading it abroad among the people labouring with might and maine to defend it Such were Lau. Redman Master of Arts Dau. Sawtree Diuine Iohn Aschwarby Vicar of S. Maries Church in Oxford William Iones an excellent young-man well learned Th. Brightwell Will. Haulam a Ciuilian Ralph Grenhurst Io. Scut Ph. Norrice who being excommunicate by Pope Eugenius the fourth appealed to a generall Councell Peter Paine Lord Cobham with diuers others whose names are mentioned in the Kings writ sent to the Sheriffe of Northampton giuen at the Mannor of Langly March 8. in the 12. of Richard the second so also for confirmation of their multitudes the words of the Statute made Anno 5. of Richard 2. About this time W. Courtny Archbishop being in his Visitation at Leicester conuented diuers before him as Dexter Tailor Wagstaffe Scriuener Smith Henry Parchmeanar Goldsmith these with other moe were accused to the Archbishop for holding the opinion of the sacrament of the Altar auricular confession and other sacraments contrary to that which the Church of Rome did teach The which persons because being cited they came not in were solemnely accursed as hereticks with bell booke and candle yea and by the same Archbishop was the whole Towne of Leicester interdicted so long as any of these excommunicate persons should remaine in it There was also one Matilda an Anchoresse accused of the same opinions all this happened in 1387. in the 10. yeere of Richard 2. About the same time Peter Pateshall an Austen Frier hauing obtained leaue of the Pope to change his coate and religion hearing the doctrine of Wickliffe and others of the same sort began to preach openly and to detect the vices of his Couent preaching in London by the Londoners graciously entertained and vpheld against the turbulent Friers who sought to molest him Thus by the preaching of Wickliffe and others the Gospell began to fructifie and spread abroad in London and other places of the Realme and more would haue done had not the Prelates set themselues so forcibly with might and maine to gaine-stand the course thereof 1389.
and contention about religion as in the History of the Church doth appeare In the Regist. of Fitz-Iames B. of London are cōtained the names of diuers to the number of 40. persecuted in the Diocesse of London betweene the yeere 1509. and 1527. of whom some after they had shewed their weaknes in recanting did afterwards returne to their former profession and cleauing fast to it were for it martyred as W. Sweeting I. Bruster burned in Smithfield 1511. I. Browne burned in Ashford about the 4. yere of H. 8. about which time also fell out the trouble of Rich. Hunne whom after his death they condemned of Heresie But now the numbers of Confessors and Martyrs arise to such multitudes that a long discourse and a large treatise would hardly suffice to set them downe wherefore I passe ouer the story of I. Stilman Tho. Man Rob. Cosin Chri. Shomaker Martyrs As also diuers Confessors to the number of 35. abiured about the yeere 1520. for speaking against worshipping of Saints Pilgrimage Inuocation of the Virgin the Sacrament of the Lords body and for hauing bookes in English as the 4. Euangelists the Epistles of Paul Peter and Iames the Book of the Reuelation a Booke of Antichrist of the 10. Commandements and Wickliffes Wicket Bookes no doubt wonderfully stuft with heresies doctrine vnmeet for Christians to know and vnderstand Oh the subtilty of those Romish Foxes How many men and women were persecuted in the Diocesse of Lincolne vnder Bishop Longland anno 1521. for opposing or not consenting to the Romish doctrine of pilgrimage Image-worship Transubstantiation reall presence Their arguments they collected out of the Scripture the Shepheards Calender Wickliffes Wicket and such other bookes as they had amongst them and notwithstanding they had not with them any learned man to ground them in the doctrine yet they conferring together did conuert one another the Lords hand working among them maruelously After the great abiuration which was vnder Bishop Smith they were termed amongst themselues Knowne men or iust fast men not much vnlike to the present name of Protestants Amongst whom to see their trauels their earnest seeking burning zeale their readings watchings sweete assemblies loue and concord godly liuing faithfull meaning may make vs now in these our dayes of free profession to be ashamed From all which duely considered we may easily gather what would haue bin the number of Professors had the world looked friendly vpon them For if when the Temporall Magistrate tooke hand with the Ecclesiasticall to suppresse them and roote them out if when all men of note and learning either for hope of preferment or feare of trouble turned their studies otherwaies if when the Scripture and English bookes were forbidden if when bookes were so rare and deare and so hard to come by as before the Science of printing was inuented they were if notwithstanding all these hinderances the Truth of God did so multiply amongst them what would it haue done had they had multitude of bookes or those cheape the Scripture in English had they had learned men to guide them had they liued in a peaceable time had they had the Magistrate either for them or at least not against them for why was the increase of the Gospell in Bohemia by the preaching of I. Husse more remarkable and further spred then here in England but that the Magistrate with his sword was not so seuere against them Whence was it that Luther preuailed more then Wickliffe but that hee had a supporter the Duke of Saxony which Wickliffe wanted Amongst vs at this day doe we not all know that Arminianisme would haue more preuailed and infected further then yet it doth if the Kings Maiesty were either for it or not against it Wherefore all men may easily see that they are much deceiued who cōdemne this our doctrine of nouelty and insultingly demand Where was your Church before Luther To whom wee answere out of this demonstration hitherto made That euer since the dayes of Wickliffe almost 200. yeeres before Luther the doctrine of the reformed Churches that is those points wherein they differ from the church of Rome and in which the reformation doth consist these points I say were held and professed for whence came those persecutions or vvho vvere they that thus were persecuted If of the same profession with them then is their cruelty vnreasonable to persecute their ovvn fraternity if they were othervvise how then is the doctrine of the reformed Churches so new or the Professours thereof so lately start vp as our aduersaries pretend they be But this is the fruit of ignorance and carelesnesse to read the Histories of the Church and the records of antiquity heretofore For then might men easily see that the Church of England hath not wanted multitudes of well-disposed hearts howsoeuer the publike authority then lacked to maintaine the open preaching of the Gospell Now whilst our aduersaries bethinke themselues what to say to this part of the Induction concerning the estate of the Church in our owne country of England in the ages next before Luther I wil passe ouer into Germany and see what successe the Gospell had there especially in Bohemia by the preaching of Iohn Husse and others who liued in the same age with Wickliffe Afterwards will I proceede to prosecute the argument of the Induction by the demonstration of History in the ages before Wickliffe and Husse if it shall be thought conuenient FINIS